最新美国发明专利
Document Document Title
US08640186B2 Pre-authorization of bearer set-up
A request is received to install control rules before having received a corresponding QoS Authorization, especially where the QoS Authorization requires a prior reservation of resources. The request for a bearer resource is pre-authorized before having received a QoS authorization for said request, by receiving a request for a bearer resource; determining that a QoS authorization has, not been received yet; pre-authorizing said request for the bearer resource by installing initial control rules; and updating the previously installed initial control rules with final control rules upon receipt of the QoS authorization. This pre-authorization and the submission of initial control rules are carried out from a PCRF server towards a PCEF device, before having received the QoS authorization. In particular, the pre-authorization may be triggered from a P-CSCF at the originating or destination side, or at both.
US08640184B1 Signal processing apparatus and methods
A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc. At receiver stations, signals in received transmissions and from local inputs (225, 218, 22) cause control processors (200) and computers (205) to automate connection and operation of converters (201), tuners (215), decryptors (224), recorder/players (217), computers (205), furnaces (206), etc. Processors (71, 200) meter and monitor availability and usage of programming.
US08640182B2 Method for detecting a viewing apparatus
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method for detecting a viewing apparatus, and causing a presentation device to present a media program in a time division multiplexed (TDM) scheme or a space division multiplexing (SDM) scheme responsive to said detection, wherein the viewing apparatus is configured to the TDM or SDM schemes to enable viewing of the media program. Other embodiments are disclosed and contemplated.
US08640180B2 Apparatus and method for client-side compositing of video streams
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for client-side compositing of video streams. The method includes receiving, by the video display device, a multiplexed data stream from a remote video server. The multiplexed data stream includes substreams, where the substreams includes a descriptor substream, at least one media substream, and a compositing-instruction substream. The method further includes demultiplexing, by the video display device, the multiplexed data stream into the substreams according to the descriptor substream and displaying, by the video display device, the at least one media substream on a display screen according to the compositing-instruction substream, where the compositing-instruction substream includes instructions on a composition of the at least one media substream.
US08640177B2 Interactive DVR system
A method, program product and system are provided to enable a new software interface and program to manage DVR content including methods for separating storage partitions, e.g. by user and also on a shared basis on local media. The partitions may either be logical or physical partitions and may be allocated differently based on the user. In an exemplary illustration, a shared partition/buffer is used for multiple users who may each initiate the recording of various shows or recordings which may be shared by other users. The interactive shared partition is used to allow multi-room coordination, messaging, content cloning, user-to-user notifications, and specific user to user messaging facilities, with the capability of setting notifications for other parties on the addition/removal of content, “pushing” recommendations of shows to other users of a shared DVR system, and allowing messages to be left to other users regarding content.
US08640175B2 Mobile device, AV device and method of controlling the same
Disclosed is a mobile device. The mobile device includes: a display; a user input receiving unit which receives input by a user; a storage unit; a communication unit which communicates with an external AV device via a network; and a controller which receives UI information of the AV device from the AV device through the communication unit to display the UI information on the display, controls the storage unit to store a user setup value of the AV device according to the input of the user, and controls the communication unit to transmit the user setup value to the AV device when the communication unit starts communicating with the AV device.
US08640167B2 System and method for displaying and searching multimedia events scheduling information
A system for displaying information may include memory, one or more processors, and one or more modules stored in memory. The one or more modules are configured for execution by the one or more processors and may include instructions for: presenting a subset of a collection of data on a first grid having a first axis corresponding to units of time and a second axis, the collection of data comprising data representing time-bounded events; presenting a second grid having, first and second axes corresponding to the first and second axes of the first grid, the second grid corresponding to a larger portion of the collection of data than the subset presented on the first grid; and presenting a user moveable window for selecting a portion of the second grid, and selecting the subset presented on the first grid in accordance with a current position of the window.
US08640165B2 Systems and methods for providing enhanced sports watching media guidance
Systems and methods for enhanced sports-related media content access and display are provided. An intelligent tuning module for multi-tuner systems may designate one sporting event as a primary sporting event and another sporting event as a secondary sporting event. A primary tuner may tune the primary event whenever possible and a secondary tuner may tune the secondary event whenever possible. Sporting events may be assigned user profile scores and tuned away from in reverse priority order. An interactive scoreboard may also be displayed with various game status and alert icons. The interactive scoreboard may allow a viewer to quickly tune between high-interest sporting events. Sports-specific features, such as wagering and fantasy league support, are also provided.
US08640163B2 Determining user-to-user similarities in an online media environment
The determination of similarities between users in an online entertainment environment is disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment comprises a method of operating an entertainment server, wherein the method includes receiving user information that comprises user demographic information and user media selection information from each user of a plurality of users. For a current user, a plurality of similarity values are determined that each quantifies a similarity of the current user to another user based upon similarities between the user information of the current user and the user information of the other user. Then, the method comprises determining a list of other users to present to the current user based upon the similarity values determined, and sending the list of other users to the current user.
US08640160B2 Method and system for providing targeted advertisements
Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed that target content to a subscriber. One such device has a processor communicating with memory. The processor receives a library of content associated with a demographic and stores the library in memory. The processor receives an instruction to retrieve particular content from the library of content and inserts the particular content in an insertion slot.
US08640158B2 Systems, methods, and products for presenting content
Methods, systems, and products modify and/or block content. A program is received, along with a default rating of the program and dynamic ratings of portions of the program. A preference is received from memory to at least one of block and modify the program. When a dynamic rating is missing for a portion of the program, then revert to the default rating and block the portion of the program from presentation.
US08640155B2 Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel.
US08640153B2 Methods and systems for interactive television
An interactive TV device is configured to receive and process multiple broadband input streams simultaneously. The device includes functionality to perform as a Web browser, HF, cable and satellite TV receiver, a digital PVR, an interactive TV set-top box, an advanced central processing unit and a videoconferencing device, thanks to an integrated videoconferencing camera. The present interactive TV device is configured to manage all multimedia sources identically, whether the input is a TV channel, a Web page, or a video stream played back from a data carrier such as a DVD, for example. The present interactive TV device is also configured to enable a user to watch and record a plurality of video streams simultaneously and to display them on four independently manageable quarter screen segments.
US08640151B2 Optical disk apparatus
An optical disk apparatus includes a tray mounting an optical disk and a casing which stores the tray so that the tray may be inserted into and ejected from the casing. The tray has a guide rail on at least one of parallel sides relative to the direction of tray insertion or ejection and for guiding the movement of tray in the direction of tray insertion or ejection. The casing has rail guides formed on a side section of the casing in opposition with the guide rails when the tray is inserted and for guiding the guide rail, and a spring member formed on a frontend of the rail guides in the direction of tray insertion or ejection to provide elastic deformation when a force toward the tray insertion direction is applied to the spring member.
US08640150B2 Information processing terminal, information processing method, and program product
An information processing terminal enables, during the execution of a predetermined application program, the addition of an additional program and the execution of the additional program in a predetermined memory. The information processing terminal includes a management device, an acquisition device, an execution device, and a deletion device. The management device manages the additional program and a plug-in point included in the application program by associating the additional program with the plug-in point. The acquisition device acquires, upon execution of the application program up to the plug-in point, the additional program associated with the plug-in point from a predetermined storage device. The execution device executes the acquired additional program in the memory. The deletion device deletes, upon completion of the execution of the additional program, the additional program from the memory.
US08640146B2 Providing extensive ability for describing a management interface
A method and apparatus for providing a management interface to an application server to allow user access to managed properties of a deployment. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving metadata of a deployment describing managed properties, which are generated according to a user definition. The method further includes creating a management interface for the deployment to provide user access to the managed properties.
US08640143B2 Method and system for providing preemptive response routing
A computer program product comprises a computer usable medium. The computer usable medium has a computer readable program such that when the computer readable medium is executed on a computer, the computer is caused to receive a request from a calling service. Further, the computer is caused to determine reply-to endpoint information from the request. The reply-to endpoint information indicates the calling service as a calling service response endpoint. In addition, the computer is caused to monitor functionality of the calling service. The computer is also caused to update the reply-to endpoint information to indicate an alternative calling service as the calling service response endpoint if the functionality of the calling service is impaired prior to availability of response data for composition of a response.
US08640139B2 System deployment determination system, system deployment determination method, and program
A system deployment determination system is provided that can appropriately define the number of information processing apparatuses that satisfies availability defined in a Service Level Agreement as the number of information processing apparatuses used in a target system to be configured. The list generating means generates a list including information processing apparatuses of which failure rates are less than the failure rate defined, and searches an information processing apparatus. The apparatus number determining means calculates a number of information processing apparatuses required to satisfy the amount of requested processing during normal operation. On condition that the number of information processing apparatuses thus calculated can be allocated from the searched information processing apparatus used independently or the searched information processing apparatus group forming the cluster, the number of information processing apparatuses thus calculated is adopted as the number of information processing apparatuses used in the target system to be configured.
US08640138B2 Authenticating a processing system accessing a resource via a resource alias address
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for authenticating a processing system accessing a resource. An association of processing system identifiers with resources, including a first and second resources, is maintained. A request from a requesting processing system in a host is received for use of a first resource that provides access to a second resource, wherein the request is generated by processing system software and wherein the request further includes a submitted processing system identifier included in the request by host hardware in the host. A determination is made as to whether the submitted processing system identifier is one of the processing system identifiers associated with the first and second resources. The requesting processing system is provided access to the first resource that the processing system uses to access the second resource.
US08640137B1 Methods and apparatus for resource management in cluster computing
Embodiments of an event-driven resource management technique may enable the management of cluster resources at a sub-computer level (e.g., at the thread level) and the decomposition of jobs at an atomic (task) level. A job queue may request a resource for a job from a resource manager, which may locate a resource in a resource list and grant the resource to the job queue. After the resource is granted, the job queue sends the job to the resource, on which the job may be partitioned into tasks and from which additional resources may be requested from the resource manager. The resource manager may locate additional resources in the list and grant the resources to the resource. The resource sends the tasks to the granted resources for execution. As resources complete their tasks, the resource manager is informed so that the status of the resources in the list can be updated.
US08640136B2 Sharing objects between computer systems
An object management system (10) comprises a storage device (12); a first computer system (12) configured to store a first object, and a copy of the first object on the storage device; and a second computer system. The first computer system is configured to create a first data object including information about the stored copy of the first object, and the second computer system is configured to read the information about the stored copy of the first object from the first data object, and retrieve the stored copy of the first object from the storage device. The first object may be partitioned by the first computer system and stored as partitions on the storage device, and the first data object would contain information about the partitions. The second computer system would be configured to read information about the partitions from the first data object, select partitions from the storage device.
US08640132B2 Jobstream planner considering network contention and resource availability
Disclosed is a computer-implemented planning process that aids a system administrator in the task of creating a job schedule. The process treats enterprise computing resources as a grid of resources, which provides greater flexibility in assigning resources to jobs. During the planning process, an administrator or other user, or software, builds a job-dependency tree. Jobs are then ranked according to priority, pickiness, and network centricity. Difficult and problematic jobs then are assigned resources and scheduled first, with less difficult jobs assigned resources and scheduled afterwards. The resources assigned to the most problematic jobs then are changed iteratively to determine if the plan improves. This iterative approach not only increases the efficiency of the original job schedule, but also allows the planning process to react and adapt to new, ad-hoc jobs, as well as unexpected interruptions in resource availability.
US08640130B2 Information processing apparatus, application control method, and program
An information processing apparatus including: an output unit configured to output an image; an operation input unit configured to receive an operation of a user; a storage configured to store a group information item that indicates, as one group, a plurality of applications having time slots during which the applications have been activated at the same time out of a plurality of applications that have been activated and ended; and a controller configured to control the output unit to output, when an operation for activating a first application out of the plurality of applications is input by the operation input unit, an operation image for activating all the applications within the group including the first application at the same time based on the group information item.
US08640129B2 Hardware multithreading systems and methods
According to some embodiments, a multithreaded microcontroller includes a thread control unit comprising thread control hardware (logic) configured to perform a number of multithreading system calls essentially in real time, e.g. in one or a few clock cycles. System calls can include mutex lock, wait condition, and signal instructions. The thread controller includes a number of thread state, mutex, and condition variable registers used for executing the multithreading system calls. Threads can transition between several states including free, run, ready and wait. The wait state includes interrupt, condition, mutex, I-cache, and memory substrates. A thread state transition controller controls thread states, while a thread instructions execution unit executes multithreading system calls and manages thread priorities to avoid priority inversion. A thread scheduler schedules threads according to their priorities. A hardware thread profiler including global, run and wait profiler registers is used to monitor thread performance to facilitate software development.
US08640127B2 Relocating guest machine using proxy tool having multiple virtual machines where one virtual machines provides host route for relocation
A system tool, method and program product for relocating an original guest from a first host to a second host in a z/VM environment. A method is disclosed that includes: bringing the original guest down at the first host, wherein the original guest includes a predetermined virtual internet protocol address (VIPA); bringing up a new guest at the second host, wherein the new guest has the predetermined VIPA; autologging on a first virtual machine (VM) at the second host that provides a VM TCP/IP stack to an interface with a virtual switch; launching a second VM to provides a VM multiprotocol server configured for OSPF to run with the VM TCP/IP stack to generate a host route for the new guest, wherein the second VM is launched by the first VM; and launching a third VM for determining a status of the virtual switch and advertising to the network a host route of the new guest, wherein the third VM is launched by the first VM.
US08640125B2 Method and system for securely installing patches for an operating system
A method and a system for securely installing patches for an operating system, wherein the system comprises a personal firewall, for filtering inbound and outbound network traffic; an operating system update agent, for connecting to an update server via the personal firewall to download patches; a policy manager, for invoking respective policies according to respective stages of the operating system; a stage coordinator, for coordinating the policy manager and the operating system update agent for different stages; and a policy database, for storing respective policies for respective stages of the operating system. With the method and system, the possibility of being infected by malicious software is significantly reduced when downloading patches for the operating system from the Internet.
US08640123B2 Apparatus and method for simulating software installation using software dependency map
A virtual installation map, and method involving installing a software functionality using the same, the virtual installation map including a first software installation map including a plurality of software elements representative of a related software file, the software elements also including at least one dependency to another software element. The virtual installation map further including a second software installation map also including a second plurality of software elements representative of related software file along with related dependencies. The first and second software installation maps may be hosted in separate databases and may relate to software products provided by different vendors. One or both software installation maps may include a pointer or other reference to the other installation map thereby providing a virtual installation map, in one example.
US08640121B2 Facilitating multi-installer product installations
Methods, computer program products, and systems facilitate installation of a multi-installer program. A method involves executing a custom action holding an installer mutex associated with installing a core installation via a core installer of a multi-installer program, spawning from within the custom action a spawned custom action capable of awaiting execution until the custom action no longer holds the installer mutex, and executing the spawned custom action to confirm when installation conditions are met for implementing an add-on installation associated with an add-on installer of the multi-installer program. The method may also involve confirming to a target user that the installation conditions are met. When the installation conditions are met, multiple installation actions can be implemented sequentially. The installation conditions may include the installer mutex no longer being held but available for use, completion of core installation, and an installer service being available to complete the add-on installation.
US08640118B2 Managing firmware on a system board
An embodiment includes a computer comprising a system board and a removable programmable storage device. If the system board is replaced, the removable programmable storage device may be transferred to the replacement system board for the automatic transfer of information to the replacement system board and configuration of the replacement system board. In one embodiment, the computer receives a start up command. The computer determines whether a firmware image on the system board matches a firmware image on the removable programmable storage device. Based on determining that the firmware images do not match (when the system board is replaced with a new system board, for example), the computer replaces the firmware image on the system board with the firmware image on the removable programmable storage device. After the check and replacement, the computer proceeds with boot sequences.
US08640114B2 Method and apparatus for specification and application of a user-specified filter in a data space profiler
A data space profiler may include an analysis engine that associates runtime events of profiled software applications with execution costs and extended address elements. Relational agents in the analysis engine may apply functions to profile data collected for each event to determine the extended address element values to be associated with the event. Each extended address element may correspond to a data profiling object (e.g., hardware component, software construct, data allocation construct, abstract view) involved in each event. The extended address element values may be used to index into an event set for the profiled software application to present costs from the perspective of these profiling objects. A filtering mechanism may also be used to extract profile data from the event set corresponding to events that satisfy the filter criteria. By alternating between presentation of profiling object views and filtered event data, performance bottlenecks and their causes may be identified.
US08640104B2 Computer method and apparatus for debugging in a dynamic computer language
A computer based method and apparatus generate a class relationship diagram of dynamic language objects. In response to a user selecting a subject object implemented in the dynamic language, a diagramming member forms and displays a class relationship diagram of the subject object The class relationship diagram visually illustrates relationships between the subject object and objects it inherits from and objects it contains as extracted from the inheritance chain of the subject object. UML or graph notation may be employed in the generated class relationship diagram.
US08640101B2 Pedigree analysis for software compliance management
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to source code analysis and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for source code pedigree management. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for source code pedigree management can be provided. The method can include parsing source code to identify copyright rights holders for corresponding copyright constructs, rejecting copyright constructs not associated with corresponding rights holders, compiling a list of the identified copyright rights holders, corresponding copyright statements, and lists of files corresponding to each of the copyright rights holders, and displaying the compiled list.
US08640099B1 Detecting feature conflicts in a vendor account configuration
Disclosed are various embodiments of a method and system for detecting feature conflicts in a vendor account configuration. A request to modify an account configuration for an account holder is obtained. The configuration describes at least one feature provided to the account holder by a hosted service provider. A determination is made as to whether the requested modification complies with at least one vendor feature rule. If the modification complies with the at least one vendor feature rule, the configuration is modified as requested.
US08640098B2 Offline configuration and download approach
A system for creating a station having a configuration and making the station active within a supervisor application without a need of actual site controller hardware. The configuration may be changed. The new station may be downloaded with the changed configuration to a site controller. Multiple steps for effecting the present configuration design and station download may automatically be accomplished by fewer steps.
US08640094B2 Building optimized download modules leveraging modularized dependencies
Embodiments relate to building a downloadable application. In response to a request to build a downloadable application, a build system determines a set of resources used by the downloadable application. The build system reads this initial set of resources to discover other resources used by the downloadable application. The build system determines resource dependencies for the set of resources and the discovered set of resources, and creates a dependency data structure according to the resource dependencies. Using the dependency data structure, the build system determines a subset of the set of resources and the discovered set of resources to include in a module associated with the downloadable application.
US08640090B2 Active and modifiable data dictionary
An application may obtain a data object based on a data type from a data dictionary. The obtained data object may be copied and modified. The modifications may include, for example, adding, removing, and/or changing a property, built-in type, simple type, and/or complex type of the data object.
US08640089B2 Automated construction and deployment of complex event processing applications and business activity monitoring dashboards
A system and method for constructing and deploying a business activity monitoring (BAM) dashboard associated with an event-based process are disclosed. A configuration module receives an event-based process identifier for an event-based process and data, such as inputs or outputs, for the event-based process. A generation module then generates a dashboard description that includes the identifier and an associated dashboard template having one or more dashboard components. This dashboard description is used by a dashboard server to automatically generate a BAM dashboard for monitoring the event-based process by using the association between the dashboard template and the event-based process to display data associated with the event-based process using one or more dashboard components.
US08640088B2 Software reuse utilizing naive group annotation of incomplete software descriptions employing a self-reporting element
Software reuse utilizing naive group annotation of incomplete software descriptions. A software code is decimated whereby the software code's attributes, such as variable, class and method names are obfuscated into non-informative forms. The decimated software code is then presented to two or more participants that include at least one naive and one informed participant. The naive participant(s) poses a predetermined number of question(s) to and receive answer(s) from the informed participant(s). After receiving the answer(s) posed to the informed participant(s), the naive participant(s) proceeds to guess the function of the presented decimated software code. The annotations, i.e., questions and answers, to the decimated software code under review are collected and stored in a database.
US08640086B2 Graphical user interface system and method for presenting objects
A system and method for visualizing objects within an object network. For example, a computer-implemented method according to one embodiment comprises: receiving object graph data from a remote computing system, the object graph data representing characteristics of objects and relationships between objects in object-oriented program code executed on the remote computer system; interpreting the object graph data to determine one or more characteristics of each of the objects; and generating a graphical user interface (“GUI”) comprised of a plurality of graphical nodes arranged in a graph structure, each of the nodes representing one of the objects and the graph structure representing the relationships between the objects, wherein the graphical nodes are rendered with graphical characteristics representing characteristics of the objects which they represent, the graphical characteristics including at least a color and a shape.
US08640084B2 Generating validation test suites
In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a modeling language representation of a system under test. The representation includes one or more Message Sequence Charts (MSCs). One or more of the MSCs includes one or more conditional constructs including at least one or more guards or one or more loops. The method includes generating one or more use scenarios based on the modeling language representation and generating one or more validation test suites based on the one or more use scenarios.
US08640083B2 Time business process validations within data context
Validating executable data for interactions among a plurality of process artifacts at design time. A data context is created to include the plurality of process artifacts. The data context carries interaction rules among the plurality of process artifacts. The executable data from a data source is associated with the plurality of process artifacts in the created data context. A subset of the interaction rules is selected corresponding to at least one of the plurality of process artifacts. The associated executable data is validated when the associated executable data is in accordance with the selected subset of the interaction rules.
US08640067B1 Method and apparatus for implementing a field programmable gate array clock skew
A skew generator unit includes a delay chain. The delay chain is coupled to a clock line that transmits a clock signal. The delay chain generates a skewed clock signal having a unit of delay from the clock signal. The skew generator unit also includes a selector. The selector is coupled to the delay chain and the clock line and may select one of the clock signal and the skewed clock signal.
US08640065B2 Circuit verification using computational algebraic geometry
In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method includes: receiving a first description for a circuit whose operation over a plurality of inputs is to be verified; receiving a second description for expected behavior of the circuit, where the expected behavior in the second description is expressed as a set of algebraic systems of multivariable polynomials over at least one Galois field; applying at least one computational algebraic geometry technique to a combination of the first description and the second description to determine whether the circuit is verified, where verification of the circuit confirms that at least one output obtained based on the first description corresponds to at least one expected value based on the expected behavior expressed in the second description; and outputting an indication as to whether the circuit is verified.
US08640064B1 Hardware description language simulator tracing and control
Processing a circuit design specified in a hardware description language (HDL) can include, for each of a plurality of nets of the circuit design, creating a trace memory structure, using a processor, during compilation of the HDL circuit design. Each trace memory structure can include trace properties indicating whether tracing is active for the net. A transaction function can be generated during compilation for each net. The transaction function can be configured to invoke tracing for each net during simulation of the circuit design according to an evaluation of the trace properties for the net.
US08640058B2 Method, program product and apparatus for model based geometry decomposition for use in a multiple exposure process
A method of decomposing a target pattern having features to be imaged on a substrate so as to allow said features to be imaged in a multi-exposure process. The method includes the steps of: segmenting a plurality of the features into a plurality of polygons; determining the image log slope (ILS) value for each of the plurality of polygons; determining the polygon having the minimum ILS value, and defining a mask containing the polygon; convolving the defined mask with an eigen function of a transmission cross coefficient so as to generate an interference map, where the transmission cross coefficient defines the illumination system to be utilized to image the target pattern; and, assigning a phase to the polygon based on the value of the interference map at a location corresponding to the polygon, where the phase defines which exposure in said multi-exposure process the polygon is assigned.
US08640057B2 Unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image
A device with a touch-sensitive display may be unlocked via gestures performed on the touch-sensitive display. The device is unlocked if contact with the display corresponds to a predefined gesture for unlocking the device. The device displays one or more unlock images with respect to which the predefined gesture is to be performed in order to unlock the device. The performance of the predefined gesture with respect to the unlock image may include moving the unlock image to a predefined location and/or moving the unlock image along a predefined path. The device may also display visual cues of the predefined gesture on the touch screen to remind a user of the gesture.
US08640056B2 Data visualization techniques
Systems and methods in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention provide for representing a plurality of data values of a hierarchical dataset as graphical elements in a configurable data visualization. A first data visualization may be displayed in a data visualization display page, along with a user interface. A selection of a rendered root node and rendered leaf nodes to be displayed in a second data visualization is received from the user interface. Based on the selection of the rendered root node and rendered leaf nodes, a number of depth levels to display is determined. Also, which of the depth levels to display are identified based on the selection of the rendered root node and rendered leaf nodes. The second data visualization is rendered based on the determined number of depth levels and the identified depth levels.
US08640049B2 Image forming apparatus, image forming system, and function menu adjusting method in image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to perform printing, or scanning, or copying or facsimile, or any combination thereof; a user authentication unit to authenticate a user of the image forming apparatus; a display unit to display a function menu to the authenticated user; and a controller to determine whether any function in the function menu displayed to the authenticated user has not been used for more than a reference time, and adjusting the displayed function menu to remove any function in the displayed function menu that has not been used for more than the reference time.
US08640045B2 User interface for providing consolidation and access
Methods and systems for providing graphical user interfaces are described. To provide greater access and consolidation to frequently used items in the graphical user interface, a user bar is established which includes a plurality of item representations. To permit a greater ease of access to open application windows, a context menu listing open windows associated with an item representation can be generated in response to a user input received by the item representation.
US08640030B2 User interface for creating tags synchronized with a video playback
A system for handling video tags. The tags are displayed synchronized to a video. A controller manages and modifies tag data that can be created by one or more users. The controller identifies a tag dataset for use with a video and provides information for synchronization and display of the tags. Various user interface features are disclosed to allow one or more users to author, publish, view and manipulate tags. Features of a social-network website implementation are disclosed whereby a user community can post, filter, rate and display tags. User profiles are used to define tag characteristics associated with a particular user.
US08640025B2 Multimedia data processing device which can easily prepare multimedia contents and output changed contents
A multimedia processing device implements a script having a data structure that is formed of a drawing information describing portion where media data is chronologically described, and a user navigation information describing portion where correspondence between events and actions and implementation conditions are chronologically described. The multimedia processing device implements this script, and thereby, media data is chronologically reproduced, and at the same time, a user interface showing operations that can be chronologically carried out is outputted. Then, a predetermined process, such as an insertion of media data, can be implemented by carrying out the operations following the user interface according to predetermined timing.
US08640023B1 Method and system for providing HTML page annotations using AJAX and JAVA enterprise edition
A method and system for adding annotations to content of a webpage provided by a content server includes identifying a portion of the content of the webpage and applying an annotation to the identified portion of the content. The annotation is associated with the identified portion. The annotation and its association with the identified portion is saved on an annotations server and a link is generated to an annotated webpage wherein the content for webpage is received from a content server and the annotation is received from the annotations server. The link is sharable so as to enable others to view the annotation associated with the identified portion of the content.
US08640022B2 Integration of spreadsheet objects on web page
Functionality and presentation of spreadsheet applications and web based services are integrated by automating interactions between a spreadsheet object on a web page and other elements on the web page. Bidirectional referencing, automatic coordinate space integration, and assimilation of look and feel of the spreadsheet object into the web page or vice versa are enabled.
US08640017B1 Bootstrapping in information access systems
A method of maintaining a collection of data includes extracting text from the collection of data, the text corresponding to keys and values, generating a feature lexicon from the extracted text, generating a language lexicon from the extracted text and generating configuration files corresponding to the extracted text.
US08640013B2 Storage device
According to one embodiment, a storage device performs error correction processing of a code of which the maximum correction performance is T bits, the decoding device including an error correction processor for performing error correction processing using calculating devices capable of handling errors of J bits (J is an integer equal to or more than one and less than T), wherein an initial value of an error number expectation value is set to I (I is an integer equal to or more than one and less than T), and execution of increment of the error number expectation value and execution of the error correction processing is repeated until no error is detected or the error number expectation value becomes T bits.
US08640010B2 Decoding apparatus and decoding method
Disclosed herein is a decoding apparatus that performs soft-decision decoding on a linear block code, the apparatus including a hard-decision decoder configured to perform hard-decision decoding on a received word using a hard-decision decoding algorithm; and a soft-decision decoder configured to perform, using a soft-decision algorithm, soft-decision decoding merely on a received word for which the hard-decision decoder has failed in the hard-decision decoding.
US08640004B2 Data rearrangement for decoder
There is provided a solution for rearranging data to a decoder of a receiver. The solution comprises receiving data, writing the data to one or more memory slots in parts, first in an ascending order of addresses and then in a descending order of addresses. The solution further comprises reading the full memory slots in a descending order of addresses and forwarding the read data to the decoder.
US08640003B2 Radio base station for performing radio communication with mobile station
A mobile station for performing radio communication with a radio base station, the mobile station includes an information generation section which generates information indicative of a result of error detection on a downlink signal received; and a sending section which sends the information via a physical uplink control channel, and sends uplink data via a physical uplink shared channel at a different transmission frequency from the physical uplink control channel and in a same transmission time period as the physical uplink control channel; whereby the information generation section and the sending section operate when the mobile station receives downlink scheduling information and uplink allocation grant in a same subframe.
US08640002B1 Resolving trapping sets
Apparatuses and methods for resolving trapping sets are provided. One example method can include attempting to decode a codeword using initial values for confidence levels associated with digits of the codeword. For a trapping set, the confidence levels associated with the digits corresponding to a failed parity check are adjusted. The method further includes attempting to decode a codeword using the adjusted value for the confidence levels of the digits corresponding to the failed parity check.
US08640000B1 Nested coding techniques for data storage
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for skewed orthogonal coding techniques. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a block of data comprising a plurality of data chunks. One or more rows of word code chunks are generated using a first linear error-correcting code in systematic form and the data chunks. For each of m rows of the data chunks, one or more split row code chunks are generated using the data chunks of the row, wherein the split row code chunks are generated so that a linear combination of m split row code chunks from different rows forms a first word code chunk of a first codeword including the data chunks and the word code chunks. The rows of data chunks and the split row code chunks and the word code chunks are stored.
US08639987B2 Data processing apparatus and method using monitoring circuitry to control operating parameters
A data processing apparatus and method are provided that use monitoring circuitry to control operating parameters of the data processing apparatus. The data processing apparatus has functional circuitry for performing data processing, the functional circuitry including error correction circuitry configured to detect errors in operation of the functional circuitry and to repair those errors in operation. Tuneable monitoring circuitry monitors a characteristic indicative of changes in signal propagation delay within the functional circuitry and produces a control signal dependent on the monitored characteristic. In a continuous tuning mode operation, the tuneable monitoring circuitry modifies the dependency between the monitored characteristic and the control signal in dependence upon certain characteristics of the errors detected by the error correction circuitry. An operating parameter controller is then arranged, in the continuous mode of operation, to control one or more performance controlling operating parameters of the data processing apparatus in dependence upon the control signal. This enables efficient and robust control of those operating parameters in response to changes in environmental conditions.
US08639985B2 USB testing apparatus and method
A Universal Serial Bus (USB) testing apparatus includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU); a Southbridge; a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC), connected with the Southbridge via USB. The BMC determines if a test starts or finishes, generates a first instruction of creating a virtual control computer when determining the test starts, creates a control module and a comparing module in a memory unit which are running to become the virtual control computer, and connects the memory unit with the BMC according to the first instruction. The control module sends control data to the CPU. The comparing module obtains feedback data from the CPU and compares the control data with the obtained data to determine if the control data is consistent with the obtained data, thereby determining whether the USB is working normally.
US08639975B2 Error management within a data processing system
A data processing system 2 is used to perform processing operations to generate a result value. The processing circuitry which generates the result value has an error resistant portion 32 and an error prone portion 30. The probability of an error in operation of the error prone portion for a given set of operating parameters (clk, V) is greater than the probability of an error for that same set of operating parameters within the error resistant portion. Error detection circuitry 38 detects any errors arising in the error prone portion. Parameter control circuitry 40 responds to detected errors to adjust the set of operating parameters to maintain a non-zero error rate in the errors detected by the error detection circuitry. Errors within the one or more bits generated by the error prone portion are not corrected as the apparatus is tolerant to errors occurring within such bit values of the result value.
US08639964B2 Systems and methods for improving reliability and availability of an information handling system
In one aspect, a method for improving reliability and availability of an information handling system is disclosed. Operational data associated with an operating margin may be captured. A threshold specified by a pre-defined profile may be identified. The pre-defined profile may be useable in adjusting the operating margin. The captured operational data may be compared to the pre-defined threshold. A parameter specified by the pre-defined profile may be identified. The operation of a component of the information handling system may be modified based, at least in part, on the identified parameter specified by the pre-defined profile. The modification may result in adjusting the operating margin.
US08639958B2 On-demand storage system energy savings
Embodiments of the invention relate to dynamic power management of storage volumes and disk arrays in a storage subsystem to mitigate loss of performance resulting from the power management. The volumes and arrays are prioritized, and in real-time power is selectively reduced in response to both the prioritization and an energy savings goal. A feedback loop is provided to dynamically measure associated power gain based upon a lowering of power consumption, and device selection may be adjusted based upon received feedback.
US08639954B2 Portable electronic device and method for recovering power to a rechargeable battery used therein
A portable electronic device employs a method for recovering power to a rechargeable battery used therein when the battery is in a low state of charge. The portable electronic device includes at least a power management subsystem (PMS), a main processor subsystem, and the battery. When the battery is incapable of supplying boot-up power to the processor subsystem, power is provided from a battery charger to the PMS to power-up the PMS. The PMS then determines the battery's type and a state-of-charge (SOC) parameter for the battery, and compares the SOC parameter to a threshold, which is based on at least the battery type. If the SOC parameter is less than the threshold, power is provided from the battery charger to the battery for use in recharging the battery. Otherwise, power is supplied from the battery to the processor subsystem to facilitate general operation of the portable electronic device.
US08639953B2 System and method for gathering information using a power device wherein information is associated with at least one external load
A power device, such as a UPS, and a method for gathering system information using the power device are provided. In one aspect, a UPS receives system information associated with at least one other device, the system information including configuration management information, stores, in data storage, the system information associated with the at least one other device and provides the system information to an external entity.
US08639950B2 Systems and methods for management of secure data in cloud-based network
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for the management of secure data in a cloud-based network. A secure data store can store sensitive or confidential data, such as account numbers, social security numbers, medical or other information in an on-premise data facility. Regulatory and/or operational requirements may prohibit the migration or unprotected transmission of the secure data to the cloud. An operator can instantiate a set of virtual machines to access and process the secure data, for example to process online purchase transactions. To prevent unauthorized disclosure of the secure data, the secure data store can receive data access requests via a translation module that translates the secure data. The secure data store can retrieve and transmit the secure data using a protection mechanism such as a masking and/or encryption mechanism, avoiding the unprotected transport or exposure of that data to the cloud.
US08639949B2 Device with a secure virtual machine
A secure computing device includes a secure cryptographic module with a key generation unit for generating a cryptographic key in dependence on received input. A storage is used for storing a virtual machine that is executable on a processor and at least one program that is executable on the virtual machine. A virtual machine manager including a unit 132 for determining an identifier associated 5 with the virtual machine, a unit 134 for supplying a representation of the identifier to the secure cryptographic module and retrieving a cryptographic keyfrom the secure cryptographic module; and a unit 136 for, under control of the cryptographic key, decrypting at least a part of data input to the processor and encrypting at least part of data output from the processor when the processor executes the virtual machine.
US08639948B2 Encrypted data management in database management systems
The subject matter herein relates to database management systems and, more particularly, encrypted data management in database management systems. Various embodiments provide systems, methods, and software to maintain database tables, some of which are encrypted. Some embodiments include holding clear text in cache and servicing queries from the cache. When a query is received, a file system of the database management system determines if a table holding data to service the query is encrypted. If the table is encrypted, the file system decrypts the data and writes the data to the cache as clear text. Some embodiments, when writing clear text to a table from the cache, determine if the table to which the data is to be written is an encrypted table. If the table is encrypted, the file system encrypts the clear text and stores the cipher text to the encrypted table.
US08639946B2 System and method of using a protected non-volatile memory
The disclosure includes a system and method of using a processor and protected memory. In a particular embodiment, the system includes a processor, a volatile memory accessible to the processor, and a first nonvolatile memory accessible to the processor. The first nonvolatile memory includes a first portion of memory that is protected and is readable when a shield bit indicates an unshielded mode of operation, but is unreadable when the shield bit indicates a shielded mode of operation and a second portion of memory that is unprotected and that is readable regardless of the value of the shield bit. The system includes a second nonvolatile memory including data to be transferred to the volatile memory.
US08639945B2 Branch and switch key instruction in a microprocessor that fetches and decrypts encrypted instructions
A microprocessor includes a storage element that stores decryption key data and a fetch unit that fetches and decrypts program instructions using a value of the decryption key data stored in the storage element. The fetch unit fetches an instance of a branch and switch key instruction and decrypts it using a first value of the decryption key data stored in the storage element. If the branch is taken, the microprocessor loads the storage element with a second value of the decryption key data for subsequent use by the fetch unit to decrypt an instruction fetched at a target address specified by the branch and switch key instruction. If the branch is not taken, the microprocessor retains the first value of the decryption key data in the storage element for subsequent use by the fetch unit to decrypt an instruction sequentially following the branch and switch key instruction.
US08639944B2 Zero divisors protecting exponentiation
The invention relates to a method and to an electronic device for securing the computation of a modular exponentiation x=mD mod N against invasive attacks. The invention comprises applying a mask to the message m, and after the modular exponentiation is carried out, in verifying that the exponentiation was not altered thanks to properties introduced by the mask.
US08639942B2 Information processing apparatus, software update method, and image processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus, a software update method, and an image processing apparatus capable of encrypting and decrypting information using values uniquely calculated from booted primary modules or booted backup modules with less effort are disclosed. The information processing apparatus includes primary modules and the same kinds of backup modules, and includes a value storage unit storing values calculated from the modules, an encryption information storage unit storing information unique to the modules, an information decryption unit decrypting the information unique to the modules using the values in the value storage unit, and an encryption information update unit, when the module is updated, encrypting the information unique to the modules based on a value calculated from the each kind of the primary modules or the backup modules after the update.
US08639938B2 Personal identification number security enhancement
A system for enhancing security of a personal identification number is configned for performing a method that includes receiving, from a first entity having an input permission, a first data structure into a HSM, wherein the first data structure maps a first many-to-one mapping between a first and a second PIN numeral system. The method also includes determining whether the content of the first data structure is valid, storing the first data structure in the HSM if the first data structure is valid and marking the stored first data structure as inactive. The method further includes activating the first data structure if a second data structure is input into the HSM by a second entity having an activation permission, wherein the first entity is different from the second entity, the first data structure is identical to the second data structure. The method additionally includes converting from the first to the second PIN numeral system responsive to the activated first data structure.
US08639936B2 Methods and entities using IPSec ESP to support security functionality for UDP-based traffic
Methods in OMA SEC_CF for providing security services to traffic over UDP between a client and a server and the relevant entities are provided. A pre-shared key is pre-shared between the client and the server. A pair of IPSec ESP SAs between the client and the server is established without shared key negotiation, wherein traffic data cryptographic algorithms are determined. Traffic data security keys are derived from the pre-shared key via the determined traffic data cryptographic algorithms. Then, data of the traffic can be provided with security services with the traffic data security keys through use of IPSec ESP.
US08639935B2 Automated device provisioning and activation
A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a processor to establish a plurality of links to a plurality of devices communicatively coupled to the processor, a particular link of the plurality of links supporting control-plane communications between the processor and a particular device of the plurality of devices over a wireless access network; receive a server message from a particular server of a plurality of servers communicatively coupled to the processor, the server message comprising message payload for delivery to the particular device; generate an encrypted message comprising the message payload and an identifier identifying a particular agent of a plurality of agents on the particular device; and send the encrypted message to the particular device over the particular link, wherein establishing the plurality of links comprises executing a link initialization sequence associating the particular link with a credential associated with the particular device.
US08639933B2 Image reading apparatus, electronic document generation method, and storing medium storing electronic document generation program
An image reading apparatus which reads an original document and generates a digitized scanned document, and which includes a document storage section that stores the scanned document, a document bundling section that identifies one or more scanned documents stored by the document storage section, and bundles the identified documents into one document, and a time stamp affixing section that creates a digital signature of the document bundled by the document bundling section, and affixes a time stamp.
US08639931B2 Acceleration of key agreement protocols
The generation of a shared secret key K in the implementation of a key agreement protocol, for example MQV, may be optimized for accelerated computation by selecting the ephemeral public key and the long-term public key of a correspondent to be identical. One correspondent determines whether the pair of public keys of the other correspondent are identical. If it is, a simplified representation of the shared key K is used which reduces the number of scalar multiplication operations for an additive group or exponentiation operations for a multiplicative group. Further optimization may be obtained by performing simultaneous scalar multiplication or simultaneous exponentiation in the computation of K.
US08639929B2 Method, device and system for authenticating gateway, node and server
A method, device and system for authenticating gateway, node and server are provided in this invention. The node receives a message sent by a gateway, wherein the message comprises a number T3 shared by the gateway and a server, and a gateway identification. The node encrypts data with a key K1 shared by the node and the server, the data including T3, the gateway identification, and a random number T1 generated by the node, and then sends the encrypted data and a node identification to the server through the gateway. The node decrypts data encrypted by the server and forwarded by the gateway with the key, determines that the server is a valid server according to a T1-related number obtained by decryption, and establishes a security channel with the gateway according to a new key obtained through the decryption.
US08639926B2 Techniques for mobile device authentication
A user authenticates a mobile device (MD) to a network-based service (NBS) for initial authentication. Policy is pushed from the NBS to the MD and the MD automatically obtains details about devices and attributes that are near or accessible to the MD in accordance with the policy. The details are pushed as a packet from the MD to the NBS and multifactor authentication is performed based on the details and the policy. If the multifactor authentication is successful, access privileges are set for the MD for accessing the NBS and perhaps for accessing local resources of the MD.
US08639921B1 Storage gateway security model
Methods, apparatus, and computer-accessible storage media for implementing a gateway to a remote service provider according to a security model. The gateway serves as an interface between processes on a customer network and the provider, for example to store customer data to a remote data store. The model may include an activation process initiated by the gateway to register with the provider and associate the gateway with a customer account; the gateway is provided with security credentials. The model may also include establishing secure connections to external processes, for example processes of the service provider. The gateway initiates connections; the external processes do not initiate connections. The model may also include the customer managing the gateway through the service provider. The model may also include encrypting communications between the gateway and the provider and the gateway including security credentials in communications to the provider.
US08639920B2 Systems and methods for providing anonymized user profile data
Embodiments facilitate confidential and secure sharing of anonymous user profile data to improve the delivery of customized content. Embodiments of the invention provide a data appliance to an entity such as a business to convert profile data about the business's customers into anonymous identifiers. A similar data appliance is provided to a content provider in one embodiment to generate identifiers for its user profile data. Because the anonymous identifiers are generated with the same anonymization method, identical identifiers are likely generated from profile data of the same users. Therefore, the identifiers can be used to anonymously match the customers of the business to the users of the content provider. Therefore, data can be shared to improve customized content such as advertisements that the business wishes to place with the content provider without requiring the business to disclose customer data in an unencrypted form, and any non-matched data can remain confidential.
US08639910B2 Handling writes to a memory including asymmetric and symmetric components
A memory controller writes to a virtual address associated with data residing within an asymmetric memory component of main memory that is within a computer system and that has a symmetric memory component, while preserving proximate other data residing within the asymmetric memory component. The symmetric memory component within the main memory of the computer system is configured to enable random access write operations in which an address within a block of the symmetric memory component is written without affecting the availability of other addresses within the block of the symmetric memory component during the writing of that address. The asymmetric memory component is configured to enable block write operations in which writing to an address within a region of the asymmetric memory component affects the availability of other addresses within the region of the asymmetric memory component during the block write operations involving the address.
US08639906B2 Creation of logical units via borrowing of alternative storage and subsequent movement of the logical units to desired storage
A determination is made as to whether a first indicator is configured to allow borrowing of storage space to a first type of storage pool from a second type of storage pool. In response to determining that the first indicator is configured to allow borrowing of storage space from the second type of storage pool, a logical unit is created in the second type of storage pool and a listener application is initiated. The listener application determines that free space that is adequate to store the logical unit has become available in the first type of storage pool. The logical unit is moved from the second type of storage pool to the first type of storage pool, in response to determining, via the listener application, that free space that is adequate to store the logical unit has become available in the first type of storage pool.
US08639905B2 Microcontroller and electronic control unit
A microcontroller in which respective CPUs execute different applications so as to improve processing performance, and the respective CPUs execute an application that requires safety and mutually compare the results thereof so as to enhance the reliability of write data is provided. The microcontroller has a plurality of processing systems made up of a first CPU, a second CPU, a first memory and a second memory, and for the instruction processing about specific processing set in advance, the write to peripheral modules which are not multiplexed is executed twice, and the write data of the first time and the second time are mutually collated.
US08639904B2 Method and system for managing heap across process replication
A method and system for dynamically allocating memory, the method comprising maintaining a record of allocated memory that should be considered free in a child process, and designating as free any copy of memory identified by the record and created in a forking process.
US08639902B2 Methods for sequencing memory access requests
Memory access requests are successively received in a memory request queue of a memory controller. Any conflicts or potential delays between temporally proximate requests that would occur if the memory access requests were to be executed in the received order are detected, and the received order of the memory access requests is rearranged to avoid or minimize the conflicts or delays and to optimize the flow of data to and from the memory data bus. The memory access requests are executed in the reordered sequence, while the originally received order of the requests is tracked. After execution, data read from the memory device by the execution of the read-type memory access requests are transferred to the respective requestors in the order in which the read requests were originally received.
US08639901B2 Managing memory systems containing components with asymmetric characteristics
A memory controller (MC) is associated with a remapping table to enable access to content in a memory system that includes asymmetric memory. The MC receives a request for a memory read or an Input/Output (I/O) write from a central processing unit (CPU) for a physical address specified by the system's memory management unit (MMU). The CPU uses the MMU to manage memory operations for the CPU, by translating the virtual addresses associated with CPU instructions into physical addresses representing system memory or I/O locations. The MC for asymmetric memories is configured to process the MMU-specified physical addresses as an additional type of virtual addresses, creating a layer of abstraction between the physical address specified by the MMU and the physical memory address with which that address is associated by the MC. The MC shields the CPU from the computational complexities required to implement a memory system with asymmetric components.
US08639900B2 Defragmentation of data storage pools
In a computer-implemented data storage system comprising at least one storage control and data storage, wherein data is stored in the form of volumes, at least a plurality of volumes having at least some freespace, and a grouping of a plurality of volumes comprises a pool. In response to a defragmentation request, the storage control initiates migration of data from a pool to generate additional freespace. Subsequent to the migration of data, fragmentation of data of the pool is computed, and the amount of existing freespace of the pool is determined. The amount of existing freespace is compared to a freespace threshold, where the freespace threshold is related to the computed fragmentation. If the comparison indicates the amount of freespace is below the threshold, spill volumes are added to the pool; and, else, the pool is kept intact without adding spill volumes. Then, defragmentation of the pool is initiated.
US08639899B2 Storage apparatus and control method for redundant data management within tiers
A storage apparatus providing a logical storage area for storing data to an external apparatus, includes a plurality of storage devices each providing a physical storage area for storing the data, the storage devices being different from each other in device property including data input/output performance, a capacity virtualization part managing the physical storage areas of the storage devices as unit physical storage areas each having a predetermined storage capacity and managing the unit physical storage areas in association with a plurality of unit logical storage areas forming the logical storage area, a tier controller managing the plurality of unit physical storage areas by classifying into a plurality of tiers the unit physical storage areas provided by the storage devices having the different device properties, and a redundant data management part managing redundant unit storage areas which are a plurality of the unit physical storage areas storing the same data. The data migration between the tiers is controlled according to, for example, an access frequency to the data from the external apparatus.
US08639898B2 Storage apparatus and data copy method
A storage apparatus connectable to another storage apparatus so as to copy the data thereto, for providing a first virtual volume including at least a first block, includes at least a storage unit having storage areas, each storage area being allocatable as a one of the first blocks; a memory storing information for indicating a relationship between each first block and each the storage area, at least one of the storage areas being allocated to the at least one of the first blocks according to a usage pattern of the first virtual volume; and a controller configured to receive an instruction for copying data, determine whether each first block is allocated to any of the storage areas or not in reference to the information, transmit data indicating that one of the first blocks is unallocated to any of the first storage areas on the basis of the determination.
US08639893B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer readable medium storing program
An information processing apparatus includes an operation detector that detects an operation performed on information, a history memory controller that controls a history memory such that the history memory stores as history information an operator and information, serving as an operation target, in a mapped state if the operation detector has detected the operation, an extractor that extracts from the history memory an operator having performed the operation if the operation detector has detected the operation, and a notifier that notifies the operator extracted by the extractor that the operation has been performed on the information.
US08639892B1 Selectively inhibit page usage bit updates
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that inhibit the collection or updating of page characteristics where such information is not useful. One example inhibits the updating of page usage information for pages that are to be kept resident in memory and not swapped to disk. The pages for which page usage or other characteristic updates are to be suppressed can be identified in a number of ways, including using a set range of addresses, bits in page directory entries, bits in page table entries, one or more address registers, or one or more segments.
US08639891B2 Method of operating data storage device and device thereof
The method of operating the data storage device includes performing channel distribution non-sequentially based on a logical address included in a data signal and outputting a channel address, and at least one of writing data to and reading stored data from a memory connected to one of a plurality of channels based on the channel address.
US08639888B2 Systems and methods for managing cache destage scan times
A system includes a cache and a processor. The processor is configured to utilize a first thread to continually determine a desired scan time for scanning the plurality of storage tracks in the cache and utilize a second thread to continually control an actual scan time of the plurality of storage tracks in the cache based on the continually determined desired scan time. One method includes utilizing a first thread to continually determine a desired scan time for scanning the plurality of storage tracks in the cache and utilizing a second thread to continually control an actual scan time of the plurality of storage tracks in the cache based on the continually determined desired scan time.
US08639887B2 Dynamically altering a pipeline controller mode based on resource availability
A mechanism for dynamically altering a request received at a hardware component is provided. The request is received at the hardware component, and the request includes a mode option. It is determined whether an action of the request requires an unavailable resource and it is determined whether the mode option is for the action requiring the unavailable resource. In response to the mode option being for the action requiring the unavailable resource, the action is automatically removed from the request. The request is passed for pipeline arbitration without the action requiring the unavailable resource.
US08639886B2 Store-to-load forwarding mechanism for processor runahead mode operation
A system and method to optimize runahead operation for a processor without use of a separate explicit runahead cache structure. Rather than simply dropping store instructions in a processor runahead mode, store instructions write their results in an existing processor store queue, although store instructions are not allowed to update processor caches and system memory. Use of the store queue during runahead mode to hold store instruction results allows more recent runahead load instructions to search retired store queue entries in the store queue for matching addresses to utilize data from the retired, but still searchable, store instructions. Retired store instructions could be either runahead store instructions retired, or retired store instructions that executed before entering runahead mode.
US08639883B2 Reducing write amplification in a cache with flash memory used as a write cache
Embodiments of the invention are directed to reducing write amplification in a cache with flash memory used as a write cache. An embodiment of the invention includes partitioning at least one flash memory device in the cache into a plurality of logical partitions. Each of the plurality of logical partitions is a logical subdivision of one of the at least one flash memory device and comprises a plurality of memory pages. Data are buffered in a buffer. The data includes data to be cached, and data to be destaged from the cache to a storage subsystem. Data to be cached are written from the buffer to the at least one flash memory device. A processor coupled to the buffer is provided with access to the data written to the at least one flash memory device from the buffer, and a location of the data written to the at least one flash memory device within the plurality of logical partitions. The data written to the at least one flash memory device are destaged from the buffer to the storage subsystem.
US08639880B2 Hierarchical storage management for database systems
Embodiments for managing data in a hierarchical storage server storing data blocks of a database system comprising primary storage devices being in an active mode and secondary storage devices being in one of an active and passive mode are provided. In response to read and write requests for data blocks at logical storage locations, a block mapping device determines physical storage locations on the storage devices. Read requests switch over secondary storage devices to the active mode when they are in the passive mode. Write requests write data blocks only to the primary storage devices. Secondary storage devices that have not been accessed for a minimum activation time may be switched over from the active to the passive mode to save power consumption and cooling. Data migration and data recall policies control moving of data blocks between the primary and secondary storage devices and are primarily based on threshold values.
US08639877B2 Wear leveling of solid state disks distributed in a plurality of redundant array of independent disk ranks
A computational device allocates a plurality of solid state disks to a plurality of redundant array of independent disk (RAID) ranks, wherein a different solid state disk is absent in each RAID rank of the plurality of RAID ranks. The computational device determines at least one selected solid state disk from the plurality of solid state disks, wherein the at least one selected solid state disk is estimated to have undergone a greater amount of wear in comparison to other solid state disks in the plurality of solid state disks. Relatively more data and parity information is written to those RAID ranks in which the at least one selected solid state disk is absent in comparison to those RAID ranks in which the at least one selected solid state disk is present.
US08639876B2 Extent allocation in thinly provisioned storage environment
Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiment for allocating a plurality of extents in a thinly provisioned computing storage environment are provided. In one such embodiment, subsequent to a write request and previous to entering a cache of the computing storage environment, a determination is made, for a logical extent, whether a real extent is available. Pursuant to determining the availability of the real extent, the logical extent is allocated to the real extent by updating system metadata associated with the logical extent.
US08639875B1 Content search system having multiple pipelines
A CAM-based search engine is disclosed that reduces power consumption during a plurality of different search operations concurrently performed in a plurality of device pipelines by selectively applying one of a number of different power reduction techniques for each pipeline in response to configuration data indicating the type of search operation that is being performed in the pipeline.
US08639874B2 Power management of a spare DRAM on a buffered DIMM by issuing a power on/off command to the DRAM device
A computer memory, having one or more of a semiconductor memory device having an internal memory array comprising a plurality of semiconductor dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, and provided as a memory module rank of such memory devices arranged in an array on a DIMM of one or more of said semiconductor memory device on a substrate which can be coupled via a memory device data interface to a memory system as a memory subsystem, each of said memory device having a low power shut-down state that can be activated using a common memory data interface. Control of power to a DRAM issues over the data interface two commands to a DRAM power control command decode, a power-state program signal and a power-state reset signal as a power-state control commands to control the power state of said DRAM, and to activate for READ/WRITE a memory cell as a normal active or spare device.
US08639873B1 Detachable storage device with RAM cache
A detachable storage device can comprise a ram cache, a device controller, and a storage system. The ram cache may be configured to receive data from a digital device. The device controller may be configured to transfer the data from the ram cache to the storage system. The storage system may be configured to store the data at a predetermined event.
US08639867B2 Method and device for bus arbitration, converter and production facility
A method for bus arbitration is for use when working with multi-carrier modulation methods. Each user on a bus is assigned a unique address which identifies the user and which is transmitted upon each initiation of communication. The address is represented as a sequence of binary numerals, the number of bits of the binary numerals being equal to the number of carriers used in the multi-carrier modulation method. This sequence of binary numerals is transmitted successively for the arbitration via the multi-carrier modulation method, a user being eliminated from the arbitration when a further user at the same time has transmitted a binary numeral having higher priority. The transmission of the binary numeral may be repeated if the arbitration of the numeral does not lead to a result in one step. The method for bus arbitration may be used advantageously in a system for contactless energy supply. A redundant sending of phase-shifted signals reduces the failure rate because of random destructive interference.
US08639866B2 Systems and methods for dividing a communications channel
Various exemplary systems and methods for dividing a communications channel are disclosed. In at least some embodiments the method may comprise: coupling a plurality of storage devices to a communication channel, detecting whether the communication channel has been divided into multiple sub-channels, and coupling either a first backplane controller or a second backplane controller to the storage devices based on whether the communication channel has been divided.
US08639862B2 System-on-chip queue status power management
A system and method are provided for using queue status to manage power in a system-on-chip (SoC). Messages to be processed are accepted in an SoC with a plurality of selectively enabled processors, and queued. The message traffic can be from an external source via an input/output (IO) interface, or intra-SoC messages between processors. The number of queued messages is monitored and, in response to the number of queued messages exceeding a subscription threshold, one or more processors are enabled. Then, the queued messages are distributed to the enabled processors. Enabling a processor is defined by an action such as supplying power to an unpowered processor, increasing the power supply voltage levels to a processor, increasing the operating frequency of a processor, or a combination of the above-mentioned actions. Likewise, processors can be disabled in response to the number of queued messages falling below the subscription threshold.
US08639858B2 Resizing address spaces concurrent to accessing the address spaces
Address spaces are resized concurrent to accessing those address spaces. The size of an address space can be increased or decreased concurrent to performing read or write operations on the address space. Further, cache entries associated with an address space being decreased in size are purged.
US08639857B2 Extended input/output measurement word facility for obtaining measurement data
An Extended Input/output (I/O) measurement word facility is provided. Provision is made for emulation of the Extended I/O measurement word facility. The facility provides for storing measurement data associated with a single I/O operation in an extended measurement word associated with an I/O response block. In a further aspect, the stored data may have a resolution of approximately one-half microsecond.
US08639854B2 Negotiation of a proper communication protocol between a data carrier and a reader device
A method of negotiating a proper communication protocol between a reader device (10) and a data carrier (20) is disclosed. In a first step, when the data carrier (20) is inserted into the reader device (10) at a first point in time (t1), the data carrier (20) provides information to the reader device (10), which communication protocols are supported by the data carrier (20), by means of a binary value (BV). In a next step, the reader device (10) chooses/sets one of the possible communication protocols according to its own capability. This choice is provided to the data carrier (20) by applying a clock signal (CLK) of a certain frequency (f), which is associated with the chosen/set communication protocol, to an input contact (C3) of the data carrier (20) at a second point in time (t2). Finally, the data carrier (20) sets the chosen communication protocol received from the reader device (10), thereby finalizing the negotiation sequence. Subsequently, communication may take place between reader device (10) and data carrier (20) from a fourth point in time (t4).
US08639851B2 Serial bit processor
A serial bit processor is disclosed that configures a timer/counter module to determine a number of data bits to be decoded from a serial bit stream. In some implementations, a serial peripheral is coupled to a timer/counter module. The serial peripheral sends a restart command to reload an internal count register of the timer/counter module with a pre-defined value. The serial peripheral then sends count commands that cause the timer/counter to decrement (or increment) by one each time a count command is received. When the count reaches zero, a compare match command is generated and sent to the serial peripheral where it is used to resume or complete the decoding of data bits from the serial bit stream. In some implementations, a serial peripheral is included in a microcontroller that has an event system. The event system is used to communicate commands between peripherals.
US08639850B1 Addressing scheme to allow flexible mapping of functions in a programmable logic array
A method for implementing an addressing scheme may include mapping a digital peripheral function to one or more contiguous configurable blocks in an array of configurable blocks; and assigning a memory address from a plurality of memory addresses to at least one register of each of the one or more contiguous configurable blocks based on an access mode width of the digital peripheral function and a width of each of the one or more contiguous configurable blocks.
US08639848B2 Data communication efficiency
To reduce repetitive data transfers, data content of an outgoing message is stored within cache storage of an intermediate node of a data communications network. A token for identifying the cached data content is stored at the intermediate node and the sender. When a subsequent outgoing message is to be routed from a first network node to a target destination via the intermediate node, a process running at the first node checks whether the content of the message matches data cached at the intermediate node. If there is a match, a copy of the token is sent from the first node to the intermediate node instead date data content. The token is used at the intermediate node to identify the cached data, and the cached data is retrieved from the cache and forwarded to the target destination as an outgoing message.
US08639846B2 Adaptive gateway for switching transactions and data on unreliable networks using context-based rules
Application level switching of transactions at a gateway is provided. The gateway is configured to switch the transaction based on the application level content, a current state of a transport environment, and/or dynamic rules for switching transactions. For example, several possible service providers can be selected for the type of transaction, and the gateway can monitor not only the round-trip time through the network(s) to different possible service providers, but also the time required to complete the transaction at the application level and return a response. The application is chosen on the sending side of the network, and application level formatting is done on the sending side as well. The gateway uses modular code and data, and separate instances of processing code to allow dynamic updating. Rules for application service selection can be selectively uploaded to the gateway from a client. The rules for different available application services can be distributed across different gateways.
US08639845B2 Method for editing multimedia pages on a terminal using pre-stored parameters of objects appearing in scenes
The invention relates to multimedia page editing via a terminal. A server supplies multimedia pages to the terminal in the form of object arrangement commands for objects identified by parameters. A method according to the invention comprises a preliminary step wherein the server transmits all or part of the object-related parameters as well as a store command, whereby the parameters are stored in a terminal memory; and a main step wherein the server transmits a simple parameter retrieval command for editing at least one multimedia page in which the above-mentioned object appears.
US08639843B2 System and method for routing messages between applications
A system and method for enabling the interchange of enterprise data through an open platform is disclosed. This open platform can be based on a standardized interface that enables parties to easily connect to and use the network. Services operating as senders, recipients, and in-transit parties can therefore leverage a framework that overlays a public network.
US08639842B1 Scalable gateway for multiple data streams
Systems and procedures are presented for communicating multiple data streams through an SSLVPN gateway. One implementation of a method includes receiving a plurality of incoming data streams and load balancing the incoming data streams. The load balancing includes assigning a first set of one or more incoming data streams to a first subprocessor, and responding to the first set of incoming data streams with outgoing data streams that include a first identifier that indicates the first subprocessor. One implementation of a network element includes a plurality of subprocessors and a dispatcher module. The dispatcher module is coupled to the plurality of subprocessors, and is configured to recognize an identifier in a received data stream. The dispatcher module dispatches the received data stream to a corresponding subprocessor of the plurality of processors in response to the identifier in the received data stream.
US08639841B2 Interface circuit for transmitting and receiving digital signals between devices
A video signal and an audio signal are TMDS transmitted from a source device to a sink device. Through a reserved line and a HPD line provided separately from a TMDS transmission line, an Ethernet™ signal is bidirectionally transmitted, and also, a SPDIF signal is transmitted from the sink device to the source device. The Ethernet™ signal bidirectionally transmitted between Ethernet™ transmitter/receiver circuits is differentially transmitted by an amplifier and is received by the amplifier. The SPDIF signal from a SPDIF transmitter circuit is common-mode transmitted from an adder and is received by the adder to be supplied to the SPDIF receiver circuit.
US08639840B2 Processing unit, chip, computing device and method for accelerating data transmission
A processing unit coupled to a bus for accelerating data transmission and a method for accelerating data transmission. The present invention provides a streaming data transmission mode in which a plurality of data blocks are transmitted via one handshake. The present invention employs handshake save policy, when a processing unit sends a request comprising a plurality of data blocks on a bus, a cache or memory will perform address matching to judge whether there is any hit data block. If there is any hit data block, the cache or memory only needs to reply once and then start to continuously transmit the hit data blocks it possesses. Thus, a separate handshake for each data block is no longer needed.
US08639834B2 Self-adjusting application heartbeat management
A method, system, and computer program product for a self-adjusting application heartbeat management process are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A first application receives from a second application, a response message in response to a heartbeat message. Information is identified in the response message usable for computing a delay in a future response message for a future heartbeat message, such that the information communicates to the first application a system condition existing in the second data processing system where the second application is executing. A response time is adjusted using the information to form a modified response time. The future response message is received after the response time.
US08639833B1 Dynamic control of scaling in computing devices
A method and system for dynamically controlling scaling in a computing device is disclosed. Specifically, in one embodiment, the system information of the computing device is collected and is compared with a trigger condition to generate a comparison result. According to the comparison result, the distribution of a processing task to handle network traffic received by the computing device to at least one designated processing unit in this computing device is either enabled or disabled.
US08639831B2 Method and apparatus for transferring files to clients using a peer-to-peer file transfer model and a client-server transfer model
A method and apparatus is provided for delivering a content file to a client over a packet-switched network. The method begins by determining a suitable throughput required to deliver the content file to the client. Next, the throughput available in a peer-to-peer network for delivering the content file to the client is determined. The required throughput is compared to the available throughput. If the available throughput is less than the required throughput, the available throughput is supplemented with additional throughput. The content is then delivered to the client over the packet-switched network using the available throughput of the peer-to-peer network and the additional throughput.
US08639829B2 System and method to facilitate translation of communications between entities over a network
A system and method to facilitate translation of communications between entities over a network are described. Multiple predetermined language constructs are communicated to a first entity as a first transmission over the network. Responsive to selection by the first entity of a language construct from the predetermined language constructs, a translated language construct corresponding to the selected language construct is identified. Finally, the translated language construct is communicated to a second entity as a second transmission over the network.
US08639827B1 Self-service systems and methods for granting access to resources
A self-service system is provided that can automatically identify one or more existing groups to which a user can self-select to access a resource. The self-service system can identify any suitable existing group without requiring an administrator to predefine groups according to roles. In some implementations, the system intelligently identifies one or more suitable groups for a user from a list of available groups by analyzing a set of rules or criteria. For instance, the system can perform a weighted analysis of various rules and/or criteria to automatically and dynamically identify groups that have a closest fit to the access rights needed or requested by the user. Further, the system can evaluate certain best or preferred grouping practices to identify suitable groups. As a result, in certain embodiments, the self-service system alleviates planning burdens on administrators and provides greater flexibility in providing users with access to resources.
US08639825B2 Enterprise-based access to shared RFID data
An electronic product code information service (EPCIS) interface is provided, where the EPCIS interface is capable of allowing one or more accessing applications residing on a variety of systems and associated with a plurality of enterprises to receive EPC-related data. Also provided is an enterprise profile for each enterprise that is allowed to receive the EPC-related data. An enterprise is authenticated based on its enterprise profile. A query is performed to generate a result set that is within an extent permitted by access authorization associated with the authenticated enterprise. The result set is then provided to the EPCIS accessing application of that enterprise.
US08639822B2 Extending application-layer sessions based on out-of-order messages
A method and non-transitory computer-readable medium are disclosed for extending a hold timer that binds an application-layer session when a transport-layer out-of-order message queue includes an out-of-order message for the application-layer session. An application receives an application-layer message from transport protocol logic that is configured to deliver in-order application-layer messages to the application. The received application-layer message is a next in-order application-layer message for an application-layer session that is bound by a hold timer. After an amount time has passed, the application detects an expiration of the hold timer. In response, rather than immediately tearing down the application-layer session, the application inspects an out-of-order queue of the transport protocol logic. The hold timer is extended when the out-of-order queue includes an out-of-order application-layer message for the application-layer session. In one aspect, the transport protocol logic includes an application programming interface that provides the application with access to the out-of-order queue.
US08639821B2 Method and system for providing a setup timer in a sip-based network
A system and method for providing a setup timer in a SIP-based network including initiating a session by transmitting one or more messages to a first user. The system and method also comprises starting a first timer upon transmitting the one or more messages, wherein the first timer is configured to expire after a first predetermined time period. The system and method further comprises starting a second timer upon transmitting the one or more messages, wherein the second timer is configured to expire after a second predetermined time period. The system and method furthermore comprises transmitting one or more instructions upon expiration of at least one of the first timer and the second timer, and taking one or more actions based at least in part on the one or more instructions.
US08639819B2 Ad-hoc connection between electronic devices
The invention relates to a method of creating an ad-hoc connection between two electronic devices. In order to enable a particularly user-friendly creation of such a connection, it is proposed that a first device detects a hugging state between the first device and a second device, in which the first device and the second device are in close vicinity and a piece of information is received at the first device directly from the second device. In case a hugging state is detected, a handle is obtained proceeding from the received piece of information. The handle comprises an address of some device other than the first device. Finally, a communication channel is established between the first device and the other device using the address included in the handle. The invention relates equally to a corresponding device, to an expandable framework for such a device, and to a corresponding software program product.
US08639814B2 Electronic apparatus, virtual machine providing apparatus, and method of using virtual machine service
An electronic apparatus in which a virtual machine (VM) runs like a physical device, a VM providing apparatus, and a method of transmitting and receiving a VM service using the electronic apparatus and the VM providing apparatus are provided. The electronic apparatus creates, when a VM is executed, a first domain zone having one or more VMs embedded in the electronic apparatus and a second domain zone having one or more VMs downloaded from a VM providing apparatus, and the control unit controls the first and second domain zones.
US08639812B2 Apparatus and system for managing multiple computers
A system is presented for interconnecting a single user console having user interface devices, including a console keyboard, a console video display unit, a console mouse, and speakers, to a plurality of host computers each capable of using user interface devices, including a keyboard, a video display unit, and a mouse, and allowing the user to access one or more of the host computers from the single user console. The video output from each of the host computers is scaled and cropped as appropriate so that the video output of each host may be simultaneously displayed as host computer “windows” on the console video display unit or overlaid with the background suppressed to display application windows from multiple hosts on a single screen. The user may easily navigate between the host computers through a convenient and intuitive user interface that allows control of individual host computers, the transfer of files between computers using familiar a “drag and drop” interface, and copying and pasting of data between applications running on different computers. The audio output from each of the host computers may be mixed or switched for output to the speakers as desired.
US08639806B2 Notice of restored malfunctioning links
Embodiments include devices, systems, methods, and articles of manufacture that facilitate sending notices that a previously identified malfunctioning link or pointer has been restored or otherwise rendered useable. Embodiments can include systems with a registry wherein when a user discovers that a link is not functioning properly the registry may register the malfunctioning link, may facilitate further queries of the malfunctioning link, and may provide updates to one or more user portals that the previously malfunctioning link or pointer is no longer malfunctioning.
US08639804B2 Techniques for maintaining current content
Techniques, including systems and methods, for maintaining current content are described and suggested herein. In an embodiment, information from a plurality of information sources is received. Communications between the computer system and a network are monitored. Subsequent to an inability to communicate over the network, an ability to communicate over the network is detected. Responsive to detecting the ability to communicate over the network, information from one or more of the information sources is requested. The one or more information sources may be servers providing web pages.
US08639795B2 Adaptive data acquisition for a network or services management system
A network management system comprising a data acquisition module itself comprising a measurement module for collecting data coming from probes placed on items of network equipment in a network is provided. The data acquisition module forwards the data to a supervisor module, the data being collected as a function of measurement parameters associated with the probes, wherein the data acquisition module further comprises a measurement adaptation module having a module for adding or removing the probes and for modifying the associated measurement parameters as a function of the collected data.
US08639794B2 Provisioning and commissioning a communications network with a virtual network operations center and interface
An interface coupled to a virtual network operations center and coupled to a data communications network having at least one optical channel. Equipment on the data communications network is identified by the interface wherein the interface coordinates and correlates communications between the I/O interfaces of a server coupled to the network so that data rates and data protocols are managed properly. The interface receives commands from and transmits commands to the data communications network and translates the commands to be further transmitted and used in the virtual network operations center coupled to the server. The data communications network is represented in a three dimensions virtual world in the virtual network operations center so that events on the network can be represented in real-time in the virtual network operations center.
US08639792B2 Job processing system, method and program
A job processing system has first to third servers. The first server has a job generation program for generating jobs as requested. The second server has a storage device for storing attribute information on and a file for use in processing each job generated by the first server, a management table for managing job management information on each job by assigning a unique ID to each job, and a queue control program for registering job management information in the management table, referring to the management table, and registering the file for and attribute information on each job in the storage device. The third server has one or more job processing programs for processing jobs acquired from the second server, batch control program for acquiring jobs from the second server and issuing responses concerning the processed jobs, and a storage device for storing attribute information on and a file for each job acquired.
US08639791B2 Techniques for evaluating and managing cloud networks
Techniques for evaluating and managing cloud networks are provided. Geographical locations for cloud processing environments are combined with attributes and usage metrics to form associations between each cloud processing environment's geographical location and that cloud's corresponding attributes and usage metrics. A map is organized for the associations to form a cloud network. The map is dynamically updated, supplied to services, and rendered for evaluation of the cloud network.
US08639790B2 Network image forming apparatus having an information exchange function among users and method of controlling an operation thereof
A network image forming apparatus and method that facilitate an information exchange among users on a network. The network image forming apparatus and method are connected to a plurality of user terminals on a network and print data transmitted from the plurality of user terminals. The network image forming apparatus and method include an interface unit for transmitting and receiving specified data to and from the user terminals, and a storage unit for storing shared information if the shared information on the network is transmitted from one of the user terminals. Accordingly, the network image forming apparatus and method provide an announcement function for sharing information among a plurality of user terminals on the network, and the message function enabling the message transfer between the plurality of the user terminals on the network.
US08639786B2 Consistency domains for replication in distributed computing
A computing device performs an operation by a first computing device and updates a shared system state on the first computing device based on the operation. The computing device causes the shared system state to be updated on a second computing device using a strongly consistent replication mechanism, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are members of a first consistency domain. The computing device also causes the shared system state to be updated on a third computing device using a weakly consistent replication mechanism, wherein the third computing device is a member of a second consistency domain.
US08639785B2 Unsolicited cookie enabled contextual data communications platform
Systems and methods for an unsolicited cookie enabled contextual data platform are provided. According to one embodiment, a mobile device is able to reconfigure a browser menu. An HTTP request is transmitted to a server device relating to a service supported by the server device. The request contains therein an unsolicited cookie including data indicative of information regarding (a) an end user of the mobile device, (b) the mobile device, (c) a location of the mobile device and/or (d) a network to which the mobile device is connected. Responsive to the request, an HTML file is received from the server device having embedded therein contextual menu information based on the service and the unsolicited cookie. The contextual menu information is extracted from the HTML file. End user interaction with the service is then customized by dynamically reconfiguring a browser menu of the mobile device based on the contextual menu information.
US08639777B2 Method and device for redirecting a data flow monitoring query
A method of redirecting a request (R_act) sent by a terminal equipment (STB) for control of a data stream (FL0) broadcast by a source (HE) in a telecommunications network. The method comprises: on reception of a request to control a data stream sent by a terminal equipment (STB), a step of obtaining info cation representing a current data stream control capacity for a plurality (11) of broadcast servers; a step of selecting, with the aid of the above information, a server (NTSSk0) from said plurality of servers able to control said data stream (FL0) broadcast by the source, a step of sending a request to capture this data stream to the selected server if it is not already capturing the data stream for at least one other terminal equipment; and a step of redirecting the control request to the selected server.
US08639776B1 Dynamic programming across a computer network
A method of building and assembling programs across computer networks that is dictated by the user to perform logical work without the user using a compiler. Users are able to assemble programs over a network by defining or re-defining which logical components are bound into the overall program without the use of a compiler. Logical components are called and bound into the program at run time, allowing dynamic programming which may be modified at any time without re-compiling the entire program. Each logical component can act independently of other logical components or work in concert with each other. This allows assembly of a program, even though some components may be created using totally different methodologies and/or are constructed by different programmers.
US08639773B2 Discrepancy detection for web crawling
Search engines may utilize web crawlers to discover desirable content that may be provided to users as search results. Unfortunately, document providers, such as websites, may return junk web pages and/or maintenance web pages as document results, which may be undesirable for a search engine to provide as search results. Accordingly, document providers may be grouped into provider clusters. Profiles may be assigned to provider clusters, where a profile may comprise parameters representing “expected” parameters historically returned from normal document fetch operations to document providers within the provider cluster. Parameters of a profile for a provider cluster comprising a document provider may be compared with current document fetch parameters of a current document fetch operation. If the parameters of the profile and the current document fetch parameters do not match, then an alert may be generated.
US08639772B2 Centralized application resource manager
An application resource manager is provided to organize, prioritize, and optimize data transmissions from several connected applications. Through inter-process communication, the several connected applications may pass all transmission requests to the centralized manager, which will perform all transmissions according to priority. When the transmission includes a download (e.g., file, email, etc.), the manager will pass the complete file (or a pointer to the same) to the originally requesting application. The original application may perform post-processing and then use the downloaded data, including making the data available to the user. If however, the requesting application is offline, the manager may also perform, e.g., the essential post-processing, via a plug-in given to the manager by the application when the application initially connected to the manager. A full sized user interface and a smaller user interface may be provided for un-intrusive execution.
US08639770B1 Separation of mutable and immutable data in a memory cache for improvement of data updates
A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product for updating a resource in a cached memory storage are provided. Mutable and immutable components of a resource are generated. The mutable component includes metadata that includes the amount of time the resource persists in the cached memory storage. The immutable component of the resource includes content provided by the source of the resource. A key associated with the resource is generated, where the key is used to access the mutable component and the immutable component in the cached memory storage. The key, the mutable component and the immutable component of the resource are transmitted to the cached memory storage from which the resource is retrieved for display on a client device.
US08639769B2 Handling of data transfer in a LAN-free environment
There is disclosed a method, system and computer readable medium for transferring data in a LAN-free environment, in particular for a tape backup or restore operation. Data of a client partition of a first server is sent to a partition of a LAN-free server through the Local Area Network (LAN). The data sent is then converted from TCP/IP protocol to Fibre Channel protocol. The converted data is sent to a Storage Area Network (SAN) through a Fibre Channel card and finally to a tape library. An advantage is thus to mutualize and virtualize resources, in particular Fibre Channel cards. Storage Area Network tape drives are shared using such host bus adapter cards. Certain embodiments avoid the reconfiguration of Storage Area Network tape drives when the client partition moves to a new hardware.
US08639768B2 Multi-functional device executing multiple functions and function management
A multi-functional device communicatably connected to a plurality of servers, each server corresponding to one of a plurality of functions, is provided. The multi-functional device includes, a function execution unit that executes one of the plurality of functions, a first transmission unit that transmits a first signal including the obtained user identification information based on location information of the server, and a first reception unit that receives a function execution instruction which is transmitted from the server in response to the first signal, wherein the function execution instruction includes limitation information, which corresponds to the user and which limits execution of the desired function, wherein the function execution unit suspends the execution of the desired function when location information of the server is specified, and wherein when the function execution instruction is received, the function execution unit resumes execution of the desired function according to the limitation information.
US08639763B2 Methods and apparatus to forward documents in a communication network
Methods and apparatus to forward documents in a communication network are disclosed. An example method to forward a resource in an extensible markup language (XML) document management (XDM) system disclosed herein comprises receiving an XML document command protocol (XDCP) forward request specifying a first identifier corresponding to the resource to be forwarded and a list of recipients to be notified, the first identifier comprising a uniform resource identifier (URI), and notifying a recipient in the list of recipients that the resource is available.
US08639762B2 Providing access to a conversation in a hosted conversation system
A server system hosts a plurality of conversations, each having an identified set of participants. For a respective conversation, the server provides content of the conversation to the participants of the conversation. The server receives content from each of a plurality of participants of the conversation and transmits the received content to the other participants of the plurality of participants. Upon an additional participant being added to the conversation, the server provides content of the conversation to the additional participant that includes all content provided to the identified set of participants, and adds the additional participant to the identified set of participants.
US08639753B1 Methods and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of electronic data storage and transmission
An electronic data storage and transmission system. A plurality of electronic data objects may be associated to a plurality of electronic data indicators, and the associations may be combined. Contextual awareness of a second location may allow generation of streamlined electronic data objects. Electronic spatial data objects may be automatically contiguously combined and compression may be leveraged with combination efficiencies. Combinations of electronic data objects may be threshold limited. Transmission of electronic data may achieve effective compression and effective transmission rates exceeding a benchmark network transmission rate of an electronic data communications network.
US08639752B2 Systems and methods for content type classification
Various embodiments illustrated and described herein include systems, methods and software for content type classification. Some such embodiments include determining a potential state of classification for packets associated with a session based at least in part on a packet associated with the session that is a packet other than the first packet of the session.
US08639750B2 Orchestration of web notifications
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for orchestrating notifications between identity platforms and relying parties. Embodiments enable identity platforms to ensure that users consistently receive notifications, even when the identity platforms lack knowledge of which relying parties are notification capable and which relying parties are incapable of notification. Embodiments include an identity platform generating a frameset having a first content frame for displaying a notification and a second content frame for displaying a relying party web page. When the relying party is notification capable, the relying party web page includes functionality for removing the frameset established by the frameset and displaying the notification within the context of the relying party web page. When a client renders the frameset, the client retrieves and renders the relying party web page, removing the frameset and displaying the notification as directed by the relying party.
US08639747B2 System and method for providing a cloud computing graphical user interface
A method and apparatus for providing a cloud computing graphical user interface is described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a request to display an aggregate of cloud computing system resources of different cloud computing systems. The method may also include rendering a visual summary of aggregated cloud computing system resources, wherein the aggregated cloud computing system resources include at least one cloud computing system pool.
US08639745B2 Providing a neutral interface to multiple cloud computing systems
An architecture, system and method for providing a neutral interface to multiple disparate cloud system providers is described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a request from a client computer system for processing by a cloud computing system, the request in a neutral format. The method may also include translating the request, with the server computer system, from the neutral format to a second format of the cloud computing system. Furthermore, the method may include transmitting the request to the cloud computing system in the second format.
US08639740B2 Communication server with a service logic execution environment
A server of a communication network provides a service to a plurality of users. In the server, a service logic execution environment is stored. The service logic execution environment includes an event router and a service application, which service application includes at least a first component and a second component. The first component is provided with an event handler and the second component is provided with an action handler. The service logic execution environment further includes a flow descriptor which includes a relation between the event handler and the action handler. The event router is adapted to receive an event from the first component and to forward such an event to the second component according to the relation.
US08639733B2 Automatic identification of compatible applications and accessories
Embodiments of the present invention provide various communication techniques for communication between a mobile computing device and an accessory. An accessory protocol that is generic to the mobile computing device can be used for some communication. An application executing at the mobile computing device can communicate with the accessory using an application communication protocol. In some embodiments, the application communication protocol can be different from the accessory communication protocol. In other embodiments the application protocol may only be recognized by the application and the accessory. In some embodiments, messages conforming to an application protocol can be communicated between the application and the accessory by packaging the messages inside a message conforming to the accessory communication protocol.
US08639732B2 Method for storing and reading-out data handled by application operating on HTTP client, data storage program, and data read-out program
The aim of the present invention is to eliminate these inconveniences present in the prior that the examples, especially, to offer the technique of storing the data handled by the WEB application operating on the HTTP client, to a local file system. Here, this invention allows user to handle the data not only from the WEB applications but also from the stand-alone applications operating on the HTTP client. To resolve this problem, based on this invention, processes are performed on the data handled by the application operating on the HTTP client.
US08639728B2 Method for computer assisted planning of a technical system
A method for computer assisted planning of a technical system with a first structure of multi-category objects is provided. Each multi-category object describes a technical component and includes a plurality of facets. Each facet is of a specific category and refers to information about the technical component. Categories of a multi-category object refer to different disciplines for designing a technical system. The disciplines include mechanical, electrical and automation engineering. Further, a second structure of a specific category is provided and has category-specific elements. Each category-specific element describes a technical component with respect to the corresponding specific category. Each facet of a specific category of a multi-category object describing a technical component in the first structure is related to a category-specific element of the specific category describing the technical component in the second structure. The first and second structures are changeable by a user during planning of the technical system.
US08639727B2 Transforming hierarchical language data into relational form
Described herein are methods, systems, apparatuses and products for transforming hierarchical language data into relational form. An aspect provides for assembling at least one statistical summary of at least one hierarchical language data source responsive to execution of program instructions accessible to at least one processor operatively connected to a memory device; accessing at least one entity of interest selected from the at least one statistical summary; generating at least one target hierarchical language model based on the at least one entity of interest; and transforming data from the at least one hierarchical language data source into at least one relational form by executing transformation artifacts generated based on a type of the relational form. Other aspects are disclosed herein.
US08639722B2 Ordering content in social networking applications
Ordering content in social networking applications is described. A method includes receiving a plurality of shared content pieces that are viewable and accessible by at least one viewer, wherein the shared content pieces are received from a personal web page owner. The method includes displaying the shared content pieces in an initial order, wherein the displayed shared content pieces are accessed in a viewer order determined by an individual viewer. The method includes receiving and storing the viewer order and an identity of the individual viewer in a data store. The method includes receiving approval from the personal web page owner to change the initial order. The method includes, in response to receiving the approval from the personal web page owner, changing the initial order based at least in part upon at least one of the viewer order and the identity of the individual viewer, thereby providing an adjusted order.
US08639719B2 System and method for metadata capture, extraction and analysis
System and methods are provided that enable a data and information repository with a semantic engine that enables users to easily capture information in various formats from various devices along with rich metadata relating to that information. The information repository can be configured to query the captured information and any metadata to extrapolate new meaning, including semantic meaning, and to perform various tasks, including but not limited to sharing of the information and metadata. In some embodiments, the information repository is configured to generate recommendations to users based on analysis of the captured information.
US08639713B2 Dynamic menus for multi-prefix interactive mobile searches
The present invention includes systems and methods for retrieving information via a flexible and consistent targeted search model that employs interactive multi-prefix, multi-tier and dynamic menu information retrieval techniques that provide context-specific functionality tailored to particular information channels, as well as to records within or across such channels, and other known state information. Users are presented with a consistent search interface among multiple tiers across and within a large domain of information sources, and need not learn different or special search syntax. A thin-client server-controlled architecture enables users of resource-constrained mobile communications devices to locate targeted information more quickly by entering fewer keystrokes and performing fewer query iterations and web page refreshes, which in turn reduces required network bandwidth.
US08639712B2 Method and module for creating a relational database schema from an ontology
A method for creating a relational database schema is provided. The method comprises accessing (110, 210) a reference ontology (101) comprising a first number of concepts and a second number of properties, selecting (120, 220) a first set of concepts from the reference ontology, determining (130, 230) a first set of properties from said second number of properties, associated with the selected first set of concepts, determining (140, 240) a second set of concepts associated with the determined first set of properties, and generating (150, 250) a relational database schema comprising a number of tables, of which at least one table pertains to a concept of said second set of concepts. Further, a module (300) for creating a relational database schema is provided.
US08639709B2 Comparing very large XML data
Comparing very large XML data. In one embodiment, a first and second XML data received for comparison are stored in the form of respective multiple rows in a database. A first and second set of rows (respectively corresponding to the first and second XML data) having the same value corresponding to a key are retrieved from the database and examined to form a comparison result. The same operations may be performed for each value of the key (and also other keys) present in either of the XML data sets.
US08639705B2 Technique for recycling match weight calculations
Disclosed is a system for, and method of, recycling field value weights as computed for database linking purposes. Such field value weights may be used for a search operation. In some embodiments, such weights may be used for a search operation prior to their values stabilizing during an iterative linking operation.
US08639702B2 System and method to classify and apply behavioral stimuli potentials to data in real time
A system and method for digitally classifying and analyzing exposure to behavioral influencers to probabilistically determine behaviors likely to be demonstrated by an individual or cohorts of individuals based on a combination of demographic and psychographic attributes. The system and method transforms raw data into useful data elements having associated exteroceptive values and other metadata that is useful for further evaluation, analysis, integration into a model, or other behavioral data utilization.
US08639698B1 Multi-language document clustering
A technique can include identifying a collection of documents to be clustered. The collection of documents can include foreign language documents and base language documents. The foreign language documents can be translated into the base language at a base language translation module. Keywords in the base language documents and keywords in the translated foreign language documents can be determined at a document indexing module. The base language documents can be clustered with the foreign language documents in a common set of document clusters based on the determined keywords in the base language documents and the determined keywords in the translated foreign language documents. In response to a search query in a first language, a listing of search results can be provided that includes documents in the first language and another language from the a common document cluster.
US08639697B2 Computer system performance analysis
This invention relates to a method and device for computer system performance analysis. All instructions are split into clusters based on significant offset gaps in top-down processing steps. Comments on instruction clusters can be generated automatically or can be edited manually. The comments can be shared among users for the achievement of portability. Significant clusters can be recognized as hotspots based on predetermined metrics.
US08639694B1 Client-side processing of preload operations
An improved information retrieval system. In response to detecting that the user has interacted with a display element in a first web page browser window, retrieving information from a second web page before the user requests that the second web page be displayed within the web browser window. Other enhanced information retrieval techniques.
US08639687B2 User-customized content providing device, method and recorded medium
Disclosed are a user-customized content providing device, a method and a recorded medium. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the user-customized content providing device can include a content searching unit, searching a content set related to user's search query word; a user preference information requesting unit, asking an apparatus for user preference information including a user profile and tag information through a network, the user profile including a keyword collected in the apparatus and a point applied with a weight given per keyword; a user preference information collecting unit, receiving the user preference information from the apparatus; a content ranking determining unit, determining a ranking of the content set according to the relation to the user preference information; and a content providing unit, providing the ranked content set to the apparatus.
US08639681B1 Automatic link generation for video watch style
In one embodiment, a computer implemented method is illustrated as including receiving selection data generated by a media player application, the selection data being related to digital content. Additionally, generating an instruction set that includes the selection data, the instruction set being formatted based upon a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) schema. Inserting the instruction set into a query portion of a URI. A method is also illustrated as including receiving a URI associated with digital content, the URI containing an instruction set in a query portion of the URI. Parsing the instruction set to retrieve selection data relating to the digital content. Further, the method may include retrieving the digital content based upon the selection data. Moreover, the method may include generating a data stream including the digital content. Additionally, the method may include transmitting the data stream including the digital content.
US08639671B2 Database compression
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive a set of ordered user-selected compression rules as a compression rule set comprising at least one compression threshold condition, to create or transform a database object with rows to be selectively compressed according to the compression rules in the compression rule set (providing a transformed object), and to publish at least a portion of the transformed object to one of a storage medium or a display screen. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08639670B2 Data integration apparatus, data integration method, and computer product
When collecting and integrating data present in separately managed information sources, data are collected from the information sources through a physical model of the information sources. Integration is executed by a process of converting a data configuration (mapping) into a logical model predefined for each utilization-side application and a process of converting and conforming values (cleansing); and the result thereof is provided as a view (logical model) for each application to the utilization-side application.
US08639664B2 Concepts for viewing and accessing claim versions
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for accessing, navigating, and displaying multiple versions of claims in an efficient and customer-friendly manner. In various embodiments, claims can be processed and stored such that they can be displayed via an interface in a graphical format (e.g., textual, circular, hierarchical, etc.).
US08639663B2 Deduplication of data object over multiple passes
In each of a number of passes to deduplicate a data object, a transaction is started. Where an offset into the object has previously been set, the offset is retrieved; otherwise, the offset is set to reference a beginning of the object. A portion of the object beginning at the offset is deduplicated until an end-of-transaction criterion has been satisfied. The transaction is ended to commit deduplication; where the object has not yet been completely deduplicated, the offset is moved just past where deduplication has already occurred. The object is locked during each pass; other processes cannot access the object during each pass, but can access the object between passes. Each pass is relatively short, so the length of time in which the object is inaccessible is relatively short. By comparison, deduplicating an object within a single pass prevents other processes from accessing the object for a longer time.
US08639661B2 Supporting media content revert functionality across multiple devices
Both an edited version of a first image and an original version of the first image are stored at a first computing device. In response to a user request to synchronize images across multiple computing devices, both the edited version of the first image and the original version of the first image are synchronized with a second computing device. A user is allowed to revert to the original version of the first image regardless of on which of the multiple computing devices the edited version was changed.
US08639659B2 Method enabling collaborative editing of object in content data, computer system, and computer program product
A program product and a method with which a server computer enables an object in content data to be edited collaboratively. The server computer is connectable through a network to a first client computer associated with a first user and a second client computer associated with a second user. In addition, the present invention provides a method that enables an object in content data to be edited collaboratively by a first client computer associated with a first user and a second client computer associated with a second user. The present invention provides a system and a program product as well.
US08639656B2 Method for implementing persistent file pre-allocation
A method and apparatus are provided for pre-allocating non-initialized blocks of data in a file system. Each file contains a primary i-node to maintain file metadata. A secondary i-node is created and associated with the primary i-node. The secondary i-node contains non-initialized data blocks, and the primary i-node contains valid and initialized data blocks. A write operation to a non-initialized data block in a pre-allocated range stored in the secondary i-node directs the data block from the secondary i-node to the primary i-node.
US08639651B2 Manipulating environmental conditions in an infrastructure
In a method for manipulating environmental conditions in an infrastructure containing one or more adaptive vent tiles, correlations between opening levels of the one or more adaptive vent tiles and an environmental condition at one or more heat dissipating devices are identified. In addition, one or more environmental conditions at locations proximate to or within the one or more heat dissipating devices are received and errors between the received one or more environmental conditions and one or more reference environmental conditions are identified. Moreover, opening levels for the one or more adaptive vent tiles are determined based upon the identified correlations and errors.
US08639638B2 Enabling a support service to provide automated problem resolution based on real time chat analytics
An embodiment of the invention directed to a method for resolving a problem detected in a data processing machine includes establishing a chat link between a machine user and a support service agent, for enabling a conversation therebetween. One or more initial messages sent from the user to the agent over the link is analyzed, to generate a goal associated with the detected problem. The goal is applied as an input to an AI planning component, which is operated in response to the goal to produce an initial set of actions for achieving the goal. Messages sent from the user to the agent subsequent to the initial messages are analyzed, and responsive to such analysis, the initial set of actions is selectively changed to an updated set of actions, for use in achieving the goal.
US08639637B2 Intelligent control toolkit
A neuro-fuzzy controller is provided. The neuro-fuzzy controller includes a predictor that receives inputs and makes prediction inputs. The prediction inputs are passed to a fuzzy cluster module that includes a neural network fuzzifing said prediction inputs and passing the result to an inference engine. The output of the inference engine is defuzzified and provided as an output of the controller. The fuzzifier and defuzzifier preferably represent a neural network employing a trigonometrical series. The inference engine preferably employs rules that are determined using genetic programming.
US08639628B2 Token authentication system and method
A method for calculating a One Time Password. A secret is concatenated with a count, where the secret is uniquely assigned to a token. The secret can be a private key or a shared secret symmetric key. The count is a number that increases monotonically at the token with the number of one-time Passwords generated at the token. The count is also tracked at an authentication server, where it increases monotonically with each calculation of a one-time Password at the authentication server. An OTP can be calculated by hashing a concatenated secret and count. The result can be truncated.
US08639625B1 Systems and methods for secure transaction management and electronic rights protection
The present invention provides systems and methods for electronic commerce including secure transaction management and electronic rights protection. Electronic appliances such as computers employed in accordance with the present invention help to ensure that information is accessed and used only in authorized ways, and maintain the integrity, availability, and/or confidentiality of the information. Secure subsystems used with such electronic appliances provide a distributed virtual distribution environment (VDE) that may enforce a secure chain of handling and control, for example, to control and/or meter or otherwise monitor use of electronically stored or disseminated information. Such a virtual distribution environment may be used to protect rights of various participants in electronic commerce and other electronic or electronic-facilitated transactions. Secure distributed and other operating system environments and architectures, employing, for example, secure semiconductor processing arrangements that may establish secure, protected environments at each node. These techniques may be used to support an end-to-end electronic information distribution capability that may be used, for example, utilizing the “electronic highway.”
US08639624B2 Entrance management system, control method thereof, information storage medium, authentication server, gate apparatus, and storage medium storing program
An entrance management system includes: an authentication gate apparatus which reads the user identifier stored in an information storage medium, controls the user's entrance to a management zone based on the user identifier, generates an intrazone user identifier associated with the user identifier and writes the intrazone user identifier to the information storage medium when the user is allowed to enter the management zone; and an information processing apparatus, installed in the management zone, which reads the intrazone user identifier written in the information storage medium and records information concerning use of the information processing apparatus by the user in association with the intrazone user identifier.
US08639623B2 Transaction processing
A transaction processing system for the real time authorization of payment transactions, The system comprises a verification system (4) connected to an issuer card management system (3). A cardholder can access the system via an interface (2) which can be for example the Internet, a wireless device, telephone, or a branch visit. The interface allows the cardholder to input rules governing how their credit card transactions are to be authorized. When the cardholder initiates a purchase transaction with their credit card, an authorization request is passed from the card network to the verification system which executes the rules created by the cardholder in order to approve or deny the transaction.
US08639614B2 System and methods for trading complex financial products
A system for managing the formation of and transactions relating to a syndicated loan is described which provides an interface for all active and prospective participants of a syndicated loan to interact with the system an each other, thereby making the syndication process more efficient and dynamic. In addition, a trading functionality is incorporated and described herein that creates a market for trading syndicated loans and disseminating information about the loans to other participants in the market.
US08639613B2 Method and system for displaying and trading spreads
A trading application can receive price and quantity information for tradeable objects. The trading application can compute implied price and quantity information for spreads of the tradeable objects. Direct and indirect price and quantity information for the spreads can be displayed in a manner that shows the relationship with each other and with the price and quantity information for the tradeable objects.
US08639612B2 Aggregated trading system
A trading system is described herein for hosting a collection of one or more electronic exchanges. The collection of electronic exchanges may be made up of separately designated exchanges under one or more authorizing and regulating bodies. The trading system receives from traders bids to purchase and offers to sell a tradeable object listed at one of the electronic exchanges. Then, the trading system directs the bids and offers to the appropriate exchange where the bids and offers may be automatically matched in the corresponding market. The trading system may also be used to take actions in one or more markets that are internal and external to the trading system on behalf of a trader using preprogrammed trading instructions.
US08639611B2 Automated securities trade execution system and method
An automated securities order execution system includes order entering means for a client to enter an order and at least one filtering means for determining whether the order can be automatically executed. Routing means are used for routing the order to a destination based upon the determination made by each of the filtering means. After the order has been properly routed, the order is executed and the result of the order execution is reported to the client.
US08639607B2 Conversational dealing in an anonymous trading system
An anonymous trading system for financial instruments comprises a network of broking nodes each performing a bid and offer matching function and a market view distribution function. Trader terminals are connected to the network via trading agent nodes. During deal execution a credit check is performed and once the deal is complete the identity of the counterparty becomes known to the other counterparty to the deal. The originating counterparty may send a More quantity message to the other party proposing a further deal at the same price. The other party may decline, partially accept, accept or accept and propose a still further amount. Credit for the further deal is drawn from an external source and the internal credit limits are temporarily increased or disabled to prevent the deal from being rejected.
US08639606B1 Methods and systems for providing interest rate indices and notes
In one aspect, the present invention comprises a method comprising: receiving data regarding bank rates and swap rates for two or more currencies; calculating a swap curve for each of the currencies; calculating signals for each of the swap curves; and based on the signals, taking a position with respect to each of the swap curves and currencies. In various embodiments, the method further comprises calculating a sub-index value for each of the currencies, the sub-index values based on returns for the positions; and weighting each sub-index value and calculating a value for an index, based on a combination of the sub-index values. In another aspect, the invention comprises: receiving data regarding the index; calculating a performance value for the index to be used in a derivative based on the index; and calculating an amount due to, or owed by, an investor in the derivative, based on the performance value.
US08639598B2 Error reporting and technical support customization for computing devices
A method for providing technical support for a computing device is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, such a method includes detecting a problem associated with a computing device. The method then determines a support level assigned to the computing device. A set of problems is associated with the support level. If the problem belongs to the set of problems associated with the support level, the method automatically sends a message to a support provider so that the support provider can address the problem. A corresponding system and computer program product are also described herein.
US08639589B2 Externalizing virtual object tags relating to virtual objects
A system and method in a virtual universe system for tagging objects in one virtual world so that avatars in other virtual worlds can search for, review, purchase, and exchange real goods and virtual objects. In a virtual universe having more than one virtual world, an object in one virtual world may be tagged with a seller identification, an advertising location, an item type, and details of the item. The object may then be externalized to other virtual worlds within the virtual universe for searching.
US08639587B1 Method, medium, and system for secure direct purchase
A user and a merchant register an account with a payment processing system and each receive a unique identifier. When the registered user enters a search query for a product, the search engine system locates a product that matches the search query and that is associated with a registered merchant. The search engine system then confirms that the user and the merchant are registered, and creates a unique product identifier for the product. After associating the unique product identifier with the product, the search engine presents the product to the user with a direct purchase option. If the user selects a direct purchase option, the search engine system communicates with the payment processing system and merchant system to facilitate and verify the purchase transaction. The merchant then provides the product to the user.
US08639585B2 On-line design of consumer products
Computer based systems and methods allow designing of (e.g. customization) consumer products, such as articles of footwear, apparel, athletic equipment, etc., by users.
US08639584B2 System and methods for purchasing services
A service provider system enables a subscriber to purchase services over a network from a service provider for the benefit of third parties located in different locations. The service provider system provides service flexibility by allowing parameters to be set, such as place and time of service delivery. Further, conditions allowing third-party recipients to change service parameters include delivery time and place, exchange of purchased service for another service, return of the purchased service, etc. Reporting options to both the subscriber and the third party can additionally be provided. Reporting messages or notifications may be sent to the purchasing subscriber to indicate which of the third parties had taken advantage of the purchased service, when and where the service was consumed, and/or what the actual cost of delivering the service was. The service provider system can also provide incentives for third parties to take advantage of the purchased service.
US08639574B2 Managing on line advertising using a metric limit, such as a minimum profit
To help advertisers to manage their online advertising, some business metric, such as ROI, profit, gross profit, etc., may be estimated and/or tracked with respect to an ad campaign, or a portion of the ad campaign. An advertiser may provide a business metric target, such as a target ROI, a target gross profit, a target profit, etc. An ad delivery system may then adjust information in an ad campaign (or a portion of an ad campaign) in an effort to meet the target. Similarly, an advertiser may provide a goal, such as maximizing or minimizing a business metric. The ad delivery system may then adjust information in an ad campaign (or a portion of an ad campaign) in an effort to meet the goal. The targets or goals may be subject to one or more constraints. The advertiser may provide limits on values of one or more business metrics. The ad delivery system may then turn off, or govern, the delivery of ads if the limits are violated.
US08639571B1 Rebate transaction system
A system and method for converting a rebate sponsor's offer into an instant credit or price reduction against a follow-on purchase. Rebate requests are obtained at a site on the Internet. The rebate request is tested to confirm that the at least one predetermined criterion has been satisfied. The person making the rebate request is enabled to make the follow-on purchase, with the rebate being converted into the instant credit or price reduction against the total price of the follow-on purchase. The follow-on purchase transaction is completed by charging that person for the purchase. The credit or price reduction can be conditioned on at least one predetermined criterion such as amount being spent on the follow-on purchase, the vendor from which the follow-on purchase is being made, and other criteria. The credit or price reduction can be redeemed in parts across a series of follow-on purchase transactions. In another aspect of the invention, consumers are advised of rebate offers. In this aspect, a server of a credit issuer receives purchase transaction details concerning an item purchase from a vendor, the item purchase is correlated with any rebate offer, and, in the event of a match, the consumer is advised by electronic mail that a rebate is available and can be converted into instant credit or price reduction on a follow-on purchase.
US08639568B2 System and method for a merchant loyalty system
A system and method for implementing a merchant loyalty program is disclosed. The invention includes receiving purchase data, wherein the purchase data comprises a consumer account code, a purchase amount, and a service establishment code; associating the service establishment code with a merchant proprietor rewards account code; calculating a reward amount based on the purchase amount; and, crediting a merchant proprietor reward account with at least a portion of said reward amount.
US08639566B2 Method and system for creation, distribution, aggregation, return, donation, exchange, verification, redemption and clearing of incentives
The present invention provides a space and all necessary procedures enabling visitors to create, distribute, aggregate, exchange, return, donate, verify, redeem, account and clear different kinds of incentives by commonly available means and tools, where the specific commodity (promotional programs) is exchanged for special consideration.
US08639562B2 Cost entity matching
A method for cost entity matching can include constructing a first graph including a number of first entities and a number of second entities, and assigning a number of first cost values to each of a number of first edges connecting one of the number of first entities to one of the number of second entities in the first graph; adding a second graph to the first graph, wherein the second graph includes the number of first entities and the number of second entities, and assigning a second cost value to each of a number of second edges connecting one of the number of first entities in the first graph to the corresponding first entity in the second graph; and, matching each one of the number of second entities to one of the number of first entities based on the number of first cost values and the second cost values.
US08639556B2 Determining optimal action in consideration of risk
A system and method for determining an optimal action in consideration of risk. The method includes the steps of: (a) selecting a state from possible states in a current term; (b) selecting an action from action candidates that can be executed in a selected state; (c) calculating a probability distribution of an evaluation value for a selected action; (d) calculating a risk measure using the probability distribution of the evaluation value; (e) determining a weighting function conforming to at least one preference by taking the risk measure into consideration; (f) calculating a value measure of the selected action; (g) repeating steps (b) through (f) for all other the action candidates that can be executed in the selected state; and (h) comparing the value measures of the selected actions in order to determine an optimal action for the selected state.
US08639553B1 Predictive growth burn rate in development pipeline
A method is provided for predictive growth and burn rate analysis in software pipeline management. The method comprises providing, for each of multiple projects in a software project pipeline, a set of inputs that includes labor demand, labor supply, and one or more historical data points. The method also includes aggregating the inputs, and calculating an overall labor supply/demand balance. The method then compares the difference between the balance and the historical data points to a reasonable threshold.
US08639550B2 Availability-based contact routing and scheduling system
A contact routing and scheduling system is provided allowing users to define various contact routing and scheduling contexts to direct a contact to a calendar of appointment availability representing the availability of a set of representatives pre-qualified to have times available for an appropriate appointment and to book an appointment as an integral part of the contact routing function. The system utilizes multiple visual user interfaces to allow users, contacts, and administrators to interact with the contact routing and appointment scheduling system. The system allows for user selection of contact routing and scheduling rules, association of scheduling activities to the contact routing process, and association of representatives who will ultimately accept appointments with contacts. The system also utilizes various techniques to associate contacts with particular contact routing and scheduling contexts received by the contact through email and/or other correspondence means.
US08639549B2 System and method for designing supply chain for commodity product distribution
Techniques are disclosed for designing a supply chain distribution network. A network design tool may be configured to facilitates strategic decision making for a producer/distributor of a commodity products (e.g., molecular gas mixtures stored in cylinders) by incorporating transportation costs (i.e., operational decisions) into the strategic decision making process. Further, the network design tool may also integrate investment decision costs, which are usually considered ‘tactical decisions’, into the strategic decision process (e.g., which filling tools are assigned to which plant/hub location). The network design tool implements different algorithm approaches allowing a user to obtain optimal, near-optimal, and approximate solutions.
US08639548B2 System and method for assortment planning
A system, method and program product are provided for performing assortment planning. The comprises receiving data representing a plurality of articles, an assortment, and a display area. The method further comprises assigning a first subset of the plurality of articles to the assortment for a first validity period to define a first assortment version. The method also comprises linking the display area to the assortment, wherein a first display area version is automatically created corresponding to the first assortment version.
US08639546B2 Using a force-based paradigm for managing operational fulfillment
Provided are techniques for defining a fulfillment path solution (FPS) comprising items undergoing an operational fulfillment process (OFP); wherein the FPS is associated with milestones to be fulfilled by the items as the items travel the OFP. Each milestone exerts a resistive force on each item. Calculating a plurality of sums, each sum corresponding to a particular item and each sum a total of all resistive forces exerted on the corresponding item by each of the milestones, wherein an item with a deadline closer to the current time is set to a higher resistive force than an item with a deadline farther from the current time; and increasing each resistive force on each item as a corresponding deadline approaches each item; wherein a higher sum indicates a need for more immediate attention.
US08639545B2 Generating an optimized analytical business transformation
Techniques for optimizing a Business Process Model (BPM) having at least one work process are presented. At a simulation client, a determination is made whether a simulated business outcome associated with a test BPM satisfies a business value deficiency associated with a current BPM. In response to a determination that the simulated business outcome does not satisfy the business value deficiency, the test BPM is optimized. Once the simulation client determines that the simulated business outcome satisfies the business value deficiency, the test BPM is implemented as an actual BPM. Moreover, an actual business outcome associated with the actual BPM is generated. A determination is made whether the actual business outcome satisfies the simulated business outcome. In response to a determination that the actual business outcome does not satisfy the simulated business outcome, the actual BPM is optimized.
US08639542B2 Method and apparatus to facilitate development of a customer-specific business process model
A business process model pertaining to an application product is associated with a set of views that illustrate the realization of the business process in the application product. Further, the business process model is displayed to the user together with the set of views to enhance the user's understanding of the business process provided by the application product.
US08639541B2 Sports and concert event ticket pricing and visualization system
A system and method for displaying seat inventory at a venue and facilitating planning of ticket prices for events at the venue is presented. Methods to predict total revenue for an event are described. Also presented are systems and methods for determining at what price and when to release so-called ‘flex’ price tickets during an on-sale using the sales velocity and sales/inquiry ratios. Determining demand of seats from secondary markets is also described with methods to use the demand for either repricing the seats in the primary market or presenting ‘best value’ seats to a prospective purchaser.
US08639536B2 System and method for application processing and policy administration for insurance policies issued before comprehensive underwriting
A computer system for administering applications for life insurance has a processor and a memory storage device in communication with the processor. The processor is configured to receive data indicative of application data and data indicative of a health of a proposed insured; based on the received data, determine whether the proposed insured is eligible, and generate an output signal to cause a policy to be generated and comprehensive underwriting to commence. Upon completion of comprehensive underwriting, additional policy documents may be determined. Calculations of commissions and reinsurance premiums may be made upon issue of a policy and recalculated upon completion of comprehensive underwriting.
US08639530B2 Medication advisory system
A medication information repository and analysis system receives prescription information indicating medication prescriptions filled for the patient, analyzes the prescription information to determine an estimate of recent medication consumption by the patient, and stores a medication advisory message indicating prescription and recent medication consumption information for the patient in association with a personal identifier assigned to the patient. A medication advisory delivery system automatically delivers the medication advisory message in response to a medication advisory request that is received in accordance with medication advisory contact information and indicates the personal identification number assigned to the patient. An emergency medical technician may issue the medication advisory request after reading a medication advisory tag carried by a patient identifying the medication advisory contact information and the personal identifier assigned to the patient.
US08639528B1 Efficiency measurement and patient health risk stratification utilizing variable windows for episode creation
A method for measuring physician efficiency and patient health risk stratification is disclosed. Episodes of care are formed from medical claims data and an output process is performed. Physicians are assigned to report groups, and eligible physicians and episode assignments are determined. Condition-specific episode statistics and weighted episode statistics are calculated, from which physician efficiency scores are determined.
US08639521B2 Method for programming a patient care device
The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing care to a patient, comprising a patient care device having a number of configuration databases stored in a memory in the device. Each configuration database preferably includes protocols, operating limits, rule sets and/or operating features that collectively define an operating environment, or personality, of the device. Selection of a specific configuration database preferably is based at least in part upon patient-specific information obtained from any location in a distributed hospital network. Examples of such patient-specific information include patient age or size, patient medical characteristics, a location of the patient or a location of the care device. In a preferred embodiment, programming a patient care device to deliver a drug to a patient entails activating a configuration database and scanning a machine-readable drug label identifying a particular protocol stored in the activated database. The selected protocol includes default parameters for delivering the drug, and the label optionally includes instructions for deviating from the default protocol.
US08639520B2 System and method for creating a visualization indicating relationships and relevance to an entity
A system and method for generating interactive visualizations of clinical relationships is provided. The method includes determining what entities have had some clinical contact with an entity of interest and collecting data regarding each entity and each entity's contacts with the entity of interest. The collected data can be filtered to remove unwanted entities and properties. Algorithms are applied to generate clinical relevance scores, which represent the relationship between the entities and the entity of interest. In addition, each entity is assigned components that allow for some executable behavior when an entity is selected in a display. Finally, the appropriate visualization is selected and a display of the relationships is generated.
US08639515B2 Extending voice-based markup using a plug-in framework
A method for extending supported voice markup. The method can include a step of identifying a reference implementation (RI) for a software component that interprets voice-based markup. The RI can define a manner that the software component interprets voice-based markup. At least one plug-in can be identified that contains an extension to the RI. At runtime, the RI can be dynamically modified in accordance with the at least one plug-in. The software component can interpret voice-based markup documents based upon the modified reference implementation.
US08639511B2 Robot, method and program of correcting a robot voice in accordance with head movement
A robot may include a driving control unit configured to control a driving of a movable unit that is connected movably to a body unit, a voice generating unit configured to generate a voice, and a voice output unit configured to output the voice, which has been generated by the voice generating unit. The voice generating unit may correct the voice, which is generated, based on a bearing of the movable unit, which is controlled by the driving control unit, to the body unit.
US08639510B1 Acoustic scoring unit implemented on a single FPGA or ASIC
A hardware acoustic scoring unit for a speech recognition system and a method of operation thereof are provided. Rather than scoring all senones in an acoustic model used for the speech recognition system, acoustic scoring logic first scores a set of ciphones based on acoustic features for one frame of sampled speech. The acoustic scoring logic then scores senones associated with the N highest scored ciphones. In one embodiment, the number (N) is three. While the acoustic scoring logic scores the senones associated with the N highest scored ciphones, high score ciphone identification logic operates in parallel with the acoustic scoring unit to identify one or more additional ciphones that have scores greater than a threshold. Once the acoustic scoring unit finishes scoring the senones for the N highest scored ciphones, the acoustic scoring unit then scores senones associated with the one or more additional ciphones.
US08639499B2 Formant aided noise cancellation using multiple microphones
A noise cancellation device includes a plurality of first computation modules, a formant detection module, a direction of arrival module and a beamformer. The plurality of first computation modules receives raw audio data and generates a respective transformed signal as a function of formants. A first transformed signal relates to speech data and a second transformed signal relates to noise data. The formant detection module receives the first transformed signal and generates a frequency range data signal. The direction of arrival module receives the first and second transformed signals, determines a cross-correlation between the first and second transformed signals, and generates a spatial orientation data signal. The beamformer receives the first and second transformed signals, the frequency range data signal, and the spatial orientation data signal and generates modification data at selected formant ranges to eliminate a maximum amount of the noise data.
US08639496B2 System and method for identifying phrases in text
A method includes accessing text that includes a plurality of words, tagging each of the plurality of words with one of a plurality of parts of speech (POS) tags, and creating a plurality of tokens, each token comprising one of the plurality of words and its associated POS tag. The method further includes clustering one or more of the created tokens into a chunk of tokens, the one or more tokens clustered into the chunk of tokens based on the POS tags of the one or more tokens, and forming a phrase based on the chunk of tokens, the phrase comprising the words of the one or more tokens clustered into the chunk of tokens.
US08639494B1 Technique for correcting user-interface shift errors
The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that corrects user-interface shift errors. During operation of the system, a user provides an input through a user interface. In response, the system compares the input to a pre-determined set of phrases associated with user-interface errors. In particular, the user-interface errors may include shift errors in a position of a finger or a hand of the user relative to the user interface. Based on the comparisons, the system identifies a correct input, thereby facilitating correction of the shift error that occurred when the user provided the input through the user interface. Next, the system provides feedback to the user. For example, the feedback may correct the received input or may provide a suggestion to the user that includes the suggested correct input.
US08639487B1 Method for multiple processor system-on-a-chip hardware and software cogeneration
An automated system-on-chip (SOC) hardware and software cogeneration design flow allows an SOC designer, using a single source description for any platform-independent combination of reused or new IP blocks, to produce a configured hardware description language (HDL) description of the circuitry necessary to implement the SOC, while at the same time producing the development tools (e.g., compilers, assemblers, debuggers, simulator, software support libraries, reset sequences, etc.) used to generate the SOC software and the diagnostics environment used to verify the SOC.
US08639484B2 Method and apparatus for computer-aided tissue engineering for modeling, design and freeform fabrication of tissue scaffolds, constructs, and devices
A process and apparatus are provided for manufacturing complex parts and devices which utilize a CAD environment to design a part or device to be created (FIG. 1); Boolean, scaling, smoothing, mirroring, or other operations to modify the CAD design; a software interface to convert the CAD designed part (Data Process System) or device into a heterogeneous material and multi-part assembly model (Design Input Model) which can be used for multi-nozzle printing; and a multi-nozzle system to print the designed part or device using different, specialized nozzles (Tissue substitutes).
US08639481B2 Automated interactive multi-objective optimization-based system design tool
A method of interactively achieving a Pareto-optimal design of systems is provided herein. The method includes the following stages: generating a system model containing elements that are associated with design parameters and design alternatives, as well as directives for calculating the system's measures of effectiveness (being the optimization objectives); exploring a plurality of design configurations all satisfying specified system constraints, meeting a Pareto optimal condition over the objective space, and representing different areas of the design and objective spaces; presenting a user with the determined set of design configurations; allowing the user to choose a range of interest, and repeating the exploring and presenting stages, wherein in each repetition, the exploring is carried out within a smaller sub-range, until the user makes a final selection of a design configuration.
US08639480B2 Methods and systems for modeling turbine operation
Methods and systems for modeling turbine operation are disclosed. In one embodiment a method for modeling turbine operation may include: determining current performance parameters of a turbine; providing at least one external factor for current or future operation of the turbine; and modeling, by a predictive model, at least one operating characteristic of the turbine based at least in part on the current performance parameters of the turbine and the at least one external factor.
US08639476B2 Process for estimation of ballistic missile boost state
A computer-implemented method is provided for generating the estimation of current position, velocity and acceleration state vectors and associated uncertainty estimation (covariance) of a boosting ballistic missile. The method includes constructing a state tensor of the projectile from a plurality of sensor measurements in Earth-Centered, Earth-Fixed (ECEF) coordinates; translating the state tensor to Cartesian coordinates as a transform state; determining a covariance matrix from the transform state; updating the transformed state as an updated transform state; and updating the covariance matrix as an updated covariance. The process can further include adjusting the covariance matrix by an approximate transition matrix and a process noise matrix. The noise matrix can be translated from a local noise matrix based on a propagation time-step, a scaling parameter, and a bias process noise level. A time-of-flight in the state tensor can be updated by smoothing from a launch event.
US08639471B2 Wireless position sensing in three dimensions using ultrasound
According to various embodiments, the invention provides a method for establishing communication between a computer program in a computing system and a controller held in a hand of a user, comprising: capturing image data in a capture area in front of a display, the capturing configured to identify a two-dimensional location of the controller in the capture area; and capturing one-way sound communication between a location proximate to the display and a location at the controller, the sound communication being used to compute a third-dimensional location of the controller in the capture area.
US08639469B2 Methods and computerized machine for sequential bound estimation of target parameters in time-series data
Computerized sequential bounded estimation is performed on time-series data. Robust methods use bounds and probability distributions to estimate target parameters for time-dependent data, including but not limited to the location of objects or phenomena. Realistic prior probability distributions of pertinent variables are utilized, and time-dependent measurements and errors in measurements are received. Bounds and probability distributions can be obtained without making any assumption of linearity. The sequential methods used for location are applicable in other applications in which a function of the probability distribution is desired for variables that are related to measurements.
US08639468B2 Die temperature estimator
A temperature estimation circuit for estimating a temperature of an integrated circuit die comprises a temperature increase estimation circuit, having inputs operable to receive notification signals, each corresponding to a command signal passed to an integrated circuit, and an output providing a sum of temperature increase values, each corresponding to a temperature increase of the integrated circuit due to one of the command signals. The circuit further comprises a temperature decrease estimation circuit, having an input operable to receive a calculated die temperature value, and an output providing a temperature decrease value depending on a mathematical model of temperature decrease when no command signal is applied. The circuit further comprises a temperature calculation circuit, having a first input connected to the output of the temperature increase estimation circuit, a second input connected to the output of the temperature decrease estimation circuit, and an output providing the calculated die temperature value.
US08639466B2 Computerised storage system comprising one or more replaceable units for managing testing of one or more replacement units
A method, apparatus and software is disclosed, for use in a computerised storage system comprising one or more replaceable units, for managing testing of one or more replacement units, where the storage system is automatically placed in a testing mode in response to a given unit being replaced and if testing fails the storage system automatically fails back to a service mode.
US08639465B1 Method and apparatus for receiving optical signal, processing and conveying electrical signal pertaining to power consumption data
A method and apparatus for receiving power consumption data via an optical cable connected to an intelligent power socket converting the received optical signal and conveying a processed data via a bus line to home automation controller direct or through a bus line distributor, said data generated by said socket pertaining to a load powered through it. Said optical signal further including selected data covering the current drain value, the power consumed value, the socket identification, the load identification and combinations thereof. The optical signal and said converted electrical signal for propagation at least one way of bidirectional communication via a network of optical cables and bus line. Said power consumption receiver includes at least one optoport, a CPU and a memory for storing the last received data pertaining to at least one of the power consumed and the load identification.
US08639462B2 Method and system for determining the time-of-flight of a signal
A method of estimating the time of flight of a burst signal includes: receiving the burst signal; determining the slope of the phase characteristic of the Fourier transform of the received burst signal; and estimating the time-of-flight of the burst signal from the slope of the phase characteristic of the Fourier transform of the received burst signal.
US08639459B1 System and method for monitoring power distribution units
A data center includes one or more racks, one or more electrical systems mounted in at least one of the racks, and one or more rack power distribution units (PDUs) in the racks, and one or more rack PDU power monitors. The rack PDUs distribute electrical power to the electrical systems. Each of the rack PDUs includes one or more PDU coupling devices and a monitoring device. The coupling device couples with PDU output receptacles of the rack PDUs. The monitoring device monitors electrical power output from the PDU output receptacles.
US08639456B2 Fluid consumption calculation device, fluid consumption calculation system, and fluid consumption calculation method
Technology enabling a user to easily acquire the result of calculating the consumption of fluid used in a fluid discharge device is provided. A fluid consumption calculation device that calculates consumption of a fluid includes an input unit that receives information related to an output object; a discharge control unit that generates discharge data for a fluid used to form the output object using a fluid discharge device; an analysis unit that analyzes the discharge data; a calculation unit that uses information acquired from the analysis unit to calculate consumption of the fluid used to form the output object; and an output unit that generates and outputs output information using information acquired from the calculation unit.
US08639452B2 Burned-gas passage amount computing method and system used in exhaust gas recirculation system
The invention is applied to an internal combustion engine in which fuel cut control is performed. The internal combustion engine has an exhaust gas recirculation system including: an exhaust gas recirculation passage that connects an intake and exhaust passage of the engine; and an exhaust gas recirculation valve that changes a cross section of the exhaust gas recirculation passage. A correlation, which holds during a predetermined period of time immediately after fuel cut control is stopped, between engine rotation speed NE and an index value indicating the amount of burned gas contained in the recirculated exhaust gas that passes through the exhaust gas recirculation valve (S101 to S104). The correlation is stored in an electronic control unit in advance (S105). Immediately after the fuel cut control is stopped, the index value indicating the burned gas amount is computed from the correlation stored in the electronic control unit based on the engine rotation speed NE.
US08639451B2 Information processing system using nucleotide sequence-related information
The present invention provides a highly-safe information processing system that is capable of effectively using nucleotide sequence information differences between individual organisms to offer semantic information useful for each individual organism while properly preventing leakage and illegal use of nucleotide sequence information.Further, the present invention includes steps a and b. Step a is performed to acquire either encrypted nucleotide sequence-related information or cryptographic key that corresponds to positional information indicating a position within a nucleotide sequence. Step b is performed to acquire the encrypted nucleotide sequence-related information or cryptographic key, whichever is not acquired in said step a, decrypt, with the cryptographic key, the encrypted nucleotide sequence-related information corresponding to the positional information compliant at least with a request for an object and/or a service, and acquire the nucleotide sequence-related information corresponding to the positional information compliant at least with the request for an object and/or a service.
US08639448B2 Method for object recognition
A method for recognizing an object that has a plurality of expressions of abstract object characteristics, and is associated with an object characteristic class of a hierarchical system of object characteristic classes stored in a first memory. The method includes i) observing at least one location at which the object is presumed to be present, using a plurality of sensors in a sensor population, each of said sensors responding to at least one object characteristic and accordingly emitting a sensor signal; ii) checking whether each of the emitted sensor signals exceeds a specified threshold value for the sensor signals, and accepting sensor signals which exceed the threshold value; iii) pairing combinations of the sensor characteristics, for the accepted sensor signals obtained in ii) to form identification characteristic pairs; iv) comparing the population of identification characteristic pairs obtained in iii) to the object characteristic classes stored in the first memory; and v) identifying the object, based on the object characteristic class, whose object characteristic pairs are identical to the identification characteristic pairs obtained in iii).
US08639444B2 Chrono-stratigraphic and tectono-stratigraphic interpretation on seismic volumes
A method for performing chrono-stratigraphic interpretation of a subterranean formation. The method includes obtaining a seismic volume containing stratigraphic features of the subterranean formation deformed by structural events, performing structural restoration of the seismic volume to generate a restored seismic volume by removing deformation due to the structural events, performing a chrono-stratigraphic interpretation based on the restored seismic volume to generate chrono-stratigraphic objects each associated with a respective relative geologic age, and displaying the chrono-stratigraphic objects in a chrono-stratigraphic space according to the respective relative geologic age of each of the stratigraphic objects.
US08639440B2 Augmented reality shopper routing
A method for guiding a shopper in a store, including: receiving one or more recommended products identified for the shopper based on a set of one or more sought products; calculating a route through the store to a location of each of the sought products based on the store product map; and including a waypoint in the route corresponding to a location of each of the one or more recommended products. The route is then sent to an augmented reality device for presenting the route to the shopper in conjunction with a representation of a current view of the shopper in the store.
US08639439B2 Electronic device and transportion information management method utilized thereby
A transportation information management method using an electronic device sets a departure location and a destination, detects a current location of the electronic device using a navigation device of the electronic device in real time, and determines whether a distance between the current location and the destination is less than a predetermined distance. If the distance is less than the predetermined distance, the electronic device generates a first notification to inform the user to prepare to disembark.
US08639436B2 System and method of vehicle fuel quantity management
Systems and methods of vehicle fuel quantity management are provided to assist in determining an optimal quantity of fuel to carry on-board a vehicle. Certain routes are sufficiently short so to not require a completely filled fuel tank to traverse. Additionally, most routes have an abundance of vehicle fueling stations that provide ample refueling opportunities, thus permitting an operator to carry less fuel than might be required to complete a route. Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure balance initial fuel loading and fuel stops to optimize the amount of freight weight that can be carried for a given route. The benefit is increased freight efficiency in transporting cargo from source to destination while maintaining drivability.
US08639435B2 Method and system for conclusively capturing a violation of the speed limit on a section of road
By means of the method according to the invention, a vehicle is detected when it drives into and out of a specified section of a roadway, the detection time is acquired, and an image recording in which the vehicle registration plate of the vehicle is detected is produced so as to be associated with each detection time. The image recordings in which the same vehicle registration plate was determined are correlated, and an average speed is determined from the difference of the associated detection times and the known length of the section of road and is compared with a specified maximum speed. If a speeding violation is determined, a high-resolution image recording of the driver of the vehicle is generated.
US08639430B2 Energy conservation systems and methods
Methods and systems are described for conserving energy used by an energy consuming device. In certain embodiments, an energy conservation system can be configured to deliver energy to the energy consuming device for a period, followed by a period where energy delivery is dampened and/or cut. By cycling the delivery of energy in this fashion, the energy conservation can achieve a pulsed efficiency.
US08639429B2 Wheel loader and method for controlling a wheel loader
A tractive force control part of a wheel loader reduces the maximum tractive force when determination conditions are satisfied during tractive force control. The determination conditions include that the work phase is excavation, that the working implement is in the raising hydraulic stall condition and that drive circuit pressure is greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure threshold.
US08639428B2 Electromechanical brake system with a failsafe energy supply and method for failsafe energy supply in an electromechanical brake system for vehicles
An electromechanical brake system and an associated method with a failsafe energy supply, have a first to fourth brake module with at least one control unit and brake actuation unit. In order to supply the modules with electrical energy, the control unit and the brake actuation unit are each connected to at least one main energy supply unit via independently fed lines. In order to supply additional electrical energy to the modules, a first emergency energy supply unit is connected to the control unit and brake actuation unit of the first and fourth brake module and a second emergency energy supply unit is connected to those of the second and third brake module, respectively via additional independently fed lines, wherein the selection of the energy supply unit is made via switches actuated at least partially separately from one another via at least one central control system.
US08639426B2 GPS/IMU/video/radar absolute/relative positioning communication/computation sensor platform for automotive safety applications
A GPS/IMU safety sensor platform is proposed, consisting of data fusion Processors, GNSS Signal Acquisition and Tracking Processors, MEMS IMU sensors, one or multiple accelerometers able to provide orientation information, optional V2V communication modules, and optional V2I communication modules. The data fusion processors provide interface ports to GNSS/IMU processors, odometers, video (Visual/Infrared) cameras installed in the vehicle, V2V relative positioning sensors (laser, radar or any other distance measuring), and V2V and V2I communication modules. The data fusion processors are interfaced to a driver warning system and optionally to the vehicle controls for providing safety warning messages to drivers, or for automatic control the vehicle for preventing and reducing accidents.
US08639425B2 Automated synchronization
A method for making the synchronization process in automatic transmissions more robust and shortening the same, while at the same time taking the noise comfort into consideration.
US08639423B2 Power split device and method
A variable power split device having radially inner and outer races, each comprising at least two axially spaced parts. A plurality of planetary members are arranged for rolling contact between the races and a planet follower carrier engages the planetary members. A first rotatable power element spindle connects with the planet follower to couple power between the planet follower carrier and a first power element. A second rotatable power element spindle connects with the inner race to couple power between the inner race and a second power element. A third rotatable power element spindle connects with the outer race to couple power between the outer race and a third power element. Means for adjusting axial separation adjust separation of the axially spaced parts of at least one of the races to vary a power split ratio between the first, second and third rotatable power element spindles.
US08639420B2 Worksite-management system
A worksite-management system includes a display component and one or more information-processors. The one or more information-processors may be configured to acquire information about a history of travel of one or more non-compactor mobile machines across a terrain surface of a worksite. The one or more information-processors may also be configured to process the acquired information to generate a digital map indicative of compaction of the terrain surface as a function of the history of travel of the one or more non-compactor mobile machines across the terrain surface. Additionally, the one or more information-processors may be configured to present on the display component information related to the compaction of the terrain surface as a function of the history of travel of the one or more non-compactor mobile machines across the terrain surface.
US08639406B2 Switch controlled battery charging and powering system for electric vehicles
Methods and apparatuses for operating an electric vehicle using switch controlled battery charging and powering systems are provided. The apparatuses and methods disclosed herein include a first and second battery pack that are alternatively recharged multiple times and alternatively power the electric motor using a first and second switch. In some implementations, the battery packs are charged using a generator operatively connected to a wheel axle or the shaft of the vehicle's motor.
US08639405B2 Electric motor drive system for an electric vehicle
In an electric motor drive system for an electric vehicle that includes a converter for performing direct-current voltage conversion and an inverter that converts the output voltage of the converter into alternating-current voltage, a control apparatus makes a required torque response determination to determine whether the electric vehicle is in a state in which high torque response is needed. Furthermore, in a drivability priority mode in which high torque response is needed, the control apparatus sets a voltage command value for the converter in a range where sine wave PWM control can be applied. On the other hand, in a fuel efficiency priority mode in which high torque response is not needed, the control apparatus sets the voltage command value for the converter such that power loss in the overall electric motor drive system is minimized, based on the operating state of an alternating-current electric motor.
US08639395B2 Conductive bodies
An aircraft (10) or other conductive body having an electrical conductor which is capable of storing electrical charge, the aircraft comprising: connection means (20, 22, 24) for connecting said conductor with at least one other aircraft (10) having an electrical conductor capable of storing electrical charge so that stored charge can be transferred to and/or received from said at least one other aircraft; and control means (32, 34) for controlling transmission of charge so as to convey information to said at least one other aircraft and/or information extraction means (32, 34) for extracting information from the transmission of charge received from said at least one other aircraft.
US08639393B2 System for automated excavation planning and control
A control system is disclosed for a mobile excavation machine operating at a worksite. The control system may have a locating device configured to generate a first signal indicative of a position of the mobile excavation machine, and a position sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a position of a work tool. The control system may also have an offboard planner configured to receive a first input indicative of a characteristic of an intended work area, a second input indicative of a characteristic of the mobile excavation machine, and a third input indicative of a desired change in the intended work area. The offboard planner may also be configured to generate an excavation plan based on the first, second, and third inputs. The control system may further have a controller configured to autonomously control the mobile excavation machine based on the first and second signals and based on the excavation plan.
US08639391B1 Systems, devices, and methods for automation and energy management
A building automation system including a controller, at least one outlet for providing electrical energy to one or more electrical devices, at least one sensor for detecting one or more characteristics of the electrical devices, and a communication link configured to allow communication between the controller and other components of the system, wherein the controller is configured to control (e.g., interrupt, change, adjust, terminate, increase, and/or meter) the supply of power to the at least one outlet based, in part, on one or more characteristics of the electrical device.
US08639388B2 Time domain vibration reduction and control
A vibration control system includes a mechanical system which generates vibration; a sensor configured to measure the vibration and generate a vibration signal thereof, and a processor configured: (a) receive a vibration signal from a sensor in a mechanical system; (b) model the vibration signal using a time-domain function; (c) adjust one of an amplitude coefficient and a phase coefficient of the modeled vibration signal; (d) output a control signal corresponding to the modeled vibration signal to the mechanical system so as to reduce the vibration; and (e) receive another vibration signal from the sensor. Steps (c)-(e) are repeated when the average value of the vibration signal is greater than a predetermined value. A method for vibration control is also disclosed.
US08639386B2 Haptic device for manipulator and vehicle control
An interface (101) for converting human control input gestures to telematic control signals includes a plurality of articulating arms (107, 108, 109) each mounted at a base end (113, 115, 117) to an interface base and coupled at an opposing end to a housing (106). The articulating arms are operable to permit linear translational movement of the housing in three orthogonal directions. At least one sensor (116) of a first kind is provided for measuring the linear translational movement. A pivot member (201) is disposed in the housing and is arranged to pivot about a single pivot point. A grip (102) is provided and is attached to the pivot member so that a user upon grasping the grip can cause the pivot to rotate within the housing. A button (118) is provided to switch between at least two modes, wherein when in a first mode control signals are used to control a vehicle base (502), and when in the second mode control signals are used to control a robotic arm (504) coupled to the vehicle base (502).
US08639383B2 Automated research planting system, method, and apparatus
The present invention provides an automated research seed planting system, method, and apparatus. The system, method, and apparatus may include a planter configured for planting a research plot and comprising a seed package assembly handling device configured to receive a seed package assembly containing a research seed sample, and a controller configured to communicate with the seed package assembly handling device. The controller is configured to automatically control the seed package assembly handling device to release the research seed sample. In various embodiments, the research seed planter may include a positional data acquisition system configured to acquire position data associated with one or more research seed planting events.
US08639381B2 Arrangements for creating wafer movement control macros
An arrangement for creating a set of wafer transfer instructions configured to transfer a wafer between an origination wafer-holding location and a destination wafer-holding location in a plasma cluster tool is provided. The arrangement includes means for receiving a first user-provided location indicator and a second user-provided location indicator on an on-screen graphical representation of the plasma cluster tool. The arrangement also includes means for ascertaining data pertaining to a set of paths between the first user-provided location indicator and the second user-provided location indicator. The arrangement further includes means for forming the set of wafer transfer instructions responsive to the data pertaining to the set of paths, the set of wafer transfer instructions being configured to transfer the wafer along a set of wafer-holding locations associated with one of the set of paths.
US08639378B2 Device safety apparatus
A device safety apparatus, in particular a hand-held device safety apparatus, having an antenna unit having at least one antenna element, which is provided for the purpose of transmitting and/or receiving a safety signal. The antenna unit has at least one additional component, which in conjunction with the antenna element is provided to specify a safety zone.
US08639374B2 Method, apparatus and system for regulating a product attribute profile
There is provided a method of regulating the formulation of a multi-component product comprising a product attribute profile, the method comprising providing a first and second component of the product, each component having a component attribute profile; supplying to a product formulation zone the first component and the second component in a desired ratio and combining the first and second components together to provide the product or a precursor thereof to yield a target product attribute profile; responsive to a change or predicted change in at least one component attribute profile, supplying information concerning the attribute change to a data processing apparatus and calculating with respect to that change an adjustment in the ratio to reduce the deviation of one or more attributes of the product attribute profile from the target product attribute profile. A production system is also provided.
US08639370B2 Audio source system and method
A system includes a computer having a device driver. The device driver includes a detection module to detect an audio input. The device driver includes a selection module to send the audio input to audio hardware after detection of the audio input. The device driver also includes an emulation module to send hardware emulation information to an operating system audio application to replace feedback data received at the device driver from the audio hardware and sent from the device driver to the operating system audio application.
US08639366B2 Control apparatus and image forming apparatus
A control device for generating a second trigger with a delay of a predetermined time from generation of a first trigger, the control device having: a counter for counting numbers from 0 to n−1 at a frequency with cycles of a first period; a control section, which operates at a frequency with cycles of a second period that is longer than the first period, for calculating a remainder of a division by adding a number of counts of the counter corresponding to the predetermined time to a count value of the counter at the time of generation of the first trigger and by dividing a result of the addition by n; and an output section for outputting the second trigger at a time when the count value of the counter becomes equal to the remainder.
US08639365B2 Methods and systems for controlling a semiconductor fabrication process
Software for controlling processes in a heterogeneous semiconductor manufacturing environment may include a wafer-centric database, a real-time scheduler using a neural network, and a graphical user interface displaying simulated operation of the system. These features may be employed alone or in combination to offer improved usability and computational efficiency for real time control and monitoring of a semiconductor manufacturing process. More generally, these techniques may be usefully employed in a variety of real time control systems, particularly systems requiring complex scheduling decisions or heterogeneous systems constructed of hardware from numerous independent vendors.
US08639361B2 Electrostimulation devices
A hand held electrostimulation device includes a housing that has a first housing part and a second housing part, at least one first electrode carried by the first housing part and at least one second electrode carried by the second housing part. The electrostimulation device has a controller to control a supply of electricity to the electrodes. The first and second electrodes are spaced apart and the spacing of the electrodes is adjustable by relative to movement of the first and second housing parts.
US08639359B2 Electrical nerve stimulation with broad band low frequency filter
A system and method of generating electrode stimulation signals for an implanted multi-channel electrode array of a cochlear implant includes processing an acoustic audio signal with a bank of filters. Each filter in the bank of filters is associated with at least one channel having an electrode. The bank of filters includes a first band pass filter that produces a broadband signal b(t) with frequencies that substantially cover at least one of a pitch frequency range of 100 Hz to 400 Hz and a first format range of 400 Hz-1000 Hz. At least one electrode associated with the first band pass filter is activated with electrode stimulation signals based, at least in part, on the broadband signal b(t). The filter bank may include at least one electrode associated with one or more filters other than the first band pass filter, the one or more filters producing signals having only higher frequencies than broadband signal b(t).
US08639356B2 Lead assembly and related methods
Defibrillator lead designs and methods for manufacturing a lead having attachment between a fibrosis-limiting material covering, a shocking coil electrode, and an implantable lead body are disclosed herein. An electrode coil fitting is disposed within the shocking coil electrode. In an option, the fibrosis limiting material extends past the ends of the electrode coil, and is wrapped between the coil electrode and the electrode coil member.
US08639353B2 Electrical connection device implantable in the human body
The invention concerns an electrical connection device (1) designed to be implanted inside an animal's body to provide an electrical connection between several electrical wires, characterized in that it comprises: a housing (10) comprising at least one opening (11) formed at the surface of said housing (10) at the end of at least one cavity formed inside the housing (10), said cavity being designed to receive a first electrical wire through opening (11); electrical interconnection means (8) to establish an electrical connection between said first electrical wire and at least one second electrical wire; a means for maintaining the position of the first electrical wire in the corresponding cavity, said position maintenance means having a cam (13) rotatably mounted in the housing to compress said first electrical wire against the inner walls of the cavity during rotation of cam (13) in a direction tending to insert said first electrical wire inside the corresponding cavity.
US08639350B2 Telemetry double buffering and oversampling for an implantable medical device
A method of operating an implantable medical device (IMD) includes demodulating a data signal incoming to the IMD, serially storing demodulated data received in the data signal in a first serial buffer register, transferring the received demodulated data to a parallel buffer register from the first serial buffer register, wherein the parallel buffer register operates according to a clock signal having a lower frequency than a clock signal used to operate a serial buffer register, switching the serial storing of demodulated data to a second serial buffer register during the transferring of the received demodulated data to the parallel buffer register, and alternating the serial storing of the received data between the first and second serial buffer registers.
US08639347B2 Methods, devices and systems for transmission between an implanted device and an external device
Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to systems including an internal power transmitter that delivers energy out of a living subject to power at least one external device that is in communication with the internal power transmitter, and related apparatuses, devices, and methods of use.
US08639346B2 Adaptive software configuration for a medical device
A method of operating a medical device comprises updating a regulatory approval status stored in at least one of the medical device or a second device operable to communicate with the medical device, and enabling or disabling the at least one function in the medical device based on the regulatory approval status. The regulatory approval status corresponds to at least one function performable by the medical device.
US08639344B2 Flexible circuit electrode array
Polymer materials are useful as electrode array bodies for neural stimulation. They are particularly useful for retinal stimulation to create artificial vision, cochlear stimulation to create artificial hearing, or cortical stimulation many purposes. The pressure applied against the retina, or other neural tissue, by an electrode array is critical. Too little pressure causes increased electrical resistance, along with electric field dispersion. Too much pressure may block blood flow. Common flexible circuit fabrication techniques generally require that a flexible circuit electrode array be made flat. Since neural tissue is almost never flat, a flat array will necessarily apply uneven pressure. Further, the edges of a flexible circuit polymer array may be sharp and cut the delicate neural tissue. By applying the right amount of heat to a completed array, a curve can be induced. With a thermoplastic polymer it may be further advantageous to repeatedly heat the flexible circuit in multiple molds, each with a decreasing radius. Further, it is advantageous to add material along the edges. It is further advantageous to provide a fold or twist in the flexible circuit array. Additional material may be added inside and outside the fold to promote a good seal with tissue.
US08639343B2 Ear stimulator for producing a stimulation signal to an ear
An electronic stimulation system to be worn in, behind or on a human ear having a casing; a detection device to sense breathing activity from a human being and to generate a detection signal; electronics within the casing and having a controller connected to the detection device to process the detection signal and generate a control signal when the controller has determined that the human being is in a state of developing apnoea; a stimulation device to receive the control signal from the electronics and to provide stimuli to one or more points of the human ear; wherein when the electronic stimulation system is worn in, behind or on the human ear, the stimulation device is pushed against a predetermined portion of the human ear.
US08639342B2 Laparoscopic implantation of neurostimulators
A method for altering operation of a nerve related to a given body condition includes the steps of identifying at least one nerve root of a nerve related to the given body condition; laparoscopically implanting at least one electrode on the nerve root; and operating the electrode to electrostimulate the nerve root and alter operation of the nerve.
US08639341B2 Multi-electrode implantable systems and assemblies therefor
Hermetically sealed assemblies, for example, that include IC chips, are configured for incorporation within a connector terminal of an implantable medical electrical lead, preferably within a contact member of the terminal. An assembly may include two feedthrough subassemblies, welded to either end of the contact member, to form an hermetic capsule, in which an IC chip is enclosed, and a tubular member, which allows a lumen to extend therethrough, along a length of the terminal. A multi-electrode lead may include multiplexer circuitry, preferably a switch matrix element and a communications, control and power supply element that are electrically coupled to the contact member and to another contact member of the terminal. Each pair of switch matrix switches allows for any two of the electrodes to be selected, in order to deliver a stimulation vector, via stimulation pulses from a device/pulse generator, to which the connector terminal is connected.
US08639340B2 Implantable medical lead connector sleeves
A connector sleeve includes a lumen adapted to receive a medical lead connector wherein a retention element engages a retention edge formed at a distal end of a connector element included on the lead connector. The connector sleeve further includes a contact element adapted to electrically engage the lead connector element within the lumen and an external conductive surface electrically coupled to the contact element and adapted for electrical engagement within the connector bore of an implantable medical device.
US08639339B2 System and method for RF wake-up of implantable medical device
A telemetry system is presented for enabling wireless communications between an implantable medical device and an external device in a manner which reduces the power requirements of the implantable device by duty cycling its wireless communication circuitry. A wakeup scheme for the implantable device is provided in which the external device transmits a data segment containing a repeating sequence of special wakeup characters in order to establish a communications session with the implantable device. The wakeup scheme may be designed to operate in the context of a handshaking protocol for collision avoidance.
US08639327B2 Nerve signal differentiation in cardiac therapy
Methods of nerve signal differentiation, methods of delivering therapy using such nerve signal differentiation, and to systems and devices for performing such methods. Nerve signal differentiation may include locating two electrodes proximate nerve tissue and differentiating between efferent and afferent components of nerve signals monitored using the two electrodes.
US08639326B2 Implantable medical device with ventricular pacing management of elevated heart rates
An implantable medical device operates to promote intrinsic ventricular depolarization according to a pacing protocol. When a cardiac rate exceeds a predetermined threshold, the implantable medical device modifies the pacing protocol parameters to promote AV synchrony.
US08639325B2 Method for low-voltage termination of cardiac arrhythmias by effectively unpinning anatomical reentries
A method for extinguishing a cardiac arrhythmia utilizes destructive interference of the passing of the reentry wave tip of an anatomical reentry through a depolarized region created by a relatively low voltage electric field in such a way as to effectively unpin the anatomical reentry. Preferably, the relatively low voltage electric field is defined by at least one unpinning shock(s) that are lower than an expected lower limit of vulnerability as established, for example, by a defibrillation threshold test. By understanding the physics of the electric field distribution between cardiac cells, the method permits the delivery of an electric field sufficient to unpin the core of the anatomical reentry, whether the precise or estimated location of the reentry is known or unknown and without the risk of inducting ventricular fibrillation. A number of embodiments for performing the method are disclosed.
US08639323B2 System and apparatus to monitor biopacemaker maturation
The present invention includes systems, devices, and methods relating to the monitoring of the functional maturation of biological interventions effecting cardiac pacing; the systems, devices, and methods including an implantable electronic pulse generator delivering artificial cardiac pacing; a means for halting the electronic pulse generator delivering artificial cardiac pacing at predetermined data collection intervals; and a sensor for recording and storing data on one or more intrinsic physiological parameters of cardiac pacing during the predetermined data collection intervals.
US08639320B2 Muscle-activity diagnosis apparatus, method, and program
A muscle-activity diagnosis apparatus includes: an acquiring section acquiring a myoelectric signal from a test subject; using the myoelectric signal as an original signal, a transformed-signal generating section generating a transformed signal by performing Hilbert transformation and inverse Fourier transformation on the original signal; a phase-velocity calculation section calculating a phase velocity of the myoelectric signal on the basis of phases of the original signal and the transformed signal; and on the basis of a plurality of feature quantities of a waveform of the myoelectric signal in a unit time and the plurality of feature quantities including at least a size of amplitude of the myoelectric signal and the calculated phase velocity, a state-identifying section identifying an activity state of a muscle of a predetermined part of a body of the test subject for each of the unit time.
US08639313B2 System for the assessment of sleep quality in adults and children
Systems and methods for assessment of sleep quality in adults and children are provided. These techniques include an apparatus worn above the forehead containing the circuitry for collecting and storing physiological signals. The apparatus integrates with a sensor strip and a nasal mask to obtain the physiological signals for the user. The form factor of this apparatus is comfortable, easy to self-apply, and results in less data artifacts than conventional techniques for capturing physiological data for analyzing sleep quality. Neuro-respiratory signals are analyzed using means to extract more accurate definitions of the frequency and severity of sleep discontinuity, sleep disordered breathing and patterns of sleep architecture. Biological biomarkers and questionnaire responses can also be compared to a database of healthy and chronically diseased patients to provide a more accurate differential diagnosis and to help determine the appropriate disease management recommendations.
US08639312B2 System and method for electrically shielding a microelectrode array in a physiological pathway from electrical noise
A system and method for electrically shielding a physiological pathway from electrical noise is disclosed. The method includes the operation of implanting at least one signal microelectrode into a patient such that the signal microelectrode is proximate to the physiological pathway. An additional operation includes substantially enclosing the microelectrode and a section of the physiological pathway with an electrical shielding wrap. The electrical shielding wrap includes a plurality of holes that enable fluid communication of physiological fluids between an inside and outside of the wrap.
US08639309B2 Method and system for monitoring oxygenation levels of compartments and tissue
A method and system for continually monitoring oxygenation levels in real-time in compartments of an animal limb, such as in a human leg or a human thigh or a forearm, can be used to assist in the diagnosis of a compartment syndrome. The method and system can include one or more near infrared compartment sensors in which each sensor can be provided with a compartment alignment mechanism and a central scan depth marker so that each sensor may be precisely positioned over a compartment of a living organism. The method and system may comprise hardware or software (or both) may adjust one or more algorithms based on whether tissue being monitored was traumatized or is healthy. The method and system can also monitor the relationship between blood pressure and oxygenation levels and activate alarms based on predetermined conditions relating to the oxygenation levels or blood pressure or both.
US08639308B2 Fingertip oximeter and a method for observing a measurement result thereon
There is provided a fingertip oximeter that has a plurality of display modes which are presented sequentially in a circulating way, allowing users to easily observe a measurement result from any of surrounding directions. The present invention makes users to be able to observe a measurement result of the fingertip oximeter from any of surrounding directions, without the need of bending his/her finger. Thus, any partial occlusion of the arterial blood capillary can be avoided, so that strength of the pulse will not decrease, and strength of the signal will not be affected. As a result, the precision of the measurement is improved.
US08639306B2 Noninvasive eye-property monitoring, including aqueous-humor glucose monitoring as an indication of blood glucose level
An eye-property monitoring system and method for performing the steps of (1) illuminating the eye from at least one light source whose wavelength interacts with internal eye properties in an optically active manner, (2) controlling, to make known and stable, the operating-power/light-output level of the source, (3) by such illuminating, producing light-source eye reflections including (a) multiple internal reflections within the outer structure of the eye, and (b) linked with those internal reflections at least one resulting outbound reflection, (4) monitoring the outbound-reflection to detect therein the reflection level associated with the at least one source, and (5) associating such detected reflection level as an indication of certain eye properties, such as aqueous glucose concentration.
US08639305B2 Superconductive electromagnet apparatus and cooling apparatus and method thereof
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus has a plurality of cooling pipes disposed while being spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal length of the coil assembly, a first manifold connected to a lower end of the plurality of cooling pipes to distribute and supply a coolant to the plurality of cooling pipes, and a second manifold connected to an upper end of the plurality of cooling pipes to be supplied with the coolant from the plurality of cooling pipes, thereby able to evenly cool off the coil assembly in a longitudinal direction thereof.
US08639304B2 Method of controlling a plurality of internal antennas in a mobile communication device
In one embodiment, a mobile communication device comprises a first antenna; a second antenna; a transceiver for processing a received signal and generating a transmit signal; and a controller, based on a detected condition of one of the first antenna or second antenna, for selecting the other one of said first antenna or said second antenna and coupling the transmit signal to the selected other one of said first antenna or said second antenna.
US08639303B2 Mobile electronic device with an enhanced antenna farm
A mobile electronic device 10 with an enhanced antenna farm 180 is disclosed. The device 10 can include: a housing 150 including a front housing 34 and a rear housing 86; and a user interface 62, the rear housing 86 includes an antenna farm 180. Advantageously, the antenna farm 180 allows wireless communication from or to multiple sources, is substantially isolated from EMI from electronic components in the device and can be made with a minimal Z dimension.
US08639302B2 Antenna spacer for a handheld communication device
The invention provides a portable communication device and enclosure therefor where separation of its antenna from the user's head is facilitated. The device comprises: a case; a speaker port; an antenna located in the bottom of the case; and a spacer located on the front of the case for resting against a cheek of a user of the device. When the device is held against the head of a user of the device with the spacer resting against a cheek of the user, the spacer biases the bottom of the device away from the user's head. The spacer may be located at a distance from the speaker port on the front of the case to comply with a Cellular Telephone Information Association (CTIA) test plan for Mobile Station Over the Air Performance.
US08639301B2 Portable telephone, imaging system employing portable telephone and imaging method
This portable telephone includes an imaging portion, a first communication portion for telephone communication and a control portion controlling the imaging portion to execute an imaging operation on the basis of a prescribed first operation of an operating-side portable telephone while establishing a telephone call state by making a telephone call to the operating-side portable telephone with the first communication portion so that the operating-side portable telephone takes the telephone call.
US08639294B2 System and method for performing automatic gain control in mobile phone environments
A Dynamic Noise Compensation (DNC) telephone speech enhancement algorithm addresses the issue of environment noise on the listener end of a telephone call. A single microphone proximal to the listener provides a sample of near end ambient noise level and of near end speech. A Voice Activity Detector (VAD) detects the presence of near end (listener) speech. The DNC algorithm adjusts the far end incoming speech level based on the near end ambient noise and the VAD ensures that the near end listener speech does not effect the incoming speech level adjustment.
US08639291B1 Mobile phone operation during low battery condition
A mobile phone configured to complete payment transactions while the mobile phone is in a low battery shut-off state. The mobile phone comprises a secure element configured to store payment cards, a near field communication transceiver, wherein the near field communication transceiver is configured to complete a payment transaction based on a payment card stored in the secure element, a memory, a processor and an application stored in the memory. When executed by the processor, the application detects whether a power reserve is below a predefined threshold. When the power reserve is detected below the predefined threshold, the application prompts selection of a payment card stored in the secure element for use in completing payment transactions while the mobile phone is in a low battery shut-off state and configures one of the secure element or the near field communication transceiver to complete payment transactions using the selected payment card.
US08639290B2 UICC control over devices used to obtain service
Devices and methods are disclosed by which a smart card or UICC that is removably insertable into a wireless terminal will only allow operation in either a specific terminal or a specific set of terminals. A mechanism to restrict the set of terminals that a UICC will operate with based upon logic embedded in a memory within the UICC. The UICC receives specific information from the wireless terminal when the terminal is turned on. If the information received satisfies a plurality of rules or conditions stored within the UICC, the UICC functions normally and the terminal may be registered with the network. If the UICC is inserted in an unsupported terminal, the UICC will refuse to function normally. This provides a deterrent against UICC theft.
US08639289B2 System for management of authentication data received by SMS for access to a service
A system for managing at least one service access authentication data item, including a device for accessing at least one service. The system also includes a mobile terminal including a mechanism managing the authentication data item and an identifier of the service, a communication interface between the access device and the management mechanism, and a software interface configured to determine the service identifier and to utilize the management mechanism, via the communication interface, on access to the service. The system for example is applicable to website access authentication services.
US08639286B2 RF transmitter having broadband impedance matching for multi-band application support
Systems and methods are provided for a broadband, closed-loop RF transmitter for multi-band applications that employs a single RF path to service multiple bands of operation. Embodiments of the present disclosure implement a broadband impedance matching module, which avoids the need for several costly and complex narrow-band matching networks. In an embodiment, the broadband impedance matching module includes concentric, mutually-coupled inductors. By adding this broadband impedance matching functionality, delay is significantly reduced because a single path can be used to service multiple bands.
US08639282B2 System and method for uplink power control in a communications system
A system and method for power control in a communications system are provided. A method for controller operations includes determining a power level for a communications device, and adjusting the power level for the communications device to increase a bandwidth utilization of the communications device, where the adjusting is based on a minimum performance metric for the communications device. The method also includes signaling the adjusted power level to the communications device.
US08639281B2 Transmission power determination method, communication device and program
There is provided a method for determining an acceptable transmission power for a second communication service making secondary usage of a spectrum assigned to a first communication service, comprising the step of determining the acceptable transmission power based on quality of a radio signal required in the first communication service, an interference level or a noise level in the first communication service, and a path loss on a communication path about one or more secondary usage node that transmits a radio signal of the second communication service.
US08639280B2 Method for a session initiation protocol push-to-talk terminal to indicate answer operating mode to an internet protocol push-to-talk network server
A push-to-talk communication device including an operating answer mode indicates that operating answer mode to a Session Initiation Protocol/Internet Protocol based push-to-talk network server. The method includes employing as the operating answer mode of the push-to-talk communication device one of an automatic-answer mode, an always-automatic-answer mode and a manual-answer mode. A Session Initiation Protocol/Internet Protocol core network is employed including a Session Initiation Protocol/Internet Protocol push-to-talk network server. The operating answer mode is indicated in a Session Initiation Protocol message from the push-to-talk communication device to the Session Initiation Protocol/Internet Protocol push-to-talk network server over the Session Initiation Protocol/Internet Protocol core network.
US08639278B1 Systems and methods for connecting radio systems
A system and method of connecting a first radio system and a second radio system are disclosed. In one example, the method includes receiving audio data and identification data from a first user radio in a first radio talkgroup of the first radio system, transferring the audio data and the identification data to a connect unit, selecting a second talkgroup in the second radio system based on a predetermined talkgroup mapping, transferring the audio data and the identification data from the connect unit to the second radio system, and transmitting the audio data and the identification data to a second user radio in the second talkgroup of the second radio system.
US08639277B1 Methods and systems for automatically forwarding data messages in a wireless telecommunications network
A data message originally addressed to a first mobile device is forwarded to a second mobile device in a wireless telecommunications network. Data messages may include text messages, picture messages, and video messages. In addition to forwarding data messages, other optional data message forwarding features are provided such as a copy feature that allows for a forwarded message to be copied back to the original addressee, and an invisible feature that prevents a data message sender from knowing that a data message has been forwarded by the data message addressee.
US08639276B2 Mobile telephone interactive call disposition system
An interactive call disposition system that may operate on a mobile telephone independently of any remote or network-based information or functionality is provided. Upon receiving an incoming telephone call, the interactive call disposition system may automatically dispose of the call (e.g., call forwarding, voicemail, etc.), or the interactive call disposition system may conduct an interactive exchange with the calling party via an interactive voice response (IVR) system or via dual-tone, multi-frequency (DTMF) key input from the calling party. The interactive exchange between the interactive call disposition system and the calling party may accomplish disposition of the call based on calling party and called party information, such as calendar data, free/busy data, contacts information, and the like.
US08639270B2 Method and system for device positioning utilizing distributed transceivers with array processing
A mobile device receives signals from base stations each with multiple distributed transceivers. Each distributed transceiver may operate at different carrier frequencies. Each distributed transceiver is equipped with an independently configurable antenna array handling transmissions of the radio frequency signals to the mobile device. The mobile device generates channel measurements for the received signals, and subsequently receives a position estimate from a remote location server. The location server determines corresponding transmit diversity configurations applied to the base stations for conducting the channel measurements for the mobile device, and channel measurements at scanned locations in a location scanning region. The location server selects and utilize a signature function to calculate the position estimate for the mobile device over the transmit diversity configurations. A multi-level positioning process may be performed by adopting various signature functions, subsets of transmit configurations and/or subspaces of the location scanning region for accurate device positioning.
US08639266B2 Using peer devices to locate a mobile device
To determine the location of a querying mobile device, a request is received from the querying mobile device via a communication network. One or several participating mobile devices that potentially are physically proximate to the querying mobile device are identified. A request to scan for a location broadcast message transmitted by the querying mobile device is sent to the participating mobile devices. One or more location broadcast reports from participating mobile devices are received, where each received location broadcast report indicates that the location broadcast message was received at the corresponding participating mobile device. The location of the querying mobile device is estimated based on (i) the received one or more location broadcast reports and (ii) respective locations of the participating mobile devices from which the one or more location broadcast reports were received.
US08639263B2 Method and system for providing location-based information to a group of mobile user agents
A method and system for providing location-based information to a group of mobile user agents. A group of mobile user agents may be identified based at least in part on agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group. The location information may indicate a location for the mobile user agents, which may be determined using GPS information or GPS assistance information. Location-based information may be determined for the group and provided to the group by broadcasting or multicasting. The mobile user agents may be configured to receive and process the location-based information. The location-based information may comprise GPS assistance information.
US08639260B2 Telecommunication networks
A mobile telecommunications network includes a core and a radio access network having a radio for wireless communication with mobile terminals registered with the network, wherein the radio access network includes a controller operable to control the use of network resources by the mobile terminals. The controller may include an application programming interface, API, which provides a consistent interface to a multiplicity of applications hosted on the control mean. The controller may be provided at an access node site and/or a gateway site.
US08639258B2 Measurement scheduling in cell—FACH (forward access channel) and cell—DCH (dedicated channel) states
Methods and apparatus are provided for operating in a first RAN at a working frequency, determining a priority of measurement tasks enabled by the first RAN, and dynamically scheduling the tasks according to the priority. For certain aspects, the first RAN may be a TD-SCDMA network. The measurement tasks are intended to measure at least one parameter of a serving cell in the first RAN on a primary frequency, at least one cell in the first RAN on at least one frequency other than the primary frequency, one or more cells in at least one RAN other than the first RAN (e.g., a GSM network) or any combination thereof. This dynamic assignment allows the UE to make scheduling decisions on which frequencies and RANs to measure, as well as how often these frequencies and RANs are measured, thereby providing for more efficient use of idle slots over conventional haphazard scheduling.
US08639255B2 Simulation system, simulation apparatus, and simulation method
A simulation apparatus according to the present invention performs propagation simulation regarding the radio wave quality of a base station radio wave in a specific area. The apparatus includes: a receiving unit configured to receive, from a plurality of mobile terminals existing in the specific area, measured results of the radio wave quality of a base station radio wave from a base station around the mobile terminal, the field intensity of a GPS wave from a GPS satellite, and a position of the mobile terminal; and a simulating unit configured to identify a mobile terminal having the measured result of the field intensity at or above a predetermined value from the plurality of mobile terminals and correct a propagation equation used for the propagation simulation using the measured result of the radio wave quality at the position of the identified mobile terminal for performing the propagation simulation.
US08639250B2 RRC signalling for fast HS-DSCH serving cell change
When a Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) receives an indication on Layer 3 (L3) (an L1/L2 indication is also possible) from the User Equipment (UE) that it is switching the High Speed-Data Shared Channel (HS-DSCH) reception to another cell in the active set (AS), the UTRAN sends a reconfiguration message to the UE via the target cell using a pre-configured configuration that UE has taken into use. The message can only include an indication that the pre-defined configuration can be used further by the UE or that a complete new configuration is to be used, e.g., using new HARQ info or even a hard handover (HHO) to another frequency. After receiving the configuration message, the UE responds with a normal reconfiguration complete message.
US08639248B2 Handover information sent over a public wide area network (e.g. internet)
A basestation (50) in a mobile communications network is connected to the core network of the mobile communications network over a public wide area network. In the event of a handover between the basestation and another of the network nodes of the PLMW (120), handover information (130, 132, 134) is sent between the basestation and the core network over the public wide area network, for example embedded in a SIP message or in a UMA message.
US08639245B2 Method and apparatus for updating rules governing the switching of virtual SIM service contracts
A system and method for providing updated rules governing the switching of enabled provisioning data supporting a wireless service contract. A mobile device may be initially programmed with a profile data table and priority list index data table to automatically enable provisioning data supporting one of the plurality of service providers stored in a VSIM internal memory unit to conduct a wireless communication when certain operational parameter values are satisfied. The profile data table and priority list index data table may be automatically updated in response to a variety of triggers.
US08639244B2 Wireless communication after subscriber station is switched on
In a wireless communication system having at least first and second radio stations located at a network end and connected to a core network, the first radio station receives a registration message from a user station to initially register the user station in a radio station located at the network end, after the user station has been switched on. Subsequently, communication takes place between the core network and the user station. Signaling messages that are to be sent from the core network to the user station are transmitted, at least at the beginning of the communication between the core network and the user station, from the core network to the second radio station, then from the second radio station to the first radio station or another radio station located at the network end, and from the first radio station (or the other radio station) directly to the user station.
US08639243B2 Systems, methods and apparatus configured to manage neighbor cell lists
According to some wireless network standards the size of a neighbor cell list is restricted to a maximum size. The limited size of a neighbor cell list may not reflect the realities of a wireless network deployment, especially for deployments including numerous femto cells clustered in close proximity. Accordingly, as the concentration of macro cells and/or femto cells in an area increases, there lies a challenge to identify and communicate neighbor lists to user devices that reflect the arrangement of a particular portion of the deployment and the needs of the user devices. Various systems, methods and apparatus described herein are configured to provide a user device or a group of user devices a neighbor cell list that includes neighbor cell identifiers chosen from a candidate list.
US08639242B2 Methods and systems for registrations and service announcements in peer-to-peer networks via cellular overlays
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method and an apparatus for registration and service announcements in peer-to-peer wireless networks to increase capacity of such networks. The present disclosure proposes a hybrid registration mechanism allowing a peer-to-peer node to leverage an administrative architecture of a neighboring cellular system.
US08639238B2 Quality monitoring system, quality monitoring apparatus, and quality monitoring method in wireless communication network
A mobile terminal includes a measuring unit that measures at least the moving speed of the self terminal and communication quality of wireless communication, and a communication unit that transmits terminal information including moving speed information and communication quality information. A quality monitoring apparatus (90) includes a terminal information collection unit (901) that collects the terminal information from at least one mobile terminal, and a terminal information classification unit (903) and a quality analyzing unit (904) that monitor communication quality in a predetermined target area for each moving speed range of the mobile terminal based on the collected terminal information.
US08639236B2 System and method for controlling a function of an electronic device through a network
The disclosure provides a system, method and device for controlling function on an electronic device. The method comprises: receiving a communication from a communication network at the first device, the communication addressed to an account accessed by the first device and providing a first request for a meeting, a start time for the meeting and a second request to control a function of the first device for the meeting; identifying a component on the first device associated with the function; and deactivating the component when the start time arrives on the first device.
US08639234B2 System and method for processing vehicle communications
A system and a method for improving wireless communications between a call center and a vehicle. The system and method can reduce the number of wireless connections needed between a call center and a vehicle by using multimedia messaging service (MMS) messages to convey information therebetween. This obviates the need for the call center to make an initial wireless connection simply to alert the vehicle that it wishes to communicate. Instead, the system and method can convey information or push down content to the vehicle on a very first connection, which can reduce wireless connections and improve reliability.
US08639220B2 Method and system for providing Wi-Fi service by Wi-Fi device
A method and a system for providing a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) service, in which when multiple counterpart devices are selected based on manufacturer information and support information on supported functions and capability defined in a service information field of each beacon message or each probe response message, a final device is determined by checking multiple pieces of signal information of the selected counterpart devices, are provided. The method includes receiving messages from multiple counterpart devices, selecting one or more counterpart devices, each of which supports a requested service, from an identical manufacturer when the messages are received, checking multiple pieces of signal information of the selected counterpart devices when the number of the selected counterpart devices is greater than one, and determining a device having the signal information satisfying set conditions as a final device.
US08639217B2 Radio network monitor device and monitor system
A system is connected to an access point via a network, receives packet transmission information held by the access point, and extracts an address having a transfer destination which is radio interface from the packet transmission information. It is assumed that the terminal of the extracted address exists under the access point holing the packet transmission information. Thus, it is possible to realize connection relationship between a terminal and an access point at low cost and not depending on the vendor.
US08639212B1 Mapping cellular coverage of alert areas
Emergency alert area definitions are mapped to associated cell sites. Emergency alert messages are provided to subscribers within the alert area. Areas not having cellular coverage are identified. The identification of areas not having cellular coverage is provided to appropriate personnel, such as an incident commander. Accordingly, alternate mechanisms can be utilized for providing the alert message to the areas not having cellular coverage.
US08639211B2 Mobile communication method and radio base station
A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes the steps of: (A) transmitting, from a radio base station (eNB) to a plurality of cells designated by a transmission request received from a switching center (MME), broadcast information; and (B) transmitting, from the radio base station (eNB) to the switching center (MME), a transmission response which includes an information element to which the number of cells and identification information of the cells are set, in accordance with the transmission request; wherein, in the step (B), when the broadcast information was not successfully transmitted to all the plurality of cells, the radio base station sets “0” to the number of cells in the information element.
US08639208B2 Cellular telephone with automatic redial capability
A mobile device and method in one example for automatically redialing a dialed number when a call has failed is provided. The mobile device stores the dialed number when the call is initially being placed. If the call fails, the mobile device determines if a call retry service should be invoked. If so, the mobile device determines whether a call retry system has already been enabled. If the call retry system has been enabled, the mobile device will continually and automatically call the dialed number until a terminating party at the dialed number answers or a selectable time limit has expired. When the terminating party answers the call, the mobile device rings so that a subscriber of the mobile device may answer the ring and connect the call. The mobile device may also detect if the dialed number is an emergency number or non-emergency number. A recorded message recorded by the subscriber may be automatically played to the terminating party if the subscriber does not answer the ring. Alternatively, or in addition to, a default recorded message may be played to the terminating party if the subscriber does not answer the ring.
US08639207B2 Electronic apparatus capable of reducing power consumption, control method therefor, and storage medium
An electronic apparatus which is capable of appropriately providing notification about a connecting state and an operating state of a wireless communication unit, and reducing power consumption. Upon receiving a beacon signal from a wireless communication access point with a predetermined period, a notification unit provides notification that the wireless communication unit is linked to the wireless communication access point. Based on a time corresponding to the predetermined period, the wireless communication unit is returned into a first state from a second state in which a smaller amount of power is consumed than in the first state. When the wireless communication unit lies in the second state, the notification unit is intermittently disabled, and when the wireless communication unit returns from the second state into the first state, the notification unit is disabled.
US08639206B1 Method and apparatus for quadrature mixer circuits
The teachings presented herein allow the same sequence of local oscillator waveform sample values to be used for driving two harmonic rejection mixers for which quadrature operation is desired, irrespective of whether the oversampling rate of the sequence is divisible by four or only divisible by two. This ability is obtained by controlling whether the quadrature mixer clocks coincidentally with the in-phase mixer, or clocks a half clock cycle out of phase relative to the in-phase mixer. Several advantages attend the contemplated circuit arrangement and method of operation. Example advantages include the improved matching that comes from operating both mixers with the identical waveform sample values, and the improved flexibility in optimizing the harmonic rejection and/or interference-related operation of the mixers over a broader range of frequencies of interest, which flows from having a larger set of usable OSRs.
US08639205B2 Reduced power-consumption receivers
An exemplary embodiment disclosed comprises a mixer having a plurality of input leads; a first degenerative impedance element coupled to a first input lead of the mixer; a second degenerative impedance element coupled to a second input lead of the mixer; and a local oscillator (LO) system comprising a plurality of duty cycle modes to generate a LO signal for the mixer, the local oscillator system operates in a first duty cycle based on a first gain state of the mixer, and in a second duty cycle based on a second gain state of the mixer.
US08639202B2 Dynamic alternative frequency channel switching in wireless terminal
Provided is a device and method for providing an Alternative Frequency (AF) in a wireless terminal, by which an AF channel service suitable for a user environment can be provided. To this end, the device includes a radio broadcast receiver for receiving a radio broadcast signal, and a controller for attempting an AF channel switch after an elapse of a re-try wait time which is set according to a number of recent AF channel switch failures. The controller may detect the user environment as a walking state or a driving state. If a driving state is detected, the AF channel switch is attempted immediately when receive signal quality is below a threshold, regardless of the number of recent AF channel failures. If a walking state is detected, the AF channel switch is attempted after the elapse of the wait time.
US08639201B1 Voltage regulator for high performance RF systems
A radio frequency transceiver for a wireless communications device transceiver comprising a plurality of subcircuits, a first regulator circuit, and a plurality of second regulator circuits. Each subcircuit is configured to perform an operation of the radio frequency transceiver in accordance with a corresponding regulated voltage. A first regulator circuit is configured to provide a bias signal based on a reference signal and a feedback signal indicative of the bias signal. The bias signal corresponds to a desired regulated voltage for the plurality of subcircuits. A plurality of second regulator circuits corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of subcircuits are each configured to provide the regulated voltage to the respective one of the plurality of subcircuits.
US08639194B2 Tunable antenna with a conductive, physical component co-located with the antenna
A method and device for providing impedance tuning to compensate for capacitive loading effects on an antenna which are associated with conductive or physical components in close proximity to the antenna is provided. A dynamic impedance tuning (DIT) controller periodically receives information that indicates that one or more functions of a physical component and/or a particular device operating state are currently active. In response to one or more functions of the physical component being activated, the DIT controller configures the tunable impedance to a pre-set impedance level to compensate for capacitive loading effects on the antenna. In addition, the controller triggers a switch to connect the tunable impedance to the ground signal line to provide antenna tuning corresponding to the preset impedance level. The tunable impedance adjusts the terminal impedance of the ground signal line to minimize capacitive loading effects associated with the signal line.
US08639190B2 Precoding for segment sensitive scheduling in wireless communication systems
Techniques to enhance the performance in a wireless communication system using segments called subbands and using precoding are shown. According to one aspect, the bandwidth for transmission to an access terminal is constrained to a preferred bandwidth which is less than the bandwidth available for transmission to an access terminal and precoding information related to the subcarriers within the constrained bandwidth is provided to a transmitter. The precoding information related to the subcarriers within a constrained bandwidth provides feedback about the forward link channel properties relative to different subbands and may be fed back on a channel associated with the bandwidth.
US08639189B2 Mitigation of internetwork interference
When a device in one wireless network receives interfering transmissions from an overlapping neighboring network, the neighboring network may be notified of the interference so that non-interfering schedules can be worked out. In one embodiment, the device receiving the interference may broadcast its own communications schedule. Device(s) in the interfering network may pick up that schedule, and pass it on to their controller, which can rearrange its own network schedule to be non-interfering. In another embodiment, the device receiving the interference may notify its own network controller with the pertinent information, and that controller may contact the controller of the interfering network to coordinate non-interfering schedules.
US08639182B2 Inter-satellite crosslink communications system, apparatus, method and computer program product
A communications system, apparatus, method, and computer program product for inter-satellite and inter-spacecraft crosslinks (ISL) with non-ISL optimized antennas where at least one component of the communications system has the potential energy to go into space. The system includes a mobile communications platform that includes an ISL antenna configured to transmit information through a non-ISL antenna of another communications platform. The non-ISL antenna does not track a trajectory of the mobile communications platform. The mobile communications platform includes a controller configured to determine a location of the mobile platform; determine whether the non-ISL antenna is within communications range; and prepare a signal for relayed transmissions through a non-ISL antenna to another communications platform in a signal format that is decipherable by this other communications platform.
US08639181B2 Lunar communications system
A system for communications between a lunar or planetary surface and the Earth may include a first communications satellite adapted to be positioned in a predetermined orbit relative to a celestial body. A first antenna may be mounted on the first communications satellite. The first antenna may include a predetermined beam shape for communications between the first communications satellite and an asset on the lunar or planetary surface. A second antenna may also be mounted on the first communications satellite. The second antenna may include a selected beam shape for communications between the first communications satellite and the Earth. A communications system may be included for relaying communications between the first and second antennas.
US08639178B2 Broadcast source identification based on matching broadcast signal fingerprints
An end user can sample a radio or television broadcast, generate a user representation of the broadcast sample, and send the user representation to a comparison system, which also receives known representations of content broadcast by multiple different stations. The known representations are stored in a continuous fashion, and represent actually broadcast content. The comparison system identifies the source of the broadcast sample by comparing the user representation to the known representations associated with each of the different stations. By comparing two representations of content that was actually broadcast, a broadcast source can be identified without requiring the use of watermarks, timestamps, or a database of discreet content items.
US08639175B2 Curl correcting device, image forming apparatus, and sheet post-processing device
A curl correcting unit can be attached in a normal orientation and inverse orientation. In the normal orientation, a sponge roller being on the lower side, a sliding plate is pressed down by a curl-correction-amount adjusting mechanism. When the sliding plate is pressed down, a roller-side plate is lifted up via a link, where the link works as a shaft of a seesaw that connects the sliding plate and the roller-side plate. As a result, the sponge roller moves up and comes into press-contact with a metallic roller. In the inverse orientation, the sponge roller being on the upper side, the roller-side plate is directly pressed down by the curl-correction-amount adjusting mechanism and thereby the sponge roller comes into press-contact with the metallic roller.
US08639170B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus with a mechanism to extend life of a fixing belt
A fixing device for thermally fixing an unfixed image formed on a recording sheet by passing the recording sheet through a fixing nip. The fixing device has: a heat-generating endless belt having, on a circumferential surface thereof, a sheet passing area through which the recording sheet passes; a first pressure member disposed inside a running path of the endless belt; and a second pressure member disposed to press the endless belt against the first pressure member from outside the running path to form the fixing nip. The endless belt includes: a resistive heat layer that generates heat upon receiving electric current; and a pair of electrode layers that receive electric current. The electrode layers flank the sheet passing area. The resistive heat layer is in contact with the electrode layers at a different one of end faces opposing each other in a width direction of the resistive heat layer.
US08639169B2 Belt fuser for an electrophotographic printer having tubular heating support member
A fuser and method of use for an electrophotographic imaging device that includes a lamp heater assembly; an endless fusing belt having a flexible tubular configuration and being positioned about the lamp heater assembly and spaced outwardly therefrom; a transparent or translucent pressure tube having an elongated tubular body and a pair of opposite ends, the body being substantially transparent to passage of radiant heat therethrough; a pressure tube support assembly having a frame and a pair of bearings mounted on the frame spaced apart from one another and supporting the pressure tube at the opposite ends of the tubular body thereof such that the tubular body of the pressure tube is positioned around the lamp heater assembly and inside the fusing belt and enables radiant heat generated by the lamp heater to pass through the transparent or translucent pressure tube and heat the fusing belt.
US08639168B2 Producing gloss-watermark pattern on fixing member
A gloss-watermark pattern is produced on a rotatable fixing member including a thermoplastic layer having a surface and a selected thickness. Particles having a Young's modulus of at least 1 GPa are applied in a selected deposition pattern to a selected area of a pressure member. The pressure member and the fixing member are pressed together so that the applied particles indent the surface of the fixing member to form the gloss-watermark pattern. The pressure member and the fixing member can then be mechanically separated and a printed image on a receiver can be fixed using the fixing member having the gloss-watermark pattern. A gloss watermark corresponding to the gloss-watermark pattern is thus formed on the printed image.
US08639166B2 Developer supply device and image forming apparatus having the same
A developer supply device is provided, which includes a casing including a developer storage section at a bottom portion therein and an opening formed at an end thereof away from the developer storage section, development agent chargeable with a predetermined polarity, stored in the developer storage section, and a transfer board that is disposed in the casing and configured to transfer the development agent stored in the developer storage section when a multi-phase alternating-current voltage is applied to transfer electrodes of the transfer board. The development agent includes a mother particle having, around an outer surface thereof, an electrically insulating layer without a polar group having a charge polarity identical to the predetermined polarity, and an external additive, absorbed to around the mother particle in an easily desorbable manner, which is an electrically insulating fine particle having a charge polarity identical to the predetermined polarity.
US08639162B2 Color electrophotographic image forming apparatus
A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes a cartridge supporting member for supporting a plurality of cartridges, wherein the cartridge supporting member is movable between an inside position inside a main assembly of the image forming apparatus and an outside position outside the main assembly and includes a plurality of mounting portions to which the plurality of cartridges are detachably mountable; and a conveying path along which the recording material is to be conveyed. The cartridge supporting member is movable to an exposing position, which is a part of the outside position, in which the conveying path is exposed at an upstream side of the upstreammost-side mounting portion with respect to a pulling-out direction in which the cartridge supporting member is to be moved from the inside position to the outside position.
US08639155B2 Stopper for developer filling port and developing device
A stopper for plugging a developer filling port includes a stopper main body and a lock member engageable with the stopper main body. The stopper main body is configured to be fitted to the filling port and shaped like a tube with a bottom. The lock member has a rigidity greater than that of the stopper main body, the lock member engaged with the stopper main body serves to restrict deformation of the stopper main body. A developing device for use in an image forming apparatus includes the stopper configured as described above to be fitted to its developer filling port.
US08639154B2 Image forming apparatus having a charge member with a foamed layer
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member that bears a toner image, and a rotatable and endless intermediate transfer member, wherein a toner image is primarily transferred from the image bearing member to the intermediate transfer member in a first primary transfer part, and a toner image is secondarily transferred from the intermediate transfer member to the image bearing member in a secondary primary transfer part. In addition, a charge member is provided upstream of the first primary transfer part and downstream of the secondary primary transfer part in a rotation direction of the intermediate transfer member to charge residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer member and not being transferred onto the transfer material in the secondary primary transfer part. The charge member includes a conductive roller whose surface layer is a foamed layer, and in a contact area in which the foamed layer contacts the intermediate transfer member, a space is formed between a part of a surface of the foamed layer and the intermediate transfer member, wherein a size of the space is larger than an average particle size of the residual toner.
US08639153B2 Cleaning body including elastic layer, cleaning device, charging device, assembly, and image forming device
A cleaning body has: a shaft; a cleaning member that is spirally wound around the shaft, and that has an elastic layer and an adhesive layer whose obverse is adhered to the elastic layer and whose reverse is adhered to the shaft; and a contacting member that is provided at least one end portion in an axial direction of the shaft, and that contacts the adhesive layer at a position away from an circumferential surface of the shaft. The cleaning body causes the elastic layer to contact a body to be cleaned, and cleans a body to be cleaned.
US08639152B2 Cleaning member for image forming device, charging device, process cartridge, and image forming device
A cleaning member 100 is constituted, for example, by a roll-shaped member having a shaft 100A and an elastic layer 100B. The elastic layer 100B is spirally disposed on the surface of the shaft 100A. A space 100C enclosed by the spirally disposed elastic layer 100B (side surface thereof) and the shaft 100A (outer circumferential surface thereof) is provided and a filling member 100D for filling the space 100C is disposed in a portion of the space 100C.
US08639149B2 Image forming apparatus including filter substantially parallel to ventilation direction of exhaust duct
An image forming apparatus includes an exhaust fan, an exhaust duct, and a filter. The exhaust duct is configured to discharge a gas in an apparatus body to the outside thereof by using an airflow generated by the rotation of the exhaust fan. The filter is provided in a pathway of an airflow flowing through the exhaust duct, arranged substantially parallel to a ventilation direction of the exhaust duct, and configured to reduce chemical substances contained in the gas.
US08639148B2 Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
An image forming apparatus which includes a fan to generate an air flow within the image forming apparatus, and a controller to drive the fan at a first speed corresponding to a first time period representing an image forming operation and to drive the fan at a second speed corresponding to a second time period corresponding to operations other than the image forming operation.
US08639144B2 Fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus in which temperature of heating rotating member is detected in non-contact manner
In a fixing apparatus, a first detection portion detects a temperature of an atmosphere (a first detected temperature) attained by heat conduction from a heating rotating member for fixing a toner image on a sheet of paper by heating, at a position above the heating rotating member. A second detection portion detects a quantity of infrared rays radiated from the heating rotating member, to thereby detect a temperature at a position below the heating rotating member. A heating portion heats the heating rotating member. A control portion controls heating by the heating portion based on a second detected temperature corresponding to the quantity of infrared rays and the first detected temperature.
US08639143B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes: a fixing roll that is rotatable; a belt member that is stretched over the fixing roll; a pressurizing roll that pressurizes the fixing roll via the belt member; a belt pressing member that presses an outer surface of the belt member to the pressurizing roll from inside of the belt member on a downstream side at a pressure-contact position between the fixing roll and the pressurizing roll; and a controller that decrease a time difference between a passage time per unit area of a tip region of a recording medium and a passage time per unit area of a succeeding region of the recording medium to pass a pressure-contact portion between the fixing roll and belt pressing member and the pressurizing roll.
US08639142B2 Image forming apparatus
In an image forming apparatus transferring a toner image on an intermediate transfer member onto a sheet in a transfer nip between a nip forming member and the transfer member, a resistance or environment detection device detects electrical resistance of the sheet or an environmental parameter correlated with the resistance, an output device outputs a transfer current, a storage device stores, as an algorithm for calculating a transfer current target value according to an image area ratio in the nip, algorithms corresponding to different resistances or environmental parameters, and a control device selects and uses, from the algorithms, an algorithm according to the detection result of the resistance or environment detection device as the algorithm for calculating the target value, and controls an output current value to equalize a current value based on the image area ratio in the nip with the target value based on the algorithm.
US08639133B2 Power supply apparatus and image forming apparatus
A power supply apparatus including a current regulation unit configured to regulate a surge current generated on a primary side of a piezoelectric transformer. The surge current is generated when the piezoelectric transformer including a piezoelectric element and a holding unit, which are connected to each other using a conductive rubber, is driven.
US08639131B2 Belt drive apparatus and image forming apparatus
A belt drive apparatus, including, an endless belt to be laid across in a tensioned condition between supporting rollers and to travel being in pressure contact with or being separated from a body to receive the pressure contact, a pressure contact/separating state detection section to detect whether the endless belt is in the pressure contact with the body or separated therefrom, a belt position detection section to detect a position of the endless belt in a width direction thereof, a belt abnormality judging section to judge whether the endless belt is in an abnormal position based on a detection result obtained by the belt position detection section and one of judgment values which are set correspondingly to the pressure contact/separating state of the endless belt, and a belt drive control section to control a drive of the endless belt.
US08639130B2 Developer storage device
A developer accommodating apparatus includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; developer detecting means, including a light receiving element for receiving light emitted by a light emitter, for detecting the developer in said developer accommodating portion; a cylindrical light guide member, provided projected from a side surface of said developer accommodating portion, for guiding the light emitted from said light emission element to said light receiving element; a rotatable member provided on a peripheral surface of said light guide member and rotatable about said light guide member; and driving means for rotating said rotatable member.
US08639123B2 Flexible dispersion mapping
One method configures an all-optical network such that at least eighty percent of optical fiber spans of a portion of a first all-optical path of the network have substantially a first residual dispersion per span and at least eighty percent of optical fiber spans of a remainder of the first all-optical path have residual dispersions per span substantially differing from the first residual dispersion per span. The remainder of the first all-optical path includes an overlap between the first all-optical path and a second all-optical path of the network. The second all-optical path has a plurality of optical fiber spans and a substantially singly periodic dispersion map.
US08639122B2 Filtering digital diagnostics information in an optical transceiver prior to reporting to host
An optical transceiver configured to perform filtering of digital diagnostics prior to the filtered results being made accessible to a host computing system (hereinafter referred to simply as a “host”) that is communicatively coupled to the optical transceiver. The optical transceiver includes sensor(s) that measures analog operational parameter signals such as temperature and supply voltage. The analog signals are each converted to a plurality of digital samples by analog to digital converter(s). A processor executes microcode that causes the optical transceiver to perform filtering on the various samples. The optical transceiver may then make the filtered result accessible to the host.
US08639119B2 Remote node for wavelength-division-multiplexed passive optical network
A remote node for a wavelength-division-multiplexed passive optical network (WDM PON). The remote node comprises means for receiving uplink optical signals from one or more optical network units of the WDM PON; a broadband reflector for reflecting a self-seeding portion of the respective uplink optical signals to the respective uplink light sources; and wherein the reflector comprises a gain medium and is configured for receiving a pump optical signal from a central office of the WDM PON for amplifying the self seeding portion of the respective uplink optical signal.
US08639117B2 Apparatus and method for allocating dynamic bandwidth
A dynamic bandwidth allocation apparatus of a passive optical network detects guarantee agreement information of each transmission container (T-CONT) queue of at least one optical network unit (ONU) that is connected to the dynamic bandwidth allocation apparatus in order to dynamically allocate a bandwidth is provided. The dynamic bandwidth allocation apparatus sets a queue threshold according to a buffer size of each T-CONT queue of at least one ONU, and calculates a service level agreement (SLA) parameter of at least one ONU using guarantee agreement information and a queue threshold. The dynamic bandwidth allocation apparatus allocates a bandwidth for every frame of each ONU using each SLA parameter of at least one ONU.
US08639116B2 Digital subcarrier optical network utilizing digital subcarrier cross-connects with increased energy efficiency
The present invention provides reduced power dissipation and other benefits at the optical transport network layer by utilizing a digital subcarrier optical network comprising multiple digital subcarrier cross-connect switches. This offers several advantages for optical networks, including spectral efficiency and robustness against signal corruption and consumption of less energy than traditional TDM-based electric switches (OTN/SONET/SDH).
US08639115B2 Time and wavelength-shifted dynamic bidirectional system
A bidirectional optical network, in which an incoming/downstream modulated optical signal(s) of a particular wavelength may carry content from a headend to a subscriber. An incoming/downstream unmodulated continuous wave optical signal(s) from the headend is time-shifted (i.e., time delayed with respect to just received incoming/downstream optical signal(s)), collected, modulated and sent back as return/upstream optical signal(s) from the subscriber to the headend. The return/upstream optical signal(s) may have the same wavelength or a slightly shifted wavelength relative to incoming/downstream optical signal(s). Wavelength, bandwidth, subscriber priority and service (content) provider may be fixed, dynamically, or statistically assigned. A modulated marker optical signal(s) is sent along with a modulated data optical signal simultaneously in a different plane. The modulated data optical signal(s) can therefore be securely delivered to a subscriber(s) according to the marker identification. Furthermore a device can be constructed from a group of components comprising an integrated tunable laser-modulator, a wavelength converter, a cyclic arrayed waveguide grating router, a photonic bandgap cyclic arrayed waveguide grating router, a burst enabled detector in order to electro-optically connect network elements, processors and chipsets on a printed circuit board.
US08639114B2 DPSK modulation-demodulation method, and optical communication device and optical communication system using the same
In the optical communication device and the optical communication system using DPSK modulation whose cost is low, whose size is small and whose power consumption is low, the N:1 multiplexer 125 generates a serial signal by multiplexing a parallel signal coded by the DPSK modulation coding units 115˜117 bit by bit on a time division basis. The electric-phase modulation optical converter 127 converts a serial signal into a phase modulation light. The N-bit delay interferometer 132 executes DPSK decoding with respect to a phase modulation light by comparison with an N-bit preceding optical signal. The optical-electric signal converter 134 converts a decoded intensity modulation light into an electric signal. The N:1 demultiplexer 136 divides an electric signal converted by the optical-electric signal converter 134 into a number N of signals bit by bit on a time division basis.
US08639112B2 Testing of transmitters for communication links by software simulation of reference channel and/or reference receiver
A transmitter for a communications link is tested by using a (software) simulation of a reference channel and/or a reference receiver to test the transmitter. In one embodiment for optical fiber communications links, a data test pattern is applied to the transmitter under test and the resulting optical output is captured, for example by a sampling oscilloscope. The captured waveform is subsequently processed by the software simulation, in order to simulate propagation of the optical signal through the reference channel and/or reference receiver. A performance metric for the transmitter is calculated based on the processed waveform.
US08639110B2 Photographic stitching device
A photographic stitching device that has a generally planar structure having an offset aperture, a capture device mount proximate to the offset aperture, and a mounting structure to accommodate a camera frame. The photographic stitching device allows a photographer to capture a matrix of precisely overlapping photographs that can later be electronically stitched together to create a higher resolution composite image, a panoramic image, a vista, a stereoscopic image, a 3-D image, an artistic rendering, or similar custom and unique photographic products.
US08639109B2 Stereoscopic imaging apparatus
A stereoscopic imaging apparatus includes: an objective optical system that forms a subject as a real or virtual image. Light beams of the subject, emitted in different paths of the objective optical system by independent optical systems, are imaged again as a parallax image, which is converted into an image signal. A control unit moves a front-side principal point of each of the imaging optical systems, so that the ratio of the length of a perpendicular line from that front-side principal point to the optical axis of the objective optical system with respect to the length of a line connecting the point at which the perpendicular line and the optical axis intersect and the focal point of the objective optical system becomes constant.
US08639107B2 Interchangeable lens and camera lens system
An interchangeable lens includes a diaphragm, a driving unit for driving thereof, an operation member for setting an aperture value thereof, a switching unit for switching the operation member between permission and inhibition, and a control unit for operating, when the interchangeable lens is mounted on a camera main body including no recognition unit to recognize information on the aperture value set by the operation member, the driving unit according to a diaphragm driving command from the camera main body if the switching unit is in a state of inhibiting the operation of the operation member, and operate the driving unit according to the aperture value set by the operation member if the switching unit is in a state of permitting the operation of the operation member, and giving a response to the camera main body in a form of operating the driving unit according to the diaphragm driving command.
US08639105B2 Imaging apparatus having autofocus function, and control method for the imaging apparatus
An apparatus includes an imaging unit, a focus detection unit configured to detect a focusing state of a focus lens, a designation unit configured to receive a designation of an in-screen position of an object displayed on a display screen, and a control unit configured to control a movable range of the focus lens when the focusing state is detected by the focus detection unit such that if the designation unit does not designate the in-screen position of the object, the movable range is set to be a first range and, if the designation unit designates the in-screen position of the object, the movable range is set to a second range that is wider than the first range.
US08639103B2 Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus whose posture is easily adjustable is provided. The imaging apparatus is configured to include an inclination detector detecting a degree of inclination of one of the imaging apparatus and an image captured by the imaging apparatus relative to a horizontal direction orthogonal to a direction of gravity; a display unit; a first inclination indicator unit allowing the display unit to display an indicator to indicate the degree of inclination according to a detection result from the inclination detector; a second inclination indicator unit notifying via sound according to a detection result from the inclination detector that the degree of inclination is over a predetermined value; and a selector unit allowing at least one of the first and second inclination indicator units to operate.
US08639101B1 Apparatus and method for recording an image on photographic film
A film recorder including a linear diffractive spatial light modulator (LDSLM) and methods of using the same to record a digital image on a strip of photographic film are provided. In one embodiment, the recorder includes: an illuminator including at least one monochromatic light source generating a light beam; a spatial light modulator assembly including at least one linear diffractive spatial light modulator (LDSLM) to receive the light beam from the illuminator and modulate the light beam from the illuminator; a film transport for transporting a photographic film on an imaging plane; and imaging optics disposed in a light path between the LDSLM and the imaging plane to image the light beam simultaneously on a substantially linear portion of the photographic film to record an image on the photographic film. Other embodiments are also provided.
US08639100B2 Accelerated access to frames from a compressed digital video stream without keyframes
A digital video recorder stores digital video streams having sequences of encoded frames that are predominantly non-keyframes. The digital video recorder synthesizes keyframes for the digital video stream by decoding the frames in sequence and occasionally capturing the state of the decoder as it decodes the frames. The decoder states are stored in a state index in association with the frames. During playback at normal or accelerated speeds, the digital video recorder is capable of random accelerated access of any frame in the digital video stream. A decoder state associated with the accessed frame is retrieved from the state index and used to begin decoding at or near the accessed frame. The decoder state initializes a playback decoder to the state that enables complete decoding and rendering of the accessed frame without having to decode multiple frames previous to the accessed frame, thereby minimizing time delays in playback.
US08639096B2 System and method of managing a digital video recorder using a user television broadcast list
A system and method of managing a digital video recorder using a user customizable television broadcast list which includes a list of a plurality of user selected television programs being displayed on a website. The television programs on the list are identified based on date and time broadcast information which are retrieved from a storage medium. The list includes television programs only to be broadcast on a particular user selected date. At least one of the user selected television programs from the list is exported to a digital video recorder (DVR) upon the user selecting the at least one user selected television program from the list. The DVR is instructed to automatically record the television programs at a predetermined date and time based on the date and time broadcast information.
US08639095B2 Intelligent browser for media editing applications
A browser in a media editing application enables a user to store a desired set of parameters for a given effect, and thereafter select the stored data and apply it to other media content, without the need to manually set the parameter values each time. In one embodiment, the user can manually save customized or frequently used effects in the browser, for subsequent selection and application to media content. In another embodiment, the browser can include functionality that analyzes previously created and stored projects, to identify repeatedly used effects. If an effect is identified that meets a certain frequency of use threshold, the browser can auto-populate itself with that effect, and its corresponding parameters, for subsequent selection and application to media content by the user.
US08639092B2 Audio copy protection system
An apparatus for applying an anti-copy protection signal for use with switchable head recorders, such as Video Hi-Fi recorders, is described. A high frequency pulsed signal is added to an original signal. The pulses interfere with the compensator circuitry such that the switching of the record head cannot adequately be masked on recording of a signal. On playback, the switching of the recording heads can subsequently be heard. In Video Hi-Fi recorders, the effect of the high frequency signals also interferes with the compressor-expander circuits to worsen the sound of the head switching.
US08639084B2 Recording medium containing supplementary service information for audio/video contents, and method and apparatus of providing supplementary service information of the recording medium
The present invention relates to method and apparatus of providing supplementary service information for A/V contents written in a recording medium. This method has a recording medium containing Presentation Language data, which have to be included like as in a digital television signal for supplementary service information in accordance with Advanced TV Enhancement Forum or Digital TV Application Software Environment standard, and reproduces, if a disk reproduction is requested, the Presentation Language data as well as requested A/V data and provides them for a connected external device such as a digital television. As a result, various video information and functions provided with Presentation Language data by a recording medium can be realized at a digital television set being able to accept Presentation Language data.
US08639083B2 Parental control for HDD title recording
The present invention relates to a method for recording a video stream on a recording media, e.g. HDD, wherein the video stream has different parental ratings, and to an apparatus for recording a video stream performing such a method.
US08639082B2 Fiber optic cable assembly
A fiber optic cable assembly includes a connector that has a mating end and a cable end. A fiber optic cable is terminated to the cable end of the connector. A cable director is coupled to the fiber optic cable rearward of the connector. The cable director includes a flexible support sleeve and a clip extending from the support sleeve. The support sleeve includes a raceway that receives the fiber optic cable. The support sleeve has a first end segment and a second end segment. The support sleeve has a first attachment point proximate to the first end segment and a second attachment point proximate to the second end segment. The support sleeve is held in a bent shape when the clip is attached to both the first attachment point and the second attachment point. The support sleeve is configured to be straightened to a loading position in which the raceway is substantially linear when the clip is removed from at least one of the first or second attachment points.
US08639077B2 Colored coated optical fiber
The present invention provides a colored coated optical fiber which hardly has an increase in transmission loss even when immersed in water. A colored coated optical fiber according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a glass optical fiber, a primary coating layer covering the glass optical fiber, a secondary coating layer covering the primary coating layer, and a colored layer covering the secondary coating layer. A ratio of a thermal expansion coefficient of a laminate including the secondary coating layer and the colored layer covering the secondary coating layer to that of the secondary coating layer is 0.98 or more and 1.03 or less. A ratio of a glass transition temperature based on a dynamic viscoelasticity within a temperature range from −100° C. to 150° C. of the laminate to that of the secondary coating layer is 0.96 or more and 1.03 or less.
US08639074B2 Nanomechanical photonic devices
The present invention relates to devices which operate on gradient optical forces, in particular, nanoscale mechanical devices which are actuable by gradient optical forces. Such a device comprises a waveguide and a dielectric body, with at least a portion of the waveguide separated from the dielectric body at a distance which permits evanescent coupling of an optical mode within the waveguide to the dielectric body. This results in an optical force which acts on the waveguide and which can be exploited in a variety of devices on a nano scale, including all-optical switches, photonic transistors, tuneable couplers, optical attenuators and tuneable phase shifters. The waveguide can also comprise a gap such that two cantilever bridges are formed.
US08639071B2 Device for forming laser radiation
An apparatus for forming laser radiation. The apparatus can form the laser radiation such that the laser radiation can enter an optical fiber. The apparatus contains a first lens device for deflection and/or imaging or collimation of the laser radiation with respect to a first direction, and a second lens device for deflection and/or imaging or collimation of the laser radiation with respect to a second direction. The first and the second lens devices are provided in or on a component.
US08639066B2 Nano-structured trampoline fiber gas sensor
A fiber gas sensor including a core fiber comprising at least one Bragg grating region, a fiber cladding in contact with the core fiber along an entire length of the core fiber, and a sensing matrix structure disposed upon the outer surface of the fiber cladding along a portion of the length of the fiber cladding and surrounding the fiber Bragg grating region. The sensing matrix structure comprising a bonding layer disposed on the outer surface of the fiber cladding layer, a nano-structured trampoline matrix layer disposed on the outer surface of the bonding layer and a capping layer disposed on the outer surface of the matrix layer. The thermally modulated response amplitude of the fiber gas sensor is found to linearly depend upon the gas molecular weight, and can be directly used to determine heat specific capacity ratio of Cp/Cv.
US08639065B2 System having avalanche effect light sensor with enhanced sensitivity
The system includes a light-transmitting medium positioned on a base. The light-transmitting medium included a ridge and a slab region. The ridge extends upward from the slab region and defines a portion of a waveguide on the base. The waveguide is configured to guide a light signal through the device. The device also includes an avalanche effect light sensor positioned on the base and configured to detect the presence of the light signal. The light sensor includes a light-absorbing medium positioned on the ridge of the light-transmitting medium such that the light signal is coupled from the light-transmitting medium into the light-absorbing medium. The light-transmitting includes a charge layer located at an interface of the light-transmitting medium and the light-absorbing medium. A multiplication region is formed in the slab regions of the light-transmitting medium such that the multiplication region receives charge carriers from the charge layer during the operation of the light sensor.
US08639063B2 Information processing system and information processing method, and information processing program used therein
An information processing system stores image files formed by an image forming apparatus in a desired storage position in an information processing terminal through simple operations. The information processing terminal, in accordance with an instruction to incorporate an image file, sends to the image forming apparatus information that includes at least identification information by which to identify a storage destination for the image file, a file name for the data file corresponding to a selected icon and storage position information that indicates the storage position in a folder of a directory in the storage destination in which the data file is to be stored. The image forming apparatus registers the information, and causes a selection key for the registered information to be displayed. A new selection key is created for information to be displayed when new settings information is registered based on the information sent from the information processing terminal.
US08639058B2 Method of generating a normalized digital image of an iris of an eye
The present invention pertains to a method of generating a normalized digital image of an iris of an eye for the purpose of creating an iris code for identification of vertebrates, including humans, the method comprising the steps of: capturing one or more digital images of the eye with a camera; constructing a plurality of imaginary outer iris boundaries in the one or more digital images, based on a known dimension of the outer iris boundary of the eye of a given species of vertebrates; and using said imaginary boundaries for transforming the one or more digital images into a plurality of normalized iris image that are insensitive to variations in a dimension of a pupil of the eye.
US08639055B2 Automated underwater image restoration via denoised deconvolution
A method for calculating an image quality metric for evaluating the quality of a digital image including the steps of denoising the data of the image, identifying edges in the denoised data, determining an edge profile of the edges, determining a grayscale angle for each identified edge in the edge profile that is associated with the edge, and calculating the image quality metric based on a weighted average of the grayscale angles for all the edges.
US08639054B2 Image processing apparatus for noise removal and edge enhancement based on edge direction
A correlation judgment part judges a correlation direction on each pixel. In a case where a correlation direction of a specified pixel is a vertical direction and the correlation thereof is small in any other direction, it is judged that the specified pixel is a pixel on an edge in the vertical direction. Then, a noise removal filtering operation is performed on the specified pixel by using pixels on a line in the vertical direction and an edge enhancement operation is performed by using pixels on a line in a horizontal direction.
US08639051B2 Method for the prediction and respectively determination of the collection on a stamping part
Rollover for a part generated by virtual fine blanking is predicted and determined prior to producing the part. A digital image, in particular the cutting contour of the part, is generated, provided as an image file and subjected to image analysis in an image processing device. The image analysis provides individual color gradations of the cutting contour. The gradations are associated with a residual thickness in the region of the cutting contour, so as to be indicative of rollover.
US08639049B1 Systems and methods for image coding and processing
Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for processing and coding image data. In one embodiment, image data is coded using a first image coding process. If a bit rate constraint is satisfied, the image data is output. If the bit rate constraint is not satisfied, the image data is coded using a second different coding process. In one embodiment, the second coding process is a layered coding process. In another embodiment, if the constraint is satisfied, quantization data may be included in the output, and may be coded using layered coding. Variable length coding processes and hardware implementations are further disclosed for efficient image processing.
US08639047B2 Intraprediction/interprediction method and apparatus
An intraprediction/inter prediction method and apparatus is provided. In a method of intrapredicting an image processing unit of a current picture, the image processing unit including a plurality of sub blocks, a first prediction value of the image processing unit is generated by intrapredicting each of the sub blocks using pixels neighboring each of the sub blocks. A second prediction value of the image processing unit is generated by intrapredicting each of the sub blocks using pixels neighboring each of the sub blocks included in the first prediction value. Accordingly, an intrapredicted value or an intrapredicted motion vector can be more accurately obtained, so that the compression rate of image encoding is improved.
US08639045B2 Image processing device and image processing method
An image processing device comprises a region dividing unit which divides a captured image obtained by a camera unit into a plurality of regions, and an image compressing unit which compresses each of region images obtained by the division by the region dividing unit while changing the compression rate according to the distance from a predetermined point in the captured image to each of the region images and the distance from the camera unit to a target included in each of the regions. For example, the image compressing unit compresses the region image having a larger angle from the optical axis at a larger compression rate, thereby achieving compression in which the amount of data in low-quality regions is greatly reduced and the quality of high-quality regions is maintained.
US08639042B2 Hierarchical filtered motion field for action recognition
Described is a hierarchical filtered motion field technology such as for use in recognizing actions in videos with crowded backgrounds. Interest points are detected, e.g., as 2D Harris corners with recent motion, e.g. locations with high intensities in a motion history image (MHI). A global spatial motion smoothing filter is applied to the gradients of MHI to eliminate low intensity corners that are likely isolated, unreliable or noisy motions. At each remaining interest point, a local motion field filter is applied to the smoothed gradients by computing a structure proximity between sets of pixels in the local region and the interest point. The motion at a pixel/pixel set is enhanced or weakened based on its structure proximity with the interest point (nearer pixels are enhanced).
US08639041B2 Product identification using image analysis and user interaction
A product identification service uses image analysis and user interaction. The product identification service includes functionality to compare a first portion of a retail product image to a plurality of candidate retail product images. The retail product image includes a pictorial likeness of a plurality of manufactured retail products. The first portion of the retail product image corresponds to a first retail product. The product identification service also includes functionality to generate a candidate product set comprising candidate retail product images satisfying image comparison criteria. Each candidate retail product image is representative of a retail product having a plurality of product characteristics. The product identification service also includes functionality to determine, based on at least one candidate retail product image in the candidate product set, one or more product identity queries configured to solicit additional product identity information from a user.
US08639039B2 Apparatus and method for estimating amount of blurring
An image processing apparatus includes: an interface unit for acquiring a readout image produced by capturing an image formed on a medium; a storage unit for storing a plurality of templates generated by superimposing different amounts of blurring on a prescribed pattern contained in the image, and for storing the amounts of blurring superimposed on the respective templates; and a processing unit adapted to detect a pattern region where the prescribed pattern is located on the readout image, calculate the degree of matching between the pattern region and each of the plurality of templates and, based on the degree of matching, identify a template that most closely matches the prescribed pattern located on the readout image, and estimate that the amount of blurring corresponding to the most closely matching template represents the amount of blurring superimposed on the readout image.
US08639036B1 Product image information extraction
A system and method for receiving an image of a product's packaging and extracting information (e.g., a set of facts) associated with a product from the image. The extracted information associated with the product may be stored in an attribute data store and used to populate an online catalog. In addition, one or more labels (e.g., certification logos or identifiers) may be extracted from the image and added to the attribute data store.
US08639033B2 System and method for viewing and utilizing data from electronic images
A method of utilizing data extracted from an electronic image includes receiving an electronic image associated with a subclient and receiving a plurality of data extracted from the electronic image and organized into predefined fields associated with the subclient. The method also includes displaying the electronic image in a first portion of a user interface and, in a second portion of the user interface, a field table containing the plurality of data and associated field names.
US08639032B1 Whiteboard archiving and presentation method
The present invention discloses methods of archiving and optimizing lectures, presentations and other captured video for playback, particularly for blind and low vision individuals. A digital imaging device captures a preselected field of view that is subject to periodic change such as a whiteboard in a classroom. A sequence of frames is captured. Frames associated with additions or erasures to the whiteboard are identified. The Cartesian coordinates of the regions of these alterations within the frame are identified. When the presentation is played back, the regions that are altered are enlarged or masked to assist the low vision user. In another embodiment of the invention, the timing of the alterations segments the recorded audio into chapters so that the blind user can skip forward and backward to different sections of the presentation.
US08639029B2 Image processor and image processing method
An image processor having an image compression unit to generate first compressed image data by dividing input image data into blocks of M×M pixels with regard to at least luminance signals (Y) of the input image data, wavelet-converting the image data in units of blocks, and reducing the number of bits by quantization, a memory to store the first compressed image data, a coordinate calculator to calculate coordinates to deform images by coordinate conversion and output coordinate information, a compressed image deforming unit to generate compressed deformed image data by reading out the first compressed image data stored in the memory while conducting coordinate conversion based on the coordinate information from the coordinate calculator, and a first image decompression unit to decompress the compressed deformed image data to obtain decompressed image data.
US08639026B2 Background model learning system for lighting change adaptation utilized for video surveillance
A background model learning system for lighting change adaptation for video surveillance is provided. The system includes a background model estimation unit that estimates a background model for a scene of interest; a foreground map construction unit that constructs a reference foreground map of the time instance; and a lighting change processing unit that revises the reference foreground map by reducing false foreground regions resulting from lighting changes. The revised foreground map is then sent back to both the background model estimation unit and the lighting change processing unit as feedbacks for model learning rate tuning in background model estimation and map integration in lighting change processing, respectively, for the next time instance.
US08639019B2 Method and apparatus for inspecting pattern defects
A method of detecting a defect, including the steps of: illuminating step for illuminating a sample with a light; detecting step for detecting light from the specimen which is illuminated by the light and forming an image by processing the detected light; processing step for extracting a defect candidate by processing the image of the sample formed in the detecting step and determining an inspection condition by using images including the image of the sample acquired in the detecting step, a partial image including the extracted defect candidate and a reference image which corresponds to the partial image including the defect candidate.
US08639018B2 Systems and methods for imaging multiple sides of objects
A system for acquiring multiple images of objects, the system includes: a lateral transferor that comprises multiple lateral transferor portions adapted to transfer the objects to a lateral imaging area in a lateral manner; wherein each lateral transferor portion comprises a object receiver and a transfer element; wherein the transfer element moves the object receiver towards an imaging area unless encountering a resistance that is above a predefined resistance; and an imager that is configured to obtain images of two opposite sides of the object when the objects are positioned at the lateral imaging area.
US08639017B1 Method and system for duplicate check detection
A system and method for detecting duplicate checks during processing. The duplicate detection may be performed by a financial institution, such as a bank. The method may be implemented on a computer based system. The duplicate detection method may be automated. The method may be applied to incoming check files prior to processing of the check data to prevent processing of duplicate checks. The system and method may use a function, such as a hash function, to perform the duplicate detection. Other functions, such as a Bloom filter which may use multiple hash functions, may be used to perform the duplicate detection.
US08639015B1 Apparatus and system for imaging currency bills and financial documents and method for using the same
A stack of a stack of currency bills is received, transported, and imaged. Image data reproducible as a visually readable image of one or more portions of at least one side of each currency bill in the stack is obtained. A serial number and at least one or more additional characters are extracted from the image data for each currency bill. A processor compares the extracted serial number and corresponding extracted one or more additional characters with stored serial number information and corresponding stored additional character information associated with the serial number information of genuine currency bills. The stored serial number information and corresponding stored additional character information uniquely identify a genuine currency bill. Any currency bill that does not have one or more extracted additional characters matching the stored serial number information and corresponding stored additional character information is flagged.
US08639014B2 Device and method to extract a tissue sample
In a device and associated method to extract a tissue sample, spatial coordinates of tissue variations in slice images are determined and tested by a forward projection in projection images in order, with tested spatial coordinates, to create revised slice images with a precise localization of a tissue variation.
US08639013B2 System and methods for generating a brightfield image using fluorescent images
A method for generating a brightfield type image, which resembles a brightfield staining protocol of a biological sample, using fluorescent images is provided. The steps comprise acquiring two or more fluorescent images of a fixed area on a biological sample, mapping said fluorescent image into a brightfield color space, generating a brightfield image, and optionally applying a sharpening transformation correction. Also provided is an image analysis system for generating a brightfield type image of a biological sample using fluorescent images.
US08639012B2 Serial-line-scan-encoded multi-color fluorescence microscopy and imaging flow cytometry
A system for performing high-speed, high-resolution imaging cytometry utilizes a line-scan sensor. A cell to be characterized is transported past a scan region. An optical system focuses an image of a portion of the scan region onto at least one linear light sensor, and repeated readings of light falling on the sensor are taken while a cell is transported though the scan region. The system may image cells directly, or may excite fluorescence in the cells and image the resulting light emitted from the cell by fluorescence. The system may provide a narrow band of illumination at the scan region. The system may include various filters and imaging optics that enable simultaneous multicolor fluorescence imaging cytometry. Multiple linear sensors may be provided, and images gathered by the individual sensors may be combined to construct an image having improved signal-to-noise characteristics.
US08639005B2 Method for sharing data between data sets with differentially encoded data
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a method for increasing temporal resolution in Phase Contrast (PC) MR imaging. The increased temporal resolution may be obtained by reusing information encoded into phase of an MRI signal where said reuse occurs prior to the difference reconstruction.
US08639002B2 Medical image processing apparatus and method for controlling medical image processing apparatus
A medical image processing apparatus includes a selection portion that selects a pixel of interest from an image composed of a plurality of pixels and obtained by picking up an image of a living tissue, a first feature value calculation portion that calculates a first feature value on the basis of color tone of the pixel of interest and color tones of surrounding pixels, a second feature value calculation portion that calculates a second feature value on the basis of the color tone of the pixel of interest and the color tones of surrounding pixels, an evaluation value calculation portion that calculates an evaluation value on the basis of the first feature value and the second feature value, and an evaluation value judgment portion that judges whether the pixel of interest is a pixel constituting the linear structure, on the basis of the evaluation value.
US08639000B2 Robust sparse image matching for robotic surgery
Systems, methods, and devices are used to match images. Points of interest from a first image are identified for matching to a second image. In response to the identified points of interest, regions and features can be identified and used to match the points of interest to a corresponding second image or second series of images. Regions can be used to match the points of interest when regions of the first image are matched to the second image with high confidence scores, for example above a threshold. Features of the first image can be matched to the second image, and these matched features may be used to match the points of interest to the second image, for example when the confidence scores for the regions are below the threshold value. Constraint can be used to evaluate the matched points of interest, for example by excluding bad points.
US08638994B2 Electronic device for collecting finger data and displaying a finger movement trace and related methods
An electronic device may include a finger sensor, a display, and a controller coupled to the finger sensor and the display. The controller may be configured to collect finger data from multiple portions of a user's finger as the user's finger is moved around on the finger sensor along a finger travel path. The controller may also be configured to generate on the display a finger movement trace corresponding to the finger movement travel path.
US08638993B2 Segmenting human hairs and faces
Systems for segmenting human hairs and faces in color images are disclosed, with methods and processes for making and using the same. The image may be cropped around the face area and roughly centered. Optionally, the illumination environment of the input image may be determined. If the image is taken under dark environment or the contrast between the face and hair regions and background is low, an extra image enhancement may be applied. Sub-processes for identifying the pose angle and chin contours may be performed. A preliminary mask for the face by using multiple cues, such as skin color, pose angle, face shape and contour information can be represented. An initial hair mask by using the abovementioned multiple cues plus texture and hair shape information may be created. The preliminary face and hair masks are globally refined using multiple techniques.
US08638992B2 Medical system
A medical system comprising a selection unit configured to select at least one of layers in a three-dimensional tomographic image of a retina, and a generation unit configured to generate an opacity function indicating an opacity of each of a plurality of voxels constituting the selected layer, based on a frequency distribution of luminance values of the plurality of voxels.
US08638987B2 Image-based hand detection apparatus and method
An image-based hand detection apparatus includes a hand image detection unit for detecting a hand image corresponding to a shape of a hand clenched to form a fist from an image input. A feature point extraction unit extracts feature points from an area, having lower brightness than a reference value, in the detected hand image. An image rotation unit compares the feature points of the detected hand image with feature points of hand images stored in a hand image storage unit, and rotates the detected hand image or the stored hand images. A matching unit compares the detected hand image with the stored hand images and generates a result of the comparison. If at least one of the stored hand images is matched with the detected hand image, a hand shape recognition unit selects the at least one of the stored hand images as a matching hand image.
US08638984B2 Display of results of a measurement of workpieces as a function of the detection of the gesture of a user
A gesture detection device detects a gesture of a user, which is a movement which is carried out by a hand or by both hands of the user on an existing example of the work piece, or on an image of an existing example of the work piece. An identification device identifies the gesture as a predefined gesture, which represents a symbol. A selection device selects a measurement result in dependence on the identified gesture. The measurement result can then be displayed or marked.
US08638982B2 Method of tracking eyeball in eyeball tumor treatment
Disclosed herein is a method of tracking the movement of an eyeball in eyeball tumor treatment. The method includes a calibration step of storing an actual length for each pixel of an image in a storage unit, a template image generation step of storing a patient's eyeball image as a template image of the patient's eyeball in the storage unit, an eyeball location tracking step of, during the treatment of the patient's eyeball, determining whether movement of the treatment image has occurred by comparing treatment images of the patient's eyeball in real time with the template image, and a control step of stopping the operation of the proton beam output device if the movement of the treatment image deviates from a preset tolerance range, and keeping operation of the proton beam output device normal if the movement of the treatment image is within the tolerance range.
US08638980B2 Use of powders for creating images on objects, webs or sheets
Monochromatic or multichromatic images may be created on surfaces. The surface is moved to first, second and third stations. The surface is electrically biased, and powder is transferred to the surface electrostatically at the first station. The powder is fused or sintered selectively on the surface at the second station. Unfused or unsintered portions of the powder are removed from the surface at the third station.
US08638978B2 Digital watermarking of low bit rate video
Methods for embedding digital watermarks in compressed video include perceptual adapting a digital watermark in predicted and non-predicted data based on block activity derived from the compressed video stream, embedding in predicted objects in a video stream having separately compressed video objects, and bit rate control of watermarked video.
US08638977B2 Volume marking with low-frequency
A method and apparatus for embedding watermark data into a data stream using the insertion of low frequency carriers modulated by the watermark data into selected spatio-temporal volumes having equal total luminance values
US08638976B2 Speaker device
A speaker apparatus that even when being relatively thin and compact, realizes reduction of generation of abnormal noise by contact between a lead wire and another member, reduction of breakage of lead wire and reduction of deterioration of sound quality. The speaker apparatus is one comprising magnetic circuit (2) provided with a magnetic gap in which voice coil (33) is fitted with play; vibrator (3) directly or indirectly fixed to the voice coil (33); frame (5) supporting the vibrator (3), provided thereinside with the magnetic circuit (2); and terminal part (6) to which lead wire (4) from the voice coil (33) is connected, wherein lead path (7) for passage of the lead wire (4) coming from the voice coil (33) is disposed between the voice coil (33) fitted with play in the magnetic gap (G) and the terminal part (6) provided in the frame (5).
US08638967B2 Foldable electronic device
A foldable electronic device includes a first body, a second body, a pivot element and a loudspeaker. The pivot element is pivotally connected between the first body and the second body, and the loudspeaker is disposed in the pivot element and is capable of protruding out of a side of the pivot element.
US08638959B1 Reduced acoustic signature loudspeaker (RSL)
A reduced acoustic signature loudspeaker system includes left and right loudspeaker assemblies that include cabinets having a plurality of sides. A full range acoustic driver/array is mounted to the first side and facing a side wall of a listening space, the second side forms the rear of the loudspeaker assembly to which is mounted a set of input terminals. The full range on-axis directional acoustic output of each loudspeaker assembly is directed outward toward the left and right side walls respectively of the listening space at an azimuth of approximately 180+/−45 degrees. No acoustic output of the loud speaker system is directed toward the listening space or directed vertically, up or down and the first sides of the left and right loud speaker assemblies are separated by a distance of at least approximately 1.0 feet.
US08638949B2 System for evaluating hearing assistance device settings using detected sound environment
The present subject matter provides method and apparatus for hearing assistance devices, and more particularly to a system for evaluating hearing assistance device settings using detected sound environment. Various examples of a hearing assistance device and method using actual use and hypothetical use logs are provided. Such logs provide a dispenser or audiologist the ability to see how a device is operating with actual settings and how the device would have operated had hypothetical settings been used instead. In various examples, the system allows for collection of statistical information about actual and hypothetical use which can assist in parameter setting determinations for a specific user. The settings may be tailored to that user's commonly experienced sound environment. Wireless communications of usage logs is discussed. Additional method and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents.
US08638939B1 User authentication on an electronic device
The present disclosure provides for the use of non-alphanumeric, non-biometric inputs to authenticate a user accessing secured data or functions on an electronic device. In one embodiment, an authentication screen is invoked by use of a gesture input via a touch-sensitive structure. In such an embodiment, an authentication screen may be invoked with no outward appearance on the display as to the existence of the data or function for which access is sought. The authentication may be based upon a gesture, a sequence of selected objects, or another non-alphanumeric, non-biometric input.
US08638938B2 Symmetric key subscription
A method and system for symmetric key subscription. A register R issues to a subject A a possession that stores a first symmetric key X or comprises a deriving means configured to derive the first symmetric key X. The register R receives from a counterparty B a request for a subscription to a symmetric key with respect to the subject A. In response to the received request, the register R derives a second symmetric key Y from both the first symmetric key X and a first value N. The register R transmits to the counterparty B the second symmetric key Y derived by the register R.
US08638932B2 Security method and system and computer-readable medium storing computer program for executing the security method
A security method and system for maintaining security between a client and a server and a computer-readable medium storing a computer program for executing the security method are provided. The security system includes a memory which stores current authentication information; an authentication information transmission module which transmits the current authentication information to a server and receives latest authentication information from the server; an authentication information management module which authenticates the latest authentication information using the current authentication information and updates the current authentication information with the latest authentication information if the latest authentication information is successfully authenticated; and an authentication module which authenticates data received from the server using the updated current authentication information stored in the memory.
US08638930B2 Random number verification method and random number verification apparatus
Disclosed is a random number verification method and apparatus capable of quickly detecting the fact that a random number generation device designed to generate substantially authentic random numbers has become unable to generate authentic random numbers due to a malfunction, wrongful manipulation or the like. When random numbers randomly generated as n kinds of values are verified, a random number verification method according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a random number acquisition step of selecting a number m of the values, a counting step of counting the number of ones occurring p times (0≦p
US08638925B1 Systems and methods for providing access to available agent
The availability of one or more agents of an institution to communicate with a user may be determined and reported to the user. An application on a user computing device may provide an indication as to how many agents are currently available to speak with the user and/or a wait time until an agent becomes available. The user computing device may display a call icon that the user may select to place a call to an available agent. The user computing device may display a call icon that the user may select to receive a callback from an available agent. Call volume statistics may be provided to the user and may be used to determine when an agent is most likely unavailable and/or most likely available.
US08638924B2 Methods, systems, and products for exchanging health care communications
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for exchanging healthcare communications. An electronic healthcare communication is received and categorized. The electronic healthcare communication is processed according to the categorization of the electronic healthcare communication. A transaction reply is selected when the categorization applies a sender rule. The transaction reply is routed to a non-participant communication device.
US08638922B2 Location-based call routing
The present invention provides call processing for an incoming call based on the relative location of the user for which the call is intended. If the user is at a certain location, the incoming call is routed to one or more telephony devices associated with the user or location based on whether the user is at the location. If the user has multiple telephony devices associated with a given location and the user is at that location, an incoming call may be routed to one or more of the telephony devices. If the user is not at the location, the incoming call may proceed in normal course or may be processed as desired based on the user not being at the location. Different telephony devices may be associated with different locations, and different call processing rules may be implemented based on the location of the user.
US08638920B2 Call routing monitoring, control and reporting
Management of call center call routing is provided. Service calls directed to a call center may be monitored according to a variety of parameters such as associated line of business, date, time, and call volume. Calls directed to an internal call center may be routed to an alternate call center for processing as required or needed by the provider of the internal call center. For each type of incoming service call, a maximum call count or percentage-based call count may be established to facilitate efficient routing of service calls to the internal call center or to an alternate call center to ensure that no more than a specified number of calls are routed to a given call center. Real time and summary reporting may be generated to allow call center management personnel to monitor and manage service call routing to one or more internal and/or alternate call centers.
US08638919B2 External messaging during conference call
A solution for enabling a participant to a conference call to obtain contact information for other participants to the conference call in order to send an external message to one or more of the other participants is provided. The contact information can be used by a messaging system, which is available to the participant independent of the conference call, to transmit the external message for presentation to the other participant(s).
US08638917B2 Method and apparatus for coordinating answered call status
A method, system and apparatus for coordinating call status are provided. When a call directed to both a first communication device and a second communication device was answered at the first communication device, the second communication device is notified that the call was answered, such that the second communication device records a status of the call as answered.
US08638914B2 System and method for providing high reliability network
A system and method for providing a high reliability network. Context servers store information about calls in a telecommunications system. Network control elements can obtain call information from the context servers to help make call control and reporting decisions.
US08638911B2 Classification of voice messages based on analysis of the content of the message and user-provisioned tagging rules
One or more tags are associated with a voice or multimedia message. These tags can be applied to the message based on one or more of an analysis of the message, rules, caller information, presence information, user input and GPS information. Based on the assigned and associated tags, one or more of message handling, classification and one or more actions can be automatically invoked to assist with management of messages. An interface is also provided that allows for the management of the assigned tags as well as the editing and creation of new tags and rules to assist with message management.
US08638905B2 Intensity modulated arc therapy with continuous couch rotation/shift and simultaneous cone beam imaging
A system for radiotherapy that includes a couch upon which a patient being treated by the system is positioned, the couch having continuous arc rotation for delivery accelerated irradiation to the patient.
US08638898B2 Emergency core cooling system for pressurized water reactor
A pressurized water nuclear reactor (PWR) has an internal pressurizer volume containing a steam bubble and is surrounded by a containment structure. A condenser is disposed inside the containment structure and is operatively connected with an external heat sink disposed outside of the containment structure. A valve assembly operatively connects the PWR with the condenser responsive to an abnormal operation signal such that the condenser condenses steam from the steam bubble while rejecting heat to the external heat sink and returns the condensed water to the PWR. A quench tank contains water with dissolved neutron poison. A valved tank pressurizing path selectively connects the steam bubble to the quench tank to pressurize the quench tank, and a valved soluble poison delivery path selectively connects the quench tank to the PWR such that the quench tank under pressure from the steam bubble discharges water with dissolved neutron poison into the PWR.
US08638895B2 Extension of Ethernet PHY to channels with bridged tap wires
In one embodiment, receiving an Ethernet signal over a channel, the Ethernet signal comprising a preamble frame, an idle frame, and a data frame, the preamble frame comprising one or more preamble codes; synchronizing to the Ethernet signal based on the preamble frame; replicating the one or more preamble codes; and training a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) based on the one or more replicated codes, the training enabling the DFE to use decision values at the DFE output to track channel variations.
US08638891B2 Channel architecture with multiple signal processing branches for a given physical channel
A communication system includes a physical communication channel. A signal is transmitted across the communication channel from a transmit end of the channel to a receive end of the channel. A plurality of processing branches process the signal at the receive end of the communication channel. This reduces complexity of the receive channel, without reducing a bandwidth of the given communication channel, and without comprising performance.
US08638890B2 Generalized frequency modulation
A receiver may comprise a complex mixer for converting the modulated signal to a complex modulated signal comprising a first in-phase component and a first quadrature component. The receiver may further comprise a digital demodulator. The digital demodulator may comprise at least one processor circuit programmed for applying a phase differencer for generating an output function in terms of a phase difference of the complex modulated signal. Applying the phase differencer may comprise converting the first in-phase component to a function of a phase difference of the first in-phase component expressed in digital time, and converting the first quadrature component to a function of the phase difference of the first quadrature component expressed in digital time. The at least one processor circuit of the digital demodulator may also be programmed for applying a four quadrant inverse tangent to the output function to generate the information signal.
US08638887B1 Multi-stream demodulation scheme using multiple detectors
In a method of demodulating a signal transmitted via a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication channel, a data symbol vector is received, the data symbol vector including a plurality of data symbols that are received via a plurality of antennas. The received data symbol vector corresponds to a transmitted data symbol vector including a plurality of transmitted data symbols. A plurality of candidate vectors are generated for the transmitted data symbol vector, the plurality of candidate vectors being less than all possible vectors for the transmitted data symbol vector. One candidate vector is selected from the plurality of candidate vectors such that the one candidate vector minimizes a distance value corresponding to a Euclidean distance between the received data symbol vector and a channel estimate matrix multiplied with the candidate vector.
US08638881B2 Digital broadcast transmission and receiving system having an improved receiving performance and signal processing method thereof
A digital broadcast transmitter comprising: a randomizer to receive a data stream of which stuff bytes are inserted into a specified position and to randomize the received data stream; a stuff-byte exchange unit to generate known data having a predefined pattern and to insert the known data into the specified position of the data stream into which the stuff bytes are inserted; an encoder to encode the data stream output from the stuff-byte exchange unit for an error correction; and a modulator and RF converter to modulate the encoded data stream, RF-convert the modulated data stream and transmit the RF-converted data.
US08638880B2 Radio base station and user equipment and methods therein
Embodiments herein include a method in a user equipment (UE) for transmitting uplink control information in time slots of a subframe over a radio channel to a radio base station. The uplink control information is comprised in a block of bits.The UE maps the block of bits to a sequence of complex valued modulation symbols. The UE block spreads the sequence across Discrete Fourier Transform Spread-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (DFTS-OFDM) symbols. This is performed by applying a spreading sequence to the sequence of complex valued modulation symbols, to achieve a block spread sequence of complex valued modulation symbols. The UE further transforms the block-spread sequence, per DFTS-OFDM symbol. This is performed by applying a matrix that depends on a DFTS-OFDM symbol index and/or slot index to the block-spread sequence. The UE also transmits the block spread sequence, as transformed, over the radio channel to the radio base station.
US08638879B2 Transmission method and transmission apparatus
All data symbols used in data transmission of a modulated signal are precoded by switching between precoding matrices so that the precoding matrix used to precode each data symbol and the precoding matrices used to precode data symbols that are adjacent to the data symbol along the frequency axis and the time axis all differ. A modulated signal with such data symbols arranged therein is transmitted.
US08638878B2 Method and faculty to measure and compensate DCO frequency distortions using a DPLL
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a communication system having a digital to analog converter, a first input, a summation component, a compensation filter, and a compensation unit. The converter is configured to receive a first signal. The first input is configured to receive a phase modulation signal. The compensation filter generates a filtered frequency deviation signal to mitigate frequency distortions, such as those from a digital controlled oscillator. The compensation unit includes one or more inputs and is configured to generate a correction signal according to the filtered frequency deviation signal and the first signal. The correction signal at least partially accounts for estimated distortions of the phase modulation signal from the amplitude modulation path and mitigates frequency induced distortions. The summation component is configured to receive the phase modulation signal and the correction signal and to generate a corrected phase modulation signal as a result.
US08638877B2 Methods, apparatuses and systems for selective transmission of traffic data using orthogonal sequences
An access unit transmits a first channel, a second channel and a third channel. The first channel is an access channel and the second channel carries traffic data. The third channel is transmitted on a condition that the access unit has not allocated resources for the second channel. The access unit produces an indication for transmission on the third channel. The transmitted indication is produced by a data value of one for a duration of at least one time slot and orthogonal sequences. The indication indicates that the access unit is requesting to be allocated the second channel to transmit traffic data.
US08638875B1 Transmit beamforming systems and methods
A system includes a transmitting module, a mapping module, and an updating module. The transmitting module transmits a first set of data streams using N subcarriers when a wireless device operates in a first mode. The transmitting module transmits a second set of data streams using M subcarriers when the device operates in a second mode. N and M are integers greater than or equal to 1. The mapping module maps the first set of data streams to a first set of antennas of the device based on a first set of mapping values and maps the second set of data streams to a second set of antennas of the device based on a second set of mapping values. The updating module generates the second set of mapping values based on the first set of mapping values when the device transitions from the first mode to the second mode.
US08638868B2 Methods and apparatus for varying reduced transmission resources
Inter-cell interference coordination across layers of a communication network can be implemented by configuring a cell to transmit one or more downlink transmission resources having variably reduced transmission activity. A transmitting node, such as a macro cell, can transmit transmission resources, such as resource elements, resource blocks, subframes, and frames, having reduced transmission activity at varying predictable times according to a selected cell activity pattern. A receiving node, such as a user equipment, can decide to make received signal measurements according to the cell activity pattern.
US08638866B2 Adjustable transmitter power for high speed links with constant bit error rate
A method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting power of a transmitter is herein described. A transmitter transmits a pattern to a receiver at a differential voltage. The length of the pattern, in one embodiment, is selected to be a reasonable length training pattern, as not to incur an extremely long training phase. If errors are detected at the receiver in the pattern, the transmitter steps the differential voltage until errors are not detected in the pattern at the receiver. The differential voltage, where no errors are detected, is scaled by a proportion of a target confidence level to a measured confidence level associated with the reasonable length training pattern. As a result, a training phase is potentially reduced and power is saved while not sacrificing confidence levels in error rates in the data exchange between the transmitter and receiver.
US08638861B2 Reproducing apparatus, reproducing method and reproducing program
A reproducing apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus includes an input section; an operation input section; a first storage section; and a control section.
US08638858B2 Method, apparatus and system for converging images encoded using different standards
A method for transforming an image expressed in terms of a first image encoding to a second image encoding, includes converting a set of original scene exposure-factor values into corresponding first and second image encoding values. A transform is then derived between the first image encoding values and the second image encoding values. The transform is then applied to an image encoded in said first image encoding. Examples of different encoding that can be transformed include Rec. 709, sRGB and other known image encoding standards. A system for performing such transformations as well as an electronic device that is capable of performing such transformations are also disclosed.
US08638856B2 Method to derive at least one motion vector of a bi-predictive block in a current picture
In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a list 0 motion vector of the first block in the first picture as the motion vector for deriving list 0 and list 1 motion vectors of the bi-predictive block if the first block has both a list 1 motion vector and the list 0 motion vector, the first picture being permitted to be located temporally before the current picture and permitted to be located temporally after the current picture, deriving a first temporal distance between the current picture and a reference picture of the current picture, deriving a second temporal distance between the first reference picture and a reference picture of the first picture, scaling the selected motion vector based on the first and the second temporal distances and deriving at least one motion vector of the bi-predictive block by applying a bit operation to the scaled motion vector.
US08638853B2 Video coding
Improved video coding is described to encode video data within a sequence of video frames. To this end, at least a portion of a reference frame is encoded to include motion information associated with the portion of the reference frame. At least a portion of a predictable frame that includes video data predictively correlated to said portion of said reference frame is defined based on the motion information. At least said portion of the predictable frame is encoded without including corresponding motion information and including mode identifying data. The mode identifying data indicate that the encoded portion of the predictable frame can be directly derived using at least the motion information associated with the portion of the reference frame.
US08638852B2 Video coding of filter coefficients based on horizontal and vertical symmetry
This disclosure recognizes and exploits the fact that some of the filter coefficients defined at the encoder may possess symmetry relative to other filter coefficients. Accordingly, this disclosure describes techniques in which a first set of the filter coefficients are used to predictively encode a second set of the filter coefficients, thereby exploiting any symmetry between filter coefficients. Rather than communicate all of the filter coefficients to the decoding device, the encoding device may communicate the first set of filter coefficients and difference values associated with the second set of filter coefficients. Using this information, the decoder may be able to reconstruct all of the filter coefficients. In some cases, if exact symmetry is imposed, the need to send the difference values may be eliminated and the decoder may be able to derive the second set of filter coefficients from the first set of filter coefficients.
US08638851B2 Joint bandwidth detection algorithm for real-time communication
A video coding system and method for increasing a transmitted output bit rate of a video encoding system by altering the content of the bit stream. A video encoder may receive a coding mode signal from a computer application for coding source video data, the coding mode signal indicating a target bit rate having a risk factor related to transmission error associated to the target bit rate. The coded bitstream may be modified based on the risk factor indicated in the coding mode signal. A modified coded bitstream may be outputted at the target bit rate and at a reduced coding efficiency, and the channel may be tested for transmission errors. Based on the test results, a revised coding mode signal indicating the same target bit rate, but a revised risk factor may be provided. The coded bitstream may be revised by removing the modifications previously made to the coded bitstream and a revised coded bitstream having greater coding efficiency may be output at the target bit rate.
US08638850B2 Execution units for context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC)
A digital processor for recovering a source bitstream from an encoded bitstream that has been encoded according to a context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) algorithm. The processor includes a first execution unit and a second execution unit. The first execution unit generates first execution data by operating on a first register and a second register, and stores the first execution data in the first register. The first execution data includes a current output bit, a temporary range value and a temporary offset value. The current output bit corresponds to a bit of the source bitstream. The second execution unit generates second execution data by operating on the first register and the second register, and stores the second execution data in the second register. The second execution data includes a normalized range value and a normalized offset value.
US08638847B2 Video coding, decoding and hypothetical reference decoder
An encoder comprising an input for inputting video signal to be encoded to form an encoded video signal comprising pictures of at least a first coded video sequence and a second coded video sequence, a hypothetical decoder for hypothetically decoding encoded video signal, an encoded picture buffer, and a decoded picture buffer, and a definer for defining a parameter indicative of the temporal difference between the last picture of the first coded video sequence and the first picture of the second coded video sequence in output/display order.
US08638846B1 Systems and methods for encoding and decoding video streams
Systems and methods for encoding/decoding a video stream. Animated talking heads are coded using partial offline encoding, multiple video streams, and multiple reference frames. The content of a face animation video that is known beforehand is encoded offline and the remaining content is encoded online and included in the video stream. To reduce bit rate, a server can stream multiple video sequences to the client and the video sequences are stored in the client's frame store. The server sends instructions to play a particular video sequence instead of streaming the particular video sequence. Multiple video streams can also be streamed to the client. Positional data and blending data are also sent to properly position one video stream relative to another video stream and to blend one video stream into another video stream.
US08638841B2 Transmitting/receiving system, transmitting/receiving method, and computer readable medium for estimating temporal fluctuation of a signal
A transmitting/receiving system includes two transmitting/receiving apparatuses connected through a transmission cable having two one-direction signal lines. Each apparatus includes a transmitting unit that transmits a signal, a receiving unit that receives a signal, a calculator, a controller, a storage, and an estimating unit. The calculator calculates an Signal to Noise (S/N) ratio of the received signal. The controller controls the calculation by obtaining, as a first value, a strength of a signal caused by a check signal transmitted during absence of a check signal being received, obtaining, as a second value, a strength of a check signal received during absence of a check signal being transmitted, and dividing the second value by the first value. The storage stores relationship between a predetermined transmission-cable S/N ratio and temporal signal fluctuation. The estimating unit estimates temporal signal fluctuation from the calculated S/N ratio and the relationship.
US08638837B2 Radio communication apparatus
A disclosed radio communication apparatus includes an amplifier configured to amplify a signal received via one of multiple channels including a channel where frequency hopping is conducted; a signal strength measurement circuit configured to measure signal strength of the received signal; and a gain value computation unit configured to compute a gain value for the amplifier based on the signal strength measured by the signal strength measurement circuit. The gain value computation unit is configured to use values specific to the respective channels as coefficients of a function to compute the gain value.
US08638836B2 Transmitter signal injection compensation
A transceiver mitigates signal leakage into a receive path from a transmit path. A subtraction circuit determines a difference between a receive signal and a compensation signal to produce a compensated receive signal prior to demodulation by a demodulator. An equalizer both amplitude adjusts and phase adjusts orthogonal baseband transmit signals based on the difference from the subtraction circuit to produce the compensation signal. A digital tuning circuit determines at least one amplitude adjust coefficient to be used by the equalizer. The equalizer can have a polarity switch or a variable attenuator or a variable delay.
US08638831B2 Optical pumping of a solid-state gain-medium using a diode-laser bar stack with individually addressable bars
A diode-laser bar stack includes a plurality of diode-laser bars having different temperature dependent peak-emission wavelengths. The stack is arranged such that the bars can be separately powered. This allows one or more of the bars to be “on” while others are “off”. A switching arrangement is described for selectively turning bars on or off, responsive to a signal representative of the temperature of the diode-laser bar stack, for providing a desired total emission spectrum.
US08638825B2 Wavelength tunable laser diode
A wavelength tunable laser diode (LD) is disclosed. The LD provides a SG-DFB region and a CSG-DBR region. The SG-DFB region shows a gain spectrum with a plurality of gain peaks, while, the CSG-DBR region shows a reflection spectrum with a plurality of reflection peaks. The LD may emit light with a wavelength at which the one of the gain peaks and one of the reflection peaks coincides. In the present LD, both the gain spectrum and the reflection spectrum are modified by adjusting the temperature of the SG-DFB region and that of the CSG-DBR region independently.
US08638823B2 Sending apparatus, receiving apparatus, and transmission system
A transmission system is provided in a synchronous network, for establishing synchronization with a degree of precision and at a speed being comparable levels as a conventional technique, and further decreasing the probability of out-of-synchronization occurrence. In the present invention, a synchronization signal is detected without performing error correction until synchronization is established, and after the synchronization is established, it is monitored whether or not out-of-synchronization occurs, according to the synchronization signal that has been subjected to the error correction.
US08638822B2 Network node, communication system, and method for transmitting clock packet through tunnel
A network node, a communication system, and a method for transmitting a clock packet through a tunnel are disclosed. The method includes: encapsulating a tunnel ingress clock packet received at an ingress of a tunnel in an encapsulation mode corresponding to the tunnel, and performing clock correction for the encapsulated clock packet; and sending the corrected clock packet to an egress of the tunnel. The network node for processing a clock packet includes an encapsulating module and a sending module. The communication system includes the network node for processing a clock packet, and further includes an intra-tunnel network node and a tunnel egress network node. According to the present invention, a clock packet is re-encapsulated and transmitted through a tunnel. In the subsequent process of transmitting the clock packet transparently, the node itself serves as a clock reference point, and all network nodes do not need to synchronize time absolutely.
US08638820B2 In-voicemail-session call transfers
In one embodiment, a voicemail system stores a voicemail message left by a first caller for a second caller. The voicemail system facilitates the transfer of a call out of a playback of the voicemail to the first caller and generates a credential that is coupled with the call. If the first caller is not available for the call, the second caller is transferred to the voicemail mailbox of the first caller where second caller records a second voicemail, which is placed in the mailbox of the first caller. The call may be transferred back to the mailbox of the first caller in response to a transfer code entered by the second caller. The voicemail system verifies the second caller based on the credential and returns the second caller to the appropriate location in the queue of voicemails.
US08638818B2 Interface apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving media data
An interface for providing a media service includes an encapsulation layer for encapsulating coded media data. The interface also includes a delivery layer for transmitting the encapsulated media data to another entity, and a control layer for controlling transmission of the media data.
US08638817B2 Communication system
Consistent with the present disclosure, a communication system is provided in which client data is received and provided in frames for transmission within the system. The frames include an overhead portion as well as locations that include the client data. The frames further include phase data or “virtual justifications” that periodically correct the difference between the phase represented by the data locations in the wrapper and the actual accumulated client phase. The phase data or virtual justifications, however, are decoupled from the data path. Therefore, without complicating the data path, the phase data may be sent more frequently and with finer granularity than the actual justifications. Virtual justifications or phase data are communicated via a “virtual justification control channel” which may part of the frame overhead. Moreover, there is no need for an actual “virtual justification opportunity” in the frame, because no data is actually sent in conjunction with the virtual justifications.
US08638814B2 Apparatus and method for transmitting LAN signals over a transport system
A computer system and method for transmitting LAN signals over transport systems. LAN signals are generated in any client LAN compliant interface. A transceiver receives the client LAN signal in the LAN format. The client LAN signals are not converted to a SONET transmission format at any time before reaching the transceiver. The transceiver then converts the client LAN signal to an internal electrical LAN signal before re-clocking the internal electrical LAN signal. The re-clocked internal electrical LAN signal is then re-modulated into a second LAN signal. The second LAN signal is then transmitted to a transport system.
US08638812B2 Wireless communication system, wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication method, and computer program
Random access operation is performed under a communication environment in which a plurality of communication modes having different transmission rate coexist with small overhead. A high-grade communication station spoofs information of a packet length and a rate in a decoding portion so that a value of (packet length)/(rate) corresponds to a duration where the communication is hoped to be stopped. The other station receiving the spoofed information receives the rest of the packet with the designated rate during the interval designated by the value of (packet length)/(rate). In this case, the packet length and the rate are not those of actually transmitted packet so that this packet is discarded.
US08638808B2 Method and apparatus for LDPC transmission over a channel bonded link
A particular overall architecture for transmission over a bonded channel system consisting of two interconnected MoCA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) 2.0 SoCs (Systems on a Chip) and a method and apparatus for the case of a “bonded” channel network. With a bonded channel network, the data is divided into two segments, the first of which is transported over a primary channel and the second of which is transported over a secondary channel.
US08638807B2 Method for managing ethernet ring network of VLAN-based bridge
A method for managing an Ethernet ring network of a VLAN-based bridge is provided that includes: registering a major-ring VLAN ID (VID) in a ring port filtering database of a ring protection link owner node in accordance with a request for registering the major ring VID from an Ethernet Ring Protection controller mounted on the ring protection link owner node of a major ring; delivering, by the ring protection link owner node, a VID registration message to other nodes which belong to the major ring through a ring port; receiving the VID registration message through the ring port and registering the major ring VID in a ring port filtering database of each node itself, by each node belonging to the major ring; and delivering, by each node belonging to the major ring, the VID registration message to other nodes belonging to the major ring through the ring port.
US08638806B2 Wireless mesh point portable data terminal
A portable data terminal (PDT) adapted to participate in a wireless mesh network including a plurality of peer PDTs can comprise: a PDT module including an encoded information reading (EIR) device, and a mesh point (MP) module communicatively coupled to the PDT module. The MP module can include a microcontroller and at least one wireless communication interface and can be configured to perform IEEE 802.11-conformant wireless station services including authentication, de-authentication, privacy, and MAC service data unit delivery, and IEEE 802.11-conformant wireless distribution system services including association, disassociation, distribution, integration, and re-association. The MP module can be further configured, responsive to receiving a MAC frame addressed to a recipient inside the wireless mesh network, to deliver the MAC frame using the distribution service. The MP module can be further configured, responsive to receiving a MAC frame addressed to a recipient outside of the wireless mesh network, to deliver the MAC frame using the integration service. The MP module can be further configured to route an incoming MAC frame according to its destination address and the frame control field. The MP module can be further configured to cause the PDT module to exit said sleeping state responsive to receiving a mobile management software (MMS) wake-up command.
US08638803B2 Communication apparatus and communication method for preventing a communication apparatus from receiving an unintended packet
A communication apparatus in a second network, connected to a relay apparatus configured to relay a packet from a first network to the second network according to destination information of the packet from the first network, includes a receiving unit configured to receive identification information set to the communication apparatus, a processing unit configured to perform processing for enabling data provision to the first network, and a transmission unit configured to transmit to the relay apparatus, before data provision to the first network is enabled by the processing unit, a deletion request for deleting a destination information setting for relaying the packet from the first network to a destination specified by the received identification information.
US08638800B2 Technique for generating hash-tuple independent of precedence order of applied rules
Techniques have been developed to facilitate evaluation of match and hash rule entries in ways that allow an implementation to decouple (i) the order in which match rules are applied to a first subset of packet header fields from (ii) the ordering of a second subset of packet header fields over which a non-commutative hash is computed. In short, the set and ordering of fields evaluated in accordance with a precedence order of rules need not correspond to the set or ordering of fields over which a hash is computed in a communications controller.
US08638795B2 Systems and methods for quality of service of encrypted network traffic
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for providing classification of an encrypted network packet for performing QoS and acceleration techniques. Encrypted packets may be classified by a first classifier at a first portion of a network stack of a device as corresponding to a first predetermined application, and an application identifier may be included with the packet. In some embodiments, the packets may be decrypted in an order dependent on a first classification of the encrypted network packet. After decryption, packets may be reclassified as corresponding to a second predetermined application by a second classifier operating at a second portion of a network stack of the device above the first portion. Thus, network performance may be enhanced and optimized by providing QoS and acceleration engines with packet- or data-specific information corresponding to the application, while avoiding inefficiencies due to a lack of prioritization of decryption.
US08638794B1 Method and system for routing traffic across multiple interfaces via VPN traffic selectors and local policies
Method and system for routing traffic across multiple network interfaces with use of VPN traffic selector as part of decision making, for example, in the context of a mobile communication network. A packet data unit (PDU) is generated in association with an application that can be selectively activated on a mobile device and carries a destination Internet protocol (IP) address representing a server that supports the application. A broker associated with the mobile device retrieves information relating to traffic selectors and determines whether the PDU is associated with an operator application or a non-operator application based on the destination IP address and the information relating to traffic selectors. The broker routes the PDU to one of the multiple network interfaces based on whether the PDU is from an operator application traffic and local policies. When the PDU is associated with an operator application and the mobile device is not connected to its operator network, the PDU is routed via a virtual private network (VPN) selector.
US08638793B1 Enhanced parsing and classification in a packet processor
An apparatus includes a comparator engine having a comparison logic unit to compare at least a portion of a header of a data unit to a header pattern, where the header pattern corresponds to at least a portion of a header of a previously analyzed data unit, and a match indication generator to generate a match indication if the at least a portion of the header matches the header pattern; and a result generator to cause the data unit to be processed based on the previously analyzed data unit if the match indication is generated.
US08638789B1 Optimal multicast forwarding in OpenFlow based networks
An OpenFlow controller is provided to control network devices provided in a network to transmit a multicast data packet. The OpenFlow controller may intercept and examine an IGMP report packet send by one or more hosts to determine the hosts that are interested in receiving data sent by the host. The OpenFlow controller may send the IGMP report packet directly to a multicast-enabled WAN-edge router. Other network devices such as switches, access routers and intermediary routers that may be present in the network architecture do not perform any multicast control plane activity and hence, do not have to be multicast-enabled. According to various embodiments, the WAN-edge router is the only multicast enabled element of the network. The remaining elements are not required to be multicast-enabled because their responsibilities are performed by the OpenFlow controller.
US08638786B2 Method of controlling a wind turbine in a wind power plant
Embodiments herein control a wind turbine in a wind power plant where the wind turbine includes a wind turbine controller and at least one connected wind turbine component. Upon receiving a packet containing a “write/read” instruction, the wind turbine controller effectuates a write instruction by changing a set point associated with an attribute of a component in the wind turbine. The controller retrieves information data resulting from performing the write instruction from the component and transmits the information data to a central controller. The invention performs a fast and simple control loop by means of transmitting both the write and the read instruction within one single data packet.
US08638785B2 Method of transmitting data packets
Method for transmission of data packets by a first station, the packets being intended for a destination node belonging to a network comprising a second station, said packets being transmitted by said first station to said destination node via said second station. In order to simplify the transmission, the method comprises: a routing of a set of at least one of the packets to the second station, a classification associated with the second station, the classification assigning a connection between the first station and the second station to the set of at least one of the packets, a transmission step of the set on the assigned connection.
US08638784B1 Network switch having virtual input queues for flow control
A network switch including a first port, a forwarding module, and a queue controller. The first port is configured to receive i) a first frame of data transmitted to the network switch over a first communication channel, and ii) store the first frame of data in a memory. The forwarding module is configured to assign the first frame of data to a second port for transmission from the network switch over a second communication channel. The queue controller is configured to store a first count of a number of buffers of the memory used by the first port. The queue controller is configured to increment the first count i) based on the number of the buffers used to store at least a portion of the first frame of data, or ii) each time one of the buffers is enqueued for at least a portion of the first frame of data.
US08638783B2 Optimized link training and management mechanism
In one embodiment, a converged protocol stack can be used to unify communications from a first communication protocol to a second communication protocol to provide for data transfer across a physical interconnect. This stack can be incorporated in an apparatus that includes a protocol stack for a first communication protocol including transaction and link layers, and a physical (PHY) unit coupled to the protocol stack to provide communication between the apparatus and a device coupled to the apparatus via a physical link. This PHY unit may include a physical unit circuit according to the second communication protocol. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08638781B2 Method and system for preserving telephony session state
A method and system for preserving session state in telephony communication including initializing a communication session of telephony communication between a telephony device and an application server; routing the telephony communication through a call router; storing session state for the communication session of the telephony device and the application server; and transmitting the stored session state in communication between the application server and the call router.
US08638778B2 Performance measurement in a network supporting multiprotocol label switching (MPLS)
A method and apparatus to provide hop-by-hop tracking for a communication network is described. In one embodiment, a router verifies that a next downstream router supports tracking and in response, adds a tracking indicator and a timestamp to the data packet. An end router provides a compilation of all the timestamps back to the originating router.
US08638774B2 Controlling timing of synchronization updates
A base station for use in a mobile communications network includes a frequency synthesizer for generating signals at desired frequencies and a packet data interface for transmitting and receiving packet data signals over a wide area network. The basestation is configured to determine an elapsed time since it last synchronized the frequency synthesizer to a master device. The basestation is also configured to request synchronization packet data signals from the master device when the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined holdover period.
US08638771B2 Transmission structure supporting multi-user scheduling and MIMO transmission
Techniques for transmitting data in a manner to support multi-user scheduling, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission, and interference cancellation are described. A base station assigns multiple time segments of a transmission time interval (TTI) to at least one terminal, maps data for each terminal to at least one time segment assigned to the terminal, and spreads the data in each time segment with at least one channelization code used in the TTI. A terminal receives an assignment of at least one time segment from among multiple time segments of the TTI, obtains input samples for the at least one time segment, and despreads the input samples with the at least one channelization code used in the TTI.
US08638770B2 Coexistence mechanism for WiMAX and IEEE 802.11
A network device includes a first communication module and a second communication module. The first communication module communicates with a first device using a first wireless communication standard. The first communication module receives data from the first device during a first time period and transmits data to the first device during a second time period. The second communication module communicates with a second device using a second wireless communication standard. The second communication module receives a block of packets from the second device during the first time period. The second communication module transmits an acknowledgement to the second device during the second time period when the block of the packets is received.
US08638761B2 Low-latency interleaving for low-density parity-check (LDPC) coding
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems, devices, and methods for communicating over a plurality of tones and spatial streams. Modulation symbols may be mapped to tones and spatial streams so as to increase frequency and/or spatial diversity without substantially increasing latency. For certain aspects, this interleaving approach may be performed on low-density parity-check (LDPC) codewords.
US08638757B2 Method for updating system information during hand-over in broadband wireless access system
The present invention relates to a broadband wireless access system, and more particularly, to a method for efficiently acquiring system information on a target base station during a hand-over, and to an apparatus for carrying out the method. One method for enabling a mobile station to update system information on a target base station during a hand-over, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: receiving, from a serving base station, a broadcast message containing system information on at least one neighbor base station including the target base station, and containing first change count information for indicating whether or not to update the system information; and receiving, from the serving base station, second change count information for indicating whether or not to update the system information currently possessed by the serving base station.
US08638756B2 Method for supporting high speed ranging during handover
Disclosed is a portable internet system, and more particularly, to a method of supporting fast ranging upon handover. The method comprises calculating an action time based on a time when a handover confirmation message is received from a serving Radio Access Station (RAS), in a target RAS; and transmitting a fast ranging information message to a mobile station on the basis of the action time.
US08638755B2 Content-based handover method and system
A handover of a wireless communication device is performed between a first wireless band and a second wireless band when a detected feature occurs within a content stream being communicated with the wireless communication device.
US08638751B2 Coverage loss recovery in a wireless communication network
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods, apparatus, and system configurations for coverage loss recovery in a wireless communication network. A method includes receiving, by a base station of a wireless communication network, a message from a mobile station that includes an indication that the mobile station is in coverage loss recovery, and a mobile station identifier to identify the mobile station. The method further includes determining whether a static context and/or a dynamic context associated with the mobile station identifier is stored at a previous-serving base station of the mobile station and transmitting a message to the mobile station to indicate which re-entry actions are to be performed to facilitate re-entry of the mobile station to the wireless communication network. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US08638749B2 Method and apparatus for inter-network handoff
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate inter-network handoff in a wireless communication system. Various aspects described herein provide for handoff techniques that enable a target system to be prepared by an access terminal via a source system in order to minimize specific changes required to source system and/or target system. Techniques are described herein in which the protocols of a source system can be utilized with an interworking unit to tunnel signaling messages which are in a format understood by a target network.
US08638748B2 Base station and service flow establishment method
A base station includes a determining unit that determines whether a competition occurs between an identifier of a first service flow established with respect to a mobile station and an identifier of a second service flow which is requested to newly establish with respect to the mobile station; a changing unit that changes the identifier of the first service flow or the identifier of the second service flow, when the determining unit determines that the competition of the identifiers occurs; and an establishing unit that establishes the second service flow by using the identifier of the second service flow with the competition being eliminated against the first service flow through the change by the changing unit.
US08638746B2 Method and apparatus for the joint design and operation of scheduling and transmission for downlink multi-user MIMO with reciprocity-based training
A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for scheduling and transmission for downlink multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO). In one embodiment, the method comprises allocating a subset of time-frequency resources in the time-frequency plane to each distinct bin class, where each bin class comprises one or more bins of user terminals across the topology, and wherein user terminals in the one or more bins of each bin class are served across the topology by the subset of time-frequency resources. The method also comprises performing joint downlink MU-MIMO transmission using a plurality of bin class-dependent wireless transmission architectures at the plurality of base stations, where one or more bin classes is associated with one of the plurality of bin class-dependent architectures, and where each of the plurality of bin class-dependent architectures use different combinations of scheduling training and MU-MIMO transmission across the topology.
US08638745B2 Reference symbol distribution method and apparatus
At least some reference symbols dedicated to a particular communication device are transmitted in resource blocks allocated to other devices. This way, reference symbol assignments are not unduly restricted by other constraints placed on the boundary elements of a resource block. According to an embodiment, data and reference signals are transmitted by transmitting a resource block allocated to a first communication device. The resource block includes a plurality of resource elements, each resource element corresponding to a modulation symbol. At least one reference symbol associated with the resource block and dedicated to the first communication device is transmitted in a resource block allocated to a second communication device. On the receive side, the communication device can perform channel estimation based on reference symbols dedicated to the device that are transmitted in resource blocks allocated to the device and in resource block(s) allocated to other communication device(s).
US08638744B2 Channel interference mitigation method, apparatus, and system for performing channel compensation to obtain another channel according to received adjustment parameters
Embodiments of the present invention provide a data transmission processing method, apparatus, and system. The method includes: receiving, by a first base station, an adjustment parameter transmitted by a terminal, where the adjustment parameter is obtained by the terminal according to reference signals separately transmitted by the first base station and a second base station; performing, by the first base station and according to the adjustment parameter, channel compensation on a first channel between the first base station and the terminal to obtain a second channel; and transmitting, by the first base station, a first signal over the second channel to the terminal, so that the terminal obtains the first signal from a mixed signal of the first signal and a second signal that is transmitted by the second base station.
US08638743B2 Method and apparatus that facilitates interference cancellation for control channels in heterogeneous networks
Aspects are described for reducing interference in wireless systems. In a first embodiment, an uplink acknowledgment region associated with a macro cell is determined, and an assignment of uplink control resources is restricted to a region within the uplink acknowledgment region. A control signal is then transmitted to user equipment via the assignment of uplink control resources. In another embodiment, control signals are received from wireless terminals, which include desired uplink control signals associated with an access point base station, as well as interfering uplink acknowledgement signals associated with macro cells. The control signals may then be regenerated by cancelling the set of interfering signals from the control signals. The desired uplink control signals are then decoded.
US08638742B2 Data resource mapping for frequency-coded symbols
A device and method for communicating frequency-coded symbols that include data elements and reference symbols are disclosed. In one aspect, a carrier frequency band includes a plurality of subcarrier frequency bands. Data elements are transmitted and received on respective pairs of adjacent subcarrier frequency bands to provide diversity. Reference symbols are transmitted and received on predetermined subcarrier frequency bands. Muting is applied to selected subcarrier frequency bands based on the number and frequency configuration of the reference symbols.
US08638737B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting wireless communications
A method and apparatus are provided for use in a wireless communications system to enable dynamic selection of k sub-MAPs, and rates for transmitting these k sub-MAPs within communication frames. The method comprises the steps: a) for at least one communication frame comprised within a first interval of time, retrieving information on statistical distribution of downlink (DL) channel rates for a group of subscriber devices; b) based on that information, selecting k and corresponding transmission rates for k sub-MAPs, to minimize total amount of resources to be allocated for MAP and sub-MAPs transmission within that communication frame comprised within the first time interval and/or within a second interval of time that proceeds the first interval of time; and c) transmitting the k sub-MAPs at the selected corresponding transmission rates in communication frames comprised within the first time interval and/or within the second interval of time that proceeds the first one.
US08638736B2 Method and apparatus for adaptively allocating resources in multi-user OFDM system
A method and apparatus for adaptively allocating resources by a Base Station (BS) apparatus in a multi-user OFDM system is provided. The method includes receiving users' required rates and channel state information from a plurality of user terminals, setting a required inter-user transmission ratio and a number of multi-frames based on information about the users' required rates, allocating a subcarrier and transmit power to each user terminal based on the channel state information and the required inter-user transmission ratio for a period corresponding to the set number of multi-frames, and redistributing the transmit power allocated to the subcarrier. The method and apparatus can maximize the total data rate of a system while satisfying required inter-user transmission ratios in a multi-user OFDM system based on a multi-frame environment.
US08638728B2 Blind decoding in a mobile environment
Providing for modified rate-matching of modulated data to convey mobile network system information is described herein. By way of example, a rate-matching state, such as a data offset, can be introduced into a coded data stream that is modulated to resources of a wireless signal. The state can further be correlated to a state of the network system, such as transmit antenna configuration. Terminals receiving the wireless signal can analyze the signal to identify the rate-matching state and obtain the correlated network system state. Components of the terminal can then be configured according to the particular network system state, resulting in improving access point detection, and in some cases improved channel throughput and reliability.
US08638727B2 Method and arrangements in a radio communication system
The present invention relates to uplink transmissions and scheduling of resources for uplink transmissions in connection with packet switched communication. A radio communication network schedules (301) time slots for transmission of bursts of a first radio block on at least two different uplink packet data channels and transmits (302) an Uplink State Flag, associated with a mobile station for which the first radio block was scheduled, on a first downlink packet data channel representing a first subperiod within a basic uplink period. The mobile station receives (303) the Uplink State Flag, identifies (304) the scheduled resources for transmission of the first radio block wherein the timing of the first subperiod is derived utilizing the fact that the Uplink State Flag was received on the first downlink packet data channel and transmits (305) the first radio block utilizing the identified resources.
US08638725B2 Methods and systems for determining location using a cellular and WLAN positioning system by selecting the best WLAN PS solution
The disclosed subject matter relates to a method and system for increasing the accuracy of a WLAN based position estimate using cellular positioning information. In some embodiments, the method can include determining a set of possible WLAN location solutions for a WLAN and cellular enabled device based on one or more WLAN access points, obtaining cellular measurements from at least one cell tower, and determining the best WLAN location solution from the set of possible WLAN location solutions using the cellular measurements. In one embodiment, the method can include using the cellular measurements from the at least one cell tower to provide a cellular based location estimate for the WLAN and cellular enabled device.
US08638721B2 Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system
Methods and devices for coding a slot in a cellular radio system are described. The coding allows for increased robustness and can be designed to be backwards compatible with transmission for e.g. GSM, GPRS, EGPRS and EGPRS2.
US08638719B2 Inter-cell interference coordination of multiple transmission ranks
Inter-cell interference coordination of multiple transmission ranks can be accomplished by various methods and apparatuses. For example, a method can include defining indexing of resources for which a base station will restrict a maximum rank for transmission. The method can also include informing a neighboring base station of the first base station about the resources for which the base station will restrict the maximum rank of transmission.
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