| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08240233B2 |
Connecting rod of a tool head
An improved connecting rod of a tool head includes a hollow rod having an assembly end and a tool head inserting end. The tool head inserting end is recessed axially to form a slot, and a radial through-hole is placed therethrough. An internal slider is assembled into the slot in an axial sliding and non-rotating state. The internal slider has a tool head abutting end and a radial groove. A magnetic member is assembled onto the tool head abutting end. An elastic bracing member is assembled between the internal slider and the inner wall of the slot, and elastically supports the internal slider. A control bead is assembled into the radial groove of the internal slider, and shifting elastically with assembly of an elastic member. One side of the control bead is aligned with the radial through-hole of the slot, so it can be protruded in a positioning state. |
| US08240232B2 |
Screwstrip advance mechanism and feeder for a power screwdriver
A power screwdriver is disclosed including a screw advance mechanism for advancing a screwstrip, and a hinged feed track for feeding the screwstrip to the screw advance mechanism. |
| US08240226B2 |
Speed-varying device and wind turbine generator system
A speed-varying device (10A) that can give a high gear ration with a small number of stages and that can be reduced in weight is provided. The speed-varying device (10A) is configured by combining parallel gears, and an input gear (11) provided on an input shaft (Si) and an output gears (12A, 12B) provided on an output shaft (So) are coupled to each other via a plurality of pinion shafts (Sv) that are arranged in the circumferential direction. The pinion shafts (Sv) are each provided with gears (13, 14A to 14D) having teeth different in number at both ends thereof. The gears (14A to 14D) disposed on the output shaft (So) side of the plurality of pinion shafts (Sv) are engaged with the plurality of output gears (12A, 12B) alternately in the circumferential direction. The output gears being arranged so as to be shifted from one another in the axial direction of the output shaft (So). |
| US08240224B2 |
Dual clutch five speed transmission
A transmission is connectable to an input member and includes an output member, first and second shafts, first and second countershafts, a plurality of co-planar gear sets, and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. The torque transmitting devices include a plurality of synchronizer assemblies and a dual clutch assembly. The transmission is operable to provide at least one reverse speed ratio and a plurality of forward speed ratios between the input member and the output member. |
| US08240222B2 |
Electrically driven linear actuator
An electrically driven linear actuator with a smooth motion of a ball screw provides an even load distribution as well as a stable motion of the balls and has an electric motor (5) mounted on a housing (4). A nut (8 or 16), adapted to mate with the screw shaft (7), has a pair of supporting portions (14) at an axially central position on the outer circumferential surface of the nut (8 or 16) to engage one end of a link (2). The nut (8, 16) is formed with a screw groove (8a). Oval bridge windows (10) are formed in the nut (8 or 16) through a wall with a portion of the screw groove (8a) cut out over a distance of at least two pitches of the screw grooves (8a). A bridge member (11), forming the circulating member, is fitted in each of the bridge windows (10). |
| US08240215B2 |
Non-contact pressure sensing using laser-induced dielectric breakdown
A technique for measuring pressure of a material directs one or more laser beams at the material (e.g., a pressurized fluid) to create a distribution of electromagnetic field intensity which varies over an intensity range and induces dielectric breakdown in the material. An emission pattern of broadband light from the dielectric breakdown is detected, and a value of a characteristic of the emission pattern (e.g., location of a threshold intensity or of a peak intensity) is processed (e.g., by a computer or similar electronic processor) to generate a pressure measurement signal representing a pressure of the material. Processing typically employs a pre-established calibration function which associates a set of stored values of the characteristic with corresponding known pressures of the material, obtained for example by preceding similar measurements of the same material under conditions of known pressures. |
| US08240210B2 |
Method and system for multimodal inspection with a coordinate measuring device
A method for integrating a measurement device for use in measuring a machine component includes providing a coordinate measuring device, such as a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), and integrating with a plurality of nondestructive examination (NDE) capabilities with a plurality of coordinate measuring device capabilities to form an inspection probe. The method further includes integrating the NDE inspection probe with the coordinate measuring device such that the inspection probe substantially simultaneously measures a plurality of NDE measurements and external/internal geometry and defects of machine component, which are linked to actual component dimensional information provided by CMM. The inspection data can be simultaneously linked to and/or displayed together with a CAD model to enable a direct comparison between the inspection data and the nominal requirements carried on the CAD model. |
| US08240209B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting damage to high-pressure tank
An acoustic emission sensor (AE sensor) is provided for non-destructive detection of a sign of failure that occurs upon filling a high-pressure tank with a fluid. One AE signal detected by the AE sensor is counted as one hit, the hit rate indicating the change in hits over time is found, and a sign of failure is detected from the change in the hit rate. When microcracks develop in the high-pressure tank, and a plurality of these microcracks join together and grow into a single, macroscopic crack, the hit rate of the AE signal no longer increases with respect to an increase in the internal pressure of the high-pressure tank, eventually reaching a saturation state. The hit rate in this saturation state is used to determine that there is a sign of failure. |
| US08240208B2 |
Guiding blade for a proof mass and micromachined electromechanical system using such blade
A monolithic guiding blade for a mobile proof mass in a monolithic electromechanical system micro-machined in a plate having thickness H and defining plane O,x,y, the system including a base and a measurement cell including the proof mass connected to the base by the guiding blade and capable of translation displacement along axis Oy, the blade extending along axis Ox and connected to a fixed portion of the base, the blade limiting movement of the proof mass along axis Ox, comprising: a first hinge section shaped as a parallelepiped having thickness h long axis Oz, length I1 along axis Ox and width L along axis Oy; a central section essentially shaped as a parallelepiped having thickness h long axis Oz, length It along axis Ox and width Lt along axis Oy; and a second hinge section essentially in the shape of a parallelepiped having thickness h long axis Oz, length I2 along axis Ox and width L along axis Oy. |
| US08240207B2 |
Fiber optic particle motion sensor and measuring method using the sensor
An optical sensor in which acceleration, acoustic velocity, or displacement (vibration) causes a corresponding shift in the center wavelength of the sensor output. The sensor can be coupled to a high-speed interferometric interrogator through an unbalanced fiber interferometer. The unbalanced interferometer functions to translate optical wavelength shift into phase shift, which is easily demodulated by the interrogator. A method of measuring acceleration uses the sensor. |
| US08240206B2 |
Motion detector for electronic devices
A motion detector (10) includes a chamber (102), a resilient suspension arm (104), an air bearing slider (110), at least one piezoresistive sensor (106), and an infrared sensor module (112). The chamber has a front plate (1024) and a back plate (1026) located on the opposite side of the chamber, and each of the front plate and the back plate has a first through hole (1030) and a plurality of second through hole (1032) formed therein. The resilient suspension arm is arranged in the chamber, and has a free distal end (1042). The air bearing slider is moveable coupled to the free distal end of the resilient suspension arm. The at least one piezoresistive sensor is attached on the air bearing slider. The infrared sensor module is arranged on the front plate of the chamber, for sensing infrared light. |
| US08240204B2 |
Synchronous detection circuit, sensing circuit, physical quantity measuring device, gyro sensor, and electronic apparatus
A synchronous detection circuit includes: an offset compensation circuit which generates an offset compensation voltage to compensate an offset voltage superposed on a direct current voltage signal; and a temperature compensation circuit which generates a temperature compensation voltage to compensate variation of a direct current reference voltage that depends on a temperature in a signal path of a sensing circuit. In the circuit, the synchronous detection circuit synchronously detects an alternating current signal, the offset compensation voltage and the temperature compensation voltage are respectively superposed on the alternating current signal which is input into the synchronous detection circuit, and the synchronous detection circuit synchronously detects the alternating current signal on which the offset compensation voltage and the temperature compensation voltage have been superposed. |
| US08240203B2 |
MEMS devices and methods with controlled die bonding areas
Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices and methods with controlled die bonding areas. An example device includes a MEMS die having a glass layer and a protective package. The glass layer includes a side facing the protective package with at least one mesa protruding from a recessed portion of the glass layer. The at least one mesa is attached to the protective package. An example method includes creating at least one mesa on a glass layer of a MEMS die and attaching the at least one mesa to a protective package. |
| US08240202B2 |
Hand dynamometer with improved configuration for grip strength assessment
A handle assembly mounted to a dynamometer measuring device including a base mounted to an input location of the measuring device. A plurality of arms extend in a lineal direction from the base and are arranged in spaced and gap defining fashion. The arms deflect inward relative to one another upon being exerted by a compressing force and concurrent with outputting a signal through at least one strain gauge wire extending from an interior of each arm to the measuring device. |
| US08240194B2 |
Methods and systems for diagnostics of an emission system with more than one SCR region
Methods and systems for controlling and/or diagnosing an emission control system of a vehicle having a first SCR region upstream of a second SCR region are provided herein. One exemplary method includes, indicating degradation based on a first SCR region performance during a first condition; and indicating degradation based on a second SCR region performance during a second condition, the first condition different than the second condition. In this way, different levels of degradation among different SCR regions may be used to indicate emissions levels have increased above a threshold value, for example. |
| US08240191B2 |
Universal power and testing platform
The present invention is directed to a Universal Power Platform (UPP) that powers the pump or pumps that may not be on the platform but that are in a skid subsea near the pipeline for a desired pre-commissioning method to be carried out, such as cleaning, filling, chemical treating, pigging, hydrostatic testing or dewatering the pipeline. The UPP is suspended from a vessel by an umbilical that provides the electric power for running the selected pump(s). The Power Platform also is used as a testing system for control umbilicals that usually are near the pipelines. |
| US08240187B2 |
Breath sampling device and method for using same
There is provided a breath sampling tube including an inner conduit, wherein at least a portion of the inner conduit is non-cylindrical and adapted to store liquids. There is also provided a breath sampling system including a gas analyzer and a breath sampling tube may include an inner conduit, wherein at least a portion of the inner conduit is non-cylindrical and adapted to store liquids. Also provided is a method of breath sampling including channeling breath through a tube having an inner conduit, wherein at least a portion of the inner conduit is non-cylindrical and adapted to store liquids. |
| US08240183B2 |
Method for the temperature treatment of extrusion tools
Method upon heating of extrusion tools (1) for the extrusion of metal into a profile and which extrusion tool is formed by an internal tool (5) that is receivable by a tool ring (4) and that has the intended hole-profile openings (6). In that connection, the entire extrusion tool (1) is heated, after which the temperature of the tool ring (4) only is lowered before subsequent introduction of the extrusion tool (1) into the press and the execution of the extrusion. |
| US08240179B2 |
Method and device for correcting a bevel error of a polygonal profile, in particular a flank alignment error of a toothing
The invention relates to a device for correcting a profile bevel error, in particular the tooth alignment error of the gear (V) of a workpiece (W), wherein said device (1) comprises a clamping device (3) for the workpiece (W), a tool (4) and at least one advancing device (7, 7′) generating the relative movement between the workpiece (W) and the tool (4). The inventive device is characterized in that it comprises a guide device (10, 10′) for the tool (4) and/or for the clamping device (3) which enables to carry out the rotating movement of the tool (4) and/or clamping device around the workpiece (W) axis (X) extending in an advance direction, wherein said rotating movement acts as a compensating movement. |
| US08240177B2 |
Keyed lock door handle
A door handle assembly that can be locked and unlocked using a key. The door handle assembly includes a bolt that is movable from an extended position to a retracted position. The first handle is coupled to the bolt and adapted to cause the bolt to retract when the first handle is pushed. A second handle is coupled to the bolt and adapted to cause the bolt to retract when the second handle is pulled. A key locking mechanism is coupled to the first handle. The key locking mechanism is adapted to selectively prevent the bolt from moving to the retracted position. A safety locking mechanism is coupled to the second handle. The safety locking mechanism is adapted to selectively prevent the bolt from moving to the retracted position. |
| US08240175B2 |
Drum type washing machine
A drum type washing machine having a control panel assembly which can make, not only an exterior of the drum type washing machine beautiful, but also enable the user to operate the drum type washing machine easily is provided. The drum type washing machine includes a body which forms an exterior of the drum type washing machine, a front plate secured to a front of the body, having a door mounted thereto, and a touch switch mounted to the front plate for applying a washing course. |
| US08240169B2 |
Vitreous silica crucible manufacturing apparatus
A vitreous silica crucible manufacturing apparatus includes a plurality of carbon electrodes configured to heat and melt raw material powder by arc discharge, and a value of a ratio R2/R1 of a diameter R2 of a front end of each of the carbon electrodes to a diameter R1 of a base end is set in a range of 0.6 to 0.8. Each carbon electrode has a diameter reduction portion formed at a front end position and reduced in diameter from a diameter R3 of a base end side to the diameter R2 of the front end. When a length of the diameter reduction portion is L1, the diameter of the front end is R2, the diameter of the base end is R1, an angle between the axis lines of the carbon electrodes is θ1, and X=(R1−R2)/2, a value of L1−(X/tan(θ1/2)) is set in a range of 50 to 150 mm. |
| US08240165B2 |
Liquid cooling circuits and method for electrical cabinets, drawers, bays, modules, circuit boards and electrical components using quick-disconnect fittings for interfacing to a host cooling source
A system and method for cooling heat generating components including an electronics cooling circuit loop having a liquid heat exchanger separable from a main liquid cooling circuit manifold by quick-disconnect fittings. This supports the use of different liquids in the electronics subsystem cooling circuit loop and in the main liquid manifold of the master cooling circuit. Also included are two phase loops and an optional compressor. |
| US08240164B2 |
Air conditioning apparatus having a blower downstream of the heat exchangers
An air conditioning system includes an air-conditioner casing, an air blower, a cooling heat exchanger, a heating heat exchanger, and a bypass passage. An electric motor of the blower has a rotating shaft that extends along a rotating shaft axis. An impeller of the blower suctions air from one side of the impeller along the rotating shaft axis to blow air in a radial direction of the impeller. The bypass passage causes cold air to bypass the heating heat exchanger. The air blower is located downstream of the cooling heat exchanger and the heating heat exchanger in a flow direction of air. The cooling heat exchanger and the heating heat exchanger are arranged in parallel with each other. The air blower is positioned on an imaginary extension of the heating heat exchanger. The rotating shaft is disposed in parallel with the heating heat exchanger. |
| US08240159B2 |
In-door fluid drainage system for a refrigerator
An in-door fluid drainage system for a refrigerator is disclosed. The drain fluid transfer system is described as extending from the door of a refrigerator to the lower compartment for transfer of drain fluid from the door to a drain fluid removal system. Also described is a drain fluid transfer system which comprises one or both of a transfer tube at least partially enclosed in a hinge assembly, and a valve assembly positioned at the lower portion of the door. |
| US08240158B2 |
Modified atmosphere for food preservation
An appliance system including a module removably mounted to an appliance, one or more removable gas canisters operably connected to the module, and a food retaining enclosed space operably connected to the module. The one or more gas canisters supply a modified atmosphere in the food retaining enclosed space to produce a modified atmosphere that enhances preservation of the food contained in the food retaining enclosed space. A method of modifying the atmosphere in a food storage space for food includes the steps of: providing a module capable of being removably engaged to an appliance and typically receiving power from the appliance and at least one removable gas canister; operatively connecting or otherwise engaging the module with the appliance; operatively connecting or otherwise engaging the module to a food storage area having an existing atmosphere; and removing at least a portion of the existing atmosphere from the food storage space and replacing it with a modified food storage atmosphere using at least one of the at least one removable gas canisters to supply the modified atmosphere to the food storage area. |
| US08240157B2 |
Climatic chamber and control method therefor
A climatic chamber for rapidly reaching and maintaining a predetermined air humidity and/or a predetermined temperature.The air in a sample space is conveyable by at least one fan from an outlet of sample space at least partially via a bypass branch and/or at least partially via a drying branch back to an inlet of sample space.The air is circulated continuously by the fans in a substantially self-contained circuit. The air is guided by guide elements through the bypass branch and/or drying branch. |
| US08240155B2 |
Method of presenting beer
A method for serving beer from a font includes the steps of first chilling a glass for the beer to a temperature of below, at least, −5° C. and then filling the glass with beer from the font, so that crystals of frozen beer are present in the drink below the head of foam on the beer that is created when the beer is poured. |
| US08240154B2 |
Cryopump, sputtering apparatus, and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus
A cryopump includes a thermal shield where a first condensing panel is provided; and a cryocooler connected to the thermal shield; wherein the thermal shield is divided into a plurality of members including a first member and a second member; the first member forms a thermal path between the first condensing panel and the cryocooler; the second member does not form the thermal path; the first member is made of a material having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of a material of the second member; and a material, having a heat capacity smaller than a heat capacity of the first member in a case where the heat capacity of the first member and the heat capacity of the second member are compared with each other under the conditions of the same volumes, is used as the material of the second member. |
| US08240152B2 |
Control systems and method for controlling a load point of a gas turbine engine
Control systems and a method for controlling a load point of a gas turbine engine are provided. A control system includes a controller that receives a temperature signal and a pressure signal associated with exhaust gases from the gas turbine engine. The controller is further configured to generate the fuel control signal. The controller is further configured to generate an actuator control signal such that flow restriction member is moved from the first operational position to the second operational position to restrict the flow path such that the exhaust gases have a temperature level within a desired turndown temperature range, the pressure level in the exhaust gases is less than a threshold pressure level, and the load point of the gas turbine engine is adjusted to toward a target load point. |
| US08240151B2 |
Fuel injector nozzles for gas turbine engines
A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine comprises a housing stem and a nozzle, the nozzle including an internal wall in heat transfer relation with fuel flowing through the nozzle, and an external wall in heat transfer relation with ambient air. The internal and external walls have downstream tip ends that are relatively moveable at an interface due to relative thermal growth during operation of the engine. An internal insulating gap is disposed between the internal and external walls to provide a heat shield for the internal wall, and a bellows internal to the injector has an upstream end sealingly attached to an upstream portion of one of the internal and external walls, and a downstream end sealingly attached to a downstream portion of the other wall to fluidly separate the insulating gap from any fuel entering into the nozzle through the interface. |
| US08240149B2 |
Organic rankine cycle system and method
An ORC system configured to limit temperature of a working fluid below a threshold temperature is provided. The ORC system includes a heat source configured to convey a waste heat fluid. The ORC system also includes a heat exchanger coupled to the heat source. The heat exchanger includes an evaporator configured to receive the waste heat fluid from the heat source and vaporize the working fluid, wherein the evaporator is further configured to allow heat exchange between the waste heat fluid and the vaporized working fluid at an elevated temperature and further produce an evaporator outlet flow including a lower temperature waste heat fluid. The heat exchanger also includes a superheater configured to receive the lower temperature waste heat fluid from the evaporator, wherein the superheater is further configured to allow heat exchange between the lower temperature waste heat fluid and a relatively higher temperature working fluid contained in the superheater and further produce a superheater outlet flow comprising an elevated temperature waste heat fluid. The heat exchanger further includes a preheater configured to receive the elevated temperature waste heat fluid from the superheater and allow heat exchange with a relatively lower temperature working fluid in a liquid state contained in the preheater. |
| US08240143B2 |
Hydraulic energy recovery system
A circuit having at least one hydraulic motor, two main ducts for feeding or discharging the at least one motor, a low-pressure fluid source, and a high-pressure accumulator forming a high-pressure fluid source. The circuit is suitable for operating in an energy recovery mode in which the feed main duct is connected to the low-pressure fluid source and the discharge main duct is connected to the high-pressure accumulator, and in an energy delivery mode in which the connections are inverted. The low-pressure fluid source has a high-flow-rate booster pump suitable for delivering a flow-rate of fluid that is sufficient to feed fluid to the at least one hydraulic motor while the motor is at maximum speed in energy recovery mode, and an adjustable pressure limiter suitable for being controlled so as to cause the pressure of the fluid at the outlet of the low-pressure fluid source to vary. |
| US08240139B2 |
Method for purifying nitrogen oxide in exhaust gas and exhaust system operating the same
An exhaust system may include an injector mounted at an exhaust pipe or an engine and additionally injecting fuel, a diesel fuel cracking catalyst mounted at the exhaust pipe downstream of the injector and converting additionally injected fuel into a high-reactivity reducing agent through thermal cracking, a DE-NOx catalyst mounted at the exhaust pipe downstream of the diesel fuel cracking catalyst, storing the nitrogen oxide contained in the exhaust gas, and releasing the stored nitrogen oxide by the additionally injected fuel so as to reduce the nitrogen oxide through oxidation-reduction reaction with the high-reactivity reducing agent, and a control portion controlling an additional injection of fuel according to driving condition of the engine, wherein the control portion may control the injector to additionally inject the fuel according to a predetermined injection pattern in a case that driving condition of the engine satisfies an additional injection condition of the fuel and an additional injection timing condition of the fuel. |
| US08240138B2 |
System and method for reducing particulate matter emission in diesel exhaust gas
An aftertreatment system is provided for reducing particulate matter emission and chemical emissions in diesel engine exhaust gas. The system includes a diesel particulate filter including a plurality of diesel particulate filter units configured to engage respective cross-sectional regions of the diesel engine exhaust gas including particulate matter. Each diesel particulate filter unit includes a plurality of channels aligned in a flow direction of the diesel engine exhaust gas. The channels are selectively configured with a distinct cross-sectional area density. Additionally, each diesel particulate filter unit includes a plurality of walls separating adjacent channels of the plurality of channels, where the walls have a respective thickness. A plurality of pores are configured to vacate a distinct ratio of the area of the walls. |
| US08240137B2 |
Reductant injection and decomposition system
According to one embodiment, a reductant injection apparatus includes an injector attachment portion to which a reductant injector is coupleable. The apparatus also includes a perforated tubular portion coupled to the injector attachment portion. The perforated tubular portion includes an inlet, an outlet, and a diverging sidewall extending from the inlet to the outlet. Additionally, a plurality of perforations is formed in the sidewall. A reductant spray can be injected into the perforated tubular portion via the inlet. Further, a portion of a bulk exhaust gas stream can be diverted into the perforated tubular portion through the plurality of perforations, through the perforated tubular element, and out of the perforated tubular portion through the plurality of perforations. The portion of exhaust gas stream can then be rejoined with the bulk exhaust gas stream downstream of the perforated tubular portion. |
| US08240135B2 |
Exhaust system mixing device
A mixing device comprises a circular disc of fin sections positioned so as to create openings in the inner and outer regions of the mixing device that generate oppositely rotating flows of exhaust gas. Each fin section may be identical, and may be created by a stamping process. The smooth surface of each fin section reduces creases, and thus, is less prone to urea buildup. |
| US08240134B2 |
Engine with exhaust cooling and method
An engine arrangement includes an engine, an exhaust line downstream of the engine, an aftertreatment device in the exhaust line, and a conduit between a source of fluid and a point in the exhaust line upstream of the aftertreatment device. A method is also disclosed. |
| US08240127B2 |
Method for the voltage-controlled performance regulation of the heating of an exhaust-gas probe
The invention relates to a method for the voltage-controlled performance regulation of the heating of an exhaust-gas probe in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine. The aim of the invention is to provide a method in which the operating temperature of the probe is achieved in the shortest possible time without damage to the probe. To achieve this, the heating voltage during the heating phase of the probe is rapidly brought up to a high temperature in a start phase in relation to a subsequent phase, or a dramatic leap in temperature is achieved, preferably up to the full operating voltage and the heating voltage is then continuously or quasi-continuously reduced. |
| US08240124B2 |
Method of taking off auxiliary power from an airplane turbojet, and a turbojet fitted to implement such a method
A method for producing the electrical power required for equipment on board an airplane is disclosed. Auxiliary power is taken off by a shaft driven by the high pressure turbine and, when idling, the efficiency of the low pressure turbine is degraded so as to enable the high pressure turbine to operate at a speed that is sufficient for delivering the required auxiliary power. |
| US08240120B2 |
Vibration management for gas turbine engines
Systems and methods involving vibration management of gas turbine engines are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: detecting vibrations of a gas turbine engine; automatically adjusting rotational speed of a component of the gas turbine engine in order to attempt to reduce the vibrations to within predefined vibration limits; and automatically adjusting operating parameters of the gas turbine engine such that, if the vibrations are reduced to within the predefined vibration limits, thrust of the gas turbine engine is set to an amount of thrust corresponding to the amount of thrust provided prior to the adjusting of the rotational speed of the component. |
| US08240119B2 |
High-strength cable
A high-strength cable having a twisted layer of non-metallic reinforcing elements in outer coatings is disclosed. The reinforcing elements include coating elements, fiber elements of copolyparaphenylene-3,4′-oxydiphenyleneterephthalic amide disposed in the coating elements, and filling materials filled between the fiber elements, respectively. The lateral compression stress of the fiber elements of the copolyparaphenylene-3,4′-oxydiphenyleneterephthalic amide is 75 cN/dtex or more. |
| US08240117B1 |
Pickup helper feeding roll
A crop pickup apparatus for a round baler in which the pickup apparatus substantially wider than the bale chamber inlet opening. The pickup includes a pair of large crop converging augers situated along a common axis, one each on opposing sides of the crop inlet, and forwardly adjacent to the bale chamber infeed throat. The pickup apparatus also include a secondary crop feeding roll having a plurality of generally radially extending fingers that upwardly extend into the crop mat in an area adjacent to the converging augers to convey crop material from a forwardly disposed pickup tine reel to the inlet opening. The fingers are arranged to partially overlap with tines on the tine reel so that the crop material is generally continuously urged along the entire longitudinal feed path into the inlet opening. |
| US08240114B2 |
Crop harvesting header with rotary disks and impellers for transferring the crop inwardly to a discharge opening
A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening and a transfer roller is mounted behind the disks and in front of the nip. At each end, two disks are mounted outwardly of the discharge opening each rotating so that its blade moves inwardly and each carries an impeller to carry the crop inwardly. A third disk is arranged so that a line forward of the end of the discharge opening intersects the third disk inward of the axis of the third disk. The third disk rotates so that its blade moves outwardly so that the crop tends to pass between the second and third disks. A pair of impellers are mounted behind the second disk and move inwardly to carry the cut crop to the discharge opening. |
| US08240113B2 |
Wedge apparatus for a stirrup to alleviate knee pain in horseback riders
A wedge apparatus for a stirrup for reducing alleviating pain on a horseback rider's knees and ankles, the stirrup comprising a pair of opposing side bars, a hangar bar portion and a footrest bar, the wedge apparatus comprising (a) a wedge associated with the footrest bar, the wedge having a lateral portion and a medial portion, the lateral portion being thicker than and tapering toward the medial portion; (b) an impact-absorbing material; and, (c) an attachment mechanism for attaching the wedge and the impact-absorbing material to the footrest bar. |
| US08240105B2 |
Positive connector
There is disclosed a method of connecting a geogrid to a segmental retaining wall with the use of positive connectors between upper and lower blocks. |
| US08240100B2 |
Laminated shingle with wider nailing zone
A multiple-layer laminated shingle and a method of making the shingle are provided, in which at least one adhesive of high temperature resistance is applied for securing the shingle layers together, to reduce reliance on a roofer having to fasten (via nails, staples or other fasteners) through a narrow headlap zone of a posterior shingle layer in order to secure the posterior shingle layer to a roof; such that a vertically wide portion of the headlap area of the anterior shingle layer is presented to the roofer as a nailing zone. |
| US08240099B2 |
Architectural panel system
An architectural panel system including a plurality of architectural panels, a first mounting extrusion attached to a first architectural panel, and a second mounting extrusion attached to a second architectural panel, as well as a first anchor clip including a first attachment configuration that enables the first mounting extrusion to be slidably attached thereto, and a second anchor clip including a second attachment configuration that enables the second mounting extrusion to be slidably attached thereto. The system also includes a panel joint filler strip. The first mounting extrusion includes a first pocket portion, and the second mounting extrusion includes a second pocket portion that is shallower than the first pocket portion. The first and second pocket portions cooperate with each other to seat the panel joint filler strip. Also disclosed are methods of installing the panel system and of replacing a damaged panel of an installed array of panels. |
| US08240098B2 |
Molding profile and molding profile assembly
A molding profile assembly has a first and second molding profile. The first molding profile, whose upper surface is to form the upper surface of the molding profile assembly, has a groove formed into an under-surface of a first arm and a groove formed into a foot perpendicular to the arm. The second molding profile has first and second tabs which fit snugly into the first and second grooves of the first molding profile, respectively, interlocking the first and second molding profiles together. The molding profiles do not require scraping, stripping or other permanent alteration in order to be assembled together. |
| US08240095B1 |
Deck assembly with liner panel
A deck system is made by joining deck units, each having a hat-shaped profile fastened to the topside of a profiled bottom panel. The bottom panel has nestable or interlocking side laps and one or more “dove-tail” shaped recesses formed therein. These recesses, which may be concave upward or downward, give the deck unit additional strength as a defined, confined location for use to run conduit and to provide vertical support for vertical loads. The deck system may be combined with a layer of concrete for use as a floor or roof. |
| US08240088B2 |
Regulation mechanism for sliding doors
The invention relates to a regulation mechanism for built-in sliding doors of the type comprising a sliding leaf (4), a guide (6) in the lower part of said sliding leaf (4) and a fixed stop (16) inside said guide (6), comprising a cover (1) fixed at the end of the sliding leaf (4), a mobile stop (2) slidable through the inner part of the guide (6) situated between the cover (1) and the fixed stop (16), and an adjustment screw (3) traversing the cover (1) and the mobile stop (2) by means of which the relative position between both elements (1) and (2) is regulated. |
| US08240087B2 |
Sliding window assembly having an encapsulation with a silicone-based polymer
A sliding window assembly for a vehicle includes a sliding panel and a rail. The rail defines a channel for receiving the sliding panel. The sliding panel is movable between a closed position and an open position along the rail. An encapsulation at least partially encapsulates the sliding panel. The encapsulation includes a silicone-based polymer that has a minimal coefficient of friction. The encapsulation provides operational advantages to the sliding window assembly. |
| US08240086B2 |
Window lift apparatus, door module, motor vehicle door and method for installation of a window lift apparatus
A window lift arrangement with a driver for a window pane, an inner door panel, positioning instruments for positioning the driver relative to the inner door panel in an installation position for installation of the window pane, wherein the positioning instruments can assume a first and a second position, wherein the positioning instruments in the first position define the installation position and wherein the positioning instruments in the second position enable a movement of the driver for opening and closing the installed window pane. |
| US08240077B2 |
Range finder for weapons
A range finder includes housing, circuitry, a lens, a display, and a plurality of threaded apertures. The housing has a front end, a rear end, and a bottom portion extending between the front end and the rear end. The range finder circuitry is located within the housing. The lens is located at the front end of the housing. The display is located at the rear end of the housing. The plurality of threaded apertures are located in the bottom portion of the housing. |
| US08240076B2 |
Cover for a telescopic sight
A covering device for an elongated telescopic sight that is mounted on a gun shaft, wherein the elongated telescopic sight has a first end and a second end, the covering device comprising a first pocket having an opening and a coverable end and a second pocket having an opening and a coverable end, wherein the first pocket is coupled to the second pocket by an intermediate member, oriented non-linearly relative to the second pocket, and is facing in at least a substantially opposite direction as the second pocket; wherein the first pocket is coverable upon the first end of the telescopic sight, the intermediate member is wrappable around, underneath or over at least a portion of the gun shaft and the second pocket is coverable upon the second end of the telescopic sight. |
| US08240072B2 |
Groove-mount fabric display system with two-part frame
A groove-mount fabric display system with two-part frame comprises an outer frame element, an insert frame element and one or two flexible display panels. The two-part frame is quickly assembled by inserting and deploying the insert frame element within the rigid outer frame element. The frame elements can be manufactured from flat stock materials which are relatively inexpensive to purchase and shape. The interface of the frame elements forms one or more grooves near the perimeter of the resulting two-part frame. The grooves accept mounting gaskets connected at the peripheries of each display panel. Embodiments may include one or more internally-positioned compression tubes to help maintain internal structural rigidity and the integrity of the grooves. What results is a more cost-effective, robust, three-dimensional display capable of supporting fabric display panels in tension over extended periods of use. |
| US08240069B2 |
Snow shovel with spring loaded shovel head
The manually powered wheeled-levered shovel/launcher device for the purpose of snow removal, which has a handle, and shovel shaft pivoted to the handle at one end and a snow shovel head at the other end of the shovel shaft. A collapsible foldable wheel assembly acts as a fulcrum is attached to the device for easy handling a snow load. The shovel head is able to tilt downward against a spring-loaded mechanism for the purpose of altering the launch direction from upward direction due to centrifugal force around the wheel resting on the ground to forward direction when a sudden force downward is applied on the handle. |
| US08240068B1 |
Accessory for protecting boots from wear and tear
A boot accessory for attaching to a side of a boot comprising an elongated bar having an outer face and an inner face; wherein a first indentation is disposed in the outer face at a first end of the bar and a second indentation is disposed in the outer face at a second end of the bar; wherein the inner face is attached to the side of the boot such that the outer face extends outwardly from the boot; wherein a first screw is driven from the first indentation through the bar and into the side of the boot and a second screw is driven from the second indentation though the bar and into the side of the boot. |
| US08240064B2 |
Dryer with recirculated air proportion and method for its operation
A dryer includes a drying chamber for the articles to be dried, a supply air duct, a process air duct, a heater in the process air duct for heating process air, a blower that guides the heated process air over the articles to be dried, an exhaust air duct that directs exhaust air to an exhaust air outlet, and an internally and/or externally cleanable lint filter in a recirculated air duct that splits at a branching-off point from the process air duct to the heater and the exhaust air duct which leads to the exhaust air outlet, and wherein the recirculated air duct joins the supply air duct upstream of the heater. |
| US08240057B2 |
Self-aligned stylus with high-sphericity and method of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing a self-aligned stylus with high sphericity includes the steps of: forming a polymeric layer on a substrate; placing a sphere on the polymeric layer; softening the polymeric layer to make a portion of the sphere sink into the polymeric layer; forming a specific light absorbing layer on the polymeric layer; illuminating the sphere and the specific light absorbing layer with specific light such that the specific light is focused by the sphere to expose the polymeric layer to form an exposed portion and an unexposed portion; removing the specific light absorbing layer; and baking the polymeric layer and then removing the unexposed portion. A self-aligned stylus with high sphericity is also disclosed. |
| US08240056B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring bevel perimeter of spectacle lens
A bevel perimeter measurement apparatus (1) includes a retractable slider (3), a stylus holder (5) disposed to be vertically movable on the slider (3), a stylus (13) which has a bevel measurement groove (30) formed on its outer periphery and is provided on the stylus holder (5), a pressing force application device (14) which moves the slider (3) forward at the time of bevel measurement to press the stylus (13) against the edge surface (50c) of a spectacle lens (50), and a retracting device (19) which holds the stylus holder (5) at the retraction position during non-measurement. When the stylus holder (5) is released from the retracting device (19) at the time of measurement, it ascends using the spring force of biasing springs (27) to engage the bevel measurement groove (30) in the stylus (13) with a bevel (52) of the spectacle lens (50). |
| US08240053B1 |
Ramp assembly installation method
Exemplary methods are provided for installing a ramp assembly into a vehicle. The vehicle includes a floor, a vehicle well disposed in the floor, an inboard and outboard ramp support members. In one embodiment, ramp assembly mounts, such as mounting blocks, are utilized for installing the ramp assembly into the vehicle. |
| US08240049B2 |
Tube stub removal apparatus
An improved apparatus and method of removing tubes and/or tube stubs from structures comprising multiple tubes wherein induction heating is utilized to heat the tube stub prior to removal. |
| US08240044B2 |
Method for adjusting unevenness of top flange of wind turbine generator tower
The unevenness of the upper surface of a top flange of a wind turbine generator tower is adjusted by arranging shim plates on the upper surface of the top flange and by adjusting the thicknesses and/or number of the shim plates to be disposed at individual positions. First, the roughness levels of the upper surface of the top flange are measured at a plurality of measuring points in a state in which a nacelle of the wind turbine generator is not mounted on the tower, which is vertically erected. Next, the thicknesses and/or number of the shim plates to be disposed on the individual plurality of measuring points to adjust the unevenness of the upper surface of the top flange are determined in accordance with the measured roughness levels of the upper surface of the top flange. |
| US08240043B2 |
Method of forming a windage cover for a gas turbine engine the method including forming a continuous ring from a sheet of metal and bending and cutting the continuous ring to form at least two arcuate segments
A stator assembly having a windage cover for structure adjacent to a cavity bounded by rotating elements in a rotary machine is disclosed. Various construction details are developed for damping vibrations in the windage cover as the windage cover bounds a cavity having swirling high velocity gases that are capable of transmitting acoustic energy and kinetic energy to adjacent structure. In one detailed embodiment, the windage cover in the uninstalled condition has diverging arms that are resiliently compressed during installation to exert a frictional force on the adjacent structure. |
| US08240039B2 |
Method for producing piston for internal-combustion engine
A method is provided for producing a piston for an internal-combustion engine of the structure in which a piston body which is composed of a crown having a groove for fitting a piston ring into an outer circumference surface and a skirt in connection with the bottom of the crown is provided with an annular cavity for flowing cooling liquid on an inside of the groove, the method comprising the steps of: forming the crown and the skirt individually; forming an annular groove for the annular cavity in the inner bottom of the crown and an annular rib in connection with the open edge of the annular groove before the crown and the skirt are joined together; bending the rib toward the opening of the annular groove by application of pressure to close the opening of the annular groove to thereby form the annular cavity; and joining the crown and the skirt together. |
| US08240037B2 |
Process for producing a circuit module
A process for producing a circuit module including, carried out in this order, preparing a ceramic carrier substrate having ceramic substrate pads for mounting electronic parts, forming solder paste layers on the ceramic substrate pads, forming precoated solder layers by heating the ceramic carrier substrate having the solder paste layers on the ceramic substrate pads to melt the solder paste layers, and then cooling for solidifying the solder, preliminarily fixing stepped lid having protrusions adjacent to a cavity and dents adjacent to the cavity with the protrusions intervening therebetween to the precoated solder layers of the ceramic carrier substrate and joining the stepped lid to the ceramic carrier substrate with solder by placing the ceramic carrier substrate having the stepped lid preliminarily fixed to the precoated solder layers in a reflow furnace. |
| US08240036B2 |
Method of producing a circuit board
An object of an aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a circuit board that allows highly accurate preservation of the circuit profile and gives a circuit having a desired depth in preparation of a fine circuit by additive process.The method of producing a multilayer circuit board in an aspect of the present invention includes a film-forming step of forming a swellable resin film on the surface of an insulative substrate, a circuit groove-forming step of forming circuit grooves having a depth equal to or greater than the thickness of the swellable resin film on the external surface of the swellable resin film, a catalyst-depositing step of depositing a plating catalyst or the precursor thereof on the surface of the circuit grooves and the surface of the swellable resin film, a film-separating step of swelling the swellable resin film with a particular liquid and then separating the swollen resin film from the insulative substrate surface, and a plating processing step of forming an electrolessly plated film only in the region where the plating catalyst or the plating catalyst formed from the plating catalyst precursor remains unseparated after separation of the swellable resin film. |
| US08240030B2 |
Method for manufacturing electronic device
To provide a method for forming an opening with high accuracy in an insulating film obtained by curing a prepreg including a reinforcing material in a step of exposing a terminal portion sealed with the insulating film, with the use of a means other than laser beam irradiation. A protrusion is formed using a conductor. An uncured prepreg including a reinforcing material is closely attached to the protrusion and the prepreg is cured, so that an insulating film including the reinforcing material is formed. A portion of a top surface of the insulating film protrudes due to the protrusion. The protruding portion is preferentially removed together with the reinforcing material to form an opening in the insulating film by grinding treatment or the like, so that an opening which exposes the protrusion is formed in the insulating film. |
| US08240026B2 |
Method of manufacturing a magneto-resistive device
A method for manufacturing a magneto-resistive device. The magneto-resistive device is for reducing the deterioration in the characteristics of the device due to annealing. The magneto-resistive device has a magneto-resistive layer formed on one surface side of a base, and an insulating layer formed of two layers and deposited around the magneto-resistive layer. The layer of the insulating layer closest to the base is made of a metal or semiconductor oxide. This layer extends over end faces of a plurality of layers made of different materials from one another, which make up the magneto-resistive device, and is in contact with the end faces of the plurality of layers with the same materials. |
| US08240023B2 |
Method for manufacturing a quartz crystal unit
A method for manufacturing a quartz crystal unit comprises the steps of forming a quartz crystal tuning fork resonator vibratable in a flexural mode of an inverse phase and having a quartz crystal tuning fork base and first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines connected to the quartz crystal tuning fork base, forming at least one groove having at least three stepped portions in at least one of opposite main surfaces of each of first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines, disposing an electrode on a surface of one of the at least three stepped portions of the at least one groove and an electrode on one of opposite side surfaces of each of the first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines, mounting the quartz crystal tuning fork resonator on a mounting portion of a case, and connecting a lid to the case to cover an open end of the case, wherein the step of forming the quartz crystal tuning fork base and the first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines is performed before the step of forming the at least one groove having the at least three stepped portions. |
| US08240022B2 |
Methods of connecting an antenna to a transponder chip
Method of connecting an antenna wire to a transponder chip. A transponder chip or chip module in a recess in a substrate, and an antenna wire mounted to the surface of the substrate and having end portions spanning the recess. The end portions are spaced wider than the chip, to allow the chip to be inserted (installed) into the recess from the same side as the antenna past the end portions of the antenna wire. The chip may be moved in the recess so that its terminals are under the wires, or the wires may be repositioned to be over the terminals, for subsequently bonding thereto. Prior to installing the chip in the recess, insulation may be removed from the end portions of the antenna wire, which may also be flattened to improve bonding. |
| US08240020B2 |
Stent retention mold and method
A stent retention mold includes two half-molds, each half-mold including a stent supporting surface, and a plurality of protrusions disposed on at least one of the stent supporting surfaces. A stent retention method includes retaining a stent to a balloon using a split mold that includes a stent supporting surface having a plurality of protrusions, so that a portion of the balloon extends through a gap of the stent into a space between two protrusions. |
| US08240019B2 |
Trunnion painting fixture
A painting tool for painting a vehicle wheel is disclosed. The tool includes a base and a plurality of idler wheels rotatably coupled to the base. The wheels are disposed about the base to rotatably support a workpiece. A motor is coupled to the base and includes a motor output disposed to engage the workpiece and to rotate the workpiece on the plurality of idler wheels about a workpiece axis. A mask is operatively coupled to the base. The mask is movable between an engaged position wherein the mask obscures a portion of the workpiece and a disengaged position wherein the mask is disposed away from the workpiece. A method of painting a vehicle wheel is also disclosed. |
| US08240018B2 |
Device for pulling out a terminal clamp
The invention relates to a device for pulling out a terminal clamp with a fastening section for fastening the device to the terminal clamp and a grip section. The fastening section and the grip section are connected by a pivotable connection. A second fastening device for detachable fastening of the grip section to the terminal clamp is provided on this grip section. |
| US08240017B2 |
Releasable pry bar
An apparatus for releasably attaching a pushing tool to one work piece such that a pushing force can be applied to a second work piece and allow alignment of the two work pieces for joining the work pieces together. |
| US08240011B2 |
Device for fastening interchangeable watchstraps with sliding lock mechanism
A device for fastening interchangeable watchstraps with sliding lock mechanism, in particular for a watchcase, including a middle (1) and two pairs of horns (2), each horn being provided on its inner face with a skid (8) with one bevelled edge and a gap (10). Each watchstrap strand (3) includes a first link (4) on the lateral faces of which are found two grooves (5) adapted to the shape of the skids (8). Each groove contains a pin (6) connected to a head (7) and to a spring. The fastening takes place when the skids (8) engage in the grooves (5) of the first link (4) until locking of the pins (6) in the gaps (10). The watchstrap can be released by acting on the two heads (7) which retract the pins (6) from the gaps (10), making it possible to withdraw the watchstrap strand (3). |
| US08239994B2 |
Scraping element for a pipeline pig
A scraping element for a pipeline pig, includes a moulded body having a circular peripheral scraping edge circumscribing the body and adapted to engage an interior surface of a pipeline. The body is adapted to be mounted to a pipeline pig. A wear resistance material embedded in the scraping edge of the body. |
| US08239991B2 |
Electric-electronic toothbrush
An electric-electronic toothbrush carries a brush driven to vibrate, and arranged to flow an electric current into a user's oral cavity for promoting removal of tooth plaque. The electric-electronic toothbrush has a shaft driven to vibrate along and/or about an axis of the shaft, and a battery supplying the electric current. The shaft is electrically conductive to flow the electric current into a brush electrode of a brush head. The shaft is electrically connected to the battery by way of an extendible electrically conductive coupler within the handle. The electrically conductive coupler has its one end secured to the shaft, and the other end to an electrically conductive member connected to one of poles of the battery, so as to absorb the vibration of the shaft. The handle is provided on its outer peripheral surface with a touch electrode. The electric-electronic toothbrush is arranged to give predetermined electric potentials respectively to the brush electrode and the touch electrode, so as to flow a microelectric current onto the tooth surface for removal of tooth plaque during user's tooth brushing due to vibration of a brush. |
| US08239990B2 |
Apparatus and method for machine washing
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for machine washing that includes a sterilizer capable of continuously exhibiting antibiotic and sterilization functions during washing and rinsing processes and reducing the consumption amount of Ag. The washing machine comprises a water reservoir to contain washing water, a sterilizer sterilizing the washing water through an electrolysis process, and a circulator circulating the washing water in the sterilizer. |
| US08239989B2 |
Method for removing odor of laundry in washing machine
A method for removing odor of laundry in a washing machine comprises inputting laundry into an inner tub, supplying steam to the laundry, and rotating the inner tub. Odor of the laundry is rapidly and easily removed without performing a cleaning process using water, and the fabrication cost is reduced. |
| US08239988B2 |
Leg elevating device, system and method
The present disclosure describes devices, methods, and systems for leg elevation. The leg elevating device includes a leg support platform, a base platform positioned adjacent the leg support platform, and a first and second lift positioned between and coupled to the leg support platform and the base platform. The leg support platform can have a first horizontal position relative the base platform when the first and second lift are in a first position, an angled position relative the base platform when the first lift is in a second position and the second lift is in the first position, and a second horizontal position relative the base platform when the first and second lift are in a second position. Also, the leg support platform can be a predetermined height above a floor surface when in the first horizontal position, such that the leg elevating device is locatable under furniture. |
| US08239978B2 |
Vision through photodynamic therapy of the eye
Photodynamic therapy of conditions of the eye, especially those conditions characterized by unwanted neovasculature, such as age-related macular degeneration, results in enhanced visual acuity for treated subjects. |
| US08239977B2 |
Automatic retractable hot tub cover apparatus and system
An automatic retractable and advanceable hot tub cover system comprising: a rear cross member, with a first end and a second end; a first boot assembly, in rotatable and slidable communication with the first end of the rear cross member; a second boot assembly, in rotatable and slidable communication with the second end of the rear cross member; a first rear main lift arm fixedly attached to near the first end of the rear cross member, the first rear main lift arm having a first angled end; a second rear main lift arm fixedly attached to near the second end of the rear cross member, the second rear main lift arm having a second angled end; a shackle connector with a first shackle connector end, and a second shackle connector end, the first shackle connector end rotatably attached to the first angled end; a front cover lift arm, with a front cover lift arm angled end, the front cover lift arm angled end rotatably attached to the first shackle connector end; a front cover actuator, with a front cover actuator rod, the front cover actuator rotatably attached to the first rear main lift arm, and the front cover actuator rod rotatably attached to the second shackle connector end; a front actuator/cover connector-damper, with a damper rod, the front actuator/cover connector-damper rotatably attached to a distal end of the front cover lift arm, and the damper rod rotatably attached to the second shackle connector end; and a right cover lift actuator, with a right cover lift actuator rod, the right cover lift actuator rotatably attached to the first boot assembly, and the right cover lift actuator rod rotatably attached to the first rear main lift arm. |
| US08245318B2 |
Sidewall tracing nanoprobes, method for making the same, and method for use
Sidewall tracing nanoprobes, in which the tip shape of the nanoprobe Is altered so that the diameter or width of the very tip of the probe is wider than the diameter of the supporting stem. Such side protruding probe tips are fabricated by a subtractive method of reducing the stem diameter, an additive method of increasing the tip diameter, or sideway bending of the probe tip. These sidewall tracing nanoprobes are useful for inspection of semiconductor devices, especially to quantitatively evaluate the defects on the side wall of trenches or via holes. |
| US08245314B2 |
System and method for the prevention of malicious file copying
A system and method for the prevention of malicious file copying detects a file copy operation indicative of copying a file to an electronic clipboard. If the file copy operation is detected, the computer reads file contents of the copied file, and scrambles the file contents. If a file paste operation indicative of the copied file being pasted to a designated file system path, the computer pastes the scrambled file to the designated file system path. File attributes of the scrambled file are the same as file attributes of the copied file. |
| US08245313B2 |
Document management system, document management program, document management system configuration method, and server computer
There is provided a system or the like capable of managing a document not printed on a paper medium so that an administrator of the document may be identified. According to the document management system of the present invention, a first processing unit 110 recognizes an identifier to identify a user or a department to which the user belongs. Moreover, a second processing unit 120 recognizes a document specified by the user. Then, an image processing unit 130 prepares an image including the specified document recognized by the first processing unit 110 and the identifier recognized by the second processing unit 120 while adjusting the arrangement of the identifier and the specified document, and causes an information processing terminal 200 to display the image. Thus, when the document displayed on the information processing terminal 200 is photographed, the identifier is also photographed, therefore, if the photograph is copied illegally and distributed, the document leak source can be identified based on the identifier. |
| US08245306B2 |
Digital rights management printing system
A print management system for production of printed documents, said system comprising a policy editor component capable of receiving a document file, and applying a level of protection to said document file to produce a protected document file a policy enforcement component, operable for enforcing a document management policy for said protected document file; and at least one printer device, said printer device operable to receive said protected document file, refer to said policy enforcement component, and in response to an authorization signal received from said policy enforcement component, to print at least one printed document. |
| US08245304B1 |
Autonomous system-based phishing and pharming detection
Methods for detecting an attempt to perpetrate fraud on a user utilizing a client-supplied link and a client-supplied IP address from a user computer. The method ascertains a first autonomous system number (“first AS number”) from the client-supplied IP address and a second autonomous system number (“second AS number”) from the client-supplied link. If the first AS number and the second AS number are not AS group peers, a pharming attempt is detected. Alternatively or additionally, the method includes analyzing a content of a webpage that is accessed using the client-supplied IP address to ascertain an identity of an apparent owner of the webpage and ascertaining a third autonomous system number (“third AS number”) from the identity of the apparent owner of the webpage. If the first AS number and the third AS number are not AS group peers, a phishing attempt is detected. |
| US08245301B2 |
Network intrusion detection visualization
A network activity visualization system can include a minimum description length (MDL) based network intrusion detection system having an MDL grammar database adapted to store a plurality of MDL grammars, and a pattern matching module adapted to match a received network activity data set against the MDL grammars by calculating a distance of the network activity data set from each MDL grammar. The system can also include an intelligent icon module coupled to the MDL-based intrusion detection system and adapted to receive the MDL grammars and distances of a network data set from each respective MDL grammar, and adapted to generate intelligent icons based on the MDL grammars and distances. The system can further include a display system adapted to display the intelligent icons so as to provide a visual indication of network security. |
| US08245296B2 |
Malware detection device
An exemplary malware detection device includes a data pathway provided between a first data transfer device and a second data transfer device and a processor attached to the data pathway. A memory accessible by the processor contains at least one malware signature and instructions for controlling the processor to interconnect the first and second data transfer devices, direct at least a portion of a data transfer across the data pathway to the processor for analysis, independently analyze the portion of the data transfer using the malware signature, identify malware contained in the portion of the data transfer, and interrupt the data transfer based on the identification of malware. |
| US08245288B2 |
Method and arrangement for providing security through network address translations using tunneling and compensations
This invention provides a method for providing network security services, such as those provided by the IPSEC protocol, through network address translation (NAT). The method is based on determining the transformations that occur on a packet and compensating for the transformations. Because only TCP and UDP protocols work through NATs, the IPSEC AH/ESP packets are encapsulated into UDP packets for transport. Special operations are performed to allow reliable communications in such environments. |
| US08245287B2 |
Server message block (SMB) security signatures seamless session switch
The present invention relates to systems, apparatus, and methods of securely transmitting data between a client and a server. The method includes receiving an initial security message from the client. The security message is to establish security between the server and the client. Further, the client's security parameters are set to enabled and not required. The method further includes forwarding the initial security message to the server and intercepting a security response from the server. The response includes security data and security parameters set to enabled and required. The method includes extracting the security data from the security response, and using the security data to establish a secure socket connection between the proxy server and the server. Furthermore, the method alters the request by changing the security parameters to not enabled and not required, and transmits the altered request and establishes a non-secure socket connection. |
| US08245284B2 |
Extensible network discovery
A computer system that can configure itself to establish a network connection. Configuration is performed by identifying a connection profile with information from a combination of sources. Information may be obtained from user input, network traffic monitoring and a discovery process involving attempts to establish a connection with different profiles. The computer system may perform the configuration process under the control of software that performs an automated configuration process is adapted to receive extensions for operation on computers with hardware components that have non-standardized configuration options. Extensions for networks operating according to non-standardized security protocol extensions are also possible. |
| US08245283B2 |
Region access authorization in a virtual environment
The passage of avatars into and out of regions in a virtual universe is regulated through the use of secure communications between and among the avatar, an authority managing of the region and a trusted third party who maintains a database of avatar characteristics. Permission to move from one virtual region to another is determined based upon the avatar characteristics. |
| US08245280B2 |
System and method for user access control to content in a network
A method of unifying the different, device-specific and platform-specific access control lists (ACL) for different users and user groups in a home network. The home network has networked heterogeneous devices and hosting where a user is presented with a consistent, single view of ACL on home-wide users and user groups. Users in the home network, therefore, do not need to control ACL for device-specific users and user groups on each individual device. Instead, a user controls the home-wide ACL for home-wide users and user groups. The changes to home-wide ACL for home-wide users and user groups are propagated to individual devices. Further, changes on individual devices can be made to device-specific ACL for device-specific users and user groups. Such changes are subsequently propagated to the home-wide ACL for home-wide users and user groups. |
| US08245275B2 |
Electronic device, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program, and circuit chip
The present invention relates to data transfer to an external storage device disposed on or connected to an electronic device and can accelerate the data transfer. The present invention relates to an electronic device (portable terminal device) connected or disposed with an external storage device, includes a transmission channel connected to an external device (personal computer) that is a data source to transmit data, and simplifies a data transmission path intervening between the transmission path and the external storage device to accelerate the data transfer and accelerate the writing of data into the external storage device. |
| US08245271B2 |
Scope-centric access control model
Apparatus, methods, and computer program products are disclosed that maintain an association graph made up of association tuples. Each of the association tuples belongs to an access-control-policy scope that imposes an access control policy. On receipt of a client reference and a supplier reference a scope-defining entity is identified from the client reference. The scope-defining entity has an explicit access control policy. An effective supplier reference is retrieved from a set of the association tuples matching the scope-defining entity and is presented. |
| US08245270B2 |
Resource based dynamic security authorization
Access to a resource by sandboxed code is dynamically authorized by a client security system based on a resource based policy. A sandboxed application running on a client is granted access to a resource based on a resource based policy despite denial of the access based on a static policy associated with the client security system. The granting of access coincides with the determination that the threat to a user or the user's information is not increased should the access be granted. |
| US08245262B2 |
System and method for synchronization of television signals associated with multiple broadcast networks
Embodiments include a system and method of synchronizing broadcast signals from multiple broadcast networks on televisions or other media devices. One embodiment includes a method comprising receiving signatures or other data indicative of each of a plurality of video frames from each of a plurality of video devices, each of the video devices having received the frame from a video broadcast. At least one of the video frames is identified as being received by each of the video devices based on the received data. A request or other data indicative of a time to display the one of the video frames is communicated to each of the plurality of video devices. Other embodiments include media devices configured to send such frame data and to display video frames at the indicated time. |
| US08245260B1 |
Video server
A method of and apparatus for efficiently providing video on demand services to a cable television subscriber. The provider system consists of two major subsystems. The first subsystem, called a video server, streams video to video on demand subscribers through the cable television network. The second subsystem, called the transaction server, performs virtually all remaining provider functions including, security, accounting, storage and spooling of video data, etc. The video server is preferably uses a Unisys CMP memory platform into which the transaction server spools requested video programs. One or more industry standard processors operating under a standard operating system stream the video data from the memory platform to the subscriber. |
| US08245258B2 |
Method for providing video telephony using broadcast receiving apparatus
A method for providing video telephony is presented. By the method, a telephone directory of a broadcast receiving apparatus can be updated by receiving a telephone directory of a connected external device is provided. A call request signal can be transmitted to an information communication terminal of the user of an external broadcast receiving apparatus when the external broadcast receiving apparatus is turned off. A video telephony mode can change according to whether or not audio signals are transmitted and received when video telephony is connected. The volume of a plurality of windows can each be adjusted separately. As a result, users can utilize video telephony more conveniently. |
| US08245257B1 |
System and method for dynamic electronic program guide (EPG) data downloads
Set top boxes (STBs) query a source of electronic program guide (EPG) data to request only the EPG data that it needs. Thus, instead of downloading the entire set of EPG data, the STBs query the source for only a limited amount of EPG data, such as data for the next 2-3 hours of programming. STBs can dynamically request additional EPG data if it needs to do so while a user is perusing the EPG, such as when the user requests additional EPG data that may not have been previously downloaded. Updates and corrections to pieces of EPG data can be efficiently made and sent to the STB, when that EPG data is needed, rather than being sent only during regularly scheduled times along with the entire set of EPG data. |
| US08245255B2 |
Program guide navigation
Systems and methods that provide a first electronic program guide (EPG) screen having a plurality of channel identifiers, program information, and an icon corresponding to increasing scroll speed, and responsive to a user selection corresponding to the icon, enable a user to scroll among the plurality of channel identifiers at the increased scroll speed. |
| US08245254B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method, and recording medium
An information processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain program information on programs that are to be broadcast in a predetermined time period; an extraction unit configured to extract keywords indicating the content of the programs from text data contained in the program information; a storage unit configured to prestore theme definition information containing information on the keywords; a theme identifying unit configured to identify which theme a predetermined program belongs to on the basis of the keyword and the theme definition information; and a rate-of-change computation unit configured to compute, for each of the identified themes, a rate of change of the number of times a program belonging to the identified theme is broadcast on a first day in the predetermined time period to the number of times the program is broadcast on a second day. |
| US08245252B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for selective replacement of objectionable program content with less-objectionable content
A system, method, and computer program product is provided for the selective replacement of objectionable content in a program with less-objectionable material. The selective replacement of objectionable content in a program with less-objectionable material is accomplished by applying an encoding process and a decoding process to the audio and/or video signal of the program. The encoding process includes marking potentially objectionable material in the program with replacement information that identifies the type (e.g., audio, violent content, sexual content, etc.) and intensity level (e.g., mild, graphic, extreme, etc.) of the potentially objectionable material using replacement codes. The decoding process includes comparing, during the presentation of the program to the user and prior to outputting the audio or displaying the video, the replacement information to a replacement criterion, which includes user supplied replacement settings, to determine whether replacement of the potentially objectionable content (i.e., audio and/or video) should be performed. If replacement is to be performed, the objectionable content in the program is replaced according to the replacement information which, in the preferred embodiment, identifies the start and duration of the replacement and, for replacement of the video of the program, also identifies the display area of the video to be replaced. |
| US08245243B1 |
Transforming device drivers to improve efficiency
Efficiency is improved for device drivers. A first library is input that includes a first version of the device drivers. First metadata is input that specifies the devices of the computing arrangement and associates each device with the first version of a corresponding device driver. The first version of the corresponding device driver for each device is transformed into a second version of the corresponding device driver. The first version of the corresponding device driver indirectly accesses the device and the second version of the corresponding device driver directly accesses the device. A second library is output including the second version of the corresponding device driver for each device. |
| US08245242B2 |
Systems and methods for managing policies on a computer
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing policies on a computer having a foreign operating system. Policies may specify hardware or software configuration information. Policies on a first computer with a native operating system are translated into configuration information usable on a second computer having a foreign operating system. In an embodiment, a translator manager manages the association between the policy on the first computer and the translator on the second computer. Computer management complexity and information technology management costs are reduced by centralizing computer management on the native operating system. Further reductions in management complexity are realized when the present invention is used in conjunction with network directory services. |
| US08245240B2 |
Extended dynamic optimization of connection establishment and message progress processing in a multi-fabric message passing interface implementation
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a system that can optimize message passing by, at least in part, automatically determining a minimum number of fabrics and virtual channels to be activated to handle pending connection requests and data transfer requests, and preventing processing of new connection requests and data transfer requests outside of a predetermined communication pattern. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08245237B2 |
Providing resources to a job comparing estimated execution time on currently available nodes and estimated execution time on nodes available after completion of a currently executing job
A network system includes an application service provider (ASP) which is connected to the Internet and executes an application, and a CPU resource provider which is connected to the Internet and provides a processing service to a particular computational part (e.g., computation intensive part) of the application, wherein: when requesting a job from the CPU resource provider, the application service provider (ASP) sends information about estimated computation time of the job to the CPU resource provider via the Internet; and the CPU resource provider assigns the job by correcting this estimated computation time based on the estimated computation time sent from the application service provider (ASP). |
| US08245232B2 |
Software-configurable and stall-time fair memory access scheduling mechanism for shared memory systems
Systems and methodologies for stall-time fair memory access scheduling for shared memory systems are provided herein. A stall-time fairness policy can be applied in accordance with various aspects described herein to schedule memory requests from threads sharing a memory system. To this end, a Stall-Time Fair Memory scheduler (STFM) algorithm can be utilized, wherein memory-related slowdown experienced by a group of threads due to interference from other threads is equalized. Additionally and/or alternatively, a traditional scheduling policy such as first-ready first-come-first-serve (FR-FCFS) can be utilized in combination with a cap on column-over-row reordering of memory requests, thereby reducing the amount of stall-time unfairness imposed by such traditional scheduling policies. Further, various aspects described herein can perform memory scheduling based on thread weights and/or other parameters, which can be configured in hardware and/or software. |
| US08245227B2 |
Virtual machine execution using virtualization software with shadow page tables and address space interspersed among guest operating system address space
In a computing system having virtualization software including a guest operating system (OS), a method for operating wherein virtualization software address space is distributed in guest OS address space that includes: granting the guest OS execute, but not read or write, access, to pages in the virtualization software address space. |
| US08245226B2 |
Offline migration from prior operating system installation
Migration of data relevant to, or associated with, one or more users from a prior operating system installation to a new operating system installation can be performed with reference to an archive of some or all of the data on a storage media made prior to the installation of a new operating system. Manifests associated with operating system components can be referenced to identify data to be transferred from those operating system components to new versions of those components. Independently generated manifests can also be referenced to migrate the files and data for one or more application programs, such as popular or commonly found application programs. User data and files to be migrated can be identified by loading registration database files from the offline operating system in the new operating system, or otherwise parsing a similar construct from the offline operating system. |
| US08245221B2 |
Content formatting and installation techniques
Content formatting and installation techniques are described. In an implementation, a method includes receiving one or more inputs for initiating an installation process of one or more content items and performing the installation process without user intervention. The performing of the installation process includes obtaining a content package, from over a network, which includes a manifest which describes a content type for each of the content items. Each of the content items is installed for use by an application module based on a respective content type. |
| US08245220B2 |
Method and apparatus for updating software in radio terminal device
A method for updating software in a radio terminal device of a mobile communication system, wherein a base station and radio terminal devices are connected mutually through radio communication channels, including the steps of notifying version information on a control-software of the radio terminal device to a software-supply device connected to a network by the radio terminal device, determining a necessity of updating the control-software by comparing the version information received from the radio terminal device with latest version information stored in and managed by the software-supply device, and downloading new control-software that is appropriate to update the version of the control-software to the radio terminal device by the software-supply device if updating of the control-software is needed. |
| US08245216B2 |
Patch management system
Patch management system can be used for maintaining patches downloaded for software. The patch management system can ensure that there are no conflicts between the installed patches. |
| US08245213B2 |
Method for determining a close approximate benefit of reducing memory footprint of a Java application
Changes in performance in a Java program are deduced from information related to garbage collection events of the program. Assumptions are made about the system, the application and garbage collection, and changes in performance that will result from modifying the program are deduced. |
| US08245208B2 |
SIMD code generation for loops with mixed data lengths
Generating loop code to execute on Single-Instruction Multiple-Datapath (SIMD) architectures, where the loop operates on datatypes having different lengths, is disclosed. Further, a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a novel technique to efficiently realign or shift arbitrary streams to an arbitrary offset, regardless whether the alignments or offsets are known at the compile time or not. This technique enables the application of advanced alignment optimizations to runtime alignment. Length conversion operations, for packing and unpacking data values, are included in the alignment handling framework. These operations are formally defined in terms of standard SIMD instructions that are readily available on various SIMD platforms. This allows sequential loop code operating on datatypes of disparate length to be transformed (“simdized”) into optimized SIMD code through a fully automated process. |
| US08245207B1 |
Technique for dynamically restricting thread concurrency without rewriting thread code
A method for executing uniprocessor (UP) coded workloads in a computer capable of concurrent thread execution is disclosed. The method identifies threads in the uniprocessor coded workloads (UP-workloads) which can execute concurrently, and identifies threads in the UP-workloads which cannot execute concurrently. First threads which cannot execute concurrently are assigned to a first concurrency group. Second threads which cannot execute concurrently are assigned to a second concurrency group. Any thread in the first concurrency group can execute concurrently with any thread in the second concurrency group. The computer capable of concurrent thread execution then executes the UP-coded workloads in the first concurrency group at substantially the same time as executing the UP-coded workloads in the second concurrency group. |
| US08245204B2 |
Parameter management using compiler directives
Managing program function parameters using compiler directives is provided. A parameter management system can include a compiler coupled to a primary symbol-type dictionary and a supplemental symbol-type dictionary containing parameter data for specific function calls of corresponding generic type functions. Notably, directive processing logic can be configured both to populate the supplemental symbol-type dictionary based upon processor directives embedded in source code, and also to substitute specific function calls for generic function calls in the source code as specified in the supplemental symbol-type dictionary. |
| US08245203B2 |
Logging system and method for computer software
The present invention provides a computer-implemented method to generate a logging dictionary for a compilation of a source code that has a logging statement and associated source code static data, comprising: selecting part of the source code that includes the logging statement; determining source code static data associated with the logging statement; generating a combined data element from the associated source code static data; correlating the combined data element with the logging statement; wherein if the combined data element does not occur in the logging dictionary correlated to said logging statement; assigning a log index value to the combined data element; and adding the log index value, correlated to the logging statement, to the log dictionary. |
| US08245199B2 |
Selectively marking and executing instrumentation code
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for executing instructions. A determination is made as to whether a set of instructions are a set of instrumentation instructions in response to identifying the set of instructions in instructions for execution. A further determination is made as to whether a processor executing the instructions is in an instrumentation mode if the set of instructions are instrumentation instructions. The processor executes the set of instrumentation instructions only if the processor is in the instrumentation mode. |
| US08245195B2 |
System and method for debugging a computer program
A method for debugging a computer program is provided. The method pushes a plurality of registers into a stack, and calculates a jump-from address and a jump-to address for each jump according to values of the registers. The jump-from address and the jump-to address are then stored into a storage system. The method may monitor the execution of the computer program in system management mode (SMM). |
| US08245193B2 |
Automatic creative proposal generating and filtering system and manufacturing method thereof and multiple components combining method
The present invention discloses an automatic method and system for generating and filtering out the innovation proposals. Particularly, it is about a system, which generates all the possible element code sets, compares them to the code sets of existing objects or documents, and then filters out the novel element code sets. The system comprises a standard element depository, a permutation and combination module, a testing object processing module, a matching module, a sifting module, and an output module. |
| US08245192B1 |
Independent software development zones
A system is provided comprising a computer and application that creates a development zone in response to a first message. The zone comprises a recording of state-based references to files and folders of a master production build in read-only and read-write copies of the build. The system receives another message containing a request to commit changes to the build. The changes comprise updating the build with changes to the read-write clone. The system compares the read-only snapshot with the current build to determine changes committed after the zone creation. The system compares changes to the read-write clone and changes committed to the build after zone creation. The system identifies files and folders changed in the read-write clone and commits the changes made to the read-write clone to a staging build and the master production build. |
| US08245191B2 |
Policy application rules for automated configuration of software components
A method, system and article of manufacture are disclosed for configuring software application components. The method comprises the steps of developing a set of policy application rules, assembling unconfigured software components into one or more software applications, and applying said application rules to the unconfigured software components to configure said software components. In the preferred embodiment, the applying step includes the steps of passing the unconfigured software components to a policy rule engine, and using said policy rule engine to apply said application rules to the unconfigured software components to produce the configured components. In addition, the method may be done to resolve ambiguities in the software components. In particular, the application rules may be designed to resolve ambiguities in the application of these rules to the unconfigured software components. Also, each application rule preferably includes a condition, an application template, and a policy. |
| US08245173B2 |
Scheduling for parallel processing of regionally-constrained placement problem
Scheduling of parallel processing for regionally-constrained object placement selects between different balancing schemes. For a small number of movebounds, computations are assigned by balancing the placeable objects. For a small number of objects per movebound, computations are assigned by balancing the movebounds. If there are large numbers of movebounds and objects per movebound, both objects and movebounds are balanced amongst the processors. For object balancing, movebounds are assigned to a processor until an amortized number of objects for the processor exceeds a first limit above an ideal number, or the next movebound would raise the amortized number of objects above a second, greater limit. For object and movebound balancing, movebounds are sorted into descending order, then assigned in the descending order to host processors in successive rounds while reversing the processor order after each round. The invention provides a schedule in polynomial-time while retaining high quality of results. |
| US08245172B2 |
Methods and apparatus for defining Manhattan power grid structures having a reduced number of vias
A method for defining and producing a power grid structure (having stripe, rail, and via components) of an IC. The method reduces the number of vias in the power grid structure and the diagonal wiring blockage caused by the vias while still meeting design specifications. Other embodiments provide a method for locating vias in the power grid structure in such a way as to be especially beneficial to 45° or 135° diagonal wiring paths. The method includes processes of a power grid planner, power grid router, power grid verifier, and global signal router that are used iteratively to define and produce a power grid structure. Other embodiments of the invention provide for arrangements of vias in via arrays where diagonal wiring paths are facilitated near the edges of the via arrays. A bounding box enclosing these via arrays have an aspect ratio that is approximately equal to 1. |
| US08245169B2 |
Generating capacitance look-up tables for wiring patterns in the presence of metal fills
A computer system selects a signal conductor from an electronic circuit design layout and assigns a first potential to the selected signal conductor. Next, the computer system assigns a second potential to other signal conductors included in the electronic circuit design layout. The computer system then selects a metal fill from the electronic circuit design layout, which is void from carrying an electrical signal, and generates a zero charge equation for the selected metal fill. The zero charge equation establishes that a total charge residing on the selected metal fill is equal to zero. The computer system includes the zero charge equation in a system of equations, which includes grid point potential equations, and solves the system of equations. In turn, the computer system computes capacitance values for the signal conductors based upon the system of equation solutions, and simulates the electronic circuit design layout using the computed capacitance values. |
| US08245167B1 |
Branch and bound techniques for computation of critical timing conditions
In one embodiment of the invention, a method for electronic circuit design is disclosed. The method includes analyzing a hierarchy of a netlist of a circuit to determine primary inputs and primary outputs of the circuit at an upper level, and internal vertices of the circuit at lower levels between the primary inputs and the primary outputs; forming a timing graph of the circuit including a plurality of timing delay edges representing timing delay between the primary inputs, the internal vertices and the primary outputs to form a plurality of paths of a path space from the primary inputs to the primary outputs; and in response to the timing delay of the plurality of timing delay edges, dynamically pruning paths of the plurality of paths using branch and bound techniques on bounds of timing delay that are a function of one or more circuit parameters to reduce the path space down to one or more critical timing paths of the circuit with a worse case metric of timing delay between the primary inputs and the primary outputs. Additionally or alternatively, timing in the circuit may be analyzed to determine a bound of timing delay of the circuit for one or more parameter corners in a parameter space and if the bound of timing delay is worse than a threshold time delay then one or more parameter corners may be pruned from the parameter space using branch and bound techniques. |
| US08245165B1 |
Methods and apparatus for waveform based variational static timing analysis
A system and method are disclosed for waveform based variational static timing analysis. A circuit is divided into its linear circuit parts and non-linear circuit parts and modeled together, by a combination of linear modeling techniques, into linear equations that may be represented by matrices. The linear equations in matrix form may be readily solved by a computer such that an input waveform to an input pin of the circuit can be sequentially “pushed” through the various interconnects and logic networks of the circuit to an output pin. Output voltage waveforms are obtained at each stage of the waveform pushing and may be used to perform static timing analysis. |
| US08245162B2 |
Write-pattern determination for maskless lithography
A method for generating a write pattern to be used in a maskless-lithography process is described. During the method, a computer system determines a one-to-one correspondence between pixels in the write pattern and at least a subset of elements in a spatial-light modulator used in the maskless-lithography process. Furthermore, the computer system generates the write pattern. Note that the write pattern includes features corresponding to at least the subset of elements in the spatial-light modulator, and the generating is in accordance with a characteristic dimension of an element in the spatial-light modulator and a target pattern that is to be printed on a semiconductor wafer during the maskless-lithography process. |
| US08245155B2 |
Computer implemented display, graphical user interface, design and method including scrolling features
An information processing apparatus includes a display unit and a control unit. The display unit is configured to display a dividing region dividing a main display region into two sub regions. The control unit is configured to control the display unit to display a plurality of icons in the dividing region, to change position of the dividing region in the main display region based on user input, and to display, when an icon of the plurality of icons is selected, information corresponding to the icon in at least one of the sub regions. |
| US08245154B2 |
Most-recently-used task switching among parent and child windows
Task switching among windows on a graphical user interface. Responsive to user action (such as simultaneously pressing the ALT and TAB keys), a task selection window is displayed in which an iconic representation is provided for a plurality of windows, including at least one child window, and the iconic representations are arranged according to how recently the associated window had focus. Responsive to user action (such as pressing the TAB key while the ALT key remains depressed), a selection indicator moves through the selectable iconic representations in the order of the recency of the focus. |
| US08245149B2 |
Associating an object with a print driver on a display
The convenience for a user can be improved when a printer apparatus is used through an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes: an associating unit for associating an object with a printer driver corresponding to a printer apparatus and a network port relating to a communication with the printer apparatus when the communication with the printer apparatus is established, and releasing the association between the object and the printer driver corresponding to the printer apparatus and the network port relating to the communication with the printer apparatus when the communication with the printer apparatus is not established; and an object control unit for performing control to display on a display apparatus a first object associated by the associating unit with a printer driver corresponding to a first printer apparatus and a network port relating to a communication with the first printer apparatus, and a second object associated with a printer driver corresponding to a second printer apparatus different from the first printer apparatus and a network port relating to a communication with the second printer apparatus as the same object. |
| US08245148B2 |
History display apparatus, history display system, history display method, and program
According to an operation of a frame on an arrangement of history information displayed in a sequence, shared history information including action information which relates to action information having a first identifier selected by the frame and has a second identifier is obtained from a server. Identifiers included in action information items included in the shared history information are displayed in the sequence, in parallel with the arrangement of the history information so that the second identifier is displayed adjacent to the first identifier. Via the first and the second identifiers, the frame is moved between the arrangements of the history information and the shared history information, and according to an operation of the frame in the before-after direction of the sequence on the arrangement to which the frame is moved, an identifier included in an action information item in the before-after direction of the sequence is displayed. |
| US08245146B2 |
Map display device and method for controlling indication of map
A storage medium stores map data divided into unit areas. A control circuit indicates a map on an image display unit according to the map data. The map data includes name records, which respectively correspond to names to be indicated in the map. Each of the name records includes information specifying a character string of corresponding one of the names and information specifying an indication range of the character string in the map. An updating unit updates a part of the unit areas of the map data. An extracting unit extracts a pair of the same character strings, which are overlapped and indicated in the map or closely indicated in the map, with reference to the name records, after update of the part of the unit areas of the map data. A prohibiting unit prohibits indication of one of the extracted pair in the map. |
| US08245143B2 |
Method and handheld electronic device having a graphical user interface which arranges icons dynamically
A method and handheld electronic device having a graphical user interface which arranges icons dynamically are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a method for providing an icon menu with dynamic icon arrangement within a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a display screen of a handheld electronic device, the method comprising: (i) determining a screen orientation of the GUI in accordance with a device orientation; (ii) rendering a first user interface screen in a portrait screen orientation comprising a reduced icon menu having a plurality of icons and a secondary input area adjacent to the reduced icon menu when the screen orientation is a portrait screen orientation; (iii) rendering a second user interface screen in a landscape screen orientation comprising a first expanded icon menu having a plurality of icons when the screen orientation is a landscape screen orientation, wherein the first expanded icon menu has more icons than the reduced icon menu; and (iv) displaying the rendered first or second user interface screen on the display screen. |
| US08245142B2 |
Method and system for displaying data on a mobile terminal
The present invention provides a method and system for acquiring, storing and displaying content on a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal is adapted to acquire content from content providing devices or sources such as the Internet, e-mail, or direct download from a PC to the mobile terminal for display. Content providing devices of the system are stand-alone devices which store content, such as location based advertising information, for downloading by a mobile terminal in close proximity to the content providing device. An application resident on the mobile terminal can provide scrolling player functionality to enable stored data content to be easily viewed. |
| US08245135B2 |
Producing a visual summarization of text documents
A method and system of producing a visual text summarization. According to the method, a plurality of topics may be extracted from a collection of text documents, where each of the topics comprises a distribution of topic keywords. An importance ranking for each of the topics may be determined, and an importance ranking for each of the topic keywords of a topic may also be determined. A graph may be displayed having a plurality of stacked layers representing a group of topics selected from the plurality of topics based on the importance ranking of the topics. A keyword cloud within each layer of the graph may also be displayed, where the one keyword cloud is a group of topic keywords selected from the extracted topic keywords based on the importance ranking of the extracted topic keywords. |
| US08245129B2 |
Method and system for providing synchronization of directory data
Methods and systems for providing synchronization of directory data between directory servers are provided. Example embodiments provide a Application Workspace System “AWS,” which enables users to access remote server-based applications using the same interface that they use to access local applications, without needing to know where the application is being accessed. In one embodiment of the AWS, every data entry in the LDAP is automatically replicated to the other directories using XLDAPS technology. In one embodiment, XLDAPS uses XSLT transformation rules to synchronize LDAP changes to different LDAP Directories which may have a different LDAP Schema and a different LDAP Directory Information Tree structure This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US08245124B1 |
Content modification and metadata
A content manager receives digital content. The content manager modifies original digital content in accordance with a set of effects to produce modified digital content. Application of the set of effects modifies how the digital content is subsequently played back by one or more media player applications. In addition to applying effect, the content manager creates metadata identifying the set of effects applied to the original digital content to produce the modified digital content. The content manager then initiates distribution of the modified digital content and the corresponding metadata over a network. The metadata associated with the digital content identifies the set of effects applied to the received digital content prior to the distribution. Accordingly, other entities in a network environment can identify which effects have been applied to a corresponding set of digital content. |
| US08245118B2 |
Architecture and control of reed-solomon error identification and evaluation
Systems and methods are provided for implementing error identification and evaluation for a Reed-Solomon (RS) error-correction code (ECC) system. The BMA algorithm and/or list decoding may produce one or more error locator polynomials that are related to a decision-codeword. An accelerated Chien search can be used to more quickly evaluate the one or more error locator polynomial. If the accelerated Chien search identifies a valid error locator polynomial, a normal Chien search can be used to identify error locations, and Forney's algorithm or an equivalent technique can be used to evaluate the error values. A RS ECC decoder can include a computation circuit that evaluates an error locator polynomial or an error evaluator polynomial. The computation circuit can include computation components that receive the coefficients of the polynomials. |
| US08245117B1 |
Low complexity chien search in chase-type decoding of reed-solomon codes
Data is processed by obtaining a length of an error locator polynomial. It is determined whether the length of the error locator polynomial is greater than a threshold. In the event the length of the error locator polynomial is greater than the threshold, performance of a Chien search on the error locator polynomial is skipped. In the event the length of the error locator polynomial is less than or equal to than the threshold, the Chien search is performed on the error locator polynomial to determine one or more roots of the error locator polynomial, where the roots correspond to one or more error locations. |
| US08245113B2 |
Convolution-encoded RAID with trellis-decode-rebuild
A Redundant Array of Independent Devices uses convolution encoding to provide redundancy of the striped data written to the devices. No parity is utilized in the convolution encoding process. Trellis decoding is used for both reading the data from the RAID and for rebuilding missing encoded data from one or more failed devices, based on a minimal, and preferably zero, Hamming distance for selecting the connected path through the trellis diagram. |
| US08245112B2 |
Flash memory organization
A flash-memory system is organized into a plurality of blocks and a plurality of pages in each block, each page having 2N data locations and K spare locations. At least one page in the memory has 2M−1 user data sectors and each sector has 2N-M+L locations therein. Error-correction code (ECC) data related to the user data is calculated and stored in at least the 2M user data locations unused by the 2M−1 user data sectors. Because L is at least 1 but less than 2N-M (N>M), at least a portion of one user data sector is stored in the spare memory locations. Additional locations in each page are available to allow for the ECC data to have additional redundancy bits added per sector, thereby making the flash memory system more robust and reliable. |
| US08245108B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method for driving the same
A semiconductor memory device includes: a first bank and a second bank; one or more first data input/output pads disposed at one side of the first bank and used in access to data of the first bank; one or more second data input/output pads disposed at one side of the second bank and used in access to data of the second bank; a first cyclic redundancy code (CRC) generation circuit for generating a first CRC using a plurality of data output from the first bank and outputting the generated first CRC through the first data input/output pads; and a second CRC generation circuit for generating a second CRC using a plurality of data output from the second bank and outputting the generated second CRC through the second data input/output pads. |
| US08245107B2 |
Techniques for enabling simplified LDPC encoding and decoding
A method for low density parity check (LDPC) encoding comprises concatenating a predetermined number of zero bits to a scrambled input data word to generate a concatenated binary sequence; computing parity bits to be added to the concatenated binary sequence, wherein the computing is performed using an LDPC encoder; producing an encoded codeword that consists of the concatenated binary sequence and the parity bits; and replacing the predetermined number of zero bits in the encoded codeword with a scrambled binary sequence, thereby discarding the zero bits. |
| US08245105B2 |
Cascade interconnect memory system with enhanced reliability
A hub device, memory system, and method for providing a cascade interconnect memory system with enhanced reliability. The hub device includes an interface to a high-speed bus for communicating with a memory controller. The memory controller and the hub device are included in a cascade interconnect memory system and the high-speed bus includes bit lanes and one or more clock lanes. The hub device also includes a bi-directional fault signal line in communication with the memory controller and readable by a service interface. The hub device also includes a fault isolation register (FIR) for storing information about failures detected at the hub device, the information including severity levels of the detected failures. In addition, the hub device includes error recovery logic for responding to a failure detected at the hub device. |
| US08245100B2 |
Error recovery storage along a nand-flash string
Apparatus and methods store error recovery data in different dimensions of a memory array. For example, in one dimension, block error correction codes (ECC) are used, and in another dimension, supplemental error correction codes, such as convolutional codes, are used. By using separate dimensions, the likelihood that a defect affects both error recovery techniques is lessened, thereby increasing the probability that error recovery can be performed successfully. In one example, block error correction codes are used for data stored along rows, and this data is stored in one level of multiple-level cells of the array. Supplemental error correction codes are used for data stored along columns, such as along the cells of a string, and the supplemental error correction codes are stored in a different level than the error correction codes. |
| US08245094B2 |
Rank modulation for flash memories
We investigate a novel storage technology, Rank Modulation, for flash memories. In this scheme, a set of n cells stores information in the permutation induced by the different charge levels of the individual cells. The resulting scheme eliminates the need for discrete cell levels, and overshoot errors when programming cells (a serious problem that reduces the writing speed), as well as mitigate the problem of asymmetric errors. We present schemes for Gray codes, rewriting and joint coding in the rank modulation paradigm. |
| US08245091B2 |
Methods and devices for generating dots of an image by using two error row memories
Disclosed are devices and methods for generating dots of an image by using two error row memories, which are capable of reading and writing data synchronously. A device disclosed comprises: a buffer memory A; a buffer memory B; and a memory controller. The memory controller may comprise a read-write control circuit for the buffer memory A, a read-write control circuit for the buffer memory B, and a buffer memory selection circuit. The buffer memory selection circuit is used to generate a read-write selection signal for the buffer memory A and the buffer memory B. The read-write control circuit for the buffer memory A is connected to the buffer memory A and used to implement a read operation or a write operation on the buffer memory A according to the read-write selection signal. The read-write control circuit for the buffer memory B is connected to the buffer memory B and used to implement a read operation or a write operation on the buffer memory B according to the read-write selection signal. The devices and methods are capable of implementing read and write operations on memories synchronously, which can improve the speed of error diffusion during use. |
| US08245090B2 |
Apparatus for formatting information storage medium
An apparatus according to the present invention is designed to perform formatting processing on an information storage medium. The storage medium has a data storage area including a user data area and a spare area. The user data area is provided to write user data on, while the spare area includes a replacement block to be used as a replacement for a block that has been detected as a defective block. The replacement block stores instruction information that instructs to read data from the defective block when data is read from the replacement block. The apparatus includes a control section for controlling the formatting processing. In performing the formatting processing, the control section updates information stored in the replacement block such that when data is read from the replacement block, the data is not read from the defective block. |
| US08245083B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus to debug a network application
Methods and apparatus to debug a network application are described. A described example network includes a live control network to collect control messages to create a history of network states, the history of network states reflecting an order in which control messages are processed, the live control network to roll back from a current state to a past state upon detection of an improper sequence of messages and to process the messages in a corrected sequence, the corrected sequence to be stored in the history. The described example network further includes a virtualized network corresponding to the live control network, the virtualized network responsive to a command from an operator to step through the history to facilitate debugging. |
| US08245081B2 |
Error reporting through observation correlation
A software component is executed to carry out a task, the task including a subtask. An external function is called to perform the subtask, the external function executing in a separate thread or process. The component receives an observation recorded by the external function, the observation including an identifier of a possible error condition and instance data associated with the possible error condition. The possible error condition being a cause of the failure of the external function to carry out the subtask. If the task cannot be completed, then a new observation is recorded along with the received observation, the new observation being related to a possible error condition of the component, which is a cause of the failure of the component to carry out the task. When the task can be completed despite the failure of the external function, the observation recorded by the external function is cleared. |
| US08245080B2 |
Model-based testing of an application program under test
A software testing system includes a test interface and a verification interface. The test interface receives a first processing request for the application program under test. The test interface generates a second processing request equivalent to the first processing request, and communicates the first and second processing requests to the application program under test and a model of the application program, respectively. A verification interface compares a first and a second response data set received, respectively, from the application program under test and the model. The verification interface generates an error indication if a difference is determined from the comparison of the first and second response data sets. If a difference is not determined from the comparison, then the verification interface generates a success indication. The verification interface communicates either the success or error indication to the test interface. |
| US08245078B1 |
Recovery interface
A user interface is provided through which a user may specify a container for data recovery. In response to the specification of a container for recovery, another user interface is provided through which the user can select a consistency group or a journal file to be utilized for recovery. In response to receiving a selection of a journal file for data recovery, a user interface is provided through which a user may specify a point in time, an event, or a snapshot at which time recovery for the corresponding volume should occur. In response to receiving a selection of a consistency group for recovery, a user interface is provided through which a user may specify a snapshot performed across two or more volumes of the consistency group that should be utilized for recovery. |
| US08245076B2 |
Method and apparatus for initiating corrective action for an electronic terminal
A method and device are provided for initiating corrective actions for a terminal, such as an ATM. A method of initiating corrective actions for a terminal comprises, monitoring a fault status of a first component, detecting a fault status of the first component with a first trigger plug-in, activating a first action plug-in based upon the detected fault status of the first component, and recycling the first component. |
| US08245075B2 |
Overclocking CPU with stepwise increase in frequency by BIOS gaining control upon interrupt generated at predetermined intervals
A method for overclocking a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer motherboard is disclosed. Step A is to set a second frequency of front side bus (FSB) by an operating interface of BIOS. Step B is to determine FSB frequency Fn at each of N stages according to a difference between a first frequency and the second frequency. Step C is to load the CPU with an operating system by booting the CPU at the first frequency of FSB, and send an interruption signal to the CPU from a chipset at predetermined intervals upon completion of the loading of the operating system so as to allow the BIOS to gain control over the CPU, and execute step D by the CPU on each of N occasions of interruption until the FSB frequency of the CPU is changed to the second frequency. Step D is to execute the BIOS by the CPU on the nth occasion of interruption such that the CPU operates at the FSB frequency Fn, and allow the operating system to resume control over the CPU. |
| US08245065B2 |
Power gating processor execution units when number of instructions issued per cycle falls below threshold and are independent until instruction queue is full
A method of power gating a microprocessor having an instruction scheduling unit for receiving issued instructions from an instruction decode unit; an execution unit coupled to receive and send signals from and to the instruction scheduling unit; and a state machine located within the execution unit, the method comprises: obtaining a number of instructions per cycle being issued to the instruction scheduling unit; determining, subsequent to obtaining the number of instructions per cycle, if the number of instruction per cycle being issued to the instruction scheduling unit is less than a threshold level, and then determining if at least two of the instructions being issued to the instruction scheduling unit are independent of each other only when the instructions per cycle is less than the threshold level; determining when at least two of the instructions being issued to the instruction scheduling unit are independent of each other; and power gating the microprocessor to gate off power to idle macros with a signal from the state machine when the instructions are independent of each other without incurring significant loss of performance until an issue queue in the instruction scheduling unit is filled with instruction data. |
| US08245064B2 |
Power conservation during a power mode transition
An apparatus and associated method to begin performing a power reduction enablement sequence based on a first predetermined value of elapsed time after an execution of a data access command is completed. The power reduction enablement sequence is performed at an adaptively selected rate that is related to a second predetermined value of elapsed time after the execution that calls for a switch to a reduced power mode for the apparatus. |
| US08245061B2 |
Systems and methods for operational power management utilizing power islands
Various systems and methods for power management are disclosed herein. For example, a synchronous semiconductor circuit is disclosed that includes two or more clock sources and a power management controller. The power management controller is operable to apply power to one of the clock sources and to select another of the clock sources for synchronization of the circuit. Then, upon stabilization of the first clock source, it is selected by the power management controller to synchronize the circuit. |
| US08245058B2 |
Serial port connector with power output function
A serial port connector with power output function includes a serial port having a plurality of pins. Under the existing EIA-RS-232, EIA-RS-422, and EIA-RS-485 standards for connectors, the definition of the pins of the serial port are altered, so that a pin that was originally defined as floating or for serial data communication signal is now changed to a power output specification. Thus, when the connector is connected via the same one cable to a serial port peripheral device, the connector can provide both functions of serial data communication signal transmission and power transmission to thereby largely increase the usability of the connector. |
| US08245053B2 |
Methods and systems for binding a removable trusted platform module to an information handling system
Methods and systems for binding a removable trusted platform module (TPM) subsystem module to an information handling system to provide a core root of trust for the information handling system without requiring soldering down or other hard and permanent (non-removable) attachment of a TPM device to the information handling system planar (e.g., motherboard). The removable TPM subsystem module may be a plug-in module that may be removed from the information handling system planar (e.g., motherboard), while at the same time maintaining the transitive chain of trust, and being capable of remotely attesting its trusted state. An information handling system platform may be provided that has the capability and flexibility of supporting multiple TPMs on the same system planar. |
| US08245051B2 |
Extensible account authentication system
Systems and methods directed at enhancing the capability of a federated authentication system by configuring the system with extensibility points for adding new account stores and customizing claim transformations. The federated authentication system includes accounts stores, a security token service (STS), and custom claim transformation modules. The account stores are configured to maintain data associated with accounts and to provide security claims in an intermediate format. The STS is configured to retrieve the security claims provided by the account stores and includes built-in transformations for transforming each security claim from the intermediate format to formats associated with resource providers. The STS is further configured to provide extensibility points for custom claim transformations that are not available from the built-in transformations. The custom claim transformation modules are configured to perform at least one custom claim transformation. Each custom claim transformation module is further configured to interact with the STS through at least one of the extensibility points. The STS may be configured to provide extensibility points for interacting with account stores that the STS does not explicitly recognize. |
| US08245047B2 |
Group signature scheme with improved efficiency, in particular in a join procedure
A method for managing a group signature scheme includes in a setup procedure for group initialization, generating, by a group manager, a group public key. In a join procedure for the group manager to add a new member to the group, the method includes generating by the new member, user information, and providing the generated user information to the group manager, and computing, by the group manager, membership information for the new member based on the user information received by the new member and on the group public key, and providing to the new member the computed membership information. In particular, the membership information is computed, by the group manager, as a function of the inverse of a given hash function of the user information. In a signing procedure for a group member to sign a message on behalf of the group, the method includes: using, by the group member, the membership information and the user information. The method further includes the use of digital certificates, in order for the group member to prove to the group manager the possession of said user information. |
| US08245045B2 |
Computer-implemented methods, systems and computer program products for generating and verifying signatures
The present description refers in particular to example computer-implemented methods, example computer program products, and example computer systems for automatically generating or verifying a digital signature for a message. The message may be representable in a hierarchical tree structure. An example computer-implemented method may comprise: selecting, from a message MT, a sub-message M to be signed, the sub-message M comprising at least one element; generating a well-formed context CMt for the sub-message M, wherein the well-formed context CMt defines a derivation path to the element in the message MT at a time t, the element being marked [M] in the well-formed context CMt; generating a message digest δM from the sub-message M and a context digest δC from the well-formed context CMt; and generating a signature S by applying a secret key SA of a user A to the message digest δM and to the context digest δC. |
| US08245041B2 |
System and method for secure authentication of a “smart” battery by a host
Systems and methods for providing a battery module 110 with secure identity information and authentication of the identity of the battery 110 by a host 120. In one embodiment, the system for providing a battery module with secure identity information includes: (1) a tamper resistant processing environment 200 located within the battery module 110 and (2) a key generator configured to generate a key based on an identity of the battery module 110 and cause the key to be stored within the tamper resistant processing environment 200. |
| US08245038B2 |
Method and apparatus for verifying integrity of redacted documents
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system which allows a document owner to redact content from a document and allows a recipient of the redacted document to challenge the appropriateness of the redaction. During operation, the system allows the document owner to redact a string Mi from location i in the document. In doing so, the system produces a commitment Ci=C(Mi, Ri) based on string Mi and a string Ri used as randomness and communicates Ci to the recipient. When the recipient challenges the redaction, the system receives a topic string T from the recipient, and produces a string RT. The system then communicates RT to the recipient, thereby allowing the recipient to produce a commitment CT=C(T, RT) based on strings T and RT, and compare CT with Ci. Comparing commitment CT with Ci allows the recipient to test redactions for string equality. |
| US08245037B1 |
Encryption key management
Secure information is managed for each host or machine in an electronic environment using a series of key identifiers that each represent one or more secure keys, passwords, or other secure information. Applications and services needing access to the secure information can specify the key identifier, for example, and the secure information currently associated with that identifier can be determined without any change to the code or manual input or exposure of the secure information on the respective device. Functionality such as encryption key management and rotation are inaccessible and transparent to the user. In a networked or distributed environment, the key identifiers can be associated with host classes such that at startup any host in a class can obtain the necessary secure information. Updates and key rotation can be performed in a similar fashion by pushing updates to host classes transparent to a user, application, or service. |
| US08245028B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic, seamless security in communication protocols
Communication nodes, acting as intermediate routers for communication packets transmitted between a source node and a destination node, are provided with different access rights to the fields of the routed communication packets. Routes of intermediate routers between the source node and the destination node are discovered and the identities of intermediate routers on the discovered routes are collected. The aggregate trust levels of the intermediate routers are computed allowing the most trusted route to be selected. Encryption keys are securely distributed to intermediate routers on the most trusted route based on the trust level of the intermediate routers and fields of the communication packets are encrypted with encryption keys corresponding to the assigned trust level. Intermediated nodes are thereby prevented from accessing selected fields of the communication packets. |
| US08245026B1 |
Securing the contents of data storage devices within a computer
Each data storage device that supports the standard security features and is enabled with a security password may be locked when power is removed from the device. When power is returned, a determination is made as to whether the data storage device is locked and returning from a powered off state or a hardware reset. If locked, a password may be received from a user. After the security password is received, the data storage device is unlocked, allowing access to the data on the device. A setup utility is provided for manipulating the security and backup passwords for each device. Other features include: presenting locked devices to the operating system, the use of a backup password to unlock a device in lieu of the security password, requiring or not requiring password entry from a user to unlock a device when returning from a sleep state, setting maximum or high security, an automatic hardware reset upon exiting the setup utility, and disabling change password capabilities for devices without an enabled security password. |
| US08245024B2 |
Booting in systems having devices coupled in a chained configuration
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for booting in systems having devices coupled in a chained configuration. One or more embodiments include a host and a number of devices coupled to the host in a chained configuration, wherein at least one of the number of devices is a bootable device and the at least one bootable device is not directly coupled to the host. |
| US08245022B2 |
Method and system to support ISCSI boot through management controllers
An information handling system includes a host including a central processing unit, a management controller enabled to communicate with the host, a network interface resource in communication with the host and operable to enable the information handling system to communicate via an external network, and a target system in communication with the host through the network interface resource. The management controller comprises an iSCSI initiator operable to generate a request to the target system for an initial OS image. |
| US08245019B2 |
Method, program and system to update files in a computer system
Provided is a method, program and system to update files in a computer system. A patch is received for an installed program in a computer and message from a server over a network. Program files for the installed program are updated with contents of the patch. A determination is made as to whether the message indicates to automatically reboot the computer. Information is generated to a user indicating that the computer will be automatically rebooted. Operations are initiated in the computer to reboot the computer after a delay period to provide the user opportunity to close files and applications before the reboot. |
| US08245017B2 |
Pipelined microprocessor with normal and fast conditional branch instructions
A microprocessor includes a first branch condition state and a second branch condition state. The microprocessor also includes a conditional branch instruction of a first type that instructs the microprocessor to wait to correctly resolve the conditional branch instruction of the first type based on the first branch condition state until other instructions within the microprocessor that update the first branch condition state and that are older than the conditional branch instruction of the first type have updated the first branch condition state. A conditional branch instruction of a second type instructs the microprocessor to correctly resolve the conditional branch instruction of the second type based on the second branch condition state without regard to whether other instructions within the microprocessor that update the second branch condition state and that are older than the conditional branch instruction of the second type have yet updated the second branch condition state. |
| US08245012B2 |
Adaptively preventing out of memory conditions
A computer-implemented method of preventing an out-of-memory condition can include evaluating usage of virtual memory of a process executing within a computer, detecting a low memory condition in the virtual memory for the process, and selecting at least one functional program component of the process according to a component selection technique. The method also can include sending a notification to each selected functional program component and, responsive to receiving the notification, each selected functional program component releasing at least a portion of a range of virtual memory reserved on behalf of the selected functional program component. |
| US08245010B2 |
Method for memory address arrangement
A method for memory address arrangement is provided. Data of different Y coordinates is moved to operation units divided by different X coordinates, or data of different X coordinates is moved to operation units divided by different Y coordinates, so as to realize the function of simultaneously longitudinally and laterally reading and writing a plurality of batches of data, thereby preventing the limitation of only longitudinally or laterally reading and writing a plurality of batches of data. |
| US08245009B2 |
Simulating memory hot add
Memory is logically partitioned into two regions. A first region may be a similar size relative to the second region or the first region may be a small subset of the memory. The first region of memory is initialized and an operating system utilizes the first region. A system handler simulates a physical hot add of the second region. After the simulated physical hot add, the operating system may utilize the second region as if it were newly added physical memory and/or may utilize both the first region and second region. |
| US08245007B2 |
Storage subsystem
There is provided a storage subsystem having a virtual volume and a page volume which has a page physical area allocated to the virtual volume. The storage subsystem divides an address space of the virtual volume into a plurality of pages, classifies each of the pages into one of a plurality of states including at least a first state and a second state, and further divide a page which is classified into the second state into a plurality of segments to managed the page classified into the second state. The first state is a state in which a page physical area is allocated to the page from the page volume, and the write data is stored in the page physical area. The second state is a state in which the predetermined pattern data and the segment are managed, in the memory, by correlating with each other. |
| US08245002B2 |
Call stack protection
Call stack protection, including executing at least one application program on the one or more computer processors, including initializing threads of execution, each thread having a call stack, each call stack characterized by a separate guard area defining a maximum extent of the call stack, dispatching one of the threads of the process, including loading a guard area specification for the dispatched thread's call stack guard area from thread context storage into address comparison registers of a processor; determining by use of address comparison logic in dependence upon a guard area specification for the dispatched thread whether each access of memory by the dispatched thread is a precluded access of memory in the dispatched thread's call stack's guard area; and effecting by the address comparison logic an address comparison interrupt for each access of memory that is a precluded access of memory in the dispatched thread's guard area. |
| US08244999B1 |
Maintaining data consistency in mirrored cluster storage systems with write-back cache
Techniques for maintaining mirrored storage cluster data consistency on systems with write back cache can employ write-intent logging and periodic log clearing. The techniques can track any outstanding I/Os, data in caches, and data that has gone out of sync between mirrored nodes due to link failures. The techniques can ensure that a power failure on any of the storage nodes does not result in inconsistent data among the storage nodes. The techniques can use gate bitmaps to log outstanding I/Os. The gate bitmaps may be periodically cleared. The clearing period may be selected as to allow enough time for all caches to be flushed and for all synchronizing I/Os to complete. Efficient queuing of I/O requests in conjunction with the efficient operation of multiple gate bitmaps can reduce performance impacts of the gating or logging operations. |
| US08244998B1 |
Optimized backup for a clustered storage system
A system and method for backing up data from a clustered storage system are described herein. The method may operate to automatically determine the configuration of the clustered storage system, e.g., by detecting each storage node in the clustered storage system, detecting the storage volumes hosted by each storage node, and detecting the backup storage devices to which each storage node is connected. The method may operate to backup the plurality of storage volumes by performing a plurality of backup tasks. Performing each respective backup task may comprises selecting a particular storage volume to backup from a particular storage node to a particular backup storage device depending upon the configuration information and information indicating currently active backup tasks in the clustered storage system. |
| US08244996B2 |
Hierarchical storage apparatus, control device, and control method
A storage apparatus includes a first storage device that primarily stores data, a second storage device, having a property differing from the first storage device, that secondarily stores the data, and a control device that controls a data migration between the first storage device and the second storage device. The control device includes a storage section that stores attribute information on the data stored in the first storage device, a priority determination section which, based on the attribute information, determines a priority for the data migration from the first storage device to the second storage device, and a data migration section which, based on the priority, causes the data to migrate from the first storage device to the second storage device. |
| US08244993B2 |
Memory chain
A memory system having a plurality of memory devices and a memory controller. The memory devices are coupled to one another in a chain. The memory controller is coupled to the chain and configured to output a memory access command that is received by each of the memory devices in the chain and that selects a set of two or more of the memory devices to be accessed. |
| US08244990B2 |
Obstruction-free synchronization for shared data structures
We introduce obstruction-freedom—a new non-blocking condition for shared data structures that weakens the progress requirements of traditional nonblocking conditions, and as a result admits solutions that are significantly simpler and more efficient in the typical case of low contention. We demonstrate the merits of obstruction-freedom by showing how to implement an obstruction-free double-ended queue that has better properties than any previous nonblocking deque implementation of which we are aware. The beauty of obstruction-freedom is that we can modify and experiment with the contention management mechanisms without needing to modify (and therefore reverify) the underlying non-blocking algorithm. In contrast, work on different mechanisms for guaranteeing progress in the context of lock-free and wait-free algorithms has been hampered by the fact that modifications to the “helping” mechanisms has generally required the proofs for the entire algorithm to be done again. |
| US08244989B2 |
Secure erasure of a target digital file including use of replacement data from used space
One or more target files are securely erased from a host storage medium such as a disk by overwriting the target files not just with “O's,” “1's” and/or random data, but also (or instead) by overwriting them with portions of other, selected, innocuous files found on the same medium. By booting the host using a secondary, preferably external mechanism, before the host operating system is allowed to load, logging of file accesses and process execution by the host OS is circumvented. Post-replacement fragmentation and defragmentation may also be used to further reduce the detectability of the erasure, and the success of the process may be evaluated using statistical analysis. |
| US08244982B2 |
Allocating processor cores with cache memory associativity
Techniques are generally described related to a multi-core processor with a plurality of processor cores and a cache memory shared by at least some of the processor cores. The multi-core processor can be configured for separately allocating a respective level of cache memory associativity to each of the processing cores. |
| US08244980B2 |
Shared cache performance
A method and apparatus for improving shared cache performance. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a cache having multiple ways. A locality tester measures a first locality of a first process and second locality of a second process. A first set of multiple ways stores the data used by the first process and a second set of multiple ways stores the data used by the second process, where the second set is a superset of the first set. |
| US08244979B2 |
System and method for cache-locking mechanism using translation table attributes for replacement class ID determination
A system, method, and program product are provided that identifies a cache set using Translation LookAside Buffer (TLB) attributes. When a virtual address is requested, the method, system, and program product identifies a cache set using buffer attributes. When a virtual address is received, an attempt is made to load the received virtual address from a cache. When the attempt results in a cache miss, a page is identified within a Translation LookAside Buffer that includes the virtual address. A class identifier is then retrieved from the identified page, with the class identifier identifying a cache set that is selected from the cache. |
| US08244978B2 |
IOMMU architected TLB support
Embodiments allow a smaller, simpler hardware implementation of an input/output memory management unit (IOMMU) having improved translation behavior that is independent of page table structures and formats. Embodiments also provide device-independent structures and methods of implementation, allowing greater generality of software (fewer specific software versions, in turn reducing development costs). |
| US08244975B2 |
Command queue ordering by flipping active write zones
A data storage system is provided with a storage domain having an active zone subportion of storage space, and a command queue controller configured for short-stroking an actuator directed to the active zone. A method is provided for virtualizing a storage space to store user data in a first domain and redundant data in a second domain, partitioning each of the domains into active and inactive subportion storage zones, and executing a retrieve access command from one of the first and second domains depending on which domain's active zone contains an LBA associated with the retrieve access command. |
| US08244974B2 |
Method and system for equalizing usage of storage media
A method is presented for using a hard disk drive which contains a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) and a computer-usable disk medium. A usage value is maintained for the number of accesses to the computer-usable disk medium, and the usage value is stored within the NVRAM. In a system that is connected to multiple hard disk drives, the usage values for the hard disk drives can be compared to determine a youngest disk drive or a lowest amount of usage amongst the multiple hard disk drives. When data needs to be mirrored or backed-up to one of the hard disk drives, it can be copied to the youngest or least-used hard disk drive. If an operating system installation needs to be performed, the operating system files can be stored on the youngest or least-used hard disk drive. |
| US08244973B2 |
Relay apparatus and data control method
When a data word is designated through a network search engine, a FIFO unit, and the like, a relay apparatus according to the invention searches for an associative memory address corresponding to the data word. Even when the associative memory address is internally converted to a contents memory address, the relay apparatus stores the contents memory address by causing it to correspond to a search result corresponding to the contents memory address as well as outputs the associative memory address together with the search result. |
| US08244972B2 |
Optimizing EDRAM refresh rates in a high performance cache architecture
Controlling refresh request transmission rates in a cache comprising: a refresh requestor configured to transmit a refresh request to a cache memory at a first refresh rate, the first refresh rate comprising an interval, the interval comprising receiving a plurality of first signals, the first refresh rate corresponding to a maximum refresh rate, and a refresh counter operatively coupled to the refresh requestor and configured to reset in response to receiving a second signal, increment in response to receiving each of a plurality of refresh requests from the refresh requestor, and reset and transmit a current count to the refresh requestor in response to receiving a third signal, wherein the refresh requestor is configured to transmit a refresh request at a second refresh rate, in response to receiving the current count from the refresh counter and determining that the current count is greater than a refresh threshold. |
| US08244966B2 |
Self-adaptive control method for logical strips based on multi-channel solid-state non-volatile storage device
A self-adaptive control method for logical strips based on a multi-channel solid-state non-volatile storage device is provided. The method includes the following steps. Storage space of every channel is divided into a plurality of storage units of equal size. At least one logical strip is set by which the storage units with discrete physical addresses across the channels are organized into a continuous logical space, and a logical strip variable is set for determining the storage units organized by the logical strip. Historical operation information of the storage device is obtained statistically, and the logical strip variable is dynamically adjusted according to the obtained operation information. During data interaction, the data is divided according to the logical strip variable, the divided data is mapped to the storage units of every channel, and parallel reading and writing operations are performed among the channels. |
| US08244963B2 |
Method for giving read commands and reading data, and controller and storage system using the same
A method for giving a read command to a flash memory chip to read data to be accessed by a host system is provided. The method includes receiving a host read command; determining whether the received host read command follows a last host read command; if yes, giving a cache read command to read data from the flash memory chip; and if no, giving a general read command and the cache read command to read data from the flash memory chip. Accordingly, the method can effectively reduce time needed for executing the host read commands by using the cache read command to combine the host read commands which access continuous physical addresses and pre-read data stored in a next physical address. |
| US08244961B2 |
SSD with distributed processors
In one embodiment, a system includes a serial data bus, a plurality of processors of a first type, and a processor of a second type. The serial data bus is configured to be coupled to a corresponding serial data bus of a host device. Each of the plurality of processors of the first type is coupled to a respective flash memory device. The processor of the second type is configured to manage the access that the plurality of the processors of the first type have to the serial data bus. |
| US08244956B2 |
Mechanism for automatic adjustment of virtual machine storage
A mechanism for automatic adjustment of virtual machine (VM) storage is disclosed. A method of embodiments of the invention includes stopping, by a host computing device, a virtual machine (VM) hosted by the host computing device from running upon detecting a write error due to lack of storage on the VM, communicating, by the host computing device, an out-of-storage notification from a hypervisor of the host computing device to a host management agent, and sending, by the host computing device, data associated with the out-of storage notification and the VM to a host controller that manages the host computing device, wherein the host controller causes storage for the VM to be increased. |
| US08244951B2 |
Method and apparatus to facilitate system to system protocol exchange in back to back non-transparent bridges
A dual host system and method with back to back non-transparent bridges and a proxy packet generating mechanism. The proxy packet generating mechanism enables the hosts to send interrupt generating packets to each other. |
| US08244950B2 |
Buffering non-posted read commands and responses
An improved interface technique for use in a southbridge or I/O hub or in similar devices is provided where non-posted read requests are received from at least one requestor, and upstream commands based on these requests are transmitted. Response data is received in reply to commands that were previously transmitted, and responses are transmitted to the at least one requester based on the response data. A buffer unit is provided for storing command identification data that identifies commands that were already transmitted or that are still to be transmitted, and response availability data that specifies response data that has been received by the receive engine. The improvement may enable multiple outstanding read requests. |
| US08244948B2 |
Method and system for combining multiple SAS expanders into a SAS switch
A first SAS expander including at least phys is operably coupled to a first and a second SAS wide port. A second SAS expander including at least two phys is operably coupled to the first and the second SAS wide port. The first and the second SAS wide port each include at least two lanes, one of each at least two lanes designateable as a connection request lane. The connection request lane of each SAS wide port is operably coupled to a different SAS expander. |
| US08244946B2 |
Interrupt moderation
A technique for interrupt moderation allows coalescing interrupts from a device into groups to be processed as a batch by a host processor. Receive and send completions may be processed differently. When the host is interrupted for receive completions, it may check for send completions, reducing the need for interrupts related to send completions. Timers and a counter allow coalescing interrupts into a single interrupt that can be used to signal the host to process multiple completions. The technique is suitable for both dedicated interrupt line and message-signaled interrupts. |
| US08244945B2 |
Efficient handling of interrupts in a computing environment
A method for efficiently handling interrupts in a virtual technology environment with integrity services is provided. The method comprises assigning an interrupt to a virtual machine that is running a software agent; suspending the software agent; invoking a protected interrupt handler; copying the interrupt's memory content to a protected location, in response to successfully verifying the integrity of the content; replacing the interrupt's return address with a return address for a protected function; switching from the software agent's protected context to its active context; executing the original interrupt handler; returning control to the protected function to ensure that execution of the software agent resumes safely; switching back to the software agent's protected context, in response to successfully verifying the integrity of the content; and passing control back to the software agent to resume execution. |
| US08244944B1 |
Priority arbitration of coexisting wireless topologies
A wireless network device including an antenna, a first communication module, and a second communication module. The first communication module is configured to transmit or receive packets of data in accordance with a first communication standard, and the second communication module is configured to transmit or receive packets of data in accordance with a second communication standard. The wireless network device further includes an arbitration module configured to grant access of each of the first communication module and the second communication module to the antenna so that the first communication module and the second communication module can respectively transmit or receive data packets in accordance with the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol. |
| US08244940B2 |
Peripheral device and method of connecting peripheral device with host device
A peripheral device of the invention is capable of data communication with a host device via one of a first-type interface and a second-type interface having different data communication-related specifications. The peripheral device has a single connector for making electric connection selectively with a first-type connector or a second-type connector. The peripheral device also has a controller for performing an initial connection process that makes a logical connection between the peripheral device and the host device via the first-type interface or the second-type interface. While the physical connection is maintained, the controller breaks the logical connection established by the initial connection process and subsequently makes another logical connection between the peripheral device and the host device. |
| US08244939B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically allocating queue depth by initiator
A method for maximizing I/O requests to a target port is provided. The method includes a storage controller obtaining an initiator allowed queue depth, receiving an I/O request and a current sequence identifier from an initiator logged into the target port, and determining if the initiator allowed queue depth is equal to a first queue depth corresponding to the initiator. If the initiator allowed queue depth is equal to the first queue depth then returning a queue full indication and a maximum sequence identifier equal to the current sequence identifier to the initiator. If the initiator allowed queue depth is not equal to the first queue depth then placing the I/O request on a queue, incrementing the first queue depth, and adjusting the maximum sequence identifier. Adjusting the maximum sequence identifier includes adding the current sequence identifier to the initiator allowed queue depth and subtracting the first queue depth. |
| US08244936B2 |
Data communication apparatus for stabilizing the connection of a communication line between data communication apparatuses and program therefor
A data communication apparatus 1 has a processing section (CPU) 10 that executes at least a part of communication processing of a communication controller 2 and that executes processing other than the communication processing, whereinThe data communication apparatus 1 has an interrupt request blocking section 20 that blocks, during execution of a processing relevant to information exchange concerning a communication condition for the communication controller 2 to carry out a communication processing, an interrupt request to the processing section 10 with priority over the processing relevant to information exchange. With this arrangement, even when additional operation is carried out to execute an interrupt processing during execution of a processing concerning a communication condition such as a modulation system of a modem and a communication speed, the processing can be executed securely and a stable connection of a communication line can be maintained. |
| US08244932B2 |
Dynamic stabilization for a stream processing system
Disclosed are a method, upstream processing node, and computer readable medium for dynamically stabilizing a stream processing system. The method includes receiving at least one computing resource allocation target. The method further includes determining that an input data flow rate of at least one upstream processing element varies. The computing resource is dynamically allocated to the upstream processing element in response to the input rate of the upstream processing element varying. Data flow is dynamically controlled between the upstream processing element and at least one downstream processing element. |
| US08244927B2 |
Method of detecting accessories on an audio jack
An apparatus comprises an audio or video jack connector configured to receive an audio or video jack plug of a separate device, a detection circuit in electrical communication with the connector, and a processor communicatively coupled to the detection circuit. The connector includes an electrical contact for connection to a conducting terminal of the plug. The detection circuit is configured to determine a resistance at the conducting terminal. The resistance is a resistive load of the separate device at the conducting terminal of the plug. The processor is configured to identify a function of the separate device according to the determined resistance, and configure an operation of the apparatus according to the determined function. |
| US08244926B2 |
Data processing system and data processor
One data processor is provided with an interface for realizing connection with the other data processor. This interface is provided with a function for connecting the other data processor as a bus master to an internal bus of the one data processor, and the relevant other data processor is capable of directly operating peripheral functions that are memory mapped to the internal bus from an external side via the interface. Accordingly, the data processor can utilize the peripheral functions of the other data processor without interruption of the program being executed. In short, one data processor can use in common the peripheral resources of the other data processor. |
| US08244925B2 |
Circuit board and liquid crystal display includes changing EDID information
Provided are a circuit board that stores Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) information provided externally and a liquid crystal display (LCD) comprising the same. The liquid crystal display comprises a circuit board and a liquid crystal panel. The circuit board comprises a first connector which receives an externally provided video signal, a second connector which receives an externally provided EDID signal, a memory coupled to the second connector that receives and stores the EDID signal, and a timing controller which receives the video signal from the first connector and generates a video data voltage by using the EDID signal. The liquid crystal panel responds to the video data voltage and displays a video image. |
| US08244918B2 |
Resource sharing expansion card
An expansion card is provided that allows resources allocated to the expansion card to be shared with a different card. The expansion card comprises a coupling device that couples the expansion card to a data processing system. The expansion card also includes an identifier data structure that when queried by the data processing system, identifies the expansion card as a resource sharing expansion card. The data processing system reallocates one or more resources allocated to the expansion card to a different card coupled to the data processing system. |
| US08244916B1 |
Method and apparatus for enabling a network interface to support multiple networks
An apparatus capable of communicating data with a second apparatus using one of multiple networks comprising first and second networks comprises a host specifying a preferred one of the multiple networks; a first physical layer device arranged to communicate the data over the first network, wherein the first physical layer device determines a first status of the first network; a second physical layer device arranged to communicate the data over the second network; a first media access controller to facilitate communication of the data from the host over the first network using a single media access controller address via the first physical layer device; and a second media access controller to facilitate communication of the data from the host over the second network using the single media access controller address via the second physical layer device; and a controller in communication with the first and second physical layer devices and the host to provide the first and second status to the host, wherein the host controls the controller to communicate the data using the first media access controller if the first network is the preferred one and the first status is available. |
| US08244915B1 |
Systems and methods to uniquely identify assets in a federation
Some embodiments provide different frameworks that implement conflict avoidance systems and methods for ensuring uniqueness in identifying assets for different customers that are deployed to server capacity of one or more distributed platforms participating in a federation. Specifically, different frameworks are provided whereby the distributed platforms authorize use of a domain before configuring the domain to identify assets of a customer. A method performed in one such framework includes receiving a domain that is specified for identifying assets of a first customer belonging to a first distributed platform of the federation. The method determines whether the domain conflicts with a domain that is configured by a second distributed platform of the federation. The method then communicates with the first distributed platform (i) to configure the received domain when there is no conflict and (ii) to prevent the first distributed platform from configuring the received domain when there is a conflict. |
| US08244914B1 |
Systems and methods for restoring email databases
A method may include creating a backup image of an email database. The method may also include archiving a set of email objects in the backup image by, for each email object in the set of email objects: (1) moving the email object from the backup image to an archival data store; and (2) providing, in the backup image, a shortcut that identifies a location of the email object in the archival data store. The method may further include receiving a request to restore the email database and restoring the email database from the backup image by, for each email object in the set of email objects, restoring the shortcut to the email object instead of restoring the email object. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08244913B1 |
Replication horizon determination with an independent distributed database system
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the replication horizon and other data propagation-related information is tracked through the use of a “pulse” and “echo” approach. |
| US08244911B2 |
Method and apparatus for concurrent and stateful decompression of multiple compressed data streams
A method for decompressing multiple data streams includes receiving a packet of data of a compressed data stream, directing the received packet to a selected one of a plurality of decompression functional units within a hardware-based decompression accelerator unit, obtaining decompression state information pertaining to the compressed data stream, and decompressing the received packet using the obtained decompression state information. |
| US08244905B2 |
Routing mechanisms for messaging applications using an enhanced gateway control function
Exemplary method and apparatuses for routing messaging traffic from a calling party in an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network to a server in a destination network that serves a called party via the most direct route are provided. A telephone number mapping (ENUM)/Domain Name System (DNS) database, pre-provisioned to receive and respond to query messages based on an identifier of the called party and an application specific service type, e.g., short message service (SMS) or instant messaging (IM), may be accessed by a node in the calling party's IMS network to determine an address of the server in the destination network. Messaging traffic may be routed to the destination network or server based on content type or destination digits when ENUM/DNS database based routing mechanisms fail. Furthermore, routing of messaging traffic originating in an enterprise network and routing through the public switched telephone network (PSTN) is enabled. |
| US08244895B2 |
Method and apparatus for applying receiving attributes using constraints
A method and apparatus for applying at least one receiving attribute at a receiving destination is provided. The design specifies receiving attributes based on constraints on definable multivariate functions, the definable multivariate functions including either linear combinations of products of univariate functions of attribute values or stack functions. The method may process predetermined specified functions at a format independent adaptation engine in a network using XML syntax by specifying an expression for the function using an ordered list of numeric constants, variables, arguments, and operators pushed into an expression stack to evaluate the expression. |
| US08244886B2 |
Systems and methods for providing content and services on a network system
Systems and methods for managing and providing content and services on a network system. Aspects of the invention include location-based determination of network content and services that may be provided to client computers. Other aspects of the invention include authorization and authentication components that determine access rights of client computers. Additional aspects include systems and methods for redirecting client computers to different network content. The disclosed systems and methods may be used in numerous network system applications. |
| US08244884B2 |
Method and apparatus for file sharing between a group of user devices with crucial portions sent via satellite and non-crucial portions sent using a peer-to-peer network
A communication system 100 includes a group of user devices 110, a satellite 106 and a content delivery network 120 in communication with the group of user devices 110. The content delivery network 120 selects a plurality of user devices 110 from the group of user devices 110, divides content into a crucial portion and non-crucial portions, communicates the non-crucial portions to the plurality of user devices using a peer-to-peer network until all non-critical portions are received. After communicating the non-crucial portions, the content delivery network 120 communicates the crucial portion to the plurality of user devices 110 through the satellite. The plurality of user devices assembles the crucial portion and the non-crucial portions to form the content. In addition, security information may be first transmitted through the satellite to the user devices so that a peer-to-peer network may be established. Thereafter, the non-crucial portion are exchanged through the peer-to-peer network. |
| US08244883B2 |
Systems and methods of for providing multi-mode transport layer compression
Systems and methods are disclosed for communicating compressed and uncompressed content over a transport layer connection established by an appliance between a client and a server. One method comprises the steps of: establishing, by an appliance, a transport layer connection between a client and a server, and receiving, by the appliance, a first response from the server to a first client request, and a second response from the server to a second client request The first response and the second response has uncompressed data. The method includes transmitting, by the appliance, the first response to the client. The appliance identifies first type of compression from a plurality of compression types for compressing the second response to the client, compresses the second response based on the identified compression type, and transmits the compressed second response to the client. |
| US08244882B2 |
On-demand instantiation in a high-performance computing (HPC) system
In one embodiment, a method for on-demand instantiation in a high-performance computing (HPC) system includes receiving a connection request from a client specifying a first port number and a first host name advertised externally with respect to an HPC server including a cluster of nodes, identifying a service at the HPC server corresponding to the first port number and the first host name, determining whether the identified service is available, and, if the identified service is available, instantiating a host providing the identified service at one or more nodes in the cluster. |
| US08244880B2 |
Connection management method, system, and program product
The invention provides a method, system, and program product for managing a connection. In particular, the invention manages connection information in memory based on an expected usage of the corresponding connection. Connection information can be stored in faster memory, such as cache memory, when the connection is expected to have numerous additional messages. Similarly, the connection information for a connection not expected to have many additional messages can be swapped out of the cache memory and stored in relatively slower memory. As a result, the connection information that is more frequently used is more likely to be available in a faster memory. |
| US08244878B2 |
User experience for multiple simultaneous connections on an instant messaging program
Methods, computer-readable storage media, and systems for establishing multiple simultaneous connections on an instant messaging program to enhance the user experience. The user receives notifications of request to communicate, an email, or an alert on communication devices. By choosing which communication device to respond on, that particular communication device becomes active, continuing the communication to transmit to and receive from on that communication device. The process also includes mirroring the communication on the other communication devices that are alive (connected) and non-mobile. Furthermore, the other communication devices are kept alive to allow the user to switch from one communication device to another during communication. |
| US08244872B2 |
Educational adaptive provider architecture
The educational adaptive provider architecture described herein provides a way for an educational services framework to be built on varying underlying existing technologies without any changes in the object model and services. The provider framework supports the ability to have multiple types of providers for various services, such as, for example, for authorization, authentication, communication, grouping, scoring, social-networking, storage and user functions. The educational adaptive provider architecture provides easy integration of existing institutional and educational service deployments. |
| US08244870B2 |
Distributing traffic to multiple GNS devices
In one embodiment, a system for communicating traffic comprises a plurality of global namespace (GNS) devices and a network switch. The GNS devices aggregate mount points of file systems as an aggregated mount point. The network switch has a host-side interface, a storage-side interface, and a load balancer. The host-side interface has one or more host-side ports that communicate with a computing host. The storage-side interface has a plurality of storage-side ports that communicate with the GNS devices. The load balancer presents a virtual address to the computing host, and distributes traffic from the computing host to the GNS devices through the storage-side ports. |
| US08244868B2 |
Thin-provisioning adviser for storage devices
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for thin-provisioning of storage in a storage system by an adviser is provided. A workload profile of the storage is created from performance data. The workload profile includes a measurement of changed data per a predetermined time and resource utilization data over a period of time. A capacity estimate is derived from the measurement of changed data per a predetermined time. A placement estimate is derived from the resource utilization data obtained over a period of time. A target capacity is recommended to a user based on the capacity estimate. A placement location is recommended to a user based on the placement estimate. A predicted resource utilization is provided to the user based on the capacity estimate or the placement estimate. |
| US08244867B2 |
System and method for the location of caches
A method for selecting a preferred cache for the download of digital data from a plurality of caches is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of requesting an address of the preferred cache and selecting the preferred cache from the plurality of caches. The selection of the preferred cache is derived from a location identifier of a client requesting the download of the digital data. |
| US08244864B1 |
Transparent migration of TCP based connections within a network load balancing system
A method and system for enhancing a network load balancing system's ability to distribute connection information and data amongst the plurality of nodes within the system is presented. A client connection request is redirected to a load balancing service residing on a receiving node by modifying the destination port information contained within the packet. The receiving node can be any node within the load balancing system, and is determined from amongst the plurality of nodes that comprise the system by a conventional means. A transparent connection is then established between the client and the load balancing service residing on the node by modifying subsequently transmitted connection setup packets sent by the receiving node and the client. A target node is determined according to resource specific information contained within initially received data packets from the client. The target node determined this way could be the local node or another node. If it is another node, the connection parameters and the data received over the connection are passed to a peer load balancing service residing on the target node. The target load balancing service then instructs TCP/IP to create a Transmission Control Block for the connection and TCP/IP indicates the connection to the appropriate client resource. The target load balancing service sends a “migration completed” message to the receiving node. Upon receiving this notification, the receiving load balancing service instructs a corresponding load balancing driver to stop handling subsequent packets received from that particular client, while the target node is enabled to accept the packets. |
| US08244861B2 |
Network event notification and delivery
Described are a main host system of the client computer, and a network event notification system, including a networking subsystem that communicates with a network server to act as a proxy for the client computer when the main host system of the client computer is in a sleep state. The networking subsystem may await a synchronization packet initiated by the network server, or may occasionally poll the network server to determine whether data is available. To this end, the computing device operates an associated network subsystem while the main host system of the computing device is in a sleep state, and receives data via the network subsystem indicating that content is available to the computing device. Policy is then invoked policy to determine whether to wake at least part of the main host system to handle the content. A target duty cycle mechanism is also provided to control the average power consumption during wake and sleep cycling. |
| US08244854B1 |
Method and system for gathering and propagating statistical information in a distributed computing environment
Method and system for gathering and propagating statistical information about resources in a distributed computing grid. Data relating to a resource in the first group of resources on the distributed computing grid is received by a gatherer. The received data is provided to other resources in the first group, and a statistical model is determined or generated for each resource in the first group based on the received data. A second group of resources on the grid is called, and the statistical information from the first group is propagated to the second group. |
| US08244848B1 |
Integrated social network environment
In one embodiment, a system includes one or more computing systems that implement a social networking environment and are operable to access stored information including a plurality of nodes including a first set of user nodes that each correspond to a respective user and a second set of concept nodes that each correspond to a respective concept. The stored information further includes a plurality of edges that each define a connection between a corresponding pair of nodes including a first set and a second set of edges. Each edge from the first set defining a connection between a pair of user nodes and representing a social relationship between the users corresponding to the user nodes. Each edge from the second set defining a connection between a user node and a concept node and representing an interest of the user of the user node with respect to the corresponding concept node. |
| US08244846B2 |
Balanced consistent hashing for distributed resource management
A method, system, computer-readable storage medium and apparatus for balanced and consistent placement of resource management responsibilities within a multi-computer environment, such as a cluster, that are both scalable and make efficient use of cluster resources are provided. Embodiments reduce the time that a cluster is unavailable due to redistribution of resource management responsibilities by reducing the amount of redistribution of those responsibilities among the surviving cluster members. Embodiments further provide redistribution of resource management responsibilities based upon relative capabilities of the remaining cluster nodes. |
| US08244844B2 |
Tool for data generation for simple network management protocol (SNMP)
A tool is provided for automated SNMP data generation. The tool includes a special header file operable to contain standard header file data and special comment data. The tool also includes an extractor, a MIB generator component, and an OIDInformation file. The extractor component is operable to convert the special header file into a managed object structure description file. The MIB generator component is operable to convert the managed object structure description file into a management information base file. The OIDInformation generator component is operable to convert the managed object structure description file into an OIDInformation file. The OIDInformation file is operable to retain and provide data related to a network resource. |
| US08244842B1 |
Computer management
A management adapter is provided for a computer management system. A data acquisition layer provides a mapping between platform-specific instrumentation interface and platform-specific component tables. A management model transformation layer provides a mapping between the platform-specific component tables and generic component tables. A presentation mapping layer provides a mapping between the generic component tables and a management protocol schema. |
| US08244840B2 |
Simplified walk-up enablement of inter-based, personalized access to retail imaging devices and services
An apparatus and method for loading and configuring an imaging device driver to facilitate turnkey remote access via the interne to the complete and explicit feature set and capabilities provided by a specific, user selected, retail imaging kiosk or digital photofinishing system. |
| US08244837B2 |
Central administration of one or more resources
A central administration tool or manager supports entry or selection of attribute data or datum (e.g., an attribute value) associated with at least one of a resource and a user. The entered or selected attribute data is arranged into a data structure (e.g., a file) for transmission over a communications network. The data structure is transmitted over the communications network to a directory interface. The transmitted data structure is processed to be compatible with interpretation by a directory services system. The directory services system is invoked consistent with the contents of the data structure (e.g., the file) and the previous processing of the data structure. Resources (e.g., applications) that are under the control of the directory services are managed consistent with the contents of the data structure. |
| US08244832B1 |
Providing location information to website providers
A system, a method and computer-readable for providing the location of client devices to website providers. An application residing on a client device is provided. The application may present content, such as a web page, received over a communications network. The application is configured to generate a request for information describing the location of the client device. In response to this request, a location service may obtain the location of the client device and may communicate this location to a website provider. The website provider may generate a web page for display by the application. This web page may contain content selected based on the location of the client device. |
| US08244831B1 |
Method for the preemptive creation of binary delta information within a computer network
Data can be transferred between computers at remote sites by transferring the data itself, or by transferring files showing how data at an originating site can be recreated from data already present at a receiving site. As part of the data transfer, a determination can be made as to what is the most appropriate way for the transfer to take place. Further, in cases where data is not transferred directly between originating and receiving sites, it is possible that some preparatory steps might be performed to improve the efficiency of the transfers to the receiving sites when they do take place. Additional efficiencies can be obtained in some cases by using the parallel processing capabilities provided by a cloud based architecture. |
| US08244830B2 |
Linking users into live social networking interactions based on the users' actions relative to similar content
A system and method that uses interne content and/or content metadata as a means to establish social networks. Examples include linking internet users, searchers, viewers and/or listeners of the same and/or similar internet content to each other via a platform that enables any of the following in n-dimensional environments: social networking, communications, sharing, e-commerce, advertising, search, hosting and registry services, push and pull applications, anonymous communications, and rich presence. |
| US08244829B2 |
Data transmitting apparatus, data receiving apparatus, data transmitting method and data receiving method
A data transmitting apparatus, which implements a RESUME function which is capable of properly setting a resume position and capable of setting plural resume positions, executes a Java™ application program and includes: a memory for storing content and content attribute information; a network unit which transmits a content to a data receiving apparatus; an action request receiving and responding unit which receives an update request indicating a resume position, from the data receiving apparatus; and a resume position managing unit which updates content attribute information stored in the memory in accordance with the received update request, so that such resume position and a resume position identifier are included in the content attribute information. |
| US08244827B2 |
Transferring a logical partition (‘LPAR’) between two server computing devices based on LPAR customer requirements
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for transferring a logical partition (‘LPAR’) between two of a plurality of server computing devices based on LPAR customer requirements, the plurality of server computing devices connected together through a data communications network, the LPAR installed on one of the plurality of server computing devices, each server computing device having server operating capabilities, each server computing device associated with LPAR hosting costs for supporting LPARs, that include: identifying LPAR customer requirements for the LPAR, the LPAR customer requirements specifying customer criteria for operating the LPAR; selecting, from among the plurality of server computing devices, a server computing device to which to migrate the LPAR in dependence upon the server operating capabilities and LPAR hosting costs for at least one of the server computing devices and the LPAR customer requirements for the LPAR; and migrating the LPAR to the selected server computing device. |
| US08244826B2 |
Providing a memory region or memory window access notification on a system area network
Mechanisms for providing a memory region/memory window (MR/MW) access notification on a system area network are provided. Whenever a previously allocated MR/MW is accessed, such as via a remote direct memory access (RDMA) read/write operation, a notification of the access is generated and written to a queue data structure associated with the MR/MW. In one illustrative embodiment, this queue data structure may be a MR/MW event queue (EQ) data structure that is created and used for all consumer processes and all MR/MWs. In other illustrative embodiments, the EQ is associated with a protection domain. In yet another illustrative embodiment, an event record may be posted to an asynchronous event handler in response to the accessing of the MR/MW. In another illustrative embodiment, a previously posted queue element may be used to generate a completion queue element in response to the accessing of the MR/MW. |
| US08244823B2 |
Method, system, server and user equipment for obtaining default notification message
The present disclosure discloses a method, server, and UE, to be applied to a DVB-H system, for obtaining a default notification message. The method includes obtaining a data structure carrying a unique default notification access parameter corresponding to a default notification message, obtaining the default notification access parameter from the data structure, and obtaining the default notification message at the location indicated by the default notification access parameter. The method provided by the disclosure may enable a UE to obtain the unique default notification access parameter in a DVB-H system and obtain the default notification message based on the default notification access parameter. Moreover, because the default notification access parameter obtained by the UE is unique, the disclosure overcomes the problem in the prior art that default notification session access parameters may be inconsistent and no data redundancy will be caused in the UE. |
| US08244821B2 |
Method, system, graphical user interface, and data structure for creating electronic calendar entries from email messages
A method, system, and data structure for creating electronic calendar entries are disclosed. One aspect of the invention involves a computer data structure that includes an email message with an embedded link. The embedded link contains event information corresponding to multiple parameters for an event described in the email message. The embedded link is configured, upon activation, to initiate generation of an electronic calendar entry form with multiple fields. A plurality of the multiple fields contain event information from the embedded link. |
| US08244820B2 |
System and method for processing messages being composed by a user
A system and method for processing messages being composed by a user of a computing device (e.g. a mobile device). Embodiments are described in which the performance of certain tasks is initiated before a direction is received from a user to send a message being composed by the user. This may involve, for example, “pre-fetching” security-related data that will be required in order to send a message that is in the process of being composed by the user securely. Such data may include security policy data, certificate data, and/or certificate status data, for example. |
| US08244819B2 |
E-mail tool management shell command set
A method to execute verb-noun cmdlets to retrieve mailbox information or receive connector information from an e-mail server includes opening an e-mail management tool and receiving and parsing at least one cmdlet having a verb-noun syntax. A get-mailbox cmdlet may retrieve mailbox information from an e-mail server and a get-receiveconnector cmdlet may retrieve receive connector information from the e-mail server. Both cmdlets may have parameters that allow the retrieval of all, one or many mailboxes or receive connectors associated with the e-mail server. One implementation of the e-mail management tool is in a WINDOWS™ computing environment where the management host executes in a POWERSHELL™ scripting environment. |
| US08244815B1 |
Enabling electronic logging through an instant message system
Enabling electronic logging using an instant message system includes identifying an interactive agent to an instant message (IM) host system under a first screen name, receiving multiple IMs addressed to the first screen name, the IMs being received from multiple users identifiable to the IM host system, and for each of at least some received, IMs addressed to the first screen name determining which one of the multiple users sent the IM, identifying a web log associated with the user who sent the IM, and adding the contents of the IM to the identified web log. |
| US08244806B2 |
System and method for effecting simultaneous control of remote computers
A system and methodology for controlling multiple devices simultaneously from one control device. The control device is provided with a display having a plurality of windows, each having a visual representation related to the activity of the multiple devices. By relaying commands effected at the control device through an intermediary server, it is possible to simultaneously effect a corresponding processing of the same commands at each of the multiple devices. On effecting a command the multiple devices relay back, through the server, an image representative of the result of the processing of that command to the control device for display. |
| US08244803B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributing data to a plurality of game devices
Striped Multiplexing Download Queue software facilitates and increases throughput for client-server downloads through a limited communication device. In the “DS Download Station” application, this is used to queue many requests and to broadcast download segments to requesters seeking the same data. This works by employing a “download stripe” on both the server and client. The download stripe on the server side tracks acknowledgements from clients per download segment. On the client side, the stripe tracks received segments to account for duplicate data. Requesters are queued on a first-come first-serve basis. Requesters in the queue may receive segments of downloads while waiting in queue, if the client at the front of the queue is downloading the same file. This recursively saves waiting time for clients in the queue. |
| US08244801B2 |
System for digital yearbook delivery with multi-media data
An application for a system for providing a digital yearbook includes a server, a terminal device and a database. The database is interfaced to the server and a yearbook is captured at the terminal device and transferred to the server. The yearbook data is filtered based upon a user profile and delivered to the user. After initial delivery of the yearbook data, updated yearbook data is delivered to the user and integrated with the initial yearbook data originally delivered to the user. |
| US08244800B2 |
Virtual space system, method and program
In a virtual space including a plurality of islands, location of the islands is mapped in two dimensions, preferably using multidimensional scaling such as Kruskal method, to keep the order of the distances between the feature vector including the information of profile and preference of the user and the feature vectors including the profiles and event information of the respective islands. The map server uses the mapping information to provide the user with the islands arranged in a manner more conforming to the user's feature vector, which allows the user to conveniently visit the islands suited to the user's preference, and hence, increases utilization of the virtual space. |
| US08244799B1 |
Client application fingerprinting based on analysis of client requests
Processes are disclosed for fingerprinting and identifying client applications based on the analysis of client requests. In an HTTP-based embodiment, a fingerprint is constructed based on the presence and order of HTTP headers included in a request from a client application or device. This fingerprint may then be compared to known fingerprints associated with particular client applications to identify the particular client application and/or to assess whether the client application is malicious. The results of this analysis may, for example, be used to determine how to respond to the current request and/or subsequent requests. |
| US08244797B2 |
Information supplementing device, system, method and program
With an operation information supplement instructing unit (16), a service progress dependent information storage unit (11), a service progress dependent information search unit (12) and a service progress dependent information answering unit (13) provided, when the operation information supplement instructing unit (16) is pressed, the service progress dependent information search unit (12) searches the service progress dependent information storage unit (11) for supplemental contents recorded in pair with the same service progress as a current service progress (information indicating how far service progresses) and presents the searched supplemental contents to a user through the service progress dependent information answering unit (13). |
| US08244796B1 |
Method and apparatus for customizing presentation of notification lists
Embodiments for customizing the presentation of a notification list are disclosed. In one example implementation, a method is provided for assembling a notification list including a plurality of tags to specify at least in part how the notification list is to be displayed by a client, and then causing the notification list to be transmitted to the client. In one example implementation, a method is provided including receiving, by a client, a notification list, where the notification list includes a plurality of tags to specify at least in part how the notification list is to be displayed, and causing the notification list to be displayed by the client in a manner specified at least in part by the plurality of tags. |
| US08244794B2 |
Consolidated business service for integrating service oriented architecture services with customer resources
A processor-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product integrate Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) services with resources at multiple enterprises. A processor receives and aggregates trapped messages, from an affected resource, which describe an event. The trapped aggregated message describes redundant messages about a same event. The trapped aggregated message is transcribed to create a transcribed trapped aggregated message, which is transmitted to the SOA response service to request the pre-set response. The pre-set response is translated into a protocol needed to initiate the pre-set response in an electronic element referenced by the pre-set response, and is then transmitted to the electronic element. |
| US08244792B2 |
Apparatus and method for information recovery quality assessment in a computer system
An apparatus and method for information recovery quality assessment in a computing environment is disclosed. This includes a group of inter-related software modules and associated data structures that analyze and assess the recoverability of the network data through the data protection configuration setup and a previously performed data protection process. It examines in a comprehensive manner the recoverability perspective across a pre-defined data protection domain, such as a computer network with an organization. The results of the examination provide for the display of inconsistencies of data protection configuration and previously performed data protection processes that consequently result in problems of recovering the network objects in an appropriate manner. |
| US08244790B2 |
Multiplier and cipher circuit
A multiplier circuit is disclosed including a Wallace tree block and a carry propagation adder. The Wallace tree block includes a sum calculation block adding partial products for each digit and a carry calculation block adding carries obtained in the addition by the sum calculation block. In the case of multiplication over an extension field (finite field GF(2n)) of two, a result of calculation by the sum calculation block is outputted. The carry propagation adder adds the result of calculation by the sum calculation block and a result of calculation by the carry calculation block. In the case of multiplication for integers (finite field GF(p)), a result of calculation by the carry propagation adder is outputted. |
| US08244788B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device having a plurality of photo detectors and processing elements
A semiconductor integrated circuit device, having a plurality of processing elements accommodated on a single semiconductor chip, has a latch circuit and a selecting circuit. The latch circuit is provided at an output of each of the processing elements. The selecting circuit selects an input source from a group consisting of upper, lower, left, and right processing elements and a zero signal. |
| US08244780B1 |
Parameter oriented automated database command
A method for performing a data store operation is provided. The method comprises invoking a command to execute on a processor in a computer that identifies an input file, determining a structure of a data table stored in a database and reading rows of data out of the data table based on the input file. For each row comparing data read out of the data table to a corresponding row of data in the input file. When the row of data read is identical to the corresponding row of data in the input file, not updating the row of data in the data table. When the row of data read is not identical to the corresponding row of data in the input file, updating the row of data stored in the corresponding row of data in the input file based on the structure of the data table. |
| US08244779B2 |
Method and system for monitoring a mobile equipment fleet
A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving a message from a remote device. The message includes data. The method further includes analyzing the data using a set of rules. The analyzing includes performing a maintenance analysis by analyzing the data using a set of asset maintenance rules and a set of asset usage rules. Responsive to the analyzing the data using the set of rules, an alert is sent. |
| US08244778B1 |
Customization of types using default aspects
Managing stored content is disclosed. It is determined that a new or modified attribute is to be associated with future-created instances of an object type but not with at least some previously-created instances of the object type. A default intra-type customization that associates the new or modified attribute with future-created instances of the object type, in a manner that results in the new or modified attribute being stored in a database structure that is separate from a type-specific structure configured to store one or more type-based attributes common to both the at least some previously-created and future-created instances of the object type, is associated with the object type. |
| US08244777B1 |
Model driven compliance management system and method
A compliance lifecycle management system is provided that addresses policy management issues at each stage of policy maturity throughout a policy lifetime. The compliance lifecycle management system provides functionality for policy control at initialization by enabling specification and creation of policies including identifying redundant and sub/super sets of policies across domains. As an infrastructure and its associated policies mature and change, the compliance lifecycle management system monitors compliance to dynamic policies to check for policy conflicts. The compliance management process may further be used to simulate the introduction of policies into the infrastructure to view the resultant impact that a new or updated policies may have on a network. With such an arrangement, policy management practices become more responsive, predictable and efficient. |
| US08244772B2 |
Method for creating a scalable graph database using coordinate data elements
Embodiments of a method for creating a graph database which is arranged to store data in the form of graph tuples comprising n-parts, are described. In an embodiment, each tuple-part is encoded into a unique part identifier (UPI). A geospatial UPI is defined for two-dimensional data elements that include a plurality of data points defined by respective pairs of an X-ordinate and a Y-ordinate. A two-dimensional data space is divided into a plurality of uniform Y strips of defined widths. The Y-strip width is selected to correspond approximately to an anticipated Y dimension of a typical search region of interest. The geospatial UPI encodes a plurality of coordinate points in a two -dimensional data space into a single datum that includes respective pairs of an X-ordinate and a Y-ordinate. The geospatial UPI comprises a data structure arranged in order of sort priority by the geospatial UPI type code, geospatial subtype, and Y-strip identifier followed by the X-ordinate data and Y-ordinate data. The component fields of the data structure are arranged so that the datum can be sorted linearly as a single unsigned integer, thus facilitating a search over a two dimensional region of the data by allowing a search process to linearly scan a limited identifiable region of each of the several strips overlapping the search region of interest. |
| US08244770B2 |
Image tile server
An image tile server importantly includes an image tile cache, to support a tiled map display in a user device. Instead of the conventional user device client (e.g., an Ajax client) making image requests directly to a mapping server (MS), a display device initiates an image request of a tile server (TS), and the tile server returns the requested image. However, importantly, the tile server (TS) also retains a cached copy of the returned image for faster retrieval at a later time relating to another image request by the same or different user device. |
| US08244764B2 |
Stashing of locally persisted data to network accessible storage
Techniques are disclosed for identifying and stashing all or portions of application data to a network accessible storage device or location. Identifying and stashing are accomplished in a fashion that is transparent to a user such that a user is not burdened by the process of managing and stashing a full or partial set of application data. The system, the application, or a combination of system components and the application persist and manage data locally and stash portions of the local data to one or more network accessible storage devices or locations. One or more links are provided in place of the stashed portions of data. The application uses the links in a same or similar fashion as handling local data while providing little to no loss of functionality due to all or portions of the local data being stashed. |
| US08244763B1 |
Wiki-facilitated enterprise architecture repository
An enterprise architecture storage and organization system is provided which includes user-editable webpages to display enterprise architecture content. The webpages are organized in a framework, such as the Zachman Framework. The framework may comprise a plurality of units grouped into a plurality of levers and a plurality of categories. Each unit may have a user-editable webpage associated with it. The level of detail included within each user-editable webpage is variant depending upon the location of its associated unit in the framework. Units at the top of the framework contain broad or general information and the level of detail downwardly increases. Users may selectably edit the content of the user-editable webpages using an editor. Users may edit the text and edit and attach graphics. In some embodiments, wiki-type functionality may be utilized. |
| US08244756B2 |
Method and device for searching for music file of mobile terminal
A method and device for searching for a music file of a mobile terminal are provided. The method of searching for a music file of a mobile terminal includes, receiving at least one input key signal in an idle state of the mobile terminal, setting a search word by combining characters mapped to the received at least one input key signal, determining whether a music file that includes the search word exists within the mobile terminal, and requesting, if it is determined that a music file that includes the search word does not exist within the mobile terminal, a search for a music file that includes the search word to a preset web server. |
| US08244754B2 |
System and method for object searching in virtual worlds
A system and method enabling the search for a three-dimensional virtual world object across the universe of virtual worlds by utilizing a two-step search process to first identify the object and second, to actively locate and generate a URI to all presently manifest instances of that object. |
| US08244749B1 |
Generating sibling query refinements
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for identifying query refinements from sibling queries. In one aspect, a method includes associating each of a plurality of parent queries with a respective group of one or more child queries for the parent query, identifying one or more candidate sibling queries for a particular child query, selecting one or more final sibling queries for the particular child query from the one or more candidate sibling queries, and associating the final sibling queries with the particular child query as query refinements. |
| US08244746B2 |
Parallel linking system and parallel linking method
A method for use in a computer including a storage to store a trace record including a pair of a key character string and a value in a message and a message that has not yet been subjected to linking. The method includes identifying, from a received message or trace information received from a different linking apparatus, pairs of a key character string and the value thereof, pairs of a key character string and a value included in messages that have not yet been subjected to linking and that are to be subjected to linking and registering the identified pairs in the storage. |
| US08244743B2 |
Scalable rendering of large spatial databases
Aspects of the invention provide a service for data management and integration across a wide range of applications. Clustered computers may be arranged in a cloud-type configuration for storing and handling large amounts of user data under the control of a front-end management server. Communities of distributed users may collaborate on the data across multiple enterprises. Very large tabular data files are uploaded to the storage facilities. The data files are maintained as tables, and a composite table of related information is created and maintained in response to user queries. Different ways of visualizing the data are provided. Depending on the amount of information that can be displayed, features in a spatial index may the thinned for presentation. Spatial and structured queries are processing and results are intersected to obtain information for display. |
| US08244738B2 |
Data display apparatus, method, and program
A display apparatus includes: a first memory to store a plurality of contents and pieces of content information including a plurality of elements; an element selector to select at least part of the plural elements correspond to a first content; a determine unit to determine whether or not the selected element matches the plural elements correspond to the contents; a generator to generate corresponding information for each of the contents based on a result of the determination; a second memory to store pieces of the corresponding information; a content selector to select a second content; a calculator to calculate degrees of association to the second content; a deciding unit to decide a arrangement positions of the plural contents except the second content according to the degrees of association calculated by the calculator; and a display unit to display the contents at the arrangement positions decided by the deciding unit. |
| US08244736B2 |
Electronic brokerage system and methods of performing the same
A method of determining an optimized supplier list for a consumer using a web based client-server system is described. The method provides for receiving a query from a user and assigning a policy to the query. A search step and an evaluation step are then performed. Additional optional operational steps are provided to enhance the users buying efficiency. |
| US08244732B2 |
Named entity marking apparatus, named entity marking method, and computer readable medium thereof
A named entity marking apparatus, a named entity marking method, and a computer program product thereof are provided. The named entity marking apparatus comprises a processor and a storage unit, wherein the processor is electrically connected to the storage unit. The storage unit is stored with an electronic document and a named entity database. The processor marks the electronic document into a first marked document by a first set of the named entity database. The processor decides a second set of the named entity database according to the first marked document. The processor re-marks the electronic document into a second marked document by the second set of the named entity database. |
| US08244728B2 |
Method and apparatus for data exploration
A method and apparatus for data exploration in a data processing system. An apparatus according to an embodiment includes: an analyzing component for analyzing a data model to identify a first and a second data entity and a relationship between the first and the second data entity; a generator component for creating a first and second atom data entity associated with the first and the second data entity; a generator component for creating a link data entity associated with the relationship between the first and second data entity; and an assignor component for assigning a behavior to one of the atom data entities or the link data entity, wherein the atom data entity exhibits a behavior associated with the link data entity and wherein the link data entity exhibits a behavior associated with one of the atom data entities. |
| US08244724B2 |
Classifying documents according to readership
One embodiment is a computer-implemented method for classifying documents in a collection of documents according to their intended readerships. The method comprises using a computer to select a document in the collection of documents; and using a computer to determine a characteristic of the selected document, the characteristic being: misleading when the document includes one or more features that are determined to be for a purpose other than reading the document; commercial when the document includes features that are presented for a commercial purpose; or personal when the document includes features of a personal opinion. The method further includes using a computer to classify the selected document as misleading, commercial, or personal according to its determined characteristic; and using a computer to repeat the steps of select document, determine a characteristic of the selected document, and classify the selected document for additional documents in the collection. At least some documents are classified as misleading, at least some documents are classified as commercial, and at least some documents are classified as personal. Other methods and computer program products are also disclosed according to even more embodiments. |
| US08244720B2 |
Ranking blog documents
A blog search engine may receive a search query. The blog search engine may determine scores for a group of blog documents in response to the search query, where the scores are based on a relevance of the group of blog documents to the search query and a quality of the group of blog documents. The blog search engine may also provide information regarding the group of blog documents based on the determined scores. |
| US08244712B2 |
Localized viewing of file system names
The elements of a file system contain information that provides language-specific views of the file system. An indicator in each element enables a quick determination to be made whether that element is localized. These indicators can take the form of a key-value pair in a properties list, a special file in the element, such as an empty file, or a special extension on the name of the file. If the element is localized, the localization information can be stored as part of the element, or in a central location for use with multiple different elements. A library of APIs associated with the file system performs methods to determine whether a requested file system element is localized, and to retrieve the localized name in that case. |
| US08244711B2 |
System, method and apparatus for information retrieval and data representation
A system, method, and apparatus for information retrieval are provided. Embodiments of the present invention may generate data structures that may be used to process user queries. According to embodiments of the present invention, a processor component configured to perform the operations of an indexing module and a storage module, the indexing module configured to generate a term list and a term-file matrix from information stored on the storage module, the indexing module further configured to generate an adjacency matrix from the one or more files, wherein the adjacency matrix represents a relationship of the one or more terms in each of the one or more files; and the indexing module further configured to generate a probability matrix using the adjacency matrix and a one-step or two-step random walk. |
| US08244709B2 |
Automatic update of searches
A method and system for automatically updating searches are described. In one embodiment, a first search result may be compared with a second search result to automatically identify from the first search result at least one data item that is new or modified as compared to the second search result. The first search result may comprise a first set of data items satisfying a first set of user-specific search criteria, and the second search result may comprise a second set of data items satisfying a second set of user-specific search criteria. A notification of a result of the comparing may be sent to a user device. |
| US08244706B2 |
Method and apparatus for semantic just-in-time-information-retrieval
A computer-based method and system for just-in-time semantic information retrieval is disclosed. A user interface detects user interaction with a displayed semantic entity. In response, a search member uses semantic information about the displayed entity and automatically searches for information about the subject entity. The search employs system and/or external knowledge bases and returns highly relevant results and information with increased specificity due to the semantic basis. A sidebar unobtrusively displays to the user the search results initially obtained without user request or demand, i.e., on the user's behalf. The sidebar enables the user to dismiss the search results and to effectively copy or export the search results as desired. |
| US08244705B1 |
Rating system and spatial searching therein
Techniques for a rating system are described, including presenting a visual field including two or more axes, each axis representing a criterion associated with an asset, receiving a user rating associated with the asset, the user rating including a point on the visual field, and updating a presentation of the visual field to include the user rating. Further, techniques for spatial searching within the rating system are described, including presenting a visual field including two or more axes, each axis representing a criterion, receiving a search inquiry including a shape input on the visual field, searching assets in response to the search inquiry, and displaying a subset of the assets determined from the searching. |
| US08244703B2 |
Apparatus and method for computation of a pricing index
An information processing apparatus is disclosed which comprises: a first acquiring element for acquiring the number of times information contents are downloaded over a network; a second acquiring element for acquiring the number of times the information contents are reproduced; and a computing element for computing a pricing index for the information contents based on the number of times the information contents have been downloaded as acquired by the first acquiring element and on the number of times the information contents have been reproduced as acquired by the second acquiring element. |
| US08244702B2 |
Modification of a data repository based on an abstract data representation
The present invention is generally directed to a system, method and article of manufacture for modifying data represented abstractly through an abstraction model. In one embodiment, a data repository abstraction layer provides a logical view of an underlying data repository that is independent of the particular manner of data representation. A query abstraction layer is also provided and is based on the data repository abstraction layer. A runtime component performs translation of an abstract query into a form that can be used against a particular physical data representation. |
| US08244699B2 |
Encoding a schema version in table names
The subject matter of this disclosure can be implemented in, among other things, a device that includes processors, a data repository, and a table version module configured to create a first version of a database within the data repository using a first version of a database schema that defines a set of tables for the database, and receive a result that is responsive to a command, such that when the result indicates a success condition, execution of the command allows access to data contained in the database and verification of the database schema version, wherein the result does not include database schema version information. The device further includes means for executing the command to access the data, wherein the command includes one or more encoded table names, and wherein each of the encoded table names included in the command is generated based on at least a database schema version identifier. |
| US08244698B2 |
Encoding a schema version in table names
The subject matter of this disclosure can be implemented in, among other things, a device that includes processors, a data repository, and a table version module configured to create a first version of a database within the data repository using a first version of a database schema that defines a set of tables for the database, and receive a result that is responsive to a command, such that when the result indicates a success condition, execution of the command allows access to data contained in the database and verification of the database schema version, wherein the result does not include database schema version information. The device further includes means for executing the command to access the data, wherein the command includes one or more encoded table names, and wherein each of the encoded table names included in the command is generated based on at least a database schema version identifier. |
| US08244697B2 |
Versioning system for electronic textbooks
A versioning system for electronic textbooks provided to a variety of textbook readers uses a highly abstracted content file tagged with content identifiers allowing this content file to be readily re-edited into multiple versions compatible with different curricula and suitable for a range of different reader types. |
| US08244696B2 |
Methods and systems for supporting multiple deployment models of enterprise business applications
Methods and systems for supporting multiple deployment models for enterprise business applications, are described. In one embodiment, the method may include designating pillars associated with an enterprise business application. Each pillar may include application units which comprise logical groupings for application units used in the enterprise business application. The method may further include determining which of the application units are dependent to more than one of the pillars. Furthermore, based on the determination of the dependent application units, the method may generate deployment code associated with the dependent application units which is configured to be deployment model independent. The method may then receive, at deployment time, a deployment model designation indicating a type of deployment model selected to be used for the enterprise business application. Then, the enterprise business application may be deployed according to the deployment model designation. |
| US08244695B2 |
Validating stored copies of data images to load into memory
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for validating stored copies of data images to load into memory. An image of data is maintained in a memory, wherein the image in the memory includes a generation number. The image in the memory is written to at least two copies of the image to storage locations in response to a first event, wherein the generation number for the image in the memory is stored in the storage locations having the copies of the image. A check generation number is stored in a storage location. The image is loaded from at least one of the copies of the image in one of the storage locations to the memory in response to a second event. The generation number for the image loaded into the memory. The check generation number is incremented in response to the second event. The generation numbers for the copies of the image in the storage locations and the check generation number are used to validate the copies of the image. |
| US08244694B2 |
Dynamic schema assembly to accommodate application-specific metadata
Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system, and article of manufacture for the dynamic schema assembly for documents managed by a content management system (CMS). In one embodiment, a transient, application specific markup schema is dynamically generated when a user accesses a data object managed by the CMS. For example, users may perform operations such as checking out a document from the CMS, viewing a document in the CMS or exporting a document from the CMS. The transient schema is configured to accommodate application-specific metadata, without directly changing or interfering with a base schema associated with the data object. |
| US08244692B1 |
Interleaving compressed archives within a page description language file
Various embodiments described herein provide systems, methods, software, and data structures that allow a page description language reader application, such as ADOBE® ACROBAT®, to provide a view of the assets compressed within a compressed archive. These and other embodiments including applications that may interleave one or more compressed archives within a page description language file, such as a PDF file. This interleaving leverages properties of both compressed archive files and page description language files to insert object markers around compressed assets within the compressed archives and references to at least some of the object markers in an index portion of the page description language files. As a result, compressed assets of compressed archives included in a page description language file package may be viewed within the listing of assets of the page description language file. These and other embodiments are described in greater detail below. |
| US08244684B2 |
Report searching apparatus and a method for searching a report
Specified types of words are extracted from a plurality of radiology reports archived in an archive configured to archive a plurality of radiology reports. The words extracted from a single radiology report are stored in combination. In response to an input operation using an operating part of inputting the specified types of words, combinations including the specified types of words as one part are searched. A list of the specified types of words included as the other part in the searched combinations is generated. In response to an input operation using the operating part of selecting any word from the word list, a list of radiology reports including the inputted word and the selected word is generated. In response to an input operation using the operating part of selecting any report from the radiology report list, the selected radiology report is outputted from the archive to a display. |
| US08244680B2 |
Active directory container recovery
Methods and systems for performing rapid recovery of deleted object in Active Directory. The invention allows automated recovery of any object at any point in an Active Directory hierarchy. In one embodiment, the method for recovering a deleted object includes determining whether the object of interest is contained in the tombstone and, if not, recursively evaluating higher-order parent nodes until a parent node is found that exists in the tombstone. The object of interest can then be reanimated and its attributes automatically restored as well as those for all of the children of the object of interest. |
| US08244677B2 |
Focal point compression method and apparatus
A method for compressing and decompressing files is provided. The method includes creating a list of shift-invariant focal points of neighborhoods in the stream and comparing those focal points to a list of focal points created using the same method on the reference stream. The method of the present invention searches for the longest sequence of focal points that appear in both files. The method of the present invention also verifies that neighborhoods contain the same focal points. The changed data and references to the reference stream are then encoded. The decompression process decodes the encoded stream of data, and using the reference stream recreates the new version of stream. |
| US08244676B1 |
Heat charts for reporting on drive utilization and throughput
The present invention includes a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium. According to an embodiment of the present invention, metadata representing a backup operation is retrieved from a log. The backup operation includes backing up data to at least one storage device. A storage metric for the storage device is calculated using the metadata. The storage metric is graphically displayed. |
| US08244669B2 |
Dynamic formation of groups in a notification system
A method for determining membership in a group of notification recipients and issuing a notification to the group of notification recipients, is disclosed. The method includes associating a set of potential recipients of notifications with at least one descriptor and dynamically forming a group of recipients to receive at least one notification based on the descriptors currently associated with the set of potential recipients of notifications. The method also includes issuing the at least one notification to the group of recipients. A system for determining membership in a group of notification recipients and issuing a notification to the group of notification recipients, is also provided. |
| US08244668B1 |
Workflow administration tools and user interfaces
Various embodiments include systems, methods, and user interfaces that provide abilities to administer data in a workflow system. In some embodiments, the workflow system is a portion of a larger system, such as a document management system. |
| US08244667B1 |
Querying multidimensional data with independent fact and dimension pipelines combined at query time
Separate subsystems are dedicated to handle fact and dimension data storage and retrieval in an optimized manner. Each subsystem acquires, processes, and stores its data separately in a manner appropriate to the characteristics of that data. A query engine combines the data from each subsystem at query time. When a user queries the system, the query engine interacts with each of the subsystems to fetch the data needed to generate a single result set. |
| US08244663B2 |
Method and host device for enforcing a rule associated with a media file
The embodiments described herein generally relate to a method and host device for enforcing a rule associated with a media file. In one embodiment, an observer module determines that a media player is attempting to play a media file. Before allowing the media player to play the media file, the observer module determines if the media file is associated with a rule that specifies an action to be taken if a playback event is detected. If it is determined that the media file is associated with a rule, the observer module observes playback of the media file to detect if the playback event specified in the rule occurred and takes the action specified in the rule if the playback event is detected. |
| US08244656B2 |
System and method for predicting rare events
Systems and methods are provided for predicting rare events, such as hospitalization events. Predictor sequences may be generated by example systems and methods. Further, the fitness of those sequences may be measured. Sequences may be refined and/or combined with other sequences to produce better sequences. Related sequences may have their relationship identified and associated with the respective sequences. Finally, the sequences may be used to create a predictive model designed to determine, based on a sequence of events related to a person, if a hospitalization event is likely to occur in a given timeframe. Other models may be constructed and used to predict other rare events, based on related event sequences. |
| US08244654B1 |
End of life predictive model
A statistical processing system to predict end of life status in current patients of a given population. The processing system includes a server configured with programming instructions implementing a plurality of statistical models to predict a health status or outcome for the highest risk of death based on proprietary factors and the patient being administered no further therapeutic treatment. |
| US08244653B2 |
Profile configuration for a mobile computing device
Data processing apparatus is disclosed comprising: a sensor module configured to sense a first profile comprised of one or more attributes of an environment of said data processing apparatus; and a classification module configured to assign a prediction factor to each of said one or more attributes of said first profile and to store each said attribute and assigned prediction factor as a stored profile. |
| US08244652B2 |
Stacking schema for classification tasks
A method for improving stacking schema for classification tasks, according to which predictive models are built, based on stacked-generalization meta-classifiers. Classifications are combined to build a new scheme from at least two layers and multiclass classification problems are converted into binary classification problems. One-against-all class binarization and regression learners are used for each class model and ensemble classifiers are improved using stacking. Accuracy differences, accuracy ratio, and runtime classification in multiclass datasets are also improved and the class of a value is then predicted. |
| US08244645B2 |
Method for shipment planning/scheduling
A new model for transportation planning vehicle scheduling (TPVS). A database table for shipment documents independent of an order for goods, e.g., a sales order is created. When an order for goods is received, the database table is populated with a shipment document corresponding to, but independent of, the order for goods. This shipment document is owned by the TPVS system. |
| US08244636B2 |
Payment system
An electronic transaction payment system is provided having a vendor terminal associated with a vendor who provides goods or services to a purchaser, a vendor smart-card and a vendor smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from the vendor smart-card. The system also includes a purchaser smart-card reader which is connected to the vendor terminal and which is operable for transmitting data to and receiving data from a purchaser smart-card. In operation, payment for goods purchased by the purchaser is made between the purchaser smart-card and the vendor smart-card. In a preferred embodiment, the payment data is encrypted using an encryption key specific to the transaction between the purchaser and the vendor. A third party registry terminal may also be provided for providing validation of the vendor and/or the purchaser. |
| US08244631B2 |
Data transfer system using mobile terminal and two-dimensional barcode
A data transfer system using a mobile terminal and a two-dimensional barcode, and more particularly, a processing system, server, processing terminal, and communications terminal that can be used to pay for purchases and manage membership cards and admission tickets, and other services. |
| US08244628B1 |
Computerized systems and methods for facilitating the flow of capital through the housing finance industry
A computer implemented data processing system comprises a pricing engine and user interface program logic. The pricing engine is configured to calculate a price for an individual mortgage loan for a sale of the individual mortgage loan from a loan originator to a secondary mortgage market purchaser. The price is calculated prior to closing of the mortgage loan based on mortgage loan application data for a borrower associated with the mortgage loan. The user interface logic is configured to generate one or more screen displays configured to present the price to the loan originator prior to closing of the loan. The one or more screen displays are also configured to receive a commitment from the loan originator for the sale of the individual mortgage loan to the secondary mortgage market purchaser. |
| US08244626B2 |
Live alerts
Systems and methods for monitoring the trading of financial instruments are provided. Trading messages are received at a live alert server. The messages are analyzed with a set of predetermined limits and rules. When a predetermined limit or rule is violated, an email message is sent to a regulator or other trading entity. The email message may include a hyperlink that may be selected to generate a real-time report relating to the limit or rule. When hyperlink is selected, a query is sent to a query server where the real-time report is generated and transmitted back to the requesting party. |
| US08244625B2 |
System and method for varying electronic settlements between buyers and suppliers with dynamic discount terms
A method of making payment. A request is received to effect payment between a buyer and a seller for a transaction having established terms. The terms include a payment amount and a settlement date. Messages are exchanged between the buyer and the seller that include an offer and acceptance of new terms for payment at other than the established terms. The new terms include an adjusted amount of payment to be made at a particular time after an event associated with the transaction. An electronic notification that the event has occurred is received, and the after the notification, payment between the buyer and seller is effected under the new terms. |
| US08244623B2 |
Method and system for training traders
Systems and methods are provided which enable students to participate in a simulated, electronic trading environment. The concept is one where the eSpeed rules based system and GUI may be used to educate students on the trading of financial products. The system may be “live” using real-time information and held either in a private virtual community (i.e. intra-school) or a wider community (i.e. inter-school). Fixed rules may be pre-programmed into the system or modified/customized by the participants. Participants may access the simulation via, for example, the Internet. The products traded in the simulation may include any simulated fixed income financial product. However, the simulation may not involve trading real financial products where there would be real financial risks. Simulated trading may be compared to real-world trading to create new financial products that may be tested and traded in the system. |
| US08244622B2 |
Order matching process and method
A trading process for trading securities in an electronic market includes a matching process to match a portion of a received order for a security against a security interest stored in an order book that resides in main memory of a computer system. |
| US08244620B1 |
Methods, systems and securities for assuring a company an opportunity to sell stock after a specified time
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method comprising: inputting data regarding the sale of a security consisting of: (i) a post-paid forward contract which obligates the second entity to purchase a fixed number of shares stock of the first entity; and (ii) debt; inputting data regarding the purchase, by the first entity from the second entity, of a pre-paid forward contract which obligates the second entity to deliver to the first entity a variable number of shares of stock in the first entity; inputting a then-current stock price associated with the stock of the first entity; calculating a number of shares underlying the pre-paid forward contract, based on a formula that is a function of a then-current stock price and a remaining maturity associated with the pre-paid forward contract; recording the data regarding the sale of the security; recording the data regarding the purchase, of the pre-paid forward contract; and recording the calculated number of shares. |
| US08244619B2 |
Price indexing
The present invention describes a computer-based method comprising representing transactions involving assets that share a common characteristic, as respective data points associated with values of the assets, the data points including transaction value information, determining parameters that fit probability density functions to at least one component of a value spectrum of the data points, the probability density function for at least one of the components comprising a power law, the parameters not including an offset parameter representing possible shifts in the value spectrum over time, and forming an index of values associated with the assets using at least one of the determined parameters. |
| US08244617B2 |
Cash flow rating system
Methods and systems are provided herewith for rating a likelihood of payment of one or more cash flows. A computing device determines a probability of payment for one or more payments on a payment schedule for each of one or more debt instruments of a debt instrument portfolio. The computing device may also determine a portfolio cash flow rating of the debt instrument portfolio based on the quantity and purchase price associated with each of the one or more debt instruments, the probability of payment for the one or more payments, a current market price of each of the one or more debt instruments, a net present expected value of the one or more payments in the payment schedule for each of the one or more debt instruments, and/or a credit rating of one or more issuers associated with the debt instruments. |
| US08244616B1 |
Methods, computer systems, software, and portfolio for outperforming alternative indices
In one aspect, the invention comprises a computer-implemented method comprising: (1) electronically receiving data describing a fund index and funds on which the index is based; (2) electronically receiving data describing one or more securities; (3) electronically receiving data describing returns of: (a) the fund index, (b) funds on which the index is based, and (c) the one or more securities; (4) electronically identifying a subset of funds on which the fund index is based as superior-performing funds over a period of time preceding a first time; and (5) constructing, at the first time, and based on the identified subset of funds, a first portfolio of securities whose return exceeds a return of the fund index over a first period of time. Other aspects of the invention comprise software for implementing the above aspect and embodiments thereof, as well as portfolios constructed according to the above aspect and embodiments thereof. |
| US08244615B2 |
Apparatus and method for converting investment capital into publicly traded and private master limited partnerships
A method of generating income includes receiving investment capital from an investor. The investment capital is invested in publicly traded master limited partnerships to generate a revenue stream. The investment capital is also invested into a private company. The private company is subsequently converted to a master limited partnership to generate an equity gain. A portion of the revenue stream and a portion of the equity gain are distributed to the investor. |
| US08244614B2 |
Method and system for automated transaction compliance processing
A system for automated transaction compliance processing comprises a list server providing access to one or more lists of securities with trading restrictions and a rules engine which processes compliance requests to determine if, based upon the relationship between the requesting party and the company on behalf the compliance is being performed, the transaction is permissible. Compliance determinations are made using a set of predefined compliance rules. When a request is evaluated, a compliance rule set indicating which rules are to be evaluated at that time is generated in accordance with a party profile indicating the relationship between the party and the company. A message indicating whether or not the transaction complies with trading restrictions is then returned. The system can be stand-alone or integrated with an electronic trading system. The compliance processor can also be used to analyze reports to ensure that the report contents comply with confidentiality requirements prior to public release of the report. |
| US08244606B2 |
Construction payment management system and method with lien waiver exchange features
A system and method for managing a construction payment process including establishing electronic communication between a payee device and a construction project management server and transmitting a lien waiver document to the payee through the payee device with a request for a signature. A signed lien waiver document is received from the payee and stored to a computer -readable memory. The payor is temporarily prevented from accessing the signed lien waiver document. A payment is transmitted to the payee from the payor after receiving the signed lien waiver document, but before transmitting the signed lien waiver document to the payor. Only after the payment has been transmitted is the signed lien waiver document transmitted to the payor. |
| US08244603B1 |
System and method for integrated stowing and picking in a materials handling facility
Various embodiments of a system and method for integrated stowing and picking in a materials handling facility may include a process control component for monitoring processes within the materials handling facility in order to implement opportunistic picking and stowing. To implement an opportunistic pick, the process control component may determine that an agent has stowed a unit at a respective inventory location. The process control component may determine that the inventory location (or a nearby inventory location) includes a unit designated to be picked and may issue an instruction to opportunistically pick that unit. To implement an opportunistic stow, the process control component may determine that an agent has picked a unit from a respective inventory location. The process control component may determine that a conveyable receptacle utilized by the agent includes a unit that is designated to be stowed and may issue an instruction to opportunistically stow that unit. |
| US08244599B2 |
Methods and systems for social shopping on a network-based marketplace
Methods and systems are provided for social shopping on a network-based marketplace. Specifically, the method receives a request, over a network, from a user in a community of users. The request is for an activity associated with a listing for sale in a network-based marketplace. The network-based marketplace is used by the community of users to transact listings of a single domain that is of interest to the community of users. The method updates a listing reputation score for the listing based on a user reputation score for the user. Finally, the method updates the user reputation score based on the listing reputation score. |
| US08244598B2 |
Using inferred information about recurring gift giving events of users to provide messaging to affilated users
Various computer-implemented services are disclosed for increasing the utility of electronic wish lists, and for assisting users in making gift purchases. One such service automatically notifies a user when an item being accessed in an electronic catalog is on, or is similar to an item on, an electronic wish list of an “affiliated” user. The affiliations may be created explicitly by the users (e.g., by completing an online form), and/or implicitly based on actions performed by the users (e.g., when one user purchases a gift for another user). Another service automatically reminds a first user who is affiliated with a second user when a known or inferred gift-giving event of the second user is approaching. The reminder may include a link to a wish list of the second user, and/or may include or provide a link for viewing personalized gift recommendations for the second user. |
| US08244597B2 |
Method and system for monetizing content
An e-commerce system, comprising an endorsement engine and interface software coupled to the endorsement engine and adapted to interact with one or more content sources connected over a network and adapted to enable subscriptions from users using a protocol, is disclosed. In an embodiment, the interface software enables an endorsing user to browse the content sources and select a content item, to enter code associated with the selected content element, to view product information, to select a product for endorsement, and to enter code associated with the selected product. Upon retrieval of content by a viewing user who previously subscribed to the content source using the protocol, at least one of the content-specific code and the product-specific code is also provided to the viewing user via the protocol. Upon activation of the content-specific code, the viewing user is connected to the selected content and is able to view the selected content, and upon activation of the product-specific code by a viewing user, the viewing user is connected to a network-connected shopping cart, and is thereby enabled to buy the product. |
| US08244592B2 |
System and method for message-based purchasing
Various embodiments of a system and method for message-based purchasing are described. The system and method for message-based purchasing may include a message-based purchase service configured to determine that a selection has been performed through a network-based interface. Such selection may be indicative of one or more items offered for sale via the network-based interface. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to the selection of one or more items, send to a communication device, a message indicating a code corresponding to the selection. The message-based purchase service may receive from the communication device through a communication channel that does not include the network-based interface, a message including the code. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to determining that the message received from the communication device includes the code, generate a purchase request for the one or more previously selected items. |
| US08244589B2 |
Personalized audio controlled shopping information service for a mobile device
A device, system, and method are directed towards providing shopping information regarding an item over a network to a mobile device. A review of the item in at least one of a plurality of formats is received. A user is enabled to select at least a portion of the shopping information in one of a plurality of selectable formats based at least in part on a user input command at the mobile device. The review may is at least one selectable portion of the shopping information. A request for at least the portion of the shopping information for the item in a selected format is received from the mobile device associated with the user. Audio is at least one of the plurality of selectable formats. The requested portion of the shopping information in the selected format is provided to the mobile device, in response to the request. |
| US08244586B2 |
Computerized systems for added-revenue off-site targeted internet advertising
A method, and programmed computer system implementing a method, direct targeted advertisements to an electronic media consumer (reader, surfer, viewer, listener, etc.). Embodiments facilitate a first media body substantially offering out of context information placement using a second cooperating media body. A facilitator optionally assists in determining that a consumer of the second media is a known consumer of the first media. For example, a first Internet site may be oversubscribed with potential paying advertising content at $100 CPM. This site offers unfulfilled advertisers an option to present their advertisements to certified first-site viewers, albeit not on the first Internet site, for $50 CPM. Visitor computers at a second Internet site “BBB” that normally charges $30 CPM are examined for tags certifying them as AAA viewers. At least part of the revenue differential of $20 CPM is shared with the first site, creating a new revenue stream. |
| US08244583B2 |
Method, stored program, and system for improving descriptive profiles
A descriptive-profile mercantile method, for use at a juncture in a data-communications topology having associated therewith a maintained databank of partial profiles, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: from a user, receiving a transaction having therein a first partial profile; using the first partial profile, searching a databank having a plurality of second partial profiles, wherein is included in said databank at least one null profile so that said searching will always yield at least one proximate second partial profile to the first partial profile; and between the user and the databank, contracting: (I) for the databank to own or represent a right to a first mutually agreed portion of the first partial profile, and substantially thereafter said databank incorporating the agreed portion of the first profile into at least one second partial profile; or (II) for the user to own or represent a right to a second mutually agreed portion of at least one said proximate second partial profile, and substantially thereafter the databank transmitting to the user the second mutually agreed portion of the second profile. The present invention operates best on a brokerage representation model; and thereby provides a means for making viable the economic commerce in information attributes. |
| US08244580B2 |
Delivery, organization, and redemption of virtual offers from the internet, interactive-TV, wireless devices and other electronic means
Disclosed are methods and systems for redeeming virtual coupons by associating the coupons with a consumer and a payment system associated with the consumer. In some embodiments, the method includes offering promotional offers to one or more of consumers, such that the promotional offers are associated with one or more source sites and can be electronically accepted by at least some of the particular consumers without redeeming the accepted offers. Upon electronic acceptance of at least one of the promotional offers by one or more consumer, establishing or maintaining an association of the accepted promotional offer with at least one payment system associated with the consumer. Upon purchase of the subject matter of the accepted promotional offer with the at least one payment system, electronically receiving a redemption of the accepted promotional offer. |
| US08244579B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributing enforceable property rights
An enforceable property right and a system for controlling the manner of use of an item in accordance with usage rights. The enforceable property right includes an item ticket having a security mechanism incorporated therein and specifying an item for which the item ticket can be redeemed and a license associated with the item ticket. The license includes usage rights specifying a manner of use for redeeming the item ticket and a mechanism for unlocking said security mechanism. |
| US08244578B2 |
Methods and systems to facilitate keyword bid arbitrage with multiple advertisement placement providers
A system and method are directed towards identifying advertisement keywords within a variety of content types, identifying similarity rankings of advertisements based on the keywords, and to the guiding of keyword purchases. In one embodiment, a search is performed based in part on defined selection criteria, and/or scheduling rules. Content that may include advertisements is processed to identify advertisement keywords. A similarity ranking of different advertisements based on keywords therein may be determined. The similarity rankings may be used, with keyword pricing data, to identify instances of keyword arbitrage, guide purchase of keywords, and to control traffic flow to and from advertisements to obtain a benefit from price differentials between what one keyword seller charges for a keyword and what a click buyer will, pay for traffic directed to advertisements with the same or related keyword. In one embodiment, a three-dimensional representation is provided indicating relationships between advertisements across websites. |
| US08244568B2 |
Method and apparatus for gathering participant free time to schedule events on an electronic calendar
A scheduling system includes a client calendar application that a meeting organizer employs to send a request for free time form to prospective participants of a future meeting via email. The client calendar application receives completed request for participant free time forms back from the prospective participants via email. The client calendar application parses the completed free time forms and determines a consensus free time when all prospective participants are free for the meeting. |
| US08244566B1 |
Systems and methods for on-line scheduling of appointments and other resources
Computer-based system and computer-implemented methods for providing an automated computer network-based, or online, appointment scheduling service through which registered customers are individually capable of scheduling an appointment with a plurality of businesses that are also registered with the online appointment scheduling service. The application describes an optimization algorithm for controlling the start times presented to a customer when selecting an appointment time that seeks to cluster the new appointment to existing appointments for the business in order to reduce time gaps during the day for the business/service provider that are of insufficient duration to schedule other appointments for other customers of the business. |
| US08244564B2 |
Multi-strategy generation of product recommendations
Techniques are described for dynamically generating recommendations for users, such as for products and other items. In at least some situations, the techniques include using multiple recommendation strategies, such as by aggregating recommendation results from multiple different recommendation strategies. Such recommendation strategies may have various forms, and may be based at least in part on data regarding prior interactions of numerous users with numerous items. In addition, information about current selections of a particular user may be gathered based at least in part on providing a GUI (“graphical user interface”) for display to the user that includes selectable information about numerous recommended items, and dynamically updating the displayed GUI with newly generated recommendations of items as the user makes selections of particular displayed recommended items (e.g., newly generated recommendations that are similar to the selected items in one or more manners, or are otherwise related to the selected items). |
| US08244560B1 |
Apparatus, article, and method for an entity holding insurance
A method, machine, article for an entity holding insurance. The method can include: storing in memory terms of an agreement governing an entity in which at least two parties have contributed permanent life insurance policies to the entity in exchange for ownership interests in the entity; determining, by a digital computer accessing the memory and receiving policy cash value data, an allocation of entity ownership among the parties, and storing the allocation in the memory; determining, by the computer accessing the memory and receiving data corresponding to policy cash values, policy death benefits and entity assets and liabilities, an allocation of entity profits and losses among the parties, an allocation of income among the parties, an allocation of expenses among the parties and an allocation of changes in entity assets among the parties that occur from one specified point in time to another, and storing said allocations in the memory; determining, by the computer accessing the memory, an accounting of entity, income, expenses, assets, and liabilities; and outputting, by the computer, the accounting and at least one of the allocations. |
| US08244559B2 |
Cloud computing resource broker
Embodiments for interacting with cloud computing providers are disclosed. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a resource broker receives a request for a computing task that is to be performed from a customer. The resource broker selects one of the cloud computing providers to perform at least a part of the computing task. In turn, the resource broker may obtain a gain from performance of the at least one part of the computing task by the cloud computing provider. |
| US08244557B1 |
Method and system for aligning a plurality of refill dates for prescriptions associated with a plurality of customers
The method, system and user-interface allows alignment of refill dates associated with a plurality of prescriptions, such that the plurality of prescriptions all require refills on the same date, thus limiting the number of occasions on which a customer must visit the pharmacy to retrieve refills of the aligned prescriptions, and increasing the likelihood that the customer will comply with the recommended medication regimen. The plurality of prescriptions are associated with a plurality of customers, for example, living in the same household, being members of the same family, or being patients in the care of a single entity or person. |
| US08244556B1 |
Systems and methods for generating payor sheets associated with payors for healthcare transactions
Systems and methods are provided for generating payor sheets associated with payors for healthcare transactions. Information associated with one or more healthcare transactions that have been processed by a payor may be obtained. A plurality of data fields included in the one or more healthcare transactions may be identified, and a respective usage of each of the identified data fields within the one or more healthcare transactions may be calculated. Based upon the calculated usages, one or more of the plurality of data fields may be identified as required fields. A required field may be a field required by the payor during the submission of a healthcare transaction. Based at least in part upon the identified one or more required fields, a payor sheet associated with the payor may be generated. |
| US08244547B2 |
Signal bandwidth extension apparatus
A signal bandwidth extension apparatus includes a determination unit which determines whether or not a peak component of the input signal is lacked in the band to be extended, and a control unit which controls to extend the bandwidth when the determination unit determines that the peak component of the input signal is lacked in the band to be extended, and not to extend the bandwidth when the determination unit determines that the peak component is not lacked. |
| US08244542B2 |
Video surveillance
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for monitoring a location having a plurality of audio sensors and video sensors are disclosed. In an embodiment, this comprises receiving auditory data, comparing a portion of the auditory data to a lexicon comprising a plurality of keywords to determine if there is a match to a keyword from the lexicon, and if a match is found, selecting at least one video sensor to monitor an area to be monitored. Video data from the video sensor is archived with the auditory data and metadata. The video sensor is selected by determining video sensors associated with the areas to be monitored. A lookup table is used to determine the association. Cartesian coordinates may be used to determine positions of components and their areas of coverage. |
| US08244541B2 |
Content creation system, content creation method, computer executable program for executing the same content creation method, computer readable storage medium having stored the same program, graphical user interface system and display control method
The present invention relates to creating a web page and voice browsing of the web page, and more particularly, it improves accessibility for the voice browsing of the web page through a synthetic voice, efficiently with high reliability.A content creation system 20 of the present invention is used for creating a content which may be viewed through the synthetic voice, the system including: a database 22 for storing a structured document; and an information process section 24 for creating a speech node series 18 from the structured document, and calculating a reaching time from starting voice synthesis of the speech node series 18 until each node is outputted as the synthetic voice. The information process section 24 includes a support process section 36 to determine a graphic display corresponding to the reaching time, and to visually display the reaching time to a predetermined node by the voice synthesis on a screen of a display section 26. |
| US08244538B2 |
Measuring double talk performance
A system evaluates a hands free communication system. The system automatically selects a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC), vowel-consonant-vowel (VCV), or other combination of sounds from an intelligent database. The selection is transmitted with another communication stream that temporally overlaps the selection. The quality of the communication system is evaluated through an automatic speech recognition engine. The evaluation occurs at a location remote from the transmitted selection. |
| US08244536B2 |
Algorithm for intelligent speech recognition
A method for intelligent speech recognition for premature enunciators is disclosed. The method allows for speech recognition systems to adjust to commands of premature enunciators, who speak before the system is ready receive speech input. The method comprises activating the speech recognition system, informing the user that the speech recognition system is ready to receive speech input, and initiating a listening period. The method further comprises receiving input from a user before the system is ready to receive such input, identifying the user as a premature enunciator, and adjusting the system to allow for earlier detection of user speech input. |
| US08244530B2 |
Efficient indexing of documents with similar content
A set of documents may be stored and indexed as a compressed sequence of tokens. A set of documents are grouped into clusters. Sequences of tokens representing the clusters of documents are encoded to elide some repeating instances of tokens. A compressed sequence of tokens is generated from the compressed cluster sequences of tokens. Queries on the compressed sequence are performed by identifying cluster sequences within the compressed sequence that are likely to have documents that satisfy the query and then identifying, within these identified clusters, the documents that actually satisfies the query. |
| US08244527B2 |
Audio signature extraction and correlation
A signature is extracted from the audio of a program received by a tunable receiver such that the signature characterizes the program. In order to extract the signature, blocks of the audio are converted to corresponding spectral moments. At least one of the spectral moments is then converted to the signature. Also, a test audio signal from a receiver is correlated to a reference audio signal by converting the test audio signal and the reference audio signal to corresponding test and reference spectra, determining test slopes corresponding to coefficients of the test spectrum and reference slopes corresponding to coefficients of the reference spectrum, and comparing the test slopes to the reference slopes in order to determine a match between the test audio signal and the reference audio signal. |
| US08244526B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for highband burst suppression
In one embodiment, a highband burst suppressor includes a first burst detector configured to detect bursts in a lowband speech signal, and a second burst detector configured to detect bursts in a corresponding highband speech signal. The lowband and highband speech signals may be different (possibly overlapping) frequency regions of a wideband speech signal. The highband burst suppressor also includes an attenuation control signal calculator configured to calculate an attenuation control signal according to a difference between outputs of the first and second burst detectors. A gain control element is configured to apply the attenuation control signal to the highband speech signal. In one example, the attenuation control signal indicates an attenuation when a burst is found in the highband speech signal but is absent from a corresponding region in time of the lowband speech signal. |
| US08244524B2 |
SBR encoder with spectrum power correction
An encoding apparatus including an SBR (Spectral Band Replication) encoder creates high-frequency-component encoded data with reduced bits. The encoding apparatus converts an input signal into a frequency-domain spectrum signal, divides the converted spectrum signal into an arbitrary number of segments with respect to a time axis and a frequency axis, calculates a spectrum power of each segment and a feature parameter that represents a feature of the corresponding spectrum power, calculates a masking threshold using the calculated spectrum power of each segment, detects a segment having a spectrum power equal to or less than the calculated masking threshold, corrects the spectrum power of the detected segment, and encodes both the corrected spectrum power and the calculated feature parameter. The correction reduces a difference between quantization values, reducing the number of encoded bits. |
| US08244523B1 |
Systems and methods for noise reduction
An apparatus is shown for detecting speech in an audio signal obtained from an input device, the audio including speech and noise. The apparatus includes a processing circuit which includes a filter configured to smooth the audio signal. The processing circuit is configured to control the bandwidth of the filter based on characteristics of the audio signal and to provide a smoothed signal obtained from the filter to a voice activity detector configured to determine whether the smoothed signal represents speech. |
| US08244521B2 |
Paraphrasing the web by search-based data collection
String-oriented web queries are utilized as a tool to examine the fabric of how words, phrases and/or n-grams alternate in a language. This fabric is exploited in order to build up a matrix of semantically equivalent pieces of language. In one embodiment, the Distributional Hypothesis is utilized, along with strategies for confirming synonymy, to systematically build up a picture of what words/phrases can be legitimately substituted for one another. |
| US08244520B2 |
Use of defining ignorable rectangles to assist with iterative translation testing
The example embodiments relate to a method for assisting in the translational testing of computer software. A translated panel, which may include a translatable portion and a continuously dynamic portion, may be provided. An overlay that includes only the continuously dynamic portions of the panel may be produced. The overlay may be applied to first and second versions of the panel to produce first and second iterations of the panel, respectively, wherein each iteration does not include the continuously dynamic portion of the panel. The translatable portions of the first and second iterations may be compared to determine whether the translatable portions are different. If the translatable portions are different, then the panel may be retested for translational accuracy; if the translatable portions are not different, then the program may indicate that the second iteration is not different from the first iteration. |
| US08244519B2 |
Dynamic translation memory using statistical machine translation
A translation method comprises: retrieving a fuzzy match text segment translation pair from a translation memory (TM) for an input source language text segment, the fuzzy match text segment translation pair comprising a fuzzy source language text segment having a fuzzy match to the input source language text segment and a corresponding translated target language text segment; extracting from the fuzzy match text segment translation pair an exact match phrase pair comprising a source language phrase that exactly matches a phrase of the input source language text segment and a corresponding translated target language phrase; and invoking a statistical machine translation (SMT) system to generate a proposed translation of the input source language text segment based on a statistical translation model that is enriched by the exact match phrase pair with the exact match phrase pair assigned a high statistical probability. |
| US08244515B2 |
Structure for detecting clock gating opportunities in a pipelined electronic circuit design
A design structure for a pipeline electronic processor device may be embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing or testing a processor integrated circuit. The design structure may embody a pipeline electronic circuit that enables power conservation in the stages of the pipeline via a simulation that identifies clock-gating opportunities among the stages of the pipeline. In one embodiment, simulation results assist a designer in the design of the pipeline electronic circuit design structure to achieve power conservation by incorporating clock-gating circuitry among the stages of the pipeline at clock gating opportunity locations that the simulation identifies. |
| US08244514B2 |
Correlating out interactions and profiling the same
A method and system for correlating out interactions, which occur due to one or a set of specific events, of an application, which is deployed in multiple adjacent tiers in an actual environment is described. First, a simulation environment corresponding to the actual environment is created. Then, specific events are led to the actual environment and the simulation environment. A pattern(s) of interactions, which are related with the specific events, between adjacent tiers in the simulation environment and a large number of interactions between adjacent tiers in the actual environment are obtained. Afterwards, interactions, which are related with the specific events, between adjacent tiers among the obtained interactions between adjacent tiers in the actual environment are correlated using a template of the obtained pattern(s) of interactions, which are related with the specific events, between adjacent tiers in the simulation environment as a template. |
| US08244512B1 |
Method and apparatus for simulating a circuit using timing insensitive glitch-free (TIGF) logic
The debug system described in this patent specification provides a system that generates hardware elements from normally non-synthesizable code elements for placement on an FPGA device. This particular FPGA device is called a Behavior Processor. This Behavior Processor executes in hardware those code constructs that were previously executed in software. When some condition is satisfied (e.g., If . . . then . . . else loop) which requires some intervention by the workstation or the software model, the Behavior Processor works with an Xtrigger device to send a callback signal to the workstation for immediate response. |
| US08244494B2 |
Plasma insensitive height sensing
A method for determining a distance between a first piece and a second piece includes measuring, at the first or second piece, a first signal at a first frequency, and measuring, at the first or second piece, a second signal at a second frequency. The second frequency is different from the first frequency. The distance is determined based on the measured first and second signals. |
| US08244492B2 |
Methods of parametric testing in digital circuits
Delay-fault testing and parametric analysis systems and methods utilizing one or more variable delay time-base generators. In embodiments of the delay-fault testing systems, short-delay logic paths are provided with additional scan-chain memory elements and logic that, in conjunction with the one or more variable-delay time-base generators, provides the effect of over-clocking without the need to over-clock. Related methods provide such effective over-clocking. In embodiments of parametric analysis systems, test point sampling elements and analysis circuitry are clocked as a function of the output of the one or more variable-delay time-base generators to provide various parametric analysis functionality. Related methods address this functionality. |
| US08244484B2 |
Proteome epitope tags and methods of use thereof in protein modification analysis
Disclosed are methods for reliably detecting the presence of proteins, including proteins with various post-translational modifications (phosphorylation, glycosylation, methylation, acetylation, etc.) in a sample by the use of one or more capture agents that recognize and interact with recognition sequences uniquely characteristic of a protein or a set of proteins (Proteome Epitope Tags, or PETs) in the sample. Arrays comprising these capture agents or PETs are also provided. |
| US08244482B2 |
Photometrically modulated delivery of reagents
A process system adapted for processing of or with a material therein. The process system includes: a sampling region for the material; an infrared photometric monitor constructed and arranged to transmit infrared radiation through the sampling region and to responsively generate an output signal correlative of the material in the sampling region, based on its interaction with the infrared radiation; and process control means arranged to receive the output of the infrared photometric monitor and to responsively control one or more process conditions in and/or affecting the process system. |
| US08244480B2 |
Computer product, analysis support apparatus, and analysis support method
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium stores therein an analysis support program causing a computer to execute receiving test result data identifying an analysis subject molecule, and quantity-changing molecules that have changed in quantity due to administration or deficiency of the analysis subject molecule in a test subject; acquiring a first pathway indicating an interaction between the quantity-changing molecules identified by the test result data and a second pathway indicating a molecular interaction with the analysis subject molecule, from a database storing therein for each molecular interaction, a type; determining from among biological phenomena correlated with the interaction between quantity-changing molecules of the first pathway, determines a biological phenomenon other than a biological phenomenon correlated with a molecular interaction of the second pathway to be a novel biological phenomenon caused by administration or deficiency of the analysis subject molecule; and outputting a determination result obtained at the determining. |
| US08244478B2 |
Method of classifying gene expression strength in lung cancer tissues
The present invention provides a method of confirming the gene expression, useful in the decision of a five year survival rate of a patient with lung cancer and the use of a DNA probe kit in the method. A method useful in the decision of a survival rate of a patient with non-small cell lung cancer comprising confirming the expression strength of at least one gene in lung cancer tissues isolated from the patient. |
| US08244476B2 |
Hepatic disease-evaluating apparatus, hepatic disease-evaluating method, hepatic disease-evaluating system, hepatic disease-evaluating program and recording medium
In a hepatic disease-evaluating apparatus, an indicator calculating unit calculates an index indicating the degree of hepatic fibrosis from amino acid concentration data to be evaluated including amino acid concentration value, based on one or more indices of fractional expression having amino acid concentration as variable. A disease state evaluating unit evaluates the disease state of the hepatic disease to be evaluated, based on the index value. |
| US08244471B2 |
Oilfield analysis system and method
A system for analyzing an oilfield having at least one wellsite, each at least one wellsite having a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation for extracting fluid from an underground reservoir therein, that includes a data collection means for obtaining source data having a plurality of data elements of heterogeneous data types, memory for storing the source data, a functional method configured to perform a function on a dataset of a dataset type to obtain a processed dataset, and a client code configured to process the dataset. The client code includes an object instantiation code configured to use a dataset wrapper class to create the dataset with the dataset type from the source data, and a functional method invocation code configured to call the functional method with the dataset. |
| US08244470B2 |
Navigation apparatus
A navigation apparatus that detects a position of a movable body includes map data storage means for storing map data; an autonomous sensor that detects information on behavior of the movable body; inertial position determination means for detecting an inertial position-determination position of the movable body, by accumulating the information detected by the autonomous sensor on a result of position determination performed using radio navigation; characteristic position detection means for detecting a characteristic position that is the inertial position-determination position at which the movable body has exhibited a characteristic behavior; correction amount detection means for extracting positional information on a road position corresponding to the characteristic position, by referring to the map data storage means; and position correction means for correcting the characteristic position using a Kalman filter based on a condition that the characteristic position is close to the road position. |
| US08244469B2 |
Collaborative engagement for target identification and tracking
A collaborative engagement system comprises: at least two unmanned vehicles comprising an unmanned air vehicle including sensors configured to locate a target and an unmanned ground vehicle including sensors configured to locate and track a target; and a controller facilitating control of, and communication and exchange of data to and among the unmanned vehicles, the controller facilitating data exchange via a common protocol. The collaborative engagement system controls the unmanned vehicles to maintain line-of-sight between a predetermined target and at least one of the unmanned vehicles. |
| US08244464B2 |
Navigation apparatus and method and computer program product for the same
A navigation apparatus is disclosed. The navigation apparatus is configured to: acquire a trace of a vehicle; produces unregistered road data representative of an unregistered road based on the trace when the vehicle travels on the unregistered road; register the unregistered road data in a storage medium; determine whether the vehicle makes a turn in direction; determine based on the trace whether deviation of the vehicle from a road is greater than or equal to a deviation threshold, when it is determined the vehicle makes the turn in direction; and prohibits the unregistered road data from being registered in the storage medium when it is determined that the deviation of the vehicle from the road is less than the deviation threshold. |
| US08244461B2 |
Navigational display for parachutists
A display system for a parachutist is provided based on navigation data and calculations of locations where the parachutist should steer the parachute to increase likelihood of reaching a target. A two-dimensional representation of a navigation funnel is displayed. The display may increase situational awareness by use of color to indicate preferred positions in the navigation funnel. |
| US08244458B1 |
Host-centric method for automobile collision avoidance decisions
A method of quantifying a host vehicle's collision risk with a foreign object includes the steps of collecting and preserving a short-term history of range and azimuth data on the object and identifying leading edges of the foreign object. The leading edges are linked to previous detected leading edges in the short term history storage data to define a trajectory for the object, and to calculate range and azimuth velocities and accelerations of leading edges of the foreign object based on the leading edge trajectory. A collision risk P is then calculated for the foreign object using the range and azimuth velocities and accelerations according to a predetermined formula. If the collision risk P falls below a pre-set value, the methods of the present invention calculate an evasive maneuver for the host vehicle based on a vector sum of high risk leading edge risks and locations. |
| US08244452B2 |
Systems and methods integrated air traffic control management
Systems and methods for integrated air traffic control management are provided. In one embodiment, a system comprises a first processing system including a FANS application for implementing a CPDLC and AFN system; a second processing system including an ATN application for implementing a PM-CPDLC and CM system; a third processing system implementing a HMI, the HMI configured to provide access to a first set of pages driven by the FANS application and a second set of pages driven by the ATN application; and an ATC Manager accessed from the HMI, the HMI configured to provide access to a third set of pages driven by the ATC manager, wherein the third set of pages selectively directs a user of the HMI to either the first set of pages or the second set of pages based on a selected ATC center. |
| US08244451B2 |
Traffic information providing system, apparatus, method, and in-vehicle information apparatus
When receiving a traffic information providing request, a traffic information providing apparatus analyzes which area's traffic information is requested based on the received request information. Traffic information of road links located in the requested area is read from the traffic information, and it is determined whether the road links' traffic information is similar or not. Similar links configure a link group, and traffic information corresponding to the link group is created. Traffic information of the configured link group is delivered to an in-vehicle information apparatus. |
| US08244448B2 |
Vehicle having remote start and garage door control
The subject of the present invention is a method for remote starting an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The method includes detecting a wireless remote start signal; after detecting the wireless remote start signal, communicating with a garage door opener to determine if a garage door is closed; remote starting the engine if no closed garage door indication is received; transmitting a wireless garage door open signal and remote starting the engine if a closed garage door indication is received; monitoring a time since remote starting the engine; monitoring for vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle; and if no vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle is detected before the monitored time reaches a predetermined amount of time and the wireless garage door open signal was transmitted when the engine was remote started, automatically transmitting a wireless garage door close signal and automatically turning off the engine. |
| US08244447B2 |
Spark plug having a thermosensor
A spark plug includes a ground electrode, a center electrode and a thermosensor for detecting a temperature, the thermosensor being situated on a combustion chamber-side end of the spark plug near the combustion chamber, and an end area of the thermosensor being situated so that it is exposed on the spark plug. In addition, an internal combustion engine having a spark plug is provided. |
| US08244444B2 |
Method and device of calculating aircraft braking friction and other relating landing performance parameters based on the data received from aircraft's on board flight data management system
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the calculation of aircraft braking friction and other relating landing parameters, including but not limited to aircraft braking action, aircraft takeoff distance, aircraft landing distance, runway surface conditions and runway surface friction based on the data collected by and available in the aircraft Flight Data Recorder (FDR) or other flight data management system, for example, the Quick Access Recorder (QAR), to provide all involved personnel in the ground operations of an airport and airline operations, including but not limited to aircraft pilots, airline operation officers and airline managers as well as airport operators, managers and maintenance crews, with the most accurate and most recent information on the true aircraft landing performance parameters to help better and more accurate safety and economical decision making. |
| US08244443B2 |
Slip suppression control system for vehicle
A slip suppression control system for a vehicle includes a monitored value detecting device for detecting a monitored value corresponding to a difference between a rotational speed of a front wheel and a rotational speed of a rear wheel of the vehicle, a threshold determiner unit configured to determine a relationship between the monitored value detected by the monitored value detecting device and a threshold; and a controller configured to initiate traction control for reducing a driving power of a drive wheel when the threshold determiner unit determines that the monitored value exceeds a predetermined start threshold, wherein the threshold determiner unit is configured to count a return time which lapses from when the monitored value exceeds the start threshold until the monitored value becomes smaller than second threshold; and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether or not to terminate the traction control based on the return time. |
| US08244441B2 |
Automatic transmission control device, transmission device, and power output device
An automatic transmission control device for improving shift feel includes a pressure regulating device that regulates a friction engagement element, and transmits power to an output shaft, which is input to an input shaft through a change of a shift speed by controlling the pressure regulating device to switch an engagement state. When changing shift speed while applying torque to the input shaft, the transmission changes the shift speed via (1) a torque phase where torque is changed according to shift speed after shifting, and (2) an inertia phase where an input shaft rotation speed is changed according to the shift speed after shifting. During a shift speed change, the regulating device executes the torque phase by engaging the engagement element at a predetermined pressure with slip and standby, and executes the inertia phase by reducing an amount according to the shift speed so a shifting condition falls within a predetermined range regardless of changed shift speed, and reduces input shaft torque by a set amount, while standing by at the predetermined engagement pressure. |
| US08244439B2 |
Compaction vehicle
The compaction vehicle having a speed adjustment member, a displacement detector, and a drive source controller further includes a calculation device between the displacement detector and the drive source controller, receiving the displacement S, and outputting a signal I calculated to the controller; a running speed setting switch for the operator operating ON at a desired running speed; a control signal memory device provided inside the calculation device and memorizing a signal I1 to the controller. In a normal operation, the calculation device outputs the signal I to the controller so that a running speed increases or decreases according to the displacement S, and when the switch is operated to ON, the calculation device maintains the ON state, and the displacement S is not less than a predetermined value, the calculation device outputs the signal I1 memorized in the memory device so as that the vehicle will run at a constant speed. |
| US08244431B2 |
Determining velocity using multiple sensors
A system described herein includes a receiver component that receives first velocity data that is indicative of a velocity of a vehicle over a period of time, wherein the first velocity data corresponds to a first sensor. The receiver component also receives second velocity data that is indicative of the velocity of the vehicle over the period of time, wherein the second velocity data corresponds to a second sensor. The system also includes a modifier component that determines a difference between the first velocity data and the second velocity data and outputs at least one final velocity value for the vehicle based at least in part upon the first difference data. |
| US08244430B2 |
Stroke sensor abnormality determining device and determining method, and brake control device and method
In a stroke sensor abnormality determining device, a stroke sensor detects the stroke of a brake pedal by detecting a voltage that varies in accordance with the stroke of the brake pedal. An abnormality determining section determines whether an abnormality has occurred in the stroke sensor on the basis of the voltage detected by the stroke sensor. A pedal position determining section determines whether the brake pedal is positioned near a stroke start end. If it is determined that the brake pedal is positioned near the stroke start end, the abnormality determining section does not determine that an abnormality has occurred in the stroke sensor. |
| US08244422B2 |
Control apparatus for vehicle
In the case where a connector of a charging cable is connected to a charging connector provided on a hybrid vehicle, a connector signal CNCT indicating that the connector of the charging cable is connected to the charging connector provided on the hybrid vehicle is input to a power supply ECU and an HV_ECU having an operating frequency higher than that of the power supply ECU. When the connector signal CNCT is input, the power supply ECU activates the HV_ECU. The HV_ECU controls the electrical system of the hybrid vehicle so as to charge a battery pack. The HV_ECU stops the charging when the input of the connector signal CNCT is stopped during charging of the battery pack. |
| US08244420B2 |
Vehicle, vehicle control method, and drive unit
If an accelerator pedal is released, when a flag indicates 1, a vehicle travels in a traveling environment reflected operation mode where an engine and two motors are controlled in a manner that a required torque is output to a drive shaft while the engine is operated by the motor. If a vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a threshold at the time or after the flag is changed from 1 to 0, the vehicle travels in a normal operation mode where the engine and two motors are controlled in a manner that the required torque is output to the drive shaft with engine rotation stopped. If the vehicle speed is higher than the threshold when the flag is changed from 1 to 0, the vehicle travels in the traveling environment reflected operation mode until the vehicle speed becomes equal to or lower than the threshold. |
| US08244419B2 |
Marine power train system and method of storing energy in a marine vehicle
A marine power system comprises a motor for providing propulsion. It also comprises an energy storage unit (ESU) for storing and supplying energy to the motor. A prime power system is connected to the ESU and motor for selectively providing energy to these subsystems through a bus. The motor selectively receives energy from the prime power system and the ESU and can supply regenerative braking energy to the bus. The system can also accommodate multiple generator sets providing system power. The ESU can also provide starting power for the prime power system. Alternately, the prime power system drives a mechanical power system output shaft connected to the motor, and the marine system comprises an alternator driven by the prime power system output shaft. The ESU can transmit energy to the alternator. The prime power system can be located on a tugboat displacing a barge carrying the energy storage unit. |
| US08244410B2 |
Intelligent driving assistant systems
The invention discloses an intelligent driving assistant system applied to a handheld device. The invention can detect more than one safety mode including lane departure detection, lost-cargo detection, detecting front-object under driving condition, detecting side-object under driving condition and detecting back-object under driving condition, also the invention can mention alarm according to the detection results from different modules. Finally the invention can store the real-time image according to the detection results from different modules, and then transfer the related information to other places for real-time notice with matching the information from the GPS system and the digitized map. |
| US08244409B2 |
Method for controlling a braking force of a vehicle
A method and a system are provided for controlling a braking force of a vehicle. The method includes the steps of detecting at least one operating parameter of the vehicle, detecting a position of an operator controlled braking element, determining a magnitude of a braking force on the basis of a detected magnitude of the operating parameter and the detected position of the operator controlled braking element and braking the vehicle according to the determined braking force. |
| US08244408B2 |
Method to assess risk associated with operating an autonomic vehicle control system
A vehicle is configured to execute an autonomic lane change maneuver and is equipped with a spatial monitoring system. Each of a plurality of objects located proximate to the vehicle is monitored. Locations of each of the objects are predicted relative to a projected trajectory of the vehicle. A collision risk level between the vehicle and each of the objects is assessed. |
| US08244404B2 |
Modular and expandable irrigation controller
Described herein are several embodiments relating to modular irrigation controllers. In many implementations, the irrigation controllers are modular in that various functional components of the irrigation controller are implemented in removable modules that when inserted into position within the controller, expand the capabilities of the controller. Also described are various different types of expansion modules that may be coupled to the modular controller, having as variety of functions and features, as well as related methods of use and configuration of these modules in the controller. In some embodiments, authentication procedures are provided for one or both of a modular irrigation controller and an expansion module to determine if they are authorized to operate together. |
| US08244399B2 |
Transport method and transport apparatus
Provided is a transport method comprising judging whether there is a possibility that misalignment greater than or equal to a threshold value occurs between substrates to be layered that are held by a pair of substrate holders aligned and stacked by an aligning section, the misalignment occurring when the pair of substrate holders is transported from the aligning section to a pressure applying section; and if the judgment indicates that there is the possibility of misalignment, transporting the pair of substrate holders to a region other than the pressure applying section. Whether there is the possibility of misalignment may be judged based on acceleration of the substrate holders. Whether there is the possibility of misalignment may be judged based on acceleration of a transporting section that transports the substrate holders. Whether there is the possibility of misalignment may be judged based on relative positions of the substrate holders. Whether there is the possibility of misalignment may be judged based on relative positions of (i) a transporting section that transports the pair of substrate holders and (ii) one of the pair of substrate holders. |
| US08244394B2 |
Glass production line having dynamic production control and a tempering furnace with a dedicated delivery device and a method of controlling a glass production line tempering furnace
A glass production line comprising a cutting table, a tempering furnace having a loading station that includes a changeable set of uniquely identifiable work-piece storage loading locations adjacent the loading station with each storage loading location receiving a work-piece therein for subsequent furnace processing, wherein a subset of the uniquely identifiable work-piece storage loading locations is moved away from the loading station when it is emptied of furnace work-pieces and a new sub-set of uniquely identifiable work-piece storage loading locations is moveable adjacent the loading station to provide the changeable set of uniquely identifiable work-piece storage loading locations adjacent the loading station, and a dynamic optimizer coupled to the furnace for dynamically scheduling furnace layouts for glass work-pieces to be tempered, wherein the dynamic furnace optimizer is adapted to schedule work-pieces from uniquely identifiable work-piece storage loading locations not currently adjacent the unloading station based upon a minimum yield gain. |
| US08244393B2 |
System and methods for registering a controlled web to a pitched unit operation
Systems and methods for registering a web to an on-line pitched unit operation. |
| US08244389B2 |
Method for generating control data for the manufacture of a product
A method and a corresponding computer program product for generating control data for the manufacture of a product including a processing unit and a data-input unit, wherein the processing unit processes into a data structure data which are entered via the data-input unit and suitable for controlling production equipment for the manufacture of a product or can be transformed into such control data, the processing unit comprises at least two processing modules, a first processing module generates first control data having a first data structure and the second processing module generates second control data having a second data structure, the first processing module processes first input data from a first user and the second processing module requires second input data from a second user, and the first control data are generated for use by the second user while the second control data are generated for use for the first user. |
| US08244386B2 |
Machine tool system control having automatic safe repositioning
The present disclosure includes a motion control system for a machine tool system configured to shape a part with a tool, including an I/O module with machine configuration information that defines limits of a three-dimensional working space of the machine tool system. The I/O module further includes a part program that specifies first and second positions of the tool without reference to the working space limits. The motion control system further includes a software controller configured to internally process moves to determine whether the tool can be repositioned from the first position to the second position while maintaining the tool above a minimum clearance from the part and within the working space limits, output the internally processed moves to the machine tool system to cause movement of the tool if the tool can be safely repositioned, and output an error if the tool cannot be safely repositioned. |
| US08244385B2 |
Control device including iterative learning control circuit
A control device includes an iterative learning control circuit that includes first and second learning filters to which a synchronization error is input and is configured to feed forward a control input to a first control target based on an output of the first learning filter and to feed forward a control input to a second control target based on an output of the second learning filter. Each of the first and second learning filters includes transfer functions of the first and second control targets and transfer functions of controllers of the first and second control circuits. |
| US08244382B2 |
Apparatus for monitoring a schedule for testing a fuel cell
An apparatus for monitoring a schedule for testing a fuel cell in a station. Because of the apparatus, the station can test a low-temperature fuel cell or a high-temperature fuel cell. The apparatus enables a user to test the fuel cell through the station manually or enables the station to test the fuel cell automatically. |
| US08244381B2 |
Microprocessor, system for controlling a device and apparatus
A microprocessor may include a logic circuit for executing instructions of a data processing application. The microprocessor may have a timer system which includes a clock counter connected to a clock input for receiving a clock signal and counting a number of cycles of the clock signal. A clock comparator may be connected the clock counter and to a timer register in which a timer reference value can be stored. The clock comparator may compare a number of cycles of the clock signal with the timer reference value and generate a timer signal based on the comparison. The timer system may have a timer output for outputting timer signal. The timer system may include a control input for receiving a digital value representing a measured value of a sensed parameter of a device and a control register in which a control reference value can be stored. A control comparator may be connected the control input. The control comparator may compare the digital value with the reference value and generating a device control signal based on the comparison. The timer system may have a control output for outputting the device control signal to an actuator arranged to control the parameter of the device. |
| US08244379B2 |
Pericardium fixation concepts of epicardium pacing leads and tools
Certain aspects of the disclosure pertain to methods and apparatus for providing positive fixation of medical components to a portion of incised pericardial tissue. Accordingly, a resilient member protrudes through an incision in the pericardium and produces a positive biasing force to adjacent pericardial tissue against a side surface of an attached body structure. The resilient member can optionally be compressed during implantation and then relaxed to thereafter provide the positive biasing force. Diverse medical components can thus be safely and reliably chronically deployed into the pericardial space, including without limitation, cardiac sensing/pacing, defibrillation and/or cardioversion electrodes, mechanical and/or metabolic sensors and the like. More than one body structure can be linked to a single medical electrical lead and the medical components can couple within and/or upon a portion of the body structure, the resilient member, and the lead in myriad configurations. |
| US08244377B1 |
Fixation arrangements for implantable leads and methods of making and using
An implantable member has a body with a distal end portion and either a fixation portion of the body disposed near the distal end portion or a fixation device attached to a tip of the distal end portion of the body. The fixation portion can include at least one surface feature of the body that facilitates fixation of the implantable member within tissue when implanted. |
| US08244369B2 |
Device and method for treating skin with temperature control
A method and system for heating a skin area surface of an individual from an initial temperature to a treatment temperature in a treatment time period exceeding 0.5 sec, where the treatment temperature is in the range of 40°-60° C. An RF generator provides a continuous wave RF voltage energy or a quasi-continuous wave RF voltage across first and second electrode, where at least the first electrode is associated with an applicator that is displaced over the skin surface. The system further includes a skin temperature measuring device or an applicator displacement speed measuring device; and a CPU that monitors a skin temperature or an applicator displacement speed. The CPU turns off the RF energy when the skin temperature is above a predetermined temperature or the displacement speed of the applicator is below a predetermined speed, in order to prevent overheating of the skin. |
| US08244366B2 |
Cochlear implant
There is provided a cochlear implant for improving the hearing ability of a patient suffered from hearing impairment comprising an internal receiving unit implanted into the body, which comprises a receiving part for receiving external signal, an active electrode and a reference electrode, characterized in that the active electrode is constructed with a single electrode wire having different thickness in at least two different regions. The active electrode of the internal receiving unit is inserted into a space formed at between the mastoid bone and the ear canal skin and end of the active electrode is inserted into the scala tympani of the cochlea and directly stimulates spiral ganglion. The cochlear implant provides easier implantation into the body and improved hearing ability at a lower cost. |
| US08244357B2 |
Ring connector for implantable medical devices
An electrical contact for use in the header assembly of an implantable tissue stimulator includes a metal housing having a base and a sidewall where the opening in the base is adapted to receive the terminal of a medical lead therethrough. An electrical contact support member is welded to the edge of the sidewall and affixed to the support member are a plurality of spring members that are tangent to an imaginary circle whose diameter is slightly less than the outside diameter of the lead terminal contact rings. When the contacts are axially aligned in the device header, the terminal of an electrical lead may be longitudinally inserted into the header to establish electrical contact with device feedthrough wires that are joined to the electrical contacts in the header. |
| US08244354B2 |
System and method for conditional biventricular pacing
An implantable pacing system with single, double and triple chamber pacing capabilities, provided individually or in concert on a conditional or continuous basis depending upon ongoing analyses of atrial rhythm status, atrioventricular conduction status and ventricular rate. A mode is selected to reduce the occurrence of any ventricular pacing in favor of intrinsic atrioventricular and ventricular conduction. If excessively long PR intervals are occurring too frequently or atrioventricular conduction is unreliable or absent, the implantable pulse generator is operated in a conditional triple chamber pacing mode that provides atrial-synchronous biventricular pacing in every cardiac cycle for a period of time as necessary to restore and maintain AV synchrony, while minimizing ventricular asynchrony otherwise associated with monochamber RV pacing as in conventional dual chamber pacing systems. Similarly, biventricular pacing is provided in every cardiac cycle when ventricular rates are undesirably slow during atrial fibrillation, where AV synchronization is excluded. |
| US08244353B2 |
Antitachycardiac heart stimulator
An implantable cardiac stimulator includes a cardioversion/defibrillation unit connected to at least one electrode pair for generation and delivery of cardioversion or defibrillation shocks; an atrial sensing unit detecting atrial contraction, and outputting an atrial sensing signal indicating a atrial event when an atrial contraction is detected; a ventricular sensing unit detecting ventricular contraction, and outputting a ventricular sensing signal when a ventricular contraction is detected; a tachycardia detection unit connected to the atrial and ventricular sensing units and detecting a tachycardia, and classifying it as a ventricular tachycardia (VT) or as a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT); and a treatment control unit designed to trigger at least one atrial cardioversion shock when a ventricular rhythm detected by the ventricular sensing unit is faster than a programmed frequency limit, and the tachycardia detection unit classifies an SVT as an atrial fibrillation (AFib). |
| US08244350B2 |
Neural stimulation for arrhythmia recognition and therapy
A system and method can sense a tachyarrhythmia, compare the sensed tachyarrhythmia with a ventricular tachyarrhythmia criterion, provide a ventricular tachyarrhythmia therapy when the sensed tachyarrhythmia satisfies the ventricular tachyarrhythmia criterion, provide a neural stimulation when the sensed tachyarrhythmia does not satisfy the ventricular tachyarrhythmia criterion, determine whether the tachyarrhythmia continues during or after the neural stimulation when the tachyarrhythmia is sustained, compare the tachyarrhythmia sensed during or after the neural stimulation with a supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT) criterion, and provide a ventricular tachyarrhythmia therapy when the sensed tachyarrhythmia does not satisfy the SVT criterion. |
| US08244347B2 |
Methods and apparatus for effectuating a lasting change in a neural function of a patient, including via mechanical force on neural tissue
Methods and apparatus for effectuating a lasting change in a neural function of a patient, including via mechanical force on neural tissue, are disclosed. An apparatus in accordance with one embodiment includes an implantable force delivery device that is changeable between a first state in which the force delivery device applies a first mechanical force to neural tissue, and the second state in which the force delivery device applies no mechanical force or a second mechanical force less than the first mechanical force to the neural tissue, while the force delivery device is implanted. An actuator can be coupled to the force delivery device with a communication link to change the state of the force delivery device, and a controller can be operably coupled to the actuator to automatically direct the force delivery device to change repeatedly between the first and second states while the force delivery device is implanted. |
| US08244342B2 |
Method and system for adaptive vision modification
Methods and systems for modifying or enhancing vision are described. In exemplary embodiments, neural or neuromuscular activity is analyzed to determine a focus or other quality of a visual input, and the focus or quality information used as a basis for controlling an adjustable lens system or optical system. |
| US08244338B2 |
Cardiac event detection over varying time scale
A system for cardiac event detection over varying time scales includes implanted electrical leads forming a portion of an implanted cardiotracker and external equipment including external alarm mechanisms and a physicians programmer. The cardiac event detection system monitors the degradation of a patient's cardiovascular condition from one or more causes. A processor computes the electrical signals of a heart signal parameter's average value over a time period for a multiplicity of heart rate ranges. The electrical signals are stored and information transmitted to external equipment. |
| US08244337B2 |
Method and implantable medical device for classifying sensor signals
In a method and an apparatus for creating hemodynamic sensor signal templates using an implantable medical device connectable to a patient heart activity of the patient is sensed in order to identify a paste or sensed sequence of events of a heart cycle. Hemodynamic sensor signals for consecutive heart cycles are sensed and the sensed hemodynamic sensor signals for consecutive heart cycles are stored. The sensed sensor signals are classified dependent on at least one predetermined heart event sequence condition. A template may be created using the classified sensor signals. |
| US08244334B2 |
Methods and systems for blood flow measurement using doppler optical coherence tomography
This invention provides methods for non-invasive, real-time measuring and/or monitoring of local blood flow in a subject. Methods of the invention generally include the steps of obtaining Doppler shift images of at least two planes intersecting blood vessels at the scanned location; determining Doppler angles using the Doppler shift images; and then using the Doppler angles thus determined together with the Doppler shift signals to arrive at a measure of the volumetric blood flow. Also provided are systems and software for performing the methods. |
| US08244330B2 |
Integrated radiation therapy systems and methods for treating a target in a patient
An integrated radiation therapy process comprises acquiring first objective target data related to a parameter of a target within a patient by periodically locating a marker positioned within the patient using a localization modality. This method continues with obtaining second objective target data related to the parameter of the target by periodically locating the marker. The first objective target data can be acquired in a first area that is apart from a second area which contains a radiation delivery device for producing an ionizing radiation beam for treating the patient. The localization modality can be the same in both the first and second areas. In other embodiments, the first objective target data can be acquired using a first localization modality that uses a first energy type to identify the marker and the second objective target data can be obtained using a second localization modality that uses a second energy type to identify the marker that is different than the first energy type. |
| US08244328B2 |
Head coil for a magnetic resonance device
A head coil for a magnetic resonance apparatus has a supporting body that carries a number of antenna elements. The supporting body has an end section that is shaped as a spherical cap. A butterfly antenna is mounted at the end section, and is annularly surrounded by at least one group antenna that overlaps the butterfly antenna. |
| US08244327B2 |
Apparatus for insertion of a medical device during a medical imaging process
The end-effector (150) includes a sheath (152) and a medical device or needle carrier (154) that is disposed within the interior compartment (160) of the sheath. Aperture (162) is located in a portion of the sheath proximal a distal end of the sheath that is inserted into a natural or artificial cavity. This device is guided by a real-time imager. |
| US08244323B2 |
Superconducting tape wire material and method of manufacturing same
A method of manufacturing a superconducting tape wire, wherein a reduction in critical current in the superconducting tape wire and the effective AC loss are suppressed. To manufacture the superconducting tape wire, the filaments filled with superconducting material powder and having a flat elliptic or rectangular cross section are disposed in a pipe having a shape whose sides in a pressing direction have a smaller length than adjacent sides, and then the pipe is compressed in the short-side direction to form the pipe in a tape shape. |
| US08244320B2 |
Case of a mobile terminal comprising a main body and a cover
A mobile terminal fabricated through co-injection molding is provided. The mobile terminal includes a first case and a second case coupled to the first case. The first case includes a main body having a keypad and a cover formed on the main body. The cover is co-injection molded with the main body whereby no parting lines are formed between the cover and the main body. A method of forming a case of a mobile terminal is also provided. The method includes injection molding a main body using a first resin material, the main body having a keypad, and injection molding a cover onto the main body using a second resin material different from the first resin material, whereby no parting lines are formed between the cover and the main body. |
| US08244319B2 |
Split keyboard with a dual battery pack
A balanced portable device that includes a rectangular housing, a rectangular display, and a split keyboard is described. The rectangular housing has a top face and a bottom face and the rectangular display is located on the top face. The split keyboard is configured to receive input that is shown on the rectangular display. The split keyboard includes a first retractable keyboard on a first end of the bottom face and the first keyboard includes a first battery. The split keyboard also includes a second retractable keyboard on an opposing end of the bottom face and the second keyboard also includes a second battery. The first retractable keyboard and the second retractable keyboard substantially weigh the same. |
| US08244312B2 |
Battery management for optimizing battery and service life
The provision of a mode in silver zinc batteries where a user can access extra capacity as an emergency reserve for times when extra capacity is needed. While this temporarily increases capacity, it does not detrimentally affect cycle life over the longer term, and it permits a silver zinc battery to essentially mimic the long term capacity and cycle life characteristics of a lithium ion battery while still affording inherent advantages associated with silver zinc batteries. In a variant embodiment, this ability to temporarily increase capacity is optimally employed at the end of a battery life cycle in a controlled “roll-off” that accords additional cycles of battery service life. In another variant embodiment, the general capability to control capacity is employed to gradually decrease the available capacity of a battery over the life of the battery, to thereby extend the battery service life. |
| US08244310B2 |
Mobile communication device employing power pack with multiple pairs of taps
A mobile communication device has a power amplifier and a power pack. The power pack includes a charge storage component, a first pair of taps connected to the charge storage component for supplying power to components of the mobile communication device and a second pair of taps connected to the charge storage component for supplying power to the power amplifier, the second pair of taps located, when the power is installed in the mobile communication device, more proximate to the power amplifier than the first pair of taps. With the second pair of taps positioned more proximate to the power amplifier, the power amplifier current loop that includes the multi-tap power pack may be made smaller. One benefit of a smaller power amplifier current loop may be reduced emission of RF interference signals. |
| US08244308B2 |
Helmet communication device
A helmet communication device is composed primarily of a first communication device, a second communication device and a switching circuit device, such that when a motorcycle driver is driving the motorcycle, the driver can choose to use the first communication device to answer a cellular phone with a wired or blue-tooth technology, or to converse with a back seat passenger through the second communication device, by a control of the switching circuit device, so as to improve driving safety and to improve convenience in answering the cellular phone or dialoging with the back seat passenger. |
| US08244305B2 |
Efficient, secure digital wireless voice telephony via selective encryption
Secure, digital, packet-switched, voice telephony calls are wirelessly transmitted in an efficient manner that reduces air interface bandwidth consumption by encrypting only vocoder data frames containing encoded speech, and not encrypting vocoder data frames that do not contain speech, such as those containing silence parameters. The collective reduced bandwidth consumption across a large number of voice telephony calls may allow for the admission of one or more new calls during times of voice telephony congestion. Not encrypting the silence parameters does not compromise call privacy or security, since the silence data frames do not carry any speech. The classification of encoded data frames as containing speech or not may be performed in a variety of ways. |
| US08244304B2 |
Method for synchronization of assemblies in a base station
A method synchronizes assemblies in a base station to a reference clock signal. A local clock signal and a frame are formed in a first assembly. The clock signal and the frame are transmitted, using a synchronous transmission with a predictable propagation time, to a second assembly. A reference clock signal is received in the second assembly, and a phase difference and a time difference between the transmitted clock signal on the one hand and the reference clock signal on the other hand are determined. The phase difference and the time difference are transmitted from the second assembly to the first assembly via a link without a predictable propagation time. The phase difference and the time difference are used in the first assembly to determine a manipulated variable which controls the formation of the local clock signal, such that the first and the second assemblies are synchronized in time. |
| US08244301B2 |
Method of dealing with carrier conflict between main and subordinate cards of single-chip dual-card-dual-standby mobile phone
The present invention provides a method for dealing with the carrier conflict between the main card and subordinate card of a single-chip dual-card-dual-standby mobile phone, which includes a set one set of antenna, RF module and baseband processing chip and further comprises a radio resource adapter layer provided between the RRC layer and the physical layer. The RRC module calculates the position of the carriers of the main card and the subordinate card. The radio resource adapter layer determines the relative position between the carriers of main card and subordinate card so as to determine the type of the conflict, set priority levels to the services of the main card and subordinate card, and process the services according to the priority levels so as to avoid the conflict. |
| US08244299B1 |
Grip attachment for a mobile phone
A grip attachment for an electronic device, such as a mobile phone, which enables a user to grasp and control a camera of the mobile phone with one hand. The grip attachment includes a main body and an enlarged grip extension attached to a first end of the main body. The enlarged grip extension is sized and shaped to enable a user's hand to hold the grip extension and attached mobile phone with one hand. The grip attachment also includes a locking mechanism for attaching the attachment grip to a portion of a mobile phone protective case. A second end of the grip extension includes a connector for interfacing with a connector of the mobile phone. The grip extension includes an external control located on an outer surface of the grip attachment for activating a camera control of the mobile phone. |
| US08244298B2 |
Alternative signal processing functions in a software modem
Systems are described that reduce or obviate the impact of limited processing resources and/or limit the power consumption in a receiver having signal processing functions at least partially implemented in software. A wireless receiver includes reception means for receiving a signal over a wireless channel in a wireless external environment. The receiver includes storage means, and a processor configured to perform a plurality of signal processing functions for extracting processed data from said signal, each of said signal processing functions having a plurality of alternative software implementations requiring different levels of usage of a processing resource. The processor estimates at least one parameter relating to the external environment and selects and executes one of the software alternatives for each of the respective signal processing functions to apply a set of implementations adapted to a required quality of said processed data. Related methods and computer program products are described. |
| US08244295B2 |
Media transfer and control system
A media transfer and control system that includes a handheld device and an audio/visual system. The media transfer and control system provides for: (i) the transfer of media files between the handheld device and the audio/visual system, (ii) the transmission of control commands from the handheld device to the audio/visual system for controlling the function and operation of the audio/visual system through a user interface provided on the handheld device, and (iii) the unsolicited transfer of media descriptive data between the handheld device and the audio/visual system to create a synchronized global view on the handheld electronic device and/or the audio/visual system of all of the media content currently stored on and/or available through both the handheld device and the audio/visual system. |
| US08244288B2 |
Context-sensitive data handling
A method for communicating data between devices, comprising the steps of: receiving data at a first user device; the first user device automatically selecting, in dependence on the nature of an activity being made available to a user by the first user device, a way of integrating the data with a functionality of the first user device; and integrating the transmitted data with the functionality in the selected way. |
| US08244287B2 |
Radio and antenna system and dual-mode microwave coupler
A radio and antenna system has a first microwave radio, second microwave radio, a first antenna and a dual mode coupler that has a first dual mode transmission line extending between a first port and a third port and a second dual mode transmission line extending between a second port and a microwave absorbing termination. The first microwave radio is coupled to the first port. The second microwave radio is coupled to the second port. The antenna is coupled to the third port. The first dual mode transmission line is coupled to the second dual mode transmission line so that microwave signals in either of the first dual mode transmission line and the second dual mode transmission line propagates microwave signals in the other of the first dual mode transmission line and the second dual mode transmission line. |
| US08244285B2 |
Buddy-based cross-carrier messaging system
A buddy-based, cross-carrier mobile phone based text messaging server, system and method is disclosed. A table of subscribers cross referenced against buddy subscribers who have opted in to receive text messages (SMS) is maintained. Where a recipient subscriber is not yet registered as a buddy subscriber, the server sends a message asking if the recipient subscriber wants to become a buddy subscriber of the sending subscriber. If the recipient subscriber opts-in, the recipient subscriber is added to the table as a buddy subscriber, and thereafter will be forwarded all messages through the service, sent from the particular sending subscriber, until the buddy subscriber opts-out. The invention ensures a near one to one correspondence of in/out SMS for participating mobile phone networks, and avoids any one network being overloaded with spam messaging. |
| US08244284B2 |
Mobile communication device and the operating method thereof
A device and its operating method for mobile communication, the mobile communication device includes a micro processor, a memory which has an instruction database and an image database, a touch panel, a message module and a communication module. After a user inputs a symbol, the micro processor will retrieve and execute an operating instruction which corresponds to the symbol from the image database and the instruction database, or look for the contact and perform the communication action which corresponds to the symbol. When the operating instruction or the communication action which corresponds to the symbol fails, the micro processor will enter a setting interface to set up an operating instruction or communication action which corresponds to the symbol. |
| US08244283B1 |
End user controlled temporary mobile phone service device swapping system and method
User controlled temporary mobile phone service device swapping systems and methods including particular implementations and embodiments comprising a plurality of mobile phone user control accounts at least a first telephone number registered with each of the plurality of mobile phone user control accounts, and at least two different mobile phone devices registered with each of the plurality of mobile phone user control accounts, and a mobile phone user interface configured to receive input from the mobile phone user to indicate which of the at least two different mobile phone devices associated with the mobile phone user control account is to be associated and to transmit data indicating the association to a phone number registry. |
| US08244282B2 |
Performing recipient based routing of a phone call
A method, system, and computer program for routing an incoming voice call in real time is presented. A call is received from a caller to an intended receiving wireless telecommunication device. In response to the call failing to connect to the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device, a short range wireless query signal is transmitted to determine if another wireless communication device is within a predefined proximity to the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device. If the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device receives a response from the other wireless telecommunication device indicating that the other wireless telecommunication device is within the predefined proximity to the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device, then the call is rerouted to the other wireless telecommunication device based on preferences internal to the intended receiving wireless device. These preferences may be stored on the intended receiving wireless device or remotely stored on the host carrier network. |
| US08244277B1 |
Device experience adaptation based on schedules and events
A portable electronic device is provided comprising a processor, a memory, a loading application stored in the memory that accesses loading criteria for a first, second, and third ID wherein the criteria comprise measures of relative importance applied to variables associated with each of the IDs and wherein the IDs comprise at least one of an application, a media file, and a widget. The system determines a current value of at least one variable wherein variables comprise at least one of day of the week, time of day, and geographic location of the device and additionally comprise a first, a second, and a third event status associated with the first, second, and third ID, respectively. The system applies the criteria to the current values of the variables to determine a composite loading factor for each of the IDs and loads one of the IDs based on the factor. |
| US08244276B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling site-specific operations
A method and apparatus for controlling a site-specific activity at a plurality of remote locations, for example, the inspection of geographically remote equipment or the gathering of data for a census. A mobile operator transports a portable tool (14) to a plurality of locations where a site-specific activity is to be conducted. The portable tool includes a location detection device (32). Processing of data using the portable tool is enabled only when the portable tool is located proximate a designated site, as determined by the location detection device. In various embodiments, the enabled site-specific activity may include data recordation, data transmission, data reception, data processing, and/or the display of a data entry form. |
| US08244274B2 |
Enhanced wireless access point communications while traveling
A method, system and computer program product for enhancing the acquisition of data from a wireless access point during a window of acquisition. A wireless device in a vehicle obtains a list of wireless access points positioned along a route being traveled by a user of the wireless device. The wireless device acquires its current location and identifies the closest upcoming wireless access point in connection with its current location. If the wireless device had previously had a session with the upcoming wireless access point, then the wireless device continues sending packets to the upcoming wireless access point from the point of previous termination with the upcoming wireless access point until the session is restarted. The wireless device then accesses data from the upcoming wireless access point during the remaining window of acquisition. |
| US08244270B2 |
Distributed micro instructions set processor architecture for high-efficiency signal processing
A wireless communication system hosts a plurality of processes in accordance with a communication protocol. The system includes application specific instruction set processors (ASISPs) that provided computation support for the process. Each ASISP is capable of executing a subset of the functions of a communication protocol. A scheduler is used to schedule the ASISPs in a time-sliced algorithm so that each ASISP supports several processes. In this architecture, the ASISP actively performs computations for one of the supported processes (active process) at any given time. The state information of each process supported by a particular ASISP is stored in a memory bank that is uniquely associated with the ASISP. When a scheduler instructs an ASISP to change which process is the active process, the state information for the inactivated process is stored in the memory bank and the state information for the newly activated process is retrieved from the memory bank. |
| US08244267B2 |
Communication method and radio communication terminal
Even when being located at cell edge in a multiband mobile communication system, a radio communication terminal, is allowed to stably execute cell search so as to easily establish a connection with a radio base station. The radio communication terminal according to the present invention includes: a first determination unit 13 configured to determine whether or not a broadcast map can be received from a plurality of radio base stations; a second determination unit 14 configured to determine whether or not an AAS diversity map can be received from the radio base stations in ascending order of used frequency bands, when it is determined that the broadcast map cannot be received; and a communication controller 15 configured to select a radio base station, which is determined to be a radio base station from which the AAS diversity map can be received, as a connection destination radio base station, and to communicate with the selected radio base station. |
| US08244262B2 |
Communication system and method for mitigating interference in hierarchical cell structure
A method for mitigating interference at a small base station in a hierarchical cell structure is provided. In the method, the small base station checks a sub-frame allocated to macro user equipment by using a downlink signal received from a macro base station when an interference candidate user equipment list is received. The interference candidate user equipment list contains information on the macro user equipment adjacent to a femto cell controlled by the small base station. Then the small base station allocates other sub-frame to femto user equipment located in the femto cell by avoiding the sub-frame allocated to the macro user equipment. |
| US08244260B2 |
Method and apparatus for management of a global wireless sensor network
Methods and apparatus for global wireless sensor network architecture and protocol for remote supervision, asset control and operational management based on localized clusters of autonomous sensor/supervision/operational sensor nodes capable of ad hoc interconnection with nearby nodes and connection to gateway nodes with increased network functionality. These localized cluster nodes send data to gateway nodes either directly or through multi-hop transactions. The gateway nodes are, in turn, connected to other gateway nodes and operations control centers either through wireless or wired data communications links. Utilizing the Internet for long range interconnectivity, the network is scaleable to a global level. The resulting network is based on an ad hoc mesh topology to allow flexibility in network modification and expansion and is comprised of a tiered structure defined by increasing functionality. A current application for this technology is the remote control and supervision of lighting systems for facilities and municipalities on a local, national and/or global basis from centralized regional operations centers. |
| US08244259B2 |
Method and device for relay station to forward downlink signal
A method for relay stations (RSs) to forward downlink signals includes: obtaining downlink qualities between a mobile station (MS) and each of the RSs; determining an RS group for forwarding downlink signals according to difference degrees among all of the downlink qualities; performing space-time coding on the downlink signals through the RSs in the RS group when the RS group contains a plurality of RSs. Another method for RSs to forward downlink signals includes: setting the number of the RSs for forwarding the downlink signals to plurality; obtaining downlink qualities between an MS and each of the RSs; determining an RS group for forwarding the downlink signals according to each of the downlink qualities and the number of the RSs; performing space-time coding on the downlink signals through the RSs in the RS group, and forwarding the downlink signals to the MS. A device structure for the RSs to forward the downlink signals is also provided. |
| US08244255B1 |
Pilot strength measurement message (PSMM)-based handoff for mobile devices
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for basing a handoff of a mobile device on its position within a coverage area of a source base transceiver station (BTS) are provided. Initially, embodiments involve recording threshold distances, associated with candidate BTSs neighboring the source BTS, and capturing pilot strength measurement messages (PSMM's) at each of the threshold distances. Upon establishing a connection to the source BTS, the position of the mobile device is monitored to detect a traversal of the threshold distances. Consequently, the mobile device reports a current PSMM for comparison against the captured PSMM's. If any messages correspond, a candidate BTS is selected for receiving the connection of the mobile device. Otherwise, the connection to the source BTS is maintained. Accordingly, the distance of the mobile device from the source BTS at which the handoff is invoked may vary based on a radial direction of the mobile device therefrom. |
| US08244254B2 |
Mobile station and base station
A base station 100 included in a first radio communication system includes: a monitor instruction unit 130 configured to instruct a mobile station 10 to monitor a reception power of an interference signal transmitted using a frequency assigned to a second radio communication system (frequency b) when the radio communication with the mobile station 10 performed using a frequency a is interrupted; and a handoff instruction unit 140 configured to instruct the mobile station 10 to switch the frequency used in the radio communication to a frequency e not interfered with by the interference signal, in accordance with the reception power monitored by the mobile station 10. |
| US08244253B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting fast mobility IP with link identifier prefix in wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for supporting a fast mobility Internet Protocol (IP) with a link identifier prefix (LinkID prefix) in a wireless communication system are provided. According to a method for performing a handoff from a first access router to a second access router, a Layer 2 (L2) beacon containing a link identifier prefix is sent to a mobile node in the second access router. The first access router establishes a tunneling with the second router, as the mobile node sends a Fast Binding Update (FBU) message including a care-of address (CoA) which the mobile node dynamically constructs using the link identifier prefix, to the first access router. |
| US08244249B1 |
Methods and systems for a mesh-network takeover
Methods and systems for a mesh-network takeover are provided. In one embodiment, a first controller having a first attribute and a first group of nodes in its network receives a message from a node in the first group. The message indicates that the node in the first group received a signal from a node that is in a second group and associated with a second controller having a second attribute. Further, the message includes the second attribute. Responsive to receiving the message, the first controller compares the first attribute with the second attribute. As a result of comparing the first attribute with the second attribute, the first controller makes a determination that it has a lower priority than the second controller. Responsive to making the determination, the first controller no longer communicates with the first group, resulting in at least one node in the first group joining the second network. |
| US08244247B2 |
Service based bearer control and traffic flow template operation with mobile IP
A method for updating filters, at a Packet Data Serving Node, with a care-of-address associated with at least one of a mobile station or a correspondent node. The method includes the steps of implementing a soft filtering rule at a Packet Data Serving Node and receiving, by the Packet Data Serving Node, a care-of-address that is associated with at least one the mobile station and a correspondent node. The method also includes updating, by the Packet Data Serving Node, filters with the care-of-address to correctly identify flows belonging to a particular session during Mobile IP use. The method further includes filtering, by the Packet Data Serving Node, packets including a care-of-address that is associated with one of the mobile station and the correspondent node. |
| US08244242B2 |
Method and communication system for storing address of network anchor point to network server
A method for storing an address of a network anchor point to a network server is provided The provided method includes the following steps: a terminal initiates an attach request or a bearer establishment request, and a network selects a network anchor point; and when the network anchor point assigns a first bearer context to the terminal, or a first connection is established between the network anchor point and the terminal, the network registers an address of the network anchor point to a network server. A method for deleting an address of a network anchor point from a network server is also provided, which includes the following steps: when a terminal or an entity in a network initiates a delete bearer request, the network instructs a network server to delete an address of a network anchor point that has been registered to the network server if the network anchor point no longer serves the terminal; and the network server deregisters the address of the network anchor point. A communication system is further provided. |
| US08244241B2 |
WLAN network information caching
A WLAN client device maintains a history of profile-location associations. An association links a profile stored in the client device with a location in the vicinity of which the client device was connected to a wireless local area network matching the profile. While in a vicinity of a certain location, the client device may scan for wireless local area networks in a manner that takes into account records of the history that include the certain location. |
| US08244233B2 |
Systems and methods for operating a virtual whiteboard using a mobile phone device
A method for operating a virtual whiteboard using a mobile phone device, comprises the steps of: generating the virtual whiteboard, wherein the mobile phone device is coupled to the virtual whiteboard to input data to the virtual whiteboard; connecting the mobile phone device to an external display device; displaying the virtual whiteboard on the external display device; and operating the virtual whiteboard using the mobile phone device; wherein markings on the virtual whiteboard correspond to spatial movements of the mobile phone device. |
| US08244227B2 |
Information providing device, mobile communication device, information providing system, information providing method, and program
An information providing device includes: a measurement information receiver receiving, from one or more mobile communication devices, measurement information including position information representing a present position of one mobile communication device and speed information representing a speed of a communication at a given point of time; a measurement information storage unit storing the measurement information received from the one or more mobile communication devices; a specifying information receiver receiving position specifying information for specifying a predetermined position from the mobile communication device; a communication environment information extractor extracting as communication environment information one or more pieces of the measurement information including the speed information of communication speeds measured in the vicinity of the predetermined position from the measurement information stored in the measurement information storage unit; and a communication environment information transmitter transmitting the communication environment information to the mobile communication device having transmitted the position specifying information. |
| US08244226B2 |
Systems and methods for presenting characteristics associated with a physical activity route
In at least one embodiment, a method for execution by a server computer system includes receiving a description of a fitness activity of interest to a user, in response to receiving the description, identifying a route corresponding to the activity of interest, and initiating the presentation of a route rating associated with the route that is based upon at least one individual rating associated with the route. |
| US08244223B2 |
Automated transfer of wireless provisioning parameters between existing and new devices
A method, computer program, apparatus and system that permits provisioning information and service account authorization on a wireless network to be transferred from an existing wireless device to a new wireless device by operation of the wireless devices. The method includes transferring provisioning information from the existing wireless device to the new wireless device; establishing a communication link with the wireless network; sending a service transfer request from the existing wireless device to the wireless network; and, in response to the transfer request, activating the new wireless device for service on the network. |
| US08244213B2 |
Communication device and method for managing service sharing
A communication device and method for managing service sharing include reading a phone number of the service request communication device if the message is a service request message, sending a service sharing list to the service request communication device if the phone number of the service request communication device is an authorized phone number, sending operation instruction corresponding to the request service sharing to the service request communication device, sharing the request service with the service request communication device. |
| US08244211B2 |
Mobile electronic security apparatus and method
A mobile electronic security device may include a biometric sensor to measure a physical characteristic of a user, an interface component to operatively couple the electronic security device with another device, and a control circuit that are assembled as a single portable unit. Other components, such as a battery, a display, and a memory may be included in the security device. The security device authenticates the identity of a user using output data from the biometric sensor and, in some embodiments, using data from an environmental sensor. Once validated, an encrypted authentication certificate may be output to another device. The security device provides a trusted platform that enables a user to verify his or her identity, show proof of presence of the user, control access to data, etc., and may operate in a standalone manner and/or in conjunction with another device. |
| US08244207B2 |
System and method for payment using a mobile electronic device
A system and method of payment using a mobile electronic device establishes a wireless communication connection between a credit card terminal and a credit card system, and logging in the credit card system. The system and method further receives a two-dimensional barcode from the credit card system, wherein the two-dimensional barcode comprising the authorization information, and sends the two-dimensional barcode to the credit card terminal to verify validity of the authorization information. Furthermore, the system and method receives a verification result from the credit card terminal, and prompts a user for payment on a display device of the mobile electronic device, in response to a determination that the authorization information is valid. |
| US08244202B2 |
Multiband RF receiver and method for receiving multiband RF signal
A multiband receiver is disclosed for receiving a multiband RF signal having first and second RF bands. The first RF band contains a first service RF range, and the second RF band contains a second service RF range. The receiver includes a mixer for converting the RF signal into an IF signal, using a single local oscillator frequency “f,” and an IF bandpass filter for canceling out some of frequencies of the IF signal outside of a predetermined passband. The local oscillator frequency “f” is determined to allow the first and second service IF ranges to lie outside of the predetermined passband, and to allow a frequency portion of the first IF band exclusive of the first service IF range and a frequency portion of the second IF band exclusive of the second service IF range to lie within the predetermined passband. |
| US08244201B2 |
RFID tags with power rectifiers that have bias
A system and method for generating a rectified signal in a RFID tag. An alternating signal is received by the RFID tag, and a first phase of the alternating signal is coupled to a gate and to a first non-controlling terminal of a first switching transistor. The non-controlling terminal of the first switching transistor is one of a source and a drain of the first switching transistor. A first bias voltage is applied between the first non-controlling terminal and the gate of the first switching transistor and a rectified voltage is received between the first non-controlling terminal and a second non-controlling terminal of the first switching transistor. |
| US08244193B2 |
Linear and non-linear dual mode transmitter
A transmitter includes a dual mode modulator and an amplifier coupled to the dual mode modulator. The dual mode modulator implements a linear modulation scheme during a first mode of the modulator to produce a variable envelope modulated signal. The dual mode modulator implements a non-linear modulation scheme during a second mode of the modulator to produce a constant envelope modulated signal. The amplifier is biased as a linear amplifier during the first mode of the modulator and is biased as a non-linear amplifier during the second mode of the modulator. A feed-forward connection between the dual mode modulator and the amplifier is used to indicate a change in modulation mode and to adjust the bias of the amplifier. A power of the constant envelope modulated signal is increased such that an operating point of the amplifier remains substantially constant during the first and second modes of the modulator. |
| US08244189B2 |
Method and system for chip-to-chip mesh networks
A wireless device comprising a plurality of chips may be operable to communicate wireless signals via a mesh network comprising a plurality of integrated directional antennas on the plurality of chips. Wireless signals may be communicated between the plurality of the chips and/or with devices external to the wireless device via the mesh network. Beam-formed wireless signals may be communicated via the plurality of integrated directional antennas. The plurality of chips may be integrated on a single package or on a plurality of packages, which may comprise one or more circuit boards. Wireless signals may be communicated with devices external to the single package via the mesh network. The directional antennas may comprise patch antennas and/or dipole antennas. |
| US08244186B1 |
Audio-based power control for a wireless communication device
An audio sample is wirelessly transferred between a wireless communication device and a wireless base station. Either the wireless communication device or the wireless base station processes the audio sample to determine an audio quality level. The wireless base station determines a power level indicator for the wireless communication device based on the audio quality level. The wireless communication device adjusts its wireless transmit power in response to the power level indicator. |
| US08244185B2 |
System and method for unsynchronized cooperative spectrum sensing in cognitive radio nodes
System and method for unsynchronized cooperative spectrum sensing in cognitive radio nodes. A method comprises receiving spectrum sensing information from a plurality of communications nodes, computing for each communications node in the plurality of communications nodes, a likelihood ratio based on spectrum sensing information provided by the communications node, combining the likelihood ratios, and computing a decision value based on the combined likelihood ratio. Each communications node determines its respective spectrum sensing information at a time unrelated to times when other communications nodes determine their spectrum sensing information. |
| US08244183B2 |
Concurrent sync channel searching
A bank of correlator modules is used to concurrently execute a series of sync channel searches in a system in which the available frequency spectrum is larger than a channel bandwidth and in which a sync channel bandwidth is more narrow than the channel bandwidth. |
| US08244180B2 |
Device and recognition control method among devices
A recognition control method among devices, the recognition control method includes receiving a second device recognition signal via a wireless signal module of a first device from a wireless signal module of a second device, and recognizing that the second device is located in a direction from the first device through the second device recognition signal. With respect to the second device, the method includes receiving a first device recognition signal via the wireless signal module of the second device from the wireless signal module of the first device, and recognizing that the first device is located in a direction from the second device through the first device recognition signal. |
| US08244179B2 |
Wireless inter-device data processing configured through inter-device transmitted data
A wireless media player and a related system and methodology are disclosed. One aspect of the wireless media player system pertains to a virtual connector system, apparatus, and method for the automatic establishment of wireless connectivity with other electronic devices. In one embodiment, the media player device employs the use of integrated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to exchange communication settings, media capability, and other parameters with an external device that also has integrated RFID technology. The automatic exchange of settings and other information via a proximity-based RFID data exchange allows a media player to quickly establish a secure communication link with another device via a commonly supported wireless protocol such as Ultra Wideband (UWB) or Bluetooth. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a method of using the captured media capability of the connecting device to customize certain menu options and software parameters in the media player. |
| US08244178B2 |
Intelligent device integration using RFID technology
A method of integrating devices using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology can include tracking movement of an RFID tag, wherein the RFID tag is associated with a user, and determining proximity of the RFID tag to a communication device. The method also can include initiating a programmatic action with the communication device according to the proximity of the RFID tag to the communication device, wherein the programmatic action is associated with the user. |
| US08244171B2 |
Identifying radio stations of interest based on preference information
Systems and methods are provided for providing recommended radio stations to a user. In particular, an electronic device can compare media from a locally stored or accessed media library with media items provided as part of radio streams received by the device. The electronic device can identify the radio streams having the most media items overlapping with the local library, and recommend those streams as being most likely to be of interest to the user. The electronic device can further access a remote database of a large number of users' libraries, and receive recommendations based on the media items common to the user's library, other users' libraries, and radio broadcasts. This approach allows the electronic device to provide recommendations without requiring any monitoring of the user's listening habits or receiving preference information from the user. |
| US08244168B2 |
Image forming apparatus with movable transfer device
An image forming apparatus includes a transfer device that transfers a toner image formed on an image bearer onto a transfer sheet and a fixing device that fixes the toner image onto the transfer sheet. The transfer device is freely movable between an operational position and a non-operational position and includes a contacting section that directly contacts the fixing device and determines a position of the transfer device. |
| US08244154B2 |
Recycling method of toner container
A method is provided for recycling a toner container including a casing configured to house a toner, a sleeve protruding from the casing, and one cap with a brim to be bonded with a distal edge of the sleeve to be closed comprising: removing an area including an interface between the brim and the distal edge to form a new distal edge on the sleeve; removing a part of the one cap remaining in the sleeve; filling a toner in the casing; fitting another cap into the sleeve so that the brim of the another cap comes in contact with the new distal edge; and bonding the new distal edge and the brim of the another cap. |
| US08244150B2 |
Fixing apparatus
A fixing apparatus allows harmonic noise and flicker noise caused by alternating current to be reduced. To accomplish this, the fixing apparatus has a power supply unit that supplies AC power from a commercial power supply to a heater, a temperature detection element that detects the temperature of the heater, a setting unit that sets a duty ratio for providing power to the heater such that the temperature detected by the temperature detection element maintains a target temperature, and a control unit that controls the power supply unit such that an average power duty ratio of a single cycle equals the power duty ratio based on the detected temperature, where a single cycle is three or more full waves of the commercial power supply, there being three or more power duty ratios per one half wave of the commercial power supply in a single cycle. |
| US08244148B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus with temperature control functions based on sheet speed and fixing pressure
A fixing device for fixing a toner image to a sheet and has a fixing roller to be heated by a heat source and a pressure roller to be pressed into contact with the fixing roller. A switcher switches a pressing force between the fixing roller and the pressure roller between a first pressing force and a second pressing force lower than the first pressing force. A pressing force detector detects the pressing force between the fixing roller and the pressure roller and a temperature detector detects the temperature of the fixing roller. A storage device stores control data indicating a control temperature for the fixing roller predetermined in accordance with the number of sheets passing the fixing device, and a controller controls the temperature of the fixing roller to the control temperature by controlling the heat source in accordance with a signal sent from the pressing force detector. |
| US08244147B2 |
Charging apparatus with shutter
An image forming apparatus is constituted by an image bearing member; a corona charging member including a wire; a heat generating member for generating heat by energization; a shielding member, including the heat generating member, capable of shielding a portion of the corona charging member opposing to the image bearing member from the image bearing member by being moved between the corona charging member and the image bearing member; an energization control member for controlling energization of the heat generating member; and moving member for moving the shielding member to a first position at which the shielding member shields the portion and a second position retracted from the first position. When the shielding member is located at the first position, at least a part of the heat generating member is disposed between the corona charging member and the image bearing member. |
| US08244144B2 |
Printing device and printing system to manage print jobs based on print history and computer readable storage medium for storing a computer program therefor
A printing apparatus connectable with an external storage device is provided. The printing apparatus includes a printer unit to execute a printing operation to print an image in a current print job, a print log provider to provide a print log, which indicates a record of the printing operation for the current print job, to the external storage device, a print log obtainer to obtain a preceding print log, indicating a record of an earlier printing operation executed earlier in the printing apparatus, provided to and stored in the external storage device, a print log examiner to examine the preceding print log and determine normality of the preceding print log based on the record of the earlier print operation, and a controller to permit the printer unit to print the image and restrict the printer unit from printing the image depending on normality of the obtained print logs. |
| US08244143B2 |
Multichannel polarization control for polarization multiplexed optical transport networks
A system and method are provided for calibrating orthogonal polarity in a multichannel optical transport network (OTN) receiver. The method accepts a composite signal and separates the polarization of the signal into a pair of 2n-phase shift keying (2n-PSK) modulated input signals via Ix and Qx optical signal paths, where n≧1. Likewise, a pair of 2p-PSK modulated input signals are accepted via Iy and Qy optical signal paths where p≧1. Polarization-adjusted I′x, Q′x, I′y, and Q′y signals are generated. An average magnitude is compared to either 2× the absolute magnitude of (I′x and Q′x), or 2× the absolute magnitude of (I′y and Q′y). The average magnitude value can be used that is either 2× (a predetermined peak signal amplitude), or the sum of the absolute magnitudes of (I′x and Q′x) and (I′y and Q′y). The polarization-adjusted I′x, Q′x, I′y, and Q′y signals are modified until the magnitude comparison is about zero. |
| US08244142B2 |
Optical receiver having fractional sampling
Apparatus and methods for receiving and processing optical signals carrying symbols that represent data, including an optical receiver having fractional sampling analog-to-digital conversion and interpolation timing recovery synchronization for processing an optical signal. |
| US08244138B2 |
Polarization-multiplexing optical transmitter polarization-multiplexing optical receiver, polarization-multiplexing optical transceiving system, and controlling method thereof
By using low-frequency signals, an optical transmitting unit modulates one of a wavelength, a transmission timing, and an intensity of light as a carrier wave. A polarization multiplexer synthesizes the output light signals, modulated by the optical transmitting unit, in polarization states orthogonal to each other and generates polarization-multiplexing signals. A polarization splitter splits by extracting two orthogonal polarization components from the polarization-multiplexing signals. The polarization states of the polarization-multiplexing signals are controlled by a polarization controller in an optical receiving unit. A band-pass filter extracts components transmitting through passbands from output signals of the optical receiving unit and outputs an intensity of the components. Based on the intensity output from the filter, a controlling circuit generates feedback control signals for maximizing a ratio of the components of the low-frequency signals and by using the feedback control signals, the polarization controller controls the polarization states of the optical multiplexing signals. |
| US08244136B2 |
System and method for reduction of infrared noise during communication between consumer appliances
A system and method for facilitating infrared (IR) communications from a first device, such as a set top box, to a second device, such as a remote control, in the presence of an IR noise generating device, such as a plasma television, by using at least one of the first device and the second device to actively reduce a level of IR noise being generated by the IR noise generating device during an IR transmission from the first device to the second device. |
| US08244135B2 |
System and method for increasing upstream optical coding gain in a gigabit passive optical network (GPON)
A system, method, and computer readable medium for increasing an upstream optical coding gain in a passive optical network (PON). In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the system may include a memory structured to store Optical Network Terminator (ONT) burst timing values, and provide a previous burst timing value of the burst timing values to a translator. Further, an upstream burst grant timing scheduler may provide a scheduled timing value to the translator, wherein the translator may be structured to translate the previous burst timing value to a new expected timing value per an ONT upstream burst in association with the scheduled timing value. Also, a delimiter match and search block may be structured to use the new expected timing value to check a bit stream for a delimiter pattern match. An alarm counter may be provided in the system that is structured to provide an alarm when the delimiter pattern match is not found. |
| US08244134B2 |
Optical interconnect
An optical interconnect has a plurality of optical sources, a first lens configured to collimate optical beams from the plurality of optical sources, a second lens configured to refocus the optical beams, and a plurality of optical receivers configured to receive the refocused optical beams from the second lens. |
| US08244133B2 |
Optical waveband demultiplexer, optical waveband multiplexer, and optical waveband selective switch
A simple optical waveband multiplexer/demultiplexer operable to separate a wavelength-division multiplexed light beam WDM consisting of a plurality of wavebands WB each including a plurality of optical channels, into a predetermined plurality of wavebands WB, and output the separated plurality of wavebands WB from a plurality of output ports, wherein the wavelength-division multiplexed light beam WDM is transmitted through two array waveguides each capable of performing a demultiplexing function with a resolution corresponding to wavelengths of the optical channels, and a characteristic of sequentially shifting the output ports by one position with shifting of input ports by one position, whereby the wavelength-division multiplexed light beam WDM is separated into a plurality of wavebands WB each including the mutually different optical channels selected from the optical channels included in the wavelength-division multiplexed light beam WDM, and the separated wavebands WB are outputted from the plurality of output ports, respectively. |
| US08244131B2 |
Optical wavelength multiplexing device, optical wavelength dividing device, optical wavelength dividing multiplexing device, and method of controlling optical band-pass filter
To equip an optical wavelength dividing multiplexing system with a variable optical band-pass filter, and to provide an apparatus to change the center wavelength and the band width of an optical-band pass filter according to an optical wavelength band to be transmitted, and a method of controlling the apparatus. An optical wavelength multiplexing device 100 includes a CPL (multiplexing portion) 3 that multiplexes optical signals and outputs the multiplexed signal, a BPF (optical band-pass filter) 9 that is capable of changing its center wavelength and band width and receives an optical multiplex signal output by the multiplexing portion and lets the received optical multiplex signal pass therethrough, a storage portion that stores wavelength band control information 4 specifying the center wavelength and the band width, and a control portion that controls the center wavelength and the band width of the BPF 9 based on the wavelength band control information 4. The control circuit 10 controls the center wavelength and the band width of the BPF 9 based on the wavelength band control information 4. |
| US08244123B2 |
System and method for optical transmission
In an optical transmission system, a first monitoring section configured to monitor a first optical signal on a first optical transmission line to detect a first failure. A modulating section generates a second optical signal obtained through modulation of a signal corresponding to the first optical signal based on the first failure, to transmit the second optical signal onto a second optical transmission line which is connected with the first optical transmission line and a terminal unit. A second monitoring section monitors the second optical signal on the second optical transmission line to detect a second failure, and a detecting section detects the first failure from the second optical signal on the second optical transmission line. A line switch configured to selectively switch an optical transmission line to be connected with the terminal unit, from the second optical transmission line to another optical transmission line based on the first failure detected by the detecting section and the second failure detected by the second monitoring section. |
| US08244118B2 |
Underwater camera housing controls
A control system for an underwater camera housing, including a pin assembly within the housing wall. The pin has a clamp ring and a set of O-rings at an end of the pin. The pin is received into a well in the housing. A spring is received into a bushing also positioned within the well, with the pin inserted into the center of the spring, and the spring compressed against the seat of the bushing by the clamp ring. The pin is depress-able to contact a control button of the housed camera. The control system additionally includes a knob rotatably attached to the housing's exterior. The knob has a boss magnet to move a worker magnet positioned on the housing's interior. The knob is rotatable to move the boss magnet, and so move the worker magnet, to control functions of the housed camera. |
| US08244115B2 |
Combination flashlight and a device for dispensing a volatile substance
A combination flashlight and insect repellent dispensing apparatus. Light is produced by light bulbs or LEDs whereas insect repellent is dispensed by heating a volatilizable insecticide. The insecticide and portable light may be used either concurrently or independently of each other. |
| US08244109B2 |
Electronic device and content reproducing method and program
An electronic device includes a communication block configured to execute communication with an external device; a storage block configured to store content; a compression block configured to compress the stored content; a reproduction block configured to reproduce one of the content before compression by the compression block and the content after compression by the compression block; an operation input block configured to enter an operation signal corresponding to a user operation done for the reproduction; and control block configured to control the communication block to transmit the content before compression to the external device for storage therein and, if the operation signal for reproducing the content after compression is entered, receive, the content before compression stored in the external device corresponding to the content after compression from the external device. |
| US08244108B2 |
After-recording apparatus
An audio signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant audio data. A video signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant video data. An audio time stamp for audio-vide synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant audio data. A video time stamp for audio-video synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant video data. The time-stamp-added audio data and the time-stamp-added video data are multiplexed into main data. To a plurality of first after-recording-purpose data for at least one of (1) the encoding-resultant audio data and (2) the encoding-resultant video data which form the main data, time stamps for reproduction synchronous with a portion of the main data and identification information for identifying the plurality of first after-recording-purpose data are added to convert the first after-recording-purpose data into second after-recording-purpose data. The second after-recording-purpose data are made into bit streams without being multiplexed with the main data. |
| US08244098B2 |
Recording apparatus and method, playback apparatus and method, recording medium, program and computer-readable recording medium
A recording apparatus contains a timer that measures the current time based on a time zone. When writing a VOB onto a DVD, the recording apparatus refers to TM_ZONE recorded on the DVD, and judges whether the time zone which the timer is based on matches the time zone that the TM_ZONE specifies. If the two time zones do not match, the recording apparatus operates as follows. First, the recording apparatus obtains VOB_REC_TM that indicates the recording date/time of the VOB based on TM_ZONE. The recording apparatus then writes the VOB onto the DVD together with VOBI that is information of the VOB and contains (a) the obtained VOB_REC_TM; (b) LOCAL_TZ_TY indicating that the two time zones do not match and (c) LOCAL_TZ specifying the time zone which the timer is based on. |
| US08244096B2 |
Optical disk device and advertising system
An optical disk device includes a reproduction component, a determination component, a memory component, a communication component, and an output component. The reproduction component reproduces contents stored in optical disks. The determination component determines genres of the contents while the reproduction component reproduces the contents. The memory component stores a first table that associates each of the genres that have been determined by the determination component with a reproduction counter that indicates a number of times the reproduction component has reproduced the contents that belong to each of the genres. The communication component downloads from a server advertising data corresponding to one of the genres stored in the first table. The one of the genres is selected based on the reproduction counter of the first table. The output component outputs an advertisement based on the advertising data that is downloaded by the communication component. |
| US08244094B2 |
Method and apparatus for replaying a video signal and one or more audio signals related to audio/video data that are based on a 24Hz frame frequency video signal
Movies are produced in 24 Hz frame frequency and progressive scanning format (denoted 24p) for projection in film theatres, adhering to a worldwide standard for 35 mm film. However, the major TV systems in the world use interlaced scanning and either 50 Hz field frequency (denoted 50i) or 60 Hz field frequency (denoted 60i). Content providers would prefer providing single-picture-frequency single-audio-speed AV discs that can be replayed in most parts of the world. According to the invention, For a 50 HZ output mode, in the media player either audio signal frames are dropped adaptively or video fields or frames are repeated adaptively, depending on the current video and audio content. Thereby the less perceptible stream controls the synchronization. |
| US08244093B2 |
Video signal processing device and method, and program
A video signal processing device including a specification information obtaining unit for obtaining specification information indicating specifications of a monitor connected to a digital video output terminal, a selecting operation receiving-unit for receiving a user selecting operation for selecting a type of analog video output terminal for a monitor connected to the analog video output terminal, a setting operation receiving unit for receiving a user setting operation for prioritizing one of the specification information obtained by the specification information obtaining unit and the user selecting operation received by the selecting operation receiving unit, and a determining unit for determining a resolution of a video signal to be output on a basis of the specification information obtained by the specification information obtaining unit, the user selecting operation received by the selecting operation receiving unit, and the user setting operation received by the setting operation receiving unit. |
| US08244088B2 |
Large diameter optical waveguide, grating and laser
A large diameter optical waveguide, grating, and laser includes a waveguide having at least one core surrounded by a cladding, the core propagating light in substantially a few transverse spatial modes; and having an outer waveguide dimension of said waveguide being greater than about 0.3 mm. At least one Bragg grating may be impressed in the waveguide. The waveguide may be axially compressed which causes the length of the waveguide to decrease without buckling. The waveguide may be used for any application where a waveguide needs to be compression tuned. Also, the waveguide exhibits lower mode coupling from the core to the cladding and allows for higher optical power to be used when writing gratings without damaging the waveguide. The waveguide may resemble a short “block” or a longer “cane” type, depending on the application and dimensions used. |
| US08244085B2 |
Optical transceiver interface for multimode fibers
Systems and devices using diffractive and optionally refractive elements to launch an optical signal with a controlled amplitude and phase distribution into a multimode optical fiber for improved modal dispersion are provided. More particularly, optical ports, transmitter optical subassemblies (TOSAs), and transceivers use integrated diffractive and optionally refractive elements to launch a helically propagating light distribution, also known as a vortex launch. One embodiment includes a monolithic transparent port that generally includes: a lens on a first surface for receiving and collimating or focusing an optical signal; and a diffractive surface pattern for receiving the optical signal from the lens and launching the optical signal into a multimode optical fiber with a controlled intensity and phase distribution. Alternatively, the lens can be added as a separated component or omitted altogether while the diffractive surface pattern is formed on either the laser or fiber receptacle sides of the port. |
| US08244084B2 |
Expanded beam, single fiber, fiber optic connector
The device includes a body, a lens holder, a lens, a ferrule, a ferrule holder, an optical cable holder, a snap ring, and a spring. The lens holder retains the lens, and the lens holder accommodates the ferrule. The ferrule holder is mounted to the body. The spring is mounted between a spring seat of the ferrule holder and a spring seat of the optical cable holder. The snap ring is mounted to the optical cable holder so as to retain the optical cable holder to the body. |
| US08244083B2 |
Steerable, thin far-field electromagnetic beam
A method and apparatus for forming and controlling a microwave Bessel beam which may be utilized for examining microstructure including very early stage tumors. |
| US08244082B2 |
Device for generating polarization-entangled photons
A device for generating polarization-entangled photons by means of parametric down-conversion, comprising a waveguide structure formed in a substrate of an optically non-linear material with periodically poled regions, wherein, when in operation, pump photons can be supplied from a pump laser to the waveguide structure, and wherein a separating means for separating the entangled photons for the separate further conduction of signal photons and idler photons, respectively, is arranged to follow the waveguide structure. |
| US08244081B2 |
Passive alignment using elastic averaging in optoelectronics applications
In an optoelectronic assembly in which one or more beam paths are to be aligned with a corresponding number of active optical elements, the cooperation between flexible alignment features and fixed alignment features achieves elastic averaging so as to provide the target accuracy. By averaging dimensional and positional errors over a large number of localized couplings of the flexible and fixed alignment features, elastic averaging provides the same accuracy as the more costly and complex kinematic alignment techniques. |
| US08244079B2 |
Light emitting device and optical coupling module
Provided are a light emitting device and an optical coupling module. The device includes a substrate, a light emitting part provided to the substrate, and a reflecting part provided to a lower surface of the substrate. The light emitting part includes an active pattern disposed on the substrate, an upper mirror provided to an upper portion of the active pattern, and a lower mirror provided to a lower portion of the active pattern. The light emitting part may emit light normal to the substrate, and the reflecting part may reflect the emitted light to a side surface of the substrate. |
| US08244077B1 |
Unit-cell array optical signal processor
This invention provides a versatile unit cell as well as programmable and reconfigurable optical signal processors (such as optical-domain RF filters) that are constructed from arrays of those unit cells interconnected by optical waveguides. Each unit cell comprises an optical microdisk, an optical phase shifter, and at least one input/output optical waveguide, wherein the microdisk and the phase shifter are both optically connected to a common waveguide. |
| US08244073B2 |
Line shape processing device, line shape processing method, information recording medium, and program
To detect the characteristic of the end portion of a line shape, in a line shape processing device (201), a coordinate storing unit (203) stores a first coordinate value of a point on a line in association with a second coordinate value, in regard to the shape of that line input by the user, a detecting unit (207) detects whether the shape of the end portion of the line input by the user is (a) a pennant shape where the vibration amplitude becomes narrow while vibrating, (b) a flag shape vibrating with a substantially constant vibration amplitude, or (c) a normal shape other than the shapes of (a) and (b) from the first coordinate value of the point in the stored line shape and the second coordinate value thereof based on the distribution of the extreme values of the second coordinate value. |
| US08244072B2 |
System and method for determining color value of pixel
A method and a system are used for determining color value of a pixel for an image processing operation, including steps of: providing a reference depth value representing a level of motion of the pixel; providing a plurality of color values and corresponding depth values of the pixel at a plurality of levels of motion; and selecting a target color value of the pixel among the plurality of color values according to the reference depth value and the plurality of depth values. |
| US08244071B2 |
Non-dyadic spatial scalable wavelet transform
A non-dyadic spatial scalable wavelet transform may scale an original digital video frame or digital image at a non-dyadic ratio. The digital video frame or digital image is quantized to create a set of data representing the digital video frame or digital image. The set of data is then input to the non-dyadic spatial scalable wavelet transform. The non-dyadic spatial scalable wavelet transform may then transform the data associated with a first pixel to a high-pass coefficient and use the high-pass coefficient to transform the data associated with a second and third pixel to low-pass coefficients. The low-pass coefficients may then be converted to a digital image for viewing. |
| US08244068B2 |
Device and method for adjusting orientation of a data representation displayed on a display
An electronic device, preferably in the form of a mobile phone, comprising a support structure and a camera carried by the support structure. An orientation detector is connected to the camera. The orientation detector is configured to identify images features in an image captured by the camera, such as the eyes and the mouth of the user, and to determine rotation orientation of the image relative to a reference orientation. A display carried by the support structure is configured to display a data representation, and further to display this data representation in an orientation dependent on the determined rotation orientation. This way a data presentation can e.g. be displayed in a portrait orientation or in a landscape orientation in dependence of which rotational orientation the device is currently held in when the data representation is viewed by a user of the electronic device. |
| US08244067B2 |
Constellation detection
Disclosed herein is a method for identifying a constellation of alignment marks within an arrangement of computer readable marks in an image (1412), the arrangement of computer readable marks (1412) including alignment marks (1401-1406) and data carrying marks (1407-1410). The alignment marks (1401-1406) define a reference grid within the arrangement of computer readable marks and the data carrying marks (1407-1410) are modulated with respect to the reference grid to encode data. The method selects at least two marks (1501, 1502) from the arrangement of computer readable marks and determines a rotation center with reference to the selected marks (1501, 1502). The method then determines rotated positions for the selected marks by rotating each of the selected marks by a predetermined angle about the rotation center. For each rotated position, a mark having a position that is less than a predetermined threshold from the rotated position is located from the arrangement of marks and then the selected marks and the located marks are identified as the constellation of alignment marks. |
| US08244063B2 |
Space-time behavior based correlation
A method includes measuring the likelihood that two different space-time video segments could have resulted from a similar underlying motion field without computing the field. The method may be employed to identify locations in a video sequence where at least one behavioral phenomenon similar to that demonstrated in the video segment occurs. For example, the phenomenon might be a dynamic behavior, an action, a rigid motion, and/or a non-rigid motion. |
| US08244061B1 |
Automated detection of source-based artifacts in an information signal
Method and apparatus for detecting source-based artifacts in a compressed video data set formed by outputting a baseband video data set from a source device and applying a codec algorithm thereto to generate the compressed video data set. In some embodiments, the compressed video data set is decompressed to provide a decoded video data set, and at least one source-based artifact in the decoded video set is detected responsive to a luminance value of at least one pixel in the decoded video data set, the at least one source-based artifact induced by the source prior to the compression encoding of the input video frame and detected independently of the input video frame. |
| US08244056B2 |
Image contrast enhancement apparatus and method thereof
An image contrast enhancement apparatus and method thereof are provided. The image contrast enhancement apparatus includes an image analysis module, a histogram separation unit, and a histogram adjustment unit. The image analysis module statistically analyzes pixels of an original image to produce a plurality of histogram bins and combines the histogram bins into a sub-histogram. The histogram separation unit separates each sub-histogram in every separation level into two sub-histograms in the next separation level, increases or decreases a base width of each sub-histogram such that the respective group density of two sub-histograms corresponding to the same separation point are substantially identical. The histogram adjustment unit re-distributes histogram bins of each sub-histogram or merges a portion of histogram bins of each sub-histogram in every separation level. |
| US08244050B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding image by using improved compression ratio of encoding information
Provided are methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding an image. The method of encoding the image includes calculating the number of times that encoding information of each of a plurality of sub-blocks included in a current block is exactly predicted, determining whether or not to predictably encode the encoding information of each sub-block, based on the calculated number of times, and predictably encoding the encoding information of each sub-block according to the determination. Using the method can prevent the case in which many bits are required to encode the encoding information due to inexact prediction about the encoding information, thereby decreasing the compression ratio of the image encoding process, and can compress the image with a higher efficiency. |