| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08281332B2 |
Animated video overlays
A video server provides video content to a client via a network. At the instruction of the video server, a player at the client contacts an ad server and downloads one or more creatives and a controller file to the client. The controller file indicates how the creative manifests itself in play. The player displays the video content in a display area at the client. The controller file causes the creative to appear as an animated overlay over the video content. User interface elements indicate the point in the video when the creative appears, and allow the user to minimize and replay the creative. The player can also display other creatives, such as a static creative that is associated with the animated creative. A user can select the creative to view additional information about a product advertised by the creative. |
| US08281329B2 |
Disk retrieve and release device and automation disk burning system
The present invention relates to an improve disk retrieving and releasing device and an automation disk burning system, wherein the improve disk retrieving and releasing device is opposite to an optical disk driver of a host and disposed on the host, such that the host and the improve disk retrieving and releasing device constitute the automation disk burning system. The improve disk retrieving and releasing device is adapted for automatically retrieving a disk from a disk tray when disk tray withdraws from the optical disk driver, and releasing and putting the disk into a disk collecting bucket when the disk tray gets back into the optical disk driver. The improved disk retrieving and releasing device comprises: a frame member and two clamping mechanisms, wherein the clamping mechanism comprises: a support member, a clamping member, and an interlocked rod. |
| US08281322B2 |
Adaptive application interface management
A method and system for adaptive processing of alert messages exchanged between applications is disclosed. The system may include a diagnostic engine coupled to a plurality of applications. A plurality of application alert messages may be monitored to determine if the alerts exceed a predetermined threshold. If a threshold number of alert messages is exceeded, an interface status based on a diagnostic code for the interface may be determined. A query value for the interface may be adjusted. Based on the amount of the increase in the alert messages, different actions may be indicated. An administrator for the application interface or for equipment associated with the interface may be notified for servicing the equipment. |
| US08281319B2 |
Method and apparatus for sequenced message processing between an event handler and an administrative object
An apparatus for and method of predefining a series of messages between a client application and a server application which needed to be transferred and honored in sequence to perform a compound service request. The sequence of messages is predefined through the use of an Action Control List, whereby the event handler defines the messages to the administrative object. |
| US08281318B2 |
Systems and methods for inter process communication based on queues
A method of data communication between a first virtual machine and a second virtual machine is disclosed. The second virtual machine is executing in a record/replay mode. Data from the first virtual machine is copied to a first queue. The first queue receives the data from the first virtual machine. The first queue has a header section and a data section, wherein the header section being write protected and stores a tail pointer of the data in the first queue. The tail pointer is updated in the header section. This update of the tail pointer causes a page fault, which is handled-through a page fault handler. The handling includes copying the data from the first queue to a second queue. The second queue being configured to receive a copy of the data and to allow the second virtual machine to access the copy of the data. |
| US08281315B2 |
Method, system, and storage medium for managing computer processing functions
Exemplary embodiments include a system and storage medium for managing computer processing functions in a multi-processor computer environment. The system includes a physical processor, a standard logical processor, an assist logical processor sharing a same logical partition as the standard logical processor, and a single operating system instance associated with the logical partition, the single operating system instance including a switch-to service and a switch-from service. The system also includes a dispatch component managed by the single operating system instance. Upon invoking the switch-to service by standard code, the switch-to service checks to see if an assist logical processor is online and, if so, it updates an integrated assist field of a work element block associated with the task for indicating the task is eligible to be executed on the assist logical processor. The switch-to service also assigns a work queue to the work element block. |
| US08281313B1 |
Scheduling computer processing jobs that have stages and precedence constraints among the stages
An embodiment of a method of scheduling computer processing begins with a first step of receiving job properties for a plurality of jobs to be processed in a multi-processor computing environment. At least some of the jobs each comprise a plurality of stages, one or more tasks for each stage, and precedence constraints among the stages. The method continues with a second step of determining a schedule for processing at least a subset of the plurality of jobs on processors within the multi-processor computing environment from a solution of a mathematical program that provides a near maximal completion reward. The schedule comprises a sequence of tasks for each processor. In a third step, the computer processing jobs are processed on the processors according to the sequence of tasks for each processor. |
| US08281312B2 |
System and method providing for resource exclusivity guarantees in a network of multifunctional devices with preemptive scheduling capabilities
A system and method for enabling automated task preemption, including a plurality of multifunctional devices having a plurality of functional capabilities; and a processing module configured to: (i) separate the tasks requiring the plurality of functional capabilities into the tasks requiring a first category of capabilities and the tasks requiring a second category of capabilities, where the tasks requiring the first category of capabilities has a higher processing priority than the tasks requiring the second category of capabilities; and (ii) selectively process the tasks requiring the first category of capabilities before the tasks requiring the second category of capabilities regardless of arrival times of the tasks requiring the plurality of capabilities; wherein the tasks requiring the second category of capabilities that are preempted by the tasks requiring the first category of capabilities are rescheduled to be completed within a predetermined time period of completion. |
| US08281311B2 |
Executing a distributed software application on a plurality of compute nodes according to a compilation history
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for executing a distributed Java application on a plurality of compute nodes. The Java application includes a plurality of jobs distributed among the plurality of compute nodes. The plurality of compute nodes are connected together for data communications through a data communication network. Each of the plurality of compute nodes has installed upon it a Java Virtual Machine (‘JVM’) capable of supporting at least one job of the Java application. Executing a distributed Java application on a plurality of compute nodes includes: tracking, by an application manager, a just-in-time (‘JIT’) compilation history for the JVMs installed on the plurality of compute nodes; and configuring, by the application manager, the plurality of jobs for execution on the plurality of compute nodes in dependence upon the JIT compilation history for the JVMs installed on the plurality of compute nodes. |
| US08281303B2 |
Dynamic ejection of virtual devices on ejection request from virtual device resource object within the virtual firmware to virtual resource driver executing in virtual machine
Systems and methods for efficient dynamic allocation of virtual machine resources are described herein. At least some illustrative embodiments include a method including executing virtual machine software on a real computer system (the virtual machine software including a hypervisor and a virtual machine including a plurality of virtual devices), associating each of the plurality of virtual devices with a unique subset of a real device within the real computer system, the hypervisor sending to virtual firmware within the virtual machine a request to eject that requires ejecting from the virtual machine one or more of the plurality of virtual devices, a virtual device resource object within the virtual firmware forwarding the request to eject to a virtual device resource driver executing on the virtual machine, and the virtual device resource driver causing individual ejections of each of the one or more virtual devices in response to the forwarded request. |
| US08281302B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically instantiating services using a service insertion architecture
A generic service node that operates in a first state while waiting for instructions to adopt a specific service. Upon receiving the instructions, the generic service node operates in a second state where the node installs software received from a network to enable the generic service node to provide the specific service to the network. The generic service node is in communication with a control node or nodes such that the generic service node can be adapted to provide a particular service as requested by the control node(s). |
| US08281298B2 |
Evaluating computer driver update compliance
Evaluating computer driver update compliance including applying a hashing algorithm to the contents of a driver repository, yielding a first hash value, the driver repository containing installed drivers for a computer; dating the first hash value; storing the first hash value and the date of the first hash value; identifying a candidate update for a driver installed in the repository, the candidate update having an update date; again applying the hashing algorithm to the contents of the driver repository, yielding a second hash value; comparing the first hash value and the second hash value; if the first hash value and the second hash value match, comparing the date of the first hash value and the update date; and if the update date is later than the date of the first hash value, reporting that the candidate update has not yet been installed. |
| US08281295B2 |
Computer analysis and runtime coherency checking
Compiler analysis and runtime coherency checking for reducing coherency problems is provided. Source code is analyzed to identify at least one of a plurality of loops that contains a memory reference. A determination is made as to whether the memory reference is an access to a global memory that should be handled by at least one of a software controlled cache or a direct buffer. A determination is made as to whether there is a data dependence between the memory reference and at least one reference from at least one of other direct buffers or other software controlled caches in response to an indication that the memory reference is an access to the global memory that should be handled by either the software controlled cache or the direct buffer. A direct buffer transformation is applied to the memory reference in response to a negative indication of the data dependence. |
| US08281294B1 |
System and method for representing and managing a multi-architecture co-processor application program
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for representing and managing a multi-architecture co-processor application program. Source code for co-processor functions is compiled in two stages. The first stage incorporates a majority of the computationally intensive processing steps associated with co-processor code compilation. The first stage generates virtual assembly code from the source code. The second stage generates co-processor machine code from the virtual assembly. Both the virtual assembly and co-processor machine code may be included within the co-processor enabled application program. A co-processor driver uses a description of the currently available co-processor to select between virtual assembly and co-processor machine code. If the virtual assembly code is selected, then the co-processor driver compiles the virtual assembly into machine code for the current co-processor. |
| US08281284B2 |
Method and software for editing web documents
Disclosed is a method of editing text using a web-based text editor. The method comprises opening a document using a web-based text editor; receiving a first user input for selecting a block of text in the document; in reply to the first user input, inserting, into a source code of the document, a first temporary node before the selected block and a second temporary node after the selected block; receiving a second user input for applying an attribute to the selected block; and in reply to the second user input, adding an attribute node between the first and second temporary nodes of the source code so as to apply the attribute to at least part of the block of the document. |
| US08281279B2 |
Creating scan chain definition from high-level model using high-level model simulation
Mechanisms are provided for creating shift register definition from high-level model using high-level model simulation. The mechanisms initialize all potential scan chain latches, identify the latches in a given scan chain, and separate the scan chain latches into chunks. For each chunk, the mechanisms identify the latches within the chunk that change at each shift. The mechanisms isolate the scan path latch when divergence occurs. |
| US08281278B2 |
System and method for supporting design of semiconductor integrated circuit including processing scan chains
A design supporting system of a semiconductor integrated circuit, includes: a scan chain designing section configured to generate a scan chain of scan cells; a specific cell determining section configured to determine as specific scan cells, ones of the scan cells of the scan chain based on the number of gates to be driven when a data held by each of the specific scan cells changes on scan-inputting a pattern data from a scan-in side of the scan chain; and a reordering section configured to reorder the specific scan cells at positions closest to the scan-in side of the scan chain. In the first pattern data, a don't-care bit has a same bit data as that of a care bit. |
| US08281276B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuit and recording medium
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit includes: generating first data by performing floor planning based on semiconductor integrated circuit information and monitor path circuit information; generating second data by arranging at least one monitor path flip-flop and at least one monitor path circuit element in the first data based on monitor path position information; generating third data by performing arrangement or wiring based on the second data; generating a first timing analysis result by performing timing analysis on data corresponding to the semiconductor integrated circuit information of the third data; generating a second timing analysis result by performing timing analysis on data corresponding to the monitor path circuit information of the third data; modifying the semiconductor integrated circuit information by comparing the first timing analysis result with the second timing analysis result; and manufacturing the semiconductor integrated circuit based on the modified semiconductor integrated circuit information. |
| US08281275B2 |
Reducing leakage power in integrated circuit designs
A method for reducing leakage power of an IC during the design of the IC. A cell based IC design is received that includes a plurality of signal paths with positive slack. The positive slack is converted to negative slack by replacing cell instances in the IC design with footprint equivalent variants of the cell instances. The negative slack is converted back to positive slack via an iterative path-based analysis of the IC design. In each iteration, a path is selected that has negative slack and replacement values are computed for cell instances in the path. One or more cell instances in the path are then replaced with variants based on the replacement values. |
| US08281266B2 |
Systematic, normalized metric for analyzing and comparing optimization techniques for integrated circuits employing voltage scaling and integrated circuits designed thereby
Various embodiments of methods of designing an integrated circuit (IC). One embodiment of one such method includes: (1) generating a functional design for the IC, (2) determining performance objectives for the IC, (3) determining an optimization target voltage for the IC, (4) determining whether the IC needs voltage scaling to achieve the performance objectives at the optimization target voltage and, if so, whether the IC is to employ static voltage scaling or adaptive voltage scaling, (5) using the optimization target voltage to synthesize a layout from the functional IC design that meets the performance objectives by employing a unitless performance/power quantifier as a metric to gauge a degree of optimization thereof and (6) performing a timing signoff of the layout at the optimization target voltage. |
| US08281263B2 |
Propagating design tolerances to shape tolerances for lithography
An approach is provided that computes electrical delay ranges that correspond to a number of shapes included in a hardware design layout. The electrical delay ranges are converted to shape tolerances for each of the shapes. A lithography mask of the hardware design layout is generated using the shape tolerances so that the images of the shapes in the mask produced lie within the shape tolerances that correspond to the respective shape. |
| US08281262B2 |
Partitioning features of a single IC layer onto multiple photolithographic masks
One embodiment relates to a computer method of providing an electronic mask set for an integrated circuit (IC) layer. In the method, a first electronic mask is generated for the IC layer. The first electronic mask includes a first series of longitudinal segments from the IC layer, where the first series has fewer than all of the longitudinal segments in the IC layer. A second electronic mask is also generated for the IC layer. The second electronic mask includes a second series of longitudinal segments from the IC layer, where the second series has fewer than all of the longitudinal segments in the IC layer and differs from the first series. The first and second masks are generated so a coupling segment extends traverse to the first direction and couples one longitudinal segment on the IC layer to another longitudinal segment on the IC layer. |
| US08281261B2 |
Arrow logic system for creating and operating control systems
A graphic programming system for associating distinctive arrow appearances to specific transaction(s) that the arrow may convey among and between on-screen objects. The distinctive appearance features include arrow color, arrow style, and double-headed arrows, among many other possibilities. The system provides default relationships between specific arrow transactions and arrow appearance, so that, for example, a arrow of a particular color is recognized by the system (and easily identified by the user) to carry out a particular transaction. These relationships may be selectively varied by the user to suit individual needs. |
| US08281255B2 |
Method and system for using various content and content information in multiple menu structures
A system includes a user device and a content processing system establishing a provider homepage template and a plurality of content categories. The content processing system receives a first plurality of content and a first plurality of metadata from a first content provider, receives a first plurality of content categories corresponding to each of the respective first plurality of content. The content processing system receives a second plurality of content and a second plurality of metadata from a second content provider and receives a second plurality of content categories corresponding to each of the respective second plurality of content at a content processing system. The content processing system also receives homepage information for a first provider and communicates the first plurality of metadata, the second plurality of metadata, the first plurality of content categories and the second plurality of content categories to the user device. The user device forms a first menu structure with the first homepage information and the first plurality of metadata corresponding to the first content provider without the second plurality of metadata and forming a second menu structure with at least some of the first plurality of metadata and at least some of the second plurality of metadata and at least one of the first and second content categories. |
| US08281253B2 |
Windowing and controlling system thereof comprising a computer device
A method and a program system comprising a plurality of windows displayed as an evolving series of instances of said windows with different sizes is described. The content of said evolving series of instances of window sizes may be changed according to specific rules and a change is performed when a size is equal with at least one predefined reference size for a window. A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a possibility to display and manage a plurality of windows comprising standard input and output windows as well as system indicators on a small computer screen such as used in mobile telephones or Personal Digital Assistants. |
| US08281251B2 |
Apparatus and method for inputting characters/numerals for communication terminal
An apparatus and method for inputting characters/numerals for a communication terminal provided with a touch part is disclosed. A plurality of blocks are formed on a block main body in a touch screen keyboard of the touch part, through which designation of coordinates or selection of characters can be performed using a finger or a tool, for communications with an outside or data storage, and consonants of characters for each language are arranged on the respective blocks while vowels are arranged on a plurality of fixed blocks in at least four directions (e.g. upward, downward, left, right, and diagonal directions) in which the block main body moves. In the case of Korean (i.e. Hangeul) keyboard, Roman character keyboard, and Japanese keyboard, consonants are inputted by touching the respective blocks on the block main body, and vowels of the fixed blocks are inputted through manipulation of the block main body that moves in at least four directions. |
| US08281249B2 |
Apparatus and method for visually displaying an item of status information relating to a technical process on a plurality of screens
An apparatus for visually displaying an item of status information relating to a technical process is provided, the item being obtained using a process visualization system. The apparatus includes image generating means for generating an image with two image sections, wherein a display window associated with the process visualization system is displayed in the image. An information region for displaying the status information is provided in the display window. The display window is continuously configured by a user. The apparatus has image control means configured to detect a configuration of the display window carried out by the user, to determine image section regions of the display window which have been placed into individual image sections, to compare the image section regions which have been determined with a predefined selection criterion, and to automatically arrange an information region in each image section region of the display window satisfying the selection criterion. |
| US08281244B2 |
User interface for media playback
A graphical user interface made up of icons representing individual files and collectively forming the shape of a spiral is described along with methods of using and creating the graphical user interface. The spiral interface is useful to display detailed information about many of the items in a list and facilitates manipulation of list order and selection of the active file in the list. The interface further permits the use of a representative icon associated with the list as a whole. |
| US08281243B2 |
Display of work content
The present invention provides a worker with information about work to be paid attention when the work is displayed in the moving image data. Work content for each of steps of the work to be carried out on a product is stored as moving image data in a storage unit. In response to a desired step being selected on a display device, the moving image data corresponding to the selected step is read from the storage unit. Playback of the moving image data is started on the display device. When starting the playback of the moving image data, a time bar where a progress of the playback of the moving image data is indicated by a slider. Attention work is predetermined within the step of the work. An occurrence timing of the attention work is displayed corresponding to the time bar. |
| US08281240B2 |
Avatar aggregation in a virtual universe
An approach that aggregates avatars that are online in a virtual universe into an aggregated avatar is described. In one embodiment, there is an avatar identification component configured to identify a plurality of avatars that are online in the virtual universe. An avatar aggregation component is configured to aggregate the plurality of avatars into an aggregated avatar representative of the plurality avatars. |
| US08281239B2 |
System and method for inserting a graphic object in to a text based message
A system and method for selecting graphic objects to insert in a text message when composed on a wireless device, each of the graphic objects representing a set of individual alphanumeric characters. The system comprises an object table for display on a user interface of the device, such that the table is configured for including a first object of the graphic objects associated with a first predefined input and a second object of the graphic objects associated with a second predefined input. The first input is different from the second input. The system also has a first input event component for coupling to the user interface such that the first input event component is configured for mapping to the first predefined input. The system also has a second input event component for coupling to the user interface such that the second input event component is configured for mapping to the second predefined input, the first input event component being different from the second input event component. A user of the device selects one of the graphic objects from the table by employing the respective one of the input event components mapped to the predefined input associated with the graphic object in the table. |
| US08281237B1 |
System, method and recordable medium for printing services over a network and graphical user interface
This invention relates to a system and method to configure, view, and order a document online. The document is uploaded from a client and transferred over a network to a server. The server includes software that allows a user to configure and preview the document online. The user may change configuration parameters as desired. Once the configuration process is complete, the user may order the document, specifying multiple recipients as desired. The user is then billed for the order and the document is delivered to the indicated recipient(s). |
| US08281233B2 |
Architecture to expose internal business data on a website
A method for importing document data into a website hosted on a server computer includes a block of document data that is received at the server computer. The block of document data includes data from an identified section of a document. In response to receiving the block of document data, the server computer automatically updates a web page component on the website. The web page component is selected via a document widget on the server computer. The document data is mapped to the web page component. |
| US08281232B2 |
Integrated adaptive URL-shortening functionality
To provide a shortened version of a link that conveys useful information about the link's associated content, embodiments of the invention generate a shortened version of the link that comprises meaningful information about the original link. For example, in some embodiments such information includes portions of the link itself, such as domain and/or path components of the link's address text, content to which the link points, such as the text of a web page or other document referenced by the link's address text, or a rating of the content to which the link points. Thus, rather than generating an essentially random link, embodiments of the invention adaptively generate the shortened link to take into account the information about the link. Consequently, a user viewing the adaptively-generated shortened link can determine useful information about the content to which the shortened link leads based on the text of the shortened link itself. |
| US08281228B2 |
Method and device for information block coding and synchronization detecting
A method and a device for information block coding and synchronization detecting are provided. Information block coding and synchronization detecting are preformed according to a synchronization character sequence satisfying certain conditions. Thus, the probability of incorrect synchronization is effectively reduced without increasing the complexity. Optimal synchronization character sequences in different lengths are provided to further reduce the probability of incorrect synchronization. |
| US08281227B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method to increase data integrity in a redundant storage system
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed to increase data integrity in a redundant storage system. The receive module receives a read request to read data from a logical page spanning an array of N+P number of storage elements. The array of storage elements includes N number of the storage elements each storing a portion of an ECC chunk and P number of the storage elements storing parity data. The data read module reads data from at least a portion of a physical page on each of X number of storage elements of the N+P number of storage elements where X equals N. The regeneration module regenerates missing data. The ECC module determines if the read data and any regenerated missing data includes an error. The read data combined with any regenerated missing data includes the ECC chunk. |
| US08281224B1 |
Programmable LBA and dummy bit reliabilities
Data is processed by obtaining data and redundant information from an expected position in a channel. Soft position information associated with the data is obtained and error correction decoding is performed using the data, the redundant information, and the soft position information to obtain a decoded position and decoded data. It is determined if the decoded position matches the expected position and the decoded data is output in the event the decoded position matches the expected position. |
| US08281223B2 |
Detection of fuse re-growth in a microprocessor
A microprocessor includes a first plurality of fuses, a predetermined number of which are selectively blown. Control values are provided from the fuses to circuits of the microprocessor to control operation thereof. A second plurality of fuses are blown with the predetermined number of the first plurality of fuses that are blown and a Boolean complement of the predetermined number. In response to being reset, the microprocessor: reads the predetermined number and the Boolean complement of the predetermined number from the second plurality of fuses, Boolean complements the predetermined number read from the second plurality of fuses to generate a result, compares the result with the Boolean complement of the predetermined number read from the second plurality of fuses, and prevent itself from fetching and executing user program instructions if the result does not equal the Boolean complement of the predetermined number read from the second plurality of fuses. |
| US08281221B2 |
Operation method of MRAM including correcting data for single-bit error and multi-bit error
An operation method of a MRAM of the present invention stores in memory arrays, error correction codes, each of which comprises of symbols, each of which comprises bits, and to which an error correction is possible in units of symbols. In the operation method, the symbols are read by using the reference cells different from each other. Moreover, when a correctable error is detected in a read data of the error correction code from data cells corresponding to an input address, (A) a data in the data cell corresponding to an error bit is corrected, for a first error symbol as an error pattern of one bit, and (B) a data in the reference cell that is used to read a second error symbol is corrected for a second error symbol as en error pattern of the bits. |
| US08281219B2 |
Error correction code (ECC) circuit test mode
An ECC circuit and method for an integrated circuit memory allows a user to enter a test mode and select a specific location to force a known failure on any memory chip, whether it is fully functional or partially functional. Additional circuitry is placed in the data path where existing buffers and drivers are already located, minimizing any additional speed loss or area penalty required to implement the forced data failure. In a first general method, a logic zero is forced onto a selected data line at a given time. In a second general method, a logic one is forced onto a selected data line at a given time. |
| US08281218B1 |
Data manipulation engine
Data storage devices are provided according to various embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment, a data storage device comprises a host interface, a buffer, a storage media interface, and a data manipulation engine. The data manipulation engine comprises a receive pipe configured to read first and second data blocks from first and second locations in the buffer and to check the validity of the first and second data blocks, an arithmetic logic unit configured to perform a logic operation on first and second user data of the first and second data blocks, respectively, to generate third user data, and a transmit pipe configured to receive the third user data from the arithmetic logic unit, to generate and append a third checksum to the third user data to produce a third data block, and to write the third data block to a third location in the buffer. |
| US08281213B1 |
LDPC codes and expansion method
A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmitter including a scrambler and a forward error correction encoder. The scrambler is configured to receive user data and generate scrambled data in response to the user data. The forward error correction encoder is configured to generate encoded data, in response to the scrambled data, using a low density parity check (LDPC) matrix, wherein the LDPC matrix is derived from a specified base matrix. |
| US08281212B1 |
Iterative ECC decoder with out of order completion
Processing a sequence of data frames in an error correction code (ECC) decoder is disclosed. Processing includes receiving a first data frame in the sequence of data frames, storing the first data frame, initiating processing of the first data frame using the ECC decoder that includes a faster stage and a slower stage, receiving a second data frame from the input sequence of data frames, storing the second data frame, and initiating processing of the second data frame through the ECC decoder before the first data frame is finished being processed using the ECC decoder. |
| US08281210B1 |
Optimized correction factor for low-power min-sum low density parity check decoder (LDPC)
An iterative decoder configured to implement a min-sum with correction algorithm. The iterative decoder includes N parity check nodes coupled to M equality constraint nodes. The iterative decoder further includes a first parity check node configured to send an output to a first equality constraint node. Responsive to a minimum magnitude of other M−1 inputs to the first parity check node being lower than a pre-determined threshold, the parity check node sends the output having a same magnitude as that of the minimum magnitude of the other M−1 inputs to the first parity check node. Responsive to the minimum magnitude of the other M−1 inputs to the first parity check node being greater than the pre-determined threshold, the parity check node subtracts a correction factor in the form of p·2q from the minimum magnitude. |
| US08281206B2 |
Low density parity code encoding device and decoding device and encoding and decoding methods thereof
A low density parity code (LDPC) encoding and decoding devices and encoding and decoding methods thereof are provided. An LDPC encoding device includes an information obtaining unit which obtains status information of at least two frequency bands, a matrix generation unit which generates a parity check matrix based on the status information, the parity check matrix including sub matrices which correspond to the at least two frequency bands, and an encoder which generates data bits and parity bits using an LDPC with the generated parity check matrix. |
| US08281195B1 |
Scan architecture for full custom blocks
An output storage latch within a combinational logic circuit may be adapted to form a scan flip-flop latch that supports both functional operation and scan chain testing of a combinational logic matrix included in the combinational logic circuit. A described master/slave clock approach allows the scan flip-flop latch to support receiving into a scan chain a sequence of test input data, execution of combinational logic matrix testing based on the test input data, and sequentially outputting test results to a test result register for comparison with expected results. The described scan flip-flop latch may be used along side unaltered output storage latches thereby allowing flexibility with respect to the number and placement scan chain test points within an integrated circuit. Use of the described dual-use scan flip-flop latch results in a less complex circuit design, reduced circuit area requirements and improved reliability. |
| US08281193B2 |
Method of protecting a test circuit
A test vector decode circuit includes a lockout circuit to prevent inadvertent latching of output vectors. The test vector decode circuit is driven by an additional output vector from the test vector decode circuit. The additional output vector, as well as the other output vectors, undergo at least one latching. A signal transmitted by the additional output vector as a result of the final latching activates the lockout circuit. The test vector decode circuit also receives a supervoltage signal. Only by turning off the supervoltage signal can all of the output test vectors be reset, including the additional output vector. |
| US08281192B2 |
Storage medium reproducing apparatus, storage medium reproducing method, and computer program product for reading information from storage medium
A storage medium reproducing apparatus includes a storage unit, a correction history storage unit, a correction history implementing unit, and a correcting unit. The storage unit includes a plurality of information storage units storing information depending on whether a charge quantity is greater than a predetermined charge quantity threshold value, and a correction code storage unit storing error correction codes for the information stored in the information storage units. The correction history storage unit stores a correction history containing identification information for the information storage unit corrected with an error correction code is performed, and a content of the correction. The correction history implementing unit corrects information in compliance with the content of the correction when the information is read from the information storage unit. The correcting unit performs a correcting operation using an error correction code on the corrected information, and registers the correction history of the corrected information storage unit. |
| US08281186B1 |
Operational failure mitigation
Apparatus and methods for electronically evaluating the criticality of a weakness in a process. The apparatus and methods may compile and store data related to business priorities and business operations. Subsequent calculations quantifying the impact of a process step failure may incorporate the stored business process data to arrive at a quantified measure of the relative criticality of a failure in the context of the process as a whole. |
| US08281185B2 |
Advice-based feedback for transactional execution
One embodiment provides a system that facilitates the execution of a transaction for a program in a hardware-supported transactional memory system. During operation, the system records a failure state of the transaction during execution of the transaction using hardware transactional memory mechanisms. Next, the system detects a transaction failure associated with the transaction. Finally, the system provides an advice state associated with the recorded failure state to the program to facilitate a response to the transaction failure by the program. |
| US08281184B1 |
System and method for reliable non-blocking messaging for multi-process application replication
A system, method, and computer readable medium for reliable messaging between two or more servers. The computer readable medium includes computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system. Primary applications runs on primary hosts and one or more replicated instances of each primary application run on one or more backup hosts. The reliable messaging ensures consistent ordered delivery of messages in the event that messages are lost; arrive out of order, or in duplicate. The messaging layer operates over TCP or UDP with our without multi-cast and broad-cast and requires no modification to applications, operating system or libraries. |
| US08281183B2 |
Apparatus with redundant circuitry and method therefor
An apparatus with circuit redundancy includes a set of parallel arithmetic logic units (ALUs), a redundant parallel ALU, input data shifting logic that is coupled to the set of parallel ALUs and that is operatively coupled to the redundant parallel ALU. The input data shifting logic shifts input data for a defective ALU, in a first direction, to a neighboring ALU in the set. When the neighboring ALU is the last or end ALU in the set, the shifting logic continues to shift the input data for the end ALU that is not defective, to the redundant parallel ALU. The redundant parallel ALU then operates for the defective ALU. Output data shifting logic is coupled to an output of the parallel redundant ALU and all other ALU outputs to shift the output data in a second and opposite direction than the input shifting logic, to realign output of data for continued processing, including for storage or for further processing by other circuitry. |
| US08281181B2 |
Method and apparatus for selectively active dispersed storage memory device utilization
The method begins with a processing unit receiving an encoded slice for storage. The method continues with the processing unit determining whether to store the encoded slice in one of a first set of memory devices or in one of a second set of memory devices based on metadata associated with the encoded slice, wherein the first set of memory devices are continually active and the second set of memory devices are selectively active. The method continues with the processing unit stores the encoded slice in the one of the second set of memory devices when the encoded slice is to be stored in the one of the second set of memory devices. The method continues with the processing unit de-activating the one of the second set of memory devices, in accordance with a deactivation protocol, after storing the encoded slice. |
| US08281174B2 |
Energy saving operation of a hardwired communication interface and a function unit provided for the communication interface of a field device
A field device of process automation technology which includes a hardwire communication interface and a functional unit associated with the communication interface. The functional unit is embodied in such a manner, that it performs sending and/or receiving of digital signals via the communication interface. The field device is embodied in such a manner, that the functional unit is operable in a clocked manner, wherein, in the clocked operation, active time periods, in which the functional unit is activated, alternate with turned-off periods of time, in which the functional unit is switched off. |
| US08281172B2 |
Server with multiple power supplies transitioning first power supply from its online state to its standby state and second power supply to its deep-sleep state
One exemplary embodiment is a server that includes multiple power supplies. When the server is in a standby state, one power supply is in a standby state and another power supply is in a deep sleep state. |
| US08281169B2 |
Method and system for power management for a handheld mobile electronic device executing-in-place an application kernel from execute-in-place non-volatile memory (XIP NVM)
Methods (10, 70, 90, and 100) and systems (50, 80, 150, and 200) for enhancing user experiences on a mobile device use non-volatile execute-in-place memory (60, 160, 207) to provide faster boot-up, reduce current drain, improve security, and facilitate storage decisions that all enhance the operation of the mobile device for a user. Methods and systems embodied herein can include power management for handheld mobile electronic devices. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08281168B2 |
Data processor
A data processor includes: a data input unit that inputs data in real time; an input data storing unit in which the inputted data is stored; a signal processing unit that reads out the stored data and performs signal processing of the stored data; a signal processing control unit that has the signal processing unit intermittently perform the signal processing faster than real-time; a clock/power source control unit that reduces power consumption by restricting a clock signal and/or electric power to the signal processing unit and the signal processing control unit in an inactive period of the intermittent operation; and an input monitor unit that monitors the volume of stored data, requests the clock/power source control unit to remove a clock or power restriction based on the volume, and requests the signal processing control unit to move into an active period of the intermittent operation. |
| US08281167B2 |
Electronic control apparatus provided with plural microcomputers for electronically controlling electronic devices mounted in vehicle
In an electronic control apparatus for vehicles, there is provided a main microcomputer activated when a given activation condition is met and a sub-microcomputer to which a power control signal controlling power supply to the sub-microcomputer is supplied. A first power supply unit supplies, via a first supply line, power supply voltage to the main microcomputer for activation, and a second power supply unit supplies, via a second supply line different from the first supply line, power supply voltage to the sub-microcomputer for activation when the sub-microcomputer receives the power control signal. The main microcomputer determines whether or not the sub-microcomputer should be made to operate and performs a switchover between output and non-output of the power control signal to the second power supply unit based on the determined results, whereby the power supply to the sub-microcomputer is controlled. |
| US08281162B2 |
Electrical power management device
The present invention discloses a power management device that measures the idle or standby power consumed by an attached electronic product, and then automatically and completely shuts off all power to the electronic product when that product consumes idle power for a continuous, predetermined length of time. |
| US08281156B2 |
Information processing device, information recording medium, information processing method, and computer program
A data placement configuration which ensures seamless playback of contents having segment portions including multiple different variations of encrypted data is provided. With regard to contents having segment portions configured of multiple different variations of encrypted data to which individual segment keys have been applied, and non-segment portions serving as encrypted data to which a unit key has been applied, the placement of segment data and non-segment portion configuration data is determined such that the maximum jump distance executed at the time of playback processing is equal to or less than a maximum jump distance set beforehand. Data placement has been determined based on seek time, ECC block processing time, sequence key usage time which is key switchover time, and so forth. |
| US08281154B2 |
Encrypting data in volatile memory
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method to allocate blocks of memory in a memory device having a plurality of blocks. At least one unencrypted memory allocation function coded in an application is executed to request allocation of unencrypted blocks in the memory device. An encrypted memory allocation function coded in the application is executed to request allocation of encrypted blocks in the memory device. At least one unencrypted Input/Output (I/O) request function coded in the application indicating an I/O operation to perform against the unencrypted blocks in the memory device is executed. At least one encrypted I/O request function coded in the application indicating an I/O operation to perform against the encrypted blocks in the memory device is executed. An operating system uses an encryption key associated with the encrypted blocks to encrypt or decrypt data in the encrypted blocks to perform the encrypted I/O operation in response to processing the encrypted I/O request functions, wherein the unencrypted and encrypted memory allocation functions and unencrypted and encrypted I/O request functions comprise different functions in a library of functions available to the application. |
| US08281152B2 |
Storage data encryption
Managing data on a storage device includes intercepting unencrypted data to be stored on the storage device, where intercepting unencrypted data is transparent to an application storing the data on the storage device and encrypting the data prior to storage on the storage device. The storage device may include a tape drive and/or a disk drive. Managing data on a storage device may also include migrating data from a first storage location to a second storage location. The first storage location may be the same as the second storage location or the first storage location may be different from the second storage location. The unencrypted data may be intercepted during migration. Managing data on a storage device may also include decrypting data read from the storage device. |
| US08281151B2 |
Auditor assisted extraction and verification of client data returned from a storage provided while hiding client data from the auditor
Various approaches for extracting client's data from a storage provider are presented. In one approach, an auditor is initialized with a verification data set that confirms that an initial version of a data set stored by the storage provider is intact. The auditor extracts a second version of the data set from the storage provider; the second version hides information specified by the data set from the auditor. The auditor determines whether the second version matches the initial version. The second version is returned to the client if the initial version matches the second version. The auditor is prevented from recovering the information specified by the data set using the state information, and the client need not store any state information related to the initial and second versions needed to recover the information specified by the data set. If the initial version does not match the second version, the auditor outputs data indicative of data corruption. |
| US08281148B2 |
Securely computing a similarity measure
The present invention relates to a method and a system of securely computing a measure of similarity for at least two sets of data. A basic idea of the present invention is to securely compare two sets of encrypted data to determine whether the two sets of data resemble each other to a sufficient extent. If the measure of similarity complies with predetermined criteria, the two sets of data from which the encrypted sets of data originate are considered to be identical. |
| US08281145B2 |
Doing business without SSN, EIN, and charge card numbers
The present invention introduces encrypted identifiers to be used when the owner of an identifier wants to hide the original identifier away from public exposure but still be able to be uniquely identified through the encrypted form of the identifier. The encrypted proxy identifiers are generated using a Rule Number that references a user-specific algorithm and encryption key that is different for every user. One or more identity-owner-specific passwords are also utilized. |
| US08281141B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring and analyzing degree of trust and information assurance attributes information in a data providence architecture workflow
A method and apparatus that monitors and analyzes degree of trust and information assurance attributes information in a data providence architecture workflow is disclosed. The method may include receiving a message having a data provenance wrapper, examining each data provenance record of the message and any attachments for discrepancies, identifying any discrepancies in the examination of each data provenance record of the message and any attachments; calculating a degree of trust based on any discrepancies identified in the examination of each data provenance record of the message and any attachments, and presenting the degree of trust and information assurance attributes information to the user on a display. |
| US08281133B1 |
Predictive real-time pairwise master key identification (PMKID) generation
A device receives, from a wireless access point, a pairwise master key identification (PMKID) based on a known pairwise master key (PMK), and determines whether the received PMKID matches one of multiple PMKIDs stored in a cache associated with the device. The device dynamically generates a PMKID based on the known PMK when the received PMKID does not match one of the multiple PMKIDs stored in the cache, and performs a fast four-way handshake to establish a secure connection between the device and the wireless access point when the dynamically generated PMKID matches the received PMKID. |
| US08281130B2 |
Authentication system and authentication object device
To provide an authentication system for improving security, using fewer encryption keys. An authentication requesting device (20) and an authentication target device (10) hold common encryption keys. The authentication requesting device (20) encrypts an authentication code, then selects mutually different portions in the authentication code as switching target portions, and sends an encrypted authentication code and information about the switching target portions to the authentication target device (10). The authentication target device (10) switches the switching target portions in a code obtained by decrypting the received code, to thereby produce a switched authentication code, then encrypts the switched authentication code, and sends to the authentication requesting device (20). The authentication requesting device (20) compares the switched authentication code obtained by decrypting the code received with a code obtained by switching the switching target portions of the authentication code to carry out an authentication process for the authentication target device (10). |
| US08281129B1 |
Direct authentication system and method via trusted authenticators
Fraud and identity theft are enabled by two faulty assumptions about the way that the identity of a person is verified in our society. The first is that someone who demonstrates knowledge of certain items of personal or financial information about a particular person is presumed to be that person. The second assumption, which gives rise to the first assumption, is that these items of information can be kept confidential. Because fraudsters and identity thieves often seek to use their victim's personal and financial information, this invention proposes a direct authentication system and method that does not depend on these assumptions. The proposed method enables businesses to determine whether the customer is truly the person who he says he is by adopting a new “two-factor” authentication technique and authenticating customer's identity utilizing customer's trusted authenticator. A customer's trusted authenticator can be found within the financial services community; in particular, a bank or other financial institution with whom the customer has a trusted relationship, such as a bank account. |
| US08281128B2 |
Method and apparatus for encrypting transport stream of multimedia content, and method and apparatus for decrypting transport stream of multimedia content
A method of transporting an encrypted stream of multimedia content is provided. In the method, when a packet contains data of a predetermined length including selected data from pieces of data corresponding to the multimedia content and a header, key information, and first time information from among pieces of information included in a selected packet from among at least one packet are received, and encryption information is determined from the key information and the first time information, according to a key derivation function. The first time information is variable with time. The at least one packet including data corresponding to the multimedia content is encrypted using the encryption information. The at least one encrypted packet and the key information are transported. |
| US08281126B2 |
Out of band encryption
Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for securing data transmission in networks. Embodiments of the invention further relate to encryption methods that dynamically adjust during the course of data transmission. Further, the encryption methods can adapt dynamically without user intervention. In one embodiment, an encryption scheme can be established, controlled, and monitored via out-of-band communication between transceiver modules. |
| US08281125B1 |
System and method for providing secure remote email access
A computer-implemented system and method for providing secure remote document access is provided. An index is created for the documents in a local document store. The resulting index is provided to a remote search server that operates independently of the local document store. Each document in the document store is also encrypted and provided to a remote document server that operates independently of the local document store. The encrypted documents can be located using the index on the remote search server and can be retrieved from the remote document server using an identifier obtained from the remote search server. |
| US08281123B2 |
Apparatus and method for managing and protecting information during use of semi-trusted interfaces
A system and method for managing private information while using semi-trusted interfaces is described. In an embodiment, an intermediate node may receive a first and second communication between a semi-trusted node and a trusted node. In managing private information, the intermediate node may append private information to the first communication sent from the semi-trusted node to the trusted node, and remove private information from the second communication sent from the trusted node to the semi-trusted node. |
| US08281121B2 |
Private aggregation of distributed time-series data
Techniques are described herein for privately aggregating distributed time-series data. A requestor provides a query sequence to users. Each user evaluates the query sequence on the user's time-series data to determine an answer sequence. Each user transforms its answer sequence to another domain, adds noise, and encrypts it for further processing by the requestor. The requestor combines these encrypted sequences in accordance with a homomorphic encryption technique to provide an encrypted summation sequence. The requestor provides the encrypted summation sequence to at least some of the users, who may in turn provide respective decryption shares to the requestor. The requestor combines the decryption shares in an effort to decrypt the encrypted summation sequence. Decrypting the encrypted summation sequence provides a summation of the encrypted sequences from the users, which may be transformed back to the original domain to estimate a summation of the answer sequences of the users. |
| US08281119B1 |
Separate normal firmware and developer firmware
A computer-implemented method for booting a computer is disclosed according to an aspect of the subject technology. The computer comprises firmware memory including a first section and a second section. The method comprises determining at boot time whether a developer mode is enabled on the computer, and, if the developer mode is enabled, then booting the computer using developer firmware stored in the first section of the firmware memory. The method also comprises, if the developer mode is disabled, then booting the computer using normal firmware stored in the second section of the firmware memory. |
| US08281117B2 |
Method and a memory unit for booting a server by copying boot data from an exchangeable memory unit to primary hard disk of the server
The invention relates to a server with at least one removable storage unit. This removable storage unit is designed to boot a server. The removable storage unit, which is for example a memory card, comprises a non-writable storage, which stores a boot-loader and reference installation files, and a writable secondary storage, which is designed to store installation files. The boot-loader checks a data content of the secondary storage and a data content of a primary storage of the server. In case the secondary storage is not empty and the primary storage is either empty or comprises a different data content than the secondary storage, the boot-loader stores the data content of the secondary storage in the primary storage of the server. |
| US08281116B2 |
System and method for utilizing a protected/hidden region of semiconductor based memory/storage
A method for accessing a protected area of a solid-state storage device via firmware control is described. During system initialization, firmware components are loaded and executed to initialize a computer system. These firmware components include a firmware driver for accessing solid-state storage devices connected to the computer system. The system firmware enables a protected area on a solid-state storage device's media to be accessed under firmware control. After firmware accesses, the protected area is closed from access by non-firmware entities by “hiding” the true size of the media such that those entities are unaware of this area of the media. Mechanisms are disclosed for providing firmware access to the protected area only during pre-boot, and for both pre-boot and run-time operations. The firmware-controlled media access scheme may be used to load firmware stored on solid-state media during pre-boot and to store system information in the protected area during pre-boot and/or run-time operations. |
| US08281115B2 |
Security method using self-generated encryption key, and security apparatus using the same
A security method and a security apparatus are disclosed which use a self-generated encryption key. The security method includes the steps of: generating an encryption key; decrypting pre-encrypted data using a pre-stored manufacturer key; and re-encrypting the decrypted data using the encryption key. The security method and apparatus minimize external leakage of data by self-generating the unique encryption key. Since the encryption keys are unique in each set, set binding is possible. |
| US08281113B2 |
Processor having ALU with dynamically transparent pipeline stages
An arithmetic-logic unit for performing an operation of a prescribed bit length in an execution stage of a processor includes a plurality of sub-arithmetic-logic units which perform in respectively different pipeline stages sub-operations created by decomposing the operation of the prescribed bit length in a bit length direction, and a plurality of pipeline registers provided so as to separate the pipeline stages from each other, wherein each of the pipeline registers operates in such a manner as to be switchable between two operation modes, a flip-flop mode in which an output value is updated in synchronism with an input trigger and a transparent mode in which an input value is directly output. |
| US08281107B2 |
Method of sharing coarse grained array and processor using the method
A method of sharing a coarse grained array and a processor using the method is provided. A processor includes a first processor core including a plurality of first functional units which execute a first instruction set, a second processor core including a plurality of second functional units which execute a second instruction set, and a coarse grained array including a plurality of third functional units which execute a portion of instructions of the first instruction set and/or the second instruction set, instead of the first processor core and/or the second processor core. |
| US08281104B2 |
Method and apparatus for balancing storage access on intelligent digital disk recorders
A method includes designating at least three storage partitions on at least two logical drives, placing a first storage partition on a first of the logical drives adjacent to a second storage partition on a second of the logical drives separate from the first logical drives, and creating a third partition among both the first and second of the logical drives. The first, second and third partitions are balanced for storage access symmetry such that the drives bear equal storage placement. |
| US08281101B2 |
Dynamic random access memory with shadow writes
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for reducing write-to-read turnaround times using shadow writes in memory controllers and in DRAM. Embodiments of controllers including shadow write control logic may, in response to receiving a write request, issue an external write column address strobe (CAS) to DRAM to latch a valid write CAS address, and assert a set of write data values to be stored in a set of DRAM locations corresponding to the write CAS address. After asserting the write CAS and prior to asserting the complete set of write data values, such memory controllers may, in response to receiving a read request, issue an external read CAS to DRAM to indicate a valid read CAS address. A set of read data values from a second set of DRAM locations corresponding to the read CAS address, are received with reduced turnaround time after asserting the complete set of write data values. |
| US08281091B2 |
Automatic selection of storage volumes in a data storage system
A method of selecting a target volume in a storage system is provided. The method comprises defining one or more parameters for a plurality of storage volumes in the storage system according to user preference; dynamically collecting information related to the parameters while the storage volumes are used; receiving a request to backup a first source volume in the storage system; and selecting or creating the target volume based on the collected information. |
| US08281090B2 |
Pool spares for data storage virtualization subsystem
A data storage virtualization subsystem (SVS) for providing storage to a host entity is disclosed. The SVS comprises a storage virtualization controller for connecting to the host entity, at least one physical storage device (PSD) pool, and at least one PSD is designated to be a pool spare PSD to the at least one PSD pool. The at least one PSD pool comprises at least one PSD to store user data or associated redundant information and is given a pool ID for identifying the PSD pool. |
| US08281089B2 |
Storage system and its initial copy method
Upon starting the initial copy process, a pair creation command is issued from a primary disk subsystem to a secondary disk subsystem. The secondary disk subsystem sets a target area of a second disk drive to an unwritten status, and thereafter writes update data that was updated in a primary site into a designated area of the second disk drive. Subsequently, when data of a first disk drive is backed up to an external medium, the external memory medium is transported to a secondary site, and then connected to a host computer. Unwritten data among the backup data recorded in the external memory medium is thereafter restored to the first disk drive, and the initial copy is completed on the condition that all data in the first disk drive has been copied to the second disk drive. |
| US08281086B2 |
De-interleaving and interleaving for data processing
Among others, techniques and apparatus are described for de-interleaving. A data processing apparatus includes a buffer to store interleaved data; an interleaving index producing unit to produce an interleaving index of the interleaved data; and an output control unit to output the data stored in the buffer using the interleaving index. |
| US08281084B2 |
Method and interface for access to memory within a first electronic device by a second electronic device
In one embodiment of the present invention, a two-register interface is provided by a first electronic device to allow access to memory within the electronic device by external electronic devices. The two-register interface is mapped from the memory of an accessing, second electronic device. READ and WRITE accesses are transmitted from the accessing, second electronic device to the two-register interface through a communications medium. A first register of the two-register interface directs access to a particular memory location, and the second register of the two-register interface provides a portal for both READ and WRITE access to the particular memory location. |
| US08281083B2 |
Device, system and method of generating an execution instruction based on a memory-access instruction
Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus, system, and method of generating an execution instruction. Some demonstrative embodiments my include generating an execution instruction of a predetermined executable format based on memory address data of a memory-access instruction representing a memory address. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08281082B2 |
Hypervisor page fault processing in a shared memory partition data processing system
Hypervisor page fault processing logic is provided for a shared memory partition data processing system. The logic, responsive to an executing virtual processor of the shared memory partition data processing system encountering a hypervisor page fault, allocates an input/output (I/O) paging request to the virtual processor from an I/O paging request pool and increments an outstanding I/O paging request count for the virtual processor. A determination is then made whether the outstanding I/O paging request count for the virtual processor is at a predefined threshold, and if not, the logic places the virtual processor in a wait state with interrupt wake-up reasons enabled based on the virtual processor's state, otherwise, it places the virtual processor in a wait state with interrupt wake-up reasons disabled. |
| US08281079B2 |
Multi-processor system receiving input from a pre-fetch buffer
Multi-processor systems and methods are disclosed that employ a pre-fetch buffer to provide data fills to a source processor in response to a request. A pre-fetch buffer retrieves data as a uncached data fill. The source processor processes the data in response to a source request. |
| US08281077B2 |
Local media cache with leader files
An apparatus and method for providing media content to electronic equipment includes transferring media content to the electronic equipment, and using rules to determine how pre-existing media content and the cached media content are stored in memory when free memory in the electronic equipment is insufficient to store the cached media content. At least part of the transferred media content is cached in memory of the electronic equipment for use at a later time. |
| US08281075B2 |
Processor system and methods of triggering a block move using a system bus write command initiated by user code
A technique for triggering a system bus write command with user code includes identifying a specific store-type instruction in a user instruction sequence. The specific store-type instruction is converted into a specific request-type command, which is configured to include core permission controls (that are stored in core configuration registers of a processor core by a trusted kernel) and user created data (stored in a cache memory). Slave devices are configured through register space (that is only accessible by the trusted kernel) with respective slave permission controls. The specific request-type command is then transmitted from the cache memory, via a system bus. In this case, the slave devices that receive the specific request-type command process the specific request-type command when the core permission controls are the same as the respective slave permission controls. The trusted kernel may be included in a hypervisor or an operating system. |
| US08281069B2 |
Distributed data storage system using local copy operations for RAID-1 volumes
In a distributed RAID-1 (DR1) copy operation, operation of source and target DR1 volumes is first converted to a local-copy operating mode in which the distributed copy operation is converted into a set of local copy operations. Each t is performed at a respective location of the disks of the DR1 volumes and involves copying data of the source DR1 from a first disk to a second disk via a local second communication channel of relatively high bandwidth. Following conversion, the local copy operations are performed at the locations. Upon completion of the local copy operations, storage operations to the source and target DR1 volumes are temporarily suspended, operation of the source and target DR1 volumes is converted back to the normal operating mode, and storage operations to the source and target DR1 volumes are resumed. |
| US08281067B2 |
Disk array controller with reconfigurable data path
A disk array controller apparatus (10) is disclosed having at least two logical ports (Logical Port #0-Logical Port #3) for interfacing with a host (12) and having one or more physical ports (Physical Port #0-Physical Port #4), each physical port arranged for attaching at least one disk drive to the controller, and the controller including a switch (26), the switch providing dynamically configurable data paths (30) between the logical data ports and physical data ports, responsive to the contents of a Mapping Register (24). The Mapping Register defines a desired disk drive array by specifying an association of each logical port to one of the physical ports. The mapping register can be organized as a logical mapping register, comprising a field for each logical port of the controller, and includes provision for designating a redundant array for RAID operations. |
| US08281062B2 |
Portable storage device supporting file segmentation and multiple transfer rates
A storage device has two connectors for transferring data files: a first connector through which data files can be transferred at an accelerated speed, and a second connector through which data files can be transferred at a conventional speed. According to the present disclosure a user can select the speed (i.e., “normal speed” or “accelerated speed”) at which s/he wants to transfer a data file from a host to the storage device, and vice versa, by connecting the host to the proper connector of the storage device. The first connector is internally connected to a plurality of controllers that facilitate data transfers at the accelerated speed, and the second connector is internally connected to a controller that facilitates data transfers at the normal speed. |
| US08281061B2 |
Data conditioning to improve flash memory reliability
Methods and apparatus for managing data storage in memory devices utilizing memory arrays of varying density memory cells. Data can be initially stored in lower density memory. Data can be further read, compacted, conditioned and written to higher density memory as background operations. Methods of data conditioning to improve data reliability during storage to higher density memory and methods for managing data across multiple memory arrays are also disclosed. |
| US08281059B2 |
Electronic device having projection functionality
An electronic device with a projection functionality includes: a universal serial bus (USB) port, a processing circuit, a storage, a storage controller and a display circuit. The USB port receives USB packets carrying a first pixel data. The processing circuit is coupled to the USB port, and converts the received USB packets into the first pixel data. The storage controller is coupled between the processing circuit and the storage, and stores the first pixel data into the storage. The display circuit is coupled to the storage controller, and generates a display driving signal according to the first pixel data stored in the storage. |
| US08281058B1 |
Systems and methods for using USB device descriptors to identify computing environments
An exemplary method for using USB device descriptors to uniquely identify computing environments may include: 1) detecting a set of USB devices connected to a computing device within a computing environment, 2) obtaining a USB device descriptor for each USB device within the set of USB devices, and then 3) creating an environmental signature for the computing environment that identifies the computing environment based at least in part on the USB device descriptors. Exemplary methods for using such environmental signatures to uniquely identify computing environments are also disclosed. |
| US08281052B2 |
Dynamically setting burst length of double data rate memory device by applying signal to at least one external pin during a read or write transaction
A microprocessor system having a microprocessor and a double data rate memory device having separate groups of external pins adapted to receive addressing, data, and control information and a memory controller adapted to set a burst type of the double data rate memory to interleaved or sequential by sending a signal through one of the external pins of the double data rate memory device, such that when a read command is sent by the controller, depending on the burst type set, the double data rate memory device returns interleaved or sequentially output data to the memory controller. |
| US08281049B2 |
Host-daughtercard configuration with double data rate bus
A double data rate bus system includes a host-network interface card configuration wherein the host is configured to recognize the network interface card to establish a double data rate bus between the host and the network interface card. The host is configured to generate a plurality of generic data frame queues. Each of the generic data frame queues is configured to receive and to transmit generic data frames via the double data rate bus. The network interface card is configured to transmit a plurality of dynamic memory access read requests to the host via the double data rate bus. The host is configured to allow each of the plurality of dynamic memory access read requests to remain pending prior to responding to any one of the plurality of dynamic memory access read requests. |
| US08281044B2 |
Data flow control and bridging architecture enhancing performance of removable data storage systems
A data flow control and bridging architecture that enhances the performance of removable data storage systems. In one implementation, the present invention provides a bypass bus implementation where the data transfer phase associated with select commands occurs directly between the host computing system and the target removable data storage unit. In one implementation, the present invention further provides a data flow and bridging architecture that emulates a removable media interface, such as the ATAPI interface, to the host computing system, and translates these commands for a target removable storage unit that implements a fixed media interface, such as the ATA interface. In yet another implementation, the present invention provides a data flow and bridging architecture that supports the serial ATA interface. |
| US08281042B2 |
Memory device and management method of memory device
A memory device and a method of managing a memory are provided. The memory device includes a command queue configured to receive a first command from a host to store the first command, and to read and transmit the first command, a controller configured to read, from a storage device, data corresponding to the first command transmitted from the command queue, and to store the data in a buffer memory, and a first memory configured to store a data list of data stored in the buffer memory, wherein, in response to the command queue receiving the first command from the host, the controller updates the data list of data stored in the first memory. |
| US08281041B2 |
System and method for preventing keypad entry errors
A system and method for processing keystrokes made while operating a medical device to prevent keypad entry errors. The key press-to-press time is monitored and a subsequent key press rejected if the actual key press-to-press time is shorter than a key press-to-press limit. The actual key inactive time between the release of a key and the subsequent press of a key is compared to an inactive time limit. The subsequent key press is rejected if the actual inactive time is shorter than the inactive time limit. Alerts are provided and further key presses are ignored until the operator presses a CLEAR key. The active time of a key press is monitored and compared to an active time limit. If the actual key press active time exceeds the key press active time limit, an alert is provided but the key press is recognized. An adaptive approach is disclosed in which key presses of an operator are monitored and timing limits modified in accordance with the keying patterns of that operator. |
| US08281039B2 |
Reconfigurable multimedia collaboration system
A system for multimedia communications implemented with reconfigurable technology is disclosed. The system includes: a SIP engine implemented in hardware that executes functions defined by Session Initiation Protocol (SIP); a XML engine implemented in hardware that executes functions defined by Extensible Markup Language (XML); and an interface that coordinates functions executed by the SIP engine and the XML engine. A standard set of features are provided for robust communications while permitting the addition of more features to enhance the multimedia communications experience. For example, audio and video communication, instant messaging and presence can be provided by the system while P2P and IP Multimedia Systems (IMS) can be provided through expansion. Reconfigurable technology allows the system to achieve optimal performance in performing various tasks. |
| US08281038B2 |
Thin client terminal, operation program and method thereof, and thin client system
A thin client terminal 1 that can be connected to a thin client operation management server 3 includes: a memory 12 capable of storing system data for mobile environment used when the thin client terminal 1 is not connected to the thin client operation management server 3; and a controller generation section 13c that acquires the system data for non-mobile environment and uses the system data for non-mobile environment to generate a thin client controller 11a, generates a driver 11c capable of accessing the memory 12 by the operation of the thin client controller 11a, and uses the driver 11c to write the system data for mobile environment acquired from the thin client operation management server 3 in the memory 12. |
| US08281037B2 |
System and method for delivering content to users on a network
A system and method for targeting content to users of a device or network of user-operated devices. In an embodiment, profile information is determined about a user's media consumption activities. One or more inputs are received from an external source to specify what content to target to the user. One or more content items are selected to target to the user based on the profile information and the one or more inputs. The selection of content items is performed without communicating the profile information outside of the user's device or network of user-operated devices. |
| US08281035B2 |
Optimized network resource location
A method for delivering resources in a distributed computing environment, wherein at least a first resource and a second resource are associated with a content provider, and wherein the first resource references the second resource via a first uniform resource locator (URL), the first URL having a first domain name that resolves to a server associated with a domain of the content provider. The second resource is associated with a domain name that resolves to a content delivery network (CDN) formed by a plurality of repeater servers. The domain of the CDN may be distinct from the domain of the content provider. Responsive to a request that causes the first resource to be served to a client from an origin server associated with the content provider's domain, the second domain name in the second URL is resolved to identify a repeater server in the CDN's domain from which to serve the second resource to the client. If a copy of the second resource is already replicated on the identified repeater server, then the copy of the second resource is served to the client from the identified repeater server; otherwise, the second resource is replicated on the identified repeater server and the copy of the second resource is served to the client from the identified repeater server. |
| US08281034B2 |
Peer to peer subscription service
Peer-to-peer approaches to servicing subscriptions to information feeds are generally disclosed. Network nodes may exchange information about information feeds that they can provide to other nodes, and other information about information feeds to which they may be interested in subscribing. Any of a variety of techniques may then be applied to allow the nodes to negotiate for feeds to which they may be interested in subscribing. For example, each node may apply algorithms that service feed subscriptions of other nodes on a prioritized basis, prioritized for example based on which other nodes service subscriptions in return. |
| US08281033B1 |
Techniques for path selection
Described are techniques for performing path selection. A data operation is received for a metadevice comprising a plurality of metadevice members. A first of the plurality of metadevice members is determined. The first member is the member to which the data operation is directed. In accordance with a load balancing technique for the first metadevice member, path selection is performed to select a first of a plurality of paths. The metadevice is accessible over each of the plurality of paths. The data operation is sent over the first path. |
| US08281032B2 |
IT resource evaluation system, recording medium storing IT resource evaluation program, and management system
An IT resource evaluation system connected to a management system for managing a plurality of IT resources working in a plurality of business systems, include a recording part for recording supply-and-demand data representing a transition of a demand or a supply of an IT resource in an entire business system, an accumulating part for accumulating actual dealing data containing a supply price, an IT resource data input part for inputting IT resource data regarding an IT resource to be evaluated, and an evaluating part for calculating value data representing a supply price in the case where an IT resource is supplied, based on supply-and-demand data, actual dealing data, and the IT resource data. |
| US08281030B2 |
HTTP enabled computer peripheral
The invention features a system and method for programming, integrating, and controlling the operation of computer peripherals. In brief overview, a computer peripheral is provided with a network communications protocol stack that includes a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) layer. The HTTP layer permits the computer peripheral to function as a thin web server. As such, the computer peripheral is able to respond to HTTP requests. In one embodiment, a HTTP enabled computer peripheral augments the functionality of a computing device. According to this embodiment, the HTTP enabled computer peripheral includes an interface module, a data module, and a network communications protocol stack module including a HTTP layer module. In addition the address of the HTTP enabled computer peripheral includes a reference to the computing device. |
| US08281027B2 |
System and method for distributing media related to a location
A system and method for distributing media related to a location. The physical location of a media presentation device is received over a network. The physical location of a plurality of end users are identified, via the network, wherein each of plurality of users is associated with a user device capable of storing media files. At least one of the end users is identified who is located in such proximity to the media presentation device that the user can perceive media that presented on the media presentation device. At least one media file that is currently being presented on the media presentation device is identified and transmitted over the network to each of the identified end users. |
| US08281023B2 |
Systems and methods for data authorization in distributed storage networks
Storage authorization and access control of data stored on a peer-to-peer overlay network is provided. A publishing node stores data on a storage node in the overlay network. The publishing node is adapted to facilitate data storage authorization by generating a resource identifier as a function of a usage string associated with a data type to be stored. A storage request is generated that includes the resource identifier and data to be stored. The storage request may be sent to the storage node. The storage device receives the storage request sent by a publishing node, including a resource identifier and data to be stored. Independent storage authorization is performed by the storage node at an overlay level by verifying the resource identifier. The data in the storage request is stored at the storage node if the resource identifier is successfully verified. |
| US08281019B1 |
Method and system for scanning network devices
The present invention includes a method and system for scanning network devices connected to a network by detecting connection of a first network device to the network and performing remote scanning of the first network device in response to detection of the first network device. |
| US08281017B2 |
Connection method and conferencing apparatus
In a conferencing system having a first conferencing apparatus and a plurality of second conferencing apparatuses, the plurality of second conferencing apparatuses transmit connection requests, which are for connecting to the first conferencing apparatus, to the first conferencing apparatus based upon first connection information, which is for connecting to the first conferencing apparatus and which a plurality of second communication devices have received from a first communication device. The first conferencing apparatus detects second connection information, which is for connecting to the second conferencing apparatuses that have transmitted the connection requests, and instructs the plurality of second conferencing apparatuses to connect themselves together based upon the second connection information. |
| US08281012B2 |
Managing parallel data processing jobs in grid environments
Method, system, and computer program product for managing parallel data processing jobs in grid environments are provided. A request to deploy a parallel data processing job in a grid environment is received. A plurality of resource nodes in the grid environment are dynamically allocated to the parallel data processing job. A configuration file is automatically generated for the parallel data processing job based on the allocated resource nodes. The parallel data processing job is then executed in the grid environment using the generated configuration file. |
| US08281004B2 |
Multi-threaded method and system for automated remote submission of jobs to mainframe and UNIX systems from the Windows™ platform
A method and system for automated remote submission of jobs to host systems generate a single executable file having a user program specified in a command line. A separate thread is used to submit the single executable file to the host system. The separate thread monitors progress of the single executable file on the host system and posts information associated with the monitored progress of the single executable file. |
| US08281003B2 |
Remote active window sensing and reporting feature
A system and method is provided for remote active window sensing of a display in a computing device and reporting of the same. The system includes a tool comprising a remote monitoring and reporting component configured to monitor active windows of one or more remote devices and provide a report to a presenter as to whether the active windows of the one or more remote devices are associated with a presentation of the presenter. |
| US08280998B2 |
Configurable geographic prefixes for global server load balancing
In a load balancing system, user-configurable geographic prefixes are provided. IP address prefix allocations provided by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and associated geographic locations are stored in a first, static database in a load balancing switch, along with other possible default geographic location settings. A second, non-static database stores user-configured geographic settings. In particular, the second database stores Internet Protocol (IP) address prefixes and user-specified geographic regions for those prefixes. The specified geographic region can be continent, country, state, city, or other user-defined region. The geographic settings in the second database can override the information in the first database. These geographic entries help determine the geographic location of a client and host IP addresses, and aid in directing the client to a host server that is geographically the closest to that client. |
| US08280997B2 |
Method for performing triggered session in triggered location service based on SUPL
Disclosed is a triggered session performance in a SUPL-based triggered location service, in particular, a triggered location service capable of pausing an ongoing session and then resuming the paused session by using a dedicated or common message and other certain parameters indicating a session pause/resume. |
| US08280996B2 |
Methods and apparatus to collect broadband market data
Example methods and apparatus to collect broadband market data are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes selecting a panelist household, the panelist household subscribing to at least one broadband service delivered via a modem, and identifying an Internet protocol (IP) address assigned to the modem by an Internet service provider (ISP). The example method also includes retrieving a range of IP addresses associated with the ISP, selecting a random subset of IP addresses from the range of IP addresses, and testing each of the IP addresses from the random subset to determine an activity status of each IP address. |
| US08280993B2 |
System and method for detecting Internet bots
Apparatuses, methods, and systems directed to detect Internet bots in communication networks. Some embodiments of the invention allow an agent of a server to detect human interaction events on a client system. In other particular embodiments, the systems and methods disclosed below can be used to detect bots using server logs. In some other embodiments, the present invention involves sending an agent to a client system and polling the agent on whether human interaction events are detected on the client system. |
| US08280990B2 |
Edge QAM configuration and management
A method of configuring an edge device in a network wherein a transport network interfaces with edge devices that interface with client devices involves a configuration file. The edge device can be configured by downloading the configuration file to the edge device. The method comprises connecting the edge device to the network, downloading the configuration file to the edge device, and configuring the edge device. The configuration file may contain configuration information for the edge device including information relating to at least one edge device input and information relating to at least one output. |
| US08280978B2 |
Demarcation between service provider and user in multi-services gateway device at user premises
The disclosed examples of a multi-services gateway device (10) comprise application service programming (140) logically positioned on a user premises side of a logical network demarcation forming an edge of the wide area network at the user premises. The programming also defines a logical service provider-user demarcation between the user premises and the application service provider. The application service programming (110, 120, 130) resides on the service provider side of the service provider-user demarcation and only provides a logical application service interface across that demarcation to deliver an application service to an endpoint device. The logical service provider-user demarcation also provides a demarcation in accessibility to hardware resources (152) of the gateway device, whereby some hardware resources (152) of the gateway device are on the service provider side (156) of the logical service provider-user demarcation and are inaccessible to an endpoint device from the user side (155) o he logical service provider-user demarcation. |
| US08280977B2 |
Automatic data transfer using an intermediate device
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer usable program code are provided for data transfer using an intermediate device. The intermediate device receives data from a source device. The intermediate device may also receive access parameters associated with the data from the source device indicating which devices can read the data from the source being stored in the intermediate device. The intermediate device stores the data and any access parameters associated with the stored data. Next, the intermediate device detects a second device using a wired or wireless network. The second device presents to the intermediate device access parameters associated with the second device. The intermediate device determines whether the second device can use the stored data by matching the access parameters associated with the second device with the access parameters associated with the stored data. If a match is found, or the stored data is open for any device to read, and the second device is able to use the stored data, the intermediate device sends the stored data to the second device. |
| US08280967B2 |
Virtual email method for preventing delivery of unsolicited and undesired electronic messages
A method is used to filter an electronic message using virtual email sent to a server using a virtual email address created by the server for a recipient-identified. The virtual email address comprises a sender identification in combination with the recipient's non-encoded email address. The server identifies the email recipient using the recipient's non-encoded email address, identifies the email sender as authorized, stores the email sender's identification, stores email comprising the virtual email address; enables the recipient to access the email; enables the recipient to create a virtual email address, receives the virtual email; receives a second electronic message from a non-user-identified sender at the server, responds to the non-user-identified sender requesting an answer that only a human could provide; and, receives the answer from the non-user-identified sender and if the answer is correct, then creates an electronic account on the server for the non-user-identified. |
| US08280962B2 |
Service communication list
A method for displaying communication events is provided. The method includes collecting past, present, and future communication events from two or more communication services, where a communication device performs the collecting; combining the past, present, and future communication events into a communication events list, where the communication device performs the combining; and displaying the communication events list, such that past, present, and future communication events may be viewed, where the communication events list is displayed on the communication device. |
| US08280961B2 |
Method and system for providing a camp-on service for a network service
A method for providing a camp-on service for a network service includes detecting a request from a user for access to a network service and detecting that the network service is unavailable. The method includes subscribing the user to a camp-on service for the network service. The method includes detecting that the network service is available and notifying the user that the network service is available. |
| US08280960B2 |
Game system, game terminal therefor, and server device therefor
The present invention provides a game system 100, a game terminal 10, and a server device 40. Game system 100 allows players to play a game in a unit of a group constituting one game terminal 10 that has been selected as a parent node requiring a larger bandwidth during the game and at least two game terminals 10 that have been selected as child nodes requiring a smaller bandwidth during the game. The selection of the nodes is performed by server device 40. A parent node is selected from a game terminal 10 that has transmitted a grouping request containing ability data indicating that the terminal has the ability to be selected as a parent node. |
| US08280958B2 |
List passing in a background file sharing network
A mechanism is provided for distributing file fragments in the background of a segmented peer-to-peer network using list passing between peers. Rather than trading actual content, peers may trade file names or file fragment identifiers. Upon receiving a new file name or identifier, a peer may request that file from the network, either in the background or the foreground. For example, once a client begins background file sharing in a swarm, the client may propagate file information for files it possesses to all or a portion of the peers in a swarm. Those clients then have the file information for a file without the user having to locate and specifically request that file. The file list may piggyback on a file fragment that is transferred as a result of a file sharing request. |
| US08280957B2 |
Presence system and method for event-driven presence subscription
Automatic subscription to presence services is achieved using a communications manager within a presence system. The communications manager is capable of detecting the occurrence of an event associated with at least one of a presentity and a watcher. The communications manager automatically subscribes or unsubscribes the watcher to receive presence information of the presentity in response to detection of the event. |
| US08280954B2 |
Method and system for providing live real-time communication via text between mobile user devices
A method and system for providing real-time communication via text between multiple user devices, the method including receiving, at an application server, a conversation request from a first user device, wherein the conversation request is based upon a selection of a second user device from a contact list that is stored on the first user device, sending the conversation request from the application server to a push server, receiving, at the application server, a conversation session ID from the second user device, if the conversation request is accepted by the second user device, sending the conversation session ID from the application server to the push server, receiving, at the application server, a first datagram message from the first user device, sending the first datagram message from the application server to the second user device, receiving, at the application server, a second datagram message from the second user device, and sending the second datagram message from the application server to the first user device. |
| US08280953B2 |
Relay unit
A relay unit includes: a storing unit storing a first correspondence relation between interface information of a client and a tenant identifier of the client, and a second correspondence relation among the tenant identifier, connection information about a connection with a server, and a state of connection with the server; a tenant identifying unit obtaining the tenant identifier from the first correspondence relation; a connection identifying unit creating the first connection information and adding the correspondence relation among the created first connection information, the obtained tenant identifier, and the state to a busy state into the second correspondence relation; and a connection creating unit creating a connection with the server and transmitting the obtained tenant identifier and the message to the server, wherein the connection identifying unit sets the state to an unused state in response to a reply message from the server. |
| US08280947B2 |
Method for distributing computing between server and client
A method and system for use in running a display-based computer application, the computer application comprising a plurality of application segments, where computing is distributed between a server and a client computer. The method comprises the steps of providing a generic client engine (20) to the client computer, the client engine comprising an application manager (24), one or more display managers (22), and one or more load managers (26), providing a collection of individual application subset definition files (18), each relating to one of said application segments, wherein, on receipt of successive application subset definition files from the server, the client recursively transforms to provide the respective application segments. The invention has broad utility in a wide variety of display-based computer applications, particularly in wireless applications. |
| US08280944B2 |
Methods, media and systems for managing a distributed application running in a plurality of digital processing devices
Methods, media and systems for managing a distributed application running in a plurality of digital processing devices are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes running one or more processes associated with the distributed application in virtualized operating system environments on a plurality of digital processing devices, suspending the one or more processes, and saving network state information relating to network connections among the one or more processes. The method further include storing process information relating to the one or more processes, recreating the network connections using the saved network state information, and restarting the one or more processes using the stored process information. |
| US08280941B2 |
Method and system for performing calculations using fixed point microprocessor hardware
A method and system are described for performing an arithmetic operation such as multiplication or division of a fixed point variable measured at runtime by a floating point constant known at compile-time. The floating point constant is converted into a mantissa and a base-2 exponent at compile-time. The mantissa and exponent are preferably combined into a single unit (a word) of memory. At runtime either single multiplication and accumulation or matrix multiplication and accumulation is preferably achieved by a microprocessor or DSP instruction designed to use the mantissa-exponent pairs stored in a word of memory. The microprocessor instruction multiplies a fixed point runtime variable x by the mantissa and the result is shifted to the right or left as indicated by the exponent, which is preferably a 2's complement number. The complete instruction sequence to perform the multiplication can be made reentrant and can be pipelined. |
| US08280939B2 |
Methods and apparatus for automatic accuracy-sustaining scaling of block-floating-point operands
A computer-implemented method performs an operation on a set of at least one BFP operands to generate a BFP result. The method is designed to reduce the risks of overflow and loss of accuracy attributable to the operation. The method performs an analysis to determine respective shift values for each of the operands and the result. The method calculates result mantissas by shifting the stored bit patterns representing the corresponding operand mantissa values by their respective associated shift values determined in the analysis step, performing the operation on shifted operand mantissas to generate preliminary result mantissa, and shifting the preliminary result mantissas by a number of bits determined in the analysis step. |
| US08280935B2 |
Graphing calculation apparatus and controlling method of graphing calculation apparatus
A graphing calculation apparatus comprises a mode setting unit which sets one of a manual mode and an automatic mode based on an instruction made by a user. A key data input unit inputs key data entered by the user. The input key data is stored in a key data storing unit in association with the set mode. Calculation of a function is performed based on the stored key data, and a guide display unit displays the stored key-data as guide data. For displaying the key data associated with the manual mode, when the key data corresponding to the guide data is input, subsequent key data is displayed as guide data. For displaying the key data associated with the automatic mode, the guide data is automatically input in succession and subsequent key data is sequentially displayed as guide data. |
| US08280933B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control method, control program, and name mapping information
An information processing apparatus includes a local storage in which a virtual file system is created, the virtual file system supporting an information recording medium on which encrypted content on which an encryption process has been performed is recorded, the encrypted content being managed for each of content management units serving as content use management units, and on which content management units used by the encrypted content are set; and a playback unit configured to read and play back the encrypted content managed by the content management units used by the encrypted content by using the virtual file system created in the local storage, configured to receive a data distribution file set for linking other information with the encrypted content of the information recording medium, the encrypted content being distributed from an information distribution server, and configured to update the virtual file system using the received data distribution file set. |
| US08280932B2 |
Computer system for automatic organization, indexing and viewing multiple objects from multiple sources
A computer data processing system including a central processing unit configured with a novel integrated computer control software system for the management of data objects including dynamic and automatic organization, linking, finding, cross-referencing, viewing and retrieval of multiple objects regardless of nature or source. The inventive system provides underlying component architecture having an object-oriented database structure and a metadata database structure which is unique in storing only one instance of each object while linking the object to multiple collections and domains by unique metadata links for the grouping into and retrieval from any of the collections. The system employs configurable, extensible attribute/properties of data objects in metadata format, and a truly user-friendly configurable interface that facilitates faster, more unified, comprehensive, useful and meaningful information management. Additional features include a sticky path object hierarchy viewing system, key phrase linking, viewing by reference, and drag-and-drop relationship link creation. |
| US08280921B2 |
Anonymous search system using human searchers
A system and a method are disclosed for performing a search with the assistance of a computer. The system may assign a unique identifier to a user, to a query submitted to the system by the user, to a human searcher that may respond to the query, and to a result produced by a human searcher in response to the query. These unique identifiers may be stored in a database, and associated with one another. The system may receive a query from the user during a first communication session, and present the query to the searcher to perform a search responsive to the query. The searcher may produce search results and transmit the results to the system during the first communication session. The system may receive the search results from the searcher during the first communication session, and forward the results to the user. Because the system maintains a database of unique identifiers for each original query associated with the unique identifier of the posing user and responding searcher, the system may establish an anonymous communication channel between the user and the searcher during the initial session when the query is posed and answered, and also during follow-up sessions that may occur in the future. |
| US08280920B2 |
Navigating media content by groups
Grouping media files via playlists on a computer-readable medium. One or more media files are selected according to a grouping criterion to define one or more playlists from the media files. A container group is associated with the playlists and stores values identifying each of the playlists associated with the container group along with references to each of the playlists. |
| US08280917B1 |
Batching content management operations to facilitate efficient database interactions
Batching content management operations to facilitate efficient database interactions is disclosed. Two or more content management-related requests are received. The two or more content management-related requests are treated as a batch, including by formulating and sending to a database in a single database interaction a grouped request to add, delete, or modify each of a plurality of database records. |
| US08280916B2 |
Data locality in a serialized object stream
A computer-implemented method and apparatus for providing data locality in a serialized object stream. Data is extracted from an object into the serialized object stream, thereby creating a simple data stream. Data of a specified type is then relocated from the extracted data to a contiguous section within the serialized object stream, thereby creating an enhanced data stream. The enhanced data stream is formatted in such a manner as to provide backward compatibility with the simple data stream. |
| US08280915B2 |
Binning predictors using per-predictor trees and MDL pruning
Binning of predictor values used for generating a data mining model provides useful reduction in memory footprint and computation during the computationally dominant decision tree build phase, but reduces the information loss of the model and reduces the introduction of false information artifacts. A method of binning data in a database for data mining modeling in a database system, the data stored in a database table in the database system, the data mining modeling having selected at least one predictor and one target for the data, the data including a plurality of values of the predictor and a plurality of values of the target, the method comprises constructing a binary tree for the predictor that splits the values of the predictor into a plurality of portions, pruning the binary tree, and defining as bins of the predictor leaves of the tree that remain after pruning, each leaf of the tree representing a portion of the values of the predictor. |
| US08280914B2 |
Service desk interface
Notification of a system incident is received at a first help desk system. In response, an incident record is generated and maintained for the system incident. The incident record includes incident data and a record identification (ID). The incident data and record ID are transmitted from the first help desk system to a second help desk system where a corresponding record is maintained. One of the help desks is assigned an exclusive status to process the system incident. Regardless of which help system is assigned the exclusive status to process the system incident, the incident record is closed at the first help desk system, which automatically triggers closing of the corresponding record in the second help desk system. |
| US08280913B2 |
Systems and methods for management of contact information
Systems and methods for the management of contact information, which may include automatic transfer processes (102,103), automatic update processes, automatic customization processes, automatic delivery processes (1061,1062,1063), automatic storage processes (101), automatic portability processes (106), and/or automatic radial mining processes. |
| US08280911B2 |
Handheld electronic device with assisted text entry using existing message thread, and associated method
A method of facilitating the entry of text into a new message generated by a messaging application of a handheld electronic device is provided that includes receiving a command to reply to or forward a received message that is included within a message thread, scanning the message thread, identifying a plurality of words in the message thread, generating one or more word lists that include the identified words, and displaying the one or more word lists. The method further includes receiving a selection of a selected one of the words from the one or more word lists, and entering the selected one of the words into the new message. Also provided is an improved handheld electronic device that implements the described method. |
| US08280910B2 |
Database server capable of relocating data distributed among plural processors and retrieving data method
A new conversion database associated with information to be finally stored in a host information database is stored in a RAM along with a previous conversion database. Each processing unit refers to the new conversion database to identify data to be held in the host information database of the processing unit itself and refers to the previous conversion database to identify the processing unit which currently holds the data thus identified. The processing unit further relocates the data to be held in the processing unit itself from the processing unit thus identified. |
| US08280908B2 |
Merging file system directories
Two or more separate physical file system directories are presented as one merged (virtual) file system directory to a process running in a silo. The operating system controls the level of access to the files in the merge directory. The operating system provides the merged view of the file system directories by monitoring file system requests made by processes in silos on a computer or computer system and in response to detecting certain types of file system access requests, provides the view of the seemingly merged directories by performing special processing. The types of requests which trigger the special processing include: enumeration, open, create, rename or close. |
| US08280905B2 |
Automated forensic document signatures
Methods and systems are provided for a proactive approach for computer forensic investigations. The invention allows organizations anticipating the need for forensic analysis to prepare in advance. Digital signatures are generated proactively for a specified target. The digital signature represents a digest of the content of the target, and can be readily stored. Searching and comparing digital signatures allows quick and accurate identification of targets having identical or similar content. Computational and storage costs are expended in advance, which allow more efficient computer forensic investigations. The present invention can be applied to numerous applications, such as computer forensic evidence gathering, misuse detection, network intrusion detection, and unauthorized network traffic detection and prevention. |
| US08280902B2 |
High precision search system and method
A high precision search system and method receives a full-text search request from a user and processes the full-text search request to determine the meanings of key words within the search request. The high precision search system creates a graphical representation of the search request based on the key words in the search request and the frequency with which they appear. The high precision search system accepts direct user input for modifying the graphical profile. The high precision search system also provides suggestions for adding new concepts and entities to the graphical profile and improving the search results. The system offers an extreme precision option wherein paragraphs are extracted from selected documents that match the search profile. |
| US08280893B1 |
Methods and systems for identifying paraphrases from an index of information items and associated sentence fragments
Methods and systems for identification of paraphrases from an index of information items and associated sentence fragments are described. One method described comprises identifying a pair of sentence fragments each having a same associated information item from an index, wherein the index comprises a plurality of information items and associated sentence fragments, and identifying a paraphrase pair from the pair of sentence fragments. |
| US08280890B2 |
Computing device and method for searching for parameters in a data model
A computing device and method for searching for parameters in a data model uses a first hash table to store index values of all parameter names in a data model, and uses a second hash table to store index values of data paths of duplicate parameters names in the data model, and changes the comparison sequence when searching for parameters in the data model. That is, comparing beginning from the last character in the input data string, if a leaf node in the data model matches the last character, then comparing parent nodes of the leaf node with the remaining characters of the input data string. Then, a data path of a parameter having a unique name is located according to the first hash table. Furthermore, data paths of parameters having duplicate names is located according to the second hash table. |
| US08280889B2 |
Automatically acquiring acoustic information about music
Methods, apparatus, and storage media to build a music metadata library from music collections stored on a plurality of client computing devices. A music server may receive, from a first client computing device of the plurality of client computing device, a unique identifier for a track stored in the first client computing device. The music server may determine if the track is a known track corresponding to acoustic metadata that is already contained in the music metadata library. When the track is not a known track, the music server may send a message indicating the track is a new track to the first client computing device. The music server may then receive acoustic metadata for the track from the first client computing device and store the received acoustic metadata in the music metadata library. |
| US08280887B1 |
Hierarchical clustering using correlation metric and spatial continuity constraint
Large data sets are analyzed by hierarchical clustering using correlation as a similarity measure. This provides results that are superior to those obtained using a Euclidean distance similarity measure. A spatial continuity constraint may be applied in hierarchical clustering analysis of images. |
| US08280885B2 |
System and method for automatically summarizing fine-grained opinions in digital text
A method and system for automatically summarizing fine-grained opinions in digital text are disclosed. Accordingly, a digital text is analyzed for the purpose of extracting all opinion expressions found in the text. Next, the extracted opinion expressions (referred to herein as opinion frames) are analyzed to generate opinion summaries. In forming an opinion summary, those opinion frames sharing in common an opinion source and/or opinion topic may be combined, such that an overall opinion summary indicates an aggregate opinion held by the common source toward the common topic. |
| US08280883B2 |
Networked address book
A device receives one or more contacts provided in an address book associated with a user, and receives profile information associated with one or more other users. The device also links the profile information with one or more corresponding contacts provided in the address book, and provides the address book with the linked profile information to one or more user devices associated with the user. |
| US08280880B1 |
Filter chains with associated views for exploring large data sets
In an embodiment, a filter chain object comprising an association of a starting set of data items and two or more filter links is created and stored in computer memory. Each of the filter links comprises a component object that associates a set operation and a membership criterion. Each of the filter links is associated with a particular filter view among a plurality of filter views. Each particular filter view comprises a graphical representation of a state of applying the membership criterion of the associated filter link to a subset of data resulting from filtering the starting set of data items according to zero or more preceding filter links. |
| US08280878B2 |
Method and apparatus for real time text analysis and text navigation
An end user, by way of a submission interface, instructs an engine to select particular collections of documents to process. The engine processes all the text from within all the documents from within the selected collections. The result of the processing of such text is a distilled data set. Such distillate data set is accessed through APIs by a browser. Different views of the accessed distillate data set may be presented to the end user via the browser allowing them to more effectively assess the utility of the presented data and thereby responsively tune the presented data set with regard to their particular research task. One or more of such views may be used to create a new document from sentences, paragraphs, chapters or documents from the distillate data set that correspond to the one or more views for presentation to the end user. |
| US08280876B2 |
System, method, and program product for database restructuring support
A database restructuring support system that enables a user to flexibly design the structure of a database after a restructure.A storage cost estimate unit 112 calculates storage cost before and after restructure by using catalog information included in a database 122. In the case of calculating the storage cost of the restructure, tuples of a new schema is calculated and the storage cost is calculated by using the tuples. The access cost estimate unit 113 uses the catalog information and the log DB 121 included in the database 122 to calculate each access cost before and after restructure. In the case of calculating the access cost after restructure, the number of types of values of an attribute in the new schema is calculated to calculate the access cost by using the number of types. The integrated cost estimate unit 111 calculates the integrated cost by integrating the access cost and the storage cost. |
| US08280873B1 |
System for capturing a business context of a user's interaction with a website and method for the same
The present invention relates to a system for capturing a business context of a user's interaction with a website. The system has a web server containing web pages and a web log. A web log filter extracts data from the web log associated with the address associated with the business context. A data analysis creation tool is in communication with a shared configuration table in the enterprise data warehouse, wherein the data analysis creation tool has executable instructions for creating a logical data model for mapping the extracted data to the enterprise data warehouse. A method for the same is also provided. |
| US08280872B1 |
Automated routing of forum postings
Various embodiments described herein include one or more of systems, software, and methods to receive and automatically route forum postings to individuals tasked with responding to the postings. Some such embodiments extract keywords from the text of such postings and use the extracted keywords and keyword-responder mappings to identify a responder capable of responding to the posting. Some embodiments include generating or updating keyword-responder mappings by identifying keywords included in posting responses made by each responder. |
| US08280868B2 |
Method and system for monitoring domain name registrations
Improved approaches to domain name monitoring are disclosed. The monitoring of domain names, e.g., registrations therefor, is beneficial to holders of similar domain names, trademark owners, and competitors. Such monitoring can be automatically performed. |
| US08280865B1 |
Web site content change management
A facility for specifying and previewing changes to a web site is described. Sets of changes to a web site are scheduled for release at a specified time. While the changes are being specified using a tool/interface, methods for showing the change as it will appear on the live web site are implemented. Inconsistencies between specified changes and changes in future releases may be identified as the changes are specified. Web page preview functionality is provided to allow any release to be viewed before publication to a live web site. The preview further allows inconsistencies between selected changes and changes in other future releases to be identified. |
| US08280864B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for retrieving presentation settings from a database
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for retrieving presentation settings from a database. In use, presentation capabilities information associated with media hardware is received. Further, a plurality of presentation settings is retrieved from a database, utilizing the presentation capabilities information. |
| US08280861B1 |
Identifying duplicate electronic content based on metadata
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for de-duplicating electronic content based on comparing metadata. In one aspect, a method includes comparing first metadata associated with a first item of electronic content to second metadata associated with a second item of electronic content, and generating a score based on the comparison. The method also includes establishing that the first and second items of electronic content comprise potentially duplicate content when the score is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and providing information identifying either the first or second items of electronic content for display when establishing that the first and second items of electronic content comprise potentially duplicate content. |
| US08280860B2 |
Method for increasing deduplication speed on data streams fragmented by shuffling
A computer-implemented method for deduplicating an incoming data sequence can include the steps of storing signature values for a plurality of data blocklets of a parent data sequence in a deduplication index, sequentially storing signature values for at least some of the plurality of data blocklets of the parent data sequence in a first storage location outside of the deduplication index, determining that a first data blocklet in the incoming data sequence is absent from the parent data sequence, storing a signature value for the first data blocklet in a second storage location outside of the deduplication index, storing a guarded link linking the first data blocklet to the second data blocklet into the second storage location, determining that a second data blocklet that follows the first data blocklet in the incoming data sequence is present in the parent data sequence, the second data blocklet having a signature value that is stored in the first storage location, and copying at least a portion of the contents of the first storage location and the second storage location into a cache to expedite access during deduplication of the incoming data sequence. |
| US08280853B1 |
Dynamic storage mechanism
System and method for tracking statistics at the subfile level and transparently placing or migrating inactive or less active blocks of data to other storage devices. Embodiments may provide mechanisms to track statistics at the subfile level of files including, but not limited to, database files, and to transparently place or migrate inactive or less active blocks of data of the files from higher-performing, typically more expensive, storage to lower-performing, typically less expensive, storage, while placing or migrating active blocks of data of the files to higher-performing storage, based on the subfile-level statistics rather than on file-level timestamps. In some embodiments, knowledge of file structure (e.g., database file structure), for example knowledge of database partitions with header blocks and data blocks in databases using data partitioning, may be used to separate more active and less active blocks of data of files onto storage with different performance and/or other characteristics. |
| US08280850B2 |
Method for producing a size-optimized delta-file
A delta file which encodes the difference between a first data file and a second data file is produced by determining a set of elemental data strings which are present in the two data files in a partial match in a graph being modeled. In the graph, each network node, representing data processing based on the first data file for producing a data byte of the second data file, is connected by network edges to all network nodes which are associated with a directly preceding data byte of the second data file. The network nodes and network edges are respectively assigned a cost value and a cost-optimized path in the graph is ascertained which, for all the day bytes of the second data file, contains only one network node per data byte. The cost-optimized path is taken as a basis for generating a delta file, containing a sequence of data processing operations and their data fields, which corresponds to the successive series of network nodes in the cost-optimized path. |
| US08280848B2 |
Automatic comparison of roaming data or routing data
International-roaming-relevant data are exchanged between two roaming partner networks as part of a new communication relationship. From the start of this communication relationship, a logbook is maintained at least on the data-processing system of the first communication network in which logbook changes are entered that relate to the content of the local database. Based on entries in the logbook, the data-processing system recognizes in completely automatic fashion that a synchronization of data is required and implements this action between the internal network operator database and the data-processing system of the second communication network. |
| US08280846B2 |
Collaboration swarming
A swarm can develop around a piece of content. The swarm can include the original content, changes to the original content, the persons contributing the changes, and metadata, such as comments contributed by members of the swarm. A swarm can also include statistics generated about the content, such as the size of the swarm, the growth and/or death rates of the swarm, the longevity of the swarm, the intensity of the swarm, the persistence of the swarm, and the direction of the swarm. Swarms and their behaviors can be used to validate or invalidate content. |
| US08280844B2 |
Anomalous activity detection
Methods, computer-readable media, and apparatuses may be configured to detect anomalous activity. Electronic information utilized to detect anomalous activity may be consolidated from multiple data feeds. This electronic information may relate to: extrusion violations, failed logins, sensitive fields access, sensitive objects access, escalation of privileges, or activity during a specific time frame within a time period, and combinations of one or more of these. A de-duplication module may be configured to detect duplicate information or activity events, wherein the duplicate data may be removed and/or consolidated. |
| US08280840B2 |
Data integration apparatus, data integration method, and computer product
When collecting and integrating data present in separately managed information sources, data are collected from the information sources through a physical model of the information sources. Integration is executed by a process of converting a data configuration (mapping) into a logical model predefined for each utilization-side application and a process of converting and conforming values (cleansing); and the result thereof is provided as a view (logical model) for each application to the utilization-side application. |
| US08280839B2 |
Nearest neighbor methods for non-Euclidean manifolds
Embodiments of the invention disclose a system and a method for determining a nearest neighbor to an input data point on a non-Euclidean manifold. The data points on the non-Euclidean manifold are clustered, projected into Euclidean sub-space nearest to the cluster and mapped from the Euclidean sub-space into a Hamming space such that neighboring data points of the Hamming space corresponds to neighboring data points on the non-Euclidean manifold. The method maps the input data point to the Hamming space corresponding to a particular Euclidean sub-space, wherein the particular Euclidean sub-space is the nearest to the input data point, and selects a data point corresponding to a nearest data point to the input data point in the Hamming space as the nearest neighbor for the input data point on the non-Euclidean manifold. |
| US08280834B2 |
Systems and methods involving rule engines
A method for monitoring a system includes receiving a first data asset from the system, receiving a configuration file, determining whether the configuration file includes the first data asset and an associated first rule engine logic identifier, and running a first rule engine associated with the first rule engine logic identifier responsive to determining that the configuration file includes the first data asset and the associated first rule engine logic identifier. The method also includes sending the first data asset to the first rule engine, receiving a first result from the first rule engine, and sending the first result to a display for presentation to a user. |
| US08280829B2 |
Efficient algorithm for pairwise preference learning
In one embodiment, training a ranking model comprises: accessing the ranking model and an objective function of the ranking model; accessing one or more preference pairs of objects, wherein for each of the preference pairs of objects comprising a first object and a second object, there is a preference between the first object and the second object with respect to the particular reference, and the first object and the second object each has a feature vector comprising one or more feature values; and training the ranking model by minimizing the objective function using the preference pairs of objects, wherein for each of the preference pairs of objects, a difference between the first feature vector of the first object and the second feature vector of the second object is not calculated. |
| US08280828B2 |
Fast and efficient nonlinear classifier generated from a trained linear classifier
A classifier method comprises: projecting a set of training vectors in a vector space to a comparison space defined by a set of reference vectors using a comparison function to generate a corresponding set of projected training vectors in the comparison space; training a linear classifier on the set of projected training vectors to generate a trained linear classifier operative in the comparison space; and transforming the trained linear classifier operative in the comparison space into a trained nonlinear classifier that is operative in the vector space to classify an input vector. |
| US08280815B2 |
Methods and apparatus for electronic file use and management
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating online storage of files (e.g., audio tracks, video, etc.) for playback/access or sale/exchange by the owners of the files without violating copyrights that copyright holders have in the files. For example, by providing a playback service that does not store additional versions of an audio file when the file is transmitted to, and immediately played on, a user device without buffering, the present invention avoids violating copyright laws by not making copies of the file. Numerous other aspects are disclosed. |
| US08280813B2 |
System and method for providing debt protection for financial overdraft account
A system and method that provides an enhancement to an overdraft protection program at a financial institution. The debt protection of the program is funded by the financial institution rather than by a consumer/user of the financial account at the financial institution. Under the debt protection program, if the consumer dies, becomes disabled, or becomes involuntarily unemployed and such facts are established to a reasonable degree, the debt protection program will automatically repay the overdraft in full including cost and fees up to a predetermined maximum amount. The payment can occur in a single payment or over a period of time, for example monthly, until the predetermined maximum amount is reached. |
| US08280809B2 |
Linking a financial card with a merchant account
Some embodiments include systems and methods for linking a card with a merchant account. A financial institution that issues the merchant card to a merchant acts as both issuer and acquirer for the merchant. The merchant uses the merchant card to accept other financial cards as payment. Funds due the merchant are added to an available balance of the merchant card rather than depositing the funds in a settlement account. The funds can be added to the available balance before the transactions settle and can be accessed by the merchant. The financial institution also authorizes transactions when the merchant uses the merchant card as a regular cardholder to make payment. The merchant name can be changed on a per transaction basis if desired. |
| US08280802B1 |
System and method for decisions in trading financial instruments
A computerized system alerts a change in direction of the price of a tradable financial instrument. The system plots a resistance line, a support line, and a transition point at which the price is changing. The transition point occurs when the price of the tradable instrument is either higher or lower than both the corresponding resistance point on the resistance line and a corresponding support point on the support line. Resistance points are calculated sequentially as the lowest averaged values of a series of critical prices for a particular time period. Support points are calculated sequentially as the highest averaged values of a series of critical prices for a particular time period, wherein the critical prices comprise the highest price, the lowest price, and the closing price of the tradable instrument for that particular time period. |
| US08280799B2 |
Method and systems for predicting solar energy production
A method of anticipating a short-term future electrical energy demand of an energy trader's customers includes calculating a short-term future net electrical energy demand required to meet the demand of customer facilities which have a solar energy generating system or systems in a geographic region. The method further includes determining a resulting difference, expressed as a shortfall or surplus, between the short-term future net electrical energy demand and an amount of electrical energy purchased in long-term contracts for the supply of the customer facilities, and bargaining a buying price or a selling price for energy in a short-term future or day-ahead market based on the shortfall or surplus. A method for hedging energy sales or purchases in a short-term future or day-ahead market includes determining an historical performance of a regional net energy forecasting methodology for a facility or facilities which have solar energy generating systems in a geographical region. The method further includes estimating a difference between the maximum cost of energy in a spot market and an energy trader's minimum price of energy for each hour bid in the short-term future or day-ahead market, determining a risk factor associated with energy sales or purchases from the historical performance and the estimated difference, and purchasing or selling options to buy energy at the previous day's day-ahead market price based on the determined risk factor. |
| US08280798B1 |
Fund for hedging real estate ownership risk using financial portfolio theory and data feed for analyzing the financial performance of a portfolio that includes real estate
A method for creating an investment fund and selling shares in the fund to individual investors, each of whom has an investment ratio defined by a dollar amount of direct real estate investments held by the investor outside of the fund divided by a dollar amount of shares in the fund held by the individual investor. A target range of the investment ratio is selected for the fund. A target geographical region is selected where individual investors in the fund hold the direct real estate investments. A model composite portfolio is identified having an asset combination that includes: (i) direct real estate investment held by an individual investor in the target geographical region, and (ii) shares in the fund held by the individual investor. The asset combination in the model composite portfolio has an investment ratio that is within the target range. An optimal fund asset allocation is selected for the composite model portfolio in order to diversify and/or hedge risks associated with the direct real estate investment held by the model composite portfolio. Shares of the fund are sold to individual investors that hold direct real estate investments in the target geographic region and have investment ratios in the target range. |
| US08280797B2 |
Closing in an electronic market
A method for trading a security in an electronic market includes receiving closing orders and orders for the security traded in the electronic market, disseminating an order imbalance indicator indicative of predicted trading characteristics of the security at the close of trading, determining a closing price for the security based on the closing orders and orders, and executing at least some of the closing orders at the determined closing price. |
| US08280796B2 |
Method for aggregating and valuing intellectual property in an exchange
The present invention relates to methods of aggregating and valuing intellectual property in a financial exchange. The present invention provides means whereby holders of intellectual property rights may sell, or license intellectual property to an aggregator and receive shares of stock or cash for the contribution based on the aggregated value of the intellectual property held by the aggregator. |
| US08280795B2 |
Solid phase biomass carbon storage (SPBCS)
A computerized method of using a data processor having a memory to account for carbon flows and determine a regulatory value for a biofuel includes (i) storing, in memory, a first set of one or more carbon flow values characterizing the production and use of a biofuel, wherein the biofuel is derived from a first fraction of an agricultural biomass, (ii) storing, in memory, a second set of one or more carbon flow values characterizing the sequestration of solid phase biomass carbon, wherein the solid phase biomass carbon is derived from a second fraction of the agricultural biomass and wherein the sequestration mitigates anthropogenic greenhouse gas emission, and (iii) calculating, using the data processor, a regulatory value for the biofuel from the first and second sets of carbon flow values. |
| US08280793B1 |
Prepaid calling card accounts linked to credit card accounts, with methods for creating and managing the same
Methods, apparatus, and computer readable media for linking a prepaid calling card account to a credit card account. The linkage can occur at the time of a transaction involving the credit card account, or when the credit card account is acquired, activated, or renewed. The method can include at least the following. At least one transaction can be executed using the credit card account as payment for the transaction, or the credit card account can be acquired, activated or renewed. A prepaid calling card account is associated with the credit card account, and information related to the new prepaid calling card account is provided to a holder of the credit card account. Various aspects of the invention also provide anti-fraud and credit card recovery capability based on the above teaching. |
| US08280792B2 |
Method and apparatus pertaining to metrics-based prioritization of billing exceptions
A computer-based billing system presents, via an end-user interface, a plurality of exceptions as have occurred with respect to corresponding billing events as pertain to a plurality of billed parties while also presenting exceptions metrics as pertain to this plurality of exceptions. These exceptions metrics include at least one age-related metric, at least one financial-related metric, and at least one count-related metric. These teachings then further provide for permitting the end user to selectively prioritize the presenting of the plurality of exceptions as a function of at least one of these exceptions metrics. |
| US08280785B1 |
Financial account manager
A method for managing financial accounts, comprising obtaining a data item, a first account, and a second account, generating a plurality of change requests comprising the data item, sending the one of the plurality of change requests to a first financial institution managing the first account, wherein the data item is used by the first financial institution to update the first financial account, sending one of the plurality of change requests to a second financial institution managing the second account, wherein the data item is used by the second financial institution to update the second financial account, receiving a plurality of notifications associated with a status of the first account and a status of the second account, and reporting the plurality of notifications. |
| US08280784B2 |
automatic inventory variance identification
Performing an inventory count is provided. A scan of an object is initiated according to a profile in order to perform the inventory count of the object. A scan result is compared with a recorded level for the object to determine if a variance exists between the scan result and the recorded level. A variance analysis is performed if the variance exists. |
| US08280781B1 |
Automatically purchasing a gift from a wishlist
A facility for providing a gift is described. In one embodiment, the facility receives information identifying a first person that will give a gift and a second person that will receive the gift given by the first person. The facility then automatically chooses a gift to be given to the second person by the first person. |
| US08280780B1 |
System, method, and computer-readable medium for automatic query and order processing via the internet
A system, method, and computer readable medium for facilitating user interaction with numerous product suppliers to determine which supplier to utilize for ordering a product based on various parameters are provided. A user may interact with one or more suppliers using similar or different parameters for each supplier within the same application without having to switch to another external application. Results are provided in a visually appealing and logical manner and automate the ordering of an item if that item is found at a particular supplier within predefined thresholds specified by the user. In this manner, orders may be submitted at the moment order thresholds are met, and decisions may be made automatically by one or more of the system, the user, or on an interaction by the user and another individual. |
| US08280779B2 |
Method and system for online sales and purchases
Internet-based commercial network connects multiple qualified participant buyers and sellers. Items are made available for defined periods of time, referred to as an event (139). Event terms and conditions include item types, price, quantity, volume or units, discount, shipping terms (138). Reiterative offer and counteroffers permit negotiation of terms for an event. Participants may view anonymous competitive quotes for comparison and analysis. Pooled purchases and auctions are envisioned. Participants may create web presences and are subject to restrictions on access (141) and purchase (142) authority. Central system maintains participant data. |
| US08280777B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating financial transactions over a network
Systems and methods for facilitating financial transactions over a network include a merchant device, a client device and a payment processing device. The merchant device is adapted to allow a merchant to provide items for purchase via the network. The client device is adapted to allow a user to access the merchant device via the network and view the items for purchase. The client device is adapted to provide a payment mechanism to the user. The user generates a purchase request for an item by selecting the one item, dragging the item to the payment mechanism, and dropping the item over the payment mechanism. The payment processing device is adapted to receive the purchase request from the client device via the network and authorize the user to purchase the item from the merchant based on information passed with the purchase request. |
| US08280776B2 |
System and method for using a rules module to process financial transaction data
A transaction processing service operates as an intermediary between acquirers of financial transaction requests and issuing institutions that process the financial transaction requests. The intermediary receives an authorization request generated based on a transaction initiated by a customer at a point of purchase. The intermediary provides a rules module that stores a set of rules for processing transactions. Each rule specifies one or more conditions to be tested and one or more actions to be executed based on the test. For each authorization request, the system determines the applicable rules and tests conditions for each rule prior to the transaction. Based on the results of the test, the system executes an associated action. Conditions may be specified based on transaction information, customer information, or other information. Actions define the system's response to a particular result in testing a condition. Possible actions include rejecting the authorization request or specifying a verification procedure to execute. |
| US08280774B2 |
Systems, methods and computer program products for providing sponsored proactive searches for sponsored quality of service network connections
A user can select a higher Quality of Service network connection that is at least partially subsidized by a sponsor. In response, an indicia of the sponsorship of the higher Quality of Service connection is provided to the user. The indicia of sponsorship can be provided as a result of a sponsored proactive search, wherein advertising and/or sponsored links may be repeatedly or continuously provided to the user based on analysis of the user's navigation of the network while using the higher Quality of Service connection. A sponsorship message (analogous to a “brought to you by” message in conventional radio or television programming) and/or a sponsored link also may be provided. Accordingly, higher Quality of Service network connections may be at least partially sponsored by third parties to provide revenue to the network provider that can at least partially subsidize the higher Quality of Service network connection. |
| US08280773B2 |
Method and apparatus for internet customer retention
A method of dynamically optimizing customer retention for a web marketing site is provided. That method includes specifying a permissible defunct threshold, specifying a range of offers to be included in a set of promotions, determining a probability that a customer will become defunct in a predetermined period of time since the last interaction of that customer with the web site, and providing a promotion to a customer if the probability that the customer will become defunct in the predetermined period of time since the last interaction of that customer with the web site is greater than a predetermined threshold. |
| US08280771B2 |
Advertising that is relevant to a person
A person is viewing a display. By evaluating tracked information about the person, the display and/or the content being viewed, a tracking system determines that an opportunity exists to present an advertisement that is relevant to the person in the context of the person currently viewing the display. The tracking system provides advertiser data for the advertisement and instructions for generating the advertisement to a synthesis system local to the viewer and the viewer's display system, which dynamically synthesizes the advertisement and provides it to the display. |
| US08280767B1 |
Lottery system utilizing electronic mail
A lottery system utilizing an electronic mail comprises means for specifying participants for a lottery from a database, means for uniquely allocating an electronic mail address to each of said specified participants so that said electronic mail addresses are different from each other; means for sending a first electronic mail to each of said participants, in which the electronic mail address is affixed as a unique access key to each of said participants; means for recognizing an application for the lottery from each of said participants by receiving a second electronic mail sent back to said electronic mail address; and means for notifying each one of said participants who sent back the second electronic mail to the electronic mail address of the result of said lottery. |
| US08280765B2 |
Method and apparatus for maximizing publisher revenue
A computer implemented method for maximizing publisher revenue for online advertising is provided. The computer implemented method includes determining a ratio of guaranteed ad impressions to expected remaining ad impressions. If the ratio is less than a threshold, the method includes, identifying a minimum bid value, the minimum bid value based on the ratio; comparing the minimum bid value to a received bid value for an ad impression; allocating the ad impression to an owner of the received bid when the received bid value is greater than or equal to the minimum bid value; and displaying an ad of the owner of the received bid. If the ratio is greater than the threshold, the method includes, allocating the ad impression to an owner of the guaranteed ad impressions. In one embodiment, the method operations are stored on a computer readable storage medium. |
| US08280761B1 |
Method of facilitating contact between a consumer and a requesting entity
The invention provides a method of facilitating contact between a consumer and a requesting entity, with the method comprising the following steps. During an interaction with the consumer, the method of the invention obtains contact information and index information from the consumer. The method then evaluates whether the consumer meets a selection criterion specified by the requesting entity using the indexing information. A data store entry associated with the consumer can be updated with the contact information. The contact information is then referred to the requesting entity thereby providing the requesting entity with up-to-date contact information. |
| US08280758B2 |
Providing collected profiles to media properties having specified interests
To improve monetization of electronic advertisement placement, a profile owner company operates an automatic system for identifying media properties that have interests in specific profiles or profiles of a specified category or kind. The profile owner recognizes a collected visitor profile as one that a media property has previously requested or one that is within a category that a media property has previously requested and arranges for the visitor to be tagged with a tag readable by the media property that requested such a profile. The media property can use the tag in displaying customized advertising to the visitor. Using information received from the media property, the profile owner company then records usage of the profile by the media property. |
| US08280756B1 |
Milestone initial scheduling
A method of scheduling project milestones is provided. The method includes estimating a minimum duration of the project based on an estimated level-of-effort of the project. The method includes selecting a release cycle in which to deliver the project based on the minimum duration of the project, and further based on a release cycle milestone and on a duration of a project planning phase. The method provides for determining a project start date based on the duration of the project planning phase. The method also including scheduling each of a plurality of project milestones based on the release cycle milestone, the project start date, and a schedule of project phases as a percentage of total project duration. The schedule of project phases as a percentage of total project duration is derived from averages calculated from data collected from completed projects. |
| US08280755B2 |
Context-specific modeling of collaborative business process
Among other disclosure, a computer-implemented method for context-specific modeling of a collaborative business process includes receiving an identification of a collaborative business process to involve a communication between at least two entities. The identification is submitted by an entity seeking to model the collaborative business process for a specific context associated with the entity. The method includes selecting, in a repository and using the specific context, at least one modeling artifact that has been defined for use in the identified collaborative business process. The repository includes a plurality of stored modeling artifacts for at least one collaborative business process, each of the stored modeling artifacts associated with at least one context value. The method includes providing the selected modeling artifact to the entity in response to the received identification. |
| US08280751B1 |
System and method for reduced initial payment option
Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for providing a reduced initial payment option. The systems and methods provide for the determination of a plurality of payment options including a reduced initial payment option. |
| US08280750B2 |
Patient data mining for cardiology screening
A system and method for screening for coronary heart disease is provided. The method includes the steps of retrieving a test for assessing risk of coronary heart disease, the test including a plurality of data fields relating to coronary risk factors; accessing a database to populate the data fields with information of an individual patient; and calculating a risk assessment of the individual patient developing coronary heart disease. A system includes a first database including a plurality of structured computerized patient records; a second database including a knowledge base relating to coronary heart disease, the second database including at least one test for determining coronary heart disease risk; and a processor for retrieving the at least one test from the second database, populating the at least one test with patient information retrieved from the first database and calculating a risk assessment for at least one patient. |
| US08280749B2 |
12-lead ECG measurement and report editing system
The present invention provides a real-time interactive information system for measurement of 12-lead electrocardiogram waveforms and report editing, comprising a server providing cross-platform web page browsing for user to input commands or to review ECG reports and to edit or to measure information from patient further, a device for supporting internet interacting protocol which is a WEB SERVICE allowing for receiving commands issued by the server of cross-platform web page browsing and giving the server the feedback of processed ECG information by assistance from the database device, and a database device allowing for accessing patient's information to the internet interacting protocol. |
| US08280744B2 |
Audio decoder, audio object encoder, method for decoding a multi-audio-object signal, multi-audio-object encoding method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium therefor
An audio decoder for decoding a multi-audio-object signal having an audio signal of a first type and an audio signal of a second type encoded therein is described, the multi-audio-object signal having a downmix signal and side information, the side information having level information of the audio signals of the first and second types in a first predetermined time/frequency resolution, and a residual signal specifying residual level values in a second predetermined time/frequency resolution, the audio decoder having a processor for computing prediction coefficients based on the level information; and an up-mixer for up-mixing the downmix signal based on the prediction coefficients and the residual signal to obtain a first up-mix audio signal approximating the audio signal of the first type and/or a second up-mix audio signal approximating the audio signal of the second type. |
| US08280742B2 |
Input device and input method for mobile body
An input device for a mobile body allows for a safe input operation at the time of operating equipment, such as a car, regardless of whether the mobile body is traveling or stopped. The input device includes an input section for receiving inputs by hand and voice operations, a traveling state determination section for determining a traveling state of the mobile body, and an item executability determination section for determining, in the determined traveling state, whether each of the received inputs corresponds to an item executable by the hand and voice operations. The input device also includes a display content generation section for generating a display mode which distinguishably shows whether nor not the item is executable by the hand and voice operations in accordance with a determination by the item executability determination section, and a display section for displaying the generated display mode. |
| US08280740B2 |
Method and system for bio-metric voice print authentication
A method (700) and system (900) for authenticating a user is provided. The method can include receiving one or more spoken utterances from a user (702), recognizing a phrase corresponding to one or more spoken utterances (704), identifying a biometric voice print of the user from one or more spoken utterances of the phrase (706), determining a device identifier associated with the device (708), and authenticating the user based on the phrase, the biometric voice print, and the device identifier (710). A location of the handset or the user can be employed as criteria for granting access to one or more resources (712). |
| US08280735B2 |
Transcription data extraction
A computer program product, for performing data determination from medical record transcriptions, resides on a computer-readable medium and includes computer-readable instructions for causing a computer to obtain a medical transcription of a dictation, the dictation being from medical personnel and concerning a patient, analyze the transcription for an indicating phrase associated with a type of data desired to be determined from the transcription, the type of desired data being relevant to medical records, determine whether data indicated by text disposed proximately to the indicating phrase is of the desired type, and store an indication of the data if the data is of the desired type. |
| US08280731B2 |
Noise variance estimator for speech enhancement
A speech enhancement method operative for devices having limited available memory is described. The method is appropriate for very noisy environments and is capable of estimating the relative strengths of speech and noise components during both the presence as well as the absence of speech. |
| US08280730B2 |
Method and apparatus of increasing speech intelligibility in noisy environments
A method (400, 600, 700) and apparatus (220) for enhancing the intelligibility of speech emitted into a noisy environment. After filtering (408) ambient noise with a filter (304) that simulates the physical blocking of noise by a at least a part of a voice communication device (102) a frequency dependent SNR of received voice audio relative to ambient noise is computed (424) on a perceptual (e.g. Bark) frequency scale. Formants are identified (426, 600, 700) and the SNR in bands including certain formants are modified (508, 510) with formant enhancement gain factors in order to improve intelligibility. A set of high pass filter gains (338) is combined (516) with the formant enhancement gains factors yielding combined gains which are clipped (518), scaled (520) according to a total SNR, normalized (526), smoothed across time (530) and frequency (532) and used to reconstruct (532, 534) an audio signal. |
| US08280728B2 |
Packet loss concealment for a sub-band predictive coder based on extrapolation of excitation waveform
Systems and methods are described for performing packet loss concealment using an extrapolation of an excitation waveform in a sub-band predictive speech coder, such as an ITU-T Recommendation G.722 wideband speech coder. The systems and methods are useful for concealing the quality-degrading effects of packet loss in a sub-band predictive coder and address some sub-band architectural issues when applying excitation extrapolation techniques to such sub-band predictive coders. |
| US08280727B2 |
Voice band expansion device, voice band expansion method, and communication apparatus
A voice band expansion device includes a time-frequency converter that calculates a frequency spectrum of a voice signal having a first frequency band; a separator that extracts, from the frequency spectrum, an envelope amplitude spectrum, a periodic amplitude spectrum, and a random amplitude spectrum; an envelope amplitude spectrum band expander that expands a frequency band to a second frequency band that is different from the first frequency band; a periodic amplitude spectrum band expander that expands a frequency band to the second frequency band; a random amplitude spectrum band expander that expands a frequency band of the random amplitude spectrum to the second frequency band; a broadband spectrum calculator that calculates a broadband frequency spectrum having the first frequency band and the second frequency band; and a frequency-time converter generates a voice signal having the first frequency band and the second frequency band. |
| US08280726B2 |
Gender detection in mobile phones
An apparatus for wireless communications includes a processing system. The processing system is configured to receive an input sound stream of a user, split the input sound stream into a plurality of frames, classify each of the frames as one selected from the group consisting of a non-speech frame and a speech frame, determine a pitch of each of the frames in a subset of the speech frames, and identify a gender of the user from the determined pitch. To determine the pitch, the processing system is configured to filter the speech frames to compute an error signal, compute an autocorrelation of the error signal, find a maximum autocorrelation value, and set the pitch to an index of the maximum autocorrelation value. |
| US08280725B2 |
Pitch or periodicity estimation
A method of estimating a pitch period of a first portion of a signal wherein the first portion overlaps a previous portion. The method comprises computing a first autocorrelation value for part of the first portion not overlapping the previous portion. The method further comprises retrieving a stored second autocorrelation value for part of the first portion overlapping the previous portion, the second autocorrelation value having been computed during estimation of a pitch period of the previous portion. The method further comprises forming a combined autocorrelation value using the first and second autocorrelation values, and selecting the estimated pitch period in dependence on the combined autocorrelation value. |
| US08280723B1 |
Technique for comparing a string to large sets of strings
A comparison technique for efficiently comparing an input string to a set of strings is described. This set of strings may be represented in a tree structure as paths from a root of the tree structure to leaves of the tree structure, and strings in the set of strings that share common substrings share nodes in the tree structure. During the comparison technique, labels may be assigned to a given node in the tree structure based at least in part on comparisons between a given character in the input string and a character associated with the given node. These labels may include a position of the given character in the input string, and a cumulative error between the characters in a string that are associated with a branch in the tree structure and the characters in the input string that have been processed. Based at least in part on these labels, an actual string, which corresponds to the input string, may be identified. |
| US08280719B2 |
Methods and systems relating to information extraction
The invention relates to information extraction systems having discriminative models which utilize hierarchical cluster trees and active learning to enhance training. |
| US08280717B2 |
Tape printer, method of controlling tape printer, and program
A tape printer provided with a standard phrase print function adapted to print a plurality of standard phrases as a set, includes: a selection section adapted to select an input language in the standard phrase print function; a search table creation section adapted to create a search table corresponding to the selected input language; an extraction section adapted to extract the standard phrase of the selected input language and the standard phrase of a language other than the selected input language based on the created search table, the standard phrase of the selected input language and the standard phrase of the other language corresponding to each other; and a print section adapted to print the extracted standard phrases as the set. |
| US08280716B2 |
Service-oriented infrastructure management
A method for computing includes specifying a data processing system using a logical system definition, which defines logical system components having respective functionalities and a topology for interconnecting the logical system components. The logical system components are represented using respective logical objects in a hierarchical object model. Physical resources of a grid computer system are represented using physical objects in the hierarchical object model. The logical objects are automatically mapped to at least some of the physical objects, so as to allocate the physical resources to carry out the respective functionalities of the logical system components. The allocated physical resources are configured and activated so as to cause the grid computer system to function as the data processing system, in accordance with the logical system definition. |
| US08280708B2 |
Configuration of tools and processes for metal forming
In a method, a data processing system and a computer program for the configuration of tools and/or processes for the manufacturing of formed metal parts, raw data (r) for the description of a geometry and of a condition of a formed metal part are calculated from a set of nominal simulation parameters (d,n) through the simulation of a metal forming process. From a set of nominal simulation parameters (d,n) in a simulation run a set of raw data is calculated and saved, the preceding step is repeated several times with a variation of the simulation parameters (d,n), and as a result of this further sets of raw data (r) are generated and saved, and a statistical analysis (10) of several or of all the saved sets of raw data (r) is carried throughout for the purpose of calculating statistical characteristic values (Cr) of the raw data (r). |
| US08280707B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for simulating a scenario by updating events over a time window including the past, present, and future
A scenario is simulated by providing an agent that is an object in the scenario, providing a time window for the scenario that spans the farthest reachable past time and the farthest reachable future time with respect to a present time for the agent and/or at least one player that interacts with the simulated scenario, providing at least one event that represents a change in at least one attribute of the agent, and updating a state of the scenario by applying the at least one event to the agent within the time window. |
| US08280705B2 |
Method and device for predicting residual online time of peer in peer-to-peer network
A method for predicting a residual online time of a peer in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network is provided. The method includes: obtaining M history life cycle sampling data Si of a peer, i=1, . . . , M; determining the number, n, of Gaussian components in a multidimensional Gaussian Mixture Model to be established, where n≧2, and the multidimensional Gaussian Mixture Model denotes a probability distribution of a residual online time of the peer; using Si and n to establish the multidimensional Gaussian Mixture Model; and using the established multidimensional Gaussian Mixture Model to predict the residual online time of the peer. A device for predicting a residual online time of a peer in a P2P network is also provided. |
| US08280703B1 |
Method and apparatus for controlling procedural models
Methods and apparatus are described that may be used interactively to control the synthesis of patterns via procedural modeling. In one method, a direct brush tool may be used to directly control placement of parts of a procedural model. An element of a pattern may be synthesized according to the procedural model along a curve from a start point to an end point. Other elements of the pattern may be synthesized along the curve according to the procedural model. In another method, an auto brush tool may be used to grow a procedural model automatically to a specified distance from the curve. A pattern may be synthesized according to the procedural model along the curve from a start point to an end point; the synthesis of the pattern by the procedural model may be constrained to a region defined by a specified distance from the curve. |
| US08280701B2 |
Method and apparatus for computer-aided design of three-dimensional objects to be fabricated
A computer-aided design apparatus generates a tree structure of coordinate systems defining the topology of a three-dimensional object to be fabricated. The coordinate systems are positioned and orientated in accordance with mathematical functions. The mathematical function positioning child coordinate systems has the identity of the parent coordinate systems as a variable so that the positions of the child coordinate systems relative to their parent coordinate systems vary in accordance with the identity of the parent coordinate systems. Data defining the coordinate systems and connections therebetween is stored in a graph. Bases having a defined relationship are identified and three-dimensional content objects are added thereto. The content objects are added using the same mathematical function to generate a three-dimensional content object in each of a plurality of coordinate systems. The mathematical function for generating the content objects has the identity of the coordinate systems as a variable thereof to generate the content object in each coordinate system with a different shape. |
| US08280700B2 |
Automated method and system for object configuration
An automated system and method is provided for configuring an object (e.g., a room). In accordance with a preferred embodiment, configuration is facilitated through the use of layering functionality and frame-based inferences to evaluate stored knowledge of object attributes. The frame-based inferences may be supplemented by a rules-based inference system. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a graphics-based user interface may be used to permit interactive configuration using two-dimensional and three-dimensional models of the object, and incorporating engineering specifications, as well as functional and physical attributes. |
| US08280698B2 |
Computer-implemented method of computing, in a computer aided design system, of a boundary of a modeled object
The present invention relates to a computer-implemented method of computing. In one embodiment, computing a boundary of a modelled object in a computer aided design system, the method may include accessing data defining a modeled object as a simplicial m-complex. The method may further include projecting the simplicial m -complex in n, m≧n. The method also may include computing a polyhedral boundary of the modeled object as a polyhedral n−1-cycle in the projection of the simplicial complex. The polyhedral n−1-cycle may substantially border the projection of the simplicial complex. The present invention is further directed to a computer program product and a computerized system for performing the method of the invention. |
| US08280697B2 |
Concrete pavement system and method
A method of optimizing a concrete pavement design including estimating conditions of the pavement, determining properties of the pavement and developing a concrete pavement system. The method may further include selecting a thickness for the system, predicting performance of the system, determining costs of the system, and optimizing the pavement design based on one or more considerations. The method may include iterating one or more considerations. An optimized pavement system having predetermined design parameters. |
| US08280692B2 |
Ultrasonic wave propagation time measuring system
A position detection method and system that eliminate an effect of residual vibration of a piezoelectric or magnetostrictive element, increase correlativity between a received ultrasonic waveform and a model waveform, and are not affected by a reflected wave of an ultrasonic wave signal. A transmission unit of an ultrasonic wave propagation time measuring system of the present invention generates an electromagnetic wave signal including a trigger signal that indicates transmission timing and an ultrasonic wave drive signal by modulating an ultrasonic wave on the basis of a pseudo-random signal with high autocorrelativity at the same time as transmission of the electromagnetic wave signal, and transmits an ultrasonic wave signal of a frequency higher than a frequency of the ultrasonic wave drive signal by an ultrasonic wave transmitter. A reception unit detects the electromagnetic wave signal and the ultrasonic wave signal, and is provided with a data processing circuit for computing, with the ultrasonic wave drive signal as a model waveform, correlation values between the detected ultrasonic wave signal and the model waveform, detecting a main peak value of the computed correlation values, and computing an ultrasonic wave propagation time from a point in time of detection of the electromagnetic wave signal and a point in time of detection of the main peak value. |
| US08280691B2 |
Arrangement for evaluating the measured values of a measured-value converter
The object of the invention is to implement an arrangement that enables maximally flexible linkage of measured-value sensing systems 12 to automation devices. This object is achieved in that an arrangement for evaluating the measured values of a measured-value converter 12 is provided, which arrangement encompasses an evaluation means 13 and a connecting means 18 for linking the evaluation means 13 to the measured-value transducer 12. Connecting means 18 in turn encompasses means 14, 15, 16, 17a, b that are at least in part electrically configurable, by means of parameters, in such a way that a linkage of evaluation means 13 to measured-value converters 12 that differ in terms of measured-value data transfer can be implemented. |
| US08280689B2 |
Saving history and format information of a document together
An image processing device in which predetermined image processing is carried out on image data, and the image data that has been processed is saved as processing history information, is provided with: a format determination means that determines whether or not the image data is in a specified document format, and a saving means that, when it is judged that the image data determined by the format determination means is in the specified document format, saves format information of the specified document format together with the image data as the processing history information. |
| US08280684B2 |
Diagnostic methods and apparatus for an accelerator using induction to generate an electric field with a localized curl
Methods and apparatus are described wherein a charged beam in an enclosed conducting cavity in an accelerator is monitored for position, current, and energy. One method uses induced electric signals on non-intercepting conducting electrodes. Another method uses an intercepting and moving electrode than can be moved into the beam to different degrees to monitor the beam current and vertical profile at different radial positions. Non-intercepting electrodes are also used as part of a moving diagnostic probe to monitor properties of the beam at different radial positions. Another method uses the current in the leads to a power supply, a portion of this current being equal to the beam current. Another method uses the magnetic and electric fields from the beam that penetrates a non-conducting portion of the conducting cavity. Yet another method uses the radiation emitted during acceleration of the beam by the deflecting magnets that guide the beam. |
| US08280681B2 |
Pressure-based weight monitoring system for determining improper walking or running
A system of monitoring weight of a person includes a plurality of pressure sensors integrated with a shoe, for generating wireless signals responsive to weight of a person wearing the shoe when walking or running over ground. A processor processes the signals to determine an improper walking or running event, and a transmitter transmits a signal indicative of the improper walking or running event. A remote receiver receives the signal and generates an indication of the improper walking or running event. |
| US08280677B2 |
Geographical data collecting device
The present invention provides a geographical data collecting device, including a distance measuring unit 5 for projecting a distance measuring light and for measuring a distance to an object to be measured, an image pickup unit 3 for taking an image in a measuring direction, a display unit 6 for displaying an image picked up, a touch panel installed to match a position of screen of the display unit, a tilt sensor 11 for detecting a tilting in a measuring direction, an azimuth sensor 12 for detecting a horizontal angle in the measuring direction, and a control arithmetic unit 8, wherein the control arithmetic unit displays a scale to indicate horizontal and vertical lines on the display unit and controls the scale display so that the scale always indicates the horizontal and the vertical lines in the image based on a result of detection of tilting from the tilt sensor. |
| US08280676B2 |
Sensing system for recognition of direction of moving body
An apparatus for recognizing an entry/exit direction of a moving body includes a first moving body detection sensor; a second moving body detection sensor; and a control means connected to the first and second moving body detection sensors by wire/wireless to recognize as an entry of a moving body only when, after moving body detection signals of the first and second moving body detection sensors are received simultaneously or together for a first predetermined time, the moving body detection signal of the second moving body detection sensor is not lastly received, and to recognize as an exit of a moving body only when, after moving body detection signals of the first and second moving body detection sensors are received simultaneously or together for a first predetermined time, the moving body detection signal of the first moving body detection sensor is not lastly received. |
| US08280675B2 |
System and method for filtering temperature profiles of a wheel
A method for inspecting a rail vehicle includes receiving signals representative of temperatures of a wheel of the rail vehicle and generating a sensed wheel temperature profile of the wheel based on the signals. At least a portion of the sensed wheel temperature profile is representative of the temperatures of the wheel. The method also includes identifying waveform attributes in the sensed wheel temperature profile and designating the sensed wheel temperature profile as at least one of a typical wheel profile and an atypical wheel profile based on the waveform attributes in the sensed wheel temperature profile. |
| US08280673B2 |
System for determining ambient temperature
A mechanism for indicating ambient temperature of an enclosure from temperatures determined within the enclosure. The temperatures may be obtained from two or more sensors at each of two or more locations within the enclosure. The enclosure may include an apparatus inside such as electronics of which power consumption may be determined. Data including temperatures of two locations within the enclosure at various electronics power consumption levels may be entered into a 2-D plot. An approximation of the 2-D plot may be effected with an appropriate equation to be solved for ambient temperature. The data of the dimensional 2-D plot plus temperatures of a third location and air flow levels in the enclosure may be entered into a 3-D plot. An approximation of the 3-D plot may be effected with an appropriate equation to be solved for ambient temperature. |
| US08280672B2 |
Trimming circuit of semiconductor memory apparatus and trimming method thereof
A trimming circuit for a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a trimming code generator configured to provide a trimming code signal group by performing one of addition and subtraction using a test mode signal and a fuse coding signal, and an internal voltage generator configured to provide trimmed voltage in response to the trimming code signal group as output voltage. |
| US08280669B2 |
Self calibrating cable for a high definition digital video interface
An HDMI cable may exhibit frequency dependent signal attenuation, inter symbol interference, and inter-pair skew. A boost device integrated with the cable can compensate for such impairments of the cable. A self calibrating cable with a boost device of the embodiment of the invention is described, in which parameters that control the response of the boost device are set optimally in a self-calibrating process including looping the boosted cable on itself through a calibration fixture that contains a calibration control device. The boost device includes pattern generators and a sampling circuit. Each high speed channel of the cable is separately tested and calibrated with the help of one of the other channels serving as a sampling channel. |
| US08280666B2 |
Reference sensor method for calibration of dynamic motion sensors
The invention disclosed includes a method for determining the magnitude and phase calibration of dynamic motion sensors (SUTs), such as accelerometers, velocimeters, and dynamically responding displacement transducers at low vibration frequencies, using an optical encoder as the reference. To calibrate the sensitivity, the dynamic motion sensor is mounted to a shaker mechanism which imparts harmonic linear motion in the axis of the sensitivity of the sensor. In the case of an accelerometer, the mechanism commonly includes another accelerometer as a reference sensor. However, the output of conventional reference accelerometers becomes inadequate at low frequencies. The subject of this patent is an optical encoder to measure the displacement, at frequencies at which the optical measurement is more accurate than that of an accelerometer or other dynamic motion sensor. |
| US08280660B2 |
Electrical distribution networks
Previously, electrical power systems have been analyzed to provide theoretical fault levels values for different zones of an electrical power distribution system based upon a worse case scenario. However, existing electrical loads will in practice provide a more adaptable and higher fault level. By monitoring and identifying an I-V characteristic upon switching electrical load in practical operation an actual default level at particular nodes in a power distribution system is determinable. In such circumstances decisions with regard to the connectability of further electrical generators or loads at particular parts and zones of an electrical power distribution system can be quantified by reference to the actual fault level rather than the theoretical worse case scenario level and therefore avoid unnecessary upgrading of transmission equipment or denying access to the electrical power system. |
| US08280659B2 |
Early detection of minimum cell voltage degradation of a fuel cell stack
A method for determining a low performing cell in a fuel cell stack. The method measures the voltage of each cell in the fuel cell stack and calculates an average cell voltage of all of the cell voltages from the fuel cell stack at a plurality of stack current densities. The method also identifies a minimum cell voltage from all of the cell voltages from the fuel cell stack at the plurality of stack current densities that the average cell voltages are calculated and determines a relative delta voltage relationship between the average cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage at each of the plurality of stack current densities. The relative delta voltage relationships are used to determine whether the minimum cell voltage indicates a persistent stack problem. |
| US08280656B2 |
System and method for providing power distribution system information
A system, method and computer program product for processing utility data of a power grid is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a datamart comprised of a plurality of physical databases storing utility data, a plurality of applications comprising an automated meter application configured to process power usage data from a plurality of automated meters, a power outage application configured to identify a location of a power outage, and a power restoration application configured to identify a location of a power restoration. The system may include an analysis engine comprising a plurality of analysis objects with each analysis object configured to process data to provide a specific analysis, wherein said analysis engine is accessible via one or more of the plurality of applications, and the system may include a report module configured to receive an output from the analysis engine and to output a report. The plurality of applications may also include a fault analysis application, a transformer analysis application, a theft detection application, a power flow application, a substation automation application, a load shed application and others. |
| US08280641B1 |
Utility of genomic fractals resulting in fractals of organisms
A method and system to analyze repetitive elements of in hereditary material as fractal sets, and analyze and interpret the hereditary information for biological research and medical procedures. The fractal genomic information is analyzed for correspondences to healthy or pathological structural and functional properties of cells, organelles, or organisms. One embodiment of the invention uses analytical tools to analyze and interpret DNA sequences and their aberrant repetitions, fractal defects, of DNA sequences. Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method, system, or program for fractal analysis and fractal interpretation of repetitive elements in genomic information for existing and synthetic organisms. |
| US08280639B2 |
Method and system for monitoring the efficiency and health of a hydraulically driven system
Efficiency of a hydraulically driven system is evaluated by monitoring the change in ratio of output torque to input hydraulic pressure. The hydraulic pressure data is received from a hydraulic sensor. The torque data is received from a load cell receiving a force transmitted to it by a back-up wrench. Filters are applied to the data to obtain peak levels of torque and hydraulic pressure. A ratio is generated for each process associated with a rod or other elongated member based on peak torque and hydraulic pressure levels achieved during the process. The ratio is stored and compared to historical ratios to determine if the ratio has changed more than a predetermined amount over time. A similar evaluation can be achieved by comparing speed generated on the elongated member by the hydraulically driven system to the current level controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulically driven system. |
| US08280635B2 |
Dynamic production system management
Data about operation of a well for extracting a product from the subterranean reservoir and at least one of a characteristic of a subterranean reservoir or operation of a processing and transport system upstream of a point of sale is received. A corrective action can be automatically initiated on at least one of the well or the processing and transport system in response to a difference between the received data and a specified operational objective. An adjustment to a model of the reservoir, the well, and the processing and transporting system can be automatically initiated in response to the received data. |
| US08280632B2 |
Apparatus and method for inspecting overlapping figure, and charged particle beam writing apparatus
An apparatus for inspecting overlapping figures includes a chip overlap inspection unit configured to input a data file on each chip of a plurality of chips arranged in a writing pattern, and inspect an existence of an overlap between a plurality of chips, based on arrangement data on each region of the plurality of chips, a setting unit configured to set, with respect to the plurality of chips, a plurality of hierarchies and a plurality of cell regions of each of the plurality of hierarchies, an extraction unit configured to extract, with respect to a plurality of chips where the overlap occurs, a cell region where the overlap is located, from a higher hierarchy level to a lower hierarchy level in order, a figure overlap judging unit configured to judge an existence of an overlap between a figure in the cell region extracted and a figure in the other cell region extracted, and an output unit configured to output data on a plurality of figures overlapping. |
| US08280631B2 |
Methods and apparatus for generating an electronic record of a marking operation based on marking device actuations
Methods and apparatus for generating electronic records of marking operations for underground facilities/utilities. Electronic records of marking information may be logged/stored in local memory of a marking device, formatted in various manners, processed and/or analyzed at the marking device itself, and/or transmitted to another device (e.g., a remote computer/server) for storage, processing and/or analysis. In one example, multiple pieces of geo-location data (e.g., from a GPS receiver) are collected and logged per actuation of a marking device (e.g., a trigger-pull to dispense marking material). A computer-generated image or other visual representation of the marking operation may be electronically rendered in a display field based on logged marking information, essentially in real time as the marking operation is conducted, and/or recreated thereafter based on one or more stored electronic records. |
| US08280630B2 |
Navigation device
A navigation device is provided that presents a travel direction of a vehicle at a guide point along with a map around the vehicle, without significantly reducing a display area of the map around the vehicle. The navigation device of the present invention includes current position locating means 9 for locating the current position of a vehicle, storage means 25 for storing map data, display means 19 for displaying a guidance screen that includes a map 41 around the current vehicle position with use of the map data, and operation means formed by a plurality of keys 45, 49, 65, 67 and 69 displayed on the display means 19 and a touch panel 31. The guidance screen includes a guide point display key 49, the guide point display key 49 causing a map 41 around a guide point that the vehicle is to pass through next, out of guide points that are present on the guidance route and where a travel direction of the vehicle is guided, to be displayed on the display means 19 instead of the guidance screen, and an arrow 51 is added to the guide point display key 49, the arrow 51 indicating the travel direction of the vehicle at the guide point that the vehicle is to pass through next. |
| US08280629B2 |
Navigation device, data updating method and program
A navigation device that is mounted in a movable body of the present invention includes a first storing portion that stores a first navigation data; an acquiring portion that acquires a second navigation data from an external second storing portion; a movable body location detecting portion that detects the location of the movable body; a navigation operation executing portion that executes a predetermined navigation operation based on the location of the movable body that is detected by the movable body location detecting portion, and the first navigation data; and an updating portion that updates the first navigation data with the second navigation data. The updating portion stops the execution of the navigation operation by the navigation operation executing portion, and executes a first updating process that updates a portion of the first navigation data corresponding to a first area that includes the vicinity of the location of the movable body; and a second updating process that updates a portion corresponding to a second area of the first navigation data other than the first area in parallel with the navigation operation by the navigation operation executing portion, after this first updating process is completed. |
| US08280628B2 |
Method and apparatus for utilizing geographic location information
Embodiments of the present invention provide navigation devices (10) and methods for receiving and/or forming geoblogs. The provided navigation devices (10) are generally operable to retrieve a geoblog utilizing the current geographic location of the device (10) and a user input, form a geoblog utilizing the current geographic location of the device (10) and selected pre-defined comment, and/or automatically title a geoblog utilizing a current geographic location of the device (10). Such configurations and variations thereof enable users to easily share information related to a geographic location. |
| US08280624B2 |
Method of determining a likely geographical location
A method of determining a likely geographical location for which a user of a computer desires further information based on submitted criteria comprising the steps of: the user submitting criteria including a locality name; identifying from the criteria the locality name; returning, in dependence on the locality name, a probability that the locality name is associated with a geographical location. |
| US08280616B2 |
Remote starter with universal bypass module
Disclosed is a remote starter system for remotely starting an engine of a vehicle. The remote starter system may comprise an integrated universal bypass module that allows the remote starter system to be utilized with vehicles equipped with a passive anti-theft system such as a transponder-based vehicle security system or a resistance-based vehicle security system. Alternatively, the remote starter system may comprise a kit comprising a remote starter system for remotely starting an engine of a vehicle and a universal bypass module that allows the remote starter system to be utilized with vehicles equipped with an anti-theft system such as a transponder-based vehicle security system or a resistance-based vehicle security system. |
| US08280611B2 |
Method for adapting a drag coefficient of a flow control valve
A regulating method and a regulating device for actuating an actuator in an injection system for an internal combustion engine, may have the following steps: stipulation of a setpoint value for a controlled variable of the actuator; determination of an actual value of the controlled variable; determination of a setpoint/actual value deviation between the setpoint value and the actual value of the controlled variable; pilot control of a controlled variable in accordance with a predefined pilot control response as a function of the setpoint value; regulation of the controlled variable by a regulator output variable in accordance with a predefined regulating response as a function of the feedback setpoint/actual value deviation; actuation of the actuator with the pilot-controlled and regulated controlled variable; and determination of a characteristic variable of the injection system as a function of the regulator output variable. |
| US08280609B2 |
Method and device for glowplug ignition control
A device for glow plug excitation control is disclosed, in particular for a glow system (2) for controlling at least one glow plug pencil (3), in particular for the rapid heating with an engine control device (1), comprising at least an engine control (1), a glow system (2), a glow plug (3), a supply resistance terminal 30 (4), a supply resistance glow plug (5), an internal resistance glow control (6), a measured voltage at the engine control U1 (7), a voltage drop on the lead to glow control device U2 (8), a voltage drop in the glow control device U3 (9), a voltage drop at the lead to glow plug U4 (10), a voltage at the glow plug U5 (11). |
| US08280608B2 |
System for restarting internal combustion engine when engine restart condition is met
A system is installed in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a transmission, and a clutch. The system restarts, according to at least one engine restart condition is met, the internal combustion engine that has been automatically controlled for stop thereof. The system includes a restart-condition determiner configured to determine that, as the at least one engine restart condition, an operation of the clutch is started by a driver of the vehicle for shifting the second state to the first state. The system includes a state detector configured to detect an operated state of the clutch during the clutch is shifted from a disengagement state to an engagement state. The system includes a restart controller configured to determine whether to enable or disable the restart of the internal combustion engine according to the operated state of the clutch detected by the state detector. |
| US08280604B2 |
Method and device for detecting acceleration peaks in tires
A method and a device for determining an acceleration peak, in particular for a tire, on the basis of a signal output by a sensor and assignable to the rotation of the tire, which signal corresponds to an acceleration, the determination being made by performing the following: recording at least one acceleration signal assignable to the rotation of the tire, the recording being carried out continuously; forming an average value from the recorded acceleration signal; comparing the recorded acceleration signal with the formed average value; forming a additional average value from the recorded acceleration signal; comparing the recorded acceleration signal with the formed average value; and determining the acceleration peak on the basis of the formed comparison. |
| US08280601B2 |
Adaptive vehicle control system with integrated maneuver-based driving style recognition
A vehicle control system that classifies a driver's driving style based on characteristic maneuvers. The system includes a plurality of vehicle sensors that detect various vehicle parameters. A maneuver identification processor receives the sensor signals to identify a characteristic maneuver of the vehicle and provides a maneuver identifier signal of the maneuver. A style characterization processor receives the maneuver identifier signals, sensor signals from the vehicle sensors and the traffic and road condition signals, and classifies driving style based on the signals to classify the style of the driver driving the vehicle. The classification of the driver style can be provided for a level-1 combination that combines the classification results from different maneuver type classifiers for a single maneuver, a level-2 combination that combines the classification results from multiple maneuvers that are of the same type and a level-3 combination that combines the classification results from different types of characteristic maneuvers. |
| US08280598B2 |
Motor torque management associated with audible noise for a hybrid powertrain system
A method for operating a hybrid powertrain system includes monitoring operation of the torque machine, and limiting the motor torque output from the torque machine to a maximum allowable motor torque that is associated with an acceptable audible noise level when the motor speed of the torque machine is within a motor speed range associated with objectionable audible noise. |
| US08280595B2 |
System and method employing short range communications for communicating and exchanging operational and logistical status information among a plurality of agricultural machines
A system, and method of use thereof, for enabling short range intercommunication and the exchange of logistical information between and among a plurality of authorized agricultural machines that are designed to be operable in conjunction with one another to effect, as a specific identified group, a given agricultural operation, including a plurality of individual agricultural machines each of which has a communications control portion operable to transmit and receive short distance communications signals and each of which also has authentication credentials associated therewith establishing such machine's entitlement to share in the logistical information and to be considered and treated as a member of the specific identified group involved in the performance of the given agricultural operation, with such individual agricultural machines, when positioned in range of the short distance communications signals of the individual agricultural machines, forming a peer-to-peer network in which such individual agricultural machines are joined as group members and are operable to effect the distribution over a wireless bus of the peer-to-peer network of logistical information of a group member of such network. |
| US08280593B2 |
Vehicle door opening angle control system
A laser sensor projects laser light in the downward direction. If the laser sensor does not receive any laser light reflected by an obstacle or the ground, it is determined that the obstacle is present in the direction of projection of the laser light. It is thus possible to detect the presence of the obstacle, which will at least affect the opening of the vehicle door. |
| US08280592B2 |
Motor vehicle for car to car communication and associated method for operating an antenna structure of a motor vehicle
A motor vehicle is equipped for radio communication with at least one further motor vehicle. An antenna structure is used to transmit and receive useful signals. The antenna structure can be controlled with the aid of a control device in such a way that it is possible to change the setting of the main lobe of the antenna. A method is also disclosed for operating an antenna structure which is installed in a motor vehicle. |
| US08280591B2 |
Method for monitoring the vehicle handling of a two track vehicle
A method monitors the vehicle handling of a vehicle with respect to vehicle stability by comparing a measured variable, which reflects the yaw rate or the lateral acceleration, with a comparison value, which is derived from the steering angle, specified by the driver. The gradients of the regression lines, which are normalized in relation to each other, of the measured variable, on the one hand, and the comparison value, which represents the steering angle, on the other hand, are compared continuously over a number of analysis time windows. Upon finding a significant deviation between these gradients, an unstable driving condition is concluded. The difference between the gradients of the regression lines, which may be determined by a first order least squares method and normalized to the same units by a suitably applied amplification factor, are determined and compared with a suitably determined limit value, above which an instability is inferred. Alternatively, the measured variable and the comparison value, which represents the steering angle, can be analyzed for a linear or nonlinear dependence within an analysis time window by a coherence analysis; and on detection of a noteworthy nonlinearity, an unstable driving condition can be concluded. |
| US08280588B2 |
Apparatus for travel support
A travel support apparatus sets a travel locus of a vehicle based on a gaze point of a driver of the vehicle. By utilizing the gaze point, the travel locus is calculated and set for the travel control of the vehicle, especially for a curved portion of a road, in a matching manner that the calculated travel locus approximates the travel locus created by the steering operation of the driver. The above locus calculation scheme generates a natural travel locus because the driver of the vehicle usually gazes at an exit of the curved portion of the road when he/she steers the vehicle on the road. The natural travel locus calculated and set by the travel support apparatus prevents the driver from having discomfort and/or unsafe feeling while the travel of the vehicle is controlled by the apparatus. |
| US08280578B1 |
Vehicle diagnostic tool—determining the coolant temperature rate of change
An analysis tool which extracts all the available parameter identifications (i.e. PIDS) from a vehicle's power train control module for diagnostic decisions. This is done by checking these PIDS and other information (e.g., calculated PIDS, Break Points, charts and algorithms) in three states; key on engine off, key on engine cranking, key on engine running In all three modes the tool is comparing the live data from PIDS and voltage to the other information (e.g, Break Points). If any of this data are outside the programmed values a flag is assigned to the failure or control problem. The relationship between a particular PID and its associated preprogrammed value(s) may be indicated by a light. The depth of the problem (if any) is conveyed by the color of the light. Also included are tests/charts for fuel trim, engine volumetric efficiency, simulated injector, power, catalyst efficiency, and engine coolant range. |
| US08280576B2 |
Method for operating an automotive drive
In an automotive drive, at least one dynamic characteristic of a bearing by which the automotive drive is supported on a beam is selectively influenced during operation of the automotive drive (active bearing). It is provided that a change in an instantaneous operating variable of the automotive drive is determined from a change in a state variable of the active bearing that influences its dynamic characteristic. |
| US08280575B2 |
Abnormality diagnosis system and control system for internal combustion engine
An ECU (60) for an engine (10, 70) monitors a change of an actual fuel pressure (NPC), when a target fuel pressure (PFIN) is changed stepwise. In one abnormality, the time required for the actual fuel pressure to reach the target fuel pressure is equal to that when an actuator (34) operates normally. However, the maximum value of a differential value (dNPC/dt) with respect to time of the actual fuel pressure is different from that when the actuator operates normally. For this reason, a normal range is set in advance for the maximum value of the differential value with respect to time of the actual fuel pressure and when the maximum value of the differential value with respect to time of the actual fuel pressure is out of the normal range, it is determined that the actuator operates abnormally. |
| US08280572B2 |
Secondary battery temperature-increasing control apparatus, vehicle including the same, and secondary battery temperature-increasing control method
A first calculating section (118) calculates an allowable output power (WoutA) of the secondary battery before a ripple temperature increase operation for increasing the temperature of a secondary battery by causing a ripple current to flow in the secondary battery is performed, the allowable output power being determined in advance based on the temperature and a state of charge (SOC) of the secondary battery. A second calculating section (120) calculates the allowable output power (WoutB) achieved when the ripple temperature increase operation is performed. A determining section (122) determines whether to perform the ripple temperature increase operation so that when the allowable output power (WoutB) is equal to or greater than the allowable output power (WoutA), the ripple temperature increase operation is performed and, when the allowable output power (WoutB) is smaller than the allowable output power (WoutA), the ripple temperature increase operation is not performed. |
| US08280571B2 |
Drive controller for hybrid vehicles
A drive controller for hybrid vehicles, the hybrid vehicle comprising: an engine; a motor which is able to assist the driving force from the engine; an automatic clutch mechanism which is able to engage/disengage the transmission of the driving force between the engine and the motor; an automatic transmission disposed downstream of the motor; a filter for collecting particulates in exhaust gas; and a controller for controlling operations of these devices, wherein the controller operates in such a way that, for regenerating the filter, the idling speed while the vehicle is halted is set higher, and the predetermined rotational speed for initiating the clutch engagement is set higher than the rotational speed at the time of non-regeneration of the filter in light of increase in the engine rotational speed for the fast-idle control. |
| US08280569B2 |
Methods and systems for improved throttle control and coupling control for locomotive and associated train
A multi-mode control system for a locomotive includes a throttle control device having notch settings corresponding to, for a first, long haul mode, control signals for providing respective tractive effort or power from the locomotive, a master controller in communication with the throttle control device and adapted to receive said control signals from the throttle control device and to transmit respective command signals to power-train components of the locomotive to achieve the respective tractive effort or power, the master controller also adapted for sending alternative command signals when a user-operable mode selector is set to one of one or more alternative modes. The user-operable mode selector includes one or more user interface devices in communication with the master controller for selecting one alternative mode of the one or more alternative modes. |
| US08280564B2 |
Method for optimizing the exit of an aircraft in a holding circuit
The method of optimizing the exit of an aircraft traversing for a known duration (D) a holding circuit forming a racecourse comprising two parallel branches of the same distance, the branches being traversed in a first time (t1), and two arcs of the same radius linking respectively the ends of each branch, the two arcs being traversed in a second time (t2), the holding circuit comprising an exit point situated at the end of one of the branches is characterized in that the distance of the branches of the holding circuit for the last two loops performed are adjusted so that the aircraft is substantially in proximity to the exit point when the duration (D) has elapsed. |
| US08280557B2 |
Air-conditioning apparatus
An air-conditioning apparatus includes first and second outdoor units having first and second outdoor heat exchangers and first and second heat source-side degree of subcooling adjustment devices configured to adjust first and second degrees of subcooling in outlet sides of the first and second outdoor heat exchangers, respectively. First and second outdoor-side determination units are configured to determine first and second degrees of subcooling, respectively. A controller is configured to control the first and second heat source-side degree of subcooling adjustment devices, respectively, such that a difference between the first degree of subcooling and the second degree of subcooling is reduced when refrigerant is charged into a refrigerant circuit having the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor heat exchanger. |
| US08280553B2 |
Lip moving device for use in robots
Various embodiments of a lip moving device for use in robots are provided. A lip moving device has first and second lip members. The first and second lip members are made from a flexible material. First and second driving parts apply torques to both ends of the first lip member, while third and fourth driving parts apply torques to both ends of the second lip member. The first and third driving parts are mounted in a first frame. The second and fourth driving parts are mounted in a second frame. The first and second frames are pivotally coupled to a supporting part. An adjusting part pivots the first and second frames relative to the supporting part to adjust a distance between the first and second frames. |
| US08280543B2 |
Arrangement and method for handling electronic components
Arrangement (1) for processing electronic components, including a plurality of processing stations (3) for processing electronic component, at least some processing stations including an electrical actuator (8); a conveyor (2), such as a turret, for transporting components from one processing station to the next; and a central processing unit (5) for commanding the processing stations. At least some processing stations (3) include a local processing unit (7) for generating command signals (74) for the electric actuators (8). The central processing unit (5) is connected to the local processing units (7) over an electronic bus (6). Digital command instructions (75) are transferred on the electronic bus (6) between the central processing unit (5) and the local processing units (7). |
| US08280538B2 |
System, medium, and method of encoding/decoding multi-channel audio signals
An system, method, and method of encoding/decoding a multi-channel audio signal, including a decoding level generation unit producing decoding-level information that helps a bitstream including a number of audio channel signals and space information to be decoded into a number of audio channel signals, wherein the space information includes information about magnitude differences and/or similarities between channels, and an audio decoder decoding the bitstream according to the decoding-level information. Accordingly, even a single input bitstream can be decoded into a suitable number of channels depending on the type of a speaker configuration used. Scalable channel decoding can be achieved by partially decoding an input bitstream. In the scalable channel decoding, a decoder may set decoding levels and outputs audio channel signals according to the decoding levels, thereby reducing decoding complexity. |
| US08280534B2 |
Control and monitoring system
When a system operator selects a message to be analyzed from among a plurality of messages listed in a state change list displayed on an HMI unit, a monitoring target is identified from the selected message and all other messages that correspond to the same monitoring target are automatically searched. Subsequently, a timeline chart is displayed that represents changes in the operating state specified in the selected message and the found messages. |
| US08280531B2 |
Method and computer program for controlling the heat treatment of metal workpieces
A method and computer program for the control of the heat treatment of batches of metal workpieces for increasing the degree of automation of industrial furnace plants presumes an identical batch layout, an identical treatment program, and an identical article geometry of metal workpieces and relates it to a model batch, which has been run using batch thermoelements. The model batch becomes the foundation for a new batch. Through the assumption of program parameters of the actually run process of the model batch into the program of the new batch to be run, new batch thermoelements are not required for the new batch to be run. |
| US08280529B2 |
Sequence control apparatus and test apparatus
There is provided a sequence control apparatus for outputting a sequence of control signals to operate a control target, including a sequence storing section that stores thereon sequence data in association with each state received from outside, where the sequence data includes a plurality of control signals to be sequentially supplied to the control target and a plurality of pieces of time interval information designating time intervals during which the plurality of control signals are respectively kept supplied to the control target, a sequence data selecting section that, on reception of a state from the outside, selects sequence data associated with the state, a sequence reading section that sequentially reads the plurality of control signals and the plurality of pieces of time interval information included in the selected sequence data and sequentially supplies the plurality of control signals to the control target, and a time control section that refers to the plurality of sequentially read pieces of time interval information to control the time intervals during which the plurality of control signals are kept supplied to the control target. |
| US08280527B2 |
Suture sleeve and a method for implanting one or two leads into a vein
For a suture sleeve and implantation method for one or two implantable leads, the suture sleeve is adapted to be inserted into a vein to secure and protect the lead from damage when a suture thread is positioned and tied around the vein in the region over the suture sleeve to prevent bleeding from the vein. The suture sleeve has two lead receiving through holes, into each of which a medical implantable lead is insertable. The suture sleeve also has two elongated sleeve portions, each including a lead receiving through hole, which are positioned in parallel and displaced in relation to each other such that they are connected in a connecting portion. At least one sleeve portion projects further in one direction. |
| US08280526B2 |
Extensible implantable medical lead
An extensible medical lead comprises at least one proximal contact, at least one distal electrode, and having at least one conductive filer electrically coupled between the proximal contacts and the distal stimulation electrode. The lead further comprises an outer jacket made of a longitudinally compressible material. The conductive filer may also be coiled to provide extensibility. |
| US08280521B2 |
System and method for unscheduled wireless communication with a medical device
Unscheduled wireless communication with a medical device is achieved by operating a receiver of the medical device in a series of modes. Each mode provides an increasingly selective evaluation of received RF energy. The receiver, when operating in a first mode, is capable of detecting the presence of RF energy transmitted from a communicating device. The receiver, when operating in a second mode, consumes more energy than the first mode and analyzes the RF energy to determine whether it contains the appropriate type of modulation. When operating in a third mode, the receiver consumes more energy than the second mode, and operates the full receiver to begin communication with the communicating device. The receiver opens a communication session after the RF energy has passed the evaluation by the series of modes to receive an unscheduled communication. |
| US08280519B2 |
Method of maintaining wet-tantalum electrolytic capacitors
Wet-tantalum capacitors used in a medical device are charged to and maintained at a maintenance voltage between full energy charges so that deformation in the wet-tantalum capacitor is substantially inhibited. |
| US08280518B2 |
Recordable macros for pacemaker follow-up
A device and method for programming an implantable pulse generator. In one embodiment, commands are entered designating implantable pulse generator programming variables into programmer memory. At least some of the commands are transformed into an executable macro. The macro is stored in the programmer memory. The macro is executed to transmit the programming variables to the implantable pulse generator. |
| US08280517B2 |
Automatic validation techniques for validating operation of medical devices
Techniques for validating operation of a medical device are disclosed. A data collection phase utilizes a first sensor carried by a patient to record patient parameter values indicative of conditions experienced by the patient (e.g, posture states.) Therapy parameter values describing therapy adjustments requested by the patient in response to the conditions are also recorded. Associations formed between the therapy parameter values and the patient parameter values are used to develop a closed-loop algorithm for control of an IMD having a sensor similar to the first sensor. An automated device such as a robotic arm uses the recorded patient parameter values to automatically reproduce, and to subject the IMD to, conditions present during the data collection phase. Therapy delivered by the IMD while under control of the closed-loop algorithm and while being subjected to the conditions is compared to the recorded therapy parameter values e to validate IMD operation. |
| US08280516B2 |
Method and apparatus for closed-loop deep brain stimulation in treating neurological diseases
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a device having a stimulation sequence generator device, at least one implantable electrode for insertion in a brain of a human being, where the at least one implantable electrode is coupled to the stimulation sequence generator, a sensor for placement on a body part of the human being, and a controller coupled to the stimulation sequence generator device and the sensor. The controller can be operable to receive a signal from the sensor, extract from the signal characteristics corresponding to desirable movements of the body part of the human being to generate output data, detect a condition from the output data for predicting an upcoming tremor, and cause the stimulation sequence generator device to apply a stimulation to the at least one implantable electrode for a first period responsive to the detected condition to prevent the upcoming tremor. |
| US08280515B2 |
Occipital neuromodulation
A method of treating chronic pain in a subject by positioning a lead containing electrodes subcutaneously in the occipital region of a subject's skull at the height of an imaginary line connecting the tops of the ears; and energizing the lead with an electrical signal effective to suppress pain, and below the level where the subject can feel the lead being energized. Typically the procedure involves a trial phase and a permanent implant phase. The procedure is known as occipital neuromodulation. |
| US08280513B2 |
Device and method to treat flow limitations
A device and method for detecting and treating airflow limitations in a subject is provided. Levels of flow limited breathing may be differentiated. Obstruction versus flow limited breathing may be differentiated as well. The EMG complex characteristics may be used to detect obstruction or flow limited breathing. The power spectral density plot of the EMG may be used to detect obstruction or flow limited breathing. |
| US08280511B2 |
Systems and methods for use by an implantable medical device for detecting heart failure based on the independent information content of immittance vectors
Techniques are provided for detecting heart failure or other medical conditions within a patient using an implantable medical device, such as pacemaker or implantable cardioverter/defibrillator, or external system. In one example, physiological signals, such as immittance-based signals, are sensed within the patient along a plurality of different vectors, and the amount of independent informational content among the physiological signals of the different vectors is determined. Heart failure is then detected by the implantable device based on a significant increase in the amount of independent informational content among the physiological signals. In response, therapy may be controlled, diagnostic information stored, and/or warning signals generated. In other examples, at least some of these functions are performed by an external system. |
| US08280509B2 |
Selection of cardiac capture verification modes
Systems and methods provide for selection of automatic capture verification modes. A number of capture verification modes are evaluated, wherein at least one of the capture verification modes has a distinct temporal relationship between delivery of a pacing pulse and detection of capture of heart tissue by the pacing pulse than the other capture verification modes. One or more capture verification modes are selected based on the evaluation. Capture verification is implemented using the selected one or more capture verification modes. |
| US08280504B2 |
Method and system for detecting electrophysiological changes in pre-cancerous and cancerous tissue
A method and system are provided for determining a condition of a selected region of epithelial tissue. At least two current-passing electrodes are located in contact with a first surface of the selected region of the tissue. A plurality of measuring electrodes are located in contact with the first surface of the selected region of tissue as well. Electropotential and impedance are measured at one or more locations. An agent may be introduced into the region of tissue to enhance electrophysiological characteristics. The condition of the tissue is determined based on the electropotential and impedance profile at different depths of the epithelium, tissue, or organ, together with an estimate of the functional changes in the epithelium due to altered ion transport and electrophysiological properties of the tissue. |
| US08280503B2 |
EMG measured during controlled hand movement for biometric analysis, medical diagnosis and related analysis
Biometric assessment is performed by use of electromyography (EMG) signals detected from muscles at several locations on the hand/or other part of the body subject to fine motor control. The EMG signals are sensed and registered and the sensed signals are processed for use in performing the biometric assessment. |
| US08280498B2 |
Method, ventilator and control unit for determining a position of an esophageal catheter
A method of obtaining an indication of the position of an esophageal catheter inserted into a patient includes the steps of obtaining an electrical signal from the esophageal catheter, determining an ECG component of the electrical signal, determining the widths and/or rate of a number of periods in which the ECG component exceeds a threshold value, using the rate or widths of the periods to determine the presence of a P-wave in the ECG component, and concluding that the catheter is in a good position for obtaining a correct EMG signal if a P-wave is determined to be present. If not, the position may be corrected. The method may be performed by a control unit in a ventilator or a monitoring device. |
| US08280494B2 |
Apparatus and method to measure a spectroscopic characteristic in an object
A measurement apparatus includes a measurement unit configured to irradiate three types of ultrasonic waves and light upon a test region in a test object, and to measure modulated light and non-modulated light, the modulated light being modulated by an acousto-optical effect, and a signal processor configured to calculate a modulation depth that is an intensity of the modulated light divided by an intensity of the non-modulated light for the one, and at least one of a scattering characteristic and an absorption characteristic of the test region in the test object by utilizing a first change rate of the modulation depth to an amplitude of the one or an amount corresponding to the first change rate, and a second change rate of the modulation depth to a frequency of the one or an amount corresponding to the second change rate. |
| US08280492B2 |
Operating method of an X-ray machine for examining a patient by use of a contrast agent
An operating method is disclosed for an X-ray machine for examining a patient by using a contrast agent in the case of which a preliminary examination is carried out for determining a contrast agent curve in the case of which a series of attenuation values relating to defined scanning instants are acquired at a set scanning position, the contrast agent curve being determined on the basis of the attenuation values, and being stored for a follow-up examination. The contrast agent curve can be loaded during a follow-up examination and need not be determined anew, and so a reduction is attained in the contrast agent used, the applied radiation dose and the examination time. The contrast agent curve can, furthermore, be adapted to the examination situation currently present by taking account of biosignals. |
| US08280491B2 |
Image guided radiosurgery method and apparatus using registration of 2D radiographic images with digitally reconstructed radiographs of 3D scan data
A set of 2D reconstructed images is generated from a pretreatment 3D scan showing an initial position of a target, wherein the set of 2D reconstructed images corresponds to perturbations from said initial position along fewer than six degrees of freedom. Said set of 2D reconstructed images are registered with one or more 2D x-ray images of said target showing a current position of the target, wherein the registering includes computing a set of 3D transformation parameters that represent a change in position of said target between said initial position of said pretreatment 3D scan and said current position of said 2D x-ray images along six degrees of freedom. A positioning system is instructed to adjust a relative position of a radiosurgical beam generator to said target by an amount prescribed by said 3D transformation parameters, wherein said target is allowed six degrees of freedom of position. |
| US08280490B2 |
Registration aid for medical images
A registration aid for medical images obtained from an examination subject respectively with different imaging modalities at separated points in time, has a carrier adapted to be reproducibly applied to an examination subject at separated points in time at a substantially identical position on the examination subject at each of the separated points in time, and at least one landmark provider carried by the carrier, the landmark provider providing a first landmark visible in a first of the imaging modalities and a second landmark, different from the first landmark, visible in a second of the imaging modalities. The landmark provider provides the first and second landmarks with a fixed spatial relation relative to each other to allow contents of an image obtained with the first of the imaging modalities to be brought into registration with contents of an image obtained with the second of the imaging modalities, with the carrier being applied to the examination subject while each of the images is obtained. |
| US08280487B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically controlling tabletop displacement in magnetic resonance imaging
In a method for operation of a magnetic resonance apparatus having a patient positioning table with a tabletop as well as a control device by which the displacement of the tabletop relative to a homogeneous magnetic field (generated by a magnetic field generation device) and the acquisition of images of an anatomical subject of the patient in a field of view within the homogeneous magnetic field are controlled, the control device determines a suitable stepped displacement of the tabletop using information about the patient size, information about the subject to be acquired and information about the size of the homogeneous magnetic field and/or field of view present relative to the table displacement direction, and the control device controls the tabletop displacement as needed according to the determination result. |
| US08280486B2 |
Site marker visable under multiple modalities
A site marker is provided that includes a generally hollow body defining a cavity. At least one marker element is captured within the cavity but is able to move within the cavity. The capturing prevents migration of the marker within a body. The site marker is formed into a predeployment configuration whereby the site marker is compressed into a predetermined size and shape to as to be readily positionable within a deployment device. The site marker expands from the predeployment position to a post deployment configuration upon insertion into the body. |
| US08280479B2 |
Flexible 3D microprobe structure
The present invention discloses a flexible 3D microprobe structure, which comprises at least one probe, a base and a hinge portion. The probe is connected to the base via the hinge portion. The probe forms a bend angle with respect to a normal of the base by attracting the probe through an electrostatic force to make the hinge portion bend with respect to the base, and thus to form a 3D structure having the bend angle. The probe, the base and the hinge portion are made of a flexible polymeric material to reduce the inflammation response of creatures. Further, a fixing element is used to enhance the structural strength of the flexible 3D microprobe structure. |
| US08280476B2 |
Devices, systems, methods and tools for continuous glucose monitoring
One aspect of the invention provides a glucose monitor having a plurality of tissue piercing elements, each tissue piercing element having a distal opening, a proximal opening and interior space extending between the distal and proximal openings; a sensing area in fluid communication with the proximal openings of the tissue piercing elements; sensing fluid extending from the sensing area into substantially the entire interior space of the tissue piercing elements; and a glucose sensor adapted to detect a concentration of glucose in the sensing fluid within the sensing area. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of in vivo monitoring of an individual's interstitial fluid glucose concentration including the following steps: inserting distal ends of a plurality of tissue piercing elements through a stratum corneum area of the individual's skin, the tissue piercing elements each having a distal opening, a proximal opening, an interior space extending between the distal and proximal openings, and a sensing fluid filling substantially the entire interior space; and sensing a glucose concentration of the sensing fluid. |
| US08280474B2 |
Reference electrodes having an extended lifetime for use in long term amperometric sensors
The present application provides Ag/AgCl based reference electrodes having an extended lifetime that are suitable for use in long term amperometric sensors. Electrochemical sensors equipped with reference electrodes described herein demonstrate considerable stability and extended lifetime in a variety of conditions. |
| US08280473B2 |
Perfusion index smoother
An embodiment of the present disclosure seeks to smooth a perfusion index measurement through use of a baseline perfusion index measurement and/or through the use of multiple PI calculations. The combination of the baseline perfusion index measurement reduces an error between a calculated measurement of PI and actual conditions. |
| US08280466B2 |
Four frequency band single GSM antenna
A reach back secure communications terminal capable of GSM network connectivity includes a GSM fixed cellular terminal, and a single whip antenna adapted for user selectable use at any of four distinct frequency bands, e.g., 850, 900, 1800, or 1900. Immediate and secure voice, data and video connectivity is provided to multiple telecommunications networks. Integrated components simplify access to varied networks allowing deployed users to select and connect quickly to a network that best supports their present mission. Networking options include any of PSTN, PBX, GSM (or CDMA or other cell telephone standard), SAT, IP and WiFi. During secure call setup, the reach-back communications terminal exchanges public keys with a remote terminal using FNBDT signaling. Traffic encryption is performed using the NIST approved Advanced Encryption System (AES) standard (Rijndael) and a 128-bit random key (2^128 possible keys). |
| US08280465B2 |
Wireless adapter for interfacing between an accessory and a device
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide compatibility among incompatible accessories and portable media players. One example provides an adapter having a connector receptacle to mate with an accessory's connector insert and a connector insert to mate with a portable media player's connector receptacle. Another example provides an adapter having a direct connection between pins on the connector insert and pins on the connector receptacle that are used for compatible signals. Another example provides an adapter including a DC-to-DC converter that receives a first power supply from an accessory and provides a second power supply to a portable media player. Another translates signals using different signaling technologies. Authentication and identification circuitry may also be included. Other examples may employ wireless technologies instead of either or both the connector insert and connector receptacle. |
| US08280461B2 |
Electronic device including a function button operable by a stylus or similar device
An electronic device may include a stylus and a housing. An opening may be formed in the housing for inserting and storing the stylus. A function button may be mounted in the housing. The stylus may be adapted to operate the function button when in a stored position inserted within the opening in response to a user applying a predetermined pressure to the stylus. |
| US08280457B2 |
Methods and apparatus for reducing power consumption for mobile devices using broadcast-to-unicast message conversion
Techniques for use in communicating messages to a mobile device operative in a wireless network are described. A communication network receives a broadcast message which includes a protocol type identifier in a protocol type identifier field. The communication network identifies whether the protocol type of the broadcast message matches one of a plurality of protocol types stored in association with an identification of the mobile device. If the protocol type of the broadcast message matches one of the stored protocol types, then the communication network produces, from the broadcast message, a unicast message which includes information from the broadcast message, and causes the unicast message to be sent to the mobile device in the wireless network. |
| US08280454B2 |
Mobile device with a smart battery having a battery information profile corresponding to a communication standard
Various embodiments are described for a mobile communication device having a main processor for controlling the operation of the mobile communication device; a device memory coupled to the main processor for storing a plurality of battery information profiles; and a smart battery coupled to the main processor for providing supply power. The smart battery includes a battery processor for controlling the operation of the smart battery and communicating with the main processor; and a battery memory coupled to the battery processor for storing a Battery ID indicating the model of the smart battery. The main processor is configured to communicate with the battery processor to obtain the Battery ID and select one the battery information profiles based on the Battery ID. |
| US08280448B2 |
Haptic effect provisioning for a mobile communication terminal
A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the mobile terminal are provided. The method comprises displaying a character input window for inputting a character string through a touch input on a touch screen; receiving an input character string through the character input window; and outputting a control signal for controlling a haptic module to generate a haptic effect corresponding to the configuration of the input character string so that it is possible for a user to easily recognize the configuration of the input character with the sense of touch. |
| US08280446B2 |
Mobile terminal having touch input device
A mobile terminal having an input device that performs an input operation in a touch manner is provided. The mobile terminal includes a first display module, a second display module located adjacent to the first display module, an integrated window located an outer portion of the first and second display modules, and a touch sensing unit located between the window and the second display module for sensing a touch applied to the window and applying an input signal. Marks for guiding input content can be varied and high capacity and high-density multimedia or communication information can be easily and quickly accessed or executed. |
| US08280439B2 |
Interface and communication protocol for a mobile device with a smart battery
Various embodiments are described herein for a mobile communication device that utilizes a smart battery. The mobile device includes a main processor for controlling the operation of the mobile communication device. The smart battery is coupled to the main processor and provides supply power. The smart battery includes a battery processor for controlling the operation of the smart battery and communicating with the main processor, and a battery module having one or more batteries for providing the supply power. A battery interface is provided for coupling between the main processor and the battery processor for providing communication therebetween. The battery interface comprises a data communication line and protection circuitry for protecting the main processor from electrostatic discharge. A communication protocol is also provided for communication between the main processor and the battery processor. |
| US08280438B2 |
Safety features for portable electronic device
A portable electronic device includes a safety feature configured to prevent at least some forms of use of the device when the user is traveling beyond a speed threshold. The device may detect its linear speed, compare that speed to a threshold, and provide a response or blocking function upon detecting that the speed has exceeded a threshold. In one embodiment, the device is a cell phone configured to disable the transmission and reception of voice and text, conceal its display screen, and disable incorporated games, cameras, internet access, etc., if the cell phone is moving faster than walking speed. The blocking function in a cell phone may be partially overridden by the introduction of hands-free equipment. The introduction of a hands-free earpiece and microphone may serve to override the blocking of voice transmission and reception, and may also enable a voice activated dialing and/or answering function. |
| US08280434B2 |
Mobile wireless communications device for hearing and/or speech impaired user
A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and transceiver carried by the housing for transmitting and receiving radio frequency (RF) signals carrying communications data of speech. A processor is coupled to the transceiver for processing the communications data as speech that is transmitted and received to and from the transceiver. A keyboard and display is carried by the housing and connected to the processor. A speech-to-text and text-to-speech module converts communications data as speech received from the transceiver to text that is displayed on the display and converting text that is typed by a user on the keyboard in the communications data as speech to be transmitted from the transceiver as an RF signal. |
| US08280433B2 |
Database for antenna system matching for wireless communications in portable information handling systems
Systems and method are disclosed for internal matching and configuration of radio frequency communication modules and antenna systems within a portable information handling system to help alleviate contentions among wireless communication technologies. A database stores operational information associated with wireless communication radio modules and antenna systems. A central control and switching module then matches and configures antenna systems and communication modules based upon stored operational information. The stored information can include device requirements, regional communication requirements, communication protocols and/or any other desired operational information. Flexibility is thereby provided for wireless communications, and worldwide intelligent access is allowed to radio frequency (RF) spectrums while adhering to localized spectrum and regulatory policies. |
| US08280432B2 |
Mobile communication device and method for operating a mobile communication device
The present invention relates to a mobile communication device and a method for operating a mobile communication device with which triggering of a certain function can be avoided in some situations. The mobile communication device comprises an imaging section operable to acquire an image of a user of said mobile communication device, a user interface operable to receive an input of a user, and a controller configured to deactivate at least one function of said user interface based on an output signal of said imaging section. |
| US08280429B2 |
Thermal energy control in a mobile transceiver
A method and apparatus for controlling thermal energy generation in a User Equipment (UE) operating in a radio telecommunication network. The thermal energy generation is directly proportional to a transmit power level in the UE, and a Node B allocates transmit power levels to a plurality of UEs through scheduling grants. Upon request by the UE, the Node B allocates a dedicated scheduling grant to the UE authorizing a higher transmit power. If the UE subsequently overheats, it sends a power reduction request to the Node B. Upon approval, all or part of the dedicated grant is removed, and the UE transmits at a lower power level to reduce thermal generation. The Node B retains control of the grant and may reallocate it to a common scheduling grant or may allocate another dedicated grant to a different UE. |
| US08280428B2 |
Mobile station with improved channel quality prediction for wireless communications
A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) with improved performance through channel quality prediction employing link adaption techniques including a receiver which makes selective measurements on downlink transmissions, and then stores one or more of the measurements or a channel quality indicator derived therefrom. The receiver then retrieves one or more of the past measurements (or the past channel quality estimates themselves), and combines it with current measurements (or the current channel quality estimate), to predict what the channel quality will be at some future time and derive a predictive channel quality indicator (CQI). This predictive CQI, derived from both current channel measurements and at least one past channel measurement, is then sent to the transmitter for use in updating transmission parameters. |
| US08280427B2 |
Gain factor/matrix for whole link channel reciprocity in TDD MIMO relay system
Measured are received power of a first signal received from a first entity, and received power of a second signal received from a second entity. A gain factor (or a matrix of gain factors if multiple antennas are used) is determined using the measured received powers of the first signal and of the second signal. If transmit power from the apparatus to the second entity is considered as the benchmark, the second signal is forwarded from the apparatus to the first entity using a second signal transmit power that is determined using the gain factor. Or, if transmit power from the apparatus to the first entity is considered as the benchmark, the first signal is forwarded from the apparatus to the second entity using a first signal transmit power that is determined using the gain factor. Method, apparatus, and memory storing computer program are detailed. |
| US08280426B2 |
Adaptive power balancing and phase adjustment for MIMO-beamformed communication systems
Techniques are provided for improving performance of a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication system. At a first wireless communication device (e.g., a base station) having a plurality of antennas, uplink transmissions are received from a second wireless communication device (e.g., a client device). The base station determines a measure of multipath conditions between it and the second wireless communication device based on the received uplink transmissions. The base station applies downlink beamforming weight vectors together with power balance and phase adjustment factors depending on the measure of multipath conditions to transmit multiple downlink data streams across the plurality of antennas simultaneously to the second wireless communication device. |
| US08280419B1 |
Adaptable communication techniques for electronic devices
Improved approaches for users of electronic devices to communicate with one another are disclosed. The electronic devices have audio and/or textual output capabilities. The improved approaches can enable users to communicate in different ways depending on device configuration, user preferences, prior history, etc. In one embodiment, the communication between users is achieved by short audio or textual messages. |
| US08280415B2 |
Performing caller based routing of a phone call
A method, system, and computer program for routing an outgoing voice call in real time is presented. A call is received from a caller to an intended receiving wireless telecommunication device. In response to the call failing to connect to the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device, a caller initiated short range wireless query signal is transmitted to determine if an other wireless communication device is within a predefined proximity to the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device. If the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device receives a response from an other proximate telecommunication device indicating that the proximate telecommunication device is within the predefined proximity to the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device, then the call is rerouted to the proximate telecommunication device based on preferences internal to the caller telecommunication device. These preferences may be stored on the caller telecommunication device or remotely stored on the host carrier network. |
| US08280413B2 |
Mobile terminal and world time display method thereof
A mobile terminal and its world time display method are disclosed. The mobile terminal executes a world time display function according to the occurrence of an event. A particular area is selectively received according to the executed world time display function, and time information and representative information of the selected area are obtained and displayed. The time information includes date, a time zone, and information about a time difference between an area where a terminal is currently located and the selected area. The representative information includes a building that represents the selected area, popular tourist attractions, animals and plants, a country code, an area code, traditional costumes, etc. Simple information with respect to the particular area as well as the time information of the particular area can be provided to the user. |
| US08280412B2 |
Method for enhanced mobile assisted positioning
At a first user equipment (UE), an uplink signal is received of at least one second UE is received and time marked. At the first UE, a downlink signal from at least one base station is received and time marked. Observed time differences of arrival are determined using the time markings. A position of the first UE is determined based on the determined time differences of arrival. |
| US08280411B2 |
Communication terminal device and control program thereof
In a mobile phone (1) that is changeable to a plurality of styles, when connecting a call in response to an originating call or an incoming call by a wireless communication section (14), a central control section (11) controls a style detecting section (24) to detect a current style, and judges whether or not the call should be restricted by referring to an operation mode information storage section (M5). The central control section (11) then restricts the call based on this restriction judgment result and the detection result from the style detecting section (24). Also, the central control section 11 drives a notifying section (20) to give a notification indicating that a call in a certain style is restricted. |
| US08280410B1 |
Virtual recycling system
A method for enabling users over the world wide web and cellular phone networks to interact with an interactive recycling system, assisting the user in performing tasks involved in the recycling of scrap metals and other materials. The system offers the user resources, services, and ideas according to parameters collected from the user and from the providers of said resources, services and ideas. The system guides the user to receive the most desired, convenient and financially advantageous resources, services and ideas, while allowing said providers a mechanism for innovating business methods, pricing and marketing. The system automatically guides the user to the desired resources, services and ideas by executing various tools, such as real time pricing comparisons, geographic advisory information, GPS navigation, text and/or audio chat, resource analysis, and preparatory transactions. The system adds graphics, animation, and other media to make the session more informative and enjoyable for the user. |
| US08280405B2 |
Location based wireless collaborative environment with a visual user interface
A wireless networked device incorporating a display, a video camera and a geo-location system receives geo-located data messages from a server system. Messages can be viewed by panning the device, revealing the message's real world location as icons and text overlaid on top of the camera input on the display. The user can reply to the message from her location, add data to an existing message at its original location, send new messages to other users of the system or place a message at a location for other users. World Wide Web geo-located data can be explored using the system's user interface as a browser. The server system uses the physical location of the receiving device to limit messages and data sent to each device according to range and filtering criteria, and can determine line of sight between the device and each actual message to simulate occlusion effects. |
| US08280403B2 |
Method and apparatus for location-based update of content
A method and apparatus for a location-based update of RSS content are provided. The method includes appointing place information for an update of content for each RSS URL at user equipment, acquiring location information about the user equipment selecting RSS content to be updated based on the place information when the acquired location information coincides with the appointed place information, and updating the selected RSS content. |
| US08280401B2 |
Method of managing paging group
The present invention relates to a method of managing a paging group in a mobile terminal that is in an idle mode. A method of managing a paging group according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes: collecting paging group ID information including paging group levels and local IDs; determining, on the basis of the collected paging group ID information, whether or not a location update occurs; and if it is determined that the location update occurs, comparing a location update cycle according to a location update time with a threshold value, selecting a paging group level on the basis of the comparison result, and selecting a paging group corresponding to the selected paging group level. |
| US08280396B2 |
Overload control method for a wireless cellular network
A method may include determining a metric for at least one physical resource block of a wireless cellular network in at least a one cell. Each physical resource block may include a set of frequencies, and/or the metric may be based on interference on the at least one physical resource block in the at least one cell. A determination of whether the metric violates a metric threshold may be made, and an overload indicator may be sent to at least one other cell if the metric violates the metric threshold. |
| US08280384B2 |
System and method for predicting location accuracy of a mobile unit
The location of a wireless mobile device may be estimated using, at least in part, one or more pre-existing Network Measurement Reports (“NMRs”) which include calibration data for a number of locations within a geographic region. The calibration data for these locations is gathered and analyzed so that particular calibration points within the geographic region can be determined and associated with a particular set or sets of calibration data from, for example, one or more NMRs. Sets of calibration points may be evaluated as a function of parameters of the calibration data, and a set of calibration points may be selected as a function of a predetermined criteria. Signal reception in the region may be estimated as a function of mobile device location in the region and an approximate statistical accuracy of a signal strength pattern determined as a function of the estimated signal reception. An expected accuracy of a location system may then be modeled in the region as a function of system configuration information and determined approximate statistical accuracy. |
| US08280383B2 |
Femto jamming of macro pilot
A system and methodology that facilitates triggering device scanning and efficient femtocell detection in areas dominated by macro cells is provided. In particular, the system can includes a jamming component that generates a small and measured amount of interference to user equipment or user equipments (UEs) camping on nearby macro carriers. Moreover, the power utilized to introduce the interference can be enough to cause macro signal quality around the femtocell access point (AP) to fall below a scan trigger level. The UE(s) can detect the macro signal quality decline below the scan trigger level and scan other frequency bands, including the femtocell, on which to camp. Additionally, the system can perform femto pilot gating, such that the jamming component can scan the radio environment surrounding the femto AP during an off state, to determine information that facilitates jamming of a macro pilot. |
| US08280373B2 |
Terminal device control server and method for controlling access to a mobile communication network
An apparatus and a method for a terminal device control server. The terminal device control server collecting, storing and providing information (i.e. device intelligence) relating to a plurality of terminal devices in a mobile communication network. A policy based control mechanism can be used in conjunction with one or more authorization lists and the device intelligence to respond to requests from various elements in the network to allow or deny access to the network or to services within the network to specific terminal devices. The device intelligence can alternatively be used to improve the effectiveness of service offerings in the network by providing information associated with a specific terminal device to other elements that adapt their services offerings and interactions to the capabilities of the specific terminal devices. |
| US08280372B2 |
Airborne onboard base transceiver station for mobile communication
The invention refers to a base station, BTS, (BTS) and a method for a BTS, for a cellular communication system comprising a user equipment, UE, (UE) onboard an aircraft (1) being at a predetermined altitude and a terrestrial network. The invention is characterized in that the base station (BTS) is arranged to be an airborne onboard BTS (BTS) comprising a screening device (2) generating a first signal (S1) being matched to screen a second signal (S2) from the terrestrial network at a predetermined altitude. The onboard BTS (BTS) also comprises a signal generator (3) generating a third signal (S3) being stronger than both the first signal (S1) and the second signal (S2), the onboard BTS (BTS) being arranged to establish a communication link with the UE (UE) via the third signal (S3). |
| US08280366B2 |
Sensing RF environment to detect change in geographic location of cellular base station
Using radio frequency sensing to detecting that a cellular base station has been moved to a new geographic location is disclosed. A determination is made that a sensed radio frequency environment does not match a stored baseline. It is concluded, based at least in part on the determination that a sensed radio frequency environment does not match a stored baseline, that the cellular base station has been moved. |
| US08280365B1 |
Method and apparatus for searching for a base station using an adaptable search window
A search receiver in a mobile communicator uses an adaptable search window to search for one or more base stations. |
| US08280361B2 |
Method for renewing program files of a programmable mobile telecommunications terminal
The invention relates to a method for renewing program files of a programmable, mobile telecommunications terminal, according to which the program files are transmitted from a telecommunications network to the telecommunications terminal via the air interface. The aim of the invention is to allow the program files to be renewed in a simple and cost-effective manner and with little effort. To achieve this, the terminal type is determined by the telecommunications network, new program files that exist in devices of the telecommunications network, or are available elsewhere are determined and made available for the identified terminal type and the existing new program files are automatically transmitted to the terminal via the air interface. |
| US08280354B2 |
Method and system for provisioning wireless services
A method for provisioning wireless devices for use of services offered by a service provider on a wireless network, comprising: receiving at a provisioning system from a wireless device a wireless device identifier, the wireless device having a first subset of the services; identifying from the wireless device identifier a subscriber associated with the wireless device, the subscriber having a second subset of the services; and, if the first and second subsets conflict, enabling none, one, or both of the first and second subsets of services in accordance with conflict resolution information for the service provider. |
| US08280348B2 |
System and method for identity protection using mobile device signaling network derived location pattern recognition
A system and method for recognizing patterns in wireless device locations using wireless device location data derived from a communications signaling network is provided. By using wireless network supported signaling operations and messages, location data concerning the whereabouts of wireless devices, and hence wireless device users, may be obtained. The location data derived from the communications signaling network may be statistically analyzed to reveal potential geographic patterns that may indicate meaningful behaviors of the purported users of the wireless devices. |
| US08280347B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically damaging circuitry of a mobile device when one or more conditions are detected
A mobile device is configured with electrical circuitry that causes the transmit channel electrical circuitry of the transmitter (Tx) of the mobile device to be electrically coupled to the receive channel electrical circuitry of the receiver (Rx) of the mobile device when one or more predetermined conditions occur. The electrical coupling of the transmit channel circuitry to the receive channel circuitry causes the Rx to be sufficiently damaged to render the mobile device nonoperational, thereby preventing further use of the mobile device. The one or more predetermined conditions correspond to conditions that indicate the mobile device has been lost or stolen and/or that an unauthorized user is attempting to use the mobile device in some manner. |
| US08280346B2 |
Usage measurement collection and analysis to dynamically regulate customer network usage
In a network subscriber system, a method of determining how to monitor whether a subscriber's network usage exceeds a quota for the current billing period. The frequency at which the subscriber's usage data is collected and analyzed during the billing period is based upon the probability the subscriber's network usage exceeds the quota at a given point in time during the billing cycle. Usage data is collected more frequently as the probability increases. Usage analysis is performed if the probability exceeds a threshold. |
| US08280340B2 |
Clock generation for integrated radio frequency receivers
Systems of clock generation for integrated radio frequency receiver. In an integrated radio frequency receiver, a mixer is often used to down convert the incoming radio frequency signal. The down converted signal is then digitized and digital signal processing circuitry is used for efficient and flexible implementation of various functions to receive the underlying audio and/or data information. The mixer requires clock generation circuitry to provide a proper local oscillator signal for a selected channel. On the other hand, the digital signal processing circuitry requires its separate digital clock for proper operations. The clock generation system utilizes single local oscillator generation circuitry to provide the local oscillator signals required by the mixer and the digital clock signals required by the digital signal processing circuitry. In order to maintain a fixed frequency for the digital clock signal regardless channel selection, a fractional divider coupled with sigma-delta circuitry is used to derive the digital clock signal. |
| US08280338B2 |
Mixer cell with a dynamic bleed circuit
A mixer is described having a Gilbert cell structure including a first input and a second input for inputting an RF signal, a third input and a fourth input for inputting a local oscillator signal, a first output and a second output for outputting an IF signal, a plurality of switches for converting the RF signal to an IF signal, and a dynamic bleed circuit for dynamically reducing the dc-current of the switches at the switching-point. As the dc-current of the switches is reduced at the point of commutation, the 1/f-noise is also strongly reduced without degrading the linearity. The switching happens at twice the local oscillator frequency. The mixer also includes a common mode feedback circuit that feeds the common mode signal, optionally amplified, to a common mode feedback control device that is in series between the dynamic bleed circuit and the supply voltage. |
| US08280332B2 |
Apparatus and method for adaptive whitening in a multiple antenna system
An apparatus and method for controlling a whitening function of a whitening Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) in a receive end of a multiple antenna system are provided. The method includes identifying if there is interference from at least one neighbor cell, if there is interference, generating a weight of the whitening MRC using a pre-whitening inverse matrix, and, if there is no interference, generating a weight of the whitening MRC using a unit matrix, thus being capable of improving a reception performance of the receive end. |
| US08280330B2 |
Crystal-less clock generation for radio frequency receivers
Systems and methods of clock generation for radio frequency receiver. In radio frequency receiver, the system requires accurate local oscillating (LO) signal and system clocks for proper operation and to ensure high quality performance. In order to achieve accurate LO frequency and system clock, a crystal or and accurate reference clock is provide to the clock generation circuit. How a low-cost receiver, it is desirable to eliminate the requirement for a crystal or an accurate reference clock. The present invention discloses systems and methods to utilize a pilot signal embedded in the transmitted signal. The pilot signal usually has very accurate frequency which is particular true for broadcast system such as FM broadcast. In various embodiments of the present invention, the systems and methods measure the relation between the frequency of the pilot signal and the current clock generated. The measured result is compared with a know relation corresponding to the frequency of the pilot signal and the target clock signal and the result is used to adjust the clock generation circuit. |
| US08280329B2 |
Receiver having a gain-controllable input amplifier
A receiver has an input amplifier (RFAMP) that comprises a signal-voltage amplifier (SVA) and a feedback path (FBP). The signal-voltage amplifier (SVA) provides a voltage gain (VG) from an input node (SESf) to an output node (SON). The voltage gain (VG) is controllable. The feedback path (FBP) provides a transadmittance (GM) from the output node (SON) to the input node (SIN). The transadmittance (GM) is controllable. |
| US08280327B2 |
Receiver capable of reducing local oscillation leakage and in-phase/quadrature-phase (I/Q) mismatch and an adjusting method thereof
An adjusting method for reducing local oscillation leakage or I/Q mismatch in a receiver includes the steps of: (a) detecting a current extent of local oscillation leakage or I/Q mismatch; (b) determining if an adjusting direction is correct with reference to the current extent of local oscillation leakage or I/Q mismatch thus detected, maintaining the adjusting direction if correct, and reversing the adjusting direction upon determining that the adjusting direction is incorrect; and (c) adjusting a control signal according to the adjusting direction. |
| US08280325B2 |
Configurable transmitter
According to an example embodiment, an apparatus may be provided that is configurable to operate in either a separate power amplifier configuration or a combined power amplifier configuration. |
| US08280324B2 |
Method and system for closed loop power control in wireless systems
Aspects of a method and system for closed loop power control in wireless systems are provided. In this regard, an output power of an amplifier may be measured and an indication of the measured power may be compared to a reference signal. The results of the comparison are utilized to generate an error correction factor. The gain of a preamplifier may be adjusted utilizing the error correction factor, where the output of the preamplifier may be input to the amplifier. The error correction factor may be generated via a proportional integral derivative controller. The gain of the preamplifier may be adjusted via at least one control signal, where the at least one control signal may be generated based on a reference control word and the error correction factor. The indication of the measured power and the reference signal may be time aligned. |
| US08280323B2 |
Fuzzy logic control of an RF power amplifier for automatic self-tuning
Fuzzy logic is utilized to control an RF amplifier and associated tuner for continuous self-optimization and automatic load matching to at least double the battery life of a battery-powered transmitter. |
| US08280317B2 |
Pass-through connection systems and methods for process control field devices
Systems and methods are provided to connect wireless adapters and field devices for process control systems, such systems and methods include a process control system having a field device, a wireless adapter, a first wire and a second wire. The field device includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a first conduit and a second conduit. The wireless adapter includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a first port and a second port. The first conduit of the field device couples to the second port of the wireless adapter. The first wire passes between the field device and the wireless adapter connecting the first terminal of the field device to the first terminal of the wireless adapter. The second wire passes between the field device and the wireless adapter connecting the second terminal of the field device to the second terminal of the wireless adapter. Other systems and methods are also provided. |
| US08280314B2 |
Method and apparatus for compensating for transceiver impairments
A method for compensating a transceiver for impairments includes transmitting a plurality of partial bandwidth training signals using a transmitter. A plurality of response signals of a receiver having a bandwidth and exhibiting receiver impairments is captured. Each response signal is associated with one of the partial bandwidth training signals. Each of the partial bandwidth training signals is associated with a portion of the receiver bandwidth. A plurality of partial compensation filters is generated based on the plurality of response signals. Each partial compensation filter is associated with one of the response signals. The partial compensation filters are combined to configure a receiver compensation filter operable to compensate for the receiver impairments. |
| US08280312B2 |
Method and system for signal distortion characterization and predistortion compensation using mutual coupling in a radio frequency transmit/receive system
A method and system use the mutual coupling property of multiple antenna elements for characterizing signal waveform distortion introduced by items in the signal path, including the antenna elements, of a radio frequency transmit/receive system. The method and system alleviate the need for external test equipment by using the same hardware used in standard operation of the transmit/receive system for performing waveform distortion characterization through the generation, mutual coupling, and acquisition of a reference signal. In an embodiment involving application of complementary inverse predistortion to generation of an operational signal and/or to processing of a received operational signal, the signal as received and processed during standard system operation is compensated for distortion contributed by system hardware, improving impulse response and system performance. |
| US08280306B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method that allow wireless communications to be readily and quickly started. When a cellular phone 1 is placed in proximity to a personal computer 11, a strap ID is transmitted from a contactless IC tag 3 of a cellular phone strap 2 to a reader/writer 12 of the personal computer 11. The personal computer 11 has a table of association between the strap ID and a Bluetooth device name of the cellular phone 1. The personal computer 11, upon obtaining the strap ID, refers to the association table and thereby identifies the cellular phone 1 as a party for carrying out Bluetooth communications therewith. The personal computer 11, by referring to the Bluetooth device name, identifies the cellular phone 1 from among a plurality of Bluetooth devices including the cellular phone 1, and carries out Bluetooth communications with the cellular phone 1. The present invention can be applied to various information processing apparatuses such as cellular phones and personal computers. |
| US08280300B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatically analysing a filled in questionnaire
A method, apparatus and computer software for automatically analysing a filled in questionnaire, are provided. The method includes automatically analysing a filled in questionnaire, the method comprising the steps of: providing a questionnaire having answer locations; scanning at least two copies of the questionnaire with the answer locations filled in differently and complementarily in a predetermined way, to produce a first scan and a second scan; automatically determining answer locations by comparing the first and second scans; providing a filled in questionnaire having certain answers; scanning the provided filled in questionnaire as a third scan; and automatically judging the certain answers with the determined answer locations. |
| US08280297B2 |
Electophotographic borderless printing method and apparatus
A method and apparatus for determining whether borderless printing can be done based on media type and desired gloss level is provided. Also provided is a method, printer, and system whereby a defect-free borderless print can be achieved regardless of media type and gloss level of the finished print, wherein the method includes pre-heating of the leading edge of the media before it enters a fuser area of the printer. |
| US08280296B2 |
Powder transporting device and image forming apparatus
A powder transporting device includes: a dropping path through which developer drops; a loosening member that is arranged in the dropping path, and loosens the developer applied on an inner wall of the dropping path; a supporting portion that is provided on the inner wall of the developing path, and supports the loosening member; a rotary member that includes: a rotary center; and a reciprocation applying portion that is located at a position eccentric from the rotary center, the rotary member being arranged within the dropping path and rotationally driven; and a reciprocation applied portion that is provided on the loosening member, and is brought into contact with the reciprocation applying member, wherein the loosening member is moved along the inner wall of the dropping path by contact between the reciprocation applying member and the reciprocation applied portion while the rotary member rotates. |
| US08280293B2 |
Image forming apparatus
In an image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming devices, a first image forming device in which a leveling blade that functions as a lubricant leveling blade is easily worn away over time uses an obtuse-angle blade as a first leveling blade, and a second image forming device being other image forming device among the plurality of image forming devices uses a right-angle blade as a second leveling blade. |
| US08280289B2 |
Fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus including the same
An embodiment of the present invention includes a fixing member; a pressure member for pressing against the fixing member so as to form a nip region between the pressure member and the fixing member; a pressure cancellation unit for pressing the pressure member against the fixing member and for cancelling the state in which the pressure member is pressed against the fixing member; a paper detachment member for detaching paper held between the fixing member and the pressure member in the nip region from the pressure member; and a separation mechanism for cleaning the paper detachment member by separating the paper detachment member from the pressure member in conjunction with a pressure cancellation operation of the pressure cancellation unit. |
| US08280286B2 |
Apparatuses useful in printing and methods of fixing marking material on media
Apparatuses useful in printing and methods of treating marking material on media are disclosed. An embodiment of the apparatuses includes a roll including a first outer surface; a continuous belt including an inner surface and a second outer surface forming a nip by contact with the first outer surface, the belt being driven by rotation of the roll; and a heater disposed inside of the belt. The heater includes a circumferentially-extending heating surface contacting the inner surface of the belt over an angle of at least about 90°. |
| US08280285B2 |
Image forming apparatus with transfer member for transferring toner on image bearing member
Deflection recessed in a bow shape at the axial central portion in the longitudinal direction of the transfer member is avoided to prevent failure in image caused by the transfer nip being improperly forming at the central portion. The pressing force of the transfer member against an image bearing member resulting in failure in transfer is made uniform in the longitudinal direction. The transfer member forming the transfer nip are pressed toward the photosensitive drum at the central portion in the longitudinal direction or in the positions which are spaced apart toward the center from the ends to avoid the deflection of the transfer member. |
| US08280282B2 |
Assembly for achieving uniform doctor blade force
A doctor blade assembly for an electrophotographic printer comprises a first bracket having a first width dimension and a first height dimension, a second bracket having a second width dimension and a second height dimension, a doctor blade disposed between the front bracket and the rear bracket, the doctor blade having a cantilever length, the cantilever length varying from a first length at a first location and a second length at a second location moving along the width dimensions. |
| US08280281B2 |
Development device and image forming apparatus
The development device includes a development member and a circulation member. The development member develops an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image carrier with a developer including toner and a carrier to make the electrostatic latent image visible. The circulation member receives the developer discharged from the development member and conveys the developer back to the development member. The circulation member includes a container provided upstream from the development member in a conveyance direction of the developer to store the developer. The container includes an agitator provided inside the container and agitates and mixes the developer and fresh toner supplied to the container. The agitator includes a rotatable agitation member in which one or more holes are formed through which the developer passes to mix the fresh toner and the developer to be agitated in the container. |
| US08280280B2 |
Developer cartridge
A developer cartridge is described. The developer cartridge detachably mountable on a tandem type photosensitive unit slidable to a drawn-out position and a mounted position with respect to an image forming apparatus body may include a casing; a developer carrier rotatably supported on one end portion of the casing for carrying a developer; a pair of upright portions arranged on another end portion of the casing at an interval from each other in the axial direction of the developer carrier to extend from another end portion of the casing in a detaching direction for the developer cartridge; and an elastically deformable coupling portion extending in the axial direction of the developer carrier for coupling the upright portions with each other. |
| US08280279B2 |
Process cartridge with first, second, and third portions-to-be-positioned by corresponding portions of image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording material, detachably mounts a process cartridge including a photosensitive drum, and includes first and second positioning portions respectively positioning the drum upstream and downstream with respect to a cartridge mounting direction, a coupling engaging a drum coupling and transmitting a driving force to the drum, and a support supporting the cartridge at a first position positioning the drum to the first and second positioning portions and at a second position spacing the drum away from the first and second positioning portions to permit cartridge mounting and dismounting. The support includes a guide engaging the cartridge, and a third positioning portion limiting cartridge rotation relative to the first and second positioning portions when the coupling transmits a driving force to the drum coupling and for positioning the cartridge lower portion at an upstream position with respect to the mounting direction. |
| US08280278B2 |
Process cartridge, electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and electrophotographic photosensitive drum unit
A process cartridge for use with a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the main assembly including a driving shaft, to be driven by a motor, having a rotational force applying portion, wherein the process cartridge is dismountable from the main assembly in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the driving shaft, the process cartridge includes i) an electrophotographic photosensitive drum having a photosensitive layer at a peripheral surface thereof, the electrophotographic photosensitive drum being rotatable about an axis thereof; ii) process means actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; iii) a coupling member engageable with the rotational force applying portion to receive a rotational force for rotating the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the coupling member being capable of taking a rotational force transmitting angular position for transmitting the rotational force for rotating the electrophotographic photosensitive drum to the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a disengaging angular position in which the coupling member is inclined away from the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum from the rotational force transmitting angular position, wherein when the process cartridge is dismounted from the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the coupling member moves from the rotational force transmitting angular position to the disengaging angular position. |
| US08280277B2 |
Housing device and image-forming apparatus
A housing device includes: a housing that has an opening and defines a containment space for containing an object inserted through the opening; a guide member that has a longitudinal direction aligned with a direction of insertion of the object with respect to the housing and guides the object when the object is inserted into the containment space; a support structure that supports the guide member to be moveable with respect to the housing in the longitudinal direction; and a cover that opens and closes the opening, wherein when the cover closes the opening, the cover supports the object such that the object is spaced apart from the guide member. |
| US08280274B2 |
Roller, developing unit and image forming apparatus having the same, and method of manufacturing roller
A roller for use in a developing unit of an image forming apparatus may include a non-conductive shaft member and a non-conductive member to surround at least a part of an outer periphery of the shaft member. The shaft member may include a cylindrical rolling part and a pair of support parts formed to project from both ends of the rolling part in a lengthwise direction. The rolling part of the shaft member may be arranged opposite a charge roller in a developing unit and may rotate in contact with the charge roller to absorb and remove foreign substances adhered to a surface of the charge roller. |
| US08280273B2 |
Process cartridge, image forming apparatus and developing cartridge
A process cartridge, which includes a developing cartridge and a photosensitive cartridge for use with an image forming apparatus including a driving force output part and a feeding part, is provided. The developing cartridge includes a developer carrier, a first electrode provided at one side thereof, and a driving force receiving part provided at another side thereof and aligned with the first electrode such that the driving force receiving part overlaps the first electrode in a side view. The photosensitive cartridge, to which the developing cartridge is removably mounted, includes a photosensitive member, and a second electrode that contacts the first electrode when the developing cartridge is mounted in the photosensitive cartridge and that contacts the feeding part when the photosensitive cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus. The first electrode is pressed toward the driving force receiving part by contact with the second electrode. |
| US08280269B2 |
Developing cartridge that includes member to be pressed by image-bearing-member cartridge
A process cartridge includes an image bearing member cartridge and a developing cartridge detachably installed in the image bearing member cartridge. The image bearing member cartridge has a pair of first and second side plates, a latent image bearing member, and a pressure member. The developing cartridge has a pair of third and fourth side plates and a pair of first and second light guides fixed at the third and fourth side plates, respectively. The pressure member presses side surfaces of the first and the second light guides, thereby urging the developing agent bearing member toward the latent image bearing member. |
| US08280267B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit for forming a first developer image; a second image forming unit for forming a second developer image; a transfer unit for transferring at least one of the first developer image and the second developer image; a separation contacting unit for moving at least one of the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit to a first position and a second position; a density measurement unit for measuring a first image density and a second image density of the first developer image; and a control unit including a density calculation unit for calculating a difference between the first image density and the second image density and a density correction unit for correcting a density of the first developer image according to the difference. |
| US08280258B2 |
Optical communication systems and methods utilizing a split amplification band and nonlinear compensation
The present disclosure provides optical communication systems and methods that utilize, on top or in place of the conventional framework: (1) optical amplifiers that are provided with extended bandwidth coverage, such as Extended Band Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFAs), combination of Raman amplifiers and EDFAs, Split-Band C+L EDFAs, etc.; (2) ROADMs that are configured in a conventional manner in a portion of the optical amplification spectrum—providing connectivity between network nodes with adjacency within conventional unregenerated optical reach; (3) an optical amplification spectrum with a portion reserved for “ultra-express” channels between far-spaced network nodes, with OPC mechanisms placed exclusively in this portion of the optical amplification spectrum to extend unregenerated optical reach; (4) “express” channels that effectively bypass intermediate ROADM hardware via band filtering, thereby minimizing detrimental filtering and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) accumulation impacts; and (5) if optical reach to far-off ROADM nodes is required, a loopback at the terminal. |
| US08280257B2 |
Systems and methods for side-lobe compensation in reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers
Systems and methods to reduce passband side-lobes associated with WSS-based ROADMs by applying a filter on each channel are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a comb filter, such as a thin film filter or an interleaver, is utilized. Additionally, the present invention provides systems and methods to adaptively control amplifier target power and per wavelength target power to maintain signal launching power as per design in networks with WSS-based ROADMs. Accordingly, signal OSNR does not collapse faster than other similar configured system without WSS-based ROADM. In order to correct amplifier target power, the present invention utilizes system information about side-lobe size and OSNR at each amplifier. |
| US08280256B2 |
Optical hybrid circuit, optical receiver and light receiving method
An optical hybrid circuit includes a MMI coupler including a pair of input channels provided at positions symmetrical with respect to a center position in a widthwise direction thereof, a pair of first output channels outputting a pair of first optical signals having an in-phase relationship, and a pair of second output channels neighboring with each other outputting a pair of second optical signals having an in-phase relationship. The MMI coupler converts QPSK signal light or DQPSK signal light into the pair of first optical signals and the pair of second optical signals having an in-phase relationship. The optical hybrid circuit includes a 2:2 optical coupler connected to the first or the second output channels. The 2:2 optical coupler converts the pair of first optical signals or the pair of second optical signals into a pair of third optical signals having a quadrature phase relationship with the pair of first or second optical signals. |
| US08280255B2 |
Transmitter photonic integrated circuit
The present invention provides a system, apparatus and method to provide for amplification at various points along one or more optical paths of a photonic integrated circuit. According to various embodiments of the invention, the photonic integrated circuit includes a plurality of optical devices having associated characteristics which may have lead to optical signal degradation. One or more optical amplifiers provided along one or more optical paths of the photonic integrated circuit compensate for such signal degradation, resulting in a highly configurable photonic integrated circuit. The various optical devices of the photonic integrated circuit may be provided on a single substrate. |
| US08280254B2 |
Optical interleavers and de-interleavers
An apparatus includes one or more optical de-interleavers. Each optical de-interleaver includes an optical component having a first pair of optical input and output ports and a second pair of optical input and output ports and a 1×2 optical coupler. Each optical output port of the optical component is optically connected to a corresponding optical port of the 1×2 optical coupler. The optical component is constructed to operate as a first optical filter for light propagating between the optical ports of the first pair and is constructed to operate as a second optical filter for light propagating between the optical ports of the second pair. The first and second optical filters have substantially regularly spaced and interleaved passbands. |
| US08280252B2 |
Subscriber terminal of adjusting intensity of optical signal by controlling attenuation, and a method thereof
A subscriber terminal connected to a central-office unit in an optical communication network includes a variable optical attenuator for attenuating an optical signal received from the central-office unit; an optical-electric converter for converting the optical signal received via the attenuator to a corresponding electric signal; a clock extractor for extracting a clock from the electric signal and producing a clock extraction information signal representing whether or not the clock is extracted stably; and a terminal controller. The controller includes a clock extraction decider for determining whether or not the extractor stably extracts the clock on the basis of the information signal, a receiving level adjuster for setting an attenuation value to a value between a minimum and a maximum value, and an attenuation controller for setting the attenuation amount for the attenuator to the set attenuation value. |
| US08280250B2 |
Bandwidth provisioning for an entangled photon system
A quantum key distribution system is deployed in an optical fiber network transporting classical data traffic. A source of entangled photon pairs is used to generate quantum keys. Classical data traffic is typically transported over channels in the C-band. If a pair of channels for transport of quantum data is available within the C-band, then the source of entangled photon pairs is tuned to emit in a pair of channels in the C-band. If a pair of channels for transport of quantum data is not available within the C-band, then the source of entangled photon pairs is tuned to emit in a pair of channels in a combined S-band and L-band. When a periodically-poled lithium niobate waveguide pumped with a laser is used for the source of entangled photon pairs, the output spectral properties are tuned by varying the temperature of the waveguide. |
| US08280249B2 |
Pluggable module with integrated traffic management functionality
The invention relates to a network comprising at least one host device having an interface card connected to a backplane of said host device, wherein said interface card comprises at least one cage for receiving a pluggable module which performs a traffic management of data transported via at least one optical fiber connected to said pluggable module. |
| US08280246B2 |
Measuring differential group delay in an optical fiber connection
The differential group delay is measured in an optical fiber connection for an optical signal undergoing a phase modulation BPSK or DPSK by a digital signal at a given rate. A polarization controller at an emerging end of the connection scans polarization states of the modulated optical signal. An emulator iteratively introduces an additional delay in the modulated optical signal emerging from the connection and combines the delayed modulated optical signal and the non delayed modulated optical signal which are both polarized along two orthogonal axes into a resulting optical signal. A polarization controller and a fixed polarizer select a polarization state in the resulting optical signal along one of bisecting lines of the orthogonal axes into a linearly polarized signal. An eye diagram or a spectrum of the polarized signal is acquired by a digital oscilloscope or an optical spectrum analyzer to determine the differential group delay. |
| US08280241B1 |
Combination of cover with hood
Disclosed is a hood-cover combination for a lens of a camera. The hood-cover combination includes a hood for detachable attachment to a portion of the camera around the lens, a frame rotationally located in the hood, two covers pivotally connected to the frame and two springs for biasing the covers from the frame so that the frame is kept open. |
| US08280238B2 |
Optical adapter system and method
System and method for modifying an optical assembly with another image modifying device by using an adapter assembly to connect or couple three image modifying devices together. The adapter assembly includes two adapters that have collars to hold a night vision monocular between them, and to each connect with a camera and lens, respectively, modifying a camera-lens assembly for use in night time photo surveillance. Attachment members on each adapter may include mechanical and/or electrical connectors to couple or connect the adapters to each other, and/or to electrically connect the camera with the lens. |
| US08280235B2 |
Liquid material vaporizer
A liquid material vaporizer comprises a gas-liquid mixing section for mixing a liquid material and a carrier gas to generate a gas-liquid mixture; a heating type vaporizing section for vaporizing the gas-liquid mixture from the gas-liquid mixing section and exhausting outside with an assistance of the carrier gas a gas generated by the vaporization; a connecting section for making a connection between the gas-liquid mixing section and the vaporizing section, the connecting section having inside a flow path for the gas-liquid mixture; and a connecting section cooling section for cooling the connecting section. Thus, the liquid material vaporizer which performs suitable vaporization by preventing residue from being generated even in the case of vaporizing a liquid material composed of a plurality of materials having different boiling points. |
| US08280234B2 |
Video server, video editing system, and method for recording and reproducing video data of the video server
In a video server, rate information showing a bit rate in encoding input video data from a recording line is stores on a recording medium together with encoded data, and a reproduction speed is controlled in accordance with the rate information so that the higher the bit rate is in preview-reproducing, the lower the reproduction speed becomes. |
| US08280233B2 |
Reproduction device, program, reproduction method
A playback apparatus that, when it is incorporated in a home theater system, judges via the HDMI whether an apparatus such as a speaker 600 connected thereto has a playback capability. If the connection partner apparatus has the playback capability, the playback apparatus inquires a user whether a decoding should be performed using a decoder embedded in the connection partner apparatus. If, in response to the inquiry, the user indicates that the decoding should be performed using the decoder of the connection partner apparatus, the playback apparatus reads a digital stream from a recording medium and outputs the read digital stream to the connection partner apparatus, by the pass-through output, regardless of a decoding capability of the playback apparatus itself. |
| US08280230B2 |
Recording medium, reproduction apparatus, recording method, integrated circuit, program and reproduction method
AVClip recorded in BD-ROM is obtained by multiplexing a graphics stream and a video stream. The graphics stream is a PES packet sequence that includes 1) PES packets storing graphics data (ODS) and 2) PES packets storing control information (PCS). In each ODS, values of DTS and PTS indicate a timing of decoding start for corresponding graphics data, and a timing of decoding end for corresponding graphics data, respectively. In each PCS, a value of PTS indicates a display timing of corresponding decoded graphics data combined with the video stream. |
| US08280229B2 |
DVD playback over multi-room by copying to HDD
DVD playback over Multi-room by copying to the hard drive of a primary device in a networked multi-room system (NMS). The DVD content is saved to a hard drive and can then be retrieved by any of the remote devices in the NMS by accessing the program guide or the recorded programs list. The DVD menu can be altered to include previews, contests, products, etc. |
| US08280228B2 |
Information recording and reproducing apparatus
An information recording and reproducing apparatus includes a tuner, a recording and reproducing unit to record a television program selected by the tuner into a recording medium and to reproduce the television program recorded in the recording medium, and a system controller that includes a program identification information storage unit to store, in a case where an automatic recording function is set and when the television program is watched or when the television program is reservation-recorded, program identification information including a broadcast day of the week, a broadcast time zone and a channel of the television program into a memory, and a program recording unit to cause, when a main power source of the apparatus is off and when a time reaches a record start time of a television program of this week corresponding to program identification information of the last week stored in the memory, the recording and reproducing unit to record the television program of this week into the recording medium. |
| US08280224B2 |
Information recording apparatus and information recording method
An information recording apparatus is disclosed which comprises: a first recording element for recording input picture information in units of recording into a first area of a recording medium; a representative data generating element for generating representative data representing the picture information recorded in the units of recording; a first memory for recording a plurality of symbolic pictures; a second memory for recording a program for generating link information linking the plurality of symbolic pictures recorded in the first memory with the representative data; a link information generating element for generating the link information using program; a picture generating element which, based on the link information, generates picture information including at least the symbolic pictures and the representative data being linked with one another; and a second recording element for recording the picture information generated by the picture generating element to a second area of the recording medium. |
| US08280223B2 |
Playback of episodic content recorded on a packaged media set
A content item having sequential portions, such as episodes, is played back on a packaged media player in a manner that facilitates viewing the sequential portions in sequence. The point at which the user terminated a playback session is marked by storing an indication in memory, so that the user need not remember at what episode or other content portion the user left off. Upon beginning a new playback session, the media player retrieves the marker and navigates to the next content portion in the sequence. |
| US08280222B2 |
Use of metadata in video to establish TV settings
Metadata defining TV video settings is embedded in or otherwise accompanies a video stream. The metadata is executed by the TV to establish the settings, which consequently may be optimized for the particular video stream. |
| US08280216B2 |
Fiber optic equipment supporting moveable fiber optic equipment tray(s) and module(s), and related equipment and methods
Fiber optic drawers supporting fiber optic modules are disclosed. The drawer is movable about a chassis. At least one fiber optic equipment tray is received in the drawer. The fiber optic equipment tray(s) is movable about the drawer and configured to receive at least one fiber optic module. The fiber optic module(s) is movable about a fiber optic equipment tray. In this manner, enhanced access can be provided to the fiber optic module(s) and their fiber optic connections. The drawer can moved out from the chassis to provide access to fiber optic equipment tray(s) and fiber optic module(s). The fiber optic equipment tray(s) can be moved out from the drawer to provide enhanced access to fiber optic module(s). The fiber optic module(s) can be moved from fiber optic equipment tray(s) to provide further enhanced access to fiber optic module(s). The drawer may also be tiltable about the chassis. |
| US08280213B2 |
High-bandwidth multimode optical fiber with reduced cladding effect
The present invention embraces an optical fiber that includes a central core having an alpha refractive index profile with respect to an outer cladding. The optical fiber also includes an inner cladding, a depressed trench, and an outer cladding. The optical fiber achieves reduced bending losses and a high bandwidth with a reduced cladding effect for high-data-rate applications. |
| US08280212B2 |
Photonic crystal fibers having a preferred bending plane and systems that use such fibers
In general, in a first aspect, the invention features photonic crystal fibers that include a core extending along a waveguide axis, a confinement region extending along the waveguide axis surrounding the core, and a cladding extending along the waveguide axis surrounding the confinement region, wherein the cladding has an asymmetric cross-section. |
| US08280210B2 |
Apparatus employing multiferroic materials for tunable permittivity or permeability
An apparatus has a waveguide that includes a multiferroic medium. A controller is configured to apply a mechanical strain or a control electric or magnetic field to the multiferroic medium. The multiferroic medium has a dielectric permittivity or magnetic permeability that is responsive to the strain or the control field. |
| US08280204B2 |
Optical wiring board and manufacturing method thereof
An optical wiring board and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the method includes providing a base substrate having an optical waveguide layer with a mirror groove formed on one surface thereof and a first insulation layer stacked on one surface of the optical waveguide layer and having a through-hole connected with the mirror groove formed thereon, forming a metal mirror layer connected from the mirror groove to an inner wall of the through-hole and forming an electrode pad on a side of the other surface of the optical waveguide layer, in which the electrode pad is disposed in accordance with the position of the metal mirror layer. |
| US08280201B2 |
Traveling wave Mach-Zehnder optical device
A Mach-Zehnder modulator has an optical splitting element splitting an input optical signal into two optical signals that are conveyed by two optical waveguide arms, and an optical combining element combining the two optical signals into an output optical signal. Two traveling wave electrodes (TWEs) carry an electrical modulation signal to induce a change in phase of these two optical signals, and include a number of pairs of modulation electrodes positioned adjacent to the waveguide arms. At least some of the electrodes in one waveguide arm have a different shape (e.g., length or width) than the electrodes in the other waveguide arm to alter the effectiveness of the electrodes in inducing a phase change in the two optical signals. |
| US08280200B2 |
Polarization conversion device and polarization multiplexing modulator
A polarization conversion device converts a polarization state of a light which is input to a first waveguide, that is, TE/TM mode of the light, to output it from the first waveguide. The polarization conversion device includes: a mode converter that performs the inter-conversion of TE/TM modes of the light which is input to the first waveguide; and a polarization separator that receives the light passed through the mode converter and separates the received light into a first light, TE/TM of which mode has been converted by the mode converter and a second light, TE/TM of which mode has not been converted, to output the first light to the first waveguide. |
| US08280199B2 |
Electromagnetic radiation frequency optimizing device and method
The invention relates to a device, system, and method for optimizing and altering electromagnetic frequency using Doppler shifts of electromagnetic radiation, and, in particular, optimizing frequency for application to photovoltaic devices and the like. The device comprises a crystal positioned in a channel undergoing a vibration, wherein an interaction between an incoming electromagnetic radiation and the vibration of the crystal optimizes a frequency of electromagnetic radiation. Also, a method comprising providing a channel, at least two parallel walls having an reflective surface; separating an incoming electromagnetic radiation into component frequencies; vibrating at least two parallel walls, wherein parallel walls contain at least one crystal capable of vibration; directing incoming electromagnetic radiation toward at least two parallel walls, wherein contact between incoming electromagnetic radiation and vibration of at least one crystal alters a frequency of electromagnetic radiation toward said optimal frequency. |
| US08280195B2 |
Video data indexing system, video data indexing method and program
[Problem] To reduce omission of searched results and improve search efficiency in indexing by means of telop and another text information attached to a video.[Solving Means] A video indexing system has an index generating unit which generate an index, an index accumulating unit which accumulates the index together with attached information such as an index position, an image feature generating unit which generates an image feature, an image feature accumulating unit which accumulates the image feature together with the attached information such as the position, and an image feature checking unit which compares the image feature with past image features, and, when matched, outputs the index at the time of outputting the corresponding past image feature as a current index. |
| US08280194B2 |
Reduced hardware implementation for a two-picture depth map algorithm
An imaging system generates a picture depth map from a pair of reduced resolution images. The system captures two full resolution images, receives image reduction image information and creates two reduced resolution images. The system computes a blur difference between the two reduced resolution images at different image locations. The system calculates the depth map based on the blur difference between the two reduced resolution images at different image locations. |
| US08280193B2 |
Method and apparatus for magnifying computer screen display
A screen magnification tool to scale the content of a computer display screen by distinguishing text and non-text elements of the content and applying different scaling methods to the text and non-text elements. Information about the text elements is stored in a database. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08280192B2 |
Smart grey level magnifier for digital display
Systems and methods are provided that facilitate grey level magnification to improve details and contrast for a dark scene of video on a digital display system. Preferably implemented over a limited pixel level range, the video enhancement process counts the number of pixels corresponding to each level within the range in a frame and then, based on the percent level distribution of the pixels, calculates the stack of percentage distribution. From the stack of percentage distribution, a transformation process is performed to reassign the pixel values over a dark level range and to expand the distribution of the pixels. The result of transformation enhances the details and contrast of the dark area significantly without affecting the bright scene. By only applying the algorithm to dark scenes, computation loads are reduced compared with some of the full picture processing methods. Lower computational loads are important to reduce motion artifacts in high speed video applications. |
| US08280191B1 |
Banded seam carving of images with pyramidal retargeting
A system and method for expansion and reduction of images uses pyramidal retargeting to reduce complexity in image resizing. An image pyramid may be generated dependent on a function of pixel data or energy values for each pixel of an input image. An image resizing solution may be developed by applying seam carving techniques to a lower-resolution version of the input image represented by the image pyramid, and may identify bands in the higher-resolution input image to be resized. A resizing operation may then be applied the bands based on local content. The resizing operation may include seam carving techniques, scaling techniques, and/or hybrid resizing techniques, and may be selectable by a user. Identified bands may be expanded to obtain a smoother solution. Different bands may be expanded by different amounts, based on local content. The number of bands and the expansion factors may be configurable based on user input. |
| US08280185B2 |
Image denoising techniques
Image denoising techniques include determining wavelet-domain noise model and a non-parametric multivariate wavelet description from the image signal for raw image data. A noise corrected image may then be determined from the image signal, the wavelet-domain noise model and the non-parametric, multivariate wavelet description and the image signal. |
| US08280181B2 |
Efficient filtering of image data
Systems and methods for efficiently applying a filter to image data are disclosed. For efficiently applying the filter, a filter type including coefficient values for each pixel in the image data is identified. A sub-matrix corresponding to the size of the filter is selected in the image data. The sub-matrix includes the plurality of pixels that can be represented in a 2N form. Each coefficient value is a number that is in a 2M form. The system calculates an average value of multiplications of pixel values with the corresponding coefficient values of each of the plurality of pixels. The multiplication of a pixel value and corresponding coefficient value is calculated by shifting a binary representation of the pixel value M bits, and a division to calculate the average value is performed by shifting a binary representation of a sum of the multiplications N bits. The average value is then applied to the center pixel. The process is repeated by selecting a new sub-matrix until the end of the image data is reached. |
| US08280179B2 |
Image processing apparatus using the difference among scaled images as a layered image and method thereof
The present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus using the difference among scaled images as a layered image and a method thereof, which utilize the Gaussian and Laplacian pyramid theory to convert an original image into a plurality of scaled images of different scales, and the difference among scaled images of two adjacent different scales as a layered image of the corresponding layer, so that the edge and line characteristics of a scene of the original image for each layered image can be displayed in different levels sequentially from a clear level to a vague level, and provide a layered image display interface and an image characteristic editing interface for users to examine each layered image through the layered image display interface and edit or perform special effect to each layered image, so as to simulate different visual effects based on different vision models. |
| US08280166B2 |
Color adjustment interface for high speed color printer
A color adjustment interface includes an original image thumbnail representing a version of an image prior to modification, a current image thumbnail representing a version of an image after a modification and a color polygon including a multitude of variation image thumbnails each representing a color variation. Each selection of a variation image thumbnail modifies the current image thumbnail in an adjustment towards a color represented by the selected variation image. |
| US08280162B2 |
Image processing apparatus and recording medium recording image processing program
An image processing apparatus includes a histogram calculating section, a tone curve determining section and a tone curve applying section that perform different tone corrections on pixels at different positions in a color image and a false contour detecting section that calculates the degree of false contour occurrence for the color image based on the difference in signal saturation level between color signals. Based on the result of the calculation by the false contour detecting section, the tone curve determining section controls the tone correction characteristics to make a false contour less prominent. |
| US08280160B2 |
Image compressing method, image compressing apparatus and image forming apparatus
When N kinds of foreground identifiers for identifying color information of a foreground of a color image is to be reduced to M smaller than N, foreground identifiers corresponding to similar chromatic colors are merged and foreground identifiers corresponding to similar achromatic colors are merged but a foreground identifier corresponding to a chromatic color and a foreground identifier corresponding to an achromatic color are not merged. Thus, image quality degradation derived from color change from an achromatic color to a chromatic color or vice versa may be suppressed. On the basis of a foreground layer including the M kinds of foreground identifiers, M binary images respectively corresponding to the M kinds of foreground identifiers are generated, each of the binary images is subjected to lossless compression and a background layer is subjected to lossy compression. |
| US08280158B2 |
Systems and methods for indexing presentation videos
A system and method for identifying key frames of a presentation video that include stationary informational content. A sequence of frames is obtained from a presentation video and differences of pixel values between consecutive frames of the sequence of frames are computed. Sets of consecutive frames that are stationary are identified, wherein consecutive frames that are stationary have a proportion of changed pixel values below a first predetermined threshold, and wherein pixel values are deemed to be changed when the difference between the pixel values for corresponding pixels in consecutive frames exceeds a second predetermined threshold. Next, a set of key frames that include stationary informational content is retained. The set of key frames that include stationary informational content is then displayed for user interaction. |
| US08280157B2 |
Methods and systems for refining text detection in a digital image
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for refining text-detection results for a digital image. |
| US08280156B2 |
Album creating apparatus, album creating method, and album creating program
A color scheme suitable for a captured position is performed on a portion except a captured image based on position information of the captured image. The album creating apparatus according to the present invention includes a captured position specifying section that specifies a captured position at which a captured image constituting an album is taken, an image storing section that stores a captured images in association with a captured position, an image classifying section that classifies a plurality of captured images stored on the image storing section into captured image groups based on the captured position, a color selecting section that selects a color to be used in a portion except the captured image in the album based on the captured position specified by the captured position specifying section, a color adding section that uses the color selected by the color selecting section to add color to the portion except the captured image in the album, and an image arranging section. |
| US08280153B2 |
Visualizing and updating learned trajectories in video surveillance systems
Techniques are disclosed for visually conveying a trajectory map. The trajectory map provides users with a visualization of data observed by a machine-learning engine of a behavior recognition system. Further, the visualization may provide an interface used to guide system behavior. For example, the interface may be used to specify that the behavior recognition system should alert (or not alert) when a particular trajectory is observed to occur. |
| US08280149B2 |
Method and apparatus to facilitate processing a stereoscopic image using first and second images to facilitate computing a depth/disparity image
The processing of a stereoscopic image using first and second images to facilitate computing a corresponding depth/disparity image can be facilitated by providing (101) the first and second images and then computing (103) a disparity value of each pixel in the second image by, at least in part, determining a likelihood of occlusion for at least some pixels comprising the second image using, at least in part, predicted occlusion information as corresponds to information contained in the first image. By one approach, this predicted occlusion information can be provided, at least in part, by processing (102) the first image, at least in part, by determining occlusion value information for at least some pixels as comprise the first image and then using the occlusion value information for the first image to determine a corresponding disparity information map for the first image. |
| US08280148B2 |
Pattern defect analysis equipment, pattern defect analysis method and pattern defect analysis program
A data processing unit acquires a review image including a pattern defect on a substrate, compares the review image with a reference image thereby to extract a defect image, the reference image including no pattern defect, and performs an alignment between the review image and a self-layer design pattern image which is generated from design data belonging to the identical layer in a region corresponding to the review image. The data processing unit, then, based on result of the alignment, generates an another-layer design pattern image which is generated from design data belonging to another layer in the region corresponding to the review image, and, based on a synthesized image of the defect image and the another-layer design pattern image, determines the relative position relationship between the pattern defect and a pattern belonging to another layer, and judges the criticality based on the relative position relationship. |
| US08280142B2 |
Predetermined site luminescence measuring method, predetermined site luminescence measuring apparatus, expression amount measuring method, and measuring apparatus
An object of the present invention is to provide a predetermined site luminescence measuring method and a predetermined site luminescence measuring apparatus, which allow for determining whether, when the luminescence from the predetermined site in live samples is measured, a photoprotein is localized at the predetermined site in the same ones as the samples. An predetermined site luminescence measuring apparatus 100 in the present invention is comprised of: a the sample 102 into which a fused fusion gene is introduced, the fusion gene being obtained by fusing a fluorescence-related gene that expresses a fluorescence protein in addition to a targeting base sequence and a luminescence-related gene; a container 103 for storing the sample 102, a stage 104 on which the container 103 is arranged; a luminescent image capturing unit 106 which captures a luminescent image of the sample 102 (the objective lens 106a to the CCD camera 106c, and the imaging lens 106f); a fluorescent image capturing unit 108 which captures a fluorescent image of the sample 102 (the objective lens 108a to shutter 108f); and an the information communication terminal 110. |
| US08280135B2 |
System and method for highly attenuating material artifact reduction in x-ray computed tomography
The present invention is a method for reducing artifacts caused by highly attenuating materials in x-ray computed tomography (“CT”) images. The method includes combining projection views acquired at equivalent view angles to generate a projection plane data set, from which a reformatted projection is produced. The reformatted projection is then processed to detect and segment regions corresponding to objects composed of metals, metal alloys, or other highly attenuating materials. These segmented regions are then removed from the reformatted projection and the removed portions replaced by attenuation information interpolated from portions of the reformatted projection adjacent the removed portions. The interpolated reformatted projection is then mapped back to a projection plane data set, and an image of the subject is reconstructed from the projection views contained in that data set. The reconstructed image, therefore, is one in which artifacts caused by highly attenuating materials are substantially suppressed. |
| US08280133B2 |
Method and system for brain tumor segmentation in 3D magnetic resonance images
A method and system for brain tumor segmentation in multi-spectral 3D MRI images is disclosed. A trained probabilistic boosting tree (PBT) classifier is used to determine, for each voxel in a multi-spectral 3D MR image sequence, a probability that the voxel is part of a brain tumor. The brain tumor is then segmented in the multi-spectral 3D MRI image sequence using graph cuts segmentation based on the probabilities determined using the trained PBT classifier and intensities of the voxels in the multi-spectral 3D MR image sequence. |
| US08280132B2 |
Malignancy diagnosis using content-based image retreival of tissue histopathology
This invention relates to computer-aided diagnostics using content-based retrieval of histopathological image features. Specifically, the invention relates to the extraction of image features from a histopathological image based on predetermined criteria and their analysis for malignancy determination. |
| US08280131B2 |
Method and configuration for optically detecting an illuminated specimen
A configuration for the optical detection of a specimen, wherein the specimen or at least part of the specimen is scanned by means of linear illumination by scanning means, means for linear beam shaping of the illuminating light are provided, and the illuminating light has a preferably periodic structure in at least one spatial direction in that means for generating the structure are disposed in the illuminating beam path, light coming from the specimen is detected and images of the specimen are generated therefrom, at least one optical sectional image through the specimen and/or one image with increased resolution is/are calculated from the images, and means for generating the structure are disposed downstream of the scanning means in the direction of the illumination. |
| US08280128B2 |
Method of generating an enhanced perfusion image
A method of generating an enhanced perfusion image comprising the use of a blind deconvolution algorithm and the adiabatic approximation to the Johnson and Wilson model (aaJW) and generation of an image, wherein the blind deconvolution algorithm and the aaJW model are used in the generation of values of the following parameters: voxel specific arterial input function cp[t] and voxel specific tissue residue function r[t]. |
| US08280127B2 |
System and method for the analysis of diagnostic imaging data
A system and method for analyzing three-dimensional image data are disclosed herein. The system includes a processor configured to generate an overview image of at least a portion of a patient. The processor is configured to generate a cross-sectional image including a cross-sectional view of the overview image. The processor is also configured to generate a statistical image showing a parameter value relating to the portion of the patient shown in the overview image. The system also includes a visual output device connected to the processor. The visual output device is configured to display the overview image, the cross-sectional image, and the statistical image generally simultaneously. Also, the overview image, the cross-sectional image, and the statistical image are interconnected such that an update, change, or input applied to any one of the images results in an update to one or more of the other images. |
| US08280122B2 |
Registration device, collation device, extraction method, and program
The present invention provides a registration device which can improve the authentication accuracy. The registration device includes a detection means for detecting fluctuation information that fluctuates according to an illumination intensity in an image-pickup element, a filter means for performing the spatial filter processing for an image signal output from the image-pickup element using a filter coefficient which is made to correspond to the fluctuation information detected by the detection means, and extracting a living organism identification subject contained in the image signal, and a registration means for generating registration data from the image signal that is spatially filtered by the filter means, and storing thus generated registration data in a storage medium. |
| US08280121B2 |
Method of establishing skin color model
A method of establishing a skin color model includes the following steps. A human face detecting procedure is performed on an input image, and a human face area in the input image is circled through a selecting window. A skin color model is established by using a Gaussian probability distribution function (PDF) according to color information in the selecting window. When the skin color model established in the above step is applied to skin color detection, pixels having the skin color in the input image are detected through the skin color model and a Mahalanobis distance computing procedure. |
| US08280120B2 |
Fraud resistant biometric financial transaction system and method
A method and system for authenticating financial transactions is disclosed wherein biometric data is acquired from a person and the probability of liveness of the person and probability of a match between the person or token and known biometric or token information are calculated, preferably according to a formula D=P(p)*(K+P(m)), wherein K is a number between 0.1 and 100, and authenticating if the value of D exceeds a predetermined value. |
| US08280117B2 |
Virtual white lines for indicating planned excavation sites on electronic images
Methods and apparatus for facilitating detection of a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area. Source data representing one or more input images of a geographic area including the dig area is electronically received at a first user location, which may be remote from the dig area. The source data is processed so as to display at least a portion of the input image(s) on a display device at the first user location. One or more indicators are added to the displayed input image(s), via a user input device associated with the display device, to provide at least one indication of the dig area and thereby generate a marked-up digital image. In one example, the indicator(s) is/are added to the displayed input image(s) without acquiring geographic coordinates corresponding to the indicator(s). |
| US08280113B2 |
Passive electro-optical tracker
A passive electro-optical tracker uses a two-band IR intensity ratio to discriminate high-speed projectiles and obtain a time-varying speed estimate from their time-varying temperature, as well as determining the trajectory back to the source of fire. In an omnidirectional system a hemispheric imager with an MWIR spectrum splitter forms two CCD images of the environment. Various methods are given to determine the azimuth and range of a projectile, both for clear atmospheric conditions and for nonhomogeneous atmospheric conditions. One approach uses the relative intensity of the image of the projectile on the pixels of a CCD camera to determine the azimuthal angle of trajectory with respect to the ground, and its range. A second uses a least squares optimization over multiple frames based on a triangle representation of the smeared image to yield a real-time trajectory estimate. |
| US08280111B2 |
Advanced background estimation technique and circuit for a hyper-spectral target detection method
A system, circuit and methods for target detection from hyper-spectral image data are disclosed. Filter coefficients are determined using a modified constrained energy minimization (CEM) method. The modified CEM method can operate on a circuit operable to perform constrained linear programming optimization. A filter comprising the filter coefficients is applied to a plurality of pixels of the hyper-spectral image data to form CEM values for the pixels, and one or more target pixels are identified from the CEM values. The process may be repeated to enhance target recognition by using filter coefficients determined by excluding the identified target pixels from the hyper-spectral image data. |
| US08280102B2 |
Device for controlling a driven movement element, particularly a door or a gate
A device for controlling a driven movement element with an electronic unit is proposed, which comprises a transmitter for electromagnetic radiation, for example, light, in particular infrared light, and a receiver for electromagnetic radiation emitted by a transmitter for the detection of objects on a propagation path between transmitter and receiver. According to the invention, the electronic unit is designed to detect a temporal change in at least one feature derived from the received electromagnetic radiation and, upon a detection of a change in the at least one feature that is comparatively slow over time, to output a signal that is associated with a detection of smoke. |
| US08280101B2 |
Identification documents and authentication of such documents
The present invention relates generally to identification documents. One claim recites an apparatus to authentic an identification document. The identification document comprising first machine-readable information including a first plural-bit message, and semantic information carried on or in the identification document. The apparatus includes: a first reader to read the first machine-readable information to obtain the first plural-bit message; a second reader to obtain information from the semantic information carried on or in the identification document; an electronic processor programmed as a decryption unit to decrypt the first plural-bit message or the information obtained from the semantic information; and an electronic processor programmed as a decision unit to determine whether the identification document is authentic based at least in part on the first plural-bit message and the semantic information. Other claims and combinations are provided as well. |
| US08280098B2 |
Digital watermarking CMOS sensor
The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, an imaging system including an active pixel sensor imaging array configured to capture an image, said imaging array being in electronic communication with a watermark embedder. |
| US08280091B2 |
Dual compression drivers and phasing plugs for compression drivers
A phasing plug includes a base portion including an input side, an output side, a plurality of entrances on the input side, a plurality of exits on the output side arranged about a central axis, and a plurality of channels fluidly interconnecting the entrances with the respective exits. Each corresponding entrance, channel and exit establish an acoustical path from the input side to the output side that is non-radial relative to the central axis. Two phasing plugs may be provided in a dual compression driver. |
| US08280080B2 |
Microcap acoustic transducer device
A device includes a first wafer, a second wafer, a gasket bonding the first wafer to the second wafer to define a cavity between the first wafer and the second wafer, and an acoustic transducer disposed on the first wafer and disposed within the cavity between the first wafer and the second wafer. One or more apertures are provided for communicating an acoustic signal between the acoustic transducer and an exterior of the device. An aperture may be formed in the cavity itself, or the cavity may be hermetically sealed. An aperture may be formed completely through the first wafer and located directly beneath at least a portion of the acoustic transducer. |
| US08280077B2 |
Stream segregation for stereo signals
Separating a source in a stereo signal having a left channel and a right channel includes transforming the signal into a short-time transform domain; classifying portions of the signals having similar panning coefficients; segregating a selected one of the classified portions of the signals corresponding to the source; and reconstructing the source from the selected portions of the signals. |
| US08280075B2 |
Apparatus, method and program for processing signal and method for generating signal
A signal processing apparatus includes a signal output unit for outputting a measurement signal, the measurement signal being produced by synthesizing a signal composed of a concatenation of 2d period signals with a sinusoidal signal, each period signal having a time-domain waveform period being 2n samples, the sinusoidal wave having a wave count within the concatenation period of 2d period signals being other than an integer multiple of 2d, and n and d being respectively natural numbers, and an analyzing unit for frequency analyzing a response signal obtained as a result of picking up the measurement signal output from the signal output unit. |
| US08280069B2 |
Noise reduction apparatus
In a noise reduction apparatus for controlling noise up to a predetermined upper limited frequency, a distance from a noise source to control point X is made larger than a distance obtained by subtracting a one-half wavelength from a distance, obtained by adding up a distance from the noise source to a noise detecting microphone, a distance corresponding to time as a sum of respective delay time of the noise detecting microphone, a noise controller, and a control speaker, and a distance from the control speaker to control point X, where one wavelength is a period corresponding to the upper limited frequency. |
| US08280067B2 |
Integrated ambient audio transformation device
A method and device for transforming ambient audio are provided. Example embodiments may include monitoring ambient audio proximate to a sound processing device located in an environment. The device may access memory to obtain transformation audio and generate output transformation audio based on the transformation audio and the ambient audio to provide modified output audio for propagation into the environment. The device may at least reduce feedback of the modified output audio received by the sound processing device from the environment. |
| US08280062B2 |
Sound corrector, sound measurement device, sound reproducer, sound correction method, and sound measurement method
According to one embodiment, a sound corrector includes a signal outputter, a response signal, a frequency specifier, a coefficient specifier, a filter, and an outputter. The signal outputter outputs a measurement signal to measure acoustical properties of an object to be measured. The response signal receiver receives a response signal from the object in response to the measurement signal. The frequency specifier specifies a resonant frequency at a resonance peak from the response signal. The coefficient specifier specifies a correction coefficient of a correction filter for reducing the resonant frequency based on the specified resonant frequency. The filter performs filtering on a signal to be output to the object using the correction filter with the correction coefficient. The outputter outputs the signal having undergone the filtering to the object. |
| US08280061B2 |
Methods and systems for storing and retrieving encrypted data
A system for encrypting data comprising a computer configured to encrypt a plurality of data entries using at least one encryption algorithm and a system memory, wherein the computer is configured to use different keys with the encryption algorithm(s) for each data entry and the system is configured to store in the system memory or transmit for storage in an external memory the encrypted data corresponding to each entry along with an identifier corresponding to at least part of the key used to encrypt that entry, such that when decrypting a data entry in the system or external memory the associated identifier can be used to locate at least part of the correct key. |
| US08280060B1 |
Secure wireless transmission
A method in accordance with one embodiment of the invention can include receiving a request for a public key from a local node. Furthermore, the public key and a private key that corresponds to the public key can be generated. The public key can be sent to the local node. An encrypted session key can be received from the local node. The encrypted session key can be decrypted using the private key. Additionally, the decrypted session key can be sent to the local node that enables the local node to have secure wireless communication with a remote node. The remote node can generate the encrypted session key using the public key. |
| US08280058B2 |
Wireless network having multiple security interfaces
A number of wireless networks are established by a network device, each wireless network having an identifier. Requests are received from client devices to establish wireless network sessions via the wireless networks using the identifiers. Network privileges of the client devices are segmented into discrete security interfaces based on the identifier used to establish each wireless network session. |
| US08280054B2 |
Scrambling and descrambling systems for secure communication
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to scrambling-descrambling systems for encrypting and decrypting electromagnetic signals transmitted in optical and wireless networks. In one aspect, a system (1302) for scrambling electromagnetic signals comprises a first electronically reconfigurable electro-optical material (1402) positioned to receive a beam of electromagnetic radiation including one or more electromagnetic signals encoding data. The beam is transmitted through the electro-optical material (1402) and a two-dimensional speckled pattern (1410) is introduced into the cross-section of the beam such that data encoded in the one or more electromagnetic signals is scrambled. System embodiments also include a system (1304) for descrambling scrambled electromagnetic signals, the systems comprising a second electronically reconfigurable electro-optical material (1502) configured to remove the two-dimensional speckled pattern from the beam revealing the one or more electromagnetic signals encoding the data. |
| US08280050B2 |
Modular broadcast receiver system and method
The construction of a receiving apparatus for receiving a broadcast from a plurality of broadcasting providers is simplified. In a receiving apparatus for receiving a broadcast from a plurality of broadcasting providers, of the function blocks which constitute the receiving apparatus, a block used in common irrespective of the broadcasting provider is formed as a common block, and a block different from one broadcasting provider to another is formed as an independent block. These blocks are connected to each other through an IEEE1394 interface, and the common block is shared among the plurality of blocks which are not used in common, so that a receiving process is performed. |
| US08280046B2 |
Method and system for deriving an encryption key using joint randomness not shared by others
The present invention is related to a method and system for deriving an encryption key using joint randomness not shared by others (JRNSO). Communicating entities generate JRNSO bits from a channel impulse response (CIR) estimate and the JRNSO bits are used in generation of an encryption key. The authentication type may be IEEE 802.1x or a pre-shared key system. In an IEEE 802.1x system, a master key, a pairwise master key or a pairwise transient key may be generated using the JRNSO bits. The encryption key may be generated by using a Diffie-Hellman key derivation algorithm. |
| US08280039B2 |
Signature generating device, signature generating method and signature generating program
A signature generation apparatus is capable of making a value used in signature generation processing difficult to analyze. In the signature generation apparatus, a random number generation module generates a len-bit random number u, a selection module converts the generated random number u into a bit expression, and acquires element pairs corresponding to the bit values from a table memory unit. A random element generation module applies a basic operation of a first group G and a second group to all acquired element pairs, and calculates an element Pk on the first group G and an element Pak on the second group Ga. The signature generation apparatus generates a digital signature S for a message m with use of a transformation module, a main operation module, an inverse transformation module, a multiplication module, a division module, and a signature data generation module. |
| US08280021B2 |
Method for managing information in a telephone and telephone for managing information
Method for managing lists stored in a mobile telephone includes automatically storing telephone numbers of incoming and outgoing calls in a first or second list. The first list is accessible to any use, the second list contains code protected telephone numbers. A telephone number stored in a temporary register is verified to whether it's contained within the second list. Method includes limiting a user's access to only telephone numbers in first list until a code is input by user. After inputting code, telephone numbers in first and second lists are accessible by user. Both first and second lists are stored in mobile phone, and telephone numbers associated with second list are not stored in first list, and second list is at least one of accessible and displayable only after inputting code. |
| US08280020B2 |
Transparent caller name authentication for authorized third party callers
Transparent caller name authentication is provided to authorized third parties by creating an Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) certificate chain. An owner of a registered caller name can authorize third parties to use the caller name by issuing a PKI sub-certificate to each authorized third party. An authenticated caller name displays the owner's name to the called party. Outsourcing and mobile employment is thereby facilitated, and called party confusion is reduced. |
| US08280019B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for locating files
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for locating files. Upon receipt of caller identification information, a search is performed to identify all files associated with the caller identification information. A presentation of the caller identification information is caused. |
| US08280014B1 |
System and method for associating audio clips with objects
A system and method for associating an audio clip with an object is provided wherein the voice-based system, such as a voicemail system, is used to record the audio clips. |
| US08280013B2 |
System, method and software for a speech-enabled call routing application using an action-object matrix
A system, method and software for facilitating a speech-enabled call routing application using an action-object matrix is disclosed. In operation, a natural language user utterance may be evaluated to identify an action and object available in an action-object matrix indicating transactions or operations available to a user. Depending upon the contents of the natural language user utterance, additional prompts and/or a disambiguation dialogue may be effected to elicit an available action-object combination selection from the user. Following identification of an action-object combination from the natural language user utterance, the action-object matrix may cooperate with a look-up table to identify an appropriate use routing destination. Following identification of an appropriate routing destination, the user connection may be routed to a service agent or module configured to facilitate the user selected transaction as indicated by the action-object combination. |
| US08280011B2 |
Recording in a distributed environment
Included are embodiments for recording data from a communication. A least one embodiment includes a system for recording data from a communication that includes a controller component and a gateway component passively coupled to a switching component. In at least one embodiment the gateway component configured to receive at least a portion of the control data, the gateway component further configured to receive media data associated with the with the communication. |
| US08280007B2 |
Apparatus and method for improved transient response in an electromagnetically controlled X-ray tube
An x-ray tube assembly includes a vacuum enclosure having a cathode portion, a target portion, and a throat portion comprising a non-electrically conductive tube. The throat portion has an upstream end coupled to the cathode portion and a downstream end coupled to the target portion. The x-ray tube assembly also includes a target positioned within the target portion of the vacuum enclosure, and a cathode positioned within the cathode portion of the vacuum enclosure. The cathode is configured to emit a stream of electrons through the throat portion toward the target. |
| US08280006B2 |
X-ray tube
The present invention provides an X-ray tube that improves and stabilizes a withstanding voltage performance and thus ensures the reliability of a product.The present invention is an X-ray tube comprising a cathode for emitting electrons, an anode for emitting an X-ray which an irradiation of the electrons emitted from the cathode causes, and a glass tube for confining the cathode and the anode in a vacuum, wherein an inside surface of the glass tube is covered with a glass thin film having a melting point lower than that of a glass of the glass tube and particles adhered to the glass tube by the glass thin film. |
| US08280002B2 |
Radiation treatment of moving targets
Some aspects include a system, apparatus, means and method for configuring a radiotherapy beam shaping device to define a treatment field of view, acquiring images of a patient area within the treatment field of view based on an imaging radiation beam, determining a treatment motion model that predicts, based on the acquired images, a prediction treatment period during which the patient area will be within the treatment field of view of the radiotherapy beam shaping device, and delivering a treatment radiation beam to the patient area for a time period equal to the prediction treatment period. |
| US08280000B2 |
Radiation phase contrast imaging apparatus
Providing a radiation emission unit that includes a radiation source and outputs a fan beam of radiation, a diffraction grating onto which radiation outputted from the radiation emission unit is emitted, and a periodic information imaging radiation image detector that includes multiple linear electrodes and detects periodic information of radiation diffracted by the diffraction grating, disposing the radiation emission unit and the periodic information imaging radiation image detector such that an extending direction of the linear electrodes of the periodic information imaging radiation image detector is perpendicular to a fan surface of the fan beam having a larger spread angle, and configuring the radiation emission unit to scan the fan beam in the perpendicular direction. |
| US08279999B2 |
X-ray CT apparatus and a method of controlling the X-ray CT apparatus
An X-ray CT apparatus includes an X-ray generator and an X-ray detector. The X-ray generator and the X-ray detector rotate about a subject. A controller controls the timing of exposing X-rays from the X-ray generator. The controller controls the collection timing for the projection data used by the X-ray detector and causes the X-ray detector to continuously collect the projection data at the specified collection timing. The controller causes additional information representing the state of exposure of the X-rays to be added to each projection data that has been collected by the X-ray detector at said specified collection timing. |
| US08279995B2 |
Guide thimble of dual tube type structure nuclear fuel assembly
Disclosed herein is a guide thimble of a nuclear fuel assembly, which is capable of improving the cooling performance and the stability of a nuclear fuel, preventing a flow split in dual-cooling nuclear fuel rod and guide thimble sub channels for obtaining high combustion degree and high power, and minimizing a neutron absorption section in a reaction degree region. Since the guide thimble having the dual tube type structure is adopted, a flow split in the fuel rod and guide thimble sub channels can be reduced, and the degradation in performance of nuclear fuel due to increase of a neutron absorption section can be prevented. In order for compatibility with an existing control rod, a typical guide tube is used as an inner guide thimble, and an outer guide thimble is provided outside the inner guide thimble. Thus, the guide thimble has the dual tube type structure as a whole, and is coupled to the upper and lower end fittings so that it can prevent a flow unbalance due to the flow split in the fuel rod and guide thimble sub channels. |
| US08279991B2 |
Method of efficiently synchronizing to a desired timeslot in a time division multiple access communication system
In operation, a transmitting device selects a synchronization pattern associated with the desired timeslot that is at least mutually exclusive from synchronization patterns associated with other timeslots on the same frequency in the system. Once selected, the transmitting device transmits a burst embedding the synchronization pattern that was selected, where appropriate. If the receiving device detects the synchronization pattern, it immediately synchronizes with the timeslot with confidence that it is synchronizing to the desired timeslot by using sets of synchronization patterns associated with the desired timeslot that are at least mutually exclusive from synchronization patterns associated with the other timeslots on the same frequency. |
| US08279990B2 |
Transmitting/receiving system and method of processing data in the transmitting/receiving system
A transmitting/receiving system and a data processing method of the same are disclosed herein. The receiving system may include a receiving unit, a first processing unit, and a second processing unit. The receiving unit receives a broadcast signal including mobile service data and an FIC segment from at least one slot. The first processing unit acquires FIC segments from the broadcast signal and obtains an FIC chunk, wherein the obtained FIC chunk is configured of a chunk header and a chunk payload. Herein, the chunk header may include FIC chunk major protocol version information and FIC chunk minor protocol version information, and the chunk payload may include signaling information between at least one ensemble and at least one mobile service. The second processing unit processes the FIC chunk based upon the FIC chunk major protocol version information and the FIC chunk minor protocol version information. |
| US08279981B2 |
Method for post detection improvement in MIMO
A two-stage approach to MIMO detection improves receiver performance in a computationally tractable manner. A whitening joint detector processes a MIMO symbol stream. The whitening joint detector includes a pre-filter operative to suppress a first subset of the received MIMO streams as colored noise. The whitening joint detector further includes a primary joint detector operative to process a second subset of the MIMO streams and to output a preliminary solution obtained by minimizing a whitening joint detection metric. A secondary detector then operates in the vicinity of the primary joint detector preliminary solution. The secondary detector improves the preliminary solution by comparison to a full joint detection metric. |
| US08279978B2 |
Pilot signal in an FDMA communication system
A method for receiving a pilot symbol in a receiver is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes removing a cyclic prefix from a received sequence to produce a modified sequence, transforming the modified sequence to a first frequency domain sequence according to a first transform, demapping a plurality of distributed subcarriers in the transformed modified sequence to extract a plurality of received symbols, deriving an intermediate channel estimate for each of the plurality of received symbols, and interpolating a final channel estimate based on the plurality of derived intermediate channel estimates. In one exemplary embodiment, the received symbols have one or more predefined characteristics such as a constant amplitude, and zero autocorrelation (CAZAC sequence). |
| US08279974B1 |
Dynamic power reduction in a wireless receiver
Various techniques for dynamically reducing power usage in a wireless receiver are disclosed. A receiver unit receives a wireless signal over a channel and processes the wireless signal, including dynamically changing one or more of the settings of the receiver unit to control its power usage. These setting are changed in response to one or more power setting values that are generated based on a first set of information that includes state information for the channel. The receiver unit may dynamically change a first setting that causes the bias current applied to an analog-to-digital converter to be changed. The channel state information may include information indicative of a received signal strength indication (RSSI), information indicative of a packet error rate (PER) for packets encoded on the wireless signal, and header error check (HEC) and/or cyclical redundancy check (CRC) errors for data packets encoded on the wireless signal. |
| US08279969B2 |
System and method for adapting a change in constellation density while receiving a signal
One embodiment comprises a transmitter precoder operating on an input signal to produce an output signal for modulation. The output signal is transmitted using a constellation with a constellation density. The transmitter precoder comprises scaler logic, precoder logic and selection logic. The scaler logic scales the input signal to maintain constant power on the input signal independent of the constellation density. The precoder logic precodes the scaled signal to produce a dither signal limited to a range of values. The range is inversely proportional to the constellation density. The selection logic is operable in two states. In the first state, the selection logic combines the scaled signal with the dither signal to produce the output signal. In the second state, the selection provides the scaled signal as the output signal. |
| US08279967B2 |
CDM signal transmitter with modulators reduced in number and a method therefor
A code division multiplex signal transmitter includes an operational circuit, a modulator unit and a multiplexer. The operational circuit adds up input transmission data on channels to produce resultant added data and modulates pieces of bit transmission data which are indicative of the values of the respective bits of the added data, when expressed in binary form, the pieces of bit transmission data being equal in number to the M bit positions of the added data expressed in binary form. The modulator unit includes modulators corresponding in number to the M bit positions of the added data in the binary form. A k-th modulator, where k is an integer of 1 to M, inclusive, modulates a k-th piece of bit transmission data to produce a k-th bit modulated signal whose amplitude level is 2k-1. The multiplexer multiplexes first to M-th bit modulated signals to produce a code division multiplex signal. |
| US08279964B2 |
Data transmission in wireless communication system
Embodiment of the disclosure set forth methods for transmitting data in a wireless communication system. Some example methods include converting a data stream to a symbol set; selecting a first plurality of symbols from the symbol set, wherein the first plurality of symbols includes at least a first symbol, a second symbol, a third symbol, and a fourth symbol; generating a second plurality of symbols having at least a fifth symbol and a sixth symbol, wherein the fifth symbol includes a first part of the first symbol and a second part of the second symbol and the sixth symbol includes a first part of the third symbol and a second part of the fourth symbol; weighting the sixth symbol to form a first weighted symbol; and transmitting in a first time slot the fifth symbol with a first antenna and the first weighted symbol with a second antenna. |
| US08279962B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocating feedback channel in multiple antenna communication system
A method and apparatus for allocating a feedback channel in a multiple antenna communication system are provided. In a method of operating a Base Station (BS) for allocating a feedback channel in a Multi-User Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MU-MIMO) communication system, the method includes measuring a MIMO transmission environment, determining an amount of feedback according to the MIMO transmission environment, and allocating a feedback channel according to an amount of the feedback. |
| US08279957B2 |
Communication methods and systems having permutation schemes
A wireless communication method implemented in a communication system includes receiving a first data sequence, and processing the first data sequence to obtain information containing at least one of a first number and a sampling spacing associated with the first data sequence. The method also includes permuting the first data sequence to generate a permuted second data sequence. Permuting the first data sequence includes determining a first parameter based on at least one of the first number and the sampling spacing, determining a second parameter based on at least one of the first parameter, the first number, and the sampling spacing, and determining a mapping relationship between a j-th data item of the permuted second data sequence and an i-th data item of the first data sequence. The method further includes outputting the permuted second data sequence. |
| US08279951B2 |
Method and device for producing a transmission signal to be transferred over a transmission path
A method and device are provided for producing a transmission signal to be transferred over a transmission path from an input signal, for example an xDSL signal, wherein a bandwidth of the input signal is distributed onto a plurality of frequency bands in such a way that part signals are obtained corresponding to the individual frequency bands, and wherein each part signal is conducted to separate line drivers, and wherein output signals of the individual line drivers are combined to form the transmission signal to be transferred over the transmission path by combination means, which can be designed as an adder. In order to obtain the frequency band which pertains in each case from the input signal, which can be transformed into an analogue signal with a D/A converter, filter means can be used. |
| US08279948B2 |
Interface with variable data rate
A device includes a transmitter coupled to a node, where the node is to couple to a wired link. The transmitter has a plurality of modes of operation including a calibration mode in which a range of communication data rates over the wired link is determined in accordance with a voltage margin corresponding to the wired link at a predetermined errorrate. The range of communication data rates includes a maximum data rate, which can be a non-integer multiple of an initial data rate. |
| US08279946B2 |
System and method for providing a variable frame rate and adaptive frame skipping on a mobile device
A processor and method are provided for decoding a multimedia file having video and audio data streams that are configured to be played in synchronization. Frames of the video stream are decoded and played with the audio and, to compensate for saturation of the processor usage, two procedures are performed. The first procedure operates at a first periodic interval and slows down the frame rate to reduce processor usage if needed. The second procedure first attempts to speed up the video to catch up to the audio if they are out of sync and if this cannot be done in the next time interval, the decoding of a select number of frames is skipped such that the video and audio data streams are resynchronized. |
| US08279943B2 |
Method for reception of DVB-H signals and DVB-H receiver
A method for reception of DVB-H signals wherein a MPEG transport stream is grouped into packets belonging to a certain IP data stream and forming bursts in time slices, the MPEG-TS is modulated into OFDM symbols, these symbols are grouped in frames, the frames themselves are grouped in superframes and symbols, frames and superframes are provided with numbers, whereas a transmitter does not change the transmission parameters (FFT mode, guard interval, code rate, modulation format) between successive bursts and a receiver is notified about a relative time from a first burst to transmission of the next burst and the receiver is switched off between the first and the next burst comprising: accurately calculating the receive time of the next burst from the DVBH delta-t time received in the first burst; setting a wake up timer and powering down the receiver; powering up the receiver for reception of the next burst exactly at the superframe boundary; executing signal acquisition; calculating the symbol number and frame number of the first symbol that contains relevant data to be modulated within the actual superframe; calculation the number of bis to be discarded from the MPEG-TS to align with a boundary of a MPEG-TS-packet; discarding the bits; and starting demodulation at the boundary of the MPEG-TS-packet. |
| US08279942B2 |
Image data processing apparatus, image data processing method, program for image data processing method, and recording medium recording program for image data processing method
An image data processing apparatus includes: plural arithmetic processing sections; a main memory; and a cache memory, wherein slices of the image data are sequentially and cyclically assigned to the plural arithmetic processing sections and plural slices to be processed are set as objects of processing, respectively, and the plural arithmetic processing sections process the image data in parallel to establish a consistent relationship of the processing of each slice with processing of the immediately preceding slice, in which the current slice and the immediately preceding slice can be simultaneously processed in parallel so that a reference macroblock of the macroblock in processing in the current slice may partly overlap with a reference macroblock of the macroblock in processing in the immediately preceding slice. |
| US08279941B2 |
Apparatus for encoding and decoding header data in a picture signal transmission
A picture decoding method and apparatus for decoding a bit stream, the bit stream being compatible with MPEG 1 moving picture video standard. The method includes receiving, via an input terminal, from the bit stream that includes extension data added in a header of a picture layer of the bit stream when the header includes control data newly added in MPEG 2 standard format, a picture coding type and the extension data of an anterior header of the picture layer. The bit stream in the picture layer is decoded using the picture coding type and the extension data of an anterior header of the picture layer when an extension start code indicating the beginning of the extension data of the current header is not received from the bit stream. |
| US08279936B1 |
Method and apparatus for fractional pixel expansion and motion vector selection in a video codec
In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for identifying a block of pixel data in a reference frame. The system may include a data fetch, a shift register, and one or more processing blocks. The data fetch may receive a best fit integer block, where the best fit integer block is identified by comparing the current block of pixel data to a search area within a reference block of pixel data. The shift register may be configured to load pixel data to be used for performing a fractional pixel expansion for one quadrant corresponding to each integer pixel in a block of pixel data, the block of pixel data including the best fit integer block plus one additional row of integer pixels and one additional column of integer pixels, wherein a combination of all of the one quadrant fractional expansions provides a plurality of fractional blocks for the best fit integer block. The one or more processing blocks may be configured to compare each of the plurality of fractional blocks with the current block to identify a best fit fractional block, the best fit fractional block being the best fit pixel match with the current block. |
| US08279932B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method
An information processing apparatus includes: a synthesis filter unit configured to execute synthesis filtering for coefficient data of each subband, obtained by decoding a code stream of a reversibly-encoded image and performing band division, in each predetermined number of lines or in each predetermined block to obtain baseband image data on a line basis; a storage unit configured to store the baseband image data obtained by the synthesis filter unit; an analysis filter unit configured to read the baseband image data stored in the storage unit and execute analysis filtering for the image data to divide the image data up to a predetermined division level; and a control unit configured to control the analysis filter unit to execute analysis filtering as soon as the amount of the baseband image data stored in the storage unit reaches a data amount allowing analysis filtering. |
| US08279929B2 |
Interpolation of video compression frames
Coding techniques for a video image compression system involve improving an image quality of a sequence of two or more bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames, where each of the frames includes multiple pixels. One method involves determining a brightness value of at least one pixel of each bi-directionally predicted intermediate frame in the sequence as an equal average of brightness values of pixels in non-bidirectionally predicted frames bracketing the sequence of bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames. The brightness values of the pixels in at least one of the non-bidirectionally predicted frames is converted from a non-linear representation. |
| US08279927B2 |
Methods and systems for image intra-prediction mode management
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for ordering, communicating and applying pixel intra-prediction modes. |
| US08279918B2 |
Method and apparatus for motion compensated temporal filtering using residual signal clipping
A method for temporal decomposition and reconstruction of an input video signal is disclosed. The method can use a prediction process and an update process in the framework of motion compensated temporal filtering (MCTF), the method can employ a block based video codec having an encoder and a decoder. A residual picture signal and a low-pass picture signal are received, the low-pass picture signal having a lesser precision than that of the residual picture signal, and in response to the residual picture signal being decoded in the decoder, the residual picture signal is clipped and reduced in precision, such that the low-pass picture signal, a reconstructed picture, and the residual picture signal have equal precisions. An inverse MCTF process, using a lifting scheme, can be performed on the clipped residual signal. |
| US08279916B2 |
Equalization using serial localization with indecision
A receiver includes a constellation processing module and a plurality of equalization stages. The constellation processing module groups points of a constellation associated with a transmitted signal into a plurality of subsets. At least two adjacent ones of the subsets have one or more common constellation points so that the at least two adjacent subsets overlap. The constellation processing module also determines a centroid-based value for each of the subsets of constellation points and groups the centroid-based values into one or more sets. Each of the equalization stages except for a the last equalization stage localizes a search for a final symbol decision using the set of centroid-based values input to or selected by the equalization stage as constellation points. The last equalization stage determines the final symbol decision using the subset of constellation points input to or selected by the last equalization stage. |
| US08279913B2 |
Configurable transceiver
A system is disclosed for operating a plurality of receiver paths and/or a plurality of transmitter paths in a single mode or multiple mode configuration. |
| US08279911B2 |
Systems, computer program products, and methods using carrier phases to detect multipath signals
A multipath detector includes an RF module receiving multiple signals, and a correlator module receiving the signals from the RF module. The correlator module correlates the signals to create a composite ACF, and produces samples of the composite autocorrelation function (ACF). The samples are time delayed relative to each other. The multipath detector also includes a carrier phase processor that receives the samples and estimates carrier phases associated with each of the samples. The carrier phase processor employs the estimated carrier phases to determine if one of the signals is subject to a multipath delay. |
| US08279908B2 |
Synchronization of separated platforms in an HD radio broadcast single frequency network
A broadcasting method includes: using a first transmitter to send a signal including a plurality of frames of data synchronized with respect to a first GPS pulse signal, receiving the signal at a first remote transmitter, synchronizing the frames to a second GPS pulse signal at the first remote transmitter, and transmitting the synchronized frames from the remote transmitter to a plurality of receivers. A system that implements the method is also provided. |
| US08279904B2 |
Semiconductor light-emitting device
A semiconductor light-emitting device including an active layer is provided. The light-emitting device includes an active layer between an n-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor layer. The active layer includes a quantum well layer formed of Inx1Ga(1−x1)N, where 0 |
| US08279901B2 |
High power femtosecond laser with adjustable repetition rate and simplified structure
Designs and techniques for constructing and operating femtosecond pulse lasers are provided. One example of a laser engine includes an oscillator that generates and outputs a beam of femtosecond seed pulses, a stretcher-compressor that stretches a duration of the seed pulses, and an amplifier that receives the stretched seed pulses, amplifies an amplitude of selected stretched seed pulses to create amplified stretched pulses, and outputs a laser beam of amplified stretched pulses back to the stretcher-compressor that compresses their duration and outputs a laser beam of femtosecond pulses. The amplifier includes a dispersion controller that compensates a dispersion of the amplified stretched pulses, making the repetition rate of the laser adjustable between procedures or according to the speed of scanning. The laser engine can be compact with a total optical path of less than 500 meters, and have a low number of optical elements, e.g. less than 50. |
| US08279892B2 |
Upstream channel bonding in a cable communications system
A method for increasing upstream bandwidth per cable modem user in a cable communications system that includes a cable modem termination system (CMTS) and a plurality of cable modems is provided. The method permits a cable modem to transmit data to the CMTS on multiple upstream channels simultaneously using a technique called “channel bonding.” Channel bonding allows smaller bandwidth upstream channels to be bonded together to create a larger bandwidth pipe. |
| US08279885B2 |
Lockless processing of command operations in multiprocessor systems
A beltway mechanism that takes advantage of atomic locking mechanisms supported by certain classes of hardware processors to handle the tasks that require atomic access to data structures while also reducing the overhead associated with these atomic locking mechanisms. The beltway mechanisms described herein can be used to control access to software and hardware facilities in an efficient manner. |
| US08279883B2 |
High speed isolation interface for PoE
A high speed isolation interface which can be used to enable high speed communications between the isolated side and the wire side in a PoE system is provided. The high speed isolation interface may implement an Ethernet or non-Ethernet based signaling scheme. The high speed isolation interface can be used within both PSE (endspan or midspan) and PD systems, including single port and multi-port PSE and PD systems. Further, the high speed isolation interface is usable within pre-standard PoE, 802.3af PoE, and 802.3at PoE systems. The high speed isolation interface may also be used within 2-pair PoE (Alternative A) and 4-pair PoE (Alternative B) systems. |
| US08279882B2 |
Computer-readable storage medium having stored therein mobile terminal program, mobile terminal device, and system
A location information provision system includes an access point, a first game apparatus, and a second game apparatus. The access point stores information for specifying a current location of the access point, and transmits the information to the first game apparatus. The first game apparatus IB receives the information transmitted from the access point, and specifies the location of the access point based on the information. The first game apparatus transmits location information representing the specified location to the second game apparatus. The second game apparatus receives the location information transmitted from the first game apparatus, and specifies the current location of the second game apparatus based on the received location information. |
| US08279879B1 |
System and method for router data aggregation and delivery
A chunk format for a large-scale, high data throughput router includes a preamble that allows each individual chunk to have clock and data recovery performed before the chunk data is retrieved. The format includes a chunk header that contains information specific to the entire chunk. A chunk according to the present format can contain multiple packet segments, with each segment having its own packet header for packet-specific information. The format provides for a scrambler seed which allows scrambling the data to achieve a favorable zero and one balance as well as minimal run lengths. There can be a random choice of available scrambler seeds for any particular chunk to avoid malicious forcing of zero and one patterns or run lengths of bit zeroes and ones. There are a chunk cyclical redundancy check (CRC) as well as forward error correction (FEC) bytes to detect and/or correct any errors and also to insure a high degree of data and control integrity. Advantageously, a framing symbol inserted into the chunk format itself allows the receiving circuitry to identify or locate a particular chunk format. “Break Bytes” and “Make Bytes” fields located at the beginning of a chunk preamble precondition an optical receiver to a proper state before the actual chunk arrives at the receiver. |
| US08279878B2 |
Method for configuring virtual network and network system
A first computer stores a correspondence between a virtual channel and a physical channel (s) in physical channel information and transmits the correspondence between the virtual channel and the physical channel (s) to a second computer having a virtual network interface to which a data transmission instruction is addressed. Upon receiving the correspondence between the virtual channel and the physical channel(s), the second computer stores the received correspondence in the physical channel information. The first computer transmits data in accordance with the data transmission instruction, using one or more physical channels associated with the virtual channel, based on the correspondence stored. |
| US08279873B2 |
Out of sequence delivery of status reports on a separate channel
In a method and a system Radio Link Control (RLC) Status Reports in a cellular radio system employing Acknowledge Mode (AM) RLC are not delivered in sequence, thereby obtaining an increased peak throughput. Thus, even when an in-sequence delivery exists, for example if the system uses HARQ transmission, it is not used for data related to the RLC status report. |
| US08279871B1 |
Methods and apparatus for processing multi-headed packets
A packet is received from a network via an ingress port, wherein the packet includes at least first and second headers. A first set of one or more egress ports via which the packet is to be forwarded is determined based on one of the first header or the second header, and the packet is forwarded to the first set of one or more egress ports. At least a subset of the packet is forwarded to an upstream location in a packet processing pipeline, and a second set of one or more egress ports via which the at least a portion of the packet is to be forwarded is determined in response to forwarding the at least the subset of the packet to the upstream location in the packet processing pipeline and based on at least one of the first header or the second header. The at least the portion of the packet is forwarded to the second set of one or more egress ports. |
| US08279869B1 |
Reliable communication channel over existing TCP connection
Various systems and methods for exchanging communications between devices coupled by an address translation device are disclosed. These techniques can be used to facilitate automatic relationship discovery. One method involves extracting a sequence number from a TCP acknowledgment message being conveyed from a network interface to a TCP stack, and then sending a new TCP message, which includes the sequence number. |
| US08279867B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing flood traffic in switches
An improved method and apparatus for making forwarding decisions in a switching device. The invention reduces the flooding of frames to particular network segments connected to the switch. To insure a device sees a frame addressed to it, if a switch does not know what segment a device address is connected to for a unicast frame, the switch typically floods the frame to all segments in the broadcast domain. This invention allows segments to be identified as having a predefined maximum number of device addresses that will be associated with it. When that number of addresses is already in the forwarding table the switch will not flood unicast frames to that segment since no more devices should be connected to that segment. |
| US08279865B2 |
Efficient pipeline parallelism using frame shared memory
A systems and methods are disclosed that provide an efficient parallel pipeline for data processing using a multi-core processor. Embodiments allocate a shared memory portion of the memory that is accessible from more than one context of execution and/or process a frame in a plurality of processing stages processed by a context of execution. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of processing stages may be bound to a processing core of the multi-core processor. In other embodiments include one or more processing stages with a point-to-point communication mechanism that operates in shared memory. |
| US08279862B2 |
Centralized service control for a telecommunication system
A communication system includes a switching system and a service control system. The switching system receives and processes a communication request to transfer a query message. The service control system receives and processes the query message to generate and transfer a response message indicating a route. The switching system receives and processes the response message indicating the route and transfers a communication using the route. The service control system may process the query message with multiple parallel functions to generate an action message and process the action message to select the route. |
| US08279858B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocating a beacon signal in a wireless communications network
A method and apparatus for transmitting beacon signals in a wireless communications network. For a given cell site, a single frequency may be used for the beacon signal by assigning different beacon signal time slots to different sectors of the cell site. During one time slot, the beacon signal is transmitted to one of the sectors, and during another one of the time slots, the beacon signal is transmitted to a different one of the sectors. Because a single frequency can be used for all of the sectors of a cell site, more frequencies are available for other purposes, such as for user traffic, for example. The invention improves spectral efficiency, reduces adjacent channel interference and co-channel interference and allows power consumption to be controlled. |
| US08279856B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing shared services
The present invention enables an overlay capability to be invoked on network systems and elements that are designed to support multiple customer bases. Depending on the registered identification of the user, screens and other user interfaces that provide access to functions can be overlaid on the network component and segmented along customer classifications. |
| US08279854B2 |
Method, equipment and system for deregistering a wireless IP access network contact address
A method and equipment for deregistering a wireless IP access network contact address are provided. When a call corresponding to a common subscriber ID of a TE is received after the TE leaves an IP access network abnormally, the method and the equipment can avoid problems caused by still delivering the subsequent call from the IP access network according to an IP access network contact address associated with the common subscriber ID. The method includes notifying an IMS network to deregister a contact address of a TE in a first wireless IP access network through a current available access network of the TE if the contact address of the TE in the first wireless IP access network is not deregistered to the IMS network when the TE leaves the first wireless IP access network. |