| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08327456B2 |
Multiple entity authorization model
An authorization framework is provided that protects data records in a platform, such as a service-based platform, by requiring multiple level entities to be authorized with respect to the data records. For example, the data records can have an associated owner user that can grant access to other users with respect to the data. Additionally, however, the user can also grant access to certain applications that access the platform such that the data records can be initially closed for a user requiring the user to explicitly grant desired access to applications and/or users. In this regard, applications can be forbidden from accessing the data, even on behalf of the user, unless expressly authorized to do so by the user. Thus, the user can make informed decisions regarding who is to have access to its data. |
| US08327453B2 |
Method and apparatus for protecting information and privacy
A system for protecting software against piracy while protecting a user's privacy enables enhancements to the protection software in a user device and extended protections against piracy. The protection system allows the user device to postpone validation of purchased tags stored in a tag table for installed software and to re-establish ownership of a tag table to recover from invalidation of a tag table identifier value resulting from revelation of a tag table identifier value. Continued use of the tag table is provided by the use of credits associated with a tag table. A protection center is protected against denial of service attacks by making calls to the protection center cost time or money to the attackers. |
| US08327449B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information recording medium, information processing method, and computer program
A configuration in which use management for each piece of content, which is divided in units, can be performed strictly and efficiently is provided. CPS units such that content stored on an information recording medium is divided into units are set, a unit key is assigned to each CPS unit, and data forming each unit is encrypted and recorded. For reproduction, a unit key is generated, and data processing using the unit key is performed. As information for generating the unit key, copy/play control information (CCI) that is set so as to correspond to the CPS unit and a content hash that is a hash value based on data forming the CPS unit are used. With this configuration, tampering of CCI and data forming the CPS unit can be prevented, and authorized content use can be realized. |
| US08327448B2 |
Protected clock management based upon a non-trusted persistent time source
Methods and arrangements to persist a trusted time for a protected clock based upon a non-trusted but persistent time source are disclosed. Embodiments may comprise an embedded device, which may be hardware, software, firmware, and/or other logic, to maintain a trusted time in a protected clock. The embedded device may initialize the protected clock by obtaining a trusted time from a trusted time source such as a network server. The embedded device then maintains the trusted time in the event of a power loss to the protected clock by monitoring a time differential between the protected clock and a non-trusted system clock. Many embodiments also employ the protected clock without a battery backup to advantageously save manufacturing costs and space, while maintaining the trusted time in the event of a power loss by relying on a battery backup for the non-trusted system clock. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed. |
| US08327432B2 |
Self-initiated end-to-end monitoring of an authentication gateway
An example embodiment of the present invention provides processes relating to self-initiated end-to-end monitoring for an authentication gateway. In one particular implementation, the authentication gateway periodically creates and stores a temporary logon for access to a network and then sends a message including the temporary logon over a secure connection to a client. When the client receives the temporary logon, the client responds to the message by attempting to access a configurable network site. The authentication gateway redirects the client to a captive portal which prompts the client for a logon and the client enters the temporary logon at the captive portal. Then upon validating the temporary logon against the stored temporary logon, the authentication gateway authorizes access to the network. If the client successfully accesses the site, the client sends a verification report to the authentication gateway indicating successful access. Otherwise, the client reports on the failed access. |
| US08327431B2 |
Managing configurations of a firewall
A method for processing packets in a computer undergoing transitioning from a first configuration of a firewall to a second configuration of the firewall is disclosed. Packets arriving in the computer are associated with the first configuration of the firewall existing in the computer, and after a second configuration of the firewall becomes available, the computer starts associating packets arriving in the computer with the second configuration of the firewall, and processing packets associated with the second configuration according to the second configuration of the firewall, while continuing processing the packets associated with the first configuration according to the first configuration of the firewall until all packets associated with the first configuration are processed. Packets are processed by a plurality of firewall processing modules asynchronously. First and second reference counts, counting numbers of packets processed according to respective firewall configuration are conveniently introduced. A corresponding system is also provided. |
| US08327430B2 |
Firewall control via remote system information
Generally speaking, systems, methods and media for implementing a firewall control system responsive to remote system information are disclosed. Embodiments of a method may include receiving a data request at a firewall where the data request is associated with a program and determining whether a remote system condition exists for the associated program, where the remote system condition includes a condition to be satisfied based on information received from a particular remote system. Embodiments may also include, in response to determining that a remote system condition exists, determining whether the remote system condition is satisfied based on information received from the particular remote system. Embodiments may also include, in response to determining whether the remote system condition is satisfied, performing one or more firewall actions. |
| US08327428B2 |
Authenticating linked accounts
Embodiments of authenticating linked accounts are presented herein. In an implementation, an authentication service provides functionality to form links between a plurality of user accounts. A client may then authenticate by providing credentials for one account in a group of linked accounts, and is permitted access to each account in the group of linked accounts based upon the linking. Thus, a single sign-in of a client to one account may permit the client to obtain services for service providers corresponding to multiple linked accounts, without an individual sign-in to each account. |
| US08327427B2 |
System and method for transparent single sign-on
System and method for transparent single sign-on authentication on computers in a networked environment. A preferred embodiment comprises receiving an authentication request from an operating system of a first computer, requesting credentials of an application making the authentication request, authenticating the credentials, storing the credentials if the authentication is successful, and transmitting the credentials to a second computer. On subsequent access requests made by the user on the second computer, the credentials can be retrieved from the secure store, eliminating the need to prompt the user to re-enter authentication information. |
| US08327426B2 |
Single sign on with proxy services
Techniques for proxing services with a single sign on are provided. A principal authenticates to a first identity service. The first identity service is in a trusted relationship with a second identity service. An authentication request is sent to the second identity service and the request includes an authentication response supplied by the first identity service in response to successful authentication of the principal to the first identity service. In response to the authentication request and the accompanying response, the principal is authenticated for access to the second identity service. Furthermore, targeted services accessible to the second identity service are proxied from and to the principal during interactions between the principal and an external service of that principal. |
| US08327423B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributed authorization by anonymous flexible credential
A method and apparatus for distributed authorization by anonymous flexible credential are provided. Pseudonym authority issues a root pseudonym to a user. The user may generate large amount of derived pseudonym from the root pseudonym. The user may obtain resource credentials from resource protectors by using derived pseudonyms. The user may select a set of resource credentials, generate a flexible credential from this set of resource credentials and request access to the resource corresponding to the set of resource credentials to a resource protector by using the flexible credential and a derived pseudonym. Revocation list for each resource may be maintained in the system such that any one of resource credentials of any user may be revoked without affecting other resource credentials of that user. |
| US08327422B1 |
Authenticating a server device using dynamically generated representations
A technique supports authentication of a server device (e.g., a web site). The technique involves supplying a user device (e.g., a client browser) with a user mechanism (e.g., a browser plug-in) which is constructed and arranged to dynamically generate user representations. The technique further involves receiving, at the server device, a request from the user device. The technique further involves providing a server representation to the user device from the server device in response to the request. The user device successfully authenticates the server device when a user representation dynamically generated by the user mechanism matches the server representation provided to the user device. However, the user device unsuccessfully authenticates the server device when the user representation dynamically generated by the user mechanism does not match the server representation provided to the user device. |
| US08327421B2 |
System and method for identity consolidation
Application-specific and single-sign-on user-authentication credentials are analyzed and consolidated based on commonalities among the credentials and usage of the applications to which they are attributed according to a process whereby a plurality of user-authentication credentials each associated with a different computer application are received; at least a subset of the plurality of user-authentication credentials are associated with each other based on consistencies among the associated authentication credentials and observed application usage patterns attributed to each respective user-authentication credential; an identity signature is created for the individual based on the subset of associated user-authentication credentials; and the identity signature is attributed to the individual. |
| US08327420B2 |
Authentication system and method
An authentication system includes one or more terminals in communication with a server on a network. The server is operable to receive user login information; and generate an authentication data set having: a plurality of decoy data; an anchor data, wherein the anchor data is based on information from a user profile; and target data in a predetermined relationship relative to the anchor data. The server is also operable to generate a decoy data set having: a plurality of second decoy data; and at least one anchor data. The server may then display the authentication data set and decoy data set and determine an authentication result by performing a predetermined manipulation of the target data. The server may receive a user response to an authentication prompt; and authenticate the user if the authentication result and user response are the same. |
| US08327412B2 |
Method and system for interference-free switchover between programme channels in a video environment
A method for interference-free, centrally controlled switchover from a first to a second program channel in a data transmission system for distributing encoded program data streams to multiple subscribers includes delivering at least two program data streams, each of which is associated with a separate program channel, to a separate, controllable encoder. The program data streams are encoded in the associated encoders. The encoded first and second program data streams are fed into a distribution network. One encoded program data stream is delivered through a routing device to at least one target subscriber. Control parameters are provisioned in a central control device which permits a synchronized activation of the controllable encoders and at least one switching device for interference-free switchover of the program channels. An interference-free switchover from the first to the second program channel is executed. |
| US08327407B2 |
Determination of receiving live versus time-shifted media content at a communication device
A method of determining whether live media content or time-shifted media content is received at a communication device is presented. In the method, attribute information concerning media content received at a communication device at a specific time is received. Also received is schedule information including an identity of media content carried at the specific time over a channel identified in the attribute information. The media content identity from the attribute information is compared with the media content identity from the schedule information. The received media content is determined to be live media content if the media content identity from the attribute information agrees with the media content identity from the schedule information. The received media content is determined to be time-shifted media content if the media content identity from the attribute information does not agree with the media content identity from the schedule information. |
| US08327406B2 |
Method and server for downloading a broadcasted multimedia content over a distribution network
The invention applies to the transmission of a multimedia content from a server to a client terminal. The multimedia content is available from the server as one or more sets of files. Upon reception of an initial request from the client, the server sends a document back to the client, said document causing the client to repetitively send fetching request. Upon reception of a fetching request, the server selects the file to download. |
| US08327404B2 |
Methods and systems for providing enhanced content associated with a media content instance available for purchase
An exemplary method includes presenting, by a media content delivery system, an advertisement for a media content instance that is accessible only at or after a scheduled release time, receiving, by the media content delivery system, a request input by a user to purchase access to the media content instance, and providing, by the media content delivery system in response to the received request, enhanced content associated with the media content instance for experiencing by the user before the scheduled release time. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed. |
| US08327400B2 |
Receiving apparatus, receiving method, and program
A receiving apparatus includes: a receiving section receiving a broadcast signal of a selected channel; a holding section holding, for each community, a broadcast channel list indicating one or more channels broadcast in the community and a representative channel of those channels, and an adjacent community list indicating adjacent communities adjacent to the community with an overlapping area; a specifying section specifying the community; an overlap list creating section creating an overlap list listing the community that is specified and its adjacent communities; a channel selection section selecting a channel received by the receiving section, and determining success/failure of reception of the broadcast signal of the selected channel; and a receive channel list creating section creating a receive channel list indicating receivable channels, on the basis of determination result of success/failure of reception of the broadcast signal of each channel broadcast in the communities listed in the overlap list. |
| US08327398B2 |
Apparatus, computer program product, and method for data distribution
A data distribution apparatus includes a data file configured to store video data and advertisement data to be provided to a receiving terminal of a Video on Demand service; a video distributing unit configured to distribute video data in accordance with a distribution request from the receiving terminal; a video presentation confirming unit configured to confirm a presentation state of the video data at the receiving terminal; an advertisement distribution determining unit configured to determine distribution of advertisement data to the receiving terminal when it is confirmed that the video data to be distributed by the video distributing unit is being called; and an advertisement distributing unit configured to distribute the advertisement data. |
| US08327397B2 |
Method for providing information during a channel change in a digital broadcast receiver
A method for displaying video information in a digital broadcast receiver during a change from a current channel to a new channel is disclosed. The method is suitable for displaying video information such as an advertisement, information selected by the user, or a program guide. |
| US08327387B2 |
Method for acquisition of GDI and directX data
A method for acquiring graphics device interface data and DirectX data by use of a filter driver transparent to transparent to a graphics device interface engine, DirectX kernel and a real display driver is disclosed, the method comprises steps of: updating the graphics device interface, and acquiring the graphics device interface data by use of a corresponding graphics device interface function in the filter driver; acquiring, for DirectDraw in DirectX, DirectDraw application and video update data by intercepting frame switch and bit block transfer operations of DirectDraw part; acquiring, for Direct3D in DirectX, data of Direct3D application by intercepting the update interface of Direct3D part. With the method of present invention, an integral acquisition of Windows GDI and DirectX data can be achieved while DirectX function remains available. |
| US08327384B2 |
Event driven disposition
This disclosure relates to systems, methods and apparatuses for managing the retention and disposition of data for an event consumer using an Enterprise Retention Management System wherein the management is driven by business events. |
| US08327383B2 |
Cancellation of concurrent worker objects
A method of performing a cancellation of concurrent worker objects includes creating a plurality of concurrent worker objects with a manager object. At least one cancellation object is generated with the manager object. The at least one cancellation object includes a cancel method and a register method that support concurrent calls. A callback function is registered by calling the register method with one of the concurrent worker objects. A cancellation of the concurrent worker objects is requested by calling the cancel method with the manager object. |
| US08327381B2 |
Referencing message elements in an application message in a messaging environment
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for referencing message elements in an application message in a messaging environment that include: establishing a message model on a computer, the message model comprising message element specifications that each specify a message element for storing data in the application messages, each message element specification comprising element characteristics; creating, by a messaging module on the computer in dependence upon the message model, a message element designator map that maps a separate message element designator to each message element specified by the message model; receiving, in the messaging module from a requesting module, a request for an element designator for a specific message element identified by the element characteristics for the specific message element; and providing, by the messaging module to the requesting module, the requested element designator in dependence upon the message element designator map and the element characteristics for the specific message element. |
| US08327377B2 |
Detecting, logging and tracking component dependencies in web service transactions
Relationships between components in an application and the services they provide are identified, including redundant caller-callee sequences. Specific components of interest are instrumented to obtain data when they execute. Data structures are created which identify the components and their dependencies on one other. To avoid excessive overhead costs, redundant dependencies are identified. A dependency data structure can be provided for each unique dependency. When repeated instances of a dependency are detected, the associated dependency data structure can be augmented with correlation data of the repeated instances, such as transaction identifiers and sequence identifiers. Sequence identifiers identify an order in which a component is called. A flag can be used to force the creation of a new dependency data structure, and a calling component's name can be used instead of a sequence identifier. Agents report the dependency data structures to a manager to provide graph data in a user interface. |
| US08327373B2 |
System and method for structuring self-provisioning workloads deployed in virtualized data centers
The system and method for structuring self-provisioning workloads deployed in virtualized data centers described herein may provide a scalable architecture that can inject intelligence and embed policies into managed workloads to provision and tune resources allocated to the managed workloads, thereby enhancing workload portability across various cloud and virtualized data centers. In particular, the self-provisioning workloads may have a packaged software stack that includes resource utilization instrumentation to collect utilization metrics from physical resources that a virtualization host allocates to the workload, a resource management policy engine to communicate with the virtualization host to effect tuning the physical resources allocated to the workload, and a mapping that the resource management policy engine references to request tuning the physical resources allocated to the workload from a management domain associated with the virtualization host. |
| US08327371B2 |
Multinode server system, load distribution method, resource management server, and program product
A multinode server system includes several servers mutually connected, each of which processes one mesh obtained by dividing a virtual space. The virtual space is displayed as a result of processing of each mesh by the servers. A resource management node detects load states of the servers, and changes allocation of the servers to process the meshes in accordance with the load states. A network allows several clients to share the virtual space. The servers processing the meshes are changed while giving priority to an adjacent mesh beyond a server border in response to the load states. |
| US08327365B2 |
Throttling of an interative process in a computer system
Throttling of an iterative process in a computer system is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention focus on non-productive iterations of an iterative process in a computer system. The number of productive iterations of the iterative process during a current timeframe is determined while the iterative process is executing. A count of the number of process starts for the iterative process during the current timeframe is stored. The count can be normalized to obtain a number of units of work handled during the current timeframe. A throttling schedule can be calculated, and the throttling schedule can be stored in the computer system. The throttling schedule can then be used to determine a delay time between iterations of the iterative process for a new timeframe. A formula can be used to calculate the throttling schedule. The throttling schedule can be overridden in accordance with a service level agreement (SLA), as well as for other reasons. |
| US08327349B2 |
Matching plug-ins to users
A method of matching one or more software plug-ins to a user, the method including: defining one or more trigger events based on one or more actions of an application; monitoring a use of the application for the one or more trigger events; generating a suggestion of one or more plug-ins based on the use of the application; and generating a notification including the suggestion. |
| US08327344B2 |
Array reference safety analysis in the presence of loops with conditional control flow
Mechanisms are provided for analyzing and optimizing loops with conditional control flow in source code based on array reference safety. Mechanisms are provided for analyzing blocks of the source code to identify a conditional control flow loop having loop source code specifying a total access range for an array reference. A safe access range, of the total access range of the array reference in the loop source code, is identified over which a compiler-based optimization of the loop source code can be safely applied without introducing new exception conditions. The compiler-based optimization of the loop source code is performed based on the identified safe access range to generate optimized code. The optimized code is output for generation of executable code for execution on a processor. |
| US08327343B2 |
Method and system for optimizing source code
Methods, systems and apparatus for optimizing a source code are provided. Dependencies for each header file and source code file in the source code are identified for all possible compilation contexts. Certain dependencies can be classified into complete types and incomplete types or named references. Further, these incomplete type dependencies are removed by adding forward declarations where appropriate. |
| US08327341B2 |
Integrating aspect oriented programming into the application server
A method and apparatus for integrating aspect-oriented programming (AOP) into the deployment layer of an application server. In one embodiment, the method includes analyzing a structure of a deployment within an application server, and translating the deployment from a first form to a second form using results of the analyzing. The method further includes indicating in the deployment that a cross-cutting concern is to be resolved by aspects at runtime. |
| US08327336B2 |
Enhanced thread stepping
Embodiments of the invention provide debugging techniques for multithreaded programs. For example, a debugger may reduce the time required to release inactive threads that hold resources needed by an active thread. For example, if a timer expires before a line of code finishes executing, the debugger assumes that the active thread requires a resource locked by an inactive thread and releases other threads. During subsequent execution of the line of code, the debugger reduces the timer length of the timer. In doing so, inactive threads are released sooner, thereby reducing the wait time a user experiences when debugging lines of code. |
| US08327335B2 |
Performance management tool having unified analysis report
An improved method is provided for identifying a cause of a performance problem experienced by an application in a computing environment. To help a user find and isolate the problem quicker, the method proposes a unified performance analysis report that presents the most likely indicators of the source of the performance problem. The report presents performance metrics for the software services used by the application and charts the metric values over time since it is often the change in a metric that indicates a problem. Each metric chart should also include an indicator for the state of service for the application. This will help the user correlate metrics from multiple sources to the time period in which the application experienced a problem. |
| US08327334B2 |
Replay of program executions using cross-entropy
A method for replay of program executions using cross-entropy is provided. The method comprises identifying a first sequence of decision points, wherein the first sequence represents a first execution of a logic code; identifying a second sequence of decision points, wherein the second sequence represents a second execution of the logic code; computing a distance between the first and second executions; and minimizing the distance between the first and second executions using cross-entropy, in response to determining that the second execution is not within a predetermined threshold distance of the first execution. |
| US08327333B2 |
Apparatus, method, and system of assisting software development
An apparatus, method, and system of assisting a user in the process of developing software having a function to access a web service are disclosed. A determination result is generated, which indicates whether an operation test of determining whether the software under development properly operates should be performed by a first test module or a second test module. Based on the determination result, the operation test is performed by a selected one of the first test module and the second test module. |
| US08327330B1 |
System and method of generating build instructions
Systems and methods provide build instructions for generating output information from input information. Output information or files may be associated with a plurality of dependent input files. Build tools may be retrieved for operation on input files to generate a particular output file. A set of instructions is determined by evaluating dependencies which identify files and tools used to generate the output file. The instructions are ordered so as to reduce the number of times a build tool is retrieved and so that output files are used efficiently. |
| US08327328B2 |
System and method for creating target byte code
A system and method for converting byte code of a first type into byte code of a second type. Byte code of a first type is received as input. The first byte code is converted into constituent byte code data elements that can comprise any logical unit or grouping of at least a portion of a software application. The first byte code data elements are mapped to data elements of a second byte code type. The second byte code data elements are assembled into a resulting second byte code. |
| US08327327B2 |
Method for statically checking an object-oriented computer program module
A method for statically checking an object-oriented computer program module includes the step of identifying objects within a computer program module, at least one of the objects having a plurality of references thereto, possibly from multiple clients. A discipline of permissions is imposed on the objects identified within the computer program module. The permissions enable tracking, from among a discrete set of changeable states, a subset of states each object might be in. A determination is made regarding whether the imposed permissions are violated by a potential reference to any of the identified objects. The results of the determination are output to a user. |
| US08327324B1 |
Message logging system
Logging messages includes providing a logging subsystem that performs logging tasks, providing a log message database that contains log messages that are accessed according to a token value and providing calls to the logging subsystem, where a preprocessor modifies source code to replaces in-line text string parameters with tokens corresponding to the text string parameters. The in-line text string parameters may be log messages. The log message database may be coupled to the logging subsystem and the logging subsystem may access the log messages using the tokens. The preprocessor may determine if an in-line text message already exists in the log message database and, if not, may create a new entry for the in-line text message in the log message database. |
| US08327322B2 |
System and method for allowing the creation of composite applications through the wiring of loosely coupled existing or custom components of disparate technologies
The present invention provides a system and method for allowing integration of loosely coupled components for applications requiring templates and, more specifically, for utilizing the property broker and component technology to solve the missing sandbox model for Lotus Notes out of the box templates on the rich client. It utilizes the property broker and component technology so that components can communicate with one another as standard “out of the box” templates (such as Notes mail8.ntf and pernames.ntf) are allowed to publish properties automatically, e.g., when the selections in views/folders change. Customers are then allowed to define their own applications via an editor using pre-existing or “out of the box” components or custom components of disparate technologies. Component views from the out of the box templates can easily be reused by graphically dragging them from a component palette and dropping them onto the page. The composite application is stored in a separate database (in Lotus Notes, the database extension is “.nsf”) and so there are no template changes to the contacts database necessary. |
| US08327321B2 |
Synthetic partitioning for imposing implementation design patterns onto logical architectures of computations
A method and a system for using synthetic partitioning constraints to impose design patterns containing desired design features (e.g., distributed logic for a threaded, multicore based computation) onto logical architectures (LA) specifying an implementation neutral computation. The LA comprises computational specifications and related logical constraints (i.e., defined by logical assertions) that specify provisional loops and provisional partitionings of those loops. The LA contains virtually no programming language constructs. Synthetic partitioning constraints add implementation specific design patterns. They define how to find frameworks with desired design features, how to reorganize the LA to accommodate the frameworks, and how to map the computational payload from the LA into the frameworks. The advantage of synthetic partitioning constraints is they allow implementation neutral computations to be transformed into custom implementations that exploit the high capability features of arbitrary execution platform architectures such as multicore, vector, GPU, FPGA, virtual, API-based and others. |
| US08327320B2 |
Process model lean notation
A process model lean notation provides an easy to understand way to categorize the process elements of a process using a process definition grammar. Process model lean notation allows an organization to rapidly identify the process elements of a process and the interactions between the process elements, and produces a process categorization that includes an ordered sequence of the process elements. A process categorization provides a structured presentation of the process elements and clearly indicates for each process element the task accomplished, the actor responsible for and/or performing the task, the tool that may be used to perform the task, and the work product that may result by performing the task. |
| US08327315B1 |
System and method for process rules editors
According to various embodiments of the invention, a system and method for editing process rules for circuit design through a graphical editor is provided. In some embodiments, the graphical editor is a circuit design tool that provides the user of the tool, such as a circuit designer or process engineer, the ability to visualize, modify, create, or remove process rules through a graphical user interface (“GUI”). These process rules, also known as constraints or circuit design constraints, relate to the layout of circuits and is grouped into constraint groups (also known as “circuit design constraint groups”) that can be associated to specific circuit design objects. |
| US08327314B2 |
Method for setting test point
A method for setting a test point is applied to dispose at least one test point on a circuit board in a trace file, which includes steps of reading the trace file, in which the trace file includes at least one trace; determining whether the trace has an initial test point; and setting a test point on the trace that does not have the initial test point. According to the method for setting a test point, cost and time for manually disposing the test point are saved, and an error rate when the test point is arranged is further reduced, thereby effectively improving production efficiency of the circuit board. |
| US08327309B2 |
Verification of design information for controlling manufacture of a system on a chip
A system on a chip comprises a plurality of circuit blocks, a programmable processor and a communication circuit. Design information includes connection data including an identification of the direct mutual connection and first and second circuit blocks coupled by the direct mutual connection. An additional register is added to the system on a chip coupled to the direct mutual connection. Verification programs are used includescomprising instructions for the processor to access registers in the second one of the circuit blocks, to use the connection data, or information derived therefrom to select the first one of the circuit blocks, and to issue the standardized call to the interface program of the selected further one of the circuit blocks. |
| US08327305B1 |
Voltage drop aware circuit placement
A circuit and methods for placing a circuit block on an integrated circuit (IC) are disclosed. An embodiment of the disclosed method includes dividing the IC into multiple regions based on pre-determined value. This pre-determined value may be a voltage drop value measured on specific regions on the IC. The performance requirement for the circuit block is determined and placed in one of the regions on the IC. In one embodiment, the placement of the circuit block is based on the performance requirement and the measured value at specific regions on the IC. The measured value may be a voltage drop value and a circuit block with a higher performance may be placed in a region with a lower voltage drop value. |
| US08327302B2 |
Techniques for analysis of logic designs with transient logic
A technique for performing an analysis of a logic design includes detecting an initial transient behavior in a logic design embodied in a netlist. A duration of the initial transient behavior is also determined. Reduction information on the logic design is gathered based on the initial transient behavior. The netlist is then modified based on the reduction information. |
| US08327299B1 |
System and method for implementing image-based design rules
Systems and methods for creating and implementing two-dimensional (2D), image-based design rules (IBDRs) are disclosed. Techniques for creating 2D IBDR can include identifying a search pattern that is representative of a 2D pattern of interest of a design, creating a pattern representation based on the search pattern, defining an anchor point for the pattern representation, and assigning weights to elements of the pattern representation. The 2D MDR can be used in systems and method for searching a design by comparing the 2D IBDR to the design. A number of 2D IBDRs can be merged into a subset of similar 2D IBDRs by characterizing desired rule geometries, sorting the 2D IBDRs into groups according to the desired rule geometries, merging the groups of 2D IBDRs into a single representative search pattern. Additionally, standard design rules can be created from the disclosed 2D IBDRs. The standard design rule can be created from a 2D pattern of interest by defining an origin of a shape within the 2D pattern of interest, identifying features within the 2D pattern of interest, deriving parameters relative to the origin for each of the identified features, and writing the standard design rule script using the derived parameters. |
| US08327290B2 |
User task interface in a web application
A task-like user interface is provided for Web-based applications. Preferred embodiments enable users to initiate multiple instances of tasks within a single Web application, where independent state information is retained for each instance. Each user-initiated task also has a prescribed life cycle with a definite start and end. Resources allocated to perform various activities can therefore be released when the activity ends. Optionally, contextual information can be passed to a task upon invocation. Support for persisting a currently-viewable work unit as a user-selectable favorite may optionally be provided. |
| US08327280B2 |
Programmatic analysis of graphical sub-programs within a graphical program
A system and method for visually indicating one or more problems in a graphical program. The graphical program may be programmatically analyzed to discover a problem (or potential problem) in the graphical program. The problem found during the programmatic analysis of the graphical program may then be visually indicated on a display device. Visually indicating the problem may comprise visually indicating one or more objects in the graphical program to which the problem corresponds. Visually indicating the graphical program object(s) may comprise displaying information or altering the appearance of the object(s) in order to call the user's attention to the object(s). |
| US08327277B2 |
Techniques to automatically manage overlapping objects
Techniques to automatically manage overlapping objects are described. An apparatus may include a context module operative to receive context information for a multimedia event, and determine various context parameters and control parameters for the multimedia event. The apparatus may further comprise a blending module communicatively coupled to the context module, the blending module operative to receive multiple media content streams for multiple media content views for the multimedia event, and blend the media content streams for the multiple media content views based on one or more control parameters to form a blended media content stream. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08327276B2 |
Community driven prioritization of customer issues
Community driven prioritization of customer issues is described. In an implementation, a selectable portion of a user interface providing interaction with a community forum is selectable by a user to indicate agreement and associate with a posting in the community forum. The user may then automatically be provided results generated in response to the posting. In another implementation, associations matching a plurality of users and postings are utilized to assign priority to the postings and to prioritize responses to the postings. |
| US08327271B2 |
Method and system for testing websites
A method and system is provided for testing and analyzing websites via a test-enabled web browser. In the representative embodiment a user controls a test-enabled web browser via a set of pull-down menus, thereby choosing between alternative testing and analysis functional capabilities, selecting files in which to store recordings (scripts), choosing files into which to place test results and messages, and setting various parameters that affect how the testing and analysis functions are performed. When the user requests it, the representative embodiment provides for deep recording of user interactions as they relate to a specific web page currently on display in the browser view area, for extracting key information from the current web page sufficient to validate that a future playback does or does not produce the same effects on the chosen website page, for playing back a prior recording to confirm that a website page continues to pass the user-defined tests, and for providing detailed analyses based on the specific contents of the current website page. The general result of systematic use of the test-enabled browser on websites is improved content quality, demonstrated website server behavior for deep tests, quicker delivery by the website server, and better serviceability for e-business. |
| US08327269B2 |
Positioning a virtual sound capturing device in a three dimensional interface
A method, system, and computer-readable product for positioning a virtual sound capturing device in a graphical user interface (GUI) are disclosed. The method includes displaying a virtual sound capturing device in relation to a virtual sound producing device in a three dimensional interface and in a two dimensional graphical map. Additionally, the method includes adjusting the display of the virtual sound capturing device in relation to the virtual sound producing device in both the three dimensional interface and the two dimensional graphical map in response to commands received from an input device. |
| US08327268B2 |
System and method for dynamic visual presentation of digital audio content
There is provided a system and method that allows a user to visually manage and work with large numbers of digital audio tiles. Each audio file will preferably be analyzed by the instant invention, with the analysis results being used to position an icon representative of that file within an on-screen 2D- or 3D-display. Methods will be provided that allow user to preview and use individual audio items that are displayed on-screen. Selection of an on-screen icon will be used to initiate playback of the associated audio file, insert that file into a playlist, incorporate that file into a multimedia work, etc. |
| US08327267B2 |
Image data processing apparatus, image data processing method, program, and recording medium
Disclosed herein is an image data processing method for processing image data forming a video material includes, an obtaining step of obtaining image data at a plurality of points in time forming the video material, from the video material, and a generating step of generating image data for display to display the image data at the plurality of points in time obtained in the obtaining step in a grouped state in a display area corresponding to the video material within a story board display area in which a plurality of materials are arranged. |
| US08327265B1 |
System and method for parsing a document
A parsing system and method are provided in which the break characters in the document are used to rapidly parse the document and extract one or more key phrases from the document which characterize the document. The break characters in the document may include explicit break characters, such as punctuation, soft stop words and hard stop words. The determination of which phrases in the document are extracted depends upon the type of break character appearing after the phrase in the document. The parser may also be used to parse a foreign language document into one or more phrases. |
| US08327263B2 |
Method and system for caching presentation data
A method and system for retrieving and maintaining presentation data in a presentation cache is provided. In a preferred embodiment, a presentation cache object provides a presentation cache with multiple cache entries. Each entry contains an indication of the format of the presentation data and the presentation data stored in that particular format. In addition, other information, such as the advisees of advisory connections for notification of cache updates, can be maintained. The presentation cache object responds to requests for retrieving source object data by returning presentation data cached within the presentation cache when it is available. In addition, the presentation cache object determines when it should delegate requests to the source object and when it can satisfy them on its own. The presentation cache object can return presentation data to a requesting client program even if the server program implementing the source object is unavailable or not running. The presentation cache object can also choose to persistently store its cache entries so that the presentation cache is maintained when the source object is closed. In addition, client programs can provide control over the frequency and subject of presentation data updates within the presentation cache. |
| US08327261B2 |
Multilingual tagging of content with conditional display of unilingual tags
One or more computers are programmed to obtain an identifier of a natural language (“session language”). Additionally, the one or more computers are programmed to create and store in a computer memory, a webpage to be displayed to the user, including at least a title of a piece of content. In addition, the one or more computers automatically use the language identifier to select from among multiple tags that are expressed in multiple languages, a set of tags in the session language. One or more tags in the selected set are then stored in the web page in the computer memory, if the selected set is non-zero. If the number of tags in the selected set is zero (i.e. there exist no tags in the session language), in some embodiments a message is included in the webpage, indicating that there are no tags available. |
| US08327255B2 |
Computer program product containing electronic transcript and exhibit files and method for making the same
The present invention provides a computer program product that includes electronic transcripts, exhibits, and an association therebetween. In one example, the method includes providing one or more electronic transcript files; providing one or more exhibit files associated with the one or more electronic transcript files; and providing an executable viewer file. The transcript and exhibit image files and their association, as well as the executable viewer file, may be stored in a local, remote, or removable media. In this manner, a user can activate the viewer and view the electronic transcripts and associated exhibits without the need for any additional software. |
| US08327253B2 |
System and method for creating photo books using video
A system and method are described for creating photo stories using video. The method includes receiving a user request to upload a user-specified video stream; determining whether the video stream meets one or more predetermined requirements, uploading the video stream; analyzing the video stream to select video frames for extraction based on a set of predetermined frame selection criteria; extracting the selected video frames from the video image; selecting a story book template to be used with the video images; and generating a preview of the story book template with the video images within a graphical user interface (GUI), the user editing the story book template with text and/or moving or modifying the video frames within the preview. |
| US08327249B2 |
Soft error rate protection for memories
Methods and apparatus for performing parity and/or ECC operations are disclosed. An example method includes determining that an opcode is being transmitted on a bus and determining if the transmitted opcode is a memory operation. In the event the transmitted opcode is a memory write operation, the example method includes calculating a parity bit for data associated with the opcode, writing the calculated parity bit to a parity table and writing the data to a memory. The example method also includes, in the event the transmitted opcode is the memory read operation, recovering data from a previously written memory, calculating a parity bit for the recovered data, recovering a previously stored parity bit for the recovered data, comparing the parity bit for the recovered data with the previously stored parity bit and, in the event the recovered data parity bit does not match the previously stored parity bit, providing an error notification. |
| US08327248B2 |
Voter tester for redundant systems
A tester is configured to access and test each redundant channel of a voter. The tester is disposed between the voter and a multitude of redundant circuits supplying redundant channel signals to the voter. The tester includes a number of input ports receiving the redundant channel signals as well as the test signals. In response to a number of logic combinations of the test signals, the voter generates output signals each corresponding to one of the redundant channel signals. In response to other logic combinations of the test signals, the voter generates a voted output signal. The voter is optionally a majority voter. |
| US08327246B2 |
Apparatus for coding at a plurality of rates in multi-level flash memory systems, and methods useful in conjunction therewith
A method and system for writing in flash memory, the system operative for, and the method comprising, writing data onto a plurality of logical pages characterized by a plurality of different probabilities of error respectively, the writing including encoding data intended for each of the plurality of physical pages using a redundancy code with a different code rate for each individual physical page, the code rate corresponding to the probability of error in the individual logical page. |
| US08327244B1 |
BM/LLR computations for multi-dimensional TCM/BCM codes
Systems and methods for processing and decoding TCM/BCM-coded signal vectors. A multi-dimensional signal vector is received by, for example, a TCM or BCM decoder. The TCM/BCM decoder identifies the closest signal points in the signal constellation set, or “nearest neighbors,” for each dimension of the received signal vector. The TCM/BCM decoder then forms a test set that includes a plurality of multi-dimensional test vectors, where each dimension of each test vector is based on an identified nearest neighbor. In particular, each test point in the test set is based on a different combination of the nearest neighbors. The TCM/BCM decoder can compute branch metrics based on only the test points in the test set, and can make detection decisions using the computed branch metrics. |
| US08327242B1 |
High-performance ECC decoder
Methods for Error Correction Code (ECC) decoding include producing syndromes from a set of bits, which represent data that has been encoded with the ECC. An Error Locator Polynomial (ELP) is generated based on the syndromes. At least some of the ELP roots are identified, and the errors indicated by these roots are corrected. Each syndrome may be produced by applying to the bits vector operations in a vector space. Each syndrome is produced by applying vector operations using a different basis of the vector space. The ELP may be evaluated on a given field element by operating on ELP coefficients using serial multipliers, wherein each serial multiplier performs a sequence of multiplication cycles and produces an interim result in each cycle. Responsively to detecting at least one interim result indicating that the given element is not an ELP root, the multiplication cycles are terminated before completion of the sequence. |
| US08327241B2 |
Reduced processing in high-speed Reed-Solomon decoding
Processing polynomials is disclosed. At least a portion of processing associated with an error evaluator polynomial and at least a portion of processing associated with an error locator polynomial are performed simultaneously. The error evaluator polynomial and the error locator polynomial are associated with Berlekamp-Massey processing. Data associated with the error evaluator polynomial is removed, including by shifting data in an array so that at least one element in the array is emptied in a shift. |
| US08327238B2 |
Erased sector detection mechanisms
The present invention presents a non-volatile memory and method for its operation that allows instant and accurate detection of erased sectors when the sectors contain a low number of zero bits, due to malfunctioning cells or other problems, and the sector can still be used as the number of corrupted bits is under the ECC correction limit. This method allows the storage system to become tolerant to erased sectors corruption, as such sectors can be used for further data storage if the system can correct this error later in the written data by ECC correction. |
| US08327234B2 |
Code block reordering prior to forward error correction decoding based on predicted code block reliability
Method and a receiver in a communication system for receiving a transport block. The transport block comprises code blocks, each of the code blocks includes an error detection code and an error correction code. Reliability metrics are determined using an input generated during processing of the code blocks after the transport block is received. Each of the reliability metrics corresponds to each of the code blocks. A code block reorderer reorders the code blocks in an order based on the reliability metrics and a selection criterion. A decoder decodes each of the code blocks using the error correction code in the order. A verifier verifies each of the decoded code blocks using the error detection code. |
| US08327228B2 |
Home agent data and memory management
Methods and apparatus relating to home agent data and memory management are described. In one embodiment, a scrubber logic corrects an error at a location in a memory corresponding to a target address by writing back the corrected version of data to the target location. In an embodiment, a map out logic maps out an index or way of a directory cache in response to a number of errors, corresponding to the directory cache, exceeding a threshold value. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08327225B2 |
Error correction in a stacked memory
Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods to construct and operate the electronic apparatus and/or systems include a stack of memory dies with user data and/or first level error correction data stored in a stripe across the memory dies. One such stack can include a second level error correction vault, such as a parity vault, to store parity data corresponding to the user data and/or first level error correction data. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08327222B2 |
Mechanism for adjacent-symbol error correction and detection
According to one embodiment a computer system is disclosed. The computer system includes memory. The memory includes two or more rows, where each row has a plurality of memory devices. The computer system also includes a chipset. The chipset includes a detection/correction circuit to detect single and double symbol errors and correct single symbol errors for each memory row, and markers to maintain a log of errors within each memory row. |
| US08327214B2 |
Method and apparatus for the joint design and operation of ARQ protocols with user scheduling for use with multiuser MIMO in the downlink of wireless systems
A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for performing wireless communication. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a processing unit to run a scheduling selection algorithm to update user terminal scheduling weights in response to scheduling feedback transmitted by a plurality of user terminals by an end of an immediately preceding scheduling event; a scheduler and precoder, responsive to the updated user terminal scheduling weights generated by the scheduling algorithm and channel estimates of user terminals, to choose a set of user terminals for scheduling and to choose precoder beams and their power for such user terminal in the set of user terminals; a plurality of precoding blocks to receive one coded ARQ block for at least one packet for each user terminal in the set and, responsive to the precoder beams, to generate precoded data, where the one coded ARQ block is one of a plurality of ARQ blocks generated for a single packet and being generated using a single ARQ scheme for such each user terminal; and a transmitter to transmit the precoded data using MIMO transmission. |
| US08327213B2 |
Data receiving method, electronic apparatus and storage system having data receiving mechanism
A data receiving method for an electronic system including a host apparatus and a target apparatus, wherein the host apparatus transmits at least one request to the target apparatus for requesting at least one desired data, and the target apparatus transmits the desired data to the host apparatus according to the request. The data receiving method includes: (a) generating a statistic value according to a number of the requests; (b) varying the statistic value according to a number of the desired data; and (c) determining if data received by the host apparatus is the desired data corresponding to the request according to the static value, and storing the data received by the host apparatus to the host apparatus when the data received by the host apparatus is determined to be the desired data corresponding to the request. |
| US08327212B2 |
Error identifying method, data processing device, and semiconductor device
A data processing device which performs a data transmission between semiconductor devices using a plurality of signal lines. In the data processing device, when there occurs an error in a data transmission from a transmitting device to a receiving device using a plurality of signal lines, data in which the error has occurred is stored. The stored data is compared bit by bit with non-erroneous data, thereby designating a bit in which error has occurred in the stored data. |
| US08327211B2 |
Voice activity detection (VAD) dependent retransmission scheme for wireless communication systems
A voice activity detection (VAD) dependent retransmission scheme is described that mitigates the effect of packet loss on an audio signal transmitted between terminals in a wireless communication system in a manner that is generally more robust than conventional state-of-the art packet loss concealment algorithms but that consumes less terminal power as compared to conventional retransmission schemes. In one implementation, this is achieved by allowing retransmissions to be requested by a terminal only when a packet received by the terminal is deemed bad and when a portion of an audio signal currently being received by the terminal is deemed to comprise active speech. In other implementations, the processing of retransmission requests received by a terminal is inhibited or turned off entirely during periods when a portion of an audio signal currently being transmitted by the terminal is deemed not to comprise active speech. |
| US08327210B2 |
Method for providing multicast service in a wireless communication system and system thereof
A method is provided for providing a multicast service by a base station (BS) in a wireless communication system. The method includes transmitting an Nth data traffic corresponding to a multicast service to a plurality of mobile stations (MSs) through a multicast channel in an Fth frame; determining whether a Negative Acknowledgement (NACK) message indicating a failure to receive the Nth data traffic is received from at least one MS in an (F+1)th frame; and when the NACK message is received, retransmitting the Nth data traffic to an MS, which transmitted the NACK message, through an other channel different from the multicast channel in an (F+2)th frame. |
| US08327209B2 |
Sound data decoding apparatus
A sound data decoding apparatus based on a waveform coding method includes a loss detector, sound data decoder, sound data analyzer, parameter modifying section and sound synthesizing section. The loss detector detects whether a loss exists in a sound data. The sound data decoder decodes the sound data to generate a first decoded sound signal. The sound data analyzer extracts a first parameter from the first decoded sound signal. The parameter modifying section modifies the first parameter based on a result of the detection of loss. The sound synthesizing section generates a first synthesized sound signal by using the modified first parameter. Thus, a deterioration of sound quality is prevented in the error compensation of sound data. |
| US08327208B2 |
Time-division duplex transmit-receive apparatus
There is provided a time-division duplex transmit-receive apparatus in which the respective amplitude and phase characteristics of N sets of transmitting unit-receiving unit pair connected with N antenna elements are corrected all together and at the same time. At the time of reception, the reference signal from reference signal generator is branched into N reference signals. The branched reference signal is applied to the reception system through the transmit-receive switching switch. The reception-side error detector detects the error between the output signal of the reception-side amplitude-phase correction circuit and the reference signal to control the reception-side amplitude-phase correction circuit so that the error becomes zero. At the time of transmission, a part of transmitting signal is applied to the reception system through the antenna path. The transmission-side error detector detects the error between the output signal of the reception-side amplitude-phase correction circuit and the transmitting signal to control the transmission-side error detector so that the error becomes zero. |
| US08327206B2 |
Blanking primitives masking circuit
A blanking primitive masking circuit has a detection and handling circuit that receives data containing blanking primitives. The detection and handling circuit generates a dynamic blanking signal when blanking primitives are detected. The received data is delayed and provided to a pattern detector that generates a synchronization signal provided to a memory and a phase sync signal provided to the detection and handling circuit and to a comparator. The comparator receives reference data from the memory, the delayed data, and the dynamic blanking signal. The comparator compares the reference data with the delayed data and generates bit error outputs from mismatched reference data bits and delayed data bits when the dynamic blanking signal from the detection and handling circuit is absent and suppressing the generation bit error outputs when the blanking primitive are in the delay data and the dynamic blanking signal is present. |
| US08327204B2 |
High-speed transceiver tester incorporating jitter injection
A tester for testing high-speed serial transceiver circuitry. The tester includes a jitter generator that uses a rapidly varying phase-selecting signal to select between two or more differently phased clock signals to generate a phase-modulated signal. The phase-selecting signal is designed to contain low- and high-frequency components. The phase-modulated signal is input into a phase filter to filter unwanted high-frequency components. The filtered output of the phase filter is input into a data-transmit serializer to serialize a low-speed parallel word into a high-speed jittered test pattern for input into the transceiver circuitry. |
| US08327203B2 |
State machine transitioning from sequence 1 to sequence 2 to idle 2
A process of selecting alternative test circuitry within an integrated circuit enables a test access port. Scan test instruction data is loaded into an instruction register of a test access port TAP, the instruction data including information for selecting the alternative test circuitry. An Update-IR instruction update operation is performed at the end of the loading to output scan test control signals from the instruction register. A lockout signal is changed to an active state to disable the test access port and enable scan test circuits. |
| US08327199B1 |
Integrated circuit with configurable test pins
Integrated circuits (ICs) with configurable test pins and a method of testing an IC are disclosed. An IC has input/output (I/O) pins that can be configured either as a test input pin, a test output pin or a user I/O pin. Selector circuits are used to selectively route and couple the I/O pins to various logic blocks and test circuitry on the IC. Selector circuits are also used to selectively couple either a user output or a test output to different I/O pins on the IC. Switches are used to configure the selector circuits and route test signals within the IC. Different configurations of the switches determine how the signals are routed. Test input signals from an I/O pin may be routed to any test circuitry within the IC and test output signals from a test circuit may be routed to any I/O pin on the IC. |
| US08327197B2 |
Information processing apparatus including transfer device for transferring data
According to an aspect of an embodiment, an apparatus has a first storage, a read write unit for reading and writing data from/into the first storage, a first error detector for detecting an error of data read out from the first storage, an address storage for storing an address of the first storage, a determining unit for determining whether an address of the first storage in which data to be written is matched with the error detected address, a second storage for storing data to be written into the first storage when the address of the first storage in which the data to be written is matched with the error detected address, a second error detector for detecting an error of data read out from the second storage and a selector for outputting one of the data stored in the first storage or the second storage. |
| US08327191B2 |
Automatically populating symptom databases for software applications
A solution is proposed for populating a symptom collection—such as a symptom database—for a software application. The symptom collection includes an indication of a set of symptoms; each symptom consists of an undesired behavior of the software application, which symptom is due to each one of a set of corresponding problems of the software application (resulting from a misuse thereof). The symptom database also includes an indication of an explanation of each problem. A corresponding method involves performing a test of the software application for verifying a correctness of the software application. The symptom collection is then populated according to a result of the test. |
| US08327190B2 |
Candidate-patch selecting apparatus, computer product, and method
A candidate-patch selecting apparatus includes a detector configured to detect a failure of a computer; an obtaining unit configured to obtain record information for the computer, recorded at the time when the failure detected by the detector occurred; an extractor configured to extract from the record information obtained by the obtaining unit, information identifying the failure; an identifying unit configured to identify, based on a database that stores therein patches and respective selection conditions, a patch for which selection conditions are satisfied by the extracted information identifying the failure; and an output unit configured to output an identification result acquired by the identifying unit. |
| US08327187B1 |
Low-overhead operating systems
Managing processes in a computing system comprising one or more cores includes receiving a request for a first process on a first core to execute with at least one predetermined task of an operating system disabled on the first core. In response to the request, the operating system determines whether one or more potential errors in execution of one or more processes other than the first process executing on the first core would be caused by disabling the predetermined task on the first core. The operating system grants the request or rejects the request in response to determining whether one or more potential errors in execution of one or more processes other than the first process executing on the first core would be caused by disabling the predetermined task on the first core. |
| US08327186B2 |
Takeover of a failed node of a cluster storage system on a per aggregate basis
A cluster comprises a plurality of nodes that access a shared storage, each node having two or more partner nodes. A primary node may own a plurality of aggregate sub-sets in the shared storage. Upon failure of the primary node, each partner node may take over ownership of an aggregate sub-set according to an aggregate failover data structure (AFDS). The AFDS may specify, an ordered data structure of two or more partner nodes to take over each aggregate sub-set, the ordered data structure comprising at least a first-ordered partner node assigned to take over the aggregate sub-set upon failure of the primary node and a second-ordered partner node assigned to take over the aggregate sub-set upon failure of the primary node and the first-ordered partner node. The additional workload of the failed primary node is distributed among two or more partner nodes and protection for multiple node failures is provided. |
| US08327183B2 |
Storage system creating a recovery request enabling execution of a recovery and comprising a switch that detects recovery request point events
A switch connected to a network system including a computer and a storage apparatus: controlling read/write request from the computer to the storage apparatus and controlling to store journal data in the storage apparatus; wherein the storage apparatus includes a first storage area for storing data to be used by the computer and a second storage area for storing journal data including write data and first update log information corresponding to the write data when there is a write request from the computer for writing data in the first storage area; wherein when the switch detects an event of status change related to the network system, the switch marks a first point of time corresponding to the event as a recovery request point, and creates second update log information corresponding to the recovery request point. |
| US08327177B2 |
System and method for information handling system storage device power consumption management
A storage device, such as a hard disk drive or solid state drive, reduces energy consumption by entering a reduced power state after an inactivity time where the inactivity time is set based upon I/O commands received at the storage device. For example, where commands received at a storage device are characterized in a predetermined way in terms of read commands, such as a last received command as a read command or a ratio of read commands versus write commands, a first inactivity time is applied, while commands characterized in a predetermined way in terms of write commands have a second inactivity time applied. Using a greater inactivity time during read activities than during write activities provides improved performance with reduced power consumption. |
| US08327175B2 |
Data processing systems and methods of operating the same in which memory blocks are selectively activated in fetching program instructions
A processing unit includes an instruction fetch unit that is configured to process a compiled instruction that includes a plurality of fields. The plurality of fields includes a flag field that identifies memory blocks to be activated for fetching a next instruction. Each of the memory blocks has stored therein one or more fields used to form the next instruction and assigned to the memory blocks in a predetermined way. A block enable signal generator is configured to generate at least one block enable signal to selectively activate the memory blocks in the predetermined way. The flag field is included in fields of an instruction having the shortest length among instructions of the processing unit. |
| US08327173B2 |
Integrated circuit device core power down independent of peripheral device operation
In an integrated circuit device, a circuit for maintaining asserted values on an input output pin of the device when a functional block of the device is placed in a sleep mode. The circuit includes an interface for coupling a functional block of a processor to an input and output pin and an output storage element coupled to the interface for storing a current value of the input output pin. The circuit further includes a sleep mode enable for controlling the output storage element to store the current value of the input output pin prior to the functional block being entering a sleep mode and cause the current value of the input output pin to remain asserted after the functional block is in sleep mode. The sleep mode enable is also to deactivate the storage element when the sleep mode is exited. |
| US08327168B2 |
System and method for throttling memory power consumption
A power throttling method and system for a memory controller in a computer system comprising a power supply module including a plurality of bulk power supplies (“BPSs”) are described. In one embodiment, each of the at BPSs provides to a power output monitor a status signal indicative of a status thereof. Responsive to receipt of the status signals, the power output monitor determines whether a bulk power supply capacity is below system power requirements. Responsive to a positive determination, the power output monitor drives a throttle control signal to the memory controller to a level indicative of an over-threshold state. |
| US08327167B2 |
Computer storage components that provide external and internal access
A primary computing device and a secondary computing device couple with an internal storage component of the primary device powered by, and data accessed by either the first or secondary computing device. The internal storage component includes multiple connectors for connecting internal buses and external buses over which data can be accessed, internally or externally. It includes an internal storage unit (in general, at least one storage unit, and multiple storage units are supported) to which data can be written and from which data can be read. It also includes arbitration and isolation circuitry that makes it possible to access the internal storage unit (for read/write data access, etc.) over one of the buses. The arbitration and an isolation circuitry also facilitates powering the internal storage component employing power supplied by an internal power source, or via an external power source, such as power from an USB connection. |
| US08327163B2 |
Apparatus and methods for programmable power-up sequence
Circuits and methods for providing control of a power up sequence for supplying a gated power supply to a circuit portion. A power switch fabric is provided having more than two chains with more than two bits of control. The chains include power switches that are sequentially enabled in response to control signal to supply a virtual power supply to a gated circuit to support power gating. The power switches may include daughter switches and mother switches, where the mother switches are enabled later in time than the daughter switches. The enable signals to allow the virtual power supply to begin powering up may be timed to control the ramp up time, in rush current and peak current during the power up sequence of the virtual power supply. Methods for providing timing for the daughter and mother switches and enables to multiple chains in a power switch fabric are disclosed. |
| US08327162B2 |
Network communication system for uninterruptible power supply and method for grouping controllers therein
Even if a network setting changes due to power interruption or the like, communication for controlling the operating status of load devices of an uninterruptible power supply is enabled to continue. A network communication system (1) for the uninterruptible power supply comprises UPS member controllers (12 and 13) and a UPS group controller (11) which are connected in a network (2) to control the operating status of the load devices (3) of the uninterruptible power supply (1). The UPS group controller (11) and the UPS member controllers (12 and 13) execute data communication according to a predetermined communication protocol (Internet Protocol or the like) through the network (2), and these controllers transmit/receive data in which specific identification information issued for each of the UPS member controllers (12 and 13) is added to control data as communication data in the data communication according to the predetermined communication protocol. |
| US08327160B2 |
Remote controller, electrical apparatus and wireless controlling system for controlling the electrical apparatus to turn on at a startup time
In a remote controller, a startup time or a first time duration until the startup time is input into an input unit. A timer unit counts a clock time or a second time duration. A control unit generates a signal to turn on an electrical apparatus when the second time duration reaches the first time duration, or when the clock time equals to the startup time. A transmitting unit transmits the signal. In the electrical apparatus, a main unit operates main function. A transformer supplies electricity from an external power source to the main unit through a switch. A rectifier rectifies the signal. A signal identifying unit identifies it. A reservation memory unit keeps parameter for main function. A control unit turns on the switch and controls the main unit according to the parameter when the signal is received. A battery supplies electricity to above units. |
| US08327154B1 |
Apparatus and a method to configure a programmable device
A method to configure a programmable device is disclosed. The method includes receiving a scrambled configuration data at the programmable device. A bit sequence of a device tag that is stored in the programmable device is verified by determining whether the bit sequence of the device tag stored in the programmable device matches a bit sequence of a device tag within the scrambled configuration data. If the bit sequences match, the scrambled configuration data is transferred to a data re-formatter for descrambling. The descrambled configuration data is then transferred to a configuration memory of the programmable device. Circuitry that enables the method is also disclosed. |
| US08327152B2 |
System and methods for assignation and use of media content subscription service privileges
This invention describes a system and methods for media content subscription service distribution; typical services include cable television, premium content channels, pay-per-view, XM radio, and online mp3 services. Subscribers use portable electronic devices to store digital certificates certifying the subscriber's privileges and an assigned public key. The devices can communicate with specially enabled televisions, radios, computers, or other media presentation apparatuses. These, in turn, can communicate with central databases owned by the provider, for verification purposes. Methods of the invention describe media content subscription service privilege issuing and use. The invention additionally describes methods for protecting media content transmitted to users with a variety of encryption schemes. The invention also comprises methods for subscribed users to bestow a subset of their privileges to a number of secondary users, with appropriate permission from the media content subscription service provider. |
| US08327149B2 |
Efficient and secure data currentness systems
Indicating data currentness includes, on any date of a sequence of dates, issuing a proof indicating the currentness status of the data during a particular time interval. The proof may be a digital signature. The time interval may be in the form of a current date and an amount of time. The proof may include a digital signature of the time interval. The proof may include a digital signature of the time interval and the data. The proof may include a digital signature of the time interval and a compact form of the data, such as a hash. Indicating data currentness may also include distributing the proofs to a plurality of unsecure units that respond to requests by users for the proofs. Indicating data currentness may also include gathering a plurality of separate pieces of data and providing a single proof for the separate pieces of data. The data may be electronic documents. |
| US08327148B2 |
Mobile system, service system, and key authentication method to manage key in local wireless communication
A mobile system, a service system, and a key authentication method to manage a key in a local wireless communication are provided. The mobile system and the service system may generate a hash value with respect to a public key of the service system using an identical hash function, and output a result corresponding to the hash value. |
| US08327147B2 |
Non-transferable anonymous digital receipts
The present invention relates electronic receipts. There is provided a method for generating an electronic receipt in a communication system providing a public key infrastructure, the method comprising the steps of receiving by a second party a request message from a first party, the request message comprising a transaction request and a first public key based on a secret owned by the first party and wherein the secret is associated with at least the secret of a further public key of the first party, electronically signing at least part of the request message with a second public key assigned to the second party to issue the electronic receipt, and providing the electronic receipt to the first party. Further, there is provided a method for verifying the ownership of an electronic receipt in a communication system providing a public key infrastructure, the verification arising out of a series of messages being sent and received between a first party and a verifying party, the method comprising the steps of receiving a proof message from the first party, the proof message being derived from at least a first public key based on a secret owned by the first party and wherein the secret is associated with at least the secret of a further public key of the first party and an electronic receipt that has been issued by electronically signing a request message with a second public key, determining whether or not the proof message was derived from the second public key. |
| US08327146B2 |
Wireless communication using compact certificates
A method and communications system for generating and using compact digital certificates for secure wireless communication. Each compact certificate includes a digital signature and only a portion of the data used in generating the signature. The remaining certificate data is pre-stored on one or more wireless devices for which secure communication is desired. Upon receiving a compact certificate, the wireless device authenticates the certificate using its digital signature along with both the data contained in the certificate and the data pre-stored on the wireless device. This approach permits secure connections to be established between wireless devices using relatively small digital certificates. |
| US08327144B2 |
Authentication method, system, and apparatus thereof for inter-domain information communication
The present invention provides an authentication method for inter-domain information communication applied to first and second domains. The method instructs a first electronic device belonging to the first domain to request, through an intermediary node device simultaneously registered in the first and second domains, to obtain a first key from a second key distribution center in the second domain for transmission to a second electronic device in the second domain, and instructs the second electronic device to request, through the intermediary node device, to obtain a second key from a first key distribution center in the first domain for transmission to the first electronic device. Therefore, the first and second electronic devices are instructed to generate a shared third key using the first and second keys to perform secure information communication authentication. |
| US08327143B2 |
Techniques to provide access point authentication for wireless network
According to an example embodiment, an apparatus may include a client device including a processor and memory. The client device may be configured to obtain, via a secure communication, a certificate identifying a publically accessible wireless access point (AP) and a public key for the AP, the AP being publically accessible. The client (or client device) may be configured to generate a challenge, send the challenge to the AP, wherein the AP has a private key securely stored in a hardware security module of the AP. The private key may correspond to the public key for the AP. The client may be configured to receive a response from the AP, the response being generated by the AP based on the challenge and the private key for the AP, and authenticate the AP based on the response. |
| US08327140B2 |
System and method for authentication in wireless networks by means of one-time passwords
The present invention is directed to perform high-reliable authentication using a one-way function that a communication is a communication which was performed with the same apparatus to be authenticated by storing a password only in an apparatus to be authenticated (it is unnecessary to store a password in both of an authentication apparatus and an apparatus to be authenticated) without transmitting a challenge code. When a setting is updated in a setting management server, authentication is performed by using a one-time password obtained last time. A sound communication terminal performs a process using a hash function once on a one-time password transmitted this time, and performs authentication by determining whether the processed one-time password matches a one-time password obtained last time or not. Whether the information at the time of the change in the setting is proper or not is determined by a sound terminal. |
| US08327137B1 |
Secure computer system with service guest environment isolated driver
A virtualized computer system includes at least one guest environment (guest), a service guest environment (SG) and trusted software. The at least one guest includes at least one driver having a first private message interface. The SG includes a first USB host controller (HC) driver, which is in communication with a USB HC. The first USB HC driver includes a second private message interface. The trusted software is in communication with the guest and the SG. The trusted software includes a data intercept/routing mechanism that facilitates secure communication between at least one USB device coupled to the USB HC and the guest using the first and second private message interfaces. |
| US08327136B2 |
Inter-entity coupling method, apparatus and system for content protection
Disclosed is an inter-entity coupling method for protecting content in a broadcast environment including a broadcast network and a terminal, the broadcast network having a Broadcast Service Application (BSA), a Broadcast Service Distribution (BSD), and a Broadcast Service Management (BSM), the inter-entity coupling method including performing, by the terminal, a registration process for obtaining a group key for the terminal; after the registration process is completed, performing, by the terminal, a service joining process for requesting service joining, and receiving, by the terminal, a Rights Object (RO) about the content from a message, which is received in response to the request, based on the obtained group key; obtaining a traffic key by using the RO, if a traffic key message is received after the service joining process is completed; receiving encrypted content in the terminal; and decrypting the encrypted content by using the traffic key. |
| US08327134B2 |
System, method and program product for checking revocation status of a biometric reference template
A system, method and program product for checking the revocation status of a biometric reference template. The method includes creating a revocation object for a reference template generated for an individual, where the revocation object contains first plaintext data providing a location for checking revocation status of the reference template and containing ciphertext data identifying the unique reference template identifier and a hash of the reference template. The method further includes providing the revocation object to a relying party requesting revocation status and sending a request to an issuer of the reference template for checking the revocation status of the reference template, without revealing identity of the individual. The method further includes returning results of the revocation status check to the relying party. In an embodiment, a random value is added to the ciphertext data for preserving privacy of the reference template holder. |
| US08327131B1 |
Method and system to issue trust score certificates for networked devices using a trust scoring service
A target machine can be verified prior to being granted access to a resource on a network by interrogating and analyzing digests of various elements of the target machine. The digests can be collected into an integrity report and provided to a Trust Scoring Service. The Trust Scoring Service receives the integrity report and compares the digests with signatures stored in a signature database. A trust score certificate can then be issued to the target machine. The Trust Scoring Service can include a Score Evaluation Server which can interact with a Kerberos Authentication Server and a Ticket Granting Server to embed a trust score within a Kerberos Ticket to enforce a richer set of access policies. The integrity of a web server can be verified and a Trust Score Certificate Logo can be displayed on a corresponding home page of a merchant. By clicking on the Trust Score Certificate Logo, a user can verify the integrity of the merchant's web servers prior to completing a transaction with the merchant. |
| US08327125B2 |
Content securing system
In a method for securing content in a system containing a security processor configured to control access to the content by a main processor, in which main processor being configured to send heartbeats to the security processor, a determination as to whether at least one heartbeat was received within a predicted time interval is made and in response to a determination that at least one heartbeat was not received with the predicted time interval, access to the content by the main processor is ceased. |
| US08327121B2 |
Data cache receive flop bypass
A microprocessor includes an N-way cache and a logic block that selectively enables and disables the N-way cache for at least one clock cycle if a first register load instructions and a second register load instruction, following the first register load instruction, are detected as pointing to the same index line in which the requested data is stored. The logic block further provides a disabling signal to the N-way cache for at least one clock cycle if the first and second instructions are detected as pointing to the same cache way. |
| US08327120B2 |
Instructions with floating point control override
Methods and apparatus relating to instructions with floating point control override are described. In an embodiment, floating point operation settings indicated by a floating point control register may be overridden on a per instruction basis. In an embodiment, at least one of the one or more floating point operation settings is to cause a modification to one of the one or more default settings during execution of the instruction, wherein the second logic is to perform the floating point operation, at least in part, based on the modified default setting. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08327117B2 |
Reconfigurable FADEC with flash based FPGA control channel and ASIC sensor signal processor for aircraft engine control
A reconfigurable FADEC includes a reconfigurable CPU configured for performing digital computing functions. A reconfigurable MSPD communicates with the CPU and is configured for performing analog I/O functions. A data bus is coupled to the CPU and the MSPD. The data bus is configured for connecting the CPU and the MSPD to an external connector. |
| US08327114B1 |
Matrix processor proxy systems and methods
In some embodiments, processor-to-processor and/or broadcast proxies are designated in a microprocessor matrix comprising a plurality of mesh-interconnected matrix processors when default processor-to-processor or broadcast routing algorithms used by data switches within the matrix to route messages would not deliver the messages to all intended recipients. The broadcast proxies broadcast messages within individual non-overlapping broadcast domains of the matrix. P-to-P and broadcast proxies may be designated as part of a boot-time testing/initialization sequence. Improving system fault tolerance allows improving semiconductor processing yields, which may be of particular significance in relatively large integrated circuits including large numbers of relatively-complex matrix processors. |
| US08327107B2 |
Volume coherency verification for sequential-access storage media
A method for determining volume coherency is disclosed herein. Upon completing a first write job to a volume partition, the method makes a copy of a volume change reference (VCR) value associated with the volume. The VCR value is configured to change in a non-repeating manner each time content on the volume is modified. Prior to initiating a second write job to the volume partition, the method retrieves the copy and compares the copy to the VCR value. If the copy matches the VCR value, the method determines that a logical object on the partition was not modified between the first and second write jobs. If the copy does not match the VCR value, the method determines that the logical object on the partition was modified between the first and second write jobs. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed herein. |
| US08327105B2 |
Providing frame start indication in a memory system having indeterminate read data latency
A memory system, having indeterminate read data latency, that includes a memory controller and one or more hub devices. The memory controller is configured for receiving data transfers via an upstream channel and for determining whether all or a subset of the data transfers include a data frame by detecting a frame start indicator. The data frame includes an identification tag that is utilized by the memory controller to associate the data frame with a corresponding read instruction issued by the memory controller. The one or more hub devices are in communication with the memory controller in a cascade interconnect manner via the upstream channel and a downstream channel. Each hub device is configured for receiving the data transfers via the upstream channel or the downstream channel and for determining whether all or a subset of the data transfers include a data frame by detecting the frame start indicator. |
| US08327101B2 |
Cache management during asynchronous memory move operations
A data processing system includes a mechanism for completing an asynchronous memory move (AMM) operation in which the processor receives an AMM ST instruction and processes a processor-level move of data in virtual address space and an asynchronous memory mover then completes a physical move of the data within the real address space (memory). A status/control field of the AMM ST instruction includes an indication of a requested treatment of the lower level cache(s) on completion of the AMM operation. When the status/control field indicates an update to at least one cache should be performed, the asynchronous memory mover automatically forwards a copy of the data from the data move to the lower level cache, and triggers an update of a coherency state for a cache line in which the copy of the data is placed. |
| US08327100B2 |
Execute only access rights on a Von Neuman architectures
A microcontroller system, such as a system-on-a-chip integrated circuit, including a processor (e.g., a Von Neumann processor), memory, and a memory protection unit (MPU), where the MPU provides execute-only access rights for one or more protected areas of the memory. The MPU can allow instructions fetched from within a protected area to access data in the protected area while preventing instructions fetched from outside the protected area from accessing data in the protected area. |
| US08327098B2 |
Data recovery systems and methods
Nearline disaster recovery (“nearline DR”) storage systems and methods that permit the use of previously restored stored data from a near time period by virtual applications operating off a backup storage location during the period of disaster recovery at a primary site. This is generally referred to as a “nearline DR storage process.” |
| US08327096B2 |
Method and system for efficient image customization for mass deployment
A system and method for creating N customized disk images from N identical disk images. A computing system creates N identical disk images from a master image. The computing system customize a first identical disk image according to a customization written in customization scripts. While customizing the first identical disk image, the computing system monitors block-level operations applied on the first identical disk image. The computing system applies the monitored block-level operations simultaneously to other N−1 identical disk according to similar customizations written in customization scripts. After applying the block-level operations, the N identical disk images become N customized disk images. Identical Virtual Machines (VMs) operating in the N identical disk images become N customized VMs by operating based on the N customized disk images. |
| US08327094B2 |
Logical volume transfer method and storage network system
The present invention transfers replication logical volumes between and among storage control units in a storage system comprising a plurality of storage control units. To transfer replication logical volumes from a storage control unit to a storage control unit, a virtualization device sets a path to the storage control unit. The storage control unit then prepares a differential bitmap in order to receive access requests. When the preparation is completed, the virtualization device makes access requests to the storage control unit. The storage control unit then hands over the access requests to the storage control unit. Subsequently, the storage control unit performs a process so that the access requests are reflected in a disk device and performs an emergency destage of storing data in a cache memory into disk device. When the emergency destage is ended, the storage control unit connects to an external storage control unit and hands over access requests to the external storage control unit. |
| US08327087B1 |
Method and apparatus for an always open write-only register based memory mapped overlay interface for a nonvolatile memory
Methods and systems are provided that may include a controller comprising an access element and a command interface. Access element may provide access to a physical nonvolatile memory device. Physical nonvolatile memory device may have a default setting permitting a direct read operation of the physical nonvolatile memory device while prohibiting a direct write operation of the physical nonvolatile memory device. A command interface may modify access to the physical nonvolatile memory device by issuing a command through at least one write overlay window of a memory partition to change the default setting to write to the physical nonvolatile memory. The at least one write overlay window may be logically separate from at least one read overlay window of the memory partition. |
| US08327085B2 |
Characterizing multiple resource utilization using a relationship model to optimize memory utilization in a virtual machine environment
An approach is provided that uses a hypervisor to allocate a shared memory pool amongst a set of partitions (e.g., guest operating systems) being managed by the hypervisor. The hypervisor retrieves memory related metrics from shared data structures stored in a memory, with each of the shared data structures corresponding to a different one of the partitions. The memory related metrics correspond to a usage of the shared memory pool allocated to the corresponding partition. The hypervisor identifies a memory stress associated with each of the partitions with this identification based in part on the memory related metrics retrieved from the shared data structures. The hypervisor then reallocates the shared memory pool amongst the plurality of partitions based on the identified memory stress of the plurality of partitions. |
| US08327078B2 |
Dynamic trailing edge latency absorption for fetch data forwarded from a shared data/control interface
A computer-implemented method for managing data transfer in a multi-level memory hierarchy that includes receiving a fetch request for allocation of data in a higher level memory, determining whether a data bus between the higher level memory and a lower level memory is available, bypassing an intervening memory between the higher level memory and the lower level memory when it is determined that the data bus is available, and transferring the requested data directly from the higher level memory to the lower level memory. |
| US08327076B2 |
Systems and methods of tiered caching
The disclosure is related to data storage systems having multiple cache and to management of cache activity in data storage systems having multiple cache. In a particular embodiment, a data storage device includes a volatile memory having a first read cache and a first write cache, a non-volatile memory having a second read cache and a second write cache and a controller coupled to the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory. The memory can be configured to selectively transfer read data from the first read cache to the second read cache based on a least recently used indicator of the read data and selectively transfer write data from the first write cache to the second write cache based on a least recently written indicator of the write data. |
| US08327071B1 |
Interprocessor direct cache writes
In a multiprocessor system level 2 caches are positioned on the memory side of a routing crossbar rather than on the processor side of the routing crossbar. This configuration permits the processors to store messages directly into each other's caches rather than into system memory or their own coherent caches. Therefore, inter-processor communication latency is reduced. |
| US08327068B2 |
Memory module, memory controller, nonvolatile storage, nonvolatile storage system, and memory read/write method
In a storage having a nonvolatile RAM of destructive read type, the number of restorations attributed to data read from the nonvolatile RAM is decreased, and the overall life of the storage is prolonged. In a storage having a nonvolatile RAM of destructive read type and a volatile RAM and holding the same data in the nonvolatile and volatile RAMs, data is read out of the volatile RAM in reading and data is written in both volatile and nonvolatile RAMs in writing. |
| US08327062B2 |
Memory circuit and method for programming in parallel a number of bits within data blocks
Non volatile memories and methods of programming thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method of programming a memory array includes receiving a series of data blocks, each data block having a number of bits that are to be programmed, determining the number of bits that are to be programmed in a first data block, determining the number of bits that are to be programmed in a second data block, and writing the first data block and the second data block into the memory array in parallel if the sum of the number of bits that are to be programmed in the first data block and the second data block is not greater than a maximum value. The first and second data blocks may or may not be adjacent data blocks. Improved programming efficiency may be achieved in a memory circuit when the maximum allowable current may be limited by the application or the size of a charge pump. Inverse data may be written in parallel if the sum is greater than the maximum value. |
| US08327061B2 |
Reducing occupancy of digital storage devices
A digital data storage device physically stores blocks of identical data only once on its storage medium wherein a second or even further identical blocks are stored only as reference referring to the first block of these identical blocks. By this technique, storage of duplicate data is most effectively avoided on the lowest storage level of the disk storage device, even in cases where identical blocks are written by different operating Systems. In the preferred embodiment, the underlying storage medium (magnetic hard disk, optical disk, tape, or M-RAM) is segmented into two areas, the first area particularly comprising a relatively small block reference table and the remaining physical storage area for storing real blocks of information. |
| US08327059B2 |
System and method to enhance memory protection for programs in a virtual machine environment
In a computer system supporting execution of virtualization software and at least one instance of virtual system hardware, an interface is provided into the virtualization software to allow a program to directly define the access characteristics of its program data stored in physical memory. The technique includes providing data identifying memory pages and their access characteristics to the virtualization software which then derives the memory access characteristics from the specified data. Optionally, the program may also specify a pre-defined function to be performed upon the occurrence of a fault associated with access to an identified memory page. In this manner, programs operating both internal and external to the virtualization software can protect his memory pages, without intermediation by the operating system software. |
| US08327058B2 |
Method and system for routing data in a parallel turbo decoder
Described herein are system(s) and method(s) for routing data in a parallel Turbo decoder. Aspects of the present invention address the need for reducing the physical circuit area, power consumption, and/or latency of parallel Turbo decoders. According to certain aspects of the present invention, address routing-networks may be eliminated, thereby reducing circuit area and power consumption. According to other aspects of the present invention, address generation may be moved from the processors to dedicated address generation modules, thereby decreasing connectivity overhead and latency. |
| US08327054B2 |
Data check circuit for checking program data stored in memory
A data check circuit comprising: a request signal output circuit configured to output a request signal for requesting occupation of a bus to an arbitration circuit configured to arbitrate the occupation of the bus, when a CPU connected, as a bus master, with the bus for accessing a memory outputs an instruction signal for providing an instruction for starting detection of whether or not data stored in the memory is correct; a data acquisition circuit configured to acquire data stored in the memory through the bus, when the arbitration circuit outputs a permission signal for permitting the occupation of the bus based on the request signal; and a data processing circuit configured to perform processing for detecting whether or not the acquired data is correct, the acquired data acquired by the data acquisition circuit. |
| US08327045B1 |
System and method for storing communications intended for different groups using a limited amount of space
A system and method stores wirelessly received communications for wireless retransmission, making space in a storage device, if necessary, by deleting any one or more communications corresponding to the same group as the received communication. If storage in the storage device remains insufficient, communications that have been previously retransmitted by that same device are deleted, according to one or more characteristics of such stored communications, such as age or number of times an instance of that communication has been received. If storage in the storage device remains insufficient, communications of a different group are deleted according to one or more characteristics of the stored communications. |
| US08327044B2 |
Transaction ID filtering for buffered programmed input/output (PIO) write acknowledgements
A PIO transaction unit includes an input buffer, a response buffer, and a control unit. The input buffer may receive and store PIO write operations sent by one or more transactions sources. Each PIO write operation may include a source identifier that identifies the transaction source. The response buffer may store response operations corresponding to respective PIO write operations that are to be transmitted to the transaction source identified by the source identifier. The control unit may store a particular response operation corresponding to the given PIO write operation in the response buffer prior to the given PIO write operation being sent from the input buffer. The control unit may store the particular response operation within the response buffer if the given PIO write operation is bufferable and there is no non-bufferable PIO write operation having a same source identifier stored in the input buffer. |
| US08327039B2 |
Integrated DMA processor and PCI express switch for a hardware-based functional verification system
A method and system for facilitating communication between a host system and one or more hardware-based functional verification systems. The one or more hardware-based functional verification systems verify the functionality of electronic circuit designs. A controller switch comprises a host interface connecting to a host system, and a plurality of device ports. Each device port connects to a hardware emulator. The controller switch further comprises a plurality of direct memory access (DMA) engines and a plurality of execution units. An execution unit comprises an instruction cache and memory storing at least one DMA instruction and at least one address for performing a software instruction and a plurality of execution unit registers. |
| US08327032B2 |
Storage system having a channel control function using a plurality of processors
In order to efficiently utilize processor resources, a storage system according to this invention includes: a protocol processor; a processor; a local router; a first memory; and a disk drive. In the storage system, the protocol processor transmits, upon transmitting a frame to the host computer, information on a transmission state of the frame to the local router, and the local router determines, upon the protocol processor receiving a frame, which of the processors processes the received frame, based on which a subject the received frame requests for an access to, transfers the received frame to the determined processor, determines, upon the protocol processor transmitting a frame, which of the processors processes information on a transmission state of the frame, based on an exchange of the transmitted frame, and transfers the information on the transmission state of the frame to the determined processor. |
| US08327028B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing time synchronization in a data protection system
A method and apparatus for synchronizing time within a data protection system is described. In one embodiment, the method includes processing input/output activity information associated with at least one client computer, wherein the input/output activity information comprises at least one local client timestamp, determining at least one server timestamp for the at least one local client timestamp and modifying the input/output activity information with the at least one server timestamp. |
| US08327027B2 |
Data compression system and method
A specially programmed computer encodes repeating sequences of equidistant-spaced bit series that are identified in an input file. The position of each sequence is encoded relative to one or more instances of the previous sequence, including both the spacing between bits and the bit position of identified portions of each. For a certain class of input files, this encoding of repeating sequences significantly compresses the input file into the output file. A specially programmed computer decodes files that have been encoded in this manner. |
| US08327026B1 |
Method and system for selecting a data compression technique for data transfer through a data network
A method and system for selecting a data compression technique for data transfer through a data network is provided. During call setup, information is gathered from the network infrastructure by receiving feedback from smart network devices, reviewing calls logs, or by accessing a network topology database, and the information can then be used to select a desired compression technique. During a call, a media terminating end device or a call control server will monitor call connection performance specific to the data transfer pathway used for the call connection, and may adjust the data compression to conform with the performance that the connection is providing at any given moment. Performance parameters such as delay, jitter, and compression ratios can be measured in real-time for a call to determine if a change in compression is deemed beneficial. In this manner, the compression method can be chosen based on real time network performance. |
| US08327024B2 |
System and method for SMS/IP interoperability
Systems and methods for interoperability are disclosed which allow for a user of one network to communicate seamlessly with a user of another network. Users are provided seamless access to data services in different networks without having to subscribe to those networks. In one embodiment an application bridge comprising an application server may be used to service communications while a billing bridge may be provided to control and charge network subscribers. In one embodiment a user in a SMS domain may communicate with a user in an IP domain. In one embodiment, a platform may register with a federated interface of an IM domain to enable non-IM users to communicate with IM users. |
| US08327020B1 |
Systems and methods for healthcare transaction routing with destination-based throttling
Systems and methods are provided for transaction routing with destination-based throttling. The systems and methods may include receiving a healthcare transaction request from a source computer, where the healthcare transaction request includes at least a destination identifier that identifies a destination of the healthcare transaction request; identifying, based at least in part on the destination identifier, a current transaction count, the current transaction count indicating an extent to which one or more prior healthcare transaction requests remain unprocessed by the destination; comparing the identified current transaction count to at least one threshold value; and determining, based at least in part on the comparison, whether to deliver the healthcare transaction request to the destination. |
| US08327019B2 |
Method and system for intelligent routing of requests over EPP
Method and system for routing EPP requests over a network are provided. The EPP request can include XML namespace information and optionally XML sub-product information. A gateway can receive the request and analyze the namespace and in some instances, sub-product information to determine the service to which the request is directed. Thereupon, the gateway can route the request to the appropriate service by consulting a routing table that can have status and connectivity information for all the available services. |
| US08327016B1 |
Device communications over unnumbered interfaces
A method and a network device for enabling communication between unnumbered interfaces are provided. A device level address may be assigned to a network device. The network device may announce the assigned device level address to a neighboring network device over a link. A corresponding device level address associated with the neighboring network device may be received over the link. A route may be stored including the received device level address associated with the neighboring network device and the link. In some implementations, the announcement of the assigned device level address is performed during protocol configuration. |
| US08327015B2 |
System and method for conveying information
A system and method for conveying data include the capability to determine whether a transaction request credit has been received at a computer module, the transaction request credit indicating that at least a portion of a transaction request message may be sent. The system and method also include the capability to determine, if a transaction request message is to be sent, whether at least a portion of the transaction request message may be sent and to send the at least a portion of the transaction request message if it may be sent. |
| US08327012B1 |
Content sharing via multiple content distribution servers
Example systems and methods of content sharing via multiple content distribution servers are presented. In one example, a media content stream is received at a first distribution server from a source device via a communication network. The received media content is transmitted from the first distribution server to a plurality of destination devices via the communication network. A traffic condition regarding the transmitting of the received media content stream is detected. An indication of the traffic condition is transmitted to a traffic management device. An instruction to assign at least one other distribution server to additional destination devices is received from the traffic management device in response to the indication of the traffic condition. In response to the instruction, the received media content stream is transmitted from the first distribution server to the at least one other distribution server for distribution to the additional destination devices. |
| US08327010B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method for controlling the same
In order to enable more of the contents managed by a content server to be provided, an information processing apparatus connected to a communication network includes: a managing unit that manages a content and attribute information; a detecting unit that detects an external processing apparatus connected to the communication network; an acquiring unit that acquires capability information, which indicates a capability that can be provided by the external processing apparatus; a generating unit that generates content list information containing a first list containing a content that is managed by the managing unit and that can be directly provided by the information processing apparatus, and a second list containing a content that can be provided by giving a processing request to the external processing apparatus; and a providing unit that provides the content list information to a client terminal. |
| US08327008B2 |
Methods and apparatus for maintaining network addresses
This present invention relates to a method for using hypervisors to enable stable wireless network connections. The crux of the invention involves pushing the control of the networking devices from the Operating System level down to a networking front end hypervisor level. The hypervisor will control all networking devices, the authentication for these devices, and the selection of which connection to use. The hypervisor will also perform Network Address Translation (NAT) to the Operating System. Thus, the Operating System will receive a single, private IP address for use with the Operating System's applications. The hypervisor will handle the change of the IP address when roaming between networks and hide it from the Operating System through the use of the NAT. |
| US08327007B2 |
Systems and methods for SNMP access
Systems and methods for SNMP access are disclosed. A computer-implemented method of SNMP access includes mapping a MIB object in a MIB into an XML object in an XML document, generating a class library based on the XML document, creating a service object representative of a service associated with SNMP access to the MIB object, and linking the class library according to the service object to perform the service. |
| US08327003B2 |
Handling backend failover in an application server
An application server includes a connection pool that specifies a number of allowable connections, and includes a backend failure detection mechanism and a backend failure recovery mechanism. When the backend failure detection mechanism detects that the backend fails, applications waiting on the hung connections may be notified of the backend failure. The backend failure detection mechanism will then detect when the backend recovers and becomes available once again. Once the backend is available again, the backend failure recovery mechanism increases the number of connections in the connection pool to compensate for the hung connections. As each hung connection is timed out using a network timeout mechanism, the number of allowable connections is reduced. Eventually all of the hung connections will time out, with the result being that the connection pool will contain the same specified number of allowable connections it originally had before the backend failed. |
| US08326998B2 |
Multimedia personal assistant
A system receives, when a multimedia component is operating in a first identity, a first communication request from a first user. The first communication request includes a voice session establishment request or a video session establishment request. The system provides, in response to receiving the first communication request, first multimedia content to the first user based on the first identity and an identifier associated with the first user. The system further receives, when the multimedia component is operating in the first identity, a second communication request from a second, different user. The second communication request includes a voice session establishment request or a video session establishment request. The system provides, in response to receiving the second communication request, second, different multimedia content to the second, different user based on the first identity and an identifier associated with the second, different user. |
| US08326995B2 |
Method and apparatus for accessing context information
A method (300) and apparatus (200) for accessing context information is disclosed. The method may include providing (320) a virtual data source registry (140) corresponding to a local rendezvous point (130) local to a device (110) and a remote rendezvous point (150) remote from the device, where the local rendezvous point can correspond to locally available context information available local to the device and the remote rendezvous point can correspond to remotely available context information available remote from the device. The method may also include receiving (330), at the virtual data source registry, join requests from multiple applications, where the join requests can request context information from a context source. The join requests can include a local join request from a device application (161) in the device to the local rendezvous point. The method may include receiving (340) context information at the virtual data source registry from the context source, returning (350) locally available context information from the local rendezvous point to the device application in response to receiving the local join request, and multicasting (360) remotely available context information from the remote rendezvous point to the multiple applications in response to receiving the join requests. |
| US08326991B2 |
Maintaining RFID information for virtual machines
Methods, apparatus, and products for maintaining RFID information for virtual machines are disclosed that include establishing a virtual machine on a host computer, the host computer capable of supporting a plurality of virtual machines, the host computer comprising one or more RFID transponders; determining RFID information for the virtual machine; storing, in a specified one of the RFID transponders, the determined RFID information for the virtual machine; and upon request from an RFID reader, transmitting the stored RFID information as output from the specified RFID transponder to the requesting RFID reader. |
| US08326990B1 |
Automated optimal workload balancing during failover in share-nothing database systems
Procedures and systems may be used for assigning data partitions to data-processing host computers, for example, to initially assign data partitions at the outset of a large data-processing job or during failover measures taken in response to a failed host in a share-nothing database management system (SN-DBMS). In one implementation, a method of managing exclusive access to a data partition within a database system assesses a first host and a second host that have exclusive access to a first and second data partition, respectively, within a database system. The method assigns exclusive access of the data partition to one of the first and second hosts based on factors that may include the processing powers of first and second the hosts, and on processing requirements (such as data quantity and data criticalness) for data on the first and second data partitions. |
| US08326989B2 |
Image processing apparatus, control method for image processing apparatus, and program
An image processing apparatus connected to a Web server and including a Web browser for displaying an operation screen provided by the Web server and a processing unit that, when requested to execute image processing by the Web server based on access from the Web browser, executes the requested image processing, where it is determined, depending on a destination of access by the Web browser, whether or not to supply information about the image processing apparatus to the destination of access, and if it is determined that the information about the image processing apparatus should be supplied, the information about the image processing apparatus is supplied to the destination of access made by the Web browser. |
| US08326984B1 |
Selective compression for network connections
A system, apparatus, and method selectively provides content compression to a client based, in part, on whether the network connection from the client is determined to be a high latency, low-bandwidth connection. The present invention gathers one or more network metrics associated with the connection from the client. In one embodiment, the metrics include estimated TCP metrics, including smoothed round trip time, maximum segment size (MSS), and bandwidth delay product (BWDP). These estimated network metrics are employed to make an application layer decision of whether the client connection is a high latency, low-bandwidth connection. If it is, then content may be selectively compressed virtually on the fly for transfer over the network connection. In one embodiment, the selective compression uses a content encoding compression feature of the HTTP protocol standard. |
| US08326983B2 |
Methods and systems for transaction record delivery using thresholds and multi-stage protocol
The present invention provides systems and methods for conducting electronic transactions in a distributed computing environment. A communications protocol is provided that enables reliable transactional state synchronization for peers participating in a distributed transaction. A transaction processing application is deployed on a local computer system to manage transactions thereon. The local computer system contacts a remote computer system to obtain authorization to execute a transaction. The local computer system initiates a failure-recovery job that is operable to automatically resend status signals and other information to the remote system if the communication with the remote system exhibits certain predefined fault conditions. The remote system is able to dynamically adjust the definition of the predefined fault conditions. If the transaction concludes without triggering the predefined fault conditions, the failure-recovery job is cancelled. The transaction processing application may also allow deferred transactions between remote parties. The transaction processing application maintains a record of the transactions performed by the consumer on the consumer's local system. Upon the occurrence of predefined conditions, transactional records are sent to a remote vendor or clearinghouse. The vendor or clearinghouse can manage the risk it bears by setting the predefined conditions appropriately. |
| US08326980B2 |
Using DNS reflection to measure network performance
A top level domain name system (DNS) server receives a DNS query from a local DNS resolver, the DNS query requesting a network address corresponding to a domain name. The top level DNS server reflects the local DNS resolver to a reflector DNS server. The reflector DNS server reflects the local DNS resolver to a collector DNS server, which in turn returns the network address to the local DNS resolver. The reflector DNS server and collector DNS server are both in the same data center, and one or more network performance measurements for communications between the local DNS resolver and the data center are determined based on the communications between the local DNS resolver and both the reflector DNS server and the collector DNS server. |
| US08326979B2 |
Method and device for agile computing
A method for operating a group of nodes in a system for agile computing comprising a coordinator node and a first computation node communicating via a connection, and wherein the first computation node is adapted to perform a task for the coordinator node is provided. The method comprises the steps of: monitoring at least one operating parameter indicating the quality of the connection between the two nodes; determining a quality parameter based on the operating parameter, wherein the quality parameter indicates the quality of the connection between the two nodes; and transferring information from the first computation node to the coordinator node, when the value of the quality parameter falls within a transfer interval, wherein the information comprises information about a part of a task performed by the first computation node. |
| US08326978B2 |
Automatic updates to fabric alert definitions for fabric segmentation, fabric merge, and fabric principal switch changes
The present disclosure provides techniques for updating fabric alert definitions defined for a fiber channel or other fabric-based network within a storage management system. One embodiment provides techniques for detecting fabric merges, fabric segmentations, and principal switch changes of the fabric and modifying fabric alert definitions as a result of these changes. Thus, any alert definitions scoped by fabric will remain relevant even after fabric structural changes, and duplicate and/or redundant alerts may be reduced within the storage management system. In a further embodiment, detection of fabric changes is performed by first storing relationships between fabrics and switches, and comparing the current relationships between the fabrics and the switches against the stored relationships. Upon recognition of changes within the fabrics, the fabric alert definitions may be automatically analyzed and updated. |
| US08326977B2 |
Recording medium storing system analyzing program, system analyzing apparatus, and system analyzing method
A system analyzing apparatus obtains a message group including a message ID, a protocol, a type, and a transmission time of messages transmitted/received in a system where a hierarchical structure of protocols is defined. The apparatus detects pairs of a request message and a response message of the same message ID from the obtained message group. The apparatus identifies a request time and a response time of each of the detected pairs. The apparatus searches for a child-layer pair that has a request time and a response time between the request time and the response time of a parent-layer pair arbitrarily selected from among the pairs and that has a protocol in a layer lower than the protocol of the parent-layer pair on the basis of the identified result. The apparatus outputs the found child-layer pair as a candidate pair having a call relationship with the parent-layer pair. |
| US08326971B2 |
Method for using dynamically scheduled synthetic transactions to monitor performance and availability of E-business systems
A method and apparatus is provided for monitoring operations of a specified transaction server that has an associated network topology. One embodiment comprises the steps of defining a plurality of zones within the network topology, and assigning one or more monitoring agents to each of the zones, wherein each agent is adapted to selectively run synthetic transactions with the specified server. The method further comprises monitoring results of successive synthetic transactions carried out by the agents, in order to detect any errors associated with the successive transactions. In response to detecting a performance or an availability problem, selectively, that is associated with a particular synthetic transaction run by a particular one of the agents, one or more agents is dynamically scheduled to run synthetic transactions, wherein each scheduled transaction has a specified relationship with the particular transaction. |
| US08326968B1 |
Multi-link correlation
Methods and apparatus to correlate data communicated over multiple communication links are described. In one embodiment, one or more unique identifiers are transmitted by a plurality of communication links of a transmit agent. In an embodiment, the unique identifiers may be utilized to correlate data communicated over the plurality of the communication links of the transmit agent. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08326963B2 |
System and method for migrating applications from a legacy system
An information processing system comprises a legacy application, a web services consumption copybook, and a set of application program interfaces for enabling the legacy application to access a selected web service via a web services consumption server. The web services consumption copybook represents data structures of the selected web service. The system can either connect to or include a set of web service proxies that each correspond to a web service available via a network connection. A web services consumption server is optionally used to route service requests from the application to the appropriate web service proxy. The system can also optionally include a developer tool for adapting legacy systems or environments to be able to consume web services using modern protocols thus allowing the migration of legacy subsystems to a networked loosely-coupled environment. |
| US08326962B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for providing automation management services
An automation management system is deployed and operates on a plurality of network devices in a network in a distributed manner. The plurality of network devices may comprise a plurality of routers, for example. Automation management services are deployed and operate on the network devices in accordance with a service-oriented architecture model. At least one of the services may comprise a first instance of the service deployed on a first network device and a second instance of the service deployed on a second network device. Methods for deploying and operating an automation management system on a plurality of network devices in a network are also provided. |
| US08326961B2 |
Intelligent integrated network security device for high-availability applications
Methods and apparatuses for inspecting packets are provided. A primary security system may be configured for processing packets. The primary security system may be operable to maintain flow information for a group of devices to facilitate processing of the packets. A secondary security system may be designated for processing packets upon a failover event. Flow records may be shared from the primary security system with the secondary security system. |
| US08326959B2 |
Virtual production testing of large integrated products
A communications system and method for testing components of an aircraft via Ethernet. The communications system may comprise one or more Ethernet links having software and hardware controls for timing, buffering, and messaging, and a dedicated Ethernet line. The Ethernet links may be configured to communicably link sections of a central communication system of the aircraft, each section being part of a separate aircraft component. The Ethernet links may also communicably link the sections with various databases over the Ethernet line. The databases may comprise loadable software, archived testing data, configuration data, and/or diagnostic data. Any of the central communication system sections and the databases may be located at geographically distant locations from each other, such as at separate production sites. The communications system may allow the aircraft components to test each other, or essentially for the aircraft to test itself prior to its components being physically joined together. |
| US08326958B1 |
Service activation tracking system
Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, a communications device implements a service policy for assisting control of the communications device use of a service on a network; monitors use of the service based on the service policy, in which the monitored use includes a service activation of the communications device; and reports the monitored use of the service to a network device. |
| US08326955B2 |
Configuration of user terminal settings in communications system
A method for configuring SIP settings to a user terminal, for instance when a specific SIP service is used in the user terminal for the first time, includes transmitting a request message from the user terminal to a gateway node. As the request message is received in the gateway node, the gateway node retrieves identification information on the user terminal. After that the request message and the retrieved identification information are forwarded from the gateway node to a settings server. In response to receiving the request message and the identification information, the settings server defines service-specific SIP settings for the user terminal, and the defined SIP settings are provided to the user terminal. |
| US08326952B2 |
Parameter setting system, device and parameter setting program
A parameter setting system includes a setting device and setting target devices. The setting device includes a protocol inquiry mechanism that inquires the setting target device about a communication protocol acceptable to the setting target device; and a setting command mechanism that commands the setting target device to set the function parameter necessary to perform a communication function according to a communication protocol notified in response to an inquiry by the protocol inquiry mechanism. The setting target device includes a protocol response mechanism that notifies the protocol inquiry mechanism of information with respect to a protocol acceptable to the setting target device in response to the inquiry received from the protocol inquiry mechanism; and a commanded setting execution mechanism that sets the function parameter commanded to be set by the setting command mechanism. |
| US08326949B2 |
Systems, methods and apparatuses for providing applications style functionality to a user
Systems configured to provide applications style functionality to at least one user, the systems comprising: at least one user device that includes at least one receiver for receiving data comprising a series of linked states plus additional data associated with each state, the additional data comprising, storage instructions and display instructions; and at least one decoder to decode the received data and cache each state and its corresponding display instructions in accordance with the storage instructions. The systems may also comprise: at least one server configured to communicate with the at least one user device that includes a processor for interpreting the execution of an application or rendering of a state and expressing it as a series of states through which the at least one user device may navigate to create the appearance of executing an application or browsing web content. |
| US08326948B2 |
Abstract protocol independent data bus
An abstraction layer (e.g., transport) between consumer logic (e.g., presentation) and provider logic (e.g., business) that makes composition of, for example, many presentation technologies to many business logic data providers possible without imposing strict interface boundaries to each. The abstraction layer can be an abstract transport data model bus that provides serialization, transformation, and transport services. A core concept of the data access library implementation is a transmittable data object based on a flexible property bag data structure and abstract type system. Pluggable data providers declare the associated data model, and pluggable consumer clients declare the data model consumed (a many-to-many implementation). In other words, declarative (codeless) combinations of front ends and back ends are employed. Moreover, the abstraction layer is hidden from the developer. |
| US08326946B2 |
Compact disc playing system and its play back method
An optical disc playing system, comprises a selecting apparatus for receiving a command from a user, which requires to play a part of content of a program in the optical disc; a sending apparatus for sending a request which requires to provide the related information of said part of content; a receiving apparatus for receiving the related information; and a reading-out apparatus for reading out the received related information and said part of content. An optical disc playing method using said system comprises the steps of: receiving a command from a user, which requires to play a part of content of a program in the optical disc; sending a request which requires to provide the related information of said part of content; receiving the related information; and playing the disc in coordination with said part of content using the received related information. |
| US08326938B1 |
Packet buffer apparatus and method
An apparatus including a first memory, a second memory, and a direct memory access engine. The first memory stores one or more packet descriptors. The second memory stores one or more packets for transmission via a communication link. The direct memory access engine is configured to i) determine when the one or more packet descriptors have been written, by a host, to the first memory, ii) read the one or more packet descriptors from the first memory in response to determining that the one or more packet descriptors have been written to the first memory by the host, iii) determine, using the one or more packet descriptors, one or more respective locations of one or more packets in a host memory, and iv) initiate a direct memory access transfer of the one or more packets from the one or more respective locations in the host memory to the second memory. |
| US08326935B2 |
Group list exclusions for messaging
A message is received comprising a recipient list and an exclusion list. Recipients in the recipient list are identified, as are recipients in the exclusion list. A recipient is removed from the recipient list based on an identification of the recipient in the exclusion list. |
| US08326933B2 |
Appearance package management method, system and device
An appearance package management method is provided, which includes the following steps. An appearance package is received, and a unique appearance package identifier (ID) of the appearance package is obtained. A corresponding relation between the appearance package and the appearance package ID is stored. An operation message of an appearance package is received, and an appearance package corresponding to an appearance package ID obtained from the operation message is operated according to the appearance package ID obtained from the operation message and the stored corresponding relation between the appearance package and the appearance package ID. An appearance package management system and an appearance package management device are also provided. Through the method, the unique ID for the appearance package is established between the server and the terminal, so that the terminal can identify the object of the operation instruction delivered by the server and manage the corresponding appearance package. |
| US08326932B2 |
Caching email unique identifiers
Accessing, via an end user device, email messages of an external mail source. A direct access proxy is operative to reconcile the email contents of external email sources with the email contents of user devices through the use of lists of unique email identifiers (UIDs). A Partition Database returns UID lists reflective of the UIDs of email messages previously received from the external email source and forwarded to a network server of the system (forwarded UID lists). A memory cache external to the direct access proxy and its corresponding Partition Database returns forwarded UID lists. The direct access proxy determines the data reliability of the Partition Database and memory cache, and obtains forwarded UID lists from the memory cache when it determines that the memory cache is at least as reliable as the Partition Database. |
| US08326930B2 |
Variation of image content in electronic messaging protocol messages
A number of sets of recipients of an electronic messaging protocol message distribution campaign are identified. Each set can be one or more recipients. Scripting language is added to each message directed to a recipient. The added scripting language refers to a number of image objects/files that have been selected to form a compound image (when juxtaposed). The compound image is unique to one of the sets. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08326926B2 |
Distributed electronic design automation architecture
A copy of a design is stored at each of multiple clients. When a client user provides input indicating a wish to modify the design in some way, the input is captured and one or more commands created. The commands are forwarded to a server, which queues commands received from all of the clients and then forwards each of those commands back to each of the clients. Upon receiving commands from the server, each of the clients executes those commands in the order received. Each client also maintains data indicating settings for all clients in a current editing session. Before executing a design changing command, each client adjusts its settings to match those of the client from which that command originated. |
| US08326925B2 |
Connecting to experts in a discussion board
One embodiment of the invention relates to a method for processing a post to a discussion board comprising placing the post on the discussion board; performing an entitlement check to determine whether access to an expert should be provided to the user, wherein the entitlement check is associated with at least one of a characteristic of the user and a characteristic of the post; and based on the entitlement check providing access to the expert in the form of a control. |
| US08326924B1 |
Metasearch engine for ordering at least one item returned in search results using at least one query on multiple unique hosts and for displaying associated advertising
Process for metasearching on the Internet performed by a metasearch engine, comprising: receiving an HTTP request from a client device for the metasearch engine to send at least one search query to a plurality of unique hosts providing access to information to be searched, the HTTP request associated with at least one item that may be ordered from a plurality of items that may be ordered; sending the at least one search query to the plurality of unique hosts; receiving search results from the plurality of unique hosts; incorporating the received search results into a response; causing at least one advertisement associated with the at least one item that may be ordered to be displayed in the response; communicating the response from the metasearch engine to the client device; receiving another HTTP request from the client device for placing an order for the at least one item; processing the order. |
| US08326922B2 |
Method for server-side logging of client browser state through markup language
One aspect of the present invention includes capturing a client browser state and communicating this captured browser state within markup text for logging at a web server. In one embodiment, the contents of the DOM (Document Object Model) of a webpage accessed by a client are traversed and written as markup text in a string of characters, such as HTML. This markup, in addition to metadata specific to identify the browser display environment, is transmitted from the client to the server as text within a HTTP request. The server may then log the markup text and the metadata for later access. The logged markup text and the metadata can be used to recreate the exact display which occurred within the client browser, and therefore provide details useful for webpage problem determination, testing, and development. |
| US08326920B1 |
Connection sharing
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for resolving keystrokes. One of the methods includes receiving at a server system a request from a client computing device to initiate a connection between the client and the server system. After a connection is formed, a request from the client for first content from a first domain hosted by the server system is received over the connection. Information is sent to the client over the connection that specifies one or more additional domains hosted by the server system and acceptable to the server system for connection sharing. A request for second content from a second domain that is hosted by the server system and that was specified in the information sent to the client is received over the connection, from the client. In response, the second content is sent to the client over the connection. |
| US08326919B1 |
Network address translation auto-discovery in data storage networks
Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for discovering a network address translation (NAT) network connection with a data storage system. The method includes establishing, by a client device, a network connection with the data storage system via a target network address associated with the data storage system, retrieving over the network connection, by the client device, a set of private network addresses associated with a set of storage processors of the data storage system, comparing, by the client device, each private network address of the set of private network addresses associated with the set of storage processors with the target network address, and when the target network address is absent from the set of private network addresses associated with the set of storage processors as a result of the comparison, detecting, the network connection as being configured as a NAT mode network connection with the data storage system. |
| US08326918B2 |
Interprocessor communication protocol
A radio communication device has a baseband processor acting as an InterProcessor Communication (IPC) server and an application processor acting as an IPC client. The baseband processor and the application processor communicate with each other via an IPC network. The IPC server and the IPC client can switch functions via negotiation to allow the IPC client to become the new IPC server. The IPC network includes multiple IPC clients, and remaining IPC clients are instructed to change the IPC address of the IPC server if the IPC client becomes the new IPC server. The IPC network allows any processor that adopts the IPC as its interprocessor communication stack to co-exist together and operate as if the two were actually running on the same processor core sharing a common operating system and memory. |
| US08326917B2 |
Method and apparatus for identifying an alternative peer hosting an alternative communication service
The application concerns a method for invoking a communication service that is realized by means of a peer of a peer-to-peer system, the method comprising the step of identifying a peer hosting the communication service and invoking the communication service by means of a distributed directory, where the distributed directory carrying entries that enable a client to invoke the communication service, the method further comprising the step of identifying an alternative peer hosting an alternative communication service in case the identified peer or the communication service is unavailable, where the distributed directory carrying entries that enable a client to invoke the alternative communication service. And the application concerns a computer software product and a telecommunication system for providing communication services corresponding to the method. |
| US08326912B2 |
Pipelining for massively parallel service architecture
Various systems and methods are described that may allow a server to control various other servers performing services on media assets, such as a video file, which may need to be encoded then copied to a plurality of servers. A first server may be aware of what service needs to be performed on a media asset next. The first server may then notify a second server that this service is to be performed. Once the service has been performed on the media asset, the first server may be notified that the service has been completed. The first server may then determine which, if any, other service needs to be performed on the media asset. The first server may determine and instruct other servers on what services to perform for large numbers of other media assets while the media asset is having a service processed using it. |
| US08326911B2 |
Request processing with mapping and repeatable processes
The embodiments described herein generally relate to a method and system of injecting repeatable processes, or workflows, into the processing of data-oriented or procedural requests in an entity management system. A request in such a system is subject to authentication, authorization, and action phases of processing, and workflows may be associated with each phase for automatic processing upon the triggering of a certain request under particular circumstances. A declarative mapping associates workflows with the request type, phase, requester, and target. The mapping may be created at the system administrator level, or by any person with the necessary capabilities, through the application of the processing concept in API or UI and may be consulted and invoked upon receipt of a request matching the mapping's criteria. Mappings may also be created and retrieved to manage state changes resulting from processing in other phases of the request processing model. |
| US08326909B2 |
Arithmetic or logical operation tree computation
A method of computing at least a first and a second tree of arithmetic or logical operations on a microprocessor comprising at least n parallel processing elements. The method comprises: a) executing (in 48) n arithmetic or logical operations of a first iteration of the first tree in parallel using the n processing elements, then b) executing (in 66) m arithmetic or logical operations in parallel between the results of the first iteration, using m processing elements chosen from the n processing element used for the computation of the first iteration, the other n−m processing element being unused for the computation of the second iteration. In parallel with the computation of the second iteration of the first tree, the method comprises executing (in 66) k arithmetic or logical operations of the second tree in parallel using k processing elements chosen from the n−m processing elements unused for the computation of the second iteration of the first tree. |
| US08326908B2 |
Residue number system arithmetic operating system, scaling operator, scaling operation method and program and recording medium of the same
There is provided a scaling operator for calculating a quotient in a first residue format obtained by dividing an input number in the first residue format by a second modulus in a residue number system for representing numbers by the first residue format of a set of residues obtained with respect to first modulus and residues obtained with respect to second modulus, having a subtracter for outputting inter-moduli values of difference which are values of difference between the residues obtained with respect to the first modulus and the residues obtained with respect to the second modulus and a quotient outputting section for outputting a set of residues of the quotient obtained with respect to the first modulus and residues of the quotient obtained with respect to the second modulus as the quotient based on the inter-moduli values of difference. |
| US08326906B2 |
Efficient multiple input multiple output signal processing method and apparatus
A method and apparatus are disclosed for use with multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) signal processing techniques, which reduce the amount of memory and memory bandwidth used to store and access filter coefficients by compressing a filter coefficient based at least in part on one or more neighboring filter coefficients for storage and decompressing the filter coefficients when retrieved. The decompressed filter coefficients can be used with a MIMO filtering technique, and/or can be used to compress or decompress additional coefficients. |
| US08326904B2 |
Trigonometric summation vector execution unit
A unique instruction and exponent adjustment adder selectively shift outputs from multiple execution units, including a plurality of multipliers, in a processor core in order to scale mantissas for related trigonometric functions used in a vector dot product. |
| US08326903B2 |
System and method for improved vector analysis
A system includes a “found two” module configured to receive an n-bit vector and to generate a “found two” signal indicating whether there are at least two bits of the n-bit vector in a predetermined state. The system also includes a “one's hot” module coupled to the “found two” module. The “one's hot” module is configured to generate, concurrently with the “found two” module, a first one's hot vector (OHV) based on the received n-bit vector. In one embodiment, the system and method indicate whether an input n-bit vector contains at least two high bits. |
| US08326902B2 |
Online database modeling
Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and system of implementing online database modeling. The method includes providing an database modeling diagram framework. The framework is in communication with an online database, and the online database provides access to live data. The method further includes providing online access to the online database for the database modeling diagram framework via an intermediary API, representing a database structure of the online database in a database model within an interface of the database modeling diagram framework, and populating the database model with live data from the online database. Further, the method includes displaying the database model with the live data from the online database within the database modeling diagram framework interface. |
| US08326895B2 |
Detecting program phases with periodic call-stack sampling during garbage collection
A computer readable storage medium for associating a phase with an activation of a computer program that supports garbage collection include: a plurality of stacks, each stack including at least one stack frame that includes an activation count; and a processor with logic for performing steps of: zeroing the activation count whenever the program creates a new stack frame and after garbage collection is performed; determining whether an interval has transpired during program execution; examining each stack frame's content and incrementing the activation count for each frame of the stacks once the interval has transpired; detecting the phase whose activation count is non-zero and associating the phase with the activation; and ensuring that when the phase ends, an action is immediately performed. |
| US08326893B2 |
Allocating data sets to a container data set
Provided are a method, system, and program for allocating data sets to a container data set. A container data set is allocated in a storage system. An entry is included in a file allocation catalog for the allocated container data set indicating an address range of data allocated to the container data set, wherein the file allocation catalog maps data sets to address ranges in the storage system. A virtual file allocation catalog for the container data set is generated. A request is received to allocate a data set. A determination is made as to whether the data set to allocate has a size less than a threshold size. An entry is included in the virtual file allocation catalog to allocate the data set in the address range of the container data set in response to determining that the data set to allocate size is less than the threshold size. |
| US08326890B2 |
System and method for assisting computer users to search for and evaluate products and services, typically in a database
A search tool for an electronic information resource, which is typically a database of products and services, is provided. The search tool can be used to assist a user to search, evaluate and select anything capable of being chosen. The search tool includes a user interface which includes a scale, a user input element and a potential attributes area. The user input element includes one or more indicators enabling a user to associate a point along the scale with the user's preference for each potential attribute. |
| US08326886B2 |
Per-thread, per-instance data storage
A method of storing per-thread, per-instance data, includes identifying a unique index value corresponding to a first instance, identifying type parameters based on the identified index value, and instantiating a generic holder object based on the identified type parameters. The generic holder object includes a thread local field configured to store per-thread data that is local to the first instance. |
| US08326882B1 |
Environment management interface for management of a heterogeneous storage environment
A heterogeneous data storage environment includes a first and second data storage system where the first data storage system includes management functionalities that are distinct from the management functionalities included by the second data storage system. A storage system management device is displays an environment management interface that dynamically changes based upon a user's need to manage either the first or second storage system. For example the storage system management device provides a default environment management interface for the first data storage system that includes a custom management display that allows the user to access the management functionalities associated with the first data storage system. The storage system management device dynamically changes the content of the environment management interface to provide a custom management display associated with the user selection of a second data storage system. |
| US08326881B2 |
Detection of network security breaches based on analysis of network record logs
Computer program products and methods of inspecting a log of security records in a computer network are provided. The method includes retrieving a log record, processing the log record including deriving a key to a table, determining a data value from information in the log record and adding the data value to a list of data values associated with the key if the data value is unique. One or more entries of the table are evaluated based on predetermined criteria to detect attempted security breaches. |
| US08326880B2 |
Summarizing streams of information
Concepts and technologies are described herein for summarizing streams of information. A stream of information is obtained and analyzed. One or more entities are identified in the stream. The data in the stream is grouped into one or more clusters corresponding to the identified entities. The data in the clusters is summarized, and a timeline corresponding to the data in the cluster is determined. In some embodiments, a format can be selected for presentation of the summarized stream data. The data in the stream can be formatted in the selected format, and the summarized data can be presented in the selected format. In some embodiments, an update feature can be used to update the data in the summarized stream. The data in the stream can be updated, and the updated summarized stream can be formatted and presented. |
| US08326879B2 |
System and method for enabling search and retrieval operations to be performed for data items and records using data obtained from associated voice files
A method and system are provided for using the contents of voice files as a basis for enabling search and other selection operations for data items that are associated with those voice files. Voice files may be received having associations with other data items, such as images or records. A corresponding text file is generated for each of the one or more voice files using programmatic means, such as a speech-to-text application. Each text file is provided an association with a data item based on the association of the voice file that served as the basis of its creation. Each text file is then made available for the performance of search and selection operations that result in the identification of associated data items. |
| US08326877B2 |
Region-based security
The subject invention relates to systems and methods that provide region-based security to database objects having hierarchical relationships. In one aspect, a system is provided that facilitates database security and management. The system includes a database component that stores a plurality of objects having a hierarchical relationship between the objects. A region component defines security zones for a subset of the objects and maps security data to the subset, wherein the security zones are independent, decoupled, or disassociated from the hierarchical relationships between the objects. |
| US08326872B2 |
Database sandbox
Systems and methods that qualify and/or restrict access of codes associated with a database to objects located outside thereof and in other databases—even though a person executing such code does in fact have permission to interact with the object that the code is attempting to access. A sandbox component can regulate access from one database to another database, by managing authenticator permission and/or trust permission levels. Hence, the set of privileges assigned to security execution context of an executable module (procedure, trigger, computed column) in an un-trusted database is restricted not to exceed a privilege set assigned to database owner. |
| US08326870B2 |
Critical parameter/requirements management process and environment
A critical parameter/requirements management process model for managing a development program for a product and an associated product structure-driven critical parameter/requirements management tool and environment is provided. In one embodiment, the process includes a product structure classification scheme, a parameter/requirements classification scheme, a parameter/requirements process and maturity model, and in-process and requirements conformance views. In one embodiment, the tool includes a user interface layer, a business layer, a data layer, and a database. The user interface layer may include a product structure feature group, an add/edit/link feature group, a manage maturity feature group, and a manage conformance feature group. The tool may be implemented as a web server accessible to user workstations operating as thin clients. The tool may be integrated with one or more other product development tools, such as a document-driven requirements management, configuration management, manufacturing/production control system, problem management, and phased product delivery process tools. |
| US08326868B2 |
Web-enabled database access tools
This description provides tools and techniques for Web-enabled database access tools. These tools may provide systems that include database access tools that provide at least one level of abstraction between external databases and users of the access tools. The systems may also include one or more internal databases maintained by the tool, with the internal database storing respective login information associated with the users. The login information may enable the users to access the tool without providing direct access to the external databases. |
| US08326865B2 |
Optimized method of locating complete aggregation of patient health records in a global domain
A method, apparatus and article of manufacture are provided to optimize the time and effort required to locate all data on a given entity that may span multiple data nodes in a distributed environment. For example, embodiments of the invention may be used to locate nodes within the distributed environment that store electronic healthcare records. A poll request from a first node to a second node may include electronic records existence data indicating data nodes known to have, or not have, records related to a given individual. This information is used to minimize the number of nodes that need to be polled to arrive at the complete aggregation of patient records that exist within a given set of nodes. |
| US08326864B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for implementing automated worklists
A method, system, and computer program product for implementing automated worklists are provided. The method includes generating a worklist, which further includes retrieving a worklist template corresponding to the worklist and, via a first query, selecting a listing of members and attributes to be populated in the worklist, the attributes include a status indicator of an action item specified for each of the members of the worklist. The worklist generation also includes building a worklist member table with results of the first query and, via a second query, and using attributes of the worklist member table, identifying up-to-date values of one or more worklist member attributes, and outputting results of the second query to the worklist. The method also includes presenting the worklist to a corresponding assignee. For each of the members in the worklist, the status indicator is editable to update a status of the member. |
| US08326862B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating enhancements to search engine results
In accordance with some embodiments, processes and interfaces for enhancing or modifying the output of search results are provided. For example, an interface may allow a user to indicate a particular search result returned for a search as being undesirable. In one embodiment, such an indication may cause a removal (e.g., by a search engine or by a third party software application with access to a listing of search results returned by the search engine) of the search result from the listing of the search results as well as review of the remainder of the search results to determine which additional search results should also be removed (e.g., additional search results may be determined, on behalf of the user, to be undesirable for the same reason as the search result(s) indicated by the user). |
| US08326860B2 |
Indexing and searching product identifiers
A system, method and computer program product for processing a search query includes receiving a search query containing one or more terms; processing the query to add one or more bi-words as terms to the query; searching a search index embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having product identifiers and logical parts of the product identifiers indexed into different fields in the index; generating a score based on at least some of the terms matching the product identifiers and the individual logical parts of the product identifiers in the different fields in the index, wherein bi-words are weighted higher than the terms having only one word and individual terms are weighted higher when matching in the product identifier fields of the index; and selecting and outputting an indicator of product identifiers ranked by their scores. |
| US08326859B2 |
Task prediction
This patent application pertains to computing scenarios that allow users to more readily accomplish desired tasks. One implementation includes at least one dictionary of potential auto-suggestions that can be generated in relation to user-input. The implementation also includes a text framework configured to weight at least some of the potential auto-suggestions based upon one or more parameters. This implementation further includes a task engine configured to associate tasks with at least some of the potential auto-suggestions. |
| US08326857B2 |
Systems and methods for providing value hierarchies, ragged hierarchies and skip-level hierarchies in a business intelligence server
A business intelligence (BI) server and repository are described which support a set of hierarchical relationships among the data. The BI server receives user input specifying a set of parent-child or other ancestral relationship among a set of data in a data source. The BI server generates a set of SQL queries and executes the queries to pre-populate a set of tables which specify the parent child relationships among the data in the data source. One such table is a parent-child relationship closure table that defines the inter-member relationships among the data members. Once the tables are populated, the BI server uses the closure tables to answer queries that require knowledge of the ancestral relationships among data. |
| US08326851B2 |
Simultaneous intellectual property search and valuation system and methodology (SIPS-VSM)
A system, method, and computer-based logic flow for a web-enabled tool that allows simultaneous intelligent searching, knowledge management based problem solving, valuation, and modeling of intellectual property and scientific information are described herein. The system accesses databases of intellectual property and scientific information. Additionally, the computer-based logic flow utilizes valuation techniques based on the Black-Sholes Options Pricing model or discounted cash flow methods. The system receives user queries and simultaneously accesses intellectual property, scientific information, knowledge management based problem solving and valuation based algorithm databases. Pertinent information is then categorized, analyzed, disseminated and displayed. The system simultaneously displays intellectual property and valuation information in one model as well as non-intellectual property protected scientific information. Content, value, and direction of current and future specific technology trends can be easily, quickly and accurately accessed based on review of the models and displays associated with that specific technology. |
| US08326848B2 |
Proactive analytic data set reduction via parameter condition injection
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for injecting parameter conditions to reduce a size of a data set to be processed. A data set may be received to be processed by an analytic routine. The data set may include results from executing a first query. Further, input may be received from a user, the input specifying a parameter specific to the analytic routine to be performed on the data set. At least one condition associated with the specified parameter may be identified. A second query may be generated from the first query and the identified condition. The second query may be executed to generate a reduced data set. The analytic routine may be performed on the reduced data set to generate an output to the user. |
| US08326836B1 |
Providing time series information with search results
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing time series information with search results. In one aspect, a method includes determining that a first query is indicative of a request for time series information; generating a cost estimate that quantifies one or more costs of including the time series information with one or more search results, each search result including a resource locator that references a corresponding resource determined to be responsive to the query; generating a benefit estimate; determining to generate the time series information when the benefit estimate is greater than the cost estimate and generating the time series information in response to the determination, wherein generating the time series information includes collecting responsive time series information from one or more resources; and determining to not generate the time series information when the cost estimate is greater than the benefit estimate. |
| US08326831B1 |
Persistent contextual searches
A badge may be assigned to a person, where the badge represents a characteristic or recurrent behavior of the person. A query may be associated with a badge, and the query may be continually used in a search request in combination with the person's context, thereby allowing the person to be continually provided with fresh results that may be relevant to the person's durable characteristics and current context. In one example, the person carries a handheld device, and the results are presented to the user on the user's desktop or lock screen. The act of providing the results may be triggered in various ways, such as movement of the person who carries the device, or the availability of sufficiently high-quality results. |
| US08326825B2 |
Automated partitioning in parallel database systems
Embodiments are directed to determining optimal partition configurations for distributed database data and to implementing parallel query optimization memo data structure to improve partition configuration cost estimation efficiency. In an embodiment, a computer system accesses a portion of database data and various database queries for a given database. The computer system determines, based on the accessed database data and database queries, a partition configuration search space which includes multiple feasible partition configurations for the database data and a workload of queries expected to be executed on that data. The computer system performs a branch and bound search in the partition configuration search space to determine which data partitioning path has the lowest partitioning cost. The branch and bound search is performed according to branch and bound search policies. The computer system also outputs the partition configuration with the determined lowest partitioning cost. |
| US08326824B2 |
Methods to estimate existing cache contents for better query optimization
A method for estimating contents of a cache determines table descriptors referenced by a query, and scans each page header stored in the cache for the table descriptor. If the table descriptor matches any of the referenced table descriptors, a page count value corresponding to the matching referenced table descriptor is increased. Alternatively, a housekeeper thread periodically performs the scan and stores the page count values in a central lookup table accessible by threads during a query run. Alternatively, each thread independently maintains a hash table with page count entries corresponding to table descriptors for each table in the database system. A thread increases or decreases the page count value when copying or removing pages from the cache. A page count value for each referenced table descriptor is determined from a sum of the values in the hash tables. A master thread performs bookkeeping and prevents hash table overflows. |
| US08326821B2 |
Transforming relational queries into stream processing
A method of transforming relational queries of a database into on a data processing system includes receiving a series of relational queries, transforming first parts of the queries into a continuous query embodied as a streaming application, sending parameters in second parts of the queries in the series to the streaming application as a data stream, and executing the continuous query based on the received data stream to generate query results for the series of relational queries. Each query in the series includes a first part and a second part. The first parts are a pattern common to all the queries in the series and the second parts each have one or more parameters that are not common to all of the queries in the series. |
| US08326817B2 |
Computer-implemented system and method for analyzing search queries
Systems and methods for handling input search engine data. A data store is searched based upon one or more data items contained within the input search engine data. The result of searching the data store is used to determine which data items in the input search engine data might be a search term. Search terms are extracted based upon the result of searching the data store. |
| US08326815B2 |
Session based click features for recency ranking
In one embodiment, access one or more query chains, wherein each one of the query chains comprises two or more search queries, {q1, . . . , qn}, which are recency-sensitive, are related to the same subject matter, and are issued to a search engine sequentially, and actual click-through information associated with each one of the query chains; and smooth each one of the query chains using the actual click-through information associated with the query chain. To smooth one of the query chains comprises, for each one of search queries, qj, in the query chain, where 2≦j≦n, if one of the network resources identified for qj has actually been clicked in connection with qj by the corresponding one network user, then presume that the one network resource has been clicked in connection with one or more search queries, qk, in the query chain, where 1≦k |
| US08326814B2 |
Web-based file management system and service
A system and method for integrating a plurality of web-based applications with a web-based file management system. The web-based application may provide a service to the users of the web-based file management system, such that the web-based application can interact with the files of said users. The integration of the service of the web-based application with the web-based file management system is achieved through a simple web interface to configure the service, without the developer of the web-based application having to change the application programming interface (API) of the application. The user of the web-based file management system may add services of a plurality of available web-based applications and use these services with one or more files that are stored on the web-based file management system. |
| US08326811B2 |
File management method and computer system
To inhibit deterioration in the I/O performance of a file even if the file includes an area that is frequently accessed.An access account of the file is recorded, an area of the file is split into a plurality of partial areas at least one or more times if the access count exceeds a split threshold, the partial area (partial area including a hotspot with frequent access) in which the access count exceeded the split threshold is minimized, data corresponding to that partial area is ultimately uncompressed, and data corresponding to the other partial areas is compressed. |
| US08326804B2 |
Controlling resource allocation for backup operations
Various embodiments of a computer system and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer system includes a backup application coupled to interconnected storage resources. The backup application creates a database of storage resources, wherein each database entry corresponds to one or more storage resources and is associated with one or more user-defined attributes describing the suitability of the associated resources for a backup operation. The backup application creates and stores a configuration of storage resources for a backup operation. Each storage resource is selected based on a value of an associated attribute. The storage resources may include logical unit numbers (LUNs), mount points providing access to LUNs, and hosts having physical access or network access through other hosts to mount points. An attribute specifies that the associated storage resources are either required or preferred for a backup operation. The database and configuration are created at backup application run time. |
| US08326801B2 |
Increasing database availability during fault recovery
Embodiments are directed to providing database access during database reconfiguration and to maintaining replication connections during database reconfiguration. In an embodiment, a computer system establishes multiple quorum sets of replicas to replicate the data of a data partition. The quorum sets of replicas ensure that at least a minimum number of replicas are operating to commit pending transactions during partition reconfiguration. The computer system determines that a data partition reconfiguration has been initiated and provides access to the data partition's data during reconfiguration of the data partition using at least a quorum of replicas in each of the quorum sets of replicas. |
| US08326800B2 |
Seamless upgrades in a distributed database system
Embodiments are directed to providing distributed database service upgrades of database server instances in a computer cluster using multiple database server instances and to monitoring and maintaining a distributed database service during upgrade. In an embodiment, each computer system in a computer cluster instantiates at least two different database server instances on each of the nodes in the cluster. The first database server instances are configured to operate using a current distributed database version and the second instances are configured to operate using a new, updated distributed database service version. The computer system receives an indication that the distributed database service is to be upgraded. Then, based on the received indication, the computer system migrates database replicas from the first database server instances to the second database server instances which operate the new, updated service version, substantially without user-visible downtime. |
| US08326799B2 |
Data distribution in systems with multiple storage entities
The disclosure is related to systems and methods of distributing data in devices with multiple storage entities. In a particular embodiment, a system is disclosed that includes multiple storage entities, with each storage entity having a sub-controller. A controller is communicatively coupled to each of the multiple storage entities. The controller is configured to send at least one of a respective copy of data or metadata associated with the respective copy of the data to each of the multiple storage entities. Upon receipt of the at least one of the respective copy of the data or the metadata associated with the respective copy of the data, each sub-controller provides storage competency information of the respective storage entity for the respective copy of the data. Upon receiving storage competency information for the multiple storage entities, the controller selects a particular one of the multiple storage entities and notifies the selected storage entity to store the respective copy of the data. |
| US08326797B2 |
Supporting set-level slice and dice in data warehouses
A method and system for coping with slice and dice operations in data warehouses is disclosed. An external approach may be utilized, creating queries using structured query language on a computer. An algorithm may be used to rewrite the queries. The resulting predicates may be joined to dimension tables corresponding to fact tables. An internal approach may be utilized, using aggregation functions with early aggregation for creating the queries. The results of the slice and dice operations may be outputted to a user on a computer monitor. |
| US08326796B2 |
Data retrieval and data feed generation from data sources
Despite the availability of mashup editors, people without programming knowledge cannot easily access the data sources to create data feeds. A data feed engine allows a user to create a data feed without protocol and/or formatting knowledge for the data source. The data feed engine automatically builds a search command with search parameters and a data source identity (e.g., server name, network address, port number, etc.). The data feed engine also encodes the built search command as a data feed and publishes a link for the data feed in a data feed catalog. After publication, users can access the catalog to combine data feeds, edit data feeds, etc., and create mashups. |
| US08326794B1 |
Active element management and support
Described are techniques for providing support in connection with a data storage system. An active element manager component is used to perform, a data storage system management operation. The active element manager component collects context information. The context information is transmitted from the data storage system to an external environment. User relevant information is received at the active element manager component from the external environment. The external environment determines the user relevant information in accordance with the context information and support information and services provided by the external environment. The user relevant information includes information about one or more types of support. The user relevant information is displayed via a user interface. |
| US08326793B1 |
Provision of computer resources based on location history
A location history manager may be configured to determine a location history associated with a user, and a resource usage manager may be configured to determine a computing resource usage history associated with the user. A location monitor may be configured to determine a location of the user. A resource predictor may be configured to generate a prediction of a computing resource, based on the location history, the computing resource usage history, and the location. A resource provider may be configured to provide the computing resource, based on the prediction. |
| US08326791B2 |
Prioritizing bridges to repair based on risk
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed toward methods, systems, and computer-readable media for prioritizing bridge repairs using a risk-based analysis. An overall risk factor is generated for each of a plurality of bridges. The overall risk factor represents the probability of failure times the consequence on failure for the bridge. Repairs to bridges that pose a greater risk may be prioritized before repairs made to bridges posing a lower risk. |
| US08326788B2 |
Determining the degree of relevance of alerts in an entity resolution system
An entity resolution system and alert analysis system configured to process inbound identity records and to generate alerts based on relevant identities, entities, conditions, activities, or events is disclosed. One process of resolving identity records and detecting relationships between entities may be performed using a pre-determined or configurable entity resolution rules. Further, the entity resolution system may include an alert analysis system configured to allow analysts to review and analyze alerts, entities, and identities, as well as provide comments or assign a disposition to alerts generated by the entity resolution system. Furthermore, the entity resolution system may be configured to handle duplicate alerts, i.e., one or more identical or near-identical alerts generated using the same entities and/or identities as well as assign a relevance score to the particular entities and identities included in the alert. |
| US08326785B2 |
Joint ranking model for multilingual web search
A classifier is built to rank documents of different languages found in a query based at least in part on similarity to other documents and the relevance of those other documents to the query. A joint ranking model, e.g., based upon a Boltzmann machine, is used to represent the content similarity among documents, and to help determine joint relevance probability for a set of documents. The relevant documents of one language are thus leveraged to improve the relevance estimation for documents of different languages. In one aspect, a hidden layer of units (neurons) represents clusters (corresponding to relevant topics) among the retrieved documents, with an output layer representing the relevant documents and their features, and edges representing a relationship between clusters and documents. |
| US08326783B2 |
Method and system for optimizing configuration classification of software
A method and system to minimize redundancy in testing a new software system by utilizing a knowledge base is provided. The knowledge base may be represented in a form of a decision tree including leaf nodes which store previously tested optimal configurations. When the knowledge base does not contain an optimal configuration for the new software, an optimal solution for the new software system may be determined by adding a further decision tree branch to the initial decision tree. A desirable tree branch may be selected from a table including a predetermined set of desirable tree branches for each category of software. As a result, the number of solutions to be tested on the input software may be limited and cost and effort to run redundant tests on a software system may be reduced. |
| US08326781B2 |
Method for the compressed transmission of data packet header fields in a packet-oriented data stream, method for compressing data packet header fields in a packet-oriented data stream, method for decompressing data packet header fields in a packet-oriented data stream, compression/decompression system, compression apparatus and decompression apparatus
In various embodiments, a method for compressed transmission of data packet header fields in a packet-oriented data stream may comprise: estimating in advance a data packet header field in a packet-oriented data stream from at least one preceding data packet header field; forming a piece of comparison information which indicates the difference between the data packet header field and the data packet header field estimated in advance using the transmitter neural network; transmitting the comparison information as a compressed data packet header field from the transmitter to a receiver; estimating in advance the data packet header field from at least one already transmitted data packet header field in the packet-oriented data stream using the receiver neural network; and generating the data packet header field from the data packet header field estimated in advance using the neural network of the receiver and from the transmitted piece of comparison information. |
| US08326778B1 |
Systems and methods for generating predicates and assertions
Systems and methods for deriving a predicate by constructing a logic formula from information recorded during test execution, optimizing the logic formula and computing the logical implication of the optimized logic formula. Systems and methods for deriving an assertion from a logical implication by substituting each predicate in the logical implication with corresponding design elements from a hardware design description, inserting the design elements into a target template, inserting a context-sensitive input of the target template based on design elements in the hardware design description and creating an instance name for an instantiation of the target template. Systems and methods for generating a set of clauses that are implied by a disjunctive normal formula of a set of cubes. |
| US08326776B2 |
Network-based method and apparatus for filtering junk messages
The present invention discloses a network-based method and system for filtering a junk message. The method includes the following procedures: word-segmenting a target message to obtain characteristic elements within the target message; obtaining probabilities of the characteristic elements in the target message according to a predefined keyword library, the keyword library being updated periodically; and accumulating the probabilities of the characteristic elements in the target message, comparing accumulated probabilities with a predetermined threshold, and concluding the target message is a junk message if the result is greater than the predetermined threshold. Using a predefined keyword library for verification of a target message avoids time delay and system resource waste caused by massive and complicated computations during message verification in existing technologies, thus satisfying the requirement of real-time filtering of junk messages. |
| US08326774B2 |
Systems and methods to distribute content over a network
The present embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, and systems to distribute content over a network. Some embodiments provide methods to distribute content within a local media network. These methods receive a request for a first content to be transferred to a sink device, request from the source an access criteria for a first content that is protected according to a first digital rights management (DRM), forward the access criteria to the sink device, receive an evaluation of the access criteria from the sink device regarding at least whether the sink device can interpret the first DRM, determine according to the evaluation received from the sink device whether the sink device can utilize the first content that is protected according to the first DRM, and initiate a transfer of the first content from the source device to the sink device when the sink device can utilize the first content. |
| US08326772B2 |
Method and apparatus for capacity- and value-based pricing model for professional services
A method and structure for pricing a good or service to a customer includes a calculator that executes a pricing model that includes a dimension of a utility of the good or service to the customer. |
| US08326771B2 |
Predicative recruitment reporting and management
Methods, computer-readable media, and apparatuses process data for an employee requisition, in which a contracted company may assume responsibility for supporting portions of the requisition process by filtering candidates. Consequently, only qualified candidates for a specified job assignment are interviewed by the contracting company (client). By looking at requisitions that are in process and focusing on whether or not they have achieved an expected threshold of activity, a requisition system can predict bottlenecks in the process before the requisition is filled. An interprocess report organizes and acts on data to provide a management team a prediction of how a recruitment team will perform by individual recruiter and requisition level. In addition, actions are identified that the manager can initiate to correct issues early in the requisition process in order to reduce an impact on the client as per a service level agreement. |
| US08326770B1 |
Monetary transfer in a social network
A method and system for billing and paying friends on a social network is described. A monetary transfer module generates an invoice for sharing an expense with at least one friend on a social network. The monetary transfer module identifies users on the social network. The monetary transfer module generates a group that includes the users based at least in part on at least one common feature between the users. At least one of the users included in the group incurs an expense. The monetary transfer module generates an invoice for paying for the expense. The monetary transfer module sends a notification to at least one of the users that includes the invoice. |
| US08326763B2 |
Method and system to detect invalid and fraudulent impressions and clicks in web-based advertisement systems
This invention improves upon existing pay-per-click arrangements periodically generating a code associated with the search-engine users. This code, preferably in the form of a serial number, is compared to the user of the website, such that by observing a metric like the number of clicks for a given period of time, be it a short time or a longer period, such as a day or a week, the system can automatically determine if certain clicks are illegitimate. This allows the pay-per-click company to more fairly invoice the merchants, thereby preventing fraudulent over use. |
| US08326761B1 |
System and method for MICR-based duplicate detection and management
A system and method for MICR-based duplicate detection and management identifies duplicate presented items on day one across a plurality of payment channels, prior to posting, preventing them from impacting financial institution customers by rerouting to an adjustments team. Inquiry files containing MICR data for a plurality of presented items are evaluated by a duplicate detection module. Each item presented is evaluated against all previous items based on its MICR line. Unique items are processed in the usual manner. Duplicate suspects undergo further processing. Suspects having identical MICR data, but that are not duplicates, such as NSF (non-sufficient funds) checks being re-deposited, are identified and posted. The remaining suspects go in the suspect queue of a universal workstation. After being researched, suspects found not to be duplicates are posted. The remaining suspects are flagged as duplicates and routed to an adjustor for further action. |
| US08326760B2 |
Computer-based collective intelligence recommendations for transaction review
In an embodiment, a data processing method comprises obtaining a plurality of first transaction data items for a proposed online credit card purchase transaction that has been recommended for review; obtaining a plurality of second transaction data items for a set of similar past online credit card purchase transactions, wherein each member of the set has one or more transaction feature values that are similar to the transaction data items of the proposed online credit card purchase transaction, and a decision value specifying whether the member was accepted or rejected by a reviewer; obtaining a stored data model of features, feature values, transaction acceptance decisions and rejection decisions of the reviewer based at least in part on the set, determining, based on applying the first transaction data items to the stored data model and a subsequent query to the database among more recent transactions that were not included during model construction, a likelihood value of a particular decision of whether the proposed online credit card purchase transaction would be accepted or rejected by the reviewer of the merchant; causing the likelihood value to be displayed; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. |
| US08326759B2 |
Verification of portable consumer devices
Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods, systems, and computer program products pertaining to obtaining, providing, and using dynamic card verification values for portable consumer devices, such as credit cards and debit cards. An exemplary method comprises receiving, at a server, a request for a device verification value for a portable consumer device associated with a user; obtaining, at the server, a datum indicative of a device verification value for a portable consumer device; and sending, from the server, the datum to at least one of a phone number or network address of a personal communication device associated with the user. |
| US08326758B2 |
Proxy card representing many monetary sources from a plurality of vendors
A proxy card used at an ATM or at any vendor store that has a legacy point of sale unit or at a store with the smart point of sale. In general, it can be used with any vendor and otherwise as any credit or debit card might be used. The point-of sale unit interacts with a multi-source processing system (MSPS) that, instead of servicing a single money source, interacts with more than one of a plurality of monetary sources that may be associated with the proxy card. The money transferred from credit or debit accounts of the user may be either transferred directly or indirectly via a proxy central account associated with the MSPS that a user maintains. |
| US08326757B2 |
Emerging market banking system
A banking system for emerging market countries which includes a central flow control apparatus or system, is disclosed. The central flow control apparatus permits securitization of future flows receivables of two or more banks within an emerging market country. The central flow control apparatus may include an interface layer, an applications layer, and a presentation layer. The banking system may be comprised of a first bank account directly owned by a first emerging market bank and a second bank account which is owned by a trust (or other special purpose legal entity), wherein the emerging market bank is the beneficiary of the trust. The first bank account and the second bank account are bank accounts of a first international correspondent bank. The first bank account would typically be an onshore account which can be controlled by actions of a first emerging market government of the first emerging market country. The second bank account would typically be an offshore account which can not be controlled by actions of the first emerging market government of the first emerging market country. |
| US08326756B2 |
Internet billing method
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, identifying a consumer account managed by a service provider to which purchases are chargeable, the identification of the account based on transactional information, enabling customer equipment to request a purchase of an electronically-purchasable item of a vendor via network equipment of the service provider, wherein the vendor is a party other than the service provider, charging the consumer account a fee for a purchase initiated by the customer equipment, and remitting a portion of the fee to an account of the vendor. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08326751B2 |
Apparatuses,methods and systems for a trackable virtual currencies platform
The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR A TRACKABLE VIRTUAL CURRENCIES PLATFORM (“TVC”) transform user transaction request input via various TVC components into transaction result output. In one embodiment, information regarding a virtual currency transaction including a user identifier of a user associated with the virtual currency transaction may be received. A potential fraud event threshold score for the user may be calculated by analyzing past fraud data associated with the user, and a virtual currency transaction fraud score may be calculated by analyzing the user's social graph and the user's prior game play patterns. If the virtual currency transaction fraud score exceeds the potential fraud event threshold score for the user, the virtual currency transaction may be identified as potentially fraudulent. |
| US08326750B1 |
Object oriented financial analysis tool
A financial analysis program includes an object oriented architecture having a number of abstract classes associated with performing financial calculations. The abstract classes include an instruments class that defines a number of financial instruments in a hierarchical manner. The abstract classes also include a models class that defines a number of objects or functions used to perform financial calculations. The program also includes an interface to allow a user to pass instrument parameters to the objects or functions and execute the object or function using the instrument parameters. |
| US08326749B1 |
Systems and methods of a mortgage pricing service
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for creating and using a common, generic, data/object model to represent information grids or lookup tables, such as a mortgage asset pricing information grid, mortgage asset re-pricing grid, and credit risk pricing grid. The common model allows a common software representation for logically different attributes. |
| US08326748B1 |
Automated loan approval system
The invention provides a method and system capable of automatic loan approval, in which lenders can both provide information to brokers regarding their loan policies, and in which brokers can obtain information regarding likely lender treatment of prospective borrowers. Thus, brokers search a database of possible loan programs made available by lenders, rather than lenders searching a database of possible loans made available by brokers. |
| US08326745B2 |
Products and processes for order distribution
Systems and methods for trading financial instruments through multiple trading intermediaries are described. |
| US08326743B1 |
Hybrid trading system for concurrently trading combined orders for financial instruments through both electronic and open outcry trading mechanisms
A system and method of trading combined orders in an exchange configured for trading by a combination of electronic and open-outcry trading mechanisms is provided. One method includes receiving an incoming order having a first order component and a second order component at an electronic trade engine and routing the first and second order components to a first electronic database. The first and second order components are matched and executed against order components maintained in the first and second electronic databases, respectively. Any unexecuted first and second order components are placed in an electronic book according to a predetermined program if the first or second order component cannot be completely matched against any order components maintained in one of the first or second electronic databases. The system includes a trade engine configured for receiving combined orders from market makers. |
| US08326736B2 |
Linked displayed market and midpoint matching system
An automated system for matching orders to buy and sell securities including a displayed market where orders are executed at a BBO price and where information about the market is made available to investors and a midpoint matching market for matching buy and sell orders at a predetermined price, namely, the midpoint between the national best bid and offer. The displayed market and the midpoint matching market are linked so that orders submitted to the displayed market are exposed to the midpoint matching market and can be executed at an improved price if a contra order is available on the midpoint matching market. |
| US08326734B2 |
System and method for implementing an anonymous trading method
A system and appertaining method are provided in which a brokerage firm transmits confidential information about security trading intentions to an anonymous server that follows through on a trade only if there is a likelihood that the trade can be completed. Pricing inputs are obtained that help a price engine determine pricing information for securities. The trade itself is executed by a primary trading system. If the trade is not completed, then the confidential information is not shared with a market maker or other purchasing or selling entity. When security is low and trust is high, for speed purposes, among other things, the anonymous server may be located with a market maker. When security is high and trust is low, any or all of the anonymous server, price engine, and primary trading system can be collocated on site with the broker in a secure environment. |
| US08326731B2 |
Fuel offering and purchase management system
The present disclosure is directed towards apparatuses, systems and methods to facilitate the pricing, sales and delivery of a commodity fuel to a Customer. In one embodiment, the disclosure teaches a Fuel Offer Generator that facilitates the purchase and management of fuel offerings. The Fuel Offer Generator allows Customers interested in securing fuel to obtain an offer for fuel at lock-in prices for various tenors. Fuel Customers can buy these fuel offers such that they may later exercise the fuel offers so their fuel costs are locked-in at desired levels (e.g., they may be set to strike prices). The Fuel Offer Generator also can establish a Premium Price that will be part of the fuel offer. The Fuel Offer Generator may generate hedges to counteract fuel related risks stemming from fuel offer purchases. Ultimately, a customer that purchases a fuel offering can exercise their fuel offering order at a specified price and redeem any difference between the market price for their purchased fuel and the price specified in their fuel offering order. The Fuel Offer Generator employs a national average fuel price metric as well as consumer behavior to establish the pricing of fuel offerings. |
| US08326730B2 |
System and method of clearing services for risk management trading
A system for automated clearing and settlement of risk management transactions on an automated system used by a plurality of users provides electronic interaction between buyers and sellers and enables parties to make decisions concerning reinsurance products. The clearing system enables the transfer of premium and loss payments directly between risk-bearers or via brokers representing these risk-bearers. |
| US08326729B2 |
Financial risk cover analysis, modeling control and monitoring system
An automatic Financial Risk Cover configuration which receives returns behaviors connecting statistical behavior of each potential allocation of a submanager to a resultant statistical behavior of a Financial Risk Cover associated with a client portfolio, creates a total set of Financial Risk Cover configurations using genetic optimization processes to produce unpredictable variations of configurations, simulates and models each configuration in the total set against a set of potential or expected transient market events representative of a plurality of combinations of transient events, removes from the total set each configuration which fails to meet performance objectives during the modelling from the total set of configurations; and outputs each remaining configuration in the total set, wherein each configuration represents a plurality of investment instruments, each investment instrument being associated with an initial cash position. |
| US08326728B1 |
Income product selector—purchase solver
A target income mix is expressed as a set of weights in a portfolio of one or more classes of income generating financial products to meet a first income need indicative of essential expenses and a second income need indicative of discretionary expenses for a user. The target income mix is converted to dollar amounts to invest in the classes of income generating products to meet the first and second income needs. Using the target income mix percentage weights, initial purchase amounts are determined from the user's available assets. The initial purchase amounts for each of the classes of income generating products can be adjusted until the overall portfolio is projected to produce enough after-tax income to meet the first income need at a first predetermined confidence level or return assumption and meet the first income need and the second income need at a second predetermined confidence level. |
| US08326724B1 |
Method and system relating to options on a debt transaction
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and systems relating to options on a debt transaction (e.g., put and call options may be utilized to create an economic effect similar to a reduction in debt of an issuer in exchange for enhancing the terms of a debt holder's existing debt investment). More particularly, one embodiment relates to a method implemented by a programmed computer system for use in a financial transaction involving a debt issuer and a debt holder, comprising: entering into a put/call contract between the debt issuer and the debt holder, wherein the debt issuer sells the put and buys the call and the debt holder buys the put and sells the call; inputting data associated with the put/call contract regarding conditions under which the debt issuer may retire outstanding debt of the debt issuer; inputting data associated with the put/call contract regarding conditions under which the debt holder may retire outstanding debt of the debt issuer; and retiring at least some of the outstanding debt, wherein the outstanding debt is retired utilizing calculations based upon the input data regarding conditions associated with the put/call contract under which the debt issuer and the debt holder may retire outstanding debt. |
| US08326723B2 |
Risk and reward assessment mechanism
A data driven and forward looking risk and reward appetite methodology for consumer and small business is described. The methodology includes customer segmentation to create pools of homogeneous assets in terms of revenue and loss characteristics, forward looking simulation to forecast expected values and volatilities of revenue and loss, and risk and reward optimization of the portfolio. One methodology used for modeling revenue and loss is a generalized additive effect decomposition model to fit historical data. Based on the model, a segmentation procedure is performed, which allows for creation of groups of customers with similar revenue and loss characteristics. An estimation procedure for the model is developed and a simulation strategy to forecast and simulate revenue and loss volatility is developed. Efficient frontier curves of risk (e.g., return volatility) and reward (e.g., expected return) are created for the current portfolio under various economic scenarios. |
| US08326722B2 |
Estimating risk of a portfolio of financial investments
An estimate of the effect of a market condition or conditions on a portfolio of financial investments is determined. Financial risk for a portfolio of financial investments is estimated for particular observed parameter values that affect the value of the portfolio. The financial risk is estimated based on previously calculated measurements of risk of the portfolio for a previously selected range of values of the parameters. |
| US08326719B2 |
Compound redemption device
The present invention provides methods and apparatus one or more of: creating, issuing and redeeming Compound Redeemable Instruments. Apparatus can include a computerized system with executable software that is executable upon demand to process Redemption Instances as well as create and issue Compound Redeemable Instruments. |
| US08326718B2 |
Systems and methods for distributing private placement documents
Methods of providing a private placement document to a potential investor in a private placement. The methods may comprise the step of generating the private placement document in an encrypted electronic format. The private placement document may include a unique identifier. The methods may also comprise the steps of providing the private placement document to the potential investor, and recording the unique identifier. |
| US08326716B2 |
Method and system for creating and trading derivative investment products based on a statistical property reflecting the variance of an underlying asset
Systems and methods for creating a limited risk derivative based on a realized variance of an underlying equity is disclosed. In one implementation, a limited risk derivative product includes a capped value for a statistical property reflecting a variance of the underlying equity is calculated based on a pari-mutuel action. The capped value includes a dynamic value and a cap. The dynamic value reflects an average volatility of prices returns of the underlying equity over a predefined period of time and the cap reflects a maximum value of the dynamic value. The limited risk derivative product additionally includes an average of a summation of each squared daily return of the underlying equity included in the value for the statistical property reflecting the variance of the underlying equity. |
| US08326715B2 |
Method of creating and trading derivative investment products based on a statistical property reflecting the variance of an underlying asset
Methods and systems for creating and trading derivative contracts based on a statistical property reflecting a variance of an underlying asset are disclosed. Typically, an underlying asset is chosen to be a base of a variance derivative and a processor calculates a value of the statistical property reflecting an average volatility of price returns of the underlying asset over a predefined period. A trading facility display device coupled to a trading platform then displays the variance derivative based on the value of the statistical property reflecting the volatility of the underlying asset and the trading facility transmits variance derivative quotes from liquidity providers over at least one dissemination network. |
| US08326713B2 |
Method and system for technology consumption management including allocation of fees
The invention facilitates monitoring, identifying, allocating and distributing the costs related to the consumption of raw technology resources by an organization. The invention provides a controller for automatically billing a designated account, project, division or third party for fees associated with the computing time, use or other similar services. The system may utilize a rules engine or any other factors for dividing the billings. The system may provide loyalty points for computer usage or accept loyalty points to pay for computer usage. The system may also monitor use in substantially real-time or provide notifications and warnings related to low or excessive use. Enhanced descriptive billing statements can be created simplifying the process of reconciling fees to the computing costs. The system may also compile usage statistics and send out requests for bids to obtain improved financial arrangements or to share usage with other entities. |
| US08326708B2 |
Techniques for processing customer service transactions at customer site using mobile computing device
Techniques are described for facilitating delivery and adjustments of customer orders at a customer delivery site. A delivery courier is assigned a mobile field computing device for facilitating delivery and order adjustments of customer orders associated with that courier's delivery route. The mobile field computing device includes memory for storing customer order history data and delivery route data downloaded from a server system. The delivery route data stored in the mobile field computing device may be used by the delivery courier to facilitate delivery of the customer orders. Further, the delivery courier may use the mobile field computing device to process a variety of different order adjustment transactions at a customer delivery site. |
| US08326707B2 |
Methods and systems for providing wireless enabled inventory peering
Systems and methods for providing wireless enabled inventory peering are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a system for providing wireless enabled inventory peering includes a wireless enabled inventory peering vehicle system (WEIPVS). The WEIPVS is configured to receive an inventory search request. In response to receiving the inventory search request, the WEIPVS searches inventories of proximate technician vehicles. If a needed inventory item is located in an inventory of a proximate technician vehicle, the WEIPVS generates a request for an inventory transfer and sends the request to the proximate technician vehicle. When the item is received at the WEIPVS, the WEIPVS updates the inventory associated with the WEIPVS. |
| US08326706B2 |
Providing logistics execution application as enterprise services
Methods and apparatus, including systems and computer program products, for a service architecture design that provides enterprise services having logistics execution functionality at the level of an enterprise application. The design includes a set of service operations, process components, and optionally deployment units. Suitable business objects are also described. |
| US08326704B2 |
Virtual reality shopping experience
A solution is provided for a method for a user to shop online in a three dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) setting by receiving a request at a shopping server to view a shopping location, having at least one store, and displaying the shopping location to the user's computer in a 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser to emulate a real-life shopping experience for the user. The server then obtains a request to enter into one of the stores and displays the store website to the user in the same web browser. The store website has one or more enhanced VR features. The server then receives a request to view at least one product and the product is presented in a 3D interactive simulation view to emulate a real-life viewing of the product. |
| US08326698B1 |
Local product information
The present invention is directed to a method and system for providing information obtained from both online stores and offline stores and for offering more purchasing options to customers. A customer can specify a particular item with detailed aspects for an information search, along with location information to define a local geographic area. The gathered local price information is presented to the customer over a network connection. The customer can purchase the item from either online stores or offline stores over a network connection. |
| US08326697B2 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating sales of goods by independent parties
A method for pricing independent sellers' goods. A marketeer exploits the nature of readily identifiable, fungible, durable goods by determining a price for a good, such as a used good, by using a price of a comparable good, such as a new good, as an index price and deriving a discounted sale price for the good from the price of the comparable good having essentially the same value due to its fungible, durable nature. A best price for the good is ensured by using as the index price a lowest price among a group of vendors for the comparable good. A shopping agent program may be used to query one or more vendors to determine a best price for the comparable good, and a pricing agent program may be used to derive a discounted sale price for the good from the best price for the comparable good. |
| US08326696B2 |
System and methods for a personal seat license auction
A system and methods for a personal seat license (PSL) auction are described. The PSL auction is designed to maximize revenue while providing bidders with a fun and engaging experience. In general, the PSL auction extends over multiple days, and PSLs are auctioned in mixed quantities of small lots so that inventory gets the most exposure. The list end times for the PSL listings are staggered to provide a dynamic online marketplace where PSL listings are closing all of the time. This provides more bidders that bid on multiple lots and more chances for bidders to return if they are unsuccessful on a given day. |
| US08326695B2 |
System and method for automated auctioning of web services
An automated auctioning system includes a customer, a web services register server (such as an Extended Markup Language (XML)-based registry server like an Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) registry) and a number of web service providers. Automated auctioning processes of a web service desired by the customer are undertaken between the potential customer and the web service providers. The potential customer issues a bid request, and each web service provider determines whether the value of a bid in response to the bid request is below a value warranted by market demand and issues the bid if the value is higher. The potential customer assesses the bid, creating a bid assessment score. The potential customer performs an iteration on the bid assessment score using a new bid request if the score has improved since a last iteration, while engaging the web service if the score has not improved. |
| US08326693B1 |
Conversion application implemented in network database to faciliate currency conversion
Systems, methods and computer program products for processing inputs of various formats to be used in an auction are described. In some implementations, a conversion application can be used to assist a user in setting a conversion ratio by which a service can be valued (e.g., for converting values between commercial and proprietary currency). In some implementations, a cash value of the service to be rendered can be defined. In these implementations, the conversion application can facilitate the determination of an appropriate conversion ratio by which the cash value can be converted to other currency value (e.g., to other proprietary currency). |
| US08326691B1 |
Remote consignor/bidder supplement for traditional live auctions
A method for adding a negotiation interface between remote consignors and bidders to a traditional-style live auction, comprising the steps of providing audio/video system apparatus; providing clerk system apparatus; providing marquee system apparatus; providing bid system apparatus; and providing negotiation apparatus for enabling selective direct price negotiations between remote auction consignors and remote auction bidders. |
| US08326684B1 |
System and method for selective publication of sponsored comments
A system for publishing a sponsor-comment together with content of a publisher that is associated with a particular file. A code segment is included in the particular file. A database relates a plurality of keywords with one or more sponsors. A registration module is operative to register one or more channels of the publisher, each said channel including at least one of the plurality of files. A communication module is operative to receive a sponsor-comment across the network. A comment management module is operative to selectively associate the sponsor-comment with the particular file in accordance with at least one criterion accessible to one or more of the servers. Upon opening each respective file in a browser of a client machine, the code segment executes to cause the browser to include in the display the sponsor-comment together with the publisher-content. Variations of systems and methods that publish sponsor comments are disclosed. |
| US08326680B2 |
Business activity monitoring anomaly detection
An anomaly detector compares a first event from a business activity monitoring system to a second number from an independent trusted source, wherein the first event includes a first number. The anomaly detector determines that the first number from the business activity monitoring system is inconsistent with the second number. The anomaly detector generates a calibration relationship between first number and second number based on time, responsive to a determination that the first number is inconsistent with the second number. The anomaly detector stores the calibration relationship. The anomaly detector receives a third number from the business activity monitoring system at an interval after comparing the first number. The anomaly detector displays the third number to a dashboard. The anomaly detector displays a qualifier to the third number. |
| US08326678B1 |
Customer impact measuring system
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for monitoring the daily performance, as measured by customer impact, of technology systems that interface between a company and its customers. To do so, for example, embodiments of the present invention record, on a daily basis, the number of failed interactions between the company's customers and its technology systems, and, based on the recorded number of failed interactions, embodiments of the present invention provide performance measurements of the company's technology systems. |
| US08326676B2 |
Systems and methods relating to a lead distribution engine that uses margin scores
Lead distribution systems and methods distribute consumer business leads received from lead sources for routing to one or more destinations that will use the lead and/or will forward the lead to another destination. The system identifies a set of most profitable destinations for each lead based on a margin score, while complying with business rules associated with the lead source and destinations. Each lead source is associated with at least one cost score, reflective of a monetary cost for the lead and of other business considerations associated with the lead source. Candidate destinations are each associated with a revenue score, reflective of an amount to be paid for a lead and of other business considerations associated with the destination. A margin score for each destination is calculated based on the cost and revenue scores, and the lead is distributed, based at least in part on the calculated margin scores. |
| US08326672B2 |
Using commercial share of wallet in financial databases
Commercial size of spending wallet (“CSoSW”) is the total business spend of a business including cash but excluding bartered items. Commercial share of wallet (“CSoW”) is the portion of the spending wallet that is captured by a particular financial company. A modeling approach utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a company's spend capacity. Companies which provide databases of financial information about other companies can use scores provided by this CSoW/CSoSW modeling approach to give an indication of how much the company is likely to spend in the future. |
| US08326669B2 |
System and method for selecting and scheduling corrective actions for automated storage management
Disclosed is a storage management framework that integrates corrective action plans output from multiple different types of planning tools, sorts the different corrective action plans based on utility and risk values and outputs a time-based schedule for implementing one or more of the corrective action plans to resolve identified current and anticipated workload service level objective (SLO) violations. |
| US08326665B2 |
System and method for using a component business model to organize an enterprise
A system and method is described for using a component business model to partition a business into non-overlapping components, and then allocating different components to appropriate organizing strategies, based on attribute values assigned to each component. In the best mode of implementation there are two attributes: whether or not the component differentiates the business within the market place; and whether the component is industry standard or is tailored by the organization. These attributes and their values map the components of the business to a matrix. Based on the combination of attribute values in each cell of the matrix, available organizing strategies are also mapped to the matrix, thereby identifying for each component an appropriate organizing strategy. |
| US08326662B1 |
Positioning E-commerce product related to graphical imputed consumer demand
Example embodiments provide program products, systems, and associated methods of presenting a seller with a graphical representation of demand for a potential product listing so that the seller can intelligently price and position the product. A website server associated with a website of product listings captures in a database product preference criteria for a consumer, including, for example, price information. The website server aggregates the captured product preference criteria for a plurality of consumers and determines an imputed consumer demand for a potential product listing. The website server displays on a display device associated with a computer of a seller a multi-dimensional graph of demand for the potential product listing so that the seller can gauge market demand prior to listing a product for sale. Embodiments further include two-dimensional graphs plotting demand versus price, contour lines for the demand imposed on pricing graphs, and color-coded demand heat maps. |
| US08326661B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing data statistics
Providing data statistics includes receiving property information of selected products input by users, searching and locating a Standard Property Union (SPU) corresponding to the property information in a database, the SPU comprising a set of one or more products sharing a set of one or more properties, generating behavior data, including by summarizing a cumulative number of behavioral instances associated with each product in the set of products included in the SPU, and outputting the behavior data. |
| US08326658B1 |
Generation and contextual presentation of statistical data reflective of user selections from an electronic catalog
An electronic catalog system monitors browsing actions of users to generate user activity data. A data mining component analyzes the user activity data to generate conditional probability data that is presented to users contextually to assist users in selecting items from the electronic catalog. The conditional probability data reflects the frequencies with which users that have performed specific actions, such as viewing a particular item, set of items or web page, or conducting a specific search, have thereafter acquired specific items from the catalog. For example, in one embodiment, when a user selects a first item for viewing in the catalog, the user is notified, for at least one second item, of a frequency with which users who have viewed the first item and then made a purchase have acquired the second item. |
| US08326654B2 |
Providing a service to a service requester
A data processing system for providing a service to a service requester is provided. The data processing system includes a filtering module to receive a request for a service from the service requester, and a ticket module to create a ticket. The ticket includes a risk profile level which is one of a predefined number of levels. The system further includes at least a first and second rule. The first rule specifies a control and the risk profile level response to a result obtained from the service requester. The second rule specifies a maximum acceptable risk profile level required to serve the service. An interface includes an output module to output the control to an agent and an input module to allow input of the service requester's response to the control. A modifier modifies the risk profile level according to the first rule and the service requester's response. The modifier compares the risk profile level with the maximum acceptable risk profile level. A service provision module allows the service to be performed if the risk profile level is less than or equal to the maximum acceptable risk profile level. |
| US08326653B2 |
Method and apparatus for analyzing patient medical records
A medical form is marked by a clinician during a patient/clinician encounter to generate a record with information related to a current complaint. The form is partitioned into several regions related to patient history, examination and medical decision, respectively. The form is automatically analyzed and using the locations of the marks on the form and a predetermined set of rules, a billing code is generated. The billing code determines the fee to be paid to the clinician or health provider. |
| US08326652B2 |
Optimization of timing for data collection and analysis in advanced patient management system
Advanced patient management systems include a unit for collecting data from a device associated with a patient, and a host in communication with the unit, the host identifying a time for the device to update data on the device. The system can identify a time for the device to update data associated with the device by developing a histogram of the availability of the device for interrogation. The system can also optimize processing loads for the system by developing a histogram of the time at which the caregiver is most likely to access the system to review the collected and processed data. Methods for optimizing device data update and processing times are also included. |
| US08326650B2 |
Blood sugar measuring device
The present invention is made to provide a safe and efficient blood glucose measuring device capable of collectively performing blood glucose measurement process and collectively performing insulin administration process on many patients, while ruling out the risk of misidentification and misprescription among the patients. When having read a patient ID with a patient ID reading section, a control section identifies a record of the patient of a measurement/administration results table. The control section does not perform blood glucose measurement on the patient of the identified record which shows that a blood glucose measurement flag is “true” and an insulin administration confirmation flag is “false”, and displays an insulin dosage on a display unit with respect to the patient by referring to a prescription information table based on the blood glucose level has been measured. The control section does not display the insulin dosage on the display unit again for the patient whose record is identified which shows that the insulin administration confirmation flag is “true”. |
| US08326646B2 |
Method and system for suggesting meals based on tastes and preferences of individual users
A system and method for generating meal suggestion messages using an expert system and then pushing those suggestions to users. Meal suggestions are tailored to users based on their tastes and preferences. Users specify preferences related to a diet plan, food preferences, meal time preferences, and meal preparation preferences. An expert system considers each user's preferences and nutritional data to generate meal suggestion messages consistent with the user's preferences and dietary goals. Meal suggestions are pushed to the user according to the user's preferred time for eating each meal. The user can accept or reject the suggested meal or one or more foods within a suggested meal. For rejected meal suggestions, a meal substitution message is generated and sent. The expert system uses accepted and rejected meal suggestions to determine if certain foods or entire meals should no longer be recommended to individual users or to system users as a whole. |
| US08326636B2 |
Using a physical phenomenon detector to control operation of a speech recognition engine
A transmission device such as a cell phone or other mobile communication device includes a physical phenomenon detection device to perform a “push to talk” function by detecting the occurrence of a particular physical phenomenon and using such detection to start and stop recording an utterance for subsequent analysis by a speech recognition engine. A method of controlling operation of a speech recognition engine in response to detection of a physical phenomenon includes detecting or sensing, via a physical phenomenon detection unit, a predetermined physical phenomenon representative of an intent to invoke operation of a speech recognition engine. In response to the detection or sensing of the predetermined physical phenomenon, a signal is transmitted to a control unit in a communication device. In response to the receipt of the transmitted signal, the utterance received from a user via the communication device is recorded, and the recorded utterance is provided to a speech recognition engine for operation thereon. The user may thus effectuate operation of the speech recognition engine upon the utterance by causing the physical phenomenon to occur. |
| US08326634B2 |
Systems and methods for responding to natural language speech utterance
Systems and methods are provided for receiving speech and non-speech communications of natural language questions and/or commands, transcribing the speech and non-speech communications to textual messages, and executing the questions and/or commands. The invention applies context, prior information, domain knowledge, and user specific profile data to achieve a natural environment for one or more users presenting questions or commands across multiple domains. The systems and methods creates, stores and uses extensive personal profile information for each user, thereby improving the reliability of determining the context of the speech and non-speech communications and presenting the expected results for a particular question or command. |
| US08326631B1 |
Systems and methods for speech indexing
A speech index for a recording or other representation of an audio signal containing speech is generated using a phonetic automatic voice recognition engine. A second speech index is also generated using a more accurate, but slower, automatic voice recognition engine such as a large vocabulary speech recognition (LVSR) engine. These two speech indexes are compared. The results of the comparison are then used to adjust certain parameters used by the phonetic engine while generating a speech index. The results may also be used to correct all or parts of the speech index generated by the phonetic automatic speech recognition engine. |
| US08326622B2 |
Dialog filtering for filling out a form
The invention discloses a system and method for filling out a form from a dialog between a caller and a call center agent. The caller and the caller center agent can have the dialog in the form of telephone conversation, instant messaging chat or email exchange. The system and method provides a list of named entities specific to the call center operation and uses a translation and transcription minor to filter relevant elements from the dialog between the caller and the call center agent. The relevant elements filtered from the dialog are subsequently displayed on the call center agent's computer screen to fill out application forms automatically or through drag and drop operations by the call center agent. |
| US08326620B2 |
Robust downlink speech and noise detector
A voice activity detection process is robust to a low and high signal-to-noise ratio speech and signal loss. A process divides an aural signal into one or more bands. Signal magnitudes of frequency components and the respective noise components are estimated. A noise adaptation rate modifies estimates of noise components based on differences between the signal to the estimated noise and signal variability. |
| US08326619B2 |
Adaptive tuning of the perceptual model
Methods of encoding a signal using a perceptual model are described in which a signal to mask ratio parameter within the perceptual model is tuned. The signal to mask ratio parameter is tuned based on a function of the bitrate of the part of the signal which has already been encoded and the target bitrate for the encoding process. The tuned signal to 5 mask ratio parameter is used to compute a masking threshold for the signal which is then used to quantise the signal. |
| US08326617B2 |
Speech enhancement with minimum gating
A speech enhancement system enhances transitions between speech and non-speech segments. The system includes a background noise estimator that approximates the magnitude of a background noise of an input signal that includes a speech and a non-speech segment. A slave processor is programmed to perform the specialized task of modifying a spectral tilt of the input signal to match a plurality of expected spectral shapes selected by a Codec. |
| US08326616B2 |
Dynamic noise reduction using linear model fitting
A speech enhancement system improves the speech quality and intelligibility of a speech signal. The system includes a time-to-frequency converter that converts segments of a speech signal into frequency bands. A signal detector measures the signal power of the frequency bands of each speech segment. A background noise estimator measures a background noise detected in the speech signal. A dynamic noise reduction controller dynamically models the background noise in the speech signal. The speech enhancement renders a speech signal perceptually pleasing to a listener by dynamically attenuating a portion of the noise that occurs in a portion of the spectrum of the speech signal. |
| US08326614B2 |
Speech enhancement system
A speech enhancement system improves speech conversion within an encoder and decoder. The system includes a first device that converts sound waves into operational signals. A second device selects a template that represents an expected signal model. The selected template models speech characteristics of the operational signals through a speech codebook that is further accessed in a communication channel. |
| US08326613B2 |
Method of synthesizing of an unvoiced speech signal
The present invention relates to a method of synthesizing a signal comprising the steps of determining a required pitch bell locations, mapping the required pitch bell locations onto the signal to provide first pitch bell locations, randomizing the first pitch bell locations to provide second pitch bell locations, windowing the signal on the second pitch bell locations to provide a pitch bell, repeating the aforementioned steps for all required pitch bell locations and performing an overlap and add operation with respect to the pitch bells in order to synthesize the signal. |
| US08326611B2 |
Acoustic voice activity detection (AVAD) for electronic systems
Acoustic Voice Activity Detection (AVAD) methods and systems are described. The AVAD methods and systems, including corresponding algorithms or programs, use microphones to generate virtual directional microphones which have very similar noise responses and very dissimilar speech responses. The ratio of the energies of the virtual microphones is then calculated over a given window size and the ratio can then be used with a variety of methods to generate a VAD signal. The virtual microphones can be constructed using either an adaptive or a fixed filter. |
| US08326602B2 |
Detecting writing systems and languages
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for detecting writing systems and languages are disclosed. In one implementation, a method is provided. The method includes receiving text; detecting a first segment of the text, where a substantial amount of the first segment represents a first language; detecting a second segment of the text, where a substantial amount of the second segment represents a second language; identifying scores for each n-gram of size x included in the text; and detecting an edge that identifies a transition from the first language to the second language in the text based on variations of the scores. |
| US08326600B2 |
Evaluating and modifying transliteration rules
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for adjusting transliteration weights. One methods includes maintaining transliteration rules and a weight for each rule and receiving training pairs comprising a first word in a first writing system and a second word in a second writing system, where the second word is a transliteration of the first word. The method further includes processing the training pairs to determine, for each transliteration rule, one or more good weight adjustments and one or more bad weight adjustments, and for one or more of the transliteration rules, selecting a good weight adjustment for the transliteration rule that has a highest associated gain and updating the weight for the transliteration rule to reflect the selected good weight adjustment for the rule. |
| US08326589B2 |
Stable equilibrium point (SEP) calculation apparatus of power system
In the present invention, in a case where a stable equilibrium point calculation is not calculable by using a Newton method, a damping factor of a mechanical system differential equation of a generator is set to be greater than an actual value of the generator of the power system. By applying pseudo-transient simulation to the nonlinear differential algebraic equation of the power system including the mechanical system differential equation of the generator, in which the damping factor is set, a norm of a mechanical system equation is found. If the found norm meets a predetermined condition, variable values of the power system at a time when the norm is found are set as initial values of the nonlinear differential algebraic equation of the power system. A stable equilibrium point is determined by applying the Newton method to the nonlinear differential algebraic equation in which the initial values are set. |
| US08326585B1 |
Computational fluid dynamics shock wave identification
A method for identifying a shock wave includes creating a grid comprising cells; sorting the cells based on their pressure gradients; and sorting the cells based on a negative dot product of their pressure gradients and their velocity vectors divided by the velocity of sound. The number of cells that are refined may be reduced by sorting the cells based on their distances from a shock wave center, and/or sorting the cells based on their mass fractions of a species. A buffer zone of refined cells may be created in front of the shock wave. |
| US08326584B1 |
Music searching methods based on human perception
A method for characterizing a musical recording as a set of scalar descriptors, each of which is based on human perception. A group of people listens to a large number of musical recordings and assigns to each one many scalar values, each value describing a characteristic of the music as judged by the human listeners. Typical scalar values include energy level, happiness, danceability, melodicness, tempo, and anger. Each of the pieces of music judged by the listeners is then computationally processed to extract a large number of parameters which characterize the electronic signal within the recording. Algorithms are empirically generated which correlate the extracted parameters with the judgments based on human perception to build a model for each of the scalars of human perception. These models can then be applied to other music which has not been judged by the group of listeners to give to each piece of music a set of scalar values based on human perception. The set of scalar values can be used to find other pieces that sound similar to humans or vary in a dimension of one of the scalars. |
| US08326583B2 |
CAD system and method for blend recognition and chain sorting in a Brep model
A CAD system, method, and computer readable medium. A method includes loading a CAD object including a plurality of faces, and identifying a plurality of candidate faces from the plurality of faces. The candidate faces can include candidate blends. The method includes combining multiple ones of the candidate faces into a candidate blend chain, including at least one candidate blend. The method includes replacing the candidate blends with accurate blends to produce a corrected blend chain, and storing the corrected blend chain with the accurate blends as part of the CAD object. |
| US08326582B2 |
Acoustic-based rotating component analysis
An acoustic sensor acquires acoustic data corresponding to a rotating component of a machine during operation of the machine. The acoustic sensor can be configured to enhance acoustic signals in a range of frequencies corresponding to at least one evaluated condition of the rotating component and/or enhance the acoustic signals received from a directional area narrowly focused on the rotating component. The rotating component is evaluated using the acoustic data acquired by the acoustic sensor. In an embodiment, the machine can be a vehicle traveling past a parabolic microphone. In a more specific embodiment, the vehicle is a rail vehicle and the rotating component is a railroad wheel bearing. |
| US08326581B2 |
Crash sensor and method for processing at least one measuring signal
In a crash sensor and a method for processing a measured value of the crash sensor, at least one measured quantity is detected by a sensor element and a first rewritable memory is provided in which first data for influencing the processing of the at least one measured quantity are stored. In addition, a second hardwired memory is provided in which second data for influencing the processing are stored. A logic module is provided which loads the first or second data, as a function of a test of the first memory, for processing the at least one measured quantity. |
| US08326580B2 |
Sparse sampling of signal innovations
The present invention relates to a method of processing a signal which is received by a receiver, comprising, obtaining an analog signal (yt) based on another signal (xt) and noise; defining a sampling kernel based on the noise; and using the sampling kernel to obtain at least one sample (yn) from the analog signal (yt). The invention also relates to a corresponding apparatus; computer program product; headset; watch, and sensing device. |
| US08326579B2 |
Method and system for program execution integrity measurement
The present disclosure is directed towards methods and systems and methods for measuring the integrity of an operating system's execution and ensuring that the system's code is performing its intended functionality. This includes examining the integrity of the code that the operating system is executing as well as the data that the operating system accesses. Integrity violations can be detected in the dynamic portions of the code being executed. |
| US08326575B1 |
Machine-based population stability index selection
Apparatus and methods for quantifying a difference between a first population distribution data set and a second population distribution data set. The apparatus and methods may use randomly generated population distribution differences to generate a mapping of a population stability index to a population distribution difference function. The population distribution difference function may be more responsive to some differences between the first and second population distribution data sets than is the population stability index. The population distribution difference function thus may be used to identify differences between population distribution data sets. The differences may then be mapped to a corresponding population stability index. The population stability index may then be used to quantify a difference between the first and second data sets. |
| US08326570B2 |
Steering wheel position sensor
A position sensor assembly for determining the absolute angular position of a motor vehicle steering wheel includes a housing, an input gear driven by a rotary input, and a pickup gear coupled to the input gear. A cam having a spiroidal profile is generated about the rotational axis of the input gear and is rotatable with the input gear. A cam follower is coupled with the housing and engages the spiroidal profile, wherein rotation of the spiroidal profile as the input gear turns causes the cam follower to move along the spiroidal profile. A first sensor is associated with the pickup gear such that rotation of the pickup gear provides an output signal from the first sensor. A second sensor is associated with the cam follower such that motion of the cam follower produces an output signal from the second sensor. A processor receives output signals from the first and second sensors to produce a signal proportional to the angular position of the input gear. |
| US08326568B2 |
Temperature sensor and temperature sensing method
A temperature sensor is provided. The temperature sensor includes: a temperature sensing unit for sensing a temperature and outputting a temperature sensing signal; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), coupled to the temperature sensing unit, for converting the temperature sensing signal to a digital value, having an ADC output range; a calibration unit, coupled to the ADC, for correlating the ADC output range with at least one temperature range; a memory unit, coupled to the calibration unit, recording the ADC output range, and the at least one temperature range, and the correlation therebetween. |
| US08326565B2 |
Chip tester, method for providing timing information, test fixture set, apparatus for post-processing propagation delay information, method for post-processing delay information, chip test set up and method for testing devices under test
A chip tester for testing at least two devices under test connected to the chip tester has a timing calculator for generating a timing information for the channels of the chip tester. The timing calculator is adapted to obtain a propagation delay difference information describing a difference between, on the one hand, a propagation delay from the first channel port of the chip tester to the first terminal of the first device under test and, on the other hand, a propagation delay from the first channel port of the chip tester to the second terminal of the second device under test. The timing calculator is adapted to provide a timing information for a second channel of the chip tester connected to the first device under test or to the second device under test on the basis of the propagation delay difference information. The channel module configurator is adapted to configure the second channel of the chip tester on the basis of the timing information. |
| US08326563B2 |
Method for determining agricultural bale weight
A method is provided for determining the weight of an agricultural bale that compensates for un-level terrain such as hillsides. The method uses an empty baler tare weight and a full baler weight to determine a raw bale weight. The cosine of the slope upon which the baler sits is then calculated based upon the empty baler weight as it sits and the empty baler tare weight. The cosine of the angle of slope and raw bale weight are then used to determine an actual bale weight. Further steps are provided for compensating in the tare weight of the baler for the weight of wrapping material consumed in the formation of each bale. |
| US08326562B2 |
Information management system for drive apparatus and method of manufacturing drive apparatus
An information management system includes a storage medium storing position error information of the rotation sensor obtained based on information of the back electromotive force and output information from the rotation sensor in an inspection process in which a back electromotive force is measured by mechanically driving the rotary electrical machine after the rotary electrical machine and the rotation sensor are assembled, wherein the storage medium is provided in a state capable of being read via communication when a control device controlling the rotary electrical machine is assembled with the rotary electrical machine. |
| US08326558B2 |
Method of analyzing an integrated circuit, method of observation and their associated installations
The invention relates to a method for analyzing an integrated circuit, including a step for applying laser radiation at a point on the surface of the circuit, a step for exciting the circuit thus subjected to laser radiation by applying an electrical excitation signal, a step for collecting the response of the circuit to the excitation, the circuit being subjected to laser radiation, and a step for measuring the phase difference between the response to the excitation of the circuit subjected to laser radiation and a reference response of the circuit in the absence of laser radiation applied to the circuit. The invention also relates to an associated observation method and installation. |
| US08326557B2 |
Detection of an abnormal signal in a compound sampled
A technique detects an abnormal signal in a compound sampled signal recorded in the time domain. The technique involves dividing the sampled signal recorded in the time domain into sample segments; transforming each of the sample segments from the time domain into the frequency domain to determine transformed segments, each transformed segment having frequency points, each frequency point having an amplitude associated with a certain frequency; for a frequency point in a given transformed segment, determining a ratio by dividing the amplitude of the frequency point by a value indicative of an average of the amplitudes of the frequency points at the same frequency across transformed segments; repeating the determination of a ratio for frequency points in each transformed segment to determine ratios for each transformed segment; repeating the determination of ratios for transformed segments; and using the ratios to detect the abnormal signal in the compound sampled signal. |
| US08326556B2 |
Stray flux processing method and system
A method of and system for processing stray flux data associated with a synchronous electrical machine; the method comprising capturing stray flux data from the synchronous electrical machine; generating a stray flux waveform using at least the captured stray flux data; analysing the generated stray flux waveform and the captured stray flux data; and storing the generated stray flux waveform and the captured stray flux data in a database. |
| US08326555B2 |
System and method for measuring conductivity/resistivity of water having high purity
A system and related method are provided for measuring conductivity/resistivity of water having high purity, including a temperature sensor and a conductivity/resistivity sensor exposed to a water source. The system further includes a computing assembly configured to receive measurement signals from the sensors and to determine change in resistivity over a change in temperature (a collected R/T slope) from the collected temperature measurements and the collected resistivity measurements. The system compares the collected R/T slope to a standardized R/T slope at a temperature value corresponding to a midpoint temperature of the temperature measurements over the prescribed time interval. Based on the comparing, the system provides providing a compensated measurement for resistivity or conductivity of the water source. As a result, the system can calibrate the sensor continually during use, in real time, resulting in highly improved accuracy. |
| US08326550B2 |
Differential pressure transmitter
When the damping time constant Dτ is changed to Dτ=0, the sampling period Ts is automatically changed from 100 ms to 50 ms. The sampling time is automatically changed from 60 ms to 30 ms. Thus, when the damping time constant Dτ is changed to Dτ=0, a processing unit samples an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure difference of a fluid detected by a differential pressure sensor for the sampling time ts=30 ms in every sampling period Ts=50 ms, and finds the measurement value ΔP of the differential pressure by performing a variety of operation processing including a linearization operation and a square root operation on the sampled electrical signal. In the operation processing, the processing unit does not perform a damping operation. |
| US08326545B2 |
System and method for displaying a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic drug model
A system and method for displaying a pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics drug model for a patient is provided. A monitor is arranged to detect a quantity of anesthetic agent provided to a patient by an anesthesia machine. A display is provided for displaying real-time pharmacokinetics data associated with the quantity of anesthetic agent provided to the patient. Safety control means are provided to initiate the display of real-time pharmacokinetics data for the anesthetic agent only when a predetermined threshold value for the anesthetic agent is detected by the monitor. Alternately, control means are adapted to terminate display of real-time pharmacokinetics data for the anesthetic agent when a predetermined threshold value for the anesthetic agent is detected by the monitor. |
| US08326539B2 |
Characterizing at least one property of a liner that lines a well
Impedances of an electromagnetic (EM) coil positioned in a well lined with an electrically conductive liner are determined. The impedances correspond to plural frequencies of operation of the EM coil. Based on the impedances of the EM coil corresponding to the plural frequencies, an attenuation factor associated with the electrically conductive liner is determined. |
| US08326537B2 |
Survey design using earth observation data
A method for generating one or more maps of a survey area. In one implementation, the method may include receiving earth observation data, decomposing the earth observation data into pixels, georeferencing the earth observation data in pixel form with the curvature of the earth's surface, integrating the earth observation data in pixel form with seismic data, extracting one or more attributes from the integrated data and displaying the extracted attributes on one or more survey maps. |
| US08326536B1 |
Computer-implemented system and method for correlating satellite imagery for use in photovoltaic fleet output estimation
A computer-implemented system and method for correlating satellite imagery for use in photovoltaic fleet output estimation is provided. Pixels in satellite imagery data of overhead sky clearness is correlated to a bounded area within a geographic region. Each pixel represents collective irradiance that is converted into point clearness indexes for the points within the bounded area relative to clear sky irradiance. The point clearness indexes in the point clearness indexes are averaged for the points within the bounded area into an area clearness index. A variance of the area clearness index is determined in proportion to a physical area covered by each pixel. For each point, a variance of the point clearness index is determined as a ratio of the area clearness index variance and the physical area relative to the point clearness index, regional cloud speed, and a time interval relating to a time resolution of collective irradiance observation. |
| US08326535B1 |
Computer-implemented system and method for correlating overhead sky clearness for use in photovoltaic fleet output estimation
A computer-implemented system and method for correlating overhead sky clearness for use in photovoltaic fleet output estimation is provided. A temporal distance that includes a physical distance between two locations, which are each within a geographic region suitable for operation of a photovoltaic fleet, is determined in proportion to cloud speed within the geographic region. A set of input sky clearness indexes is generated as a ratio of each irradiance observation in a set of irradiance observations that has been regularly measured for one of the locations within the geographic region, and clear sky irradiance. A clearness index correlation coefficient between the two locations is determined as an empirically-derived function of the temporal distance. The set of input sky clearness indexes is weighted by the clearness index correlation coefficient to form a set of output sky clearness indexes, which indicates the sky clearness for the other of the locations. |
| US08326534B2 |
Homing display system and method
A relative positioning system enabling a user to return to a starting position or some other point on the user's path. The system may include an array of accelerometers. The output from the accelerometers may be integrated to quantify movement of the array. The various movements of the array may be reconstructed to determine a net two or three dimensional translation. The current location of the array may be compared to a reference point to derive at trajectory directing the user to the reference point, such as an originating point. The trajectory may be continuously or periodically updated. Applications may include various displays presenting images, numbers, pointers, paths, vectors, or data by digital screens, watch faces, or other devices integrated with or remote from the processor calculating the vector back to the point of origin. |
| US08326528B2 |
Showing realistic horizons on mobile computing devices
In general, this disclosure describes techniques for providing a user of a computing device with the ability to view a realistic map of the sky based on information associated with the current location of the user. The information may be geographical information, orientation or directionality of the computing device, time and date, and zoom settings of the computing device. The computing device may use built-in capabilities (e.g., compass) and applications (e.g., maps and GPS) to determine the current location information. The computing device then uses the current location information to obtain celestial and topographical information. Using the celestial information, the computing device displays a map of the sky with the appropriate celestial bodies. Additionally, the computing device uses the topographical information to display a realistic rendering of the horizon, such that objects in the horizon may be displayed to render a realistic representation of the sky from the current location. |
| US08326522B2 |
Establishing wireless networking between a vehicle and dealership using GPS location information
A method and apparatus which enables a vehicle to establish a wireless network connection to a dealership. Upon the vehicle discovering a dealership wireless node, the vehicle obtains dealership GPS coordinates and compares them to the vehicle's own GPS data to determine whether the vehicle is on the dealership's premises. If so, a WiFi connection is established. If not, the wireless node is ignored. |
| US08326518B2 |
Knocking detecting apparatus for internal combustion engine
A knocking detecting apparatus for an internal combustion engine, which can more accurately perform the knocking determination based on frequency components of the output signal of the knock sensor, is provided. A frequency spectrum analysis of the knock sensor output signal is performed at predetermined angular intervals of the crankshaft rotation angle. Intensities of a plurality of frequency components obtained by the frequency spectrum analysis are stored as time series data. The time series data of the frequency component intensity are binarized, and it is determined whether or not a knocking has occurred based on the binarized time series data. |
| US08326516B2 |
Engine control device
There is provided an engine control device which can accurately calculate a compensation coefficient used for transient compensation of an ignition timing without involving a complicated and large-scale calculation model in order to prevent a combustion deterioration and the like caused by a mechanical response delay and the like of the variable valve timing mechanism at a transition time such as an acceleration/deceleration time. The angular difference between each current real phase of the intake/exhaust valves 21 and 22 and a target phase set based on an engine load equivalent amount such as an intake air amount is obtained; the shift amount or its correlation value between a current real intake air amount and a theoretical intake air amount value calculated using a pressure inside an intake manifold when each phase of the intake/exhaust valves has reached the target phase is obtained; further a compensation coefficient for matching the shift amount or its correlation value with the angular difference is obtained; and the compensation coefficient is used to perform transient compensation of an ignition timing. |
| US08326515B2 |
Driver selectable AFM/NVH tolerance
An engine control system includes a coefficient calculation module that selects one of N coefficients based on an AFM selection by a corresponding one of N users. A switching torque calculation module calculates an adjusted active fuel management (AFM) switching threshold based on the one of the N coefficients, a maximum torque of an engine, and a default AFM switching threshold. |
| US08326513B2 |
Gas turbine combustion dynamics control system and method
A gas turbine engine control system comprises a data acquisition and analysis system for receiving a signal from a combustion dynamics sensor and providing an output signal and a combustion dynamics control system for controlling combustion dynamics based on the output signal. The control system is associated with a purge-air flow and comprises an acoustic driver, or a flow-manipulating device, or both to perturb the purge-air flow entering the combustor can for controlling combustion dynamics. |
| US08326511B2 |
System and method for estimating torque output of a homogeneous charge compression ignition engine
A control system for a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine includes a fuel requirement estimation module, a torque estimation module, and a torque control module. The fuel requirement estimation module estimates a fuel requirement of the HCCI engine based on a desired indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) of cylinders in the HCCI engine. The torque estimation module estimates a torque output of the HCCI engine based on the estimated fuel requirement. The torque control module adjusts the torque output of the HCCI engine based on the estimated torque output and a desired torque output. |
| US08326509B2 |
Method for operating a vehicle brake system using brake temperature
A method that compensates for temperature-related effects in a vehicle brake system. According to one embodiment, the method determines the temperature of a brake pad, calculates a temperature-based modifier, and then uses the temperature-based modifier to adjust one or more brake command signals provided to the vehicle brake system so that they are compensated for temperature-related changes in the coefficient of friction (μ) of the brake pad and rotor. The method may be used with brake-by-wire systems such as electrohydraulic braking (EHB) systems and electromechanical braking (EMB) systems. |
| US08326502B2 |
Electric vehicle control
A method for controlling an electric vehicle includes computing an electric motor RPM based on a computed Back Electromotive Force (BEMF). Modern electric vehicle designs include intelligent control of the electric motors and transmissions to respond to operator controls and provide efficient operation to extend battery life. An accurate measure of motor RPM is required for such control. Various methods are available for obtaining motor RPM, but most require external sensors susceptible to damage from road debris and the like. The BEMF is proportional to motor speed and independent of motor load. The BEMF may further be computed from the difference between IR loss and motor voltage. The motor RPM is them computed from BEMF using data recorded for the individual motor. |
| US08326501B2 |
Method and apparatus for shift-by-wire in a motor vehicle
A vehicle includes a motor responsive to a first electronic control signal to transition between an active state and an inactive state and a transmission responsive to a second electronic control signal to transition between at least a reverse state, a neutral state and a drive state. A user-actuated control is mounted to an interior surface in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The control has at least one contact surface that contacts the user when the user operates the control, wherein the contact surface is integrated with a logo. A circuit is coupled to the control to generate at least one of the first electronic control signal and the second electronic control signal in response to user actuation of the control. |
| US08326496B2 |
Motion control device of vehicle
A motion control device of a vehicle comprises: a steering angle controller which controls a steering angle of a steered wheel so that an actual turning controlling variable becomes a target turning controlling variable; and a braking force controller which controls a vehicle braking force so that the actual turning controlling variable becomes the target turning controlling variable. The control of the steering angle controller is stopped by detecting a timing with which the braking force controller detects an oversteering state of the vehicle to start a braking force control. |
| US08326491B2 |
Method and device for determining an absolute value of a variable
A method and a device for acquiring a value of a defined reference point of a first variable which is measured by an incrementally measuring sensor of a motor vehicle are disclosed. The method includes the step of acquiring intermediate values of the defined reference point in at least two detection modules using at least one second measured variable, wherein each detection module is adapted to determine a value of the defined reference point of the first variable in a pre-defined driving situation. A quality level for each intermediate value is determined. The quality levels of the intermediate values are compared. The value of the defined reference point is determined from the acquired intermediate values in accordance with a result of the compared quality levels. |
| US08326490B2 |
Steering angle sensor system and method for measuring a steering angle
A steering angle sensor system for measuring a steering angle in a motor vehicle. The steering angle sensor system includes a magnetic encoder which is coupled to at least one magnetic field sensor that senses a variation in the steering angle even when the ignition is switched off, and an electronic memory for storing the steering angle variation. The steering angle sensor system also includes at least one magnetic-field-sensitive element which is coupled to the magnetic encoder for detecting the occurrence of steering movements at an early time in order to at least partially activate the steering angle sensor system and/or another system. |
| US08326489B2 |
Controller of electric power-assist steering system
The present invention discloses a controller of an electric power-assist steering system including a torque detector for detecting a torque applied with a steering wheel that steers a steering system; a steering status determining section for determining a steering status of either “turn” or “return” of a steering wheel; and a motor controlling unit for driving a motor in accordance with a target current value calculated based on at least a torque value from the torque detector and the steering status of either “turn” or “return” of the steering wheel from the steering status determining section, wherein the motor controlling unit sets a target current value right after a time when the steering status is switched between “turn” and “return” to be substantially equal to an actual current value right before a time when the steering status is switched between “turn” and “return”. |
| US08326488B2 |
Height controlling apparatus
A height controlling apparatus for controlling at least one actual height as a relative position of (a) a body of a vehicle and (b) at least one wheel of the vehicle relative to each other, the apparatus including at least one height controlling actuator which changes the at least one actual height; and an actuator control device which controls the at least one height controlling actuator so that the at least one actual height approaches at least one target height. The actuator control device includes a possibility detecting device which detects, before an absolute value of a difference of the at least one target height and the at least one actual height exceeds a reference value, whether there is a possibility that an object may be present in a direction in which the body is moved to change the at least one actual height, and a movement restraining portion which controls, when the possibility detecting device detects that there is the possibility, the at least one height controlling actuator to restrain a movement of the body in the direction. |
| US08326477B2 |
Heel and toe driving on fuel cell vehicle
A system and method for providing nearly instantaneous power in a fuel cell vehicle. The method includes monitoring the brake pedal angle and the accelerator pedal angle of the vehicle, and if the vehicle driver is pressing both the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal at the same time and the vehicle is in a drive gear, activating a heel and toe mode. When the heel and toe mode is activated, the speed of a cathode compressor is increased to a predetermined speed set-point, which is higher than the normal compressor speed for the pedal position. Thus, when the vehicle brake is removed, the compressor speed is high enough to provide enough air to the cathode, so that the stack can generate nearly immediate power. |
| US08326471B2 |
Methods of detecting misalignment of points belonging to an aircraft flight plan
A method of detecting the misalignment of a first point (1) in space is disclosed. The method includes a trajectory of an aircraft flight plan, wherein the flight plan has two points (2, 3) in succession and preceding the first point (1) and two points (4, 5) in succession and subsequent to the first point (1), A first acute angle (θ1) is calculated which is formed by a first segment (LEG-1) joining the points (2, 3) and a second segment joining the third (3) and the fourth (4) points. A second acute angle (θ2) is calculated which is formed by the second segment and a third segment (LEG-4) joining the fourth (4) and the fifth (5) points. A polygon is calculated which is dependent on a first distance (DH) defined between the fourth point (4) and the straight line including the first segment (LEG-1) and on a second distance (DD) defined between the projection (4′) of the fourth point (4) on the straight line comprising the first segment (LEG-1) and the third point (3). |
| US08326461B1 |
Auxiliary communication system for radio controlled robots
A system for providing autonomous capabilities to a radio-controlled robot, comprises two communication boxes, one connected to the robot and the other connected to an operator control unit (OCU). Each communication box comprises two radios that are interoperable with preexisting data radios in the robot; a microprocessor unit; and bidirectional attenuators. The system further comprises a software application that runs on the microprocessor unit of each communications box, to integrate data into existing transmission data stream between the robot and OCU, via preexisting data radios. The system enables the issuance of additional commands besides those issued by the OCU, using the original OCU. |
| US08326458B2 |
Nesting negotiation for self-mobile devices
Disparate robotic devices can be automatically recharged and reprogrammed by self-scheduling individual time slots for the available recharging area(s) of a charging station. These charging stations provide a nest to which each robot must return periodically for power. These nests can also provide new tasking or patches for the robotic devices. The charging station and the robotic devices are both provided with communications capabilities and a protocol by which they can negotiate to find a time slot in which the device can be recharged, as well as determining a correct connector and a battery type. |
| US08326453B2 |
Method for sorting mail items of varying format ranges and sorting machine
Sorting machine for sorting mail items according to destination codes, each mail item being provided with a destination address, includes: first and second sorting routes for sorting mail items of first and second format ranges, respectively, and an output station. The output station includes first output positions for the first sorting route for receipt of sorted mail items from the first format range, and a same number of second output positions for the second sorting route. Each first output position is arranged each time at one second output position to form a combined output position. Each combined output position is associated each time with one of the number of destination codes. Each destination code is associated with one or more destination addresses. Each combined output position is associated each time with one of the number of destination codes. Each destination code is associated with one or more destination addresses. |
| US08326445B2 |
Message string correspondence sound generation system
The invention relates to a system for generating various sounds corresponding to character strings resulting from an operation of an input device of a mobile communication terminal or computer terminal. The system comprises: a message input unit with which a character message to be transmitted is inputted in a transmitting terminal; a message setting unit that inputs a message to be transmitted to the message input unit and sets a type of the message as sound message; a user authentication unit that is connected to a communication network and confirms whether the user is a service subscriber or not when the message setting unit sets the message as sound message; a user database that is associated with the user authentication unit and stores information of the user therein; a sound generating means that, when the user is confirmed as a service subscriber by the user authentication unit, receives the message inputted through the message input unit to generate and transmit a sound corresponding to the received message to a receiving terminal; and a receiving terminal that receives the message and the sound transmitted from the sound generating means via the communication network. |
| US08326440B2 |
System for intelligent delegation of irrigation control
A node of a fault-tolerant system relies upon a primary communication mechanism, when possible, for primary connection to a central server. The node monitors its primary connection to the server. While the primary connection is active, the node operates in a supervised mode, in that it generally does not perform a certain subset of tasks without having received real-time commands from the server to perform those tasks. However, when the node detects that it is no longer connected to the server, the node transitions into a fail-over mode. The node operates in the fail-over mode until the node detects that primary connection is re-established. While in fail-over mode, the node may execute a stored set of fail-over instructions that were provided by the server. The node may also attempt to establish a backup connection to the server via a second and different type of communication mechanism. |
| US08326438B2 |
Techniques for nerve stimulation
Apparatus is provided for applying current to a nerve, including a housing, adapted to be placed in a vicinity of the nerve, and at least one cathode and at least one anode, fixed to the housing. The apparatus further includes two or more passive electrodes, fixed to the housing, and a conducting element, which electrically couples the passive electrodes to one another. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08326436B2 |
Lead including conductors configured for reduced MRI-induced currents
Systems and methods for improving response of implantable leads to magnetic fields during medical procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are described. In various embodiments, the lead includes an inner conductor that is helically shaped and radially surrounded, at least in part, by one or more high-voltage conductors. The high-voltage conductor can be mechanically and/or electrically coupled, via a coupler, to the shocking coil. The pitch of the inner and/or outer conductor can be varied (e.g., continuously or at certain points) along the length of the lead. In some embodiments, the filar thickness, the pitch, and the mean coil diameter of the inner coil, the high voltage conductor coil, and the shock coil can be configured such that these coils have a desired inductance value when subjected to externally applied electromagnetic energy at radio frequencies commonly generated by MRI scanners (e.g., 40 MHz to 300 MHz). |
| US08326435B2 |
RFID detection and identification system for implantable medical lead systems
A system for identifying active implantable medical devices (AIMD) and lead systems implanted in a patient using a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag having retrievable information relating to the AIMD, lead system and/or patient. The RFID tag may store information about the AIMD manufacturer, model number, serial number; leadwire system placement information and manufacturer information; MRI compatibility due to the incorporation of bandstop filters; patient information, and physician and/or hospital information and other relevant information. The RFID tag may be affixed or disposed within the AIMD or leadwires of the lead system, or surgically implanted within a patient adjacent to the AIMD or leadwire system. |
| US08326433B2 |
Clinician programmer system and method for calculating volumes of activation for monopolar and bipolar electrode configurations
A system and method for providing a volume of activation (VOA) of a stimulation electrode leadwire may include a processor that calculates a VOA for each of a plurality of sets of parameter settings of the leadwire, stores in a database each of the calculated VOAs in association with the respective set of parameter settings for which it was calculated, performs a curve fitting on threshold values determined for a plurality of waveforms to obtain an equation, obtains a set of parameter settings of the leadwire for a stimulation, and determines a VOA for the obtained set of parameter settings based on the stored VOAs, for example, using the equation. |
| US08326432B2 |
Foot drop device storage pole
A storage and support device for storing and supporting components of a Functional Electrical Stimulator Foot Drop Device is disclosed and includes an upstanding hollow tubular member extending upwardly from a base portion. The interior of the tubular member may be used to store certain of the components of the foot drop device, other than the leg cuff portion thereof, during periods of non-use. The leg cuff portion of the foot drop device is wrapped around the tubular member with the tubular member having an exterior curved surface which corresponds to the shape to the disc-shaped electrodes at the inner surface of the leg cuff so that a plastic sheet covering the electrodes will be maintained in intimate contact with the electrodes to extend the life thereof. |
| US08326429B2 |
Acquiring nerve activity from carotid body and/or sinus
An exemplary includes acquiring an electroneurogram of the right carotid sinus nerve or the left carotid sinus nerve, analyzing the electroneurogram for at least one of chemosensory information and barosensory information and calling for one or more therapeutic actions based at least in part on the analyzing. Therapeutic actions may aim to treat conditions such as sleep apnea, an increase in metabolic demand, hypoglycemia, hypertension, renal failure, and congestive heart failure. Other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US08326425B2 |
Feedthrough connector for implantable device
An implantable device includes a header, a pulse generator housing, one or more electrical connectors connected to the header, and a feedthrough assembly mounted to the pulse generator housing. The feedthrough assembly includes a nonconductive base having one or more holes therethrough, the feedthrough assembly further including one or more feedthrough pins, each feedthrough pin extending through one of the holes, each feedthrough pin including a pin body and an upper contact surface for connecting to one or more of the electrical connectors, the upper contact surface having a larger surface area than a cross-sectional area of the pin body. |
| US08326423B2 |
Devices and methods for steering electrical stimulation in cardiac rhythm management
Tools and methods are particularly suited for certain cardiac conditions involving use of a catheter for pacing of the right and left ventricles from a lead in the right ventricle, e.g., to facilitate mechanically and/or electrically synchronous contractions for resynchronization. Certain aspects involve pacing and/or mapping by delivering pulses to a cardiac site useful for improving heart function as measured, e.g., by QRS width, fractionation, late LV activation timing, mechanical synchronicity of free wall and septal wall, effective throughput/pressure, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, a catheter arrangement includes a fixation mechanism to attach the catheter arrangement to heart tissue, individually-addressable electrodes for providing pacing signals to the heart tissue, and an elongated structure that supports the fixation mechanism and the electrodes. The elongated structure is used to direct an end thereof to the target region in the right ventricle, and deliver an electrical pacing signal to different portions within the target region of the heart when the fixation mechanism is operative to attach to heart tissue and also when the fixation mechanism is not attaching the catheter arrangement to heart tissue. |
| US08326420B2 |
Associating therapy adjustments with posture states using stability timers
The disclosure describes techniques for associating therapy adjustments with posture states using stability timers. The techniques may include detecting a patient adjustment to electrical stimulation therapy delivered to the patient, sensing a posture state of the patient, and associating the detected adjustment with the sensed posture state if the sensed posture state is sensed within a first period following the detection of the adjustment and if the sensed posture state does not change during a second period following the sensing of the sensed posture state. |
| US08326416B2 |
Apparatus and method for delivering electrical signals to modify gene expression in cardiac tissue
Method and apparatus for modifying gene expression in cardiac muscle cells, by the application of electric fields. In some embodiments, the modification provides treatment of heart failure. Optionally, the treatment also provides an immediate improvement in cardiac function. |
| US08326415B2 |
System for altering motional response to sensory input
A system is generally described for altering a user's motional response to sensory input and includes a current source and a first sensory input device configured to provide a first sensory input to a user. The system also includes a second sensory input device configured to provide a second sensory input to a user and a sensor device configured to detect motions associated with the user. Further, the system includes a control unit configured to receive signals from the sensor and receive sensory signals related to the first and second sensory inputs. The control unit generates control signals based on the signals and the sensory signals. Further still, the system includes electrical contacts configured to contact flesh of the user and deliver current from the current source to the vestibular system of the user in response to the control signals and the current is configured to cause the user to move in a predetermined manner if the user is not in the process of making the predetermined motion. |
| US08326413B1 |
Method and device for determining tooth status underneath a crown
An apparatus and method for the detection of dental caries on the surface of a remaining tooth present underneath a crown are provided. Such an inventive concept involves the utilization of a proper electrically conductive pathway from the crown exterior to the tooth itself, allowing for impedance measurements to be undertaken to determine the degree of potential demineralization within the tooth and/or adhesive loss at the tooth/crown interface, all due to decay attributable to dental caries or like problems. In such a manner, a measuring electrode may be applied to a specific point on the target crown as well as on the adjacent gum, to measure impedance levels for any appreciable decreases which would indicate underlying tooth decay exists. The dental professional may then undertake proper therapeutic measures to treat such tooth locations in order to avoid far more expensive repairs, such as the implementation of bridges or implants. |
| US08326411B2 |
Trunk width measuring unit and visceral fat measuring device
A trunk width measuring unit including a first contact portion attached movably in the vertical direction relative to a unit main body, the first contact portion to be brought into contact with an upper surface of a trunk of a subject, second and third contact portions attached movably in the horizontal direction relative to the unit main body, a vertical width detection encoder for detecting a lowering distance of the first contact portion from an original position on the upper side of the trunk of the user to a contact point with the upper surface of the trunk, and a horizontal width detection encoder attached movably in the horizontal direction relative to the unit main body by the same distance as a moving distance of the second contact portion, the horizontal width detection encoder detecting a moving distance of the third contact portion relative to the second contact portion. |
| US08326407B2 |
Long-term monitoring for discrimination of different heart rhythms
A method and a system for detection of an arrhythmia and discrimination between different types of arrhythmia to determine whether to administer an electric shock to the heart, the method comprising monitoring the electrical activity of a beating heart, selecting a number of heart beat intervals that will comprise an analysis segment; determining an instantaneous heart rate for each of the heart beat intervals with the segment; calculating the mean instantaneous heart rate for the segment; determining the variability of the instantaneous heart rates compared to a mean; using a linear combination of the mean and the non-linear value for comparison with a predetermined threshold to discriminate the type of arrhythmia to automatically decide if intervention is indicated. |
| US08326404B2 |
Multimodal detection of tissue abnormalities based on raman and background fluorescence spectroscopy
Methods and apparatus for classifying tissue use features of Raman spectra and background fluorescent spectra. The spectra may be acquired in the near-infrared wavelengths. Principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis of reference spectra may be used to obtain a classification function that accepts features of the Raman and background fluorescence spectra for test tissue and yields an indication as to the likelihood that the test tissue is abnormal. The methods and apparatus may be applied to screening for skin cancers or other diseases. |
| US08326402B2 |
Distortion-immune position tracking using frequency extrapolation
A method for tracking a position of an object includes generating alternating current (AC) magnetic fields at two or more frequencies in a vicinity of the object using at least one field generator. The AC fields are sensed using a field sensor associated with the object. Corresponding AC data points that are indicative of amplitudes and directions of the AC fields at the field sensor are produced, wherein at least some of the sensed AC fields are subject to a distortion. A dependence of the AC data points on the frequencies of the AC fields is extrapolated to a target frequency so as to determine the amplitudes and directions of the AC fields with a reduced level of the distortion. Position coordinates of the object relative to the at least one field generator are calculated responsively to the extrapolated data points. |
| US08326400B2 |
Method of MR imaging
The invention provides, in a method of perfusion magnetic resonance imaging of a region of interest in a vascularized animal subject, said method comprising administering a contrast agent bolus into the vascular system of said subject; determining the magnetic resonance signal strength si(t) for voxels (i) of said region of interest at a series of time values (t) over a period from before contrast agent arrival in said region of interest to at least the end of the first pass of said contrast agent through said region of interest; from the determined values si(t) for said signal strength and an arterial input function v(t), determining values for the tissue residue function ri(t) for each said voxel; and optionally generating an image of said region of interest from the determined values of ri(t); the improvement comprising generating from si(t) a voxel specific arterial function vi(t) and using said voxel specific arterial function to determine the values of the tissue residue function ri(t). |
| US08326397B2 |
Mountable unit for biological signal measurement and biological signal measuring method
Disclosed herein is a mountable unit for biological signal measurement, including: three electrodes; and a support body configured to support the three electrodes at positions corresponding to a positional relationship among a predetermined position on a forehead on one side of a face bounded by a midline, a temple position on the one side of the face, and a predetermined position on a zygomatic body on the one side of the face. |
| US08326394B2 |
System and apparatus for collecting physiological signals from a plurality of electrodes
A system and apparatus for obtaining physiological data from a patient. The system and apparatus comprising at least one electrode disposed to collect physiological data from the patient and an electrode connection device having a conductive array formed by a plurality of conductive regions and a plurality of nonconductive regions. The conductive regions are suitable to be connected to the at least one electrode. The electrode may be connected to a first conductive region of the electrode communication device and wherein upon movement by the patient or the conductive array, the electrode is connected to a second conductive region of the conductive array. |
| US08326392B2 |
Foldable sensor device and method of using same
A physiologic sensor device configured to be placed on an appendage. The sensor device includes a foldable portion designed to be deformed around the tip of the appendage. In some embodiments the foldable portion is a soft compressible material. In other embodiments a stabilization component is provided to isolate sensing elements from external forces. Some embodiments also include a deformable frame that folds in response to a bending force as the sensing device is placed on the appendage. The deformable frame holds the sensor device in place until another bending force is applied. In other embodiments the frame and/or sensor elements are removable and disposable relative to other components of the sensor device. |
| US08326391B2 |
Sensor interface
A sensor interface configured to adapt analog and digital sensors is disclosed herein. The sensor interface unit includes: a port configured to be coupled to either a digital sensor or an analog sensor and a signal processing circuit for processing an analog sensor output when an analog sensor is coupled to the port. The interface further includes a switching mechanism configured to bypass the signal processing circuitry when a digital sensor is coupled to the port. |
| US08326390B2 |
Optical non-invasive blood monitoring system and method
A simple noninvasive technique that is capable of very accurate and fast blood analyte, e.g., glucose, level monitoring is provided. Fluctuation in the levels of glucose and other analytes affect the refractive index of blood and extra cellular fluid in biological tissue. Given that the propagation speed of light through a medium depends on its refractive index, continuous monitoring of analyte levels in tissue is achieved by measuring characteristics of the tissue that can be correlated to the refractive index of the tissue. For instance, the frequency or number of optical pulse circulations that are transmitted through an individual's tissue of known thickness within a certain time period can be correlated to an individual's blood glucose level. |
| US08326387B2 |
Re-type oxide superconducting wire and process for producing the same
A RE-type oxide superconducting wire having excellent angular dependence for magnetic field of Jc is obtained by finely dispersing magnetic flux pinning centers into a superconductor. A mixed solution which comprises a metal-organic complex solution including a metal element which composes a RE-type oxide superconductor whose Ba content is reduced and a metal-organic complex solution including at least one or more kinds of metals which are selected from Zr, Ce, Sn, or Ti which has a larger affinity for Ba is coated onto an intermediate layer of a composite substrate, and the assembly is then calcined to disperse artificially and finely oxide particles (magnetic flux pinning centers) including Zr. Thus, the angular dependence for magnetic field (Jc,min/Jc,max) of Jc can be remarkably improved. |
| US08326384B2 |
Information processing apparatus utilizing an antenna switch
According to one embodiment, a bus slot includes a first terminal not connected to a bus on the system board, and second terminals connected to the bus. The bus slot is configured to be connected to either a first wireless communication module or a second wireless communication module. The first terminal is grounded when the first wireless communication module is connected to the bus slot, and is kept in an open state when the second wireless communication module is connected to the bus slot. An antenna switching module is configured to switch an antenna connected to be a feed line between a first antenna and a second antenna in accordance with a voltage on a control signal line connected to the first terminal. |
| US08326383B1 |
Adhesive case for a mobile communication device
Devices, methods and systems are directed to a top protection portion and a bottom protection portion to protect a front exterior and a back exterior, respectively, of a mobile communication. The top protection portion and the bottom protection portion may each include one or more adhesive members. The adhesive members may be designed to allow a user to remove and apply the top protection portion and the bottom protection portion as desired (e.g., to access a concealed battery of the mobile communication device) without losing their adhesive property. |
| US08326382B2 |
Slider electronic device
A slider electronic device includes a first body, a second body, and a connecting member fixed to the first body. The first body includes at least one control member rotatably disposed on the first body and at least two first sliding members. The second body is slidably coupled with the first body. The second body includes at least one restricting member and at least two second sliding members. The connecting member defines at least two guide portions corresponding to the at least two first sliding members. The at least one control member is capable of blocking the at least one restricting member of the second body. Each first sliding member includes a sliding surface angled relative to the axis along which the second body slides. Each second sliding member passes through the corresponding guide portion to slide along the sliding surface, and be elastically deformed. |
| US08326381B2 |
Cover plate assembly and method of operation of same
A mobile device is described herein in which the mobile device can have a base portion that can include a guide base and can also have a slider portion that can include a sliding plate. The slider portion can be slidably engaged with the base portion and can move relative to the base portion. The mobile device can also include a cover plate that can be slidably engaged with the guide base of the base portion and the sliding plate of the slider portion. In one arrangement, the cover plate can be configured to selectively cover a slot of the sliding plate. As an example, when the slider portion moves from a closed position to an open position, the cover plate can move in substantially the same direction as the slider portion due to a friction coefficient between the cover plate and the sliding plate being greater than a friction coefficient between the cover plate and the guide base. |
| US08326380B2 |
Foldable portable wireless communication apparatus
A foldable portable wireless communication apparatus which ensures miniaturization of housing and good antenna characteristic has first casing including transmitter and/or operation section, and second housing including receiver and/or display section and rotatably linked with the first casing through hinge section provided on one end portion of the first housing on the front face side thereof. An antenna board is provided in area at back of the hinge section inside the first housing, and a circuit board having a radio-frequency circuit section mounted thereon is provided in area not overlapping the hinge section inside the first housing. A connection conductor connecting the antenna board and the high frequency wave input/output point of the radio-frequency circuit section is configured into a monopole antenna by setting the direction of extension of the connection conductor in the lengthwise direction of the first housing in the vicinity of the high frequency wave input/output point. |
| US08326378B2 |
Communication between devices using tactile or visual inputs, such as devices associated with mobile devices
A method and system for communication between users is described. In some examples, the system provides two or more dedicated communication devices that communicate with one another without voice-based or written communications. In some cases, the devices provide single input/out capabilities. In some cases, the devices provide multiple input/output capabilities. |
| US08326374B2 |
Remote unit for providing multiple-mode spatial processing
Methods and apparatus implementing spatial processing in a remote unit. In general, in one aspect, a remote unit in accordance with the invention includes a spatial processing unit to process signals received by a plurality of antennas. |
| US08326373B2 |
Power consumption control apparatus in PDA phone
Mobile devices are configured to receive an input or detect a condition, and to responsively perform operations including, when the mobile device is operative in an idle mode, transition the mobile device from the idle mode to a sleep mode in response to receiving the input or detecting the condition, when the mobile device is operative in a calling mode, transition the mobile device from the calling mode to the sleep mode in response to receiving the input or detecting the condition, or when the mobile device is operative in an in-call mode, transition the mobile device from the in-call mode to the sleep mode in response to receiving the input or detecting the condition. The mobile device in the sleep mode consumes less power than the idle mode, the idle mode consumes less power than the calling mode, and the calling mode consumes less power than the in-call mode. |
| US08326369B2 |
Mobile information terminal having operation keys and a display on opposite sides
A mobile information terminal has a front surface on which a display surface of a display device is arranged and a rear surface on which a plurality of operation keys are arranged. The mobile information terminal further has a half-depressing sensor for detecting that each of the operation keys is half-depressed and/or a touch sensor for detecting that each of the operation keys is touched. A control section executes a processing operation to cause the display device to display an image showing the arrangement of said operation keys and to change an icon which corresponds to a key of operation keys when a control section determines, according to an input signal from the half-depressing sensor or the touch sensor, that the finger of the operator is placed on this key of operation keys. |
| US08326368B2 |
Mobile communication terminal
In order to facilitate an operation for talking, a mobile communication terminal includes first and second LCDs which display images, the first LCD being changed in state between an open state where a display surface of the second LCD is exposed and a closed state where the display surface of the second LCD is covered by the first LCD, a state detecting portion which detects the open/closed state of the first LCD, a destination number accepting portion which accepts a telephone number of a call destination while the open state is being detected by the state detecting portion, and a communication control portion which originates a call to a telephone number accepted by the destination number accepting portion (S08) when the closed state is detected by the state detecting portion (YES in S07) after the telephone number has been accepted by the destination number accepting portion (S05). |
| US08326363B2 |
Portable terminal, base station, and method of specifying position of portable terminal
A portable terminal is provided, which includes a communication unit that transmits/receives a signal modulated by a predetermined modulation method to/from three or more base stations; a storage unit which stores in advance a plurality of propagation models indicating propagation environments of the signal for respective combinations of the base stations and stores in advance position information of the base stations; and a control unit that controls the communication unit and the storage unit; wherein the control unit specifies a propagation model that corresponds to a combination of the base stations among the plurality of propagation models stored in the storage unit based on the signal and calculates communicable distances of the signal based on the corresponding propagation model, calculates circles having the corresponding communicable distances as their radii and having positions of the base stations as their centers, respectively, obtains an overlapping area where the circles overlap one another, and specifies the center position of the overlapping area as the position of the portable terminal. |
| US08326362B2 |
Wireless base station, wireless terminal and wireless communication system
A wireless base station for transmitting and receiving a wireless signal with at least one wireless terminal existing in an area, having a transmitter for transmitting the wireless signal, and a receiver for receiving the wireless signal; a timing management unit for managing the information on start timing of the transmitter and receiver, as well as noticing the information on start timing of the transmitter and receiver to the at least one wireless terminal; and a control unit for performing the switching control of start and stop of the transmitter and receiver. |
| US08326361B2 |
Phone to phone data exchange
An information management system for operation over a network includes a first mobile device having a first application module, the first mobile device operating over the network and in communication with a second mobile device having a second application module, a first operating system residing on the first mobile device configured to detect a communication event between the first mobile device and the second mobile device, and an address book module residing on the second mobile device. The first application module is configured to send information associated with the first mobile device to the second mobile device in association with a detection of the communication event. |
| US08326359B2 |
Reconfigurable wireless modem adapter
A reconfigurable wireless modem adapter is provided. The reconfigurable wireless modem adapter includes a control board and a radio frequency switch. The control board has at least two interfaces for a respective at least two modems and is configured to communicatively couple to at least one onboard system in a vehicle. The control board activates a selected modem interfaced to one of the at least two interfaces. The radio frequency switch is communicatively coupled to the control board via the selected one of the at least one modem. The radio frequency switch communicatively couples an antenna to the selected modem. When the control board is communicatively coupled to the at least one onboard system and activates the selected modem, and when the radio frequency switch is communicatively coupled to the antenna, the antenna is communicatively coupled to the at least one onboard system via the selected modem. |
| US08326357B1 |
Communication device
The communication device comprising a voice communicating implementer, a camera image displaying implementer, a calculation implementer, and a multiple language mode implementer, wherein either a first language mode or a second language mode selected by the user is implemented. |
| US08326356B2 |
Image transmission apparatus, image transmission method and image transmission program product
A cellular phone includes, for the sake of privacy protection, a camera for outputting a pick up image in which an operator is photographed, a touch panel to accept designation of at least a partial region of the pick up image, and a control portion to determine a masked region to mask at least a part of the pick up image based on the accepted region, generate a composite image in which the masked region of the pick up image is converted to another image, and transmit the composite image. |
| US08326355B1 |
Communication device
The communication device comprising a voice communication implementer, a calculation implementer, a bold formatting implementer, an italic formatting implementer, a font formatting implementer, a stereo audio data output implementer, a multiple language implementer, a caller's information displaying implementer, and an icon displaying implementer. |
| US08326354B2 |
Portable terminal for explaining information of wine and control method thereof
A mobile terminal including an output device configured to output information, a camera configured to captures an image of a wine label on a wine bottle; and a controller configured to extract wine identification information from a memory that corresponds to information included in the captured image of the wine label, and to output at least a portion of the extracted wine information on the output device. |
| US08326353B1 |
Customizable mobile device
A customized personal mobile device for communication and organization comprises a core engine and a plurality of modules coupled to the core engine. Each of the modules is dedicated to perform a different one of a plurality of classes of functionality of the mobile device, where each said module includes a processing element and memory dedicated for use by said module. A time-based intelligence system provides robust storage, access, and processing of information on a mobile device. |
| US08326352B1 |
Device, network, server, and methods for providing service requests for wireless communication devices
A wireless communication device operable as a digital image capturing device (wireless digital camera) may be used to associate processing information with a captured image. The wireless digital camera may communicate information to a wireless network server, such as a WAP server, and communicate the information in a desirable format to a service request process server. The service request process server may then process the request to provide the service requested by the wireless digital camera. |
| US08326351B2 |
Multi user text PBX with multi message system capabilities
Systems, methods and computer program products for facilitating the communication of business-related (SMS) messages from PBXs to wireless devices are disclosed. In an aspect of the present invention, a service provider offers a web, cloud-based service that enables an operator within an organization to have a high volume of two-way communications with an unlimited number of individuals—through SMS texting, instant messaging, pager, web browser, email and voice—all controlled from a single intuitive browser interface tool. Additionally, a complete history of all communications and real time statistics are available to either the operator or an administrator of the organization. |
| US08326350B2 |
Communication terminal
A communication terminal optimally switches between the use of multicast reception and unicast reception, in consideration of the mobile radio environment of each terminal. For example, received signal strength indicator information is acquired at a received signal strength indicator information acquisition time calculated using a content reception time. Either multicast reception or unicast reception is selected according to the acquired received signal strength indicator information and content reception is performed. An optimal reception system can be selected and reception failure can be reduced. In addition, by performing a dynamic switching of reception methods as such, the base station-end can perform multicast delivery rather than unicast delivery when possible to communication terminals in favorable mobile radio environments, thereby significantly reducing the traffic load placed on communication paths. |
| US08326349B2 |
Multi-service cellular phone network access device
An access device is described herein for determining and selecting, for a cellular call received by a cellular transceiver of the access device, one of a plurality of networks to route the call to. In some embodiments, the determining and selecting may be based at least on a type of each of a plurality of network interfaces of the access device and availability of each corresponding network, the network interfaces including at least two of a cellular retransmitter, an IP networking interface, or a PSTN interface. In various embodiments, if a cellular network is determined and selected, the access device may relay the call. Also, if an IP or PSTN network is determined and selected, the access device may establish on behalf of the call an outgoing call through the IP or PSTN network and translate signals of the cellular call to signals for the IP or PSTN network. |
| US08326348B2 |
Apparatus and method for saving power in dual mode portable terminal
Provided is an apparatus and method for saving power in a dual mode portable terminal that concurrently supports a cellular network and an unlicensed band network. The method includes, upon disassociating from an in-association Access Point (AP) of an unlicensed band network, measuring a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) from the AP during a predetermined time and calculating an average value of the RSSI; and comparing the calculated average value with a predetermined threshold value and deciding whether to perform a mode conversion between a low power mode and a general mode. |
| US08326346B2 |
System and method for battery conservation in a portable device
A hand-held device, such as a remote control, has a time-limited feature, such as backlight illumination, that is caused to be activated upon the occurrence of a triggering event sensed by a triggering sensor, such as a motion sensor. The hand-held device functions to disable and/or downwardly adjust a time period during which the time-limited feature will be allowed to be active upon a future occurrence of a triggering event in response to the device determining that a predetermined number of trigger events sensed via the triggering sensor are false trigger events. The time-limited feature may be disabled by disabling the triggering sensor. |
| US08326343B2 |
Mobile communication terminal and text-to-speech method
A mobile communication terminal and text-to-speech method. The mobile communication terminal includes a display unit for displaying at least one object on a screen; a controller for identifying a depth of an activated object on the screen and finding a speech data set mapped to the identified depth; a speech synthesizer for converting textual contents of the activated object into audio wave data using the found speech data set; and an audio processor for outputting the audio wave data in speech sounds. As a result, textual contents of different objects are output in different voices so the user can easily distinguish one object from another object. |
| US08326341B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program for downlink MU-MIMO power settings and control
A set of J predetermined power level offsets that scale transmission power per user are stored in a local computer-readable memory. A set of N users to which are allocated overlapping downlink frequency resources are selected. From the stored set is then selected a power level offset. An indication of the selected power level offset is signaled to at least one of the N users; and the at least one of the N users are also sent a multiplexed transmission using the selected power level offset. N is an integer at least equal to two, J is an integer at least equal to two, and at least one member of the set is other than 1/n in which n is any positive integer less than Nmax in which Nmax is a maximum number of users that can be multiplexed together. Various embodiments include an apparatus such as a network access node, a method, and a stored computer program. Also detailed are apparatus and method and stored computer program for practicing the invention from the perspective of the user/UE. |
| US08326339B2 |
Method and apparatus to compute a noise power estimate in a WCDMA network
Method and apparatus for computing a noise power estimate in a wideband CDMA (WCDMA) network are disclosed and may include calculating a noise power estimate for a downlink channel based on an orthogonal sequence generated for a transmitted signal. The orthogonal sequence may be generated based on a slot number of the transmitted signal and/or a transmit diversity mode used for the transmitted signal. A portion of a plurality of dedicated physical channel (DPCH) pilot bits for the downlink channel may be summed to generate an in-phase (I) component and a quadrature (Q) component. The generated I component and the generated Q component may be multiplied by the orthogonal sequence to generate at least one noise I component and at least one noise Q component. |
| US08326333B2 |
Electronic device and method of controlling the electronic device
A method of controlling an electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device is provided with functionality for composing and sending messages in accordance with at least one text-based messaging service. In response to execution on the electronic device of a message-composition process for composing a message to be sent to a recipient of the message via said text-based messaging service, a language configuration of the electronic device is set in conformance with language data associated with the recipient. Said language data indicates a language to be used for composing the message. A corresponding electronic device, computer program product, and computer-readable medium are also disclosed. |
| US08326331B2 |
Paging for non-real-time communications using cellular networks
A method of paging to increase standby time of Wireless Terminals used for non-real-time communications via cellular network is disclosed. The method comprises synchronizing a wireless terminal clock to a server internal clock and deriving a paging window and a dormant window for communicating between the server and the wireless terminal using the synchronized time. The method further comprises during the paging window: finding a control channel for a cellular network by the wireless terminal; sending the page from the server to the wireless terminal; and receiving the page from the server at the wireless terminal. |
| US08326330B2 |
Method and apparatus for updating configuration attributes using FastRepage attribute in wireless communication systems
A method and apparatus for updating configuration attributes by transmitting a FastRepage Attribute in a wireless communication system is provided, comprising generating a FastRepage Attribute comprising an 8 bit Length field wherein the Length field indicates a value of length of the FastRepage attribute in octets excluding the length of Length field, an 8 bit AttributeID field, an 8 bit FastRepageEnabled field wherein the FastRepageEnabled field is set to a value ‘0x01’ to indicate that FastRepage is enabled and a 16 bit FastRepageInterval field, wherein the FastRepageInterval field indicates a value of interval at which an access network pages an access terminal when the access network does not receive a response to a page and transmitting the FastRepage attribute over a communication link. A method and apparatus is further provided for receiving and processing the FastRepage attribute. |
| US08326327B2 |
System and method for determining action spot locations relative to the location of a mobile device
A system and method for determining action spot locations relative to the location of a mobile device includes a display and a processor module communicatively coupled to the display. The processor module is configured to receive executable instructions to display a graphical user interface of the display; receive data indicative of the current location of the mobile device; and determine at least one action spot relative to the current location of the mobile device. The processor module can signify the action spot on the graphical user interface and provide an indication of activity level occurring at the action spot. The action spot can be a location where at least one other mobile device has engaged in documenting action within a predetermined period of time from when the mobile device arrived at the current location. |
| US08326326B2 |
Peer-to-peer location service
Techniques are described for obtaining high-resolution physical locations for a wireless device by leveraging the high-resolution physical location capabilities of wireless peers of the wireless device to provide a peer-to-peer location service and facilitate location targeting. Wireless devices provide location updates to a computing cloud, which stores records associating wireless device identifiers with received location information for the corresponding wireless devices. A wireless device issues a peer discovery request to dynamically identify nearby wireless peers in its network. The wireless device then sends wireless device identifiers for the nearby wireless peers in a location request to the computing cloud, which estimates a location for the wireless device using the previously recorded location information for the nearby wireless peers. The computing cloud returns the estimated location to the requesting wireless device. |
| US08326324B2 |
Systems and methods for location positioning within radio access systems
A method for calculating the geographical position of a user equipment (UE) unit includes collecting position parameters conveying the relative position of the UE unit from two or more base stations using technologies mandated for the modern wireless networks. Particularly, know (predetermined) signals embedded in the downlink and uplink subframes, such as preambles, pilots, ranging codes are used for determining the coordinates of the UE unit. In addition, the methods and systems proposed here take advantage of the multiple antennas systems mandated at both the UE and BTS. |
| US08326321B2 |
Mobile terminals searching system and method employing the same
An exemplary mobile terminal searching system includes a base station, a locating terminal, and target terminal. The base station includes a controlling unit, a signal communicating unit, a storage unit, and a positioning unit. The locating terminal is configured for setting searched phone numbers and sending the searched phone numbers to the base station via the signal communicating unit. The signal storage unit is configured for storing the searched phone numbers controlled by the controlling unit. The positioning unit is configured for determining the position information of the target terminal, and the position information is sent to the locating terminal via the signal communicating unit. |
| US08326319B2 |
Compensation of propagation delays of wireless signals
System(s) and method(s) for compensation of propagation delay offsets of wireless signals. Compensation is accomplished through determination of an effective wireless signal propagation delay that accounts for signal path delay and propagation delay over the air. Such determination is based at least in part on statistical analysis of accurate location estimates of reference positions throughout a coverage sector or cell, and location estimates of the reference positions generated through time-of-flight (TOF) measurements of wireless signals. Determination of propagation or signal path delay offset also is attained iteratively based at least in part on reference location estimates and TOF location estimates. High-accuracy location estimates such as those obtained through global navigation satellite systems are employed as reference location estimates. Position of probes or wireless beacons, deployed throughout a sector or cell, also are employed as reference locations. Compensation of propagation delay offset improves accuracy of conventional TOF location estimates and radio network performance. |
| US08326318B2 |
Position location for wireless communication systems
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to position location in a wireless communication system, and may more particularly relate to position location for a mobile station. |
| US08326317B2 |
System and method to obtain calibration data using estimation techniques
A system and method of determining calibration data at non-calibrated location points is disclosed. A mobile station may be geo-located at most locations, if not all locations, within communication range of one or more serving and/or neighboring base stations of a mobile network. Calibration data may be collected and stored in memory via a data collection procedure. Known calibration data for locations proximate to the mobile station may be necessary when attempting to geo-locate the mobile station. A geographical region may be calibrated via a standard calibration data collection procedure, however, various obstacles, such as, buildings, mountains, ponds etc. may inevitably create deficiencies in the calibration data for one or more areas of the region. Certain techniques may be applied to estimate the calibration data of areas that have not been properly calibrated. |
| US08326313B2 |
Method and system for dynamic spectrum access using detection periods
Methods and systems for dynamic spectrum access (DSA) in a wireless network are provided. A DSA-enabled device may sense spectrum use in a region and, based on the detected spectrum use, select one or more communication channels for use. The devices also may detect one or more other DSA-enabled devices with which they can form DSA networks. A DSA network may monitor spectrum use by cooperative and non-cooperative devices, to dynamically select one or more channels to use for communication while avoiding or reducing interference with other devices. |
| US08326310B2 |
Scheduling methods for connection-based, over-the-air, inter-system communications for wireless networks
A method for communications between neighboring wireless cells such as wireless regional area networks operating according to IEEE 802.22 specifications. The method involves scheduling inter-base station communications for over-the-air connections to allow neighboring base stations to communicate in environments where a single available channel is shared between the neighboring cells or where two or more channels used by two or more neighboring cells. In some embodiments, a bridge system, such as a bridge consumer premise equipment (CPE), positioned in an area of coverage overlap between two cells is used for inter-base station communications, and allocation and scheduling of bandwidth on the utilized channels is performed to provide interference free communications between the base stations. Existence announcements are provided in coexistence time slots and requests for bandwidth such as reserved and additional time slots are transmitted between the base stations using the coexistence time slots. |
| US08326304B2 |
Femtocell search method for macro to femto handover
The present invention relates to a femtocell search method for a handover from a macrocell to a femtocell. The present invention relates to a method for a terminal that accesses a macrocell to search a femtocell in an environment where a plurality of femtocells are overlapped in one macrocell. The terminal searches a femtocell by using a dummy preamble in order to minimize the size of neighbor cell lists broadcasted from the macrocell to the terminal. Therefore, according to the present invention, an MAC overhead can be minimized by eliminating neighbor femtocell lists in a mobile neighbor advertisement (MOB_NBR_ADV) message broadcasted from the macrocell, and the terminal can search a femtocell with a minimum scanning load by checking only a femtocell dummy preamble in a dedicated symbol of the macrocell. |
| US08326303B2 |
Method of determining wireless hand off parameters
The present invention provides a method of determining handoff parameters. One embodiment of the method includes determining values of a hysteresis for a handoff from a serving cell, one or more pairwise offset values for hand off between the serving cell and one or more neighbor cells, and one or more times-to-trigger (TTTs) for hand off between the serving cell and the neighbor cell(s). The values may be determined So that hand off is triggered beyond a first distance from the serving cell selected to avoid ping-ponging and within a second distance from the serving cell selected so that a mobile unit moving at a selected velocity does not travel beyond a third distance within the TTT. |
| US08326302B2 |
System and method for initial gateway selection
A system and method for selecting a gateway upon mobile station initial network entry is provided. A method for controller operations includes determining that a criterion for gateway selection for a mobile station is met, selecting a gateway based on an allocation vector, and transmitting an allocation request to the selected gateway. The selecting being based on an allocation vector of selection probabilities for a plurality of gateways. The method also includes receiving a response message from the selected gateway, completing an initial network entry procedure if the response message indicates that the selected gateway will support the mobile station, and performing an alternate selection procedure if the response message indicates that the selected gateway will not support the mobile station. |
| US08326300B2 |
Mobile communication method and exchange
A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes the steps of: transmitting, from a NAS function to an S1-AP function, a NAS-PDU; transmitting, from the S1-AP function to the NAS function, a retransmission request for the NAS-PDU, when receiving a notification, which indicates completion of a handover of a mobile station (UE), from a handover target radio base station (eNB), after receiving an S1-AP response message, which indicates that transfer of the NAS-PDU to the mobile station (UE) through a radio interface has failed, from the handover source radio base station (eNB); and retransmitting, from the NAS function to the S1-AP function, the NAS-PDU, in response to the retransmission request. |
| US08326298B2 |
Technique for service domain selection
A technique for performing a service domain selection in a communications network having a default service domain and at least one alternative service domain is described. According to this technique, a switching to the alternative service domain involves the invocation of a supplementary service that is provided as a supplement to a basic service. A method implementation of this technique comprises steps of identifying a basic service type associated with a service request; determining if for at least one of an originating side and a terminating side of the service request the identified basic service type is linked with a subscription to the supplementary service of service domain switching; and invocating the supplementary service of service domain switching if a linking can be determined. |
| US08326293B2 |
Scanning available wireless-device services in multiple wireless-radio technology communication systems
In one embodiment, a wireless device having two or more antennas. The wireless device substantially concurrently determines (a) using a first antenna, whether a first communications service is available for data transfer, and (b) using a second antenna, whether a second communications service is available for data transfer. After determining that at least one communications service is available for data transfer, the wireless device uses both antennas to transfer data using a selected communications service. |
| US08326288B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing virtual mobile phone number
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for providing a virtual mobile phone number, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for requesting routing information, such as an actual phone number from a home location register storing the actual phone number corresponding to a virtual phone number transmitted from an originating terminal and transmitting a short message, a long message or a multimedia message to a terminating terminal corresponding to the actual phone number. |
| US08326284B2 |
Method of triggering a handover of a mobile station in a discontinuous coverage network
There is provided a method of triggering a handover of a mobile station in a discontinuous coverage radio network, wherein the method comprises the steps: transferring at a point in time a data volume via a first transfer zone of the discontinuous coverage radio network to a cache storage of the mobile station, wherein the data volume permits the provision of a service to the mobile station for at least the duration of a period of time, wherein the first transfer zone is the serving transfer zone of the mobile station; triggering the handover of the mobile station from the first transfer zone to a second transfer zone of the discontinuous coverage radio network only after the period of time has been spent with respect to the point in time, wherein the mobile station has been moved in the mean time from the first transfer zone to the second transfer zone. |
| US08326283B1 |
Systems and methods for dynamically modifying subscriber service profile stored in home location register while roaming in wireless telecommunication networks
In a wireless telecommunication system, Home Location Register logic generates a subscriber roaming profile for use by a Visitor Location Register by retrieving a subscriber's provisioned profile, retrieving a rule set associated with the subscriber, and applying the rule set to the set of provisioned service features indicated in the provisioned profile to generate a modified profile. The rules can be responsive to one or more of: the identity of the visited network, subscriber preferences, and provisioned features. The rules can be in the form of tables stored in the Home Location Register. |
| US08326281B2 |
Mobile wireless communications device providing object reference data based upon near field communication (NFC) and related methods
A wireless communications system may include a near field communication (NFC) reference device configured to store object reference data for at least one object associated with a geographic location of the NFC device. The wireless communications system may also include a mobile wireless communications device that includes an NFC transceiver configured to communicate with the NFC device based upon proximity thereto, an image sensor, a display, and a controller. The controller may cooperate with the NFC transceiver, the image sensor, and the display. The controller may be configured to determine a sensed image from the image sensor. The controller may also be configured to select object reference data for the sensed image based upon communication with the NFC reference device, and display the object reference data and the sensed image on the display. |
| US08326278B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for programming user-defined information into electronic devices
A device for programming user-defined information into an electronic device is provided. The programmer allows a user to program customized information, such as user-selected audio, video, or Internet access information into his or her programmable device. Such electronic devices include wireless telephones, pagers, and personal digital assistants. The programmer allows a user to, among other things, customize the device to suit his or her particular taste. |
| US08326274B2 |
Outgoing caller identification
Systems, products, and methods are disclosed for performing a method of enabling a mobile device to perform a method of automatically associating a string with an outgoing-called number. One embodiment of the method includes, incident to at least initiating an outgoing call, establishing a communications link between a mobile device and a remote computing device through a wireless telecommunications network. The method further includes sending to the remote computing device an indication or phone number associated with the outgoing call when a label is not associated with that phone number. This label would otherwise identify an entity associated with said phone number. An embodiment continues in which a string that was identified based on the phone number is received at the mobile device. Finally, the mobile device modifies (which can including initializing) a label associated with the former mere phone number based on the string received. |
| US08326267B2 |
Application access control in a mobile environment
A system and method are described whereby a mobile device controls access to mobile applications based on access conditions associated with a current access network. To prevent mobile applications from running when the access conditions are not suitable, the mobile device includes a policy database used to store a list of access conditions that are inappropriate for launching the installed applications. The access conditions are based on the type of the current access network used by the mobile device for launching or maintaining the requested application session. The access conditions indicate whether the mobile device is currently accessing its home network or roaming on another provider's network. Similarly, the access conditions indicate the type of network access interface used by the current network to provide the data connection necessary to run the requested application. The policy database correlates predetermined actions with the access conditions associated with a given application session. |
| US08326265B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for detection of an unauthorized service message in a network
A method is described for detecting an unauthorized service message in a communications network. The method comprising the steps of: receiving a signaling message associated with a supplementary service (SS) message and/or a unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) message from a first network node, the signaling message comprising identification information of the sender of the SS message and/or USSD message and first location information of the first network node; requesting second location information of the first network node from the a second network node serving the sender of the SS message and/or USSD message; and, comparing the first location information with the second location information in order to determine whether the SS message and/or USSD message is authorized or not. |
| US08326252B2 |
Controllable image cancellation in a radio receiver
In one embodiment, a receiver includes parallel paths for signal channel processing and image channel processing. The paths may include a mixer to receive an intermediate frequency (IF) signal and to downconvert the IF signal to a channel baseband signal, a filter to generate a filtered channel value, a combiner to combine the channel baseband signal with a filtered channel value from the other path to obtain a channel path output, in addition to one or more controllers to generate a step control signal and update a weighting of the filters based at least in part on the step control signal. |
| US08326250B2 |
Receiver with statistical analysis and methods for use therewith
A receiver includes an antenna array that generates a plurality of received signals from at least a first remote transmitter and a second remote transmitter. Aa plurality of receiver sections process the plurality of received signals to generate a plurality of down-converted signals. A receiver processing module generates a first plurality of reception matrices corresponding to the first remote transmitter based on the plurality of down-converted signals, generates a first reception statistic from a sum based on the first plurality of reception matrices, and generates an association decision corresponding to one of: the first remote transmitter and the second remote transmitter, based on the first reception statistic. |
| US08326248B2 |
Analog radio receiver
An analog radio receiver can change a noise suppression parameter appropriate for a sound to be reproduced. The analog radio receiver includes a sound category determining unit for determining a category of a sound to be reproduced from an input signal, and a selecting unit for selecting, on the basis of the category determined by the sound category determining unit, a noise suppression parameter such as passband of the IF filter, blend value of the stereo blend unit, high-cut value of the high-cut unit, response rate of the soft mute unit, and the like, wherein the IF filter, the stereo blend unit, the high-cut unit, the soft mute unit suppress noises of the input signal on the basis of the noise suppression parameter selected by the selecting unit. |
| US08326246B2 |
Super regenerative (SR) apparatus having plurality of parallel SR amplifiers tuned to distinct frequencies
An apparatus, which may be configured as a receiver or transceiver, includes a plurality of super regenerative (SR) amplifiers coupled in parallel, wherein the SR amplifiers are tuned to distinct frequency bands, respectively. The apparatus may further include isolation amplifiers at the respective inputs and outputs of the SR amplifiers to prevent injection locking and reduce power leakage. The apparatus may include a circuit to reduce or substantially eliminate in-band jamming signals. The apparatus may form at least part of a wireless communications device adapted to receive signals from other wireless communications devices, adapted to transmit signal to other wireless communications devices, and adapted to both transmit and receive signals to and from other wireless communications devices. |
| US08326238B2 |
System and method for digital memorized predistortion for wireless communication
An embodiment of the invention is a system for signal processing in preparation for wireless transmission, the wireless transmission being from a portable wireless communication device and including use of a power amplifier having nonlinear characteristics. The system includes memory for storing digitally-indexed information. The digitally-indexed information models nonlinear characteristics of the power amplifier, and the digitally-indexed information is stored prior to processing of a first signal that reflects information to be communicated. The system further includes first logic, configured to accept the first signal and to retrieve, based on the first signal, a portion of the digitally-indexed information stored in the memory, and second logic, configured to generate a second signal based on the portion of the digitally-accessed information and on the first signal. The second signal pre-compensates for the nonlinear characteristics of the power amplifier, and the second signal is for wireless transmission based on the second signal. |
| US08326236B2 |
Configurable baseband processing for receiver and transmitter and methods for use therewith
A configurable transceiver includes an RF receiver section that generates at least one downconverted signal from a received RF signal. A receiver processing module processes at least one downconverted signal in a plurality of receiver stages to produce a stream of inbound data, wherein the receiver processing module is configurable in response to a control signal to selectively bypass at least one of the plurality of receiver processing stages. A transmitter processing module processes outbound data in a plurality of transmitter stages to produce at least one baseband signal, wherein the receiver processing module is configurable in response to the control signal to selectively bypass at least one of the plurality of transmitter processing stages. An RF transmitter section generates at least one RF signal from the at least one baseband signal. |
| US08326234B2 |
High frequency switching circuit and method for determining a power of a high frequency signal
A high frequency switching circuit, including a high frequency switching element. The high frequency switching element including a first channel terminal and a second channel terminal, wherein the high frequency switching element is configured to switchably route a high frequency signal via a channel path between the first channel terminal and the second channel terminal. The high frequency switching circuit further includes a power detection circuit, wherein the power detection circuit is configured to obtain a first measurement signal from the first channel terminal and a second measurement signal from the second channel terminal, and to combine the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal to derive, in dependence on both the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal, a power signal describing a power value of the high frequency signal routed via the channel path of the high frequency switching element. |
| US08326231B1 |
Preserving cell phone battery life
A method of operating a mobile electronic device includes connecting, by an electronic device, to a network and transmitting, by the electronic device, at least one communication to the network. The method also includes identifying, by a processor of the electronic device, at least one communication parameter of the at least one communication and determining, by the processor of the electronic device, a first disconnect time as which to disconnect from the network based on the at least one communication parameter identified by the processor. The method further includes disconnecting from the network at the first disconnect time. |
| US08326230B2 |
Test device and method for carrying out a functional test of a communication system
A testing device comprises a transmission path comprising at least one leakage conduction antenna disposed in the cabin of the aircraft, a control device coupled to the transmission path, said control device comprising a generating device for generating a broad-band interference signal and a transfer device for feeding an HF signal to the leakage conduction antenna, wherein the fed HF signal has a pre-defined power level and contains at least the generated broad-band interference signal, at least one measuring device coupled to the transmission path at a pre-defined coupling point, said measuring device measuring the power level of the HF signal at the coupling point and preparing a measurement signal that is proportional to the measured power level, and an evaluation means for preparing a test result by way of a comparison between the prepared measurement signal and a target signal that depends on the power level of the fed HF signal. |
| US08326229B2 |
Systems and methods for over-the-air testing of wireless systems
Embodiments include systems and methods for over-the-air testing of wireless systems. Embodiments comprise separated anechoic chambers containing wireless devices. The anechoic chambers are connected by propagation path corridors. |
| US08326226B2 |
Wake-up in class-based networking
A method for communicating to a recipient transceiver from a plurality of transceivers located within the broadcast range of the recipient transceiver includes: transmitting a communication at a first power level such that only a first group of transceivers receive the broadcast, the communication including a command causing each of the first group of transceivers not to respond to a subsequent broadcast; and subsequent thereto, transmitting a communication at a second power level greater than the first power level such that a second group of transceivers greater than and including the first group of transceivers receive the broadcast, but such that only a limited number of transceivers of the second group respond to the broadcast, the limited number of transceivers excluding the first group of transceivers. Each of the plurality of transceivers is associated with a respective sensor for acquiring data and transmitting the data to the recipient transceiver. |
| US08326225B2 |
Communication system and method
The present invention relates to communication systems and methods which allow the partner of communication to be easily specified. A portable telephone 52 is provided with a non-contact IC card which communicates with a reader/writer of a personal computer 51 by electromagnetic waves. When the non-contact IC card receives electromagnetic waves emitted by the reader/writer, the portable telephone 52 reports the card ID assigned to the non-contact IC card to the personal computer 51. The card ID includes the Bluetooth address of the portable telephone 52. When the personal computer 51 obtains the Bluetooth addresses of the portable telephone 52 and a PDA 53 at an inquiry, the personal computer 51 specifies the portable telephone 52 as a Bluetooth device with which synchronization is established, according to the Bluetooth address reported in advance. The present invention can be applied to information processing apparatuses such as personal computers and portable telephones. |
| US08326222B2 |
Non-contact signal transmission device having a magnetoresistive element for communicating between mutually insulated electrical circuits
A signal transmission device includes: an input signal conductor in which an input signal current flows and thereby generating an input signal magnetic field; a magnetically-biasing conductor in which a biasing current flows and thereby generating a biasing magnetic field; and one or more magnetoresistive elements in each of which a sensing current flows and thereby generating a self-biasing magnetic field, and each including a magnetization free layer having a magnetization direction which varies in response to the input signal magnetic field, the biasing magnetic field, and the self-biasing magnetic field. Each of the biasing magnetic field and the self-biasing magnetic field is applied to the magnetization free layer in a same direction to each other. |
| US08326221B2 |
Portable electronic device with proximity-based content synchronization
Systems are provided that support millimeter-wave wireless communications between hosts and electronic devices. A host may be formed using a personal computer associated with a user or computing equipment associated with a public establishment. Content can be automatically synchronized between the host and the user's electronic device over a millimeter-wave wireless communications link in a communications band such as a 60 GHz wireless communications band. Synchronization operations may be performed based on user content preferences. Content preference information may be gathered explicitly from a user using on-screen options or may be gathered by monitoring user media playback activities and media rating activities. The content preference information may be transmitted automatically from an electronic device to a host when the electronic device is brought within range of the host. Synchronization operations may be performed automatically when a user is in proximity of a point-of-sale terminal or ticketing equipment. |
| US08326217B2 |
Systems and methods for satellite communications with mobile terrestrial terminals
A system of satellite communications provides high throughput data transmission rates for mobile terrestrial terminals. The system may allow point to point communication between two terrestrial terminals. Further, the system may allow point to multipoint communication from an initiating terrestrial terminal to a plurality of target terrestrial terminals. Still further, the system may allow multipoint to multipoint communication from a plurality of initiating terrestrial terminals to a plurality of target terrestrial terminals. The satellites in the system may utilizes on-board functionality such as routing, network management and other data handling functionality. Further, the satellites in the system may communicate amongst each other and route signals through in-box and inter-box communication. |
| US08326215B2 |
Method and system for selectively broadcasting media
A method and apparatus for broadcasting media events, the method including the steps of providing a sequence of media events in a first server, the sequence of media events including at least one media event of a first type and a plurality of media events of a second type; playing the sequence from the first server to a second server prior to a predetermined broadcast time; and storing at the second server at least a part of the sequence received from the first server. The method may further include the steps of broadcasting the sequence from the first server at the predetermined broadcast time; broadcasting the stored sequence from the second server at the predetermined broadcast time while continuing to play the sequence from the first server to the second server, the step of broadcasting from said second server further including the steps of skipping at least one media event of a first type, broadcasting a subsequent one of the plurality, and supplementing the stored sequence with media events stored in the second server separately identifiable from the stored sequence. |
| US08326212B2 |
Methods and apparatus to collect media exposure information
Methods and apparatus to collect media exposure information are described. An example apparatus includes an identifier card including a plurality of machine readable codes corresponding to one or more media stations and a metering device including a scanner to read a first one of the codes and a memory to record media exposure information identifying exposure of a user to a media station associated with the first one of the codes, the media information being stored in association with a timestamp corresponding to a time at which the first one of the codes was read. |
| US08326209B2 |
Printer with bracket for holding paper tray
A printer includes a main body for printing and outputting paper, a bracket attached to the main body, a driving mechanism, and a tray for receiving the paper. The bracket includes two sidewalls. A retaining member is secured to each sidewall. A first spring member is secured between each retaining member and the corresponding sidewall. The driving mechanisms are secured to the sidewalls. Each driving mechanism includes a sliding member slidable on the sidewall. The tray is received in the bracket. The tray has tray posts. The sliding members are slid to bring the tray. The tray posts slide the retaining members from a first position to a second position before passing across the retaining members, and the retaining members are slid from the second position to the first position by rebounding of the first springs after the tray posts pass across the retaining members. |
| US08326204B2 |
Automatic document feeder and scanner having the same
An automatic document feeder and a scanner having the same are provided. The automatic document feeder can include a transport unit configured to transport a document to a scanning unit, an apparatus main body configured to hold the transport unit, a cover configured to be rotatably disposed on the apparatus main body, and a sensing unit disposed on a document transportation path to sense whether the cover is open or closed, the position of the document, or both. The automatic document feeder and the scanner having the same are configured to allow a jammed document to be ejected without having the document be damaged. |
| US08326202B2 |
Toner conveying mechanism, cleaning device and image forming apparatus
A cleaning device including a toner conveying mechanism is provided. The toner conveying mechanism includes a conveying member that rotates to convey toner, an elastic member configured to contact a circumference of the conveying member, an image carrying body, and a cleaning member disposed between the elastic member and the image carrying body. The elastic member slidingly contacts the circumference of the rotating conveying member. |
| US08326197B2 |
Fixing unit and image forming apparatus having the same
Disclosed is a fixing unit of an image forming apparatus, the fixing unit including a first roller; a second roller which forms a nip together with the first roller; and a nip adjuster which is provided in at least one end part of the first roller and includes a restrictive ring formed with a plurality of cam profiles for regulating an axis distance between the first roller and the second roller to be varied to adjust a width of the nip. |
| US08326195B2 |
Transfer device and image forming apparatus
A transfer device and an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image of smooth image quality with little uneven density, are provided. An alternating voltage is applied so that a first period in which a first peak-to-peak voltage Vpp(1) is applied and a second period in which a second peak-to-peak voltage Vpp(2), lower than the first peak-to-peak voltage, is applied are alternately repeated. In the alternating voltage to be applied, a transfer side potential to shift a toner from an intermediate transfer belt to recording paper sheet and an opposite transfer side potential to shift the toner from the recording paper sheet to the intermediate transfer belt are applied so as to alternate with each other. When f1 denotes a frequency of the first period and f2 denotes a frequency of the second period, f1=f2 is satisfied. |
| US08326192B2 |
Developer supplying member, developing device, and image forming apparatus
A developer supplying member includes a foamed member formed of continuous foams for supplying developer to a developer supporting member. The foamed member has a high resistivity in terms of electrical conductivity through ion conductivity, and has a low resistivity in terms of electrical conductivity after carbon black is attached to foam cell walls thereof. |
| US08326191B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device includes a developer supporting member for supplying developer to an image supporting member; a developer supplying member for supplying developer to the developer supporting member; and a stirring member disposed to be freely rotatable. The stirring member includes a free end portion arranged to contact with the developer supplying member and a stirring section for stirring developer when the stirring member rotates. |
| US08326189B2 |
Developing device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
There is provided a separation member for separating a first conveying path formed by a first conveying member from a second conveying path formed by a second conveying member. There is also provided an opposed member facing a magnetic pole H4 at an upstream side of two magnetic poles H4 and H6 that forms a developer-releasing magnetic pole H5. |
| US08326187B2 |
Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus using the same
A toner cartridge includes a toner reservoir for storing toner and a toner conveyor portion. The toner conveyor portion includes a toner discharge port for discharging toner stored in the toner reservoir to the outside and a toner conveying member for conveying toner to the toner discharge port. The toner conveyor portion includes an airtight cover that encloses the upper part of the toner conveying member located over the toner discharge port, a communication opening arranged near the toner discharge port to connect between the toner conveyor portion and the toner reservoir and a pressure relieve valve that opens and closes the communication opening in accordance with the pressure of the toner in the space enclosed by the airtight cover. |
| US08326186B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus using the same
A developing device includes: a developing vessel for storing a developer containing a toner and a magnetic carrier; a first conveying passage through which the developer is conveyed approximately horizontally; and a toner supply port for leading toner to the first conveying passage. The toner supply port is formed over the first conveying passage. The developing device includes a multiple number of electromagnets that intermittently attract and release the developer, over the first conveying passage. At the same time, a multiple number of downward slopes that go down toward the downstream side with respect to the developer conveying direction are formed in the bottom of the first conveying passage in areas in which the developer that has been attracted to the electromagnets and is released from the electromagnets falls. |
| US08326184B2 |
Development device and image forming apparatus
A development device includes a developer container internally divided by a partition into a supply path and a recovery path, a developer bearing member, a supply conveyance member to apply force to convey developer to a developer retaining space through the supply path, the developer retaining space retaining the developer to be conveyed by the developer bearing member, a recovery conveyance member, a communication pathway provided between the supply path and the developer retaining space, the communication pathway passing the developer from the supply path to the developer retaining space, and a developer softening member to soften the developer that is present above the partition, provided at least one of at a position in the communication pathway and at a position close to the communication pathway. |
| US08326181B2 |
Image forming apparatus having driving roller for automatic steering of intermediate image transfer belt
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a belt member, a stretching roller, a driving roller configured to transmit a driving force to the belt member, a motor configured to supply a driving force to the driving roller, a first frame configured to rotatably support two ends of the stretching roller, a second frame disposed to be tiltable relative to the first frame and configured to rotatably support two ends of the driving roller, a steering driving unit configured to cause the second frame to perform a tilt operation, a tension roller disposed at a position adjacent the driving roller in the downstream side of the driving roller in the rotational direction of the belt member and configured to supply a tension to the belt member, and an elastic unit configured to elastically support the tension roller. |
| US08326177B2 |
Image forming apparatus and developing agent cartridge
An image forming apparatus may include a casing, and a plurality of image carriers arranged in parallel along one direction in the casing and formed with an electrostatic latent image. The apparatus can further include a plurality of developing agent carriers opposed to the image carriers, for visualizing the electrostatic latent image by feeding a developing agent to the image carriers, and a plurality of developing agent cartridges, arranged in parallel in the one direction to be opposed to the developing agent carriers in the longitudinal direction of the developing agent carriers, and configured to be together attachable/detachable to/from the casing along the one direction, for accommodating the developing agent fed to the developing agent carriers. |
| US08326176B2 |
Electrophotographic image forming apparatus and supporting member
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main assembly, with the main assembly including a preventing portion. The apparatus also includes a supporting member for supporting a plurality of electrophotographic photosensitive members, with the supporting member being movable between an inside position inside the main assembly, and an outside position outside the main assembly in a state in which the supporting member is supported by the main assembly and being disengageable from the main assembly at the outside position. A handle portion is provided to the supporting member, to be touched for disengaging the supporting member from the main assembly, with the handle portion being provided upstream of the plurality of electrophotographic photosensitive members with respect to a movement direction in which the supporting member is moved from the inside position to the outside position. |
| US08326175B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus, including: a rotatable image bearing member; a developer carrying member configured to carry a developer to form a developer image on the image bearing member; a cleaning blade configured to remove the developer remaining on the image bearing member; a conveying unit configured to convey the developer removed by the cleaning blade, toward a developer recovering portion; and a cleaning auxiliary portion configured to move the developer accumulated on the cleaning blade toward the conveying unit, the cleaning auxiliary portion having a length that is smaller, in a rotation axial direction of the image bearing member, than a developer width of the developer carried by the developer carrying member. |
| US08326172B2 |
Heat insulation structure and image forming apparatus using the same
A heat insulation structure includes: a duct member disposed above a fixing device that fixes developer onto a recording medium, through which air flows to be exhausted; a heat insulating member disposed between an upper side of the duct member and a lower side of a function member disposed above the duct member; and a gap forming member that forms a gap between the duct member and the heat insulation member in a vertical direction. |
| US08326170B2 |
Image forming apparatus including chip having engine processor and basic processor
An image forming apparatus including a chip having an engine processor and a basic processor includes an image forming unit which has an image forming engine and forms an image of given image data, an engine processor to control a driving of the image forming engine, and a basic processor which is integrally provided with the engine processor and controls processes related to image formation except the driving of the image forming engine. |
| US08326166B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member; a developing device, including a developer carrying member and developing bias application means for applying a developing bias for developing a developer image; a rotatable intermediary transfer member; a primary transfer member for forming a primary transfer nip and for transferring the developer image from the image bearing member onto the intermediary transfer member; a secondary transfer member for secondary-transferring the developer image from the intermediary transfer member onto a recording material; wherein an area of the image bearing member includes a first area at least containing an area located in primary transfer nip at a time when a speed of the intermediary transfer member is temporarily decreased and includes a second area located in the primary transfer nip when there is no temporary change in speed; and a control device for controlling a developing bias. |
| US08326160B2 |
Dispersion compensation device, optical reception device, method for dispersion compensation, and method for optical reception
A dispersion compensation device includes: an optical branching unit to branch an optical signal to be received; a first dispersion compensator to perform dispersion compensation on one part of the optical signal branched by the optical branching unit with a variable compensation amount; a second dispersion compensator to perform dispersion compensation on another part of the optical signal branched by the optical branching unit; a monitoring unit to monitor the communication quality of an output optical signal of the second dispersion compensator; and a controlling unit to determine the direction of variation in chromatic dispersion of the optical signal based on the direction of variation in communication quality monitored by the monitoring unit and control the compensation amount of the first dispersion compensator based on the result of the determination. |
| US08326156B2 |
Cell phone/internet communication system for RF isolated areas
A communication system for providing downlink and uplink communication between Service Providers, and users located in RF remotely located isolated areas, includes the sequential series connection of Service Provider signal sectors to Radio Interface Modules (RIM's), Service Combiner Units (SCU's), Fiber Transceiver Units (FTU's), Optical Multiplexer Units (OMU's), and Remote Fiber Nodes (RFN's), with only the RFN's being located in the RF isolated areas. The RIM's provide level control of RF signals bidirectional flowing between the Service Providers and SCU's. The SCU's both multiplex and split received downlink RF signals for inputting to the FTU's, and also combine and split RF uplink signals received from the FTU's for feed to the RIM's. The FTU's convert downlink RF signals into optical signals, and split the optical signals for connection to the OMU's. The FTU's also convert uplink optical signals received from the OMU's into uplink RF signals for connection to the SCU's. The OMU's combine downlink optical signals received from the FTU's for inputting into the RFN's, and demultiplex uplink optical signals received from the RFN's for connection to the FTU's. The RFN's convert downlink optical signals into RF signals, and amplify and feed these signals into an antenna system. The RFN's also receive RF uplink signals from devices of users in RF isolated areas, and converts the RF uplink signals into optical uplink signals for connection to the OMU's. |
| US08326149B2 |
Dynamic bandwidth allocation in a passive optical network in which different optical network units transmit at different rates
An OLT allocates a bandwidth budget and assigns upstream transmission order by receiving upstream transmission requests from a plurality of ONUs. Each ONU's request includes a requested guaranteed bandwidth and a requested best effort bandwidth. Each ONU has respective first and second attribute values. One attribute is given allocation priority over the other attribute. One attribute is given scheduling priority over the other attribute. Within each attribute, an allocation rank and a transmission rank is assigned to the possible attribute values. The bandwidth budget is allocated in accordance with the allocation priority and ranks. The upstream transmissions are scheduled in accordance with the scheduling priority and ranks. |
| US08326148B2 |
Optical network
An optical network is disclosed comprising one or more photonic switching nodes is disclosed. Each of the switching nodes comprises a plurality of input ports; at least one output port; and a switch configured to route messages between the plurality of input ports and the at least one output port and provide bufferless resolution of contention between messages for a common output port. |
| US08326147B2 |
Transmission apparatus, transmission controlling method, and optical supervisory channel (OSC) processing apparatus
An integrated transmission apparatus includes a plurality of optical supervisory channel (OSC) processing units for processing OSC signals contained in a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) signal received from a WDM network and a switching unit for performing the path control of synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) frames. An OSC processing unit transmits the SDH frame, containing wavelength information indicated by, to the switching unit. Another OSC processing unit acquires the SDH frame, containing wavelength information, from the switching unit and sets an OSC signal which is to be appended to the WDM signal to be transmitted, based on the wavelength information. |
| US08326145B2 |
Optical receiver and light receiving method
An apparatus and method includes converting an optical signal that is received into an electrical signal and outputting the electrical signal, converting the electrical signal into a data signal and outputting the data signal by comparing the electrical signal with a reference voltage, monitoring the electrical signal and output monitored information, and controlling the reference voltage based on the monitored information. |
| US08326144B2 |
Transmission path monitoring method and device
Upon transmission path monitoring, when a monitoring signal responded by one of optical repeaters provided in a main signal transmission path is superposed on an optical main signal and sent out to the main signal transmission path, the optical main signal is branched to optical fibers, that are optical transmission paths, provided separately from the main signal transmission path and each provided with optical repeaters corresponding to the optical repeaters provided in the main signal transmission path, an optical main signal is selected from a desired optical fiber to be monitored from among the optical transmission paths and the monitoring signal is extracted from the optical main signal selected, thereby checking the quality of the desired optical fiber. |
| US08326142B2 |
Optical image systems
The present invention is an optical image system having at least a first camera including a first lens and at least a second sensor including a second lens. The system also includes at least one beam splitter for transmitting an incoming beam of electromagnetic radiation of at least a first band of wavelength to a focal plane array of the first camera and reflecting an incoming beam of electromagnetic radiation of at least a second band of wavelength to a focal plane array of the second camera. The first lens is positioned behind the beam splitter for focusing the beam of the first band of wavelength onto an image at the focal plane array of the first camera and the second lens is positioned behind the beam splitter for focusing the beam of the second band of wavelength onto the image at the focal plane array of the second camera. |
| US08326141B1 |
Systems and methods for changing power states of a remote device using one or more camera body controls and a preset delay
A control system for controlling power states of a controlled device, such as a lighting device, a special effects device and an in-scene device, in a photographic image-acquisition setting. The control system is configured to detect one or more camera body signals generated as a function of actuation of one or more camera body controls by a user. The control system generates a first power state change signal in response to the detected camera body signal(s) and transmits the power state change signal to the remote device so as to cause the remote device to operate at a first power state. The control system also implements a preset delay and causes the remote device to change from the first power state to a second power state in response to expiration of the preset delay. |
| US08326136B1 |
Systems and methods for communicating with a device using one or more camera body controls
A control system for communicating with a controlled device, such as a lighting device, a special effects device and an in-scene device, in a photographic image-acquisition setting using a camera body. The control system is configured to detect a preset pattern of actuation of one or more camera body controls by a user. In response to detecting of the preset pattern, the control system either communicates a power state change signal to the controlled device or causes the camera body to enter into a controlled device control mode that changes the functionality of one or more camera body controls from a camera body functionality to a controlled device control functionality, or both. Such a system can allow a photographer to control a controlled device while remaining at the camera body. |
| US08326135B1 |
Heat lamp with dispersing fan
A portable area heating apparatus that utilizes a heat lamp for the heat source and a rear-situated fan to disperse the heated air is herein disclosed. The apparatus is intended for use in spot heating applications such as garages, workshops, and similar locations and is suitable for mounting on a floor or wall by use of a multi-functional bracket assembly. Since the heat lamp also produces a certain amount of light, the apparatus may also be used as a light source. The apparatus could also be mounted within an existing ductwork system to supplement a conventional central heating system in areas where extra heat is needed. |
| US08326132B2 |
Apparatus and method of encoding and decoding audio signal
In one embodiment, the method includes reading random access information from the audio signal. The random access information indicates whether or not random access operation is allowed in the audio signal. If the random access operation is allowed, the audio signal has a plurality of random access units. A random access unit includes one or more of frames and at least one of the frames is a random access frame. The random access frame is a frame encoded such that previous frames are not necessary to decode the random access frame, and the random access information further indicates a distance between random access frames in frames. The random access frame is decoded based on the random access information. |
| US08326129B2 |
Method of using AV devices and AV device system
A plurality of devices and a device system are disclosed, in which a plurality of input devices generate an input AV signal, a related device records and reproduces the AV signal, and a display device displays the AV signal. The input devices, the related device and the display device are interconnected to configure an AV system having a bus for transmitting or receiving the AV signal and management information. The related device of the AV system includes a recording medium for recording the AV signal, and the input devices transmit to the related device a request to secure a recording area on the recording medium. |
| US08326128B2 |
Conversion apparatus and conversion method
A conversion apparatus and method is disclosed by which a file including data multiplexed therein can be edited or handled readily while maintaining the compatibility. A standard/independent conversion section converts a file of a standard AV multiplex format wherein video data and audio data are placed in a multiplexed state in a body into a file of an AV independent format wherein video data or audio data are placed collectively in a body. Meanwhile, an independent/standard conversion section converts a file of the AV independent formation into a file of the standard AV multiplex format. |
| US08326126B2 |
Automatic selection, recording and meaningful labeling of clipped tracks from media without an advance schedule
Automatic selection, recording and meaningful labeling of tracks from media streams is provided. Content information which relates to tracks currently being played and/or to previously played tracks is used to guide selection of tracks to be recorded and to provide meaningful labels for recorded tracks. This content information does not provide an advance schedule of tracks to be played in the future. A segment is temporarily recorded from a selected media stream. The content information relating to tracks in the segment is compared with previous user input (i.e., track preferences) to select tracks within the segment to be recorded. For each selected track, clipping is performed to identify track start and end times. Clipped tracks are recorded onto a suitable long-term recording medium, and labeled with a meaningful label derived from the content information. Content information can be derived by automatic analysis of the media stream. |
| US08326125B2 |
Method and device for linking multimedia data
It is desired to link photo data and video data taken by a digital camcorder. Therefore, there is provided a device and method for linking multimedia data, wherein linking information is formed on the basis of first and/or second multimedia data. The linking information is stored on a recording medium together with the first multimedia data. The second multimedia data may be stored together with respective linking information to the first multimedia data on a second recording medium. Thus, a camera-man while recording is able to set up logo or index pictures for a video film. |
| US08326122B2 |
Recorder/reproducer
Apparatus which records and reproduces signals includes a unit which receives signals, a first recorder which records the signals received by the unit on a first recording medium, and a first reproducer which reproduces the signals recorded on the first recording medium. A second recorder is provided which records the signals reproduced by the first reproducer on a second recording medium, a detector is provided which detects a commercial message portion from the signals recorded on the second recording medium, and a second reproducer is provided which reproduces the signals recorded on the second recording medium while excluding the commercial message portion detected by the detector. |
| US08326116B2 |
Recording medium, reproduction device program, and reproduction method
Video streams and an entry map are recorded on a BD-ROM in association with each other. The video stream constituting a slide show includes a plurality of IDR pictures. The entry map (EP_map) associated with the IDR pictures indicates an entry time (PTS_EP_start) of each IDR picture included in the video stream in association with an entry point (SPN_EP_start). Application_type indicates that entry information of each of pieces of picture data constituting the video stream exists in the EP_map and each piece of picture data is to be decoded independently. |
| US08326096B2 |
Low switching voltage, fast time response digital optical switch
Disclosed herein is a digital electro-optical switch (1) comprising: an electro-optical substrate (3); a Y-shaped optical waveguide (2) formed in the substrate (3) and including an input branch (4) configured to be connected to an input optical waveguide, and two output branches (5) configured to be connected to respective output optical waveguides; and electrically conductive electrodes (6, 7) formed on the substrate (3) and including an inner electrode (7) arranged between the output branches (5), substantially at a branching area of the optical waveguide (2), and two outer electrodes (6) arranged outside the output branches (5), on opposite sides of the inner electrode (7), the outer electrodes (6) being electrically operable to make the electro-optical switch (1) operative between a first switching state wherein transmission of optical energy is enhanced between the input branch (4) and a first one of the output branches (5), and substantially inhibited in a second one of the output branches (5), and a second switching state wherein transmission of optical energy is enhanced between the input branch (4) and the second output branch (5), and substantially inhibited in the first output branch (5); and an optically transparent, electrically conductive film (9) arranged between each electrode (6, 7) and the substrate (3). |
| US08326090B2 |
Search apparatus and search method
An object of this invention is to allow a user to easily and simply designate or input an image serving as a document search key. That is, a search apparatus reads a document image (S7001) to obtain image data, extracts an image region in the image data (S7004), and displays, on display means, a list of images corresponding to the extracted image regions (S7008). When a user selects at least one of the images displayed in the list via an input means (S7009), the search is executed by using the selected image as a search key (S7010). |
| US08326086B2 |
Elastic image registration
Image registration very often used to be a tedious task which had to be performed manually. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a non-rigid image registration by an iterative refinement process based on a combination of landmarks with similarity values is proposed. Advantageously, a very fast and robust method maybe provided. |
| US08326084B1 |
System and method of auto-exposure control for image acquisition hardware using three dimensional information
A system and method of auto-exposure control is provided for image acquisition hardware using three dimensional information to identify a region(s) of interest within an acquired 2D image or images upon which to apply traditional auto-exposure techniques. By performing auto-exposure analysis over the region of interest, the acquisition property settings can be assigned such that the light levels within the region of interest fall within the linear range, producing sufficient grayscale information for identifying particular objects and profiles in subsequently acquired images. For example, in a machine vision application that detects people passing through a doorway, the region of interest can be the portion of the 2D image that generated 3D features of a head and shoulders profile within a 3D model of the doorway scene. With higher quality images, more accurate detection of people candidates within the monitored scene results. |
| US08326083B2 |
Image processing circuit, display device, and printing device
An image processing circuit includes: a memory that stores the location and pixel values that compose graphical images; a calculation unit that calculates the difference between a target location to which the graphical images is aligned in binary image data and an initial location designated in the graphical images; an output unit that outputs pixel values at locations distanced from the locations of the pixel values by an amount equivalent to the calculated difference; a first multiplier that multiplies the output pixel value with the pixel value included in the binary image data; an inverter that inverts the pixel value in the binary image data; a second multiplier that multiplies the pixel values in the binary image data or the pixel values included in background image data with the inverted pixel values; and an adder that adds the result of the multiplications performed by the first and second multipliers. |
| US08326078B2 |
System and method for removing artifacts from a digitized document
A system and method is disclosed for removing artifacts from a digitized document. The method discloses receiving a digitized document, having an image format, and including content and an artifact; identifying a content boundary within the digitized document; enhancing the digitized document after identifying the content boundary; and removing the artifact by cropping the digitized document to the content boundary after enhancing the digitized document The system discloses a processor configured to operate a series of functional modules, including: a means for receiving a digitized document, having an image format, and including content and an artifact; a content boundary identification module, for identifying a content boundary within the digitized document; an image enhancement module, for enhancing the digitized document after identifying the content boundary; and a content cropping module, for removing the artifact by cropping the digitized document to the content boundary after enhancing the digitized document. |
| US08326075B2 |
System and method for video encoding using adaptive loop filter
Methods for decoding frames of compressed video information are disclosed. Each frame includes a plurality of blocks having a prediction stage parameter and a residual error attribute. One method includes categorizing each of the blocks into categories based on at least one of the prediction stage parameter or the residual error attribute, determining a loop filter strength value to each of the categories, and filtering the boundary adjacent to at least one of the blocks using the loop filter strength assigned to the category in which that block is categorized. |
| US08326074B2 |
Method and apparatus for FIR filtering using space-varying rotation
A method and apparatus for finite impulse response (FIR) filter bank architecture and method that involve low-complexity computation resources are described. In one embodiment, a digital image processing system includes an index mapping module to determine a rotation angle index to control rotation of an input patch of an image based on the (x,y) pixel coordinates of the image patch. The digital image processing system may also include a rotation module to rotate the input patch of the image based on the rotation angle index. In one embodiment, the digital image processing system may further include a filter engine module applied to a rotated version of the input patch of the image. |
| US08326070B2 |
Systems and methods for enhancing image differences
Methods disclosed permit the enhancement of difference images associated with an image pair. In some embodiments, an enhanced difference image may be generated by selecting at least one non-zero target pixel in a thresholded difference image and performing operations on pixels that neighbor the target pixel in the thresholded difference image based on the value associated with the target pixel. In some embodiments, the operations on neighbors of the target pixel may be carried out using a user-specified paintbrush. The enhanced difference image may be rendered using a monitor or a printer. |
| US08326060B2 |
Video decoding method and video decoder based on motion-vector data and transform coefficients data
An MPEG video decoding method and an MPEG video decoder are provided. The method includes determining whether to perform motion compensation on motion-vector-decoded data or not depending on a value of a decoded motion vector, determining whether to perform inverse discrete cosine transformation (IDCT) on motion-compensated data or not depending on values of decoded DCT coefficients, and generating a decoded image based on the results of the two determinations. |
| US08326057B2 |
Image encoding method, image decoding method, image encoding apparatus, image decoding apparatus, image encoding program, and image decoding program
An image decoding method, apparatus and program for decoding coded picture data is disclosed. In the method, apparatus and program, the coded picture data is entropy-decoded to derive four transform coefficient strings each comprising entropy-decoded sixteen (16) transform coefficients. The four transform coefficient strings are combined into an 8×8 block of entropy-decoded sixty four (64) transform coefficients by de-interleaving the four strings in such a manner as to select a lower frequency transform coefficient alternately from the four strings and arrange it in the 8×8 block in an order of a low frequency to a high frequency. An inverse orthogonal transform is then performed on the 8×8 block of the entropy-decoded sixty four (64) transform coefficients. |
| US08326050B2 |
Method and apparatus for subpixel-based down-sampling
This invention relates to method and apparatus for subpixel-based down-sampling. This invention implements an adaptive filter 140 based on edge detection, which removes visible color fringing artifacts while efficiently retaining sharpness. |
| US08326049B2 |
Method and system for the treatment of multiple-description signals, and corresponding computer-program product
A processing system, such as typically a CPU, is used for converting a digital signal organized in pixels, such as a video signal, between a first format and a second multiple-description format. The system comprises at least one input register and at least one output register, and is configured via instructions, that can be constituted at least in part by instructions of a SIMD type, so as to: order the pixels of the signal to be converted in a set of input registers; and take selectively the pixels from the aforesaid set of input registers and place them in an orderly way in at least one output register. |
| US08326047B2 |
Image processing using neural network
Image processing method that includes the steps of considering each image point as a node of an artificial neural network, and of processing the image as function of values of the nodes and of connections of each image point undergoing processing with neighboring image points, the image points of the processed image being obtained by iterative evolution steps of parameters defining the appearance as evolution steps of the value of nodes or by iterative evolution steps of values of the set of connections or by a combination of the evolutions, wherein the processing occurs by evolution iterative steps that are functions of connections of neighboring image points with the image point under examination, each of the neighboring image points being further considered as neighboring one or more or all adjacent image points, the functions providing immediate feedback contributions for determining appearance values of all other image points. |