| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08701492B2 |
Ultrasonic measurement method, ultrasonic measurement apparatus, and ultrasonic sensor
An ultrasonic measurement method and an ultrasonic measurement apparatus are capable of performing an inspection for a short time with a high SN ratio and a small variation An ultrasonic measurement method and an ultrasonic measurement apparatus are capable of performing an inspection for a short time with a high SN ratio and a small variation in sensitivity in a process for detecting a defect in all directions at 360 degrees using a matrix array sensor without performing mechanical scanning in all directions, while reducing noise that is caused by a bottom surface echo. An element selecting circuit selects a group of a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements for transmission from among ultrasonic transducer elements that constitute a two-dimensional array sensor so that the ultrasonic transducer elements for selected for transmission are arranged in line symmetry with respect to a first line symmetric axis to set the group selected for transmission. The element selecting circuit selects a group of a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements for reception so that the ultrasonic transducer elements selected for reception are arranged in line symmetry with respect to a second line symmetric axis that is perpendicular to the first line symmetric axis to set the group selected for reception. A transmitting element selector selects, as transmitting elements, the ultrasonic transducer elements set by the element selecting circuit. A receiving element selector selects, as receiving elements, the ultrasonic transducer elements set by the element selecting circuit. |
| US08701487B2 |
Angular velocity detection apparatus and electronic instrument
An angular velocity detection apparatus includes a vibrator that generates a signal that includes an angular velocity component and a vibration leakage component, a driver section that generates the drive signal, and supplies the drive signal to the vibrator, an angular velocity signal generation section that extracts the angular velocity component from the signal generated by the vibrator, and generates an angular velocity signal corresponding to the magnitude of the angular velocity component, a vibration leakage signal generation section that extracts the vibration leakage component from the signal generated by the vibrator, and generates a vibration leakage signal corresponding to the magnitude of the vibration leakage component, and an adder-subtractor section that adds the vibration leakage signal to the angular velocity signal, or subtracts the vibration leakage signal from the angular velocity signal, in a given ratio to correct temperature characteristics of the angular velocity signal. |
| US08701483B2 |
Device for emulsion measuring by means of a standpipe
A measuring device is for determining a separating layer or a mixing ratio in a container. The measuring device comprises two fill-level measuring apparatuses that acquire the echo curves in a standpipe and outside the standpipe, respectively. Solely from these two echo curves the position of a virtual boundary layer or the mixing ratio of the two different liquids can be determined. |
| US08701480B2 |
Downhole pressure and vibration measuring device integrated in a pipe section as a part of a production tubing
The invention relates to a downhole pressure- and vibration-measuring device integrated in a pipe section as part of a production tubing. The sensor housing of the measuring device with sensors has a two-part clamp on the upper part of the sensor housing, from where an electrical multi-conductor cable connection from at least four, preferably six, nipples in a tube is clamped along the production tubing with bushings through equipment installed in the wellhead to sensors with an electronics and control unit above the wellhead. Evenly spaced radially in an annular space are a first set of strain gauges attached to the outside wall of the production tubing and a second set of strain gauges attached on the inside of the external wall of the sensor housing. Strain gauges are connected by glass penetrators of electrical conductors in cable tubes terminated in the tubing hanger to an electronics unit and a control unit. For the measuring of temperatures, a thermometer will be integrated. Pressure-measurement signals also measure vibration in the production tubing. |
| US08701478B2 |
Methods and devices for testing blow-out panels
Blow-out testing devices which include a box-like housing defining two contiguous inner chambers communicating directly with one another through an inner aperture which is closable by applying a blow-out panel thereupon are provided. In such devices at least one of the two chambers is provided with a hermetically closable door. Both chambers are pressurized and sealed. Opening the door, an instant pressure drop is caused in one of the two chambers. The pressure within the other chamber causes the panel to break. Methods for blow-out testing are also provided. |
| US08701477B2 |
Methods and systems for diagnosing a turbocharger
Various methods and systems are provided for a turbocharger. In one example, a method includes determining a first pressure at a first location within a turbocharger and determining a second pressure at a second location within the turbocharger. The method further includes indicating degradation of the turbocharger based on the first pressure and the second pressure. |
| US08701470B2 |
Method and system for determining particle size distribution and filterable solids in a bitumen-containing fluid
A method and system for determining particle size distribution and/or filterable solids in bitumen-containing fluid is described. A sample of bitumen-containing fluid, such as bitumen-froth feed, bitumen-froth solvent or paraffinic-froth-treated (PFT) bitumen-solvent is obtained. An optimized diluent combination is determined, comprising an aromatic or cycloaliphatic solvent such as toluene, benzene, naphthalene, xylene, anthracene, or cyclohexane together with a C3 to C12 paraffinic solvent. The combination is considered optimized when diluting the sample with the combination maintains substantially the same level of deasphalting in the diluted sample as in the undiluted sample. Upon dilution of the sample with optimized diluent combination, particle size distribution can be accurately determined using optical instrumentation, laser diffraction instrumentation, electrical counting instrumentation, or ultrasonic instrumentation. |
| US08701469B2 |
Flexible substrate sensor system for environmental and infrastructure monitoring
A sensor system utilizing flexible electronics for on-line real-time high-sensitivity sampling, monitoring, and analysis of a parameter or analyte of interest in a fluid or in or on a solid is provided. The flexible substrate sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors, a flexible substrate, a network, and a connection between the sensors and the network, wherein the network reads out or collects information from the sensors. The network can be onboard, connected by via a physical connection to the sensors and the flexible substrate, or external to the sensors and flexible substrate, connected via a telemetric or wireless connection to the sensors. The flexible substrate sensor system can be deployed in systems that conduct or distribute fluids or solids, such as distribution systems (municipal water systems, oil or gas pipeline systems), industrial systems (production facilities, piping, and storage systems), and large structures (dams, bridges, walkways, buildings). |
| US08701467B2 |
Flange fitting with leak sensor port
A leak detection feature for a fluid conduit. The leak detection feature facilitates the monitoring of fluid leaks at the interface of two adjoining conduit flange fittings. An embodiment of a flange fitting with a leak detection feature for a fluid conduit having an opening. The flange fitting includes a flange body around the opening of the fluid conduit, a leak detection passageway formed in the flange body, and a leak detection port formed in the flange body. The flange body has a sealing face surface configured to mate with a cooperating flange fitting, and the leak detection passageway terminates at the sealing face surface. The leak detection port is in fluid communication with the leak detection passageway, and the leak detection port is configured for fluid communication with a leak sensing apparatus. |
| US08701465B2 |
Photoacoustic sensor diffusion membrane attachment structure
A photoacoustic detector includes a sensing region for receiving atmospheric samples of a gas. A permeable membrane overlays a gas input port of the sensing region. The membrane is mechanically clamped to the sensing region by a compression force. |
| US08701463B2 |
Target odor detection and security apparatus
A target odor detection apparatus and system configured to house one or more inanimate odor detectors for screening air passed across odor emitters or conveyances that pass through the target odor detection apparatus. Various communication technologies are incorporated in certain embodiments to provide enhanced control over an apparatus or system located in multiple and, in some cases, very distant, geographic locations. |
| US08701461B2 |
Calibration tube for multiphase flowmeters
An automated calibration device that comprises a tube for trapping a multiphase sample between three ultrasound (US) transducer pairs, wherein each of the three transducer pairs is positioned to measure a different fraction of the multiphase sample. |
| US08701459B2 |
Apparatus and method for calibrating MEMS inertial sensors
The transduction scale factor for a MEMS gyroscope is calibrated without moving the MEMS device based on measurements of the resonator resonance frequency and the accelerometer resonance frequency as well as a distance value that may be a fixed distance value or a measured distance value. The measured distance value may be obtained by measuring the quality factor of the resonator or accelerometer and deriving the measured distance value from the quality factor measurement. |
| US08701456B2 |
Roll stand provided with a displacement device
A roll stand with at least one pair of rolls mounted in a stand column and drive shafts, particularly cardan shafts, for the rotary drive of the rolls. A coupling for coupling the drive shafts to the rolls. Axial roll displacement is based on a drive shaft which has an actuating arrangement. Further, a method for axial roll displacement is disclosed. |
| US08701453B2 |
Method of reducing cycle time in a hydro-mechanical forming process and a tool for hydro-mechanically forming a part
A hydro-forming tool for use in a method of forming a blank into a liquid filled chamber. The chamber is formed by a container ring and a moveable wall that together define a variable volume chamber for containing the liquid. The wall is moveable relative to the container ring to provide a chamber in which the volume of liquid required to back up the blank is minimized. The liquid reduces friction at the chamber entry rim. Liquid may be ported through a counter punch to hydro-form the blank into the detail forming areas. |
| US08701450B2 |
High energy efficiency washing system
A washing machine containing a tub and basket placed within the tub, a basket bottom, a driving shaft coupled to the basket, a motor coupled to the driving shaft, a propeller located within the bottom and impelled by an end of the driving shaft, the propeller containing a scrubber, a center and a support, the scrubbers have a transversal section made from at least three arch circumference sections; a lower face of the propeller has a fin, which along with the bottom, functions as a centrifugal pump creating a current or washing liquor flow which is led through the water tower. In a preferred embodiment, the driving shaft has a solar gear coupled thereto which rotates a satellite gear and over the upper face of the support and between the scrubbers a mini-propeller is provided, the satellite gear is coupled to an axis that rotates the mini-propeller. |
| US08701443B2 |
Glass molding system and related apparatus and method
A glass molding system and a method of making glass articles using the glass molding system are disclosed. The glass molding system includes an indexing table, a plurality of enclosures arranged along the indexing table, and a plurality of stations defined on the indexing table such that each of the stations is selectively indexable with any one of the enclosures. At least one radiant heater is arranged in at least one of the enclosures. A radiation reflector surface and a radiation emitter body are arranged in the at least one of the enclosures. The radiation emitter body is between the at least one radiant heater and the radiation reflector surface and has a first surface in opposing relation to the at least one radiant heater and a second surface in opposing relation to the radiation reflector surface. |
| US08701442B2 |
Manufacturing apparatus for a glass film and manufacturing method for a glass film
A manufacturing apparatus prevents small defects from being formed in a surface of a glass film ribbon to the extent possible when the glass film ribbon is transported toward a downstream side while curved. The apparatus includes a direction converting device for converting a traveling direction of the glass film ribbon, which is drawn downward vertically from a forming device, from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction by transporting the glass film ribbon toward a downstream side while curved in a longitudinal direction of the glass film ribbon. The direction converting device includes a curve-supporting unit for supporting the glass film ribbon curved in the longitudinal direction. The curve-supporting unit includes two lines of end portion supporting parts for supporting widthwise end regions of the glass film ribbon without supporting a widthwise central region of the glass film ribbon. |
| US08701435B2 |
Multiple barrel frozen product dispenser
A frozen product dispenser is characterized by at least two product freeze barrels for receiving product therein and for freezing the product for dispensing, and a refrigeration system for chilling the at least two barrels. The refrigeration system has at least two evaporators for and heat transfer coupled to each barrel, separate and controllable expansion valves each having an outlet coupled to an inlet to an inlet to an associated one of the evaporators, at least two compressors having outlets coupled to inlets to the expansion valves and inlets coupled to outlets from the evaporators, and at least one condenser in fluid circuit between outlets from the compressors and inlets to the expansion valves. The refrigeration system is controllable to selectively operate one or more of the compressors and one or more of the expansion valves in accordance with the cooling requirements of the barrels to provide an improved turndown ratio for improvements in efficiency of operation of the refrigeration system in response to changing cooling load requirements of the product barrels. |
| US08701434B2 |
Cooling device with a filter unit
A cooling device includes a cooling unit (10) penetrated by a fluid to be cooled, in particular hydraulic oil, and a filter unit (12) for filtering the fluid. The filter unit (12) extends along a longitudinal side of the cooling unit (10). A fluid collecting space (16) is arranged between the filter unit (12) and the cooling unit (10). The fluid collecting space (16) has a uniform flow cross-section and is at least partially closed against the filter unit (12) by a concavely curved limitating wall (36). The optimized fluid guidance obtained results in a uniformization of speed, while at the same time avoiding cavities and turbulences to ensure a trouble-free and energetically favorable operation of the cooling device. |
| US08701429B2 |
Air conditioning system
A supplementary air conditioning system includes an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger. The indoor heat exchanger is fanless and includes indoor tubes installed so as to be inclined to a ceiling of a room. The indoor tubes make diagonal contact with a high-temperature air zone in an upper part of the room and refrigerant inside the indoor tubes is heated by the air zone so as to boil and vaporize and air in the air zone flows down through the indoor heat exchanger. The external heat exchanger includes outdoor tubes installed outside at a higher position than the indoor tubes and are connected to the indoor tubes via connecting pipes with no compressor therebetween. The outdoor tubes condense and liquefy the refrigerant boiled and vaporized in the indoor tubes and return the refrigerant to the indoor tubes. |
| US08701428B2 |
Refrigerator and method for controlling the same
A refrigerator and a method for controlling the same are provided. More particularly, the refrigerator is provided with a dispenser having a cavity for a cup, dispenser doors that open and close the cavity, and a door driver positioned in the dispenser that drives the dispenser doors. The dispenser doors may be automatically controlled to open and close, thereby improving cleanliness and an exterior appearance of the refrigerator by reducing dust accumulation in the dispenser during periods of non-use. |
| US08701424B2 |
Turbo chiller, heat source system, and method for controlling the same
A turbo chiller that allows for temperature adjustment even when a target heat load is low is provided. A turbo chiller (11) is equipped with a chiller-side control unit that controls an operation so that a coolant outlet temperature is equal to a desired value. When a target heat load is lower than or equal to a predetermined value, the chiller-side control unit outputs a target coolant flow rate, which satisfies the target heat load, of the coolant on the basis of a current coolant inlet temperature, which is a current temperature of the coolant flowing into an evaporator, and a target coolant outlet temperature, which is a coolant outlet temperature to be targeted. |
| US08701420B2 |
Gas turbine control method and device
A gas turbine control device having a gas turbine control unit for the gas turbine operation control that computes adjustment increments regarding at least one of the airflow rate into the combustor and the pilot ratio, and makes revisions to the actuating variables comprising the airflow rate and the pilot ratio so that the actuating variables are contrasted with the status signals and the variables are modified toward initial design conditions. The gas turbine control unit resets the revisions made to the actuating variables in a case where the level of the combustion vibration is restrained below the predetermined control criterion for a predetermined time span, and the gas turbine is operated under the control settings of the initial design stage. |
| US08701419B2 |
Multi-tube fuel nozzle with mixing features
A system includes a multi-tube fuel nozzle having an inlet plate and a plurality of tubes adjacent the inlet plate. The inlet plate includes a plurality of apertures, and each aperture includes an inlet feature. Each tube of the plurality of tubes is coupled to an aperture of the plurality of apertures. The multi-tube fuel nozzle includes a differential configuration of inlet features among the plurality of tubes. |
| US08701413B2 |
Oxidizing fuel in multiple operating modes
A fuel oxidizer system is operated in a first operating mode. In the first operating mode, a mixture that includes fuel from a fuel source is compressed in a compressor of the fuel oxidizer system; the fuel of the compressed mixture is oxidized in a reaction chamber of the fuel oxidizer system; and the oxidized fuel is expanded to generate rotational kinetic energy. The fuel oxidizer system is operated in a second operating mode. In the second operating mode, fuel from the fuel source is directed to bypass the compressor, and the fuel that bypassed the compressor is oxidized in the reaction chamber. |
| US08701410B1 |
Ballistic impulse turbine and method
In one aspect, the invention provides a method for rotating an impeller device. Said method comprises (a) positioning at least one ejector tube to eject a working fluid onto the impeller device; (b) locating a kinetic droplet in an ejector tube; (c) introducing a charge of vapor into the ejector tube behind the kinetic droplet so that expansion of the vapor in the ejector tube causes the kinetic droplet to accelerate out of the ejector tube and to impinge on the impeller device; and (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) in a synchronized fashion. |
| US08701407B2 |
Hydraulic active booster
Disclosed is a hydraulic active booster capable of easily adjusting the structure of a simulator. The simulator of the hydraulic active booster includes a simulator housing having a first receiving part for receiving a control plunger, a second receiving part for receiving a part of a first piston into which the control plunger is inserted, and a third receiving part for receiving a simulator piston. The third receiving part is separated from the first and second receiving parts. |
| US08701400B2 |
Electro-hydrostatic actuator excellent in snubbing characteristic, and drive device used for the same, and control method used for the same
The present invention is to provide an electro hydrostatic actuator excellent in a snubbing characteristic including a cylinder type actuator main body 1, a piston 2 having a piston rod, the piston slidingly moving in a cylinder of the actuator main body, a motor 18, a pump 19 for supplying fluid according to the rotation of the motor, a mechanism for adjusting a running amount of the fluid into and from the cylinder according to the motion of the piston, and a reservoir 8 for adjusting the supply of the fluid corresponding to a volume difference generated according to the motion of the piston, and a controller 17 which controls the number of revolutions of the motor according to the calculated load torque, and a snubbing control method used for this. An electro hydrostatic actuator of realizing a snubbing mechanism capable of increasing energy efficiency, when used for a landing gear retraction/extension device of an airplane, can be provided. |
| US08701396B2 |
Hydraulic system
A hydraulic system for an operator controlled machine, the system including at least one actuator for moving a machine component, a source of pressurized fluid for delivering pressurized fluid at a system pressure to a control valve which is operable under operator control, to control the flow of fluid from the source to the actuator at a load pressure, along a load pressure path, a flow control apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid from the source to the control valve, the flow control apparatus including an actuating part which is biased by a resilient device to a condition in which the flow control apparatus provides for a maximum flow of fluid to the control valve, actuating part movement by the resilient device being resisted by system pressure fluid and being supported by fluid at a control pressure, the control pressure being derived from the load pressure, and wherein the system includes a pressure control device to which the load pressure is communicated, the pressure control device being operated under operator control either to deliver the control pressure to the flow control device at load pressure or a modified pressure which is less than the load pressure. |
| US08701395B2 |
Reformer
An exhaust gas treating system for a gasoline engine, comprising an exhaust gas manifold comprising an annular reforming catalyst mounted within an annular housing and fuel supply means in direct fluid connection with the catalyst, an outlet for reformed fuel products in direct fluid connection with the catalyst, and means to permit a proportion of the engine-out exhaust gases to enter the annular catalyst to mix with fuel from the fuel supply means and to pass through the catalyst, the annular housing being located such that hot engine-out exhaust gases can flow around and through the center of the housing, such that heat is transferred from the exhaust gases to the catalyst within the housing. The reformate may be passed to the inlet side of the engine, to improve overall efficiency of the engine, and/or may be mixed with exhaust gas before catalytic aftertreatment, to improve the control of emissions. |
| US08701393B2 |
Exhaust purification system of internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine in which an SOx trap catalyst (13) for trapping SOx contained in the exhaust gas contains an oxygen adsorbing and releasing material (54) which can adsorb SO2 contained in the exhaust gas and an SOx storage material (55) which can store SOx in the form of sulfates. The SO2 which is contained in the exhaust gas is chemically adsorbed at the oxygen adsorbing and releasing material (54) without being oxidized. If the temperature of the SOx trap catalyst (13) becomes higher than the start temperature of adsorbed SO2 movement, the SO2 which is chemically adsorbed at the oxygen adsorbing and releasing material (54) is oxidized and stored in the form of sulfates in the SOx storage material (55). |
| US08701386B2 |
Aircraft nacelle that incorporates a thrust reversal device
An aircraft nacelle in which a power plant with an outside surface is arranged, whereby the nacelle has an inside wall that with the outside surface of the power plant delimits a secondary annular pipe, at least one moving part so as to create at least one lateral opening, and a thrust reversal device that has at least one moving physical obstacle that can occupy a first retracted state in which it does not deflect the stream that circulates in the secondary pipe and another deployed state in which it at least partially deflects the stream that circulates in the secondary annular pipe toward the at least one side opening, characterized in that it includes a ring that is arranged in the secondary pipe, distant from the inside wall of the nacelle and the outside surface of the power plant that supports the at least one moving physical obstacle. |
| US08701381B2 |
Remote shaft driven open rotor propulsion system with electrical power generation
A system for aircraft propulsion is disclosed herein. The system includes a power plant. The system also includes an open rotor module operable to rotate. The open rotor module has a plurality of variable-pitch blades. The system also includes a first linkage extending between the power plant and the open rotor module. The first linkage is operable to transmit rotational power to the open rotor module for rotating the plurality of variable-pitch blades. The system also includes an actuator operable to change a pitch of the plurality of variable-pitch blades. The system also includes a generator operable to generate electric power. The system also includes a second linkage extending between the power plant and the generator. The second linkage is operable to transmit rotational power to the generator. The generator is operable to convert the rotational power to electrical power. The system also includes a controller operably coupled to the actuator to vary a pitch of the plurality of variable-pitch blades. The controller is also operably coupled to the power plant to adjust a power output. The controller is also operably coupled to the generator to determine demand on the generator. The controller is also operable to vary the pitch of the plurality of variable-pitch blades based at least in part on the demand on the generator. |
| US08701379B2 |
Combined cycle integrated combustor and nozzle system
An engine that operates and produces the entire required vehicle thrust below Mach 4 is useful for a Hypersonic combined cycle vehicle by saving vehicle and engine development costs. One such engine is a combined cycle engine having both a booster and a dual mode ramjet (DMRJ). The booster and the DMRJ are integrated to provide effective thrust from Mach 0 to in excess of Mach 4. As the booster accelerates the vehicle from Mach 0 to in excess of Mach 4, from Mach 0 to about Mach 2 incoming air delivered to the DMRJ is accelerated by primary ejector thrusters that may receive oxidizer from either on-board oxidizer tanks or from turbine compressor discharge air. As the TBCC further accelerates the vehicle from about Mach 0 to in excess of Mach 4 exhaust from the turbine and exhaust from the DMRJ are combined in a common nozzle disposed downstream of a combustor portion of said DMRJ functioning as an aerodynamic choke. |
| US08701376B2 |
Conditioning device with rollers sealable within housing sections
A conditioning device for an agricultural harvesting machine includes a first and a second roller that each are supported with respect to a housing to enable the rollers to rotate about respective longitudinal axes in order to delimit a gap through which crop passes. The housing is formed with a first and a second housing section such that the second housing section moves relative to the first housing section from a closed position in which the housing seals the rollers with respect to the surroundings into a closed position in which the rollers are accessible from outside the housing. The rollers are each supported with respect to the first housing section by way of a shaft extending between the first and the second housing sections. |
| US08701372B2 |
Clip fastener for photovoltaic system
A photovoltaic system includes a photovoltaic module including a plurality of photovoltaic cells, and a frame surrounding the photovoltaic cells. The frame includes a lower flange. A module rail includes a module-support portion supporting the lower flange of the photovoltaic module. A clip fastener defines a press-fit channel in which the lower flange of the photovoltaic module and the module-support portion of the module rail are press fit to secure the module to the module-support portion of the module rail. |
| US08701371B2 |
Construction system and method for constructing buildings using premanufactured structures
Examples of construction systems and methods of constructing multi-story buildings utilizing premanufactured and prefinished components are disclosed. Examples of premanufactured and prefinished components include floor and ceiling slabs, non-weight bearing window walls, demising walls, exterior walls, and utility walls. The premanufactured and prefinished components may be transported to the construction site and assembled at the construction site. |
| US08701370B2 |
Method for manufacturing a reinforcement
A structural element for constructing an auxiliary means for the manufacture of a reinforcement includes at least one coupling point for coupling the structural element to another structural element. The structural element is formed from a basic element. The structural element may further include a holding means for holding a reinforcement rod. A method for constructing an auxiliary means and a method for manufacturing a reinforcement are also provided. |
| US08701367B2 |
Roofing system and method
A roof structure for covering a roof substrate includes a waterproof membrane having a layer of fleece material disposed on a first side thereof. The roof structure also includes a moisture curing, substantially non-volatile polyether based adhesive disposed on at least a portion of the first side of the waterproof membrane. At least some of the adhesive is disposed within the fleece material to permit bonding of the waterproof membrane to a roof substrate of a low slope roof of a building structure. |
| US08701363B2 |
Windows, doors and glazing assemblies therefor
The specification discloses a window or door, and glazing assemblies therefor, wherein the glazing assemblies include a first pane of glass with an exterior surface coated with a smooth, hardened silica-containing coating, and an opposite surface coated with at least one layer of a low emissivity coating. In one embodiment, a second pane of glass is joined to and spaced from the first pane of glass by a polymeric spacer. In a second embodiment, a third pane of glass is laminated to the second pane, and in a third embodiment, a third pane of glass coated on its interior surface with a low emissivity coating is joined to and spaced from the second pane by a polymeric spacer. |
| US08701362B2 |
Skylight with thermal break
A skylight includes at least one glass section supported by an intermediate member. The intermediate member includes a beam supporting the glass section, a cap disposed above the glass section and an insulator disposed between and attaching the beam to the cap. The insulator forms a thermal break to impede heat transfer through the skylight in either direction. |
| US08701358B1 |
Masonry block plate setter
A system for setting and securing metal plate on an outer wall of concrete masonry, includes upper and lower masonry blocks with side walls and end walls forming an inner grout cavity. The metal plate has Nelson studs extending from it, each having a head on its outer end The studs extend from the plate, through a masonry side wall, into the grout cavity. A spring clip in the grout cavity compressed between a masonry block side wall and the stud head urges the stud and plate inward to secure the plate against the masonry as the grout cavity is filled with grout. |
| US08701351B2 |
Flexible seal for recreational vehicles
A seal assembly located at the intersection of an extension room and wall of a recreation vehicle, the seal assembly having a flap seal, a bulb snap-in member attached to the flap seal, and a bulb seal member attachable to the bulb snap-in member in a snap-fit manner. The bulb seal member may be attached to the bulb snap-in member by a living hinge. The flap seal may be made removable from the bulb snap-in member. Two flap seals may be used to attach to either side of the recreation vehicle wall. The two flap seals may be connectable with each other and adjustable via a longitudinal mating shaft on one flap seal and a longitudinal mating shaft receiving member on the second flap seal. The seal assembly may be manufactured by a multi-extrusion process so that various components can be made of different materials, such as different types of plastic. |
| US08701349B2 |
Guide arrangement for a movable window pane, in particular of a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a guide arrangement (10), in particular for a motor vehicle door, which comprises at least one movable window pane (20, 120), at least one guide part (30, 130) and at least one receptacle (40, 140) for the guide part (30, 130), wherein the guide part (30, 130) or the receptacle (40, 140) is fastened to the window pane (20, 120) and the guide part (30, 130) extends, at least in sections, into the receptacle (40, 140) in a direction which runs substantially perpendicular to the plane of the window pane (20, 120). The invention also relates to a method for assembling a guide arrangement (10) of said type. |
| US08701345B2 |
Greening system
A greening system is disclosed for enabling plants/vegetation to grow only with natural rainfall, enabling a garden to be constructed on building rooftops, minimizing the applicable loads on the building and risk of leakage. Planting container 1 comprises box 2 with stickers 3 to carry perforated partition panel 4. The lower half of the container is constituted as water storage 5, and drain holes 6 are opened on sides of the container. Soil layer 7 placed on partition panel 4 is formed of light woody soil-based on charcoal 9 and humus timber chips for absorbing moisture transported from the water 8 stored in water storage 5 by evaporation or difference in humidity, to increase water capacity and reduce amount of water evaporating into the air. Charcoal 9 absorbs water from the air inside the lower half of the container to water the plants. |
| US08701343B2 |
Water diversion system
This invention relates to a system for diverting water to improve ground water supplies. The system involves collecting stormwater from hard surfaces, such as roads and pavements, and diverts the stormwater to the landscape underground, including below the road and pavement, where the water may be used for passive irrigation. More specifically, the invention relates to a water diversion system for utilizing stormwater runoff to passively irrigate plants. The system comprises a receptacle for receiving and containing a volume of stormwater runoff, and having an outlet for enabling contained stormwater to flow out of the receptacle. The system further comprises distribution means connected to the outlet of the receptacle for communicating stormwater from the receptacle to a soil profile below the level of the pavement for access by a plant, thereby irrigating the plant. The system also comprises a filter for removing solid particulates from the stormwater entering the distribution means. |
| US08701328B2 |
Bidirectional gun bore cleaning device using manual impact force
Disclosure relates to a bidirectional gun bore cleaning device for rapidly cleaning the bore of a gun barrel with less manpower by using a striking force (impact energy) of a striking hammer to easily move a cleaning brush in the bore. The bidirectional gun bore cleaning device is coupled to an end of the existing cleaning rod when being used. |
| US08701327B2 |
Enhanced throw lever
A throw lever assembly used to secure an accessory such as a sight or a flashlight to a firearm. The throw lever assembly includes a base unit having a cam bed wherein the cam resides. An engagement rod, connected to the cam, extends through the base unit to an anchor clamp used to clamp the entire assembly to a firearm. A handle portion is manually locked to the cam so that when locked to the cam mechanism, the lever allows the operator to manually rotate the cam to force movement of the engagement rod to tighten or release the assembly from the firearm. In one embodiment, the handle portion is secured to an arm extending from the cam. |
| US08701325B1 |
Duplex weapon system
A duplex weapon system that is capable of firing a high-mass/low-velocity (“HMLV”) projectile followed by a conventional projectile such as a bullet. A barrel adapter is aligned with the bore of the barrel of a conventional firearm. The barrel adapter includes an adapter bore running completely through its length, with the adapter bore terminating in an exit in the forward portion of the barrel adapter. The HMLV projectile is slidably attached to the exterior of the barrel adapter. The HMLV projectile includes a launch tube that covers the exit of the barrel adapter. When a first cartridge is fired b the firearm, expanding propellant gas rushes down the adapter bore and out the exit The expanding gas forces the launch tube and the attached HMLV projectile away from the barrel adapter. The HMLV projectile then flies toward a target. |
| US08701322B2 |
Sign cube system
A sign cube system having a substantially square-shaped box portion having four substantially planar side surfaces, one closed end and one open end, and a wire support having a substantially square-shaped portion which is inserted into the open end of the box portion and a stem extending perpendicular to and vertically downward from a center of the square-shaped portion. The wire support may be attached to an upright bracket and inserted into a substantially hollow upright member of a retail merchandise display or the wire support may be attached to a stringer which extends horizontally between two upright members of the retail merchandise display. |
| US08701319B2 |
Channel letter and trim cap retaining clip therefor
A channel letter has a rear surface for mounting against a raceway, wall, or a structure for supporting the signage, and sheet metal sides defining the figuration of the letter or shape to be depicted. A lighting element is positioned against the rear surface of the enclosure, and a lens is retained to the open front of the enclosure. The lens is secured with a retainer cap and a plurality of retainer clips. Each of the retainer clips comprises as least one side including an outwardly extending leg for retention with the retainer cap. |
| US08701316B2 |
Aerial advertising device
An aerial advertising device for providing predictable and consistent oscillations to a banner towed behind an aircraft. The aerial advertising device may be disposed at the bottom of the leading edge of a banner. The device may generally comprise a weight box disposed above a wind box. The device may be rotatable about the leading edge or extension, wherein the range of motion of such rotation may be limited by a restriction arm preventing further motion of the device relative to the leading edge. Such rotation may allow the inside walls of the wind box to transfer the applied wind force to the rotation of the device and thereby the rotation of the leading edge of the banner. The weight box may further comprise a horizontal translation arm upon which a slidable weight may slide as the translation arm is moved into greater angular positions relative to horizontal. |
| US08701312B2 |
Hitch device for connecting a groomer vehicle and a ski slope snow grooming implement, and control method employing such a hitch device
A hitch device for connecting a groomer vehicle having a first frame extending along a first axis, and an implement, in particular a rotary snow tiller, for grooming the snow covering of ski slopes and having a second frame extending crosswise to and symmetrically with respect to a second axis. The hitch device has an arm hinged to the first frame about a third axis perpendicular to the first axis, and about a fourth axis perpendicular to the first and third axis; a first actuator for adjusting the position of the arm about the third axis with respect to the first frame to lift and lower the implement; at least one second actuator for adjusting the position of the arm about the fourth axis with respect to the first frame; a movable coupling movable between the arm and one of the first and second frame; and a third actuator for adjusting the position of the arm in a plane crosswise to the fourth axis. |
| US08701310B1 |
Flexible footwear covering reducing friction and drag between shoes and floor surfaces
A flexible footwear covering that fits on a shoe, which has a lower coefficient of friction than the bottom of a shoe allowing for ease of motion on carpeted or other surfaces where the grip of the shoes worn inhibit movement. The covering is in the general shape of a sock with a non retractable or retractable ring, which lies within the arch of the bottom of the shoe giving the option to leave fully covered for maximum ease of movement or expose the heel for more traction when needed. In addition, the flexible footwear covering can be used as a fitness tool with or without the optional design of reinforced panels that are positioned at the toe, ball and/or heel on the outside of the shoe. With the reinforced panels, a variety of exercises can be done to strengthen various muscles of the upper and lower body in a supine or prone position. |
| US08701307B2 |
Method for cleaning and reconditioning FCR APG-68 tactical radar units
A method for improving the manufacture and reliability of new, remanufactured, repaired or reconditioned Fire Control Radar APG-68 tactical radar systems (FCR) utilized in military aircraft and providing such units with extended useful life expectancies equivalent to or better than new of the FCR APG-68 unit high frequency, high voltage dual mode radar transmitters that are deployed in over 1000 state-of-the-art military aircraft such as the F-15, F-16 and F-18 fighter aircraft, and B-1 bombers. The novel method extends the mean lifetime of previously repaired and repairable FCR APG-68 tactical radar units and radar units and ageing transmitters from about 100 to a few hundred hours to about five hundred or more hours by the process of removing embedded moisture and absorbed moisture from the heterogeneous electronic components and preferably also removing contaminants from the heat transfer surfaces of the cold plates and heat exchangers in the FCR APG-68 tactical radar unit. |
| US08701305B1 |
Level
A level has a pair of knobs extending beyond a housing on opposite sides thereof to receive a strap. The level also has a bottom with a V-shaped profile to set atop a flat surface or receive a convex surface therein. |
| US08701299B2 |
CMM with modular functionality
An articulated arm CMM system comprises an articulated arm comprising a plurality of articulated arm members, a measuring probe at a distal end, and a base at a proximal end, the base comprising a docking portion. The articulated arm CMM system also includes a plurality of feature packs configured to electronically connect to the articulated arm via the docking portions and provide additional electronic functionality. |
| US08701298B2 |
Coordinate measuring machine
Coordinate positioning machine or coordinate measuring machine (CMM), with a microprocessor control unit arranged to drive individual axis driver and a proxy module allowing the connection of external devices on a TCP/IP interface. The external devices are used for User interaction, by means of an http server embedded in the microprocessor control unit, or for advanced tasks including tuning and calibration of the dynamic parameters. |
| US08701297B2 |
Method of determining heading by turning an inertial device
A method of determining a heading by means of an inertial device (1) comprising at least one vibratory angle sensor (3) having a resonator associated with detector means and means for setting the resonator into vibration connected to a control unit to have a first mode of operation in which the vibration is left free to move in an angular frame of reference of the resonator, and a second mode of operation in which the vibration is maintained at a predetermined angle in the frame of reference of the resonator, and the method comprising the steps of: controlling the sensor in the second mode of operation to maintain the vibration on a predetermined electric angle corresponding to a least-error value of the sensor; and controlling the sensor in the first mode of operation to take a heading measurement, and controlling the sensor in the second mode of operation once the measurement has been taken and until the next measurement in order to maintain the vibration on the predetermined electric angle. |
| US08701294B2 |
Cutting implement with interchangeable/replaceable blades
A cutting implement with blades that can be replaced or interchanged without using tools. The cutting implement has shock absorbing handles and may also have at least one bumper to reduce the forces transmitted to the user's hands and arms. The cutting implement may be a saw, pruners, lopper, grass shears, hedge shears, or garden shears. |
| US08701291B2 |
Multi-purpose hair cutter
A multi-purpose hair cutter according to the present invention includes a body member, a blade member, and a projection member. The blade member is attached to a first side of the body member in a height direction. The projection member has a base part and at least one projecting part. The base part is attached to a second side of the body member opposite to the blade member in the height direction. The projecting part is formed to project from the base part and rises in a direction opposite to the blade member. |
| US08701285B2 |
Method for producing a hollow fastener element, electrical connections and component assembly
A method for providing an electrically conductive connection between an electric terminal device having a cavity and a sheet metal part. A hollow fixing element is riveted to the sheet metal part to prevent torsion producing an electrically conductive connection between the fixing element and the sheet metal part. The assembled component is then provided with an electrically non-conductive or poorly conductive protective coating. A receptacle for the electric terminal device is configured near the front face of the fixing element, to which the electrical terminal device is attached. The receptacle prevents the torsion of the terminal device in relation to the fixing element. The sheet metal part and a thread forming or cutting screw is screwed through the cavity of the electric terminal device into the hollow fixing element to form or cut a thread. The invention also relates to a corresponding fixing element and an assembled component. |
| US08701284B2 |
Method of manufactuing an electrical connector
A method of manufacturing an electrical connector comprises steps of providing a series of generic lead frames each having an array of contacts arranged in a common generic pattern, removing from one of the generic lead frames a first subset of the contacts to form a first pattern of contacts having a first spaced-apart relationship, removing from another of the generic lead frames a second subset of the contacts to form a second pattern of contacts having a different second spaced-apart relationship, wherein the first and second patterns are selectively obtained from the generic pattern, and loading the first and second patterns of contacts into a housing. |
| US08701283B2 |
Integrated capacitor having reversed plates
A method for producing an integrated device including a capacitor. The method includes the steps of providing a functional substrate including functional circuits of the integrated device, forming a first conductive layer including a first plate of the capacitor on the functional substrate, forming a layer of insulating material including a dielectric layer of the capacitor on a portion of the first conductive layer corresponding to the first plate, forming a second conductive layer including a second plate of the capacitor and functional connections to the functional circuits on a portion of the layer of insulating material corresponding to the dielectric layer, forming a protective layer of insulating material covering the second plate and the functional connections, forming a first contact for contacting the first plate, and forming a second contact and functional contacts for contacting the second plate and the functional connections, respectively, through the protective layer. |
| US08701280B2 |
Method for forming a flexible electrical substrate
A flexible substrate layer having metallic bus-lines and connecting stitches is formed. A trace layer having electrical traces and thermal vias is also formed. The substrate layer and the trace layer are bonded together by way of respective thermal pathways and electrically interconnected. The resulting layer-wise assembly is configured to support and electrically interconnect an array of photovoltaic cells and to channel away heat during operation. |
| US08701275B2 |
Surface mounting apparatus
A surface mounting apparatus includes a mounting head which is movable in X and Y directions and which mounts an electronic component on a positioned board, and a board recognizing camera is fixed to a base and which moves integrally with the mounting head. A correction jig includes a correction mark which is imaged by the board recognizing camera, and an imaging result is used to correct temporal change in an interior portion of the camera including an optical system, and is fixed to the base. |
| US08701273B2 |
Method of manufacturing magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording having a return path section
A method of manufacturing a magnetic head includes the step of forming an accommodation part and the step of forming a return path section. The return path section lies between a main pole and a top surface of a substrate, and connects a shield and part of the main pole away from a medium facing surface to each other so that a space through which part of a coil passes is defined. The accommodation part accommodates at least part of the return path section. The step of forming the return path section forms first to third portions simultaneously. The first portion is located closer to the top surface of the substrate than is the space. The second portion is located closer to the medium facing surface than is the space. The third portion is located farther from the medium facing surface than is the space. |
| US08701272B2 |
Method of forming a power module with a magnetic device having a conductive clip
A method of forming a power module located on a conductive substrate by providing power conversion circuitry. The method of providing the power conversion circuitry includes forming a magnetic device by placing a magnetic core proximate a conductive substrate with a surface thereof facing a conductive substrate, and placing a conductive clip proximate a surface of the magnetic core. The method of forming the magnetic device also includes electrically coupling ends of the conductive clip to the conductive substrate to cooperatively form a winding therewith about the magnetic core. The method of providing the power conversion circuitry also includes providing at least one switch on the conductive substrate. The method of forming the power module also includes depositing an encapsulant about the power conversion circuitry. |
| US08701271B2 |
Method of assembly of articles
An assembly method for first and second articles is disclosed. A first substrate with a plurality of first articles and a second substrate with a plurality of second articles are selected. The articles on the flexible substrate webs with different pitches are assembled together by displacing portions between the first articles of one web out of plane to move the first articles on that web to the same shorter pitch as the second articles on the other web, aligning the two webs to register corresponding first and second articles on the two webs, and assembling the corresponding articles together. The assembly may be used for example in the making of RFID tags, labels and inlays. |
| US08701270B2 |
Methods of manufacturing induction rotors with conductor bars having high conductivity
Methods of making squirrel cage rotors of aluminum based material end rings joined with high conductive and durable material (such as copper) conductor bars for use in electric motors. The methods include forming conductor bars by casting or other metal forming methods in the slots of laminate steel stack, or positioning the preformed or premade solid conductor bars in the longitudinal slots of the stacked laminated steel, with bar ends extending out of the laminated steel stack ends, optionally coating the extended part of the conductors (bars) with a latent exoergic coating containing Al and one or more conductor bar chemical elements, positioning the laminated steel stack having conductors (bars) in a casting mold that forms the cavity of both end rings of the rotor, filling the end ring cavities with aluminum melt, and allowing the end rings to solidify under pressure. Alternatively, the conductor bars and end rings can be made separately and mechanically joined together. |
| US08701267B2 |
Method of making a finger sensor package
A method of making finger sensor packages may include advancing a flexible circuit tape along a predetermined path of travel. The flexible circuit tape may include a flexible layer and conductive traces thereon defining individual flexible circuits. The method may include, as the flexible circuit tape is advanced along the path of travel, securing a respective finger sensing integrated circuit (IC) and surrounding sensor package frame to each flexible circuit, applying at least one fluid fill material adjacent each finger sensor IC while using the corresponding sensor package frame as a dam to thereby define finger sensor packages, and stamping out the finger sensor packages from the flexible circuit tape to form at least one flush common edge of each sensor package frame and individual flexible circuit. |
| US08701266B2 |
Zipper assembly and method of use thereof
A zipper assembly is described wherein the facing tapes having interlocking teeth along facing edges each have a plurality of eyelets distributed longitudinally therein. The eyelets permit the receipt of zip ties therethrough for securing the assembly to an opening in a net. When installed a user may selectively open and close the opening by zipping and unzipping the zipper assembly. |
| US08701264B2 |
Compensating for fastener location variability
A particular method includes disposing a first structure and a second structure adjacent to each other. A fastener is extended from the second structure through a hole and a counterbore defined in the first structure. A first bushing is placed over the fastener by receiving the fastener through an elongated opening defined in the first bushing. When the fastener is not centered relative to the hole, the first bushing is rotated around the fastener and a position of the fastener is adjusted in the elongated opening until the first bushing is received into the counterbore defined in the first structure. The fastener is received through an opening defined in a second bushing. The first structure and the first and second bushings are secured onto the fastener. |
| US08701262B2 |
Support structure and related assemblies and methods
A method is provided for producing a support structure including an at least partly reversibly deformable base body with a cut-out. A component can be held in the cut-out by friction. The method includes machining the base body in the braced state, wherein an opening is introduced into the base body and/or widened. The opening is deformed when the deformation force is removed such that the cut-out is formed. The opening is formed such that the application of a joining force makes it possible to deform the cut-out such that a component to be held can be introduced into the deformed cut-out with a clearance fit and an at least partial recovery of the deformed cut-out brings about a pressure contact between the held component and the cut-out in predefined circumferential regions. A method is disclosed for connecting a component to a support structure. A method is disclosed for connecting a component to an assembly including a support structure with a cut-out and a component. |
| US08701259B2 |
Main shaft remanufacturing
A method of re-manufacturing a shaft-hub assembly to be used in a transfer case, the method including the steps of: determining an initial diameter of a journal bearing of a main shaft that has been used in the transfer case; comparing the determined initial diameter to a predetermined minimum threshold, and discarding the main shaft if the determined initial diameter is below the predetermined minimum threshold; if the determined initial diameter is above the predetermined minimum threshold, preparing the bearing surface of the journal bearing for a thermal spray process; thermally spraying an aluminum bronze material onto the bearing surface; and machining the aluminum bronze material to achieve an outside diameter that provides a desired running clearance with a corresponding finished inside diameter of a central bore for a hub to which the main shaft will be assembled in the transfer case. |
| US08701255B1 |
Protective fabric
Crimp-imbalanced protective fabric is accomplished by varying the levels of yarn crimp within and across a layer or layers of a multi-layer fabric armor system. The method includes developing a crimp in the yarn (utilized for producing a fiber layer) by pulling the yarn through a solution that substantially coats the yarn. The removable coating has a thickness that ensures a proper amount of crimp in the yarn. The tension in the yarn is controlled; the yarn is weaved; and a crimp is applied in the yarn. Once the crimp is applied, families of the crimped yarn are utilized as a layer or layered to produce a soft armor form. |
| US08701254B2 |
Clamp structure
A clamp structure includes a base plate, a pair of first jaws, and a pair of second jaws. The first jaws extend respectively from two sides of the base plate in a face-to-face manner and form a first jaw opening at their ends. The first jaws are also formed with a pair of cutouts that face each other. The second jaws extend respectively from the pair of cutouts towards the base plate and form a second jaw opening at their ends. Each second jaw has a hook-shaped configuration composed of a first arc near the second jaw opening and a second arc away from the base plate, wherein the first arc has a greater curvature than the second arc. A junction box and a solar panel which are bonded together can be inserted into and thus clamped by the clamp structure so as to be secured against lateral shifting. |
| US08701249B2 |
Hinge device for a portable terminal
A hinge device in a portable terminal is provided, in which a first driving cam is fixed to one end of a hinge shaft by a locking device, for rotating, a second driving cam is provided at the other end of the hinge shaft, for rotating together with the first driving cam and making a linear reciprocal motion along the hinge shaft, a driven cam is interposed between the first and second driving cams, for making a linear reciprocal motion along the hinge shaft as a cam motion with the first and second driving cams, and an elastic member is interposed between a hinge housing and the second driving cam. |
| US08701248B2 |
Door construction with closing pivot hinges integrated into door panel
Door construction includes a door panel and at the top and at the bottom each time a self-closing pivot hinge. Each of the pivot hinges includes a spring which extends along the rotation axle and which provides a self-closing function to the pivot hinge. Each of the pivot hinges includes a first cam element and a second cam element which are pushed onto each other by the spring and push the door panel towards the closed position under the influence of the spring pressure. The first cam element includes at least one protrusion which upon rotation runs along a running surface with inclined parts of the second cam element. The second cam element is movably mounted in longitudinal direction of the pivot axle by means of a pen which is accommodated in a slotted hole of the second cam element. The slotted hole extends at least partly between the inclined parts of the running surface. |
| US08701244B2 |
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner is disclosed. The vacuum cleaner includes a body having a vacuum motor provided therein; a dust collection device provided in the body to collect dust; a dust compression device expandable or contractible selectively; a passage switching device configured to selectively communicate the dust compression device with a low pressure part having a lower pressure than a pressure of the dust collection device and a high pressure part having a higher pressure than a pressure of the dust collection device. |
| US08701242B2 |
Paint roller tray with foot raisable bail handle
A paint roller tray (20) includes a pivoting bail handle (21) attached thereto. The bail handle (21) is horizontally disposed in a default position while the tray (20) is being used for painting. The handle pivots with respect to the tray (20) to move a handle portion upward for easy one hand grasping by a user. The bail handle includes foot extensions (72) and (73) that extend outboard of the tray (20) that a user can step on to pivot the bail handle (21) to a lift position for easier grasping. The tray (20) includes a paint brush rest surface (35) and one or more brush handle holders (36) and (37) to secure the brush handle and prevent the brush from falling as the tray is moved. The tray (20) further includes elements (44-49) for cantilevering the tray from the rung of a step ladder and is configured for nesting one tray inside another. |
| US08701241B2 |
Flat wiper blade with spoiler
A flat wiper blade with spoilers is provided. The flat wiper blade has a wiper strip, a single elongated frame, first and second spoilers and a connecting unit for connection to a wiper arm. The frame holds and supports the wiper strip. The first and second spoilers have a pair of longitudinally extending fitting grooves and a receiving groove in the fitting groove. The receiving groove has a width greater than that of the fitting groove. The first and second spoilers are joined to the frame as opposed to each other in such a manner that the frame is fitted to the fitting grooves and an edge of the frame is received in the receiving groove. The connecting unit is joined to the frame between the first spoiler and the second spoiler. The connecting unit engages the first spoiler and the second spoiler. |
| US08701238B1 |
Hand operated sweeping mop with shotgun mechanism to release a used cleaning cloth
A hand operated sweeping mop applicator with a unique disposable cloth retaining assembly where the cloth is retained by cloth retaining members attached to the bottom of a top plate which extend perpendicularly away from a bottom of the top plate and extend through aligned openings in a bottom plate to retain a cleaning cloth against a bottom surface of the bottom plate. Separation force members such as force springs are sandwiched between the bottom of the top plate and the top of the bottom plate and retained in a compressed state buy a force from a shotgun closing member. |
| US08701235B2 |
Electric toothbrush
A handle portion of an electric toothbrush includes an electric motor; a first drive shaft being attachable to a head portion axle of a head portion of an electric toothbrush; a second drive shaft being attachable to a housing of a head portion of an electric toothbrush; and a drive comprising a first drive section and a second drive section. The first drive section is located between the electric motor and one of the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft. The first drive section is arranged to convert a rotational motion of the electric motor into an oscillating pivoting of one of the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft. The second drive section is arranged to transfer an oscillating pivoting of the first drive shaft or the second drive shaft to the respective other drive shaft. |
| US08701231B2 |
Secure fall-prevention mat
The invention relates to a mat intended for a person for whom some mobility is desired, and who can easily be taken care of while preventing any risk of fall when the person lying on the mat moves and is unattended. Such a secure fall-prevention mat mainly includes a core, holding means intended for holding a person lying on said mat and a ballasted set. As an exemplary preferred embodiment, such a mat is a mat used for changing babies. |
| US08701226B2 |
Conductive connection for track-riding patient hoists
A patient hoist is provided on a trolley which tides along a track, with the hoist being powered by a conductor extending along the track. A contact carrier is loosely fit within the trolley, and it bears a contact which elastically biased against the track conductor, with die contact being in electrical communication with the hoist: The contact carrier is tree to laterally displace with respect to the trolley so that it (and its contact) follows the contour of the track, with the contact remaining in electrical communication with the track conductor. |
| US08701225B1 |
Under pad with integral handles
A reusable, washable, absorbent under pad has built-in handles to aid in the transfer and accommodation of bedbound or chairbound patients, for example. The under pad can have at least two handles on each side thereof to facilitate transfer of patients by caregivers and to facilitate proper body mechanics, thereby preventing work related and home injuries by caregivers. |
| US08701220B2 |
Jet powered toilet flushing system
A jet powered toilet flushing system, including: a toilet bowl; a reservoir; a fluid conduit between the reservoir and the toilet bowl; a jet inside the reservoir, the jet having a nozzle directed toward an entrance of the fluid conduit; a fill valve that supplies water to the jet; and a flow diverter in the reservoir, the flow diverter positioned to divert water flow: (a) from the jet nozzle into the entrance of the fluid conduit when the reservoir is full, or (b) from the jet nozzle away from the entrance of the fluid conduit and into the reservoir when the reservoir is empty. |
| US08701219B2 |
Impact transfer device
An impact transfer device comprising a device body, an impact zone shield associated with a first body region, and at least one body contact associated with a second body region, each body contact comprising at least one contact surface, and at least one attaching means for attaching the impact transfer device to a person. At least a portion of a force applied to the impact surface is transferred to the second body region of said person through said contact surfaces. |
| US08701217B2 |
Undergarment
A men's undergarment (1) comprises an upper portion (2) looped to encircle the waist of a wearer; a front portion supported by the upper portion (2) and extending downwards from it; a rear area (5), extending downwards from the upper portion (2) and connected to the front portion, with which it forms a first and a second opening (6, 7) for the legs of the wearer; the rear area comprising a portion (5a, 5b, 5c) made of elastic fabric and comprising a system (9) for confining the elastic stretching of the rear portion (5a, 5b, 5c); the elastic stretching confining system comprising at least one sector (14) in the rear area (5) where stretching is reduced compared with the stretching of the remaining part of the rear area (5). |
| US08701215B2 |
Medical gown
A body covering gown which is secured on the user by one or more stretchable strips which extend across an opening in the gown. |
| US08701214B2 |
One-piece garment
A one-piece garment is presented, such as a pajama for toddlers, which prevents removal of the garment by the toddler and keeps the toddler from gaining access to his diaper. The one-piece garment may be modified for wearers of any size and/or age so that the wearer cannot remove his own garment or disturb garments or medical devices that are worn under the one-piece garment. |
| US08707461B2 |
Scanning method for scanning a sample with a probe
The method relates to a method of scanning a sample. Scanning a sample is typically done by scanning the sample with a probe along a multitude of parallel lines. In prior art scan methods a sample is scanned multiple times with a nominally identical scan pattern. The invention is based on the insight that the coherence between adjacent points in a direction along the scan direction is much better than the coherence of adjacent points perpendicular to the scan direction. By combining two images that are scanned perpendicular to each other, it should thus be possible to form an image making use of the improved coherence (due to shorter temporal distance) in both directions. The method thus involves scanning the sample with two scan patterns, the lines of one scan pattern preferably perpendicular to the lines of the other scan pattern. Hereby it is possible to use the temporal coherence of scan points on a line of one scan pattern to align the lines of the other scan pattern, and vice versa. |
| US08707459B2 |
Determination of originality of content
Making a determination of originality of content is disclosed. At least one originality factor related to the content is analyzed, wherein the originality factor is independent of a time when the content is detected. Based on the analysis of the at least one originality factor, automatically the determination is automatically made. The determination is outputted. |
| US08707453B2 |
System and method for restricting access to a computer system to live persons by means of semantic association of images
A system and method for restricting access to a computer system, resource, or network to live persons, and for preventing the execution of automated scripts via an interface intended for human interaction. When queried for access to a protected resource, computer system, or network, the system will respond with a challenge requiring unknown petitioners to solve a visual puzzle before proceeding, said puzzle consisting of a collection of apparently random objects, and exploiting the natural human impulse to form semantic or symbolic associations between images of objects. The subject of the test must either recognize a semantic or symbolic association between two or more objects, or isolate an object that does not belong with the others, indicating their selection with the pointing device on their local computer. If the subject succeeds in passing the test they are granted access to the requested resource, computer system, or network. |
| US08707451B2 |
Search hit URL modification for secure application integration
A flexible and extensible architecture allows for secure searching across an enterprise. Such an architecture can provide a simple Internet-like search experience to users searching secure content inside (and outside) the enterprise. The architecture allows for the crawling and searching of a variety of sources across an enterprise, regardless of whether any of these sources conform to a conventional user role model. The architecture further allows for security attributes to be submitted at query time, for example, in order to provide real-time secure access to enterprise resources. The user query also can be transformed to provide for dynamic querying that provides for a more current result list than can be obtained for static queries. |
| US08707448B2 |
Secure distribution of media data
A technique for distributing media data in a secured fashion that mitigates unwanted or illegal copying/distribution of such data. An initial, degraded version of the media data is sent to one or more recipient(s). After confirming identity of a recipient at a receiving system, a supplemental version of the media data is sent to the receiving system which augments the degraded version such that it can then be played by the recipient(s). The degraded version of the media data has a reduced quality that is obtained by removing portions of the data and filling in the removed portions with dummy data. During a subsequent rebuilding of the media data, a supplemental version of the media data is sent to the receiving data processing system where it is merged/combined with the degraded version to form a copy that corresponds to the original, high-quality version of the media data. |
| US08707446B2 |
Enforcing alignment of approved changes and deployed changes in the software change life-cycle
On a host, host content change requests are intercepted in real-time. In a tracking mode, the change requests are logged and allowed to take effect on the host. In an enforcement mode, the change requests are logged and additionally compared against authorized change policies and a determination is made whether to allow the change to take effect or to block the changes, thereby enforcing the authorized change policies on the host. Tracking and enforcement can be done in real-time. In either mode and at any time, the logged changes can be reconciled against a set of approved change orders in order to identify classes of changes, including changes that were deployed but not approved and changes that were approved but not deployed. |
| US08707444B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing application control security
Systems and methods for implementing application control security are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a first device, a decrypted white-list, and an executable program. The first device may be in electrical communication with a memory containing an encrypted white-list. The encrypted white-list may be decrypted using an identifier of a second device. The executable program may be referenced in the decrypted white-list. |
| US08707439B2 |
Selecting security offerings
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are disclosed for selecting a set of security offerings. A particular method includes receiving a security need profile associated with a computing environment and receiving security offering information related to a plurality of security offerings. The security offerings of the plurality of security offerings are evaluated with respect to the security need profile. A set of security offerings from the plurality of security offerings are automatically selected. |
| US08707438B1 |
System and method for providing storage for electronic records
Techniques for providing storage for electronic records are described herein. According to one embodiment, a command is received from a client through an interface of a storage system. An approval is received from an authorization agent associated with the storage system for the received command. In response to the approval received from the authorization agent for the received command, an operation associated with the received command is performed. Other methods and apparatuses are also described. |
| US08707432B1 |
Method and system for detecting and preventing access intrusion in a network
A wireless computer network includes components cooperating together to prevent access intrusions by detecting unauthorized devices connected to the network, disabling the network connections to the devices, and then physically locating the devices. The network can detect both unauthorized client stations and unauthorized edge devices such as wireless access points (APs). The network can detect intruders by monitoring information transferred over wireless channels, identifying protocol state machine violations, tracking roaming behavior of clients, and detecting network addresses being improperly used in multiple locations. Upon detecting an intruder, the network can automatically locate and shut off the physical/logical port to which the intruder is connected. |
| US08707424B2 |
Method for making secure execution of a computer programme, in particular in a smart card
A method for making secure execution of a computer program includes the following steps: stacking a predetermined value in a pile of instructions of the program; and stack popping the pile, the stack popping step being adapted, as the case may be, to enable detection of an anomalous execution. |
| US08707421B2 |
System and method for a web based teleservice for updating machine software
A system and method for maintaining a machine control program includes a machine controller including a machine program stored on computer media and configured to control a machine. A router is coupled to the machine controller. A server is coupled to the router to establish communications between the machine controller and an entity that provides source file updates or changes to the machine program such that the server hosts application software needed to compile the source file updates or changes wherein compiled source files are accessible by the machine controller over a secure link to the server. |
| US08707419B2 |
System, method and apparatus for protecting a network or device against high volume attacks
The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for protecting against high volume attacks. The present invention receives a packet, determines a source of the received packet, and updates a tree-based data structure based on the source of the received packet. The received packet is accepted or passed on whenever one or more statistics stored within the tree-based data structure do not exceed a threshold. The received packet is dropped whenever the one or more statistics exceed the threshold. The present invention can be implemented in hardware, software or a combination thereof. The software will implement the steps as one or more code segments of a computer program embodied on a computer readable medium. |
| US08707415B2 |
Method for storing data, computer program product, ID token and computer system
A method includes: establishing a first connection between a first ID token and a first computer system via a second computer system for reading at least one first attribute from the first ID token, establishing a second connection between a second ID token and the first computer system via the second computer system for reading at least one second attribute from the second ID token, sending the first and second attributes from the first computer system to a third computer system, receiving the data from the third computer system by the first computer system, writing the data into the second ID token via the second connection by the first computer system thereby storing the data in the second ID token, where the first connection still exists, wherein the first and the second connection are respectively connection with end-to-end encryption and a connection oriented protocol. |
| US08707410B2 |
System and method for single session sign-on
A method and system for cross-system authentication or credentialing of clients. Credentials from one system (e.g., system 2) are placed on a client, such as with a cookie on a browser, and the credentials are then extracted by another system (e.g., system 1), and used by system 1 to impersonate the client to system 2. If the client's credentials with system 2 are valid, system 2 provides that information to system 1 (which is impersonating the client), and system 1 uses the validity of the credentials from system 2 to grant the client access to protected resources on system 1. |
| US08707405B2 |
Refreshing group membership information for a user identifier associated with a security context
A method for selectively refreshing group membership for an identifier associated with an authenticated user. The identifier represents an application server security context, and it is generated to enable a user credential associated with the authenticated user to be persisted. Following such authentication, the client is provided with a time-bounded, renewable security token. The method begins by configuring an option whether group membership information is refreshed during renewal of an expired security token. During renewal of an expired security token, the method determines whether the option is set. If so, an attempt is made to refresh information. This attempt performs a set of checks to verify certain conditions. If these checks are valid, the identifier is refreshed and the security token renewed with updated group membership information. If any check is not valid, the identifier is refreshed and the security token renewed with existing information. |
| US08707400B2 |
System and method for implementing an extended authentication and authorization credential store
A system and method for consumer-side authorization and authentication is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a request for a credential from a business-side party, matching the credential request to a set of available credentials, the available credentials comprising consumer-side information. The credential is retrieved from a credential store, and the authorization of the business-side party to receive the credential is evaluated before returning a response. In another embodiment, the system comprises a receiver module adapted to receive credential requests from business-side parties. The credential request is passed to a selection and matching module for matching against consumer-side credentials. The credential is retrieved from a storage and retrieval module, but is not passed until an authorization module allows a sender module to return a credential response to the business-side party. |
| US08707399B2 |
Security architecture for a process control platform executing applications
A security component within a supervisory process control and manufacturing information system comprising a set of user roles corresponding to different types of users within the information system, a set of security groups defining a set of security permissions with regard to a set of objects, wherein each security group includes an access definition relating the security permissions to at least one of the set of user roles, and a set of user accounts assigned to at least one of the defined roles thereby indirectly defining access rights with regard to the set of objects having restricted access within the system. The security permissions within the supervisory process control and manufacturing information system are assigned at an object attribute level. |
| US08707397B1 |
Access control center auto launch
Methods and systems provide indirect and temporary access to a company's IT infrastructure and business applications. The methods/systems involve establishing an access control center (ACC) to control the access that technical support personnel may have to the company's IT infrastructure and business applications. Thin client terminals with limited functionality may then be set up in the ACC for use by the technical support personnel. The thin client terminals connect the technical support personnel to workstations outside the ACC that operate as virtual desktops. The virtual desktops in turn connect the technical support personnel to the IT infrastructure and business applications. An ACC application may be used to automatically establish the connection between the thin client terminals and the virtual desktops and the virtual desktops and the IT infrastructure and business applications. |
| US08707392B2 |
Systems and methods for disease management
A computer-implemented diabetes management system is provided that supports enhanced security between a diabetes care manager in data communication with a medical device. The diabetes care manager includes: a first application that operates to request access to a first security role supported by the medical device, where the first security role is associated with a first set of commands for accessing data on the medical device that are defined as a private extension of the communication protocol; and a second application that operates to request access to a second security role supported by the medical device, where the second security role is associated with a second set of commands for accessing data on the medical device that are defined as a private extension of the communication protocol. The second set of commands has one or more commands that are mutually exclusive from the first set of commands. |
| US08707391B2 |
Supporting a server-arbitrated group communication session over a local wireless network via a wireless wide area network proxy client
In an embodiment, a proxy client is positioned within a local wireless network (e.g., a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)) and maintains a connection to an application server in a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) that is separate from the local wireless network. The application server arbitrates group communication sessions between a plurality of user equipments (UEs). An Internet Protocol (IP) unicast connection is established between the proxy client and the application server. The proxy client associates with at least one of the UEs over the local wireless network, and notifies the application server of the association. The application server sends, to the proxy client, traffic associated with a group communication session to the associated UE(s). The proxy client re-transmits the received traffic via IP multicast over the wireless network. |
| US08707389B2 |
Multi-transport mode devices having improved data throughput
A method for transmitting data between a client and a server is provided. The method comprising the following steps. The data is segmented into a plurality of data packets, which are scheduled to be transmitted via different ones of a plurality of access points. Each of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with the client using a different protocol and communicate with the server using a different network path. Each of the plurality of data packets is transmitted between the client and the server via the scheduled access point. A client device and proxy server configured to implement the method are also provided, as is a computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for implementing the method. |
| US08707388B1 |
System, method and computer program product for an authentication management infrastructure
A system and method for allowing a user to access enterprise resources comprising authentication devices and an authentication server. The authentication devices allow a user to enter authentication data. The authentication server is in communication with the authentication devices. The authentication server comprises a policy database storing a policy. The policy comprises guidelines including a first guideline establishes a qualification necessary for the user to access enterprise resources and a second guideline establishes a qualification necessary for the user to activate a silent signal. The authentication server is adapted to request assistance for the user if the silent signal is activated. |
| US08707386B2 |
Policy processing system, method, and program
In a policy handling system performing automatic execution, management, and control of a system, a policy retrieving section (102) retrieves a policy associated with a triggering condition, and notifies a policy-execution-pattern analyzing section (105) of the retrieved policy. A policy-operation-log retrieving section (106) refers to a policy-operation-log storage section (107) to acquire the number of triggering times of the retrieved policy in a predetermined history acquisition period. The policy-execution-pattern analyzing section (105) compares the number of triggering times of the retrieved policy against a predetermined threshold and causes an abnormality notifying section (108) to issue abnormality information when the number of triggering times exceeds the threshold. |
| US08707385B2 |
Automated compliance policy enforcement in software systems
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that maintains a software system. During operation, the system obtains a compliance policy for the software system and monitors the software system for a violation of the compliance policy. If such a violation is detected, the system retrieves a change package associated with the violation based on the compliance policy and automatically deploys the change package to the software system to resolve the violation. |
| US08707378B2 |
Catalog and user application for a video provisioning system
A method performed by a video provisioning system may include receiving metadata associated with a video asset; storing the metadata in a catalog of video assets available through the video provisioning system; publishing information from the stored metadata to a first device associated with a video assets store front for set top boxes; and publishing information from the stored metadata to a second device associated with a video assets store front for devices other than set top boxes. A method may further include registering a user device with a user profile; identifying a media manager application for the user device that is configured to play video assets available via the video provisioning system on the user device; providing the media manager application to the user device; and synchronizing settings associated with the media manager application with settings associated with another user device registered with the user profile. |
| US08707376B1 |
Convenient video program start over system and method for a video entertainment distribution network
A system and method are described herein for providing an convenient video program start over system and method for a video entertainment distribution network whereby a user may interactively revert back to the beginning of an ongoing video program that is currently broadcasted over the video distribution network. The novel system and method may be implemented on any video network having interactive television (ITV) capabilities, wherein user requests from a client are serviceable at an upstream head end, and video storage means exist for the purpose of storage of time based broadcast video programs. The system preferably utilizes a process that involves a minimally complicated sequence of commands that are easily understood and remembered by virtually any user, thereby enhancing the probability of consumer acceptance. The start over system and method may be embodied as a program of instructions, defining a controller, that are executed by a micro-processor located in the STB (client) or head end (server). Optional means are also provided for allowing only a subset of all available broadcast video programs that emanate from a plurality of programming sources to be used with the start over system. |
| US08707374B2 |
Electronic device, electronic device control method, and electronic device system
An electronic device includes: a digital signal transmission/reception unit configured to perform two-way transmission of a digital signal using multiple differential signal lanes prepared at a transmission path with an external device; a transmission path arrangement determining unit configured to determine a transmission path arrangement including the number of use lanes, a use lane number, and a transmission direction by performing communication with the external device using a two-way communication line prepared at the transmission path with the external device; and a transmission path arrangement control unit configured to control the arrangement of the digital signal transmission/reception unit based on the information of the transmission path arrangement determined at the transmission path arrangement determining unit. |
| US08707370B2 |
Digital satellite broadcast program distribution over multicast IP broadband networks
Systems and methods for distributing digital satellite broadcast programs over multicast Internet Protocol (IP) networks are provided. A satellite receiver gateway receives a signal from a digital satellite broadcast and generates service information multicast packets that are transmitted over a multicast IP network. A device receives the service information multicast packets and generates a channel list or electronic program guide for a user. When a user selects a service from the channel list or electronic program guide the device sends a service request for the service towards the satellite receiver gateway. Either the satellite receiver gateway or a switch within the multicast IP network can then transmit the service in multicast IP packets to the requesting device. |
| US08707369B2 |
Recommended recording and downloading guides
Techniques for recommending recording and/or downloading suggestions to a DVR user are provided. According to one technique, a list of suggestions is received from a recommending entity. Each of the suggestions identifies either to-be-broadcasted content or downloadable content. The entity is mapped to the list, thereby establishing an entity-to-list mapping. Data, which indicates a user's selection of a list, is received. The user's DVR is mapped to the selected list, thereby establishing a DVR-to-list mapping. Based on this mapping, one or more candidate items are automatically selected from among a set of items. Identities of the candidate items are sent to the DVR. The recommending entity does not own or operate the DVR. |
| US08707364B2 |
System for presenting media programming guides
A system for presenting media programming guides is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media receiver having a controller element to generate a Media Program Guide (MPG) that groups media programs according to a redundancy of media programs and a viewing history of a subscriber of the media receiver. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08707363B2 |
Synchronization guides for group video watching
Systems and methods are disclosed for recommending items in a video series to a group of viewers. In general, video series item recommendations are generated for a viewer group detected within a viewing area of a media device based on personal viewing histories of users in the viewer group. In one embodiment, the video series item recommendations are recommendations for video series items that: (a) are from one or more video series historically viewed by at least a first predefined minimum threshold number of users in the viewer group and (b) have not yet been viewed by any of at least a second predefined minimum threshold number of users in the viewer group. The video series item recommendations are then provided to the viewer group. |
| US08707360B2 |
Method and apparatus for playback of content items
The present invention relates to simultaneously playing back a plurality of content items, wherein preferred content items can be played back in overlays (203, 205, 207, 209) alongside a main screen area (201) playing back a currently selected content item. |
| US08707357B1 |
Thematic VOD navigation
According to the invention, a method for allowing selection of video programs from a program guide presented to a viewer is disclosed. The video programs are selected from a program guide presented to a viewer. Selection of video programs is allowed from a program guide presented to a viewer. A program is presented with characterizing identifiers. A selection of the program is received by a viewer. It is determined that a viewer is likely switching away from the program or has activated a thematic link. A plurality of programs is determined. A search of the plurality of programs for one or more programs that have similar characterizing identifiers. The one or more programs are presented in a menu that is presented for the viewer. |
| US08707356B2 |
Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel. |
| US08707354B1 |
Graphically rich, modular, promotional tile interface for interactive television
A user interface arranged as hierarchical grid of tiles configurable to be individually and dynamically programmed for both content type and content placement according to a set of rules defining content placement and display specified by a content controller. |
| US08707353B2 |
Image content and advertisement data providing method, system, and apparatus
To provide an image content providing method capable of promoting advertisement effect by dynamically inserting an advertisement image to a distributed image content, an image content reproducing apparatus requests an image content providing apparatus to distribute the image content. Then, the image content is distributed to the image content reproducing apparatus and a viewer can utilize the image content. At this occasion, the image content providing apparatus distributes the image content, detects an advertisement inserting position and requests an advertisement image providing apparatus to distribute an advertisement image. Then, the advertisement image providing apparatus selects the advertisement image to be inserted to the image content and transmits thereof to the image content providing apparatus. Thereafter, the image content providing apparatus inserts the advertisement image to a position of the image content for inserting the advertisement and distributes thereof to the image content reproducing apparatus. |
| US08707352B1 |
Systems and methods for creating an animation sequence representative of a modeled condition
Methods and systems for providing a local content to a viewer in the form of an animation sequence. A micro program may be data-cast to a receiver to provide national and local content to a number of receiver units that may be located at, e.g., a cable headend or other distribution point. The micro program executes, at least in part, on each receiver unit. If the micro program is relevant to the receiver unit, then the micro program executes to completion. The micro program may include a code representative of local conditions that is mapped by the local receiver unit to a library of animation graphics used to create an animation sequence to convey the local conditions to a viewer. For example, the local conditions may be weather conditions and the animation sequence conveys how the weather will feel or affect a viewer. |
| US08707349B2 |
Providing enhanced content
Methods, systems, computer readable media, and apparatuses for providing enhanced content are presented. Data including a first program, a first caption stream associated with the first program, and a second caption stream associated with the first program may be received. The second caption stream may be extracted from the data, and a second program may be encoded with the second caption stream. The first program may be transmitted with the first caption stream including first captions and may include first content configured to be played back at a first speed. In response to receiving an instruction to change play back speed, the second program may be transmitted with the second caption stream. The second program may include the first content configured to be played back at a second speed different from the first speed, and the second caption stream may include second captions different from the first captions. |
| US08707345B2 |
Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel. |
| US08707344B2 |
Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel. |
| US08707338B2 |
Visual enhancement for turntable playback
An apparatus for enhancing media playback on a turntable, such as an audio record turntable, includes an illumination apparatus. The illumination apparatus is generally placed on the turntable's platter, beneath a record to be played. The record may be transparent or semi-transparent. The illumination apparatus includes a light source that projects light up through the record for producing a visual effect. |
| US08707334B2 |
Computer system event detection and targeted assistance
A computer event is detected and a notification is displayed. If a dialog box corresponding to the computer event triggered the event detection, then the dialog box is modified to include further details of the event and an assistance control that links to a search engine Web page. If a dialog box did not trigger the event detection, then a dialog box is displayed with the event details and assistance control. Upon selection of the assistance control, the search engine Web page is displayed with event details pre-populated in the search term field. Targeted advertisements are displayed according to bidding on a unique descriptor associated with the specific computer event. |
| US08707331B2 |
RDMA (remote direct memory access) data transfer in a virtual environment
In an embodiment, a method is provided. In an embodiment, the method provides determining that a message has been placed in a send buffer; and transferring the message to an application on a second virtual machine by bypassing use of an operating system to process the message by directly placing the message in an application memory space from which the application can retrieve the message. |
| US08707328B2 |
Electronic device and application program switching method thereof
An application program switching method for an electronic device having a first body and a second body is provided. A relative position of the first body and the second body is changed from a first state to a second state to activate a second application program while an external message is received during a first application program being executed, and an image displayed by the electronic device is switched from an executing frame of the first application program to an executing frame of the second application program for replying the external message via a keyboard of the second body. Next, the relative position of the first body and the second body is changed from the second state to the first state, and the image displayed by the electronic device is switched from the executing frame of the second application program to the executing frame of the first application program. |
| US08707326B2 |
Pattern matching process scheduler in message passing environment
Processes in a message passing system may be unblocked when messages having data patterns match data patterns of a function on a receiving process. When the match occurs, the process may be added to a runnable queue, and in some embodiments, may be raised to the top of a runnable queue. When a match does not occur, the process may remain in a blocked or non-executing state. In some embodiments, a blocked process may be placed in an idle queue and may not be executed until a process scheduler determines that a message has been received that fulfills a function waiting for input. When the message fulfills the function, the process may be moved to a runnable queue. |
| US08707325B2 |
Retrieving an object
A method of locating an object across a network comprises locating the copy of object that is the best copy available through either JNDI object location and webservice location. The method initially comprises attempting to locate a local copy of the object (step 8). If a local copy of the object is not located, the method then attempts (step 10) to locate a remote copy of the object. If a remote copy of the object is not located, the method then attempts (step 12) to locate a remote web service object. |
| US08707321B2 |
Resource sharing system and method thereof
A resource sharing system for a plurality of user devices accessing at least one resource at the same time is provided. The system comprises a plurality of virtual machines and a connection broker. The virtual machines are established on at least one computer, wherein each user device corresponds to at least one of the virtual machines and each of the at least one resource corresponds to one of the virtual machines. The connection broker connects to the virtual machines and receives login information from each of the virtual machines and joins the virtual machines sending the login information into a group. Through the connection broker, the user devices share and access the resources corresponding to the virtual machines in the group. |
| US08707319B2 |
Resource location verification by comparing and updating resource location with a location of a consumer device after a threshold of location mismatches is exceeded
A method to be implemented using a computer system, the method comprising the steps of providing a resource database that specifies locations of resources for use by consumers, receiving a location communication originated by a mobile consumer device associated with a consumer at a time temporally proximate a time when the consumer accesses a resource where the location communication indicates the location of the consumer device and using the location of the consumer device indicated in the communication to update the resource database. |
| US08707317B2 |
Reserving a fixed amount of hardware resources of a multimedia console for system application and controlling the unreserved resources by the multimedia application
A system and method provides a high level of system functionality in a multimedia console through the use of system applications, while reducing any corresponding lack of control that multimedia applications will have while running on the console. A predetermined amount of hardware resources of the multimedia console is reserved. The system application is executed substantially using the predetermined amount of reserved hardware resources and the multimedia application is executed substantially within the remaining unreserved hardware resources. |
| US08707312B1 |
Document reuse in a search engine crawler
A search engine crawler includes a scheduler for determining which documents to download from their respective host servers. Some documents, known to be stable based on one or more record from prior crawls, are reused from a document repository. A reuse flag is set in a scheduler record that also contains a document identifier, the reuse flag indicating whether the document should be retrieved from a first database, such as the World Wide Web, or a second database, such as a document repository. A set of such scheduler records are used during a crawl by the search engine crawler to determine which database to use when retrieving the documents identified in the scheduler records. |
| US08707310B2 |
Batch processing of jobs on multiprocessors based on estimated job processing time
A system for processing a batch of jobs is provided. The system comprises a plurality of processing elements that are characterized in that each processing element is configured to sequentially process jobs with an estimated process time within a respective allotted range of values. The jobs may comprise packets of data within a data processing system. The system is particularly useful for processing data corresponding to translated text in a text translation system. |
| US08707307B2 |
Creating jobs by replacing execution attributes within job definition when a job activation request is received with execution attributes based on predetermined conditions being satisfied
When there is a job activation request accompanied with variable information in which an execution attribute and an identifier of a job are associated, a job definition in which an execution attribute is described with an arbitrary identifier is referred, and based on the variable information, an identifier within the job definition is replaced with the execution attribute to create a job. Then, the job created in this manner is activated. |
| US08707306B1 |
Implementing user-selectable concurrent access protection mechanism in a multi-tasking modeling environment
A system for providing model level protection for resources holding data accessed by multiple tasks in a model is discussed. The protection occurs at the model level so that the protection mechanism does not interfere with model dynamics. Resources concurrently accessed by multiple tasks are identified so that a unified protection mechanism can be applied to the resource. A user interface may be provided which enables the selection of a particular type of protection mechanism for the data in the resource. User supplied protection mechanisms may also be implemented. |
| US08707303B2 |
Dynamic virtualization and policy-based access control of removable storage devices in a virtualized environment
A method includes executing a hypervisor (165) with computing hardware (105) to implement a virtual machine (175); responsive to detecting a removable storage medium (115) communicatively coupled to the computing hardware (105), executing a virtualized migration control appliance (180) through the hypervisor (165) separate from the virtual machine (175); and blocking the virtual machine (175) from accessing data (185) stored by the removable storage medium (115) with the virtualized migration control appliance (180) if at least one governing policy prohibits the virtual machine (175) from accessing the data (185). |
| US08707301B2 |
Insertion of management agents during machine deployment
An invention is disclosed for configuring a VM of a deployment to be managed by a management system. In an embodiment, a deployment manager of a deployment instructs a host to create a VM. The VM is created with a base management agent that exposes interfaces to the deployment manager that enable the deployment manager to install management agents on the VM. The deployment manager installs a management agent that corresponds to a management system on the VM, and registers the VM with the management system. The management system may then manage the VM by communicating with the installed management agent on the VM. |
| US08707297B2 |
Apparatus and methods for updating firmware
A method for updating firmware comprises executing a native operating system change management program that acts cooperatively with a firmware update package to update a firmware program in the information handling system. An apparatus comprises an information handling system running an operating system. An operating system change management program in a memory of the information handling system acts cooperatively with the operating system and a firmware update package to update a firmware program in the information handling system. Another method for updating firmware comprises building a firmware update package that is executable in a change management program running in a native operating system on an information handling system, and storing the firmware update package in a repository available to a user. |
| US08707291B2 |
Firmware recovery of wireless devices
One embodiment may take the form of a method and apparatus for remotely providing firmware to a wireless device. The wireless device may be configured to detect when the device's firmware is corrupted or may need updating. The device may then transmit a request for a firmware image on a first wireless communication channel. If the request is answered by an updating device, the wireless device may establish a communication with, and begin receiving the firmware image from, the updating device. Further, the wireless device may verify transmitted data and send an acknowledgment message to the updating device for each transmitted data packet. |
| US08707290B2 |
Firmware update in an information handling system employing redundant management modules
An information handling system includes a set of processing resources and a management resource. The processing resources include a microprocessor and memory accessible to the microprocessor. The management resource is operable to power-up, reset, and power-off the processing resources. The management resource includes a first management module and a redundant second management module. The management resource responds to a single firmware update request by updating firmware on the first management module while maintaining the second management module in a slave mode and, upon successfully updating the firmware on the first management module, updating firmware on the second management module while maintaining the first management module in a passive mode. |
| US08707288B2 |
System for automatic management of applications on remote devices
Management of applications on remote devices is performed independently of managing platform software. A per platform player using a common protocol to communicate and receive applications is installed on a device. The player is developed and installed independently of applications which run using commands supported by the player. On player startup, the player obtains boot instructions, fetches an application manifest, and obtains player and application resources using the application manifest from a content and application server. The content and application server determines application resources to send to the player and tracks applications and application versions installed on a per user/per platform basis. |
| US08707285B2 |
Software object lock management using observations
Embodiments include a method comprising loading a software class containing class information for a lock state. The method includes allocating an instance of a software object derived from the software class, wherein the allocating includes allocating of a lock word as part of the instance of the software object. The lock word defines whether the object is locked by a thread of multiple threads. The method includes observing activity relative to the instance of the software object. The method also includes, responsive to observing the activity relative to the instance of the software object that indicates that the lock state of the instance of the object is non-locking, removing the lock word from the instance of the object. |
| US08707284B2 |
Dictionary-based dependency determination
Techniques are described herein for performing a dictionary-based dependency determination. For example, when a package is selected to be imported from a store (e.g., a database), a dictionary-based dependency operation may be performed to determine which elements of the package are dependent on other elements of the package. A dictionary includes indexes, each of which has at least one value. The indexes correspond to respective resources, and each value indicates an element of the package that produces the resource that corresponds to the respective index. If an element of the package consumes a resource, the indexes and corresponding values in the dictionary may be reviewed to determine which element(s) of the package produce that resource. |
| US08707281B2 |
Performing parallel processing of distributed arrays
One or more computer-readable media store executable instructions that, when executed by processing logic, perform parallel processing. The media store one or more instructions for initiating a single programming language, and identifying, via the single programming language, one or more data distribution schemes for executing a program. The media also store one or more instructions for transforming, via the single programming language, the program into a parallel program with an optimum data distribution scheme selected from the one or more identified data distribution schemes, and allocating the parallel program to two or more labs for parallel execution. The media further store one or more instructions for receiving one or more results associated with the parallel execution of the parallel program from the two or more labs, and providing the one or more results to the program. |
| US08707280B2 |
Using parallel processing constructs and dynamically allocating program portions
A computing device-implemented method includes receiving a program, analyzing and transforming the program, determining an inner context and an outer context of the program based on the analysis of the program, and allocating one or more portions of the inner context of the program to two or more labs for parallel execution. The method also includes receiving one or more results associated with the parallel execution of the one or more portions from the two or more labs, and providing the one or more results to the outer context of the program. |
| US08707279B2 |
Method and apparatus for executing stored code objects in a database
A system, method and database development tool are disclosed for automatically generating parameters for use in executing a stored code object in a data base, by parsing source code derived nom existing data base code which represents the stored code object, wherein the parameters may represent complex data types. |
| US08707278B2 |
Embedding class hierarchy into object models for multiple class inheritance
A model is provided for transforming a program with a priori given class hierarchy that is induced by inheritance. An inheritance remover is configured to remove inheritance from a given program to produce an analysis-friendly program which does not include virtual-function pointer tables and runtime libraries associated with inheritance-related operations. The analysis-friendly program preserves the semantics of the given program with respect to a given class hierarchy. A clarifier is configured to identify implicit expressions and function calls and transform the given program into at least one intermediate program having explicit expressions and function calls. |
| US08707277B2 |
Systems, methods, and language for SCA CORBA descriptor files
A preparser tool is provided for converting Software Communications Architecture (SCA) Extensible Markup Language (XML) files into Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) structures usable by an SCA Core Framework (CF) and comprises a CF_PreParsers interface definition language (IDL) and a first preparser. The CF_IDL is configured to be in operable communication with an XML parser and with at least a first type of preparser. The first type of preparser is in operable communication with the CF_PreParsers IDL, is associated with a first type of descriptor for the CF, and is configured to call the XML parser to request parsing of a first set of first XML files, convert the first parsed set of first XML files into a first CORBA structure type, encode the first CORBA structure type into a first CORBA Common Data Representation (CDR) file; and write the first CORBA CDR file as a first octet sequence. |
| US08707275B2 |
Simulation environment for distributed programs
A scheduler receives a job graph which includes a graph of computational vertices that are designed to be executed on multiple distributed computer systems. The scheduler queries a graph manager to determine which computational vertices of the job graph are ready for execution in a local execution environment. The scheduler queries a cluster manager to determine the organizational topology of the distributed computer systems to simulate the determined topology in the local execution environment. The scheduler queries a data manager to determine data storage locations for each of the computational vertices indicated as being ready for execution in the local execution environment. The scheduler also indicates to a vertex spawner that an instance of each computational vertex is to be spawned in the local execution environment based on the organizational topology and indicated data storage locations, and indicates to the local execution environment that the spawned vertices are to be executed. |
| US08707270B2 |
Method and system for configurable pessimistic static XSL output validation
A system, method, and computer readable medium. A method includes loading a first language definition and a second language definition. The method includes loading a transformation definition corresponding to the first language definition and the second language definition and loading a validation rule definition. The method includes applying the validation rule definition to the transformation definition to produce a validation result indicating whether the transformation definition produces a valid transformation between the first language definition and the second language definition. The method includes storing the validation result. |
| US08707259B2 |
Framework for open dynamic reflective applications
A framework for open, dynamic, and reflective applications contains high level metadata that define blocks of composable elements using a service definition, which defines specific keys for using the block of code. The service definition may be exported from the code using reflection without having to load the code into memory, and decisions on which block of code and how to load the code may be made at runtime. The composable elements may be grouped into composable parts. Composable part definitions may be used to instantiate or produce composable parts. At runtime, dynamic applications may search from many composable elements, and instantiate and execute the composable element as part of the application. |
| US08707256B2 |
System for writing a simulation program
The invention relates to a system for writing a simulation program for simulating an automation installation. To facilitate the writing of a simulation program for a complex automation installation, the system comprises: means for defining a respective resource object for at least two components of the automation installation, means for defining port data for each port, which define characteristics of the values which can be interchanged on the associated port, means for identifying a first port of a first resource object, which is provided for interchanging values with a second port of a second resource object, on the basis of the port data associated with the first and second ports, means for defining precisely one variable which can be engaged with the values to be interchanged between the first and second ports, and means for integrating the program fragments associated with the first and second resource objects into the simulation program and for engaging the variables with the values to be interchanged between the first and second ports. |
| US08707255B2 |
Comparison of interfaces between software components
The invention relates to a method for testing the compatibility between two software components of a control device network, a technical interface description being assigned to each software component, this interface description having a specified description standard, and each description standard having a hierarchical position in an hereditary hierarchy of all possible description standards. The common description standard, which is nearest in the hereditary hierarchy, of the software components to be compared is determined based on the hereditary hierarchy, and the common portion of the respective interface descriptions is determined based on the common description standard of the common portion of the respective interface descriptions and compared with one another. |
| US08707252B1 |
Techniques for automatic generation of parsing code
Described are techniques for generating a parser. A graphical representation of a finite state machine is provided for determining whether an input is syntactically valid in accordance with a syntax represented by the graphical representation. A second representation is generated which corresponds to the graphical representation. Using the second representation, a parser is generated for parsing an input. The parser determines whether the input is syntactically valid in accordance with the syntax. |
| US08707251B2 |
Buffered viewing of electronic documents
A system, program storage device, and method of buffering an electronic document received from a host computer, wherein the method comprises determining whether an original source code of the electronic document includes executable coding which when executed by a client computer, causes the client computer to perform undesired operations, and producing an alternate source code of the electronic document, which eliminates the coding, wherein the undesired operations are characterized as undesirable based on predetermined settings established by the client computer. The electronic document comprises any of a web page, electronic mail message, an electronic mail attachment, a note in a hypertext format, a text document, a text file, and an application-specific electronic document. Each of the original source code and the alternate source code comprises a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) source code. |
| US08707249B2 |
Workflow execution model
A generalized workflow execution model is configured to provide access to workflow elements. A computer system instantiates a generalized workflow execution model that provides access to workflow elements stored in a database that is connected to the workflow execution model. The workflow execution model includes the following: activity models that include both agents which are configured to express the control flow of the activity models and symbols which represent values usable by the activity models and metadata configured to identify the workflow execution model. The computer system also receives user input requesting workflow elements and accesses the database to provide the requested workflow elements using the generalized workflow execution model. |
| US08707247B2 |
Templating mechanism for rapid development of graphical editors in metamodel-driven approaches
The subject matter described herein relates to a templating system and method. In the templating system and method, each of the domain model and the graphic model are defined according to a template, and the corresponding elements of the domain model and graphic model are created. Next, a binder is created, which associates corresponding attributes in domain and graphic models. Path expressions such as XPath expressions, are used to describe locations in the domain and graphic models. These path expressions, templates, and binders are interpreted or called by a framework, which performs detailed synchronization. |
| US08707246B2 |
Engineering project event-driven social networked collaboration
Engineering team activities are facilitated through social networked collaboration driven by engineering project events. An engineering team member profile on a private network contains an identification of the team member including an offline name, direct links to profiles of other team members, automatically generated news items of team member engineering activities, and a summarized view of engineering project data. A news generator automatically collects engineering events and includes corresponding event descriptions in the profile, for wiki article updates, software bug reports, software modifications, project schedule changes, and other engineering events. Some news items automatically include a suggested engineering activity as a follow up for the team member to perform. For example, the team member may click a news item link to view an updated product specification, create a product test, view detailed test results, or create a virtual machine session. |
| US08707245B2 |
Semiconductor device design method, system and computer-readable medium
In a semiconductor device design method performed by at least one processor, first and second electrical components are extracted from a layout of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate and the first and second electrical components in the semiconductor substrate. Parasitic parameters of a coupling in the semiconductor substrate between the first and second electrical components are extracted using a first tool. Intrinsic parameters of the first and second electrical components are extracted using a second tool different from the first tool. The extracted parasitic parameters and intrinsic parameters are combined into a model of the semiconductor device. The parasitic parameters of the coupling are extracted based on a model of the coupling included in the second tool. |
| US08707243B2 |
Interface configuration system and method
A computer-implemented method for designing an electrical interconnect device. The method comprises the steps of entering an instrument ID into a computer through an input device, entering a slot number corresponding to the instrument ID into the computer through the input device, entering an interface component identifier into the computer through the input device, associating the interface component identifier with the instrument ID and the slot number in a database in the computer, generating and displaying on a computer display a preview of a configuration of an electrical interconnect device, wherein the preview comprises a table showing the instrument ID, the slot number, the interface component identifier and an association between the interface component ID and the instrument ID, and wherein the interface component ID shown in the preview comprises a link to data associated with the interface component, and displaying in a separate window on the computer display the data associated with the interface component. |
| US08707240B2 |
Structured placement for bit slices
Techniques are disclosed for improving bit slice placement and wiring. Some embodiments include swapping cells to improve routing. An alternative embodiment includes copying wiring from a first bit slice to a second bit slice. Another embodiment includes copying blocks or cells from a first bit slice to a second bit slice. Further, the wiring from the first bit slice may be copied to the second bit slice. |
| US08707238B2 |
Method to determine optimal micro-bump-probe pad pairing for efficient PGD testing in interposer designs
The present disclosure relates to a method of routing probe pads to micro-bumps of an interposer. An interposer is provided having target micro-bumps and probe pads. The probe pads are initially unassigned. Target micro-bump locations and probe pad locations are obtained. Possible route assignments from the probe pads to the target micro-bumps are obtained. Costs are developed for the possible route assignments at least partially according to the target micro-bump locations and the probe pad locations. Final assignments are selected from the possible assignments according to the costs. |
| US08707237B2 |
Method of inserting dummy patterns
A method of inserting dummy patterns is provided. The method includes: determining an applicable area in which dummy patterns shall be inserted and an inapplicable area in which dummy patterns shall not be inserted on a chip; and inserting dummy patterns starting from one side of the inapplicable area and arranging the inserted dummy patterns into circles. The method of the present invention ensures that dummy patters are preferentially inserted around the device that requires protection by dummy patterns, so that good uniformity of chip pattern densities is guaranteed and within-wafer uniformity is improved, thus improving the yield and performance of semiconductor devices. |
| US08707232B2 |
Fault diagnosis based on design partitioning
Aspects of the invention relate to techniques for fault diagnosis based on circuit design partitioning. According to various implementations of the invention, a circuit design of a failing die is first partitioned into a plurality of sub-circuits. The sub-circuits may be formed based on fan-in cones of observation points. Shared gate ratios may be used as a metric for adding fan-in cones of observation points into a sub-circuit. Based on test patterns and the sub-circuits, sub-circuit test patterns are determined. Fault diagnosis is then performed on the sub-circuits. The sub-circuit fault diagnosis comprises extracting sub-circuit failure information from the failure information for the failing die. The sub-circuit fault diagnosis may employ fault-free values for boundary gates in the sub-circuits. |
| US08707231B2 |
Method and system for derived layer checking for semiconductor device design
A system and method are provided for enabling a systematic detection of issues arising during the course of mask generation for a semiconductor device. IC mask layer descriptions are analyzed and information is generated that identifies devices formed by active layers in the masks, along with a description of all layers in proximity to the found devices. The IC mask information is compared to a netlist file generated from the initial as-designed schematic. Determinations can then made, for example, as to whether all intended devices are present, any conflicting layers are in proximity to or interacting with the intended devices, and any unintended devices are present in the mask layers. Steps can then be taken to resolve the issues presented by the problematic devices. |
| US08707230B1 |
Method and system for semiconductor simulation
An integrated circuit (IC) simulation method comprises providing a device process model from a non-transitory machine readable storage medium into a programmed computer. The device process model includes one or more device variables. Each device variable defines a probability distribution of an active-device-level variation of devices in an IC. A conductive line model and/or a multi patterning technology (MPT) model is provided from the storage medium to the computer. The conductive line model includes one or more conductive line variables. Each conductive line variable defines a probability distribution of a conductive-line process-induced variation. The MPT model includes one or more MPT variables. Each MPT variable defines a probability distribution of a mask-misalignment-induced conductive line coupling variation. A Monte Carlo simulation is performed in the computer, including the device process model and the conductive line model or MPT model, to identify parasitic couplings in the IC. |
| US08707229B1 |
Static analysis of VLSI reliability
A circuit verifier having an input interface configured to receive descriptions of integrated circuits and a processing unit configured to scan through a description of an integrated circuit received through the input interface in order to identify clock domain crossings in the circuit and to provide a numerical score for each of the identified clock domain crossings. |
| US08707228B1 |
Method and system for implementing hierarchical prototyping of electronic designs
Disclosed are improved methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing flexible models to perform efficient prototyping of electronic designs, which allows for very efficient analysis of the electronic designs. The flexible models allow many of the existing tools for designing electronics to perform more efficiently. |
| US08707222B1 |
Lithography mask functional optimization and spatial frequency analysis
In an electronic design automation technique for optical proximity correction, a mask is represented by a function with an exact analytical form over a mask region. Using the physics of optical projection, a solution based on a spatial frequency analysis is determined. Spatial frequencies above a cutoff are determined by the optical system do not contribute to the projected image. Spatial frequencies below this cutoff affect the print (and the mask), while those above the cutoff only affect the mask. Frequency components in the function below this cutoff frequency may be removed, which will help to reduce computational complexity. |
| US08707221B2 |
Circuit assembly yield prediction with respect to manufacturing process
Embodiments of the invention include systems and methods for automatically predicting production yield for a circuit assembly according to attributes of its components and defect data mapped thereto. Embodiments receive a proposed design specification for a circuit assembly, including bill of materials (BOM) and schematic data, at a yield prediction environment. The yield prediction environment maps a set of attributes to each component in the BOM and maps a set of possible defects to each component according to its attributes. Defects may be further mapped to a manufacturing process assigned to populate each component in the circuit assembly. The defects are associated with predicted frequencies of occurrence, which can be used to roll up a yield prediction for the circuit assembly. Embodiments further allow “what-if” analyses to be performed so that different yield prediction results can be compared according to different form factor options and/or different manufacturing process options. |
| US08707220B2 |
Semiconductor manufacturing optimization by combining small lots into individual carriers
An integrated circuit is formed by identifying process parameters of a plurality of process steps for the first partial lot containing the integrated circuit; confirming the number of wafers in the first partial lot is less than the wafer carrier capacity; examining lots upstream of the partial lot and identifying a second partial lot which can be combined with the first partial lot into a single wafer carrier and which can be processed with the first partial lot; combining the wafers of the partial lots into a single wafer carrier; processing the partial lots through the plurality of process steps; and performing a multi-lot verification process. The multi-lot verification process determines if all wafers in the partial lots have completed the process step; determines if any wafers in the partial lots are on hold; and determining if all wafers in the partial lots are in a same material carrier. |
| US08707219B2 |
Method and apparatus for unlocking screen saver
A method for unlocking a screen saver includes: when a screen is in a screen saver state, receiving a motion track input by a user on the screen; and when the motion track crosses boundaries of a first area and a second area of the screen at least two times, enabling the screen to exit the screen saver state. With the above technical solutions, characteristics of the motion track on the screen are detected, for example, the number of times of crossing the boundaries of the first area and second area of the screen; therefore, the screen saver can be unlocked based on the flexibly input motion track, so that the screen saver can be unlocked more flexibly. |
| US08707216B2 |
Controlling objects via gesturing
The present invention is directed toward a system and process that controls a group of networked electronic components using a multimodal integration scheme in which inputs from a speech recognition subsystem, gesture recognition subsystem employing a wireless pointing device and pointing analysis subsystem also employing the pointing device, are combined to determine what component a user wants to control and what control action is desired. In this multimodal integration scheme, the desired action concerning an electronic component is decomposed into a command and a referent pair. The referent can be identified using the pointing device to identify the component by pointing at the component or an object associated with it, by using speech recognition, or both. The command may be specified by pressing a button on the pointing device, by a gesture performed with the pointing device, by a speech recognition event, or by any combination of these inputs. |
| US08707211B2 |
Radial graphical user interface
Systems, methods, and machine-readable and executable instructions are provided for displaying a radial graphical user interface. The radial graphical user interface can include displaying a first layer radial menu item as a circular shape and displaying a second layer radial menu of a number of first menu sub-items related to the first layer menu item grouped concentrically around the first layer radial menu in response to a user selecting the first menu item. The graphical user interface can also include replacing the first layer menu with a user selected first menu sub-item and replacing the second layer radial menu with a number of second menu sub-items related to the selected first menu sub-item in response to a user selecting one of the number of first menu sub-items, wherein the second layer is rotatable by a user. |
| US08707210B2 |
Display control apparatus and method for selecting an interactive object on a display frame by a numeric controller
A display control apparatus is applied to generate an interactive object mark on a display apparatus to enable a user to select the interactive object in a display frame via a numeric controller. The display control apparatus includes a content receiving module, for receiving a display control data; a display content processing module, for generating a display frame and display frame position information according to the display contend data; an interactive object selecting module, for determining a target interactive object according to the position information and an interactive object selecting rule; an on-screen display (OSD) module, for generating an interactive object mark corresponding to the target interactive block; and a frame output control module, for combining the display frame and the interactive object mark to output a combined frame to the display apparatus. |
| US08707205B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a display in an electronic device
A method and apparatus for presenting information is provided. In an embodiment, an electronic device with wireless telephony features is provided. An embodiment includes a flexible dialog box tailored to the resources limitations of electronic devices. |
| US08707203B2 |
Object display apparatus and control method thereof
An object display apparatus displays a plurality of object at respective display positions, and receive a designation to set one of the plurality of displayed object as an object of interest. Upon reception of an addition or deletion instruction of one or more objects with respect to the plurality of displayed objects, a display of the objects is updated by moving object other than the object of interest while keeping the display position of the designated object of interest. |
| US08707193B2 |
Remote monitoring system and method
A remote monitoring system including a sensor configured to take measurements of a physical parameter of an associated machine, a data acquisition module configured to gather machine data from the sensor, an application server in communication with the data acquisition module across a network, a database in communication with the application server and configured to receive and store the machine data from the data acquisition module across the network, and an interface configured to facilitate communication between a user and the machine data maintained in the database, wherein the machine data stored in the database is accessible to the user connected to the network in real-time. |
| US08707189B2 |
Methods, computer program products, and hardware products for providing interactive program guide and instant messaging convergence
Interactive program guide (IPG) and instant messaging (IM) convergence is provided by displaying an IPG that includes one or more IM icons. In response to detection of a user clicking on an icon of the one or more displayed IM icons or hovering over an icon of the one or more displayed IM icons, a pull-down menu is displayed that includes one or more IM options or a new screen is displayed that includes one or more instant messaging options. The pull-down menu or new screen displays a list of all IM users that are watching a program in a particular geographic location. Alternatively or additionally, the pull-down menu or new screen displays a list of all buddies for the user that are watching a program listed in the IPG. |
| US08707188B2 |
Caller initiated distinctive presence alerting and auto-response messaging
Presence information of a first user is relayed to a second user. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others includes, can be implemented as follows. A first communications client of a first user detects a change in the presence status of a first user and sends an alert message to a second communications client of a second user. |
| US08707185B2 |
Dynamic information management system and method for content delivery and sharing in content-, metadata- and viewer-based, live social networking among users concurrently engaged in the same and/or similar content
Disclosed are tools, methods, and systems for establishing generally live, Content-based social networks, and for concurrently sharing Content and Content-relevant information within a social network. A Service registers Viewers and/or n-Users, and provides tools that enable a Viewer to identify n-Users concurrently viewing the same or similar Content, or having an interest in the same or similar Content. A Viewer can initiate or join a Content-based social network, and can share their Content with others, or view others' Content, and interact with n-Users via any of several methods. Service tools also enable a Viewer to define and selectively block or alter objectionable material so that it is no longer perceivable in its objectionable form. The described tools, methods, and systems also enable numerous innovative approaches to generate revenue for a Service, for providers of product and/or services, for Content providers, and others. |
| US08707175B2 |
Mobile terminal and control method thereof
A method of controlling a mobile terminal is presented. The method includes detecting a first touch on the mobile terminal for a predetermined time when the mobile terminal is in a locked state, simultaneously displaying a locking icon and an unlocking icon in response to the detected first touch, and detecting a second touch on the locking icon or the unlocking icon, wherein touching the locking icon for a predetermined time will partially unlock the mobile terminal, and wherein touching and dragging the unlocking icon to the locking icon will fully unlock the mobile terminal. |
| US08707172B2 |
Internationalization technology
Internationalizing a target program includes associating a text string in the program with an attribute of a user interface element. The user interface element is defined in the program and the associating is provided at least partly by a non-executable user interface element annotation in the program. A resource bundle annotation in the program defines a name for a resource bundle to which the text string of the user interface element annotation may be extracted. An annotation processor program automatically creates the resource bundle by processing source code of the target program, including the user interface element annotation and the resource bundle annotation. Executing a method in the target program causes the text string to be displayed on the attribute for a displayed instance of the user interface element. The method determines whether to obtain the displayed text string from the user interface element annotation or from the resource bundle. |
| US08707170B2 |
Gesture based edit mode
A system and method for document editing. A system includes an operator input device, a processor, gesture recognition program, and an edit mode program. The operator input device that senses gestures and multiple simultaneous touch points. The processor is coupled to the operator input device. The processor executes the gesture recognition program, which recognizes inputs from the input device. The gesture recognition program recognizes a predetermined edit mode gesture and, based only on the gesture, causes the processor to execute the edit mode program. The edit mode program provides a plurality of document editing functions for modifying a currently displayed document. |
| US08707168B2 |
Generating financial data documents using templates
A computing system is disclosed including a computer processor configured to receive a selection of a template and identify a data field in the template. The data field indicates financial data to fill in the data field. The computer processor is configured to retrieve the financial data for the data field from stored financial data and generate a document according to the selected template. The generated document has the financial data within the data field. |
| US08707166B2 |
Plain text formatting of data item tables
Methods and systems are described for plain text formatting of data item tables. An example system includes a plain text table manager including a template manager configured to obtain a hierarchical template including table information associated with a table, table information formatted in accordance with a non-proprietary markup language format. The example system also includes a parsing engine configured to parse the table information associated with the table to determine one or more markup language elements associated with the table. The example system also includes a plain text layout engine configured to determine a plain text graphical table structured layout associated with the table, based on the one or more markup language elements. The example system also includes a graphical table structure generator configured to generate a plain text graphical table structured view of the table indicating one or more data items indicated by the table information. |
| US08707163B2 |
Transmitting and receiving data via barcodes through a cellphone for privacy and anonymity
A user with a mobile device (e.g. cellphone) can transfer sensitive data to her device from another computer, where the latter might be a computer in a bank, or associated with a bank, like an Automated Teller Machine. The external computer has a screen that shows data, encoded in a barcode. The user's device has a camera that can take an image of the barcode and decode it. If there is too much data to be encoded in a single barcode, they could be encoded in several barcodes, which are then played on a computer screen and imaged by the user's device. The user avoids directly accessing the transmitting device on the Internet, for improved anonymity and privacy. The data that is transferred might be keys to a symmetric cryptosystem, or a one time pad, to encrypt a future interaction between the user and the other entity. |
| US08707162B1 |
Methods and systems for reducing web page transmission bandwidth
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to reduction of web page transmission bandwidth by resolving a web page into static and dynamic components. An embodiment includes intercepting a request for a web page, retrieving the requested web page from a server, reading transmission instructions for the web page, the instructions based on an analysis of two or more identified versions of the web page, the analysis having identified one or more static and dynamic components of the web page, extracting the dynamic components of the retrieved web page based on the instructions, and providing the dynamic components of the web page along with one or more references to the static components in response to the request. Another embodiment includes constructing a web page for display using the received dynamic components and static components retrieved from a cache using the one or more references. |
| US08707159B1 |
Translating tabular data formatted for one display device to a format for display on other display device
A method and system are provided that translates tabular data prepared for a first display format into a second display format. Tabular data prepared for display on a conventional desktop display device may be adjusted for display on a portable computing device having a different display device. Tabular formatting may be removed for single row and single column tables. The method and system may also remove tabular formatting for tables having horizontal dimensions exceeding a specified amount. Tabular data may be removed from tables having more than one column that exceeds a specified maximum column size. The method and system may also identify nested tables and eliminate tabular formatting for all but the innermost tables. |
| US08707156B2 |
Render engine for spreadsheet
A render engine for a spreadsheet application is described. The render engine facilitates the rendering of cell regions containing data that are maintained by both a spreadsheet application (user-defined cell region) and/or a third-party application (application-defined cell region). In particular, an embodiment of the render engine facilitates the repositioning of one or more existing cell regions within a spreadsheet interface, when the insertion of a new cell region is determined to cause a layout conflict with one or more existing cell regions. Repositioning of the existing cell regions is achieved without overwriting any cell information, and without breaking any formulas contained within an affected cell. |
| US08707153B2 |
Displaying comment data corresponding to a video presentation
Video presenting systems and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, among others, a method comprises presenting a video presentation and enabling a viewer to select an option to receive a plurality of sequential data supplements. The sequential data supplements correspond to on-screen comments of the video presentation. In addition, the sequential data supplements have a plurality of respective time intervals corresponding to respective portions of the video presentation. The method further comprises receiving a first input from the viewer regarding selection of the option to receive the plurality of sequential data supplements. Responsive to receiving the first input corresponding to selecting the option to receive the plurality of sequential data supplements, the method includes providing the plurality of sequential data supplements at the plurality of respective times corresponding to respective portions of the video presentation. The on-screen comments include comments from another viewer and at least one set of comments selected from director comments, producer comments, and actor comments. |
| US08707150B2 |
Applying effects to a video in-place in a document
An application program utilizes a decoding sub-system and a three-dimensional (3D) rendering sub-system to apply effects to a video in-place in a document. The program configures pixel shaders for use with a rendering device for applying pixel-level effects to the decoded frames of the video, generates meshes, and pre-renders textures for use in implementing effects. When a request is received to play back the video in-place in the document, a decoding surface and a rendering surface are allocated. The decoding sub-system decodes frames of the video and copies the decoded frames to the decoding surface on one thread. A separate thread copies decoded frames from the decoding surface to a texture and from the texture to the rendering surface. The rendering device utilizes the pixel shaders, meshes, pre-computed textures, and other data to render the frames of the video to a rendering target. |
| US08707149B2 |
Motion compensation with error, flag, reference, and decompressed reference data
A method, system and apparatus of lossy compression technique for video encoder bandwidth reduction using compression error data are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes storing an error data from a compression of an original reference data in an off-chip memory, accessing the error data during a motion compensation operation, and performing the motion compensation operation by applying the error data through an algorithm (e.g., determined by the method of storing the error data). The method may include generating a predicted frame in the motion compensation operation using a motion vector and an on-chip video data. In addition, the method may include determining the error data as a difference between a compressed reference data (e.g., is created by compressing the original reference data) and an original reference data (e.g., reconstructed from a prior predicted frame and a decompressed encoder data). |
| US08707148B2 |
Method of producing and decoding error correction code and apparatus therefor
An apparatus and method for producing error correction code and error correction decoding are provided. The method for producing error correction code includes generating an asymmetric matrix by arranging input data bits in a matrix of a predefined size and adding a zero bit column and/or a zero bit row, each of the column and the row consisting of zero bits, to the matrix; primarily encoding the asymmetric matrix by adding one or more parity bits to each row; and secondarily encoding the primarily encoded matrix by adding one or more parity bits to each column of the encoded matrix. |
| US08707147B1 |
Viterbi decoder method and apparatus with RI detector in servo channel
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for decoding data stored on a data storage medium. A disclosed decoding method and decoder include a radial incoherence (RI) detector that increases the probability of detecting RI and improves the decoding performance in terms of the bit error rate of the decoded signal. RI is detected by comparing an input signal to the decoder against a RI threshold value and generating a RI-type signal. The RI detector may include a filter for filtering out noise and error in the RI-type signal, an adaptive threshold unit that adjusts the RI threshold value based upon the RI-type signal, a transition-based threshold unit that adjusts the RI threshold value based upon each transition in the input signal, or a path-based threshold unit that adjusts the RI threshold value based upon a best surviving path corresponding to the input signal, in combination or alone. |
| US08707145B2 |
System, method and apparatus for tail biting convolutional code decoding
Techniques to decode tail biting convolutional code are disclosed. A plurality of sets for a trellis may be determined. Each set may include a first stage and a second stage of the trellis. Path metrics for each state in a set may be determined when the first stage and the second stage have a same state. The path metrics may be compared to determine a state with a minimum path metric. Bits from the state with the minimum path metric may be output. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08707144B2 |
LDPC decoder with targeted symbol flipping
A non-binary low density parity check data decoder comprises a variable node processor operable to update variable node symbol values according to a plurality of elements in a non-binary Galois Field, a check node processor connected to the variable node processor and operable to perform parity check calculations, and a controller operable to perform symbol flipping and to control decoding iterations in the variable node processor and the check node processor. |
| US08707143B1 |
Multiplication-based reed-solomon encoding architecture
Circuitry for generating a first number of Reed-Solomon check symbols from a second number of input data symbols includes storage for a plurality of generator coefficients, a plurality of multipliers, each of the multipliers having a data symbol input, and a coefficient input connected to the storage, and having an output. The circuitry also includes accumulator circuitry that accumulates outputs of the multipliers to generate the check symbols. The circuitry can be provided in fixed logic, or configured in a programmable integrated circuit device, such as a programmable logic device. |
| US08707141B1 |
Joint optimization of packetization and error correction for video communication
In one embodiment, a process determines a size of a video unit (e.g., frame) to transmit from a sender to a receiver across a communication channel for an associated video stream, and also determines an updated packet loss rate on the channel. In response, the process may dynamically determine both a number N of video data packets and a number M of forward error correction (FEC) packets to transmit for the video unit based on the size of the video unit, the updated packet loss rate on the channel, and an error resilience requirement for the video stream. In an illustrative embodiment, N and M are determined during transmission of the video stream through a look-up operation into a table indexed by the size of the video unit and the updated packet loss rate as co-indices, the co-indices co-indexing a pre-determined N and M pair. |
| US08707138B2 |
Method and arrangement for blind demultiplexing a polarisation diversity multiplex signal
A received optical signal is coherently demodulated and converted into orthogonal x-polarization samples, and y-polarization samples. These samples are converted into signal x-samples and signal y-samples by an FIR butterfly filter. Correction values are calculated in an error calculating circuit of a control unit and added to filter transfer functions derived by a standard algorithm to determine corrected filter coefficients. Degenerate convergences calculating the transfer functions are avoided. |
| US08707134B2 |
Data storage apparatus and apparatus and method for controlling nonvolatile memories
According to one embodiment, a data storage apparatus comprises a channel controller, an encoding module, and a data controller. The channel controller configured to control data input and output to and from nonvolatile memories for channels. The encoding module configured to generate encoded data for an interchannel error correction process, using data stored in each of the nonvolatile memories. The data controller configure to manage the encoded data in units of logical blocks when the channel controller writes the encoded data in parallel to the channels, and to allocate parity data contained in the encoded data to planes of the same channel in each logical block. |
| US08707133B2 |
Method and apparatus to reduce a quantity of error detection/correction bits in memory coupled to a data-protected processor port
An interface device to interface a processing device and a memory device includes an error correcting code (ECC) encoder to calculate ECC bit(s) and to provide the ECC bit(s) to the processing device based at least in part on data provided by the memory device, thereby eliminating a need to store the ECC bits in the memory device. The interface device may include a parity encoder to provide parity bit(s) to the memory device as a function of data provided by the processing device, and a parity decoder to selectively modify the ECC bit(s) as a function of the data and parity bit(s) provided by the memory device. The ECC encoder may provide ECC bits, and the parity decoder may selectively modify the ECC bits provided to the processing device based on data provided by the memory device and parity bit(s) provided by the memory device. |
| US08707129B2 |
Feedback signaling error detection and checking in MIMO wireless communication systems
A method of feedback in a wireless transmit receive unit includes providing a precoding matrix index (PMI), error checking the (PMI) to produce an error check (EC) bit, coding the PMI and the EC bit and transmitting the coded PMI and EC bit. |
| US08707124B2 |
Method for processing forward error correction, FEC, data, device and system thereof
A method for processing Forward Error Correction, FEC, data, which includes: a sender encapsulates the FEC data to be a Transport Stream, TS, message, sets FEC identification information in the TS message, and encapsulates the TS message to be a Real-time Transport Protocol, RTP, message; then sends the RTP message to a terminal side. The reception end receives the RTP message; if the reception end has a function for FEC decoding, the reception end identifies the FEC data according to the FEC identification information in the TS message of the received RTP message, and recovers the missed media message according to the FEC data; if the reception end does not have the function for FEC decoding, the reception end processes the RTP message after removing the message header. The embodiments of the present invention also provide a transmission and processing device. |
| US08707118B2 |
Data, mode and ready bit packets on bidirectional control/data leads
A system and method for sharing a communications link between multiple protocols is described. A system includes a communications interface configured to exchange information with other systems using at least one of a plurality of protocols; a protocol select register that stores a value that selects a protocol from among the plurality of protocols to become an active protocol; and a state machine accessible to the communications interface, the state machine used to control the exchange of information through the communications interface according to the active protocol. The active protocol is used by the communications interface to exchange information while the remaining protocols of the plurality of protocols remain inactive. The state machine sequences through a series of states that cause the communications interface to operate according to the active protocol, and that are designated as inert sequences under the remaining protocols. |
| US08707117B2 |
Methods and apparatus to test multi clock domain data paths with a shared capture clock signal
Methods, circuits and systems are provided to test data paths that traverse multiple clock domains using a common capture clock that is applied to multiple domains. Test data is launched to a first clock domain, and each of the clock domains is selected to receive the common capture clock signal while the test data propagates through the selected clock domain. The test data is capture after it has propagated through each of the multiple domains in response to the shared domains. Applying a common capture clock to each of the different domains eliminates hold time errors that might otherwise occur as the data transitions from one clock domain to another. |
| US08707116B2 |
Transitioning a state machine through idle, sequence, and unlock states
Operating a state machine includes enabling operation of the state machine upon receiving a signal indicating a change from operation of a test access port to a scan test port. The process maintains the state machine in an IDLE 1 state while receiving a scan test port capture signal and transitions the state machine to an IDLE 2 state when receiving a scan test port shift signal. The process then transitions the state machine to a SEQUENCE 1 state, then to a SEQUENCE 2 state, and then to a SEQUENCE 3 state when receiving sequential scan test port capture signals. The state machine then transitions to an UNLOCK TAP state and then back to the IDLE 1 state when receiving sequential scan test port shift signals on the test mode select/capture select lead. |
| US08707094B2 |
Fault tolerant stability critical execution checking using redundant execution pipelines
A circuit arrangement and method utilize existing redundant execution pipelines in a processing unit to execute multiple instances of stability critical instructions in parallel so that the results of the multiple instances of the instructions can be compared for the purpose of detecting errors. For other types of instructions for which fault tolerant or stability critical execution is not required or desired, the redundant execution pipelines are utilized in a more conventional manner, enabling multiple non-stability critical instructions to be concurrently issued to and executed by the redundant execution pipelines. As such, for non-stability critical program code, the performance benefits of having multiple redundant execution units are preserved, yet in the instances where fault tolerant or stability critical execution is desired for certain program code, the redundant execution units may be repurposed to provide greater assurances as to the fault-free execution of such instructions. |
| US08707093B1 |
Hybrid redundant array of disks
A system, method and program product, the system in embodiments comprising: one or more computers operably connected to one or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-readable program code to perform steps: associating a first plurality of data disk blocks; generating checksum data on a second plurality of checksum disk blocks, using an m-out-of-n encoding algorithm; generating a third plurality of redundant storage disk blocks, using an 1-out-of-n encoding algorithm that allows for reconstruction using a second recovery algorithm of a selected disk block by reading a proper subset of remaining data disk blocks, reconstructing a single one of the data disk blocks when one or more reconstruction criteria are met, using the second recovery algorithm; reconstructing, when two or more of the data disk blocks are lost, the two or more of the data disk blocks and/or checksum disk blocks that are lost, using the first recovery algorithm. |
| US08707091B2 |
Failsafe directory file system in a dispersed storage network
A file directory system comprises a directory file, a directory address for the directory file, and a directory address failsafe mechanism. The directory file includes one or more directory entries and one or more corresponding addresses for the one or more directory entries. The directory address failsafe mechanism functions to dispersed storage error encode the directory address to produce a plurality of encoded components of the directory address and transmit the plurality of encoded components of the directory address to a plurality of agent modules. |
| US08707089B2 |
Storage control device for formatting to storage media, storage control method for formatting to storage media, and medium for storing storage control program for formatting to storage media
A storage control device for managing data in a storage while maintaining redundancy of the data includes a formatting management table, a formatting processing section, a recovery management table and a recovery processing section. The formatting management table manages a formatted region and an unformatted region in a management target volume. The formatting processing section executes formatting of the unformatted region in the management target volume on the basis of the formatting management table. The recovery management table retains a content of the formatting management table at a point of occurrence of a redundancy restoration event when a redundancy restoration event has occurred during formatting. The recovery processing section executes recovery of a formatted region, which had been formatted at the point of occurrence of the redundancy restoration event, on the basis of the recovery management table in parallel with the formatting. |
| US08707088B2 |
Reconfiguring data storage in multiple dispersed storage networks
A method begins by a processing module determining access performance to copies of dispersed storage encoded data, wherein the copies of the dispersed storage encoded data are stored in a set of a plurality of dispersed storage networks (DSNs). The method continues with the processing module modifying the set of the plurality of DSNs based on the access performance and the desired access performance level to produce a modified set of the plurality of DSNs when the access performance is not at a desired access performance level. The method continues with the processing module, for a new DSN of the modified set of the plurality of DSNs, determining error coding dispersal storage parameters based on local data retrieval accesses allocated to the new DSN and facilitating the new DSN storing another copy of the dispersed storage encoded data. |
| US08707085B2 |
High availability data storage systems and methods
Provided are systems and methods for accessing a storage device from a node when a local connection failure occurs between the node and the storage device. A failure is determined to have occurred at a first node access path between a first node and a storage device that prevents an application at the first node from accessing the storage device from the first node access path. An access request is sent from the first node to a second node. The second node has a second node access path to the storage device. A determination is made that the second node can communicate with the storage device. The storage device is accessed by an application at the first node via the second node access path. |
| US08707084B2 |
Data center management unit with protection against network isolation
A data center management unit (DCMU, 100) for managing and controlling power distribution to computers in a data center, includes a power inlet (101), a plurality of power outlets (111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118) for providing power to respective ones of the computers, a processor (141), at least one wired data port (151, 152, 153, 154) for controlling one or more of the computers, and a network interface (155) enabling a data center administrator to manage the data center management unit (DCMU, 100) remotely via wired network connectivity. In addition the data center management unit (DCMU, 100) contains a redundant meshed wireless network interface (156). The data center management unit (DCMU, 100) is adapted to automatically switch to the redundant meshed wireless network interface as an alternative for the network interface (155) in situations where the wired network connectivity is lost. |
| US08707081B2 |
Memory clock slowdown
Circuits, methods, and apparatus for slowing clock circuits on a graphics processor integrated circuit in order to reduce power dissipation. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a graphics processor having two memory clocks, specifically, a switched memory clock and an unswitched memory clock. The switched memory clock frequency is reduced under specific conditions, while the unswitched memory clock frequency remains fixed. In a specific embodiment, the switched memory clock frequency is reduced when related graphics, display, scaler, and frame buffer circuits are not requesting data, or are such data requests can be delayed. Further refinements to the present invention provide circuits, methods, and apparatus for ensuring that the switched and unswitched memory clock signals remain in-phase and aligned with each other. |
| US08707078B2 |
Methods and apparatus for trimming of CDR clock buffer using histogram of clock-like data pattern
Clock buffers in a clock and data recovery (CDR) system are trimmed by receiving a first transmitted clock-like data pattern in a reduced rate mode, locking the CDR using the received version of the first transmitted clock-like data pattern; and receiving a second transmitted clock-like data pattern. The first transmitted clock-like data pattern is transmitted using a first rate mode and the reduced rate mode divides the first rate mode by an integer value. The second transmitted clock-like data pattern has a run-length that is an integer division of a run-length of the first transmitted clock-like data pattern. A phase of the clock buffers is adjusted using the second transmitted clock-like data pattern. The received first transmitted clock-like data pattern has edges that correspond to only positive or negative edges of the first transmitted clock-like data pattern. |
| US08707077B2 |
Method and apparatus for time synchronisation in wireless networks
A wireless media distribution system is provided comprising an access point (6) for broadcasting media and a plurality of stations (2) for reception and playback of media. Each station is configured for receiving and decoding a timestamp in a beacon frame transmitted repeatedly from the access point. This is used to control the output signal of a station physical layer clock (12) which is then used as a clock source for an application layer time synchronization protocol. This application layer time synchronization protocol can then be used in the station to control an operating system clock (8) for regulating playback of media. |
| US08707075B2 |
Adaptive network and method
A plurality of modules interact to form an adaptive network in which each module transmits and receives data signals indicative of the proximity of objects. A central computer accumulates the data produced or received and relayed by each module. One of the modules is operable as a leaf node having a sleep mode to conserve energy and an interactive mode. The central computer can send a message to the leaf node commanding it to stay awake in order to receive subsequent communications. |
| US08707074B2 |
Priority-based power capping in data processing systems
A mechanism is provided for priority-based power capping. A power management controller identifies a set of priorities for a set of partitions of the data processing system. The power management controller determines whether a measured power of the data processing system exceeds a power cap for the data processing system. Responsive to the measured power exceeding the power cap, the power management controller sends a set of commands to a set of component actuators to adjust one or more of a set of operation parameters for a set of components associated with the set of partitions using the set of priorities. The set of component actuators adjust the one or more of the set of operational parameters associated with the set of component in order to reduce a power consumption of the data processing system. |
| US08707073B2 |
Energy-efficient polling loop
Logic is provided for increasing energy-efficiency of a data processing system. First logic continuously checks a plurality of I/O ports for incoming workload. Responsive to the incoming workload being lower than a low workload threshold for a current operating frequency, second logic reduces an operating frequency of the processor. Responsive to the incoming workload being higher than a high workload threshold, the second logic increases the operating frequency of the processor. |
| US08707069B2 |
Server
A server includes an enclosure, a motherboard, and first and second switches. The enclosure includes a base and a cover. The first switch is used to manually turn on or off the motherboard. The second switch is capable of turning off the motherboard and is mounted on a sidewall of the base. A stopping piece extends down from one side of the cover to abut against the second switch. The second switch is connected to a power-on pin of the motherboard. When the cover is not covering the base, the stopping piece fails to abut against the second switch. And the second switch is turned off. The power-on pin receives a power-off signal to power off the server. |
| US08707062B2 |
Method and apparatus for powered off processor core mode
For one disclosed embodiment, a processor comprises a first processor core, a second processor core, and a cache memory. The first processor core is to save a state of the first processor core and to enter a mode in which the first processor core is powered off. The second processor core is to save a state of the second processor core and to enter a mode in which the second processor core is powered off. The cache memory is to be powered when the first processor core is powered off. The first processor core is to restore the saved state of the first processor core in response to the first processor core transitioning to a mode in which the first processor core is powered. The second processor core is to restore the saved state of the second processor core in response to the second processor core transitioning to a mode in which the second processor core is powered. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08707058B1 |
Systems and methods for cryptographic masking of private data
Systems and methods for cryptographically masking private data are described. The apparatus may include a masking engine to hash private data and a masking values table to provide a masked value using a lookup value derived from the hashed private data. The method my include receiving private data, transforming the private data into a set of masked data items and providing the set of masked data items. |
| US08707057B2 |
Data processing apparatus and data processing method
A data processing apparatus includes an address bus, a scramble unit, and a data bus. The address bus outputs address data to be given to a memory apparatus. The scramble unit scrambles write-in data into a storage position in the memory apparatus identified by the address data to obtain confidential data. The data bus outputs the confidential data. The scramble unit includes a first scrambler, a first converter and a second scrambler. The first scrambler XORs first mask data corresponding to the address data and the write-in data for each bit and makes it first scrambled data. The first converter performs one-to-one substitution conversion of the first scrambled data. The second scrambler XORs second mask data corresponding to the address data and data after the conversion of the first scrambled data by the first converter and outputs obtained second scrambled data as the confidential data. |
| US08707051B2 |
Method and system for embedded high performance reconfigurable firmware cipher
A firmware cipher component is provided which can be configured and programmed to efficiently implement a broad range of cryptographic ciphers while accelerating their processing. This firmware cipher component allows an ASIC to support multiple cipher algorithms while accelerating the operations beyond speeds conventionally achieved by software or firmware only solutions. This system combines cryptographic specific custom instructions with hardware based data manipulation accelerators. The cryptographic specific custom instructions and hardware accelerators may support both block and stream ciphers. Thus, the system may be reconfigured, allowing the cipher algorithm to change without halting the system. Further, embedding the Firmware Programmable Cipher within an ASIC may allow future capabilities to be supported in secure applications. |
| US08707050B1 |
Integrity self-check of secure code within a VM environment using native VM code
A method of running an application in a process virtual machine (PVM) on a computing device using a dynamically-linked module (DLM) with an integrity self-check feature is provided. The DLM is written in PVM-native bytecode, and the PVM is configured to execute applications stored as PVM-native bytecode within a single code file associated with that application. The method includes (a) dynamically linking the application to the DLM by loading the PVM-native bytecode of the DLM from a resource file separate from the single code file of the application, (b) performing the integrity self-check feature on the DLM to ensure the integrity of the PVM-native bytecode of the DLM, and (c) in response to the DLM passing the integrity self-check, calling functions of the DLM from within the application. Embodiments directed to analogous computer program products and apparatuses are also provided. |
| US08707049B2 |
Authentication method and key device
The present invention discloses an authentication method and a key device and relates to the information security field. The authentication method comprises initiating user authentication, generating a dynamic code and then a first verification code on the basis of the dynamic code, and outputting the dynamic code, by a key device; and receiving a second verification code entered by a user via a host, and collating the second verification code with the first verification code, by the key device, and if a match is found, the user access is authorized to the key device; otherwise, the user access is prohibited. The key device comprises a trigger module, a generator module, an output module, a communication module, a collator module, a controller module and a security module. According to the present invention, better security is achieved by reducing the possibility of sensitive information disclosure and misuse in case of password theft for the key device. |
| US08707048B2 |
Dynamic pattern insertion layer
Various methods and systems are provided for inserting a user-selected pattern below a main application display when sensitive information is being requested or to be communicated. The border of the main application layer may also be modified at this time, either with or without the underlying pattern. This visual change provides the user an assurance that the application or site is authentic and not a phishing attack. The user-selected patterns are stored in secure areas, such as a secure element on the user device or in a cloud accessible by the application or site. |
| US08707046B2 |
Method of anonymous entity authentication using group-based anonymous signatures
Methods for anonymous authentication and key exchange are presented. In one embodiment, a method includes initiating a two-way mutual authentication between a first entity and a second entity. The first entity remains anonymous to the second entity after performing the authentication. The method also includes establishing a mutually shared session key for use in secure communication between the entities, wherein the initiating and the establishing are in conjunction with direct anonymous attestation (DAA). |
| US08707043B2 |
Split termination of secure communication sessions with mutual certificate-based authentication
A method and apparatus are provided for split-terminating a secure client-server communication connection when the client and server perform mutual authentication by exchanging certificates, such as within a Lotus Notes environment. When the client submits a certificate to the server, an intermediary device intercepts the certificate and submits to the server a substitute client certificate generated by that intermediary. A certificate authority's private key is previously installed on the intermediary to enable it to generate public keys, private keys and digital certificates. With the private key corresponding to the substitute certificate, the intermediary extracts a temporary key from a subsequent server message. The intermediary uses the temporary key to read a session key issued later by the server. Thereafter, the intermediary shares the session key with another intermediary, and together they use the session keys to access and optimize (e.g., accelerate) messages sent by the client and the server. |
| US08707037B2 |
Cryptographic authentication apparatus, systems and methods
Apparatus, systems, and methods send an interrogation command from an interrogation and timing apparatus to a timed identification (TID) apparatus. The TID apparatus receives the interrogation command, performs a series of logical operations to calculate a response, and returns the response within a maximum length of time established by the interrogation and timing apparatus. The interrogation and timing apparatus confirms that the length of time between sending the interrogation command and receiving the response is within the maximum length of time and that the response is correct. If so, the TID apparatus is authenticated. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed. |
| US08707035B2 |
High privacy of file synchronization with sharing functionality
Systems and methods for providing privacy of file synchronization with sharing functionality are presented. In embodiments, a file synchronization system comprises one or more folders associated with one or more non-shared encryption keys, which may be a managed key shared across an organization, and/or a personal key that is not shared or has limited third-party sharing. The one or more non-shared encryption keys are not known to the data storage service. The file synchronization system may also contain one or more folders associated with a shared encryption key that is shared with the data storage service, and in embodiments, with a set of users of the service. The system may include a mapping correlating folders to encryption type so items in each folder can be handled appropriately. The system may have additional folders, such as one or more public folders that may be available with limited or no restrictions. |
| US08707034B1 |
Method and system for using remote headers to secure electronic files
An improved file security system that manages secured files (documents) is disclosed. The file security system provides centralized management and storage of security information that can be referenced by secured files. In other words, a secured file need not itself contain security information that is needed to determine whether access to the secured file is to be permitted. That is, at least a portion of the security information can be remotely stored and accessed by way of an identifier that is provided within the secured file. By centralizing storage of security information, the file security system is able to subsequently modify access criteria for secured files (documents) without having to physically make modifications to the secured files. |
| US08707032B2 |
System and method for securing controllers
A system includes a controller and a certificate authority. The controller is configured to control a process. The certificate authority (CA) is configured to issue and to revoke certificates, wherein the controller is configured to use the CA to mutually authenticate a user to enter into a secure mode of operation. |
| US08707028B2 |
Certificate-based cookie security
A cookie attribute for use during secure HTTP transport sessions. This attribute points to a server-supplied certificate and, in particular, a digital certificate. The cookie attribute includes a value, and that value is designed to correspond to one or more content fields in the digital certificate. During a first https session, a first web application executing on a first server provides a web browser with the cookie having the server certificate identifier attribute set to a value corresponding to a content field in a server certificate. Later, when the browser is accessing a second server during a second https session, the browser verifies that the value in the cookie matches a corresponding value in the server certificate received from the second server before sending the cookie to the second server. This approach ensures that the cookie is presented only over specified https connections and to trusted organizations. |
| US08707026B2 |
Apparatus for certificate-based cookie security
A cookie attribute for use during secure HTTP transport sessions. This attribute points to a server-supplied certificate and, in particular, a digital certificate. The cookie attribute includes a value, and that value is designed to correspond to one or more content fields in the digital certificate. During a first https session, a first web application executing on a first server provides a web browser with the cookie having the server certificate identifier attribute set to a value corresponding to a content field in a server certificate. Later, when the browser is accessing a second server during a second https session, the browser verifies that the value in the cookie matches a corresponding value in the server certificate received from the second server before sending the cookie to the second server. This approach ensures that the cookie is presented only over specified https connections and to trusted organizations. |
| US08707024B2 |
Methods and systems for managing identity management security domains
Embodiments of the present invention provide identity management security domains that may be used in an enterprise security system. A security domain provides a centralized registry of services provided by the enterprise security system. For example, certificate authorities and other services, such as key archives, and the like, in the enterprise security system may register information about themselves in the security domain. Authorized users can then discover the location of these services. In some embodiments, the security domain may provide an interface that indicates a topology between services of the enterprise security system. The security domain may also serve as a distribution point for security policies. A security policy may comprise information that indicates, for example, a set of trusted certificate authorities, certificate templates, certificate revocation lists, and the locations of the services in the enterprise security system. |
| US08707021B2 |
Data recording device, data recording method to be used in same, and data record controlling computer program
A data recording device is provided to record and redistribute stream data such as TV programs without imposing loads proportional to the number of users. Stream data of a distributed program is collated by a recording range judging section 4 with data already recorded of a stream data recording section 6 and, based on results from the collation, only newly distributed data is appended to the stream data recording section. Recording demand information representing a range of stream data of a program that a user makes a request for recording is recorded in a range recording section 5 and a user identifier to identify the user is recorded in a manner to be associated with the above recording demand range information. Stream data only in a range corresponding to the above recording demand range information of the user recorded by the above demand range recording processing is read out by a redistributing section 7 from the stream data recording section 6 and is redistributed to the user. |
| US08707017B2 |
Method and system for managing core configuration information
Embodiments of a method and system for managing a system are disclosed herein. The method and system provides a means to permanently and/or securely store core system configuration information so that the core system configuration information stays with a particular system, such as a computing device or motherboard for example. The method and system provide a means for channel integrators, manufacturers, and technicians to quickly troubleshoot and return a system to full service after receiving the system from a customer as part of an unstable, non-functioning, or other system service event. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08707015B2 |
Reclaiming physical registers renamed as microcode architectural registers to be available for renaming as instruction set architectural registers based on an active status indicator
A method of operating a processor includes reclaiming a physical register renamed as a microcode architectural register used by a microcode routine. The physical register is reclaimed according to an indicator corresponding to the microcode architectural register and indicating that a pointer to the physical register and corresponding to the microcode architectural register is an active pointer. |
| US08707014B2 |
Arithmetic processing unit and control method for cache hit check instruction execution
According to an aspect of an embodiment of the invention, an arithmetic processing unit includes a first cache memory unit that holds a part of data stored in a storage device; an address register that holds an address; a flag register that stores flag information; and a decoder that decodes a prefetch instruction for acquiring data stored at the address in the storage device. The arithmetic processing unit further includes an instruction execution unit that executes a cache hit check instruction instead of the prefetch instruction on the basis of a decoded result when the flag information is held, the cache hit check instruction allowing for searching the first cache memory unit with the address to thereby make a first cache hit determination that the first cache memory unit holds the data stored at the address in the storage device. |
| US08707013B2 |
On-demand predicate registers
In accordance with at least some embodiments, a digital signal processor (DSP) includes an instruction fetch unit and an instruction decode unit in communication with the instruction fetch unit. The DSP also includes a register set and a plurality of work units in communication with the instruction decode unit. The register set includes a plurality of legacy predicate registers. Separate from the legacy predicate registers, a plurality of on-demand predicate registers are selectively signaled without changing the opcode space for the DSP. |
| US08707010B2 |
Switch, information processing apparatus, and address translation method
A switch connects and disconnects an input and output control device to and from an input and output device. The switch includes a storage unit that stores therein a translation table for use in translating a physical address used on a virtual machine that a guest operating system specifies as a direct memory access transfer destination to the input and output device, into a physical address used on a real machine; and an address translating unit that translates an address contained in a direct memory access request issued by the input and output device into a physical address used on the real machine by referring to the translation table. |
| US08707007B2 |
Memory storage device, memory controller thereof, and method for automatically creating fill-file thereof
A memory storage device, a memory controller thereof, and a method for automatically creating a fill-file thereof are provided. In the present method, a plurality of logical addresses is configured and grouped into a plurality of logical blocks to be mapped to physical blocks of a memory chip in the memory storage device. When a host system is powered on, whether the logical addresses have been formatted into a partition is determined. If the logical addresses have been formatted into a partition, whether a fill-file of a predetermined file capacity exists is determined. If the fill-file does not exist, data related to the fill-file is respectively filled into a file allocation table (FAT) and a root directory of the formatted partition when the host system reads the FAT and the root directory, so as to automatically create the fill-file. |
| US08707006B2 |
Cache index coloring for virtual-address dynamic allocators
A method for managing a memory, including obtaining a number of indices and a cache line size of a cache memory, computing a cache page size by multiplying the number of indices by the cache line size, calculating a greatest common denominator (GCD) of the cache page size and a first size class, incrementing, in response to the GCD of the cache page size and the first size class exceeding the cache line size, the first size class to generate an updated first size class, calculating a GCD of the cache page size and the updated first size class, creating, in response to the GCD of the cache page size and the updated first size class being less than the cache line size, a first superblock in the memory including a first plurality of blocks of the updated first size class, and creating a second superblock in the memory. |
| US08707003B1 |
Rate control for asynchronous data replication
Pacing data transfers includes receiving, at a first storage device, a first plurality of data writes that are written before a first time, receiving, at the first storage device, a second plurality of writes that are written after the first time and before a second time, transferring the first plurality of writes to a corresponding second storage device while the second plurality of data writes are being written to the first storage device, and acknowledging writes to the first storage device, where acknowledging is delayed in response to either the first storage device or the second storage device having a backlog of data. Pacing data transfers may also include providing the second plurality of data writes to cache slots the first storage device. |
| US08707001B2 |
Method and system for measuring memory access time using phase detector
Methods and systems for determining a memory access time are provided. A first phase skew is measured between a first clock signal used by a memory and a second clock signal used as a reference clock signal. Then, a second phase skew is measured between a delayed version of the first clock signal output by the memory when the memory completes a given read operation and the second clock signal. The memory access time is determined based on the first and second phase skews. |
| US08706997B2 |
Storage device, access control program recording medium, and control method of storage device
A storage device for storing data includes a device configured to store data read or written by a host, a command storage unit configured to store commands transmitted by the host to acquire information relating to the device, a command acquisition unit configured to acquire commands issued to the device when the host requests access to the data stored in the device, and an access determination unit configured to permit the access, if the commands acquired by the command acquisition unit have been stored in the command storage unit. |
| US08706994B2 |
Synchronization of replicated sequential access storage components
Various embodiments for synchronization of source and replicated instances of sequential access storage components in a computing environment by a processor device are provided. A replication synchronization table (RST) of a source instance is updated at a source component with the compacted information. Based on the RST of the source instance and the RST of the replicated instance, data representative of a most recent position on the source component from which data should be transmitted to a replicated component to achieve a full synchronization is determined. |
| US08706992B2 |
System and method for high performance enterprise data protection
High performance, enterprise-level data protection system and method provides efficient block-level incremental snapshots of primary storage devices, and instant availability of such snapshots in immediately mountable form that can be directly used in place of the primary storage device. Related systems and applications are described, including an “Enterprise Image Destination” (EID) for backup images; a mirroring technique whereby a replacement physical primary facility may be created while working with a second storage unit as the primary source file system; and a technique for eliminating redundant data in backup images when multiple systems with partially common contents (e.g., operating system files, common databases, application executables, etc.) are being backed up. A number of examples showing “Fast Application Restore” (FAR) with the use of the invention are also provided. |
| US08706990B2 |
Adaptive internal table backup for non-volatile memory system
Methods and apparatus for allowing tables to be adaptively backed up are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for operating a memory system with a non-volatile memory that includes a reserved memory area, a plurality of physical blocks and a plurality of data structures including an erase count block involves determining when contents associated with at least one data structure of the plurality of data structures are to be substantially backed up. A request to substantially back up the contents associated with the at least one data structure is executed when it is determined that the contents associated with the at least one data structure are to be substantially backed up. Executing the request allows contents associated with the at least one data structure are substantially backed up in the reserved memory area. |
| US08706986B2 |
Load equalizing storage controller and control method for the same
An object of the invention is to provide a storage controller and control method that can efficiently and easily prevent reduced data I/O processing performance due to an imbalance between loads on controllers. In the storage controller and control method for providing, to a host computer, logical volumes created in a storage area provided by a storage device and controlling data I/O to/from the logical volumes, the state of loads on the control units for controlling data I/O to/from the logical volumes is monitored, and a control unit allocated to a logical volume is changed to another control unit to equalize loads on the control units. |
| US08706985B1 |
System and method for optimizing garbage collection in data storage
The present invention is directed to systems and methods for optimizing garbage collection in data storage. The data storage may be a shingled disk drive or a non-volatile solid-state memory device. Garbage collection is optimized by selectively saving data read from certain locations of the data storage in response to host read commands and using the saved data for subsequent garbage collection operations. The decision of whether to save data may be based on a number of criteria, including whether the data is located in an area of the data storage that is due to be garbage collected in the near future. In this manner, certain garbage collection operations can be performed without having to re-read the saved data. |
| US08706980B2 |
Method and apparatus for slice partial rebuilding in a dispersed storage network
A dispersed storage system includes a plurality of storage units that each include a partial rebuild grid module. The partial rebuild grid module includes partial rebuilding functionality to reconstruct one of a plurality of encoded data slices wherein the plurality of encoded data slices are generated from a data segment based on an error encoding dispersal function. In the partial rebuilding process, a data slice is rebuilt by combining in any order slice partials generated from at least a threshold number T of the plurality of data slices. |
| US08706979B2 |
Code reuse and locality hinting
A method and apparatus for handling reusable and non-reusable code is herein described. Page table entries include code reuse and locality fields to hold hints for associated pages. If a code reuse and locality field holds a non-reusable value to indicate an associated page holds non-reusable code, then an instruction decoded from the associated page is not stored in the trace to obtain maximum efficiency and power savings from the trace cache and decode logic. |
| US08706977B2 |
Method and apparatus for inter-processor communication in mobile terminal
A method for inter-processor communication in a mobile terminal is disclosed. The method of inter-processor communication for a mobile terminal having a first processor, a second processor, and a shared memory includes determining, by the first processor, the size of data to be sent to the second processor, comparing the determined size of the data with the size of one of multiple buffer areas in the shared memory to be used for transmission, rearranging the shared memory according to the data size when the size of the data is greater than the size of the buffer area to be used, and sending the data to the second processor through the rearranged shared memory. It is possible to increase data transfer rates between processors when inter-processor communication is performed through a shared memory in a mobile terminal having multiple processors. |
| US08706975B1 |
Memory access management block bind system and method
A shared memory management system and method are described. In one embodiment, a memory management system includes a memory management unit for coordinating context memory storage block binds and independently controlling access to the context memory without interference from other engine activities. In one exemplary implementation the context information is included in a block and the memory management unit binds the block to instance memory. The instance memory can be protected memory. The instance memory can also support multiple channels associated with the plurality of engines. In one exemplary implementation, the instance memory includes a pointer to a page table. The instance memory can also include context save and restore data and each one of the plurality of engines initiates a unique block bind by indicating an association between their engine ID and a given block of instance memory. |
| US08706974B2 |
Snoop request management in a data processing system
In a data processing system, a method includes a first master initiating a transaction via a system interconnect to a target device. After initiating the transaction, a snoop request corresponding to the transaction is provided to a cache of a second master. The transaction is completed. After completing the transaction, a snoop lookup operation corresponding to the snoop request in the cache of the second master is performed. The transaction may be completed prior to or after providing the snoop request. In response to performing the snoop lookup operation, a snoop response may be provided, where the snoop response is provided after completing the transaction. When the snoop response indicates an error, a snoop error may be provided to the first master. |
| US08706971B1 |
Caching and deduplication of data blocks in cache memory
A storage system comprises a cache for caching data blocks and storage devices for storing blocks. A storage operating system may deduplicate sets of redundant blocks on the storage devices based on a deduplication requirement. Blocks in cache are typically deduplicated based on the deduplication on the storage devices. Sets of redundant blocks that have not met the deduplication requirement for storage devices and have not been deduplicated on the storage devices and cache are targeted for further deduplication processing. Sets of redundant blocks may be further deduplicated based on their popularity (number of accesses) in cache. If a set of redundant blocks in cache is determined to have a combined number of accesses being greater than a predetermined threshold number of accesses, the set of redundant blocks is determined to be “popular.” Popular sets of redundant blocks are selected for deduplication in cache and the storage devices. |
| US08706963B2 |
Storage managing system, computer system, and storage managing method
The present invention provides a configuration which can realize both two objects of prevention of performance deterioration and a reduction in storage management cost and shift a volume to a storage device which supports a hierarchical pool. To provide the configuration, a storage managing system acquires access information indicating an access load to a logical volume in a storage subsystem from a device file in a host server as access information in a page unit. The storage managing system acquires, from a storage subsystem having a hierarchical pool function, information concerning the configuration and a capacity of hierarchies of the storage subsystem. A capacity of the logical volume is calculated from the number of pages and a page unit capacity indicated by the access information. The storage managing system calculates, on the basis of information concerning the capacity of the logical volume and information concerning the configuration and the capacity of the hierarchies, a configuration candidate of a hierarchical pool for allocating a storage region for storing data included in the logical volume via the hierarchical pool to a virtual logical pool and outputs the configuration candidate of the hierarchical pool. |
| US08706960B1 |
Techniques for performing data migration
Described are techniques for performing data migration for a source logical volume and a target. The target is configured as storage for another mirror of the source logical volume prior to copying data from the source logical volume to the target, and if the target is configured storage of another logical volume of the data storage system, the configured storage is remapped as storage for another mirror of the source logical volume prior to copying data from the source logical volume to the target. One or more invalid bits are set indicating that the target does not contain a valid copy of data from the source logical volume. Data is copied from the first mirror of the source logical volume to the target. Invalid bits are cleared as data portions of the first mirror of the source logical volume are copied to the target. |
| US08706959B1 |
Virtual storage machine
The disclosure relates to a method and system for creating a virtual array in a physical array. Unassigned whole volumes in at least one physical array are identified. The identified volumes are associated with a first virtual array. Unique names are given to the identified volumes. At least one path is assigned to the first virtual array. The first virtual array may be associated with a second virtual array. Data may be migrated or replicated from the first virtual array to the second virtual array using existing array services. |
| US08706954B2 |
Memory management apparatus and memory management method
A terminal apparatus including a non-volatile memory for which writing is performed in units of blocks; and a control unit configured to perform a first method of managing bad blocks in the non-volatile memory with respect to blocks corresponding to an information management table in a file system of the non-volatile memory, and to perform a second method of managing bad blocks in the non-volatile memory with respect to blocks corresponding to user data in the file system. |
| US08706953B2 |
Data storage device and method performing background operation with selected data compression
A method of storing data in a storage medium of a data storage device comprises storing input data in the storage medium, and reading the input data from the storage medium and compressing the read data during a background operation of the data storage device. |
| US08706951B2 |
Selectively accessing faster or slower multi-level cell memory
Devices, systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with selectively accessing memory are described. In one embodiment, a method detects an indication indicative of whether to program fast access pages or slow access pages of a flash memory. In response to the detected indication, data is programmed from a volatile memory: (1) to the fast access pages of the flash memory while skipping the slow access pages, or (2) to the slow access pages while skipping the fast access pages. |
| US08706950B2 |
Memory system
A memory system includes a volatile first storing unit, a nonvolatile second storing unit in which data is managed in a predetermined unit, and a controller that writes data requested by a host apparatus in the second storing unit via the first storing unit and reads out data requested by the host apparatus from the second storing unit to the first storing unit and transfers the data to the host apparatus. The controller includes a management table for managing the number of failure areas in a predetermined unit that occur in the second storing unit and switches, according to the number of failure areas, an operation mode in writing data in the second storing unit from the host apparatus. |
| US08706948B2 |
Data writing method for non-volatile memory, and controller and storage system using the same
A data writing method for writing data from a host system into a plurality of memory dies of a rewritable non-volatile memory storage apparatus is provided. The data writing method includes determining whether the data transmission interface of the host system complies with a first interface standard or a second interface standard. The data writing method also includes using a general mode to write the data into the memory dies when the data transmission interface of the host system complies with the first interface standard and using a power saving mode to write the data into the memory dies when the data transmission interface of the host system complies with the second interface standard. Accordingly, the data writing method can effectively prevent the stability of the rewritable non-volatile memory storage apparatus from reducing due to insufficient power supplied by the data transmission interface. |
| US08706947B1 |
Virtual machine memory page sharing system
Various embodiments disclosed herein including systems and methods for improving allocation of computing resources in a virtual machine (VM) environment. Embodiments maintain data relating to how VM image data is stored in storage devices and loaded into volatile memory such as random access memory (RAM). The data is then used to identify common content in the volatile memory that can be shared across VM instances. In some embodiments, multiple VM instances can share at least a portion of a single common VM image loaded into a shared volatile memory. |
| US08706945B2 |
Memory control device
To provide a technology of increasing the number of ranks of a memory module with a small change in architecture. A memory control device accessing a memory module having a plurality of ranks, includes an interface unit having selection signal lines via which to flow selection signals for selecting the ranks and address signal lines via which to flow address signals specifying addresses on the rank, and a control unit transmitting the signal for selecting the rank via part of the address signal line and via the selection signal line. |
| US08706944B2 |
Dual bus standard switching bus controller
In some embodiments, an electronic system includes a processor, a memory in communication with the processor, a bus in communication with the processor, an Express Card controller coupled to the bus, the Express Card controller providing an interface to an external device, a USB3 controller coupled to the bus and in communication with the Express Card controller, and a PCIE controller coupled to the bus and in communication with the Express Card controller. The Express Card controller may be configured to determine whether the external device is a USB3 device or a PCIE device and to switch between the USB3 controller and the PCIE controller based on the state of a USB3 select pin strap. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed. |
| US08706943B2 |
System for interfacing between a terminal and a smart card, method for same, and smart card applied to same
The present invention provides a system and method for interfacing between a terminal and a smart card embedded within smart card, and a Universal Subscriber Identification Module (USIM), and a smart card applied to the same. That is, the execution procedure of a service application in the smart card is defined using a new interface between the terminal and the smart card by providing construction of a smart card equipped with one or more service applications, executing the special service application according to the request of the terminal, providing an output value according to the execution of the special application to the terminal, and requesting a special I/O device. |
| US08706939B2 |
Device for arbitrating bus accesses and method for controlling same
In an information-processing apparatus including a plurality of modules and a first arbiter which arbitrates bus-access requests of the plurality of modules, at least one of the plurality of modules includes a plurality of submodules and a second arbiter which arbitrates bus-access requests of the plurality of submodules and transmits at least one of the bus-access requests of the plurality of submodules to the first arbiter. |
| US08706938B2 |
Bandwidth limiting on generated PCIE packets from debug source
Method, circuit, and system for performing an operation for regulating bandwidth, the operation comprising receiving at a memory, debug data packets and functional data packets for transmittal on a shared bus. The operation then transmits, via the shared bus, the functional data packets and one or more of the debug data packets according to a predefined ratio of debug data packets to functional data packets. The operation then drops one or more of the received debug data packets at the memory, and maintains a count of the one or more dropped debug data packets. The operation then updates the predefined ratio based on the count, and uses the updated predefined ratio to transmit the functional data packets and one or more of the debug data packets. |
| US08706936B2 |
Integrated circuit having a bus network, and method for the integrated circuit
A bus network passes pending messages from bus interface to bus interface until they are downloaded at a target bus interface by a target device connected to the target bus interface. The messages are tagged with at least one download control bit. The download control bit has a priority state indicating that a message has already passed the target bus interface at least once without being downloaded. When controlling selection of messages for downloading by the target device, the target bus interface selects messages with the download control bit in the priority state with a greater probability than messages not having a download control bit in the priority state. |
| US08706932B1 |
Replaceable non-volatile memory apparatus with a plurality of pluggable electrical connectors
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. |
| US08706930B2 |
KVM switch, method for controlling the same, switching system for multi-monitor, and switching method for multi-monitor
A KVM switch includes: a first input portion and a second input portion that inputs a plurality of video signals from the first and the second information processing apparatus, respectively; a converting portion that converts the video signals input from the first or second input portion into a plurality of pieces of image data which are capable of being displayed on a remote terminal; a transmitting and receiving portion that transmits the pieces of converted image data to the remote terminal, and receives various requests from the remote terminal; and a switching portion that switches the video signals input from the first input portion to the video signals input from the second input portion when the transmitting and receiving portion receives a switching request for switching from a first information processing apparatus to a second information processing apparatus from the remote terminal. |
| US08706929B2 |
Data transfer management
Methods, controllers, and systems for managing data transfer, such as those in solid state drives (SSDs), are described. In some embodiments, the data transfer between a host and a memory is monitored and then assessed to provide an assessment result. A number of storage units of the memory allocated to service another data transfer is adjusted based on the assessment result. Additional methods and systems are also described. |
| US08706928B2 |
Integrated circuit and method for reducing violations of a timing constraint
An integrated circuit comprises a shared resource for providing data to a buffer. The buffer is coupled to a buffer level monitor and a filling circuit. An access-requesting circuit is coupled to the shared resource for receiving the data from the shared resource when the access-requesting circuit has access to the shared resource. An arbiter is coupled to the shared resource, the filling circuit, and the access-requesting circuit, for receiving access requests from the filling circuit and from the access-requesting circuit, and for granting to a selected one thereof access to the shared resource. A controller is coupled to the buffer level monitor and to the access-requesting circuit, for causing the access-requesting circuit to reduce a rate of access requests sent to the arbiter when a condition involving the monitored level of data in the buffer indicates an anticipated violation of a timing constraint. |
| US08706927B2 |
Method for the recovery of a clock and system for the transmission of data between data memories by remote direct memory access and network station set up to operate in the method as a transmitting or, respectively, receiving station
In the method, data are transmitted between a first memory allocated to a source computer and a second memory allocated to a target computer via a network by remote direct memory access. On the source computer side, a predetermined number of directly consecutive transmission buffers is selected from a continuous buffer memory area and transmitted in a single RDMA transmission process to the target computer. On the target computer side, an RDMA data transfer is executed over the entire continuous buffer memory area and a buffer sequence procedure. The buffer sequence procedure causes the received buffers to be supplied to the target application in the transmitted sequence. |
| US08706926B2 |
Architecture for data storage systems
A hard disk controller (HDC) of a hard disk drive (HDD) includes an encoder module, a buffer manager module, N first-in first-out (FIFO) modules, and N read channel modules, where N is an integer greater than 1. The encoder module is configured to encode data received from a host and to generate P units of encoded data, where P is an integer greater than 1. The buffer manager module is configured to store the P units of encoded data in a buffer, retrieve N of the P units from the buffer, and output the N units in parallel. The N FIFO modules are configured to receive the N units in parallel from the buffer manager. The N read channel modules are configured to receive the N units from the N FIFO modules in parallel, respectively, and to output the N units to a magnetic medium of the HDD. |
| US08706921B2 |
Software initialization of USB devices on a single bus
A method of initializing programmable devices on a shared bus, comprises, on power up, loading control instructions on a processor from an attached tangible, non-transient computer-readable medium, automatically allowing a first programmable device on a common bus to exit its reset state and enter a read-to-program state as the computer system powers up, automatically holding a second programmable device on the common bus in its reset state, querying the common bus by the processor to identify the first programmable device, copying the contents of a program image file by the processor from the computer-readable medium across the common bus to the first programmable device, and once the first programmable device has been programmed with the contents of the program image file, signaling the first programmable device to release the reset hold on the second programmable device. |
| US08706920B2 |
Accessory protocol for touch screen device accessibility
Techniques for controlling a touch input device using an accessory communicatively coupled to the device are disclosed. In one aspect, an accessibility framework is launched on the device. An accessory coupled to the device is detected. Receipt of input from the accessory is enabled. An accessibility packet is received from the accessory. The accessibility packet includes an accessibility command and one or more parameters. The accessibility packet is processed to extract the first accessibility command and the one or more parameters. Input is generated for the accessibility framework based on the accessibility command and the one or more parameters. In some implementations, the device also sends accessibility commands to the accessory, either in response to accessibility commands received from the accessory or independent of any received accessibility commands. |
| US08706919B1 |
System and method for storage and retrieval of personal preference audio settings on a processor-based host
A system and method for automatic storage and retrieval of personal audio settings used with telephony or other audio or multimedia application software running on stand-alone or networked computers or other processor-based host systems are disclosed. The system generally includes an audio device adapted to communicate with a processor-based host executing an audio software application, the audio device having configurable user-specific settings associated therewith. The audio software application enables the host to store audio settings specific to each user and to selectively retrieve and apply user-specific settings to the audio device for the current user. Examples of audio settings include audio device model, inbound and outbound volume levels, tone, frequency response, and sidetone volume. The audio device communicates with the host via a communications port such as a USB port. The host may be on a network sharing access to a central audio settings storage with other processor-based hosts via the network. Each user may store audio settings for multiple audio device such that the audio software application selectively retrieves the audio settings for the current user and for the audio device being used by the current user. |
| US08706917B1 |
General purpose input/output controller
The present invention permits an I/O port to be used with a variety of different I/O devices, regardless of their device type implementation. Thus, one set of pins may be used for various different I/O devices. |
| US08706911B2 |
Power saving display information converting system and method
Display information to be displayed by a display device having a power consumption model is converted according to a power-saving conversion model and the power consumption model, such that the power consumption of the display device for displaying the converted display information is lower than that for displaying the original display information. |
| US08706908B2 |
System, method and apparatus for media access control (MAC) address proxying
A method for link layer address proxying includes receiving a first data packet from a first client device. The first data packet has a first source data link layer address field and a first source network layer address field. The method further includes determining a first data link layer address value associated with the first client device from the first source data link layer address field. The method further includes determining a first network layer address value associated with the first client device from the first source network layer address field, and translating the first data link layer address value into a proxy data link layer address value assigned to the first client device. The method still further includes replacing the first data link layer address value within the first source data link layer address field with the proxy data link layer address value to produce a first proxied data packet, and forwarding the first proxied data packet to a destination device. |
| US08706907B2 |
Telecommunication and multimedia management method and apparatus
A method for transferring a complete copy of media designated as time-sensitive over a network. The method involves transmitting media designated as time-sensitive from sending node to a receiving node and receiving the media designated as time-sensitive at the receiving node. At the receiving node, any missing media designated as time sensitive is noted. One or more receipt reports are generated at the receiving node and are sent back to the sending node, the receipt reports including a low priority request for retransmission of the identified missing media. In response, the sending node retransmits the low priority request for retransmission, the retransmission occurring when bandwidth on the network in excess of what is needed to transmit time-sensitive media becomes available. Eventually a complete copy of the media including the missing media is obtained at the receiving node after the retransmission. |
| US08706906B2 |
Multipath routing process
Methods and apparatus that enable more than one server to host a resource using a shared IP address such that a client may generally access the resource on any of the servers using the shared IP address are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for providing paths that allow a client to access a resource in a TCP/IP network includes obtaining an IP address, as well as associating the IP address to first and second servers. The first and second servers support the resource at the IP address, and a first path of the plurality of paths that allow the client to access the resource is between the client and the first server and a second path of the plurality of paths that allow the client to access the resource is between the client and the second server. |
| US08706903B2 |
Audio on-demand communication system
An audio-on-demand communication system provides real-time playback of audio data transferred via telephone lines or other communication links. One or more audio servers include memory banks which store compressed audio data. At the request of a user at a subscriber PC, an audio server transmits the compressed audio data over the communication link to the subscriber PC. The subscriber PC receives and decompresses the transmitted audio data in less than real-time using only the processing power of the CPU within the subscriber PC. According to one aspect of the present invention, high quality audio data compressed according to lossless compression techniques is transmitted together with normal quality audio data. According to another aspect of the present invention, metadata, or extra data, such as text, captions, still images, etc., is transmitted with audio data and is simultaneously displayed with corresponding audio data. |
| US08706898B2 |
Navigating a video, a transcript of a dialog, and a histogram
A method and apparatus for navigating a media program via a searchable transcript of the dialog of the media program is disclosed. In one embodiment, a textural transcript of the dialog is generated, wherein the textural transcript comprising a plurality of portions wherein each portion is associated with a segment of the media program, a command is accepted to display the transcript and in response to that command, user interface data is transmitted to the client computer for presentation in a user interface, wherein the user interface comprising a concurrently presented media program player and the textural transcript. |
| US08706892B2 |
Communication system and server
A SOAP-SIP adapter 2 establishes a session with the terminals 5b and 5c in accordance with a SIP. At this time, the SOAP-SIP adapter 2 sends an INVITE message including its own IP address and port number to the terminals 5b and 5c. Each terminal 5b, 5c sends a 200 OK including its own IP address and port number to the SOAP-SIP adapter 2. The SOAP-SIP adapter 2 stores correspondingly the IP address and port number of each terminal 5b, 5c in a memory. The SOAP-SIP adapter 2 transfers a media stream received from each terminal 5b, 5c to the destination of the corresponding IP address and port number by referring to the memory. Also, a pseudo RBT is sent to the terminal A5b from establishing the session with the terminal A5b till establishing the session with the terminal B5c to prevent a silent state. |
| US08706891B2 |
Method and communication device for transmitting packet-oriented information
A communication network (PKN) fashioned in conformance with at least one transmission protocol is configured such that data packets (BPDU) having first address information (08 address) as protocol-specific address information are processed under the at least one transmission protocol. At least one communication device (PB) is assigned to the communication network (PKN), which communication device is fashioned in such a manner that second address information (00 address) is configured as protocol-specific address information and that data packets (BPDU) having the second address information (00 address) are processed under the at least one transmission protocol. According to the invention, in the case of data packets (PB) incoming at the communication device (PB) and containing first address information (08 address), this is replaced by the second address information (00 address) and the converted data packets (BPDU′) are processed further by the communication device (PB). Advantageously, communication devices with a predetermined address configuration can be used in communication networks with different address configurations, as a result of which a cost saving is achieved. |
| US08706886B2 |
Method and system of digital content sharing among users over communications networks , related telecommunications network architecture and computer program product therefor
A method and a system for digital content sharing between individual users in a peer-to-peer fashion, wherein each user is connected to a respective local access network through a transport network. The method and system provide local network storage areas associated with each user arranged for archiving digital contents, and carry out the transferring of contents via the transport network from a storage area associated with a user holding requested contents to a remote network storage area associated with a requesting user on a different access network according to the connectivity available on the transport network. The shared contents are made available for access by the requesting user on its local network storage area. A telecommunications network architecture includes the system so that there is a plurality of services of content sharing between pairs of individual users implementing the above method. |
| US08706885B2 |
Systems and methods for health based spillover
The present solution provides a spillover management technique for virtual servers of an appliance based on health. Using a health based spillover technique, a network appliance may direct requests to a backup or second virtual server upon determining that a predetermined percentage of services being load balanced are down. In this manner, the spillover will occur based on a user controlled determination of a level of services being down to the number of services enabled. Instead of waiting for a last service of a virtual server to be marked down to spillover to another virtual server, the spillover may occur based on a user specified percentage. For example, the appliance may spillover from one virtual server to another virtual server when the number of services marked down relative to the number of enabled services falls below a specified percentage. |
| US08706882B2 |
Apparatus and method for allocating devices to a communication route
There is provided an apparatus and method for allocating devices to a communication route. Network topology information and device information including a device-cost assigned to each of candidate-devices allowed to be allocated to a plurality of segments on the communication route are provided. An integer/linear programming problem is generated to obtain a feasible device-allocation, and an objective function for calculating an objective function value is defined. A sequence of feasible device-allocations are generated by sequentially generating a next feasible device-allocation from a current feasible device-allocation while improving an objective function value until the objective function value is not improved any more, and the last one of the sequence of feasible device-allocations is determined to be an optimum device-allocation. The next feasible device-allocation is generated from the current feasible device-allocation by replacing a basic candidate-device with an alternative candidate-device selected based on reduced-costs calculated for nonbasic candidate-devices. |
| US08706880B2 |
Manage a shared computing resource based on resource use reports
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to managing a shared computing resource based on resource use reports. In one embodiment, a manager electronic device manages a shared computing resource based on resource use reports from agent electronic devices. The manager electronic device may send resource use instructions to the agent electronic devices, and the agent electronic devices may use the resource based on the instructions. |
| US08706879B2 |
Automated discovery and inventory of nodes within an autonomic distributed computing system
A distributed computing system conforms to a multi-level, hierarchical organizational model. One or more control nodes provide for the efficient and automated allocation and management of computing functions and resources within the distributed computing system in accordance with the organization model. The model includes four distinct levels: fabric, domains, tiers and nodes that provide for the logical abstraction and containment of the physical components as well as system and service application software of the enterprise. A user, such as a system administrator, interacts with the control nodes to logically define the hierarchical organization of distributed computing system. The control node detects the addition of a node added to the network and automatically identifies attributes for the detected node. |
| US08706878B1 |
Preferential loading in data centers
Infrastructure is disclosed for optimizing performance and minimizing errors during normal operation of replicated data centers. In some implementations, systems that are replicated in each data center under a common IP address may have service requests routed to them using routing tables that favor one of the systems. The routing tables may prefer the system that resides in the data center where the service requests originated, or they may prefer the system that meets other criteria. Other systems replicated in the data center may have service requests routed to them using configuration tables that favor one of the systems. The configuration tables may also prefer the system that resides in the data center where the service requests originated, or they may prefer the system that meets other criteria. This arrangement helps optimize performance during normal operation and minimize potential for disruption of service should one of the data centers fail. |
| US08706877B2 |
Systems and methods for providing client-side dynamic redirection to bypass an intermediary
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for dynamically redirecting on a client communications of the client with a server to bypass an intermediary that is determined to be unavailable for such communications. An acceleration program on the client establishes a transport layer connection between the client and server, and intercepts communications of the client to the server. The transport layer connection may be established via an intermediary, such as a gateway, proxy or appliance. If the client-side acceleration program determines the intermediary is not available for communicating by the client to the server, the acceleration program automatically establishes a second transport layer connection to the server in order to bypass the intermediary. The acceleration program then transmits the intercepted communications of the client via the second transport layer connection to the server. The acceleration program may automatically redirect intercepted communications of the client to the server transparently to any user or application of the client. |
| US08706876B2 |
Method and system for tunable distribution of content
A method and system for tunable distribution of content are disclosed. Preferably, the content comprises digital rights and/or watermark information. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises receiving a request from a client. One or more content files related to the request and a user profile of a user are determined. One or more seeders are assigned to start the delivery of the one or more content files. The client is allowed to obtain a plurality of pieces of the one or more content files from the one or more seeders. At least one piece of the plurality of pieces of the one or more content files contains digital rights and/or watermark information. |
| US08706875B2 |
Sharing access to application located on a smart card for clients in parallel
This patent application relates to a method, a computer program product, a computer program, an apparatus, and a system for sharing an access to at least one application located on a smart card unit. |
| US08706874B2 |
Remote configuration of a hardware setting on one or more target computing device(s)
A method includes registering one or more target computing device(s) with a request processing module of a server computing device and an application executing on a client computing device communicatively coupled to the server computing device, and initiating, through the application, a request to configure a hardware setting on the one or more target computing device(s) based on a communication mechanism. The method also includes processing, through the request processing module, the request to generate a validated message related to the hardware setting configuration and to extract information related to identifiers of the one or more target computing device(s), a hardware thereof and the hardware setting. Further, the method includes redirecting the validated message to the one or more target computing device(s) along with the extracted information, and interpreting the received validated message and the extracted information at the one or more target computing device(s). |
| US08706869B2 |
Distributed cloud placement software
Techniques are described for distributed placement of a request on one of a plurality of deployment nodes. Embodiments receive a request specifying resource requirements for instantiating the request, and transmit at least an indication of the resource requirements to the plurality of deployment nodes. An indication of suitability is then received from at least two of the plurality of deployment nodes, the indication of suitability describing a suitability of the respective deployment node for instantiating the request. Embodiments select one of the at least two deployment nodes based on the indications of suitability, and transmit the request to the selected deployment node for instantiation. |
| US08706863B2 |
Systems and methods for monitoring data and bandwidth usage
Access to a communications network may be provided via a data provider that may charge for access. In some cases, the access fee may be related to the amount of network resources consumed (e.g., amount of data downloaded or bandwidth used). In some cases, a user may have access to a particular amount of data provider resources and be required to pay an additional fee for using resources in excess of the particular amount. To assist the user in managing his data resource consumption, a resource utilization component may provide different alerts and notices informing the user of current consumption, expected future consumption, and recommendations for reducing data provider resources consumed (e.g., stopping particular processes or data provider requests, such as downloading media). If several electronic devices in a network are connected to the same data provider resources, a network component may manage the data provider resource use among the several electronic devices (e.g., allow only particular users or devices access). |
| US08706862B2 |
Methods and apparatus for performing non-intrusive data link layer performance measurement in communication networks
Methods and apparatus for performing non-intrusive data link layer performance measurement in communication networks are disclosed. An example method to measure data link layer performance between existing network nodes disclosed herein comprises coupling a first intelligent network interface (INI) to an available access port of a first existing network node providing access to a network, wherein the first INI obtains power and input information only from the access port after being coupled thereto, and exchanging test messages between the first INI and a second INI coupled to a second existing network node during normal operation of the first and second existing network nodes to measure data link layer performance, wherein the test messages originate in the first INI and are routed through the first and second existing network nodes using a first data link layer address associated with the first INI and a second data link layer address associated with the second INI. |
| US08706855B2 |
Method and apparatus for idling a network connection
The described embodiments provide a system that controls the operating state of a network interface. During operation, in response to receiving a request from an application to use the network interface for a route, the system creates a route structure for the route and increments a route reference counter in an interface data structure for the network interface. Upon subsequently determining that the application is no longer using the route, the system sets a route expiration timer in the route structure to a predetermined expiration time. When the route expiration timer expires, the system deletes the route structure and decrements the route reference counter in the interface data structure. When decrementing the route reference counter in the interface data structure causes the route reference counter to be equal to zero, the system sends a signal to a configuration application to inform the application that the network interface can be idled. |
| US08706852B2 |
Automated scaling of an application and its support components
An execution environment provides a plurality of components that support execution of an application, wherein the plurality of components and the application are hosted by a plurality of nodes arranged in one or more clusters. The execution environment monitors runtime behavior of the application and the plurality of components, and generates a scaling event based on a comparison of the runtime behavior to one or more scaling policies. The execution environment automatically scales at least one of the application or a component of the plurality of components if the scaling event does not violate a constraint, wherein the scaling comprises adding a new node to at least one cluster of the one or more clusters or removing a node from at least one cluster of the one or more clusters based on the scaling event. |
| US08706850B2 |
Computer system and configuration management method therefor
Provided is a computer system that requires only a server administrator for construction thereof and configuration change thereof. A management server acquires connection destination interface identifiers set for external apparatuses, stores the connection destination interface identifiers into a first table, acquires specifications of server computers and identifiers of the server computers, stores the specifications and the identifiers into a second table, acquires specifications of external apparatuses, stores the specifications into the first table, receives a profile to be deployed onto one of the server computers, acquires a server computer satisfying the profile from the second table, acquires an external apparatus satisfying the profile from the first table, acquires a connection destination interface identifier from the first table, and notifies the server computer acquired from the second table of the acquired interface identifier, and the server computer updates an interface identifier of an interface by the received interface identifier. |
| US08706845B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for maintaining status of bootstrap peer
A method for maintaining the status of a bootstrap peer includes: selecting a bootstrap peer; obtaining the status information of the bootstrap peer; updating a local bootstrap peer list according to the status information of the bootstrap peer. An apparatus and system for maintaining the status of a bootstrap peer are also disclosed. The bootstrap peer list is updated according to the status information of the selected bootstrap peer, which ensures the validity of the bootstrap peer list on the bootstrap server so that the information in the bootstrap peer list obtained by a joining peer is valid. This improves the success rate of joining the overlay network by the joining peer, shortens the joining process time of the joining peer, and implements load balancing between the bootstrap peers. |
| US08706844B2 |
Provision of troubleshooting tools in a network system
In an embodiment, a method is provided for providing a tool used for troubleshooting a component. This tool is included in an application server that is in communication with multiple client computing devices. Here, a request to activate the tool is received from one or more client computing devices. This request includes a diagnostic identifier that uniquely identifies the client computing device that transmitted the request. Upon receipt of the request, the tool is activated at the application server with the diagnostic identifier used as an input parameter. When activated, the tool can identify the client computing device based on the diagnostic identifier and can provide a functionality associated with the troubleshooting to the client computing device. |
| US08706840B2 |
System and method for provisioning a remote resource for an electronic device
The disclosure recites a device, system and method for provisioning resources from a server in a network to a mobile electronic device. The method comprises the steps of: downloading access information from the server for the resource; presenting the resource for selection on a graphical user interface (GUI) rendered on a display; sending a request to the server to download the resource from the communications network; and after receiving the resource from the communications network, integrating the resource into the application. |
| US08706838B2 |
Testing apparatus, testing method and computer-readable storage medium
A testing apparatus includes a storage to store a communication log including a communication time and a response confirmation number of packets, and a processing circuit to generate an additional packet having a communication time and a response confirmation number between two consecutive packets having an interval greater than or equal to a threshold value in the communication log. The interval may be an interval of the communication times of or, an interval of the response confirmation numbers of the two consecutive packets. The testing apparatus also includes an interface unit to send the packets stored in the storage and the additional packet to a destination at a time interval based on communication times thereof. |
| US08706837B2 |
System and method for managing switch and information handling system SAS protocol communication
An SAS domain map is automatically generated at an SAS concentrator switch by a virtual mapping device that presents itself as a target for discovery by SAS devices interfaced with the concentrator, such as information handling systems and storage devices. During the SAS protocol discovery process, the virtual mapping device generates the SAS domain map by acquiring the device name and the device port for each concentrator port that interfaces with a device. A management application running on the concentrator applies the SAS domain map to provide network functions, such as zoning or diagnostics. |
| US08706835B2 |
Method and apparatus for virtualizing an address book for access via, and display on, a handheld device
A method and apparatus turns a typical home telephone system into a platform for delivery of web based content and services. The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a broadband enabled telephone system for the home and a series of web servers that collect, package, and deliver personalized content and services to all of the telephone handsets throughout the home. With this end-to-end solution, any information or services available via the web can be delivered through a broadband enabled telephone system. Through the web, each member of a family can build a profile which defines what information and services they want available through the handset. In addition, each handset can be dynamically personalized for any family member. The color screens on the handsets become windows through which an individual can view and interact with a broad range of content and services. The audio channels thus become an extension of the voice based services, such as messaging and voice chat. |
| US08706834B2 |
Methods and apparatus for remotely updating executing processes
Methods, apparatus, and computer-accessible storage media for remotely updating an executing process that receives I/O requests on I/O port(s), stores write data to a write log on local storage, and uploads data from the write log to remote storage. An update for the process is detected and downloaded, and an updated process is instantiated from the update. The current process is directed to perform a shutdown for update during an update window. In response, the current process saves its current configuration, flushes an in-memory portion of the write log to local storage, and releases its I/O port(s). The updated process loads the saved configuration, detects that the port(s) have been released, and starts accepting I/O requests on the ports. During flushing, the current process flushes current data in memory while continuing to append new write data, stops accepting new write requests, and then flushes the new write data. |
| US08706832B2 |
Low latency, high bandwidth data communications between compute nodes in a parallel computer
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for data transfers between nodes in a parallel computer that include: receiving, by an origin DMA on an origin node, a buffer identifier for a buffer containing data for transfer to a target node; sending, by the origin DMA to the target node, a RTS message; transferring, by the origin DMA, a data portion to the target node using a memory FIFO operation that specifies one end of the buffer from which to begin transferring the data; receiving, by the origin DMA, an acknowledgement of the RTS message from the target node; and transferring, by the origin DMA in response to receiving the acknowledgement, any remaining data portion to the target node using a direct put operation that specifies the other end of the buffer from which to begin transferring the data, including initiating the direct put operation without invoking an origin processing core. |
| US08706831B2 |
Device and method for controlling dissemination of contents between peers having wireless communication capacities, depending on vote vectors
A method is intended for controlling dissemination of content in a peer-to-peer mode between peers having wireless communication capacities and comprising a cache memory for storing contents. This method consists, each time a peer, having a group of variable values each associated to a content it can store into its cache memory and representative of utility that storing of this content represents for it and for other peers, accesses to a wireless network or to another peer offering access to these contents, in downloading N contents having the N highest variable values into its group, N being a number depending on the storage capacity the peer is ready to use into its cache memory to store contents to be downloaded. |
| US08706828B2 |
All hazards information distribution method and system, and method of maintaining privacy of distributed all-hazards information
An information distribution method includes: gathering all-hazards information into an information exchange from a first information source; gathering all-hazards information into the information exchange from a second information source; distributing the all-hazards information from the information exchange to a first independently-controlled alert network; distributing the all-hazards information from the information exchange to a second independently-controlled alert network. |
| US08706826B2 |
Automatically enabling the forwarding of instant messages
In some examples, an instant message addressed to an intended instant messaging recipient may be forwarded to the recipient's mobile telephone when the recipient's mobile telephone number is known to the instant message sender. In one example, an instant message is forwarded to the intended recipient's mobile telephone number when the instant message sender's contact information for the intended recipient includes an instant message address (e.g., a screen name or other type of instant message identifier) and a mobile telephone number, without dependence upon the intended recipient's presence on the instant message (IM) system or through actual login or registration with an IM forwarding service. In another example, an instant message addressed to an intended instant messaging recipient is forwarded to the recipient's mobile telephone when the recipient is known to the instant message sender. |
| US08706823B2 |
Bulk message identification
Distinctively treating digital communications sent by bulk message senders includes providing a set of bulk sender behavior policies and monitoring compliance by a bulk message sender with the set of policies. Based on compliance by the bulk message sender with the set of policies, digital communications sent by the bulk message sender are distinctively treated. |
| US08706821B2 |
Method and apparatus for time adaptation of online services to user behavior
An approach is provided for time adaption of online services. Timing information relating to usage by a user of one or more online services is retrieved. A pattern of consistent usage is determined from the timing information. Scheduling information is generated for transmission of a message based on the determined pattern. |
| US08706814B2 |
Method and apparatus for layering software agents in a distributed computing system
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for layering agents in a distributed computing system. In one embodiment, a system for monitoring and controlling a distributed computer network including a plurality of components (e.g., devices) includes a plurality of cells, each of the cells being deployed to directly monitor and control one of the components of the network. The system also includes at least one federation, where the federation is made up of cells that cooperate to solve common problems, and at least one supercell, where the supercell provides supplemental decision making capabilities to the cells and federations. In this manner, problems detected by a cell that cannot be resolved by the cell may be forwarded to the cell's associated federations or supercells for resolution. |
| US08706813B2 |
Populating online forums
In general, in one aspect, a forum for user interaction is provided. A clone of the forum is created, thereby allowing any number of users to be in the same forum while limiting the number of users in each instance of the forum. It is determined whether a relationship exists between a user entering the forum and one or more other users entering the forum or with one or more other users already in the forum. If a relationship exists, the user entering the forum is placed in a clone of the forum based on the relationship. |
| US08706810B2 |
Real-time collaborative document review and transfer method and system
A computer based document review and transfer system and method is disclosed. In an embodiment, the system receives a request from user for a unique identifier (ID). The system generates a unique ID and assigns it to the user. Users access the system to upload documents and other data. Users can request that documents and data be sent to another user by referencing the other user's unique ID. The system stores all documents and data on a cloud server that is accessible from any type of user device. Data consistency is maintained across devices. Access to documents and data comprises collaborative review of a document simultaneously by multiple users, revision of the document by one or more users; recording comments on the document by one or more users, and transfer of the document to various user devices. Data analytics are also performed on the data and various statistical information made available to users. |
| US08706809B2 |
Systems and methods of creative work collaborative systems
Systems, methods, and tangible computer-readable storage mediums for tracking collaboration are presented. More particularly, embodiments relate to providing, using a processor, an environment for collaboration between users; and tracking, using the processor, information regarding the collaboration; such that the tracked information includes rights information regarding rights of the collaborating users. Some further embodiments include storing, in a non-transient, computer-readable storage medium, the rights information. Some further embodiments include determining compensation for at least one user based on the rights information. Some further embodiments include: storing, in a non-transient, computer-readable storage medium, initial content; and storing, in the storage medium, additional content, such that the additional content builds on the initial content. |
| US08706807B2 |
System and method for distributing video conference data over an internet protocol television system
A computerized system and method for distributing video conference data over an internet protocol television (IPTV) system are disclosed including structures and methods for allocating an IPTV video conference channel to groups of video conference participants' set top boxes (STBs), accessing STB data at the server indicating a group of video conference participants' STBs in the groups of video conference participants' STBs, the group of STBs being associated with one video conference data, mapping at the server, the video conference channel to the group of video conference participants' STBs and to one IP address for the one of the video conferences data, and delivering from the server over the video conference channel from a first one of the of IP addresses, the first one of the video conferences data to the first group of video conference participants' STBs. |
| US08706806B2 |
Technique for enabling a plurality of software components to communicate in a software component matrix environment
A technique for enabling a plurality of software components to communicate in a software component matrix environment is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized by a method for enabling a plurality of software components to communicate in a software component matrix environment comprising the steps of encoding a request at a client side; communicating the request to a server at a server side via a communication interface; comparing the request to a plurality of operations supported at the server side; determining whether a function match exists at the server side; and returning a response comprising the function match to the client side in response to the request via the communication interface wherein the response is mapped to a data model of a client. |
| US08706805B2 |
Information caching system
A method, data processing system, and computer program product for caching information. A computer determines whether at least one of a client data processing system and a hardware device in a plurality of hardware devices has performed a number of operations that have been identified as being associated with a request that is sent to a first hardware device in the plurality of hardware devices. The first hardware device is configured to obtain information from a second hardware device in the plurality of hardware devices for use in generating a response to the request. The computer caches the information in a cache for the plurality of hardware devices prior to a subsequent request for the information being sent to the first hardware device in response to a determination that the at least one of the client data processing system and the hardware device has performed the number of operations. |
| US08706797B2 |
Image processing system for an x-ray installation
The invention relates to an image processing system for an x-ray installation or such like having at least one image source, a plurality of computing units for processing different algorithms, at least one non-volatile storage and a data sink, with the image source, the plurality of computing units, the non-volatile storage and the data sink each being physically connected to at least one control unit operating as a circuit module in a physical network, as a result of which a star-shaped logical topology can be configured by the control unit. |
| US08706795B2 |
SIMD integer addition including mathematical operation on masks
Methods, apparatuses, and articles associated with SIMD adding two integers are disclosed. In embodiments, a method may include element-wise SIMD adding corresponding elements of a first SIMD-sized integer (A) and a second SIMD-sized integer (B) to generate a SIMD-sized integer result (R) and a carry bit. A may have an integer size (SizeA), while B may have an integer size (SizeB). The addition, in response to SizeA greater than SizeB, may further include updating R and the carry bit in view of one or more elements of A that do not have corresponding element or elements of B. Further, element-wise SIMD adding may include performing one or more mathematical operations on first one or more masks, with the first one or more masks interpreted as integers, and interpreting one or more integer results of the one or more mathematical operations as second one or more masks. |
| US08706793B1 |
Multiplier circuits with optional shift function
Multiplier circuits that can optionally be configured as bit shifters. An exemplary multiplier includes a one-hot circuit, a multi-bit multiplexing circuit, and a multiply block. The one-hot circuit has a multi-bit input and a multi-bit output. The multiplexing circuit has first and second multi-bit inputs and a multi-bit output, with the first input of the multiplexing circuit being coupled to the output of the one-hot circuit. The multiply block has first and second multi-bit inputs and a multi-bit output, with the first input of the multiply block being coupled to the output of the multiplexing circuit. When selected by the multiplexer, the position of the single high bit in the one-hot circuit output determines the number of bits by which the multiplier output is shifted relative to the second multiplier input. When the one-hot circuit output is not selected as an input to the multiplier, the multiplier performs a multiply function. |
| US08706792B1 |
Low-complexity q-ary LDPC decoder
f(x(sk−1, sk))=A(sk−1)+B(sk) is calculated for nm2 pairs of consecutive state variables {sk−1, sk} using A(sk)=minsk−1,x{A(sk−1)+Γ(xk=x)} and B(sk)=minsk+1,x{B(sk+1)+Γ(xk+1=x, sk+1)}, where Γ(xk=x) is a metric associated with a branch xk=x connecting consecutive state variables sk−1 and sk. The nm lowest values are selected from the nm2 calculated values of f(x(sk−1, sk))=A(sk−1)+B(sk) and log likelihood ratios (LLRs) are set to those lowest f(x(sk−1, sk)) values. The nm values of x that correspond to the nm lowest values are determined. |
| US08706791B2 |
Low power fir filter in multi-MAC architecture
Embodiments of the invention are directed to system and method that enable relatively low power dissipation by scheduling operations of multiply accumulators chain of two or more multiply accumulators units by delivering an output result of a first multiply accumulator of the chain as an input to a second subsequent multiply accumulator of the chain. |
| US08706790B1 |
Implementing mixed-precision floating-point operations in a programmable integrated circuit device
The resources needed—particularly in a programmable device—when carrying out a mixed-precision multiplication-based floating-point operation (i.e., multiplication or division) is reduced by maintaining the mantissas of the operands in their native precisions instead of promoting the lower-precision number to the higher precision. Exponents and other elements can be handled by the higher-precision logic as they do not consume significant resources. |
| US08706788B2 |
Modular calculator, operation method of the modular calculator, and apparatuses having the same
A modular calculator and a method of performing a modular calculation are provided. The modular calculator includes a first register to receive and to store a first integer, a second register to receive and to store a second integer, a calculator connected to an output terminal of the first register and an output terminal of the second register, and a controller to determine an arithmetic operation of the calculator by referring to a sign of the first integer and a sign of the second integer and to control the calculator to perform the determined arithmetic operation on one of an addition and a subtraction of the first integer and the second integer and a modulus value. |
| US08706777B2 |
Media content catalogs
In a method in a computer system for displaying on a display device a personal catalog of media content, a plurality of media content listings is received from a plurality of network enabled media devices. The plurality of network enabled media devices has common ownership with the computer system, which comprises a network enabled media device. The plurality of media content listings and a media content listing of the computer system are used to compile a personal catalog of media content. The personal catalog of media content is displayed on the display device. |
| US08706776B1 |
Extending status models in a computer system
A design-time status schema model is defined at design-time and includes a core status schema group and an. a status schema model. The status schema model includes a core status schema group and an extended status schema group. The status schema model also includes a precondition included in one of the status schema groups. The precondition identifies how a status affects whether an action included in the other of the status schema groups is to be allowed to be performed at runtime by a data object node instance having the status. Based on a status schema instance, the status of a data object node instance is monitored to determine whether the action is allowed to be performed by the data object node instance. In response to a determination that the action is allowed, enabling the action to be executed. |
| US08706775B2 |
Editing device and editing method using metadata
A waiting time until editing starts is shortened. Metadata that are a part of metadata are transferred from an optical disc set in a disc unit to an HDD in an editing device. The metadata are text data including a clip ID and continuing time information of material data, and they are small in information quantity. Thus, a waiting time for waiting for the completion of metadata transfer does not take place, and immediately after the optical disc is set editing processing can start. An editor selects a clip in accordance with a clip ID included in the metadata. Further, the editor selects a used portion of the clip in accordance with the continuing time information included in the metadata. Editing data are generated on the basis of these selected results. |
| US08706774B2 |
GINA WorldSpace
A multi-dimensional information access capability, WorldSpace, within a Global Information Network Architecture (GINA) can create a user-definable environment for managing information access within the GINA object-oriented, software-based modeling environment for the modeling of various data sources and allowing queries and transactions across those sources. The modeling environment is described in itself, and is used to describe the model for information access. GINA WorldSpace allows different users to have different views of data sources depending upon their WorldSpace definition, which controls a user's view of the data source. The WorldSpace definition can use the attributes that makes the user unique and map them through GINA vectors to the characteristics of information to which the user has access. Attributes can include username, roles, language, locale, organization, and/or others. WorldSpace views can also impact the behavior of the data sources. |
| US08706772B2 |
Strict tenant isolation in multi-tenant enabled systems
A plurality of partitions can be defined in a database for a multi-tenant computing system provided on one or more processors such that each partition of the plurality of partitions is associated with only one business tenant of a set of business tenants supported by the multi-tenant system. The database can stored shared content that is shared among and accessible to all tenants of the multi-tenant computing system while tenant content for each business tenant can be stored in the database in one partition of the plurality of partitions. The one partition can be assigned to an associated business tenant. At least a portion of the tenant content can be unique to and associated with the associated business tenant. One or more errors can be generated to prevent tenant content associated with a first business tenant of the set of business tenants from being accessed by a second business tenant of the set of business tenants when an application code executed within the multi-tenant computing system comprises a construct that would otherwise enable cross-tenant access by the second business tenant to tenant content associated with the first business tenant. Related systems, methods, and computer program products are described. |
| US08706771B2 |
Systems and methods for analyzing and transforming an application from a source installation to a target installation
The present application is directed towards systems and methods for analyzing and transforming an application from a source installation to a target installation. Customized functions, objects, databases, and code of the source installation may be analyzed in accordance with analysis rules to create a meta-model representative of the elements of the customized elements and their relationships with each other and objects of the source installation. Responsive to transformation rules, the meta-model may be modified to create a transformed meta-model representative of the elements and their relationships with each other and objects of the target installation. The transformations may then be applied to the customized functions, objects, databases, and code of the source installation to convert them into transformed functions, objects, databases, and code, compatible with the target installation. |
| US08706766B2 |
System and method for triggering a provisioning event
Systems and methods are provided for triggering a provisioning event in a service provider using a provisioning request message generated by an external system. A provisioning system may be used to receive the provisioning request message from the external system and transmit information in the provisioning request message to the service provider to trigger the provisioning event. The provisioning request message may have a data structure that includes a header section and a body section. The body section may contain a provisioning entity section that includes information identifying an entity to which the provisioning event pertains, wherein the provisioning entity section includes one or more attributes defined by the external system. |
| US08706765B2 |
Method to raise accuracy of targeting the segmentation for sample distribution
To enhance the targeting accuracy in providing services such as provision of samples for members by performing management of member information and authentication while securing personal anonymity. There is provided a center server and a store terminal. The center server gives a unique ID to a member application, sends it to a particular mobile information terminal and manages it as authentication information about a member who is the user of the mobile information terminal. In response to purchases of a particular article by the member, the store terminal inputs the ID from the mobile information terminal and inputs purchase information about the article the member purchases. The center server then acquires attribute information about a member identified by the ID. Then, by checking the purchase information, the attribute information and service information set in association with attribute information about the member and kinds of articles and stored in particular storage means, information about a service to be provided for the member is identified. |
| US08706763B1 |
Method and system for storing, retrieving, and sharing data using a field-accessed database system comprising a mobile unit
A method using a field-accessed database system identifies an object by a data identifier, and stores and/or retrieves object data using the associated data identifier. In one mode of operation, a field terminal uploads to a database object-based data and employs the associated data identifier to group the uploaded object data with object data relating to other objects having substantially similar data identifiers. In another mode of operation, the system identifies one or more data products stored in a database and previously grouped according to an identified object's data identifier, and a field terminal downloads from database one or more data products related to the identified object and processes downloaded data products for user access. |
| US08706760B2 |
Method to delay locking of server files on edit
A server is implemented with a modified file open action, which, when a user performs the modified open, initially opens a file without locking the file. When a user indicates (either explicitly or implicitly) that the user is attempting to or intending to open the file, the file can then be locked for editing. In this way, the default action when a user requests a file is to open the file without denying other users access to the file. Then, when the user indicates that editing should occur, the lock for the file is obtained. |
| US08706757B1 |
Device, method and computer program product for generating web feeds
A method for generating a feed, the method includes: receiving selection information representative of a selection of a selected element out of multiple elements of a web content representation; and generating an equivalent indication representative of at least one equivalent element that is similar to the selected elements. |
| US08706755B2 |
Distributed file system for intelligently managing the storing and retrieval of data
A distributed file system enables the intelligent storing and retrieval of files among a plurality of storage units. The distributed file system utilizes a metadata data structure to track and manage detailed information about each file, including, for example, the device and block locations of the file's data blocks, to permit different levels of replication and/or redundancy. The distributed file system includes a switch to receive a read request for a file and to send the read request to one of the storage units. Each of the plurality of storage units is operable to monitor access to the file, such that a block cache module is operable to perform a scalable number of packet read aheads, wherein the scalable number is based on at least a current read rate and a current latency of a link to access the at least one file. |
| US08706754B2 |
System and method for integrating knowledge engines in a cloud computing environment
The present invention is a system for integrating knowledge engines in a cloud computing environment, having a cloud computing platform, a graphical user interface (GUI), several applications for integrating information, knowledge engines for extracting knowledge from data and information, and an index consisting of an index engine, an index database, and a connector to several data sources. The present invention also includes a method of integrating knowledge engines in a cloud computing environment. |
| US08706753B2 |
Search result ranking with search string certainty weighting
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with search result ranking with certainty weighting are described. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a search string being input to a search system to retrieve stored artifacts relevant to the search string. A first certainty level associated with a first portion of the search string is determined and a second certainty level associated with a second portion of the search string is determined. Artifacts retrieved by execution of the search string are ranked to produce a search result. The ranking is based, at least in part, on whether a retrieved artifact is relevant to the first portion or the second portion of the search string. |
| US08706744B2 |
Determining dependencies during macro expansion
In certain embodiments, a parser parses a formula to yield one or more functions, at least one function comprising a dependent value of a dependent object. One or more macro handlers configured to execute the functions are determined. At least one macro handler is instructed to register with one or more dominant objects on behalf of the dependent object, where the dominant objects are used to evaluate the dependent value. |
| US08706742B1 |
System for enhancing expert-based computerized analysis of a set of digital documents and methods useful in conjunction therewith
A system including an electronic repository having a multiplicity of accesses to a respective multiplicity of electronic documents and metadata; a document rater using a processor to run a first computer algorithm on the multiplicity of electronic documents which yields a score which rates each of the multiplicity of electronic documents to an issue; and a metadata-based document discriminator to run a second computer algorithm on at least some of the metadata which yields leads, each lead having at least one metadata value for at least one metadata parameter, whose value correlates with the score of the electronic documents to the issue, typically used in combination with an electronic document analysis method receiving N electronic documents pertaining to a case encompassing a set of issues including at least one issue and establishing relevance of at least the N documents to at least one individual issue in the set of issues. |
| US08706738B2 |
Systems, methods and machine readable mediums to select a title for content production
Systems, methods and machine-readable mediums to identify web page titles for content production are provided. The systems may include a storage device and a processor. The storage device may store a plurality of titles, each title is associated with a respective one of a plurality of web pages. The processor may be programmed to select a title from the plurality of titles and determine a value for the selected title. The value may be based on the number of times that the selected title appears in the plurality of titles, and on the number of web pages that link to the selected title. If the value is greater than a first threshold level, the processor may be programmed to identify the selected title for online publication. |
| US08706737B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing of top-K queries from samples
A method and apparatus for processing top-k queries are disclosed. For example, the method receives a top-k query with a value for a number of samples and a value of a confidence parameter. The method samples in accordance to the number of samples, and determines a top-k weight of a sample top-k set. The method bounds the top-k weight in an interval having an upper bound and a lower bound such that the top-k weight is in the interval with a probability equal to one minus the value of the confidence parameter, and provides a response to the top-k query in accordance with the upper and lower bounds. |
| US08706735B2 |
Method and system for indexing and searching timed media information based upon relevance intervals
A method and system for indexing, searching, and retrieving information from timed media files based upon relevance intervals. The method and system for indexing, searching, and retrieving this information is based upon relevance intervals so that a portion of a timed media file is returned, which is selected specifically to be relevant to the given information representations, thereby eliminating the need for a manual determination of the relevance and avoiding missing relevant portions. The timed media includes streaming audio, streaming video, timed HTML, animations such as vector-based graphics, slide shows, other timed media, and combinations thereof. |
| US08706732B1 |
Managing information about entities using clusters of received observations
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for managing entities using observations. In one aspect, a method includes receiving an observation, the observation including an updated piece of information about an entity and a context, wherein the context includes at least one value of an attribute describing the entity to which the updated piece of information relates; matching the received observation with a first cluster of observations representing the entity using the context; and associating the received observation with the first cluster of observations. |
| US08706731B2 |
System and method for providing healthcare program service based on vital signals and condition information
A method for providing a healthcare program service over a wireless communication network includes receiving vital signals for a condition from measurement devices transmitted from multiple users and grouping the received vital signals, registering by a plurality of service providers corresponding healthcare programs classified by particular diseases, providing a healthcare program service to the multiple users, receiving feedback of use satisfaction for the healthcare programs from each user, counting the number of uses and gathering utilization information for each of the healthcare programs. The method further includes searching for a corresponding group of users using each healthcare program, adding up the user satisfactions and utilizations, databasing the results and upon receipt of vital signals for a condition from a particular user, comparing against similar signals and recommending a preferred healthcare program for a corresponding user group having vital signals for the condition. |
| US08706729B2 |
Systems and methods for distributed data annotation
Systems and methods for distributed data annotation in accordance embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a distributed data annotation server system includes a storage device configured to store source data, one or more annotators, annotation tasks and a processor, wherein a distributed data annotation application configures the processor to receive source data including one or more pieces of source data, select one or more annotators, create one or more annotation tasks for the selected annotators and source data, request one or more annotations for the source data using the annotation tasks, receive annotations, determine source data metadata for at least one piece of source data using the received annotations, generate annotator metadata for at least one annotator using the received annotations and the source data, and estimate the ground truth for the source data using the source data metadata and the annotator metadata. |
| US08706726B2 |
Method and system for monitoring and analyzing tickets
Exemplary embodiments include methods and systems for monitoring and analyzing tickets including collecting data associated with one or more parameters/keywords of tickets. The methods and systems may also include determining if a number of tickets associated the one or more parameters/keywords exceeds a count threshold associated with the one or more parameters. The methods and systems may further include outputting a result of the analysis of the collected data. |
| US08706725B2 |
Ranking contextual signals for search personalization
Methods are provided for re-ranking documents based on user-specific features. Search results are received from a non-contextual ranking system such that the search results are not specific toward a particular user, such as the user who submitted the search query. Contextual signals are received and provide user-specific features that are used to re-rank documents so that the most important and relevant documents are listed at the top of the list of search results. Each of the user-specific features are evaluated and compared to determine a new position of each document. A set of contextual search results is then generated based on the new positions. |
| US08706722B2 |
Systems and methods for adaptive scheduling of references to documents
The order and type of display of documents may be updated or adaptively scheduled. The documents may include advertisements and articles that are displayed together. A popularity or selection weight of the documents may be monitored and used to determine when and where to display the documents. |
| US08706720B1 |
Mitigating topic diffusion
Determining the relevance of a web node is disclosed. A seed score value of a first type is assigned to a seed set of nodes. A score value of a second type is derived for the web node based on a mapping of a reachability relationship between one or more seed nodes and the web node. A score value of the first type is derived for the web node based on a mapping of a reachability relationship between the web node and one or more evaluation nodes having derived weight values of the second type. Topic diffusion is mitigated. |
| US08706716B2 |
Iterative and dynamic search of publicly available data based on augmentation of search terms and validation of data relevance
Validation measures related to information obtained from publicly available data sources are generated for providing recommendations about a potential client. Trusted search criteria are used to obtain a set of query results. These results are used to gather metadata associated with a potential client for loan offers. The validation measures are initiated from the associations and used to modify the search criteria or identifying data for searching further. A credit worthiness score related to the potential client is configured based on the validation scores and relevancy of the data. The client information is updated dynamically with continued modification of the initial search criteria in order to alter a scope and improve an accuracy of information. |
| US08706715B2 |
Methods and systems for joining indexes for query optimization in a multi-tenant database
Methods and systems for query optimization for a multi-tenant database system are provided. Some embodiments comprise receiving at a network interface of a server in a multi-tenant database system an original query transmitted to the multi-tenant database system by a user associated with a tenant, wherein the original query is associated with data accessible by the tenant, and wherein the multi-tenant database system includes at least a first index and a second index. Metadata associated with the data is retrieved, wherein at least a portion of the data is stored in a common table within the multi-tenant database system. A tenant-selective query syntax is determined by analyzing at least one of metadata generated from information about the tenant or metadata generated from the data accessible by the tenant. An improved query is then generated using the query syntax, wherein the improved query is based at least in part upon the original query and a result of a join between a first number of rows associated with the first index and a second number of rows associated with the second index. |
| US08706714B2 |
File aggregation method and information processing system using the same
The performance of the analysis system is deteriorated because file content extraction processing is performed in the file aggregation server and in the analysis server and further because annotation data creation is performed in the file aggregation server. Therefore, the present invention solves the problem by providing a file aggregation server classifying files into analysis target contents, non analysis target contents, and content matched data, and providing only the analysis target contents to the analysis server. Since this method enables the analysis server to acquire the analysis target contents directly from the file aggregation server, the processing of extracting contents from the files becomes unnecessary, and the throughput of the entire analysis system is improved. |
| US08706712B2 |
Graphic query suggestion display method
A method which generates at a user's computer system a display which graphically shows the relationships among a core query and one or more suggested related queries in a search conducted through an online search engine. The display preferably is a set of partially overlapping geometric figures such as circles, with the size of each circle indicating the number of resources found by the search queries and the overlap indicating commonality between a core query and a suggested related query. |
| US08706705B1 |
System and method for associating data relating to features of a data entity
A system and method for associating data relating to features of an entity. A first and second processor may receive and store first and second data relating to a first and second feature of a data entity in first and second memories. A third processor may store the first and second data in a first file in a third memory with respective time stamps. The first and second processor may receive third and fourth data relating to the first and second features and store the first and second data with respective time stamps. The third processor may compare time stamps and store data relating to the first and second features associated with the most recent time stamp. |
| US08706702B2 |
Method for data management in a collaborative service-oriented workshop
A method for managing data in a collaborative service-oriented workshop, which is adapted to treat objects associated with data representative of real or process data, is provided to share data and resources in an architecture of a workspace. The architecture is adapted to design complex objects and manipulate information technology objects that represent data, which may be representative of a real object or a process based on metadata representing characteristic data. The metadata includes a generic part that is common to all data, a specific part that is inherent to the type of data, and links to other objects. The links make it possible to establish, at a later time, the traceability of the data, or in other words the traceability between the different data produced or used during execution of processes. |
| US08706698B2 |
Coordination of event logging operations and log management
A plurality of log processes are synchronized. Each is independently performed in parallel with one another, into a single set of log files. A line buffering mechanism of an operating system (OS) of the computing environment forecloses interleaving of the log processes. Log management operations are concurrently performed by a single process protected by a file-system lock of the OS. The log management operations include at least one of a log compression, log retention, and log rotation operation. |
| US08706697B2 |
Data retention component and framework
Systems and methods for dynamically managed data retention are described. The system comprises a tiered framework having a plurality of namespaces. The namespaces are configured by a user to have selected data retention attributes. Data including a manifest may be received by the system, processed, and directed to a namespace based upon the manifest. Data storage partitions may be created automatically in association with a namespace, and the data partitions may be assigned partition attributes. Data in a storage partition may be migrated automatically to another namespace based on the partition attributes. Code necessary for creating storage partitions and migrating data is generated by the data management system. |
| US08706696B2 |
Method and system for on-demand communities
In an embodiment, communities are generated on demand. In this specification a community is a group of webpages in which users share ideas with one another by posting ideas and sending messages for one another to read. An on-demand community is a community that may be created via tools specialized for creating communities, with just a few keys strokes and/or mouse clicks and by adding information (e.g., about the members and/or the topic or set of topics that the community is focused upon), such that a community maybe established within a short amount of time, such as a few minutes or a few hours. Optionally, the communities may be initially populated with ideas related to a particular topic or set of topics. Optionally, each member may be provided with tools for establishing one or more profile page and/or one or more friend pages. |
| US08706693B2 |
Map update data delivery method, map update data delivery device and terminal device
A map update data delivery method includes: storing update unit data compiled in correspondence to each set of update data used to update map data in a specific version to map data in another version for a map element by incorporating update data for another map element that must also be updated in coordination with a change made for the map element; searching for base update data needed to update a map data for a map element designated as an update target in a map area specified at a terminal as a map data update target; searching for related update data with a relation to contents of update data included in the base update data searched; and transmitting the base update data and the related update data to the terminal. |
| US08706688B2 |
System and method for providing high availability data
A computer-implemented data processing system and method for storing a data set at a plurality of data centers. The data centers and hosts within the data centers may, for example, be organized according to a multi-tiered ring arrangement. A hashing arrangement may be used to implement the ring arrangement to select the data centers and hosts where the writing and reading of the data sets occurs, version histories may also be written and read at the hosts and may be used to evaluate causal relationships between the data sets after the reading occurs. |
| US08706687B2 |
Log driven storage controller with network persistent memory
A method of updating database volumes by writing database updates to a smart storage controller, and having the smart storage controller generate the log update records for updating local and remote log volumes, and data volumes. |
| US08706682B1 |
Information technology configuration management
The described embodiments contemplate a system, method and computer-readable medium with computer-executable instructions for managing an information technology network. The novel system includes a network of data sources and a federated configuration management database capable of communicating with the data sources. The data sources also may be federated. The federated configuration database management identifies among the data sources. The system also includes a core database that is capable of communicating with the federated configuration management database. The core database defines relationships of the data sources with a business practice. |
| US08706679B2 |
Co-operative locking between multiple independent owners of data space
Locking allocated data space is disclosed. An indication is received that certain previous version data is required to be retained. A map of metadata records, each associated with a journaling process write of previous version data which write includes previous version data required to be retained, is built. In some embodiments, the map associates a write time with each record in the map. A reclamation process checks to determine whether any storage proposed to be reclaimed is included in the map of record identifiers. In some embodiments, the determination is made based at least in part on the write time associated in the map with at least a first record identifier in time-sorted order. |
| US08706678B2 |
System and method for facilitating evergreen discovery of digital information
A computer-implemented system and method for facilitating evergreen discovery of digital information is provided. A hierarchy of topics for topically-limited subject areas is defined. Seed words characteristic of each topic are selected. Training material from the digital information that corresponds to the respective subject area of each of the topics is designated. Candidate topic models are formed from the seed words. Each candidate topic model includes a pattern evaluable against the digital information. An ability of each of the candidate topic models to identify such digital information matching the candidate topic model's topic is tested by matching the pattern in the candidate topic model to the training material. The candidate topic model for each topic that includes the highest abilities with respect to the topic in performance, simplicity and bias is chosen. An evergreen index is formed by pairing the chosen candidate topic model to each topic in the hierarchy. |
| US08706676B2 |
Estimating a state of at least one target using a plurality of sensors
The method includes receiving a plurality of target observations from a respective plurality of sensors and using the target observations to compute target state estimates. Each of the target state estimates is assessed to check if it suffers from one of a set of modelled possible fault types. The target state estimates are adjusted to compensate for any modelled fault type when it is assessed to be suffering from that fault type. A reliability value is computed for each of the target state estimates and the target state estimates are fused together based on the computed reliability values to produce a fused target state estimate. |
| US08706674B2 |
Media tag recommendation technologies
Technologies for recommending relevant tags for the tagging of media based on one or more initial tags provided for the media and based on a large quantity of other tagged media. Sample media as candidates for recommendation are provided by a set of weak rankers based on corresponding relevance measures in semantic and visual domains. The various samples provided by the weak rankers are then ranked based on relative order to provide a list of recommended tags for the media. The weak rankers provide sample tags based on relevance measures including tag co-occurrence, tag content correlation, and image-conditioned tag correlation. |
| US08706669B2 |
Classification using support vector machines and variables selection
A method of deriving a classifier for classifying items using a plurality of variables for characteristics of the items, the method comprising determining a representative subset of the variables for use in said classifier. |
| US08706667B2 |
Transactional graph-based computation with error handling
Processing transactions using graph-based computations includes determining that at least one of a plurality of graph elements of a computation graph of a set of one or more computation graphs includes a computation to be performed for a given transaction, associating the given transaction with an instance of the computation graph that includes reusable computation elements associated with respective graph elements, and executing the graph to perform the computation. |
| US08706661B2 |
System and method for generating an image sprite
A method of determining whether a sprite will be generated determines a probability of a first page module being displayed on a web page together with a second page module, and if the probability exceeds a predetermined threshold, generates the sprite based on a first image within the first page module and a second image within the second page module, a rule indicating that the sprite contains the first image and the second image, and a style sheet code associated with the sprite. |
| US08706660B2 |
System and method for efficient interpretation of natural images and document images in terms of objects and their parts
Methods and system employing the same for optimizing an objective function are provided. The objective function assesses the quality of a candidate solution. One or more variables of an objective function are selected as pivot variables. Each of the variables include one or more candidate values. An upper bound function is generated from the objective function, where the pivot variables are held fixed. For each combination of the candidate values, one or more candidate solutions are searched using the upper bound function. One or more optimal solutions are selected from among the solutions to the searches. |
| US08706656B1 |
Multi-label modeling using a plurality of classifiers
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for multi-label models. One of the methods includes receiving training records, each training record having an input, a first output, and a second output. The method includes generating a first classifier using as input one of the inputs and using as output a corresponding one of the first outputs. The method includes generating a second classifier using as input one of the inputs and using as output a corresponding one of the second outputs. The method includes inputting the inputs into the first classifier and generating first predictive outputs. The method includes inputting the inputs into the second classifier and generating second predictive outputs. The method also includes generating a third classifier using as input the first output and the second output and using as output the first output and the second output of the corresponding training record. |
| US08706655B1 |
Machine learned classifiers for rating the content quality in videos using panels of human viewers
A multi-phase process first trains a machine learned rating classifier, and then uses the rating classifier to automatically rate videos in a selected category in a way which mimics human rating. Panels of human viewers rate videos in tuples, and these tuples along with human preference data distilled from the ratings are used to create a training set that is used to train the machine learned rating classifier. The rating classifier becomes capable of predicting human preferences with regards to videos in the selected category. Optionally a second machine learned classifier can be trained to automatically identify videos in the selected category for the panels of human viewers to rate. The output of the multi-phase process can be used to highlight content that is predicted to be higher quality. |
| US08706654B2 |
Earthquake damage prediction and prevention system and method thereof
An earthquake damage prediction and prevention system for determining an impact or damage caused by an earthquake to objects associated with different geographical locations. A central unit with a filter module selects and collects earthquake related data of a plurality of network units. At least one impact ratio table is stored with a first data structure for storing geographical and/or topographical data coordinates of the different geographical locations. The geometric distances of the geographical locations from a hypocenter/epicenter are generated by an intensity calculation module with a coordinates processor. Local intensity values based upon the generated geometric distances and a given earthquake magnitude of a stored parameterization including variable weight parameters are generated by a propagation calculation unit of the intensity calculation module, whereas the generated geometric distances are stored assigned to the corresponding geographical locations by a second data structure of the impact ratio table. |
| US08706653B2 |
Knowledge corroboration
Knowledge corroboration is described. In an embodiment many judges provide answers to many questions so that at least one answer is provided to each question and at least some of the questions have answers from more than one judge. In an example a probabilistic learning system takes features describing the judges or the questions or both and uses those features to learn an expertise of each judge. For example, the probabilistic learning system has a graphical assessment component which aggregates the answers in a manner which takes into account the learnt expertise in order to determine enhanced answers. In an example the enhanced answers are used for knowledge base clean-up or web-page classification and the learnt expertise is used to select judges for future questions. In an example the probabilistic learning system has a logical component that propagates answers according to logical relations between the questions. |
| US08706645B2 |
System and method for appraising valuable items
Systems and methods for computer appraisal of jewelry and other valuable items, such as antiques, for use in assessing sales, underwriting assessments, and claims adjustments. A user provides a description of an item (102) to be valued; elements of the provided description (102) are used in conjunction with previously-collected data (126) to classify (125) and assess the value of the item. The user may select an analysis/appraisal type and method. Gaps in required information are optionally filled using already-known data (110) by table look-upo methods or by interpolation from known ranges, and the selected analysis method is used to compete valuation and description of the item (130). Assessment options include for example valuations, appraisals, technical or aesthetic descriptions, title chains, and underwriting and insurance schedules. Optionally data supplied by the user is retained for use in future evaluations. |
| US08706644B1 |
Mining phrases for association with a user
Techniques for generating and providing phrases are described herein. These techniques may include analyzing one or more sources to generate a first corpus of phrases, each of the phrases for use as an identifier and/or for association with a user for executing a transaction. Once a first corpus of phrases has been generated, these phrases may be filtered to define a second corpus of phrases. Phrases of this second corpus may then be suggested to one or more users. In some instances, the phrases suggested to a particular user are personalized to the user based on information previously known about the user or based on information provided by the user. |
| US08706642B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for securely authorizing changes to a transaction restriction
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for securely authorizing changes to a transaction restriction. A security module securely stores encryption keys for a payment instrument. The payment instrument electronically transacts payments and includes a transaction restriction. An authentication module receives an authentication from a user of the payment instrument. The security module validates the authentication with a first encryption key. In addition, the security module authorizes a change to the transaction restriction using a second encryption key if the authentication is valid. The security module resides on a computer that the user designates as authorized to validate the authentication. |
| US08706641B2 |
Method and system for providing risk information in connection with transaction processing
A system for providing real-time risk mitigation for an authorization system. The system receives authorization requests from multiple merchants (or their respective acquirers) and processes such requests. Each processed request is then forwarded to its corresponding issuer for further authorization. Each processed request includes an authorization message. The authorization message can include a risk score, a number of reason codes, and a number of condition codes. The use of the risk score, reason codes and condition codes allows issuers to make better informed decisions with respect to providing authorizations. |
| US08706639B1 |
Framework for specifying access to protected content
A determination is made regarding whether a user is allowed to access a content item. The content item is associated with a website. An offer associated with the website is identified. The offer includes a set of use-time rules specifying time periods during which the offer can be used to access content. A use-time rule is associated with a user class. A class of the user with respect to the offer is determined. The user's class indicates whether the user has accepted the offer or whether the user has registered with the website. A determination is made regarding whether the user is allowed to access the content item based on the offer, the user's class, and a current timestamp. |
| US08706635B2 |
Use of licensed content without identification thereof
A content key (CK) to decrypt a piece of encrypted content is obtained encrypted according to a public key of a licensor (PU-L) to result in (PU-L(CK)). (PU-L(CK)) is obscured according to (PU-L) and a value R to result in Obs (PU-L(CK)), and Obs (PU-L(CK)) is sent to the licensor, which applies a private key (PR-L) corresponding to (PU-L) to Obs (PU-L(CK)) to result in Obs (CK) as an obscured version of (CK). Obs (CK) is received from the licensor; and (CK) is obtained from Obs (CK) based on applying R thereto. The licensor cannot identify from Obs (PU-L(CK)) or from Obs (CK) the encrypted content or the content key (CK) from which the encrypted content may be identified. |
| US08706633B2 |
Remittance system with improved service for unbanked individuals
A service provider computer receives a request for a transfer of funds from a sender to a recipient. The service provider computer makes a data record about the transaction available to a receiving financial institution. The receiving financial institution receives a visit from the recipient, issues a new payment card account to the recipient, and communicates the account number for the new account to the service provider computer. The service provider computer initiates a payment transaction in a payment card system to route the requested funds transfer from a payment card account belonging to the sender to the newly issued payment card account for the recipient. |
| US08706626B2 |
Systems and methods for provisionally transferring an electronic currency
Persistent, electronically anchored currency notes (PEAC notes) may be generated by a transaction provider and maintained in a datastore. Each PEAC note may be associated with a respective unique identifier and an asset held by a custodian. The transaction provider may provide for assigning ownership of the PEAC notes to various entities and/or transferring ownership therebetween. Ownership transfers may be performed by the transaction provider while maintaining the PEAC notes in the datastore and/or maintaining the asset(s) associated therewith with their respective custodian(s). The transfer of a PEAC note may be tied to one or more transfer conditions. A PEAC note may be provisionally transferred from a first entity to a second entity subject to one or more transfer conditions. When the transfer conditions are met, the PEAC note may be permanently transferred to the second entity. |
| US08706621B2 |
Secure checkout and challenge systems and methods
A method for correlating information received directly from an access device operated by a user, and information from a merchant server is disclosed. The method includes receiving, at a server of a merchant entity from an access device used by a consumer, a checkout request to initiate a transaction, providing, from the merchant server to a server of a non-merchant entity, transaction information associated with said transaction, wherein the transaction information comprises a merchant ID, and receiving, at the merchant server from the non-merchant server, a response message regarding the transaction, wherein the response message is based on a correlation between the transaction information and device information specifically associated with the access device and provided directly from the access device to the non-merchant server, and is based on additional processing associated with the transaction information and the device information, performed by the non-merchant server. |
| US08706618B2 |
Release of funds based on criteria
A method and system to transfer payment to a seller of a network-based commerce transaction are described herein. The method includes generating a risk model based on seller-specific criteria, and releasing funds from a holding account to the seller based on the risk model. |
| US08706617B2 |
System and methods for providing starter credit card accounts
A system and method for providing starter credit card products to selected customers of a credit card issuer is disclosed. Methods, systems and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention enable a credit card issuer to identify a group of customers that may not eligible to obtain standard credit card products offered by the credit card issuer. The credit card issuer may rank these customers and present offers for starter credit card accounts with adjusted account parameters tailored to these customers. The credit card issuer monitors the activities of each starter card account during a trial period to determine whether each respective account has met predetermined criteria. Based on the results of the monitor process, the credit card issuer may adjust the parameters associated with each starter credit card account. The adjustment may include increasing a credit limit of the starter credit card account if the predetermined criteria has been met, or conversely, restarting the trial period if an account has not met the predetermined criteria during the trial period. Once a starter card account that meets selected criteria during the trial period will graduate and receive new parameters and benefits defined by the credit card issuer. |
| US08706616B1 |
System and method to profit by purchasing unsecured debt and negotiating reduction in amount due
A purchase of debt system (“PODS”) and process that allows a debtor and entity using the system to financially benefit by exploiting the errors, fraud and inefficiencies contained in debts, such as medical bills. Specifically, the type of debt associated with, for example, medical bills is debt liability that has no asset(s) associated with it. The debtor is benefited by assigning the debt and associated liability, at a reduced price, to a third party (the entity using the system). The entity using the system then obtains a financial benefit by settling the debt, with the creditor, for an amount less than that paid to it by the debtor. |
| US08706615B2 |
Systems and methods for evaluating the ability of borrowers to repay loans
Systems and methods are provided for evaluating the ability of a borrower to repay a potential or existing loan. The systems and methods can use daily cash flows of the borrower obtained from one or more transaction accounts of the borrower. The cash flows can correspond to a period preceding the time of the analysis, and can include the most recent cash flow information in the transaction account. The cash flows can be adjusted to account for seasonal and day to day variations in the cash flows. The adjusted or non-adjusted cash flows can be trended, and projections of the cash flows can be generated based on the trends. The projected cash flows can be evaluated to provide an indication of whether the cash flow of the borrower is and will remain sufficient to facilitate repayment of the loan. |
| US08706614B2 |
Systems and methods for automated political risk management
According to some embodiments, a computer-implemented method to facilitate management of risk related to political exposure associated with a financial transaction may comprise receiving financial transaction data associated with the transaction, determining that the participant is a politically identified person, calculating a first category political risk score based on the financial transaction data, calculating a second category political risk score based on the financial transaction data, calculating an overall transaction political risk quotient associated with the financial transaction based on the first and second category politically risk scores, generating a suggested action for the financial transaction based on the overall transaction political risk quotient, and delivering the matching name and a suggested action to a user interface in a format based on a user preference and a user device configuration. |
| US08706609B2 |
System and method for creating trade-related annotations in an electronic trading environment
A client terminal displays a trading screen interface and an annotation interface in relation to the trading screen interface. The annotation interface allows a trader to enter trade-related annotations in a quick and efficient manner or flag a predetermined time and input annotations to be associated with the flagged time a later time, while the trading screen interface allows the trader to make trades at the most favorable prices and in a speedy manner. The annotation interface may alternatively not be displayed and allow for audio input. |
| US08706607B2 |
Method and apparatus for an electronic marketplace for services having a collaborative workspace
A method and system for buying and selling services online includes a process for custom services, a commodity process and a collaborative workspace on a website. The process for custom services includes the posting by a buyer of specific criteria for a desired service, the bidding by a seller to perform the service, and the selection of a seller by the buyer. The commodity process includes the posting by a seller of a service offering, the posting by the buyer of requirements for the purchase of the service offering, and the purchase of a service offering by the buyer. The commodity process may also include an optimization process that provides the buyer with an optimized list of service offerings. The collaborative workspace includes communication tools, a file structure, workbenches and project management tools used by the buyer and seller for facilitating the setup, development and release of one or more services. |
| US08706605B2 |
System and method for replenishing quantities of trading orders
A system for replenishing trading orders comprises a memory coupled to a processor. The memory stores a trading order comprising a total quantity of a product, and at least one formula to determine a displayed quantity for the trading order. The processor applies the formula to determine the displayed quantity. The processor further determines a reserved quantity based on the determined displayed quantity and the total quantity. The processor communicates the trading order having the determined displayed quantity and the determined reserved quantity. |
| US08706596B2 |
Account portfolio risk characterization
Input characterizing one or more economic indicators and a portfolio of accounts can be used to estimate a portfolio level effect of the economic indicators on the portfolio of accounts is estimated. Based on this estimation, an account level effect of the economic indicators is simulated for each of the accounts. The overall affect of the simulated account level effects approximates the portfolio level effect. Simulated account level effects can thereafter be aggregated in order to characterize future risk for the portfolio of accounts. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described. |
| US08706594B2 |
Business method for charitable fund raising
The invention provides a method for charitable fund raising. The method can include the initial operation of identifying a charitable cause in need of funding. A further operation is providing a plurality of flags to be displayed as a healing field. The display of the healing field can be linked to the charitable cause in need of funding. The healing field can also be displayed as part of a public awareness campaign. Finally, the flags that are displayed in the healing field can be sold, with the profits from the sale going to the charitable cause in need of funding. |
| US08706587B1 |
Statistical prioritization and detection of potential financial crime events
Systems and methods for calculating financial crimes ratings for banking entities are provided. High risk transaction data for a plurality of similarly situated banking entities is collected. The banking entities may include banking centers, business customers, individual customers or other banking entities. Summary data is then calculated from the high risk transaction data. The summary data for a banking entity is then compared to summary data of the similarly situated banking entities to calculate the rating. Financial crimes ratings may be used to allocate investigation and enforcement resources. |
| US08706576B1 |
System, method and computer program product for performing one or more maintenance tasks on a remotely located computer connected to a server computer via a data network
A method and computer executable program code are disclosed for performing one or more maintenance tasks on a remotely located computer connected to a server computer via a data network. |
| US08706574B2 |
Pharmaceutical waste identification system
A pharmaceutical waste identification system presents pharmaceutical waste information and, in response to a client entering a pharmaceutical name, the system provides a pharmaceutical waste disposal recommendation. This recommendation can include a labeling recommendation for a container for the pharmaceutical, a disposal recommendation for an empty container previously containing the pharmaceutical, and a disposal recommendation for the pharmaceutical. |
| US08706569B2 |
Methods for managing contract procurement
Computer implemented methods of facilitating contract procurement and contract management through an online contract procurement and management website. An example of a computer implemented method includes assigning a personalized contracting entity member user web page to each of a plurality of contracting entity member users associated with a contracting entity, and assigning a personalized contractor member user home web page to each of a plurality of contractor member users associated with a plurality of potential contractors. The personalized contracting entity member user web pages can provide centralized access to perform contract procurement functions for each of the virtual contract rooms associated with the respective contracting entity member users. The personalized contractor member user web pages can provide consolidated contract room access and consolidated contract room task and communication review for each of the virtual contract rooms associated with the respective contractor member users. |
| US08706566B1 |
Method, medium, and system for adjusting a selectable element based on social networking usage
Systems and methods are disclosed that use social networking profiles of users to generate personalized content of display pages. The personalized content may be generated using profile data retrieved via an application program interface of a social networking system, and may be presented on the display pages of a distinct system, such as a site that hosts an electronic catalog of items. The personalized content may include features that allow a user to indicate a like or preference for an item and that can be customized based on, e.g., the extent of the user's social network or the influence the user has over other potential users of the catalog system. Systems and methods are also disclosed that use the social networking profiles to generate personalized messages that can be posted to social network contacts of the user to provide information about items for which the contacts may be interested. |
| US08706561B2 |
Product common object
Stored product management information in a first format for use by a first computerized system is transformed to readily make the stored product management information available for use in a second computerized system that utilizes a second format in a cost-efficient and time-efficient manner. |
| US08706559B2 |
Methods and systems for activating a contactless transaction card
A method and system for issuing and activating a contactless transaction card is provided. The method uses a server system coupled to a database. The method includes providing a promotional transaction card including a proof of purchase identifier to a consumer, receiving a request message for ordering a contactless transaction card for the consumer wherein the request message includes the proof of purchase identifier and consumer registration data, validating the request message, issuing an inactive contactless transaction card to the consumer including a product identifier and an activation number, storing the product identifier and the activation number in the database, receiving the product identifier and the activation number from a client computer system, and activating the inactive contactless transaction card after the server system verifies that the received product identifier and activation number match the stored product identifier and activation number. |
| US08706555B2 |
Determination of customer proximity to a register through use of sound and method thereof
A method is disclosed for determining a customer's proximity to a checkout register at a store. A mobile electronic device with mobile self-checkout software thereon may record and analyze ambient noise to determine when a customer is in a checkout line as well as to track the customer's progress through the checkout line. The mobile self-checkout software may present information to the customer according to the customer's position in the checkout line. The type and nature of the information presented to the customer may be changed according to the customer's distance from the checkout terminal as well as how quickly the customer is approaching the terminal. The software may provide detailed data about the shopping and checkout experience. This information may be correlated to customer satisfaction and used identify particular strengths and weaknesses in the shopping experience offered by a store. |
| US08706554B1 |
Transaction cost recovery inventory management
Apparatus and methods for determining a transaction cost recovery amount are provided. The transaction cost recovery amount may be determined for each of a plurality of locations. The locations may include point-of-sale terminals and/or checkout lanes. The transaction cost recovery amount may be determined based on Merchant Category Code (“MCC”) information. When a customer leaves a first location associated with a first MCC, the customer may be informed of a transaction cost recovery amount at a second location. The second location may be associated with a second MCC. The transaction cost recovery amount may be determined based on a product inventory. The transaction cost recovery amount may be imposed to maintain an inventory level above a critical level. The transaction cost recovery amount may be based on a decrease and/or increase in an inventory level. |
| US08706551B2 |
Systems and methods for determining user actions
A method for tracking user actions associated with an advertisement includes receiving conversion information. The method also includes determining whether the conversion information represents a valid conversion corresponding to a user action. |
| US08706548B1 |
System and method for optimizing paid search advertising campaigns based on natural search traffic
One methodology in accordance with the disclosure is a computer-implementable methodology for quantitatively assessing the impact of paid search advertising on the total visits (paid and organic search-based visits) from search engines and utilizing this assessment to improve search engine marketing performance. The methodology relies on the computation of a synergy score for each search engine keyword of interest or coefficients in a synergy equation. Once computed, the score can be used to repeatedly compute the total return on advertising spend (ROAS) and other performance metrics on a go-forward basis without the time lag inherent in computing the synergy score itself. The methodology includes specific computer-implementable methods for improving search engine marketing performance based on the total (paid plus organic) performance metrics. |
| US08706547B2 |
Dynamic pricing for content presentations
A request for content is received. First content is selected for the request. The first content is selected from among multiple content items based on information in the request, a characteristic of how the first content is to be presented, and a stored pricing threshold value selected based on the characteristic. The characteristic of how the first content is to be presented includes an amount of available space that is occupied by the first content when the first content is presented. The selected first content is provided for presentation by a publisher that provides second content. |
| US08706546B2 |
Selecting and/or scoring content-relevant advertisements
Ads eligible to be served with a document (for example, because they are relevant to the document) may each be scored using a price parameter associated with the ad and an indication of relevancy of the ad to the document. The indication of relevancy of the ad to the document may be based on an ordinal ranking of a relevancy criteria of the document used to select the ad, and/or a value of a relevancy criteria of the document used to select the ad. The eligible ads may be determined by obtaining relevancy criteria for the document and selecting ads using at least some of the obtained relevancy criteria. The ads may be selected, and perhaps filtered, in a distributed manner. |
| US08706545B2 |
Variable learning rate automated decisioning
Methods and related system are described for making decisions. A described method includes selecting a choice from the available choices, receiving an outcome relating to the selected choice, and automatically learning from the received outcome by incorporating the received outcome into subsequent steps of selecting a choice. The method may also include calculating estimated probabilities associated with the each choice using Bayesian networks. The automated learning can be based on a learning rate which is variable with time, and influences the degree on which prior outcomes are relied upon when calculating an estimated probability associated with a choice. The learning rate can be a function of time and an estimate of drift of the probability associated with the selected choice. |
| US08706535B2 |
Transforming a prioritized project hierarchy with work packages
A software and/or hardware facility to improve the management of project schedules containing prioritized tasks. The project management facility allows a user to create one or more work packages by selecting tasks from one or more existing projects. Each work package is a collection of tasks that are to be executed out of order from the project or projects from which the tasks were selected. At the same time, the facility maintains the prioritization of the tasks in the original project or projects from which the tasks were selected. When tasks are added to a work package, the facility recalculates the work package schedule and any impacted project schedules to reflect the re-prioritization of the task. In some embodiments, the facility generates a link between each task that is contained in a work package and the project from which the task was selected. |
| US08706529B2 |
Managing related electronic medical records
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for a method for linking the health records of two or more patients and alerting them of a change in at least one of the patient's health records are provided. One method comprises, in part, receiving an indication of a desire to link the first medical record of the first patient to a second medical record of a second patient and searching a connected health network for at least one of the first medical record associated with the first patient or the second medical record associated with the second patient. The method further comprises designating a sharing level between the first medical record of the first patient and the second medical record of the second patient, the sharing level indicating an extent of healthcare information that can be shared between the first medical record and the second medical record. The method also includes requesting the second patient to accept a link between the first medical record and the second medical record, and linking the first medical record associated with the first patient and the second medical record associated with the second patient. |
| US08706523B2 |
Methods and systems for treatment regimen management
Methods and systems for treatment regimen management are described. In one embodiment, a treatment regimen associated with a user is determined. The treatment regimen includes treatment first treatment component and a second treatment component. The treatment regimen also includes a first treatment schedule associated with the first treatment component and a second treatment schedule associated with the second treatment component. Multiple treatment events are scheduled in an electronic calendar. The treatment events are based upon the first treatment schedule and the second treatment schedule. A treatment alert associated with each of the treatment events is generated. Other methods and systems are also described. |
| US08706522B2 |
Methods and systems for pharmacy location
Methods and systems for pharmacy location are described. In one embodiment, a plurality of pharmacy network associations of a member is determined. The pharmacy network associations are associated with a drug benefit plan of the member. A pharmacy within a pharmacy network association of the plurality of pharmacy network associations is capable of fulfilling a prescription for a prescription drug. A location associated with the member is accessed. A display is generated based on the determination of the pharmacy network associations and the location of the member. The display includes a first indicator and a second indicator. A first network pharmacy of a first pharmacy network association is associated with the first indicator on the display. A second network pharmacy of a second pharmacy network association is associated with the second indicator on the display. Additional methods and systems are disclosed. |
| US08706521B2 |
Treatment related quantitative decision engine
A system and method generate a report to help decide among a plurality of treatment options for a medical condition. The system and method receive patient information and generate a plurality of potential treatment options for the medical condition. The system and method also receive the patient's preference(s) for potential treatment outcomes of the treatment options, used to produce a preference value. The system and method also analyze indexed study data relating to the plurality of treatment options to produce, based on the analysis, a study score for each of the treatment options. For each treatment option, the system and method produce a treatment score based on at least the preference value and the study score, thus permitting generation of a report listing the treatment options and a) the treatment scores or b) the information derived from the treatment scores. |
| US08706519B2 |
Apparatus and methods for determining and processing medical outcomes
A data processing system is provided for determining clinical outcomes of medical data gathered by the system. The system can allow a person to define a medical study and can then administer the medical study and can collect and analyze data from potentially geographically diverse doctors, patients and other people associated with a study. Users enter sets of medical information. The system can analyze the medical data according to any number of clinical algorithms that may be custom defined and edited before and during the study. The system conditionally outputs the clinical outcome to the user. The clinical outcome can be used for treatment of patients participating in the study immediately after the data is input and analyzed. The medical outcomes can indicate such things as performance comparisons, composite outcomes, and risk stratification and assessments for such things as treatments, drugs, illnesses, doctors, patients and physician groups. |
| US08706515B2 |
Methods, systems, and apparatus for providing a notification of a message in a health care environment
The disclosure relates to methods, systems, and apparatus for providing a notification of a message in a health care environment. A message from a source and location information associated with a plurality of patients may be received. The location information associated with the plurality of patients and a notification of the message from the source may be output in a geospatial arrangement via a graphical user interface. The graphical user interface may be updated when a change occurs in either the location information associated with at least one of the plurality of patients or the status of the message from the source. In addition, a user query for the location information associated with each of the plurality of patients receiving care from a physician in the health care environment may be received and output in the geospatial arrangement via the graphical interface. |
| US08706513B2 |
Global investment grade for natural and synthetic gems used in financial investments and commercial trading and method of creating standardized baskets of gems to be used in financial and commercial products
A process to create a fungible global standard for diamonds and gemstones. The process involves grouping diamonds in an investment standard according to their gemological, proportional, optical and light behavior characteristics. Diamonds that conform to the investment grade standard are interchangeable within a specific size range according to an equivalent monetary bundling process. Diamonds subjected to the standard conform to a holistic set of gemological, proportional, optical and light characteristic requirements that enables diamonds to be classified into a extraordinarily homogeneous, visually indistinguishable and highly fungible group which can be used to create baskets of diamonds to form an index/benchmark for diamond pricing, financial instruments, and a standard that can be used for certifying diamonds as investment grade to insure quality. |
| US08706512B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, storage medium, and program
An information processing apparatus is disclosed which includes: a storing element for storing content data; a managing element for managing preference data by which to determine preferences of a user; a reading element for reading the content data from the storing element in response to an instruction from the user; a sorting element for sorting the content data read by the reading element, in accordance with the preference data managed by the managing element; and a composing element for composing the content data sorted by the sorting element, into a single item ready to be handled by the user. |
| US08706509B2 |
Method and a decoder for attenuation of signal regions reconstructed with low accuracy
The embodiments of the present invention improves conventional attenuation schemes by replacing constant attenuation with an adaptive attenuation scheme that allows more aggressive attenuation, without introducing audible change of signal frequency characteristics. |
| US08706506B2 |
Waveform compressing apparatus, waveform decompressing apparatus, and method of producing compressed data
In a waveform compressing apparatus, a trial mode selecting portion selects a trial mode having the highest compression rate from a plurality of candidate modes which have not been selected before as a trial mode for generating a residue code, the selected trial mode comprising a scalar quantization mode or a vector quantization mode. A waveform data compressing portion compresses a given data amount of original waveform data according to the selected trial mode so as to generate the residue code, the data amount being determined in correspondence with the selected trial mode. A waveform data restoring portion generates a restored waveform data from the compressed data using the generated residue code. A determining portion measures an evaluation value of a quantization error contained in the restored waveform data relative to the original waveform data, and determines whether the evaluation value is equal to or smaller than a predetermined allowable value. A mode change instructing portion outputs a mode change instruction for instructing the trial mode selecting portion to select another trial mode when the evaluation value is not smaller than the predetermined allowable value. |
| US08706505B1 |
Voice application finding and user invoking applications related to a single entity
A computing device is configured to initiate actions in response to speech input that includes a name or other indication of an entity, in a first spoken utterance, followed by an action, in a second spoken utterance. The computing device receives the first spoken utterance, identifies an entity based on the first spoke utterance, and indicates a plurality of available actions based on the identified entity. The computing device then receives the second spoken utterance and identifies a selection of at least one of the available actions based on the second spoken utterance. The computing device then initiates the at least one selected action. |
| US08706503B2 |
Intent deduction based on previous user interactions with voice assistant
Methods, systems, and computer readable storage medium related to operating an intelligent digital assistant are disclosed. A text string is obtained from a speech input received from a user. Information is derived from a communication event that occurred at the electronic device prior to receipt of the speech input. The text string is interpreted to derive a plurality of candidate interpretations of user intent. One of the candidate user intents is selected based on the information relating to the communication event. |
| US08706497B2 |
Speech signal restoration device and speech signal restoration method
A synthesis filter 106 synthesizes a plurality of wide-band speech signals by combining wide-band phoneme signals and sound source signals from a speech signal code book 105, and a distortion evaluation unit 107 selects one of the wide-band speech signals with a minimum waveform distortion with respect to an up-sampled narrow-band speech signal output from a sampling conversion unit 101. A first bandpass filter 103 extracts a frequency component outside a narrow-band of the wide-band speech signal and a band synthesis unit 104 combines it with the up-sampled narrow-band speech signal. |
| US08706493B2 |
Controllable prosody re-estimation system and method and computer program product thereof
In one embodiment of a controllable prosody re-estimation system, a TTS/STS engine consists of a prosody prediction/estimation module, a prosody re-estimation module and a speech synthesis module. The prosody prediction/estimation module generates predicted or estimated prosody information. And then the prosody re-estimation module re-estimates the predicted or estimated prosody information and produces new prosody information, according to a set of controllable parameters provided by a controllable prosody parameter interface. The new prosody information is provided to the speech synthesis module to produce a synthesized speech. |
| US08706492B2 |
Voice recognition terminal
A voice recognition terminal executes a local voice recognition process and utilizes an external center voice recognition process. The terminal includes: a voice message synthesizing element for synthesizing at least one of a voice message to be output from a speaker according to the external center voice recognition process and a voice message to be output from the speaker according to the local voice recognition process so as to distinguish between characteristics of the voice message to be output from the speaker according to the external center voice recognition process and characteristics of the voice message to be output from the speaker according to the local voice recognition process; and a voice output element for outputting a synthesized voice message from the speaker. |
| US08706490B2 |
Indexing digitized speech with words represented in the digitized speech
Indexing digitized speech with words represented in the digitized speech, with a multimodal digital audio editor operating on a multimodal device supporting modes of user interaction, the modes of user interaction including a voice mode and one or more non-voice modes, the multimodal digital audio editor operatively coupled to an ASR engine, including providing by the multimodal digital audio editor to the ASR engine digitized speech for recognition; receiving in the multimodal digital audio editor from the ASR engine recognized user speech including a recognized word, also including information indicating where, in the digitized speech, representation of the recognized word begins; and inserting by the multimodal digital audio editor the recognized word, in association with the information indicating where, in the digitized speech, representation of the recognized word begins, into a speech recognition grammar, the speech recognition grammar voice enabling user interface commands of the multimodal digital audio editor. |
| US08706488B2 |
Methods and apparatus for formant-based voice synthesis
In one aspect, a method of processing a voice signal to extract information to facilitate training a speech synthesis model is provided. The method comprises acts of detecting a plurality of candidate features in the voice signal, performing at least one comparison between one or more combinations of the plurality of candidate features and the voice signal, and selecting a set of features from the plurality of candidate features based, at least in part, on the at least one comparison. In another aspect, the method is performed by executing a program encoded on a computer readable medium. In another aspect, a speech synthesis model is provided by, at least in part, performing the method. |
| US08706483B2 |
Partial speech reconstruction
A system enhances the quality of a digital speech signal that may include noise. The system identifies vocal expressions that correspond to the digital speech signal. A signal-to-noise ratio of the digital speech signal is measured before a portion of the digital speech signal is synthesized. The selected portion of the digital speech signal may have a signal-to-noise ratio below a predetermined level and the synthesis of the digital speech signal may be based on speaker identification. |
| US08706482B2 |
Voice coder with multiple-microphone system and strategic microphone placement to deter obstruction for a digital communication device
The present invention provides a voice coder for voice communication that employs a multi-microphone system as part of an improved approach to enhancing signal quality and improving the signal to noise ratio for such voice communications, where there is a special relationship between the position of a first microphone and a second microphone to provide the communication device with certain advantageous physical and acoustic properties. In addition, the communication device can have certain physical characteristics and design features. In a two microphone arrangement, the first microphone is located in a location directed toward the speech source, while the second microphone is located in a location that provides a voice signal with significantly lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). |
| US08706480B2 |
Audio encoder for encoding an audio signal having an impulse-like portion and stationary portion, encoding methods, decoder, decoding method, and encoding audio signal
An audio encoder for encoding an audio signal includes an impulse extractor for extracting an impulse-like portion from the audio signal. This impulse-like portion is encoded and forwarded to an output interface. Furthermore, the audio encoder includes a signal encoder which encodes a residual signal derived from the original audio signal so that the impulse-like portion is reduced or eliminated in the residual audio signal. The output interface forwards both, the encoded signals, i.e., the encoded impulse signal and the encoded residual signal for transmission or storage. On the decoder-side, both signal portions are separately decoded and then combined to obtain a decoded audio signal. |
| US08706478B2 |
Transforming a natural language request for modifying a set of subscriptions for a publish/subscribe topic string
A natural language request for modifying a set of subscriptions for one or more topics in a publish/subscribe topic hierarchy is received at a processing device. The natural language request includes a predetermined natural language element. The natural language request is transformed into a publish/subscribe topic string and the predetermined natural language element is transformed into a publish/subscribe symbol. The symbol represents one or more topics in the topic hierarchy. One or more subscriptions to one or more topics is modified based on the transformed topic string. |
| US08706476B2 |
Natural language processing method by analyzing primitive sentences, logical clauses, clause types and verbal blocks
Methods for converting a natural language sentence into a set of primitive sentences. The method includes identifying verbal blocks in the sentence, splitting the sentence into a set of logical clauses, determining a type of each clause wherein the type of each clause determines whether or not said clause contains verbal blocks, disambiguating ambiguous verbal blocks within each logical Clause, mad constructing a primitive sentence for each verbal block by duplicating the shared noun phrases of verbal blocks. |
| US08706474B2 |
Translation of entity names based on source document publication date, and frequency and co-occurrence of the entity names
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, related to entity name translation. In general, a set of data records including one or more names of one or more entities in a source language is received and candidate translations are generated for the names of the data records. The candidate translations are strings of characters in a target language that has a different orthography than an orthography of the source language. A data repository is queried for records matching the candidate translations. A translation of at least one of the candidate translations is selected based on a comparison of a combination of candidate translations and properties of the source record comprising of the publication date, entity name co-occurrence and their frequency with the result of the querying the data repository. |
| US08706472B2 |
Method for disambiguating multiple readings in language conversion
Disambiguating multiple readings in language conversion is disclosed, including: receiving an input data to be converted into a set of characters comprising a symbolic representation of the input data in a target symbolic system; and using a language model that distinguishes between a first reading and a second reading of a character of the target symbolic system to determine a probability that the heteronymous character should be used to represent a corresponding portion of the input data. |
| US08706471B2 |
Communication system using mixed translating while in multilingual communication
A translation between a source language and a target language is disclosed. The source language items are divided, with primary and secondary source language items or named entities being identified, where the primary and secondary source languages being different from each other and from the target language. The entities in the second source language are translated in a different way. For example, they may be copied into the target language, or translated in a special way that is based on their meaning, e.g, into a term that has a more descriptive meaning in the target language. |
| US08706470B2 |
Methods of offering guidance on common language usage utilizing a hashing function consisting of a hash triplet
Usages of language are analyzed in ways that are at least partially language independent. In preferred embodiments, portions of a document are hashed, and the resulting hash values are compared with each other and with those of other documents in real-time. Analyses can be used to gauge conformity of a document to one or more standards utilizing a hash triplet consisting of a hash for each document word and two involving the word and its preceding and following words, to provide suggestions to the author, and to filter email. |
| US08706462B2 |
System and method for providing a physical property model
There is provided a system and method for creating a physical property model representative of a physical property of a region. An exemplary method comprises transforming information from a model domain that represents the physical property model into simulated data in a data domain, the data domain comprising simulated data and measured data representative of a plurality of observations of the region. The exemplary method also comprises determining an areal misfit between the simulated data and the measured data representative of the plurality of observations of the region. The exemplary method additionally comprises performing an evaluation of the areal misfit based on known criteria. The exemplary method comprises adjusting data in the data domain or information in the model domain corresponding to a region in the model domain based on the evaluation of the areal misfit. |
| US08706461B1 |
Modeling propulsion-related interfaces in computational fluid dynamics
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for modeling propulsion-related interfaces in computational fluid dynamics (“CFD”). According to some embodiments disclosed herein, a model is obtained or developed and propulsion-related interfaces within the model are identified. Flow directions of velocities, temperature, and/or mass are calculated adjacent to the propulsion-related interface and compared. A mass flow rate, a conserved variable state jump, a change in flux across the interface, and/or incoming and outgoing flux values can be calculated for the propulsion-related interface. The calculated values can be returned and embedded in the model. The model is solved and a solution is output. |
| US08706459B2 |
Traffic sensor management
A method for selecting a subset of at least one traffic sensor includes modeling multiple sensor types to generate at least one sensor model, creating a sample space of at least one sensor combination of multiple sensors, modeling traffic movement of a region, running a traffic simulation based on the at least one sensor model, the sample space of at least one sensor combination and traffic movement of the region, wherein the traffic simulation generates multiple candidate sets of sensors, and selecting a subset of the multiple sensors based on the multiple candidate sets of sensors. |
| US08706454B2 |
Transmission evaluation
Disclosed are various embodiments for transmission evaluation. In one embodiment, among others, a method includes evaluating a plurality of contingencies to generate a plurality of contingency results, where at least one of the contingency results includes an overload condition. The evaluation is based at least in part upon a case associated with a transmission network. The method further includes sorting the plurality of contingency results based upon corresponding overload-contingency pairs and determining a potential remediation solution to the overload condition based at least in part upon the overload-contingency pair. In another embodiment, a system includes a transmission evaluation application executed in a computing device. The application includes logic that obtains a plurality of contingency evaluation results including an overload condition, determines at least one potential remediation solution to the overload condition, updates the case to include the potential remediation solution, and generates a second plurality of contingency evaluation results. |
| US08706450B2 |
Method and system for identification of grouping characteristics
A method and engineering system by which relationships are automatically identifiable between CAD objects of different CAD models, where use of a transformation rule which maps points of the envelope geometry of a first CAD object of a first CAD model onto points in a second CAD model is used such that the points involved in the transformation rule each relate to the same modeled raw component. The transformation rule is applied to at least two CAD objects of the first CAD model. If the transformed points in the second CAD model are surrounded by a common-envelope geometry, this spatial relationship is interpreted as a grouping relationship. A hierarchical data structure is then formed automatically within the engineering system, taking account of the already recognized grouping relationship, and allowing synchronous data keeping. |
| US08706448B2 |
Wireless field device with removable power source
A wireless field device for use in controlling or monitoring an industrial process, includes a process interface configured to couple to a process fluid. Field device circuitry is coupled to the process interface and configured to measure or control a process variable. Wireless communication circuitry is configured to provide wireless communication. At least one electrical access terminal is configured to provide an electrical connection to circuitry of the field device. A power supply is configured to power the wireless field device. The power supply includes a removable primary power source to provide power to the field device for extended periods of time. A secondary power source is configured to provide power to the field device when the primary power source is removed. |
| US08706447B2 |
Procedure for the prognostic of a structure subject to loads
A method for prognostics of a structure subject to loads, particularly an aircraft structure, includes, detecting the state (strains) of the structure at multiple primary points and additional points. The loads acting on the structure associated with the state detected in the primary points are determined. Based on the determined loads, the state of the structure in the additional points is estimated. The estimated state of the structure is compared with the state detected in the additional points. A soundness state of the structure is assessed if the estimated and detected values of the state quantity are in agreement, or a defectiveness state of the structure if such values differ. |
| US08706446B2 |
Automated tire inspections utilizing conductive filaments
Methods and systems are provided for monitoring a structural health of an object. A conductivity of at least one filament associated with the object is determined, and a structural health parameter associated with the object is determined based on the determined conductivity of the at least one filament. |
| US08706443B2 |
System and method for monitoring rotating device
A system for use in monitoring operation of a rotating device is described herein. The system includes at least one sensor, an input device, a display device, and a processor. The sensor is configured to sense a position of a component coupled to the rotating device, and to generate a signal indicative of the position of the component with respect to a reference. The input device is configured to generate a signal indicative of a user selection input. The processor is coupled in communication with the sensor, the input device, and the display device, and is programmed to calculate a plurality of timebased position values associated with a relative position of the component with respect to a predefined period of time. A plurality of orbital position values associated with a relative position of the component are calculated by the processor. The processor graphically presents at least one of a plurality of timebased traces corresponding to the calculated plurality of timebased position values and a plurality of orbit traces corresponding to the calculated plurality of orbital position values in response to a user selection input via said input device. |
| US08706442B2 |
Alignment system, lithographic system and method
A lithographic system includes a lithographic apparatus comprising a projection system which projects a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate and an alignment system which measures the position of a feature of the pattern on the substrate at a number of locations over the substrate. A controller compares the measured positions with points on a grid of values and extrapolates values for intermediate positions on the substrate based on values of corresponding intermediate points on the grid, so as to provide an indication of the intermediate positions on the substrate and their displacements relative to the grid. The grid is based on at least one orthogonal basis function, the measurement on the substrate being performed at positions corresponding to the root values of the at least one orthogonal basis function. |
| US08706438B2 |
Time domain network analyzer
An apparatus for measuring s-parameters using as few as one pulser and two samplers is described. The apparatus calibrates itself automatically using the internal calibration standards. |
| US08706437B2 |
Calibration of particle detectors
A method of calibrating an optical detector arrangement (38,42) comprises simultaneously generating a plurality of entangled photon pairs, such that one photon from each pair traverses a first path (36-38-42) and the other photon from each pair traverses a second path (36-40-44). The number of photons received along the first path is calculated using the detector arrangement (38,42), while the number of simultaneously-generated photons received along the second path is calculated using a second detector arrangement (40,44). These photon numbers are used to calculated an estimate of the detection efficiency (50) of the first detector arrangement (38,42). |
| US08706432B2 |
Resistor matrix offset compensation
A method of measuring resistance in each of a plurality of resistors in a resistor matrix is provided. Each resistor is located at a different intersection between a column conductor and a row conductor. The method includes determining an offset error row current of each row conductor, scanning each row conductor to identify if that row conductor is connected to a column conductor by one of the plurality of resistors, scanning each resistor connected to that row conductor to determine if that resistor is connecting a column conductor to that row conductor, and if that resistor is connecting a column conductor to that row conductor, outputting an offset compensated resistance of that resistor calculated from the row current measured for that resistor less the offset error row current for that row conductor. |
| US08706429B2 |
Sensor apparatus and robot apparatus
To well remove a noise component due to vibration of a flexible member from an original detection signal output from a detecting unit and suppress a phase delay of a detection signal obtained by filtering. For this purpose, the present invention provides a detecting unit including a flexible member deforming according to a state of an object to be measured and a sensor detecting an amount of deformation of the flexible member and outputting an original detection signal indicating a detection result. A filtering unit outputs a detection signal obtained by filtering the original detection signal using a filter coefficient. A calculating device calculates a vibration frequency of the flexible member contained in the original detection signal. A changing unit changes a filter coefficient of the filtering unit to cause the filtering unit to function as a filter for attenuating the vibration frequency calculated by the calculating device. |
| US08706423B2 |
Chemical reaction-type metaheuristic
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to various embodiments of a chemical reaction-type metaheuristic. According to an embodiment, solutions to an objective function can be determined by iteratively searching for a minimum energy state of one or more interactions of molecules in a chemical reaction. The molecules in the chemical reaction can be assigned to represent the possible outcomes of the objective function. In a specific embodiment, the interactions of the molecules can modeled as on-wall ineffective collisions, decompositions, inter-molecular ineffective collisions, and synthesis. The type of interaction can affect where the next molecular structure is searched. |
| US08706422B2 |
Determining a nucleic acid sequence imbalance
Methods, systems, and apparatus are provided for determining whether a nucleic acid sequence imbalance exists within a biological sample. One or more cutoff values for determining an imbalance of, for example, the ratio of the two sequences (or sets of sequences) are chosen. The cutoff value may be determined based at least in part on the percentage of fetal DNA in a sample, such as maternal plasma, containing a background of maternal nucleic acid sequences. The cutoff value may also be determined based on an average concentration of a sequence per reaction. In one aspect, the cutoff value is determined from a proportion of informative wells that are estimated to contain a particular nucleic acid sequence, where the proportion is determined based on the above-mentioned percentage and/or average concentration. The cutoff value may be determined using many different types of methods, such as sequential probability ratio testing (SPRT). |
| US08706420B2 |
Seismic fluid prediction via expanded AVO anomalies
A seismic fluid prediction data, e.g., a dataset, is generated for a subsurface region by preconditioning seismic data for amplitude-versus-offset (AVO) analysis. Seismic AVO attribute data is generated for the subsurface region, including creating intercept (A) and gradient (B) seismic data using two or more angle stacks of seismic data. Lithology prediction data is generated with the intercept (A) and gradient (B) seismic data, and an AVO crossplot for fluids is generated to identify an initial AVO anomaly. Seismic fluid prediction data is generated based on the generated AVO crossplot and lithology prediction data. |
| US08706418B2 |
Methods and systems for testing navigation routes
Various embodiments may include a method and system for testing data defining one or more navigation routes. A starting location may be input at a computer remote from the starting location. A destination location may also be input. Map data including GPS information based on the starting location input and the destination location input may be received. Route data may also be received. Based on the map data and the route data, data defining one or more navigation instructions may be generated for one or more routes. The one or more navigation instructions may be executed at the computer and compared to the map data. Based on the comparison, an accuracy of the navigation instructions may be determined. The data defining the navigation instructions may be corrected if the data is determined to be inaccurate. |
| US08706417B2 |
Anchor lane selection method using navigation input in road change scenarios
A method for selecting an anchor lane for tracking in a vehicle lane tracking system. Digital map data and leading vehicle trajectory data are used to predict lane information ahead of a vehicle. Left and right lane boundary markers are also detected, where available, using a vision system. The lane marker data from the vision system is combined with the lane information from the digital map data and the leading vehicle trajectory data in a lane curvature fusion calculation. The left and right lane marker data from the vision system are also evaluated for conditions such as parallelism and sudden jumps in offsets, while considering the presence of entrance or exit lanes as indicated by the map data. An anchor lane for tracking is selected based on the evaluation of the vision system data, using either the fused curvature calculation or the digital map and leading vehicle trajectory data. |
| US08706415B2 |
Changing emphasis of list items in a map navigation tool
A map navigation tool presents directions using a map navigation user interface that simplifies navigation in various ways. In particular, the map navigation tool dynamically adjusts presentation of graphics and/or text for directions depending on current location, so as to emphasize upcoming instructions. For example, based on current location, the tool identifies an upcoming list item in a list of directions for a route. The map navigation tool renders a view of at least part of the list of directions, rendering a given list item differently depending on whether it is the upcoming list item, a future list item, or a previous list item. Upon successful completion of navigation for the upcoming list item, the tool outputs an indication of positive feedback, changes the upcoming list item to be the next list item, and renders a new view in which the next list item is emphasized. |
| US08706413B2 |
Determining a likelihood of a directional transition at a junction in an encoded routability graph description
Techniques are provided, which may be implemented in various methods, apparatuses, and/or articles of manufacture, to obtain an encoded routability graph representative of feasible paths in an indoor environment represented by an encoded map, and assign likelihoods of transition from an ingress edge in the encoded routability graph to individual egress edges through a junction connecting the ingress edge to a plurality of egress edges based, at least in part, on one or more features of the encoded map. |
| US08706411B2 |
Method and system for dispatching vehicle
A method and a system for dispatching vehicle are provided. The method for dispatching vehicle includes the following steps: A. obtaining the vehicle information, which includes vehicle numbers, vehicle states and relative positions; B. placing the vehicle icons corresponding to the vehicle numbers in the corresponding positions on the virtual line schedule map according to the vehicle states and the relative positions; C. displaying the virtual line schedule map refreshed via step B. The system for dispatching vehicle includes vehicle information obtaining unit, vehicle states judging and processing unit, displaying unit and dispatching unit. The system realize the visual vehicle dispatching method by utilizing the virtual line schedule map, so as to implement vehicle monitoring and dispatching. |
| US08706409B2 |
Vehicle route selection based on energy usage
Vehicle management systems and associated processes can consider energy consumption when selecting routes for fleet vehicles. Vehicle management systems and associated processes are described that, in certain embodiments, evaluate vehicle energy usage based on factors such as terrain or elevation, vehicle characteristics, driver characteristics, road conditions, traffic, speed limits, stop time, turn information, traffic information, and weather information, and the like. The features described herein may also be implemented for non-fleet vehicles, such as in personal vehicle navigation systems. |
| US08706407B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating route exceptions
An approach for providing mapping information and route information based on exception information received from various users travelling within a common area is described. A navigation system processes travel information associated with one or more devices for comparison against predetermined route information. The navigation system also determines one or more exceptions based, at least in part, on the comparison. The predetermined route information, mapping information, or a combination thereof it then caused to be updated based, at least in part, on the processing of the one or more exceptions. |
| US08706404B2 |
Navigation features for obtaining fuel before returning a rental vehicle
Systems, devices, features, and methods for routing to a fuel or gasoline station before returning a rental vehicle are disclosed. For example, one method comprises identifying a selected destination to be a rental service return location associated with a rental vehicle. An option to obtain gasoline before returning the rental vehicle to the rental service return location is offered. Upon selection of the option, a gasoline station along a route to the rental service return location is identified. Route guidance to the gasoline station is provided. Route guidance from the gasoline station to the rental service return location is also provided. |
| US08706403B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting bifurcations
At least one example embodiment discloses a method of detecting a bifurcation in a navigable feature. The method includes first determining a first possible segment and a second possible segment of the navigable feature based on location measurements along the navigable feature, the location measurements representing a heading vector and the location measurements having a higher probability of being on the first possible segment than on the second possible segment, second determining an angle based on the heading vector and a vector between the second possible segment and one of the location measurements, and detecting a bifurcation based on the angle. |
| US08706400B1 |
Method and apparatus of physically moving a portable unit to view an image of a stationary map
A background map remains stationary while a portable unit moves within a plane parallel to the screen of the portable unit. As the user moves the unit, images of the background map appear on the screen of the portable device. The user scans the stationary map presented on the screen of the portable unit. This has several benefits since now relative distances and angular displacements within the plane between objects that are outside of the range of the screen of the handheld unit can be immediately be located and placed into view on the screen of a portable unit. The handheld unit is like a Sliding Window which provides a view of this image of a stationary map lying in the background of the portable unit. |
| US08706398B2 |
Electronic device with object indicating function and an object indicating method thereof
The present invention discloses an electronic device with object guiding function and the method thereof. In one embodiment, the electronic device includes a view window area, via which a user may watch a view. The electronic device may determine whether an object is located in the view window area when the user inputs the position of the object, and may further show an object indicating message or an object guiding message according to the determination result. Therefore, the electronic device is able to provide the user with short distance guiding function. In another embodiment, the electronic device may also show information related to the object located in the view window area, such as information about every mountain range, constellation, user's friends, or specific landmark that is located in the view window area. |
| US08706397B2 |
System and method for determining an optimal route using aggregated route information
A system for providing navigation information is provided. A navigation server receives route information from multiple mobile devices. A storage module stores the route information received from the mobile devices as aggregated route information. In response to receipt of a request for direction information from a starting location to a destination location, a route calculation module calculates one or more potential routes from the starting location to the destination location. An optimal route determination module determines which route of the one or more potential routes is an optimal route. The optimal route is determined based on the aggregated route information and a preselected criterion. |
| US08706391B2 |
Transmission of routes between client and server using route IDs
Dehydration of routes enables transmitting a description of a route requiring much less space than full specification of the route. A series of “breadcrumbs” and hints are used for dehydration. A breadcrumb includes coordinates of a point, a heading at which the route enters the breadcrumb, and a heading at which the route leaves the breadcrumb. A dehydration module places a breadcrumb at the location marking the beginning of the route, and having a leaving heading identifying the link in the original route. The node at the end of each link in the original route is examined. If the link leaving the node is the most parallel link to the link entering the node, nothing is added to the dehydrated route. If not, a breadcrumb is added to the dehydrated route, specifying the coordinates of the point, the entering heading of the breadcrumb and the leaving heading of the breadcrumb. |
| US08706389B2 |
Range- and/or consumption calculation with energy costs associated with area segments
Energy costs which are assigned to area segments are used when calculating the range and/or consumption for a vehicle. |
| US08706386B2 |
Method for controlling fuel injection for a dual fuel engine
A fuel injection system including injectors for two different fuels is disclosed. In one example, fuel injection is adjusted to compensate for changes in engine intake air amount. Combustion stability during transient conditions may be improved. |
| US08706383B2 |
Distributed fuel delivery system for alternative gaseous fuel applications
A control system includes an engine control module that generates fuel injector command signals for fuel injectors of an engine and engine parameter signals that indicate operating characteristics of the engine. A fuel injector control module communicates with the engine control module via a network. The engine control module transmits the engine parameter signals to the fuel injector control module via the network. The fuel injector control module generates compensated fuel injector signals based on the fuel injector command signals and the engine parameter signals. The engine control module may generate fuel injector command signals for a gaseous fuel mode based on signals received from the fuel injector control module. |
| US08706382B2 |
Control device of spark-ignition gasoline engine
The disclosure provides a control device of a spark-ignition gasoline engine. When an operating state of an engine body is within a low engine speed range, a controller controls a fuel pressure variable mechanism so that a fuel pressure is higher within a high engine load range compared to a low engine load range, the controller operates, within the high engine load range, a fuel injection valve to perform a fuel injection at least at a timing that is more retarded than an injection timing of a fuel within the low engine load range and is within a retard period from a late stage of a compression stroke to an early stage of an expansion stroke, and the controller operates, within the high engine load range, an ignition plug to ignite at a timing within the retard period and further after the fuel injection. |
| US08706377B2 |
Control device and method for the control of functions
A controller system in which a plurality different main functions are integrated includes a plurality of microcontrollers. Each of the microcontrollers is associated with one of the main functions. At least one monitoring unit is implemented for the plurality of the main functions, for example a brake monitor and a comfort monitor. When the at least one monitoring unit detects a defect of a main function in the controller, only the defective main function is deactivated. |
| US08706376B2 |
Vehicular ABS control system with internal parameter automatic calibration function
To provide an ABS control system and software with an automatic parameter calibration function. An ABS control system according to the present invention includes an electronic control unit (ECU), a wheel speed sensor, and a brake pressure sensor. The wheel speed sensor and the brake pressure sensor measure wheel speed and brake pressure during ABS braking, and the ABS control system automatically calibrates an internal parameter used in ABS control in response to the wheel speed and brake pressure measurement results. |
| US08706374B2 |
Accelerator pedal device
An accelerator pedal device provided with a driving control device. The driving control device generates a braking force for braking a vehicle when the operation quantity of an acceleration pedal is below a first threshold value, and generates a driving force for driving the vehicle when the operation quantity exceeds a second threshold value larger than the first threshold value. The driving control device does not generate either the driving force or the braking force, and allows the vehicle to drive inertially, when the operation quantity ranges from the first threshold value to the second threshold value. |
| US08706373B2 |
Acceleration adjuster for vehicles with an electronic accelerator
An aftermarket amplifier of acceleration signal (FIG. 2, box A), which is mounted between the potentiometer of the acceleration pedal (FIG. 2, box B) and the electronic control unit (FIG. 2, box C) and is programmed to control and to modify the signals from the accelerator pedal. The amplifier improves the acceleration of a car and overcomes the problems occurring during overreacting. The amplifier measures the signals from the acceleration pedal, calculates the change of the angle of the potentiometer of acceleration speed (angular speed) and multiplies the signals from the acceleration pedal by a value which is determined by the angular speed of the potentiometer of the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the amplifier includes a function of a cruise control, which can be controlled with a single control switch (FIG. 2, box F). |
| US08706372B2 |
Method for adjusting a brake system of a vehicle in the event of a collision
In a method for adjusting a brake system of a vehicle, braking power is automatically built up in the event of a collision. The automatic buildup of the braking power may be terminated by a defined driver response when the actuation of a driving pedal of the vehicle at a defined intensity and for a minimum period of time is maintained by the driver. |
| US08706369B2 |
Closed-loop torque phase control for shifting automatic transmission gear ratios based on friction element load estimation
A closed loop shift control apparatus and method based on estimated torque in friction elements controls a torque transfer phase when shifting from a low gear configuration to a high gear configuration for an automatic transmission system. When pressure actuated friction elements are selectively engaged and released to establish torque flow paths in the transmission, estimates of torsional load exerted on the off-going friction element are used to predict the optimal off-going friction element release timing for achieving a consistent shift feel. The estimated torque is preferably calculated by using estimated torque signals generated as a function of speed measurements represented either the engine speed and turbine output speed or transmission output speed and wheel speed under dynamically changing conditions. |
| US08706368B2 |
Secondary drive device of a mobile working appliance
A secondary drive device of a mobile working appliance with an electronic control unit for actuating a power take-off shaft clutch arranged between a transmission and a power take-off shaft is disclosed. According to the disclosure, the control unit is designed with a flange-mounting function unit which, when activated, executes a rotary position correction of the power take-off shaft with respect to the drive shaft. Furthermore, a method for coupling and/or uncoupling a working machine to/from the secondary drive device of a mobile working appliance as an energy source is proposed. The method includes the steps of leading a drive shaft of the working machine up to the end spline shaft profile of a power take-off shaft of the secondary drive device, checking the relative rotary position of the power take-off shaft with respect to the drive shaft of the working machine, and selectively triggering a flange-mounting function of the secondary drive device as a function of the result of the check of the relative position for the electronically controlled rotary position correction of the power take-off shaft with respect to the drive shaft. |
| US08706367B2 |
Control apparatus for internal combustion engine
A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine stores priorities preset for a plurality of external loads on the internal combustion engine and actuates the plurality of external loads in order of priority at time intervals when requests for actuation of the external loads are simultaneously made during idling of the internal combustion engine. The plurality of external loads are properly actuated, thus preventing possible engine stall. |