| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08522361B2 |
Tokenized resource access
A method and system for unlocking diagnostic functions in a hardware device for a user. The method obtains a signed permission object for the hardware device, and validates the signed permission object. A memory of the hardware device stores a device identifier and a last recorded sequence number. The signed permission object includes a sequence number and is associated with an expiration counter having an initial value that indicates a lifetime for the signed permission object. When the signed permission object is valid, the method updates the expiration counter to decrease the lifetime of the signed permission object, stores the sequence number associated with the signed permission object as the last recorded sequence number in the hardware device, and unlocks the diagnostic functions for the user based on the signed permission object. |
| US08522359B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatic update
An apparatus and method for automatic update are provided. The method includes storing authentication information for data, including first and second data, receiving the first data from the device, performing an authentication of the first data using the authentication information, and determining whether to receive the data, including the first data and the second data, according to the authentication. |
| US08522356B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information processing method
The information processing apparatus includes: a tampering determination unit (2501) determining whether or not the shared library in the volatile memory is tampered with; a shared library information holding unit (2504) holding shared library information including information on a correspondence relationship between the shared library and the process; a process control unit (2502), in the case where the determination shows that the shared library in the volatile memory is tampered with, (i) specifying the process which uses the shared library in the volatile memory with reference to the shared library information and (ii) stopping the specified process; and a shared library recovering unit (2505), in the case where the determination shows that the shared library in the volatile memory is tampered with, reloading the shared library in the non-volatile memory into the volatile memory so as to recover the shared library in the volatile memory. |
| US08522353B1 |
Blocking IEEE 802.11 wireless access
One or more 802.11 access points that are programmed or otherwise configured to transmit a preferably continuous waveform over a band of frequencies that interferes with other devices in the region, effectively blocking all (or at least most) 802.11 traffic on channels spanned by that band of frequencies. |
| US08522352B2 |
Key device with external storage and the using method thereof
A key device with external storage and its method of use, which relates to the computer security technology field, is disclosed herein. The key device with external storage consists of a micro-controller unit and an off-chip mass storage. The micro-controller unit comprises a host interface module, a CPU, a key data storage module, a firmware program storage module, and an off-chip mass storage interface module. The method of using the key device with external storage includes: the key device builds connection with the host and reports itself as a mass storage device; the host starts the application program; and the user uses and manages the information. The usability of the key device is improved by adding off-chip mass storage in the key device, which makes the user use and manage the files in the key device easily as well. |
| US08522348B2 |
Matching with a large vulnerability signature ruleset for high performance network defense
Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for vulnerability signature based Network Intrusion Detection and/or Prevention which achieves high throughput comparable to that of the state-of-the-art regex-based systems while offering improved accuracy. A candidate selection algorithm efficiently matches thousands of vulnerability signatures simultaneously using a small amount of memory. A parsing transition state machine achieves fast protocol parsing. Certain examples provide a computer-implemented method for network intrusion detection. The method includes capturing a data message and invoking a protocol parser to parse the data message. The method also includes matching the parsed data message against a plurality of vulnerability signatures in parallel using a candidate selection algorithm and detecting an unwanted network intrusion based on an outcome of the matching. |
| US08522346B1 |
Protection against unintentional file changing
Files are protected against intrusion by badly behaving programs. An embodiment may define a file association between a kind of file on an operating system, and a program which normally opens that kind of file. An operation is detected whereby another file attempts to change the file association. When that happens, a recommendation is provided to a user of whether the user should change the file association and allow said different program to open the file. One embodiment may determine if there is another program which is masquerading as said file-associated program and prevent the masquerading program from opening the file. |
| US08522339B2 |
Reproducing apparatus, system LSI, and initialization method
Hardware of a playback apparatus includes a drive and a decoder, and firmware of the playback apparatus accesses a BD-ROM loaded on a drive, according to a BD-J application, to bring the decoder into AV playback operations. The drive unit constitutes a local storage. A benchmark score is built in the firmware in advance. The benchmark score shows a turn-around time from when a processing request is made to the hardware via the firmware to when a response returns. Such a benchmark score is written into an application data area in the local storage when the firmware is initially executed. |
| US08522338B2 |
Two-way authentication
A method for activating a physiologic sensor (124) of a peripheral device (104) of a monitoring apparatus (100) includes receiving, at the peripheral device (104), a signal indicating a host device (102) authenticated the peripheral device (104), receiving, at the peripheral device (104), a host device authentication response signal, authenticating, at the peripheral device (104), the host device (102) based on the host device authentication response signal, and activating the physiologic sensor (124) of the peripheral device (104) in response to authentication of both the host and peripheral devices (102, 104). |
| US08522337B2 |
Selecting a security format conversion for wired and wireless devices
A selection system and method to receive an indication of a security format from a network and to select one of a plurality of security format conversions based on the received indication is described. The indication may be an indication of a wireless security format such as WTLS used by a wireless access device or a wired security format such as SSL used by a wired access device and the security format conversion selected based on the indication may be to another secured format or a plain data format. The indication may include an indication of a port and an indication of a security feature that is supported by the access device. |
| US08522335B2 |
Token mediation service in a data management system
A method and system for mediating security tokens to authorization data transactions in a data management system. The methods and systems intercept a data request between two applications or services, and validate and translate a security token sent with the data request from a format compatible with the first application or service to a format compatible with the second application or service. |
| US08522333B2 |
Client/server system for communicating according to the standard protocol OPC UA and having single sign-on mechanisms for authenticating, and method for performing single sign-on in such a system
A method and device are provided for integrating single sign-on (SSO) mechanisms in a client/server system using communication according to the standard protocol OPC UA, and for performing SSO for user authentication and authorization in the system. A client is connected to an aggregating server, and the aggregating server is connected to subordinated servers via a communication network. To integrate SSO mechanisms, the aggregating server is provided with an SSO component for mapping user legitimation data used in a service call to identities in the form in which the identities are stored in the subordinate servers. To perform SSO using the SSO component, user legitimation data associated with a service call are used to automatically search for corresponding mapped identities and affected servers, and to call up an active session service for each match in each server via the mapped identity, to establish the desired access to data from the user's service invocation. |
| US08522332B2 |
Secure automatically configuring, self-authenticating administrative user without a password
A method and apparatus are provided for accessing a server of a computer system. The method includes the steps of providing a startup CONFIG file or database table for use during initialization of the server and a predetermined user identifier within the startup CONFIG file or database table. The method further includes the steps of a user requesting access to the server, the user providing the predetermined user identifier and the server logging the user into the server under the predetermined user identifier without requiring a password. |
| US08522323B1 |
System and method for obtaining identities
A system and method identifies one of several security token services that can be used to convert an identity token into one containing content, a format and having a signature corresponding to a signing key name that a software service can use. The identification of the security token service that may be used to perform the conversion is made using machine readable information about the signing key name that the software service can use. |
| US08522322B2 |
Platform firmware armoring technology
A method, apparatus, method, machine-readable medium, and system are disclosed. In one embodiment the method includes is a processor. The processor includes switching a platform firmware update mechanism located in a computer platform to a platform firmware armoring technology (PFAT) mode on a boot of the computer platform. The computer platform includes a platform firmware storage location that stores a platform firmware. The method then persistently locks the platform firmware storage location in response to the platform firmware update mechanism switching to the PFAT mode. When persistently locked, writes are only allowed to the platform firmware storage location by an Authenticated Code Module in the running platform and only after a platform firmware update mechanism unlocking procedure. |
| US08522320B2 |
Methods and systems for authenticating one or more users of a vehicle communications and information system
In at least one embodiment, a system for authorizing use of a vehicle communication and information system may include one or more data processors configured to receive information associating one or more devices with a vehicle computer. The data processor(s) may be also configured to receive information identifying a user requesting authorization to command the vehicle controls from the one or more devices associated with the vehicle computer. The user(s) may be authorized to command the vehicle controls from the one or more devices associated with the vehicle computer based on performing an authentication process for authenticating the user, determining that the user is an authenticated user based on the authentication process, and enabling command of one or more vehicle controls from the one or more remote devices via the associated vehicle computer based on the user being authenticated. |
| US08522319B2 |
Computer readable medium storing program, information processing apparatus, and information processing method
A computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process is provided. The process includes obtaining note content information representing note content included in a note if the note has been input to registered information; obtaining user specification information for specifying a user who has input the note; causing the note content information and the user specification information to be stored in a memory in association with the registered information; and outputting at least one of the registered information, and the note content information and the user specification information stored in the memory to a user as a request source, and not outputting at least the user specification information if the user as the request source is different from the user who has input the note, in response to a request for outputting information from the user as the request source. |
| US08522316B2 |
Connector and method for providing access to a data-processing network for a data-processing device
The invention relates to a connector and also to a method for providing access to a data-processing network for a data-processing device, wherein an individual, decentralized, and secure access to a data-processing network is provided and wherein data exchange between the device and the network is possible or granted only when the device has at least one predefined identification feature. The invention further relates to a method for configuring the connector according to the invention. |
| US08522311B2 |
Authentication techniques
Techniques for authenticating clients of differing capabilities in an efficient manner. Two or more authentication techniques, including one preferred authentication technique, are initiated to run in parallel to authenticate a client. Upon determining that the client can support the preferred authentication technique, the preferred technique is used to authenticate the client and the other authentication techniques are aborted. If it is determined that the client cannot support the preferred authentication technique, then one of the other authentication techniques is used to authenticate the client. In this manner, based upon the capabilities of the client, an appropriate authentication technique is used to authenticate the client in an efficient manner. |
| US08522310B1 |
Psychometric keycard for online applications
A system for securely providing psychometric information is disclosed. The system includes a psychometric information database storing the psychometric information, wherein the psychometric information corresponds to an individual, and wherein the psychometric information is derived from an interaction with the individual. The system includes a validation module configured to validate an entity requesting the psychometric information. The system further includes an authorization module configured to selectively allow usage of a portion of the psychometric information based at least in part on a type of the portion of the psychometric information and at least in part on the interaction from which the portion of the psychometric information was derived. |
| US08522309B2 |
Security switch
System and method for securing a personal device that includes a device core and a peripheral device from unauthorized access or operation. The system comprises an isolated switch, included fully or partially within an envelope of the personal device. The isolated switch cannot be affected in its operation by either the device core or the peripheral device. The switch may be operated by an authorized user of the personal device either preemptively or in response to a detected threat. In some embodiments, the isolated switch includes an isolated controller which can send one or more signals to the peripheral device and/or part of peripheral device. In some embodiments, the isolated switch includes an isolated internal component and an isolated external component, both required to work together to trigger the isolated switch operation. In some embodiments, the isolated switch includes an isolated disconnector for connecting and disconnecting the device core from part of the peripheral device. |
| US08522306B2 |
System, method and computer program product for implementing at least one policy for facilitating communication among a plurality of entities
Methods and apparatus are described for facilitating communication among a plurality of entities via an interoperability network. Each entity has policy data corresponding thereto governing interaction with the entity via the interoperability network. A message is transmitted from a first one of the entities to a second one of the entities. The first entity has first policy data corresponding thereto and the second entity has second policy data corresponding thereto. The transmitted message was handled in the network according to combined policy data representing a combination of the first and second policy data. |
| US08522303B2 |
Method for the distribution of audio-visual information and a system for the distribution of audio-visual information
A jukebox system, including a server that stores a master library of audiovisual selections; a plurality of jukeboxes, each of which is operable to store audiovisual selections received from the server and to play the audiovisual selections at the request of a user; a communication system through which the server and the jukeboxes communicate; wherein the server is operable to define authorized uses for the audiovisual selections received from the server; and further wherein the authorized uses correspond to various rights that third parties have in the audiovisual selections, the rights requiring by law or regulation payment of respective royalties; and further wherein the server maintains information on the authorized uses made by each of the jukeboxes and determines the amount of royalties due. |
| US08522302B2 |
Adaptive power control for CATV systems
Methods, systems, and apparatus can be used to provide adaptive power control in CATV systems. In various examples, adaptive power control can adjust the power output to amplifiers based upon the load of a communication signal being amplified. The power output can be calculated to maintain specified performance levels for amplification of the communication signal. |
| US08522300B2 |
Highlight management for fantasy gaming
A media database stores a number of media content items associated with a real-life field of competitive activity. A user database stores information about a plurality of entities involved in the real-life field of competitive activity, including indications of a number of the plurality of entities that are entities of interest. An event database stores event information identifying an event related to the real-life field of competitive activity, identifying at least one portion of one of said number of media content items as associated with the event, and identifying at least one of the plurality of entities associated with the event. A manager communicatively coupled to the media database, user database and event database, determines whether the event has occurred based on the event information, determines whether the event is associated with any of the number of entities of interest, and generates a highlight message. The highlight message includes an indication of highlight media, where the highlight media is based on the identified at least one portion of said one of the number of media content items associated with the event. |
| US08522299B2 |
Virtual personal video recorder
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that manages media content. The disclosed system includes a component that synchronizes with a multimedia player that is in communication with the component. The component upon synchronization automatically determines an amount of storage space available on the handheld device and based at least in part on this available space, the component substitutes a first media presentation persisted on the storage space with a second media presentation retrieved from a media storage farm. |
| US08522296B2 |
Broadcast receiving apparatus and method for configuring the same according to configuration setting values received from outside
A broadcast receiving apparatus and a configuration method thereof are provided in which the broadcast receiving apparatus can be configured according to configuration setting values received from outside. The broadcast receiving apparatus is configured according to configuration setting values of the broadcast receiving apparatus, which are received from outside. |
| US08522295B2 |
Information processing system, information processing apparatus and method
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus by which image data can be downloaded simply. A video camera 11 receives thumbnail images corresponding to one or more images included in an album from a video camera image station 41 and displays the thumbnail images on an LCD unit. If one or more images to be downloaded are selected, then the video camera 11 acquires image information of the selected image or images from a video camera image station 41, analyzes the image information and discriminates it one by one image whether or not the selected image data are downloadable. Every time one image is discriminated to be downloadable, the video camera 11 accesses a corresponding URL designated for each image, downloads the image from the URL and records the image onto a recording medium. The video camera 11 successively downloads the selected images in this manner. |
| US08522294B2 |
Device, system and method to provision, configure and operate video generation equipment
A video generation device, system and method. The device, system and method may perform the configuration of the video generation device, and thus may include a configuration file and a file format. The device, system and method may include at least one processing unit communicative with at least one cable modem, at least one application specific output generated from the processing unit, and a plurality of inputs to at least one processing unit for receiving at least a video input, a management input, and a configuration input, wherein the configuration input may include configuration information for processing the other received inputs. In embodiments, the video input, the management input, and the configuration information may be processed by at least one processing unit to at least one application specific output. |
| US08522293B2 |
Method and apparatus for high bandwidth data transmission in content-based networks
Methods and apparatus for delivering data over extant infrastructure within a content-based network. In one embodiment, the network comprises a cable network, and the infrastructure comprises that nominally used for on-demand (OD) services such as VOD. The method includes the allocation of dedicated end-to-end network resources via a “session request, as well as data flow control and packet size adaptation, by a data server based on feedback from the requesting/receiving client device (e.g., DSTB) within the network. Mechanisms for retransmission requests for error recovery are also provided. |
| US08522292B2 |
Streaming media bandwidth reduction
A media server reduces media streaming bandwidth by synchronizing start times of media streams sent to clients requesting a particular set of media or other data. The server starts new streams periodically or when it has received a certain number of requests, resulting in multiple streams delivering the media to multiple clients. The streams can be delivered using multicast technologies. Overall media stream bandwidth is further reduced by merging streams. At some point after a stream has become active, a client receiving data from a current stream has enough media stored locally to ensure smooth playback of the media if the client is switched to a trailing stream. A client can switch to a trailing stream after the speed of the current stream is throttled down and the current stream becomes synchronized with the trailing stream. Multiple streams can be merged simultaneously, and streams can be merged multiple times. |
| US08522289B2 |
Distributed automatic recording of live event
Methods and systems for processing multimedia content captured from a plurality of locations via one or more capturing devices include obtaining multimedia content from one or more capturing devices. The capturing devices identify a type of content being captured and/or location of capture. An interest type for multimedia content is obtained from a consuming user. The multimedia content from the capturing devices are searched based on the interest type of the consuming user. A subset of the multimedia content conforming to the interest type is presented in substantial real-time at the receiving devices of the consuming users. Feedback regarding the presented multimedia content is obtained from consuming users and communicated to the capturing devices in substantial real-time so as to influence future capture of multimedia content. The methods also include receiving a request for recording a live event wherein the request provides one or more recording preferences including one or more requester preferences for recording the live event. The request is dynamically matched to one or more generating users who have expressed intentions for recording the live event. The generating users are associated with one or more capturing devices that are configured to record the live event based on the recording preferences of the request. The request is then forwarded to the matched one or more generating users for recording the live event. User interactions at the recordings are monitored and fed back to the generating users for further refining the recordings. |
| US08522279B2 |
Image display apparatus and method for operating the same
An image display device and a method for operating the same is disclosed. The method of controlling the display device may include displaying a video on the display received through a channel of a broadcast signal tuned by a tuner or over a network. The first and second multifunctional menu screens may be configured to include at least one of a first card object configured to display a scaled image of the video, a second card object that includes at least one link to tune to one or more channels of the broadcast signal or the network, or a third card object that includes at least one link for connecting to a content provider or to a storage device, wherein the first multifunctional menu screen is configured to be different than the second multifunctional menu screen. The configured first or second multifunctional menu screen may be displayed in response to a login request to a corresponding user account, wherein the first multifunctional menu screen may be associated with a first user account and the second multifunctional menu screen may be associated with a second user account. |
| US08522273B2 |
Advertising methods for advertising time slots and embedded objects
Disclosed is a process for an advertising bidding system in which advertisers can bid on advertising time slots or enhanced ads that can be inserted in either prerecorded or live television programming. A high degree of flexibility is provided by allowing embedded ads to be purchased and displayed in a very short time period. This allows TV broadcasters to increase revenues and allows advertisers to have more flexibility in advertising. Objects can be inserted in the display video broadcast using enhancements such as by using mark-up language overlay pages or by video combination techniques. The effect of these ads can be evaluated for advertising campaigns. |
| US08522267B2 |
Method and apparatus for control of closed captioning
A system for performing closed captioning enables a caption prepared remotely by a captioner to be repositioned by someone other than the captioner, such as by a program originator. This capability is particularly useful when, for example, the program originator wishes to include a banner in a video but also wishes to avoid having a closed caption interfere with the banner. In one illustrative system, the program originator is a broadcast station that includes a conventional encoder and a broadcast station computer. In one arrangement, control data generated at the station computer is incorporated into the caption data by the station computer. In another arrangement, the control data is sent from the station computer to the captioner computer, which incorporates the control data into the caption data. |
| US08522266B1 |
System and method for insertion of recorded media into a broadcast
A system and method for prioritizing the insertion of recorded media into a broadcast stream according to a comparison of priority indicators in the broadcast stream and in the recorded media insertion. The recorded media insertion may be multi-media in nature. |
| US08522264B2 |
Demand broadcast channels and channel programming based on user viewing history, profiling, and requests
A system and method for scheduling media for consumption via a demand broadcast channel based upon notifications received during user consumption of media. An embodiment of the present invention may employ notifications generated when users select media for consumption, to calculate one or more statistics. The statistics may be calculated and used by a media provider to schedule media into a demand broadcast channel in which the frequency of repetition or time of availability of the media is set according to a ranking of the relative frequency of requests for the media. The statistics may also be shared with a third party, to enable a third party media provider to arrange the scheduling of media availability according to the relative frequency of requests for the media. |
| US08522262B1 |
Optical-disc player
The invention relates to an optical-disc player, which comprises a pair of optical-disc sensor levers, a conveying roller used for conveying an optical disc by clamping he optical disc on an optical-disc guide plate, a roller supporting component, a driving member embedded with the roller supporting component, a cam gear used for moving the driving member, a driving gear used for driving the cam gear, switches used for controlling the rotation of a motor, and a traverse mechanism having a pick-up and a turntable, wherein the component, embedded with the roller supporting component and used for driving the conveying roller and the optical-disc guide plate to be engaged and disengaged, on the driving member is an E-shaped cam hole; a convex portion, a first toothed portion and a second toothed portion are formed on the cam gear; and a toothless portion is formed between the two toothed portions. |
| US08522260B2 |
Integration of runtime environments
The integration of two runtimes. The integration may be accomplished via the sharing of all or a portion of the environments of each of the runtimes with each other. For instance, as one runtime executes a particular application, control may be passed at an appropriate point to the second runtime. The second runtime may pass control back to the first runtime at an appropriate time. This passing of control between runtimes may happen perhaps a number of times during the execution of the application. The applications might be expressed entirely declaratively in a manner that integrates both runtimes as the application executes. Thus, the application may take advantage of the strengths of each runtime at the appropriate time. |
| US08522255B2 |
Multi-tiered message parsing
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for multi-tiered parsing of messages. A message that includes data characterizing values is received, the message is parsed to obtain the values as a first data type, and an instance of a value being of a second data type is generated in response to a request for the value. The requested value is one of the values characterized by the data in the message. The first and second data type are different, and, the second data type is associated with the requested value (e.g., the message may indicate that the first value is of the second data type). The parsing may be considered multi-tiered as parsing to obtain values as a first data type may be considered a first tier and generating an instance of a value as a second data type may be considered a second tier of an overall parsing technique. |
| US08522254B2 |
Programmable integrated processor blocks
An integrated processor block of the network on a chip is programmable to perform a first function. The integrated processor block includes an inbox to receive incoming packets from other integrated processor blocks of a network on a chip, an outbox to send outgoing packets to the other integrated processor blocks, an on-chip memory, and a memory management unit to enable access to the on-chip memory. |
| US08522253B1 |
Hardware support for virtual machine and operating system context switching in translation lookaside buffers and virtually tagged caches
A method for tagging cache entries to support context switching for virtual machines and for operating systems. The method includes, storing a plurality of entries within a cache of a CPU of a computer system, wherein each of the entries includes a context ID, handling a first portion of the entries as local entries when the respective context IDs indicate a local status, and handling a second portion of the entries as global entries when the respective context IDs indicate a global status. |
| US08522247B2 |
System and method for indicating usage of system resources using taskbar graphics
System and method for a method for indicating relative usage of a computer system resource by a plurality of applications each running in an active window, wherein each active window is represented on a taskbar element by a taskbar button, are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises, for each of the active windows, determining a resource usage rate for the application running in the active window, the resource usage rate comprising a percentage of a total system resource usage for which the application accounts; subsequent to the determining, ranking the applications in order of the determined resource usage rates thereof; and redisplaying the taskbar buttons to indicate, via at least one display characteristic, the relative system resource usage rates of the applications. |
| US08522246B2 |
Method for packet flow control using credit parameters with a plurality of limits
The present invention relates to a processor and a method for processing a data packet, the method including steps of decreasing a value of a first credit parameter when the data packet is admitted to a processor at least partly based on the value of the first credit parameter and a first limit of the first credit parameter, and increasing the value of the first credit parameter, in dependence on a data storage level in a buffer in which the data packet is stored before being admitted to the processor, the value of the first credit parameter not being increased, so as to become larger than a second limit of the first credit parameter, when the buffer is empty. |
| US08522244B2 |
Method and apparatus for scheduling for multiple memory controllers
In at least one embodiment, a method includes locally scheduling a memory request requested by a thread of a plurality of threads executing on at least one processor. The memory request is locally scheduled according to a quality-of-service priority of the thread. The quality-of-service priority of the thread is based on a quality of service indicator for the thread and system-wide memory bandwidth usage information for the thread. In at least one embodiment, the method includes determining the system-wide memory bandwidth usage information for the thread based on local memory bandwidth usage information associated with the thread periodically collected from a plurality of memory controllers during a timeframe. In at least one embodiment, the method includes at each mini-timeframe of the timeframe accumulating the system-wide memory bandwidth usage information for the thread and updating the quality-of-service priority based on the accumulated system-wide memory bandwidth usage information for the thread. |
| US08522243B2 |
Method for configuring resources and scheduling task processing with an order of precedence
The invention relates to a method for scheduling the processing of tasks and to the associated device, the processing of a task comprising a step for configuring resources required for executing the task and a step for executing the task on the thereby configured resources, the method comprising a selection (1) of at least one level of independent tasks to be processed in accordance with an order of precedence and a step for sorting (2) out the tasks of the level of tasks to be processed in order to define, an order of priority in the processing of the tasks, depending on the number of resources required for processing the tasks on the one hand and on a time characteristic of the tasks on the other hand. |
| US08522241B1 |
Systems and methods for auto-balancing of throughput in a real-time event-driven system
Systems and methods are provided for auto-balancing of throughput in a real-time event-driven system. The systems and methods may include identifying a plurality of processing stages for a real-time event-driven system that receives a system-level event and provides a system-level output, wherein processing stages between a first processing stage and a last processing stage are arranged in a sequential order such that a respective output of an earlier processing stage is provided to a respective request queue of a later processing stage; determining a respective number of requests in each request queue of the plurality of processing stages; comparing the respective determined number of requests to at least one threshold to determine that at least one processing stage is over-utilized, and for the at least one processing stage that is determined to be over-utilized, increasing an allocation of hardware resources to the respective over-utilized processing stage. |
| US08522235B2 |
Portable virtual machine
A system, method and computer program for launching an application into a host OS, include storing a snapshot/image of a Virtual Execution Environment (VEE) on a portable device, wherein the VEE snapshot is packed into a self-extracting file; launching the VEE from the portable device on a computer; and starting a user application within the VEE. The VEE snapshot can be restricted in its use. The VEE can be a Virtual Private Server or a Virtual Machine. The user application is a non-native application for a host OS of the computer. The VEE is launched from an icon on the portable device. The portable device can be, e.g., an iPod, a flash memory card, a digital player, a mobile phone device, a portable gaming device, rewritable CD/DVD/HD DVD/Blu Ray disk, etc. Alternatively, some data can be stored on the portable device, while other data can be downloaded from a network. |
| US08522234B2 |
Tailoring an operating system to a computer system
A method for tailoring the installation of an operating system to a computer system receives information regarding the computer system. Information regarding a modular operating system is accessed. The modular operating system is comprised of a foundational base and a plurality of installable features. Desired performance characteristics of the computer system are determined. Portions of the modular operating system are installed such that the modular operating system is tailored to the computer system and the desired performance characteristics of the computer system. |
| US08522232B1 |
Decoupling software loads for customer premise equipment
Methods, systems, and apparatus can be used to decouple software loads on customer premise equipment devices. In various examples, simple network management protocol (SNMP) messages, configuration files or other types of notifications can be used to notify customer premise devices of software updates for non-data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) modules. The version of the software load included in a notification can be compared to existing software loads to determine whether the software load identified by the notification should be loaded to the device. |
| US08522230B2 |
System for remote loading of objects or files in order to update software
A system for remote loading of objects or files in order to update software includes operating system architecture that calls for different tasks to be broken down into software modules that are connected to one another by dynamic links or are composed of executable subroutines that have main dependence links to other parts of the operating system. Each of the modules is composed of object files or libraries that are represented by dynamic link libraries among themselves according to a number of dependence levels that are described in their respective attributes. |
| US08522226B2 |
Control structure refinement of loops using static analysis
A system and method for discovering a set of possible iteration sequences for a given loop in a software program is described, to transform the loop representation. In a program containing a loop, the loop is partitioned into a plurality of portions based on splitting criteria. Labels are associated with the portions, and an initial loop automaton is constructed that represents the loop iterations as a regular language over the labels corresponding to the portions in the program. Subsequences of the labels are analyzed to determine infeasibility of the subsequences permitted in the automaton. The automaton is refined by removing all infeasible subsequences to discover a set of possible iteration sequences in the loop. The resulting loop automaton is used in a subsequent program verification or analysis technique to find violations of correctness properties in programs. |
| US08522225B2 |
Rewriting branch instructions using branch stubs
Mechanisms are provided for rewriting branch instructions in a portion of code. The mechanisms receive a portion of source code having an original branch instruction. The mechanisms generate a branch stub for the original branch instruction. The branch stub stores information about the original branch instruction including an original target address of the original branch instruction. Moreover, the mechanisms rewrite the original branch instruction so that a target of the rewritten branch instruction references the branch stub. In addition, the mechanisms output compiled code including the rewritten branch instruction and the branch stub for execution by a computing device. The branch stub is utilized by the computing device at runtime to determine if execution of the rewritten branch instruction can be redirected directly to a target instruction corresponding to the original target address in an instruction cache of the computing device without intervention by an instruction cache runtime system. |
| US08522223B2 |
Automatic function call in multithreaded application
In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes a method to detect a transaction and direct non transactional memory (TM) user functions within the transaction. The non TM user functions are treated as TM functions and added to the TM list. |
| US08522222B2 |
Tracing just-in-time compilation with pointers to local variables
In one embodiment, a trace optimizing engine may create an optimized trace of an operation segment of a software program. A memory may store a trace of an operation segment and an inherited stack frame from the operation segment. An optimizing trace compiler may resolve a local pointer of the operation segment to a memory object and insert a guard in the trace that invalidates the trace if the local pointer does not resolve to the memory object. A just in time compiler may receive in the trace a stack pointer to the inherited stack frame, move the stack pointer to create a storage space, and store an intermediate value for a local variable in a temporary variable in the storage space. |
| US08522221B1 |
Techniques for automatic generation of instruction-set documentation
A method and system for the automatic generation of user guides. Specifically, the method of the present invention includes accessing an abstract processor model of a processor, wherein said abstract processor model is represented using a hierarchical architecture description language (ADL). The abstract processor model includes a plurality of instructions arranged in a hierarchical structure. An internal representation of the abstract processor model is generated by flattening the abstract processor model. The flattening process generates a plurality of rules grouped by common convergent instructions. Each rule describes an instruction path through the hierarchical structure that converges at a corresponding convergent instruction. An instruction-set documentation is automatically generated from the plurality of rules, wherein the instruction-set documentation is arranged convergent instruction by convergent instruction. |
| US08522219B2 |
Automatic context management for web applications with client side code execution
A recorder, comprising: a context analyzer configured to associate HTTP transactions of a web application with a web session, wherein the web application executes code on the client side; an extensible document parser configured to parse a document included in the HTTP transactions; a library of parser additions used by the context analyzer to generate a context-full replay instruction; and a script generator configured to record a script including the context-full replay instruction in order to recreate the HTTP transactions in order to simulate use of the web application by a user. |
| US08522217B2 |
Visualization of runtime analysis across dynamic boundaries
Enhanced software architecture diagrams are derived by correlating runtime and static information, thereby allowing the diagrams to span runtime determination boundaries. Runtime determination boundaries are defined by decisions made at runtime, e.g., client-server boundaries, machine-machine boundaries, database-querying program boundaries, web service provider-consumer boundaries, factory caller-instance boundaries, interface call-implementing class boundaries, and reflection boundaries. Correlation may involve identifying instances of types, tracing an identifier injected into a communication channel, using a causality hook, and/or comparing messages leaving a caller with messages entering a callee, for example. |
| US08522216B2 |
Memory leak detection
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for detecting an analyzing memory leaks. According to one embodiment, a method of detecting a memory leak can comprise collecting instance count data for a number of instances of a plurality of classes in a memory heap. A correlation coefficient can be calculated for each of the plurality of classes in the memory heap. The correlation coefficient can represent a relevance of the class to a growth of the memory heap. Classes contributing to the growth of the memory heap can then be identified based on the correlation coefficient. |
| US08522214B2 |
Keyword based software testing system and method
An improved software testing system is described. In various embodiments, the improved software testing system receives a set of keywords identifying logic of a software application that is to be tested, associates each keyword of the set of keywords with a test component that exercises a function of the software application to be tested; derives a model of a behavior of the software application to be tested, and tests the software application based on the keyword and the derived model. |
| US08522206B2 |
Selective delta validation of a shared artifact
An illustrative embodiment of a computer-implemented process for selective delta validation of a shared artifact receives a notification associated with a shared artifact, determines whether a unique key exists for the shared artifact in a symbol data structure, and responsive to a determination that the unique key exists, determines whether an update from an external source occurred. Responsive to a determination that the update occurred from an external source, receives a timestamp associated with the unique key from the symbol data structure to form a received timestamp, determines whether the received timestamp is prior to a last modification time, and responsive to a determination that the received timestamp is prior to the last modification time, performs a delta validation of the shared artifact. |
| US08522198B2 |
Model-operative pattern representation harvesting using an automated exemplar-directed approach
Pattern harvesting is disclosed, using an automated exemplar-directed approach to harvest patterns from a model-operative pattern representation. A domain is identified, and existing pattern occurrences are detected therein in an automated manner. The detected pattern occurrences are used for creating a new pattern specification. |
| US08522196B1 |
Traceability in a modeling environment
A computer-readable medium and method may include instructions for providing a graphical model in a computing environment, where the graphical model includes a plurality of graphical affordances. Generated code may be provided based on the graphical model, where the generated code includes a plurality of code segments. A traceability report may be generated based on the graphical model and the generated code, wherein the traceability report includes a mapping of the plurality of code segments to corresponding ones of the plurality of graphical affordances. The traceability report may be stored. |
| US08522190B1 |
Power droop reduction via clock-gating for at-speed scan testing
A clock gating mechanism controls power within an integrated circuit device. One or more clock gating circuits are configured to couple a system clock to a different portion of the integrated circuit device. A logic circuit applies an enabling signal to one of the clock gating circuits to control whether the system clock passes through the clock gating circuit to a portion of the integrated circuit device associated with the clock gating circuit. A plurality of scan flip-flops is configured to provide a binary code to the logic circuit, where the binary code indicates to the logic circuit that the enabling signal should be applied to the clock gating circuit. One advantage of the disclosed technique is that power droop during at-speed testing of a device is reduced without significantly increasing the quantity of test vectors or reducing test coverage, resulting in greater test yields and lower test times. |
| US08522182B2 |
Generation of an end point report for a timing simulation of an integrated circuit
A computer-readable storage storing instructions for a processor. Execution of the instructions causes loading unit timing data descriptive of an upper hierarchy. Execution of the instructions cause the loading of a unit timing path, and the loading of macro timing data into the memory. Execution of the instructions further cause the replacement of at least a portion of the unit timing report with the macro timing data, and computation of arrival times, slacks, and slews. Execution of the instructions also cause computation of path statistics in accordance with the arrival times, slacks and slews, and generation of a end point report for the unit timing path, including path statistics. |
| US08522179B1 |
System and method for managing timing margin in a hierarchical integrated circuit design process
A system for, and method of, generating block timing constraints and a timing model. In one embodiment, the system includes a hierarchical modeling tool configured to: (1) generate a model file, (2) receive at least one abstracted view margin, at least one timing environment margin and at least one operational margin for inclusion in the model file, (3) generate block implementation timing constraints employing the at least one timing environment margin and the at least one operational margin and (4) generate a block timing model employing the at least one abstracted view margin and the at least one operational margin. |
| US08522177B2 |
Method and apparatus for electronic system function verification at two levels
A method for verifying functionality of a system-on-chip (SoC) comprises modeling a system block in first and second models at a first level and a second level lower than the first level, respectively. A stimulus transaction is generated at a first testbench at the first level. The stimulus transaction is transmitted from the first testbench to a second testbench at the second level. The stimulus transaction is transformed into a first response transaction, using the first model, at the first level. The stimulus transaction received at the second testbench is transformed into a second response transaction, using the second model, at the second level. Functionality of the SoC at the first and second levels is verified based on the first and second response transactions. |
| US08522176B2 |
Method of recording and replaying call frames for the testbench
A computer-implemented method to debug testbench code of a testbench associated with a circuit design by recording a trace of call frames along with activities of the circuit design. By correlating and displaying the recorded trace of call frames, the method enables users to easily trace an execution history of subroutines executed by the testbench thereby to debug the testbench code. In addition, users can trace source code of the testbench code by using the recorded trace of call frames. Furthermore, users can debug the testbench code utilizing a virtual simulation, which is done by post-processing records of the virtual simulation stored in a database. |
| US08522173B2 |
Spatial correlation-based estimation of yield of integrated circuits
A method for estimating yield of a wafer having a plurality of chips printed thereon is provided which includes the following steps. The chip design is divided into a plurality of rectangular cells. A process window is determined for each of the cells. The focus and dose values on the wafer are measured and used to determine a Gaussian random component of the focus and dose values. The focus and dose values on the wafer are represented as a sum of a systematic component of the focus and dose values and the Gaussian random component. Wafer yield is estimated based on a number of the chips for which at each point (x, y) the focus and dose values, as represented as the sum of the systematic component of the focus and dose values and the Gaussian random component, belong to a corresponding one of the process windows. |
| US08522172B2 |
Method of forming photomask using calibration pattern, and photomask having calibration pattern
A method of forming a photomask using a calibration pattern that may exactly transfer a desired pattern to a substrate. The method includes providing one-dimensional calibration design patterns each having first design measures and providing two-dimensional calibration design patterns each having second design measures; obtaining one-dimensional calibration measured patterns using the one-dimensional calibration design patterns and obtaining two-dimensional calibration measured patterns using the two-dimensional calibration design patterns; obtaining first measured measures of the one-dimensional calibration measured patterns and obtaining second measured measures of the two-dimensional calibration measured patterns; establishing a correlation between the first measured measures and the second measured measures; and converting a main measured measure of a main pattern into a corresponding one of the first measured measures using the correlation. |
| US08522170B2 |
Event display apparatus and method
An event display apparatus includes a configuration unit to configure a screen to include a time region, which is divided by time intervals along a first axis into a plurality of sub-time regions, and an event region, which is divided by event into a plurality of sub-event regions, in parallel to the first axis; and an output unit to output time slots, which has been allocated according to one or more zones, in the respective sub-time regions along the first axis, and to output sub-event regions comprising event information of different types, which correspond to the set time slots, in parallel to the first axis. |
| US08522168B2 |
System and method for navigating posts in a discussion
A method for navigating posts in a discussion including parent posts and child posts, a child post being in reply to a parent post, wherein a further reply can be made to a child post and wherein multiple child posts can be made in reply to respective parent or child posts, the method including receiving posts and storing posts; arranging posts in a discussion linearly one below another; providing a parent navigator which, when actuated, causes a copy of a parent post to be inserted adjacent its child post. Some embodiment comprise providing a child navigator which, when actuated, causes a copy of a parent post to be inserted adjacent its child post. Various other methods and apparatus are also provided. |
| US08522167B2 |
Relationship visualization and graphical interaction model in it client management
Displaying a hierarchy. A method includes identifying a set of nodes representing sites in a hierarchy. The set of nodes share one or more common characteristics not shared by any other nodes in the hierarchy. The method further includes determining that the set of nodes, as a set, meet a predetermined condition. As a result of the nodes sharing the one or more common characteristics not shared by any other nodes in the hierarchy and as a result of the set meeting the predetermined condition, the method further includes aggregating at least a portion of the set of nodes. The method further includes displaying in a graphical user interface a representation of the hierarchy including displaying the aggregated portion as a single entity in the hierarchy. |
| US08522166B2 |
Method, computer program product, and apparatus for providing an energy map
A method for providing an energy map may include receiving an indication of status for each of a plurality of individual entities with respect to corresponding priorities defined for each respective individual entity, correlating received indications of status to respective group priorities, providing a representation of a plurality of the group priorities, and mapping an amount of energy associated with the group priorities by providing a graphical representation of a respective amount of resources associated with the group priorities based on the received indications. |
| US08522163B2 |
Systems and methods for radial display of time based information
In certain embodiments, a radial configuration of time based information and a graphical object representative of an event are displayed together in a graphical user interface. A position of the graphical object relative to the radial configuration of time based information in the graphical user interface is configured to indicate a relationship between the event and the time based information. In certain embodiments, the radial configuration of time based information includes a visual representation of an analog clock face, and the graphical object includes a tab positioned along a perimeter of the analog clock face. In certain embodiments, the radial configuration of time based information includes a visual representation of a timeline spirally disposed about at least one axis point, and the graphical object is positioned along a section of the timeline. |
| US08522150B2 |
Information processing apparatus and associated method of content exchange
An information processor such as a personal computer is provided. A terminal is operably linked to the information processor to check out or to check in content to/from the terminal. A device driver detects that a portable device is connected to the information processor and when the device driver detects that the portable device is connected to the information processor, a start-up program reads contents-related data from the portable device and starts up a display/operation instruction program to provide a display corresponding to the data accessed from the terminal. |
| US08522149B2 |
System and method to visually present assets and access platforms for the assets
System and methods to visually present assets and access platforms for the assets are provided. A particular method includes receiving asset data associated with an asset and user data associated with a user. The method includes determining available platforms for the asset from the asset data and the user data. The method includes generating a display including information identifying the asset and an icon corresponding to an access platform in the available platforms. The icon includes a first indicator when the user has an access right to the asset for the access platform. The icon includes a second indicator distinct from the first indicator when the user does not have an access right to the asset for the access platform. |
| US08522143B2 |
Scene-granular geographical-based video footage visualizations
Systems, methods, and computing devices are provided for viewing scene-granular video based on geographical location. The computing device may include a memory configured to store video and geographical coordinates at which the video was captured. The computing device may further include, a processor that is configured to execute a video path viewing program, and a display that is configured to display a graphical user interface of the video path viewing program. The graphical user interface may be configured to display a path graphic spatially representing the geographical coordinates along which the video was captured, a location selector that is selectively movable along the path graphic to a selected path location, and a video icon that is configured to display a preview of a portion of the video corresponding to the selected path location. |
| US08522142B2 |
Adaptive media player size
A user interface and a method are disclosed for viewing digital videos. Responsive to resizing a window, a video region and associated controls are resized so that they remain visible. The video image within the video region is correspondingly resized to maintain the aspect ratio. The location of the video image within the window is independent of scroll events taking place in other regions of the window. |
| US08522138B2 |
Content analysis apparatus and method
The present invention provides a content analysis apparatus including an input section which inputs original content; a content analyzer which analyzes details of the original content input into the input section and acquires content analysis information which is information pertaining to the content; and an anchor point information generator which analyzes an anchor point where a visual line of a reader stops and a transition sequence of the anchor point with respect to the original content input into the input section pursuant to a prescribed analysis rule corresponding to the original content input into the input section, and generates anchor point information indicating the analyzed anchor point and the transition sequence of the anchor point. |
| US08522136B1 |
Extensible markup language (XML) document validation
XML Document Validation. Structure information of an XML schema is stored in the XML schema node array for structure validation of an XML document. Further, datatype information of the XML schema is stored in the XML schema type node array for datatype validation of the XML schema. The XML schema node array and the XML schema type node array are one-dimensional arrays. The XML document is validated using information stored in the XML schema node array and in the XML schema type node array. |
| US08522132B2 |
Widget behavior customization via cascaded style sheets
A computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium to store a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform operations for customizing behavior of a JavaScript widget on a web page via a presentation definition language. The operations include: creating a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) Document Object Model (DOM) element; assigning a CSS class from the presentation definition language to the DOM element; obtaining a computed style for the DOM element, wherein the computed style is computed based on the CSS class assigned to the DOM element; extracting a styling property from the computed style; parsing the styling property to determine an option to be applied to the widget; and applying the option to the widget. |
| US08522131B1 |
Intermediation system and method for enhanced rendering of data pages
An intermediary system is disposed along a communication path between a user device, such as a Web-enabled mobile phone, and a content server. The user device sends a request, such as an HTTP GET request, for a data page at the content server. The data page may be, for example, the hypertext markup language (HTML) code of a Web page. The intermediary receives the request and determines whether the requested data page includes a data reference, such as a uniform resource locator (URL) of an embedded image in the Web page. If the requested page includes a data reference, the intermediary creates a preload instruction and sends the preload instruction to the user device in a response to the request for the data page. The preload instruction instructs the user device to load the referenced data. The preload instruction may be a hidden frame. |
| US08522129B1 |
Identifying a primary version of a document
A system and method identifies a primary version out of different versions of the same document. The system selects a priority of authority for each document version based on a priority rule and information associated with the document version, and selects a primary version based on the priority of authority and information associated with the document version. |
| US08522126B1 |
Blocking memory readback in a programmable logic device
A programmable logic device (PLD) is provided that includes: a configuration memory including a plurality of memory cells arranged according to rows and columns, wherein a subset of the rows are RAM rows, and wherein a subset of the columns in each RAM row are RAM columns and at least one column in each RAM row is a flag bit column, the memory cells corresponding to the flag bit column and RAM rows operable to store flag bit signals; a soft error detection (SED) circuit operable to read the configuration memory to derive a checksum; a logic circuit to determine if a RAM row is being read by the SED circuit that includes an asserted flag bit; and a blocking circuit that provides a known logical value to the SED circuit responsive to the logic circuit to block readback of the memory cells corresponding to the RAM rows and RAM columns. |
| US08522125B1 |
System and method for efficient horizontal maximum distance separable raid
In recent years, researchers have found that some XOR erasure codes lead to higher performance and better throughput in fault-tolerant distributed data storage applications. However, little consideration has been given to the advantages of parallel processing or hardware implementations taking advantage of the emergence of multi-core processors. An efficient horizontal MDS-like (Maximum Distance Separable) RAID-6 scheme, called EEO, is provided which significantly improves the performance of the decoding procedure in parallel implementations with little storage overhead. EEO is the fastest and most efficient double disk failure recovering algorithm in RAID-6, at the cost of only two more parity symbols. In practice, it is very useful for application where high decoding throughput is desired. |
| US08522123B1 |
Iterative decoder memory arrangement
The present disclosure includes apparatus, systems and techniques relating to iterative decoder memory arrangement. A described apparatus includes a single R memory component including R banks, a Q memory component including Q banks, a channel detector memory component to store channel extrinsic information associated with current and previous codewords, and an iterative decoder communicatively coupled with the single R memory component, the Q memory component, and the channel detector memory component. The apparatus can be configured to alternate among the R banks for storing R data associated with a current codeword. The apparatus can be configured to alternate among the Q banks for storing Q data associated with a current codeword. |
| US08522122B2 |
Correcting memory device and memory channel failures in the presence of known memory device failures
Correcting memory device (chip) and memory channel failures in the presence of known memory device failures. A memory channel failure is located and corrected, or alternatively up to c chip failures are corrected and up to d chip failures are detected in the presence of up to u chips that are marked as suspect. A first stage of decoding is performed that results in recovering an estimate of correctable errors affecting the data or in declaring an uncorrectable error state. When an uncorrectable error state is declared, a second stage of decoding is performed to attempt to correct u erasures and a channel error in M iterations where the channel location is changed in each iteration. A correctable error is declared in response to exactly one of the M iterations being successful. |
| US08522121B2 |
Low complexity error correction using cyclic redundancy check (CRC)
Communications between at communication devices, sometimes including at least one redundant transmission from a transmitter to a receiver, undergo low complexity error correction. CRC may be employed in conjunction with using any desired type of ECC or using uncoded modulation. Based on CRC determined bit-errors, as few as a singular syndrome associated with a singular bit-error or a linear combination of syndromes associated with two or more singular bit-errors within two or more received signal sequences are employed to perform error correction of the received signal. Real time combinations of multiple syndromes associated with respective single bit-errors (that may themselves be calculated off-line) are employed in accordance with error correction. In addition to CRC, any ECC may be employed including convolutional code, RS code, turbo code, TCM code, TTCM code, LDPC code, or BCH code. |
| US08522119B2 |
Reduction in decoder loop iterations
An embodiment of a method for decoding is disclosed. For this embodiment of the method, a decoder is limited to a set number of iterations for a decoding sequence. The set number of iterations is selected to be less than an optimal number of iterations for an optimal bit error rate (“BER”) resulting in a BER penalty. Inner loop decoding operations are performed within the decoder for the set number of iterations. Reliability information is output from the decoder to a data slicer. A symbol stream is output from the data slicer responsive to the reliability information. |
| US08522114B2 |
Memory controller and memory system
A memory system is provided. The memory system includes a nonvolatile memory and a controller. The nonvolatile memory includes a memory cell array and a read/write circuit configured to perform a read/write operation in the memory cell array during a read operation. The controller is configured to receive the read data from the nonvolatile memory, perform an error detection and correction operation on the read data. Upon detecting an error in a received portion of the read data, the controller is further configured to halt further transmission of the read data from the nonvolatile memory, perform the error detection and correction operation on the received portion of the read data to correct the detected error. After correcting the detected error in the received portion of the read data, the controller is configured to resume transmission of the read data from the nonvolatile memory. |
| US08522112B2 |
Method and apparatus for interleaving data in a mobile communication system
An interleaving method to which time-first-mapping is applied in a mobile communication system is provided. The interleaving method includes writing coded bits into an interleaver on a row-by-row basis, and reading the coded bits written in the interleaver on a column-by-column basis, wherein the coded bits are written by groups having a size according to a modulation order. |
| US08522111B2 |
Optimization of packet buffer memory utilization
A method performed by an I/O unit connected to another I/O unit in a network device. The method includes receiving a packet; segmenting the packet into a group of data blocks; storing the group of data blocks in a data memory; generating data protection information for a data block of the group of data blocks; creating a control block for the data block; storing, in a control memory, a group of data items for the control block, the group of data items including information associated with a location, of the data block, within the data memory and the data protection information for the data block; performing a data integrity check on the data block, using the data protection information, to determine whether the data block contains a data error; and outputting the data block when the data integrity check indicates that the data block does not contain a data error. |
| US08522104B2 |
Smart aging retry buffer
A method and controller for sending data frames over a lossy bidirectional link between integrated circuit chips is disclosed. Upon transmission, frames are stored in a buffer. The detection of errors is indicated and triggers retransmission of the erroneously received frame, but acknowledgement of correctly received frames is not indicated. Instead, the sending controller assumes that frames were correctly received if no error indication is received after a period of time. The period of time is the maximum amount of time that would be taken for the sending controller to receive an error indication if the frame was received with an error. After said period of time, the sent frame is discarded from the buffer. |
| US08522100B2 |
Radio communication apparatus and a method of transmitting a retransmission packet
A radio communication apparatus having a retransmission function includes a pattern storing unit configured to store a correspondence between resource blocks used for a transmission packet and resource blocks used for a retransmission packet; and a packet scheduling unit configured to arrange the retransmission packet based on the correspondence. |
| US08522099B2 |
Embedded processor
Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods of operating and constructing the electronic apparatus and/or systems include an embedded processor disposed in a logic chip to direct, among other functions, self-testing of an electronic device structure in conjunction with a pattern buffer disposed in the logic chip, when the electronic device structure is coupled to the logic chip. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08522098B2 |
Scan register and flip-flop alternately receiving SDI and mask data
The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for providing expected data, mask data, and control signals to scan test architectures within a device using the falling edge of a test/scan clock. The signals are provided on device leads that are also used to provide signals to scan test architectures using the rising edge of the test/scan clock. According to the disclosure, device test leads serve to input different test signals on the rising and falling edge of the test/scan clock which reduces the number of interconnects between a tester and the device under test. |
| US08522095B2 |
Tap with address, state monitor and gating circuitry
The disclosure provides a novel method and apparatus for inputting addresses to devices to select the device TAP for access. Further, the disclosure provides a novel method and apparatus for inputting addresses for selecting device TAPs and for inputting commands for commanding circuitry within the device. The inputting of addresses or the inputting of addresses and commands is initiated by a control bit input on TDI that is recognized during the Run Test/Idle, Pause-DR or Pause-IR TAP states. |
| US08522094B2 |
Test access and scan test ports with lockout signal terminal
Connection circuitry couples scan test port (STP) circuitry to test access port (TAP) circuitry. The connection circuitry has inputs connected to scan circuitry control output leads from the TAP circuitry, a select input lead, and a clock input lead. The connection circuitry has outputs connected to a scan enable (SE) input lead, a capture select (CS) input lead, and the scan clock (CK) input lead of the STP circuitry. The connection circuitry includes a multiplexer having a control input connected with a clock select lead from the TAP circuitry, an input connected with a functional clock lead, an input connected with the clock input lead, an input connected with a Clock-DR lead from the TAP circuitry, an OFF lead, and an output connected with the scan clock input lead. |
| US08522089B2 |
Method of testing asynchronous modules in semiconductor device
A method of testing a semiconductor device that includes first and second mutually asynchronous modules, a buffer for storing transaction data for read/write operations from the first module and transferring it to the second module synchronously with the data rate of the second module, and an inhibit input. The second module receives the transaction data from the buffer and transfers the data to a data output when the inhibit signal is de-asserted and not when the inhibit signal is asserted. The method of testing includes repeatedly: asserting the inhibit signal; providing test transaction data to the first module and storing the data in the buffer while the inhibit signal is asserted; de-asserting the inhibit signal so that the second module transfers test transaction data received from the buffer to the data output synchronously with the data rate of the second module; and capturing deterministically test transaction data from the output of the second module. |
| US08522088B2 |
Method of transmitting data block and transmitter using the same
A method for transmitting a data block in a wireless communication system and a transmitter are provided. The transmitter transmits the data block to a receiver and generates a retransmission block for the retransmission of the data block if it is determined that the transmission fails. The transmitter determines whether the channel access is performed according to a transmit time of the retransmission block. |
| US08522087B2 |
Advanced converters for memory cell sensing and methods
A counter configuration operates in cooperation with a delay configuration such that the counter configuration counts an input interval based on a given clock speed and a given clock interval while the delay configuration provides an enhanced data output that is greater than what would otherwise be provided by the given clock speed. The counter configuration counts responsive to a selected edge in the clock interval. An apparatus in the form of a correction arrangement and an associated method are configured to monitor at least the delay configuration output for detecting a particular time relationship between an endpoint of the input interval and a nearest occurrence of the selected clock edge in the given clock signal that is indicative of at least a potential error in the enhanced data output and determining if the potential error is an actual error for subsequent use in correcting the enhanced data output. |
| US08522082B1 |
Method and apparatus for identifying remediation failures in year-2000 remediation programs
Object-code instruction traces are employed to analyze selected instructions of a year-2000 (Y2K) remediated application program for possible remediation failure when confronted by a year-2000 date. The analysis includes directly identifying one or more instructions of the remediated application program that may fail. A remediation-failure-pattern descriptor is assigned to each examined instruction which is indicative of whether the remediated instruction may fail when confronted by a date in the year-2000 range. The analysis employs user-specifiable run-control values, as well as predetermined filter-specification values in comparing traces of each selected object-code instruction to predefined remediation-failure patterns. |
| US08522081B2 |
Microcomputer outputting failure detection result
When a CPU executes a failure detection program, the CPU causes a program counter expected value register to store an expected value of an address which is stored in a program counter after a detection time passes from the start of execution of the failure detection program, and causes a detection time counter to start counting of the detection time. When the detection time counter finishes counting of the detection time, the first comparator outputs as a failure detection result a result of comparison between the address stored in the program counter and the expected value stored in the program counter expected value register. |
| US08522075B2 |
Storage system having storage devices for storing data and control devices for controlling the storage devices
According to an aspect of an embodiment, a storage apparatus comprising; a pair of control devices for controlling storage devices, each control device being connected with another control device; storage devices for storing data; switches being connected with the plurality of storage devices, the switches being connected between the control devices in series; wherein the control device for controlling the plurality of switches according to a process including detecting a fault in the connection of the switches, and; controlling the control devices to access the storage devices via the switches such that one of the control devices accesses a part of the storage devices via a part of the switches located between the one of the control devices and the fault, and the other of the control devices accesses remainder of the storage devices via remainder of the switches, respectively. |
| US08522071B2 |
Storage system for restoring data stored in failed storage device
A storage system including: a controller; and, a plurality of physical storage devices coupled to the controller and constituting a RAID group; wherein the controller provides one or more logical volumes belonging to the RAID group, each of the one or more logical volumes having a plurality of storage areas; one or more virtual volumes, wherein, when receiving a write request to a virtual volume of the one or more virtual volumes, the controller allocates a storage area in a logical volume to the virtual volume; and writes data to the allocated storage area, wherein, when a physical storage device of the plurality of physical storage devices fails, the controller selectively performs a RAID restore process to a storage area allocated to a virtual volume. |
| US08522058B2 |
Computer system with power source control and power source control method
A computer system with power source control and a power source control method are presented. The computer system at least includes a first storage unit and a second storage unit, and the first storage unit stores a system program required by the computer system in basic operation. A switch is disposed on a power supply path between a power supply module and the second storage unit, such that the power supply module provides an electric power for the second storage unit to operate through the switch. When the second storage unit is in an idle state, the switch is used to cut off the power supply to the second storage unit, so as to effectively reduce the power consumption of the computer system. |
| US08522043B2 |
Hardware-based computer theft deterrence
A hardware-based security module is used to protect an electronic device, especially a portable electronic device. The security module may determine either via timeout of a watchdog timer or via an explicit message to encrypt selected data on the electronic device. In addition, the electronic device may enter a limited function mode that only allows display of simplistic messages and supports network traffic with a recovery service. The recovery service may be able to use the network traffic to locate the electronic device. The security module may include a secure memory, a cryptographic function, a timer, and support for direct display of data on a monitor. |
| US08522042B2 |
Method and apparatus for enforcement of software licence protection
A method of enforcing software license protection in a computer system comprising; morphing the data prior to distribution, resulting in morphed data; wherein morphing of data is accomplished by applying a reversible morphing algorithm to modify data, wherein said reversible morphing algorithm is uniquely seeded and/or controlled with control information. |
| US08522034B2 |
Systems and methods for transparent configuration authentication of networked devices
Methods and systems are disclosed for providing secure transmissions across a network comprising a transmitting device and a receiving device. At the transmitting device, a stream of watermark bits is generated. Next, a plurality of watermarks is generated, each of the plurality of watermarks comprising an index number and a portion of the stream of watermark bits. The watermarks are inserted into each header of a plurality of outgoing packets. At the receiving device, the plurality of outgoing packets are received and it is determined if a received packet is valid based on the watermark in the header of the received packet. The stream of watermark bits may be generated using a stream cipher such as RC4, a block cipher such as 3DES in CBC mode, or other equivalent pseudo-random stream generating techniques. |
| US08522030B2 |
Verification and protection of genuine software installation using hardware super key
A device, system, and method are disclosed. In one embodiment the device receives a user key from a user application. The device then creates a management engine key by applying a management engine key creation algorithm to the user key. Then the device sends the management engine key to a remote server. Later, the device retrieves a server key from the remote server. The device next performs a hash combination of the user key, the management engine key, and the server key to create a super key. Once the super key has been created, the device authenticates the super key, and if the super key is valid, the device then sends a management engine certification to the user application. |
| US08522029B2 |
Secret-key exchange for wireless and sensor networks
A mechanism is provided for establishing a shared secret-key for secure communication between nodes in a wireless network. A first node in the wireless network provides a spreading code to a second node of the wireless network. The second node provides a first input for the key establishment to the first node using communication encoded with the spreading code. Responsive to obtaining the first input from the second node, the first node provides a second input for the key establishment to the second node using communication encoded with the spreading code. Then, the first node and the second node establish the shared secret-key using the first input and the second input. |
| US08522019B2 |
Method and apparatus to create trust domains based on proximity
Devices and methods use close range communication links, e.g., near field communication (NFC) links, to authenticate communication devices to one another to create or join a new device to a trust domain. Once two devices establish a close range communication peer-to-peer link the devices exchange credential information that provide an infrastructure for the trust domain. Medium or long range wireless or wired network communication links can then be used for secure and trusted communications. Proximity limits of the close range communication P2P link enables mutual trust to be presumed among devices, providing added security to the process of extending a trust domain and reducing the need for security and authentication signaling. Embodiments provide a variety of methods for extending credential infrastructure among devices. Embodiments further enable simple to use virtual cables that can provide secure point-to-point communications that are configured merely by touching two communication devices together. |
| US08522010B2 |
Providing remote user authentication
Providing a remote computer user authentication service involves providing a reference to a user authentication service in a host server's source code (e.g., website source code). Further, integration code that may be used in an application programming interface (API) on the host server for interaction with a user authentication service can be provided. Additionally, a user interface (UI) for user authentication on the host server, and an authentication-test message on the host server using the UI may be provided. Also, providing authentication can comprise sending an authentication-request message to a mobile device designated by the user; and/or can comprise the user responding with information from the authentication-test message. The host server can be notified of the user's authentication after a correct response is received by the user authentication service. |
| US08522008B2 |
Portable security device and methods of user authentication
Disclosed a portable security device and methods for secure user authentication. The security device stores operating system agents that enable communication with user devices that have different operating systems. The security device also stores user authentication data for accessing different Internet resources by the user devices. The security devices connects to the user device using an operating system agent corresponding to the operating system of the user device, and receives from the user device a request to access an Internet resource. The security device select user authentication data associated with the requested Internet resource, and obtains the requested Internet resource using the selected user authentication data. |
| US08522001B1 |
Fast restart on a virtual machine
Media, methods, and computer systems are provided for performing a quick restart of applications in a virtual machine of the computer system. The virtual machine is configured with a critical object array that identifies the critical applications. In response to a quick restart request, the garbage collector operates in a quick restart mode to remove all objects for each application that is not in critical object array. |
| US08521998B2 |
Instruction tracking system for processors
A method and apparatus for tracking instructions in a processor. A completion unit in the processor receives an instruction group to add to a table to form a received instruction group. In response to receiving the received instruction group, the completion unit determines whether an entry is present that contains a previously stored instruction group in a first location and has space for storing the received instruction group. In response to the entry being present, the completion unit stores the received instruction group in a second location in the entry to form a stored instruction group. |
| US08521993B2 |
Providing thread fairness by biasing selection away from a stalling thread using a stall-cycle counter in a hyper-threaded microprocessor
A method and apparatus for providing fairness in a multi-processing element environment is herein described. Mask elements are utilized to associated portions of a reservation station with each processing element, while still allowing common access to another portion of reservation station entries. Additionally, bias logic biases selection of processing elements in a pipeline away from a processing element associated with a blocking stall to provide fair utilization of the pipeline. |
| US08521990B2 |
Embedding global barrier and collective in torus network with each node combining input from receivers according to class map for output to senders
Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system and computer program product for embedding a global barrier and global interrupt network in a parallel computer system organized as a torus network. The computer system includes a multitude of nodes. In one embodiment, the method comprises taking inputs from a set of receivers of the nodes, dividing the inputs from the receivers into a plurality of classes, combining the inputs of each of the classes to obtain a result, and sending said result to a set of senders of the nodes. Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system and computer program product for embedding a collective network in a parallel computer system organized as a torus network. In one embodiment, the method comprises adding to a torus network a central collective logic to route messages among at least a group of nodes in a tree structure. |
| US08521980B2 |
Simultaneous read and write data transfer
A controller for an arrangement of memory devices may issue a write command without waiting for the receipt of a previously issued read command. An addressed memory device may read data out onto the data bus according to a read command while, simultaneously, writing data according to a write command received subsequent to the read command. |
| US08521976B1 |
Method and system for improving disk drive performance
A method of writing data to a storage device that uses a first data block size, from a host system that uses a second data block size, different from the first data block size, includes receiving a request from the host system to write a host data block to the storage device, reading a storage device data block from a first location on the storage device to a buffer, where the storage device data block corresponds to the host data block, modifying the storage device data block based on the host data block, restricting writing of the modified storage device data block into the first location, and storing the modified storage device data block to a second location, different from the restricted first location. After acknowledging success of the storing, the restricting of writing of the modified storage device data block into the first location may be lifted. |
| US08521972B1 |
System and method for optimizing garbage collection in data storage
The present invention is directed to systems and methods for optimizing garbage collection in data storage. The data storage may be a shingled disk drive or a non-volatile solid-state memory device. Garbage collection is optimized by selectively saving data read from certain locations of the data storage in response to host read commands and using the saved data for subsequent garbage collection operations. The decision of whether to save data may be based on a number of criteria, including whether the data is located in an area of the data storage that is due to be garbage collected in the near future. In this manner, certain garbage collection operations can be performed without having to re-read the saved data. |
| US08521968B2 |
Memory controller and methods
A memory controller that allows shared access to a memory device via a plurality of write ports and read ports. A write port includes a data buffer that allows data to be written to a first number of its storage locations at a pre-determined time. A write arbiter is able to read data from a second number of storage locations of a data buffer of a write port at a pre-determined time and write the read data to a memory device. A read port is configured to respond to requests to read data and includes a data buffer. A read arbiter is able to read, at a pre-determined time, data from the memory device on behalf of one of the read ports, and to write the read data into a second number of storage locations of the data buffer of the read port on whose behalf the data was read. |
| US08521967B1 |
Network computing systems having shared memory clouds with addresses of disk-read-only memories mapped into processor address spaces
Network computing systems are disclosed including a shared memory cloud coupled to one or more processor complexes. The shared memory cloud has an interconnect network coupled to disk-read-only-memories (disk-ROMs) each including a memory array that is read/write block accessible to access blocks of consecutive memory locations and random read memory accessible to access random memory locations. The processor complexes read and write blocks of data from/to the disk-ROMs to provide disk-like access to the shared memory cloud. Each processor complex maps the addresses of one or more of the disk-ROMs into processor address spaces, and reads from random memory locations of one or more of the disk-ROMs to provide main memory-like access to the shared memory cloud. The network computing systems may further include a power controller coupled to the processor complexes. The power controller can keep the disk-ROMS powered on while it powers off inactive processor complexes. |
| US08521966B2 |
VM inter-process communications
A method for enabling inter-process communication between a first application and a second application, the first application running within a first context and the second application running within a second context of a virtualization system is described. The method includes receiving a request to attach a shared region of memory to a memory allocation, identifying a list of one or more physical memory pages defining the shared region that corresponds to the handle, and mapping guest memory pages corresponding to the allocation to the physical memory pages. The request is received by a framework from the second application and includes a handle that uniquely identifies the shared region of memory as well as an identification of at least one guest memory page corresponding to the memory allocation. The framework is a component of a virtualization software, which executes in a context distinct from the context of the first application. |
| US08521963B1 |
Managing cache coherence
Managing data in a computing system comprising multiple cores includes: assigning a first set of data to caches within cores of a first subset of fewer than all of the cores in the computing system, and assigning a second set of data to caches within cores of a second subset of at least some remaining cores in the computing system not already assigned; and maintaining cache coherence among caches of respective cores in the first subset in response to data stored in at least one of the cores in the first subset being modified, and maintaining cache coherence among caches of respective cores in the second subset in response to data stored in at least one of the cores in the second subset being modified. |
| US08521959B2 |
Method and device for recovering description information, and method and device for caching data in database
A method for recovering description information, or a method for caching data in a database, includes: judging whether a database is closed normally after the last operation; if the database is not closed normally, traversing each data block in a level-2 cache, where corresponding disk location information is saved in a header of each data block; obtaining a data block in a disk according to the disk location information; and when the obtained data block in the disk is the same as a corresponding data block in the level-2 cache, establishing description information according to location information of the data block in the disk and location information of the data block in the level-2 cache, where the description information is used to describe correspondence between the location information of data in the disk and the location information of data in the level-2 cache. |
| US08521958B2 |
Internal processor buffer
One or more of the present techniques provide a compute engine buffer configured to maneuver data and increase the efficiency of a compute engine. One such compute engine buffer is connected to a compute engine which performs operations on operands retrieved from the buffer, and stores results of the operations to the buffer. Such a compute engine buffer includes a compute buffer having storage units which may be electrically connected or isolated, based on the size of the operands to be stored and the configuration of the compute engine. The compute engine buffer further includes a data buffer, which may be a simple buffer. Operands may be copied to the data buffer before being copied to the compute buffer, which may save additional clock cycles for the compute engine, further increasing the compute engine efficiency. |
| US08521954B2 |
Management computer and volume configuration management method
The configuration of volumes provided by a plurality of storage apparatuses with an external connection function is optimized.By associating a virtual volume provided to the host computer with a real volume of another storage apparatus other than their own, the plurality of storage apparatuses manage the real volume of the other storage apparatus as their own real volume, and a management computer comprises a detection unit which detects a correspondence relationship between the virtual volume of one storage apparatus among the plurality of storage apparatuses and the real volume of the one storage apparatus or of the other storage apparatus; and a modification unit which, if the real volume is added to any of the plurality of the storage apparatuses, modifies the correspondence relationship between the virtual volume and the real volume associated with the virtual volume, according to the correspondence relationship detected by the detection unit. |
| US08521953B2 |
Storage device and a method for expanding the same
In a storage device expandable through serially coupling two or more additional enclosures, each including a first additional controller and a second additional controller, to a controller enclosure, including a first controller and a second controller, a first route is formed by serially coupling the first controller of the controller enclosure to the first additional controllers of the additional enclosures in the order of adding the additional enclosures and a second route is formed by serially coupling the second controller of the controller enclosure to the second additional controllers of the additional enclosures in an order different from that of adding the additional enclosures. |
| US08521951B2 |
Content addressable memory augmented memory
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses, and systems including a memory device including content addressable memory configured to store an address associated with one or more memory cells while an access operation is performed on the one or more memory cells. Other embodiments may be described. |
| US08521949B2 |
Data deleting method and apparatus
A data deleting method and apparatus is provided in embodiments of this application. The method comprises: when a file system detects a delete request for a target file, examining a security property of the target file, wherein the security property of a file comprises secret classified property; if the security property of the target file is secret classified property, executing an overwrite operation on the target file and then executing a delete operation to delete the target file; wherein the overwrite operation comprises sending a write command to a SSD, the write command being a predefined write command which is expanded by adding an immediate scrubbing flag, to cause the SSD to invoke a backstage garbage collection program according to the predefined write command to immediately delete data on garbage blocks corresponding to logical block addresses of the target file. |
| US08521948B2 |
Handling dynamic and static data for a system having non-volatile memory
Systems and methods are disclosed for handling dynamic and static data for a system having non-volatile memory (“NVM”). By determining whether data being written to the NVM is dynamic or not, a NVM interface of a system can determine where to initially place the data on the NVM (e.g., place the data on either a dynamic stream block or a static stream block). Moreover, this information can allow the NVM interface to improve the efficiencies of both garbage collection (“GC”) and wear leveling. |
| US08521946B2 |
Semiconductor disk devices and related methods of randomly accessing data
A computing system includes a host, a data source device, and a controller. The controller is configured to respond to a random access command from the host by setting information in a register that selects what data is to be accessed in the data source device. The controller then successively accesses the data in the data source device using the information that was set in the register. |
| US08521945B2 |
Portable data storage using SLC and MLC flash memory
A portable data storage device is disclosed that includes an interface (3) for enabling the portable data storage device to be used for data transfer with a host computer (5), and an interface controller (2) for controlling the interface (3). There is also a master controller (7) for controlling the writing of data to and reading of data from a non-volatile memory (8, 9). The non-volatile memory is at least one single level cell (SLC) flash memory (8) and at least one multiple level cell (MLC) flash memory (9). The at least one single level cell flash memory (8) and at least one multiple level cell flash memory (9) are able to operate simultaneously for improving the speed of operation over only multiple level cell flash memory. |
| US08521941B2 |
Multi-root sharing of single-root input/output virtualization
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method for multi-root sharing of a plurality of single root input/output virtualization (SR-IOV) endpoints is provided, the method comprising: CSR redirection to a management processor which either acts as a proxy to execute the CSR request on behalf of the host or filters it and performs an alternate action, downstream routing of memory mapped I/O request packets through the switch in the host's address space and address translation with VF BAR granularity, upstream routing of requests originated by I/O devices by table lookup indexed by Requester ID, and requester ID translation using a fixed local-global RID offset. |
| US08521933B2 |
Round robin arbiter with mask and reset mask
In order to provide a solution for performing priority arbitration, a mask and reset-mask are generated in concert with a priority arbitration scheme. A plurality of requestors may issue requests for a shared resource. The priority arbitration scheme may grant access to a single requestor for a single priority assignment period. The mask may assist the priority arbitration scheme to assign priority to the plurality of requestors by temporarily removing a subset of the plurality of requestors for a particular priority assignment period. If the mask allows for no allowable requestors during the priority assignment period, a reset-mask scheme is implemented to reset the mask to permit an increased number of requestors access to the priority arbitration scheme. |
| US08521931B2 |
Serial input output (SIO) port expansion apparatus and method
An expander device and method for transmitting serial input/output (SIO) data between an initiator device and a plurality of target devices. The expander device includes a processor/controller configured to receive a master data stream from an initiator device and to transmit a returning master data stream to the initiator device. The expander device includes a plurality of target master ports coupled to the processor/controller and configured to transmit split data streams to corresponding target devices coupled thereto and to receive returning split data streams from the target devices. The processor/controller splits the master data stream, based on its data, into a plurality of split data streams, and directs the split data streams to the target master ports based on the data in the split data streams. The processor/controller also assembles a plurality of returning split data streams into the returning master data stream and transmits the returning master data stream to the initiator device. |
| US08521929B2 |
Virtual serial port management system and method
A system and a method for virtual serial port management include setting a virtual universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (VUART) and a software multiplexer (MUX) and setting the VUART to perform functions corresponding to different values of the software MUX. The method further includes receiving commands sent to the server regularly and assigning a first predetermined value to the software MUX when the received command is not an Intelligent platform management interface (IPMI) command. The management method further includes assigning a second predetermined value to the software MUX when the received command is the IPMI command but not a serial over LAN (SOL) command, and assigning a third predetermined value to the software MUX when the received command is the SOL command. |
| US08521925B2 |
Method and communication system for determining the time of an event in an IO device
A method and communication system that provide an inexpensive approach that enables the times of events that are detected in IO device to be determined in a higher-level controller. The higher-level controller has a system clock and is connected to an IO link device to which multiple first IO devices are able to be connected. In addition, a second IO device is connected to the IO link device. The clock of the second IO device is synchronized by a synchronization device with the system clock of the higher-level controller. The status data that are provided by at least one of the first IO devices and the current time data that the second IO device supplies are transmitted simultaneously to the IO link device. The IO link device assigns the status data received to the received current time data, then transmits these data to the higher-level controller. |
| US08521914B2 |
Auxiliary writes over address channel
A method for communicating via a bus including a first channel, a second channel, and a third channel is disclosed. The method includes addressing a slave device via the first channel, receiving from the slave device via the second channel, and writing to the slave device via the third channel. The method further includes selecting between first and second bus transmission modes. In the first bus transmission mode, payload write data is to be sent to the slave device via the first channel or the third channel. In the second bus transmission mode, during a first clock cycle, second payload write data associated with a second write operation is to be sent to the slave device via the first channel and first payload write data associated with a first write operation is to be concurrently sent to the slave device via the third channel. |
| US08521909B2 |
Inferring server state in a stateless communication protocol
Server state objects are identified by an intermediate server among packets transmitted between an application server and a client device on a network based upon a stateless communication protocol, by monitoring and analyzing the packets transmitted between the application server and the client device. The packets are parsed into a plurality of name-value pairs. The entropy of the name-value pairs having a same name field is computed, and candidate data objects that are likely to be server state objects are selected based upon the computed entropy. Candidate data objects that were transmitted bi-directionally between the application server and the client device are identified as server state objects. |
| US08521908B2 |
Existent domain name DNS traffic capture and analysis
Systems and methods for scoring a domain web traffic based on DNS traffic requests received at an authoritative name server to resolve the domain name. A request to resolve the domain name is received at an authoritative name server. A counter, such as a server counter or a hit counter, for the domain name is incremented based on the received request. A score, such as a domain traffic score or a domain rank, is calculated based upon a count of the counter. Calculating the score may also include applying a weighting factor to the counters based on information about a requesting set of resolvers and other domains/websites that may be linking and driving traffic to the domain whose traffic score is being calculated. Examples of relevant set of resolvers information may include location, traffic levels, traffic type and architecture of the set of resolvers. |
| US08521906B2 |
System and method for message processing and routing
A message routing system that allows applications at either end of the system to run as-is without modification. The system functions in a multithreaded environment and is capable of handling complex routing rules and message transformation. It is also capable of learning and executing new routing rules and message transformations in formats previously unrecognized by the system. The system enables precise and reliable logging of messages throughout processing and supports publication of enterprise-wide broadcast messages. The system further preferably employs cooperating inbound and outbound transport processes for consuming, routing, processing, safely storing and publishing messages in batches of logical units of work to ensure that the logical units of work are not lost in system transactions. The system also preferably utilizes a replay server for preserving and replaying messages that might otherwise fail to reach their intended destinations. |
| US08521900B2 |
Remote audio-video sharing method and application program for the same
A remote audio-video sharing method and an application program for the same are provided. The method comprises a content provider device capturing screen frames and sounds of the content provider device. First encoding and second encoding are executed on the captured screen frames and sound to transmit to and play on a content displayer device and a content controller device. The content displayer device receives, decodes the data and smoothly plays the received data. The content controller device receives, decodes the data and plays the received data in synch with the content provider device. Additionally, a control command is generated by the content controller device to reply to the content provider device to manipulate operations of the content provider device. |
| US08521898B2 |
Method for structuring a bitstream for binary multimedia descriptions and a method for parsing this bitstream
For structuring a bitstream for binary multimedia descriptions, binary identifiers (BIDs) are positioned on at least one regular positioning grid. Parsing is performed by checking these binary identifiers (BIDs) on the positions defined by the positioning grid. |
| US08521892B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling web page advertisement through incentives and restrictions
A method and apparatus for a cooperative process for negotiating the display of advertisements on a web page or web site. The user configures his preferences for advertisements that are displayed through a browser or plug-in interface when accessing a web page or web site. Each hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request generated by the browser includes an indicator of the configured preferences. The web server and/or an advertisement server detect the indicator of advertisement preference and respond to the HTTP request by providing a compliant advertisement for a web page. The advertisement is then displayed by the browser. |
| US08521889B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for modifying bandwidth and/or quality of service for a user session in a network
Bandwidth and/or Quality of Service (QoS) for a user session may be modified in a network that includes a Regional/Access Network (RAN) that facilitates differentiated end-to-end data transport between a Network Service Provider (NSP) and/or an Application Service Provider (ASP) and a Customer Premises Network (CPN) that includes a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) by receiving a request at the NSP and/or the ASP to change the bandwidth and/or QoS associated with the user's session. An Application Programming Interface (API) is used at the NSP and/or the ASP to communicate with the RAN to modify the bandwidth and/or QoS associated with the user's session. |
| US08521886B2 |
Methods and apparatus for determining and/or using a communications mode
Methods and apparatus for determining whether two or more communications devices, e.g., wireless terminals, in a communications system should communicate using direct peer to peer communications or via one or more infrastructure elements, e.g., base stations, are described. The determination whether a given pair of communications devices should communicate using direct peer to peer communications, rather than via the infrastructure element(s), is determined by a control device. The control device instructs various wireless terminals to make various signal measurements and/or transmit signals to be measured. Based on the signal measurements the control device estimates interference caused by the direct peer to peer link to the existing communications devices, the direct peer to peer link channel quality and/or interference caused to such a direct peer to peer link by existing communications devices which are communicating using peer to peer signaling and makes a mode decision based on such information. |
| US08521884B2 |
Network system and method of address resolution
A network system and a method of address resolution are provided. The network system includes a network, a plurality of virtual machines, a routing module and a path directory module. Each virtual machine includes an internet protocol (IP) address and N media access control (MAC) addresses, so as to connect the network through N transmission routes. The routing module detects and calculates states of the transmission routes. The path directory module receives and decodes an address resolution protocol (ARP) request presented by at least one source virtual machine to reply path information, which includes N MAC addresses corresponding to an IP address of a destination virtual machine and states of the N transmission routes. Thus, the virtual machines present the ARP request without broadcast, so that the problem of network congestion is solved. |
| US08521882B2 |
Client/subscriber rotation using select write calls for server resiliency
A computer implemented method, system, and computer program product for managing client connections to a server among a plurality of clients. A messaging server detects, by a first server, an attribute of a client connection that exceeds a threshold, wherein the attribute is a select write operation. The messaging server selects a client that connects to a server, responsive to detecting the attribute of the client exceeding the threshold of select write calls. The messaging server selects a connect mechanism of a second server, responsive to selecting the client. The messaging server transmits a migrate message to the client, the migrate message comprising at least a uniform resource identifier (URI). |
| US08521873B2 |
System and method of emulating a network controller within an information handling system
A system and method of emulating a network controller within an information handling system is disclosed. In one form, an information handling system can include a host chipset operably coupled to a network interface controller of a first main circuit board, and a management controller operably coupled to the host chipset. The information handling system can also include an emulated network interface controller operable to be activated by the management controller. The information handling system can further include a communication bus coupled to the host chipset and the management controller. In one form, the communication bus is operable to activate a communication link between the host chipset and the emulated network interface controller. |
| US08521871B2 |
System and method for merging monitoring data streams from a server and a client of the server
A method, system, and computer program product for merging monitoring data streams includes: receiving a first monitoring data stream relating to a server containing first records, each first record has a first transaction identifier relating to a first transaction and first monitoring data, relating to a performance of executing the first transaction; receiving a second monitoring data stream relating to a client containing second records, each second record has a list of second transaction identifiers relating to one or more second transactions and second monitoring data, relating to a performance of executing the second transactions; buffering at least parts of the first and the second monitoring data streams; and merging the buffered first and second monitoring data streams by computing an outer-join with a join-condition that the first records have the first transaction identifier that occurs in the list of second transaction identifiers to provide a merged data stream. |
| US08521870B2 |
Measuring network traffic based on predicted amount of padding
A system measures traffic in a device. The system tracks an amount of data and the data units and predicts the amount of padding associated with the data units. The system determines the amount of traffic in the device based on the predicted padding, the amount of data, and the number of data units. |
| US08521867B2 |
Support for incrementally processing user defined aggregations in a data stream management system
A computer is programmed to accept a command for creation of a new aggregation defined by a user to process data incrementally, one tuple at a time. One or more incremental function(s) in a set of instructions written by the user to implement the new aggregation maintain(s) locally any information that is to be passed between successive invocations, to support computing the aggregation for a given set of tuples as a whole. The user writes a set of instructions to perform the aggregation incrementally, including a plus function which is repeatedly invoked, only once, for each addition to a window of a message. The user also writes a minus function to be invoked with the message, to return the value of incremental aggregation over the window after removal of the message. In such embodiments, the computer does not maintain copies of messages in the window for use by aggregation function(s). |
| US08521851B1 |
DNS query processing using resource identifiers specifying an application broker
A system, method and computer-readable medium for request routing based on application information associated with the requested resource are provided. A DNS nameserver at an application broker obtains a DNS query corresponding to a resource requested from a client computing device and associated with a first resource identifier. The first resource identifier includes application information associated with the requested resource. Based on the application information parsed from the first resource identifier, the DNS nameserver at the application broker selects either a second resource identifier which resolves to a domain of a network computing provider or an IP address associated with a network computing component for processing the requested resource. The DNS nameserver then transmits either the second resource identifier or IP address to the client computing device. |
| US08521849B2 |
Transmission control device and computer program controlling transmission of selected content file
An electronic device is connected to a communication network, to which a server and an external device are connected. The electronic device includes an interface which receives an instruction from a user; a processor which determines information to be transmitted and a destination of the transmission based on the user's instruction; and a communication module which transmits the information to the destination. In the case where a content file is selected via the interface, when the selected content file has not been uploaded on the server, the communication module transmits the content file to the server, and after the transmission, transmits location information indicating a location where the content file is stored in the communication network to the external device. When the selected content file has been uploaded on the server, the communication module transmits the location information indicating the location where the content file is stored to the external device. |
| US08521846B2 |
Mechanism for customized aggregation of system-specific information for post-installation suggestions
A mechanism for customized aggregation of system-specific information for Post-Installation Suggestions is disclosed. A method of embodiments includes determining identifying information of a computer system of an end user computing device communicably coupled to an update service computing device, aggregating a plurality of updates, suggestions, and information specific to the computer system of the end user computing device into a customized result list, the plurality of updates, suggestions, and information received from a repository of historical system results and a plurality of third-party vendors and associated with various components of the computer system including the hardware of the computer system and the software of the computer system, and providing the customized result list to the end user computing device. |
| US08521845B2 |
Multilingual domain name resolution
A method, system, and computer-readable medium are described for registering and using multilingual domain names that include characters outside the ASCII character subset supported by the DNS system. Such multilingual domain names can in some situations be registered by first being converted into appropriate ASCII-Compatible Encodings (ACEs) that represent the corresponding multilingual domain names and that use only characters within the ASCII character subset. In addition, a variety of binary variants may be generated at registration for each multilingual domain name and then used as equivalents for the multilingual domain name, such as by storing the variants in the registry as alternative domain names or by otherwise reserving the binary variants. When requests to resolve such a registered multilingual domain name into a corresponding IP address or URL are received, the stored binary variants and/or ACE information can then be used to respond in an appropriate manner. |
| US08521842B2 |
Delivering composite media to a client application
An approach is provided for generating composite media and delivering the composite media to a client application. Data is received from one or more external sources, and a portion of the data is selected to be used in the composite media according to the time period of delivery of the client application, user information, or the type of client application requesting the media, if a request has been made. The selected data is integrated into a pre-created template to generate the composite media, such as an advertisement, special offers, or weather and stock information. The composite media may be modified prior to being delivered to the client application. The selection of the pre-created template and the modification of the composite media are made according to requirements of the client application, user information, or the type of client application (e.g., gaming application) requesting the media. |
| US08521839B2 |
Auxiliary event packages
A method includes registering with a proxy for an auxiliary event-package, wherein the auxiliary event-package is provided by a plurality of auxiliary event-package servers. The method may further include subscribing to the auxiliary event-package through the proxy. The proxy forwards the subscription to the plurality of auxiliary event-package servers. The method may include receiving an initial notify from one of the auxiliary event-package servers and identifying the one of the auxiliary event-package servers as a primary handle for the auxiliary event-package. In addition, the method may include identifying others of the plurality of auxiliary event-package servers as secondary handles for the auxiliary event-package. |
| US08521837B2 |
Three-dimensional earth-formation visualization
Three-dimensional earth-formation visualization. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are a memory device stores a program that, when executed, causes the one or more processors to output from a queue, over a network connection, an encoded video stream of a three-dimensional earth-formation model. The processors are also caused to adjust a size of the queue based on a quality of the network connection. |
| US08521833B1 |
System and method for accessing and displaying internet content via an integrated application media package
A method for accessing and displaying Internet content employs a software component which includes a definition for rendering a graphical user interface within which Internet content may be presented outside of and without utilization of a web browser application. The component also includes a network reference, such as a URL, pointing to the Internet content such that the Internet Content may be downloaded and presented within said user interface. A component provider may thus create customized displays within which intended web-content may be rendered. An application component may be used in association with the software component to manage the collection, organization, sharing, and rendering of a plurality of such software components. |
| US08521821B2 |
Encrypted email based upon trusted overlays
Sending and receiving encrypted emails. At a web browser, user input is received requesting a compose email page user interface for a web-based email system. The compose email page user interface is requested from a server for the web-based mail system. Web page code is received from the server for the compose email page user interface. The web page code for the compose email page user interface is parsed to determine screen locations of one or more user input interface elements. The compose email page user interface is rendered in the browser. One or more browser-based interface elements implemented integral to the browser are overlaid onto the compose email page user interface. User input is received in the browser user interface elements. The user input received is encrypted. The encrypted user input is transferred into one or more elements of the compose email page user interface. |
| US08521818B2 |
Methods and apparatus for recognizing and acting upon user intentions expressed in on-line conversations and similar environments
Intentions of a user as expressed in an on-line conversation or other user generated content (UGC) are identified and subsequently acted upon, for example by bringing relevant or related content to the attention of the user and/or making others aware of the conversation. The intention signals derived from the UGC may be used to fashion or update a user profile or inform a broader view of the individual associated with the UGC. |
| US08521817B2 |
Social network system and method of operation
A method of forming unique, private, personal, virtual social networks on a social network system that includes a database storing data relating to corresponding user entities. The method includes: a first user entity sending an invitation to a second user entity, recording in the database the second user entity as a direct contact of the first user entity and determining that third user entities, directly connected to the second user entity, are indirect contacts. A unique, personal, social network formed from direct and indirect contacts is thereby created for each user entity. Each user entity is able to control privacy of its data with respect to other user entities depending on the connection factor to that other entity and/or that other entity's attributes. Each user entity is able to take the role of provider or participant in applications where the provider provides an item or service to the participant. |
| US08521816B2 |
Latency reduction in collaborative presentation sharing environment
A method and system for delivering a presentation created using a presentation application program are disclosed. One method includes initiating, from a presentation computing system, display of a presentation to one or more remote computing devices. The method also includes creating an initial display package based on the presentation that includes metadata describing the presentation and an image representative of the presentation, and uploading the initial display package to a presentation server. The method includes, after uploading the initial display package, creating an initial set of presentation slides from the presentation, and uploading the initial set of presentation slides to the presentation server. The method further includes, after uploading the initial set of presentation slides, uploading at least a remaining portion of the presentation to the presentation server for display at one or more of the remote computing devices. |
| US08521814B2 |
Apparatus and method for managing user interface
An apparatus for and method of managing a user interface. The apparatus for managing a user interface including: a packet generation unit that generates a notification packet indicating that one or more remote servers exist on a network, a web server that manages a command for storing a state of a user interface of a predetermined application transmitted through the network or an extract command received as a result of distributing the notification packet, a state storage unit that stores the state of the user interface according to the store command, and a communication unit that transmits the state of a predetermined user interface extracted according to the extract command from among the stored states of the user interface. |
| US08521810B1 |
Method and system for controlling a display buffer in a content distribution system
A system and method for displaying graphics in a content distribution system includes a client device and a server device that communicates an allocate buffer command signal to the client device. The client device reserves an off-screen buffer having buffer identifier associated therewith and communicates a buffer response signal comprising the buffer identifier to the server device. The server device communicates a write command signal comprising graphics data and the buffer identifier to the client device. The client device stores the graphics data in an off-screen buffer in response to write command signal, transfers the graphics data from the off-screen buffer to an on-screen buffer and displays graphics corresponding to the graphics data on a display associated with the client device. A bit blit command may be used to transfer the graphics data from the off-screen buffer to the on-screen buffer. |
| US08521805B2 |
Information processing apparatus and computer readable medium
An information processing apparatus includes an output unit and a determining unit. The output unit outputs a piece of information relating to a piece of storage subject information stored in first storage unit into a source of request. The determining unit determines, at each piece of subject information, which to store the piece of storage subject information or a corresponding piece of alternative information into the source of request based on a predetermined condition. The corresponding piece of alternative information contains location information indicating a location of the piece of storage subject information in the first storage unit and has a size smaller than a size of the piece of storage subject information. And the output unit outputs the piece of storage subject information or the corresponding piece of alternative information into the source of request in accordance with a determination result by the determining unit. |
| US08521801B2 |
Configurable hybrid adder circuitry
Hybrid adder circuitry is provided for integrated circuits such as programmable integrated circuits. The hybrid adder may combine the capabilities of multiple adder architectures. Hybrid adders may include carry select and carry ripple adder circuits. The adder circuits may be combined using a carry look-ahead architecture. Adder functionality may be implemented using the resources of logic regions on the programmable integrated circuits. Each logic region may include combinatorial logic such as look-up table logic and register circuitry. The hybrid adder circuitry may receive input words to be added from the combinatorial circuitry and may produce corresponding arithmetic sum output signals to the register circuitry. |
| US08521795B2 |
Random number generating device
A random number generating device is constructed such that it has improved random number generation rate and allows for construction of compact circuit with ease.The random number generating device includes a magnetoresistive element that has three layers consisting of a magnetization free layer, an interlayer, and a magnetization fixed layer, and has at least two resistance values depending on arrangement of magnetization in the magnetization free layer and the magnetization fixed layer, wherein the magnetoresistive element is subjected to be applied with a magnetization current so that the inversion probability of the magnetization free layer assumes a value between 0 and 1, through which the resistance value of the magnetoresistive element is extracted as random numbers. |
| US08521794B2 |
Signal processing circuit, AGC circuit, and recording and playback device
Disclosed herein is a signal processing circuit including: a main path configured to transmit an input signal and output an actual signal; and a negative feedback path configured to feed back the actual signal to an input stage of the main path, wherein the main path includes a main path block that receives an input signal and outputs an actual signal, the negative feedback path includes a negative feedback block that generates a control signal and supplies the control signal to an input part of an input signal of the main path; a replica block that is supplied with a control signal of the negative feedback block to output a pseudo actual signal, and imitates the main path block; and a signal delay block that delays a pseudo actual signal of the replica block by a dead time of a loop. |
| US08521785B2 |
System and method for efficient representation of dynamic ranges of numeric values
Embodiments of the present invention describe using a data structure to represent variable domains in solving a constraint problem. The data structure includes nodes that are configured to represent ranges of values in order to save memory space and processor power. Ranges of values and single values may be both added to and removed from the data structure such that the data structure does not include duplicate values. Operations may include detecting multiple nodes with adjacent or overlapping ranges that may be combined into a single node, and adding or removing all the values in the structure that are beyond a threshold value. In one embodiment the data structure may be a balanced binary tree. Constraint solvers may either add values to the data structure as the values are eliminated from the solution, or they may remove those values. |
| US08521783B2 |
Highly reliable and scalable architecture for data centers
The present invention provides a highly reliable and scalable architecture for data centers. Work to be performed is divided into discrete work units. The work units are maintained in a pool of work units that may be processed by any number of different servers. A server may extract an eligible work unit and attempt to process it. If the processing of the work unit succeeds, the work unit is tagged as executed and becomes ineligible for other servers. If the server fails to execute the work unit for some reason, the work unit becomes eligible again and another server may extract and execute it. A server extracts and executes work units when they have available resources. This leads to the automatic load balancing of the data center. |
| US08521782B2 |
Methods and systems for processing large graphs using density-based processes using map-reduce
Embodiments are directed to a density-based clustering algorithm that decomposes and reformulates the DBSCAN algorithm to facilitate its performance on the Map-Reduce model. The DBSCAN algorithm is reformulated into connectivity problem using a density filter method and a partial connectivity detector. The density-based clustering algorithm uses message passing and edge adding to increase the speed of result merging, it also uses message mining techniques to further decrease the number of iterations to process the input graph. The algorithm is scalable, and can be accelerated by using more machines in a distributed computer network implementing the Map-Reduce program. |
| US08521780B2 |
Methods and systems for sharing email in a multi-tenant database system
An email object is provided in a multi-tenant database system that can be related to multiple people (e.g., contact, lead, user) or any object represented for storage in the multi-tenant database system via sharing relationships. The email object follows a sharing model such that an email inherits the sharing model or attributes of a parent record specified via sharing relationships. In various aspects, a sharing model provides users with a true value of a multi-tenant database system as users are more informed about communications concerning people or other objects represented for storage in the multi-tenant database system. |
| US08521778B2 |
Systems and methods for permissions-based profile repository service
In some embodiments, provided is a method that includes storing, by a profile repository service, respective profile information for one or more users. The method includes receiving, by the profile repository service, permissions input from a particular one of the one or more users specifying content of the particular user's profile information accessible to content providers. Further, the method included receiving, by the profile repository service, a request from a content provider for profile information for the particular user, wherein the content provider is distinct from the profile repository service. The method also includes providing, by the profile repository service in response to the request, profile information for the particular user to the content provider, wherein the profile information is provided according to the permissions input from the particular user, and wherein the profile information is used to generate content delivered to the particular user remotely from the profile repository service. |
| US08521777B2 |
Methods and apparatus for presentation of software as a service applications
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for flexible presentation of Software As A Service (SAAS) applications to one or more client devices such as multi-function devices (e.g., MFPs). A management system receives presentation layout information for subscribed SAAS applications from users and administrators, generates a menu of subscribed SAAS applications for presentation to a user on a display of the client device, and transmits the menu to a client device for presentation to the user on a display of the client device. The management system may also provide for user/administrator customization of the menu of applications available to users, and for revocation of applications by an administrator of the management system. |
| US08521776B2 |
Accessing data in a multi-generation database
A method for accessing data in a multi-generation database is provided. The method comprises receiving a request to access first data in the database, wherein the first data is located on a first page of the database; reading an entry corresponding to the first page to locate a first track on the first page to access a newest version of the data; acquiring a first lock to synchronize accesses to the first track; and determining that the first track stores the newest version of the data, in response to reading the entry while holding the first lock. |
| US08521770B1 |
Method for distributed RDSMS
Distributed Data Stream Management System (DDSMS) and the optimization strategies and capabilities enabled therein, and embodiments of its stream processing nodes are provided. Data recovery both from local buffered data and through recursive recovery are possible. |
| US08521769B2 |
Locating ambiguities in data
A system comprising an associative memory, an input module, a query module, and a display module. The input module is configured to receive a value within a first perspective of the associative memory. The query module is configured to perform an open query of the associative memory using the value, perform the open query within at least one of an insert perspective and a second perspective of the associative memory. The at least one of the insert perspective and the second perspective has as many or more category associations for the value relative to the first perspective. The display module is configured to display a result of the query and to display a list of one or more potential ambiguities that result from the open query. |
| US08521768B2 |
Data storage and management system
Methods (600-900) for optimizing performance of systems (100, 200). The methods involve determining if a device (108, 1081, 1082, . . . , 108N) has been deployed as a standalone device or a cluster device. The determination can be based on a value of a flag stored in the device (e.g., an appliance) or contents of device registration information stored in a master device of a cluster of devices. The methods also involve automatically delegating data management operations to a centralized Memory Management System (MMS) or a distributed MMS (210) based on results of said determination. The centralized MMS (110) performs relational database management operations (e.g., SQL operations) in response to said data management operations being delegated thereto. The distributed MMS performs grid database management operations (e.g., non-SQL based operations or key-value based operations) in response to said data management operations being delegated thereto. |
| US08521761B2 |
Transliteration for query expansion
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for identifying candidate synonyms of transliterated terms for query expansion. In one aspect, a method includes identifying multiple transliterated terms in a target language. For each transliterated term of the multiple transliterated terms in the target language, the transliterated term is mapped to one or more terms in a source language. For a first transliterated term of the multiple transliterated terms in the target language, one or more second transliterated terms of the multiple transliterated terms in the target language are identified as candidate synonyms of the first transliterated term, where each of the one or more second transliterated terms is mapped to at least one term in the source language that is also mapped from the first transliterated term. |
| US08521758B2 |
System and method of matching and merging records
A system and method of matching and merging records is disclosed herein. Embodiments comprise receiving, a plurality of records from a feed, wherein a record in the plurality of records from the feed may be either partial or complete. A processor executes fuzzy matching logic to determine whether one or more records in the plurality of records from the feed match an existing record. The processor then executes a merged of the one or more matching records with the existing record to form a merged composite record. Finally, the merged composite record is stored. |
| US08521757B1 |
Method and apparatus for template-based processing of electronic documents
Method and apparatus for template-based processing of electronic documents is described. In some examples, text content of the electronic documents is analyzed to identify whether each of the electronic documents matches any of a plurality of document templates. A template index is generated that relates at least one of the electronic documents with at least one of the plurality of document templates associated therewith. A search query is generated using at least one of the plurality of document templates as a respective at least one search parameter. An archive having the electronic documents is searched using the template index to locate any of the electronic documents that match the at least one document template of the search query. |
| US08521753B2 |
Unified formats for resources and repositories for managing localization
Tools and techniques for unified formats for resources and repositories for managing localization are described herein. The unified resource repositories may include representations of any number of resources, the resources representing textual information that is displayable in user interface presented by software applications. The representations of the resources may include respective data tags that are associated with name attributes identifying the resources, value tags providing values of the resources. Meta tags provide recursive nesting mechanisms for associating the name attribute and the value tag with additional instances of name attributes and value tags. |
| US08521752B2 |
Systems and methods for arbitrary data transformations
Methods for organizing data. The methods may comprise the step of receiving a write request comprising a data unit. The methods may also comprise the steps of organizing the data unit into a sub-file and incorporating the sub-file into a data file according to a log-structured organization system. In addition, the methods may include the step of writing the data file to a data storage according to a second organization system. |
| US08521751B2 |
Search device, a search method and a program
A search device, a search method and a program, are provided, which improve the search speed in a longest prefix or suffix match search. At the time of registration, the search device stores an inputted registered pattern, generates one or more set of a first character string which has a length of a multiple of a predetermined number of characters and a remaining second character string by dividing the registered pattern into two, obtains a plurality of hash values by applying a plurality of hash functions to the first character string, and updates the contents which the plurality of hash values indicate. The search device extracts a partial character string of the length which is equal to the estimated length from the search key and determines whether the partial character string which is extracted is registered. |
| US08521749B2 |
Document scoring based on document inception date
A system may determine a document inception date associated with a document, generate a score for the document based, at least in part, on the document inception date, and rank the document with regard to at least one other document based, at least in part, on the score. |
| US08521747B2 |
System and method for selectively consolidating applications to a machine using resource utilization data
A system and method of selectively consolidating applications on a machine comprises retrieving resource utilization data for a plurality of applications over a plurality of cycles for designated resource dimensions. A representative utilization profile is calculated on each application for each resource dimension. Load mean and variance values of the applications are calculated for each resource dimension. Each application is assigned to a class based the mean and variance values. A consolidation algorithm is computed on each application for each resource dimension to determine if resource consumption of the consolidated applications potentially exceed an available capacity in a machine. |
| US08521744B2 |
Apparatus and method for authoring data in communication system
An apparatus for authoring data in a communication system includes: an extraction unit configured to receive media corresponding to contents and extract contents information regarding the contents from the received media; a generation unit configured to generate a DMB ECG XML-based metadata comprising the extracted contents information; and a processing unit configured to visualize particulars of the DMB ECG XML-based metadata through a user interface and process the user interface so that the DMB ECG XML-based metadata is generated and edited on a template. |
| US08521737B2 |
Method and system for multi-tier image matching in a mixed media environment
A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). In one particular embodiment, the MMR system provides for multi-tier image matching. |
| US08521736B2 |
Managing hierarchies of components
Described are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products for managing a hierarchy of modules. A user can select a first hierarchy or a second hierarchy, where the first hierarchy includes a module and a first sub-module. The module is associated with a component and the first sub-module is associated with a first sub-component of the component. The module is associated with the first sub-module using a first hierarchical reference of a first type. The second hierarchy includes the module and a second sub-module, where the second sub-module is associated with the first sub-component. The module is associated with the second sub-module using a second hierarchical reference of a second type that is different from the first type. |
| US08521735B1 |
Anonymous personalized recommendation method
A computer-implemented method for an anonymous personalized recommendation is provided. The method includes receiving select server fingerprints selected from server fingerprints based on predetermined metrics. The server fingerprints correspond to a plurality of public entities and each server fingerprint includes encoded information about a corresponding public entity. The method also includes generating a user fingerprint based on user information associated with a user, the user fingerprint comprising encoded user information. The method further includes comparing the user fingerprint with the select server fingerprints to select a server fingerprint for recommendation, and generating a recommendation of a public entity corresponding to the server fingerprint for recommendation. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided. |
| US08521727B2 |
Search apparatus, search method, and computer readable medium
A search apparatus searches graph data representing a graph including nodes and links. The search apparatus includes the following elements. An input receiving unit receives an input of a reference node indicating a search reference position on the graph and an input of a search condition indicating a condition satisfied by a node, a link, or a combination of a node and a link. A searching unit searches the graph data for a node, a link, or a combination of a node and a link that satisfies the search condition. A search result data generating unit generates search result data indicating at least one search result obtained by the searching unit, together with path data showing a path on the graph from the reference node to each of the at least one search result. |
| US08521725B1 |
Systems and methods for improved searching
Methods and systems for improved searching are described. In one of the described methods, a user enters a search query, and in response, a search engine receives a substantially complete initial search result set having a plurality of ranked article identifiers. The search engine automatically selects at least one of the article identifiers and provides a final result set in which the selected article identifier is ranked higher than in the initial search result set. |
| US08521724B2 |
Processing search queries using a data structure
According to an embodiment, there is provided a method of generating a data structure stored in computer memory for processing a search query in a network of interconnected nodes, wherein the method comprises selecting landmark nodes by the following steps and storing the selected landmark nodes in the data structure: sampling from the network nodes a first sample of vertex pairs, computing the shortest path for each vertex pair, each shortest path comprising a set of vertices between each vertex in the vertex pair; identifying a first landmark node which occurs in more of the shortest paths more often than any other vertex; removing from the network vertices shortest paths including the first landmark node and identifying a second landmark node which occurs in more of the remaining shortest paths than any other remaining vertex. |
| US08521719B1 |
Searchable and size-constrained local log repositories for tracking visitors' access to web content
A method and system for tracking visitors' access to web content using a searchable and size-constrained local log repository is disclosed. A repository indexer receives visitor logs from a remote source and indexes the logs to include a usage field indicating when or how frequently an associated visitor log was accessed from a local log repository by a report request manager. The local log repository stores the logs and is size constrained. A repository manager removes a subset of the logs in the local log repository based on parameters within the subset of the logs' usage field. The report request manager receives a request from a requestor for a report indicating visitors' access to a content object, searches for logs within the local log repository pertinent to the request, aggregates data across the logs responsive to the search, and generates a report presenting the aggregated data. |
| US08521718B1 |
Pre-computed impression lists
Systems, methods, and computer program products identify one or more web page impressions satisfying one or more simply queries, each of the one or more web page impressions associated with a respective impression ID. Respective impression IDs of the one or more web pages satisfying the one or more simple queries are stored in an impression log. Subsequent to storing the respective impression IDs, a query is received from a client device, and a number of impression IDs for the one or more web pages satisfying the query are identified based on the identified one or more web page impressions satisfying the one or more simple queries. |
| US08521717B2 |
Propagating information among web pages
Web pages of a Website may be processed to improve search results. For example, information likely to pertain to more than just the Web page it is directly associated with may be identified. One or more other, related, Web pages that such information is likely to pertain to is also identified. The identified information is associated with the identified other Web page(s) and this association is saved in a way to affect a search result score of the Web page(s). |
| US08521712B2 |
Method and system to enable navigation of data items
There are provided methods and systems to enable navigation of data items based on aspect-value pairs extracted from the data items. First, a system receives a query, Second, the system identifies a plurality of data items found by the query. Third, the system identifies an aspect of at least one of the plurality of data items, Fourth, the system identifies a value of a plurality of values corresponding to the aspect. Fifth, the system receives a request to navigate to a set of data items within the plurality of data items, the request comprising the aspect and a requested value of the plurality of value. Each one of the set of data items has the aspect and the value. Sixth, the system presents, in a user interface, information about each one of the set of data items. |
| US08521704B2 |
System and method for filesystem deduplication using variable length sharing
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and system for filesystem deduplication that uses both small fingerprint granularity and variable length sharing techniques. The method includes accessing, within an electronic system, a plurality of files in a primary storage filesystem and determining a plurality of fingerprints for the plurality of files. Each respective fingerprint may correspond to a respective portion of a respective file of the plurality of files. The method further includes determining a plurality of portions of the plurality of files where each of the plurality of portions has the same corresponding fingerprint and accessing a list comprising a plurality of portions of files previously deduplicated. A portion of a file of the plurality of files not present in the list may then be deduplicated. Consecutive portions of variables lengths having the same corresponding fingerprints may also be deduplicated. |
| US08521702B2 |
Method for aggregating web feed minimizing redundancies
When aggregating syndicated Web content, updated content is retrieved from predetermined Web feeds. The updated content is compared with stored content previously retrieved. If the updated content is determined to be different from the stored content, the updated content is stored. If the updated content is determined to be identical to the stored content, the updated content is delete. |
| US08521701B2 |
Reducing data transfer for matching patterns
A device may receive a packet, obtain data from the packet, store the data in a memory, and send a request to match a portion of the data to a set of patterns, the request identifying the portion in the memory. In addition, the device may access the portion in the memory based on the request, compare the accessed portion to the set of patterns, generate a result by comparing the accessed portion to the set of patterns, and output the result. |
| US08521691B1 |
Seamless migration between replication technologies
Traditional methods for migrating between replication technologies require stopping the old replication technology and starting with the new replication technology from scratch. Replicated data sizes can be very large (e.g., on the order of a petabyte) which can take a considerable amount of time, often several weeks, to read. During this time, replication is unavailable. Example embodiments of the present invention provide a method, apparatus and computer-program product for seamless migration from a preexisting replication service to a new replication service by configuring the new replication service, disabling the preexisting replication service enabling the new replication service. Example embodiments of the present invention also provide for querying storage to determine available replication sets, presenting a graphical user interface to a user to enable the user to select a replication set for migration and automatically performing the migration. |
| US08521689B2 |
Generation of a set of pre-filters from a set of event subscriptions to more efficiently select events of interest
A method, system and computer program product for achieving a balance between pre-filter efficiency and pre-filter throughput. Event subscriptions are obtained for a given event consumer. The event subscriptions define the events to be routed to this event consumer. Pre-filters of varying complexity and filtering power are constructed based on these event subscriptions. A balance between pre-filter efficiency and pre-filter throughput may be achieved by selecting the best pre-filter out of these constructed pre-filters to filter events to its associated event consumer. The best pre-filter is selected by comparing a complexity threshold (e.g., a limit for the number of atomic Boolean expressions in a pre-filter) with the actual complexity (e.g., the actual number of atomic Boolean expressions) for each constructed pre-filter and selecting the most complex pre-filter without exceeding the threshold. |
| US08521686B2 |
Concurrency control in a file system shared by application hosts
A manager program for managing virtual machines includes a process which receives a notification message indicating an occurrence of an event affecting a data storage unit in a data storage system that supports a shared file system. The notification message might have come from a virtual machine host or resulted from a hardware reconfiguration. The manager program then determines whether another virtual machine host is sharing the data storage unit. The manager program might make this determination by polling each of the virtual machine hosts it manages or by checking information previously collected and stored in a database. If another virtual machine host is sharing the data storage unit, the manager program sends a refresh message to that virtual machine host that causes the virtual machine host to update information relating to the data storage unit in a cache associated with the virtual machine host. |
| US08521685B1 |
Background movement of data between nodes in a storage cluster
A method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are described for the background movement of data between nodes in a storage cluster. According to one method, exception tables are generated that include data identifying the areas on each node that need to be migrated to another node and the areas on each node that are to be migrated from another node. The exception tables may be generated in response to the failure of a node in the storage cluster or in other circumstances. A background resynchronization thread utilizes the contents of the exception tables to migrate data between the nodes of the cluster, thereby synchronizing the data stored on the nodes. Input/output operations directed to an area that is to be migrated from another node are redirected to the other node in accordance with a timeout period associated with the input/output operations. |
| US08521684B2 |
System and method for aligning data frames in time
A method and apparatus for merging data acquired by two or more capture devices from two or more points in a computer system, frames are compared for duplicates, then duplicate frames are analyzed to determine the time difference between the timestamps of a first capture device and a second capture device. If the duplicate frames are the first set of duplicate frames discovered, then all previous timestamps and all subsequent timestamps from the second capture device are adjusted by the time difference. If duplicate frames are again discovered, the time difference is recalculated and all subsequent frames from the second capture device are adjusted by the recalculated time difference. After all the frames have been analyzed and the timestamps adjusted, the frames are merged together and put into chronological order to simulate a single capture of data encompassing all of the points where the data was collected. |
| US08521683B2 |
Image input apparatus and information registration method
A disclosed image input apparatus is connected via a network to one or more information processing apparatuses and is capable of registering multiple service entries at once according to a registration request sent from any one of the information processing apparatuses. The disclosed image input apparatus includes a service entry storage space; a service entry area reservation unit configured to reserve service entry areas in the service entry storage space; and a service entry update unit configured to register the service entries in the reserved service entry areas if available and to register the service entries in non-reservation areas of the service entry storage space if the reserved service entry areas are not available. |
| US08521673B2 |
Parallel processing device and parallel processing method
A parallel processing device that computes a hierarchical neural network includes: a plurality of units identified by a characteristic unit numbers; a control section that outputs control data, including an input value and a selection unit number, to the plurality of units; and a storage section that stores a plurality of coupling weights, each of the coupling weights being associated with layer information. Each of the units includes: a data input section that receives control data from the control section; a unit number match judgment section that judges whether the selection unit number matches the characteristic unit number; a unit processing section that computes the output value; and a data output section that outputs the output value to the control section when the unit number judgement section judges that the selection unit number matches the characteristic unit number. |
| US08521669B2 |
Neural associative memories based on optimal bayesian learning
This invention is in the field of machine learning and neural associative memory. In particular the invention discloses a neural associative memory structure for storing and maintaining associations between memory address patterns and memory content patterns using a neural network, as well as methods for storing and retrieving such associations. Bayesian learning is applied to achieve non-linear learning. |
| US08521668B2 |
Model for reconstructing a causation process from time varying data describing an event and for predicting the evolution dynamics of the event
A method of reconstructing a causation process from time varying data describing an event, the data consisting in a certain number of entities each having a position in a space, and each of the entities being characterized by at least a quantity or value relatively to at least one feature and in the quantity or value relatively to at least one of the features of the entities at least at two different times or at each time instant of a sequence of time instants; the method describing the higher likelihood transition of all entities i, j from the time n to the time n+1 as a function of the position coordinate of the entity I and of the entity j and the quantity of the at least one feature of the entity I and of the entity j at the time n and at the time n+1: Mi,j[n,n+1]=ψ(xi,yi,qi[n],qi[n+1],xj,yj,qj[n],qj[n+1]). the function determining the strength of the connection between each entity i at time n and each other entity j at time n+1; the method determining the source causing changes in quantity of the entity j from the time n to the time n+1 as the entity i for which the strength of connection is a maximum. The invention relates also to a method of predicting the evolution dynamics of an event or process starting from the information about the causation process obtained from the above function. |
| US08521666B2 |
Case acquisition for incremental Case-Based Reasoning system
A method and system are presented that simplify acquisition of cases for an incremental Case-Based Reasoning system. Case acquisition closely follows the normal problem-solving process and cases are automatically created in a form suitable for the CBR runtime. The method and system rely on the fact that the CBR runtime is already capable of taking the input data and constructing a case in a form that corresponds to the library cases. The problem-solving mode is transformed into the case-acquisition mode by replacing the ‘choose next action’ step in the incremental CBR algorithm by a step that generates a set of all applicable actions given the current content of the session case and the model. From these the user can choose an action that corresponds to an action from the real-world case description. This is repeated as part of the incremental CBR loop until a full case has been acquired. |
| US08521663B1 |
Community-selected content
The value of a target variable is predicted by obtaining historical values for the target variable at each of several time points and obtaining previously predicted values and currently predicted values for each of several predictor variables, the predictor variables being different from the target variable. Values are assigned to parameters of a forecasting model to obtain the best fit of the previously predicted values for the predictor variables to the historical values for the target variable. Finally, a value of the target variable is predicted from the currently predicted values for at least a subset of the predictor variables using the forecasting model and the values assigned to the parameters of the forecasting model. |
| US08521657B2 |
Systems and methods for capturing mail for electronic bill presentment
A system and method of identifying a mailpiece (230) in an electronic bill presentment system is provided. The system identifies the mailpiece based on an identification mark. A method of identifying the mailpiece comprises (450) the steps of scanning the mailpiece for the identification mark (940). The system receives registration information (210, 410) from a customer and sorts the mailpiece based on the identification mark (950). |
| US08521656B2 |
Systems and methods for providing extended shipping options
Techniques for providing extended shipping options are described. In some embodiments, a user may specify extended shipping options that are not otherwise provided by or accessible via an existing shipment information specification user interface. In one embodiment, the user accesses a module configured to facilitate specification of extended shipping options and in response, provide an indicator of the specified extended shipping option, such as a tag or uniform resource identifier. The indicator of the extended shipping option is then incorporated into a user interface element, such as an address field, of the shipment information specification user interface. Once the user finalizes the order, the indicator of the extended shipping option is transmitted along with other shipment information items to a merchant and/or carrier system, where services specified by the extended shipping option are initiated. |
| US08521655B2 |
Engine, system and method for providing cloud-based business intelligence
An engine, system and method for providing cloud-based business intelligence data, responsively to received company information, including a local front end comprising a graphical user interface capable of locally querying a user for an electronic location of the received company information, and ones of the business intelligence data to be displayed on the graphical user interface upon upload of the received company information from the electronic location, and further including an at least partially remote back end, comprising an accessing engine capable of accessing the electronic location for uploading to the cloud of only ones of the received company information indicative of the ones of the business data intelligence to be displayed, and a charging engine for charging an account of a user of the front end $1 per the ones of the business intelligence data to be displayed. |
| US08521650B2 |
Method and service for providing access to premium content and dispersing payment therefore
A method and system for providing premium content and dispersing payment therefore. The method includes entering into an agreement with at least one partner that provides premium content and entering into an agreement with at least one customer that grants the customer access to premium content provided by at least one partner. The method further includes collecting defined parameter data of at least one customer accessing the premium content and dispersing payment to at least one partner where the payment is determined from the defined parameter data. The defined parameter data can be approximate time spent. |
| US08521647B2 |
Lock-and-key consumer billing data protection for telemarketing
A “lock-and-key” consumer billing data protection capability is provided to telemarketing systems which are based upon previously-acquired consumer lists. The lists contain only partial billing information for each consumer, which is insufficient to access the consumer's account. Thus, at the time a telemarketer employing this capability communicates with a consumer to offer them a product or service, the telemarketer, the seller and any entity hired to perform billing operations for such consumer purchases all remain “locked” out from accessing the consumer's account. When the consumer wishes to authorize the purchase of an offered product or service, the consumer must “reach into their wallet” to provide the “key” to their account, which is the missing billing information not acquired from the third-party list provider. |
| US08521646B2 |
System and method for assigning an initial transaction fee tier to a vendor in a payment system with a variable transaction fee
A system makes payments from a payer to a vendor and assesses a variable transaction fee to the vendor. The system comprises a database which associates, for each of a community of payers, identification a rate tier assigned to each vendor to which the payer makes payment. A tier assignment application determines a tier to assign to a vendor by determining: i) an industry sensitivity score based on the type of business the vendor operates; ii) a payer centric spend score; iii) a payer centric frequency score; iv) a network spend score; and iv) a network frequency score. The tier assigned to the vendor is a function of these scores. A payment application, when making payment from the payer to the vendor, determines a transaction fee to apply to the payment by multiplying the payment amount by a transaction rate associated with the tier assigned to the vendor. |
| US08521636B2 |
Automated spectrum exchange system and method
A method for the transfer of rights associated with spectrum between parties in which spectrum is a tradable commodity. In one embodiment, data is received from a spectrum holder that defines a spectrum offering by frequency, time, and geographic area to identify available spectrum from the holder. A spectrum query that defines aspects of spectrum being sought by a spectrum user is also received and matched to one or more spectrum offerings. A transactional process is hosted by receiving a bid or rebid from the spectrum user for a matched spectrum offering and receiving a counteroffer from the spectrum holder that posted the matched spectrum offering. Each spectrum offering, bid, rebid, and counteroffer specifies price, frequency, time, and geographic area information in a standardized format to allow parties to market, locate, and transfer spectrum use rights with relative ease, faster transaction time, and lower expense. |
| US08521630B2 |
Curve engine
Systems and methods for pricing financial instruments include constructing, via at least one computing device comprising one or more processors executing computer-executable instructions stored in memory, a virtual financial complex network comprising one or more interrelated financial markets. Market color data related to at least one of the financial markets is then blended with price data to determine blended pricing information. This blended pricing information is then used to define an objective function that when solved, via an optimization model, determines a minimum market price for each financial instrument across the one or more financial markets. |
| US08521629B2 |
Gift card services for mobile devices
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for gift card services. In general, data characterizing a request to provide a merchant credit service to an intended recipient is received and a message to be sent to the intended recipient is generated, where the message characterizes a phone number to call to activate the merchant credit service. Data characterizing authentication by a call to the phone number to activate the merchant credit service from the mobile phone number of the intended recipient is received, where the authentication includes checking caller identification of the call to ensure the call is from the mobile phone number of the intended recipient. The merchant credit service is activated. Credit associated with an account of a merchant credit service may be redeemed by providing an account number of the service. Redemption may be authorized based on caller identification of a mobile phone number associated with an account. |
| US08521627B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating electronic securities transactions
A method for facilitating securities transactions is shown. In one embodiment, the method includes identifying, by a computer system from an OMS comprising a plurality of stored security orders, a subset of orders specifying at least a minimum available quantity; transmitting, by the computer system to an ETM, a non-binding indication corresponding to one order of the subset of orders, the non-binding indication comprising a security identifier and the order type; receiving, by the computer system, an indication that a match exists to the non-binding indication; determining, by the computer system, a total available quantity for the order corresponding to the non-binding indication; and transmitting, by the OMS, a binding order corresponding to the non-binding indication, the binding order comprising the determined total available quantity. Corresponding systems are also described. |
| US08521626B1 |
System and method for enhanced generation of invoice payment documents
Enhanced systems and methods for processing invoices, checks, and money transfers are described. Various aspects include the following: Invoices are compared to distinguishing features of known templates. Templates of matching features are used to extract data in the invoices. Enhanced payment documents are generated to include images of related invoices to ensure proper deposit. Payee information solicited from a payee is printed on an endorsement section of a check payable to the payee to ensure proper deposit. The payee information can be verified through a mock transaction. Unique invoice numbers and payor numbers are included in invoices to ensure proper accreditation of payments of the invoices. Money transfers among accounts of different banks are effected through master accounts in the different banks. |
| US08521624B2 |
Method for accounting information handling in an interworking
A method for accounting information handling in an interworking is provided. A method for processing accounting information by a gateway device includes sending an accounting request message to a first electronic device, and receiving a response message from a first electronic device, the response message responsive to the accounting request message. The accounting request message is related to a communications device attached to the first network. The method also includes processing accounting information. The processing is based on the response message, the gateway device and the first electronic device are part of the first network, the communications device is accessing a second network through the first network, and the communications device has a subscription only with the second network. |
| US08521622B2 |
Computer system for managing part order placement
A computer program is embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium. The computer program manages order of parts according to a production plan. The computer program, when run on a computer, controls the computer to execute functions comprising developing a plurality of parts necessary to produce a product which comprises at least one of a first product model and a second product model, and required volume of each of the parts according to the product model. The program also controls the computer to compare parts which were developed and required volume of the parts for the first product model with the parts which were developed and required volume of the parts for the second product model. A difference is calculated between volume of the parts necessary for production of the first product model and volume of the parts necessary to produce the second product model concerning each of the parts for the first and the second product models according to an input of a production change from the first product model for which parts have been ordered to the second product model. The program then controls the computer to display the parts and volume of the parts necessary to produce the second product model in association with the difference on a display screen. |
| US08521621B1 |
Consistent interface for inbound delivery request
A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to an inbound delivery request business object. |
| US08521618B2 |
Method and system for illustrating where a ticket is located in an event venue
A system accepts event criteria for at least one ticket and at least one event; accepts price criteria for the ticket(s) and the event(s); displays an interactive graphics-based event venue map illustrating a location of all sections at a venue with at least one ticket meeting the event and price criteria; accepts section selection criteria, at least one section being selected from the interactive graphics-based event venue map; displays ticket information to allow a user to drill down to a specific ticket, cause a location of the specific ticket to be displayed in the interactive venue map; and enable a capability to utilize the interactive venue map to choose a section of interest, causing corresponding ticket information to be displayed in the web browsing language. |
| US08521617B2 |
Related product system and method
Computer-implemented systems and methods for automatically creating a second customized product design incorporating information from a first customized product design. Information from a first custom product design is automatically combined with additional automatically selected content to create a new custom product to be promoted to the customer. When possible, information known about the customer, such as the customer's geographic location or business interests, is used to select the additional content for incorporation into the design. |
| US08521613B2 |
Expense tracking, electronic ordering, invoice presentment, and payment system and method
Systems and methods for tracking and billing expenses throughout a transaction, such as the sale or management of a real estate property. In one embodiment, a budget is created that details expected incomes on the property and costs associated with the sale or management of the property. The budget may be developed in accordance with specifications, such as line item maxima or total budget maxima, developed by the owner of the property. After a vendor has delivered goods or services described in the budget, the vendor creates an electronic invoice. Payment is delivered to the vendor through an Automated Clearing House system. |
| US08521609B2 |
Systems and methods for marketplace listings using a camera enabled mobile device
Computer-implemented systems and methods for generating marketplace listings using a camera enabled mobile device are described in which a request is received via a camera enabled mobile device to list one or more sale items. An image taken by the camera enable mobile device and depicting the one or more sale items is received. Image recognition is performed on the received image to identify the one or more sale items. Based on the identification of the one or more sale items depicted in the image, a set of descriptive data is automatically generated. The one or more sale items are listed on a marketplace using the image and the automatically generated set of descriptive data. |
| US08521607B2 |
Archiving system and process for transaction records
Systems and algorithmic processes directed to a user system, a provider system and a storage system. The provider system receives, from the user system, a request for a transaction to be performed by the provider system. The requested transaction includes a purchase of goods or a conduction of services between a user of the user system and a provider of the provider system. Upon completion of the request, the provider system transmits a record of the transaction to the storage system. The storage system is independent of the user system and the provider system. The record includes details of the transaction including the goods purchased or services conducted between the user and the provider. |
| US08521602B2 |
System and method of global electronic market of educational services in the internet
A system and a method of global electronic market of educational services in the Internet are provided. The method of operating a global electronic market of educational services for consumers of educational services and educational establishments via the Internet includes registering the consumers of educational services and the educational establishments; providing information regarding offers of the consumers of educational services and the educational establishments to the registered consumers of educational services and educational establishments accordingly; selecting partners in the market of educational services based on the provided information; holding competitions for student's vacancies; conducting contracts between consumers of educational services and educational establishments; providing additional services of the system of global electronic market of educational services. |
| US08521601B1 |
Marketing and selling feature length movies over networks
Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems for marketing and selling feature length movies over one or more networks. One method of marketing includes placing, at plural different internet locations, advertisements to purchase a feature length movie (FLM) before the FLM is publicly available to buy on digital video disk (DVD); soliciting, before the FLM is publicly available to buy on DVD, public individuals not previously affiliated with the FLM to become salespeople who sell the FLM over network spaces belonging to the public individuals; and compensating a salesperson for each sale of the FLM that occurs as a result of an advertisement at network spaces belonging to the salesperson. |
| US08521594B1 |
Directed content to anonymized users
A computer-implemented method for identifying directed content without access to personally-identifiable information of a user includes receiving a group identifier that identifies a group to which the user belongs and an identifier for a device of the user; selecting content that is determined to be responsive to preferences of the group, without using information that identifies the user; and providing the selected content for display on the device of the user. |
| US08521591B1 |
Methods and systems for correlating connections between users and links between articles
Methods and systems for correlating connections between users and links between articles to identify search and/or ad spamming are disclosed. Social networks can be used to identify connections between users for correlation with links between articles, which can be identified through searches of article contents and/or back tracing accesses to articles. One disclosed method comprises identifying first associations between a plurality of users in a network of associated users; identifying second associations between one or more users and one or more articles; identifying third associations between at least some of the articles or between some of the users and access to some of the articles; and determining at least one of the third associations is correlated with one or more of the first associations. |
| US08521590B1 |
Systems and methods for assessing consumers' product brand loyalty
Disclosed are systems and methods for assessing consumers' emotional attachment to product brand for targeted advertising, development of new products, valuation of products, brand marketing and other purposes. A method for determining consumer product brand loyalty is provided by quantifying a consumer's emotional attachment to a consumer product brand. The consumer's emotional attachment to a consumer product brand is indicated by the consumer's willingness to give up the consumer product brand. The willingness to give up the consumer product brand is measured, and applied to commercial uses such as advertising, marketing, product research and development and valuation of brands. |
| US08521585B2 |
System and method for using voice over a telephone to access, process, and carry out transactions over the internet
A method for executing a transaction related to an item or a service using a telephone includes providing information identifying the item or the service, providing a query as to a transaction to be performed in which the transaction is related to the identified item or service, and sending to a server system a request to execute the transaction related to the identified item or service in response to a user answer. The transaction is executed without the user performing a single action on a computer interface. |
| US08521584B1 |
Co-sponsored content
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for distribution of co-sponsored content items. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a first bid from a first content distributor and a second bid from a second content distributor, where each of the bids specifying respective amounts that the different content distributors will pay for distribution of respective content. Using the first and the second bid, a total bid is computed for a co-sponsored content item that includes the first content and the second content. A request is received for content to be presented in a presentation slot of a publisher property and the co-sponsored content item is selected for presentation based on the outcome of an auction performed using the total bid as one of a plurality of bids. In turn, data that cause presentation of the co-sponsored content item in the presentation slot of the publisher property are provided. |
| US08521582B2 |
System and method for collaborative affinity marketing
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and system for collaborative affinity marketing including a processor, an aggregator, a participant, and a merchant. The method and system include enrolling with the collaborative affinity marketing by the aggregator, participant, and merchant; assigning a participant identification code to the participant; storing enrollment information of the aggregator, participant, and merchant; providing the participant identification code to the merchant, when the participant initiates a purchase transaction with the merchant; storing the participant identification code and amount of purchase transaction by the merchant; sending the stored participant identification code, the amount of purchase transaction, and funds corresponding to a portion of the amount of purchase transaction to the processor; and sending a portion of the funds received by the processor from the merchant to the aggregator. |
| US08521580B2 |
Targeting promotional electronic coupons based on user item sampling ratings
Items—including gourmet products—are evaluated and rated by participants in a controlled event, which can be coordinated by software locally or at a dedicated website. Event data, including item scores and participant scores can be shared with vendors, merchants and other commercial entities associated with the products. Promotional incentives from such entities for the products (and related products) can then be directly targeted and provided to participants and other members of the public. The participant's activities can also be collected and disseminated to affiliates/friends of the participants through social networking sites, personalized web pages, etc. |
| US08521577B2 |
Method and system for paratransit run-cutting
A method and system for paratransit run-cutting is provided. A target number of paratransit vehicles is determined for each of a set of time intervals. A target number of trips corresponding to the target number of paratransit vehicles is generated for each time interval, each of said mock trips being defined such that a vehicle performing one of said mock trips in one of said time intervals is able to perform any of said mock trips in an immediately subsequent one of said time intervals. The target number of mock trips for each of the time intervals is entered into a fixed-route transit run-cutting application. Paratransit runs are created using fixed-route transit runs generated by said fixed-route transit run-cutting application. |
| US08521567B2 |
Insurance exchange
An insurance exchange for providing a neutral, unbiased and automated lead generating platform for interaction, relating to insurance products and services, between a set of users and a set of providers. The system integrates the processes involved in an insurance lifecycle including quote management, endorsement and claims assistance using a single unique code. The unique code captures minute details of the insurance product's lifecycle which can be tracked and retrieved for processing requisitions at any stage of the insurance lifecycle by the system. Moreover, the system gives a user the flexibility to use/enroll to the system at any time within the life of purchased Insurance product. Thus, the insurance exchange is a one-stop shop for a user for any insurance stream including life, non-life, takaful or micro to compare benefits and prices, choose and avail any insurance product or service and also to redress his grievances. |
| US08521563B2 |
Systems and methods for managing at-home medical prevention, recovery, and maintenance
A web-based method implemented by at least one computing device for automating a medical treatment plan is described. Content related to a program that is associated with a medical treatment is identified. The identified content is digitized. The digitized content is stored in a database. The identified content is provided to a patient via a user interface to assist the patient who is associated with the medical treatment. |
| US08521562B2 |
Illness specific diagnostic system
A method for diagnosing diseases in human subjects and a computer system implementing the method. The novel method uses historical patient medical records to create tables, which are used by a medical center to determine what diagnostic test is associated with confirmation of a disease in question. The method provides nonparametric, retrospective, disease cohort, rank ordered, weighted concatenation tables, which are unique to a disease and specific to the medical center where they are created, with prospective application. The method is more efficient and effective than presently used methods. |
| US08521556B2 |
Integration of physiological models in medical decision support systems
When generating a model of physiological systems in a patient, differential equations representing parameters and variables in the systems are linked together to form one or more sub-models (e.g., one for each physiological system), which in turn are linked together to form the patient model. Simulations of hypothetical clinical situations are then run on the model to solve for the variables, and the solutions are output as decision support data for review by a clinician to facilitate a determination of a treatment of diagnosis for the patient. Additionally, model predictions can be compared to actual measurements, when available, and the model can be refined or optimized as a function of the comparison. |
| US08521554B2 |
Presenting related results during medication administration documentation
Computerized methods and systems for receiving clinically-relevant discrete task assays related to a medication and for presenting results of the clinically-relevant discrete task assays during documentation of administration of the medication are provided. Medication identifiers are received and associated with discrete task assays, the results of which may be relevant to administration of the identified medication. Upon receipt of an indication that a clinician desires to administer the identified medication to a patient, the patient's electronic medical record is searched to determine if a result for any associated discrete task assays has been documented within a predefined time frame. If there is such a documented result, the result is presented in association with the location of the electronic medical record where administration of the medication is being documented. |
| US08521553B2 |
Identification of health risks and suggested treatment actions
Using a brokerage system, a consumer of services is matched with a service provider and a comprehensive health management plan is generated for the consumer during the consumer's interaction with the brokerage system. The brokerage system uses a rules engine to identify one or more conditions of the consumer's health and generate one or more follow-up actions based at least in part on the consumer's identified health condition. The consumer is notified of at least one of the identified conditions and the generated follow-up actions. |
| US08521552B2 |
System and method for providing a medical device to a patient
A computer-implemented system and method for providing a medical device to a patient, including recording, by medical personnel, information specific to a patient; automatically selecting a portion of the recorded patient information; transmitting the selected portion of the recorded patient information to a provider of the medical device; automatically selecting the medical device based on the transmitted patient information; transmitting information describing the selected medical device from the provider of the medical device to the medical personnel; and providing the selected medical device to the patient. |
| US08521545B2 |
Property sale application and tracking system
A property sate application system, such as for a tax deed, is provided that receives sale applications. The tax deed application can include information associated with a parcel, certificate information associated with a tax certificate associated with the parcel, and investor information associated with an investor associated with the at least one tax certificate. The system can enter data representative of the application into a database, transmit the application for review, and retrieve parcel information related to the identification information, the certificate information, or the investor information. The system may update the application data in the tax deed database based at least in part on the parcel information, receive a title search request based at least in part on the parcel information, transmit the title search request for processing, provide a status identifier representative of a current status of the tax deed application, and update the status identifier. |
| US08521544B2 |
Method to negotiate for wireless services
A system (100) and method (300) are disclosed to negotiate for wireless services. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method that operates in a communication device (116) for commercially negotiating (304-326) with a service provider for wireless services offered by way of a wireless access point (WAP) (114) managed by the service provider. Alternatively, the system may include a method that operates in a wireless services management system (WSMS) (102) for commercially negotiating with the communication device operated by the end user for wireless services offered by way of a WAP managed by the WSMS. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08521538B2 |
Voice assistant system for determining activity information
A system and method of assisting a care provider in the documentation of self-performance and support information for a resident or person includes a speech dialog with a care provider that uses the generation of speech to play to the care provider and the capture of speech spoken by a care provider. The speech dialog provides assistance to the care provider in providing care for a person according to a care plan for the person. The care plan includes one or more activities requiring a level of performance by the person. For the activity, speech inquiries are provided to the care provider, through the speech dialog, regarding performance of the activity by the person and regarding care provider assistance in the performance of the activity by the person. Speech input is captured from the care provider that is responsive to the speech inquiries. A code is then determined from the speech input and the code indicates the self-performance of the person and support information for a care provider for the activity. |
| US08521536B1 |
Mobile voice self service device and method thereof
A Mobile Voice Self Service (MVSS) mobile device and method thereof. A VoiceXML browser that is implemented directly on the MVSS mobile device may request a VoiceXML application from a VoiceXML application server and process it. A call data manager may also be implemented on the MVSS mobile device and may provide call data that, in conjunction with data from the VoiceXML application server, may authorize access to advanced Media Resource Control Protocol (MRCP) services, such as Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) or Text-To-Speech (TTS). A media resource gateway may then provide the advanced MRCP services to the VoiceXML application processed by the VoiceXML application browser. Hotkey navigations and bookmarked application points to VoiceXML applications may be created and applied through application analysis and state tracking. Therein, VoiceXML document transitions and user input are stored to maintain application state changes until the user requests creation of an application bookmark. |
| US08521531B1 |
Displaying additional data about outputted media data by a display device for a speech search command
A speech search method for a display device is discussed. The method includes the steps of outputting media data, receiving a speech search command from a user, and determining whether the speech search command includes a query term. If the speech search command does not include a query term, the method further comprises the step of extracting a query term which is full and searchable from audio data of the media data which is outputted immediately prior to the speech search command. Finally, the method includes the step of performing a speech search using the extracted query term. |
| US08521518B2 |
Device and method for acoustic communication
An acoustic communication method and device are provided that filter an audio signal to attenuate a high frequency section of the audio signal. A residual signal is generated that corresponds to a difference between the audio signal and the filtered signal. A psychoacoustic mask is generated for the audio signal based on a predetermined psychoacoustic model. A psychoacoustic spectrum mask is generated by combining the residual signal with the psychoacoustic mask, an acoustic communication signal is generating by modulating digital data according to the acoustic signal spectrum mask, the acoustic communication signal is combined with the filtered signal, and radiating, by a speaker, the combined acoustic communication signal and the filtered signal in a form of sound waves. |
| US08521511B2 |
Information extraction in a natural language understanding system
A method of extracting information from text within a natural language understanding system can include processing a text input through at least one statistical model for each of a plurality of features to be extracted from the text input. For each feature, at least one value can be determined, at least in part, using the statistical model associated with the feature. One value for each feature can be combined to create a complex information target. The complex information target can be output. |
| US08521509B2 |
Word association method and apparatus
A method for creating and using a cross-idea association database that includes a method for associating words and word strings in a language by analyzing word formations around a word or word string to identify other words or word strings that are equivalents or near equivalents semantically. One method for associating words and word strings includes querying a collection of documents with a user-supplied word or word string, determining a user-defined amount of words or word strings to the left and right of the query string, determining the frequency of occurrence of words or word strings located on the left and right of the query string, and ranking the located words. |
| US08521506B2 |
Computer-implemented method, computer software and apparatus for use in a translation system
A computer-implemented method for use in natural language translation comprises performing in software processes, the steps of: comparing source material with stored material in a first natural language, said stored material having previously been translated from said first natural language to at least a second natural language, identifying at least a part of said source material which has a relationship with at least a part of said stored material, outputting said identified part of source material and said identified part of stored material in a form suitable for review by a user, and replacing said identified part of source material with said identified part of stored material to assist full translation of said source material from said first natural language to at least said second natural language. |
| US08521505B2 |
String pattern conceptualization from detection of related concepts by analyzing substrings with common prefixes and suffixes
A reference string set including a group of strings is set. At least two specific tuples of substring triples is found inside the reference string set of strings. Each tuple is considered as a candidate for representing a related concept. Each concatenation of the substrings triples is an explicit member of the reference string set. Each middle substring of the substring triples is unequal to another middle substring within the substring triples found inside the reference string set. Each prefix substring is equal to all other prefix substrings within the substring triples found inside the reference string set. Each suffix substring is equal to all other suffix substrings within the substring triples found inside the reference string set. Either the prefix substring or the suffix substring is not empty. |
| US08521502B2 |
Passing non-architected registers via a callback/advance mechanism in a simulator environment
Embodiments of the invention provide a method of calculating performance counter data for a computer simulator, while minimizing the performance costs associated with cycle-accurate simulation. A callback may be associated with the instructions of a user program and, when the instructions are executed, the associated callbacks may be executed as well. Upon execution, the callbacks may calculate performance counter data related to the associated instruction. |
| US08521501B2 |
Real-time performance modeling of application in distributed environment and method of use
A system and method of managing computing systems and, more particularly, to a system and method for modeling applications in a network. The method includes determining dependency of components in a shared distributed computing environment and measuring consumption of the dependent components. The method further includes building a model to compare component behavior with a current load of the dependent components to optimize component performance or to find a deviation and hence a “troubled spot”. The system includes a local agent configured to perform the method and to provide data to a centralized storage. |
| US08521498B2 |
Simulation device and simulation method
A simulation method for a cascade communication system comprising a nodes sequence numbered as 1 to N from a transmitter to a receiver, comprises: acquiring simulation parameters; calculating reverse transfer functions of the nodes; determining a current node in the sequence; adding noise that should be added at the current node to a simulation signal of a previous node; simulating the current node to generate a simulation signal of the current node, by using the simulation signal of the previous node added with the noise that should be added at the current node, based on the reverse transfer function of the current node; judging whether simulations of all the nodes are completed; if yes, repeating the adding and the simulating; if not, determining a cost of the based on the simulation signal of the current node. |
| US08521485B1 |
Simulation of integrated circuit power grid networks
Approaches for analyzing a power grid of an integrated circuit are described. In one embodiment, a method includes selecting at least one portion of the integrated circuit to be analyzed. A power grid model corresponding to the integrated circuit is retrieved from a database, and a first simulation of the programmable integrated circuit is performed. The first simulation generates a respective waveform of an electrical characteristic over time for each connection of a component within the selected portion to voltage supply or voltage ground. A simulation is performed of the power grid model using the respective waveforms as input stimulus for each connection in the selected portion. |
| US08521483B1 |
Method and apparatus for concurrent design of modules across different design entry tools targeted to single simulation
A method of generating a representation of an electronic circuit across a plurality of design entry tools includes extracting a first partial circuit including a first plurality of first electronic components from a first partition, extracting a second partial circuit including a second plurality of second electronic components from a second partition, generating a simulation block in the first design entry tool including an interface between the first and second partitions, exporting a first netlist representing the interconnection of the first electronic components in the first partial circuit, populating the simulation block in the second design entry tool to include a second netlist representing the interconnection of the second electronic components in the second partial circuit and the interface between the first and second partitions, and exporting the second netlist to stitch the extracted first and second partial circuits using the interface between the first and second partitions. |
| US08521475B2 |
Detecting and recording performance events in a data processing system
A method and apparatus in a data processing system. The apparatus includes a performance event record generation component for generating a performance event record according to the system clock for a performance event monitored in the data processing system and a performance event record storage component for storing the performance event record generated by the performance event record generation component. The method in a data processing system according to the present invention includes the steps of: generating a performance event record based on the system clock for a performance event monitored in the data processing system; storing the generated performance event record; and arbitrating the storage conflict when multiple performance event records are generated at the same time in the step of generating a performance event record, in order to determine the storage order of the performance event records. |
| US08521472B2 |
Method to compute wait time
A requesting critical wait time of a given resource may be determined. The requesting critical wait time is the time spent by the one or more resources waiting for the given resource, wherein at least one of the resources waiting for the given resource can proceed if access to the given resource is granted. A requested by critical wait time for a resource is determined, the requested by critical wait time being time spent by the resource for waiting solely for the given resource, wherein if the resource were granted access to the given resource, the resource can proceed without further waiting. |
| US08521465B2 |
General purpose protocol engine
In one embodiment, a protocol aware circuit for automatic test equipment, which includes a protocol generation circuit constructed to retrieve protocol unique data and format the protocol unique data with a selected protocol definition corresponding to a device under test for testing the device under test. The protocol generation circuit may be constructed to retrieve the selected protocol definition from a protocol definition table. |
| US08521464B2 |
Accelerating automatic test pattern generation in a multi-core computing environment via speculatively scheduled sequential multi-level parameter value optimization
Systems and methods provide acceleration of automatic test pattern generation in a multi-core computing environment via multi-level parameter value optimization for a parameter set with speculative scheduling. The methods described herein use multi-core based parallel runs to parallelize sequential execution, speculative software execution to explore possible parameter sets, and terminate/prune runs when the optimum parameter value is found at a previous level. The present invention evaluates the design prior to the implementation of the compression IP so that it can define the configuration of DFT and ATPG to maximize the results of compression as measured by test data volume and test application time. |
| US08521460B2 |
Multi-domain test and measurement instrument
A test and measurement instrument including an input port configured to receive an input signal; a digitizer configured to digitize the input signal; a decimator coupled to the digitizer and configured to decimate the digitized input signal to generate a decimated input signal; a digital downconverter coupled to the digitizer and configured to frequency shift the digitized input signal to generate a frequency shifted input signal; and a memory configured to store the decimated input signal and the frequency shifted input signal. |
| US08521458B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting charged state of electric storage device
Provided is an apparatus for detecting state of charge (SOC) of a battery. A voltage of a battery pack (100) is detected by voltage sensors (120-1) to (120-n). A determining unit (160) samples currents at times when the battery voltage reaches predetermined threshold voltages (Vth1, Vth2) respectively, and calculates an open end voltage (Vocv), based on representative values (I1, I2) of the sampled currents and threshold voltages (Vth1, Vth2). Furthermore, based on a correspondence relationship between the voltage (Vocv) and the state of charge (SOC) which is determined in advance, the state of charge (SOC) that corresponds to the calculated voltage (Vocv) is calculated. |
| US08521457B2 |
User designated measurement display system and method for NDT/NDI with high rate input data
A user configured measurement display system and method for a non-destructive testing device and instrument (NDT/NDI) with high input data rate is disclosed. The system and the method provide the means for NDT/NDI instruments display measurement values that satisfies user designated measurement criterion occurring during any measurement time intervals (MTIs). The present disclosure overcomes the shortcomings of conventional ways of picking and displaying measurement values at fixed MTIs, by which the values truly satisfying the measurement criterion that occurs at random MTIs (other than scheduled MTIs) are often skipped. |
| US08521456B2 |
State estimation method and state estimation apparatus of electric storage element
A method includes the steps of calculating the temperature of a reference point in an electric storage element by using a detected temperature by a temperature sensor attached to an outer face of the electric storage element and a heat conduction equation, and estimating the internal state of the electric storage element by using the calculated temperature of the reference point. The reference point is a lattice point at which a temperature associated with the internal resistance of the electric storage element is shown, out of a plurality of lattice points provided in the electric storage element. |
| US08521452B2 |
Liquid level determination system
A liquid level determination system includes pressure determination components that include an interference dampener to mitigate interference originating from a bubbler air compressor. The system may include a pressure pipe with a pressure sensing pipe end located adjacent to the pressure determination components and a bubbler pipe end locatable at least partially in a wet well. The wet well may include a pump that has a volute. The pressure pipe may further include layered pipe sections, and the position of the bubbler pipe end may be calculated so that it is not lower than a level substantially equivalent to a center line through the volute. The bubbler air compressor may provide air pressure to the pressure pipe. |
| US08521439B2 |
Method of using a calibration system to generate a latency value
Methods are provided for calibrating stimulus-response test systems which include a stimulus output device for delivering a stimulus to a subject; and a response input device for receiving a response from the subject. One such method comprises: sensing the stimulus event output by the stimulus output device; recording a calibrator stimulus time associated with detection of the stimulus event in a calibrator separate from the stimulus-response test system; generating a calibrator response after sensing the stimulus event, the calibrator response causing a response input port of the stimulus-response test system to receive a calibrator response signal and to deliver a corresponding calibrator response signal to the test controller; recording a calibrator response time associated with generation of the calibrator response in the calibrator; and determining a latency value associated with the stimulus-response test system based at least in part on a difference between the calibrator response time and the calibrator stimulus time. |
| US08521437B2 |
Spatial interpolation of irregularly spaced seismic data
A method for spatially interpolating pressure values of seismic data uses known values of pressure and spatial derivatives of pressure at a plurality of irregularly spaced locations along the direction of interpolation. The interpolation preferably uses an interpolation operator calculated by assuming that an interpolated pressure value comprises a linear combination of the known pressure values at locations xi and the spatial derivatives at locations Xα, with operator coefficients wi and wα respectively, and calculating the coefficients by minimizing an error function. |
| US08521435B2 |
Estimating sigma log beyond the measurements points
The present disclosure relates to a method to determine the capture cross-section of a subsurface formation at a desired depth in the formation. A database of Sigma values for known lithologies, porosities, and salinities is provided, and multiple Sigma measurements are obtained from a downhole logging tool. Within the database, Sigma values are interpolated to determine the respective depths of investigation of the multiple Sigma measurements. A monotonic function is fitted to the multiple Sigma measurements at the determined depths of investigation, and the capture cross-section of the subsurface formation at any desired depth in the formation is determined using the fitted function. Similarly, a system to determine the capture cross-section of a subsurface formation at a desired depth in the formation and/or a depth of invasion of drilling fluids is also disclosed. |
| US08521433B2 |
Methods and systems for processing acoustic waveform data
Methods and systems for processing acoustic measurements related to subterranean formations. The methods and systems provide receiving acoustic waveforms with a plurality of receivers, deriving slowness of the formation based on the acoustic waveforms, and modeling dominant waveforms in the acoustic waveforms based on the formation slowness, wherein deriving the formation slowness comprises parametric inversion for complex and frequency dependent slowness and the derived complex slowness has real and imaginary parts. |
| US08521431B2 |
Cloud water characterization system
A system and method for indicating the presence of ice water. The system includes a first sensor responsive to liquid water and ice water and a second sensor responsive to liquid water, power sources having output powers responsive to changes in the liquid water and the ice water contacting the respective sensors. A processor determines a first measure indicative of the ice water and the liquid water contacting the first sensor, determines a second measure indicative of liquid water contacting the second sensor and subtracts the second measure from the first measure to indicate a presence of the ice water. |
| US08521429B2 |
Accuracy assessment for location estimation systems
Assessing the accuracy of location estimation systems. A mobile computing device provides location information including a device location (e.g., via GPS) and one or more wireless network beacons accessible by the computing device at the device location. The wireless network beacons accessible by the computing device are compared to stored post information including a plurality of beacon lists. An estimated device location is determined based on the comparison. The estimated device location is compared to the known device location. A difference between the estimated device location and the received device location is determined based on the comparison. An analysis of the determined difference is performed to generate accuracy maps and other insight into the relationship between accuracy and geographic area for the location estimation systems. |
| US08521426B2 |
System and method for weather mapping to road segments
A computer-implemented method for generating a weather index mapped to a road segment for a particular time frame includes receiving weather condition information for a plurality of time periods, parsing the weather condition information to determine weather conditions for a road segment defined by a starting point and an ending point for the plurality of time periods, and generating a plurality of weather indices for the road segment. Each weather index is associated with one of the plurality of time periods and is representative of a predicted traffic impact based on historical information of the received weather conditions for the road segment. The plurality of time periods includes at least one future time period and the weather condition information includes forecasted weather information. |
| US08521420B2 |
Method for route determination and device for it
A method is provided for determining a route for a route guidance, in which a first route is determined on the assumption of a first traffic situation, a second route is determined on the assumption of a second traffic situation, the second route being compared to the first route, and a route change difference being determined from the comparison, where the two routes are offered to a user for the selection for an additional route guidance only if the route change difference exceeds a first threshold value. A device for carrying out the method is also described. |
| US08521415B2 |
Traveling vehicle and method of controlling the same
A traveling vehicle includes an obstacle sensor; a controller which causes the traveling vehicle to perform a first avoidance operation so as to avoid an obstacle according to a result of the detection of the obstacle; a memory unit configured to store position information indicating a position of the obstacle in a traveling path and avoidance amount information indicating an amount of avoidance in a lateral direction performed by the traveling vehicle in the first avoidance operation; wherein, when the obstacle sensor detects an obstacle at the position indicated by the position information at a point when the obstacle is within a first distance from the traveling vehicle, the controller causes the traveling vehicle to start a second avoidance operation, before the distance from the traveling vehicle to the obstacle reaches a second distance, so as to avoid the obstacle based on the avoidance amount information stored in the memory unit. |
| US08521413B2 |
Location stamping and logging of electronic events and habitat generation
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media provide for the detection, location stamping, and logging of electronic events and subsequent generation of habitat information. According to implementations, electronic events are detected and location stamped. Associated descriptions and other data corresponding to the electronic events is retrieved and stored along with the geographic locations of the electronic events in an activity log. The information in the activity log is used to generate visual representations of one or more geographic areas in which electronic events that meet user-defined or default criteria occurred within a predetermined frequency. |
| US08521411B2 |
En-route navigation display method and apparatus using head-up display
In an en-route navigation system such as for a vehicle, an image of a cable is presented as a navigation object in a head-up display to indicate a route that the vehicle should follow. In particular embodiments the cable appears to an observer to be a real cable existing in the landscape and extending higher than the head of the observer as would, for example, a trolley cable. The cable is illustratively displayed volumetrically and with an optic flow that is consistent with the optic flow of the landscape when the vehicle is moving, thereby creating the impression that it is real. As a result, the cable can be displayed without any accompanying images that correlate points on the cable with locations in the landscape and yet nonetheless serve as a very useful tool for indicating to a driver the route over which the vehicle should go. The cable may be in any of a number of forms including a continuous line, a line with non-closely-spaced gaps, a line having non-closely-spaced segments that have a different luminance from the rest of the line or a string of closely-spaced objects. |
| US08521407B2 |
System and method for ensuring a person reaches a destination on time
A system includes a first interface module and a route determining module. The first interface module interfaces with a scheduling program and retrieves from the scheduling program a meeting time and a meeting location for a meeting scheduled by a user using the scheduling program. The route determining module determines (i) a route from a first location to the meeting location and (ii) a departure time for the user to depart from the first location to reach the meeting location at the meeting time. The route determining module determines the route and the departure time based on (i) predicted traffic conditions and (ii) predicted weather conditions surrounding the first location and the meeting location prior to the meeting time. |
| US08521405B2 |
Air-fuel ratio diagnostic device for internal combustion engine
An air-fuel ratio diagnostic device for an internal combustion engine. The device includes an air-fuel ratio that detects oxygen concentration in the exhaust. A determination unit determines a variation in air-fuel ratio between engine cylinders based on a detection value of the air-fuel ratio sensor. A change amount in the detection value for a certain time when the detection value is changing from a lean side peak value toward a rich side peak value is defined as a rich change rate. A change amount in the detection for a certain time when the detection value is changing from a rich side peak value toward a lean side peak value is defined as a lean change rate. The determination unit determines a degree of variation between the cylinders based on the rich and lean change rates. |
| US08521404B2 |
Fuel injection apparatus for internal combustion engine
The fuel injection apparatus includes: a fuel injector having a leading end that has an internal space in which fuel is accumulated and has a fuel injection port; and an adsorbent, capable of selectively adsorbing an alcohol component in a blended fuel of gasoline and alcohol, disposed in the internal space. The fuel injection apparatus controls an injection amount from the fuel injector such that an air-fuel ratio is a controlled target air-fuel ratio based on an alcohol concentration of a blended fuel supplied to the fuel injector. In this fuel injection apparatus, a fuel pressure is brought to a predetermined high fuel pressure during cold starting of the internal combustion engine. At this time, an adsorbed amount of alcohol on the adsorbent is estimated and any deviation in the air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine is corrected based on the adsorbed amount of alcohol. |
| US08521403B2 |
System for disabling engine throttle response
A method and a device for interrupting unintended acceleration or unintended maintenance of vehicle speed comprising providing a driver operated fuel delivery disconnect system, said fuel delivery disconnect system comprising an electronic module programmed to temporarily disconnect electrical feed to a fuel delivery mechanism. The temporary interruption of the electrical feed places the vehicle in an idle mode without disrupting other vehicle control systems. |
| US08521401B2 |
Method and control unit for electric control of an actuator of an injection valve
A method for the electric control of an actuator of an injection valve in an injection facility for an internal combustion engine has the following steps: specifying a target value for a controlled variable (E) of the actuator, pilot controlling the controlled variable (E) according to a pilot control characteristic that is specified by an axis section (OffsCal, Offs-Real) and a characteristic gradient, wherein as part of the pilot control corresponding to the specified target value according to the pilot control characteristic a control variable for the electric control of the actuator is determined, and readjustment of the pilot control characteristic, wherein a control deviation (ΔE) is ascertained as part of the readjustment and the pilot control characteristic is adapted as a function of the control deviation (ΔE). It is proposed that as part of the readjustment the axis section of the pilot control characteristic is set. |
| US08521398B2 |
Method and control device for adapting a minimum valve stroke
A method for adapting a preset value for a minimum valve stroke in an internal combustion engine, has the following steps: Replace the previous value for the minimum valve stroke with a new value; Determine an operating parameter of the internal combustion engine; Restore the previous value for the minimum valve stroke if the operating parameter is outside of a defined value range; otherwise retain the new value. |
| US08521396B2 |
Control device of inverted pendulum type vehicle
To provide a control device of an inverted pendulum type vehicle capable of making an occupant perform boarding action or dismounting action easily. A traveling motion unit controlling element 50 of an inverted pendulum type vehicle 1 controls a traveling motion of a traveling motion unit 5 so that, in a mode for transition period at the time when the occupant intends to board or dismount from vehicle, a sensitivity of change of a traveling velocity or a sensitivity of change of a traveling acceleration of the traveling motion unit 5 with respect to a change in the actual tilt angle of a payload supporting part 3 (at least a tilt angle about an axis in one direction), at least in a part of the period, to be smaller than that in the during-boarding mode when the occupant is aboard. |
| US08521395B2 |
Control device of inverted pendulum type mobile apparatus
Provided is a control device of an inverted pendulum type mobile apparatus capable of support the body of a user on a base body with a foot of the user standing on the floor in a reclining state. If the reclining state where the user has the body supported by the base body with a foot thereof standing on the floor when the mobile apparatus 1 is in halt state is detected, a control unit 50 determines a manipulated variable for control (imaginary wheel rotational angular acceleration command) so as to drive a travelling motion unit 5 toward a direction for the base body 9 to support the body of the user. |
| US08521393B2 |
Cruise control device having a shutoff unit dependent on the operating speed of the gas pedal
A vehicle having a cruise control device, a manual shift transmission without synchronizer assembly, and a gas pedal provided with a pedal sensor, which produces a power request signal as a function of a power request of the driver. The cruise control device is deactivated as a function of a speed at which the power request signal of the pedal sensor changes. |
| US08521392B2 |
Computer program and numerical calculation apparatus
In order to cause a computer to execute integral calculation of an integrand, to thereby calculate a value of a second variable used at each calculation time point, the integrand being defined by: a first variable to which a value is given at all calculation time points; and the second variable to which only an initial value is given, the following processing is executed. First, a partial derivative which is obtained by partially differentiating the integrand for the second variable is read out from a storage device. At each calculation time point, the initial value or a value of the second variable calculated at a last calculation time point and a value of the first variable given at a current calculation time point are substituted into each of the integrand and the partial derivative, to thereby calculate a value of the integrand and a value of the partial derivative at the current calculation time point. After this, a value of the second variable used at a next calculation time point is calculated by using an exponential function in which: the calculated value of the integrand is used as an initial value; and a value obtained by multiplying the value of the integrand by the value of the partial derivative is used as a gradient. Accordingly, it becomes possible to solve a differential equation of a distributed parameter system with a reduced amount of calculation. |
| US08521386B2 |
Automatic stop-and-start device for engine
A vehicle is reliably prevented from rolling back during automatic start on a slope or the like. An automatic stop-and-start device includes an engine control unit 10 that automatically stops an engine 2 when a predetermined stop condition is fulfilled and automatically starts the engine 2 when a predetermined start condition is fulfilled; a brake device 3 that imparts a brake force to a vehicle that carries the engine 2; and a brake control unit 16 that holds a brake state produced by the brake device 3 when a predetermined brake hold request condition is fulfilled and releases the brake state produced by the brake device 3 when a predetermined brake release condition is fulfilled. The engine control unit 10 determines whether the brake control unit 16 holds the brake state produced by the brake device 3 and automatically starts the engine 2 when the determination is affirmed. |
| US08521382B2 |
Transmission oil temperature estimation systems and methods
A system for a vehicle includes a filter module and a coefficient determination module. The filter module generates a valve body oil temperature signal as a function of a transmission oil temperature signal, the valve body oil temperature signal, and a filter coefficient. The coefficient determination module varies the filter coefficient based on the valve body oil temperature signal. The transmission oil temperature signal corresponds to a first temperature of transmission oil measured at a location between a torque converter and a variable bleed solenoid (VBS). The valve body oil temperature signal corresponds to a second temperature of transmission oil provided to a clutch of a transmission from a valve body. |
| US08521378B2 |
Method for actuating the neutral position in an automatic or automated transmission of a motor vehicle, and corresponding motor vehicle
A method for shifting an automatic or an automated transmission of a motor vehicle to a “neutral” position such that the shift position of the transmission and a parking lock, provided for keeping the motor vehicle stationary, are engaged as a function of a shift position selected with a driver operated selector device and as a function of other operating parameters of the motor vehicle. A holding phase, in which the transmission is in the neutral position, free from friction force locking, can be activated by a separate operating device which is provided, in addition to the selector device, but only when the motor vehicle is simultaneously at least approximately stationary, an ignition current circuit that acts on a drive engine of the motor vehicle is electrically interrupted, and the “neutral” (N) shift position is specified by a selector device. |
| US08521377B1 |
OBD compliant rationality check system for adaptive cruise control
A system includes a vehicle speed module that determines a speed of a vehicle. An engine control module receives a first target speed signal and a torque request signal from an adaptive cruise control (ACC) module. The ACC module is separate from the engine control module. A first comparison module compares the first target speed signal to the speed of the vehicle to generate a first assessment signal. A first target speed module sets a second target speed signal equal to one of the first target speed signal and a predetermined value based on the first assessment signal. The engine control module controls an engine to provide an engine output torque based on at least one of the torque request signal and the second target speed signal. |
| US08521374B2 |
Hydraulic work machine
A hydraulic working machine, typically a hydraulic excavator has a travel speed control unit and a boost control unit. The travel speed control unit includes a traveling, hydraulic pressure oil feed unit capable of feeding pressure oil to actuate traveling tilt-angle control devices. The boost control unit includes a boosting, hydraulic pressure oil feed unit capable of feeding pressure oil to actuate an adjustable relief valve. A single hydraulic pressure oil feed unit is commonly usable as the traveling, hydraulic pressure oil feed unit and the boosting, hydraulic pressure oil feed unit, and includes lines communicating with both of the traveling tilt-angle control devices and the adjustable relief valve, a solenoid valve for opening or closing these lines, and a controller for outputting a control signal to control the solenoid valve. |
| US08521372B2 |
System and method for collecting and processing agricultural field data
A system and method for managing the collection and processing of agricultural field data from a single location is provided. The system includes functionality to create workorders for the taking of samples at a predetermined location, transmit the sampling workorders to the equipment or operators at a job site, e.g., an agricultural field, and log the results of a completed sampling workorder. The system also includes functionality to transmit log data related to the taken samples to a laboratory and receive analysis information on the taken samples from the laboratory. The system then combines log data and analysis information on the taken samples for use in determining additional actions at the predetermined location. |
| US08521370B2 |
Method and apparatus for selectively activated powered actuation of a hydraulic drive system
A method and apparatus for selectively activating a gravity down mode of a hydraulic system during operation of a lift gate. An electronic control circuit is added to hydraulic control circuitry and is configured to selectively interrupt the power down mode or gravity down mode of operation of the hydraulic system based on either a manual input (override) or a sensed condition and switch to the other mode of operation. |
| US08521369B2 |
Method and device for regulation or control of a restraint system in a vehicle
A method and a device for control or regulation of a restraint system in a vehicle having a safety belt and at least one of an operation or convenience function. The operation and convenience functions of the restraint system adapt in a situation-related fashion and set the belt retraction force that acts on the safety belt. |
| US08521368B2 |
Electric power steering device
There is provided a controller for a steering device that makes it possible to prevent sudden ceasing of steering assisting power by effectively utilizing an auxiliary power source. An electric power steering device that generates steering assist force by a motor includes a battery for supplying electric power to the motor, an auxiliary power source that supplies the motor with electric power, and a control circuit for controlling a power supply to the motor. In the event of a breakdown of the battery, the control circuit adjusts a power supply to the motor from the auxiliary power source according to an amount of energy remaining in the auxiliary power source so as to reduce steering assist force. |
| US08521365B2 |
Method and device for the lateral control of a taxiing aircraft
The invention relates to a device including elements for automatically controlling an aircraft on the ground along the lateral axis, by a dissymmetrical use of the engines and/or brakes of the aircraft. |
| US08521362B2 |
Vehicle stabilizer control devices, methods, and programs
Stabilizer control devices, methods, and programs obtain information indicating lateral acceleration operating on the vehicle and obtain information indicating a curve section existing in a traveling direction of the vehicle. The devices, methods, and programs control roll stiffness by a stabilizer mounted on the vehicle based on the obtained lateral acceleration information by setting a lateral acceleration threshold at a first value in the curve section and a second value in a section other than the curve section respectively, the first value being smaller than the second value. The devices, methods, and programs control the roll stiffness when the lateral acceleration is equal to or larger than the lateral acceleration. |
| US08521357B2 |
Impaired operation detection method
An impaired operation detection method is basically performed by sensing a yaw rate of a vehicle over a time period. Then time points are identified in which the yaw rate changes direction. A linear rate of change in the yaw rate is determined between two of the time points that are sequential in time. An actual rate of change is examined between the two time points. A difference between the actual rate of change and the linear rate of change to obtain a difference value. Then, the operator's impairment condition is determined based on the difference value. |
| US08521353B2 |
System for measuring the performance of a forest machine
A system and a method for monitoring the performance of a subsystem of a forest machine. The method comprises the steps of: collecting data relating to the function of said subsystem or the performing of said function; determining one or more characteristic values to describe the performance continually according to data; and monitoring the variation of said one or more characteristic values in time, wherein, for example, the variation of said one or more characteristic values in time is displayed in the form of a graphic presentation to the user. |
| US08521351B2 |
Creeping-cut control apparatus for electrically driven vehicle
A vehicle moves unintentionally in a downwardly-reverse direction with a forward creep torque being outputted as shown by a time variation of vehicle speed VSP, and a braking is applied at timing t3 in order to prevent this downward movement. In this case, the downward movement in the reverse direction is detected at timing t1, and then this state continues for a duration set corresponding to a timer value NTM1. At timing t2, a creeping-cut is prohibited by setting a creeping-cut-prohibition flag NFLAG at “1”. At timing t3, the braking is started in order to prevent the reverse-directional downward movement. Thereby, at timing t5, the vehicle speed VSP becomes near 0. In response thereto, a conventional creeping-cut permitting flag FLAG is set at 1. However, the creep toque continues to be outputted also after t5 without the creeping-cut, so that a torque reduction accompanied with strangeness feeling can be prevented. |
| US08521340B2 |
Device and method of automated construction of emergency flight path for aircraft
The invention relates to a flight management system for manned or unmanned aircraft having to face an emergency situation such as hijacking of the aircraft, medical emergencies, situations of failures affecting the propulsion, pressurization or communication functions for example. It provides for a device and process for automatically or semi-automatically generating a flight plan compatible with international regulations and their national or local adaptations with possibilities of optimization according to navigation parameters. |
| US08521336B2 |
Energy reduction
A power reduction aggregation system for controlling and measuring power usage at a plurality of individual user locations which includes a plurality of power reduction controllers and a power reduction module. Each power reduction controller is disposed at one of the plurality of individual user locations and includes a controller module and an energy consumption module. The controller module is configured to selectively control power to a plurality of loads associated with each of the individual user locations. The energy consumption module is coupled to the controller module and is configured to determine energy reduction indicia associated with at least one of the plurality of loads. The power reduction module is communicatively coupled to each of the plurality of power reduction controllers and is configured to determine an aggregate energy reduction estimate by combining the energy reduction indicia determined by the plurality of power reduction controllers. |
| US08521335B2 |
Gray water recycling apparatus and method
Instead of disposing gray water with sewage water, a gray water recycling apparatus uses a series of sensors and determines the acceptability of chemical concentrations and temperature of the gray water for use in irrigation purposes so as to ensure the recycled gray water is safe for irrigation. If it is, a three-way valve is positioned to direct the gray water to an irrigation pipe; otherwise, the three-way valve is positioned to direct the water to a public sewage system or septic tank. |
| US08521330B2 |
Map building apparatus and method
Disclosed are a map building apparatus and method using a distance measurement. According to an aspect, by creating a first map and a second map respectively using the characteristics of different characteristic areas based on a distance-voltage characteristics of a distance measurement sensor, and combining the first map with the second map, a grid map is created. Accordingly, since a map regarding a peripheral environment is created using plural areas of the distance-voltage characteristics, a more accurate map may be created. |
| US08521325B2 |
Drug delivery device and drug delivery method
A drug delivery device (1) delivers a stored drug to a conveyance receptacle (T) adapted to be attached with a card (RC) that displays desired information. The drug delivery device (1) includes card processor (10), a label printer (6), and a controller (5). The card processor (10) enters patient identification information on the card (RC) and attaches the card (RC) to the conveyance receptacle (T). The label printer (6) prints a first label that displays the patient identification information and that is inserted into the conveyance receptacle (T). The controller (5) causes the label printer (6) to print the first label according to a state of the card processor (10). With the drug delivery device (1), identification information is applied more reliably and quickly to the conveyance receptacle by which the drug is delivered, and the efficiency of drug delivery is improved. |
| US08521307B2 |
Implantable MRI compatible medical lead
A medical implantable lead is adapted to be implanted into a human or animal body for monitoring and/or controlling of an organ inside the body, and has in a distal end, a combined fixation means and electrode member in form of a helix, which is rotatable in relation to the lead and extendable out from the distal end by rotation of a tubular torque transferring member. The helix is electrically connected to a connector in the proximal end by at least one electrically conducting wire, which is formed as an electrically conducting coil, which is separate from the tubular torque transferring member and that includes one or more individual wires each having an electrically conducting wire core and a surrounding electrically insulating layer. The tubular torque transferring member has no electrically conducting function to or from the helix. The lead is arranged such that the electrical connection between the helix and the conducting wire is always maintained regardless of the rotational position of the helix while no electrical connection is present between the helix and the tubular torque transferring member although the helix is rotatable by the tubular torque transferring member. |
| US08521302B2 |
Thermal treatment apparatus
Disclosed is a method and an apparatus for ablating biological tissues, in which a cannula is configured to affect biological tissue and a heat transmitting end-effecter is coupled to the cannula. A source of electromagnetic energy is provided via an electro-magnetic energy emitter and a wall of the heat transmitting end-effecter is made of an electromagnetic-energy-absorbing material that absorbs electromagnetic waves. |
| US08521298B2 |
Electrical stimulation method and apparatus to stimulate nerve fibers
The present invention provides an electrical stimulation method and apparatus to stimulate nerve fibers, turning on suitable combination of adjacent electrodes simultaneously to form virtual channels based on predetermined rules, so that the stimulation signal will generate or evoke a nerve response spectrum that matches the original signal spectrum presented as the input sound. The method includes the steps of receiving a sound signal by a receiving unit; dividing the received sound signal into a plurality of frequency bands by a processing unit; extracting a spectral peak from each of the frequency bands and determining a stimulation sequence of frequency bands by the processing unit; and selectively driving a plurality of electrode groups in a plurality of cycles based on the stimulation sequence of frequency bands and a determination rule by the processing unit, so that the nerve response that matches the original signal will be generated. |
| US08521294B2 |
System and method for dynamically configurable deep brain stimulation
A DBS system and method for predicting future neurological activity in a subject and administering a corrective electrical stimulation signal to prevent anticipated pathological neuronal activity. The DBS system includes an implantable electrode configured to both record neuronal activity from a target brain area in a subject and administer the corrective electric stimulation signal to the target area. The DBS system also includes a controller configured to determine the characteristics of the corrective electrical stimulation signal based on point process models of healthy and pathological neuronal activity in the target area. |
| US08521291B1 |
Dual therapy electrical stimulation system for treating metabolic and eating disorders
An exemplary method for treating an eating or metabolism disorder includes calling for delivery of energy to the stomach using a pulse train that includes use of pulses with a pulse width less than approximately 20 ms, a duty cycle greater than approximately 20% and a pulse train duration of less than approximately 10 seconds and calling for delivery of energy to a vagal nerve. Various other methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US08521284B2 |
Cardiac response classification using multisite sensing and pacing
Methods and devices for classifying a cardiac pacing response involve using a first electrode combination for pacing and a second electrode combination for sensing a cardiac signal following pacing. The cardiac response to pacing may be classified using the sensed cardiac signal. One process involves using the sensed cardiac signal to detect the cardiac response as a fusion/pseudofusion beat. Another process involves using the sensed cardiac signal to classify the cardiac response to pacing as one of at least three cardiac response types. |
| US08521283B2 |
Trending of conduction time for optimization of cardiac resynchronization therapy in cardiac rhythm management system
A method of optimizing cardiac resynchronization therapy delay over a patient's full range of activity for use in operating an implantable cardiac pacing device and such a device are disclosed. The method includes measuring selected conduction time between selected sites in the heart for a plurality of beats and logging the values on a periodic repeating programmable basis to produce cumulative data and constructing a current template of conduction time in relation to one or more other sensed parameters of interest over a desired range of patient activity levels. The current template is used to derive suggested optimum pacing timing. |
| US08521278B2 |
Smart delay for intermittent stress therapy
A pacing system delivers cardiac protection pacing to protect the heart from injuries. The pacing system receives a set of inputs and calculates parameters for delivering optimized cardiac protection pacing tailored for different stress levels. The system automatically adjusts heart rate to optimize cardiac protection pacing in a closed-loop system. In one embodiment, a method for delivering pacing pulses for cardiac protection is provided. Intrinsic atrioventricular (AV) intervals are sensed. The intrinsic AV interval and a predetermined equation relating the AV interval to an optimal AV delay are used to provide a maximum positive rate of left ventricular pressure change during systole. An AV delay is calculated using a predetermined percentage of the optimal AV delay to deliver ventricular pacing pulses to provide a desired level of stress for cardiac protective pacing therapy (CPPT) to provide a cardiac conditioning therapy to improve autonomic balance. |
| US08521277B2 |
Implantable systems and method for use therewith for tracking changes in hemodynamics and cardiac disease
Embodiments of the present invention relate to monitoring a patient's atrial stretch, heart failure (HF) condition, and/or risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), as well as methods for estimating a change in at least one of a patient's left atrial pressure (LAP), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), and right pulmonary artery pressure (RPAP). Embodiments of the present invention also relate to selecting a pacing energy level. Such embodiments involve determining atrial evoked response metrics when a patient's atrium is paced, and monitoring changes in such metrics. |
| US08521274B2 |
Methods for non-thermal application of gas plasma to living tissue
Method for the non-thermal treatment of human or animal tissue with high-voltage electrical discharge plasma is disclosed. The disclosed method employs current through plasma and through tissue not for the purpose of heating the tissue, but instead to maintain the plasma proximate to the tissue being treated. Also disclosed is a method of limiting the current through plasma and through tissue to minimize tissue heating by placement of an insulator or semiconductor between an electrode and tissue resulting in generation of a high-voltage discharge similar to a dielectric barrier discharge. The disclosed non-thermal plasma treatment can be employed to promote coagulation of blood, sterilization, disinfection, re-connection of tissue, and treatment of tissue disorders without causing significant thermal tissue damage. |
| US08521269B1 |
Determining tachyarrhythmia detection parameters based on prior detected episodes
A system including a communication module, a processor and a medical device configured to sense cardiac signals and detect cardiac rhythm episodes is configured to retrieve stored episode data accumulated by the medical device and generate truthed episode classifications from the retrieved episode data. The processor is configured to perform a detection simulation for detecting and classifying cardiac rhythm episodes included in the retrieved episode data to obtain simulated episode classifications. Sensitivity and specificity data is generated in response to the detection simulation, and recommended detection parameter settings are identified in response to the sensitivity and specificity data. |
| US08521266B2 |
Methods for the detection and/or diagnosis of biological rhythm disorders
Method, system and apparatus to detect, diagnose and treat biological rhythm disorders. In preferred particularly desirable embodiment relating to the real-time detection of heart rhythm disorders, this invention identifies localized sources for complex rhythms including atrial fibrillation to guide the localized application of energy to modify the source and treat the rhythm disorder. |
| US08521262B2 |
Methods and apparatus for localization, diagnosis, contact or activity detection of bio-electric tissue
Methods and apparatus for localization, diagnosis, contact or activity detection of bio-electric tissue providing improved sensitivity to the distance between a sensing electrode and bio-electric tissue and providing the means to measure the impedance of the tissue between a sensing electrode and bio-electric tissue. In accordance with the method, a controlled effective input impedance is provided to the monitor, which input impedance can be set to cause a significant portion of the bio-electric tissue signal to be dropped across the tissue between a sensing electrode and the bio-electric tissue when the two are separated by a predetermined or arbitrary distance. Various illustrative embodiments and forms of construction are disclosed. |
| US08521261B2 |
Lesion extracting device and lesion extracting method
A lesion extracting device includes a light source for emitting an excitation light toward a subject body, a control unit for changing an amount of the excitation light, a light irradiating and receiving portion for irradiating the excitation light to the subject body and receiving fluorescence generated from the subject body, a distance holding member for holding a distance between the subject body and the light irradiating and receiving portion at a predetermined value, a measuring unit for measuring the intensity of the fluorescence received by the light irradiating and receiving portion, and an extracting unit for extracting a lesion part of the subject body based on relationships between measured values of changes in the fluorescence intensity with respect to changes in the amount of the excitation light and information regarding the changes in the amount of the excitation light, the information being obtained from the control unit. |
| US08521260B2 |
Characterization of arteriosclerosis by optical imaging
A method and system for detecting abnormalities in the properties of the walls of a subject's blood vessels by observing the characteristics of blood flow in vessels which are optically accessible, such as the retinal vasculature. A time sequenced series of images is taken, and the images are processed to eliminate the background and render erythrocyte motion visible. Information about the state of the inner wall of the blood vessel which has been imaged is obtained from the characteristics of this blood flow. This information can be extrapolated to provide information about the state of the blood vessels elsewhere in the subject. In addition, a system and method is described for detecting arteriosclerotic plaque on the walls of blood vessels by labeling the plaque with a molecular label having desired optical or radioactive properties, and directly imaging the plaque either in an optically accessible blood vessel, or by imaging radioactive label in the plaque in a blood vessel anywhere in the body. |
| US08521258B2 |
Correction method and magnetic resonance device
The invention relates to a correction method for correcting interference due to gradient injections in ECG signal data records recorded in a magnetic resonance device by an ECG measuring device. A first correction data record is determined with the ECG measuring device located in a first position. A second correction data record is determined by the ECG measuring device located in a second position. An ECG signal data record is measured by the ECG measuring device located in a defined position. A modified correction data record is defined as a function of the first correction data record and the second correction data record and the first and second position and the defined position of the ECG measuring device. The ECG signal data record is corrected based on the modified correction data record. |
| US08521257B2 |
Apparatus for insertion of a medical device within a body during a medical imaging process
A device, system, and method for entering a medical device such as a needle into the body inside a medical imager such as a MRI scanner, CT, X-ray fluoroscopy, and ultrasound imaging, from within a body cavity (such as the rectum, vagina, or laparoscopically accessed cavity). A three degree-of-freedom mechanical device translates and rotates inside the cavity and enters a needle into the body, and steers the needle to a target point selected by the user. The device is guided by real-time images from the medical imager. Networked computers process the medical images and enable the clinician to control the motion of the mechanical device that is operated within the imager, outside of the imager or remotely from outside the imager. |
| US08521254B2 |
MRT Lorentz vibrator
A device and a method for recognizing electromagnetic fields, specifically those fields that occur in image-guided nuclear spin tomography examinations (hereinafter MRT or MRI). In particular, it relates to an implantable medical device (IMD) containing a unit for detecting MRT activity, whereby the unit for the detection of MRT activity consists of at least one vibration transducer that transforms vibrations and/or oscillations caused by an MRT device into an electrical or optical signal and the unit for detecting MRT activity recognizes an MRT activity because of this signal. |
| US08521253B2 |
Prostate imaging
A device for registering prostate images, the device comprises an elongate element suitable for insertion into a body passageway, the elongate element comprising at least one marker readable by an ultrasound probe and at least one marker readable by a gamma camera. |
| US08521249B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining volume of a vessel
A method and apparatus for determining the volume of a pouch formed in a stomach during bariatric surgery comprises a balloon catheter having an inflatable balloon located at a distal end of a catheter for locating in the stomach. A pair of spaced apart stimulating electrodes are located on the catheter within the balloon and a plurality of spaced apart sensing electrodes are located on the catheter between the stimulating electrodes. The balloon in the stomach is inflated by a saline solution to define the interior of the pouch. By applying a constant current signal to the stimulating electrodes, the volume of the pouch is determined from signals read from the sensing electrodes. |
| US08521245B2 |
Method and apparatus for post-shock evaluation using tissue oxygenation measurements
A method and apparatus for controlling delivery of therapy that includes an emitting portion emitting light at a predetermined emitted light intensity to a volume of tissue at a plurality of wavelengths, and a detecting portion detecting the emitted light scattered by the volume of tissue to generate corresponding detected light intensity output signals. A control module adjusts the detected light intensity output signals for shifts in intensity corresponding to the emitted light intensity, and determines a tissue oxygenation index in response to only the adjusted detected light intensity output signals, and a therapy delivery module controlling therapy in response to the determined tissue oxygenation index. |
| US08521244B2 |
Physiological parameter monitoring apparatus
A tissue oximeter sensor includes a substrate with a non-zero finite depth and first and second major sides. At least a first material free region extends along the depth from one of the sides to the other of the two sides forming a first well in the substrate. One of the sides of the substrate is configured to be removeably affixed to a human or animal subject. The sensor also includes a first channel with first and second end portions. One of the end portions of the first channel is selectively positioned in the first well along the depth alternatively at one of a plurality of different depth positions. The first channel routes radiation at least one of from the first end portion to the second end portion or from the second end portion to the first end portion. |
| US08521240B2 |
Portable terminal
Provided is a portable terminal capable of ensuring satisfactory antenna characteristics regardless of a change in state, and of accommodating a plurality of frequency bands. A first circuit unit comprises: a first signal source; a first power feeding unit connected to a first antenna unit; a second power feeding unit connected to a first connection unit; a first switching unit which connects the first power feeding unit or the second power feeding unit to the first signal source by switching; and a first control unit which controls the first switching unit so as to connect the second power feeding unit to the first signal source when the portable terminal is transitioned to a second state. A first disconnection unit is disposed between the first connection unit and the first circuit unit and disconnects a first signal. |
| US08521235B2 |
Address book sharing system and method for non-verbally adding address book contents using the same
An address book sharing system includes a vehicle, a short-range enabled in-vehicle telematics unit embedded in the vehicle, and a short-range enabled wireless device. The short-range enabled wireless device is configured to be paired with the short-range enabled in-vehicle telematics unit when positioned in the vehicle, and to download an address book to the short-range enabled in-vehicle telematics unit in response to an address book request trigger generated by the short-range enabled in-vehicle telematics unit. Methods for non-verbally adding address book contents using the address book sharing system are also disclosed herein. |
| US08521232B2 |
Methods and apparatus to display service quality to a user of a multiple mode communication device
Methods and apparatus that relate to the display of network availability and quality of service (QoS) to a user of a multiple mode communication device are disclosed. An example method includes measuring, at a communication device, a quality of service metric from a call registration response message for a call, the call registration response message being a response to a call registration message routed through a first communication provider to a second communication provider, comparing the quality of service metric to a time interval in which the call registration response message is to expire, and selectively displaying a representation of the quality of service metric for the first communication provider to a user at the communication device based on the comparison. |
| US08521228B2 |
Mobile terminal and method of displaying standby screen thereof
A standby mode screen display method for a mobile terminal capable of receiving and displaying a multimedia broadcast program and a mobile terminal thereof, includes a broadcast receiving module for receiving a multimedia broadcast program, a user input unit for inputting at least one search identifier associated with searching multimedia broadcast programs and a display mode identifier, a controller for comparing the search identifier with program guide information associated with multimedia broadcast programs to find a matching multimedia broadcast program received wirelessly from a remote location, and a display unit for displaying, as a standby mode screen, the matching multimedia broadcast program on the mobile terminal in accordance with the display mode identifier. |
| US08521223B2 |
Common radio element application manager architecture for wireless picocells
A multi-modal multi-modulation base station such as a picocell is disclosed. The base station can include multiple radio devices that can be configured to communicate with user devices using different protocols and different frequencies. The base station includes a backhaul interface to core networks that can also operate according to multiple protocols. A common radio element application manager control operations of the radio devices including core network connectivity, mode-to-mode communications, and synchronization of picocell features. |
| US08521216B2 |
Wireless transmission system
A mobile wireless communication apparatus allows access to the internet by connecting to a public wireless communication network, based upon an internet access request from a wireless communication terminal. The apparatus performs wireless communication with the wireless communication terminal and with the public wireless communication network, and stores web pages that have been accessed in a first storage unit. When an Internet access request is made, the apparatus searches the web pages stored in the first storage unit for a web page that complies with the access request, and if found, transmits the web page to the wireless communication terminal. Web pages that have a higher frequency are stored in a second storage unit and notified to an external control apparatus. |
| US08521205B2 |
Preamble length for discontinuous control channel transmission
The specification and drawings present a new method, system, apparatus and software product for defining a preamble length of a preamble (e.g., a power control preamble) for a discontinuous control channel transmission using, e.g., a dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH) for transmitting the preamble. The preamble length can be optimized using a predetermined criterion depending on a transmission gap length (which can be variable) in the discontinuous control signal (e.g., transmitted on the DPCCH) or in a discontinuous data signal, e.g., transmitted on an enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH), and/or on a length of a transmission timing interval (TTI) of the discontinuous data. Furthermore, a power in the preamble can be changed in time using a further predetermined criterion. |
| US08521199B2 |
System and method for transparent coordinated beam-forming
A system and method for transparent coordinated beam-forming are provided. A method for transmitting information includes determining correlations between communications devices served by a communications controller and communications devices served by neighboring communications controllers, selecting a communications device from the communications devices served by the communications controller, adjusting a manner of transmission of a transmission containing information to the selected communications device based on a correlation for the selected communications device, and transmitting the transmission to the selected communications device. |
| US08521198B2 |
Dynamic LNA switch points based on channel conditions
Techniques for operating a receiver to linearity performance and higher receive signal to noise ratio are described. The receiver includes one or more circuit blocks, e.g., a low noise amplifier (LNA), having discrete gain states. The gain states are selected based on switch points, with each switch point indicating a specific received signal level at which to switch from one gain state to another gain state. The switch points may be dynamically selected based on channel conditions, which may be characterized by the presence or absence or strength or frequency of jammers. A first set of switch points may be selected when jammers are detected, and a second set of switch points may be selected when jammers are not detected. The gain states are selected in accordance with the set of switch points selected for use. |
| US08521192B2 |
Method and system for initiating location monitoring using near field communication
A method and device are provided for receiving a wireless location tracking activation signal. Location monitoring is initiated based on the received wireless location tracking activation. A geographic location is periodically determined and transmitted to a remote device. |
| US08521189B2 |
Changing settings of a mobile terminal
A device enabling a change of settings of applications is implemented in a mobile terminal. In order to facilitate a change of such settings, the device comprises a storage portion for storing a plurality of configurations. Each stored configuration is associated to at least one location and each stored configuration defines settings for applications implemented in the mobile terminal. The device further comprises a controlling portion for receiving information on a current position of the mobile terminal, for retrieving automatically a configuration associated to a location identified by the position information from the storage portion, and for changing settings of applications implemented in the mobile terminal according to the retrieved configuration. The device can be either a mobile terminal, or a module for a mobile terminal. The invention relates equally to a corresponding system and to a corresponding method. |
| US08521186B2 |
Method and device for determining location-enhanced presence information for entities subscribed to a communications system
System and method for determining location-enhanced presence information for a particular entity subscribed to a communications system. Location information indicative of a current location for the particular entity is obtained, as well as presence information indicative of a current activity status of the particular entity within the communications system. A combination of the current location and current activity status of the particular entity is applied as a condition to a set of conditional rules associated with the particular entity, for determining current location-enhanced presence information for the particular entity. |
| US08521184B2 |
Method for estimating the geographical latitude, longitude and elevation of a mobile electronic telecommunication device (TD)
A method for estimating the geographical latitude, longitude and elevation of a mobile electronic telecommunication device (TD) is provided. The method draws random information over a given time period from multiple responders. A triangulation and signal quality analysis is performed to determine the possible location of the TD. Using the statistical information and its analysis the location (x, y and z coordinates) as well as the velocity and acceleration of the device is estimated. The present invention provides extremely accurate location information. |
| US08521182B2 |
Method of canceling location information request
A method of canceling a location information request including receiving a request from a location service client for location information of a target terminal; performing location tracking of the target terminal; and sending a message to the location service client when a privacy profile state has changed. Further, the message indicates that the request from the location service client for location information of the target terminal is canceled. |
| US08521181B2 |
Time of arrival based positioning system
A TOA positioning system can be implemented that employs a calculated initial location of a wireless network device. For each of a plurality of reference wireless network devices, a distance between the wireless network device and the reference wireless network device is determined based, at least in part, on a round trip transit time between the wireless network device and the reference wireless network device. An initial location of the wireless network device can be calculated based, at least in part, on a location of each of the plurality of reference wireless network devices. A location of the wireless network device can be estimated based, at least in part, on the calculated initial location, the distance to each of the reference wireless network devices, and an initial distance calibration constant. |
| US08521179B2 |
Mobile unit's position measurement apparatus and mobile unit's position measurement method
A mobile unit's position measurement apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an observation data selection portion that calculates a plurality of estimated error values that correspond respectively to the plurality of pieces of observation data obtained by observing the signals received by the reception portion, that generates groups each of which includes estimated error values corresponding to at least a predetermined number of satellites, and then extracts, from the estimated error value groups generated, in which a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the estimated error values included is less than a predetermined value, and that consequently selects pieces of observation data provided by the signals from the satellites that correspond to the estimated error values that are included in an estimated error value group whose standard deviation of the estimated error values is smallest among the estimated error value groups extracted. |
| US08521178B2 |
Method and system for location-based dynamic radio selection
A multi-radio mobile device comprises a plurality of different radios. When a location update occurs, the multi-radio mobile device, at a specific location, acquires location-based radio information from a remote location server. The multi-radio mobile device selects a radio for use in the specific location based on the acquired location-based radio information comprising available radios in the specific location and radio weights. The radio is selected from the available radios based on the radio weights in the specific location. Transmissions of a desired service are received in the specific location utilizing the selected radio. Location-based radio measurements reports to the remote location server are generated utilizing signal strength measurements for the received signals. Radio quality information of the available radios is calculated by the location server utilizing location-based radio measurement reports from associated users. The radio weights of the available radios are determined based on the calculated radio quality information. |
| US08521176B2 |
Transmission apparatus and frequency fluctuation compensation method
In a transmission apparatus, a comparison unit provides threshold values associated with an amount of data indicating a signal frequency, and compares an input parameter obtained by cumulatively adding a correction amount to the parameter with the threshold values. When the input parameter is within a range defined by the threshold values, a correction unit outputs a value of the input parameter. When the input parameter is out of the defined range, the correction unit outputs an associated one of the threshold values so as to eliminate an amount exceeding or falling short of the defined range, to thereby correct the input parameter. An addition unit detects the correction amount which is an amount of the immediately preceding value of the input parameter exceeding or falling short of the defined range, and cumulatively adds the correction amount to the input parameter used for the comparison of this time. |
| US08521174B2 |
Radio communication method and radio base station
When a frequency band is shared between a large cell system having a large cell base station and a small cell system having a small cell base station, the large cell base station dynamically controls dedicated resources for the large cell base station and shared resources for both the large cell base station and the small cell base station based on predetermined information, broadcasts allocation information of dedicated resources for the large cell base station and shared resources for both the large cell base station and the small cell base station, to the small cell base station belonging to the own cell, and the small cell base station belongs to at least one large cell base station and determines resource assignment in the own cell based on the resource allocation information broadcast from the large cell base station. |
| US08521173B2 |
Methods and systems for dynamic and configuration based fractional frequency reuse for uneven load distributions
Fractional frequency reuse systems and methods for assigning physical resource units of an available frequency band to sectors of cells are disclosed. In particular, the systems and methods permit adaptation of frequency configuration partitions to mobile station or throughput distribution within cells while at the same time ensuring mitigation of interference between neighboring sectors of different cells. |
| US08521172B2 |
Method and system for switching cellular base station capacity
A radio capacity management system (RCMS) and method are adapted to integrate within an existing network of cells that form a local cellular wireless communications network. The RCMS is not limited by the types or number of sites that form the cellular wireless communications network. Such sites have idle, redundant RF radio channel resources. The RCMS reallocates idle RF resources between the network of cells whether those resources are redundant or not. Reallocations are based on a dynamic, as-need basis or on historical quality-of-service data specific to each cell. The RCMS includes a master capacity management (MCMS) system that continuously communicates with a base station controller which provides resource capacity data from each site to the MCMS. The MCMS uses this date to determine when a cell requires additional radio transceiver capacity and where the capacity will be reallocated from. |
| US08521164B2 |
Apparatus and method for allowing femto base station to efficiently perform beaconing in wireless communication system
An apparatus and a method for allowing a femto base station to efficiently perform beaconing in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes obtaining a System Information Block (SIB) message of a neighbor macro base station transmitted to a terminal by the neighbor macro base station. Information of the femto base station is added to the obtained SIB message of the macro base station and the SIB message is updated. The updated SIB message is transmitted to the terminal. |
| US08521163B2 |
Method, system, and device for user detachment when a handover or change occurs in heterogeneous network
A method for user detachment when a handover or change occurs in a heterogeneous network is provided. The method includes: a user equipment (UE) is handed over or switched from a source network to a target network; a network element on a network side determines whether to detach the UE from the source network, and if yes, the network element on the network side detaches the UE from the source network. A system and a device for user detachment when a handover or change occurs in a heterogeneous network, and another method for user detachment when a handover or change occurs in a heterogeneous network are also provided. |
| US08521162B2 |
Data integration for wireless network systems
Techniques relating to an apparatus in communications with a wireless terminal through a wireless network system are provided. The apparatus may include a wireless terminal communication unit in communication with the wireless terminal through the wireless network system and configured to receive a list of one or more data sources from the wireless terminal, a data source communication unit configured to receive source data from the one or more data sources in the list, and a source data integration unit configured to use the source data to generate integrated data for transmission to the wireless terminal. |
| US08521159B2 |
Apparatus and method for determining neighbor BS information in a wireless communication system
An apparatus and method determines neighbor Base Station (BS) information in a wireless communication system where a macro cell and a Femto cell coexist. The method includes, when a preamble scanning duration arrives, acquiring preamble information on at least one neighbor BS through preamble scanning. It is determined whether to scan a header for at least one neighbor BS among neighbor BSs for which the preamble information are acquired, in consideration of at least one of the acquisition or non-acquisition of new preamble information through the preamble scanning and a variation of an environment of a preamble acquired through the preamble scanning. And, in case that it is determined to scan the header, a header for a corresponding neighbor BS is scanned and header information of the neighbor BS is acquired. |
| US08521156B2 |
Terrestrial based high speed data communications mesh network
A network for providing high speed data communications may include multiple terrestrial transmission stations that are located within overlapping communications range and a mobile receiver station. The terrestrial transmission stations provide a continuous and uninterrupted high speed data communications link with the mobile receiver station employing a wireless radio access network protocol. |
| US08521147B2 |
Methods and systems for decentralized managing of neighboring femtocells
Methods and systems to decentralize managing of neighboring femtocells. The methods and systems include communication to a first femtocell from a second femtocell of next information that includes communicated information of: i) the interference requirement constraint of an active user of the second femtocell, and ii) one or more parameters characterizing a physical radio channel defined from the first femtocell to the at least one active user of the second femtocell; the self-configuration of the transmission parameters of the first femtocell based upon the communicated information i) and ii). Another method (and system to implement the method) includes the mutual adjustment of the interference requirement constraints between a first and a second femtocell, regarding their active users, in a decentralized manner, on the basis of not affecting the transmission performance of the rest of the plurality of femtocells. |
| US08521146B2 |
Mobile terminal and method of managing information in the same
A terminal includes a display, at least one storage area to store first content and second content, and a controller to identify the second content after the first content is selected and to control display information corresponding to the second content after the second content is identified. The controller identifies the second content based on a search of stored information, and the first content and the second content share at least one common feature. The terminal may also sort the first and second content based on selection from a list of options that control the display of icons or other information corresponding to the content. |
| US08521145B2 |
Software distribution between radio base stations
A method of operating a telecommunications network (20, 20′) comprises detecting an insufficient software situation for a target radio base station (28); a software source server (36) authorizing obtention of satisfactory software for the target radio base station from a source radio base station; and, the target radio base station obtaining the satisfactory software from the source radio base station. In example embodiments, the insufficient software situation can be either a missing software situation or an upgrade-required software situation. |
| US08521144B2 |
Location-based telephone conferences where a conference is associated with a coverage area
The application relates to location based telephone conferences. In a location based telephone conference, upon request from a user to join a telephone conference, his location is determined and he is joined to a conference according his location. However, in the prior art it is assumed that the user remains in the telephone conference even if he moves and changes his location. The application addresses a situation where a plurality of telephone conferences, each associated with a specific area (1.4), are provided and a user moves between these areas. The telephone conferences are managed in such a way, that when a subscriber leaves an area assigned to a specific conference, he is switched into another telephone conference which is assigned to the area the user is presently located. |
| US08521143B2 |
User interface methods and apparatus for use in communicating messages to multiple recipients
Methods and apparatus for use in communicating messages to multiple recipients are described. A wireless device receives a first input request for creating a new message, and also receives one or more second input requests for selecting a plurality of recipient identifiers for the new message. The wireless device also receives a third input request which indicates whether or not the message is for a group conversation. When the third input request indicates group conversation, the wireless device formats the recipient identifiers in first header fields (e.g., CC header fields) of an MMS message. When the third input request indicates no group conversation, the wireless device alternatively formats the recipient identifiers in second header fields (e.g., BCC header fields) of the MMS message. The MMS message is then transmitted to the recipient identifiers via a wireless network. Recipient devices may process the message as group or non-group (e.g., broadcast) depending on the field locations of the recipient identifiers. |
| US08521142B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributed data transfer over multiple independent wireless networks
Embodiments of the invention provide for methods and apparatus for fragmenting a single message and sending the message fragments over multiple independent networks to a single receiving unit. The receiving unit then reassembles the message fragments to generate the original message. One embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention is a wireless radio frequency modem that can both receive and transmit fragmented messages over multiple independent networks. |
| US08521141B2 |
Optimizing delivery of streams
A device receives, from one or more base stations, first information about bandwidth resources of the one or more base stations. The device further receives, from one or more content providers, second information about streams of content provided by the one or more content providers to user devices via the one or more base stations. The device generates third information based on the first information and the second information. The third information assigns a portion of the bandwidth resources to each one of the streams. The device transmits the third information to configure the one or more base stations. |
| US08521139B2 |
Transmission of notifications for broadcast and multicast services
To transmit notification indicators for broadcast and multicast services, a base station maps the services to random sequences based on their identifiers. The base station generates the random sequence for each service based on a hash function or a PN generator and the service identifier. Each random sequence is associated with a specific location for sending a notification indicator in each frame. The locations for the notification indicators for each random sequence are randomized with respect to the locations for the notification indicators for each remaining random sequence. This randomness characteristic reduces the likelihood of false alarm. For each service, the base station sets the notification indicators to the same notification value in each modification period. The base station transmits the notification indicators for each service at the random locations determined by the random sequence for the service. |
| US08521136B2 |
User interface methods and apparatus for use in communicating messages
Methods and apparatus for use in communicating messages from a communication device are described. The device receives, via its user interface, an input request for creating a new message. The device also receives, via its user interface, one or more input requests for selecting one or more message recipient identifiers for the new message. In response to receiving the one or more input requests, the device identifies whether a stored conversation thread is associated with conversation participant identifiers that match the conversation participant identifiers for the new message. If so, the device displays the identified conversation thread together with a message body input field of the new message, prior to entry of message body contents in the message body input field. The device then receives, via the user interface, the message body contents in the message body input field, and causes the new message to be transmitted to one or more communication devices identified by the one or more message recipient identifiers. |
| US08521132B2 |
Abnormality detecting apparatus for communication terminal and abnormality detecting method for communication terminal
An abnormality detection apparatus for communication terminal that detects an abnormality based on terminal information regarding operations and callings on the communication terminal, and an abnormality detection method are provided to prevent frauds using communication terminals such as a telephone set. A abnormality detection apparatus for communication terminal, including: a pattern model storage unit configured to store behavior pattern models as a probabilistic model of transition relations of events relevant to operations and calls on a communication terminal; a terminal information obtaining unit configured to detect terminal information about the operations and the calls on the communication terminal; a pattern determination unit configured to determine whether or not a current behavior pattern is a normal behavior pattern by comparing the terminal information detected by the terminal information obtaining unit with the behavior pattern models stored in the pattern model storage unit; and a warning generation unit configured to output predetermined warning information when the pattern determination unit determines that the terminal information detected by the terminal information obtaining unit is not within a normal behavior pattern. |
| US08521131B1 |
Mobile device security
Techniques for providing friction-free transactions using geolocation and user identifiers are described herein. These techniques may ascertain a user's location based on a location of a mobile device. A transaction between the user and a merchant may be completed with zero or minimal input from the user based on the geolocation of the mobile device and the user identifiers. In some implementations, a transaction initiated earlier is completed when the mobile device arrives at the merchant. Additionally, a parent-child or similar relationship may be established between multiple devices. Security on the mobile device based may be provided by biometric identification and calculation of variance from regular movement patterns. Advertisements may be sent to the mobile device based on bids from merchants near to the mobile device. Promotions may be sent to the mobile device when more than a threshold number of mobile devices are located at the same merchant. |
| US08521130B2 |
System and method of secure message processing
A system and method for handling message indicator processing on a wireless mobile communications device. Message state data is stored in a cache for use in generating message indicators. |
| US08521128B1 |
Method, system, and computer program product for obtaining crowd-sourced location information
Systems, methods, computer programs, and user interfaces are provided to receive a first location tag from a first user device, the first location tag including a first location category and a first device location of the first user device, receive a second location tag from a second user device, the second location tag including the first location category and a second device location of the second user device, determine that a distance between the first device location and the second device location is less than a distance threshold, and store the first device location as a first point of interest in a points of interest layer in response to determining that the distance is less than the distance threshold, the points of interest layer being associated with the first location category. |
| US08521125B2 |
Electronic communication systems and methods for real-time location and information coordination
The present disclosure provides electronic communication systems and methods for real-time location and information coordination between multiple people, such as, for example, in the context of medical emergencies. Specifically, the systems and methods may include a mobile device, a method of operating mobile devices, and a system including a plurality of mobile devices communicatively coupled therebetween for real-time location and information synchronization. In an exemplary embodiment, the systems and methods may be utilized in a medical emergency situation, i.e. for triage, enabling coordination of emergency personnel in an efficient manner. By way of the systems and methods described herein, a common reference point geographically defined, data is gathered with location referenced to the common reference point, and personnel may select patients based on the real-time gathered information. |
| US08521123B2 |
System and method for authoritative validation of mobile service permissions
In one embodiment of the present invention, a system and method may be provided for authoritative validation of mobile service permissions. The system and method may include receiving a preemption request from a first responder to preempt non-emergency communications. Determining whether the first responder is authorized to preempt communications. Prioritizing communications from the first responder, if the first responder is authorized to preempt communications. Alternatively the first responder may be notified if the first responder is not authorized to preempt communications. |
| US08521122B2 |
Mobile device user interface for displaying emergency information
A wireless communications device displays emergency information such as, for example, contact information for multiple next of kin or other contact persons as well as personal, medical or travel-specific information about the owner of the device. This emergency information is made accessible on a graphical user interface or display screen of the device to a first responder, paramedic or other person coming to the rescue of the owner of the wireless communications device. Multiple contacts, which may optionally be arranged in order of proximity to the current location of the device, are presented to the first responder so as to provide the first responder with alternate contacts. Where the contacts are dynamically re-prioritized in terms of relative distance to the current location of the device, the emergency contacts that are presented to the first responder have the added advantage of being more geographically relevant and easier to understand based on relevant content being translated to a language appropriate to the current location. |
| US08521120B2 |
Semiconductor device
In an RF tag, a mask ROM or a flash memory is used for storing data such as an ID number. Although the mask ROM can be realized at a low price, rewriting is not possible. In addition, in the flash memory, although electric rewriting is possible, production cost increases. Accordingly, it is difficult to provide an RF tag by which data rewriting is possible at a low price. An RF tag is provided with a power supply circuit having a function to generate a power supply voltage from a weak radio signal and a memory which can hold data stored in a data holding portion by the power supply voltage. With the above structure, a high-performance RF tag capable of rewriting data such as an ID number after production can be provided at a low price. |
| US08521116B2 |
Systems, methods and devices for dual closed loop modulation controller for nonlinear RF amplifier
In accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, systems, methods and devices are configured to facilitate RF envelope amplitude control. For example, a RF envelope amplitude control system comprises: a RF amplifier, wherein the RF amplifier is associated with a feedback device that is configured to create a first feedback signal representing the power in an RF output signal; a transmit waveform generator configured to generate a reference waveform signal; an adaptive table waveform generator configured to compare the reference waveform signal and the first feedback signal and to create a second feedback signal based on that comparison; and a loop filter configured to combine the reference waveform signal, the first feedback signal, and the second feedback signal to form an amplifier control signal, wherein the amplifier control signal is provided to the RF amplifier to adjust the RF output signal to conform to a specified RF envelope. |
| US08521114B2 |
PIN-diode linearized automatic gain control circuits
Automatic Gain Control AGC circuit comprising a PIN-diode attenuator having an input and an output and a control circuit connected to the attenuator so as to read a signal at the attenuator output. The control circuit is configured to supply a feedback control signal to the attenuator based on an error signal between the signal read at the attenuator output and a reference signal, so as to modulate an attenuation level of said attenuator and maintain a substantially constant power level at the attenuator output. The control circuit particularly comprises at least a resistor and a capacitor which define a time constant of the AGC circuit, so that the AGC circuit features a main pole depending on such time constant and on a voltage of the feedback control signal. The control circuit also comprises a variable gain block, which receives the feedback control signal and which is configured to modulate the main pole proportionally to a variable gain (G) of the gain block. Such gain (G) is varied substantially inversely to the feedback control signal voltage. |
| US08521112B2 |
Quadrature mixer
This invention provides an quadrature mixer which does not require a long time to adjust the amplitude value at the time of demodulation of the IQ signal. The quadrature mixer, comprising a first frequency-conversion unit that outputs a sixth signal derived by multiplying a first signal by a second and a fourth signals, a second frequency-conversion unit that outputs a seventh signal derived by multiplying the first signal by a third and a fifth signals, a first amplitude adjustment unit that outputs a eighth signal derived by multiplying the sixth signal by the third and fifth signals and a second amplitude adjustment unit that outputs a ninth signal derived by multiplying the seventh signal by the second and fifth signals. |
| US08521108B2 |
Radio receiver apparatus and radio transmitter apparatus
A radio receiver apparatus that can effectively utilize GI to improve the reception quality. In this apparatus, a data extracting part extracts a data portion of a direct wave from a signal subjected to a radio reception process by a received RF part. A GI extracting part extracts, from the signal subjected to the radio reception process by the received RF part, GI having a length determined by an extracted GI length deciding part. The extracted GI is adjusted by a data position adjusting part such that its rear end coincides with the read end of the extracted data portion. A combining part combines the extracted data portion with the GI the data position of which has been adjusted. The combined signal is then supplied to a frequency axis equalizing part, which equalizes the signal distortions of the combined signal on the frequency axis. |
| US08521103B2 |
Method and system for a greedy user group selection with range reduction in TDD multiuser MIMO downlink transmission
Certain aspects of a method and system for processing signals in a communication system may include maximizing system capacity for a communication system, based on a signal for a user within a search range and at least one other signal for one other user within the search range. The search range may be generated by sorting a plurality of signals based on a channel gain corresponding to each of the plurality of signals. The signal for the user may be selected from the search range corresponding to a channel gain that is greater than a channel gain corresponding to a remaining portion of the search range. |
| US08521102B2 |
Tunneling control method and apparatus for coordinated multi-point transmission, and method for transmitting data
A tunneling control method and apparatus for a coordinated multi-point transmission, and a method of transmitting data, are provided. The tunneling control method and the data transmission method may minimize a time delay that occurs because of the coordinated multi-point transmission between base stations. |
| US08521098B2 |
Receiving apparatus, transmitting apparatus, receiving method, transmitting method, communications system, and communication method
A receiving apparatus in a communications system that performs header compression of audio data and has a plurality of operation modes that each have a different frequency of header compression, the receiving apparatus includes: a receiver that receives the audio data, which is transmitted from a transmitting apparatus that performs the header compression; a processor that controls the receiving apparatus in accordance with the process includes: determining a voice-communication state of the received audio data; and changing the operation mode, according to a determination result. |
| US08521091B2 |
Method of measuring a distance between two radio-communication devices and device adapted to implement one such method
The invention relates to a method of measuring a distance between two radio-communication devices (1, 2), consisting in measuring a radio signal exchange delay. According to the invention, the time-of-flight of the signals is calculated from the exchange delay and subsequently corrected using an analysis of a single channel measuring frame that is transmitted between the two devices. The corrected time-of-flight corresponds to the shortest propagation path followed by the radio signals. In the majority of radio transmission medium configurations, the corrected time-of-flight is a straight line measurement of the distance separating the two devices (1, 2). |
| US08521086B2 |
Pairing an accessory with a host device using accessory output device
A method for pairing an accessory with a host device includes placing an output device of the accessory into a randomly selected state N-times. The information about the current state of the accessory is provided to a host device after each state selection for N number of times. Thereafter, the host device generates an authentication code based on the N inputs and the accessory generates another authentication code based on the N selected states. The authentication codes can be then compared and can be used to “pair” the host device and the accessory, allowing secure communication. |
| US08521085B2 |
Integrated circuit with intra-chip and extra-chip RF communication
An integrated circuit includes a first integrated circuit die having a first circuit and a first intra-chip interface and a second integrated circuit die having a second circuit and a second intra-chip interface and a remote interface, wherein the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface electro-magnetically communicate first signals between the first circuit and the second circuit, and wherein the remote interface is coupled to engage in electromagnetic communications with at least one other integrated circuit. In an embodiment of the present invention, a shielding element shields the electromagnetic communications with the at least one other integrated circuit from the electromagnetic communication of the first signals. In other embodiments, antenna beam patterns or differing polarizations are used to isolate the electromagnetic communications with the remote device from the electromagnetic communication of the first signals. |
| US08521076B2 |
Image forming apparatus including cooling mechanism for cooling heated sheet
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion that forms an image on a recording medium, a fixing portion that heats and fixes an image on a recording medium after forming the image, a feed path that conveys a recording medium after heating and fixing by the fixing portion, a first pair of feed rollers composed of two feed rollers provided in the feed path, and a cooling mechanism that sends cooling air to a nip portion of the pair of feed rollers or to the vicinity thereof. The cooling mechanism increases a cooling air volume when a recording medium is held between the first pair of feed rollers in comparison to the time when the recording medium is not held between the first pair of feed rollers. |
| US08521075B2 |
Control apparatus and image forming system for applying a transparent toner in an area where an image is to be formed
A control apparatus configured to control an image forming system, in forming a transparent toner on a sheet having color toners formed and fixed thereon, applies a transparent toner on an area on which an image can be formed and which is other than an area that a user desires to reduce the glossiness thereof. |
| US08521074B2 |
Fixing device and image formation apparatus
A fixing device forms a fixing nip by pressing a first roller, which is inside a rotation path of a rotating belt, with a second roller via the belt, and thermally fixes an unfixed image formed on a sheet S by passing the sheet S through the fixing nip while heating the belt by electromagnetic induction. The fixing device includes an excitation coil positioned outside said path, and a fixed plate that (i) is inside the path, substantially facing the excitation coil via the belt, (ii) contacts an inner surface of the belt, and (iii) keeps the belt on the path. A base member of the belt is a conductive heat generation layer containing no magnetic shunt alloy. The fixed plate includes a conductive layer and a magnetic shunt alloy layer that is closer to the belt than the conductive layer. |
| US08521066B2 |
Automatic document transportation device and document scanning device equipped with the same
An ADF includes an ADF main body portion, a scanner frame, a gear portion, a resistance gear, a torque limiter, and an outer cover. The scanner frame is arranged to be supported at the ADF main body portion such that it is rotatable. The gear portion is arranged on a rotation axis line of the scanner frame to integrally rotate with the scanner frame. The torque limiter is arranged to apply a resistance to the resistance gear that meshes with the gear portion when the scanner frame rotates from an exposed position to a usage position. The outer cover is attached to the ADF main body portion to cover one portion of the gear portion. The outer cover includes a contacting portion arranged to regulate the movement of the gear portion. |
| US08521065B2 |
Fuser for image forming apparatus
A fuser includes: a rotational member configured to rotate; a press member configured to press the rotational member; an induction-current generator configured to generate induction current in the rotational member; and a separator configured to separate a leading end of a recording medium that passes through a nip from the rotational member, when a distal end is in a separating position, and move to an open position. |
| US08521061B2 |
Image forming apparatus having support frame from which cartridges are detachable
A color multifunction printer as an example of an image forming apparatus includes a plurality of cartridges each containing a photoconductor; a support frame configured to support the cartridges arranged in tandem, the support frame being allowed to be pulled out horizontally from a casing of the apparatus to a position in which each of the cartridges is detachable from the support frame; and a plurality of exposure units mounted to the support frame, wherein each of the exposure units is disposed opposite to a corresponding photoconductor and is configured to expose the photoconductor to light to form an electrostatic latent image thereon. Each of the cartridges is configured to be detachable in such a direction that the photoconductor in the cartridge moves away from the corresponding exposure unit upon detachment. |
| US08521060B2 |
Cartridge with a protecting member and a sealing member for sealing a developer supply opening
A developing cartridge detachably mountable to image forming apparatus includes a developer carrying member for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member; a protecting member, demountable in the axial direction of said developer carrying member from said frame; an accommodating portion accommodating the developer to be supplied to said developer carrying member; a sealing member sealing an opening for permitting the developer to be supplied from said accommodating portion to said developer carrying member; and a grip portion, provided at one longitudinal end of said sealing member, for being gripped when said sealing member is removed from said opening, said grip portion being movable between a first position on a movement locus of said protecting member when said protecting member is dismounted from said frame, and a second position outside the movement locus. |
| US08521056B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device includes a developing roller; a housing that retains the developing roller such that the developing roller has exposed and unexposed portions, end portions of the housing having first faces curved along the unexposed portion and second faces facing inward; a layer-thickness regulating member having an edge near the developing roller; a first magnet including a first magnetic pole that attracts the developer and a second magnetic pole located downstream of the first magnetic pole and upstream of the exposed portion in a rotational direction of the developing roller, the second magnetic pole having a magnetic force of about 60 mT or less; second magnets retained on the first faces; and magnetic plates retained on the second faces and arranged such that developer chains formed thereon at the downstream ends in the rotational direction extend to positions upstream of the edge of the layer-thickness regulating member. |
| US08521049B2 |
Heater controller, image forming apparatus, method for controlling heater
A heater controller performs on/off control of a plurality of heaters and includes a storage unit that stores therein a plurality of pattern sets. Each of the pattern sets includes a plurality of heater-on/off patterns for respectively controlling the heaters. The heater controller calculates a reference value representing an average of values of electric power supplied to the heater controller over a predetermined period of time; calculates, for each of the pattern sets, an output power value to be supplied to the heaters when the heaters are turned-on according to the heater-on/off patterns included in the pattern set; calculates, for each of the pattern sets, a difference between the reference value and the output power value; selects, from the pattern sets, one pattern set having a smallest difference; and performs on/off control of the heaters according to the heater-on/off patterns included in the pattern set thus selected. |
| US08521046B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a recording medium transport belt which is suspended by a plurality of roller members. An image is secondarily transferred from a first image carrier through an intermediate transfer body to a recording medium. An image is directly transferred from a second image carrier to the recording medium. The image forming apparatus further includes a pattern image sensing unit which senses a pattern image transferred from the first image carrier and the second image carrier finally to the recording medium transport belt. Each of a distance from a secondary transfer position to a sensing position and a distance from a direct transfer position to the sensing position in a recording medium transport belt rotation direction is a natural number times a circumferential length of a roller member causing a speed change in the recording medium transport belt among the plurality of roller members. |
| US08521043B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a waste toner container
An image forming apparatus is configured to form an image on a recording sheet by transferring toner onto the recording sheet. The image forming apparatus may include a container having an inlet configured to receive waste toner, the container defining a storage area having a horizontal dimension greater than a vertical dimension. Also, the image forming apparatus may include a first pump disposed adjacent to the inlet of the container on an inlet side, the first pump configured to feed waste toner from the inlet to an outlet side of the first pump, and a second pump disposed adjacent to the outlet side of the first pump, the second pump configured to feed the waste toner fed by the first pump to an outlet side of the second pump on a side opposite the inlet in the storage area. |
| US08521041B2 |
Image forming apparatus with controller controlling an image forming operation
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a plurality of developing cartridges including respective toner accommodating portions for accommodating toners for forming an image on the image bearing member; a discriminating portion for discriminating color of the toner accommodated in each of the plurality of developing cartridges; a controller capable of controlling an image forming operation in a state in which the developing cartridges, of the plurality of developing cartridges, accommodating the toners of the same color are mounted; and a storing portion for storing lifetime information of the plurality of developing cartridges, respectively. When the developing cartridges accommodating the toners of the same color are mounted, the controller determines the developing cartridge, of the developing cartridges accommodating the toners of the same color, to be used for performing the image forming operation, on the basis of the lifetime information. |
| US08521040B2 |
Optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing receiver and optical signal receiving method thereof
Provided is an optical OFDM receiver. The optical OFDM receiver receives an optical signal dependent on the nonlinearity of a transmitter. The optical OFDM receives includes an optical down converter, a nonlinearity compensator, and an OFDM demodulator. The optical down converter converts the optical signal into an electrical signal. The nonlinearity compensator filters the electrical signal, for compensating distortion which is added to the optical signal when the transmitter performs optical modulation. The OFDM demodulator demodulates the distortion-compensated electrical signal in an OFDM scheme. |
| US08521037B2 |
Optoelectronic logic gate
Systems and methods for implementing and using optoelectronic gates are disclosed. One such method includes superimposing an electrical data bit onto a first optical input to produce a pair of first-stage optical outputs. The first one of the pair of first-stage optical outputs carries the electrical data bit and the second carries the complement of the electrical data bit. The method further includes comparing an electrical target bit with the electrical data bit conveyed by the first first-stage optical outputs and with the complement of the electrical data bit conveyed by the second first-stage optical outputs, to determine whether the electrical target bit and the electrical data bit are same or different. |
| US08521035B2 |
Systems and methods for visible light communication
Systems and methods for visible light communication are disclosed. In part, illumination devices and related systems and methods are disclosed that can be used for general illumination, lighting control systems, or other applications. The illumination devices synchronize preferentially to the AC mains to produce time division multiplexed channels in which control information can be communicated optically by the same light source that is producing illumination. Such illumination devices preferentially comprise LEDs for producing illumination, transmitting data, detecting ambient light, and receiving data, however, other light sources and detectors can be used. The physical layer can be used with a variety of protocols, such as ZigBee, from the Media ACcess (MAC) layer and higher. |
| US08521034B2 |
Apparatus and method for interference mitigation and channel selection for visible light communication
A device and method for device association, interference mitigation and channel selection for use in a visible light communication (VLC) network. The method includes transmitting on every one of a plurality of supported color channels of a first device to estimate an ambient interference on each supported color channel. The method also includes receiving a transmission on at least some of the supported color channels, where the number of receiving color channels is less than or equal to the number of supported color channels of the transmitter. The method further includes calculating a channel quality index for each of the receiving color channels. The method still further includes selecting at least one of the receiving color channels of the first device to be used as a communication channel. The method also includes reporting the at least one communication channel to a second device in the VLC network. In certain embodiments, the method includes establishing guard color channels for each of the supported color channels. |
| US08521032B2 |
Optical fiber interface system and connector
A media converter to converts digital fiber optic signals to electronic analog signals in the form of voltage doublet and vice-versa. The media converter includes a differential transmit transformer, a transmit stub interface and an optical fiber transmit interface arranged in serial flow communication in a first communication path; and a differential receive transformer, a receive stub interface and an optical fiber receive interface in serial flow communication in a second communication path. The first communication path converts a voltage doublet signal received from the electronic component to a digital optical signal for transmission to a passive optical star via the optical fiber coupler, and the second communication path converts a digital optical signal received from the passive optical star via the optical fiber coupler to an voltage doublet signal for transmission to the electronic component. |
| US08521031B2 |
Optical transceiver modules and systems and optical transceiving methods
An optical transceiver module includes a receiving unit, a transmission driving unit, and a terminal control unit. The receiving unit outputs a receiver lost signal. The transmission driving unit includes a positive receiving signal terminal and a negative receiving signal terminal. The terminal control unit is coupled between the positive receiving signal terminal and the negative receiving signal terminal. The terminal control unit controls whether a differential terminator impedance is coupled between the positive receiving signal terminal and the negative receiving signal terminal according to the receiver lost signal. |
| US08521030B2 |
Transceiver apparatus, communication control method, and concentrator
In order to reduce the power consumption of a transceiver apparatus, In a transceiver apparatus that comprises a plurality of transmitting sections that divide input data and sends the divided data using a plurality of parallel transmission channels, at least one parallel transmission channel is determined from the plurality of parallel transmission channels in accordance with an amount of data, and a power source is supplied to the transmitting section from the plurality of transmitting sections which sends the divided data using the determined parallel transmission channel, while not supplying a power source to transmitting sections from the plurality of transmitting sections which do not send the divided data. |
| US08521027B2 |
System and method for demultiplexing optical multi-wavelength signals
A demultiplexer and a method of demultiplexing a multiplex of spatially separable multiple wavelength streams, where an incoming multiplex of multiple wavelength streams is separated into a first stream of wavelengths and a second stream of wavelengths according to at least one predetermined separation criterion. The first stream and the second stream are respectively input into a first and a second input port of a multi-input port, multi-output port frequency demultiplexer where the first stream and the second stream are separated into a first group of single wavelengths and a second group of single wavelengths respectively. The first group of single wavelengths is coupled to respective output ports and the second group of single wavelengths are coupled to respective output ports. |
| US08521025B2 |
Scheduling WDM PON with tunable lasers with different tuning times
Technologies are generally described for network traffic scheduling in a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) passive optical network (PON). Dynamic wavelength assignment and time allocation in hybrid WDM/TDM PONs with tunable lasers as optical light generators is accomplished by mapping the scheduling into a multi-processor scheduling problem with wavelength channels as machines and ONU requests as jobs. Wavelengths may be considered as parallel identical machines. Taking laser tuning time into consideration preemptive and non-preemptive scheduling with the objective of minimizing the latest job completion time is computed employing a number of heuristic algorithms. The algorithms compute two extreme cases of zero and infinity laser tuning time, respectively. Using the results from these two extreme cases, the heuristic scheduling schemes for the case of arbitrary laser tuning time yield close average latest job completion times for both schedule types. |
| US08521024B2 |
Long reach optical network
An optical network includes a first optical network for carrying a plurality of optical channels in an optical fiber, wherein each of the plurality of optical channels comprise a discrete wavelength in a first range of wavelengths. A second optical network coupled to the first optical network by a first tunable filter. A first customer location coupled to the second optical network by a second tunable filter. The first tunable filter is configured to pass a first set of optical channels from the first optical network to the second optical network. The first set of optical channels includes a subset of the plurality optical channels within a second range of wavelengths less than the first range of wavelengths. The second tunable filter is configured to pass a particular channel within the first set of optical channels from the second optical network to the first customer location. |
| US08521022B1 |
Dynamic assignment of wavelengths in agile photonic networks
In an automatically switched optical network, the wavelengths are assigned to optical path based on their intrinsic physical performance and on the current network operating parameters. The wavelength performance information is organized in binning tables, based primarily on the wavelength reach capabilities. A network topology database provides the distance between the nodes of the network, which is used to determine the length of the optical path. Other network operating parameters needed for wavelength selection are also available in this database. Once a bin corresponding to the path length is identified in the binning table, the wavelength for that path is selected based on length only, or based on the length and one or more additional parameters. The optical path performance is estimated for the selected wavelength, and the search continues if the estimated path performance is not satisfactory. Several available wavelengths are searched and of those, the wavelength that is most used along the optical path in consideration or alternatively network-wide is selected and assigned. This method helps minimize wavelength fragmentation. The binning tables may have various granularities, and may be organized by reach, or by reach, wavelength spacing, the load on the respective optical path, the fiber type, etc. |
| US08521019B2 |
Method and system for closed loop control of an optical link
A method of closed loop control for an optical link is presented, utilizing a copper feedback connection between the optical transmitter and optical receiver, suitable for short distance applications. An architecture is provides that may be used to define and maintain an optimum optical launch power for a defined bit error rate, guaranteeing extinction ratio and absolute optimum operating power. The invention also includes the use of such a loop in achieving fast link initialization and dynamic optimization to compensate for all effects of time and temperature for all components within the link. |
| US08521017B2 |
MEMS actuator alignment
A method for aligning an actuator device relative to an adjacent component, such as a rear cover of an actuator module or a stationary lens, includes disposing a plurality of radially extending tabs around an outer periphery of the actuator device, disposing a corresponding plurality of pairs of raised mounting features on a front surface of the adjacent component, each pair defining a slot having sidewalls that are complementary in configuration to respective sidewalls of corresponding ones of the tabs, and inserting respective ones of the tabs into corresponding ones of the slots. |
| US08521016B2 |
Camera system
In a camera system including an interchangeable lens and a camera body, a body controller performs control a drive signal transmission unit to drive a focus lens in a predetermined direction, and transmit a timing signal to the interchangeable lens. The lens controller performs control to detect a position of the focus lens in synchronization with the timing signal received from the camera body and store the detected position in a storage unit. |
| US08521015B2 |
Autofocus apparatus and method for controlling the same
An autofocus apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to capture an object image entered through a focus lens and output image data, a detection unit configured to detect a focus signal based on the image data, a focus adjustment unit configured to perform a focus adjusting operation for adjusting a position of the focus lens based on the detected focus signal, an acquisition unit configured to acquire information relating to a distance to an object, and a change unit configured to change at least one of a time interval, a movable range of the focus lens in acquiring the focus signal in the subsequent focus adjusting operation, and an amount of movement of the focus lens in acquiring the focus signal in the subsequent focus adjusting operation, according to the information relating to the distance to the object. |
| US08521014B2 |
Fuel gas conditioning system with cross heat exchanger and scissor baffles
A feed gas conditioner. |
| US08521012B2 |
Recording medium for storing real time recording/reproduction information, method and apparatus for recording and reproducing in real time, and file operating method using the same
A recording medium for storing real time recording/reproduction information, a real time recording and reproducing method and apparatus, and a file operating method using the information. Real time recording/reproduction information for ensuring real time recording/reproduction is stored in a file control information area, in each real time file, or in a separate file, and real time recording/reproduction attributes are assigned to the file. Thus, real time recorded files can be continuously reproduced without interruption. Also, there are methods of creating a file to which real time recording/reproduction attributes are assigned, extending a data area, and recording and reproducing the file to which real time recording/reproduction attributes are assigned. |
| US08521011B2 |
Receiving apparatus and its control method, computer program, and storage medium
An apparatus and method allow playback of transferred moving image data by a receiving apparatus for confirmation of the received contents even when the transfer rate of moving image data for normal playback is high and when the processing capability and displaying capability of the apparatus on the receiving side are low. To this end, when the transfer rate of moving image data for normal playback is high and when the processing capability and displaying capability of a personal computer are low, received image data for high speed playback is displayed in place of decoding and displaying received moving image data for normal playback. |
| US08521008B2 |
Image recording apparatus and image capture apparatus
An image recording apparatus (e.g., a hard disk and so on) comprises (a) a recording unit adapted to record moving image data from an external device (e.g., a video camera and so on) on a recording medium; (b) a detection unit adapted to detect an occurrence of a dropout which occurs when the moving image data is recorded onto the recording medium; and (c) a transmitting unit adapted to transmit control data for notifying the presence and absence of a dropout to the external device. |
| US08521006B2 |
Boundary detection in media streams
Encoded data decoding techniques. A data decoding agent determines a data segment size for a packet that includes a header and a data segment. The data decoding agent determines a segment end location based, at least in part, on the data segment size. The data decoding agent processes subblocks of data from the data segment. The data decoding agent compares a current location to the segment end location to determine if a current subblock of data from the data segments contains the segment end location. The data decoding agent triggers an exception handler if the current subblock contains the segment end location. |
| US08521005B2 |
System and method for disposal of digital media
A system and method are described for rendering Compact Discs (CDs) and Digital Video Discs (DVDs) unreadable. Embodiments comprise a frame, a guide for constraining motion of the frame with respect to a disc, and at least one scraping element. Scraping elements may be positioned to damage the disc volume descriptor while the frame moves in a constrained manner relative to the disc. The guide may comprise a spindle which engages the center hole of a disc to hold the frame in a radially-fixed position. A scraping element on the frame damages the disc as the disc rotates relative to the frame. The guide may be integrated, such that the frame comprises a slot through which the disc passes. A scraping element inside the slot damages a disc as it passes through. Embodiments are hand operated, not motorized, and some have no moving parts. Embodiments also function with non-optical media. |
| US08521004B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for managing assets stored in local memory of an optical disc player device
Methods and apparatuses are provided, which may be implemented for use in managing data assets stored in local memory of the optical disc player device. |
| US08521003B2 |
Recording apparatus and recording medium
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a record medium for recording a data read time, a seek time, a successive reproduction time, a successive record length, and a correlation among data pieces. A recording apparatus of the present invention is a recoding apparatus for recording data to a rewritable record medium, comprising an encoding means for encoding the data corresponding to a predetermined compressing and encoding system, a converting means for converting a data structure of encoded data that is output from the encoding means into a file structure that a computer software program that synchronously reproduces a moving picture and so forth can handle without need to use a special hardware device, and a recording means for recording data having the file structure to the record medium, wherein the file structure has a first data unit, a second data unit, and a data portion, the second data unit being a set of a plurality of first data units, the data portion describing management information, wherein the plurality of second data units is correlated with a successive record length of the record medium, and wherein the data portion contains a time length and a data length of the second data unit recorded in the successive record length. |
| US08520998B2 |
Raceway with media retaining offset slots
A raceway including a base, a first side wall extending from the base, and a second side wall extending from the base opposite the first side wall. At least one of the first side wall and second side wall includes at least one media retention opening having a bottom surface spaced away from the base and configured to receive at least one media. An offset slot is adjacent the media retention opening and extends from a free edge of the side wall to a depth below the free edge of the media retention opening, such that the offset slot is in communication with the media retention opening. |
| US08520996B2 |
Removably mountable fiber optic terminal
A zero-U, high-density fiber optic terminal for data centers and central offices is disclosed. The terminal may be used for optical fiber interconnection and/or optical fiber and fiber optic cable storage. The terminal is removably mountable to a cable tray above fiber optic equipment, in a subfloor below fiber optic equipment or on a wall in proximity of fiber optic equipment. Additionally, the terminal may have an adapter panel with fiber optic adapters for optically connecting the optical fiber of a first fiber optic cable received from the cable tray and the optical fiber of a second fiber optic cable. The second fiber optic cable is intended to extend to the fiber optic equipment. The adapter panel and the fiber optic adapters are angled generally in the direction in which the second fiber optic cable is intended to extend. Angling the fiber optic adapters in this manner accommodates routing of second fiber optic cable, and provides ease of access to the fiber optic adapters for connecting and disconnecting fiber optic connectors and to slack storage components for cable management mounted in the terminal. |
| US08520992B2 |
Optical fiber cable ready for mid-span access and method of mid-span access thereof
An optical fiber cable is comprised of: a slotted core (7) elongated along an axis of the optical fiber cable, the slotted core including a slot (11) running in parallel with the axis and a groove (5) accessible through the slot; one or more optical fibers (3) placed in the groove; a sheath (9) enclosing the slotted core and the optical fibers; a bonding portion (15) where the slotted core is bonded with the sheath; and two or more strength members (17) embedded in the slotted core, the strength member running in parallel with the axis, and being aligned on a plane including the axis. |
| US08520990B2 |
High-power collimating lens assemblies, and methods of reducing the optical power density in collimating lens assemblies
The present invention provides improved collimating lens assemblies (32) which include: a singlemode fiber (38) terminating in a distal end; a step-index multimode fiber (44) having a proximal end abutting to the singlemode fiber distal end, and having a distal end; a graded-index multimode fiber (45) having a proximal end abutting the step-index multimode fiber distal end, and having a distal end; and a collimating lens (34) longitudinally spaced from the graded-index multimode fiber distal end by an intermediate air gap (43), and operatively arranged to collimate light rays emanating from the graded-index multimode fiber distal end. The improved collimating lens assembly is characterized by the fact that there is no epoxy, silicone gel or index-matching material between the graded-index multimode fiber distal end and the collimating lens. |
| US08520981B2 |
Document retrieval of feature point groups using a geometrical transformation
The arrangements of feature points are computed based on feature points acquired from checking target images. The feature amount having invariants as elements regarding a geometrical transformation is generated for each of the checking target images based on a computed result. And when checking whether or not the feature point arrangements of the checking target images are the same feature point arrangements by using the feature point amounts of the checking target images, at least each of the feature point arrangements that are bases for generating the feature amounts is stored, and a parameter regarding the geometrical transformation is computed based on the feature point arrangements of the checking target images. By utilizing the computed parameter regarding the geometrical transformation, whether or not the feature point arrangements of the checking target images are the same feature point arrangements is checked. |
| US08520977B2 |
Architectures and methods for creating and representing time-dependent imagery
The present invention pertains to geographical image processing of time-dependent imagery. Various assets acquired at different times are stored and processing according to acquisition date in order to generate one or more image tiles for a geographical region of interest. The different image tiles are sorted based on asset acquisition date. Multiple image tiles for the same region of interest may be available. In response to a user request for imagery as of a certain date, one or more image tiles associated with assets from prior to that date are used to generate a time-based geographical image for the user. |
| US08520972B2 |
Image decomposition
A computer-implemented method includes segmenting an input image into a plurality of image cues, each image cue representing a unique set of pixels of the input image. For each image cue, the method includes determining a set of image components, wherein each image component is associated with at least one adjustable factor to represent at least one characteristic of the image cue. |
| US08520970B2 |
Infrared resolution and contrast enhancement with fusion
The present disclosure relates to a method of improving an IR image comprising capturing a visual image and an IR image of an object, altering a resolution of at least one of said visual image and IR image, high pass filtering said visual image to generate a processed visual image, low pass filtering said IR image to generate a processed IR image, and combining information from said processed visual image and said processed IR image to generate a combined image. |
| US08520963B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program for processing content based on user viewing situation
An image processing apparatus includes a viewing situation analyzing unit configured to obtain information representing a user's viewing situation of 3D content stored in a certain storage unit, and, based on a preset saving reference in accordance with a viewing situation of 3D content, determine a data reduction level of content data of the 3D content stored in the storage unit; and a data conversion unit configured to perform data compression of the content data of the 3D content stored in the storage unit in accordance with the determined data reduction level. |
| US08520961B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding multi-view image
Provided is a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding a multiview image. By predicting a current picture based on at least one of an intra (I) picture of a previous image processing block and an I picture of a current image processing block, which is generated for a different view than a view at which the I picture of the previous image processing block is generated, and encoding the current picture based on the prediction, it is possible to prevent display quality degradation that may occur in images at views other than a base view. |
| US08520960B2 |
Method for decoding a stream of coded data representative of a sequence of images and method for coding a sequence of images
A method for decoding a stream of coded data representative of a sequence of images divided into blocks is described. It comprises the following steps for a current block: reconstructing a residual block of residual data from the decoding of a first part of the coded stream of data relating to the current block, determining a prediction block, and reconstructing the current block by merging the residual block and the prediction block, According to the invention, the decoding method comprises in addition a step of reorganization of residual data in the residual block before the reconstruction of the current block according to the content of the prediction block.The invention also relates to a method for coding. |
| US08520959B2 |
Method and device for determining image quality
In a method and a device for determining an image quality of an image sequence comprising several images, the images are reconstructed from a data stream encoded by a predictive encoding process, and a respective flicker indicator is determined for an image range of the respective images of the image sequence, wherein the respective flicker indicator displays by two states whether flickering occurs or not in the image range of the respective image, an overall flicker indicator being generated such that the overall flicker indicator corresponds to that number of flicker indicators which display flickering, and the image quality being generated by division of the overall flicker indicator by a number of specific flicker indicators. |
| US08520958B2 |
Parallelization of variable length decoding
Parallelization of decoding of a data stream encoded with a variable length code includes determining one or more markers, each of which indicates a position within the encoded data stream. The determined markers are included into the encoded data stream together with the encoded data. At the decoder side, the markers are parsed from the encoded data stream and based on the extracted markers. The encoded data is separated into partitions, which are decoded separately and in parallel. |
| US08520955B2 |
Object detection apparatus and method
The present invention discloses an object detection apparatus and method. A feature extracting section of the present invention comprises: a feature point extracting section, for extracting a combination of predetermined feature point pairs from an image; a pixel value obtaining section, for obtaining a pixel value of each feature point in the combination of feature point pairs; a feature point comparing section, for comparing, in accordance with the pixel values obtained by the pixel value obtaining section, two feature points in each feature point pair to obtain a logical value; and an feature obtaining section, for determining the feature of the image in accordance with the logical value. |
| US08520952B2 |
System and method for defining a search window
A system and method for defining a window to search a region of interest for processing a road image, the search window having a longitudinal orientation directed according to the height of the image and being laterally delimited by two edges. The shape of the search window is adapted to the road configuration by defining at least one non-vertical portion on one of the edges. A preferred application is the processing of road images for determining visibility distances in foggy weather. |
| US08520950B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, program, and integrated circuit
The image processing device includes: a storage unit (211) holding intensity gradient vectors Vr, position vectors Rr, and voting vectors Ur of a reference image; an intensity gradient vector calculation unit (212) which calculates intensity gradient vectors Vs of a search image; and a position determination unit (213) which determines a position of the reference image in the search image. The position determination unit (213) includes: a sampling unit (214) which thins out a part of the intensity gradient vectors Vs and/or the voting vectors Ur; an origin position estimation unit (215) which locates voting vectors Ur at each starting position of intensity gradient vectors Vs and estimates ending positions of the voting vectors Ur as candidate points; and a re-verification unit (216) which locates the position vectors Rr at each candidate point and determines a candidate point having most intensity gradient vectors Vs at ending positions of the position vectors Rr as an origin position. |
| US08520949B1 |
Self-similar descriptor filtering
According to an embodiment, a method for filtering feature point matches for visual object recognition is provided. The method includes identifying local descriptors in an image and determining a self-similarity score for each local descriptor based upon matching each local descriptor to its nearest neighbor descriptors from a descriptor dataset. The method also includes filtering feature point matches having a number of local descriptors with self-similarity scores that exceed a threshold. According to another embodiment, the filtering step may further include removing feature point matches. According to a further embodiment, a system for filtering feature point matches for visual object recognition is provided. The system includes a descriptor identifier, a self-similar descriptor analyzer and a self-similar descriptor filter. |
| US08520943B2 |
Method and apparatus for block based image compression with multiple non-uniform block encodings
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and apparatus for block based image compression with multiple non-uniform block encodings. In one embodiment, an image is divided into blocks of pixels. In one embodiment the blocks are four pixels by four pixels, but other block sizes are used in other embodiments. In one embodiment, a block of pixels in the original image is compressed using two different methods to produce a first and second compressed block. Thus, each block in the original image is represented by two, typically different, compressed blocks. In one embodiment, color associated with a pixel is determined by combining the compressed information about the pixel in the first compressed block with information about the pixel in the second compressed block. In another embodiment, global information about the image is combined with the information in the first and second compressed blocks. |
| US08520937B2 |
Method of automatically creating natural image by using optimization technique
A method of automatically creating a natural image which may reduce the torment of creation which is a burden to a designer when creating a new image. To this end, the method includes an initial setting operation of setting an initial condition; a pre-process operation of setting a variable for a phase optimization process; a phase optimization operation of dividing an image to be created into finite elements, assigning values of material properties to the finite elements, performing filtering on the assigned values of the material properties, optimizing a design variable by using an optimization technique, updating a design variable obtained through the optimization process into a new design variable, determining whether the new design variable satisfies a preset convergence criterion, and if it is determined that the new design variable satisfies the preset convergence criterion, outputting a resultant structure; and a post-process operation of converting a final value of a design variable obtained through the phase optimization process into an RGB value of a digital image. |
| US08520935B2 |
2D to 3D image conversion based on image content
A method for converting a 2D image into a 3D image includes receiving the 2D image; analyzing content of the received 2D image; determining a 2D-to-3D image conversion method based on a result of the content analysis; generating the 3D image by applying the determined method to the received 2D image; and providing the generated 3D image. |
| US08520934B2 |
System and method for marking a stereoscopic film
A system and method for marking a stereoscopic film with colors are provided. The system and method provides for marking a left image with a mark and a right image with a mark having complementary colors, wherein upon viewing, the marks are not visible under certain conditions. The system and method provide for acquiring a stereoscopic image, the stereoscopic image including a first image and a second image, applying a first mark to the first image in a predetermined location, the first mark having a first color, and applying a second mark to the second image in substantially the same predetermined location as in the first image, the second mark having a second color that is different than the first color of the first mark, wherein when viewed in three-dimensional mode, the first mark and the second mark combine into a single mark of one color. |
| US08520927B2 |
Medical image processing apparatus and ultrasonic imaging apparatus
A tumor region setting section sets a liver tumor region for a plurality of ultrasonic image data along a time series acquired by ultrasonically capturing a subject to which a contrast agent has been administered. A TIC generator obtains a time change indicating a time change of the pixel values in the liver tumor region based on the plurality of ultrasonic image data along the time series. A peak-detection section specifies a peak point of the time change and obtains the time and pixel value of that peak point. A first determination section determines the degree of malignancy of the liver tumor based on the time and pixel value of the peak point. A display controller displays the degree of malignancy on a display section. |
| US08520923B2 |
Reporting organ volume for a medical digital image
A method for providing a calculated volume data value for an organ of a patient acquires image data for a first volume image series and for at least a second volume image series for the patient and displays the first volume image series. The method responds to an instruction to generate the volume data value by identifying a seed point in the first volume image series, correlating the seed point to the second volume image series, segmenting the organ in at least the second volume image series according to the correlated seed point, and calculating the volume data value for the organ using at least the segmented second volume image series. The calculated volume data value can be displayed. |
| US08520922B2 |
Method and apparatus for detection of caries
A method for forming an enhanced image (60) of a tooth (20) making use of the tooth (20) fluorescence and/or reflectance effects, employs a morphological image processing technique, and reduces susceptibility to overall intensity variations in the image (60). |
| US08520918B2 |
Medical diagnostic image change highlighter
Systems and methods are disclosed which enable more accurate examination of medical diagnostic images, for example x-ray, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. The systems and methods highlight anomalies that have changed between the collection times of two or more diagnostic images, and can also provide objective scoring of the degree of change. |
| US08520917B2 |
Method and device to automatically determine the rest phase of the heart
In a method and device to automatically determine a rest phase of the heart of an examination person in an imaging device, multiple images of the heart are acquired during a cardiac cycle and the rest phase of the heart is automatically determined by post-processing of the acquired images, and the determined rest phase is used for subsequent measurements. |
| US08520913B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing noise in fingerprint sensing circuits
An apparatus for reducing noise in fingerprint sensing circuits is disclosed in one embodiment of the invention as including a fingerprint sensing area onto which a user can apply a fingerprint. An analog front end is coupled to the fingerprint sensing area and is configured to generate an analog response signal. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) samples the analog response signal and converts the sample to a digital value, which may be received by a digital device such as a processor or CPU. To reduce the amount of the noise that is present in the analog response signal and therefore reflected in the digital value, the digital device may be shut down while the ADC is sampling the analog response signal. |
| US08520912B2 |
Fingerprint recognition device
A fingerprint recognition device, applicable to retrieving a fingerprint image, includes a light guiding plate, a finger plate, an imaging piece, and at least one light source. The light guiding plate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other and a sidewall surface connected between the first surface and the second surface. The finger plate is adjacent to the first surface of the light guiding plate. The imaging piece is adjacent to the second surface of the light guiding plate, and the light source is adjacent to the sidewall surface of the light guiding plate. The light source emits a light towards the sidewall surface and the light enters the light guiding plate. The light guided by the light guiding plate is emitted out of the first surface, and the imaging piece retrieves the fingerprint image on the finger plate. |
| US08520911B2 |
Low power fingerprint capture system, apparatus, and method
The present invention provides a large format fingerprint capture apparatus, system and method that is low power, compact, and lightweight and has a platen area greater than 3.0 square inches. The present system is typically powered, controlled, and exchanges data over a single data/control/power connection to a host PC, e.g., a desk top computer, PDA, or laptop computer although the system can also be used in a wireless fashion with a power subsystem so no physical connections are required. In a preferred embodiment the large format fingerprint device is directly connected to a completely disconnected portable PC, such as a laptop having only a battery power source. The primary system components of the present invention combine to minimize power, size and weight and, thus, enhance portability and battery life. The system typically includes a light source, a prism, a camera (including the lens), and a case. Optional elements comprise holographic elements such as gratings and holographic optical elements (HOEs), a battery subsystem, magnetic stripe reader, barcode reader, platen heater, platen blower, and mirrors to divert the image beam. |
| US08520909B2 |
Automatic and semi-automatic image classification, annotation and tagging through the use of image acquisition parameters and metadata
A method for characterizing image contents automatically or semi-automatically using image acquisition parameters and metadata is presented. The method establishes probabilistic and deterministic relationships between different types of metadata and the semantic attributes and contents of images. It furnishes a mechanism that enables the automatic and semi-automatic classification, annotation, tagging, indexing, searching, identification or retrieval of images based on their contents, semantic properties and metadata characteristics. The method uses, but is not limited to, image capture metadata such as focal length, exposure time, relative aperture, flash information, ISO setting, angle of view, subject distance, timestamp, GPS information as well as other forms of metadata, including but not limited to, captions, keywords, headings, tags, comments, remarks, titles which may be automatically, semi-automatically, or manually generated. The present invention can be applied to image databases, web searching, personal search, community search, broad-based or vertical search engines for internet, intranet, extranet or other usages. |
| US08520904B2 |
Methods and systems for protection of identity
The present invention relates to a method to the creation and management of a secondary identification to avoid identify theft. Identity theft may occur over the internet, the purchase of goods and services by credit, and many other forms not yet known. The present invention creates a secondary identification for a person by creating one or more of the following secondary identifications which include a secondary email address, a secondary postal address, a secondary phone number, and any other identifying secondary information. The present invention describes methods and systems to create a secondary identification. Further, the present invention may be used to create a credit card containing the requestor's secondary identification. |
| US08520895B2 |
System and method for range and velocity estimation in video data as a function of anthropometric measures
A system and method calculate a range and velocity of an object in image data. The range calculation includes detecting a contour of the object from the image data, forming a template from the image data based on the contour; and calculating a range to the object using pixel resolution and dimension statistics of the object. A three-dimensional velocity of the object is determined by calculating a radial component and an angular component of the velocity. The radial velocity component is calculated by determining the range of the object in two or more image frames, determining a time differential between the two or more image frames, and calculating the radial velocity as a function of the range of the object in the two or more image frames and the time differential between the two or more image frames. The angular component is calculated using spatial-temporal derivatives as a function of a motion constraint equation. |
| US08520893B2 |
Method and system for detecting object
Provided are a system and method for detecting an object. The method includes selecting a macroscopic scan mode in which there are a small number of divided regions or a microscopic scan mode in which there are a large number of divided regions according to complexity of a background including an object to be detected, dividing an input image into one or more regions according to the selected scan mode, merging adjacent regions having similar characteristics among the divided regions, extracting a search region by excluding a region having a high probability that the object to be detected does not exist from the divided or merged regions, extracting feature data including a feature vector for detecting the object in the search region, and detecting the object in the search region using the extracted feature data. |
| US08520892B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting objects
A method for detecting an object on an image representable by picture elements includes: “determining first and second adaptive thresholds for picture elements of the image, depending on an average intensity in a region around the respective picture element”, “determining partial objects of picture elements of a first type that are obtained based on a comparison with the first adaptive threshold”, “determining picture elements of a second type that are obtained based on a comparison with the second adaptive threshold” and “combining a first and a second one of the partial objects to an extended partial object by picture elements of the second type, when a minimum distance exists between the first and the second of the partial objects, wherein the object to be detected can be described by a sum of the partial objects of picture elements of the first type and/or the obtained extended partial objects”. |
| US08520891B2 |
Method of predicting crop yield loss due to N-deficiency
A method for determining the yield loss of a crop using remote sensor data is described. The yield loss is determined using the reflectivity of green light by the crop canopy measured from remote sensor data such as an aerial photograph that is digitized and spatially referenced to the field's longitude and latitude. Green pixel values from the aerial photograph, expressed relative to green pixel values from well-fertilized areas of the field, are transformed to yield losses using a linear transformation that was developed using empirical data. A similar method is described to determine recommended nitrogen fertilization rates for the crop fields. The yield loss data is useful for nitrogen fertilization management, as it allows a producer of crops to weigh the expense of fertilization against the loss of revenue due to yield loss. |
| US08520888B2 |
Apparatus, method and programmable product for identification of a document with feature analysis
The present application relates to a method, apparatus and programmable product for uniquely identifying a document. More specifically, the application allows for the identification of the document through collection of minutiae data at various points throughout the document's lifecycle without reliance upon or requirement for any unique identification characters, barcodes and/or objects that were added to the document specifically for the purpose of identification. |
| US08520885B2 |
Composite speaker
A composite speaker is disclosed that can more easily be made thin and small, and is configured so that the assembly process of the speaker is easy. A first space that opens to the rear is formed in a main yoke that forms a magnetic field emitter, and a magnetic gap is formed in the first space. A first voice coil, connected to an inner peripheral end of a first diaphragm whose surface area is large, is inserted into the first magnetic gap toward the front direction. A second space that passes through from front to back is provided in the main yoke, a second magnetic field emitter is mounted therein, and a second diaphragm whose surface area is small is provided in front thereof. Because of the structure in which the second magnetic field emitter is housed within the first magnetic field emitter, the front-to-back dimension of the speaker can be reduced. |
| US08520884B2 |
Audio/video device
An audio/video device including a plurality of walls together forming a case, wherein one wall of the plurality of walls includes an inner peripheral edge. A surface extends from the inner peripheral edge inwardly of the case and defines an open-sided outwardly facing cavity. At least one item of connection is located within the cavity. A tongue is provided having a base and an outer peripheral edge. The inner peripheral edge of the one wall is divided into a first portion and a second portion. At the base, the tongue joins with the first portion of the inner peripheral edge of the one wall. The tongue extends substantially parallel with the one wall from the base to the outer peripheral edge so as to partially close the cavity and define a gap around the tongue, the gap extending between the outer peripheral edge of the tongue and the second portion of the inner peripheral edge of the one wall. |
| US08520881B2 |
Hearing apparatus with low-interference receiver control and corresponding method
A power-saving control of the receiver in hearing devices with wireless transmission to other devices is also to be possible without significant interferences. Provision is thus made in accordance with the invention for a hearing apparatus, in particular a hearing device, with a transmission facility for wireless data transmission in a main frequency band, a loudspeaker and a control facility for controlling the loudspeaker with a control signal, with the frequency spectrum of the control signal having a significant notch in the range of the main frequency band. A “noise-shaping” of this type can be achieved by pulse-density modulated receiver control signals. |
| US08520880B2 |
Boundary microphone
A boundary microphone is provided to effectively reduce noises caused by external electromagnetic waves by providing electrostatic shielding, including on the portion of lead wires from a microphone unit to a circuit board. The boundary microphone has a base plate, a cover, a circuit board, and a microphone unit mounted in the opening with a metallic holder. A shield pattern for electrostatically shielding inside of the recess with the base plate is formed on the circuit board. The holder is configured to include a cylindrical section into which a rear end side of the microphone unit is fitted, and a D-cut section in which a part of a circumferential surface and a base surface of a cylinder with a base integral with the cylindrical section are cut away in parallel to a board surface of the circuit board, and the lead wire is routed within the D-cut section. |
| US08520877B1 |
Resonant structure for loudspeaker
A resonant structure for loudspeaker includes a basket defining a front opening and having an annular magnet mounted therein; a voice coil suspended inside the magnet; a diaphragm connected at a suspended flange to the front opening of the basket; at least one flexible suspension member spaced behind the diaphragm for connecting to a rear opening of the basket; and an inner frame having a front end glued to a rear wall surface of the diaphragm, a central area to the voice coil and a rear wing member to the flexible suspension member. When the voice coil moves forward and backward on the inner frame, best possible harmonic resonance between the diaphragm and the flexible suspension members can be obtained. The loudspeaker is effectively reduced in height, and bass response is enhanced to ensure upgraded sound quality. |
| US08520874B1 |
Hearing aid with an operational based switch
A hearing aid device includes ear engagement structure, including a speaker, which actuates the hearing device when pressed against the ear of a user. Withdrawing the ear engagement structure from the ear deactuates the hearing aid device. |
| US08520873B2 |
Audio spatialization and environment simulation
Methods are disclosed for improving sound localization of the human ear. In some embodiments, the method may include creating virtual movement of a plurality of localized sources by applying a periodic function to one or more location parameters of a head related transfer function (HRTF). |
| US08520872B2 |
Apparatus and method for sound processing in a virtual reality system
An apparatus to perform sound processing in a virtual reality system includes a sound processing unit to process and produce sound output in sound areas divided into a focus area within a predetermined visual field and a non-focus area out of the predetermined visual field in a virtual reality space for sound sources; and a control unit to divide the sound areas into the focus area and the non-focus area, and to control the sound output of the sound processing unit such that a volume of sound in a first space is gradually decreased while a volume of sound in a second space is gradually increased when a space shift from the first space to the second space in the virtual reality space is detected. |
| US08520870B2 |
Transmission device and transmission method
A transmission device includes: a communication unit performing communication with one or more receiving devices; a distance measurement unit measuring direct distances to the receiving devices; a transmission data setting unit setting transmission data including content data including audio and time information indicating the time when reproduction of content data is started for the receiving devices whose distances are measured based on the measured distances; and a transmission processing unit transmitting transmission data set by the transmission data setting unit to corresponding receiving devices of transmission targets all at once. The transmission data setting unit sets time when the device itself starts reproduction of the content data as a reference time, and sets the time information for synchronizing audio indicated by the content data reproduced in the device itself with audio indicated by the content data reproduced in the receiving devices for each receiving device using the set reference time. |
| US08520860B2 |
Modular mobile computing headset
A system comprises an accessory, a mobile unit module, and a battery pack module. The accessory is worn one of on and near a portion of a body of a user. The mobile unit module removably couples to the accessory. The battery pack module removably couples to one of the mobile unit and the accessory. |
| US08520859B2 |
System for comfort noise injection
A noise injection system adds comfort noise to an audio signal. The system includes a background noise estimator that determines a spectral content of a background noise associated with the audio signal. A comfort noise generator generates a comfort noise signal having a random phase. A gain circuit adjusts the comfort noise signal based on the spectral content of the background noise. A combining circuit combines a gain-adjusted comfort noise signal and the audio signal to generate an output signal. |
| US08520856B2 |
Controlling the validity period of a decryption key
The invention provides a method and a system for allowing access to a digital broadcast stream on a client device in a conditional access system, wherein the start time and end time of events in the broadcast stream are predefined. If entitled, a server system transmits for an even the start time and end time to the client device. As long as the current time, which is also transmitted from the server system to the client device, is within the range from the start time to the end time, the client device is allowed to decrypt the broadcast stream. To allow events to extend in time without requiring the generation of a new end time, the start time and end time on the one hand and the current time on the other hand are defined on different timescales. |
| US08520854B2 |
Sharing a secret using polynomials over polynomials
A method and system distributes N shares of a secret among cooperating entities by representing the secret as a secret polynomial, and forming a splitting polynomial with the secret polynomial as one or more of the coefficients. In one embodiment, the method represents the secret as a secret polynomial over GF(q), where q is a prime number or a power of a prime number. A splitting polynomial of degree (K−1) over GF(qm) is constructed, where K is the number of shares to reconstruct the secret and m is a positive integer. The coefficients of the splitting polynomial are formed with the secret polynomial and random information. The method further evaluates the splitting polynomial at N points with arithmetic defined on GF(qm) to generate the N shares of the secret. |
| US08520853B2 |
Wireless communication device, method for wireless connection, and computer usable medium therefor
A wireless communication device to be wirelessly connected to a wireless network is provided. The wireless communication device includes an encryption examiner to examine as to whether communication in the wireless network is encrypted, a password obtainer to obtain a password designated by a user for connecting the wireless communication device to the wireless network if the encryption examiner determines that the communication in the wireless network is encrypted, and a wireless connector to connect the wireless communication device to the wireless network with the use of the obtained password. The wireless connector sequentially selects one set from a plurality of sets, and sequentially attempts to connect the wireless communication device to the wireless network with the use of the sequentially selected one set. Each set of the plurality of sets has an authorization method and an encryption method. |
| US08520852B2 |
Method and apparatus for store and replay functions in a digital radio broadcasting receiver
A method includes: receiving a plurality of audio frames, assembling groups of the audio frames into logical recording units, storing a plurality of the logical recording units, retrieving the stored logical recording units, and decoding the retrieved logical recording units. An apparatus that performs the method is also provided. |
| US08520849B2 |
Encryption by pixel property separation
A method of encrypting a digital file composed of a sequence of bytes, each byte defined by a relative position within the digital file and a value, the method comprising: using an encryption key to encode the relative position separately from the value of each byte; and producing an encrypted digital file in which the correlation between relative position and value of each byte in the original digital file is concealed in the encrypted digital file. |
| US08520846B2 |
Method and device for key generation
A method of generating a segment key KSmt from a given basic key KmT and a given modification key K′MT in a key space with M*T keys. The basic key KMT is split into two parts LmT, RmT onto which a one-way function is applied M−m and T−t times, respectively, and the results are combined again to form a target basic key. A one-way function is applied to the modification key K′MT a number of times that corresponds to a distance value z between the given basic key and the segment key; in one preferred embodiment z=(M−m)+(T−t). This result is XOR-ed with the target basic key to obtain the segment key KSmtAlso provided is a device. |
| US08520839B2 |
Data transmitter with a secure and efficient signature
An encryption device encrypts a first block of user data to obtain a first encryption result and encrypts a second block of user data, which follows the first block of user data, to obtain a second encryption result. The encryption device uses the first encryption result for encrypting the second block of user data. An extractor extracts a first portion of the first encryption result, the first portion being smaller than the first encryption result, and a second portion of the second encryption result, the second portion being smaller than the second encryption result. A message formatter combines the first block of user data and the first portion as a signature for the first block to produce a first transmission packet, and combines the second block of user data and the second portion as a signature for the second block to produce a second transmission packet. |
| US08520838B1 |
Combination cellular telephone stand and safety spacer
A device for providing a stand with legs to support a cell phone on a flat surface, which stand may be pivoted into a spacer to maintain spacing between the phone and a user's head. |
| US08520836B2 |
Projection headset
An apparatus and method are provided for displaying data or an image from a headset and acquiring data with a headset. In one example, a headset includes a processor, an acoustic transducer operably coupled to the processor, and a projector/scanner operably coupled to the processor for displaying an image on a surface exterior to the headset. The projector may also be used to acquire or capture data from a surface exterior to the headset. Advantageously, data and images may be displayed and acquired with a headset without requiring the headset to be taken off. |
| US08520835B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing power to a network interface device via telephone lines
A method, apparatus, and system in which one embodiment includes a network interface device (NID) located outside a building and a power supply unit located inside the building. The power supply unit has an electrical isolation component and one or more ports that couple via a first phone line and a second phone line to the NID to provide isolated DC power to the NID. |
| US08520830B2 |
Guiding calls via graphical user interface
A user device may display, via a graphical user interface, questions associated with a voice menu that is used by an interactive voice response (IVR) system to forward calls. The user device may obtain, via the graphical user interface, user responses to the questions. In addition, the user device may send information corresponding to the user responses to the questions to a remote device. The remote device may query the IVR system to identify a call agent, in a call center, whose profile matches the information, obtain contact information of the call agent from the IVR system, and send the contact information to the user device. Furthermore, the user device may receive the contact information from the remote device and display the contact information via the graphical user interface. |
| US08520829B2 |
Technique for communication commands and parameters in an information assistance system to provide services
A message is received from a first device in an information/call center, wherein the message identifies a second device in an information/call center capable of providing a requested service and includes a command directed at he second device to activate the service. The first device may comprise, e.g., an operator terminal, The message may comprise a uniform resource locator (URL), and may additionally identify a software application residing on the second device. The message may also include one or more parameters used to provide the requested service. The command is retrieved from the message, and the command is transmitted to the second device, thereby causing the second device to provide the service. |
| US08520828B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing telecommunications services between a session initiation protocol (SIP) network and a signaling system 7 (SS7) network
Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing telecommunication services between a SIP network and an SS7 network are disclosed. In one method, SIP/SS7 gateway receives an INVITE message from a SIP proxy server. The SIP/SS7 gateway extracts a called party number from the INVITE message and determines whether a telecommunications service is required and a type of service required for the INVITE message based on the called party number. The SIP/SS7 gateway then formulates an SS7 query to a database corresponding to the identified service type. The SIP/SS7 gateway receives a response from the database and uses data from the response to facilitate completion of the call. In one example, the SIP/SS7 gateway may forward a routing number extracted from the response back to the originating SIP proxy server. In another example, the SIP/SS7 gateway may generate a new INVITE message and forward the new INVITE message to a terminating SIP proxy server. In yet another example, the SIP/SS7 gateway may formulate a second query to the same database or to a different database to obtain further information for facilitate completion of the call. |
| US08520827B1 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a network device
A personal communications device may be placed in, or removed from, a docking station. In response, a predetermined command may be selected from a plurality of predetermined commands and transmitted from the docking station to at least one of a plurality of network devices. Each predetermined command may include the address of the network device and may be configured to cause the network device to respond. In this way, a user's communication infrastructure may be reconfigured in a simple and intuitive manner. |
| US08520826B2 |
System and method for real-time blocking of a telephone call
A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a call blocking service to which a user subscribes. The preferred call blocking service includes maintaining an updateable list of calling parties that the user wishes to block from being able is complete telephone calls to the user, maintaining a buffer for storing information associated with the most recent calling party placing a telephone nail to the user, and recognizing a signal that the user activates to automatically add the most resent calling party to the list of calling parties blocked torn being able to complete telephone calls to the user. |
| US08520822B2 |
Method for designating of hosting control for a conference call
A conference calling system and method for designating of hosting control from a server device. In a conference call session, one of the client devices may be designated as a host device, wherein that host device is permitted to implement hosting functions. In some instances, the required host device may not be available for the scheduled conference call, but may be available prior to the conference call. The host device may provide hosting control commands to the server device prior to the conference call. Such hosting control commands may include such commands as delegating of hosting control functions in relation to the designated host device. This may allow the presently designated host device to end communications with the server device prior to starting a conference call, while having the server device implement the specific hosting control commands. |
| US08520817B2 |
System for identifying a calling party
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media content processor having a controller adapted to establish communications with a voicemail system, receive a caller identification (ID) associated with a voicemail message stored in the voicemail system, detect a match between the caller ID and one among one or more communication identifiers recorded in an entry of an address book, retrieve an image excerpt associated with the entry of the address book, present the image excerpt at a media device to identify a calling party that recorded the voicemail message. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08520816B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing end-to-end call completion status
The present invention enables a method for following the state of a call and generating defects as function of call completion success as opposed to discrete events that happen at individual network elements during the call. In one embodiment, the invention uses Call Detail Records (CDR) to analyze the end-to-end completion status to measure per call basis defects instead of using defect codes generated by network elements on a per equipment basis. CDR is data associated with a telephone call, including the calling and the called numbers, the date and timestamp, the duration, the call setup delay, and the final handling code of the telephone call. |
| US08520815B2 |
Facsimile machine and facsimile forward method
A facsimile machine and a method for forwarding facsimile data are disclosed. The facsimile forward method, the facsimile forward method comprises receiving facsimile data from a facsimile sending machine over a telephone network; extracting identification information from the facsimile data; determining whether the identification information matches a plurality of predetermined identification information; and forwarding the facsimile data to a destination E-mail address over a communication network other than the telephone network, when the identification information matches any of the plurality of predetermined identification information. |
| US08520814B2 |
Communications device and method for selecting a missed call reminder alert
A communications device and method for selecting a missed call reminder alert by comparing an identifier associated with a telephone number of an unattended received communications call with a database of alert profiles stored a memory of the communications device. The comparing identifies a call reminder alert time profile for the unattended received communications call. Next, there is performed a selecting, from the database of alert profiles, an identified call reminder alert time profile for the unattended received communications call. Thereafter, the communications device and method provide for emitting the missed call reminder alert based on the identified call reminder alert time profile. |
| US08520813B2 |
System and method for transmitting voice messages via a centralized voice message server
A system and method for transmitting voice messages via a centralized voice message server is provided. A plurality of communication devices are interfaced over a data network, and each communication device is associated with a user. At least one of the users is associated with a plurality of discussion groups. The user is identified as signed-in to two or more of the discussion groups. At least one of the two or more discussion groups to which the user is signed-in is identified as active. A voice message is received on a voice message server from the user. The voice message is transmitted to all members signed-in to the active discussion group from the voice message server. The voice message server further transmits voice messages to the user from members signed-in to the discussion groups to which the user is signed-in. |
| US08520812B2 |
Method and apparatus for serializing an asynchronous communication
A method and apparatus for scalable handling of communications with varying numbers of participants over a telephone interface is described. The approach treats the different participants recorded communications as part of a larger asynchronous communication and provides a serializing (voice) user interface for participating in the conversation. This can be used to provide services ranging from phone-based discussion boards to more orderly teleconferences. Features may include moderation of comments, automatic removal of comments, and/or other features tailored to the specific use of the serializing approach. |
| US08520811B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing special call handling for valued customers of retailers
The present invention enables users of a network service to register with the network as valued shoppers, thereby allowing them to receive specialized treatment when calling registered retailers. The present invention enables retailers to register with the network, thereby allowing them to set preferred service logic for handling valued customer calls by the network. |
| US08520808B2 |
System and method for robust evaluation of the user experience in automated spoken dialog systems
A single, subjective numerical rating to evaluate the performance of a telephone-based spoken dialog system. This CE rating is provided by expert human listeners who have knowledge of the design of the dialog system. Different human raters can be trained to achieve a satisfactory level of agreement. Furthermore, a classifier trained on ratings by human experts can reproduce the human ratings with the same degree of consistency. More calls can be given a CE rating than would be possible with limited human resources. More information can be provided about individual calls, e.g., to help decide between two disparate ratings by different human experts. |
| US08520807B1 |
Phonetically unique communication identifiers
Systems, methods performed by data processing apparatus and computer storage media encoded with computer programs for receiving from a user information including a phonetic communication identifier that other users can speak into their respective communication devices to initiate communication with a communication device associated with the user, comparing the received phonetic communication identifier with a repository of phonetically unique communication identifiers each registered to an associated entity, registering the received phonetic communication identifier in the repository if, based on a result of the comparison, the received phonetic communication identifier is determined to be phonetically unique relative to all other phonetically unique communication identifiers in the repository, and making the repository available to initiate communications with registered entities. |
| US08520805B2 |
Video E911
E911 call routing technology that employs pseudo Automatic Number Indicators (pANI) is enhanced to provide video E911 services. Digital photos or video from a camera-equipped phone are associated with a pseudo Automatic Number Identification (pANI), e.g., an emergency service routing key (ESRK), or an emergency service query key (ESQK) in the VoIP scenario, and a dedicated email address is associated with each pseudo Automatic Number Indicator (pANI) for the emergency caller to email the image content to. A video E911 web database containing associations between pANIs and staged image content associated with the emergency caller relating to the pANI, is maintained at an appropriate video E911 web site hosted by a mobile positioning center (MPC) or VoIP positioning center (VPC). |
| US08520802B2 |
Method for determining the quantitative composition of a powder sample
A method for automatic determination of the quantitative composition of a powder sample, comprises the following steps: (a) predetermining a list of phases; (b) calculating a theoretical diffraction diagram or theoretical energy-dispersive spectrum; (c) fitting the theoretical diffraction diagram or theoretical energy-dispersive spectrum. In step (a), a list is predetermined which is composed of phases that are actually contained in the powder sample and also phases that are possibly not contained in the powder sample, a threshold value for the phase content is predetermined for each phase, and the following further steps are carried out: (d) elimination of all phases, having phase contents which are below the threshold value, from the list in step (a); (e) repeating steps (b), (c) and (d) with the new list until all phase contents are above their predetermined threshold values; and (f) outputting the composition of the powder sample. This method permits automatic exclusion of amorphous or crystalline phases with phase contents below a user-definable threshold value in profile adjustment methods based on Rietveld or Pawley methods. |