| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08635864B2 |
Exhaust gas purifying device
An exhaust gas purifying device includes a first case housing a soot filter for purifying exhaust gas, second and third cases that are respectively placed on an upstream side and a downstream side of the first case in an exhaust gas flowing direction, and a differential pressure sensor that detects pressure difference between the upstream side and the downstream side of the soot filter. Pipes are respectively attached to the first case and one of the second and third cases placed on the upstream side or the downstream side of the first case, the pipes introducing pressures inside the first case and the one of the second and third cases to the differential pressure sensor. |
| US08635863B2 |
Particulate filter and associated methods for exhaust purification
A particulate filter for a vehicle exhaust system includes a primary filter surrounded by a secondary filter and a quenching agent injection nozzle arranged upstream of the primary filter. In a normal mode, exhaust flows through the primary filter, and in a fail-safe mode or a mixed mode, at least some exhaust flows through the secondary filter and quenching agent is injected via the nozzle to cool the primary filter. The fail-safe or mixed modes may be enacted during an overload of the primary filter, for example. If engine shutdown is initiated during regeneration of the primary filter, a rate of quenching agent injection may be adjusted so that the regeneration may be completed at a safe temperature. |
| US08635861B2 |
Exhaust aftertreatment system
An exhaust aftertreatment system including an exhaust flow area, a first bank of one or more exhaust treatment devices in fluid communication with the exhaust flow area and a second bank of one or more exhaust treatment devices in fluid communication with the exhaust flow area. The first bank may be arranged in parallel with the second bank and inlet of the first bank is configured to provide greater flow resistance to the exhaust than the inlet of the second bank. |
| US08635859B2 |
System and method for determining a maximum dose rate of reductant
An exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine is provided, having an exhaust gas conduit, a reductant source, a temperature sensor, an intake mass air flow sensor, and a control module. The exhaust gas conduit is in fluid communication with, and is configured to receive an exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine. The exhaust gas contains oxides of nitrogen (“NOx”). The reductant source is in fluid communication with the exhaust gas conduit and is configured for injecting an amount of reductant that is released into the exhaust gas conduit. The temperature sensor is situated in the exhaust stream for determining a temperature of the exhaust gas at the reductant source. The intake mass air flow sensor measures an air mass flow entering the internal combustion engine. The control module is in communication with the reductant source, the temperature sensor, and the intake mass air flow sensor. |
| US08635855B2 |
Exhaust gas treatment system including a lean NOx trap and two-way catalyst and method of using the same
An exhaust gas treatment system for a diesel engine is disclosed. The exhaust gas treatment system includes a lean NOX trap (LNT) in fluid communication with a diesel engine to receive an exhaust gas flow therefrom. The system also includes a two-way catalyst in fluid communication with the LNT to receive the exhaust gas flow therefrom, the two-way catalyst comprising a urea selective catalytic reduction catalyst and a diesel particulate filter (DPF). |
| US08635853B2 |
Exhaust reduction system having oxygen and temperature control
An exhaust system for use with an engine is disclosed. The exhaust system may have a first treatment device situated to receive a flow of exhaust and convert a first constituent of the exhaust to a second constituent, and a second treatment device located downstream of the first treatment device to reduce the first and second constituents. The exhaust system may also have a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of one of a temperature and an oxygen concentration of the exhaust, and a controller in communication with the sensor. The controller may be configured to vary the other of the temperature and the oxygen concentration based on the signal such that a desired amount of the first constituent is converted to the second constituent by the first treatment device prior to reduction by the second treatment device. |
| US08635850B1 |
Ion electric propulsion unit
An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) thruster is disclosed having a plasma chamber which is electrically biased with a positive voltage. The chamber bias serves to efficiently accelerate and expel the positive ions from the chamber. Electrons follow the exiting ions, serving to provide an electrically neutral exhaust plume. In a further embodiment, a downstream shaping magnetic field serves to further accelerate and/or shape the exhaust plume. |
| US08635848B2 |
Method and apparatus for preventing stranding elements from crossing during a stranding process
A stranding apparatus including a preformer attached to a preformer shaft; an adjustable core guide attached to the preformer shaft; and a ring positioned away from the preformer and centered on a longitudinal axis of the preformer shaft; wherein a gap is formed between the ring and the adjustable core guide, through which a stranding element can pass. |
| US08635843B2 |
Apparatus and method of harvesting agricultural row crops having biased guide members
An apparatus for harvesting agricultural row crops having stalks, comprising a frame having a front portion and a rear portion, the frame configured for traversing along a field of row crops; a hollow arm mounted adjacent an upper section of the front portion of the frame, the hollow arm comprising a first section disposed along an incline formed by the upper section of the front portion of the frame and the ground, the first section having a first end and a second end; an inlet positioned adjacent the first end of the first section of the hollow arm, the inlet for receiving stalks of row crops; device for cutting stalks of row crops, the device for cutting stalks mounted within the first section of the hollow arm; device for engaging and conveying the stalks along the hollow arm; and a biased guide assembly for accommodating stalks of varied diameters. |
| US08635838B2 |
System for disposing waste packages such as diapers
Systems and methods for facilitating hygienic storage and disposal of waste packages such as used disposable diapers include a housing, a lid, and a bag unit having a bag frame and an attached single use flexible bag. The flexible bag is pleated and larger in cross-section at a lower portion than it is at the connection to the bag frame. The bag frame is releasably mounted to the housing so that it will not rotate. The lower portion of the flexible bag is positioned in a storage chamber of the housing that is shaped so as to align and center the bag. A rotatable member having radially extending flexible fingers is engaged with an intermediate portion of the bag. When the lid is closed, the rotatable member will twist the intermediate portion of the bag, sealing odors in the lower portion of the bag. A parent or caregiver will push the waste package through the resistance of the twisted intermediate portion into the lower portion of the bag, and close the lid to re-seal the twisted portion. |
| US08635834B2 |
Building metal frame, and method of making, and components therefor including column assemblies and full-length beam assemblies
A method of making and utilizing a column assembly module for a building framework includes providing an elongate column member for being vertically disposed as part of a vertically elongate column assembly of a building framework. And securing to the elongate column member a spaced apart pair of horizontally elongate and vertically and horizontally extending side plates. The step of securing includes locating an inner surface of at least one side plate member and an outside opposing vertical edge of the column member so that a vertical interface plane lies at an interface of the inner surface of the at least one side plate member and the outside opposing vertical edge. During erection of the building framework a full-length beam assembly is disposed at an end portion thereof between the pair of projecting side plates to be connected thereto providing a beam-to-column joint assembly of the building framework. |
| US08635833B2 |
Top-down method for constructing below-grade structures
An earth retention system constructed with a top-down process that can be used for permanent below-grade structures, similar to a “soldier beam and lagging wall,” consists of vertical soldier piles, drainage and waterproofing, and a finished, reinforced concrete facing. The concrete facing is placed pneumatically (i.e., using so-called shotcrete). The system is well-suited to constructing below-grade portions of buildings where excavation lay back is not practical or cost effective and can incorporate permanent lateral support from tieback anchors. The below-grade structure is constructed by excavating down part way, constructing a waterproof “lift” portion of the ultimate structure, excavating down another part way, constructing another waterproof lift portion in a manner to be tied in with the lift portion immediately above, and repeating these steps until the below-grade structure is constructed to the desired depth. |
| US08635831B2 |
Space truss system
A space truss system for use in foundations, floors, walls, and roofs is provided. The space truss system comprises structural rods with each structural rod having a first portion having a first end and a second end, a middle portion having a first end and a second end, and a second end portion having a first end and a second end. The second end of the first portion is joined to the first end of the middle portion at a first predetermined angle and the second end of the middle portion is joined to the second end of the second portion at a second predetermined angle. The first portions of a portion of the structural rods are grouped together forming a first pyramid structure with the first ends of the middle portions forming an apex and the second ends of the middle portions forming a base. |
| US08635827B2 |
Recreational vehicle roofing system
A method of roofing an occupancy structure comprising providing a roofing membrane that comprises at least one thermoplastic membrane layer, bonding the roofing membrane to the roof of an occupancy structure, where the occupancy structure includes a roof member that is at least partially constructed of a plastic material and extends above the roofing membrane when the roofing membrane is applied to the occupancy structure. A substantially solid hot melt thermoplastic sealant is heated to enable the substantially solid hot melt thermoplastic sealant to flow and a layer of the substantially solid hot melt thermoplastic sealant is applied to an exterior surface of the thermoplastic membrane layer and a plastic portion of the roof member to seal the joint between the roofing membrane and the roof member. |
| US08635825B2 |
Modular roof panels
A roofing panel includes a front surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, a right-side surface, a left-side surface and a rear surface, the front surface, the top surface, the bottom surface, the right-side surface, the left-side surface and the rear surface include a waterproofing membrane. A plurality of top perimeter edges, the plurality of top perimeter edges include substantially concave bevels. A plurality of bottom perimeter edges, the plurality of bottom perimeter edges include substantially convex bevels. The bottom surface of the roofing panel includes an adhesive for adhering the roofing panel to a roof deck. |
| US08635819B2 |
Framing for panels
Framing for panels, in particular for sliding panels, which may or may not be sliding windows, arranged to enclose and hold one or more single or multiple parallel glazing units, and having at least one frame in two parts formed from profiled parts and assembled so that their relative position can be modified, each of the profiled parts having at least one longitudinal wing which enclose a glazing unit, wherein each of the profiled parts has at least one pair of parallel transverse wings, namely an upper transverse wing and a lower transverse wing respectively, at least partially fitting around at least one insulation element, and in that the transverse wings and the insulation element are configured to ensure the connection of the parts of each frame, the width of the insulation element being adjusted at the time of mounting according to the thickness of the glazing unit or units. |
| US08635816B2 |
Crawlspace encapsulation system
A crawlspace encapsulation system that enables sealing and insulating of the crawlspace while allowing for the venting of gases trapped between the ground and the sealing and insulating system. The crawlspace encapsulation system includes an insulation joist plug, one or more insulation panels, and a polymeric membrane. |
| US08635808B1 |
Partitioned planter
A partitioned planter for expandable compartmentalized plant growth includes an outer container and removable progressively smaller inner compartments. The planter provides water drainage and molded features to retain and position the inner compartments. The removable compartments each have a plurality of flat wall sections which are assembled to form a structure which contains the plant roots during growth. The wall segments also include stiffening brackets which engage top perimeter edges of forwardly adjacent wall members for additional structural stabilization. |
| US08635807B2 |
Bed bug monitor
A bed bug monitor includes a base and a central housing. The central housing is insulated and encloses a supply of solid carbon dioxide. During use an aperture in the housing releases a plume of carbon dioxide vapor which attracts bed bugs onto the base. |
| US08635805B1 |
Bait retainer and dispenser apparatus
A single small elastic disk, which may or may not include a central perforation, is dispensed from the storage cavity of the device into a holding channel at the edge thereof so that it can be threaded onto a fishhook to serve as a bait retainer. The lateral movement of the hook from the edge of the dispenser removes the retainer from the channel, so that is placing firmly on the shaft of the fishhook. The central portion, being opened by the fishhook tip before removal from the dispenser, will exert a gripping force when disposed on the shaft or shank portion of a fish hook. Preferably, the disk portion of one such retainer when placed against adjacently threaded bait or lures will retain them on the hook during use until the bait or lure is intentionally removed. |
| US08635803B1 |
Buoyant fishing device
A buoyant fishing device with a housing having a first end and a second end and containing an elongated passageway having an axis, at least one weight disposed within the passageway, wherein the housing is further configured to float with the axis oriented substantially perpendicular to gravity when the weight is in the first position and wherein the housing is further configured to float with the axis oriented substantially parallel to gravity when the weight is in the second position. |
| US08635798B2 |
Communication connector system for a weapon
A communication connector system for a weapon having an upper receiver at an upper part of the weapon with electronics associated with the upper receiver and a base at a lower part of the weapon with a lower receiver and a hand grip and that houses electronics and with the upper receiver rotatably coupled to the lower receiver and movable between a closed position and an open position includes an upper connector assembly configured to be coupled to the upper receiver. The upper connector assembly has an upper connector being configured to be communicatively connected to the electronics in the upper receiver. The upper connector has a mating interface. A lower connector assembly has a lower connector that is configured to be communicatively connected to the electronics in the base of the weapon. The lower connector is configured to be mounted to the hand grip. The lower connector has a mating interface configured to be mated with the mating interface of the upper connector when the upper receiver is in the closed position. The mating interfaces are physically separable from one another so the upper receiver is able to move to the open position. |
| US08635796B2 |
Ammunition magazine
The present invention is an ammunition magazine, preferably made of a reinforced polymer, utilizing a structurally enhancing ridge, angular guide rails and a follower made to interface with said guide rails to reduce wobble. The preferred embodiment also features a protective cover that distributes forces from the spring to more structurally sound areas of the magazine, thus reducing feed end splay, and an ammunition indication system comprised of at least one window and a noticeable marker on the follower spring. The follower and magazine casing are also designed to interface to prevent the follower from popping out of the feed end and the floor plate of the magazine utilizes a locking plate and sliding relationship between the floor plate, locking plate and magazine to secure the floor plate onto the magazine casing. The cover features built in tools for, among other things, unloading and disassembling the magazine. |
| US08635795B2 |
Separable composite labeling articles in sheet or roll form
A linear series of connected unitary sheet-like merchandise labeling articles, each of which comprises a labeling tag flatly cojoined along a unifying flat bond zone with a flexible elastic layer that extends away from the tag and includes an elastic fastening loop. Adjacent labeling articles of the series are ruptureably connected in a manner permitting the series to be handled as a unit while at the same time permitting ruptureable separation of individual merchandise labeling articles from the series. In one embodiment, the linear series is wound into roll form. |
| US08635789B2 |
Protection devices for use in shoes or other products
A variety of devices for protecting a user's foot from injury are disclosed. In one embodiment, the device may be a metatarsal protection device, which may include a first layer of material having top and bottom surfaces, with at least one of such surfaces including a series of cones or a pattern of hexagons thereon. The metatarsal protection device may also include a second relatively rigid layer of material overlying the first layer, and the first layer may be shaped to conform to the metatarsal region of the user's foot, such that the device is configured to protect the metatarsal region against injury. Other configurations and variations of a metatarsal protection device are also disclosed, as are other uses for the principles of the invention(s) disclosed herein (e.g., protection devices for other areas of the foot, etc.) |
| US08635787B2 |
Impact-attenuation systems for articles of footwear and other foot-receiving devices
Impact-attenuation systems, e.g., for use in footwear, can help control foot positioning during a step cycle, e.g., to help reduce or eliminate misorientation of the foot, and the fatigue and/or strain that may result from such misorientation. Articles of footwear including such impact-attenuation systems may include: (a) an upper member; and (b) a sole structure engaged with the upper member. The sole structure may include: (i) a first impact-attenuating member located in a heel portion of the foot-supporting member, and (ii) a second, separate impact-attenuating member located at a rear, lateral heel portion. The second impact-attenuating member may be designed and/or configured to provide less resistance to an impact force as compared with the first impact-attenuating member. |
| US08635786B2 |
Impact-attenuation systems for articles of footwear and other foot-receiving devices
Impact-attenuation systems, e.g., for use in footwear, can help control foot positioning during a step cycle, e.g., to help reduce or eliminate misorientation of the foot, and the fatigue and/or strain that may result from such misorientation. Articles of footwear including such impact-attenuation systems may include: (a) an upper member; and (b) a sole structure engaged with the upper member. The sole structure may include: (i) a first impact-attenuating member located in a heel portion of the foot-supporting member, and (ii) a second, separate impact-attenuating member located at a rear, lateral heel portion. The second impact-attenuating member may be designed and/or configured to provide less resistance to an impact force as compared with the first impact-attenuating member. |
| US08635784B2 |
Methods and apparatus for drying a substrate
In a first aspect, a method of drying at least a portion of a substrate located within a fluid is provided. The method includes contacting an edge of the substrate that is located within the fluid with a pusher pin. The pusher pin has (a) a shaft portion; and (b) a tip portion having a knife edge of a width of 0.42 inches or less, the tip portion adapted to contact and support the substrate with the knife edge. The method further includes lifting the substrate from the fluid with the pusher pin; and exposing the substrate to a drying vapor as the substrate is lifted from the fluid. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US08635781B2 |
Dual-blade film-cutting device
This invention relates to a dual-blade cutting device used for cutting strips from films and sheets. Particularly, in the cutting device of the invention, the blades are not exposed to the outside during the non-use position. Also, in the use position, the exposure is minimal to the operator. Therefore, using the cutting device of the invention renders the operation safe for the cutting operator. |
| US08635770B2 |
Method for insulating wire terminations
A method for insulating wires is disclosed. A portion of the plurality of wires and an insulating material are placed in a tube having an open end. Pressure is applied to the tube. During the application of pressure, the tube, the plurality of wires, and the insulating material are heated to a temperature above a melting point of the insulating material. As a result, the insulating material is melted and driven toward the open end of the tube. Upon removal of the heat, the insulating material solidifies and forms a barrier proximal to the open end of the tube. |
| US08635767B2 |
System for depositing microwire
A microcircuit deposition system incorporates a first printing engine for depositing a dielectric on a substrate. A microwire spooling machine houses a microwire spool and incorporates a tension guide to position a microwire trace onto the dielectric layer. A second printing engine trails the microwire spooling machine to deposit a covering dielectric layer over the microwire trace. |
| US08635766B2 |
Component supplying apparatus
A component supplying apparatus which is appended to the electronic component working apparatus, for supplying electronic components to the electronic component working apparatus is provided. The component supplying apparatus includes a component storing section which stores the electronic components, and movement range regulator. The movement range regulator allows the component storing section to move between a supply position P1 which is set for supplying the electronic components and a retracted position P2 to which the component storing section is retracted for the purpose of maintenance of the electronic component working apparatus. In addition, the movement range regulator regulates the range of relative movement of the component storing section with respect to the electronic component working apparatus to a movement amount L4 that is previously established. |
| US08635765B2 |
Method of forming micro-electrical-mechanical structure (MEMS)
A method of forming a micro-electrical-mechanical structure (MEMS), includes forming a plurality of electrodes on a substrate, forming a beam structure in electrical contact with a first of the electrodes, and bending the beam structure with a thermal process. The method further includes forming a cantilevered electrode extending over an end of the bent beam structure, and returning the beam structure to its original position, which will contact the cantilevered electrode in a normally closed position. |
| US08635757B2 |
Method for the installation of an apparatus for spring-assisted swinging of a liftgate or door in a vehicle
A method for installing a spring-assisted liftgate in opposition to the gravity force includes temporarily fixing a coupling rod in a defined position corresponding to an installation position of the liftgate, and holding the in an open position or in an intermediate position above the installation position and placing the apparatus in the vehicle. After lowering the liftgate from the open position or intermediate position into the installation position, the coupling rod is connected to the hinge lever and then released. |
| US08635755B2 |
Method for producing doctor blades
A method for producing doctor blades from metal, in particular from steel, the doctor blades to be produced having a reduced material thickness in a region of a working edge. The material thickness is essentially constant in the region of reduced material thickness. By a planing operation being used upon a basic body with an essentially constant material thickness, the region of reduced material thickness is generated. By the region of reduced material thickness being generated by means of a planing operation, an efficient and cost-effective method for the production of doctor blades is achieved. |
| US08635752B2 |
Devices for abluminally coating medical devices
A stent crimping and coating apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of crimping blades positioned in a radial array and collectively forming a central crimping lumen, wherein the plurality of crimping blades radially movable to alter the diameter of the central crimping lumen. Each of the crimping blades includes a first surface configured to at least in part define the central crimping lumen. One or more of the crimping blades includes a fluid channel extending therein and a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the fluid channel. The plurality of openings are located at the first surface of the one or more crimping blades and adapted to discharge a fluid into the central crimping lumen. |
| US08635748B2 |
Manually activated slider clip
A slider is provided which can be mounted on a zipper without any pre-activation, particularly zippers which are opened by squeezing together a portion of the profiles wherein a fulcrum effect is achieved to separate the profiles. The slider omits at least part of the zipper opening elements so that the user must squeeze the slider together in order to urge the zipper profiles apart thereby opening the zipper. |
| US08635746B2 |
Closure latch
The present disclosure relates generally to closure mechanisms, such as a closure latch device for clamping a band. The closure latch comprises a first and second latch member engaged to pivot relative to each other. Certain embodiments relate to methods of clamping a band. Certain embodiments relate to methods of manufacturing a clamping device. |
| US08635745B2 |
Metal locking tie
The metal locking tie includes a tie body and a bi-level head. The tie body includes a first end and a second end. The first end of the tie body is secured to the bi-level head. The bi-level head includes a roof, a bottom wall, a primary head floor and a secondary head floor. The bi-level head also includes a locking ball positioned within the head. The primary head floor includes a locking displacement hole for receiving the locking ball. When the second end of the tie body is tensioned, the locking ball moves toward the locking displacement hole to secure the tie body in the bi-level head. |
| US08635744B2 |
Foldable handle retainer
Resiliently movable fingers receive a portion of a foldable handle therebetween to retain the handle against folding relative to a frame. |
| US08635742B2 |
Mobility system
A mobility apparatus for transporting objects along a surface includes first and second slider arrangements for supporting an object to be transported. The first and second slider arrangements have a low friction lower surface and a high friction upper surface. The first and second slider arrangements are coupled by a common strap having first and second ends. The mobility apparatus further comprises a loop located near the second end, securing the second slider arrangement to a fixedly attached connection with the common strap. The mobility apparatus further includes first and second openings located in the first slider arrangement such that the first slider arrangement in an unloaded condition freely moves along an adjustment length of the common strap. |
| US08635740B2 |
Flow control of an extractor cleaning machine
An extractor cleaning machine includes a base or foot having a distribution nozzle and a suction nozzle. A suction source fluidly communicates with the suction nozzle, and a distributor fluidly communicates with the distribution nozzle. The distributor delivers cleaning fluid to the distribution nozzle and has first and second non-zero operating speeds. A first manually operable actuator associated with the distributor changes the distributor from the first operating speed to the second operating speed. The distributor also includes a third non-zero operating speed, and a second manually operable actuator associated with the distributor changes the distributor from the second operating speed to the third operating speed. |
| US08635736B2 |
Mop wringer
A drive provides rotational movement and linear movement to an output. A first gear is operatively connected to the output, such as a roller. A drive assembly comprises a first cam surface, a second cam surface and a second gear. The first cam surface engages a first follower where the first follower is operatively connected to the output such that linear movement of the first cam follower results in linear movement of the output. The second cam surface engages a stationary follower. The second gear engages the first gear. The drive assembly rotates over a range of motion such that for a first portion of the range of motion the drive assembly causes the rotational and linear movement of the output and rotation of the drive assembly for a second portion of the range of motion causes only the rotational movement of the output. |
| US08635735B2 |
Porous material for insertion cleaning of instruments
A porous material for insertion cleaning of instruments is provided, such porous material including an at least partially open-cell foam body and a surface configured to enable an instrument having contaminants to be inserted into the body. The body may be configured to substantially grip the instrument to remove a substantial portion of the contaminants from the instrument. |
| US08635733B2 |
Golf club head and golf shoe cleaner
Golf club head and golf shoe cleaner brush assembly which is attached to spokes of a golf trolley wheel comprising a brush formed from wire bristles. Extending back from the brush is a brush connecting rod with male screw threads. The brush is attached to a wheel attachment member by threading its metal core into a threaded receiving hub on the wheel attachment member using a counter-clockwise screwing direction. The wheel attachment member, is attached to a wheel of the trolley by inserting screws through screw apertures located on its radially extending arms. The screws are screwed into spoke attachment clips, each including a notch which cradles a spoke. A golfer touches his golf club head to the brush and pulls the golf trolley, causing the brush to rotate, and cleaning the golf club. The golfer may touch cleats of golf shoes to the invention, thereby cleaning away dirt. |
| US08635732B2 |
Cleaning article comprising melamine foam sponge
A cleaning article comprising a melamine foam which comprises a cleaning fluid. Also disclosed a methods for the manufacture of said cleaning articles, and methods for their use in the treatment of hard surfaces. |
| US08635731B2 |
Teethbrush
A full mouth toothbrush for simultaneously brushing the facial, lingual, occlusal and incisal surfaces of all the maxillary and mandibular teeth is provided. The full mouth toothbrush can include a handle, a power source, a motor assembly, and a drive assembly. The full mouth toothbrush can further include a mouthpiece configured to collectively contact multiple surfaces of multiple teeth simultaneously that brushes and, thus, cleans the teeth and gums. |
| US08635729B1 |
Ramp assembly with tilt sensor
A ramp assembly provides a transition surface from a vehicle interior to an alighting surface. The ramp assembly includes a ramp portion that rotates between a stowed position and a deployed position. The ramp portion is rotatable about an axis associated with a first end of the ramp portion. A support member supports the first end of the ramp portion, and a sensor is configured to sense a predetermined position of the ramp portion. The ramp assembly further includes an actuator operably coupled to the ramp portion to drive the ramp portion through a first phase and a second phase of a deployment motion. During the first phase, the actuator rotates the ramp portion about the axis while the axis maintains a substantially fixed position. During the second phase, the actuator moves the axis in a downward direction if the ramp portion has deployed to at least the predetermined position. |
| US08635728B2 |
Modular ramp system
A modular ramp system contemplates two molded plastic ramps placed back-to-back so that one would travel up one ramp and then down the other. The ramps are interconnected by a spine. The spine connectors are dovetail recesses and projections. The ramps have connections on their sides, so other ramps may be assembled to the two ramps to make a wider ramp. The ramp can have a plurality of ramp sections assembled together to create a ramp. A table is designed to be used with ramps and other components and includes openings facilitating installation of a grind rail or a support rail. The table surface includes a peripheral coping. A grind rail includes legs with arcuate bottoms to facilitate support of a grind rail regardless of angulation. Curved sections of grind rails allow lateral and vertical curvature of a grind rail configuration. Connectors are provided to interconnect adjacent grind rail sections. |
| US08635727B2 |
Variable-size bed
The present invention relates to a variable-size bed (10) comprising a mattress core (16) and a base (14), which base is adapted to support at least a portion of the mattress core, wherein the mattress core and base have adjustable widths or lengths and each of the mattress core and base is changeable between an expanded state and a contracted state corresponding to an expanded state and a contracted state of the bed, respectively, and wherein the bed further comprises a cover means adapted to provide covering over the mattress core in both the expanded state and the contracted state of the bed. The present invention also relates to a vehicle comprising such a variable-size bed. |
| US08635726B2 |
Cushion bladder with middle layer having gaps and various positioned interior welds
A cushioning device has two materials that are sealed together at their peripheral edges to form first and second sides and first and second ends. Positioned between the first and second materials is a middle material. The middle material has the top and bottom sides, a gap between the first side and the middle material and another gap between the second side and the middle material. In addition, the first material is sealed to the middle material's top side by a first set of interior welds. The second surface is sealed to the middle material's bottom surface by a second set of interior welds. The first set of welds on the middle material's top surface and the second set of welds on the middle material's bottom surface are not superimposed on each other or overlap each other. |
| US08635713B2 |
Collapsible hat
A collapsible hat comprises a front portion, at least one band portion extending from the front portion, at least one first top portion extending from the at least one band portion, and a plurality of second top portions extending from the at least one band portion. The first top portions include a connector and the second top portions include a slot, and the connector of the first top portions are configured to extend through the slots of the second top portions. |
| US08640259B2 |
Notarizable electronic paper
A system and method helps to control “read” and/or “write” access to electronic paper (e-paper). Informational data may be on a restricted portion of e-paper material that is protected by a security methodology accessible to authorized entities. Some embodiments maintain a record of access activity regarding the restricted portion, and a record of access activity regarding use of an item or product or service related to the e-paper informational data. Some implementations include an authorization listing of a party having a particular access privilege or authorization to make modifications to various restricted portions including an authentication region and a protected region. One possible aspect includes performing a verification analysis of data indicia in a restricted portion of the e-paper media. Additional possible system and process components may determine an authenticity status of the data indicia, and provide an output result. |
| US08640256B2 |
File system operation and digital rights management (DRM)
A file system is configured for use with files protected by digital rights management (DRM) content controls and to interact both with applications that are, and are not, DRM aware. The file system may be configured for use by two applications, in a manner that may provide the second application with protected files if the first application was previously allowed access. In one example, a user context cache of DRM-protected files is created. The files in the cache may have been decrypted in response to a request(s) from the first application. Subsequent requests from the second application may be received for files within the user context cache of DRM-protected files. At least one of the files within the user context cache of DRM-protected files may be provided to the second application if the second application has a joint user context with the first application. |
| US08640251B1 |
Methods and systems for classifying computer documents into confidential levels using log information
Files of computer documents are classified into confidential levels without extracting and analyzing contents of the files. Files created by particular users may be clustered into groups of files based on file characteristics, such as file type (e.g., file extension) and file naming convention. A prediction confidential score may be generated for each group of files. A log of a file retention resource may be consulted to identify files created by users. A file created by a user may be assigned a prediction confidential score of a group of files having the same file characteristic as the file and created by the same user. The prediction confidential score may be used to determine a confidential level of the file when the file is found to be inaccessible. |
| US08640249B2 |
Digital broadcasting conditional access system and method
Provided is a digital broadcasting conditional access system and method, including a digital broadcasting transmitter and a digital broadcasting receiver. The transmitter scrambles a broadcasting signal using a control key, generates broadcasting viewing restriction information and broadcasting viewing entitlement information, and transmits the scrambled broadcasting signal after incorporating the broadcasting viewing restriction information and broadcasting viewing entitlement information into the scrambled broadcasting signal. The receiver extracts the broadcasting viewing restriction information and the broadcasting viewing entitlement information included in the scrambled broadcasting signal to generate the control key, descrambles the broadcasting signal using the control key, and reproduces the descrambled broadcasting signal. Thus, the system and method can be provided for a digital broadcasting receiver including a smart card. Moreover, the digital broadcasting receiver can easily access to digital broadcasting using a Short Message Service (SMS) message and a smart card. |
| US08640239B2 |
Network intrusion detection in a network that includes a distributed virtual switch fabric
A network intrusion detection system (NIDS) works in conjunction with a distributed virtual switch fabric to provide enhanced network intrusion detection in a way that does not require as much human intervention, autonomically adjusts to hardware changes in the network, and responds much more quickly than known network intrusion detection systems. The NIDS accesses network information from the distributed virtual switch fabric, which gives the NIDS access to a virtual view that includes hardware information for all networking devices in the network. This allows the NIDS to automatically determine network topology, update itself as hardware in the network is added or changed, and promptly take automated service actions in response to detected network intrusions. The result is a NIDS that is easier to configure, maintain, and use, and that provides enhanced network security. |
| US08640225B2 |
Method and apparatus for validating resource identifier
An approach is provided for requesting access to content associated with a resource identifier. A system receives a first request to access content associated with a resource identifier. The system then determines to generate a second request for validating the content based, at least in part, on the resource identifier and to transmit the second request to a validation service. The system receives validation information based, at least in part, on the second request. In one embodiment, the validation information includes a preview of the content. |
| US08640218B2 |
System, method and program for managing firewalls
Computer system, method and program for managing a firewall. First program instructions identify a first rule of the firewall. The first rule specifies a permitted message flow through the firewall to or from an IP address of a computer. The computer resides on a network. Second program instructions identify a second rule of the firewall. The second rule specifies a permitted message flow through the firewall to or from an IP address corresponding to the network. Message flows through the firewall to all computers on the network are permitted pursuant to the second rule. Third program instructions delete the first rule from the firewall based on the identification of the second rule and the computer residing on the network. Other program instructions identify and delete stale rules which are not needed. Other program instructions automatically identify rules for a new server added to a cluster. |
| US08640217B2 |
Method and system for improved communication network setup utilizing extended terminals
Aspects of a method and system for improved communication network setup utilizing extended terminals are presented. Aspects of the method may comprise configuring a wireless Ethernet terminal functioning as a client station by a configurator via a network. The configured wireless Ethernet terminal may wirelessly receives information from a wireless station, and communicate the wirelessly received information to at least one of a plurality of wired stations via at least one of a plurality of corresponding wired interfaces. Aspects of the system may comprise a collocated device functioning as a configurator that configures a wireless Ethernet terminal functioning as a client station via a network. The configured wireless Ethernet terminal may wirelessly receives information from a wireless station, and communicate the wirelessly received information to at least one of a plurality of wired stations via at least one of a plurality of corresponding wired interfaces. |
| US08640214B2 |
Key distribution for unconnected one-time password tokens
A system and method for distributing symmetric keys in a system including an end-user computer operated by an end-user, a service provider server of a service provider having a service provider identifier, and a manufacturer backend server operated by the manufacturer of the OTP token. The manufacturer backend server operates to verify one-time passwords generated by the OTP tokens and upon verifying the authenticity of the OTP token based on the generated passwords, transmitting the symmetric key to a service provider server or an authentication server. Other systems and methods are disclosed. |
| US08640213B2 |
Method and system for automatic authentication
A system and method for automatic authentication includes automatically calculating a security code on a computer running a security program. The security program resides on the same computer as a web browser. In response to a user signing into a web based account on a web site accessed by the web browser, automatically verifying that the security program is registered with the web based account. In response to a second factor security code entry request on the web based account, automatically entering the security code into the web based account. The security code is transmitted to the web site transparently to the user for login. |
| US08640211B2 |
System and methods for universal password control
A system and method is described for controlling the password(s) of one or more programs through a universal program. The universal control program allows access to one or more other programs and allows editing of the passwords of the other programs directly through the universal access program. |
| US08640205B2 |
Collaborative information management
A method is provided for implementing collaborative information management. Information collaboration entities are authorized to allow entity members thereof access to a collaborative information data structure. Each information collaboration entity is a different business entity than each other information collaboration entity. An entity member of each one of the information collaboration entities is authorized to maintain business process information associated therewith within the collaborative information data structure. The business process information of each one of the information collaboration entities is generated through a business process thereof. The business process information of each one of the information collaboration entities is useful as quality control information for a manufactured product of a particular one of the information collaboration entities. An entity member of a first information collaboration entity is authorized to access business process information of a second information collaboration entity that is maintained within the collaborative information data structure. |
| US08640204B2 |
Wireless device for group access and management
A system and method for establishing a group of wireless devices having shared media stored thereupon associates each group member device of the group of wireless devices, communicates with at least some of the group member devices of the group of wireless devices to identify shared media and upon receiving a request transmitted by a group member device of the group of wireless devices, supports access to shared media. The shared media may be stored on a different group member device, upon a managing server computer, or a media server. Upon a successful validation, the group member device that made the request is notified to facilitate the access to the shared media. The notification includes access information. |
| US08640203B2 |
Methods and systems for the authentication of a user
The present invention generally relates to a computer security system for use in the identification and authentication of a user. In one aspect, a method for identifying and authenticating a user is provided. The method includes establishing a trust between a server machine and an agent on a user machine. The method further includes establishing a session key to encrypt communications between the server machine and the agent. The method also includes receiving a username and password for use in validating the user. Additionally, the method includes creating an executable binary for the extraction of device data from the user machine to uniquely identify the machine. In another aspect, a computer-readable medium including a set of instructions that when executed by a processor causes the processor to identify and authenticate the user is provided. In a further aspect, a system for identifying and authenticating a user is provided. |
| US08640201B2 |
Mail server coordination activities using message metadata
In a distributed electronic messaging system authorized information comprising metadata concerning a message is passed along from one mail server to another mail server. A receiving computer determines if the sending computer has the necessary authorizations to pass along the metadata. If so, the authorized information is passed along with the message body, enabling repetitious actions to be eliminated. If the sending computer is not authorized to pass along the metadata, the metadata is stripped off the message, changed or annotated. |
| US08640200B1 |
Authored injections of context that are resolved at authentication time
Techniques are described for enabling principals to inject context information into a credential (e.g. session credential). Once the credential has been issued, any arbitrary principal is allowed to inject context information into the existing credential. The injected context is scoped to the principal that made the injection. Subsequently, at authentication time, when the credential is used to request access to a particular resource, the system can verify whether the principal that made the injection is trusted and if the principal is deemed trusted, the context information can be applied to a policy that controls access to one or more resources, or can alternatively be translated into some context residing in a different namespace which can then be applied to the policy. In addition, the system enables arbitrary users to insert additional deny statements into an existing credential, which further restrict the scope of permissions granted by the credential. |
| US08640197B2 |
Methods for acquiring an internet user's consent to be located and for authenticating the identity of the user using location information
A method and system for acquiring an Internet user's consent to be geographically located via at least two independent sources of geographical information while at least one independent source of geographical information is the wireless location of said Internet user's communication voice device. The method does not require any user intervention other than the user's interaction with an Internet site via the Internet user's Internet browser. |
| US08640195B2 |
Method and system for automating security policy definition based on recorded transactions
Following development of an application, the application is deployed in a pre-production environment. A user role plays against that application, typically by performing one or more operations as a particular user in a particular group. As the operator role plays, access logs are written, and these logs are then analyzed and consolidated into a set of commands that drive a policy generator. The policy generator creates an optimized security policy that it then deploys to one or more enforcement points. In this manner, the framework enables automated configuration and deployment of one or more security policies. |
| US08640193B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method for controlling the same, program, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus for providing at least a service to a service requester receives a service execution request and authentication information of a service requester from the service requester and issues a request for authenticating the service requester to an authentication service. Also, the image processing apparatus executes the requested service based on an authentication result transmitted from the authentication service. Further, the image processing apparatus manages an execution state of the executed service and an authentication state of the service requestor by associating the execution state with the authentication state. |
| US08640191B2 |
Inspecting code and reducing code size associated to a target
Code is associated to a target based on an inspection of the code. A target may be a device or a user. A number of code components may be inspected at one time and then transferred or otherwise associated to a target based on the target's profile. A code component may be a policy of an information management system. |
| US08640189B1 |
Communicating results of validation services
In certain embodiments, a method includes receiving from a validation system a request to apply a first policy service to a message. The validation system determines whether the message may be transmitted to a second network by validating a plurality of tokens associated with the message. The method includes receiving at least one result from a policy service engine of applying the first policy service to the message and determining at least one predefined assertion based on the received at least one result. The message includes generating a first token by encrypting the at least one predefined assertion using a first parameter associated with the first service node and not the second service node. The method includes sending the message and the first token to the validation system. |
| US08640185B2 |
Personal-information managing apparatus and personal-information handling apparatus
A personal-information managing apparatus includes: a usage permission policy managing unit to manage usage permission policy in which a boundary between usage permission and usage prohibition of personal information is defined; a personal information request receiving unit to receive a request for the personal information from the personal-information handling apparatus; a usage-permission issuing unit to obtain the usage permission policy corresponding to the received request via the usage permission policy managing unit, and to issue a usage permit corresponding to the usage permission policy and the requested personal information to the personal-information handling apparatus; a usage permit issue history managing unit to manage the issued usage permit and usage permission issue history relating to the personal information; and a credibility establishing unit to establish credibility of information exchange with the personal-information handling apparatus in relation to the issuing of the usage permit and the personal information. |
| US08640179B1 |
Method for using extracted features from an electronic work
A computer-implemented method including the steps of maintaining, by a computer system including at least one computer, a database in which is stored first data related to identification of one or more works and second data related to information corresponding to each of the one or more works as identified by the first data. Extracted features of a work to be identified are obtained. The work is identified by comparing the extracted features of the work with the first data in the database using a non-exhaustive neighbor search. The information corresponding to the identified work is determined based on the second data in the database. The determined information is associated with the identified work. |
| US08640178B2 |
Server, content providing apparatus, content receiving apparatus, content providing method, content receiving method, and program
Distribution of contents through a network with reduced load on a server is enabled. Moreover, distribution with higher security is enabled. A server side connected to a predetermined network has a content database for managing data related to contents that can be distributed, a content cluster list containing data related to division of each content into clusters, and a cluster database related to an address where each cluster is stored. A device side that can be connected to the server saves at least a part of clusters of a received content by each cluster formed by dividing the content, and transfers a predetermined cluster saved by content saving processing to an indicated address in response to a request for transfer of a cluster of the received content. |
| US08640166B1 |
Systems and methods for content surfing
Systems and methods for improving or suggesting alternatives to content surfing are provided. When it is detected that a user wishes to surf, a pipeline tuning sequence is implemented where by storing one or more frames of a first content selection to the user equipment and acquiring a subsequent content selection while concurrently displaying the previously stored one or more frames. Content suggestions, program listing grids, media guidance application and tuning hints, advertisements, digital audio, and live video may also be presented to user while content surfing. In some embodiments, content surf landing channels may be anticipated based on user history, user profiles, or any other suitable information. In some embodiments, thumbnails of the user's recently tuned, or paused on, content are displayed to the user while content surfing. In multiple tuner systems, more than one thumbnail may be displayed in full motion video. |
| US08640162B2 |
System and method for distributing advertisements in an internet protocol television system
A method for delivering targeted advertisement data to opt-in subscribers in an internet protocol television (IPTV) system is disclosed, the system comprising selecting an advertising target group of opt-in IPTV subscribers based on an advertiser's advertising target request; and multicasting an advertisement from an IPTV advertising server to the advertising target group. A system for performing the method is disclosed. |
| US08640159B2 |
Methods, systems, and devices for reducing bandwidth consumption in multimedia distribution systems
Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for reducing bandwidth consumption in a switched broadcast multimedia distribution system. When a subscriber requests a channel, bandwidth is allocated to deliver a current program to the subscriber via the requested channel. The allocated bandwidth is then terminated upon expiration of a timer. The timer may have a defined value, or the timer may correspond to program scheduling. |
| US08640157B2 |
Automatic detection of a cable trap
Firmware is installed in a cable modem, enabling detection of the presence or absence of a cable trap in the feed of a customer location. Such a cable modem includes a trap-detection module and a trap-detection object. The trap-detection module is configured to determine whether a video signal is present at a cable-television frequency. The trap-detection object is configured to store data as to whether the video signal is present. For example, a first piece of data is stored if the video signal is present, indicating absence of a properly functioning cable trap between a cable head-end and the cable modem. A second piece of data is stored if the video signal is absent, indicating presence of a properly functioning cable trap between the cable head-end and the cable modem. |
| US08640152B2 |
Optical device
An optical device is provided including a tray body linearly moving and loading an optical disk. A case guide is configured to guide the linear movement of the tray body. A damper is interposed between the tray body and the case guide to attenuate vibration of the tray body. |
| US08640148B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method and storage medium
A unified application acquires a printer driver, which is an example of a device driver, managed by an operating system of the information processing apparatus, and a printer object corresponding to a printer port. The printer object is an example of a device object. The unified application determines whether a function of the printer driver corresponding to the printer object satisfies a condition for registering a printer icon of the unified application. |
| US08640147B2 |
Method and system for virtualizing connection end-points in distributed, component based applications at runtime
A method, system and computer program product of setting up a virtual connection at run time. The method includes the steps of: analyzing a topology of an application to determine at least one port pair where the port pair comprises an output port of a first operator and an input port of a second operator; configuring a first auxiliary operator to receive data from a first operator; configuring a second auxiliary operator to send data to a second operator; deploying the first operator, the second operator, the first auxiliary operator and the second auxiliary operator; receiving a function address of the second auxiliary operator; and sending the function address of the second auxiliary operator to a first destination; where at least one of the steps is carried out using a computer device so that the virtual connection is setup at run time. |
| US08640142B2 |
Wake-and-go mechanism with dynamic allocation in hardware private array
A wake-and-go mechanism is provided for a data processing system. When a thread first starts executing, a wake-and-go mechanism automatically allocates space for thread state in a hardware private array and space for a target address and other information, if any, in a wake-and-go array. If the hardware private array comprises a reserved portion of system memory, then the wake-and-go mechanism may request a sufficient portion of memory to store thread state for the thread. When a thread is waiting for an event, rather than performing a series of get-and-compare sequences, the thread updates a wake-and-go array with a target address associated with the event. The thread then goes to sleep until the event occurs. When a thread ends execution and is no longer in the run queue of the processor, the wake-and-go mechanism de-allocates the space for the thread state information for that thread. |
| US08640140B2 |
Adaptive queuing methodology for system task management
A task management methodology for system having multiple processors and task queues adapts a queuing topology by monitoring a queue pressure and adjusting the queue topology from a selection of at least two different queue topologies. The queue pressure may be periodically monitored and queues with different granularities selected. The methodology reduced contention when there is high pressure on the queues while also reducing overhead to manage queues when there is less pressure on the queues. |
| US08640134B2 |
Method and apparatus having resistance to forced termination attack on monitoring program for monitoring a predetermined resource
Exemplary embodiments include a method and system having resistance to a forced termination attack on a monitoring program for monitoring a predetermined resource. Aspects of the exemplary embodiment include a device that executes a predetermined process including a monitoring program that monitors a predetermined resource, wherein the predetermined process is a process for which the predetermined resource becomes unavailable in response to termination of the predetermined process; a program starting unit for starting the monitoring program in response to an execution of the predetermined process; and a terminator for terminating the predetermined process in the case where the monitoring program is forcibly terminated from the outside. |
| US08640133B2 |
Equal duration and equal fetch operations sub-context switch interval based fetch operation scheduling utilizing fetch error rate based logic for switching between plurality of sorting algorithms
Fetch operations are assigned to different threads in a multithreaded environment. There are provided a number of different sorting algorithms, from which one is periodically selected on the basis of whether the present algorithm is giving satisfactory results or not. The period is preferably a sub-context interval. The different sorting algorithms preferably include a software/OS priority. A second sorting algorithm may include sorting according to hardware performance measurements. Two-level priority scheme is used to combine both priorities. The judgement of satisfactory performance is preferably based on the difference between a desired number of fetch operations attributed per sub-context switch interval to each thread and a real number of fetch operations attributed per sub-context switch interval to each thread. |
| US08640124B2 |
Multi-installer product advertising
Methods, computer program products, and systems advertise multi-installer programs in a local system context with single installer deployment. A method involves initiating in a local system a custom action associated with a core installer of a multi-installer program, finding a satellite installer associated with the core installer, and gathering data associated with the local system on which the multi-installer program is to be advertised. The method also involves scheduling another custom action for later execution to advertise the satellite installer, spawning from within the custom action the other custom action by leveraging privileges associated with installing the core installer on the local system, impersonating a target user of the local system, accessing pre-generated scripts associated with the satellite installers, and advertising the satellite installers via the local system. Pre-generated scripts of the satellite installers are accessed and the scripts are applied to the target user to facilitate satellite installer advertisement/assignment. |
| US08640122B2 |
Systems and methods for abstracting software content management in a software provisioning environment
To provision software content from the different software repositories and manage updates to the repositories, a provisioning server can maintain a repository record. The repository record can include an identification of the repositories associated with the provisioning server. Additionally, the repository record can associate, with each identification of a repository, the type of repository, the software content contained in the repository, and provisioning objects associated with the software content contained in the repository. The provisioning server can be configured to utilize the repository record during provisioning processes for software content and for updating software content of target machines. |
| US08640120B2 |
Approach to automatically encode application enumeration values to enable reuse of applications across various controllers
An approach to automatically encode application enumeration values to enable reuse of applications across controller of different protocols. Protocols may use different sets of enumerations to denote various application values and states. The present approach may permit defining a common set of enumerations which can be encoded automatically by a tool that enables reuse. Application designers may define enumerations to be used by the control application and the tool will automatically encode them into communication protocol specific enumeration values. |
| US08640119B2 |
Determining compatibility of a software package update using a version identifier
An administrator system can generate a version identifier for a computing system based on the software packages installed on a computing system. The administrator system can utilize the version identifier to determine if software package updates will install properly on a computing system. When the computing system request an update to a software package, the administrator system can generate a version identifier for the software package, as installed on the computing system and to be updated. The administrator system can compare the generated version identifier to a test version identifier. The test version identifier can be a version identifier generated for a version of an exemplary software package known to properly install the update. Once compared, the administrator system can notify the user of the computing system of the comparison, for example, if the version identifier and the test version identifier are different indicating potential problems in the update. |
| US08640113B2 |
setjmp/longjmp for speculative execution frameworks
A process for check pointing in speculative execution frameworks, identifies calls to a set of setjmp/longjmp instructions to form identified calls to setjmp/longjmp, determines a control flow path between a call to a setjmp and a longjmp pair of instructions in the identified calls to setjmp/longjmp and replaces calls to the setjmp/longjmp pair of instructions with calls to an improved_setjmp and improved_longjmp instruction pair. The process creates a context data structure in memory, computes a non-volatile save/restore set and replaces the call to improved_setjmp of the setjmp/longjmp pair of instructions with instructions to save all required non-volatile and special purpose registers and replaces a call to improved_longjmp of the setjmp/longjmp pair of instructions with instructions to restore all required non-volatile and special purpose registers and to branch to an instruction immediately following a block of code containing the call to improved_setjmp. |
| US08640112B2 |
Vectorizing combinations of program operations
System and method for vectorizing combinations of program operations. Program code is received that includes a combination of individually vectorizable program portions that collectively implement a first computation. Each individually vectorizable program portion has at least one array input and at least one array output. The combination of individually vectorizable program portions is transformed into a single vectorizable program portion that is or includes a functional composition of the combination of individually vectorizable program portions. Vectorized executable code implementing the first computation is generated based on the single vectorizable program portion. The generated executable code is directed to SIMD (Single-Instruction-Multiple-Data) computing units of a target processor. |
| US08640111B2 |
File conversion device, file conversion method, and file conversion program
Provided is a file conversion device which converts a file form written in a given language to a file form that can be interpreted by another language, which includes: a file readout device which reads description contents of an inputted file by each line, and manages the description contents by adding an index to each line of the read description contents; a syntax tree creating device which converts the description contents into a syntax tree of a tree structure based on the indexes through linearly scanning the indexes of the file managed by the file readout device; a syntax tree optimizing device which optimizes the tree structure of the syntax tree as a flowchart according to an optimization rule; and a file dividing device which divides the inputted file by having controllers in the flowchart optimized by the syntax tree optimizing device as identifiers. |
| US08640110B2 |
Business object service simulation
Systems, methods, computer program products, and the like for performing business object service simulation are disclosed. A runtime model of a business object can be generated. The runtime model can include a plurality of structural and functional entities. A simulation runtime model of the business object can be instantiated. The simulation runtime model can include a plurality of pseudo-structural and pseudo-functional entities. During the simulation runtime model, a predetermined business object service of the business object can be selected and at least one parameter of the predetermined business object service can be determined. Functional entities of the runtime model can be replaced with pseudo-functional entities of the simulation runtime model. The simulation runtime model can be executed using pseudo-functional entities. |
| US08640109B2 |
Method for managing hardware resources within a simultaneous multi-threaded processing system
A method for managing hardware resources and threads within a data processing system is disclosed. Compilation attributes of a function are collected during and after the compilation of the function. The pre-processing attributes of the function are also collected before the execution of the function. The collected attributes of the function are then analyzed, and a runtime configuration is assigned to the function based of the result of the attribute analysis. The runtime configuration may include, for example, the designation of the function to be executed under either a single-threaded mode or a simultaneous multi-threaded mode. During the execution of the function, real-time attributes of the function are being continuously collected. If necessary, the runtime configuration under which the function is being executed can be changed based on the real-time attributes collected during the execution of the function. |
| US08640108B2 |
Method for managing hardware resources within a simultaneous multi-threaded processing system
A technique for managing hardware resources and threads within a data processing system is disclosed. Compilation attributes of a function are collected during and after the compilation of the function. The pre-processing attributes of the function are also collected before the execution of the function. The collected attributes of the function are then analyzed, and a runtime configuration is assigned to the function based of the result of the attribute analysis. The runtime configuration may include, for example, the designation of the function to be executed under either a single-threaded mode or a simultaneous multi-threaded mode. During the execution of the function, real-time attributes of the function are being continuously collected. If necessary, the runtime configuration under which the function is being executed can be changed based on the real-time attributes collected during the execution of the function. |
| US08640107B2 |
Methods and arrangements for unified program analysis
A unified program analysis framework that facilitates the analysis of complex multi-language software systems, analysis reuse, and analysis comparison, by employing techniques such as program translation and automatic results mapping, is presented. The feasibility and effectiveness of such a framework are demonstrated using a sample application of the framework. The comparison yields new insights into the effectiveness of the techniques employed in both analysis tools. These encouraging results yield the observation that such a unified program analysis framework will prove to be valuable both as a testbed for examining different language analysis techniques, and as a unified toolset for broad program analysis. |
| US08640106B2 |
System and method for testing application code
A testing unit includes an input/output module and a processing module. The input/output module receives application requirements and parameters. The processing module generates a set of test cases based on the application requirements and the parameters; adjusts at least some of the set of test cases based on a code generation progression to produce targeted progression test cases; and tests a developing application code based on the targeted progression test cases, wherein the code generation progression indicates a level of development of the developing application code. |
| US08640105B2 |
Method and system for debugging a job running on a legacy system
A computer-implemented method for debugging a job running on a legacy system is provided. The job to be debugged is identified by programmatically reading a screen provided by the legacy system that displays a list of active jobs of the legacy system via screen scraping. Source code that corresponds to the identified job is programmatically retrieved. A breakpoint is programmatically created in the retrieved source code. |
| US08640100B2 |
Debugging a statechart using a graphical program
System and method for configuring wires in and/or debugging a statechart. The statechart may be created or displayed on a display and may include a plurality of state icons connected by wires. The state icons may represent states and the wires may represent transitions between the states. One or more of the wires may be configured, e.g., according to user input. A graphical program may be created which specifies a debugging operation for the statechart. The statechart may be executed and may provide data to the graphical program. The graphical program may receive first data produced by the statechart, e.g., during execution. The graphical program may perform the debugging operation based on the first data. |
| US08640097B2 |
Hosted application platform with extensible media format
A media interaction system is described herein that allows hosted applications to consume and/or produce rich media content independent of the format of the media content, while still maintaining the security of the host. The media interaction system accepts raw, uncompressed media data from a hosted application, and allows the hosted application to provide its own codec through a sandboxed API that restricts the actions the codec can perform to a set of trusted actions. Then, the application provides the uncompressed data to the system for playback. Thus, the media interaction system provides rich media content in any format that the application developer supports, and maintains the security of the user's computer system. |
| US08640095B2 |
Melding of mediation flow service component architecture (SCA) components
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for melding mediation and adaptation modules of a service component architecture (SCA) system. A method for melding mediation and adaptation modules of an SCA system can include selecting each of a mediation module and an adaptation module in an integrated development tool executing in memory by a processor of a computer and loading respectively different descriptor files for each of the mediation module and the adaptation module. The method further can include combining descriptors from the different descriptor files into a single descriptor file for a melded module. Finally, the method can include modifying names and wiring descriptors in the single descriptor file for the melded module to account for a combination of the mediation component and the adaptation component in the melded component. |
| US08640092B2 |
Compatibility evaluation apparatus, compatibility evaluation method, and recording medium
A compatibility evaluation apparatus for evaluating compatibility between a platform program and an application program that uses interfaces provided by the platform program, includes an application analyzing unit configured to analyze the application program and extract a list of the interfaces used by the application program; an incompatibility interface usage determination unit configured to extract, from the list of the interfaces used by the application program, an interface that corresponds to an incompatible interface that does not satisfy a specification, the interface being extracted with the use of a first storage unit storing information indicating contents of incompatibility for each of the incompatible interfaces among the interfaces provided by the platform; and a compatibility report creating unit configured to record, in a second storage unit, the information indicating contents of incompatibility for each interface that has been extracted by the incompatibility interface usage determination unit. |
| US08640091B2 |
Method of operating a data processing system
A method of operating a data processing system comprises running a source code editor, displaying source code in a graphical interface of the source code editor, and displaying a summary box, the summary box comprising a list of one or more aspects affecting the source code. The system is configured so that on receipt of a user input corresponding to an aspect listed in the summary box there is displayed one or more cross-reference markers of the selected aspect in the graphical interface of the source code editor. |
| US08640082B2 |
Specifying data occurrence in SOA based environments
A method and system for specifying a data occurrence in a service-oriented architecture based environment. After a service specification phase of a service, a service interface is received and a service implementation is created. During a service realization phase, a data element of the service is determined to be sourced or not sourced by the service implementation. If the data element is sourced, then the data element is determined to be optional. If the data element is not sourced, then the data element is determined to be mandatory. The data occurrence including an indication of whether the data element is optional or mandatory is displayed. The service specification phase is repeated and the service interface is modified based on the displayed data occurrence. |
| US08640080B1 |
Method and system for visualizing pin access locations
Disclosed is a method and system for visualizing pin access locations on an integrated circuit design. Visual feedback is provided to a user that is attempting to connect a wire or a via to a pin structure polygon on the integrated circuit design. The visual feedback comprises any visual cue that provides an indication of a legal location to access the pin. |
| US08640079B2 |
Method and system for searching and replacing graphical objects of a design
Searching and/or replacing graphical objects of a design using a computer system. In one aspect of the inventions, a method includes searching a graphical design for all matching instances of graphical objects that match a search pattern. A graphical replacement pattern is received and caused to be displayed based on user input, and the matching instances in the graphical design are replaced with the graphical replacement pattern. At least one result of the replacement of the matching instances is caused to be displayed on a display device. |
| US08640075B2 |
Early design cycle optimzation
Some example embodiments include a computer-implemented method for designing an integrated circuit. The computer-implemented method includes receiving a hierarchical network design for the integrated circuit, wherein the hierarchical design comprises a number of components that are coupled together. The computer-implemented method includes detecting that a component of the number of components has at least one of failed timing and incomplete timing based on a problem that comprises at least one of a missing assertion, one or more missing latches, a source driver having an input source slew that is greater than a source slew limit threshold, and a sink having an input sink slew that is greater than a sink slew limit threshold. The computer-implemented method includes replacing the component with a different component that is independent of the problem and testing others components of the number of components based on the different component. |
| US08640074B2 |
Digital circuit block having reducing supply voltage drop and method for constructing the same
A digital circuit block includes first to fourth conducting segments, a digital logic, first and second conducting layers, and a dielectric layer. The first and second conducting segments are coupled to first and second supply voltages, respectively. The digital logic and dielectric layer are between the first and second conducting segments. The third conducting segment includes a first end electrically connected to the first conducting segment, a second end not electrically connected to the second conducting segment, and a first portion located at the first conducting layer. The fourth conducting segment includes a first end electrically connected to the second conducting segment, a second end not electrically connected to the first conducting segment, and a second portion located at the second conducting layer. The first and second portions and dielectric layer are formed a first capacitive element to reduce the supply voltage drop between the first and second supply voltages. |
| US08640071B2 |
Circuit design system and circuit design method
A circuit design system 10 includes storage means 11 to store structure description information 11a of a reconfigurable circuit including an array of cells 1 including a plurality of switches 2, and application circuit netlist information 11b used to specify an application, circuit generation unit 12a to generate structure description information 11a based on the structure description information 11a and the application circuit netlist information 11b stored in the storage means 11, and circuit evaluation unit 12b to evaluate the structure description information 11a generated by the circuit generation unit 12a, wherein the circuit generation unit 12a generates the structure description information 11a by deleting at least one of the switches 2 from the structure description information 11a based on an evaluation result obtained by the circuit evaluation unit 12b. |
| US08640069B2 |
Noise analysis model and noise analysis method including disposing resistors and setting points in a semiconductor
Provided is a noise analysis model and a noise analysis method that can analyze effects of substrate noise on each of elements included in a circuit to be analyzed. The noise analysis model includes first to third resistors. The first resistor serves as a substrate resistor in a semiconductor substrate between a first point set in the semiconductor substrate between a noise source and a transistor to which substrate noise from the noise source propagates through the semiconductor substrate and a second point set in the semiconductor substrate just below a back gate of the transistor. The second resistor serves as a substrate resistor in the semiconductor substrate between the second point and a fixed potential region near the transistor. The third resistor serves as a line resistor of a line connecting the fixed potential region and a power pad that supplies a ground potential. |
| US08640063B1 |
Method for synthesizing soft error tolerant combinational circuits
The method for synthesizing soft error tolerant combinational circuits includes the step of inputting a combinational circuit to a combinational circuit analyzer for analysis. The analyzer then extracts smaller sub-circuits from said combinational circuit, computes probabilities of input vectors to occur for each of the smaller sub-circuits, produces new multi-level sub-circuits from the extracted sub-circuit, and maximizes logical fault masking against the occurrence of a single fault applied to the new multi-level sub-circuits, the maximizing being based on probabilities of sub-circuit input vectors to occur. Finally, the analyzer merges the new multi-level sub-circuits back to the original inputted combinational circuit. |
| US08640061B2 |
Automated circuit design
Methods and apparatuses to automatically synthesize circuits. In one aspect of an embodiment, a method implemented on a data processing system for circuit synthesis comprises determining a Read Only Memory (ROM) of a design of a circuit, the ROM having predefined data when the circuit is initialized, and automatically generating an initialization circuit and a Random Access Memory (RAM) to implement the ROM, the initialization circuit to load the predefined data into the RAM when the circuit is initialized. |
| US08640060B2 |
Method of generating a recipe for a manufacturing tool and system thereof
There is provided a computer-implemented method of creating a recipe for a manufacturing tool and a system thereof. The method comprises: upon obtaining data characterizing periodical sub-arrays in one or more dies, generating candidate stitches; identifying one or more candidate stitches characterized by periodicity characteristics satisfying, at least, a periodicity criterion, thereby identifying periodical stitches among the candidate stitches; and aggregating the identified periodical stitches and the periodical sub-arrays into periodical arrays, said periodical arrays to be used for automated recipe creation. |
| US08640059B2 |
Forming separation directives using a printing feasibility analysis
Separation directives for integrated circuit layout design data are formed based upon one or more printing feasibility analyses performed on the layout design data. At least one printing feasibility analysis is performed on layout design data to identify portions of the design that may not be correctly formed or “printed” during a photolithographic process. The geometric element edges involved in a potential printing defect are then identified as edges to be formed using separate masks. Further, separation directives may be created to specifically designate the identified edges as edges to be formed using separate masks in a photolithographic manufacturing process. |
| US08640054B2 |
Tuning dial user interface
A controller for use by a user is utilized to select media for playback by an entertainment system. A display displays a hierarchy of levels of options to the user. One level of the hierarchy of levels is displayed at a time. A physical dial is utilized to select an option on the one level of the hierarchy of levels in response to a physical movement of the physical dial. A processing device updates the display of the hierarchy of levels in response to selection of the option by the user. The processing device performs one of the following in response to the user selecting the option on the one level: (a) displaying a higher level of the hierarchy of levels, or (b) generating an instruction to cause media corresponding to the option to be played by the entertainment system. |
| US08640044B2 |
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 userbar is established which includes a plurality of item representations. To permit a greater number of items to reside in the userbar, a magnification function can be provided which magnifies items within the userbar when they are proximate the cursor associated with the graphical user interface. |
| US08640042B2 |
Image display tabs for accessing related information
Access is provided to information related to a digital image record on a data processing device. Presentation of the digital image record on a display is instructed. An indication of user interaction with the displayed digital image record is received. In response to the received indication, presentation of a tab on the display is instructed. The tab displays or emanates near or from an edge of the displayed digital image record or from an edge of a displayed digital image record container including the digital image record. The tab includes an access point configured to allow a user to access a category of information related to content contained within the digital image record, and the tab is labeled according to the category of information for user access. |
| US08640038B1 |
Scene creation for building automation systems
Systems and methods receive, from a building, an inventory identifying a plurality of electronic devices associated with a building automation system. The systems and methods compare the inventory to an additional inventory associated with an additional building automation system of an additional building to determine that the inventory is the same as or similar to the additional inventory, wherein the additional inventory identifies a plurality of additional electronic devices. The systems and methods further identify an automation scene that coordinates operation of at least a portion of the plurality of additional electronic devices and provide the automation scene to the building for implementation in the building automation system. |
| US08640036B2 |
Messaging and presence protocol as a configuration and management bus for embedded devices
Techniques are provided herein for establishing at a network management server a presence on a network. A presence associated with one or more managed devices on the network is detected. An instant messaging (IM) session is established with the one or more managed devices. The IM session forms a virtual chat room for performing a management function on the one or more managed devices, and IM messages are sent that are configured to perform the management function on the one or more managed devices. Techniques are also provided herein for establishing on a network an enriched presence by a network management server that is configured to perform a management function via a presence function of a messaging and presence protocol. |
| US08640033B2 |
Unified user experience using contextual information, data attributes and data models
Various implementations are described herein for providing unified user experiences using data attributes and data models. By referencing structural information of data attributes included in data models, users are able to interact with and/or view related data stored in different databases. Contextual information for the different databases, data attributes, and data models provide a seamless unified user experience when running reports, scripts, web controls and so forth associated with the related data. |
| US08640032B2 |
Selection and delivery of invitational content based on prediction of user intent
Systems and methods are provided for delivering invitational content based on a prediction of the intent of a user. In particular, partial action sequences are identified in a journal of events associated with the user. Thereafter, the partial sequences are analyzed and scored based on their degree of proximity to completion. Based on this scoring, a queue of invitational content can then be generated, where the scoring can be used to select and order the invitational content for the user. In some configurations, the information in the journal can be used to determine future time intervals at which sequences will be completed by the user. Consequently, a queue can be adjusted to provide delivery of appropriate invitational content at these future time intervals. |
| US08640031B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling remote user interface in a home network
A method and apparatus for controlling a Remote User Interface (RUI) by a Remote User Interface Client (RUIC) device in a home network, in which it is checked whether control information received from the third RUIC device capable of controlling an RUI realized in the RUIC device was generated by a Control User Interface (CUI) included in an allowed CUI list, and a CUI of the third RUIC device is updated if the received control information was not generated by a CUI included in the allowed CUI list. |
| US08640029B2 |
Icon label placement in a graphical user interface
To improve the art of graphical user interfaces, the present invention introduces a system that displays iconic resource representations having a salient dimension in a manner that provides the user with an indication of where the user is within that resource. The system of the present invention achieves this goal with the use of a novel system of icon label placement for that resource icon. Specifically, the system of the present invention uses the position of a label on an iconic resource representation that extends beyond at least one edge of a window to convey a proportional position within than iconic resource representation. Thus, a user is given an understanding of the current proportional location within an iconic resource representation from where the graphical interface system renders the label on the iconic resource representation. |
| US08640028B2 |
System and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space
The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user's avatars, motion information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user's avatar. |
| US08640027B2 |
System and method for configuring a hardware device to execute a prototype
A system and method for configuring a hardware device to execute a prototype is presented. The hardware device may include a programmable hardware element and/or a processor and memory. The prototype may comprise a software entity operable to perform a plurality of executable operations, wherein the prototype is created by a user without requiring user programming. For example, a prototyping environment may provide a library of operations that are specific to a particular problem domain and may enable the user to select various operations from the library for inclusion in the prototype. The prototyping environment may include a graphical user interface that is streamlined for interactively experimenting with various parameters or properties associated with the selected operations and seeing the effects of adjusting the parameters. |
| US08640021B2 |
Audience-based presentation and customization of content
A system and method are disclosed for delivering content customized to the specific user or users interacting with the system. The system includes one or more modules for recognizing an identity of a user. These modules may include for example a gesture recognition engine, a facial recognition engine, a body language recognition engine and a voice recognition engine. The user may also be carrying a mobile device such as a smart phone which identifies the user. One or more of these modules may cooperate to identify a user, and then customize the user's content based on the user's identity. In particular, the system receives user preferences indicating the content a user wishes to receive and the conditions under which it is to be received. Based on the user preferences and recognition of a user identity and/or other traits, the system presents content customized for a particular user. |
| US08640020B2 |
Adjustable and progressive mobile device street view
Intuitive and user-friendly user interface (UI) techniques are provided for navigating street view applications on a mobile device enabling users to view different angles and segments of available street level images. Additionally, retrieval and presentation of street view images are managed to mitigate delays in retrieval of desired images from a server over wireless connections through techniques such as textual representations, replacement views, scheduling image requests, and comparable ones. |
| US08640019B2 |
User interface tag for use in processing a service on a scannable document
A user interface tag for use in processing a service on a scannable document is provided. A printable surface is on one side of the scannable document and an adhesive surface is on another side of the scannable document. The printable surface further includes a printed data field specified substantially within the printable surface, including machine-readable marks of digital data encoding a service code and a user identification number; and a printed rectilinear border surrounding the printed data field to define a rectilinear iconic representation. A scanned representation of the machine-readable marks is located by identifying the printed rectilinear border using corner candidates oriented in diametric opposition from among connected components identified on the document and the scanned representation of the machine-readable marks are decoded from the rectilinear iconic representation to specify the user identification number and the service code. |
| US08640015B2 |
Anomaly detection based on directional data
Properly detects an anomaly on the basis of directional data that are obtained in sequence from a monitored object. An anomaly detecting method includes: sequentially generating directional data indicating a feature of each piece of monitored data correspondingly to the monitored data which are input in sequence; calculating the dissimilarity of the directional data to a reference vector; updating a moment of the distribution of the dissimilarity appearing when the directional data is modeled with a multi-dimensional probability distribution, based on the moment already corresponding to the monitored data; calculating a parameter determining the variance of the multi-dimensional probability distribution, on the basis of the moment; calculating a threshold of the dissimilarity on the basis of the multi-dimensional probability distribution the variance of which is determined by the parameter; and detecting an anomaly in the monitored data that corresponds to the dissimilarity if the dissimilarity exceeds the threshold. |
| US08640014B2 |
Soft bit metric generation
Soft bit metric generation computational complexity can be reduced by identifying and utilizing only the dominant terms in a reliability calculation such as a logarithmic likelihood ratio (LLR). The dominant terms are those terms for which the signs of the x and y components match those of channel outputs of the channel outputs. One technique for identifying the dominant terms is by determining the most likely transitions from two consecutive channel output samples Values for the dominant terms can be estimated by either the joint reliability of two consecutive samples of the in-phase component (x1,x2) or by the joint reliability of two consecutive samples of the quadrature components (y1,y2). |
| US08640012B2 |
Communication signal decoding with iterative cooperation between inner and outer codes
Received communication signals may be decoded according to a combined, iterative inner code—outer code decoding technique. The inner code decoding is based on information produced by the outer code decoding. |
| US08640011B2 |
Single CRC polynomial for both turbo code block CRC and transport block CRC
Single CRC polynomial for both turbo code block CRC and transport block CRC. Rather than employing multiple and different generation polynomials for generating CRC fields for different levels within a coded signal, a single CRC polynomial is employed for the various levels. Effective error correction capability is achieved with minimal hardware requirement by using a single CRC polynomial for various layers of CRC encoding. Such CRC encoding can be implemented within any of a wide variety of communication devices that may be implemented within a wide variety of communication systems (e.g., a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, and a fiber-optic communication system, etc.). In addition, a single CRC check can be employed within a receiver (or transceiver) type communication device for each of the various layers of CRC of a received signal. |
| US08640008B2 |
Error recovery in a data processing apparatus
A data processing apparatus has error detection units each configured to generate an error signal if a first and second sample of a signal associated with execution of an instruction differ. Error value generation circuitry generates an error value showing if any of the error detection units have generated the error signal. Error value stabilisation circuitry performs a stabilisation procedure comprising re-sampling the error value to remove metastability. Error recovery circuitry initiates re-execution of the instruction if the error value is asserted. Count circuitry holds a counter value in association with the error value, the counter value set to a predetermined value when the error value is generated and decremented each time the error value is re-sampled prior to reaching the error value stabilisation circuitry. The error value bypasses the stabilisation procedure if the counter value is zero before the error value reaches the error value stabilisation circuitry. |
| US08640006B2 |
Preemptive memory repair based on multi-symbol, multi-scrub cycle analysis
An apparatus includes a processor, a memory, and an error module operable on the processor. The error module is configured to perform a memory scrub of the memory across a scrub cycle of multiple scrub cycles. The error module is configured to identify correctable errors of symbols in the memory that are a result of accesses from a section of the memory in response to the memory scrub. The error module is configured to perform an analysis across the multiple scrub cycles, wherein the analysis comprises a determination whether at least two symbols across the multiple scrub cycles have at least one correctable error. The error module is configured to responsive to a determination that at least two symbols across the multiple scrub cycles have at least one correctable error, execute at least one repair of the memory that includes the section of memory. |
| US08640001B2 |
Robust digital communication system
Normally ordered robust VSB data are reordered in accordance with a first interleave to produce reordered robust VSB data. The reordered robust VSB data and ATSC data are reordered in accordance with a second interleave to produce normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data. The normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data are time multiplexed for transmission to a receiver. The receiver discards the reordered ATSC data or the normally ordered robust VSB data depending upon receiver type or user selection. A robust VSB receiver is able to process the normally ordered robust VSB data upstream of an outer decoder without an interleave thereby avoiding the delay associated with an interleave. |
| US08639997B2 |
Buffer status report triggers in wireless communications
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate utilizing timers in conjunction with transmitting buffer status reports (BSR). A prohibit timer can be utilized to determine when BSRs can be transmitted to an eNB. The prohibit timer can be initialized or restarted upon transmitting a BSR to an eNB. A BSR retransmit timer can be used to determine when to retransmit a BSR. The BSR retransmit timer can be initialized upon transmitting a BSR to an eNB and restarted each time an uplink resource allocation is received from the eNB. Once the timer expires, if an uplink transmission buffer contains data (e.g., size>0), the BSR can be retransmitted to the eNB. Control data feedback can additionally be used to determine when to retransmit the BSR. In addition, in either case, the timer duration values can be provided by the eNB. |
| US08639995B1 |
Systems and methods for signature circuits
Signature circuits are used during testing of an integrated circuit. Test vectors are applied as inputs to a circuit under test. A signature circuit stores a “signature” for the circuit under test based on a combination of signals from the circuit under test in response to test vectors and a previous stored state of the signature register. The value contained in the signature register at the end of the test is the signature. A fault-free circuit generates a particular signature for the applied test vectors. Faults can be determined by detecting variances from the expected signature. In one embodiment, the signature circuit uses a combination of two error detection codes. |
| US08639994B2 |
Integrated circuit with memory built-in self test (MBIST) circuitry having enhanced features and methods
Integrated circuits with memory built-in self test (MBIST) circuitry and methods are disclosed that employ enhanced features. In one aspect of the invention, an integrated circuit is provided having MIBST circuitry configured to serially test multiple arrays of memory elements within a component of the integrated circuit and to also conduct parallel initialization of the serially tested arrays. In another aspect of the invention, the MBST circuitry is used set the memory elements of the arrays to a first state and then to an inverse state during a burn-in operation to maintain each of the two opposing states for a desired time in order to either force a failure of the integrated circuit component or produce a pre-stressed component beyond an infancy stage. |
| US08639992B2 |
Soft error rate detector
The soft error rate (SER) detector circuit presented here can be used to measure SER in combinatorial logic devices caused by radiation. The SER detector circuit includes a plurality of detector arrays coupled in series, and each having a plurality of SER test structures coupled in series. Each of the SER test structures includes a plurality of detector elements coupled in series. Each of the SER test structures is configured to detect single event transients (SETs) in a first operating mode and single event upsets (SEUs) in a second operating mode. The SER detector circuit also has control logic elements to control operation of the plurality of detector arrays. |
| US08639990B2 |
Information processing apparatus that records logs, and control method and storage medium therefor
An information processing apparatus capable of overwrite-recording time-series logs indicating an operation history and efficiently holding log information on operations relating to an occurring error. When an error is detected, a filtering object area is set that contains log information for a predetermined time period immediately before the error detection. Then, a type of the occurring error is identified, and log types to be protected are decided based on the identified error type. Among the filtering object area, log recording areas for the decided log types are decided as a to-be-protected log recording area. Subsequently, further log information is recorded so as to avoid the to-be-protected log recording area. |
| US08639989B1 |
Methods and apparatus for remote gateway monitoring and diagnostics
Methods, apparatus, and computer-accessible storage media for remotely monitoring and diagnosing storage gateways. Status information may be collected locally on the gateways and uploaded to a service provider via gateway-initiated connections. The uploaded information may be stored to status data store(s). Status proxy(s) on the provider network may analyze the information in the status data store(s) for one or more gateways to detect error conditions on individual gateways or patterns or error conditions on multiple gateways. Upon detecting an error condition on a gateway, the proxy may alert another process, for example an administrator process on the local network that includes the respective gateway. The other process may then message the gateway to address the condition. Information for particular gateways may be provided to clients on request. Information collected from multiple gateways may be viewed and analyzed by the service provider to detect patterns related to gateway design. |
| US08639982B2 |
Dynamic computer process probe
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for probing a computer process. A probe parameter module determines a process identifier, a probe interval, and a probe action. The process identifier uniquely identifies a computer process. A start timer module starts a timer with a timer interval in response to the computer process entering an executing state on a processor core. The timer interval is based on the probe interval and on an amount of time elapsed between a probe start time and the computer process entering the executing state on the processor core. An action module executes the probe action in response to the timer satisfying the timer interval while the computer process is in the executing state on the processor core. |
| US08639981B2 |
Flexible SoC design verification environment
A system and method of various SoC design verification techniques. A model of an SoC design is simulated in an emulator, and the emulator is connected to a debugger. Scripts are conveyed from a host computer to the debugger. The debugger translates the commands in the scripts from a first language into commands in a second language. The debugger then conveys the commands in the second language to the emulator. The debugger is also configured to utilize the same scripts to perform tests on an actual SoC on a development board. |
| US08639977B2 |
Control device
The control device has a receiving device, an output stage, a checking device and a reset device. The receiving device is used to receive at least one data block including control commands from a data bus, the output stage is used to output an output signal in response to the control commands, the checking device is used to output an error signal if the at least one received data block is faulty and/or if no data block is received within a predetermined time, and the reset device is used to reset the output stage in a predefined state if the checking device outputs the error signal. The control device is thus able to react automatically to faultily transmitted data blocks without having to wait for return messages from a transmitting central processor unit. |
| US08639976B2 |
Power failure management in components of storage area network
A storage area network (SAN) is provided with redundancy and recovery mechanism. A primary storage switch performs dynamic address translation between logical storage addresses received from host devices and physical addresses of SAN storage arrays. When power failure in the primary storage switch is detected, metadata associated with the dynamic address translation operation is sent to a secondary storage switch via a network connection to provide the dynamic address translation in lieu of the primary storage switch. A storage array experiencing power failure similarly sends cached data to another storage array via a network connection so that the other storage array can substitute the failed storage array. During the power failure, a data backup module in the primary storage switch or the storage array is powered by a temporary power source. |
| US08639973B2 |
System reset
Some embodiments of the invention provide techniques whereby a user may perform a system reset (e.g., to address system performance and/or reliability degradation, such as which may be caused by unused applications that unnecessarily consume system resources, an attempted un-install of an application that left remnants of the application behind, and/or other causes). In some embodiments, performing a system reset replaces a first instance of an operating system on the system with a new instance of the operating system, and removes any applications installed on the system, without disturbing the user's data. |
| US08639972B2 |
Image processing system and backup method for image processing apparatus
Each of a plurality of image processing apparatuses includes a module storing unit that stores therein a registered function module and a backup unit that backs up the stored function module and restores a function module based on backup data of the function module. An external storage device stores therein the backup data of the function module. When an error occurs in a first image processing apparatus, the backup unit of a second image processing apparatus restores the function module corresponding to the first image processing apparatus based on the backup data of the function module stored in the external storage device. |
| US08639968B2 |
Computing system reliability
Systems, methods, and computer-readable and executable instructions are provided for computing system reliability. A method for computing system reliability can include storing, on one of a plurality of devices, a checkpoint of a current state associated with the one of the plurality of devices. The method may further include storing the checkpoint in an erasure-code group across the plurality of devices. |
| US08639967B2 |
Controlling apparatus, method for controlling apparatus and information processing apparatus
A controlling apparatus for controlling an information processing apparatus, the controlling apparatus includes a first controller including a first data transfer unit that communicates data between the information processing apparatus, and a first processing unit that generates a command to instruct the first data transfer unit to communicate data between the information processing apparatus, and a second controller including a second data transfer unit that communicates data between the information processing apparatus, and a second processing unit that generates a command to instruct the second data transfer unit to communicate data between the information processing apparatus. |
| US08639966B2 |
Data transfer and recovery process
A backup image generator can create a primary image and periodic delta images of all or part of a primary server. The images can be sent to a network attached storage device and a remote storage server. In the event of a failure of the primary server, the failure can be diagnosed to develop a recovery strategy. Based on the diagnosis, at least one delta image may be applied to a copy of the primary image to generate an updated primary image at either the network attached storage or the remote storage server. The updated primary image may be converted to a virtual server in a physical to virtual conversion at either the network attached storage device or remote storage server and users may be redirected to the virtual server. The updated primary image may also be restored to the primary server in a virtual to physical conversion. As a result, the primary data storage may be timely backed-up, recovered and restored with the possibility of providing server and business continuity in the event of a failure. |
| US08639965B1 |
Client based high availability method for message delivery
A message queue (MQ) failover handler receives a message and a configuration file from a client application. The configuration file provides an indication of which of a number of queue managers (QMs) is the first choice for receipt and delivery of the message to a server application. The configuration file also provides an indication of which of the QMs is the second choice for receipt and delivery of the message to the server application, should the first choice of the QMs be unavailable. |
| US08639961B2 |
Participant response system employing battery powered, wireless remote units
A participant response system (50) comprises at least one host computer (52) and a plurality of battery-powered remote units (62) communicating wirelessly with the host computer (52). Each remote unit (62) executes a diagnostic routine in response to a received status request broadcast by the host computer (52) to detect the status thereof. Any remote unit (62) that detects an unhealthy state, returns health information to the host computer (52). |
| US08639959B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus having a controller arranged to turn on a first switch and turn off a second switch during a period in which a judgement unit judges a device type of a device
A first switch is arranged between a judgment unit and a signal line. The first switch is turned on during a period in which the judgment unit judges a device, after which the first switch is turned off. A second switch is turned off during a period in which the judgment unit judges the device, after which the second switch is turned on. The signal line connects a communication interface port, which allows various different kinds of devices to be connected, and a communication terminal of a processor configured to perform data communication with the device. The judgment unit monitors the electrical state of the signal line, and judges the device connected to the port. |
| US08639957B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing power consumption in digital living network alliance network
A method and apparatus for reducing power consumption in a DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) network is provided. A method for operating a digital media renderer to reduce power consumption in a DLNA network includes receiving media content from a digital media server, and controlling the power of a communication connection device and a display according to the control state of the received media content. |
| US08639955B2 |
Method and system for controlling power in a chip through a power performance monitor and control unit
A system and method for controlling power and performance in a microprocessor system includes a monitoring and control system integrated into a microprocessor system. The monitoring and control system includes a hierarchical architecture having a plurality of layers. Each layer in the hierarchal architecture is responsive to commands from a higher level, and the commands provide instructions on operations and power distribution, such that the higher levels provide modes of operation and budgets to lower levels and the lower levels provide feedback to the higher levels to control and manage power usage in the microprocessor system both globally and locally. |
| US08639951B2 |
States for breakout appliance in a mobile data network
Mobile network services are performed in a mobile data network in a way that is transparent to most of the existing equipment in the mobile data network. The mobile data network includes a radio access network and a core network. A breakout appliance in the radio access network breaks out data coming from a basestation, and performs one or more mobile network services at the edge of the mobile data network based on the broken out data. The breakout appliance includes multiple states that support manufacturing, testing, production, tamper detection and end of life, and the functions of the breakout appliance vary according to its state. |
| US08639943B2 |
Methods and systems for checking run-time integrity of secure code cross-reference to related applications
Methods and systems to guard against attacks designed to replace authenticated, secure code with non-authentic, unsecure code and using existing hardware resources in the CPU's memory management unit (MMU) are disclosed. In certain embodiments, permission entries indicating that pages in memory have been previously authenticated as secure are maintained in a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) and checked upon encountering an instruction residing at an external page. A TLB permission entry indicating permission is invalid causes on-demand authentication of the accessed page. Upon authentication, the permission entry in the TLB is updated to reflect that the page has been authenticated. As another example, in certain embodiments, a page of recently authenticated pages is maintained and checked upon encountering an instruction residing at an external page. |
| US08639937B2 |
Method and apparatus for extracting authentication information from a user
A method and apparatus are provided for extracting information from a user's memory that will be easily recalled during future authentication yet is hard for an attacker to guess. The information might be a little-known fact of personal relevance to the user or the personal details surrounding a public event. The user is guided to appropriate topics and forms an indirect hint that is useful to the user yet not to an attacker. Information extraction techniques verify that the information is not easily attacked and to estimate how many bits of assurance the question and answer provide. The information extracted may be, e.g., Boolean (Yes/No), multiple choice, numeric, textual, or a combination of the foregoing. The enrollment process may schedule the sending of one or more reminder messages to the user containing the question (but not the answer) to reinforce the memory of the user. |
| US08639932B2 |
Quantum key distribution
The invention relates to methods and apparatus for Quantum key distribution. Such methods including authenticating a first node in a communications network with a remote node in the communications network. The authentication may include connecting an authentication device to the first node, agreeing a quantum key between the first node and the remote node based on a quantum signal transmitted or received by the first node and performing an authentication step between the authentication device and the remote node on an encrypted channel. Authentication between the authentication device and remote node may be taken as authentication of the first node. |
| US08639930B2 |
Automated entity verification
Some embodiments provide a verification system for automated verification of entities. The verification system automatedly verifies entities using a two part verification campaign. One part verifies that the entity is the true owner of the entity account to be verified. This verification step involves (1) the entity receiving a verification code at the entity account and returning the verification code to the verification system, (2) the entity associating an account that it has registered at a service provider to an account that the verification system has registered at the service provider, (3) both. Another part verifies the entity can respond to communications that are sent to methods of contact that have been previously verified as belonging to the entity. The verification system submits a first communication with a code using a verified method of contact. The verification system then monitors for a second communication to be returned with the code. |
| US08639927B2 |
Method of user-authenticated quantum key distribution
A method of user-authenticated quantum key distribution according to the present invention shares a position having the same basis without making public basis information using previously shared secret keys and authenticates a quantum channel by confirming whether there is the same measured outcome at that position, in order to secure unconditional security of BB84 quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attack. |
| US08639925B2 |
Method for protecting a sensor and data of the sensor from manipulation and a sensor to that end
A method for protecting a sensor and data of the sensor from manipulation, as well as a sensor to that end; in the course of the authentication, a random number being sent by a control unit to the sensor; in order to recognize manipulation of the sensor data, the sensor data from the sensor to the control unit being provided with a cryptographic integrity protection; and to prevent replay attacks, additional time-variant parameters being added to the sensor data, the sensor data, together with the integrity protection and the added time-variant parameters, being sent by the sensor to the control unit. In this context, after the authentication of the sensor, the random number or a part of the random number or a number obtained from the random number by a function is utilized for the time-variant parameters. |
| US08639924B2 |
Method for processing secure program using key distribution protocol in server/client
Disclosed are a server and a client processing a security program by using a real-time distribution method and method of controlling the server and the client. A method of controlling a server processing a security program by using a real-time key distribution method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: analyzing a security program for transmitting the security program to a client; decomposing a code of the analyzed security program into code blocks; encrypting the code blocks by using an encryption key; changing an original header of the security program to a first header; and transmitting a packed program including the encrypted code blocks and the changed first header to the client. |
| US08639922B2 |
System, method, and apparata for secure communications using an electrical grid network
A secure communications and location authorization system using a power line or a potion thereof as a side-channel that mitigates man-in-the-middle attacks on communications networks and devices connected to those networks. The system includes a power grid server associated with a substation, or curb-side distribution structure such as a transformer, an electric meter associated with a structure having electric service and able to communicate with the power grid server, a human authorization detector input device connected to the electric meter and the power grid server. The human authorization detector is able to receive an input from a user physically located at the structure and capable of communicating with the power grid server via the electric meter. The user's physical input into the device causing a request to be sent to the power grid server that then generates a location certificate for the user. Without the location certificate, access to the communications network and devices connected to those networks can be denied. |
| US08639919B2 |
Tracer configuration and enablement by reset microcode
A microprocessor is provided with a reset logic flag and corresponding reset microcode that selectively enables the reset microcode to set up and enable debug logic before the microprocessor subsequently fetches and executes user instructions. When the reset logic flag is set to a debug mode, the reset microcode configures and enables the microprocessor's debug logic before the microprocessor subsequently fetches and executes user instructions. When the reset logic flag is set to a normal mode, the reset microcode refrains from configuring and enabling the microprocessor's debug logic. The reset logic flag is indicated by an alterable fuse or a debugger-programmable scan register. Debug configuration initialization values are also provided by several alternative structures, including the reset microcode itself, alterable fuses, and debugger-programmable scan registers. Corresponding methods are also provided for configuring the debug logic of a microprocessor. |
| US08639916B2 |
Method of maintaining software integrity
A method of maintaining the integrity of software stored in memory, the method comprising: storing an indicator associated with the memory; calculating a reference value from the stored indicator; storing the reference value; modifying the indicator when the software in the memory is modified; storing the modified indicator; recalculating the reference value from the modified indicator; storing the recalculated reference value; and verifying the integrity of the software by: retrieving the modified indicator; calculating an expected value from the modified indicator; and comparing the expected value with the recalculated reference value. Preferably the integrity of the software is verified without calculating an expected value from the software. The reference and expected values are typically calculated in accordance with a secret key. |
| US08639915B2 |
Apparatus and method for distributing private keys to an entity with minimal secret, unique information
In some embodiments, a method and apparatus for distributing private keys to an entity with minimal secret, unique information are described. In one embodiment, the method includes the storage of a chip secret key within a manufactured chip. Once the chip secret key is stored or programmed within the chip, the chip is sent to a system original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in order to integrate the chip within a system or device. Subsequently, a private key is generated for the chip by a key distribution facility (KDF) according to a key request received from the system OEM. In one embodiment, the KDF is the chip manufacturer. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08639913B2 |
Multi-mode register file for use in branch prediction
A multi-mode register file is described. In one embodiment, the multi-mode register file includes an operand in a first mode. The multi-mode register file further includes auxiliary information which replaces the operand in a second mode. |
| US08639912B2 |
Method and system for packet processing
A data processor and a method for processing data is disclosed. The processor has an input port for receiving packets of data to be processed. A master controller acts to analyze the packets and to provide a header including a list of processes to perform on the packet of data and an ordering thereof. The master controller is programmed with process related data relating to the overall processing function of the processor. The header is appended to the packet of data. The packet with the appended header information is stored within a buffer. A buffer controller acts to determine for each packet stored within the buffer based on the header within the packet a next processor to process the packet. The controller then provides the packet to the determined processor for processing. The processed packet is returned with some indication that the processing is done. For example, the process may be deleted from the list of processes. The buffer controller repeatedly makes a determination of a next process until there is no next process for a packet at which time it is provided to an output port. |
| US08639911B2 |
Load page table entry address instruction execution based on an address translation format control field
What is provided is a load page table entry address function defined for a machine architecture of a computer system. In one embodiment, a machine instruction is obtained which contains an opcode indicating that a load page table entry address function is to be performed. The machine instruction contains an M field, a first field identifying a first general register, and a second field identifying a second general register. Based on the contents of the M field, an initial origin address of a hierarchy of address translation tables having at least one segment table is obtained. Based on the obtained initial origin address, dynamic address translation is performed until a page table entry is obtained. The page table entry address is saved in the identified first general register. |
| US08639903B2 |
Staggered programming for resistive memories
A memory device and method of programming the same comprising partitioning memory into two or more chunks of information. At least a first portion of a first of the information chunks can be programmed while concurrently determining whether a first portion of a second of the information chunks should be set or reset. Further, the first portion of the second information chunk can be sequential programmed following the programming of the first portion of the first information chunk. The memory device can include different types of memory, such as PCM memory. |
| US08639897B1 |
Method to restore application specific content from volume images
A method, computer readable medium, and apparatus for creating and using backups which allow restoration of applications and/or specific content using volume image backup files. A directory of applications and application specific content is created which, along with metadata associated therewith, allows selection and restoration of such content using data stored in a volume image backup file, thereby reducing the time needed to create backups which are restorable at the application level. |
| US08639896B2 |
Locating and altering sensitive information in core dumps
A core dump is processed to locate and optionally alter sensitive information. A core dump copy is created from at least a portion of an original core dump. Also, at least one input parameter is provided that corresponds to select information to be identified in the core dump copy and address information associated with the core dump copy is defined that corresponds to at least one of addresses where the select information can be altered and addresses where the select information should not be altered. Each occurrence of the select information located within the core dump copy is identified and optionally replaced with predetermined replacement data if the occurrence of the select information is within the addresses where the select information can be altered. |
| US08639890B2 |
Data segment version numbers in distributed shared memory
Systems and methods for implementing a distributed shared memory (DSM) in a computer cluster in which an unreliable underlying message passing technology is used, such that the DSM efficiently maintains coherency and reliability. DSM agents residing on different nodes of the cluster process access permission requests of local and remote users on specified data segments via handling procedures, which provide for recovering of lost ownership of a data segment while ensuring exclusive ownership of a data segment among the DSM agents detecting and resolving a no-owner messaging deadlock, pruning of obsolete messages, and recovery of the latest contents of a data segment whose ownership has been lost. |
| US08639884B2 |
Systems and methods for configuring load/store execution units
Systems and methods are disclosed for multi-threading computer systems. In a computer system executing multiple program threads in a processing unit, a first load/store execution unit is configured to handle instructions from a first program thread and a second load/store execution unit is configured to handle instructions from a second program thread. When the computer system executing a single program thread, the first and second load/store execution units are reconfigured to handle instructions from the single program thread, and a Level 1 (L1) data cache is reconfigured with a first port to communicate with the first load/store execution unit and a second port to communicate with the second load/store execution unit. |
| US08639882B2 |
Methods and apparatus for source operand collector caching
Methods and apparatus for source operand collector caching. In one embodiment, a processor includes a register file that may be coupled to storage elements (i.e., an operand collector) that provide inputs to the datapath of the processor core for executing an instruction. In order to reduce bandwidth between the register file and the operand collector, operands may be cached and reused in subsequent instructions. A scheduling unit maintains a cache table for monitoring which register values are currently stored in the operand collector. The scheduling unit may also configure the operand collector to select the particular storage elements that are coupled to the inputs to the datapath for a given instruction. |
| US08639879B2 |
Sorting movable memory hierarchies in a computer system
Method and apparatus for optimally placing memory devices within a computer system. A memory controller may include circuitry configured to retrieve or one or more performance metrics a plurality of memory devices connected thereto. Based on the performance metrics and one or more predefined rules for placing memory devices, the circuitry may determine an optimal placement of the memory devices in the system. |
| US08639878B1 |
Providing redundancy in a storage system
A system, method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are described for providing redundancy in a storage system. According to one method, maps are generated and stored that define stripe patterns for storing data on the storage nodes of a storage cluster. The maps are defined such that when a new storage node is added to the cluster, no movement of data occurs between two storage nodes that existed in the cluster prior to the addition of the new storage node during re-striping, and such that the data stored on each storage node is mirrored on another storage node. Storage nodes may also be designated as an owner or a peer for each storage zone. Input/output operations received at an owner node are fielded directly and mirrored to the peer node, while input/output operations received at a peer node are redirected to the owner node for processing. |
| US08639872B1 |
Hybrid drive comprising write cache spanning non-volatile semiconductor memory and disk
A hybrid drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of data tracks, where each data track comprises a plurality of data sectors. The hybrid drive further comprises a non-volatile semiconductor memory (NVSM) comprising a plurality of memory segments. When a write command is received from a host including write data, the write data is written to one of a disk cache and a NVSM cache, wherein the write data is eventually flushed to a non-cache area of the disk. |
| US08639870B2 |
String searching within peripheral storage devices
Systems and methods for retrieving data stored on a peripheral storage device such as a magnetic tape drive or disk drive include string searching using the peripheral storage device resources without transferring data to the requesting host computer and transferring only data blocks with matching data to the associated host computer to conserve host resources and data channel and/or network bandwidth. |
| US08639863B1 |
Memory apparatus for replaceable non-volatile memory
In one embodiment of the invention, a replaceable memory apparatus is disclosed. The replaceable memory apparatus includes a first rectangular multilayer printed circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; a first male pluggable electrical connector mounted to the first side near a first edge; a first female pluggable electrical connector mounted to the second side; and first non-volatile memory mounted to the first side and the second side. The first female pluggable electrical connector is coupled to the first male pluggable electrical connector to feed through first signals. The first non-volatile memory is coupled to the first female pluggable electrical connector and the first male pluggable electrical connector to receive the first signals. |
| US08639853B2 |
Programmable waveform technology for interfacing to disparate devices
Various embodiments of a system, method, and memory-medium provide for configuration of a programmable waveform that allows for communication with one of a plurality of different target devices. The programmable waveform comprises one or more waveform parameters and one or more waveform lines. The waveform lines may comprise control lines and/or data lines. One or more of the waveform parameters may be set in response to user input, and corresponding signals based on the waveform lines may be generated in order to communicate with a target device selected from a variety of different possible target devices. Waveform parameters may include one or more of: setup time, hold time, lead time, trail time, idle time, clock frequency, clock duty cycle, number of data bits per transmission, number of data lines, pulse width, polarity, and phase. |
| US08639847B2 |
Systems and methods for scheduling data flow execution based on an arbitrary graph describing the desired data flow
The data transformation system in one embodiment, comprises a capability to receive data, a data destination and a capability to store transformed data, and a data transformation pipeline that constructs complex end-to-end data transformation functionality by pipelining data flowing from one or more sources to one or more destinations through various interconnected nodes for transforming the data as it flows. Each component in the pipeline possesses predefined data transformation functionality, and the logical connections between components define the data flow pathway in an operational sense.The data transformation pipeline enables a user to develop complex end-to-end data transformation functionality by graphically describing and representing, via a GUI, a desired data flow from one or more sources to one or more destinations through various interconnected nodes (graph). Each node in the graph selected by the user represents predefined data transformation functionality, and connections between nodes define the data flow pathway. |
| US08639838B2 |
System and method for transmission of data
A system and method for data communication connecting on-line networks with on-line and off-line computers. The present system provides for broadcast of up to the minute notification centric information thereby providing an instant call to action for users who are provided with the ability to instantaneously retrieve further detailed information. The notification centric portions of information is wirelessly broadcast to wireless receiving devices which are attached to computing devices. Upon receipt of the information at the personal computer, the user is notified through different multimedia alerts that there is an incoming message. Wirelessly broadcasted URL's, associated with the data, are embedded in data packets and provide an automated wired or wireless connection back to the information source for obtaining detailed data. |
| US08639836B2 |
Smart nagling in a TCP connection
An approach is provided to improve network efficiency. A send segment size, such as a maximum segment size (MSS), that corresponds to data segments being sent to a receiver over a computer network. A data block is identified in a send buffer and the data block includes more than one data segments. Based on the determined send segment size, all but a remaining data segment of the data segments are sent to the receiver. The sent data segments are each the determined send segment size and the remaining data segment is smaller than the send segment size. The remaining data segment is sent to the receiver in response to identifying that the remaining data segment is a portion of the data block. |
| US08639835B2 |
TCP window size performance optimization in wireless networks
A system may include user equipment. The user equipment may determine a group of first Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) window size values based on different information relating to a wireless network, and determine a second TCP window size value based on the group of first TCP window size values. The user equipment may further transmit data using a transmission window size corresponding to the second TCP window size value. |
| US08639828B1 |
Accelerated TCP network communications
The present invention relates to an accelerated process and corresponding computer program for Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) communications with multiple remote computers that results in much greater speed and economy of computer resources. The process decouples the previously connection-oriented nature of TCP and allows it to be used in a much more efficient connection-less manner by combining a process of sending TCP packets out in a connection-less manner and receiving communications by listening on a network interface. The state of communications is tracked by a state table that is updated as the communication process proceeds with TCP communication information and application layer information encapsulated within the TCP communication. |
| US08639826B2 |
Providing personalized resources on-demand over a broadband network to consumer device applications
A method and system for providing personalized information to applications executing on consumer devices by: building a consumer preferences profile on a consumer device using predefined associations between consumer preference attributes and application events (including user input); summarizing the consumer preferences profile into a profile summary when applications require a new personalized data resource; requesting a personalized data resource from a centralized database of data resources over the broadband network by including application context information along with the profile summary in the request; analyzing data resource groups in the centralized database to find a candidate set of data resources according to resource rules in the resource groups; selecting a personalized data resource from the candidate set of data resources that matches the profile summary and context information; and delivering the selected personalized data resource to the requesting application over the broadband network. Personalized data resources may include resource selection information, graphic images, text content, formatting information, video clip data, click-to-call data, and scripts and procedures. |
| US08639820B2 |
Wireless communication system for performing combined service between terminals having different communication environments
A method for transmitting information in a wireless communication system and a wireless communication terminal supporting the method, wherein when an application server sends to a receiving terminal a specific message for checking radio environment information or a message including a radio environment capability, the receiving terminal having received the message may send a response message with its own radio environment information to the application server, such that the radio environment information related to the receiving terminal can be sent to the sending terminal after analyzed by the application server. |
| US08639818B1 |
System and method for reliable and timely task completion in a distributed computing environment
A cluster computing system and method for operating the same for reliable task execution. Token operations are periodically performed by each of the cluster nodes, with each token operation updating an operability metric. In response to completion of the token operation, each of the cluster nodes updates a database containing operability metrics for a plurality of cluster nodes to include each updated operability metric. Each cluster node compares at least some of the updated operability metrics against a benchmark value. In response, each cluster node generates an operability determination as to whether one or more other cluster node is inoperative for carrying out tasks. In response to a determination that one or more other cluster nodes is inoperative, an operative cluster node selects at least one task assigned to one or more inoperative cluster nodes, and executes that task. |
| US08639816B2 |
Distributed computing based on multiple nodes with determined capacity selectively joining resource groups having resource requirements
A network provides distributed computing services based on participation in respective resource groups by computing nodes, each resource group including a corresponding resource requirement for any computing node that joins the corresponding resource group for execution of the corresponding distributed computing service. Each computing node, in response to determining its corresponding available node capacity, is configured for selectively creating and joining at least one new resource group for execution of a corresponding distributed computing service having a corresponding resource requirement, and/or selectively joining at least one of the available resource groups, based on the corresponding available node capacity satisfying the corresponding resource requirement. Each computing node also is configured for selectively leaving any one of the joined resource groups based on determined conditions. Hence, each computing node may choose to participate in as many resource groups as needed for respective computing services, based on the corresponding available node capacity. |
| US08639813B2 |
Systems and methods for GSLB based on SSL VPN users
The present invention provides a system and a method for global server load balancing of a plurality of sites based on a number of Secure Socket Layer Virtual Private Network (SSL VPN) users. The SSL VPN users may access servers at each of the plurality of sites. A global server load balancing virtual server (GSLB) may receive a request to access a server. The GSLB virtual server may load balance a plurality of sites wherein each of the plurality of sites may further comprising a load balancing virtual server load balancing users accessing the server accessing servers via an SSL VPN session. GSLB may receive from a first load balancing virtual server at a first site, a first number of current SSL VPN users accessing servers from the first site via SSL VPN sessions. The GSLB may also receive from a second load balancing virtual server at a second site, a second number of current SSL VPN users of the users accessing servers from the second site via SSL VPN sessions. GSLB may determine to forward the request to one of the first load balancing virtual server of the first site or the second load balancing virtual server of the second site by load balancing SSL VPN users across the plurality of sites based on the first number of current SSL VPN users and the second number of current SSL VPN users. |
| US08639811B2 |
Automated device provisioning and activation
A wireless device obtains a user input through a user interface of the wireless device. Based on the user input, the wireless device determines at least an aspect of a control policy associated with a first application on the wireless device and applies the control policy. The control policy at least assists in controlling access to a wireless network by the first application and enables a control of access to the first wireless network by the first application that differs from a control of access to the first wireless network by a second application on the wireless device. |
| US08639810B2 |
Access rights used for resource discovery in peer-to-peer networks
Secure resource discover in peer-to-peer networks involves creating a resource discovery record associated with a computing resource of a user device that is made available via the user device to peers of a peer-to-peer network. The resource discovery record describes the computing resource and may be independent of native service discovery mechanisms of the peer-to-peer network. An access right record is created that controls the ability of one or more contacts to gain access to the resource discovery record. The resource discovery record is sent to the one or more contacts via the peer-to-peer network. The one or more contacts can use the resource discovery record to access the computing resource via the peer-to-peer network in accordance with the access right record. |
| US08639809B2 |
Predictive removal of runtime data using attribute characterizing
Techniques are described for selectively removing runtime data from a stream-based application in a manner that reduces the impact of any delay caused by the processing of the data in the stream-based application. In addition to removing the data from a primary processing path of the stream-based application, the data may be processed in an alternate manner, either using alternate processing resources, or by delaying the processing of the data. |
| US08639808B1 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring storage unit ownership to continuously balance input/output loads across storage processors
A method and apparatus for monitoring storage unit ownership to continuously balance input/output loads across storage processors is provided. In one embodiment, a method for rebalancing loads across a plurality of storage processors using storage unit ownership information includes accessing ownership information between a plurality of storage units and a plurality of storage processors within a storage subsystem and in response to a load imbalance across the plurality of storage processors, modifying storage unit ownership of at least one storage unit of the plurality of storage units from a storage processor of the plurality of storage processors to another storage processor of the plurality of storage processors based on the ownership information. |
| US08639807B2 |
Media library monitoring system and method
Embodiments of methods and systems comprise collecting data associated with a library or library components and storing the collected data in repository. By collecting data associated with a library or library components and storing the collected data in a repository, the degradation of library components can be monitored and the reliability of library components determined, allowing unreliable components to be bypassed or replaced, enhancing the reliability of the library and preventing data loss. |
| US08639805B2 |
Method and apparatus for network to recommend best mode for user communication
The present disclosure generally provides techniques and apparatuses for producing, for an initiating end user, a recommended mode of communication corresponding to a targeted end user in a network environment, based on a plurality of network accessible or determinable inputs. For example, the identity of an initiating end user, the identity of a targeted end user, the current activity of the targeted end user, the communication preferences of the targeted end user, information from available databases and other available or determinable data may be used by a contact liaison to produce a recommended mode of communication. |
| US08639801B2 |
Real-time automated virtual private network (VPN) access management
Provided is a method for managing virtual private network (VPN) access to a network that is partitioned into a plurality of subnetworks (subnets). The method includes providing first information associated with hardware hosted on one or more subnets of the network; providing second information associated with users for VPN access, where the VPN access for each user is determined by a list of hardware each user has permission to access; detecting a hardware triggering event corresponding to a modification of the first information; and responsive to the detection of the hardware triggering event, automatically updating the second information based on the modification of the first information. |
| US08639799B2 |
Network supervision with control systems
Supervision of industrial plants can be improved by comparison and analysis of process information and network information. The comparison may be used to provide alarms and operator information for network-related or process device failures. The information may also be used to identify a cause of a failure. A method is described for supervising an industrial control system, including a plant network for supervision, a client/server network for server connection with workstations, and a control network connected to industrial controllers. The method comprises the steps of gathering process information, and gathering network information, and by comparing information provided by data communications network monitoring with process control information and using the result of the comparison to assist in determining a cause of a problem or possible problem in a process controlled of the industrial control system. |
| US08639798B2 |
Managing configuration items
There is provided a method for managing a plurality of configuration items that includes a repository that holds, for each configuration item, one set of data indicating at least one predetermined attribute of the configuration item and a relationship with another configuration item and a discovery section that detects information on configuration items. The method includes creating at least one new set of data from information detected by the discovery section. The method also includes storing the new set of data in the repository and managing the new set of data as a combined configuration item. |
| US08639797B1 |
Network monitoring of behavior probability density
A network monitoring system maintains both information regarding historical activity of a network, and information regarding emergent activity of the network. Comparison of historical activity of the network with emergent activity of the network allows the system to determine whether network activity is changing over time. The network monitoring system maintains data structures representing a p.d.f. for observable values of network parameters. Recent activity of the network can be compared with both the p.d.f. for historical activity and for emergent activity to aid in determining whether that recent activity is within the realm of normal, and whether network activity is changing over time. The network monitoring system adjusts that information regarding historical activity of a network in response to emergent activity of that network. The network monitoring device determines information regarding time-dependent activity of that network in response to spectral analysis regarding historical activity of that network. |
| US08639788B2 |
Method and apparatus for web based storage on demand
Rapid demanding for storage capacity at internet era requires a much flexible and powerful storage infrastructure. Present invention disclosed a type of storage system based a model of centrally controlled distributed scalable virtual machine. In this model, one or more service pools including virtual storage service pool and application service pools can be automatically created to meet the demands for more storage capacity from various applications. Specially this model provide a solid foundation for distributing storage volumes for supporting storage on-demand and sharing with exceptional management capabilities. |
| US08639784B2 |
Client device configuration with hooks
Some embodiments include a method for configuring a client device. The method includes associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming. The method includes downloading the configuration bundle for a client device to a services gateway, including downloading a generic configuration bundle to the services gateway. The method also includes executing the configuration bundle on the services gateway, including calling the hook and executing the generic configuration bundle. The executing of the generic configuration bundle further includes reading, from the client device, a configuration prompt stored on the client device, providing the configuration prompt to a user, receiving configuration parameters from the user, and writing the configuration parameters to the client device. |
| US08639780B2 |
Optimizing multi-hit caching for long tail content
Some embodiments provide an optimized multi-hit caching technique that minimizes the performance impact associated with caching of long-tail content while retaining much of the efficiency and minimal overhead associated with first hit caching in determining when to cache content. The optimized multi-hit caching utilizes a modified bloom filter implementation that performs flushing and state rolling to delete indices representing stale content from a bit array used to track hit counts without affecting identification of other content that may be represented with indices overlapping with those representing the stale content. Specifically, a copy of the bit array is stored prior to flushing the bit array so as to avoid losing track of previously requested and cached content when flushing the bit arras and the flushing is performed to remove the bit indices representing stale content from the bit array and to minimize the possibility of a false positive. |
| US08639775B2 |
Computer system and its management method
A migration destination storage apparatus among a plurality of storage apparatuses and has a controller for sending or receiving information to or from a host computer and managing each migration destination volume as an access target of the host computer. The controller manages each migration destination volume by dividing the migration destination volumes into a plurality of resource groups based on identification information for identifying each migration source volume; manages a plurality of resources related to each migration destination volume by associating them with each resource group; and manages each migration destination volume and each resource belonging to each resource group as operation targets to be allocated individually to each migration source user who uses each migration source volume, and as operation targets over which only each migration source user has operation authority. |
| US08639767B1 |
System and method for generating and managing geofeed-based alerts
The disclosure relates to systems and methods for monitoring content, generating alerts, determining trends, and communicating notifications related to geofeeds, including content related to geographically definable locations that is aggregated from a plurality of social media or other content providers. The system may monitor the content based on one or more alert parameters that specify alert conditions that when satisfied cause the system to generate an alert, including trending alerts. The system may track an activity as it moves over time. Content may be associated with the activity and monitored such that the activity may be tracked based on the monitored content. Various alerts may be generated based on the tracked activity. The system may communicate notifications that include the alerts, thereby leveraging content from social media or other providers to convey real-time information on subject matter, trends, activities, and/or other information. |
| US08639765B2 |
Automated moderation of discussion lists
Within a network-based discussion environment, a moderation mechanism is implemented to encourage posts of high relevancy. The moderation mechanism is configurable so as to support distributed access control. In one case, the moderation mechanism is configured to support an allocation of a limited number of responses to a user based on the number of new threads the user has started. |
| US08639758B2 |
System for determining presence of and authorizing a quorum to transact business over a network
A system for determining presence of and authorizing a quorum to transact business over a network includes a first set of machine-readable instructions resident on a digital medium accessible to a computing machine, the instructions causing the machine to monitor a network for active presence of individual ones of communications devices associated with members of an authorized team of individuals from which the quorum may be determined, a second set of machine-readable instructions resident on the medium for causing the computing machine to make a confirmation of the quorum against a set of rules, and to authorize one or more of the individual communications devices making up the quorum to perform one or more tasks based on quorum consensus, and a user configuration, scheduling, and notification application resident on the digital medium for enabling a user to configure, schedule, and notify team members of a pending quorum event. |
| US08639757B1 |
User localization using friend location information
A method, system, and medium are provided for estimating a location of a user using location information of the user's friends. The user's friends are identified, and a social-interaction strength between the user and each of the friends is determined. This results in a set of weights of social ties that respectively indicate a level of social interaction between the user and the user's friends. The location of the friends is determined. The user's location is estimated based on the set of weights of social ties and the friend locations. |
| US08639756B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating a relevant social graph
An approach is provided for generating a relevant social graph. A social graph identifying people associated with a user is retrieved. A communication history from a device associated with the user is retrieved. Information regarding a respective occurrence of each identified person in the communication history is determined. A relevant social graph is generated based, at least in part, on the determined occurrence information. |
| US08639755B2 |
System and method of managing real-time communications using context-based awareness states
Described are a system and method for managing online communications by a user who participates in an awareness service system. A first awareness state associated with the user is published to a first participant of the awareness service system, while a second different awareness state associated with the user is published to a second participant of the awareness service system. Each published awareness state is based on a collaborative relationship between the user and the participant to which that awareness state is published. |
| US08639749B2 |
Platform independent information handling system, communication method, and computer program product thereof
An approach is provided for communications between a device and a server in a service system where data and application are stored and executed by a plurality of computing systems in the internet. The approach includes transmitting, via the device, a request of a selected application to the server; in response to the request, transmitting, via the server, a graphical image indicative of an execution of the selected application to the device. |
| US08639748B2 |
Optimized content distribution based on metrics derived from the end user
Some embodiments provide systems and methods for determining a server of a distributed hosting system to optimally distribute content to an end user. The method includes identifying an IP address of the end user. Based on the IP address, a set of servers send packets to the end user to derive performance metrics. The performance metrics are used to determine a server from the set of servers that optimally distributes content to the end user. The method modifies a configuration for resolving end user requests such that the optimal server is identified to the end user when the end user requests content from the hosting system. Some embodiments determine the optimal server by providing downloadable content that is embedded with a monitoring tool. The monitoring tool causes the end user to derive performance metrics for the hosting system when downloading a particular object from a set of servers. |
| US08639744B2 |
Deltacasting for live content
Methods, apparatuses, and systems are provided for improving utilization of a communications system (e.g., a satellite communications system) when handling live content requests. Embodiments use various techniques (e.g., dictionary coding techniques) to create fingerprints of content traversing the links of the communications system. These fingerprints are used to identify and exploit opportunities for using multicasting to share forward-link capacity by collapsing multiple, substantially identical live content session streams into fewer shared session streams (e.g., a single shared session stream). |
| US08639743B1 |
System and method for on-the-fly rewriting of JavaScript
A method and system for on-the-fly rewriting of JavaScript is disclosed herein. On a server-side, the JavaScript of a Web-page is analyzed with a JavaScript parser and a runtime engine to identify property invocations, functions or any other JavaScript aspect of the JavaScript of the Web-page. The property invocations, functions or any other JavaScript aspect of the JavaScript of the Web-page are rewritten into a plurality of method calls to create a Web-page with instrumentation of when the method calls are executed, and the Web-page with instrumentation is transmitted to the client-side. |
| US08639742B2 |
Refreshing cached documents and storing differential document content
The present invention is directed to a method for updating a cache. A server identifies whether certain preconditions have been met for a document in a cache from freshness parameters associated with a document identifier for the document. Then when the preconditions have been met, a first document content is retrieved from a remote host. A first content fingerprint for the first document content is calculated. The first document content is stored in the cache. Then a content difference is calculated between the first document content and a second document content, both associated with the document identifier. The content difference is stored. Then the document identifier is associated with the content difference. |
| US08639739B1 |
Use of peer-to-peer teams to accomplish a goal
Disclosed are various embodiments involving the use of peer-to-peer teams to accomplish a goal. The specification of a joint goal for a peer-to-peer team is facilitated in a given peer, where the peer-to-peer team includes a plurality of peers. Also, communication is facilitated between respective pairs of the peers via a peer-to-peer network. A team control packet is maintained in each peer to indicate a performance of each peer in the peer-to-peer team. Also, the implementation of a plurality of tasks associated with respective ones of the peers is tracked, where the tasks are implemented in concert to achieve the joint goal. |
| US08639737B2 |
Method to compute an approximation to the reciprocal of the square root of a floating point number in IEEE format
Approximations of reciprocal square roots are provided in IEEE floating point binary format by obtaining an index from an input value, accessing a pair of table values and performing a limited number of simple and rapidly performed manipulations. The maximum relative error in the approximation thus provided is less than 0.75/2(2k+1) as compared with a maximum relative error of 1/2k+2 of known methods, where 2k is the number of table entries. |
| US08639735B2 |
Data processing method by passage between different sub-band domains
The invention concerns data processing by passage between different subband domains, of a first number L to a second number M of subband components. After determining a third number K, least common multiple between the first number L and the second number M: a) if K is different from L, it consists in arranging in blocs, by a serial/parallel conversion, an input vector X(z) to, obtain p2 polyphase component vectors (p2=KL); b) applying a square matrix filtering T(z) of dimensions K×K, to the p2 polyphase component vectors to obtain p1 polyphase component vectors for forming an output vector Y(z), with p1=K/M, and if the third number K is different from the second number M, providing a block arrangement by a parallel/serial conversion to obtain the output vector Y(z). |
| US08639734B1 |
Use of external information about a file to determine virtualization
An apparatus or method in which information external to a file is used to select a directory within a file system where the file is to be stored. In one embodiment of the method a first request is received to create a first file in a file system, wherein the first request comprises a first file system path. First information is also received that describes data contained in a first data object. A first redirect file system path component is selected from a plurality of redirect file system path components in response to receiving the first information. The first file system path is then modified by adding the first redirect file system path component to the first file system path. |
| US08639729B2 |
Executing a business process in a framework
Various embodiments of systems and methods for executing a customized business process in a business process framework are described herein. A user selection of a solution type corresponding to a business process is received from a user interface. In response to the user selection, a query is executed to retrieve application types and corresponding sub-application types from a business logic stored in a database. Configurable attributes are generated based upon the application types and the corresponding sub-application types. Based upon the application types, the sub-application types and the configurable attributes, the business process is customized to create a customized business process. Based upon a configuration information, a user input to the customized business process is captured from the user interface. The user input is validated by comparing the user input with the business logic. The customized business process that is validated is further executed in the business process framework. |
| US08639724B1 |
Management of cached object mapping information corresponding to a distributed storage system
Systems and methods for managing mapping information for objects maintained in a distributed storage system are provided. The distributed storage system can include a keymap subsystem that manages the mapping information according to object keys. Requests for specific object mapping information are directed to specific keymap coordinators within the keymap subsystem. Each keymap coordinator can maintain a cache for caching mapping information maintained at various information sources. To manage the cache, the keymap system can utilize generation identifiers that identify the component within the distributed storage system that last updated information sources. Each keymap coordinator can determine whether cached version of keymap information is valid based on an analysis of generation identifiers. |
| US08639718B2 |
Systems and methods for client transparent video readdressing
Network operators are striving to find ways to provide stable video services amid a rapid increase in video traffic. In order to provide stable video services with constrained network resources, network operators attempted to reduce video file sizes using a content adaptation engine (CAE). However, network operators failed to efficiently readdress video flows to CAEs. This disclosure provides systems and methods for efficiently readdressing video flows to CAEs. |
| US08639717B2 |
Providing access to data with user defined table functions
Techniques are provided for accessing data within data repositories. Public UDTFs, private UDTFs and a metadata processor are utilized to provide access to data residing in a variety of data repositories. |
| US08639716B2 |
Search assistant for digital media assets
Techniques and systems for facilitating searching of digital media assets are disclosed. In one embodiment, a user can be assisted in entering search strings for searching a media repository (e.g., online media store) having a plurality of digital media assets that are available, e.g., available for purchase. When the user enters a search character, a list of possible complete search strings corresponding to digital media assets available in the media repository can be obtained over a network and presented to the user. The list of possible search strings can be filtered based on whether a client device supports a media type associated with a word or based on a location of the client device. |
| US08639715B1 |
Auctionable rich media search suggestions
Rich media search suggestions may be provided to search facility users. Rich media search suggestions may occupy various sizes of search suggestion presentation “real estate,” and may change size, for example, in response to user interaction. A search facility may partially or fully delegate responsibility for providing search suggestions to third party search suggestion providers. Available search suggestion places may be auctioned to interested third party search suggestion providers. Third party search suggestion providers may be responsible for providing search suggestion presentation specifications (e.g., specified with hypertext markup language) for the delegated search suggestion places. Such search suggestion presentation specifications may be provided at bid time and/or in real-time in response to search input by users. Search input by users may be “streamed” in real-time to third party search suggestion providers, and corresponding search suggestions updated in real-time by the third party search suggestion providers in response. |
| US08639707B2 |
Retrieval device, retrieval system, retrieval method, and computer program for retrieving a document file stored in a storage device
Retrieval is completed in a short time for presenting a retrieval result of a document file, which satisfies a retrieval condition, to a user having the authority to perform predetermined processing. A retrieval device includes a correspondence information generating unit for generating correspondence information indicating membership of a user to a group, an index information generating unit for generating index information by extracting user identification information associated with group identification information included in authority information provided to a document file from the correspondence information, the index information including information in which the extracted user identification information is associated with the document file, and a retrieving unit for retrieving a document file, which satisfies a retrieval condition whose input is received by an input receiving unit and in which the user identification information included in the index information coincides with user information whose input is received. |
| US08639701B1 |
Language selection for information retrieval
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for cross-language information retrieval. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of identifying a structured collection of documents, the collection of documents being organized according to a hierarchy of categories; extracting entities from structured collection of document; assigning language scores to each document in the collection of documents; assigning language scores to entities based on scores of associated documents of the collection of documents; and generating a mapping between entities and language scores. |
| US08639693B1 |
Personalized place recommendations using collections of place listings
Personal recommendations are provided to users based on a relationship between place listings which with a user has interacted and collections of place listings. The user may interact with a place listing by reviewing the place, or accessing a web page that includes user-reviewed places. The collections of place listings are used to calculate a recommendation score for a candidate listing based on aggregate co-occurrence of the place listing and the candidate listing in the collections. The recommendation scores identify a probability that the user would appreciate the candidate listing based on the user's interaction with the place listing. Justifications may also be provided for display on the user's device to identify the relevance of the recommended listing. |
| US08639692B2 |
High-dimensional stratified sampling
In one aspect, a processing device of an information processing system is operative to perform high-dimensional stratified sampling of a database comprising a plurality of records arranged in overlapping sub-groups. For a given record, the processing device determines which of the sub-groups the given record is associated with, and for each of the sub-groups associated with the given record, checks if a sampling rate of the sub-group is less than a specified sampling rate. If the sampling rate of each of the sub-groups is less than the specified sampling rate, the processing device samples the given record, and otherwise does not sample the given record. The determine, check and sample operations are repeated for additional records, and samples resulting from the sample operations are processed to generate information characterizing the database. Other aspects of the invention relate to determining which records to sample through iterative optimization of an objective function that may be based, for example, on a likelihood function of the sampled records. |
| US08639691B2 |
System for and method of partitioning match templates
Disclosed is a system for, and method of, identifying an entity representation. In some embodiments, a match template is used to partition a search criteria so that an expected number of matching records does not exceed a desired threshold. In such embodiments, the match template may limit the number of records that are expected to identically match in certain fields designated as fixed fields, and limit the number of records that are expected to either identically match or have blank field values in certain fields designated as optional fields. Such embodiments thus provide probabilistic limits on a number of database fetches required for a particular search and on a number of record transfers required for a particular search. |
| US08639690B2 |
Document scoring based on query analysis
A system may determine an extent to which a document is selected when the document is included in a set of search results, generate a score for the document based, at least in part, on the extent to which the document is selected when the document is included in a set of search results; and rank the document with regard to at least one other document based, at least in part, on the score. |
| US08639688B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing context-based entity association
A targeted advertising system performs context-based association mining using a publicly available corpus to identify a product or brand name that, under a given context, is associated with a product or brand being marketed. The system analyzes documents within the publicly available corpus that are associated with the given context, and identifies products or brand names that have a high association to the product or brand being marketed. The system can also analyze the publicly available corpus to determine contextual information which is correlated to two or more products or brand names. This contextual information includes a set of terms that facilitates filtering the publicly available corpus into an optimal set of documents that has a high association to a desired market category or demographic. |
| US08639685B2 |
Journaling on mobile devices
A journaling subsystem on a mobile device stores event data related to applications or other subsystems running on the mobile device. The event data can be stored and indexed in a journal database so that a timeline of past events can be reconstructed in response to search queries. In some implementations, a timeline can be reconstructed with markers on a map display based on search results. When the user interacts with a marker on the map display, the event data collected by the mobile device is made available to the user. |
| US08639684B2 |
Dynamic search box for web browser
A system may receive one or more terms of a search query. The system may automatically identify prior search queries that include the one or more terms of the search query from a history of prior search queries. The system may automatically identify possible spelling corrected search queries based on the one or more terms of the search queries. The system may automatically receive remote server-based query completion suggestions including the one or more terms of the search query. The system may present query refinement options, the query refinement box being populated with the prior search queries as suggested queries for possible selection by a user, the identified possible spelling corrected search queries, and the received query completion suggestions. |
| US08639680B1 |
Hidden text detection for search result scoring
A method for creating a hidden text data index for ranking computerized query search results that includes generating a render tree based on a document object model (DOM) tree for a web page. The render tree includes nodes that correspond to text that will be visually displayed by a client device when executed. The method includes comparing nodes corresponding to text of the DOM tree with the nodes corresponding to text of the render tree to identify the nodes in the DOM tree that will not be visually displayed when executed by the client device. The method also includes creating a hidden text data index for the nodes corresponding to text of the DOM tree not in the render tree. The hidden text data index identifies nodes corresponding to text of the DOM tree as hidden that will not be visually displayed when executed by the client device. |
| US08639679B1 |
Generating query suggestions
Methods, systems, apparatus, including computer program products, for generating search query suggestions. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a partial search query entered by a user through a user interface of a client device, generating a set of predicted complete queries, wherein at least a subset of the predicted complete queries are queries associated with the user, identifying one or more of the set of complete queries as being selectable suggestions to the partial search query for display in the user interface of the client for possible selection by the user. |
| US08639678B2 |
System for generating a medical knowledge base
A system generates medical knowledge base information by searching at least one repository of medical information to identify sentences including a received medical term. A data processor searches the identified sentences to identify sentences including a medical term different to the received term in response to a predetermined repository of medical terms and excludes sentences without a term different to the received term, to provide remaining multiple term sentences. The data processor groups different terms of individual sentences of the multiple term sentences to provide grouped terms, determines whether a medically valid relationship occurs between different terms of an individual group of terms of the grouped terms by using predetermined sentence structure and syntax rules and outputs data representing grouped terms having a medically valid relationship. |
| US08639674B2 |
Managing storage of individually accessible data units
A method for managing data includes receiving individually accessible data units, each identified by a key value; storing a plurality of blocks of data, each of at least some of the blocks being generated by combining a plurality of the data units; and providing an index that includes an entry for each of the blocks. One or more of the entries enable location, based on a provided key value, of a block that includes data units corresponding to a range of key values that includes the provided key value. |
| US08639672B2 |
Multiplex classification for tabular data compression
For multiplexer classification for column compression of tabular data, similar type data segments are classified into classes for grouping the data segments into compression streams associated with each one of the classes. The compression streams are encoded based on a class-specific optimized encoding operation. The compression streams into one output buffer, wherein the compression streams are extracted. |
| US08639668B2 |
Structured requirements management
A requirements management tool, where each requirement is defined by one or more design element values. Each of the design element values is a unique value and is a member of a group of design element values defined for the project. As each requirement is created, the design element values for the requirement are selected from the group of design element values, or alternatively, a new design element value may be entered by a user, and the new design element value will be added to the group of element values. Each design element value corresponds to a category that each of the requirements are broken down into. Design element values in the created requirement are compared to design element values in existing requirements, and results of this duplication check are presented to a user of the requirements management tool. |
| US08639667B2 |
Generating conditional functional dependencies
Techniques are disclosed for generating conditional functional dependency (CFD) pattern tableaux having the desirable properties of support, confidence and parsimony. These techniques include both a greedy algorithm for generating a tableau and, for large data sets, an “on-demand” algorithm that outperforms the basic greedy algorithm in running time by an order of magnitude. In addition, a range tableau, as a generalization of a pattern tableau, can achieve even more parsimony. |
| US08639666B2 |
System and method for real-time environment tracking and coordination
A configurable real-time environment tracking and command module (RTM) is provided to coordinate one or more than one devices or objects in a physical environment. A virtual environment is created to correlate with various objects and attributes within the physical environment. The RTM is able to receive data about attributes of physical objects and accordingly update the attributes of correlated virtual objects in the virtual environment. The RTM is also able to provide data extracted from the virtual environment to one or more than devices, such as robotic cameras, in real-time. An interface to the RTM allows multiple devices to interact with the RTM, thereby coordinating the devices. |
| US08639665B2 |
Hybrid backup and restore of very large file system using metadata image backup and traditional backup
A mechanism performs a metadata image backup of a hierarchical storage management (HSM) file system. Concurrent with performing the metadata image backup of the HSM file system, the mechanism identifies a set of resident files that are not yet stored off-line in the HSM file system. The mechanism identifies immutable files within the set of resident files to form an optimized set of resident files and passes the optimized set of resident files to a traditional backup system. The traditional backup system backs up file data for the set of resident files. Responsive to detecting an inability to restore a migrated managed state of a file, the mechanism unsets an immutable bit of the file attribute, restores file data for the file using the traditional backup system, and sets the immutable bit attribute of the file. |
| US08639662B2 |
Methods and apparatus for content based notification using hierarchical groups
Methods and apparatus for content based notification using hierarchical groups. In an aspect, a method is provided that operates to provide an event notification. The method includes maintaining an event description dictionary comprising one or more event descriptors, and associating content with a selected event descriptor. The method also includes compressing the selected event descriptor to generate a compressed event descriptor, and transmitting the compressed event descriptor on a notification channel. |
| US08639660B1 |
Method and apparatus for creating a database replica
A method and apparatus for creating a database replica comprising receiving database information from a source server to create a database replica on a target server. The target server subsequently receives at least one set of update data (e.g., a transaction log) from the source server. Lastly, the target server modifies the database replica in accordance to changes detailed in the at least one set of said update data. |
| US08639658B1 |
Cache management for file systems supporting shared blocks
Techniques relating to data deduplication at the file system level are disclosed. A system may include a block cache configured to store data blocks indicated as being shared by multiple files. The system may be coupled to a storage configured to permanently store data for the multiple files. The computer system may receive a file request, and, upon determining that the file request includes shared data, the computer system may service the request wholly or in part using the block cache. When multiple requests including multiple file identifiers (but referring to the same underlying shared data) are received, a shared (common) file identifier may be used in looking up data for the multiple requests, reducing block cache storage, and improving block cache performance and overall system operation. |
| US08639643B2 |
Classification of a document according to a weighted search tree created by genetic algorithms
A device for classifying a document comprises a module to generate a data tree structure and configured to assign terms to a first plurality of nodes of the data tree structure, where each of the first plurality of nodes is assigned a weight. In assigning the weights of the first plurality of nodes, a first generation of combinations of possible weights assignable as the weights of the first plurality of nodes is obtained, and a second generation of combinations of possible weights assignable as the weights of the first plurality of nodes is obtained by performing the genetic algorithms in the first generation of combinations of possible weights. The device determines whether the document is in a document class based at least the weights of the first plurality of nodes. |
| US08639642B2 |
Method for determining harmful multimedia content using multimedia content playback characteristics
A method for determining harmful multimedia content by using multimedia content playback characteristics includes: determining a local harmfulness of each basic unit section of multimedia content to generate a local determination result; and generating global determination results to complement an error of the local determination result based on the multimedia content playback characteristics. The global determination results are generated by using a continuous determination value which has a meaning of harmful or harmless and is updated depending on each local determination result and the number of continuous determination results is counted or initialized depending on continuity of the local determination results. |
| US08639635B2 |
Computer-implemented personal information manager method and system
A computer-implemented method for mortality tracking. The method includes electronically receiving contact information of a beneficiary of a life insurance policy. The method also includes electronically receiving a unique identifier of the policyholder of the life insurance policy. The method further includes periodically electronically searching mortality database records to obtain a periodic mortality search result. Upon occurrence of an aperiodic triggering event, the method may further aperiodically electronically search the mortality database records for the unique identifier of the policyholder to obtain an aperiodic mortality search result. The method may include verifying the deceased status of the policyholder upon occurrence of an indication that the policyholder being deceased according to the periodic mortality search result. The method further includes transmitting a deceased status notification to the beneficiary of the life insurance policy based on the policyholder being deceased according to the periodic or the aperiodic mortality search result. |
| US08639634B2 |
System and method for administration of employee leave
A computer system and computer-implemented method are provided for management of employee leave and absence policies. The system is configured to receive data related to an employee leave claim at a single point of contact. The single point of contact may be implemented as a single address for leave issues related to any type of leave, including for example for employment-related injuries compensated through workers compensation, short term disability, long-term disability, and other types of leave. The system may be configured to provide prompts to a user for claims relating to multiple types of leave. The system may be configured to furnish data to separate computer systems for administration of multiple types of leave. The system may be configured to provide communications related to employee leave claims between separate computer systems responsive to receipt of data from one or more of the computer systems. |
| US08639632B2 |
Systems and methods used for publishing and aggregating real world and online purchases via standardized product information
The present disclosure relates to enabling users to broadcast their purchases by means of a service provider. Service provider catalogs such purchases based on standardized product data, such as UPC or RFID, allowing for the aggregation and consequent utility of such data for commercial purposes. |
| US08639627B2 |
Portable digital rights for multiple devices
Portable digital rights for multiple devices is described. In an embodiment, a digital rights management (DRM) system includes a first device with a removable component configured as a token that is associated with a DRM license. The first device also includes a removable memory card that stores protected media content on which the first device can perform actions as permitted by the DRM license. The DRM system also includes a second device that can have the removable component and the removable memory card when removed from the first device and installed in the second device such that the second device can perform the actions on the protected media content as permitted by the DRM license. |
| US08639626B2 |
Encrypted e-commerce product
A system for conducting a financial transaction in e-commerce on the internet includes objects prepared by a seller and a buyer. The seller's object includes a clear text header file (advertisement), an encrypted overhead file which contains verification data pertaining to the financial transaction, and an encrypted content file containing the subject matter for sale by the seller. With a purchase solicitation from the buyer, an overhead key can be used by a transaction agency to ensure there is a compliance between the purchase solicitation and the verification data of the overhead (from seller's object). Next a revelation key is provided to give the buyer access to the content when such compliance has been ensured. |
| US08639621B1 |
System and method for a mobile wallet
A computer-implemented method includes capturing an image by a mobile computing device and determining a geographic location and a direction of the mobile computing device while capturing the image. The method includes generating a display that includes the image and that identifies the locations of merchants that have at least one offer available for a user of the mobile device based on the geographic location and the direction of the mobile computing device and generating the at least one offer based on the past transactions of the user. |
| US08639619B1 |
Secure payment method and system
Representative embodiments of a server-based method of facilitating payment by a user registered with the server include, at the server, generating and storing, for the user, a code readable by a merchant device, transmitting the code to a mobile device of the user, facilitating provision of information characterizing a payment instrument from the user to a payment-processing entity without storing the data at the server, receiving, from the payment-processing entity, a token indicative of the payment instrument but not encoding data that would enable use of the instrument, associating the token with the user, receiving, from a merchant, the code and a payment amount, matching the received code to the user and retrieving the token associated with the user, and providing the token and the payment amount to the payment-processing entity to facilitate completion of a transaction between the user and the merchant. |
| US08639618B2 |
System and method of detecting and assessing multiple types of risks related to mortgage lending
Embodiments include systems and methods of detecting and assessing multiple types of risks related to mortgage lending. One embodiment includes a system and method of detecting and assessing risks including fraud risks, early payment default risks, and risks related to fraudulently stated income on loan applications. One embodiment includes a computerized method that includes creating a combined risk detection model based on a plurality of risk detection models and using the combined risk detection model to evaluate loan application data and generate a combined risk score that takes into account interaction of different types of risks individually and collectively detected by the plurality of risk detection models. |
| US08639617B2 |
System and method for forecasting frequencies associated to future loss and for related automated operation of loss resolving units
Forecasting frequencies associated with future loss and loss distributions for individual risks associated with operating units, each which have a measurable liability exposure, is accomplished via independently operated liability risk drivers. The frequencies associated with future loss and loss distributions are also forecasted for an automated operation of a loss resolving unit via a control unit controller. When a loss occurs at a loss unit, measure parameters are measured and transmitted to the control unit controller. The control unit controller dynamically assigns the measure parameters to the liability risk drivers and tunes the operation of the loss resolving unit by resolving the loss via the loss resolving unit. |
| US08639615B1 |
Population of application
Methods and systems for populating an application are described. Data for an application is accessed, including transactional data associated with a user from a computerized database in a system. Systems and methods operate to automatically populate a financial application data structure in a computer using the transactional data stored in the computerized database. In an example, these systems and methods operate to determine a lending decision by the institution on the transactional data without purchasing a third party credit score. In an example, a financial notification is triggered using the automatically populated financial application data structure. |
| US08639608B1 |
Automated stock transactions regarding athletes transitioning between competitive levels
Performing automated stock transactions regarding athletes transitioning between completive levels may be accomplished by a variety of systems, processes, and computer program products. In particular implementations, prices for stock associated with athletes may be determined based on the athletes' projected salaries at the next competitive level. These prices may be used to sell the stocks to contestants. Additionally, revised stock prices may be determined based on the sale of stocks to contestants, and an auction function may allow contestants to exchange stocks. A final stock price for each stock may be determined based on the athletes' salaries at the next competitive level. |
| US08639601B2 |
Calendar spread futures
A calendar spread futures contract is a forward contract on the intermonth spread of futures contracts. The calendar spread futures contract can be independently traded and accounted for independent of the traditional roll periods of the complementary futures contracts. An open interest holder can hedge against price volatility in the related futures contracts that may occur prior to or during the roll period. In other words, the calendar spread futures contract locks in the current spread between the front-month contract and the first-deferred contract. Buying a calendar spread futures control is equivalent to buying the spread difference between the expiring contract and the second expiry. Selling a calendar spread futures contract is equivalent to selling the spread difference between the expiring contract and the second expiry. |
| US08639600B2 |
Mobile payer authentication
An address of a computing device for conducting a transaction with a merchant on an account of an account holder is used to obtain display attributes of the computing device. An authentication request is formatted using the obtained display attributes of the computing device. The formatted authentication request is sent for delivery to the logical address of the computing device. In response to the formatted authentication request, authentication information for the account holder is received from the logical address of the computing device. A validation attempt is performed on the received authentication information for the account holder. If the received authentication information for the account holder was successfully validated by the performance of the validation attempt, the authentication response is transmitted for delivery to a logical address for the merchant. |
| US08639597B2 |
Verification method and system
Systems and methods for verifying and monitoring employees are provided. Employees call-in to the system at scheduled times. If an employee misses a scheduled call-in, an alert can be generated. An employer notification process can generate the alert, notifying a supervisor of the employee's missed call. The alert can include the employee's name, the location of the employee, and the time he/she was supposed to call. Such systems and methods can be used to verify that a worker is at the proper location at the proper time and awake and alert during the entire time period that he/she is supposed to be working. |
| US08639595B1 |
Statistically cost-following accounting model for dedicated resources
Techniques, including systems and methods, for virtual resource cost tracking account for unused capacity of implementation resources that is dedicated to particular customers and, as a result, is unusable for maintaining virtual resources for other customers. Customers requesting dedicated use of implementation resources are charged in a manner that compensates the virtual resource provider for the lost ability to use unused capacity of implementation resources to serve other customers. Customer charges may be determined by a pricing function that is calculated such that, for a base of customers, expected revenue from the base of customers approximates a revenue goal. The revenue goal may be determined based on revenue that would have been expected had the unused capacity of the dedicated implementation resources been available for serving other customers. |
| US08639586B2 |
Inventory sales system and method
A computer system and method of facilitating a sale which permits inventory information to be used in connection with a technology enabled selling (TES) system to facilitate a sale. The inventory information may be used during configuration of an item to be sold to a customer in a manner which allows the sales representative to more easily sell items from inventory if desired. |
| US08639583B2 |
System and method for the distribution of software products
A system and method for selling software products over a network. The system includes a server computer with access to software products. The system is configured to allow a user to purchase a subscription for the periodic acquisition of selected software products. In one embodiment, as part of the subscription, the user pays an amount during selected billing intervals. In return, the system issues to the user a number of credits for downloading at no additional charge at least one of the software products during a credit interval, which may be equal in length to the billing interval. In one embodiment, the system debits a number of credits in response to fulfilling a user's purchase request. The system may be also configured to deduct credits that are not used within selected credit intervals. |
| US08639582B1 |
Controlling access to services via usage models
Techniques are described for facilitating interactions between computing systems, such as in accordance with usage models that are configured for available services by the providers of the services. In some situations, the services are Web services, and an electronic Web service (“WS”) marketplace is provided via which third-party WS providers make their WSes available to third-party WS consumers who purchase access to those WSes via the electronic marketplace based on configured usage models selected by the consumers. Some or all of the one or more usage models configured for an available WS may each have associated use prices and/or non-price use conditions, and if so access to those WSes using those usage models may be provided only if a consumer requesting access provides appropriate payment and otherwise satisfies the specified use conditions for a selected usage model. |
| US08639581B1 |
Pricing for foreign marketplaces
Disclosed are various embodiments for adjusting prices of items in foreign marketplaces based on fluctuations in currency exchange rates. A deviation from a return sought by a merchant for an item offered in an electronic marketplace is determined. The deviation results from a change in an exchange rate between a first currency employed by the merchant and a second currency employed by the electronic marketplace. It is determined whether the deviation from the return meets a threshold. One or more actions in response to the deviation are implemented when the deviation from the return meets the threshold. |
| US08639575B2 |
Audience segment estimation
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for estimating segments from key values for advertising impressions. |
| US08639569B2 |
Information processing using a point system based on usage history and associated data creation
A use history that at least associates a use subject identifier for identifying a user or a terminal device a user has used with a used item identifier, which is an item identifier for identifying an item used by a user, based on use information is stored in a use history storage section. Based on the use history, a degree of similarity between two item identifiers is calculated and using the degree of similarity, associated data causing a base item identifier, which is an item identifier of a base item, and an associated item identifier, which is an item identifier of an associated item similar to the base item to correspond to each other is created. A change value to change a point value managed for each use subject identifier is calculated. |
| US08639565B2 |
Advertisement space auction method, apparatus and storage medium
An advertisement space auction apparatus enabling for a more strategic and open auction transaction to be realized is provided. The advertisement space auction apparatus using a network, comprising a memory storing advertisement space information and being accessible by a plurality of entities connected to the network, a bid data communication unit receiving a bid data submitted via the network from at least one of the plurality of entities, the bid data corresponding to the advertisement space information stored in the memory; and a winning bidder determination unit determining a winning bidder of an advertisement space designated by the advertisement space information, on the basis of the bid data received by the bid data communication unit. |
| US08639564B2 |
Advertisement campaign system using socially collaborative filtering
In one embodiment, a method comprises identifying, in a network, user selection preferences of an identified user having accessed the network, the identifying based on an accumulation of user selection inputs executed by the identified user, the user selection inputs accumulated relative to input options presented to the user and identifying respective available network items; classifying, by an apparatus in the network, the identified user into one of multiple user affinity categories relative to an advertisement campaign for a targeted product, the classifying based on determining whether one of the user selection inputs represents a view gesture of the user having viewed the targeted product; and selecting an advertisement asset for delivery to the identified user based on the classifying of the identified user into the one user affinity category. |
| US08639563B2 |
Generating customized marketing messages at a customer level using current events data
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for generating customized marketing messages using current events data. In one embodiment, external marketing data is received from a set of sources to form the current events data. The current events data is processed to form dynamic data. A customized marketing message is generated for the customer using the dynamic data. |
| US08639561B2 |
Determining an option for decommissioning or consolidating software
Embodiments include a computer system, method and program product for managing a software program installed on a computer hardware system, the software program subject to a software license. A retrieval of data is performed in which the data indicates actual usage of the software program and the computer hardware system, and processor power of the computer hardware system. In addition, a retrieval of licensing data from the software license is performed in which the licensing data indicates a permitted number of or fee for installations of the software program and a permitted amount of or fee for processor power of the computer hardware system in which the software program is installed. Whether to decommission a copy of the software program based on the data indicating actual usage, the licensing data, a projected amount of future usage of the software program, and criticality of the software program is determined and reported. |
| US08639560B2 |
Brand analysis using interactions with search result items
Embodiments of the invention relate to performing brand analysis based on user's interactions with search results. In one embodiment, at least one search result list is analyzed. The search result includes a set of items corresponding to at least one search request submitted by at least one user. The set of items in the at least one search result list is determined to include at least one item corresponding to a brand analysis target item, and at least one other item. A selection by the at least one user of one of the brand analysis target item and the other item from the at least one search result list is recorded for the at least one search result list. A brand analysis metric is generated based on the recording. The brand analysis metric indicates a ratio of selections between the brand analysis target item and the other item. |
| US08639559B2 |
Brand analysis using interactions with search result items
Embodiments of the invention relate to performing brand analysis based on user's interactions with search results. In one embodiment, at least one search result list is analyzed. The search result includes a set of items corresponding to at least one search request submitted by at least one user. The set of items in the at least one search result list is determined to include at least one item corresponding to a brand analysis target item, and at least one other item. A selection by the at least one user of one of the brand analysis target item and the other item from the at least one search result list is recorded for the at least one search result list. A brand analysis metric is generated based on the recording. The brand analysis metric indicates a ratio of selections between the brand analysis target item and the other item. |
| US08639558B2 |
Providing markdown item pricing and promotion calendar
An apparatus for providing relative optimized pricing for markdown items is provided. A financial engine for determining revenue for determining sales costs is provided. An optimization engine receiving input from the financial engine and uses the determined sales costs to provide relative optimized pricing for markdown items and provides pricing and a promotion calendar for non-markdown items. |
| US08639557B2 |
Method and system for collecting and analyzing market data in a mobile communications system
A method and a system for measuring market data in a mobile communications system. The method and system may be used to obtain data such as growth, churn rate, and other measurable metrics of mobile communications device subscribers. The method includes selecting a sample of contact numbers, using one or more contacting or querying methodologies to assess the state of the contact numbers, and analyzing the results to determine the market data. |
| US08639555B1 |
Workflow discovery through user action monitoring
Disclosed are various embodiments for discovering workflows through analysis of user actions. Workflow descriptions are entered by multiple users over a period of time as the users perform user actions. Each workflow description includes a sequence of user action descriptions. One or more candidate workflows are determined by identifying repeated patterns among the workflow descriptions. |
| US08639554B2 |
Prescription management system
An imaging and workflow method, system, computer readable medium and user interface for processing information efficiently for the processing of medical prescription orders. The system includes support for document scanning, automated rules-based order processing, statistical reporting, document generation and document storage and retrieval. The present invention takes advantage of imaging technology to assist the user in scanning information into the system and software modules to improve the processing of orders. The present invention also includes database tables that identify to application processing logic the types and sequences of actions to be implemented for orders. |
| US08639551B1 |
Method and system for workforce related resource planning
A method and system of workforce related resource planning is disclosed. The method includes receiving workforce related resource data wherein the workforce related resource data includes demand data and supply data, disaggregating the demand data and the supply data and creating a probability distribution of a workforce gap between the demand data and supply data to quantify risk associated with workforce related resource planning. |
| US08639544B1 |
Identifying potentially unfair practices in content and serving relevant advertisements
Identifying potentially unfair practices in content and serving relevant advertisements is described. In one embodiment, identifying potentially unfair practices includes determining whether content includes at least one advertisement, determining a product or service associated with the advertisement, assigning a product risk score, analyzing the advertisement for at least one issue item, and assigning an issue risk score. Identifying potentially unfair practices may further include producing an overall risk analysis and transmitting an instruction to display an indicator of the overall risk analysis. Identifying potentially unfair practices may also include identifying one or more relevant advertisements for display. In one embodiment, serving relevant advertisements includes receiving a search request including one or more words or phrases, identifying one or more relevant advertisements stored in an advertisement database, transmitting an instruction to display the identified relevant advertisements, and analyzing one of the identified relevant advertisements. |
| US08639533B2 |
Point of service transaction management for service facilities
The present invention enables the collection by credit/debit card payment of customer co-pay and self-pay charges via an integrated point-of-service transaction management system and method. The system and method of the present invention may assist health care facilities in the collection of co-pay and self-pay charges at the time service is rendered. The present invention can be implemented anywhere cash, checks, credit cards or debit cards are accepted for payment. |
| US08639527B2 |
Validated healthcare cleaning and sanitizing practices
A validated healthcare facility cleaning and sanitizing system provides a comprehensive and systematic approach to cleaning and sanitizing practices at a hospital or other healthcare facility. The validated hospital cleaning system identifies hospital vectors of contamination; that is, sources through which hospital acquired infections (HAIs) may be spread. The validated system defines a plurality of modules within a healthcare facility, each having an associated cleaning process map designed to meet the particular cleaning and/or sanitizing needs and challenges faced by that module. Various stages of the cleaning process map include validation points, at which certain parameters designed to ensure proper cleaning and/or sanitizing of the module are verified. |
| US08639526B2 |
System and method for diagnosis and early treatment adoption for asymptomatic disease
Systems and methods are provided for diagnosis of and early treatment adoption for asymptomatic diseases. In one embodiment, an examination system is provided including an input device for entering patient data, a computer including a medium for storing entered data, and a feedback module for providing feedback to an examined patient based on the data entered. A method of using the examination system is also provided in which feedback is provided directly to the patient concurrently with the measurement or other acquisition of a significant data point. Feedback is also provided at the conclusion of the examination in the form of a report, treatment plan, or customized educational materials. In a further embodiment, the patient is an active participant in the examination, recording data points themselves via the input device. |
| US08639524B2 |
System for intelligent medical device network
The system organizes a network of intelligent medical devices (iMDs) for diagnostic and therapeutic functions. The iMD network uses distributed computing functionality to share logic and memory operations. The system uses wires and tubes to connect (a) iMDs between each other, (b) iMDs and sensor probes and (c) internal iMDs and external devices, including computers. The ability to network the iMDs expands the functionality between the iMDs. The iMDs share specialized functions, and multitask, to solve complex medical problems. |
| US08639523B1 |
Systems and methods for managing a prescription rewards program
Systems and methods for managing a prescription rewards program include receiving, at a switch, an adjudicated prescription claim transaction, where the adjudicated prescription claim transaction includes an indication that the prescription claim transaction has been approved by a claim processor. The systems and methods further include identifying, from the adjudicated prescription claim transaction, a patient associated with the adjudicated prescription claim transaction, retrieving, from a database associated with the switch, a reward accumulator value associated with the patient, and updating the reward accumulator value associated with the patient based at least in part on the adjudicated prescription claim transaction. The systems and methods may further include determining that a threshold value has been satisfied by the reward accumulator value, and issuing a reward message based at least in part on the reward accumulator satisfying the threshold value. |
| US08639522B2 |
Consistency modeling of healthcare claims to detect fraud and abuse
Transaction-based behavioral profiling, whereby the entity to be profiled is represented by a stream of transactions, is required in a variety of data mining and predictive modeling applications. An approach is described for assessing inconsistency in the activity of an entity, as a way of detecting fraud and abuse, using service-code information available on each transaction. Inconsistency is based on the concept that certain service-codes naturally co-occur more than do others. An assessment is made of activity consistency looking at the overall activity of an individual entity, as well as looking at the interaction of entities. Several approaches for measuring consistency are provided, including one inspired by latent semantic analysis as used in text analysis. While the description is in the context of fraud detection in healthcare, the techniques are relevant to application in other industries and for purposes other than fraud detection. |
| US08639519B2 |
Method and apparatus for selective signal coding based on core encoder performance
In a selective signal encoder, an input signal is first encoded using a core layer encoder to produce a core layer encoded signal. The core layer encoded signal is decoded to produce a reconstructed signal and an error signal is generated as the difference between the reconstructed signal and the input signal. The reconstructed signal is compared to the input signal. One of two or more enhancement layer encoders selected dependent upon the comparison and used to encode the error signal. The core layer encoded signal, the enhancement layer encoded signal and the selection indicator are output to the channel (for transmission or storage, for example). |
| US08639518B2 |
Information retrieving apparatus, information retrieving method, and computer program product
According to an embodiment, an information retrieving apparatus includes a housing; an input-output unit to perform dialogue processing with a user; a first detecting unit to detect means of transfer which indicates present means of transfer for the user; a second detecting unit to detect a holding status which indicates whether the user is holding the housing; a third detecting unit to detect a talking posture which indicates whether the housing is held near the face of the user; a selecting unit to select, from among a plurality of interaction modes that establish the dialogue processing, an interaction mode according to a combination of the means of transfer, the holding status, and the talking posture; an dialogue manager to control the dialogue processing according to the selected interaction mode; and a information retrieval unit to retrieve information using a keyword that is input during the dialogue processing. |
| US08639516B2 |
User-specific noise suppression for voice quality improvements
Systems, methods, and devices for user-specific noise suppression are provided. For example, when a voice-related feature of an electronic device is in use, the electronic device may receive an audio signal that includes a user voice. Since noise, such as ambient sounds, also may be received by the electronic device at this time, the electronic device may suppress such noise in the audio signal. In particular, the electronic device may suppress the noise in the audio signal while substantially preserving the user voice via user-specific noise suppression parameters. These user-specific noise suppression parameters may be based at least in part on a user noise suppression preference or a user voice profile, or a combination thereof. |
| US08639508B2 |
User-specific confidence thresholds for speech recognition
A method of automatic speech recognition includes receiving an utterance from a user via a microphone that converts the utterance into a speech signal, pre-processing the speech signal using a processor to extract acoustic data from the received speech signal, and identifying at least one user-specific characteristic in response to the extracted acoustic data. The method also includes determining a user-specific confidence threshold responsive to the at least one user-specific characteristic, and using the user-specific confidence threshold to recognize the utterance received from the user and/or to assess confusability of the utterance with stored vocabulary. |
| US08639507B2 |
Voice recognition system, voice recognition method, and program for voice recognition
The present invention enables the recognition process at high speed even when a lot of garbage is included in the grammar. The first voice recognition processing unit generates a recognition hypothesis graph which indicates a structure of hypothesis that is derived according to a first grammar together with a score associated with respective connections of a recognition unit by executing a voice recognition process based on the first grammar to a voice feature amount of input voice, and the second voice recognition processing unit outputs the recognition result from a total score of a hypothesis which is derived according to a second grammar after executing a voice recognition process according to the second grammar that is specified to accept a section other than keywords in input voice as the garbage section to a voice feature amount of input voice, and the second voice recognition processing unit acquires the structure and the score of the garbage section from the recognition hypothesis graph. |
| US08639506B2 |
Fast partial pattern matching system and method
Method, system and computer program for determining the matching between a first and a second sampled signals using an improved Dynamic Time Warping algorithm, called Unbounded DTW. It uses a dynamic programming algorithm to find exact start-end alignment points, unknown a priori, being the initial subsampling of the similarity matrix made via definition of optimal synchronization points, allowing a very fast process. |
| US08639504B2 |
Speech encoding utilizing independent manipulation of signal and noise spectrum
Some embodiments describe methods, programs, and systems for speech encoding. Among other things, a received input signal representing a property of speech is quantized to generate a quantized output signal. Prior to the quantization, a version of the input signal is supplied to a first noise shaping filter having a first set of filter coefficients effective to generate a first filtered signal. Following the quantization, the quantized output signal is supplied to a second noise shaping filter having a second set of filter coefficients, thus generating a second filtered signal. A noise shaping operation is performed to control a frequency spectrum of a noise effect in the quantized output signal caused by the quantization, wherein the noise shaping operation is based on both the first and second filtered signals. Finally, the quantized output signal is transmitted in an encoded signal. |
| US08639502B1 |
Speaker model-based speech enhancement system
A speech enhancement method (and concomitant computer-readable medium comprising computer software encoded thereon) comprising receiving samples of a user's speech, determining mel-frequency cepstral coefficients of the samples, constructing a Gaussian mixture model of the coefficients, receiving speech from a noisy environment, determining mel-frequency cepstral coefficients of the noisy speech, estimating mel-frequency cepstral coefficients of clean speech from the mel-frequency cepstral coefficients of the noisy speech and from the Gaussian mixture model, and outputting a time-domain waveform of enhanced speech computed from the estimated mel-frequency cepstral coefficients. |
| US08639501B2 |
Method and arrangement for enhancing spatial audio signals
In a method of enhancing spatial audio signals, receiving (S10) an ACELP coded signal comprising a plurality of blocks. For each received block estimating (S20) a signal type based on at least one of the received signal and a set of decoder parameters, estimating (S30) a pitch frequency based on at least one of the received signal and the set of decoder parameters, and determining (S40) filtering parameters based on at least one of the estimated signal type and the estimated pitch frequency. Finally, high pass filtering (S50) the received signal based on the determined filter parameters to provide a high pass filtered output signal. |
| US08639498B2 |
Apparatus and method for coding and decoding multi object audio signal with multi channel
Provided are an apparatus and method for coding and decoding a multi object audio signal with multi channel. The apparatus includes: a multi channel encoding means for down-mixing an audio signal including a plurality of channels, generating a spatial cue for the audio signal including the plurality of channels, and generating first rendering information including the generated spatial cue; and a multi object encoding unit for down-mixing an audio signal including a plurality of objects, which includes the down-mixed signal from the multi channel encoding unit, generating a spatial cue for the audio signal including the plurality of objects, and generating second rendering information including the generated spatial cue, wherein the multichannel encoding unit generates a spatial cue for the audio signal including the plurality of objects regardless of a Coder-DECoder (CODEC) scheme the limits the multi channel encoding unit. |
| US08639497B2 |
Natural language processing (‘NLP’)
Natural language processing (‘NLP’) including: receiving text specifying predetermined evidence; receiving a text passage to process, the text passage including conditions and logical operators, the text passage comprising criteria for evidence; decomposing the text passage into coarse grained text fragments, including grouping text segments in dependence upon the logical operators; analyzing each coarse grained text fragment to identify conditions; evaluating each identified condition in accordance with the predetermined evidence and predefined condition evaluation rules; evaluating each coarse grained text fragment in dependence upon the condition evaluations and the logical operators; and calculating, in dependence upon the evaluations of each text fragment, a truth value indicating a degree to which the evidence meets the criteria of the text passage. |
| US08639493B2 |
Probabilistic natural language processing using a likelihood vector
A method for natural language processing on a computing device is described. The computing device receives a free text document. The computing device parses the free text document for gross structure. The gross structure includes sections, paragraphs and sentences. The computing device determines an application of at least one knowledge base. The free text document is parsed for fine structure on the computing device. The fine structure includes sub-sentences. The computing device applies the parsed document and at least one likelihood vector to a Bayesian network. The computing device outputs meanings and probabilities. |
| US08639489B2 |
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. |
| US08639488B2 |
Ultrasonic modelling
A method of producing a temperature model of a surface of an object using ultrasonic transducers comprises the steps of iteratively adjusting a temperature model by using measured travel times of ultrasonic waves and their predictions model-based. The ultrasonic waves used for producing the temperature model are preferably substantially non-dispersive ultrasonic waves. The method may further involve a height model of the surface, which height model is produced using substantially dispersive ultrasonic waves and is corrected by using the temperature model. |
| US08639483B1 |
Computer modeling software for analysis of the criticality of elements in a water distribution system
A method and system for performing a criticality analysis of a water distribution network is provided. The method and system provides for segmentation of the system which allows a user to determine the set of elements that comprise segments, which in turn are the smallest portion of a water distribution system that can be isolated by valving. Isolating valves are included as elements in the set of elements that are used by an associated hydraulic solver engine to segment the water distribution network. Once the network has been segmented, a criticality analysis is performed whereby a hydraulic simulation is run for an outage of one or more segments, and the shortfall in demand supplied to other segments is calculated. The system provides for a linking of the ability to automatically identify segments with a hydraulic analysis model to enable a user not only to identify segments, but to rank their importance based on a variety of user defined metrics. |
| US08639478B2 |
Method for designing distributing frame
A method for designing a distributing frame and a computer readable medium having computer instructions thereon for causing a computer to perform the method. The distributing frame may include a first distribution portion having a first series of verticals, and a first series of horizontal shelves; a second distribution portion having a second series of verticals, and a second series of horizontal shelves, the second distribution portion being disposed generally parallel to and spaced apart from the first distribution portion; and at least one horizontal bridge between the first distribution portion and the second distribution portion to support interconnections between a shelf of the first distribution portion and a shelf of the second distribution portion. A portion of a first face of a portion of the shelves can be used for terminal blocks for connecting outside connector cables to the interconnections. |
| US08639477B2 |
Reconstruction of non-visible part of tooth
A computer-implemented method for modeling a complete tooth of a patient to facilitate dental and/or orthodontic treatment. The method includes generating a first set of digital data representing a clinical crown; generating a second set of digital data representing a plurality of digital tooth models of a particular tooth type each having a first parameterization; processing the second set of digital data to obtain a third set of digital data representing an average tooth model of the particular tooth type having a second parameterization which is less than the first parameterization; fitting the third set of digital data to the first set of digital data to create a set of digital data representing an interim tooth model; and morphing the set of digital data representing the interim tooth model to substantially mimic the anatomical shape of the clinical crown of the first set of digital data. |
| US08639473B2 |
Power control system
A system and method for controlling performance and/or power based on monitored performance characteristics. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise an integrated circuit comprising a first circuit module that receives electrical power. A second circuit module may monitor one or more performance characteristics of the first circuit module and/or the integrated circuit. A third circuit module may, for example, determine power control information based at least in part on the monitored performance characteristic(s). The power control information may be communicated to power supply circuitry to control various characteristics of the electrical power. Various aspects of the present invention may also comprise an integrated circuit comprising a first module that monitors at least one performance characteristic of a first electrical device. The integrated circuit may also comprise modules that determine power control information based on the monitored performance characteristic(s) and communicate such power control information to power supply circuitry. |
| US08639470B2 |
Digital cumulative spectrum analysis apparatus and method for direction finding and location
A digital spectrum analysis apparatus and method for direction finding (DF) and location is provided. The digital spectrum analysis apparatus for single-channel direction finding includes: a digital processing unit configured to receive a signal, convert the received signal into a digital signal, reduce a sampling rate of the digital signal by using a digital down converter (DDC), and convert the digital signal into a baseband complex signal; a spectrum processing unit configured to map a bearing and a power level of the baseband complex signal into coordinate system, and allocate different colors to the power levels depending on the accumulation ratio of the power levels; and a display unit configured to display the power levels with colors in order to estimate the bearing of the signal. |
| US08639467B2 |
Measuring system for determining a value of a physical or chemical, measured variable of a medium and method for operation of the measuring system
A measuring system for determining a value of a physical or chemical, measured variable of a medium, includes: a base unit; at least one relay unit connected with the base unit and a sensor unit connected with the relay unit. The sensor unit includes a circuit having at least one microcontroller, at least a first memory region, and a second memory region. The upload software is embodied, in interaction with the microcontroller, to perform an updating of the basic software with at least one software module provided from the base unit. The relay unit includes a circuit having at least one microcontroller, and at least a first memory region, in which a basic software of the relay unit is stored. The circuit of the relay unit further includes a second memory region, in which an upload software of the relay unit is stored. |
| US08639464B2 |
Flow meter diagnostic processing
Apparatus and associated systems and methods relate to automated learning of a baseline differential pressure (dP) characteristic to monitor the performance of a field-installed gas flow meter by comparing on-line dP measurements to the learned baseline dP characteristic. In an exemplary embodiment, a first baseline dP characteristic may be learned in a first mode over a first predetermined period of time according to a first set of learning criteria, and a second baseline dP characteristic may be learned in a second mode over a second predetermined period of time according to a second set of learning criteria. The first period of time may be substantially shorter than the second period of time. The first set of criteria may be substantially more relaxed than the second set of criteria. During the second mode, meter performance degradation may be diagnosed by comparing measured dP against the first baseline dP characteristic. |
| US08639460B2 |
Apparatus for estimating open circuit voltage of battery, apparatus for estimating state of charge of battery, and method for controlling the same
An apparatus for estimating an OCV of a battery includes a voltage sensing unit for measuring a battery output voltage; a temperature sensing unit for measuring a battery temperature; a data storing unit for periodically receiving the battery output voltage and temperature data from the sensing units and storing the data in a memory; an OCV variation estimating unit for calculating an OCV variation from a varying pattern of battery output voltages measured in the past and at the present, stored in the memory, by applying a mathematical model defining a correlation between the varying pattern and the OCV variation, and estimating an OCV at a current stage by reflecting a correction factor corresponding to the battery temperature on the calculated OCV variation; and an OCV estimating unit for estimating an OCV at the current stage by reflecting the estimated OCV variation on the OCV estimated at a last stage. |
| US08639454B2 |
Method of efficacy anticipation and failure examination for an apparatus
A method of efficacy anticipation and failure examination for an apparatus is disclosed. The method first establishes an anticipation model, and then trains the anticipation model by calibrating the same using errors obtained between a realistic data and an anticipated data, so as to use the calibrated anticipation model to estimate the performance efficacy of an apparatus or any component in the apparatus, and also to acknowledge if there is any abnormality occurred during the operation of the apparatus or the component. |
| US08639453B2 |
Structural health monitoring system having integrated power supply
A self-sufficient structural health monitoring system that can monitor a structure without need for external power input. Embodiments of the invention provide a structural health monitoring system with a power supply integrated within, so that the system relies on itself for operational power. Systems with such an on-board electrical power source, independent of an external power source (and in particular, independent of the power system(s) of the structure being monitored), are much more self-contained and self-sufficient. |
| US08639450B2 |
Systems and methods for automated analysis of cells and tissues
Systems and methods for rapidly analyzing cell containing samples, for example to identify morphology or to localize and quantitate biomarkers are disclosed. |
| US08639446B1 |
Technique for identifying association variables
An apparatus, and related method, for identifying one or more association variables that are associated with a trait are described. During the method, the apparatus may calculate statistical relationships corresponding to a pattern of occurrence of the trait in a group of life forms and patterns of occurrence of compound variables in a set of biological variables of the group of life forms. Then, the apparatus may determine a ranking of a number of occurrences of biological variables in at least a subset of the compound variables that have statistical relationships greater than a statistical confidence value. Next, the apparatus may identify one or more of the biological variables in the set of biological variables as the one or more association variables based on the ranking. |
| US08639445B2 |
Identification of related residues in biomolecular sequences by multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis
Data clustering is described for determining related components of the data. In one example, information on biomolecules may be clustered into groups in which the biomolecular data in a clustered group may indicate data that shares a relationship. For example, monomers of a protein molecule or a nucleic acid molecule may be mapped to an evolutionary or phylogenetic tree. Candidate groupings of the information may be obtained based on evolutionary relationships among sequences corresponding to the molecules. |
| US08639443B2 |
Microseismic event monitoring technical field
A microseismic monitoring system includes a seismic sensor positioned proximate to a wellbore traversing a formation; an orientation source producing an orientation shot; a hydraulic apparatus operationally connected with the formation to produce a fracture in the formation; a computer control system operationally connected with a database of known spectral attributes for event categories; and a computer readable medium that carries instructions executable by the computer control system that, when executed: receive data from the seismic sensor; select an event of interest from the data received; determine a spectral estimate of the selected event of interest; compare the determined spectral estimate of the selected event of interest to the known spectral estimates; and select from the data received by the seismic source the orientation shot for orientation of the seismic sensor. |
| US08639437B2 |
Computationally efficient intersection collision avoidance system
The present invention discloses a back-propagating intersection collision avoidance (ICA) system for preventing two or more vehicles from colliding at an intersection. The ICA system can calculate predicted positions of the two or more vehicles in the near future, and both the current and future positions can be broadcast to surrounding vehicles using vehicle-to-vehicle communication. For each vehicle, a set of states, for example position, speed, acceleration, and the like, where a collision is imminent can be identified using state information for a local vehicle, a remote vehicle, and a known collision zone for the intersection. If the current states of the vehicles are determined to be in danger of entering the collision zone, the ICA system can control the vehicles to perform evasive driving maneuvers and/or alert the drivers. |
| US08639433B2 |
Method for supporting the driver of a road-bound vehicle in guiding the vehicle
To support a driver in guiding a road vehicle, the lane markings of the road, traffic signs and/or vehicle license plates are detected by an environment sensor system, which produces corresponding image data, which is evaluated by an image evaluation system by comparison to stored country-specific data. From that evaluation, at least one country estimation signal is generated in an image processor, and then a country signal indicating the current location of the vehicle is generated from the at least one country estimation signal by a microprocessor. The country signal correspondingly activates a driver information device outputting country-specific information for guidance of the vehicle and/or the country signal is fed to a driver assistance system that supports the guidance of the vehicle. |
| US08639422B2 |
Cooling system for hybrid working machine
When temperature is low, a low-temperature mode is selected, followed by the activation of the heating mode functionality 25a of a PCU 25. Specifically, the PCU 25 sets the ratio of energy recovered by a capacitor 23 to be equal to or greater than the largest value of the energy recovery ratios of the capacitor 23 in a normal mode (e.g., assist motor 22:capacitor 23=2:8). Thus, more energy is stored on the capacitor 23 than in the normal mode, helping the capacitor 23 generates heat. As a result, the liquid temperature of the coolant is increased, and its viscosity is reduced accordingly. As above, the invention provides a simple cooling system to be mounted on a hybrid working machine, which is capable of preventing decreases in energy efficiency at low temperature. |
| US08639421B2 |
Industrial truck with an electric travel drive
Industrial truck with an electric travel drive and controls that can switch the electric travel drive to regenerative operation to brake the industrial truck, wherein an eddy current brake is provided that can be controlled or regulated by the controls during regenerative operation to brake the industrial truck, wherein the controls control or regulate the eddy current brake depending on the rpm of the electric travel drive, and wherein the controls control or regulate the eddy current brake in a manner such that the braking torque of the travel drive is supplemented at high rpms by the braking torque generated by the eddy current brake. |
| US08639414B2 |
Operation apparatus for on-board devices in automobile
An operation apparatus includes image capturing device capable of capturing images of a plurality of mark members provided in assembled members in a compartment; determining device capable of determining individually whether each of the mark members is or is not shielded on the basis of the image data taken and outputted by the image capturing device; and operation instructing device configured to output an operation command to on-board devices in accordance with a result of the determining by the determining device. Accordingly, it is easy for an operator to understand operational steps, thereby effectively preventing an erroneous operation due to the operator's misunderstanding. Furthermore, it is possible to simplify a determination logic of the operation instructing device, and also possible to easily provide a retrofitted option. |
| US08639412B2 |
Road surface friction coefficient estimating device and road surface friction coefficient estimating method
A road surface friction coefficient estimating device includes a braking/driving force detecting section for detecting the braking/driving force of a wheel during traveling, a slip ratio detecting section for detecting the slip ratio of the wheel during traveling, and a road surface μ calculating section for estimating the relationship between the detected braking/driving force and the detected slip ratio on the basis of the ratio between the detected braking/driving force and the detected slip ratio, the correlation between the braking/driving force and the slip ratio in the case of the reference road surface, and at least either the detected braking/driving force or the detected slip ratio. |
| US08639410B1 |
Systems and methods for a social network for roadside assistance
A system for facilitating assistance requests may comprise at least one subsystem that receives an assistance request from a requester, at least one subsystem that identifies a current location of the requester, and at least one subsystem that identifies members of an assistance network that are within a particular area relative to the current location of the requester. |
| US08639409B2 |
System for managing electrical power distribution between infrastructure and electric vehicles
A system for managing electrical power requirements between at least two power grids including a number of automotive vehicles each of which has an electric motor which propels the vehicle at least partly during its operation. An electric battery is contained in each vehicle as well as a wireless transmitter. A processor contained within each vehicle communicates with the wireless transmitter to transmit information to a base station indicative of the state of charge of the battery, vehicle identification information, and vehicle destination. The base station or upstream entity processes the data from the multiple vehicles to estimate the geographic power requirements necessary to recharge the batteries and then redirects power among at least two different power grids in order to meet those geographic power requirements. |
| US08639408B2 |
High integrity coordination system for multiple off-road vehicles
The illustrative embodiments provide a method and apparatus for controlling and coordinating multiple vehicles. In one illustrative embodiment, machine behaviors are assigned to multiple vehicles performing a task. The vehicles are coordinated to perform the task using the assigned behaviors and a number of signals received from other vehicles and the environment during performance of the task. In another illustrative embodiment, a role is identified for each vehicle in a group of vehicles. A number of machine behaviors are assigned to each vehicle depending upon the identified role for the vehicle. The machine behaviors are selected from coordinating machine behaviors stored in a behavior library. Each vehicle is then coordinated to perform the task according to the role and machine behaviors assigned. |
| US08639404B2 |
Working machine
Provided is a working machine capable of decreasing a voltage of a DC busbar (DC bus) with a configuration suppressing a degradation in reliability. A hybrid type construction machine as a working machine includes: a DC bus which is connected to a rotation motor via an inverter circuit, a battery which is connected to the DC bus via a step-up/step-down converter and a switch, a controller which drives the inverter circuit and the step-up/step-down converter, a cooling liquid circulating system which includes a pump motor, and an inverter circuit which is connected to the DC bus and driving the pump motor. The controller includes a mode used for decreasing the voltage of the DC bus, and in that mode, the switch enters a disconnection state and the inverter circuit is operated to consume electricity in the pump motor. |
| US08639402B2 |
System and method for controlling wheel motor torque in an electric drive system
A system for a machine having an electric drive configuration is provided. The system includes a first motor associated with a first wheel, which provides torque to drive the first wheel, a second motor associated with a second wheel, which provides torque to drive the second wheel. The system further includes a controller configured to determine a rotational speed of the first wheel, determine a rotational speed of the second wheel, determine a steering angle of the machine, compare the rotational speeds of the first and second wheels, and adjust the torque to the first wheel if the rotational speed of the first wheel is less than the rotational speed of the second wheel. |
| US08639401B2 |
Dynamic adaptation of trigger thresholds to manage when data messages are transmitted
Systems and methods for remotely setting a value for a trigger threshold variable used by a processor unit onboard an aircraft to determine if and when a data message should be transmitted from the aircraft. The method comprises the following steps performed by a computer: (a) obtaining data representing a flight plan or flight trajectory of the aircraft and flight information; (b) obtaining data representing business considerations; (c) computing a value of the trigger threshold variable as a function of at least the flight plan or flight trajectory data and the business considerations data; and (d) constructing a trigger threshold data message containing the computed value of the trigger threshold variable. |
| US08639399B2 |
Distributed active vibration control systems and rotary wing aircraft with suppressed vibrations
A method and system is disclosed for controlling problematic vibrations in an aircraft having. The method and system have the ability to cancel problematic rotary wing helicopter vibrations using independent active force generator power and with distributed communications therebetween. |
| US08639398B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatically generating satellite operation procedure parameters
An apparatus for automatically generating satellite operation procedure (SOP) parameters is provided. The apparatus includes a parameter extraction unit configured to extract one or more SOP parameters corresponding to an SOP; a transformation formula extraction unit configured to extract a transformation formula corresponding to the extracted SOP parameters; and a calculation unit configured to calculate values of the extracted SOP parameters based on property information for performing a satellite task and the extracted transformation formula. |
| US08639397B2 |
Computation-time-optimized route planning for aircraft
A process and system for the planning a cost-minimized aircraft flight route between a starting point and end point takes into account costs associated with the flight route, no-fly zones and flight corridors, and aircraft limitations. A raster set is determined which comprises topographical points between the starting and end points, and costs associated with the respective raster points are determined. N nodes are determined for each raster point of at least one subset of the raster set, such nodes being associated with approach directions of the raster point by the aircraft. Possible take-off directions of the raster point are defined, taking into account the minimum turning radius of the aircraft, as a function of the approach direction. A cost-minimized flight route is determined by means of a shortest path algorithm, taking into account only the k most cost-effective nodes (k |
| US08639394B2 |
Dynamic optical countermeasures for ground level threats to an aircraft
Systems and methods are provided for mitigating optically aimed threats to an aircraft from the ground. A laser beam, having sufficient intensity to interfere with the vision of a human being, is projected from the aircraft over a defined scan pattern at ground level. At least one flight parameter is received. Each flight parameter represents one of a current orientation, position, and motion of the aircraft. The defined scan pattern is adjusted according to at least one flight parameter. |
| US08639392B2 |
Electric power grid control using a market-based resource allocation system
Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for distributing a resource (such as electricity) using a resource allocation system. In one exemplary embodiment, a plurality of requests for electricity are received from a plurality of end-use consumers. The requests indicate a requested quantity of electricity and a consumer-requested index value indicative of a maximum price a respective end-use consumer will pay for the requested quantity of electricity. A plurality of offers for supplying electricity are received from a plurality of resource suppliers. The offers indicate an offered quantity of electricity and a supplier-requested index value indicative of a minimum price for which a respective supplier will produce the offered quantity of electricity. A dispatched index value is computed at which electricity is to be supplied based at least in part on the consumer-requested index values and the supplier-requested index values. |
| US08639390B2 |
Integrated metrology systems and information and control apparatus for interaction with integrated metrology system
A system is disposed at a location of a utility commodity subscriber for informing the subscriber of and controlling utility commodity usage. The system includes utility meters, an information and control apparatus, and a first and second data communication link. The meters measure usage and generate usage signals. The information and control apparatus includes a microprocessor, a memory, a clock, and a user interface. The first data communication link is between the utility meters and the information and control apparatus, and the second data communication link is between the information and control apparatus and one or more central locations. The second communication link also provides rate information to the information and control apparatus and utility commodity usage data to the one or more central locations. The microprocessor computes an accumulated cost of utility commodity for a predetermined period of time. Information related to the accumulated cost is output to the subscriber. |
| US08639389B2 |
System and method for controlling voltage on a distribution feeder
A system for controlling voltage on a distribution feeder includes a plurality of capacitor banks that can be connected to or disconnected from the distribution feeder. A first bank is configured to connect to the distribution feeder when a first voltage is below a first lower threshold value and to connect to the distribution feeder when the first voltage is above a first upper threshold value. The first upper threshold and first lower threshold are determined based off an operational set point. The system further includes a sensor configured to measure the first voltage and a controller in operable communication with the plurality of capacitor banks configured to determine the operational state of the first and second capacitor banks and, based on the first voltage, send a first instruction to the first capacitor bank, the first instruction causing the capacitor bank to vary the operational set point. |
| US08639384B2 |
Systems and methods for receiving shipment parcels
Disclosed are various embodiments of systems and methods for receiving shipment parcels at materials handling facilities. A parcel receiving system has an imaging tunnel through which shipment parcels received at a materials handling facility are passed. While a shipment parcel is passing through the imaging tunnel, a camera captures at least one image of the parcel. The parcel image is electronically analyzed to discover various tracking information and to detect various types of exceptions, such as damage to the parcel or defective tracking information. In addition, the captured image is stored in order to create a visual record of the parcel at the time of reception. This record may be used in a variety of ways, such as resolving or tracking exceptions or providing feedback to the vendor or shipment carrier. In addition, the parcel image may be viewed by a user to enable the user to detect and/or resolve an exception. Thus, the overall process of receiving parcels is facilitated, and the percentage of parcels diverted to an exception bin may be decreased. |
| US08639382B1 |
Robotic induction in materials handling facilities
Methods and apparatus for robotic induction in materials handling facilities. Singulation and induction of items is performed at one or more induction stations in one or more inventory areas. Each inventory area includes a stock storage area containing storage units, each storage unit including locations for stowing inventory. Mobile robotic devices deliver particular storage units from the stock storage area to particular induction stations. At the induction stations, inductors remove single units of items from locations on the storage units (singulation) and induct the units of items into a conveyance mechanism (induction). The singulated and inducted units of items are conveyed to downstream processing station(s). The operations of the robotic devices, induction stations, conveyance mechanism, and downstream processing may be controlled and/or directed by a control system. |
| US08639377B2 |
Metrology for GST film thickness and phase
Methods of determining thickness and phase of a GST layer on a semiconductor substrate are described using intensity spectra within the infra-red range. In particular, techniques for using certain transmission at certain frequencies are disclosed for faster thickness and phase determination in an in-line or standalone metrology/monitoring system for CMP processes. |
| US08639375B2 |
Enhancing investigation of variability by inclusion of similar objects with known differences to the original ones
A system, method and/or computer program product for analyzing a functionality of at least two manufactured products obtain a first characteristic of a first manufactured product. The system acquires a second characteristic of a second manufactured product. The system identifies a common feature between the first characteristic and the second characteristic. The system identifies a distinguishable feature between the first characteristic and the second characteristic. The system determines a cause of a deviation of a functionality in the first manufactured product or the second manufactured product or both manufactured products based on the identified common feature or the identified distinguishable feature or both features. |
| US08639373B2 |
Modular low stress package technology
A method of designing a desired modular package assembly: determining the configuration and dimensions of the assembly from received user input design data, the assembly having a protective modular package cover with first and second fastening sections, subassembly receiving sections disposed between the fastening sections and having a cross member formed along the underside of the protective modular package cover and configured to receive a subassembly, and one or more subassemblies to be received by the subassembly receiving sections; determining an adhesive deposition strategy for deposition of an adhesive layer to the cross members of the subassembly receiving sections sufficient to affix the top side of the subassemblies to the cross members on the underside of the subassembly receiving sections; and incorporating the configuration and dimensions of the modular package assembly and the adhesive deposition strategy into a manufacturing assembly process configured to manufacture the modular package assembly. |
| US08639372B2 |
Automated optical lens processing system, such as a system for providing supplemental information to laboratory technicians
An electronic lens processing system receives a lens prescription and performs lens calculations to create a work ticket for manufacturing the lens. Information that the system used to create the work ticket, such as data files for lens materials and machine settings for controlling lens manufacturing equipment, are stored. The work ticket includes a form that specifies work ticket calculations and/or a graphic of the lens or lenses to be manufactured. The system displays the work ticket on an electronic screen, and a laboratory technician can select elements from the work ticket to receive supplemental information on those elements to aid in processing the lens or determining why a lens prescription is not manufacturable. |
| US08639364B2 |
Uniform synchronizing robot control and deadlock detection in uniform synchronization
Control programs for robotic systems are synchronized through the use of synchronization objects which control access to shared resources and allow for sequencing of events in separate program threads. Where necessary, partner objects generate between control programs and synchronization objects to assure uniform interaction between control program threads and synchronization objects. As all synchronization objects contain searchable partner lists, actual simulated and runtime deadlocks including any type of synchronization object can be detected, and the full system can be analyzed to identify potential deadlocks. |
| US08639363B2 |
Component control system
A system and method are provided for managing a plurality of components. The system can comprise a first component having a first operational parameter and a second component having a second operational parameter. The operational parameters of the first and second components can be modified in response to signals regarding the other one of the first and second components. Further, a component of the system can operate with a delay period during which an operational parameter of the component does not change in response to an operational parameter of the other component, but after which the operational parameter of the other component can cause a change in the operational parameter of the component. |
| US08639358B2 |
Fail-safe implantable medical electrical lead
An integrated bipolar implantable medical electrical lead, which may be employed by a cardiac defibrillator, has a single low voltage electrode and a single high voltage electrode and employs a relatively robust and fail-safe configuration of three conductors. Each of the three conductors extends within an individual lumen of a tri-lumen insulative body of the lead. First and second conductors of the three connect, in parallel, the low voltage electrode to a first contact of a connector terminal assembly of the lead, and a third conductor of the three connects the high voltage electrode to a second and a third contact of the connector terminal assembly. A configuration of the third conductor differs from that of the first and second conductors in order to make the third conductor more susceptible to fracture, relative to the first and second conductors, after many years of chronic implant under extreme loading conditions. |
| US08639355B2 |
Insulation and stability features for an implantable medical device lead
A lead assembly for an implantable medical device includes a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end. A length of the lead body extends from the proximal end to the distal end and a width of the lead body is transverse to the length. One or more electrodes are disposed proximate a distal end of the lead body. One or more insulative elements are coupled to the one or more electrodes to insulate a first portion of the one or more electrodes such that a second portion of the one or more electrodes is exposed for delivering electrical signals. The one or more insulative elements each have a width greater than the width of the lead body. |
| US08639352B2 |
Wire configuration and method of making for an implantable medical apparatus
A filar includes an inner conductive core that is formed of a low-resistivity material such as silver having a resistivity of less than 20 μΩ per centimeter. A conductive coil is provided around the core to form a filar. This coil is formed of a biocompatible alloy or super alloy having an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of between 150 kilo pounds per square inch (ksi) and 280 ksi at room temperature. Examples of such alloys include CoCrMo, CoFeCrMo, and CoFeNiCrMo. In one specific embodiment, the alloy is MP35N (CoNiCrMo), which may be low-titanium (“low-ti”) MP35N. One or more such filars may be included within a wire. This wire may be carried by an implantable medical apparatus such as a lead, lead extension, or catheter. The wire may electrically couple elements such as connector electrodes to conducting electrodes or sensors. |
| US08639351B2 |
Systems and methods for adjusting electrical therapy based on impedance changes
System and methods for adjusting electrical therapy based on impedance changes are disclosed herein. A method in accordance with a particular embodiment includes applying a therapeutic electrical signal to a patient via an implanted portion of a patient stimulation system that includes a signal delivery device in electrical communication with a target neural population of the patient. The electrical signal is delivered in accordance with a signal delivery parameter having a first value. Using the implanted portion of the patient stimulation system, a change in an impedance of an electrical circuit that includes the signal delivery device is detected. Based at least in part on the detected impedance change, the method can further include automatically adjusting the value of the signal delivery parameter from the first value to a second value different from the first, without human intervention. |
| US08639345B2 |
Device for electrostimulation
A device for electrostimulation of the eye is provided with a spectacles-like supporting frame (11) which has a nose part (12) and an arrangement (17, 18), connected to the nose part (12), for holding the supporting frame (11) on the head of the patient, wherein at least one stimulation electrode (26, 27) is arranged on the nose part (12). Furthermore, provision is made for at least two electrode holders (22, 23, 24, 25) on the nose part (12), between which electrode holders an interchangeable, wire-shaped stimulation electrode (26, 27) is clamped (FIG. 1). |
| US08639338B2 |
System and method for monitoring power source longevity of an implantable medical device
A power source longevity monitor is configured for an implantable medical device. An energy counter counts the amount of energy used by the implantable medical device. A voltage monitor monitors the voltage of the power source. A calculator predicts the power source longevity using the energy longevity estimate and the voltage longevity estimate. |
| US08639336B2 |
System and method for detecting and correcting atrial undersensing
A method for operating an implantable medical device includes delivering a plurality of pacing pulses to an atria of a patient's heart and monitoring intrinsic atrial activity to detect intrinsic atrial contractions between one or more of the plurality of pacing pulses. The method further includes detecting atrial undersensing as a function of the detection of intrinsic atrial contractions. |
| US08639335B2 |
Disabling an implanted medical device with another medical device
Various techniques for disabling a first implantable medical device (IMD) by modulation of therapeutic electrical stimulation delivered by a second medical device are described. One example method includes delivering therapeutic electrical stimulation from a more recently implanted second IMD at a higher average rate than the previously implanted first IMD so that only the more recently implanted IMD will administer therapy, and modulating stimulation by the more recently implanted IMD in order to send a disable command to the previously implanted IMD. |
| US08639334B2 |
Methods and apparatus for predicting acute response to cardiac resyncronization therapy at a given stimulation site
Response to cardiac resynchronization therapy is predicted for a given stimulation site so that an atrioventricular delay of an implantable device administering cardiac resynchronization therapy may be set to a proper amount. The first deflection of ventricular depolarization is measured, such as through a surface electrocardiogram or through an intracardiac electrogram measured by a lead positioned in the heart at the stimulation site. The maximum deflection of the ventricular depolarization is then measured by the lead positioned at the stimulation site. The interval of time between the first deflection and the maximum deflection of the ventricular depolarization is compared to a threshold to determine whether the stimulation site is a responder site. If the interval is larger than the threshold, then the site is a responder and the atrioventricular delay of the implantable device may be set to less than the intrinsic atrioventricular delay of the patient. Otherwise, the atrioventricular may be set to approximately equal the intrinsic atrioventricular delay. |
| US08639332B2 |
Method and apparatus for post-shock evaluation using tissue oxygenation measurements
A method and device for delivering therapy that includes an electrode to sense cardiac signals and to deliver a therapy, a therapy delivery module coupled to the electrode to deliver a therapy via the electrode in response to the sensed cardiac signals, a sensor emitting light and detecting emitted light scattered by a tissue volume adjacent the optical sensor to generate a corresponding detected light intensity output signal, a control module coupled to the sensor to control light emission of the sensor in response to delivering the therapy, and a controller coupled to the therapy delivery module and the sensor, the controller configured to determine tissue oxygenation measurements in response to the output signal, determine a tissue oxygenation trend in response to the tissue oxygenation measurements, and determine whether the delivered therapy restored cardiac hemodynamic function in response to the determined tissue oxygenation trend. |
| US08639331B2 |
Systems and methods for providing arrhythmia therapy in MRI environments
Systems and methods for arrhythmia therapy in MRI environments are disclosed. Various systems disclosed utilize ATP therapy rather than ventricular shocks when patients are subjected to electromagnetic fields in an MRI scanner bore and shock therapy is not available. As the patient is moved out from within the scanner bore and away from the MRI scanner, the magnetic fields diminish in strength eventually allowing a high voltage capacitor within the IMD to charge if necessary. The system may detect when the electromagnetic fields no longer interfere with the shock therapy and will transition the IMD back to a normal operational mode where shock therapy can be delivered. Then, if the arrhythmia still exists, the system will carry out all of the system's prescribed operations, including the delivery of electric shocks to treat the arrhythmia. |
| US08639328B2 |
Cardiac therapy based upon impedance signals
Methods and/or devices are disclosed herein for monitoring cardiac impedance signal and delivering therapy to a patient's heart based upon the monitored cardiac impedance. |
| US08639322B2 |
System and method for delivering myocardial and autonomic neural stimulation
Various aspects of the present subject matter provide an implantable medical device. In various embodiments, the device comprises a pulse generator, a lead, a sensor, and a controller. The pulse generator generates a baroreflex stimulation signal as part of a baroreflex therapy. The lead is adapted to be electrically connected to the pulse generator and to be intravascularly fed into a heart. The lead includes an electrode to be positioned in or proximate to the heart to deliver the baroreflex signal to a baroreceptor region in or proximate to the heart. The sensor senses a physiological parameter regarding an efficacy of the baroreflex therapy and provides a signal indicative of the efficacy. The controller is connected to the pulse generator to control the baroreflex stimulation signal and to the sensor to receive the signal indicative of the efficacy of the baroreflex therapy. Other aspects are provided herein. |
| US08639321B2 |
Subdermal material delivery device
A method may include placing a first device on a first side of a skin portion of a subject and transferring a material through the skin portion of the subject from the first device to a subdermal second device disposed on a second side of the skin portion of the subject. |
| US08639318B2 |
Advanced patient management with composite parameter indices
Systems, devices and methods for defining, identifying and utilizing composite parameter indices from health-related parameters are disclosed. One aspect is a programmable device having machine executable instructions for performing a method to assist with managing a patient's health. In various embodiments, a first set of at least two health-related parameters is acquired. A first composite parameter is generated using the first set of at least two health-related parameters. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein. |
| US08639314B2 |
Device, system and method for in-vivo imaging of a body lumen
An in-vivo device, system and a method for imaging a body lumen, typically liquid filled body lumen. The in-vivo device may have a specific gravity of about 1 or a volume to weight ratio that enables it to float. The in-vivo device may include an optical system for viewing through a body lumen liquid and another optical system for viewing through a non liquid medium. The in-vivo device may be moved through the body lumen by the liquid movement in that lumen. |
| US08639311B2 |
Sensing probe comprising multiple, spatially separate, sensing sites
A single sensing probe comprising multiple, spatially separate, sensing sites is utilized to sense neural activity. The sensing probe includes multiple conductors each with multiple sensing sites in a fixed geometric arrangement. The sensing probe is configured to comprise multiple combined sensing sites in polytrode configuration. By appropriately combining the wire groupings at each combined sensing site, activity sensed from a single wire with multiple sensing sites, can be coupled with other wires to unmix signals from the spatially separate sites and leverage the power of combinatorics to maximize total recording bandwidth and single neuron/unit yield per wire and per probe. |
| US08639300B2 |
Method and apparatus for maintaining transmit audio in a half duplex system
A method for maintaining transmit audio quality under harsh environmental conditions, the method includes receiving audio signals into a microphone of a portable communication device and determining at least one parameter associated with the received audio signals. In accordance with an embodiment, the at least one parameter is compared with a received audio parameter threshold. When the at least one parameter falls outside of the received audio parameter threshold, the audio routing is switched from the microphone to the loudspeaker. Subsequent communication may revert back to the microphone or remain at the loudspeaker depending on monitored audio conditions. |
| US08639299B2 |
Smartphone with detachable input and output (I/O) components (DIOC)
Embodiments of the present invention provide a mobile device comprising a core phone with a detachable primary device. The core phone transfers an incoming call alert to the detached primary device by synchronizing the display frame buffer of the core phone with the display frame buffer associated with the detached primary device. A plurality of remote secondary devices can be paired with the core phone on request by said secondary devices to transfer an incoming call alert to said plurality of secondary devices and establish a connection after authorization with said detached primary device. The detachable primary device is usable by pairing with the core phone when the core phone is not used directly but remains in the vicinity. Important data in the primary device is synchronized with the core phone to avoid data loss when the primary device is accidentally dropped or lost or damaged. |
| US08639298B2 |
Mobile phone and incoming alerting system
To provide a technique for informing the user of the incoming to a mobile phone through an external device such as a television, making use of an interface standardly equipped in the external device even when the power of the external device is off. The mobile phone includes a signal producing section for producing an incoming information signal containing information for informing the user of the incoming to the mobile phone in conformity to the HDMI standards when at least one of voice communication and data communication is received; and an HDMI communication section for outputting the incoming information signal to the external device to communicate with the external device capable of performing signal transmission conformed to the HDMI standards through a signal transmission medium conformed to the HDMI standards. |
| US08639297B2 |
Mobile terminal and operation control method thereof
Discussed are a mobile terminal and an operation control method thereof in which a delay time of the screen lock execution is controlled according to the user's gaze information. The mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an input unit configured to receive a user input; an execution controller configured to execute screen lock if the user input is not received for a predetermined time T1; and a change controller configured to change the predetermined time T1 based on the user's gaze information. |
| US08639296B2 |
Mobile device and an image display method thereof
According to one embodiment, a method includes: displaying an image in an orientation of an image capturing device associated with the mobile device rendered during a capture of the image; providing a user interface configured to process a user input for reorienting the image into a second orientation by displaying a thumbnail image of the image and a graphical user interface in a shape of a wheel surrounding the thumbnail image and rotating the thumbnail image to the second orientation when the user input is applied to the graphical user interface in the shape of the wheel to a degree of rotation corresponding to the second orientation; and displaying the image into the second orientation in response to the user input by reorienting the image in the second orientation when the user input applied to the graphical user interface in the shape of the wheel is released. |
| US08639295B2 |
Method for unlocking screen, mobile electronic device using the same and storage medium thereof
A method for unlocking screen, a mobile electronic device using the same and a storage medium thereof are disclosed. First, at least two signal input areas on a touch screen of the mobile electronic device are defined. When an input signal is detected within at least one signal input areas, a moving range of a trajectory produced by the input signal is calculated. And the touch screen is unlocked when the moving range reaches the predetermined value. Thus, the present invention provides a user with more virtual manner to close the screen locking function so as to promote the usage convenience of the mobile electronic device. |
| US08639287B2 |
Apparatus and methods for controlling an entertainment device using a mobile communication device
Various embodiments of apparatus and/or methods are described for remotely controlling an entertainment device using a mobile communication device. A user utilizes a mobile communication device to input information that requests manipulation of playback of content outputted for presentation by an entertainment device. The mobile communication device transmits the user input to the entertainment device, and responsive to receiving the user input, the mobile communication device manipulates playback of the video content. |
| US08639285B2 |
Command interface for outdoor broadband unit
An outdoor broadband unit implements a library of commands to communicate between a wide area network (WAN)-side Long-Term Evolution (LTE) module and a local area network (LAN)-side broadband home router within the outdoor broadband unit. The commands are used for control plane operations to facilitate LTE network sessions for individual devices within a customer premises LAN. In some cases, the commands are also used for communicating with a remote device manager. |
| US08639284B2 |
System and method providing concurrent multimode communication
A system and method providing concurrent multimode communication through multimode signal multiplexing. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise, during a first time period, transmitting a first portion of a first communication in a first communication mode in a serial wireless transmission stream. During a second time period after the first time period, a first portion of a second communication may be transmitted in a second communication mode in the serial wireless transmission stream. Also, during a third time period after the second time period, a second portion of the first communication may be transmitted in the first communication mode in the serial wireless transmission stream. In an exemplary scenario, prior to communicating various communications, transmission time may be allocated between the first and second communication modes. In another exemplary scenario, transmission may be switched between a plurality of communication modes in response to detected communication conditions. |
| US08639283B2 |
Wireless transmission system
A mobile wireless communication apparatus allows access to the internet by connecting to a public wireless communication network, based upon an internet access request from a wireless communication terminal. The apparatus performs wireless communication with the wireless communication terminal and with the public wireless communication network, and stores web pages that have been accessed in a first storage unit. When an internet access request is made, the apparatus searches the web pages stored in the first storage unit for a web page that complies with the access request, and if found, transmits the web page to the wireless communication terminal. Web pages that have a higher frequency are stored in a second storage unit and notified to an external control apparatus. |
| US08639274B2 |
Method and apparatus for enabling common channel communications of SMS
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in which 1×CSFB for communication of SMS messages in an LTE environment may be avoided. An IWS may receive a paging request message from a MSC, wherein the paging request message includes a first SMS service option indicating communication of a SMS message using a first RAT. The IWS may avoid an ESR procedure by analyzing the first SMS service option in the paging request message. Further the IWS may establish a common channel connection between the IWS and a target UE using a second RAT, wherein the first RAT and the second RAT are different. |
| US08639273B2 |
Partitioned proxy server for facilitating power conservation in wireless client terminals
A power conservation method and system are provided for conserving power in client terminals by using a partitioned proxy server. The client terminal, having low-power and high-power communication interfaces, may power down its high-power communication interface to conserve power. Prior to shutting off its high-power communication interface, the client terminal may assign a partitioned proxy server to act as its proxy. The partitioned proxy server may include remote and local paging proxies which communicate with each other over an IP network. The remote paging proxy receives paging requests from an access point or the communication network and forwards it to the local paging proxy. The local paging proxy then forwards the paging message to the client terminal via a low-power communication interface. Upon receipt of the paging message via its low-power communication interface, the client terminal may power up its high-power communication interface and directly respond to the paging message. |
| US08639272B2 |
Method of displaying a map on a phone screen
A wireless communications device includes a radiofrequency transceiver having a wireless voice channel for transmitting and receiving voice communications and a separate wireless data channel for concurrently transmitting and receiving other data. The wireless communications device also includes a memory operatively connected to a processor for processing current location data received over the data channel from another communications device with which the wireless communications device is simultaneously communicating on the voice channel. The wireless communications further includes a display for displaying a phone screen during a voice call, the phone screen presenting call-related information. A map is displayed on the phone screen during the voice call, the map presenting a location current of the other communications device based on the current location data received over the data channel. Optionally, the map can also show the current location of the wireless communications device. |
| US08639268B2 |
Location aware pre-caching and service delivery
A mobile communication network includes a media controller (MC) for tracking popularity statistics of cells of the network, a location database (LDB) connected to the MC for storing the statistics, a position monitor (PM) connected to the MC for detecting a position of subscribers within the network and at least one local cache (LC) connected to the MC and for pre-storing content to be delivered to the subscribers wherein the MC further includes a communication means for receiving content and subscriber information and for communicating portions of the received information to the PM, to the LDB and to the LC. |
| US08639262B2 |
Method and apparatus to confirm mobile equipment has remained relatively stationary using one or more pilot signal
A tracking unit operably coupled to mobile equipment is provided. The tracking unit is capable of using a pilot channel for CDMA networks, a broadcast channel for GSM networks or the like, to determine that the tracking unit has remained relatively stationary. The tracking unit determines it has remained relatively stationary by determining that it is receiving the same radio frequency signals at approximately the same strength as it previously received. |
| US08639261B2 |
Selecting receiver parameters based upon transmitting device identification via transmission characteristics
A wireless device includes at least one antenna, an RF interface, and processing circuitry coupled to the RF interface and indirectly to the at least one antenna. The wireless device identifies other wireless devices that service based upon transmission characteristics of wireless signals received from other wireless devices and/or relative positions of the other wireless devices with respect to itself. In a first operational period, the wireless device determines transmission characteristics of the other wireless devices. Then, during a second operational period, without further interaction with the other wireless devices, the wireless device determines communication link characteristics based simply upon transmission characteristics of the other wireless devices. |
| US08639259B2 |
Base station apparatus and communication control method
A base station apparatus capable of communicating with a user equipment terminal using an uplink shared channel includes a radio resource allocation unit configured to decrease frequency resources allocated to the shared channel, when transmission power of the user equipment terminal is less than a predetermined threshold. |
| US08639256B2 |
Adaptive cell clustering in a multi-cluster environment
Systems, methods, devices, and computer program products are described for adaptive clustering. Serving cells may receive measurement information from mobile devices, and may each form reporting sets including measurement information for various cells. A CoMP (coordinated multi-point) control unit may receive the measurement information from each of a number of serving cells. The received measurement information may be aggregated for a population of the mobile devices. Based on the aggregated measurement information, cell clusters may be formed to perform coordinated transmissions, each including a different subset of the cells. An indication of the determined cell clusters may be transmitted to respective cells. |
| US08639253B2 |
Real-time communications client architecture
A distributed services modular client architecture may be used to implement IP-based real time communication services in a flexible manner among a wide variety of different types of chip sets and systems-on-chip. The various services are distributed among one or more processor cores in accordance with a number of factors, including power consumption, media latency, on-time, performance, and other considerations. A processor “core” may refer to a processor itself if single core, and may also refer to a “core” of a multicore processor. The architecture uses a SIP/IMS framework, and is modularized by placing certain services into their own framework so that a particular service may be plugged into the SIP/IMS framework if and when desired, and otherwise omitted. The frameworks may be installed on various processor cores within the chip set or system-on-chip to allow for more effective power conservation without unduly sacrificing performance. |
| US08639251B2 |
Methods of and apparatuses for cell-differentiated handover in a mobile communications systems
The present invention relates to handover procedures in a cellular communications system (1). The cells (10-70) of the system (1) are divided into multiple handover-related classes based on their respective radio coverage characteristics. Each such cell class is then associated with a unique handover parameter or a unique set of parameters that are used in handover procedures involving the cells (10-70). The parameter values are adapted for the radio coverage characteristics of each cell class in order to generate a suitable handover region size of the cells (10-70). The handover parameters are used together with user equipment-assisted signal quality measurements for triggering the handover procedures. |
| US08639246B2 |
Method, terminal, and system for cell reselection
A method, terminal and system for cell reselection are disclosed. When in a cell of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, the terminal receives a message from the LTE system. The message includes a dedicated priority list for the cell reselection. When the terminal camps on a cell of a non-LTE system, the terminal performs inter-system cell reselection in accordance with the dedicated priority list before a valid time of the dedicated priority list expires. With the discloses method, terminal and system, the problems of establishing a dedicated priority list causes too much increased signaling and too high costs for network update in the prior art when perform inter-system cell (re)selection are effectively resolved. |
| US08639241B2 |
Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system
A user equipment, in a cellular telecommunication system having a plurality of downlink physical channels, detects radio link problems using a subset of said physical channels, where said subset is dynamically adjustable depending upon which channels are available at a particular instant. |
| US08639240B2 |
Device manufacturing using the device's embedded wireless technology
Embodiments describe manufacturing, programming, testing, and servicing of wireless computing devices utilizing their embedded wireless technology. An embodiment method ensures that the wireless computing devices are successfully programmed in the event a disruption to the manufacturing, programming, testing and servicing process flow occurs. The method includes retrieving a last known location of the wireless device before the disruption event and comparing the last known location with the location of the wireless of the wireless device after the disruption event. A wireless device may be returned to the last known location before the disruption event if there is a difference in locations. The programming at the last known location before the disruption event occurred may be successfully completed. Further embodiments include configuring the manufacturing, programming, testing, and servicing of wireless computing devices utilizing the embedded wireless technology in the device based on a reported location of the device within a facility. |
| US08639239B2 |
Base station apparatus, mobile station apparatus, mobile communication system and communication method having selectable inter-frequency measurement methods
A base station apparatus, in a mobile communication system comprised of a plurality of base station apparatuses for performing transmission using mutually different frequency bands and a mobile station apparatus capable of concurrently communicating with each of the base station apparatuses, makes a determination whether the mobile station apparatus needs to perform Inter-Frequency Measurement to communicate with the plurality of base station apparatuses, and when Inter-Frequency Measurement is needed, based on the number of frequency bands of base station apparatuses that concurrently communicate with the mobile station apparatus and the number of frequency bands that the mobile station apparatus is capable of concurrently receiving, selects one of a first Inter-Frequency Measurement method without the need for providing a measurement gap in one of the frequency bands, and a second Inter-Frequency Measurement method with the need for providing a measurement gap in one of the frequency bands. |
| US08639237B2 |
Method for controlling access at user end
A system and a method for controlling access at a user end are disclosed. The correlation between a tag signal of a femtocell access point and a tag signal of a fixed internet device is established, such that when the femtocell access point would access internet via the fixed internet device, a tag signal of the femtocell access point and a tag signal of the fixed internet device are acquired, so as to determine whether the tag signal of the femtocell access point and the tag signal of the fixed internet device match the correlation in the data bank. When the tag signal of the femtocell access point and the tag signal of the fixed internet device match the correlation, the femtocell access point is allowed to provide access services. The present invention provides an effective mechanism for controlling access at a user end. |
| US08639231B2 |
System and method of restricting endpoint identifiers in a communication system
A method for providing a mobile network code associated with a network operations center to a mobile terminal. The method reading a first mobile network code from a removable data device installed in the mobile terminal. The method further comprises reading a second mobile network code from a fixed memory of the mobile terminal. The method further comprises comparing the first mobile network code with the second mobile network code. The method further comprises, responsive to determining that the first mobile network code does not match the second mobile network code, disabling at least one non-emergency function of the mobile terminal. |
| US08639229B2 |
Creating a communication group
This document describes tools capable of enabling users of mobile communication devices to create communication groups quickly and easily. With such a communication group a user may call, text, or instant message all persons in the group at once by selecting the communication group rather than each person in the group. In one embodiment, the tools enable a user to build a communication group by dragging and dropping indicators for persons he or she knows from one area of a screen into another area. In another embodiment, the tools automatically collect persons from those that the user knows based on one or more criteria. The user may then easily create a communication group of those collected persons, such as by tapping on an area of a mobile device's display. |
| US08639226B2 |
Weighing device and method
The invention relates to a method for weighing a use located on an electronic scale in communication with a mobile telecommunication terminal having a display screen, the scale and the mobile terminal both wirelessly communicating with a telecommunication network adapted to put at least the mobile terminal in communication with an additional communication device, the method including a weighing step, a two-way communication step during which the scale transmits weighing data resulting from the weighing to the mobile terminal, and a display step during which the mobile terminal displays weighing data on the screen. |
| US08639224B2 |
Pushing a number obtained from a directory service into a stored list on a phone
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a directory service, a call from a user of a mobile phone requesting a number of a communication device associated with a callee. The number is then retrieved from a database by the directory service and then dialed to connect the mobile phone with the communication device. The directory service also sends the number to the mobile phone, the mobile phone being configured to store the number in a storage location. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. |
| US08639221B1 |
Anonymity determination for wireless communication device users
What is disclosed is a method and system for determining an anonymity level of a user's data. If it desired to change the anonymity level, location and time information may be changed and/or deleted to effect the change. The change may be user directed, or may be achieved by the system, before providing the information to a third party. |
| US08639218B2 |
Communication system with access management mechanism and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a communication system includes: registering a primary communication identification for identifying a reception device; generating a map communication identification associated with the primary communication identification; generating an authorization condition for the map communication identification for contacting the reception device; and controlling a device access based on the authorization condition for accepting an access request to the reception device with the map communication identification instead of the primary communication identification. |
| US08639215B2 |
SIM-centric mobile commerce system for deployment in a legacy network infrastructure
A financial transaction processing system in a legacy financial transaction network for wireless mobile handset devices having an internal SIM or USIM under control of a service provider in a wireless communication network connected to an open world communication network in which the SIM or USIM has a secure part of an account management application that manages a financial account in the handset and adjusts the financial account when the user of the handset communicates a number related to the mobile number of the handset to a legacy remote card terminal which routes the number and transaction data to the secure link server of the service provider. |
| US08639213B1 |
Method, computer programs and a use for automatic identification and classification of land uses
A method, computer programs and a use for automatic identification and classification of land uses. The method including a computing mechanism running in a computer device receiving as inputs, a geographical region R, a plurality of base stations giving coverage to the geographical region R and a call records generated by individuals using the base stations, and performing automatically the identification and classification of land uses by making use of information extracted during a given time period from the call records. The programs include code adapted to perform the approximation of each coverage region when the program is run on a computer, and to perform a comparison when the program is run on a computer. |
| US08639204B2 |
Multi-beam active phased array architecture
In an exemplary embodiment, a phased array antenna comprises multiple subcircuits in communication with multiple radiating elements. The radio frequency signals are adjusted for both polarization control and beam steering. In a receive embodiment, multiple RF signals are received and combined into at least one receive beam output. In a transmit embodiment, at least one transmit beam input is divided and transmitted through multiple radiating elements. In an exemplary embodiment, the phased array antenna provides multi-beam formation over multiple operating frequency bands. The wideband nature of the active components allows for operation over multiple frequency bands simultaneously. Furthermore, the antenna polarization may be static or dynamically controlled at the subarray or radiating element level. |
| US08639200B2 |
Devices and method for using a DC-DC converter in a mobile handset
A controller enables the integration of a DC-DC converter in a mobile handset. The controller includes an input conditioner and an event sensor. The input conditioner uses a peak detector to track the output of a regulator and responds to available baseband input signals. The event sensor directs coupling between a voltage source and the DC-DC converter in response to a bypass event. |
| US08639199B1 |
System and method for high performance coherent peak compression estimation
A system for estimating a peak compression of a wireless signal is disclosed. The system may include a reference signal generator configured to provide a reference signal, wherein the reference signal is associated with an ideally amplified and time aligned version of the wireless signal. The system may also include a gain error generator configured to provide a gain error signal, wherein the gain error signal is based at least on the reference signal and the wireless signal. Further, the system may also include a peak compression estimator configured to provide a compression detection flag based at least on the reference signal and the gain error signal. |
| US08639196B2 |
Control modules
A circuit is provided comprising detector circuitry, calculating circuitry, and determining circuitry. The detector circuitry is figured to generate an I data signal magnitude value of a sampled I data signal and a Q data signal magnitude value of a sampled Q data signal. The calculating circuitry is configured to calculate a phase shift angle φI between first and second equal and constant or substantially equal and constant envelope constituents of the sampled I data signal and to calculate a phase shift angle φQ between first and second substantially equal and substantially constant envelope constituents of the sampled Q data signal. The determining circuitry is configured to determine in-phase and quadrature amplitude information of the substantially equal and substantially constant envelope constituents of the sampled I signal and to determine in-phase and quadrature amplitude information of the first and second substantially equal and substantially constant envelope constituents of the sampled Q signal. |
| US08639193B2 |
Tri-state control for a line driver
A tri-state control mechanism can be implemented for a line driver of a transmitter unit to switch the output impedance of the transmitter unit between a low impedance state in the transmit mode and a high impedance state in the receive mode while minimizing turn-off glitch. It may be determined whether a communication device comprising the transmitter unit is configured in a transmit operating mode or a receive operating mode. If the communication device is configured in the receive operating mode, a first bias voltage can be generated to bias output transistors of the line driver circuit in a sub-threshold state. If the communication device is configured in the transmit operating mode, a second bias voltage can be generated to bias output transistors of the line driver circuit in a saturation state. |
| US08639191B2 |
Communication apparatus and method
A communication apparatus comprises a communication path capable of conveying communication signals, a communication device adapted to receive or generate VHF or UHF communication signals, and a near field antenna associated with the communication device. The near field antenna is provided sufficiently near to the communication path to couple VHF or UHF communication signals to or from the communication device to the communication path. A HID/IPT system and a communication method are also provided. |
| US08639187B2 |
Mobile communication terminal apparatus and method for controlling short-range wireless communication
A mobile communication terminal apparatus including: a mobile communication terminal main body; and an extension unit detachable from the mobile communication terminal main body and capable of performing short-range wireless communication with the mobile communication terminal main body when being detached in a separated state from the mobile communication terminal main body. |
| US08639186B2 |
Telemetry conveyed by pipe utilizing specks
Drill pipe segments, communication systems, and methods of manufacturing pipe segments usable for communicating data wirelessly between sensors and tools placed in an oil and/or gas well are provided. Communication specks are applied on at least one of an outer surface or an inner surface of the pipe segments or coil tubing. |
| US08639177B2 |
Learning assessment and programmatic remediation
Learning content may be provided to a user where the learning content may contain learning objectives. A response to the learning content may be received. The response may be analyzed by determining whether the response was the proper response to the learning objectives. If the response was a proper response, less questions on the learning objective may be presented in the future and the if response was an improper response, additional questions on the learning objective may be presented in the future. |
| US08639172B2 |
Sheet-fed duplex and sheet-fed duplex multi-color printers
A sheet-fed duplex and a sheet-fed duplex multi-color printer which is compact, using an electrophotographic printing system. For a long image to be printed on both faces of a sheet of paper, the printer enables producing printed matter at high efficiency and high precision, and yet when printing front and rear faces of a sheet of paper in succession the printer is able to prevent a printing face of the sheet of paper printed on upstream in its conveyance direction from becoming soiled by toner transferred from a printing face of the sheet of paper printed on downstream in its conveyance direction. |
| US08639171B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus with a mechanism to extend a 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 that includes: a resistive heat layer that generates heat upon receiving electric current; and a pair of electrode layers each disposed along a different one of widthwise edges of the heat-generating endless belt. The resistive heat layer has (i) reduced thickness portions each along a widthwise edge thereof and (ii) a middle portion between the reduced thickness portions. Each reduced thickness portion is thinner than the middle portion and connected to the middle portion with a wall surface upright in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the heat-generating endless belt to define a stair shape. Each electrode layer is disposed on the resistive heat layer to be in contact with a corresponding one of the wall surfaces. |
| US08639167B2 |
Developing device and image forming device
A two-component developing device using a developer containing toner and magnetic carrier particles. The developing device comprises a housing, a developing roller, a magnetic field generator mounted inside the developing roller, and a developer restricting member, and further comprises a developer guide member providing a developer guide path for guiding the developer to the developer amount restricting clearance, providing a developer circulation path for circulating the developer to an upstream end of the guide member, and providing a communication path for bringing the developer guide path into communication with the developer circulation path, an upstream end of the guide member being positioned above the position of a peak of magnetic flux density of the magnetic pole of the magnetic field generator which is closest to a low-magnetic force area downstream of the low-magnetic force area or positioned upstream of such a position and downstream of the low-magnetic force area. An image forming device in which such a two-component developing device is employed as at least one developing device. |
| US08639163B2 |
Toner box having shutter and developing device equipped with the toner box
A toner box, for being detachably mounted in a developing unit of an image-forming device, includes: a main body; and a shutter. The main body is configured to accommodate toner therein and has a main-body-side communication through-hole, through which an interior and an exterior of the main body communicate. The shutter is disposed so as to be capable of moving between an open position in which the shutter opens the main-body-side communication through-hole, and a closed position in which the shutter closes the main-body-side communication through-hole. The shutter is formed of a film and has a shutter drive opening, a shutter drive protrusion provided on the developing unit being capable of being engaged in the shutter drive opening. |
| US08639160B2 |
Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A process cartridge comprises a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. A coupling member is provided adjacent to one axial end of the developing roller. The coupling member includes a driven portion, and an intermediary portion configured and positioned to engage with the driven portion. The intermediary portion is also configured to be movable relative to the driven portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the driven portion. The coupling member further includes a driving portion configured and positioned to receive a driving force for rotating the developing roller. The driving portion is also configured to engage with the intermediary portion, and to be movable relative to the intermediary portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the intermediary portion. |
| US08639157B2 |
Image forming apparatus and photosensitive unit
An image forming apparatus may include a moving unit configured to support a cartridge and to slide in a generally horizontal direction between multiple positions. For example, the positions may include a first position where the moving unit is located inside the main body and a second position where the moving unit is located outside the main body. Additionally or alternatively, the moving unit being may also move between the first position and a third position located below the first position. The moving unit may also be configured to electrically connect electrodes based on its movement. |
| US08639146B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus arranged to produce groups of printed sheets. Each group includes a plurality of sequential sheets. The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of storage units each configured to store the printed sheets produced by an image forming unit, a sorter unit configured to sort the printed sheets of a group into a plurality of portions, wherein the sheets in each portion are in sequential order, and to output each of the portions to a different storage unit, and a display unit configured to display an indication of the storage unit storing the portion including the first or the last sheet of the group such that a user is directed to collect the portion including the first or the last sheet of the group from the indicated storage unit first. |
| US08639140B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes first photosensitive members, first chargers for charging the first photosensitive members, developer carriers for supplying developer to the first photosensitive members, a first charging-bias applying unit that applies charging biases to the first chargers, development-bias applying units for applying development biases to the corresponding developer carriers, a charging-current sensing unit that separately senses a charging current flowing in each of the first chargers, and a control unit that controls the development biases based on the sensed charging current. When a difference between a reference charging-current value and a detected charging-current value exceeds a predetermined value, if the detected charging-current value is larger than the reference charging-current value, the control unit increases an absolute value of a development bias applied to a developer carrier corresponding to the charger having the difference exceeding the predetermined value. |
| US08639136B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying belt for carrying a toner image; an image forming station for forming toner image on the image carrying belt; a sheet feeding belt for feeding a sheet; a transfer member for transferring the toner image from the carrying belt onto the sheet fed on the feeding belt; and a controller for controlling speeds of the carrying belt and the feeding belt. The controller is capable of controlling a relative speed between the carrying belt and the feeding belt at multiple levels. The image forming station forms a first toner pattern on the carrying belt in a state that the relative speed is at a first level, and forms a second toner pattern on the carrying belt in a state that the relative speed is at a second level which is different from the first level. The transfer member transfers the first toner pattern and the second toner pattern onto the sheet carried on the feeding belt. |
| US08639129B2 |
Printing system and image forming apparatus for controlling a setting according to replacement of a consumable of an image forming apparatus
A printing system includes an instruction unit for instructing, in response to determination of using a reuse consumable in the case of replacement of a consumable of an image forming apparatus, a setting to be changed according to the replacement with the reuse consumable, wherein the setting instructed by the instruction unit is performed in the image forming apparatus after the replacement with the reuse consumable. |
| US08639128B2 |
Image output apparatus, image test system, and density correction method
An image output apparatus includes: an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; a test-threshold acquiring unit that acquires a test threshold that is a pass-fail criterion for the image test for determining whether the test image data passes or fails the image test; a changing unit that changes a density detection mode of at least one of the image forming unit and the image reading apparatus on the basis of the test threshold; a density correcting unit that corrects density used in an image forming process performed by the image forming unit; and a reference-image-data acquiring unit that acquires the reference image data. |
| US08639127B2 |
Method and apparatus for improved jitter tolerance
We demonstrate a novel type of data receiver, which has superior performance compared to a standard receiver when an input signal is distorted by timing jitter. A method and apparatus for improved timing jitter tolerance includes sampling an input signal more than once within a bit slot of the input signal and determining, using logic circuitry, from a combination of at least a subset of the samples, a resulting logic state for an output signal. |
| US08639125B2 |
Light reception device and method for controlling the same
A light reception device includes: an interferometer that outputs a signal obtained by making an optical phase modulated signal interfere with a reference signal after shifting an optical phase of the optical phase modulated signal by a given amount; a light reception element that receives an output signal from the interferometer and converts the output signal into a light reception current; and a phase controller that controls a control amount in controlling the given amount so that a value of a function, which is calculated based on an amount relating to the light reception current and a change amount of an amount relating to the light reception current against the control amount, becomes an extreme value or 0. |
| US08639124B2 |
Method and apparatus for dimming with rate control for visible light communications (VLC)
A method and apparatus for dimming a luminary for lighting and data transmission in visible light communications (VLC). |
| US08639120B2 |
Method and system for electrical domain optical spectrum shaping
A system is provided for electrical domain optical spectrum shaping. The system may include a laser, a modulator, a first electrical filter, and a second electrical filter. The laser may be configured to output an optical carrier signal. The modulator may be configured to modulate the optical carrier signal to output a modulated optical signal based on a first filtered input signal and a second filtered input signal received by the modulator. The first electrical filter may be configured to filter a first input signal to produce the first filtered input signal. The second electrical filter may be configured to filter a second input signal to produce the second filtered input signal. |
| US08639113B2 |
Network protection switching
Servers attached to a data communications network, such as a wavelength division multiplexed network, are made aware of events on the network, such as a protection switch for scheduled maintenance to reduce latency and improve performance, etc. Switching data paths on the data communications network is no longer transparent to the server. A message from the network equipment is received and decoded by a holographic enterprise interface coupled to the server and to a virtual network operation centers. The network equipment reports network switch conditions to the holographic enterprise interface and other connected servers. In response to the network switch conditions, the holographic enterprise interface may automatically reprovision data traffic on the network quickly enough to prevent server timeouts and workload interruptions. The switching is then shown in real time in the virtual network operations center. |
| US08639106B1 |
Magnetic add-on lenses with alignment ridge
A camera system includes a housing with an aperture and an alignment feature surrounding the aperture to define an optical axis extending through the aperture. A camera module is mounted inside the housing and engages the alignment feature to align the camera module with the optical axis. A lens assembly that may have a moveable element is included in the camera module. A voice coil motor may support the moveable element of the lens assembly. A plurality of magnets are arranged on the camera module adjacent to the alignment feature to retain a detachable lens on the housing and engage the alignment feature to align the detachable lens with the optical axis. The plurality of magnets may be further arranged to minimize interference with the voice coil motor and movement of the moveable element of the lens assembly. |
| US08639104B2 |
Optical lighting device and optical recording device
An optical lighting device includes a radiation detector, a first light source and a second light source. The radiation detector includes a semiconductor chip and an optical filter, and has a spectral sensitivity distribution. The first light source generates white radiation. The second light source generates monochrome radiation in the visible spectral range, wherein radiation emitted by the first light source and radiation emitted by the second light source are superimposed to yield mixed radiation which includes a wavelength spectrum. The wavelength spectrum of the mixed radiation is adapted to the spectral sensitivity distribution of the radiation detector. |
| US08639099B2 |
Train-mounted video information distribution and display system and display switching method thereof
A train-mounted video information distribution and display system sufficiently increases an advertising effect of advertisement videos that are broadcast in a train. A train-mounted video information distribution and display system includes: a display-program determining unit that extracts one or more pieces of video information from plural pieces of video information and determines a display program to be displayed on a display device; a video-information storing unit that holds video information, and reference information that is necessary to determine a display program; a display-program storage unit that receives a display program which is determined by the display-program determining unit from the video-information storing unit and holds the display program; and a distribution control unit that sequentially reads out display programs stored in the display-program storage unit and distributes the read display programs to the display device. The determined display program includes one or more pieces of video information that are determined based on segmentation information for assigning a predetermined section within a running section of a train, and the determined one or more pieces of video information are repeatedly displayed in the predetermined section. |
| US08639098B2 |
Apparatus, method, and computer program for processing information
An information processing apparatus includes a controller for controlling data recording to an information recording medium. The controller updates a command storage file storing a command set in response to AV stream data to be recorded on the information recording medium and an index file storing index information and then records the updated command storage file and the updated index file on the information recording medium, the command storage file and the index file being updated and recorded in response to a determination that a predetermined update timing different from the timings of the recording of the AV stream data onto the information recording medium and the editing of the recorded AV stream data is reached. |
| US08639097B2 |
Video recording and playback apparatus
A video recording and playback apparatus includes: an operation information acquisition device for acquiring operation information and user identification information; a user identification device for identifying a user; a preference information generation device for generating preference information about a preference of a user; a operation result information acquisition device for acquiring operation result information obtained as a result of recording scheduling and playback operations etc.; a user point calculation device for calculating a user point; and a preference information priority assignment device for determining a priority of preference information. |
| US08639094B2 |
System and method for remote control of live TV capability for TV screens
A system for remote control of live TV capability for TV screens, the system comprising satellite feeds (2003) broadcasting means (2002, 2004), a set top box (2005), a Smart-IB box (2006) capable of sending and receiving data/content, a central server capable of interpreting received data/content from Smart-IB, a communication network having interactive means coupled with world wide web (2008), a display screen (2007) having display means operable to display data/information. A method for remote control of live TV capability for TV screens, the method comprising the steps of receiving a schedule to record and/or relay set top box content, forwarding desired frequency to remote signal inducing means (RSIM), generating infrared (IR) signal, interpreting infrared (IR) signal by set top box, changing audio-video (AV) output as per the schedule list, recording/relaying audio-video (AV) output. |
| US08639090B2 |
Recording medium, reproducing apparatus, and reproducing method
In a recording medium on which is recorded a multiplexed stream (231) including a plurality of first packets (V_main) constituting a first I-picture in a first video stream and a plurality of second packets (V_sub) constituting a second I-picture in a second video stream, information for identifying the first I-picture and information for identifying the second I-picture are recorded on the medium. A recording medium can thereby be obtained that enables the rapid detection, from a small amount of information, of a particular picture included in a stream such as a TS in which multiple content streams are multiplexed. |
| US08639089B2 |
Video audio recording/playback apparatus and method
During video audio recording, key frames are temporarily stored from the video audio stream to be recorded, and metadata is later generated from the temporarily stored key frames. Even if a CPU or system configuration of a relatively low performance is used, metadata generation can be carried out in parallel with the video recording operation. |
| US08639087B2 |
Moving image editing system and moving image editing method
A moving image editing method uses a recorder apparatus and an editor apparatus. The recorder apparatus records into a recording unit by use of a file format in which index data, which includes the reproduction information of the data of the frames of moving image data, is written after that data of the frames of the moving image data. According to the moving image editing method, while the data of the frames of the moving image data being recorded into the recording unit, the index data related to the data of frames already written in the editor apparatus is transferred from the recorder apparatus to the editor apparatus. The editor apparatus reads, based on the index data, the data of the frames of the writing file so as to perform a real time edition of the moving image data. |
| US08639081B2 |
Slide arrangement for cable drawer
A drawer slide having first and second rails interconnected by a center rail. The center rail includes a spool configured to provide half-speed travel of the center rail relative to the travel of the first rail. The drawer slide is configured for use with a drawer assembly having a drawer and a chassis. The drawer assembly further includes a radius limiter secured to the center rail. The radius limiter travels at half-speed relative to the drawer. The radius limiter also automatically rotates relative to the travel of the drawer. The chassis includes sides including threaded backing plates, and mounting brackets. The mounting brackets include tri-lobed holes for receipt of a reciprocally shaped washer and a fastener for mounting the brackets to the chassis sides. |
| US08639080B2 |
Optical fiber with multi section core
An optical fiber comprising a core region embedded within a cladding. The core region of the optical fiber further comprises multiple sections, each doped with rare earth ions. The sections of the core region may be doped with different rare-earth ions or with different doping concentrations. The sections of the core region may also be made from different types of glass hosts. The optical fiber may further include multiple core regions embedded within the cladding, each core region having multiple sections doped with rare earth ions. |
| US08639078B2 |
Optical fiber manufacturing method, optical fiber and endoscope
Provided is a method for manufacturing an optical fiber that is inserted into an insertion portion of an endoscope and guides light, wherein inside an upright fiber drawing furnace, inside a hollow clad tube including a clad glass having a viscosity η1 of 5.0 |
| US08639076B2 |
Fiber optic cable with improved low temperature and compression resistance
A fiber optic cable is provided with a plurality of buffer tubes each with one or more optical fibers, a plurality of strength members and a jacket. The fibers within the cable meet maximum attenuation of substantially 0.07 db increase when decreasing from −23° C. to −60° C. |
| US08639075B1 |
Fiber optic cable with readily removable jacket
A communication cable can comprise optical fibers protected by an armor, such as a corrugated metallic tube. An outer jacket can cover the armor to provide environmental protection. A net located between the outer jacket and the armor can comprise openings, with the outer jacket extending into the openings, towards the armor. The net can be wrapped, formed, or woven around the armor, for example. The net can aid a craftsperson in separating the outer jacket from the corrugated metal tube, for example in connection with servicing the cable. The openings can control coupling between the outer jacket and the armor, for example providing a desired level of friction, bonding, adhesion, adherence, fusion, and/or contact between the outer jacket and the armor. |
| US08639073B2 |
Fiber coupling technique on a waveguide
An optical coupling assembly for coupling light from an optical fiber including an angled tip into a planar waveguide via a waveguide coupling element is provided. In one embodiment, the optical fiber extends along the planar waveguide with the angled tip positioned such that light propagating in the optical fiber is coupled by the waveguide coupling element to propagate in the planar waveguide in counter propagation with respect to a fiber propagation direction. In another embodiment, the optical fiber includes a tapered peripheral portion tapering toward the angled tip and is disposed over the planar waveguide with the tapered peripheral portion extending therealong such that light propagating in the optical fiber is coupled to propagate in the planar waveguide with either forward or counter propagation. Embodiments of the present invention may be part of various photonic integrated circuits and may be manufactured more easily than known optical coupling assemblies. |
| US08639072B2 |
Compact wearable display
There is provided a wearable display comprising a light source emitting light of a first wavelength; a first SBG device having a front side and a rear side; first and second transparent plates sandwiching said SBG device; independently switchable transparent electrode elements applied to the opposing surfaces of said transparent plates, a means for spatio-temporally modulating light from the light source to provide image light and a means for coupling the image light into the light guide formed by the two transparent plates and the SBG device. The SBG device comprises a multiplicity of selectively switchable grating regions. The SBG device diffracts image into the pupil of an eye. |
| US08639068B2 |
Optical transmission module, electronic instrument, method for assembling optical transmission module, and optical transmission method
An optical transmission module has an optical transmission path in which optical transmission is performed between a first circuit board and a second circuit board disposed opposite the first circuit board. The optical transmission path has a folded structure having a bending radius. A circumferential portion drawn by the bending radius is provided substantially perpendicular to board surfaces of the first circuit board and the second circuit board. |
| US08639060B2 |
System and method for image based multiple-modality cardiac image alignment
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for temporally aligning a plurality of cardiac image sequences. The method includes performing a locally linear embedding algorithm on a first set of cardiac image sequences and on a second set of cardiac image sequences. A graphical representation is created for the first set of cardiac image sequences and the second set of cardiac image sequences. A determination is made whether the first set of cardiac image sequences and the second set of cardiac image sequences were generated from a similar point of view. If a similar point of view is found, the first graphical representation and the second graphical representation are aligned using a minimization function. If a similar point of view is not found, the graphs are aligned with a template and then aligned with each other using the minimization function. |
| US08639059B2 |
Method for lossless digital shearing and rotation with fine angular increments
The present invention discloses methods for lossless shearing and/or rotation of two-dimensional (2D) data, including digital images, with minute discrete angular increments, carried out only by permutations in the Fourier frequency domain, by exploiting the natural shear occurring as a result of computing a single one-dimensional discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of 2D arrays. Rotations in general, especially for oblong arrays, occur on elliptical paths. Circular rotation, by an angle of arctan(1/width), is achieved on square arrays. When each dimension is multiple of a smaller N, the rotation/shear angle can be increased to arctan(2N/width). Rotation steps can be repeated in long, animation-like series, with neither loss nor degradation of the Fourier content; so much so that tracing the steps back does restore the original data with remarkable precision. |
| US08639053B2 |
Methods and systems for up-scaling a standard definition (SD) video to high definition (HD) quality
A computerized system for up-scaling a source input video from a lower, first resolution to a desired output video having a higher, second resolution, using fractal zooming techniques to replace each individual source pixel of each respective frame of the source input video with a multiple of proposed replacement pixels in the vertical and horizontal dimensions having similar characteristics as the individual source pixel, converting each of the proposed replacement pixels into a desired color space for the desired output video, using low-pass filtering to reduce noise associated with each respective frame of the desired output video, down-sizing the output video to its desired resolution, and outputting each zoomed replacement frame to generate the desired output video. |
| US08639050B2 |
Dynamic adjustment of noise filter strengths for use with dynamic range enhancement of images
Dynamic adjustment of noise filter strengths for use with dynamic range enhancement of images is performed to produce better quality images by adapting dynamically to the image noise profile. Global and local brightness and contrast enhancement (GLBCE) is performed on a digital image to form an enhanced image. The GLBCE applies local gain values to the digital image based on local intensity values. A GLBCE gain versus intensity curve is determined for the enhanced image. A set of noise filter thresholds is adjusted in response to the GLBCE gain versus intensity curve to form a set of dynamically adjusted noise filter thresholds. The enhanced image is noise filtered using the set of dynamically adjusted noise filter thresholds to form a noise filtered enhanced image. |
| US08639048B2 |
Method of determining motion vectors and a reference picture index for a current block in a picture to be decoded
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a decoder. The decoder is configured to obtain first and second motion vectors of a block other than the current block. The other block neighbors the current block at one of a left, top and top right position. The decoder is configured to determine first and second motion vectors of the current block using the first and second motion vectors of the other block such that the first motion vector of the current block has a same direction as the first motion vector of the other block and the second motion vector of the current block has a same direction as the second motion vector of the other block. |
| US08639046B2 |
Method and system for scalable multi-user interactive visualization
A scalable method and apparatus is described to provide personalized interactive visualization of a plurality of compressed image data to a plurality of concurrent users. A plurality of image sources are digitally processed in the compressed domain to provide controllable enhanced user-specific interactive visualization with support for adjustment in viewing parameters such frame-rate, field of view, resolution, color format, viewpoint and bandwidth. |
| US08639044B2 |
Computer-implemented system and method for placing cluster groupings into a display
A system and method for generating groups of cluster spines for display are provided. One or more concepts for each cluster in a set of clusters are generated. Spines are formed from at least a portion of the clusters based on the concepts. At least one spine unique from all other spines is placed. One or more spine groups are generated by positioning at least one unplaced spine in relation to one of the placed unique spines. The spine groups are displayed. |
| US08639043B2 |
Classifying image features
Methods are disclosed for classifying different parts of a sample into respective classes based on an image stack that includes one or more images. |
| US08639040B2 |
Method and apparatus for comparing videos
A method for comparing videos includes detecting local features in frames of a video and determining the positions of detected local features in a first frame compared to their respective positions in a succeeding second frame. For at least some of the detected local features, a movement indicator is generated representing the position of a local feature in the first frame relative to the position of that local feature in the second frame, the movement indicator including an orientation, to obtain a plurality of movement indicators. Movement indicators are grouped by orientation ranges. The number of grouped movement indicators in an orientation range are summed to obtain a value for that orientation range. A time series of values for at least one given orientation range is obtained by determining the positions of detected local features in a first frame compared to their respective positions in a succeeding second frame for a plurality of pairs of frames. For at least one orientation range, a first time series of values for a first video is compared with a second time series of values for a second video to determine the similarity of the first and second videos. |
| US08639035B2 |
Pose estimation
In a pose estimation for estimating the pose of an object of pose estimation with respect to a reference surface that serves as a reference for estimating a pose, a data processing device: extracts pose parameters from a binarized image; identifies a combination of pose parameters for which the number of cross surfaces of parameter surfaces that accord with surface parameter formulas, which are numerical formulas for expressing a reference surface, is a maximum; finds a slope weighting for each of cross pixels, which are pixels on each candidate surface and which are pixels within a prescribed range, that is identified based on the angles of the tangent plane at the cross pixel and based on planes formed by each of the axes of parameter space; and identifies the significant candidate surface for which a number, which is the sum of slope weightings, is a maximum, as the actual surface that is the reference surface that actually exists in the image. |
| US08639034B2 |
Multimedia information retrieval system with progressive feature selection and submission
A system and method for information retrieval comprises a computing device with a client and a progressive feature server coupled by a network. The client includes a feature extraction module, a progressive sending module, a sampling module and a feedback receiver. The progressive sending module divides the features into groups and sends them to the server. The progressive sending module is also responsive to commands from the feedback receiver to terminate the transmission of additional features if a match is found. The progressive feature server is coupled for communication with the client and includes a progressive receiving module, a feedback generator, an image recognizer and a result delivery module. The image recognizer progressively processes the groups of extracted features received from the client and provides results and hints for improved recognition. The present invention also includes methods for processing captured information progressively, sending extracted features in groups, and progressively performing image recognition for improved recognition speed. |
| US08639027B2 |
Method for removing color noise and image-capturing device that uses this method
A method for removing color noise on a slowly varying component contained in color difference component image data of image data which is imported from an image sensor and converted to brightness and the color difference component image data, includes the steps of: sampling pixels of said color difference component image data by thinning out according to a first defined sampling format when not performing a color noise removal process on the slowly varying component; determining if the color noise removal process is necessary to be performed or not; producing the color difference component image data, corresponding to a compressed image data size smaller than an image data size without said color noise removal process, by thinning out according to a second defined sampling format when performing said color noise removal process; and recording the color difference and brightness component image data. |
| US08639025B2 |
Measurement apparatus and control method
A measurement apparatus which measures the relative position and orientation of an image-capturing apparatus capturing images of one or more measurement objects with respect to the measurement object, acquires a captured image using the image-capturing apparatus. The respective geometric features present in a 3D model of the measurement object are projected onto the captured image based on the position and orientation of the image-capturing apparatus, thereby obtaining projection geometric features. Projection geometric features are selected from the resultant projection geometric features based on distances between the projection geometric features in the captured image. The relative position and orientation of the image-capturing apparatus with respect to the measurement object is then calculated using the selected projection geometric features and image geometric features corresponding thereto detected in the captured image. |
| US08639024B2 |
Generation of a disparity result with low latency
A system for generating disparity results comprises an interface, a first memory, a second memory, and a processor. The interface is for receiving a first element of a first set of image data and a first element of a second set of image data. The first memory is for storing the first element of the first set of image data. The second memory is for storing the first element of the second set of image data. The processor is for generating a disparity result for a first element before all elements of the first data set and the second data set have been received. The disparity result is generated using a low latency image processing system that processes a plurality of elements of the first set of image data and a plurality of elements of the second set of image data. |
| US08639023B2 |
Method and system for hierarchically matching images of buildings, and computer-readable recording medium
The present invention relates to a method for hierarchically matching a building image. The method includes the steps of: matching a wall of a specific building in the building image inputted as a query with a wall(s) of a building(s) in at least one panoramic image by using a technology of matching a building's shape or repeated pattern; selecting a candidate panoramic image(s) which includes a building(s) recognized to have the same or similar wall to the specific building in the panoramic image(s) as a result of matching its wall with others; matching at least one local region, if containing a recognizable string or figure, in the specific building with local region(s) in the building(s) of the candidate panoramic image(s) by using a technology of recognizing a string or a figure; and determining top n panoramic image(s) as the result of matching the local region. |
| US08639022B2 |
Image synthesis apparatus, image synthesis method and program
An image synthesis apparatus includes: an image selection section adapted to select two or more three-dimensional images to be synthesized from among a plurality of three-dimensional images; an order determination section adapted to determine, based on parallax amounts of the selected three-dimensional images, a synthesis order representative of an order in which the selected three-dimensional images are to be synthesized; an image synthesis section adapted to synthesize the selected three-dimensional images in accordance with the synthesis order; and a control section adapted to control the image selection section, the order determination section and the image synthesis section in response to an operation of a user. |
| US08639011B2 |
Fluoroscopy apparatus
A fluoroscopy apparatus includes a light-source device that generates illumination light and excitation light; a fluorescence-image generating unit that generates a fluorescence image based on irradiation with the excitation light; a white-light-image generating unit that generates a white-light image based on irradiation with the illumination light; a fluorescence-image correcting unit that generates a corrected fluorescence image by dividing the signal strengths of pixels in the fluorescence image by the signal strengths of pixels in the white-light image; a characteristic-value acquiring unit that extracts the characteristic value of the corrected fluorescence image; a threshold setting unit that sets a threshold for determining a region of interest in the corrected fluorescence image using a history of characteristic values extracted by the characteristic-value acquiring unit; and a pseudo-color-image generating unit that discriminates between a region of interest and another region in the corrected fluorescence image on the basis of the threshold. |
| US08639008B2 |
Mobile architecture using cloud for data mining application
Three tier architecture for image-based diagnosis and monitoring application using Cloud is described. The presentation layer is run on the tablet (mobile device), while the business and persistence layer runs on a single cloud or distributed on different Clouds in a multi-tenancy and multi-user application. Such architecture is used for automated data mining application for computing (a) cardiovascular risk, stroke risk using IMT measurement, plaque characterization, (b) computing diagnostic index for benign vs. malignant tissue for ovarian cancer classification (c) benign vs. malignant tissue characterization for prostate cancer and (d) classification of fatty liver disease vs. normal cases. The Architecture is for data mining application. |
| US08639006B2 |
Correction of saturation banding artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging
Systems and methods for correcting saturation banding artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging in which artifact and reference calibration scans are used to create one dimensional or two dimensional correction profiles, which are subsequently applied to actual diagnostic imaging scans to correct the saturation banding artifacts. |
| US08639001B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing system, image processing method, and image processing computer program
An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a first identifying unit configured to identify the position of at least a part of a layer boundary based on a tomography image of a target to be captured, a setting unit configured to set a search range for a portion whose position has not been identified by the first identifying unit based on a depth directional position of the layer boundary whose position has been identified by the first identifying unit, and a second identifying unit configured to identify the position of a layer boundary portion whose position has not been identified based on a luminance value in the search range having been set. |
| US08638997B2 |
Methods and systems for medical image processing, retrieval, and reviewing
In a medical image processing and retrieval system or method, an image processing system is configured to obtain a set of medical image data and to process the medical image data using at least one interpretation tool. A database is configured to store interpretation information generated in processing the medical image data using the interpretation tool. A viewing server is configured in response to a user interface instruction to retrieve from the database the interpretation information generated in processing the medical image data and to identity the at least one interpretation tool to the user interface. |
| US08638995B2 |
Optical speculum
A system for direct imaging and diagnosing of abnormal cells in a target tissue includes a disposable optical speculum and an image acquisition system having the speculum assembled on and mechanically secured thereto. The image acquisition system is arranged to capture at least one of a single image or multiple images or video of cells within the target tissue using at least one of bright field or dark field ring illumination divided into independently operated segments to obtain a plurality of data sets. An image analysis and control unit in communication with the image acquisition system analyzes the data sets and applies algorithms to the data sets for diagnosing abnormal cells. |
| US08638991B2 |
Motion detection system and method
A method is presented for imaging an object. The method comprises imaging a coherent speckle pattern propagating from an object, using an imaging system being focused on a plane displaced from the object. |
| US08638990B2 |
Stop line recognition device
An image processing unit 4 performs the recognition of a traffic signal in front of an own vehicle on the carriageway thereof. When the image processing unit 4 recognizes that there is a traffic signal front closet to the vehicle on the carriageway within a set distance L2 and the traffic signal is displaying red light, the process shifts to a stop line recognition mode and the image processing unit 4 performs stop line recognition. Accordingly, unnecessary execution of stop line recognition can be accurately avoided. Therefore, a stop line that is necessary for the control of the own vehicle can be recognized with a high accuracy without generating excessive calculation load. |
| US08638989B2 |
Systems and methods for capturing motion in three-dimensional space
Methods and systems for capturing motion and/or determining the shapes and positions of one or more objects in 3D space utilize cross-sections thereof. In various embodiments, images of the cross-sections are captured using a camera based on edge points thereof. |
| US08638988B2 |
Movement analysis and/or tracking system
A novel system analyzes and/or tracks the motion of moved or moving objects that carry marker elements glowing in different, defined colors. Cameras record movements and continuously store digital color images. A transformer unit converts the color images into RGB color space. Three color intensities are present for each color pixel. A grayscale image production unit adopts the maximum of the three color intensities for each pixel as the grayscale value. A localization unit exclusively compares each grayscale value with a defined threshold value and stores grayscale values above the threshold value as a member of a pixel cloud that represents a potential marker element. A measuring unit measures the geometry of every pixel cloud exclusively in the grayscale image and deletes pixel clouds that can be excluded as marker elements. An identification unit determines the color of the confirmed pixel clouds in the digitally stored color image. |
| US08638986B2 |
Online reference patch generation and pose estimation for augmented reality
A reference patch of an unknown environment is generated on the fly for positioning and tracking. The reference patch is generated using a captured image of a planar object with two perpendicular sets of parallel lines. The planar object is detected in the image and axes of the world coordinate system are defined using the vanishing points for the two sets of parallel lines. The camera rotation is recovered based on the defined axes, and the reference patch of at least a portion of the image of the planar object is generated using the recovered camera rotation. The reference patch can then be used for vision based detection and tracking. The planar object may be detected in the image as sets of parallel lines or as a rectangle. |
| US08638985B2 |
Human body pose estimation
Techniques for human body pose estimation are disclosed herein. Images such as depth images, silhouette images, or volumetric images may be generated and pixels or voxels of the images may be identified. The techniques may process the pixels or voxels to determine a probability that each pixel or voxel is associated with a segment of a body captured in the image or to determine a three-dimensional representation for each pixel or voxel that is associated with a location on a canonical body. These probabilities or three-dimensional representations may then be utilized along with the images to construct a posed model of the body captured in the image. |
| US08638983B2 |
Digital image processing apparatus, tracking method, recording medium for storing computer program for executing the tracking method, and digital image processing apparatus adopting the tracking method
A digital image processing apparatus and tracking method are provided to rapidly and accurately track a subject location in video images. The apparatus searches for a target image that is most similar to a reference image, in a current frame image in which each pixel has luminance, and other, data, the reference image being smaller than the current frame image, and includes a similarity calculator for calculating a degree of similarity between the reference image and each of a plurality of matching images that have the same size as the reference image and are portions of the current frame image; and a target image determination unit for determining one of the plurality of matching images as the target image using the degree of similarity obtained by the similarity calculator. The similarity calculator calculates the degree of similarity by applying greater weight to the other data than to the luminance data. |
| US08638974B2 |
Electroacoustic transducer
A frame has a notch having an opening at a side plane of the frame. A diaphragm is vibratably attached to one plane of the frame. A voice coil is attached to the diaphragm. A terminal is attached to the other plane of the frame. A lead is connected to the voice coil, drawn from one plane to the other plane through the notch, and connected to the terminal. One of intersection points at which a normal to the side plane that passes through the position of the lead in the notch and the side plane intersect that is closest to the opening and the lead in the notch are intervened therebetween by the frame. |
| US08638972B2 |
Earphone
An earphone that possesses an outer ear canal insertion member for which at least a portion can be inserted into the outer ear canal, a housing onto which the outer ear canal insertion member is installed, a driver unit which is disposed within the housing and which generates sound, a first retention member through the interior of which passes a cable connected at one end to the driver unit and which is itself directly installed to the housing, and a second retention member through the interior of which passes the cable and which is itself installed to the first retention member; and when the second retention member is installed to the first retention member, the first retention member grasps the cable. |
| US08638970B2 |
In-ear adapter for earbuds
An adapter for attaching to an earphone includes a sleeve capable attaching the adapter to the earphone and an ear portion including a tubular sidewall having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end opposite the first end. In one embodiment, the tubular sidewall includes an outer surface and a plurality of fins extending outwardly from the outer surface. In another embodiment, the tubular sidewall has an inner surface defining an air channel extending through the sidewall, and the inner surface has a twin cone shape including a converging cone portion extending from the first end and a diverging cone portion extending from the converging cone portion to the second end. In one embodiment, the adapter includes both a plurality of fins, and a twin cone air channel. |
| US08638962B2 |
Method to reduce feedback in hearing aids
Disclosed is a method of reducing feedback in a hearing aid adapted to be worn by a user, the method comprising the step of: receiving an audio input signal in an input transducer in the hearing aid; wherein the method further comprises the steps of: transforming the input signal into the frequency domain; dividing the audio signal into a plurality of frequency bands; determining a threshold frequency over which a plurality of upper frequency bands lies; multiplying each of the plurality of upper frequency bands by a random phase, thereby obtaining a plurality of phase randomized upper frequency bands; synthesizing the plurality of phase randomized upper frequency bands and the lower frequency bands to an output signal; transforming the output signal into the time-domain; and transmitting the output signal to an output transducer of the hearing aid. |
| US08638958B2 |
Speaker shoes with audio adapter receiver
A music playing system employing the combination of mini-speaker footwear wirelessly receiving music from a music source (20) external to the footwear using an audio adapter transmitter (13) connected to the music source (20) to wirelessly transmit music to an audio adapter receiver (9) mounted in the footwear is disclosed. A rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery pack (10) is hidden in a shoe compartment (19). This battery pack powers the speakers (1-4) in the footwear and the audio adapter receiver (9). The external music source (20) may for example be but not limited to an iPod, iPhone, iPad, iPad 3G, iPod nano, iPod Shuffle, iPod Touch, iPad Tablet, smart phone, Droid phone, Android phone, MP3 player, CD player, microchip player or computer. Power for the audio adapter transmitter (13) is provided by the battery power pack of the external music source. |
| US08638957B2 |
Sound reproduction apparatus and a method for speaker charging/calibration employed in said apparatus
There is provided a sound reproduction apparatus including a sub-woofer unit and a plurality of wireless speakers. A method of speaker charging and speaker calibration using the sound reproduction apparatus is also provided. The sub-woofer unit may be configured to perform tasks of both charging a power source in each of the plurality of wireless speakers; and calibrating speaker identity for each of the plurality of wireless speakers. It is advantageous that both of the tasks are performed when the plurality of wireless speakers is coupled to the sub-woofer unit. The speaker identity may include, for example, left front, right front, left rear, right rear, and center. |
| US08638956B2 |
Acoustic velocity microphone using a buoyant object
Embodiments of a directional acoustic sensor or acoustic velocity microphone are disclosed that include a sensor frame structure, a support means, and a buoyant object. The buoyant object is suspended in the sensor frame structure using the support means. The buoyant object has a feature size smaller than a wavelength of the highest frequency of an acoustic wave in air. The buoyant object receives three-dimensional movement of the air excited by the acoustic wave. The three-dimensional movement that the buoyant object receives is detected using a detection means. A particle velocity of the acoustic wave is derived from the three-dimensional movement of the buoyant object using the detection means. The detection means can be an optical detection means, an electromagnetic detection means, or an electrostatic detection means. An acoustic image of the acoustic wave can be determined by distributing two or more directional acoustic sensors a multi-dimensional array. |
| US08638955B2 |
Voice input device, method of producing the same, and information processing system
A voice input device includes a first microphone (710-1) that includes a first diaphragm, a second microphone (710-2) that includes a second diaphragm, and a differential signal generation section (720) that generates a differential signal that indicates a difference between a first voltage signal and a second voltage signal, the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm being disposed so that a noise intensity ratio is smaller than an input voice intensity ratio (input voice component intensity ratio), and the differential signal generation section (720) including a delay section (730), and a differential signal output section (740) that generates and outputs a differential signal based on a signal delayed by the delay section. |
| US08638954B2 |
Audio signal processing apparatus and speaker apparatus
An audio signal processing apparatus includes: a first filtering unit which outputs an audio signal while attenuating frequency components except for preset frequency components; a detecting unit which detects a sound volume level; an amplitude limiting unit which calculates an amplitude limiting level corresponding to the sound volume level, and which limits a part of a waveform of the audio signal output from the first filtering unit; a second filtering unit which outputs the audio signal output from the amplitude limiting unit while attenuating frequency components except for preset frequency components including a part of the frequency band of the audio signal output from the first filtering unit, and a part of the frequency band of the harmonics; a compressing unit which compresses a dynamic range of the audio signal; and an adding unit which adds the audio signal output from the compressing unit to the input audio signal. |
| US08638953B2 |
Systems and methods for generating phantom bass
In many audio playback systems, frequencies below a given cut off frequency are suppressed either due to speaker constraints or safety constraints. For example, some speakers are only capable of generating signals above a certain frequency. Prolonged low frequency sound can cause damage to speakers or other components. An audio driver can be equipped with a phantom bass module which by doubling, tripling and/or quadrupling frequencies below a cutoff frequency can simulate the bass experience. The doubling, tripling and quadrupling methods disclosed provide a low complexity formulation of a frequency doubling, tripling and quadrupling. In addition, the frequency doubling, tripling and quadrupling formulations are easily adapted to multi-rate processing, where computational savings can be very high. |
| US08638952B2 |
Signal processing apparatus and signal processing method
There is provided a signal processing apparatus, for suppressing a noise, which includes a first calculator to obtain a phase difference between two spectrum signals in a frequency domain transformed from sound signals received by at least two microphones to estimate a sound source by the phase difference, a second calculator to obtain a value representing a target signal likelihood and to determine a sound suppressing phase difference range at each frequency, in which a sound signal is suppressed, on the basis of the target signal likelihood, and a filter. The filter generate a synchronized spectrum signal by synchronizing each frequency component of one of the two spectrum signals to each frequency component of the other of the two spectrum signals for each frequency when the phase difference is within the sound suppressing phase difference range and to generate a filtered spectrum signal. |
| US08638950B2 |
Digital sound relaxation and sleep-inducing system and method
In one embodiment, an improved-customizability digital sound relaxation system having a sound card receiving port and a collectable sound card are cooperative to play prerecorded natural or other sounds by depressing one of a plurality of sound selector switches and a sound card selector switch. The new sounds of each collectable sound card customize the library of available sounds to individual taste. In another embodiment, an improved-flexibility digital sound relaxation system having at least two (2) prerecorded sounds stored at first and second memory locations of internal or external/internal memory devices may be selected and combined for concurrent and/or individual replay by depressing one of a plurality of sound selector switches and a combine switch, or by depressing one of a plurality of sound selector switches, a sound card selector switch and a combine switch. |
| US08638948B2 |
Multi-channel audio signal processing
The invention relates to multi-channel audio signal processing, in particular to a method of processing a multi-channel audio signal and to a signal processing device. A method of processing a multi-channel audio signal is disclosed, comprising the steps of: receiving an input sum signal (s) representing a sum of a first audio signal and a second audio signal; receiving an input difference signal (d) representing a difference between the first and second audio signals; decorrelating the sum signal to provide a decorrelated sum signal (sd); calculating a first gain (gs) from a cross-correlation of the sum and difference signals (s,d) and the power of the sum signal; calculating a second gain (gsd) from a cross-correlation of the sum and difference signals (s,d) and the power of the sum and difference signals; calculating an output difference signal (d′) from a sum of the first gain (gs) applied to the sum signal (s) and the second gain (gsd) applied to the decorrelated sum signal (sd); and providing an output stereo audio signal (l,r) from a combination of the output difference signal (d′) and the input sum signal (s). |
| US08638946B1 |
Method and apparatus for creating spatialized sound
A method and apparatus for creating spatialized sound, including the operations of determining a spatial point in a spherical coordinate system, and applying an impulse response filter corresponding to the spatial point to a first segment of the audio waveform to yield a spatialized waveform. The spatialized waveform emulates the audio characteristics of a non-spatialized waveform emanating from the chosen spatial point. That is, when the spatialized waveform is played from a pair of speakers, the played sound apparently emanates from the chosen spatial point instead of the speakers. A finite impulse response filter may be employed to spatialize the audio waveform. The finite impulse response filter may be derived from a head-related transfer function modeled in spherical coordinates, rather than a typical Cartesian coordinate system. The spatialized audio waveform ignores speaker cross-talk effects, and requires no specialized decoders, processors, or software logic to recreate the spatialized sound. |
| US08638945B2 |
Apparatus and method for encoding/decoding signal
An encoding method and apparatus and a decoding method and apparatus are provided. The decoding method includes skipping extension information included in an input bitstream, extracting a three-dimensional (3D) down-mix signal and spatial information from the input bitstream, removing 3D effects from the 3D down-mix signal by performing a 3D rendering operation on the 3D down-mix signal, and generating a multi-channel signal using a down-mix signal obtained by the removal and the spatial information. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently encode multi-channel signals with 3D effects and to adaptively restore and reproduce audio signals with optimum sound quality according to the characteristics of an audio reproduction environment. |
| US08638943B2 |
Communication device, communication method, communication system and service issuing method
A communication device includes an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals with a reader/writer of a service issuing terminal; a recording unit recorded with data, and also recorded with a pattern in which information specifying an authentication key and access attribute indicating whether or not a readout process or a write process on the data is possible using the authentication key are corresponded; and a control unit for, when receiving one or plural information specifying a region of the data from the reader/writer of the service issuing terminal via the antenna, holding the received one or plural information specifying the region of the data. |
| US08638937B2 |
Methods and systems for distributed processing on consumer devices
Systems and methods are used to provide distributed processing on a service provider network that includes a plurality of remotely located consumer devices. Each of the remotely located consumer devices includes a processing device. A service is provided from the service provider network to the remotely located consumer devices. Distributed processing of a task on the processing devices of the remotely located consumer devices occurs, the distributed processing being unrelated to the service provided to the consumers. The distributed processing occurs even when the processing devices are in use by corresponding remotely located consumer devices. |
| US08638936B2 |
Security protected non-access stratum protocol operation supporting method in a mobile telecommunication system
The present invention relates to a method and system for the management of the mobility, the management of an idle mode, the registration management (management of attachment and detachment), and the location management (management of tracking area) of a terminal by using a non-access stratum (i.e., network stratum, hereinafter referred to as “NAS”) in a mobile telecommunication network. To this end, the method for the management of mobility, the management of an idle mode, the registration management, and the location management of a terminal by using a NAS protocol, i.e., messages, according to an embodiment of the present invention, includes a terminal (hereinafter, referred to as “UE”) and a mobility management entity (hereinafter, referred to as “MME”), and addresses to a method for efficiently processing security protected NAS messages if received messages are security protected NAS messages, in a case of sending or receiving messages serving as EMM (EPS Mobility Management) messages, i.e., mobility management messages, in a network such as an EPS (Evolved Packet System) of 3GPP, when the terminal performs handover in an active mode, performs location management in an idle mode, and registers to a network, thereby achieving improved efficiency in the mobility management, the position management, and the registration management of a terminal. |
| US08638933B2 |
Method for cryptographically verifiable identification of a physical unit in a public, wireless telecommunications network
A method for confirming identity of a physical unit (M) in an open, wireless telecommunications network, having the following steps: storing a secret identity (SIMEI) and an open identity (IMEI) in memory in the physical unit (M); receiving an identity request (IR) with a first parameter (CHv) from the testing device (P) at the physical unit (M); generating an electronic signature (SIGt) by means of a first cryptographic function (F3) from the secret identity (SIMEI) and at least the first parameter (CHv) in the physical unit (M), and sending the generated electronic signature (SIGt) and the open identity (IMEI) to a testing device (P); wherein the identity of the physical unit (M) is confirmed if the electronic signature (SIGt) matches a corresponding electronic signature (SIGv) generated by the testing device by application of a first cryptographic function to the secret identity (SIMEI). |
| US08638928B2 |
Key exchanging apparatus
A key exchanging apparatus transmits the contribution data to the plurality of counterpart apparatuses, generates a signer contribution confirmation signature with respect to a contribution data set including all the contribution data received from the plurality of counterpart apparatuses, generates auxiliary data and auxiliary data validity certification sentence from the contribution data set and the contribution random number, transmits the auxiliary data, the auxiliary data validity certification sentence and the contribution confirmation signature to the plurality of counterpart apparatuses, verifies validity of auxiliary data by using the counterpart identifier set, the counterpart public key set, the contribution confirmation signature set including the data received from the plurality of counterpart apparatuses, the auxiliary data set and the auxiliary data validity certification sentence set, and generates a public key from the contribution data set and the auxiliary data received from the plurality of counterpart apparatuses. |
| US08638927B2 |
Cryptographic processing method, computer readable storage medium, and cryptographic processing device
401 stores, in 302, key d′ obtained by subtracting random number 2r held in 201 from key d held in 105. When an operation starts, the values “−C” and “−C2” are calculated respectively, and the resultant values are stored in a multiplication table memory 205 together with value “C”. In a first operation cycle, 107 selects and outputs an intermediate value 108 held in an in-operation data register 103, and thereby makes a modular-multiplication operation circuit 104 perform squaring. In the second operation cycle, 107 selects and outputs one of three values held in 205 in accordance with the combination of key bit value d′i and random number bit value ri, and thereby makes the modular-multiplication operation circuit 104 perform multiplication. Thereby, a cryptographic processing device that requires a short operation time period, small circuit scale, and has sufficient security can be realized. |
| US08638921B2 |
On-demand call blocking service
In a telecommunication system configured to provide a connection between a caller and a callee via a telephone network, wherein the telephone network is configured to connect the caller and the callee, a method for allowing the callee to prevent the caller from establishing the connection with the callee. The method includes receiving an instruction from the callee to prevent the caller from establishing the connection with the callee and identifying a first telephone number associated with the caller. The method also includes preventing one or more phone calls from the first telephone number from being forwarded to a second telephone number associated with the callee. |
| US08638915B2 |
Rating communications and special communities
A number of communication entities can be associated to provide one or more special communities. A special rating can be applied to certain communication events of users associated with a special community. Users associated with a special community can be offered various services if they have subscribed to one or more plans. A user who has subscribed to a special community can communicate with other users of the same network or a different network who are also part of the special community for a special charge, such as without charge for example. |
| US08638904B2 |
Personnel screening system
Further, the present specification is directed towards personnel screening systems comprising modular components, including detector and source units, where a dual axis scanning beam is employed. In one configuration, the subject under inspection remains stationary and is positioned between two scanning modules. The X-ray source assembly is designed to minimize the overall system footprint while still yielding the requisite field of view, low radiation exposure level, and required resolution. The modular components allow for a compact, light and yet sufficiently rugged overall structure that can be disassembled for ease of transportation and is also simple to reassemble at a required site for inspection. |
| US08638903B2 |
X-ray imaging apparatus and method of X-ray imaging
Provided is an X-ray imaging apparatus and a method of X-ray imaging, with which the apparatus can be reduced in size and a differential phase image or a phase image with consideration of an X-ray absorption effect of an object can be obtained.X-rays are spatially split, and a first attenuation element in which the transmission amount of X-rays continuously changes in accordance with the displacement when the X-rays pass through an object is used. Transmittance is calculated by using the first attenuation element and a second attenuation element that is different from the first attenuation element with respect to an amount of change or a characteristic of change in the transmission amount of X-rays in a direction of a displacement of the X-rays. A differential phase image and the like of the object are calculated using the transmittance. |
| US08638901B2 |
Optimum configuration for fast reactors
A nuclear reactor having a liquid metal or molten salt coolant in a riser space 130′, has a cylindrical containment vessel 134 with a reactor vessel 120′, at least two lobes 121, preferably three to nine lobes 121, each lobe 121 interconnected with the other lobe(s) and each containing a fast reactor core, 116′, 116″, 116″ and 116″″. |
| US08638900B2 |
Nuclear reactor alignment plate configuration
An alignment plate that is attached to a core barrel of a pressurized water reactor and fits within slots within a top plate of a lower core shroud and upper core plate to maintain lateral alignment of the reactor internals. The alignment plate is connected to the core barrel through two vertically-spaced dowel pins that extend from the outside surface of the core barrel through a reinforcement pad and into corresponding holes in the alignment plate. Additionally, threaded fasteners are inserted around the perimeter of the reinforcement pad and into the alignment plate to further secure the alignment plate to the core barrel. A fillet weld also is deposited around the perimeter of the reinforcement pad. To accommodate thermal growth between the alignment plate and the core barrel, a gap is left above, below and at both sides of one of the dowel pins in the alignment plate holes through which the dowel pins pass. |
| US08638894B2 |
Data communication apparatus, data communication system, and data communication method
An object of the present invention is to provide a data communication technique which can reduce a size of a system by enabling bidirectional data communication, and enables a cheap system configuration. A data communication apparatus is provided, the data communication apparatus including a signal terminal (IN) for inputting receiving signals of pulses of which rise times or fall times are mutually different, a reference voltage terminal (GND) for inputting a reference voltage, a rise detection circuit (11) for detecting a rise or a rise time of the receiving signal, a fall detection circuit (12) for detecting a fall or a fall time of the receiving signal, a data signal conversion circuit (13) for generating a clock signal or a data signal based on a result of a detection by the rise detection circuit or the fall detection circuit, and an internal circuit (14) for inputting the clock signal or the data signal generated by the data signal conversion circuit, and for outputting a transmission signal to the signal terminal. |
| US08638888B2 |
Analog correlation technique for ultra low power receivers
One embodiment of the present invention relates to an analog correlation unit comprising a plurality of parallel correlation components configured to operating according to an advanced switched-capacitor low pass filter principle that increases coding gain of the unit. Each correlation component comprises a sampling stage and a correlation stage. The sampling stage may comprise a switched capacitor configured to sample a received baseband signal to determine a value (e.g., polarity) of the baseband signal. The sampled baseband signal is provided to the correlation stages, which may respectively comprise a plurality of switched integrators configured to selectively receive and integrate the sampled baseband signal over time depending upon values (e.g., polarity) of the correlation code to generate voltage potential values. The analog correlation result is evaluated by a comparison of an adjustable threshold voltage with the difference between the output voltage potential values. |
| US08638883B2 |
DC offset cancellation in direct conversion receivers
A method includes receiving a signal using a direct conversion receiver, while the receiver is set at a gain that is selected from a range of possible gain values. Multiple DC offset correction values are provided for use by a DC offset cancellation loop, each DC offset correction value being associated with a respective sub-range of the range of the possible gain values. A DC offset correction value is selected from among the multiple DC offset correction values based on the gain to which the receiver is set. A DC offset in the signal is canceled by setting the DC offset cancellation loop to the selected DC offset correction value. |
| US08638873B2 |
Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system using regularized beamforming
Provided are a beamforming vector determining method and an apparatus which may compute a normalization factor of each of a plurality of terminals by normalizing a predetermined reference value using noise power occurring in each of the terminals. A leakage channel of each of the terminals may be estimated, and a beamforming vector for each of the terminals may be determined with respect to a plurality of base stations based on the leakage channel of each of the terminals. |
| US08638872B2 |
Space-time-state block coded MIMO communication system using reconfigurable antennas
Space-Time-State Block Coded MIMO communication system using reconfigurable antennas. One or more antennas are operates in accordance with a Space-Time-State Block Code (STS-BC) to effectuate channel coding of a signal being transmitted wirelessly between communication devices. In accordance with such an STS-BC, one or more antennas (being reconfigurable in nature) of a communication device are reconfigured in different radiation states. From some perspectives, this may be viewed as performing three-dimensional channel coding, in that, in addition to achieving at least time diversity of signals being transmitted (and also potentially including spatial diversity), state diversity may be achieved by adapting one or more characteristics of one or more antennas within the communication device. Such an STS-BC may operate in an open loop configuration without requiring any feedback from another communication device to which signals are transmitted. If desired, feedback may be employed for adaptively modifying an STS-BC (or selecting another STS-BC). |
| US08638862B2 |
Methods and systems for upsampling filter design
Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for upsampling images and design of upsampling filters. Some aspects relate to a determination of a phase offset position in a higher resolution picture relative to a lower resolution picture. Interpolation filter coefficients for some filters may then be selected based on the filter offset. Other aspects relate to selection of coefficients for filters that are not dependent on the phase offset. In certain implementations, a weighting factor may be used to combine the effects of a phase-offset-dependent filter and an independent filter. |