| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08127364B2 |
Electronic apparatus and information processing apparatus
The electronic apparatus includes: a timer for measuring an elapse time duration under a component-disengaged state after detection of the disengaged state by the sensor; a copy controlling unit for making data stored in the recording unit to be copied in a storage unit of the information processing apparatus; and a deleting unit for deleting data stored in the recording unit. The copy controlling unit makes data stored in the recording unit to be stored in the storage unit of the information processing apparatus when the timer detects elapse of a first predetermined time duration, and the deleting unit deletes data stored in the recording unit when data stored in the recording unit is copied in the storage unit. This makes it possible to prevent loss of data stored in the recording unit of the electronic apparatus, and to improve data confidentiality, and to prevent confidential information leakage. |
| US08127358B1 |
Thin client for computer security applications
A system for scanning a file for malicious codes may include a client agent running in a client computer and a scan server running in a server computer, the client computer and the server computer communicating over a computer network. The client agent may be configured to locally receive a scan request to scan a target file for malicious codes and to communicate with the scan server to scan the target file using a scan engine running in the server computer. The scan server in communication with the client agent allows the scan engine to scan the target file by issuing file I/O requests to access the target file located in the client computer. The client agent may be configured to check for digital signatures and to maintain a file cache of previously scanned files to minimize network traffic. |
| US08127357B1 |
Method to detect SYN flood attack
A method of predicting a SYN flooding attack on a server. The method tracks the number of SYN signals received (or SYN+ACK signals sent) over the communications port of the server in a specified time interval, the arrival estimation window. The invention then predicts the number of anticipated ACK, RST or ACK+RST signals to be received over the communication port within a predetermined time length prediction window. The prediction may be made at multiple points within the prediction window. The prediction window is offset in time from the arrival estimation window. The prediction of ACK signals to be received is based upon the number of SYN signals received or SYN+ACK signals sent in the arrival estimation window. In one embodiment, a polynomial is fit to the data in the Arrival estimation window and extrapolated to the prediction window. The predicted number of ACK, or RST or ACK+RST signals is compared to the actual number received in the prediction window, and if the difference is in excess of a threshold value, and attack is indicated. |
| US08127347B2 |
Virtual firewall
The present invention provides a firewall device that is divided into several virtual firewalls. The users in the Intranet are divided into several user groups based on different security policy demands. Each virtual firewall is equipped with the security policy of the corresponding user group. Each firewall manages one user group in the Intranet. Thus, the present invention reduces the complexity of the firewall management, reduces the extra cost of adding more firewalls and makes the management easier. |
| US08127342B2 |
Secure end-to-end transport through intermediary nodes
A communication network encrypts a first portion of a transaction associated with point-to-point communications using a point-to-point encryption key. A second portion of the transaction associated with end-to-end communications is encrypted using an end-to-end encryption key. |
| US08127341B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, peripheral apparatus, and authority control system
A printer driver configured to acquire print control information for controlling a function provided by a peripheral apparatus includes: a first access control information requesting unit configured to acquire print control information corresponding to an authority according to signatory information included in a signature provided to a document; and a sending unit configured to send a print job that allows the peripheral apparatus to perform processing controlled according to the acquired print control information. |
| US08127339B2 |
Automatic, connection-based terminal or user authentication in communication networks
The aim of the invention is to permit the automatic identification of access rights to protected areas in networks, in particular on the Internet. This is achieved by a method for automatically identifying the access rights to protected areas in a first network using a unique connection identifier of a second network, in particular in the interconnection of networks that constitutes the Internet. According to the invention: a unique identifier of the first network is dynamically or statically assigned to a terminal, during or prior to the latter's connection to the first network; a combination of at least the unique connection identifier of the second network and the unique identifier of the first network, said combination being stored in an authentication unit, is polled when the terminal requests access to the protected area, in order to determine the unique connection identifier of the second network using the unique identifier of the first network; and the existence of access rights to the protected area for the unique connection identifier of the second network is then verified. |
| US08127337B2 |
Method and apparatus as pertains to a biometric template and a corresponding privacy policy
At a two-way communications apparatus (200) of choice, one can detect (101) a two-way communications apparatus user instruction and then, in response to detecting that instruction, provide (102) certain information to a nearby two-way communications apparatus (208) via a near field communications link (206). This information can comprise, at least in part, a biometric template as pertains to a user of the two-way communications apparatus and a privacy policy as pertains to further dissemination of the biometric template. |
| US08127335B2 |
Communication error message for TV internet adapter
A communication error message is displayed on a TV when an error is noted on a control data link between the TV and an Internet adapter module connected thereto. |
| US08127331B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for conveying personalized content to a viewer
According to embodiments of the present invention a method, system and apparatus for conveying personalized content to a viewer is provided. A method for conveying personalized content comprises obtaining an indication of viewer-selected content and receiving an indication of a viewing time by which a target receiver device is required to have received the viewer-selected content. The method further comprises determining a delivery window based on the viewing time and generating a delivery component including the viewer-selected content and an identifier associated with the target receiver device. The method further comprises causing the delivery component to be delivered to the target receiver device during the delivery window. |
| US08127330B2 |
Display device and method of managing list of channel information in video display device
A display device and method of managing a list of channel information in a video display device are provided. The display device includes the steps of displaying a first window including a first list of pre-selected channel and/or program information, storing at least one channel and/or program information deleted from the first window to a data storage, displaying a second window including a second list of deleted channel and/or program information stored in the data storage, and selectively restoring a channel and/or program information selected from the second list to the first list. |
| US08127325B2 |
Log processing to determine impression values using reliable durations
Set top box logs are received from a television provider and processed to identify channel tunes and channel tune times. The channel tunes and channel tune times of the log data can be compared to expected air times of television advertisements on channels, and an impression values, e.g., projected viewers, can be generated for each television advertisement. |
| US08127320B2 |
Thread motor and playback device
A thread motor is disclosed. The thread motor includes: a cylindrical rotor; a ring-shaped gear provided at an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical rotor; and a flange portion provided at the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical rotor, opposed to the gear with a predetermined clearance. |
| US08127317B2 |
Disc changer
The invention provides a disc changer including a plurality of trays which can be moved respectively in a horizontal direction, a tray driving gear unit capable of shuttling the trays between a standby position and a disc exchange position, a gear driving mechanism for driving the tray driving gear unit, a tray triggering unit capable of locking/unlocking the trays in the standby position, pushing all trays to engage with the tray driving gear unit after unlocking the trays, and driving the trays toward the disc exchange position, wherein the tray driving gear unit can be used for checking the discs by driving all trays to protrude outward from the mechanical chassis to the disc exchange position, and can drive the trays individually from the disc exchange position to the standby position from top to bottom, thereby each disc can be checked until its tray is closed. |
| US08127315B2 |
Method, apparatus and software for measuring the performance of a runtime platform in response to a process call from a software application
A method, apparatus or software is disclosed for monitoring the performance that an application program receives from a runtime platform. |
| US08127313B2 |
Method and system for providing services
A method for providing a service on a device. The method includes instantiating a service provider that provides the service, where the service provider implements a service provider interface (SPI) corresponding to the service and where the SPI is defined by a service provision framework for providing services to Xlets. The method further includes using the service by a first Xlet, where the first Xlet uses the service provider interface (SPI). |
| US08127310B1 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically switching display drivers in mobile device operating system
A method and a system for dynamically switching, without initialization, display drivers of a mobile telephone or personal digital assistant having a processing unit operative with a mobile device operating system, wherein a display driver interface manager is embedded with the operating system that is operative to receive captured video application program interface messages, which redirects values of the video API messages to an alternative video driver, enabling a remote video display device to display a reconstructed image based on the video API messages. The ability to dynamically switch from a primary display to a secondary display is desirable to prevent disruptions in display content, including current display view. |
| US08127309B1 |
Secure digital input/output interface system
An interface system includes a first driver module that communicates through a bus with a first peripheral card when the bus is in a first mode. A second driver module communicates through the bus with a second peripheral card when the bus is in a second mode. A bus control module receives a communication notification signal from the second peripheral card when the first peripheral card is communicating with the first driver module. The communication notification signal does not interfere with the communication of the first peripheral card and the first driver module. The bus control module switches the bus between first and second modes in response to the communication notification signal. |
| US08127305B1 |
Rerouting messages to parallel queue instances
A method, system, and medium are provided for re-routing messages from a particular parallel queue instance that is experiencing below normal message throughput. The messages are re-routed to the other parallel queue instances by disabling the slow queue instance. A series of determinations are made, prior to disabling the queue instance, to confirm that disabling the queue instance is the preferred response to the decreased throughput for the queue instance. |
| US08127303B2 |
Fair scalable reader-writer mutual exclusion
Implementing fair scalable reader writer mutual exclusion for access to a critical section by a plurality of processing threads in a processing system is accomplished by creating a first queue node for a first thread on the first thread's stack, the queue node representing a request by the first thread to access the critical section; adding the first queue node to a queue pointed to by a single word reader writer mutex for the critical section, the queue representing a list of threads desiring access to the critical section, each queue node in the queue being on a stack of a thread of the plurality of processing threads; waiting until the first queue node has no preceding write requests as indicated by predecessor queue nodes on the queue; entering the critical section by the first thread; exiting the critical section by the first thread; and removing the first queue node from the queue. |
| US08127291B2 |
Virtual machine manager for managing multiple virtual machine configurations in the scalable enterprise
A system and method are disclosed for using directory services to manage resources in a virtual execution environment. A directory repository is populated with resource, administration, roles, policy, and service-level agreement (SLA) objects. A service request is received by a virtual machine manager (VMM) administrator, which determines its requirements. The directory repository is queried with a directory service to identify available resources to fulfill the service request. The service request is routed to the VMM of the virtual machine (VM) host comprising the available resources. If an active VM comprises the available resources, then its roles, policy, and SLA objects are retrieved from the directory repository. The objects are then used to respectively determine if the service request has sufficient authentication and authorizations, if the VM's configuration meets the service request's resource requirements, and if service-levels requirements can be maintained. |
| US08127289B2 |
Enabling a third party application to participate in migration of a virtualized application instance
An operating system manages virtualized instances of hardware resources and migration enabled applications partitioned into one of multiple partitions with a separate operating system kernel running in each of the partitions. A migration event controller of the operating system manages the checkpoint and restart process during migration of a virtualized instance of at least one migration enabled application from a departure partition to an arrival partition. The migration event controller supports migration enabled applications to separately specify at least one application specific checkpoint script and restart script to be triggered by checkpoint and restart events by the migration event controller so the at least one migration enabled application can participate in performing the checkpoint and restart process for additional state information during migration of the virtualized instance from the departure partition to the arrival partition. |
| US08127287B2 |
Systems and methods for reusing SAP adaptors in non-supported releases
An adaptor provides functionality in a second version of a software to a first version by determining at least one functionality available in the second version but not available in the first version; determining a reuse or adaptation of an adaptor framework in the first version; mapping the functionality of the second version to the first version; importing code in the second version to the first version; and deploying the adaptor framework in the first version. |
| US08127284B2 |
On-demand loading of types of software code of a program executing on a computing device
A first computing device receives (over a network) from at least a second computing device a container that includes information relating to types of software code that are potentially invoked by a program executing on the first computing device. A determination is made according to an on-demand basis, during execution of the program, whether a particular type of software code is to be loaded from the at least second computing device to the first computing device. |
| US08127282B2 |
Recompilation of a class with a java static variable
A system and associated method for directing to recompile a class with a static variable of the class in a Java platform are disclosed. The class is defined with at least two implementations that are selectively compiled and executed a value of the static variable. The value of the static variable of the class is modified to a new value depending on characteristics of a runtime environment in which the method is executed. The class is recompiled and the new value is set for the static variable of the class. A debugger performs a hot code replacement of the class with the recompiled class. |
| US08127280B2 |
Method and system for dynamic memory management
A computer system which includes a plurality of threads and a garbage collector that traces memory objects and identifies memory objects according to a three-color abstraction. The computer system also includes two methods of deleting compiled code in a self-modifying multi-threaded computer system. The computer system also utilizes a method of handling links between fragments of code in a self-modifying multi-threaded computer system. The computer system also handles patches between two pieces of code. |
| US08127273B2 |
Node selection for executing a Java application among a plurality of nodes
Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for node selection for executing a Java application among a plurality of nodes connected together for data communications using a data communication network, the plurality of nodes also connected to a service node, that include: tracking, by the service node, loaded Java classes currently loaded on each of the plurality of nodes; receiving, in the service node, an instruction to execute a Java application using the plurality of nodes; identifying, by the service node, Java classes utilized in executing the Java application; selecting, by the service node, one of the plurality of nodes for executing the Java application in dependence upon the loaded Java classes and the Java classes utilized in executing the Java application; and configuring, by the service node, the Java application for execution on the selected node. |
| US08127267B2 |
Self-healing cross development environment
An apparatus, computer system program product and method implement self-healing functionality in a cross development environment to maximize the availability and minimize interoperability problems between disparate software development environments that are coupled to one another via such an environment. In particular, dynamically-modifiable mapping data structures are used to interface multiple software development environments with one another, such that modifications may be made to such data structures in response to modifications made in the underlying software development environments and thereby maintain interoperability between such software development environments. |
| US08127266B1 |
Gate-length biasing for digital circuit optimization
Methods and apparatus for a gate-length biasing methodology for optimizing integrated digital circuits are described. The gate-length biasing methodology replaces a nominal gate-length of a transistor with a biased gate-length, where the biased gate-length includes a bias length that is small compared to the nominal gate-length. In an exemplary embodiment, the bias length is less than 10% of the nominal gate-length. |
| US08127262B1 |
Communicating state data between stages of pipelined packet processor
Approaches for generating a specification of a pipelined packet processor. A textual specification includes input and output packet formats, each specifying a format for each field in the packet and a plurality of actions for processing one or more fields of an input packet. Pipeline stages are determined from the actions in the textual specification, and each action is assigned to one of the pipeline stages. A shared variable is determined that is accessed by actions in at least two stages. An action in an initial stage writes the shared variable, an action in a last stage reads the shared variable. A hardware description is generated including the pipeline stages and assigned actions, a respective first-in-first-out queue between each adjacent pair of pipeline stages, a respective register for transferring the shared variable between each adjacent pair of the pipeline stages, and control logic for writing to and reading from each respective register. |
| US08127260B1 |
Physical layout estimator
In one embodiment of the invention, a physical layout wire-load algorithm is used to generate a wire-load model based on physical data including aspect ratio and wire definitions defined in a physical library. The physical layout estimator is utilized to dynamically produce the physical layout wire-load model and to calculate net length and delay for each optimization iteration. |
| US08127257B2 |
Designing method of photo-mask and method of manufacturing semiconductor device using the photo-mask
In a method of designing a photo-mask, a graphic pattern as a target of development simulation is divided into a plurality of sub graphic patterns which are respectively assigned with a plurality of orthogonal coordinate systems which are not orthogonal to each other. A model-based OPC (optical proximity correction) is performed on each of the plurality of sub graphic patterns by moving sides of the sub graphic pattern in directions parallel to coordinate axes of the orthogonal coordinate system assigned to the sub graphic pattern. |
| US08127252B2 |
Method and system for presenting user interface (UI) information
A method, apparatus, and medium are provided for providing a custom view of a set of user-interface elements (UI elements) to a requesting component. The method includes representing the UI elements as a raw tree structure composed of a set of nodes, which correspond to the UI elements; identifying a subset of the nodes that satisfy the condition(s); and communicating to the requesting component a representation of all or some of the identified nodes. The apparatus includes a request-transmission component for submitting to an interface component instructions and a transmission-reception component for receiving from the interface component the information associated with one or more UI elements that satisfy the one or more conditions. |
| US08127249B2 |
Method and apparatus providing configurable pop-ups
A method for configuring a pop-up that displays various types of information on a computer screen, includes providing a graphic user interface that displays a list of types of information capable of being displayed by the pop-up and providing a user configuration system that allows a user to configure the pop-up by selecting from the list of the types of information to be displayed by the pop-up. |
| US08127248B2 |
Computer interface having a virtual single-layer mode for viewing overlapping objects
A computer-human interface provides a mechanism to manage the available space of a computer display in a manner that facilitates navigation among multiple windows that are overlaid upon one another. The interface includes a user-selectable mode in which the windows are rearranged, and resized if necessary, so that all open windows can be simultaneously viewed within the area of the display, thereby enabling any one of the windows to be easily selected for access. In effect, the presentation of the windows is “flattened” so that all windows appear at the same virtual depth, rather than overlapping one another. With this approach, there is no need to minimize windows in order to access one that is overlaid by another, thereby enabling the user to keep the content of all windows visible and accessible. Subsets of windows can be repositioned in the same manner, or all windows can be removed from the display area. |
| US08127244B2 |
Method and terminal for displaying character capacity
A method of displaying an available character capacity in a character entry window includes calculating an available character capacity based on characters entered by a user, displaying the entered characters in a character entry window, and displaying an indication of the available character capacity at a position in the character entry window adjacent to the last character entered by the user. A method of displaying an available character capacity on a graphical user interface includes calculating an available character capacity based on characters entered by a user, displaying the entered characters on the graphical user interface, and displaying an object in the graphical user interface in a specific color corresponding to the calculated available character capacity. |
| US08127243B2 |
Uninterruptible power system (UPS) with improved manual user interface having a touch screen with main tabs separating pages, sub-menus identifying sub-pages related to certain main tabs, and links to pages or sub-pages
An Uninterruptible Power System is described that is configured to operate as a buffer between a supplied power and an electrical load such that if line voltage is interrupted power to the load is maintained for a period of time. The uninterruptible power system is characterized in that it has a user interface that includes a touch screen having a display for presenting a graphical user interface and configured for manual user activation upon touching of said screen upon portions of the displayed graphical user interface, and a control module having programming configured to display a graphical user interface on the touch screen. In addition, the graphical user interface includes: a plurality of manually selectable tabs configured to present pages related to separate aspects of the uninterruptible power system; a menu configured to present sub-pages pertaining to respective ones of the tabs; wherein the tabs and the menu are located proximate a side of the touch screen; and at least one diagram including a plurality of regions having links to sub-pages pertaining to respective ones of the tabs. |
| US08127241B2 |
Process plant user interface system having customized process graphic display layers in an integrated environment
A method useful for providing a user interface for a process plant includes displaying graphical depictions of process plant elements of the process plant via the user interface. Information is generated for a plurality of content layers of a process graphic display of the process plant elements by processing data regarding operation of the process plant. Content to be displayed via the user interface is determined from the generated information by determining which content layer of the plurality of content layer is to be displayed. In some embodiments, the determination may be made based on a user profile characteristic. The generated information may therefore support multiple views of the process plant via the user interface for a plurality of different types of users of the user interface, and may involve processing data regarding actual and simulated operation of the process plant. As a result, the method may also include determining whether the process plant is currently on-line to further determine the portion of the information to be displayed via the user interface. |
| US08127239B2 |
Object transitions
In one aspect, one or more computer storage media can store executable instructions causing a processor to perform operations that include: providing a display environment including one or more object items; receiving a user selection of at least one of the object items; and, graphically transitioning the object item into an instance of an executing object within the display environment while retaining an aspect ratio associated with the object item. |
| US08127233B2 |
Remote user interface updates using difference and motion encoding
Frames of user interface graphical data can be remotely rendered at a client during a remote session with a server by providing graphical data commands to the client. The commands include motion commands derived from objects that change position between a current frame and a new frame and delta commands derived from differences between the frames. The delta commands can be generated from a frame update after applying motion commands or without applying motion commands. A server identifies moving objects having a first position in the current frame and a second position in the new frame, generates motion hints for the moving objects, and reduces the motion hints based on collision detection, motion verification and other factors. Motion commands are generated for the reduced set of motion hints and applied to a copy of the current frame at the server. Differences between the modified current frame and the new frame are then encoded as delta commands. The server then sends the motion commands and delta commands to the client. The client receives and applies the commands to the current frame to render the new frame. |
| US08127232B2 |
Method and apparatus for editing heterogeneous media objects in a digital imaging device
A method and apparatus for editing heterogeneous media objects in a digital imaging device having a display screen, where each one of the media objects has one or more media types associated therewith, such as a still image, a sequential image, video, audio, and text. The method aspect of the present invention begins by displaying a representation of each one of the media objects on the display screen to allow a user to randomly select a particular media object to edit. In response to a user pressing a key to edit a selected media object, one or more specialized edit screens is invoked for editing the media types associated with the selected media object. If the media object includes a still or a sequential image, then an image editing screen is invoked. If the media object includes a video clip, then a video editing screen is invoked. If the media object includes an audio clip, then an audio editing screen is invoked. And if the media object includes a text clip, then a text editing screen is invoked. |
| US08127230B2 |
Display control device, image forming apparatus, method for controlling display device, and storage medium
A display control device controls an image display device capable of displaying a preview of an output image that is to be subjected to an output process, before the output image is subjected to the output process. The display control device refers to a storage section in which specific information specifying an image process which a user cannot recognize from a previewed output image is stored, and selects an image process specified by the specific information out of image processes to be carried out on the output image. Further, the display control device causes the image display device to display a setting confirmation image showing a content of the selected image process. This allows a user to correctly understand the content of an image process to be carried out on the output image and the image quality of the output image subjected to the output process. |
| US08127227B1 |
Computerized method for dynamic content placement in a document
A computer-operated method for dynamically laying out content in a document, so as to thereby establish a resulting document. A computer first virtually lays out primary content portions in a virtual document space within computer memory. The computer then lays out secondary content portions in spatial correlation with associated primary content portions, to the extent space permits. And the computer then lays out tertiary content portions in spatial correlation with areas of the document, such as groups of primary content portions, to the extent space permits, while giving layout preference to tertiary content portions that have higher priority than already-placed secondary content portions. The invention can be used to dynamically generate invoices for telecommunication subscribers or in other scenarios. |
| US08127221B2 |
Optimal sizes of objects in a document
Architecture of one or more algorithms for autofitting objects with non-trivial geometries in documents. The algorithms autofit rectangular objects (such as floaters), when the objects contain both left and right aligned objects, autofit tables, determine correct sizes of a parent object and its child object when the width of the parent object is unknown (referred to as an auto-width), and the width of the parent's child object is expressed in percentages of the parent object width. A two-pass algorithm determines the best (or optimal) sizes of margins, borders, and paddings of objects where any combination thereof can have fixed width, auto width, and/or percentage-expressed width. Additionally, the algorithms can recursively calculate the optimal widths of objects inside other objects, where the outer object width is undefined. The algorithms can process an unlimited number of nesting levels. |
| US08127219B1 |
Printing and rendering hyperlink destinations
A method is provided. In this method, content comprises a hyperlink source and a hyperlink destination. The hyperlink destination is embedded within the hyperlink sources. The hyperlink destination is extracted from the content and the hyperlink destination is printed or rendered with the content. |
| US08127218B2 |
Information processing method and apparatus
The state of a label at an optional time point, such as a past time point, can be recognized, while the label can be regenerated even when the label has been deleted. When a label on which can be pasted an object, such as text, picture or sound, is acted upon (yes at step S141) the difference of the label information is computed (step S142) and the computed difference information is stored (steps S144, S145). The label state is then regenerated based on the time information stored in association with the label and the difference information. Also, time is displayed, plural time intervals are displayed (step S201), a desired one of the plural time intervals is selected (step S202) and time display is controlled responsive to the selected time intervals (steps S203 to S206), to facilitate retrieval of the information corresponding to the specified time. In addition, a label handling at least the time concept is processed (step S231) and the time axis in displaying the label is controlled (step S233) based on an operating signal associated with rotational actuation from a jog dial (step S232). |
| US08127217B2 |
Document management system for transferring a plurality of documents
The subject application is directed to managing electronic documents in associated data storage areas. User identification is received and indicia of data storage areas is displayed. Storage selection is received from the user to store incoming electronic documents. A storage area is then designated in accordance with the received selection and identification data. A shadow data storage area associated with the designated area is created and an access code associated with the designated area is determined. An input of incoming document systems is associated with the shadow area based upon the selection data. Documents are received, in their native formats, from the systems into the shadow storage area. The access code is then associated with each incoming document in the shadow data storage area. A log of history for each document is generated. The documents and logs are routed into the designated area from the shadow area. |
| US08127215B2 |
Signal loss detector for high-speed serial interface of a programmable logic device
A loss-of-signal detector includes digital and analog monitoring of incoming data. The incoming signal is compared digitally to at least one predetermined pattern that may indicate a loss of signal, and also is monitored by an analog detector that detects transitions in the data. If the digital comparison fails to match any of the at least one predetermined pattern, or if transitions are detected by the analog monitoring, even if the digital comparison produces a pattern match, then loss of signal is not indicated. |
| US08127202B2 |
Use of alternative value in cell detection
A system and method, including computer software, allows reading data from a flash memory cell. Voltages from a group of memory cells are detected. The group of memory cells have associated metadata for error detection, and each memory cell stores a voltage representing a data value selected from multiple possible data values. Each possible data value corresponds to one range of multiple non-overlapping ranges of analog voltages. Memory cells having uncertain data values are identified based on the detected voltages. Alternative data values for the memory cells having the uncertain data values are determined, and a combination of alternative data values is selected. An error detection test is performed using the metadata associated with the multiple memory cells and the selected combination of alternative data values. |
| US08127201B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory and method of access evaluation to the same
A nonvolatile memory includes a memory cell array having multiple memory cells, a read-out circuit outputting data stored in the memory cell array asynchronously in response to an input address signal, a selection circuit outputting a selection signal for selecting a location of the memory cell to fail, an error making circuit receiving a test mode signal, making the data outputted from the read-out circuit fail so that the failed data have an error, and outputting the failed data in response to the selection signal when the test mode signal is activated, and outputting the data outputted from the read-out circuit when the test mode signal is not activated, a data latch circuit latching either the failed data or the data outputted from the read-out circuit and outputting the latched data, and an error correcting circuit detecting the error in the latched data, correcting the error, and outputting the corrected signal. |
| US08127197B2 |
Method and apparatus for radio link control padding for enhanced general packet radio service
A method (300) for radio link control padding is shown. In its simplest form, it can include the steps of: providing (310) N bytes of data from a base station; interleaving (320) the N bytes of data using a turbo-interleaver; pre-pending (330) K bytes of zero padding; and passing (340) the interleaved N bytes and the pre-pended K bytes to a convolutional encoder to provide an output comprising a parity sequence adapted for further processing and providing a radio link control block for an enhanced general packet radio service 2-B mobile device. The method (300) is particularly adapted for use with Chase and incremental redundancy combining, which can provide fast, reliable and efficient general packet radio service to a 2-B mobile device. |
| US08127195B2 |
Replacement messages for identifying and preventing errors during the transmission of realtime-critical data
A destination node in a data network for transmission of real-time data by a data telegram, the data telegram including an identification, data and a transfer status, is provided. The destination node includes a device for receiving a first data telegram, a device for storing the data of the first data telegram and an assigned timer value, a device for receiving a second data telegram and a device for replacing the stored data of the first data telegram, wherein the stored data of the first data telegram is replaced with data of the second data telegram. Further, a method and a non-transitory storage medium are provided. |
| US08127189B2 |
Gates and sync circuitry connecting TAP to serial communications circuitry
The present disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus of using the JTAG TAP's TMS and TCK terminals as a general purpose serial Input/Output (I/O) bus. According to the present disclosure, the TAP's TMS terminal is used as a clock signal and the TCK terminal is used as a bidirectional data signal to allow serial communication to occur between; (1) an IC and an external controller, (2) between a first and second IC, or (3) between a first and second core circuit within an IC. |
| US08127186B2 |
Methods and apparatus for estimating a position of a stuck-at defect in a scan chain of a device under test
As a scan pattern is shifted out of a scan chain, the scan pattern is evaluated in real-time for the existence of a logic condition. A reference to a portion of the scan pattern that is currently being evaluated is maintained. Upon identifying the existence of the logic condition when the reference has a predetermined relationship to a stored value, the stored value is overwritten using the reference. The stored value is then used to estimate the position of a stuck-at defect in the scan chain. |
| US08127184B2 |
System and method including built-in self test (BIST) circuit to test cache memory
A resizable cache memory and a system including a Built-In Self Test (BIST) circuit configured to test a cache memory are disclosed. The system further includes a non-volatile storage device including an E-fuse array to store one or more indicators. Each indicator identifies a corresponding memory address of a failed location of the cache memory that has been detected by the BIST circuit. |
| US08127183B2 |
Microcomputer system
A microcomputer system includes a CPU, a memory, and a runaway detector. The CPU includes a controller for outputting a task information signal. The task information signal is activated, if the CPU performs the most important task at the present time. A program for the most important task is stored in the memory. The runaway detector includes an address register and a program area checker. The address register stores start and end addresses of the program area. The program area checker determines whether an execution address of the CPU is within the program area by comparing the execution address with each of the start and end addresses. The runaway detector detects a task runaway in the event of conflict between the task information signal and a result of a determination of the program area checker. |
| US08127179B2 |
Providing system reset information to service provider
Methods for collection of device reset history from a network communication device comprising: (a) determining whether a reset condition is triggered by software or hardware, (b) for a software triggered reset: (i) upon a software exception, retrieving related reset information, (ii) upon an operator initiation, retrieving related reset information, (iii) allocating space in non-volatile memory, (iv) storing retrieved current reset information together with a corresponding reset time, and (v) adding the current reset information to historical reset information, (c) proceeding with the reset, (d) executing startup code during reboot, (e) upon a hardware triggered reset; (i) retrieving hardware registry and other residual hardware information still present, (ii) allocating space in non-volatile memory, (iii) storing the current retrieved reset information together with a current time that corresponds approximately to the reset and (iv) adding the reset information to historical reset information, and (f) continuing with normal operation of the device. |
| US08127175B2 |
High availability of JCA inflowed transactions
Recovery of inflowed transactions are provided by any instance in a cluster, along with peer recovery of transactions in a cluster, and administrative functionality related to these aspects. A method of managing transaction processing comprises performing transaction processing using a first process, wherein the first process logs the transaction processing that it performs, detecting failure of the first process, wherein the transaction logs of the first process are locked, taking ownership of the locked transaction logs of the first process at a second process, unlocking the locked transaction logs of the first process for use by the second process, and recovering at least one transaction using the transaction logs. |
| US08127168B2 |
Data processing device for reducing power consumption while operating a virtualized environment, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium and integrated circuit for performing the same
A data processing device including an inter-VM notification management unit 1242, a resuming judgment unit 1244 and a scheduled interruption time acquisition unit 1245, such that, when it is necessary to notify a virtual machine in a power-saving state, the resuming judgment unit 1244 judges whether to cause the virtual machine to return from the power saving state, based on a time until an interruption acquired by the scheduled interruption time acquisition unit 1245. This structure prevents unnecessary transitions between states, and realizes the power saving for the apparatus. |
| US08127167B2 |
Methods for reducing power consumption and devices using the same
A method for reducing power consumption of a device with an embedded memory module is provided. The device includes comprises a processor, an embedded memory module, a software module, a power supplying unit, and an auxiliary logic. The embedded memory module is accessed by the processor and partitioned into a plurality of memory blocks in accordance with a first predetermined rule. The software module comprises an instruction set and a data set. The software module is segmented into a plurality of segments in accordance with a second predetermined rule. The power supplying unit provides power to the plurality of memory blocks. The auxiliary logic controls the power supplying unit. The power supplied to a memory block is switched on or off in accordance with a condition. |
| US08127166B1 |
Power management within a data protection system
Various techniques for managing power consumption of computing devices within a data protection system are disclosed. For example, one method involves accessing policy information, which the policy information indicates when one or more data protection system activities should be performed and identifies whether a computing device is participating in the data protection system activities. Based upon this policy information, the method then identifies whether power consumption of the computing device can be reduced. In response to identifying that the power consumption of the computing device can be reduced, a power management command is automatically sent via a network. Performance of the power management command reduces the power consumption of the computing device. |
| US08127162B2 |
Apparatus, method, and computer program product for processing information which includes a power-saving mode having a plurality of sub power modes
A receiving unit receives data from an external network device through a network. A determining unit determines whether a data processing is needed for the data received by the receiving unit. When the determining unit determines that the data processing is needed for the data, a data processing unit performs the data processing on the data. A power control unit switches, according to the data, a power mode of the information processing apparatus between a normal mode in which power is supplied to all components of the information processing apparatus and a power-saving mode in which power supplying is limited to selected components. |
| US08127160B2 |
Dynamic frequency and voltage scaling for a computer processor
Dynamic frequency and voltage scaling for a computer processor, including retrieving information specifying a nominal operating point of frequency and voltage and an operating range of frequency and voltage for the processor; creating, by the power management module dynamically at run time in dependence upon the retrieved information, a table of frequency, voltage pairs, each pair specifying an operating point of frequency and voltage for the processor, each pair disposed upon a line drawn in frequency-voltage space through the nominal operating point between the minimum operating point and the maximum operating point, the distance between each pair defined in dependence upon a minimum change in power supply voltage supported by the power supply; and selecting and applying, by the power management module from the table, an operating voltage and frequency for the processor in dependence upon current operating conditions of the processor. |
| US08127158B2 |
Self-powered devices and methods
The self-powered device is configured to be powered by energy collected from a surrounding environment. The self-powered device includes an energy collector, and a memory having instructions for selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation. The energy collector is configured to collect energy to power the self-powered device from a surrounding environment in which the self-powered device is located. The plurality of modes of operation include: (i) a low-power mode of operation in which the self-powered device consumes less than a pre-determined or adaptively-determined amount of power and the self-powered device uses less than its full capabilities, and (ii) and a high-power mode of operation in which self-powered device consumes more than the pre-determined or adaptively-determined amount of power and the self-powered device uses its full capabilities. The instructions for selecting one of a plurality of modes of are configured to (a) select the low-power mode of operation when available energy becomes insufficient to fully power the self-powered device, and (b) select the high-power mode of operation when sufficient energy again becomes available to fully power the self-powered device. |
| US08127156B2 |
Systems and methods for control of integrated circuits comprising body biasing systems
Systems and methods for control of integrated circuits comprising body-biasing systems. In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a desirable power condition of a computer system comprising a microprocessor is determined. Body biasing voltage information corresponding to the power condition is accessed. A voltage supply coupled to a body terminal of the microprocessor is commanded to generate a voltage corresponding to the body biasing voltage information corresponding to the power condition. |
| US08127155B2 |
Wireless power adapter for computer
A wireless power adapter that mounts to the docking station port of a portable computer, such as a laptop computer, notebook computer or tablet computer. The wireless power adapter includes a docking port electrical connector selected to interface with the pre-existing docking port electrical connector on the portable computer. The adapter docking port electrical connector includes power pins to connect with the pre-existing power pins of the portable computer docking port electrical connector. The wireless power adapter may include an inductive secondary to wirelessly receive power from an inductive primary. The wireless power adapter may include a mechanical connector that interfaces with the pre-existing docking station mechanical connector on the portable computer. The present invention may also include a remote inductive power supply having a base adapted to support the laptop and adapter combination. The base may includes inductive power supply circuitry and an inductive primary to produce an inductive field to wirelessly provide power to the adapter and ultimately the portable computer. The remote inductive power supply may alternatively be embedded within a work surface, such as a desktop. |
| US08127153B2 |
Memory power profiling
In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises one or more registers and a control unit coupled to the one or more registers. The control unit is configured to monitor a power state in one or more memory modules during execution of an application, and to store data generated during the monitoring in the one or more registers. In an embodiment, a system comprises a memory controller and a plurality of memory module interface units (MMIUs) coupled to the memory controller. Each of the plurality of MMIUs: is coupled to a respective plurality of memory modules; comprises one or more registers; is configured to monitor a power state in the respective plurality of memory modules during execution of an application; and is configured to store data generated during the monitoring in the one or more registers. |
| US08127150B2 |
Data security
In one embodiment, a method is provided that may include encrypting, based least in part upon at least one key, one or more respective portions of input data to generate one or more respective portions of output data to be stored in one or more locations in storage. The method of this embodiment also may include generating, based at least in part upon the one or more respective portions of the output data, check data to be stored in the storage, and/or selecting the one or more locations in the storage so as to permit the one or more respective portions of the output data to be distributed among two or more storage devices comprised in the storage. Many modifications, variations, and alternatives are possible without departing from this embodiment. |
| US08127148B2 |
Information recording device, information playback device, information recording method, information playback method, and information recording medium and program providing medium used therewith
An information recording/playback device stores beforehand, on a recording medium, secret information in which a writing/reading method thereof cannot be analyzed and which can be read only by a special reading method. The secret information is applied to a key for content encryption or decryption when performing recording or playback of contents on the recording medium, such as music data and image data. The secret information is, for example, a stamper ID. By using the stamper ID as secret information, and a master key and a media key which are distributed in a tree-structure key-distribution system, a content-cryptosystem key is generated. Accordingly, each content is allowed to be used in only an appropriate device in which the special reading method for the secret information can be executed and to which the key is distributed by the tree-structure key-distribution system. |
| US08127144B2 |
Program loader operable to verify if load-destination information has been tampered with, processor including the program loader, data processing device including the processor, promgram loading method, and integrated circuit
A program loader for loading a program onto a memory in accordance with load-destination information. The program loader including an obtaining unit obtaining the load-destination information from a recording medium in which the program is recorded, a verifying unit verifying whether or not the load-destination information has been tampered with, and a loading unit loading the program. The load-destination information indicates a memory area which is part of an address space in the memory, wherein an execution image of the program is to be stored in the address space, and if when the verifying unit verifies that the load-destination information has not been tampered with, the loading unit generates, as the loading of the program, the execution image in the memory area indicated by the load-destination information, such that the execution image is executed. |
| US08127143B2 |
Methods for secure enrollment of personal identity credentials into electronic devices
A method and system for securely enrolling personal identity credentials into personal identification devices. The system of the invention comprises the manufacturer of the device and an enrollment authority. The manufacturer is responsible for recording serial numbers or another unique identifier for each device that it produces, along with a self-generated public key for each device. The enrollment authority is recognized by the manufacturer or another suitable institution as capable of validating an individual before enrolling him into the device. The enrollment authority maintains and operates the appropriate equipment for enrollment, and provides its approval of the enrollment. The methods described herein discuss post-manufacturing, enrollment, backup, and recovery processes for the device. |
| US08127141B2 |
Method and apparatus for selecting a password
A method of generating or entering a password or passphrase on a computer system 1. The method comprises storing a plurality of sets of values in a memory 5 of the system 1, the values of each set defining respective elements which belong to a common domain, the domains of respective sets being distinct from one another, selecting at least one value from each stored set or from each of a plurality of the stored sets, and combining the selected values or elements thereof to form a password or passphrase. |
| US08127139B2 |
Handheld devices and methods for extracting data
The present invention relates generally to handheld devices and using such to extract identifying data. One claim recites a handheld wireless device including: an input for receiving a subset of database information; electronic memory for storing the retrieved subset of database information, the handheld device including an input device; an optical imaging device for capturing a portion of a map, the portion of the map including at least one steganographic watermark hidden therein through alterations to data representing the portion, the alterations being generally imperceptible to a human observer of the portion of the map, the steganographic watermark including map location information; an electronic processor configured to: determine which information of the retrieved subset of the database information corresponds to the map location information; and control providing corresponding retrieved subset database information. Other claims and combinations are provided as well. |
| US08127137B2 |
Watermark payload encryption for media including multiple watermarks
The present invention provides encryption techniques useful with digital watermarking payloads. One claim recites: a method to secure a first digital watermark payload and a second digital watermark payload through encryption of only one of the first digital watermark payload or the second digital watermark payload. The method includes: utilizing a multi-purpose computer processor configured to: provide information redundantly in the first digital watermark payload and the second digital watermark payload, yet the first digital watermark payload includes at least some information that is unique relative to at least the second digital watermark payload; encrypt the first digital watermark payload; embed a first digital watermark in media, the media representing audio, imagery or video, the first digital watermark comprising the encrypted first digital watermark payload; and embed a second digital watermark in the media, the second digital watermark comprising the second digital watermark payload. Of course, additional claims and combinations are provided. |
| US08127136B2 |
Method for security association negotiation with extensible authentication protocol in wireless portable internet system
The present invention relates to a security association negotiation method of extensible authentication protocol (EAP) for authenticating a subscriber station user in a wireless portable Internet system. An exemplary security association negotiation method using a user authentication in a wireless portable Internet system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes following steps. A base station generates an authentication key for authenticating a user of a subscriber station. The base station receives a security association capability request message including security association capability information of the subscriber station from the subscriber station after generating the authentication key. The base station determines whether the base station is able to accept a security association capability of the subscriber station included in the security association capability request message. The base station transmits a security association capability response message including the security association capability information which is selected for a security association with the subscriber station by the base station when the security association capability of the subscriber station can be accepted. According to the present invention, a subscriber authentication for EAP may be efficiently performed without an additional message after a handover. |
| US08127135B2 |
Changing of shared encryption key
A system comprises a first operating environment and a second operating environment. The first and second operating environments exchange information in encrypted form using a shared encryption key (K3). The first and second operating environments cooperate to change the encryption key K3 using another shared encryption key (K4). The encryption key K4 is changed upon the encryption key K3 being changed. |
| US08127132B2 |
Method and apparatus for executing industrial manufacture
A software object is positioned in structures, such as a functional structure, location structure and order structure, where each structure consists of a hierarchy of software objects. In each structure the software object inherits security from other software objects in the hierarchy. Since the software object is inserted into multiple hierarchical structures the security of the software object is inherited from software objects in multiple hierarchical structures. The user authority to interact with a software object is, in addition to the identity of the user logged in, dependent on the inherited security of the software object. As a software object is inserted, deleted and moved in a hierarchical structure the security of the software object changes. |
| US08127130B2 |
Method and system for securing data utilizing reconfigurable logic
A method is provided for securing data sets by dynamically hopping amongst a variety of data encryption and/or manipulation protocols. Such dynamic protocol hopping can be implemented in reconfigurable logic, or some combination of reconfigurable logic and fixed circuitry or software. The encryption and/or manipulation protocol applied to the data set is selected from among a plurality of encryption protocols in an, optionally upgradeable, library of protocols. Preferably, the selection can be driven by a random number generator. More preferably, the number of encryption protocols available can be extended using a logic-stretching engine. An apparatus is also provided for securing data, including a memory that contains data describing encryption protocols, a communications interface that is configured to receive data, and a processor that reads from the memory one of the encryption protocols and encrypts the received data based on the encryption protocol. Preferably, the apparatus also includes a random number generator, and the processor selects the encryption protocol to read, and encryption parameters to use, based on the output of the random number generator. |
| US08127126B2 |
Integrated power supply and network connection control device for cord set
An integrated power supply and network connection control device for a cord set includes a power device having a main outlet and a plurality of auxiliary outlets, the main outlet is kept power-on permanently, and the plurality of auxiliary outlets is controlled to be on/off by a control device; a network connector (RJ45) is disposed on the power device for connecting with a network cable and is also controlled to be on/off by the control device; the control device is coupled with a computer host via a USB cable for a user to set a cursor idle time, a sleep time, a standby time and a shutdown time for the computer host; when the cursor doesn't move for more than the cursor idle time, the control device will force the network connector to turn off the network connection; if the computer host is in a sleep, standby or a shutdown mode, the control device will force the plurality of auxiliary outlets of the power device to be power-off to save energy and to prevent computer hacking. |
| US08127125B2 |
Method and system for unified audio control on a personal computer
A system and method for improved audio controls on a personal computer is provided. The system and method provide a unified architecture for audio controls across hardware and software interfaces of the personal computer. An intelligent facility may automatically change audio controls for users to simply interact with various communications and media applications. To this end, a configurable audio controller intelligently handles various aspects of the system's audio devices by following various rules that may be based at least in part on user-configurable settings and a current operating state. The present invention also provides audio controls so that a user may easily change audio settings such as the volume of an audio output device. There are many applications that may use the present invention for automatic control of audio devices based upon the user's context. |
| US08127122B2 |
Selection of boot drive in a computer system
A boot drive of a computing system is identified during at least two runtime environment of the computer system. The computer system includes at least two storage devices. An indicia is created on a selected storage device. The at least two storage devices are scanned for the indicia during a subsequent runtime environment of the computer system after the first runtime environment. |
| US08127121B2 |
Apparatus for executing programs for a first computer architechture on a computer of a second architechture
Executing programs coded in an instruction set of a first computer on a computer of a second, different architecture. An operating system maintains an association between each one of a set of concurrent threads and a set of computer resources of the thread's context. Without modifying a pre-existing operating system of the computer, an entry exception is establishing to be raised on each entry to the operating system at a specified entry point or on a specified condition. The entry exception has an associated entry handler programmed to save a context of an interrupted thread and modify the thread context before delivering the modified context to the operating system. A resumption exception is established to be raised on each resumption from the operating system complementary to one of the specified entries. The resumption exception has an associated exit handler programmed to restore the context saved by a corresponding execution of the entry handler. The entry exception, exit exception, entry handler, and exit handler are cooperatively designed to maintain an association between a one of the threads and an extended context of the thread through a context change induced by the operating system, the extended context including resources of the computer associated with the thread beyond those resources whose association with the thread is maintained by the operating system. |
| US08127119B2 |
Control-flow prediction using multiple independent predictors
The present disclosure generally describes computing systems with a multi-core processor comprising one or more branch predictor arrangements. The branch predictor are configured to predict a single and complete flow of program instructions associated therewith and to be performed on at least one processor core of the computing system. Overall processor performance and physical scalability may be improved by the described methods. |
| US08127116B2 |
Dependency matrix with reduced area and power consumption
A processor having a dependency matrix comprises a first array comprising a plurality of first cells. A second array couples to the first array and comprises a plurality of second cells. A first write port couples to the first array and the second array and writes to the first array and the second array. A first read port couples to the first array and the second array and reads from the first array and the second array. A second read port couples to the first array and reads from the first array. A second write port couples to the second read port, reads from the second read port and writes to the second array. |
| US08127113B1 |
Generating hardware accelerators and processor offloads
System and method for generating hardware accelerators and processor offloads. System for hardware acceleration. System and method for implementing an asynchronous offload. Method of automatically creating a hardware accelerator. Computerized method for automatically creating a test harness for a hardware accelerator from a software program. System and method for interconnecting hardware accelerators and processors. System and method for interconnecting a processor and a hardware accelerator. Computer implemented method of generating a hardware circuit logic block design for a hardware accelerator automatically from software. Computer program and computer program product stored on tangible media implementing the methods and procedures of the invention. |
| US08127112B2 |
SIMD array operable to process different respective packet protocols simultaneously while executing a single common instruction stream
A data processing architecture includes an input device that receives an incoming stream of data packets. A plurality of processing elements are operable to process data received from the input device. The input device is operable to distribute data packets in whole or in part to the processing elements in dependence upon the data processing bandwidth of the processing elements. |
| US08127111B1 |
Managing data provided to switches in a parallel processing environment
An integrated circuit comprises a plurality of tiles. Each tile comprises a processor including a storage module, wherein the processor is configured to process multiple streams of instructions, a switch including switching circuitry to forward data received over data paths from other tiles to the processor and to switches of other tiles, and to forward data received from the processor to switches of other tiles, and coupling circuitry configured to couple data resulting from processing an instruction from at least one of the streams of instructions to the storage module and to the switch. |
| US08127107B2 |
Virtualization with merged guest page table and shadow page directory
In a computing system having virtualization software including a guest operating system (OS), a method for providing page tables that includes: providing a guest page table used by the guest OS and a shadow page table and a shadow page directory used by the virtualization software wherein: at least a portion of the guest page table and the shadow page directory are the same; and the portions that are the same are shared in computer memory by the guest page table and the shadow page directory. |
| US08127106B2 |
Access speculation predictor with predictions based on a domain indicator of a cache line
An access speculation predictor may predict whether to perform speculative retrieval of data for a data request from a main memory based on whether or not a domain indicator in the data request indicates that the cache line corresponding to the data has a special invalid state or not. In particular, a first address and a domain indicator are extracted from first data request. The first address is used to select a finite state machine (FSM) of a memory controller based on memory regions associated with the FSMs of the memory controller. Speculative retrieval of data for the first data request from main memory is controlled based on whether the domain indicator identifies the special invalid state or not and, if the domain indicator identifies that the cache line does not have the special invalid state, based on information stored in registers associated with the selected FSM. |
| US08127103B2 |
Storage apparatus, memory area managing method thereof, and flash memory package
A storage device is provided, which allows a write area associated with a data area of interest to be allocated according to write performance of a host computer. The storage apparatus includes one or more flash memory packages having a plurality of flash memories and stores data transmitted from one or more host computers. A storage area provided by the one or more flash memory packages includes a first area that is an area for storing actual data formed by one or more logical devices and a second area that is an area for storing a write instruction from the host computer to the logical device. The first and second areas are provided in each of the one or more flash memory packages. The apparatus further includes a monitoring section monitoring the frequency of write instructions from the host computer and a changing section for changing the size of the second area according to the frequency of write instructions. |
| US08127101B2 |
File server which conducts a memory test upon boot up
Provided is a file server providing a file service to a host computer, including an interface coupled to the host computer; a processor; a memory; and an interface coupled to a disk drive. The file server is configured to calculate a capacity of storage areas in the memory, which is required to provide the file service; execute a first memory check in which the storage areas having the calculated capacity are tested; execute, after the first memory check is completed, a second memory check in which remaining storage areas in the memory are tested; and start, in a period after the first memory check is completed and before the second memory check is completed, providing the file service. |
| US08127100B1 |
Unlimited sub-segment support in a buffer manager
A system and method of buffer management may employ a common data structure that is recognizable by both hardware and firmware. In some implementations, hardware register settings may be programmed independent of firmware updates to an internal sub-segment description table maintained in an ASIC or other buffer manager logic. Implementation of such a common data structure in external memory may substantially reduce hardware real estate and complexity of a buffer manager ASIC by minimizing the number of required registers and eliminating the need for an internal sub-segment descriptor table. In addition, by eliminating the internal sub-segment descriptor table and allowing buffer manager logic to recognize a common data structure in external memory, the number of buffer sub-segments recognized by the buffer manager may be readily expanded, and may be limited only by the size of the external memory. |
| US08127095B1 |
Restore mechanism for a multi-class file system
System and method for performing optimized restores of a multi-class file system. More actively accessed data may be assigned to higher storage classes and less actively accessed data may be assigned to lower storage classes in the multi-class file system. In a restore, the higher storage class(es) including more actively accessed data may be restored first. The multi-class file system may then be brought online for access by application(s). The lower storage class(es) may then be restored. In one embodiment, if a request for data that have not been restored is received, the file system may obtain an estimated time until restore of the requested data from the restore mechanism. The file system may then notify the application of the estimated time until restore. The application may notify a user of the estimated time, and may generate another request for the data after the estimated time has elapsed. |
| US08127094B2 |
Data migration and copying in a storage system with dynamically expansible volumes
When migrating data stored in a storage region assigned to a volume to another storage region, the connection status of the host computer and volume is confirmed. When the host computer and volume are connected, the maximum capacity of the volume requested by the host computer is reserved so that it is exclusively secured in another storage region to which data is to be migrated, and when the host computer and volume are not connected, the current capacity of the volume is reserved so that it is exclusively secured in another storage region. |
| US08127093B2 |
Computer system and control method therefor
A physical storage area that is allocated to an unused area of a virtual volume is removed. A management unit sends a request to a server computer to make every piece of data stored in a first logical volume migrate to a second logical volume. The server reads all the data out of the first logical volume and writes the data in the second logical volume. A storage system that includes the first logical volume and the second logical volume allocates a physical storage area to an area of the second logical volume where the data is to be written, and writes the data in the allocated physical storage area. The storage system then deletes the first logical volume. |
| US08127091B2 |
Programming memory cells with additional data for increased threshold voltage resolution
Methods for data transfer and/or programming a memory device, memory devices and memory systems are provided. According to at least one such method, additional data is appended to original data and the resulting data is programmed in a selected memory cell. The appended data increases the program threshold voltage margin of the original data. The appended data can be a duplicate of the original data or logical zeros. When the selected memory cell is read, the memory control circuitry can read just the original data in the MSB field or the memory control circuitry can read the entire programmed data and ignore the LSB field, for example. |
| US08127085B2 |
Method and apparatus for pipeline inclusion and instruction restarts in a micro-op cache of a processor
Methods and apparatus for instruction restarts and inclusion in processor micro-op caches are disclosed. Embodiments of micro-op caches have way storage fields to record the instruction-cache ways storing corresponding macroinstructions. Instruction-cache in-use indications associated with the instruction-cache lines storing the instructions are updated upon micro-op cache hits. In-use indications can be located using the recorded instruction-cache ways in micro-op cache lines. Victim-cache deallocation micro-ops are enqueued in a micro-op queue after micro-op cache miss synchronizations, responsive to evictions from the instruction-cache into a victim-cache. Inclusion logic also locates and evicts micro-op cache lines corresponding to the recorded instruction-cache ways, responsive to evictions from the instruction-cache. |
| US08127084B2 |
Using different algorithms to destage different types of data from cache
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for using different algorithms to destage different types of data from cache. A first destaging algorithm is used to destage a first type of data to a storage for a first duration. A second destaging algorithm is used to destage a second type of data to the storage for a second duration. |
| US08127083B2 |
Eliminating silent store invalidation propagation in shared memory cache coherency protocols
A method and circuit for eliminating silent store invalidation propagation in shared memory cache coherency protocols, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. A received data value is compared with a stored cache data value. When the received data value matches the stored cache data value, a first squash signal is generated. A received write address is compared with a reservation address. When the received write address matches the reservation address, a reservation signal is generated and inverted. The first squash signal and the inverted reservation signal are combined to selectively produce a silent store squash signal. The silent store squash signal cancels sending an invalidation signal. |
| US08127082B2 |
Method and apparatus for allowing uninterrupted address translations while performing address translation cache invalidates and other cache operations
A method and apparatus for allowing multiple devices access to an address translation cache while cache maintenance operations are occurring at the same time. By interleaving the commands requiring address translation with maintenance operations that may normally take many cycles, address translation requests may have faster access to the address translation cache than if maintenance operations were allowed to stall commands requiring address translations until the maintenance operation was completed. |
| US08127077B2 |
Virtual path storage system and control method for the same
Provided is a storage system. The storage system includes: a hard disk drive, and a storage controller for reading/writing data from/to the hard disk drive, the storage controller including: at least one interface connected to a host computer through a network; and a plurality of processors connected to the interface through an internal network. The storage system is characterized in that: the processor provides at least one logical access port to the host computer; and the interface stores routing information including a processor which processes an access request addressed to the logical access port, extracts an address from the received access request upon reception of the access request from the host computer, specifies the processor which processes the received access request based on the routing information and the extracted address, and transfers the received access request to the specified processor. |
| US08127072B2 |
Data storage device and method for accessing flash memory
The invention provides a method for accessing a flash memory. In one embodiment, the flash memory comprises a plurality of memory units, each of the memory units has a physical address, and an address link table records a mapping relationship between a plurality of logical addresses and a plurality of physical addresses. First, first data to be written to a first logical address is received from a host. Whether the first data is predetermined data is the determined. Whether the first logical address is mapped to a null physical address is then determined according to the address link table. When the first data is the predetermined data and the first logical address is not mapped to the null physical address according to the address link table, the address link table is modified to map the first logical address to the null physical address. |
| US08127071B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and block management method of the same
A semiconductor memory device includes adjacent planes and a control module. The adjacent planes include a reserve field and a data field having multiple blocks. The blocks of each of the reserve and data fields are successively arranged over the adjacent planes to form a multi-plane operation group. The control module is configured to control the adjacent planes to conduct a first operation or a second operation in accordance with whether the reserve field includes free blocks corresponding to a unit of the multi-plane operation group. The first operation includes replacing blocks of the data field with free blocks of the reserve field in the unit of the multi-plane operation group. The second operation includes replacing one block of the data field with one free block of the reserve field. |
| US08127070B2 |
Programmable I/O interface
The invention provides an architecture and method for implementing a programmable I/O interface. The primary function provides a generic reconfigurable interface for serial communications between a laser printer controller and the print mechanism. The design also supports vertical page synchronization (top of page detection). |
| US08127068B2 |
Removable cartridge storage devices and methods
Removable cartridge storage devices and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, the removable cartridge storage device comprises a plurality of cartridge holders, each of the cartridge holders including an electrical connector configured to removably couple with a mating electrical connector of a portable data cartridge having an electronic interface, a system controller configured to control data operations, and a switch, coupled between the cartridge holders and the system controller, to electronically switch connections between the system controller and each of the cartridge holders. |
| US08127067B1 |
High latency interface between hardware components
A hard disk controller including a first circuit, a second circuit, a third circuit, and a mode circuit. The first circuit is configured to transmit a first signal to control data transfer between the hard disk controller and a read/write channel circuit. The second circuit is configured to transmit and receive data under control of the first signal. The third circuit is configured to transmit a second signal to control data transfer between a storage media and the read/write channel circuit. The mode circuit is configured to transfer mode data under control of the first signal and the second signal. The mode data indicates i) whether the data is continued from a previous sector or is associated with a new sector, and ii) a byte size of the data. |
| US08127065B2 |
Storage card having selectable contact elements and method of its operation
The present invention relates to a storage card having selectable contact elements a terminal capable of receiving said storage card and method of its operation. The storage card with selectable contact elements, comprises an interface having a plurality of contact elements, a storage card controller, being connected to at least a subset of said contact elements, a storage memory device, being connected to said storage card controller, a switching unit, that is connected to said storage card controller and to at least one of said contact elements of said interface, wherein said storage card controller is connected to said switching unit to controllably select said at least one contact element. |
| US08127063B2 |
Distributed equipment arbitration in a process control system
A distributed process control equipment ownership arbitration system and method for arbitrating equipment ownership conflicts are disclosed. Individual control modules representing various process control entities within a process control system define a plurality of lists or queues for storing equipment arbitration information. Requests by one process control entity to acquire ownership over another process control entity are represented by an arbitration token that represents the ownership relationship sought by the acquiring process control entity. Copies of the arbitration token are communicated between the respective control modules and stored in the various arbitration queues defined by the control modules, depending on the status of the acquisition request. Upon receiving an acquisition request from another process control entity, the control module associated with the targeted process control entity decides whether the targeted process control entity is available to be acquired by the requesting control entity based on arbitration rules that are embedded within the control module itself. Once the targeted process control entity has been acquired by another process control entity it may not be acquired by any other process control entity until it has been released by the acquiring process control entity. |
| US08127055B1 |
Resilient packet ring add/drop device supporting plug and play redundancy
A Resilient Packet Ring (RPR) add/drop device (102′) supporting plug & play redundancy to connect at least one ring (100-i), e.g. SDH/SONET ring, to a switch or router device is disclosed. The add/drop device according to the invention comprises two systems (300-1 and 300-2), e.g. Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). If a failure happens in one of these systems or in a fiber, the whole RPR node comprising these two systems is not affected and the failing system may be changed without perturbation. Each system comprises a framer device and an Add/Drop Multiplexor-Media Access Control (ADM-MAC) device (304). In a preferred embodiment, the framer device is a multiplexing framer device that combines at least two RPR data signals having an input data rate into a single data stream having an output data rate being higher than the input data rate for transmission on a shared medium or vice versa. The ADM-MAC device interfaces the multiplexing framer device, the switch or router device and the ADM-MAC device of the other element to provide plug & play redundancy. |
| US08127053B1 |
System and method for peripheral device communications
A host device includes a peripheral control module that includes a first memory register that receives data from a first memory and a direct memory access (DMA) module that communicates with the first memory. The host device also includes a host control module that receives data from the first memory. The host device also includes a DMA control module that communicates with the first memory register, the host control module and a second memory that includes a first memory array. The DMA control module compares contents of the first memory array to contents of the memory register and controls transfers of data from the first memory to the peripheral control module based on the comparison. |
| US08127052B2 |
Data transfer control device and computer system
A data transfer control device includes a control component (DMA controller 5) which acquires a data transfer instruction including, as its parameters, start memory addresses or start input/output addresses and data transfer size of the peripheral devices to be used as the transfer source and transfer destination when carrying out data transfer from a first peripheral device (peripheral (A)) to a second peripheral device (peripheral (B)); which reads out target data from the first peripheral device in accordance with the parameters; and which processes the target data and then transfers to the second peripheral device. |
| US08127050B1 |
Input/output pin allocation for data streams of variable widths
There is described a method and system for inputting/outputting multiple data streams of variable widths. Input/output pins are grouped together via a plurality of transfer blocks, each transfer block being controlled by an independent clock. Data streams can therefore be input/output using asynchronous clocks. Two data streams can also be input/output on a single pin using the rising and falling edge of the clock. |
| US08127047B2 |
Storage system and its multiple extent exclusive control method
Proposed is technology for shortening the time required for analyzing and processing commands issued from multiple hosts and speeding up the processing. When a controller receives a command including random IO processing and the reception of commands is complete, it determines whether the valid extents prescribed in seek parameters attached to an LOC command overlap, and executes extent exclusive wait processing which causes access to the logical volume to enter a wait state or access processing to the logical volume based on the determination result. If the reception of commands is incomplete, the controller determines whether the access ranges (extents) designated in a DX command overlap, and executes extent exclusive wait processing or access processing to the logical volume based on the determination result. |
| US08127039B2 |
Method and system for enabling and controlling communication topology, access to resources, and document flow in a distributed networking environment
Described are a system and method for use by a computing device to transmit information over a communication medium. The computing device communicates over the medium according to a protocol stack having a plurality of protocol layers. Information having an identifier is received at a first protocol layer from a higher protocol layer in the protocol stack. The computing device determines whether to present the information to the network communication medium based on at least one term of a contract associated with the identifier. Upon determining to present the information to the communication medium, the computing device incorporates the identifier in the information before placing the information on the network communication medium. |
| US08127032B2 |
Performance sampling in distributed systems
One embodiment of the invention provides a method to identify a preferred system configuration for a distributed system to use for executing a given computing job. A benchmark profile may specify a collection of benchmarks representative of the job, and the collection of benchmarks may be executed across various permutations of compute nodes that are part of the distributed system. That is, the benchmark profile identifies one or more benchmarks which best represent the runtime characteristics of the computing job. The collection of benchmarks may be executed to predict the performance of the computing job using different permutations of available nodes, before deploying the job. |
| US08127031B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method of acquiring information
An information processing apparatus is communicatable with an image forming apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a request unit configured to request information about the image forming apparatus to the image forming apparatus, a setting unit configured to set proxy response device identification information to identify an proxy response device to make a response to notify the information about the image forming apparatus, and an acquisition unit configured to acquire the information about the image forming apparatus from the proxy response device identified by the proxy response device identification information, in a case where a response from the image forming apparatus corresponding to the request from the request unit is not received. |
| US08127030B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling network of shared resources
A method and apparatus for controlling networking of resources that can be shared via a network by a plurality of devices on the network are provided. In the method, shared resource information is obtained from a device having at least one shared resource. A topology of shared resources needed for performing an operation based on the obtained shared resource information is configured. The operation corresponding to an object selected by a user is performed by controlling interworking of the shared resources according to the configured topology. Therefore, it is possible to realize an object-oriented method of using shared resources rather than a device-oriented method of using shared resources. |
| US08127026B2 |
User operation acting device, user operation acting program, and computer readable recording medium
A wrapper 300 includes a message processing function 310 which receives a processing request for requesting a process for an existing Web system 500, an execution definition storing unit 410 which stores execution definition 400 corresponding to the processing request and defines user operation for the existing Web system 500, a definition executing engine 320 which reads the execution definition 400 corresponding to a processing request from the execution definition storing unit 410, based on definition of user operation shown by the execution definition 400, generates and outputs an operating request to instruct to operate a browser engine for the existing Web system 500, and a browser engine operating function 330 which inputs the operating request from the definition executing engine 320, generates the browser engine 340, and operates the generated browser engine according to the operating request inputted. |
| US08127021B2 |
Content aware routing of subscriptions for streaming and static data
The invention relates to integration of streaming data, and more specifically relates to subscription routing: distributing the load of streaming data subscriptions across multiple servers in a session-oriented client-server architecture. In one embodiment the invention provides, in a client-server architecture, a method of implementing the client-side architecture whereby a logical connection and session may be mapped to one or more physical connections and sessions. The invention provides mobility of subscriptions from one physical session/connection to another based on directives from a server; and further permit a client to blend multiple physical subscriptions for different data streams into a single logical data stream based on directives from a server. |
| US08127017B2 |
Methods and servers for displaying and activating disconnected sessions
A method for displaying and activating disconnected sessions includes the step of receiving information associated with a user. At least one disconnected session already associated with the user is identified in response to the information. A graphical representation of the at least one disconnected session associated with the user is displayed to the user. A request to connect to the at least one disconnected session is received from the user. A connection is established between a client computer operated by the user and the requested at least one disconnected session. |
| US08127013B2 |
Method and apparatus for a software programmable intelligent network
A reservation request is received for a data transport session. The reservation request contains a requested class of communication service through the asynchronous network. The state of the network along the route is then preferably determined and at least one end-to-end route through the network is obtained. The route is based on the requested class of communication service and the state of the network. The data transport session is then controlled, such that data is forced to travel along at least one route through the asynchronous network. This is preferably done by controlling multiple data controllers dispersed along the at least one route by mapping specific data protocols to specific routes, or mapping specific data protocols to specific ports in each data controller. If a state of the asynchronous network indicates that the route cannot transport data in conformity to the class of communication service, then the route is changed to a backup route through the network. |
| US08127010B2 |
System and method for adaptive allocation of threads to user objects in a computer system
A method for optimizing enterprise server resources in a computer system is described. The method comprises monitoring at least one metric of the computer system capable of indicating a performance level thereof; determining whether the performance level needs to be improved; and responsive to a determination that the performance level needs to be improved, implementing a best method to improve the performance level by adaptively manipulating one or more threads in a pool of threads in the computer system. |
| US08127007B2 |
Systems and methods for tracking web activity
Systems and methods of tracking activity over networks and, in particular, tracking web activity over the Internet are described. Exemplary systems and methods may include a receiver for receiving a request from a visitor for a data object, a processor for providing a cookie to track the visitor's web activity, and a transmitter for transmitting the cookie to the visitor in response to the request. The cookie may comprise tracking information for a plurality of web sites visited by the visitor. |
| US08126999B2 |
Network DNA
Network DNA may be determined for a computer network that taxonomically classifies the computer network. Network DNA may include derived network DNA components and raw network DNA components. Raw network DNA components may be acquired from local or remote sources. Derived network DNA components may be generated according to derived network DNA component specifications. Derived network DNA component specifications may reference raw network DNA components. Network DNA determined for the computer network may include a network species component capable of indicating network species classifications for computer networks. Network species classifications may include enterprise network, home network and public place network. Network species classifications may be determined as a function of network security, network management and network addressing. One or more network DNA stores may be configured to store network DNA for computer networks. Network DNA stores may store network DNA history as well as current network DNA. |
| US08126997B2 |
Hot data management method based on hit counter
Provided is a hot data management method based on hit counter, which prevents loads from being concentrated on a specific data server due to hot data by efficiently managing the hot data in the asymmetric storage system. Each of data servers of an asymmetric storage system checks hit counter for data stored in the corresponding data server to maintain hit counter information on the data in a latest state. The data server transmits the hit counter information to a metadata server at predetermined intervals. The data server makes or deletes a copy of the data according to the determination of the metadata server whether the data is hot data. |
| US08126994B2 |
Simulation techniques in a distributed computer system
A computer system is described in which the execution environment of the system is distributed between a server execution environment and a client execution environment of a client apparatus. Client components executed within the client execution environment are selected to be a primary client component in dependence on a property of an instance of program execution in the client execution environment. |
| US08126992B2 |
Method and system for optimally scheduling a web conference managed by a web application
A method and system for optimally scheduling a web conference managed by a web application. Date and time ranges are initialized with predefined values. A tentative start date included in the date range and a tentative start time included in the time range are automatically calculated, and are included in a tentative schedule for the web conference. A time period is determined by the tentative schedule and a duration of the web conference. The automatic calculation prevents the time period from overlapping a time interval during which processors utilized by the web application are to experience a peak load. The tentative schedule is presented to the user via the interface, and is recalculated and redisplayed in response to the user updating a load-related parameter. The user selects a final schedule, which is the tentative schedule or a user-specified schedule different from the tentative schedule. |
| US08126991B2 |
Methods and systems for validating real time network communications
Methods and systems for managing network communications are described. An example resource management system includes a communications manager configured to access information regarding communication protocols used by corresponding broker systems and to provide message translations based on an origin and/or destination of the message to be transmitted. A message processor is coupled to the communications manager and is configured to serialize incoming and/or outgoing broker messages and to facilitate queuing of incoming and outgoing message traffic with broker systems. A communications configurer is configured to track one or more communication attributes of broker systems and changes thereto to ensure communications between the resource management systems are broker systems are conducted in accordance with the communication attributes of the broker systems. A communications rules provider is configured to determine which broker system is to be communicated with in order to fulfill a resource request. |
| US08126990B2 |
Data backup and transfer system, method and computer program product
A backup system having a plurality of accounts for copying selected data between one or more account user computers and a system computer where an account user's computer connects to the system computer via the Internet. Selected data is copied between the account user's computer and the system computer including, documents, media files, and email in any file type or format. Additionally, the system is compatible with all types of computers, including personal data assistants and mobile telephones, and all types of operating systems. All of the software to operate the system is resident on the system computer with no hardware or software required on the account user computer beyond a conventional web browser. The system also includes a scheduler, a contacts manager, a reminder generator and file transfer system for third-party users. |
| US08126982B2 |
Method, network device and computer program product for performing service discovery in a pervasive network
Described are a method, wireless network device and computer program element each for performing service discovery in a pervasive wireless network (WLAN) operating according to standards such as the Bluetooth standards comprising access protocols and service discovery protocols enabling a network device (CL1): a) in a first state to access a remote device (SR2) in order to obtain information for the set-up of a connection, b) in a second state to set up a connection to the remote device (SR2) and retrieve information related to services provided by the remote device (SR2), the discovered information being required to configure connections to the remote device (SR2) and using the related services, and c) in a third state the device (CL1) publishes and thus actively forwards retrieved service information to other devices (CL2, SR3) which in turn update their lists of services available from devices (CL, SR) connected to the pervasive network (WLAN). |
| US08126981B2 |
Method and system for message thread compression
A method for compressing electronic mail messages each having a message thread for storage in a storage device, comprising: identifying one or more sections of each message thread; assigning a respective identifier to each section; storing one occurrence of each section in the storage device for retrieval using its identifier; replacing each section in each thread by its identifier to thereby compress the messages; and, storing the messages in the storage device. |
| US08126980B2 |
Dual use counters for routing loops and spam detection
A method for detecting an undesirable condition within a messaging network. A message is received and a source of the message is identified. If an entry in a database for the source has not been created, an entry is created. A source counter for the source is then set to one and a timestamp is created for the source. If an entry in the database for the source has been previously created, the source counter is incremented by one and the timestamp is updated. The source counter is then compared to a source threshold, and if the source counter exceeds the source threshold over the course of predetermined amount of time, a source alarm is triggered. A sliding with respect to the predetermined amount of time may also be implemented to account for total counts that may fall across or be split by set periods of time. The invention is particularly useful for detecting “spam” events and undesirable routing loops. |
| US08126975B2 |
Automatic conversion of email threads into collaborative workspaces
Automatic conversion of an email thread (or another form of electronic communication, such as IM chat content) into a collaborative workspace can begin with the detection of the addition of a reply message to an existing email thread by an email conversion handler. The existing email thread can include a main message and one or more reply messages. Satisfaction of user-defined or administrator-defined conversion criteria can then be assessed for the existing email thread. When the conversion criteria are satisfied, the existing email thread can be automatically converted into an artifact of a collaborative workspace contained within a collaborative environment. The collaborative workspace can be specific to the existing email thread. The designated participants of the existing email thread can be members of both the email and collaboration systems, and can be provided access to the collaborative workspace. |
| US08126974B2 |
Specifying during meeting establishment when respondents are to be prompted for attendance intentions
A meeting initialization request for a meeting can be identified. The meeting initialization request can specify a prompt time for attendance intentions. A programmatic trigger, referred to as a prompt trigger, can be established for the prompt time. A firing of this prompt trigger can occur when a current time equals the prompt time. At this time, at least one potential attendee for the meeting can be determined. A set of potential attendees is typically defined by the meeting initiator within the meeting initialization request. An intention message can be sent to the determined potential attendee responsive to a firing of the programmatic trigger. This intention message can be sent at a time close to the prompt time. The intention message can prompt the potential attendee to indicate whether the potential attendee intends to attend the meeting. |
| US08126967B2 |
Multiple aggregator support
Systems, methods and communication gateways for delivering timely, cost efficient and scalable user alert messages are disclosed. Using electronic communication media, user alert messages are generated by a communication gateway at the request of a requesting entity, such as a credit card issuer. The alert message is associated with a message identifier and then routed to one or more message aggregators based on the content of the alert message initiation request and a routing table. If the first selection of message aggregators is not available or otherwise unable to deliver the user alert message, then the communication gateway can reroute the user alert message to another message aggregator or queue the message for later delivery. The communication gateway can monitor and log the status and ability of the servicing message aggregator in the routing table to better facilitate timely delivery of the user alert messages. |
| US08126963B1 |
System and method for adding dynamic information to digitally signed mobile applications
Described are systems and methods for adding information to a mobile application. A mobile application is downloaded from a server to a mobile device using a web browser. A web browser cookie associated with the mobile application is stored on the mobile device. A request is sent from the mobile application to the server, where the request includes information from the stored web browser cookie. Mobile application data associated with the stored web browser cookie from the server is received by the mobile application in response to the request. The mobile application is then provided with access to the mobile application data. |
| US08126956B2 |
Determining computational units for computing multiple body interactions
A computer-implemented method for determining computational units for computing interactions among sets of bodies located in a computation region includes, for each computation associated with one of the sets of bodies, determining, according to an assignment rule that provides a mapping from a location of each of the bodies to a determined computation unit from the plurality of computation units, a computation unit from a plurality of computation units for performing the computation. |
| US08126953B2 |
Multi-port mixed-radix FFT
A processor for performing a fast Fourier transform or inverse fast Fourier transform comprises a radix-2 butterfly structure; and a radix-4 butterfly structure. A method of performing a fast Fourier transform or inverse fast Fourier transform comprises selectively performing a radix-2 butterfly operation on an input data stream; and selectively performing a radix-4 butterfly operation on one of a result produced by the radix-2 butterfly operation and the input data stream. Apparatus for performing a fast Fourier transform or inverse fast Fourier transform comprises means for selectively performing a radix-2 butterfly operation on an input data stream; and means for selectively performing a radix-4 butterfly operation on one of a result produced by the radix-2 butterfly operation and the input data stream. A communication device for transmitting or receiving information, including an inverse fast Fourier transform module or fast Fourier transform module, comprises a radix-2 butterfly structure having inputs and outputs; a radix-4 butterfly structure having inputs coupled to the radix-2 butterfly structure outputs; and a multiplexer alternately coupling the data stream to the inputs of the radix-2 butterfly structure or to the inputs of the radix-4 butterfly structure, whereby the module can perform two different resolution inverse fast Fourier transforms or fast Fourier transforms dependent on the inputs selected. |
| US08126950B2 |
Method for performing a domain transformation of a digital signal from the time domain into the frequency domain and vice versa
A method for performing a domain transformation of a digital signal from the time domain into the frequency domain and vice versa, the method including performing the transformation by a transforming element, the transformation element comprising a plurality of lifting stages, wherein the transformation corresponds to a transformation matrix and wherein at least one lifting stage of the plurality of lifting stages comprises at least one auxiliary transformation matrix and a rounding unit, the auxiliary transformation matrix comprising the transformation matrix itself or the corresponding transformation matrix of lower dimension. The method further comprising performing a rounding operation of the signal by the rounding unit after the transformation by the auxiliary transformation matrix. |
| US08126948B2 |
Method and system for constant amplitude random sequence construction
Aspects of a method and system for constant amplitude random sequence construction may include generating one or more real signal components via a random number generator, wherein each of the generated one or more real signal components may be subjected to an amplitude constraint. One or more corresponding imaginary signal components may be generated, each of which may be derived from a relationship between the generated one or more real signal components and the amplitude constraint. At least the generated one or more real signal components and the generated one or more corresponding imaginary signal components may be combined to generate a complex constant amplitude signal. The one or more real signal components may be generated according to a probability distribution in the random number generator. |
| US08126946B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program for key word searching
System, method and computer program for initiating a search at a server computer. A data base including a URL of the server computer is stored at a client computer. Information entered by a user into the client computer is received. From the information, a search term and the URL of the server computer are identified. Then, an HTTP search request which includes the URL of the server computer and the search term is generated. Then, the HTTP search request is sent to the server computer. The identifying of the URL of the server computer comprises searching the data base for a character string contained in the information that matches the URL of the server computer. The identifying of the search term comprises identifying a portion of the information appended to the URL of the server. The identifying of the search term also comprises omitting from the portion one or more symbols adjacent to the search term which are inconsistent with a search request using HTTP. The generating of the HTTP search request which combines the URL of the server computer and the search term comprises inserting adjacent to the search term one or more symbols consistent with a search request using HTTP. |
| US08126945B2 |
Data management apparatus for generating one file having combination of plurality of files, data management method, and data management program
In order to reduce the volume of data having combination of a plurality of data, MFP includes an element determination portion to determine at least one of a plurality of files stored beforehand as an element, an ordinal rank determination portion to determine an ordinal rank of the determined at least one element, and a combined data generation portion to generate and store combined data including link information for specifying at least part of each of determined at least one element and defining an ordinal rank of the link information. |
| US08126940B2 |
Concurrent collection of cyclic garbage in reference counting systems
The present invention provides techniques that allow concurrent collection of cyclic garbage on reference counting systems. In general, candidate objects are found that may be part of cyclic garbage. Each candidate object has a reference count. Two tests are performed to determine if concurrent operations have affected the reference counts of the candidate objects. If concurrent operations have not affected the reference counts, the candidate objects are collected as garbage. Additionally, during garbage collection, the decrements to reference counts are delayed so that increments occur before decrements and so that decrements are held a predetermined time before being applied. This prevents decrementing a reference and collecting a cycle as garbage right before a reference is added to an object in the cycle. |
| US08126939B2 |
Selectively utilizing a plurality of disparate solid state storage locations
A method for selectively utilizing a plurality of disparate solid state storage locations is disclosed. The technology initially receives class types for a plurality of disparate solid state storage locations. The characteristics of the received data are determined. The received data is then allocated to one of the plurality of disparate solid state storage locations based upon the determined characteristics of the received data. |
| US08126938B2 |
Group content substitution in media works
A classification method and system for possible content alteration of a media work may include criteria regarding content that is feasible for alteration. Such criteria may be maintained in records that are accessible to an interested party. Some embodiments may include a record of primary authorization rights applicable to a possible content alteration. A further embodiment feature may include a record of secondary authorization rights applicable to substitute altered content incorporated in a derivative version. Various techniques may be used to incorporate substitute altered content in a derivative version of the media work in accordance with applicable substitution guidelines. |
| US08126936B1 |
Method and system for meta-tagging media content and distribution
A unique application within Video that allows for user generated Meta-tagging to be delivered in real time to individual clips is provided. This meta-tag creates its own tail based upon the user generated words population, which is searchable via a “spider network” that runs invisible behind the web pages of the site. These same “tagged” words are broadcast over various delivery networks including but not limited to live feeds from SMS, MMS, News Feeds within Community Web Sites, Video Sharing Web Sites, Widget applications any other forms of electronic communication that will be dropped in real time to identified users and friends of users. |
| US08126933B2 |
Operational assistance server device, operational assistance method and computer program
An operational assistance server device, method and computer readable article of manufacture for providing operational assistance to a user operating an application is provided. The operational assistance server device includes: an operation table; an operation table storage unit for storing the operation table; an user's operation history; an operation sequence generation unit for generating the operation sequence; an operation record storage unit; operation subsequences; an appearing-operation-sequence extraction unit for extracting appearing operation sequences from the operation subsequences; and an appearing-operation-sequence storage unit for storing the appearing operation sequences extracted by the appearing-operation-sequence extraction unit; where the appearing operation sequence appears at a frequency higher than a predetermined value. The method and computer readable article of manufacture storing the method includes the steps of: generating the operation sequence; storing the generated operation sequences; extracting the appearing operation sequences; and storing the extracted appearing operation sequences. |
| US08126928B2 |
Systems and methods for merging data into documents
Systems and method in accordance with the presently claimed invention call embedded application to merge values into documents using applications on frontend devices. In some embodiments, the frontend application may be placed in an outplace view so that it will not be visible on the output viewed by the user. Further, in some embodiments, the front end device may trigger the saving of the documents that are created by the front end application. |
| US08126918B2 |
Using embedded data with file sharing
Peer-to-peer file sharing is increasing in popularity on the Internet, faster than any product known in history. Although file-sharing can enable massive piracy, it has many advantages for distribution of information including scalability. Alternatively, file-sharing can be sabotaged with falsified files and used to distribute viruses. To this end, a solution that maintains the scalability of file-sharing and promotes reliability is proposed. The solution involves embedding data within the file or content and using the data to identify the content, demonstrate its completeness and lack of viruses, and verify the file can be shared. The embedded data can be checked when the file is registered with the database for sharing, and before or while the file is being uploaded and/or downloaded. Ideally, the embedded data is added at the time of creation for the file. The embedded data may include a watermark and be linked to other copy management systems, such as those proposed in DVD and SDMI. Finally, the embedded data can be used to enable purchases of files that owners do not have rights to share. |
| US08126914B2 |
Selecting a resource manager to satisfy a service request
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for selecting a resource manager to satisfy a service request. A catalog indicating a plurality of resource managers and at least one service offered by the resource managers is provided. Further provided is resource manager information indicating resource availability information for resource managers offering at least one service. A request for a requested service from a subscriber is received. The catalog is processed to identify resource managers publishing the requested service and the resource manager information is processed to determine at least one identified resource manager publishing the requested service that also satisfies at least one rule applicable to the service request. |
| US08126909B2 |
System and method for analyzing data records
A method and system for analyzing data records includes allocating groups of records to respective processes of a first plurality of processes executing in parallel. In each respective process of the first plurality of processes, for each record in the group of records allocated to the respective process, a query is applied to the record so as to produce zero or more values. Zero or more emit operators are applied to each of the zero or more produced values so as to add corresponding information to an intermediate data structure. Information from a plurality of the intermediate data structures is aggregated to produce output data. |
| US08126906B2 |
Synchronization of fixed and mobile data
A computer-implemented method for coordinating web-based content between networked computing devices is disclosed. The method includes associating an identifier with a first remote device without connecting the identifier to a registered user account, receiving from the first remote device a request to modify a web page, receiving a log-in from a registered user and associating the log-in with the first remote device after receiving the request to modify a first personalized web page, and associating the request to modify a web page with a first personalized home page associated with the registered user, and modifying the first personalized home page. |
| US08126904B1 |
System and method for managing digital footprints
A system and method for assessing one or more job applicants responding to a job posting with the system disclosed herein as incorporating at least one processor coupled to a memory and in communication with a network interface for retrieving digital footprints, images, or profiles as they may relate to an applicant, wherein the processor may be programmed to invite a job applicant to submit a first digital profile having one or more links relating to the applicant and generate an independent digital profile having one or more links relating to the applicant to determine whether there are any discrepancies between the first digital profile and the independent digital profile, and, in response to a discrepancy determination, issue a notice to the job applicant associated with the first digital profile requesting an explanation regarding the discrepancy. |
| US08126901B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating a dynamic web page
A method and apparatus are provided for generating a dynamic web page. A structured data context is generated based on the result of a business logic process performed in response to a request from a browser, and a template associated with the request is loaded. The structured data context includes at least one dynamic data item for the dynamic web page. The template is able to be browsed by the browser and contains associated information that corresponds to the at least one dynamic data item of the structured data context. The at least one dynamic data item of the structured data context is merged into the template so as to produce the dynamic web page. |
| US08126900B1 |
Transforming a data type of a column in a table
A database system receives a transaction that selects values of a column of a first table based on one or more conditions, the column in the first table being according to a first data type. The database system transforms the first data type to a second, different data type. The selected values of the column according to the second data type are stored in the second table. |
| US08126897B2 |
Unified inverted index for video passage retrieval
A method for information retrieval includes extracting from a video document visual data items and textual data items that occur in the document at respective occurrence times. Indexing records, which index both the visual and the textual data items by their respective occurrence times, are constructed and stored in a memory. |
| US08126896B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control method therefor, and storage medium
An information processing apparatus capable of collecting electronic data efficiently and avoiding sharing highly confidential and secure electronic data with an indefinite number of users. The information processing apparatus is connected to an external apparatus through a network. The information processing apparatus receives electronic data from the external apparatus, registers attribute information related to the received electronic data in association with the received electronic data so that the received electronic data can be retrieved by using the attribute information, and controls the registering unit so as to register the attribute information related to the received electronic data when the received electronic data is not confidential data, and so as not to register the attribute information related to the received electronic data when the received electronic data is confidential data. |
| US08126893B1 |
Automatically creating lists from existing lists
A system automatically creates a list from items in existing lists. The system receives one or more example items corresponding to the list and assigns weights to the items in the existing lists based on the one or more example items. The system then forms the list based on the items and the weights assigned to the items. |
| US08126892B2 |
Automatically linking documents with relevant structured information
A method of associating a given text document with relevant structured data is disclosed. The method receives as inputs a text document, and structured data in the form of a relational database. The method then identifies terms in the text document, and searches and queries the structured data using the terms to identify fragments of the structured data that are relevant to the document. Finally, the text document and the identified fragments of structured data are output to a user. |
| US08126889B2 |
Location fidelity adjustment based on mobile subscriber privacy profile
The present invention utilizes location based wireless technology in a wireless network to dynamically automate the accuracy of location information provided to requesting parties based on external criteria, e.g., the time of day. The location information may be altered by removing particular parts (e.g., by removing street information, or city information), or by mathematically loosening the accuracy of the location of the particular wireless user. |
| US08126888B2 |
Methods for enhancing digital search results based on task-oriented user activity
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 enhance search results by filtering and ranking results to increase relevance with respect to a user's current task. The task-related information can also be 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 enhancing search queries to include task-related search criteria. |
| US08126884B1 |
Scoring documents in a linked database
A method assigns importance ranks to nodes in a linked database, such as any database of documents containing citations, the world wide web or any other hypermedia database. The rank assigned to a document is calculated from the ranks of documents citing it. In addition, the rank of a document is calculated from a constant representing the probability that a browser through the database will randomly jump to the document. The method is particularly useful in enhancing the performance of search engine results for hypermedia databases, such as the world wide web, whose documents have a large variation in quality. |
| US08126882B2 |
Credibility of an author of online content
Methods, computer program products and systems are described for obtaining at a first computer an online content item authored by an author for public online display. A credibility factor is determined for the author in association with the online content item. The credibility factor is based on information about the author to be true. In response to a query for online content, wherein the online content item is included in a set of search results, the ranking of the online content item in the set is determined in a second computer based at least in part on the credibility factor of the author. The first computer and the second computer can be the same or different computers. |
| US08126872B2 |
Methods of cost estimation using partially applied predicates
In accordance with aspects of the present invention, provided are methods for incrementally estimating the cardinality of a derived relation including statistically correlated partially applicable predicates for a range-partitioned table. During the generation of a QEP a cardinality estimate is calculated in which one or more partially applicable predicates is correlated to another partially applicable predicate and/or to one or more fully applicable predicates. The cardinality includes a number of rows expected to be returned by the QEP and is computed in an incremental fashion for each operator of the QEP. |
| US08126870B2 |
System and methodology for parallel query optimization using semantic-based partitioning
A system and methodology for parallel query optimization using semantic-based partitioning is described. In one embodiment, for example, in a database system comprising a database storing data in database tables, a method is described for improving query performance by dynamically partitioning the data, the method comprises steps of: receiving a query requesting data from the database; generating a plurality of subplans for executing the query, each subplan including one or more operators for performing relational operations; adding operators for partitioning data and performing a given relational operation in parallel to at least some of the plurality of subplans; and building a plan for execution of the query based, at least in part, upon selecting subplans having favorable execution costs. |
| US08126860B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing data
A function control unit controls a function of processing data. An output unit outputs status information indicating a status of data processing by the function. A storing unit stores therein function information and next function information. A determining unit determines whether to execute a next function indicated by the next function information corresponding to the function information indicating the function that caused the status of data processing, based on the status of data processing. A requesting unit requests, when it is determined to execute the next function, a function control unit that controls the next function to execute the next function. |
| US08126858B1 |
System and method for delivering content to a communication device in a content delivery system
The present invention relates to a method, system, and a computer-readable storage medium containing executable instructions for delivering content to a communication device, in response to an image sent by the communication device. The received image is matched with a plurality of images, and, when a match is found for the received image, content corresponding to the matching image is delivered to the communication device. The plurality of images is stored in an image database, and the corresponding content is stored in a content repository. The present invention enables a content provider to automatically update the image database and the content repository without any human intervention. |
| US08126857B2 |
Proactive information monitoring systems and methods
Systems and methods for proactive information monitoring are presented. A user can define alert criteria for generating an alert through a centralized alerting service where the alert criteria relate to the status of records in a data set. The records of the data can be distributed across multiple remote or unaffiliated databases to which the user lacks access. The service can disaggregate the criteria into individual criterion targeting specific records stored in the databases. The criterions are provided to agents that monitor the records. When the records satisfy the criterion, the agents send notifications back to the service. Once the service receives sufficient notifications to indicate the alert criteria are satisfied, the service sends an alert to designated recipients. The systems and methods are able provide alert information without compromising the confidentially or security of the remote databases. |
| US08126852B1 |
Merged collections
A method of determining whether a data segment is a duplicate using cooperating deduplicators is disclosed. The data segment is received. A first deduplicator is operated to to determine whether the incoming data segment is a duplicate based on first information available to the first deduplicator regarding stored data segments that are stored in a memory. A second deduplicator is selectively operated to determine whether the incoming data segment is a duplicate based on second information available to the second deduplicator; wherein the selective operation of the second deduplicator depends on the determination made by the first deduplicator. |
| US08126850B2 |
Method and system for saving database storage space
Saving database storage space includes extracting a standard property unit from a database of commodity information and including the SPU in a SPU library, generating a sequence document of the standard property unit and sending the sequence document to a front-end device, determining whether a newly released commodity matches the standard property unit of the sequence document of the standard property unit and in the event that the newly released commodity matches the standard property unit of the sequence document, binding the new released commodity and the matched standard property unit. |
| US08126845B2 |
Synchronization methods and systems
Synchronization architectures, methods, systems, and computer readable media are described. One exemplary embodiment includes a first software component which is configured to cause retrieval and storage of structured data for a first data class from a first store of the structured data on a device, such as a first data processing system, and is configured to synchronize structured data for the first data class in the first store with structured data of the first data class in a second store on a host, such as a second data processing system. The first software component is separate from an application software which provides a user interface to allow a user to access and edit the structured data. The first software component synchronizes the structured data through a second software component which interfaces with the host and the device and which controls an order of synchronizing and a plurality of data classes including the first data class. |
| US08126842B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for synchronizing databases connected by way of a radio air interface
A synchronization process, and associated apparatus, for placing database copies in match with one another by way of communications effectuated upon an air interface of a radio communication system. Hash functions are performed at a mobile node and at a network part upon mobile and network copies of database information. Comparison of the hash information formed therefrom provides a preliminary indication of whether the databases are in match with one another. If a determination is made that the databases are out of match, the data is compared, and the data is placed in match with one another responsive to such additional comparisons. |
| US08126841B2 |
Storage and retrieval of variable data
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for managing data items. A data store includes at least two copies of each data item. Each copy of a data item is used for a unique set of operations performed on the data item. An application programming interface receives a request from a consumer to perform an operation on a data item in the data store. The application programming interface selects, based on the received request, which copy of the data item is to be used when performing the operation. |
| US08126840B2 |
Lubrication program management system and methods
A system for scheduling a plurality of selected maintenance tasks. The system comprises one or more storage media and a processor. The one or more storage media store data indicative of a plurality of maintenance points, a plurality of task templates, and a plurality of maintenance task definitions as associations between maintenance points and task templates. At least one maintenance point has a plurality of maintenance point parameters and is associated with at least one task template having a plurality of task parameters, such that upon accessing at least one of the maintenance task definitions, such maintenance task definition is dynamically generated from the plurality of maintenance point parameters of the at least one maintenance point and from the plurality of task parameters of the at least one task template. The processor selectively applies one or more queries to the stored data to generate an assignment including one or more selected maintenance tasks. The one or more queries have a plurality of filter criteria and a plurality of logical relationships defined between the filter criteria to selectively include maintenance task definitions matching the one or more queries and exclude maintenance task definitions not matching the one or more queries. The system further comprises at least one means for outputting the generated assignment. |
| US08126839B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for adapting a ranking function of a search engine for use with a specific domain
Methods and apparatuses are provided for adapting hierarchical structure information associated with a first ranking function tuned for use in a first domain for use in a second domain. |
| US08126837B2 |
Methods and apparatus related to document processing based on a document type
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a portion of text from a document. A document type is associated with the document based on at least one of the portion of text or an identifier associated with the document. The method also includes selecting, based on the document type, a document template having a plurality of sections. Each section from the plurality of sections being associated with a document category. At least one section from the plurality of sections including at least one policy preference. |
| US08126834B2 |
Dynamic constraint satisfaction problem solver with hierarchical union constraints
A dynamic constraint solver system for solving a constraint satisfaction problem model includes a plurality of ports. The system defines a hierarchical union that includes all problems in a lower port that is in a problem under another port in the model. The system generates a constraint that computes a cardinality of the hierarchical union and determines an included set and an excluded set for the hierarchical union. The system then propagates the included set and excluded set to participating ports of the hierarchical union. |
| US08126828B2 |
Special purpose processor implementing a synthetic neural model of the human brain
A special purpose processor (SPP) for implementing a synthetic neural model of the biological anatomy of the human brain to control a brain-based device (BBD) that is movable in a real-world environment, including neural processing units (NPUs), each having a programmed processor and a local memory that stores data records of neural elements, a system memory for storing data about all the NPUs, and a finite state machine and a system bus for transferring data between the NPUs and system memory. |
| US08126816B2 |
Method for fingerprinting and identifying internet users
Various aspects of the present system provide methods and systems for authenticating online purchase by tracing internet actions to a remote computer and to an individual who operates the computer. One aspect provides a technique to generate fingerprint of computer and its user based on the information collected through the actions a user conducts on internet. Another aspect of the system provides a technique to compute the fingerprints and find relations between users and computers. Another aspect of the system provides a trust ranking to a user based on the consistency of information collected from the user's various actions. |
| US08126815B2 |
Method and system for carrying out verification processes including optical scanning of information displayed via a mobile telephone terminal
The invention relates to the carrying out of verification processes with regard to authorization of user and/or payment processes by means of a mobile telephone terminal, whereby an identifier associated with an authorized user and/or payer is provided in such a way that it can be called up and represented on a display device of a mobile telephone terminal associated with the authorized user and/or payer. On the instructions of the authorized user and/or payer, the identifier is represented on the display device and optically scanned in an interrogation station. A control message with a request for confirmation of a process verifying the authorization of use and/or payment process is transmitted to the mobile telephone terminal. In order to grant use and/or carry out payment, the control message receives a reply by transmitting a confirmation message from the mobile telephone terminal to the interrogation station. |
| US08126812B1 |
Digital content vending, delivery, and maintenance system
A digital content vending machine, DCVM (10), in which a client (12) on a personal computer, PC (14), contains an infrastructure (16) and an inventory (18). The infrastructure (16) and inventory (18) may both be stored in a hard drive (20), or the inventory (18) may instead be stored on a removable media (24), such as a CD (16), DVD (28), or tape (30). The infrastructure (16) presents a graphical user interface on the client (12) which metaphorically resembles a village (46) containing a plurality of stores (44) operated by vendors (42). Customers (40) shop in the stores (44) by selecting assets (22), constituting the inventory (18), and sending money (52) and an identifier (54) to a clearing house (50) via a communications system such as telephone (118), private network (120), or the Internet (122). The clearing house (50) returns a key (58) used to at least partially remove a digital wrapper (60) protecting the asset (22) from unauthorized use. A master server (48) may also be provided to update the infrastructure (16) and inventory (18), and to provide additional keys (58) used to remove the digital wrappers (60). |
| US08126811B2 |
Documenting security related aspects in the process of container shipping
There is provided a method and a system for documenting a transfer of authority of control for a container from a first entity of a transportation chain to a second entity of the transportation chain. The first entity transfers an electronic container control certificate to an electronic seal of the respective container, which electronic container control certificate comprises a cryptographic key associated to the second entity, and which container control certificate is digitally signed by the first entity. The container control certificate is stored in a log of the electronic seal. |
| US08126810B2 |
Apparatus and method of flexible and common IPMP system for providing and protecting content
An apparatus for a flexible and common IPMP System (Intellectual Property Management and Protection) offers flexibility and interoperability by incorporating a complete IPMP Tool List stored in the content stream or downloaded from a URL location. The IPMP Tool Manager of a compliant IPMP terminal functioning as a preprocessor module is provided, the IPMP Tool List is parsed, and an IPMP Tool is acquired based on the IPMP Tool ID, related location identifier, and IPMP Tool Format ID. The IPMP Tool can be precompiled to a binary format and sent or downloaded to the IPMP terminal, and different binary formats are prepared by the content provider for use on different IPMP terminal platforms. |
| US08126809B2 |
Method and system for processing financial instrument deposits physically remote from a financial institution
A system that includes computer hardware, computer software, apparatus, and methodology that enables individuals, businesses, and all types of organizations (both for profit and non-profit) to capture and securely transmit check images (including, but not limited to, personal checks, business checks, travelers checks, money orders, merchant coupons, food coupons, line of credit checks, etc.), deposit information, and other information from remote locations (i.e., locations that could include the financial institution's remote locations, other financial institution's locations, businesses, private residences, etc.), for the purpose of having those checks credited to the depositing individual's or organization's bank account(s) and having the check images (and/or physical checks) entered into the bank check clearing channels for ultimate delivery to the maker bank for payment out of the maker's account. |
| US08126807B2 |
Control features in a system and method for processing checks and check transactions
A method of processing paper checks that divides into two independent paths the processing of a data file representing a check and the digital image of the check. The data files and image files are separated both in time and in space, with the data files being used to promptly initiate the transfer of funds to and from appropriate accounts, while the paper checks, at a remote location and typically lagging in time, are scanned to create digital image files and deposited as an image or substitute check if deemed ACH ineligible. The method provides for the comparison of data files to image files, based on MICR information, to find any unmatching or mismatched items for exception processing and a process to manage ACH-ineligible items as an image or substitute check. The process further provides for a trial period protocol for performing image matching on ACH-eligible items during a trial period before sending such transactions for settlement. |
| US08126803B2 |
Automated float pricing for geographically distributed deposits and accounts
An automated system can be provided for continuously and accurately assigning float to deposit credits within a financial institution. A normalized market segment is continuously assigned to each account by extracting information from a plurality of disparate demand deposit account systems. Deposit credits are gathered from disparate known capture sites and the normalized market segment is assigned to a deposit credit for a corresponding account. A float assignment can then be made for a deposit credit so that the float reflects both a deposit location and current domestic information for the corresponding account. A system for implementing the invention can include a float system connected to a transaction exchange system. |
| US08126802B1 |
Computer system and method for managing financial funding of a finite insurance policy
In a computer system and in a computer-implemented method for managing financial funding of a finite insurance policy provided by an insurer to an insured, a fixed amount of the financial funding is stored as an amount payable by the insured for a calculation period. In addition, a variable amount of the financial funding is calculated based on defined conditions and the variable amount is stored as an amount payable by the insured for the calculation period. Preferably, an index value based on a volatile indicator is stored. Depending on the index value, it is determined whether the variable amount is payable by the insured or whether an insured loss is payable by the insurer to the insured for the calculation period. The variable amount or the insured loss, respectively, is calculated based on the index value. Consequently, funding of the insurance can be accelerated in good calculation periods having no losses. In bad calculation periods, on the other hand, extra funds accumulated in good calculation periods can be used by the insurer to pay insured losses. |
| US08126801B2 |
System and method for estimating order position
A system and method for providing order queue position information are disclosed. In this application, market updates are received for a tradable object from at least one exchange. To the extent that the market updates do not include enough details to compute the queue position of a trader's working orders, estimation may be used. As a result, an order queue is generated to approximate a trader's order position in an exchange price order queue. An interface may be used to display the generated order queue estimation to the trader which provides valuable trading information. |
| US08126797B2 |
System and method for displaying simple binary elements for multiple technical analysis indicators representing the status of an equity issue for simplified decision making
The present invention provides a system and method for performing complex analysis of multiple technical analysis indicators, generating multiple binary elements, then presenting the results of the analysis to a user in an easily understandable way. In the present invention, technical analysis indicators (TAI) are used to determine whether a positive development (PD) has occurred. When a technical analysis indicator (TAI) for a particular issue suggests that the price of said issue is likely to move upwards in the near future, the TAI is a positive development. When the TAI no longer suggests that the price of said issue is likely to trend upwards in the near future, the TAI is no longer a positive development (NLPD). |
| US08126795B2 |
Systems and methods for initial sampling in multi-objective portfolio analysis
The systems and methods of the invention are directed to portfolio optimization and related techniques. For example, the invention provides a method for multi-objective portfolio optimization for use in investment decisions based on competing objectives and a plurality of constraints constituting a portfolio problem, the method comprising: generating an initial population of solutions of portfolio allocations, the generating the initial population of solutions of portfolio allocations including systematically generating the initial population of solutions to substantially cover the space defined by the competing objectives and the plurality of constraints; and generating an efficient frontier in the space based on the initial population, the efficient frontier for use in investment decisioning. |
| US08126791B2 |
Methods and systems for providing a decision making platform
A method for enriching the data associated with financial transaction card transactions using a computer system is described. The method includes receiving financial transaction data from a plurality of input channels, each input channel associated with a financial transaction data format, converting the received financial transaction data into a common data format, enriching the converted financial transaction data by scoring the converted financial transaction data across a plurality of scoring engines, converting the plurality of scores relating to the financial transaction data from the scoring engines into output data, and transmitting the output data using an output manager, the output manager operable to provide the data into a format appropriate for each intended recipient. |
| US08126784B1 |
Automatically initiating product replenishment
A facility for automatically initiating product replenishment is described. The facility receives an indication of an order by a consumer for a first item having a first date, such as the date on which the first item was placed or fulfilled. The facility then determines a target date for replenishment based upon the identity of the first item. On the target date, the facility provides to the consumer an indication that the first item should be replenished. The indication includes a control useable by the customer to request replenishment of the first item. When this control is operated by the consumer, the facility receives an indication that the control is used by the consumer to request replenishment of the first item. In response to receiving indication the facility orders a second item to replenish the first item. |
| US08126782B1 |
Method and device for location integrated ordering and queue placement
Disclosed herein is a system and method for performing automated location integrated ordering of products and services at an event. This may be accomplished through placing product orders to one or more vendors using a portable electronic device, wherein upon placing an order, event-specific location information stored on the portable electronic device may be sent along with the order. Upon fulfilling the order, the products may be delivered to the event-specific location information. In addition to performing product ordering, the portable electronic device may also be used to remotely sign up for or check the status of event-specific services or activities. Also, the portable electronic device may be used to locate event services, activities, or attendees and provide a map or directions from the event-specific location to the event service, activity, or attendee. |
| US08126781B2 |
Real-time collaborative selection of service providers
A method and system for customer service, comprising enabling a customer to provide a request for service, receiving the request for service from the customer and providing a website that enables a service provider to view the request for service, interactively chat about the request for service with other service providers, and respond to the request for service by creating and sending an offer of service to the customer and enabling the customer to accept the offer of service. |
| US08126774B2 |
Advertising that is relevant to a person
A person is viewing a display. By evaluating tracked information about the person, the display and/or the content being viewed, a tracking system determines that an opportunity exists to present an advertisement that is relevant to the person in the context of the person currently viewing the display. The tracking system provides advertiser data for the advertisement and instructions for generating the advertisement to a synthesis system local to the viewer and the viewer's display system, which dynamically synthesizes the advertisement and provides it to the display. |
| US08126773B2 |
Configurable enrollment data capture framework
Methods for defining and using a configurable and extensible enrollment data capture framework. The enrollment data capture framework allows generation of enrollment data capture templates for specifying channel, membership scheme and membership type specific data elements, providing data relevancy and data adequacy. The framework comprises an extensible membership attribute repository, as well as configurable enrollment data capture templates specific to a membership scheme and type and channel combination. |
| US08126771B2 |
System and method for managing customized reward offers
In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, a method is provided for managing reward offers. A first performance target that is associated with a financial account is determined. Transaction data that is associated with the financial account is received, and a second performance target for the financial account is determined based on the transaction data. |
| US08126768B2 |
Application change request to deployment maturity model
The invention provides a system and method of improving change management structure of an organization, wherein change management structure includes process definitions for managing change requests to software applications. In one embodiment, the invention may include receiving current change management information regarding an organization. A current maturity level for the organization may then be determined from a hierarchy of predefined change management maturity levels. A target change management maturity level may then be determined from the hierarchy. One or more improvement operations may then be defined that, when performed, shift the organization to the target change management process maturity level. The one or more improvement operations may then be performed. |
| US08126764B2 |
Communication of managing vending operations based on wireless data
A system coupled to one or more vending machines, such as soft drink vending machines, via a wireless data link can acquire operational vending data, for example sales data, hardware status, and product temperature. The system can compile data from multiple vending machines dispersed across a geographic area such as a city or state. The system can include software that refines the vending operations of one or more such vending machines based on analysis of acquired data, taking into consideration other information such as market, business, seasonal, or environmental factors. Refining vending operations can include adjusting product offerings, relocating vending machines, replicating favorable conditions, and addressing unexpected sales variations. |
| US08126763B2 |
Automatic generation of trailers containing product placements
This invention relates to a method and computer system for automatic generation of trailers. More specifically it relates to a method for generating revenues from providers of content data. The method generally comprises the steps of finding product placement data in a super set of data. When these product placements have been found they are preferably matched with a user profile and segments, of the superset comprising these product placements with a positive match, are selected and merged into a subset of data. A counter may keep track of which product placement that has been chosen and how many times a product placement has been chosen and viewed. Based on the value of the counter an invoice is created. |
| US08126760B2 |
Work item tracking system for projects
A work item tracking system that provides for processing of more than one type of work item. Work item types may be defined using a data structure. Fields and characteristics of the work item are defined within the work item type definition. Programs within the work item tracking system may use this information to create, modify and otherwise process work items of a single type or to form links between work items of different types. |
| US08126757B2 |
Method and system for selecting participants in an online collaborative environment
A method and system to select one or more participants in an online collaborative process are provided. The method includes receiving selection information and identifying a potential list of the participants from an information system based on the selection information, the information system containing transaction data relating to prior collaboration processes with the participants. In particular, the method establishes trust parameters for each of the participants, the trust parameters representing at least qualifications, credentials or trustworthiness properties of the participants. The establishing of trust parameters includes identifying the trust parameters and quantifying the trust parameters. The trust parameters are identified by performing a search for relevant ones of the transaction data that matches the selection information, the selection information relates to trustworthiness properties of the participants. The trust parameters are further quantified by applying the relevant ones of the transaction data with statistical algorithm to compute a value that measures the trustworthiness properties of the participants. |
| US08126750B2 |
Consolidating data source queries for multidimensional scorecards
Data retrieval from data sources associated with elements of a scorecard is optimized by combining the queries for the same data sources into a single query. The querying process is further optimized based on an attribute and/or condition of a data source. Query parameters and execution schedule may be adjusted based on the elements, data sources, or subscriber identity. Retrieved data is cached at element, combination of elements, data source, or scorecard level for rapid and efficient building and maintenance of scorecards. |
| US08126742B2 |
Automated assignment of insurable events
An automated assignment system may operate with a computer to automatically assign insurable events to one or more organizational entities associated with an insurance organization. The automated assignment system may categorize the insurable event. In addition, the automated assignment system may identify at least one target organizational entity based on the categorization that is capable of handling the insurable event. Identification of the target organizational entity or entities may be a function of properties associated with the insurable event and the availability of the organizational entity or entities. Automatic assignment may also be a function of the current workload of the target organizational entity or entities. |
| US08126736B2 |
Methods and systems for diagnosing, treating, or tracking spinal disorders
A method of patient assessment, treatment, and outcome modeling is disclosed. The method includes obtaining patient characteristic information from a current patient, defining a plurality of therapeutic factors based on the characteristic information of the current patient, and weighting the therapeutic factors. The method also includes accessing at least one database having medical records of prior patients, the medical records including prior patient characteristic information, prior patient treatment plan, and prior patient outcome, comparing the weighted factors of the current patient to the medical records of the prior patients to identify one or more relevant prior patient records, and retrieving at least a portion of the relevant prior patient records, the portion including at least the prior patient treatment plan and the prior patient outcome. The method also includes performing a simulation of at least one of the prior patient treatment plans based on the current patient's characteristic information and selecting a treatment plan for the current patient. |
| US08126734B2 |
Systems and methods for adapter-based communication with a medical device
A system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a processor, a device interface, a data relay transceiver, and a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions. The processor executes the instructions in the memory to receive data from a medical device through a wired connection using the device interface, where the data is received through an adapter coupled to the device interface and that communicates with the medical data interchange device using a first communication format and with the medical device using a second communication format. The processor further executes the instructions in the memory to transmit the data to an intermediary device using the data relay transceiver. This system can be implemented in a small, portable unit that is easy for a patient to transport. The adapter can be removably coupled to the medical data interchange device to allow different adapters configured to communicate with different medical devices to be used with a single medical data interchange device. |
| US08126728B2 |
Systems and methods for processing and transmittal of medical data through an intermediary device
A method according to an aspect of the present invention includes receiving data through a wired connection from a medical device, transmitting the data to an intermediary device, and formatting a message including the received data for transmission to a medical data server. The intermediary device includes a software program configured to receive the data and process it into a format compatible with the medical data server. This method can be practiced automatically to allow a medical device for a patient or other subject to be monitored without requiring the patient to manually enter information. |
| US08126727B2 |
System and method for obtaining, maintaining and maximizing healthcare benefits
A system and method for obtaining, maintaining, and maximizing health care coverage benefits for individuals and families is provided. Patient data is applied to health care coverage program criteria and a patient specific coverage report is generated. Notification alerts are generated and provide a users change event notifications. Proximity alerts are generated and provided within the coverage report, identifying potential loss and gain of coverage benefits and eligibility. |
| US08126726B2 |
System and method for facilitating automated dental measurements and diagnostics
In one embodiment, acquiring a digital model of a patient's teeth, automatically detecting reference data or features based on the digital model, and automatically computing dental measurements based on said reference data or features, where the dental measurements are associated with an occlusal characteristic of the patient are disclosed. |
| US08126723B1 |
System and method for improving tuning using caller provided satisfaction scores
A system and method provide a way of improving customer satisfaction with an IVR by identifying tuning opportunities for applications of an IVR system based on customer satisfaction scores. The system and method compare portions of the IVR application to a customer satisfaction score obtained from a customer satisfaction survey. The comparisons show, statistically, which portions of the IVR application correlate to a low customer satisfaction score. A report is produced which identifies these areas that correlate to low customer satisfaction, and these areas may be tuned to improve customer satisfaction with the IVR. |
| US08126722B2 |
Application infrastructure platform (AIP)
Disclosed is an application infrastructure platform (AIP) having an application service provider (ASP) environment including multiple ASP systems providing application services to customers, and a common services environment including hardware and software and management systems providing to the ASP systems applications and integrated application, back-office, and management services used by the ASP systems in delivering their application services to their customers. In another aspect, the AIP is associated with a development and test bed environment which conducts product and service development and testing. |
| US08126721B2 |
Encoding an information signal
The transient problem may be sufficiently addressed, and for this purpose, a further delay on the side of the decoding may be reduced if a new SBR frame class is used wherein the frame boundaries are not shifted, i.e. the grid boundaries are still synchronized with the frame boundaries, but wherein a transient position indication is additionally used as a syntax element so as to be used, on the encoder and/or decoder sides, within the frames of these new frame class for determining the grid boundaries within these frames. |
| US08126720B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and information processing method
An image capturing apparatus of this invention includes an audio acquisition unit which acquires audio data, an speech processing unit which analyzes the acquired audio data and detects predetermined audio data, an image capturing unit which captures image data by activating a shutter when the speech processing unit detects the predetermined audio data, and a storage unit which stores the audio data acquired by the audio acquisition unit before the shutter is activated in association with image data captured upon activating the shutter. |
| US08126710B2 |
Conservative training method for adapting a neural network of an automatic speech recognition device
A method of adapting a neural network of an automatic speech recognition device, includes the steps of: providing a neural network including an input stage, an intermediate stage and an output stage, the output stage outputting phoneme probabilities; providing a linear stage in the neural network; and training the linear stage by means of an adaptation set; wherein the step of providing the linear stage includes the step of providing the linear stage after the intermediate stage. |
| US08126709B2 |
Broadband frequency translation for high frequency regeneration
An audio signal is conveyed more efficiently by transmitting or recording a baseband of the signal with an estimated spectral envelope and a noise-blending parameter derived from a measure of the signal's noise-like quality. The signal is reconstructed by translating spectral components of the baseband signal to frequencies outside the baseband, adjusting phase of the regenerated components to maintain phase coherency, adjusting spectral shape according to the estimated spectral envelope, and adding noise according to the noise-blending parameter. Preferably, the transmitted or recorded signal also includes an estimated temporal envelope that is used to adjust the temporal shape of the reconstructed signal. |
| US08126708B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for dynamic normalization to reduce loss in precision for low-level signals
A dynamic normalization factor for a current frame of a signal is determined to reduce loss in precision for low-level signals. The normalization factor depends on an amplitude of the current frame of the signal. The normalization factor also depends on values of filter states after one or more operations were performed on a previous frame of a normalized signal and on the normalization factor for the previous frame. The current frame of the signal is normalized based on the normalization factor that is determined. The states' normalization factor may be adjusted based on the normalization factor that is determined. |
| US08126704B2 |
Apparatus, server, method, and tangible machine-readable medium thereof for processing and recognizing a sound signal
An apparatus, a server, a method, and a tangible machine-readable medium thereof for processing and recognizing a sound signal are provided. The apparatus is configured to sense the sound signal of the environment and to dynamically derive and to transmit a feature signal and a sound feature message of the sound signal to the server. The server is configured to retrieve the stored sound models according to the sound feature message and to compare each of the sound models with the feature signal to determine whether the sound signal is abnormal after receiving the feature signal and the sound feature message. |
| US08126693B2 |
Method and system for modeling, validating and automatically resolving goals and dependencies between elements within a topology
Computer implemented method, system and computer usable program code for configuring a computing system. A system for configuring a computing system includes a mechanism for creating a model of a computing system, a validator for determining whether there are any errors in the model, and a resolver, responsive to determining that there is at least one error in the model, for determining whether there is at least one resolution for correcting the at least one error. A selector, responsive to determining that there is at least one resolution for correcting the at least one error, selects at least one resolution among the at least one resolution for correcting the at least one error to form at least one selected resolution to correct the at least one error, and applies the at least one selected resolution to the model to form a transformed model. An output outputs the transformed model to a user. |
| US08126692B2 |
Method and system for modeling, validating and automatically resolving goals and dependencies between elements within a topology
Computer implemented method, system and computer usable program code for configuring a computing system. A determination is made whether there are any errors in the model, and responsive to determining that there is at least one error in the model, a determination is made whether there is at least one resolution for correcting the at least one error. Responsive to determining that there is at least one resolution for correcting the at least one error, at least one resolution among the at least one resolution for correcting the at least one error is selected to form at least one selected resolution to correct the at least one error. The at least one selected resolution is applied to the model to form a transformed model, and the transformed model is output to a user. |
| US08126689B2 |
Methods for geomechanical fracture modeling
The present invention relates generally to methods for designing and optimizing the number, placement, and size of fractures in a subterranean formation and more particularly to methods that account for stress interference from other fractures when designing and optimizing the number, placement, and size of fractures in the subterranean formation. The present invention optimizes the number, placement and size of fractures in a subterranean formation. The present invention determines one or more geomechanical stresses induced by each fracture based on the dimensions and location of each fracture. The present invention determines a maximum number of fractures and a predicted stress field based on the geomechanical stresses induced by each of the fractures |
| US08126687B2 |
Method of identifying an antinode of a primary vibration mode of a golf club head
This invention provides a method of identifying an antinode of a primary vibration mode of the golf club head having a hollow golf club head having a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a side portion. A viscoelastic body is to be mounted in at least one of the face portion, crown portion, sole portion, and side portion. The viscoelastic body is mounted in a part of a portion where the viscoelastic body is to be mounted, the part corresponding to an antinode of a primary vibration mode. |
| US08126686B2 |
Universal method for modeling the interactions between at least one wave and at least one object, the surface of each object defining an interface between at least two media
A method for modeling the interactions between objects. The surface the objects define an interface between media. A set of elementary characteristic functions are chosen that correspond to the field of application. The physical properties the media are defined. Each object is modelled as a mesh and elementary point sources are associated with either side of each mesh element. The type of boundary conditions are determined for each interface. The global matrix for the interactions between the various objects is constructed, depending on the type of boundary conditions, the properties of the media and the configuration of the system. The global matrix is inverted. The inverted matrix is multiplied by a column matrix of the excitation boundary conditions. A column matrix is obtained containing the elementary point sources. At every point, the physical quantities representative of the interactions are calculated and an analytical model of the interactions is obtained. |
| US08126678B2 |
Methods of monitoring electronic displays within a display network
Methods of monitoring one or more electronic displays are disclosed. A method may include performing at least one diagnostic operation on at least one electronic display having at least one camera, a display element, and a display server. Further, the method may include transmitting data relating to the at least one diagnostic operation to a network remote from the at least one electronic display. Additionally, the method may include displaying the data within the remote network. |
| US08126674B2 |
Memory-daughter-card-testing method and apparatus
A memory daughter card (MDC) is described, having a very high-speed serial interface and an on-card MDC test engine that allows one MDC to be directly connected to another MDC for testing purposes. In some embodiments, a control interface allows the test engine to be programmed and controlled by a test controller on a test fixture that allows simultaneous testing of a single MDC or one or more pairs of MDCs, one MDC in a pair (e.g., the “golden” MDC) testing the other MDC of that pair. Other methods are also described, wherein one MDC executes a series of reads and writes and other commands to another MDC to test at least some of the other card's functions, or wherein one port executes a series of test commands to another port on the same MDC to test at least some of the card's functions. |
| US08126667B2 |
Measurement based voltage stability monitoring and control
A measurement base voltage stability monitoring and control scheme having a means for measuring current and voltage phasors at a boundary bus of a load center; and an equivalent network having a fictitious bus with an aggregate load representative of all loads of the load center. The scheme further includes a computing device to calculate a voltage stability margin index based on the aggregate load of the fictitious bus and compare the voltage stability margin index to a pre-set threshold. The computing device causes an action to take place based on the comparison between the voltage stability margin index and the pre-set threshold. |
| US08126662B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring blade vibration with a fiber optic ribbon probe
A method and apparatus for monitoring blade vibrations in a turbine engine having blade tip target portions associated with blades. An illumination conduit including a plurality of optical fibers conveys light from a light source to a transmission end of the optical fibers where the light is focused to define an axially elongated projected image. The blade tip target portions pass through the projected image and reflect light to receptor ends of a plurality of optical fibers defining a detection conduit for conveying the reflected light to a processor. The transmission ends and receptor ends of the optical fibers are configured as a narrow rectangle to define a probe end for receiving reflected light at different axial locations along the probe end, and to detect blade passing events defined by passage of either or both a blade leading edge and a blade trailing edge. |
| US08126650B2 |
Method for determining physical properties of structures
Method for efficient inversion of controlled-source electromagnetic survey data to obtain a resistivity model of the subsurface of the survey area. The method extracts the dimensions and location of sub-surface structures as they may be revealed by existing seismic or other available high resolution survey data from the subsurface area (33). This structure geometry information is used to construct a discretization (grid, or mesh) for the inversion computation (34) that is different from the mesh used for the forward modeling calculations (32) in that (a) it has fewer and hence larger cells; and (b) the cells honor the assumed structural information. The inversion need only extract resistivity information (35), the geometry of the resistive structures being specified by the inversion mesh. |
| US08126649B2 |
Methods for generating a distribution of optimal solutions to nondeterministic polynomial optimization problems
The present invention provides methods for generating a distribution of optimal answers to a nondeterministic polynomial optimization problem by providing a plurality of solutions comprising input polynucleotides, wherein each solution comprises identical input polynucleotides; and wherein the number of solutions comprising polynucleotides equals a number of data inputs in the problem to be answered, and wherein each input polynucleotide comprises an x segment and a y segment; providing a plurality of solutions comprising connection polynucleotides wherein each solution comprises identical connection polynucleotides; and wherein the number of solutions comprising connection polynucleotides equals a number of unique connections that can be made between the different data inputs, and wherein each polynucleotide in the set of connection polynucleotides is complementary to the x segment of one input polynucleotide and to the y segment of one different input polynucleotide; combining the solutions comprising the input polynucleotides with the solutions comprising the connection polynucleotides to form a hybridization mixture, wherein the combining is done under conditions to promote formation of hybridization complexes between complementary polynucleotides, and wherein each individual connection polynucleotide is added at a concentration based on a weighted value assigned to the individual connection polynucleotide; ligating the polynucleotides that are present in the hybridization complexes to form ligation products; and determining a concentration of the ligation products, wherein the ligation products present at the highest concentration represent optimal answers to the nondeterministic polynomial optimization problem. |
| US08126640B2 |
Method and device for predicting the course of motor vehicles
A method for travel course prediction in a motor vehicle having a position finding system for objects situated ahead of the vehicle is provided. In accordance with the method, a function describing the shape of the roadside is calculated on the basis of measured distance data and angle data for stationary roadside targets, wherein multiple stationary targets are identified and tracked. The path of the road is estimated for various subsets of the set of tracked stationary targets, under the assumption that these stationary targets are situated along the roadside, and roadside targets are differentiated from interfering objects on the basis of the plausibility of the resulting possible shapes of the roadside, the most probable shape of the roadside being determined on the basis of the roadside targets. |
| US08126639B2 |
Method for controlling the air system in an internal combustion engine
In a method for closed loop controlling the air system in an internal combustion engine, in particular a diesel internal combustion engine with a first actuating element for recirculated exhaust gas in the exhaust gas recirculation tract and a second actuating element for air in the inlet tract, the two actuating elements being adjusted as a function of each other. In order to increase the quality of closed loop control, provision is made for each actuating element to be controlled separately by its own respective controller, each controller being optimally configured for the respective controlled system, and a target value being provided for each controller. |
| US08126637B2 |
Control system for internal combustion engine
A control system for an internal combustion engine having a valve operating characteristic varying mechanism for continuously changing a lift amount of at least one intake valve of the engine. The valve operating characteristic varying mechanism includes a control shaft for changing the lift amount, a motor for rotating the control shaft, and a transmission mechanism provided between an output shaft of the motor and the control shaft for transmitting an actuating force of the motor to the control shaft. A first rotational angle sensor detects a rotational angle of the output shaft of the motor, and a second rotational angle sensor detects a rotational angle of the control shaft. A control of the lift amount of the at least one intake valve is performed according to the rotational angle detected by the first rotational angle sensor or the second rotational angle sensor. A failure diagnosis of the first rotational angle sensor, the second rotational angle sensor, and the transmission mechanism is performed based on the rotational angles detected by the first and second rotational angle sensors. |
| US08126632B2 |
Engine idle speed and turbocharger speed control
Various methods are described for controlling engine operation for an engine having a turbocharger and direct injection. One example method includes performing a first and second injection during a cylinder cycle, the first injection generating a lean combustion and the second injection exiting the cylinder unburned into the exhaust upstream of a turbine of the turbocharger. |
| US08126631B2 |
Apparatus and method for fuel flow rate, fuel temperature, fuel droplet size, and burner firing rate modulation
An apparatus and method for precisely, quickly and substantially uniformly controlling a combustion system by a transfer of heat to a fluidic fuel along a heat/fuel interface having a large surface area substantially immediately prior to the mixing of the fuel with air is provided. The control of the temperature of the fuel input to an air/fuel mixing region of the combustion system provides improved efficiency by an expansion of modulation ranges available for factors that together are determinative of the efficiency of combustion system operation such as fuel flow rate, fuel droplet size, air flow and input fuel pressure. In addition, the fuel/heat interface can be utilized as an in-line fuel flow meter for remote monitoring of the fuel flow rates and the prediction of problems in system functionality and future system failure time frames. |
| US08126629B2 |
Method and system for operating gas turbine engine systems
Methods and systems for operating a gas turbine engine system are provided. The system includes a gas turbine engine that includes at least one combustor configured to receive a flow of fuel from a flow control device and a fuel control system. The fuel control system includes a piping system configured to channel the flow of fuel from a fuel source to the flow control device, a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a property of the flow of fuel wherein the property of the flow of fuel is variable over time, and a controller including a processor. The processor is programmed to receive the generated signal, using a flow model of the piping system and the received signal, iteratively track the progress of a plurality of discrete volumes flowing through the piping system, and control the flow of fuel using the flow control devices. |
| US08126622B2 |
Control device for vehicular power transmitting apparatus
A control device is disclosed which can obtain increased fuel economy performance depending on a kind of fuel in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor when the kind of fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine is altered. A determining vehicle speed (V1) and determining output torque (T1), representing a boundary value with which a step-variable control region and a continuously variable control region of a shifting mechanism (10) are demarcated, are altered such that the higher the mixing ratio of ethanol, the lower will be the determining vehicle speed (V1) and determining output torque (T1). Therefore, the determination is made whether to operate a first electric motor (M1) depending on the mixing ratio of ethanol, making it possible to obtain increased fuel economy performance in line with the mixing ratio of ethanol. |
| US08126620B2 |
Grain transfer control system and method
A grain transfer control system, and method of use thereof, for automatedly controlling the transfer of grain from a mobile transferor-type vehicle, such as a combine harvester, to a mobile transferee-type vehicle, such as a crop transport, by varying the position and speed of the transferor-type and transferee-type vehicles relative to one another during the transfer operation, especially by varying the position and rate of walk of the discharge spout along at least a portion of the length of a grain holding receptacle of the transferee-type vehicle, to effect a generally even fill of the grain holding receptacle of the transferee-type vehicle along the length of the grain holding receptacle. |
| US08126618B2 |
Travel control apparatus for industrial vehicle
A travel control apparatus for a forklift is disclosed. The forklift is provided with a loading device that performs load handling operations by raising and lowering a load, and a drive motor which generates a drive force for travel and is capable of generating a braking force. The apparatus is provided with a sensor for detecting the speed of the motor, a seat switch, a height switch, a load sensor, and a control section. The control section causes the drive motor to generate a braking force when the seat switch detects that the driver has left the seat in the case where the motor speed sensor detects a traveling state, and also changes the strength of the braking in accordance with the height of the loading device and the weight of the load. |
| US08126617B2 |
Folding head restraint assembly for convertible vehicle
A vehicle head restraint assembly is provided with a folding head restraint mechanism for pivoting a head restraint between use and folded positions. A head restraint is mounted to the folding head restraint mechanism. A controller for a convertible roof may be provided in electrical communication with the folding head restraint mechanism and configured for electrical communication with the convertible roof. The controller has computer executable instructions for producing a first output to actuate the convertible roof and for producing a second output to actuate the folding head restraint mechanism. An actuator may be provided and connected to the folding head restraint mechanism and to the convertible roof. The actuator has a first output to actuate the folding head restraint mechanism and a second output to actuate the convertible roof of the vehicle. A method for actuating a convertible roof and a folding head restraint assembly is provided. |
| US08126615B2 |
Adjustable seat bolster for easy access
An ergonomic device (10, 110) for a vehicle seat includes a pressure surface (106, 206) oriented toward a seat cushion so that the pressure surface deploys to support a seat occupant. A mount bracket (102,202) fixes the device to a frame of the automobile seat. A linkage (112, 144, 166) between the pressure surface and said mount bracket allows the pressure surface to be selectively positionable between a first position disposed to extend for support of a seat occupant and a second position that is retracted. A power actuator (20, 130) is in operative communication with the linkage such that the power actuator mediates travel of the pressure surface between the first and second positions. The power actuator (20, 130) is in communication with a use anticipation indicator (40) such that the power actuator is engaged to place the pressure surface in the second, retracted position upon a signal from the use anticipation indicator. |
| US08126608B2 |
Method for detecting the motion of a vehicle and corresponding device
A method of detecting the motion of a vehicle (13) of which at least one wheel unit (11) of said vehicle is equipped with a motion detection element (D) that generates a motion signal (20) when the vehicle is in motion, including: establishing (19) a collection of characteristics of parasitic signals (Sp) stored in the wheel unit; comparing each motion signal (20) from the wheel unit (11) against the collection (19) of parasitic signals (Sp) stored in memory; and sending to a vehicle central processing unit (17) only those wheel unit signals (16) that are not present in the collection of parasitic signals. |
| US08126605B2 |
Computing platform for multiple intelligent transportation systems in an automotive vehicle
A computing platform for multiple intelligent transportation systems in an automotive vehicle having a plurality of sensors which generate output signals representative of various vehicle operating parameters. The platform includes a vehicle data center which receives input signals from the vehicle sensors and the vehicle data center is configured to transform these input signals into output signals having a predetermined format for each of the vehicle operating parameters. A central processing unit receives the output signal from the vehicle data and is programmed to process the vehicle data center output signals for each of the intelligent transportation systems and generate the appropriate output signals as a result of such processing. |
| US08126603B2 |
Reduction of shift occurrences associated with hybrid vehicles
A method for controlling operating mode of a vehicle having the electrically variable transmission includes requesting a shift in the operating mode of the transmission and determining if the shift in operating mode is desirable given vehicle conditions. If a shift is desirable then the system compares a timer value with a predetermined time value. The system instructs a shift in the operating mode of the transmission when the timer value is greater than or equal to the predetermined time value and instructs no shift in operating mode of the transmission when the timer value is less than the predetermined time value. |
| US08126602B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a water-jet driven marine vessel
A system for controlling a marine vessel having first and second waterjets, corresponding first and second steering nozzles and corresponding first and second reversing buckets. The system comprises a speed control device for providing a first vessel control signal that corresponds to a speed to be provided to the marine vessel, a processor configured to receive the first vessel control signal and that is configured to provide at least one first actuator control signal coupled to the first and second waterjets, and at least one second actuator control signal coupled to the first and second steering nozzles and the first and second reversing buckets. The system any of improves upon turns provided by conventional waterjet propulsion systems, improves upon slowing down or stopping marine vessels as is done by conventional waterjet propulsion systems, and improves upon the controllability of the waterjet propulsed marine vessel at low vessel speeds. |
| US08126601B2 |
System and method for predicting a vehicle route using a route network database
A system and method for predicting a route to be authorized by a dispatcher for a vehicle to travel on a route network comprises a computer system that has a database having stored data relative to interconnecting route segments that make up the route network. Data relative to the origination location and the destination location is input into the computer system. The processor accesses the database and generates a predicted route with an origination location and destination location. |
| US08126600B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving pilot situational awareness during flare to touchdown
A system and method for selectively alerting a pilot of an aircraft about distance remaining to the end of a runway. A position of the aircraft is received. A position of a runway is retrieved from a runway database. The retrieved position of the runway is compared to the received position of the aircraft to determine if the aircraft is within an alert envelope relative to the retrieved position of the runway. The position of the runway is subtracted from the position of the aircraft to determine a distance to the distal end of the runway. An alert to the pilot is generated based upon the distance to the distal end of the runway. |
| US08126598B2 |
Method and apparatus for data download from a mobile vehicle
A method and apparatus are provided for autonomous data download. The method includes the steps of navigating an autonomous data download device to a first data storage device located in a mobile vehicle and parking the autonomous data download device adjacent to the first data storage device. The method further includes the steps of connecting the autonomous data download device to the first data storage device and downloading data from the first data storage device to the autonomous data download device. The method thereafter includes the steps of navigating the autonomous data download device to a location determined to be suitable for transmission of the data and transmitting the data from the autonomous data download device to a second data storage device after determining that the autonomous data download device has reached the location determined to be suitable for transmission of the data. |
| US08126597B2 |
Formulation of a preventive maintenance message relating to the functional degradations of an aircraft
A method of preventive maintenance for an aircraft, the aircraft having components, including items of equipment of the aircraft and/or electronic modules and/or physical links. The lifetime information for the components is known. The aircraft also includes means for monitoring the components, a centralized maintenance system, and means for estimating the life time of the components. The aircraft carries out a set of functions, each being ensured by a chain of components. The method comprises several steps including, a first step of locating the degradations of the items of equipment, a second step making it possible to allocate the located degradations to the various functions of the aircraft, a third step of estimating the lifetime of the functions identified in the second step, and a fourth step of formulating the maintenance message constructed on the basis of the previous steps. |
| US08126596B1 |
Apparatus for inspecting a group of containers and method of using same
An apparatus and method for inspecting a plurality of containers are provided. Each container has an outer surface for housing at least one material therein. The techniques provided involve at least one inspection vehicle and at least one detector. Each inspection vehicle has a plurality of wheels for movably positioning about the plurality of containers. The wheels may have at least one magnet for selectively adhering to the outer surface of at least one of the containers whereby the inspection vehicle traverses the container(s). The detector is positionable proximate at least one of the containers. The detector may be deployable from the inspection vehicle to a position adjacent the container(s). The detector has at least one sensor for measuring at least one characteristic of the plurality of containers. At least one base station may be provided for communicating with the inspection vehicle(s) and/or detector(s). |
| US08126590B2 |
Patient-specific bin systems, methods, and devices
Systems, methods, and devices are described related to the assignment and management of patient-specific bins. A dispensing device at a healthcare facility includes a number of bins for storage of medical supplies, with some of the bins designated as patient-specific bins allocated to be assigned to patients for storage of their medications or certain other supplies. A central server computer system, in communication with a computer of the dispensing device, may monitor and assign current and future patient-specific use of the bins for the dispensing device. The assignment and management of patient-specific bins may be performed by devices distributed through the system. |
| US08126589B1 |
Method and apparatus for a beverage and container vending machine
A vending machine for the distribution of beverages. The vending machine may also dispense a reusable beverage container. The vending machine may also fill a container purchased from the machine or provided by a user. |
| US08126586B2 |
Methods and machine tools for processing workpieces
The invention relates to methods and machine tools for processing workpieces, in which a workpiece and one or more processing tools are moved relative to each other with a positioning movement, an outward-stroke movement, and a return-stroke movement. In the positioning movement, the workpiece and the processing tool are positioned relative to each other in a positioning direction, in a return-stroke movement the workpiece and the processing tool are moved relative to each other and away from each other in a return-stroke direction transverse to the positioning direction, and in the outward-stroke movement the workpiece and the processing tool are moved relative to each other and towards each other in an outward-stroke direction transverse to the positioning direction. The return-stroke movement and the outward-stroke movement are executed during the positioning movement. |
| US08126584B2 |
Embroidery data creation apparatus and storage medium storing embroidery data creation program
An embroidery data creation apparatus for creating embroidery data required to sew embroidery that represents an image with a zigzag stitch, including an image storage device that stores the image made up of pixels each having a color value, a division device that divides the image into divided regions, each of which is a predetermined region through which one zigzag stitch passes through, a calculation device that calculates a reference swing position which provides a reference for swinging the zigzag stitch passing through each of the divided regions and a maximum value of a swing width of the zigzag stitch for each of the divided regions, based on the color values of the pixels in each of the divided regions; and an embroidery data creation device that creates the embroidery data based on the reference swing position and the maximum value of the swing width which are calculated. |
| US08126583B2 |
Method for supplying a chemical or chemical compound in a fibrous web machine and an apparatus for implementing the method
A chemical or chemical compound (L) is supplied via at least two displacement pumps (1, 4) to a common supply line (11), through which the chemical or chemical compound (L) is supplied to the operating device (12) of a fibrous web machine. Each pump (1, 4) has a corresponding electric actuator (2, 5) which is equipped with a corresponding control drive (3, 6). The fibrous web machine has a measuring device (8; 8a, 8b) for determining the phase angles of at least the first and second actuators (2,5). A control signal based on the determined phase angle information is formed and transmitted to the first control drive (3), based on the control signal, the difference between the first and second electric actuators (2, 5) is adjusted. An electric synchronization signal between the control drives (3, 6) maintains the difference between the phase angles electric actuators (2, 5). |
| US08126577B2 |
Monitoring and control of electronic devices
A method, a system, and a computer program product for managing one or more electronic devices. Performance of an electronic device is monitored and presented to a user through a digital agent interface. The performance of the electronic device is controlled automatically by digital agent through the digital agent interface. The invention also enables automatic testing of the electronic device through the digital agent interface by setting up test configurations, activating test signals, and interpreting any error codes that may be generated. |
| US08126575B2 |
Universal model predictive controller
A method for building robust model predictive controller universally applicable is presented based on the innate process characteristics independent of the method of control actuation. The method of universal MPC design permits proper configuration of requisite regulatory control loops for measured and unmeasured disturbance rejections consistent with the underlying innate process characteristics and their embedding within the overall process unit model predictive controller. The method of universal MPC design requires that manipulated variables process value based model (PV-based models) be used in control and optimization in place of the customary set point based models (SP-based models) or control output based models (OP-based models). The PV-based models are devoid of the manipulated variables regulatory controllers response and tuning. Based on the PV-based models, an alternate method of MPC called PV-based MPC is presented that is most robust and adaptable of possible three types of MPC. Based on the universal MPC design, the prior art MPC can be adapted to improve its robustness at or near control valve saturation. |
| US08126574B2 |
System and method for dynamic multi-objective optimization of machine selection, integration and utilization
The invention provides control systems and methodologies for controlling a process having one or more motorized pumps and associated motor drives, which provide for optimized process performance according to one or more performance criteria, such as efficiency, component life expectancy, safety, emissions, noise, vibration, operational cost, or the like. More particularly, the subject invention provides for employing machine diagnostic and/or prognostic information in connection with optimizing an overall business operation over a time horizon. |
| US08126567B2 |
Therapy adjustment
Systems and methods for adjusting a therapy delivered to a patient include detecting a value of at least one sensed patient parameter and adjusting a therapy parameter value to accommodate different patient parameter values. A data structure including a plurality of patient parameter values and associated therapy parameter values may be stored within a medical device or a programming device. Upon detecting a patient parameter value, an associated therapy parameter value from the data structure may be selected. If no therapy parameter value is associated with the detected patient parameter value, an intermediate therapy parameter value may be generated by interpolating between the most recently implemented therapy parameter value and a stored therapy parameter value. In some embodiments, the rate of shifting between parameters of two stored or interpolated therapy parameter values may be based on the rate of change of the patient parameter value over time. |
| US08126563B2 |
Transceiver coil for auditory prosthesis
The invention provides a tuned transmitter coil for transcutaneous transmission of power and information from an external component of an auditory prosthesis to an implanted receiver. A shield is provided in order to reduce a skin-to-coil capacitance, thereby improving tuning stability of the coil from one user to the next. A shield may also be provided in order to reduce electromagnetic interference. |
| US08126558B2 |
Controlled penile prosthesis
A male sexual impotence prosthesis apparatus comprises an operable prosthesis implanted in the cavities of the corpora cavemosa of a patient's penile tissue for providing erect penile condition, when the prosthesis is operated. The prosthesis is operable by an implanted operation device. A control device is provided for controlling a source of energy, which may or may not be implanted, from outside the patient's body, to release energy for use in connection with the operation of the prosthesis, i.e., to power the operation device. The patient uses the control device to operate the prosthesis to achieve erection. |
| US08126557B2 |
Lead connector pin and body assembly and method of manufacture
An implantable medical lead is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the lead includes a body, at least one electrode and a lead connector end. The body includes a distal portion and a proximal portion. The at least one electrode is on the distal portion. The lead connector end is on the proximal portion and includes a pin contact and a retainer assembly. The pin contact is electrically coupled to the at least one electrode and proximally extends from the lead connector end. The retainer assembly retains the pin contact as part of the lead connector end and includes a collar and a cap. The cap is secured within the collar via an interference fit arrangement and includes a hole through which the pin contact extends. |
| US08126551B2 |
AV delay features
An atrial event and a ventricular event can be received, and an atrioventricular (AV) delay can be provided using information about the atrial and ventricular events. The AV delay can be increased after a first condition is satisfied to allow a heart to regain intrinsic control of ventricular activation, and changed after a second condition is satisfied to allow the heart to remain in intrinsic control of ventricular activation. |
| US08126548B2 |
Closed loop impedance-based cardiac resynchronization therapy systems, devices, and methods
This document discusses, among other things, systems, devices, and methods measure an impedance and, in response, adjust an atrioventricular (AV) delay or other cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) parameter that synchronizes left and right ventricular contractions. A first example uses parameterizes a first ventricular volume against a second ventricular volume during a cardiac cycle, using a loop area to create a synchronization fraction (SF). The CRT parameter is adjusted in closed-loop fashion to increase the SF. A second example measures a septal-freewall phase difference (PD), and adjusts a CRT parameter to decrease the PD. A third example measures a peak-to-peak volume or maximum rate of change in ventricular volume, and adjusts a CRT parameter to increase the peak-to-peak volume or maximum rate of change in the ventricular volume. |
| US08126540B2 |
Single chamber cardiac stimulator
A single-chamber cardiac stimulator (10) with at least partially electrically conductive housing (12) and first detection unit (52) connected via a ventricular electrode line to at least one ventricular electrode and another electrode and configured to record ventricular cardiac activity with first electrocardiogram signal via the ventricular electrode and additional electrode, comprises a second detection unit (70), connected via the ventricular electrode line to at least one electrode of the ventricular electrode line and is connected to another electrode and configured to record a second electrocardiogram signal simultaneously with the first electrocardiogram signal via these electrodes, such that at least one of the two electrodes by means of which the second electrocardiogram signal is to be recorded is another electrode by means of which the first electrocardiogram signal is to be recorded, so that the electrocardiogram signals form ECG leads whose vectors are not equal to 0° or 180°. |
| US08126538B2 |
Method and apparatus for introducing endolymphatic instrumentation
Described herein are a method and apparatus for introducing instrumentation into the lymphatic system that can be used for physiological monitoring and/or delivery of therapy. Such instrumentation, for example, may include one or more sensors for measuring physiological variables and/or one or more instruments for delivering therapy that is adapted to be disposed within a lymphatic vessel. |
| US08126537B2 |
Method and apparatus for a multi-modality imaging system
An apparatus for examining a patient is provided. The apparatus includes a top plate, at least one top rail slideably coupled to said top plate, said top plate selectively positionable between a first imaging position and a second imaging position along an examination axis, a support member coupled to said at least one top rail, said support member configured to selectively change a position of said top plate along an axis perpendicular to said examination axis, said support member comprises at least one guide pin slideably coupled to said at least one rail during movement of said support member, said guide pin configured to retain said support member to said at least one top rail when said top rail is moved between a first modality position and a second modality position. |
| US08126533B2 |
System for determining the position of a knee prosthesis
A computer assisted orthopedic surgery system in support of an arthroplasty surgery of a patient's knee joint including a first locatable element attachable to a first bone on one side of the patient's knee joint. The system includes a sensor in the form of a second locatable element. The sensor is movable in proximity of the patient's knee joint. A tracking device locates a plurality of positions of the sensor relative to the first locatable element. The system also includes an initial generic model of a knee joint that is not specific to the patient. A computer is configured to deform the generic model in response to the plurality of positions of the tracking device that are specific to the patient and to determine a position for a knee prosthesis on the deformed model. The determined position upon the deformed model is outputted and displayed on a display connected to the computer. |
| US08126529B2 |
Methods and systems for securing electrode leads
Methods and systems for securing electrode leads are disclosed. An electrode system in accordance with one embodiment includes an electrode contact, a connector attached to the electrode contact, and an electrical lead. The electrical lead can be received in an opening of the contact, with an inner surface of the opening applying a generally uniform radial pressure around a circumference of the electrical lead. For example, the contact can have a tubular shape, optionally with an elongated slit, and can be crimped around the lead to apply the generally uniform radial pressure. |
| US08126527B2 |
Method and system for determining the contribution of hemoglobin and myoglobin to in vivo optical spectra
This document discusses, among other things, quantification of hemoglobin content, and therefore blood volume, of muscle. An analysis of the optical spectra can determine the ratio of hemoglobin (Hb) to myoglobin (Mb) content in intact muscle. The peak position of the in vivo optical spectra from intact tissue is used to determine the ratio of Hb to Mb contributing to the optical signal. The wavelength of the peak is a linear function of the percent contribution of Hb to the optical spectra. Such analysis in combination with known Mb concentrations yields a non-invasive measure of the Hb content for in vivo muscle. |
| US08126521B2 |
Multi-mode user input system and method
A system and method for multi-mode user input for a mobile device, the system including: a second portion of the mobile device; a first portion of the mobile device that is movably engaged with the second portion to move between a closed position and an open position to allow access to an open user input area; and a detent mechanism configured to allow the first portion to be held at a first mode position between the closed position and the open position to allow access to a partial user input area that is less than the open user input area. The partial user input area has predetermined functions associated therewith, which may be changed when the first portion is moved to an open position, exposing the open user input area. |
| US08126511B2 |
Radio communications system for detecting and monitoring an event of a disaster
A radio communications system that shows the full effect for responding to the event of a disaster is provided. In a terminal station device, an imaging means captures an image; a composition information management means manages information about a composition for imaging; and a terminal station transmission means transmits, by radio, to a base station device, information about the captured image and the information about the composition. In the base station device, the base station reception means receives the information transmitted, by radio, from the terminal station device. In the center station, a display means displays, with a correlation, the information about the image and the information about the composition transmitted by the terminal station device based on the information received by the base station device. |
| US08126507B2 |
Communications device monitoring
A method, and devices, for a first communications device (10) e.g. a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) to monitor a second communications device, e.g. a mobile telephone (1). The method comprises: the SIM (10) sending a program (16) stored at the SIM (10) to the mobile telephone (1); the mobile telephone (1) running the program (16) to provide one or more outcomes; the mobile telephone (1) sending the one or more outcomes to the SIM (10); the SIM (10) comparing the one or more outcomes to one or more correct outcomes (18) stored at the SIM (10); and the SIM (10) evaluating the result of the comparison according to one or more policies (20) stored at the SIM (10). |
| US08126506B2 |
System and method for securely managing data stored on mobile devices, such as enterprise mobility data
A system and method for managing data stored on mobile devices is described. In some cases, the system stores data, such as data under enterprise mobility management, within a secured memory location of a SIM card. In some cases, the system may request validation credentials before providing access to data stored in secure locations. In some cases, the system may review an access policy and request validation based on instructions from the access policy. |
| US08126502B2 |
Channel width switching in multiple OBSS systems
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a device is capable of operating at a first bandwidth or a second bandwidth, and further capable of operating using a communication method intolerant to operation at the first bandwidth. If operation using a communication method intolerant to operation at the first bandwidth is desired, the device transmits an assertion of intolerance of operation at the first bandwidth to one or more devices on the network to cause the one or more devices on the network to switch operation at the second bandwidth. |
| US08126501B2 |
Semiconductor device and electronic device
This invention provides a high frequency power module which is incorporated into a mobile phone and which incorporates high frequency portion analogue signal processing ICs including low noise amplifiers which amplify an extremely weak signal therein. A semiconductor device includes a sealing body which is made of insulation resin, a plurality of leads which are provided inside and outside the sealing body, a tab which is provided inside the sealing body and has a semiconductor element fixing region and a wire connection region on a main surface thereof, a semiconductor element which is fixed to the semiconductor element fixing region and includes electrode terminals on an exposed main surface, conductive wires which connect electrode terminals of the semiconductor element and the leads, and conductive wires which connect electrode terminals of the semiconductor element and the wire connecting region of the tab. In such a semiconductor device, a circuit formed in the semiconductor element in a monolithic manner is comprised of a plurality of circuit parts and, in a specified circuit part (a low noise amplifier) which forms a portion of the circuit parts, all grounding electrode terminals out of electrode terminals of the semiconductor element are not connected to the tab through wires but are connected with the leads through wires. |
| US08126500B2 |
Mobile communication apparatus
A mobile communication apparatus usable for voice communication exchanging a received sound and a spoken sound is provided. The mobile communication apparatus includes a first section, a second section movably connected to the first section in an ordinary mechanical mode or an extra mechanical mode, a detector configured to detect the mechanical mode, a speaker included in the first section and configured to produce the received sound, and a microphone included in the second section and configured to pick up the spoken sound. The mobile communication apparatus includes an echo canceller configured to cancel an echo caused by leakage of the received sound, an AGC circuit configured to produce a gain-controlled signal, and a controller configured to provide the AGC circuit with a first input/output characteristic and a second input/output characteristic in the ordinary mechanical mode and in the extra mechanical mode, respectively. |
| US08126496B2 |
Signaling-triggered power adjustment in a femto cell
System(s) and method(s) are provided for signaling-triggered power adjustment in a femto cell. Attachment signal activity is measured and a set of derived signaling activity metrics are assessed and compared with a set of thresholds. An activity metric that overcomes an associated threshold results in a power adjustment of the transmission power of a femto access point (AP). By monitoring LAU (location area update), RAU (routing area update), and call activity, signaling activity metrics (e.g., signaling failure rate, access control rejection rate, or dwell time) are determined and a femto AP can optimize transmission power to ensure coverage maintenance and confinement, as well as mitigate unnecessary signaling. Alarm(s) can be conveyed to a femto network platform when power increases after an adjustment cycle; alarm(s) can prompt a network-based response to actively address femto cell operation. Signaling-triggered power management affects operation of AP serving the femto cell and served mobile terminals. |
| US08126493B2 |
Method and PoC gateway for implementing PoC service
The present disclosure discloses a method for implementing a Push to talk over Cellular (PoC) service and a PoC gateway so as to shorten the process for a terminal to implement a PoC service. The method includes: receiving a request from a first terminal for setup of a session with a second terminal; sending a registration request to an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) core network after receiving the session setup request; receiving a registration success response from the IMS core and sending the session setup request to a PoC server, which forwards the request to the second terminal; receiving a session setup success response from the second terminal via the PoC server; and sending the session setup success response to the first terminal. The present disclosure also discloses a PoC gateway. With the present disclosure, the application of the PoC service will be wider. |
| US08126490B2 |
Radio receiver
A radio receiver (FM radio receiver) has an amplitude detecting section (13) for detecting the amplitude level of a received radio wave; a multipath occurrence state detecting section (14) for monitoring the amplitude level, and for detecting the degree of a multipath occurrence state; a multipath occurrence state deciding section (15) for deciding the operation limiting level of the amplitude correction according to the degree of the multipath occurrence state; a receiving condition deciding section (20) for deciding receiving conditions of the radio wave; and a limiting level deciding section (21) for adjusting the operation limiting level of the amplitude correction output from the multipath occurrence state deciding section (15) according to a receiving condition decision result output from the receiving condition deciding section (20), and suppresses the multipath noise by imposing operation limitations on the amplitude correction of the FM demodulator 9. |
| US08126487B2 |
Network access method in mobile communication system and terminal supporting the same
A method for transmitting multiple antenna related information such as a multiple antenna receiver type and/or feedback overhead information to a base station and a terminal for supporting the same are disclosed. Since a size of feedback information is varied depending on the receiver type, it is necessary to properly allocate feedback channel resources suitable for characteristics of a receiving side. To this end, the multiple antenna related information is previously reported to the base station when the terminal initially accesses a network. |
| US08126473B1 |
Wireless network using hybrid of licensed and unlicensed spectrum
A system and method to dynamically allocate licensed transmission spectrum in conjunction with unlicensed transmission spectrum as a communication channel to meet quality of service requirements for cost efficient, high speed and high data capacity communications. The invention uses licensed spectrum to provide a guaranteed level of performance and can dynamically add unlicensed spectrum to enhance performance. Local high speed access can be achieved at low cost using unlicensed spectrum while maintaining a service level guarantees using licensed spectrum. |
| US08126472B2 |
Hybrid wireless communication system and communication method using the same
Disclosed is a hybrid wireless communication system and a communication method in the system. The system supports time and frequency division duplexing modes and includes a base station having a cellular communication range based on a cellular mode and mobile stations within the cellular communication range. The base station divides each available frequency resource into frames for communication, and each frame switches between a real-time service mode and a non-real-time service mode at a switching time within the frame. Communication is performed with the mobile stations within the cellular communication range via at least one of an uplink and a downlink in the real-time service mode of each frame according to the frequency division duplexing mode. Communication is performed with the mobile stations via the uplink and the downlink in the non-real-time service mode of each frame according to an ad hoc mode based on the time division duplexing mode. |
| US08126468B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for priority call management
In response to detecting a call attempt for a priority call on the originating wireless network by an initiating access terminal, at least one active call having a priority level less than the priority call is transferred to an alternate technology wireless network. If a call attempt is placed when a transfer threshold has been exceeded, candidate transferring terminals are identified based on multi-mode capabilities and network conditions. One or more of the candidate transferring terminals engaged in calls that have a priority level less than the priority call are transferred from the originating wireless network to the alternate technology wireless network when the transfer threshold is exceeded. |
| US08126459B2 |
Controlling registration in a communication system
A method for controlling registration in a communication system is provided. In the method, a request for registration of a user relating to a subscriber is received in a network entity. The method further comprises providing the network entity with control information associated with at least one limitation regarding simultaneous registrations allowed for the subscriber or the user and controlling the registration based on the control information. Furthermore, a communication system and a network entity configured to control a registration are provided. |
| US08126457B2 |
Method and system for provisioning services in a telecommunications network
The present invention is a telecommunication system, comprising of at least one base station connected to a telecommunication network, a plurality of subscriber stations each cooperating with the base station to establish a connection between a user device operably connected to the subscriber station and the telecommunication network. The base station is also connected with a subscriber database to maintain the subscriber records that contain provisioning information for services, features and account information, and an interactive response system operable to create and modify a subscriber record in the subscriber database in response to input received over the connection from a subscriber using the user device to select services, features and account information for the subscriber station. |
| US08126456B2 |
Mobile communication device monitoring systems and methods
Systems and methods are directed to monitoring the communications to and from a mobile communication device in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. For example in accordance with an embodiment, each of the data services on a mobile communication device may be monitored against rules stored in a central data center repository. The data services may include all forms of communications between the mobile communication device and a third party along with changes to application or data within the mobile communication device. An alert may be provided to an administrator when unauthorized data service activity and/or a message may be sent to the mobile communication device to prevent the unauthorized data service activity. |
| US08126450B2 |
System and method for key free access to a vehicle
A system and method for unlocking a vehicle with a cell phone. Wireless signals are monitored from a cell phone. A signal is received from the cell phone. A distance between the cell phone and the vehicle is determined. Doors of the vehicle are unlocked in response to the cell phone nearing the vehicle. The doors of the vehicle are locked in response to the cell phone being further separated from the vehicle. |
| US08126445B2 |
System for initiating geospatial functional control of mobile electronics
A system for universally controlling the functionality of portable electronic devices in a localized geospatial area is disclosed. A control signal encoded with instructions based on a predetermined protocol is sent from a RF control point transmitter. The encoded signal is received and decoded by portable electronic devices in the area and an action is performed in response to the control signal. Actions can include enabling or disabling a specific function of the portable electronic device, displaying messages on the portable electronic device, or transmitting information from the portable electronic device back to the control point. Actions remain active while in that area or for specified time periods to various levels of precision and reliability through a combination of settings or timing functions. Using portable electronic devices with preprogrammed control groups, the system can also be used to triage communications in emergency situations by restricting the functionality and communications ability of select groups of portable electronic devices. |
| US08126443B2 |
Auxiliary output device
Techniques are provided for notification regarding communications. An incoming communication for a user of a primary device is received. An auxiliary device is provided for the primary device. Filter criteria for the auxiliary device is provided. A determination is made as to whether information regarding the incoming communication is sent to the auxiliary device in accordance with the filter criteria. |
| US08126437B1 |
Ubiquitous voice messaging
Methods and apparatus for providing ubiquitous and configurable communications between users is provided. Ubiquity and other features are provided using a common identifier linking two or more users. In one embodiment, a common identifier is automatically provided when call forwarding is directed to a designated phone number. In another embodiment, a user can cause a common identifier to be created linking the user with a user of their choice by sending an SMS text message to a designated address. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims. |
| US08126429B2 |
Distributed wireless online access system
A method for providing wireless online access comprises: establishing a wireless access signal space wherein a wireless communications link is established between a secondary wireless unit and at least one primary wireless unit, thereby providing a corresponding secondary subscriber with online access by data packet transmission between the primary wireless unit and the secondary wireless unit; and receiving, from an online access provider, a credited revenue amount in return for providing online access for the secondary subscriber. |
| US08126427B2 |
Method and apparatus for supplying billing information a communication device
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method, in a billing system, of supplying information to a communication device, comprising, in response to receiving a request, over a first network, to authorize a communication with the communication device: obtaining information relevant to the communication; and providing the obtained information to the communication device via a second network. |
| US08126424B2 |
Personalized message escrow with graphical route representation
Systems, methods, and apparatus, including computer program products, for maintaining a personalized message provided by a personal security service subscriber in an escrow storage during a security period associated with the subscriber; processing itinerary-related information of the personalized message against a dictionary of known physical locations to identify a starting point, a destination point, and a candidate route between the starting point and the destination point; generating a visual representation of the candidate route; and delivering the personalized message, the visual representation of the candidate route, or both, to one or more recipients upon determining an occurrence of a security event during the security period associated with the subscriber. |
| US08126423B2 |
E911 location reporting without PSAP support
A wireless communications device and network having the ability to detect when a call session with a public service access point (PSAP) has not transferred location information for the wireless device to the PSAP. In on embodiment, the detection means includes a location request timer (LRT), which is started when the emergency call is initiated. If the LRT expires before a request for location information is received by the wireless communications device, the wireless device concludes that the PSAP does not have the location information. In another embodiment the wireless network determines the PSAP does not have location information without a timer. The location information is then presented to a caller on the wireless device, which allows the caller of the wireless device to relay the information to a human PSAP operator. The location information may also be provided to a human PSAP operator in a automated manner. |
| US08126416B2 |
Broadcast receiving apparatus
With a power supply provided for a smart antenna, whether the antenna is connected is determined according to whether the power supply is connected. When it is determined that the smart antenna is not connected, power supply to units related only to controlling of the smart antenna is stopped, whereby power saving is realized. Further, user's setting for discriminating kinds of antennas becomes unnecessary and, when a smart antenna is not connected, power supply for the same can be prevented. |
| US08126415B2 |
Method and system for clock synchronization in a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver
Aspects of a method and system for clock synchronization in a GNSS receiver are provided. In this regard, generation of a clock signal in a GNSS receiver may be disabled during a first time interval and enabled during a second time interval, wherein a counter utilized to generate the clock signal may be initialized to a known value during the first time interval via a reset signal synchronized to a reference signal. The reference signal may be generated by a temperature compensated crystal oscillator. Additionally, a counter may be incremented on each active edge of the reference signal that occurs during the first time interval and the value stored in the timer may be utilized to correct time in the GNSS receiver after the first time interval. In this regard, the value stored in the timer may be added to the time at which the first interval began. |
| US08126414B2 |
Antenna for vehicles
An antenna for vehicles includes a first AGC unit and a second AGC unit. The first AGC unit determines the strength of a signal, which is input to the input stage of an amplifier without passing through a transistor. Depending on the determination result, the first AGC unit attenuates the signal and output the attenuated signal to the transistor. When a signal having a value equal to or greater than a reference value is input to the input stage, the second AGC unit operates so as to output the signal without passing through the transistor. According to the antenna, both signals in a strong electric field area and signals in a weak electric field area close to the strong electric field area can be effectively controlled. |
| US08126413B2 |
Vehicle antenna
A vehicle antenna includes a first Automatic Gain Control (AGC) unit and a second AGC unit. The first AGC unit may attenuate an input signal based on the strength of the input signal, and then output the attenuated signal to a transistor. The second AGC unit may control a power to be supplied or not to the transistor using a switching function based on the strength of the input signal. With the antenna, the signals of a strong electric field as well as the signals of a weak electric field adjacent to the strong electric field can be effectively controlled. |
| US08126411B2 |
Apparatus and method for power amplification with delay control in wireless communication system
A transmitting apparatus and method for power amplification with delay control in a wireless communication system are provided. The apparatus includes signal converters, a delay difference measurer, and a delay controller. The signal converters separate a baseband signal into an envelope signal and a phase modulated signal. The delay difference measurer measures a delay difference between an envelope signal path and a phase modulated signal path using a correlation coefficient extraction and interpolation technique. The delay controller sets a delay in a clock period unit to a signal path having a small delay and sets a delay by a remainder delay difference to a signal path having a large delay, depending on the measured delay difference. |
| US08126410B2 |
Miniature sub-resonant multi-band VHF-UHF antenna
A novel antenna system for receiving transmissions in the VHF and UHF frequency bands particularly suitable as a miniaturized antenna for UHF reception, such as of digital video broadcasting transmissions. The antenna system utilizes a combination of three techniques including (1) the use of dialect loading using a high dielectric constant ceramic substrate; (2) an antenna dielectrically loaded and tuned to a significantly higher frequency than desired; and (3) use of a tuning circuit to compensate for the frequency offset of the antenna thereby shifting the resonant frequency to cover the entire band. The antenna is intentionally designed to be too small to radiate at the frequency of interest. The antenna element is then ‘forced’ to be tuned to the desired lower frequency using passive (or active) reactive components as part of a tuning circuit. Multi-band operation is achieved by providing a bypass switch to connect the antenna element either to (1) a first receiver without the tuning circuit (i.e. high frequency tuning) or (2) a second receiver with the tuning circuit (i.e. low frequency tuning). |
| US08126409B2 |
Adaptive delay alignment in polar transmitters
A polar transmitter includes a power amplifier (PA), an amplitude modulation (AM) path including an AM path adjustable delay, an AM path delay measurement circuit, a phase modulation (PM) path including a PM path adjustable delay, and a PM path delay measurement circuit. The AM path delay measurement circuit is configured to measure an AM path delay using waveform correlation, e.g., using peak magnitude events (PMEs) in signals transmitted along the AM path to a power supply port of the PA. The PM path delay measurement circuit is configured to measure a PM path delay using waveform correlation, e.g., using PMEs in signals transmitted along the PM path to a phase-modulated input of the PA. The measured AM and PM path delays are used to adjust the AM and PM path adjustable delays, to reduce the delay mismatch between signals appearing at the power supply and phase-modulated input ports of the polar transmitter's PA. |
| US08126408B2 |
Multi-mode wireless communication link
A communication system includes first and second transmitters, which are coupled to transmit respective first and second Radio Frequency (RF) signals carrying first and second data over a wireless communication channel. The transmitters are coupled to select an operational mode from a group of operational modes and to operate in the selected operational mode. The group of the operational modes includes at least two of a protection mode, wherein the second transmitter serves as backup to the first transmitter, a spatial multiplexing mode, in which the first data is different from the second data and the first and second transmitters transmit simultaneously, and a beam-forming mode, in which the first data is identical to the second data, the second RF signal includes a phase-shifted replica of the first RF signal, and the first and second transmitters transmit simultaneously. |
| US08126406B2 |
Closed-loop signalling method for controlling multiple transmit beams and correspondingly adapted transceiver devices
A closed-loop signalling method controls multiple transmit beams. The method also includes transmitting a plurality of beams from a first transceiver via a plurality of transmission channels to a second transceiver, evaluating, at the second transceiver, characteristics of the plurality of transmitted beams received at the second transceiver. The method also includes deriving, at the second transceiver, beamforming information for being fed back from the second transceiver to the first transceiver based on the evaluated characteristics. The beamforming information is usable for controlling, at the first transceiver, the transmitting of the plurality of beams. The method also includes selecting, at the second transceiver, at least one set of beamforming information for being fed back from the second transceiver via a feedback path to the first transceiver. The method also includes calculating, at the first transceiver, additional beamforming information which was not contained in the feedback path, based on the beamforming information being fed back. |
| US08126405B2 |
Method for estimating condition of wireless channels
A method measures a time from transmitting a ranging signal to receiving the ranging signal via a channel of a wireless network, and a received signal strength (RSS) of the ranging signal. A distance is estimated based on the time, and a path loss based on the RSS. Probabilities of conditions of the channel are estimated based on the distance and the path loss, wherein the condition is in one of line-of-sight (LOS), or non-LOS (NLOS). |
| US08126403B2 |
Estimating and limiting inter-cell interference
A cellular radio communication system includes a first serving cell and a second non-serving cell. A mobile radio is currently served by a first base station in the first cell. An uplink radio transmission from the mobile radio will cause or causes inter-cell interference in the second non-serving cell. Accordingly, an estimate is made of the inter-cell interference in the second non-serving cell associated with the mobile radio's uplink transmission. If the estimated inter-cell interference in the second non-serving cell exceeds a predetermined threshold, then control is performed so that the inter-cell interference in the second non-serving cell is limited, e.g., by managing radio resources so that the estimated inter-cell interference in the second non-serving cell is or becomes less than the predetermined threshold. |
| US08126398B2 |
Authenticating devices for RF communications
A communications system includes a first and second device capable of transmitting and receiving RF communications; a controller for the first device capable of receiving or transmitting a code via a non-RF communication; a controller for the second device capable of receiving the code via a non-RF communication; and a processor for authenticating the first device for RF communication with the second device using the received code. |
| US08126397B2 |
Ultra wideband coupling mechanism and method for mobile terminal
An Ultra Wideband (UWB) coupling mechanism and method for a mobile terminal are provided. The UWB coupling mechanism includes a main unit having a first short range communication unit, a memory for storing data received or to be transmitted through the first short range communication unit, a radio frequency unit for establishing a radio channel with a mobile communication system, and a control unit for controlling communication between the first short range communication unit, memory, and radio frequency unit; and a sub-unit having a second short range communication unit for establishing a wireless channel to the first short range communication unit, and a function unit for executing various functions of the mobile terminal. |
| US08126394B2 |
Purposeful receive-path audio degradation for providing feedback about transmit-path signal quality
A technique applicable to a telecommunications system is disclosed that provides quality-related information in a receive path, in which the information serves as feedback about the call quality that is present in the corresponding transmit path. It is recognized that when a first party on a call hears degradation, he tends to change the way that he speaks or reacts to a second party. Based upon this recognition, the present invention addresses the problem of one-way degradation by providing a feedback signal to the first party, in the form of intentional degradation of the voice signals that he is receiving from the second party. The degradation that is introduced by the disclosed data-processing system is based on the current quality of the voice path from the first party to the second party (i.e., the transmit path), instead of the other way around (i.e., the receive path). |
| US08126391B2 |
Method and system for single chip satellite set-top box system
A system for an integrated set-top box may include a single integrated circuit chip (SICC). The SICC may include a first satellite receiver demodulator, at least a second satellite receiver demodulator and at least one processor, all integrated within the SICC. The at least one processor may be coupled to the first satellite receiver demodulator and the second satellite receiver demodulator. The at least one processor may generate separate encoded audio and video streams based on at least one demodulated signal received from the first satellite receiver demodulator and/or the at least the second satellite receiver demodulator. The at least one processor may include a MIPS processor, a floating point processor and/or at least one data transport processor. The system may also include a programmable memory integrated within the SICC. |
| US08126387B2 |
Sheet conveying device and image forming apparatus
A fluctuation detecting unit detects a fluctuation of an endless belt generated when a sheet is brought into contact with a predetermined position of the endless belt at an upstream side in a conveying direction from a nip portion based on fluctuation information acquired by a fluctuation information acquiring unit. An entry timing estimating unit estimates entry timing of the sheet into the nip portion based on a detection of the fluctuation. A correction control unit corrects a speed fluctuation of the endless belt generated when the sheet enters the nip portion by performing a feedforward control of a first driving unit based on the entry timing. |
| US08126386B2 |
Sheet feeder, image forming apparatus and sheet feeder control method
A sheet feeder includes a sheet feed roller provided at a position of the upstream side of an aligning roller along the sheet conveying direction, a clutch to transmit and cut off the driving force from a driving source to rotate the feed roller, a rotary shaft connected to the clutch in the rotatable state, a torque limiter provided on the rotary shaft, and an inertial member provided to the rotary shaft via the torque limiter. |
| US08126385B2 |
Image forming mechanism and image forming device
There is provided an image forming mechanism including: an image carrier containing a lubricant in a photosensitive layer that is formed on a surface of the image carrier, and on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developing section developing the electrostatic latent image into a visible image by a developer that contains the lubricant; and a cleaning member formed with a first layer that contacts the photosensitive layer, and a second layer that is formed of a material having a lower modulus of repulsion elasticity than the first layer and that is layered with the first layer and that does not contact the surface of the image carrier. |
| US08126381B2 |
Transfer apparatus and image forming device having the same
A transfer apparatus compensates for a floating movement of the a transfer belt, and an image forming device includes the transfer apparatus. The image forming device includes an image forming device body having an image forming unit, and a transfer apparatus to transfer an image formed by the image forming unit onto a printing medium. The transfer apparatus includes a transfer belt, a driving unit to rotate the transfer belt, and at least one regulating unit to regulate a floating movement of the transfer belt and the driving unit thus to be in position. |
| US08126380B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units forming a visible image by attaching charged developer to an electrostatic latent image, a transfer belt member being transferred the visible image formed by each of the plurality of image forming units, a plurality of tension members tightly stretching the transfer belt member, a primary transfer member transferring the visible image formed by the plurality of image forming units to the transfer belt unit, a secondary transfer member transferring the visible image transferred to the transfer belt member on a recording medium, and a fixing unit fixing the visible image transferred to the recording medium. The plurality of image forming units are disposed in at least two transfer regions formed by segmenting the transfer belt member by the plurality of the tension members. |
| US08126370B2 |
Developing unit and image forming apparatus having the same
Disclosed are a developing unit, in which a developing agent storing part is closed by an agitating member, and an image forming apparatus having the same. The developing unit includes a developing agent storing part to store a developing agent, a developing part connected to the developing agent storing part, and an agitating member rotatably provided in a channel between the developing agent storing part and the developing part to transfer the developing agent stored in the developing agent storing part to the developing part, wherein the channel is closed by the agitating member. |
| US08126367B2 |
Scorotron apparatus for charging a photoconductor
An apparatus (100) useful in charging a photoconductor in printing is disclosed. The apparatus can include a scorotron insulator (200) having a longitudinal axis, where the scorotron insulator can have a first insulator end at one end of the longitudinal axis and a second insulator end at an opposite end of the longitudinal axis. The scorotron insulator can include at least one first spring integrated into the scorotron insulator at an insulator end and at least one second spring integrated into the scorotron insulator at an insulator end. The apparatus can include a scorotron charging grid (300) coupled to the at least one first spring at an insulator end of the scorotron insulator and coupled to another insulator end of the scorotron insulator, where the scorotron charging grid can include an electrical connector. The apparatus can include a scorotron charge member (400) including a first scorotron charge member end coupled to the second spring at an insulator end of the scorotron insulator and the scorotron charge member including a second scorotron charge member end coupled to another insulator end of the scorotron insulator. The scorotron charge member can be configured to generate an electric field. |
| US08126366B2 |
Image forming apparatus in which drive transmission member engages drive input member
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus comprises an apparatus main body; a process unit having a drive input member; and a drive transmission member, wherein, the drive transmission member comprises: a guide core member having a distal end core portion which has a first outside diameter; and a proximal end core portion which has a second outside diameter that is larger than the first outside diameter; a reciprocating member in which the guide core member is inserted, the reciprocating member comprising: a distal end cylindrical portion which has a first inside diameter; and a proximal end cylindrical portion which has a second inside diameter that is larger than the first inside diameter; and a pressing member interposed between the guide core member and the reciprocating member for connecting the guide core member and the reciprocating member. |
| US08126365B2 |
Belt rotating apparatus and recording apparatus
A belt rotating apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a circular belt; plural rollers about which the belt is entrained, the plural rollers including a drive roller which rotates the belt and an inclination change roller which can change an inclination thereof; a belt side edge sensor which measures a position of a belt side edge in a belt width direction of the belt; and a cutter which can trim the belt side edge. |
| US08126358B2 |
Image forming apparatus having member for moving developer carrier in and out of contact with photosensitive element included in drum unit
An image forming apparatus can include a main body, and a drum unit movable between an inside position which is inside of the main body and an outside position. The drum unit may include a photosensitive drum. Also, a displacing member may be provided that can be displaced to a first position where the developing roller contacts the photosensitive drum and a second position where a developing roller separates from the photosensitive drum. |
| US08126356B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a lock mechanism releasable by lifting an upper cover
An image forming apparatus includes: a housing including a photosensitive member and having an opening at an upper portion of the housing; an upper cover connected to the housing at one end of the upper cover via a hinge and configured to move between an opened state and a closed state; an exposure unit supported by the upper cover and configured to face the photosensitive member when the upper cover is in the closed state; and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism is releasable by lifting the upper cover so that the upper cover becomes to the opened state. |
| US08126352B2 |
Image forming apparatus and developer cartridge
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a developing device configured to hold a developer carrier to supply developer to the image carrier, the developing device movable to a contacting position where the developer carrier contacts the image carrier and to a spaced position where the developer carrier is spaced from the image carrier; and a memory element disposed in the developing device. The developing device comprises: a pressing force input portion configured to receive pressing force to make the developer carrier contact the image carrier; and a spacing force input portion configured to receive spacing force to make the developing device move from the contacting position to the spaced position. At least one of the pressing force input portion and the spacing force input portion comprises a terminal electrically connected to the memory element. |
| US08126350B2 |
Information processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and job processing method for the same
An information processing apparatus including an acquisition unit configured to acquire configuration information for each of a plurality of paper feed units including type and number of sheets of paper capable of storage in each paper feed unit, a generation unit configured to, based on type and number sheets of paper required to be used for an externally acquired print job and the configuration information acquired by the acquisition unit, generate paper allocation information for associating a paper feed unit with type and number of sheets of paper to be stored in the paper feed unit so as to reduce replacement of paper, an addition unit configured to add the paper allocation information generated by the generation unit to the print job, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the print job with the paper allocation information added by the addition unit to the image forming apparatus. |
| US08126344B2 |
Image forming apparatus with variable amplitude alternating current to mitigate image defects and photoconductor wear
An image forming apparatus including an image carrier that includes a photoconductive layer on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a charging member that comes in contact with the image carrier and charges the photoconductive layer, and a feeding section that supplies a current to the charging member by applying a vibration voltage with an alternating current component superposed on a direct current component, wherein the alternating current component may contain a first amplitude that eliminates charging non-uniformity when the vibration voltage is applied with a uniform amplitude and a second amplitude that is smaller than the first amplitude. |
| US08126341B2 |
Image forming apparatus with a counting unit
An image forming apparatus includes a counting unit that, when a driving unit for rotating an image carrier is operating, adds a predetermined first count value to a total count value in a predetermined timing and that, when the driving unit is being stopped, subtracts a predetermined second count value from the total count value in every predetermined timing; and a suspending unit that suspends printing when the total count value becomes equal to or larger than a preset suspend value. |
| US08126338B2 |
Method and apparatus for repeaterless high-speed optical transmission over single-mode fiber using coherent receiver and electronic dispersion compensation
Repeaterless transmission of differential phase-shift keying (DPSK) at 10.7 Gb/s over at least 304 km of standard single-mode fiber is obtained through use of a coherent optical receiver including electronic dispersion compensation. High receiver sensitivity and high tolerance to nonlinearities of DPSK, allow overcoming a total link loss of 58 dB with a 3 dB system margin, through use in the receiver of heterodyne detection to preserve phase distortions resulting from chromatic dispersion, to permit electronic dispersion compensation to be used. |
| US08126335B2 |
Methods and apparatus for next generation access passive optical networks
Methods and apparatuses for controlling transmission of converged data packets and for media access through a single next generation access (NGA) passive optical network (PON) which can coexist with EPON and GPON based systems and can interoperate with a 10 GEPON. A converged data packet is transmitted between a first node and a second node of the NGA network under NGA management control. The converged packet has a format which unifies a GEM header with the 10 GEPON preamble header and certain fields replaced in a EPON packet format to accommodate information corresponding to the preamble elements of a GEM packet. The converged data can be encoded in the line code of the 10 GEPON protocol, allowing use of a control protocol based either on MPCP or GTC for the NGA. Node apparatuses include NGA elements which enable preparation, encoding/decoding and transmission of converged packets. |
| US08126334B2 |
Method for detecting a signal on a passive optical network
A transceiver assembly is provided for use in an optical telecommunications network. The circuitry arrangement in the transceiver of the present invention generates a ranging signal that is transmitted along the fibers attached thereto and then filters the return signal in an manner that eliminates virtually all of the noise effects found on the fiber to provide a highly reliable timing signal for an accurate delay calculation. A band pass filter is supplied in line before the input signal is allowed to pass to the ranging signal detector and comparator thereby allowing only a signal at the fundamental frequency of the input signal to pass, thereby eliminating false signal detect triggers. |
| US08126333B2 |
Optical transmission system and synchronization method using time reference pulse
An OLT includes a first transmitter and receiver unit for transmitting and receiving signals with ONUs, a first communication control timer, a measurement unit for measuring a round trip time (RTT) between the OLT and each of ONUs, an advance notice time generation unit for generating an advance notice time signal by adding a predetermined time to a time information that indicates a time in the first communication control timer in response to a first time reference pulse, and a unit for controlling the first transmitter and receiver unit to transmit the generated advance notice time signal to each of the ONUs, and to transmit signals indicating measured RTT/2 to the respective ones of the ONUs. |
| US08126331B2 |
Wavelength division multiplexing transmission device and wavelength division multiplexing transmission method
The power level of a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal is detected by a detection unit. When the power level of the optical signal detected by the detection unit is equal to or lower than a first threshold, the coupling direction of an attenuation unit for controlling the coupling direction for the ports of the optical signal is controlled in the direction orthogonal to the array direction of the ports. When the power level of the optical signal exceeds a second threshold, the coupling direction of the attenuation unit is controlled in the array direction of the ports. |
| US08126329B2 |
Quad-port optical module with pass-through and add/drop configuration
Techniques are disclosed for providing bi-directional data services involving a plurality of wavelengths. The data services may be hybrid in nature, including both digital and analog data signals. The techniques may be implemented, for instance, in an optical module, and allow one or more wavelengths to pass-through while other wavelengths are terminated or otherwise diverted. In one example embodiment, the techniques are embodied in a quad-port optical module having two input/output (I/O) ports and pass-through capability for at least one of the wavelengths, add capability for at least one wavelength, and drop capability for at least one wavelength. The module may further include transmit and/or receive capability for one or more signal types. The module can be operatively coupled with a bidi device or other suitable transceiver, to provide modular transmit-receive capability for a desired signal type. |
| US08126327B2 |
System for intercepting signals to be transmitted over a fiber optic network and associated method
A system is provided for intercepting signals transmitted between a target served by a fiber optic network and a subscriber. A network is described having a phone switch at a central office configured to receive signals for transmission to and from a target, such as the target of a criminal investigation. A signal received at the central office is assigned to an analog circuit, and a monitoring device configured to intercept and monitor the signal is installed along the analog circuit at a location that allows the monitoring of communications without notifying the target that he is under surveillance. After the signal has been monitored, it is converted to a digital signal for transmission. A method is also provided for intercepting a signal transmitted between the target served by a fiber optic network and a subscriber, such that a monitoring device may be installed without alerting the target. |
| US08126326B2 |
Method and device for complex analysis of optical spectrums
This invention relates to a device and associated process capable of obtaining the optical spectrum phase of an optical signal or test signal to be analyzed using techniques for heterodyning between two monochromatic spectral components simultaneously extracted from the test signal itself by means of stimulated Brillouin scattering. |
| US08126319B2 |
Radiant oven with stored energy devices and radiant lamps
An oven is configured with a cooking cavity for receiving a cooking load, a circuit for current supplied by one or more stored energy devices such as rechargeable batteries, and a heater comprising one or more radiant lamps to be driven by the current, the one or more radiant lamps being sized and positioned for heating the cooking load. The lamps are driven by current discharged from the batteries to radiantly heat a cooking load. An application of this stove configuration is in a toaster which is capable of toasting slices of bread in a matter of seconds. |
| US08126317B2 |
Recording medium, recording method, reproduction apparatus and method, and computer readable program
An AV Clip generated by multiplexing video and graphics streams is recorded on a BD-ROM. The graphics stream includes a plurality of DSs (Display Sets) which are each a group of segments used for graphics display. When a total size of rendering areas of m windows defined by a WDS (Window Definition Segment) in a display set DSn is denoted by ΣSIZE(DSn[WDS].window[i]), presentation time stamps PTS(DSn[PCS]) and PTS(DSn+1[PCS]) satisfy a relation PTS(DSn[PCS])+(90000×ΣSIZE(DSn[WDS].window[i])) // 256,000,000≦PTS(DSn+1[PCS]). |
| US08126316B2 |
Recording medium, recording method, reproduction apparatus and method, and computer readable program
An AV Clip generated by multiplexing video and graphics streams is recorded on a BD-ROM. PTS(EPOCHm DSlast[PCS]) and DTS(EPOCHm+1 DSfirst[PCS]) satisfy a relation PTS(EPOCHm DSlast[PCS])≦DTS(EPOCHm+1 DSfirst[PCS]), where PTS(EPOCHm DSlast[PCS]) is a presentation time stamp of a packet containing a PCS (Presentation Composition Segment) in a last display set EPOCHm.DSlast, and DTS(EPOCHm+1 DSfirst[PCS]) is a decoding time stamp of a packet containing a PCS in a top display set EPOCHm+1.DSfirst. |
| US08126315B2 |
Recording medium for carrying transport time information
A recording medium according to an embodiment includes a recording layer and a transport stream recorded on the recording layer. The transport stream is composed of one or more predetermined units, each predetermined unit starting with at least one transport packet for carrying navigation information used to manage subsequent transport packets. The first packet of the at least one transport packet carries only the navigation information including program clock reference (PCR) information and does not carry presentation data. |
| US08126313B2 |
Method and system for providing a personal video recorder utilizing network-based digital media content
An approach provides for recording and editing digital media. A digital media stream is generated from an input signal (such as a live broadcast feed). The digital media stream is transmitted to a browser application configured to concurrently record and edit the digital media stream. |
| US08126312B2 |
Use of multiple related timelines
A sequence of video images can be represented using multiple related timelines by generating a first timeline identifying a decode order associated with a sequence of video images and a second timeline identifying a display order associated with the sequence of video images, wherein the sequence of video images is comprised of one or more samples. The first and second timelines can be correlated based on an offset, which represents a time period by which decoding precedes display. The sequence of video images can then be played in accordance with the correlated first and second timelines. Additionally, the decode order in the first timeline can differ from the display order in the second timeline. A revised offset between the first and second timelines can be determined after the sequence of video images has been edited and the first and second timelines can be correlated based on the revised offset. |
| US08126307B2 |
Telecommunications connector protective device
A fiber optic connector assembly includes a fiber optic connector mounted to a fiber optic cable having a ferrule with an end face terminating an optical fiber. The fiber optic cable is terminated with the fiber optic connector in a clean environment protected against airborne contaminants. A seal is placed about the ferrule within the clean environment to protect the polished end face of the ferrule including the end of the optical fiber against airborne contaminants. The seal is removable to make a fiber optic communications linkage without cleaning the end face of the optical ferrule. |
| US08126306B2 |
Two-dimensional photonic crystal
A two-dimensional photonic crystal according to the present invention includes a first layer having a dielectric first layer slab in which first layer holes having a refractive index lower than that of the first layer slab are arranged cyclically, a second layer formed on the first layer, including dielectric columns having a refractive index higher than the air arranged in the air with the same cycle as the first layer hole, and a third layer having a dielectric third layer slab in which third layer holes having a refractive index lower than that of the third layer slab are arranged cyclically. Thus, it is possible to obtain the two-dimensional photonic crystal that can create a wider complete PBG than before regardless of the polarization of light and can be manufactured easily. |
| US08126305B2 |
Electromagnetic wave propagating structure
An electromagnetic wave propagating structure includes a main body having surfaces capable of blocking propagation of an electromagnetic wave, and including an incident side and an exit side opposite to the incident side in a wave-propagating direction. The main body is formed with two wave-propagating channels that are spaced apart from each other by a distance not greater than the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave. Each of the wave-propagating channels extends from the incident side to the exit side, and has an inner dimension not greater than half of the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave. The electromagnetic wave propagating structure is adapted to allow an electromagnetic wave to propagate therethrough via the wave-propagating channels for focusing into a light spot having a spot size that is smaller than half of the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave. |
| US08126304B2 |
Methods for terminating optical fiber cables
A fiber optic cable system includes a fiber optic main cable having a strength member and a plurality of optical fibers extending therein within an outer cable sheath. A flexible longitudinally extending inner housing is positioned proximate the plurality of optical fibers on a section of the main cable having the outer cable sheath removed. At least one fiber optic drop cable has at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from an end of the drop cable. The end portion is spliced together with an end portion of a corresponding at least one severed end portion of one of the plurality of optical fibers of the main cable to define at least one spliced together fiber portion coupling at least one of the plurality of optical fibers of the main cable to a corresponding one of the at least one fiber of the drop cable. A longitudinally extending outer protective housing extends over the section of the main cable having the outer cable sheath removed and the inner housing and the strength member. The outer protective housing has a first opening receiving the main cable and a second opening, longitudinally displaced from the first opening, receiving the main cable and at least one of the openings receiving the drop cable or cables. |
| US08126302B2 |
Method and system for correcting an optical beam
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for shaping an annular focal spot pattern to allow for more efficient optical coupling to a small gauge optical fiber. An embodiment of the present invention can include an illumination source operable to transmit an optical beam along an optical path, an optical fiber, and a correcting element positioned in the optical path between the illumination source and the optical fiber, the correcting element configured to reshape the optical beam to increase an amount of light received by the optical fiber. |
| US08126301B2 |
Optical waveguide and method for producing the same
Provided are an optical waveguide and a production method thereof which can constrict both the width and thickness of the SOI optical waveguide core layer in the same process and at the same time, simplify production process, and reduce optical losses. An optical waveguide includes a first clad layer formed on a semiconductor substrate; a first core layer formed on the upper side of the first clad layer with the use of a semiconductor material the refractive index of which is higher than that of the first clad layer; and a second clad layer formed on the upper side of the first core layer with the use of a material the refractive index of which is lower than that of the first core layer. The width of the first core layer is defined based on the width of an unoxidized semiconductor material sandwiched between oxide films the parts of which are thermally oxidized. The thickness of the first core layer is defined based on the thickness of an unoxidized semiconductor material sandwiched between the first clad layer and an oxide film the part of which is thermally oxidized. At least the input/output portion of the optical waveguide has a tapered waveguide portion where the width and thickness of the first core layer monotonically decreases or increases with respect to the propagation direction of light. |
| US08126300B2 |
Segmented waveguide structure
Segmented waveguide structures provide mode matching in planar lightwave circuits between waveguides and other waveguiding structures, e.g. slab waveguides and optical fibers. The present invention eliminates back reflections from the core segments by etching the leading and trailing faces of the core segments with a plurality of parallel facet sections, which are rearwardly offset in the transmission direction by an odd number of quarter wavelengths. |
| US08126297B2 |
MEMS device fabricated on a pre-patterned substrate
A microelectromechanical systems device fabricated on a pre-patterned substrate having grooves formed therein. A lower electrode is deposited over the substrate and separated from an orthogonal upper electrode by a cavity. The upper electrode is configured to be movable to modulate light. A semi-reflective layer and a transparent material are formed over the movable upper electrode. |
| US08126296B2 |
Information display device and information display method
In order to prevent interception of the information through the leakage electromagnetic waves when transmitting the information using an image display unit, an image converter generates plural converted images, stores the generated converted images in an image storage, an image output unit reads out the converted images from the image storage and transmits the converted images to a screen control unit successively. The screen control unit displays a reception image on an image display unit. The image output unit outputs the converted image group at a high speed, thereby performing a switching display on the image display unit, and to show an image visually equivalent to the input image. |
| US08126293B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
In the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus including: a detecting section configured to detect a motion vector from an input image signal acting as the image signal for each of chronologically input pixels; a determining section configured to determine whether the input image signal is cleared; and an interpolating section configured such that if the input image signal is not found cleared, then the interpolating section interpolates and outputs an input image signal intermediate signal interposed at a predetermined point in time between the uncleared input image signal and a preceding input image signal that precedes the uncleared input signal, in accordance with the motion vector; and if the input image signal is found cleared, then the interpolating section allows the input image signal to be output unchanged as the input image signal intermediate signal. |
| US08126288B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes a storing section which stores data of a digital image, a rotation processing section which generates a plurality of rotated digital images having different rotation angles from the digital image, an image processing section which generates a plurality of image-processed digital images from the rotated digital images, a reverse processing section which generates a plurality of reversed digital images from the image-processed digital images, and a combining section which combines the reversed digital images into one digital image. |
| US08126282B2 |
Image encoding apparatus and image decoding apparatus
Provided are an image encoding apparatus and an image decoding apparatus. The image encoding apparatus includes a compression unit compressing a reference image by reducing a resolution of the reference image in a resolution adjustment mode determined from among at least two resolution adjustment modes according to a distribution of values of pixels of the reference image, and providing the compressed reference image to a memory, a reconstruction unit reconstructing the reference image by increasing a resolution of the compressed reference image stored in the memory to an original resolution, a predictive encoding unit performing predictive encoding on a current image by using the reconstructed reference image, and a predictive decoding unit generating the reference image by performing decoding on the predictive encoded current image, and providing the generated reference image to the compression unit. |
| US08126280B2 |
Enhanced decompression of compressed data
Enhanced decompression of compressed images, in which a decompressed image with a target resolution is assembled using an iteratively decompressed and downscaled quantity of scanlines of a compressed image, the quantity of scanlines correlating to a downscaling factor determined based on an original resolution of the compressed image and the target resolution. |
| US08126279B2 |
Lifting-based view compensated compression and remote visualization of volume rendered images
A method for compressing 2D images includes determining a depth map for each of a plurality of sequential 2D images of a 3D volumetric image, determining coordinate transformations the 2D images based on the depth maps and a geometric relationship between the 3D volumetric image and each of the 2D image, performing a lifting-based view compensated wavelet transform on the 2D images using the coordinate transformations to generate a plurality of wavelet coefficients and compressing the wavelet coefficients and depth maps to generate a compressed representation of the 2D images. |
| US08126275B2 |
Interest point detection
An interest point detection technique is presented. More particularly, for each of possibly multiple image pyramid resolutions, a cornerness image is generated. One or more potential interest point locations are identified in the cornerness image. This involves finding locations associated with a pixel that exhibits a higher corner strength value than pixels in a prescribed-sized surrounding pixel neighborhood. The potential interest point locations are then clustered to identify groups that likely derive from a same 2D structure. Potential interest point locations in one or more of the identified groups are respectively combined to produce a single location that represents the combined group. The representative location of each group having one is then designated as an interest point. An optional location refinement can also be implemented. |
| US08126272B2 |
Methods combining multiple frames of image data
In one embodiment a document authentication station, for use with passports or the like, includes a 2D image sensor (e.g., CCD- or CMOS-based video camera), and a computer device. The image sensor produces produce image data corresponding to a presented document. From this image data, the computer extracts two or more identification data. One is a digital watermark. The other can be a bar code, data glyphs, OCR data, etc. The processor then proceeds to check that the two identification data correspond in an expected fashion. If not, the document is flagged as suspect or fake. Reliability of detection can be enhanced by processing plural frames of data from the image sensor before issuing a result. |
| US08126267B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for analyzing digital images to automatically select regions of interest thereof
Computer-implemented image processing methods and apparatuses are presented for automatically selecting regions of interest within an image represented by pixel intensity values. A first pixel box is employed in progressively scanning and evaluating the image. If pixels within the first pixel box have pixel-intensity-related characteristics exceeding respective defined thresholds, then those pixels are identified as an area of interest and a second pixel box is employed in progressively scanning and evaluating the selected area of interest to identify regions of interest. Each area of interest is larger than a region of interest, and the second pixel box is smaller than the first. Regions of interest within the image are identified if one or more pixel-intensity-related characteristics of pixels within the second pixel box exceeds a second defined threshold, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first. Once selected, identifying information for the regions of interest is stored or output. |
| US08126265B2 |
Method and apparatus of correcting hybrid flash artifacts in digital images
A method for digital image eye artifact detection and correction include identifying one or more candidate red-eye defect regions in an acquired image. For one or more candidate red-eye regions, a seed pixels and/or a region of pixels having a high intensity value in the vicinity of the candidate red-eye region is identified. The shape, roundness or other eye-related characteristic of a combined hybrid region including the candidate red-eye region and the region of high intensity pixels is analyzed. Based on the analysis of the eye-related characteristic of the combined hybrid region, it is determined whether to apply flash artifact correction, including red eye correction of the candidate red-eye region and/or correction of the region of high intensity pixels. |
| US08126264B2 |
Device and method for identification of objects using color coding
A device and method for detecting an object in an image by identifying color areas in the image where such colors are a pre-defined pattern of colors that may be printed on for example the object in the image. An imager may capture an image of an object that includes a pre-defined pattern of colored areas having known colors in a known or pre-defined location of an object. The imager may transmit image data to a processor which may identify the pre-defined pattern of pre-defined colors on a pre-defined area of an object in the image. The processor may search for a value that may be stored for example in a data base of a memory, where such value corresponds to the detected pattern. |
| US08126263B2 |
Classifying method and classifying apparatus for digital image
The invention provides a classifying method for digital images. First, a discrete cosine transform is performed on a candidate area of a digital image to generate a set of discrete cosine transform coefficients. Then, a set of texture parameters is generated based on the set of discrete cosine transform coefficients. At last, a classified result of the digital image is generated based on the set of texture parameters. |
| US08126262B2 |
Annotating video segments using feature rhythm models
Each video segment in a plurality of video segments is annotated with an indicator of the likelihood that the respective video segment shows a particular feature. The plurality of video segments forms an episode of interest from a given video domain. Initial feature probabilities are calculated for respective ones of the plurality of video segments using a machine learning algorithm. Each initial feature probability indicates the likelihood that its respective video segment shows the particular feature. Refined feature probabilities are determined for respective ones of the plurality of video segments by finding the most probable state sequence in a finite state machine. This is accomplished at least in part using the determined initial feature probabilities. Finally, each of the video segments in the plurality of vides segments is annotated with its respective refined feature probability. |
| US08126253B2 |
Automatically determining machine vision tool parameters
A method for automatically determining machine vision tool parameters is presented, including: marking to indicate a desired image result for each image of a plurality of images; selecting a combination of machine vision tool parameters, and running the machine vision tool on the plurality of images using the combination of parameters to provide a computed image result for each image of the plurality of images, each computed image result including a plurality of computed measures; comparing each desired image result with a corresponding computed image result to provide a comparison result vector associated with the combination of machine vision tool parameters, then comparing the comparison result vector associated with the combination of machine vision tool parameters to a previously computed comparison result vector associated with a previous combination of machine vision tool parameters using a result comparison heuristic to determine which combination of machine vision tool parameters is best overall. |
| US08126250B2 |
Image acquiring apparatus, image acquiring method, and image acquiring program
A semi-automatic mode according to which an operator makes a necessary confirmation when an image pickup condition for a micro image is set with reference to a macro image is provided in controlling the acquisition of the macro image, the setting of the image pickup condition, and the acquisition of the micro image with respect to each of a plurality of samples S stored in a sample storage unit 11, and in the semi-automatic mode, the sample S whose macro image has been acquired by a macro image acquiring unit 20 is placed at a standby position without being moved directly to an image acquiring position for a micro image acquiring unit 30. According to this structure, image acquisition with respect to each of the samples S can be efficiently performed, and an operational burden imposed on the operator is reduced. Accordingly, it becomes possible to realize an image acquiring apparatus, an image acquiring method, and an image acquiring program each of which is capable of performing image acquisition with respect to each of the samples with high efficiency. |
| US08126249B2 |
Methods of and system for detection and tracking of osteoporosis
A method and system for detection and tracking of osteoporosis is disclosed. A method of characterizing an image of a target vertebra includes building a computer model from a set of sample images of pathological and non-pathological variations of vertebrae representing variations in shape of the vertebrae. The method also includes receiving an image of a target vertebra of a subject and automatically estimating contours of lateral outlines of the superior and the inferior cortical endplates of the image. The parameters of the model are varied to determine a set that represents a model shape that approximates the estimated contours of the outlines of the cortical endplates. The method includes automatically characterizing the target vertebra based on the set of model parameters that are determined and outputting on a display device the characterization of the target vertebra. |
| US08126247B2 |
Image preprocessing system for 3D image database construction
The present invention discloses an image preprocessing system, which includes a processing unit; an image preprocessing unit coupled to the processing unit to preprocess image slice data, wherein the image preprocessing unit includes an image fusion module to estimate missing values between different image slice data and an image stitching module to stitch different image slice data into stitched image data; and a database coupled to the processing unit to store the preprocessed image slice data. |
| US08126245B2 |
Apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging of patients with limbs, particularly lower limbs, under natural stress
An apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging of patients with limbs, particularly lower limbs, under natural stress, which apparatus includes a magnet structure having an open or closed annular shape, and a predetermined axial extension, which structure delimits a cavity for receiving at least a part of the patient body, with at least two or three open sides, the open sides providing access to the cavity. The open or closed annular magnet structure being disposed with the axis of the open or closed annular shape oriented with at least one vertical directional component and devices being provided for vertical translation of the magnet structure or the patient relative to the magnet structure. |
| US08126244B2 |
User interface for polyp annotation, segmentation, and measurement in 3D computed tomography colonography
A method and system for providing a user interface for polyp annotation, segmentation, and measurement in computer tomography colonography (CTC) volumes is disclosed. The interface receives an initial polyp position in a CTC volume, and automatically segments the polyp based on the initial polyp position. In order to segment the polyp, a polyp tip is detected in the CTC volume using a trained 3D point detector. A local polar coordinate system is then fit to the colon surface in the CTC volume with the origin at the detected polyp tip. Polyp interior voxels and polyp exterior voxels are detected along each axis of the local polar coordinate system using a trained 3D box. A boundary voxel is detected on each axis of the local polar coordinate system based on the detected polyp interior voxels and polyp exterior voxels by boosted 1D curve parsing using a trained classifier. This results in a segmented polyp boundary. The segmented polyp is displayed in the user interface, and a user can modify the segmented polyp boundary using the interface. The interface can measure the size of the segmented polyp in three dimensions. The user can also use the interface for polyp annotation in CTC volumes. |
| US08126243B2 |
Image processing method, image processing program, and image processing device
An image processing method is provided as one for creating a fused image automatically and with high overlapping accuracy.An image processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes (a) a voxel normalization step of equalizing voxel sizes and numbers of voxels in respective effective fields of view of a first 3D image based on a plurality of first tomographic images obtained from an arbitrary part of a subject and a second 3D image based on a plurality of second tomographic images obtained from the same part, thereby creating a first normalized 3D image corresponding to the first 3D image and a second normalized 3D image corresponding to the second 3D image; and (b) a fused image creation step of creating a fused image, using the first normalized 3D image and the second normalized 3D image. |
| US08126236B2 |
Method and device for the separate three-dimensional representation of arteries and veins in an examination object and device
Method for three-dimensional representation of arteries and/or veins in an object by a tomography x-ray device is proposed. A mask pass with N projections at N angular positions without contrast agent is implemented. A first filler pass with M projections at M angular positions after injecting a contrast agent, where M |
| US08126234B1 |
Automated patient-specific bone-implant biomechanical analysis
An apparatus, method, and computer program product for providing information for surgical planning based on automated biomechanical analysis of a bone-implant system using finite element analysis of a patient's 3D medical image, including automated biomechanical analysis of bone-implant systems for use in surgical planning both pre-operatively and intra-operatively and for use in research and development studies. |
| US08126231B2 |
Medical image segmentation apparatus and medical image segmentation program
A medical image segmentation apparatus for segmenting one series obtained by continuous imaging of plural parts into plural series with respect to each part for easy interpretation of an image interpreter. The medical image segmentation apparatus includes an image segmenting unit for segmenting one series into a first series and a second series to thereby generate first image data representing the first series and second image data representing the second series, and a segmentation information adding unit for adding adjacent image information, which includes information for identification of the second series and information representing a positional relationship of the second series with the first series, to the first image data, and adding adjacent image information, which includes information for identification of the first series and information representing a positional relationship of the first series with the second series, to the second image data. |
| US08126230B2 |
Method of motion correction for dynamic volume alignment without timing restrictions
When performing repetitive scans of a patient using a magnetic resonance imaging machine or the like, patients often tend to move as they relax during a lengthy scanning session, causing movement in the volume or portion of the patient being scanned. A prospective motion correction component accounts for patient movement by calculating transformation data representative of patient movement in multiple planes, as well as rotational movement, and a host evaluates the change in position relative to a most recent scanning geometry of the patient or dynamic volume. In this manner, correction or adjustment to the scanning geometry employed by an associated scanner is made only for the differential between the current geometry and the most recent geometry, to mitigate redundant adjustment that can result in oscillatory over—and under—compensation during adjustments. |
| US08126227B2 |
X-ray computed tomographic apparatus and medical image processing apparatus
An X-ray computed tomographic apparatus includes an X-ray tube which generates X-rays, an X-ray detector which detects X-rays transmitted through a subject and generates projection data, and a reconstruction unit which generates a plurality of original volume data at different scanning times based on the projection data. This apparatus includes an unit which obtains difference volume data corresponding different scanning times by performing difference processing between original volume data at adjacent scanning times, an unit which extracts a blood vessel image on the basis of original volume data before and after the injection of a contrast medium, and an unit which generates a display image by providing the blood vessel image with color or luminance information corresponding to the arrival time of the contrast medium on the basis of the blood vessel image and the plurality of difference volume data corresponding to the different scanning times. |
| US08126224B2 |
Method and apparatus for instrument tracking on a scrolling series of 2D fluoroscopic images
The present invention relates to a method and system apparatus for instrument tracking on a series of images. The method relates to performing instrument tracking on an image. The method comprises collecting at least one image and computing at least one of a position and orientation of at least one instrument for the at least one collected image. The method further relates to displaying at least one, some or all of the collected and computed data either separately or in any combination. |
| US08126221B2 |
Interactive device and method for transmitting commands from a user
According to the present invention, it is provided an interactive device comprising a display, a camera, an image analyzing means, said interactive device comprising means to acquire an image with the camera, the analyzing means detecting at least a human face on the acquired image and displaying on the display at least a pattern where the human face was detected wherein the interactive device further comprises means to determine a halo region extending at least around the pattern and means to add into the halo region at least one interactive zone related to a command, means to detect movement onto the interactive zone and means to execute the command by said device. |
| US08126219B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and imaging apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes: image acquiring means for acquiring an image; search-window-size setting means for setting a size of a search window; search-range setting means for setting a search range in the image in relation to the set size of the search window; scanning means for moving the search window having the set size in the set search range; face-area determination means for determining whether the image in the search window at each scanning position is a face area; and face-information output means for outputting information of the face area obtained from a determination result of the face-area determination means. |
| US08126216B2 |
Personal identification device and method
A personal identification apparatus includes a finger inlet into which a finger inserted; an interface where the finger is introduced through the finger inlet; a plurality of light sources provided inside the interface to irradiate light to the finger from a plurality of directions; image pick-up units being respectively arranged opposite to the plurality of light sources and respectively capturing an image from light transmitted from the plurality of light sources through the finger; a unit for adjusting when the plurality of light sources transmit light onto the finger; and a unit for extracting blood vessel patterns contained in images captured by the image pick-up units from the light transmitted though the finger and collating each of the extracted blood vessel patterns with a registered blood vessel pattern for personal identification. |
| US08126215B2 |
Registration and collation of a rolled finger blood vessel image
Apparatus, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for extracting biometric identification information useful for biometric authentication are disclosed. Biometric identification is accomplished by extracting binary biometric data from video signals of characteristics images of a subject of biometric identification such as a finger at sequentially different image pickup positions in response to a relative movement of an image pickup element and the subject of biometric identification at a predetermined biological site. |
| US08126212B2 |
Method of detecting moving object
Proposed is a method of detecting a moving object, including: providing an image-set at least including a first image and a second image correlated in a time series, the first image preceding the second image; defining a detecting region and a detecting direction so as to construct a virtual gate in the first image; estimating the motion vector in a time series; comparing, by the virtual gate, the second image with the first image so as to determine a difference therebetween in terms of an object's position and motion vector; and retrieving the object to be an effective moving object upon determination of the object as lying within the detecting region defined in the virtual gate and moving in a direction substantively the same with the detecting direction. This invention presents a moving object detection method without the need to construct a background model a priori. |
| US08126211B2 |
Pointing device and motion value calculating method thereof
A pointing device is provided. A sensor generates a motion detection signal by sensing motion. A calculator receives the motion detection signal, calculates a motion value based on the motion detection signal, calculates a conversion motion value base on an angle of the motion value, and outputs the conversion motion value. An interface outputs the motion conversion value inputted from the calculator. By limiting a motion angle, the pointing device can provide a positioning operation suitable for a motion intended by a user. The user can optionally use a motion control method in all directions according to need. |
| US08126208B2 |
Digital image processing using face detection information
A method of processing a digital image using face detection within the image achieves one or more desired image processing parameters. A group of pixels is identified that correspond to an image of a face within the digital image. Default values are determined of one or more parameters of at least some portion of the digital image. Values are adjusted of the one or more parameters within the digitally-detected image based upon an analysis of the digital image including the image of the face and the default values. |
| US08126206B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
Disclosed herein is an image processing apparatus for recognizing, from a taken image, an object corresponding to a registered image registered in advance, including, an image taker configured to take an image of a subject to obtain the taken image of the subject, a recognizer configured to recognize, from the taken image, an object corresponding to the registered image, a first specified area tracker configured to execute first specified area tracking processing for tracking, in the taken image, a first tracking area specified on the basis of a result of recognition by the recognizer, and a second specified area tracker configured to execute second specified area tracking processing for tracking a second specified area specified on the basis of a result of the first specified area tracking processing. |
| US08126202B2 |
Digital watermark padding method, digital watermark padding device, digital watermark detecting method, digital watermark detecting device, and program
A digital watermark embedding method of the present invention includes: a step of sequentially obtaining each frame image of the moving image data and frame display time; a step of generating a watermark pattern using watermark information, the frame display time and watermark pattern switching information; a step of superimposing the watermark pattern onto the frame image, and combining watermark embedded frame images obtained by sequentially repeating the processes to generate watermark embedded moving image data. A digital watermark detection method includes a step of sequentially obtaining a frame image; a step of generating a difference image between the currently obtained frame image and a previously obtained frame image; and a step of performing digital watermark detection from the difference image to output digital watermark detection status, and when digital watermark detection process is continued, obtaining a new frame again to repeat the above processes. |
| US08126197B2 |
Method for image quality assessment using quality vectors
A method for assessing the image quality of image data acquires image data, segments the image data into at least one spatial region, obtains a plurality of image quality measures for the at least one spatial region, and forms at least one quality vector that has two or more quality measures for the at least one spatial region. The at least one quality vector is classified into one of a plurality of predefined quality classes. |
| US08126196B2 |
Method of imaging a coding pattern comprising reed-solomon codewords encoded by mixed multi-pulse position modulation
A method of imaging a coding pattern disposed on a surface of a substrate. The method comprises the steps of: (a) operatively positioning an optical reader relative to the surface and capturing an image of a portion of the coding pattern; (b) sampling and decoding a Reed-Solomon codeword contained in the imaged portion; and (c) determining, using the decoded codeword, a position of said reader, an identity of the substrate digital signature, and/or a fragment of an embedded data object. The coding pattern encodes Reed-Solomon symbols using mixed multi-pulse position modulation, with a higher number of Reed-Solomon symbol values available for redundancy symbols than data symbols. |
| US08126194B2 |
Digital watermark embedding apparatus, digital watermark detecting apparatus, and digital watermark system
The digital watermark embedding apparatus includes: a storing unit (15) for storing in advance at least one embedding function, at least one image converting program, and at least one image processing program that are required for a digital watermark embedding process, and storing in advance combination process information in which a process ID is assigned to each combination of those processing functions; an embedding process selecting unit (12) for selecting, as particular combination process information, one of a plurality of pieces of the combination process information; and an embedding unit (14) for obtaining from the storing unit (15) the embedding function, the image converting program, and the image processing program which are included in the selected particular combination process information, embedding particular embedding information into multimedia data, and generating determination information including the process ID corresponding to the particular combination process information. |
| US08126189B2 |
Multi-directional flat speaker device
A multi-directional flat speaker device is disclosed. By the directional characteristics of a plurality of flat speakers of the flat speaker device, accompanying with mechanism to actuate each of the plurality of flat speakers independently rotating to its desired direction, a composite sound field is generated as desired accordingly. The design makes the applications of the flat speaker device more suitable to meet the requirement of future utilizations. The mechanism to actuate the plurality of flat speakers can be achieved by controlling one or more of the flat speakers to rotate in a unique manner. The mechanism can control a facing angle of any one of the plurality of flat speakers independently. The mechanism can be designed by mechanical or electrical controlling manner. |
| US08126175B2 |
Hearing aid device
A hearing aid device is provided in which wireless data transmission and reception are established between a first hearing aid and a second hearing aid, worn one on each ear, wherein in a case where wireless transmission and reception are not possible, the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid are switched from a liaison operation mode in which both hearing aids are interactively adjusted to a solo operation mode in which each hearing aid is independently adjusted. In a case where wireless transmission and reception are possible, the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid are switched from the solo operation mode to the liaison operation mode. |
| US08126174B2 |
Hearing device with a multi-stage activation circuit and method for operating it
In one aspect, a hearing device is provided with a multi-stage activation circuit including a primary activation unit, an evaluation unit and a main activation unit. The primary activation unit monitors a sound-induced input level and forwards incoming signals to the evaluation unit when a threshold value of the input level is exceeded. The evaluation unit is activated when the threshold value is exceeded and determines a feature of incoming signals suitable for identifying and/or classifying a sound causing the incoming signals. The main activation unit is activated, for example, when the feature determined by the evaluation unit indicates a noise that should be perceptible to the wearer of the hearing device. The main activation unit activates further components of the hearing device including the signal processing and amplification circuit and the output unit. |
| US08126173B2 |
System and method for expanding multi-speaker playback
A method includes splitting and filtering a left input signal and a right input signal to produce a plurality of frequency sub-bands. Each of the frequency sub-bands includes a left sub-band signal and a right sub-band signal. The method also includes processing the left and right sub-band signals associated with each of the frequency sub-bands into a plurality of sub-band channel signals. The plurality of sub-band channel signals includes at least three sub-band channel signals. In addition, the method includes summing corresponding ones of the sub-band channel signals for reproduction in a corresponding channel of a plurality of channels. The plurality of sub-band channel signals may include a left sub-band channel signal, a right sub-band channel signal, a center sub-band channel signal, a left surround sub-band channel signal, and a right surround sub-band channel signal. |
| US08126169B2 |
Super magnetostriction speaker
A supermagnetostriction speaker featuring good acoustic characteristics when used being placed on a horizontal surface. The supermagnetostriction speaker comprises a yoke of a cylindrical shape having a bottom and a lid and constituting a magnetic path; a supermagnetostriction element which is fixed at its one end to the lid of the yoke, has the other end which is a free end, and is arranged in the direction of cylinder of the yoke to generate displacement depending upon a variation in the magnetic field; a coil arranged to surround the supermagnetostriction element in the yoke and generates a magnetic field in response to signals fed from an external unit; a vibration rod having a flange at an intermediate portion thereof and is so arranged that the one end thereof comes in contact with the free end of the supermagnetostriction element and that the other end thereof penetrating through the center hole in the bottom of the yoke transmits the displacement of the supermagnetostriction element to an external body; a rubbery elastic body arranged being held between the flange of the vibration rod and the bottom of the yoke; and a body portion exerting a load on the supermagnetostriction element via the yoke in a state where the other end of the vibration rod is placed on the external body in a manner that the supermagnetostriction speaker stands by itself, so that the displacement of the supermagnetostriction element is effectively transmitted to the external body due to the mass. |
| US08126168B2 |
Capacitive sound transducer having a perforated attenuation disk
A capacitive sound transducer provided with a perforated attenuation disk. The invention further relates to a capacitive sound transducer and a condenser microphone having such a sound transducer. The sound transducer comprises a diaphragm and a counterelectrode which is disposed at a short distance from the diaphragm and provided with first perforations. In order to attenuate natural oscillations of the diaphragm at high frequencies, a capacitive sound transducer is proposed in which a sound-permeable attenuation disk provided with second perforations is disposed at a short distance from the diaphragm and opposite the counterelectrode. In this arrangement, the first perforations and the second perforations are also offset in relation to each other. |
| US08126163B2 |
Volume and tone control in direct digital speakers
A system that includes a direct digital speaker volume control device configured to be coupled to a direct digital speaker. The direct digital speaker includes many pressure producing elements being adapted to generate a sound at a sound pressure level (SPL) and at a given frequency in response to an input signal, without using digital to analog converter. The direct digital speaker inherently exhibits a frequency response throughout its entire frequency range. The direct digital speaker volume control device includes a module for providing few filters each having a distinct cutoff frequency such that each filter exhibits no attenuation below its cutoff frequency and an attenuation response above the filter's cutoff frequency. And a selector for selecting one of the filters according to a selection criterion that depends on a desired volume and frequency of generated sound, and applying the filter to the input signal for generating a filtered signal that fed to the speaker. |
| US08126158B2 |
Reducing sound pressure of noise
A system comprising converter logic that introduces noise to a signal. The system also comprises amplifier logic that reduces a sound pressure associated with the noise by amplifying the signal prior to providing the signal to the converter logic and de-amplifying the signal after providing the signal to the converter logic. |
| US08126151B2 |
Audio signal processing circuit
An audio signal processing circuit comprising: a holding circuit configured to receive a clock signal and set data corresponding to the clock signal, and to hold the set data; a processing circuit configured to process at least one of a first audio signal and a second audio signal input in parallel, based on the set data of the holding circuit; and a set data output circuit configured to output the clock signal to the holding circuit based on the first audio signal corresponding to the clock signal, and output the set data to the holding circuit based on the second audio signal corresponding to the set data. |
| US08126148B2 |
Securing home agent to mobile node communication with HA-MN key
The invention is a new protocol for securing the communication link between the Home Agent and the Mobile Node. A cipher key and an integrity key are generated at a home AAA server and are also generated independently at the Mobile Node. The two keys generated at the home AAA server are transmitted to the Home Agent to secure information packets transmitted between the Mobile Node and the Home Agent. The cipher key and integrity key are used to establish a security association used for information packet transmissions. The cipher key is used to encrypt the information packets, and the integrity key is used to ensure that the contents of the encrypted message are not altered. |
| US08126147B2 |
Secure terminal data loader system and in-flight entertainment management system
A terminal data loading device on a mobile platform includes a media unit for receiving a transportable media element containing media data and outputting a media signal to a control processor unit. The control processor unit outputs an information signal to a wireline communication unit. The wireline communication unit outputs a wireline signal to a network on the mobile platform. |
| US08126144B2 |
Purging of authentication key contexts by base stations on handoff
Various embodiments of methods and apparatuses for managing authentication key contexts are described herein. In various embodiments, the methods and apparatuses include purging an authentication key context of a supplicant after handing off the supplicant, even the authentication key has not expired. |
| US08126136B2 |
Method and system for automatic supervisor intervention in problematic calls in a call center
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for processing a call in a call center includes monitoring a characteristic of at least a portion of the call, comparing the characteristic to a threshold for the characteristic, and generating a signal indicative of a potential problem call based on the comparison. |
| US08126130B1 |
System and method for coupling an instant messaging session with a PBX call session
System and method for coupling an IM session with a PBX call session are described. One embodiment is a multimedia session manager system comprising a first controller for controlling telephony services to a plurality of terminals; and a second controller for controlling IM services to a plurality of user communications devices; and wherein, responsive to application of a private branch exchange (“PBX”) service to a telephony call, the second controller automatically applies a corresponding IM service to an IM session associated with the telephony call. |
| US08126128B1 |
Life cycle management of user-selected applications on wireless communications devices
Tools and techniques for performing life cycle management of user-selected applications on wireless communications devices are described herein. In part, the tools provide machine-readable media for presenting to the subscriber a list of available applications for installation on the device, and for receiving selections from the subscriber of one or more of the applications. Additionally, the tools provide methods for selling advertising space on the devices. |
| US08126124B2 |
Charging for long duration sessions in communication networks
Communication networks and associated methods are disclosed that provide charging for long duration sessions. A charging data system of the communication network receives interim accounting request messages from a network element that is serving a session. The charging data system identifies interim timestamps for the interim accounting request messages, and stores the interim timestamps. After a time period during the long duration session, the charging data system generates a partial CDR. The charging data system then inserts duration information for the long duration session in the partial CDR based on the stored interim timestamps, and transmits the partial CDR to a correlation system. The correlation system may then calculate a total duration for the session based on the duration information in the partial CDR. Even if a start/stop timestamp is not available, the correlation system may estimate the total duration of the session based on the interim timestamps. |
| US08126122B2 |
Controlling data rate of a facsimilie transmission
A network device to control a transmission rate of one or more fax data units transferred between a transmitting and a receiving network device. The transmission rate is controlled based on one or more control parameters. The control parameters may be generated based on comparing the configured values and the capability values. The configured values may represent allowable transmission characteristics of a network path provisioned between a transmitting and a receiving network device and the capability values may represent the transmission capabilities of the transmitting and the receiving network device. |
| US08126119B2 |
Collimator unit, radiation detecting device, and radiodiagnostic system
A pair of holding plates formed with a plurality of grooves each wider than the thickness of each collimator plate are disposed in parallel so that the respective surfaces formed with the grooves confront each other. Urging members are disposed on the holding members. When the urging members slide in the arranged direction of the grooves along the grooves-formed surfaces of the holding members, the urging members urge individual collimator plates inserted in the grooves toward side walls of the grooves. The collimator plates are inserted into the grooves, then the urging members are slid and held in that slide position to urge individual collimator plates into close contact with side walls of the grooves. |
| US08126117B2 |
Multi-beam X-ray system
A multi-beam x-ray system includes an x-ray source which emits x-rays and a housing with a first part and a second part. The second part is moveable relative to the first part and includes a plurality of optics of different performance characteristics. Each optic, through the movement of the second part relative to the first part, is positioned to a working position so that the optic receives the x-rays from the x-ray source and directs the x-rays with the desired performance attributes to a desired location. |
| US08126116B2 |
Anode plate for X-ray tube and method of manufacture
An anode plate for an X-ray tube includes an outer edge, a center region, and a plurality of slots disposed along the outer edge and extending toward the center region (210b) with each of the plurality of slots including a slot end. The anode plate further includes slot termination material disposed around a least a portion of the periphery of one or more of the slot ends, the slot termination material operable to reduce the tension stress or compression stress at the slot end. |
| US08126114B2 |
Seven or more degrees of freedom robotic manipulator having at least one redundant joint
A robotic treatment delivery system including a linear accelerator (LINAC), and a robotic manipulator coupled to the LINAC. The robotic manipulator is configured to move the LINAC along seven or more degrees of freedom, at least one of the seven degrees of freedom being a redundant degree of freedom. |
| US08126113B2 |
X-ray diagnosis apparatus
A storage unit stores a plurality of vectors and a plurality of past electrocardiographic phases in association with each other. Each of the vectors is a vector from a past reference point to a past objective point. A Reference point specifying unit specifies a current reference point on a current image. An electrocardiograph detects a current electrocardiographic phase associated with the current image. A vector specifying unit specifies a specific vector associated with a past electrocardiographic phase corresponding to the detected current electrocardiographic phase among the plurality of vectors. Objective point calculation unit calculates a position of a current objective point on the current image based on the specified vector and the position of the current reference point. A display unit displays the position of the current objective point on the current image. |
| US08126112B2 |
Osseo classification system and method
An osseo classification and digital modality modeling system includes a computer with a digital memory adapted for storing patient densitometry information, an input and an output. An input subsystem includes a pair of source/receptor units mounted on a signal positioning subsystem, which is adapted for moving the source/receptor units through predetermined paths of movement, which can be circular or linear. The resulting tomographic data is synthesized to form any 3-D model or image, which is output for further analysis and classifying osseo structure and/or prosthetic osseointegration. An osseo classification and digital tomosynthesis method includes the steps of moving a pair of sensor/receptor units relative to a patient. The resulting signals output by the receptor are digitized and synthesized to form a 3-D image or model. Multiple depths of penetration and multiple widths can be captured from single acquisitions using digital tomosynthesis signal processing techniques. Osseo structure and/or prosthetic osseointegration is classified using the densitometry data. |
| US08126111B2 |
Displaying recordings in a superimposed or oriented way
A method for the superimposed depiction, on at least one screen, of overlapping recordings of a region to be imaged which is recorded in at least two recording steps, wherein multiple markers are fixedly provided in the region to be imaged, such that at least two recordings can be spatially produced, offset with respect to the markers, using an x-ray apparatus, wherein the recordings are registered relative to the marker, and the image data of accordingly registered recordings is mutually oriented by means of a common imaging protocol and depicted on the at least one screen in a superimposed way. |
| US08126109B2 |
X-ray CT apparatus and tomography method
An index-value detecting unit detects an index value that indicates a contrast medium density in a Region Of Interest (ROI) set on an image reconstructed during a scan. A switch-timing detecting unit detects an inflection point appearing on a curve that indicates temporal variations in the contrast medium density in the ROI, based on an index value detected by the index-value detecting unit. An imaging control unit then performs control so as to skip the rest of a scanning plan in execution and to start the next scanning plan when the switch-timing detecting unit detects an inflection point. |
| US08126108B2 |
Method and apparatus for reorientated resconstruction of computed tomography images of planar objects
A system and method for micro computed tomography (CT) reconstruction of position scan data of planar objects, such as stacked integrated circuit chips and/or PCB, that automatically determines object orientation is disclosed for a preferred orientation of the reconstructed images. The object orientation of the sinogram of the scanning data is determined such that the reconstruction may be performed with any starting position. Additionally, planar object scan reconstructions with either a higher resolution in the thickness dimension without increasing the total computation resource or a faster processing speed under a given resolution in the thickness dimension may be achieved. The tilting angle with respect to the rotation axis may also be determined to perform a image rotation after a multi-slice reconstruction or cone-beam reconstruction. |
| US08126107B2 |
Nuclear engineering plant and closure apparatus for its containment
A nuclear engineering plant has a containment, whose interior chamber is subdivided by a wall into a systems chamber and an operating chamber which is accessible during normal operation. The containment ensures a particularly high operational reliability, in particular also in incident situations, in which hydrogen is released in the systems chamber. For this purpose, a number of overflow openings are provided in the partition wall, the respective overflow opening is closed by a closure element of a closure apparatus which opens automatically when a trigger condition associated with the respective overflow opening is reached. Closure apparatuses are provided which open both as a function of pressure and independently of pressure. The closure apparatus furthermore has a closure element containing a bursting film or a bursting diaphragm. The closure apparatus is configured such that it frees the overflow opening automatically when a predetermined environment-side trigger temperature is reached. |
| US08126101B2 |
Method and apparatus for varying a dynamic range
A communications device comprises a receiver for receiving an input signal operably coupled to analogue to digital converter logic. The analogue to digital converter logic is operably coupled to control logic via a signal analyzer arranged to analyze a converted received input signal, output from the analogue to digital converter logic to determine at least one characteristic of the received signal. The control logic is arranged to vary a dynamic range of the analogue to digital converter logic depending on the at least one determined characteristic of the received input signal. |
| US08126099B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for filtering a receive signal by adaptive operation of an input noise whitening filter
Apparatus, and an associated method, for the receive part of a receiving station, such as a mobile station or other transceiver of a cellular communication system. Selection is made of filter characteristics to be exhibited by an adaptive, input noise whitening filter. A noise estimator estimates a noise component of a noise sequence. An autocorrelation estimator estimates the noise-component autocorrelation. A determination is made as to whether the autocorrelation exceeds a threshold. If so, filter characteristics are selected to cause the input noise whitening filter to operate to inject whitening noise into the received sequence. |
| US08126098B2 |
Multi-rake receiver
A wireless receiver includes M antennas that each receive a wireless signal. N rake receiver modules receive the wireless signals from the M antennas and combine multipath components of the wireless signals. A summing module receives outputs of the N rake receiver modules and combines the outputs to generate an output signal. M and N are integers greater than 1. |
| US08126097B2 |
Method and system for cluster processing using conjugate gradient-based MMSE equalizer and multiple transmit and/or receive antennas for HSDPA, STTD, closed-loop and normal mode
A system and method for processing signals are disclosed. The method may include performing by one or more processors and/or circuits in a wireless device that includes a plurality of transmit and/or receive antennas for one or more of HSDPA, space-time transmit diversity (STTD), Closed Loop, Normal Mode and spatial multiplexing, the one or more processors and/or circuits comprising a minimum mean square error (MMSE) equalizer, generating a plurality of chip-rate synchronously sampled signals utilizing a plurality of received clusters. At least a portion of said generated plurality of chip-rate synchronously sampled signals may be simultaneously equalized in time domain and in spatial domain, based on a plurality of weight values calculated for the plurality of received clusters. The plurality of weight values may be iteratively computed utilizing a time-based adaptation method. |
| US08126095B1 |
Maximum ratio combining architectures for optimal complementary code keying receiver design
A multi input multi output (MIMO) receiver for receiving signals having a plurality of equalizers being responsive to aligned signals for processing the same to generate a plurality of equalized outputs using filter coefficients, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The MIMO receiver for training said plurality of equalizers to adapt said filter coefficients for generating said plurality of equalized outputs, said MIMO receiver for combining said plurality of equalized outputs in time domain to generate a weighted output, said MIMO receiver for improving the quality of said weighted output by performing equalization prior to combining said plurality of equalized outputs. |
| US08126087B2 |
DC offset correction circuit for canceling a DC offset in a real time and a receiving system having the same
A DC offset correction circuit includes a DC offset detector generating a detection voltage based on a result of a comparison of a first reference voltage and a voltage difference between signals input to the DC offset detector, a comparator comparing a second reference voltage and the detection voltage and a third reference voltage and the detection voltage and outputting first and second comparison signals, respectively, as a result of the comparisons, and an up/down counter performing an up or a down count operation in response to one of the first or second comparison signals and, as a result of the up or down count operation, outputting a signal that causes at least one control signal for canceling a DC offset in a signal input to a receiver to be generated. |
| US08126085B2 |
Method and apparatus to estimate channel tap
Briefly, a method an apparatus and a wireless communication device are provided. The wireless communication device includes a receiver to receive complex sequences of symbols. The receiver includes an estimator to estimate one or more channel taps. The estimator includes a memory to store at least a portion of one or more calculated values of an estimation matrix and is capable to estimate the one or more channel taps based on a stored portion of calculated values of the estimation matrix. |
| US08126084B2 |
Processing method for providing, starting from signals acquired by a set of sensors, an aggregate signal and data acquisition system using such method
Embodiment for forming an aggregate signal from a plurality of starting signals, comprising: acquiring said starting signals through respective sensors of a homogeneous sensors group; converting acquired signals in respective digital signals having data represented with a predetermined bits number; processing the digital signals to form aggregate signal. The processing step comprises the operations of: modifying digital signals changing the data format of each such digital signals from a first format to a second format, each data in the second format having been obtained from a respective data in the first format through an operation of permuting the bits position according to a permutation scheme associated with said data and to the specific digital signal comprising that data; forming aggregate signal obtaining said aggregate signal data by means of a bitwise logic operator acting upon said modified digital signal respective data. |
| US08126083B2 |
Apparatus for and method of controlling a sampling frequency of a sampling device
A method of controlling sampling frequency of a sampling device (40), where the sampling device (40) generates samples (62) in response to the receipt of a signal (20) resulting from a transmission of a series of symbols through a channel, the method including the steps of estimating (46) a channel impulse response of the channel from the samples, calculating a characteristic of the channel impulse response estimate, and determining (52) the sampling frequency in accordance with the characteristic. |
| US08126082B2 |
Gain weighted code combining system and method for combining BPSK codes
A method and system for generating a composite binary phase shift keying (BPSK) code from at least two independent component BPSK codes that is representative of each of the component BPSK codes. According to one embodiment the method involves gain weighting each BPSK code by its respective code power ratio to form a corresponding pluarity of gain weighted codes. The gain weighted codes are then processed in accordance with an algorithm to form a composite BPSK code. The composite BPSK code has at least a fifty percent probability of matching each one of the component BPSK codes. Specific implementations for generating a composite BPSK code from either two component BPSK codes, or from three component BPSK codes, are also disclosed. |
| US08126078B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing noise in an unbalanced channel using common mode component
A method and apparatus are disclosed for reducing noise, such as external noise, cross-talk and echo, in an unbalanced channel. A cross-talk canceller is disclosed that uses a multi-dimensional finite impulse response filter to process both the differential, d, and common-mode, c, components of a received signal. Recovery of the differential mode component of the received signal is improved by reducing the contribution of the common mode component. The common mode component of a received signal may be expressed, for example, as the average of two voltages or two current signals. The differential and common mode components of the received signal are equalized. The disclosed multi-dimensional cross-talk canceller reduces external noise; near-end crosstalk resulting from differential and common mode components on one twisted pair interfering with another twisted pair; and echo crosstalk resulting from differential and common mode cross-talk components on the same twisted pair. |
| US08126074B1 |
Method and apparatus for equalization and decoding in a wireless communications system including plural receiver antennae
A method and apparatus for processing a frequency domain digital Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol. The method includes generating an estimate of a channel for each sub-carrier of the frequency domain digital OFDM symbol; generating channel state information corresponding to each sub-carrier of the frequency domain digital OFDM symbol; and generating a plurality of demodulated symbols based, at least in part on, the estimate of the channel for each sub-carrier of the frequency domain digital Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, in which each demodulated symbol corresponding to a given sub-carrier of the frequency domain digital OFDM symbol. The method further includes performing a soft-decision decoding on each demodulated symbol to generate a corresponding soft-decision decoded symbol. The soft-decision decoding of each demodulated symbol is based, at least in part, on the channel state information corresponding to the given sub-carrier associated with the demodulated symbol. |
| US08126073B2 |
Radio transmission device, radio reception device, radio transmission method, and radio reception method
A radio transmission device capable of improving the reception error rate characteristics of a receiver. In this device, an FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) unit (102) subjects a transmission signal to an FFT operation, in which a signal in a time domain is converted into a signal in a frequency domain. A control unit (103) controls the transmission power of the FFT-operated transmission signal in the frequency domain. An IFFT (Inverse Fast Fourier Transform) unit (104) subjects the transmission signal having its transmission power controlled, to an IFFT operation, in which an inverse conversion is made into a signal in the time domain. A transmission RF unit (106) transmits the IFFT-operated transmission signal on a single carrier. |
| US08126070B2 |
Method and base station for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal processing
A method and base station for forming an OFDM signal from a baseband signal includes a partitioning unit configured to partition a block of baseband signal samples into sub-blocks. A sub-carrier mapper maps the sub-blocks onto adjacent sub-carrier blocks of an OFDM multi-carrier to form corresponding unprefixed OFDM symbols. A cyclic prefix adder adds a cyclic prefix to each mapped sub-block to form prefixed OFDM symbols. Phase compensations force the unprefixed OFDM symbol part of all subsequently up-converted prefixed OFDM symbols to start at the same phase. Up-converters up-convert the phase compensated prefixed OFDM symbols to respective radio frequency bands having center frequencies and bandwidths that preserve the OFDM multi-carrier structure. A combiner combines the up-converted phase compensated prefixed OFDM symbols into an OFDM signal. |
| US08126062B2 |
Per multi-block partition breakpoint determining for hybrid variable length coding
A method, and apparatus, and logic encoded in one or more computer-readable tangible medium to carry out a method. The method is to code a plurality of ordered sequences of quantized transform coefficients of a corresponding plurality of blocks of image data using a hybrid coding method that includes determining a breakpoint location in the sequence between a low frequency region and a high frequency region; coding the low-frequency region using a selected low-frequency variable length coding method; coding the high-frequency region using a selected high-frequency variable length coding method; and coding the location of the breakpoint. The plurality of blocks include adjacent blocks and form a multi-block partition. The breakpoint location is determined as a function of the sequences of the multi-block partition such that different multi-block partitions can have different breakpoints. |
| US08126059B2 |
Motion vector detection device and motion vector detection method
A motion vector detection device includes: a separation section that separates a video signal into a brightness component and a color-difference component; a selection section that selects either the brightness component or the color-difference component, or both; a gain controlling section that controls, if the selected brightness or/and color-difference components exceed a predetermined reference level, its/their gains; and a motion vector detection section that detects a motion vector based on the result of gain control by the gain controlling section. |
| US08126055B2 |
Telop detecting method, telop detecting program, and telop detecting device
A telop detecting device includes an MPEG input source, a parameter acquiring unit, a switch, a DCT coefficient evaluating unit, and a result output unit. The MPEG input source acquires an MPEG stream. The parameter acquiring unit acquires parameters necessary for detecting a telop from the MPEG input source. The switch switches on and off the connection to the DCT coefficient evaluating unit. The DCT coefficient evaluating unit evaluates the possibility of presence of a telop based on a DCT coefficient of each macro block in a frame acquired through the switch, identifies a telop region by calculating an evaluation value by assigning a weight to the DCT coefficient using a weighting matrix. |
| US08126050B2 |
Methods and apparatus for decoding and displaying different resolution video signals
Methods and apparatus for implementing a reduced cost HDTV/SDTV video decoder are disclosed. The described joint video decoder is capable of decoding HDTV pictures at approximately the resolution of standard definition television pictures and can be used to decode HDTV and/or SDTV pictures. The described video decoder may be used as part of a picture-in-picture decoder circuit for providing picture-in-picture capability without providing multiple full resolution video decoders. The reduction in decoder circuit complexity is achieved through the use of a plurality of data reduction techniques including the use of a preparser, downsampling, and truncating pixel values. |
| US08126044B2 |
Passive system and method to equalize distortion in an RF satellite chain
A system and method for configuring an equalizer 48 for a transmission link includes a computer 82 that forms a mathematical model of an analog equalizer having a plurality of mathematical model filter stages. The computer 82 determines a desired response and tunes each of the plurality of mathematical model filter stages toward the desired response to form a plurality of model filter parameters to compensate for distortions in the transmission link. The equalizer 48 is coupled to the RF chain. The plurality of filter stages is tuned in response to the filter parameters. The RF signals are broadcast in response to analog equalizer. |
| US08126043B2 |
Method and apparatus for block-based signal demodulation
Teachings presented herein combine the relative simplicity of equalization with the performance of maximum likelihood (ML) processing. These teachings are applied to the detection of symbols in a stream of symbol blocks. In one or more embodiments, block-based equalization, including feedforward filtering, suppresses inter-block interference and produces detection statistics for the symbols in each symbol block, and joint detection addresses intra-block interference by jointly detecting the most likely combination of symbols within each symbol block, based on the corresponding detection statistics. The joint detection obviates the need to address intra-block interference within the equalization filters, while, at the same time, the block-based equalization produces detection statistics for each symbol block thereby simplifying the joint detection process. Overall complexity is less than would be needed for full MLSE processing of the symbol blocks without equalization preprocessing, while performance is close to or on par with full MLSE processing. |
| US08126041B2 |
Circuit and method for on-chip jitter measurement
Disclosed herein are embodiments of an improved built-in self-test (BIST) circuit and an associated method for measuring phase and/or cycle-to-cycle jitter of a clock signal. The embodiments of the BIST circuit implement a Variable Vernier Digital Delay Locked Line method. Specifically, the embodiments of the BIST circuit incorporate both a digital delay locked loop and a Vernier delay line, for respectively coarse tuning and fine tuning portions of the circuit. Additionally, the BIST circuit is variable, as the resolution of the circuit changes from chip to chip, and digital, as it is implemented with standard digital logic elements. |
| US08126040B2 |
Device and method for calibrating MIMO systems
A device and method for calibrating MIMO systems are disclosed. In one aspect, a calibration circuit comprises at least a first and a second input/output port, each arranged for being connected to a different transmitter/receiver pair of a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system. The circuit further comprises at least a third and a fourth input/output port, each arranged for being connected to a different antenna. The circuit further comprises an attenuator having a first attenuator port and a second attenuator port. The circuit further comprises a first and a second non-reciprocal switch, the first switch being arranged for establishing a connection between the first input/output port and either the third input/output port or the first attenuator port, and the second switch arranged for establishing a connection between the second input/output port and either the fourth input/output port or the second attenuator port. |
| US08126039B2 |
Methods and apparatus for evaluating the eye margin of a communications device using a data eye monitor
Methods and apparatus are provided for evaluating the eye margin of a communications device using a data eye monitor. The quality of a data eye associated with a signal is evaluated by sampling the signal for a plurality of different phases; evaluating the samples to evaluate one or more of a height and width of the data eye; and determining whether the one or more of the height and width satisfy one or more predefined criteria. One or more parameters of the communications device can optionally be adjusted if the communications device does not satisfy the one or more predefined criteria. The communications device can optionally be assigned to a quality category based on the evaluation. A phase offset between a first clock signal used to sample the signal and one or more clocks used to sample data is reduced. |
| US08126038B2 |
System and method for selectable mask for LDSL
The present invention overcomes various problems by defining two upstream masks (U1, U2) and two downstream masks (D1, D2) and using a mask selectable system for the long reach digital subscriber line (LDSL), in which a unique modem feature is activated during handshake to automatically check for physical layer status in terms of spectral compatibility and, thus, automatically optimize the boosted mode with the use of the mask selectable system choose the best combination of upstream/downstream masks in any physical layer noise scenario. |
| US08126036B2 |
Predistortion and post-distortion correction of both a receiver and transmitter during calibration
A post-distorter compensates for receiver nonlinearity in calibration mode. Linearized receiver-side output from the post-distorter is used to correctly compensate for transmitter-side nonlinearities in calibration mode. The post-distorter also compensates for receiver-side nonlinearities during normal receive mode. Thus, the post-distorter features dual modes of use, a calibration mode, wherein calibration signals received from the adjacent transmitter are linearized by the post-distorter and a normal receive mode, wherein communication signals from a remote transmitter are linearized by the post-distorter. |
| US08126026B2 |
Two-beam semiconductor laser device
A two-beam semiconductor laser device 10 includes: a two-beam semiconductor element LDC having a first and a second semiconductor laser elements LD1 and LD2 that can be driven independently and that are formed integrally on a substrate; and a submount 63 having, mounted on a front part thereof, the two-beam semiconductor laser element LDC with the light-emitting face thereof directed forward and having a first and a second electrode pads 64 and 65 connected to electrodes 61 and 62 of the first and second semiconductor laser element LD1 and LD2 by being kept in contact therewith. The first and second electrode pads 64 and 65 are formed to extend farther behind the two-beam semiconductor laser element LDC, and wires 14 and 16 are wire-bonded behind the two-beam semiconductor laser element LDC. |
| US08126025B2 |
Laser light source apparatus, and monitoring apparatus and image display apparatus using the same
A laser light source apparatus includes a first laser array light source that emits first-wavelength light, and a second laser array light source that emits second-wavelength light, the second wavelength being different from the first wavelength. The first laser array light source includes a first fundamental wave laser array that produces first fundamental wave light having a first original wavelength, and a first wavelength conversion element that wavelength-converts the first fundamental wave light into the first-wavelength light. The second laser array light source includes a second fundamental wave laser array that produces second fundamental wave light having a second original wavelength different from the first original wavelength, and a second wavelength conversion element that wavelength-converts the second fundamental wave light into the second-wavelength light. |
| US08126016B2 |
Method and apparatus for information dissemination
A system and method for transmitting information to a group of recipient devices according to a transmission schedule is provided. A sequence of M blocks of information are transformed into N transformed blocks, where M and N are integers and N≧M. Each of the N transformed blocks are transmitted to a group of user devices in a network in accordance with a transmission schedule. At one of the user devices, at least some of the N transformed blocks are received. When K distinct transformed blocks have been received, where K is an integer and K |
| US08126014B2 |
Methods and apparatus for improved decoding of hybrid automatic repeat request transmissions
A method for improved decoding of hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) transmissions may include attempting to verify a physical layer (PHY) cyclic redundancy check (CRC) for a candidate H-ARQ encoder packet. If the PHY CRC is not verified, medium access control layer protocol data units (MPDUs) may be identified in the candidate H-ARQ encoder packet, and attempts may be made to verify a medium access control layer (MAC) CRC for each MPDU in the candidate H-ARQ encoder packet. |
| US08126012B2 |
Communication apparatus and method of transferring data
A communication apparatus detects the start and end of a frame of a video, and notifies information indicating that the start of the frame of the video is detected and information indicating that the end of the frame of the video is detected to a communication unit that performs communication access control and that is included in the communication apparatus. The communication unit controls an acknowledgement in a media access control level, in transfer of the video, based on the notification. |
| US08126001B2 |
Method and apparatus for multicasting contents between devices in networks
An apparatus for multicasting contents between devices in different networks includes: a home-to-home multicast control device for finding the devices in the networks, downloading contents from a device in a network to which the home-to-home multicast control device belongs, processing the contents to generate file blocks, each file block having chunk files, and multicasting the processed contents to the devices in the networks; and at least one home-to-home multicast bridge device for receiving the contents transmitted from the home-to-home multicast control device and streaming the contents to one or more devices in a network to which the home-to-home multicast bridge device belongs. The apparatus further includes a multicast relay device for relaying the contents between the home-to-home multicast control device and the home-to-home multicast bridge device. |
| US08125990B2 |
Silent probe for network delay reporting
Systems are presented in which a network database is populated and updated with delay values representing measured network delays in routing calls between call control entities of a communications network. The network entities can query the database to make informed decisions regarding call routing based on the delay values, and the database entries are provided by the network elements, which measure actual or pseudo calls routed in the network. |
| US08125986B2 |
Method for enabling secure usage of computers using a mechanism lockdown
A computer-implemented method for selectively enabling and disabling at least one of a plurality of functions of a host operating system and for selectively enabling and disabling at least one of a plurality of host components includes the following steps: activating a locking mechanism in the host system for disabling system access, wherein the locking mechanism includes switches and component control storage; activating component settings for selectively enabling and disabling components of the system, wherein the component settings are controlled by manipulating the switches; activating system settings for selectively enabling and disabling functions of the system, wherein the system settings are controlled by manipulating the switches; activating system passwords, component passwords and encryption keys; and locking the system according to the selected settings. An information processing system includes a master access control mechanism for enabling and disabling one or more components of the system when the system is in privileged system mode, depending on whether the system boots from internal or external media. |
| US08125981B2 |
System and method of providing a high-quality voice network architecture
Embodiments of the invention include a system and method for providing high quality voice/sound communications over a local loop of a telephone network. The method aspect of the invention comprises receiving a voice signal, digitizing the voice signal into a high quality voice signal, utilizing sampling rates greater than 8000 samples per second and/or sample sizes greater than 8 bits per sample, negotiating voice processing characteristics between a customer premises equipment and a network element such as a softswitch, receiving speech from a user at a customer premises equipment according to the negotiation, converting the received speech into high bandwidth signal and transmitting the high bandwidth signal to a telephone local loop, transmitting the high bandwidth signal from the local loop to wideband node that packetizes the high bandwidth signal for transmission to a packet network and receiving the packetized signal from the packet network at a switch that switches between an on-network or off-network status. A voice over IP platform may also be used to route packetized signals from the packet network to either the telephone network or another packet network. |
| US08125980B2 |
User terminal connection control method and apparatus
A user terminal connection control method to limit the number of sessions simultaneously connectable to the Internet, wherein an access server or authentication server has a user management table for specifying the maximum number of connections and a preferential terminal identifier indicating a user terminal to be preferentially connected to the Internet for each group comprising a plurality of user identifiers. The access server or authentication server determines, during a communication procedure for authenticating a user who requests to access to the Internet, whether the current number of connections for a group to which the user belongs has reached the maximum number of connections, and if so, determines whether to allow the user terminal to connect to the Internet depending on whether the user terminal identifier matches the preferential terminal identifier. |
| US08125978B2 |
Method for establishing data transmission path and sensor network employing the same
A sensor network system and method for establishing a data transmission path are is disclosed. The method for establishing a data transmission path of a sink node and the network system which includes a plurality of nodes including the sink node, includes a) requesting nodes on a previously established data transmission path to give their adjacent node information, b) receiving the adjacent node information, c) retrieving adjacent nodes as the sink node moves, and d) reestablishing the data transmission path through the result of retrieval and the adjacent node information. Since the data transmission path is reestablished without flooding, it is possible to reduce energy of the nodes. Also, the method for establishing a data transmission path can be applied to any routing protocols without additional conditions. |
| US08125974B2 |
Transmit emission control in a wireless transceiver
Methods and apparatus for control of uplink resource allocation and undesirable transmit emissions from a wireless transceiver in a frequency division duplex (FDD) or hybrid frequency division duplex (H-FDD) wireless system. The bandwidths spanned by the receive band and the transmit band may be symmetric or asymmetric. Additionally, each of the receive band or the transmit band may be contiguous or may be an aggregate of multiple discontinuous frequency bands. The wireless transceiver can control undesirable transmit emissions from occurring in a predetermined frequency band by using an offset LO frequency and restricting transmit signals to frequencies away from the predetermined frequency band. Alternatively, in an asymmetric FDD system where a receive band is larger than a transmit band, the transceiver can limit transmit signal allocation to the transmit band. The transceiver can further limit out of band transmit emissions using an offset LO frequency. |
| US08125971B2 |
Generic parallel spreading
Method for transmitting a wideband code division multiplex output signal at a given chip-rate corresponding to a plurality of combined physical radio links for respective user entities, comprising the steps of performing parallel symbol and code generation, parallel modulation, parallel spreading, each enhanced multiplex rate cycle providing a first number of parallel spread chip values, thus forming a first number of spread chip value streams. The enhanced multiplex rate being a second number greater than the chip rate of the output signal, combining the physical radio links over a number of segments corresponding to the second number at the enhanced multiplex rate in multiplex fashion, extending the combination of the physical radio links during a time corresponding to a third number of chips, causing a combined plurality of physical radio links, buffering the results so as to establish a complex signal at chip rate to the air transmission antenna. |
| US08125970B2 |
Ranging method for measuring distance between a central node and an equipment node in a beacon wireless personal area network
A ranging method is described for measuring distance between a central node and an equipment node in a beacon wireless personal area network. At the beginning stage, the central node calculates the parameters needed in the ranging operation and sends these parameters to the equipment nodes by beacon frames. Equipment nodes, in turn, send ranging frames at time slots assigned thereto according to the information received in the beacon frames. The central node calculates beacon frame flight time by recording the sending time and the arrival time of the ranging frame, and then calculates the distance between the central node and the equipment node. For nodes failing in the ranging procedure, the ranging parameters are changed according to failing reasons and the above procedure is repeated until a ranging result is received without failure. |
| US08125966B2 |
Methods for handing over, by double transmission of data, a call involving a mobile node in a micromobility or macromobility situation in an IP communication network using hierarchical mobility management
A call handover method for an Internet Protocol communication network using hierarchical mobility management comprising a mobility anchor point connected to first and second access routers and to a home agent of a mobile node having first local and regional care-of addresses and communicating with another node consists in, if the mobile node detects the second access router: i) communicating the address prefix of the second access router to the mobile node in order for it to construct a second local care-of address, ii) communicating the second local care-of address, the first regional care-of address and an information bit having a value indicating double temporary addressing to the anchor point in order for it to store the second local care-of address in corresponding relationship to the first regional care-of address and then forward packets addressed to the mobile node to the first and second access routers, and iii) disconnecting the mobile node from the first access node and then deleting the first local care-of address of the mobile node stored at the anchor point in order to forward packets that are addressed to it to the mobile node via the home agent equipment, the anchor point and the second access router. |
| US08125965B1 |
Wireless multi-mode system and method
A multi-mode combination broadband wireless card and router system includes a broadband wireless card for broadband wireless data communication with a WAN over a broadband wireless link; a router for routing network communications between the WAN and a LAN, the router including a USB port for making a USB connection with a user computer, a wired LAN port for making a wired LAN connection with a user computer, and a wireless LAN port for making a wireless LAN connection with a user computer; at least one of the broadband wireless card and router including a processor; and a module executed by the processor, the module configured to: identify use of at least one of the USB port, the wired LAN port, and the wireless LAN port, and modify network access mode for one or more of the user computers based on the identification. |
| US08125963B2 |
Radio transmission control method, radio receiver apparatus, and radio transmitter apparatus
A radio communication method and apparatus generate a plurality of information signals and transmit the signals to a communication partner from a plurality of antennas. A plurality of combination of signals to be transmitted are selected. A transmission evaluation value is determined based on the signal noise ratio of each signal. After all combinations are evaluated, a transmission format suitable for sending a combination of signals is determined based on a highest evaluation value. |
| US08125960B2 |
Mobile communication method, mobile station, and wireless access network apparatus
When a mobile station (UE) is camping on a system of the LTE scheme, a function (EMM) is configured to transmit a service request signal including a “CSFB” to an MME; the NNE is configured to transmit setup information including a “CSFB” to an eNB in response to the service request signal transmitted by the function (EMM); the eNB is configured to transmit, to a function (AS), instruction information instructing to select a cell in a system of the WCDMA/GSM scheme in response to the setup information transmitted by the MME; the function (AS) is configured to select the cell in the system of the WCDMA/GSM scheme in accordance with the instruction information transmitted by the eNB; and the function (MM) is configured to set up circuit switched communications via the cell in the system of the WCDMA/GSM scheme selected by the function (AS). |
| US08125958B2 |
Wireless subscriber inter-technology handoff
Embodiments for a method and apparatus of a wireless subscriber unit triggering an inter-technology handoff are disclosed. One method includes estimating a signal quality of first technology communication signals received from a serving base station. Information of neighboring base stations is received from the serving base station. Based on the information of the neighboring base stations, a signal quality of first technology communication signals received from each of the neighboring base stations is estimated. An inter-technology handoff is triggered based on a function of the signal quality of communication signals received from a serving base station and the signal quality of communication signals received from each of the neighboring base stations. |
| US08125957B2 |
Method and system for radio network environment detection and reporting, and media independent handover apparatus
A method and a system for radio network environment detection and reporting in a network handover and a media independent handover (MIH) apparatus are provided. The method includes the following: an MIH function (MIHF) at a terminal side initiates a network scan, and generates a parameter report on a radio network environment around the terminal including dynamic information and static information of a scanned point of access (PoA) after the scan is completed; the MIHF at the terminal side sends the parameter report on the radio network environment to an upper layer at the terminal side or to an MIHF at a network side. The method and system support homogeneous and heterogeneous network environments at the same time. |
| US08125947B2 |
Mapping control information to a dedicated physical control channel
The present invention provides a method of wireless communication involving at least one mobile unit and at least one base station configured to transmit data over first and second data channels and corresponding first and second control channels. The method includes accessing control information associated with data to be transmitted over the first data channel and mapping the control information to a portion of the second control channel. |
| US08125938B2 |
Relay station and method for enabling reliable digital communications between two nodes in a wireless relay based network
A relay station (606, 806a, 806b, 906a, 906b, 1006 and 1106) and a method (700) are described herein that enables reliable digital communications to occur between two nodes in a wireless relay based network (600, 800, 900, 1000 and 1100). The wireless relay based network includes a first node (602, 802, 902, 1002 and 1102) that transmits information in coded/modulated digital communications to a second node (604, 804, 904, 1004 and 1104) via one or more relay stations. And, each relay station is capable of: (1) receiving (702) a coded/modulated digital communication from the first node; (2) computing (704) a plurality of reliability values for a plurality of information symbols or coded symbols in the received coded/modulated digital communication; and (3) transmitting (706) a coded/modulated digital communication that has the computed reliability values embedded therein to the second node. |
| US08125932B2 |
Method and apparatus for continuously receiving images from a plurality of video channels and for alternately continuously transmitting to each of a plurality of participants in a video conference individual images containing information concerning each of said video channels
A method and apparatus is provided for video conferencing. The method and apparatus continuously receive frames from a plurality of video channels and alternately continuously transmit to each of a plurality of participants in a video conference individual frames containing information concerning each of the video channels. The method and apparatus only transmits at any given instant new picture data for one of the participants in the video conference. |
| US08125928B2 |
Routing frames in a shortest path computer network for a multi-homed legacy bridge node
Methods, apparatus, and products for routing frames in a shortest path computer network for a multi-homed legacy bridge, wherein the network includes a plurality of bridges. At least two of the plurality of bridges operate as edge bridges through which the frames ingress and egress the network. A first edge bridge identifies a legacy bridge nickname for a legacy bridge connected to the network through the first edge bridge and a second edge bridge using active-active link aggregation. The first bridge receives a frame from the legacy bridge and determines, in dependence upon the frame's destination node address, an egress bridge nickname for a third bridge through which a destination node connects to the network. The first bridge then adds the legacy bridge nickname and the egress bridge nickname to the frame and routes the frame to the third bridge in dependence upon the egress bridge nickname. |
| US08125927B2 |
Method and system for network topology discovery
Methods and apparatus for topology discovery of a network having heterogeneous network devices are disclosed. A network appliance communicates with the network devices to acquire device descriptors and characterize the network devices accordingly. Topology discovery is based on device characteristics, media-access data, and encoded connectivity patterns, where each connectivity pattern is defined by devices of specific device types and respective media-access data. A topology deduction module of the network appliance synthesizes a network image starting with unconnected devices and progressively incorporating detected connectivity patterns. |
| US08125924B2 |
Method and devices for transferring data
A method for transmitting data is disclosed, whereby data are transmitted in packets between a first device and a second device, whereby a further device disposed between the first device and the second device analyzes the packets at most for regeneration purposes. The second device transmits data between itself and a third device using DSL technology. During the data transmission between the first device and the second device a comparison of transmission rates takes place. |
| US08125918B2 |
Method and apparatus for evaluating adaptive jitter buffer performance
A method and system for providing a test signal to evaluate the performance of an adaptive jitter buffer are disclosed. For example, the method transmits a test signal into a communication network, and applies a jitter impairment along a path traversed by the test signal in the network preceding a device supporting a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, wherein the device having an adaptive jitter buffer. The method then analyzes the test signal that is received from the device to determine a performance of the adaptive jitter buffer. |
| US08125911B2 |
First-hop domain reliability measurement and load balancing in a computer network
In one embodiment, probe messages may be transmitted from a local domain to a set of one or more responding probe targets located beyond a plurality of probed first-hop domains of the local domain, the probe messages transmitted via each of a plurality of probed first-hop domains. A reliability of each probed first-hop domain may then be determined based on responsiveness of probe messages transmitted via each respective probed first-hop domain, such that traffic destined beyond the probed first-hop domains may be load balanced across the probed first-hop domains based on the respective reliability, regardless of a traffic-class and a destination of the traffic. |
| US08125910B2 |
Communication system
A communication terminal (1) on a transmission side comprises means (1-10) for detecting congestion, means (1-7) for detecting a sign of congestion with reference to an ideal congestion window size and a current congestion window size, means for estimating a ratio of priority traffic with respect to traffic within a network, and means (1-8) for dynamically changing a threshold value for detection of the sign of congestion in response to the estimated ratio. When the congestion or the sign of congestion is detected, a congestion window size is changed into the idea congestion window size. |
| US08125905B2 |
System and method for processing network packet flows
A system and method provides a broadband network node for a best effort network such as the Internet or intranets which supports the inexpensive and rapid deployment of services to the best efforts network. Separate data path and control path mechanisms allow high-speed data transfers with parallel processing flows for the data path that are controlled across data flows by the control path. Packets are classified, modified and shaped to enable the service on the network with an accountant to track packet traffic for control and billing purposes. A series of processing blades perform a modification function for each blade that processes packets according to classifications. The processing blades are modular and scalable for insertion in the broad band switch to rapidly adapt the broadband network node for new services. |
| US08125901B2 |
Video streaming
The bitrate for any practical video streaming system will vary considerably as a function of the difficulty of encoding the sequence in question. This variation is even more apparent when comparing different video clips of different genres for example where sports clips might require a higher average bitrate and fluctuate more due to the high activity of typical scenes, whereas a news report clip might require a much lower bitrate and be relatively static. As such, to deliver video streams at a constant quality to users sharing a contended network, a constant bandwidth method is not efficient to use across all the streams. The bandwidth allocated to each stream must be allowed to dynamically vary in time in accordance with the precise demands of the video being streamed at that time and also be within any network bandwidth constraints. The present invention defines such a method. |
| US08125900B2 |
Network equipment management device, network equipment management method, network equipment, and program used therein
In order to perform update processing with high reliability while preventing occurrence of an error in the update order, reduce a load on a management device, and reduce the time required to complete the update processing, according to the present invention, there is provided a network equipment management program that allows a computer to execute: an order information creation step that creates order information which is information corresponding to the order of the network equipments in which setting information is to be set and according to which the setting information is sequentially transmitted from N (N=1, 2, . . . )-th network equipment to (N+1)-th network equipment so as to be set in the respective network at its reception timing of the setting information; and a transmission step that transmits predetermined information including the order information created in the order information creation step to a first network equipment specified in the order information. |
| US08125897B2 |
System and method for monitoring and optimizing network performance with user datagram protocol network performance information packets
A method for monitoring and optimizing performance of a packet network utilizing user datagram protocol including determining network performance information between a sending user datagram protocol network element and a receiving user datagram protocol network element; concatenating the network performance information into data packets; transmitting the data packets to at least one non-user datagram protocol network device having transport layer capabilities; and controlling bandwidth of the at least one non-user datagram protocol network device to optimize the network utilizing the user datagram protocol based on the network performance information in the data packets. A system for monitoring and optimizing performance of a packet network utilizing user datagram protocol is also included. |
| US08125892B1 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating machine-type communication
A method and apparatus are provided to facilitate communications with MTC devices. An apparatus may include processing circuitry configured at least to receive a broadcasted triggering message and to determine whether the triggering message identifies a machine-type communication (MTC) gateway or another device within a capillary network supported by the MTC gateway. The processing circuitry may cause at least a portion of the triggering message to be provided to a device within the capillary network in an instance in which the triggering message identifies the device within the capillary network. The processing circuitry may also be configured to determine an action requested by the triggering message in an instance in which the triggering message identifies the MTC gateway. |
| US08125891B2 |
Method and system for multi-layer network routing
Each node of a telecommunications network determines a connection type attributes available for each signal type supported by the node. Each signal type represents a different connection routing layer within the telecommunications network. Adaptation costs involved in traversing from one connection routing layer to another connection routing layer in the node are calculated. The connection type attributes and adaptation costs are included in a link state advertisement broadcasted by each node in the telecommunications network. A route calculation is performed for a desired signal to determine a route through the telecommunications network for the signal. The route calculation takes into account the various connection type attributes, availability, and adaptation costs in determining the shortest route for the signal through the telecommunications network. |
| US08125890B2 |
Connectivity fault management in a provider backbone bridge traffic engineering (PBB-TE) domain
A system and method for providing Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) in a Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) telecommunication network utilizing Ethernet-based packet transport. PBB-TE point-to-point and point-to-multipoint services are identified, and PBB-TE maintenance points associated with the identified PBB-TE services are addressed. The addressed PBB-TE maintenance points are modified by adding a PBB-TE Service Demultiplexer to each PBB-TE maintenance point for identifying independent PBB-TE service instances. Basic CFM protocols are enhanced to duplicate the behavior of CFM protocols on virtual local area network (ULAN)-based maintenance associations. The PBB-TE maintenance points may be Maintenance association End Points (MEPs) and Maintenance association Intermediate Points (MIPs). |
| US08125886B2 |
System, apparatus, and method for spatial multiplexing with symbol spreading
The present invention provides a system (400), device (200, 300), and method (200) for a spatial multiplexing (SMX) transmission scheme combined with symbol spreading and rotation using a pre-determined matrix R, which can greatly improve system performance without requiring additional bandwidth or power consumption under fast Rayleigh flat fading channels or high frequency-selective channels in UWB systems. Because of the lattice-based structure, sphere decoding is employed to reduce the complexity of ML decoding while maintaining the near ML performance. On the other hand, ZF and MMSE receivers can also be used due to the systematic structure at the transmitter. |
| US08125882B2 |
High density data storage medium, method and device
A composition of matter for the recording medium of nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage devices and a nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage device. The composition includes: one or more polyaryletherketone polymers, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone polymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having two or more phenylethynyl moieties. The one or more polyaryletherketone polymers are thermally cured and the resulting cross-linked polyaryletherketone resin used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage devices. |
| US08125876B2 |
Objective lens, optical pickup apparatus using the same, optical recording/reproduction apparatus using the same, and method of correcting aberration using the same
Provided is an objective lens for which expressions 0.83<(pM/pL)<1.17 and 0.83<(pM/pT)<1.17 or expressions 0.80<(pM/pL)<1.20 and 0.86<(pM/pT)<1.14 are satisfied, where pL is the ratio of fifth-order spherical aberration to third-order spherical aberration, the spherical aberrations being caused by a difference in the thickness of a cover layer of an optical recording medium, pT is the ratio of fifth-order spherical aberration to third-order spherical aberration, the spherical aberrations being caused by a change in the temperature of an environment of the objective lens, and pM is the ratio of fifth-order spherical aberration to third-order spherical aberration, the spherical aberrations being caused by a change in incident magnification. |
| US08125872B2 |
Recording medium and recording system
Disclosed herein is a recording medium on or from which the recording or reproduction of data is stably performed. On the recording medium, data are recorded three-dimensionally by the irradiation of a recording laser beam. The recording medium includes a reflection control layer including a plurality of reflection layers stacked in a film thickness direction, each reflection layer having a connection terminal, each reflection layer exhibiting reflectivity and transmissivity changeable in response to an electrical signal supplied to the connection terminal and a recording layer disposed at a beam incidence side of the reflection control layer. |
| US08125868B2 |
Optical disc, optical disc recording apparatus and method, optical disc reproducing method
The present invention provides an optical disc recording method of irradiating an optical beam to an optical disc including a basal plate made of synthetic resin which has a concavo-convex pattern formed in advance on one surface thereof, and a reflective coat made of metal which is formed over the concavo-convex pattern on the basal plate, to physically change the concavo-convex pattern so as to record identification data. |
| US08125867B2 |
Information recording medium, recording/reproducing apparatus, and recording/reproducing method to distinguish between an original recording block and a replacement recording block
An information recording medium, and a recording/reproducing apparatus and a recording/reproducing method for the recording medium. Original data is sequentially updated by replacing an original recording block with one or more replacement recording blocks. A replacement recording block includes at least one of an original address field indicating a location of the original recording block or a previous address field indicating a location of an immediately previous recording block. Replacement information is effectively recovered in a system where a replacement for logical overwriting (LOW) occurs in either a spare area and a user data area by reference to the address fields in each replacement recording block. |
| US08125865B2 |
Optical disc and optical disc apparatus
A recordable dual-layer optical disc which allows precise recording learning on both layers. A first information recording layer located further from the light incidence side includes a read-only control data area, a first test area, and a second test area. A second information layer located closer to the light incidence side includes a third test area located at a position opposite to the control data area, and a fourth test area located at a position opposite to the second test area. |
| US08125864B2 |
Information processing device and method, program, and recording/reproducing device
An information processing device includes: a correction coefficient holding unit configured to hold a correction coefficient which is a ratio between the position of a control target at a start time of control operation, and a detection signal indicating the control result of the control target; an initial-value-compensation matrix holding unit configured to hold an initial-value-compensation matrix for performing compensation of the initial value of a control computing unit for computing control output for controlling the control target from the detection signal based on the position and speed of the control target; and an initial-value generating unit configured to correct the position and speed of the control target at a start time of control operation with the correction coefficient, and employ the position and speed of the control target after correction, and the initial-value-compensation matrix to generate an initial-value-compensation value for compensating the initial value of the control computing unit. |
| US08125863B2 |
Integrated circuit, information recording/reproducing apparatus, and signal processing method
An information recording/reproducing apparatus including an optical pickup unit for generating an RF signal performs signal processing to acquire, at a restart of recording after a halt of recording, a data ID to be used as a reference for specifying a recording restart position in the recording medium based on the RF signal. The signal processing includes reproduced signal generation processing to generate a reproduced signal based on the RF signal, and data ID acquisition determination processing to determine, at the restart of recording after the halt of recording, whether or not the data ID has been properly acquired, based on the reproduced signal. If it is determined in the data ID acquisition determination step that the data ID has not been properly acquired, a reproduction parameter to be used for generating the reproduced signal in the reproduced signal generation step is adjusted. |
| US08125862B2 |
System and method for controlling tracking in an optical drive
The present techniques provide methods and systems for alignment of a read head with data tracks on an optical data disk. In embodiments, a multi-pixel detector that is segmented into multiple areas, or detector segments, may be used to detect a pattern in the light reflected from an optical data disk. The detector system may then combine the quantized values from each of the detector segments mathematically to determine the alignment of the read head with a target data track. If the read head drifts to one side or the other, detectors to the side of a center detector may start to pick up energy from the adjacent tracks. If this energy is continuously summed for the detectors on each side, the read head may be centered by balancing the sums from the detectors on each side. |
| US08125853B2 |
Watch bracelet
A watch bracelet includes two straps (12, 14; 46, 48), designed to be fixed to a watch case (24, 44) at one of the ends thereof, characterized in being provided with a lentiform loop (18, 40, 58) fixed thereto. |
| US08125852B2 |
Methods and systems for seismic signal detection
Methods and systems utilizing seismic sensors configured or designed for use in seismic signal detection. An electrical current is applied to a seismic sensor such that the moving coil is located at a neutral position relative to the magnetic field in the seismic sensor to compensate for gravitational acceleration. |
| US08125847B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and access method thereof
Example embodiments provide a semiconductor memory device that may include: a cell array arranged in pluralities of rows and columns; and a sense amplifier conducting writing and reading operations to the cell array in response to writing and reading commands in correspondence with an access time, which may be variable in period. The sense amplifier adjusts pulse widths of write-in and read-out data in accordance with a period of the access time. |
| US08125846B2 |
Internal voltage generating circuit of semiconductor memory device
An internal voltage generating circuit of a semiconductor memory device includes a driving current generator that controls the magnitude of a driving current and supplies a controlled driving current in response to signals activated according to an operational mode. A comparison voltage generator receives a reference voltage and an internal power supply voltage, outputs a differentially amplified comparison voltage in response to a voltage difference between the reference voltage and the internal power supply voltage, and operates according to the driving current. A bulk bias controller receives at least two voltages and selectively outputs a voltage as a bulk bias voltage in response to a power-down enable signal, a normal enable signal, and an operating enable signal. An internal voltage driver controls a threshold voltage in response to the bulk bias voltage, controls a current amount in response to the comparison voltage, and outputs the internal power supply voltage. |
| US08125834B2 |
Device and method for controlling solid-state memory system
A memory system includes an array of solid state memory devices which are in communication with and under the control of a controller module via a device bus with very few lines. This forms an integrated-circuit mass storage system which is contemplated to replace a mass storage system such as a disk drive memory in a computer system. Command, address and data information are serialized into component strings and multiplexed before being transferred between the controller module and the array of memory devices. The serialized information are is accompanied by a control signal to help sort out the multiplexed components. Each memory device in the array is mounted on a multi-bit mount and assigned an array address by it an array mount. An A memory device is selected by an appropriate address broadcast over the device bus, without requiring the usual dedicated select signal. A reserved array particular mount multi-bit configuration is used to unconditionally select the device mounted thereon. A reserved predefined address broadcast over the device bus deselects all previously selected memory devices. Read performance is enhanced by a read streaming technique in which while a current chunk of data is being serialized and shifted out of the memory subsystem devices to the controller module, the controller module is also setting up the address for the next chunk of data to begin to address the memory system. |
| US08125833B2 |
Adaptive dynamic reading of flash memories
A data storage device includes a controller and storage elements. The controller is configured to read a threshold voltage of each of a plurality of the storage elements to generate read threshold data and to assign reference voltages defining each of a plurality of voltage threshold states based on the read threshold data. |
| US08125829B2 |
Biasing system and method
Embodiments are provided that include a memory system that includes a memory system, having an access device coupled between a global line and a local line and a voltage source coupled to the global line and configured to output a bias voltage on the global line when the memory system is in a non-operation state. The access device is selected when the memory system is in the non-operation state, and the access device is deselected when the memory system is in an other state. Further embodiments provide, for example, a method that includes coupling a global access line to a local access line, biasing the local access line to a voltage other than a negative supply voltage while a memory device is in a first state and uncoupling the global access line from the local access line while the memory device is in an other state. |
| US08125826B2 |
Fractional bits in memory cells
Methods, devices, modules, and systems for programming memory cells can include storing charges corresponding to a data state that represents an integer number of bits in a set of memory cells. Programming memory cells can include storing a charge in a cell of the set, where the charge corresponds to a programmed state, where the programmed state represents a fractional number of bits, and where the programmed state denotes a digit of the data state as expressed by a number in base N, where N is equal to 2B, rounded up to an integer, and where B is equal to the fractional number of bits represented by the programmed state. |
| US08125824B1 |
Nanotube random access memory (NRAM) and transistor integration
A nanotube random access memory (NRAM) structure is provided. The structure includes a substrate, a gate electrode disposed in the substrate, and a first nanotube fabric disposed on the substrate. The first nanotube fabric has a channel region spaced apart from the gate electrode by a portion of the substrate. The structure also includes a drain contact contacting the first nanotube fabric. The structure also includes a second nanotube fabric disposed on the substrate, and is adjacent and connected to the first nanotube fabric. The structure also includes a source contact contacting the second nanotube fabric. The first nanotube fabric is a high-voltage fabric compared to the second nanotube fabric such that when a voltage is applied across the first nanotube fabric and the second nanotube fabric via the drain contact and the source contact, the second nanotube fabric is permitted to switch without switching the first nanotube fabric. |
| US08125823B2 |
Method and structure for ultra-high density, high data rate ferroelectric storage disk technology using stabilization by a surface conducting layer
A method and structure for a ferroelectric storage medium, includes a metallic underlayer and a ferroelectric data layer over the metallic underlayer. A layer over the ferroelectric data layer has a charge migration rate faster than a charge migration rate of the ferroelectric data layer. |
| US08125822B2 |
Reducing programming time of a memory cell
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for adjusting voltages of bit and word lines to program a two terminal memory cell. The invention may include setting a first line connected to a memory cell to a first voltage from a first line standby voltage, charging a second line connected to the memory cell to a predetermined voltage from a second line standby voltage, and switching the first line from the first voltage to a second voltage. The voltage difference between the first voltage and the predetermined voltage is such that a safe voltage results that does not program the memory cell. A voltage difference between the second voltage and the predetermined voltage is such that a programming voltage operative to program the memory cell results. |
| US08125821B2 |
Method of operating phase-change memory
One or more embodiments are related to a method of operating a phase-change memory array, including: providing the phase-change memory array, the phase-change memory array including a phase-change memory element in series with an access device between a first address line and a power line; causing a first current through the memory element from the first address line to the power line; and causing a second current through the memory element from the power line to the first address line. |
| US08125819B2 |
Asymmetric write current compensation using gate overdrive for resistive sense memory cells
Apparatus and associated method for asymmetric write current compensation for resistive sense memory (RSM) cells, such as but not limited to spin-torque transfer random access memory (STRAM) or resistive random access memory (RRAM) cells. In accordance with some embodiments, an RSM cell includes an RSM element coupled to a switching device. The switching device has a plurality of terminals. A control circuit compensates for asymmetric write characteristics of the RSM cell by limiting a range of voltage differentials across the terminals so as to be equal to or less than a magnitude of a source voltage applied to the switching device, thereby providing bi-directional write currents of substantially equal magnitude through the RSM element. |
| US08125816B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
According to the present invention, a semiconductor storage device includes: a first memory cell array including: a first bit line; a first plate line; a first memory cell; a first sense amplifier; a first reference power line configured to supply first reference voltage; a first switching module configured to control a connection between the first reference power line and the first bit line; a second memory cell array including: a second bit line; a second plate line; a second memory cell; a second sense amplifier; a second reference power line configured to supply second reference voltage; a second switching module configured to control a connection between the second reference power line and the second bit line; a control module configured to generate the control signal so as to control a time difference between the first memory cell array and the second memory cell array in precharge operation. |
| US08125813B2 |
Variance reduction simulation system, program product, and related methods
A system to provide enhanced computational efficiency in a simulation of particle transport through a medium, program product, and related methods are provided. The system can include a simulation data administrator server having access to an interaction database including records related to parameters describing interactions of particles in an absorbing medium to provide particle interaction parameters, and a simulated dose calculation computer in communication with the simulation data administrator server through a communications network. The system can also included simulated dose calculation program product stored in memory of the simulated dose calculation computer and including instructions that when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform for each of a plurality of particles deliverable from a particle source the operations of providing parameters for a medium to perform a Monte Carlo simulation to develop a map of simulated absorbed dose in the medium, and artificially adjusting simulation particle fluxes to achieve a substantially constant variance throughout a depth of the medium. |
| US08125806B2 |
Multi-stage switching power supply
A multi-stage power supply uses a boost stage and an inverter stage to boost the voltage value of a DC power supply to a desired level, and then convert the power into an AC form. The multi-stage power supply additionally has a controller which can simultaneously control the boost stage and the inverter stage using counter-synchronous signals. |
| US08125804B2 |
Circuit for minimizing standby power in power supply systems
The present invention relates to a circuit minimizing standby power in a power adapter with a power-frequency transformer (T1), which includes a sensing circuitry (1), a driving circuitry (2), a switching circuitry (3) and a resistive element (Z). When the sensing circuitry (1) senses a power supply signal of the power-frequency transformer (T1) in work mode, the switching circuitry (3) shorts the resistive element (Z); and when the power-frequency transformer (T1) is in standby mode, the electronic switch (3) is switched off and the resistive element (Z) is coupled to the power-frequency transformer (T1). The circuit attached to the power adapter reduces the standby power consumption very much, and achieves energy-saving effect with low cost. |
| US08125803B2 |
Signal converter for generating switch drive signals for a multi-level converter, drive circuit, pulse-width-modulation signal generator, multi-level converter, methods and computer program
A signal converter for generating switch drive signals for a multi-level converter includes a logic. In the presence of the first polarity, the logic sets the first switch drive signal and the third switch drive signal according to the pulse width modulation input signals, and sets the second switch drive signal to a signal level indicating a closed state of the second switch and the fourth switch drive signal to a given signal level indicating an opened state of the fourth switch. In the presence of the second polarity, the logic sets the second switch drive signal and the fourth switch drive signal according to the pulse-width-modulation input signals, sets the first switch drive signal to a signal level indicating an opened state of the first switch, and sets the third switch drive signal to a signal level indicating a closed state of the third switch. |
| US08125800B2 |
Secondary-side amplifier with soft start
An isolated switching regulator has a closed-loop soft-start feature that allows tighter regulation of the output voltage and eliminates or reduces overshoot. It also has an optional reset feature which will resoft-start the regulator during recovery from a fault on the output voltage. |