| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08266844B2 |
Paved surface restraint and method of installation
A paver or landscape edging is provided with enhanced anchoring means. The edging has an elongated, longitudinal strip with a paver-facing surface and an opposed surface, and extensions extending from the opposed surface of the elongated strip, each comprising a first wall edge and a bore for receiving a fastener such as a spike or stake. A strap member extends between neighboring extensions, offset from the first wall edge and defining a gap, or anchoring region, when the edging is placed on a substrate. The installed edging may be anchored by fasteners, and by root systems of a concealing layer placed over the edging that grow around the strap member. In addition, a method for installing pavers provides for the fixing of a portion of the edging on the substrate prior to cutting a strap to allow the edging to be deformed in conformance with a curved or irregular boundary. |
| US08266843B2 |
Slide-out room actuator
The actuator uses reinforced polyurethane timing belts as a flexible rack member mounted to the slide-out room and a pinion assembly mounted at the top and bottom of the slide-out opening of the main compartment. A pair of timing belts are mounted at the corners of the slide-out room top and floor, each running longitudinally to the direction of the slide-out movement. Each pinion block includes a pinion and two idle rollers. The timing belts pass through the drive block being trained around the pinion between two idle rollers in a serpentine fashion. A reversible electric motor, which is operatively connected to all four pinion blocks, simultaneously turns the pinions to propel the timing belts through the pinion blocks thereby extending and retracting the slide-out room through the slide-out opening. |
| US08266837B2 |
Versatile fishing strike indicator
A strike indicator has a hollow plastic spherical body with an opening through which water can flow into the body to weight the body for spin cast fishing and out of which water can be removed from the body for fly cast fishing. An easily manipulable thumbscrew can engage the opening to selectively block the opening while trapping a fishing line between a grommet on the thumbscrew and the spherical body to hold the strike indicator onto the fishing line. |
| US08266835B2 |
Firearm security device
A firearm security device including a surface mountable frame to which a first plate and a second movable plate are attached. A grip pad is attached to each of the opposing inner sides of the fixed and movable plates. A trigger guard stud is attached to and projects from the inner face of the fixed plate. The movable second plate is movable with respect to the first plate from an open position wherein a firearm is positioned with the trigger guard stud projecting through the trigger guard of the firearm, to a closed position where the movable plate is positioned substantially parallel to the fixed plate and at least a portion of the receiver of the firearm is held in a compressive grip between the grip pads. A lock selectively restricts movement of the second movable plate. |
| US08266831B2 |
Promotional multi-year rotational calendar
There is a felt need on the part of business people to have an affordable individualized promotional piece similar to and about the size of a standard business card that will have some inherent practical value to the recipient of the piece that induces the recipient to keep and to use the practical feature of the piece. The present invention provides a multi-year calendar not much bigger than a standard business card which encourages the recipient to keep and use the invention as a calendar for possibly several years, with the business person's name and contact information pre-printed on the invention. The calendar uses a coded wheel and the edge of the table area to get the correct code which then acts as a key to reveal the days and dates for the entire month on the inner semi-circles. |
| US08266830B2 |
Ironing board having a tiltable body
An ironing board for multifunctional use comprising a base (1), a body (5) with a work surface (6), which body has a first longitudinal axis (I-I) and is connected to the base. A column (7) extends between the body and the base, the column having a second longitudinal axis (II-II) and a tilting means. The tilting means is arranged for tilting the body about a tilting axis (T-T) extending substantially perpendicularly to both the first axis and the second axis. A system comprises such an ironing board and an iron for cooperation with the ironing board. The invention further relates to a method for refreshing an article and a method for pressing an article. |
| US08266825B2 |
Shoe sole element
A shoe having an outsole and an insole. The outsole has an upper surface in contact with the lower surface of the insole. The upper surface of the outsole has at least two depressions being complementary with embossments provided on the lower surface of the insole, allowing a pivoting movement of the front and/or back portion of the insole against the lower outsole surface of the shoe in, at least, an essentially transverse direction to the longitudinal axis of the shoe, when the foot wearing the shoe is pivoted against the ground. To support this movement the insole is more rigid than the outsole and is attached to the outsole. |
| US08266822B2 |
Drying process of triturated crushed sugar-cane or others for latter briquetting or others
An improvement for drying crushed cane or other bagasse for briquetting or other processes includes a drying unit (1) with a humid bagasse dosing hopper (2) having a screw conveyor feeding inclined screw conveyor (5) and a latter rotary dosing valve (6) discharging into hot air funnel (7) into drying tank (8), bagasse being lifted and exposed to the hot air in front chamber (9) and in final drying chamber (17) by tumbling blades (10) through the action of geared motor (15), almost-dry bagasse in suspension being sucked out by pair of centrifugal blowers (18) dropping it into separator filter (19) and falling into hopper (20), being cooled in open-trough screw conveyors (21) and (22), screw conveyor (22) including screen (23) for separation of powder to be conveyed by screw conveyor (25) to inclined screw conveyor (26) for discharge into feeder hoppers (28) to the burners (32). |
| US08266819B2 |
Air drying system for concentrated solar power generation systems
An air drying system for use in a concentrated solar power generation system using a fluid heat transfer medium includes a first vent pipe and a first desiccant pack. The first vent pipe extends from the concentrated solar power generation system and includes a first inlet open to ambient air, and a first outlet open to an interior of the solar power generation system in fluid communication with the fluid heat transfer medium. The first desiccant pack is positioned within the first vent pipe between the first inlet and first outlet and is positioned to reduce moisture content of ambient air flowing into the first vent pipe. |
| US08266817B2 |
Electric wood kiln
An electric wood kiln has a containment space sealed by at least one door. A tray is disposed on a bottom base of the electric wood kiln in the containment space. A diversion device is disposed on a top side of the electric wood kiln having a fan set, a plurality of diversion fins, at least one counterflow space and at least one intake aperture. The fan set has fan blades fluidly connected to the counterflow space, and the counterflow space is fluidly connected to the cycling channel on the door and the rear sidewall. An outer region of each fan blade fluidly couples with radial diversion fins; the diversion fins and the counterflow space form fluidly separated spaces coupled via the fan blades, and the intake aperture is connected externally to the electric wood kiln and the counterflow space. A heating device is disposed on a top side of the electric wood kiln adjacent to an outer side of the diversion fins and fluidly connected to the fan set. An adjustable knob is respectively disposed on at least two facing sidewalls of the electric wood kiln. A controller is disposed external to the electric wood kiln and electrically connected to the tray, the fan set, the heating device and the adjustable knob. |
| US08266808B2 |
Portable electronic apparatus and geomagnetism sensor calibration method
A portable electronic apparatus calibrates a geomagnetism sensor at a suitable timing. When a key is operated in a power-saving mode, the power-saving mode ends, and a detection value of a geomagnetism sensor is calibrated. The calibration is executed in a state where a user tries to view a screen of a display part, therefore the calibration is executed in a state where an angle of housings with respect to the horizontal plane is suitable, and a calculation precision of a bearing is improved. By executing calibration during activation of the navigation application useless calibration is not carried out, and an increase of power consumed is suppressed. |
| US08266793B2 |
Module having a stacked magnetic device and semiconductor device and method of forming the same
A module having a stacked magnetic device and semiconductor device, and method of forming the same. In one embodiment, the module includes a printed wiring board including a patterned conductor formed on an upper surface thereof. The module also includes a magnetic core mounted on the upper surface of the printed wiring board proximate the patterned conductor and a semiconductor device mounted on an upper surface of the magnetic core. |
| US08266790B2 |
Board removal apparatus for a pallet
A board removal apparatus for a wooden pallet includes a frame, and a carriage carried by the frame. The carriage includes a pair of spaced apart tables with a fixed gap therebetween. The carriage is movable between a pallet receiving position and a board removal position. The pallet includes spaced apart stringers and boards on top and bottom surfaces thereof. The pallet is positioned on the carriage when in the pallet receiving position so that a board to be removed overlies the fixed gap. A board removal assembly is carried by the frame and includes a push rod and a board removal foot pad pivotally coupled thereto. The push rod and the board removal foot pad are inserted between adjacent stringers when the carriage is in the board removal position. The board removal foot pad overlies at least a portion of the board to be removed and overlies at least a portion of the fixed gap between the pair of spaced apart tables. |
| US08266787B2 |
Electronic component mounting apparatus
There is a need for providing an electronic component mounting apparatus, a component supply apparatus, and an electronic component mounting method capable of reducing inadvertent insertion of component supply tape and ensuring high reliability or capable of reducing wrong insertion of component supply tape, supplying new electronic component tape, and ensuring a high operation rate. Supply tape is inserted into an insertion entry of a component supply apparatus. An electronic component mounted on the supply tape is absorbed and is mounted on a printed board. Information about the electronic component mounted on the supply tape is read. Based on the read information, the component supply apparatus for inserting the supply tape is selected. The insertion entry is opened while it is closed when no supply tape is mounted. |
| US08266786B2 |
Belt assembling apparatus and method, and belt manufacturing method
To assemble a belt including a plurality of elements and a ring for fastening the element efficiently. A belt assembling apparatus for fastening a plurality of plate-like elements being juxtaposed in a same orientation annularly by a ring includes a load applying mechanism, which applies a load to the ring or to the elements which have already been fastened by the ring during a process of fastening the elements sequentially by the ring, thereby widening a clearance in an array of the elements being fastened by the ring. Therefore, the clearance to which the last piece of the element to be fastened by the ring is inserted can be widened relatively so that the element is allowed to be inserted into the clearance easily. |
| US08266775B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for installing clamps
An apparatus, system, and method is provided for installing clamps. The system comprises pliers and an awl. The pliers have a pair of bifurcated jaws, each jaw generally narrow and of substantially equal width and thickness. A first jaw is pivotally mounted in relation to a second jaw such that spaces between furcations of the jaws substantially align as the jaws open and close. The distance between the jaws is adjustable, and the jaws can be releasably locked in position. The clamp is placed around a structure and an elongated shaft of the awl is passed through holes in ears of the clamp. The jaws compress the ears. The shaft is bracketed by the furcations of the jaws. The awl is removed, and a fastener inserted through the holes in the ears and secured to the clamp. At least five clamps can be secured together using just one bolt. |
| US08266773B2 |
Method of manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator
A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator includes a first polarization of a piezoelectric body; polishing the piezoelectric body; first heating step of heating the piezoelectric body to a temperature which is not lower than a Curie point of the piezoelectric body and performing a re-polarization of the piezoelectric body in a second polarization of the piezoelectric body having been heated in the first heating step. |
| US08266771B2 |
Twist type fence tie
An improved fence tie and methods of using that fence tie are disclosed. Dimensions for bending wire are described for bending a wire to form a helical section, two straight ends and a straight section adjacent to the helical section in a configuration having a form that generally resembles certain known twist type fence ties. |
| US08266769B2 |
Clip for ornamentation and method of using same
A clip is adapted to be secured to an item fitted using a closure device. The item is typically a shoe that is laced wherein the closure device is a shoelace. The clip includes a base extending between a back end and a forward end. The base defines a bottom surface. A loop extends over the base to receive a portion of the shoelace therethrough. The clip also includes a fastener fixedly secured to the forward end for selectively securing an ornament thereto to display the ornament on top of the shoe over the tongue thereof. |
| US08266762B2 |
Blower
In a blower, an engine is carried on the back, and a blower portion having a fan is held through a holding member by hand. One end of a flexible shaft, is connected to an output shaft of the engine and the other end of which is connected to a rotary shaft of the fan. The flexible shaft has a flexible outer tube for connecting a casing of the engine with a housing of the fan, and a rotary shaft formed of a helical coil rounded helically around the axial line of the outer tube and extending axially in the outer tube, one end of the rotary shaft being connected to the output shaft of the engine and the other end of the rotary shaft of the flexible shaft being connected to the rotary shaft of the fan. The rotary shaft of the flexible shaft is connected to the rotary shaft of the fan through a power transmitting direction varying device. |
| US08266761B2 |
Vacuum electronic switch detection system
A vacuum electronic switch detection system allows multiple user selectable vacuum modes to be chosen with only one micro-controller input available for performing the multiple selectable modes. The switch detection system provides multiple voltage ratio control signals indicative of multiple switch position possibilities. |
| US08266760B2 |
Autonomous surface cleaning robot for dry cleaning
An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arraigned to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface. |
| US08266758B2 |
Adjustable spatula for forming a smoothly arcuate concave contour in a viscous material and a smoothly arcuate convex contour in the viscous material
An adjustable spatula for forming a smoothly arcuate concave contour in a viscous material and a smoothly arcuate convex contour in the viscous material, independently of each other, with a certainty that the contour of the viscous material is consistent, and with using only one hand. The adjustable spatula includes a blade, a handle, and an apparatus. The handle extends from the blade and is gripped by a user. The apparatus bends the blade to form the blade into a smoothly arcuate convex contour to form the smoothly arcuate concave contour in the viscous material and bends the blade to form the blade into a smoothly arcuate concave contour to form the smoothly arcuate convex contour in the viscous material, independently of each other, without a need for the user to have to manually bend the blade, with the certainty that the contour of the viscous material is consistent, and with using only the one hand. |
| US08266757B2 |
Cleaning apparatus
The invention relates to a cleaning apparatus, in particular to a portable hand cleaner, having a plurality of cleaning members which are in particular of brush type and which are arranged at a common carrier and can be set into rotation by means of a fluid, in particular water, supplied to the cleaning apparatus. |
| US08266751B2 |
Method to compress prefabricated deck units by tensioning supporting girders
A structural system comprised of prefabricated deck units spaced along longitudinal load-carrying members, which produce longitudinal axial compression in deck units by tensioning the longitudinal load-carrying members without the use of standard post-tensioning details. During construction, prefabricated deck units are erected on top of and supported by the longitudinal load-carrying members via leveling devices, which also permit relative motion between the longitudinal load-carrying members and the prefabricated deck units. Jacking apparatuses are used to introduce deck compression by jacking against the longitudinal load-carrying members. This system can be used for new structures and for deck replacement of existing structures. |
| US08266748B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling bulk dispensing of wash aid by sensing wash aid concentration
An automatic treatment machine includes a treatment chamber, a bulk treatment aid dispenser fluidly coupled with the treatment chamber, and optionally a water supply fluidly coupled with at least one of the dispenser and the treatment chamber. A method for dispensing a treatment aid from the bulk treatment aid dispenser into the automatic treatment machine in accordance with a selected treatment cycle includes selecting a treatment cycle, determining a concentration of the treatment aid, determining a volume of the treatment aid to be dispensed based upon the determined concentration, dispensing the determined volume of the treatment aid from the bulk treatment aid dispenser, and initiating the selected treatment cycle. |
| US08266747B1 |
Mattress side/edge support system
By providing a plurality of preformed components which are quickly and easily affixed in engagement with each other, a final construction is realized which peripherally surrounds any desired mattress configuration in cooperating association therewith. In this way, a new foam plastic product is achieved which is capable of being quickly and easily mounted to mattress constructions peripherally surrounding the mattress and providing an enhanced side support system. In this way, any desired mattress size or configuration is capable of being peripherally surrounded with a foam support assembly for enhancing the mattress construction and configuration. Furthermore, by employing the present invention, a rapid, convenient, and virtually labor free assembly is realized. |
| US08266746B2 |
Self-adjusting mattress with balancing bars and an integrated movement mechanism
A self-adjusting mattress includes a support member, top and bottom foam layers, a movement mechanism and balancing bars. The support member includes a frame of longitudinal and cross bars and mesh panels between the bars. The support member has a middle section that is pivotally connected to upper and lower sections. The upper, middle and lower sections are coplanar in the flat configuration of the mattress. The movement mechanism includes multiple electric motors that move the mattress into an inclined configuration by rotating the upper and lower sections relative to the middle section. The bottom foam layer is molded around the support member. The molded foam flows above, below and through the holes in the mesh panels. The top foam layer is then glued or molded to the top of the bottom foam layer. The balancing bars extend less than half way under the upper section of the support member. |
| US08266743B2 |
Examination table with motion tracking
An examination table includes a support surface movable with respect to a base. The support surface includes a seat portion and a backrest portion. A first motor drives the support surface with respect to the base, and a second motor drives the backrest portion pivotally with respect to the seat portion. A control system includes a control panel and first and second Hall-effect sensors for detecting rotations of the respective first and second motors to determine the current positions of the support surface and the backrest portion. The control system executes a movement algorithm for moving the support surface and the backrest portion to a desired position from the current position. The control system also executes a calibration algorithm for calibrating position tracking of the support surface and the backrest portion. |
| US08266740B2 |
Method and apparatus for cleaning a conduit
A conduit cleaning method and apparatus for connection to a fluid inlet feed line and an outlet drain line utilizes a housing assembly having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a bight portion. The inlet and outlet portions have sloped leg sections which provide increased fluid flow through the bight to disperse accumulated debris. Rotatable shafts inside the housing accommodate paddles or jets to facilitate in retrieval or dispersal of obstruction. |
| US08266738B2 |
Aromatherapy system for tubs
An assembly of an aromatherapy system and tub comprises a tub for bathing. A reservoir portion contains an aromatic liquid, the reservoir portion being mounted to a wall of the tub. A pressure source is actuatable to provide pressurized gas, the pressure source being concealed under the tub. A fluid-conveying line is concealed under the tub and connecting the pressure source to the reservoir portion to diffuse the pressurized gas from the pressure source into the aromatic liquid in the reservoir portion so as to create a mist of the aromatic liquid in the environment of the tub. |
| US08266735B2 |
Overflow device assembly with sliding faceplate
An overflow device assembly for a vessel such as a bathtub or sink is provided. The overflow device comprises a tieplate comprising a mating flange attached to a first end of a pipe and a faceplate operable to slide onto the tieplate. The faceplate comprises a front cover portion, a backside and a groove. The pipe is operable to be concentrically disposed with a hole in a wall of the vessel. The groove is located on the backside of the faceplate, and the mating flange slides along and inside the groove. Once in place, the front cover portion of the faceplate covers the first end of the pipe. |
| US08266733B2 |
Toilet flush valve
Flush valve assemblies are provided that include a valve body which may have a radiused inlet portion, an upper inlet end having an inlet opening, a lower outlet end having an outlet opening, and a wall extending between the upper inlet end and the lower outlet end and having an interior surface defining a flow path that extends generally longitudinally through the valve body from the inlet opening to the outlet opening and that has a generally circular transverse cross-section. A height measured longitudinally through the valve body is greater than a largest diameter of the transverse cross-section of the flow path so as to enable the valve bodies herein to have an elevated wall and head from a toilet tank floor. The assemblies may include a flapper valve cover detachably connected to the flush valve assembly and having a transverse cross-sectional diameter sufficiently large to cover the inlet opening of the valve body, a pivot mechanism and a flapper bulb. The flapper valve cover is sufficiently buoyant so as to be capable of resisting the force of flowing water and remain open so as to allow flush water to pass through the valve body when the valve body is installed on a toilet having a flush volume of about 1.6 gallons per flush or less before closing the valve cover so as to be useful in high performance, and also in high-efficiency toilets. |
| US08266731B2 |
Toilet seat with urine deflector
A toilet seat for use with a Western-style toilet bowl. The seat has a generally-oval, endless base that compliments the shape of the toilet bowl rim. A deflector is fixed to the bottom surface of the base and extends downwardly adjacent the inside surface of the bowl rim. The deflector covers the interior gap between the bottom of the seat and the top of the bowl rim. |
| US08266730B2 |
Hands-free toilet attachment
A novel attachment on a toilet system for a male user to raise a toilet seat (100), by depressing a pedal (30) with a foot and then releasing it, while standing well balanced on his second foot, so that he can urinate comfortably with both feet on the floor; and then to lower same seat (100) by depressing same pedal (30) and releasing it; with all these actions done with no startling noise against the water tank (104) or the toilet bowl rim. The dual operation of the same pedal (30) can provide a timely flushing of the toilet automatically when seat (100) is lowered, without hand touching any part of the toilet system. The attachment can add, with a secondary pedal (140), a hands-free flushing system that can be operated without moving toilet seat (100) when it is already in the lowered position. All manual toilet-system operations are preserved. |
| US08272066B2 |
Systems, methods and apparatus for reducing unauthorized use in a television distribution system
Systems, method and apparatus are described for reducing unauthorized usage in a television distribution system. A television receiver communicates with base stations of a wireless communication network. Based on the communications with the base station, the television receiver identifies its location and transmits the location information to a data collection system through the wireless communication network. The data collection system utilizes the location information to identify unauthorized uses of the television receiver. |
| US08272065B2 |
Secure client-side aggregation of web applications
A web browser client includes an aggregated web application runtime environment that controls access by a program fragment of an aggregated web application to a resource therein based upon the originating domain of the program fragment. To do so, the aggregated web application runtime environment appends an access attribute to the Document Object Model (DOM) node associated with the resource. This access attribute is associated with a plurality of access rights definitions where each access rights definition defines a set of access rights to the resource for program fragments originating from a domain with a specific access rights status. Accordingly, the aggregated web application runtime environment sets one or more access rights statuses of the originating domain of the program fragment, and thereafter, grants or denies the program fragment access to the resource based upon one or more sets of access rights defined for that program fragment. |
| US08272062B2 |
Content control system
A content control system capable of controlling delivery destinations of user contents in respective groups, identifying each group through which each content is delivered, and delivering information/advertisements according to the attribution information of the content. In a content control server, group identifying information is set in each user content to be uploaded to or downloaded from a group memory area corresponding to a gateway ID from a terminal through a gateway having a plurality of its subordinate terminals. The information identifies each gateway through which each object content is delivered according to the gateway ID. The control system controls the delivery destination of each content according to the combination of the content delivery route and a table prepared in the content control server. |
| US08272061B1 |
Method for evaluating a network
A method for evaluating access rules violations, the method includes: receiving, a model of a computer network; and determining security metrics associated with a violation of an access rule in response to: the model of the computer network, multiple network nodes of the computer network accessible according to at least one violated access rule or according to the network model, at least one vulnerability associated with the multiple network nodes, and damage associated with an exploitation of the at least one vulnerability. |
| US08272059B2 |
System and method for identification and blocking of malicious code for web browser script engines
A system and method to protect web applications from malicious attacks and, in particular, a system and method for identification and blocking of malicious code for web browser script engines. The system includes at least one module configured to protect web applications from malicious attacks by detecting an occurrence of heap spraying and blocking the occurrence of heap spraying. |
| US08272056B2 |
Efficient intrusion detection
A method to compress an unoptimized Aho-Corasick automaton is provided that can be used in network intrusion detection systems. Embodiments of the subject method use bitmaps with multiple levels of summaries as well as aggressive path compaction. By using multiple levels of summaries, a popcount can be determined with as few as 1 addition. |
| US08272054B2 |
Computer network intrusion detection system and method
A method and system for identifying an attacker device attempting an intrusion into a TCP/IP protocol based network that includes a managed device and a security event log. The managed device detects an incoming TCP/IP connection by the attacker device to the network. TCP/IP information relating to the attacker device is extracted from a TCP/IP stack of the managed device. It is ascertained that a port number of the incoming TCP/IP connection is identical to a predefined port number. A performed process includes determining that the incoming TCP/IP connection is a Net BIOS connection that has created an invalid logon by the attacker device. Event log information, which is associated with the detected incoming TCP/IP connection, is retrieved from the security event log. A generated report is generated and stored in a database of the network. The report includes the extracted TCP/IP information and the retrieved event log information. |
| US08272052B2 |
Method and system for filing and monitoring electronic claim submissions in multi-claimant lawsuits
The invention relates to systems and methods for filing and monitoring electronic claim submissions in proceedings involving a large number of claimants, such as securities class action lawsuits, estate dissolutions, arbitrations, and bankruptcies. The systems and methods create an easy-to-use and convenient way for institutions and individual claimants to register their claim relief upon judgment or settlement. |
| US08272050B2 |
Data managing device equipped with various authentication functions
A data managing device with a single chip that includes: first hardware that authenticates security of communication performed by a data processing apparatus that houses the data managing device; second hardware that performs different processing from processing performed by the first hardware; and third hardware that receives an update program for a program executed by any one of the first hardware and the second hardware, from a data providing apparatus with which security of communication is authenticated by the first hardware, and updates the program by the update program. |
| US08272049B2 |
Multi-domain computer password management
A computer system has first and second password-protectable domains. The first domain has a multi-domain password manager for determining whether a password candidate is valid for both the first domain and the second domain. If so, the password manager submits the password candidate to the second domain. |
| US08272044B2 |
Method and system to mitigate low rate denial of service (DoS) attacks
A technique to mitigate low rate Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks at routers in the Internet is described. In phase 1, necessary flow information from the packets traversing through the router is stored in fast memory; and in phase 2, stored flow information is periodically moved to slow memory from the fast memory for further analysis. The system detects a sudden increase in the traffic load of expired flows within a short period. In a network without low rate DoS attacks, the traffic load of all the expired flows is less than certain thresholds which are derived from real Internet traffic analysis. The system can also include a filtering solution to drop attack packets. The filtering scheme treats the long-lived flows in the Internet preferentially, and drops the attack traffic by monitoring the queue length if the queue length exceeds a threshold percent of the queue limit. |
| US08272043B2 |
Firewall control system
Generally speaking, systems, methods and media for implementing a firewall control system responsive to user authentications are disclosed. Embodiments of a method may include receiving a data request at a firewall where the data request is associated with a program. Embodiments may include determining whether an authentication plan is required to be matched for the associated program and, if so, accessing a stored authentication plan associated with the program and having one or more authentication records each having expected information relating to user access to a particular server. Embodiments may include accessing a current authentication plan from an authentication store, the current authentication plan having one or more authentication records each having information relating to user access to a particular server. Embodiments may include comparing the stored authentication plan with the received current authentication plan to determine whether they match and, in response, performing one or more firewall actions. |
| US08272041B2 |
Firewall control via process interrogation
Generally speaking, systems, methods and media for implementing a firewall control system responsive to process interrogations are disclosed. Embodiments of a method may include receiving a data request at a firewall where the data request is associated with a program and determining whether a process rule exists for the associated program, where the process rule includes a condition to be satisfied for a process of the user computer system. Embodiments may also include, in response to determining that a process rule does exist, determining a method for evaluating a status of the process and determining a current status of the process. Embodiments may also include determining whether the process rule is satisfied based on the current status of the process and using the determined evaluation method. Embodiments may also include, in response to determining whether the condition of the process rule is satisfied, performing one or more firewall actions. |
| US08272036B2 |
Dynamic authentication in secured wireless networks
Systems and methods for authentication using paired dynamic secrets in secured wireless networks are provided. Each authenticated user is assigned a random secret generated so as to be unique to the user. The secret is associated with a wireless interface belonging to the user, so that no other wireless interface may use the same secret to access the network. The secret may be updated either periodically or at the request of a network administrator, and reauthentication of the wireless network may be required. |
| US08272035B2 |
Projector projecting password
A projector system of the present invention includes a projector 10 and a personal computer PC as an information terminal, which communicate with each other via a network connection. The projector 10 generates a password required for establishment of the network connection and projects the password on a screen SC. A user of the personal computer PC inputs the password projected on the screen SC. The password is used for authentication of the network connection between the projector 10 and the personal computer PC and cipher communication therebetween. This arrangement of the present invention enhances the convenience of the projector that is capable of establishing a network connection with the information terminal, while ensuring secrecy of communicating data. |
| US08272034B2 |
Methods and apparatus for maintaining permissions for client/server processing in a communication device
A communication device has memory for storing a client application module, a server application module, and an operating system module which are executable by one or more processors. The client application module submits a request and, in response, the server application module causes the request to be processed with use of the operating system module. An interface module causes one or more client process handles of a client stack of the client application module to be provided in a current process base of the operating system module. Thus, for the request, the operating system module checks one or more permission settings associated with the one or more client process handles as well as one or more permission settings associated with the one or more server process handles. |
| US08272033B2 |
User authentication for detecting and controlling fraudulent login behavior
A user authentication system is provided that is suitable for detecting and controlling potentially fraudulent login behavior. A pattern recording module is configured to record login attempts and to detect a pattern of login attempt results. An analyzing module is operatively connected to the pattern recording module and is configured to determine whether or not the pattern of login attempt results has an indicator of at least one abnormal pattern range. An action module is operatively connected to the analyzing module and is configured to perform at least one action, including adjusting a threshold value of the abnormal pattern range for a subsequent pattern of login attempt results if the pattern of login attempt results has an indicator of a predetermined abnormal pattern range. |
| US08272032B2 |
Multiple user login detection and response system
A method is provided for controlling multiple access to a network service to prevent fraudulent use of the network service. The method includes identifying an account access counter for an account using identification information received from a user at a first device using a network, wherein the user is requesting access to a service provided at a second device, and further wherein the account access counter is the number of service access sessions active for the account; comparing the account access counter to a maximum account access number, wherein the maximum account access number defines a maximum number of service access sessions allowed for the account; and providing the user at the first device access to the service at the second device if the account access counter is less than the maximum account access number. |
| US08272024B2 |
Distributed recording of content
A method is disclosed for distributed recording of content in a client system having a home network connecting a content broker and a plurality of set-top boxes (STBs) with digital video recording capability. In a requesting STB, a command is received from a user to begin recording a content item. A query is sent from the requesting STB to the content broker to determine whether the content item is being recorded by any other STB of the plurality of STBs. A response is received from the content broker. If the response indicates that none of the plurality of STBs is then currently recording the content item, the content item is recorded in the requesting STB. If the response identifies a recording STB that is then currently recording the requested content, an internal content list is updated in the requesting STB to identify the recording STB. |
| US08272021B2 |
Method for transmitting near video on demand (NVoD) using catch and rest (CAR) and sub-channels
The present invention discloses a method for transmitting Near Video on Demand (NVoD) using Catch and Rest (CAR) and sub-channels which includes: dividing an L-sized content into N segments using the CAR broadcasting scheme, allocating the segments to K channels including a replicate channel, and broadcasting the segments; dividing a first segment S1R (SiR represents an i-th segment of a regular channel) into Nsb sub-segments again at given bandwidth using the harmonic broadcasting scheme, and dividing an i-th sub-segment Sisb into i segments again; broadcasting the sub-segments {Si.1sb, . . . , Si.isb} in n sub-channels; and adding the segments {S2R, . . . , SNR} to a sub-layer and broadcasting the segments, the first segment broadcast in the first channel being divided and allocated to a few sub-channels, the succeeding segments broadcast in the other channels being just shifted and broadcast. |
| US08272019B2 |
Client-server based interactive television program guide system with remote server recording
An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to select programs for recording on a remote media server. Programs may also be recorded on a local media server. The program guide provides users with VCR-like control over programs that are played back from the media servers and over real-time cached copies of the programs. The program guide also provides users with an opportunity to designate gift recipients for whom programs may be recorded. |
| US08272018B2 |
Communication of TV-anytime CRIDs
A method of creating an audio/video stream comprises multiplexing a video component, an audio component, a content reference identifier, and a semantic data packet containing information on the relationship between the video component and the content reference identifier. Apparatus for receiving the audio/video stream, and apparatus for transmitting the audio/video stream are disclosed. |
| US08272016B2 |
Broadcast receiving system
A reservation recording module registers program information in a reserved program EPG database and a restriction period in a restriction period setting information. A reserved program keyword extracting module extracts an associative keyword from the program information registered in the reserved program EPG database and registers the associative keyword in an associative keyword database. An information content analyzing module extracts a keyword group from the program information about a now-broadcasting program in electronic program guide (EPG) data. An associated information restriction period determining module specifies as a restriction target program, only a not-yet-viewed program satisfying the restriction period in the respective programs registered in the reserved program EPG database. A program related information determining module calculates, for every restriction target program, an association level between the keyword group registered in the associative keyword database and the keyword group extracted by the information content analyzing module. If there exists the restriction target program with the association level being higher than a predetermined threshold value, an alarm issuing module 39 outputs an alarm message on a display. |
| US08272015B2 |
Alternate source conflict resolution
A system and methods for acquiring scheduled television programs with coinciding program times. One method includes initially identifying that a conflict exists to acquire the scheduled television programs. Once the conflict is identified, the method identifies one or more alternate sources that contain the scheduled television programs. Acquisition schedules are generated and optimized. Then, at least one of the scheduled television programs are recorded from one of the alternate sources. A user may set user preferences to customize how the system will generate potential acquisition schedules. |
| US08272014B2 |
Information storage medium storing a plurality of titles, reproducing apparatus and method thereof
An information storage medium on which a plurality of titles are recorded, and a reproducing apparatus and method thereof. The information storage medium includes a plurality of titles which are reproduced as motion pictures and a plurality of units of attribute information that correspond to the titles and indicate whether a user can control a title to be reproduced. Therefore, efficient navigation can be ensured and the titles can be reproduced as a manufacturer of the information storage medium has planned. |
| US08272013B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for delivering a program in advance of a scheduled broadcast time
A scheduled broadcast time is retrieved for a program that is to be delivered in advance of the scheduled broadcast time, wherein the scheduled broadcast time is associated with a program content identifier for the program. Prior to the scheduled broadcast time, a pre-cast channel is selected on a network by selecting at least one of a currently unused channel or a dedicated pre-cast channel. Prior to the scheduled broadcast time, a signal is sent for placing a viewer program storage device into a pre-cast mode, such that viewing of the pre-cast channel is disabled. Prior to the scheduled broadcast time, the program is delivered to the viewer program storage device over the pre-cast channel, wherein the delivered program is associated with the program content identifier and a time stamp for disabling playback of the delivered program until arrival of the scheduled broadcast time. |
| US08272010B2 |
Television display device and method of operating a television system
A television display system with a television display for displaying television services and internet information, and an input unit for providing a command, the television display system receiving a data stream containing a plurality of key files, each key file including executable data and a respective key image representing said executable data. The television display system includes a memory for continuously maintaining over a period at least one of the key files, a display section displaying upon occurrence of any of a number of preselected events, a key image stored in said memory, superposed on a displayed said television service, said key image upon activation executing said executable data included in the same key file. The system also includes a command section for executing content of the key file of the displayed respective image conditional upon a key command being provided by the input unit. |
| US08272000B2 |
System and method for abstracting computer disk image cloning capabilities from bootable media
A computing system comprises logical and physical layers. In the configuration of this system, operating specific device drivers are decoupled from the installer applications and are instead functionally positioned in the lower logical layer. In this new configuration, the operating system would communicate directly with the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). The BIOS would have the drivers to communicate directly with the hardware components in the computer. This new configuration would eliminate one major step in building a computer. In addition, without this step, the construction of the computer would be faster. |
| US08271998B2 |
Dynamic discovery and definition of mappings of parameters used by service oriented architecture services at runtime
Exemplary illustrative embodiments provide for a method implemented in a service oriented architecture environment including a plurality of live services. The method includes composing, at runtime, a composed service by mapping a first parameter of a first subset of live services to a second parameter of a second subset of live services. The first subset and the second subset are part of the plurality of live services. The method can further include storing the composed service in a memory. |
| US08271991B2 |
Method of analyzing performance in a storage system
A method of balancing a load in a computer system having at least one storage system, and a management computer, each of the storage systems having physical disks and a disk controller, the load balancing method including the steps of: setting at least one of the physical disks as a parity group; providing a storage area of the set parity group as at least one logical volumes to the host computer; calculating a logical volume migration time when a utilization ratio of the parity group becomes equal to or larger than a threshold; and choosing, as a data migration source volume, one of the logical volumes included in the parity group that has the utilization ratio equal to or larger than the threshold, by referring to the calculated logical volume migration time, the data migration source volume being the logical volume from which data migrates. |
| US08271983B2 |
Workload scheduler with cumulative weighting indexes
A workload scheduler supporting the definition of a cumulative weighting index maintains a profile for each job. The profile defines an estimated usage of different resources of the system by the job. A tuning module imports the attributes of the jobs from the profile. The attributes of each job are rated according to an estimated duration of the job. The rated attributes so obtained are then combined, in order to define a single cumulative index for each job and a single cumulative index for each application. |
| US08271980B2 |
System and method of providing system jobs within a compute environment
The invention relates to systems, methods and computer-readable media for using system jobs for performing actions outside the constraints of batch compute jobs submitted to a compute environment such as a cluster or a grid. The method for modifying a compute environment from a system job comprises associating a system job to a queuable object, triggering the system job based on an event and performing arbitrary actions on resources outside of compute nodes in the compute environment. The queuable objects include objects such as batch compute jobs or job reservations. The events that trigger the system job may be time driven, such as ten minutes prior to completion of the batch compute job, or dependent on other actions associated with other system jobs. The system jobs may be utilized also to perform rolling maintenance on a node by node basis. |
| US08271979B2 |
Storage system comprising microprocessor load distribution function
Among a plurality of microprocessors 12, 32, when the load on a microprocessor 12 which performs I/O task processing of received I/O requests is equal to or greater than a first load, the microprocessor assigns at least an I/O task portion of the I/O task processing to another microprocessor 12 or 32, and the other microprocessor 12 or 32 executes at least the I/O task portion. The I/O task portion is a task processing portion comprising cache control processing, comprising the securing in cache memory 20 of a cache area, which is one area in cache memory 20, for storage of data. |
| US08271974B2 |
Cloud computing lifecycle management for N-tier applications
Methods, devices, and systems for management of a cloud computing environment for use by a software application. The cloud computing environment may be an N-tier environment. Multiple cloud providers may be used to provide the cloud computing environment. |
| US08271973B2 |
Automated notification of software installation failures
A system and method are disclosed for enabling the system administrator to identify servers in which the installation of drivers failed without having to examine the installation log of each server by directing the server to send an e-mail to the system administrator in the event of an installation failure. The need for examination of installation logs is eliminated as e-mail messages provide proactive, immediate and specific failure notifications to the system administrator. |
| US08271970B2 |
Method for software distribution
A method for software distribution is provided. The method is for software distribution from a central provider server of a software provider to a customer system with at least one technical device, on which at least one application program managed by the software provider is installed. The method includes storing information about a customer version of the application program used by the customer system and a current version in a database on the central provider server, and making a program packet, which corresponds to the current version of the application program, available to the customer system by way of a data line when the present customer version does not correspond to the current version. |
| US08271966B2 |
Methods and apparatus for patching software in accordance with instituted patching policies
Techniques are disclosed for controlling software patching activity. Techniques may implement a software shell and institute a patching policy to control patching activities. When implemented, the software shell acts as a barrier which permits patching of the underlying software only when the patching activity would be in accordance with the instituted patching policy. Various patching policies can be instituted. Patching may be performed when convenient; or just before when the software requiring the patch is needed; or patching may be blocked to prevent unwanted software characteristics and/or behavior. Patching may be delayed until confidence has been established in a new patch so as to avoid disrupting a computer system that is already functioning in an acceptable manner. A particular software action may be blocked so as to avoid the necessity of having to patch software, particularly when the action may interrupt the orderly function of a computer system. |
| US08271957B2 |
Trace management in client-server applications
There are methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating an integrated trace output file on a system having a first computing device and a second computing device. The first computing device generates a first trace output and receives a second trace output from the second computing device. The first computing device generates an integrated trace output file by combining the second trace output with the first trace output. |
| US08271955B1 |
Forward post-execution software debugger
A method and system debug a computer program by using trace data, which is a recording of the sequence of machine instructions executed by a program during a time period along with the addresses and values of memory locations accessed and modified by each machine instruction. After the time period, the method and system use the trace data to simulate the execution of the program during the time period under the control of a debugger. In addition, the method and system use the trace data to simulate the execution of the program during the time period backwards in time under the control of the debugger. |
| US08271952B2 |
Aggregation and prioritization of application issue data
A novel software application development aid comprises a web portal that provides aggregated and prioritized application issue data to ISVs in an ISV-specific and ISV-customizable manner so that the ISVs may improve their applications or correct errors therein and may know which application issues are causing the greatest reductions in customer satisfaction. So informed, the ISV may efficiently focus limited corrective resources on the most pressing problems. The application issue data sources for the ISV portal may include logo testing data, user crash report data, and other testing data. |
| US08271950B2 |
Test generation from captured user interface status
Recorded user actions are combined with captured program status information to automatically generate test sequences which provide greater test coverage than a mere replayed script. A finite state machine is automatically constructed, based on the captured program status information and on user action groups specified by a tester. Test sequences based on the finite state machine are automatically built and executed, to exercise the program being tested. |
| US08271949B2 |
Self-healing factory processes in a software factory
A method, system, and computer-readable medium for self-healing a software factory are presented. Factory metrics that describe resources and operations within the software factory are collected and analyzed. If the analysis reveals a significant problem within the software factory, then corrective measures are taken and stored, thus enabling the software factory to evolve and improve over time. |
| US08271948B2 |
Subscriber identity module (SIM) application toolkit test method and system
A method and system for testing subscriber identity module application toolkit (SAT) functionality. The method of the present invention includes loading a first computer program into a SIM card and loading a second computer program comprising a software tool for designing test, measurement, and control systems into a computer. The second computer program is executed to trigger an event which causes the first computer program to send a proactive command. The proactive command data is then sent to the SIM card through a terminal response command. |
| US08271945B2 |
Assets and effects
A method of operating a set of devices comprises receiving a real-world description in the form of an instruction set of a markup language, the description including asset terms and effect terms, requesting assets and effects according to the description, modifying at least one asset according to at least one effect, and operating the devices according to the assets. |
| US08271944B2 |
Hosting a graphical program execution system on an embedded device
System and method for performing program-related operations over a network via a web browser. A network connection is established between a server computer and a client computer over a network. A universal resource identifier (URI) is sent from the client computer to the server computer over the network, where the URI indicates a program, e.g., a graphical program (GP), or at least a portion of a graphical program interactive development environment (GPIDE), e.g., a graphical program editor, an execution engine, a static or dynamic analyzer, and/or compiler. The at least a portion of the GPIDE is received from the server computer over the network in response to the URI, and executed in a web browser of the client computer to perform some specified functionality with respect to the GP. |
| US08271942B2 |
Defining a single annotation model
The present invention defines a single Java annotation model. A method in accordance with an embodiment includes: receiving a Java annotation declaration in a Java annotation model; receiving a Java annotation definition in the Java annotation model; receiving domain specific context rules in the Java annotation model; and providing access to combined meta-data information derived from the Java annotation declaration, the Java annotation definition, and the domain specific context rules through the Java annotation model. |
| US08271934B2 |
Developing software applications with increased modularity
A solution is proposed for developing software applications on a data processing system. A corresponding method starts with the step of providing an analysis model of a software application (such as based on a use case diagram); the analysis model represents the software application with stereotypes (i.e., use cases) each one representing a requirement of the software application. The method continues by estimating an optimum number of features of the software application (each one representing a function of the software application); the optimum number of features is estimated according to the analysis model. The stereotypes are then organized in packages; each package includes a set of logically correlated stereotypes, which expose a corresponding feature. A number of the packages are determined according to the optimum number of features and used to implement the software application. |
| US08271932B2 |
Hierarchical error injection for complex RAIM/ECC design
A computer-implemented method for verifying a RAIM/ECC design using a hierarchical injection scheme that includes selecting marks for generating an error mask, selecting a fixed bit mask based on the selected marks, determining whether to inject errors into at least one of a marked channel and at least one marked chip of a channel; and randomly injecting errors into the at least one of the marked channel and the at least one marked chip when determined. |
| US08271929B2 |
Method for clock load alignment during standard cell optimization
A computing device may include a memory to store instructions and a processor. The processor may execute the instructions to conduct an initial cell optimization for an integrated circuit layout; designate clock loads associated with a first-level clock buffer; receive, after the initial standard-cell optimization, a set of initial placement locations; align the clock loads according to the set of placement locations; conduct, using the aligned clock loads, a re-optimization of the integrated circuit layout; and store, in the memory, a circuit layout based on the re-optimization. |
| US08271928B2 |
Automating power domains in electronic design automation
One or more portions of the design (e.g., components, channels, or portions thereof) can be assigned instances of one or more component power domains (CPDs). Assigning an instance of a CPD to a design element (or to a portion thereof) can indicate, for example, whether the element can be switched on and off, or whether the element can operate over a range of voltages. The CPD instances can, in turn, be assigned to one or more design power domains (DPDs). Assignments of a CPD to a DPD can be evaluated according to a set of compatibility rules. Two or more electronic design elements can be connected by one or more signal paths. Organizing the CPD instances into DPDs can aid in finding signal paths that cross from a first DPD to a second DPD. To improve the reliability of signal paths traversing a DPD boundary, one or more power domain interface (PDI) components can be created to handle the signal paths at the boundary. |
| US08271927B2 |
Combination of ground devices in wiring harness designs
A method can include allowing a user to place a first wiring harness design component within a wiring harness topology in a wiring harness design workspace, allowing the user to place a first plurality of ground devices within the first wiring harness design component placed in the wiring harness topology, allowing the user to request an automatic ground combination, and, in response to the user requesting an automatic ground combination, automatically applying at least one electronically stored ground combination rule to a first set of ground devices comprising a plurality of the first plurality of ground devices and automatically combining at least two of the first set of ground devices into a first combined ground device based at least in part on the applied at least one electronically stored ground combination rule. |
| US08271926B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit with multi-cut via and automated layout method for the same
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first wiring formed on a first wiring layer and prolonged in a first direction, a second wiring formed on a second wiring layer and prolonged in a second direction, a third wiring formed on the first wiring layer and prolonged in the first direction, a fourth wiring formed on the second wiring layer and prolonged in the second direction, a multi-cut via formed to connect the first wiring to the second wiring, the multi-cut via including a first via and a second via formed in the first direction, and a single-cut via formed to connect the third wiring to the fourth wiring. A first overhang is provided in a direction opposite to the first direction, the first overhang being larger than a second overhang, the second overhang being smaller than a third overhang. |
| US08271924B1 |
Self-configuring components on a device
Methods and apparatus are provided for allowing components such as buffers, multiplexers, ingress cores, etc. on a device such as a programmable chip to configure themselves based on parameter information. In some examples, self-configuring components obtain parameter information from adjacent components. In other examples, self-configuring components obtain parameter information from a system environment or a processor register. Component self-configuration can occur at a variety of times including preprocessing, simulation, and run-time. |
| US08271922B2 |
System and method for clock optimization to achieve timing signoff in an electronic circuit and electronic design automation tool incorporating the same
A system and method for clock optimization to achieve timing signoff in an electronic circuit and an EDA tool that embodies the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a clock cell identifier/sorter configured to identify at least some clock cells in a clock network associated with an electronic circuit design and sort the cells according to breadth, (2) a slack analyzer associated with the clock cell identifier/sorter and configured to identify flops that are downstream of the cells and determine a worst setup and hold timing slack thereof and (3) a clock cell delay adjuster associated with the slack analyzer and configured to adjust delays of the cells subject to the worst setup and hold timing slack. |
| US08271919B2 |
Method for correcting image rendering data, method for rendering image, method for manufacturing wiring board, and image rendering system
A method for correcting image rendering data includes preparing image rendering data having position coordinates that determine an image rendering region and base position coordinates that show the position of a base point arranged in the image rendering region; obtaining a displacement state of position coordinates on an image rendering object; based on the obtained displacement state of position coordinates on the image rendering object, correcting the base position coordinates; and based on the corrected base position coordinates, correcting the position coordinates of the image rendering region while the shape of the image rendering region is maintained. |
| US08271918B2 |
Formal verification of clock domain crossings
Methods and apparatus for performing automated formal clock domain crossing verification on a device are detailed. In various implementations of the invention, a device may be analyzed, wherein the clock domain crossing boundaries are identified. Subsequently, a formal clock domain crossing verification method may be applied to the identified clock domain crossing boundaries, resulting in clock domain crossing assertions being identified. After which the identified assertions may be promoted for post clock domain crossing analysis. With various implementations of the invention, a formal clock domain crossing method is provided, wherein the device components near an identified clock domain crossing are extracted. Assertions may then be synthesized and verified based upon the extracted components. Various implementations of the invention provide for clock domain crossing verification to be performed iteratively, wherein a larger and larger selection of the device is extracted during formal verification. Additionally, various implementations of the present invention provide that the clock domain crossing verification operate on the fly during a device verification procedure. With further implementations, a bit-blasted approach to clock domain crossing verification may be provided during formal verification. |
| US08271916B2 |
Method for the definition of a library of application-domain-specific logic cells
The present invention provides in one aspect a method of defining a logic cell library composed of complex functions and simple functions, with some of the complex functions obtained from identifying logic function patterns. In another aspect the present invention provides a method of designing a representation of an integrated circuit that uses complex functions and simple functions, with the complex functions including a plurality of non-standard complex Boolean logic functions that are determined to collectively provide for logic pattern minimization. |
| US08271913B2 |
Method and system for design and modeling of transmission lines
A method and system for design and modeling of transmission lines are provided. The method includes providing a set of models of core structures (211) of transmission line cells and expanding each of the models of core structures (211) to include different neighboring elements. The parameter characteristics of the expanded core structures (214a-214c) are compared to determine a model having a minimal sufficiently closed neighborhood environment. A closed neighborhood environment complies with design rules to ensure desired transmission line behavior in a real design environment. A model having a closed neighborhood environment can be used as a stand-alone model of the core structure describing the transmission line behavior in the actual design environment. |
| US08271912B2 |
Radiation tolerance by clock signal interleaving
A method for designing integrated circuits uses clock signal interleaving to reduce the likelihood of a soft error arising from an upset in a clock distribution network. At least two circuits in a circuit description are identified as being sensitive to radiation, and different clock distribution nodes are assigned to the two circuits. Several exemplary implementations are disclosed. The second circuit may be a redundant replica of the first circuit, such as a reset circuit. The first and second circuits may be components of a modular redundant circuit such as a triple modular redundancy flip-flop. The first circuit may include a set of data bits for an entry of a storage array such as a register or memory array, and the second circuit may include a set of check bits associated with the entry. |
| US08271911B1 |
Programmable hardware event reporting
Approaches for reporting hardware events from circuitry implemented in an integrated circuit (IC). The IC is configured with a circuit to be analyzed and an event monitor circuit. A process invokes an application programming interface (API) function that references an operating system managed object. The API function includes a parameter value that references the object. The process is operated in a first manner when the object is in a first state. An interrupt signal is generated by the event monitor circuit to the processor in response to an input signal from the circuit under analysis, which initiates execution of an interrupt handler. The object is placed in a second state by the interrupt handler. The process is operated in a second manner different from the first manner in response to the object transitioning to the second state. |
| US08271910B2 |
EMF correction model calibration using asymmetry factor data obtained from aerial images or a patterned layer
A computer-implemented method is provided for generating an electromagnetic field (EMF) correction boundary layer (BL) model corresponding to a mask, which can include using a computer to perform a method, in which asymmetry factor data is determined from aerial image measurements of a plurality of different gratings representative of features provided on a mask, wherein the aerial image measurements having been made at a plurality of different focus settings. The method may also include determining boundary layer (BL) model parameters of an EMF correction BL model corresponding to the mask by fitting to the asymmetry factor measurements. Alternatively, the asymmetry factor data can be determined from measurements of line widths of photoresist patterns, wherein the photoresist patterns correspond to images cast by a plurality of gratings at a plurality of different defocus distances, and the gratings can be representative of features of a mask. |
| US08271905B2 |
Information presentation in virtual 3D
A method, system and program product for assisting a presentation owner in creating and presenting information to audience users in a virtual 3D cyclorama-like environment. A presentation object tool provides behavior in the cyclorama object to assist the presentation owner in resolving graphic objects into the cyclorama and in placing information onto the graphic objects. The presenter object tool also provides behavior in the graphic objects to allow the presentation owner to expand a graphic object into a larger viewing size, to increment and decrement the placement of graphic objects within the cyclorama's presentation space, and to place an expanded graphic object into a home viewing position for presentation to audience users. |
| US08271902B1 |
Communication of emotions with data
A method for communicating emotions with data is provided. Here, a selection of a graphic image configured to convey an emotion is received. The graphic image is selected with a rotatable dial interface. After receipt, the graphic image is associated with a plurality of data and the graphic image is displayed with the plurality of data. |
| US08271901B2 |
Cross taxonomy navigation from a bread crumb in a graphical user interface
Embodiments of the invention are directed to enabling a user to navigate to a web page or other resource in a taxonomy of resources using a crumb provided in a user interface. The crumb is associated with a category of web pages in the taxonomy. When a user indicates the crumb, such as hovering over the crumb, additional crumbs are displayed, so that the user may directly navigate to another web page in the taxonomy. The additional crumbs may be in the same, or a different category. The user can select a crumb from any category to navigate forward and backward in the taxonomy. The taxonomy may be independent of a storage structure for the web pages. The crumbs may be in a toolbar, script, or other module that interfaces with a local or remote taxonomy processor to access and dynamically manage the taxonomy of web pages. |
| US08271897B2 |
Method and system for navigating a user dialog configured to accomplish a task
A dialog is configured to display first and second pages of attribute fields to prompt an input of attribute values for use in accomplishing the task. Each page is separately displayable in the dialog. According to exemplary embodiments, a dynamically alterable summary of the attribute fields and values is included on a portion of the first page of the dialog. The attribute fields and values included in the summary are arranged into groups. A first group includes the attribute fields and values displayable on the first page of the dialog, and a second group includes the attribute fields and values displayable on the second page of the dialog. A first software link is provided between the second group and the second page of the dialog to provide automated access to the second page via the second group. |
| US08271895B2 |
GUI for programming step and repeat operations in a machine vision inspection system
A method is provided for programming step and repeat operations of a machine vision inspection system. The machine vision inspection system includes an imaging portion, a stage for holding one or more workpieces in a field of view (FOV) of the imaging portion, a control portion, and a graphical user interface (GUI). According to the method, a user operates the machine vision inspection system to define a set of inspection operations to be performed on a first configuration of workpiece features. The user also operates the GUI to display a step and repeat dialog box, in which he defines a first plurality of parameters defining a set of default step and repeat locations for performing the defined set of inspection operations. The user further operates the GUI to define a set of inspection step and repeat locations, which is a subset of the defined set of default step and repeat locations, where the inspection operations are to be actually performed. |
| US08271893B1 |
Transforming representation information
Among other disclosures, a method may include receiving a request to modify graphical data using a graphical tool, wherein the graphical data is associated with representation information, and the request indicates a visually depicted aspect of the graphical data, deriving an alteration of the representation information, based, at least in part, on the visually depicted aspect, and transforming the representation information based on the derived alteration. |
| US08271890B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus which makes it possible to realize easy accessing of registered information of any function and provide a user interface having high operability. The image processing apparatus stores setting information configured via an operating section and access information for use in accessing the setting information in association with each other. Further, the image processing apparatus stores the setting information and button information in association with each other. The button information is displayed on a touch panel in a user selectable form. When an item of the button information displayed on the touch panel is selected by a user, a portal application detects the access information associated with the selected button information item. The setting information is acquired based on the detected access information. The image processing apparatus performs image processing based on the acquired setting information. |
| US08271887B2 |
Systems and methods for whiteboard collaboration and annotation
A method for conducting a collaborative web-based whiteboard session, including receiving one or more whiteboard annotations in first units in a first client application component, converting the one or more whiteboard annotations from the first units into second units by utilizing a software component associated with the first client application component, sending the one or more whiteboard annotations, in the second units, to a second client application component, converting the one or more whiteboard annotations received from the first client application component from the second units into coordinates specific to the second client application component, and presenting the one or more whiteboard annotations using the coordinates specific to the second client application component to a user through the second client application component. |
| US08271884B1 |
Graphical animation advertising and informational content service for handheld devices (GADS)
Compiled computer code loaded on a mobile networked device implementing aspects of graphical animation capabilities, which include at least one of lateral movement, vertical movement, timing of movement and behavior. A network communication initiated by the code retrieves new instructions previously assembled in programmed browser and stored on programmed server. The new instructions direct the code to create content objects and download content object components, such as, but not limited to, graphic image, graphic images in frame sequence for animation, video, audio, and text elements. The instructions trigger selected ones of the coded aspects of graphical animation capabilities on the content objects to produce presentations. New instructions downloaded from the server trigger different coded aspects of graphical animation capabilities on the same or different content objects and content object components to change and display new presentations without having to program, compile and download new code on the mobile networked device. |
| US08271882B2 |
Processing life and work events
A method provides a user with access to resources associated with a life or work event by enabling the user to perform certain operations, including specifying a list of one or more tasks corresponding to the event, specifying one or more resources associated with each task, indicating a task order (including an indication of whether two or more tasks in the task list are to be performed in an order-dependent or in an order-independent manner), and formatting the task list into a presentation format. A system with user interface controls enables a user to perform certain operations, including designating an event, generating a list of tasks associated with the event, and specifying an order for performance of the tasks in the task list that may be followed in processing an instance of the event. |
| US08271870B2 |
Document analysis, commenting, and reporting system
A document analysis, commenting, and reporting system provides tools that automate quality assurance analysis tailored to specific document types. As one example, the specific document type may be a requirements specification and the system may tag different parts of requirements, including actors, entities, modes, and a remainder. The system also includes tools for visualizing the relationships between entities in a requirements specification and for identifying whether the requirements specification provides for attributes specified by a non-functional attribute glossary. The system facilitates the visualization of interactions of individual entities, of a system of entities, or entities identified for a specific use. The different types of visualizations distinguish between interacting and non-interacting entities, and highlight where a set of requirements may be deficient with respect to the non-interacting entities. However, the flexibility of the system permits analysis of any other document type, such as instruction manuals and best practices guides. |
| US08271869B2 |
Identifying language translations for source documents using links
Technology is described for identifying language translations for source documents. The method includes finding source documents containing links to target documents and the link anchors of the links have language indicating text. A first tuple set can be generated for paired source documents and target documents with an expected target language for a target document. The first tuple set can be annotated with primary languages for the source documents and target documents to form a second tuple set where primary languages of the source documents and target documents are different. Further, a third tuple set can be generated using the second tuple set using a count of the number of times source documents and target documents occur in the first tuple set. Tuples can be removed from the third tuple set where a count ratio between source document count and target document count is less than a reference ratio. |
| US08271865B1 |
Detection and utilization of document reading speed
A system stores an electronic document that has markers inserted within the electronic document. The system visually renders the electronic document to a user and uses the inserted markers to determine a speed at which a reader reads the electronic document. |
| US08271861B2 |
Symbol vector-level combining receiver for incremental redundancy HARQ with MIMO
Techniques are provided for transmitting and receiving a mother code in an incremental redundancy hybrid automatic repeat-request protocol. A set of information bits corresponding to a message is encoded and interleaved to produce the mother code. Each bit position of the mother code is mapped to an output symbol, and each output symbol is mapped to an antenna for transmission. One or more transmissions are performed, where each transmission includes puncturing the mother code by selecting one or more symbols from the output symbols, and transmitting each symbol in the one or more symbols on an antenna corresponding to that symbol. The mother code is decoded, in part, by determining combinable bits contained within a set of received symbols and computing one or more log-likelihood ratio values corresponding to each symbol in the set of received symbols. |
| US08271850B2 |
Fast low-density parity-check code encoder
Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided to encode a low-density parity-check codeword for transmission in a communications channel. In an embodiment, the encoding may include partially computing parity-check bits in response to receiving a block of message bits before obtaining all the message bits for the low-density parity-check codeword, including updating previously partially computed parity-check bits that depend on the received block. |
| US08271849B2 |
M/H frame encoding and decoding techniques for 8VSB DTV broadcasting systems
Modification of the prior-art M/H system to better suit transmission of internet-protocol (IP) transport packets includes a standard codeword length for a plurality of various options for transverse Reed-Solomon coding of M/H data, which options offer different degrees of forward-error-correction capability. A 235-byte standard codeword length for TRS coding of M/H data allows extending the FIC-Chunks in the Fast Information Channel signaling to double length so as to substantially increase the capability of such signaling to convey information concerning M/H services. In some transmitter apparatus constructed in accordance with aspect of the invention the TRS encoder in the M/H Frame encoder is modified for transmitting the parity bytes of TRS codewords before, rather than after, the data bytes of those TRS codewords. |
| US08271848B2 |
Method of decoding code blocks and system for concatenating code blocks
In a multiple access environment, to improve decoding efficiency for small code blocks by a constituent decoder, multiple code blocks may be concatenated to form a single larger code block. Example embodiments of the present invention concatenate code blocks for turbo codes I and II. Example embodiments of the present invention may also concatenate code blocks for convolutional code. Example embodiments of the present invention also disclose a system to concatenate the code blocks. |
| US08271847B2 |
Method and apparatus for N+1 packet level mesh protection
Methods and apparatus are provided for N+1 packet level mesh protection. An error correction encoding method is provided that assembles M-T data packets; appends a sequence number and a payload integrity check to each of the M-T data packets; and creates T protection packets having the sequence number and payload integrity check, wherein a payload for each of the T protection packets are formed from corresponding symbols in the M-T data packets. An error correction decoding method is also provided that receives a plurality of error-free packets and one or more packets having an error; and reconstructs the one or more packets having an error by applying block erasure decoding to said plurality of error-free packets, whereby one packet having an error can be reconstructed for each protection packet used to encode the received packets. |
| US08271841B2 |
Circuitry and method for an at-speed scan test
A method for testing an integrated circuit to detect delay faults resulting from a signal path from a first block of the integrated circuit to a second block of the integrated circuit, wherein first and second blocks are running at different application speeds. The method may include shifting first data into scan memory cells of the integrated circuit at a first frequency; applying a launch test clock pulse to the first block at a second frequency; applying a capture test clock pulse to the second block at the second frequency, wherein the first edges of the launch and capture pulses are delayed with respect to each other by a period that is a reciprocal of the second frequency; shifting second data from the scan memory cells to an output at the first frequency; and comparing the second data at the output with expected values. |
| US08271837B2 |
Performing asynchronous testing of an application occasionally connected to an online services system
In a method, system, and computer-readable medium having instructions for performing asynchronous testing of an application that is occasionally connected to an online services system, metadata describing at least a portion of an online services database is retrieved and the at least a portion of the online services database is authorized for replication at a software application, information is determined for an entity for an application database from the metadata, a request is sent for a database using the software application interface and the request has an asynchronous operation call to the database for the entity, an execution of the asynchronous operation call is recorded within a callback function, a response is received for the asynchronous operation call, and a result is determined for the software application performance. |
| US08271835B2 |
Method for diagnosing abnormal conditions in a system by observing a computer screen and considering computer screen configuration complexity and distinctiveness
The present invention discloses an apparatus and a method for diagnosing abnormal conditions, that quantitatively considers acquisition difficulties between abnormal symptoms provided on a computer screen and quantifies acquisition difficulties of the abnormal symptoms through distinctiveness of measuring devices to exactly diagnose the abnormal conditions even under an improved control environment, making it possible for a user to rapidly and easily diagnose the abnormal conditions that may be generated from a complicated device.With the present invention, the abnormal conditions are diagnosed using the sequential diagnosis technique and the Boolean logic between the abnormal symptoms, making it possible to effectively diagnose the abnormal conditions even under masking effects that may be generated between the abnormal symptoms. |
| US08271834B2 |
Method and system for providing immunity to computers
A method and system for providing immunity to a computer system wherein the system includes an immunity module, a recovery module, a maintenance module, an assessment module, and a decision module, wherein the immunity module, the recovery module, the maintenance module and the assessment module are each linked to the decision module. The maintenance module monitors the system for errors and sends an error alert message to the assessment module, which determines the severity of the error and the type of package required to fix the error. The assessment module sends a request regarding the type of package required to fix the error to the recovery module. The recovery module sends the package required to fix the error to the maintenance module, which fixes the error in the system. |
| US08271830B2 |
Rolling cache configuration for a data replication system
Performing data management operations on replicated data in a computer network. Log entries are generated for data management operations of an application executing on a source system. Consistency point entries are used to indicate a time of a known good, or recoverable, state of the application. A destination system is configured to process a copy of the log and consistency point entries to replicate data in a replication volume, the replicated data being a copy of the application data on the source system. When the replicated data represents a known good state of the application, as determined by the consistency point entries, the destination system(s) may perform a storage operation (e.g., snapshot, backup) to copy the replicated data and to logically associate the copied data with a time information (e.g., time stamp) indicative of the source system time when the application was in the known good state. |
| US08271825B2 |
Synchronization devices having input/output delay model tuning elements in signal paths to provide tuning capabilities to offset signal mismatch
Apparatus for synchronizing signals. For memory devices, such as SDRAMs, implementing a synchronization device to synchronize one signal, such as an external clock signal with a second signal, such as a data signal, tuning elements may be provided at various points in the signal path of the synchronization device. The tuning elements are designed to be identical, such that a single design may be used to a signal mismatch that is produced in either direction, using a single design. The tuning elements may be implemented to provide uniformity in the access time through a range of conditions, such as drain voltages and temperatures. |
| US08271822B2 |
Interactive device with time synchronization capability
An interactive device having time synchronization capability is provided. In one embodiment, the interactive device has a computer processor that stores an internal clock. The computer processor may be preprogrammed to generate announcements based on a particular time of the internal clock. A user may input and adjust the time of the internal clock. In another embodiment, a setup module is provided which includes a computer processor that stores a setup time. The setup module establishes a connection with an interactive device, and time synchronizes the interactive device such that the internal clock of the interactive device is running the same time as the setup module. The setup module is capable of synchronizing the internal clock of multiple interactive devices, despite the interactive devices being programmed on separate occasions. The interactive device may be synchronized by the setup module via a hard-wired connection or wireless means. |
| US08271820B2 |
Micro-processor
A micro-processor includes a clock generator configured to generate a fetch clock, a decoding clock, an execution clock, and a write-back clock that are sequentially enabled; a volatile memory device configured to output pre-stored program data in response to the fetch clock; a command decoder configured to decode the program data in response to the decoding clock and generate a decoding command; an arithmetic device configured to perform an arithmetic operation according to the command of the decoding command in response to the execution clock; and a peripheral circuit device configured to be operated according to the command of the decoding command in response to the write-back clock. |
| US08271819B2 |
Methods and systems for initiating power to an information handling system
An information handling system (IHS) is disclosed providing a power supply operable to provide an output current to the IHS during power initiation. The IHS may also include a first power component associated with a first power stage wherein the first power stage may have a first current threshold. Furthermore, the IHS may include a power control logic coupled to the power supply and the first power component. As such, the power control logic may be operable to communicate the first power stage to the power supply, and if the output current does not exceed the first current threshold during the first power stage, the power control logic may be operable to communicate a second power stage having a second current threshold to the power supply. |
| US08271818B2 |
Managing under-utilized resources in a computer
A method, and a corresponding system, for managing under-utilized resources in a computer system includes the steps of monitoring performance of workloads executing on the computer system, where the workloads consume resources, determining resource demand and utilization by the workloads, comparing the workload performance to user-defined performance targets and resource utilization by the workloads to user-defined utilization targets, using the comparison results, determining if one or more resources may be assigned to a free resource pool, and assigning the determined resources to the free resource pool. |
| US08271816B2 |
System and method for statistics recording of power devices
A system and method for statistics recording of power devices is disclosed. A power circuit includes a power device to provide a specified electrical power to a load and a host controller coupled to the power device. The host controller is configured to provide issue instructions to and retrieve status information from the power device. A communications and control interface (CCI) is coupled between the power device and the host controller. The CCI is configured to operate as a communications interface between the power device and the host controller and to retrieve and store status information from the power device. The CCI may be capable of performing statistical analysis on the status information to help reduce the amount of information exchanged between the host controller and the power device, thereby reducing bandwidth requirements. |
| US08271809B2 |
On-chip power proxy based architecture
Illustrative embodiments estimate power consumption within a multi-core microprocessor chip. An authorized user selects a set of activities to be monitored. A value for each activity of the set of activities is stored in a separate counter of a set of counters, forming a set of stored values. The value comprises the count multiplied by a weight factor specific to the activity. The set of activities are grouped into subsets. The stored values corresponding to each activity in each subset are summed, forming a total value for each subset. The total value of each subset is multiplied by a factor corresponding to the subset, forming a scaled value for each subset. The scaled value of each subset is summed, forming a power usage value. A power manager adjusts the operational parameters of the unit based on a comparison of the power usage value to a threshold value. |
| US08271808B2 |
Computer system, subordinate device, and power supply control method
A computer system includes a main device and a subordinate device. Data transmission and reception by means of an optical transmission system are performed by connecting the main device and the subordinate device by an optical transmission cable. The subordinate device, a power of which needs to be cut-off prior to the main device, includes a light reception determination part and a power supply control part. The light reception determination part determines whether the main device is in a power-off state by presence or absence of light reception based on a light-receiving amount received by a photoelectric converter. When it is determined that the main device is in the power-off state, the power supply control part controls a power supply device so as to cut-off the power of the subordinate device. |
| US08271805B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing a secure buffer
The present invention provides a secure buffer for use in data storage and encryption processing. Blocks or packets of data are passed to a secure buffer within a processor. The processor may be one of many coprocessors, and the secure buffer may be inaccessible to some or all of the coprocessors. Data may be partially or fully encrypted and stored within the secure buffer. Encryption may occur before or after storage in the buffer, or it may take place within the buffer itself. Optionally, the encrypted data may be sent to and retrieved from a shared memory that is accessible by other coprocessors. |
| US08271803B2 |
Anti-debugging protection of binaries with proxy code execution
A first process operating on a computer comprises code to be executed in connection therewith, where the code includes at least one triggering device. A digital license corresponds to the first process and sets forth terms and conditions for operating the first process. A second process operating on the computer proxy-executes code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process on behalf of such first process. The second process includes a selection of options to thwart reverse engineering by a debugger if a debugger is detected. The options include execution by a proxy engine of a re-routed call, crashing the first process, detection ad elimination of a debugger related interrupt a call to an arbitrary function. |
| US08271800B2 |
System and method for processing and protecting content
Systems and methods that process and protect content are provided. In one example, a system may include, for example, a first device coupled to a second device. The first device may include, for example, an integrated circuit that may include a content processing system and a security system. The security system may include, for example, a digital rights manager. The first device and the second device may be part of a network. The network receives content and control information via the first device. The content processing system processes incoming content based upon at least the control information. The integrated circuit protects the content before placing the content on the network. |
| US08271798B2 |
Limiting access to publicly exposed object-oriented interfaces via password arguments
Limiting access to publicly exposed object-oriented interfaces is disclosed. A system includes inter-related first objects that share a predetermined password. First object-oriented interfaces define methods supported by the first objects. The first objects publicly expose the first interfaces, which are queryable by the first objects and second objects. Each first interface includes a password argument to limit access to the first objects. The system may also include second object-oriented interfaces that define methods supported by the first objects that publicly expose the second interfaces, which are queryable by the first and the second objects. The second interfaces are required by specification, such as that for the Common Information Model (CIM), and correspond to the first interfaces. The second interfaces lack password arguments to limit access, and the methods defined thereby return “not implemented” messages when invoked. Each second interface is a non-implemented and password-free version of a first interface. |
| US08271797B2 |
Service use method and management method
A user sets an apparatus name easily identified by the user to a terminal, transmits the apparatus name together with user identification information to a terminal management server for managing a terminal, and the terminal management server registers the apparatus name as associated with the user identification information, thereby allowing the terminal management server to uniquely identify each terminal based on the apparatus name associated with the user identification information. Furthermore, a user can easily identify an apparatus name, thereby realizing a service utilizing system capable of reducing the laborious procedure of operating the terminal management server, and easily identifying each terminal. |
| US08271791B2 |
Long-term secure digital signatures
A method for digitally signing of electronic documents which are to be kept secure for a very long time, thereby taking into account future cryptographic developments which could render currently cryptographic key-lengths insufficient. A double signature is issued for each document. A first digital signature ensures the long term security, while a second digital signature ensures the involvement of an individual user. Thereby, the second digital signature is less computationally intensive in its generation than the first digital signature. |
| US08271790B2 |
Method and system for securely identifying computer storage devices
In a private network setting in which various computers can be attached, the confidential or sensitive data within the various devices on the private network is vulnerable. The ability to copy such confidential or sensitive data to a storage device communicatively coupled to a client computer on the network is governed and controlled. Only devices that include an authentic stamp or digital certificate can be accessed by client computers. If a device does not have a valid stamp or the stamp has been black listed, then the access to the device can be prevented or greatly limited. |
| US08271789B2 |
System and method for managing usage authorizations based on the use of smart cards
Disclosed is a system managing usage authorizations, comprising a central computer system, field devices and smart cards, wherein the system maintains databases containing all information relating to the users, user accounts, user smart cards, field devices and products, establishes and maintains at least at times communication with the field devices, issues instructions based on the available information and transmits to a plurality of field devices, with the field devices maintaining information relating to the smart cards and products so that communication between a field device and a smart card allows at least a portion of the smart card-related instructions to be processed from the instruction list and stored on the field device and to be transmitted to the computer system during the next communication, and wherein the smart cards carry to allow exchange of information with a field device and store instructions. |
| US08271784B2 |
Communication between key manager and storage subsystem kernel via management console
System, computer program product, and method embodiments for communication between a kernel operational on a storage subsystem and a key manager (KM) through a hardware management console (HMC) to provide encryption support are provided. In one embodiment, an event request is initiated by the kernel to the KM to execute an event flow. Pursuant to a communication request by the kernel to the HMC, a socket of the HMC is opened along a communication path between the KM and the kernel according to an event flow type selected by the KM for the event flow. Pursuant to a data request by the kernel to the KM, data including a data payload is sent by the KM to the kernel, the data payload corresponding to the selected event flow type. |
| US08271782B2 |
System and method for accessing keys for secure messaging
Methods and systems for handling on an electronic device a secure message to be sent to a recipient. Data is accessed about a security key associated with the recipient. The received data is used to perform a validity check related to sending a secure message to the recipient. The validity check may uncover an issue that exists with sending a secure message to the recipient. A reason is determined for the validity check issue and is provided to the mobile device's user. |
| US08271780B2 |
Trusted network connect method for enhancing security
A trusted network connect method for enhancing security, it pre-prepares platform integrity information, sets an integrity verify demand. A network access requestor initiates an access request, a network access authority starts a process for bi-directional user authentication, begins to perform the triplex element peer authentication protocol with a user authentication service unit. After the success of the bi-directional user authentication, a TNC server and a TNC client perform bi-directional platform integrity evaluation. The network access requestor and the network access authority control ports according to their respective recommendations, implement the mutual access control of the access requestor and the access authority. The present invention solves the technical problems in the background technologies: the security is lower relatively, the access requestor may be unable to verify the validity of the AIK credential and the platform integrity evaluation is not parity. The present invention may simplify the management of the key and the mechanism of integrity verification, expand the application scope of the trusted network connect. |
| US08271777B2 |
Secure host connection
The present patent disclosure describes a system and method for maintaining persistent secure connections between a terminal and a host. The system comprises a session manager component for storing session information associated with a terminal identifier (ID) of the terminal, the session information comprising a client connection ID for identifying a persistent secure client connection and a terminal connection ID for identifying a secure terminal connection. The system also comprises a connection manager component for establishing communication between the persistent secure client connection, identified by the client connection ID, and the secure terminal connection, identified by the terminal connection ID. The method comprises the step of storing session information associated with a terminal identifier (ID) of the terminal, the session information comprising a client connection ID for identifying a persistent secure client connection and a terminal connection ID for identifying a secure terminal connection. The method further comprises the step of establishing communication between the persistent secure client connection, identified by the client connection ID, and the secure terminal connection, identified by the terminal connection ID. |
| US08271775B2 |
Layer two encryption for data center interconnectivity
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with layer two (L2) encryption for data center interconnectivity are described. One example system includes a receive logic to receive an unencrypted L2 switched frame (UL2SF). The UL2SF may include a payload and an L2 header. The example system may also include an encryption logic to selectively encrypt the UL2SF into an encrypted frame if the UL2SF is to be sent through an L2 virtual private network (L2VPN) requiring encryption. The example system may also include a delivery logic that adds a header to the encrypted frame. The header may include data to identify a decryption function to decrypt the encrypted frame and routing information for the encrypted frame. The delivery logic may also provide the encrypted frame to the L2VPN, where the providing includes selectively sending the encrypted frame as one of, a point to point packet, and a multipoint packet. |
| US08271774B1 |
Circumstantial blocking of incoming network traffic containing code
An incoming network traffic manager circumstantially blocks incoming network traffic (103) containing code (107). The incoming network traffic manager (101) monitors (201) incoming network traffic (103) addressed to a target computer (105). The network traffic manager (101) detects (203) incoming network traffic (103) containing code (107). The network manager (101) blocks (205) incoming traffic (103) containing code (107) from reaching the target computer (105), responsive to circumstances being such that it is undesirable to allow incoming traffic (103) containing code (107) to reach the target computer (105). |
| US08271772B2 |
Boot control method of computer system
A computer system comprises two or more computers including at least one standby computer and a management computer which controls the computers. The management computer manages unique identification information which is assigned to an Ethernet controller of each computer. When a failure has occurred to an active computer, the management computer sets the unique identification information which has been assigned to the Ethernet controller of the failed computer to the Ethernet controller of the standby computer and the standby computer boots up a software image for the failed computer by use of the unique identification information which has been set to its Ethernet controller by the management computer. |
| US08271768B2 |
Concurrent handling of exceptions in received aggregate exception structure with supplied exception handlers and marking handled exceptions
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing concurrent exception handling. When one or more exceptions are received from concurrent workers, one or more exception handler functions are supplied. For each respective exception in the exception results, determine if the respective exception is one of a kind of exceptions handled by the one or more exception handler functions. If the respective exception is one of a kind handled by the exception handler functions, then run a particular handler of the exception handler functions and mark the respective exception as handled. Any unhandled exceptions are then processed appropriately. In one implementation, a collection of input data is processed to produce a collection of output results, with the exceptions being interleaved with other output results. In another implementation, a particular exception is selected that represents the multiple exceptions. The selected one particular exception is then thrown. |
| US08271767B2 |
Controlling arithmetic processing according to asynchronous and synchronous modes based upon data size threshold
An HW arithmetic unit executes a predetermined arithmetic operation. An arithmetic-mode determining unit determines, based on an attribute or a content of data relating to processing that has requested the arithmetic operation, either a synchronous mode that executes the processing after waiting for completion of the arithmetic operation by an arithmetic circuit or an asynchronous mode that executes the processing without waiting for completion of the arithmetic operation by the arithmetic circuit, as an execution mode of the arithmetic operation. An arithmetic-process control unit controls the arithmetic operation by the arithmetic circuit according to the determined execution mode. |
| US08271766B2 |
Intentionally delaying execution of a copy instruction to achieve simultaneous execution with a subsequent, non-adjacent write instruction
An information processing device including registers (105) for holding data and an operation device (102) for executing arithmetic and logic operations on input/output data held in the register. The information processing device can issue an inter-register copy instruction for instructing data held in one register to be copied to another register. The information processing device further includes a copy information holding device (113) for reserving for execution of a data copy operation by the inter-register copy instruction from a control unit (108) so as to execute the actual copy operation simultaneously with the succeeding instruction to hide the execution time of the copy operation. Thus, in the inter-register copy instruction execution phase, a reservation for a data copy operation is stored in the copy information holding device so that the execution phase is completed without performing the actual data copy operation. |
| US08271765B2 |
Managing instructions for more efficient load/store unit usage
The illustrative embodiments described herein provide a computer-implemented method, apparatus, and a system for managing instructions. A load/store unit receives a first instruction at a port. The load/store unit rejects the first instruction in response to determining that the first instruction has a first reject condition. Then, the instruction sequencing unit activates a first bit in response to the load/store unit rejection the first instruction. The instruction sequencing unit blocks the first instruction from reissue while the first bit is activated. The processor unit determines a class of rejection of the first instruction. The instruction sequencing unit starts a timer. The length of the timer is based on the class of rejection of the first instruction. The instruction sequencing unit resets the first bit in response to the timer expiring. The instruction sequencing unit allows the first instruction to become eligible for reissue in response to resetting the first bit. |
| US08271762B2 |
Mapping management methods and systems
Mapping management methods and systems are provided. First, a sub-read command comprising mapping directory number, block offset and page offset is obtained. Then, a specific block mapping table is located from a plurality of block mapping tables according to the mapping directory number, and a first specific entry is located from the specific block mapping table according to the block offset, wherein the first specific entry comprises a mapping mode setting and block information. When the mapping mode setting is a page mapping mode, a second specific entry is located from a page mapped block table according to the block information, and a page mapping table is located corresponding to a specific page mapped block. Thereafter, a third specific entry is located from the page mapping table according to the page offset, and a page of data is located from a storage unit according to the third specific entry. |
| US08271761B2 |
Storage system and management method thereof
A storage system having at least two storage apparatuses capable of partitioning an internal resource into logical partitions and managing the logical partitions, and which replicates data written into a primary volume of a primary storage apparatus as the replication source storage apparatus to a secondary volume of a secondary storage apparatus as the replication destination storage apparatus, including: a configuration information sending unit for sending configuration information of the logical partition, to which the primary volume belongs, to the secondary storage apparatus; and a logical partition setting unit for setting the configuration of the logical partition to which the secondary volume belongs based on the configuration information of the logical partition to which the primary volume belongs sent from the configuration information sending unit. |
| US08271759B2 |
Storage system
Provided is a storage system comprising a plurality of storage subsystem in which each storage subsystem includes a storage resource and controls access from a host system to the storage resource of the storage subsystem. The storage system is capable of simply and promptly changing the operation of a storage subsystem between operating as a stand-alone system and virtualize the plurality of storage subsystems logically into one virtual storage subsystem and execute a first mode of causing a host system to recognize the virtual storage subsystem. The storage is further able to execute a second mode of causing the host system to recognize the plurality of storage subsystems respectively as separate storage subsystems. |
| US08271755B1 |
Discovering data storage for backup
A method for enhancing computer data backup includes storing identifications and corresponding functionalities for a plurality of storage devices in a database. A storage device that is in data communication with a computer that is to be backed up is selected. An identification of the storage device selected for use in the backup is determined. If functionalities for the selected storage device are contained in the database, then at least one of the functionalities for the selected storage device is used to enhance a data backup to the selected storage device. If functionalities for the selected storage device are not contained in the database, then the selected storage device can be queried in an attempt to match it to one of the storage devices contained in the database, so that functionalities for the storage device contained within the database can be used to enhance data backup. |
| US08271752B2 |
Recording medium, method and apparatus for recording on recordable recording medium, and method for managing backup files of the same
A method of recording data on a recording medium by a recording apparatus which is unable to create a backup file. The method includes deleting a backup file corresponding to an original file from the recording medium when the original file on the recording medium is modified or deleted. |
| US08271750B2 |
Entry replacement within a data store using entry profile data and runtime performance gain data
A data processing system includes a data store having storage locations storing entries which can be used for a variety of purposes, such as operand value prediction, branch prediction, etc. An entry profile store stores profile data for more candidate entries than there are storage locations within the data store. The profile data is used to determine replacement policy for entries within the data store. The profile data can include hash values used to determine whether predictions associated with candidate entries were correct without having to store the full predictions within the profile data. |
| US08271746B1 |
Tiering of linear clients
Efficient memory management can be performed using a computer system that includes a client which requests access to a memory, a memory interface coupled to the client and to the memory, wherein the memory interface comprises an arbiter to arbitrate requests received from the client to access data stored in the memory, a look ahead structure for managing the memory, a request queue for queuing memory access requests, and wherein the look ahead structure is located before the arbiter so that the look ahead structure communicates with the memory through the arbiter. Efficient memory management can also be performed by sending a memory access request from a client to a look ahead structure and to a request queue, wherein the look ahead structure comprises a row bank direction queue and a tiering logic, checking state of memory being requested using the tiering logic, prioritizing memory requests according to the memory state, selecting a location to be precharged with a precharge arbiter, selecting a location to be activated using an activate arbiter, selecting a location to read or write using a read/write arbiter, and precharging, activating and reading or writing according the selections according to availability of the memory. |
| US08271745B2 |
Memory controller for non-homogeneous memory system
A memory controller includes at least one interface adapted to be coupled to one or more first memory devices of a first memory type having a first set of attributes, and to one or more second memory devices of a second memory type having a second set of attributes. The first and second sets of attributes have at least one differing attribute. The controller also includes interface logic configured to direct memory transactions having a predefined first characteristic to the first memory devices and to direct memory transactions having a predefined second characteristic to the second memory devices. Pages having a usage characteristic of large volumes of write operations may be mapped to the one or more first memory devices, while pages having a read-only or read-mostly usage characteristic may be mapped to the one or more second memory devices. |
| US08271742B2 |
Device and method to process OFDM-based symbols in wireless network
A device and a method to efficiently process the symbols coded in OFDM according to the various protocols available. This is achieved through a device to process OFDM-based symbols comprising a base band input data and a base band output data, and comprising at least two programmable execution units connected to at least one working memory, this device being characterized in that, the programmable execution units (EU) are connected to the memory (M-1, M-2, M3, . . . M-N) through a memory management unit (PL_MMU), said programmable execution units (EU) having an input memory range and an output memory range, the device further comprising a state scheduler (SCH) connected to the execution units (EU) and to the memory management unit (PL_MMU), said scheduler (SCH) having means to: load the related program into the execution units (EU) thus defining the function and the input and output memory ranges of said programmable execution units (EU), assign the input and output memory range of said working memory relative to the programmable execution unit (EU) with the programmable execution unit (EU) input and output memory ranges through the memory management unit (PL_MMU) at each pipeline period, define the processing data flow of the symbols by defining the number of programmable execution units (EU) and the order in which the programmable execution units (EU) are involved. |
| US08271735B2 |
Cache-coherency protocol with held state
A new “held” (“H”) cache-coherency state is introduced for directory-based multiprocessor systems. Using the held state enables embodiments of the present invention to track sharers that have a shared copy of a cache line after a directory runs out of space for holding information that identifies processors that have received shared copies of the cache line (e.g., pointers to sharers of the cache line). In these embodiments, when a directory entry is full, the system provides subsequent shared copies of the cache line to sharers in the held state and tracks the identity of the held-copy owners in a data field in the entry for the cache line in a home node. |
| US08271730B2 |
Handling of write access requests to shared memory in a data processing apparatus
A plurality of processing units for performing data processing operations require access to data in shared memory. Each has an associated cache storing a subset of the data for access by that processing unit. A cache coherency protocol ensures data accessed by each unit is up-to-date. Each unit issues a write access request when outputting a data value for storing in shared memory. When the write access request requires both the associated cache and the shared memory to be updated, a coherency operation is initiated within the cache coherency logic. The coherency operation is performed for all of the caches including the cache associated with the processing unit that issued the write access request in order to ensure that the data in those caches is kept coherent. |
| US08271727B2 |
Method and system for distributing commands to targets
Embodiments of systems and methods for routing commands to a distributed RAID system are disclosed. Specifically, embodiments may route a command to an appropriate data bank in a distributed RAID system, where each data bank has a set of associated storage media and executes a similar distributed RAID application. The distributed RAID applications on each of the data banks coordinate among themselves to distribute and control data flow associated with implementing a level of RAID in conjunction with data stored on the associated storage media of the data banks. |
| US08271725B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing a host-independent name to identify a meta-device that represents a logical unit number
A method and apparatus for providing a host-independent name to identify a meta-device that represents a Logical Unit Number (LUN) is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises processing information regarding at least one storage enclosure that comprises at least one Logical Unit Number (LUN) represented by at least one meta-device and generating at least one host-independent name based on the information regarding the at least one storage enclosure, wherein the at least one host-independent name is used to identify the at least one meta-device. |
| US08271719B2 |
Non-volatile memory controller device and method therefor
A method of storing information at a non-volatile memory includes storing a status bit prior to storing data at the memory. A second status bit is stored after storing of the data. Because the storage of data is interleaved with the storage of the status bits, a brownout or other corrupting event during storage of the data will likely result in a failure to store the second status bit. Therefore, the first and second status bits can be compared to determine if the data was properly stored at the non-volatile memory. |
| US08271714B2 |
Interface for serial data communication
An interface for serial data communication, comprising: a power signal contact having an associated impedance; at least one data signal contact; and sensing means for automatically sensing a discrete change in the impedance associated with the power signal contact. A method of checking a serial data connection between a host and a peripheral that are not involved in a data communication session, the method comprising: sensing a discrete change in an impedance associated with a contact that is used, during a session, for transferring power from the host to the peripheral. |
| US08271712B2 |
Information processing apparatus, image forming apparatus and information processing method
According to an aspect of the invention, an information processing apparatus includes a main board, an expanded CPU board connector, an external device connector, a detection unit. A first CPU is mounted on the main board. The expanded CPU board connector is disposed on the main board. An expanded CPU board is connectable to the expanded CPU board connector. A second CPU is mounted on the expanded CPU board. The external device connector is disposed on the main board. An external device is connected to the external device connector. The detection unit detects that the expanded CPU board is installed to the expanded CPU board connector. The first CPU controls the information processing apparatus to change a master of control of the information processing apparatus from the first CPU to the second CPU. |
| US08271708B2 |
Method and device adapted for performing single-channel bus coupling of a safety-critical process
Method and device in which a data set that is relevant for a safety-critical process is processed by at least two redundant processing channels according to identical laws for each safe protocol and the redundant safe protocols are assembled into a common safe protocol, in that each processing channels accesses a common buffer register. For each register location, a write authorization is allocated only once such that the common safe protocol is assembled proportionally by writing different portions of the corresponding safe protocols. The contents of each register location of the buffer register is read before the transfer of the common safe protocol from the buffer register for verification of the safe protocol formed in common from each of the redundant processing channels. The safe protocol formed in common is released only as a reaction to a release for transmission by each redundant processing channel. |
| US08271706B2 |
Stabilization of host to storage subsystem ownership
The present invention provides a computer implemented method and apparatus to revising logical unit ownership in a host. A host receives an error message from a storage subsystem having at least two storage controllers and at least one logical unit coupled to at least one of the storage controllers. The host suspends I/O from the host to the storage subsystem. The host transmits a verification of logical unit ownership query to the storage subsystem. The host determines that ownership between a host and a logical unit on the at least one of the storage controllers has changed from a mapping table of the host. Responsive to a determination that ownership has changed, the host updates ownership in a mapping table of the host to reflect the ownership between the host and the logical unit. The host resumes I/O from the host to the storage subsystem, wherein the host routinely exchanges I/O with the storage subsystem. |
| US08271695B2 |
Motor controller for electronic driving motor and method for controlling thereof
A motor controller for an electronic driving motor, including at least a controlling and processing unit, an interface circuit unit, and an identifying circuit. The controlling and processing unit is disposed on a mother circuit board. The interface circuit unit and the identifying circuit are disposed on a daughter circuit board. The mother circuit board and the daughter circuit board are connected to each other whereby forming electric connection. The identifying circuit inputs an identifying signal to the controlling and processing unit. The controlling and processing unit automatically configured types of input/output ports of the interface circuit unit according to the identifying signal. The motor controller of the invention enables motor manufactures to reduce the number of motor types for management, reduces development cost, development cycle, and product cost, simplifies a production technique, and improves efficiency. |
| US08271693B2 |
Cable connection support apparatus and method of supporting cable connection
A cable connection support apparatus has a structure in which a master apparatus and a slave apparatus are connected to both ends of a plurality of cables, and each apparatus is connected to each cable by a connecting terminal. The master apparatus and the slave apparatus are grounded. The master apparatus makes, for each connected cable, an inquiry about a position of a terminal of the slave apparatus to which the cable is connected, and inspects for inter-continuity, grounded connection, and unintentional disconnection. The connection destinations and inspection results are displayed on a display apparatus. Consequently, the connection condition for each cable wire in a cable can be confirmed. |
| US08271692B1 |
Throttled command completion time
A storage device comprising a storage media and a controller is disclosed. The controller is configured to receive access commands from a host, to write data to or read data from the storage media based on the access commands, to detect a trigger event, and, when the trigger event is detected, to throttle back the access commands from the host based on an amount of data in a cache. |
| US08271688B2 |
Transaction accelerator for client-server communications systems
In a network having transaction acceleration, for an accelerated transaction, a client directs a request to a client-side transaction handler that forwards the request to a server-side transaction handler, which in turn provides the request, or a representation thereof, to a server for responding to the request. The server sends the response to the server-side transaction handler, which forwards the response to the client-side transaction handler, which in turn provides the response to the client. Transactions are accelerated by the transaction handlers by storing segments of data used in the transactions in persistent segment storage accessible to the server-side transaction handler and in persistent segment storage accessible to the client-side transaction handler. When data is to be sent between the transaction handlers, the sending transaction handler compares the segments of the data to be sent with segments stored in its persistent segment storage and replaces segments of data with references to entries in its persistent segment storage that match or closely match the segments of data to be replaced. The receiving transaction store reconstructs the data sent by replacing segment references with corresponding segment data from its persistent segment storage, requesting missing segments from the sender as needed. The transaction accelerators could handle multiple clients and/or multiple servers and the segments stored in the persistent segment stores can relate to different transactions, different clients and/or different servers. Persistent segment stores can be prepopulated with segment data from other transaction accelerators. |
| US08271687B2 |
Streaming network coding
In one embodiment, a method comprises supplying, by a network node to a peer network node, a randomization seed assigned to the network node for generating a prescribed sequence of pseudorandom numbers according to a prescribed pseudorandom number generation function; encoding each data block having a corresponding position in an ordered sequence of a stream of data blocks, by the network node into a corresponding differentially-encoded data block based on applying a product of the corresponding data block and the corresponding pseudorandom number, having the corresponding position in the prescribed sequence, to a corresponding successively-preceding differentially-encoded data block from the prescribed ordered sequence, the data block recoverable solely based on a determined difference between the corresponding differentially-encoded data block and the corresponding successively-preceding differentially-encoded data block relative to the corresponding pseudorandom number; and outputting each differentially-encoded data block in a corresponding packet that identifies the network node and the corresponding position. |
| US08271678B2 |
Independent detection and filtering of undesirable packets
A server, using a deterministic function, a secret value and persistent information of a packet, destined for a client device, generates and includes a conversation identifier for inclusion with the packet. The client device in turn includes the conversation identifier in a subsequent packet sent by the client device destined for the server. An intermediate routing device having knowledge of the deterministic function and the secret value, upon receiving the packet en-route from the client device to the server, would independently determine whether the packet is a part of a conversation between the client and the server, by independently verifying the included conversation identifier, and forward or not forward the packet accordingly. As result, undesirable packets may be independently detected and filtered for the server. |
| US08271677B2 |
Origin request with peer fulfillment
A method, apparatus and system for data transfer is disclosed. For example, settings from multiple entities arranged in a multi-tier control plane are used to set data transfer policies. The policies are used to govern data transfers such as between end users or from an origin server. |
| US08271676B1 |
System and method to actively transfer video content across device during video playback (active playback)
An active play system and method are provided that allow a piece of content to be transferred between multiple content devices associated with the user. |
| US08271673B2 |
Streaming method and system for fibre channel network devices
A system and method are disclosed for processing commands to network target devices through a SCSI router in a Fiber Channel network having a plurality of Fiber Channel hosts. The system and method are implemented in the SCSI router and include receiving a command from one of the plurality of Fiber Channel hosts and, if the command is for a transfer of data larger than a threshold size, streaming the data to the target device. If a preset size memory block is free, a data block is requested from the Fiber Channel host that issued the command. Otherwise, the method of this invention waits to request the data block until the preset size memory block is free. The SCSI router receives the data block and stores the data block in a FIFO queue. The method of this invention repeats until an initial number of data blocks are stored in the FIFO queue. The command and the first data block received are forwarded to the network target device. The target device requests additional data blocks as needed and the SCSI router forwards the data blocks in the FIFO queue until a trigger number of data blocks remain in the FIFO queue. Additional data blocks are requested and received from the Fiber Channel host simultaneously with the forwarding of data blocks to the target device. The target device requests data blocks from the SCSI router until all of the data associated with the command has been transferred. |
| US08271671B1 |
UDP broadcast for a user interface in a download and configuration gaming method
A system and method are disclosed for implementing a modified form of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) multicast notification system in a client-server architecture that otherwise allows only client initiated messages. The method includes: receiving a registration message at a server from a client with a client IP address in the registration message, wherein the registration message includes types of notifications desired to be received by the client, and wherein the server is a Download and Configuration Management (DCM) engine; adding the client IP address to a list in a registration message database; receiving a request for a port number by the client; and responding with the port number to the client. |
| US08271670B2 |
Method and apparatus for media data transmission
Methods and apparatuses for processing media data transmitted in a data communication medium. A digital processing system is provided with a time related sequence of media data provided to the digital processing system based on a set of data, wherein the set of data indicates a method to transmit the time related sequence of media data according to a transmission protocol. The set of data, itself, is a time related sequence of data associated with the time related sequence of media data. The time related sequence of media data may be presented and/or stored by the digital processing system. |
| US08271669B2 |
Method and system for extended steering tags (STAGS) to minimize memory bandwidth for content delivery servers
Aspects of a method and system for extended steering tags (STags) to minimize memory bandwidth for content delivery servers are presented. Aspects of the system may include at least one processor that enables reception of at least a portion of a data stripe within a direct data placement (DDP) segment. The one or more processors may enable transfer of a modified version of the received portion of the data stripe to a client without waiting to receive a subsequent portion or more of a data stripe destined for the client. The modified version of the received portion or more of the data stripe may contain a destination location for storing the modified version of the portion or more of the data stripe within the client. |
| US08271667B2 |
Information service communication network system and session management server
A session management server, which is provided with a service determination table having a plurality of entries each indicating a service identifier in association with possible particular items of information which may be extracted from a session setup request packet, receives a session setup request packet issued from a client to a particular application server and determines whether the client terminal is authorized to receive an information service by referring to the determination table, in place of the particular application server. When the determination results in success, the session setup request packet is forwarded to the particular application server. |
| US08271665B2 |
Internet protocol camera management system and method
An Internet Protocol (IP) camera management system and method determines a MAC address of an IP camera corresponding to a communication channel, searches an IP address of the IP camera through the determined MAC address of the IP camera, then establishes connection between the IP camera management system and the IP camera through the searched IP address. Furthermore, video image data are acquired from the IP camera through the communication channel and are displayed on a display interface. |
| US08271658B1 |
Method and apparatus for a client connection manager
A method and apparatus for a connection manager have been disclosed. By providing for persistent connections with clients, the connection manager allows for servers to communicate with clients, which would otherwise be inaccessible. |
| US08271657B2 |
Systems and methods for selecting a transport mechanism for communication in a network
A publisher node in a network determines how many subscriber nodes in the network have subscribed to receive notification messages about data that is maintained by the publisher node. The publisher node also determines how many available connections the publisher node is configured to support. If the number of available connections exceeds the number of subscribers, the publisher node sends the notification messages to the subscriber nodes via a connection-based protocol. If the number of subscriber nodes exceeds the number of available connections, the publisher node sends the notification messages to the subscriber nodes via multicast. If the publisher node sends the notification messages to the subscriber nodes via multicast, the publisher node may receive one or more connection requests from subscribers that may be depending on reliably receiving the notification messages from the publisher. |
| US08271656B2 |
Decreasing latency in anonymity networks
According to one embodiment, a method of decreasing latency in an anonymity network includes filtering a list of anonymity routers for a client device based on one of (i) loads of the anonymity routers on the list and (ii) distances of the anonymity routers from the client device. |
| US08271646B2 |
Network scoring system and method
A client may be configured to access a network by identifying a network bandwidth configuration setting to be used by the client in accessing a networked content source, enabling the client to access the content source using the network bandwidth configuration setting, monitoring client access to the content source, comparing client access metrics to metrics associated with the network bandwidth configuration setting, determining, based on the comparison, whether to adjust the network bandwidth configuration settings for the client, and adjusting the network bandwidth configuration setting if appropriate. |
| US08271644B2 |
System and method to manage information handling system resources in virtual machine infrastructure
A method can include monitoring a proportion of a particular type of information handling system resource used by a particular virtual machine of a plurality of virtual machines. The particular virtual machine can be accessible to a thin client information handling system via a communications broker. The method can include sending first data to the communications broker, the first data indicating the proportion of the particular type of information handling system resource used by the particular virtual machine, and receiving second data from the communications broker. The second data can indicate that a greater or lesser amount of the particular type of information handling system resource is to be allocated to the particular virtual machine. The method can include automatically allocating the greater or lesser amount of the particular type of information handling system resource to the particular virtual machine in response to the second data. |
| US08271643B2 |
Method for building enterprise scalability models from production data
The invention provides a method for preparing a discrete event simulation model of a production network including a client and a plurality of servers on a plurality of network tiers connected by a network comprising the steps of executing a business function from the client on the production network, gathering resource data from the plurality of servers, normalizing the resource data, calculating a consumption of resources used by the plurality of servers, estimating a transaction cost associated with the consumption of resources and building a discrete event simulation model from the transaction cost. |
| US08271641B2 |
Method and system for governing resource consumption in a multi-tenant system
A database system includes servers configured to receive requests from user systems. Each server includes a local and a global store. Each local store stores the number of requests received by its server. The system includes a processor configured to receive the number of requests from servers. The processor is configured to determine the number of requests received by all of the servers, and send this number of requests to each server. The global store stores the number of requests received from the processor. A given server is configured to compare the number of requests received by the servers with a threshold number. If this number is greater than the threshold number, then the given server is configured to send a message to the user systems that the number of threshold requests has been exceeded and/or the given server will discontinue accepting requests. |
| US08271639B2 |
Discovering physical server location by correlating external and internal server information
The present invention includes a computing system for discovering a physical location of a physical server device in a datacenter. The computing system obtains at least one physical property of the physical server device pertaining to the physical location of the physical server device. The computing system acquires at least one logical property of the physical server device pertaining to a logical server name of the physical server device. The computing system correlates the at least one physical property and the at least one logical property. Thereby, the computing system matches the logical server name to the physical location. |
| US08271637B2 |
Remote computer management when a proxy server is present at the site of a managed computer
The invention facilitates remote management of a computer via a network. Remote computer management in which communication between a managed computer and a remote computer management server is initiated by the managed computer is implemented so that the presence of a proxy server at the site at which the managed computer is located can be detected, and communication from the managed computer to the remote computer management server is routed to a communication port assigned for communication with the proxy server, with instructions to then send the communication to the remote computer management server. |
| US08271635B2 |
Multi-tier, multi-state lookup
A correlation data structure that correlates each address of a set of addresses to a corresponding state of multiple possible states. The correlation is maintained by correlating entire groups of addresses to a corresponding group-level state. If all of the addresses in a corresponding group of addresses have the same address-level state, then the group-level state at the root-tier state reflects that. Thus, if an address is accessed that is within that group, no further inquiry is needed. The system concludes the address-level state of the address from the group-level state of the group in which the address resides. If there is a mix in the address-level states amongst the addresses in the corresponding group, then the group level-state at the root-tier correlation may indicate that as well. Thus, further inquiry may be made to identify the address-level state of the address. |
| US08271634B2 |
Buffer system for managing service measurement requests
The present invention relates to a buffer system for managing a plurality of service measurement (SM) requests. In one embodiment, the buffer system includes a count buffer configured to store the SM requests. Each SM request includes a key set and a name-value pair. The name-value pair includes a name field and a value field. The buffer system further includes a send buffer configured to consolidate indices of the count buffer according to a destination address of each of the SM requests and a transport buffer configured to create at least one outgoing message based on data contents of the count buffer than correspond to the indices that have been consolidated. |
| US08271633B2 |
Correlating network transactions
The correlating network transactions techniques include a method, an apparatus, and/or a computer program product. In some embodiments of these techniques, the method includes receiving, at a first monitor server, a first plurality of network transmissions from a first plurality of communication networks and correlating, at the first monitor server, the first plurality of network transmissions based on information associated with the first plurality of network transmissions to form a first correlated network transaction. The method further includes transmitting the first correlated network transaction from the first monitor server to a second monitor server based on a first correlation flag and correlating, at the second monitor server, the first correlated network transaction with a second network transmission based on at least one of the first correlation flag, information associated with the second network transmission, and information associated with the first correlated network transaction to form a second correlated network transaction. |
| US08271629B1 |
Module-based device interaction system
A system that enables a person to monitor and/or control a device via a network, such as the Internet, via an interactive hardware module that interfaces with the device and communicates with a module server located locally or remotely from the placement of the module. The hardware module allows for the transmission and receipt of data between the device interfaced to the hardware module and the module server, thereby enabling the user manually or automatically to control or monitor the device via an access medium, such as an API. |
| US08271625B2 |
Method and apparatus for synchronizing contents of home network devices
A method and apparatus for synchronizing contents of devices in a home network are provided. The apparatus includes a determination unit which determines whether a first device and a second device support a common synchronization protocol. A synchronization request unit then requests at least one device to synchronize the contents using the common synchronization protocol determined by the determination unit. |
| US08271622B2 |
Method and apparatus for a system management tool to adapt command interface and behavior based on installed features
A system management tool framework for a system management tool for extending system management commands related to software installation units such as software component, feature or product. The tool is constructed in accordance with an interface and framework that allows polymorphism and dynamic binding at run-time. When the system management software tool is constructed in accordance to the framework of the present invention, the software tool can be made scalable, flexible and adaptable to a heterogeneous distributed system. |
| US08271620B2 |
Communication protocol converter and method of protocol conversion
The present invention generally relates to a communication protocol converter to allow a legacy device utilizing IPv4 to operate across the network using IPv6. In a first embodiment of the invention, two modular Ethernet connectors are placed side-by-side. A first modular connector receives IPv4 Ethernet data which is converted to a raw data signal. The data is transmitted from the first modular connector to a second modular connector by a bidirectional data line. The second connector receives the raw data, and a raw data-to-Ethernet conversion is completed providing output at IPv6. The present invention utilizes the form factor structure of the Ethernet connectors, so that the entire electronic circuitry is contained within the connectors to complete the conversion. An alternate embodiment incorporates the connectors into a single housing and the conversion is completed internally by a microprocessor and embedded software. A method of IPv4 to IPv6 conversion is additionally disclosed. |
| US08271619B1 |
Establishing end-user communication services that use peer-to-peer internet protocol connections between service providers
A method of establishing telephony service for an end-user comprises providing the end-user with a telephone number and software or a communication device, and configuring a second service provider to provide packet-based telephony service to the end-user over a peer-to-peer IP connection to a first service provider. The software or communication device includes a first IP address and packet telephony network addresses in network-bound ones of the IP packets. The first IP address is used by the first service provider to route the network-bound IP packets over a peer-to-peer IP connection to the second service provider. The packet telephony network addresses are used by the second service provider to provide the telephony service. |
| US08271617B2 |
Global hosting system
A network architecture or framework supports hosting and content distribution on a truly global scale. The inventive framework allows a Content Provider to replicate and serve its most popular content at an unlimited number of points throughout the world. The inventive framework comprises a set of servers operating in a distributed manner. The actual content to be served is preferably supported on a set of hosting servers (sometimes referred to as ghost servers). This content comprises HTML page objects that, conventionally, are served from a Content Provider site. A base HTML document portion of a Web page is served from the Content Provider's site while one or more embedded objects for the page are served from the hosting servers, preferably, those hosting servers near the client machine. By serving the base HTML document from the Content Provider's site, the Content Provider maintains control over the content. |
| US08271615B2 |
Centrally managing and monitoring software as a service (SaaS) applications
An apparatus, system, method and program providing a multi-tenant software as a service (SaaS) application that manages and monitors the use of other SaaS applications via a common connection and database framework. An Internet-based interface is provided as a single portal for monitoring and managing the use of SaaS applications. Objects and the state of these objects including all associated attributes related to the SaaS applications are stored in databases associated with the Internet-based interface. The Internet-based interface also provides a social networking infrastructure and an application exchange infrastructure that allows sharing of information related to the SaaS applications. |
| US08271614B2 |
Single point of entry for web applications
A method for centralizing web application interaction, the method including handling a request, using a central point of entry, from a remote application, determining a local application suitable for processing the request, and handing out the request to the, local application determined to be suitable for processing the request. |
| US08271612B2 |
On-demand virtual storage capacity
A system, method, and computer program product for providing on-demand storage capacity on a remote storage server to a customer is provided. A virtual array site code is received. The remote storage server is virtually connected to a local storage server of the customer in response to receiving the virtual array site code. A virtual array site object is created on the local storage server corresponding to an array site object on the remote storage server. |
| US08271608B2 |
System and method for a mobile cross-platform software system
The present invention is a system and method for creating, developing and testing cross-platform software for mobile communications devices. The invention enables mobile device software that must be highly-integrated with the operating system on which it runs to be implemented in a cross-platform manner. Security software for mobile devices is a prime beneficiary of the present invention, as a substantial proportion of its functionality is identical between different platforms yet integrated very specifically into each platform it supports. The cross-platform system includes a core platform-independent component, a platform-specific component, and an abstraction layer component, each of which may communicate with each other using a common defined API. The present invention enables the platform-independent component to be completely re-used between platforms and allows the platform-specific and abstraction components to contain minimal amounts of code on each platform. |
| US08271606B2 |
Network-based storage system capable of allocating storage partitions to hosts
A network-based storage system comprises one or more block-level storage servers that connect to, and provide disk storage for, one or more host computers. In one embodiment, the system is capable of subdividing the storage space of an array of disk drives into multiple storage partitions, and allocating the partitions to host computers on a network. A storage partition allocated to a particular host computer may appear as local disk drive storage to user-level processes running on the host computer. |
| US08271598B2 |
Method and system for email messaging
A method and system for preventing sending of messages to incorrect email recipients are provided. The method includes determining (120) the intended recipients of an email message prior to sending and comparing the intended recipients to defined recipient groups (126, 122). Potential errors in the intended recipients are identified and a prompt (125) is provided to amend the intended recipients. The prompt (125) provides a suggestion to replace, add or remove an intended recipient. The defined recipient groups include one or more of groups of recipients formed from an organization data structure (122), groups of recipients defined by a user, and groups of recipients (126) mined from one or more user's previous email correspondence. |
| US08271596B1 |
Apparatus and methods for controlling the transmission of messages
The invention provides systems, mechanisms and techniques for controlling transmission of outbound messages, such as e-mail or other types of messages, onto a computer network from an originator computer system. Connection equipment can authenticate and authorize the connection for the computer user and can capture and map originator network address information assigned to the originator computer system. A quota server can then determine if the message count exceeds the message limit for the originator identity associated with the outbound message Embodiments of the invention control message transmission from a sending or origination point prior to the messages being transmitted on the computer network, resources of a computer network are conserved and these embodiments prevent computer users from transmitting large amounts of outbound messages in excess of the message limits. |
| US08271594B2 |
Master-slave interactions synchronization using instant messaging
Systems, methods, and computer program products for facilitating synchronized, two-way communications between a server application and one or more client applications. In one embodiment, the server application and client applications are provided with instant messaging (IM) clients that are supported by an IM server in a networked computing environment. A method disclosed includes registering at least one client application IM client in an IM registry, generating an event in the server application, and converting the event into an operation command that is independent of the states of the server or client applications. The method can also include transmitting the command to each client application IM client. The method can also include, at the client application, receiving the command, reconstituting an event from the command, and processing the event. The method can additionally include transmitting from the client application to the server application a completion notification upon completion of the processing of the event by the client application. |
| US08271593B2 |
System and method for circumventing instant messaging do-not-disturb
A method and computer program product for defining one or more authorized users capable of granting do-not-disturb circumvention privileges, and receiving an indicator of a grant of do-not-disturb circumvention privileges to a circumventing user by the one or more authorized users. A do-not-disturb status of an instant messaging user is circumvented based upon, at least in part, the grant of do-not-disturb circumvention privileges. |
| US08271592B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for transmitting maps by multimedia messaging service
Methods, systems, and computer program products for transmitting maps via multimedia messaging service (MMS). The methods, systems, and computer program products include acquiring a map, displaying the map on a display screen of a device, initiating an MMS formatting application to format the map in an MMS format, and transmitting the MMS formatted map over a network. |
| US08271583B2 |
Methods and apparatus for inserting content into conversations in on-line and digital environments
Content is inserted into conversations hosted on a takeoff site using creatives that provide lures and links to other material that users engaged in the conversation might find helpful and relevant. Such insertions are made in a contextually meaningful fashion through the use of a matching and decision process that determines best candidate creatives and an appropriate time and place for their insertion into the conversation. |
| US08271580B2 |
Mobile communication network system and server apparatus
A mobile communication network system and server apparatus enabling the time for a mobile terminal apparatus to acquire content to be sufficiently reduced. In a mobile communication network system provided with a cellular telephone 10 having the browser function, and a mobile communication center 11 that manages mobile communication in the cellular telephone 10 via a mobile communication network 13, upon receiving a request for Web access from the cellular telephone 10, the mobile communication center 11 determines whether the request meets a predetermined condition, and when the request meets the predetermined condition, executes pipeline processing for enabling HTTP requests from the cellular telephone 10 to be continuously received. |
| US08271574B1 |
Content sharing and collaboration
A content sharing and collaborative computing environment is provided. In an illustrative implementation, the content sharing and collaboration environment comprises a computing environment capable of cooperating with at least one computing application operating on a cooperating computing environment, and a content sharing computing application residing on the computing environment alone to provide access to one or more cooperating computing environments to content for sharing. |
| US08271569B2 |
Techniques for performing discrete fourier transforms on radix-2 platforms
A technique for performing a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) includes storing, in a single-port memory, multiple signal points. A first group of consecutive ones of the multiple signal points are fetched (from a first line of the single-port memory) to a first input register associated with a processor that includes multiple arithmetic units (AUs) that are each configured to perform multiply accumulate (MAC) operations. A second group of consecutive ones of the multiple signal points are then fetched (from a second line of the single-port memory) to a second input register associated with the processor. Selected pairs of the multiple signal points are then loaded (one from each of the first and second input registers for each pair) into the multiple arithmetic units during an initial butterfly stage. Radix-2 butterfly operations are then performed on the selected pairs of the multiple signal points (using the multiple AUs) to provide respective output elements. |
| US08271559B2 |
Storage system and method of controlling same
Data migration is efficiently executed with optional timing. A file server outputs an instruction to a CPU of a storage apparatus to migrate a file belonging to Tier 1 to Tier 2 when, based on policy information, a condition for migrating the file belonging to Tier 1 to Tier 2 is fulfilled. Based on the instruction from the file server, the CPU copies the data of migration target files in Tier 1 from a page to a Tier 1 virtual page, copies the data which has been copied to the Tier 1 virtual page 114 to a Tier 2 virtual page, copies the data which has been copied to the Tier 2 virtual page to any page in Tier 2, and then overwrites and releases the Tier 1 and Tier 2 virtual pages, and migrates files belonging to Tier 1 to Tier 2. |
| US08271556B1 |
Method and system for managing clustered and non-clustered storage systems
Method and system for managing a storage environment having a cluster based storage system and a non-cluster based storage system is provided. A management application collects information regarding components of both the cluster based storage system and the non-cluster based storage system. A layout having a plurality of data structures is generated and maintained by the management application. The data structures include information regarding the components and their relationships with each other, if any. The layout is used for responding to user requests and presenting an integrated view of the storage environment on a display device with selectable options for selecting the cluster based storage system components and the non-cluster based storage system components. |
| US08271554B2 |
Encoding method and apparatus and decoding method and apparatus
The disclosed embodiments relate to a multimedia data encoding/decoding method and apparatus. In some aspects, a decoding method comprises receiving multimedia data which comprises a media area including a video data area having a plurality of video contents and an audio data area having a plurality of audio contents, a media information area including a plurality of video track areas respectively corresponding to the video contents and a plurality of audio track areas respectively corresponding to the audio contents, and a menu description area including description data for displaying a menu that provides an interface between a user and media data in the media area; displaying a menu using the description data; and decoding media data extracted from the media area based on the menu, wherein each of the video track areas and the audio track areas comprises at least one of temporal information and spatial information of a corresponding content, and the media area, the media information area and the menu description area are incorporated into a single file. The disclosed embodiments include a multimedia data encoding/decoding method and apparatus can construct a multi media data file including a plurality of video/audio contents and description data for a menu between a user and media data. Thus, a time taken to process and transmit the multimedia data can be reduced. |
| US08271538B2 |
Automated generation of modeling language profiles
A database of data can be leveraged to automatically generate profiles for use in modeling. The data may be specific to one or more domains and/or general to multiple domains. A mapping scheme is established to map structure of the database to a structure of a profile. The mapping scheme is read and the database is read in accordance with the mapping scheme to automatically generate one or more profiles. |
| US08271535B2 |
Contact management update protocols
Ways for synchronizing folders between one or more layers of folders are described. It includes selecting layers to link together, comparing folders in the selected layers using an immutable identifier, parsing the folders of each of the selected layers into fields, comparing the fields of parsed folders of the selected layers, and determining whether to synchronize the folders of the selected layers based on conflict rules triggered in response to the comparison of the fields of the parsed folders. Also disclosed are ways of merging two or more folders in a network into a single folder. It includes comparing entries between folders to identify duplicate entries, grouping the identified duplicate entries in each folder, generating a matrix from the duplicates grouping and assigning each matrix entry a value, and matching the matrix entries based on the assigned values to determine an extent to merge an identified duplicate entry. |
| US08271534B2 |
System and method for presenting information associated with a media program
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having a processor adapted to receive a message from a portable communication device communicatively coupled to a set-top box presenting a media program and to retrieve from the message a media descriptor associated with the media program. The processor is further adapted to identify according to the media descriptor one or more images of one or more performers commonly presented in the media program, to monitor one or more frames of a live media feed including the media program, and compare the one or more human figures to the one or more images of performers. The processor can also be adapted to recognize a performer from the comparison, to retrieve information associated with the performer, and to transmit the information to the portable communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08271530B2 |
Method and mechanism for managing and accessing static and dynamic data
Disclosed is a method, mechanism, and computer usable medium for managing and accessing static and shard data. In one approach, described is a method and mechanism for implementing group dependent keys (GDKs) in a computing system, in which the GDK is visible to all members of a distributed system, but its value(s) and subtree(s) could be different for different groups. Members of each group see the same view of the value and subtree of a GDK. Also disclosed is a method, mechanism, and computer usable medium for implementing group dependent links (GDLs) in a computing system. According to one approach, a data transformation function is used to coordinate changes to different versions of shared data. |
| US08271529B2 |
Location-based and time control-based interactive information group and distribution platform
An information group is disclosed for enabling user to retrieve and modify information and interact with other user. An information group is defined by three attributes as location, time span and topic. User has to meet requirement on an information group's location and time span attributes in order to interact with information stored inside information group and communicate with other users inside the same information group. Information group dynamically adjusts its location and life span attributes based on its interaction with user. When multiple information groups are available to a user, they are ranked based on their location attribute and user information and presented to user in the ranked order. Several applications enabled by our invention are disclosed, including but not limited to transportation sharing, connecting users that share a common interests, event signing up, or service or product promotion. |
| US08271523B2 |
Coordination server, data allocating method, and computer program product
In a structure where a table is partitioned into multiple databases according to a certain partitioning method, a coordinator server changes allocation information that is used to determine a database into which each of data records should be registered when an allocation change command is issued. The coordinator server stores therein allocation history information, which is the allocation information used before the change. When an entry request to make an entry of a new data record from a client, a database to enter the new data record is determined based on the stored allocation history information and the changed allocation information, and an entry request is sent to a database server having the determined database. |
| US08271518B2 |
Nearest neighbor search method
A method of searching real numbers for a nearest neighbor to a query point includes a construction phase in which a database of the real numbers is prepared; and a search phase in which the nearest neighbor is searched by the use of the database. The database includes a series of buckets that respectively correspond to small one-dimensional spaces defined by dividing a one-dimensional space between a minimum real number and a maximum real number at regular intervals. The buckets include data about real number(s) falling in one of the small one-dimensional spaces corresponding to the bucket concerned, and the number of the real number(s). The search phase includes locating one of the buckets in which the query point falls; checking the bucket size of the located bucket whether the bucket size thereof is zero; and searching the nearest neighbor by the use of the data in the bucket. |
| US08271517B2 |
Presentation of websites to a computer user
A method, computer readable storage medium, computer program product and a service. A profile of a computer user is obtained that contains meta tags descriptive of the participants of a first social networking website. A second social networking website having meta tags is selected. A profile from the second social networking website is selected. The meta tags of the first and second social networking websites are compared to determine if there is a match of at least one meta tag. Then, a search is made for related websites having at least one meta tag that matches the at least one meta tag. A list of the related websites is then presented to the computer user. |
| US08271516B2 |
Social networks service
A social network service provides trusted, timely and managed communications between a querying individual and an informed individual by optimizing distribution of queries to reflect a requisite amount of expertise necessary (i.e., interest, background, education, demographic attribute, etc.). Those candidate recipients with a rare level of expertise or specialization can specify a desired level of participation, which is respected. In order not to exhaust their availability, those who are less qualified or part of a larger demographic category appropriate for the query are selected to handle queries of lesser difficulty or less specialization. Anonymity if desired by the recipient party can be supported by increasing the pool of candidate recipients so that the querying party cannot reasonably ascertain who is responding. Timeliness of response, as well as satisfaction in the response, is tracked in order to affect redirection of a query. |
| US08271507B2 |
Web-based marketing management system
A server runs a software program controlling a system and is connected to the Internet to communicate with one or more advertising agencies. A client of the agencies has a home location with a server connected to the Internet for communication with the server and the agencies. The client can have branches that are connected to the Internet for communication with the server and the Client Home and, in some circumstances, with the agencies. Also connected to the Internet are Media parties representing any and all types of advertising display parties such as radio, television, print, billboard, etc. The media parties also could be brokers that place the advertising with various media outlets. |
| US08271505B2 |
System and method for electronic message notification
A method, article of manufacture and system for electronic mail notification including determining that it is a time for at least one of a reminder notification action and a report notification action. For a reminder notification action, all action items within a given range are obtained and the action items are processed into at least one action item report which is e-mailed to at least one designated recipient. For a report notification action, the a list of completed action items in a given range are obtained and the list of completed action items is processed into at least one completed action report that is e-mailed to at least one designated recipient. |
| US08271503B2 |
Automatic match tuning
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for identifying matches between disparate schemas calculates a degree of similarity between elements of two schemas using each of multiple matching processes. The calculated degrees of similarity are combined using a first weighting vector to produce first combined degrees of similarity. The first weighting vector includes multiple weighting coefficients and each weighting coefficient corresponds to one of the matching processes. The weighting coefficients are tuned using information relating to a predicted degree of matching accuracy associated with the first weighting vector. |
| US08271502B2 |
Presenting multiple document summarization with search results
Methods and computer-readable media are provided for summarizing the content of a plurality of documents and presenting the results of such multiple-document summarization to a user in such a way that the user is able to quickly and easily discern what, if any, unique information each document contains. Each sentence of each document is assigned a score based upon the perceived importance of the information contained therein. The sentences receiving the highest scores are then compared with one another to identify and remove any duplicate sentences. The remaining high-scoring sentences are extracted from the corresponding documents and presented to the user, for instance, in a bulleted list format. The user can then simply scan the list and can quickly and easily discern the unique information contained in each document. |
| US08271498B2 |
Searching documents for ranges of numeric values
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for searching documents for ranges of numeric values. Document identifiers for documents are accessed, wherein the documents include at least one value that is a member of a set of values. A number of posting lists are generated. Each posting list is associated with a range of consecutive values within the set of values and includes document identifiers for documents including at least one value within the range of consecutive values associated with the posting list, and wherein each document identifier is associated with one value in the set of values included in the document identified by the document identifier. The generated posting lists are stored, wherein the posting lists are used to process a query on a range of values within the set of values. |
| US08271494B2 |
Computer system performance analysis
Methods and devices for splitting instructions into clusters based on significant offset gaps in top-down processing steps are provided. The methods and devices allow that comments on instruction clusters can be generated automatically or can be edited manually. The comments can be shared among users for the achievement of portability. Significant clusters can be recognized as hotspots based on predetermined metrics. |
| US08271492B2 |
Computer for identifying cause of occurrence of event in computer system having a plurality of node apparatuses
To reduce the burden of processing for completing event cause information, which is carried out when a management target node apparatus is added, removed or changed.A management computer determines whether or not partial change to add, delete or change part of information related to an event related to an added, removed or changed node apparatus can be performed or not on the event cause information. The management computer adds, deletes or changes the part of information with respect to the event cause information, when the result of the determination is affirmative. |
| US08271484B1 |
Method and system for generation of hierarchical search results
A method and system for querying hierarchically classified data. The system first receives a query request and then identifies classifications of the data that may satisfy the received query request. The system then displays the identified classifications. In response to selection of a displayed classification, the system displays sub-classifications when the selected classification has sub-classifications and displays the data within the classification when the selected classification has no sub-classifications. In another aspect, the system generates search results for items that are hierarchically classified. For classifications within the hierarchy of classifications, the system generates a search entry containing terms describing the items within that classification. The system then receives a search criteria. The system selects as initial search results those search entries whose terms most closely match the received search criteria. The system then adjusts the initial search results based on the hierarchy of classifications. This adjustment may include removing sub-classifications of a classification that is in the initial search results or adding a parent classification to replace multiple child classifications in the initial search results. |
| US08271483B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting sensitive content in a document
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that detects sensitive content in a document. In doing so, the system receives a document, identifies a set of terms in the document that are candidate sensitive terms, and generates a combination of terms based on the identified terms that is associated with a semantic meaning. Next, the system performs searches through a corpus based on the combination of terms and determines hit counts returned for each term in the combination and for the combination. The system then determines whether the combination of terms is sensitive based on the hit count for the combination and the hit counts for the individual terms in the combination, and generates a result that indicates portions of the document which contain sensitive combinations. |
| US08271480B2 |
Search system using search subdomain and hints to subdomains in search query statements and sponsored results on a subdomain-by-subdomain basis
A method and apparatus for generating search results including searching by subdomain and providing sponsored results by subdomain is provided. A search system according to embodiments of the present invention analyzes search queries to determine if they are to be routed to subdomains and presents results include sponsored hits sponsored on a subdomain by subdomain basis. |
| US08271478B2 |
Fast algorithms for computing semijoin reduction sequences
Systems and methods for using optimization techniques to construct a nearly optimal execution plan for an outer join query are disclosed. A query graph of the outer join query is constructed, by computing for each node the set of nodes influencing it, for each target node the set of its needed reducers, and predetermining the effects of all admissible moves in all possible sequences. The directed graph of all admissible move sequences is formed. An optimization process includes dynamically generating good estimations for the target distance of a search state. Some heuristics are disclosed for providing start solutions for the optimization process. |
| US08271477B2 |
Methods and systems for accessing data
Some embodiments of the invention provide a user interface that allows a user to specify one or more attributes that should be included in a master reference data set, and identify which of these attributes should serve as enterprise specified identifiers that can be used to identify the particular master reference data set in an enterprise data storage. Some embodiments of the invention provide a method that allows the master reference data set to be accessed and updated in the data storage through the use of the enterprise specified identifiers. |
| US08271473B2 |
System and method for career website optimization
A method of managing career opportunities is provided. In some embodiments, a method for providing career and job listing websites and optimizing the career and job listing websites for search engine optimization is provided. In various embodiments, the method comprises creating a career website that mirrors a company's website, extracting job information from the company, and optimizing the job information for maximum search engine placement. |
| US08271471B1 |
Anticipated query generation and processing in a search engine
A search system monitors the input of a search query by a user. Before the user finishes entering the search query, the search system identifies and sends a portion of the query as a partial query to the search engine. Based on the partial query, the search engine creates a set of predicted queries. This process may take into account prior queries submitted by a community of users, and may take into account a user profile. The predicted queries are to be sent back to the user for possible selection. The search system may also cache search results corresponding to one or more of the predicted queries in anticipation of the user selecting one of the predicted queries. The search engine may also return at least a portion of the search results corresponding to one or more of the predicted queries. |
| US08271470B2 |
Auto-activation of fonts
A method and an apparatus that search for font data associated with an electronic document in a system in response to a font request are described. A font search is automatically activated when a requested font is determined not yet registered in a system. As a result of the font search, a requested font may be registered into a system. If a font search cannot locate a requested font in local storages and remote systems, a replacement for the requested font is selected from registered fonts. A replacement font may be one of the registered fonts most similar to the requested font according to a similarity measurement based on font attributes. |
| US08271467B2 |
Worldwide web registration information processing system
A World Wide Web registration processing system is disclosed for assisting World Wide Web users in registering at World Wide Web web sites. For each such user, the registration processing system includes a long term repository for the user's web site registration information so that this information can be automatically transferred to a plurality of web sites to which the user may at time to time request to be registered. Further, the registration processing system provides the user with the capability to have a common user identification that may be used for accessing services at a plurality of web sites. |
| US08271466B2 |
Purchase trending manager
A device retrieves information associated with purchases from a purchase database, and provides for display of a last purchase option, a sort purchases option, and a lowest cost option based on the purchase information. The device further receives selection of one of the last purchase option, the sort purchases option, or the lowest cost option, and provides for display of last purchase information when the last purchase option is selected. The device also provides for display of sort purchases information when the sort purchases option is selection, and provides for display of lowest cost information when the lowest cost option is selected. |
| US08271452B2 |
Method, system, and database archive for enhancing database archiving
A database archiving method includes storing a plurality of record fields, wherein each of the plurality of record fields is a field of a record of the database, and storing in a first database archive an index that includes at least one record entry, wherein each of the at least one record entry references at least one record field of the database. The plurality of record fields is stored independently of the first database archive, and each field included in more than one record of any single table of the database is stored for the more than one record as a single record field referenced by a plurality of record entries, each of the plurality of record entries corresponding to a different one of the more than one record. |
| US08271450B2 |
Monitoring a data structure in a virtual machine and determining if memory pages containing the data structure are swapped into or out of guest physical memory
A method for monitoring a data structure maintained by guest software within a virtual machine is disclosed. Changes to the contents of the data structure are determined, such as by placing write traces on the memory pages containing the data structure. Also, the method involves determining when memory pages containing the data structure are swapped into and/or out of guest physical memory by the guest software, such as by placing write traces on the memory pages containing the guest page table and detecting changes to the present bit of page table entries involved in mapping virtual addresses for the data structure. Information about the contents of the data structure is retained while memory pages containing the data structure are swapped out of guest physical memory. |
| US08271447B1 |
Mirroring metadata in a continuous data protection environment
In one aspect, a method includes providing data protection to data in a first volume at a first data protection appliance by storing a copy of the data in a second volume using a second data protection appliance, tracking changes between data locations in the first volume and the second volume using a delta marking stream (DMS) and receiving, at the first data protection appliance, metadata. The metadata is intended to be committed to the DMS. The method further includes mirroring the metadata at a third data protection appliance. |
| US08271446B2 |
Process of import/export of data of a database
The present invention relates to a system to implement a method of importing exporting data originating from a database by way of an XML file. The export method includes the steps of: selecting data from the database; requesting an export of the selected data; verifying that the selected data are not reserved in the database; constructing an export set comprising the selected data that are not reserved; reserving the selected data not reserved in the database; generating a data exchange file comprising the data of the export set, the data exchange file being constructed according to a data exchange file model, the file model describing types of data, links between the types of data, existing in the database; and transferring the exchange file generated to the second computer. |
| US08271445B2 |
Storage, organization and searching of data stored on a storage medium
Methods and apparatuses for storing, organizing and searching files stored in a storage device. Backup files may be stored in snapshot-dependent and/or snapshot-independent paths. The backup files may be stored with additional attributes that can be used for searching and/or indexing purposes. |
| US08271443B1 |
Backup system including a privately accessible primary backup server and a publicly accessible alternate backup server
A system and method for backing up data from a client computer system are described. The system may include the client computer system, a primary backup server computer system, and an alternate backup server computer system. The primary backup server computer system may be privately accessible to the client computer system via a virtual private network (VPN). The alternate backup server computer system may be accessible to the client computer system via a public or open network such as the Internet. The client computer system may be configured to backup a first set of data to the alternate backup server computer system at a particular time via the Internet in response to determining that the client computer system is not connected to the VPN at the particular time. |
| US08271437B2 |
Managing locks across distributed computing nodes
A mechanism for managing locks for one or more resources in a distributed system including multiple distributed computing nodes, is provided. One implementation involves maintaining a database as a shared storage accessible by plural participating nodes for storing shared lock information, each participating node locally managing a local list of locks, the participating nodes cooperating in providing decentralized lock management across the nodes using the local and shared lock information, to achieve granting and releasing of locks for synchronizing access to one or more resources. |
| US08271436B2 |
Retro-fitting synthetic full copies of data
Multi-dimensional surrogation systems and methods are provided that generate at least one data surrogate using information of data and numerous data changes received from at least one data source. Embodiments described herein perform shadowing of production server databases, including creation of synthetic fulls by retrofitting log shipping to enterprise database systems, or other systems, that do not have log shipping capabilities. |
| US08271433B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing automatic controlled value expansion of information
An approach is provided for automatic controlled value expansion of information. A value expansion controller detects a request at a device to perform an information operation on a set of data elements of an information space, wherein the request identifies the set by a name and the information operation applies to each data element within the set. The value expansion controller intercepts the request based on the detection and determines the location of the data elements within a communication network based on the name. The value expansion controller retrieves the data elements from the location and populates an expansion table with the retrieved data elements, wherein the expansion table is correlated to the set. The value expansion controller performs the information operation on each data element in the expansion table and causes transmission of one or more results of the information operation to the device. |
| US08271430B2 |
Methods and systems for metadata driven data capture for a temporal data warehouse
A system is described that includes a data warehouse and a platform independent data warehouse load application operable to run on the system. The load application includes a sequencing unit configured to utilize timestamp data from incoming data to be stored in the data warehouse and a relational algebra of set operators to identify and sequence net changes between the incoming data and data previously stored within the data warehouse. The load application is configured to non-intrusively load the identified and sequenced net changes into the data warehouse. |
| US08271428B2 |
Method and system for creating and loading data warehouse from semi-structured document
A data warehouse is created using an input file that can contain sub-documents of different formats. A root document model including path names to all nodes among the sub-documents is generated, and a table is generated with columns being derived from the path names of the root model. The sub-documents are shredded to populate the table. Then, the dimensions of the data warehouse are defined by selecting respective columns. A routine such as a DDL may then be generated to populate the data warehouse with data. |
| US08271427B1 |
Computer database system for single molecule data management and analysis
A computer database system for storing, processing, displaying, and analyzing single molecule data is capable of managing and processing variously formatted, different kinds of single molecule data and displaying subsets thereof upon instructions by a user. A component-based architecture is implemented where the processing and the displaying are separately performed. The data is dynamically loaded for processing as needed. Embodiments of computer database systems can be utilized in managing single molecule data, particularly image data derived from single molecule images. Such single molecule images may be generated by a variety of technologies, e.g., optical mapping, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and flow cytometry. Systems may be deployed over a computer network. One or more additional databases may be included which are interconnected through a network. |
| US08271424B2 |
Privacy and confidentiality preserving reporting of URLs
A method of preserving privacy and confidentiality in a system where information is associated with an existing web page having an address. The method includes receiving a store command from a first user system, the store command including at least a database key and information to be associated with the web page, wherein the database key was created by performing a cryptographic hash function on the address of the web page; storing the information at a location in a storage database; associating the location with the database key; receiving a retrieve command from a second user system, the retrieve command including the database key calculated by the second user system; retrieving stored information from one or more locations in the database associated with the database key; and transmitting the stored information to the second user system. |
| US08271422B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting and coordinating changes in lexical items
Systems and methods for efficiently detecting and coordinating step changes, trends, cycles, and bursts affecting lexical items within data streams are provided. Data streams can be sourced from documents that can optionally be labeled with metadata. Changes can be grouped across lexical and/or metavalue vocabularies to summarize the changes that are synchronous in time. The methods described herein can be applied either retrospectively to a corpus of data or in a streaming mode. |
| US08271420B2 |
Systems and methods for integrating educational software systems
Systems and methods are provided for integrating educational software. In one implementation, a first method includes providing on a first server an integrated learning management system adapted to exchange education data and materials via a connector interface, providing on the first server a first component which responds to requests made by the integrated system via the connector interface to exchange education data and materials with a first source learning management system, and exchanging education data and materials between the integrated system and the first system via the first component by use of the connector interface. |
| US08271419B2 |
Efficient binary protocol marshalling for rule engine sessions
Some embodiments of efficient binary protocol marshalling for rule engine sessions have been presented. In one embodiment, a set of marshalling plug-ins is provided to a rule engine. Each of the set of marshalling plug-ins is customized for a type of user objects. In response to encountering a user object, the rule engine selects a marshalling plug-in out of the set of marshalling plug-ins based on a type of the user object to marshall in or to marshall out the user object. |
| US08271412B2 |
Methods and systems for determining entropy metrics for networks
Methods and systems for network monitoring using network metrics which are generalized entropy functions of the Markov monoid matrix M generated by an altered connection matrix C. |
| US08271411B2 |
Working method for treatment of abstract objects (the thought-substances) of the system of artificial intelligence of a cyborg or an android for the pointer-oriented object acquisition method for abstract treatment of information of this system based on a natural language
Working method for treatment of abstract objects (the thought-substances) of the system of Artificial Intelligence of a cyborg or an android for the pointer-oriented object acquisition method for abstract treatment of information of this system based on a natural language.The working method for treatment of abstract objects (the thought-substances) of the system of Artificial Intelligence of a cyborg or an android for the pointer-oriented object acquisition method for abstract treatment of information of this system based on a natural language, in which an abstract object (an thought-substance) is compared with the other abstract objects (the other thought-substances). The working method is impelled by the system by itself. The abstract objects (the thought-substances) and/or the classes of the objects are processed discretely for each abstract object (each thought-substance). The abstract objects and the classes of abstract objects are classified by the system by itself subjective in a natural language only if the class of the objects is a verb in a natural language. With the working method more than ten internal directives of the abstract subjectivity of the system can be used. |
| US08271409B2 |
System and method for indexing a data stream
There are provided methods, computer program products, and systems for indexing a data stream. A method for indexing a data stream having attribute values includes the steps of parsing the data stream, and forming an index of tuples for a subset of attribute values of the data stream. The index is configured for retrieving the top-K tuples that optimize linearly weighted sums of at least some of the attribute values in the subset. |
| US08271407B2 |
Method and monitoring system for the rule-based monitoring of a service-oriented architecture
The present invention concerns a method for the rule-based monitoring of a component (C1) added to a service-oriented architecture (SOA), the SOA comprising a plurality of components (C2, . . . , Cn) being monitored by a plurality of monitoring components (M2, . . . , Mn), the method comprising the following steps: a. selecting a component (C2) from the plurality of components (C2, . . . , Cn) of the SOA which is similar to the added component (C1) based on a similarity-metric; b. selecting at least one rule (R2) from the monitoring component (M2) of the selected component (C2), wherein the at least one rule (R2) has already been validated during the operation of the SOA; and c. adding the at least one rule (R2) to a new monitoring component (M1) of the added component (C1). |
| US08271403B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatic comparison of data sequences using local and global relationships
The invention is concerned with a method and an apparatus for automatic comparison of at least two data sequences characterized in—an evaluation of a local relationship between any pair of subsequences in two or more sequences; —an evaluation of a global relationship by means of aggregation of the evaluations of said local relationships. |
| US08271402B2 |
Technical support agent and technical support service delivery platform
An embodiment of a method for providing technical support service includes generating a plurality of problem resolutions that are determined to resolve an identified technical problem; attributing weights to each of said plurality of problem resolutions according to frequency of use; and in response to a request to resolve said identified problem, selecting a problem resolution from among said plurality of problem resolutions based at least in part on said attributed weights. |
| US08271401B2 |
Expert systems as a method of delivering diagnostic, problem solving, and training technical services to customers
An expert system may be utilized for providing and receiving interactive, computer-implemented support services related to chemical processing units. The expert system may include a knowledge base that contains information coded in the form of rules, decision trees, and logic and a database that stores and handles various types of information related to the expert system. A query component receives a query that may be a problem, a performance issue, or a training request selected from a list or diagram or otherwise generated by a customer. An answer component utilizes the knowledge base, the database, an external database, and/or an expert to provide one or more answers to the query. A question and answer session may be initiated by the expert system in order to gain further information and detail related to the query. Supplemental information and the identified answers may be provided to the customer. |
| US08271400B2 |
Hardware pay-per-use
A hardware pay-per-use system and corresponding method allow computer system operators to tailor their hardware utilization to more closely match changing customer demands. The hardware pay-per-use system includes one or more hardware products and a metering mechanism coupled to at least one of the hardware products. The metering mechanism includes a hardware device separate from the hardware products. The metering mechanism acquires metrics data from the hardware products, the metrics data related to an operation at the hardware products. The metering mechanism determines data to report on the operation of the hardware products. A usage repository coupled to the metering mechanism receives the determined data and generates usage reports related to the operation of the hardware products. |
| US08271399B2 |
Sorting optimization of documents for mailing
A method of optimizing mail sorting on a envelope sorting machine by eliminating the necessity to pass some of the documents through the machine twice is provided in which a postal code table is created having an order for each of a plurality of postal code ranges. An unsorted document print stream is received and a document parameter table created to store boundaries of each of a plurality of documents and a location of a postal code in each document. An index table is constructed incorporating information from the postal code table indicating the location and order of each document in the unsorted document print stream. The index table is reordered according to the order of each document and a sorted document print stream is generated, whereby the documents are arranged in order of their respective priorities. The documents are then printed from the sorted document print stream, separated into groups in accordance with their respective priorities and sorted in order of each group's respective order. |
| US08271398B2 |
Method and system for anticipatory package shipping
A method and system for anticipatory package shipping are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method may include packaging one or more items as a package for eventual shipment to a delivery address, selecting a destination geographical area to which to ship the package, shipping the package to the destination geographical area without completely specifying the delivery address at time of shipment, and while the package is in transit, completely specifying the delivery address for the package. |
| US08271396B2 |
Electronic commerce system and method for detecting fraud
An electronic commerce system managing sale and distribution of products over the Internet or other type of network. In order to prevent attempts by users to fraudulently obtain the products, system analyzes the information submitted by the users in connection with stored and associated information in an order to determine that likelihood that the order is an attempt at fraud. Based upon the determination, system accepts or declines the order. The system also saves the user-entered information for use in determining whether to accept to decline future orders. |
| US08271395B2 |
Online account authentication service
A payment authentication service authenticates the identity of a payer during online transactions. The authentication service allows a card issuer to verify a cardholder's identity using a variety of authentication methods, such as the use of passwords. Also, the only system participant requiring a certificate is the issuing financial institution. Authenticating the identity of a cardholder during an online transaction involves querying an access control server to determine if a cardholder is enrolled in the payment authentication service, requesting a password from the cardholder, verifying the password, and notifying a merchant whether the cardholder's authenticity has been verified. A chip card and the authentication service independently generate cryptograms to match in order for the service to verify that the correct chip card is being used by the cardholder. |
| US08271393B2 |
System and method for facilitating transactions between two or more parties
The present invention provides a system and method for facilitating a transaction between two or more parties. One or more electronic documents are received at a server computer from a client communications device of a first party to the transaction. All of the one or more electronic documents are locked against future changes. The identity validation of the first party indicates that the first party has agreed to the one or more electronic documents. Registration information is received from the client communications device of a second party to the transaction. The registration information includes the identity validation of the second party. The second party is provided with access to the received electronic documents. Whenever an acceptance of the electronic documents is received from the client communications devices of the second party, the identity validation from the first party and the second party to the agreed to electronic document. |
| US08271388B2 |
Image commercial transactions system and method, image transfer system and method, image distribution system and method, display device and method
An image commercial transactions system and method, an image transfersystem and method, an image distribution system and method, and a display device and method are disclosed. A reception dealer accepts the transfer of an image recorded on a recording medium in a predetermined format with a handling condition intrinsic to the image, and transfers the image with the handling condition, and an advertisement, in digital data format, and a charge accounting dealer effects an electronic charge accounting transaction for the transfer of data of the image with the handling condition and the advertisement. Accordingly, a forwarding request user is helpful in making public the advertisement by having the data of the advertisement along with the data of the image forwarded, instead of the reception dealer, whereby a transfer fee for the data of image can be made lower. Consequently, it is possible to enhance the usability for the transfer significantly. |
| US08271381B2 |
Methods and systems for identity authentication
The Greenlist tool provides payors desiring to pay a merchant a means to locate, validate and effect the transfer of assets to another party by routing transaction requests to a third party that functions as the transaction enabler. This task is performed without divulging confidential information about transactors while assigning liability for certain risk consequences to the lowest cost risk bearers: banks. Greenlist verifies identities before making financial transactions or before obtaining access to restricted information. The Greenlist can be completely trusted by risk-bearers. Liability for risk can be transferred to the registrars of the information contained within the registry. This liability transfer substantially reduces the payor's cost of bearing risks. Banks or third parties responsible for certifying that someone or some entity claiming to be an authorized party is not an impostor can now offer new levels of service at a substantially lower cost for a variety of transactions. |
| US08271380B2 |
Decentralized guaranteed stored value transfer system and method
System and methods for facilitating the settlement of financial accounts across different entities utilize a host computer system that tracks financial transactions made at each merchant location or store and uses this information to reconcile accounts across different entities. In one embodiment, for redemption transactions that occurred within one of the entities other than where the associated account was activated, the host computer system is configured to prepare a request to transfer a redemption amount to a central account from an entity account associated with where the account was activated, and to prepare a request to transfer less than the redemption amount from the central account to an entity account associated with where the redemption transaction occurred. |
| US08271379B1 |
Systems and methods for building a personalized account
The present invention allows an applicant to apply for an account based service via a network connection. When an applicant applies for the account based service, he or she is supplied with features that enhance the value of the account based service. The applicant may select from the features provided, determine how this selection may affect the value of the account based service in relation to its cost and determine if he or she wishes to receive the account based service with the added features. Examples of account based services include credit cards, insurance accounts and telecommunications accounts. |
| US08271374B2 |
Method for assessing a commodity price and assessment determined thereby
A method of assessing a market price of a benchmark grade of a commodity includes artificially injecting additional volumes of the benchmark grade into the marketplace to thereby increase the market activity upon which the assessment is based. By increasing the market activity upon which the benchmark assessment is based, problems associated with having a small number of market events for assessing the benchmark price, such as price volatility, may be avoided. Additional volumes of the benchmark grade may be artificially injected into the marketplace by including, in the assessment of the benchmark price, observations of market events involving one or more alternative, non-benchmark grades of the commodity. Alternatively, or in addition, additional volumes of the benchmark grade may be artificially injected into the marketplace by permitting a seller offering cargoes of the benchmark grade of the commodity to actually deliver a cargo of one or more alternative, non-benchmark grades of the commodity in satisfaction of a contract for sale of the benchmark grade. |
| US08271366B2 |
System and method for providing high performance compliance services using pre-calculated rule evaluation
The present invention relates to a compliance system that allows users to verify that trading rules and regulations are being followed throughout the intraday trading activity. In particular, the systems and methods of the present invention allow a user to verify compliance with trading rules locally at a trading terminal. |
| US08271359B2 |
Method and apparatus for permitting access to, tracking, and reporting real time transcriptions
A device and method for permitting access to a real time data stream through prepayments or other payment arrangements and/or calculating a fee corresponding to usage of a real time data stream, wherein the real time data stream includes transcript data from a court transcription. In one example, a device may include a data collection device for receiving prepayment data, such as a code, key, token, pass that may contain purchase units therein; and a counter. In one embodiment, if the counter contains a value representing unused real time connections, then the data collection device permits the computing device to access to the real time data stream. In one example, the prepayment data includes a code containing a number representing a quantity of connections that may be made to the real time data stream. In another example, a method may include receiving the real time data stream; extracting one or more billing data elements from the real time data stream; storing said one or more billing data elements for processing; and calculating the fee based on at least one of the one or more billing data elements. In this way, charges may be calculated and levied or itemized according to the usage of such a real time service during a court proceeding such as a deposition. |
| US08271356B1 |
Electronic commerce integration
An information system environment is described that, among other things, facilitates integration of electronic commerce and physical store front retailer selling channels. In some realizations, the system includes a shopper accessible kiosk co-located with a physical store front retailer and an electronic commerce information service accessible from locations external to the physical store front retailer. Both access inventory information supplied from a suitable information service. The shopper accessible kiosk allows a user thereof to access inventory information particular to the physical store front retailer, while the electronic commerce information service allows a user thereof to order items from out of stock of the physical store front retailer. |
| US08271350B2 |
Method and system for automatically publishing content
The publishing system and method automates at least some portion of a publishing process. The system publishes content using metadata, rights templates and/or specifications, publishing profiles and business rules. |
| US08271349B1 |
Lead generation building, optimization, management and tracking tool
The present invention allows users to quickly develop web pages, or offers, to meet their advertisers' individual needs; mange the offers and inventory; and prioritize the order in which the offers are displayed. Functions included in the invention allow the user to internally monitor performance of marketing campaigns. The invention also has the ability to automatically prioritize which offers are to be displayed to users and in what order they will appear based upon the number of orders outstanding from an advertiser, the revenue generated from each conversion, the conversion rate of each offer, and a manual factor inserted based upon the business priority. The current invention allows the user to effectively and efficiently run a business where the user is required to set up offers for individual advertisers and maintain an effective balance of priority based upon business concerns, revenue, inventory of offer and conversion rates. |
| US08271347B2 |
Data distribution methods
A self-distribution method and system for distributing information content among network connected devices includes receiving a query having a code against a database from a wireless communications device, the code uniquely representing one of an advertising campaign, a product, or a service. A result set is generated by querying the database, forwarding a link associated with the result set to a user-preferred remote location, the link being sent in an electronic message. The link directs a user to a first version of information content. A plurality of options to purchase user-preferred items from the first version of information content include “purchase now” and “purchase later” features. A reminder message is forwarded to the wireless communications device if a user at the remote location selects the “purchase later” feature. The user is enabled to conduct a purchase transaction from the remote location or the wireless communications device. |
| US08271343B2 |
Systems and methods for electronic gifting
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for electronic gifting. In an exemplary gift purchasing method, a control system receives from a purchasing system a gift purchase request that includes a mobile telephone number (or other unique telephonic identifier) associated with a wireless gift recipient system, sends to a payment authorization system a payment authorization request, receives a payment authorization, and notifies the wireless gift recipient system of an electronic gift certificate. In an exemplary gift redemption method, the control system receives a gift redemption request for goods/services from a point-of-sale (POS) system, sends an authentication request addressed to the wireless gift recipient system by way of text message or other format, receives an authentication confirmation originating from the wireless gift recipient, and sends a redemption authorization to the vendor POS system. The control system has modules for conducting a targeted marketing campaign utilizing purchase and/or redemption information. |
| US08271337B1 |
System and method for transacting for an upgrade having an uncertain availability
The present invention enables the purchase of upgrades by ascertaining and attaching a value to the certainty that the upgrade will be available and adjusting the value of the product or service for purchasers willing to pay a reduced value on the condition that the upgrade may not be available at the time of expiration. Rather than paying the certainty value, the prospective purchaser is given the opportunity to enroll in a pool for the perishable upgrade. At a certain time the perishable is released to the pool of purchasers, who are then selected to purchase the item. |
| US08271335B2 |
Mobile communication terminal and method for electronic money settlement
There is provided a settlement system comprising a mobile communication terminal, a settlement input device configured to output data of a charge, and a settlement device able to transfer money from a first account to a second account. The settlement input device comprises a first transmission unit configured to transmit the data of the charge to the mobile communication terminal, and a second transmission unit configured to transmit the data of the charge, identification data of the mobile communication terminal, and identification data of the settlement input device to the settlement device. The settlement device comprises a control unit configured to transfer an amount of money determined by the data of the charge from the first account to the second account, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the data of the amount of the transferred money to the mobile communication terminal. The mobile communication terminal comprises a first reception unit configured to receive the data of the charge from the settlement input device, a second reception unit configured to receive the data of the amount of the transferred money from the settlement device, and a display. |
| US08271331B2 |
Integrated, interactive telephone and computer network communications system
A method comprising the steps of: receiving via internet a time, a date and a telephone number for a reminder telephone call (such as a wakeup call); storing in a database the time, date and telephone number of the reminder telephone call; and delivering to the subscriber via telephone the reminder telephone call at the specified time, date and telephone number. In one embodiment, the reminder call comprises a marketing message. In another embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of: receiving via the internet demographic information corresponding to the subscriber; matching the marketing message to the demographic information; and delivering the matched marketing message to the subscriber during the reminder telephone call. In other embodiments, the method further comprises the steps of receiving via the internet a personal reminder message or a selection for information, and delivering the personal reminder message or selected information to the subscriber during the reminder telephone call. |
| US08271328B1 |
User-based advertisement positioning using markov models
Methods and systems to modify the number and/or positioning of advertisements presented to a user based on that user's activity patterns (e.g., previous queries, query result selections, ad selections, etc.) and the order in which events constituting the activity patterns occurred. For example, the methods and systems can be based on a Markov model utilizing the user's activity patterns. |
| US08271326B1 |
Referral processing and tracking system
Systems and methods are disclosed for tracking, reporting and performing processing activities and transactions in association with referral data and related information for a variety of product and service offerings. |
| US08271325B2 |
Adjusting bids based on predicted performance
A predicted performance metric of a candidate advertisement in an advertising slot can be received and compared to a baseline predicted performance metric for the candidate advertisement. A target bid associated with the candidate advertisement can be adjusted based upon the comparison, and the adjusted bid can be submitted to an auction for the advertising slot. |
| US08271324B2 |
Small store system
System and methods of use are discloses that default routing of an ID read by an ID reader as part of a purchase transaction in a retail store, to a first computer system (MCS) instead of the POS computer system for the retail store, the first computer system processes the ID, and the POS computer system receives the results of the processing in the form of a IDs recognizable by the POS computer system and for which the POS computer system has associated costs. |
| US08271320B2 |
Method and system for enabling unregistered users to manage electronic items across sessions
The present invention provides a method and system for enabling an e-commerce website to persist electronic items, such as electronic coupons, gift certificates etc., across multiple browsing sessions. Users are offered electronic items over a communications network during a browsing session. In case the user wishes to save the items for a later browsing session, he/she is prompted for an email address. Details pertaining to the selected items are mapped against the email address. Thereafter, e-mail is sent to the user, containing a URL with the email address of the user embedded in it. Alternatively, entire details corresponding to the items selected during a session are embedded in the URL and in this case they need not be mapped against the email address. |
| US08271315B2 |
Personal information utilization system and personal information utilization program for commodity based identification
The object of the present invention is to improve quality of service for customers by sharing and utilizing personal information on customers among variety of industries. In order to achieve the objective, the present invention comprises a personal information storage means (12), a communication means (8) to an external device and an information processing means (14) for controlling operation of each means thereof; wherein said personal information storage means (12) stores not only personal information on an information disclosing person, but also commodity provision information, etc. on commodity service which is provided for the information disclosing person for each information disclosing person of the personal information. And, the processing means (14) comprising: receiving personal information on an information disclosing person from an information search side terminal via the communication means (8), checking the received personal information with personal information stored in the personal information storage means (12), identifying an information disclosing person of the received personal information if the received personal information coincides with the personal information stored in the personal information storage means (12), as a result of the checking, reading out commodity provision information, etc. on the identified information disclosing person from the personal information storage means (12), transmitting said read out commodity provision information, etc. to the information search side terminal. |
| US08271310B2 |
Virtualizing consumer behavior as a financial instrument
The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can characterize an item involved in a consumer transaction and/or a behavior of a consumer as a virtual financial instrument. The architecture can monitor the future performance of the virtual instrument in order to identify trendspotters as well as trend followers in a particular market domain. |
| US08271307B2 |
Method, software program, and system for structuring risk in a financial transaction
A computer-implemented method, system, apparatus, and non-transitory media is directed to providing a graphical user interface for insuring a default of debts specified in financial instruments. A computer system establishes a capital structure which includes an insuring debt related to an insured debt of a debtor based on an insured debt amount representing at least a proportion of the insured debt. A first loss class and a second loss class is allocated for an insuring trust. The capital structure is simulated, including a payment payable from the insuring debt to a first class holder in the first class, wherein the first class holder is entitled to the payment based on a debt to the first class holder of an insuring fund of the insuring trust. An user interface provides a simulation of the capital structure including an insuring scenario based on various alterable inputs. |
| US08271306B2 |
Collateral damage contracts
A method for marketing, underwriting, and providing coverage for damages that are associated with insured loss events but that are not covered by traditional insurance policies. This method permits the marketing of loss expense coverage, underwriting, and claim adjustment processes of insurance to be performed by reference to the loss payments that are made by a specified insurance policy. By referencing insured loss payments, which both a buyer and a seller understand, this method provides an easy way to communicate and transact something that is otherwise difficult or impossible to define or measure. |
| US08271301B1 |
Method of providing insurance
This disclosure details the implementation of methods for providing a permanent life insurance policy, such as a universal life or variable universal life insurance policy, that may provide a level cost of insurance and may be marketed to clients of an asset manager. A need exists for a life insurance policy that provides level cost of insurance rates for a specific duration, while providing a death benefit and a cash value. The instant invention provides a method and an insurance policy that addresses these and other issues. In some embodiments, the level cost of insurance rate for a universal or variable universal life insurance policy may be provided for a fixed period of time and determined based on the corresponding cost of insurance rate for a comparable term life insurance policy having a term substantially similar to that fixed period of time. In further embodiments, the asset manager may receive compensation for advising the client based on the total value of assets in the insurance policy. |
| US08271300B1 |
Reflexive underwriting application responses
Systems and methods for gathering information for insurance underwriting may present a question from a sequence of questions. Questions in the sequence of questions may relate to an insurance underwriting function. A response to the question may be collected and analyzed. An investigative function may be selected based upon the analysis of the response to the question. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08271299B2 |
Return-of-premium insurance system and method
An insurance method comprising a return-of-premium (ROP) benefit is disclosed. The ROP benefit is applied to property and casualty insurance and related insurance forms. The ROP benefit provides a return of all premiums after a set period of insurance, less the amount of any claims made by the insured. The policy may then be rolled over to again provide a ROP benefit to the policyholder. Fractional ROP benefit returns may be made on the policy after a minimum set period less than the full term of the policy. The ROP benefit may be provided by means of a rider to a standard property or casualty policy. |
| US08271292B2 |
Signal bandwidth expanding apparatus
A signal bandwidth expanding apparatus configured to expand a bandwidth of an input signal. The apparatus includes: a time acquiring section configured to acquire time information; a priority holding section configured to hold priority information of processes, each process divided from a process of bandwidth expansion; a controller configured to: sequentially perform the processes from a process having a higher priority using the priority information held by the priority holding section, calculate a time taken for the process using the time acquiring section when the process is ended, and control whether or not a next process having a secondary priority is performed according to the time taken for the process; and a frequency balance correcting section configured to change a frequency characteristic of a signal expanded in a bandwidth according to the process performed by the controller. |
| US08271289B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding object-based audio signals
An audio decoding method and apparatus and an audio encoding method and apparatus which can efficiently process object-based audio signals are provided. The audio decoding method includes receiving first and second audio signals, which are object-encoded; generating third object energy information based on first object energy information included in the first audio signal and second object energy information included in the second audio signal; and generating a third audio signal by combining the first and second object signals and the third object energy information. |
| US08271287B1 |
Voice command remote control system
The invention is a method and apparatus for controlling electronic devices from a remote location. The method and apparatus utilizes a remote control device which receives and transmits voice commands as electrical signals to at least one controlled device having a recognition processor which converts received electrical signals to pattern data and compares that pattern data with data stored in the processor. The invention may incorporate the use of a recorder for recording electrical signals in the remote or controlled device and may further include a teaching circuit for retrieving and reproducing voice commands as visual or audio prompts as needed. The invention may be adapted to control multiple controlled devices in coordination so that each coordinated device is made to perform the same or a different function in response to a single voice command is disclosed. |
| US08271285B2 |
Using speaker identification and verification speech processing technologies to activate and deactivate a payment card
The present invention discloses a payment card that uses speaker identification and verification (SIV) speech processing techniques for activation purposes and to deactivate the payment card based upon the card user input to the payment card. For example, the invention can initially identify a payment card in a deactivated state, which is an internal state of the payment card. Speech input can then be received. Speech characteristics of the speech input can be determined and compared against a voice print of an authorized card user. The payment card can be selectively activated based on comparison results. That is, when the voice print and the speech characteristics match, the payment card can be activated. Otherwise, the card will remain deactivated. An activated payment card is one that has undergone an internal state change from the deactivated state. For example, when activated a credit card number can appear in a display and a magnetic strip can contain payment information, neither of which are present in the deactivated state. |
| US08271284B2 |
Speech synthesis device, method, and program
Even when a pitch cycle has a large fluctuation and the pitch cycle string changes abruptly, it possible to suppress the affect of the pitch cycle fluctuation and generate high-quality synthesized speech. A speech synthesis device generates a synthesized speech corresponding to an input text sentence according to an original speech waveform stored in original speech waveform information storage unit (25). The speech synthesis device includes pitch cycle correction unit (40) which extracts a fluctuation component of the pitch cycle of the original speech waveform which is obtained from original speech waveform information storage unit (25) in order to generate the synthesized speech and which corrects, based on the extracted fluctuation component, the pitch cycle of the synthesized speech obtained by analyzing the input text sentence. Pitch cycle correction unit (40) connects the pitch cycle waveform of the original speech waveform at the pitch cycle of the corrected synthesized speech. |
| US08271283B2 |
Method and apparatus for recognizing speech by measuring confidence levels of respective frames
Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus to recognize speech by measuring the confidence levels of respective frames. The method includes the operations of obtaining frequency features of a received speech signal for the respective frames having a predetermined length, calculating a keyword model-based likelihood and a filler model-based likelihood for each of the frame, calculating a confidence score based on the two types of likelihoods, and deciding whether the received speech signal corresponds to a keyword or a non-keyword based on the confidence scores. Also, the method includes the operation of transforming the confidence scores by applying transform functions of clusters, which include the confidence scores or are close to the confidence scores, to the confidence scores. |
| US08271278B2 |
Quantizing feature vectors in decision-making applications
A system, method and computer program product for classification of an analog electrical signal using statistical models of training data. A technique is described to quantize the analog electrical signal in a manner which maximizes the compression of the signal while simultaneously minimizing the diminution in the ability to classify the compressed signal. These goals are achieved by utilizing a quantizer designed to minimize the loss in a power of the log-likelihood ratio. A further technique is described to enhance the quantization process by optimally allocating a number of bits for each dimension of the quantized feature vector subject to a maximum number of bits available across all dimensions. |
| US08271277B2 |
Dereverberation apparatus, dereverberation method, dereverberation program, and recording medium
A model application unit calculates linear prediction coefficients of a multi-step linear prediction model by using discrete acoustic signals. Then, a late reverberation predictor calculates linear prediction values obtained by substituting the linear prediction coefficients and the discrete acoustic signals into linear prediction term of the multi-step linear prediction model, as predicted late reverberations. Next, a frequency domain converter converts the discrete acoustic signals to discrete acoustic signals in the frequency domain and also converts the predicted late reverberations to predicted late reverberations in the frequency domain. A late reverberation eliminator calculates relative values between the amplitude spectra of the discrete acoustic signals expressed in the frequency domain and the amplitude spectra of the predicted late reverberations expressed in the frequency domain, and provides the relative values as predicted amplitude spectra of a dereverberation signal. |
| US08271276B1 |
Enhancement of multichannel audio
The invention relates to audio signal processing. More specifically, the invention relates to enhancing multichannel audio, such as television audio, by applying a gain to the audio that has been smoothed between segments of the audio. The invention relates to methods, apparatus for performing such methods, and to software stored on a computer-readable medium for causing a computer to perform such methods. |
| US08271274B2 |
Coding/decoding of a digital audio signal, in CELP technique
The invention aims at constructing improved dictionaries of CELP excitation vectors for coding/decoding digital audio signals. Usually, each vector of dimension N comprises pulses capable of occupying N valid positions. The invention concerns the construction of dictionaries with particular structure by: providing a common sequence of pulses forming a base pattern; and assigning the base pattern to each excitation vector of the dictionary, based on one or more occurrences at one or more respective positions among said N valid positions. The invention also concerns a combination of dictionaries thus constructed with optionally standard multipulse dictionaries, by union or summation or cascading. |
| US08271273B2 |
Adaptive approach to improve G.711 perceptual quality
In order to achieve the best improvement of ITU G.711 related codec perceptual quality, perceptual weighting controlling parameter(s) should be at least adaptive to relative quantization error statistics or adaptive to signal level. When the relative quantization error statistics are larger or the signal level is lower, the perceptual weighting should be “stronger”, which means α in (5) is smaller; when the relative quantization error statistics are smaller or the signal level is larger, the perceptual weighting should be “weaker”, which means α in (5) is larger. |
| US08271266B2 |
Media content assessment and control systems
Computer implemented methods and computing systems wherein relationships of words or phrases within a textual corpus are assessed via frequencies of occurrence of particular words or phrases and via frequencies of co-occurrence of particular pairs of words or phrases within defined tracts of text from within the textual corpus. |
| US08271263B2 |
Multi-language text fragment transcoding and featurization
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatus for transcoding received text fragments and documents. A featurization configuration is produced to create token components for evaluating the content of the text fragment. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08271247B2 |
Modeling and management of reservoir systems with material balance groups
Methods and systems for modeling a reservoir system are described. The method includes constructing a reservoir model of a reservoir system. The reservoir model includes a reservoir and a plurality of wells. Also, one or more material balance groups are constructed with each material balance group having a portion of at least one of the plurality of wells, a portion of the reservoir, and at least one well management algorithm to track material balance within the respective material balance group. Then, fluid flow through the reservoir model is simulated based on the material balance groups by a simulator and the results are reported. |
| US08271246B2 |
System and method for minimizing lost circulation
A system and method is provided for minimizing lost circulation associated with the operation of a subterranean reservoir. The system includes one or more sources, such as earth modeling and fracture analysis tools, for providing data representative of a fracture formation in the reservoir, and a computer processor in communication with the data sources for determining an appropriate blend of lost circulation material products for application to the fracture formation. The computer processor is programmed with computer readable code for selecting a plurality of candidate products for application to the fracture formation, and for mathematically determining an optimized blend of the selected products. By applying the optimized blend, material and labor costs associated with well operation can be significantly reduced. |
| US08271241B2 |
Chiral metamaterials
A metamaterial includes a dielectric substrate and an array of discrete resonators at the dielectric substrate, wherein each of the discrete resonators has a shape that is independently selected from: an F-type shape; an E-type shape; or a y-type shape. A parameter of a chiral metamaterial is determined and a chiral metamaterial having such a parameter is prepared by the use of a model of the chiral metamaterial. The metamaterial model includes an array of discrete resonators. In one embodiment, each of the discrete resonators has a shape that is independently selected from the group consisting of: an F-type shape; an E-type shape; and a y-type shape. To the metamaterial model, electromagnetic (EM) radiation, preferably plane-polarized EM radiation in a visible, ultraviolet or near-infrared region, having at least one wavelength that is larger than the largest dimension of at least resonator of the metamaterial model, is applied. Varying at least one characteristic of the metamaterial model and/or at least one wavelength of the applied EM radiation modulates EM interaction of the applied EM radiation with the metamaterial model, thereby determining a parameter of the chiral metamaterial. By the use of a model of the chiral metamaterial, a number of discrete resonators of a chiral metamaterial that are arrayed in a direction perpendicular to a propagation axis of EM radiation is also determined. |
| US08271240B2 |
Secure cloud-based electronic design automation
In a method of electronic design automation, discretized meshes of layers of current conducting materials of a computerized device model are determined. Each discretized mesh corresponds to the current conducting material of one model layer. For each discretized mesh, a corresponding impedance matrix having cells is determined. Each cell includes an impedance value Zij which is based on a voltage (Vi) induced in a cell i of the discretized mesh due to a current (Ij) flowing in a cell j of the discretized mesh. A subset of the cells, including impedance values, of the impedance matrices is dispatched to node computers via an electronic communications network. In response to dispatching the cells of the impedance matrices, charge densities estimated by the node computers to exist on a subset of the cells of the discretized meshes are returned. |
| US08271237B2 |
Fully-integrated hexahedral elements configured for reducing shear locking in finite element method
Improved 8-node hexahedral elements configured for reducing shear locking in finite element method are disclosed. According to one aspect, aspect-ratio based scale factors are introduced to modify partial derivatives of the isoparametric shape function of the hexahedral element with respect to isoparametric dimensions, respectively. The modified derivatives are used for calculating the Jacobian matrix thereby the rate-of-strain. The scale factor is configured such that no changes for a perfect cubic solid element (i.e., element having aspect ratio of 1 (one) in all three spatial dimensions), while significant changes for element having poor aspect ratio. In other words, elements with poor aspect ratio are mapped to a perfect cubic element using the aspect-ratio based scale factors. According to anther aspect, off-diagonal components in the local Jacobian matrix are directly modified by cancelling terms related to spurious shear deformation modes. This measure completely alleviates the shear locking effect even for perfectly shaped elements. |
| US08271234B1 |
System for situational awareness and method implementing the same
A system for implementing a situational awareness includes a plurality of data gathering devices for observing the physical environment and transforming observations of physical phenomena into digital information; a plurality of field monitoring units with each of the plurality of units communicating with a corresponding plurality of data gathering devices to obtain data therefrom; and an aggregate monitoring unit communicating with each of the plurality of field monitoring units to monitor and control each of the plurality of field monitoring units and collect and store data from the plurality of data gathering devices. |
| US08271230B2 |
System and methods for monitoring a thermoelectric heating and cooling device
Disclosed herein are methods for monitoring a thermoelectric heating and cooling device (103, 203, 303) of a system (100, 200, 300) for cycling liquid reaction mixtures through a series of temperature excursions, and such systems adapted to perform these methods. A first quantity being either an electric current or an electric voltage is applied to the heating and cooling device (103, 203) or a portion (314) thereof (303), and a second quantity being either the non-selected first quantity or temperature is measured to obtain a first test value. The selected first quantity is applied to another thermoelectric heating and cooling device (104, 204) or another portion (315) of the first device (303), and the second quantity is measured to obtain a second test value. Comparison of the first and second test values yields a monitoring value which is compared with a pre-defined threshold value to obtain a monitoring result. |
| US08271225B2 |
Test system for connectors with multi-input
A test system includes a main selector, a first and a second switching connectors, a first and a second sub-selectors, and a processor. The main selector includes a number of first switches, a number of first contacts, and a number of second contacts. Each sub-selector includes a second switch, a third contact, and a fourth contact. The processor sends a first instruction and a second instruction to correspondingly control the main selector and a selected sub-selector. |
| US08271224B2 |
Fusing structures from multi-sensor data
In particular embodiments, fusing structures includes receiving sensor data sets generated by sensors in response to sensing a structure system. Each sensor data set describes structures of the structure system. Structure pairs are generated, where a structure pair comprises a first structure from a first sensor data set and a second structure from a second sensor data set. A relational vector set is defined for each structure pair, and a relational vector score is calculated for each structure pair according to the relational vector set of the structure pair. An association score is calculated for each structure pair according to the relational vector score of the structure pair. The association score of the structure pair indicates a likelihood that the structure pair is fusable. |
| US08271222B2 |
Sampling apparatus and sampling method
Provided is a sampling apparatus that samples a signal under measurement, including a sample processing section that outputs sample data obtained by sampling the signal under measurement with a sampling timing at non-uniform intervals obtained by thinning a reference clock, a storage section that stores the sample data, and a waveform generating section that generates a waveform of the signal under measurement based on the sample data read from the storage section. The sample processing section includes a sampler that samples the signal under measurement in synchronization with the reference clock and a data thinning section that thins the sample data output by the sampler and outputs this thinned data as sample data with the sampling timing at non-uniform intervals. |
| US08271219B2 |
Deterministic component model identifying apparatus, identifying method, program, recording medium, test system and electronic device
There is provided a deterministic component model identifying apparatus for determining a type of a deterministic component contained in a probability density function supplied thereto. The deterministic component model identifying apparatus includes a spectrum calculating section that calculates a spectrum of the probability density function on an axis of a predetermined variable, a null value detecting section that detects a null value on the axis of the predetermined variable in the calculated spectrum, a theoretical value calculating section that calculates a theoretical value of a spectrum of the deterministic component in association with each of a plurality of predetermined deterministic component types, based on the null value detected by the null value detecting section, and a model determining section that determines, as the type of the deterministic component contained in the probability density function, a deterministic component type associated with a logarithmic magnitude spectrum difference most similar to a logarithmic magnitude spectrum of a Gaussian distribution, where the logarithmic magnitude spectrum difference is produced by subtracting the theoretical value of the spectrum of the deterministic component calculated in association with each of the plurality of predetermined deterministic component types from the spectrum calculated by the spectrum calculating section. |
| US08271217B2 |
Method for determining battery capacity
An electrical device is powered by a battery. The device includes transition phase determining circuitry operatively connected to the battery to determine that the battery has entered a transition phase based on the occurrence of a change in direction of current flowing through the battery. Battery capacity determining circuitry is operatively connected to the transition phase determining circuitry and configured to determine, in response the transition phase determining circuitry determining that the battery is in the transition phase, a capacity of the battery based on a transition phase battery capacity model of capacity-vs.-voltage. The transition phase determining circuitry is further configured to determine an end of the transition phase based on the transition phase battery capacity model and a non-transition battery capacity model of capacity-vs.-voltage yielding the same capacity value for a given measured voltage of the battery. |
| US08271212B2 |
Method for robust gauging accuracy for level gauges under mismatch and large opening effects in stillpipes and related apparatus
A method includes transmitting wireless signals towards a material in a tank and receiving wireless signals reflected off the material. The method also includes calculating a phase velocity of the wireless signals reflected off the material and identifying a level of the material in the tank using the phase velocity. Calculating the phase velocity of the wireless signals could include identifying a plurality of linearly-spaced frequencies and performing linear interpolation using the data identifying the wireless signals to identify data points at the linearly-spaced frequencies. The identification of the data points at the linearly-spaced frequencies could represent the only interpolation operation performed during the calculation of the phase velocity and the identification of the level of the material. Moreover, a mismatch could exist between an inner diameter of a stillpipe through which the wireless signals are transmitted and a diameter of an antenna used to receive the wireless signals. |
| US08271211B2 |
Method and apparatus for enhancing in-situ gas flow measurement performance
An in-situ gas flow measurement controller measures the temperature and rate of pressure drop upstream from a flow control device (FCD). The controller samples the pressure and temperature data and applies the equivalent of a decimating filter to the data to produce filtered data at a slower sampling rate. The controller derives timestamps by counting ticks from the sampling clock of the A/D converter that is sampling the pressure at regular intervals to ensure the timestamps associated with the pressure samples are accurate and do not contain jitter that is associated with software clocks. The controller additionally normalizes the temperature reading to account for power supply fluctuations, filters out noise from the pressure and temperature readings, and excludes data during periods of instability. It calculates the gas flow rate accounting for possible non-linearities in the pressure measurements, and provides the computed gas flow measurement via one of many possible interfaces. |
| US08271209B2 |
Spectral searching method for substance identification
Methods, systems and computer program products for identifying components of an unknown mixture using spectral analysis techniques. The method includes comparing the spectrum of the unknown mixture with the spectra of library compounds to obtain candidate mixture combinations. A model is generated for each of the candidate mixture combinations based on a modeling metric. A residual spectrum is computed corresponding to each of the candidate mixture combinations by removing the spectrum of each of the compounds of the candidate mixture combination from the spectrum of the unknown mixture. One or more potential compounds are identified by comparing the residual spectrum with the spectrum of library compounds. The potential compounds are added to the candidate mixture combinations to generate an updated list of the candidate mixture combinations. The search algorithm repeats the steps described above on the updated candidate mixture combinations, until a first termination condition is satisfied. |
| US08271205B2 |
Method and system for analysis of melt curves, particularly dsDNA and protein melt curves
A computer-implemented method of analysis of melt curve data comprising the steps of: (a) parameter model fitting the melt curve data; (b) performing a principal component analysis of the melt curve data; and (c) utilizing the principal components for clustering the melt curve data into groups. Such a method allows an efficient analysis of variations in melt curve shape and position and allows to statistically quantify these variations for both supervised and unsupervised data sets. Current melt analysis methods neither allow for statistical measures of each unknown nor do they allow for the determination of unsupervised data sets (i.e., unknown number of groups present). Particularly, the method according to the invention can be advantageous for identifying a specific sequence of dsDNA in a sample after performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). |
| US08271203B2 |
Methods and systems for sequence-based design of multiple reaction monitoring transitions and experiments
Computer-implementable methods consistent with the present teachings can be used in the design of selective- and multiple-reaction monitoring experiments for the identification of proteins and peptides of interest. By determining candidate parent-daughter ion transition pairs and scoring the pairs based on their ability to be detected experimental design time can be reduced and with a more focused list of transition pairs more experiments can be run successfully in a given period of time. |
| US08271199B2 |
Binning method for borehole imaging
A method for forming a borehole image includes fitting logging sensor measurements residing in each of a plurality of azimuthal windows with corresponding mathematical fitting functions. The functions may then be evaluated at one or more corresponding azimuthal positions to obtain at least one sector value for each of the azimuthal windows. A two dimensional borehole image may be formed by repeating the procedure at multiple measured depths in the borehole. |
| US08271197B2 |
Portable environmental monitoring instrument
A portable environmental monitoring instrument comprising: a housing comprising a main body and a cap; a display mounted to the housing; a processing circuit disposed within the main body, the processing circuit electrically connected to the display; a light sensor mounted to the housing and electrically connected to the processing circuit; a humidity sensor electrically connected to the processing circuit; and a probe member extending from the main body and exposed to the environment by opening the cap, the probe member carrying a temperature sensor at a distal end thereof and part of an electrical connection between the temperature sensor and the processing circuit, the processing circuit arranged to process signals received from the light sensor, the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor to obtain an environmental measure indicative of the affect of the environment and control the display to display data indicative of the environmental measure. |
| US08271194B2 |
Method and system using GNSS phase measurements for relative positioning
A method for locating GNSS-defined points, distances, directional attitudes and closed geometric shapes includes the steps of providing a base with a base GNSS antenna and providing a rover with a rover GNSS antenna and receiver. The receiver is connected to the rover GNSS antenna and is connected to the base GNSS antenna by an RF cable. The receiver thereby simultaneously processes signals received at the antennas. The method includes determining a vector directional arrow from the differential positions of the antennas and calculating a distance between the antennas, which can be sequentially chained together for determining a cumulative distance in a “digital tape measure” mode of operation. A localized RTK surveying method uses the rover antenna for determining relative or absolute point locations. A system includes a base with an antenna, a rover with an antenna and a receiver, with the receiver being connected to the antennas. A processor is provided for computing positions, directional vectors, areas and other related tasks. |
| US08271188B2 |
Systems and methods for determining location using cellular transition patterns
Location may be determined based on a map that includes a plurality of transition patterns for a geographic feature. Each such transition pattern is different from the others. |
| US08271187B2 |
Vehicular video mirror system
A video mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having an electrochromic reflective element and a video display screen disposed to the rear of the reflective element. The video display screen, when actuated, emits light that passes through a transflective mirror reflector of the reflective element to be visible to a driver of the vehicle viewing the reflective element. The video display screen includes a thin film transistor liquid crystal display element that is back lit by a plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes. A camera having a field of view rearward of the vehicle is mounted at the rear of the vehicle and, during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle, a video output of the camera is displayed by the video display screen as video images so as to assist the driver in reversing the equipped vehicle. |
| US08271184B2 |
Method and system for monitoring an aircraft taxiing phase
The invention relates to the field of monitoring and aid to taxiing of an aircraft at an airport.The invention is a method of checking and monitoring the taxi plan and relates to a monitoring system comprising means for checking the pathway of the plan and means for signalling on the taxi aid the waiting time for the next clearance ahead of the aircraft along the pathway, the means for checking the pathway comprising a device for checking the pathway constraints and a device for checking the clearances, the device for checking the constraints making it possible to test and to display on the taxi plan the information descriptive of the constraints and the device for checking the clearances making it possible to check the clearances and to add the missing clearances to the taxi plan. |
| US08271182B2 |
Method for compensating an operating imbalance between different banks of a turbocharged engine
A method for controlling differences in cylinder mixtures for a two cylinder bank engine having a turbocharger is presented. In one example, the description includes a method for adjusting valve timing to reduce cylinder mixture variation. |
| US08271180B2 |
Intake control system and method for internal combustion engine
An intake control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of suppressing a change in an intake pressure caused by a change in a target intake air amount even in a transient operating condition in which the target intake air amount is varied, thereby making it possible to control the intake pressure stably and accurately. The intake control system controls an intake air amount by an intake valve lift, and controls intake negative pressure by a throttle valve. The system limits a target intake air amount based on upper and lower limit values set according to the intake valve lift and an intake cam phase, and corrects the target intake air amount by averaging the same using averaging calculation such that the change therein is delayed. A throttle valve opening is set according to the corrected target intake air amount. |
| US08271179B2 |
System and method for aiding airdrop computations
A system and method for aiding airdrop computations is described. The system includes a ground system, a data link, and an airborne system. The ground system accumulates substantially real time drop zone GPS and meteorological data, which is transferred to the airborne system via the data link. The airborne system makes adjustments to a release point of the airdrop based on the data received from the ground system. Additionally, the airborne system provides airdrop status to the ground system via the data link. |
| US08271178B2 |
Control apparatus for vehicular power transmitting system
A control apparatus for a vehicular power transmitting system including (a) an electrically controlled differential portion which has a differential mechanism and a first electric motor connected to a rotary element of the differential mechanism and which is operable to control a differential state between a rotating speed of its input shaft connected to a drive power source and a rotating speed of its output shaft by controlling an operating state of the first electric motor, and (b) a switching portion operable to switch a power transmitting path for transmitting power from the drive power source, between a power transmitting state and a power cut-off state, the control apparatus including a control range setting portion configured to set one of two different control ranges of a rotating speed of the output shaft, depending upon whether the power transmitting path is placed in the power transmitting state or said power cut-off state, by the switching portion. |
| US08271174B2 |
Support control device
An accuracy error for measuring the position of an own vehicle is calculated based on the information of an execution history of map matching and the information of an update history of a map database. In addition, a predetermined map is referred to based on the calculated accuracy error, and an accuracy error level for performing positioning is specified from among plural stepwise levels. Then, the control level of assist control executed according to the position of the own vehicle is changed so as to correspond to the specified accuracy error level. |
| US08271171B2 |
Clutch characteristic adaption method for automatic dual clutch transmission
A method for clutch characteristic curve adaptation of an automatic dual-clutch transmission which comprises two sub-gearboxes each with an input shaft connected, via a friction clutch, to the drive shaft of a motor and several gears that are shifted via a friction-synchronized gear clutch. A value of the current touch point of the friction clutch can be determined with the motor running and the gears disengaged in a load-free sub-gearbox. The method includes the steps of starting synchronization of a gear clutch with a defined force of a regulator. Waiting until the gear clutch is synchronized. Engaging the friction clutch of the until the gear clutch is synchronizes. Determination the current touch point from the current synchronous torque of the gear clutch and the current regulating parameter of the associated clutch regulator. Then, adapting the clutch characteristic curve of the friction clutch in view of the current touch point. |
| US08271169B2 |
Control apparatus and control method for an automatic transmission, program for directing a computer to execute the control method, and storage medium on which program is recorded
An ECU executes a program that outputs a shift command when a determination has been made to perform a power-on downshift (i.e., YES in S100); controls the hydraulic pressure supplied to a friction engagement element to perform the power-on downshift; allows the correction of the hydraulic pressure supplied to the friction engagement element during the power-on downshift when the difference between a target input torque and an estimated input torque is equal to or less than a threshold value ΔTT (1) (i.e., YES in S130); and correcting the hydraulic pressure supplied to the friction engagement element during the power-on downshift. |
| US08271166B2 |
Device and method for controlling an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle
A device and a method for control of an automatic transmission (1) in a vehicle having one control unit (2), which can receive signals produced by a transmission gearshift lever (7), and/or a first transmission control (8). The signals of the first transmission control are bridgeable so that the automatic transmission can be manually operated. In order to make it possible to efficiently operate the vehicle with low fuel consumption and great flexibility of the driver at the moment, manual operation of the automatic transmission is possible only when the vehicle is at speed (v) lower than a predetermined speed limit. |
| US08271165B2 |
Systems and methods for improving haul road conditions
A method for improving haul road surface conditions comprises collecting performance data associated with at least one machine operating on a haul route and determining a rolling resistance of each of the at least one machine based on the performance data. An average rolling resistance associated with one or more portions of the haul route is determined based on the rolling resistance of each of the at least one machine. The one or more portions of the haul route are identified as irregular if the average rolling resistance of the one or more portions exceeds a threshold resistance value. A proposed modification to the irregular portion of the haul route is generated, and performance of the at least one machine is simulated based on the proposed modification. The method also includes outputting results of the simulated performance. |
| US08271159B2 |
Method and control system for stabilizing a vehicle
A method of stabilizing a vehicle, in particular for stabilizing the vehicle with respect to tilting movements, to the load condition of the vehicle, performs a control depending on a load condition of the vehicle, and the load condition of the vehicle is determined by way of a vehicle mass that is established due to a balance of forces that act on the vehicle, and/or by way of a characteristic speed of the vehicle. |
| US08271157B2 |
Mobile mechanism, member for mobile mechanism and control method for mobile mechanism
A steering mechanism is provided on an equilateral triangular base of a mobile mechanism, and three joints are attached to the base at the three vertexes thereof. Links are attached to the three joints respectively. On each link is provided a steering mechanism. The equilateral triangular base of the mobile mechanism is moved or rotated by periodically driving the three joints while steering the four steering mechanisms. |
| US08271155B2 |
Safety system for marine vessels
There is elucidated a safety system for a marine vessel. The vessel includes two engines coupled to propellers for propelling the vessel through water. The vessel is provided with a digital anchor in communication with the two engines for maintaining the vessel substantially at a defined location when the anchor is activated. The safety system includes a sensor assembly coupled to a data processing assembly for sensing a region of said water at least partially surrounding the vessel for detecting one or more persons present in the region and for modifying operation of the digital anchor in response to the one or more persons being detected. The invention is of advantage in that the digital anchor is capable of responding to the one or more persons being present in the water and thereby reducing a risk of injury or loss of life when the digital anchor is employed. |
| US08271153B2 |
System, method and computer readable memory medium for verifying track database information
A system for verifying data in a track database comprises a track profile database stored in a memory having data relative to one or more track grades and geographic coordinates or range of coordinates associated with each of the one or more track grades. A vehicle trip plan is developed according to the track profile data that comprises a designated path of travel of the vehicle over the track system and a planned vehicle operating condition associated with each of the one or more track grades and the associated coordinates or range of coordinates of the track grades. A controller is configured to compare a stored current vehicle operating condition of the vehicle and associated geographic coordinates to the planned vehicle operating condition to verify the accuracy of the track grade data at the associated geographic coordinates. |
| US08271151B2 |
Flight control system for rotary wing aircraft
A flight control system and method includes a control loop control law to bias the collective stick toward a trim reference position with a motor and generate a force gradient with a clutch. |
| US08271150B2 |
Methods and systems for displaying enroute moving maps
Methods and systems for a position indicating display system for an aircraft are provided. The system includes a moving map display representative of an area being traversed by the aircraft such that a current relative position of the aircraft is maintained proximate a center of the display, a first overlay on the moving map display that is indicative of a predetermined track of travel, and a second overlay on the moving map display indicative of a distance range from a suitable alternate airport. The second overlay also displays equal time points to assist flight crews in determining closest suitable alternate airport in the event of a required diversion. Constraints regarding the intended flight route on the organized track system are available for display to the flight crew. |
| US08271149B2 |
Conversion system fault management system for tiltrotor aircraft
The difference between a first position of a first pylon of a tiltrotor aircraft and a second position of a second pylon of the aircraft is prevented from becoming too large. An actuator position error for the first pylon is calculated from a difference between the first position and a commanded first position of the first pylon. An actuator position error for the second pylon is calculated from a difference between the second position and a commanded second position of the second pylon. An absolute value of the actuator position error for the first pylon is compared to the preset limit. If the absolute value of the actuator position error for the first pylon is greater than or equal to a preset limit, the actuator position error for the second pylon is calculated from the difference between the first position and the second position. |
| US08271146B2 |
Maximized battery run-time in a parallel UPS system
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) includes a plurality of UPS modules. Each of the UPS modules has a battery that provides power to a protected load in the event of a utility power failure. A plurality of controllers control how much power each of the batteries deliver to the protected load, and a communication bus allows the controllers to exchange information about the battery voltages. One of the controllers calculates the average battery voltage of the plurality of batteries and adjusts the amount of energy provided by an individual battery such that the battery voltage is about equal to the average battery voltage. |
| US08271145B2 |
Handy terminal for wind turbine generator and wind turbine generator
A handy terminal for a wind turbine generator, includes a connecting portion connectable to a connector provided in the wind turbine generator, an operating ends group including an operating button to generate an operating signal which selectively validates a control logic within a control circuit provided in the wind turbine generator, and a display portion for displaying the operating state of the operating ends group. The operating ends group includes a mode selecting button for selectively validates one of a maintenance mode and an operating mode of the wind turbine generator; and a rotor turning button for switching to the blades pitch control state in which blades of the wind turbine generator side are driven in the predetermined low speed with adjusting the pitch angle of the blades according to the rotational speed. |
| US08271133B2 |
Apparatus, method, and medium for sensing slip in mobile robot
An apparatus, method, and medium for sensing a slip in a mobile robot is provided. The apparatus for sensing a slip in a mobile robot includes a driving motor control unit to control a driving motor that rotates a plurality of driving wheels of the mobile robot, a first rotation sensor to sense a first rotation angle of the mobile robot by using the difference between traveling distances of the plurality of driving wheels, a second rotation sensor to sense a second rotation angle of the mobile robot by sensing a rotation of the mobile robot, and a slip-sensing unit to sense the slip of the mobile robot by comparing the first rotation angle with the second rotation angle. The driving motor control unit controls the driving motor to travel straight in a specified pattern. |
| US08271131B2 |
Robot with learning control function
A robot with a learning control function is disclosed. The robot includes a robot mechanism unit, a learning control unit for obtaining data on positional deviation of the robot mechanism unit upon execution of a task program and executing a learning control for calculating a learning correction amount in order to decrease the positional deviation of the robot mechanism unit below a certain value, a normal control unit for executing a learning operation of the robot mechanism unit in order to obtain the data during the learning control and executing an actual operation of the robot mechanism unit based on the learning correction amount calculated by the learning control unit after executing the learning control, and an anti-exception processing unit for executing an anti-exception process in the case where an exception process occurs during the learning operation or the actual operation. |
| US08271129B2 |
Robot system
A power-saving robot system includes at least one peripheral device and a mobile robot. The peripheral device includes a controller having an active mode and a hibernation mode, and a wireless communication component capable of activation in the hibernation mode. A controller of the robot has an activating routine that communicates with and temporarily activates the peripheral device, via wireless communication, from the hibernation mode. In another aspect, a robot system includes a network data bridge and a mobile robot. The network data bridge includes a broadband network interface, a wireless command interface, and a data bridge component. The data bridge component extracts serial commands received via the broadband network interface from an internet protocol, applies a command protocol thereto, and broadcasts the serial commands via the wireless interface. The mobile robot includes a wireless command communication component that receives the serial commands transmitted from the network data bridge. |
| US08271126B2 |
Method and configuration for handling objects
A method and a configuration for handling objects, wherein a multiplicity of objects are stored in a storage container and one or more objects to be processed are divided from objects to remain in storage. Depending on the number of objects to be processed or depending on a differential value between the total number of objects in the storage container and the number of objects to be processed, a decision is made whether the division of the object or objects to be processed from the objects to remain in storage takes place in the storage container by the object or objects to be processed being removed directly from the storage container, the objects to remain in storage remaining in the storage container during said removal operation, or whether the division of the object or the objects to be processed from the objects to remain in storage takes place outside the storage container by all of the objects being removed from the storage container and the division of the objects to be processed from the objects to remain in storage taking place separately from the storage container. |
| US08271124B2 |
Decompressing type heater, its heating method, and electronic product manufacturing method
An object is heated to a preheating temperature in an atmosphere of a reducing gas under the atmospheric pressure while adjusting the setting of the emissivity of a non-contact temperature measuring part and regulating the temperature of the object according to the measured value measured by a contact temperature measuring part. The pressure of the atmosphere is reduced. The object is further heated to a heating temperature under a lowered pressure while regulating the temperature of the object according to the measured value measured by the non-contact temperature measuring part whose setting of the emissivity is adjusted during the heating process to the preheating temperature. The pressure of the atmosphere is increased back to the atmospheric pressure while maintaining the heating temperature of the object. The temperature of the object is decreased under the atmospheric pressure. With this, in the process of heating an object under a lowered pressure, the actual temperature of the object is managed over the whole steps, and the object can be most suitably heated according to the actual temperature. |
| US08271119B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing system
To provide a substrate processing system which can cause different display portions to output different displays, and cause different operations to be carried out from different operation screens. A substrate processing system, on login information of a user being input from a main display device, refers to the login information, a user group parameter, with which is set a group to which the user belongs, and an authority parameter, which sets an authority of the group, and causes the main display device to display a main operation screen corresponding to the user, while it, on login information of a user being input from an external operating apparatus, causes an external display device to display an external parameter setting screen for setting an authority parameter of a group to which the user belongs, or to display an external operation screen corresponding to the group to which the user belongs. |
| US08271118B2 |
Method planning for manufacturing sheet-metal forming parts
A method for computer-aided generation determining of a method plan for the manufacture of sheet-metal forming parts by way of forming processes, comprises the following steps: determining a set of geometry features (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) of a part (10) in a geometry model of the part (10), wherein each of the geometry features (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) is described by a feature type and by way of geometric parameters for describing the geometric shape of the geometry features (11, 12, 13, 14, 15); determining an associated method standard for each of the geometry features (11, 12, 13, 14, 15), wherein a method standard describes one variant for manufacturing the respective geometry feature (11, 12, 13, 14, 15), the selection of the method standards which may be associated with a certain geometry features (11, 12, 13, 14, 15), is dependent on the feature type of the geometry feature (11, 12, 13, 14, 15), and wherein a method standard comprises at least one module, and a module represents a processing unit and describes which processing unit may be executed within a forming operation; producing, using the data processing unit, the method plan for manufacturing the part (10), the method plan comprising a representation of the manufacturing process as a sequence of forming operations, each forming operation being associated with one or more modules as defined by the method standards associated with the geometry features of the part. |
| US08271115B2 |
Media player and play method
A media player includes a memory, a classification component, a content allocation component, a content acquiring component, and a content playing component. The memory stores history information having content information of a plurality of contents that were played on the media player. The classification component groups the content information of the history information into a plurality of content groups, and generates a classification list including information of the content groups. The content allocation component allocates a plurality of contents stored in a media server to the content groups, and generates a content allocation list indicating relationships between the contents stored in the media server and the content groups. The content acquiring component acquires one of the contents selected based on a user list including the classification list and the content allocation list. The content playing component plays the one of the contents. |
| US08271113B2 |
Audio testing system and method
An audio testing system is configured for receiving an audio signal from the an audio emitting device. The system samples the audio signal and obtains sampling points from the audio signal for determining if the audio signal has been distorted. A related method is also disclosed. |
| US08271109B2 |
Method and apparatus for distortion of audio signals and emulation of vacuum tube amplifiers
A method for digitally processing audio signals to emulate the effects of vacuum tube amplifiers and preamplifiers, musical instrument amplification systems, and distortion effects. By use of a parametrically-controlled non-linear transfer function, non-linear filters, feedback elements, and power-law function models, the dynamic behavior and distortion effects of tube amplification stages are simulated. This provides users with the capability to reproduce the desired sounds of vintage and modern tube amplifier systems and effects with the conveniences and control associated with digital signal processing systems and software. |
| US08271107B2 |
Controlling audio operation for data management and data rendering
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for controlling audio operation for data management and data rendering. Embodiments include selecting one of a plurality of predetermined audio configurations in dependence upon context information and setting audio operation of a data management and data rendering module to the selected predetermined audio configuration. A predetermined audio configuration typically identifies an audio output device and an audio input device. Some embodiments of the present invention also include creating audio configuration selection rules including receiving from a user audio configurations and associating the audio configurations with predetermined context parameters. |
| US08271106B2 |
System and method for configuring a rule set for medical event management and responses
A system and method to configure a rule set used in connection with a medical monitoring system for monitoring patients and patient care equipment, especially medication delivery pumps, based on a variety of conditions and parameters associated with monitored biometric information and equipment information and for providing user-defined responses to those conditions and parameters. |
| US08271105B2 |
Motion control systems
A method of debugging software used to communicate with a motion control system comprising the following steps. Debug information containing diagnostic information associated with a hardware motion control attribute is generated. At least one selected software driver is capable of sending the debug information to a debug target. A software application is caused to call a motion component function to exchange a common motion control attribute with a selected software driver. The called motion component function is used to cause a motion component to exchange a common motion control attribute with the selected driver by calling a driver function. A called driver function is used to cause the selected software driver to convert a common motion control attribute to a hardware motion control attribute, exchange a hardware motion control attribute with the motion control device, and send debug information to the debug target. |
| US08271101B2 |
Modular drug delivery system for minimizing trauma during and after insertion of a cochlear lead
A system for delivering therapeutic agents to biological tissue includes a surgically implantable lead configured to be inserted into the biological tissue, the surgically implantable lead including a preformed cavity; and a modular capsule containing a therapeutic agent which includes dexamethasone base; the modular capsule being secured within the preformed cavity; the modular capsule releasing the therapeutic agent into the biological tissue. A method of delivering therapeutic agents to biological tissue includes obtaining a surgically implantable lead with a preformed cavity; obtaining a modular capsule containing a therapeutic agent comprising dexamethasone base and securing it within the preformed cavity; and inserting the surgically implantable lead into the biological tissue. |
| US08271091B2 |
Visual prosthesis fitting
Methods and devices for fitting a visual prosthesis are described. In one of the methods, threshold levels and maximum levels for the electrodes of the prosthesis are determined and a map of brightness to electrode stimulation levels is later formed. A fitting system for a visual prosthesis is also discussed, together with a computer-operated system having a graphical user interface showing visual prosthesis diagnostic screens and visual prosthesis configuration screens. |
| US08271089B2 |
Hybrid rectification for recharging an implantable medical device
A charging system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a charging unit having a primary coil, and an implantable medical device comprising a secondary coil to receive charge from the primary coil. The implantable medical device further includes a half-wave voltage-doubling rectifier coupled to the secondary coil, a full-wave rectifier coupled to the secondary coil, and a rechargeable power source. Control logic is provided to periodically configure the rechargeable power source to receive charge from a selected one of the voltage-doubling circuit and the full-wave rectifier in a manner that increases rate at which charge is transferred from the secondary coil to the rechargeable power source. The control logic may configure the rechargeable power source to receive charge based on one or more monitored conditions which may include, for example, an indication of a current, a voltage, a coupling coefficient, back-scatter, and temperature. |
| US08271087B2 |
Methods and systems for selecting capture verification modes
Methods and systems are directed to selecting from a variety of capture verification modes. A plurality of capture verification modes, including a beat by beat capture detection mode and a capture threshold testing mode without intervening beat by beat capture detection is provided. An efficacy of at least one of the capture verification modes is evaluated and, based on the evaluation, a capture verification mode is selected. |
| US08271086B2 |
Pacing output determination based on selected capture threshold values
Approaches for adjusting the pacing energy delivered by a pacemaker are provided. Adjusting the pacing energy involves performing a plurality of capture threshold tests, each capture threshold test measuring a capture threshold of the heart. One or more measured captured thresholds are selected, including at least one capture threshold that is higher relative to other measured capture thresholds acquired by the plurality of capture threshold tests. The pacing energy is adjusted based on the one or more selected capture thresholds. |
| US08271081B2 |
Systems and methods for use with an implantable medical device for discriminating VT and SVT be selectively adjusting atrial channel sensing parameters
Techniques are described for discriminating ventricular tachycardia (VT) from supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in circumstances when the ventricular rate exceeds the atrial rate (i.e. V>A). In one example, an initial atrial rate is detected while employing adjustable atrial channel detection parameters that can affect the detection of the true atrial rate—such as a post-ventricular atrial blanking (PVAB) interval or an atrial channel sensitivity level. If the ventricular rate exceeds a VT rate zone threshold with V>A, the device does not immediately deliver high voltage shock therapy as done in other devices. Rather, the device instead selectively adjusts the atrial channel detection parameter(s) to determine if the true atrial rate is equal to the ventricular rate. If so, then such is an indication that the arrhythmia might be SVT rather than VT and various discrimination procedures are employed to distinguish SVT from VT before therapy is delivered. |
| US08271078B2 |
Method and apparatus for interfacing with a living object to obtain a biosignal measurement
An apparatus for use in connection with biosignal measurement from the skin of a living object, comprising means for applying a test input impedance to the biosignal measurement, means for determining a response of a biosignal characteristics to the test input impedance, and means for setting a usage input impedance on the basis of the response. |
| US08271075B2 |
Audio headset with bio-signal sensors
An audio headset with bio-signal sensors is provided. In some embodiments, an audio headset that includes one or more electroencephalography (EEG) sensors is provided. |
| US08271072B2 |
Detecting worsening heart failure
A method comprises monitoring a heart rate, a respiration rate and an activity level of a patient, comparing the monitored heart rate, respiration rate and activity level to a predetermined threshold zone which is a function of heart rate, respiration rate and activity level, determining the patient is experiencing worsening heart failure when the monitored heart rate, respiration rate and activity level are outside the predetermined threshold zone; and after determining the patient is experiencing worsening heart failure when the monitored heart rate, respiration rate and activity level are outside the predetermined threshold zone, issuing an alert to indicate that the patient is experiencing worsening heart failure. |
| US08271071B2 |
Apparatus for sensing and processing electrical cardiac signals and method of remote sensing and processing of electrical cardiac signals
Described is an apparatus for sensing and processing electrical cardiac signals in a user's body, the apparatus comprising a contact surface having a plurality of electrical signal sensing electrodes associated with an electronic processing circuit and communication unit. The apparatus is configured for sensing electrical signals and is arranged within a single housing. It is configured to perform complete ECG bipolar, unipolar and unipolar precordial leads by at least four associations of the apparatus with the subject's skin. Also described is a method of remote sensing and processing of electrical cardiac signals which, via the apparatus, enables a lay user, or even the patient, to obtain the patient's heart signals. |
| US08271069B2 |
Method and apparatus for surgical navigation
A surgical navigation system for navigating a region of a patient that may include a non-invasive dynamic reference frame and/or fiducial marker, sensor tipped instruments, and isolator circuits. The dynamic reference frame may be placed on the patient in a precise location for guiding the instruments. The dynamic reference frames may be fixedly placed on the patient. Also the dynamic reference frames may be placed to allow generally natural movements of soft tissue relative to the dynamic reference frames. Also methods are provided to determine positions of the dynamic reference frames. Anatomical landmarks may be determined intra-operatively and without access to the anatomical structure. |
| US08271067B1 |
Method and apparatus to graphically display a pre-scan volume on a localizer image
A graphical visualization tool is disclosed that enables a user to graphically define multiple pre-scan volumes on a localizer image. The tool automatically determines appropriate shim values for both pre-scan volumes. Additionally, the tool displays the pre-scanned volumes on the localizer image such that the user knows that the slices/slabs for high resolution imaging are positioned in the region where the user wants the center frequency to lie. |
| US08271066B2 |
Non-imaging tracking tools and method for hip replacement surgery
The invention includes a method of determining a surgical patient's pelvic position and inputting that position into a computer via a tracking system, suitable for use in navigating partial or total hip replacement surgery. The patient is first aligned with anatomical reference points in relation to corresponding locating features on a patient positioner. The positions of index features on the patient positioner are then acquired via a tracking system. Based on the positions of the index features and their known relationship to the locating features, the locations of the anatomical reference features are calculated and a pelvic plane is defined therefrom. The invention also includes a surgical tool for mounting a trackable target to a human bone, suitable for fixation to a human femur. This tool includes a removable bone clamp and a releasable coupling member, integrated with said removable bone clamp. |
| US08271060B2 |
Antenna device for portable wireless terminal
An antenna device for a portable wireless terminal is provided. The antenna device includes a main antenna for mobile communication for transmitting and receiving signal in a first frequency band, a Transmit (Tx) sub-antenna for transmitting signals in a second frequency band, a Receive (Rx) sub-antenna for receiving signals in a third frequency band, and a controller for selectively using one of the Tx sub-antenna and the Rx sub-antenna if the second frequency band overlaps with the third frequency band, and for providing control such that the Tx sub-antenna and the Rx sub-antenna are simultaneously used if the second frequency band does not overlap with the third frequency band. Accordingly, without increasing the volume of the portable wireless terminal, an antenna space can be ensured and radiation performance can be improved. |
| US08271059B2 |
Communication device
According to one embodiment, a communication device includes a receiver, a transmitter and an interruption module. The receiver receives an allocation signal indicating a first period usable by the communication device and a second period usable by a plurality of communication devices including the communication device. The transmitter transmits a transmission signal in the first period. If the transmission of the transmission signal is completed within the first period, the interruption module interrupts at least a part of power supply to the receiver in the second period. If the transmission of the transmission signal is not completed within the first period and directivity of radio waves used by a second communication device includes a direction of the communication device in a communication period allocated before the second period, the transmitter transmits the transmission signal in the second period. |
| US08271058B2 |
Communicating over a wireless network
A first device communicates with a wireless network that includes nodes that are active for predefined activation times and that are at least partially dormant when not active. The communication method includes identifying a start of communication via a message that exceeds a maximum activation time of nodes on the wireless network by a factor N, where N is equal to at least a maximum number of frequencies on the wireless network, and exchanging information with a second device comprising a node on the wireless network that is within a transmission range of the first device, where the information is exchanged following the message and includes frequency hopping data for the second device. |
| US08271056B2 |
Managing battery needs in a portable device
A battery conservation component synchronizes with a user's schedule or calendar. The battery conservation component may disable functions or features to ensure that the device has sufficient battery life for selected calendar events. The battery conservation component may warn the user if a battery charge is necessary to make selected calendar events. The battery conservation component may be applied to a wide variety of portable devices with time-sensitive events. For example, the battery conservation component may be applied to a device with vehicle navigation and estimate time-sensitive events based on waypoints in the vehicle's route. The battery conservation component may synchronize with a user's travel itinerary. Alternatively, the battery conservation component may suggest alternative functions or features based on a time-sensitive event, such as suggesting a shorter movie on a flight or road trip. |
| US08271054B2 |
Selective battery power management
A method, programmed medium and system are disclosed which provide for user-controlled management of power requirements for mobile devices. The system enables the user to determine and adjust power settings according to time-related goals set by the end user. The end user, in one example, may specify a goal in hours, minutes or a predetermined date/time and the power management function displays, for example, various combinations of power-down options on specific system devices which can be implemented to achieve power availability for the specified amount of time. The user is enabled to select which of the displayed combination power-down option schemes to implement in order to best suit the user's application requirements during the time frame in which the power-saving scheme will be implemented in order to maximize power-saving while still providing optimum functionality for the user's particular application. |
| US08271053B2 |
Mobile terminal and power source controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal and power source controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which inter-power source power forwarding operations among a plurality of power sources can be efficiently performed to correspond to a power forwarding command operation inputted by a user. The present invention includes a power supply unit including a first power source and a second power source, an output unit displaying first power source state information of the first power source and second power source state information of the second power source, a user input unit receiving an input of a power forwarding command action for forwarding a power from one of the first and second power sources to the other, and a control unit controlling the power supply unit to forward the power from one of the first and second power sources to the other to correspond to the inputted power forwarding command action, the control unit controlling the output unit to display the first and second power source state informations according to the power forwarding. |
| US08271052B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device comprises an upper housing, a lower housing, and a battery. The lower housing is engaged with the upper housing. A bottom wall of the lower housing is partially recessed to form a thin battery receiving portion. The thin battery receiving portion can give way to pressure caused by a swelling and or exploding battery. |
| US08271051B2 |
Method and system for double-end talk detection, and method and system for echo elimination
A method and system for eliminating echo in a speaker-microphone communication system are provided. The method includes the steps of: performing a noise energy estimating process on a local microphone signal in order to obtain an estimated noise signal, wherein the local microphone signal includes a local voice signal, possible background noise signal, and possible remote voice signal output from a speaker and received by a microphone; performing an echo estimating process on a remote voice signal to obtain an estimated echo signal, wherein the remote voice signal is output from the speaker; determining an error signal from the local microphone signal and the estimated echo signal; calculating a variance (σe2) of the error signal and a variance ({circumflex over (σ)}n2) of the estimated noise signal; calculating a determinant (ξ), wherein the determinant (ξ) corresponds to the variance (σe2) of the error signal and variance ({circumflex over (σ)}n2) of the estimated noise signal; and comparing the determinant (ξ) and a preset threshold, wherein when the determinant (ξ) is lower than the preset threshold, it is determined that double-end talk has not occurred, otherwise, it is determined that double-end talk has occurred. |
| US08271045B2 |
Methods and apparatus to display service quality to a user of a multiple mode communication device
Methods and apparatus that relate to the display of network availability and quality of service (QoS) to a user of a multiple mode communication device are disclosed. An example method, obtains a quality of service QoS metric for a call routed through a first communication provider to a second communication provider, wherein the QoS metric represents a service quality provided by the first communication provider. Further, the representation of the QoS metric for the first communication provider is provided to a user. Additionally, the user can select a mode of communication for a communication device once the QoS metric has been established. |
| US08271044B2 |
System and method for installation of a wireless connection
A system and method for installing wireless broadband service at a customer location. A temporary connection between a customer modem and internet service provider network is established such that final configuration of the customer modem can be completed remotely, thus eliminating the need for highly skilled installers. Further, the system and method of the present invention precludes the completion of the installation process in the event that the signal falls outside of the acceptable range. |
| US08271043B2 |
Approach to a unified SU-MIMO/MU-MIMO operation
An apparatus and method to dynamically schedule user devices in a wireless communication system in single-user multiple-input multiple-output (SU-MIMO) or multiple-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) modes of operation. The dynamic scheduling employs an efficient differential reporting of channel state information that reduces uplink feedback overhead, whereby a base layer value of a channel quality indicator (CQI) is reported in conjunction with a CQI offset value. Antenna subset selection is also reported. The offset value reflects gains by detection with successive interference cancellation if multiple antennas are reported (rank>1), while it reflects the actual offset between single-layer SU-MIMO CQI and MU-MIMO CQI if a single antenna is reported. Scheduled SU-MIMO mode of operation is optimized for a user reporting either a single antenna or multiple antennas, whereas MU-MIMO operation is optimized for a user reporting a single antenna. |
| US08271042B2 |
Self-calibrating multi-antenna wireless communication system
A large scale, self-calibrating multi-antenna wireless communication system calibrates the transmit-receive RF chains of antennas in the system. The system, during a first time interval, transmits a pilot signal from at least those antennas in a first time-reuse group, so that the pilot signals are received at antennas in one or more other time-reuse groups. The system, during a second time interval, transmits a pilot signal from at least those antennas in a second time-reuse group, so that the pilot signals are received at antennas in one or more other time-reuse groups. The system also, during a third time interval, transmits a pilot signal from at least those antennas in a third time-reuse group, so that the pilot signals are received at antennas in one or more other time-reuse groups. Based on these received pilot signals, the system calculates RF-chain calibration factors for one or more of the antennas. |
| US08271039B2 |
Trigger mediation system
A system for processing a call from a subscriber in a telecommunication network includes a service-oriented architecture-based orchestrator configured to communicate with legacy communication platforms and next-generation communication platforms, and to an application layer or intelligent network (IN) portion of the telecommunication network. The orchestrator is configured to receive a multi-part service request corresponding to the call from the subscriber, where the multi-part service request includes multiple individual service requests. A service database is configured to provide an identity and network location of multiple control points (service control points, telco control points), where each control point corresponds to an individual service request. Protocol adapters provide a communication interface with each control point, and with the core network. A network service orchestrator simultaneously communicates with each control point and requests processing instructions corresponding to the individual service request. Processing instructions corresponding to the respective individual service request received from each control point facilitate processing the call and implementing the services requested. |
| US08271038B2 |
Wireless adapter for media player system
A media player system is disclosed. One aspect of the media player system pertains to a docking station that allows a media player to communicate with other media devices. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a wireless media player system that includes a hand held media player capable of transmitting information over a wireless connection and one or more media devices capable of receiving information over the wireless connection. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a method of wirelessly connecting the hand held media player to another device. The method includes selecting a media item on the hand held media player; selecting one or more remote recipients on the hand held media player; and transmitting the media item locally to the hand held media player, and wirelessly to the selected remote recipients. |
| US08271035B2 |
Image/audio playback device of mobile communication terminal
In an image/audio playback technology in a mobile communication terminal, a single image is divided into two halves, i.e., left-half and right-half images, which are displayed on two mobile communication terminals, respectively. In addition, two mobile communication terminals can play left-side and right-side audio data, respectively, which compose stereo audio data, according to the relative locations of the two mobile communication terminals. |
| US08271033B2 |
Dedicated accessory devices for handheld communication devices and related methods
An accessory device and a handheld device may be synchronized by forming a communication link between the handheld device and the accessory device. The handheld device includes a plurality of functions and the accessory device is configured to operate a subset of the plurality of functions. Each of the plurality of functions of the handheld device includes executable program code, content data files and functional setting information. The executable program code, content data files and functional setting information is transferred for at least one of the plurality of functions of the handheld device to the accessory device. The communication link between the handheld device and the accessory device is disconnected. The subset of the plurality of functions is operated on the accessory device using the transferred executable program code, content data files and functional setting information from the handheld device after disconnecting the communication link between the handheld device and the accessory device. |
| US08271028B2 |
Dual band amplifier
A dual band amplifier is provided comprising a first matching circuit disposed in a first radiofrequency path between an input port and a first amplifier and a second matching circuit disposed in a second radiofrequency path between the input port and a second amplifier. The first matching circuit transforms a first input impedance of the first amplifier to a predetermined input port impedance when the radiofrequency signal is in a first frequency range and transmits the first input impedance to the input port when the radiofrequency signal is in the second frequency range. The second matching circuit transforms the second input impedance to the input port impedance when the input signal is in the second frequency range and transmits the second input impedance to the input port when the radiofrequency signal is in the first frequency range. |
| US08271025B2 |
Device network technology selection and display in multi-technology wireless environments
System(s) and method(s) are provided to manage utilization of radio network technology and display thereof when multiple services and radio network technologies are available to a multi-technology mobile device. Management relies at least in part on a subscriber profile that comprises a network selection profile constructed through market policy, subscriber policy, and application policy for radio technology utilization. Network preference(s) profile is generated on per subscriber, or per subscriber type, basis and is conveyed to a subscriber station over the air. Initial subscriber profile can be delivered at a time of provisioning a multi-technology mobile device, and updated based at least upon subscriber demand, a schedule established by a network operator or service provider, or an event related to coverage area relocation or contracted services. Radio technology preferences and display of associated technologies available to a multi-technology mobile device can be dynamically controlled on a per-call and/or per-application basis. |
| US08271023B2 |
Successive beamforming strategies and methods
A quantized multi-rank beamforming scheme for multiple-antenna systems such as a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless downlink User equipment (UE) estimates downlink channel and transmit power and determines rank and power allocations. A quantized beamforming matrix is then determined by the UE using successive beamforming. The UE also determines channel quality indices (CQI) which it feeds-back to the wireless downlink base station along with the index of the quantized beamforming matrix. The base station uses the CQI information to select a UE for scheduling of downlink transmission and the quantized beamforming matrix index received from the selected UE to beamform the downlink transmission to the UE. Base station overhead and is minimized while providing near-optimal performance given the constraints of a limited feed-back channel and computational complexity of the UE. |
| US08271020B2 |
Cellular telephone and personal digital assistant
A user enters a numeric string on a standby screen of a cellular telephone (1), and then presses a predetermined function key, the numeric string being obtained by numerical conversion of a keyword related to a piece of registration information, e.g. a destination e-mail address, in accordance with an assignment relationship between characters and numerical keys. In the cellular telephone having recognized the entry of the numeric string and the pressing of the predetermined function key, a database is searched by using as a key the entered numeric string or a character string obtained by character conversion of the entered numeric string in accordance with the above-mentioned assignment relationship, and e-mail destination candidates associated with the numeric string or the character string are extracted and displayed on a display. The user selects a desired destination from among the candidates, whereby an e-mail destination address is selected and called up. |
| US08271018B2 |
Method, system, and equipment for implementing central control of a 2G network electric regulating antenna
A method, a system, and an equipment for implementing the central control of a 2G network electric regulating antenna are disclosed. The embodiment of the method includes: receiving an ID of the electric regulating antenna to be controlled and a control command; determining the 2G network electric regulating antenna according to the ID; and sending the control command by a 3G base station equipment to the 2G network electric regulating antenna to control the 2G network electric regulating antenna. The embodiment of the system includes a control platform and a 3G base station equipment. The embodiment of the equipment includes a memory unit and a control unit. |
| US08271017B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling power of uplink physical channel
A method for controlling power of an uplink physical channel includes: computing a relative gain factor in a compressed mode; correcting the relative gain factor to obtain a corrected relative gain factor; generating a gain factor in the compressed mode according to the corrected relative gain factor; controlling power of the uplink physical channel according to the gain factor in the compressed mode generated. In embodiments of the present invention, after being computed, the relative gain factor in the compressed mode is corrected, then the gain factor in the compressed mode is generated according to the corrected relative gain factor. Thus, an accurate gain factor may be acquired for controlling the power of the uplink physical channel. |
| US08271015B2 |
Biological sample measurement apparatus and biological sample measurement system equipped with same
A wireless blood glucose meter (2) has a blood glucose level detector (21), a transmitter (22), a receiver (23), a storage component (24), and a transmission power determiner (25). Whether or not an acknowledge signal has been received and the transmission power when the transmitter (22) has transmitted a blood glucose level are stored as history information in the storage component (24), and the transmission power determiner (25) determines the transmission power when the transmitter (22) transmits on the basis of the history information stored in the storage component (24). |
| US08271012B2 |
Method and apparatus for multi-casting useful information in a radio communication system
In a radio communication system including a plurality of subscriber stations and at least one radio access device, useful information of a group of subscriber stations is transmitted by radio. A number of subscriber stations of the group is located in the radio coverage area of the at least one radio access device. The at least one radio access device notifies the subscriber stations of the number of subscriber stations of the group before the useful information is transmitted, using a radio resource. The notification contains information relating to at least one signal in the transmission of the useful information transmitted via another radio resource. |
| US08271011B2 |
Audience response system bulk data communication
A method for a response device in an audience response system having a plurality of response devices to wirelessly communicate bulk data includes transmitting a signal and receiving data indicating to the response device to transmit data requests. The method further includes transmitting data request signals, and receiving at least data describing the bulk data in response to a first data request signal and at least a portion of the bulk data in response to a second data request signal. |
| US08271010B2 |
Wireless communication terminal and management device in a wireless communication system and method thereof
A management device in a wireless communication system including a first communication terminal, a second communication terminal, a base station, includes a storage unit to store information related to an operation state of the second communication terminal associated with the first communication terminal as a communication counterpart, and a control unit that identifies the operation state of the associated second terminal based on the information stored in the storage unit, and changes an intermittent reception period of the first communication terminal to be longer than an existing period, based on the state of the second communication terminal. |
| US08270997B2 |
Localized information service
A method of providing a localized information service using an infrastructure of a cellular communication network is described. It comprises a service source terminal transmitting a network upload message to the cellular communication network, said network upload message comprising a payload part, a reflection entity of said cellular communication network receiving said network upload message, generating one or more reflection messages comprising said payload part, and sending said one or more reflection messages to a group of service destination terminals that stand in a predetermined spatial relationship with said service source terminal. |
| US08270983B2 |
Methods and apparatus for line selection in a communication device
Embodiments of an apparatus and methods for selecting a communication line from two or more lines on a communication device are described herein. The communication device comprises a display module, an input module, a line selection module, and a communication module for making a call over a network to a target recipient. In at least one broad aspect, priority rankings are determined based on a number of factors and selection of a communication line accessible at the communication device on which an outgoing call may be placed is made based on the priority rankings. A list of communication lines ordered by priority rankings may also be displayed. |
| US08270982B2 |
Method, system and equipment for shifting call based on a mobile terminal with the same number and a soft terminal
A method for switching call between a mobile terminal with the same number and a soft terminal includes: receiving the switching instruction information sent by the soft terminal user during the call between the soft terminal or the mobile terminal with the same number and the opposing user; confirming the type of the switching instruction information, and carrying out the switching performance between the mobile terminal with the same number and the soft terminal according to the type of the switching instruction information. A system and an equipment for switching call between a mobile terminal with the same number and a PC client are disclosed in the present invention. |
| US08270981B2 |
Method for handoff of portable terminal between heterogeneous wireless networks
When a receive signal strength received from a target network that will perform the handoff is larger than a reference strength, software related to the target network is previously installed in the corresponding portable terminal, a wireless connection environment with the target network is configured by driving the software related to the target network at the time of determining that the handoff is performed, and performs the handoff to the target network in the portable terminal. |
| US08270977B2 |
System and method for temporarily reconfiguring a communications system to provide selected services
A method for temporarily providing selected services by a base station cell of a communications system includes changing an operating mode of the cell in response to receiving a first command. The operating mode is indicated to a first selected device and a first non-selected device. The cell operating in the operating mode serves the first selected device based on the first command. The first non-selected device was a selected device and was capable of accessing the cell before the cell changed the operating mode. The first non-selected device is not capable of accessing the cell after the cell changed the operating mode. |
| US08270976B2 |
Method and a user equipment in a telecommunications system
The present invention relates to a method for use in a user equipment (10), and relates to a user equipment (10) for enabling a serving base station (40) to estimate interference contribution in a network when scheduling resources for the use equipment. According to the method, the user equipment determines an amount of resources required to send data and the user equipment sends a report to it serving base station when the required amount of resources is greater than a threshold value. In the report, measurements performed by the user equipment are included. The report will assist the serving base station with its estimation of the degree of interference user equipments generates in the network, and hence the power and resources to assign. |
| US08270971B2 |
Portable terminal device initializing method
To provide an initialization method that enables a portable terminal device to be initialized with a remote operation even if an insertable/removable user information storing unit is replaced with one possessed by a third party in the portable terminal device that performs an incoming/outgoing operation on the basis of identification information registered to the user information storing unit, a communication system includes a portable terminal device that obtains first identification information and second identification information from a user information history storing unit and notifies a switch of the obtained information, and a switch that searches for the second identification information in an initialization target storing unit, and instructs the portable terminal device into which the user information storing unit to which the first identification information is registered is inserted to initialize data upon detection of the second identification information. |
| US08270969B1 |
Systems and methods for adjusting an access search window based on movement
Methods and systems for adjusting the access search window based on the movement of a mobile station (MS) are disclosed. The MS searches for pilot signals using a search window that has an initial size. At a first and second time, the MS determines its position. The MS then determines the distance between the position of the MS at the first time and the second time. When the distance is less than a threshold distance, the MS measures the strength of a pilot signal within the access search window and identifies one or more signal peaks within the access search window that are above a specified signal strength. Next, the MS modifies the access search window into one or more smaller access search windows. The one or more smaller access search windows collectively have a size that is smaller than the initial size. |
| US08270966B1 |
Reducing mobile device roaming
A method, system, and computer-readable media are provided for reducing mobile device roaming. A set of transition mobile-network attributes are captured by an idle mobile device before switching from a roaming network to a home network. A collection of transition mobile-network attributes are used to generate transition-based data. Active mobile-network attributes are compared to the transition-based data and used to recognize when the mobile device is within an area that can receive one or more services from the home network. |
| US08270965B2 |
Signaling over cellular networks to reduce the Wi-Fi energy consumption of mobile devices
Techniques for increasing the battery life on a mobile device by decreasing the energy consumption of the mobile device's wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) interface are described. In one embodiment, the mobile device's Wi-Fi interface is automatically disabled when the device is not engaged in a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) call via the Wi-Fi interface. When a VoIP call is initiated on the device, or when the device receives a wake up call from a server via its Cellular interface, the Wi-Fi interface is automatically enabled. Using its Wi-Fi interface, the mobile device then connects to an IP-based network via a Wi-Fi access point. The server then initiates a direct call, wherein VoIP technology is used by the mobile device, between the mobile device and a VoIP calling device. |
| US08270963B1 |
Cross domain notification
A commercial off-the-shelf smartphone is adapted, through software modifications only, to provide multiple operating domains or domains that provide differing levels of security and reliability. Each operating domain is isolated from the others. Detection of unauthorized modification is provided. Cross domain activity notification is provided. |
| US08270956B1 |
Interactive mobile caller-identification information on a television
A system and associated methods and media of delivering a notification of an incoming call and a series of interactive options such that a user can provide call-handling instructions to a wireless communications network for the incoming call. The notification and interactive options are transferred to a display device across at least a partially wired network. The indication and caller-identification information is inserted into a video stream that is communicated from the video-providing component to a media-receiving device that is in communication with a display device. The video-providing component receives call-handling instructions from the media-receiving device, as selected by a user, regarding the incoming call and then transmits the call-handling instructions to the wireless communications network. |
| US08270954B1 |
Concierge for portable electronic device
A system is provided. The system comprises a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory. When executed by the processor, the application activates a concierge function in response to a first trigger, and deactivates the concierge function in response to a second trigger. While the concierge function is active, the application analyzes a first digital signal encoding voice content from the portable electronic device to identify a context and, in response to identifying the context, transmits a second digital signal encoding a voice message to be presented by the portable electronic device based on the context keyword. |
| US08270952B2 |
Open development system for access service providers
Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, a software developers kit is provided for implementing a verifiable service processor to be stored on a communications device, in which the software developer kit facilitates development of a plurality of service processors for controlling network service usage of a plurality of communications devices and includes one or more tested service processor versions for more or more communications device types. |
| US08270951B2 |
Rule-based system and method for managing the provisioning of user applications on limited-resource and/or wireless devices
A system and a method for charging for directed provisioning and using of dynamic content to limited resource devices, through an integrated platform which handles all aspects of aggregation and management of such dynamic content. The integrated platform features a billing system for performing billing actions. The billing system of the present invention interacts with other components of the integrated platform in order to be able to determine the charge for particular triggering events, such as downloading dynamic content, and/or events which are actually triggered by the application itself. The charge is preferably determined according to one of a plurality of rules, as applied by a rules engine of the billing system. These rules are part of a charging policy, which may optionally be determined by the content provider. |
| US08270946B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for controlling lock and unlock functions by means of contact sensor
There are provided a mobile terminal capable of switching a function of the mobile terminal depending on whether a sensor is contacted or not contacted, a mobile terminal control method, a mobile terminal control program, and a recording medium. A mobile phone 1 includes a touch sensor 9 at a position where a user generally contacts the mobile phone 1 when the user holds it. While a user is in contact with the touch sensor 9, the mobile phone 1 can perform normal operation. If the mobile phone 1 continues to be not in contact with the touch sensor 9 for a certain time, it switches from the normal operation. For example, assume that a lock mode setting is made. The mobile phone 1 switches to a lock mode while it is not in contact with the touch sensor 9. When the touch sensor 9 is contacted again, the mobile phone 1 shifts to a state for unlock processing such as password entry. If an entry is normally made, the mobile phone 1 is unlocked. |
| US08270943B2 |
Method and apparatus for reliable transmission of charging detail records
A charging detail record transmission capability is provided herein. A mobile gateway (MG) generates charging detail records (CDRs) intended for delivery to a charging gateway function (CGF). The CDRs are propagated toward both a first and second charging data function (CDFs). The first and second CDFs buffer the CDRs. The first CDF is configured for propagating CDRs toward the CGF. The second CDF is configured for propagating CDRs toward the CGF when the first CDF fails. The CGF is configured for acknowledging receipt of CDRs to the first or second CDF from which the CDRs are received. The first CDF is configured for acknowledging, to the second CDF, receipt of acknowledgment messages from the first CDF. The second CDF is configured for, upon failure of the first CDF, initiating a process for determining which of the CDRs buffered at the second CDF need to be propagated to the CGF in order to ensure that none of the CDRs generated by the MG are lost due to the failure of the first CDF. |
| US08270936B2 |
Method and apparatus for the autoselection of an emergency number in a mobile station
A method and apparatus for the selection of an emergency number in a mobile station having a geographic indicator, the method comprising the steps of and the apparatus characterized by means for: determining whether a user is attempting to reach an emergency service provider; and if the user is attempting to reach an emergency service provider, connecting to a network if the mobile station is not already connected to a network; looking up an emergency dial string in a look-up table based on the geographic indicator and the network connected to; and sending the emergency dial string. |
| US08270935B2 |
Method and system for prolonging emergency calls
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that processes a phone call. During operation, the system connects the phone call from a mobile phone and determines whether the phone call is an emergency call. If the phone call is an emergency call, the system activates an emergency mode of the mobile phone to handle the phone call, which prolongs the length of the phone call. |
| US08270933B2 |
Safety features for portable electronic device
A portable device includes a safety feature that prevents some forms of use when the device is moving. The device may detect its speed or movement, compare that to a threshold, and provide a response or blocking function upon exceeding that threshold. The device may be a cell phone configured to disable transmission and reception of voice/text, conceal its display screen, and disable incorporated features and functions, if the cell phone is moving faster than walking speed or the movement is uncharacteristic of walking. The blocking function may be partially overridden based on a safety policy, which can be managed and customized. The introduction of hands-free devices may serve to override a blocking function and enable other functions. |
| US08270928B2 |
Signal analysis for an improved detection of noise from an adjacent channel
A radio receiver may determine whether a received frequency modulated radio signal includes interference from an adjacent channel. The receiver may compare a frequency deviation above the center frequency of the received signal to a frequency deviation below the center frequency of the received signal. The receiver determines that the radio signal is affected by adjacent channel noise when the frequency deviation below the center frequency is substantially different from the frequency deviation above the center frequency. Alternatively, the presence of noise from an adjacent channel may be detected by comparing a positive amplitude and a negative amplitude of a demodulated version of the frequency modulated radio signal. In this alternative, the receiver determines that the radio signal is affected by adjacent channel noise when the extent of the positive amplitude is substantially different from the extent of the negative amplitude. |
| US08270924B2 |
Antenna diversity system having two antennas for radio reception in vehicles
There is an antenna diversity system for radio reception in moving vehicles which includes a receiver, and at least two antennas coupled to the receiver. These antennas transmit antenna feed signals to an antenna diversity module coupled between the receiver and the antennas. In at least one embodiment, the antenna diversity module comprises at least one evaluation circuit for evaluating an interference in a reception signal, and at least one processor for adjusting a magnitude and a phase angle of a linear combination of the antenna feed signals. The evaluation circuit reads and sends an interference indication signal to the processor to create a relatively low interference signal. Thus, the diversity module combines the antenna feed signals in an adjustable manner based on an magnitude of phase angle, to form a linear combined signal that is present at the output of the antenna diversity module as a reception signal. |
| US08270922B2 |
Radio wave receiver
Disclosed is a radio wave receiver including an antenna to receive a radio wave, a tuning unit to switch a frequency characteristic of the antenna in a stepwise fashion, an oscillation unit to oscillate the antenna and a circuit section of the tuning unit, a receiving process unit to carry out a signal process by extracting a signal of a desired wave among received signals which are received from the antenna, a search control unit in which the oscillation unit is made to generate an oscillation signal at the circuit section and in which the oscillation signal searches a setting condition of the tuning unit which is extracted in the receiving process unit by switching a setting of the tuning unit and a search range deciding unit to selectively decide an adjustable range in which the switching of the setting of the tuning unit is carried out by the search control unit so as to be a specific adjustable range which is a portion of an entire adjustable range of the tuning unit corresponding to a frequency of the desired wave. |
| US08270917B2 |
Current controlled biasing for current-steering based RF variable gain amplifiers
An adaptive current control circuit for reduced power consumption and minimized gain shift in a variable gain amplifier. An automatic gain control circuit provides gain control voltages in response to a gain control signal. The gain control voltages are used by the variable gain amplifier to set the gain of the output signal for wireless transmit operations. The adaptive current control circuit receives the same gain control voltages for reducing current to the variable gain amplifier during low gain operation, while providing higher currents during high gain operation. The current that is provided is a hybrid mix of proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) current and complementary to absolute temperature (CTAT) current for minimizing temperature effects on the gain. The ratio of PTAT current and CTAT current is adjustable for specific temperature ranges to further minimize temperature effects on the gain. |
| US08270915B2 |
Antenna and button assembly for wireless devices
An antenna and button assembly is provided for a compact portable wireless device such as a wireless headset for a handheld electronic device. An antenna structure is mounted within a button structure. The button structure includes a switch actuation member that extends past the antenna structure and into engagement with a switch. The switch actuation member may reciprocate within the button structure. A user may press upon an exposed end of the switch actuation member to operate the switch. The switch may be used to control the application of power to the compact portable wireless device or to perform other suitable functions. The button structure may be formed using dielectric materials such as plastic. By forming the button structure from dielectric, clearance is provided between the antenna structure and conductive portions of the compact portable wireless device so that the antenna of the compact wireless device operates properly. |
| US08270913B2 |
Configurable RF sections for receiver and transmitter and methods for use therewith
A transceiver includes an RF receiver section having a plurality of RF receiver stages configured in parallel, and a configurable RF transmitter section. The plurality of RF receiver stages are selectively enabled in response to a control signal. The configurable RF transmitter section is configured to operate in one of: a mixed signal mode of operation and a phase modulation mode of operation, in response to the control signal. |
| US08270911B2 |
Communications methods, methods of forming a reader, wireless communications readers, and wireless communications systems
Communications methods, methods of forming a reader, wireless communications readers, and wireless communications systems are described in some embodiments. In one embodiment, a communications method includes associating a plurality of remote communications devices with a plurality of objects located within a wireless communications range of a reader having a first configuration, providing one of the remote communications device within a wireless communications range of a reader having a second configuration, wherein the wireless communications range of the reader having the second configuration is less than the wireless communications range of the reader having the first configuration, and during the presence of the one of the remote communications devices within the wireless communications range of the reader having the second configuration, implementing communications between the reader having the second configuration and only the one of the remote communications devices. |
| US08270906B2 |
Method and apparatus relating to spectrum sensing
The invention comprises a method and a corresponding apparatus (53). A candidate set of sensors that are available to participate in an occasion of cooperative spectrum sensing is obtained. For each sensor in the candidate set, its radial distance to a central coordinating node in a communication system is also obtained (73). A sequence of minimum radii is produced (75,79). For each minimum radius in the sequence, an accommodation number is determined (75,87). The accommodation number associated with a minimum radius is the greatest number of sensors that can be placed on circle having this radius without a probability that all these sensors are mutually uncorrelated falling below a design probability threshold. Sensors from the candidate set are then selectively added (91,95) to an active set of sensors based on the minimum radii, the corresponding accommodation numbers and the obtained radial distances. |
| US08270905B1 |
Near-far sensing using frequency swept RSSI
A method and apparatus for determining proximity of a headset relative to its base. A plurality of frequency swept RSSI signals are measured and processed to determine a near status or a far status of the headset relative to its base. In one example, a peak RSSI signal is identified in the plurality of frequency swept RSSI signals. The peak RSSI signal is compared to a near/far threshold RSSI value to generate a near status or far status indication. |
| US08270901B2 |
Dropout-resistant media broadcasting system
The present invention relates to media broadcast in which memory is used to reduce annoying signal dropouts. A receiver records dropout-free program material and, when a subscriber requests a particular program channel, the radio uses recorded dropout-free program material from the requested channel, only switching to the real-time broadcast, which is subject to dropouts, if the recorded dropout-free program material for the requested channel is exhausted. |
| US08270900B2 |
Aggregate batch polling method for return link communications between a platform and a base station
Implementations are described that use a control center to maintain a list of registered mobile platforms that are pre-authorized to make use of the satellite-based transponder to transmit and receive data content to and from the base transceiver. The control center may cause the base transceiver to transmit at least one polling message, the polling message carries information addressed to a specific aggregate group of the registered mobile platforms and includes a return channel which may be used by a mobile platform to communicate with the base transceiver. In one implementation, the control center protects the system from exceeding power spectral density (PSD) statistical limits by using the mobile platform in the group that has a greatest power spectral density signal as the PSD that the aggregate group will generate. |
| US08270897B2 |
Communication control method and radio base station and radio terminal
A communication control method, for a radio communication system including a radio base station, a radio terminal, and a relay station that receives a radio signal transmitted from the radio base station and relays the radio signal to the radio terminal at a transmission frequency different from a reception frequency, includes broadcasting information on one or more transmission frequencies of radio base stations or relay stations from the radio base station; and determining, by the radio terminal, whether transmission-source identification information included in the radio signals that are received before and after switching the reception frequency match, the switching being conducted based on the information broadcasted from one of the radio base station directly and via the relay station, wherein if the radio terminal determines that the transmission-source identification information matches, the radio terminal omits a terminal registering procedure after frame-synchronization with the radio communication system. |
| US08270894B2 |
Response and communication system and method for interacting with and between audience members
A method and system for interacting with and between audience members located in the same or different locations is described including a central computer, at least one base station connected to the central computer, and a plurality of keypad units arranged to wirelessly transmit and receive signals from the base station. The keypad units may also be located remote to the central computer and the base station, and transmit and receive signals with the central computer via a communication network. The keypad units contain a data connector for transmitting and receiving signals via a wired connection to the central computer or the base unit. The keypad units are configured to enable numeric, text, and voice interaction with and between audience members. |
| US08270893B2 |
Mobile device and server capable of supporting adhoc questionnaires
A questionnaire network in which a mobile device is used by user to create questionnaires and send it to other recipients. The questionnaire is created by user of mobile device using audio inputs for a questionnaire preamble and question preambles. A server in the network incorporates other generic portions of the questionnaire. Thus, a user can make adhoc questionnaires, send them to recipients and receive the results. |
| US08270892B2 |
Unit for cleaning end portion of recording material and image forming apparatus including the unit
When a toner image larger than a recording material is formed on an image bearing member, and the toner image is transferred onto the recording material as widely as possible to form an image without margins, a toner in a vicinity of an end portion of the recording material adheres to the recording material while remaining unfixed. In order to suppress the adhesion of the toner to the end portion of the recording material, the recording material is passed through a cleaning unit for the end portion of the recording material after fixation. In the cleaning unit, the recording material is sent askew. By being conveyed while an edge of the end portion of the recording material is rubbed against a cleaning member, the recording material becomes less subject to the adhesion of the toner at the end portion thereof. |
| US08270886B2 |
Transfer nip roller, transfer device, and image forming apparatus
In a transfer nip roller operative to transfer an image from an image carrier to a recording medium, a ratio (We3/Wt3)/(We30/Wt30) is 0.47 or more, where We3 is an elastic workload and Wt3 is a total workload measured by applying a load on a covering portion under a load push-in condition of 3 mN/10 seconds, and We30 is an elastic workload and Wt30 is a total workload measured by applying a load on the covering portion under a load push-in condition of 30 mN/10 seconds. |
| US08270884B2 |
Image forming method using two pressure steps
An image forming method using toner comprising toner particles having a core-shell structure comprising a core particle incorporating a viscous material and a shell layer covering the above core particle is disclosed. The method comprises steps of a toner image forming step on a dielectric drum; a first pressure applying step in which the shell layer of the toner particles forming the toner image is subjected to a preliminary break treatment by a first pressure roller, which is arranged in contact with the dielectric drum; and a transfer/fixing step in which a toner image made by the toner particles which have been subjected to a preliminary break treatment by the first pressure applying step is transferred and fixed to an image support by a second pressure roller which is arranged in contact with the dielectric drum. |
| US08270883B2 |
Powder carrying apparatus and image forming apparatus
A powder carrying apparatus includes: a drive gear to which the drive is carried from a drive source; a rolling gear capable of rotating around a rolling shaft; a first middle transmission system having at least one or more gears; a first powder carrying member to which the rotation is carried from the first middle transmission system to carry the powder; a first regulating gear capable of rotating around a first regulation shaft; a second middle transmission system having at least one or more gears including a second middle gear engaged with the rolling gear; a second powder carrying member to which the rotation is carried from the second middle transmission system to carry the powder; and a second regulating gear capable of rotating around a second regulation shaft. |
| US08270879B2 |
Electrophotographic image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a developing cartridge and rotatable member having a cartridge mounting portion with an engaging portion engageable with a portion of the cartridge. The cartridge includes a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member. The rotatable member is rotatable for moving the mounting portion between a mounting and demounting position for mounting and demounting the cartridge and another position. The engaging portion is movable between a regulating position, in which disengagement of the cartridge from the mounting portion is suppressed, and a permitting position in which the disengagement of the cartridge from the mounting portion is permitted. When the mounting portion is at the another position, the engaging portion is regulated at the regulating position. When the mounting portion is at the mounting and demounting position, the engaging portion is movable from the regulating position to the permitting position. |
| US08270877B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An apparatus includes: a main body; a moving member movable between an accommodation position and a separation position; a driving member rotatably provided in the main body; a passive member rotatably provided in the moving member and is opposed to the driving member in a rotation axis direction; and a driving force transmitting member provided between the driving member and the passive member. The driving force transmitting member is movably supported in the driving member along the rotation axis direction, a first connecting unit is engaged with the driving member and the driving force transmitting member by an unevenness so as to be movable in a first diameter direction, and a second connecting unit is engaged with the driving force transmitting member and the passive member by an unevenness so as to be movable in a second diameter direction. |
| US08270875B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a toner image carrying member, an image transfer device, a fixing device, a registration unit, a guide member, an upstream-side transportation unit, and a downstream-side transportation unit. The image transfer device transfers a toner image from the toner image carrying member to a recording medium. The fixing device fixes the toner image. The registration unit transports the recording medium. The guide member guides the recording medium. The upstream-side transportation unit includes an upstream-side transportation member, disposed at an upstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium. The downstream-side transportation unit includes the downstream-side transportation member, disposed at a downstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium. The upstream-side transportation unit includes an upstream-side positioning member to position the guide member to the upstream-side transportation member. The downstream-side transportation unit includes a downstream-side positioning member to position the guide member to the downstream-side transportation member. |
| US08270872B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a connecting mechanism between photoreceptor assembly and developing assembly
An image forming assembly includes a photoreceptor assembly that includes a photoreceptor, and an accommodating container that accommodates at least the photoreceptor and holds the photoreceptor with a part of the photoreceptor being exposed; a developing assembly that includes a developing member, and a developer container that accommodates at least the developer member and holds the developing member so as to position the developing member at a portion opposed to the photoreceptor; a connecting mechanism that connects the photoreceptor assembly to the developing assembly so that a distance between the photoreceptor and the developing member is changeable; a protection member that covers and protects the exposed portion of the photoreceptor; and guide members that are respectively provided on the accommodating container and the developer container, and that detachably guide the protection member with the protection member lying astride the two assemblies. |
| US08270869B2 |
Image forming apparatus, supporting member, and image forming unit
An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt, a plurality of processing units, a cleaning unit, a waste toner retainer, and a waste toner conveying unit. The plurality of processing units is juxtaposed above the endless belt. The cleaning unit is disposed above the endless belt to collect a waste toner deposited on the endless belt. The waste toner retainer is provided in one processing unit in the plurality of processing units. At least one of the other processing units in the plurality of processing units is interposed between the cleaning unit and the one processing unit. The waste toner conveying unit conveys the waste toner collected by the cleaning unit to the waste toner retainer, and extends from the cleaning unit to the waste toner retainer. |
| US08270868B2 |
Image forming apparatus and cleaning mechanism
According to one embodiment, a method for cleaning including, scraping off, agitating, or capturing, in non-contact with a belt surface, a visualizing material present on the belt surface and fiber or powder different from the visualizing material, coming into contact with the belt surface and scraping off, agitating, or capturing the visualizing material present on the belt surface and the fiber or the powder different from the visualizing material, and being located in contact with the belt surface at predetermined pressure and scraping off the visualizing material present on the belt surface and the fiber or powder different from the visualizing material. |
| US08270862B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for controlling fuser thereof
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus capable of controlling a fuser thereof to operate effectively even with a possible fluctuation in the AC voltage input. The image forming apparatus may include an input for receiving an AC voltage, a detector that outputs a DC voltage corresponding to a level of the AC voltage input, a fuser operable to produce heat according to the AC voltage input, a storage in which fusing temperature control information and a controller that controls the fuser using the fusing temperature control information corresponding to the DC voltage. |
| US08270859B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
An image forming apparatus and a control method of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive medium, a charger to charge the photosensitive medium, an exposing unit to expose light to the photosensitive medium to form a latent image on the photosensitive medium, a developing unit which is disposed opposite to the photosensitive medium to develop the latent image into a visible image, a density sensing unit to sense a density of an area of the photosensitive medium, and a controller to determine whether a preset developing condition corresponds to a background image generating condition based on the density sensed by the density sensing unit and to adjust the developing condition based on the determination. |
| US08270856B2 |
Apparatus including a re-transfer unit to re-transfer a recording medium and method of image forming
An image forming apparatus is provided, which forms a releasing agent absorption toner image on an in-between printed sides area of a moving surface of an image carrier in the duplex printing mode. When the in-between printed sides area of the moving surface enters a transfer position at which a toner image is transferred from the image carrier to a recording medium, the transferring operation of transferring the toner image from the image carrier to a recording medium is interrupted to keep the releasing agent absorption toner image on the in-between printed sides area of the moving surface of the image carrier. |
| US08270854B2 |
Image forming apparatus and output setting method of consumed status of consumable items of the image forming apparatus
An apparatus in which a plurality of consumable items are loadable to the apparatus. The apparatus includes a consumption status detecting unit to detect a respective consumption status of each of the consumable items, a consumption information output setting unit to set whether an exchange message for each of the consumable items is to be output, and a consumable item information output unit to output the exchange message, which is indicative of an exchange time of the respective consumable item, based on the respective consumption statuses detected by the consumption status detecting unit and the setting of the consumption information output setting unit. |
| US08270852B2 |
Reclaimed material container and image forming apparatus
A reclaimed material container includes a container body that is removably mounted to a mounting portion of an image forming apparatus, and that accommodates a reclaimed material existing after forming an image, a receiving portion that is provided at a bottom portion of the container body, and that is supported by a support of the mounting portion from therebelow, and a mounting member that mounts the container body to the mounting portion as a result of rotation of the container body with the receiving portion as a fulcrum while the receiving portion is supported by the support from therebelow. In the container, the container body has a first recess that provides a field of view for the support when the receiving portion is supported by the support from therebelow. |
| US08270851B2 |
Print output system, print control apparatus, and method for the same
A system, a control apparatus, a control method and a computer program are provided which are configured to control a printing output in response to characteristics of a printing apparatus when a plurality of printing apparatuses has different characteristics. A host computer acquires apparatus information including characteristics information indicating the characteristics of a printer and thereby determines a priority order of printers in relation to the print data based on the characteristics information. The host computer then determines a printer to output the print data based on the determined priority order and outputs the print data to the determined printer. |
| US08270845B2 |
Multimode fiber tap for a LRM connection
A device for processing data being optically transmitted via a LRM connection includes an optical splitter for splitting an input signal into a first output signal and a second output signal, the optical splitter having an operating wavelength with a value that is between 1260 nm and 1355 nm, wherein the optical splitter has an input end for receiving the input signal, a first output end for outputting the first output signal, and a second output end for outputting the second output signal. |
| US08270844B2 |
Low jitter RF distribution system
A timing signal distribution system includes an optical frequency stabilized laser signal amplitude modulated at an rf frequency. A transmitter box transmits a first portion of the laser signal and receive a modified optical signal, and outputs a second portion of the laser signal and a portion of the modified optical signal. A first optical fiber carries the first laser signal portion and the modified optical signal, and a second optical fiber carries the second portion of the laser signal and the returned modified optical signal. A receiver box receives the first laser signal portion, shifts the frequency of the first laser signal portion outputs the modified optical signal, and outputs an electrical signal on the basis of the laser signal. A detector at the end of the second optical fiber outputs a signal based on the modified optical signal. An optical delay sensing circuit outputs a data signal based on the detected modified optical signal. An rf phase detect and correct signal circuit outputs a signal corresponding to a phase stabilized rf signal based on the data signal and the frequency received from the receiver box. |
| US08270843B2 |
Optical transmission system
An optical transmission system capable of efficiently reducing waveform distortion of an optical signal. A transmitting-side distortion compensation coefficient storage of a transmitting station stores transmitting-side distortion compensation coefficients for compensating for waveform distortion of an optical signal to be transmitted to a receiving station. A transmit signal processor performs distortion compensation on the optical signal on the basis of a suitable transmitting-side distortion compensation coefficient stored in the transmitting-side distortion compensation coefficient storage. A transmitter transmits the distortion-compensated signal to a transmission path. A receiver of the receiving station receives the optical signal from the transmission path. A receiving-side distortion compensation coefficient storage stores receiving-side distortion compensation coefficients for compensating for waveform distortion of the optical signal received by the receiver. A received signal processor performs distortion compensation on the received optical signal on the basis of a suitable receiving-side distortion compensation coefficient. |
| US08270838B2 |
Power distribution devices, systems, and methods for Radio-over-Fiber (RoF) distributed communication
Power distribution devices, systems and methods for a distributed communication system are disclosed. In one embodiment, an interconnect unit is coupled between a head-end unit and one or more remote units. The interconnect unit includes a plurality of communication links each configured to carry signals to and from a head-end unit to remote units. To provide power to the remote units, the interconnect unit electrically couples power from at least one power supply to a plurality of power branches. Each power branch is configured to supply power to a remote unit connected to the interconnect unit. |
| US08270834B2 |
Frequency modulated burst mode optical system
The present invention is directed towards a frequency modulated (FM) burst mode optical system that allows optical signals having a common wavelength provided by a plurality of FM burst mode optical transmitters to be passively combined onto a single optical fiber. A single FM optical receiver receives the combined signals and processes them accordingly. Each FM burst mode optical transmitter includes an FM modulator, a carrier detect circuit and a laser. The FM modulator modulates a carrier signal, such as a 1.21 GHz signal, with received reverse electrical signals. When a subcarrier signal is detected by the carrier detect circuit, the laser is turned and the frequency modulated carrier signal is used to intensity modulate a laser to provide an optical signal. Due to the burst-mode transmission of optical signals, the optical signals can be passively combined and transmitted to a single optical receiver. |
| US08270833B2 |
Passive optical network system supporting wireless communication
A passive optical network (PON) system supporting wireless communication includes an optical line terminal (OLT) configured on a central office, an optical distribution network (ODN), and a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) respectively configured on user ends. The ODN is connected to the OLT and the ONUs in a one-to-many manner. The OLT sends a downstream optical signal to the ODN, and receives an upstream optical signal. The ODN circularly guides the optical signal to each ONU. Each ONU receives and reflects the downstream optical signal, processes the received downstream optical signal, receives and processes the upstream optical signal, carries an electrical signal to be uploaded into the upstream optical signal, and carries data received by a remote antenna into the upstream optical signal. Through the above architecture, the PON system supports wireless communication. |
| US08270830B2 |
Optical network for cluster computing
Leaf switches and spine switches in a Clos network are interconnected by optical fibers. The network enables large numbers of servers or other apparatus to communicate with each other with minimal delay and minimal power consumption. |
| US08270828B2 |
Optical line monitoring apparatus and optical line monitoring method
An optical line monitoring apparatus, including: a group information recording portion which records group information about to which splitter respective terminators are connected; a normal information recording portion which records intensities of reflected lights from a plurality of terminators in a state in which a failure is not occurring in optical lines; a monitored information recording portion which records intensities of reflected lights from the plurality of terminators in failure monitoring time; an attenuation amount determination portion which determines a terminator the reflected light intensity of which is attenuated compared with the corresponding reflected light intensity in normal information; and a control portion which determines, if the intensities of the reflected lights of all the terminators connected to the same splitter are attenuated by the same value, that a failure has occurred between the test apparatus and the splitter to which all the terminators are connected. |
| US08270827B2 |
Camera lens accessory holder
A camera lens accessory holder includes an attachment ring configured to couple to a camera lens accessory such as a lens cap or filter, a base coupled to the attachment ring and a holder mount coupled to the base opposite the attachment ring for removably attaching the holder to an external support structure. The base optionally includes a logo surface facing the attachment ring and optionally includes one or more visual elements such as a logo, text, photograph, or symbol. Some embodiments of a camera lens accessory holder include more than one attachment ring. Other embodiments are provided with means for attaching two holders to each other, one each on opposite sides of a flexible strap or belt. Some embodiments include a clip for attachment of a camera lens accessory holder to a belt, strap, or thin sheet of material. |
| US08270826B2 |
Calibration of a lens device
A calibration method in a camera with a P-Iris lens having an adjustable iris opening including the steps of adjusting the size of the iris opening between a first opening position and a second opening position, recording a plurality of images during the adjusting, analyzing the images, and determining an iris opening based on the analysis, that obtains a high quality image. The analyzing includes use of high frequency content in the recorded images. |
| US08270820B2 |
Archiving and sharing of multimedia content
Multimedia content is stored onto a relatively permanent, portable storage medium in accordance with at least two standards that allow the content to be recovered on a playback device with the highest possible resolution and fidelity. Linking between the various types of content stored according to the at least two standards allows the presentation of content at the highest quality possible. |
| US08270819B2 |
Performing trick play functions in a digital video recorder with efficient use of resources
Techniques for selecting a picture of a video program for display in accordance with a selected trick play mode of a DVR are described herein. Sometimes, when desired playback speed is faster than normal, a DVR is forced to select some pictures to play and some pictures to skip. Ideally, in order to preserve “smooth” viewing quality, the next picture to be displayed should be temporally close to the currently displayed picture. Since some pictures can take longer to decode than others, accounting for picture decoding costs helps ensure that the best picture can be selected for decoding given playback speed requirements. According to one embodiment of the invention, for each picture of a plurality of pictures in a video data stream, a DVR determines a decoding cost for that picture. Based on the determined costs, the DVR selects a particular picture. The DVR outputs the selected picture for display. |
| US08270816B2 |
Information recording and/or playback apparatus
To provide an information recording and/or playback apparatus for dubbing onto a second recording medium all or some of plural pieces of information from a first recording medium in which the plural pieces of information are recorded. The apparatus includes a dubbing function that includes a plurality of dubbing functions respectively having different dubbing information selection methods. In the event of executing dubbing, identifiers enabling selection of one of the plurality of dubbing functions and a display screen for displaying an explanatory text regarding the respective dubbing function is displayed. In addition, when information is selected before the display screen is displayed, the information selection method of the respective dubbing function and an explanatory text to be displayed is changed corresponding to an information selection state. |
| US08270815B2 |
Online video and audio editing
An online video and audio editing method and system can create edited final products by performing video and audio editing via a communication network. The system includes a server, which provides downloadable operator interface software; and a client terminal, which is connected with the server via a communication network. The client terminal downloads the operator interface software from the server to allow selection of target files, and generation of an editing result file by recording the editing information of each selected target file in a text format. The editing information is transmitted back to the server, and includes a priority order, a time to start playback, and a playback length of each selected target file. The server synthesizes all target files in accordance with the editing result file to create the edited final product. |
| US08270814B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing video with embedded media
A system modifies video by embedding portions of media, such as subsets of image pixels, in video frames. When the video is played at normal speed, the media is not discernible. However, when the video is played at an accelerated rate in the forward or reverse direction, the portions of images embedded in video frames coalesce into discernible media. The embedded media may be simple text, images, video, audio, or other media. The system may also evaluate base videos as well as insertion media using neuro-response measurements to determine how and what type of media to embed. The media may be embedded in real-time or near real-time into video for delivery to a user for playback on devices such as digital video recorders, computer systems, software and hardware players, cable boxes, etc. |
| US08270812B2 |
Input-output circuit, recording apparatus and reproduction apparatus for digital video signal
A video signal input-output circuit and a recording-reproduction apparatus in which a digitally compressed video signal input in packet form can be recorded and reproduced efficiently and in stable fashion. In this apparatus, a clock reference is detected from a packet signal containing the clock reference and a digitally compressed video signal, a time stamp for a packet is generated using a clock signal in phase with the clock reference and added to the particular packet, and the packet signals with the time stamp added thereto are recorded closely to each other in a data storage element such as a magnetic recording medium. At playback, the packet interval is output by being restored to the original length on the basis of the time stamp added to the packet in store. |
| US08270803B2 |
Image recording and reproducing apparatus, and image reproducing method
A reproducing operation of still image content and a reproducing operation of moving image content are carried out by similar inputs by a user. A video recording and reproducing processing unit reproduces video content, and a Web content processing unit automatically selects instructions, such as information for instructing another Web page to be displayed next, from data of a reproduced Web page, and reproduces the another Web page. As a result, a plurality of Web pages are continuously reproduced and output at predetermined time intervals. A main control unit controls the reproduction of video content by the video recording and reproducing processing unit and the continuous reproduction of Web content by the Web content processing unit based on signals input by operations to a single group of operating keys as interpreted by an input conversion table. |
| US08270798B2 |
Routing guide for a movable fiber optic equipment tray or module
A cable routing guide attached to a fiber optic apparatus, such as a module positioned on a fiber optic equipment tray is disclosed. The cable routing guide is adapted to receive a length of at least one fiber optic cable intended to be connected to a cable connection point, such as a fiber optic adapter disposed on the module. The cable routing guide allows the at least one fiber optic cable to move in response to the fiber optic equipment tray or the module moving between a first position and a second position in a manner such that the length of the at least one fiber optic cable from the cable routing guide to the fiber optic adapter remains substantially unchanged. Moreover, the at least one fiber optic cable that is received by the cable routing guide may be retained and maintained by the cable routing guide without being tensed or stressed. In this manner, the at least one fiber optic cable that is routed to and through the fiber optic apparatus may not be affected by the movement of the module frame, the module, and/or the adapter between the first and second positions. |
| US08270794B2 |
Light guide for endoscopes
The amount of heat generated at a light input portion of a light guide for endoscopes constituted by a plurality of bundled optical fibers is suppressed. The light guide for endoscopes is constituted by a plurality of bundled optical fibers, for propagating an illuminating light beam, which is focused and caused to enter a light input end facet thereof, to a light output end facet thereof, to emit the illuminating light beam onto a portion to be observed. A transparent member having a sectional shape which is at least as large as the focused spot of the illuminating light beam is provided in close contact with the light input end facets of the optical fibers. The optical fibers are connected to the transparent member in a maximally densely packed state. |
| US08270793B2 |
Power umbilical
A power umbilical is shown that comprises a number of power cables (4) to transfer large amounts of electric power, optionally electric wires and/or optical conductors (5), filler material (2, 3) in the form of rigid elongated plastic elements that are located at least partially around and between the power cables (4) and the optional wires/conductors (5), and they are collectively gathered in a twisted bundle by means of a laying operation. A protective jacket (1) encompasses the power cables (4), the optional wires/conductors (5), the filler material (2, 3), and at least one load carrying element (6) predetermined located in the cross section of the power umbilical. The power cables (4), the optional wires/conductors (5), the filler material (2, 3) and the at least one load carrying element (6), are alternately laid, i.e. by continuously alternating direction, in the entire or part of the longitudinal extension of the power umbilical. This is combined with that the laid bundle is retained or maintained substantially rotationally rigid by the protective jacket (1), possibly by the addition of a strength band, or tape, which is helically wound around the bundle adjacent to the protective jacket (1). |
| US08270778B2 |
Enhanced silicon all-optical modulator
A single-photon absorption all-optical signal-processing device, systems employing the same, and methods of making and using the same. Illustrative examples are provided based on silicon semiconductor technology that employs rectangular waveguides fabricated on SOI wafers. In some embodiments, it is observed that the waveguides have surface state density, σ, of not less than 1.5×1018 cm−1s−1mW−1 to provide a single-photon absorption operation mode. In some embodiments, some portion of the ridge waveguide structure has a surface to volume ratio of at least 18 μm−1, computed using a unit length of 1 μm of the waveguide, with the width and depth dimensions of the waveguide being measured in units of microns. |
| US08270773B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a super-resolution converter, a reducing module, and a restoring module. The super-resolution converter estimates, upon receipt of a first image signal with first resolution, an original pixel value from the first image signal and increases pixels to obtain a second image signal with second resolution higher than the first resolution. The first image signal and the second image signal include a combination of a luminance signal and a color difference signal. The reducing module reduces a first quantization bit rate of the color difference signal in the first image signal to be input to the super-resolution converter to a second quantization bit rate. The restoring module restores the second quantization bit rate of the color difference signal in the second image signal to the first quantization bit rate. |
| US08270771B2 |
Iterative selection of pixel paths for content aware image resizing
What is disclosed is a method for iterative seam selection in an image resizing system utilizing a seam carving technique. In one embodiment, an importance map is generated for a received source image. Seams are carved through the image from one edge to an opposite edge. An energy is computed for each seam based on pixel importance values. A distance is computed from each seam to a previously selected seam. A weighting for each seam is computed using a defined weighting function and the calculated seam distances. The weighting is applied to the energy of each seam produce a revised energy for each seam. A seam is selected based on the produced revised energy. The image is resized at a location of the selected seam. The process repeats until the image has been resized to a desired target output dimension. In such a manner, unnatural image resizing results are avoided. |
| US08270767B2 |
Systems and methods for providing immersive displays of video camera information from a plurality of cameras
A system for providing stitched video from a first camera and a second camera to an electronic display system includes a processing circuit configured to associate a view a first camera with an approximate location. The processing circuit is further configured to build relationship data between the first camera and a second camera using the approximate location. The processing circuit is further configured to transform video from the first camera relative to video from the second camera, the transformation based on the relationship data. The processing circuit is further configured to use the transformed video to cause the stitched video to be provided to the electronic display system. |
| US08270765B1 |
Hybrid seam carving and scaling of images with configurable energy threshold
A system and method for expansion and reduction of images uses a hybrid resizing technique that combines seam carving and image scaling techniques to reduce or expand an image. Seam carving techniques may be used to remove or add seams having an average or total energy cost below a configurable threshold, where the cost of each seam is dependent on the energy values of the pixels of the seam. If a target size and/or ratio for the resized version of the image is not reached by removing or adding these seams, the hybrid resizing technique may apply standard or custom image scaling techniques to further reduce or expand the image to achieve the target size and/or ratio. The hybrid technique may be implemented by program instructions of an image editing application, and the cost threshold may be configurable by a user through a user interface of the image editing application. |
| US08270764B1 |
Replacing pixels within a boundary area of a base image to generate a composite image
An indication of a base image is received. An indication of an acceptable portion of a source image is received. A boundary area in the base image is determined based at least in part on the acceptable portion of the source image. A composite image is generated at least in part by replacing one or more pixels in the base image. Pixel replacements are constrained to within the boundary area. The composite image is displayed. |
| US08270757B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus, and imaging apparatus
A magnification chromatic aberration included in image data in a color filter array captured by an imaging device is corrected by performing a coordinate transformation with respect to each pixel in the image data. A defective pixel due to the color filter array is compensated with respect to magnification-chromatic-aberration-corrected image data. |
| US08270753B2 |
Image processing device, computer program product, and image processing method to restore signals in a saturated area
An image processing device includes: a saturated area extraction unit that extracts a saturated area corresponding to a saturated pixel from an image expressed by a color component signal of a predetermined color system corresponding to a pixel; a color information acquisition unit that acquires color information from a color component signal corresponding to a pixel contained in an area in contact with the saturated area of the image; and a color component signal modification unit that modifies a color component signal of a pixel in the saturated area so that color information on the saturated pixel contained in the saturated area approaches the color information acquired by the color information acquisition unit. |
| US08270748B1 |
Method for fast, robust, multi-dimensional pattern recognition
Disclosed is a method for determining the absence or presence of one or more instances of a predetermined pattern in an image, and for determining the location of each found instance within a multidimensional space. A model represents the pattern to be found, the model including a plurality of probes. Each probe represents a relative position at which a test is performed in an image at a given pose, each such test contributing evidence that the pattern exists at the pose. The method further includes a comparison of the model with a run-time image at each of a plurality of poses. A match score is computed at each pose to provide a match score surface. Then, the match score is compared with an accept threshold, and used to provide the location any instances of the pattern in the image. |
| US08270745B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method
The present invention can realize an image processing device and an image processing method that enable a simplified circuit configuration. An image encoding device (200) encodes an input image (91) in an ordinary process that is the same as main encoding on the basis of a predictive quantization parameter (QPd), while encoding the input image (91) in a simple manner (simplified process) on the basis of the predictive quantization parameter (QPd) and quantization parameters (QP) approximate to the predictive quantization parameter (QPd). The image encoding device (200) calculates a code quantity ratio R_reduction between a high-precision generated code quantity obtained through an ordinary process based on the predictive quantization parameter (QPd) and a generated code quantity obtained through a simplified process based on the predictive quantization parameter (QPd). The image encoding device (200) calculates high-precision generated code quantities based on the quantization parameters (QP) approximate to the predictive quantization parameter (QPd) on the basis of the code quantity ratio R_reduction and generated code quantities obtained through a simplified process based on the quantization parameters (QP) approximate to the predictive quantization parameter (QPd). |
| US08270742B1 |
Data compression for computer-aided design systems
A method of compressing data can include forming at least one container by grouping calls of data according to at least one data element of each call. The method can include arranging, via the processor, calls of the at least one container into a plurality of segments according to a minimal coordinate set and extracting common coordinates corresponding to a first coordinate type from the plurality of segments. Coordinates of a second coordinate type of each segment of the at least one container can be replaced with a segment start coordinate and first distance information specifying the coordinates of the second coordinate type. The common coordinates of the at least one container can be replaced with a common start coordinate and second distance information. |
| US08270741B1 |
Large-scale image processing using mass parallelization techniques
Assets of raw geo-located imagery can be divided into tiles and coverage masks can be generated for each tile. For each tile, fragments of pixels from coverage masks of neighboring tiles can be extracted and tagged. The fragments can be sorted and stored in a data structure so that fragments having the same tag can be grouped together in the data structure. The fragments can be used to feather the coverage mask of the tile to produce a blend mask. Multi-resolution imagery and mask pyramids can be generated by extracting fragments from tiles and minified (e.g., down-sampled). The minified fragments can be tagged (e.g., by ancestor tile name), sorted and stored in a data structure, so that fragments having like tags can be stored together in the data structure. The fragments can be assembled into fully minified tiles for each level in the pyramid. Input tiles in a first projection are re-projected into a second projection using techniques that minimize distortion in the re-projected imagery. |
| US08270739B2 |
System and method for quality-aware selection of parameters in transcoding of digital images
Several quality-aware transcoding systems and methods are described, in which the impact of both quality factor (QF) and scaling parameter choices on the quality of transcoded images are considered in combination. A basic transcoding system is enhanced by the addition of a quality prediction look-up table, and a method of generating such a table is also shown. |
| US08270738B2 |
Apparatus and method for encoding digital image data in a lossless manner
A method of losslessly compressing and encoding signals representing image information is claimed. A lossy compressed data file and a residual compressed data file are generated. When the lossy compressed data file and the residual compressed data file are combined, a lossless data file that is substantially identical to the original data file is created. |
| US08270736B2 |
Depth buffer compression
Device, computer readable medium, and method for selecting compression modes to be applied in a depth buffer (20). The method includes obtaining values corresponding to a tile (30) of the depth buffer (20), selecting a first compression mode (34) from a first plurality of compression modes, compressing the values of the tile (30), writing the compressed values into a first block, based on the first mode (34), and using a preset number of primary bits (34) to store information related to at least one of the first mode (34) and a compression size of the first block, selecting a set of secondary compression modes (32) from a second plurality of compression modes, determining a number of sub-tiles (28), that make up the tile (30), compressing values of the sub-tiles, writing the compressed values into a second block, based on the set of secondary modes (32), and using the same preset number of primary bits (34) to store information related to at least one of the set of secondary modes (32) and a compression size of the second block, comparing the compression size of the tile (30) to the compression size of the sub-tiles (28), choosing the first mode (34) or the set of secondary modes (32) and a corresponding tile size based on a result of the comparing, and storing the selected compressed tile or sub-tiles into the depth buffer (20) and writing into the preset number of primary bits (34) information related to the chosen first mode (34) or set of secondary compression modes (32) or a corresponding size. |
| US08270735B2 |
Shared error resiliency path through coefficient reordering
The method, system, and apparatus of a shared error resiliency path through coefficient reordering is disclosed. In on embodiment, determining that an input data is data-partitioned, performing a discrete cosine transform and a quantization of the input data to form a quantized data, separating a first coefficient representing a DC coefficient of the quantized data for each block of the input data, rearranging other coefficients representing AC coefficients of the quantized data for each block of the input data in a fashion produces a zig-zag scan output similar to that of a non-data-partitioned data, bypassing a DC encoding module, determining whether any of the rearranged AC coefficients of the quantized data need to be encoded, performing a zig-zag scan on the rearranged AC coefficients of the quantized data when they need to be encoded, and encoding the rearranged AC coefficients of the quantized data based on the zig-zag scan. |
| US08270733B2 |
Identifying anomalous object types during classification
Techniques are disclosed for identifying anomaly object types during classification of foreground objects extracted from image data. A self-organizing map and adaptive resonance theory (SOM-ART) network is used to discover object type clusters and classify objects depicted in the image data based on pixel-level micro-features that are extracted from the image data. Importantly, the discovery of the object type clusters is unsupervised, i.e., performed independent of any training data that defines particular objects, allowing a behavior-recognition system to forgo a training phase and for object classification to proceed without being constrained by specific object definitions. The SOM-ART network is adaptive and able to learn while discovering the object type clusters and classifying objects and identifying anomaly object types. |
| US08270727B2 |
Reduced calculations in determining intra-prediction type method and system
The method, system, and apparatus of source statistics based intra prediction type is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes classifying a four-pixel square block in an edge class (e.g., may include a DC edge class, a vertical edge class, a horizontal edge class, a diagonal edge class, and/or a planar edge class) based on an edge classifier, classifying an eight-pixel square block having the four-pixel square block and other four-pixel square blocks as a homogenous class if the four-pixel square block and the other four-pixel square blocks of the eight-pixel square block belong to the edge class, assigning a direction to the edge class of the eight-pixel square block, and determining an optimal intra-prediction type through the classification such that empirical testing of all possible ones of the edge class and the direction is avoided when the homogenous class is identified. |
| US08270721B2 |
Method and system for acquiring data from machine-readable documents
In a method for acquiring data from a machine-readable document for assignment to fields of a database, individual data are extracted substantially automatically from the document and entered into the corresponding database fields. If data cannot be extracted from the document with a desired degree of reliability for one or more particular database fields, then the steps are executed of displaying the document onto the display screen, displaying on the display screen the at least one or more database fields for which the data cannot be extracted with the desired degree of reliability, and executing a proposal routine with which string sections in the vicinity of a pointer movable by a user on the display screen are selected, marked, and proposed for extraction. |
| US08270718B2 |
Manipulating an image by applying a de-identification process
A method for manipulating an image, the method includes: capturing image information representative of an image that includes images of textual characters; recognizing the textual characters by applying Optical Character Recognition; identifying the layout of the image; and applying at least one de-identification process on textual characters of interest to provide de-identification process results. |
| US08270717B2 |
Metadata determination method and image forming apparatus
A method for extracting a character string from print data rasterizes the print data into a raster image. Then, the method divides the raster image into a character region and non-character region and determines character data used for metadata based on the raster image of the character region and character data extracted from the print data and drawn at approximately the same position as the character region. |
| US08270716B2 |
Selectively compressing picture and text areas of an image to maintain highest quality and effective compaction
Image processing is done by separating image data into foreground image data, background image data, and mask image data. The foreground image data is divided into a plurality of square blocks composed of a plurality of pixels. The difference between maximum pixel values and minimum pixel values in each square block is compared to a threshold value. If the difference is below the threshold, the pixel value data in the square block is averaged. If the difference is above the threshold, the plurality of square blocks may be subdivided into smaller square blocks and the difference calculated again. If the difference is below the threshold, the pixel value data in the smaller square block is averaged. If the difference is above the threshold, the smaller square block is not averaged. Each of the foreground image data, background image data and mask image data are then individually compressed and merged. |
| US08270714B2 |
Method and apparatus for colour correction of image sequences
A visual summary of the image sequences is generated, displaying at least one image from a plurality of the image sequences. Color correction is applied to a feature in one of the displayed images and images comprising at least one feature being close to the color corrected feature according to a distance criterion are selected, displayed, and color correction, based on the color correction to the feature, is applied to the features in the selected images. An apparatus is also provided. |
| US08270703B2 |
Defect inspection apparatus, defect inspection method, and manufacture method for semiconductor device
A distinguishing size for distinguishing a pseudo defect from a defect caused by a process trouble is stored in a first storage area. Defect data are stored in a second storage area. A processing unit detects a defect on a wafer surface, and stores the defect data in the second storage area. Before a defect detection process is completed for all areas of the wafer surface, a size of a defect detected in a partial area is compared with the distinguishing size stored in the first storage area. If the detected defect has a size equal to or larger than the distinguishing size, an alarm is output through an output unit, whereas if a defect having a size equal to or larger than the distinguishing size is not detected, the defect detection process is executed for the area still not subjected to the defect detection process. |
| US08270702B2 |
Wafer center finding with a Kalman filter
A device is provided having a robotic arm for handling a wafer, the robotic arm including one or more encoders that provide encoder data identifying a position of one or more components of the robotic arm. The device also having a processor adapted to apply an extended Kalman Filter to the encoder data to estimate a position of the wafer. |
| US08270695B2 |
Diagnostic image processing with automatic self image quality validation
A method for medical diagnostic image processing obtains digital image data for a diagnostic image and extracts one or more image features from the image data, obtaining one or more image properties from the one or more extracted features. An image quality aim is obtained for rendered image appearance according to one or more stored viewer preferences. Rendering parameters are generated according to the obtained image quality aim and the one or more obtained image properties. The image is rendered according to the generated rendering parameters and the rendering validated against the selected image quality aim. |
| US08270692B2 |
Methods and apparatus for quantifying photo-damage
A method of obtaining a measurement of the extent of telangectasia in an area of skin is disclosed. Initially (S3-1) an image of an area of skin (2) to be analyzed is obtained. The obtained image is then processed (S3-2-S3-3) to determine blood distribution data indicative of the distribution of blood in an imaged area of skin. This blood distribution data is then converted (S3-5) using a Discrete Fourier Transform and the converted blood distribution data is then processed to obtain a measurement of the extent features in a determined distribution of blood correspond to structures of a predetermined size. The obtained measurement of the extent of telangectasia can then be combined (s3-6) with other measurements of the effects of photo-damage such as measurements of melanin disorder and collagen degradation to obtain a measurement of the extent of photo-damage. |
| US08270690B2 |
Accelerated image volume segmentation using minimal surfaces given a boundary
A method for image volume segmentation includes receiving an input image, obtaining an oriented closed contour on one or more slices of the input image, determining a minimum-weight surface from the oriented closed contour using a minimum-cost circulation network flow, and outputting the minimum-weight surface as a segmentation of the input image. |
| US08270681B2 |
Vein pattern management system, vein pattern registration apparatus, vein pattern authentication apparatus, vein pattern registration method, vein pattern authentication method, program, and vein data configuration
There are provided an imaging unit for capturing an image of a portion of a body surface of a living body with near-infrared light and generating near-infrared light imaging data, a vein pattern extraction unit for extracting a vein pattern from the near-infrared light imaging data by applying a differential filter, which outputs a large value for a pixel having a large difference between the pixel and its surrounding pixel, to a plurality of pixels constituting the near-infrared light imaging data, and a pseudo-vein pattern determination unit for determining presence of a pseudo-vein pattern intentionally formed on a part of the captured body surface based on the extracted vein pattern. |