Document Document Title
US08549660B2 Cantilever-based optical fiber probe interfacial force microscope for partial immersion in liquid
An apparatus may comprise an optical detector configured to detect an optical beam reflected from a cantilever. The apparatus may further comprise an optical fiber probe suspended from the cantilever and a piezotube configured to move a sample substance in proximity to the optical fiber probe. The cantilever may be configured to deflect in response to an interfacial force between the sample substance and the optical fiber probe. The apparatus may further comprise a feedback controller communicatively coupled to the optical detector and a semiconductive circuit element abutting the cantilever. In response to detecting movement of the optical beam reflected from the cantilever, the feedback controller may apply a voltage to the semiconductive circuit element, which may reduce deflection of the cantilever. The voltage applied by the feedback controller may indicate a strength of the interfacial force between the sample substance and the optical fiber probe.
US08549657B2 Owner privacy in a shared mobile device
Systems and methods that regulate range of access to personal information of a mobile unit's owner. The access control component can designate granularity for access levels and/or a spectrum of access modes—(as opposed to a binary choice of full access or no access at all). Such access can be based on a spectrum and/or discrete trust relationship between the owner and user of the mobile unit. A profile definition component can exploit an owner's trust relationships to designate levels of security. The profile definition component can further define a profile based on a set of applications, such as entertainment mode, browser mode, and the like.
US08549655B2 Unit and method for secure processing of access controlled audio/video data
Unit for secure processing access controlled audio/video data capable of receiving control messages (ECM) comprising at least one first control word (CW1) and first right execution parameters (C1), at least one second control word (CW2) and second right execution parameters (C2), said processing unit being connected to a first access control device (CA1), said processing unit is characterized in that it comprises: —means for verifying and applying the first right execution parameters (C1) in relation to the contents of a memory (M1) of said first access control device (CA1) and means for obtaining the first control word CW1, —a second access control device (CA2) integrated into the processing unit UT including means for verifying and applying the second right execution parameters (C2) in relation to the contents of a memory (M2) associated to said second access control device (CA2) and means for obtaining the second control word (CW2), —a deciphering module (MD) capable of deciphering, sequentially with the first and the second control word (CW1) and (CW2), the access controlled audio/video data, said control words (CW1) and (CW2) being provided by the first and second access control devices (CA1, CA2) and stored in said deciphering module (MD). A method for secure processing digital access controlled audio/video data carried out by said unit is also an object of the present invention.
US08549654B2 System and method for policy based control of NAS storage devices
A system and method for providing policy-based data management and control on a NAS device deployed on a network and having event enabling framework software. When a user makes a request to store, read, or manipulate data on the NAS device, the NAS device provides an indication of this request to a management tool running on a remote system through the event enabling framework software. The management tool reviews the request in light of its previously established policy-based data storage management configuration and subsequently informs the NAS device, via the event enabling framework software, to either accept or not accept the user's request to store, read or modify data on the NAS device.
US08549652B1 Document origin designator
A document rights management system (DRM) defines an unrenderable origin designator in a media item that does not display or alter the physically rendered version of an instantiation of the media item. The unrenderable designator does not appear as an obscured or occluded feature in a printed or displayed versions. The rendered version is unaffected by the unrenderable designator because it does not result in any displayable features. The unrenderable designator is stored in a display list of the media item and appears as an attribute of objects such that the function to cause the display object to be undisplayable, or unrenderable, are not immediately apparent. The DRM system encodes a designator in an attribute of a display object for rendering according to a media rendering format such as PDF, such that the designator causes the display object to be unrenderable and indicates the origin of the media item.
US08549645B2 System and method for detection of denial of service attacks
Systems and methods for detecting a denial of service attack are disclosed. These may include receiving a plurality of web log traces from one of a plurality of web servers; extracting a first set of features from the plurality of web log traces; applying a first machine learning technique to the first set of features; producing a first plurality of user classifications for communication to the web server; extracting a second set of features from the plurality of web log traces; applying a second machine learning technique to the second set of features; producing a second plurality of user classification for communication to the web server; communicating the first plurality of user classifications to the web server based at least on the plurality of web log traces; and communicating the second plurality of user classifications to the web server based at least on the plurality of web log traces.
US08549644B2 Systems and method for regulating software access to security-sensitive processor resources
A method for protecting an electronic device against malware includes consulting one or more security rules to determine a processor resource to protect, in a module below the level of all operating systems of the electronic device, intercepting an attempted access of the processor resource, accessing a processor resource control structure to determine a criteria by which the attempted access will be trapped, trapping the attempted access if the criteria is met, and consulting the one or more security rules to determine whether the attempted access is indicative of malware. The attempted access originates from the operational level of one of one or more operating systems of the electronic device.
US08549642B2 Method and system for using spam e-mail honeypots to identify potential malware containing e-mails
A method and apparatus for employing honeypot systems to identify potential malware containing messages whereby a decoy system to receive illegitimate e-mails is established. E-mails sent to the spam e-mail honeypot decoy are initially scanned/filtered and e-mails that are not considered possible malware containing e-mails are filtered out while the remaining e-mails sent to the spam e-mail honeypot decoy are identified as potential malware containing e-mails. One or more features, and/or feature values, of the identified e-mails are then identified, extracted and ranked. Once a given feature, and/or feature value, occurs more than a burst threshold number of times, the status of the given feature, and/or feature value, is transformed to that of suspicious e-mail parameter.
US08549641B2 Pattern-based application classification
Embodiments of present disclosure provide a method and system for remotely auditing a security posture of a client machine at a centralized server. The system receives an integrity-protected report from the client machine, or other devices related to the client machine, the report comprising entries associated with security events or security states or both related to the client machine. The report entries comprise characteristics of the security events or security states to facilitate identification of a probable security attack at the client machine. The system also detects a pattern among one or more reports. Finally, the system classifies the security posture of the client machine based on the detected pattern, which could indicate a probable security attack at the client machine.
US08549638B2 System and method of containing computer worms
A computer worm containment system comprises a detection system and a blocking system. The detection system orchestrates a sequence of network activities in a decoy computer network and monitors that network to identify anomalous behavior and determine whether the anomalous behavior is caused by a computer worm. The detection system can then determine an identifier of the computer worm based on the anomalous behavior. The detection system can also generate a recovery script for disabling the computer worm or repairing damage caused by the computer worm. The blocking system is configured to use the computer worm identifier to protect another computer network. The blocking system can also use the recovery script to disable a computer worm within the other network and to repair damage caused to the network by the worm.
US08549634B2 Method and apparatus for detecting a rogue access point in a communication network
A method and apparatus for detecting a rogue access point in a communication network is described herein. The method includes a probing unit sending a pre-detection message to an associated access point in the communication network. The pre-detection message indicates a start of rogue access point detection mode and informs the associated access point not to respond to probe requests following the pre-detection message. The method further includes the probing unit broadcasting probe requests in the communication network. The probing unit detect that one or more of the plurality of access points is the rogue access point based on receiving a probe response in reply to the broadcasted probe request from the rogue access point. A method for detecting a rogue access point includes broadcasting a probe request with a proprietary information bit and detecting the rogue access point based on receiving a probe response for the broadcasted probe request.
US08549632B2 Method for supporting attack detection in a distributed system
A method for supporting attack detection in a distributed system, wherein a message being sent within the distributed system from a source entity to one or more target entities is transmitted via one or more intermediate entities, and wherein at least one of the one or more intermediate entities—tagging entity—appends an attack information tag to the message indicating whether the message constitutes or is part of an attack, is characterized in that a reputation system is provided, the reputation system being configured to receive the attack information tag generated by the tagging entity, and to generate a rating of the attack information tag.
US08549631B2 Internet site security system and method thereto
The present invention discloses an internet site security system and method thereof. That is, the present invention comprises a browser execution module which executes the browser for providing a work-performing environment on the internet site according to the selection of a user; a memory protection module which, according to the execution of the browser, prevents an external module from accessing a memory area allocated to the browser and detects whether the memory area is tampered or not and whether the executing code is tampered or not; and a browser protection module which prevents another process or module from debugging the browser execution module according to the execution of the browser, and distinguishing several modules loaded to the memory area into acceptable modules and unacceptable modules, and thereby is able to provide a secure electronic transaction based environment against a malicious attack.
US08549625B2 Classification of unwanted or malicious software through the identification of encrypted data communication
A method for identifying malware or unauthorized software communications implemented within a computer infrastructure, the method including detecting an encrypted communication and determining identification data for the encrypted communication. Additionally, the method includes comparing the detected encrypted communication to at least one of a list of applications authorized for encrypted communications using the identification data and a list of authorized destinations of encrypted communications using the identification data. Furthermore, the method includes identifying the detected encrypted communication as an unauthorized encrypted communication in response to a determination that at least one of the detected encrypted communication is from an unauthorized application, which is not on the list of applications authorized for encrypted communications, based on the comparing and the detected encrypted communication is to an unauthorized destination, which is not on the list of authorized destinations.
US08549619B2 Removable hard disk with embedded security card
A system and method is disclosed for authenticating a removable data storage device (RDSD) by implementing a removable trusted information module (TIM) comprising a non-volatile storage medium operable to securely store passwords, digital keys, digital certificates and other security credentials (“security credentials”). An RDSD enclosure comprising a disk storage drive, one or more interfaces, one or more connectors, and a TIM is implemented to be connected, disconnected and reconnected to a plurality of predetermined information handling systems. The RDSD is authenticated by the TIM initiating comparison and cryptographic operations between its contents and the contents of authentication files comprising the RDSD. Once the RDSD has been authenticated, the TIM performs similar operations to authorize access and usage of its contents by the information handling system. Other cryptographic operations are performed to determine whether the integrity of data files has been compromised. Removal of the TIM prevents an information handling system from accessing the contents of the RDSD.
US08549618B2 Client computer, remote control system, and remote control method
A client computer that is connectable to a host computer by a network, includes a communication part to communicate with the host computer; a user input part; a system part to perform a function depending on an application; and a controller to control the system part to be put into a locking state to stop performing operations input by a user from the user input part if a locking signal is received from the host computer through the communication part, and to control the communication part to unlock the locking state if an unlocking signal is received from the host computer through the communication part.
US08549616B2 Methods and apparatus to dynamically control access from virtual private networks to network-based shared resources
Methods and apparatus to dynamically control access from VPNs to shared resources are disclosed. A disclosed example route reflector comprises a memory to implement a database, a user interface module to receive a request to permit access for a VPN to a shared resource, a BGP engine to process BGP advertisements, a network interface to receive a first BGP advertisement from a PE router associated with the VPN that includes a first RT associated with the VPN, and a shared resource access controller to update the database based on the request, to query the database to determine whether the VPN has access to the shared resource in response to the first BGP advertisement, and to direct the BGP engine to form a second BGP advertisement based on the first BGP advertisement that includes a second RT associated with the shared resource when the VPN has access to the shared resource.
US08549613B2 Reverse VPN over SSH
A system and method for enabling access to a computer server operating within a private network, in which the computer server is isolated by access restrictions that prevent incoming connections from a public network. In one embodiment, the method includes identifying a remote client operating in a public network outside the private network, initiating a secure communication channel with the remote client, and instructing the remote client to initiate a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) session with the computer server via the secure communication channel.
US08549612B2 System and method for incorporating quality-of-service and reputation in an intrusion detection and prevention system
An intrusion prevention system includes a processor, processing engines, buffers that are associated with a different range of reputation scores, and a storage device having a database and an application. The processor executes the application to determine that a firewall has admitted a packet, determine a reputation score for the packet from the database, provide the packet to a buffer that has a reputation score range that includes the reputation score of the packet, provide the packet from the buffer to a processing engine, process the packet by in the processing engine to determine if the packet includes an exploit, and forward the packet to the protected network if the first packet does not include the exploit.
US08549608B2 Implement method and device of terminal call firewall
An implement method and device of a terminal call firewall is disclosed. According to the method, a call number is added into a blacklist list when it is determined that the call number is not in the blacklist list stored and an address list and it is determined that a call duration is less than a set call duration threshold. A device is disclosed for automatically blocking incoming calls to the terminal according to the method.
US08549607B2 System and method for initializing and maintaining a series of virtual local area networks contained in a clustered computer system
A system and method for sharing network resources; the system comprising at least one network switch, at least one computing device comprising at least one network connection and at least one storage device containing software capable of initializing and maintaining: (i) a management local area network (MLAN) comprising a virtual or physical firewall; and (ii) a plurality of client virtual local area networks (VLANs), wherein each client VLAN comprises a virtual firewall and a plurality of network resources.
US08549605B2 System and method for automatically establishing new session with interactive service after previous session expiration
A system includes a video display and a processor controlling the display. The processor accesses computer readable instructions to cause the processor to access a server associated with the service over a network responsive to viewer selection of a service. The processor then, without any viewer interaction, executes authentication with the server. Thereafter, responsive to successful authentication, the processor provides the service to a viewer at least in part by presenting an image associated with the service on the display. Responsive to the server indicating that a session for which the authentication is valid is expired, the processor automatically and without viewer input executes authentication with the server to establish a new session.
US08549601B2 Method for secure user and site authentication
User authentication is achieved by creating a window on the user's PC that is in communication with a security server, where this communication channel is separate from the communication channel between the user's browser and whichever web site they are at. A legitimate web site embeds code in the web page which communicates to the security server from the user's desktop. The security server signals both the web page on the user's browser and the window to which it has a separate channel. If user authentication is requested by the web site, the security server computes a one time password based on a secret which it shares with the web site, but not with the user, and which is not associated with any particular user, and the web site can re-compute the one time password to authenticate the user.
US08549600B2 Systems, methods and analyzers for establishing a secure wireless network in point of care testing
A system and method for initiating and maintaining a secure wireless communication between a wireless analyzer and a target network (e.g., a hospital network connected to a LIS and/or HIS). The present disclosure provides novel processes and systems for securely networking a wireless analyzer with a Wi-Fi network without the need for an operator or user to engage in manual initiation steps on, or through, the wireless analyzer.
US08549598B2 Multifunction apparatus, authentication server, and multifunction apparatus control system
A multifunction apparatus 21 of the present invention communicates with an information processing apparatus 51 via a communication network 50. The multifunction apparatus 21 includes an apparatus control section 7, a second web server section 8, and a web browser section 5 which communicates with a first web server section 53 or the second web server section 8. The apparatus control section 7 transmits login information entered by a user to an authentication server 91. The web browser section 5 (i) accepts, from the first web server section 53, control information for informing the second web server section 8 of a control instruction to obtain user related information from the authentication server 91 and (ii) carries out an informing process in which the second web server section 8 is informed of the control instruction. The apparatus control section 7 obtains the user related information from the authentication server 91 in accordance with the control instruction received by the second web server section 8. The web browser section 5 transmits the user related information obtained by the apparatus control section 7 to the first web server section 53.
US08549597B1 Temporary virtual identities in a social networking system
Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating temporary virtual identities in a social networking system. An identity associated with a user is authenticated. A time period, location or other parameter associated with the user is authenticated. The temporary virtual identity is registered in the social networking system. Content generated by the user is published in the social networking system under the temporary virtual identity.
US08549595B1 Counting distinct occurrences of a fact using moving statistics window
An improved adaptive authentication technique involves defining a window array which stores the number of distinct fact values per time unit over a predetermined number of time units. Each element of the window array has a value set to the number of distinct fact values over a time unit. The window array is stored in a database. Under the improved technique, upon a user initiating an authorization request, the risk engine extracts the request and the window array from the database into a cache on the authorization server. The risk engine uses the request which contains a value of the fact to adjust values of the elements of the window array and, once the adjusting is completed, computing the fact velocity which is used in the determination of a risk score for the request.
US08549593B2 Network access control system and method
A network access control system includes an information device that has access to a relay device which relays communication in a communication network, by the use of access information, and performs communication via the relay device, and a management unit that finds information devices, wherein when the found information device has no access to the relay device and is a second information device which is allowed to have access to the relay device by a first information device, the management unit transmits the access information to the second information device without a request for authentication.
US08549592B2 Establishing virtual endorsement credentials for dynamically generated endorsement keys in a trusted computing platform
A method and apparatus are disclosed in a data processing system for establishing virtual endorsement credentials. The data processing system includes a hardware trusted platform module (TPM). Logical partitions are generated in the system. A different virtual TPM is generated for each one of the logical partitions. For each one of the logical partitions, the virtual TPM that was generated for the logical partition then dynamically generates a virtual endorsement key, which is stored only within a corresponding virtual TPM. Using the virtual endorsement key, each virtual TPM also generates a virtual endorsement credential for use by the logical partition that includes the virtual TPM. The virtual endorsement credential is generated within the data processing system without the data processing system or its devices accessing a trusted third party that is external to the data processing system.
US08549591B2 System, device, and method of accessing electronic mail using multiple passwords
Device, system, and method of accessing electronic mail. For example, a computerized method includes: receiving an identifier of an email account, and a password; if the password matches a first reference password previously stored in association with said email account, then authorizing a substantially full access to said email account; if the password matches a second reference password previously stored in association with said email account, then authorizing a restricted access to said email account.
US08549588B2 Systems and methods for obtaining network access
Exemplary systems and methods for providing a network credential in order to access a communication network are provided. In exemplary embodiments, a digital device attempting to access the communication network receives an authentication request from the network device. An authentication record based on the authentication request is retrieved from a credential server. The network credential is then provided within the authentication record and transmitted as an authentication response to the network device. Upon authentication by the network device, the digital device is provided access to the communication network.
US08549585B2 Method and apparatus to implement secured, layered logout from a computer system
A secure, layered logout of a user session is implemented in a web-based management tool, such as a middleware appliance. A logout strategy is provided to include a set of security levels of varying sensitivity, with each security level having a set of permissions associated therewith and that are enforced upon a timeout. Preferably, each succeeding security level in the set of security levels is reached as time increases from an idle time associated with the user session. Upon expiration of a timeout associated with a security level, the set of permissions associated with the security level are then enforced against at least one managed object while the user session continues. As each next security level is reached, the set of permissions associated with the security level are then enforced (with respect to the managed object or against one or more other managed objects), once again while the user session continues. Each of the objects preferably is managed independently of at least one other object; thus, the layered logout may enforce different permissions with respect to different managed objects while at the time maintaining the user session. If the user takes no action, eventually a timeout associated with a final security level of the set of security levels will occur, at which point the user session is finally terminated.
US08549583B2 Apparatus, systems and methods for media content delivery
A media content delivery system and method is operable to communicate an authorized single media content stream generated by a local programming provider (LPP) in a domestic market area (DMA) to a client facility, wherein the authorized single media content stream is multiplexed into a multi-media content stream with a plurality of other single media content streams generated by a plurality of other LPPS in the DMA. An exemplary embodiment identifies an authorized single media content stream of interest to a client; accesses the multi-media content stream communicated from a communication network at the client facility, unbundles the authorized single media content stream from the received multi-media content stream, and communicates the authorized single media content stream to a program content generation system operated by the client.
US08549582B1 Methods for handling a multi-protocol content name and systems thereof
A method, computer readable medium, and system that handles a multi-protocol name in a virtualization environment includes determining and predicting with a virtualization management computing device when a name collision occurs between content names of different content accessible by two or more protocols. The virtualization management computing device restricts access to the different content in one or more network attached storage devices when the name collision is determined to occur to one or more of the protocols which can distinguish the different content. It preserves access to the different content in certain cases where the collision can be predicted.
US08549581B1 Distributed network security system deploying guard tables
Guard tables including absence information are used in a security system to limit the processing of negative queries. A key corresponding to a request to access a network resource is hashed and the output of the hash is a bit position in a guard table. The bit value at the bit position in the guard table is checked to determine if the information to which the key corresponds is absent from a datastore. Further processing of the request can be based on the indicated presence or absence information.
US08549576B2 Dynamic application insertion for MPEG stream switching
Disclosed herein are methods and systems for dynamically creating and inserting an application into an MPEG program transport stream. The application may be subsequently run on a customer premises equipment (CPE) device to effect switching between content streams for presentation to viewers based on other available data, such as targeting information.
US08549573B2 Media quality monitoring
A content processing device is configured to receive a media stream via a network. The media stream may be analyzed to detect whether an anomaly is present in the media stream indicative of a potential quality defect in playback of the media stream. Data relating to a detected anomaly may be provided to a destination via the network.
US08549567B2 Media content sharing over a home network
A master device interactively distributes a television signal to a remote device for remote display with low latency between a user input and a television signal change.
US08549560B2 Viewing and purchasing programming in other formats
A method according to the present disclosure comprises displaying a program in a first format on a first television channel to a user and automatically displaying a message to the user indicating that the program is available in a second format on a second television channel. The message may be displayed on the first television channel while the program in the first format is being displayed. Additionally, the automatic displaying of the message may be unprompted by the user. In certain embodiments, the user may be provided the option to purchase the program in the second format if the second format is not within the user's subscription.
US08549559B2 Information processing apparatus and information processing method, and program
A playlist generating section generates a playlist by grouping a plurality of pieces of program information based on meta information stored in a database. Also, the playlist generating section generates the playlist by further including, in the playlist, current status information indicating a reproduction status of the playlist and changed status information indicating an update status of the plurality of pieces of the program information corresponding to the playlist. A display unit displays an image based on the playlist such that information representing the current status and the changed status is further included in the image based on the playlist for allowing selection of the playlist. As a result, it is possible to select a program desired by a user by a simple operation.
US08549553B2 Customizing DVR functionality
Techniques described herein enable parents to establish a child-protective “kids zone” on a DVR. According to one technique, a DVR receives, from a parent, identities of content items that the parent does not want children to view. The DVR maps the identities to a kids zone. During times that the DVR is set to operate in the kids zone operational mode, the DVR prevents itself from presenting any content items that are associated with the identities. However, during these times, the DVR still may obtain and store these content items. At other times, during which the DVR is not set to operate in the kids zone operational mode, the DVR may allow itself to present the content items that are associated with the identities, including content items that the DVR obtained and stored during times that the DVR was set to operate in the kids zone operational mode.
US08549546B2 Method and system for containment of usage of language interfaces
Client software is modified by a translator to use unique variant of linguistic interface of a service. An interceptor pre-processes subsequent client service requests from translated unique linguistic interface to standard linguistic interface implemented by service. Usage of linguistic interfaces of service is contained, rendering service incapable of executing arbitrary input, even if such input is crafted specifically for the service interface.
US08549545B2 Abstraction of computer disk image cloning capabilities from bootable media
A computer system and computer program product for implementing a method for configuring an improved computing system containing a first computing device. The method includes: creating a logical layer and a physical layer within the first computing device; installing a software operating system (OS) in the logical layer of the first computing device; configuring a first basic input/output system (BIOS) based on installation in the physical layer of the first computing device; relocating all first hardware device drivers for the first hardware devices from an OS image in the logical layer to a first Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) in the physical layer of the first computing device; installing the first BIOS in the physical layer of the first computing device; and loading the first hardware device drivers from the first EEPROM into the first BIOS during a boot phase for the first computing device.
US08549544B1 System, method and computer program product for preventing the execution of unwanted code
A system, method and computer program product are provided for preventing the execution of unwanted code. In use, it is determined whether an object is associated with a class having diamond inheritance. If it is determined that the object is associated with a class having diamond inheritance, an exploit of the object is prevented.
US08549543B2 Virtualize, checkpoint, and restart POSIX IPC objects during checkpointing and restarting of a software partition
A WPAR is migrated. Responsive to starting a checkpoint process, data and control information is collected and stored for IPC objects in the WPAR. Responsive to receiving a request to restart the WPAR, a type of IPC object is determined. Responsive to a determination that the IPC object is not an IPC shared memory object, a kernel handle that a process wants to be used for a new IPC object is registered. A request to create a new IPC object comprising a name uniquely associated with the IPC object and a WPAR identifier is issued. An entry that matches the name and WPAR identifier is identified and a virtual kernel handle is retrieved. The new IPC object is created. The virtual kernel handle is mapped to a real kernel handle and returned to the process. Data and control information is retrieved and overlaid onto the new IPC object.
US08549539B2 Programmatic modification of a message flow during runtime
A message flow within a message broker can be identified. The message flow can include nodes and connections. The nodes can include a reflective node, a pre-defined node and a user-defined node. The message broker can be an intermediary computer program code able to translate a message from a first formal messaging protocol to a second formal messaging protocol. The code can be stored within a computer readable medium. The reflective node within the message flow can be selected. The reflective node can be associated with an external resource which can be an executable code. The external resource can be executed which can result in the modifying of the structure of the message flow. The modification can occur during runtime. The modification can include node and/or connection adding, altering, and deleting.
US08549534B2 Managing assignment of partition services to virtual input/output adapters
Automated management of partition service assignment to a virtual input/output (VIO) adapter is provided. Responsive to creation of a new partition service in a data processing system, a partition priority number is determined for the new partition service, and, for each VIO adapter, the partition priority numbers of the partition services currently assigned to that VIO adapter are summed. For a VIO adapter with a lowest sum of partition priority numbers, logic determines whether assigning the new partition service to that VIO adapter results in its summed partition priority number being above a predefined threshold, and the new partition service is assigned to a VIO adapter based, at least in part, on whether assigning the new partition service to the VIO adapter with the lowest sum of partition priority numbers results in that VIO adapter's summed partition priority number exceeding the predefined threshold.
US08549533B2 Ranking service units to provide and protect highly available services using N+M redundancy models
Among other things, embodiments described herein enable systems, e.g., Availability Management Forum (AMF) systems, having service units to operate with balanced loads both before and after the failure of one of the service units. A method for balancing standby workload assignments and active workload assignments for a group of service units in a system which employs an N+M redundancy model, wherein N service units are active service units and M service units are standby service units is described. An active workload that the N active service units need to handle is calculated and each of the N active service units in the group is provided with an active workload assignment based on the calculated active workload. Standby workload assignments are distributed among the M standby service units substantially equally.
US08549529B1 System and method for executing multiple functions execution by generating multiple execution graphs using determined available resources, selecting one of the multiple execution graphs based on estimated cost and compiling the selected execution graph
Various embodiments herein provide one or more systems, methods, software, and data structures for executing multiple functions using more than one resource within a computing system. Examples of functions comprise data processing filters and effects. Resources include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) and a graphics processing unit (GPU). Based on an input graph received from a user, one or more execution graphs may be generated to indicate the resources to be used and data conversions to be performed.
US08549527B2 Work plan prioritization for application development and maintenance using pooled resources in a factory
A computer implemented method, system and/or computer program product schedule execution of work requests through work plan prioritization. One or more work packets are mapped to and assigned to each work request from a group of work requests. A complexity level is derived for and assigned to each work packet, and priority levels of various work requests are determined for each entity from a group of entities. A global priority for the group of work requests is then determined. The global priority and the complexity levels combine to create a priority function, which is used to schedule execution of the work requests.
US08549522B1 Automated testing environment framework for testing data storage systems
Technologies for an automated testing environment (ATE) framework can support the creation and execution of various automated tests on data storage systems. The ATE framework can support various configurations of multiple client systems exercising multiple storage target systems. A connectionless communication model can be supported among elements within the ATE. Complex tests can be subdivided into smaller jobs that can be executed sequentially, in parallel, or any combination thereof. Sophisticated scheduling mechanisms can include dependency relationships that can require one job to finish before another job begins. Multiple storage targets and multiple initiators can be involved in various configurations and combinations for specific testing tasks. The ATE framework can support extensibility, test tracking, reporting of test results, and fault injection.
US08549520B2 Distributed task handling
Various embodiments described herein provide systems, methods, software, and data structures that may be used in distributed task handling. Some embodiments include a generic architecture for loosely coupled associations of globally managed tasks and artifacts within user defined task descriptions. As a result, such embodiments provide a flexible and adaptable task model.
US08549519B2 Method and apparatus to improve efficiency in the use of resources in data center
A method of managing use of resources in data center comprises: determining whether first storage subsystem includes a virtual volume or a storage pool that uses a physical volume of second storage subsystem and, if yes, migrating the physical volume to first storage subsystem; determining whether any storage subsystem includes a virtual volume created directly from a physical volume and, if yes, migrating the virtual volume to another virtual volume provisioned from the storage pool of the storage subsystem; and determining whether all virtual volumes satisfy a preset service level objective and, if no, then selecting a virtual machine which has a smallest virtual machine disk file and selecting a storage pool having a largest free space, and then selecting a virtual volume of the storage subsystem which has the selected storage pool and migrating the virtual machine disk file of the selected virtual machine to the selected virtual volume.
US08549518B1 Method and system for implementing a maintenanece service for managing I/O and storage for virtualization environment
Disclosed is an approach for overseeing the overall state of a virtual storage system, and for taking actions as necessary to manage the health and efficient performance of that system. A curator entity is provided on a distributed basis to manage and perform these functions. A master curator manages this workload that is performed by multiple slave curators. MapReduce operations are performed to implement the curator workload. Periodically, the master curator coordinates a full scan of all the metadata in the system using three MapReduce operations. Partial scans may also be run using a single MapReduce operation.
US08549515B2 System and method for collaborative hosting of applications, virtual machines, and data objects
To provide collaborative hosting of applications, the present invention first generates a virtual operating system image consisting of operating system code, application code, runtime code and supporting data repositories. The virtual operating system image may then be sent to and deploying on a physical computer or computer terminal at another location.
US08549514B2 Distributing customized software products
A solution for distributing software products in a data processing system is disclosed. A set of models of each software product is to be distributed (for example, of the UML type) is provided; each model includes an indication of relationships among a plurality of available logical items (representing functions provided by the software product, such as use cases) and a plurality of available distribution artifacts (used to distribute the software product). A set of logical items is then selected among the available ones. The process continues by identifying a set of distribution artifacts required to implement the selected logical items (among the available distribution artifacts); the required distribution artifacts are identified according to the corresponding relationships in the models. A software package is built including the required distribution artifacts. The software package is then distributed to a set of data processing entities of the system (i.e., endpoints), so as to cause each entity to install the required distribution artifacts on the entity.
US08549513B2 Model-based virtual system provisioning
Model-based virtual system provisioning includes accessing a model of a workload to be installed on a virtual machine of a system as well as a model of the system. A workload refers to some computing that is to be performed, and includes an application to be executed to perform the computing, and optionally includes the operating system on which the application is to be installed. The workload model identifies a source of the application and operating system of the workload, as well as constraints of the workload, such as resources and/or other capabilities that the virtual machine(s) on which the workload is to be installed must have. An installation specification for the application is also generated, the installation specification being derived at least in part from the model of the workload and the model of the virtual system.
US08549512B1 Self-service terminal firmware visibility
A server that remotely monitors an Automated Teller Machine (“ATM”) is provided. The server includes a memory module for maintaining information including identification of software applications resident on the self-service device, identification of firmware applications resident on the self-service device, and identification of the hardware resident on the self-service device. The server also includes a communications module for receiving updates of the identification of software applications resident on the self-service device, updates of the identification of firmware applications resident on the self-service device, and updates of identification of the hardware resident on the self-service device. The server may also include a processing module for storing in the memory module the updates of the identification of software applications resident on the self-service device, the updates of identification of firmware applications resident on the self-service device, and the updates of identification of the hardware resident on the self-service device.
US08549511B2 Information processing apparatus, executability determining method, and computer program for the same
An information processing apparatus is described which includes a list fetching section for fetching, from outside, a list of disabled contents information indicating disabling execution of an application program, when the contents data is subjected to a contents data reproducing/copying process for at least reproducing or copying the contents data. When it is determined that a type and/or a version of the application program identified by referring to the starting file corresponds to a type and/or a version of any disabled application program described in the list of disabled contents information, the starting file is not distributed to the application program.
US08549509B2 Modifying an information technology architecture framework
A computer-based analysis of an enterprise computer system is utilized to identify pain points that cause the enterprise computer system to operate in a non-optimal or risky manner. Upon identifying the pain points, the enterprise computer system is simulated, and simulations of replacement components that the computer-based analysis has deemed appropriate for curing the pain points are installed in the simulated system. If the computer simulation with the replacement components cures the pain points and causes no new problems for the enterprise computer system, then corresponding actual replacement components are installed in the enterprise computer system.
US08549506B2 Resumable methods
APIs are provided, that are external to a programming language but that provide functionality that can be plugged into a language compiler. The provided APIs tailor functionality associated with asynchronous programming, iterators or writing symmetric co-routines using a generalized pattern-based approach. Several types of resumable methods are provided in the APIs which can be applied to method bodies written in traditional program code. Syntactically distinguishable control points in method bodies written in traditional program code invoke transformation of the code by the compiler using the external APIs. The transformed code enables the pausing and resumption of the code sandwiched between control points in the transformed code. The source code contained within a method having control points in it is transformed so that code within the method can be executed in discrete parts, each part starting and ending at a control point in the transformed code.
US08549505B2 Profiling method, system, and recording medium having a profiling program
A profiling method executed by a computer and system including generating a source code by adding a call instruction for a profile acquisition function to a source program of an application, generating an execution form of a profiling target program by linking a library of profile acquisition functions to the source code, executing the profiling target program in an operating system of a target system, calling a profile acquisition driver by executing the call instruction of the profile acquisition function via the library of the profile acquisition functions, and acquiring sampling information on an execution status of the profiling target program based on an interrupt occurrence by the profile acquisition driver.
US08549504B2 Apparatus, method, and system for providing a decision mechanism for conditional commits in an atomic region
An apparatus and method is described herein for conditionally committing and/or speculative checkpointing transactions, which potentially results in dynamic resizing of transactions. During dynamic optimization of binary code, transactions are inserted to provide memory ordering safeguards, which enables a dynamic optimizer to more aggressively optimize code. And the conditional commit enables efficient execution of the dynamic optimization code, while attempting to prevent transactions from running out of hardware resources. While the speculative checkpoints enable quick and efficient recovery upon abort of a transaction. Processor hardware is adapted to support dynamic resizing of the transactions, such as including decoders that recognize a conditional commit instruction, a speculative checkpoint instruction, or both. And processor hardware is further adapted to perform operations to support conditional commit or speculative checkpointing in response to decoding such instructions.
US08549500B2 Saving and loading graphical processing unit (GPU) arrays providing high computational capabilities in a computing environment
A device receives, via a technical computing environment, a program that includes a parallel construct and a command to be executed by graphical processing units, and analyzes the program. The device also creates, based on the parallel construct and the analysis, one or more instances of the command to be executed in parallel by the graphical processing units, and transforms, via the technical computing environment, the one or more command instances into one or more command instances that are executable by the graphical processing units. The device further allocates the one or more transformed command instances to the graphical processing units for parallel execution, and receives, from the graphical processing units, one or more results associated with parallel execution of the one or more transformed command instances by the graphical processing units.
US08549499B1 Parallel programming using possible parallel regions and its language profiling compiler, run-time system and debugging support
A method of dynamic parallelization for programs in systems having at least two processors includes examining computer code of a program to be performed by the system, determining a largest possible parallel region in the computer code, classifying data to be used by the program based on a usage pattern and initiating multiple, concurrent processes to perform the program. The multiple, concurrent processes ensure a baseline performance that is at least as efficient as a sequential performance of the computer code.
US08549494B2 Techniques for parsing electronic files
Techniques for parsing electronic files are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for parsing electronic files comprising an input module operable to read one or more electronic files, a syntax element store, associated with one or more syntax elements, a mutation module operable to mutate one or more of the one or more syntax elements and parse the one or more electronic files read from the input module, and an output module operable to create one or more normalized electronic files from the one or more parsed electronic files.
US08549488B2 Validating a variable data item in a software routine
An apparatus for validating a value of a variable data item in a software routine in execution includes a profile set generator that generates a profile set of typical values of the variable data item, a profile rule generator that generates a profile rule representing the profile set, and a profile checker that determines if a value of the variable data item satisfies the profile rule.
US08549486B2 Active property checking
An exemplary method includes providing software for testing; during execution of the software, performing a symbolic execution of the software to produce path constraints; injecting issue constraints into the software where each issue constraint comprises a coded formula; solving the constraints using a constraint solver; based at least in part on the solving, generating input for testing the software; and testing the software using the generated input to check for violations of the injected issue constraints. Such a method can actively check properties of the software. Checking can be performed on a path for a given input using a constraint solver where, if the check fails for the given input, the constraint solver can also generate an alternative input for further testing of the software. Various exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are disclosed.
US08549484B2 Configuration information verification apparatus and configuration information verification method
A configuration information verification apparatus includes an alive monitoring information collecting unit for collecting alive monitoring information from a plurality of configuration items constituting a network, a logical formula creating unit for referring to configuration information that represents information about connection relationships between the configuration items and creating a logical formula with respect to each configuration item by performing an AND operation on configuration items positioned on a route leading to corresponding configuration item, and assigning a “true” value to the logical formula if the alive monitoring information indicates that the corresponding configuration item is operating normally and assigning a “false” to the logical formula if the alive monitoring information indicates that the corresponding configuration item is not operating normally; and a logical formula verifying unit for verifying, from a plurality of logical formulae, whether an inconsistent logical formula is present.
US08549483B1 Engine for scalable software testing
Embodiments of a system (such as a computer system), a method, and a computer-program product (e.g., software) for use with the computer system are described. These embodiments may be used to test software that includes instructions for a graphical user interface with objects that receive values in associated fields. In particular, during testing, the system identifies the objects and associated expected values in the software, tests the software based on the identified objects and the expected values, and generates a flow file which includes the testing operations and corresponding results. Moreover, during the testing, the system may generate a compliance document which includes the testing operations and the results. Additionally, the system compares differences between the flow file and a previous flow file (associated with previous testing), and presents differences to a quality-assurance analyst who evaluates whether or not the differences are consistent with design changes between the software and a previous version of the software.
US08549479B2 Test automation tool for domain registration systems
The present subject matter is directed to systems and methods for automating the testing of multi-function systems, such as naming registration systems and the like. A method of testing a registry, and the like, may include providing a command phrase including an add command and at least one function that includes an artificial attribute for a domain added by the add command. The command phrase may specify an operation, a protocol, and an object. The operation may include at least one of add, delete, or update domain. The protocol may include at least one of RRP and EPP. One or more parameters associated with the command phrase may be provided and may include an expected response code and/or a variable. One or more additional parameters that are associated with the command phrase may be determined and a database may be accessed to provide the one or more additional parameters. The command phrase, the one or more additional parameters, and/or the one or more additional parameters may be translated into an XML command and the XML command transmitted to the registry, or the like. A response from the registry may be evaluated to determine potential problems with database.
US08549477B2 Mapping usage patterns using code features
A usage pattern detector includes a determining module configured to determine that a monitored code feature of a software application has been executed on a first computer. The usage pattern detector also includes a recording module configured to record an indication that the monitored code feature has been used and an indication providing module configured to provide the indication that the monitored code feature has been used to a second computer.
US08549475B1 System and method for simplifying object-oriented programming
A method of improving an object-oriented programming environment by creating objects that automatically test themselves to determine if the object is being used properly. Each programming object in a library of programming objects includes an initialization routine for testing the programming object. If the initialization routine detects an programmer errors in the use of the programming object, the initialization routine will display a message describing the detected error.
US08549473B2 Configuration management system for software product line development environment
A system that includes: a configuration management system configured to receive resource updates submitted by developers of a product line; an update monitor configured, in manual monitoring, to mark each submitted resource update with respective variability data specified as relevant to the update submission, by the developer; and a tracer configured, in automatic monitoring, to trace portions of the updated resource into respective features or products of the product line, to determine variability data relevant to the update submission, wherein when an update request is initiated by the developer, the configuration management system is configured to associate the submitted resource updates with the update request based on common variability data, to provide resource updates on demand, based on variability data, wherein in automatic update, the configuration management system is configured to notify developers on resource updates, based on variability data common to the updated resource and the notified developers.
US08549471B2 Method and apparatus for providing API service and making API mash-up, and computer readable recording medium thereof
The present invention provides an open application program interface (API) service. A method of providing the API service includes generating meta-data for executing an API, generating resource data for generating a mash-up of the API, generating description data corresponding to the API, the meta-data, and the resource data, and generating an API package comprising the API, the meta-data, the resource data, and the description data. Accordingly, mash-up contents can be easily generated from various types of APIs.
US08549470B2 Multi-threaded subgraph execution control in a graphical modeling environment
Exemplary embodiments support multi-threaded subgraph execution control within a graphical modeling or graphical programming environment. In an embodiment, a subgraph may be identified as a subset of blocks within a graphical model, or graphical program, or both. A subgraph initiator may explicitly execute the subgraph while maintaining data dependencies within the subgraph. Explicit signatures may be defined for the subgraph initiator and the subgraph either graphically or textually. Execution control may be branched wherein the data dependencies within the subgraph are maintained. Execution control may be joined together wherein the data dependencies within the subgraph are maintained. Exemplary embodiments may allow subgraphs to execute on different threads within a graphical modeling or programming environment.
US08549466B2 Tiered register allocation
A method of register allocation in complier using a computer instruction set having tiered instructions that accesses differing numbers of registers makes a first preliminary register allocation attempt using an initially specified register set for each instruction. If this fails, the method identifies instructions having an initially specified limited register having a variable not register allocatable. The method makes a second preliminary register allocation attempt except using a less restrictive register set for the identified instructions. This method employs a next less restrictive register set and re-attempts preliminary register allocations for instructions with more than two levels of register restriction.
US08549462B2 Thermal coupling determination and representation
Thermal coupling effects are represented as current into a thermal node of an initial design structure. The current is determined using a thermal coupling coefficient, and thermal resistance and thermal capacitance of a self-heating network of the initial design structure. By using another design structure with devices substantially identical to those of the initial design structure at known locations, operating a device as a heater while operating another device as a heat sensor, and measuring thermal response of the heater and the heat sensor, a thermal coupling coefficient may be determined.
US08549461B2 Generation of independent logical and physical hierarchy
A logically hierarchical netlist may be split along physical partition boundaries while retaining information on the logical hierarchy. Nets can be driven to higher levels of hierarchy in order to maintain connectivity and enable the original logical function. A mapping of nets can be created. During the design process merging of physical partitions may result in a new logically hierarchical netlist which retains the hierarchy of the original logically hierarchical netlist. The lowest common hierarchical ancestor (LCA) is identified and then the appropriate cells and nets are included during the merging process.
US08549452B2 Method for supporting multiple libraries characterized at different process, voltage and temperature points
A method for accurately performing a timing, power, and noise analysis by pre-processing the characterization points of the available libraries, storing time consuming parts of the analysis and utilizing the pre-processed information during active runs to calculate the attributes at a desired PVT point. The PVT space is preferably sub-divided into triangular or rectangular regions, preferably obtained using Delaunay triangulation. In one embodiment, the invention performs an up-front pre-processing step on the characterized libraries to compute the static portion of the interpolation function that is independent of the specific instance; and a coefficient matrix that allows for interpolation of specific instances.
US08549451B2 Verification apparatus
A design verification apparatus for a semiconductor device includes: a storage for storing layout information of the semiconductor device, the layout information including information of interconnection regions and a via regions; and a controller for dividing the interconnection regions into wire regions and cross regions, the cross regions corresponding to the via regions, respectively, the wire regions extending between the cross regions, respectively, and extracting at least one of the wire regions as a candidate having a potential risk of future disconnection defect on the basis of the length of the wire regions.
US08549448B2 Delay optimization during circuit design at layout level
Aspect of the technology are a method of designing a circuit layout and corresponding computer systems and nontransitory computer media. The circuit layout is for use in forming a lithographic mask set for use in fabricating an integrated circuit. In the method the computer system divides a synthesized circuit design into cell partitions along critical paths of the synthesized circuit design. The computer system associates pins of the plurality of cell partitions with normalized pin timing values. The normalized pin timing values store magnitude differences between a reference timing slack and timing slacks of the plurality of pins. After optimizing the synthesized circuit design, the computer system repeats the method, and then the computer system determines whether to further optimize the plurality of cell partitions by comparing: (i) the pre-optimization normalized pin timing values of the plurality of cell partitions with (ii) the post-optimization normalized pin timing values of the plurality of cell partitions.
US08549447B2 Integrated circuits with multiple I/O regions
Methods and/or associated devices and/or systems for creating integrated circuits (IC's) that have multiple connected I/O regions that can be designed and implemented using commonly available standard I/O libraries in conjunction with standard IC design flows and tools and in combination with one or more novel standardized I/O region interconnect cells for interconnecting between or through otherwise separated I/O regions. Specific embodiments support a wide variety of IC's that can be developed using standard libraries and design flows including: application specific integrated circuits (ASIC's), programmable logic devices (PLDs), custom IC's, analog IC's, CPU's, GPU's, and other IC's that require large numbers of input/ouput (IO) circuits while having relatively small core circuitry areas. Specific embodiments may involve innovative I/O cell functions, innovative IC topologies, and innovative IC packaging solutions for single die packages and multiple die packages.
US08549444B2 Controlling impedance and thickness variations for multilayer electronic structures
Impedance control, and the uniformity of electrical and mechanical characteristics in electronic packaging are becoming more important as chip and bus speeds increase and manufacturing processes evolve. Current state of the art design and manufacture processes inherently introduce physical dielectric thickness variations into multilayer cross sections. These thickness variations between the ground reference plane(s) and the signal layer(s) inject undesirable characteristic impedance variations and undesirable mechanical variations in thickness and surface topology. Therefore a multilayer structure and a method of manufacture are presented.
US08549443B2 Zeroclick
A GUI interface, a method of programming a GUI interface, and an apparatus which enables functions of controls in the GUI to be activated by a movement to a control and then another subsequent movement related to that control. It may be defined more precisely below. A GUI in which, when a pointer 0 is immediately adjacent or passes over a control area 1, a procedure is initiated whereby subsequent movement of the pointer over a predetermined path area 3 generates a ‘click’ event which simulates direct clicking of the control 1 and moving outside the predetermined path area 3 prior to completion of the path 3 resets the control to as if the pointer has never started along the predetermined path area 3.
US08549442B2 Voice and video control of interactive electronically simulated environment
A method of moving objects in a graphical user interface, includes obtaining a video image of a user of the interface; displaying the video image on a display such that the video image is superposed with one or more objects displayed on the display; and moving one or more objects displayed on the display based on recognition of motions of the video image of the user. Recognition of motions of the video image may include recognition of motions of an image of the user's hand.
US08549441B2 Presenting and navigating content having varying properties
Technologies are described herein for presenting and navigating content having varying properties. One or more local or networked providers are searched for content objects. Content objects include associated metadata and may be stored within a content container. Each content object is displayed separately from its associated content container. Displayed content objects may be grouped and filtered based upon the associated metadata. Displayed content objects may also be grouped and filtered based upon the provider from which they were retrieved. Selection of a content object causes the content container associated with the selected content object to be displayed. Alternately, selection of a content object may cause a preview of the selected content object and the metadata associated with the selected content object to be displayed.
US08549439B2 Viewport overlays to expose alternate data representations
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to display (using a 3D graphics application) an overlayed window containing an alternate data representation in a three-dimensional system. A first 3D view of a real world scene (that includes a first set of data layers) is displayed on a display device. The user selects a set of entities that together define an alternate representation of the first 3D view. The alternate representation is a second set of data layers that is different than the first set of data layers. An overlayed window is displayed on top of the first 3D view and displays the alternate representation.
US08549435B1 Displaying thumbnails for one or more files to be imported
A piece of data is selected from a collection of one or more pieces of data to be inserted. A thumbnail is generated that includes at least some content associated with the selected piece of data. The thumbnail is displayed in place of or with a cursor, where the cursor is associated with specifying an insertion location in a document.
US08549434B2 Method for graphical representation of a content collection
A method use on a computer having a graphical operating environment is provided for displaying the content items of a container. The method includes enumerating the items that exist within the container or folder and determining whether a graphical preview can be generated for the item. If so, the item is added to a list of candidates as preview items for the container or folder. The items are then evaluated, and a desired number are chosen for display based upon a sort criteria. Prior to being displayed, the graphical preview for each item is sized and is located on the background image. The above method results in a container having graphical or pictorial indicia of the container contents on the outside thereof. These indicia allow a computer user to more readily determine the contents of the container or folder without having to open the container or folder.
US08549432B2 Radial menus
Some embodiments of the invention provide several novel techniques for manipulating radial menus in graphical user interfaces of an application. In some embodiments, radial menus include multiple selectable items arranged about an internal location (e.g., a center of the radial menu). The novel radial menu techniques of some embodiments include (i) non-uniform spacing of menu items, (ii) the use of shading or highlighting within a region associated with an item to indicate the present selectability of the item, and (iii) the use of radial gestures for opening sub-menus and the subsequent display of the sub-menu.
US08549428B2 Portable IR thermometer having graphical user display and interface
A portable noncontact thermometer comprising a hand-held housing defining an aperture for ingress of incident thermal energy from a target location. A thermometer module includes a noncontact thermal energy detector impinged by the incident thermal energy. The thermometer module further includes a microcontroller operative to interpret electrical signals derived from an output of the noncontact thermal energy detector so as to determine temperature at the target location. A graphical display device, such as an LCD dot matrix display device, is fixed with respect to the housing. The display device is capable of providing a graphical user interface having multiple screens variously showing numbers, text and functional icons. Preferably, the screens will display function tabs located adjacent to corresponding buttons on the housing. The tabs will change depending on the varying function that may be implemented by pressing a respective button. The thermometer also includes circuitry, which include the microcontroller, in electrical communication with the graphical display device so as to produce the graphical user interface.
US08549427B2 Article producing terminal apparatus, article producing method and program
An article producing terminal apparatus communicatable with an external apparatus holding article-producing job data including image data, production information for producing an article using the image data and terminal designation information is disclosed. The apparatus includes: a communication unit communicating with the external apparatus; an article producing unit producing an article using the image data; a job acquiring unit acquiring that article-producing job data in the article-producing job data held in the external apparatus which designates the local article producing terminal apparatus with the terminal designation information by causing the communication unit to communicate with the external apparatus; and a job execution control unit causing the article producing unit to execute article production based on the image data and the production information in the article-producing job data acquired by the job acquiring unit.
US08549423B2 Linking and managing mathematical objects
A method for creating a second mathematical object based on a first mathematical object in a computing apparatus having a graphical user interface includes selecting a first mathematical object in response to an instruction received from a user; creating a second mathematical object using data of said first mathematical object; linking said first mathematical object to said second mathematical object; and creating a visual link between said first mathematical object and said second mathematical object.
US08549421B2 Apparatus and method for managing content
A content management apparatus displays, on a display unit, a first display object representing a content item, at least one area for including the first display object, and a second display object used for setting a condition regarding movement of the first display object into the area or from the area. When the first display object is moved into the area, the first object is contained in the area and, when the second display object is moved into the area, a condition regarding movement of the first display object into the area or from the area displayed on the display unit is set.
US08549420B1 Method and apparatus for displaying a graphical object within a grid of a graphical user interface
A method and apparatus for displaying a graphical object in a grid located within in a graphical user interface (GUI) environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method for displaying a graphical object in a grid located in a GUI environment comprises positioning the graphical object in a cell of the grid, where a dimension of the graphical object is larger than a corresponding dimension of the cell, and repositioning the graphical object depending upon a position of a pointer of the GUI environment within the cell along the corresponding dimension.
US08549417B2 System, method and computer program product for editing an on-demand database service graphical user interface
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for editing an on-demand database service graphical user interface. These mechanisms and methods for editing an on-demand database service graphical user interface can enable embodiments to edit desired portions of the interface, in a more flexible manner. The ability of embodiments to provide such additional flexibility may lead to more efficient and effective interface editing.
US08549415B2 Automatically adjusting media display in a personal display system
A personal display system with which a user may adjust the configuration of displayed media is provided. The personal display system may include an electronic device operative to provide media to a personal display device operative to display the received media. Using one or more optical and digital components, the personal display device may adjust displayed media to overlay features of a theater, thus giving the user of the personal display device the impression of being in the theater. In some embodiments, the personal display device may detect the user's movements using one or more sensors and may adjust the displayed image based on the user's movements. For example, the device may detect a user's head movement and cause the portion of media displayed to reflect the head movement.
US08549409B2 Customizable web application navigation
A method for customizing display preferences for a web application. Ease of interaction with web content may be improved by customizing display preferences that affect the way content is rendered by a server and provided to a user. Elements of menus for navigation among web pages for various functions, for example, may be added, removed, reordered, renamed, rearranged in a hierarchy, hidden, or shown to help users tailor the functions to their needs and thus better aid them in using the web pages.
US08549406B2 Management system and method for wireless communication network and associated graphic user interface
A management system and method for a wireless communication network and an associated interface is provided. The management system provides a structure of data layers and a visualization design to upgrade the efficiency of network management. The management system includes a data generation module and a display module. The data module generates a plurality of data layers, which comprise at least a map layer, a network configuration layer, and an operation index layer. The network configuration layer comprises a configuration of the wireless communication network on the map layer. The operation index layer includes statistic values of an operation index of the wireless communication network under the configuration. The display module performs an overlap display of a plurality of selected layers from the data layers to show operation status of the wireless communication network.
US08549405B2 System and method for displaying a graphical representation of a network to identify nodes and node segments on the network that are not operating normally
A GUI, system, and method for displaying operating performance of a packet network may include displaying first graphical representations illustrative of network communications devices operating on a packet network, where the first graphical representations may be displayed in a first mode if respective network communications devices are operating normally to communicate data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content and in a second mode if respective network communications devices are not operating normally to communicate data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content. Second graphical representations illustrative of node segments connecting respective network communications devices may be displayed, where the second graphical representations may be displayed in a third mode if respective node segments are operating normally to communicate data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content and a fourth mode if respective node segments are not operating normally to communicate data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content.
US08549404B2 Auditioning tools for a media editing application
Some embodiments provide a media editing application. The application places several committed media clips in a composite display area to specify a description of a composite presentation. In response to receiving a request to create a new version for a first media clip placed at a particular location in the composite display area, the application creates an audition set at the particular location in the composite display area. The application creates a second media clip from the first media clip. The application adds the first and second media clips to the audition set. At least one of the first and second media clips is a candidate media clip that is insertable at the location in the composite display area but is not a media clip that has been committed for inclusion in the description of the composite presentation.
US08549401B1 Systems and methods for automatically generating computer-assistance videos
Computer-implemented methods, systems, and computer-readable media for automatically generating computer-assistance videos based on remote interactive-guidance sessions are disclosed. In one example, an exemplary method for performing such a task may comprise: 1) detecting initiation of a remote interactive-guidance session between a local computing device and a remote computing device, 2) recording the remote interactive-guidance session, 3) storing the recorded interactive-guidance session in a media file, and then 4) providing access to the media file.
US08549399B2 Identifying a selection of content in a structured document
For a document with content that has been structured into a set primitive areas, a novel method for performing contiguous selection of document content across different primitive areas in the document is disclosed. The method defines a contiguous section in the ordered list by identifying the first and last primitive elements of the contiguous selection. The first primitive element is identified as the primitive element that is closest in reading flow to a start selection point on the page, while the last primitive element is identified as the primitive element that is closest in reading flow to an end selection point on the page.
US08549397B2 Hierarchical bit stream markup compilation and rendering
Video content in an original markup language is processed and distributed for presentation such that the presentation preserves static and dynamic aspects of the video content in the original markup language. The video content in the original markup language may be processed into a binary format using a client-specific routine that is specific to a predetermined client. The distributed video content may be presented in a way that preserves the static and dynamic aspects of the video content in the original markup language.
US08549395B2 Method and system for transforming an integrated webpage
A method and system for transforming an integrated webpage into native text and image representations. A webpage containing an embedded object is loaded into a browser. A portable text representation of an image of the embedded object is captured by invoking the embedded object to rasterize itself. The portable text representation is then streamed to a web server and converted to a native image representation. A URL is generated for the native image representation and the embedded object on the integrated webpage is replaced with its native image representation.
US08549385B2 Soft decoding for quantizied channel
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with soft decoding for a quantized channel are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a soft decoder configured to decode a signal received from a quantized channel based, at least in part, on one or more log likelihood ratios (LLRs). The apparatus may also include a reliability memory configured to store one or more known LLRs, and a controller configured to repetitively and selectively provide the soft decoder with known LLRs chosen from the reliability memory, to control the soft decoder to decode the signal, and to selectively update the reliability memory upon determining that the soft decoder successfully decoded the signal.
US08549378B2 RAIM system using decoding of virtual ECC
Error correction and detection in a redundant memory system including a a computer implemented method that includes receiving data including error correction code (ECC) bits, the receiving from a plurality of channels, each channel comprising a plurality of memory devices at memory device locations. The method also includes computing syndromes of the data; receiving a channel identifier of one of the channels; and removing a contribution of data received on the channel from the computed syndromes, the removing resulting in channel adjusted syndromes. The channel adjusted syndromes are decoded resulting in channel adjusted memory device locations of failing memory devices, the channel adjusted memory device locations corresponding to memory device locations.
US08549377B1 Efficient decoders for LDPC codes
An LDPC decoder, applicable to LDPC codes including codes where check nodes within the same group are connected to a common bit node, successively processes groups of check nodes in a particular iteration, including updating bit nodes in that same iteration responsive to messages generated in response to processing a group of check nodes. Within an iteration, the LDPC decoder may also track the number of unresolved parity check equations, and cease iterating or output to an outer block decoder if that number reaches a local minima or standard minimum, falls below a predetermined threshold, or its rate of change falls below a predetermined threshold, indicating a lack of convergence or false convergence condition. The LDPC decoder may also provide a feedback assist to a demodulator. Also, a novel memory configuration may store messages generated by the decoder in the course of check node processing. The decoder may also employ a novel method for generating check node to bit node messages through a prescribed series of pair-wise computations.
US08549374B2 Dual Reed-Muller (RM) code segmentation for uplink control information (UCI)
A method for reporting uplink control information (UCI) on a user equipment (UE) is described. It is determined a number of bits in a sequence of bits for transmission is greater than 11 and less than or equal to 21. The sequence of bits for transmission is segmented into a first segment and a second segment using a floor function. The first segment is encoded using a first Reed-Muller encoder. The second segment is encoded using a second Reed-Muller encoder.
US08549373B2 Method and device for retransmission
Embodiments related to retransmission in a communication system are described and depicted. In one embodiment, a retransmission entity repeats a transmission of a data transfer unit by the device after a predetermined number of other transmitted data transfer units has been transmitted. The retransmission entity may also determine whether a measure for a time period since the first transmission of the data transfer unit by the device has exceeded a predetermined threshold and to provide a final transmission of the data transfer unit based on the determining that the measure for the time period has exceeded the predetermined threshold.
US08549372B2 ATPG and compression by using majority gates
A method to increase automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) effectiveness and compression identifies instances of “majority gates” and modifies test generation to exploit their behavior so that fewer care bit are needed. This method can increase test coverage and reduce CPU time as previously aborted faults are now tested. The majority gate enhanced ATPG requires no hardware support and can be applied to any ATPG system.
US08549371B1 Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes a test mode signal generation circuit configured to generate test mode signals which are selectively enabled, in response to a test enable signal which is enabled upon entry into a test mode; and a test mode signal output circuit configured to store the test mode signals in response to an input control signal and output the test mode signals in response to an output control signal, wherein the input control signal is enabled when a test write signal is generated according to a combination of commands, and the output control signal is a signal which is generated by delaying a test read signal a preset amount of time, where the test read signal is generated according to a combination of the commands.
US08549370B2 On-chip functional debugger and a method of providing on-chip functional debugging
An on-chip functional debugger includes one or more functional blocks each providing one or more functional outputs. A hierarchical selection tree is formed by one or more selectors having the output of one of the selectors as a final output and individual selector inputs coupled either to a functional output from the functional blocks or to an output of another selector. A selection signal coupled to the select input of each of the selectors to enable a selected one of its output. An output node coupled to the final output. A method of providing on-chip functional debugging is also provided. A desired functional output from one or more available functional outputs is selected and then the selected functional output is coupled to an output node.
US08549368B1 Memory built-in-self testing in multi-core integrated circuit
A multi-core integrated circuit includes first and second sets of processor cores and corresponding first and second test access ports (TAPs). The first and second TAPs are connected to corresponding first and second debug ports by way of corresponding first and second TAP controllers. The first and second sets of processor cores include first and second memory blocks and corresponding first and second built-in-self-testing (BIST) engines of different architectures. A control circuit configures the first and second TAP controllers and the connection between the first and second sets of processor cores and the first and second debug ports, for initiating the first and second BIST engines for testing the memory blocks using a predetermined test mode. A debug access module provides secure access to the first and second debug ports.
US08549367B1 Method and system for accelerating memory randomization
A method and system for randomizing memory in a functional verification test of a user design is disclosed. A random number is generated during the functional verification test. The data stored in the memory of the user design is stored. Encryption keys unique for each memory address of the memory are generated. Each encryption key for each memory address is a function of the random number and the memory address. Data in each memory address of the memory is encrypted with the encryption keys unique for each memory address. After exiting a low-power or power-off state, data in each memory address is read and decrypted using the same encryption keys. Data before and after the low-power or power-off state are compared to test memory loss.
US08549363B2 Reliability and performance of a system-on-a-chip by predictive wear-out based activation of functional components
A processor-implemented method for determining aging of a processing unit in a processor the method comprising: calculating an effective aging profile for the processing unit wherein the effective aging profile quantifies the effects of aging on the processing unit; combining the effective aging profile with process variation data, actual workload data and operating conditions data for the processing unit; and determining aging through an aging sensor of the processing unit using the effective aging profile, the process variation data, the actual workload data, architectural characteristics and redundancy data, and the operating conditions data for the processing unit.
US08549359B2 Method and system for identifying errors in code
A method for identifying errors in code is provided. The method may include rebuilding object dependencies from a heap dump, calculating memory usage of each object, identifying top consumers of memory by object class, analyzing how much memory each class consumes with respect to how much other classes consume, building a corpus of data that may be used in a progressive machine learning algorithm, and identifying suspect classes. Additionally, the suspect classes and the memory usage statistics of the suspect classes may then be used as an identifying signature of the associated out of memory error. The identifying signature of the associated out of memory error may then be used to compare with the signatures of other out of memory occurrences for identifying duplicate error occurrences.
US08549357B2 Computer-implemented methods and systems for testing online systems and content
Computer-implemented methods and systems are provided for scanning web sites and/or parsing web content, including for testing online opt-out systems and/or cookies used by online systems. In accordance with one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for testing an opt-out system associated with at least one advertising system that uses cookies. The method includes transmitting a first request to an opt-out system, wherein the first request corresponds to a first test for testing at least one of the opt-out system and an advertising system; receiving a first stream sent in response to the first request; determining a first outcome of the first test based on the first stream; and generating a report based on the first outcome.
US08549355B2 Method, system, and apparatus for providing alert synthesis in a data protection system
A method for diagnosing problems with protection of a data source and recovery of the same. The method includes diagnosing a copy of data located at the storage location and diagnosing a temporal version of the copy of data. Based on the diagnosis it is determined whether an error or a warning was detected. If either were detected a response is provided with a suggested solution.
US08549353B2 Batch processing error handling modes
A method and apparatus for programming a computer to execute a batch data processing procedure using a computing device having at least a processor, a memory, a display device and an input device. The memory stores a plurality of functions arranged to process individual data messages or batches of data messages. A function is selected from the plurality of functions and retrieved from the memory. A data flow diagram is arranged on the display, in response to developer input, to specify a process. The data flow diagram includes a function icon corresponding to the selected function, at least one data icon corresponding to a data object, and at least one link connecting the function icon to the data icon. The function is arranged to perform one of disassociating a batch of data messages into individual data messages and associating data messages into a batch of data messages.
US08549352B2 Integrated microprocessor system for safety-critical control systems including a main program and a monitoring program stored in a memory device
An integrated microprocessor system for safety-critical control systems, comprising at least two microprocessor system modules each comprising at least one processor core, a read/write memory and a memory protection unit, and a read-only memory which is jointly assigned to the processor cores of the microprocessor system modules. Each of the microprocessor system modules executes a main program and a monitoring program which may comprise a plurality of subprograms. If the memory protection unit detects unauthorized operations by one of the programs for accessing a separate address area (A, B) of another program, then the respective memory protection unit assigns a separate address area (A, B) of the read/write memory to the main program and to the monitoring program.
US08549351B2 Pessimistic data reading in a dispersed storage network
A method begins by a processing module receiving a data retrieval request and determining a read threshold number of dispersed storage (DS). The method continues with the processing module sending read request messages to DS units and receiving encoded data slices to produce received encoded data slices. The method continues with the processing module determining an incremental number of encoded data slices based on the number of received encoded data slices, determining an incremental number of DS units, and sending a read request message to each of the incremental number of DS units when the number of received encoded data slices compares unfavorably to a decode threshold number. The method continues with the processing module dispersed storage error decoding the received encoded data slices to produce data when the number of received encoded data slices compares favorably to the decode threshold number of encoded data slices.
US08549347B1 Techniques for network replication
In response to a request to duplicate a network, the network is duplicated. The duplicate network includes one or more virtual devices that correspond to one or more devices in the network being duplicated. The devices of the duplicate network are communicatively arranged in a manner consistent with a topology of the network being duplicated. Once the duplicate network is created, access to the duplicate network is provided.
US08549346B2 Router synchronization
Example systems and methods associated with router synchronization are described. One example method includes reducing a likelihood that a first network device will be favored over a peer device as a router. This likelihood may be increased after the first network device has received a threshold amount of routing information from the peer device. This may allow the first network device to begin performing non-routing related tasks after it starts up without causing interruption of data streams for which the first network device does not have current routing information.
US08549344B2 Method for reducing electromagnetic emissions in a multiple micro-controller device
A method for reducing electromagnetic emissions in an electronic device having a multiple micro-controllers includes identifying the number of micro-controllers installed in the electronic device. An operating frequency range of the electronic device is determined based on the operating frequency range of each micro-controller. A frequency spacing for each micro-controller within the operating frequency range of the electronic device is then calculated, and an operating frequency is assigned to each micro-controller. The operating frequency of each micro-controller is separated from the operating frequency of each other micro-controller by at least the frequency spacing. Then, the operating frequency of each micro-controller is set at the assigned operating frequency.
US08549343B2 Timing recovery apparatus and method thereof
A multimedia processing system for processing a program stream containing a program clock reference information. The system comprises a clock generator, a timer, a modifier, a processing unit, a parser and a compensator. The clock generator generates a clock signal. The timer receives the clock signal and generates a time information. The modifier incorporates a timing reference information into the program stream, wherein the timing reference information is provided according to the time information and the program clock reference information. The processing unit processes the program stream to generate a data stream incorporated with the timing reference information. The parser extracts the timing reference information from the data stream. And, the compensator generates a control signal according to the timing reference information. Wherein the clock generator receives the control signal and adjusts the clock signal.
US08549335B2 Secondary power utilization during peak power times
Systems and methods for selectively utilizing secondary power sources during peak power times are provided for. The method includes receiving a notification of a peak power time, and discontinuing use of a primary power supply and beginning use of a secondary power supply based upon the notification.
US08549329B2 System power management using memory throttle signal
According to some embodiments, power information associated with a computing system may be monitored. Based on the monitored power information, it may be determined whether a hardware memory throttling signal will be asserted and/or that a processor power control signal will be asserted.
US08549326B2 Method and system for extending encrypting file system
Users can share encrypted files without having access to other users' public key certificates, by specifying only the other users' identity information. A client agent interacts with a trusted service account to transparently add user encryption certificates to encrypted files after it was created. A header of each encrypted file includes signed encrypted data blocks, file system metadata, and a digital signature. When a user attempting to open an encrypted file is denied access, the client agent transmits the header data and the encryption certificate of the user to the trusted service account, with a request that the user encryption certificate be added to modify the encrypting file system metadata. After the trusted service account determines tampering has not occurred enroute and the user is authorized to access the file, the modified header data are returned to the client agent to enable the user to open the file.
US08549321B2 IC chip, board, information processing equipment and storage medium
An IC chip, a board, information processing equipment, and a storage medium are provided that can prevent, even when information is transferred between a plurality of programs, leaking of the right protection algorithm of information in connection with the transfer. A security board is included an IC chip having a secure module. The secure module receives an encryption key request signal, and generates a communication encryption key every time when the encryption key request signal is received, the communication encryption key being used to encrypt information to be transferred between a plurality of programs. The number of times the communication encryption key is supplied is counted. If the counted number is equal to or less than a predetermined number, the communication encryption key is supplied to outside. If the counted number exceeds the predetermined number, the supply of the generated communication encryption key to outside is stopped.
US08549319B2 Systems and algorithms for stateless biometric recognition
A system and algorithms to authenticate a person where a system only has some standard personal text data about the person, and cannot have a real biometric template obtained using an enrollment procedure. The authentication allows access to restricted resources by the person. This method is especially useful when it is used as an auxiliary authentication service with other methods such as password or Callback that dramatically lower the chances for an imposter.
US08549314B2 Password generation methods and systems
Password generation and extraction is described. In one aspect, a user inputs multiple characters, including a user password, variable characters, and multiple terminator characters. Locations of the terminator characters are identified and used to extract the user password from the multiple characters input by the user.
US08549311B2 Electronic device, password deletion method, and program
An electronic device that can automatically unlock an external storage device with a password without adding a function to the external storage device is provided. An electronic device 100B has memory card connection means 108 for connecting a memory card 200 that can be locked with a password, password holding means 101 for holding card unique ID and a password, card unique ID acquisition means 104 for acquiring connection identification information indicating the card unique ID of the memory card 20 connected to the memory card connection means 108, and password deletion means 109 for deleting connection identification information and the password corresponding to the connection identification information stored in the password holding means 101 if the connection identification information is contained in the password holding means 101.
US08549309B1 Asymmetric content fingerprinting with adaptive window sizing
Processes for fingerprinting a document file and for preventing information leakage are disclosed. Computer apparatus for implementing said processes are also disclosed. For fingerprinting a document, the document is provided and may be normalized. A sequence of hash values are generated for the document. A window size is adaptively determined depending upon the document. Fingerprints for the document are selected from amongst the hash values using the adaptively-sized window. The fingerprints for the document are added to a fingerprint set for content being protected by the information leakage prevention system. For information leakage prevention, suspect documents are processed at the deployment points by extracting fingerprints from the suspect documents and matching the extracted fingerprints against the fingerprints in the fingerprint set. Different fingerprint extraction methods are used at the server and the deployment points. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
US08549308B2 Data certification method and system
A data certification system and method for signing electronic data with a digital signature in which a central server comprises a signature server and an authentication server. The signature server securely stores the private cryptographic keys of a number of users. The user contacts the central server using a workstation through the secure tunnel which is set up for the purpose. The user supplies a password or other token based on information previously supplied to the user by the authentication server through a separate authentication channel. The authentication server provides the signature server with a derived version of the same information through a permanent secure tunnel between the servers, which is compared with the one supplied by the user. If they match, data received from the user is signed with the user's private key.
US08549306B2 Image managing method and image managing system
An image managing method includes dividing the original moving image into a header and a body and generating the group hash value of the header portion, generating the hash value of each item of still image data, connecting the group hash value of the header portion and the hash value of each item of still image data to generate connected hash values, generating a group of the connected hash values as a hash value list, generating the hash value of a Huffman table on the basis of cutting out one still image, and signing to generate signature information of the original moving image, using the group hash value of the header portion, the hash value of the Huffman table, and the hash list as verification data of the original moving image, by adding a digital signature of a video recording terminal to it.
US08549305B2 Steganographic method and device
An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding additional information into a stream of digitized samples in an integral manner. The information is encoded using special keys. The information is contained in the samples, not prepended or appended to the sample stream. The method makes it extremely difficult to find the information in the samples if the proper keys are not possessed by the decoder. The method does not cause a significant degradation to the sample stream. The method is used to establish ownership of copyrighted digital multimedia content and provide a disincentive to piracy of such material.
US08549303B2 Apparatus, system and method for electronically signing electronic transcripts
A method for electronically signing an electronic transcript. The method includes obtaining an image of a court reporter's signature which may be incorporated into an electronic transcript. A hash operation performed on the electronic transcript to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript. The representation of the contents of the electronic transcript is recorded/time stamped by a digital notary service, from which a notary record of the time stamping is obtained from the digital notary service. The notary record is digitally signed, and an electronically signed electronic transcript is formed by bundling the digitally signed notary record with the electronic transcript and with the data identifying the user. In this manner, an electronic transcript with an electronic signature is created. The electronic transcript may be viewed, with the image displayed in the viewer having an image of the court reporter's signature.
US08549301B2 Method and computer system for ensuring authenticity of an electronic transaction
At least one embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for ensuring authenticity of an electronic transaction performed during a transaction session. The method includes receiving, over a first network, a request from a user for the completion of an electronic transaction; receiving, over the first network, an authentication code from the user which has been provided to the user over a second network separated from the first network, thereby authenticating the user, completing the electronic transaction; and storing information associated with the electronic transaction and the transaction session. The method further includes generating a one-way hash value based on information comprised in the electronic transaction and information associated with the transaction session, and providing the one-way hash value to the user, wherein the one-way hash value is usable for ensuring the authenticity of the electronic transaction. The procedure enables authentication, integrity, non-repudiation, and time stamping in a cost efficient way. An enhanced security level can be achieved as the network used for providing the authentication code to the user is separate from the network where the user returns the authentication code. At least one embodiment of the present invention also relates to a corresponding computer system adapted for ensuring the authenticity of an electronic transaction.
US08549300B1 Virtual single sign-on for certificate-protected resources
In general, the invention is directed to techniques for enabling single sign-on (SSO) for a client seeking access to multiple resources protected by a certificate-based authentication scheme. For example, as described herein, a secure gateway comprises a certificate repository to store a digital certificate as well as a policy that includes one or more policy rules. A network interface of the secure gateway receives a message from a client device, wherein the message comprises a request to access a protected resource and an identifier for the requesting agent. The secure gateway also comprises a resource authentication module to map the identifier and the protected resource to the digital certificate based on the policy. The resource authentication module retrieves the digital certificate from the certificate repository and sends the digital certificate to the protected resource to authenticate the secure gateway to the protected resource.
US08549292B2 Authentication agent apparatus, authentication agent method, and authentication agent program storage medium
An authentication agent apparatus includes a communication request reception unit that receives a communication request to a client B of an authentication server from a client A of the authentication server, a data reception unit that receives data to be transmitted to the client B from the client A, an authentication request unit that issues to the authentication server an authentication request on the client A, a communication enabling request unit that requests the authentication server to enable communication between the client A and the client B, an enabling data acquisition unit that acquires enabling data to enable the communication with the client B from the authentication server, and a generation unit that generates transmission data to be transmitted to the client B on the basis of the enabling data and the data to be transmitted.
US08549291B2 Wireless network apparatus storing authentication information in multiple formats and areas and authentication method of the same
A wireless network apparatus including an authentication information storage unit to store first authentication information for network communication, an authentication information converting unit to generate second authentication information by converting the stored first authentication information according to an predetermined authentication method, a nonvolatile storage unit to store the generated second authentication information, and an authentication processing unit to conduct an authentication based on the second authentication information.
US08549289B2 Scope model for role-based access control administration
Architecture that provides centrally located role-based administration where role assignments that are used to calculate scopes for each operation and create a filtered request that only returns objects that the user is allowed to manage. No access checks are needed. The architecture addresses the proliferation of scope definitions by at least creating a set of relative scopes such as that can generically apply to multiple users at once. More specifically, self-relative scopes and absolute scopes are provided.
US08549286B2 Method and system for forwarding data between private networks
In the field of communications technology, a method and a system for forwarding data between private networks are provided, which can enable terminals in different private networks to securely communicate with each other by using private network addresses. The method includes the following steps. A Secure Socket Layer (SSL) tunnel to an SSL Virtual Private Network (VPN) device in another private network is established. Address allocation information of the another private network is received through the SSL tunnel. The address allocation information and a mapping relation between the address allocation information and a public network IP address of the SSL VPN device transmitting the address allocation information and a session ID of the SSL tunnel transmitting the address allocation information are saved. A data packet whose destination address belongs to the another private network is forwarded to the SSL VPN device of the private network to which the destination address belongs, according to the address allocation information and the mapping relation. Through the method, the SSL VPN device can resolve private network addresses of other private networks.
US08549283B2 System and method of transmitting/receiving security data
There are provided a security server for intermediating transmission/reception of security data between a service providing server and a user terminal, a security data transmission/reception system and a method. In order to intermediate the transmission/reception of security data between the service providing server and the user terminal, the security server may generate a session key corresponding to a secret key provided from a user terminal, receive security data together with the session key from a security data transmitter, encode the security data with the secret key corresponding to the session key, store the encoded security data, provide a data encryption key to the security data transmitter, decode the encoded security data with the secret key corresponding to the session key when the session key is received together with a security data request key from a security data receiver, and provide the decoded security data to the security data receiver.
US08549282B2 Method and system for monitoring encrypted data transmissions
A method for efficiently decrypting asymmetric SSL pre-master keys is divided into a key agent component that runs in user mode, and an SSL driver running in kernel mode. The key agent can take advantage of multiple threads for decoding keys in a multi-processor environment, while the SSL driver handles the task of symmetric decryption of the SSL encrypted data stream. The method is of advantage in applications such as firewalls with deep packet inspection in which all encrypted data traffic passing through the firewall must be decrypted for inspection.
US08549281B2 System and methods for enabling customer network control in third-party computing environments
The present invention relates to a system and methods for enabling a user control in third-party computing environments or cloud computing via a virtual private network created by a control module, which contains parameters defined by the user. The system and methods are used to create a fault tolerant virtual private network that allows user control over addressing, security encryption, routing, and the enablement of multicast protocols, regardless of the prohibition set by the third-party computing environment.
US08549276B2 Universal operating system to hardware platform interface for gaming machines
Gaming machines and systems having a universal interface layer linking a gaming platform to a hardware platform are disclosed. In particular, the universal interface layer is configured such that the gaming platform is hardware platform independent and such that the hardware platform is gaming platform independent. Platform independence can facilitate the interchangeability of one platform without a corresponding need to modify the other platform. The gaming platform can include various gaming modules and an operating system, while the universal interface layer can include firmware, various additional gaming modules, hardware specific drivers and various APIs to facilitate communication between the gaming platform and other universal interface layer components. A safe storage manager can be included to utilize a non-volatile storage component to store data regarding a gaming machine state, with the state being recoverable after a substantial interruption to the machine.
US08549274B2 Distributive cache accessing device and method for accelerating to boot remote diskless computers
A distributive cache accessing device for accelerating booting remote diskless computers mounted in a diskless computer equipped with WAN-bootable hardware, such as an iSCSI host bus adapter (HBA), allows to access data required to boot the diskless computers or run application programs thereon from an iSCSI target or other diskless computers having the distributive cache accessing device via a network. The retrieved iSCSI data blocks are temporarily stored in the local distributive cache accessing device. If any other diskless computer requests for the iSCSI data blocks, the temporarily stored iSCSI data blocks can be accessible to the diskless computer. Given installation of a large number of diskless computers, the network traffic of the iSCSI target is alleviated, and booting remote diskless computer is accelerated.
US08549270B2 Self-restoring on-board information system
This invention relates to an on-board information system, including a central processing unit; a first non-rewritable memory containing a boot program; a volatile memory; and a second non-rewritable memory containing an operating system as well as a set of executable files. The boot program is configured to load the operating system and at least a portion of the executable files into the volatile memory when the on-board information system is initialized.
US08549269B2 Method, apparatus or software for processing exceptions produced by an application program
A method, apparatus and software is disclosed in which original exceptions issued by an application program are encoded as substitute exceptions with associated metadata identifying the original exception so as to enable to enable a first application program receiving the exception but not arranged to process the original exception to process the substitute exception and to enable a second application program receiving the exception and arranged to process the original exception to extract and process that original exception.
US08549261B2 Parallel computing apparatus and parallel computing method
Computational unit area selecting units, each of which is provided in individual multiple cores, sequentially select uncomputed computational unit areas in a computational area. Computing units, each of which is provided in the individual multiple cores, perform computation for the selected computational unit areas. In addition, the computing units write computational results in a memory device which is accessible from each of the multiple cores. Computational result transmitting unit of the core performs computational result acquisition and transmission processing in a different time period with respect to each of multiple computational result transmission areas. The computational result acquisition processing is for acquiring, from the memory device, computational results related to the computational result transmission areas.
US08549253B2 Integrated storage virtualization and switch system
A system integrates an intelligent storage switch with a flexible virtualization system to enable the intelligent storage switch to provide efficient service of file and block protocol data access requests for information stored on the system. A storage operating system executing on a storage system coupled to the switch implements the virtualization system to provide a unified view of storage to clients by logically organizing the information as named files, directories and logical unit numbers. The virtualization system may be embodied as a file system having a write allocator configured to provide a flexible block numbering policy to the storage switch that addresses volume management capabilities, such as storage virtualization.
US08549251B1 Methods and apparatus for efficient modification of values within computing registers
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a register having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the register has multiple bits and the second portion of the register has multiple bits. Each bit from the multiple bits of the first portion of the register is associated with a bit from the multiple bits of the second portion of the register such that a bit from the multiple bits of the first portion of the register is set for its associated bit from the multiple bits of the second portion of the register to be written.
US08549245B2 De-duplication in a virtualized storage environment
A data de-duplication application de-duplicates redundant data in the pooled storage capacity of a virtualized storage environment. The virtualized storage environment includes a plurality of storage devices and a virtualization or abstraction layer that aggregates all or a portion of the storage capacity of each storage device into a single pool of storage capacity, all or portions of which can be allocated to one or more host systems. For each host system, the virtualization layer presents a representation of at least a portion of the pooled storage capacity wherein the corresponding host system can read and write data. The data de-duplication application identifies redundant data in the pooled storage capacity and replaces it with one or more pointers pointing to a single instance of the data. The de-duplication application can operate on fixed or variable size blocks of data and can de-duplicate data either post-process or in-line.
US08549244B2 Device and method of copying data between disks having equal or different rotational rates
A data copying device that copies data stored in a first data storage device to a second data storage device is disclosed. The data copying device includes a data reading unit that reads data that has an amount determined based on a number of a plurality of logical volumes included in the first data storage device storing the data to be copied and an amount of data to be transferred from each of the logical volumes, a storage unit that stores the data read by the data reading unit, and a data transfer unit that transfers the data stored in the storage unit to the second storage device.
US08549243B2 Regeneration of deleted data
To prevent loss of a data volume by unintended deletion, including various versions of the data volume, the data is preserved, and, when needed, is regenerated at a different volume address than that of the deleted volume. In a computer-implemented data storage system, a method responds to a received command to delete a volume of data identified by a volume address, preserving data of the volume prior to deletion, and generates a unique token associated with the volume and version of the volume as of the deletion. The unique token is communicated as associated with the received delete command. The method responds to a received command to regenerate the data of the deleted volume, generating a command to find the data identified by the unique token, and creating a new, different, volume address for the data of the preserved deleted volume, thereby keeping both volume versions.
US08549236B2 Storage subsystem with multiple non-volatile memory arrays to protect against data losses
A storage subsystem contains multiple non-volatile memory arrays that are accessible to a host system when the storage subsystem is connected thereto. The storage subsystem implements commands and/or modes for enabling the host system to create and use backup copies of files, such that the host system can recover when files become corrupted or otherwise lost. In one embodiment, the storage subsystem presents the non-volatile memory arrays to the host's operating system as distinct storage devices (e.g., ATA device 0 and 1), and implements special commands for copying data between these storage devices. The subsystem may alternatively present the memory arrays to the host operating system as a single storage device. The storage subsystem may have a standard form factor, such as a form factor commonly used for memory cards.
US08549234B2 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.
US08549232B2 Information processing device and cache memory control device
An information processor includes processing units each processes an out-of-order memory access and includes a cache memory, an instruction port that holds instructions for accessing data in the cache memory, a first determinator that validates a first flag when a request for invalidating cache data is received after a target data of a load instruction is transferred from the cache memory and a load instruction having a cache index identical to that of a target address of the received invalidating instruction exists, a second determinator that validates a second flag when the target data of the load instruction in the instruction port is transferred after a cache miss of the target data occurred, and a re-execution determinator that instructs to re-execute an instruction that follows the load instruction if the first and the second flags are valid when a load instruction in the instruction port has been completed.
US08549229B2 Systems and methods for managing an upload of files in a shared cache storage system
Systems and methods for managing a storage device are disclosed. Generally, in a host to which a storage device is operatively coupled, wherein the storage device includes a cache for storing one or more discardable files, a file is identified to be uploaded to an external location. A determination is made whether sufficient free space exists in the cache to pre-stage the file for upload to the external location and the file is stored in the cache upon determining that sufficient free space exists in the cache to pre-stage the file for upload to the external location, wherein pre-stating prepares a file for opportunistically uploading such file in accordance with an uploading policy.
US08549223B1 Systems and methods for reclaiming storage space on striped volumes
A computer-implemented method for reclaiming storage space on striped volumes may include: 1) identifying a volume striped across a set of storage devices, 2) identifying a reclamation request to reclaim storage space allocated to the striped volume and then, for at least one device in the set of storage devices, 3) identifying stripes of storage on the device that are covered by the reclamation request, 4) creating a consolidated reclamation request for the device that identifies each stripe of storage on the device that is covered by the reclamation request, and then 5) issuing the consolidated reclamation request to the device. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08549221B2 RAID management apparatus, RAID management method, and computer product
In a first management unit for a redundant array of independent disks (RAID management unit), a shared-class setting unit receives a shared-class setting command, for example, from a host computer. If the shared-class setting command includes information about the first RAID management unit and a second RAID management unit, a shared management-information creating unit creates shared management information, writes the created shared management information onto a first disk, notifies the second RAID management unit corresponding to a second disk about the shared management information, and gives an instruction to write the shared management information onto the second disk. The second RAID management unit then writes the notified shared management information onto the second disk.
US08549216B2 Memory management using packet segmenting and forwarding
Systems, devices and methods according to these exemplary embodiments provide for memory management techniques and systems for storing data. Data is segmented for storage in memory. According to one exemplary embodiment, each fragment is routed via a different memory bank and forwarded until they reach a destination memory bank wherein the fragments are reassembled for storage. According to another exemplary embodiment, data is segmented and stored serially in memory banks.
US08549207B2 Crossbar circuitry for applying an adaptive priority scheme and method of operation of such crossbar circuitry
Crossbar circuitry has an array of data input and output paths where the data output paths are transverse to the data input paths. At each intersection between a data input path and a data output path, a crossbar cell is provided which includes a configuration storage circuit programmable to store a routing value, a transmission circuit, and an arbitration circuit. In a transmission mode of operation, the transmission circuit is responsive to the routing value being a first value, indicating that the data input path should be coupled to the data output path, to detect the data input along the data input path, and to output an indication of that data on the data output path at the associated intersection. In an arbitration mode of operation, the arbitration circuitry is operable to selectively modify the voltage on said plurality of bit lines in order to apply an adaptive priority scheme.
US08549204B2 Method and apparatus for scheduling transactions in a multi-speed bus environment
Systems and methods schedule periodic and non-periodic transactions in a multi-speed bus environment that includes in a downstream hub a data forwarding component, such as a USB transaction translator, which accommodates communication speed shifts at the hub. The method may comprise receiving a split packet request defining a transaction with a device, tagging the request with an identifier allocated to the data forwarding component, storing the request in a transaction list associated with the identifier, initiating transfer of payload data, and updating a counter associated with the identifier to reflect an amount of payload data for which transfer was initiated. The identifier may have associated therewith a counter for tracking a number of bytes-in-progress to the data forwarding component and one or more transaction lists configured to store a plurality of split packet requests awaiting execution and state information regarding an execution status of the requests.
US08549201B2 Interrupt blocker
A method comprises maintaining, in a first electronic device, a list of one or more electronic devices associated with a user, receiving, in the first electronic device, a first command, in response to the first command, forwarding a command to block interrupts on one or more electronic devices on the list of electronic devices. Other embodiments may be described.
US08549199B2 Data processing apparatus and a method for setting priority levels for transactions
A data processing apparatus and method for setting priority levels for transactions is provided. The data processing apparatus has a shared resource for processing transactions, and at least one master device for issuing the transactions to the shared resource. The at least one master device provides a plurality of sources of the transactions, and each of the transactions has a priority level associated therewith. Arbitration circuitry is used to apply an arbitration policy to select a transaction from amongst multiple transactions issued to the shared resource, the arbitration policy using the priority level associated with each of the multiple transactions when performing the selection. Adaptive priority circuitry is associated with at least one of the sources, the adaptive priority circuitry monitoring throughput indication data for previously issued transactions from the associated source, and for each new transaction from the associated source, setting the priority level to one of a plurality of predetermined priority levels dependent on the throughput indication data. Through such a mechanism, the adaptive priority circuitry sets the lowest priority level from amongst the plurality of predetermined priority levels that will enable a specified target throughput to be achieved. The adaptive priority circuitry hence uses a feedback mechanism to control the priority level assigned to each new transaction from a source in order to target a specified throughput for the source, and through this mechanism finds the lowest priority necessary to achieve the throughput objectives independent of the activity of other sources within the system.
US08549197B2 Method and system for communicating displayport information
A system and method for communicating DisplayPort information is provided. The system includes: a local unit comprising a local controller operable to produce a request packet in response to a DisplayPort request received by the local unit from a DisplayPort source unit and to transmit the request packet to a remote unit of the system via a first simplex channel of a dual simplex communications link; and the remote unit comprising a remote controller operable to produce a reply packet in response to a DisplayPort reply received by the remote unit from a DisplayPort sink unit and to transmit the reply packet to the local unit via a second simplex channel of the communications link. The system allows distances between the source and sink greater than otherwise possible under the DisplayPort specification, and can communicate DisplayPort and non-DisplayPort signals via a variety of types of communications links.
US08549189B1 Flexible input/output translation system and method
The present invention is a flexible input/output translation system and method that facilitates conservation of chip pin resources while permitting flexible and dynamic changes to processor support operations on the fly. A present invention input/output translator includes a consolidated indication port, translation logic, a plurality of translated indication ports and an initialization port. The consolidated indication port receives a consolidated indication signal (e.g., indicating a desired voltage level) from a general purpose input/output port of a processor. The translation logic translates the consolidated indication signal into a plurality of translated indication signals. The plurality of translated indication ports communicate the plurality of translated indication signals. The initialization port receives an initialization signal. In one exemplary implementation, an synchronization port receives a synchronization signal that controls the operations of the translation logic and determines the timing of an output on the plurality of translated indication ports.
US08549187B1 System and method of MAC address assignment using IP addresses
A hypervisor is described herein that hosts a virtual machine (VM) having a virtual network interface controller (VNIC). The hypervisor is configured to construct a MAC address for the VNIC by combing a organizationally unique identifier (OUI) preconfigured for the hypervisor, the last two bytes of the IP address of the hypervisor, and a unique byte generated for the VNIC.
US08549183B2 PCI express enhancements and extensions
A method and apparatus for enhancing/extending a serial point-to-point interconnect architecture, such as Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) is herein described. Temporal and locality caching hints and prefetching hints are provided to improve system wide caching and prefetching. Message codes for atomic operations to arbitrate ownership between system devices/resources are included to allow efficient access/ownership of shared data. Loose transaction ordering provided for while maintaining corresponding transaction priority to memory locations to ensure data integrity and efficient memory access. Active power sub-states and setting thereof is included to allow for more efficient power management. And, caching of device local memory in a host address space, as well as caching of system memory in a device local memory address space is provided for to improve bandwidth and latency for memory accesses.
US08549181B2 Semiconductor memory device and method of operating the semiconductor memory device
A method of operating a semiconductor memory device includes receiving a timeout index signal corresponding to a master of the first master group based on a residual capacity of a data buffer of the first master, setting a first timeout value in response to the timeout index signal, and changing an execution order of commands stored in a queue of the semiconductor memory device based on a result of counting the first timeout value and counting a second timeout value corresponding to a master of the second master group.
US08549178B2 Using provider backbone bridged network to reduce the number of media access control addresses visible to core bridges in the data center
A system comprising a backbone core bridge (BCB) in a provider backbone bridged network (PBBN), and a backbone edge bridge (BEB) coupled to the BCB via a provider network port (PNP) and to a customer bridge in a customer bridged network via a C-tagged service interface, wherein the C-tagged service interface maps a service instance from the customer bridged network that is identified by a customer-virtual local area network identifier (C-VID) to a backbone service instance on the PBBN that is identified by a service instance identifier (I-SID).
US08549174B2 Routing method for network and sensing system
A routing method for a network is provided. The routing method includes the steps of a) selecting one of a plurality of basic nodes as a cluster head; b) broadcasting a first message by the cluster head; c) continuing to broadcast the first message by any of the plurality of basic nodes which receives the first message, until all the plurality of basic nodes receive the first message; and d) selecting a corresponding father node by each of the plurality of basic nodes based on an information associated with the first message.
US08549172B2 Distribution of software based on scheduled time to deploy software dynamic resource state of systems involved in deployment of software and based upon environmental conditions
A method, computer program product and network management server for distributing software. The network management server receives a request to deploy an application on a designated target client station at a designated scheduled time. The network management server determines whether to deploy the application on the designated target client station at the designated time based on the resource state of the systems involved in the deployment of the software (e.g., processor usage of the network management server, processor usage of the target client station) as well as the environmental conditions (e.g., bandwidth usage, time of day pricing for connectivity at scheduled time, work orders on the target client station). By taking into consideration the dynamic resource state of the systems involved in the deployment of the software as well as the environmental conditions, software may be deployed on the client stations by the network management server more effectively.
US08549165B2 Processing devices and methods for transmitting and receiving data
Processing devices and methods for transmitting and receiving data are provided. By performing multiple checks on the downloaded control data packets and the decompressed control data, the data status of each process can be known during the processes from the data packets downloading to decompression. And the correct processing can be performed, thus avoiding loading and running failure caused by incomplete data.
US08549164B2 Media transmission system and method
A media transmission system and method having a server for selecting a video frame having an image number nearest to play position information and a high compression ratio, and for transmitting the video frame to a user terminal when the user terminal transmits desired play position information to the server while media data streaming is being performed from the server to the user terminal, thereby moving to the scene desired by a user and playing the scene in a simple manner with the media transmission system comprising a user terminal for receiving, from a user, desired position information for the media data being streamed and played, receiving the video stream matched to the position information for playing the video stream; and a media server for searching for the video stream having a high compression ratio among the video streams nearest to the position information, and streaming the searched video stream to the user terminal when the position information is received from the user terminal after streaming media data to the user terminal.
US08549158B2 Method and system for conducting communications over a network
A method and system for conducting communications over a network is provided. An embodiment includes a server that is connectable to a client machine via a virtual private network that includes a VPN concentrator. The client machine and the VPN concentrator are configured to delay renegotiation of the VPN link in the event that an important stream is being carried over the VPN link.
US08549157B2 Transparent secure socket layer
Various systems, apparatus, and methods include an apparatus comprising a transparent proxy coupled to a plurality of non-configured clients and coupled to one or more servers, the transparent proxy operable to intercept a request for a secured connection to a first server of the one or more servers, the request from a first non-configured client of the plurality of non-configured clients and including a server name indication extension, and to supply a proper certificate to the first non-configured client including the server name indication extension as a common name in the proper certificate.
US08549151B2 Method and system for transmitting a multimedia stream
A method is described for transmitting a multimedia stream from a first end-terminal to a second end-terminal. The first and second end-terminal are connected to at least one gateway for enabling the multimedia stream to be transmitted from the first end-terminal to the second end-terminal. The method comprising the steps of: the first end-terminal inviting the gateway to set up a first multimedia session between the first end-terminal and the gateway, the first multimedia session being controlled by a first protocol; the gateway notifying—in response to the invitation—the second end-terminal of the pending invitation; the second end-terminal setting up—in response to the notification—a second multimedia session between the second end-terminal and the gateway, the second multimedia session being controlled by a second protocol; the gateway setting up—in response to the invitation—the first multimedia session; and transmitting a multimedia stream from the first end-terminal to the second end-terminal. The first protocol may be SIP, the second protocol may be RTSP.
US08549149B2 Systems and methods for providing client-side accelerated access to remote applications via TCP multiplexing
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for dynamically deploying and executing acceleration functionality on a client to improve the performance and delivery of remotely accessed applications. In one embodiment, the client-side acceleration functionality is provided by an acceleration program that performs a transport layer connection multiplexing technique for improving performance of communications and delivery of a remotely-accessed application. The acceleration program establishes a transport layer connection from the client to the server that can be used by multiple applications on the client, or that is otherwise shared among applications of the client. The acceleration program multiplexes requests from one or more applications via the same transport layer connection maintained by the acceleration program. As such, the acceleration program can utilize the idle time of one application in using the transport layer connection to service a request of a second application through the same transport layer connection.
US08549147B2 Dividing cloud computing service into individual jobs such that legal auditing requirements are satisfied and presenting plan for distributed execution of individual jobs
A computer network connects to a first computer, a second computer, other multiple computers, and a job category database A service to be executed by any of the other multiple computers is divided into multiple jobs; the job category is associated with each of the divided jobs; a region code and an instruction to execute the service are received from the first computer; and for each of the multiple jobs, the job category database is searched with the received region code and the associated job category as keys to acquire the operation identifier list corresponding to the job; the operation identifier list is transmitted to at least one of the other multiple computers; and a combination of the job, the identifier of that other computer and the identifier list are transmitted to the first computer.
US08549146B2 Stateless forwarding of load balanced packets
A load balancer dynamically load balances packets for network connections between clients and servers. When receiving a packet from a client that requests a new connection, the load balancer checks the current load of all the servers and selects the server most suitable to handle the new connection. The load balancer then forwards that packet to the selected server. If the server accepts the request for the new connection, then the server responds with an acknowledgement packet. The acknowledgement packet also includes the server's blade identification that the client uses for all subsequent packets on the accepted connection. When the load balancer receives a packet containing the blade identification, the load balancer forwards the packet to the server corresponding to the blade identification. Backup load balancers can therefore continue packet forwarding services in a smooth and efficient manner.
US08549144B2 Common configuration framework for applications to configure database objects and resources
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for a common configuration framework for applications to configure database objects and resources. configuration interfaces are maintained for a plurality of different database types, wherein each configuration interface implements a database configuration operation with respect to a database of one database type. A configuration request is received from an application indicating a database type, database name, and a database configuration operation. A determination is made of one of the configuration interfaces for the requested database type to implement the requested configuration operation with respect to the database having the database name. The determined configuration interface is invoked with the requested database name to perform the requested configuration operation with respect to the database name.
US08549142B2 Replicated state machine utilizing view change protocol resilient to performance attacks
A network of replicated servers providing a service includes a plurality of server replicas. A leader is elected from among the plurality of server replicas for coordinating ordering of operations among the plurality of server replicas. A view change protocol is executed by the plurality of server replicas after the election of the leader. Each iteration of the view change protocol corresponds to a unique view number. The server replicas are directed by the view change protocol to cooperate to order operations by exchange of information associated with particular view numbers. The information is prioritized in accordance with the view numbers. The non-leaders monitor the response time of the leader and elect a new leader when it is determined that the monitored length of time is greater than a threshold value that is dependent upon current network conditions.
US08549138B2 Web test generation
Technologies are described herein for generating a suite of web tests that are then combined into a load test. A log file is received. The log file may contain one or more requests received at a web server. Relevant information is extracted from the log file into a data file. A web test template is retrieved. The web test template is populated with the relevant information from the data file to generate the web test.
US08549135B1 Method and apparatus for performing quality of service in secure networks
A method is provided for performing control functions in a secure network where security prohibits the transmission of control information beyond secure networks and/or their associated systems. A method is provided for permitting proxy servers to communicate within full DBRA schemes without compromising security. According to various embodiments, methods for IPsec communication are provided that permit systems to move information across secure gateways. In one embodiment, IPsec communication and full DBRA bandwidth/QoS control is provided without compromising security. Although various aspects relate to satellite networks, it should be appreciated that aspects relate to other types of secure networks.
US08549134B1 Network event indicator system
A network event indicator system and corresponding method are described. The system includes an event rate classifier and an indicator drive state machine. The event rate classifier receives an event signal representing timing of a network event during a predetermined sample period and transmits an event rate signal. The indicator drive state machine receives the event rate signal and generates a drive indicator signal based on the received event rate signal.
US08549133B2 Systems and methods for tracking the reliability of communications networks
A system for monitoring the reliability of a network includes a network management system that gathers information relating to modules, nodes and paths in the network. The information includes the configuration, history and status of the modules and paths, and the failure states of the paths and the modules responsible for any failed paths. Based on the information, a reliability monitoring tool produces output that includes the condition of network paths and the actual reliability of one or more paths. Embodiments of the invention include storage arrangements that store the module and path information, in which case the output may include time-based reliability of network paths. The output may be available via the Internet. Methods of monitoring the reliability of a network are also provided.
US08549131B2 Method and apparatus for inexpensively monitoring and controlling remotely distributed appliances
A method and associated apparatus are described that enables unattended, remotely distributed appliances, such as vending machines, utility meters, thermostats and kitchen appliances (ovens, washing machines, refrigerators, etc.) to be connected inexpensively to each other and to a centrally located server. The apparatus 1) uses relatively simple “personality” modules to adapt the apparatus to the application in combination with a sophisticated core module that provides the intelligence needed to process data locally, to format that data and to transfer it to a remote server and 2) uses existing Internet-based communication links, thereby avoiding the costly proprietary links used with current state-of-the-art solutions.
US08549130B2 Discovery and management mechanism for SAN devices
Exemplary method, system, and computer program embodiments for managing a network are provided. In one embodiment, at least one of an available plurality of network components is polled, including devices, hosts and virtual devices, an interconnected plurality of communication paths, and quality of service (QoS) information in a discovery process for network information. A graphical representation of the at least one of the available plurality of network components is created for presentation by a graphical user interface (GUI) to a user. Based on a selection of the user of at least one attribute of the at least one of the available plurality of network components as displayed by the GUI to the user, a zone is created for the at least one of the available plurality of network components.
US08549129B2 Live migration method for large-scale IT management systems
Migrating services and clients from a legacy topology to a new topology. A method includes receiving user input selecting a first client managed by a first configuration management system to migrate to a second configuration management system. Dependencies of the first client are determined, including determining services on which the first client depends to function in a topology. The dependencies of the first client including services and their data on which the first client depends to function in a topology are migrated to a second configuration management system or an administrator is alerted to the dependencies of the first client including services and their data on which the first client depends to function in a topology.
US08549125B2 Environmentally sustainable computing in a distributed computer network
Implementation of environmentally sustainable computing in a distributed computer network is provided. A method includes receiving a request from a node in the network to perform a computational task and identifying nodes in the network having resources to facilitate performance of the task. Using an environmental impact rating for each of the identified nodes, selecting one or more transmission paths in the network and/or at least one of the identified nodes to facilitate performance of the task based on corresponding environmental impact ratings and applied performance efficiency criteria. Selected identified nodes represent those having the lowest environmental impact rating while meeting the applied performance efficiency criteria. The method further includes executing the task on the node via the transmission paths and/or selected identified nodes.
US08549123B1 Logical server management
A logical-server manager provides for deployment of a logical server to a real server so a network identity of said logical server and a network identity of said real server are conformed.
US08549120B2 System and method for location based address assignment in the distribution of traffic in a virtual gateway
A method for location based address assignment for the distribution of traffic is provided that includes receiving a request for service from a host. A location of the host within a network environment is identified. A selected one of a plurality of gateway devices is assigned to service the host based on the location of the host within the network environment and the location of the selected one of the gateway devices within the network environment. A forwarding address associated with the selected one of the gateway devices is transmitted to the host for subsequent use by the host in forwarding network traffic.
US08549116B2 PCRF triggered rules cleanup
Various embodiments relate to a system and related method of handling a plurality of user messages originating from a user device in a communications network. Various embodiments relate to a Policy Charging and Rules Node (PCRN) receiving an initial message from a first device, while anticipating a complementary message from a second device. Upon receipt of the complementary message, the PCRN may pair the messages and generate a rule from the paired message. If the PCRN does not receive the complementary message, the PCRN may generate the rule from only the initially-received message or may ignore the message. The PCRN may treat each received message independent from each other so that lack of receipt of a complementary message does not affect the creation of rules from another paired message.
US08549115B2 Apparatus and method for upgrading firmware on internet sharing device
An apparatus and method for upgrading firmware on an internet sharing device. The apparatus includes a memory that stores information for getting access to a firmware server, a lookup part that gets access to the firmware server and looks up a new version of firmware using the information stored in the memory, and an upgrade notice part that gives notice of firmware upgrade to at least one terminal interworking with the internet sharing device when the new version of firmware is looked up. Thus, since the internet sharing device looks up a new version of firmware, and then automatically gives notice of a need for firmware upgrade to a user, the user can easily recognize whether or not the firmware upgrade is needed, and easily upgrade the firmware with no need to check a kind of the internet sharing device, a version of firmware, location of the firmware server, and the like.
US08549113B2 Transactional independent persister cloning system
A computer program product, including a computer readable storage medium to store a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed by a processor within a computer, causes the computer to perform operations for moving data stored on a transactional semantic independent persister in a distributed environment. The operations include: receiving an indicator to move data stored by the persister at a first node of the distributed environment to a second node of the distributed environment, wherein the data corresponds to a source; and cloning the persister at the first node to a cloned persister at the second node in response to receiving the indicator, wherein the cloning includes: moving data stored by the persister at the first node to the cloned persister; and moving remaining data in a data stream between the source and the persister at the first node to the cloned persister.
US08549112B2 Computer-readable medium storing access control program, access control method, and access control device
An access control device causes an information processing device to execute access control between a client device and two or more server devices. The device receives an open request for causing the information processing device to open the port of a port number that is a port number to be transmitted to the client device according to completion of one process of a plurality of processes to be executed on a first server device which is one of the two or more server devices. The device generates information for data transfer for opening the port of the port number based on information for identifying the first server device which transmitted the open request, which is included in the received open request. The device transmits the generated information for data transfer to the information processing device.
US08549110B2 Method for transmitting data
Disclosed is a method for transmitting data between a subscriber terminal (MT) and at least one service providing component (MMS-Server 1, MMS-Server 2, MMS-Server 3) associated with a service provider, which are connected to each other by a network (UTRAN, SGSN, GGSN). According to said method, when a communication link is set up between the subscriber terminal and the service providing component, access information for the at least one service providing component is requested by a storage means associated with the subscriber terminal. By providing exclusively specific access information for specific service providing components on said storage means associated with a subscriber or a subscriber device, such as a SIM card or a USIM application on a UICC card, the network operator can prevent a subscriber from using other service providing components of other specific service providers different from those prescribed thereto when a specific data service is requested.
US08549108B2 Optimized prefetching of compound data
Access to compound data over a wide-area network is optimized by analyzing metadata within compound data to identify internal and external data streams to be prefetched. Upon receiving or intercepting a network packet including an access request for a data resource, metadata in this data resource is analyzed to identify associated data streams and their storage locations within and/or outside of the data resource. Data streams may be proactively or reactively prefetched. Proactive prefetching identifies and retrieves data streams or portions thereof likely to be accessed by a client based on attributes associated with the data resource. Reactive prefetching identifies portions of data streams associated with received access requests and retrieves additional portions of these data streams. Prefetched data streams or portions thereof are stored in a data storage on the same local network or near to the local network including the client.
US08549103B2 Multisided audience-related hybrid measurements
The present invention provides techniques for use in audience-related measurements, including hybrid techniques which include use of panel-based audience-related measurement information and census-based audience-related measurement information. Techniques are provided in which panel-based audience-related measurement information is obtained from multiple providing entities, and census-based audience-related measurement information is obtained one or more providing entities. The obtained information is stored in a database. The stored information may be provided to the information-providing entities, and may be used in calibrating or improving the accuracy of audience-related measurements.
US08549102B2 Method and apparatus for managing bookmark information for content stored in a networked media server
A method and apparatus for managing bookmark information of a media server through a network based on the UPnP AV standard is disclosed. If a request for bookmarking a content item is made, a bookmark item is created and the created bookmark item is linked to the content item by adding the ID of the created bookmark item to the property information of the content item and recording the ID of the content item to be bookmarked in the created bookmark item.
US08549101B2 Portable embedded local server for write-through cache
A method of facilitating, via an embedded local server, dynamic responses to requests originating from an application and directed to a server is disclosed. An intermediary intercepts requests responds to the requests with locally stored data. The intermediary may also forward requests to an embedded local server for processing based on local data.
US08549099B2 Methods and systems for javascript parsing
The present invention relates to systems, apparatus, and methods of parsing a script within an HTML page. The method includes receiving a script object, where the script object includes text. The method further includes parsing the text of the script object for tokens and comparing the parsed tokens with a valid tokens list to determine locations within the text of the script object that include potential universal resource locators (URLs). The method includes parsing before and after the determined locations until complete URLs are constructed, and forwarding the complete URLs to a detector. The detector then determines whether the complete URLs are valid. The method then sends object retrieval requests to websites associated with the valid complete URLs.
US08549094B2 Facilitating communication between isolated memory spaces of a communications environment
Automatically converting a synchronous data transfer to an asynchronous data transfer. Data to be transferred from a sender to a receiver is initiated using a synchronous data transfer protocol. Responsive to a determination that the data is to be sent asynchronously, the data transfer is automatically converted from the synchronous data transfer to the asynchronous data transfer.
US08549093B2 Updating a user session in a mach-derived system environment
Methods, apparatus, systems and computer program product for updating a user session in a terminal server environment. Transfer of display data corresponding to an updated user interface can occur via a memory shared between an agent server and an agent client in a terminal server environment. Access to the shared memory can be synchronized via token passing or other operation to prevent simultaneous access to the shared memory. Token sharing and synchronized input/output can be performed using FIFOs, sockets, files, semaphores and the like, allowing communications between the agent server and agent client communications to adapt to different operating system architecture.
US08549091B1 RDMA based real-time video client playback architecture
A client playback architecture for a media content distribution system is provided. In the preferred embodiment, the client playback architecture is a Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) based architecture. The RDMA based architecture enables the client playback device to obtain media content from a central server in real-time or in substantially real-time as the media content is needed for playback at the client playback device. More specifically, the playback device includes RDMA enabled playback circuitry operating to perform RDMA transfers for select media content, buffer the media content received as a result of the RDMA transfers, and provide the media content for presentation to one or more associated viewers via one or more audio/video interfaces.
US08549090B2 Messaging tracking system and method
One embodiment of the invention includes a message tracking system. The system comprises a message agent programmed to detect messages transmitted from one application to at least one other application. The system also comprises a detector programmed to determine a protocol that is associated with a given message of the messages detected by the message agent. The system further comprises a tracking manager programmed to generate tracking information for the given message based on the protocol determined by the detector and to store the tracking information in memory.
US08549086B2 Data clustering
A method and apparatus of a device that creates message affinity groups uses the affinity groups to relate messages and threads is described. In an exemplary method, the device receives messages, where the messages include message addresses. The device determines multiple affinity groups of message addresses based on a probability that a message including one of the message addresses also includes one or more of the other message addresses in the affinity group. In addition, the device presents one or more of the affinity groups.
US08549082B2 Electronic mail server with function for preventing reception of spams by improved white list system
The invention provides an e-mail server, with which e-mails are communicated between a member belonging to the server and a communication mate of the member under the protection of function or performance for preventing SPAMs from being received by an improved white list system and e-mail addresses can be surely prevented from undesirably leaking out. The server comprises received e-mail filtering means for forming destruction judgment and delivery judgment on a received e-mail for causing the received e-mail to be delivered in accordance with a delivery permitting decision and transmission e-mail filtering means for conducting processing on a transmission e-mail by which a group of letters representing an e-mail address discordant with an addressee's e-mail address contained in the transmission e-mail is replaced with another group of letters representing an open e-mail address or eliminated.
US08549072B2 Markup language for incorporating social networking system information by an external website
A social networking system contains information describing information about users of the social networking system and about various connections among the users. When a user of the social networking system accesses an external website, the external website may send the user a web page containing markup language with instructions to retrieve information associated with a user from a social networking system. The client device processes the annotations and sends a request for social information related to the user to a social networking system, subject perhaps to privacy settings in the social networking system. The user's browser uses the information obtained from the social networking system in response to the request to render the markup language document for display on the user's computer system. This process allows the external website to use information from the social networking system to enhance the user's experience on the external website.
US08549068B2 Apparatus and method for displaying service information corresponding to service zone
A terminal includes: a wireless communication unit configured to receive service information; a controller configured to provide control to perform re-searching or display a menu for searching for service information after the terminal enters a service zone; and a display unit configured to visually display service information under the control of the controller.
US08549067B2 Networkable electrical power distribution plugstrip with current display and method of use
A power management device can include a power management device housing, a power input associated with the power management device housing, and a plurality of power outputs associated with the power management device housing. At least certain power outputs can be connectable to one or more electrical loads external to the power management device housing and to the power input. In some embodiments, a communications bus can be associated with the power management device housing and one or more power control sections can also be associated with the power management device housing. In some embodiments, one or more power control sections can communicate with the communications bus and with one or more corresponding power outputs among the plurality of power outputs. In some embodiments, a power information display can communicate with the communications bus. If desired, a power information determining section can be associated with the power management device housing and in communication with the communications bus. The power information determining section may communicate power-related information to the power information display.
US08549066B1 Service provider interface for deploying and managing applications on a cloud
A system is provided to deploy a computing application on a cloud using a service provider interface. The system comprises a launch request detector, a service provider interface selector, and a launcher. The launch request detector may be configured to detect a request to launch a server computer system within a virtualization service. The server computer system, in one example embodiment, comprises a computing application and a service provider interface layer. The service provider interface selector may be configured to determine an implementation of the virtualization service and access a service provider interface associated with the implementation of the virtualization service. The launcher may be configured to complete launching of the server computer system within the virtualization service, utilizing the selected service provider interface.
US08549061B2 Social media system with multiple profiles
A social media and social networking system accessible on the Internet, mobile devices, smartphones, cell phones, and tablet computers. Users in the social media and social networking system may be enabled to have one, two, or multiple customized profiles, thereby allowing for multiple identities on the Internet and the system. The social media and social networking system may be configured to display full, partial, or customized profile information based on the individual or groups viewing the social data. The social media system may provide access to multiple groups or sub social networks based on match between profile data such as an email address domain name and an access control list. The social media and social networking system may personalize websites and search result content based on a user's profile.
US08549058B2 Multi-dimensional transform for distributed memory network
An information processing system for performing a transform of a multidimensional matrix in a distributed memory network. The method includes storing a multidimensional matrix of side N in a distributed memory network with a plurality of nodes and distributing work associated with a calculation of a transform of the matrix among N2 of the plurality of nodes. The system further includes a receiver for receiving results of the calculation of the transform of the matrix by the nodes.
US08549051B2 Unlimited file system snapshots and clones
The invention relates to a system that includes a file system configured to create a snapshot of a hierarchical block tree (HBT) and a storage pool. After the snapshot has been created, the storage pool includes a snapshot, where the snapshot includes a copy of a first version of a root block and the HBT, where the HBT includes a second version of the root block. Further, the copy of the first version of the root block is created prior to overwriting the first version of the root block with the second version of the root block, the second version of the root block comprises references to a first block and a second block, and the copy of the first version of the root block comprises a reference to the first block and no reference to the second block.
US08549050B2 Method and system for collecting performance data for storage network
In a storage network including at least a computer system, at least an external storage and at least a network system for communication of input/output data between the computer system and the external storage, a method of collecting the performance data on the network system and the software operated on the network system, in which the range or degree of data collection is automatically adjusted as required based on the performance data collected.
US08549046B2 Test data generation and scale up for database testing using unique common factor sequencing
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for test data generation using unique common factor sequencing. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for test data generation using unique common factor sequencing is provided. The method includes loading a table for population with test data in a test data generation tool executing in memory of a computer. A column set of multiple columns in the table associated with a key to the table is selected for processing and different cardinality sequence values are assigned to the columns in the set such that the cardinality sequence values do not share a common factor except for unity as in the case of prime numbers.
US08549045B2 Test data generation and scale up for database testing using unique common factor sequencing
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and computer program product for test data generation using unique common factor sequencing. In an embodiment of the invention, a computer program product for test data generation using unique common factor sequencing is provided. The computer program product includes loading a table for population with test data in a test data generation tool executing in memory of a computer. A column set of multiple columns in the table associated with a key to the table is selected for processing and different cardinality sequence values are assigned to the columns in the set such that the cardinality sequence values do not share a common factor except for unity as in the case of prime numbers.
US08549041B2 Converter traversal using power of two-based operations
A system includes reception of a request for a page location corresponding to a logical page number, determination of a difference between the logical page number and a smallest logical page number of each of a plurality of converter leaf pages descending from a parent converter inner page, determination of a smallest number 2x that is greater than the number of logical page number-to-page location mappings within each one of the plurality of converter leaf pages, right-shifting of a binary representation of the difference x positions to determine a branch index, identification of one of the plurality of converter leaf pages based on the branch index and on an indexed list of converter page identifiers within the parent converter inner page, logically ANDing of the binary representation of the difference with a binary representation of 2x−1 to determine a mapping index of the identified converter leaf page, identification of a mapping of the identified converter leaf page based on the mapping index, and determination of the page location corresponding to the logical page number based on the mapping.
US08549040B2 IP multimedia subsystem service configuration
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of operating an XML Document Management Server in an IP Multimedia Subsystem. The method comprises receiving a message from a user terminal requesting an XML document, the XML document conforming to a given structure and containing one or more service rules relating to a service, retrieving an XML document containing said service rules from a data storage entity. If the structure of the retrieved XML document differs from said given structure, adapting a rule or rules of the retrieved XML document such that the XML document conforms to said given structure, and sending the adapted XML document to the user terminal.
US08549039B2 Method and system for categorizing items in both actual and virtual categories
Systems and a method are described. The method includes identifying and presenting a plurality of data items comprised of receiving a selection that identifies a parent category; identifying a first plurality of categories based on the parent category, the first plurality of categories including a first category, the plurality of data items not being user-classifiable under the first plurality of categories; identifying the plurality of data items based on a link from the first category to a second category, the second category being included in a second plurality of categories that are respectively associated with the first plurality of categories, the plurality of data items being user-classified under the second category; and communicating, over a network, a user interface response to the receiving the selection, the user interface including the plurality of data items.
US08549038B2 Pluggable session context
A method and apparatus are described for sharing a session to access a database. A database server receives, in a session, a session context identifier and a command. The session context identifier identifies a session context to use for the session. The session context is a set of information or commands that plug into a session state and specify how commands in the session are to be performed for a particular user or privilege level. In response to receiving the identifier, the database server associates the session context with the database session for the connection. The database server uses the session context to process the command. The session context may then be detached from the session, allowing another user to attach to the session via another session context.
US08549037B2 Forensic system, forensic method, and forensic program
Embodiments of the inventive concept reduce the burden of creating litigant sources of evidence or other evidentiary materials in connection with litigation in a court of law. Designation of at least one document file included in digital document information is accepted and designation of a language into which the designated document file is translated is accepted. The document file, the designation of which is accepted, is translated into the language the designation of which is accepted. A common document file representing the same content as that of the designated document file is extracted from digital document information recorded in a recording unit. Translation-related information representing that the extracted common document file is translated by invoking a translated content of the translated document file is generated, and, based on the translation-related information, a litigant-related document file is output.
US08549034B2 Method and system for enabling a user to get information about entities of predefined categories
A method for enabling a user of a communication network to get information about entities is presented. The entities are classified in an entity database according to a plurality of characteristics, and the user is associated with a list of contacts, each contact being associated with a log of communication sessions the contact has been involved in through the communication network. For each communication session the log includes an indication of parties involved in the communication session.
US08549033B2 Using location-specific price and/or performance information in an ad system
The usefulness and the performance of advertisements are improved by allowing businesses to better target their ads to a responsive audience. Location information is determined (or accepted) and used. For example, location information may be used in a relevancy determination of an ad. As another example, location information may be used in an attribute (e.g., position) arbitration. Such location information may be associated with price information and/or ad performance information. Ad performance information may be tracked on the basis of location information. The content of an ad creative, and/or of a landing page may be selected and/or modified using location information. Finally, tools, such as user interfaces, may be provided to allow a business to enter and/or modify location information, such as location information used for targeting and location-dependent price information. The location information used to target and/or score ads may be, include, or define an area.
US08549027B2 Computer-implemented systems and methods for efficiently selecting data in multi-dimensional hierarchical space with multiple constraints
Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for reducing a number of options presented to a user where the options have characteristics that are arranged in a multi-dimensional hierarchical space. A system and method can be configured to identify common dimensions using dimension nodes in dimensional points and identify compatible nodes for each dimension in the multi-dimensional hierarchical space by determining whether an association exists. Compatible pairs of surviving points are generated after applying each of the compatible nodes from the common dimensions. Greatest lower bounds (GLBs) are computed for each of the generated compatible points, and a set of options is generated comprising points from the generated compatible points and the computed GLBs.
US08549025B2 Information retrieval method and apparatus
An information retrieval method includes inputting a symbol string, specifying an arbitrary position in the input symbol string, changing a symbol in the specified position in the symbol string and changing the symbol string into a symbol string which is positioned before or after in a specified arrangement order.
US08549023B2 Method and apparatus for resorting a sequence of sorted strings
A method and apparatus for resorting a sequence of sorted strings, wherein the sequence of sorted strings is obtained by sorting a plurality of strings based on a first character collation standard and the resorting is based on a second character collation standard. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes: comparing the first character collation standard with the second character collation standard to obtain a change of the character collation standard; and resorting the sequence of sorted strings based on the change of the character collation standard. The method of the present invention takes the change of the character collation standard and its affection to the sequence of sorted strings into consideration, and can resort the sequence of sorted strings quickly and thus save time for resorting.
US08549019B2 Dynamically generating aggregate tables
A method and system dynamically create aggregate tables. An aggregate table manager is instantiated that receives a plurality of aggregate table definitions, and generates aggregate tables based on the received aggregate table definitions. The aggregate table manager creates a view corresponding to each of the aggregate tables. The aggregate table manager creates and updates data entries in the aggregate tables based on their corresponding aggregate table definitions and data extracted from web site log files.
US08549018B1 Systems and methods for predictive responses to internet object queries
A computer-implemented method for predictive responses to internet object queries may include receiving a query from a client to evaluate a first internet object. The computer-implemented method may also include analyzing the query to predict a set of additional internet objects for which the client may subsequently request an evaluation. The computer-implemented method may further include transmitting an evaluation of the first internet object and of each additional internet object in the set of additional internet objects to the client. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08549016B2 System and method for providing robust topic identification in social indexes
A computer-implemented method for providing robust topic identification in social indexes is described. Electronically-stored articles and one or more indexes are maintained. Each index includes topics that each relate to one or more of the articles. A random sampling and a selective sampling of the articles are both selected. For each topic, characteristic words included in the articles in each of the random sampling and the selective sampling are identified. Frequencies of occurrence of the characteristic words in each of the random sampling and the selective sampling are determined. A ratio of the frequencies of occurrence for the characteristic words included in the random sampling and the selective sampling is identified. Finally, for each topic, a coarse-grained topic model is built, which includes the characteristic words included in the articles relating to the topic and scores assigned to those characteristic words.
US08549015B2 Method and system for distinguishing nociceptive pain from neuropathic pain
A method of distinguishing nociceptive pain from neuropathic pain includes providing a series of questions for answering by the patient. Each of the answers by the patient are given a numerical value within a nociceptive pain category and a neuropathic pain category. The values within the two categories are then summed, with the resultants potentially modified using a series of one or more equations. The ratio of the neuropathic pain to the nociceptive pain is then calculated. The ratio provides a value for the physician to diagnose the patient as suffering from nociceptive pain, neuropathic pain, or both nociceptive pain and neuropathic pain. Embodiments of the present invention include a system for assisting a physician to identify whether a patient's pain is nociceptive pain or neuropathic pain.
US08549014B2 Document scoring based on document content update
A system may determine a measure of how a content of a document changes over time, generate a score for the document based, at least in part, on the measure of how the content of the document changes over time, and rank the document with regard to at least one other document based, at least in part, on the score.
US08549013B1 Systems and methods for determining interest in an item or category of items
Systems and methods are provided for determining customer interest associated with an item or category of items. In some embodiments, one or more discussion forums associated with each of a plurality of items may be determined. For each item, interest criteria associated with the item may be determined based at least in part on the one or more discussion forums associated with the item. The interest criteria may include the number of user posts in the one or more discussion forums and/or the number of users who have participated in the one or more discussion forums. An interest score associated with each item may be determined based at least in part on the interest criteria. In some embodiments, interest ranking information for an item or category may be generated by comparing the interest score associated with an item or category and interest scores associated with other items or categories.
US08549012B2 Processing exception handling
In accordance with an embodiment, a method for exception handling comprises accessing an exception type for an exception, filtering historical data based on at least one defined criterion to provide a data train comprising data sets, assigning a weight to each data set, and providing a current control parameter. The data sets each comprise a historical condition and a historical control parameter, and the weight assigned to each data set is based on each historical condition. The current control parameter is provided using the weight and the historical control parameter for each data set.
US08549011B2 Identifying and recommending experts using shared queries and interactions
When a user enters an information retrieval query, a topic feed is generated for publication or distribution to a set of followers or recipients who have elected to receive the topic feed from the user or based on the subject matter content of the query. The topic feed is distributed and includes the query. Experts in subject matter can be identified based on the user's queries and other text in the topic feed that the followers interact with.
US08549010B2 Method and apparatus for providing distributed key range management
An approach is provided for providing distributed key range management. A key management platform determines to rebalance a node for storing a key value range by splitting at least one other node from the node, wherein the at least one other node stores at least a portion of the key value range. The key management platform also causes, at least in part, a creation of one or more node lists for the node, the at least one other node, or a combination thereof. The key management platform further causes, at least in part, a storage of the one or more node lists at the node and the at least one other node, wherein any one of the one or more node lists can be used to initiate a routing of one or more requests between the node and the at least one other node to operate on the key value range.
US08549000B2 Methods and systems for compressing indices
Systems and methods for compressing indices are described. In one aspect, a plurality of items are selected where each item has an entry in an inverted index and each item entry comprises a listing of articles that the item appears in. At least a first item entry and a second item entry are determined for compression and the second item entry is compressed into the first item entry resulting in a compressed first item entry.
US08548997B1 Discovery information management system
A discovery information management system, which can be easily configured, instantly reset, and run by project managers, is disclosed for use in discovery processes. The system allows users to post information on a discussion board, exchange email between members, add information to plural configurable database tables, validate information in different routes by different methods, move information between tables, share real-time information by using local search method, project-wide search method, and interactive data retrieving tools. The system also allows the users to process information by using interactive server pads, investigative identity data search algorithm, identity data processing algorithm, configurable interactive data entry tool, and phrase construction tool.
US08548989B2 Querying documents using search terms
Techniques are disclosed for searching a set of documents using search terms. In one embodiment, a summary is provided for each document in the set. Search terms are received, and the set of documents are parsed using the received search terms. A first relevance value is calculated using only the summary of each document. A subset of documents having the highest relevance is provided by using the first relevance value. The subset of documents is parsed using the received search terms, to calculate a second relevance value for each document using the respective document. Query results are provided, the query results including documents having the highest relevance according to the second relevance value.
US08548987B2 System and method for efficiently providing a recommendation
A system and method for applying a first filter and a second filter, such as a recommendation and a constraint filter, to a plurality of items, including determining a cost of applying the first filter and the second filter to the plurality of items, and determining an order of applying the first and second filters based on the cost of applying the first and second filters.
US08548985B2 Method and process of query optimization to a given environment via specific abstraction layer domain knowledge
Methods and apparatus for optimizing an abstract query are disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention allow an abstract database to optimize an abstract query composed from a set of logical fields. Each logical field includes a field name and an access method used to map the logical field to an underlying physical representation of the data. After a user composes an abstract query and submits it for execution, a runtime component and optimization component may be configured to resolve the abstract query to a physical query of the underlying physical data source using an access method associated with each logical field. In addition, as the runtime component builds a query consistent with the schema of the underlying database, an optimizing component may modify the query using any suitable optimization techniques. Different optimization techniques include optimizations based on logical field metadata, optimizations based on the underlying physical data repositories referenced by an access method and optimizations based on the relationships between logical fields or underlying data structures.
US08548983B1 Technique of decorrelation of lateral views
Methods, computer-readable media, and machines are provided for transforming a query by removing a correlated predicate from a lateral view in an initial query. A query processor may transform the lateral view into a regular view such that a transformed query with the regular view is semantically equivalent to the initial query. The transformed query may support a larger set of access paths, join methods, and join permutations, may qualify for other transformations or optimizations, or may otherwise be executed or optimized differently from the initial query. The lateral view may reference an aggregation function, and the query processor may add a GROUP BY operator to the transformed query to preserve, after the correlated predicate has been pulled out of the lateral view, an interaction that was present between the aggregation function and the correlated predicate when the correlated predicate was in the lateral view.
US08548980B2 Accelerating queries based on exact knowledge of specific rows satisfying local conditions
A method, computer program product, and system are provided for accelerating a query in a database system. For example, an embodiment of the method may include generating a data structure identifying a set of rows that satisfy conditions local to a table prior to an evaluation of a query and modifying the query based on the data structure. In addition, the method may include repeating the steps with respect to generating the data structure and modifying the query, if one or more additional local conditions are inferred from modifying the query based on the data structure.
US08548978B2 Network video guide and spidering
A system and method that provides a hosted network video guide application. The guide application is provided as a service to web portals and other websites that wish to expose access to the video content available on a public network such as the Internet. The operation of the guide includes mechanisms for search application hosting and processes for content gathering. Video index information can be derived from random content owners, guide affiliates, proactively gathered public domain content, and proactively harvested video content from the network via a video spidering mechanism. The video index information can be collected and maintained in a hosted, centralized repository and made available via an application interface, which can be customized, to users of the network. The video spidering mechanism generates an index of each accessed video, and the index is committed to the guide repository along with the URL information of the video being indexed.
US08548977B2 Embedding a media hotspot within a digital media file
A computer-related and/or business type method is presented for embedding one or more media hotspots within a digital media file and, in response to interaction from a separate target entity, such as via an associating request, associating one or more resultant actions with the media hotspot(s). In exchange for associating the one or more resultant actions with the media hotspot(s), an interactive media service entity being affiliated with a web site displaying the digital media file and/or a user being affiliated with the digital media file itself is compensated based upon at least one compensation plan.
US08548970B2 Systems, computer-readable media, and methods of operating a target computer system to answer a query
A query may be answered when a compound result URL including a target page identifier and the query is received at a target computer system. The target page identifier may be used to identify a target page on the target computer system. A call script may then be automatically executed and cause receipt of a plurality of suggestions based on the query by the target computer system. The suggestions may include a text of the suggestion and a suggestion URL. A placement script may then be automatically executed that, for example, places the text of each suggestion on the target page. The text of each suggestion may have an associated suggestion URL. Selection of the text of the suggestion may cause redirection of the user computer based on the suggestion URL.
US08548969B2 System and method for clustering content according to similarity
Systems and methods for clustering content according to similarity are provided that identify and group similar content using a set of tags associated with the content. A topic model of a group of content is built, producing a probability distribution of topic membership for the content. Individual items of content are then clustered using a clustering algorithm, and a distance matrix from the probability distribution is built. Based on the distance matrix, individual items of content are labeled as “must-link” or “cannot-link” pairs with the group of content. The topic model is then embedded into successively smaller dimensions using a kernel method, until the clustering is stable with respect to both the behavioral and content domains.
US08548967B1 System for visual query and manipulation of configuration management records
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and processes for enabling querying of one or more data stores of CM applications using a graphical user interface (GUI) by which a user (e.g., a developer, supervisor, or project team leader) may select search terms. The GUI may offer one or more types of categories of search terms illustrated at a high level, such that a user may select search terms without knowledge of the underlying data structure of the data store(s). In some embodiments of the invention, when search results are presented to the user issuing a query, the search results are presented in a GUI that permits the users to make edits to the data without opening other windows to make the changes. For example, in some embodiments of the invention, the user may be permitted to select one or more results and “drag” the results, using the GUI, to another element of the GUI to make a change to the data, or may perform any other graphical operation with the results.
US08548966B2 Asynchronous assertions
A snapshot of an application executing on a processor is taken in response to detecting an assertion in a running application. The assertion is evaluated based on the snapshot asynchronously while allowing the application to continue executing. The results of the assertion evaluation are returned to the application.
US08548965B2 Changed files list with time buckets for efficient storage management
There is provided, in a computer processing system, an apparatus for managing object data. The apparatus includes a changed objects manager for creating and managing a changed objects list that at least identifies the objects that have changed based on time of change. The changed objects list is associated with a plurality of time buckets. Each of the plurality of time buckets is associated with a respective date and time period and with object change records for objects having a timestamp falling within the respective date and time period. Each of the object change records is associated with a unique object identifier and the timestamp for a corresponding one of the objects. The timestamp specifies a date and a time corresponding to a latest one of a creation time or a most recent update time for the corresponding one of the objects.
US08548964B1 Delegation of data classification using common language
An information management system delegates information classification to an external computing resource, or classifier. The intelligence required to perform classification, including a series of logic and/or rules, is provided to the classifier. The logic and/or rules are translated from a first format to a second format understandable to the classifier. The information management system discovers objects of an entity and identifies them for the classifier. The classifier collects information about the objects, applies the logic and rules to the objects, and assigns one or more categories to each object. This classification information is translated from the second format to the first format and reported back to the information management system, which may use the assigned categories to identify and map service level objectives to available service levels. After service levels are selected, the corresponding actions can be orchestrated such that the objects of the entity receive the selected services.
US08548962B2 Data compression and decompression using relative and absolute delta values
A data compressor has a delta value calculator which receives data items and determines if a related data item to a received data item is stored in a data store. If the related item is stored, the delta value calculator retrieves the related data item from the data store and calculates a delta value from the received data item and the related data item. If the related item is not stored, then the delta value is calculated from the received data item and a predetermined value. A data store controller accesses the data store in response to receipt of a data item and determines if a storage location is allocated to the data item. If there is an allocated storage location for the data item, the data item is stored in the allocated storage location; and if not then a storage location is allocated to the data item.
US08548961B2 System and method for fast file tracking and change monitoring
Embodiments are directed towards a dynamic change evaluation mechanism, whereby items having a detected possible change are scheduled for re-evaluation for possible changes at a higher frequency than items detected to not have previously changed, while those items detected as not to have changed are dynamically scheduled for re-evaluation based on an evaluation backlog that may be in turn based, in part, on a time from when an item is assigned an expiration time to when the item is evaluated. In one embodiment, a possibly changed item may be assigned a new expiration time independent of the evaluation backlog. In another embodiment, if no change is detected, then the item may be assigned a new expiration time as a function of a previous expiration time and on the evaluation backlog.
US08548958B2 Service oriented architecture related smart mediation
In one embodiment, a service mediator provides a service that is a composite of atomic services and executes a recovery pattern in the event that a service is not available. More particularly, in an initial phase of operation, the service mediator determines one or more recovery patterns for each atomic service offered in the composite service and stores in a database an identity of each such recovery pattern for each atomic service. In subsequent operation, the service mediator monitors the availability of each atomic service. When a user inquires of a composite service, the service mediator determines if any of its atomic services is unavailable. If an atomic service is unavailable, the service mediator selects a recovery pattern and executes it.
US08548957B2 Method and system for recovering missing information at a computing device using a distributed virtual file system
A method of recovering information missing from a virtual file system is implemented at a computing device that is communicatively connected to one or more storage devices. Upon receipt of a request for a file associated with an instance of the virtual file system, the computing device retrieves a set of blocks associated with the file from one of the storage devices and identifies one or more of the set of blocks as missing blocks after failing to retrieve the missing blocks from the storage devices. For each missing block, the computing device retrieves one or more parity blocks from one of the storage devices and computes the missing block by applying a predefined recovery scheme to the retrieved parity blocks. Finally, the computing device reconstructs the requested file using the computed missing blocks and other blocks associated with the requested file.
US08548956B2 Automated computing appliance cloning or migration
A system and method for automatically cloning or migrating a computing appliance while maintaining its operational state. A configuration bundle that includes configuration data, software revision level and a list of system updates is used to recover or duplicate a device's operation state. The system and method can also be utilized to migrate a computing appliance between different operating system while maintaining or replicating the previous operational state.
US08548955B1 System and method for automating disaster recovery of a mainframe computing system
The present invention relates to a system and method for determining whether databases in a mainframe computing system have updated image copies. A list of all databases in a mainframe computing system is received and backup data for each of the databases is received. From the backup data it is determined whether each of the databases has a current image copy. If each of the databases does not have a current image copy the databases without a current image copy are identified. The present invention also relates to a method for automatically creating control cards and job control language (JCL) for restoring a mainframe computing system.
US08548951B2 Method and system for unified information representation and applications thereof
Method, system, and programs for information search and retrieval. A query is received and is processed to generate a feature-based vector that characterizes the query. A unified representation is then created based on the feature-based vector, that integrates semantic and feature based characterizations of the query. Information relevant to the query is then retrieved from an information archive based on the unified representation of the query. A query response is generated based on the retrieved information relevant to the query and is then transmitted to respond to the query.
US08548946B2 Content package for electronic distribution
Defining a content package having media files and table of contents (TOC) data. The content package includes physical representation data and logical representation data for the media files (e.g., stored in the TOC data). Computing devices store, download, and play back the media files based on the data in the content package. Presentations (e.g., collections of files) within the content package are available for extraction based on a configuration of a media player. The media files are provided for presentation to a user of the computing device, or for storage by the computing device.
US08548938B2 Business rules for configurable metamodels and enterprise impact analysis
A metadata management system for importing, integrating and federating metadata, including a configurable metamodel, a metadata repository for storing metadata whose structure reflects the metamodel, at least one external metadata source, which is able to persist metadata in accordance with the structure of a meta-schema, a mapping module for mapping the meta-schema to the metamodel, and a transformation module, operatively coupled to the metadata mapping module, for translating specific metadata from the at least one external metadata source to the metadata repository, for use in import, export or synchronization of metadata between the external metadata source and the metadata repository. A method and a computer-readable storage medium are also described.
US08548936B2 Property extraction apparatus and method
According to one embodiment, a property extraction apparatus includes a state transition machine conversion unit, storage unit, state transition machine contraction unit, and property conversion unit. The state transition machine conversion unit converts an input property into a state transition machine configured by a plurality of transition functions expressed using a plurality of transition labels. The storage unit stores contraction rules that allow to remove a non-input transition. The state transition machine contraction unit contracts the state transition machine by converting a transition label corresponding to a signal to be ignored into a non-input transition in the state transition machine in accordance with contraction instruction information which represents the signal to be ignored, and rewriting the transition functions by applying the contraction rules that allow to remove the non-input transition. The property conversion unit which converts the state transition machine after the contraction processing into an output property.
US08548933B2 Objective decision making application using bias weighting factors
A method and system for implementing a weighted belief network that assists collaborative users in making decisions. A belief network structure is employed that further includes user controlled weighting and biasing factors to adjust the probabilities for the various nodes. The various participants have the opportunity to make adjustments to the weighting and credibility of the evidence and participants in the decision making process in order to arrive at what may be perceived as a more objective outcome. As the collaborative environment is established and the belief network is built, each user can apply various weighting and bias scenarios from their own perspective thereby allowing each discrete user to work out their various suspicions regarding the bias of other participants or the actual weight of a discrete piece of supporting evidence in the context of the entire belief network.
US08548931B2 System and method for electronic transaction verification
A system and method for authenticating a physical address submitted in an online communication is disclosed. An online communication comprising a physical address to be verified is received. A verification identification (VID) is requested and received. A transaction verification document (TVD) comprising an indicia indicative of the VID is generated. An electronic copy of the TVD is transmitted. Verification data produced in response to dispatch of a physical embodiment of the TVD is received, wherein the physical embodiment is generated from the electronic copy. The physical address is authenticated based at least in part on the verification data.
US08548930B2 Institutional provided data share platform
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, or computer program product for an institution provided data share platform. The institution provided data share platform allows customers and commercial partners to access data the institution may have. Specific platform data access may be limited and/or monitored by the institution to ensure customer safety and privacy compliance. Allowing access to the institution data provides a customer the means to create customized applications utilizing the data in combination with data provided by the customer. In return for access to the platform, the institution may recover assessments based on the application the customer creates.
US08548929B1 Methods and systems of employment candidate data management
A method and system for managing employment candidate data utilizes a pre-screen application to enable pre-screening of employment candidates who log on to a website and are prompted to enter additional information and schedule pre-employment tests via the website. The method and system for managing employment candidate data also uses a tracking and testing application to handle screening of candidates' paper-based applications, administration of interviews, hiring pool management, job offer support, and scheduling of training, and is integrated with an applicant tracking system. A resume tracking application of the method and system for managing employment candidate data automatically identifies and merges duplicate resume information to create a single unique resume in the tracking system.
US08548917B1 Detection of child frames in web pages
Methods and systems for framing detection are disclosed. A web page comprising a child frame is generated. The child frame comprises an instruction to load a component from a merchant. The child frame comprises a header option restricting a loading of the component from within a parent frame associated with a domain external to the merchant. The web page is sent from the merchant to a client browser. It is determined that the web page is loaded within the parent frame in the client browser if a request for the component is not received by the merchant. It is determined that the web page is not loaded within the parent frame in the client browser if a request for the component is received by the merchant.
US08548915B2 Method and computer program product for providing a response to a statement of a user
A method for providing a response to a statement of a user, the method includes: receiving user input that comprises a portion of a user statement; selecting, before receiving a whole user statement, an answerable statement response between an answerable statement, multiple answerable statements and a response to an answerable statement; wherein the selecting is responsive to user input and to structured representations of answerable statements answerable by an answering entity; and sending to the user information representative of response to the user statement.
US08548913B2 Method and apparatus to secure an electronic commerce transaction
A method begins by a processing module receiving data content. The method continues with the processing module embedding the data content into a data stream to produce a stream of data. The method continues with the processing module sequentially encoding data segments of the stream of data in accordance with an error coding dispersed storage function to produce pluralities of encoded data slices. The method continues with the processing module outputting the pluralities of encoded data slices to a plurality of dispersed storage units for storage therein.
US08548912B2 Transaction pre-processing with mobile device for a currency dispensing device
A system and method of pre-processing a transaction using a mobile device are presented. The system and method may include beginning a transaction at a mobile device. Beginning the transaction may include receiving transaction information at the mobile device. The transaction information may include a transaction identifier, type of transaction, method of payment, and the like. In some examples, the transaction information may be stored at the mobile device. A network associated with a merchant or ATM associated with a financial institution may be detected at the mobile device. The mobile device may connect to the detected network and the transaction may be completed.
US08548910B1 Address change notification
A notification about an address change request to a customer may be generated by processing account information. An address change request for an account is received, and account information is compared to threshold information. If balance information exceeds threshold limits, the account holder is notified at the address or telephone number of record. Different threshold limits may be applied to different types of accounts. When the new address for a change request matches on-line banking information or information from a national change of address (NCOA) database, the change request may be excluded from further processing so that a notification is not generated. Only one notification to the account holder may be generated when the account holder has more than one account with a financial institution. Processing parameters may be adjusted based on exclusions and inclusions by modifying threshold limits from previously determined notifications.
US08548907B1 System for converting paper money orders to electronic money orders
A system and method for converting any and all types of paper money orders into electronic money orders, for retrieval subject to authorization. It allows a customer to make online purchases of goods and services, or pay bills, with an electronic money order. Electronic money orders can be used by a customer online to purchase goods and services from online vendors. The customer will be able to keep his or her electronic money order account active by adding any and all types of paper money orders to the account.
US08548906B1 Method and apparatus for automatic savings upon event detection
Method and apparatus for automatic savings upon event detection. An electronic transfer of funds from one financial account to another financial account is performed in response to selection of a user interface element to a computer software program. For example, a user may initiate the transfer of a fixed, relatively small amount from a checking account to a savings account by selecting a user interface element configured to initiate a funds transfer transaction. Each time the user selects the user interface element, a new funds transfer transaction is generated and transmitted to a financial institution's computer system(s) via a network. Thus, for example, a user may quickly and easily transfer relatively small, fixed amounts of funds from checking into savings without changing the current context of the computer software program.
US08548895B2 Method, system and computer program product for facilitating an auction behavior and automatic bidding in an auction
One or more proxy bidders is associated with a rule which determines a time to place a bid. The proxy bidder places a bid at the determined time, instead of immediately after the bidder's prior bid is exceeded. Such rules may be selected for all proxy bidders to encourage a desired auction behavior. By controlling the placement of bids based on rules associated with the desired auction behavior, bids may be placed in a manner that seems natural and competitive to bidders in the auction when, in fact, they are placed in accordance with the selected rules. The desired auction behavior may be selected statically for an auction or dynamically during the auction. Historical auction data maybe analyzed to characterize the behavior of an auction, such as the average period of time between bids and the average increment between bids. Rules may be generated to correspond to a behavior so as to provide the same average time and increment between bids.
US08548894B2 Computer system and method for calculating margin
The present invention relates to a computer system, computerized method and computer program product for calculating margin requirements in a more efficient way. In particular it relates to margin calculations for being used by clearing house in order to optimize calculation of margin requirements.
US08548889B1 Method and system for graphically differentiating user preferred securities from one another
A system for graphically differentiating user preferred securities from one another is disclosed. The system comprises a server system (12) and a client system (14). The server system (12) is in communication with a security data source (26) that provides security data on a plurality of securities. The client system (14) is in communication with the server system (12) and provides M user specific criteria to the server system (12). The server system (12) then analyzes the security data based upon the M user specific criteria and identifies user preferred securities from the plurality of securities. The server system (12) provides the client system (14) with data relating to the user preferred securities. The client system (14) uses N user specific parameters received from an input device (16, 18) to generate an N dimensional graph that is populated with icons representing the user preferred securities, thereby graphically differentiating the user preferred securities from one another on a display device (20).
US08548888B2 Method and apparatus for computing and displaying a risk-return profile as a risk measure for financial assets
A method and apparatus for displaying a financial asset risk-return profile is disclosed. The method includes determining the length of a period; computing an integer number of intervals in a date range set, an interval being an integer multiple of the length of the period; for each interval, computing the number of interval sub-sets in the date range set, each interval sub-set spanning the time spanned by a corresponding interval; for each interval, computing a metric of the interval sub-sets; and for each interval, displaying the computed metric. The displayed financial asset risk-return profile includes a total return component and a hold time component of risk.
US08548883B2 System and method for providing a loan to a taxpayer
A system and method for providing to a taxpayer a loan in an amount based on the taxpayer's estimated tax refund amount due for a current year, the loan being provided to the taxpayer prior to year end of the current tax year and prior to completion and filing of the taxpayer's current year tax return forms with a taxing authority. The taxpayer's estimated tax refund may be based on historical tax refund data as well as current year income data. A loan granting entity may consider the level of tax refunds that the taxpayer has received in previous years as well as income data for the first three quarters of the year to determine a reasonable estimate of the tax refund amount that the taxpayer will likely receive for the current tax year.
US08548878B1 Aggregating product information for electronic product catalogs
A product catalog includes information regarding products for sale online by various merchants. An analysis software module can collect information regarding new product offers and associate that information with existing product information in the catalog. The module can identify one or more potential product matches in the catalog based on identical or similar strong identifier information between the offer and the potential match, and/or based on query search result relationships between the offer and the potential match. The analysis module can evaluate each potential match by performing an image comparison between one or more product images provided with the offer and one or more representative images selected by the analysis module for the potential matching product. If the analysis module confirms a match, the analysis module can add information regarding the new product offer to the product catalog, associating the new product offer with the confirmed matching product.
US08548875B2 Methods for assisting a person in transitioning from one disposable absorbent product to another
The present disclosure generally relates to methods for assisting consumers in transitioning from a current absorbent product to a future absorbent product. Also described are transition aids for assisting in this transition. In particular, the transition aids provide a consumer with a means for comparing different characteristics of their current absorbent product with characteristics of a future absorbent product.
US08548874B2 Integrated online and physical location merchandizing
An on-item tag displays information about an item in a fixed retail location. The on-item tag is associated with an online collage tag for the same item on a web page of a web site associated with a retail location. The on-item tag has an ornamental appearance substantially the same as an online collage tag for the same item displayed on a web page of the web site. The on-item tag has a first part that includes a user review. An online item includes an online collage tag that includes the first part of the on-item tag along with additional information for the product that includes, but is not limited to, user reviews, product cost, product description, product status, and product availability. The on-item tag includes the first part along with a second part that provides additional product information.
US08548873B2 System and method for configuring a configurable product
Product configuration selections automatically cross-over between plural product types based upon end user component selections. If end user component selections initiate a cross-over trigger, the end user is presented with an option to cross over from an initially-selected product type to a product type associated with the cross-over trigger. Upon selection of the cross-over product type, the product configuration is automatically reconfigured to update components selected by the end user for the initially-selected product type to components associated with the cross-over product type.
US08548867B2 Product configuration server for efficiently displaying selectable attribute values for configurable products
A computer-implemented system leverages binary decision diagram (BDD) structures to provide selectable attribute values for one or more configurable products. The BDD structures may define offering attribute nodes and non-offering attribute nodes. The offering attribute nodes may represent product attribute values selectable by the user based on product configuration rules, and the non-offering attribute nodes may represent product attribute values not selectable by the user based on the product configuration rules. The computer-implemented system may further include at least one memory storage device that stores one or more product configuration rules used to define permissible product configurations and attributes of the products. By evaluating the BDD structures and the product configuration rules, the computer-implemented system may prepare a customized set of product records for transmission to a user, wherein the customized set of product records contains product attribute values corresponding to the offering attribute nodes.
US08548863B2 System and method for selecting services from multiple cloud vendors
A system and method permits the selection of services from multiple cloud vendors. The system receives parameters relating to a plurality of services offered by a plurality of vendors in a plurality of cloud computing environments. The parameters relate to an actual cost charged by each of the vendors and a cost relating to an environmental impact of each of the vendors. The system calculates a value for each of the vendors as a function of the received parameters, and selects one or more vendors as a function of the calculated value. The system outputs to a display device one or more of the selected vendors and the calculated values for each of the vendors. In another embodiment, the system establishes a communication connection with one or more of the cloud computing environments, and invokes one or more applications or services from the one or more cloud computing environments.
US08548855B2 User generated ADS based on check-ins
Systems and methods are disclosed for generating and utilizing photo advertisements (“ads”). In one embodiment, a photo check-in process is performed for a user located within a geographic check-in zone which results in a photo advertisement that is utilized as a photo check-in for the user. In another embodiment, a photo advertisement is posted as a status update for a user via a social networking service. In another embodiment, photo advertisements are created by users and stored for subsequent use in serving ad requests.
US08548853B2 Peer-to-peer advertisement platform
A peer-to-peer advertisement platform is provided to ubiquitously promote products or services supplied by advertisers across content-based applications executing on nodes in a peer-to-peer network. The peer-to-peer advertisement platform may include a registration component to register nodes in the peer-to-peer advertising platform, an advertisement submission component to receive advertisement data from the advertisers, and a distribution component to distribute the advertisement data to the nodes registered in the peer-to-peer advertisement platform. The peer-to-peer advertisement platform also includes a money sharing component to reward nodes based on a contribution level assigned to the node. Accordingly, the peer-to-peer advertisement platform stores the advertisement data locally at the plurality of nodes registered in the peer-to-peer advertising platform and shares a portion of the revenue generated from the advertisement data with the nodes registered in the peer-to-peer advertising platform.
US08548852B2 Effective virtual reality environments for presentation of marketing materials
Effective virtual reality environments including in-store virtual reality environments such as supermarket aisles, store shelves, cooler displays, etc. are generated using frameworks and customer layout information. Marketing materials are integrated with the virtual reality environment while introducing imperfections and/or other cues of realism to create a virtual reality environment representation. Imperfections may include misaligned marketing materials, product label blemishes, packages placed slightly askew, etc. Sensory experiences output to the user via the virtual reality environment representation elicit interactivity with a user and user movements, motions, and responses are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the marketing materials and/or the virtual reality environment representations.
US08548850B2 Providing consumers with incentives for healthy eating habits
A method, system, and program for providing consumer healthy habits incentives are provided. A consumable item, consumed by an individual, is detected. A health factor is detected for the consumable item. An electronic incentive is selected for the individual according to the health factor, such that the individual is encouraged to consume a healthy selection of consumable items. An electronic incentive may be further specified according to the personal health history, exercise history and consumption history of an individual.
US08548847B2 Method and system for generating real-time directions associated with product promotions
A method and system for generating customized incentives involving electronic distribution of coupons to remote personal computers based on proximity of the computer to a retail center are disclosed. A repository, such as an online service provider or a web site on the Internet, stores packages of incentive data for downloading automatically or on demand to a user's computer. A plurality of data fields is used to associate a user's location with a specific incentive. The incentive data corresponds to remote user computers in a predetermined geographic area. Means for identifying remote user computers in a predetermined geographic area and means for providing direction data, such as maps, etc. to the remote user computer are disclosed.
US08548846B2 System and method for online targeted billboard advertising
A system and method are provided for delivering a message while simultaneously promoting a brand in a trusted online environment. The system may include a sponsor selection mechanism for allowing a communicating user to select at least one sponsor from a list of provided sponsors. The system may additionally include a text input area for allowing the communicating user to input text for display in conjunction with the selected sponsor and a target user selection mechanism for allowing the advertising user to select at least one target user for receipt of the selected sponsor display and the input text in a billboard advertisement.
US08548843B2 Individual performance metrics scoring and ranking
A method for ranking the performance data of a plurality of employees. The method may include using a receiver to receive information relating to the performance, by each of the employees, of a plurality of tasks. Each of the plurality of tasks may be tasks completed during a predetermined time period. The method may also include using a processor to compute for each of the plurality of employees, based at least in part on the received data, a median cycle time score, an accuracy score, an escalation percentage score, a volume score and a client target date score. The method may further include using the processor to rank, using percentile ranking, the of the median cycle time scores, accuracy scores, escalation percentage scores, volume scores and client target date scores.
US08548838B1 Method, software and/or process for optimizing the distribution of labor in a manufacturing environment
A method for optimizing a workforce. The method includes the steps of: (A) querying a pool of workers to determine a first set of workers qualified to perform a particular task at a particular time, (B) querying the pool of workers to determine a second set of workers that are present to work at the particular time, (C) querying the pool of workers to determine a third set of workers that have not already been assigned a task at the particular time and (D) determining a fourth set of workers to perform the task at the particular time by selecting workers belonging to each of the first set, the second set, and the third set.
US08548836B2 Business driven learning solution particularly suitable for sales-oriented organizations
Disclosed is a business driven learning solution and related methods for managing the learning and training needs of a sales-oriented organization in a manner that is in responsive to dynamic business needs. The invention employs modules of interrelated and interdependent business processes for the identification and prioritization of learning needs, the selection of learning approaches, the development of learning content, the coordination and delivery of learning instruction, and the overall management and administration learning efforts. Embodiments of the inventions disclosed include sales training objects to provide a template for sales training that is focused on a solution, and how to position and sell the solution, rather than on the products that make up the solution. As a result, the sales force is educated, understands the customers' business requirements, and is able to craft specific value propositions to a given customer with respect to that solution. Thus, the training is customer-centric as opposed to product-centric.
US08548834B2 Information capture, processing and retrieval system and method of operating the same
An information capture, processing and retrieval (“ICPR”) system shared by multiple buyers, suppliers and workers concurrently and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the ICPR system includes an order documentation subsystem configured to document orders for the suppliers and the buyers with respect to the workers. Each of the orders specifies a different method of time capture for the workers assigned thereto. The ICPR system also includes a time capture subsystem configured to receive the different methods of time capture from the workers positioned in one of anchored and untethered locations assigned to the orders. In a related embodiment, the ICPR system further includes a time approval and buyer tagging subsystem configured to allow the buyers to label time worked by the workers corresponding to the buyers with one or more tags, thereby translating approved time of the workers into custom, internal terminology of the buyers.
US08548833B2 Insurance product, rating system and method
In the present invention, an insurance product, rating system and method generally relates to a rating and pricing system for quantifying the risk that the annual savings will not fall below specified levels associated with implementing and maintaining economic improvements. The product, system and method can be applied to various industries, including, power generation, petro-chemical, manufacturing and refining facilities. Various embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems and methods for determining optimal risk acceptance values associated with implementing an economic improvement plan for a facility.
US08548832B2 Business process automation in a health plan organization
The computer implemented method and system disclosed herein automates business processes of a health plan organization using a plurality of portals. The portals comprise a sales portal, a member portal, an employer portal, an administration portal, and a provider portal. Health plans are listed using the sales portal. A sales agent proposes at least one of the health plans to a consumer using the sales portal. The administration portal generates insurance quotes for the proposed health plans. The consumer enrolls for the proposed health plans using one of the member portal and the employer portal. The consumer is billed for the enrolled health plans based on the insurance quotes using the administration portal. The consumer pays a premium amount online for the enrolled health plans using the member portal or the employer portal. The administration portal then generates commissions for the sales agent for the enrolled health plans.
US08548831B2 System and method for tracking, monitoring and reporting extinguishment of a title insurance policy
A system for monitoring a title insurance policy including a processor and a memory in communication with the processor is disclosed. The system includes computer readable logic stored on the memory and executable on the processor. The computer readable logic configured to receive a title record including both owner identification information and property identification information, query a title record database to determine if the received title record has experienced an extinguishment event selected from the group consisting of: a loan modification; a foreclosure; a sale; an arms-length ownership change; and a change to a real-estate owned (REO) property, set an inactive indicator associated with the title insurance policy if an extinguishment event is determined to be associated with the owner identification and property identification information of the title record, set, in the absence of an inactive indicator, an active indicator associated with the title insurance policy if an extinguishment event is not determined to be associated with the owner identification and property identification information of the title record, and generate, if the active indicator is set, a monitoring flag associated with the received title record associated with the title insurance policy of interest.
US08548828B1 Method, process and system for disease management using machine learning process and electronic media
There is a dire need to reduce healthcare costs and appointment times with specialists. The instant mobile device method, process and the system addresses this need. The system and mobile application allows the user/patient to interact with health care providers who are certified to work in a particular geographical region without hesitation. In the instant application a novel mobile technology powered by unique image analysis software based on machine learning process to evaluate the submitted images for diagnostic purposes. The ease of approaching a health care provider by using the mobile device and getting matched to the right healthcare provider is another feature of this mobile application. The ease of providing case history and images for diagnosis and treatment is also novel.
US08548827B2 Computer-implemented method for medical diagnosis support
The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for medical diagnosis support for patient data of a patient through a data processing system, wherein the data processing system comprises a graphical user interface and a database containing rules for calculating diagnosis risks.
US08548826B2 Prepopulating clinical events with image based documentation
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for protocol driven image acquisition are provided. In embodiments, a protocol is received by an image capturing device. The protocol comprises orders from a clinician, a workflow for capturing at least one image, or a combination thereof. At least one field for receiving metadata to be associated with the at least one image allows structured documentation to begin on the image capturing device. The at least one image and associated metadata are communicated to a medical information system. A patient is identified by the metadata or an existing patient to device association and the at least one image is associated with an electronic medical record for the patient.
US08548825B2 Method and system for extracting medical information for presentation to medical providers on mobile terminals
A system for providing medical providers with medical records accessible from a mobile terminal in one embodiment comprises reformatting the information in a medical record database to be used with large, ergonomic icons allowing easy transitions between pages of information in the medical record. Docking stations or wireless networks may enable the mobile terminal to access the medical records. Thus, the medical provider may have bedside access to the information in the medical records to make informed decisions about treatment regimens.
US08548824B1 Systems and methods for notifying of duplicate product prescriptions
Embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for notifying a prescriber or other entity of duplicate product prescriptions. According to one embodiment, a method for processing prescriptions is provided that may include the operations of: receiving a healthcare transaction that identifies a current prescribed product, a patient, and a current prescriber who prescribed the current prescribed product; retrieving patient history for the patient; determining the following based on the patient history: that the patient has previously received a previous equivalent product equivalent to the current prescribed product identified in the healthcare transaction and an identity of a previous prescriber of the previous equivalent product; and transmitting a notification to at least one of the previous prescriber or the current prescriber, wherein the notification identifies potential duplicate products.
US08548823B2 Automatically determining ideal treatment plans for complex neuropsychiatric conditions
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for modifying neuropsychiatric treatment plans based on efficacy of treatment. A current treatment plan comprising a first set of therapies to treat a set of neuropsychiatric conditions and portions of the medical literature associated with the set of neuropsychiatric conditions is retrieved. A set of brain scans of the patient is analyzed to determine a set of changes over time associated with the set of neuropsychiatric conditions. The portions of the medical literature and the set of changes are analyzed to determine a patient rate of response to the treatment plan. If the patient rate of response falls below a threshold expected rate, a set of alternative treatments for the patient is identified. A modified treatment plan is generated using the set of alternative treatments.
US08548812B2 Method and system for detecting a relevant utterance in a voice session
A method and apparatus for detecting use of an utterance. A voice session including voice signals generated during a conversation between a first participant and a second participant is monitored by a speech analytics processor. The speech analytics processor detects the use of an utterance. A speech recognition processor channel selected from a pool of speech recognition processor channels and is coupled to the voice session. The speech recognition processor provided speech recognition services to a voice-enabled application. The speech recognition processor channel is then decoupled from the voice session. The speech analytics processor continues to monitor the conversation for subsequent use of the utterance.
US08548811B2 Systems, methods, and programs for detecting unauthorized use of text based communications services
Systems, methods, and programs for generating an authorized profile for a text communication device or account, may sample a text communication generated by the text communication device or account during communication and may store the text sample. The systems, methods, and programs may extract a language pattern from the stored text sample and may create an authorized profile based on the language pattern. Systems, methods, and programs for detecting unauthorized use of a text communication device or account may sample a text communication generated by the device or account during communication, may extract a language pattern from the audio sample, and may compare extracted language pattern of the sample with an authorized user profile.
US08548804B2 Generating sample error coefficients
This invention relates to generation of a sample error coefficient suitable for use in an audio signal quality assessment system. The invention provides a method of determining a sample error coefficient between a first signal and a similar second signal comprising the steps of: determining a first periodicity measure from the first signal; determining a second periodicity measure from the second signal; generating a ratio in dependence upon said first periodicity measure and said second periodicity measure; and determining a sampling rate error coefficient in dependence upon said ratio.
US08548799B2 Methods and apparatus to help users of a natural language system formulate queries
Methods and apparatus provide the capability of receiving at least a portion of a message in natural language format from a user prior to submission of the message to an automated agent for a response, analyzing the at least the portion of the message, and providing a suggestion to the user, based upon the analyzed at least the portion of the message, for altering the message to improve ability of the automated agent to respond to the message.
US08548797B2 Short text language detection using geographic information
A content-providing entity receives a relatively short text from a user and attempts to determine, automatically, based on that short text (and on other available clues), a language that the user can read and understand. The content-providing entity may then provide, to the user, documents that are written in the determined language. The content-providing entity may determine a language of the input text based on several factors in combination: (a) the service provider's “market,” which is determined based on at least a portion of the URL of the Internet site to which the user directed his browser; (b) the user's “region,” which is determined based on the source Internet Protocol (IP) address of the IP packets that the user sends to the Internet site; (c) the “script” in which the short user-entered text is written; and (d) a statistical analysis of the frequency of the characters present in the short user-entered text.
US08548791B2 Validation of the consistency of automatic terminology translation
A method of determining the consistency of training data for a machine translation system is disclosed. The method includes receiving a signal indicative of a source language corpus and a target language corpus. A textual string is extracted from the source language corpus. The textual string is aligned with the target language corpus to identify a translation for the textual string from the target language corpus. A consistency index is calculated based on a relationship between the textual string from the source language corpus and the translation. An indication of the consistency index is stored on a tangible medium.
US08548784B2 Tar estimation
A method to predict tars and tar sands in petroleum exploration and production in a subsurface volume by building a viscoelastic property model of the volume using rock behavior including tars together with seismic inversion to derive a lithology volume identifying tars.
US08548782B2 Method for modeling deformation in subsurface strata
A method for modeling deformation in subsurface strata, including defining physical boundaries for a geomechanical system. The method also includes acquiring one or more mechanical properties of the subsurface strata within the physical boundaries, and acquiring one or more thermal properties of the subsurface strata within the physical boundaries. The method also includes creating a computer-implemented finite element analysis program representing the geomechanical system and defining a plurality of nodes representing points in space, with each node being populated with at least one of each of the mechanical properties and the thermal properties. The program solves for in situ stress at selected nodes within the mesh.
US08548778B1 Method and system for providing information from a patient-specific model of blood flow
Embodiments include a system for providing blood flow information for a patient. The system may include at least one computer system including a touchscreen. The at least one computer system may be configured to display, on the touchscreen, a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of an anatomical structure of the patient based on patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may also be configured to receive a first input relating to a first location on the touchscreen indicated by at least one pointing object controlled by a user, and the first location on the touchscreen may indicate a first location on the displayed three-dimensional model. The at least one computer system may be further configured to display first information on the touchscreen, and the first information may indicate a blood flow characteristic at the first location.
US08548777B2 Automated recommendations from simulation
An industrial controller simulation system is provided. The system includes a simulation component that enables modeling of an industrial controller system. A suggestion component offers automated recommendations in accordance with the modeling of the industrial controller system.
US08548776B2 Parallel physics solver
A parallel physics solver may solve an equation to determine the characteristics of motion after a collision. In some embodiments, the physics solver solves the equation AX=B, where A is a sparse constrained matrix and B is the right hand vector. The sparse constrained matrix may be formed of 6×K blocks, where K is a tuning parameter that divides into the width of a single instruction multiple data processor used to implement the physics solver, without residue.
US08548767B2 Measuring device with serial digital interface
The invention relates to a measuring device having at least one first assembly and at least one second assembly. The first assembly and the second assembly each comprise an intermediate frequency interface or a complex baseband interface. The intermediate frequency interfaces or baseband interfaces are designed as serial digital interfaces.
US08548765B2 Dynamically self-adjusting sensor
A dynamically self-adjusting sensor is disclosed. In one embodiment, a sample module repeatedly generates an electronic signal related to a characteristic of an environment. A window module receives the electronic signal and provides an average signal for a pre-defined number of the electronic signals. A delta comparator module receives the electronic signal from the sample module and compares the electronic signal with a previously received electronic signal from the sample module to establish a change, wherein an output is generated if the change is greater than or equal to a threshold, the delta comparator module further receives the average signal from the window module and compares the average signal with a previously received average signal from the window module to establish an average change, wherein the output is generated if the change is greater than or equal to a threshold.
US08548763B2 Variable sensing using frequency domain
Embodiments of a method and apparatus for variable sensing using the frequency domain are taught herein. An exposure of a system to a physical variable is determined by periodically sensing the physical variable to produce a plurality of digital samples. The plurality of digital samples is converted to respective frequency domain representations. The exposure is calculated using the frequency domain representations.
US08548760B2 Detecting nonlinearity in a cable plant and determining a cable length to a source of the nonlinearity
An apparatus and a method for detecting a nonlinearity in a cable plant and for determining cable length to a source of the nonlinearity are disclosed. Upstream signal peaks are detected by averaging upstream signal waveforms. The upstream signal peaks are generated at the source of the nonlinearity from naturally occurring downstream signal peaks propagating in the cable plant. The downstream signal peaks occur due to constructive superposition of the downstream channel signals. Acquisition of the upstream signal waveforms is triggered by the downstream signal peaks. The cable length to the source of nonlinearity is determined from a time delay between the downstream signal peaks and the upstream signal peaks.
US08548759B2 Methods, apparatus, or systems for characterizing physical property in non-biomaterial or bio-material
Techniques (e.g., system, apparatus, method, machine-readable medium) can be configured for characterizing a rheological or other structural physical property of a sample of a substance. In an example, this can include acoustically bidirectionally deforming the portion of the sample over a deformation range about a neutral-deformation locus within the deformation range, measuring a deformation response of at least a portion of the sample to the insonification, and characterizing the physical property of the sample using the measured response of at least a portion of the sample to the insonification, even in the presence of a flowing substance.
US08548753B2 Velocity-enhanced flow measurement
A process fluid flow measurement device includes a fluid flow member having an inlet with a first diameter and a throat with a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter. A first process fluid pressure tap is disposed proximate the inlet and a second process fluid pressure tap is disposed proximate the throat. A differential pressure sensor is operably coupled to the first and second process fluid pressure taps. Differential pressure measurement circuitry is coupled to the differential pressure sensor to provide a differential pressure signal related to a difference in pressure between process fluid pressure at the first and second taps. A process fluid velocity measurement device is positioned in the throat to measure a velocity of process fluid flowing therethrough and provide a fluid velocity indication. The differential pressure sensor signal and the fluid velocity indication are used to provide a calculated indication of fluid flow. This calculated indication can be relative to multiphasic fluids such as two-phase or three-phase fluids.
US08548750B1 Path classification and estimation method and system for prognosticating asset life
Path classification and estimation method and system used in combination with a computer and memory for prognosticating the remaining useful life of an asset by classifying a current degradation path of a current asset as belonging to one or more of previously collected degradation paths of exemplary assets and using the resulting classifications to estimate the remaining useful life of the current asset.
US08548747B2 Optimizing genome-wide mutation analysis of chromosomes and genes
Provided is a method of genome-wide testing of gene copy number at the genetically most important loci to determine whether the gene and/or its selected larger surrounding chromosome region is rearranged to result in an unbalanced abnormality in one or more subjects. The method includes selecting multiple gene loci of the DNAs to be examined in the test, conducting the test, and comparing the number of copies at each locus tested by quantification of total gene target number to determine the relative number of each polymorphic sequence detected to assure that each important tested sequence is distinguished from the other alleles at the same locus. A method of detecting the highest number of abnormal patients possible based upon the number of test sites available in a protocol is also provided. Depending upon the state of the life cycle, both of the methods can be done together or in sequence.
US08548739B2 Navigation system with interactive accelerometer mechanism and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a navigation system includes: detecting an accelerometer acceleration, having a magnitude and a direction, for monitoring a device; receiving a first location reading for locating the device with a remote location system; determining the first location reading as being invalid; and updating a device-location from the first location reading with the accelerometer acceleration for displaying on the device.
US08548738B1 Constructing paths based on a particle model
Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to indoor localization, for example, where GPS or other localization signals are unavailable. More specifically, aspects relate to using a particle filter in conjunction with one or more orientation devices to identify a location of a client device with respect to a map of an indoor space. This location may then be used to identify the path of the client device through the indoor space.
US08548735B2 Location based tracking
Location information is used to build a database of locations having associated audio, video, image or text data. In some implementations, a device includes a touch-sensitive display and collects data associated with a geographic location of interest. The geographic location of interest can be displayed on a map using an indicator. A touch selection of the indicator provides access to the data through an interface displayed on the touch-sensitive display. One or more locations of interest can be displayed and grouped together by an attribute.
US08548734B2 System and method for real-time travel path prediction and automatic incident alerts
A path prediction method that uses a commuter's travel patterns to predict their route and destination, and transmit road advisories via a GPS-enabled device. Once the user's location data is transmitted via a GPS-enabled device it is then catalogued and stored in a GIS database. The user's current travel path is then compared to their path history and statistics and a destination is determined based on related spatial and time properties. A warning is then automatically delivered to the user if there is an accident along their predicted path, without requiring any request or input form the user.
US08548729B2 Radio apparatus mounted on a vehicle
A positional information acquiring unit acquires positional information of a vehicle. An intersection predicting unit predicts an intersection, which the vehicle will enter, by associating the positional information with map information. An entrance predicting unit acquires the positional information of another vehicle included in a packet signal from a transmitting apparatus mounted on the other vehicle and associates the positional information of the other vehicle with the map information, thereby predicting whether the other vehicle enters the intersection predicted by the intersection predicting unit. When entrance of the other vehicle is predicted, an effect predicting unit predicts whether travel of the other vehicle has an effect on this vehicle based on traveling direction information of the other vehicle acquired from the packet signal. The notifying unit notifies presence of the other vehicle when presence of the effect is predicted.
US08548727B2 Cognitive aircraft hazard advisory system (CAHAS)
Integrated surveillance systems and methods for processing multiple sensor inputs and determining a best route for avoiding multiple hazards. An example method performed on a first aircraft includes generating a plurality of routes for avoiding a previously determined alert from a first advisory system. Then, probability of success information is generated at other advisory systems for each of the plurality of routes. The best route of the plurality of routes is determined based on the generated probabilities and output to the flight crew or other aircraft. The probability of success information includes a previously defined uncertainty value. The uncertainty value corresponds to quality of data provided to or provided by the respective advisory system.
US08548725B2 Visual assessment of landmarks
Visual images may be used to detect, or verify the existence of, landmarks. In one example, the landmarks may be used to provide driving or walking directions. A set of records may be examined to identify the street addresses of businesses or other entities. Additionally, street-level images may be captured with a camera, and the locations at which the images were captured may be recorded. The images may be evaluated with an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) process to determine what words appear in the images. The words in the image are compared with the names of entities whose addresses are near where the image was captured. If the words match the entity name, then a sign identifying the entity is presumed to be visible along a particular route, and the entity may be used as a landmark in a set of walking or driving directions.
US08548717B2 Method for performing an intake manifold injection
A method for performing an intake manifold injection for at least one combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, at least one intake valve being connected to an intake port, at least one exhaust valve and at least one injector being assigned to at least one combustion chamber, fuel being injected into the at least one intake port by the at least one injector during an injection time, the injection time being started after the closing of the at least one exhaust valve and terminated before the closing of the at least one intake valve for performing the method.
US08548716B2 Variable cam control in an engine
A method for controlling variable camshaft timing is provided. In one example, an engine method comprises adjusting a variable cam actuator responsive to cam position feedback from even and uneven readings of a cam sensor. In this way, increased cam position feedback may be provided to improve cam positioning control.
US08548715B2 Method and system for controlling engine performance
Methods, systems, and computer readable storage media are provided for operating a vehicle including an engine that may be automatically shutdown in response to AESS conditions. In one example, the method comprises, determining an AESS emission credit corresponding to an amount of AESS operation; and adjusting an engine operating parameter based on the determined AESS emission credit. Further, in another example, the method comprises retarding injection timing in response to manifold air temperature, wherein an amount of retard is adjusted responsive to an amount of AESS operation.
US08548711B2 Control device of inverted pendulum type vehicle
Provided is a control device of an inverted pendulum type vehicle capable of adjusting a deviation of a tilt angle of a base body from a desired tilt angle so as to maintain the vehicle in a normal state where the tilt angle matches the desired tilt angle and the vehicle is in halt. When an update condition for updating a tilt offset adjusting variable θb_xy_offset is satisfied (STEP 21), a posture control calculator 80 performs a first mode arithmetic process (STEP 22) to update the tilt offset adjusting variable θb_xy_offset, and meanwhile determines imaginary wheel rotational angular acceleration commands ωwdot_x_cmd and ωwdot_y_cmd via a second mode arithmetic process (STEP 23) by using the tilt offset adjusting variable θb_xy_offset updated in the first mode arithmetic process.
US08548709B2 Drive assisting device
A radar sensor detects a traveling state of a host vehicle. An inter-vehicle control ECU gives the amount of operation for the predetermined amount of control of the host vehicle so that the traveling state of the host vehicle detected by the radar sensor becomes a predetermined state. The amount of operation given by the inter-vehicle control ECU is reduced as a kind of restriction when the amount of operation given by the inter-vehicle control ECU becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined value. As a result, it is possible to reduce the dependence of the driver on the device.
US08548708B2 Brake system for a vehicle and method for operating a brake system for a vehicle
A brake system for a vehicle has a first and a second brake control device, four wheel actuator devices, and a first and a second signal line, the first signal line connecting the first brake control device to two of the four wheel actuator devices and the second signal line connecting the second brake control device to the two other wheel actuator devices, each of the four wheel actuator devices in the active state being additionally designed to detect whether a specified number of brake control devices and/or wheel actuator devices are in the inactive state, in which case a specified braking torque is exerted on the wheel of the vehicle associated with the brake control device.
US08548707B2 Braking system and method for braking a vehicle having a hybrid drive
In a braking system and a method for braking a vehicle having a hybrid drive, at least one wheel, preferably at least the wheels of one axle, is brakable by a regenerative brake and by a service brake. The braking system includes a vehicle stability control system, which ascertains state variables describing a driving dynamics of the vehicle, for which there exist threshold values and/or threshold value combinations. The vehicle stability control system is arranged such that when reaching, exceeding and/or undershooting one of the threshold values or one of the threshold value combinations a wheel-specific braking force control is effected. A predefined maximum regenerative braking force is determined on the basis of the state variables ascertained by the vehicle stability control system and the regenerative brake is controlled such that the regenerative braking force exerted on the at least one wheel does not exceed the determined predefined maximum regenerative braking force.
US08548705B2 Method for controlling an automated clutch
A method for controlling an automated clutch, which comprises a hydraulic clutch actuating system having a hydrostatic actuator, the pressure of which is detected. The method includes using the pressure of the hydrostatic actuator to adapt the characteristic curve of the clutch.
US08548703B2 Method and apparatus to determine clutch slippage in an electro-mechanical transmission
A method to determine excessive clutch slippage in a transmission coupled to an engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit power to an output member through selective application of torque-transfer clutches includes monitoring rotational velocities of the electric machine, engine and output member, monitoring a transmission operating range state, determining a clutch slip based upon monitored rotational velocities for one of the torque-transfer clutches intended to be synchronized based upon the transmission operating range state, and indicating a runaway slip event if the clutch slip is in excess of a threshold slip level through a threshold slip duration.
US08548698B2 Main modulation calibration using control main valve
Various embodiments of methods, apparatus and systems that calibrate main modulation of an electro-hydraulic control system for a vehicle transmission are presented. Some embodiments calibrate regulator control signals that cause a main regulator valve to develop a main line pressure based upon status of a control main valve that develops a control main pressure based upon the main line pressure.
US08548697B2 Shift control device
There is provided a shift control device which is provided in a shift operation unit including: a plurality of shift positions corresponding to states of a transmission; a shift lever which selects one of the plurality of shift positions; a home position to which the shift lever automatically returns; and a shift position detecting unit which outputs a shift position signal when the shift lever is positioned in one of the plurality of shift positions, the shift control device detecting, when the shift position signal is input to the shift control device for more than a recognition time period set for the shift position where the shift lever is positioned, that the shift position is selected or that the shift operation unit has a failure, and including a deterioration state detecting unit which detects a deterioration degree of the shift operation unit, wherein the recognition time period is changed in accordance with the deterioration degree.
US08548695B2 Method for unlocking an automatic transmission in an emergency
A method is provided for emergency unlocking of an automatic transmission in a vehicle. The transmission may be unlocked from a blocked state for protection against unauthorized use, by an emergency unlocking unit. Upon actuation of the emergency unlocking unit, the automatic transmission cannot be operated in a forward driving mode.
US08548691B2 Blade control system, construction machine and blade control method
A blade control system includes a first open ratio setting part for setting a first open ratio of a proportional control valve based on a difference angle between a blade angle and a slope angle; a second open ratio setting part for setting a second open ratio of the proportional control valve based on a difference load between a blade load and a target blade load; and a lift controlling part for controlling the proportional control valve in accordance with the second open ratio when the blade load is out of a predetermined load range and for controlling the proportional control valve in accordance with the first open ratio when the blade load is within the predetermined load range.
US08548686B2 Automatic crash notification using WiMAX
An automatic crash notification system may include a crash detection system configured to detect a crash of a vehicle, a wireless communication system configured to wirelessly transmit a message to and wirelessly receive a message from a remote location in conformance with the IEEE 802.16 standard, and a processing system configured to transmit notice of a crash over the wireless communication system to the remote location in conformance with the IEEE 802.16 standard in response to detection of the crash by the crash detection system. The wireless communication may be configured to wirelessly transmit a message to and wireless receive a message from the remote location using WiMAX. The automatic crash notification system may include a memory system containing a first prerecorded message that includes one or more words that mean that the remote location has received notice of a crash and a user communication system configured to deliver words to an occupant of the vehicle. The processing system may be configured to cause the first prerecorded message to be communicated over the user communication system in response to receipt by the wireless communication system of an acknowledgement from the remote location that the remote location has received notice of the crash, but which does not include the first prerecorded message.
US08548684B2 Electric power steering control apparatus
To obtain an electric power steering control apparatus hard to generate vibration even when accuracy is not high enough for torque vibration of extremely small output of torque detecting means. An electric power steering control apparatus includes steering torque detecting means, a torque controller that computes an auxiliary torque current, a motor that generates a torque for assisting a steering torque, current steering component removing means for removing a component by steering, vibration velocity estimating means for estimating a vibration velocity in a rotational direction of the motor, and a damping controller that computes a damping current to be added to the auxiliary torque current, and the vibration velocity estimating means includes vibration acceleration computing means for computing vibration acceleration in the rotational direction of the motor by multiplication of a motor current output from the current steering component removing means, and rotational acceleration integrating means for computing the vibration velocity in the motor rotational direction by integrating the vibration acceleration computing means.
US08548681B2 Power steering device
A power steering device is mounted on a vehicle and includes a torque applying unit and an applied friction torque changing unit. The torque applying unit sets an applied friction torque applied to a steering wheel based on a real steering angle and a target steering angle, and performs a control of applying the applied friction torque to the steering wheel. The applied friction torque changing unit changes the applied friction torque based on a load condition of the vehicle.
US08548674B2 Cellular phone configured with off-board device capabilities and starter/charger and battery testing capabilities
The present invention is directed toward a cellular phone that connects to an existing vehicle data link to perform the functions of an off-board device, such as a scan tool, for displaying diagnostic information relating to vehicles. In addition, the cellular phone connects to a starter/charger system and/or a battery to perform the functions of a starter/charger/battery testing device. Such a device allows a user to connect the cellular phone to a data link connector located in a vehicle, download software to either an adaptor or the cellular phone, retrieve information relating to diagnostic tests on the vehicle and view the results on the cellular phone display, and/or communicate the results to another person or device.
US08548670B2 Fuel-saving driving diagnostic device, fuel-saving driving diagnostic system, travel control device, fuel-saving driving rating device, and fuel-saving driving diagnostic method
A shift lever position determining unit determines whether a shift lever position of a vehicle satisfies predetermined conditions. If the shift lever position is determined to satisfy the predetermined conditions, a travel distance adding-up unit adds up an optimum shift lever position travel distance. If the shift lever position is determined not to satisfy the predetermined conditions, the travel distance adding-up unit adds up an inappropriate shift lever position travel distance. A fuel-saving driving rating unit rates driving by a driver based on each added-up value added up by the travel distance adding-up unit. A fuel-saving driving advice generating unit notifies the driver of fuel-saving driving advice together with a rating result in accordance with the rating result. Therefore, it is possible to encourage the driver to select an optimum shift lever position with high fuel efficiency and thereby to improve the driver's knowledge and awareness of the fuel-saving driving.
US08548667B2 Hands on steering wheel detect in lane centering operation
A control system to determine a hands on wheel (HOW) condition is provided. The control system includes a sensor that monitors an amount of applied torque exerted upon a hand wheel, and a control module for monitoring the sensor. The control module includes a notch filter to attenuate a normal column mode frequency from the amount of applied torque to produce a filtered torque signal. The normal column mode frequency represents a range of vibrational modes of the hand wheel based on a hands off wheel condition. The control module includes a state detector to receive the filtered torque signal from the notch filter. The state detector determines if the HOW condition exists based on if the filtered torque signal exceeds an ON threshold torque value.
US08548665B2 Movable body system
A movable body system includes a movable body to which an image pickup apparatus is attached; an image analyzer that performs image matching between the image captured by the image pickup apparatus and an image, which is previously captured on the travel path of the movable body; a wall-surface detector that detects directions of the movable body with respect to wall surfaces, which are arranged along the travel path, and distances between the wall surfaces and the movable body; and a traveling-direction calculator that detects a shift of the movable body with respect to the travel path from an output of the image analyzer or the wall-surface detector, and calculates a traveling direction to cause the movable body to travel on the travel path.
US08548660B2 Integrated hybrid vehicle control strategy
A method for allocating energy within a vehicle comprises calculating an energy forecast for the vehicle based upon a plurality of strategy variables in a vehicle controller. The plurality of strategy variables includes driver profile information, GPS information, ESS information, environment information, accessory information, and system default parameters. The controller calculates a charging strategy based upon the energy forecast and the plurality of strategy variables and determines a control strategy for energy allocation based upon the strategy variables, energy forecast, and charging strategy. The energy is allocated to the vehicle systems based upon the control strategy.
US08548658B2 Method for the fail-safe operation of a hybrid vehicle for the controlled initiation of a substitute measure allowing an operation of the vehicle under emergency conditions, and device for implementing this method
A method for the fail-safe operation of a hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and additional vehicle assemblies. A substitute measure that then still allows the vehicle to be operated under emergency running conditions is initiated if a vehicle assembly fails. A performance quantity that is characteristic of the driving-dynamics situation in which the vehicle finds itself is recorded prior to initiating the substitute measure, and is compared to at least one limit value. The substitute measure is initiated if the limit value is exceeded or not attained. A device which includes a device for implementing such a method is also provided.
US08548653B2 Method and system for aiding the piloting of an airplane during an approach
A system for aiding piloting of an airplane during a final approach includes current roll angle sensors that measures a current roll angle of the airplane, and a maximum roll angle calculation device that calculates a limit roll angle corresponding to a maximum roll angle at which an end point of the airplane will not strike the ground. The system also includes a display for automatically presenting on a single screen a first characteristic sign illustrating the current roll angle and a second characteristic sign illustrating the limit roll angle. If a potential ground collision is presented by too high of a current roll angle, an alarm may be emitted or automatic control of the airplane may occur to correct the roll angle.
US08548652B2 System for reducing carbon brake wear
A brake monitoring system is described for use on aircraft having carbon brakes. The system displays the number of times the brakes have been applied in a preselected counting interval such as during each takeoff and landing cycle. By raising the pilot's awareness of the number of times the brakes have been applied, a more efficient brake use is encouraged in view of the knowledge that carbon brake wear is substantially a function of the number of applications rather than the total energy that is converted thereby. Additionally, the monitoring system provides an indication of the temperature of the brakes which encourages the pilot to maintain a minimum temperature therein beyond which wear is reduced.
US08548649B2 GNSS optimized aircraft control system and method
A GNSS system in combination with a hydraulically-actuated, airborne dispenser for a dry material crop dusting system to optimize the distribution of dry materials over a particular tract of land. A GNSS subsystem is included using at least one GNSS antenna and one GNSS receiver located on the aircraft. The aircraft is equipped with an electronic/hydraulic crop dusting subsystem connected to a GNSS CPU. The GNSS ranging signals received by the antennas are processed by a receiver and processor system for determining the vehicle's position and dynamic attitude in three dimensions (3D). A graphical user interface (GUI) placed in the vehicle will give the driver a real-time view of his or her current bearing as well as a calculated “optimal path” based on calculations and variable data, such as wind speed and direction, material moisture content, altitude, air speed and other conditions. The system is adapted for operation in a differential GNSS (DGNSS) mode utilizing a base station at a fixed location.
US08548643B2 Information providing device for vehicle
An information providing device for a vehicle is provided in which when the subject vehicle (VA) transmits to a base station (20) subject vehicle information including the position, speed of travel, and direction of travel of the subject vehicle (VA), moving object information including the position, speed of travel, and direction of travel of a detected vehicle (VB), and time information including the time at which the above has been obtained, the base station (20) calculates the probability of the presence of the detected vehicle (VB) on map data based on each of the above-mentioned pieces of information and transmits to the subject vehicle (VA) prediction information about the detected vehicle (VB) present in an intersection, including the subject vehicle position, based on the subject vehicle position and the probability of the presence of the detected vehicle (VB). This enables the avoidance of an intersection collision with the detected vehicle (VB) by issuing an alert or warning to an occupant of the subject vehicle (VA) based on the prediction information. During this process, since it is unnecessary for the detected vehicle (VB) to include the same equipments with the subject vehicle (VA), it is possible for the subject vehicle (VA) to avoid an intersection collision with all the detected vehicle (VB) including a vehicle which has no device such as inter-vehicle communication means and, moreover, since it is unnecessary to provide infrastructure for each intersection, realization is possible at a low cost.
US08548642B2 Control device for controlling drive force that acts on vehicle
A control device for controlling a drive force that acts on a vehicle includes a first controller for controlling the drive force, and a second controller for sending to the first control means a limit of the drive force. The second controller has an input unit for inputting the drive force outputted from the first controller, and a calculation unit for calculating a limiting drive force for limiting the drive force. In the case that a first value obtained by subtracting the drive force from the limiting drive force is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the calculation unit outputs a second value that is greater than the limiting drive force.
US08548640B2 Home heating server
A server computer may be located at a home or business and may be used for heating the home or business. The server computer may operate a distributed cloud based application and may generate heat in response to application load. The server computer may have an air or water based heat exchanger that may integrate into various heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to use the heat generated by the server. In some embodiments, a thermostat may regulate the application load on the server computer as controlled by a cloud based controller.
US08548638B2 Energy management system and method
An energy management system manages energy consumption of managed device(s) disposed to receive energy via a meter connected to an energy supply, the energy supply. A system controller has a computer processor that instructs the managed device(s) to employ an operational mode based on the priority, the energy need, the demand state, and whether the energy consumption rate of the managed device(s) exceeds energy available from at least one of the external energy source and internal energy source.
US08548628B2 System and method for aligning and for controlling the position of a robot tool
The invention relates to a method and to a system for aligning and controlling the position of a robot tool, wherein a monitoring device is equipped with a detection unit and processing unit which co-operates with the control device of the robot and automatically determines the alignment of the robot tool by means of the detection unit by taking into account at least one pre-determined reference direction of the robot tool, in addition to at least one predetermined tolerance angle which defines a tolerance range for the at least one reference direction of the robot tool. The processing unit compares the determined alignment to the predetermined reference direction and/or to the tolerance values predetermined by the defined tolerance range and/or of the at least one tolerance range is not respected, the respective robot tool is disconnected and/or deactivated in co-operation with the control device of the robot.
US08548627B2 Method and system for automatically organizing and achieving a pre-given task by means of robot functionalities
Systems and methods for automatically organizing and achieving a pre-given task by means of plurality of robots, each robot having a robot specific set of functionalities, are described. In an example implementation, a method can include the following steps: providing and exposing, for each robot, a semantic description of the robot's robot specific functionalities by respective semantic web services; providing a semantic description of the pre-given task; matching the semantically described task with the semantic web services describing the robot specific functionalities; and combining automatically a coordinated set of the plurality of robots according to the matching result, such that the task is achieved when the robots are sequentially working upon invocation.
US08548623B2 Storage and dispensing devices for administration of oral transmucosal dosage forms
Dispensing devices and systems for oral transmucosal administration of small volume drug dosage forms to the oral mucosa are provided. The dispensing device may be a single dose applicator (SDA), or an electromechanical device comprising a means for patient identification such as a wrist worn RFID tag and annular bidirectional antenna together with a lock-out feature.
US08548618B1 Systems and methods for creating narration audio
Systems and methods are provided for processing narration audio data. In some embodiments, a portion of transcript text comprising words to be narrated by a user may be displayed. Initial narration audio data comprising words of the displayed transcript text may be received. In some embodiments, an indication of a portion of the transcript text to be re-recorded may be received. Replacement narration audio data corresponding to the portion of the transcript text to be re-recorded may be received, and the replacement narration audio data may be incorporated into the initial narration audio data.
US08548615B2 Encoder
An encoder for encoding an audio signal comprising at least two channels, the encoder configured to generate an encoded signal comprising at least a first part, a second part and a third part, wherein the encoder is further configured to: generate the first part of the encoded signal dependent on at least one combination of first and second channels of the at least two channels; generate the second part of the encoded signal dependent on at least one difference between the first and second channels of the at least two channels; and generate the third part of the encoded signal dependent on at least one energy ratio of the first and second channels of the at least two channels.
US08548612B2 Method of generating a footprint for an audio signal
Method of generating a footprint for a useful signal, wherein the useful signal represents the evolution of a spectrum comprising useful signal frequencies, for example audio frequencies, over time, which allows automatic detection of identical or similar useful signals in a cost-efficient way and where the footprint is robust against modifications of the useful signal not perceptible to human users, wherein at least one data set comprising a part of the useful signal is processed by an analyzer according to a predetermined analyzing instruction, where the analyzer outputs as a result of the processing a footprint data vector depending on and identifying the processed data set.
US08548611B2 Fantasy sports depth chart system and associated methods
The present invention is a data processing system for monitoring, recording and modifying information relating to fantasy sports teams and fantasy sports lineups, and making calculations, necessary for assisting fantasy owners in managing their teams, notifying them of injuries related to their teams, and in setting their lineups. In particular, the data processing system gathers data from external sources such as news, blogs, social networks sites, injury reports, and other user and system administrator configurable sources. This information is then analyzed and utilized by the system enabling it to help users more effectively manage their team. In certain embodiments the system can manage the team for the fantasy owner in their absence or under other circumstances such as lack of user activity.
US08548610B1 Universal system, method and computer program product for determining a tennis player rating and ranking
Systems, methods and computer program products for objectively determining tennis player rankings and rating levels for a broad range of tennis players, from novice amateurs to top-ranked professionals, on a single continuum are disclosed. Player-specific match outcome data stored in an electronic archive database are communicated to an electronic processing element that calculates player rankings and rating levels. Updated player-specific data is then communicated back to the electronic archive database for storage. The disclosed ranking and rating process evaluates each player's body of work, including the results of his/her most recent match. The disclosed ranking and rating process uniquely provides a methodology for objectively factoring in, and applying different ranking-calculating weight to, various match characteristics that influence the reliability of match results, such as match format, the number of times a player has played the same opponent, and the reliability of the accuracy of the opponent's ranking.
US08548608B2 Sensor fusion algorithm
Sensor fusion algorithm techniques are described. In one or more embodiments, behaviors of a host device and accessory devices are controlled based upon an orientation of the host device and accessory devices, relative to one another. A combined spatial position and/or orientation for the host device may be obtained based on raw measurements that are obtained from at least two different types of sensors. In addition, a spatial position and/or orientation for an accessory device is ascertained using one or more sensors of the accessory device. An orientation (or position) of the accessory device relative to the host computing device may then be computed based on the combined spatial position/orientation for the host computing device and the ascertained spatial position/orientation for the accessory device. The relative orientation that is computed may then be used in various ways to control behaviors of the host computing device and/or accessory device.
US08548607B1 Automation system network management, architectures, and methods and applications thereof
An automation system including a plurality of peripheral devices, each configured to perform at least one function relating to energy consumption in a facility and an automation controller in communication with the plurality of peripheral devices and providing for the control of the performance of the function by each device. An external network resource such as at least a virtual private network server is configured to enable communication with the automation controller. The automation controller is configured, such as by executing virtual private network software, to establish and maintain a secure data link with the virtual private network server and to enable oversight and/or control of the automation controller via the virtual private network server.
US08548605B2 Apparatus and system for implanting an autonomous intracardiac capsule
A system of an autonomous intracardiac capsule and its implantation accessory. The autonomous capsule (10) includes a tubular body (12) with an anchoring screw (14) for penetrating the wall of a cavity of the heart, and at least one coupling finger (20, 22) radially projecting outwards. The implantation accessory (26) includes a lead body (28) with a sheath (30, 32) of deformable material supporting on the distal side a helical guide (36, 52), for guiding and driving by rotation the capsule. This helical guide is integral with the lead body, and its inner diameter is homologous to the outer diameter of the cylindrical body of the capsule so the latter can be housed it in, the coupling fingers protruding between the coils of the guide. The helix direction of the helical guide (36) is opposite to that of the anchoring screw (14). The helical guide is resiliently compressible in axial direction, and its helix pitch (38) is increased in the free distal end portion (40).
US08548601B2 Lead connection system for an implantable electrical stimulation system and methods for making and using the systems
A lead connection system includes a connector housing. A plurality of lead retainers disposed in the connector housing are configured and arranged to removably attach to a proximal end of one of a received plurality of leads. The plurality of lead retainers include at least one of a slidable drawer and at least one pivotable hinged panel. A plurality of connector contacts are configured and arranged for making electrical contact with one or more of the terminals of one or more of the plurality of received leads. A single connector cable has a distal end that is electrically coupled to the plurality of connector contacts and a proximal end that is configured and arranged for insertion into a trial stimulator. A cable connector is electrically coupled, via the connector contacts, to at least one terminal of each of the received plurality of leads.
US08548600B2 Apparatuses for renal neuromodulation and associated systems and methods
Methods and apparatus are provided for renal neuromodulation using a pulsed electric field to effectuate electroporation or electrofusion. It is expected that renal neuromodulation (e.g., denervation) may, among other things, reduce expansion of an acute myocardial infarction, reduce or prevent the onset of morphological changes that are affiliated with congestive heart failure, and/or be efficacious in the treatment of end stage renal disease. Embodiments of the present invention are configured for percutaneous intravascular delivery of pulsed electric fields to achieve such neuromodulation.
US08548599B2 Methods and systems for subcutaneous treatments
Methods for focused remodeling and downsizing the volume of subcutaneous lipid-rich cells, body contouring, and tightening skin tissue, using controlled heating of the targeted areas on the body. The electromagnetic energy heats the subcutaneous tissues which provides the desired effect. The electromagnetic energy is applied via an applicator without touching the skin. A spacer of insulating or dielectric material may be provided between the applicator and the skin.
US08548595B1 Methods and systems for managing cochlear implant fitting software features
An exemplary method of managing cochlear implant fitting software includes a cochlear implant fitting subsystem maintaining data representative of a cochlear implant fitting software package comprising a plurality of cochlear implant fitting features, maintaining data representative of a plurality of independent licensing heuristics corresponding to the plurality of cochlear implant fitting features, and selectively enabling or disabling each cochlear implant fitting feature within the plurality of cochlear implant fitting features in accordance with the corresponding independent licensing heuristic. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.
US08548594B2 Stimulation system and method treating a neurological disorder
According to one aspect, a stimulation system is provided for electrically stimulating a predetermined site to treat a neurological condition. The system includes an electrical stimulation lead adapted for implantation into a subcutaneous area in communication with a predetermined site, wherein the site is neuronal tissue that is associated with C2/C3 dermatome area, or stimulating cervical nerve roots and/or stimulating cranial nerves and/or stimulating any area associated with the occipital area. The stimulation lead includes one or more stimulation electrodes adapted to be positioned in the predetermined site. The system also includes a stimulation source that generates the stimulation pulses for transmission to the one or more stimulation electrodes of the stimulation lead to deliver the stimulation pulses to the predetermined site to treat a neurological disorder or condition.
US08548593B2 Distal end converter for a medical device lead
A system for delivering signals between a pulse generator and tissue includes a lead having a lead body and one or more lead electrodes at a distal end of the lead body. The one or more electrodes are electrically connectable to the pulse generator at a proximal end of the lead body via one or more conductors extending through the lead body. A converter, which is removably securable to the distal end of the lead body, includes one or more converter electrodes. Each converter electrode is connected to an electrical contact that is arranged on the converter to electrically connect the converter electrode to at least one of the one or more lead electrodes.
US08548592B2 Ultrasonic transducer for a metallic cavity implanted medical device
Implantable medical devices including an ultrasonic transducer and methods of optimizing an ultrasonic transducer of an implantable medical device are disclosed. The implantable medical device can include a housing, an ultrasonic transducer disposed within an interior of the housing, and a limiting structure configured to constrain deformation of the ultrasonic transducer. The limiting structure can include a separate structure coupled to the housing, or can comprise a resonant portion of the housing itself. During operation, the ultrasonic transducer is configured to communicate at a frequency at or near a resonant frequency of the housing.
US08548584B2 Defibrillator with implantable medical device detection
In general, the invention is directed to techniques for using an external defibrillator to detect a presence of an implantable medical device (IMD) implanted within a patient, and providing therapy to the patient through communication between the external defibrillator and the IMD. An external defibrillator provides prompts to a user of the external defibrillator to determine the presence of an IMD implanted within the patient. For example, the external defibrillator may prompt the user to visually inspect the patient's chest for signs that an IMD was implanted, such as a scar or raised portion of skin near the patient's clavicles. As another example, the external defibrillator may prompt the user to place a detection device on the patient's chest. The detection device may be coupled to the external defibrillator, and may employ a magnet to initiate telemetry by the IMD to detect the presence of the IMD.
US08548582B2 Systems and methods for electrically disconnecting components of implantable electrical systems
An implantable electrical stimulation system includes a control module electrically coupleable to a lead. The control module includes a housing, an electronic subassembly disposed in the housing, and a connector assembly for receiving the lead. The connector assembly includes a port for receiving a proximal end of the lead. Connector contacts are disposed in the connector assembly housing and electrically couple to the electronic subassembly. The connector contacts align with terminals disposed on the lead to form an electrical connection between the connector contacts and the terminals when the proximal end of the lead is disposed in the port of the connector assembly. A disconnecting feature includes a switch for electrically disabling, or at least significantly reducing, the electrical connection between the connector contacts and the electronic subassembly when the switch is opened.
US08548572B2 Determining inserted catheter end location and orientation
Catheterization device and method of using are provided for uniquely illuminating the distal end of the device in order to visualize the end-point location and orientation and to track the movement of the catheterization device within passageways in the body. Use of the present invention by tracking in real time with an imaging device sensitive to visible to near infrared light. The invention allows the insertion and tracking of substantially any catheterization type device, for substantially any procedure requiring vascular access, such as in the placement of a PICC line, for heart catheterization or angioplasty, or for urinary track catheterization, or other bodily access procedure. The invention permits a technician to determine placement, orientation and movement of the device noninvasive equipment, without subjecting the patient to the hazards associated with ionizing radiation, radio frequency energy or significant thermal energy.
US08548571B2 Devices and methods for predicting and preventing restenosis
The present invention relates to methods and devices for predicting restenosis, and for treating atherosclerosis to prevent or reduce the incidence of restenosis. Methods of predicting restenosis in a stenosed peripheral artery may include quantitative histology of the vessel. For example, a method of treating a stenosed artery (and particularly a peripheral artery) may include the steps of determining a level of hypercellularity and one or more of the lipid-richness and extent of inflammatory cell inclusion in the tissue. An index of restenosis based on the hypercellularity and lipid richness and/or extent of inflammatory cell inclusion in the tissue may be determined. Systems for treating or preventing restenosis may include one or more imaging modalities for imaging tissue regions and determining the level of hypercellularity and one or more of the degree of lipid-richness and the extent of inflammatory cell inclusion in the tissue region.
US08548569B2 Head fixation assemblies for medical procedures
A head fixation assembly includes a head fixation frame, a plurality of upper head fixation members, a plurality of lower head fixation members, and at least one drive mechanism. The head fixation frame includes a pair of upwardly extending spaced-apart arms defining a free space therebetween. At least one upper head fixation member extends from each of the respective arms of the head fixation frame, with each upper head fixation member adjustable relative to the head fixation frame and adapted to engage a patient's head within the free space of the head fixation frame. The lower head fixation members extend from the head fixation frame between the pair of arms, with each member adjustable relative to the head fixation frame and adapted to engage an underside of the patient's head within the free space of the head fixation frame. The at least one drive mechanism is in communication with the lower head fixation members, and is externally accessible so as to allow a user to be able to directly or indirectly advance and/or retract the lower head fixation members while the patient's head resides in the free space of the head fixation frame.
US08548560B2 Adaptive data rate control
A data rate controlling feedback loop evaluates an actual instantaneous available quality of service of a communication link for transmitting data and controls the data rate based on an evaluation result, Feedback control may both be local to a device for acquiring examination data, such as a magnetic resonance imaging coil, or over the communication link by reducing the data rate at least momentarily to fit the communication link's performance over time, enabling a graceful degradation of an image quality at lower data rates.
US08548559B2 Method and apparatus for computer-assisted femoral head resurfacing
A method for locating a guide wire axis on a femoral neck comprises the steps of tracking a position and orientation of a femur; registering a frame of reference with respect to the position and orientation of the femur from a first registration probe mounted onto the femur in a predetermined configuration, the frame of reference having preoperative planned data pertaining to the femoral neck; digitizing femoral neck data with respect to the position and orientation of the femur from a second registration probe positioned onto the femoral neck at desired orientations; calculating a position and orientation of the guide wire axis with respect to the position and orientation of the femur as a function of the preoperative planned data and the femoral neck data.
US08548557B2 Medical electrodes
The present disclosure provides electrodes that possess hydrogels for contacting skin. In embodiments, an electrode of the present disclosure may include a substrate and a conductive composition on at least a portion of a surface of the substrate, the conductive composition including at least one hydrogel and at least one component capable of providing either a cooling or warming sensation upon contact with tissue of a patient. Methods for forming these hydrogels and electrodes are also provided.
US08548556B2 Bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus
The present invention provides a bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus for determining composition data of a human body, the apparatus including a plurality of electrodes and measuring circuitry which inject, through two electrodes, alternating current into the body, and which determine, with two other electrodes on different limbs, the resulting voltages, and which determine therefrom the impedance of body segments. In one apparatus, two hand contact bodies are disclosed, each of which includes a hand seating surface for placement of a hand inner surface thereon, each hand seating surface includes an electrically insulating separating wall extending over a part of the length of the hand seating surface, the separating wall being adapted to project into the space between middle and ring finger when a hand is placed on the hand seating surface, and on both sides of the separating wall an electrode is included.
US08548548B2 Physiological measurement communications adapter
A sensor interface is configured to receive a sensor signal. A transmitter generates a transmit signal. A receiver receives the signal corresponding to the transmit signal. Further, a monitor interface is configured to communicate a waveform to the monitor so that measurements derived by the monitor from the waveform are generally equivalent to measurements derivable from the sensor signal.
US08548547B2 Aviation physiological health monitoring system and method
An aircraft cockpit with health monitoring system and method enables an occupant (e.g. a pilot) and/or a ground station to monitor the physical condition of the occupant during a flight. A sensor such as a pulse oximetry sensor is in predetermined location to an occupant seat (e.g. an aircraft cockpit seat), within the field of reach of a person seated in the seat. The sensor is supported in the predetermined location in a stable manner that provides sufficient reaction to insertion of a finger to enable insertion of a finger in the sensor while the person is in a seated position, and the sensor is in communication with a control box that processes data from the sensor, and presents the data, e.g. at a the multi functional display in an aircraft cockpit. During a flight, a pilot seated in the aircraft cockpit seat will be prompted to insert a finger into the pulse oximetry sensor to produce output at the multi functional display.
US08548544B2 System, method and article for controlling the dispensing of insulin
A system and method for automatically adjusting parameters for predicting blood glucose levels and/or controlling the dispensing of insulin. In one embodiment, the system is a stand-alone system. In one embodiment, the system is part of a system for controlling the dispensing of insulin.
US08548534B2 Wireless headset switching system
A wireless headset system including a switching unit having a detection circuit coupled to a wireless adapter. The detection circuit provides a first output signal to the wireless adapter upon detection of a triggering event, such as activation of a manual switch or detection of voltage of an audio output signal from a mobile communications device. The first output signal causes the wireless adapter to enter into an active audio channel mode. The detection circuit also provides a second output signal to the wireless adapter when no triggering event is detected, and the second output signal causes the wireless adapter to enter into a standby mode. Placing at least the wireless adapter in a standby mode saves battery life of the system.
US08548532B1 Head unit to handset interface and integration
A method of communicatively coupling a handheld mobile device and a head unit comprising monitoring, by the handheld mobile device, a port of the handheld mobile device; sending, by the handheld mobile device, an application to the head unit when the head unit device contacts the handheld mobile device via the port of the handheld mobile device; and conducting, by the handheld mobile device, an operation of the handheld mobile device, using the head unit device as the user interface for the handheld mobile device.
US08548529B1 Method and apparatus of processing data displayed based on a mobile station interface based on user preferences
A method and apparatus of modifying user content data on a mobile station are disclosed. One example method of displaying customized content data on a mobile station may include receiving the content data at the mobile station, and modifying the content data for a user of the mobile station to view the content data based on predefined viewing preferences of the user. The modified content may then be displayed on a display interface of the mobile station allowing the user to view the content based on their specified preferences.
US08548526B2 Multiple-TRX PICO base station for providing improved wireless capacity and coverage in a building
One embodiment is directed to a system for providing wireless coverage and capacity for a public land mobile network within a building. The system comprises a pico base station comprising multiple transceiver units. The pico base station is installed in the building. The system further comprises a plurality of antennas located within the building. The plurality of antennas are located remotely from the pico base station. The pico base station is communicatively coupled to the public land mobile network. The pico base station is communicatively coupled to the plurality of antennas.
US08548510B2 Method and apparatus for receiving messages under first and second network coverage
A method and apparatus are provided wherein a mobile device operates some of the time on a first network and some of the time on a second network, and wherein while handling traffic of a defined type over the first network, the mobile device selectively tunes away to the second network to see if there are any messages. The method and apparatus allow a mobile device with a single transceiver to receive CMAS alerts transmitted over a 1xRTT network while minimizing disruption to ongoing delay sensitive data applications operating on a 1xEV-DO network.
US08548506B2 Wireless station location detection
A technique for locating a device uses connectivity to find a distance between an access point (AP) and a device. The AP transmits a frame to a device and receives an acknowledgement frame from the device. The amount of time for a signal to pass between the AP and the device is estimated and multiplied by the speed of light to find the distance between the AP and the device.
US08548501B2 System having Doppler-based control of a mobile device
Embodiments of the present invention recite a system having Doppler-based control of a mobile device. In one embodiment, at least one measured Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Doppler frequency shift measurement corresponding to a GNSS signal measured at a mobile electronic device is received. The speed of the remote device is then determined based at least in part upon the GNSS Doppler frequency shift measurement. An operation of the remote device is then controlled from the base station when the speed of the remote device exceeds a speed threshold.
US08548500B2 Method and apparatus for supporting location services with roaming
Techniques for supporting location services with roaming are described. A method of supporting location services (LCS) for a mobile station roaming from a home network and communicating with a visited network includes receiving a domain name system (DNS) query at a DNS of the home network from a packet data serving node (PDSN) of the home network. The method also includes sending to the mobile station from the DNS of the home network an address of a serving position determining entity (S-PDE) in the visited network.
US08548491B2 Method and system for internet protocol initial positioning through calibrated ranging
A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) enabled mobile device comprising an Internet protocol (IP) interface may be operable to determine a reference position based on a registered public IP address associated with the GNSS enabled mobile device and range uncertainty for the registered public IP address. The GNSS enabled mobile device may identify the registered public IP address associated with the GNSS enabled mobile device and a packet travel time to reach the registered public IP address utilizing a network trace test. The GNSS enabled mobile device may be operable to determine the range uncertainty for the identified registered public IP address and validate the registered public IP address for a reference position based on the determined range uncertainty. The GNSS enabled mobile device may be operable to acquire a latitude/longitude associated with the validated registered public IP address for the reference position.
US08548490B2 Multi-objects positioning system and power-control based multiple access control method
The present invention provides a multi-objects positioning system and power-control based multiple access control method. The multi-objects positioning system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of tag devices carried by multiple objects and one or more positioning devices for determining the positions of the objects, wherein each of the tag devices includes a positioning device list for recording status information of the positioning devices. According to the present invention, tag device broadcasts Channel Request Packet (CRP) intermittently; positioning device, which is idle and receives the CRP, broadcasts Channel Allocation Packet (CAP) in its coverage range to allocate a channel to the tag device that is the sender of the CRP and inform information of the positioning device to other tag devices; tag device, which receives the CAP, updates its positioning device list according to the contents of the CAP; and the tag device adjusts transmission power of the CRP by referring to the positioning device list. With the present invention, the EN and HN problems existing in the prior arts can be solved effectively, and it is helpful to solve signal collision and improve spatio-temporal reuse capacity of the system.
US08548488B2 Automated configuration of a wireless location system
In an overlay, network-based Wireless Location System, Location Measurement Units (LMUs) are used to collect radio signaling both in the forward and reverse channels for use in TDOA and/or AoA positioning methods. Information broadcast from the radio network and by global satellite navigation system constellations can be received by the LMUs and used to reduce the difficulty of initial system configuration and reconfiguration due to radio network changes.
US08548484B2 Method of resource reservation request and resource reservation in wireless communication system
A method of resource reservation request and resource reservation in a wireless communication system is disclosed. A method of resource reservation request of a mobile station in a wireless communication system with femto cells comprises transmitting a resource reservation request message to a macro base station to request a femto cell base station not to use resource used by the mobile station if interference from the femto cell base station is over a threshold; and receiving a resource reservation response message from a macro base station.
US08548482B2 Radio communication device and method for controlling frequency selection
A radio communication device and a method for controlling frequency selection. In an embodiment of the invention, a radio communication device may include a first radio modem circuit, a first medium access control circuit assigned to the first radio modem circuit, a second radio modem circuit, a second medium access control circuit assigned to the second radio modem circuit, and a control interface circuit configured to control the first medium access control circuit and the second medium access control circuit.
US08548480B2 Radio resource usage optimisation in a packet network
A method of optimizing the use of radio resources in a mobile radio communication system during a combinational multimedia session involving circuit switched and packet switched sessions between user terminals, the method comprising: disabling an in-sequence delivery option of packets between radio network control nodes of the radio access network(s) serving the user terminals for said packet switched session.
US08548479B2 Apparatus and method for transmitting inter-working signal in wireless communication system
A Base Station (BS) includes an apparatus and method for transmitting cell information. The BS is in the a communication system of a small cell size in a wireless communication environment in which a communication system of a large cell size and the communication system of the small cell size are hierarchically constructed in the same area. The method includes confirming reference signal transmission information for transmitting a reference signal including its own cell information, if a reference signal transmission interval arrives according to the reference signal transmission information, transmitting the reference signal through an operation frequency of a macro BS of the large cell size including the BS itself, and, if it is not the reference signal transmission interval, providing service through its own operation frequency or operating in a power saving mode.
US08548478B2 Method and system for facilitating handover from a third generation (3G) cellular communication system to a wireless local area network (WLAN)
A method for facilitating inter-system handover by a multi-mode wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) is disclosed. The WTRU is capable of communicating in multiple wireless communication systems using different wireless communication protocols. A first wireless communication system provides a hot spot within the coverage area of a second wireless communication system. A base station in a cell in the second wireless communication system generates and transmits a message to inform the WTRU of the existence of the hot spot located in the vicinity of the cell. The WTRU receives the message and is therefore informed of the existence of the hot spot in the vicinity of the cell.
US08548476B2 Method of managing X2 interface, handover method, interference coordination method and apparatus
Disclosed is a method of managing an X2 interface, a handover method, an interference coordination method and an apparatus for LTE and LTE-Advanced system. X2 interface management includes: finding by a first eNB, a new neighboring cell, i.e., a second cell corresponding to a second HeNB; determining by the first eNB, an access mode of the second cell; and establishing a first X2 interface between the first eNB and the second HeNB when the access mode of the second cell is an open mode or a hybrid mode. The X2 interface may be managed dynamically and the mode for establishing the X2 interface, such as direct X2 interface or gateway-proxied X2interface, may be selected. The expansible problem and system overhead due to the X2interface in the LTE and LTE-Advanced system may be reduced effectively to better support handover and interference coordination.
US08548475B2 Method for optimizing power consumption in wireless devices using data rate efficiency factor
An electronic device has wireless communications circuitry that supports communications using multiple radio access technologies. The electronic device may gather information such as data rate values, power consumption values, and other data for a currently active radio access technology and an alternative radio access technology. The electronic device may automatically switch between the currently active radio access technology and the alternative radio access technology based on a value of a data rate efficiency metric. The data rate efficiency metric may represent how efficiently each radio access technology is capable of using power to convey a given amount of data per unit time. The data rate efficiency metric may be evaluated using measured power consumption data, measured data rate values, and operating parameters such as signal strength and transmitted power parameters.
US08548470B2 Mechanism for the conveyance and management of device mobility in an IMS network
A network element is disclosed. The network element has a processor programmed to promote sending an event mechanism to promote a handoff between disparate telecommunications networks. The event mechanism comprises a mobility event comprising a mobility information element and a mobility state element. The mobility information element comprises a type element and a mobility parameters element.
US08548469B1 Apparatus and method of attaching a wireless device to a wireless network
An apparatus and method for attaching a wireless device to a wireless network. The apparatus comprises a processor arranged to, responsive to receipt of a reject message from a network control apparatus, cause the wireless device to: transmit a first attach request to the network control apparatus using a first communication layer and an existing connection between the wireless device and the network control apparatus; and responsive to a notification of a failure of the first attach request originating from a second communication layer which is lower than the first communication layer, transmit a second attach request to the network control apparatus using the first communication layer and a new connection between the wireless device and the network control apparatus, wherein transmission of the second attach request is effected independently of a timer started on receipt of the notification of a failure.
US08548467B2 Ticket-based configuration parameters validation
Aspects describe spectrum authorization, access control, and configuration parameters validation. Devices in an ad-hoc or peer-to-peer configuration can utilize a licensed spectrum if the devices are authorized to use the spectrum, which can be determined automatically. Aspects relate to distribution of authorization tickets by an authorization server as a result of validating a device's credentials and services to which the device is entitled. An exchange and verification of authorization tickets can be performed by devices as a condition for enabling a validated wireless link using the spectrum.
US08548466B1 Smart antenna for interference rejection with enhanced tracking
A smart antenna system is provided for communicating wireless signals between a mobile device and a plurality of different fixed base stations using one or more channels and one or more beams. The smart antenna system includes a control subsystem, a radio transceiver and an antenna subsystem coupled to each other and adapted to perform scanning of one or more combinations of base stations, channels and beams using one or more test links established with one or more of the fixed base stations where the test links use at least some of the channels and the beams. A first combination of base station, channel and beam is selected based on the scanning; and a first operating link is established for transmitting a wireless signal to the selected base station using the selected channel and beam.
US08548462B2 User equipment cellular identification
A method and apparatus for determining user equipment cell identification examines the age of the cell identification known to the user equipment when determining whether to use that cell identification or to obtain the cell identification through alternate means. The age of the cell identification known to the user equipment is examined by the user equipment, the communication system, or both by comparing the age to a predefined value. The age indicator can be transmitted by the user equipment to a network. If the age exceeds a predefined value, then the cell identification is obtained through network procedures. If the age is less than a predefined value then the cell identification known to the user equipment is accepted as current. Position information for the user equipment can be based upon the cell identification known to the user equipment or as obtained through network procedures.
US08548456B1 Adaptive mobility measurement for continuous packet connectivity
The present disclosure provides a method for making mobility measurements in a cellular telephone network that includes assessing the quality of the downlink signal from an active cell during multiple discontinuous operation time periods. If the quality metric exceeds a threshold, the method calls for performing a mobility measurement on the downlink signal during a first time interval. If the quality metric is less than the threshold, the method calls for performing the mobility measurement on both the downlink signal from the identified cells and a downlink signal from a previously un-identified cell during a second time interval that is greater than the first time interval.
US08548455B2 Method and system for installation and configuration of a femtocell
Aspects of a method and system for installation and configuration of a femtocell are provided. In this regard, information for configuring a femtocell to operate in a specified location may be received by the femtocell and may be utilized to configure one or more parameters of the femtocell. Once the femtocell is operational the parameters may be updated and/or optimized based on one or both of characterizations of cellular signals and/or information received from a femtocell registry. In this manner the femtocell may be reconfigured utilizing the updated and/or optimized parameters. The one or more parameters may be configured based on attributes of the location in which the femtocell is to operate. The one or more parameters may be configured based on a location, number, and/or coverage area of other femtocells. The parameters may comprise one or more of: power levels, frequency of operation, and/or antenna beam pattern.
US08548454B2 Methods, mobile network node and mobile terminal for reducing the number of unsuccessful service change requests performed by the mobile terminal
A method for reducing the number of unsuccessful service change attempts of a first mobile terminal is presented. The mobile terminal (1, 1a, 1b, 420) is connectable via a mobile network to a further terminal by establishing a call connection for providing a first service or by establishing a call connection for providing a second service. The method comprises the following steps performed by the first mobile terminal (1, 1a, 1b, 420): receiving (S21) a first indication signal (202) indicating that a service change towards the second service is temporarily unavailable from a mobile network node (31, 310) administrating an established call connection for providing the first service, and in response to receiving the first indication signal (202) refraining (S22) from requesting a service change towards the second service until reception of a further indication signal (204) from the mobile network node (31, 310) indicating that a service change is available again.
US08548452B2 System and method for controlling device usage
Mobile device usage may be monitored and restricted by pushing enabling/disabling events from an administrator the device. The events impose a certain set of rules that can “lock” certain features provided by the device, according to permissions and pre-established policies, for a certain period of time. Such restricted periods may coincide with meetings or other events in which distractions should be kept to a minimum or be during regular, predetermined time periods. Preferably, the rules include conditional locks that allow a user to use a feature a reasonable number of times before the lock is activated to place the onus on the user for minimizing such distractions, while enabling the user to maintain access to such a vital communication tool. Cancel packets may also be used to not only control but to monitor the application of the rule sets and when certain conditions are breaches, which provides an employer with sufficient information to use in auditing device usage or in reprimanding users for misuse of a privilege such as the use of mobile data communications devices.
US08548449B2 Mobile contact notes
Systems and methods for managing contact information on mobile devices is provided. When a telephone call is initiated or received, a contact record associated with the call is accessed to determine if it includes notes to be displayed during the call. If there are notes to be displayed, they are displayed for the user during the call. Notes may include display tags indicating they should be displayed as well as action tags specifying actions to take for calls with the contact. An option to dismiss the note(s) can be provided, as well as an option to edit the note. When calls complete, the system provides options to the user to create and save a new note for the contact record. In some embodiments, the system provides options for the user to record audio from telephone conversations. The recording is translated to text and optionally stored in a contact record.
US08548448B2 Managing communications utilizing communication categories
Systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums for managing communications on telecommunication devices utilizing communication categories are provided. A subset of contacts accessible by a telecommunication device are associated with one or more communication categories. Each communication category can be associated with a set of communication activities. Based on a selection of a specific contact, a telecommunication device can generate a display having display objects representative of communication categories associated with the selected contact. Additionally, based on a selection of a communication category, the telecommunication device can further generate a display including display objects representative of a set of communication activities corresponding to the selected communication category.
US08548446B2 Device forming a shared telephone address book, associated telephone terminal and method
A device for forming a shared telephone address book is provided. The device may be associated with a mobile telephony terminal to form a shared telephone address book also provided is a method for sharing contacts.
US08548445B2 Abbreviated dialing
An intelligent abbreviated dialing feature can use a portion of a phone number as a shortcut to dialing. Any portion of a phone number can be input into a communications device such as by pressing buttons on the keypad or speaking into a microphone. A processor in the communications device or on a network accessible by the communications device can generate the phone number register from frequently dialed numbers. The processor can compare the input into the communications device against the phone number register. For each digit of the phone number that is input into the communications device, the processor can search the phone numbers and provide search results with the corresponding numbers. A phone number can be selected from the search results and dialed.
US08548443B2 System and method for selectively restricting portable information handling system features
Wireless telephones retrieve feature restrictions from a wires telephone network, the feature restrictions having associated predetermined conditions. A wireless telephone applies the feature restrictions if the predetermined conditions are met to disable functions at the wireless telephone as defined by the feature restrictions. For example, a wireless telephone disables camera operations if the position of the wireless phone is in an academic testing location during an academic testing period.
US08548439B2 Interactive property communication system
Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods for interactive property communication. In various embodiments, an interactive property communication system includes two or more property communication nodes (PCNs) each adapted for coupling to an electrical service. PCNs include a radio transceiver for communications with a broker service adapted for controlling communications with one or more PCNs.
US08548438B2 Systems and methods for providing enhanced voicemail services
A method for managing incoming voicemail messages at a visual voicemail (VVM) system can include receiving a new voicemail message for a voicemail account associated with a mobile device, generating a deposit notification message at the VVM system in response to receiving the new voicemail message, sending the notification message to the mobile device, and receiving a request for voicemail message header information from the mobile device. The method can further include sending the voicemail message header information to the mobile device. The mobile device uses the voicemail message header information to determine a status for each voicemail message presently stored on the mobile device to identify the new voicemail message. The method can further include the VVM system receiving a request for the new voicemail message, and sending the new voicemail message to the mobile device for storage and playback on the mobile device.
US08548436B2 Avoiding redundant transmissions of data during multimedia mobile phone communications
A method, apparatus, and computer product for avoiding redundant data transmissions during communication via multimedia mobile phones. In operation, a sending party inquires whether intended for transmission data already resides in a mobile phone of a receiving party Depending on a content of the response from the receiving party, the sending party transmits the data or a request for displaying the already available data.
US08548427B2 System and method for peer-to-peer transfer of multimedia content and reconciliation thereof
A system and method to enable a transfer of multimedia content between mobile telecommunication devices while maintaining the multimedia traffic within a wireless local network. Multimedia content may be sent from one of the mobile telecommunication devices and delivered to another one or more of the mobile telecommunication devices. The multimedia transfer is facilitated and monitored by a secure agent located within the local network. The secure agent maintains a record of the multimedia content sessions and transmits such information to a billing component. The billing component utilizes the record of content transfer to assess a fee or other charge on the sending device, the receiving device(s), or both sending and receiving devices. In some embodiments, such a charge may include a credit or other reward that is provided to sending devices or receiving devices for implementing a local transfer of multimedia content.
US08548423B2 Mobile based neighborhood watch system capable of group interactions, anonymous messages and observation reports
A mobile based neighborhood watch system capable of group interactions, anonymous messages and observation reports. Employing a downloadable mobile client application in their mobile device, members of a local neighborhood watch group can send messages to each other, wherein messages can include voice recorded on their mobile devices and photos taken using their mobile devices. They can also provide comments on messages received, and make observation reports regarding a task they have conducted, something they have noticed, a situation they have witnessed, etc. The membership of the local neighborhood watch group is maintained by a server, and such membership typically includes people staying in a neighborhood, local law enforcement officials, local fire department workers, etc. The server makes it easy to create such groups and manage the membership.
US08548422B2 Versatile personal medical emergency communication system
A versatile personal emergency, especially medical emergency, communication system includes a user-carried portable communication unit having a single button, which when depressed by the user, wirelessly sends a call request signal to a base unit. The base unit initiates a telephone call through a dial-up network to an emergency response center and places an operator at the emergency center in wireless voice communication with the portable unit when the call is connected. The telephone number of the emergency responder to be called is stored in the system. A program is used to set up the system to a selected one of a central monitoring station and a 911 operator. Voice messages are stored in the system and are used to advise the user of the status of the call, and to provide the user with verbal confirmation that functional systems of the base unit are operating properly. The units are programmable selectively by phone, voice or computer.
US08548421B2 Battery charge reservation for emergency communications
A wireless communications device and method for establishing a voltage threshold at which to turn off electronics of a wireless communications device includes determining a power threshold level at which a device is to be shut off when a battery of the device reaches or drops below the power threshold level. The determined power threshold level may be offset. The amount of power remaining for the battery in the communications device may be measured. The communication device may be shut off based on the offset power threshold level so as to preserve enough power for an emergency message to be generated and sent in the case of an emergency.
US08548417B2 Secure control for desktop secure video teleconferencing
Method, system, and computer program product example embodiments of the invention are disclosed to provide multi-network secure video teleconferencing (VTC) for VTC endpoints. The embodiments of the invention include a sequencer that controls the sequence of operations when moving a video teleconferencing terminal between secure networks. The sequencer receives commands to initiate the operation from an initiator, such as a user-initiated button press from a control console or a user-initiated request from an Internet interface, or for a scheduled operation from a scheduling interface. The sequencer then issues commands to a secure database of terminal configuration data and a control isolator to both transfer a video teleconferencing terminal to a new secure network to begin a conference and to remove a video teleconferencing terminal from a secure network to end a conference.
US08548415B2 Carbon nanotube devices and method of fabricating the same
An imaging system includes an RF source, a focal plane array and device for focusing the RF signal from the RF source. The focal plane array includes a plurality of carbon nanotube mixers for capturing RF signals and down-converting the signals to a selected bandwidth and output an output signal. The device focuses the RF signal output from said RF source onto the focal plane array.
US08548412B2 Apparatus and method for eliminating outband interference signal
Provided is an apparatus and method for eliminating an outband interference signal. An apparatus for eliminating an interference signal includes a first mixer, a filter unit, a second mixer, and an operation unit. The first mixer downconverts a received signal containing an outband interference signal. The filter unit extracts the downconverted outband interference signal from the downconverted received signal. The second mixer upconverts the downconverted outband interference signal to restore the outband interference signal to the original frequency band. The operation unit subtracts and eliminates the restored outband interference signal from the received signal.
US08548411B2 Low-complexity diversity reception
A system may comprise a plurality of signal processing paths, a bin-wise combiner, an inverse transformation block, and a DAC. Each signal processing path may comprise a transformation block that is operable to transform a first time-domain digital signal to an associated frequency-domain signal having a plurality of subband signals. The bin-wise combiner may be operable to combine corresponding subband signals of the plurality of signal processing paths. The inverse transformation block may be operable to transform output of the bin-wise combiner to an second time-domain signal. The DAC may be operable to converts the second time-domain signal to a corresponding analog signal.
US08548405B2 Individually phase controlled RF oscillators for antenna beam steering
A method of controlling the phases of RF output signals from a number of radio transmitters. A given radio has at least one synthesizer as a source of its RF output signal, and the synthesizer produces an output the phase offset of which relative to a reference signal is controlled by a phase offset command. A path from an antenna port of the radio obtains a fed back RF output signal and a phase difference between the reference signal and the fed back RF output signal is measured. A value of a zero degree phase offset command for the synthesizer is determined such that the phase difference between the reference signal and the fed back RF signal is nominally zero, and the value is stored. A phase offset command for providing a desired phase offset for the RF output signal is then determined based the stored value of the zero degree phase offset command.
US08548399B2 Adaptive antenna transmission and antenna calibration
The present invention relates to a method for adapting transmission parameters in a transmitter Tx in communication with at least one antenna 27; 38; 47; 57; 77, 88. The method comprises: transmitting a signal from the transmitter Tx measuring at least one reflection coefficient S11 of said signal for each antenna 27; 38; 47; 57; 77, 88, and adapting the transmission parameters based on the measured reflection coefficient S11. The antenna could be a transmit antenna and/or a receive antenna. In a preferred embodiment antenna calibration may be performed by measuring propagation time for each individual transmitter chain 481, 482; 781, 782, and compensate for differences in time delay between the individual transmitter chains 481, 482; 781, 782 to assure that the signal is transmitted simultaneously from all transmit antennas.
US08548397B1 Mobile wireless communications device including a power module coupled to a wireless module and associated methods
A mobile wireless communications device includes a power module with a first housing, at least one power cell carried by the first housing, and a first plurality of contact pads coupled to the at least one power cell and exposed on the first housing. A wireless module is adjacent the power module and includes a second housing having an opening therein, and wireless communications circuitry carried by the second housing and comprising a second plurality of contact pads aligned with the opening. A connector is in the opening and has a dielectric body, and a plurality of spring contacts carried by the dielectric body and exposed on opposite sides thereof coupling respective ones of the first and second pluralities of contact pads together.
US08548395B2 Push-to-talk switch
A push-to-talk switch can have a switch that does not produce an audible sound when actuated. For example, the push-to-talk switch can comprise a membrane switch or a capacitive switch that produces less than 0 dB(A) of wideband sound when actuated. The switch can be actuated by pushing a diaphragm. Sound damping material can be used to mitigate audibility of the switch. Because the push-to-talk switch is substantially silent, it can be used in applications such as covert operations and battle situations where the sound of actuating the switch could have life threatening consequences.
US08548394B2 Antenna for a wireless controller in oral cavity
An intraoral cavity control system having a shape adapted to be positioned between the palate in the roof of the mouth and the tongue comprising, a control interface to receive control input from an organ of the mouth, a wireless transmitting and/or receiving means for transmitting an electrical output signal from the control system and/or for receiving an electrical input signal from an external unit, a control element for processing the control input from the control interface into said electrical output signal transmitted by the transmitting means and for processing said electrical input signals establishing a communication between the external unit and the control element, a power source for providing electrical power to said control system wherein the wireless transmitting and receiving means are further provided with an antenna that is arranged to extend from within a first volume of the oral cavity bound by the medial surface of the teeth and being arranged within a second volume of the oral cavity bound between the medial surface of the teeth and the lateral boundaries of the vestibule of the oral cavity.
US08548385B2 Device, system and method of wireless communication via multiple antenna assemblies
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of wireless communication via multiple antenna assemblies. For example, a device may include a wireless communication unit to transmit and receive signals via one or more quasi-omnidirectional antenna assemblies, wherein the wireless communication unit is to transmit, via each quasi-omnidirectional antenna assembly, a plurality of first transmissions, to receive, in response to the first transmissions, a plurality of second transmissions from another device via one or more of the quasi-omnidirectional antenna assemblies, and, based on the second transmissions, to select at least one selected transmit antenna assembly for transmitting to the other device and a selected receive antenna assembly for receiving transmissions from the other device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08548376B2 Operation method and apparatus of relay and base station
A method of operating a relay station is provided. The method includes: receiving a beacon signal transmitted by a user equipment; measuring the beacon signal and transmitting a measurement result to a base station; and receiving routing information for the user equipment determined based on the measurement result, wherein the routing information indicates whether the user equipment communicates with the base station via the relay station or communicates with the base station directly. Accordingly, data can be transmitted through a proper path according to a channel state between the user equipment and the base station or the relay station in a wireless communication system employing the relay station, and thus cooperative transmission can be easily achieved between the base station and the relay station, which results in increase of efficiency of using radio resources.
US08548375B2 Gain control metric computation in a wireless repeater
A wireless repeater includes a gain control metric computation block to compute a gain control metric for use in controlling the variable gain of the repeater. The gain control metric is computed by downsampling the gain control input signal to the gain control metric computation block and also downsampling the computed correlation and normalization terms. The gain control metric may be further enhanced by filtering the computed metric values using linear or non-linear filtering.
US08548372B2 Method for making combination prints with pleasing appearance
Methods for operating a printer to form a combination print with improved appearance are provided. In one aspect first receiver is provided with a first thickness at a first edge and having a first toner image on a first side with toner in an overlap area proximate the first edge. The first edge and overlap area are overlapped with a second receiver having a second thickness at a second edge; and the first receiver and second receiver are fused to cause any toner thereon to fuse such that the toner in the overlap area bonds the first receiver to the second receiver. The first toner image includes an edge concealment toner pattern positioned confronting the second edge with the edge concealment toner pattern having toner that reduces the visual impact of artifacts created by the overlapping second edge. Printed articles are also provided.
US08548370B2 Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
Disclosed herein is an image forming apparatus and a control method thereof. According to the control method of the image forming apparatus, entry and exit of a recording medium can be sensed without a register sensor by sensing current change of a press roller used to apply a constant pressure to the recording medium and a transfer belt so as to allow the recording medium and transfer belt to come into close contact with each other. In the case of a model provided with a register sensor, the presence of malfunction of the register sensor can be recognized.
US08548365B2 Image forming apparatus
The image forming apparatus includes an endless and movable transfer material bearing belt, a transfer member, an opposing member and a belt guide member, wherein a conveyance direction of the transfer material in a first area is substantially the same as a conveyance direction of the transfer material in a second area, the first area corresponding to a nip area formed by the opposing member and the transfer member and the second area corresponding to an area in which the belt guide member bringing the transfer material bearing belt and the image bearing belt come into contact with each other. By the virtue of the present invention, a transfer material is restrained from scraping off the leading end of a toner image before the leading end of the toner image enters a transfer nip portion, while suppressing spattering of the toner image on the upstream of the transfer nip portion.
US08548363B2 Developing device and process cartridge
A developing device includes a developer accommodating chamber containing a developer; a developer carrying member for carrying the developer to develop an electrostatic image; a feeding belt for feeding the developer toward the developer carrying member by rotation of the driving roller in a stretched state in which the feeding belt is stretched by a driving roller and a follower roller; and a switching mechanism for switching the feeding belt from a loosened state in which the feeding belt is looser than in the stretched state to the stretched state.
US08548359B2 Charging member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus
A charging member is provided which can not easily cause vibration and can stably charge a photosensitive member, even where a high-frequency alternating-current voltage is applied thereto. It is a charging member having an electrically conductive substrate, an electrically conductive elastic layer and a surface layer, and the elastic layer has, in the order from the substrate side, a first rubber layer and a second rubber layer laminated to the first rubber layer, and, where the natural vibration frequency of the first rubber layer is represented by f1 and the natural vibration frequency of the second rubber layer is represented by f2, has a natural vibration frequency ratio, f2/f1, of from 2.35 or more to 10.0 or less.
US08548358B2 Systems and methods for remanufacturing imaging components
A drive gear for a generally cylindrical imaging component. The drive gear includes a body for engaging the generally cylindrical imaging component; a cylindrical shaft attached to the body, the cylindrical shaft having an end surface; and three prongs extending longitudinally outward from the end surface.
US08548353B2 Developer cartridge
A developer cartridge is provided, which includes a toner cartridge, a developer stirring device located in the toner cartridge, a supply roller for supplying a developer to a developer roller, a developer roller for developing an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductor, and a power receptor for driving only one of gear sets of the above means to receive a power. The power receptor is rotatably fixed at two or more predetermined positions. An initial position of the power receptor is a power receiving position. A power receptor moving device includes a press block, a baffle block, a spring, and a torsion spring. The power receptor moving device is controlled by the press block. When the press block of the power receptor moving device is pressed downwards, the power receptor is rotated to another power receiving position due to the action of the torsion spring. The present invention is applicable to various types of machines.
US08548344B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus include an image bearing member, a developing container receiving a developer, a developer carrying member for carrying and conveying the developer, a developer feed member for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member, a detection device for detecting an amount of developer in the developing container by detecting an electrostatic capacitance between the developer carrying member and the developer feed member, and a control device for changing a rotational speed of the developer feed member into a plurality of speeds corresponding to the plurality of image forming speeds. The control unit controls the rotational speed of the developer feed member prior to the execution of a detection operation of the detection device so as to be faster than the slowest speed of said plurality of speeds.
US08548340B2 Image-forming device configured to identify a charger at which an abnormal discharge is occurring
In an image-forming device, each of the N chargers charges the opposed photoconductor with a discharge. The voltage applying unit applies voltages to the N chargers, individually. The abnormal discharge detecting unit detects an occurrence of an abnormal discharge at least one of the N chargers. The voltage detecting unit detects first voltages applied to the N chargers before the occurrence of the abnormal discharge is detected, and second voltages applied to the N chargers after the occurrence of the abnormal discharge is detected. The calculating unit calculates a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage for each of the N chargers. The identifying unit identifies one charger as a charger at which the abnormal discharge is occurring. The difference between the first voltage and the second voltage applied to the one charger is the greatest among the differences.
US08548336B2 Closed loop optical modulation amplitude control
Systems and methods are provided for an optical modulation feedback circuit. The feedback circuit includes a low frequency comparison circuit configured to receive a monitoring signal generated by an optical detector, the monitoring signal being proportional to an amount of light generated by an optical transmission device that transmits based on a data signal that is received by an optical driver. The comparison circuit is further configured to generate a modulation control feedback signal that is transmitted to the optical driver based on a comparison of a low frequency component of the monitoring signal and a low frequency component of the data signal.
US08548334B2 Dynamic intelligent bidirectional optical access communication system with object/intelligent appliance-to-object/intelligent appliance interaction
Reduced Rayleigh backscattering effect enables a longer-reach optical access communication network-thus it eliminates significant costs. Furthermore, a wavelength to an intelligent subscriber subsystem can be dynamically varied for bandwidth on-Demand and service on-Demand. A software module renders intelligence (and context awareness) to a subscriber subsystem and an appliance. An object can sense/measure/collect/aggregate/compare/map and connect/couple/interact (via one or more or all electrical/optical/radio/electro-magnetic/sensor/bio-sensor communication network(s) within and/or to and/or from an object) with another object, an intelligent subscriber subsystem and an intelligent appliance utilizing an Internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) and its subsequent versions.A construction of a near-field communication (NFC) enabled intelligent micro-subsystem and/or intelligent appliance with key applications (e.g., an intelligent, location based and personalized social network and an intelligent, location based and personalized direct and peer-to-peer marketing) are also described.
US08548333B2 Transceiver photonic integrated circuit
The present invention provides for a transceiver comprising a transmitter portion and a receiver portion. The transmitter portion includes a laser, the laser providing an optical signal having one of a plurality of wavelengths. The optical signal from the laser is modulated to create a first wavelength-division multiplexed signal at an output of the transceiver. The optical signal from the laser is also used by a demultiplexer to demultiplexer a second wavelength-division multiplexed signal at an input of the transceiver. The use of the optical signal from the laser in both modulation and demodulation of wavelength-division multiplexed signals results in a transceiver having fewer discrete components resulting in a compact design and reduced costs.
US08548331B1 Optically interleaved electronic analog to digital converters
An analog signal receiver includes photonic sampling and electronic quantization. The receiver includes timing control circuitry configured to receive a series of optical pulses and output a plurality of timing signals based on the series of optical pulses to synchronize optical switches that receive a sampled optical signal to time deinterleave the optically sampled signal. The time deinterleaved signals are then sent to a plurality of demodulators wherein each demodulator receives at least one time deinterleaved optically sampled signal and at least one time deinterleaved optical reference signal to produce electrical signals based on the demodulated optical signals.
US08548330B2 Sectorization in distributed antenna systems, and related components and methods
Embodiments disclosed provide sectorization in distributed antenna systems, and related components and methods. The antenna units in the distributed antenna systems can be sectorized. In this regard, one or more radio bands distributed by the distributed antenna systems can be allocated to one or more sectors. The antenna units in the distributed antenna systems are also allocated to one or more sectors. In this manner, only radio frequency (RF) communications signals in the radio band(s) allocated to given sector(s) are distributed the antenna unit allocated to the same sector(s). The bandwidth capacity of the antenna unit is split among the radio band(s) allocated to sector(s) allocated to the antenna unit. The sectorization of the radio band(s) and the antenna units can be configured and/or altered based on capacity needs for given radio bands in antenna coverage areas provide by the antenna units.
US08548325B2 System, device, and method for supporting cut-through paths in an optical communication system
A system, device, and method for supporting cut-through pats in an optical communication system involves obtaining hop count and quality of service information by an initiating device and using the hop count and quality of service information by the initiating device to make decisions relating to a cut-through path. The hop count and quality of service information is provided in a reply message that is sent by a terminating device and modified by intermediate devices between the initiating device and the terminating device. The terminating device sends the reply with a hop count equal to one and quality of service information for a first link (hop) toward the initiating device. Each intermediate device increments the hop count in the reply and adds quality of service information for a next link (hop) into the reply.
US08548322B2 Channel power estimation means
A channel power estimator for estimating the power of each channel in a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal, comprising filter means to select and output a sub-band of an incoming WDM signal, function application means to apply a weighting function at least once to the output from the filter means and then output the weighted signal to reconstruction means, storage means for storing optical characteristic data on at least the function application means, wherein the reconstruction means calculates an estimation of the power distribution of the incoming WDM signal using the weighted signal and the optical characteristic data.
US08548303B2 Reconciling digital content at a digital media device
In one embodiment, a method includes initiating recording a program at a digital media device, identifying at the digital media device, a missing portion of the program, generating and transmitting a request for the missing portion, receiving a media file containing the missing portion of the program in response to the request, and merging the missing portion with a recorded portion of the program. An apparatus is also disclosed.
US08548299B2 Portable information terminal apparatus, information processing method, computer-program storage medium, and computer-program
A portable information terminal apparatus connected to a recording/reproducing apparatus, including a first generating element for generating a first signal for causing the recording/reproducing apparatus to acquire program information about a program, the generation of the first signal being based on an operation performed by a user, a first transmitting element for transmitting to the recording/reproducing apparatus the first signal generated by the first generating element, second generating element for generating a second signal for causing the recording/reproducing apparatus to display the acquired program information, the generation of the second signal being based on an operation performed by the user, second transmitting element for transmitting to the recording/reproducing apparatus the second signal generated by the second generating element, third generating element for generating a third signal for causing the recording/reproducing apparatus to preset the program for unattended recording, the generation of the third signal being based on an operation performed by the user, and third transmitting element for transmitting to the recording/reproducing apparatus the third signal generated by the third generating element.
US08548290B2 Dynamic apertured waveguide for near-eye display
A near-eye display of a type having an image generator for generating a succession of angularly related beams and waveguide for propagating the angularly related beams to an eyebox within which a virtual image is visible includes a controllable output aperture for such purposes as reconstructing a better defined pupil within the eyebox while also preserving the possibility for viewing the ambient environment from the eyebox through the controllable output aperture.
US08548288B2 Efficient inter-chip optical coupling
In an MCM, an optical signal is conveyed by an optical waveguide disposed on a surface of a first substrate to a first optical coupler. This first optical coupler redirects the optical signal out of the plane of the optical waveguide. Then, an optical interposer guides the optical signal between the first optical coupler and a second optical coupler on a surface of a second substrate, thereby reducing spatial expansion of the optical signal between the optical couplers. Moreover, the second optical coupler redirects the optical signal into a plane of an optical waveguide disposed on a surface of the second substrate, which then conveys the optical signal.
US08548282B2 Fiber in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) device
A fiber-inline MZI device for temperature sensing or refractive index (RI) sensing, the device comprising: a section of a Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) having at least two air holes infiltrated with a liquid analyte to form a waveguide channel, the liquid analyte forming rods in the PCF; wherein the rods leave an interference fringe pattern in the transmission spectrum when light is injected into the PCF, and fringe dips are tracked over a wide wavelength range in order to sense the temperature or refractive index.
US08548280B2 Systems and methods for replacing non-image text
Systems and methods for replacing non-image text are provided. One method for replacing non-image text includes padding a first data representing an image of text to create an image segment. The method includes replacing a second data representing non-image text with the image segment.
US08548278B2 Image capture and identification system and process
A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object.
US08548276B2 Image search apparatus, image scanning apparatus, image search system, database creation method, and database creation program
An image search apparatus capable of communicating with an image scanning apparatus includes: a common area extraction portion to compare a plurality of registration images stored in the storage portion and to extract a common area including an identical or similar image among a plurality of registration images; a search area determination portion to determine a non-common area excluding the common area, as a search area; a transmission request portion to request transmission of a document image if, as a result of comparison by the comparison portion, a registration image in which the reference image is identical or similar to the partial image does not exist in the plurality of registration images; and a registration portion to, in response to a request by the transmission request portion, store a document image received from the image scanning apparatus as a registration image into the storage portion.
US08548275B2 Image processing device and image processing method
An image processing method applied to an image processing device is capable of implementing bitstream stitching technique after interrupting image processing process. The image processing method includes steps of processing the i-th slice of N slices in an image to generate a plurality of first processed data; storing the first processed data in a memory unit; once an interrupting request is generated according to a requested process, storing stitching information associated with the last first processed data after processing the i-th slice; stopping processing the image and executing the requested process according to the interrupting request; continuing to process the (i+1)-th slice of the N slices to generate a plurality of second processed data after the requested process is finished; and storing the second processed data after the last first processed data in the memory unit according to the stitching information.
US08548274B2 Systems and methods for efficient storage of image transformations
Systems and methods for generating efficient transformed input image address sets for producing a multi-pane output image from an input image are disclosed. The input address sets may be generated by applying a first transformation corresponding to one pane of the output image to output pixel addresses to create first transformed input addresses, applying a second transformation corresponding to another pane to the output image pixel addresses to create second transformed input addresses, and storing, for one output pixel address, a first transformed image pixel address and a second transformed input pixel address and, for another output pixel address, including a first transformed input pixel address, but no second transformed address.
US08548273B2 Image display apparatus and image display method
An image display apparatus which displays an image includes: an image input unit which accepts an input of an image used for display; an image processing unit which carries out image processing including sharpness processing to uniformly sharpen an entire image area and super-resolution processing to selectively sharpen an image enlarged by interpolation of pixels, on the image accepted by the image input unit; an image display unit which displays the image processed by the image processing unit; and a sharpness setting unit which reduces the intensity of the sharpness processing in accordance with an increase in the intensity of the super-resolution processing and increases the intensity of the sharpness processing in accordance with a reduction in the intensity of the super-resolution processing.
US08548270B2 Time-of-flight depth imaging
Techniques are provided for determining depth to objects. A depth image may be determined based on two light intensity images. This technique may compensate for differences in reflectivity of objects in the field of view. However, there may be some misalignment between pixels in the two light intensity images. An iterative process may be used to relax a requirement for an exact match between the light intensity images. The iterative process may involve modifying one of the light intensity images based on a smoothed version of a depth image that is generated from the two light intensity images. Then, new values may be determined for the depth image based on the modified image and the other light intensity image. Thus, pixel misalignment between the two light intensity images may be compensated.
US08548260B2 Learning apparatus and object detecting apparatus
Feature values calculated from a peripheral image area of feature points extracted in a detection target object in a training image each are labeled with a label indicating a class of the detection target object, feature values calculated from a peripheral image area of feature points of a non detection target object in the training image each are labeled with a label indicating the non detection target object, voting positions in a parameter space are calculated by relative positions of the feature points of the detection target object from the detection target object on the training image, and a first classifier is learned using the labeled feature values extracted in the training image so that a class distribution is concentrated and the voting positions in the parameter space are concentrated.
US08548257B2 Distinguishing between faces and non-faces
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for evaluating image data. In one aspect, a method includes accessing an image that includes a candidate face, such as a face detected during a face detection operation. The method further includes generating a sharpness measure based on image data corresponding to the candidate face, evaluating the sharpness measure to determine a confidence score representing a likelihood that the candidate face corresponds to a human face, and accepting the candidate face when the confidence score compares in a predetermined manner to a confidence threshold. Additionally, the method can be implemented to include generating a skin tone measure based on image data corresponding to the candidate face and evaluating the sharpness measure in combination with the skin tone measure to determine the confidence score.
US08548256B2 Method for fast scene matching
A method for identifying digital images having matching backgrounds from a collection of digital images, comprising using a processor to perform the steps of: determining a set of one or more feature values for each digital image in the collection of digital images, wherein the set of feature values includes an edge compactness feature value that is an indication of the number of objects in the digital image that are useful for scene matching; determining a subset of the collection of digital images that are good candidates for scene matching by applying a classifier responsive to the determined feature values; applying a scene matching algorithm to the subset of the collection of digital images to identify groups of digital images having matching backgrounds; and storing an indication of the identified groups of digital images having matching backgrounds in a processor-accessible memory.
US08548254B2 Image direction judging device, image direction judging method and image direction judging program
Up and down directions of an image are to be precisely judged without a special equipment installed in an image pickup device. An object candidate detecting means detects object candidates from an input image and their angles in the input image. A similarity calculation means calculate the degree of similarity between each detected object candidate and each object stored in advance. An input image angle calculating means judges up and down directions of the input image based on the calculated similarity of each object candidate and the angle of the input image. The input image angle calculating means carries out weighting for the angle of each object candidate in the input image based on its similarity and calculates slant angles with respect to the up and down directions of the input image by using the weighted angles.
US08548253B2 Fast line linking
Disclosed is a computer implemented method (200) of processing a bitmap image (110) including at least one shape defined by at least one line (113-115). The method processes the image to form a plurality of boundaries, each boundary representing an enclosed path (410-424). The boundaries also define at least one enclosed region (425-429) representing a graphical object. Line elements are detected (310) together with associated regions (430-465) in the graphical object. The method determines line statistics (325) corresponding to at least one of the boundaries of the object based on the detected line elements and performs shape recognition (1010) on at least one of the boundaries based on said line statistics. The method recognizes (1020,1045) at least one part of the object as a shape and stores a description of the shape.
US08548251B2 Defining a border for an image
Some embodiments provide a method for selecting a portion of an image. The method identifies edges in the image. The method defines a border about the portion of the image by using the identified edges. The method represents the border as a deformable curve. In some embodiments, defining the border includes detecting a cursor moving over the image and defining the border along identified edges in the vicinity of the cursor. In some embodiments, the method searches for edges in the vicinity of the cursor and snaps the border to the edges. Identifying the edges of the image includes performing an edge detection algorithm in some embodiments. Identifying the edges further includes performing a de-noise algorithm in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the parametrizable curve is a bezier spline.
US08548250B2 Information processing apparatus and information processing method
An information processing apparatus is disclosed, including: a reading part reading vector information included in an electronic file; a first line segment extraction part extracting line segment parameter information of a line object from the vector information; a second line segment extraction part extracting polygon parameter information of a polygon object from the vector information and extracting the line segment parameter information of line segments forming the polygon object from the extracted polygon parameter information; a rectangle extraction part extracting rectangle parameter information based on the line segment parameter; a minimum rectangle determination part determining whether or not a rectangle formed based on the rectangle parameter information is a minimum rectangle which does not connote other rectangles; and a minimum rectangle output part outputting the minimum rectangle.
US08548245B2 Image capture and identification system and process
A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object.
US08548240B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer readable medium
An apparatus comprises: unit configured to divide input document data into a body region, a caption region, and an object region; unit configured to acquire text information included in each of the body region and the caption region; unit configured to search the text information in the body region for an anchor term, to extract an anchor term from the text information in the caption region, and to generate a bi-directional link between a portion corresponding to the anchor term in the body region and a portion of the object region to which the caption region is appended; and unit configured to convert the input document data into digital document data in which the portion corresponding to the anchor term in the body region and the portion corresponding to the object region to which the caption region is appended are bi-directionally linked based on the link.
US08548239B1 Integrated document editor
Methods for interacting with an electronic document are provided wherein: a) positional input information and its associated data such as symbols or commands that communicate operations that can be applied to elements, such as a selection or an addition of characters or graphics lines, at locations within the electronic document, along with b) relevant insertion locations as variables or pointers associated with executable operations indicative of a plurality of potential locations in the electronic document, potential locations which are accessible by executable operations and at which the communicated operations can be applied to elements, are utilized to: 1) correlate values of the positional input with locations in the electronic document at which to apply the communicated operations to elements, 2) edit the electronic document, and 3) group a plurality of input data into consolidated operations and the locations at which to apply them to elements.
US08548235B2 Signal processing apparatus and still image generation method
A signal processing apparatus includes a first image memory that stores input moving images, a noise reduction section that outputs noise-free images, an image switching section that selects and outputs one image of the input moving image and the output of the first image memory, and a freeze control section that reads, images corresponding to two or more screens including the screen with the smallest amount of blur of each screen of the input moving image based on a separated luminance signal and necessary to remove noise from the first image memory, causes the image switching section to output the images, and causes noise-free images using the images corresponding to the two or more screens including the screen with the smallest amount of blur to be consecutively outputted.
US08548234B2 Method and apparatus for simultaneously reducing various kinds of noises from image
Provided are a method and apparatus for simultaneously reducing various kinds of noises in an image output from an image sensor equipped to a camera. The image noise reducing method includes: determining a color reference value, which corresponds to a corrected value of the color value of a current pixel, based on the difference values between the color value of the current pixel among pixels of an image and the color values of neighboring pixels around the current pixel; determining unified filter kernel coefficients, which represent the weights of the current pixel and the neighboring pixels, based on the similarities between the determined color reference value and the color values of the neighboring pixels; and reducing a noise in the color value of the current pixel by weighted-averaging the color value of the current pixel and the color values of the neighboring pixels using the unified filter kernel coefficients.
US08548233B2 Image processing apparatus and compression method therefor
An input image is divided into a plurality of predetermined sized image pieces, and code data indicating an arrangement pattern of color data included in each image piece and color data for the number of colors included in each image piece are output as first output data. When the first output data has a size greater than or equal to a predetermined data size, according to the number of image pieces by counted number of colors and priority of a pattern for color reduction, a pattern for color reduction relating the plurality of image pieces is determined. Among the divided image pieces, color-reduction processing is performed on an image piece corresponding to the determined pattern. Then, code data indicating an arrangement pattern of color data included in each image piece and code data for the number of colors included in each image piece are output as second output data.
US08548227B2 Image processing apparatus and computer program
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for compressing image data used in an image generating apparatus for generating a free-viewpoint image. According to the invention, the apparatus has a selecting unit that selects one image as a first image, and defines other images as second images, a projective transformation unit that generates a projected depth map of a second image from a depth map of the first image, a subtracting unit that creates a difference map of the second image, and a storage unit that stores the depth map of the first image and the difference map of the second image. Here, the difference map is a difference between a depth map of the second image and the projected depth map of the second image, and the depth map indicates a depth value of each pixel of a corresponding image.
US08548225B2 Point selection in bundle adjustment
In an embodiment, a method comprises receiving a set of three dimensional (3D) points estimated from a plurality of images; selecting a subset of the 3D points that, as a group, provide at least a desired amount of constraint on each of a plurality of camera parameters; and performing non-linear optimization over the selected subset of 3D points to recover the plurality of camera parameters and the 3D points. The selected subset excludes one or more 3D points in the set.
US08548212B2 Fingerprint recognition apparatus and method thereof
The present invention provides a fingerprint recognition apparatus and a fingerprint recognition method adapted for the apparatus. The method includes steps of: performing an image processing function for fingerprints of a user and generating an image formed by a number of ridges; scanning the image according to a scanning frequency and selecting a number of scanning lines; acquiring a cross point formed between each ridge of fingerprint and each scanning line; acquiring a tangent line; generating a graph between each cross point and each corresponding slope value; determining whether the graph is similar to one of the stored at least one graph to obtain a determination result; and outputting a recognition result of the fingerprints of the user associated with the determination result.
US08548211B2 Indicating a correspondence between an image and an object
Indicating an object is disclosed. Indicating an object includes receiving an indication associated with selecting an image and providing a second indication that a set of one or more objects correspond to the image, wherein the objects have been detected from the image. Indicating an image is disclosed. Indicating an image includes receiving an indication associated with selecting an object, wherein the object has been detected from an image and displaying the image such that a correspondence between the selected object and the image is conveyed.
US08548203B2 Sequential event detection from video
Human behavior is determined by sequential event detection by constructing a temporal-event graph with vertices representing adjacent first and second primitive images of a plurality of individual primitive images parsed from a video stream, and also of first and second idle states associated with the respective first and second primitive images. Constructing the graph is a function of an edge set between the adjacent first and second primitive images, and an edge weight set as a function of a discrepancy between computed visual features within regions of interest common to the adjacent first and second primitive images. A human activity event is determined as a function of a shortest distance path of the temporal-event graph vertices.
US08548195B2 Tracking method and device adopting a series of observation models with different life spans
The present invention relates to a tracking method and a tracking device adopting multiple observation models with different life spans. The tracking method is suitable for tracking an object in a low frame rate video or with abrupt motion, and uses three observation models with different life spans to track and detect a specific subject in frame images of a video sequence. An observation model I performs online learning with one frame image prior to the current image, an observation model II performs online learning with five frames prior to the current image, and an observation model III is offline trained. The three observation models are combined by a cascade particle filter so that the specific subject in the low frame rate video or the object with abrupt motion can be tracked quickly and accurately.
US08548194B1 System and method for determining altitude
An altitude estimating system for use in a movable device, comprising: (i) circuitry for detecting, for each frame of a plurality of time frames, a set of present features external from the movable device; (ii) circuitry for providing, from a set of present features detected in a first frame, a set of predicted features that represent a prediction of location of the set of present features for a second frame that follows in time the first frame; (iii) circuitry for creating a set of correlated features by correlating a set of the predicted features for the second frame with a set of present features detected for the second frame; and (iv) circuitry for providing an estimated altitude in response to the set of correlated features.
US08548193B2 Method and apparatus for navigating an electronic magnifier over a target document
A method for electronically magnifying a target object with an imaging device. The method includes obtaining a full view image of the target object, where the full view image is focused. The method further includes moving the imaging device in proximity to a portion of the target object and obtaining a key image of the portion of the target object. The method further includes matching the key image to a corresponding portion of the full view image. The method further includes magnifying the corresponding portion of the full view image and displaying the magnified portion of the full view image.
US08548192B2 Method for extracting a fingerprint data from video/audio signals
A method for extracting a fingerprint data from video/audio signals, comprising the steps of sending a series of video frame images into a fingerprint extractor; extracting a fingerprint data through the fingerprint extractor; and storing the fingerprint data into a fingerprint database, characterized in that, in the fingerprint extractor, said method further comprises the sub-steps of storing the video frame images in a frame buffer which accepts a new video frame image and discards the oldest video frame image in a first in first out (FIFO) fashion; sampling the video images by a sub-sampler which operates on one video frame image at a time, so that the output of the sub-sampler contains data samples obtained from multiple video frame images while the video image content itself is discarded, and after each video frame image is sampled at the head of the frame buffer, it is discarded after the sampling; making the data samples to go through a divider which divides the data samples into groups of video frames so as to be organized as one fingerprint segment after another one; incorporating optional information by a formatter to the fingerprint segment so as to form the fingerprint data, at the output of the formatter, the video image content is discarded, only the fingerprint data and the associated optional information remain; and transferring the fingerprint data and the associated optional information by a transfer buffer to the fingerprint database. According to the present invention, the method for extracting a fingerprint data from video/audio signals facilitates the automatic identification, archiving and search of video content without the need for human visual inspections.
US08548191B2 Loudspeaker magnet having a channel
A transducer magnet for a low profile loudspeaker transducer is provided having a voice coil, surround suspension, diaphragm, and top plate. The transducer magnet may include a first magnet assembly, including an annular outer magnet having an outer perimeter, an outer diameter and an inner diameter. The inner diameter defines a vacant circular center within the annular outer magnet, and the difference in length between the diameter of the circular inner magnet and the inner diameter of annular outer magnet define an annular first magnet assembly air gap. The annular outer magnet includes one or more channels extending inwardly from the outer perimeter of the annular outer magnet to the first magnet assembly air gap, which is configured to receive the voice coil. The channels are configured to pass hookup wires from the voice coil to an external device from the transducer magnet.
US08548186B2 Earphone assembly
An earphone assembly for an in-ear listening device is disclosed. The earphone assembly has an inner housing comprising a nozzle, configured to receive a sleeve for placement into a user's ear, and a balanced armature motor assembly. The balanced armature motor assembly is mounted in the inner housing so as to form an acoustical seal between the inner housing and the balanced armature motor assembly. The earphone assembly also includes an outer housing configured to receive the inner housing. The inner housing can comprise a recess for receiving a paddle of the balanced armature motor assembly. Alternatively, the outer housing can be formed with a nozzle for receiving a sleeve for placement into a user's ear canal, and the inner housing can comprise a spout, which is received in a recess in the outer housing.
US08548184B2 Constant coverage waveguide
This invention provides an acoustic waveguide with a continuous least-energy-surface formed from an upper vertical control curve, a lower vertical control curve, right horizontal control curve and a left horizontal control curve. In addition, a circular throat end and a non-elliptical closed control curve form a mouth such that the continuous least-energy-surface is coincident with the six control curves.
US08548181B2 Inflatable ear mold connection system
An inflatable ear piece is formed for insertion and placement in an external auditory canal. The ear piece has an inflatable balloon that may be selectively inflated and deflated. When the balloon is inflated, it expands and braces against the walls of the auditory canal. The ear piece has a receiver module with a sound generator and a connection to an exterior device. The sound waves generated in the receiver module are guided to the ear drum via a carrier which also holds the balloon. A pump and valve is provided for inflating, or selectively deflating, the balloon. The pump is connected by way of a micro tube that projects centrally inside the sound channel of the balloon carrier and its tip projects into a radial projection or a bridge across the sound channel. The receiver and balloon modules may be connected in any rotational orientation.
US08548180B2 System, method, program, and integrated circuit for hearing aid
To provide a hearing aid system (1000) performing dichotic-listening binaural hearing aid processing which improves the clarity of speech and maintains the spatial perception ability. Each of first and second hearing aid devices (1100, 1200) includes a sound pickup unit (1110, 1210) and an output unit (1120, 1220) outputting a sound indicated by a suppressed acoustic signal. The hearing aid system (1000) includes: a first band suppression unit (1300) generating the suppressed acoustic signal indicating the sound outputted from the output unit (1120), by suppressing a signal in a first suppression-target band out of the acoustic signal outputted from the sound pickup unit (1110); and a second band suppression unit (1400) generating the suppressed acoustic signal indicating the sound outputted from the output unit (1220), by suppressing a signal in a second suppression-target band out of the acoustic signal outputted from the sound pickup unit (1210). The suppressed acoustic signals indicating the sounds outputted respectively from the output units (1120, 1220) include, in common, a signal in a non-voice band included in the acoustic signal.
US08548179B2 Hearing aid fitting device
This hearing aid fitting device (1) comprises a client data storage section (10) that stores a plurality of hearing ability data and hearing adjustment result data for each of hearing ability data, a close user determination section (11) to which the client data storage section (10) and a hearing ability input section (12) are connected on the input side, a clustering section (13) that is connected to the output side of the close user determination section (11), a representative characteristic determination section (14) that is connected to the output side of the clustering section (13), an initial adjustment candidate selector (15) that is connected to the input side of the representative characteristic determination section (14), and a fine tuner (16) that is connected to the output side of the representative characteristic determination section (15).