最新美国发明专利
Document Document Title
US08250666B2 Method and apparatus for improving security in an application level virtual machine environment
In one embodiment the present invention includes a security manager for managing security in a dynamic programming environment. The security manager interfaces between the dynamic programming environment and a non-dynamic programming environment. In this manner, the dynamic programming environment is unable to compromise the non-dynamic programming environment, yet still provide features desirable in a dynamic programming environment. An example using Ruby in a robust business programming environment is detailed.
US08250665B2 Digital Broadcasting system and method of processing data in digital broadcasting system
A method for controlling a digital television (DTV) includes receiving independent space identification information recorded in a storage area of a compact wireless device and a wired equivalent privacy (WEP) key value of an access point (AP) card, receiving the WEP key value corresponding to the AP card of the DTV from a management server, and comparing the WEP key value received from the compact wireless device with the WEP key value received from the management server. If the WEP key values are identical to each other, receiving first checklist information associated with the use of the independent space from the management server, displaying the received first checklist information, and transmitting second checklist information, in which one or more elements of the displayed first checklist information is marked, to the management server.
US08250661B2 Image processing apparatus, information processing apparatus, and methods thereof
Upon applying a DRM protection process to an image which is generated by an image processing apparatus, which doesn't have any communication means that allows direct communications with a PC, without any alteration, encryption of the image in the apparatus and that of the image in the PC as an internal process of the DRM are required, resulting in poor efficiency. The apparatus executes a part of the DRM protection process for the image, and outputs the encrypted image. The PC receives the image which has undergone the part of the DRM protection process, executes the remaining part of the DRM protection process, and outputs the image which has undergone the DRM protection process. In this case, the PC transmits use condition of the input image to a license server, receives signed use condition from the server, and combines the signed use condition with the input encrypted image.
US08250658B2 Syntax-based security analysis using dynamically generated test cases
A security analysis methodology is used to analyze the security of a device-under-analysis (DUA) with respect to a particular protocol message exchange. First, the mutation points that exist in the message exchange are determined. Then, the message exchange is executed multiple times—once for each mutation point. Each execution applies the mutation associated with that particular mutation point (e.g., a particular message during the exchange is modified in a particular way) to create a mutated message exchange. In other words, each message exchange with an applied mutation point corresponds to a test case.
US08250652B1 Systems and methods for circumventing malicious attempts to block the installation of security software
Computer-implemented methods and systems for circumventing malicious attempts to block the installation of security-software programs are disclosed. An exemplary method for performing such a task may comprise: 1) detecting, during installation of a security-software program, an error that is indicative of an attack on the security-software program, 2) identifying at least one executable file targeted by the attack on the security-software program, 3) circumventing the attack by dynamically obfuscating the executable file targeted by the attack, and then 4) completing installation of the security-software program.
US08250650B2 Front-end protocol for server protection
The present invention provides for protecting against denial of service attacks. A request is sent by a client, the request comprises client indicia. The request is received at a server. A request count is incremented by the server. A sequence number is assigned as a function of the client indicia. A problem is selected by the server. The problem is sent by the server to the client. A solution to the problem is sent to the server. It is determined if the solution by client is correct. If the solution is correct, a session is performed. If the solution is not correct, the request is discarded. This can substantially decrease the amount of attacks performed by a rogue client, as the session set-up time can be substantial.
US08250644B1 Forcing a mobile browser to access web content through a proxy
A method, system, and medium are provided for forcing a mobile device to request online content using a proxy server. In one embodiment, the mobile device sends a request to the content provider directly. The content provider may respond to the requesting browser with an instruction to request the content through a proxy server. The requesting mobile device may then send a second request for the content to the proxy server. The proxy server then sends a request to the content provider on behalf of the requesting mobile device.
US08250640B1 Transparent kerboros delegation with a storage virtualization system
The invention is a system and method for ensuring that a storage virtualization system performs as a trusted delegate for a user attempting to access data on an authenticated server. Data is moved from a first server to a second server by a storage virtualization system. Even though the user may have been authenticated to access the first server, the storage virtualization system which re-directs user requests to the migrated data on the second server may not be authenticated. The first time a user is re-directed to the second server, the storage virtualization system will obtain request to act as a trusted delegate for the user by communicating with a third server, such as a Kerberos domain controller. After the storage virtualization system is properly authenticated as a trusted delegate for the user, future re-directed requests will be seamless and transparent to the user.
US08250634B2 Systems, methods, media, and means for user level authentication
In some embodiments, a gateway in a communications network is provided including a subscriber interface and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) registrar; wherein the SIP registrar: receives a first register message as a result of a request associated with a user and a mobile device seeking network authentication; and sends a request for subscriber information to the subscriber interface; the subscriber interface: retrieves the subscriber information from the subscriber database; and sends the subscriber information to the SIP registrar; the SIP registrar further: sends challenge information including a password request and a request for predetermined response information previously selected by the user to the mobile device; receives a second register message including user response information in response to the challenge information; and authenticates the mobile device and the user based at least in part on whether the user response information matches the predetermined response information.
US08250633B2 Techniques for flexible resource authentication
In various embodiments, techniques for flexible resource authentication are provided. A principal attempts to login to a target resource using first credentials. The target resource does not recognize the first credentials and in response thereto forwards the first credentials to an identity service. The identity service authenticates the principal via the first credentials and supplies second credentials to the target resource. The target resource recognizes and authenticates the second credentials and grants access to the principal.
US08250632B1 Generating authentication challenges based on preferences of a user's contacts
Generating user authentication challenges based in part on preferences of one or more contacts of a user includes receiving an authentication request from a user. One or more contacts of the user associated with the authentication request are determined. One or more preferences of the close contact or contacts are determined. An authentication challenge based on the one or more preferences of one or more of the user's contacts is generated. The authentication request is allowed or denied based on the completion on the authentication challenge.
US08250630B2 Detecting unauthorized computer access
A machine executed method comprising at a first computer, receiving from a second computer a request to gain root-administrator access to an operating system (OS) of the first computer; the first computer, in response to receiving the request to gain root-administrator access, granting the root-administrator access and modifying stored access state data from a first state associated with the OS to a second state associated with the OS, wherein the second state is different than the first state and the second state indicates that root-administrator access to the OS was granted.
US08250629B2 Systems and methods for flexible service delivery network services
A system and method are described that use a subscriber-centric approach to scalably support the delivery of network services across numerous access protocols and across a multitude of access devices. By allowing the use of a service engine that can range in complexity from a simple macro to a rules engine, this approach is suitable for bundled services, as well as single services.
US08250626B2 Securing data accessed by a software package pre-loaded on a computer system
The present invention provides a way to secure data accessed by a software package pre-loaded on a computer system (for delivery to a customer). Specifically, under the present invention, customer data is loaded on a computer system along with any software package(s) that access the customer data prior to shipping the computer system to the customer. Also prior to shipping, a set (e.g., one or more) of passwords for accessing the data such as an administrative password and a hard disk password are set. After the computer system is shipped to the customer, confirmation of proper delivery will be sought. Once this confirmation is received, an access code such as a key or the set of passwords themselves will be shipped to the customer to unlock and use the data.
US08250625B2 Method and apparatus for reducing communication system downtime when configuring a crytographic system of the communication system
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for reducing communication system downtime when enabling cryptographic operation of a cryptographic system of the communication system where the cryptographic system includes a first cryptographic device operatively coupled to a plurality of second cryptographic devices via a communication network of the communication system. The method includes causing a pass-through mode of the second cryptographic devices to be suspended, sequentially determining a state of each of the second cryptographic devices, causing the second cryptographic devices and the first cryptographic device to substantially simultaneously operate in a secure mode if each of the second cryptographic devices is determined to have a first state, and causing the second cryptographic devices and the first cryptographic device to operate in the pass-through mode if at least one of the plurality of second cryptographic devices is determined to have a second state.
US08250621B2 Broadcasting receiver and method for upgrading firmware
A broadcasting receiver and a method for upgrading firmware of a cable card are disclosed. When firmware upgrading of the cable card is completed and a reset request is transmitted from the cable card to a host, if an application which is being executed is affected by rebooting of the cable card, the host defers the reset, so that a user can normally use the existing application service through the cable broadcasting receiver.
US08250617B2 System and method for providing multi-perspective instant replay
A method for processing broadcasts comprises receiving a broadcast of the program containing a plurality of perspectives of the program and presenting at least one of the plurality of perspectives to a viewer. The method further includes automatically recording the plurality of perspectives in a storage device and playing alternate recorded perspectives for the viewer without interrupting the recording of the broadcast. A system for recording a broadcast containing a plurality of perspectives of a program is also disclosed.
US08250613B2 Media asset management system for managing video news segments and associated methods
A method for managing video news segments using a media asset management system includes collecting the video news segments, associating corresponding geospatial data with each video news segment, and creating a search thesaurus including search descriptors with cross-references therebetween. At least one respective search descriptor from the search thesaurus is associated with each video news segment. The method further includes storing each video news segment, its geospatial data and its at least one search descriptor on the media asset management system for later search and retrieval, such as by a news broadcasting organization. The search descriptors may be geospatial search descriptors that are cross-referenced in a hierarchical relationship.
US08250611B2 Automobile entertainment system
An automobile entertainment system includes a video system mounted within an automobile headrest. The headrest includes a headrest body and a first downwardly extending extension arm including a passage therethrough. The video system includes a cable extending therefrom and the one cable passes through the first extension arm, wherein the cable includes a cylindrical connector shroud at a distal end thereof. The connector shroud is shaped and dimensioned to pass through the first extension arm.
US08250610B2 Method, computer program product and apparatus for receiving recording recommendations
Methods, computer program products, and apparatuses for receiving recording recommendations through a data network are provided. The recommendations originate from sources selected by the user. Each source may send a recommendation from his or her set top box or other computing device connected to the data network. The user may establish and send recommendation instructions used to filter and prioritize the recommendations based on the source of the recommendation. The user may send the recommendation instructions from his or her set top box or another computing device connected to the data network. Based at least partially by the recommendation instructions, the set top box of the user may receive a recommendation from a source and record at least one media program subject to the recommendation.
US08250603B1 Context-sensitive interactive television ticker
An in-context interactive television ticker is provided. The ticker is rendered on a display screen that also shows a television program, and presents ticker content that is in-context with subject matter of the television program. The ticker remains rendered and context-sensitive to the subject matter of the currently shown television program, whenever there is a change in the television program, such as when the subject matter of the current television program changes, when a commercial interruption occurs during the television program, or when the television channel is changed. The ticker is interactive in that the viewer can perform various interactive operations with the ticker, including interacting with the ticker to obtain additional information related to an in-context item presented by the ticker.
US08250600B2 Advertisement scheduling in a packet-based media-delivery system
In one embodiment, a scheme for the display of targeted and personalized advertisements in a packet-based media-delivery system, such as an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service. An Internet keyword-based advertisement-bidding model is used to place the most-appropriate IPTV advertisements for viewers depending on their interests as determined through the users' Internet activities, while maximizing advertising revenue for the IPTV service provider. One method for scheduling an advertisement for rendering in one or more time slots in packet-based media programming comprises: (a) obtaining at least one keyword from one or more Internet sessions corresponding to at least one user; (b) receiving a plurality of bid amounts corresponding to a plurality of available advertisements for the one or more time slots; and (c) scheduling, based on the at least one keyword and at least one of the bid amounts, the advertisement to be rendered to the at least one user in the one or more time slots.
US08250598B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting emergency alert messages
A method and apparatus for transmitting emergency messages is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box in communication with an interactive television network where the set top box has a controller to receive a notification signal from a network server of the interactive television network where the notification signal is associated with an emergency alert message received by the network server from an emergency alert system, determine a language for presenting the emergency alert message, select a first multicast of the emergency alert message from a group of multicasts based on the determined language where each of the group of multicasts of the emergency alert message being in a different language, transmit a request to the network server to join the first multicast of the emergency alert message, and receive the first multicast of the emergency alert message. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08250595B2 Utilizing an audio signal to monitor a program with a technique that is operable even during a mute mode
An apparatus for monitoring a program signal received from a broadcast source that is to be performed by reproduction equipment, wherein an audio portion of the program signal is broadcast in combination with a monitoring code to provide a combined audio signal, comprising a switch, a code detector, and a component configured to receive the combined signal from the broadcast source and to provide to each of the reproduction equipment and the switch a respective output signal related to the combined signal. The code detector is adapted to receive an audio output from the reproduction equipment which has a mute mode, the reproduction equipment transmitting at least the monitoring code from the combined audio signal to the code detector if not in the mute mode and not transmitting the monitoring code to the code detector if in the mute mode. The switch is configured to transmit at least the monitoring code from the combined audio signal to the code detector if the reproduction equipment is in the mute mode and not transmit the monitoring code to the code detector if the reproduction equipment is not in the mute mode.
US08250593B2 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.
US08250583B2 Workflow processing system and method with federated database system support
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for automatic workflow processing in a workflow processing computer system. A federated data management system support module receives a data management activity description, determines a set of set references associated with the data management activity, determines a set of data sources associated with the set of set references within a federated data management system, determines whether the federated data management system includes infrastructure for accessing the references and for accessing the data sources, in response to determining that the infrastructure is not included, automatically creates the infrastructure from information in a metadata repository coupled to the federated data management system, replaces in the data management activity description references to set references and references to data sources by references to the infrastructure in the federated data management system, and delivers the data management activity description for execution by the system.
US08250582B2 Chargeback reduction planning for information technology management
Reducing cost chargeback in an information technology (IT) computing environment including multiple resources, is provided. One implementation involves a process wherein resource usage and allocation statistics are stored for a multitude of resources and associated cost policies. Then, time-based usage patterns are determined for the resources from the statistics. A correlation of response time with resource usages and outstanding input/output instructions for the resources is determined. Based on usage patterns and the correlation, a multitude of potential cost reduction recommendations are determined. Further, a multitude of integrals are obtained based on the potential cost reduction recommendations, and a statistical integral is obtained based on the statistics. A difference between the statistical integral and each of the multiple integrals is obtained and compared with a threshold to determine potential final cost reduction recommendations. A final cost reduction recommendation is then selected from the potential cost reduction recommendations.
US08250579B2 Method for stage-based cost analysis for task scheduling
One embodiment may estimate the processing time of tasks requested by an application by maintaining a state-model for the application. The state model may include states that represent the tasks requested by the application, with each state including the average run-time of each task. In another embodiment, a state model may estimate which task is likely to be requested for processing after the current task is completed by providing edges in the state model connecting the states. Each edge in the state model may track the number of times the application transitions from one task to the next. Over time, data may be gathered representing the percentage of time that each edge is from a state node. Given this information, the scheduler may estimate the CPU cost of the next task based on the current state, the most likely transition, and the cost of the predicted next task. The state model may also track multiple users of the application and modify or create the state model as the users traverse through the state model.
US08250578B2 Pipelining hardware accelerators to computer systems
A method of pipelining hardware accelerators of a computing system includes associating hardware addresses to at least one processing unit (PU) or at least one logical partition (LPAR) of the computing system, receiving a work request for an associated hardware accelerator address, and queuing the work request for a hardware accelerator using the associated hardware accelerator address.
US08250577B2 Mechanism to enable and ensure failover integrity and high availability of batch processing
A method, system and computer program product for managing a batch processing job is presented. The method includes partitioning a batch processing job for execution by a cluster of computers. One of the computers from the cluster of computers is designated as a primary command server that oversees and coordinates execution of the batch processing job. Stored in an object data grid structure in the primary command server is an alarm setpoint, boundaries, waiting batch processes and executing batch process states. The object data grid structure is replicated and stored as a replicated object grid structure in a failover command server. If the primary command server fails, the failover command server freezes all of the currently executing batch processes, interrogates processing states of the cluster of computers, and restarts execution of the batch processes in the cluster of computers in accordance with the processing states of the cluster of computers.
US08250576B2 Structured task hierarchy for a parallel runtime
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for a structured task hierarchy for a parallel runtime. The parallel execution runtime environment permits flexible spawning and attachment of tasks to one another to form a task hierarchy. Parent tasks can be prevented from completing until any attached child sub-tasks complete. Exceptions can be aggregated in an exception array such that any aggregated exceptions for a task are available when the task completes. A shield mode is provided to prevent tasks from attaching to another task as child tasks.
US08250573B2 Audio subsystem sharing in a virtualized environment
A device, method, and system are disclosed. In one embodiment the device includes a first virtual machine to directly access a physical audio codec. The device also includes a virtual audio codec that is managed by the first virtual machine. The virtual audio codec can provide a custom interface to the physical audio codec for one or more additional virtual machines apart from the first virtual machine.
US08250570B2 Automated provisioning framework for internet site servers
A framework for automatically provisioning computing devices includes a central database system and a central file system. Information stored in the database comprises a model of the individual devices, as well as the interconnections of the devices. The central file system stores the software components to be installed on the devices. When provisioning is carried out, the database sends commands to agents located on each device which cause them to retrieve and install the software components from the file system, and to configure the components according to the stored model.
US08250562B2 Barrier mechanism for firmware upgrade
A thin-client device having an application program obtains a copy of an application update having an update barrier level via a network. The thin-client device receives a set of configuration parameters from a configuration server via the network and sets the barrier level value to a value specified by the set of configuration parameters. Alternatively, the thin-client device retrieves a default barrier level value stored in the thin-client device. If the set of configuration parameters does not specify a barrier level value, the barrier level value is set to the default barrier level value. The thin-client device compares the update barrier level to a barrier level value corresponding to a minimum application version necessary to maintain support for a critical feature. If the update barrier level is greater than or equal to the barrier level value, the thin-client device updates its application program.
US08250559B2 Supporting per-program classpaths with class sharing in a multi-tasking virtual machine
System and method for supporting per-program classpath and class sharing in a multi-tasking virtual machine. A virtual machine may allow each program to specify its classpath independently of other programs classpaths. Tasks that specify identical classpaths for their respective class loaders may share the runtime representation of classes. A multi-tasking virtual machine may generate and compare canonical forms of classpaths to determine which programs may share classes with each other. The runtime representation of a class may be split between shared and private portions of the runtime representation. A shared runtime representation may be associated with multiple private runtime representations. In one embodiment, unique class loader keys and a system dictionary may be used to associate tasks, class loaders and the shared representations of classes.
US08250558B2 Dynamic linked library add-on features
Add-on functions to a software application are made through a single dynamic linked library (‘DLL’). After discovering, authenticating, and loading the DLL, the application may inspect the DLL to determine if it contains a function of a predetermined type. If the type is discovered, an object of the type may be instantiated and called. The inspection may evaluate metadata within the DLL to determine the precise characteristics of the function and compare the function to a predetermined type. Based on the authentication as well as the internal inspection of the DLL, extensions to existing software applications may be easily distributed and readily installed in an atomic fashion.
US08250557B2 Configuring a dependency graph for dynamic by-pass instruction scheduling
There is disclosed a method and system for configuring a data dependency graph (DDG) to handle instruction scheduling in computer architectures permitting dynamic by-pass execution, and for performing dynamic by-pass scheduling utilizing such a configured DDG. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a heuristic function is used to obtain a ranking of nodes in the DDG after setting delays at all identified by-pass pairs of nodes in the DDG to 0. From among a list of identified by-pass pairs of nodes, a node that is identified as being the least important to schedule early is marked as “bonded” to its successor, and the corresponding delay for that identified node is set to 0. Node rankings are re-computed and the bonded by-pass pair of nodes are scheduled in consecutive execution cycles with a delay of 0 to increase the likelihood that a by-pass can be successfully taken during run-time execution.
US08250553B2 Method and data processing system for finding problems caused by access to uninitialized data storage in assembler programs
A method for detecting problems caused by access to incompletely initialized data storage in assembler programs includes generating an internal representation of control flow of the source code of the assembler program including nodes for every statement found in the source code and a directed edge for every possible flow of control between the nodes. The method also includes: attributing data attributes to the nodes and/or the edges, wherein the data attributes are used to store the information how many bits within the data storage can be guaranteed to be initialized; applying a data-flow analysis method to the internal representation of the control flow of the source code for determining how many bits of the data storage can be guaranteed to be initialized; checking for each node whether the instruction reads more bits than are guaranteed to be initialized; and generating one or more error messages responsive to the problem.
US08250547B2 Fast image loading mechanism in cell SPU
The present invention provides a method and system for loading and running program images rapidly in a multi-processor system. The method comprises the steps of: starting in a synergistic processor a synergistic processing program listener, which is configured to listen to a notification from a main processor; calling in the main processor a run-synergistic-processing-program function which is configured to notify the synergistic processing program listener to run a synergistic processing program image which is part of the program image and has been transferred to the local store of the synergistic processor; and the synergistic processing program listener running the synergistic processing program image in response to receiving the notification.
US08250530B2 Composite values for declarative language applications
One embodiment is directed to a method that may be practiced in a declarative application with composites organized hierarchically, including composites in the same hierarchy, but not directly related by direct intervening child/parent relationships. The method includes acts for providing a link between composites unrelated by direct intervening child/parent relationships. The method includes rendering data at a user interface. The data is associated with a first composite in a declarative application. The method further includes detecting, at the user interface, user interaction with the rendered data. As a result of detecting user interaction with the rendered data, the method further includes defining a composite path to the first composite. The method further includes providing the name of the path as a local variable to a second composite such that the second composite can interact with the data.
US08250527B1 System and method for maintaining a sticky association of optimization settings defined for an image referenced in software code of an application being authored
Systems and methods maintain a “sticky” association of optimization settings defined for an image referenced in software code of an application being authored. According to one embodiment, a method comprises detecting, by a software code authoring tool, insertion into software code being authored in the authoring tool of a reference to an image. The authoring tool determines whether the detected reference replaces a previously-defined reference to an image in the software code with a reference to a new image. When determined that such a replacement is occurring, the authoring tool determines from data associated with the software code optimization settings for the image referenced in the previously-defined reference being replaced in the software code, and applies the determined optimization settings to the new image.
US08250508B2 Method and apparatus for analysis and design of a semiconductor device using impurity concentration distribution
An analysis and design apparatus for semiconductor device, which utilizes a transistor model using accurate channel impurity concentration distribution are provided. The analysis and design apparatus includes a parameter setting portion that divides a channel region into a plurality of regions, and temporarily sets a plurality of impurity concentrations for the plurality of regions as a plurality of parameters. Further, the analysis and design apparatus includes an element characteristic calculation portion that values of electric characteristics of the transistor using surface potential that is calculated by solving a Poisson equation using a plurality of effective impurity concentrations. Moreover, the determination portion compares the calculated values with measured values read from a storage portion based on the structure information, and determines that the plurality of parameters for the transistor when the measured values correspond to the calculated values.
US08250502B2 Automated synthesis apparatus and method
Disclosed is an automated synthesis system in which a generalized condition vector (GCV) is generated at a node that is the leaf of a tree indicating a conditional branch of a control/data flow graph representing the flow of behavioral control and data of a circuit. The GVC is a condition vector includes valid bits that are set as a condition vector of code 1 only at one component in a case where an outer conditional operation to a certain operation node is unresolved and, moreover, an inner conditional operation to said certain operation node is resolved, the valid bits being bits at positions where components of a vector of the inner side resolved conditional operation are 1's. The GVC of the operation node is calculated by taking a bitwise logical OR with the condition vector of the unresolved conditional operation. At such time the bits of component 1's of valid bits of the GVC of the inside resolved condition are masked in the bitwise logical OR operation, and parallel IF statements are treated the same as speculative execution of a condition.
US08250499B2 Integrated circuit with on-board power utilization information
A system and method for storing power utilization information in an integrated circuit and utilizing such information. Various aspects of the present invention provide an integrated circuit that comprises a first module, which stores power utilization information for at least a portion of the integrated circuit. A second module of the integrated circuit may communicate the power utilization information with an electrical device external to the integrated circuit. Various aspects of the present invention provide a method for storing power utilization information in an integrated circuit. For example, a performance characteristic and/or a power supply characteristic may be monitored as the integrated circuit is utilized. Power utilization information may be determined from the monitored characteristic(s), and the power utilization information may be stored in the integrated circuit. Various aspects of the present invention also provide a system and method for utilizing an integrated circuit having on-board power utilization information.
US08250497B2 Method for designing two-dimensional array overlay target sets and method and system for measuring overlay errors using the same
A method for designing a two-dimensional array overlay target set comprises the steps of: selecting a plurality of two-dimensional array overlay target sets having different overlay errors; calculating a deviation of a simulated diffraction spectra for each two-dimensional array overlay target set; selecting a sensitive overlay target set by taking the deviations of the simulated diffraction spectra into consideration; and designing a two-dimensional array overlay target set based on the structural parameters of the sensitive overlay target set.
US08250496B2 Method for transferring self-assembled dummy pattern to substrate
A semiconductor device fabrication method is disclosed. The method includes obtaining an inverse layout of an original circuit layout, reducing the inverse layout in size, thereby obtaining a reduced layout, obtaining a dummy pattern layout having an outline identical to an outline of the reduced layout and a given line width such that the dummy pattern layout is self-assembled to the circuit layout, and transferring the self-aligned or self-assembled dummy pattern layout and circuit layout to a semiconductor substrate.
US08250493B2 User interface method, medium, and apparatus with gesture-recognition
A user interface method, medium, and apparatus with gesture-recognition. The user interface method may include measuring acceleration of a gesture-recognition based input device while a writing gesture is performed, e.g., in the air, using the gesture-recognition based input device to generate acceleration signals, and determining whether the gesture-recognition based input device is operated in a predetermined gesture range from a time period when the writing gesture is made, or the acceleration signals, to generate warnings when the gesture-recognition based input device deviates the predetermined gesture range.
US08250492B2 Method for evaluating images displayed on the internet
A method that enables an internet user to determine whether an image viewed truly represents the color, clarity, and depiction of the item the image represents. A test pattern-like graphic, made up of a series of bars, shapes, lines, and shadings, is photographed or scanned alongside an item and published to the internet. The viewer compares the published graphic with a hardcopy of the same graphic. Inconsistencies in depiction between the two graphics enable the viewer to determine the extent to which the image appearing alongside the published graphic fairly represents the item the image represents. Revenue is generated through licensing of the graphic to both internet displayers and viewers as well as advertising space on the graphic. The graphic can appear in different versions and sizes through different media: hardcopy, digitized on the internet, broadcast television.
US08250491B2 Navigation history
A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an embodiment represent previously-accessed data items as nodes in a tree or trees and display the tree or trees with the access time on an axis. The root node of a tree represents a data item accessed via an address entered by a user while a child node of the tree represents a data item selected from a parent node of the child node. In an embodiment, data items that were displayed in the same window as their parents have different connectors between their associated nodes than do data items that were displayed in different windows from their parents.
US08250490B2 Display image control apparatus
A plurality of object arrays in which a plurality of objects are sorted under a plurality of order conditions are generated. A display image is generated by sorting the objects in an order for each object array to line up in the first direction for each of the plurality of object arrays, selecting one object of a first object array of the plurality of object arrays as a reference object, and sorting the objects for each of the plurality of object arrays so that the reference object and objects corresponding to the reference object included in the object arrays other than the first object array line up in the second direction.
US08250489B2 Control unit for refrigerator and method controlling the same
The present invention relates to a control unit for a refrigerator and a method of controlling the same. A control unit for a refrigerator according to the present invention comprises an input means for receiving an operation signal for setting a service mode of a dispenser provided at the refrigerator; a storage means for storing a plurality of mode image data corresponding to the service mode of the dispenser; a display means for displaying mode images of the mode image data; and a control means for performing control such that mode image data corresponding to the service mode of the dispenser are read from the storage means according to an operation signal received by the input means and a mode image corresponding to the service mode of the dispenser is displayed on the display means. According to the present invention, there are advantages in that more various menus can be displayed in different manners, and the configuration of the input unit is simplified and thus can be more conveniently used.
US08250483B2 Programmable medical infusion pump displaying a banner
A method of configuring a programmable pump for delivering an agent to a patient. The method comprises generating a user interface having a plurality of pages, at least one of the pages being a home page; retrieving at least one banner from memory; and displaying the retrieved at least one banner in the home page.
US08250479B2 Message flow interactions for display in a user interface
Display of message flow interactions corresponding to service invocations in a computing environment based on a service-oriented distributed computing model. Aggregations are created, where multiple instances of a particular deployed service operation may be represented by a single node (even though those instances may be hosted on different application servers). Links are depicted between the nodes, where the links represent call paths or invocations among the service operations. A user obtains a high-level, in-context view of the as-observed interactions among service operation instances, and may drill down for further details. A presentation to the user can be automatically scoped to the set of services which are observed as interacting (i.e., via their call relationships), so that the user can be shown that part of the environment that is immediately relevant to a context in which the user launches the view.
US08250478B2 State persistence and background initialization for post-back web applications
A system is disclosed for reducing the time required to generate web pages on post-back of collaborative web applications. Content from web pages of the collaborative web applications may be displayed in respective foreground and background IFRAMES over a display. Upon post-back to load content from a new web page in the foreground IFRAME, the content from the background IFRAME persists, thus saving the round trip otherwise required to update content from the background IFRAME. Initialization and update of the content in the background IFRAME may be performed when interaction with the content in the foreground IFRAME is idle.
US08250473B1 Visualizing object behavior
A visualization service generates a graphical representation or visualization of each user's behavior within a network resource, such as a website. In one example, the visualization service provides a dynamic visualization of each user accessing the network resource. Each user is graphically represented in the visualization with an indicium, such as a point or dot. The visualization (and thus, the position of each indicium representing a user) is dynamically updated as each user accesses data files from the network resource and thus, moves from state to state (or page to page) over time. The effect is similar to watching cars move along a complex highway system.
US08250471B2 Electronic devices and method for controlling the user interface thereof
An electronic device and a method for controlling an user interface thereof are provided. The method includes detecting an orientation of the electronic device, determining a arrangement of the user interface according to the detected orientation, displaying a shortcut key area and a status area on the user interface, and adjusting the user interface according to the operational signals from a touch panel of the electronic device.
US08250465B2 Encoding/decoding apparatus, method and computer program
An information processing apparatus comprises a readout unit adapted to read out, from a storage unit, correspondence information that includes a document structure of a structured document and a first code for encoding the document structure; a verification unit adapted to verify whether grammar of a portion included in a structured document for processing is valid, based on the document structure included in the correspondence information; and an encoding unit adapted to encode the structured document using the first code, in relation to a portion whose grammar is verified as being valid by the verification unit.
US08250462B2 Method and system of fulfilling requests for information from a network client
Disclosed herein are a method and a system of fulfilling requests for information data from a network client in a client-server environment. The information data requested is accessible from a network server and is displayable through a form-based format hypertext document whereby the information data is provided by the filling of dedicated form fields in the hypertext document. The method comprises the following steps. Receiving (13) at the network client a hypertext document and a program component; displaying (31) the hypertext document, the hypertext document having initially no information data filling its form fields; obtaining (41) a request for information from a user of the network client, through a user interface presented to the user as a result of the displaying of the hypertext document, and calling (43) the program component for obtaining the requested information data; upon determination (51) that the requested information data is already or not stored in a buffer memory allocated to the program component in the network client, obtaining (57) the requested data by retrieving them from the buffer memory, or downloading (53, 55, 57) them from the network server; filling (59) the appropriate form fields in the hypertext document with the obtained information data, and displaying the hypertext document with the requested information data contained therein.
US08250461B2 Persistently self-replicating multiple ranges of cells through a table
The present invention includes a method and system for persistently self-replicating multiple ranges of cells through a copy-paste operation, in a multi dimensional spreadsheet. A set of ranges of cells is defined, wherein each range of cells has the same size. Each time the content of a range of cells belonging to this set is changed, a self-replication operation is performed automatically. The self-replication operation includes the steps of copying the changed range of cells onto a buffer; determining the set of ranges of cells to which the changed range of cells belongs to; identifying the ranges of cells belonging to the set; and pasting the content of the buffer in each of identified range of cells belonging to the set.
US08250460B1 System and method for providing online data management services
First, second, and third sets of spreadsheet cells are defined in a display, the first and second sets being separated by a first boundary having a selected orientation, the second and third sets being separated by a second boundary having the selected orientation. A selected scrolling function is disabled within selected sets among the first, second and third sets of cells in accordance with an alternating pattern.
US08250459B2 System and method for providing online data management services
First, second, and third sets of spreadsheet cells are defined in a display, the first and second sets being separated by a first boundary having a selected orientation, the second and third sets being separated by a second boundary having the selected orientation. A selected scrolling function is disabled within selected sets among the first, second and third sets of cells in accordance with an alternating pattern.
US08250457B2 Acceleration and optimization of web pages access by changing the order of resource loading
A method for acceleration of access to a web page. The method comprises receiving a web page responsive to a request by a user; analyzing the received web page for possible acceleration improvements; generating a modified web page of the received web page using at least one of a plurality of acceleration techniques; providing the modified web page to the user, wherein the user experiences an accelerated access to the modified web page resulting from the execution of the at least one of a plurality of acceleration techniques; and storing the modified web page for use responsive to future user requests.
US08250453B2 Storage apparatus and data verification method in storage apparatus
When a data write request to a disk drive 210 is received from a host computer 20, a first error detecting code of write data to be written to the disk drive 210 in response to the data write request is generated and stored, write processing of the write data to the disk drive 210 is executed, whether or not response time as time required for the write processing exceeds a predetermined threshold value is determined, data stored in a sector as a writing destination of the write data is read from the sector when the response time exceeds the threshold value, a second error detecting code of the read data is generated, and when the first error detecting code and the second error detecting code are compared with each other and the two codes do not coincide with each other, a signal indicating that the write processing is not normally performed is generated.
US08250451B2 IC card, information processing device, communication type identification method, and program
An IC card is provided that is capable of identifying a communication type of incoming data received by non-contact communication. The IC card includes: an error detection portion that, for each of a plurality of communication types, performs error detection of incoming data based on an encoding format defined by each of the communication types; and a type identification portion that identifies, among the plurality of communication types, a communication type in which error information is not detected by the error detection portion as a communication type of the incoming data.
US08250448B1 Method of and apparatus for implementing a decoder
Method and apparatus for concatenated and interleaved turbo product code decoding are described. The turbo encoder include a plurality of decoders coupled to receive first portion of data, a processor coupled to receive second portion of the data, and a controller providing a plurality of control signals coupled to the plurality of decoders and the processor. A control signal of the plurality of control signals coupled to the processor when enabled configures the processor to pre-calculate the second portion of the data, where the second portion of the data is trellis termination data.
US08250446B2 Decoder device and decoding method
A decoder having an element decoding unit generating external information for input data, including an exponent position determining unit, when the external information output from the element decoding unit is input, of information excluding a sign bit from the external information, specifying an exponent that is a bit position where a value different from a sign bit first appears, a mantissa obtaining unit obtaining information of 1-bit or a plurality of bits in a position next to the exponent as a mantissa out of the external information, a storage unit storing the exponent and the mantissa and a restoring unit restoring the external information by reading the exponent and the mantissa stored in the storage unit, wherein the element decoding unit performs iteration decoding based on the restored external information is utilized.
US08250444B2 Iterative decoding in a mesh network, corresponding method and system
In the field of coding/decoding in telecommunications networks, an error correcting decoder and associated decoding method are adapted to a mesh network.In particular, the system for the decoding of a plurality of coded copies of a data word includes at least a first decoding stage with: a plurality of soft decision decoders, each decoder being arranged for decoding a coded copy received as decoder input, and a graph-based decoder comprising a plurality of nodes, each node of said graph-based decoder receiving the soft output value from a corresponding decoder and the graph-based decoder determining a decoding value of said data word on the basis of said soft output values.
US08250439B1 ECC bits used as additional register file storage
A memory module includes a plurality of register files. Each register file is associated with a set of error-correcting code (ECC) bits and ECC check/correct logic that can provide error-correcting functionality, if required. When error-correcting functionality is not required, ECC bits are grouped together to form additional register files, thereby providing additional storage space.
US08250435B2 Memory error detection and/or correction
An embodiment may include circuitry that may detect and/or correct at least one error in a data codeword that may include a data word, cyclical redundancy check (CRC) word, and parity word. The circuitry may select whether a portion of the CRC word indicates whether only a single processor has accessed the data word. The data word, CRC word, and the parity word may be accessible in respective distinct memory device sets that each may include one or more respective memory devices. If the circuitry detects, based at least in part upon the data codeword and CRC word, a CRC error, and the at least one error includes fewer than a first predetermined number of errors, the circuitry may determine in which of the one or more respective memory devices in the memory device sets the at least one error resides and may correct the at least one error.
US08250434B2 Systems and methods for codec usage control during storage pre-read
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. For example, a data processing circuit is disclosed that includes an increased iteration enable signal, a first detector circuit, a second detector circuit, and a data decoding circuit. The first detector circuit receives a data set and performs a data detection on the data set to provide a detected data set. The data decoding circuit receives a derivative of the detected data set and performs a decoding process to provide a decoded data set. The decoded data set is provided to the second detector circuit based at least in part on an assertion level of the increased iteration enable signal.
US08250433B2 Allocation of symbols of an erasure code across a plurality of devices
A technique is provided for determining an allocation of the symbols of an erasure code across a plurality of devices. A list of erasure patterns is provided for the erasure code and, based on the list, minimal erasures of minimal weight are identified for the code's symbols. Precedences of the symbols are determined based on the size of the corresponding MEMW. An allocation of the symbols across a plurality of devices is determined based on the precedences.
US08250429B2 Turbo encoder and HARQ processing method applied for the turbo encoder
A turbo encoder is provided to be capable of improving its performance in the case that the redundancy is low. A first constituent encoder (1) of an output device of the turbo encoder inputs a data coding sequence (Xk) directly and outputs a redundant data sequence (Zk). A second constituent encoder (2) inputs data coding information (X′k) mixed with the data coding sequence by an interleaver (3), and outputs a redundant data sequence (Z′k). A buffer (4) holds the data coding information (X′k) mixed with the data coding sequence by the interleaver (3). Thus, the data coding sequence (Xk), the redundant data sequences (Zk), (Z′k) and the data coding information (X′k) held by the buffer (4) are output in this order.
US08250428B2 Scheduling data with time diversity in flow systems
Methods and systems are described for scheduling data in an FLO system. The method may include turbo encoding the data, and dividing a packet of the turbo-coded data into a plurality of subpackets. The method may include scheduling the turbo-coded packet of data so as to distribute the data across multiple frames of a superframe, by transmitting each one of the subpackets during a different frame of the superframe to increase time diversity. The turbo-coded packet of data may comprise systematic bits and parity bits. The method may include separately scheduling the systematic bits and the parity bits during different frames of the superframe.
US08250427B2 Selecting erasure codes for a fault tolerant system
A technique for selecting an erasure code from a plurality of erasure codes for use in a fault tolerant system comprises generating a preferred set of erasure codes based on characteristics of the codes' corresponding Tanner graphs. The fault tolerances of the preferred codes are compared based at least on the Tanner graphs. A more fault tolerant code is selected based on the comparison.
US08250426B2 Reliable multicast with linearly independent data packet coding
Regular data packets are scheduled for transmission from a sender to multiple receivers in a multicast ARQ system. In a joint scheduling and encoding procedure, a composite data packet is formed as a weighted linear combination of regular data packets. The corresponding coding weights are adapted based on feedback information from the receivers about received data packets such the composite packet represents a new linearly independent coding of regular data packets different from any multicast data packet previously received each receiver in a selected set of the receivers during the multicast session. In addition, using a weight vector with at least two different non-zero coding weights adds a further degree of freedom and guarantees the ability to always form a composite data packet that represents a new linearly independent coding for transmission. The ability to transmit linearly independent data packets in at least a majority of the transmission instances will significantly improve the throughput performance for reliable multicasting, especially when the number of users is large.
US08250423B2 Method and system for improving performance of broadcast/multicast transmissions
Methods and systems for performing hybrid automatic repeat request (ARQ) in conjunction with broadcast/multicast channels are presented. In particular, an access node may transmit a series of hybrid ARQ subpackets to one or more client nodes using a broadcast/multicast channel. Each of the subpackets may be derived from the same full packet. Upon receiving a subpacket, a client node may attempt to decode the full packet from the subpacket(s) derived from the full packet. If the client node fails to do so, the client node may transmit a negative acknowledgement to the access node. If the access node receives more than a threshold extent of negative acknowledgements, the access node may transmit a subsequent subpacket in the series on the broadcast/multicast channel.
US08250419B2 Multiplexer for tap controller and WSP controller outputs
In a first embodiment a TAP 318 of IEEE standard 1149.1 is allowed to commandeer control from a WSP 202 of IEEE standard P1500 such that the P1500 architecture, normally controlled by the WSP, is rendered controllable by the TAP. In a second embodiment (1) the TAP and WSP based architectures are merged together such that the sharing of the previously described architectural elements are possible, and (2) the TAP and WSP test interfaces are merged into a single optimized test interface that is operable to perform all operations of each separate test interface.
US08250416B2 Redundant acknowledgment in loopback entry
Redundant acknowledgment between agents performing a loopback test over bidirectional communications bus is described. In one example, in a processor including a communications agent coupled to a bidirectional communications bus, the communications agent initiates loopback communications to a second agent, sends a packet including a redundant acknowledgment sequence to the second agent, receives the packet including the redundant acknowledgement sequence looped back from the second agent, determines whether the received redundant acknowledgment sequence is valid, sends a test sequence to the second agent, receives the test sequence looped back, and if the received redundant acknowledgment sequence is determined to be valid, then checks the received test sequence.
US08250415B2 Optical disk reproduction apparatus, optical disk reproduction method, reproduction processing device and reproduction processing method
Provided is an optical disk reproduction apparatus capable of preventing information that is different from the original sub information from being subjected to error correction erroneously, and of stably reproducing the sub information. The optical disk reproduction apparatus (1) has an optical head (301) for reading a reproduction signal including main information and sub information based on a recording mark formed on an optical disk (300), a main information extraction unit (4) for extracting the main information from the reproduction signal, and a sub information extraction unit (2) for extracting the sub information from the reproduction signal. The sub information extraction unit (2) determines a reproduction accuracy of the sub information, and includes an error correction control unit (308) for deciding a timing of performing error correction of the sub information according to the determined reproduction accuracy, and an error correction unit (309) for performing the error correction of the sub information according to the timing decided with the error correction control unit (308).
US08250409B2 Boot test apparatus and method of computer system
A boot test apparatus and method can repeatedly execute actions of power-on and power-off for a cold boot test of a computer to test whether the computer is operable. The boot test apparatus includes a microprocessor, a controller, and a power switch. The microprocessor generates a control signal according to a period voltage provided by an internal power supply. The control signal includes a pulse signal and a voltage signal. The controller controls a power switch to send the pulse signal to the computer through a power button of the computer, and controls the power switch to send the voltage signal to the computer through a power input port of the computer. The microprocessor further obtains test information from the computer when the computer executes a cold boot process according to the control signal, and displays the test information on an LED when the cold boot process is abnormal.
US08250407B1 Methods and systems for correction of data transactions
Methods and apparatus for use in correcting a data transaction. A data transaction including a plurality of transaction values is received from a data provider. At least a portion of the transaction values is validated. When the validation of at least one transaction value fails, a validation failure notification including a link is provided to a user. When the link is selected, the transaction values are provided via a presentation interface, and erroneous transaction values are distinguished from non-erroneous transaction values. A correction request message including the erroneous transaction values may be generated and sent to a user associated with the data provider. A revised transaction may be received from the data provider and executed to correct the erroneous transaction values.
US08250403B2 Solid state disk device and related data storing and reading methods
A solid state disk device comprises a plurality of nonvolatile memories and a controller. The plurality of nonvolatile memories are electrically connected to a plurality of channels, respectively. The controller controls storing, erasing and reading operations of the nonvolatile memories. The controller divides input data into a number of units corresponding to a number of the plurality of channels and stores the divided input data in the nonvolatile memories through the plurality of channels.
US08250400B2 Method and apparatus for monitoring data-processing system
A system management method in a system management apparatus for a distributed computing system having a plurality of computers, said system management method including: storing relations between a job and a job importance level of the job for ones of jobs handled by the distributed computing system; in response to a predetermined event, receiving predetermined event information and resource information relating to said predetermined event information from said distributed computing system; and in response to the predetermined event information and resource information, selecting a relation between said predetermined event and current importance level of the predetermined event, from said relations between said job and said current job importance level, and outputting information on the predetermined event and information on said current job importance level of at least one job associated with the predetermined event.
US08250398B2 Event time management in an electric vehicle charging station without a battery-backed real time clock
An electric vehicle charging station, which does not include a battery-backed Real Time Clock, is in a charging station network managed by a charging station network server. Upon booting, the charging station requests actual real time from a remote source. While the charging station has not received the actual real time, it records the time of charging station specific events in a local system time format that resets when the charging station loses power. The charging station maintains the events recorded in their local system time until actual time is received. When actual real time is received, the charging station synchronizes its local system clock with the actual real time and converts the time of each event into real time format. When actual time is received, the charging station converts the time of each event into real time format. After the time of the events are converted to real time format, they are communicated to the charging station network server for further processing. After synchronizing its local clock with actual real time, the charging station records the time of any subsequent events in actual real time.
US08250397B2 N-way synchronization of data
The invention relates to the use of history information as an aid to synchronization in a peer-to-peer system. In particular, node trees are used to represent portions of files systems designated for synchronization. The nodes in the node tree embody history information regarding associated objects. The history information includes version vectors that are used to simplify synchronization-related comparisons and create job lists that may be used to bring participating peers into synchronization.
US08250396B2 Hardware wake-and-go mechanism for a data processing system
A hardware wake-and-go mechanism is provided for a data processing system. The wake-and-go mechanism recognizes a programming idiom that indicates that a thread is waiting for an event. The wake-and-go mechanism updates a wake-and-go array with a target address associated with the event. The thread then goes to sleep until the event occurs. The wake-and-go array may be a content addressable memory (CAM). When a transaction appears on the symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) fabric that modifies the value at a target address in the CAM, the CAM returns a list of storage addresses at which the target address is stored. The wake-and-go mechanism associates these storage addresses with the threads waiting for an even at the target addresses, and may wake the one or more threads waiting for the event.
US08250394B2 Varying the number of generated clock signals and selecting a clock signal in response to a change in memory fill level
A system and method provide adaptive frequency scaling for predicting the load on a processing unit and dynamically changing its clock frequency while keeping the synchronization with other processing units. The amount of data in an input memory waiting to be processed is a good indicator of the current load and thus embodiments utilize the same concept for predicting the load on the processing unit. The frequency of operation is thus changed on the basis of the percentage of memory being occupied by its input data. Algorithms according to embodiments allow the processing unit to use the maximum possible clock frequency only when it is required and to run at some lower frequencies in low processing power requirements. Operating the circuit at low frequency helps in reducing power consumption.
US08250393B2 Power management method and related chipset and computer system
A power management method for use in a computer system having a processor, a power management module and a phase lock loop circuit (PLL) is provided. The power management module is coupled to a plurality of peripheral modules and the computer system and the processor are capable of being operated in a working state and power saving states. The method includes the following. When the computer system is operated in the working state and the processor is entered into a lowest power consumption state among the power saving states, states of the peripheral modules are detected to determine whether a specific condition has been matched. If the specific condition is matched, the processor is directed to a control state to control the PLL according to a control state configuration.
US08250391B2 Method and system of improving memory power efficiency
A method of improving memory power efficiency is disclosed. The method includes the following steps: a ground pin of a memory socket connecting to a power source, the ground pin is connected to a controller; the ground pin outputting a high level signal to the controller when the memory socket is without a memory component; and the controller sending an off-command to a regulator to cut off a supplying power to the memory socket after the controller receives the high level signal.
US08250383B2 Temperature threshold application signal trigger for real-time relocation of process
A method of managing a process relocation operation in a computing system is provided and includes determining respective operating temperatures of first, second and additional nodes of the system, where the first node has an elevated operating temperature and the second node has a normal operating temperature, notifying first and second kernels respectively associated with the first and second nodes, of a swapping condition, initially managing the first and second kernels to swap an application between the first and the second nodes while the swapping condition is in effect, and secondarily managing the first and second kernels to perform a barrier operation to end the swapping condition.
US08250381B2 Managing power allocation to ethernet ports in the absence of mutually exclusive detection and powering cycles in hardware
A method of allocating power to ports in an Ethernet switch, including: (1) assigning a configuration power to a selected port, wherein the assigned configuration power is less than a power supplied by the selected port to a powered, (2) enabling and powering the selected port in a single indivisible step, (3) determining the power limit of a device coupled to the selected port, (4) comparing the power supplied by the selected port to the device with the configuration power assigned to the selected port, and (5) if the power supplied by the selected port to the device is greater than the configuration power assigned to the selected port, then increasing the configuration power of the selected port to correspond with the power limit of the device.
US08250379B2 Secure storage of temporary secrets
Temporarily sensitive information can be stored in the non-volatile storage of a TPM, from which it can be securely, and irretrievably, deleted. Additionally, information stored in a TPM can secure information stored on communicationally disconnectable storage media such that, when communicationally disconnected, the information stored on such media is inaccessible. A whole volume encryption service key can be protected by a key stored in a TPM and, even if the protector remains accessible, the secure deletion of the key from the TPM prevents unauthorized disclosure of the whole volume encryption service key. Additionally, TPM stored data can be released only when a computing device is in a particular state, as determined by the PCRs. A hibernation image can be encrypted and the key stored with the TPM such that it is released to decrypt the image and restore active computing only if the state has not materially changed during hibernation.
US08250373B2 Authenticating and verifying an authenticable and verifiable module
A module-specific public key and cryptographically protected data related to the module-specific public key are extracted from an authenticable and verifiable module. The cryptographically protected data is compared with the module-specific public key to authenticate the authenticable and verifiable module. A value calculated from an image, including a size and location block, included within the authenticable and verifiable module is compared with a value extracted from a digital signature contained in a verification block within the authenticable and verifiable module to verify the authenticable and verifiable module.
US08250371B2 Method and system for managing delayed user authentication
A system and methods for coordinating the operation of a client security module and a host security module on a mobile electronic device. The modules communicate with each other through a platform abstraction layer using application programming interfaces to coordinate their activities. In particular, on start-up of the device, the host security module obtains user authorization input from a user and passes the input to a client operating system for validation. Once validated, the host security module unlocks the host-side of the device. At the same time, the client operating system sends a notice or request to the client-side virtual machine requesting that the client-side be unlocked. Once the virtual machine is initialized and available it launches the client security module and unlocks the client-side. During the delay while the virtual machine loads, the user is given access only to the host applications.
US08250365B1 Page encryption system
Text containing files are encrypted by first formatting the files for display. The display-formatted files are then run length coded to form files indicating the information. The files are encrypted.
US08250364B2 Launching a secure kernel in a multiprocessor system
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method includes verifying an initiating logical processor of a system; validating a trusted agent with the initiating logical processor if the initiating logical processor is verified; and launching the trusted agent on a plurality of processors of the system if the trusted agent is validated. After execution of such a trusted agent, a secure kernel may then be launched, in certain embodiments. The system may be a multiprocessor server system having a partially or fully connected topology with arbitrary point-to-point interconnects, for example.
US08250362B2 Home network encryption techniques
A premises based multimedia communication system includes a source device that produces multimedia content, a rendering device that presents the multimedia content, and a premises communication network coupling the source device to the rendering device. The system certifies transfer of the multimedia content from the source device to the rendering device via the at least one premises communication network using link layer encryption operations. After certification, the system at least partially disables the link layer encryption operations for the transfer of the multimedia content from the source device to the rendering device via the at least one premises communication network. With the link layer operations are at least partially disabled, the system at least partially enables content layer encryption operations for the transfer of the multimedia content from the source device to the rendering device via the at least one premises communication network.
US08250361B2 Server certificate issuing system and person authentication method
A server certificate issuing system in which existence of a Web server for which a certificate is to be issued can be confirmed and security is further improved is realized, wherein the user authentication is carried out using a test certificate having the SSL certificate format. Servers transmit server certificate request to the registration server which transmits the test certificate request to the test certificate issuing authority. The test certificate issuing server transmits the generated test certificate to the registration server which transmits the test certificate to the corresponding server and requests to install the test certificate. Then, the registration server accesses with SSL protocol to the server and verifies whether or not the session of the SSL protocol has been established. The registration server transmits the CSR to the certificate issuing server only when the SSL protocol has been established.
US08250360B2 Content based routing with high assurance MLS
Content Based Routing with High Assurance MLS (multi-level security) methods and systems are described. In an embodiment, a security component receives content from a content provider. The security component can identify a security level of content metadata located within the content received from the content provider. A content router can receive a content descriptor from the content provider and an interest profile from a requesting system. The content router can utilize algorithms to create routing tables based on metadata in the content descriptor, and the interest profile. The content router can provide the content metadata to the requesting system based on the interest profile. A content filter can filter or sanitize the content metadata according to a security level of the requesting system before providing the content metadata to the requesting system.
US08250359B2 Method and apparatus for distributing group data in a tunneled encrypted virtual private network
A packet forwarding process, on a data communications device, forwards a packet to a plurality of destinations within a network from that data communications device using an “encrypt, then replicate” method. The packet forwarding process receives a packet that is to be transmitted to the plurality of destinations, and applies a security association to the packet using security information shared between the data communications device, and the plurality of destinations, to create a secured packet. The secured packet contains a header that has a source address and a destination address. The source address is inserted into the header, and then the packet forwarding process replicates the secured packet, once for each of the plurality of destinations. After replication, the destination address is inserted into the header, and the packet forwarding process transmits each replicated secured packet to each of the plurality of destinations authorized to maintain the security association.
US08250355B2 Method, system, and product for identifying provisioning operations via planning methods
A method, system, and computer program product are disclosed for automatically determining a valid ordering of provisioning operations, and their needed parameters, so that a provisioning system can configure a desired resource state. This is accomplished by formally describing the pre-conditions and effects of provisioning operations, the current state of managed resources and the desired final state. A planning algorithm is then used to determine the provisioning operations, a valid ordering and appropriate parameters to bring the system from the current state to the desired state.
US08250354B2 Method and apparatus for making a processor sideband interface adhere to secure mode restrictions
In response to entering a secure mode a processor disables access to first predetermined processor information through a sideband interface, while maintaining access to second predetermined processor information through the sideband interface. In the processor, a first interface portion of the sideband interface may provide access to the first predetermined processor information and a second interface portion of the sideband interface may provide access to the second predetermined processor information. The first interface portion is enabled in response to a power-on sequence and is selectably enabled under software control after being disabled on entering the secure mode. The second and additional interface portions may provide access to information related to processor temperature, power management, or machine checks.
US08250350B2 Computer system with non-volatile write-protected memory based operating system and secure system architecture
A method and apparatus for an instantly-on computer system is presented. A computer that incorporates fast non-volatile primary memory for storing the operating system, resulting in an instant-on or instant-booting of the computer. Large parts of the operating system code and application code are stored in non-volatile write-protectable areas that cannot be modified by malicious sources, resulting in a secure computer. It solves the problem from typical computers having to load the operating system and applications from a slow device such as the hard disk to the main memory. This loading is avoided by permanently housing the operating system in a non-volatile main memory. The system also solves the problem of corruption of operating system areas from malicious sources. The memory contains writeable and write-protected areas and a memory controller controls the access to the various regions of the memory.
US08250346B2 Register renaming of a partially updated data granule
A processor 2 supporting register renaming has a rename table 20 in which the flag register has multiple tag values associated therewith. These tag values indicate which virtual register corresponds to a destination flag register of the oldest instruction which wrote a still up-to-date value of a subset of the flags.
US08250345B2 Structure for multi-threaded processing
A design structure embodied in a machine readable storage medium designing, manufacturing, and/or testing a design that includes a multi-threaded processor that executes an instruction of a process of an executing program is provided. The multi-threaded processor includes at least a first and a second thread. First and second sets of source registers are respectively allocated to the first and second threads, and first and second sets of destination registers are respectively allocated to the first and second threads. A resource prefix configuration register includes mappings between each of the source and destination registers and the threads. The multi-threaded processor, during execution of the instruction by one of the first or the second threads of execution, accesses the source and destination registers based on the mapping, wherein at least one of the accessed registers is allocated to the other of the first or the second thread of execution.
US08250343B2 Axial motion control processing by multiple cores respectively executing each of a sequence of functions in parallel for respective portions of a motion system
Controlling a motion system using a plurality of processors. First input data may be received which corresponds to a first portion of the motion system. Second input data may be received which corresponds to a second portion of the motion system. Execution of a first function of a plurality of sequential functions may be assigned to a first processor to determine output for the first portion based on the first input data. Execution of the first function may be assigned to a second processor to determine output for the second portion based on the second input data. The first processor executing the first function and the second processor executing the first function may be performed in parallel. The output for the first portion of the motion system may be provided to the first portion. The output for the second portion of the motion system may be provided to the second portion.
US08250342B1 Digital signal processing engine
Architecture of a digital signal processing engine and method for digital signal processing therewith are described. Instruction memory stores an instruction which has at least one opcode which is selected from a group consisting of a control opcode, a digital signal processing (DSP) opcode, and a memory opcode. A digital signal processing engine includes a controller for receiving the control opcode, a DSP core for receiving the DSP opcode, and a memory interface for receiving the memory opcode. The controller, the digital signal processing core, and the memory interface are separate pipelines at least two of which have different numbers of stages. The controller may include an arithmetic logic unit, a base address regfile, and a branch/decode circuit.
US08250335B2 Method, system and computer program product for managing the storage of data
The present invention provides for a method, system, and computer program product for managing the storage of data. Data is selectively compressed based on a pre-defined compression policy and metadata is stored for physical storage blocks. A stored compression policy identifies at least one criterion for compression, and physical blocks of data meeting the compression policy are identified. A physical block is selected as a source block for data compression, and one or more physical locations are selected as target locations. Data is read from the source block, compressed, and written to the target locations. Metadata is updated to indicate a mapping between the target locations and the virtual blocks previously mapped to the source block. Extra storage capacity can be freed up until more physical storage is ordered and installed, while more important data, such as recently or frequently accessed data, is retained in an uncompressed and accessible state.
US08250333B2 Mapping address table maintenance in a memory device
A method and system maintains an address table for mapping logical groups to physical addresses in a memory device. The method includes receiving a request to set an entry in the address table and selecting and flushing entries in an address table cache depending on the existence of the entry in the cache and whether the cache meets a flushing threshold criteria. The flushed entries include less than the maximum capacity of the address table cache. The flushing threshold criteria includes whether the address table cache is full or if a page exceeds a threshold of changed entries. The address table and/or the address table cache may be stored in a non-volatile memory and/or a random access memory. Improved performance may result using this method and system due to the reduced number of write operations and time needed to partially flush the address table cache to the address table.
US08250325B2 Data deduplication dictionary system
A data deduplication method using a small hash digest dictionary in fast-access memory. The method includes receiving customer data, dividing the data into smaller chunks, and assigning hash values to each chunk. For each chunk, the method includes performing lookup for a duplicate chunk by accessing a small dictionary in memory with the chunk's hash value. When no entry, the small dictionary is updated to include the hash value to fill the dictionary with earliest received data. When an entry is found, the entry's hash value is compared with lookup value and if matched, reference data is returned and an entry counter is incremented. If not matched, additional accesses are attempted such as with additional indexes calculated using the hash value. Collisions may trigger an entry replacement such that some initially entered entries are replaced when determined to not be most repeating values such as based on their counter value.
US08250324B2 Method to efficiently locate meta-data structures on a flash-based storage device
A method for facilitating fast reconstruction of metadata structures on a memory storage device includes writing a plurality of checkpoints holding a root of metadata structures in an increasing order of timestamps to a plurality of blocks respectively on the memory storage device utilizing a memory controller, where each checkpoint is associated with a timestamp, and wherein the last-written checkpoint contains a root to the latest metadata information from where metadata structures are reconstructed.
US08250321B2 Method for operating a memory device
In a method for operating a memory device that includes a number of blocks, a bit pattern is allocated to a memory region, i.e. at least one memory cell, of a block after performance of a delete operation that is separate from a write operation, so that for the case of a flip of at least one bit within the memory region, a change of state for that block can be detected.
US08250320B1 Command cancellation channel for read—modify—write operation in a memory
Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus comprising a command cancellation channel (CCC) including a plurality of stages, the CCC configured to receive a first memory address of a sequence of memory addresses and a corresponding first modification command, determine that at least a first stage of the plurality of stages includes the first memory address and a corresponding second modification command, and erase the first memory address or cancel the second modification command while shifting the first memory address and the second modification command from the first stage to a second stage. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08250319B2 Operating an emulated electrically erasable (EEE) memory
An emulated electrically erasable memory system includes a random access memory (RAM) and a non-volatile memory (NVM). A write access to the RAM is received which provides first write data and a first address, where the first write data is stored in the RAM at the first address, and a currently filling sector of the NVM is updated to store both the first write data and the first address as a first record. In response to the write access, based on whether there are any remaining active records in an oldest filled sector of the NVM, a portion of an erase process or a transfer of up to a predetermined number of active records from the oldest filled sector to the currently filling sector is performed. The predetermined number of active records is less than a maximum number of total records that may be stored within the oldest filled sector.
US08250318B2 Storage controller and storage control method for accessing storage devices in sub-block units
Provided are a storage controller and storage control method capable of improving the transaction performance. This storage controller includes a disk controller for receiving a read command and a write command from a host computer, and an external disk controller and an internal disk device for sending and receiving data to and from the disk controller. A storage device of the external disk controller or the internal disk controller processes the access from the disk controller in physical sub-block units. When the disk controller is to access the storage device of the external disk controller or the internal disk device in logical sub-block units in which an additional code containing a guarantee code is added to user data, it makes such access in minimum common multiple units of logical sub-blocks and physical sub-blocks, and changes the guarantee code length.
US08250316B2 Write caching random data and sequential data simultaneously
A method and apparatus associated with transferring data from a remote device to a recipient device having a first memory space and a second memory space. The method includes issuing a transfer command from the remote device to request transferring a set of data to the second memory space; temporarily storing the set of data in the first memory space pending a transfer to the second memory space; and appending the set of data to other sequential data in the first memory to obtain a transfer data block of a predetermined size for transfer to the second memory space. A corresponding apparatus is provided comprising circuitry configured to buffer write commands by characterizing each write command as being either a sequential write or a random write, and responsively appending data associated with sequential write commands in order to obtain a transfer block of a predetermined size.
US08250315B2 Dynamic nest level determination for nested transactional memory rollback
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to nested transaction rollback and provide a method, system and computer program product for dynamic nest level determination for nested transaction rollback. In an embodiment of the invention, a nested transaction rollback method can be provided. The method can include detecting a violation of a block of memory accessed within a set of nested transactions, retrieving a tentative rollback level for the violation, discarding a speculative state for the block of memory at each level of the set of nested transactions up to and including the tentative rollback level, refining the tentative rollback level to a lower level in the set of nested transactions, and additionally discarding a speculative state for the block of memory at additional levels in the set of nested transactions up to and including the refined rollback level.
US08250307B2 Sourcing differing amounts of prefetch data in response to data prefetch requests
According to a method of data processing, a memory controller receives a prefetch load request from a processor core of a data processing system. The prefetch load request specifies a requested line of data. In response to receipt of the prefetch load request, the memory controller determines by reference to a stream of demand requests how much data is to be supplied to the processor core in response to the prefetch load request. In response to the memory controller determining to provide less than all of the requested line of data, the memory controller provides less than all of the requested line of data to the processor core.
US08250305B2 Method, system and computer program product for data buffers partitioned from a cache array
Systems, methods and computer program products for data buffers partitioned from a cache array. An exemplary embodiment includes a method in a processor and for providing data buffers partitioned from a cache array, the method including clearing cache directories associated with the processor to an initial state, obtaining a selected directory state from a control register preloaded by the service processor, in response to the control register including the desired cache state, sending load commands with an address and data, loading cache lines and cache line directory entries into the cache and storing the specified data in the corresponding cache line.
US08250295B2 Multi-rank memory module that emulates a memory module having a different number of ranks
A transparent four rank memory module has a front side and a back side. The front side has a third memory rank stacked on a first memory rank. The back side has a fourth memory rank stacked on a second memory rank. An emulator coupled to the memory module activates and controls one individual memory rank from either the first memory rank, the second memory rank, the third memory rank, or the fourth memory rank based on the signals received from a memory controller.
US08250294B2 Block management for mass storage
An embodiment of the present invention includes a nonvolatile memory system comprising nonvolatile memory for storing sector information, the nonvolatile memory being organized into blocks with each block including a plurality of sectors, each sector identified by a logical block address and for storing sector information. A controller is coupled to the nonvolatile memory for writing sector information to the latter and for updating the sector information, wherein upon updating sector information, the controller writes to the next free or available sector(s) of a block such that upon multiple re-writes or updating of sector information, a plurality of blocks are substantially filled with sector information and upon such time, the controller rearranges the updated sector information in sequential order based on their respective logical block addresses thereby increasing system performance and improving manufacturing costs of the controller.
US08250293B2 Data exchange in resistance changing memory for improved endurance
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating an integrated circuit including a plurality of resistance changing memory cells grouped into physical memory units is provided. The method includes: Monitoring writing access numbers assigned to the physical memory units, each writing access number reflecting the number of writing accesses to the physical memory unit to which the writing access number is assigned; if the value of a writing access number assigned to a first physical memory unit exceeds a writing access threshold value, a data exchange process is carried out during which the data content stored within the first physical memory unit is exchanged with the data content of a second physical memory unit having a writing access number of a lower value.
US08250288B2 Flash memory storage system and controller and data protection method thereof
A flash memory storage system including a controller and a flash memory chip is provided, wherein the controller is disposed with a rewritable non-volatile memory. When the controller writes a security data into the flash memory chip, the controller randomly generates a data token and generates a message digest according to the security data and the data token by using a one-way hash function, wherein the data token and the message digest are respectively stored in the rewritable non-volatile memory and the flash memory chip. Subsequently, when the controller reads the security data from the flash memory chip, the controller determinates whether the security data is falsified according to the data token and the message digest respectively stored in the rewritable non-volatile memory and the flash memory chip. Thereby, the security data in the flash memory chip can be effectively protected.
US08250287B1 Enhanced throughput for serial flash memory, including streaming mode operations
Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to storing a streaming mode enable value in a configuration register, receiving a streaming mode entry signal at a first data input/output terminal during a dummy clock cycle of a read command sequence, and/or entering a streaming mode for serial flash memory read operations at least in part in response to receiving the streaming mode entry signal.
US08250286B2 Block management method, and storage system and controller using the same
A block management method for managing a multi level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory is provided, wherein the MLC NAND flash memory has a plurality of physical blocks grouped into at least a data area and a spare area, each of the physical blocks has a plurality of pages divided into a plurality of upper pages, and a plurality of lower pages with a writing speed thereof being greater than that of the upper pages. The block management method includes configuring a plurality of logical blocks for being accessed by a host, recording the logical block belonging to a frequently accessed block and executing a special mode to use the lower pages of at least two physical blocks of the MLC NAND flash memory for storing data of one logical block belonging to the frequently accessed block. Accordingly, it is possible to increase the access speed of a storage system.
US08250279B2 Constituting a control system with virtual and physical backplanes and modules as building blocks
A custom control system created based on combinations of software applications and hardware control and communication modules overlaid in a virtual backplane. The user can select the modules of interest and map them together without the loss of communications between the modules while the control system is configured and overlaid. The user can then archive the system design and implement the system with a greater level of confidence in the ability of the design to meet the requirements of the application while reducing the costs of the implementation.
US08250275B2 Secure MMC standard smartcard with multi-application operation capability, process of operation
The invention relates to smartcard under SecureMMC standard, the card being connected to a host through a MMC bus and being compliant to ISO/IEC7816 standard. According to the invention, the card is multi-application operation capable and a determined number N of commands can be processed in the card in parallel, being the number of logical channels the card can support, the card has means for using a command or a response which is encapsulated in an information field of a bloc frame, said bloc frame also having at least a prologue field for at least identifying the source node application and the destination node application in a NAD datum, and the card has means for as long as the number p of active commands in the card is lower than N and none is completed, the card is in Secure_Idle state.
US08250274B2 Portable terminal and USB device
The present invention helps to develop a smaller sized portable terminal without reducing the functions available for the user. A USB device which is detachable from the portable terminal is provided with a USB connector which is inserted into a USB port of the portable terminal, a power source terminal which comes into contact with a power supply terminal of the portable terminal, when the USB connector is inserted into the USB port of the portable terminal, and a screw which is engaged with a screw hole of the portable terminal. When the screw is engaged with the screw hole of the portable terminal, a switch inside the screw hole is pushed down due to a contact with the screw. The portable terminal detects mounting of the USB device by an output from the switch, and initiates power supplying from the power supply terminal of the portable terminal to the power source terminal of the USB device. The USB device is started up by this power, and establishes connection with the portable terminal via the USB connector.
US08250273B2 Secure handling and routing of message-signaled interrupts
Encryption of interrupt vectors and authentication of device drivers prevents unauthorized modules from interfering with an interrupt handler. An operating system may encrypt an interrupt vector for a PCI device, initializing a Local Interrupt Controller of a CPU with the key to enable decryption of the interrupt vector, initializing a redirection table on an I/O Interrupt Controller of the CPU with the encrypted interrupt vector, and initializing the PCI device with an encrypted MSI vector for subsequent use in an interrupt request. The PCI device may raise an interrupt that can only be decrypted by the Local Interrupt Controller and used be used by the processor to handle the interrupt. The operating system may also authenticate a driver before executing a request to register, deregister or change an interrupt handler. An authentication code is sent from the OS to the device driver for use in any request. The request is executed only if the operating system determines that the authentication code in the request matches the authentication code stored by the operating system for that device driver.
US08250272B2 Interrupt control apparatus and image forming apparatus
An interrupt control apparatus includes: an interrupt request supply unit that supplies interrupt request information; a processing unit that performs interrupt processing based on the interrupt request information supplied by the interrupt request supply unit; and a time measuring unit that is used to measure an elapse of a predefined time period from a time point when the interrupt request supply unit starts to supply the interrupt request information, wherein: even if new interrupt cause information is stored during the time when the time measuring unit is measuring the elapse of the predefined time period, the interrupt request supply unit does not supply interrupt request information based on the new interrupt cause information to the processing unit; and after the elapsed time measured by the time measuring unit reaches the predefined time period, the interrupt request supply unit supplies the interrupt request information to the processing unit.
US08250270B2 System and method of increasing data processing on a diagnostic tool
A method of processing J1850 requests using a scan tool having multiple processor systems is provided. The scan tool includes a first processor that processes data according to scan tool functions to assist with diagnosing and repairing a vehicle. A second processor receives data transmitted to the first processor and stores the data in a buffer. The second processor determines whether the data is complete to enable the first processor to make a determination regarding the data.
US08250269B2 Master/slave device system
A master/slave device system includes a baseboard, a master device connected to the baseboard, and at least one slave device communicatively connected to the master device. The baseboard provides a power source. A switch connects the power source and the at least one slave device. The switch is capable of being switched on when a predetermined time is reached. The at least one slave device is capable of automatically setting an address at the moment the switch is switched on. The master device is capable of identifying the at least one slave device using the address.
US08250265B2 Method and system for storing memory compressed data onto memory compressed disks
A method of transmitting compressed data from a main memory to an input/output adaptor (IOA)/input/output processor (IOP), includes sending compressed memory directory information to the IOA/IOP and copying a content of the memory to the IOA/IOP using a direct memory access (DMA) operation, without decompressing the data.
US08250262B2 Systems and methods for input/output isolation
Systems and methods for providing virtual stacks are described. A kernel driver is installed and loaded. Then, a virtual stack is created, the virtual stack having a virtual file system, a virtual physical disk, and one or more virtual mounted volume devices. The virtual file system is configured to mimic characteristics of a host file system. The virtual physical disk is configured for providing an interface of a memory storage device to which the virtual file system device binds. The one or more virtual mounted volume devices are configured for allowing the one or more virtual processes to access data in stored memory through the virtual stack.
US08250259B2 Method of setting communication path in storage system, and management apparatus therefor
In a storage system having a plurality of storage apparatuses, each of the storage apparatuses stores therein a coupling mode that is information indicative of whether or not to permit setting of a communication path between each of the storage apparatuses and a plurality of other storage apparatuses. A management apparatus is provided to be coupled for communication to each of the storage apparatuses. The management apparatus has a communication path setting part that provides a user interface for setting the communication path. The communication path setting part does not permit setting of the communication path, at the time of setting the communication path, when the coupling modes of both of the storage apparatuses between which the communication path is to be set are set permissible.
US08250258B2 Hybrid serial peripheral interface data transmission architecture and method of the same
A hybrid serial peripheral interface (SPI) data transmission architecture adapted in a network device for connecting a host and a network is provided. The architecture comprises a RX buffer and RX SPI for maintaining a data receiving process, a TX buffer and TX SPI for maintaining a data transmission process, a configuration and status register and a hybrid SPI processing module. The hybrid SPI processing module makes the RX SPI performs the data transmission process as well when the RX SPI idles and the data transmission process proceeds at the same time and makes the TX SPI to performs the data receiving process as well when the TX SPI idles and the data receiving process proceeds at the same time. A hybrid SPI data transmission method is disclosed herein as well.
US08250254B2 Offloading input/output (I/O) virtualization operations to a processor
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving a request for a direct memory access (DMA) operation in an input/output (I/O) hub, where the request includes a device virtual address (DVA) associated with the DMA operation, determining in the I/O hub whether to perform an address translation to translate the DVA into a physical address (PA), and sending the request with the DVA from the I/O hub to a processor coupled to the I/O hub if the I/O hub determines not to perform the address translation. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08250253B2 Method, apparatus and system for reduced channel starvation in a DMA engine
Techniques for generating information identifying a next direct memory access (DMA) task to be serviced. In an embodiment, arbitration logic provides a sequence of masking logic to determine, according to a hierarchy of rules, a next task to be serviced by a DMA engine. In certain embodiments, masking logic includes logic to mask information representing pending tasks to be serviced, the masking based on identification of a channel as being a suspended channel and/or a victim channel.
US08250252B1 System and methods for using a DMA module for a plurality of virtual machines
A system is provided. The system comprises a plurality of virtual machines executed by a computing system for sending and receiving information; and an adapter presented to the plurality of virtual machines as a shared hardware resource; wherein the adapter includes a direct memory access (DMA) module that is used for transferring control blocks to and from a computing system memory to an adapter memory, where the computing system memory has dedicated memory locations for each virtual machine to place the control blocks and the adapter memory has dedicated memory locations for storing the control blocks generated by each of the plurality of virtual machines; wherein the DMA module stores a context for each virtual machine that includes a computing system memory address assigned to each of the virtual machine and a quality of service entry that is used to limit a number of available control blocks that are transferred for a virtual machine at any given time when a control block from another virtual machine is available and there is storage space available to store the available control block for the other virtual machine.
US08250250B2 Using central direct memory access (CDMA) controller to test integrated circuit
In an embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a direct memory access (DMA) controller configured to perform DMA operations between peripheral components of the integrated circuit and/or a memory to which the integrated circuit is configured to be coupled. Combinations of memory-to-memory, memory-to-peripheral, and peripheral-to-memory operations may be used. The DMA controller may be programmed to perform a number of DMA operations concurrently. The DMA operations may be programmed and performed as part of testing the integrated circuit during design and/or manufacture of the integrated circuit. The DMA operations may cause many of the components in the integrated circuit to be busy performing various operations. In some embodiments, programmed input/output (PIO) operations may also be performed while the DMA operations are in progress. In some embodiments, various parameters of the DMA operations and/or PIO operations may be randomized.
US08250249B1 Processor independent line driving and receiving system
A programmable system includes a core processing unit to perform various data operations. The programmable system includes a transceiver having programmable analog and digital devices that, when initially configured by the programmable system, receive and collect status information of other programmable systems independently of the data operations performed by the core processing unit.
US08250245B2 Information processing system, with information processing terminal capable of operating in multiple operation modes when connected to a host device
An information processing system includes a host device transmitting an order according to a USB standard and an information processing terminal responding to the order. The information processing terminal includes a storing unit, a first operation unit, a receiver, an operation-mode switch, a first processor, and a first outputting unit. The host device includes a second operation unit, a transmitter, a second processor, and a second outputting unit.
US08250242B2 Field bus system
A controller is provided with a first memory area and a second memory area, where a pre-update software is stored with the first memory area as the active area and an updated software is downloaded with the second memory area as an inactive memory area. A microprocessor for simulations performs a simulation of the control of the operation of a field device using the updated software that has been downloaded. The execution status of the simulation can be monitored using a host computer. If the evaluation result of the state of execution of the simulation by an operator is “Pass,” then an activate command is sent to the controller. As a result, the active/inactive are switched in the controller.
US08250240B2 Message conversion method and message conversion system
A remote copy system includes a plurality of storage systems. Each first storage system assigns a sequential number to write data received from the host and sends the write data with the sequential number to the second storage system. One of the first storage systems defers the processing of the write request received from the host and instructs each of the first storage systems to create a marker that includes a sequential number that is a marker number. The second storage systems receive the marker from the first storage system and store the marker number included in the marker.
US08250235B2 Method and system for providing secure one-way transfer of data
A system including a transmitter, a receiver, and a conduit is provided. The transmitter is within a first network, and is in communication with at least one other device within the first network. The receiver is within a second network, and is in communication with at least one other device within the second network. The conduit is formed between the transmitter and the receiver, and is capable of carrying a signal transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver. To maintain the unidirectional nature of the conduit, either the transmitter is incapable of receiving any signal via the conduit or the receiver is incapable of transmitting any signal via the conduit.
US08250231B2 Method for reducing buffer capacity in a pipeline processor
A method to reduce buffer capacity in a processor includes giving the data packets admittance to the processor through at least one interface, storing the data packets in at least one input buffer, and using a packet rate shaper outside of a processing pipeline to control flow of the data packets to the pipeline before the data packets enter the pipeline. First and second data packets are given admittance to the pipeline in dependence on cost information per packet that is dependent upon an expected time period of residence of the first data packet in the pipeline. Cost information dependent upon an expected time period of residence of the second data packet in the pipeline differs from said cost information dependent upon the expected time period of residence of the first data packet in the pipeline.
US08250229B2 Internet protocol security (IPSEC) packet processing for multiple clients sharing a single network address
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to secure communications for multiple hosts in an address translation environment and provide a method, system and computer program product for IPsec SA management for multiple clients sharing a single network address. In one embodiment, a computer implemented method for IPsec SA management for multiple hosts sharing a single network address can include receiving a packet for IPsec processing for a specified client among the multiple clients sharing the single network address. A dynamic SA can be located among multiple dynamic SAs for the specified client using client identifying information exclusive of a 5-tuple produced for the dynamic SA. Finally, IPsec processing can be performed for the packet.
US08250226B2 Generating one or more clients for generating one or more synthetic transactions with one or more web service operations
In one embodiment, a method for generating one or more synthetic transactions with one or more web service operations includes accessing a Web Services Description Language (WSDL) file describing a web service and, according to the WSDL file, generating a symbol table for describing a client for generating one or more synthetic transactions with the web service. The method also includes receiving input from a user specifying one or more operations of the web service for invocation, an order for invoking the operations of the web service, and one or more values of one or more parameters of the operations. The method also includes incorporating the input from the user into the symbol table and generating the client according to the symbol table.
US08250224B2 Method, system, device, computer-readable medium, and network for carrying communications
A method and system for conducting communications over a network is provided. An embodiment includes a server that is connectable to a client machine via a virtual private network that includes a VPN concentrator. The client machine and the VPN concentrator are configured to delay renegotiation of the VPN link in the event that an important stream is being carried over the VPN link.
US08250219B2 Domain name service resolver
A domain name service (DNS) resolver for returning Internet protocol (IP) addresses is provided in some embodiments of the invention. The DNS resolver includes a connection with an Internet application or device, wherein the connection receives domain name resolution requests that originates outside of the Internet. The DNS resolver also includes a direct DNS resolver that processes domain name resolutions without referring to the Internet after receiving a domain name resolution request and a recursing DNS resolver, wherein IP addresses are found by querying one or more DNS servers on the Internet after receiving domain name resolution requests. The DNS resolver includes an address store having a predetermined list of domain names and corresponding IP addresses that are specified from a point remote to the DNS resolver. The DNS resolver process the domain name resolutions for the predetermined list of domain names differently than other domain name resolutions.
US08250217B2 System and method for handling session management in a communication system
A first server detects a condition that requires a service to be invoked, and the detection of this condition triggers it to establish a connection with a second server. The first server relays data relevant to a first communication between first and second terminals and the second server over the established connection. The first server also relays data relevant to a second communication between the first and second terminals and the second server, or between third and fourth terminals and the second server. Alternatively, the second server both receives and returns the data relevant to the first communication from/to the first server over the established connection.
US08250209B2 Management system, managing method and control program
Disclosed is a management system, which makes it possible to securely maintain the communication between the managing apparatus (host) and the managed apparatus (device) even when a certain malfunction has occurred in the network or the server. When the device cannot receive the request sent from the host, the device changes the communication mode from the bilateral communication mode to the unilateral communication mode, and then, when it becomes possible to receive the request, the device changes the communication mode from the unilateral communication mode to the bilateral communication mode to transmit the response to the host. Further, when the host cannot transmit the request to the device, or when the host cannot receive the response to the request, the host suspends an operation for transmitting the request, and then, when it becomes possible to receive the response to the request, the host resumes the operation for transmitting the request.
US08250206B2 Communication control
A server including a storage unit for storing a history of activities that each character in a virtual world has performed; a search unit for searching the storage unit to retrieve a history of activities in which a first character that performs an activity on a first client has changed the states of a second client that performs an activity on a second client; a calculation unit for calculating, on the basis of the retrieved history, a score indicating the extent to which the first character has changed the state of the second character; and a transmission control unit for controlling the frequency with which the states of the first character are changed according to an operation performed by a user on the first client.
US08250196B2 Script based computer health management system
A management system may use a human readable script in which is defined executable statements that may gathers status information from various services. The status information may be displayed within a management user interface, which may also include various summary statistics including an overall security state. The services may be locally running services, and services provided or accessible over a local area network or wide area network. In some cases, the human readable script may include statements for starting or resuming the services, querying a running service, or querying a database related to a service. The user interface may be refreshed when the human readable script is updated and re-executed. The services may include security related services, among others.
US08250191B2 Methods and apparatus for cooperative file distribution with target data delivery rate
Methods and apparatus are provided for cooperative file distribution with a target data delivery rate. A file is provided in a cooperative file distribution system by obtaining a target delivery rate for the at least one file; obtaining at least a portion of the file from one or more unreliable data sources at an unreliable data delivery rate; and obtaining at least a portion of the file from one or more reliable data sources based on a throttle rate if the unreliable data delivery rate is below the target delivery rate. The one or more unreliable data sources comprise one or more of a sender of the file and one or more peers. The one or more reliable data sources comprise one or more of one or more web servers and one or more storage proxies. The throttle rate can be adjusted to substantially maintain the target delivery rate. The target delivery rate can be dynamically determined based on one or more business rules.
US08250187B2 Distributed transaction system
A system for interfacing predetermined services to a user at a fixed location includes a processing platform running an operating system. Also included are a plurality of physical system resource interfaces for interfacing with available physical system resources. The physical system resources allow a user to gain access to the predetermined desired services. The system further includes a data store for storing configuration information for enabling the operating system to interface with the available physical system resources through the physical system resource interface associated therewith. A communication resource for interfacing with the operating system allows communication of the operating system with a central office for downloading configuration information to selectively enable ones of the available physical system resources to interface with the operating system through associated ones of the physical system resource interfaces in accordance with the configuration information and the predetermined service selected by a user. A plurality of configurations are stored in the data store, and each is associated with a predetermined service and one or more of the available physical system resources. Each physical system resource interface is uniquely associated with a defined one of the physical system resources.
US08250185B2 Semantic matching of federation intents and services capabilities in a planning system for automatic service federation
A method, device, and computer program product are provided for automatically generating connectivity configuration between domains by a device. A rule is received by the device. The rule is read by the device to determine a first domain invoking a service, a second domain having the service, and connectivity requirements for the first and second domains. A first proxy and a second proxy are automatically determined to fulfill the rule by the device. The first proxy is automatically assigned to the first domain and the second proxy is automatically assigned to the second domain.
US08250184B2 System, network entities and computer programs for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework
A system, network entities and computer programs to provide a dynamic configuration data storage system for both a standard DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 framework. Together with standard DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 protocol functionalities, the invention provides auto-configuration of configuration parameters from network servers to hosts, e.g. to mobile terminals.
US08250183B1 System and method for pre-installing of virtual server files
A system, method and computer program product for launching a plurality of active virtual servers in a computing system, including as a background process, generating a plurality of inactive virtual servers, wherein data related to the inactive virtual server comprises a set of private files and a set of common files used by multiple virtual servers, that are required for the virtual server to function and each of which is stored in its own dedicated container; setting up a disk image and a mount point associated with a particular virtual server, the mount point required for activating a functional virtual server, the disk image including any blank areas, implemented by a system administrator during activation of the virtual server, for each inactive virtual server on a storage device of the computing system, and copying files associated with each inactive virtual server to the disk image, wherein the inactive virtual servers are not associated with any owner; upon request from a user for a virtual server, activating one of the inactive virtual servers using the dedicated container by associating the activated virtual server with an owner; and configuring the activated virtual server based on user parameters, wherein a process of one virtual server only runs in that virtual server, and no other virtual server.
US08250182B2 Dynamic loading between a server and a client
The load of a server and its client is balanced during connection setup time and dynamically during operation. In one embodiment, a server that hosts virtual machines for a plurality of clients balances its load with its clients. The server receives a request from a requesting client to establish a connection. The request includes capacity information about the requesting client. The server then negotiates with the requesting client about load allocation based on the capacity information. The negotiated load can be dynamically rebalanced after the connection is established.
US08250181B2 Method and apparatus for near real-time synchronization of voice communications
A method and system for synchronizing in real-time the voice media of a conversation conducted over a network between a first communication device and a second communication. The method includes at each of the first and second communication devices progressively storing in first and second storage elements and transmitting the voice media created using the first and second communication devices to the other communication device respectively. Both the first and second communication devices store in the first and second storage elements the progressively received media from the other device respectively. A mechanism to continually review, ascertain and request the media stored in the first storage element, but not the second storage element, and vice-versa is provided to ensure that the two storage elements contain the same voice media. As a result, the first and second storage elements each maintain real-time synchronized copies of the voice media of the conversation respectively.
US08250177B2 Uncached data control in server-cached page
Dynamic processing markers for use with cached web pages. If a request for a cached web page is received at a server, the server can provide the cached web page to the client. However, if there are one or more processing markers associated with the cached page, the server may process the dynamic processing marker using information from the request. Potentially, the dynamic result of this processing may be provided with the cached web page to the client. Alternatively or in addition, the dynamic processing marker is provided to the client, whereupon the client provides the processing marker to another server that processes the marker. Accordingly, even cached web pages that are cached at the server side may cause appropriate processing by the server upon receiving a request for the web page.
US08250174B2 Method for updating device descriptions for field devices in process automation technology
A method for updating device descriptions for field devices in process automation technology by loading the required descriptions from an external server (S), by means of an application program, into a controller (for example, PC1; PC2).
US08250170B2 System and method for creating and navigating a linear hypermedia resource program
A method and system for creating and navigating linear hypermedia resource programs are disclosed. The system includes a distributed hypermedia resource network having a plurality of hypermedia resources residing on one or more remote information nodes. A common remote information node is in communication with a subscriber station and the remote information nodes in the distributed network. The common remote information node contains at least one linear hypermedia resource program consisting of pre-selected media elements from one or more hypermedia resources linked with exclusive linear links, each media element in the linear program having only one forward link to the next media element. The method includes the steps of downloading and displaying a media element in the linear program and responding to user commands to download and display the next media element in the linear program.
US08250167B2 Distributed network communication system which enables multiple network providers to use a common distributed network infrastructure
A system and method for providing access and/or roaming features on a network system. The network system includes a plurality of wireless and/or wired access points coupled to a network. In one embodiment, a portable computing device (PCD) of a user may store identification information which uniquely indicates a network provider of a plurality of possible network providers. Each of the access points are operable to “listen for” or detect identification information associated with numerous different providers. When the access point receives the identification information from a PCD of a user, the access point may determine the appropriate network provider for the portable computing device using the identification information. Network access may then be provided to the portable computing device through the determined network provider.
US08250166B1 System and method for software failover on a bladed system
A system for managing software failover on a bladed server is provided. The system includes a plurality of bladed servers, including a first bladed server and a second failover bladed server. The system includes a server control, a storage device, and software. The server control is in communication with the plurality of bladed servers, and the storage device is accessible by the plurality of bladed servers. The software is stored on the storage device. The system also includes a management component that is operable on the server control. The management component monitors execution of the software on the first bladed server. The management component is operable in response to detecting failure of the software on the first bladed server to promote execution of the software from the external storage device by the second failover bladed server. A method for automated software failover is also provided.
US08250164B2 Query performance data on parallel computer system having compute nodes
Embodiments of the invention provide a method for querying performance counter data on a massively parallel computing system, while minimizing the costs associated with interrupting computer processors and limited memory resources. DMA descriptors may be inserted into an injection FIFO of a remote compute node in the massively parallel computing system. Upon executing the DMA operations described by the DMA descriptors, performance counter data may be transferred from the remote compute node to a destination node.
US08250163B2 Smart coupling device
A smart coupler for connecting two networks has a processor, a memory, a means to connect to a first network, a means to connect to a second network, and a power source. The first network has a client, and the memory has information which must be transferred to the client to enable the client to be usefully operable relative to the second network.
US08250159B2 Message rendering for identification of content features
Architecture for detecting and removing obfuscating clutter from the subject and/or body of a message, e.g., e-mail, prior to filtering of the message, to identify junk messages commonly referred to as spam. The technique utilizes the powerful features built into an HTML rendering engine to strip the HTML instructions for all non-substantive aspects of the message. Pre-processing includes pre-rendering of the message into a final format, which final format is that which is displayed by the rendering engine to the user. The final format message is then converted to a text-only format to remove graphics, color, non-text decoration, and spacing that cannot be rendered as ASCII-style or Unicode-style characters. The result is essentially to reduce each message to its common denominator essentials so that the junk mail filter can view each message on an equal basis.
US08250156B2 Method and system for providing additional information related to content of an e-mail
A method of providing additional information related to content of an e-mail is disclosed. The method includes receiving emails for a user: analyzing content of such a received email and identifying an information type of one or more strings in the content based, at least in part, upon predetermined information patterns; searching additional information related to basic information associated with a string in accordance with the identified information type; and displaying the additional information in response to receiving a user-initiated selection. The present invention is a method and system for providing additional information related to content of an e-mail such that the user can obtain additional information related to content of an e-mail without leaving the web page showing the email.
US08250155B2 System and method for autogenerated email follow-up
A system and method for transmitting an electronic mail message to one or more intended recipients, which allows the user to designate that an electronic mail message contains a request for information which requires a reply from the one or more intended recipients, monitors electronic mail messages incoming to the sender to detect whether a reply has been received within the response period, and upon receiving a reply from any of the one or more intended recipients, presents the reply to the sender with one or more user-selectable icons which allow the sender to accept the reply as sufficient or request more information from the one or more intended recipients in response to selection of a user-selectable icon.
US08250146B2 Service adaptation machine
A system may include a gateway that is configured to intercept messages being exchanged between multiple services, a message repository that is logically coupled to the gateway and that is configured to store the intercepted messages, a service description repository that is configured to store multiple service descriptions, where each of the service descriptions corresponds to one of the services, a rules repository that is configured to store mapping rules and an adaptation engine that is configured to generate a sequence of firing rules using the service descriptions and the mapping rules responsive to the intercepted messages, to generate one or more outgoing messages in response to the intercepted messages using the sequence of firing rules, and to detect at runtime an occurrence of a termination anomaly.
US08250144B2 Multiple avatar personalities
Perception of multiple online personas is enabled in an instant messaging communications session. At least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages may be directed are identified. A first persona of a user is enabled to be projected to a first of the identities while a second persona of the same user is enabled to be concurrently projected to a second of the identities. The first and second personas each include an avatar capable of being animated, and the first persona and the second persona differ.
US08250141B2 Real-time event notification for collaborative computing sessions
In one embodiment, a determination is made that a specified event of a collaborative computing session has occurred. In response to the specified event, a real-time electronic notification is transmitted to a particular set of one or more attendees of the session that the event has occurred, the notification illustratively transmitted via a communication channel other than the session.
US08250139B2 Demand-driven, collaborative systems and processes for collecting structured information
A demand driven process of collecting structured product and service information including the steps of: receiving a request for information from a requestor about a specific product or service, or attribute or class thereof, associating one or more potential responders with the request for information, providing the request to the potential responders, receiving and organizing one or more responses, and providing the organized responses to the requestor, all electronically. An arrangement for the same includes user computers for receiving requests for information, network communication devices for transmitting the requests to potential responders, memory for storing electronic responses and a controller for organizing, updating, and providing access to the electronic responses.
US08250138B2 File transfer security system and method
In a file transfer security system and method, a file transfer request sent to a file server is intercepted. The need for examination of the file transfer request is assessed, and, if present, an auditor is notified to examine the file transfer request and award approval or rejection thereof. File operations are executed according to the examination result.
US08250137B1 Peer to peer component distribution
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for assigning tasks and/or providing resources in a distributed system. An indication of a task being available for processing is provided to one or more remote systems in a distributed system based on a distribution list. At least one response from one of the remote systems capable of performing the task is received in response to the indication. The response includes a request for a resource for performing the task. The resource for performing the task is provided to the remote systems.
US08250135B2 Brokered cloud computing architecture
A cloud broker receives a request for processing resources from one of a plurality of cloud management infrastructures (each of which correspond to one of a plurality of clouds). The cloud broker selectively enables access to the clouds associated with each cloud management infrastructure. The clouds each comprise segregated computing environments having at least one server for executing tasks and a data store for data persistency attached to the at least one server. The cloud management infrastructures selectively starts and stops services executed by the corresponding cloud. After receiving the request, the cloud broker identifies which of the plurality of clouds coupled to the cloud broker has processing capacity to fulfill the request. Subsequently, the cloud broker enables access to at least one of the identified clouds having capacity to fulfill the request. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
US08250133B2 Massively parallel supercomputer
A novel massively parallel supercomputer of hundreds of teraOPS-scale includes node architectures based upon System- On-a-Chip technology, i.e., each processing node comprises a single Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). Within each ASIC node is a plurality of processing elements each of which consists of a central processing unit (CPU) and plurality of floating point processors to enable optimal balance of computational performance, packaging density, low cost, and power and cooling requirements. The plurality of processors within a single node individually or simultaneously work on any combination of computation or communication as required by the particular algorithm being solved. The system-on-a-chip ASIC nodes are interconnected by multiple independent networks that optimally maximizes packet communications throughput and minimizes latency. The multiple networks include three high-speed networks for parallel algorithm message passing including a Torus, Global Tree, and a Global Asynchronous network that provides global barrier and notification functions.
US08250130B2 Reducing bandwidth requirements for matrix multiplication
A block matrix multiplication mechanism is provided for reversing the visitation order of blocks at corner turns when performing a block matrix multiplication operation in a data processing system. The mechanism increases block size and divides each block into sub-blocks. By reversing the visitation order, the mechanism eliminates a sub-block load at the corner turns. The mechanism performs sub-block matrix multiplication for each sub-block in a given block, and then repeats operation for a next block until all blocks are computed. The mechanism may determine block size and sub-block size to optimize load balancing and memory bandwidth. Therefore, the mechanism reduces maximum throughput and increases performance. In addition, the mechanism also reduces the number of multi-buffered local store buffers.
US08250124B2 Assigning content to an entry in directory
A method of assigning content with an entry in a directory includes parsing the content into text phrases. Mappings between each entry in the directory and information in name fields of the directory are determined. Name proposals for a phrase are determined using the mappings. Each name proposal identifies a potential match between the content and one or more entries in the directory. The content is assigned to an entry in the directory associated with a name proposal of the one or more name proposals.
US08250122B2 Systems and methods for simultaneous file transfer and copy actions
Embodiments of the invention broadly contemplate systems, methods, apparatuses and program storage devices providing a mechanism in which a file system and copy command (or file transfer command) allows the start of a copy operation when a file is being copied to and allow the system to continue to read the file as and when it gets updated (appended with additional data), thus permitting automated simultaneous file transfer and copy operations.
US08250119B2 Database schema upgrade validation using denormalization
Some embodiments of a system and a method to validate database schema upgrade using denormalization have been presented. For instance, a database deployment engine may upgrade a database from a first version to a second version. The database upgraded stores a set of entities. By applying denormalization to both the upgraded database and a reference database (which contains a newly installed second version of the database), a database validation engine may reduce false positives during validation of the database schema upgrade scripts usable by customers to upgrade their database schema to the latest version.
US08250117B2 Processing a spreadsheet for storage in a database
Generally speaking, systems, methods and media for processing a spreadsheet for storage in a database are disclosed. Embodiments may include a method for processing records of a spreadsheet by receiving a request to process a spreadsheet having a plurality of records for storage in a database. Embodiments may also include accessing a configuration file associated with the spreadsheet and, for each record of the spreadsheet, creating a new business object and populating the new business object based on the record and the configuration file associated with the spreadsheet. Embodiments may also include passing each new business object to a back-end business component for processing. The configuration file may include a name of a business object associated with a record of the spreadsheet, metadata for one or more columns of the spreadsheet, and/or a name of a back-end business component associated with the spreadsheet.
US08250116B2 KStore data simulator directives and values processor process and files
A data simulator receives a set of directives specified in a file and creates one or more datastreams from which a data structure may be built as specified by the directives. The directives may specify configuration settings, constants, changing fields, values and probabilities.
US08250114B2 Method for detecting link spam in hyperlinked databases
A computer-implemented method identifies nodes that are beneficiaries of node importance inflating links in a directed graph of linked nodes. The directed graph of linked nodes corresponds to a linked database, and the nodes correspond to documents within the linked database. The method is performed by a computer system including one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs, the one or more processors executing the one or more programs to perform the method. The method includes computing, for each of at least a subset of the nodes in the directed graph, a respective quantity corresponding to a mathematical derivative of a node importance function, and performing a remedial action on a respective node in the directed graph in accordance with the respective computed quantity computed for the respective node.
US08250111B2 Automatic detection and correction of hot pages in a database system
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of detecting and correcting hot pages in a database system includes monitoring transactions involving pages in a database and determining if one of the transactions had to wait for access to one of the pages; incrementing a page contention counter each time one of the transactions had to wait for access to one of the pages. The method then determines if the page contention counter exceeds a predetermined threshold and monitors transactions on one of the pages for which the page contention count was exceeded. The method then determines if a row was accessed in the page for which the page contention count was exceeded and increments a reference count for the accessed row. The accessed rows are flagged when the reference count exceeds a second predetermined threshold. The flagged rows are moved to another page in the database.
US08250107B2 Techniques for graph data structure management
Techniques for graph data structure management. In one aspect, a data structure includes a plurality of nodes connected by edges. A node of the data structure includes a current set of variables for defining a state of the node and at least one last-in, first-out stack for storing pointers to prior sets of variables for the node. The state of the node may be saved by adding a pointer to at least one of the stacks at the node. The state of the node may be restored by removing the pointer from the stack and restoring the node variables to those indicated by the pointer. A first counter associated with a stack at the node may store a number of pending saves at the node, while a second counter may store a number of saves to be propagated to descendents of the node. A state of the data structure may be saved by traversing other nodes of the data structure and adding pointers or incrementing counters at the nodes.
US08250106B2 Incremental inference
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with incremental inference are described. One example method includes updating existing or old triples in a semantic model with triples resulting from the addition of new triples. The updating is performed by separating inference rules into joining steps that are performed on first and second predicates for the inference rule. A first joining step joins results of execution of the first predicate on the new triples with the results of execution the second predicate on the union of the old and new triples to produce newly inferred triples. A second joining step joins results of execution of the first predicate on the union of the old and new triples with the results of execution the second predicate on the new triples to produce newly inferred triples.
US08250099B2 Data provisioning registry
A registry for designating authoritative sourcing of data from a data environment in a computer readable storage medium. Selected data content resides into a first data subject area in the form of a common business language, and metadata including characteristics of data stores in the data environment resides into a second data subject area, which is a metadata repository. Data linking a term in the first data subject area with an authoritative location of data associated with the term, as identified in the second data subject area, resides into a third subject area, which is the registry. A basis of authority of the data location and operating scope of the data may be designated in the third data store. Operating scopes may be functional, geographic, temporal, organizational, or a combination thereof. A computer program product and computer readable memory system for designating authoritative sourcing in a data environment are provided.
US08250095B2 Intersystem single sign-on
Techniques for intersystem Single Sign-On use intersystem user ID mapping to map user IDs of multiple systems. In one implementation, a method obtains a user's ID information associated with a first system, and obtains the user's ID information associated with a second system from the user's ID information associated with the first system according to the intersystem user ID mapping table. The first system sends the user's ID information associated with the second system to the second system, which may allow the user to automatically log on upon successful user ID verification. The user ID information communicated between the systems may be encrypted and decrypted using digital signature techniques. Systems for accomplishing the method are also provided.
US08250089B2 Bit string search apparatus, search method, and program
To provide a method that lessens the reduction in efficiency of processing using a coupled node tree even if the scale of the coupled node tree grows large. Is stored a termination node, whose discrimination bit position has a value smaller than 0, in a search path stack that holds the search history while successively storing therein branch nodes that have been traversed in the search path. The coupled node indicator of the stored branch node is converted to a value wherein a 1 is added if the link target is node [1].
US08250088B2 Methods for controlling remote archiving systems
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a unique and novel archiving system that includes two or more network storage systems, each network storage system including removable hard disk drives embedded in removable disk cartridges, referred to simply as removable disk drives. The removable disk drives allow for expandability and replacement such that the archiving system need not be duplicated to add new or more storage capacity. In embodiments, the archiving system accesses, writes, reads, or performs functions on data from one network storage system to another remote network storage system.
US08250087B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An information processing apparatus includes a controller that reads data by outputting, to a storage device having a data-recordable medium, a request for reading data recorded to the medium. Using file system management information corresponding to the data recorded to the medium, the controller generates, and outputs to the storage device, bit map data enabling the storage device to distinguish between the first cluster numbers where the starting data of read files are recorded, and the first cluster numbers where the starting data of non-read files are recorded.
US08250085B1 Method to improve data loss prevention via cross leveraging fingerprints
A method and system for improving data loss prevention via cross leveraging fingerprints of protected data is described. In one embodiment, fingerprints of sensitive data of multiple organizations are shared across data loss prevention (DLP) systems of these organizations. A DLP system of each organization monitors information content associated with this organization to detect sensitive data of other organizations, and notifies one or more users within the organization upon detecting sensitive data of other organizations. In addition, a report of external data loss detection is provided to users within an organization whose sensitive data is detected in information content of the other organizations.
US08250084B2 Knowledge portal for accessing, analyzing and standardizing data
A method and system is provided to access one or more historical incident databases, for example, CDC, CPSC, DTI, AAPCC and the like, for standardizing the potentially differing categories and coding among the databases. The standardizing includes recoding of the categories by providing a unified set of categories reflective of similar categories found among the one or more databases, if any. Submission of search queries allows users to obtain unified data across the databases so that incident history statistics for one or more products tracked by commonly available databases may be easily acquired. The resulting reports and statistics may be used by various entities to understand historical incidents from multiple perspectives including, for example, injury and fatality statistics as a function of age group, type of injury, time periods, diagnosis, injury outcome, severity, and the like. Data may be presented in standardized formats or in any of the native database formats.
US08250082B2 Cross domain communication
Various embodiments utilize nested Iframes within a web page to allow cross domain communication. That is, various embodiments can create an embedded Iframe that shares the domain of an Iframe or web page with which communication is desired. Because the embedded Iframe shares the domain of the Iframe or web page with which communication is desired, restrictions on cross-site scripting do not inhibit communication or scripting between the domain-matched Iframe(s) and/or web page. This embedded Iframe can then provide a mechanism by which web pages or Iframes from other domains can communicate with the Iframe or web page with which the embedded Iframe shares a domain.
US08250081B2 Resource access filtering system and database structure for use therewith
A database structure (400) stores data representing a plurality of resource identifiers (200) such as URLs in a computing system. The URLs (200) are each associated with a respective category code (310). Each of resource identifiers (200) is hashed to provide a hash value (300) which is divided into at least first and second hash portions (301, 302). The first hash portions (301) index a main hash array (410) to select a main data block (421) in a main data section (420) holding a set of the second hash portions (302) and the respective category codes (310). For security and compactness, optionally the hash value (300) is further divided to provide a third hash portion (303) which is discarded and is not used to access the database (400). A database generation apparatus, a database search apparatus and a filtering apparatus, a method of creating a database structure and a method of retrieving data from a database structure, and to a computer readable storage medium having a database structure recorded thereon are each described.
US08250080B1 Filtering in search engines
In an embodiment, the size of a filter in a search engine is dynamically adjusted in order to reduce filter error. The filter, for example, may be a domain filter that contains domain(s) of preferred search results. A search engine processes the query and the domain filter to create a set of search results that are relevant to the query terms and for which a selected portion of the search results satisfy the domain filter, in that such portion of the documents comes from domains in the filter. The search results may then be provided to the user, as a set of search results that are relevant to the query terms and which include some portion of results that match the query labels. The construction of the domain filter may be done with a Bloom filter approach, using domain prefixes from annotations.
US08250077B2 System and method for television search assistant
A television guide search query is received from a user. A plurality of suggested search terms are selected. Each of the plurality of suggested search terms is assigned to, and is ranked within, one of a plurality of categories A number of suggested search terms to be returned to the user, nc, is determined for each of the plurality of categories, nc being equal to a ratio of the number of suggested search terms in the respective category to a total number of suggested search terms multiplied by a total number of displayed search terms. A result set is created by adding, for each of the plurality of categories, the top ranked nc suggested search terms to the result set. The result set is transmitted to the user. A selection of a search term is received from the user and is used to conduct a television guide search.
US08250074B2 Document processing system and method thereof
In a document processing system and a document processing method, the document processing method includes the steps of: obtaining a document and dividing the document into a plurality of terms and giving a syntactic index to each of the terms; dividing the document into a plurality of sentences; selecting a key syntactic index from the syntactic indexes, and transforming each of the sentences into a preliminary key terms sequence which includes a preliminary key term corresponding to the key syntactic indexes according to the key syntactic indexes; selectively expanding the preliminary key term of a representative sentence of the document into an advanced key term; and determining at least one core candidate sentence among the sentences to generate a core abstract of the document according to the preliminary key terms and the advanced key term.
US08250071B1 Disambiguation of term meaning
A meaning of a term is determined using the contents of a corpus of books through use of metadata about the books within the corpus, terms in the same work which provide context, and so forth. Users may query to determine the meaning of a term. Users may also build vocabulary skills by testing as well. A changing meaning of a term over time may be determined and utilized as well. Searches are facilitated by the enhanced ability to determine meaning of the terms, particularly in context. Feedback from the searches may also be used to refine future searches.
US08250070B1 User interaction based related digital content items
Methods and systems to locate related digital content items in a content access log. In one embodiment, the method comprises extracting user events from a content access log, tagging each event as positive or negative, determining if a content item is positively interacted and processing the tagged items in a sliding window to determine positive interactions between a pair of content items.
US08250068B2 Electronic album editing system, electronic album editing method, and electronic album editing program
An electronic album editing system for editing an electronic album in consideration of categories into which images are classifies is provided. The electronic album editing system includes: a first storage section for classifying a plurality of images included in a first electronic album into a plurality of categories and storing therein the same along with previously storing range information indicative of the range of image information corresponding to each of the plurality of categories; a second storage section for classifying a plurality of images included in a second electronic album into a plurality of categories and storing therein the same; a category selection section for selecting one category from the plurality of categories in the images stored in the second storage section; a range acquiring section for acquiring the range of the image information corresponding to the one category; a category detection section for detecting a category corresponding to the range similar to the acquired range using range information previously stored in the first storage section; and an editing section for storing the image classified into the detected category in the second storage section.
US08250067B2 Adding dominant media elements to search results
A method and system for determining dominance of the media elements of display pages is provided. The dominance system provides a scoring mechanism for scoring the dominance of media elements of display pages based on features of each media element of the display page. To generate the scores for the media elements of the display page, the dominance system first identifies the media elements and then identifies the features of the media elements. The dominance system then scores the identified media elements using the provided scoring mechanism and the identified features.
US08250065B1 System and method for ranking information based on clickthroughs
A system and method displays information from a consolidated set of Web log entries or other information. The system and method provides links to the actual information to allow users to view it by clicking the link, and records the number of times users have clicked the link to each entry or other information. The system and method counts the number of click throughs and provides a ranking of each entry it displays that indicates the number of click throughs relative to other entries, such as those in a same category or dealing with a same topic. The system and method displays the date and time of retrieval or storage of the entries by the system and method, adjusted to the user's local time.
US08250062B2 Optimized streaming evaluation of XML queries
A database system may perform a streaming evaluation of an XPath expression by utilizing an XPath evaluation component in tandem with an XML event-streaming component. For a more optimal filtered streaming evaluation, the XML event-streaming component may provide an interface whereby the evaluation component sends certain criteria to the event-streaming component when requesting an XML event. The criteria may be based on a next unmatched step in the XPath expression. In response to the request for an XML event, the event-streaming component may only return events that match the criteria. The evaluation component may be, for example, a compiled state machine for the XPath expression. The criteria may be pre-compiled for each possible state in the state machine. The event-streaming component may also utilize the criteria along with schema information to skip parsing of certain segments of XML data.
US08250059B2 Crawling browser-accessible applications
Crawling a browser-accessible application by causing a target application and a bridge application to run concurrently in a browser-controllable player, and iteratively receiving from the bridge application current state information of the target application, storing the state information on a data storage device if the state information is not found on the data storage device, where the state information is stored as a descendant state of an initial state of the target application, and interacting with the target application in accordance with a predefined simulation algorithm, thereby effecting a new state of the target application, until a predefined termination condition is reached.
US08250058B2 Table for storing parameterized product/services information using variable field columns
Computer implemented systems store descriptions of multiple different types of marketplace items as a collection of parameter-value pairs, using a table having a plurality of rows and columns, wherein values for at least two of the items are stored in cells of first and second ones of the rows, respectively; keys that provide information that can be used to decipher differential mappings of a plurality of the columns to a plurality of parameters in different ones of the rows; and one or more interfaces that collectively display previously stored parameters and values to a human end-user.
US08250057B2 Method for automatically sensing a set of items
A method for automatically sensing a set of elements in a computer system, wherein each element in the set has an associated character body from a plurality of character bodies, and each character body comprises character strings which characterize a respective element, the performance of the method involving a search for at least one prescribed character string within the character bodies and use of the at least one character string to ascertain at least one property for at least one element, and association of this at least one ascertained property with at least one category, and this involving a user of the method being provided with a taxonomy which is inherent of the set of elements.
US08250054B2 Network search engine utilizing client browser favorites
An Internet infrastructure that supports search operations that are restricted by user favorite lists, related user metadata, and user trends that are based on client-stored user favorite behavior. The Internet infrastructure contains a search engine server coupled to a plurality of web browsers resident on client devices that contain user/favorite lists and metadata. The search engine supports delivery of search result web links to the client device based upon a search string, favorite list, and related metadata. The search engine server gathers favorite lists and related metadata from the plurality of web browsers, anonymously and with user permission. The search engine server stores the gathered favorite lists and related metadata in a database that is associated with the search engine server, and delivers search results based upon the search string by putting restrictions on search results based upon stored data in the database.
US08250053B2 Intelligent enhancement of a search result snippet
A method, system, and medium are provided for enhancing a search result snippet that is associated with a URL. Potentially descriptive terms of the URL are identified by reconciling multiple sources of terms related to the URL. One aspect includes comparing search terms of historically relevant queries to anchor text for the URL. The search result snippet might be intelligently enhanced by causing common terms to be visibly distinguished when the snippet is displayed.
US08250046B2 Cross-language search
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, in which a cross-language search can be performed. A search query is received in a first language. A translated search query of the search query is obtained and evaluated to determine whether it is a candidate for cross-language searching. Upon identifying a candidate, a search can be performed using the translated search query to generate search results relevant to the translated search query.
US08250041B2 Method and apparatus for propagation of file plans from enterprise retention management applications to records management systems
Integration between Enterprise Records Management systems (ERMs) and Records Management Systems (RMSs) is provided, thus providing a robust record classification and retention schedule enforcement process in large enterprises. Typically, ERMs have been designed from the ground up to be highly scalable across multiple national and regional jurisdictions, whereas RMS's were primarily departmental. Proper integration between ERMs and RMSs, as provided by the invention, allows corporations to deploy larger scale multi-organizational instances of RMSs, thus achieving a better level of control and significant economies of scale.
US08250033B1 Replication of a data set using differential snapshots
A replication process using snapshots to maintain information regarding changes made to a production data set following a point in time. In some embodiments, the production data set may be a file system and the snapshot may store information relating to changes made to both previously-allocated and newly-allocated data blocks. When a change is made to a previously-allocated data block, the original contents for the data block may be copied to a save volume prior to being overwritten by the new data, while for a newly-allocated data block no data may be copied to the save volume. An entry may also be created in a map identifying each changed data block. A replication process may then read the block map to identify data blocks storing new data to should be replicated to a replication data set, such that the replication data set remains a copy of the production data set.
US08250031B2 Low traffic failback remote copy
The local storage performs remote copy to the remote storage. For low traffic failback remote copy, the remote storage performs a delta copy to the local storage, the delta being the difference between the remote storage and local storage. The local storage backs up snapshot data. The remote storage resolves the difference of the snapshot of the local storage and the remote storage. The difference resolution method can take one of several approaches. First, the system informs the timing of snapshot of the local storage to the remote storage and records the accessed area of the data. Second, the system informs the timing of snapshot of the local storage to the remote storage, and the remote storage makes a snapshot and compares the snapshot and remote copied data. Third, the system compares the local data and remote copy data with hashed data.
US08250030B2 Provisional authority in a distributed database
Techniques for writing data in a distributed database system having a plurality of members and a master are disclosed. In one embodiment, a write request is received at an originating member. The write request is applied to a version of a database on the originating member and is placed in a journal queue of items for propagating to the master in one single atomic action. The write request is propagated to the master. Whether the propagated write request is associated with a conflict is determined, and in an event it is determined that the propagated write request is associated with the conflict, an indication that the write request is associated with the conflict is sent to the originating member.
US08250029B2 Method for ensuring replication from a change queue of a source database to a target database when transaction load exceeds data path by spawning a new transaction path between the change queue and the target database
A method is provided for replicating transaction data from a source database to a target database wherein the transaction data is communicated from a change queue associated with the source database to the target database. An initial path is provided between the change queue and the target database for transaction data to flow. The initial path has a maximum transaction load capacity. It is then detected whether the current transaction load is close or equal to the maximum transaction load capacity of the initial path. If so, another path is provided between the change queue and the target database.
US08250028B2 Method for coordinating updates to database and in-memory cache
A computer method and system of caching. In a multi-threaded application, different threads execute respective transactions accessing a data store (e.g. database) from a single server. The method and system represent status of datastore transactions using respective certain (e.g. Future) parameters. Results of the said transactions are cached based on transaction status as represented by the certain parameters and on data store determination of a subject transaction. The caching employs a two stage commit and effectively forms a two level cache. One levels maps from datastore keys to entries in the cache. Each entry stores a respective last known commit value. The second level provides an optional mapping from a respective transaction as represented by the corresponding certain parameter to an updated value.
US08250025B2 Anonymous reporting system
An anonymous reporting system for use in reporting and following up on incidents, accidents, and the like. The system may be accessed via an Internet website. A reporting individual may select a type of incident to report. In one example, the reporting individual may select a level on anonymity and some, none or all of the individual's personal identification is displayed to the organization according to the selected level.
US08250016B2 Variable-stride stream segmentation and multi-pattern matching
A variable-stride multi-pattern matching apparatus segments patterns and input streams into variable-size blocks according to a modified winnowing algorithm. The variable-stride pattern segments are used to determine the block-symbol alphabet for a variable-stride discrete finite automaton (VS-DFA) that is used for detecting the patterns in the input streams. Applications include network-intrusion detection and protection systems, genome matching, and forensics. The modification of the winnowing algorithm includes using special hash values to determine the position of delimiters of the patterns and input streams. The delimiters mark the beginnings and ends of the segments. In various embodiments, the patterns are segmented into head, core, and tail blocks. The approach provides for memory, memory-bandwidth, and processor-cycle efficient, deterministic, high-speed, line-rate pattern matching.
US08250012B1 Evaluating recommendations by determining user actions, and performance values pertaining to lists of recommendations
Generally described, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward the identification of items for inclusion in a recommendations list that may be displayed concurrently with an item selected by a user or users. The recommended items may be items that are of potential interest to the user and/or may be items that are related to the selected item. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and system for generating one or more recommendations lists, providing those lists to users, evaluating users' interactions with those lists, and modifying the engines or techniques used to identify items that are to be included in the recommendations lists.
US08250011B2 Autonomous learning dynamic artificial neural computing device and brain inspired system
A hierarchical information processing system is disclosed having a plurality of artificial neurons, comprised of binary logic gates, and interconnected through a second plurality of dynamic artificial synapses, intended to simulate or extend the function of a biological nervous system. The system is capable of approximation, autonomous learning and strengthening of formerly learned input patterns. The system learns by simulated Synaptic Time Dependent Plasticity, commonly abbreviated to STDP. Each artificial neuron consisting of a soma circuit and a plurality of synapse circuits, whereby the soma membrane potential, the soma threshold value, the synapse strength and the Post Synaptic Potential at each synapse are expressed as values in binary registers, which are dynamically determined from certain aspects of input pulse timing, previous strength value and output pulse feedback.
US08250006B2 Inferential sensors developed using three-dimensional pareto-front genetic programming
A predictive algorithm for predictive at least one output variable based on a plurality of input variables is developed using a genetic programming technique that evolves a population of candidate algorithms through multiple generations. Within each generation, the candidate algorithms are evaluated based on three fitness criteria: (i) an accuracy criterion that evaluates each candidate algorithm's ability to predict historical measurements of the at least one output variable based on corresponding historical measurements of the input variables; (ii) a complexity criterion that evaluates each candidate algorithm's complexity; and (iii) a smoothness criterion that evaluates each candidate algorithm's nonlinearity. The predictive algorithm may be implemented in an inferential sensor that is used to monitor a physical, chemical, or biological process, such as an industrial process in an industrial plant.
US08250004B2 Machine learning
Computer implemented machine learning methods are described. A co-operative learning method involves a first rule based system and a second rule based system. A rule base is generated from input data and recursion data is used to recursively update the rule base as a result of newly received input data. Rule data defining at least one rule and associated data are sent to the second system which determines whether to update its rule base using the transmitted rule data, and if so the recursion data is used to recursively determine the updated rules for its rule base. A father machine learning method for a rule based system, involves receiving time series data, determining whether the data increases or decreases the spatial density for previously existing rules, and if so then creating a new cluster and associated rule, otherwise a new cluster is not created.
US08249998B2 System for resolving distressed shipments
A cooperative system and an associated method are provided for resolving a distressed shipment during transport by a carrier, where the distressed shipment includes one or more parcels rendered temporarily undeliverable by an exception event while in transit from a shipper to a consignee. The inventive method involves the shipper in the task of contacting the consignee for the additional information necessary to resolve the shipment. The system creates a cooperative of participating shippers and carriers, working together to complete a shipment and thereby avoid the delay and expense associated with a premature or unnecessary return.
US08249993B2 Transparently securing data for transmission on financial networks
Systems and methods for performing financial transactions are provided. In one embodiment, the invention provides a method for processing token data for a bank card transaction, the method includes: receiving a string of first token data from a token at a token reader; modifying the first token data and generating second token data, the second token data including modified token data; performing a modulo arithmetic operation on the second token data and determining a mod 10 check digit that will cause a modulo arithmetic check of the second token data to yield the same result as the modulo arithmetic check would yield on the first token data; and inserting the mod 10 check digit in the second data string and forwarding the second data string for the transaction.
US08249991B2 Contents reproduction expiration management system, contents reproduction expiration managing method, terminal apparatus, server apparatus, program, and recording medium for managing permission/non-permission of reproduction of contents
Peculiar identification information to identify a recording medium itself is recorded onto the recording medium on which contents information as a target of a reproduction deadline management is recorded. At least the identification information recorded on the recording medium as mentioned above is read by a terminal apparatus and transmitted to a server apparatus. In the server apparatus, a reproduction possible deadline of the contents information recorded on the recording medium is managed on the basis of reproduction possible deadline information indicative of the reproduction possible deadline regarding the contents information recorded on the recording medium on the basis of at least the identification information.Thus, when the reproduction deadline of the contents recorded on the recording medium is managed, the operation for allowing the server apparatus side to set registration information such as personal information or the like of the user as in the conventional system is unnecessary.
US08249988B2 System and method for verifying payment
A method, apparatus and system for verifying a charge payment transaction subsequent to executing the charge payment transaction in a retail location. The method includes moving a charge payment device into the retail location and presenting the charge payment device at a merchant point of sale located at the retail location for performing the charge payment transaction. A transaction record of the charge payment transaction is stored in a transaction log within the charge payment device. A report record of the charge payment transaction is transmitted from the merchant point of sale to a settlement system and added to an electronic payments report. The transaction log is electronically correlated with the electronic payments report, checking for discrepancies between the transaction log and the electronic payments report.
US08249986B2 Methods and systems of controlling activities of financial accounts
Embodiments describe a method and a system to control activities of a financial account. A holder of the financial account may be restricted to transact only with a first set of merchants. The holder of the financial account may be prohibited from transacting with a second set of merchants. The holder of the financial account may further be restricted to transact based on at least one of category or spending limit.
US08249981B2 Methods and systems for generating transition probability matrices through an optimization framework
A method for generating an optimized transition probability matrix (OTPM) is provided. The method is performed using a computer system coupled to a database. The method includes storing in the database financial data including obligor credit ratings, generating multi-period empirical transition probability matrices (ETPMs) for a selected time horizon using the financial data stored within the database, generating a mathematical expression to minimize a difference between target ETPM values and candidate OTPM values, and calculating the OTPM from the generated mathematical expression and the financial data stored within the database, wherein the calculated OTPM includes a first set of optimized transition probability values for predicting a likelihood that a credit rating of an obligor will migrate from one credit state to another credit state during a first time interval in the future.
US08249979B2 Multiple protocol trading system
A multi-protocol trading system in which traders preferring different trading protocols may coexist within the same system, and access the same liquidity pool, while maintaining their trading rule preferences. The system supports two protocol preferences: a workup preference and a FIFO preference, and includes a single integrated order book that stores orders received from both workup and FIFO traders. Received orders are matched against orders in the order book in accordance with a FIFO and/or workup protocol, as a function of preferences selected by the traders and/or the system operator. Alternatively, the system includes a pair of order books, a workup order book and a FIFO order book. Customers submit linked orders having a workup leg and a FIFO leg which may be matched against the workup and/or FIFO order books, as a function of preferences selected by the traders and/or the system operator.
US08249978B1 System and method for holding and sending an order to a matching engine
A user can submit an order to buy or sell a tradeable object, only the order does not get sent to the matching engine. Instead, the order is placed in temporary storage and it is displayed to the user in the form of a virtual order icon. The virtual order icon indicates that an order request is waiting for an event to occur before it is automatically released to the matching engine. The virtual icon to a different price level or deleting it. The system continuously monitors for an event to take place. In response to detecting the event, the order is released to the matching engine. As such, the virtual order icon is transformed or removed and a real order icon is displayed indicating that the order has now been sent to the matching engine.
US08249977B2 System and method for aggressively trading a strategy in an electronic trading environment
System and method for aggressively trading a spread trading strategy in an electronic environment are provided herein. According to the example embodiments, a trader may configure the automated trading tool to trade as aggressively as possible by leaning on a price without an associated quantity. This allows a trader to possibly obtain a more profitable price as well as get filled faster. Traders submit an order for a spread and the automated trading tool calculates the quote order price based on a defined level of aggressiveness, the leaned on price, and the desired spread price. Based on the level of defined aggressiveness and the gap in the market, the automated trading tool may lean on a mildly, moderately, or extremely aggressive price.
US08249974B1 System and method for continuously offered guaranteed mutual fund with allocation to risky market investments
Software implemented guarantee valuation engine and methodology that enable a mutual fund that is continuously offered; always fully invested in assets, such as risky securities or strategies, that comprise a primary source of the fund's return that correlate to a benchmark and which is subject to a guarantee with respect to net asset value on a specified future date to be re-priced on a daily basis and to have the effect of such re-pricing in the reported NAV of the fund.
US08249973B2 System and method for asymmetric offsets in a risk management system
A system and method for using asymmetrical offsets for products in a risk management analysis system are disclosed. Conventional systems assign symmetrical offsets for products, that is, if two products have an 80% correlation they each would be assigned an offset of 80% with respect to each other. However, it is desirable to allow for asymmetrical offsets. In the disclosed system and method, when two products have a correlation of 80%, one may be assigned an offset of 75% and the other may be assigned an offset of 80%. There are many reasons to vary the offset between the products. The varying offset may reflect an asymmetry in the risk in one of the products, such as being traded in an illiquid market or in a less desirable venue. The varying offset may correct for an imbalance in spread credits due to special charges from intra spreading.
US08249972B2 Method and system for creating a volatility benchmark index
A method and system for creating a volatility benchmark index is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a value of a Treasury bill account less a mark-to-market value of at least one of a volatility-based future or option and calculating a value reflecting a volatility benchmark. The value may be displayed at a trading facility and volatility benchmark quotes may be transmitted by the trading facility to a market participant.
US08249968B1 Real-time insurance estimate based on non-personal identifying information
Methods and systems for providing estimated insurance quotes/premiums are described herein. After analyzing rate factors, a subset of rate factors are selected that yield a fairly accurate estimated insurance premium from a minimum amount of information easily obtainable from a user. The user inputs a value from a predetermined set of allowable inputs (value input filter). After receiving and analyzing the user inputs, the system generates one or more estimates and displays the one or more estimates to the user, e.g., via a web page. When multiple estimates are provided, the multiple estimates may differ based on the level of coverage, add-on features, or both. Readily known non-personal identifying information is preferably requested and used, thereby alleviating privacy concerns while still being able to provide an estimate to the user very quickly, e.g., under 30 seconds, once all the requested information is obtained.
US08249965B2 Member-supported mobile payment system
A member-supported payment system is available to consumers and merchants without sign-up fees, subscription fees, or transaction fees to either consumers or merchants. In a specific implementation, the member payment system is a mobile payment system where consumers may conduct transactions using a mobile device such as a mobile telephone, smartphone, personal digital assistant, or similar portable wireless handheld device. Merchants will make a refundable one-time contribution. These contributions are stored in a pooled trust account by the system and the float dividends or interest on these contributions will fund the system.
US08249961B1 Systems and methods for managing consolidated purchasing, billing and payment information
A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for managing purchase, billing, and payment transactions. A unique identifier of a consolidated purchase card account, issued by a service provider to a user, is accepted by a plurality of vendors as a proxy of the unique identifier of their own vendor-issued purchase card account. Purchase transactions resulting from acceptance of the consolidated purchase card account are processed to produce an individual billing statement for each vendor. The individual billing statements are aggregated into a consolidated billing statement by the service provider, which is then presented to the user on behalf of each vendor. The user reviews the consolidated billing statement and provides payment instructions to the service provider. The payment instructions are processed to pay funds from a funding account of the user to each respective vendor.
US08249955B2 Method of testing item availability and delivery performance of an e-commerce site
An inventory management, and a shipping/returns management system can be analyzed to determine various performance characteristics of an e-commerce operator, such as whether the latter maintains sufficient items to meet demand, whether distribution is occurring in a timely fashion, etc. The systems are analyzed using one or more anonymous proxy accounts.
US08249953B2 Methods and apparatus for determining the status of a device
Methods and devices are provided for determining the status of a networked device, e.g., a networked RFID device. In some embodiments of the invention, a customized packet is used to transmit a “heartbeat” from each of a plurality of networked devices to a server. Some such embodiments use a customized syslog packet for the heartbeats. The heartbeat includes identification information regarding the device, e.g., the unique electronic product code (“EPC”) of the device. The identification information may include other identification and/or authentication information, such as a shared secret and time data, which may be hashed with the identification information. The heartbeat may include information indicating the health, accuracy and/or reliability of the device and/or of the network that includes the device.
US08249951B2 System and method for providing access to product related electronic catalog functionality
An aggregation of functionality related to a product within an electronic catalog hosted by a wholesaler web system is provided by presenting on a client computing device a webpage in which a single product is directly associated with a single access point. The single access point provides a means by which plural wholesaler web system functions related to the single product are made available to a consumer. A listing of the plural wholesaler web system functions related to the single product is displayed within the webpage in response to an activation of the single access point by the consumer. In response to a selection by the consumer from the displayed listing the wholesaler web system initiates a performance of the one of the plural wholesaler web system functions so selected.
US08249950B2 Payment mechanism integration wizard
The wizard steps the merchant through creating an account to obtain credentials and educates the merchant on the page flows of the payment mechanism that the merchant wishes to integrate. Then, the wizard generates code snippets and files to be downloaded by the merchant and to be easily inserted into key pages of the merchant's online commercial website. The merchant can then test the completely integrated code in a developer's sandbox or go live with the completely integrated code.
US08249948B1 System for obtaining recommendations from multiple recommenders
A personalization network service enables developers to develop recommenders that can be made available to content site operators for providing recommendations to end users. The personalization network service may also be capable of optimizing the use and selection of the recommenders for different end users, groups or segments of end users, content sites, and the like.
US08249947B2 Vehicle seat component selection system
A vehicle seat component selection system includes a showroom having a vehicle seat component display and a touch screen terminal for input of customer data such as vehicle identification, vehicle assembly location and vehicle assembly volume. The terminal has access to a vehicle seat component database which defines characteristics of each component, such as sourcing location, cost, and compatibility with other components. A customer seat selection report is created by selecting components from the database, with a signal provided in the event incompatible components are selected. The terminal graphically displays the components as they are selected, and indicates a price range for the seat assembly as it is being proposed.
US08249943B2 Auction based polling
A system and method for auction based polling is provided. Parameters related to a poll are received from a first user. Parameters related to a poll are received from a first user. A query is associated with the poll. A priority of the poll is determined based on the parameters. The poll is distributed to one or more second users according to the priority. Results to the poll are gathered. The results are reported to the first user.
US08249938B2 Fuzzy evaluation of responses to provide degree of satisfaction
The present invention provides a system and method for evaluating offers that are received in response to a request of a user. The system and method of the present invention use fuzzy logic to evaluate the offers. The evaluation provides a degree of satisfaction based on the information provided by the user.
US08249937B2 Tier-based dynamic incentive arbitration in an on-demand computing environment
A system for allocating resources which are anticipated to be available in an on-demand computing at some time in the future, wherein a producer trending agent (PTA) lists resources according to a trend prediction of resource availability in the past, a consumer trending agent (CTA) places bids for listed resources according to previous resource usage trends, and an arbitration system (REAS) matches the bids with the listings to determine if a match exists. If so, a binding contract for consumption of the matched listed resources is established. The PTA also produce tier-based dynamic incentive (TDI) schema which divides potential bidders into tiers, and offers additional resource incentives according to the tiers. Both PTA and CTA dynamically update their available/usage trends, listings and bids, over time.
US08249931B2 System for selectively communicating promotional information to a person
A system for selectively communicating promotional information to a person, includes a sensing system, a storage device, a controller, and a projection device. The sensing system measures a detectable feature associated with the person sensed by the sensing system and the storage device stores a plurality of promotional segments. The controller uses the measured detectable feature associated with the person for selecting one of the stored promotional segments and causing the projection device to project to the person at the predetermined location the selected promotional segment.
US08249930B2 Online map advertising
Systems and methods for selecting advertisements for presentation in a map space are disclosed. Map requests are received, map spaces identified, advertisement bids are received for advertisement space within the map spaces, and advertisements are selected for presentation in the map space based on the advertisement bids. The advertisement bids can be selected through an auction.
US08249928B2 Food product scale and method for providing in-store incentives to customers
In addition to standard product labels, incentive labels are printed and provided to customers when an item is identified to and weighed by a scale/label printer located in a store by accessing an incentive database to determine the existence and nature of any incentive. One or more display devices may be used in connection with providing incentives, including enabling a customer to select from among a number of incentives displayed. An incentive label construction may be provided with desirable folding features. Certain incentives may be of a graduated/progressive type to invite larger purchases by customers.
US08249927B2 Computer-implemented method and system of tracking and automatically making payments for recyclable items deposited at reverse vending machines
A method and system are provided for automatically making payments for recyclable items deposited at reverse vending machines. The method includes the steps of: (a) creating a user recycling record accessible by a server computer system for each of a plurality of users and associating each user's record with a unique user identifier; (b) receiving data in real time at the server computer system from a plurality of reverse vending machines over a communications network, the data relating to deposits of recyclable items by users at the reverse vending machines, the data for each deposit by a user including the unique user identifier of the user and information on the recyclable items deposited; (c) from the data for each deposit by a user identifying the user recycling record associated with the unique user identifier and crediting the user recycling record based on the information on the recyclable items deposited by the user using the server computer system; and (d) for each deposit by a user, issuing a request to have a financial institution to make a specified electronic payment based on the recyclable items deposited by the user.
US08249925B2 Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing organized binary advertising asset markets
Binary advertising markets are developed where personalized media such as digital and even analog advertising is delivered to and accessed by audience members enabling advertisers to buy advertising for broadcast to televisions, smartphones and other types of digital devices. The market is designed to provide participants a new way to have their orders entered, matched, executed, and settled, to manage and monitor risk characteristics of their content placement or advertising placement transactions, and any rights and positions that result from those transactions. Standardized units of exchange represented by profile access rights and display space access rights appropriately designed for their respective markets are used in both primary direct and secondary alternative markets. Processes are also implemented where an audience member receives economic benefit in exchange for confirming view of or rating an advertisement, or viewing advertisements while logged in.
US08249922B2 Method and apparatus for advertisement delivery in wireless networks
The invention provides for advertising content selection, presentation, and statistics reporting at a wireless user terminal. The invention includes a method for selecting a subset of advertising content for presentation at the wireless user terminal. The invention includes a method for presenting advertising content at a wireless user terminal in response to one or more conditions detected at the wireless user terminal. The invention includes a method for collecting advertising content presentation statistics and providing the advertising content presentation statistics to at least one network system. In one embodiment, the invention may include one or more of the advertising content selection, presentation, and statistics reporting functions.
US08249908B2 Targeted content request
Advertisements are selected from a plurality of advertisements and associated with an advertisement environment in a document. Document advertisement request code that is configured to issue an advertisement request for one of the selected advertisements for presentation in the advertisement environment is stored in the document.
US08249904B1 Managing use of program execution capacity
Techniques are described for managing execution of programs. In some situations, program execution is managed for multiple users using excess program execution capacity of one or more computing systems. In some such situations, excess or otherwise unused program execution capacity may be made available to execute programs on a temporary basis, such that the programs executing using the excess program execution capacity may be terminated at any time if other preferred use for the excess program execution capacity arises. The excess program execution capacity may in some situations be provided in conjunction with other dedicated program execution capacity that is allocated to particular users, such as to use unused dedicated capacity of some users as excess capacity for other users. In some situations, the techniques are used in conjunction with a fee-based program execution service that executes multiple programs on behalf of multiple users of the service.
US08249901B1 Pension insurance program methods and systems
A pension insurance plan system and method protect the outstanding balance of a defined contribution plan loan secured by participant's plan assets, eliminating adverse tax consequences to the plan beneficiary in the event of the death or disability of the participant and ensuring that the full plan account balance passes intact to beneficiary in such event.
US08249898B2 Connecting consumers with service providers
A set of answers is received to a series of questions sent to a consumer of services, the set of answers to the series of questions is analyzed in a computer to identify types of service providers that can provide services to the consumer based on the received answers, and an agenda is produced, the agenda including the identified types of service providers and topics for the consumer of services to discuss with a service provider of each type, with the topics determined at least in part based on the answers.
US08249894B2 Networked remote patient monitoring with handheld devices
A networked health-monitoring system is configured to collect and process patient health-related data. The system includes at least one handheld microprocessor device having a display; and a memory. At least one central server is connected to receive health-related data communicated to the handheld microprocessor device and at least one remotely located health care professional computer is in signal communication with the central server. It receives patient health-related information based on the patient health-related data received from the handheld microprocessor device. The system is configured to convert the handheld microprocessor device into a healthcare monitoring device that functions to monitor patient health conditions and communicate data related to the monitored conditions to the central server.
US08249893B1 Automated service provider payment method
A method of facilitating payments to service providers such as medical practitioners wherein a virtual payment card issued by a card processor is processed by the service provider responsive to a first payment. The merchant identification number of the service provider and its associated acquirer are captured by the card processor. Subsequent payments to the service provider are made directly from the card processor to the acquirer and an authorization confirmation of the direct payment and an explanation of benefits are sent to the service provider which no longer needs to run virtual payment cards through its card processing system.
US08249888B2 Development of personalized plans based on acquisition of relevant reported aspects
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: acquiring one or more relevant reported aspects associated with one or more source users that are relevant to achieving one or more target outcomes, the acquisition of the one or more relevant reported aspects being based, at least in part, on relevancy of the one or more relevant reported aspects with respect to the achievement of the one or more target outcomes; and developing one or more personalized plans designed to facilitate an end user to achieve the one or more target outcomes when one or more emulatable aspects indicated by the one or more personalized plans are emulated, the development of the one or more personalized plans being based, at least in part, on the acquiring In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08249887B2 Personalized plan development based on identification of one or more relevant reported aspects
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: identifying one or more relevant reported aspects associated with one or more source users that are relevant to achieving one or more target outcomes, the identifying of the one or more relevant reported aspects being based, at least in part, on the one or more relevant reported aspects' relevancy with respect to the one or more target outcomes; and developing one or more personalized plans designed to facilitate an end user to achieve the one or more target outcomes when one or more emulatable aspects indicated by the one or more personalized plans are emulated, the development of the one or more personalized plans being based, at least in part, on the identifying In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08249879B2 System and method of providing a spoken dialog interface to a website
Disclosed is a system and method for training a spoken dialog service component from website data. Spoken dialog service components typically include an automatic speech recognition module, a language understanding module, a dialog management module, a language generation module and a text-to-speech module. The method includes converting data from a structured database associated with a website to a structured text data set and a structured task knowledge base, extracting linguistic items from the structured database, and training a spoken dialog service component using at least one of the structured text data, the structured task knowledge base, or the linguistic items. The system includes modules configured to implement the method.
US08249876B1 Method for providing alternative interpretations of a voice input to a user
A system and computer-implemented method for providing alternative voice interpretations to a user, including receiving an indication of a request for a search from a user comprising a voice input of search criteria, determining an n-best list of a plurality of possible interpretations of the voice input in response to receiving the indication, each possible interpretation comprising a word or phrase corresponding to the voice input, providing a first possible interpretation of the plurality of possible interpretations for display to the user, the first possible interpretation being the most likely interpretation of the voice input, receiving an indication that the first possible interpretation does not correspond to the voice input search criteria and providing one or more alternative interpretations of the plurality of interpretations for display to the user within a suggestion display area in response to receiving the indication.
US08249875B2 System and method for determining a personal SHG profile by voice analysis
According to one embodiment of the present invention a computerized voice-analysis device for determining an S,H,G profile is provided (as described herein, such an S,H,G profile relates to the strengths (e.g., relative strengths) of three human instinctive drives). Of note, the present invention may be used for one or more of the following: analyzing a previously recorded voice sample; real-time analysis of voice as it is being spoken; combination voice analysis—that is, a combination of: (a) previously recorded and/or real-time voice; and (b) answers to a questionnaire.
US08249873B2 Tonal correction of speech
Tonal correction of speech is provided. Received speech is analyzed and compared to a table of commonly mispronounced phrases. These phrases are mapped to the phrase likely intended by the speaker. The phrase determines to be the phrase the user likely intended can be suggested to the user. If the user approves of the suggestion, tonal correction can be applied to the speech before that speech is delivered to a recipient.
US08249872B2 Skipping radio/television program segments
Techniques for notifying at least one entity of an occurrence of an event in an audio signal are provided. At least one preference is obtained from the at least one entity. An occurrence of an event in the audio signal is determined. The event is related to at least one of at least one speaker and at least one topic. The at least one entity is notified of the occurrence of the event in the audio signal, in accordance with the at least one preference.
US08249870B2 Semi-automatic speech transcription
A semi-automatic speech transcription system of the invention leverages the complementary capabilities of human and machine, building a system which combines automatic and manual approaches. With the invention, collected audio data is automatically distilled into speech segments, using signal processing and pattern recognition algorithms. The detected speech segments are presented to a human transcriber using a transcription tool with a streamlined transcription interface, requiring the transcriber to simply “listen and type”. This eliminates the need to manually navigate the audio, coupling the human effort to the amount of speech, rather than the amount of audio. Errors produced by the automatic system can be quickly identified by the human transcriber, which are used to improve the automatic system performance. The automatic system is tuned to maximize the human transcriber efficiency. The result is a system which takes considerably less time than purely manual transcription approaches to produce a complete transcription.
US08249869B2 Lexical correction of erroneous text by transformation into a voice message
The method is suitable for dysorthographic or partially sighted persons, to facilitate the semantic, syntactic and/or lexical correction of an erroneous expression in a digital text input by a user. The method comprises the sequence of: a step (74) of transforming the digital text into a digital voice message, in which the graphemes of the erroneous textual expression are converted into phoneme(s) constituting an intelligible vocal expression, then a step (78) of processing the digital voice message obtained at the end of the transformation step (74), in which the phoneme or phonemes constituting the intelligible vocal expression are converted into grapheme(s) constituting a corrected textual expression of the erroneous textual expression, with the aid of pre-established writing rules.
US08249868B2 Speech and noise models for speech recognition
An audio signal generated by a device based on audio input from a user may be received. The audio signal may include at least a user audio portion that corresponds to one or more user utterances recorded by the device. A user speech model associated with the user may be accessed and a determination may be made background audio in the audio signal is below a defined threshold. In response to determining that the background audio in the audio signal is below the defined threshold, the accessed user speech model may be adapted based on the audio signal to generate an adapted user speech model that models speech characteristics of the user. Noise compensation may be performed on the received audio signal using the adapted user speech model to generate a filtered audio signal with reduced background audio compared to the received audio signal.
US08249867B2 Microphone array based speech recognition system and target speech extracting method of the system
A microphone-array-based speech recognition system using a blind source separation (BBS) and a target speech extraction method in the system are provided. The speech recognition system performs an independent component analysis (ICA) to separate mixed signals input through a plurality of microphone into sound-source signals, extracts one target speech spoken for speech recognition from the separated sound-source signals by using a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) or a hidden Markov Model (HMM), and automatically recognizes a desired speech from the extracted target speech. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a high speech recognition rate even in a noise environment.
US08249866B2 Speech decoding method and apparatus which generates an excitation signal and a synthesis filter
A speech decoding method which generates an excitation signal and a synthesis filter from coded data and which obtains a speech signal based on the excitation signal and the synthesis filter. The method includes acquiring identification information used for determining whether the speech signal to be decoded is a narrowband signal or a wideband signal; and modifying the excitation signal based on the identification information by controlling strength or presence of emphasis of pitch periodicity with respect to the excitation signal generated from the coded data, so as to generate the speech signal by use of the modified excitation signal and the synthesis filter.
US08249864B2 Fixed codebook search method through iteration-free global pulse replacement and speech coder using the same method
Provided are a fixed codebook search method based on iteration-free global pulse replacement in a speech codec, and a Code-Excited Linear-Prediction (CELP)-based speech codec using the method. The fixed codebook search method based on iteration-free global pulse replacement in a speech codec includes the steps of: (a) determining an initial codevector using a pulse-position likelihood vector or a correlation vector; (b) calculating a fixed-codebook search criterion value for the initial codevector; (c) calculating fixed-codebook search criterion values for respective codevectors obtained by replacing a pulse of the initial codevector each time for respective tracks, and determining a pulse position generating the largest fixed-codebook search criterion value as a candidate pulse position for the respective tracks, respectively; (d) calculating fixed-codebook search criterion values for respective codevectors of all combinations obtained by replacing at least one pulse position of the initial codevector with the candidate pulse positions of the respective tracks, and determining the largest value of the fixed-codebook search criterion values; and (e) comparing the fixed-codebook search criterion value for the initial codevector obtained in step (b) with the largest value determined in step (d) to determine an optimum fixed codevector.
US08249861B2 High frequency compression integration
A speech enhancement system that improves the intelligibility and the perceived quality of processed speech includes a frequency transformer and a spectral compressor. The frequency transformer converts speech signals from the time domain to the frequency domain. The spectral compressor compresses a pre-selected portion of the high frequency band and maps the compressed high frequency band to a lower band limited frequency range. The speech enhancement system may be built into, may be a unitary part of, or may be configured to interface other systems that process audio or high frequency signals.
US08249856B2 Machine translation
A method for computer-assisted translation from a source language to a target language makes use of number of rules. Each rule forms an association between a representation of a sequence of source language tokens with a corresponding tree-based structure in the target language. The tree-based structure for each of at least some of the rules represents one or more asymmetrical relations within a number of target tokens associated with the tree-based structure and provides an association of the target tokens with the sequence of source language tokens of the rule. An input sequence of source tokens is decoded according to the rules to generate a representation of one or more output sequences of target language tokens. Decoding includes, for each of at least some sub-sequences of the input sequence of source tokens, determining a tree-based structure associated with the sub-sequence according a match to one of the plurality of rules.
US08249853B2 Exposing device features in partitioned environment
An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to process an input/output (I/O) transaction. An emulated device driver in a guest partition interacts with a virtual machine (VM) manager in processing an input/output (I/O) transaction on behalf of an application via an operating system (OS). The I/O transaction is between the application and a device. A device emulator in a service partition communicatively coupled to the emulated device driver interacts with the VM manager in processing the I/O transaction on behalf of a device specific driver via the OS. The device specific driver interfaces to the device.
US08249852B2 Condition monitoring of windturbines
A method for monitoring a wind turbine is provided. The method includes defining at least one subsystem of the wind turbine and providing a simulation model for the at least one subsystem. During normal operation of the wind turbine at least an input parameter of the at least one subsystem is determined a behavior of the at least one subsystem is simulated using the at least one input parameter as an input of the simulation model. Based on the simulated behavior, it is determined, if the at least one subsystem operates within a given specification.
US08249848B2 Verifying a processor design using a processor simulation model
An improved method of verifying a processor design using a processor simulation model in a simulation environment is disclosed, wherein the processor simulation model includes at least one execution unit for executing at least one instruction of a test file. The method includes tracking each execution of each of the at least one instruction, monitoring relevant signals in each simulation cycle, maintaining information about the execution of the at least one instruction, wherein the maintained information includes a determination of an execution length of a completely executed instruction, matching the maintained information about the completely executed instruction against a set of trap elements provided by the user through a trap file, and collecting the maintained information about the completely executed instruction in a monitor file in response to a match found between the maintained information and at least one of the trap elements.
US08249847B2 Simulation system and method for manufacturing printed circuit board
An exemplary simulation system for manufacturing a printed circuit board is provided. The simulation system includes at least one simulation sub-system. The simulation sub-system includes an input module, a storing module, a processing module, and an output module. The input module is configured for acquiring a number of processing parameters associated with steps of a process for manufacturing the printed circuit board. The storing module is configured for storing a number of simulation functions relating to the steps of the process for manufacturing the printed circuit board. The processing module is configured for selecting and performing the corresponding simulation function according to the acquired parameters, thereby obtaining a simulation result. The output module is configured for output the simulation result.
US08249844B2 Well modeling associated with extraction of hydrocarbons from subsurface formations
A method and apparatus associated with various phases of a well completion. In one embodiment, a method is described that includes identifying failure modes for a well completion. At least one technical limit associated with each of the failure modes is obtained. Then, an objective function for the well completion is formulated. Then, the objective function is solved to create a well performance limit.
US08249843B1 Predicting aerodynamic impacts for small appendages (IRCM installation) on large fixed wing aircraft using computational fluid dynamics
A method for predicting aerodynamic impact for small appendages on aircraft, wherein the improvement comprises using an adaptable computational fluid dynamic model of airflow adjacent the appendage by isolating a patch surrounding the small appendage, measuring the load on the patch without the appendage in place and with the appendage in a place and subtracting the two for increasing computational accuracy of the load predictions for the small appendage to be able to measure the effect of the small appendage.
US08249840B2 Diversity and defense-in-depth simulation apparatus
A simulator system transfers parameters between an enhanced nuclear power plant simulator and a safety control system simulator. Problems concerning software common mode failure, interface interactions errors, software failure complexity, and other failure modes, are evaluated. Thus, diversity and defense-in-depth are analyzed and safety is improved.
US08249839B2 Method for building magnetic bead mathematical model
A method for building a magnetic bead mathematical model includes defining component elements of the model of the magnetic bead, building the model of the magnetic bead, obtaining a characteristic curve of an impedance of a magnetic bead in a standard magnetic bead specification of the magnetic bead, ascertaining parameters of the component elements, simulating the model of the magnetic bead, and comparing the characteristic curve with the characteristic curve in the standard magnetic bead specification, to further optimize the mode of the magnetic bead.
US08249838B2 Method and apparatus for modeling memristor devices
A method and apparatus for modeling the characteristics of memristor devices. The invention provides methods and an apparatus for accurately characterizing the linear and non-linear Lissajous current-voltage behavior of actual memristor devices and incorporating such behavior into the resultant model. The invention produces a model that is adaptable to large scale memristor device simulations.
US08249837B1 Method for optimization of sheet metal forming tool topology
A method for determining an optimized structure for skin stretch form blocks. An optimized stretch form block design is generated by performing a finite element analysis on a stretch form block design selected from a target group of the stretch form blocks which have been classified into a plurality of groups based on similar topology of the blocks. The finite element analysis includes specifying a suggested design and generating the optimized stretch form block design by iteratively modifying the suggested design until the suggested design has a predetermined sufficient structural strength. An interpolation model is generated from the optimized stretch form block design, and an optimized stretch form block structure is determined for any stretch form block having size and weight parameters within an envelope defined by the target group of the stretch form blocks, by performing a weighted nearest neighbor interpolation using specified geometric parameters and material parameters.
US08249835B2 3-D casino gaming floor visualization utilizing real-time and batch data
An integrated computing device (tool) and method is disclosed, for creating a casino gaming floor layout, analyzing the layout from the simulated point of view of a patron within the floor, and assessing the performance of the layout in real time or with historical data.
US08249833B2 Apparatus and method for verifying model-design, and program thereof
An interference-check-result sorting unit sorts the result of the interference check on an entire 3D model in a 3D-model storage/display unit that is implemented by an overall interference check unit of a model-design verification system into the interference information related to male-screw models and the interference information related to other models. A tapped-hole-diameter changing unit considers that models that interfere with the male-screw models are tapped-hole models, and changes the tapped-hole diameter of the tapped-hole models. A male-screw model/tapped-hole model interference check unit implements checks on the interferences between the respective male-screw models and the corresponding tapped-hole models whose tapped-hole diameter has been changed. And a verification result output unit outputs the result of the verification on the fits between the male-screw models and the tapped-hole models, based on the interference-check results.
US08249832B2 Correlation of inspection information and computer-aided design data for structural assessment
A system and method for correlating data is provided. Generally, the system contains a scanning system having at least one inspection emitter. The scanning system situated to scan a structure and produce a quantity of inspection information. A local positioning system is in communication with the scanning system and situated to detect a location of the quantity of inspection information in relation to the structure. A quantity of computer-aided design data corresponding to the quantity of inspection information is included. An imaging system is in communication with the scanning system and the local positioning system, the imaging system situated to produce an overlay image of at least two of an image based from the structure, an image based from the quantity of inspection information and an image formed from at least a portion of the quantity of computer-aided design data.
US08249822B2 Motion controller having micro electrical mechanical system pressure sensing module
A motion controller includes a handle and a MEMS pressure sensing module. The handle has an output interface circuit for coupling with a terminal electronic device. The MEMS pressure sensing module includes a compressible member mounted on the handle, a MEMS sensor for sensing a pressure applied on the compressible member and converting the pressure into electronic signals, a processing unit for calculating a value of the pressure according to the electronic signals, and a power supply unit for supplying power to the processing unit. The processing unit is connected with the output interface circuit such that a user is able to obtain the pressure value from the terminal electronic apparatus.
US08249814B2 Method, computer readable medium, and system for determining a probability of colorectal cancer in a test subject
Disclosed is a method of testing for colorectal cancer in a test individual by providing data corresponding to a level of products of selected biomarkers and applying the data to a formula to provide an indication of whether the test individual has colorectal cancer. Also disclosed are kits for measuring data corresponding to the products of selected biomarkers, and kits and methods of monitoring therapeutic efficacy of treatments for colorectal cancer.
US08249813B2 System and process for metabolic guidance of introduced cellular material
A computer-implemented system and method for determining an optimal manner of introducing and moving an introduced entity from an introduction site to a target tissue region. The method comprises: calculating a modeling value at the introduction site, the pathway to the target tissue region, and the target tissue region; calculating a diffusion value representing a concentration gradient of the introduced entity as it moves through the introduction site, the pathway, and the target tissue region; calculating a flow value representing how the introduced entity is transported through the introduction site, the pathway, and the target tissue region; and determining a time, location, and method for introducing and moving the introduced entity based on the modeling value, the diffusion value, and the flow value.
US08249809B2 Star tracker with baffle
A star tracker is used to measure the direction of stars. Preferably a wide imaging range is provided so that a reliable orientation of the star tracker can be computed from measurements of the directions of star at substantially different directions. The star tracker comprises a light baffle and located between the light baffle and an image sensing arrangement. The light baffle comprises an array of walls, including sidewalls and at least one internal wall between the sidewalls. Preferably, the side walls and the at least one internal wall are oriented at mutually different orientations emanating from a virtual line of intersection of the planes of the walls. Thus a range of star directions can be imaged with constant sensitivity.
US08249808B2 Method and apparatus for setting destination in navigation terminal
Provided is a navigation system including method of setting a destination in a navigation terminal, which includes receiving a position information message; and setting position coordinates corresponding to position information included in the position information message as position coordinates of a destination related to a certain route.
US08249802B2 Vehicle keyless operation system and method
A keyless function system and method includes a portable device having a vehicle function actuator thereon for initiating operation of a vehicle function. The portable device transmits an actuation signal to the vehicle when the vehicle function actuator is actuated. The receiver onboard the vehicle receives the actuation signal from the portable device. A controller onboard the vehicle and operatively connected to the receiver determines at least one of: whether the vehicle is located at a predetermined location or whether the portable device is located less than a predetermined distance from the vehicle. The controller selectively commands performance of the vehicle function when the actuation signal is received by the receiver based on at least one of: whether the vehicle is at the predetermined location or the portable device is less than the predetermined distance from the vehicle.
US08249799B2 Method and device for aiding navigation for an aircraft in relation to obstacles
The invention relates to a method of presenting zones at risk for an aircraft comprising a system of databases, a processor, an anticollision device and a viewing device, wherein to display on the viewing device the zones at risk in relation to the obstacles, the processor carries out the steps of: acquiring obstacle data, the data corresponding to obstacles situated in the aircraft's close displacement zone; calculating the risk of collision with each of the obstacles of the displacement zone; calculating the limits of the zones at risk of collision in the close displacement zone, these limits representing the positions from which the anticollision device might possibly produce collision alerts in relation to the obstacles if the aircraft were to steer towards the obstacle while maintaining the instantaneous flight parameters; and displaying the limits of zones at risk.
US08249795B2 Method for detection of emissions levels during extended engine speed controlled operation
A method for detection of emissions levels during extended engine speed controlled operation is provided. The method includes monitoring mass airflow passing through the engine while operating the engine. The method further includes adjusting mass airflow responsive to engine speed to maintain a desired engine speed. The method further includes shutting down the engine when engine mass airflow becomes higher than a predetermined mass airflow threshold.
US08249793B2 Air-fuel ratio control apparatus and air-fuel ratio control method for internal combustion engine
An amount of fuel injected into an internal combustion engine is controlled to adjust an air-fuel ratio. An air-fuel ratio sensor is disposed upstream of a three-way catalyst. An ammonia sensor is disposed downstream of the three-way catalyst. Main feedback control based on the air-fuel ratio sensor is performed such that the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas becomes close to a target air-fuel ratio in the neighborhood of a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. Sub-feedback control is performed on the basis of an output value of the ammonia sensor.
US08249791B2 Method for determining the coefficient of friction of disk brakes
A method for determining the friction value of a disk brake, in particular of self-energizing disk brakes, in which the friction value is determined on the basis of the: motor current for the application direction and retraction direction, idle current I0, wedge angle α, transmission constant K, and clamping force.
US08249788B2 Information method of economical driving for manual transmission vehicle
The present invention relates to an information method for a manual transmission vehicle that provides information for inducing stepping on an accelerator pedal for economical driving of a manual transmission vehicle and provides information for inducing changing a shift stage for the economical driving by using a driving performance guidance map showing a fuel consumption rate area in accordance with BSFC.
US08249784B2 Control apparatus and control method for automatic transmission
When a post-direct shift gear position does not match a target gear position during a direct shift but before engagement of an input clutch for the post-direct shift gear position begins, an ECU executes engagement control on a reaction brake for the new target gear position instead of executing engagement control on a reaction brake for the post-direct shift gear position, and executes engagement control on an input clutch for the new target gear position instead of executing engagement control on an input clutch for the post-direct shift gear position.
US08249783B2 Vehicle automatic transmission
A vehicle automatic transmission includes a plurality of gears provided on an input shaft, a countershaft, and an output shaft and are meshed with one another. A plurality of hydraulic clutches are each configured to couple any of the gears to the input shaft, the countershaft, or the output shaft to establish a predetermined shift stage. An engagement unit is configured to couple a reverse gear to the input shaft or the countershaft to establish a reverse shift stage. A shift-position detection unit is configured to detect a shift position. A vehicle-speed detection unit is configured to detect a vehicle speed. A control unit is configured to detect, based on an output of the shift-position detection unit, a first time and a second time. The control unit is configured to delay a timing when the engagement unit operates after the shift position changes to an R-position.
US08249782B2 Method for electronically controlling a bicycle gearshift and electronic system for a bicycle
A method for electronically controlling a bicycle gearshift and a bicycle electronic system perform gearshifting. To perform this gearshifting, a displacement of an actuator from a current position (P) to a position (P1, PN) of engagement of a chain on an extreme toothed wheel of a gearshift group is started (203,205), a destination toothed wheel (PT) of the gearshift group is subsequently preselected (208), and the displacement is subsequently stopped (210) when the actuator is in a position (PT) of engagement of the chain on the destination toothed wheel (PT) of the gearshift group.
US08249780B2 Seat control device
A seat control device has a first input unit for performing an operation of moving a first seat to a front side or a back side, a first drive control unit for moving the first seat to the front side or the back side based on an output of the first input unit, a second input unit for performing an operation of moving a second seat, positioned behind the first seat, to the front side or the back side, and a second drive control unit for moving the second seat to the front side or the back side based on an output of the second input unit. A control unit is arranged for prohibiting movement of the first seat and the movement of the second seat from being simultaneously carried out when the operation to move the first seat to the back side is performed at the first input unit and the operation to move the second seat to the front side is performed at the second input unit.
US08249779B2 Device and method for activating passenger protection means
In a method and a device for activating passenger protection device(s), the passenger protection device(s) are activated as a function of a first signal of an acceleration sensor system and a second signal of a structure-borne noise sensor system. The activation is decided as a function of a position of a vector composed of at least two features of the first signal in relation to a characteristic curve, the characteristic curve being modified as a function of the second signal.
US08249778B2 Method for controlling the steering feedback torque
The invention relates to a method for controlling the steering feedback torque of a power steering system within a closed loop control system, whereby the power steering system provides an actual value (TACT) of the steering feedback torque, whereby a nominal value (TNOM) of the steering feedback torque is calculated by first processor using vehicle dynamic related measurements or estimates, whereby a difference between said actual value (TACT) of the steering feedback torque and said nominal value (TNOM) of the steering feedback torque is used as an input for a controller providing an controller output (COUT), and whereby an input for the power steering system is provided on basis of said controller output (COUT) influencing said steering feedback torque in a way that the difference between said actual value (TACT) of the steering feedback torque and said a nominal value (TNOM) of the steering feedback torque is eliminated.
US08249773B2 Vehicle and its control method
To provide a vehicle capable of performing a transition between a stable state and an inverted state with a simple structure. A vehicle in accordance with an aspect of the present invention is a vehicle that moves by inverted pendulum control, including a rider seat, a chassis, a right driving wheel, a left driving wheel, motors to rotationally drive the right driving wheel and the left driving wheel, a forward bar protruding forward beyond the chassis, a motor to rotational drive the forward bar, a footstep attached to the forward bar, and a control box to control the motor. The feet of a rider 80 are put on the footstep. The control box changes the vehicle to an inverted state by raising the footstep so that the footstep moves away from a ground, or changes the vehicle to a stable state by lowering the footstep so that the footstep comes into contact with the ground.
US08249772B2 Electric wiring system of a motor vehicle with an authentication apparatus
An electric wiring system of a motor vehicle with several control devices that communicate with each other via a data bus, and with an immobilizer is provided. In order to create an electric wiring system of a motor vehicle that includes an immobilizer with high reliability the immobilizer includes at least a first and a second control device from the plurality of control devices and an authentication apparatus, in particular an authentication control device. The authentication information of the plurality of control devices is supplied via the data bus to the authentication apparatus. The authentication cancels the immobilizer of the vehicle when the authentication information transmitted from the first and the second control device corresponds to the authentication information expected for the particular control devices.
US08249767B2 Eco-drive assist apparatus and method
An eco-drive assist apparatus displays a quantity of eco-drive that indicates a degree of ecology and/or economy in driving in a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine and a motor. The apparatus includes a first part configured to calculate the quantity of eco-drive on the basis of a vehicle power generated in the vehicle, and a second part configured to cause the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed in a graphic manner as a relative quantity to an eco-drive judgment threshold value that indicates whether the vehicle is in an eco-drive state and as a relative quantity to an engine startup threshold value that indicates whether the engine has been started up and configured to cause the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed on a boundary of the engine startup threshold value or displayed at a position where the quantity of eco-drive is worse than the engine startup threshold value when the engine has been started up. The second part causes the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed at a position where the quantity of eco-drive is better than the engine startup threshold value when the engine has been started up and a driver's operation needs no vehicle power.
US08249763B2 Method and computer software code for uncoupling power control of a distributed powered system from coupled power settings
A method for powering a powered system having a first power generating unit where power settings for the first power generating unit are decoupled from power settings for a second power generating unit, the method including developing a power operating plan which is independent of a coupled power setting, and determining a power setting responsive to the power operating plan. A computer software code operable within a processor and configured to reside on a computer readable media for powering a powered system having at least a first power generating unit where power settings for the at least first power generating unit are decoupled from power settings for at least a second power generating unit is further disclosed.
US08249762B1 Device and method for monitoring the obstructions in the close environment of an aircraft
The invention relates to a device for monitoring obstructions for an aircraft including data storage, an anticollision device and viewing devices, wherein the monitoring device comprises a detector to detect in real-time obstructions, of terrain type and of human constructions type, in a close environment of the aircraft in a flight situation, a sensor to identify the obstructions at risk calculating identification parameters, a circuit to calculate criticality of the obstructions, a display to display both the obstructions with the identification and criticality parameters of the obstructions, and a generator of alerts to describe the situation according to a combination of the identification and criticality parameters. One or more embodiments of the invention is a monitoring system adapted for zones close to the aircraft and in the flight zones not visible to the crew. One or more embodiments of the invention applies particularly to helicopters executing low-altitude flights. It relates more particularly to military carriers such as rescue carriers.
US08249760B2 Vehicle remote starter using an electronic ignition module emulator
A remote starter system for a vehicle having an electronic ignition module connected to vehicle controller modules by a serial data interface. The electronic ignition module is capable of receiving at least one keycode from a cryptographic controller vehicle key for verification before changing the state of at least one vehicle controller module. The remote starter system is defined in one embodiment to include a remote starter module having at least a memory for storing at least one keycode and having the ability to send the at least one keycode for verification and the ability to request modification of a state of at least one vehicle controller module. Wherein when the at least one keycode is verified, the state of at least one vehicle controller module is modified as requested by the remote starter module.
US08249756B2 Method, device and system for responsive load management using frequency regulation credits
A method, device and system for responsive load management using frequency regulation credits. The method includes using an AC frequency measuring device, measuring a current AC frequency on an AC power line; using a power consumption measuring device, measuring a current power consumption on the AC power line over a period of time equal to a sampling interval; calculating a power consumption moving average of a last N power current power consumptions measured, where N is a positive integer greater than 1; generating credits or debits based on the current power consumption, the current AC frequency and the power consumption moving average; adding the credits or debits to a frequency regulation credit; and for each next sampling interval repeating measuring the current AC frequency, measuring current power consumption, calculating the power consumption moving average, generating the credits or debits, and adding the credits or debits to the frequency regulation credit.
US08249755B2 Protection arrangement for an electrical power distribution network
Protection arrangements and methods of operating protection arrangements are important in order to maintain operability with regard to electrical power distribution networks. Such networks generally comprise grids or meshes of electrical distribution pathways from generators and electrical loads. Faults may occur within the network and circuit breakers or other protection elements are utilised to isolate such faults. A number of regimes for protection are known but problems can arise with regard to ensuring an appropriate pan of the distribution network is isolated. By providing circuit breakers which have a time grade margin compared to other circuit breakers which is proportional to an inverse current-time logarithmic relationship between a fault electrical current divided by a major contribution electrical current to the circuit breaker operation can be achieved which is sufficiently quick for high electrical fault currents but incorporates a time delay for low electrical currents which may have a more transient nature.
US08249754B2 Wind turbine generator and yaw driving method for wind turbine generator
It is an object to make it possible to completely or partially eliminate a yaw driving device and to reduce power consumption in a nacelle. A moment around a wind-turbine tower axis is calculated; an angle command value around the wind-turbine tower axis is calculated by adding a yaw-control command value to a reference command value for canceling out the moment; and a pitch angle command value of each wind turbine blade is set on the basis of the angle command value around the wind-turbine tower axis.
US08249752B2 Flow rate measuring system
In a slave electromagnetic flow meter, the synchronization signal from a master electromagnetic flow meter (that is, a master electromagnetic signal) MPs is monitored, and if the master synchronization signal MPs ceases to be received, then the synchronization signal used for the flow rate measurement is switched to a synchronization signal Ps that is generated by the synchronization signal generating unit of the slave electromagnetic flow meter, and the switched synchronization signal Ps is defined as the master synchronization signal MPs' for the slave electromagnetic flow meter in the next stage.
US08249746B2 Method and device to regulate an automated manipulator
A method for regulation of a multi-axis automated manipulator, in particular of a robot, includes flexible regulation of at least one guide axis, and rigid regulation of at least one additional axis, and determining a desired value of the at least one additional axis on the basis of a real value of the guide axis.
US08249744B2 Mail routing system including a data block analyzer
A method is provided for routing mail items in a mail sorting system that includes means for capturing address information from a mail item in the form of an address block and an analysis engine comprising a plurality of analysis modules. The method comprises: receiving the address block at the analysis engine and making available to each of a set of the analysis modules at least a portion of the address block; at each analysis module, decomposing the available portions of the address block into one or more data objects, each including a representation component representing at least part of the portion and a data type identifier; storing the data objects with an indication of the mail item to which the objects relate; and subsequent to identifying a delivery endpoint for the mail item, adding at least one of the stored data objects to a data set associated with that delivery endpoint whereby future mail items may be routed to that delivery endpoint in dependence on those data objects.
US08249743B2 Article management system
An apparatus for controlling secure access and storage of at least two different types of articles is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of compartments for articles, the compartments arranged in a rotatable cylindrical array with one opening for each compartment on the surface of the cylinder. A linearly driven belt having an access port thereon limits access to a single compartment. The compartments may be of equal or different size to accept different articles. A sliding door, positionable over an opening in the housing, provides additional security. A drawer with additional compartments may be included in the apparatus in addition to the cylindrical array. Certain compartments may have an assignment linking them to other compartments in the cylindrical array or drawer, allowing for the secure and separate storage of sets of related articles, such as the keys, registration and/or license plate of a car. Access to stored articles is achieved through a touch screen user interface, an OCR document reader or scanner, a biometric reader device, or any combination thereof. The apparatus provides easier and quicker access to stored articles, especially sets of stored articles.
US08249739B2 Yarn feeding device and yarn feeding method for knitting machine
A yarn feeding device for a knitting machine comprises a motor for driving a roller from which a yarn is fed out, and a rotatable arm which intermediately stores the yarn fed out from the roller, and the yarn is fed from the arm to a knitting machine body. A torque generator is provided to apply a variable torque to the arm. A yarn speed is obtained from a loop length of a stitch for each knitting needle and a knitting speed calculated on the basis of knitting data used in the knitting machine body. The yarn speed is converted into a torque to be applied to a buffer using a conversion table at each knitting section in a knitting course so as to correct a yarn tension fluctuation caused by the yarn speed, and the torque generator is controlled in accordance with the torque thus obtained. The yarn tension fluctuation is reduced so that high-speed knitting and knitting using a weak yarn can be facilitated.
US08249738B2 Device and method for designing a garment
The invention relates to a system and a method for the computer-aided design of a garment occupying a virtual surface represented by data stored in a memory of a computer including the following steps: generating base patterns on said virtual surface, adding at least one style effect on at least one base pattern transforming said at least one base pattern into at least one stylized base pattern, and forming a stylized virtual surface.
US08249736B2 Registration system and method
Printed circuit boards are manufactured by forming a composite layer using a control system which models a production process to generate data using non-linear compensation techniques to compensate for non-linear distortion occurring in a circuit layout applied to a constituent layer. Measurement data of actual circuit layouts is used to update stored values of parameters used in the modelling process. In one form of the model, the desired layout in the composite layer is represented by an array of cells and cell sizes corresponding to an initial stage of the production process are calculated, the model working backwards from the final state of the production process to the initial state, and a finite element model used to determine corresponding positions of cells, taking account of interaction between cells, from which the compensation data is calculated.
US08249729B2 System and method for casino management
A casino resort management system collects patron data, manages patron data in a high performance data warehouse, shares patron data with other systems and reports vital patron information. The system particularly tracks machine history, including changes in location, configuration and performance, and tracks the location history, including game type and denomination, and allows for placards to be moved from one gaming machine to another without losing historical machine or location information. In addition, the system provides two particularly useful graphical displays that simplify visual analysis of the large amounts of data within a casino. One display method depicts tables of thin bar graphs that compactly allow side-by-side comparison of different groupings of machines and another display method depicts machines in three dimensions so that each dimension can provide visual information to a viewer.
US08249727B2 Control system for influencing test-environment parameters, method for controlling a microscope system and computer control program for same
A microscope configuration according to an exemplary embodiment includes a microscope system with at least one addressable component and also a control system with a plurality of control modules for influencing a plurality of test-environment parameters in a test chamber of the microscope system. The control modules are configured to be combined in modular manner and to be coupled through an interface unit with a unified bus, through which they are controlled. A control module influencing a test-environment parameter of an incubation system has a control command interface unit configured to receive at least one control command. The control command interface unit couples with a bus. A control device is coupled with the control command interface unit and influences the test-environment parameter based upon the control command. A further interface unit is coupled to the control command interface unit and outputs, again, the received control command.
US08249726B2 Method and device for accessing a functional module of automation system
The present invention proposes a method for accessing a functional module (118, 128, 138) of an automation system, wherein the automation system comprises a device in the form of higher-level device (200) and at least one lower-level device (110, 120, 130) arranged under this higher-level device and wherein the functional module (118, 128, 138) is in the form of part of the one or more lower-level devices (110, 120, 130) and for executing at least one device function. In addition, a device in the form of the higher-level device (200) for performing the method in an automation system is also proposed, wherein at least one device (110, 120, 130) comprising a functional module (118, 128, 138) for executing at least one device function is arranged under the higher-level device.
US08249715B2 Implantable medical device configured as a pedometer
A system includes an implantable medical device. The implantable medical device includes a control circuit and a motion sensing device. The motion sensing device is coupled to the control circuit, and the motion sensing device is configured to transmit signals to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to identify one or more steps of a patient using the motion sensing device signal.
US08249714B1 Lower extremity exercise device with stimulation and related methods
A device and methods for performing a closed-chain exercise for the lower extremities of a human subject and, in particular, the legs, using stimulation. The device may include a sled for receiving the subject and for translating to and fro between a first, lower position in which the legs are at least partially bent and a second, higher position in which the legs are less bent than in the first position. A stimulator is provided for facilitating the performance of the closed-chain leg exercise by the subject to move the sled between the first and second positions, either by way of electrical signals provided directly to the applicable muscles or by way of sensory (e.g., visual) stimulation, with or without electro-muscular stimulation. In another aspect, adaptive feed-forward control may also be used to enhance the exercise regimen performed using the device.
US08249710B2 Complex connector in component footprint of implantable medical device
At least one storage component, for example a capacitor or a battery, of an implantable medical device includes two perimeter surfaces. Linear extensions of the two perimeter surfaces define a zone. An electrical connector, which is coupled to the storage component and includes at least one connection point for electrically connecting the storage component with at least one other component within the medical device, is contained within the zone defined by the linear extensions of the two perimeter surfaces.
US08249708B2 Implantable medical device crosstalk evaluation and mitigation
Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient.
US08249706B2 Adaptive rate programming control in implantable medical devices using ventricular-arterial coupling surrogates
Selection of an appropriate rate programming control (RPC) setting in an implantable medical device (IMD), uses analysis of VA coupling surrogate conditions. The VA coupling surrogate conditions are derived from signals such as cardiogenic impedance, blood pressure, and the pulsatile components of PPG. By analyzing a waveform of the measured surrogate condition, the IMD estimates wall stiffness, through the slope of the waveform, and peripheral arterial pressure, through the reflection time between the main wave and reflection wave of the waveform. These values are plotted against each other on a VA coupling coordinate plane. Based on the location and orientation of the resulting VA coupling plot, the IMD selects an appropriate RPC setting.
US08249705B1 Devices, systems, and methods for improving left ventricular structure and function using baroreflex activation therapy
Described here are devices, systems, and methods for improving left ventricular function in a patient with systolic heart failure with left ventricular dysfunction using baroreflex activation therapy. In general the systems have at least one electrode and a control system in communication with the electrode, the control system including a processor and memory, wherein the memory includes software defining a stimulus regime configured to effect improvement in left ventricular function. The methods for improving left ventricular function in a subject typically include identifying a patient in need of left ventricular function improvement and stimulating a baroreceptor with a baroreceptor activation device to improve left ventricular function.
US08249704B2 Method and apparatus for treatment of cardiac tachyarrhythmias
Method and apparatus for preventing heart rhythm disturbances by recording cardiac electrical activity, measuring beat-to-beat variability in the morphology of electrocardiographic waveforms, and using the measured beat-to-beat variability to control the delivery of electrical impulses to the heart during the absolute refractory period.
US08249701B2 Methods, devices and systems for programming neurostimulation
Methods, devices and systems are provided to efficiently identify, from among a plurality of possible neurostimulation parameter sets, one or more preferred neurostimulation parameter sets that treat a targeted pain of a patient. Each neurostimulation parameter set defines electrode parameters and neurostimulation signal parameters. A plurality of different neurostimulation parameter sets are tested on the patient to thereby identify those tested neurostimulation parameter sets that treat the targeted pain. Each of the tested neurostimulation parameter sets defines an electrode configuration that differs from the other tested neurostimulation parameter sets. All of the tested neurostimulation parameter sets comprise a same value for a specific neurostimulation signal parameter (e.g., pulse width) that if reduced reduces power consumption. If more than one of the tested neurostimulation parameter sets are identified as treating the targeted pain, then neurostimulation parameter sets identified as treating the targeted pain are retested, with the value for the specific neurostimulation signal parameter reduced by a same amount for each of the retested neurostimulation parameter sets, to thereby identify those neurostimulation parameter sets that treat the targeted pain at the reduced power consumption level.
US08249695B2 Meibomian gland imaging
A method of evaluating dry eye in humans wherein the flow of naturally occurring secretion to the eye is reduced or stopped due to the presence of an obstruction of a meibomian gland in the eyelid involves applying a pressure to the eyelid that mimics pressure applied during blinking; and simultaneously imaging the glands to diagnose the condition of the meibomian gland. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08249693B2 Gamma guided stereotactic localization system
A stereotactic gamma-guided localization system for imaging a suspected cancer and guiding a physician in the removal of tissue samples for biopsy. The gamma-guided localization system includes a three step procedure including localization, correlation, and verification. The localization system includes a gamma camera with a set of slant-hole collimators for producing stereo images of a region of interest. A positioning system including a fiducial marker is placed adjacent to the object to be imaged and held rigidly in place to provide correlation of the location of the region of interest relative to the fiducial marker. A gamma emitting marker is then positioned at the calculated location of the region of interest and imaged to verify that that the calculated position corresponds to the actual location. The positioning system can then be used to accurately position and support any other hardware that needs to be positioned at the region of interest.
US08249689B2 Coil arrangement for electromagnetic tracking method and system
An electromagnetic tracking coil arrangement, comprising three co-planar electromagnetic sensors and a fourth electromagnetic sensor that is not co-planar with the three co-planar sensors, wherein the three co-planar electromagnetic sensors and the fourth electromagnetic sensor are each located at a vertex of a tetrahedron.
US08249688B2 Method for affixing a magnetic resonance RF coil to a patient
In a method to affix RF coils (in particular local coils) on a patient in examinations with a magnetic resonance apparatus, a horizontal board accommodates the patient for a magnetic resonance examination to be implemented, an RF coil that has coil electronics is affixed with a fastening strap on the patient, and the fastening strap has a connection cable integrated therewith. The coil electronics are supplied with energy via the integrated connection cable.
US08249685B2 Method and apparatus for mapping and/or ablation of cardiac tissue
An apparatus for mapping and/or ablating tissue includes a braided conductive member that may be inverted to provide a ring-shaped surface. When a distal tip of the braided conductive member is retracted within the braided conductive member, the lack of protrusion allows the ring-shaped surface to contact a tissue wall such as a cardiac wall. In an undeployed configuration, the braided conductive member is longitudinally extended, and in a deployed configuration, the distal end of the braided conductive member is retracted to invert the braided conductive member.
US08249673B2 Sliding-type portable electronic device
A portable electronic device comprises a cover, a base and a sliding mechanism. The sliding mechanism includes a connecting rod mechanism and a controlling mechanism. The connecting rod mechanism is rotatably mounted between the base and the cover and is configured to rotate the cover relative to the base. The controlling mechanism is configured to control the rotation of the connecting rod mechanism.
US08249672B2 Transmission plug and related complex earphone and radio player
A transmission plug for a complex earphone is disclosed. The complex earphone is capable of receiving a broadcast signal and sending out an audio signal. The transmission plug includes a first metal ring for providing an audio grounding, a first insulation layer formed inside the first metal ring, a second metal ring formed inside the first insulation layer for transmitting the audio signal, a second insulation layer formed inside the second metal ring, and a radio-frequency transmission stick formed inside the second insulation layer for transmitting the broadcast signal, wherein a shape of the transmission plug conforms to an international standard audio plug.
US08249666B2 Battery-centric tamper resistant circuitry and portable electronic devices
Tamper-resistant circuitry for use with an electronic device is provided, where the electronic device comprises a plurality of connections for coupling the tamper-resistant circuitry to functional circuitry for performing functionality in connection with the electronic device. The tamper-resistant circuitry comprises an interface for coupling to the plurality of connections and a power source for coupling to at least one connection in the plurality of connections. The tamper-resistant circuitry further comprises circuitry operable to evaluate a measure of an operational parameter related to the power source and in response to a signal at at least one connection in the plurality of connections, to provide an acceptable range for the operational parameter, and to inhibit standard operation of the functional circuitry in response to detecting an anomaly in the functional circuitry by detecting that the measure is outside the acceptable range.
US08249665B2 Wireless communication device management
A method and system that limits the use of a communication device present in an area controlled by an intelligent controller. The intelligent controller detects any present communication devices in the area and conducts an inventory providing information about each detected device. The intelligent controller compares that information to a standard of use data, which specifies the conditions need to be present for allowing the usage of a communication device. If such conditions are not met, the intelligent controller sends commands to the communication device to restrict its functionality. Else if, the intelligent controller is incapable of restricting the communication device, it can notify authorities of unauthorized usage of a communication device in the restricted area.
US08249661B2 Mobile terminal
A mobile terminal including a terminal body having first and second regions on a front surface thereof, a touch screen part on the first region and configured to display visual information and perform an inputting operation in a tactile manner, and a touch pad part corresponding to the second region and configured to input information corresponding to a touch applied to a pre-set position on the second region.
US08249657B2 Apparatus and method for allocating preamble index to self configurable base station in a broadband wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for allocating a preamble index to a self configurable base station in a broadband wireless communication system are provided. The apparatus comprises a first selector for selecting a segment IDentifier (ID) to be allocated to a Self Configurable-Base Station (SC-BS) by using a per-segment ID Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) estimated by the SC-BS, a second selector for selecting an ID cell to be allocated to the SC-BS by using geographical location information of surrounding BSs, and a communicator for transmitting a segment ID and the ID cell to the SC-BS.
US08249647B2 Mobile communication device having multiple independent optimized physical layers
A system and method in a mobile communication device for providing and/or utilizing multiple independent optimized physical layers to provide communication services. As a non-limiting example, a mobile communication device may comprising a first PHY layer comprising first circuitry operable to provide any of at least a first plurality of communication services through one or more types of communication network, and a second PHY layer comprising second circuitry operable, independent of the first PHY layer, to provide at least one communication service through one or more types of communication network. For example, operation of the first circuitry may be optimizable in a first manner for providing a first communication service of the first plurality of communication services and optimizable in a second manner, different from the first manner, for providing a second communication service of the first plurality of communication services.
US08249645B2 Radiation reducing apparatus for wireless communication device
A radiation reducing apparatus for a wireless communication device includes a sensing module, a control module, and a radiation reducing module. The sensing module senses radiation intensity of the wireless communication device and generates a signal corresponding to the sensed radiation intensity. The control module compares the sensed radiation with a preset radiation intensity threshold. The radiation reducing module is activated by the control module to reduce the radiation of the wireless communication device when the sensed radiation intensity reaches the radiation intensity threshold.
US08249640B2 Method for determining a paging slot of a CDMA mobile station trunking service
The present invention provides a method for determining a paging slot of a CDMA mobile station trunking service. The method includes two situations: the mobile station supporting the minus slot function and not supporting the minus slot function. When the station supports the minus slot function, according to the matching situation of the system identifier and a network identifier of a base station, and the system identifier and the network identifier stored in the mobile station, and whether the minus slot paging cycle information is contained on the paging channel overhead message, the paging slot is determined by different modes.
US08249636B2 Method and apparatus for detecting adverse channel conditions and conserving power
A wireless device detects for an adverse channel condition, which may be (1) a frequent out of service (FOOS) condition indicative of frequent in and out of service or (2) an unbalanced forward/reverse link condition indicative of unbalanced coverage for the forward and reverse links. A FOOS condition may be detected based on an average in-service time, the number of lost system connections, the number of systems to which connections have been made, the rate of change for the systems, the altitude of the wireless device, and/or other parameters. An unbalanced forward/reverse link condition may be detected based on the average in-service time, the number of system access failures, and/or other parameters. The wireless device performs at least one action to conserve battery power if an adverse channel condition is detected. The action(s) may include performing system acquisition less frequently, disabling system registration, performing registration less frequently, and/or going to sleep.
US08249634B2 Base station apparatus and communications control method
A base station apparatus for carrying out communications with a mobile station in downlink using an OFDM method is disclosed. The base station apparatus is characterized in that the base station apparatus transmits a first signal and a second signal; a predetermined transmission power of the second signal is set; and the base station apparatus comprises a first transmission power controlling section that controls so that a transmission power per unit frequency band of the first signal is constant; and a frequency resource assignment section that determines a frequency resource to be assigned to the first signal, in accordance with the transmission power of the second signal and the transmission power per unit frequency band of the first signal.
US08249631B2 Transmission power allocation method, communication device and program
There is provided a method for allocating a transmission power to a second communication service making secondary usage of a spectrum assigned to a first communication service, in a node which is able to communicate with a secondary usage node, comprising the steps of: determining an interference power acceptable for two or more second communication services when the two or more second communication services are operated; distributing a transmission power depending on the interference power among the two or more second communication services according to a first rule; distributing the transmission power similarly according to a second rule; selecting one of the first rule and the second rule based on transmission powers distributed according to the first rule and transmission powers distributed according to the second rule; and allocating the transmission powers distributed according to the selected rule respectively to the two or more second communication services.
US08249630B1 Messaging session enhancement with user data
Computer media, systems, and computer-implemented methods for enhancing SMS messaging sessions with user data are provided. A data sharing agreement between a service provider and a receiving entity, such as broadcaster or a consumer goods manufacturer, is established. A user with a wireless device sends an SMS message to the receiving entity. Data associated with the user is retrieved by the service provider in accordance with the data sharing agreement and is transmitted to the receiving entity along with the SMS message.
US08249629B2 Providing transparent CDMA short message service using non-CDMA mobile devices, smart cards and networks
Methods and systems for sending, receiving, storing, and reading CDMA type SMS messages on wireless non-CDMA or multimode mobile devices include embedding a CDMA SMS message in a non-CDMA SMS host message. Such a host message may be created, transmitted, received, or otherwise processed by a mobile device, such as one operating in a GSM or UMTS mode. Similarly a CDMA SMS message may be stored in a SIM/USIM module using similar techniques. An embodiment provides a software application programming interface (API) which transparently processes SMS messages regardless of whether they are CDMA or non-CDMA and regardless of the operating mode of the mobile device.
US08249626B2 GPS based friend location and identification system and method
A system and method for observing a personal networking event which shares the position of a number of friendly participants with other participants within a group. In one form, the position of unknown participants meeting certain criteria is also displayed to a user or one or more friendly participants. The views are selectable by friendly participants on, for example, a GPS equipped cell phone, to include a view from the participant's position, zoom, pan, and tilt views, or views from another friendly location or from another geographic location, giving increased situational awareness and identification of participants. Other information can be shared among friendly participants, including social information, status and directions. Preferably, an orientation mechanism shows when the device is correctly pointed to a position.
US08249620B1 System and method for operating a communication service
A system and method are described. A communication interface receives a request that identifies a service and a first communication device. A location system determines a location of the first communication device and a location of a second communication device. A processing system processes the location of the first communication device and the location of the second communication device to determine if the first communication device is in the vicinity of the second communication device. In response to determining that the first communication device is in the vicinity of the second communication device, the processing system transfers a notification indicating that the first communication device is in the vicinity of the second communication device.
US08249618B2 System and method for enabling determination of position of a receiver
There is provided a system and method for positioning a receiver, the system comprising an antenna array coupled to a common generating and switching unit. The generating and switching unit is configured to generate a periodic signal and to switch the signal between at least two antennas, constituting a positioning signal; such that an RF receiver receiving the positioning signal and having a phase difference estimator is capable to measure phase differences between portions of the positioning signal transmitted by the spaced-apart antennas, the phase differences indicating the orientation of the received relative to the positioning system.
US08249616B2 Satellite (GPS) assisted clock apparatus, circuits, systems and processes for cellular terminals on asynchronous networks
A wireless circuit (1100, 1190) for tracking an incoming signal and for use in a network (2000) having handover from one part (Cell A) of the network to another part (Cell B). The wireless circuit includes a processor (CE 1100) responsive to the incoming signal, the processor (CE 1100) operable to generate pulse edges representing network-based receiver synchronization instances (RSIs), and a timekeeping circuitry (2420, 2430, 2450) including an oscillator circuitry (2162), the timekeeping circuitry (2420, 2430) operable to maintain a set of counter circuitries (2422-2428) including a counter circuitry (2422) operable to maintain at least one network time component based on the RSIs and another counter circuitry (2428) operable at least during handover and during loss of network coverage for maintaining at least one internal time component (NC) based on the oscillator circuitry (2162), the set of counter circuitries (2422-2428) operable to account for elapsing time substantially gaplessly and substantially without overlap between the time components during a composite of network coverage, loss of network coverage and handover, and the timekeeping circuitry further including a time generator (2450) for combining the time components from the set of counter circuitries (2422-2428) to generate an approximate absolute time (SGTB). Other electronic circuits, positioning systems, methods of operation, and processes of manufacture are also disclosed and claimed.
US08249607B2 Scheduling in wireless communication systems
A wireless communication infrastructure entity assigns a plurality of schedulable wireless communication entities to a group wherein each entity is assigned a location within the group. The infrastructure entity indicates which of the plurality of schedulable wireless communication entities assigned to the group have been assigned a radio resource, for example in a first bitmap (510), and indicates radio resource allocation policy information (520) and indicates a weighting for each assigned wireless communication entity, for example, in a second bitmap (530), to the schedulable wireless communication entities that have been assigned a radio resource.
US08249605B2 Systems and methods for optimizing the topology of a bluetooth scatternet for social networking
A wireless device is provided that includes a processor configured to execute instructions that promote performing a method. The method includes determining a user profile of a user of the wireless device. The method also includes determining a relationship of the wireless device to a topology of a wireless network wherein the wireless device is a node, the relationship of the wireless device to the topology of the network based at least in part on the user profile.
US08249604B2 System and method for landline replacement
A femto cell is provided that automatically routes new communication sessions among the connected mobile and landline handsets based upon local detection of mobile registration with the femto cell, which helps to reduce the backhaul bandwidth requirements and offload backend network processing load. When the mobile handset successfully registers with the femto cell, a User Detection Module at the femto cell routes new calls destined for the mobile telephone number to one or more traditional landline handsets. The femto cell also provides a ring tone to the connected landline handsets for making the outgoing calls. Since the mobile handset remains available for conducting additional communication sessions, the user is able to talk on the landline handset while conducting a simultaneous data session using the mobile phone.
US08249602B2 Reducing handoff latency in a wireless local area network through an activation alert that affects a power state of a receiving mesh access point
If a handoff by a mobile station currently associated with a particular access point is probable, then the particular access point sends an activation alert to one or more other access points. An access point receiving the activation alert that is in a low-power state enters a higher-power state. An access point receiving the activation alert that is in a higher-power state, remains in that higher-power state.
US08249601B2 Mobile station, infrastructure processor, system and method for use in cellular communications
A mobile station for use in a cellular communication system includes a transceiver and a processor operable to apply a cell re-selection procedure which includes determining whether the mobile station should change its serving base station, wherein the transceiver is operable to receive via its serving base station a signal from an infrastructure processor advising or instructing the mobile station to select a particular base station in its cell re-selection procedure, and the processor of the mobile station is operable to apply a cell re-selection procedure to determine whether the mobile station should change its serving base station to the particular selected base station, wherein the particular selected base station has been selected and specified by the infrastructure processor based upon the location of members of a group of mobile stations with which the mobile station is to communicate.
US08249598B1 Probing to disambiguate a reported pilot signal so as to facilitate handoff
A method is disclosed for disambiguating a reported pilot signal so as to facilitate handoff of a mobile station. When a radio access network (RAN) receives from a mobile station a handoff request carrying a parameter that ambiguously identifies at least two sectors as the potential handoff target, the RAN will send a test probe on at least one of the potential handoff target sectors and will determine, based on mobile station response to the test probe, which sector the mobile station received the test probe on and thus which sector was the intended handoff target. The RAN may then direct the mobile station to hand off to that sector if appropriate. Further, the RAN may add the identified sector into a neighbor list of a similarly situated other mobile station, to allow the other mobile station to more efficiently hand off to the same sector if appropriate.
US08249597B2 Method of packet switched handover
A method of packet switched handover in a mobile communication system comprising a terminal, a source node and a destination node comprises negotiating protocol parameters for the destination node on behalf of a new network entity, by communicating with an old network entity whilst the terminal is still connected to the source node; and completing the packet switched handover, such that service interruption on handover is reduced.
US08249595B2 Cell selection method and mobile station
A cell selection method includes steps of: (A) determining, at a mobile station (UE), whether or not a first CSG cell satisfies a predetermined condition, when using a first macro cell as a camped cell; and (B) changing, at the mobile station (UE), the camped cell from the first macro cell to a first CSG cell, when determined that the first CSG cell satisfies the predetermined condition.
US08249592B1 Authenticating a mobile station that communicates through a local premises wireless gateway
To authenticate a mobile station that is able to access packet-switched services in a packet-switched services network, an intermediate server receives a registration request from a local premises wireless gateway on behalf of the mobile station. In response to the registration request, the intermediate server performs an authentication procedure with an authentication infrastructure in a circuit-switched network, where the authentication infrastructure contains authentication information relating to the mobile station to enable authentication of the mobile station.
US08249591B2 Method and device for obtaining candidate information
A method, computer readable medium and mobile device for operating using more than one Radio Access Technology (RAT) are provided. When the mobile device is operating in a serving cell of a first RAT, it obtains, through at least one of wireless access radios in the mobile device, a first set of candidate information from a message transmitted for the serving cell. It also obtains, through at least one of the wireless access radios, a second set of candidate information from a message transmitted for a neighbor cell of the serving cell. The mobile device considers the candidate information from the first set and the candidate information from the second set for reselection by the mobile device.
US08249590B2 System, method, and apparatus for voice handoffs
A power management system is described where the handset can enter sleep or hibernation mode for a particular service, when the particular service is either not used or not available. The handset is capable of using the service, even in response to a non-user initiated incoming request for communication. The handset receives the request over the active service. The handset can then check for the availability of the inactive service, activate it, and a selection can be made between them.
US08249584B2 Portable electronic device with controllers
The present invention provides a portable electronic device. The device includes a first controller, a second controller, a mode switch unit, and a main controller. The mode switch unit is for a user to operate thereby generating a mode switch instruction. The main controller is for switching a work mode according to the mode switch instruction from the mode switch unit. When the mode switch unit generates a first mode switch instruction, the device enters a common work mode whereby the main controller activates the first controller and the second controller to be on standby; and when the mode switch unit generates a second mode switch instruction, the device enters a single work mode whereby the main controller activates only one of the first controller and the second controller to be on standby.
US08249579B2 Reprogramming nodes in a wireless automation system
A method for wireless communication within a building automation system is disclosed. The method includes establishing a communication connection between a wireless device and a controller, and communicating an upgrade packet to the wireless device from the controller. The method further includes executing the upgrade packet to upgrade the wireless device or a building automation component connected to the wireless device. A building automation system is further disclosed. The system includes a controller configured to provide a software module, and a wireless transceiver in communication with the controller and configured to communicate the software module. The system further includes a wireless device in communication with the wireless transceiver and configured to receive the software module to upgrade the wireless device.
US08249574B2 Communication method and system
A software button and software agent downloaded to a computing in response to actuation of the button make it possible to create a communication connection providing privacy, security and dynamic control of service. In one embodiment an online telephone directory comprised of software buttons is provided, in which a calling party can select a called party by clicking a software button dedicated to the called party. The button provides an identification of the called party, but all contact information is hidden and inaccessible to the calling party. Upon actuation of the button server containing the directory causes download of a software agent to the calling party's computing device, causing it to establish communication with the called party. In a second embodiment, software buttons provide a communication service which is dynamic, the nature or type of service changing based on conditions predefined by the called. For example, a called party may specify that, during business hours, communication be by telephone to a specific telephone number and outside of business hours, communication be by text message if urgent and e-mail if not urgent. When the calling party clicks a software button, the software agent downloaded to his computing device would then be a soft phone during business hours. Outside of business hours, a software agent would be downloaded to the calling party which would inquire whether the call is urgent and, depending upon the response, would provide a text message agent or an e-mail agent, respectively.
US08249573B2 Method and system for software defined power amplifier for multi-band applications
Methods and systems for software definition of a power amplifier for multi-band applications are disclosed and may comprise configuring a single programmable output stage of a transmitter to transmit a signal via one of a plurality of selectively coupled antennas, wherein each antenna handles signals in a different frequency band. A power amplifier within the single programmable output stage may be tuned to a frequency within a range of frequencies handled by the selectively coupled antenna. The tuning may be accomplished by programmably adjusting at least one inductance and capacitance. The antennas may be impedance matched to the power amplifier using transformers and may be activated by at least one integrated transistor. The power amplifier may be biased in a class of operation, which may include Class A, AB, C and F, and may be biased utilizing a digitally-controlled current source and a digitally-controlled voltage source.
US08249571B2 Method and system for mobile call conferencing
A system and method for providing conference calls in a client-server environment is described. In some aspects, conference calling is made possible and efficient for mobile users, including mobile hosts of the conference call who may arrange and set up the conference call easily from a mobile device with the assistance of an application server and/or a call conference server. Also, other mobile users may easily participate in such conference calls from their mobile devices.
US08249570B2 Apparatus, method, and computer-readable medium for interfacing devices with communications networks
An apparatus, method, and computer-readable medium for interfacing devices with communications networks are provided. According to one aspect, an interface device for providing communications between a first communications network and a device associated with a second communications network comprises one or more inputs, one or more outputs, and logic. The one or more inputs of the interface device receive data in a first format from the first communications network. The logic translates the data to a second format compatible with the second communications device. The translated data is then transmitted to the device associated with the second communications network via the one or more outputs. The first and second formats may comprise rich media content.
US08249569B1 Using local codecs
In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes evaluating local codecs of a cellular telephone. The method further includes playing a content file with a media player on the cellular telephone. The method also includes accessing encoded media referred to by the content file in a format determined based on local codecs of the cellular telephone.
US08249566B2 System and method for profile filtered messaging
Embodiments of the present invention include improved communication system and methods. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a wireless communication method comprising, on a first wireless device, receiving one or more wireless device identifications associated with one or more other wireless devices, and transmitting at least one of the one or more wireless device identifications from the first wireless device to a remote computer system, and on the remote computer system, receiving the at least one wireless device identification, and accessing information associated with the at least one wireless device identification. Embodiments of the present invention may be used for electronic dating, social networking and other communication applications.
US08249561B2 System and method for sharing a SIP communication service identifier
A method for providing a user agent (UA) with service identification data. The method includes an application server (AS) transmitting Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) data. The SIP data comprises an identifier of the AS and a service identifier for at least one service supported by the AS. The method further includes the UA receiving the SIP data.
US08249560B2 Sending method, receiving method, and system for email transfer by short message
A system and method are used for sending and receiving email. The system includes a gateway. The gateway communicates with the mobile phone via a wireless network capable of receiving a short message sent from a mobile phone. The gateway is connected to a mail server which has a plurality of mailboxes via a network. The gateway is capable of communicating between the mobile phone and the mail server in such a manner that the gateway converts the short message to an email, and sends the email to a receiver's mailbox in the mail server whose address is included in the short message, and the gateway converts the emails of the mailboxes of the mail server to short messages, and sends the short messages to the corresponding mobile phones.
US08249559B1 Promotion operable recognition system
Embodiments describe a recognition system that works in conjunction with a subscriber's cellular phone and the network serving the subscriber. According to an embodiment, a subscriber can use a cellular phone to receive and capture data signals, from, for example, an audio output. The captured data signals can be transmitted to a remote network element that receives and translates the captured data and performs a plurality of functions. A promotion can be selectively tailored to a user based in part on the user location.
US08249558B2 Securing a mobile computing device
In general, this disclosure describes techniques for unlocking certain functionality of a mobile computing device upon wirelessly detecting that an external device is in relatively close proximity to the mobile computing device. One example method comprises: providing a phone application and a second, different application; initiating a first mode of operation when the mobile computing device becomes locked; prohibiting user access to the second application during the first mode of operation when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect a presence of an external device; and initiating a second mode of operation when the mobile computing device wirelessly detects the presence of the external device and when the mobile computing device has received user input specifying an access password, wherein the mobile computing device allows complete user access to both the phone application and the second application during the second mode of operation.
US08249555B2 Method for performing initial ranging in wireless communication system
A method of enabling a mobile station to perform initialization to a base station in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes synchronizing with the base station, obtaining an uplink parameter based on the synchronization, performing initial ranging by using the uplink parameter and establishing security association between the mobile station and the base station while performing the initial ranging. During the initial ranging, a mobile station's unique identifier or control signaling can securely be transmitted.
US08249547B1 Emergency alert device with mobile phone
A wearable emergency alert device includes a wearable member and a separately encased mobile phone member that is selectively attachable to the wearable member. The wearable member includes an attachment member for attaching the wearable member to a body part of the user, a first transmitter for sending a first signal to the mobile phone member, a power source for the first transmitter and a first actuator operable by a user for actuating the first transmitter to send a signal to the mobile phone member. The mobile phone member includes a mobile phone transceiver for establishing a first communication link between the mobile phone transceiver and the first transmitter; and the second communication link between the mobile phone transceiver and a remote receiver for transmitting and receiving at least one of data, voice and messages between the mobile phone transceiver and a remote receiver. A mounting member is provided for selectively removably mounting the mobile phone member to the wearable member, and permitting the mobile phone member to engage the first actuator to actuate an emergency signal.
US08249541B2 Subharmonically pumped mixer
The present invention relates to a sub-harmonically pumped conversion mixer arrangement that includes a transistor arrangement and transistor terminals for application of a local oscillator, LO-, signal and application of a radio frequency, RF-, signal and for extraction of a mixed intermediate frequency, IF-, signal. The transistor arrangement includes at least one NMOS transistor and at least one PMOS transistor. The drain of the at least one NMOS transistor is interconnected with the drain of the at least one PMOS transistor, and in that the gate of the at least one PMOS transistor is interconnected with the gate of the at least one NMOS transistor.
US08249538B2 Offset direct conversion receiver
An offset direct conversion receiver apparatus and corresponding receiving method are provided. A received wireless signal is directly downconverted and demodulated to a baseband offset frequency that is offset from zero frequency to produce an in-phase (I) baseband offset signal centered at the baseband offset frequency and a quadrature-phase (Q) baseband offset signal centered at the baseband offset frequency. The I baseband offset signal and Q baseband offset signal are bandpass filtered to produce an I bandpass signal and a Q bandpass signal, respectively. The I bandpass signal and the Q bandpass signal are downconverted from the baseband offset frequency to zero frequency to produce an I baseband receive signal and a Q baseband receive signal. A technique and logic are also provided to select the best baseband offset frequency used in an offset direct conversion receiver.
US08249537B2 Noise cancellation circuit for a mixer device and related mixer device
A noise cancellation circuit for a mixer device includes a first signal terminal, coupled to a first output terminal, and a second signal terminal, coupled to a second output terminal of the RF input stage of the mixer device, a first variable current source with a first end coupled to the first signal terminal, a second end coupled to the second signal terminal, and a third end coupled to a first voltage source, a second variable current source with a first end coupled to the second signal terminal, a second end coupled to the first signal terminal, and a third end coupled to the first voltage source, and a phase shift device coupled to the first signal terminal and the second end of the second variable current source, transforming a first signal into a second signal, and outputting to the second end of the second variable current source.
US08249536B2 Apparatus and method for removing transmission leakage signal
An apparatus and method for removing a transmission leakage signal are provided. The apparatus includes: a directional coupler connecting an antenna to a transmission path and a reception path; and a reflection coefficient adjustment unit outputting a reflection signal to the reception path, the reflection signal having the same amplitude as and opposite phase to a first transmission leakage signal generated from the transmission path and input to the reception path and a second transmission leakage signal reflected by the antenna and input to the reception path.
US08249533B2 Rapidly adjustable local oscillation module and applications thereof
A rapidly adjustable local oscillation (LO) module for use in a radio transmitter or a radio receiver includes an oscillation generating module and a high frequency switching module. The oscillation generating module is operably coupled to generate a plurality of local oscillations. The high frequency switching module is operably coupled to, for a first one of a plurality of transmission paths, provide one of the plurality of local oscillations when a first transmission path selection indication is in a first state and provide another one of the plurality of local oscillations when the first transmission path selection indication is in a second state and, for a second one of the plurality of transmission paths, provide the one of the plurality of local oscillations when a second transmission path selection indication is in a first state and provide the another one of the plurality of local oscillations when the second transmission path selection indication is in a second state.
US08249526B2 System and method for sending a safety monitor report using a mobile device
A safety monitoring system and method sets a preset acceleration and a preset gravity gradient of a mobile device, and a preset contact. If an obtained acceleration and a gravity gradient of the mobile device are greater than preset values, the system and method obtains positional data of the mobile device using a global positioning system (GPS) unit of the mobile device. The system and method further packs the positional data into short message service/multimedia message service (SMS/MMS) message, searches for the preset contact in the mobile device, and sends a safety monitor report to the preset contact by the SMS/MMS message.
US08249524B2 Transmit and receive performance of a near field communication device that uses a single antenna
A near field communication (NFC) transceiver contains a transmitter portion to generate a transmit wireless signal, and a receiver portion to receive and process a receive wireless signal. The circuit further contains a shunt capacitor, a switch, and an antenna interface to couple the transmitter portion and the receiver portion to an antenna designed to communicate with external antennas by inductive coupling. The switch couples the shunt capacitor in parallel with the antenna in one operational mode, and decouples the shunt capacitor from the antenna in another operational mode. Transmit and receive performance of the NFC transceiver are enhanced as a result.
US08249523B2 Method and system for a multi-port distributed antenna
Methods and systems for a multi-port distributed antenna are disclosed and may include configuring one or more amplifiers to communicate signals via one or more ports on a distributed antenna. A characteristic impedance of the distributed antenna at each of the one or more ports may be configured by a location of the one or more ports on the distributed antenna. The amplifiers may be impedance matched to the distributed antenna by coupling each of the amplifiers to the ports based on the characteristic impedance. The amplifiers may include power amplifiers and/or low noise amplifiers. The signals may be time division duplexed. The signals communicated via the ports on the distributed antenna may include RF signals. The distributed antenna may be integrated on a chip with the amplifiers or may be located external to a chip with the amplifiers. The distributed antenna may include a microstrip antenna.
US08249522B2 Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving control message in wireless communication system
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving a control message in a wireless communication system that is designed to reduce overhead associated with transmission/reception of the control message. To this end, a transmission apparatus generates a control message, generates a compressed control message by compressing the generated control message, based on a control message that has been lastly received by a reception apparatus from among previously transmitted control messages, selects one of the generated control message and the generated compressed control message according to whether or not the control message lastly received by the reception apparatus exists, and transmits the selected one of the generated control message and the generated compressed control message to the reception apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to reduce resources used for control message transmission, and thus increase the use efficiency of the resources.
US08249514B2 Radio communication method, device and system for equalizing a signal
A base station 20 monitors change of a parameter for an adaptive array antenna, the parameter being used to control a directivity of a beam to be transmitted to a mobile terminal device 30. As a result, when detecting that a value indicating the change has fallen below a predetermined value, the base station 20 suppresses control of the directivity of a transmission signal. Moreover, the base station 20 transmits decrease information to the mobile terminal device 30, the decrease information indicating that the value indicating the change has fallen below the predetermined value. Upon receipt of the decrease information transmitted from the base station 20, the mobile terminal device 30 equalizes a signal to be transmitted to the base station 20 on the basis of a delay status of a reception signal received from the base station 20, and then transmits the equalized signal to the base station 20.
US08249512B2 Assessing interference environment for wireless communication devices
Disclosed is a device and method to automate the process of measuring RF noise, correlating measured noise with known sources, and making adjustments to the noise-measuring and reporting process. A wireless communication device is coupled to equipment at a fixed location, and transmits data about the operation of the equipment back to an operator, via a provider's network. Examples include fixed wireless terminals. A management entity aboard the wireless communication device performs the measurements via a transceiver, and performs remedial actions when required, without requiring an onsite technician or remote assistance. The management entity may include a spectrum analyzer.
US08249508B2 Frequency separation for multiple bluetooth devices residing on a single platform
A single host device, comprising a plurality of wireless devices, estimates bandwidth requirements such as maximum rates and/or an average data rate expected by each of a plurality of applications to be run on the single host. For each wireless device, available frequencies utilized are determined based on the estimated bandwidth requirements. Each of the plurality of applications is allocated to corresponding one or more wireless devices based on the determined available frequencies so as to, for example, concurrently run corresponding applications on the single host. The determined available frequencies are assigned to corresponding wireless devices based on the estimated bandwidth requirements. The determined available frequencies and the plurality of applications may be reassigned and reallocated, respectively. Each of plurality of applications is allocated to the corresponding one or more wireless devices based on the assigned/reassigned available frequencies and/or the estimated bandwidth requirements.
US08249504B2 Setting parameters in a communication device for network connection
In a communication control method for wireless communication between a first communication device and a second communication device through a wireless communication unit, identification information is notified from the second communication device to the first communication device by using a communication unit other than the wireless communication unit. Wireless communication between the first and second communication devices is performed by the wireless communication unit using the first communication parameter shared in advance, and authentication processing based on identification information is performed. When authentication is acquired by this authentication processing, the second communication parameter to be set with respect to a wireless communication unit is shared by the first and second communication devices through the above wireless communication. Parameters for wireless communication between the first and second communication devices are set in the wireless communication unit by using the second communication parameter shared in this manner.
US08249502B2 Radio-frequency communication device, system and method
The invention relates to a radio-frequency communication device comprising an inductive antenna in order to communicate with a transponder. According to the invention, the antenna is capable of establishing weak coupling with a transmitter which produces a magnetic field which is substantially homogeneous on the scale of the antenna and is also capable of establishing strong inductive coupling with a transponder located in the vicinity of the device, with the device comprising a transponder interrogation circuit comprising means of sampling and processing the signal on the antenna terminals which are capable of producing a reference signal as a function of said signal; modulation means capable of modulating the reference signal; and application means capable of applying the modulated signal to the antenna terminals.
US08249501B2 Self-detecting electronic connection for electronic devices
According to one embodiment, an apparatus has first and second connectors configured for removably connecting to one another. The first connector circuit has a first differential amplifier, a first differential signal path, a first capacitor section capacitively coupling the first differential amplifier to the first differential signal path, and a first DC biasing circuit for imparting a first DC bias to the first differential signal path opposite the first capacitor section. The second connector circuit has a second differential amplifier, a second differential signal path, a second capacitor section capacitively coupling the second differential amplifier to the second differential signal path, and a second DC biasing circuit for imparting a second DC bias to the second differential signal path opposite the second capacitor section having a different magnitude than the first DC bias when the first and second connector are not connected. One or both of the first and second connector circuits is configured for detecting a change in the first or second DC bias and outputting a connection status signal in response to the detected change.
US08249489B2 Developing unit and image forming device
A developing unit includes a developing roller which rotates about a rotational axis to supply toner to a photoreceptor, and a magnetic roller which forms a magnetic brush with a two-component developing agent having carrier and the toner and thereby forms a toner layer on the developing roller, the developing roller including: a cylindrical core portion which includes an electric conductor; a first resistive layer which covers a cylindrical surface of the core portion; a second resistive layer which covers the first resistive layer, and has electric-resistivity lower than that of the first resistive layer; and a current leakage control member which prevents leakage of electric current from the core portion toward the second resistive layer through an end of the developing roller along a direction of the rotational axis.
US08249487B2 Electron emitting element, electron emitting device, charging device, image forming apparatus, electron-beam curing device, light emitting device, image display device, air blowing device, and cooling device
According to an electron emitting element of the present invention, an electron acceleration layer sandwiched between an electrode substrate and a thin-film electrode contains (i) insulating fine particles and (ii) at least one of (a) conductive fine particles having an average particle diameter smaller than an average particle diameter of the insulating fine particles and (b) a basic dispersant. The electron acceleration layer has a surface roughness of 0.2 μm or less in centerline average roughness (Ra). The thin-film electrode has a film thickness of 100 nm or less. As such, according to the electron emitting element of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the thin-film electrode to an appropriate thickness. Accordingly, it is possible to increase electron emission.
US08249486B2 Fixing unit, roller replacement auxiliary tool of fixing unit, and image forming apparatus
Disclosed is a fixing unit that includes a heating roller; a pressure roller capable of being brought into press-contact with the heating roller, one of the heating roller and the pressure roller being capable of being extracted along a shaft direction of the roller; and an assist-unit linkage part to which an assist unit for assisting an extraction of the roller is detachably linked and which is provided at a tip end part in an extracting direction of the roller.
US08249485B2 Process cartridge with portions to be supported and regulated during insertion of the cartridge into an electrophotographic image forming apparatus
A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the apparatus includes a supporting member, a movable member for moving the supporting member in a horizontal direction and upward and downward directions, an operating member for moving the movable member, and a regulating portion, the process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process means actable on the drum; a portion to be supported for being supported by the supporting member when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus; and a portion-to-be-regulated for being regulated by being contacted by the regulating portion to regulate movement of the process cartridge in the horizontal direction, when the supporting member is moved, by movement of the movable member by operation of the operating member and in the horizontal direction and the upward direction while supporting the process cartridge, wherein when the supporting member is moved in the horizontal direction and upward direction while supporting the process cartridge, the portion-to-be-supported slides on the supporting member, and the portion-to-be-regulated slides on the regulating portion.
US08249478B2 Fusing unit to fuse developing agent on a print medium, image forming apparatus, and method of controlling the same
Disclosed are a fusing unit, an image forming apparatus employing the fusing unit and a method of controlling the same. The fusing unit disclosed herein includes a heating belt having a non-conductive outer surface and a pressing roller that allows a print medium to be in pressing contact with the outer surface of the heating belt. A negative voltage or a positive voltage is selectively applied to the pressing roller based on the presence of a print medium between the pressing roller and the heating belt.
US08249477B2 Method of detecting position of toner pattern, optical sensor, and image forming apparatus
A light-emitting unit includes M (M≧3) number of light-emitting elements. A light-receiving unit includes N (N≧3) number of light-receiving elements that receive a reflected light from at least one of a supporting member and a toner pattern. The toner pattern is formed on a surface of the supporting member. A detection light is emitted onto the supporting member from the light-emitting unit. A reflected light reflected from at least one of the supporting member and the toner pattern is received by the light-receiving unit. A position of the toner pattern on the supporting member is detected based on outputs of the light-receiving elements.
US08249476B2 Image forming apparatus and method of controlling image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus has a charging unit which charges an image carrier by applying a voltage to a charging member arranged to be in contact with the image carrier. The image forming apparatus includes an alternating voltage applying unit which generates an alternating voltage, a first voltage detection unit which detects a positive peak voltage of the alternating voltage, a second voltage detection unit which detects a negative peak voltage of the alternating voltage, a voltage amplitude determination unit which determines an amplitude value of the alternating voltage based on the positive peak voltage detected, and an alternating voltage control unit which outputs a signal which changes an output from the alternating voltage applying unit.
US08249470B2 Powder material recovery container, and powder material recovery device and image forming device using powder material recovery container
A powder material recovery container includes: a container main body that accommodates a powder material; a conveying member that is arranged with a part existing at least in an intermediate position of a dropping movement of the powder material and rotates to convey it, the conveying member having a conveying part that conveys the powder material around a central line of rotation; and a moving passage surface arranged in a lower part of the part existing at least in the intermediate position, and opposed to one part of the conveying member and move it by a conveying force, wherein the moving passage surface has upper end parts of side surfaces opposed to each other with respect to the central line that are formed with relatively different heights, and the relatively lower upper end part is formed with height not higher than a height of the central line.
US08249468B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes at least one image carrier and a recording medium conveyor forming a transfer nip therebetween, a conveyance member disposed closest to the transfer nip on an upstream side of the transfer nip to convey the recording medium to the transfer nip, and a conveyance control mechanism to deactivate the conveyance member to stop providing a conveyance force to the recording medium after the leading edge of the recording medium has entered the transfer nip and before the trailing edge of the recording medium passes a point of force application and remaining in the inactive state until the recording medium passes the point of force application. The conveyance force remains unapplied to the recording medium from when the conveyance control mechanism deactivates the conveyance member to when the trailing edge of the recording medium passes the transfer nip.
US08249466B2 Polarization multiplexing optical receiver and polarization multiplexing optical transmission system
A polarization multiplexing optical receiver includes a polarization controller configured to control a polarization state of a polarization multiplexed optical signal; a polarization splitter configured to split the polarization multiplexed optical signal for which the polarization state is controlled by the polarization controller into a first polarization signal and a second polarization signal; a first detector configured to detect an optical power of the first polarization signal and output a first optical power signal representing the optical power of the first polarization signal; a second detector configured to detect an optical power of the second polarization signal and output a second optical power signal representing the optical power of the second polarization signal; and a controller configured to control the polarization controller on the basis of the first optical power signal and the second optical power signal.
US08249458B2 Optical communication system and method for operating the same
An optical communication system has a master station and a plurality of slave stations connected thereto via an optical fiber network, which is provided with an optical splitter and a relay unit which relays signals transmitted/received between the master station and the plurality of slave stations. The master station includes a first controller for performing ranging between the master station and the relay unit, and the relay unit includes a second controller for performing ranging between the relay unit and the plurality of slave stations. The master station determines, on the basis of the results of ranging performed by the first and second controllers as well as reports from the slave stations, timings for the slave stations to transmit signals to the master station, and receives signals multiplexed through the optical fiber network from the slave stations.
US08249455B2 Passive optical network system and ranging method
In a WDM-PON system wherein a plurality of ONUs transfer signals by sharing wavelengths, one wavelength dedicated to a ranging procedure is set, and the ranging is performed with only the dedicated wavelength, so as to measure reciprocating delay times. At the other wavelengths, transmission signals from a plurality of ONUs are transferred in time division multiplexing based on the obtained reciprocating delay times. An OLT includes a burst receiver circuit for only the wavelength dedicated to the ranging, and subsequently to the ranging, the OLT adjusts transmission amplitudes and transmission phases for the ONUs, so as to equalize received amplitudes and received phases in the OLT. For this purpose, the OLT includes means for measuring the amplitudes and phases of received signals, as the burst receiver circuit, and it includes a table for managing the received amplitudes and received phases of the respective ONUs.
US08249451B2 Methods for characterizing optical switches and multiplexers/demultiplexers
A network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising creating a port restriction matrix comprising a plurality of port restrictions, and compressing the port restriction matrix. Included is a method comprising establishing a port wavelength restriction data for an optical component, establishing a port connectivity data for the optical component, and transmitting the port wavelength restriction data and the port connectivity data to a path computation element. Also included is an apparatus comprising a path computation client configured to communicate data to a path computation element, wherein the data comprises a port restriction data.
US08249448B2 System and method of blocking an electrical signal transmission
A communication device comprises a port via which the communication device is operable to communicate over a communication channel; command hardware operable to output a controlled signal over the communication channel; monitor hardware operable to monitor the controlled signal and output a controlling signal to block propagation of the controlled signal if a fault is identified in the controlled signal; and signal blocking circuitry coupled to a transmission path of the controlled signal and to a transmission path of the controlling signal; wherein, when the controlled signal is to be blocked, the signal blocking circuitry applies the controlling signal to the controlled signal such that a receiver at one end of the transmission path of the controlled signal identifies the controlled signal as a faulty signal; and wherein, when the controlled signal is not being blocked, the controlled signal is unimpeded by the signal blocking circuitry.
US08249444B2 Covert camera with a fixed lens
A covert camera for surveillance in an aircraft comprises a front panel that can have an appearance other than a conventional camera. The front panel can include at least one aperture therethrough. A lens can be in or near the aperture, the lens having a field of view. A camera mount can be positioned on the front panel. The camera mount can include a sensor capable of receiving an image of at least a portion of the field of view. The camera mount can be capable of adjustment without movement of the lens.
US08249442B2 Flash unit and imaging apparatus
A flash unit includes a flash device operable to emit flash, a storage member operable to store the flash device, a cover with which the storage member is covered from above, and to which the flash device is attached, a first link member that is turnably connected to the storage member at one end and turnably connected to the cover at another end, and a retaining member. The first link member is stored in the storage member in a lying state when the flash device is not used, and the first link member is adapted to turn about a connection portion of the first link member and the storage member to take a raised up state in which a connection portion of the first link member and the cover is located above the connection portion of the first link member with the storage member when the flash device is used, the cover can turn about the connection portion with the first link member to take the raised up state in which the flash device is raised higher than the connection portion with the first link member, and the retaining member retains the first link member in the raised up state.
US08249433B2 Data multiplexing apparatus
A data multiplexing apparatus for arranging video streams and audio streams respectively into packs and multiplexing these packs to create a system stream. The apparatus includes a virtual decoding video buffer occupancy calculator virtually calculating an occupancy of a decoding video buffer temporarily storing the video streams, a virtual decoding audio buffer occupancy calculator virtually calculating an occupancy of a decoding audio buffer temporarily storing the audio streams, a virtual decoding audio buffer storing a calculation result in the virtual decoding audio buffer occupancy calculator, and a payload length setting section setting an overflow limit value for the virtual decoding audio buffer. The payload length setting section sets the overflow limit value to a value of an integral multiple of an audio frame length.
US08249432B2 Video and audio playback apparatus and video and audio playback method
A video and audio playback apparatus which generate a video and an audio at high-speed in accordance with the respective characteristics is provided. The apparatus plays back a video/audio data having a first video data encoded by an intra-frame encoding, a second video data encoded by an inter-frame prediction encoding and an audio data corresponding to the video frame of the first video data or the second video frame. The apparatus includes a deciding unit to determine a first rate, a second rate and a number of times; a first extraction unit to extract the first video data from the video/audio data at the first rate; a second extraction unit to extract the audio data from the video/audio data at the second rate; a playback unit to play back the first video data the number of times; and an audio playback unit to play back the audio data.
US08249429B2 Digital broadcasting receiving system, digital broadcasting receiver, and mobile communication device
When the number of requests for recording is more than the number of tuners by the extension of a broadcast time period of a program that has been timer-recorded as a reserved program, recording instruction information relating to the reserved program that is extended is transmitted to a mobile communication device from an information transmitter in a digital broadcasting receiver. In this case, the recording of the reserved program that is extended is started in the mobile communication device, and another reserved program is recorded by a program recorder in the digital broadcasting receiver. Further, when the number of requests for recording is more than the number of tuners by timer-recording other program or programs within the broadcast time period of the reserved program, recording instruction information relating to the one reserved program is transmitted to the mobile communication device from an information transmitter in the digital broadcasting receiver. In this case, the recording of the one reserved program is started in the mobile communication device, and the other reserved program is recorded by a program recorder in the digital broadcasting receiver.
US08249425B2 Method and apparatus for controlling image display
When an image is displayed on a material administration browser, a story board window and a time line window based on material data, the editing image display is controlled to display items of the material data that is combined with the frame rate information as the associated information and not combined with the frame rate information as the associated information with the items of the material data being distinguished from each other. When the material data is combined with the frame rate information as the associated information, a speed range available for reproduction of said material data is displayed based on the frame rate information. A console indication in variable speeds for indicating a reproduction speed or for altering the reproduction speed within the speed range available for reproduction is provided. Thus, reproduced image may be displayed on material image representation at set reproduction speed.
US08249422B2 Content usage system, content usage method, recording and playback device, content delivery method, and content delivery program
A content usage system includes a recording and playback device and a portable electronic device mutually connected via a network. When the recording and playback device receives a certain command while outputting digital content, that content is converted into transfer content suitable for use with the portable electronic device, and then stored with metadata indicating that the content is transfer content. Using the metadata, the recording and playback device is able to generate and transmit a list of transfer content upon request from the portable electronic device. Using the list, the user of the portable electronic device then selects desired transfer content from the list and sends a transfer content request. In response, the recording and playback device transmits the selected transfer content to the portable electronic device, thereby making the content available for use on the portable electronic device.
US08249419B2 Method for generating additional information for guaranteeing seamless playback between data streams, recording medium storing the information, and recording, editing and/or playback apparatus using the same
A method for generating additional information for guaranteeing seamless playback of data streams, a recording medium for storing the information, and recording, editing and/or playback apparatus using the same are provided. The method generates additional information for guaranteeing seamless playback. The method includes a step of generating data stream information for each of two or more data streams, which includes packet data to which information on an arrival time of the respective packet data is added. The data stream information includes seamless playback information, which indicates whether a corresponding data stream is to be seamlessly reproduced after playback of a preceding data stream, and/or seamless time control information for controlling an output time of the corresponding data stream to be seamlessly reproduced. Therefore, data streams can be seamlessly reproduced without interruption between the data streams, by using data stream information which includes seamless information and/or seamless time control information including reference time, an offset value and/or a gap length value. Especially, by using the information structure, even if data streams are edited, the data streams can be seamlessly reproduced in such a simple manner of just modifying data stream information, instead of directly rewriting or modifying arrival time information which is added to packet data.
US08249417B2 Recording medium capable of interactive reproducing and reproduction system for the same
On an optical disk, video object sets (VTST_VOBS) to be reproduced and video title set information (VTSI) serving as management information on the video object sets have been stored. In each video object set (VTST_VOBS), many data cells, each containing video, audio, and sub-picture data, are arranged. Management information on programs chains, which are combinations of programs to be reproduced one after another, has been written in a video title set PGC table (VTS_PGCIT). By referring to the program chain table (VTS_PGCIT) according to the user's input, the playback order of program chains can be changed, enabling the program chains to be reproduced one after another in various modes.
US08249413B1 Video recording failover
A video recording system includes a first Network Video Recorder (NVR) that receives a video delivered via a video packet stream and records the video to a first long-term storage. A second NVR receives the same video and temporarily stores it in temporary storage. When a failure of the first NVR is detected at a first point, the second NVR starts recording the video to long-term storage. The temporarily stored video is used by the second NVR to fill in the gap in recorded video in long-term storage that occurred between the failure of the first NVR and the start of the second NVR recording the video to long-term storage.
US08249412B2 Wedge deadend to support optical ground wire
A wedge deadend used to secure a cable is disclosed. The wedge deadend includes a single assembled frame comprising two plates. Two wedges between the plates grip a cable between them. A cam/bail retainer is included to align the wedges precisely.
US08249410B2 Connector housing for a communication network
A connector housing for use with a communication network and management system thereof includes a housing having a plurality of berths each configured to receive an optical connector adapter unit. A housing electrical connector is associated with each berth and faces the front of the housing to engage an adapter unit electrical connector as the adapter unit is inserted into the berth. Guide elements guide and align the housing electrical connectors with the adapter unit connectors as the adapter units are inserted into the berth to allow blind mating of the housing electrical connectors and the adapter unit connectors. Electrical contacts from at least two housing electrical connectors are consolidated into a cable connector positioned adjacent the back of the housing.
US08249409B2 Light extraction film with nanoparticle coatings
A multifunctional optical film for enhancing light extraction includes a flexible substrate, a structured layer having nanoparticles of different sizes, and a backfill layer. The structured layer effectively uses microreplicated diffractive or scattering nanostructures located near enough to the light generation region to enable extraction of an evanescent wave from an organic light emitting diode (OLED) device. The backfill layer has a material having an index of refraction different from the index of refraction of the structured layer. The backfill layer also provides a planarizing layer over the structured layer in order to conform the light extraction film to a layer of an OLED display device. The film may have additional layers added to or incorporated within it to an emissive surface in order to effect additional functionalities beyond improvement of light extraction efficiency.
US08249407B2 Optical fiber and optical cable
An optical fiber that has a small bending loss can be securely prevented from being fractured due to accidental bending during installation or other operations, and is compliant with the G. 652 standard. The optical fiber includes a core, a first cladding, a second cladding and a third cladding. The relative refractive index difference Δ1 of the core is in the range of 0.3% to 0.38%, the relative refractive index difference Δ2 of the first cladding is equal to or smaller than 0%, and the relative refractive index difference Δ3 of the second cladding is in the range of −1.8% to −0.5%. The inner radius r2 and the outer radius r3 of the second cladding satisfy the expression “0.4r2+10.5
US08249403B2 Optical wiring board and manufacturing method thereof
An optical wiring board and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the method includes providing a flexible optical waveguide layer, selectively forming a reinforcing clad on one surface of the optical waveguide layer and forming a mirror groove on the other surface of the optical waveguide layer in accordance with where the reinforcing clad is formed. Thus, the clad can be formed thick only on the place where the mirror groove is to be formed, and thus a flexible optical wiring board having flexibility can be manufactured even though the optical wiring board is generally made thin.
US08249401B2 Surface state gain
A gain medium may be arranged to provide energy to a surface state.
US08249396B2 System and methods for handling financial document returns and processing exceptions
A system and methods for handling financial document returns and processing exceptions are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention provide a returns and exceptions platform to image-enable check returns and exceptions within a financial institution. This capability can be in part enabled by a system that provides both for decisioning based on images, and dispatching or exporting images and data in a plurality of formats from the system into which they are first loaded, so that paper items need not be referenced again. The plurality of formats for export can include X9.37i files, external and internal cash letters, and image replacement documents. The image-based processes of the invention can be implemented by a plurality of application servers and a plurality of database servers interconnected by a network.
US08249395B2 System, method, and computer program product for picture resizing
System, method, and computer program product to adaptively blend the interpolation results from an 8-tap Lanczos filter and the interpolation results from a bilinear filter, according to the local transitions of the input content. Artifacts may occur, which may be identified as such and corrected. Pixels that represent artifacts in the blended image may be replaced with the pixel for that location taken from the bilinear interpolation.
US08249384B2 Method and system for removing date and time stamp of digital image in imaging device
A method for removing date/time of a digital image file having a predefined date/time stamp location in an imaging device, wherein the image data of the digital image, and a position coordinates of the predefined date/time stamp location, are stored in the digital image file. The method includes: selecting the digital image having the predefined date/time stamp location; obtaining and saving the image data and the position coordinates of the predefined date/time stamp location from the digital image file; and applying the original date/time stamp according to the position coordinates of the predefined date/time stamp location.
US08249382B2 Image-capturing apparatus, image processing method and program product
An image-capturing apparatus includes an image-acquiring unit which acquires an image that is captured by photographing a photographic subject which is laid on an arbitrary place, a difference image producing unit which produces a difference image between the captured image that is acquired by the image-acquiring unit and an image which is captured before the photographic subject is laid, a contour extraction unit which extracts contour information of the photographic subject from the difference image that is produced by the difference image producing unit, and an image conversion unit which corrects a distortion of the captured image on the basis of the contour information that is extracted by the contour extraction unit.
US08249381B2 Image based correction for unwanted light signals in a specific region of interest
A method for correcting the signal in an image having a plurality of regions of interest, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an image having a plurality of regions of interest, these regions of interest having areas between them; (b) determining a region of correction between at least two regions of interest; (c) calculating a correction signal from the region of correction; and (d) using the correction signal to correct a measured signal from one or more regions of interest. This invention also provides a method for defining a region of correction for use in a method for correcting the signal in an image having a plurality of regions of interest, the defining method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an image having a plurality of regions of interest; (b) extracting geometric information for a plurality of regions of interest; (c) selecting a location between at least two regions of interest; (d) selecting at least one parameter to describe regions of correction; and (e) constructing regions of correction between the at least two regions of interest.
US08249378B2 Image recognition apparatus and image recognition method
An image recognition apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention has a measurement unit measuring a blur level of an image, a comparison unit comparing the blur level measured in the measurement unit with a threshold, an image processing unit applying to the image a blurring filter which increases the blur level when the blur level measured in the measurement unit is smaller than the threshold, and applying to the image a deblurring filter which decreases the blur level when the blur level measured in the measurement unit is larger than the threshold, and a recognition unit recognizing the image from features of the image processed in the image processing unit.
US08249375B2 Information processing apparatus and method
An information processing apparatus includes a device for performing horizontal analysis filtering, a device for performing vertical analysis filtering, and a device for horizontal control. The information processing apparatus also includes a first control device. This device allows the device for horizontal control to repetitively perform the horizontal control until the horizontal analysis filtering is performed on all of columns of a processing object line. The information processing apparatus further includes a device for vertical control and a second control device that allows the device for vertical control to repetitively perform the vertical control until the vertical analysis filtering is performed on all of lines.
US08249374B2 Systems and methods for adaptive multiresolution signal analysis with compact cupolets
Systems and methods for signal analysis using orbits of a chaotic system are provided. For example, a multiresolution analysis may be constructed and cupolets may be used to approximate arbitrary signals and compress images. Cupolets may be phase transformed to produce compact cupolets that are well-suited for producing sharp changes in signals, or to produce compact cupolets that are more oscillatory and have less or no sharp global maximum amplitudes. Alternatively, cupolets may be phase transformed to allow for optimal or near optimal adjustment to fit a signal.
US08249373B2 Image data decoding apparatus and method for decoding image data
An image decoding apparatus includes a memory, a detecting part which receives data of a plurality of macroblocks included in an image and detects whether or not a first macroblock included in the plurality of macroblocks has an intra-block, and a control part which writes a DCT coefficient of the first macroblock into the memory when the detecting part determines that the first macroblock has the intra-block, and does not write the DCT coefficient of the first macroblock into the memory when the detecting part determines that the first macroblock has no intra-block.
US08249372B2 Methods and devices for coding and decoding multidimensional digital signals
In order to code a multidimensional digital picture signal by decomposition into frequency sub-bands, wherein the decomposition into frequency sub-bands uses a filtering according to a plurality of geometric orientations: a picture at a resolution lower than the resolution of the digital picture signal is obtained; the edges of the picture at the lower resolution are located; and orientation values are attributed to the data of the digital picture signal as a function of the result of the edge location step.
US08249371B2 Selective predictor and selective predictive encoding for two-dimensional geometry compression
A selective predictor utilizes a selective prediction method for coordinate data encoding. The selective predictor may calculate multiple prediction vectors for each vertex in the shape traversal order. Then, the selective predictor selects the vector that is closest to the vertex to be estimated. In determining the multiple prediction vectors, the selective predictor considers the position of several previous vertices in the traversal order. The selective predictor outputs a correction vector for the selected prediction vector and identification information indicting the selected prediction vector.
US08249366B2 Multi-label multi-instance learning for image classification
Described is a technology by which an image is classified (e.g., grouped and/or labeled), based on multi-label multi-instance data learning-based classification according to semantic labels and regions. An image is processed in an integrated framework into multi-label multi-instance data, including region and image labels. The framework determines local association data based on each region of an image. Other multi-label multi-instance data is based on relationships between region labels of the image, relationships between image labels of the image, and relationships between the region and image labels. These data are combined to classify the image. Training is also described.
US08249365B1 Methods and apparatus for directional texture generation using sample-based texture synthesis
Methods and apparatus for directional texture generation using flow-guided, sample-based texture synthesis. A texture synthesis directional texture generation method may, for example, be used to design hair or hairstyles. The method may obtain one or more strokes, one or more optional masks, one or more optional user maps, and directional texture samples. A target region and one or more samples may be divided into patches. For each patch in the target region, a matching patch from the samples may be located according to one or more features to generate a similarity map. The patches in the target region may then be replaced with the patches from the samples according to the similarity map. To match sample patches to target region patches based on features such as color and brightness, a procedural directional texture generation method may be used as a pre-processing step.
US08249364B2 Method for resolving contradicting output data from an optical character recognition (OCR) system, wherein the output data comprises more than one recognition alternative for an image of a character
The present invention is related to a method for resolving contradicting output data from an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system providing a conversion of pixelized documents into computer coded text as the output data, wherein the OCR output data comprises at least a first and second character listed as being likely candidates for an exemplar of a same sampled character instance from the pixelized document, by providing steps that identify locations of differences in graphical appearance between the candidate characters, and then using the location information to identify a corresponding locations in the sampled character instance. Based on correlation technique, this location information is used to select the correct candidate character as the identification of the sampled character instance.
US08249363B2 Image comparison system and method
An image comparison method compares a reference image with a test image. Each image includes objects and a background. The method generates a skeleton image of the reference image. The skeleton image of the reference image is compared with the test image so as to determine if the reference image have more objects or objects parts than the test image. Similarly, a skeleton image of the test image is generated. The skeleton image of the test image is compared with the reference image so as to determine if the test image have more objects or objects parts than the reference image.
US08249356B1 Physical page layout analysis via tab-stop detection for optical character recognition
Physical page layout analysis for optical character recognition is performed. A physical page layout analysis method finds constituent parts of an image and gives an initial data-type label, such as text or non-text. Within the text data, connected components are identified and analyzed. Tab-stops are detected from groups of edge-aligned connected components. The detected tab-stops are used to deduce the column layout of the page by finding column partitions. The column layout is then applied to find the polygonal boundaries of and a reading order of regions containing flowing text, headings, and pull-outs.
US08249352B2 Document image processing apparatus, document image processing method and computer readable medium
A document image processing apparatus includes an specifying section, an extracting section, a recognizing section, an interpreting section, an arranging section and a generating section. The specifying section specifies a sentence region including a character row from a document image. The extracting section extracts at least one of character row images included in the specified sentence region. The recognizing section recognizes respective characters included in the extracted character row image. The interpreting section interprets an original sentence character row comprising the recognized characters and generates an interpreted sentence character row. The arranging section arranges the respective character row images in the sentence region by contracting the respective character row images. The arranging section arranges the generated respective interpreted sentence character rows in a vacant region except a region arranging the respective character row images from the sentence region.
US08249351B2 Recording medium for recording logical structure model creation assistance program, logical structure model creation assistance device and logical structure model creation assistance method
A method for assisting in the creation of a logical structure model, which stores, from an image in which character strings associated respectively with a plurality of logical elements constituting a logical structure are described, the logical elements, character strings associated with the logical elements, and the logical structure, wherein character strings in an input image and the logical structure among the character strings in the input image are extracted, a logical element is selected among the plurality of logical elements according to the degrees of similarity between the extracted character strings and the character string associated respectively with the plurality of logical elements stored in the logical structure model, a character string associated with the selected logical element and a character string in the input image associated with the logical element based on the logical structure among the extracted character strings in the input image are extracted.
US08249345B2 Automatic image segmentation using contour propagation
Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for automatic image segmentation using contour propagation. A path metric of a candidate piece of a contour in a cross-sectional image is calculated to generate a three dimensional model using a plurality of cross-sectional images of an object. Data indicative of the cross-sectional image is stored. A cost of each of a plurality of pixels associated with the candidate piece is calculated using the data, wherein the cost is representative of a likelihood the pixel is on the contour and the cost is based on one or more templates. An orientation change value is calculated for each of the plurality of pixels associated with the candidate piece based on an initial pixel of the candidate piece and the pixel. A ratio of pixels is calculated. The path metric of the candidate piece of the contour is stored, the value of the stored path metric being based on the calculated cost, the calculated orientation change value, and the calculated ratio.
US08249342B1 Color analytics for a digital image
In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing an image file depicting an image, in a computer memory, determining intrinsic component information as a function of spatio-spectral information for the image, and calculating analytical information, as a function of the intrinsic component information.
US08249338B2 Device for detecting anomalies in a digital image
The device facilitates the verification of conformity between an anticipated digital image, or reference image, and a digital image actually obtained. The device implements a method that makes it possible to quickly and effectively distinguish the differences between a reference image and an obtained image. The device comprises receiving an input of two images, reference and obtained, and producing as output a single image, resulting from the merging of the two input images in which the portions common to both images are represented in shades of grey, the differences between the first and the second image being represented in green or red depending on whether they belong to the first or the second image.
US08249335B2 Method of making printed material for stereoscopic viewing, and printed material for stereoscopic viewing
Printed material for stereoscopic viewing is fabricated by creating images for the left eye and the right eye IL1 and IR1 for stereoscopic viewing, performing correction processing to remove perspective of images in the IL1 and IR1 at a base surface, creating images for the left eye and the right eye IL2 and IR2, and performing anaglyph processing or the like, based on the IL2 and IR2. An image IL for the left eye is created by rendering a projection of each point of a graphic object onto a base surface BS in a projection direction linking a viewpoint position for the left eye VPL to each point of the graphic object OB, and an IMAGE IR FOR THE RIGHT EYE is created by rendering a projection of each point of the graphic object onto the base surface BS in a projection direction linking a viewpoint position for the right eye VPL to each point of the graphic object OB. Printed material for stereoscopic viewing is fabricated by anaglyph processing or the like, based on the IL and IR.
US08249331B2 Method and system for evaluating an object
A method, system and a computer program product for evaluating a object; the method includes: (i) obtaining an image of an area of the object; wherein the area comprises multiple arrays of repetitive structural elements that are at least partially surrounded by at least one group of non-repetitive regions; wherein non-repetitive regions that belong to a single group of non-repetitive regions are ideally identical to each other; wherein the non-repetitive regions are arranged in a repetitive manner; and (ii) providing an evaluation result in response to a comparison between image information of a first sub-area to image information of a second sub-area that is proximate to the first sub-area; wherein the first sub-area comprises a first array of repetitive structural elements and a first non-repetitive region; wherein the second sub-area comprises a second array of repetitive structural elements and a second non-repetitive region.
US08249329B2 Method and apparatus for detecting and characterizing an object
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for automatic optoelectronic detection and inspection of objects, based on capturing digital images of a two-dimensional field of view in which an object to be detected or inspected may be located, analyzing the images, and making and reporting decisions on the status of the object. Decisions are based on evidence obtained from a plurality of images for which the object is located in the field of view, generally corresponding to a plurality of viewing perspectives. Evidence that an object is located in the field of view is used for detection, and evidence that the object satisfies appropriate inspection criteria is used for inspection. Methods and apparatus are disclosed for capturing and analyzing images at high speed so that multiple viewing perspectives can be obtained for objects in continuous motion.
US08249326B2 Apparatus and methods for automated assessment of tissue pathology
Methods and apparatus for assessing tissue pathology involve computing an index having a value based upon measures of a plurality of morphological features of cell nuclei in the tissue. The methods may be performed completely automatically or semi-automatically. The index value can be predictive of outcome. The index value may be determined by computing discriminant scores for the cell nuclei based upon values of the measures of morphological features and classifying the nuclei into bins based upon the discriminant score values. The index may be based upon proportions of the nuclei classified in different ones of the bins.
US08249323B2 Method for automatic quality control of data in in-vivo images
A method for quality control assessment in single time-point in-vivo imaging data related to imaging of objects, includes acquiring an in-vivo image of the object with imaging apparatus, defining a background image corresponding to an imaged air of the in-vivo image, defining an object image corresponding to the in-vivo image from which the background image has been removed, obtaining the background and object images by atlas-based registration, reflecting an intensity distribution of the background image with a histogram, fitting a noise mathematical model to part of the histogram intensity distribution, deriving background quality characteristics from the noise mathematical model, reflecting an intensity distribution of the object image with a further histogram, fitting a signal mathematical model to the further histogram intensity distribution, deriving object quality characteristics from the signal mathematical model, and automatically deriving signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios of in-vivo imaging data from the object quality and background quality characteristics.
US08249321B2 Image processing apparatus and method for red eye detection
An image processing apparatus includes an organ detecting unit that detects an organ area including an image of an eye in a target image and a red-eye detecting unit that detects a red-eye area including an image of a red eye by using the organ area. The red-eye detecting unit detects the red-eye area in accordance with a first detection process from the organ area and detects the red-eye area in accordance with a second detection process that is different from the first detection process from a remaining area acquired by excluding the organ area from the target image.
US08249320B2 Method, apparatus, and program for measuring sizes of tumor regions
A tumor region is determined within a three dimensional medical image. A long axis and a short axis of the determined tumor region are designated. The lengths of the designated long axis and the designated short axis are measured. The measured lengths of the long axis and the short axis are displayed.
US08249316B2 Component labeling
Disclosed herein are methods, computer systems and computer program products for labeling components. One method includes the step of labeling (130) with a current label all voxels that are internal to a predetermined sub-volume oriented with respect to an unlabeled voxel, and directly connected to the unmarked voxel. The labeling step is repeated for all voxels that are not internal to the predetermined sub-volume, but which are labeled with a current label. The method includes the step of incrementing the current label and may include the step of increasing a window size to a predetermined maximum. The preceding steps are repeated for remaining unlabeled object voxels.
US08249309B2 Image evaluation for reading mode in a reading machine
A portable reading machine detects poor image conditions for performing optical character recognition processing. The portable reading machine receives an image of sufficient resolution to distinguish lines of text but not necessarily of sufficient resolution to distinguish individual characters and processes the image to determine imaging conditions from the image. The reading machine reports imaging conditions to the user.
US08249303B2 Restoration apparatus for weather-degraded image and driver assistance system
In a restoration apparatus, an estimating unit divides a captured original image into a plurality of local pixel blocks, and estimates an luminance level of airlight in each of the plurality of local pixel blocks. A calculating unit directly calculates, from a particle-affected luminance model, a luminance level of each pixel of each of the plurality of local pixel blocks in the original image to thereby generate, based on the luminance level of each pixel of each of the plurality of local pixel blocks, a restored image of the original image. The particle-affected luminance model expresses an intrinsic luminance of a target observed by the image pickup device as a function between the luminance level of airlight and an extinction coefficient. The extinction coefficient represents the concentration of particles in the atmosphere.
US08249301B2 Video object classification
Techniques for classifying one or more objects in at least one video, wherein the at least one video comprises a plurality of frames are provided. One or more objects in the plurality of frames are tracked. A level of deformation is computed for each of the one or more tracked objects in accordance with at least one change in a plurality of histograms of oriented gradients for a corresponding tracked object. Each of the one or more tracked objects is classified in accordance with the computed level of deformation.
US08249296B2 Method and apparatus for automatic visual event detection
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for automatic visual detection of events, for recording images of those events and retrieving them for display and human or automated analysis, and for sending synchronized signals to external equipment when events are detected. An event corresponds to a specific condition, among some time-varying conditions within the field of view of an imaging device, that can be detected by visual means based on capturing and analyzing digital images of a two-dimensional field of view in which the event may occur. Events may correspond to rare, short duration mechanical failures for which obtaining images for analysis is desirable. Events are detected by considering evidence obtained from an analysis of multiple images of the field of view, during which time moving mechanical components can be seen from multiple viewing perspectives.
US08249288B2 Earphone with adjustible plug
An earphone comprises two headphones, a plug assembly and a wire electronically connected to the headphones and the plug assembly. The plug assembly comprises a main pole, a first plug set in one end of the main pole and electronically connected to the wire, a sleeve placed over the first plug, and an adjusting wheel screwed on the main pole. The adjusting wheel is configured for driving the main pole to move when receiving an exterior force, thereby driving the first tube body to extend out of the sleeve or receive into the sleeve.
US08249286B2 Interconnecting earphones
Various embodiments are directed to earphones, earphone assemblies, and methods of using the same. Further, these embodiments provide earphones that can releasably interconnect in a compact configuration that also reduces the likelihood that the earphone wires or cords will become entangled. By way of example, in at least one embodiment, an earphone can comprise a housing including a channel defined therein and a wire stem extending from the housing. The channel may be sized and configured to releasably retain a wire stem portion from another earphone. These and other various embodiments are described herein.
US08249281B2 Condenser microphone
A condenser microphone is disclosed. The condenser microphone includes a substrate having a cavity, a backplate connected to the substrate, a diaphragm facing to the backplate, and an anchor supporting the diaphragm. A first gap is formed between the diaphragm and the backplate. A groove is arranged on the anchor and the diaphragm partially covers the groove. The diaphragm and the groove forms a second gap communicating with the first gap.
US08249279B2 Thermoacoustic device
An apparatus includes an electromagnetic signal device, a medium, and a sound wave generator. The sound wave generator includes a carbon nanotube structure. The electromagnetic signal device transmits an electromagnetic signal to the carbon nanotube structure. The carbon nanotube structure converts the electromagnetic signal into heat. The heat transfers to the medium and causes a thermoacoustic effect.
US08249278B2 Audio signal processing system
In an audio signal processing system, a plurality of audio signal processing apparatuses are previously linked to form a zone, and logically defined as devices belonging to a zone, and further the devices are grouped into a plurality of device groups within the zone. Each of the audio signal processing apparatuses includes a device group table that registers information specifying controls which are performed in respective audio signal processing apparatuses belonging to a device group in case that a group control command is given for collectively controlling the device group, and a master table that registers information specifying controls which are performed in respective device groups included in the zone in case that a zone control command is given for collectively controlling the zone. Both the collective control of the zone and the collective control of the device group are performed.
US08249277B2 Apparatus capable of switching volume adjustment mode automatically and volume adjustment method thereof
A method for automatically switching volume adjustment mode of an electronic device is provided. The method includes: storing a first predetermined volume and a second predetermined volume; when receiving a signal for volume adjustments, judging a current adjustment mode of the electronic device; if the current adjustment mode is the heavy adjustment mode, adjusting the volume with larger increment/decrement; if a value of the volume is larger than or equal to the first predetermined volume, switching to the light adjustment mode automatically; if the adjustment mode is the light adjustment mode, adjusting the volume with smaller increment/decrement; if the volume is less than or equal to the second predetermined volume, switching to the heavy adjustment mode automatically. The present invention also provides an electronic device capable of switching volume adjustment mode automatically.
US08249276B2 Information processor and controller device
A controller device is provided whereby players can experience realistic sounds. The controller device is connected to the main body of an information processing apparatus, wherein the controller device comprises a first speaker for emitting a sound signal in a low frequency range, and a second speaker for emitting a sound signal in a frequency range that is higher in comparison with the first speaker.
US08249275B1 Modulated gain audio control and zipper noise suppression techniques using modulated gain
A modulated gain audio control and zipper noise suppression techniques provide reduction in audible artifacts caused by discrete-valued gain changes. The gain of a signal is controlled by modulating between multiple gain values for corresponding time durations, so that a resulting average gain is controlled according to the average of the multiple gain values as weighted by their corresponding time durations. The modulation frequency is above the bandwidth of the signal. Transitions between gain levels are performed by changing the relative proportion of the durations to slowly change the gain according to a transition profile, which may be linear or non-linear. The modulation employed may be pulse-width modulation, or another modulation pattern such as a delta-sigma modulation pattern.
US08249268B2 Woofer-less and enclosure-less loudspeaker system
A woofer-less and box-less loudspeaker system including a plurality of tweeter drivers is provided. The speaker system includes a plurality of drivers, each driver including a front face and a rear face with an axis of symmetry, each driver configured for propagating sound energy along the axis of each driver from the front face, wherein the sound energy includes low frequency and high frequency components; and a support structure for arranging the plurality of drivers in such a way that the axis extending from the rear face of each of the drivers converge in a single point in space, wherein as the sound is propagated along the axis of each driver from the front face, the high frequency components from each driver are evenly spaced and the low frequency components from each driver are reinforced by the low frequency components of adjacent drivers.
US08249267B2 Earphone and headset
There is provided an earphone comprising a hoop band (1) for receiving at least one ear pad (OM). The hoop band (1) has at least two hoop band portions (2a, 2b), wherein at least two of the hoop band portions (2a, 2b) are rotatably connected together by way of a rotary joint unit (5). In addition in the region of the rotary joint unit the hoop band has a spring unit (10) which couples the two hoop band portions together and thus exerts a spring force on the hoop band portions (2a, 2b), wherein the spring force is adjustable by adaptation of the coupling by way of a coupling means.
US08249265B2 Method and apparatus for achieving active noise reduction
A system and method for actively changing the sound perceived by listeners in an audio environment. A single transducer is used as both a sensing microphone and as an output driver. In one embodiment, the invention is implemented as an active noise cancellation system. The sensed noise signals are phase shifted to provide a cancellation effect, combined with the desired audio program signals, and output to the transducer, thereby reducing the level of unwanted noise heard by they listener. In other embodiments, the system can be used to sense the frequency response of a listening room and make appropriate equalization adjustments to the output.
US08249263B2 Method and apparatus for providing audio motion feedback in a simulated three-dimensional environment
Embodiments of the invention provide method, system, and computer readable storage medium for providing an audio motion feedback to a user of a simulated three-dimensional (“3D”) environment, where the user controls an entity within the simulated 3D environment. A plurality of gridlines is projected over the simulated 3D environment to form a virtual 3D grid. A crossing of at least one boundary point by the entity is detected, wherein the boundary point is located on or within a threshold distance from at least one of the plurality of the projected gridlines. At least one boundary point type of the crossed boundary point is determined. At least one audio motion signal associated with the determined boundary point type is generated, thus providing audio motion feedback to the user regarding the entity's movements in the simulated 3D environment.
US08249262B2 Device for acoustically analyzing a hearing device and analysis method
A device for acoustic analysis has a first hearing device with a first sound input and a first sound output and a second hearing device with a second sound input and a second sound output. The first hearing device is in acoustic communication with the second hearing device. The first hearing device can analyze the acoustic communication and output a corresponding result. Consequently, two hearing aids, for example, can test each other, and permit a user to check hearing devices and, in particular, hearing aids in a simple fashion without the hearing aid wearer having to visit an audiologist for the test.
US08249253B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit having encrypter/decrypter function for protecting input/output data transmitted on internal bus
A semiconductor integrated circuit is provided, which includes: a first circuit; a second circuit; a data BUS; and first and second encryption/decryption circuits for encrypting/decrypting data transmitted between the first and second circuits on the data bus. The first encryption/decryption circuit is for encrypting data output from the first circuit, outputting the encrypted data to the data BUS, decrypting an encrypted data received from the second encryption/decryption circuit, and providing the decrypted data to the first circuit. The second encryption/decryption circuit is for decrypting the encrypted data received from the first encryption/decryption circuit, providing the decrypted data to the second circuit, encrypting data output from the second circuit, and outputting the encrypted data to the data BUS.
US08249247B2 Tracking voltage regulator for a subscriber line interface circuit
In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus having a first pair of low voltage operational amplifiers to generate an output representative of an absolute value difference of first and second line voltages of a subscriber loop, and a third low voltage operational amplifier having an input coupled to the output of the first pair of low voltage operational amplifiers to filter the output and to provide a switch control signal for a switching regulator that provides a voltage used to generate the first and second line voltages. The apparatus may include additional circuits such as a limit circuit to limit the input to the third low voltage operational amplifier and one or more speedup circuits to reduce a filter time constant of the third low voltage operational amplifier during a ringing mode of the subscriber loop.
US08249240B2 Systems and methods for providing selectable options to a calling party on-hold
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing selectable options to a calling party while the calling party is on hold. A call from the calling party is received and the calling party is placed on hold. While on hold, the calling party is provided with a plurality of selectable options. Each of the plurality of options corresponds to a predefined operation. A selected option request, corresponding to one of the plurality of options, is received from the calling party. The predefined operation corresponding to the selected option request is then performed. A system is also provided having instructions thereon for providing selectable options to a calling party while on hold.
US08249238B2 Dynamic key exchange for call forking scenarios
In some embodiments, a call forking dynamic key exchange system may include one or more of the following features: (a) a memory comprising, (i) a dynamic key exchange program that allows a caller to initiate a call having a security request to multiple subscribers and selecting at least one subscriber who answers the call, and (b) a processor coupled to the memory that executes the dynamic key exchange program.
US08249237B2 Heterogeneous video conferencing
Some embodiments provide an architecture for establishing a multi-participant conference. This architecture has one participant's computer in the conference act as a central content distributor for the conference. The central distributor receives data (e.g., video and/or audio streams) from the computer of each other participant, and distributes the received data to the computers of all participants. In some embodiments, the central distributor receives A/V data from the computers of the other participants. From such received data, the central distributor of some embodiments generates composite data (e.g., composite image data and/or composite audio data) that the central distributor distributes back to the participants. The central distributor in some embodiments can implement a heterogeneous audio/video conference. In such a conference, different participants can participate in the conference differently. For instance, different participants might use different audio or video codecs. Moreover, in some embodiments, one participant might participate in only the audio aspect of the conference, while another participant might participate in both audio and video aspects of the conference.
US08249236B2 Network call back to add conference participants and/or media capabilities
An exemplary method includes receiving at a calling party network a notice of an intended communication between a calling endpoint and a plurality of called endpoints located in a plurality of called party networks, wherein the intended communication requires a resource in each of the calling party network and the called party networks for supporting a streaming data protocol. The notice is forwarded toward the plurality of called party networks and in parallel with said forwarding, a determination of resource availability for the calling party network is initiated for the intended communication. The method further includes determining for the intended communication the determination of resource availability for the calling party network, wherein the determination is for a first resource for the first network; and verifying resource availability for the intended communication based on the determination for the calling party network and a resource availability indicator for each called party network.
US08249235B2 Conference call prioritization
An improved solution for prioritizing conference call participants is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, a method includes detecting a sound of a first conference call participant; disabling a distribution of a sound of a second conference call participant upon the detecting; and enabling the distribution of the sound of the second conference call participant after an expiration of a time period. In an embodiment, a higher priority may be assigned to a specific participant, such as the host, an administrator, or manager.
US08249232B2 System and method for control of communications connections
A method and system for selectively prohibiting a communications connection between an origin and destination in a communications network based on one or mediations rules and one or more lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers either in real-time using a control unit or with a pre-check using an analysis unit.
US08249230B1 Scalable and flexible internet fax architecture
Methods and systems for processing inbound fax messages in an efficient and scalable manner are provided. According to one embodiment, an inbound fax call is received at a telecommunications system of an Internet fax system. The inbound fax call includes a source and destination address and a fax signal. The inbound fax call is switched to a call mediation system, which determines desired technical call processing capabilities for processing the fax signal. A subset of fax processing resources that have the desired technical call processing capabilities are identified from among multiple fax processing resources associated with the call mediation system. The inbound fax call is switched to a selected fax processing resource of the identified subset. The fax signal is translated by the selected fax processing resource into a digital representation. And, the digital representation is made available to one or more users associated with the particular subscriber.
US08249229B2 Communication terminal, and dial registration method and dial registration program therefor
A communication terminal having one or more one-touch-dial buttons simplifies operations needed for registration of destination data such as phone numbers or mail addresses. A communication terminal (e.g., a cellular phone) having one or more one-touch-dial buttons includes a destination-data registration unit (e.g., a phone-directory database) that allows destination data such as phone numbers or mail addresses to be registered therein, a one-touch-dial registration unit that allows destination data to be registered therein so as to be associated with the one or more one-touch-dial buttons, and a control unit that, in response to an operation of the one or more one-touch-dial buttons, determines whether destination data has been registered in the one-touch-dial registration unit or the destination-data registration unit, and that outputs a result of the determination and a query message regarding registration of the destination data.
US08249227B2 Apparatus and method for converting control information
Picture and speech communication between plural terminals connected to different networks, such as a circuit-switched network and IP network. A converting apparatus 400 for control information or media information for picture/speech communications is provided across first and second terminals 301, 302 connected to respective different types of networks. Converting apparatus 400 includes control information converter 420, transcoder 450 and ability information converter 460. In case the ability information extracted from the decoding information, received from the first terminal 301, is not coincident to the ability information extracted from the call control information received from the second terminal 302, it is further checked whether or not there is picture format size coincidence. If the picture format size coincidence persists in one direction, processing is carried out for converting part of the decoding information or the control information, without causing the operations of the transcoder. In case there is no picture format size coincidence, the transcoder 450 is booted to convert the bitstream.
US08249226B2 In-progress voicemail transfer based on identity
A method, system and computer-usable medium for terminating an in-progress voicemail and immediately connecting callers to each other based on identity. A telephone system can be enabled to detect that a calling party (e.g., subscriber “A”) receives no answer from a called party (e.g., subscriber “B”) and if the calling party is a current voicemail recipient from the called party then the voicemail message can be discarded by the telephone system. Such an approach enables an immediate connection between the calling party and the called party to each other by a call switching component. The incomplete voicemail message in the voicemail system is automatically discarded. A command to discard and/or erase the voicemail message can be predetermined by the telephone system.
US08249224B2 Providing speaker identifying information within embedded digital information
A method of providing identifying information over a voice communications link can include receiving, from a call participant, a personal identification code over the voice communications link, determining identifying information for the call participant using the personal identification code, and encoding the identifying information of the call participant within a voice stream carried by the voice communications link. The voice stream and identifying information can be sent to a subscriber.
US08249222B2 Methods and apparatus to trigger maintenance and upgrades of access networks
Example methods and apparatus to trigger maintenance and upgrades of access networks are disclosed. An example method comprises obtaining a first value representing a number of unassigned ports associated with a first digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM), obtaining a second value representing a projected number of ports associated with the first DSLAM needed to satisfy at least one of anticipated, projected or pending service requests, and determining whether to automatically submit a preventative maintenance trouble ticket for the first DSLAM based on the first and second values.
US08249214B2 Device for the online determination of the contents of a substance, and method for using such a device
A device for the online determination of the contents of a substance having a gamma-radiating isotope, which includes at least one detector, which measures the natural gamma radiation of said isotope. In order to be able to easily calibrate the device, a measurement is carried out at the same location for determining the surface dimensions of the substance within the detection region of the detector or of a representative partial region.
US08249213B2 Calibration method for ring artifact correction in non-ideal isocentric 3D rotational X-ray scanner systems using a calibration phantom based rotation center finding algorithm
The present invention refers to 3D rotational X-ray imaging systems for use in computed tomography (CT) and, more particularly, to a fast, accurate and mathematically robust calibration method for determining the effective center of rotation (I) in not perfectly isocentric 3D rotational C-arm systems and eliminating substantially circular ring artifacts (RA) which arise when using such a CT scanner system for acquiring a set of 2D projection images of an object of interest to be three-dimensionally reconstructed. For this purpose, a C-arm based rotational CT scanner comprising at least one radiation detector (D) having an X-radiation sensitive surface exposed to an X-ray beam emitted by at least one X-ray tube (S), each rotating along a non-ideal circular trajectory (TF, TCD) about an object of interest to be three-dimensionally reconstructed from a set of 2D projection images is used for providing geometrical calibration data by scanning a calibration phantom from a plurality of distinct projection directions and calculating, for each projection direction, the 3D positions of the X-ray tube's focal spot and the X-ray detector's center. For approximating the exact 3D position and angular direction of the axis of rotation about which the at least one X-ray tube and the at least one radiation detector rotate, a circular regression technique using a number of mathematically robust least squares fits is applied.
US08249211B2 Forced convection target assembly
Provided is a modified target assembly in which the target fluid is moved within the target assembly in a manner that increases the effective density of the target fluid within the beam path, thereby increasing beam yield utilizing forced convection. The target may also include optional structures, such as nozzles, diverters and deflectors for guiding and/or accelerating the flow of the target fluid. The target assembly directs the target fluid along an inner sleeve in a direction opposite the direction of the beam current to produce a counter current flow and may also direct the flow of the target fluid away from the inner surface of the inner sleeve and toward a central region in the target cavity. This countercurrent flow suppresses natural convection that tends to reduce the density of the target fluid in the beam path and tends to increase the heat transfer from the target.
US08249210B2 Monobloc cooling device component
A cooling device component of monobloc design has a heat shield made from tungsten, a tungsten alloy, a graphitic material or a carbidic material provided with a through-hole. A cooling pipe for carrying coolant is joined in the through-hole. The heat shield is in turn joined or metallurgically joined to a structural part made from a material with a tensile strength at room temperature of >300 MPa and an electrical resistivity of >0.04 Ohm mm2m−1.
US08249209B2 Synchronous one-bit interface protocol or data structure
Systems and methods provide for data transfer and transmission according to a synchronous one-bit interface protocol. A bit stream is generated including first data to be transferred or transmitted and second data from which a clock period used to encode the first data may be extracted. The bit stream is provided to a processor for decoding. In one embodiment, the bit stream includes a start segment or sequence, a data segment and a stop segment or sequence. A clock period is encoded into and is extracted from the start and/or stop sequences. The data segment is decoded on the basis of the clock period.
US08249208B2 Method and device for downconverting the sampling frequency of a digital signal, for example in a non-integer frequency ratio
A method for converting a sampling frequency of a digital signal sampled at a first sampling frequency includes receiving digital signal input samples, and forming output samples corresponding to a second sampling frequency based on the digital signal input samples and an interpolation filter. The first sampling frequency may be larger than the second sampling frequency. The method may further include delivering the output samples. Forming output samples includes, for each of the digital signal input samples, updating current values of N successive output samples with N contributions. The N contributions may be respectively calculated based on a value of a current input sample of the digital input samples weighted by values of N filter coefficients associated with the current input sample, N being fixed and identical for all the digital signal input samples regardless of a value of the conversion ratio between the first and second sampling frequencies.
US08249200B2 Method and apparatus of binarizing input signal, disc driver and recording medium
A method and an apparatus are provided for binarizing an input signal, which is capable of reliably correcting an offset of the input signal even when the input signal does not reach a reference level or has a single frequency, a disc driver and a recording medium. The binarizing method includes viterbi-decoding the input signal to obtain a viterbi-decoded signal; slicing the input signal based on a predetermined reference level to obtain a sliced signal; obtaining an offset of the input signal by low-pass filtering the viterbi-decoded signal or the sliced signal; and correcting the offset of the input signal based on the obtained offset. The viterbi-decoded signal is a binary signal of the input signal.
US08249199B2 Low jitter and high bandwidth clock data recovery
A method of implementing a low jitter and high bandwidth clock and data recovery (CDR) apparatus includes acquiring early, optimal, and late votes; determining which votes are allowed and weighted; disallowing votes not determined to as allowed; weighing votes, wherein votes that would make the CDR move to an extreme of a zero crossing are weighted less; and accumulating votes and adjusting a recovered clock phase based on the accumulated votes. A computer readable medium storing instructions to implement a low jitter and high bandwidth CDR apparatus, the instructions includes functionality to: acquiring early, optimal, and late votes; determining which votes are allowed and weighted; disallowing votes not determined to as allowed; weighing votes, wherein votes that would make the CDR move to an extreme of a zero crossing are weighted less; and accumulating votes and adjust recovered clock phase.
US08249192B2 Techniques to transmit data rate control signals for multi-carrier wireless systems
Various embodiments are disclosed relating to techniques to transmit data rate control signals for multicarrier wireless systems. According to an example embodiment, a wireless apparatus may be adapted to transmit at least a first data rate control (DRC) value via an in-phase channel and at least a second DRC value via a Quadrature-phase channel. The first DRC value may be associated with a first forward link carrier and the second DRC value may be associated with a second forward link carrier. In this manner, DRC values may be transmitted over both the I and Q channels, for example.
US08249191B2 Multi-user detection using equalization and successive interference cancellation
A method and apparatus for multi-user detection using equalization and successive interference cancellation is provided. A signal is received in a shared spectrum. Samples of the received signal are produced as a received vector. The received vector is segmented into a plurality of vector segments. For each segment, symbols for a plurality of communications are successively determined by determining symbols for a communication and removing a contribution of that communication from the vector segment. The determined symbols are assembled into a data vector for each communication.
US08249190B2 Dual carrier modulation
A coding unit for determining two different types of modulation to be applied to two carrier signals such that each modulated carrier signal represents a data symbol in accordance with a group of modulation points, each modulation point representing a modulation of the first type and a modulation of the second type that can be applied to one of the carrier signals, the coding unit being arranged to associate the data symbol with a first one of the modulation points by applying a first mapping function to that data symbol and associate the data symbol with a second one of the modulation points by applying a second mapping function to that data symbol, the first and second mapping functions being such that they each map two different data symbols to a respective common modulation point; and determine the modulation of the first and second types to be applied to the first carrier signal to be the modulation of the first and second types represented by the first modulation point and the modulation of the first and second types to be applied to the second carrier signal to be the modulation of the first and second types represented by the second modulation point.
US08249188B2 Mechanism for constructing an oversampled waveform for a set of signals received by a receiver
A mechanism is provided for constructing an oversampled waveform for a set of incoming signals received by a receiver. In one implementation, the oversampled waveform is constructed by way of cooperation between the receiver and a waveform construction mechanism (WCM). The receiver receives the incoming signals, samples a subset of the incoming signals at a time, stores the subsets of sample values into a set of registers, and subsequently provides the subsets of sample values to the WCM. The WCM in turn sorts through the subsets of sample values, organizes them into proper orders, and “stitches” them together to construct the oversampled waveform for the set of incoming signals. With proper cooperation between the receiver and the WCM, and with proper processing logic on the WCM, it is possible to construct the oversampled waveform for the incoming signals without requiring large amounts of resources on the receiver.
US08249186B2 Method and apparatus for singular value decomposition of a channel matrix
A method and apparatus for decomposing a channel matrix in a wireless communication system are disclosed. A channel matrix H is generated for channels between transmit antennas and receive antennas. A Hermitian matrix A=HHH or A=HHH is created. A Jacobi process is cyclically performed on the matrix A to obtain Q and DA matrixes such that A=QDAQH. DA is a diagonal matrix obtained by singular value decomposition (SVD) on the A matrix. In each Jacobi transformation, real part diagonalization is performed to annihilate real parts of off-diagonal elements of the matrix and imaginary part diagonalization is performed to annihilate imaginary parts of off-diagonal elements of the matrix after the real part diagonalization. U, V and DH matrixes of H matrix are then calculated from the Q and DA matrices. DH is a diagonal matrix comprising singular values of the H matrix.
US08249183B2 Digital television transmitter/receiver and method of processing data in digital television transmitter/receiver
A digital television transmitter and a method of coding main and enhanced data in the digital television transmitter are disclosed. In the digital television transmitter, a byte-symbol converter converts main and enhanced data packets into symbols, wherein at least one of the enhanced data packets may include data place holders for known data symbols. A known data generator generates a known data symbol. A symbol processor processes a first symbol outputted from the byte-symbol converter. Herein, the symbol processor may post-decode a first bit of the known data symbol and output the post-decoded bit and an initialization data bit when the first symbol is a symbol representing one of the place holders. A trellis encoder has one or more memories for trellis-encoding a second symbol outputted from the symbol processor, wherein the memories are initialized when the initialization data bit is processed in the trellis encoder.
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