| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08578178B2 |
Storage system and its management method
A plurality of storage devices with different functions and storage pools with different attributes are automatically associated with each other.A controller: divides a plurality of storage devices into a first storage device(s) which has an encryption function and a second storage device(s) which does not have the encryption function; manages each storage device by associating it with encryption function information indicating whether the encryption function exists or not; manages a first storage pool with a first attribute and a second storage pool with a second attribute by using attribute information; manages a plurality of logical volumes by associating a first logical volume, to which a first physical volume belonging to the first storage pool is allocated, and a second logical volume, to which a second physical volume belonging to the second storage pool is allocated, with encryption attribute information indicating whether the encryption attribute exists or not; and allocating the first storage device(s) as the first physical volume to the first storage pool and the second storage device(s) as the second physical volume to the second storage pool on the basis of the encryption attribute information and the encryption function information. |
| US08578176B2 |
Method and apparatus for tokenization of sensitive sets of characters
A method and system for secure handling of sensitive sets of characters in a distributed hierarchical system are disclosed, comprising at least one local server on a lower hierarchic level and at least one central server at a higher hierarchic level. The method comprises the steps: receiving a sensitive set of characters in said local server; replacing a part of said sensitive set of characters with a token to form a tokenized set of characters, said token belonging to a subset of possible tokens assigned to the local server by the central server; transferring at least one of said sensitive set of characters and said tokenized set of characters to the central server; and canceling said sensitive set of characters from said local server within a limited time from said transferring, while maintaining said tokenized set of characters in a local database connected to said local server. |
| US08578171B2 |
Automated selection and inclusion of a message signature
A system and method for the creation and automated selection and inclusion an automated signature text with an electronic message, wherein the automated selection of the automated signature text is dependent on attributes of the message, the designated recipients, or attributes of the designated recipients as compared to the sender's attributes, such as the encoding type and/or transport method selected for the electronic message or the location of the recipient without the need for multiple user profiles or manual editing by the sender. At least one of a plurality of automated signature texts is associated with at least one encoding type of a plurality of encoding types, at least one message transport type, or with at least one predetermined recipient attribute or the outcome of a comparison of the recipient attribute with the sender's attributes. The appropriate automated signature text is inserted prior to encoding of the message for transport. |
| US08578168B2 |
Method and apparatus for preparing and verifying documents
A method for preparing and verifying a document, comprising the steps of: presenting the document to a document-registering office in a machine-readable format; editing the document to add an identification code associated with a non-copiable object; signing the edited document using a private key of the document-registering office; printing the digitally signed document in a machine-readable form; presenting the document and the object to an inspecting authority; recovering the digitally signed document from the machine-readable form of the printed document; verifying the digital signature of the document-registering office; and verifying that the identification code in the document corresponds to that of the presented object. |
| US08578167B2 |
System, apparatus, method, and program product for authenticating communication partner using electronic certificate containing personal information
Object To provide a technique for authenticating a communication partner using an electronic certificate containing personal information. Solving Means When a client apparatus receives a request for an electronic certificate from a server apparatus, the server apparatus reads a client certificate containing personal information and a server public key of the server apparatus from a storage unit and encrypts the client certificate using the server public key. The client apparatus also creates a temporary electronic certificate by setting, in a basic field of an electronic certificate, a predetermined item indicating that the electronic certificate is a temporary electronic certificate and by setting the client certificate having been encrypted in an extension field of the electronic certificate. Then, the client apparatus sends the temporary electronic certificate to the server apparatus. |
| US08578166B2 |
System and method for authentication, data transfer, and protection against phishing
Methods and systems for secure electronic data communication over public communication networks. A secure data communication component may be utilized to implement a communication protocol. New versions of the data communication component may be generated, with each version containing a different communication protocol. Source code of the data communication component may be modified using a polymorph engine to create a functionally-equivalent component having a different code structure. An anti-phishing component may intercept a link in an electronic communication activated by a user, analyze the link and the electronic communication, determine a phishing risk to the user posed by the link, and direct the user to a location indicated by the link or redirect the user to a valid location. A server authentication component may detect and prevent DNS attacks, injections, and defacing activities. |
| US08578163B2 |
Communication method, mesh network system and communication terminal
A communication method in which an operation, such as authentication, required when a new communication terminal participates in a mesh network is carried out in a more efficient manner. A second communication terminal that has already established an adjacent communication link with at least two first communication terminals, out of a plurality of communication terminals, distributes an adjacent terminal list including terminal identifiers of the first communication terminals along with a temporal key generated by the second communication terminal. One of the first communication terminals that received the adjacent terminal list and the temporal key distributes adjacent registration information, which is generated using a second temporal key. The other one of the first communication terminals that received both the adjacent terminal list and the adjacent registration information determines whether the terminal identifier of one of the first communication terminals is included in the adjacent terminal list, and whether the first temporal key distributed along with the adjacent terminal list matches with the second temporal key used for generating the adjacent registration information. If both determination results are affirmative, one of the first communication terminals is authenticated. |
| US08578160B2 |
Scan-to-home method and system for the delivery of electronic documents to a user home directory
A method and system for efficiently and securely permitting a user to scan electronic documents from a remote multi-function device to a user's home directory. A user can be authenticated via the multi-function device and electronic credentials associated with the user generated, which are utilized to determine the user's home directory. The multi-function device can then produce a customized template that can be selected by the user when accessing rendering/scanning services. The user can then scan a document and electronically store such a document at the home directory via an SMB (Server Message Block) protocol. Home directories can either be determined via an LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) or configured on a network interface via a default directory path and the user name. |
| US08578158B2 |
Information processing apparatus, computer-readable recording medium configured to store command execution determination program, and command execution determination method
An information processing apparatus includes a memory that stores command execution right information including execution right information indicating whether a command is executable, and a command determination unit that determines whether an entered command is a target of a command execution determination where it is determined that whether a command is executable based on whether the entered command is invoked by a user command or a system command, and determines whether the entered command is executable with reference to the command execution right information stored in the memory when the entered command is determined as the target of the command execution determination. |
| US08578157B2 |
System and method for digital rights management with authorized device groups
Various embodiments of a system and method of digital rights management with authorized device groups are described. Various embodiments may include a system including a digital rights management (DRM) component configured to receive a private key of an authorized device group. In various embodiments, the receipt of the private key of the authorized device group may indicate the system is an authorized member of a group of devices permitted to access content items protected by a common public key associated with the authorized device group. In various embodiments the DRM component may be configured to, for each given content item of multiple content items that are encrypted with different content keys, decrypt an encrypted content key from the given content item with the private key of the authorized device group and decrypt content from the given content item with the decrypted content key. |
| US08578156B2 |
Device including processor and encryption circuit
A device is provided which includes: a processor that outputs a command signal or an address signal and includes a bus module which inputs or outputs a data signal; and an encryption circuit that encrypts or decrypts the data signal in an encryption method using a common key and the address signal, wherein the processor and the encryption circuit are provided in a chip. |
| US08578155B2 |
Address generating method and broadcast receiving apparatus
A broadcast receiving apparatus comprises a broadcast receiving unit (1, 4˜13) for receiving a digital broadcast; a communication unit (1˜3) for performing two-way communication through a network; an operation unit 15 for performing an acquisition operation of a key for decrypting an encrypted broadcast program received by the broadcast receiving unit; and an address generating unit 16 for generating an address of an acquisition location of the key which is accessible with the communication unit, by using program arrangement information corresponding to the broadcast program based on the acquisition operation of a key by the operation unit. |
| US08578148B2 |
Method and system to transmit code to a system on a chip (SOC)
A method and system to transmit code to a System on Chip (SOC) from a host processor using a host-side driver is provided herein. The SOC and host processor are coupled by a bus. The host driver receives an overlay from an application layer and stores the overlay. The host driver receives an IOCTL to be transmitted to the SOC. The host driver determines whether an input/output control (IOCTL) value of the IOCTL to be transmitted to the SOC corresponds to an IOCTL value in one of the stored overlays. The host driver transmits an overlay to the SOC if the IOCTL value of the IOCTL to be transmitted is equal to at least one IOCTL value in the overlay. The host driver then transmits the IOCTL to the SOC. |
| US08578146B2 |
Systems and methods for booting a bootable virtual storage appliance on a virtualized server platform using a hidden boot partition
One embodiment is a method for booting a bootable virtual storage appliance on a virtualized server platform. One such method comprises: providing a virtual storage appliance on a server platform, the virtual storage appliance configured to manage a disk array comprising a plurality of disks, and wherein at least one of the disks comprises a hidden boot partition having a boot console; powering up the server platform; loading boot code on the server platform; loading the boot console from the hidden boot partition; and the boot console loading boot components for a virtualization environment. |
| US08578145B2 |
Port throttling across an operating system restart during a hot upgrade
A processor, executing a first operating system kernel, tags a region of volatile memory used by a first storage area network (SAN) adapter driver coupled to a SAN adapter, and decouples the first SAN adapter driver from the SAN adapter. A boot of a second operating system kernel is then initiated while preserving in the tagged region of the volatile memory contents stored therein. After the boot, a second SAN adapter driver is then coupled to the SAN adapter. |
| US08578135B2 |
Apparatus for calculating and prefetching a branch target address
A high-performance information processing technique permitting updating of an instruction buffer ready for effective prefetching to branch instructions and returning to the subroutine with a small volume of hardware is to be provided at low cost. It is an information processing apparatus equipped with a CPU, a memory, prefetch means and the like, wherein a prefetch address generator unit in the prefetch means decodes a branching series of instructions including at least one branched address calculating instruction and branching instruction to a branched address out of a current instruction buffer storing the series of instructions currently accessed by the CPU, and thereby looks ahead to the branching destination address. The information processing apparatus further comprises a RTS instruction buffer for storing a series of instructions of the return destinations of RTS instructions, and series of instructions stored in the current instruction buffer are saved into the RTS instruction buffer. |
| US08578132B2 |
Direct injection of data to be transferred in a hybrid computing environment
Direct injection of a data to be transferred in a hybrid computing environment that includes a host computer and a plurality of accelerators, the host computer and the accelerators adapted to one another for data communications by a system level message passing module. Each accelerator includes a Power Processing Element (‘PPE’) and a plurality of Synergistic Processing Elements (‘SPEs’). Direct injection includes reserving, by each SPE, a slot in a shared memory region accessible by the host computer; loading, by each SPE into local memory of the SPE, a portion of data to be transferred to the host computer; executing, by each SPE in parallel, a data processing operation on the portion of the data loaded in local memory of each SPE; and writing, by each SPE, the processed data to the SPE's reserved slot in the shared memory region accessible by the host computer. |
| US08578129B2 |
Infrastructure support for accelerated processing device memory paging without operating system integration
In a CPU, the CPU having multiple CPU cores, each core having a first machine specific register, a second machine specific register, and microcode which when executed causes a write notification to be issued to the physical address contained in the second machine specific register; receiving in the first machine specific register of a CPU core, a physical page table/page directory base address, receiving in the second machine specific register of the CPU core, a physical address pointing to a location controlled by the IOMMUv2, determining that a control register of the CPU core has been updated, and responsive to the determination that the control register has been updated, executing microcode in the CPU core that causes a write notification to be issued to the physical address contained in the second machine specific register, wherein the physical address is able to receive writes that affect IOMMUv2 page table invalidations. |
| US08578122B2 |
Indirection memory architecture with reduced memory requirements for shingled magnetic recording devices
An indirection system in a shingled storage device is described that uses an algorithm to map LBAs to DBAs based on a predetermined rule or assumption and then handles as exceptions LBAs that are not mapped according to the rule. The assumed rule is that a fixed-length set of sequential host LBAs are located at the start of an I-track. Embodiments of the invention use two tables to provide the mapping of LBAs to DBAs. The mapping assumed by the rule is embodied in the LBA Block Address Table (LBAT) which gives the corresponding I-track address for each LBA Block. The LBA exceptions are recorded using an Exception Pointer Table (EPT), which gives the pointer to the corresponding variable length Exception List for each LBA Block. The indexing into the LBAT and the EPT is derived from the LBA by a simple arithmetic operation. |
| US08578118B2 |
Scheme for overwriting stored physiological data in an implantable medical device
An implantable medical device and associated method store physiological data in response to detecting a physiological event. The medical device includes multiple first memory locations allocated to each of a number of physiological event types and a second single memory location allocated for storing entries of physiological signal data corresponding to each of the plurality of physiological event types. |
| US08578117B2 |
Write-through-read (WTR) comparator circuits, systems, and methods use of same with a multiple-port file
Write-through-read (WTR) comparator circuits and related WTR processes and memory systems are disclosed. The WTR comparator circuits can be configured to perform WTR functions for a multiple port file having one or more read and write ports. One or more WTR comparators in the WTR comparator circuit are configured to compare a read index into a file with a write index corresponding to a write-back stage selected write port among a plurality of write ports that can write data to the entry in the file. The WTR comparators then generate a WTR comparator output indicating whether the write index matches the read index to control a WTR function. In this manner, the WTR comparator circuit can employ less WTR comparators than the number of read and write port combinations. Providing less WTR comparators can reduce power consumption, cost, and area required on a semiconductor die for the WTR comparator circuit. |
| US08578114B2 |
Dynamic look-ahead extent migration for tiered storage architectures
A method for migrating extents between extent pools in a tiered storage architecture maintains a data access profile for an extent over a period of time. Using the data access profile, the method generates an extent profile graph that predicts data access rates for the extent into the future. The slope of the extent profile graph is calculated and used to determine whether the extent will reach a migration threshold within a specified “look-ahead” time. If so, the method calculates a migration window that allows the extent to be migrated prior to reaching the migration threshold. In certain embodiments, the method determines the overall performance impact on the source extent pool and destination extent pool during the migration window. If the overall performance impact is below a designated impact threshold, the method migrates the extent during the migration window. |
| US08578113B2 |
Data migration methodology for use with arrays of powered-down storage devices
A method for managing extents in a data storage system includes monitoring usage statistics for an extent residing on one or more powered-up storage devices. In the event the extent has not been accessed for specified period of time (as determined from the usage statistics), the method automatically compresses the extent and migrates the extent to an intermediate repository. Once the amount of data in the intermediate repository reaches a specified level, the method migrates the extent from the intermediate repository to one or more normally powered-down storage devices. If I/O is received for the extent while it resides in the normally powered-down storage devices or the intermediate repository, the method automatically migrates the extent from the normally powered-down storage devices or the intermediate repository to the normally powered-up storage devices. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed. |
| US08578110B2 |
Memory data backup system and memory data backup control method
A memory data backup system capable of shortening time required to back up data from a volatile memory to a nonvolatile memory is provided.A nonvolatile memory module 100 is mounted on the same bus 102 as a bus where an interface between a memory controller 52A and a volatile memory module 52 exists. |
| US08578107B2 |
Extent migration scheduling for multi-tier storage architectures
A method for scheduling the migration of extents between extent pools of a storage system is disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, such a method includes periodically profiling an extent pool to generate a historical data access profile of the extent pool. Using this historical data access profile, the method determines an optimal migration window for migrating an extent to the extent pool. The method then identifies an actual extent for migration to the extent pool. Once the actual extent is identified, the method schedules the extent for migration to the extent pool during the optimal migration window. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed herein. |
| US08578104B2 |
Multiprocessor system with mixed software hardware controlled cache management
A multiprocessor system has a background memory and a plurality of processing elements, each comprising a processor core and a cache circuit. The processor cores execute programs of instructions and the cache circuits cache background memory data accessed by the programs. A write back monitor circuit is used to buffer write addresses used for writing data by at least part of the processor cores. The programs contain commands to read the buffered write back addresses from the write back monitor circuit and commands from the programs to invalidate cached data for the write back addresses read by the commands to read the buffered write back addresses. Thus cache management is performed partly by hardware and partly by the program that uses the cache. The processing core may be a VLIW core, in which case instruction slots that are not used by the program can be made useful to include instructions for cache management. |
| US08578103B2 |
Coherency control system, coherency control apparatus and coherency control method
A coherency control system includes a logical-physical address translation unit which translates a logical address including a first tag and an index address into a physical address including a second tag and the index address. The system includes a request output unit which transmits a load request. The system includes a corresponding state storage unit storing a relation state between areas of two storage apparatuses based on the way number included in the load request and the second tag and the index address of the physical address also included in the load request. The system includes an invalidation instructing unit which transmits an invalidation instruction including the index address and the way number based on the second tag of the physical address included in the store request and the relation state stored in the corresponding state storage unit. |
| US08578099B2 |
Systems and methods for integration between application firewall and caching
The present invention is directed towards integrating cache managing and application firewall processing in a networked system. An integrated cache/firewall system comprises an application firewall operating in conjunction with a cache managing system in operation on an intermediary device. The application firewall processes a received HTTP response to a request by a networked entity serviced by the intermediary device. The application firewall generates metadata from the HTTP response and stores the metadata in cache with the HTTP response. When a subsequent request hits in the cache, the metadata is identified to a user session associated with the subsequent request. The application firewall can modify a cache-control header of the received HTTP response, and can alter the cookie-setting header of the cached HTTP response. |
| US08578098B2 |
System and method for increasing cache size
A system and method for increasing cache size is provided. Generally, the system contains a memory and a processor. The processor is configured by the memory to perform the steps of: categorizing storage blocks within a storage device as within a first category of storage blocks if the storage blocks that are available to the system for storing data when needed; categorizing storage blocks within the storage device as within a second category of storage blocks if the storage blocks contain application data therein; and categorizing storage blocks within the storage device as within a third category of storage blocks if the storage blocks are storing cached data and are available for storing application data if no first category of storage blocks are available to the system. |
| US08578097B2 |
Scatter-gather intelligent memory architecture for unstructured streaming data on multiprocessor systems
A scatter/gather technique optimizes unstructured streaming memory accesses, providing off-chip bandwidth efficiency by accessing only useful data at a fine granularity, and off-loading memory access overhead by supporting address calculation, data shuffling, and format conversion. |
| US08578096B2 |
Policy for storing data objects in a multi-tier storage system
A sliding window policy is implemented to manage database objects. At a first time, a first portion of a database object is allocated to a first tier of a multi-tier storage system. The first portion corresponds to a first specified percentage of the size of the database object at the first time and is selected according to information associated with the database object. The remaining portion of the database object at the first time is allocated to one or more other tiers. At a second (later) time, a second portion of the database object is allocated to the first tier. The second portion corresponds to a second specified percentage of the size of the database object at the second time and is also selected according to information associated with the database object. The remaining portion of the database object at the second time is allocated to the other tier(s). |
| US08578095B2 |
Hierarchical memory architecture using a concentrator device
A hierarchical memory storage using a concentrator device that is located between a processor and memory devices. The concentrator device includes a page buffer, a Phase-Change Memory (PCM) memory array, and a configurable Error-Correcting Code (ECC) engine to accommodate temporary storage for data transfers between the processor and the memory devices. |
| US08578084B2 |
Data storage device having multiple removable memory boards
A data storage device may include a first memory board and a second memory board, where the first memory board and the second memory board each comprise multiple memory chips. The data storage device may include a controller board that is arranged and configured to operably connect to the first memory board and the second memory board, where the controller board includes a high speed interface and a controller that is arranged and configured to receive commands from a host using the high speed interface and to execute the commands, where the first memory board and the second memory board are each separately removable from the controller board. |
| US08578080B2 |
Secure handling of interrupted events utilizing a virtual interrupt definition table
Various embodiments of this disclosure may describe method, apparatus and system for reducing system latency caused by switching memory page permission views between programs while still protecting critical regions of the memory from attacks of malwares. Other embodiments may be disclosed and claimed. |
| US08578079B2 |
Power managed lock optimization
In an embodiment, a timer unit may be provided that may be programmed to a selected time interval, or wakeup interval. A processor may execute a wait for event instruction, and enter a low power state for the thread that includes the instruction. The timer unit may signal a timer event at the expiration of the wakeup interval, and the processor may exit the low power state in response to the timer event. The thread may continue executing with the instruction following the wait for event instruction. In an embodiment, the processor/timer unit may be used to implement a power-managed lock acquisition mechanism, in which the processor is awakened a number of times to check the lock and execute the wait for event instruction if the lock is not free, after which the thread may block until the lock is free. |
| US08578075B1 |
Performance constraints for system synthesis
Methods and apparatus are provided for receiving performance constraints for implementing a system. A system tool receives constraints such as throughput, latency, power consumption, resource usage, etc. and generates an interconnection fabric using the constraint information. The interconnection fabric includes ports adapters used to connect master components and slave components. In some instances, port adapters and components are intelligently selected and connected using the constraint information. |
| US08578070B2 |
Host controller
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for controlling a memory device. One method for controlling a memory device embodiment includes storing device class dependent information and a command in one or more of host system memory and host controller memory, setting a pointer to the command in a register in a host controller, directing access to the one or more of host system memory and host controller memory with the memory device via the host controller; and executing the command with the memory device. |
| US08578067B2 |
Method and system for determining characteristics of an attached Ethernet connector and/or cable
A connector comprising a storage device that stores configuration information, may be coupled to a twisted pair cable and may communicate the configuration information to a host device via a corresponding connector. The configuration information may comprise characteristics, features and/or configurations of the connector and/or the cable, for example, wire gauge, safety information, cable category, verification of testing, inner shielding, outer shielding, no shielding, type of use, and/or country of manufacture. The storage device may comprise an EPROM. The configuration information may be communicated utilizing one or more configured pins. The corresponding connector may sense and/or read the configuration information from the connector. The corresponding connector may be mechanically ganged and/or communicatively coupled to other connectors that are integrated in the host device. A single controller may control acquisition of configuration information. A data rate for communicating via the connector and/or cable may be determined based on the configuration information. |
| US08578065B2 |
Communication speed control apparatus and communication speed control method
A communication speed control apparatus for controlling communication between a host device and an external device in accordance with a high-speed communication mode or a low-speed communication mode includes a list storage unit configured to store a list of specification information of external devices that are incompatible with the host device when data communication is carried out using the high-speed communication mode and a specification information obtainment unit configured to obtain external device specification information from the external device. A device determination unit is configured to determine if the external device specification information obtained from the external device corresponds to an incompatible external device based on the stored specification information and a communication speed control unit sets a data communication speed to the low-speed communication mode if the device determination unit determines that the external device in incompatible with the host device. |
| US08578064B2 |
Interception and management of I/O operations on portable storage devices
One embodiment provides a system that processes an input/output (I/O) operation associated with a portable storage device. During operation, the system loads a virtual computing environment stored on the portable storage device into a host computer system coupled to the portable storage device. Next, the system intercepts the I/O operation from the virtual computing environment to the portable storage device. Finally, the system decouples the I/O operation from the virtual computing environment by processing the I/O operation independently of a representation of the I/O operation in the virtual computing environment. |
| US08578062B2 |
Method and apparatus for enabling enhanced USB interaction
Methods and apparatuses for configuring a universal serial bus (USB) connection. The method comprises receiving, at a USB port, first identification data that includes a generic device class code and a vendor identifier. Receiving the first identification causes one of enabling interaction with a peripheral device in accordance with functionality specified by the generic device class code if the host device does not support software associated with the vendor identifier, or sending, at the USB port, a query to the peripheral device if the host device does support software associated with the vendor identifier, the query sent to determine whether the peripheral device supports at least one function different from the functionality specified by the generic device class code. |
| US08578057B2 |
System and method for providing remote data access for a mobile communication device
In one exemplary embodiment, a system for providing data access between an information source and a mobile communication device includes a transcoding system and a first network device. The transcoding system includes a plurality of transcoders, and each transcoder is operable to transcode information content from a respective first content type into a respective second content type. The first network device is in communication with the transcoding system and includes a connection handler system. The connection handler system is operable to receive connection data for a connection between the information source and the mobile communication device and to select a corresponding connection handler. The connection handler is operable to select one or more transcoders from the plurality of transcoders to transcode the information content. |
| US08578054B2 |
Computing disjoint paths for reactive routing mesh networks
In one embodiment, a reactive routing computer network may be partitioned into diverse logical topologies, and a source node may transmit route request (RREQ) messages toward a destination node on each logical topology. In response, the source node may receive route reply (RREP) messages indicating routes to the destination node in each logical topology. The source node may thus select a route for each logical topology to reach the destination node, accordingly. In another embodiment, if partitioned logical topologies do not produce two or more routes or as a standalone embodiment, the source node may transmit RREQ messages toward the destination node without any corresponding logical topology. The destination node receives RREQ messages, and two or more routes from the source node to the destination node may be determined (e.g., by the destination or source node) based on the received RREQ messages at the destination node and path selection criteria. |
| US08578050B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing peer routing at a diameter node
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing local application routing at a Diameter node are disclosed. In one example, the method includes receiving, at an ingress Diameter message processor associated with a Diameter signaling router (DSR), a Diameter message from a first Diameter node. The method further includes accessing, using the ingress Diameter message processor, Diameter peer routing information to determine an egress Diameter message processor among a plurality of egress Diameter message processors within the DSR and associated with a second Diameter node that is a peer of the DSR and to which the Diameter message is to be forwarded. The method also includes forwarding the Diameter message to the determined egress Diameter message processor. |
| US08578043B2 |
Method and apparatus for data broadcast
A wireless communication device for presenting alternative media during an out of signal condition is disclosed. The device comprising a receiver configured to receive a primary media stream. A memory coupled to the receiver to store a secondary media. A user interface to output one of the primary media stream and the secondary media stream. A detector module that detects when a first predetermined characteristic has been met, the characteristic preventing the output of the primary media stream received from the broadcast transmitter. A media selector module that selects between the primary media stream from the receiver and the secondary media from the memory in response to the detector module detecting that the first predetermined device characteristic has been met. |
| US08578040B2 |
Method, system and article for client application control of network transmission loss tolerance
A dynamically-enforceable application-controlled quasi-reliable extension to TCP permits a client application to dynamically set a percent loss tolerance for data transmission reliability through network input/output system calls to the TCP, thereby programming the transport layer to optimistically acknowledge non-critical missing frames. The reliability requirement can be dynamically set within TCP to the level of reliability required for specific data frames within the data stream during the data transfer. Based on this loss tolerance specified, the TCP layer makes a determination whether to trigger a retransmission or continue delivering out-of-order frames to the application. A forced acknowledgement frame is sent for each missing packet until the number missing packets causing forced acknowledgments within the current receive buffer frame exceeds the loss tolerance. This process avoids needless retransmissions and permits the TCP data flow and sliding window to advance uninterrupted, thereby providing substantial performance benefits to network throughput. |
| US08578037B2 |
Aircraft data services
A method and system provide efficient, flexible, and convenient data communication services over public wireless systems. The system includes a data communication server, having a plurality of interface units, for facilitating data communication between a moving object and one or more ground terminals via a radio communication path. The data communication server establishes the radio communication path over one of a plurality of wireless data networks including packet data networks and satellite data networks and preferably includes a pre-determined software architecture. |
| US08578036B1 |
Providing standardized transparency for cookies and other website data using a server side description file
A system and a computer-implemented method for processing a cookie description file are provided. A browser provides the cookie description file that includes meta-information associated with cookies that are associated with a domain. The meta-information includes cookie information specific to each cookie. The cookie description file is parsed and the meta-information associated with each cookie is extracted. The parsed meta-information is displayed in a user-readable format on a client device. |
| US08578034B2 |
Optimized network device discovery
A computing device retrieves a set of configuration files of devices associated with a network to be analyzed and extracts from the set of configuration files Internet protocol (IP) address information to form an IP address database. The computing device also extracts from the set of configuration files border gateway protocol (BGP) routing protocols to form a BGP routing database. The computing device analyzes the IP address database and the BGP routing database to generate a database of calculated network connection information for the devices associated with the network. The computing device conducts live network discovery, on the network and based on the IP address database, to generate a database of discovered connection information, and merges the database of calculated network connection information and the database of discovered connection information to form a master database from which output files may be generated. |
| US08578033B2 |
Set-up of media stream transmission and server and client for media stream transmission
A media stream is transmitted from a server device to a client device. The client device (10) transmits set-up request messages (43a), discovery messages (44b) and a play command message (45a). The server receives versions of the set-up request messages (43b), the discovery message (44b) and the play message (45b) with matching identifier in the payloads of the messages. The server device (12) receives the discovery messages (44b) on a predetermined port and stores information recording that the discovery messages (44b) have been received, at least when no corresponding set-up request message 43b has been received before. The server device (12) compares the identifiers from the received set up request message (43b) and the discovery message (44b) according to the information recording reception, at least when the discovery message (44b) has been received before the set-up request message (43b). The server device (12) selects transport parameters for transmission of the media stream responsive to detection that the first and second identifier have matching values, the selected transport parameters being based on data from said set-up request message (43b) and a port identification from a source field of the discovery message (44b). The media stream is transmitted in accordance with the selected transport parameters to the client device (10) addressed to the port determined from the source field of the discovery message (44b). |
| US08578031B2 |
Packet-based digital display interface signal mapping to micro serial interface
A passive cable adaptor for connecting a data source device with a display device is described. The adaptor has a packet-based interface connector at one end, the connector having a positive main link pin, a negative main link pin, a positive auxiliary channel pin, and a negative auxiliary channel pin. At the other end is a micro serial interface connector, wherein multimedia content is transmitted over the cable adaptor and electrical power is supplied over the cable adaptor simultaneously. The cable adaptor has an auxiliary and hot plug detect (HPD) controller utilized to map the auxiliary channel and HPD signals of the packet-based digital display to the micro serial interface ID signal. |
| US08578025B2 |
Switching between connectivity types to maintain connectivity
Techniques are provided for leveraging narrowband connectivity (such as dial-up communications or other types of low bandwidth communications) to provision or configure broadband connectivity between a broadband access provider and a broadband device, such as a DSL modem or a cable modem. Specifically, because narrowband connectivity does not require advance configuration or provisioning by the host system of connectivity parameters for an access-seeking device, a modem at an access-seeking device may be leveraged to establish a narrowband connection between that device and a host system and to enable an exchange or negotiation of connectivity parameters necessary to enable future broadband connectivity. Thus, once established, the narrowband connection may be used as a conduit for communicating required provisioning information between the broadband-enabling host and the access-seeking device to enable broadband connectivity by the device in the future. |
| US08578024B1 |
Network application signatures for binary protocols
A method for profiling network traffic of a network, including defining a set of features each corresponding to a set of pre-determined bit positions for selecting a pre-determined number of data bits from each flow in a flow set generated by a network application to form a feature value assigned to the feature for the each flow, identifying the feature as a deterministic feature based on a frequency of occurrence of the feature value, extracting a set of paths from the flow set based on a number of deterministic features, generating a state machine based on the set of paths, and analyzing a new flow associated with a server in the network to determine the server as executing the network application. |
| US08578019B2 |
Monitoring the health of web page analytics code
A system for monitoring the “analytics health” or “tracking health” of a web page can include one or more modules that render analytics code on the web page. In one implementation, a monitoring service downloads one or more web pages from a web server. The monitoring service can attempt to render any analytics code on the web pages to see if the analytics code renders or executes as expected. The monitoring service can also perform basic text searches to identify analytics code, even if it cannot be rendered, and to determine if such code is present and correctly written in the web page. For web pages that require form input, the monitoring service can prompt the user for corresponding input, or retrieve pre-recorded user input from a store. The monitoring service can determine analytics health for web pages of interest in real-time. |
| US08578013B2 |
Donor/borrower incident notification for daemons
A device may include a donor to maintain a pool of addresses; a group of borrowers to obtain addresses from the donor; a daemon that has registered an interest in one or more borrowers in the group of borrowers; and a library to maintain first relationships between donors and borrowers that have obtained addresses from the donors, maintain second relationships between daemons and borrowers in which the daemons have registered an interest, receive a notification regarding an incident associated with the donor, identify, in response to the notification, the group of borrowers based on the first relationships, determine that the daemon has registered an interest in the one or more borrowers in the group of borrowers based on the second relationships, and output, to the daemon, a notification regarding the incident associated with the donor. |
| US08578010B2 |
Methods and system for tracking web page analytics
A system and methods for a web-based analytics tracking system are provided. The system includes a data structure having a plurality of web page identifiers that are each associated with a respective web page, the web pages each located on a respective one of plurality of first servers connected together using a network, the data structure further including tag information specific to each of the plurality of respective web pages, the data structure is located on a second server different than the first servers. The system also includes a tracking script including a programmed to load a loader program located on the second server, the loader program is configured to query the data structure for tag information relating to the selected web page, build an image tag request using the tag information, and insert the image tag request into the selected web page. |
| US08578008B1 |
Adjusting network service level on a scheduled basis
A user of a network service (such as an Ethernet e-line) can request a change in capacity (such as bandwidth) for a particular time period. When that time period occurs, the network service is evaluated to determine what switches need to be configured and how to configure them. The switches are configured accordingly. When the time period expires, the switches are re-configured to their original service level. |
| US08578003B2 |
Providing access to configurable private computer networks
Techniques are described for providing users with access to computer networks, such as to enable users to interact with a remote configurable network service in order to create and configure computer networks that are provided by the configurable network service for use by the users. Computer networks provided by the configurable network service may be configured to be private computer networks that are accessible only by the users who create them, and may each be created and configured by a client of the configurable network service to be an extension to an existing computer network of the client, such as a private computer network extension to an existing private computer network of the client. If so, secure private access between an existing computer network and new computer network extension that is being provided may be enabled using one or more VPN connections or other private access mechanisms. |
| US08578002B1 |
Systems and methods for determining characteristics of a network and enforcing policy
A packet transmitted on a network is read and decoded. A network device and its operating system are identified by analyzing the decoded packet. If more than one operating system is identified from the decoded packet, the operating system is selecting by comparing confidence values assigned to the operating systems identified. A service running on the network device is identified from the decoded packet or subsequent packets that are read, decoded and analyzed. The network topology of a network is determined by reading, decoding, and analyzing a plurality of packets. A flow between two network devices is determined by reading, decoding, and analyzing a plurality of packets. Vulnerabilities are assigned to operating systems and services identified by reading, decoding, and analyzing packets. Network configuration policy is enforced on operating systems and services identified by reading, decoding, and analyzing packets. |
| US08578000B2 |
Realtime kernel
A realtime kernel supports realtime communications between communicants operating on respective network nodes. The realtime kernel handles the complex tasks of connecting to communicants, virtual areas, and other network resources, switching those connections in response to user inputs, and mixing realtime data streams. The realtime kernel enables developers to focus on developing high-level communications functionality instead of low-level plumbing code. The realtime kernel imposes relatively low computational resource requirements so that realtime communications performance can be achieved using a wide range of computing devices and network connections that currently are available. |
| US08577994B2 |
Management of bandwidth allocation in a network server
A server is configured to transfer information to a plurality of client devices in accordance with bandwidth-limiting and bandwidth-adjustment techniques. Bandwidth may be reduced based on an amount of data previously transferred to a client device (e.g., within a prior time period). Bandwidth may also be reduced based on variable input parameters such as file size, data type, server load, network response time, and number of transfer requests from a client device within a prior period of time. In some embodiments, bandwidth may be reduced by inserting delays between portions of data being transmitted. A length of a delay period may be determined based on the various factors above (amount of previous data transfer(s), file size, etc.). Bandwidth to a client device may also be adjusted dynamically. In some embodiments, bandwidth may be increased (rather than decreased). |
| US08577991B2 |
Managing consistent interfaces for internal service request business objects across heterogeneous systems
A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to an internal service request and/or an internal service request template business object. |
| US08577990B2 |
Method of sending location service request in mobile communication network
A method for a network system to send location service request to a network user is provided. The method includes receiving a network client initiated location request including information associated with a first event and information associated with a second event. The method further includes processing the location request. Additionally, if the second event is determined to have occurred by the network system, the network system sends an event message to the network user including information associated with the first event. Moreover, the method includes returning a second receipt acknowledgment of the event message to the network client. In an alternative embodiment, a method for a network system to send a cancellation of a previous deferred location request to a network user is provided. |
| US08577987B2 |
Index rank optimization system and method
An index ranking optimization system and method are provided herein. |
| US08577983B2 |
System and method for notifying an instant message recipient of receipt of a message
A system and method for notifying an instant message recipient of the arrival of the instant message is provided, and includes managing the presence of the recipient on a network, determining a notification priority level of the message, and notifying the recipient based on the notification priority level. In embodiments, the higher the notification priority level, the more sensorially obtrusive the notification can be. |
| US08577982B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficiently managing “messages sent” file and resending of messages from mobile wireless communication device
An enhanced email system incorporating mobile wireless communication devices includes program logic for efficiently managing (i.e., at least partially synchronizing) “messages sent” files in the mobile device and in a related message server. The exemplary program logic also more efficiently handles resending of previously sent email messages from the mobile wireless communication device (especially in the context of synchronized messages sent files) by sending to the message server only abbreviated unique message ID in the first instance. In this way, wireless bandwidth is conserved as is the device battery. |
| US08577976B2 |
Application of system level policy in message oriented middleware
One or more policies to be applied to a set of one or more messages in a message oriented middleware are defined. Metrics of the message oriented middleware are monitored. Application of a policy in response to a trigger condition being satisfied is initiated. Application of the policy applies actions across the set of one or more messages. |
| US08577975B2 |
Buddy list-based sharing of electronic content
Instant messaging (IM) entities may be invited to an electronic calendar event using an instant message. Selecting the IM entities as invitees to the event may include dragging and dropping names of the IM entities from a buddy list of an IM application to an event from an electronic calendar application, or vice versa. A method of inviting an entity to a calendar event includes providing a calendar event from a calendar application and recognizing, by the calendar application, an IM entity as an invitee to the event. |
| US08577966B2 |
Content sharing system and content sharing method
A content sharing system and a content sharing method of sharing contents following a free will of a user through belonging to a plurality of groups are disclosed. Identification information on each of one or more groups to which respective users belong is stored while associating it with identification information on the users. A download history of a content via user terminals by respective users is stored while associating it with the identification information on the users. A group or groups to which a user accessing via a user terminal belongs is/are determined. Whether a content already primarily downloaded by another user belonging to the determined group(s) exists is determined based on the download history and identification information. If the content already primarily downloaded by the another user exists, secondary download to the user terminal accessing the above-mentioned content is permitted. |
| US08577965B2 |
Knowledge base broadcasting
A method is provided for a mobile device to display information associated with a digital diary. The method comprises the mobile device initiating a search of a plurality of digital diaries for at least one digital diary containing information that indicates that an owner of the at least one digital diary currently is or previously has been present in the current location of the mobile device, and the mobile device displaying information associated with the at least one digital diary. |
| US08577960B2 |
Providing status information for components in a distributed landscape
In a distributed landscape, different levels of data caches, such as a memory cache and prefetch tables, are provided for storing status and other information about a remote system to a client. Status information may be provided to the client from a memory cache if available and up to date. The memory cache may be updated using information stored in the one or more prefetch tables or by reading the data from the remote system(s). The prefetch tables may be updated by reading information from the remote systems. The data caches are dynamically updated to store the most up-to-date status information available. The data stored in each data cache level may be updated at predetermined intervals or upon a request by the client. Status messages for the one or more remote systems selected are displayed, providing the client with a status overview of the distributed landscape. |
| US08577955B2 |
Method and system for distributing images to client systems
A method and system for distributing images for display by client systems. A distribution system includes an image server system that is connected to image client systems via a communications link, such as the Internet. The image server system is responsible for providing image packages to the image client systems and for collecting information from the image client systems. Each image client system periodically sends a heartbeat communication to the image server system. Upon receiving a heartbeat communication, the image server system determines the state of the image client system that sent the heartbeat communication and responds appropriately. The response may include instructions for the image client system to retrieve new images, to retrieve software updates, to send usage data, and so on. |
| US08577954B2 |
Posting server, content transmission system, and posting server control method
A printing terminal 208P creates delivery result information regarding delivered content data and transmits the created delivery result information to a posting server 202. The posting server 202 receives the transmitted delivery result information, adds the received delivery result information to delivery record information stored in a memory, and notifies a sending terminal of at least part of the delivery record information. This arrangement enables low-cost and high-quality delivery of print contents. |
| US08577953B2 |
System and method for providing multimedia services
A system and method are disclosed for session continuity in multimedia services. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a multimedia services system has a plurality of service centers each capable of offering one or more multimedia services to an end user, and a controller for managing operations of the service centers. The controller can be programmed to monitor the end user's use of multimedia services from said service centers, detect a change in use by the end user, and offer the end user a multimedia service adapted to the change in use. |
| US08577948B2 |
Split path multiply accumulate unit
In one embodiment, a processor includes a multiply-accumulate (MAC) unit having a first path to handle execution of an instruction if a difference between at least a portion of first and second operands and a third operand is less than a threshold value, and a second path to handle the instruction execution if the difference is greater than the threshold value. Based on the difference, at least part of the third operand is to be provided to a multiplier of the MAC unit or to a compressor of the second path. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08577945B2 |
Method and apparatus of adaptively canceling a fundamental frequency of an analog signal
A system includes a first powered apparatus having a first analog signal with a fundamental frequency; and a second apparatus providing load diagnostics or power quality assessment of the first apparatus from a second digital signal. The second apparatus includes an input of the first analog signal, an output of the second digital signal, a processor, an adaptive filter executed by the processor, a digital-to-analog converter, and an analog-to-digital converter. The adaptive filter routine outputs a third digital signal as a function of the second digital signal and plural adaptive weights. The digital-to-analog converter inputs the third digital signal and outputs a fourth analog signal representative of an estimate of a fundamental frequency component of the first analog signal. The analog-to-digital converter inputs a difference between the first and fourth analog signals, and outputs the second digital signal representative of the first analog signal with the fundamental frequency component removed. |
| US08577944B2 |
Signal processing device, signal processing method, and signal level display device
A signal processing device includes a bit-pattern output unit and a look-up table storage unit which are configured as follows: The bit-pattern output unit is provided for receiving input 1-bit digital signals generated by ΔΣ modification and aligning bits of the input 1-bit digital signals in a chronological order to output parallel bit pattern. The look-up table storage unit is provided for storing a look-up table that represents a relationship between the bit patterns output from the bit pattern output unit and resulting values of a filtering arithmetic operation on the basis of the bit patterns. In the signal processing device, the bit patterns output from the bit-pattern output unit are provided as indexes. The indexes are referenced to output the resulting values of the filtering arithmetic operation corresponding to the bit patterns listed in the look-up table stored in the look-up table storage unit. |
| US08577943B2 |
Algorithm for creating unique bingo faces
A method and apparatus for generating a plurality of unique configurations of indicia is provided. A first set of indicia is provided, including a plurality of first groups of indicia. Then a second set of indicia is provided that has a plurality of second groups of indicia. The first set of indicia is then combined with the second set of indicia in a pairwise fashion, wherein a number of the first groups of indicia is relatively prime in relation to an number of the second groups of indicia. |
| US08577936B2 |
Fixup cache tool for object memory compaction in an information handling system
An operating system or virtual machine of an information handling system (IHS) initializes a garbage collector to provide object memory compaction during application execution. The operating system or virtual machine performs move and fixup management within heap or object memory stores. The garbage collector identifies holes or unused portions of heap memory and moves one or more objects during compaction operations. After the garbage collector moves the object, a fixup cache tool fixes up the object pointers within the object. The fixup cache tool maintains a fixup cache that includes pointer information corresponding to the objects that the garbage collector moves. The fixup cache tool employs the pointer information within the fixup cache to update or otherwise fixup the objects within the heap that the garbage collector moves during compaction operations. The fixup cache may provide predictive pointer update information during fixup operations for each object move within the heap. |
| US08577933B2 |
Double blinded privacy-safe distributed data mining protocol
A Double Blinded Privacy-Safe Distributed Data Mining Protocol is disclosed, among an aggregator, a data consumer entity having privacy-sensitive information, and data source entities having privacy-sensitive information. The aggregator does not have access to the privacy-sensitive information at either the data consumer entity or the data source entities. The aggregator formulates a query without using privacy-sensitive information, and sends the query to the data consumer entity. The data consumer entity generates a list of specific instances that meet the conditions of the query and sends the list, encrypted, to the data source entities either directly or through the aggregator. The data source entities match the list against transactional data, de-identify the matched results, and send them to the aggregator. The aggregator combines results from data source entities and sends the combined result to the data consumer entity. This allows for privacy-safe data mining where both the data consumer entity and data source entities have privacy-sensitive information not available for the aggregator to see or use. |
| US08577932B2 |
Poly vectoral reverse navigation
This invention includes a method of navigating a collection of nodes by selecting a first node, generating a context list and displaying first node and context list. Each context of the context collection includes a second node essentially referencing the first node. Another aspect of the invention includes a method of generating an address from a collection of contexts containing steps of receiving a selected attribute collection and generating the address. Each context includes a resolution address and an attribute collection. Each of the attribute collections contains at least one attribute. Whenever the attribute collection of a first context of the context collection is essentially the same as the selected attribute collection, the resolution address of the first context is selected as the generated address. Another aspect of the invention includes a method of navigating a hypergraph. The hypergraph includes at least one context list. Each context list contains at least one context. Each context includes a node. The method includes steps of selecting a first context list of the context lists, selecting a first context of the first context list, and displaying the node of the first context of the first context list. Aspects of this invention include computer programs implemented on computer readable media, situated both local to a user and in client-server configurations. |
| US08577924B2 |
Determining base attributes for terms
In one embodiment, a method for determining concept attributes for a concept term includes receiving a concept term and determining one or more word senses for the concept term. A word sense is selected from the one or more word senses, and, based on the selected word sense, one or more conceptually similar terms for the concept term is determined. The method also includes determining that at least one of the one or more conceptually similar terms is a concept attribute for the concept term and generating a mapping to associate the concept attribute with the concept term. The mapping is stored in an onomasticon. |
| US08577921B2 |
Method and apparatus for enhanced hashing
A search key lookup system including a hash table having a plurality of entries and a function generator is disclosed. The function generator can be coupled to the hash table and configured to receive a key and to provide a first function and a second function. The first function can be a Cyclic Redundancy Code (CRC) type function and the second function can be an Error Checking and Correcting (ECC) type function. Further, an address of the table can include a concatenation of the results of the CRC and the ECC type functions. |
| US08577920B2 |
Method and recording medium
A method executed by a computer includes searching a design subject having similar attribute information from attribute information on a design subject designed in the past and histories of descriptions of improvements based on input information on a design subject; obtaining a description of an improvement on the searched design subject having similar attribute information from the histories, obtaining a design subject the description of an improvement of which has an effect of the improvement, and outputting improved input information, wherein the attribute information contributing to the improvement of the design subject is obtained and reflected in the input information, and the history of the improved input information is stored. |
| US08577916B1 |
Search-based contact initiation method and apparatus
Search-based contact initiation methods and apparatus are provided. In particular, a contact initiator enters search terms in the form of qualifications or characteristics desired of a contact recipient. The search term are used to search qualifications records that include qualifications entered or selected by candidate qualifications recipients. When a match or best match between search criteria and a record associated with a candidate communication recipient is found, the contact initiator is placed into communication with that communication recipient. Communications between the communications initiator and the communication recipient are established using a contact address associated with the qualifications of the communication recipient. |
| US08577915B2 |
Method of and system for conducting personalized federated search and presentation of results therefrom
The present disclosure provides user-interface methods and systems for submitting search requests to search engines and presenting search results therefrom customized using content preferences learned about a user, comprising sending query information to at least two search engines, including a query identifying desired content, and user information, including context information describing the environment in which the query information is being sent, and a user signature representing content preferences learned about the user; receiving at least one set of a search result and auxiliary information from the at least one search engine in response to sending the query information, including information describing attributes of the search result that led to the search result being chosen by the at least one search engine; ordering the at least one search result based at least in part on the auxiliary information; and presenting the ordered search results to the user. |
| US08577910B1 |
Selecting relevant languages for query translation
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating visual media search results are provided. A search query in a first language is received. A plurality of languages are identified. It is determined whether a language should be selected by translating the search query into translated terms in the language, determining a score for each translated term measuring how common the translated term is, and using the scores to determine if the language should be selected. A second language is selected from the plurality of different languages by selecting the considered language if it should be selected and otherwise selecting the second language according to a criterion. A set of one or more search results are generated based on the search query and a translation of the search query into the second language. The results are ordered based on a quality of results statistic for the translated query. |
| US08577906B2 |
Method for modifying a query by use of an external system for managing assignment of user and data classifications
Disclosed is a data processing-implemented method, a data processing system, and an article of manufacture for modifying a query during compilation of the query. The query includes a request for an element of data from a table in a database and parameters identifying the requested element. The data processing-implemented method includes determining available information from parameters for locating a classification of the requested element and a classification associated with the query, the requested data classification controlling access to the requested element according to the query associated classification, requesting a suggested action from an external system for obtaining a comparison of the requested data classification and the query associated classification based on the available information, receiving the suggested action from the external system responsive to the sent request, and incorporating the suggested action into the query, the suggested action effecting comparison of the requested data classification with the query associated classification. |
| US08577905B2 |
System, method, and logic for optimized geospatial data delivery
A method may include subscribing each of a plurality of users to receive native-format geospatial information from a data source. The method may also include receiving native-format geospatial information from the data source. The method may further include analyzing native-format geospatial information and previously-rendered geospatial data file fragments to determine whether to update one or more previously-rendered geospatial data file fragments. The method may additionally include translating native-format geospatial information into geospatial data file fragments in response to a determination to update one or more previously-rendered geospatial data file fragments, and storing such geospatial data file fragments. |
| US08577900B2 |
Method and apparatus for enhancing webpage browsing
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for enhancing webpage browsing. The method of the invention includes a predicting step which predicts, for a first block in the webpage, a subsequent second block, based on a browsing history of blocks of webpages by at least one user; and a link generating step of automatically generating a link pointing to the second block based on a result of the predicting step. The apparatus includes: predicting means configured to predict, for a first block in the webpage, a subsequent second block, based on a browsing history of blocks of web pages by at least one user; and link generating means configured to automatically generate a link pointing to the second block based on a result of the predicting means. |
| US08577898B2 |
System and method for rating a written document
A system and method for rating an essay writing using a statistical system so it can be applied on any language with very few changes. The system comprising multiple modules capable of providing a style score, a punctuation score, a spelling score, a quotation score, an enrichment score, a syntax analysis score, a focus score, an idea score and a cohesion score. The scores are then combined to provide a final overall rating of the essay. |
| US08577897B2 |
Rich results relevant to user search queries for books
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for triggering rich results in response to publication queries. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a publication query. One or more publication search results are obtained. A rich result is triggered based on a score of the first-ranked publication result if it meets a threshold relative to other publication search results. The rich result is populated with additional metadata about the publication obtained from web resources and product resources from multiple corpora. The rich result is provided with the publication search results. |
| US08577896B2 |
Interest based row selection
Genres and associated digital items are recommended to a user based on the interests of the user. Genres that are of interest to the user are determined based on user preferences gathered implicitly or explicitly. The genres are then scored and sorted based on different scoring and sorting techniques. A subset of the scored and sorted genres is then selected for recommending to the user. |
| US08577895B2 |
Dynamic contacts list management
Contacts lists are dynamically managed in association with communication and collaboration applications and devices. Automated and user defined factors are determined based on information from various resources such as user profile, contact information, past communication information, application/device types, and comparable ones. Factors may be weighted and employed to prioritize contacts lists under different circumstances. Prioritized contacts lists may be provided to a user, stored, updated, or otherwise processed. |
| US08577894B2 |
Method and system for access to restricted resources
A method and system of providing a search result to a user based on information indicated in a restricted access resource is described. A search system utilizing the assistance of human searchers or guides may obtain a search result using information included in a restricted resource. Access to a restricted resource is granted to guides based on access information provided to the search service. A guide may access information indicated in a restricted resource in order to obtain a search result. A search result obtained based on information indicated in a restricted resource may be returned to a user. |
| US08577892B2 |
Utilizing affinity groups to allocate data items and computing resources
Systems and methods for utilizing affinity groups to allocate data items and computing resources are disclosed. Upon receipt of a user preference indicating an affinity group, a token associated with that affinity group may be stored in a database. The affinity group may be associated with a geographic region or a number of data centers. Data items and computing resources may be associated with the affinity group. These data items and computing resources may be allocated to a geographic region or data center based on their association with the affinity group. These data items and computing resources may also be reallocated based on efficiency analyses or user preferences. In this way, data items and computing resources may be efficiently allocated with lower user effort. |
| US08577891B2 |
Methods for indexing and searching based on language locale
In response to a search query having a search term received from a client, a current language locale is determined. A state machine is built based on the current language locale, where the state machine includes one or more nodes to represent variance of the search term having identical meaning of the search term. Each node of the state machine is traversed to identify one or more postings lists of an inverted index corresponding to each node of the state machine. One or more item identifiers obtained from the one or more postings list are returned to the client, where the item identifiers identify one or more files that contain the variance of the search term represented by the state machine. |
| US08577889B2 |
Searching for transient streaming multimedia resources
A software and/or hardware facility is described that enables searches for transient multimedia resources that are contained in real-time multimedia streams. Because real-time data streams are not archived for subsequent access, transient resources contained in the streams are preferably quickly identified, characterized in a database, and indexed so that the facility can locate transient resources that are responsive to search queries. Stream listeners are disclosed that are configured to monitor data streams and identify transient resources within the streams based on associated metadata. Various techniques are disclosed to optimize the operation of the stream listeners. In response to a search query, search results are generated by the facility that include transient multimedia resources that are accessible via a network at the time that the search query is received. |
| US08577884B2 |
Automated analysis and summarization of comments in survey response data
Technologies are described herein for providing automated analysis and summarization of free-form comments in survey response data. A number of topic words are identified from the survey response comments, and a numeric weight is calculated for each topic word that reflects the relevance of the topic word to each comment. Each topic word is associated with one or more topics and the comments relevant to each topic is then determined based on the weights of the associated topic words in each comment. A report is generated which summarizes the topics and their relative importance in the survey response comments based upon the number of comments relevant to each. |
| US08577880B1 |
Recommendations based on item tagging activities of users
A system provides a user interface through which users can flexibly tag individual items represented in an electronic catalog with user-defined tags, such as text strings, and obtain recommendations that are specific to particular tags. The tags and tag-item assignments created by each user are stored persistently in association with the user, and may be kept private to the user or exposed to others. Once a user has assigned a tag to a number of items, the user (or another user in some embodiments) can request and obtain recommendations that are specific to this tag. These recommendations may be generated in real time by a recommendation service that identifies items that are collectively similar or related to the items associated with the tag. |
| US08577877B2 |
Apparatus and method for searching among and presenting information associated with geographical position data
Example embodiments relate to an apparatus for searching and presenting information associated with geographical position data. The apparatus includes an input device including a user interface. The user interface includes at least a first input text box configured to receive a first text item, wherein said first text item is a general search text item, at least a second input text box configured to receive a second text item, wherein said second text item is a geographical position text item, and a user actuation input device. The apparatus further includes a database selection engine and a database search engine configured to perform a database search based on said at least first and second text input, and an output device configured to present information associated with geographical position data based upon data retrieved from a database selection engine or a database search engine. |
| US08577874B2 |
Tunersphere
Systems and methods for providing representative information for a geographic area of interest are disclosed. In one embodiment, a media service tracks media interaction histories (e.g., play histories) for a number of users registered with the media service, where each media interaction history identifies media items interacted with by the corresponding user as well as the locations at which at least a subset of the media items were interacted with by the corresponding user. The media service receives a request from a requesting user for representative information for a geographic area of interest. In response to receiving the request, the media service determines representative information for the geographic area of interest based on at least a subset of the media interaction histories of the users and effects presentation of the representative information to the requesting user. |
| US08577872B2 |
Selection of photos based on tagging history
Typical users may be interested in viewing photos of people with whom they maintain true social contact. In one example, a person's true social network may be inferred from photo tagging history. Social contacts tend to tag each other in photos, while other types of contacts (e.g., business contacts) are less likely to tag each other in photos. Thus, in order to determine what photos to show to a given user, people may be scored based on how often the user has tagged those people in photos, and also on how often those other people have tagged the user. Those people who have high scores may be presumed to be socially close to the given user. Photos containing people who have received high scores may be selected, and the selected photos may be shown to the user. |
| US08577863B2 |
Correlating web page visits and conversions with external references
One embodiment includes a method for correlating external references to a Web Page with conversions performed by one or more visitors to the Web Page. The method includes receiving the Web Page to monitor and determining one or more conversions to correlate. The one or more conversions to correlate include one or more actions performed on the Web Page by a visitor to the Web Page. The method also includes identifying the visitor to the Web Page. The visitor to the Web Page completed at least one action included in the conversions to correlate. The method also includes identifying the at least one action completed by the visitor and identifying an external reference that directed the visitor to the Web Page. The external reference contains a reference to the Web Page. |
| US08577862B2 |
Answer-augmented query suggestion
A system includes reception of a partial query, determination of one or more previously-selected query phrases based on the partial query, determination, for each of the one or more previously-selected query phrases, of a dataset of a data source, determination, for each dataset determined for each of the one or more previously-selected query phrases, of a plurality of columns, and presentation, for each of the one or more previously-selected query phrases, of the previously-selected query phrase, the dataset determined for the previously-selected query phrase, and the columns determined for the dataset. |
| US08577861B2 |
Apparatus and method for searching information
A method and apparatus for use in servicing a search request where the search request comprises a plurality of parts (such as characters) and establishing a list of tokens where the tokens correspond to elements of objects and have a numerical value. For each part of the search request a subset of the list is determined, said subset identifying a set of objects which may satisfy the search query. The subsets may be identified iteratively. Token encoding is used to encode tokens based on a content of said elements and, in this case, the same token encoding is used to encode the parts of the search request. The token encoding may comprise differential encoding. In certain embodiments, resource requirements necessary to complete the search request are determined based on the identified subsets. |
| US08577860B2 |
Method and means for browsing by walking
A mobile station is arranged to determine its location, which is searched against street addresses from a database, and at least one matching street address is retrieved. The street address is searched on the mobile station and/or over the network. The search engine conducts a search in the mobile station file system and/or the Internet and/or a file system over the network with the at least one query term, —at least one search result is arranged to be displayed to user on the screen of the mobile station. This facilitates on-demand effortless Mobile Internet Search that allows the users to access opportunities that they did not know about, or would not have had time to find out about with minimum effort as the software of the mobile phone is scanning the Internet and information pages for these opportunities and displaying the results dynamically on the mobile phone screen. |
| US08577852B2 |
Automated records inventory and retention schedule generation system
A computer-implemented system assigns retention rules to a plurality of record categories. The system receives information from a system administrator and the organization to which the retention rules are to apply. Initially, an administrator selects business types and functions that apply to the organization. The system uses the business types and functions selections to select from a large set of questions, a subset of questions that pertain to the retention requirements for the organization's records. The organization employees answer the selected questions, and based on these answers the system determines a set of record categories defining the organization's records. The system then selects from a set of retention rules forming a part of the system, the rules that apply to the organization's record categories. The system provides a formalized approval process by the organization for the retention rule assignments to the record categories. |
| US08577848B2 |
Converting two-tier resource mapping to one-tier resource mapping
Converting a two-tier resource mapping to a one-tier resource mapping may include determining a first mapping from an intermediate data buffer to a data destination. A second mapping from a data source to the intermediate data buffer may also be determined. An optimized mapping from the data source to the data destination may be generated based on the first and second mappings. The optimized mapping may then be used instead of the first and second mappings to collect data from the data source to the data destination, thereby resulting in a one-tier resource mapping. In some instances, the mappings may be sets of one or more queries. |
| US08577842B1 |
Distributed computer system snapshots and instantiation thereof
Distributed computer systems prepare and instantiate snapshots by processing sets of nodes representing computer resources that are portions of a larger system. A user may choose to prepare or instantiate a snapshot containing all or only a portion of the data within the distributed computer system, such as a template of the distributed computer system. A template snapshot may be available in an electronic marketplace for other users to purchase and instantiate into a replica of the distributed computer system. |
| US08577839B2 |
Method and apparatus of dynamic updating web portals
Content management on web portals has become complex and sometime tedious. There are needs for efficient and cost-effective methods to manage large volumes of contents for web portals. Posting and withdrawing contents on a web portal, if carried out in parallel, can improve the efficiency of updating and managing the web portal. |
| US08577835B2 |
Method and system for sharing data between subscribers of a multi-tenant database service
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for sharing data among subscribers of a multi-tenant database service. These mechanisms and methods for sharing data among subscribers of a multi-tenant database service can enable embodiments to providing controlled, limited sharing between the subscribers regardless of the physical location of the subscriber data. The ability of embodiments to provide such additional sharing capabilities may lead to more secure sharing of data within a multi-tenant on-demand database service. |
| US08577833B2 |
Automated data analysis and transformation
A transformation method and system is provided. The method includes generating a data hub application configured to embed extract, transform, and load (ETL) processes. The data hub application is linked to source tables and target tables. Meta data associated with the source and target tables is transferred from virtual views of the data hub application to an ETL work area of the ETL processes. An ETL job is generated and linked to the data hub application. ETL processes are executed and results are determined. |
| US08577832B2 |
System, method, circuit and associated software for locating and/or uploading data objects
The present invention includes methods, circuits, systems and corresponding executable code for locating and managing data files/objects such as image files, audio files, etc. According to some embodiments of the present invention, there may be provided a Dynamic Search and Linking Module (DSLM), which DSLM may be functionally associated with an Uploader (an application or module adapted to upload files) of an application or of an operating system. The DSLM may provide an Uploader with search engine querying (e.g. web searching) and search engine result (e.g results of a web search) linking functionality. |
| US08577831B2 |
Method of recommending items to a user based on user interest
Although recording of usage data is common in scholarly information services, its exploitation for the creation of value-added services remains limited due to concerns regarding, among others, user privacy, data validity, and the lack of accepted standards for the representation, sharing and aggregation of usage data. A technical, standards-based architecture for sharing usage information is presented. In this architecture, OpenURL-compliant linking servers aggregate usage information of a specific user community as it navigates the distributed information environment that it has access to. This usage information is made OAI-PMH harvestable so that usage information exposed by many linking servers can be aggregated to facilitate the creation of value-added services with a reach beyond that of a single community or a single information service. |
| US08577830B2 |
Method for detection of tunnel excavation by brillouin optical time domain reflectometry using multiple underground optical fibers
A non transitory computer readable medium and a method of detecting excavation of an underground tunnel, the method includes: propagating a light pulse through an underground optic fiber; generating detection signals responsive to Brillion scattered light resulting from the propagating of the light pulse through the underground optic fiber; wherein the detection signals represent tension values at multiple locations along the underground optic fiber; and processing the detection signals to detect excavation of the underground tunnel. |
| US08577823B1 |
Taxonomy system for enterprise data management and analysis
The present invention provides taxonomy system for enterprise data management and analysis. Building a taxonomy is based on defining taxonomy themes to solve different aspects of enterprise data management. For each theme, a taxonomy is created by classifying data related to the theme. Taxonomy nodes include enterprise data management policies and data analysis methods to be applied to data stored at the nodes. The amount of data that companies need to access and manage today is complex and voluminous. Because of computational requirements and time constraints, it is very difficult to classify and process all data. In many cases, current solutions ignore a sizable amount of data and process a small subset of it. This leads to incomplete and inaccurate results as ignored data may contain valuable information. The present invention provides taxonomies that encompass all data. Voluminous data is processed first to eliminate irrelevant data that is not related to the theme of a taxonomy. This in effect reduces the amount of data used to create the taxonomy without impacting its accuracy. |
| US08577818B2 |
Automatic model evolution
A method includes performing, on a processor, evaluating log data; determining at least one discrepancy between the log data and a system model; generating a candidate model based on the discrepancy and a model template; and updating the system model based on the candidate model. |
| US08577815B2 |
Method and system for concurrent event forecasting
A method and system for characterizing, detecting, and predicting or forecasting multiple target events from a past history of these events includes compressing temporal data streams into self-organizing map (SOM) clusters, and determining trajectories of the temporal streams via the clusters to predict the multiple target events. The system includes an evolutionary multi-objective optimization (EMO) module for processing the temporal data streams, which are obtained from a plurality of heterogeneous domains; a SOM module for characterizing the temporal data streams into self-organizing map clusters; and a target event prediction (TEP) module for generating prediction models of the map clusters. The SOM module employs a vector quantization method that places a set of vectors on a low-dimensional grid in an ordered fashion. The prediction models each include trajectories of the temporal data streams, and the system predicts the multiple target events using the trajectories. |
| US08577814B1 |
System and method for genetic creation of a rule set for duplicate detection
Embodiments may generate a population of candidate rules including multiple rule conditions for detecting duplicates, each duplicate representing different sets of item description information that describe a common item. For each candidate rule of the population, embodiments may apply that rule to a reference data set including known duplicates and non-duplicates. Embodiments may assign each candidate rule a fitness score generated with a fitness function based on the performance of that candidate rule. Embodiments may, based on the fitness scores, select a subset of the population of candidate rules as parents for the new generation of candidate rules. Embodiments may perform crossover and/or mutation operations on the parent candidate rules to generate the new generation of candidate rules. Embodiments may select from the new generation of candidate rules (or from subsequent generations of candidate rules), rules for inclusion within a rule set for detecting duplicates within item description information. |
| US08577813B2 |
Universal secure registry
A device is configured to allow a user to select any of a plurality of accounts to employ in a financial transaction. The user device includes a biometric sensor configured to receive a biometric input, a user interface configured to receive a user input including secret information known to the user and identifying information concerning an account selected by the user from the plurality of accounts. The user device includes a communication link configured to communicate with a secure registry, and a processor coupled to the biometric sensor to receive information concerning the biometric input, the user interface, and the communication link. The processor is configured to generate a non-predictable value and encrypted authentication information from the non-predictable value, the identifying information, and at least one of the information concerning the biometric input and the secret information, and communicate the authentication information via the communication link to the secure registry. |
| US08577811B2 |
In-band transaction verification
Various embodiments of a system and method for in-band transaction verification are described. The system and method for in-band transaction verification may include a transaction verification component. The transaction verification component may be configured to provide a transaction confirmation request that includes one or more machine readable resistant security media objects to indicate one or more transaction details for a transaction as well as a confirmation code for confirming the transaction. The transaction verification component may also be configured to receive a response to the confirmation request, such as a response from the user that submitted the transaction request. If the response includes a response code that is the same as the confirmation code, the transaction verification component may complete the transaction. If the response includes a response code that is different than the confirmation code, the transaction verification component may abort the transaction. |
| US08577810B1 |
Secure mobile payment authorization
A method to authorize a mobile payment for a transaction. The method includes receiving a facial image of a consumer who requests the mobile payment for the transaction using account information stored in a mobile device of the consumer, wherein the facial image is provided by a point-of-sale (POS) device while initiating the transaction on behalf of the consumer, receiving a verified facial image of an account holder, comparing the facial image of the consumer and the verified facial image of the account holder based on a pre-determined criterion to verify the consumer as the account holder, generating, in response to verifying the consumer as the account holder, an authorization of the mobile payment based on the account information, and sending the authorization to the POS device to complete the transaction. |
| US08577807B2 |
Method for protecting secret information in a system for reporting an emergency when secret information is accessed
Disclosed are protection of secret information in a system for reporting an emergency such as theft or confinement when secret information is accessed. Secret information includes a large quantity of data and a piece/pieces of true and correct data mixed into the data. The secret data including the data and the true and correct data is two-dimensional code data the code of which is composed of groups of cells having different areas. The positions and order of storage of the true and correct data dispersedly mixed in the data are determined and reported to the user. The user adds a predetermined alerting signal when inputting the password to tell that the user is under control of a third party. The system can detect the alerting signal and know that the user is in an abnormal state, performs normal identification procedures, and takes protection/preservation measures. Part of data is specified as confinement report data and added to the true and correct data. Consequently at least a piece of confinement report data is included and therefore the user himself is judged to be under control of the third party. Then the user is identified and a confinement report alert is issued. |
| US08577806B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for digital verification of collected privacy policies in electronic transactions
Parties involved in transacting business in an E-marketplace (E-marketplace participants) each identify and submit to the E-marketplace their P3P policy and/or other relevant characteristics related to their privacy policy needs (those that they adhere to, referred to as “privacy policies”; those that they require, referred to as “privacy preferences”, or both). Submitted with the privacy policy is a digital signature that is tied to the owner of the web objects to which the privacy policy pertains. Using a digital signature assures the integrity of the privacy policy since it travels with the privacy policy and thus refers back to the original sender of the policy rather than the middleman (the E-marketplace), and if the document (the privacy policy) to which it is attached has been tampered with, the digital signature will be invalidated. |
| US08577805B1 |
Systems and methods for virtual banking
Mechanisms for virtual banking are disclosed herein that provide experiences to users as if they were actually interacting with a branch office bank. For instance, virtual lockboxes are provided to users, and users can fill these lockboxes with the type of digital data that would traditionally be placed in a branch office bank lockbox. Birth certificates, social security numbers, wills, etc., can be uploaded from a user's remote computing device to a server associated with a bank. In another aspect, currency cards are disclosed that mimic cash withdrawal (or deposit) transactions users might engage in at typical branch offices. For example, users can download money from a bank server onto a currency card located at some remote location (or, alternatively, upload money from the card to the server, which would amount to a deposit being made to the bank). |
| US08577800B1 |
Data sending/receiving method and apparatus, data receiving apparatus and data sending apparatus
A sending receiving method for data, such as musical data, in which plural data stored in a first storage unit are retrieved based on the request information sent from a host side device. The retrieved data is sent to a terminal side device. The sent data is checked to see as to whether or not the sent data is data newly stored in the first storage unit. If the results of check indicate that the sent data is data newly stored in the first storage unit, the sent data is stored in a second storage unit of the terminal side device. |
| US08577798B2 |
Consular kiosks and methods
Embodiments of the invention provide a method of implementing electronic transfers with government consulates. The method may include receiving, via the interface terminal, a selection of a country's consulate and a location of the consulate comprising a city in which the consulate has an office. The method may also include receiving, via the interface terminal, a consulate service selection. The method may further include receiving, at an input device, documentation necessary to complete the selected service type. The method may moreover include receiving, via the interface terminal, a payment for the selected service. The method may additionally include transmitting the service type selection, the documents, and the payment to the selected consulate. |
| US08577795B2 |
System and method for revenue and authorization management
A system is disclosed for facilitating relationship-centric authorization of transactions in a manner which provides optimum scalability and availability by logically partitioning wallets in conjunction with partitioning a resource associated with a group of consumers. |
| US08577790B1 |
Computer-implemented methods and computer systems for an electronic financial platform
In some embodiments, the instant invention provides for specifically programming a computer machine to perform at lease: receiving, from a trader, a passive indication of interest (IOI) for a financial instrument, where the passive IOI is a bid or an offer and a resting liquidity; classifying the trader as at least: a trading type that is subject to a decline ratio calculation for crossing the passive IOIs, where the decline ratio calculation identifies how many eligible aggressive IOIs have been previously declined by the trader out of a total number of all eligible aggressive IOIs that were offered to such trader; receiving, from another trader, another IOI that is an aggressive IOI, where the aggressive IOI is available to be immediately crossed at the price; and determining, in real-time, an allocation of the aggressive IOI to the trader submitted the passive IOI based on the decline ratio of the trader. |
| US08577789B2 |
Electronic transaction processor system
An Internet based system for executing transactions is described. The system may include transaction data, a database, a business logic manager and user profiles. A rules may also be included, and store information about system responses to modifications of the data. The user profiles may be configured to store information concerning the availability of information and displays depending upon the user. |
| US08577787B1 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for obtaining best execution of orders to buy or sell a financial instrument for which a net asset value is periodically calculated
The present invention uses new order entry types (formats) and new order management methods to meet the order and transaction management needs of investors, traders, brokers, market makers and service providers for institutional traders for transactions in NAV Instruments by integrating the implementation of trades when conventional markets and NAV-based trading markets operate contemporaneously. Among other features, the invention provides methods and computer systems for determining the appropriate nature, size, sequence and latency of orders to be entered into alternative trading venues to improve executions. |
| US08577785B2 |
System and method for trading order priority levels in an electronic trading environment
A system and method for trading order priority levels in an electronic trading environment are described. In one embodiment, a trader who is willing to have his order moved from a high priority level to a lower priority level in an order queue may advertise his willingness to do so, and other traders can place bids for the high priority level. In such an embodiment, for example, a bidder who places the highest bid or whose bid is received first may get the high priority level in the order queue in exchange for the paid fee. |
| US08577782B2 |
Trading with conditional offers for semi-anonymous participants
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for generating conditional offers for semi-anonymous trading participants is provided. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises associating a trading entity with an identifier; acquiring trade history information including a history of trading transactions associated with said identifier; and receiving an offer from a Liquidity Provider based on said trade history information, said offer being only made to the trading entity associated with one of said identifiers. |
| US08577781B2 |
Method for scheduling future orders on an electronic commodity trading system
A method is provided for placing a trade order for a commodity on an electronic exchange to be executed at a future time, said method comprising the steps of displaying a trading screen for a commodity market, said trading screen including a future time schedule and an order entry region corresponding to each future time segment of the future time schedule, and scheduling an order corresponding to a future time segment by locating a pointer of a user device within an order entry region corresponding to the future time segment and sending an input signal via the pointer. |
| US08577780B2 |
Method and system for identifying high probability trade matches
Methods and Systems for routing an indication of interest message are provided in which one or more external trade messaging systems are monitored to discover and collect information related to a trading posture of a plurality of trading counterparties. The information related to the trading posture of the plurality of trading counterparties is stored in a database and accessed, upon receipt of an indication of interest message to intelligently route the indication of interest message to at least one of the plurality of trading counterparties based at least in part on the information regarding the trading posture of the plurality of trading counterparties stored in the database. |
| US08577778B2 |
Derivatives having demand-based, adjustable returns, and trading exchange therefor
Methods and systems for replicating derivatives strategies and for trading derivatives strategies in a demand-based trading market are described. In one embodiment, a set of contingent claims are created to replicate a derivatives strategy. One or more parameters of a contingent claim in the replication set may be determined as a function of one or more parameters of a derivatives strategy and an outcome of the event. An investment amount for a contingent claim in the replication set may be determined as a function of one or more parameters of the contingent claim and a total amount invested in a demand-based auction. In other embodiments, derivatives strategies and/or financial products are enabled to be traded in a demand-based auction and are offered to customers and/or traded in the auction. In another embodiment, a derivatives strategy is replicated by a set of one or more digitals or digital options by determining one or more parameters of the digitals or digital options in the replication set as a function of one or more parameters of the derivatives strategy. |
| US08577775B1 |
Systems and methods for managing investments
The methods and systems described herein can identify meaningful relationships between actual positions within a portfolio of investments, as well as relationships to externalities. Based on the understanding that relationships between positions are not fixed over periods of time but can vary depending on recent external events, the methods and systems described herein can achieve a portfolio of investments that are least related to other investments within the portfolio (e.g., a diverse portfolio) and, if desired, least related to the overall market (e.g., a market neutral portfolio). The methods and systems described herein can filter performance data to evaluate and manage risk across a dynamic portfolio that includes numerous primary instruments and hedge instruments. The methods and systems described herein can also provide a diagnostic tool to monitor both risk and diversification (including relationships) by determining the actual amount of profit and loss and a diversity score for each investment. |
| US08577767B2 |
Method and system for processing and optimizing travel insurance transactions
A method and system for processing communications between travel service providers and travel insurers where travel service providers use different messaging formats. A travel service provider transmits itinerary data to a travel insurer in one messaging format. The travel insurer may then convert the itinerary data into a format compatible with the travel insurer's system and determine an optimal policy choice based on the itinerary data. The travel insurer may then transmit this choice to the travel service provider in the travel service provider's preferred messaging format, and the travel service provider offers the product to the consumer through the travel service provider's interface. |
| US08577766B2 |
Secure transactions using non-secure communications
A method of performing a secure transaction using non-secure communications, including: contacting a service provider by a customer to perform a transaction; sending an non-secure message by the service provider over a communication network using a communication device with details of the transaction to a transaction server; initiating a secure transaction at the transaction server; generating two one-time passwords at the transaction server; sending the first one-time password to a communication device of the customer and sending the second one-time password to the service providers communication device; revealing the first one-time password to the service provider by the customer; replying to the transaction server by the service provider with a message based on both one-time passwords; completing the transaction at the transaction server. |
| US08577763B2 |
Method of converting cash into virtual cash and loading it to mobile phone cash account
A method of receiving virtual cash from an outlet through a mobile phone including the steps of: —customer requesting cash-out at an outlet; —customer showing identification and filling out a form; —frontliner accessing the device and keying in command containing customer's amount of cash-out and sending this to telco; —telco verifying that customer's mobile phone is registered with the telco's cash product services and that the amount of cash-out is available in the customer's mobile phone cash account and sending information to the device of the frontliner of the outlet; —frontliner of the outlet verifying that customer is registered with telco's cash product services and advising the customer of the unique transaction code; —customer paying cash-out fee; —customer keying in “CASHOUT” cash product command containing his PIN, amount to be cashed out, and his mobile phone number; —sending this command to telco; —outlet's device receiving a confirmatory message from telco of cash product service transfer; —customer receiving a SMS acknowledgment from telco of the completion of the cash product service; —customer getting virtual cash from the outlet; —outlet's device receiving an acknowledgment of the completion of the transaction and confirmation number from telco in a format matching the outlet's device. |
| US08577755B2 |
Method and system of listing items
Described herein are a method and a system to suggest information for one or more items offered for sale by sellers in a network-based market place. One or more keywords associated with an item to be listed may be received from a seller. The one or more keywords may be used to search for matching information stored in a database. The matching information may be presented to the seller to be selected. When the seller modifies the suggested matching information, the modified version of the matching information may be stored in the database. |
| US08577754B1 |
Identifying low utility item-to-item association mappings
A process is disclosed for using item price data to assess whether particular item-to-item associations are useful for generating item recommendations. In one embodiment, the process involves generating a compatibility score that represents a degree to which the two items of an item-to-item mapping are compatible in price. This score may then be used to determine whether to use the item-to-item association as a basis for generating item recommendations. |
| US08577753B1 |
Community-based shopping profiles
Guided item selection based on profiles maintained dynamically. The profiles represent, for example, purchase, usage, or personality profiles corresponding to various segments of the user population. Each of the profiles has one or more items associated with the profile. The user selects one or more of the profiles while browsing or searching for items. The items associated with the selected profile are provided to the user. The user's interaction, or lack of interaction, with the items is monitored and analyzed. Based on the monitored interaction, a relevance of the selected profile relative to the other profiles is dynamically adjusted along with a relevance of particular items for the selected profile. For example, items may be added or removed from the list based on the monitored user interactions. |
| US08577752B2 |
Photobook engine powered by blog content
A computer system for creating a design for an image product includes servers that can identify a blog page that includes an image, text, or designs, automatically incorporate at least one of the image, text, or the design object in the blog page into the design of an image product, and allow a user to review the design of the image product. The servers communicate with a printing finishing facility that makes a physical image product according to the design of the image product. |
| US08577750B2 |
Custom hair coloring supplemental identification
There is disclosed a method for custom hair coloring formula supplemental identification. The method includes accepting a user login associated with previously entered user characteristics. Accepting user input of new user characteristics including natural hair color, current hair coloring, hair treatments, hair coloring characteristics and hair treatment characteristics. The method further includes identifying available hair coloring, accepting user input of desired hair coloring and identifying a hair colorant suitable to create the desired hair coloring in view of the user characteristics. An order is then generated for the hair colorant. |
| US08577749B2 |
Method, medium, and system for universal shopping cart order injection
Systems and methods for facilitating an on-line purchase of at least one item on behalf of a consumer are disclosed. A consumer may shop and purchase at least one item on a consolidated shopping (CS) website displaying one or more items available for purchase on one or more different merchant websites. The CS website provides consumers with advanced searching that takes into consideration a personal profile of the consumer, the consumer's previous shopping history, transactional data relating to a group of similar consumers, and the like. A host computer providing the CS website may access a merchant website selling the requested item, and order the requested item on behalf of the consumer, and charging a transaction fee, listing fee, receiving a rebate and/or offering a rebate for performing such. One embodiment allows a consumer to purchase/order multiple items from multiple websites in a single purchase request to the CS website. |
| US08577747B1 |
Methods and systems for acquiring parts from one or more suppliers
Methods and systems for use in acquiring parts from suppliers using auction information including a requested part and decision criteria from an ordering manager agent and from supplier agents associated with part suppliers. A criteria comparison matrix representing a relative importance of each decision criterion is created. A criteria importance vector is created based on the criteria comparison matrix, and a supplier comparison matrix corresponding to each decision criterion is also created. The supplier comparison matrix represents a relative ranking of each supplier with respect to the corresponding decision criterion. A supplier criteria ranking vector corresponding to each decision criterion is created based on the supplier comparison matrix that corresponds to the decision criterion. The supplier criteria ranking vectors and the criteria importance vector are combined to create a supplier score matrix associated with the ordering manager agent and indicating a score associated with each supplier. |
| US08577743B2 |
Managing transactions of broker affiliates
A distributed network transaction system and method includes a central exchange computer connected via the Internet (world wide web) to multiple remote computers associated with, for example, individual brokers. A central database is provided with the exchange computer and each remote computer can have a respective database for information that the individual brokers was to maintain separate from the system. E-commerce transactions are conducted by the system, which performs a number of transaction-related functions, such as pushing tickets up to the system for sale, purchasing tickets online, shipping, web site-related and bookkeeping. The system and methodology accommodate price event functions where non real-time tickets can be sold and the orders filled with tickets acquired on the system. |
| US08577742B2 |
Communication system with commercial transaction overlay window and related methods
A communication system may include a server, and a computing device communicating with the server and including a display, and a processor cooperating with the display. The processor may be for receiving commercial transaction content from the server and presenting the commercial transaction content on the display, detecting a first trigger event causing a removal of the commercial transaction content from the display and presenting new content from the server on the display, and presenting the new content and an overlay window on the display, the overlay window including the commercial transaction content. |
| US08577738B2 |
Method and system of providing an optimized offer
An ecommerce cost optimization system includes: a display including information identifying an item; a quantity selection tool; a delivery location selection tool; an optimized offer presentation tool that provides at least one optimized option through the display component, wherein the at least one optimized option is optimized based on the selected quantity and the selected delivery location; and an order placement tool to place an order from amongst the options provided by the optimized offer presentation tool. A method of providing optimized offer for non-stock item transactions through an ecommerce application includes receiving a user selection including a selected quantity of the item and a selected delivery location and determining an optimized offer based on analysis of the possible combinations of a production schedule and a delivery schedule for the selected quantity and delivery location. |
| US08577730B2 |
Cash management optimization for payment processing
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for cash management optimization method for payment processing. In an embodiment of the invention, a cash management optimization method for payment processing can include receiving a transaction profile for a proposed transaction as payment for a purchase by a purchaser from a merchant at a card processing terminal configured to identify a card number for a card. The method further can include comparing the transaction profile to merchant-specified preferences mapping different transaction profiles to different payment processors. A payment processor for the proposed transaction can be selected based upon the comparison of the transaction profile to the merchant-specified preferences. Thereafter, the proposed transaction can be routed over a computer communications network to the selected payment processor for payment processing. |
| US08577725B2 |
Telecommunication and advertising business model and method of utilizing same
A telecommunication and advertising business model and method of utilizing same (10) that permits users to make telephone calls for a predetermined amount of time according to the destination of the call. The telecommunication and advertising business model is controlled by an on-line database system and comprises customers, and companies that pay for advertising through a system. |
| US08577724B1 |
Serving requests by selectively using a plurality of response providers
A multi-provider response selector (MPRS) receives requests and provides respective selected responses. Each request includes respective selection criteria (such as keywords and demographic/geographic information) and/or respective other information (such as page location/time and demographic/geographic information). The MPRS uses the respective selection criteria to fill each of the requests (obtaining the respective selected responses) from one of a plurality of response providers, where the response providers are optionally selected in an order determined by the respective other information and/or other factors such as value returned from the response providers. Optionally, a content server receives content requests for respective specified content, generates requests for the MPRS, and returns the specified contents along with respective selected responses. In one example, a content request is from a cellular telephone, respective specified content includes video content, and respective selected responses include advertisements. |
| US08577723B2 |
Event demand system and method
A system and method for event demand creation and event organization is provided in which an interested party can create a demand for an event at a particular location and then encourage other people to join the demand. Once the demand reaches critical mass, the event provider is notified of the demand and asked to agree to the demanded event. |
| US08577722B2 |
Method, system and computer program for client acquisition and surveying
A method, system and computer program for enabling a loyalty system to be linked to one or more card issuers, cardholders, merchants, and thereby their cardholders. A system operable to create, implement and manage one or more loyalty programs that provide benefits to members of the loyalty programs in connection with transactions between the members and one or more merchants associated with the loyalty system. The method includes registering on the loyalty system one or more card issuers; one or more merchant acquirers associated with the one or more card issuers; a plurality of cardholders as members of the loyalty program. Establishing and applying rules for accrual and processing of benefits from the merchants to cardholders associated with the one or more card issuers in connection with transactions between the cardholders and the merchants with the loyalty system. Defining a rule based survey utility operable to issue surveys to members of the loyalty system on a transaction and non-transaction basis. |
| US08577716B2 |
System and method of ongoing evaluation reporting and analysis
A research and development system that gathers feedback from patients and healthcare providers with respect to the their experience with various aspects of a supplier's products in order to tabulate, consolidate, compare and analyze the data received rapidly and efficiently, and which can be used on successive iterations to determine future products and services. |
| US08577712B2 |
Assessing risk
Systems, methods, and apparatus, including software tangibly stored on a computer readable medium, involve a future deadline for completion of a project milestone. An estimate of an amount of time slippage associated with the future deadline is received. A probability of missing the future deadline is calculated based on the estimated amount of time slippage and an amount of time remaining until the future deadline. |
| US08577710B2 |
Multiple simultaneous session support by a remote technician using preliminary queues
In a remote technical support system, a technical support controller receives an indication of a maximum number of support sessions to be serviced by a remote technician. Thereafter, the technical support controller receives a service request for a user device, which service request is classified into a category and added to a preliminary queue corresponding to the category. The technical support controller determines if handling of the service request by the remote technician would cause the number of support sessions currently being handled by the remote technician to exceed the previously-indicated maximum number of support sessions. If not, the service request is added to a work queue for the remote technician and removed from the preliminary queue. |
| US08577699B1 |
Quoting insurance premiums
Methods and systems are disclosed for providing quotes on multiple types of insurance policies concurrently. The quotes are individually personalized rather than a class or group quote. The methods and systems significantly reduce the number of insurability questions required to obtain a quote. This reduced set of questions may be used to generate quotes on multiple policies concurrently for a given type of insurance. The methods and systems, however, are applicable to multiple types of insurance. Similarly, the quotes may be “directionally correct” quotes, or they may be provided as a range of possible premiums. Quotes for family members may also be obtained at the same time on similar insurance policies. Personal information may be automatically prefilled to the extent such information is available. Other aspects include the ability to apply for the quoted insurance policies directly from the quotes and to save the quotes for subsequent retrieval. |
| US08577698B2 |
Retail price hedging
Retail consumers may hedge the price of volatile commodities such as gasoline via the advance purchase of a policy, which may be represented by a hedge card. The card may be priced to cover uncertainty in the price of the commodity over a defined future period, plus a small profit for the card issuer, optionally plus a pre-paid residual cash value. The card may permit the purchase of a defined amount of the commodity at a price not to exceed a defined ceiling over the defined future period. The card issuer may contact with one or more fuel providers to apportion the risks and benefits of the hedge card. In the alternative, the card issuer may contract with the consumer only, and may rebate commodity purchase amounts in excess of the defined price ceiling directly to the hedge card holder. |
| US08577691B2 |
Pharmacy system data interface system and method
A method for receiving prescription data from a pharmacy is provided. The method includes emulating a device, such as using a pseudo TTY feature of a Unix operating system or a pseudo device of a Windows operating system. A prescription authorization system is then set to transmit data to the emulated device when the prescription data is provided to a claims approval agency by the prescription authorization system. The data can be supplemented with data from a secondary source, such as a system that acquires data in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or other suitable systems. The prescription data and any supplemental data is then received at the prescription authorization system, and is transmitted to the emulated device. The prescription data is also stored in a local log file, and is transmitted to a data warehouse over a network using the emulated device. |
| US08577681B2 |
Pronunciation discovery for spoken words
A method of generating an alternative pronunciation for a word or phrase, given an initial pronunciation and a spoken example of the word or phrase, includes providing the initial pronunciation of the word or phrase, and generating the alternative pronunciation by searching a neighborhood of pronunciations about the initial pronunciation via a constrained hypothesis, wherein the neighborhood includes pronunciations that differ from the initial pronunciation by at most one phoneme. The method further includes selecting a highest scoring pronunciation within the neighborhood of pronunciations. |
| US08577680B2 |
Monitoring and logging voice traffic on data network
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for monitoring data traffic on a network is disclosed. In an embodiment, this includes obtaining intrinsic data from at least a portion of the traffic, obtaining extrinsic data from at least a portion of the traffic, associating the intrinsic data with the extrinsic data, and logging the intrinsic data and extrinsic data. The portion of the traffic from which the intrinsic data and extrinsic data are derived may not be stored, or may be stored in encrypted form. |
| US08577677B2 |
Sound source separation method and system using beamforming technique
A system and method for sound source separation. The system and method use a beamforming technique. The sound source separation system includes a windowing processor; a DFT transformer; a transfer function estimator; and a noise estimator. The system also includes a voice signal extractor that cancels individual voice signals, except an individual voice signal that is desired to be extracted among individual voice signals, from the integrated voice signals. The system further includes a voice signal detector that cancels a noise part provided through the noise estimator from a transfer function of an individual voice signal which is desired to be detected and extracts a noise-canceled individual voice signal. Even when two or more sound sources are simultaneously input, the sound sources can be separated from each other and separately stored and managed, or an initial sound source can be stored and managed. |
| US08577675B2 |
Method and device for speech enhancement in the presence of background noise
In one aspect thereof the invention provides a method for noise suppression of a speech signal that includes, for a speech signal having a frequency domain representation dividable into a plurality of frequency bins, determining a value of a scaling gain for at least some of said frequency bins and calculating smoothed scaling gain values. Calculating smoothed scaling gain values includes, for the at least some of the frequency bins, combining a currently determined value of the scaling gain and a previously determined value of the smoothed scaling gain. In another aspect a method partitions the plurality of frequency bins into a first set of contiguous frequency bins and a second set of contiguous frequency bins having a boundary frequency there between, where the boundary frequency differentiates between noise suppression techniques, and changes a value of the boundary frequency as a function of the spectral content of the speech signal. |
| US08577674B2 |
Operating methods for voice activity detection/silence suppression system
A Voice Activity Detection/Silence Suppression (VAD/SS) system is connected to a channel of a transmission pipe. The channel provides a pathway for the transmission of energy. A method for operating a VAD/SS system includes detecting the energy on the channel, and activating or suppressing activation of the VAD/SS system depending upon the nature of the energy detected on the channel. |
| US08577671B1 |
Method of and system for using conversation state information in a conversational interaction system
A method of using conversation state information in a conversational interaction system is disclosed. A method of inferring a change of a conversation session during continuous user interaction with an interactive content providing system includes receiving input from the user including linguistic elements intended by the user to identify an item, associating a linguistic element of the input with a first conversation session, and providing a response based on the input. The method also includes receiving additional input from the user and inferring whether or not the additional input from the user is related to the linguistic element associated with the conversation session. If related, the method provides a response based on the additional input and the linguistic element associated with the first conversation session. Otherwise, the method provides a response based on the second input without regard for the linguistic element associated with the first conversation session. |
| US08577668B2 |
Displaying original text in a user interface with translated text
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for user interaction with machine translation. A user interface for receiving requests to translate text and/or documents from a first language text to a second language text. The translated text and/or document is displayed such that the first language text corresponding to a selected portion of the second language text can be accessed and displayed in the same user interface. |
| US08577665B2 |
Synthesis of message sequence charts from communicating finite-state machines
Synthesizing a message sequence chart (MSC) from a communicating finite-state machine (CFSM), by transforming the CFSM to a Petri net model, generating a labeled finite digraph with each path representing a linearization of an occurrence net segment of the Petri net, decomposing the diagraph into segments, and mapping where each segment to a compositional MSC. |
| US08577659B2 |
Method for simulating dispersed bubble flow
A simple and efficient method for simulating dispersed bubble flow is provided. Instead of modeling the complex hydrodynamics of numerous small bubbles explicitly, the method approximates the average motion of these bubbles using a continuum multiphase solver. The subgrid interactions among bubbles are computed using a new stochastic solver. Using the proposed scheme, complex scenes with millions of bubbles can be simulated efficiently. |
| US08577655B2 |
System and method for constructing virtual NC controllers for machine tool simulation
A system, method, and computer program product for creating a virtual numerical control (NC) controller for use in machine tool simulation. A method includes receiving a NC program readable by a physical machine tool, the NC program containing instructions for manipulating the physical machine tool. The method also includes parsing the instructions in the NC program. The method further includes receiving setup data, such as tools, reference coordinates systems, etc., from objects of a CAM system or in a setup data file. The method still further includes translating each instruction in the NC program into at least one virtual NC controller command. The method also includes executing the virtual NC controller commands in a machine tool simulation environment. In some embodiments, the method may include fetching data from a post-processor for the physical machine tool, where the fetched data is not available in the NC program. |
| US08577649B2 |
Anomaly detecting apparatus
There is provided an apparatus, including a first storage storing first time-series data including instruction values given to first to K-th control devices and measured values from first to K-th sensors during a first period, a model optimizer, for each of combinations of two of the control devices, generating a diagnostic model instance of a predetermined target model and obtaining an optimized diagnostic model instance in which parameters of the diagnostic mode instance are identified, a second storage storing second time-series data acquired during a second period, a calculator, for each of the optimized diagnostic model instances, calculating a determination score for each of the control devices and sensors using the first and second time-series data, and a determiner determining presence or absence of an abnormality for each of the control devices and the sensors based on each determination score. |
| US08577647B2 |
Vertical track modulus trending
Systems and methods for determining a trend in vertical track modulus are disclosed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Vertical deflection data is collected along a particular section of railroad track. A first set of vertical track modulus is determined, based in part, on the collected vertical deflection data. At a second time, vertical deflection data is again collected along the particular section of railroad track to be used in determining a second set of vertical track modulus. At least the first and second sets of vertical track modulus are analyzed to determine a mathematical algorithm that facilitates developing a trend in the vertical track modulus of the railroad track. |
| US08577641B2 |
Method for calibration of dynamic motion sensors
An improved method for calibration of dynamic motion sensors. In one aspect, the method comprises sending a low frequency driving signal to an exciter to generate a harmonic movement in a shaker table, using an optical position sensor to produce an output representative of position, computing the acceleration of the shaker table and a dynamic motion sensor under test (SUT), and comparing the output of the SUT with the instantaneous acceleration of the shaker table at different frequencies sufficient to define the performance characteristics of the SUT within a selected frequency range, among other things. In another aspect, the method comprises calibration of a dynamic motion SUT by simultaneous direct measurement of position and time. In another aspect, the optical position sensor has an electrical output representative of position for attaining a desired degree of positional accuracy. |
| US08577636B2 |
Azimuth calculation program and electronic compass
An azimuth calculation program is a computer-executable program that performs an azimuth calculation using output of a magnetic sensor. The azimuth calculation program includes a first step of generating one triangle in three-dimensional space using three output values of a magnetic sensor unit, a second step of determining a circumcircle of the triangle, and a third step of performing an azimuth calculation using center coordinates of the circumcircle and output values of the magnetic sensor. |
| US08577630B2 |
Automatic discharge of a failed battery
A system comprises a battery cell, control logic, and a battery drain latch circuit. The control logic is coupled to the battery cell and determines whether a battery pack has experienced a failure condition. The battery drain latch circuit is activated by the control logic, upon detection of a failure condition, to cause the battery cell to drain energy therefrom. |
| US08577629B2 |
Method and system for transducer element fault detection for phased array ultrasonic instruments
A method and system related to phased array ultrasonic systems identifies faults in individual element on a regular basis. The method and system are based on a simple approach of calculating energy levels in response signals from each individual element and then identifying any discontinuities or unexpected drops in energy levels sensed during a typical phased array operation, by comparing responses for individual transducer elements to the group response. |
| US08577626B2 |
System and method for assessing fluid dynamics
Methods and systems for assessing fluid dynamics aspects of corrosion and shear stress in piping networks are provided. Shear stress hot spots of a piping network may be identified using non-dimensional transfer functions that have been developed for identifying the magnitude and location of these local maxima depending upon the geometrical parameters of commonly used components of piping networks, the fluid properties of the flow, and the operating conditions of the piping network. Upon identification of potential shear stress local maxima, piping network operators may monitor these locations for corrosion or other damage to prevent loss of integrity of the pipes. |
| US08577622B2 |
Process for the identification and preparation of a (R)-specific omega-transaminase
The present invention relates to processes for the screening, preparation and characterization of (R)-selective ω-transaminases, to transaminases obtained thereby and their uses in various transamination processes. |
| US08577619B2 |
Models for combinatorial perturbations of living biological systems
Techniques for modeling living biological systems include receiving constant values for multiple interaction factors wij. A set of initial state values is received for state variables that indicate relevant properties of a living biological system. Also received is a set of trial values for perturbation variables that indicate factors that might affect one or more of the relevant properties of the biological system. A temporal change in a value for a particular state variable is determined based on a non-linear transformation of a sum of the trial value for the perturbation that affects the particular state added to a sum of all non-zero values for a product of wij and a state variable over all state variables.In some embodiments, measurement-based values are received for a measurable subset of the state variables. Values for the constant interaction factors wij are determined based on the measurement-based values. |
| US08577618B2 |
Method for quantification of neurotoxin
The present invention relates to a method for quantitatively measuring the muscular relaxing activity of a neurotoxin. Specifically, based on an extent of the activity of muscular relaxation of a neurotoxin from bacteria of Clostridium, the present invention relates to a method for quantification of the efficacy (potential and/or diffusion reaction) of a neurotoxin comprising the following steps of: (a) administering a neurotoxin to the hind leg muscle of one of hind legs of a non-human mammal; (b) applying electric stimulus to said non-human mammal; (c) measuring a compound muscle action potential (CMAP) by contraction of said hind leg muscle to which the neurotoxin is administered and/or of the hind leg muscle of the other hind leg to which the neurotoxin is not administered; and (d) taking amplitude data from the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) obtained by the measurement in step (c) and analyzing an extent of a decrease in amplitude to thereby quantify the efficacy of the muscular relaxing activity by the neurotoxin. In contrast to the mouse LD50 currently used as a potential unit of a botulinum toxin which is measurable at a level of only several units, the quantification method of the efficacy of a neurotoxin of the present invention allows for measurement at a level of as low as 0.01 to 1 unit and hence is a method with a high sensitivity, reproducibility and accuracy. |
| US08577613B2 |
Effective hydrocarbon reservoir exploration decision making
An improved methodology for managing hydrocarbon exploration of at least one prospect. The methodology involves iterative processing that allows decision makers to iterate on assumptions and refine underlying probabilistic models as well as optimize the set of recommended exploration activities that are to be performed over time as additional knowledge is gained. |
| US08577611B2 |
System and method for analyzing trees in LiDAR data using views
A method and apparatus for identifying individual trees in LiDAR data based on the view of a LiDAR data point. In one embodiment, those LiDAR data points that do not have neighboring LiDAR data points that block the local view at a defined angle are considered to be in a central part of a tree canopy. In one embodiment, those LiDAR data points that are in a central part of a tree canopy are added to an output file that stores clusters of data points for each tree canopy detected. The central part of the tree canopy area can be analyzed to predict one or more characteristics of the tree. |
| US08577609B2 |
Map data, storage medium, and electronic apparatus
A map data is disclosed. The map data comprises a link data and a segment data. The link data describes a characteristic of each link in a group of links on a link-by-link basis. The group of links forms a road network. The segment data relates to each segment in a group of segments on a segment-by-segment basis. The segments are defined in units of link string. Each link string is a string of multiple links and corresponds to a main road. Each link string terminates at least at an intersection of the main road. The multiple links are a part of the group of links. The segment data of each segment describes information on a storage destination of the link data corresponding to the link string that forms the each segment. |
| US08577608B2 |
Method of obtaining a local terrain elevation database from detector means on board a vehicle
A method essentially comprising a step of storing each plot mesh. Each plot mesh receiving plots sent thereto by detector means and retaining in memory at least the altitude of the highest plot and the number of plots neighboring said highest plot in said mesh. The altitude and the number of plots neighboring are updated each time a new plot is sent to the plot mesh. A step of rejecting plot meshes is presenting a number of neighboring plots that is less than a predetermined rejection threshold value. The rejection threshold value is a function of the position of the mesh relative to the detector means. A step is preparing the local terrain elevation database from the plot meshes (M(i,j)) that are not rejected. |
| US08577605B2 |
Vehicle feedback method and system
A feedback method and system. The method includes identifying by a computing system, a user. A vehicular feedback software application is enabled for the user. A feedback software application in the computing system monitors a group of vehicle operation functions currently being executed by the user with respect to a vehicle. The feedback software application analyzes the group of vehicle operation functions with respect to a profile associated with the user. An analysis report is generated in response to the analysis. The analysis report is presented to the user. The computing system monitors a response to the first analysis report from the user. |
| US08577597B2 |
Enhanced database information for urban navigation
Methods and apparatus are provided for estimating position location of a mobile device. |
| US08577595B2 |
Location and path-map generation data acquisition and analysis systems
A device, system, and method for generating location and path-map data for displaying a location and path-map is disclosed. The device includes a first set of sensors for generating a plurality of first data signals with respect to an attitude of an object; a second set of sensors for generating a plurality of second data signals with respect to the attitude of the object; an imaging device for generating a plurality of third data signals that include a most significant feature, which is disposed in at least two images of the imaging device; and at least one processing device that is adapted to calculate a heading direction (bearing) of the device using the plurality of first data signals and the plurality of second data signals; to calculate a distance traveled along the heading direction using the plurality of third data signals; and to translate the calculated heading direction and calculated distance traveled into a leg or portion of a leg of a path-map for visual display on a two- or three-dimensional system. |
| US08577594B2 |
Apparatus and method for route navigation of multiple destinations
An apparatus and method for route navigation for multiple destinations. Route parameters can be received and a route (140, 142) can be generated for multiple destinations (132, 134). An estimated time of arrival can be calculated for each destination. An updated estimated time of arrival can be generated for one of the destinations. A messaging service message including the updated time of arrival can be sent to a recipient (122, 124) associated with the respective destination if the updated time of arrival deviates from the original estimated time of arrival. |
| US08577588B2 |
Load sensor for a vehicle electronic stability system
A vehicle comprising a seat defining a driver seat portion and a passenger seat portion, an electronic stability system, adapted to receive inputs from a load sensor, a wheel rotation sensor and a lateral acceleration sensor, the electronic stability system adapted to provide outputs to at least one of the brake system for braking the vehicle, and the engine control unit to change the power output transmitted to the wheels by the engine, the electronic stability system using a first calibration to determine the outputs when the load sensor is in a non-loaded state and a second calibration to determine the outputs when the load sensor is in a loaded state. |
| US08577586B2 |
Travel control device
Information for generating a target speed pattern is computed from information acquired from various sensors and a running mode input switch, so as to generate the target speed pattern (S16). A process for determining whether to form a vehicle group or not calculates the difference between the target vehicle pattern of the own vehicle and a target speed pattern of another vehicle or vehicle group obtained through inter-vehicle communication, so as to determine whether to form the vehicle group or not (S22, S28, S32). This can determine whether to run solo or form a vehicle group according to a driver's demand. |
| US08577585B2 |
Transport and handling system and methods of transporting a commodity
A transportation system for use in transporting commodities is described herein. The transportation system includes a transportation network that includes a plurality of predefined paths of travel extending between a plurality of locations, and a plurality of transport vehicles. Each transport vehicle of the plurality of transport vehicles is configured to independently travel along the transportation network. A plurality of motor assemblies is oriented along the transportation network. Each motor assembly of the plurality of motor assemblies is oriented with respect to a predefined segment of the transportation network, and configured to move the transport vehicle along the predefined segment. A control system is operatively coupled to each motor assembly to selectively operate each motor assembly to independently convey each transport vehicle of the plurality of transport vehicles along the transportation network. |
| US08577583B2 |
Method for operating a glow plug with the engine running
The invention relates to a method for operating a glow plug with the engine running, wherein an effective voltage is generated from a vehicle electrical system voltage by pulse width modulation, the effective voltage is applied to the glow plug and changed as a function of engine parameters, a target value of the effective voltage that is dependent on the engine parameters and to which the effective voltage is changed is specified, a maximum increment for a change of the actual value of the effective voltage in at least one direction is specified, and a change of the actual value in at least one direction to a target value that deviates from the actual value by more than the maximum increment is carried out in several steps. The invention further relates to a controller which carries out such a method during operation. |
| US08577580B2 |
Control device for internal combustion engine
Disclosed is an internal combustion engine control device that is capable of accurately estimating a turbine flow rate during a transient operation of an internal combustion engine with a turbocharger having a WGV. Steps are performed to acquire an exhaust gas flow rate mcyl (=mB), a WGV opening WG (=X), and a turbine rotation speed Ntb (=Na) during the transient operation of the internal combustion engine. Steps are then performed to calculate the turbine flow rate (=mtA) and exhaust gas flow rate mcyl (=mA), which prevail when the turbine rotation speed Ntb and WGV opening WG acquired during the transient operation are achieved during a steady operation. Next, a step is performed to calculate the turbine flow rate (=mtB) during the transient operation by applying the flow rate ratio of mtA to mA to the exhaust gas flow rate mcyl during the transient operation. Preferably, the turbine rotation speed Ntb during an Ntb transient operation is estimated by using a turbine flow rate change amount Δmt (=mtB−mtA) during the transient operation. |
| US08577579B2 |
Engine control request from adaptive control with braking controller
A vehicle control system includes a forward vehicle sensor transmitting a forward vehicle message based on a range to a forward vehicle. An adaptive cruise controller receives the forward vehicle message from the forward vehicle sensor. The adaptive cruise controller transmits a cruise controller message based on the range to the forward vehicle. A braking system controller receives the cruise controller message and transmits an engine control message based on the cruise controller message. An engine controller receives the engine control message and controls a torque and/or speed of an engine as a function of the engine control message. |
| US08577578B2 |
Method of controlling vehicle wheel axle torque and control system for same
A method of controlling torque on a vehicle wheel axle includes comparing a torque intervention request to a predetermined minimum axle torque for a current vehicle speed and a current direction of motion of the vehicle. The predetermined minimum axle torque decreases as vehicle speed in an operator-selected direction of motion increases. An arbitrated axle torque is calculated based on an operator-requested torque, the current vehicle speed, the current direction of motion, and the greater of the torque intervention request and the predetermined minimum torque. Axle torque is applied to the vehicle's wheel axle based at least partially on the arbitrated axle torque. |
| US08577575B2 |
Control apparatus for vehicle
A control apparatus for a vehicle, where the vehicle includes control means for stopping an engine automatically when a stopping condition is met, and restarting the engine after the automatic stoppage of the engine, when a predetermined restarting condition is met, a braking device that is actuated to apply braking force to a drive wheel, and a plurality of vehicle-mounted devices involved in operations of the vehicle. The apparatus includes abnormality detection means for determining whether or not there exists an abnormality in at least one of the vehicle-mounted devices, and fail-safe means for, when during the automatic stoppage of the engine it is determined by the abnormality detection means that there exists an abnormality in at least one of the vehicle-mounted devices, restarting the engine forcibly. The apparatus enables the user to take suitable measures in the presence of an abnormality in the vehicle-mounted devices. |
| US08577574B2 |
In-vehicle control device
The in-vehicle control device includes first and second control units that perform first and second controls, respectively; first and second sensors for measuring the same physical quantity, and a transmission channel for communicating information between the first control unit and the second control unit. Outputs from the first and the second sensors are taken in and used for the first and the second controls by the first and the second control units, respectively. The first and the second control units repeatedly perform diagnoses of the first and the second sensors, respectively, and receive each results of measurements of the physical quantity measured based on the outputs of the first and the second sensors, respectively, through the transmission channel. |
| US08577573B2 |
Method for adapting the kiss point
A method for setting the engagement point of a friction clutch of a multi-step transmission for a motor vehicle. The friction clutch can be activated, controlled, by means of a clutch actuator. A set point value of the clutch actuator is set for the engagement point of the friction clutch as a function of a time profile of a physical variable which occurs starting from a transition state after activation of the friction clutch to a transition value. An electric machine is connected to the multi-step transmission. Influencing of the multi-step transmission by the electric machine is taken into account in the setting of the engagement point of the friction clutch. |
| US08577572B2 |
Method and device for adapting the control of the clutches of a double clutch transmission
A method of adapting control of clutches of a double clutch transmission, including: during a shifting process, controlling torque transmittable by an opening clutch and torque transmittable by a closing clutch according to nominal curves; during a shifting process, determining a difference between a nominal value and an actual value; and adapting a nominal curve of at least one of the clutches for a following shifting process by reducing a difference between the nominal value and the actual value. |
| US08577570B2 |
Touch point calibration method for a motor vehicle
A touch point calibration method for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The method includes steps for determining if the touch point can be calibrated. The method also includes steps for determining the touch point when the system can be calibrated. |
| US08577562B2 |
Construction vehicle
The construction vehicle is provided with an engine, a clutch, a travel device, a work equipment, a drive force setting dial, and a controller that includes: a theoretical value determination unit that determines a theoretical value, for the degree of engagement to make the upper limit value of the drive force equal to a set drive force; an operational state determination unit that determines whether the work equipment is outputting the drive force in a predetermined travel direction; a drive force determination unit that determines whether the drive force is greater than the set drive force; and a degree of engagement reduction unit that, if of operational state determination and of drive force determination are both affirmative, causes the degree of engagement to approach the theoretical value. |
| US08577561B2 |
Control system and method of operating a product distribution machine
A control system and method of operation of a product distribution apparatus or machine that uses map based information to disengage the dynamic down force control for certain designated areas of the field. These areas can be roadways or waterways that are not planted with seed but through which the machine does operate. The control system disengages the down force dynamic control when the designated areas are reached and leaves the down force applied by the actuator at the magnitude immediately prior to entering the area or at some other desired level. This magnitude of down force will typically be much closer to the magnitude needed when the roadway, waterway or other designated area has been crossed. |
| US08577555B2 |
Dual-chamber impact detector
An impact detection system has two chambers disposed adjacent to one another. The two chambers have opposing tapered shapes, so that an impact anywhere along them will create a different pressure wave or pulse in each chamber. A pressure sensor module incorporating two pressure sensors is disposed at one end of the dual-channel unit, and comparison of the signals from the sensors can be used to discriminate both the location and severity of a pedestrian impact. |
| US08577552B1 |
Forward collision warning system with road-side target filtering
A method of filtering/rejecting targets detected by a forward collision warning system of a motor vehicle when entering a curved road segment. The width of a collision threat zone (CTZ) is reduced in one or more stages depending upon continuously-measured values of steering input angle (SIA), driver brake application (DBA), and a yaw rate. The measured values are used to find: a degree of near-past DBA variation during a first look-back period, a degree of near-past SIA change rate during a second look-back period, and a degree of far-past yaw rate change during a third look-back period longer than the first and the second look-back periods. A series of first, second and third width reductions of decreasing severity are applied to the CTZ based upon comparisons of the tracked variations and change rates with respective thresholds. The thresholds are tunable to achieve desired levels or false-target rejection. |
| US08577549B2 |
Information display system for a vehicle
An information display system for a vehicle includes a display screen disposed within an interior cabin of a vehicle and a rearward facing camera of the vehicle. The display screen displays video images captured by the rearward facing camera for assisting the driver during a reversing maneuver. When the equipped vehicle is not executing a reversing maneuver, the information display screen is operable to display information or instructions. The information/instructions may include at least one of (a) at least one instruction pertaining to how to service an accessory of the vehicle to remediate a fault condition, (b) a video clip pertaining to how to service an accessory of the vehicle to remediate a fault condition, (c) at least one instruction pertaining to how to operate an accessory of the vehicle and (d) a video clip pertaining to how to operate an accessory of the vehicle. |
| US08577547B2 |
Fuel cell vehicle performance mode
A system and method for putting a fuel cell vehicle into a performance mode by preloading sub-systems in the fuel cell system so that high power is available from the fuel cell stack quicker than during normal fuel cell system operation. For example, if a driver activates a vehicle performance mode, the fuel cell system can respond by, for example, increasing the compressor speed, increasing anode recirculation, increasing air and cooling fluid flow through the radiator, increasing battery state-of-charge, etc. Thus, when the driver requests the high power after the system is in the performance mode, the system is able to deliver the desired power immediately or at least quicker and for a longer time period. |
| US08577539B1 |
Coded aperture aided navigation and geolocation systems
A micro air vehicle having a navigation system with a single camera to determine position and attitude of the vehicle using changes the direction to the observed features. The difference between the expected directions to the observed features versus the measured direction to the observed features is used to correct a navigation solution. |
| US08577538B2 |
Method and system for controlling a remote vehicle
A system for controlling more than one remote vehicle. The system comprises an operator control unit allowing an operator to receive information from the remote vehicles and send commands to the remote vehicles via a touch-screen interface, the remote vehicles being capable of performing autonomous behaviors using information received from at least one sensor on each remote vehicle. The operator control unit sends commands to the remote vehicles to perform autonomous behaviors in a cooperative effort, such that high-level mission commands entered by the operator cause the remote vehicles to perform more than one autonomous behavior sequentially or concurrently. The system may perform a method for generating obstacle detection information from image data received from one of a time-of-flight sensor and a stereo vision camera sensor. |
| US08577535B2 |
System and method for providing perceived first-order control of an unmanned vehicle
A system for providing perceived first order control of an unmanned vehicle contains a memory and a processor configured by the memory to perform the steps of: receiving instructions for updating x-axis location, y-axis location, z-axis location, and/or heading of the unmanned vehicle; converting received instructions for updating x-axis location, y-axis location, z-axis location, and/or heading of the unmanned vehicle into a set of relative distance coordinates from a current location of the unmanned vehicle; and adjusting the set of relative distance coordinates by a gain control, to minimize coordinate change, wherein gain control provides a rate change in the x-axis location, y-axis location, z-axis location, and/or heading, resulting in a new set of coordinates. A screen displays a location dot representing current location of the unmanned vehicle and an outer limit circle surrounding the location dot representing an outer boundary for movement of the unmanned vehicle. |
| US08577534B2 |
Method for scanning a surrounding environment of a vehicle
A method and a device are described for scanning the surrounding environment of a vehicle. When the vehicle falls below a first boundary speed a timer is triggered whose state is incremented until the vehicle exceeds a boundary speed, a check of the unobstructed view of the scanning device being carried out upon expiration of the time period recorded by the state of the timer and in which the state of the counter is incremented. |
| US08577532B2 |
Vehicle, and control method and control apparatus for vehicle
A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a second MG provided such that torque is transmitted between the second MG and a wheel, a brake system that applies braking force to the vehicle via friction force, and a control unit that controls the engine, the electric motor and the braking device. The control unit executes control for decelerating the vehicle through regenerative braking by the electric motor and braking by the braking device, executes control for either starting or stopping the engine, and due to execution of one control, restricts execution of the other control. |
| US08577531B2 |
Method for the automatic control of wheel brake-slip and wheel brake-slip control system for a motor vehicle with an electric drive
A system and method for the automatic control of wheel brake-slip in a motor vehicle with an electric drive (2), including the following steps: detecting a brake signal (14) by means of a slip control device (9), at which point the slip control device (9) generates an electric drive signal (15) and a friction brake signal (16) for the automatic control of a predetermined slip value of a wheel (1) of the motor vehicle, transmitting the electric drive signal (15) to an electric drive control device (6) and transmitting the friction brake signal (16) to a friction brake control device (12), at which point a friction brake control device (12) activates a friction brake (10) of the wheel (1) according to the friction brake control signal (16) to generate friction brake signal (16) to generate friction brake torque and an electric drive control device (6) activates electric drive (2) according to electric drive signal (15) to generate electric drive torque. A wheel brake-slip control system for a motor vehicle with an electric drive and to a computer program which are capable of implementing the above described method. |
| US08577530B2 |
Steering system and operating method for mining truck
Operating a mining truck includes receiving data indicative of a prospective directional change in an on-trolley availability corridor, and outputting a control command to a steering mechanism of the mining truck responsive to the data. The mining truck is steered responsive to the control command from a first heading accordant with a first part of the corridor toward a second heading accordant with a succeeding part of the corridor. A related mining truck and steering system are disclosed. |
| US08577528B2 |
System and method for updating charge station information
A system for updating a charge station database including information about charge station location and/or characteristic by determining and verifying charge station location and characteristics after a vehicle connects to a charging station. The vehicle determines (probes) the charge station location based upon the location of the vehicle while connected to the charging station. This location information is transmitted by the vehicle to a central database. |
| US08577526B2 |
Vehicle and control method thereof
In a hybrid vehicle 20, when the ECO switch 88 is turned on, Step S140 determines whether or not a driving state is an economy driving state based on an ECO mode driving state determination map having a tendency not to regard the driving state as the economy driving state in comparison with a normal driving state determination map. A determination result of Step S140 is displayed on a meter display unit 90 in the form of an illumination or an extinction of an ECO mark 95 so as to inform the driving state is the economy driving state or not (Step S180). |
| US08577511B2 |
Energy supply system
An energy supply system includes: an energy supply device (1a) configured to supply electric power and/or heat; and a controller (6) configured to set a first maximum operation time of a first specified period including a plurality of second specified periods, the first maximum operation time being an upper limit of an operation time of the energy supply device in the first specified period; calculate and set a second target maximum operation time of each of the second specified periods of the first specified period such that the operation time of the energy supply device in the first specified period does not exceed the first maximum operation time, the second target maximum operation time being a target value of an upper limit of the operation time of the energy supply device in the second specified period; and reconfigure the second target maximum operation time of a future second specified period of a certain first specified period based on a time in which the energy supply device has been actually operated in a past second specified period of the certain first specified period. |
| US08577509B2 |
Method and a system for controlling operation of a wind turbine
A method and a system for controlling operation of a wind turbine are provided. The method includes determining at least one failure mode relating to one or more components of the wind turbine, estimating a remaining lifetime of the component under current operating conditions, determining one or more control schemes to control the operation of the wind turbine in order to adjust the remaining lifetime of the component to a desired remaining lifetime of the component, determining a power production yield for the determined one or more control schemes and selecting a determined control scheme for controlling the operation of the wind turbine that maximizes the power production yield. |
| US08577508B2 |
Converter control of variable-speed wind turbines
Embodiments according to the present invention provide methods and a system for a control approach that effectively maintains the DC link voltage at a constant set value under variable system conditions and keeps the converter operating within an optimal power factor range. |
| US08577507B2 |
System and method for controlling hydronic systems having multiple sources and multiple loads
A method and system for designing and controlling a hydronic apparatus. The system includes a computing device having a first receiver receiving input data, the input data includes environmental data and hydronic apparatus data. The computing device includes a first processor communicating with the first receiver. The first processor processes the received input data into configuration data that includes a hydronic apparatus layout. The hydronic apparatus layout indicates a plurality of hydronic components and fluid connections between the hydronic components. The computing device includes a transmitter transmitting configuration data. The system includes a controller storing a set of rules and a second receiver that receives the configuration data. The controller includes a second processor processing the received configuration data to correlate the configuration data with the default rules and select a corresponding subset of the set of default rules. |
| US08577501B2 |
Mobile robot for telecommunication
A remote control unit configured to wirelessly control a mobile robot moving through an environment and having a robot camera. The remote control unit comprises a privacy button operable by a local user and configured to engage a privacy mode of the mobile robot, and a wireless transmitter configured to emit a wireless control signal to the mobile robot based on input from a keypad of the RC unit. The wireless control signal is configured to cause the robot camera to block the field of view of the robot camera such that the environment of the mobile robot is obscured when the privacy mode of the mobile robot is engaged. |
| US08577495B2 |
Automatic calibration and compensation for a CNC machine table and an associated probe
A method for calibrating a CNC machine comprises mounting a gauge to a table of the CNC machine and calibrating a probe to the gauge mounted on the CNC machine. A total deviation of the probe and an actual table center position from a nominal table center position for a coordinate system associated with the CNC machine are determined. A controller operatively connected to the CNC machine and the probe is programmed to compensate for the total deviation. |
| US08577494B2 |
Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and control system and control method therefor
Disclosed herein is technology for, among other things, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and a control system and a control method therefor, by which a target parameter that is measured from a wafer processed with a plurality of processing parameters that are processing conditions of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus to process a wafer, a multiple classification analysis is performed with the plurality of processing parameters and the target parameter to calculate a model formula expressing the target parameter in a selected parameter, a predicted value of the target parameter of the wafer being processed by use of the model formula is calculated, while the processing is being performed, the processing parameters of the processing is modified on the basis of the predicted value, and the processing is continuously performed. |
| US08577487B2 |
Customized instrument evaluation and ordering tool
A tool is provided to allow a user to customize the components of a vehicle instrument panel from an Internet-enabled Web site. A user can navigate to a Web site and select a vehicle for configuration. From the Web site, input may be obtained regarding the components and appearance of an instrument panel such as selecting particular types of components (e.g., display panels, gauges, etc.) and arranging where the selected components are to be located. The input generated by a user is translated into a build specification for assembling the instrument panel at the manufacturer. Accordingly, the system and method serve as an interface between the Web site that obtains user configuration data and a manufacturer's system that manages assembly of the vehicle. |
| US08577485B2 |
Method and an apparatus for processing an audio signal
A method for processing an audio signal, comprising: receiving the audio signal; and processing the received audio signal, wherein the audio signal is processed according to a scheme comprising: comparing a size information of at least two blocks of A+1 level with a size information of a block of A level corresponding to the at least two of A+1 level; and, determining the at least two blocks of A+1 level as an optimum block if the size information of the at least two blocks of A+1 level is less than the size information of the block of A level is disclosed. A method for processing an audio signal, comprising: receiving the audio signal; and processing the received audio signal, wherein the audio signal is processed according to a scheme comprising: comparing a size information of a block of A level with a size information of at least two blocks of A+1 level; and, determining the block of A level as an optimum block if the size information of the block of A level is less than the size information of the at least two blocks of A+1 level is disclosed. |
| US08577484B2 |
Customizable media device
A media system includes a network implemented with a Web Service for Device (WSD) protocol for enabling interpretable device to device interaction, a plurality of media devices connectable to the network and configured to perform a plurality of media functions, each media device being configured to perform at least one of the plurality of media functions, and a media host connectable to the network and configured to at least partially control the plurality of media functions, wherein the media host is directly connectable to at least one of the plurality of media devices and comprises a media interface customizable depending on a connection type of the at least one media devices to be connected thereto. |
| US08577483B2 |
Method for decoding an audio signal
The invention relates to a method for decoding an audio signal, to allow an audio signal to be compressed and transferred more efficiently. The inventive method comprises steps of receiving an audio signal with spatial information signal, obtaining location information using the number of time slot and parameter of audio signal, establishing a multi-channel audio signal by applying spatial information signal to down-mix signal, and performing a multi-channel array for a multi-channel audio signal in response to the output channel. |
| US08577479B2 |
Power transmitting apparatus, power receiving apparatus, power transmission method, program, and power transmission system
There is provided a power transmitting apparatus including a power transmission side communication unit for communicating with a power receiving apparatus, a power transmission unit for transmitting power to the power receiving apparatus in a non-contact manner, a transmission power information deriving unit for increasing discretely a first transmission power to transmit from the power transmission unit to the power receiving apparatus, and deriving information related to power transmission for determining a second transmission power corresponding to power desired by the power receiving apparatus based on reception of received power information transmitted from the power receiving apparatus at the power transmission side communication unit, indicating that a received power level meet a predetermined level, and a transmission power determining unit for determining the second transmission power to transmit to the power receiving apparatus based on information related to power transmission derived by the transmission power information deriving unit. |
| US08577478B2 |
Antenna providing variable communication with an implant
A device may include a primary antenna configured to be located external to a subject and at least one processor in electrical communication with the primary antenna. The at least one processor may be configured to cause transmission of a primary signal from the primary antenna to an implantable device, wherein the implantable device includes at least one pair of modulation electrodes. The at least one processor may be further configured to adjust one or more characteristics of the primary signal to generate a sub-modulation control signal adapted so as not to cause a neuromuscular modulation inducing current at the at least one pair of modulation electrodes when received by the implantable device and to generate a modulation control signal adapted so as to cause a neuromuscular modulation inducing current at the at least one pair of modulation electrodes when received by the implantable device. |
| US08577476B2 |
Electrically conductive and mechanically supportive materials for biomedical leads
An implantable medical lead connecting to a device header of a medical apparatus and having an electrode, a conductor, and a conductive polymer layer formed on at least a portion of the medical lead. An insulative sheath surrounds the conductive polymer layer for electrical insulation. The conductive polymer layer and insulative sheath maintain mechanical and electrical continuity of the lead in the event of fracture. The conductive polymer layer is composed of conductive polymers and may contain one or more dopants for improving electrical characteristics, mechanical characteristics, and processability. |
| US08577473B2 |
Cochlear implant stimulation with low frequency channel privilege
A system and method for activating stimulation electrodes in cochlear implant electrode is described. A preprocessor filter bank processes an input acoustic audio signal to generate band pass signals that each represent an associated band of audio frequencies. An information extractor extracts stimulation signal information from the band pass signals based on assigning the band pass signals to corresponding electrode stimulation groups that each contain one or more stimulation electrodes, and generates a set of stimulation event signals for each electrode stimulation group that define electrode stimulation timings and amplitudes. A pulse selector selects a set of electrode stimulation signals from the stimulation event signals based on a pulse weighting function that uses channel-specific weighting factors favoring lower frequencies for activating the stimulation electrodes to stimulate neighboring audio nerve tissue. |
| US08577472B2 |
Systems and methods for determining a sleep disorder based on positioning of the tongue
Devices and methods are disclosed that include an external unit comprising at least one processor. The processor may be configured to receive a signal indicative of tongue movement in a subject from an implant unit implanted in the subject, determine whether the tongue movement is representative of sleep disordered breathing, generate a modulation control signal to correct the sleep disordered breathing when the at least one processor determines an occurrence of sleep disordered breathing. |
| US08577466B2 |
System and method for nerve modulation using noncontacting electrodes
An implant unit configured for implantation into a body of a subject may include an antenna configured to receive a signal. The implant unit may also include at least one pair of modulation electrodes configured to be implanted into the body of the subject in the vicinity of at least one nerve to be modulated, the at least one pair of modulation electrodes being configured to receive an applied electric signal in response to the signal received by the antenna and generate an electrical field to modulate the at least one nerve from a position where the at least one pair of modulation electrodes does not contact the at least one nerve. |
| US08577462B2 |
Condition sensor for medical device package
A package in which a medical device is stored, the package comprising an outer shell providing a vapor barrier, a medical device positioned in the interior space inside the outer shell, the medical device including a liquid-containing element that is subject to drying out, a condition sensor comprising two metallic elements and a conductive water-containing element, each of the two metallic elements being composed of different metals, with each of the different metals selected so that the two metallic elements form an anode and a cathode of an electrochemical cell, so that the water-containing element forms the electrolyte of the electrochemical cell, and the voltage of the cell provides an indication the conductive water-containing element of the medical device has dried out. |
| US08577461B2 |
Devices and methods for absorbing, transferring and delivering heart energy
A device for altering cardiac performance includes an energy absorbing element which absorbs cardiac pumping energy from at least a portion of the heart. The energy may be delivered to another part of the body, such as another portion of the heart, to perform useful work such as providing blood pumping assistance. |
| US08577455B2 |
Method and apparatus for arrhythmia detection in a medical device
A method and device for detecting arrhythmias in a patient that includes electrodes positioned subcutaneously within the patient, a microprocessor, coupled to the electrodes, determining one of a sequence of the sensing of cardiac signals by the electrodes and a duration between the sensing of cardiac signals by the electrodes, and control circuitry delivering a therapy in response to one of the determined sequence and the determined duration. |
| US08577451B2 |
System and methods for neurologic monitoring and improving classification and treatment of neurologic states
Methods and systems for assessing brain activity and collecting information related to a patient's condition and brain electrical activity are provided. |
| US08577448B2 |
Differential apneic detection in aid of diagnosis and treatment
A computer-based detection method employable with a sleeping subject for aiding in the differential-character diagnosis and treatments of apneic events includes gathering heart-sound data, including S1 data and S2 data. A combined time-frequency-intensity (TFI) analysis, of the gathered data is performed, in a continuous manner, over a selected time period. Based on the performing and the performed TFI analysis, an output is produced which is indicative of the presence and character of any detected apneic event. |
| US08577446B2 |
Stress detection device and methods of use thereof
Described herein are stress detection systems and methods of using such systems. |
| US08577444B2 |
Method and device for making correction information available
The invention relates to a method and a device for making correction information for correcting a guidance direction of an instrument. Based on a current position of the tip of the instrument and the current guidance direction of the instrument and the position of a target point in an object, a first straight line indicating the current guidance direction and a second straight line defined by the tip of the instrument and the target point in the object are determined. The second straight line intersects the first straight line and indicates the desired guidance direction. Based on the position of the first and second straight lines relative to one another, a digital item of correction information is specified, wherein the correction image has a correction diagram located in a plane in the perspective of the current guidance direction of the instrument. |
| US08577442B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging method
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a data acquisition unit and an image generating unit. The data acquisition unit sets a delay time from a reference wave based on heart rate information or peripheral pulse wave information previously acquired from an object and acquires MR signals by an imaging scan with a delay time and in synchronization with a blood flow beat. The delay time represents a time phase for image data acquisition timing in synchronization with the beat. The image generating unit generates a blood flow image based on the magnetic resonance signals. |
| US08577432B2 |
Noise tolerant measurement
The invention relates to statistical methods for fitting a mathematical model of the interaction of signals, such as optical signals, with tissue to detected signals or data related to the interaction. In particular it relates to statistical methods for fitting a mathematical model of the interaction of optical signals with tissue to actual signals, such as interferometric signals related to data optical scattering in tissue and their relationship to glucose concentration. It also relates to statistical methods for fitting a mathematical model of the interaction of optical signals with tissue to data such as the spectral distribution values of optical signals absorbed or scattered by tissue and their relationship to glucose concentration. The invention provides a practical non-invasive glucose measurement method and system. The invention also provides a measurement method and system that performs well in low signal-to-noise environments. |
| US08577431B2 |
Noise shielding for a noninvasive device
A noninvasive physiological sensor for measuring one or more physiological parameters of a medical patient can include a bump interposed between a light source and a photodetector. The bump can be placed in contact with body tissue of a patient and thereby reduce a thickness of the body tissue. As a result, an optical pathlength between the light source and the photodetector can be reduced. In addition, the sensor can include a heat sink that can direct heat away from the light source. Moreover, the sensor can include shielding in the optical path between the light source and the photodetector. The shielding can reduce noise received by the photodetector. |
| US08577430B1 |
Number resolving superconducting nanowire photon detector on multiple surfaces of a substrate
A superconducting nanowire photon detector apparatus comprising detection, insulating, and substrate layers. The insulating layer provides electrical isolation of a plurality of individual detector elements from the interconnection network fabricated on the substrate layer except where electrical interconnection between the inputs and outputs of each detector element and the interconnection network is intended. |
| US08577428B2 |
Information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes a determination unit that determines whether a second key provided on a body is pressed when a first key provided on the body is pressed and a control unit that disables the first key and inhibits an operation in response to an operation with the first key if the determination unit determines that the second key provided on the body is pressed. |
| US08577424B2 |
Method and apparatus for communication between a vehicle based computing system and a remote application
A vehicle-based computing apparatus includes a computer processor in communication with persistent and non-persistent memory. The apparatus also includes a local wireless transceiver in communication with the computer processor and configured to communicate wirelessly with a wireless device located at the vehicle. The processor is operable to receive, through the wireless transceiver, a connection request sent from a nomadic wireless device, the connection request including at least a name of an application seeking to communicate with the processor. The processor is further operable to receive at least one secondary communication from the nomadic device, once the connection request has been processed. The secondary communication is at least one of a speak alert command, a display text command, a create phrase command, and a prompt and listen command. |
| US08577408B2 |
Radio communication apparatus and transmission power control method
A radio communication apparatus which performs a direct communication with a counter radio communication apparatus is provided. The radio communication apparatus includes a radio section configured to receive from the counter radio communication apparatus, a first radio signal which contains a first transmission power setting value as a setting value of power at transmission from the counter radio communication apparatus, and to measure a first reception power value as a power value at reception of the first radio signal; and a transmission power control section configured to determine a second transmission power setting value as a setting value of power at transmission of a second radio signal to the counter radio communication apparatus based on the first transmission power setting value and the first reception power value. The radio section transmits the second radio signal, which contains the second transmission power setting value, to the counter radio communication apparatus at transmission power indicated with the second transmission power setting value. |
| US08577405B2 |
Systems, methods, and machine-readable media providing location-enabled group management
A computer-executed method for managing a group of entities includes receiving an indication from a first user indicating a desire to add members to the group based on proximity to a target, such as a point of interest (POI) or a location of a person. The method also includes sending an invitation to a prospective group member based on a location of the prospective group member during a time window associated with the target. In response to the invitation, an indication is received from the prospective group member as to whether the prospective group member desires to join the group. |
| US08577403B2 |
Wireless ethernet adapter
A method for providing wireless Ethernet connectivity over an UWB link includes providing an adapter coupled to an external network via an Ethernet port, monitoring, by the adapter, a plurality of communication channels in an UWB spectrum, establishing a wireless link on a preferred communication channel, and exchanging data between the adapter and a UWB-enabled device over the wireless link. |
| US08577402B2 |
Method for avoiding overflow of multiplication of roots-of-unity by using overflow safe approximated values table
An apparatus including a processor, a computer readable storage medium, and a lookup memory. The computer readable storage medium generally contains computer executable instruction that when executed by the processor perform operations involving fixed point multiplication. The lookup memory generally stores values used in the fixed point multiplication. The values stored in the lookup memory are approximated based upon a predetermined value to prevent overflow in the fixed point multiplication. |
| US08577393B2 |
System and method for providing time zone as instant messaging presence
A system and method are provided to obtain and use time zone information as presence in instant messaging. The time zone information is obtained by a user's mobile device and is sent to other mobile devices corresponding to the user's contacts. The time zone information of a contact may be displayed on the user's IM application, including the contact list and instant messaging conversation window. The location of the mobile device may also be provided. The user uses the time zone and location information to discern the status of a contact. Rule-based decisions that rely on the time zone information are also used to affect the operation of the instant messaging application. |
| US08577390B2 |
Method and system for dynamic estimation and predictive route generation
The preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and systems for dynamic route estimation and prediction using discrete sampled location updates from various mobile devices for the purpose of providing a graphical representation of a mobile device's route along a known network path of map data. The embodiments also provide supplemental route metrics, such as traveled distance, elapsed time, etc., and the capability to assign destination points for the purpose of providing the ability to modify location update points in an application, such as a route planner, and/or to store the dynamically generated route based on various preferences for later retrieval. |
| US08577389B2 |
Filtering and clustering crowd-sourced data for determining beacon positions
Embodiments analyze crowd-sourced data to identify a moved or moving beacon. The crowd-sourced data involving a particular beacon is filtered based on a cluster start time associated with the beacon. A clustering analysis groups the filtered crowd-sourced data for the beacon into a plurality of clusters based on spatial distance. Timestamps associated with the crowd-sourced data in the clusters are compared to select one of the clusters. The crowd-sourced data associated with the selected cluster is used to determine position information for the moved beacon. The cluster start time for the beacon is adjusted based on the earliest timestamp associated with the positioned observations corresponding to the selected cluster. Adjusting the cluster start time removes from a subsequent analysis the positioned observations associated with one or more prior positions of the beacon. |
| US08577387B2 |
Position location using multiple carriers
A method of determining a distance estimate between a mobile device and a wireless transceiver communicating with the mobile device on at least one multi-carrier signal including: receiving at least one multi-carrier signal; selecting at least two carrier signals from the at least one multi-carrier signal; measuring a signal characteristic of each of the at least two carrier signals; and determining the distance estimate between the mobile device and the wireless transceiver based at least partially upon the signal characteristic of each of the at least two carrier signals. |
| US08577386B2 |
Resource measurement and reporting method in long term evolution system
A method for measuring and reporting resource in a long term evolution system comprises: a source base station encapsulating a resource status request message and sending the message to a target base station; after receiving the resource status request message, the target base station processing the message, and sending a resource status success response to the source base station if the processing is successful, or else sending a resource status failure response if the processing is failed; the source base station encapsulating at least a message type (2), a measurement request type (3), a source base station global identifier (4) and measurement configuration information (5) in the resource status request message, wherein, the measurement request type (3) is one or more of start, modify and end (7); the measurement configuration information (5) is measurement configuration information (5) in current measurement request type (3). The method makes it convenient to start, modify or end the current measurement by the target base station during network operation after a plurality of resource status measuring and reporting are launched between base stations, and thus reducing the number of information exchange between base stations. |
| US08577385B2 |
Method and system for delivering media to a plurality of mobile devices in a cell with a group transport function
A group transfer function (GTF) receives a plurality of inputs and media for delivery to a plurality of mobile devices. The mobile devices are served by a plurality of cells potentially having a plurality of different radio access technologies such that each mobile device is wirelessly connected to one of the cells. The GTF applies policy rules to the inputs to determine, for each mobile device, content delivery using point-to-multipoint or point-to-point media transport based on the capabilities of the servicing cell. The GTF initiates an allocation of a set of resources in each cell to transport the media to each mobile device in the group using the determined media transport for that mobile device. Media is then replicated by the GTF for delivery to the mobile devices over the allocated resources. |
| US08577382B2 |
Enhanced dedicated-channel reporting for UMTS
A technique for a mobile communication system defining a dedicated channel (DCH) active set and an enhanced-dedicated channel (E-DCH) active set, includes performing a power measurement of a pilot signal from a cell that is not included in the E-DCH active set but included in the DCH active set, and performing a power measurement of a pilot signal from a cell that is included in the E-DCH active set. |
| US08577381B2 |
Node placement method within a wireless network, such as a wireless local area network
The disclosure includes a method of and associated system for placing nodes in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The method includes receiving user-specified parameters regarding the network. The parameters can include a layout of a building or other space, and requirements for the WLAN. An algorithm then employs these parameters to automatically create and optimized layout of multiple wireless access points for the WLAN. The method can display the layout and provide various types of information to the user. |
| US08577380B2 |
Method for an automatic identification of urban dense areas from cell phones records
Method for an automatic identification of urban dense areas from cell phones records, by using a computing device that receives as inputs: a geographical region R, a time period Δt for which dense areas in the region R need to be computed, a set of BTSs in the region R, a set of CDRs generated by individuals during the time period Δt using the set of BTSs of the region R, a coverage C and a granularity ε. The method includes constructing a graph G=(V, E), being V=vertexes and E=edges, using Delaunay triangulation, where each vertex vi of V corresponds to btsi of BTS in the geographical region R, and each edge ei,j of E represents connection between btsi and btsj; eliminating from E all the edges in E with a distance between two connecting BTS larger than c, so that a desired spatial granularity is ensured; associating a weight wi,j to each edge ei,j of E that has not been eliminated, the weight representing the average density of the area covered by btsi and btsj during the time period Δt; constructing a data structure L that contains the dense areas using the edges of E; and applying a “Maximum Spanning Tree” type algorithm to detect dense areas given by the data structure L. |
| US08577379B2 |
Method of handling automatic call origination and system determination on multi-network mobile devices
Systems and techniques are disclosed relating to communications. The systems and techniques include receiving an origination request for a call, determining whether the call is allowed on each of a plurality of wireless networks as a function of the origination request, and originating the call over a network selected from a plurality of networks. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims. |
| US08577378B2 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating a beacon-assisted handover to a home Node-B for users on an active call
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are disclosed for facilitating a beacon-assisted handover from a macro network to a femto cell during an active call. A femto cell management system assigns a unique identifier to a femto cell, which the femto cell utilizes to broadcast a beacon at a frequency different than the operating frequency of the femto cell. A wireless terminal receives a control message from the macro network directing the wireless terminal to scan particular frequencies. The wireless terminal subsequently provides a report to the macro network identifying attributes ascertained from the scan, which includes attributes associated with the beacon. The macro network then performs a handover from the macro network to the femto cell as a function of the attributes. |
| US08577374B2 |
Method and device for switching between base stations
A method and apparatus for handover between base stations are disclosed. The method includes: a first base station sending handover request messages to neighboring base stations (401); the neighboring base stations judging whether to accept the handover according to information in the handover request messages, and sending judgment results to the first base station through request response messages (402); the first base station determining one destination base station from the neighboring base stations which are able to accept the handover, and sending a confirmation handover message to the destination base station (403); the destination base station allocating resources for a user equipment after receiving the confirmation handover message, and sending the allocated resources to the first base station through a confirmation handover response message (404); and the first base station indicating that the user equipment hands over to the destination base station after receiving the confirmation handover response message (405). |
| US08577369B2 |
Seamless and vertical call handoff solution architecture
A system, method and apparatus for facilitating handoff of communications with a user device between a first communication network having a first domain technology, and a second communication network having a second domain technology different from the first domain technology, the system, method and apparatus includes an anchor point that establishes a first service flow with the first communication network, and a second service flow with the second communication network based upon a triggering event respectively, with the user device, and a handoff device that receives at least one handoff parameter for determining a handoff operation of the user device from the first communication network to the second communication network. |
| US08577365B2 |
Mobile communication terminal
A mobile communication terminal includes a location registration request unit 120 that makes a location registration request for a location registration in each of the mobile communication networks 200 and 300 to a 3.9G network 300, a location registration response receiving unit 130 that receives a location registration response representing a result of the location registration in the both mobile communication networks 200 and 300 in response to the request for the location registration, a location registration determination unit 140 that determines whether or not the location registration only in the 3.9G network 300 between the both mobile communication networks 200 and 300 is completed, based on the location registration response, and a first mobile communication network switching control unit 150 that performs a switching control of the mobile communication network for causing the mobile communication terminal 100 to be resident in the 2G/3G network 200 in a case where the location registration determination unit 140 determines that the location registration only in the 3.9G network 300 is completed. |
| US08577359B2 |
System and method for remote asset management
A system for autonomously monitoring and managing consumer device assets includes a plurality of consumer device assets registered with a remote computer server platform. The remote computer server platform is configured to execute software applications for monitoring and managing the consumer device assets. The consumer device assets communicate operational status information and consumer usage information to the remote computer server platform automatically as a result of pre-programmed conditions and/or instructions received from the remote computer server platform. The remote computer server platform monitors the consumer device assets by processing the operational status information and consumer usage information automatically according to preprogrammed conditions. Based upon the results of processing at least some of the received consumer usage information, the remote computer server platform manages the consumer device assets by communicating management instructions that cause the stored data content files of one or more assets to be automatically modified. |
| US08577356B2 |
Touch entry of password on a mobile device
An electronic mobile device that includes a controller including at least one processor, for controlling operation of the mobile device, a display coupled to the controller, and a navigational input mechanism coupled to the controller and responsive to user manipulation thereof. The controller, in one input mode, moves a selection marker on a user interface screen on the display in response to user manipulation of the navigational input mechanism, and in a second input mode, authenticates a user of the device in dependence on a sequence of input events resulting from user manipulation of the navigational input mechanism matching a predetermined passcode sequence. |
| US08577352B1 |
Controlling use of wireless communication devices
The use of a wireless control device (WCD) in a motor vehicle is detected by a local RF detector triggering (1) a COM COMPARE signal generated by a COM chip in the vehicle which is characteristic of that motor vehicle and which is transmitted almost simultaneously with (2) the WCD COMPARE signal which is also characteristic of the WCD then in that motor vehicle. The results of the time comparison of these two signals can be used by the WCD processing center to control the use of the WCD in the motor vehicle, for example, to prevent the WCD from sending and/or receiving text messages or limiting in certain ways the use of voice calls from a WCD in that vehicle at that time. |
| US08577351B2 |
Mobile device with enhanced telephone call information and a method of using same
A mobile device with enhanced telephone call information and a method of using same are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a method of providing enhanced phone call information on a mobile communication device, comprising: receiving an incoming call on the device; identifying a contact name in an address book stored in a memory of the device in accordance with a phone number associated with the incoming call when the contact name is not provided with the incoming call; identifying a contact name in a remote contact source in accordance with a phone number associated with the incoming call when the contact name is not provided with the incoming call and not found in the address book stored in a memory of the device; and displaying the identified contact name in a user interface screen on a display screen of the device. |
| US08577347B2 |
System and method for managing data sharing over a hotspot network
There is presented a system and method for managing data sharing over a hotspot network. The system comprises a mobile broadband hotspot with a processor configured to receive a selection of a mobile device to receive a data file, notify the mobile device of the data file to share, and transmit the data file to the mobile device in response to receiving a download request from the mobile device. By saving the data file into the memory of the mobile broadband hotspot, the mobile broadband hotspot may be directed to share the data file with other devices connected to the mobile broadband hotspot through a hotspot network without requiring the other devices to download the data file again through a wide area network. |
| US08577346B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for receiving promotion information by a mobile device
Systems, methods, and apparatus receiving promotion information by a mobile device are provided by certain embodiments of the invention. According to one embodiment, an information carrying tone may be received at a mobile device from a tone transmission device, wherein the information carrying tone includes at least one location identifier associated with promotion information. A tone processing application of the mobile device may further provide for processing the information carrying tone to extract at least one location identifier, and to transmit, to an information source, an indication responsive to receiving the information carrying tone. Also according to various aspects, following transmission of the indication, promotional information can be received by the mobile device for subsequent processing and utilization, such as an activation confirmation or a redeemable promotion. |
| US08577344B2 |
Application of the invoke facility service to restrict invocation of compound wireless mobile communication services
This invention provides a mechanism for enhancing safe use of wireless mobile terminals (smartphones) in a moving vehicle. The Invoke facility service's Boolean expression controls the conditions which invoke smartphone apps into execution. Smartphone apps, which are dangerous to execute in a moving vehicle, are prevented from invocation. Elimination of all smartphone apps in moving vehicles is inadvisable. An app, deploying an accelerometer to sense the impact of a serious collision to call “911” with a recorded message and provides the vehicle's GPS location, is an example. This invention allows an app builder to select invocation conditions for apps. Significant is the use manner of the operation “Not”. The contradiction of an event is also an event meaning that if an event is false, its contradictory event is true. Another important aspect is the conjunctive operation “And Then”. This operation implies an efficient algorithm to evaluate Boolean expressions. |
| US08577342B2 |
Method for acquiring system information by a mobile station in a mobile radiocommunication system
One of the different objects of the present invention is The method for acquiring system information by a mobile station in a mobile radiocommunication system, including a step of: acquiring part of system information on or after access to the network for establishing or re-establishing a radio connection. |
| US08577341B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing messaging using voicemail
Methods and apparatus for providing voicemail services to callers of wireless devices may include providing customized outgoing messages to callers based upon the caller's identification. A subscriber to the voicemail service may select one or more contacts associated with the subscriber to receive a customized outgoing message while the remaining callers receive a general outgoing message. The methods and apparatus may further include distributing voicemail messages from a subscriber's voicemail accounts to one or more social networking sites. The subscriber to the voicemail services may share one or more received voicemail messages via one or more social networking accounts associated with the subscriber. |
| US08577340B2 |
Remote messaging for mobile communication device and accessory
Message notifications to an accessory from a mobile communication device are provided according to some embodiments of the invention. When a message such as a text message, email, and/or voicemail is received at a mobile communication device, the mobile communication device can notify an attached accessory that a message has been received. In response, the accessory can request the full message, media associated with the message, an attachment to the message, and/or an audio/video stream of the message for presentation to a user. |
| US08577339B2 |
Wireless chat automatic status signaling
A technique and apparatus to provide status tracking of presence and/or location of wireless devices to requesting entities inside and/or outside a particular wireless system. Presence and/or location information is provided to entities outside a particular servicing wireless network via mechanisms of call processing components of a mobile network and standard mechanisms available to any appropriately conforming MSC element. In one embodiment, a wireless chat automatic status tracking system utilizes a change in mobile registration status to automatically forward or copy a registration notification (REGNOT) message to an external IP application, to notify a chat group system outside the wireless network of current status information activity regarding a relevant device. Change in mobile registration is communicated via a suitable signaling link between a HLR and the chat group system. REGNOT messages are pushed over TCP/IP connections to external applications to automatically notify the external system of a particular user's location. |
| US08577338B2 |
Messaging with media integration
Techniques involving messaging applications are disclosed. For example, an apparatus may include a communications interface module and a messaging module. The communications interface module may receive an incoming message of a conversation thread that is originated by a remote device. The incoming message includes a text portion and an attached media item. The messaging module automatically outputs the incoming message to a user interface in an output format. This output format includes both the text portion and content of the attached media item. The attached media item may be of various types. Examples of media items include video files, audio files, image files, resource locators, and application files. The embodiments, however are not limited to these examples. |
| US08577335B2 |
Method and apparatus for tracking package deliveries
A system and method for verifying receipt of a postal mail item mailed by a sender of the postal mail item is presented. A method reads postal information from a postal mail item that identifies the postal mail item. The postal information is combined with identification information that identifies the recipient of the postal mail item. The postal information and the identification information are sent to the sender of the postal mail item. |
| US08577334B1 |
Restricted testing access for electronic device
A method of providing privileged access to an electronic device is provided. The method comprises receiving a first request for an activation code, where the first request comprises an identifier of the electronic device. An activation expiration time is determined by a computer system. An activation code is determined based on the identifier of the electronic device, and the activation code is transmitted. A second request for a token to unlock privileged access to the electronic device is received, where the second request comprises the activation code and the identifier of the electronic device. When the activation code received in the second request correlates with the identifier of the electronic device provided in the second request and when the second request is received before the activation expiration time, the token to unlock privileged access to the electronic device is transmitted. |
| US08577328B2 |
Associating metro street address guide (MSAG) validated addresses with geographic map data
Master Street Address Guide (MSAG)-validated street address data is correlated with real-world geographic (e.g., latitude/longitude) data. Conventional MSAG-validated street address data is processed, or geocoded, into an additional (or integrated) database that associates latitude/longitude information with a particular entry in the existing MSAG-validated database. The association of the lat/lon data may be direct, or indirect using link ID or other unique tags indicating a particular entry in the MSAG-validated database. The geocoding need be performed only once by a service provider, e.g., as part of the deployment of an emergency service system. In this way, the closest public service answering point (PSAP) to a given latitude/longitude position of a wireless or VoIP device may be determined quickly, providing emergency services with the smallest possible reliable response time. |
| US08577326B2 |
Method and apparatus for power conservation for a mobile device in idle mode
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises determining a sleep cycle comprising a number of discontinuous reception (DRX) cycles at a user equipment (UE) based at least on one of a current available power level, a call setup delay interval, and a quality of a received paging indicator channel (PICH) signal; entering a power saving mode during the determined sleep cycle at the user equipment (UE) upon an occurrence of a triggering event; and waking up from the power saving mode and checking for an active call after an occurrence of a second triggering event. |
| US08577319B2 |
Gain partitioning in a receiver
An automatic gain control loop disposed in a receiver is adapted to compensate for varying levels of out of band interference sources by adaptively controlling the gain distribution throughout the receive signal path. One or more intermediate received signal strength indicator (RSSI) detectors are used to determine a corresponding intermediate signal level. The output of each RSSI detector is coupled to an associated comparator that compares the intermediate RSSI value against a corresponding threshold. The take over point (TOP) for gain stages is adjusted based in part on the comparator output values. The TOP for each of a plurality of gain stages may be adjusted in discrete steps or continuously. |
| US08577318B2 |
Communications system density and range improvement by signal-strength-directed channel class selection with weighting for minimum capacity consumption
Methods and apparatuses for optimized channel selection are disclosed. In one example, a channel quality is measured of each channel of an available number of channels on which a mobile communication device can transmit and receive. A subset of the available number of channels is allocated to a long range channel class responsive to the channel quality. An RSSI of the mobile communication device is monitored and correlated to a mobile communication device proximity to a base station. A channel is selected from the long range channel class if the mobile communication device proximity is greater than a predetermined proximity. |
| US08577316B2 |
Mechanically tuned radio utilizing ratiometric time measurements and related methods
Mechanically tuned radios and related methods are disclosed that utilize ratiometric time measurements to detect settings for mechanical adjustment mechanisms. The radio systems and methods disclosed make a first time measurement associated with a mechanically adjusted circuit, make a second time measurement associated with the mechanically adjusted circuit, determine a setting for the mechanical adjustment mechanism based upon a ratio associated with the first and second time measurements, and utilize the setting to select a tuning frequency for signals received by the radio. More generally, ratiometric time measurements can be used to determine a setting for a mechanical adjustment mechanism for a mechanically adjusted circuit, and this setting can be used to at least part control a desired operational feature of a device. |
| US08577313B2 |
Systems and methods of RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including output stage protection circuitry
Methods and systems for vector combining power amplification are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of signals are individually amplified, then summed to form a desired time-varying complex envelope signal. Phase and/or frequency characteristics of one or more of the signals are controlled to provide the desired phase, frequency, and/or amplitude characteristics of the desired time-varying complex envelope signal. In another embodiment, a time-varying complex envelope signal is decomposed into a plurality of constant envelope constituent signals. The constituent signals are amplified equally or substantially equally, and then summed to construct an amplified version of the original time-varying envelope signal. Embodiments also perform frequency up-conversion. |
| US08577310B2 |
System and method for transceivers in a wireless network
In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a multi-output wireless transmitter includes determining a precoded data stream based on input data, where the determining includes determining a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) of a plurality of receivers, determining a channel gain to each of the plurality of receivers, and maximizing a sum of utility functions, wherein each utility function is proportional to the SINR of each of the plurality of receivers at low SINR values and asymptotically approaches a constant value at high SINR values. The precoded data stream is transmitted on the multi-output wireless transmitter. |
| US08577307B1 |
Waveform scheduling on a common antenna
At least two waveforms are operated on a single antenna. A scheduler module coordinates the at least two waveforms. A modem module processes the at least two waveforms. A transmitter propagates the at least two waveforms to the antenna. |
| US08577305B1 |
Circuits and methods for generating oscillating signals
Embodiments of the present invention may be used to generate oscillating signals. One embodiment of the present invention includes a circuit that receives a differential signal to be divided. The circuit converts the differential signal into an injection signal. The injection signal is coupled to an oscillator, and the oscillator generates an output signal having a frequency that is a fraction of the frequency of the differential input signal. In another embodiment, the present invention includes a MIMO wireless communication system. The MIMO system may use the divider circuit to divide a local oscillator signal with reduced common mode distortion. |
| US08577303B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting channel sounding signal in wireless communication system
Provided is an apparatus and method for transmitting a channel sounding signal from a user terminal in a multiple antenna system. In the method, a channel for each of a plurality of antennas is estimated. The receiving signal power of each of the antennas is calculated using the channel information obtained through the channel estimation. The antenna with the highest RX signal power is selected. Therefore, it is possible to enhance the signal reception performance of the user terminal. |
| US08577301B1 |
Analog baseband interface for communication systems
A communication system interface between a baseband unit and a radio frequency (RF) unit is configured to advantageously use a common set of lines to carry both transmit and receive baseband analog signals between the baseband and RF unit, thereby enabling a relatively lower signal count and permitting loopback testing of elements within the baseband and the RF units. |
| US08577298B2 |
Multi-element magnetic receiver for interference suppression and signal enhancement
A system and method for enhancing a magnetic communication signal is provided. A multi-element receiver is used to generate a plurality of input signals. A set of weights is generated using, for example, a calculated covariance of the plurality of input signals, and applied to the signals. The weights are used to generate a single output signal representing a weighted sum of the input signals. |
| US08577297B2 |
Signal transceiving circuit and noise reduction circuit
A signal transceiving circuit, comprising: a receiver, for receiving a input signal; a transmitter, for transmitting an output signal; and a resistance circuit, for omitting the noise caused by the output signal to the input signal. The resistance circuit comprises: a voltage transferring circuit, for generating a voltage transferred signal, and a voltage dividing circuit, for voltage dividing the voltage transferred signal and the output signal, such that the voltage generated at the receiver is cancelled by the voltage generated by the voltage transferred signal at the transceiver. A noise reduction circuit that can be utilized in this signal transceiving circuit is also disclosed. |
| US08577296B2 |
Weighting factor adjustment in adaptive antenna arrays
A method of forming an adaptive antenna array includes calculating intra-unit phase relationships between antenna elements of a plurality of access units and measuring inter-unit phase relationships between the access units. An indication of a desired coverage area collectively produced by the plurality of access units is received. A set of weighting factors is determined. Each weighting factor is associated with an individual antenna element in the plurality of access units and the set of weighting factors provide the desired coverage pattern. Phase lock between the plurality of access units is maintained to control the desired coverage pattern. |
| US08577295B2 |
Method and apparatus for data communication between a base station and a transponder
In certain embodiments, a transponder comprises a transceiver configured to receive a forward link having a forward-link header comprising at least one symbol for configuring a setting of the transponder. The transponder may be configured to transmit a return link having a return-link header comprising information based on one or more characteristics of the transponder, and to receive a modified subsequent symbol of the forward-link header. The modified subsequent symbol of the forward link header generated by analyzing the return-link header to determine adjusted information for configuring the setting of the transponder and modifying the subsequent symbol of the forward-link header in accordance with the adjusted information for configuring the setting of the transponder. |
| US08577294B2 |
Bluetooth security profile
A user configurable security profile defining relationships between a plurality of communications devices is utilized to secure a communications device in response to an occurrence of an event. In an example embodiment, the devices are linked together using a short range wireless communications protocol. If one of the devices becomes disconnected from the link, another device determines what actions to take based on the profile and the specific actions associated with the disconnected device. A device can be unlocked by providing a code, PIN, password, or the like. A legitimate disconnection from the link, such as turning a device off, or the battery dying, will not result in the remaining devices being locked. If a device is stolen and not recovered, the user can reconfigure the security profile to exclude the stolen device. |
| US08577289B2 |
Antenna with integrated proximity sensor for proximity-based radio-frequency power control
An electronic device may have a housing in which an antenna is mounted. An antenna window may be mounted in the housing to allow radio-frequency signals to be transmitted from the antenna and to allow the antenna to receive radio-frequency signals. Near-field radiation limits may be satisfied by reducing transmit power when an external object is detected in the vicinity of the dielectric antenna window and the antenna. A capacitive proximity sensor may be used in detecting external objects in the vicinity of the antenna. The proximity sensor and the antenna may be formed using integral antenna resonating element and proximity sensor capacitor electrode structures. These structures may be formed from identical first and second patterned conductive layers on opposing sides of a dielectric substrate. A transceiver and proximity sensor may be coupled to the structures through respective high-pass and low-pass circuits. |
| US08577288B2 |
Subsea transfer system providing wireless data transfer, electrical power transfer and navigation
The present invention relates to a transfer system for providing wireless data transfer, electrical power transfer and navigation between a mobile subsea vehicle and a deployed subsea station that uses acoustic and electromagnetic carrier signals for wireless communication and navigation. An inductive connector is provided for power transfer between mobile subsea vehicle and a deployed subsea station without conductive contact. |
| US08577287B2 |
Transmission diversity scheme of multiple cell cooperative communications
Provided is a method of applying a transmission diversity scheme in a multiple cell cooperative communication system in which a terminal may receive, from a plurality of base stations, identical data using an identical radio resource. In the method, base stations of a cooperative base station involved in a cooperative communication may apply the transmission diversity scheme using the same resource as time and frequency resources used to apply the transmission diversity scheme in a base station of a serving base station. |
| US08577286B2 |
Point-to-multipoint digital radio frequency transport
One embodiment is directed to a system for use with a coverage area in which one or more wireless units wirelessly transmit using a wireless radio frequency spectrum. The system comprises a first unit, and a plurality of second units communicatively coupled to the first unit using at least one communication medium. Each of the plurality of second units generates respective digital RF samples indicative of a respective analog wireless signal received at that second unit. Each of the plurality of second units communicates the respective digital RF samples generated by that second unit to the first unit using the at least one communication medium. The first unit digitally sums corresponding digital RF samples received from the plurality of second units to produce summed digital RF samples. The system is configured so that an input used for base station processing is derived from the resulting summed digital RF samples. |
| US08577282B2 |
Method for reporting multi-address information, mobile station and authentication organization system
A method for reporting multi-address information comprises a step wherein each of mobile stations (UE) obtains the positional information relating to the mobile stations (UE) and manages information relating to the obtained positional information, a step for reporting multi-address information provided with an electronic signature to each of the mobile stations (UE), a step wherein each of the mobile stations (UE) verifies the multi-address information by use of the electronic signature provided to the received multi-address information, a step wherein each of the mobile stations (UE), when the verifying is successful, compares positional information contained in the multi-address information with the positional information being managed, and a step wherein each of the mobile stations (UE) performs processing in response to the multi-address information on the basis of the result of comparing. |
| US08577278B2 |
Image forming apparatus to form images on sheets utilizing detected sheet slide positions
When an image is formed on a second side of a sheet, the image forming position is adjusted on the basis of a value calculated using the amount αn of lateral registration deviation detected before forming an image on the first side and the amount γn-1, of lateral registration deviation of the previous sheet on which image formation is performed. Thus, it is possible to adjust the positions of irradiation of laser light to the photosensitive drums and to start forming the second-side images as soon as the first-side images have been primary-transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt. |
| US08577275B2 |
Image carrier unit, image-forming apparatus, and solid lubricant
An image carrier unit includes an image carrier that carries a toner image developed with a developer containing a toner on a surface thereof before the toner image is transferred to a transfer member in a transfer region; a supply section that supplies a lubricant containing a fluorocarbon resin to a surface of the image carrier such that the weight fraction of the fluorocarbon resin contained in the lubricant supplied after a period of time has elapsed since a predetermined point in time is higher than the weight fraction of the fluorocarbon resin contained in the lubricant supplied at the predetermined point in time; and a removing member that is disposed in contact with the surface of the image carrier and that removes the developer remaining without being transferred to the transfer member from the surface of the image carrier. |
| US08577274B2 |
Image forming apparatus including a lubricant applying device configured to apply lubricant to an image carrier
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a cleaning device having a cleaning member that comes into contact with a surface of the image carrier, and a lubricant applying device provided on the downstream side of the cleaning member. The lubricant applying device includes a solid lubricant, a lubricant supply roller, and a trailing type lubricant smoothing blade that is provided on the downstream side of the lubricant supply roller, and comes into belly contact with the surface of the image carrier. After image carrier is stopped, constantly or under a predetermined condition, the surface of the image carrier is moved in a direction opposite to an image forming direction. The opposite movement distance is equal to or more than the shortest distance between a contact point between the lubricant supply roller and the image carrier and a contact point between the lubricant smoothing blade and the image carrier. |
| US08577272B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus having a slantingly extended irradiation area
A fixing device includes: a conveying unit that conveys a recording material with an image formed thereon toward a predetermined conveying direction so as to cross a fixing area where the image is heated to be fixed; a laser light source that has an irradiation area as the fixing area slantingly extending relative to a predetermined image arrangement reference direction along a width direction of the recording material crossing the conveying direction of the recording material, and irradiates the irradiation area with laser light; and a reflecting member that is provided so as to surround the irradiation area and has a reflecting face that reflects reflected light from the irradiation area so that the irradiation area is again irradiated with the reflected light. |
| US08577266B2 |
Image forming apparatus comprising a detection member and tension applying member facing each other
An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an endless belt that travels circularly by a drive member and has an outer peripheral surface on which an image is formed; a tension applying member around which the endless belt is trained and that applies tension to the endless belt by pressing an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt; a detection member that detects the image formed on the outer peripheral surface of the endless belt; a support member to which the detection member is attached and that movably supports the detection member with respect to an apparatus main body; and a positioning member that positions the detection member with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the endless belt at a portion pressed by the tension applying member. |
| US08577264B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus provided with same
A developing device includes: a developing tank for storing a developer containing a toner and a magnetic carrier, the developing tank including, inside thereof, a first developer carrying path; and a first stirring carrying member that rotates so that the first stirring carrying member carries the developer included in the first developer carrying path while stirring the developer. A toner supply opening is formed in a developing tank cover. An upper part of an inner wall surface of a side in which a developer sinks which inner wall surface faces downward rotation of the first stirring carrying member inclines from a direction perpendicular to a horizontal surface toward the first developer carrying path. An angle α made by (i) a tangential line of the upper inner wall surface at a position of the upper inner wall surface which position is at a height of a top part of an outer circumference of the first stirring carrying member and (ii) a horizontal line is not less than 100° but not more than 150°. This makes it possible to properly stir a supplied toner with an existing developer without applying excessive stress on the developer. |
| US08577262B2 |
Charging device, cartridge for image forming apparatus, and image forming apparatus
A charging device includes: a first electrode; a second electrode; an insulating body that is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; wherein either the first electrode or the second electrode includes an opening portion that is formed so as to open toward a first direction in which the first electrode, the insulating body, and the second electrode are laminated, and the insulating body includes a region limiting portion which is a space that communicates with the opening portion, and opens toward a direction in which the region limiting portion communicates with the opening portion, and is limited in a second direction vertical to the first direction. |
| US08577261B2 |
Belt device and image forming apparatus
A belt member is supported by a plurality of rollers and moves in a predetermined moving direction. A detecting unit detects a displacement of the belt member in its width direction. A correcting unit moves a second end of a first roller from among the rollers in either one of a forward direction and a backward direction while fixing its first end based on a result of detecting the displacement of the belt member such that a tilt of a rotating shaft of the first roller is changed to correct a meandering of the belt member. An adjusting unit adjusts a fixing position of the first end. |
| US08577260B2 |
Fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus
A fixing apparatus includes: a heating rotator, a pressurizing rotator and a fixing housing. The heating rotator is configured to be rotatable about a first rotational axis and has a peripheral surface heated by a heat source provided inside or outside of the heating rotator. The pressurizing rotator is configured to be rotatable about a second rotational axis parallel to the first rotational axis. The pressurizing rotator forms a fixing nip in conjunction with the heating rotator. The fixing housing is configured to accommodate the heating rotator and the pressurizing rotator. The heating rotator, the pressurizing rotator and the fixing housing form a fixing rotator unit. The fixing rotator unit is configured to be withdrawable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus and such that the peripheral surface of the heating rotator is exposed when the fixing rotator unit is withdrawn from the apparatus main body. |
| US08577256B2 |
Electrostatic image developing carrier, electrostatic image developer, process cartridge, image forming method, and image forming apparatus
An electrostatic image developing carrier includes a ferrite particle that contains magnesium element in an amount of about 3.0 wt % or more and about 10.0 wt % or less and manganese element in an amount of about 0.2 wt % or more and less than about. 1.0 wt %; and a resin layer that covers the ferrite particle. |
| US08577255B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus may include a main body, an endless belt, and a drum unit. The drum unit may support a black photosensitive drum and color photosensitive drums in a mounting direction. The black photosensitive drum may include a first axis in an axial direction perpendicular to the mounting direction. Each color photosensitive drum may have a second axis extending parallel to the axial direction. The black photosensitive drum may be disposed at a position nearest to a first end of the drum unit. A second end of the drum unit may be pivotable about the first axis between initial and pivot positions. The photosensitive drums contact the endless belt when the drum unit is in the initial position. The black photosensitive drum contacts the endless belt and the color photosensitive drums are separated from the endless belt when the drum unit is in the pivot position. |
| US08577253B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus may include a removable/attachable belt unit. In operation, the belt unit may be secured to a main body of the image forming apparatus using a lock mechanism to prevent extraneous or unexpected shifts and/or other movements. The lock mechanism may be located closer to a rotation pivot than to a midpoint between the rotation pivot and a rotation axis of a driven roller. This positioning of the lock mechanism may allow easier attachment and removal of the belt unit. Additionally, the lock mechanism may include an urging member configured to sandwich a protruding member of the belt unit against a contact surface in a front-rear direction. This reduces the potential for elastic or creep deformation of the belt unit. |
| US08577250B2 |
Toner box having shutter that opens and closes communication through-hole
A toner box includes: a main body; a shutter; and a toner seal. The main body is configured to accommodate toner therein and that has a main-body-side communication through-hole, through which an interior and an exterior of the main body communicate. The shutter is disposed so as to be capable of moving between an open position in which the shutter opens the main-body-side communication through-hole, and a closed position in which the shutter closes the main-body-side communication through-hole. The toner seal is configured to be disposed between the main body and the shutter and to surround a perimeter of the main-body-side communication through-hole when the shutter is in the closed position. The toner seal includes: an elastic layer provided with a fixing surface; and a mesh layer disposed on a surface of the elastic layer opposite to the fixing surface. |
| US08577244B2 |
Developing cartridge
A developing cartridge includes: a housing including a developing chamber and a developer accommodating chamber; a developing roller including a developing roller shaft; a supply roller including a supply roller shaft; a developing electrode, which is provided on an outer side of one sidewall of the housing, which is electrically connected to the developing roller shaft, and which includes a developing protrusion protruding parallel to the developing roller shaft at a position different from the developing roller shaft; and a supply electrode, which is provided on the outer side of the one sidewall, which is electrically connected to the supply roller shaft, and which includes a supply protrusion protruding parallel to the supply roller shaft at a position different from the supply roller shaft. The developing protrusion and the supply protrusion are arranged in an arrangement direction of the developing chamber and the developer accommodating chamber. |
| US08577242B2 |
Image forming apparatus with fuser unit
An image forming apparatus includes a fuser unit configured to make an image fused to a recording medium, a selecting unit configured to select a duplex scanning mode or a single-side scanning mode, a check unit configured to determine which one of the duplex scanning mode and the single-side scanning mode is selected, a duplex scanning unit configured to perform a scan when both sides of a document sheet are scanned upon the duplex scanning mode being selected, a setting unit configured to determine power supplied to the fuser unit upon determining, by the check unit, that the single-side scanning mode is selected, and a supply unit configured to supply the determined power to the fuser unit, wherein the determined power is equal to a sum of power consumed by the duplex scanning unit and power that is consumed by the fuser unit upon the duplex scanning mode being selected. |
| US08577240B2 |
Sensor member and image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a sensor member having first and second ends opposite to each other in a longitudinal direction of the sensor member and supported by support structures consisting of the first and second ends, and first and second support portions supporting the first and second ends; a first support structure including a first protruding portion fitted on a first recess portion supporting the first protruding portion; and a second support structure including a second protruding portion fitted on a second recess portion supporting the second protruding portion. The second protruding portion has first and second cylinder portions extending in a longitudinal direction of the second protruding portion. The second recess portion has an insertion portion allowing the second protruding portion to be inserted, a pass portion allowing the first cylinder portion to pass therethrough, and a positioning portion fitted on the second cylinder portion. |
| US08577233B2 |
System and method for selecting color tables for a color printer
A method for color printing includes the steps of determining a voltage level of electrical power supplied to an electrophotographic printing device having multiple colors of toner, the voltage level defining a fusing capacity, and selecting a color table, stored in memory, defining a maximum toner application level for each color of toner, based upon the fusing capacity. |
| US08577231B2 |
Image forming apparatus and toner sensor status sensing method thereof
An image forming apparatus which comprises a developing unit having a toner and a carrier therein, the apparatus includes an agitator to agitate the toner, a toner sensor to receive a control voltage and to generate an output voltage corresponding to a remaining amount of the toner in the developing unit, a pulse width modulator to supply the control voltage to the toner sensor corresponding to a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal and a controller to control the pulse width modulator to supply the control voltage to the toner sensor to adjust a duty ratio of the PWM signal and make the output voltage reach a target value. The controller determines whether the agitator is normal or abnormal based on the output voltage of the toner sensor. |
| US08577226B2 |
Detachable body and image forming apparatus
A detachable body includes: a detachable body main body that is to be attached to an attachment/detachment subject apparatus in a detachable manner, the detachable main body having an internal space and a connection hole which connects the internal space and an external space; and an opening/closing member that is attached to the detachable body main body, the opening/closing member being movable between an opening position where the connection hole is exposed and a closing position where the connection hole is closed. The opening/closing member includes: an opening/closing member main body that is curved parallel with a movement direction of the opening/closing member between the opening position and the closing position; and a plane portion that has a flat surface, the plane portion being formed in an outer surface of the opening/closing member main body. |
| US08577218B2 |
Illumination device for a camera, and method for operating the same
An illumination device contains a light-emitting semiconductor chip containing a plurality of individually drivable emission regions. The illumination device furthermore contains an optical element designed to shape light emitted by the emission regions to form a beam of rays. The illumination device is designed such that different beam profiles of the beam of rays can be set by the individually drivable emission regions. |
| US08577207B2 |
Information signal processing apparatus and method, information signal processing system and method, and information signal playback apparatus and method
An information signal processing apparatus comprises: data playback unit for playing back data from a recording medium on which featured data is recorded according to the setting of a first parameter series; information file playback unit for playing back the video/audio information files by selecting from the recording medium; parameter setting unit for selecting one of the played back information files and setting parameter data corresponding to the information file and to the first or second parameter series; playback period processing unit for determining the playback period of the video/audio data recorded on the recording medium according to the featured data and either initialization parameter data set in advance in accordance with the first and second parameter series or the parameter data adjusted by the parameter setting unit; and playback control unit for performing playback control according to the signal from the playback period processing unit. |
| US08577205B2 |
Digital video recording system
A digital video recorder (DVR) system with an integrated DVD recording device accepts TV input streams in a multitude of forms. Analog TV streams are converted to an MPEG formatted stream for internal transfer and manipulation, while pre-formatted MPEG streams are extracted from the digital TV signal and presented in a similar format. Indexes within the MPEG stream are determined and saved at predefined intervals and are stored on a hard disk along with the MPEG program material and used to create navigation packets when writing to a DVD inserted in an integrated DVD player/recorder. When a program is requested for display from the hard disk or the integrated DVD player/recorder, the program material are extracted from the appropriate source and reassembled into an MPEG stream which is sent to a decoder. The decoder converts the MPEG stream into TV output signals and delivers the TV output signals to a TV monitor. User control commands are accepted which affect the flow of the MPEG stream allowing the user to view stored programs with special functions: reverse, fast forward, play, pause, index, fast/slow reverse play, and fast/slow play. The user can select program material stored on the hard disk to be written to a DVD and can also select program material stored on a DVD to be transferred to the hard disk. |
| US08577201B2 |
Buffering of prior displayed television channels upon accessing a different channel
Systems and methods are provided for managing a time-shift buffer (TSB) that is used for buffering video presentations. One such method includes receiving user input identifying a storage capacity for the TSB and modifying a storage capacity of the TSB such that it is at least substantially equal to the storage capacity identified by the user input. |
| US08577200B2 |
Content editing apparatus, content editing method and program
There is provided a content editing apparatus, content editing method and program capable of easily and rapidly extracting sections corresponding to a reproducing operation of content data.The content editing apparatus includes an operation input processing unit 104 into which a reproduction operating command of content data is input by a user and a record controlling unit 108 for recording operation data corresponding to the reproduction operating command input into the operation input processing unit along with a reproduction position of the content data in a recording medium. |
| US08577199B2 |
Hauling shroud for hauling fibre optic cable along a conduit
A hauling shroud, a cable termination and methods of hauling a fiber optic cable with a pre-connected optic termination along a conduit. The hauling shroud protects the optic termination when being hauled along the conduit. The hauling shroud includes a first housing member and a second housing member such that the first housing member and the second housing member can be joined together to enclose the optic termination. At least one anchoring member is used, for example, connecting pins, such that at least one strengthening element of the fiber optic cable engages with the anchoring member inside an internal cavity formed within the hauling shroud. Alternatively, at least two strengthening elements of the fiber optic cable are attached together to form a loop which engages with the at least one anchoring member, e.g., the connecting pins. This prevents any hauling forces from being applied to the optic termination. |
| US08577195B2 |
Interface accessories with optical and electrical paths
Electronic devices are provided that communicate over cables and other communications paths that include optical and electrical paths. A cable may include wires for forming an electrical path and one or more optical fibers for forming an optical path. Connectors at one or both ends of the cable may include electrical contacts and an optical coupling structure associated with the optical path. Optical paths may be included in connectors such as tip-ring-sleeve connectors and connectors of other types. Interface circuitry may be included in a connector to convert between optical and electrical signaling schemes. Wavelength-division-multiplexing may be used to support bidirectional communications. Breakout boxes and other equipment may be connected using the cables. Digital signals such as digital noise cancellation signals may be conveyed over the optical paths. Power and other electrical signals may be conveyed over the electrical paths. |
| US08577191B2 |
Low-cost transceiver approach
A transceiver comprising a CMOS chip and a plurality of semiconductor lasers coupled with the CMOS chip may be operable to communicate optical source signals from the plurality of semiconductor lasers into the CMOS chip. The source signals may be used to generate first optical signals that may be transmitted from the CMOS chip to optical fibers. Second optical signals may be received from the optical fibers and converted to electrical signals for use by the CMOS chip. The optical source signals may be communicated from the semiconductor lasers into the CMOS chip via optical fibers in to a top surface and the first optical signals may be communicated out of a top surface of the CMOS chip. The first optical signals may be communicated from the CMOS chip via optical couplers, which may comprise grating couplers. |
| US08577187B2 |
Raw image processing
A system, a method and computer-readable media for processing raw image data with a graphics processing unit (GPU). Raw image data generated by an imaging sensor is received. A set of instructions for demosaicing the raw image data is communicated to the GPU. The GPU is enabled to demosaic the raw image data by executing the set of instructions. |
| US08577186B1 |
Forward interpolation approach using forward and backward mapping
A forward interpolation approach is disclosed for enabling a second version of an image to be constructed from a first version of the image. According to one implementation, an input pixel from the first version of the image is forward mapped to the second version of the image to determine a set of candidate pixels that may be affected by the input pixel. Each candidate pixel is then backward mapped to the first version of the image to determine whether they are actually affected by the input pixel. For each candidate pixel that is actually affected by the input pixel, a pixel value is determined for that candidate pixel based at least in part upon the pixel value of the input pixel. By using this forward and backward mapping technique, forward interpolation can be implemented quickly and efficiently. |
| US08577183B2 |
Resolution on demand
A method samples a first spectral band to obtain an initial image frame, determines at least one region of interest of the scene from the initial image frame, each of the at least one region of interest associated with a mean signal level, illuminates the at least one region of interest with at least one illuminator when the mean signal level of the at least one region of interest is at or below a respective threshold of a first plurality of thresholds, the at least one region of interest being illuminated in accordance with a power threshold indicating a minimum illuminator power and agility necessary to illuminate the at least one region of interest, collects at least one image frame in at least one sub-band of a second spectral band, and generates at least one image to be displayed from at least the at least one image frame. |
| US08577182B1 |
Method and system for automatically cropping images
The present invention relates to methods and systems for automatic image cropping. An automatic image cropping system includes a downsampling system, a saliency analyzer, a spatial scatter, and a face detector configured to detecting one or more faces within the image. The saliency value of each pixel not associated with a detected face within the image is adjusted if one or more faces within the image are detected. A search system defines a saliency region based on a total value of saliency values within the saliency region and on a parameter, where the parameter value is based on a relative importance of a false positive pixel to a false negative pixel. The search system also defines a crop region using an aspect ratio that includes the saliency region and determines a position of the crop region based the saliency values within the crop region by performing a one dimensional search. |
| US08577180B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing system and method for processing image
According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes an image block generator, a pixel extractor, a correction parameter calculator and a corrector. The image block generator enlarges an image block including a plurality of pixels to generate an enlarged image block. The pixel extractor extracts a maximum pixel with a maximum pixel value and a minimum pixel with a minimum pixel value from the image block. The correction parameter calculator calculates a correction parameter including a first difference and a second difference. The first difference is an absolute value of a difference between a sample pixel value of a sample pixel to be corrected in the enlarged image block and the maximum pixel value. The second difference is an absolute value of a difference between the sample pixel value and the minimum pixel value. The corrector corrects the enlarged image block using the correction parameter. |
| US08577179B2 |
Image processing arrangement illuminating regions of an image based on motion
An image processing arrangement includes an input to receive an indicator of a power characteristic related to an image processing arrangement and an image processor to process an image based on the indicator of the power characteristic. |
| US08577178B2 |
Image processing device, image display device, and image data producing method
An image processing device includes: a transformation ratio calculation unit which calculates transformation ratio of an image after transformation, the image after transformation being obtained by transforming an original image under predetermined rule; a filter coefficient calculation unit which calculates filter coefficients based on the transformation ratio; and a pixel value calculation unit which calculates the pixel value of each pixel in the image after transformation using the filter coefficients and outputs the pixel value of the image after transformation as image data after transformation. |
| US08577176B2 |
Position and orientation calibration method and apparatus
A position and orientation measuring apparatus calculates a difference between an image feature of a two-dimensional image of an object and a projected image of a three-dimensional model in a stored position and orientation of the object projected on the two-dimensional image. The position and orientation measuring apparatus further calculates a difference between three-dimensional coordinate information and a three-dimensional model in the stored position and orientation of the object. The position and orientation measuring apparatus then converts a dimension of the first difference and/or the second difference to cause the first difference and the second difference to have an equivalent dimension and corrects the stored position and orientation. |
| US08577170B2 |
Shadow detection in a single image
A digital image is divided into patches of pixels, or “superpixels”, where each of the pixels in the patch has approximately the same color value and each of the patches is of approximately the same size. Subsequently, eigenvalues are generated for each patch based on the color values of the individual pixels in the patch, as expressed in a multidimensional color-space. A ratio between the first largest eigenvalue and the second largest eigenvalue for each patch is determined and is then, subsequently, normalized, either based on the intensity of the corresponding patch or normalized to a range between zero and one. The resulting values are compared to a threshold to identify those regions of the digital image that are deemed to be in shadow, thereby generating a shadow mask for the digital image, or are weighted to generate a shadow probability mask. |
| US08577168B2 |
System and method for in-loop deblocking in scalable video coding
A system and a method for deblocking a reconstructed/decoded picture in a scalable video encoding/decoding system is provided. Deblocking is accomplished by applying a filter to smooth pixel values adjacent to a boundary shared by two blocks. The type of the filter applied depends on quantization parameter (QP) values assigned to the two blocks. An enhancement layer (EL) block is assigned a QP value based on its coded information and the QP value of its corresponding base layer (BL) block(s). |
| US08577166B1 |
Optimizing web site images using a focal point
A method may include providing an image to be adjusted, enabling selection of a focal point of the image, and adjusting the image based on the focal point of the image. The method may include providing the image to be displayed within an image template of a web page. The method may also include comparing dimensions of the image with dimensions of the image template, and adjusting the image based on the focal point of the image and based on the comparison the dimensions of the image to the dimensions of the image template. The method may further include providing the adjusted image within the image template of the web page. |
| US08577155B2 |
System and method for duplicate text recognition
A system for duplicate text recognition includes a first means for dividing an electronic text into a plurality of phrase segments; a second means for converting each of the phrase segments into a unique and fixed-length bit string; a third means for storing a plurality of groups of the bit strings, each group of bit strings (string group) including a plurality of bit strings respectively corresponding to the phrase segments in a particular electronic text; and a fourth means for determining whether a predefined similarity between any two string groups in the third means reaches a first threshold, and for determining the two electronic texts corresponding to the two string groups are duplicate texts if the predefined similarity between the two string groups reaches the first threshold. |
| US08577152B2 |
Method of and apparatus for classifying image
A method and apparatus that classify an image. The method extracts a feature vector from the image, wherein the feature vector includes a plurality of first features. The extracting of each of the first features includes: acquiring a difference between sums or mean values of pixels of the plurality of first areas in the corresponding combination to obtain a first difference vector in the direction of the first axis, and obtaining a second difference vector in the direction of the second axis. A first projection difference vector is acquired with a second projection difference vector. A sum of magnitudes of the first projection difference vector and the second projection difference vector as the first feature is obtained; and the image according to the extracted feature vector is classified. |
| US08577148B2 |
Image combining apparatus and image combining program
An image combining apparatus includes a control section which acquires first position information identifying a figure on a first medium from an electronic pen by using the first medium where a pattern for the electronic pen to detect an electronic pen tip position is combined with a background of a image list, identifies an image from the position information by referring to information associating each image with a position on the first medium, further acquires second position information identifying a figure on a second medium from the electronic pen by using the second medium on which the pattern is formed, and identifies an image combining area from the first and second position information, and then associates the image combining area with the image; and an image processing section creating a combined image by combining the image combining area with the image associated with the image combining area. |
| US08577145B2 |
Automated dispensary for identifying embossed characters and package labeling
In a method and apparatus for identifying an embossed character, light of one color is directed in one direction across the embossed character to illuminate certain character parts and light of another color is directed in another direction across the embossed character to illuminate other character parts. Image data for the two colors are captured and are subjected to separate image processing to detect edges highlighted by the directed light. The processed images are combined and supplemented with OCR analysis before being compared with predicted characters. Based on the comparison, a determination is made as to the probable identity of the character. |
| US08577142B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method and program with improved image contrast
An image processing device calculates a frequency of a pixel value for each block, generates a first histogram formed by N bins, mixes the first histogram of a high luminance block and the first histogram of each block, and thereby generates a second histogram for each block. Based on the second histograms of a block including a target pixel and an adjacent block, a frequency of a pixel value that depends on a pixel position in the block of the target pixel is calculated, and a third histogram is generated for each pixel. A relationship between the pixel value and an output value of the pixel value is generated based on the third histogram such that a maximum cumulative frequency of the third histogram matches a maximum value of the output value of the pixel value, and the output value is calculated from the pixel value of the target pixel. |
| US08577141B2 |
Method of enhancing contrast using bezier curve
Disclosed is a method of enhancing contrast of an image by using a Bezier curve. Histogram distribution is calculated based on an image that has been photographed or read out from a storage medium, the type of the image is determined according to the contrast state of the image, the movement directions of control points of a 3-D Bezier curve is determined according to the type of the image, and the movement distances of the control points of the 3-D Bezier curve are calculated based on the number of luminance values of the histogram distribution. Two control points of the 3-D Bezier curve are moved based on the movement directions and the movement distances of the control points, and the 3-D Bezier curve is created by using the two moved control points and two fixed control points. The contrast of the image is enhanced by applying the Bezier curve. |
| US08577140B2 |
Automatic estimation and correction of vignetting
Various embodiments pertain to image correction techniques that automatically estimate and correct vignetting based upon a single image. In various embodiments, a local gradient is estimated and the radial component of the gradient is ascertained. Radial components of gradients are correlated with a radius of the pixel from the optical center of the image, and can be utilized to estimate an attenuation due to vignetting. In some embodiments, a tangential component of a difference of gradients is also ascertained and correlated with the radius for use in estimating the attenuation. Attenuation due to vignetting can be calculated through the application of a polynomial regression to a plot of the radial components versus radius. In various embodiments, the image can be corrected by inverting the attenuation in the image. |
| US08577139B2 |
Method of orthoimage color correction using multiple aerial images
A method for true-orthoimage color correction is provided. Aerial images and digital elevation models (DEMs) are used for balancing colors in orthoimages or true-orthoimages. Seam lines between images are also smoothed. Thus, color distinction between images is rectified and orthoimage quality is greatly enhanced. |
| US08577137B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method, and program
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and a program that are capable of more easily identifying an area of a subject in an image.A luminance information extraction unit 21 through to a motion information extraction unit 25 extract predetermined information from an input image and create an information map indicating feature quantities of features possessed by an area of a subject of the input image.Furthermore, the luminance information extraction unit 21 through to the motion information extraction unit 25 subtract an average value of the pixel values of the pixels of the entire information map from the pixel value of each pixel of the created information map so as to normalize the information map. As a result, the information map can be normalized, and noise can be removed with a simple process when compared to a case in which the information map is normalized using a DOG filter. A subject map creation unit 26 linearly combines each information map, and creates a subject map indicating the likelihood of an area being a subject in each area of an input image. The present invention can be applied to an image processing apparatus. |
| US08577131B1 |
Systems and methods for visual object matching
Systems and methods for improving visual object recognition by analyzing query images are disclosed. In one example, a visual object recognition module may determine query images matching objects of a training corpus utilized by the module. Matched query images may be added to the training corpus as training images of a matched object to expand the recognition of the object by the module. In another example, relevant candidate image corpora from a pool of image data may be automatically selected by matching the candidate image corpora against user query images. Selected image corpora may be added to a training corpus to improve recognition coverage. In yet another example, objects unknown to a visual object recognition module may be discovered by clustering query images. Clusters of similar query images may be annotated and added into a training corpus to improve recognition coverage. |
| US08577130B2 |
Hierarchical deformable model for image segmentation
Described herein is a technology for facilitating deformable model-based segmentation of image data. In one implementation, the technology includes receiving training image data (202) and automatically constructing a hierarchical structure (204) based on the training image data. At least one spatially adaptive boundary detector is learned based on a node of the hierarchical structure (206). |
| US08577129B2 |
System and method for three-dimensional image rendering and analysis
The present invention relates to methods and systems for conducting three-dimensional image analysis and diagnosis and possible treatment relating thereto. The invention includes methods of handling signals containing information (data) relating to three-dimensional representation of objects scanned by a scanning medium. The invention also includes methods of making and analyzing volumetric measurements and changes in volumetric measurements which can be used for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment. |
| US08577128B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing three-dimensional images
A three-dimensional sense adjusting unit displays three-dimensional images to a user. If a displayed reaches a limit of parallax, the user responds to the three-dimensional sense adjusting unit. According to acquired appropriate parallax information, a parallax control unit generates parallax images to realize the appropriate parallax in the subsequent stereo display. The control of parallaxes is realized by optimally setting camera parameters by going back to three-dimensional data. Functions to realize the appropriate parallax are made into and presented by a library. |
| US08577123B2 |
Method and system for evaluating contact elements
A method, system and a computer program product for evaluating contact elements, the method includes: acquiring images of multiple groups of contact elements, wherein each group of contact element was expected to be contacted during a test by the same group of probes so as to form multiple probe marks; and evaluating at least one characteristic of a first contact element in response to a comparison between a number of potential probe marks that appear in the image of a first contact element and a number of potential probe marks that appear in an image of a second contact element. |
| US08577122B2 |
Method and device for testing cigarette packages wrapped with film
A method for testing moving products having at least two layers, such as cigarette packages wrapped with film, wherein at least one layer of the product, namely an inner layer which is arranged further inwards, is covered at least regionally by at least one, at least partially transparent product layer, namely an outer layer which is arranged further outwards, wherein the outer layer of the product is illuminated under an angle of incidence of about 35°, with light, in which the light that is reflected at this layer comprises at least 70%, at least 90%, or at least 95%, of linearly s-polarized light, the s-polarized component of the light reflected by the outer layer and/or of the light reflected by the inner layer and/or the p-polarized component of the light reflected by the outer layer and/or of the light reflected by the inner layer are recorded in each case using at least one suitable electrooptic recording element in the form of an image or partial image of the product and wherein the recorded s-polarized and/or the recorded p-polarized light component are evaluated in order to be able to draw conclusions relating to features of the outer layer and/or of the inner layer. |
| US08577120B1 |
Methods and systems for characterization of an anomaly using infrared flash thermography
A method for characterizing an anomaly in a material comprises (a) extracting contrast data; (b) measuring a contrast evolution; (c) filtering the contrast evolution; (d) measuring a peak amplitude of the contrast evolution; (d) determining a diameter and a depth of the anomaly, and (e) repeating the step of determining the diameter and the depth of the anomaly until a change in the estimate of the depth is less than a set value. The step of determining the diameter and the depth of the anomaly comprises estimating the depth using a diameter constant CD equal to one for the first iteration of determining the diameter and the depth; estimating the diameter; and comparing the estimate of the depth of the anomaly after each iteration of estimating to the prior estimate of the depth to calculate the change in the estimate of the depth of the anomaly. |
| US08577109B2 |
Systems and methods for automated extraction of measurement information in medical videos
Systems and methods providing automated extraction of information contained in video data and uses thereof are described. In particular, systems and associated methods are described that provide techniques for extracting data embedded in video, for example measurement-value pairs of medical videos, for use in a variety of applications, for example video indexing, searching and decision support applications. |
| US08577100B2 |
Remote input method using fingerprint recognition sensor
Disclosed is a remote input method using a fingerprint recognition sensor. A main device activates a fingerprint input mode according to a user's request, and displays a key input unit, menu images and an indicator corresponding to the fingerprint input mode. A remote input device having the fingerprint recognition sensor generates fingerprint data corresponding to the finger touching method in real time, and sends the generated fingerprint data to the main device through a short range wireless communication module. When receiving the fingerprint data, the main device analyzes the type of fingerprint included in the fingerprint data based on the previously stored fingerprint information. The main device also analyzes the user input pattern according to the type of fingerprint and the fingerprint data reception type. Consequently, the main device implements a preset function corresponding to the analyzed user input pattern. The user can control various functions available in the main device using the remote input unit. |
| US08577097B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for half-face detection
Classifier chains are used to determine quickly and accurately if a window or sub-window of an image contains a right face, a left face, a full face, or does not contain a face. After acquiring a digital image, an integral image is calculated based on the acquired digital image. Left-face classifiers are applied to the integral image to determine the probability that the window contains a left face. Right-face classifiers are applied to the integral image to determine the probability that the window contains a right face. If the probability of the window containing a right face and a left face are both greater than threshold values, then it is determined that the window contains a full face. Alternatively, if only one of the probabilities exceeds a threshold value, then it may be determined that the window contains only a left face or a right face. |
| US08577094B2 |
Image template masking
A method of identifying images as matching comprises comparing two image templates using a master mask to select corresponding codes from the templates. The master mask excludes blocks from the matching process and/or weights blocks according to their known or expected reliability. |
| US08577091B2 |
Method and apparatus for authenticating biometric scanners
A method and apparatus for authenticating a biometric scanner involves estimating unique intrinsic characteristics of the scanner (scanner pattern), that are permanent over time, and can identify a scanner even among scanners of the same manufacturer and model. Image processing and analysis are used to extract a scanner pattern from images acquired with the scanner. The scanner pattern is used to verify whether the scanner that acquired a particular image is the same as the scanner that acquired one or several images during enrollment of the biometric information. Authenticating the scanner can prevent subsequent security attacks using counterfeited biometric information on the scanner, or on the user authentication system. |
| US08577087B2 |
Adjusting a consumer experience based on a 3D captured image stream of a consumer response
A survey controller receives response records from response processing systems, wherein the response records comprise a selection of response records each identifying a separate response of at least one consumer to a particular stimulus within a consumer environment detected from a three-dimensional movement of the at least one consumer captured within the consumer environment. The survey controller stores response records in a response database. The survey controller calculates, from the selection of response records stored in the response database, statistics associated with the particular stimulus within the consumer environment. The survey controller stores, by the survey controller, the calculated statistics. |
| US08577086B1 |
Post-BLOB analysis method and article of manufacture
An article of manufacture and method for performing post-BLOB analysis. |
| US08577085B2 |
Visual target tracking
A target tracking method includes modeling the target in a first frame with a first frame iteration of a machine-readable model and receiving an observed depth image of a second frame of a scene including the target. The first frame iteration of the machine-readable model is then adjusted into a second frame iteration of the machine-readable model based on the observed depth image of the second frame. |
| US08577084B2 |
Visual target tracking
A visual target tracking method includes representing a human target with a machine-readable model configured for adjustment into a plurality of different poses and receiving an observed depth image of the human target from a source. The observed depth image is compared to the model. A refine-z force vector is then applied to one or more force-receiving locations of the model to move a portion of the model towards a corresponding portion of the observed depth image if that portion of the model is Z-shifted from that corresponding portion of the observed depth image. |
| US08577082B2 |
Security device and system
A security device and system is disclosed. This security device is particularly useful in a security system where there are many security cameras to be monitored. This device automatically highlights to a user a camera feed in which an incident is occurring. This assists a user in identifying incidents and to make an appropriate decision regarding whether or not to intervene. This highlighting is performed by a trigger signal generated in accordance with a comparison between a sequence of representations of sensory data and other corresponding sequences of representations of sensory data. |
| US08577081B2 |
Mobile video-based therapy
Mobile video-based therapy, using a portable therapy device that includes a camera, a therapy application database, a processor, and a display. The camera is configured to generate images of a user, and the therapy application database is configured to store therapy applications. The processor is configured to select, from the therapy application database, a therapy application appropriate for assisting in physical or cognitive rehabilitation or therapy of the user, to invoke the therapy application, to recognize a gesture of the user from the generated images, and to control the invoked therapy application based on the recognized gesture. The display is configured to display an output of the controlled therapy application. |
| US08577074B2 |
Vortex cooling of voice coils
A low frequency transducer arrangement includes at least one substantially annular magnet. A voice coil is disposed within and concentric with the magnet. A pole is disposed within and concentric with the voice coil. An air gap is defined between the magnet and the pole. The pole includes a bottom half having a downwardly facing axial recess. A plurality of first air passages extend laterally from the axial recess and fluidly interconnect the recess and the air gap. A top half has an upwardly facing axial recess. A plurality of second air passages extend laterally from the upwardly facing axial recess and fluidly interconnect the upwardly facing recess and the air gap. The first air passages and/or the second air passages are non-radially oriented. |
| US08577071B2 |
Shape-adaptable surface for an audio port
A method and apparatus for providing a shape-adaptable surface for an audio port of a device includes an audio port, a shape-adaptable surface having a plurality of portions, a plurality of sensors coupled to the shape-adaptable surface, wherein the plurality of sensors are operative to sense a plurality of distances between the object and the shape-adaptable surface, and a processor operatively coupled to the shape-adaptable surface and the plurality of sensors, said processor configured to control some of the plurality of portions of the shape-adaptable surface to adjust the plurality of distances and to provide a channel between a sound receiver of the object and the audio port. An improved audio coupling is formed by adjusting the distances between the shape-adaptable surface and the object, thereby transmitting sounds directly from the audio port of the device to a sound receiver of the object. |
| US08577067B2 |
Open ear canal hearing aid
The invention provides systems and methods for providing hearing aid. An open ear canal hearing aid may be provided in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The hearing aid may include a part that contains electronic components, a passive amplifier, and a securing mechanism. The securing mechanism may include bristles or balloons. The securing mechanism may have various configurations and be adjustable. |
| US08577062B2 |
Device and method for controlling operation of an earpiece based on voice activity in the presence of audio content
An earpiece (100) and a method (300) personalized voice operable control can include capturing (302) an ambient sound from an Ambient Sound Microphone (111) to produce an electronic ambient signal (426), delivering (304) audio content (402) to an ear canal (131) by way of an Ear Canal Receiver (125) to produce an acoustic audio content (404) and capturing (306) in the ear canal an internal sound (402) from an Ear Canal Microphone (123) to produce an electronic internal signal (410). The electronic internal signal includes an echo of the acoustic audio content and a spoken voice generated by a wearer of the earpiece. The Method also includes detecting (312) the spoken voice in the electronic internal signal in the presence of the echo, and controlling (314) a voice operation of the earpiece when the spoken voice is detected. |
| US08577060B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically determining mix sets in an audio processor
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for dynamically selecting the number of audio channels to mix per listener in an audio processor, such as a server-based three-dimensional audio mixer, as a function of any reasonable measurement of the load on the audio processor. |
| US08577058B2 |
Display device and driving method thereof
A display device and a method of driving the display, wherein the volume of background music is controlled depending upon the color or brightness of display images, and the power consumption is reduced. The display device includes a display unit with a plurality of pixels, a signal controller, and a volume controller. The display unit displays images by selectively activating pixels from among the plurality of pixels in accordance with input video signals and input image control signals. The signal controller reads the input video signals to generate on-pixel signals having information about the ratio of a number of the active pixels compared to a total number of pixels in the plurality of pixels per each frame. The volume controller determines a range from among predetermined ratio ranges corresponding to the ratio of the number of active pixels to define a plurality of volume levels, and determine the volume level corresponding to the on-pixel signal to control the volume according to the ratio corresponding to the determined volume level. |
| US08577057B2 |
Digital dual microphone module with intelligent cross fading
A method of operating a microphone system includes providing first and second microphones associated with a same human speaker. An analog ambient noise signal is received from the first microphone. An analog speech signal is received from the second microphone. The analog ambient noise signal is converted into a digital ambient noise signal. The analog speech signal is converted into a digital speech signal. Digital noise cancellation is performed on the digital speech signal dependent upon the digital ambient noise signal. The digital noise cancellation is performed by digital circuitry. The noise canceled digital speech signal is inputted into an intercom system. A low power condition of the microphone system and/or a failure of the digital circuitry is sensed. In response to the sensing step, an analog-based intercom signal is inputted into the intercom system. The analog-based intercom signal is dependent on the analog speech signal and substantially independent of the analog ambient noise signal. The analog-based intercom signal is inputted into the intercom system without noise cancellation having been performed on the analog-based intercom signal. |
| US08577056B2 |
Limiting peak audio power in mobile devices
Systems and methods of limiting peak audio power in mobile devices may include a high pass filter and a burst module to detect a burst load condition in a mobile device. The burst module can also apply the high pass filter to an audio signal of the mobile device in response to the burst load condition to obtain a filtered signal, and transmit the filtered audio signal to a speaker of the mobile device. |
| US08577054B2 |
Signal processing apparatus, signal processing method, and program
A signal processing apparatus includes a source separation module for producing respective separation signals corresponding to a plurality of sound sources by applying an ICA (Independent Component Analysis) to observation signals produced based on mixture signals from the sound sources, which are taken by source separation microphones, to thereby execute a separation process of the mixture signals, and a signal projection-back module for receiving observation signals of projection-back target microphones and the separation signals produced by the source separation module, and for producing projection-back signals as respective separation signals corresponding to the sound sources, which are taken by the projection-back target microphones. The signal projection-back module produces the projection-back signals by receiving the observation signals of the projection-back target microphones which differ from the source separation microphones. |
| US08577050B2 |
Calibration of audiometric bone conduction vibrators
Embodiments provide improved bone conduction calibration. In one embodiment a bone conduction vibrator coupling member is provided with opposing surfaces configured to contact the housing of an earphone coupler about the opening of the housing and support the housing of a bone conduction vibrator above the opening of the earphone coupler housing. The coupling member has an inner wall defining an aperture extending through the coupling member that is configured to receive the vibrating member of the bone conduction vibrator and provide the vibrating member with access to the cavity of the earphone coupler. A calibration system includes a bone conduction vibrator coupling member positioned upon an earphone coupler. Methods for calibrating a bone conduction vibrator using such a calibration system are also provided. |
| US08577042B2 |
Location-based security, privacy, access control and monitoring system
A system includes a transmit unit to transmit a signal including a data key, and a receiving unit to receive the signal. The receiving unit to determine an encryption key based at least in part on the data key and to decrypt encrypted data using the encryption key. |
| US08577040B2 |
Data transmitting method and apparatus, and data communication method and apparatus
A data communication system and method in which a need to store a frame count value in a non-volatile memory and update the frame count value is obviated, and in which the effect resulting when a frame with its frame count value altered to a value close to a full count value is transmitted is reduced. When a valid frame count value is not held, an inquiry is made for a frame count value. The frame count value is notified from the receiving end, and the frame count value is acquired. An encryption key is generated on the basis of the frame count value. Data is encrypted with the encryption key. Data in a frame structure is transmitted. When the frame transmission ends, the frame count value is incremented. |
| US08577038B2 |
Method and device for generating pseudorandom number, and method and device for encryption using pseudorandom number
Provided are a method and apparatus for generating a pseudo-random number which is unpredictable and which has a small memory work area, and also a method and apparatus for encrypting data, for each predetermined amount, based on the generated pseudo-random number. A seed is divided into a predetermined number of blocks, new blocks are created by calculating an exclusive-OR of the blocks being different from each other, and the new blocks are merged to generate a new pseudo-random number. The data is encrypted for each determined amount based on the generated pseudo-random number. At this time, a pseudo-random number to be used for the succeeding encryption is generated by using as a seed a predetermined amount of random number of the pseudo-random number used for the preceding encryption of the predetermined amount of data. |
| US08577036B2 |
Method and device for transmitting messages in real time
A method and system for transmitting a message in real time between users in a closed network of a vehicle (1), in particular a rail-mounted vehicle, are provided, wherein safety-relevant real-time data (D) of a message (N), including a transmitter ID of a transmitter (3) within the closed network, is encrypted (S1) using a private key (KprivA) of the transmitter (3) in order to generate an encrypted message (N′); the encrypted message (N′), together with the unencrypted transmitter ID of the transmitter (3), is transmitted (S2) from the transmitter (3) to a receiver (4) within the closed network via a vehicle bus (2), and the encrypted message (N′) is decrypted by the receiver (4) using a public key (KpublicA) of the transmitter (3) identified by the received, unencrypted transmitter ID in order to retrieve the unencrypted message (N). The received transmitter ID is compared with the transmitter ID contained in the retrieved message (N) in order to determine whether the message (N) has been transmitted correctly. |
| US08577035B2 |
Electronic circuit for securing data interchanges between a computer station and a network
The present invention relates to an electronic circuit for securing data interchanges between a computer station and a network, said circuit comprising a first network interface connected to said network, said circuit comprising at least a second network interface connected to a network interface of said computer station, a unit for processing data passing between the first network interface and the second network interface, an interface for connection to an internal bus of the computer station suitable for electrically connecting the power supply, said electronic circuit not comprising any means of transferring processed data with the bus of said station. The invention applies in particular to the protection of personal computers handling confidential data. |
| US08577032B2 |
Common key block encryption device, common key block encryption method, and program
A common key block encryption device includes a first hash unit applying locked key permutation to a variable-length s-bit plaintext, and outputting a fixed-length n-bit first block and a second (s-n)-bit block; a first encryption processing unit outputting a third block encrypted by element of n-bit block tweakable block cipher using tweak, inputting the first block; a second encryption processing unit generating a random number (s-n)-bit block with a result of group computation of the third block and the first block as input by using an arbitrary cipher having theoretical security at least against a known-plaintext attack; and a second hash unit applying the locked key permutation to the result of the group computation of the random number block and the second block, and to the third block to output a fifth n-bit block and a sixth (s-n)-bit block. The fifth and sixth blocks are concatenated into an s-bit encryption. |
| US08577031B2 |
Arrangement comprising an integrated circuit
An integrated circuit (1) is provided with function modules (2) which comprise a central processing unit (4) for treating data and executing a program and a cache memory (5). Until now, it was complicated and costly to ensure the manipulation security of the modules. The function modules (2) comprise an encoding unit (6) for data encoding and decoding. |
| US08577028B2 |
System and method for performing exponentiation in a cryptographic system
There are disclosed systems and methods for computing an exponentiatied message. In one embodiment blinding is maintained during the application of a Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT) algorithm and then removed subsequent to the completion of the CRT algorithm. In another embodiment, fault injection attacks, such as the gcd attack, can be inhibited by applying and retaining blinding during the application of the CRT algorithm to yield a blinded exponentiation value, and then subsequently removing the blinding in a manner that causes an error injected into the CRT computation to cascade into the exponent of the value used to unblind the blinded exponentiated value. |
| US08577023B2 |
Encryption processing method, apparatus, and computer program utilizing different types of S-boxes
A common-key blockcipher processing configuration with enhanced immunity against attacks such as saturation attacks and algebraic attacks (XSL attacks) is realized. In an encryption processing apparatus that performs common-key blockcipher processing, S-boxes serving as non-linear transformation processing parts set in round-function executing parts are configured using at least two different types of S-boxes. With this configuration, the immunity against saturation attacks can be enhanced. Also, types of S-boxes present a mixture of different types. With this configuration, the immunity against algebraic attacks (XSL attacks) can be enhanced, thereby realizing a highly secure encryption processing apparatus. |
| US08577022B2 |
Data processing apparatus
To improve encryption technology for a data processing apparatus in order to reduce a possibility of having communication broken by a third party. The data processing apparatus encrypts subject data and renders it as encrypted data to record it on a predetermined recording medium, and decrypts the encrypted data recorded on the recording medium to change it back to the subject data. The encryption is performed in units of plain text cut data generated by cutting the subject data by a predetermined number of bits, where the number of bits of the plain text cut data is varied and dummy data of a size having the number of bits matching with a piece of the plain text cut data of the largest number of bits is mixed with pieces of the plain text cut data other than that of the largest number of bits out of the plain text cut data. |
| US08577021B1 |
5 ringer equivalent number (REN) ringer circuit using a high voltage level translator and a source follower buffer and method therefor
A 5 Ringer Equivalent Number (REN) ringer circuit has a wave generator. A flip-flop is coupled to the wave generator and has a non-inverting and an inverting output. A high voltage level translator is coupled to each of the non-inverting and the inverting outputs of the flip-flop. A source follower buffer is coupled to an output of each of the high voltage level translators. |
| US08577013B1 |
Automatic communications forwarding to displaced employees
A system comprises a connection accessible to one or more incoming nodes, a call transfer interface for connecting the connection with the incoming nodes to a call transfer module capable of communicating with the incoming nodes, a distributed network of two or more provider nodes interfacing with the call transfer module through a router, the router connected to the call transfer module and provider nodes connected to the distributed network, said provider nodes connected to the incoming nodes through the router connected to the call transfer module connected to the call transfer interface and routed by the router in accordance with a provider node priority. |
| US08577009B2 |
Automatic complaint registration for violations of telephonic communication regulations
In an embodiment, a method comprises receiving call information to record a complaint from a called party against a calling party relating to receipt of a call and adding the call information to a complaint database. The call information may be retrieved from the complaint database and a check made for a match between called party information in a regulatory database and the call information. The call information may be updated in the complaint database based on results of the match checking. Reverse lookup information in a third party database may be requested with the call information updated in the complaint database based on results of the request. An entity may request complaint information from the complaint database. In response to the request, an application server may retrieve the requested complaint information from the complaint database and deliver the retrieved complaint information to the entity. |
| US08577006B2 |
User-defined system-enforced session termination in a unified telephony environment
Enforcing user-defined real-time communication session terminations can begin with a termination enforcement handler identifying termination conditions applicable to a real-time communication session hosted by a unified telephony system. The termination conditions can define a limit for an operational variable for the unified telephony system or the real-time communication session. The identified termination conditions can be evaluated. If a termination condition is satisfied, it can be determined which participants are to be disconnected from the real-time communication session based upon handling rules for the termination conditions and/or termination preferences associated with the real-time communication session. The termination preferences can be defined by an initiating entity of the real-time communication session. The participants can be notified that their connection to the real-time communication session will be terminated in a predefined time limit. If the predefined time limit is reached, the participants' connection to the real-time communication session can be automatically terminated. |
| US08577002B2 |
Call screening system and method
A system and method for screening telephone calls to a subscriber telephone number comprises a screening list of telephone numbers assigned to suspect callers and rules defining when a telephone number will be added to or removed from the screening list or ‘greylist,’ and/or modifying a screening value to be assigned to a telephone number in the greylist. Data relating to calls is received from subscribers and processed, and the telephone number is screened in accordance with the rules, based on the screening value assigned to the telephone number and optionally a selected subscriber tolerance level. Subscribers may add any telephone number to a personal list of telephone numbers to be blocked (blacklist) or telephone numbers to be accepted (whitelist). |
| US08577001B2 |
Methods and systems for controlling the blocking of telephone calls
Computer-implemented systems and methods for controlling the blocking of telephone calls are disclosed. A person, for example, bothered by calls from a prison inmate may desire to block future call attempts from that inmate or even desire to block all calls from the confinement/correctional institution at which the inmate is housed. To reduce accidental and fraudulent call blocking, various techniques are used to verify that the party requesting the block is, in fact, the party in control of the telephone number requested to be blocked. Embodiments herein enable call blocking using systems that require little or no human interaction to process a block request, reduce or eliminate accidental blocks via a callback confirmation process, create a documentation trail via the use of a profile and PIN system used for the processing of a block, and/or reduce fraudulent blocks by parties other than those authorized to do so via CNAM (Caller ID) verification. |
| US08576999B2 |
Communication terminal apparatus and transmission history control method
In a communication terminal apparatus having a telephone function, an information communication mode function and a transmission history display function, when transmission based on a telephone number described in an electronic information content such as an electronic mail, a website or the like is performed, the electronic information content is stored in a memory. Then, when a transmission history is displayed, the electronic information content is displayed in addition to transmission information by user handling. Thus, even if the transmission is performed while the electronic information content is being browsed, a user can know how situation the displayed transmission history is transmitted from. |
| US08576997B2 |
Methods of using biometric data in a phone system and apparatuses to perform the methods
A system includes a processor and a memory accessible to the processor. The memory includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including, in response to an activation event, sending information to a biometric input device to activate the biometric input device. The operations further include receiving biometric data corresponding to a particular user from the biometric input device. The operations include determining whether an identification of the particular user matches the biometric data. In response to determining that the identification of the particular user matches the biometric data, a service is provided to a device associated with the particular user. |
| US08576993B2 |
Method and system for combining text and voice messages in a communications dialogue
A method for delivering messages in a telecommunications network includes delivery of a first text-form message of a session N to the user of the service, in such a way that the sender address is convened to correspond to the session number N and the session stage J, in stages 2-n of the session N. Thus, a text-form message is received, from the user of the message service, at the sender address defined in the message in the previous stage, and the session proceeds according to the contents of the message, in such a way that the sender address is converted to correspond to the session number N and the new session stage J, and the next text-form message of session N is sent to the user of the message service. |
| US08576986B2 |
X-ray system and method for sampling image data
An X-ray imaging method includes in a digital X-ray detector including an array of discrete picture elements each including a photodiode and a transistor, applying a first voltage to the transistors of the discrete picture elements. The method also includes preparing for acquisition of X-ray image data by sampling data from the discrete picture elements while applying a second voltage to the transistors of the discrete picture elements not then being sampled, the second voltage being more negative than the first voltage. The method further includes receiving X-ray radiation on the detector from a source. The method yet further includes sampling X-ray image data from the discrete picture elements while applying the second voltage to the transistors of the discrete picture elements not then being sampled. |
| US08576985B2 |
Methods for indexing solid forms of compounds
The methods of the invention determine the unit cell parameters of a crystalline solid form using diffraction data and applying an algorithm. Using the algorithm, the unit cell parameters may be determined, which may allow one to distinguish between different crystalline solid forms of a substance. |
| US08576984B2 |
Solid-state image pickup apparatus and X-ray inspection system
A solid-state image pickup apparatus 1A includes a photodetecting section 10A and a signal readout section 20 etc. In the photodetecting section 10A, M×N pixel units P1,1 to PM,N are arrayed in M rows and N columns. When in a first imaging mode, a voltage value according to an amount of charges generated in a photodiode of each of the M×N pixel units in the photodetecting section 10A is output from the signal readout section 20. When in a second imaging mode, a voltage value according to an amount of charges generated in the photodiode of each pixel unit included in consecutive M1 rows in the photodetecting section 10A is output from the signal readout section 20. When in the second imaging mode than when in the first imaging mode, the readout pixel pitch in frame data is smaller, the frame rate is higher, and the gain being a ratio of an output voltage value to an input charge amount in the signal readout section 20 is greater. |
| US08576983B2 |
X-ray detector for phase contrast imaging
The invention relates to an X-ray detector (30) that comprises an array of sensitive elements (Pi−1,b, Pia, Pib, Pi+1,a, Pi+1,b) and at least two analyzer gratings (G2a, G2b) disposed with different phase and/or periodicity in front of two different sensitive elements. Preferably, the sensitive elements are organized in macro-pixels (IIi) of e.g. four adjacent sensitive elements, where analyzer gratings with mutually different phases are disposed in front said sensitive elements. The detector (30) can particularly be applied in an X-ray device (100) for generating phase contrast images because it allows to sample an intensity pattern (I) generated by such a device simultaneously at different positions. |
| US08576982B2 |
Personnel screening system
The present specification discloses an inspection system for detecting objects being carried by a person. The inspection system is highly modular and capable of being assembled by a two person team using conventional tooling equipment. In one embodiment, the inspection system has three primary modules—two detection modules and one radiation source module—that can be readily attached and detached from each other or to a frame and connected to a signal processing system to provide for a quick set up and tear down process. |
| US08576980B2 |
Apparatus and method for acquiring sectional images
Disclosed is a computer implemented method of interrogating volumetric data, the method including the steps of: defining a reference surface relative to the volumetric data; providing an interrogation window lying in a movable interrogation plane intersecting the reference surface and the interrogation window intersecting the volumetric data, said interrogation plane having a pole lying in it about which pole said interrogation plane is rotatable, wherein movement of the interrogation plane provides a corresponding movement of the interrogation window; for each movement of the interrogation plane, determining the point of intersection of said pole and said reference surface, determining the relative angle of rotation of said interrogation plane about said pole and determining the angle of inclination of said pole to said reference surface; and on the basis of said determinations, providing a sectional image through the volumetric data corresponding to the position of the interrogation window within the volumetric data. Also disclosed is a computer system for implementing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, the system includes a processor for performing the steps of the method and a visual display for displaying said sectional image. |
| US08576977B2 |
Method for designing a fuel assembly optimized as a function of the stresses in use in light-water nuclear reactors, and resulting fuel assembly
A method for design of a fuel assembly for nuclear reactors, including structural components made from zirconium alloy: the mean uniaxial tensile or compressive stress to which the components are subjected during the assembly life is calculated, the zirconium alloy of which the components are made is selected according to the following criteria: those components subjected to an axial or transverse compressive stress of between −10 et −20 MPa are made from an alloy with a content of Sn between Sn=(=0.025σ−0.25)% and Sn=−0.05σ%: those components subjected to such a stress of between 0 et −10 MPa are made from an alloy the Sn content of which is between Sn=traces and Sn=(0.05σ+1)%: those components subjected to such a stress of between 0 and +10 MPa are made from an alloy the Sn content of which is between Sn=0.05% and Sn=(0.07σ+1)%: and those components subjected to such a stress of between +10 and +20 MPa are made from an alloy the content of SN of which is between 0.05% and 1.70%. A fuel assembly made according to the method. |
| US08576966B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting tampering with video transmission systems
Systems and methods for controlling transmission of signals are described. A camera-side modem is configured to receive two signals from a video camera and to extract a received passband signal from a transmission line. A detector in the camera-side modem generates an alarm signal when disruption or loss of the received passband signal is identified. An enable signal is used to control transmission of at least one of the baseband video signal and the passband video signal. The passband signal may be identified by an estimate of mean square error in a quadrature amplitude demodulator, a measurement of reliability provided by a constellation detector, a measurement of reliability based on a sequence of frame synchronizations and/or an estimate of mean square error in an equalizer. The detector may monitor a gain factor in an automatic gain control module of the camera-side modern and/or a magnitude of the received passband signal. |
| US08576964B2 |
Radio receiver
There is provided a radio receiver including: a first matched filter, a second matched filter, a first frame synchronization determining unit and a first phase determining unit. The first matched filter performs matching processing on the basis of N first tap coefficients and sign information of a received digital signal to obtain first output data. The second matched filter performs matching processing on the basis of M (M is a natural number smaller than the N) second tap coefficients, the sign information and amplitude information of the received digital to obtain second output data. The first frame synchronization determining unit determines a first frame synchronization timing of the received digital signal on the basis of the first output data. The first phase determining unit determines a first phase amount of the received digital signal on the basis of the second output data and the first frame synchronization timing. |
| US08576963B2 |
Non-coherent detection apparatus and method for IEEE 802.15.4 LR-WPAN BPSK receiver
A non-coherent detection apparatus includes, inter alia, a correlation unit, a frequency offset estimator, and a signal detector. The correlation unit obtains a differential phase signal by multiplying a complex conjugate value of a delay signal obtained by delaying a received signal by (N+1) chips by the received signal, sums-up resultant values obtained by multiplying each component of the differential phase signal by each component of a correlation sequence and outputs a correlation signal. The frequency offset estimator estimates a frequency offset based on a value obtained by accumulatively summing-up the correlation signals corresponding to preamble portions of the received signal. The signal detector detects an original signal from the received signal based on a size of a real-number part of a resultant value obtained by multiplying the frequency offset estimated by the frequency offset estimator by the correlation signal corresponding to a PHY payload portion of the received signal. |
| US08576961B1 |
System and method for adaptive overlap and add length estimation
A method for determining an overlap and add length estimate comprises determining a plurality of correlation values of a plurality of ordered frequency domain samples obtained from a data frame; comparing the correlation values of a first subset of the samples to a first predetermined threshold to determine a first edge sample; comparing the correlation values of a second subset of the samples to a second predetermined threshold to determine a second edge sample; using the first and second edge samples to determine an overlap and add length estimate; and providing the overlap and add length estimate to an overlap and add circuit. |
| US08576958B2 |
Method for soft modulation in a wireless telecommunication network
A method for soft remodulation in a receiver of transmissions over a wireless telecommunication system, the method including obtaining from a FEC decoder a-posteriori LLR values, converting the a-posteriori LLR values into bit probabilities and computing improved soft symbols estimates as expected values using the bit probabilities in a recursive algorithm. Preferably, the step of converting is implemented using a pre-computed Look Up Table (LUT). Preferably, the step of computing is implemented in a Multiplier-Accumulator having a SIMD structure. |
| US08576957B2 |
Processing digital samples in a wireless receiver
A system and method for processing digital samples from a signal received via a wireless transmission channel in a wireless communications system. The method comprises: comparing a target signal quality value with an estimated received signal quality value; detecting if the estimated received signal quality value exceeds the target signal quality value for a period; and selecting one of a plurality of processing routines of differing sensitivities for processing the digital samples. |
| US08576956B2 |
Method for detecting random access signal
Provided is a method for detecting random access signal, and the method includes detecting a peak position of a random access signal in a first preamble section and ignoring the random access signal apart from the peak position for less than a certain distance in a second preamble section adjacent to the first preamble section. |
| US08576953B2 |
Identification of target signals in radio frequency pulsed environments
A system and method for processing signals are disclosed. The method may be performed, at least partially, by the system. In one embodiment, the method comprises sending a first plurality of data including transmission parameters to a transmission system for transmitting of a first plurality of signals, receiving a second plurality of signals including signals based on the power level of the first plurality of signals, detecting in the second plurality of signals the signals corresponding to the first plurality of signals, outputting a second plurality of data based on the power levels of the second plurality of signals corresponding to the first plurality of signals, and receiving the second plurality of data and associating the first plurality of data and the second plurality of data based on the time when the first plurality of signals was transmitted and the second plurality of signals was received |
| US08576946B2 |
Method and system for cooperative communications with minimal coordination
A method and system are provided in a wireless communications system comprising a plurality of nodes (users) working cooperatively. The system provides cooperative diversity by allowing nodes to actively share their antennas and other resources to obtain spatial diversity. The nodes receive the same message (information data) from a common source. Each node enhances the reliability of the message with a modern forward error correction (FEC) code, converts the FEC encoded message into an ensemble of symbols, divides the ensemble of symbols into packets, modulates, dithers and transmits the packets to a receiving node. The dithering process is performed by varying the signal amplitude, phase, frequency and/or symbol timing of the modulated packets. A unique dither pattern is assigned to each node. The receiving node captures a composite signal comprising the transmitted packets of all or most of the transmitting nodes in the cooperative communications system. Because the transmitted packets are dithered independently in phase and/or amplitude, spatial diversity is transformed into temporal diversity. |
| US08576945B1 |
Method of and apparatus for signal amplification
A system for and method of amplifying a modulated input signal can include separating the input signal into a first amplitude component signal and a first amplitude composite signal (e.g., an amplitude only component signal). The method further includes subtracting the first amplitude composite signal from the input signal to provide a difference signal. The method also includes amplifying the difference signal asymmetrically with respect to the first amplitude composite signal. The method can also include adding the difference signal and the first amplitude composite signal after asymmetric amplification. The power amplifier supply voltage can be powered as a function of the first amplitude component signal. The mathematical operations can be performed in the digital domain. |
| US08576939B2 |
Method and system for slicing a communication signal
A slicer can receive a communication signal having a level or amplitude that is between two discrete levels of a multilevel digital communication scheme. The slicer can compare the communication signal to a plurality of references such that multiple comparisons proceed essentially in parallel. A summation node can add the results of the comparisons to provide an output signal set to one of the discrete levels. The slicer can process the communication signal and provide the output signal on a symbol-by-symbol basis. A decision feedback equalizer (“DFE”) can comprise the slicer. A feedback circuit of the DFE can delay and scale the output signal and apply the delayed and scaled signal to the communication signal to reduce intersymbol interference (“ISI”). |
| US08576932B2 |
Methods and arrangements in a wireless communication system for producing signal structure with cyclic prefix
The present invention relates to methods and arrangements in a wireless communication system supporting cyclic-prefix insertion, using a symbol sequence comprising a number of samples for transmission over a radio channel that enables the handling of very large signal delay spreads. The symbol sequence is built up by a first symbol with CP and a second symbol with CP. The second symbol is a copy of the first symbol with the samples shifted in a way that makes the two adjacent symbols with CP match in regards to the sample order. The symbol sequence may also comprise a third symbol with CP or more, where the third symbol is a copy of the second symbol and with the samples shifted in analogy with the symbol shift described above. The resulting symbol sequence will thus appear as an extended continuous symbol thanks to the precise cyclic shift that matches adjacent symbols. This allows the receiver to place its FFT window anywhere during the extended symbol, e.g. at the end of the symbol sequence thus making it possible to handle a delay spread longer than the CP duration. It also allows to place e.g. two FFT windows and to combine the extracted signal into one SNR improved signal, while still handling a longer delay spread. |
| US08576927B2 |
Encoding method, encoding device, decoding method, decoding device, program, and recording medium
A frame formed of a plurality of code words encoded with an encoding mode in which two different types of code words are assigned one-to-one to two smallest quantization intervals is checked to determine whether it contains just the two types of code words assigned to the two smallest quantization intervals, and lossless encoding is applied to the frame containing just the two types of code words. A code obtained by this lossless encoding is decoded with a decoding method corresponding to the lossless encoding. |
| US08576926B2 |
Single frame artifact filtration and motion estimation
A video processing method comprising receiving a video stream comprising a plurality of frames, removing via one or more non-binary artifact functions a plurality of artifact pixels from the video stream, and outputting the video stream with the artifact pixels removed. |
| US08576925B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method, and program
An image processing apparatus which converts a frame rate by dividing an input frame into subframes and outputting the subframes, comprises, a preprocessing unit adapted to perform preprocessing of replacing a pixel value of a pixel of interest with a minimum pixel value of peripheral pixels of the pixel of interest in an input frame, a low-pass filter processing unit adapted to generate a first subframe by performing a low-pass filtering process on the input frame having undergone the preprocessing, a generating unit adapted to generate a second subframe from the first subframe and the input frame, and a switching unit adapted to output the first subframe and the second subframe by switching the first subframe and the second subframe at a predetermined timing. |
| US08576919B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for use in switching between streaming video bitstreams
Improved methods and apparatuses are provided for switching of streaming data bitstreams, such as streaming data bitstreams typically used in video streaming and other related applications. Some desired functionalities provided herein include random access, fast forward and fast backward, error-resilience and bandwidth adaptation. The improved methods and apparatuses can be configured to increase coding efficiency of and/or reduce the amount of data needed to encode a switching bitstream. |
| US08576905B2 |
Central decoding controller and controlling method thereof
A central decoding controller and a central decoder controlling method are disclosed. A video stream is processed and transmitted via at least two parallel channels. The method comprises steps of: receiving a video key frame obtained by decoding an original video frame via a first channel, and a plurality of intra-description frames neighboring the video key frame; receiving a predictive video frame obtained by processing a prediction analysis and an error correction to the original video frame via a second channel parallel to the first channel; receiving a plurality of inter-description frames via the second channel, the inter-description frames neighboring the video key frame; calculating correlation of the video key frame, the intra-description frames, and the inter-description frames; and selecting the video key frame or the predictive video frame as an output frame according to the correlation result. The method can improve video quality under wireless transmission or unstable internet transmission. |
| US08576901B2 |
Modem and method of operating a wireless device
A modem is provided for a wireless device that is capable of providing service for at least two SIMs. The modem has at least a first set of modem components and a second set of modem components. The modem selectively reconfigures the arrangement of the plural sets of modem components. In a first configuration, the first set of modem components provides wireless connection service for a first SIM of the wireless device and the second set of modem components provides wireless connection service for a second SIM of the wireless device. This allows active wireless connections to be made on behalf of both SIMs simultaneously by the sets of modem components. In a second configuration, the first set of modem components and the second set of modem components provide wireless connection service for the first SIM. |
| US08576900B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving signal from relay station in radio communication system
A method for a transmitting and receiving a signal from a relay station in a radio communication system is provided. The method comprises the steps of: receiving offset time information from a base station; configuring a time difference between an access downlink transmission subframe that transmits an access downlink signal to a relay station terminal according to the offset time information and a backhaul downlink reception subframe that receives a backhaul downlink signal from the base station; transmitting a control signal from the access downlink transmission subframe to the relay station terminal; and receiving the backhaul downlink signal from the base station in the backhaul downlink reception subframe. |
| US08576897B2 |
Receiver
A method, apparatus and computer program product for a method of operating an analog-to-digital converter of a transceiver which includes a transmitter and a receiver, the receiver including the analog-to-digital converter. The method includes determining a maximum conversion rate of the analog-to-digital converter, wherein the determining step includes determining a temperature of the analog-to-digital converter, and selecting a conversion rate of the analog-to-digital converter, based on the determined maximum conversion rate and a frequency of an unwanted signal component of the receiver, such that the selected conversion rate places an alias response of the unwanted signal component to a frequency range which is substantially non-overlapping with a wanted signal component of the receiver. |
| US08576895B2 |
Rapid acquisition methods and apparatus for GPS signals
A method and apparatus for receiving a signal from transmitters such as GPS satellites, for fixing the location of the receiver. Each of the transmitted signals includes a unique periodically-repeating sequence. A received signal is stored by the receiver for at least two repetitions of the periodically-repeating sequence. FFT operations are performed, and the resulting data frequency samples are pruned responsive to a hypothesized residual frequency, a procedure which significantly reduces the total number of subsequent calculations and therefore significantly reduces processing time. A correlation series is determined from the pruned samples and reference frequency samples corresponding to a hypothesized transmitter. If a match is found in the examination of this series, a code phase offset is determined; if not the process is repeated with another hypothesized residual frequency. Multiple correlation series similarly obtained may also be incoherently combined prior to this examination. |
| US08576892B2 |
Communication apparatus and method
A communication apparatus and method for operating a communication apparatus are provided. The communication apparatus is configured to determine whether a sub-frequency band causing interference is present among sub-frequency bands included in a reception frequency band group, and to send to another communication apparatus an interference avoidance request signal which requests the other communication apparatus to transmit signals by use of remaining sub-frequency bands except the sub-frequency band causing interference, leading to simpler and more efficient interference avoidance. |
| US08576891B2 |
Gas laser oscillator and gas exchange method for gas laser oscillator
The sealed gas laser oscillator that includes the airtight vessel, the laser gas supply source that supplies a laser gas to the airtight vessel, and the vacuum pump that performs evacuation until a pressure of an inside of the airtight vessel reaches a target reached pressure every predetermined interval between laser gas exchanges and is connected to the airtight vessel, and that performs laser oscillation in a state where the airtight vessel is filled with the laser gas. The gas laser oscillator includes a unit that determines the target reached pressure on the basis of the interval between laser gas exchanges, a leakage rate of an impurity gas from the outside to the airtight vessel after evacuation, and an allowable impurity gas pressure at which the gas laser oscillator is capable of being operated. |
| US08576886B2 |
Laser diode drive circuit and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A laser diode drive includes a first photo diode connection terminal to connect a first photo diode that detects light emission amounts of multiple laser diodes, multiple second photo diode connection terminals to connect multiple second photo diodes that detect light emission amounts of the respective multiple laser diodes, multiple APC controllers to control the light emission amounts of the multiple laser diodes based on monitor currents from the first photo diode or the second photo diodes, multiple switches to connect and disconnect the respective APC controllers with a monitor current path formed between the first photo diode connection terminal and the multiple APC controllers, and a detector to detect whether or not the first photo diode is connected to the first photo diode connection terminal and cause all of the switches to disconnect when the first photo diode is not connected to the first photo diode connection terminal. |
| US08576883B2 |
Measurement and adjustment of real-time values according to residence time in networking equipment without access to real time
A system and method of synchronizing clocks in a distributed network is disclosed. A simple 1-pulse-per-second timing pulse is routed to time-stamping units in each network device and utilized to measure traffic-dependent synchronization packet residence delays within network elements. Synchronization messages are updated to reflect the measured residence times, thus creating transparent clocks that can readily be synchronized across the network. The simple timing pulse architecture allows the method to be applied readily both to new designs and to retrofit existing hardware. |
| US08576882B2 |
Media access control protocol for multi-hop network systems and method therefore
A method and system for wireless communication in which a plurality of media access control (“MAC”) packet data units (“PDUs”) corresponding to a plurality of wireless communication connections are received. The plurality of MAC PDUs is grouped into a relay packet and the relay packet is transmitted. Such grouping and transmission of the relay packet is performed by one or more relay nodes. The traffic control for the transmission can also be based on centralized or decentralized routing control and/or centralized or decentralized QoS control. |
| US08576880B1 |
Congestion-based wireless paging channels
What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless access system. The method includes exchanging wireless communications with a plurality of user devices, and transferring a first bit sequence over an overhead portion of a wireless link to the user devices to indicate pages pending on a paging channel of the wireless link. The method also includes monitoring a utilization level of the first bit sequence. If the utilization level of the first bit sequence exceeds a first utilization threshold, then the method includes increasing a number of bits in the first bit sequence to indicate the pages pending on the paging channel of the wireless link, and if the utilization level of the increased first bit sequence exceeds a second utilization threshold, then the method includes transferring the increased first bit sequence and a second bit sequence over the overhead portion of the wireless link to the user devices to indicate the pages pending on the paging channel of the wireless link. |
| US08576873B2 |
System and method for controlling power delivered to a powered device based on channel impediments
A system and method for discovering channel impediments for Power over Ethernet (PoE) applications. Cabling power loss in PoE applications is related to the resistance of the cable itself. A PHY can be designed to measure electrical characteristics (e.g., insertion loss, cross talk, length, discontinuities, etc.) of the Ethernet cable to enable determination of the cable resistance. The determined resistance can be used in powering decisions and in adjusting power budgets allocated to power source equipment ports. |
| US08576869B2 |
Simultaneous cell group and cyclic prefix detection method, apparatus and system
A method, and associated apparatus and system, for simultaneous cell group and cyclic prefix (CP) detection, having the steps of determining primary synchronization signal (P-SyS) timing τ using the P-SyS; based on τ, determine a secondary synchronization signal (S-SyS) timing; placing a single Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) window; FFT processing the signal to obtain the frequency domain S-SyS symbols; equalizing the frequency domain S-SyS signal; phase correcting the S-SyS signal; and detecting the cell group and CP length by the correlation giving maximum energy. |
| US08576861B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing packets
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for processing packets for transmission. A set of interface specific network buffers is identified from a plurality of buffers containing data for a packet received for transmission. A data structure describing the set of interface specific network buffers within the plurality of buffers is created, wherein a section in the data structure for an interface specific network buffer in the set of interface specific network buffers includes information about a piece of data in interface specific network buffer, wherein the data structure is used to process the packet for transmission. |
| US08576855B2 |
System and method of interface association for interface operational status event monitoring
A system and method for interface association between an ATM interface and a GigE/IP interface of a routing switch platform (RSP) to enable network management of a redundant pair of RSPs which serve as an interface between GigE/IP and ATM are provided. |
| US08576853B2 |
Two-layer switch apparatus avoiding first layer inter-switch traffic in steering packets through the apparatus
Link-level data communications implemented in switching apparatus comprising modular switches disposed within a modular computer cabinet that includes modular computer systems; the switching apparatus configured as two layers of switches, the first layer switches coupled to one another for communications by inter-switch links, each second layer switch coupled for communications to the modular computer systems; all the switches stacked by a stacking protocol that shares administrative configuration information among the switches through the inter-switch links and presents all the switches as a single logical switch; the switching apparatus including ports coupling the apparatus to networks and to service applications and terminating applications on the modular computer systems; and sending the packet from network to modular computer system to which the packet is directed, or from modular computer system to network to which the packet is directed, the packet traversing none of the inter-switch links among the first layer switches. |
| US08576852B2 |
Inter-office communication methods and devices
The system provides a low cost way of providing high speed point to point communications between two offices, as well as Internet access, which exploits the use of low cost access technologies, such as ADSL, in such a way that (a) no CO component is required to deploy the solution, (b) the two offices could have different types of communication technologies available, and (c) more than two offices can form an overlay network, whereby each pair of offices has a virtual single high throughput pipe available which is achieved through aggregation of Internet access services at each office. The proposed system allows intranet communication links or Internet connections to be aggregated, thereby enabling faster and more reliable communications. |
| US08576849B2 |
Method and system for realizing transmission of message between an extended processor and switch chip
The invention discloses a method and system for realizing transmission of message between an extended processor and a switch chip. The switch chip amends the destination MAC of the received first message to be transmitted to the extended processor as the first destination MAC, and then transmit the first message to the extended processor, wherein the first destination MAC corresponds to the service physical port of the switch chip for receiving the first message; the extended processor can resolve the first destination MAC to learn that the first message comes from the service physical port. The method and system of the invention can realize transmission of message between the extended processor and the switch chip. |
| US08576847B2 |
Mechanisms for discovering path maximum transmission unit
Mechanisms are provided for determining a path maximum transmission unit of a path between a source node and a destination node of the path. These mechanisms transmit an echo request packet from the source node to the destination node along the path. The mechanisms further determine, by at least one intermediate node along the path, whether a size of the echo request packet is greater than a maximum transmission unit (MTU) of a next link of the path from the intermediate node to a next node along the path. Moreover, the mechanisms record, by the at least one intermediate node, the MTU of the next link in the echo request packet in response to the determination that the size of the echo request packet is greater than the MTU of the next link. |
| US08576845B2 |
Method and apparatus for avoiding unwanted data packets
Method and apparatus for controlling transmission of data packets in a packet-switched network. When a first end-host (A) sends an address query to a DNS system (300) for a second end-host, the DNS system responds by providing a sender key created from a destination key registered for the second end-host, if the first end-host is authorized to send packets to the second end-host. Thereby, the first end-host, if authorized, is able to get across data packets to the second end-host by attaching a sender tag (TAG) generated from the sender key, as ingress tag to each transmitted data packet. A router (302) in the network matches an ingress tag in a received packet with entries in a forwarding table and sends out the packet on an output port (X) according to a matching entry. Otherwise, the router discards the packet if no matching entry is found in the table. |
| US08576844B1 |
Forwarding multicast packets in a VPLS router on the basis of MAC addresses
Layer two (L2) forwarding of multicast traffic between routers of a Virtual Private local area network (LAN) Service (VPLS) domain is described. For example, the techniques allow multicast traffic to generally be forwarded between VPLS routers based on L2 information only, without requiring the routers to examine any layer three (L3) information carried by the multicast traffic for forwarding the multicast traffic. A router dynamically learns a mapping between a multicast source device and an L2 address of a router that introduces multicast traffic into the VPLS domain from the multicast source device. The router installs forwarding information based on the mapping that specifies the L2 address of the router that introduces the multicast traffic, and an L2 multicast group address of the multicast group, and forwards multicast traffic for the multicast group based on the forwarding information without reference to any L3 information of the multicast traffic. |
| US08576838B2 |
Method of setting up a call-back
The invention concerns a method of setting up a call-back to a caller in a packet-based telecommunications network, and a terminal and a media server to execute this method. The call-back is initiated by a user receiving a media stream. The user sets up a packet-based connection to a media server and receives the media stream from the media server. After choosing by the user to call back the caller, the media server generates a cookie with data defining a state of the media stream and sends the cookie to the user. The user initiates the call-back to the caller independently of the media server. After termination of the call-back, the data defining the state of the media stream are sent to the media server and are used to resume the transmission of the media stream to the user from a state following the state defined by the data. |
| US08576834B2 |
Communication system
This invention relates to a communication system using an internet protocol (IP) address. Subscriber terminals have the same subscriber identification and different IP addresses. A server establishes a connection between the terminals via the network. A service system has a table including the subscriber identification information and the IP addresses of the subscriber terminals.When a connection request is made by a subscriber terminal to the group of subscriber terminals while a connection between one subscriber terminals of the group and another subscriber terminal is established, the service system detects an unused IP address associated with the common subscriber identification information of the group of subscriber terminals in the table and notifies the unused IP address to the sever, and the sever makes a call to a subscriber terminal in accordance with the unused IP address. |
| US08576833B2 |
Fault tolerant voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) systems and methods to operate the same
Fault tolerant VoIP systems and methods to operate the same are disclosed. An example method comprises receiving a registration request at an edge device of a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) system from a user device, selecting at the edge device a communication service providing device from a list of devices configured to provide communication services, sending the registration request to the selected communication service providing device, and receiving a registration response from the selected communication service providing device. |
| US08576832B2 |
Method and apparatus for enabling global telephony capabilities in communication networks
A method and apparatus for enabling a network service provider, e.g., a VoIP network provider, to create configuration files containing network based parameters that support global telephony capabilities (e.g., in country services) such as in country ring tones, dialing patterns, network announcements, and signaling tones that can be offered to users who want in country telephony capabilities independent of their location is disclosed. These global telephony capability configurations can be downloaded to intelligent IP phones or based in the VoIP network for access by subscribers' telephony devices. |
| US08576831B2 |
Wireless network system carrying out multihop wireless communication between source and destination
A radio device, which is the source, transmits a route request packet (RREQ) to a radio device. In response to the route request packet (RREQ), the radio device transmits to the radio device a route setup packet (RSET) including a route Radio Device Radio Device Radio Device Radio Device by looking-up topology information (TPIF). In response to the route setup packet (RSET), the radio device produces a route notification packet (RNTF) and transmits the produced route notification packet (RNTF) to radio devices, and. In response to the route notification packet (RNTF), the radio device, which is the destination, produces a route reply packet (RREP) and transmits the produced route reply packet (RREP) to the radio device, which is the source. |
| US08576830B2 |
Method and system for tracking timing drift in multiple frequency hypothesis testing
A mobile device receives a signal comprising a PSS and performs multiple frequency hypothesis testing (MFHT) on the received signal. The mobile device starts MFHT by applying different initial frequency offsets in corresponding MFH branches. Timing drift in MFHT is compensated based on corresponding initial frequency offsets. In this regard, a PSS correlation process is performed on the received signal in each MFH branch. Resulting PSS correlation data is buffered and processed in corresponding PSS timing hypothesis buffers. The timing position of samples is updated in the PSS timing hypothesis buffers based on corresponding initial frequency offsets. Energy associated with the PSS transmissions may be accumulated utilizing corresponding PSS correlation data at updated sampling positions. The received PSS is detected based on a maximum accumulated energy associated with the PSS transmissions. Information that comes from the detected PSS is utilized by the mobile device to camp on a corresponding cell. |
| US08576829B2 |
Multi-channel TDOA system
A wireless network has at least one wireless unit which transmits messages in multiple channels. The messages are synchronously transmitted using a transmit clock signal. The at least one wireless unit starting transmission of the messages at intervals consisting of at least one of one or multiple periods of the transmit clock signal. A plurality of location receivers are used for receiving the messages at different channels transmitted by the wireless units within the wireless network and determining a time of arrival for the received messages. At least one master unit is used for receiving the time of arrival from each of the location units. The location of the wireless unit is to be determined on the Time Difference Of Arrival (TDOA) of the transmitted messages at the location units. |
| US08576827B2 |
Voice data integrated multiaccess by self-reservation and contention algorithm
Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method for providing multiple access to a communication channel, the method comprising: sending a reservation request of a first type into a first selected minislot of a selected frame of an uplink channel when information of a first type is to be sent, the uplink channel having a plurality of frames, each frame having a first selectable number of minislots and a second selectable number of slots, the reservation request of the first type requesting an assignment of at least one slot for transmitting information of the first type in at least one frame that is subsequent to the selected frame. |
| US08576817B2 |
System and method for managing radio access to spectrum and to a spectrum management system
A communication system where radios without a normally available communication pathway to a spectrum management system (referred to as spoke radio devices) communicate with the spectrum management system by joining a network established by a hub radio device that has a prior registration with the spectrum management system. Once joined, the spoke may seek registration with the spectrum management system and, if appropriate, obtain a spectrum allocation from the spectrum management system. Also, once registered, spoke radio devices may form a network of their own. |
| US08576816B2 |
Method and device for the reliable transmission of compressed network headers
Method for transmitting data in a transmission system, the data being transmitted in the form of packets including a compressed header field and a data field and according to a format suited to the transmission system comprising the following steps: recovering the data packet to be transmitted including a compressed header and useful data, identifying the header part from the useful-data part, applying a corrector coding which is selected at the level of the header, and providing the resulting new packet to the link layer, while also communicating the protection mode used, generating the link header according to the transmission format of the relevant transmission system integrating the mode of protection used, and the adaptation of the CRC checksum of the link layer, on reception, performing the error corrector decoding in two steps. |
| US08576815B2 |
Long term evolution (LTE) mobile anchoring
A device receives roaming information associated with a user equipment (UE), a current eNodeB conducting a current Internet protocol (IP) session with the UE, and a plurality of eNodeBs that are neighboring the current eNodeB. The device also selects, based on the roaming information and from the plurality of eNodeBs, an optimal eNodeB to which to handover the UE, and establishes a preemptive IP session with the optimal eNodeB. The device further initiates a handover of the current IP session and the UE from the current eNodeB to the optimal eNodeB, where the current eNodeB acts as an anchoring point for a bearer path associated with the UE during the handover. |
| US08576814B2 |
Access point used in wireless LAN system
The access point used in the wireless LAN system acquires, from a network, an IP address of a management device that holds a list of wireless LAN control devices to each of which the access point can be subordinate, in response to an event start input, acquires the list from the management device via the network by using the IP address of the management device, and accesses at least one of the wireless LAN control devices registered in the list via the network and determines a wireless LAN control device to which the access point should be subordinate, based on a response sent from the at least one of the wireless LAN control devices. |
| US08576813B2 |
Communication system, communication apparatus, and communication method
In an ad hoc mode based on IEEE802.11 standard, when a wireless terminal performs a power save operation to create a network, and a network identifier identical to that of the network to be created is present, the wireless terminal does not join the network. When the wireless terminal is to join the network, and the network identifier identical to that of the network which the wireless terminal is to join is not present, the wireless terminal does not join any network. In this method, reliable connectivity can be obtained in the ad hoc mode which is not defined in the IEEE802.11 standard in detail. |
| US08576812B2 |
Methods, apparatuses and systems facilitating management of airspace in wireless computer network environments
Methods, apparatuses and systems facilitating the management of wireless computer network environments and the detection of rogue and other devices that may affect the performance and/or security of the wireless computer network. The present invention enables accurate and cost effective WLAN airspace mapping. In one embodiment, the present invention allows any conforming access point the ability to routinely scan its airspace, collect data on all operating frequencies and report this information back to a management platform. In one embodiment, the management and reporting functionality described herein uses a standards-based vehicle, such as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). In one embodiment, the present invention facilitates isolation of rogue wireless devices affecting the computer network environment and effective decision-making as to management of the detected device. The present invention also allows network administrators to optimize the configuration of the wireless network environment for performance and security. |
| US08576804B2 |
Beamforming feedback frame formats within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications
Beamforming feedback frame formats within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. A transmitting wireless communication device (TX) transmits a sounding frame to one or more receiving wireless communication devices (RXs) using one or more antennae and one or more clusters. Any antenna/cluster combination may be employed in communications between TXs and RXs. The one or more RXs receive/process the sounding frame to determine a type of beamforming feedback frame to be provided to the TX. Any one of a variety of beamforming feedback frame types and a types of information may be contained within a respective beamforming feedback frame including various characteristics of the respective communication channel between the TX and each of the various RXs. A common beamforming feedback frame format may be supported and employed by all such wireless communication devices (e.g., TX and RXs) when performing MU-MIMO operation such as in accordance with IEEE 802.11ac/VHT. |
| US08576801B2 |
Radio measurements in cellular telecommunication systems
A method of assessing for a mobile terminal 1 the suitability of a cell of a cellular telecommunications network includes measuring the radio signal at the mobile terminal 1—step A; and calculating at least one of a first mean value of a plurality of the radio signal measurements over a first time period—step B—and a second mean value of a plurality of the radio signal measurements over a second time period, longer than the first time period—step D. Two different thresholds are provided. The or each mean value is compared to one or respective ones of the thresholds—steps C and E. If the or either of the mean values are below the or the respective threshold, then this indicates that the cell might not be suitable for the mobile terminal. In that instance, a cell reselection process—step F—or a cell handover process can be triggered. By providing two mean values and two different thresholds, it is possible to provide improved sensitivity to variations in the radio signal as a result of the mobile terminal moving quickly within a cell and less sensitivity to fluctuations of the radio signal at a mobile terminal that is substantially stationary and which are due to “fading”. |
| US08576799B2 |
Mobile communication method and mobile station
A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes the steps of: transmitting, from an LTE-AS function to an EMM function, a reconnection request, when the LTE-AS function detects that an RRC connection is chanted to an idle state; and transmitting, at the EMM function, a service request, when the EMM function receives the reconnection request and detects that the LTE-AS function is in a coverage area. |
| US08576795B2 |
Method and apparatus for handoff between source and target access systems
Systems and methods for switching among heterogeneous networks and inter-working between a source access system and a target access system. An inter-system handoff control component can facilitate setting an IP tunneling by the mobile unit, wherein IP addresses for inter-working security gateway and Radio Access Network of the target access system can be identified. The inter-system handoff control component can then implement tunneling between the source system and the target system, wherein signaling/packeting associated with the target system can be transferred over the source system. |
| US08576788B2 |
Method for performing carrier management procedure in a multi-carrier supported wideband wireless communication system and apparatus for the same
A method and apparatus for performing carrier management in a broadband wireless communication system supporting multiple carriers are disclosed. The method for a mobile station to perform carrier management procedure with a base station supporting multiple carriers includes receiving a carrier management command message from the base station, the carrier management command message including an action code for carrier management and a polling bit in a MAC Control Extended Header (MCEH) indicating whether an acknowledgement message is required, transmitting the acknowledgement message in response to the carrier management command message to the base station when the carrier management command message is successfully received and the polling bit is set to 1, and transmitting a carrier management indication message corresponding to the action code included in the carrier management command message to the base station. |
| US08576787B2 |
Scheduling request transmission supporting high doppler
Block spreading generating partial orthogonality is applied for the uplink control channel for E-UTRA. For instance, a problem of maximizing the multiplexing capacity leads to numerology causing odd-length sequences which do not have the favorable property of even-length sequences (partial orthogonality). The consequence of this is poor performance in cases of high Doppler effects. Maximal multiplexing capacity is taught without loss of performance at high Doppler by modifying an earlier scheduling request scheme. The earlier SR multiplexing scheme has a number of parallel SR resources per slot equal to 12*7=84. In one example, the spreading factor of block spreading is changed to an even number, e.g., from 7 to 6. This enables usage of the partial orthogonality properties of CAZAC sequences and as a result inter-code interference in the case of high Doppler is reduced. Other ways to generate partial orthogonality are shown with similar results. |
| US08576786B2 |
Synchronization channel for advanced wireless OFDM/OFDMA systems
A hierarchical downlink (DL) synchronization channel (SCH) is provided for wireless OFDM/OFDMA systems. The SCH includes a Primary SCH (P-SCH) for carrying PA-Preambles used for coarse timing and frequency synchronization, and a Secondary SCH (S-SCH) for carrying SA-Preambles used for cell ID detection. The total time length occupied by P-SCH and S-SCH is equal to one OFDM symbol time length of a data channel, and S-SCH is located in front of P-SCH in each DL frame. A perfect multi-period time-domain structure is created and maintained in P-SCH to increase preciseness of frame boundary estimation. With overlapping deployment of macrocells and femtocells, a predefined SCH configuration scheme is provided to separate frequency subbands used for macrocells and femtocells such that interferences in S-SCH can be mitigated. In addition, a self-organized SCH configuration scheme is provided to allow more flexibility for femtocells to avoid or introduce interference in S-SCH. |
| US08576770B2 |
Wireless communication base station device, wireless communication terminal, and control information creation method
Disclosed is a wireless communication base station device capable of reducing the power consumption of a terminal when broadband transmission is performed with only an uplink. With this device, a setting unit (101) sets mutually different terminal IDs per a plurality of uplink unit bands for a terminal (200) that communicates using a plurality of uplink unit bands and prescribed downlink unit bands which are fewer in number than the uplink unit bands; a control unit (102) that respectively allocates resource allocation information per a plurality of uplink unit bands to a PDCCH arranged in a prescribed downlink unit band; and a PDCCH creation unit (103) that creates a PDCCH signal by respectively masking the resource allocation information per a plurality of uplink unit bands with the terminal ID that has been set per a plurality of uplink unit bands. |
| US08576764B2 |
Communication apparatus and communication control method
A communication apparatus includes an input unit that inputs names of repeater stations to which the local communication apparatus and a communication counterpart belong respectively, a memory storing identification information of each repeater station, and information needed to set a communication path from the repeater station to another repeater station as communication path setting information associated with the name of the repeater station, an information retrieving section that retrieves identification information of the repeater station, and information needed to set a communication path to another repeater station from the associated information stored in the memory based on the input name of the repeater station, and a communication frame generating section that generates a communication frame including the identification information of the repeater station, and the information needed to set the communication path from the repeater station to which the local communication apparatus belongs to the repeater station of the communication counterpart from a result of the information retrieval. |
| US08576763B2 |
Inter-domain group-communications
The invention relates to group communication services, i.e. communication services involving two or more users (or service participants). The invention provides a method for distributing multicast data of a multicast service to different domains and a method for distributing multicast data to service participants in a domain. Further, the invention relates to a control node and system implementing the respective methods. To improve resource utilization when providing a multicast service, including inter alia PoC services, to service participants the invention provides mechanisms to avoid unnecessary multiplication of multicast data in the distribution tree for multicast services with service participants of different domains. For this purpose the controlling node that is initiating the multicast service upon request determined to which domains the multicast data is to be provided and only forwards the multicast data on a per-domain basis. Another aspect of the invention is the avoidance of unnecessary duplications of multicast data within individual domains. |
| US08576761B1 |
Power save delivery mechanism for wireless communication traffic
In accordance with unscheduled automatic power save delivery (U-APSD) mechanisms, an access point typically creates an unscheduled service period irrespective of availability of downlink data packets for a WLAN device. This can result in a large overhead that can limit the performance and throughput of the WLAN device. Functionality can be implemented on the access point and/or on the WLAN device so that the access point suppresses creating the service period (and transmitting an indication of an end of the service period) when there are no downlink data packets for the WLAN device. In some implementations, configuring the access point to defer creating the service period until it is determined that the WLAN device has transmitted all scheduled uplink data packets, or until the access point has available downlink data, can facilitate conservation of radio resources, and reduce power consumption. |
| US08576757B2 |
Dynamic adjustment of setup time based on paging performance
Techniques for dynamically determining a target setup time based on paging performance are described. A UE in an idle mode may be assigned paging occasions, which are specific time intervals in which the UE might receive paging messages. The UE may wake up a setup time prior to each paging occasion, perform setup tasks, detect for a paging indicator, and possibly receive a paging message. The UE may dynamically determine a target setup time for each awake interval based on paging performance. The target setup time may be (i) decreased by a down step if the paging performance is better than a first threshold or (ii) increased by an up step if the paging performance is worse than a second threshold. The target setup time may be updated in each fixed update period or whenever the paging performance is outside the first and second thresholds. |
| US08576756B2 |
Continuous cache service in cellular networks
A technique for transmitting an object to a mobile device is provided. In response to the mobile device moving from a first area serviced by a first cache to a second area serviced by a second cache, the first cache transmits the object stored in the first cache to the second cache. The first cache transmits instructions to the second cache that cause the second cache to forward the object to the mobile device in the second area. |
| US08576755B2 |
Apparatus and method for relay transition time
An apparatus and method for establishing a relay transition time in a network node in a wireless communication system comprising comparing a network node transmit/receive (TX/RX) switch time to a switch threshold; and using a fraction of the cyclic prefix (CP) as a guard period if the network node TX/RX switch time is less than or equal to the switch threshold, or using a sounding reference signal (SRS) configured channel to blank out a last symbol if the network node TX/RX switch time is greater than the switch threshold. |
| US08576748B2 |
Wireless communication terminal and connection setup method of wireless network
A wireless communication terminal comprises a trigger receiving unit, a participation request receiving unit, and a connection setup unit. The trigger receiving unit receives a predetermined trigger. The participation request receiving unit receives requests to participate in a wireless network from an external terminal which does not participate in the wireless network in which the wireless communication terminal has participated, using wireless communication. The connection setup unit makes each of participation requests received by the participation request receiving unit from a plurality of external terminals correspond to one trigger received by the trigger receiving unit. The connection setup unit performs a connection setup which makes each of the plurality of external terminals participate in the wireless network in response to each of the participation requests, in the order in which the participation requests are received. |
| US08576743B2 |
Apparatus and methods for estimating an unknown frequency error of a tone signal
Estimating an unknown frequency error of a tone signal may comprise sampling, within an error bandwidth, wireless signals including the tone signal that occupy the error bandwidth to generate signal samples, and repeatedly, for different frequency offsets: applying a frequency offset to the signal samples to produce offset values that represent the signals occupying an offset bandwidth equal to the error bandwidth offset by an offset frequency; estimating, within a frequency estimation range less than the error bandwidth, a tone frequency error using the offset values; and measuring a signal-to-noise ratio of the tone signal using the signal samples and the estimated tone frequency error. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and discussed. |
| US08576738B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for sharing a subchannel
A method, an apparatus and a system for sharing a subchannel are disclosed. The method includes: obtaining downlink state information and uplink state information of a subchannel; and scheduling the subchannel according to the downlink state information and uplink state information of the subchannel, and allocating the subchannel to an uplink Mobile Station (MS) and/or a downlink MS. The method improves efficiency and flexibility of sharing subchannels, and therefore improves overall traffic significantly. |
| US08576734B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control method thereof and program
The present invention provides an information processing apparatus that, during data communication with a plurality of external apparatus, maintains the accuracy of the data communication and reduces the power consumed in the data communication, and a control method thereof. To accomplish this, the information processing apparatus sets a communication rate of data communication with a plurality of communicatively connected external apparatus, and measures a receiving interval between data packets received in the data communication with the external apparatus. Furthermore, the information processing apparatus determines whether or not the measured receiving interval exceeds a predetermined threshold. If the interval exceeds the predetermined threshold, the information processing apparatus maintains the currently set communication rate. If the interval does not exceed the predetermined threshold, the information processing apparatus changes the currently set communication rate to a faster communication rate. |
| US08576731B2 |
Random data compression scheme in a network diagnostic component
A network diagnostic component or device that is placed in-line between a first and second node. The diagnostic component or device is used to compress a random data signal. For example, the first node may communicate with the second node using a random data signal that includes random data units that represent a first data unit. In some embodiments, the random data signal may be of the Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (“SAS”)/Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (“SATA”) protocol. The network diagnostic component may receive the random data signal and associate at least one random data unit with identifier that is indicative of the first data unit. This random data unit may be recorded in a memory. A representation of the random data units that are different from the random data unit associated with the identifier is also recorded in the memory. |
| US08576729B2 |
Communication method for point-to-multipoint communication system and subsidiary transmission apparatus for the same system
The communication method and the subsidiary transmission apparatus for a point-to-multipoint communication system in which the subsidiary transmission apparatus autonomously establishes point-to-multipoint communication between one main transmission apparatus and multiple subsidiary transmission apparatuses, without manually operating switches of the subsidiary transmission apparatuses. The subsidiary transmission apparatus generates, during the absence of a transmission request to the main transmission apparatus, an alarm signal to be transmitted to the main transmission apparatus through an upstream line, and the main transmission apparatus sends, while receiving the alarm signal through the upstream line, a specified notification signal, which is to be sent out in response to the reception of the alarm signal, to a downstream line, and the subsidiary transmission apparatus evaluates the state of use of the upstream line depending on the presence or absence of reception of the notification signal from the downstream line. |
| US08576727B2 |
System and method for unique identifier exchange during auto-negotiation
A system and method for unique identifier exchange during auto-negotiation. Wired networks can include non-conformant bridges and/or repeaters that can erroneously forward link protocol frames such as LLDP. These present a problem for higher layer protocols that attempt to manage properties of the link. The unique identifiers exchanged during auto-negotiation can be passed up to higher layers for an integrity check of unique identifiers exchanged using higher layer protocols. |
| US08576726B2 |
Communication and method
A communication method according to the present invention includes receiving MAP in formation, acquiring an initial scheduled frame number and a current frame number from the MAP information, calculating the difference between the initial scheduled frame number and the current frame number, comparing the difference between the initial scheduled frame number and the current frame number with a reference value and setting a scheduled frame number, and performing transmission or reception in the scheduled frame. Therefore, even though a MAP loss occurs, the mobile station can receive only downlink data effective in downlink, thereby reducing power consumption for unnecessary reception, and can exactly perform transmission in a frame in which it should transmit in uplink. |
| US08576721B1 |
Local forwarding bias in a multi-chassis router
Techniques are described for reducing the amount of data traffic carried on inter-chassis links within a multi-chassis router. A multi-chassis router is described in which the packet forwarding engines (PFEs) of each chassis receive and modify forwarding structures, generated in accordance with various load-balancing protocols, to exhibit a chassis-local link preference. Each of the PFEs may implement a selection bias for forwarding paths that egress from the multi-chassis router at the member chassis that includes the ingress PFE. |
| US08576720B2 |
Global provisioning of zero-bandwidth traffic engineering label switched paths
A method of load balancing zero-bandwidth Traffic Engineering Label Switching Paths (0-bw TE LSPs) in a communication network having a plurality of network nodes and a plurality of network links connecting the nodes. The method may be implemented in a centralized Path Computation Element (PCE) or in an ingress router. Each equal cost path from a source node to a destination node is identified from network topology information. A probability of selecting each equal cost shortest path is determined using an iterative Global Load balancing Algorithm (GLA) and each 0-bw TE LSP is provisioned with a specific probability such that the 0-bw TE LSPs are uniformly distributed over all network links. |
| US08576711B1 |
System and method for reducing latency via client side dynamic acknowledgements
Systems and methods are provided whereby latency between a sending device and a receiving device during network communications is reduced by adaptively and dynamically acknowledging the reception of each of a determined number of packets that are transmitted by the sending device to the receiving device over the network. In one aspect, the receiving device adaptively and dynamically acknowledges the reception of each data packet as it is received from the sending device. In another aspect, the receiving device adaptively and dynamically acknowledges the reception of a group of at least two packets as the remaining data packets are received from the sending device. |
| US08576709B2 |
System and method for monitoring dropped packets
A system and method for monitoring dropped packets are provided. A method for communications device operations includes receiving a sequence of packets from a transmitting station, where each packet in the sequence of packets includes a protocol layer packet for each protocol layer of multi-layered network. The method also includes determining if a packet in the sequence of packets has been dropped by the transmitting station, where the determining is based on at least two sets of sequence numbers associated with different protocol layers of packets in the sequence of packets. The method further includes updating a packet discard counter based on the determining. |
| US08576708B2 |
System and method for link protection using shared SRLG association
In one embodiment, certain SRLGs associated with members of a bundle are deemed to be “risk-free SRLGs”, i.e., SRLGs whose failure may not substantially impact the capacity of the bundle to carry traffic in a computer network. In a bandwidth unaware embodiment a number of active members of the bundle is identified for each SRLG, and a bandwidth aware embodiment further specifies an available bandwidth capacity for each SRLG to determine risk-free SRLGs. A backup path or tunnel may be established and utilized to protect a communication link as long as the SRLGs shared are deemed to be risk-free SRLGs. |
| US08576703B2 |
Synchronization of multicast information using bicasting
Techniques that enable a network device such as a router to provide multicast routing services without interruption. Techniques are provided for using bicasting to synchronize multicast information maintained by a first processor and multicast information maintained by a second processor. A multicast protocol related event of packet is sent to both a first processor operating in active mode and a second processor operating in standby mode. Each processor then updates its multicast information based upon the bicasted event or packet. |
| US08576699B2 |
Method for operating a network having a ring topology
A method for operating a network having a ring topology, in which a faulty connection between two stations of the network is detected by monitoring carrier signals. This method enables a faulty connection to be quickly detected in a network. Data may be advantageously rerouted in response to the detection. |
| US08576694B2 |
Apparatus and method for dynamically assigning orthogonal codes in a radio communication system
An apparatus, method, and system for dynamically assigning orthogonal codes to different information signals communicated between a Node B and user equipment in a cellular radio communication system in which a fixed number of codes are allocated between dedicated transport channels (DCHs) and high speed downlink shared channels (HS-DSCHs). A radio controller (RNC) allocates a minimum number of codes for HS-DSCH physical channels (HS-PDSCH codes) to the Node B. The Node B determines HS-PDSCH codes that are not currently being utilized and allocates HS-PDSCH codes from the unused codes without having to communicate with the RNC. When the additional HS-PDSCH codes are needed for DCH codes, the Node B reallocates the codes for DCH purposes without reducing the number of HS-PDSCH codes below the allocated minimum. |
| US08576689B2 |
Method and arrangement for failure handling in a network
A method and arrangement for failure handling in a tree-structured communications network having interconnected edge nodes and switching nodes. VLANs may be established by using spanning trees to provide connectivity in case of a failure in the network. Emitters in the edge nodes periodically broadcast alive messages on the VLANs, and notifiers note the alive messages. A missing alive message indicates a failure on one of the VLANs, and the notifier broadcasts corresponding failure messages on the VLANs. When the alive messages are restored, the notifier broadcasts corresponding repair messages. If a notifier fails to note a failure, one of the edge nodes performs a similar function although somewhat slower. |
| US08576685B2 |
Objective lens element
A high-NA and thin objective lens which prevents occurrence of a crack during lens molding and can stably be molded is provided. The present invention is directed to an objective lens having an optical surface having power which is not negative. The objective lens is a single lens and is formed such that a flat portion which is provided at an outer peripheral portion and perpendicular to the optical axis is closer to a disc surface than the position of the top of an exit-side surface of the objective lens and such that the rate of change in sag of the exit-side surface is continuous across the entire region. |
| US08576683B2 |
Disk decision method and optical disk drive using the disk decision method
A method of determining the type of disk loaded on an optical disk drive, and an optical disk drive using the method are provided. The disk decision method includes operations of detecting a change in the magnitude of a focus error signal generated during a focus search for a recording layer of a disk closest to an outermost layer of the disk, wherein the change in the magnitude of the focus error signal depends on a change in a recording layer of the disk for which aberration correction is performed, and determining a recording layer architecture of the disk according to the detected change in the magnitude of the focus error signal. |
| US08576682B2 |
Method and apparatus for preventing data reproducibility
Provided are a method and an apparatus to prevent reproducibility of data with respect to an optical information storage medium. The method includes recording patterns with respect to the optical information storage medium using irradiated light so as prevent reproduction of the data. The patterns may cause an error or a malfunction when attempting to access the data of the optical information storage medium so as to prevent the reproduction of the data. |
| US08576675B2 |
Data library apparatus, data archive system and server
In a data library apparatus for managing plural pieces of record media, and performing record/reproduction of data into/from the record media, there are provided an information-memorizing memory unit and a device-controlling control unit. Having received a data record/reproduction processing request from a server, the control unit collects load information imposed on data record/reproduction devices, load information imposed on a record-media transportation device, and load information imposed on the record media. Moreover, the control unit memorizes the collected load information into the memory unit. |
| US08576674B2 |
Plasmon generator including two portions made of different metals
A plasmon generator configured to excite a surface plasmon based on light includes a first portion formed of a first metal material and a second portion formed of a second metal material different from the first metal material. The plasmon generator has a front end face. The front end face includes a near-field light generating part that generates near-field light based on the surface plasmon. The second portion includes an end face located in the front end face. The second metal material satisfies at least one of the following requirements: a lower ionization tendency than that of the first metal material; a lower electrical conductivity than that of the first metal material; and a higher Vickers hardness than that of the first metal material. |
| US08576672B1 |
Heat sink layer
A layer configured for use in a magnetic stack has electrical resistivity greater than about 5×10−8 Ωm and thermal conductivity greater than about 1 W/mK. In some arrangements, the magnetic stack includes a substrate with the layer disposed over the substrate, a magnetic recording layer disposed over the layer, and a thermal resist layer disposed between the layer and the magnetic recording layer. In some arrangements, the layer is configured to function as a heat sink and a soft under layer. A system that incorporates the layer can include a magnetic write pole, a near field transducer (NFT) positioned proximate the write pole that radiates energy. |
| US08576668B2 |
Underwater communications
An environmental monitoring system including at least one underwater measurement device and a transmitter for transmitting data from the measurement device to an above water station using a magnetically coupled antenna. |
| US08576666B1 |
Graphical user interface for flow noise modeling, analysis, and array design
A system is provided that employs a programmable computer on which a graphical user interface provides parametric design and analysis of pressure sensor arrays used in aero- or hydroacoustic investigations. Use of the system allows for scientific and parametric investigations of turbulent boundary layer physics, as well as iterative array design optimization. Additionally, the system including the graphical user interface facilitates comparison of the results of current models for wall pressure with past theoretical or experimental wall pressure. |
| US08576663B2 |
Multicomponent seismic inversion of VSP data
A method for seismic inversion of vertical seismic profile (VSP) data in an oilfield. The method includes obtaining an initial velocity model of a subterranean formation including acoustic velocities of wave propagation in proximity to the wellbore, determining an acquisition geometry for obtaining the VSP data including receiver locations within the wellbore and a source location, performing a seismic survey to obtain the VSP data based on the acquisition geometry, analyzing arrival signals of the VSP data to generate transit time data for wave propagation from the source location to the receiver locations, modifying the initial velocity model to generate an updated velocity model by performing a tomographic inversion of the transit time data, generating an elastic model of the subterranean formation by performing the seismic inversion of the VSP data using the updated velocity model, and adjusting the operations of the oilfield based on the elastic model. |
| US08576662B2 |
Interpolation and/or extrapolation of seismic data
A method of processing seismic data is provided in the seismic data is acquired at a plurality of locations and the method comprises interpolating and/or extrapolating the seismic data, thereby to estimate seismic data at a target location different from the plurality of locations. The interpolating and/or extrapolating the seismic data is performed in a polar co-ordinate system. The method may provide for, among other things, accuracy of estimation; particularly at short offsets from the seismic source. The polar co-ordinate system used may be chosen to approximate the seismic wavefront in an earth model, for example in an earth model in which properties vary only with depth. |
| US08576648B2 |
Method of testing data retention of a non-volatile memory cell having a floating gate
A method of decreasing the test time to determine data retention (e.g. leakage current) of a memory cell having a floating gate for the storage of charges thereon. The memory cell is characterized by the leakage current having a rate of leakage which is dependent upon the absolute value of the voltage of the floating gate. The memory cell is further characterized by a first erase voltage and a first programming voltage, applied during normal operation, and a first read current detected during normal operation. The method applies a voltage greater than the first erase voltage or greater than the first programming voltage, to over erase the floating gate. The memory cell including the floating gate is subject to a single high temperature bake. The memory cell is then tested for data retention of the floating gate based on the single high temperature bake. |
| US08576646B2 |
Control voltage tracking circuits, methods for recording a control voltage for a clock synchronization circuit and methods for setting a voltage controlled delay
Memories, clock synchronization circuits, clock synchronization controller circuits, and methods for setting a voltage controlled delay of a clock synchronization circuit and tracking and recording the control voltage are disclosed. For example, a clock synchronization controller provides an initial control voltage to the voltage controlled delay during initialization of the synchronization circuit until a phase dependent control voltage stabilizes. The stable phase dependent control voltage is substituted for the initial control voltage. Following stabilization of the phase dependent control voltage, a phase detector of the clock synchronization circuit is activated. A recovery control voltage is provided by the clock synchronization controller to the voltage controlled delay during recovery of the clock synchronization from a power-saving mode until the phase dependent control voltage stabilizes. |
| US08576645B2 |
Semiconductor memory device capable of minimizing current consumption during high speed operation
A semiconductor memory device includes a signal processing unit configured to generate a control signal corresponding to burst length information and an output controlling unit configured to control an output of a data strobe signal in response to the control signal. |
| US08576642B2 |
Method of using multiplexing circuit for high speed, low leakage, column-multiplexing memory devices
In at least one embodiment, a multiplexer has a plurality of sub-circuits, and each of the plurality of sub-circuits has a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor. Drains of the first transistors are coupled with a first terminal of a fourth transistor, and drains of the second transistors are coupled with a second terminal of the fourth transistor. In at least one embodiment, a method of outputting data using the multiplexer includes turning on the second transistor of a selected one of the plurality of sub-circuits responsive to a clock signal and address information. The second transistor of a non-selected one of the plurality of sub-circuits is turned off. The fourth transistor is turned on responsive to the clock signal. |
| US08576636B2 |
Semiconductor device
A plurality of memory cells included in a memory cell array are divided into a plurality of blocks every plural rows. A common bit line is electrically connected to the divided bit lines through selection transistors in the blocks. One of the memory cells includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor. The first transistor includes a first channel formation region. The second transistor includes a second channel formation region. The first channel formation region includes a semiconductor material different from the semiconductor material of the second channel formation region. |
| US08576635B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method of operating the same
A nonvolatile memory device includes memory cell blocks each configured to comprise memory cells erased by an erase voltage, supplied to a word line, and a bulk voltage supplied to a bulk, a bias voltage generator configured to generate a first erase voltage, having a first pulse width and a first amplitude, in order to perform the erase operation of the memory cells and a second erase voltage, having a second pulse width narrower than the first pulse width and a second amplitude lower than the first amplitude, in order to perform an additional erase operation if an unerased memory cell is detected after the erase operation is performed, and a bulk voltage generator configured to generate the bulk voltage. |
| US08576629B2 |
Operating method of nonvolatile memory device
Disclosed is an operating method of a nonvolatile memory device, which includes programming the first selection transistors of the plurality of cell strings and programming the plurality of memory cells of the plurality of cell strings. The programming the first selection transistors comprises supplying a first voltage to a first bit line connected with a first selection transistor to be programmed and a different second voltage to a second bit line connected to a first selection transistor to be program inhibited; turning on the second selection transistors of the plurality of cell strings, and supplying a first program voltage to a selected first selection line among a plurality of first selection lines connected with the first selection transistors and a third voltage to an unselected first selection line among the plurality of first selection lines. |