Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110018342 | DIRECT TIE-IN OF A COMMON BACKUP POWER SOURCE TO MOTHERBOARDS IN A SERVER SYSTEM - The need for an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) in a data center is obviated by tying a DC voltage from a backup power source directly to the motherboards of multiple servers in the data center. AC power received from a power utility service is converted into a lower voltage by a site transformer and then provided to one or more power distribution units at a site. The power distribution units supply power to a plurality of servers, which include power supplies that convert the AC electrical power to DC electrical power for use by the servers' motherboards. In the event of a failure of power from the utility service, the backup power source provides DC electrical power to the motherboards, e.g., for sufficient time to start up a generator to provide power in place of the utility service. | 01-27-2011 |
20110128699 | COOLING SERVERS IN A DATA CENTER USING FANS EXTERNAL TO SERVERS - To avoid the need to operate in-chassis fans to cool rack-mounted servers in a data center, the data center is arranged into a hot aisle and a cold aisle. The cold aisle is adjacent to a first side of the rack mounted servers and receives cold air from a cold air supply unit. The hot aisle is adjacent to a second side of the rack-mounted servers and has a lower pressure than the cold aisle. Because of the pressure difference between the cold aisle and the hot aisle, cold air flows through the rack-mounted servers, cooling electronic equipment therein, into the hot aisle. Control systems are used to obtain sufficient cooling. | 06-02-2011 |
20120041600 | Load Balancing Tasks in a Data Center Based on Pressure Differential Needed for Cooling Servers - In a data center that cools servers using an airflow from a central fan, rather than individual server fans, the cooling needs for each server are met by creating a sufficient pressure differential across each server. Because the pressure differential is the same for all of the servers, it is desirable to operate the data center such that each server needs the same pressure differential for proper cooling. Accordingly, a load balancer assigns tasks to the servers based on the known cooling needs of each server in order to balance the pressure differential needed to cool the server. This information may also be sent to the central fan to ensure that a sufficient pressure is created by the fan. Determining the cooling needs beforehand avoids spikes in server temperature, thereby enabling the servers to operate safely at a temperature closer to their maximum rated temperatures. | 02-16-2012 |
20120212899 | Hard Drive Retention Mechanism - An efficient and quick mechanism provides for retention and removal of hard drives on a computer chassis. A hard drive is placed in a hard drive housing, which includes one or more pins on the outside of the housing and a opening on a side of the housing. The pins on the hard drive housing align with and fit inside slots located on the chassis. The chassis also includes a spring plunger that inserts into the opening of the hard drive housing. The insertion of the spring plunger into the opening of the hard drive housing secures the housing to the chassis. The pins can be uncoupled from the slots and the spring plunger can be released from the opening to quickly remove the hard drive housing from the chassis. | 08-23-2012 |
20120212905 | Server Rack Component with Quick Release Mechanism - A quick lock and release mechanism is provided for securing and releasing a server or other computing asset, including a server tray, from a server rack. The server is equipped with a quick release tab that is biased to fit into an opening in the server rack. To install the server in the rack, the server is secured to the rack by aligning and inserting the quick release tab into the opening. The server can then be removed from the rack by retracting the quick release tab from the opening. The server rack may include a plurality of shelves cut out from the rack to hold multiple servers in the rack. | 08-23-2012 |
20120215359 | ADAPTIVE FAN CONTROL BASED ON SERVER CONFIGURATION - A server or other computing system contains a plurality of heat-generating electrical components and one or more cooling fans to dissipate heat from those components during operation. The fans are controlled by one or more fan controllers, which are programmed with an adaptive control algorithm to change the speed of each system cooling fan based on the needs of the components. The adaptive control algorithm is selected based on a detected configuration of the system's components, which may be detected upon startup of the system. During operation, a fan controller receives the component temperatures from one or more sensor and uses the algorithm to determine the fan speed. Thus, the system variably controls the speed of the fans based on the configuration of components housed in the server unit and on the current temperature of the components. | 08-23-2012 |
20140052764 | File Storage System Based on Coordinated Exhaustible and Non-Exhaustible Storage - A file storage system may be implemented by coordinating non-exhaustible and exhaustible storage devices. The exhaustible storage devices may be lower grade flash based storage devices. The non-exhaustible storage devices may be storage devices based on magnetic recording mechanisms or higher grade flash storage. The file storage system may store received content items on the exhaustible storage devices. The file storage system may additionally store metadata for the content items and/or the file storage system on the non-exhaustible storage devices. During operation, the file storage system may globally optimize the content items on the exhaustible storage devices such that more heavily accessed items are moved to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced relatively few data operations. The file storage system can move less frequently accessed content items to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced a relatively large number of data operations. As such, the operation lifetime of the exhaustible storage devices as a whole can be prolonged. | 02-20-2014 |
20150052180 | FILE STORAGE SYSTEM BASED ON COORDINATED EXHAUSTIBLE AND NON-EXHAUSTIBLE STORAGE - A file storage system may be implemented by coordinating non-exhaustible and exhaustible storage devices. The exhaustible storage devices may be lower grade flash based storage devices. The non-exhaustible storage devices may be storage devices based on magnetic recording mechanisms or higher grade flash storage. The file storage system may store received content items on the exhaustible storage devices. The file storage system may additionally store metadata for the content items and/or the file storage system on the non-exhaustible storage devices. During operation, the file storage system may globally optimize the content items on the exhaustible storage devices such that more heavily accessed items are moved to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced relatively few data operations. The file storage system can move less frequently accessed content items to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced a relatively large number of data operations. As such, the operation lifetime of the exhaustible storage devices as a whole can be prolonged. | 02-19-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120246032 | Website, user interfaces, and applications facilitating improved media search capability - A method for improving media search capability includes providing a user with access to an interface that allows the user to provide one or more inputs relating to an item of media (such as an audio or video recording of a song or a cover song), performing a media search in response to the one or more inputs, and presenting search results via an interactive display generated depending upon media ratings, wherein one or more of the media ratings is determined from media ratings inputs depending upon one or more metrics associated with sources or providers of the media ratings inputs. | 09-27-2012 |
20120246584 | Website, user interfaces, and applications facilitating improved media search capability - A method for improving media search capability includes providing a user with access to an interface that allows the user to provide one or more inputs relating to an item of media (such as an audio or video recording of a song or a cover song), performing a media search in response to the one or more inputs, and presenting search results via an interactive display generated depending upon media ratings, wherein one or more of the media ratings is determined from media ratings inputs depending upon one or more metrics associated with sources or providers of the media ratings inputs. | 09-27-2012 |
20120323690 | Systems and methods for monitoring, managing, and facilitating location- and/or other criteria-dependent targeted communications and/or transactions - A method for monitoring, managing, and facilitating location- and/or other criteria-dependent targeted communications and/or transactions includes: receiving signals and/or information that include or provide, or facilitate or initiate a process of providing access to, location information and one or more criteria, requirements, preferences, and/or other inputs pertaining to, or initiating or facilitating, one or more desired or requested communications and/or transactions, the information including, or being associated or established in association with, one or more identifiers at least one of which is mobile, floating, or transportable in relation to one or more of a machine, an apparatus, a device, an object, and a sentient entity with which the identifier is associated; and processing the signals and/or information to identify in association with at least one of the one or more identifiers one or more transactions, advertisements, messages, and/or communications that satisfy one or more criteria, requirements, and/or preferences. | 12-20-2012 |
20120323763 | Systems and methods for monitoring and managing transportation infrastructure and locations of vehicles therein - A method for monitoring and managing transportation infrastructure and locations of vehicles therein includes: receiving signals transmitted from a vehicle equipped with a transmitter that generates the signals, the signals including information relating to one or more of the vehicle, an owner, a driver, a custodian, or a passenger of the vehicle, a person, an animal, or an object within, secured to, or transported by the vehicle, and a person, an entity, an object, a status, a condition, an event, an indication, or an interrupt associated with the vehicle; and processing the signals and/or the information to identify in association with the vehicle a circumstance that satisfies criteria for facilitating, controlling, or initiating an action or a process involving one or more of providing information, providing a notification, transferring funds, and issuing a ticket, a citation, a warning, or other communication. | 12-20-2012 |
20120323767 | Systems and methods for monitoring, managing, and facilitating transactions involving vehicles - A method for monitoring, managing, and facilitating transactions involving a vehicle includes: accessing information including one or more inputs and/or parameters for a transaction involving a vehicle, at least one of the inputs and/or parameters identifying the vehicle or being associated with or established in association with the vehicle; and facilitating or initiating a process of charging an account depending upon the one or more inputs and/or parameters. | 12-20-2012 |
20120323769 | Systems and methods for monitoring and managing transportation infrastructure and locations of vehicles therein - A method for monitoring and managing transportation infrastructure and locations of vehicles therein includes: receiving signals transmitted from a vehicle equipped with a transmitter that generates the signals, the signals including information relating to one or more of the vehicle, an owner, a driver, a custodian, or a passenger of the vehicle, a person, an animal, or an object within, secured to, or transported by the vehicle, and a person, an entity, an object, a status, a condition, an event, an indication, or an interrupt associated with the vehicle; and processing the signals and/or the information to identify in association with the vehicle a circumstance that satisfies criteria for facilitating, controlling, or initiating an action or a process involving one or more of providing information, providing a notification, transferring funds, and issuing a ticket, a citation, a warning, or other communication. | 12-20-2012 |
20120323770 | Systems and methods for monitoring and managing transportation infrastructure and locations of vehicles therein - A method for monitoring and managing transportation infrastructure and locations of vehicles therein includes: receiving signals transmitted from a vehicle equipped with a transmitter that generates the signals, the signals including information relating to one or more of the vehicle, an owner, a driver, a custodian, or a passenger of the vehicle, a person, an animal, or an object within, secured to, or transported by the vehicle, and a person, an entity, an object, a status, a condition, an event, an indication, or an interrupt associated with the vehicle; and processing the signals and/or the information to identify in association with the vehicle a circumstance that satisfies criteria for facilitating, controlling, or initiating an action or a process involving one or more of providing information, providing a notification, transferring funds, and issuing a ticket, a citation, a warning, or other communication. | 12-20-2012 |
20120323771 | Systems and methods for monitoring, managing, and facilitating transactions involving vehicles - A method for monitoring, managing, and facilitating transactions involving a vehicle includes: accessing information including one or more inputs and/or parameters for a transaction involving a vehicle, at least one of the inputs and/or parameters identifying the vehicle or being associated with or established in association with the vehicle; and facilitating or initiating a process of charging an account depending upon the one or more inputs and/or parameters. | 12-20-2012 |
20120323772 | Systems and methods for monitoring, managing, and facilitating transactions involving vehicles - A method for monitoring, managing, and facilitating transactions involving a vehicle includes: accessing information including one or more inputs and/or parameters for a transaction involving a vehicle, at least one of the inputs and/or parameters identifying the vehicle or being associated with or established in association with the vehicle; and facilitating or initiating a process of charging an account depending upon the one or more inputs and/or parameters. | 12-20-2012 |
20130297387 | Systems and methods for monitoring, managing, and facilitating communications and/or transactions relating to transportation infrastructure utilization - A method for monitoring, managing, and facilitating communications and/or transactions relating to transportation infrastructure utilization includes: receiving signals including, associated with, or in association with identifier information provided or obtained by, identifying, and/or pertaining to one or more of a vehicle, a personal computing or communications device, a programmable or reprogrammable device, object, or article of media, and a person, the signals including or providing, or facilitating or initiating a process of providing access to transportation infrastructure utilization information; and processing the signals and/or information to identify, responsive to, or determined by or in relation to or in consideration of, the transportation infrastructure utilization information and in association with the identifier information, a circumstance that satisfies criteria for facilitating, controlling, or initiating one or more communications and/or transactions pertaining to, involving, or in relation to one or more transportation infrastructures. | 11-07-2013 |
20140278061 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING, MANAGING, AND FACILITING LOCATION- AND/OR OTHER CRITERIA-DEPENDENT TARGETED COMMUNICATIONS AND/OR TRANSACTIONS - A method for monitoring, managing, and facilitating location- and/or other criteria-dependent targeted communications and/or transactions includes: receiving signals and/or information that include or provide, or facilitate or initiate a process of providing access to, location information and one or more criteria, requirements, preferences, and/or other inputs pertaining to, or initiating or facilitating, one or more desired or requested communications and/or transactions, the information including, or being associated or established in association with, one or more identifiers at least one of which is mobile, floating, or transportable in relation to one or more of a machine, an apparatus, a device, an object, and a sentient entity with which the identifier is associated; and processing the signals and/or information to identify in association with at least one of the one or more identifiers one or more transactions, advertisements, messages, and/or communications that satisfy one or more criteria, requirements, and/or preferences. | 09-18-2014 |
20140343851 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING, MANAGING, AND FACILITATING LOCATION- AND/OR OTHER CRITERIA-DEPENDENT TARGETED COMMUNICATIONS AND/OR TRANSACTIONS - A method for monitoring, managing, and facilitating location- and/or other criteria-dependent targeted communications and/or transactions includes: receiving signals and/or information that include or provide, or facilitate or initiate a process of providing access to, location information and one or more criteria, requirements, preferences, and/or other inputs pertaining to, or initiating or facilitating, one or more desired or requested communications and/or transactions, the information including, or being associated or established in association with, one or more identifiers at least one of which is mobile, floating, or transportable in relation to one or more of a machine, an apparatus, a device, an object, and a sentient entity with which the identifier is associated; and processing the signals and/or information to identify in association with at least one of the one or more identifiers one or more transactions, advertisements, messages, and/or communications that satisfy one or more criteria, requirements, and/or preferences. | 11-20-2014 |
20140371950 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING AND MANAGING TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOCATIONS OF VEHICLES THEREIN - A method for monitoring and managing transportation infrastructure and locations of vehicles therein includes: receiving signals transmitted from a vehicle equipped with a transmitter that generates the signals, the signals including information relating to one or more of the vehicle, an owner, a driver, a custodian, or a passenger of the vehicle, a person, an animal, or an object within, secured to, or transported by the vehicle, and a person, an entity, an object, a status, a condition, an event, an indication, or an interrupt associated with the vehicle; and processing the signals and/or the information to identify in association with the vehicle a circumstance that satisfies criteria for facilitating, controlling, or initiating an action or a process involving one or more of providing information, providing a notification, transferring funds, and issuing a ticket, a citation, a warning, or other communication. | 12-18-2014 |
20150154191 | WEBSITE, USER INTERFACES, AND APPLICATIONS FACILITATING IMPROVED MEDIA SEARCH CAPABILITY - A method for improving media search capability includes providing a user with access to an interface that allows the user to provide one or more inputs relating to an item of media (such as an audio or video recording of a song or a cover song), performing a media search in response to the one or more inputs, and presenting search results via an interactive display generated depending upon media ratings, wherein one or more of the media ratings is determined from media ratings inputs depending upon one or more metrics associated with sources or providers of the media ratings inputs. | 06-04-2015 |
20150379632 | BUSINESS METHOD FOR EFFICIENT AND DIRECT LOAN FINANCING - Disclosed herein are methods of loan financing within a computer-based membership club, comprising the steps of: a) establishing a loan financing membership club on a website on a computer-based network, wherein the membership club comprises at least one loan borrower, at least two lenders, and at least one loan evaluation/underwriting entity; b) accepting a loan application package from the borrower member on a website on a computer-based network; c) on the website, providing access to the loan application package to the loan evaluation entity, and receiving the loan application evaluation results from the loan evaluation entity; d) on the website, creating a loan application package, comprising the loan application package and the loan application evaluation results, and providing access to a completed fully underwritten the loan application package to the at least two lenders; e) on the website, accepting a lending bid from each of the lenders; f) on the website, providing access to the lending bids to the borrower; g) on the website, accepting the borrower's selection of the lending bid; and h) completing the loan funding and closing between the borrower and lender. | 12-31-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090180631 | PERSONAL SOUND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAY OF SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL OR OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION - A cell phone providing a display of sound pressure level or other environmental condition is described. An ear-level module, which includes a microphone or other sensor, and processing resources for analyzing the input from the microphone to provide a measure of an environmental condition, such as sound pressure level, at the ear, and deliver it to a cell phone or other hand held device for display in a manner readable by the user. The companion cell phone provides a display and supporting processing resources, presenting a graphical meter view. Alternatively, the audio data or other measurement is produced using a microphone on the cell phone. | 07-16-2009 |
20100027824 | EAR MODULE FOR A PERSONAL SOUND SYSTEM - An ear module, which can be selectively worn on either left or right ear, comprises an interior lobe, adapted to fit within the concha, comprising a speaker and a compressive member/cover assembly. The compressive member/cover assembly is positionable, typically rotatable, relative to the remainder of the inner lobe between left and right ear orientations to permit the ear module to be worn on either the left or the right ear. A method for improving the quality of sound emanating from an ear module includes selecting the sound bore within the ear module to help improve the frequency response of the ear module so that the ear module has a resonant peak near 2.7 kHz and a maximum 20 dB decrease in high frequency response as measured at 5 kHz from the average frequency response as measured at 500 Hz, 800 Hz, and 1600 Hz. | 02-04-2010 |
20110217930 | Method of Remotely Controlling an Ear-Level Device Functional Element - A method controls a functional element of an ear-level device of a type including a functional element, a memory, a microphone and a speaker, each coupled to a processor. Communication between the ear-level device and a companion device, such as a mobile phone, is established. A functional element for control is selected through the user interface of the companion device. A control instruction for controlling the selected functional element is chosen using the user interface and is transmitted from the companion device to the ear-level device to provide instruction to the ear-level device to control the selected functional element in the chosen way. | 09-08-2011 |
20110217967 | EARPIECE WITH VOICE MENU - An ear-level device which can be operable in multiple modes supports a voice menu by which more complex functions executable by the ear-level device or by a companion module can be selected using input at the ear-level device. By pushing a button on an earpiece for example, a voice menu is activated announcing a set of functions such as voice dial, last number redial and so on. When the function that the user wants is announced, the user presses the same button which activates the execution of the function. | 09-08-2011 |
20110250932 | Personal Sound System Including Multi-Mode Ear Level Module with Priority Logic - A personal sound system is described that includes a wireless network supporting an ear-level module, a companion module and a phone. Other audio sources are supported as well. A configuration processor configures the ear-level module and the companion module for private communications, and configures the ear-level module for a plurality of signal processing modes, including a hearing aid mode, for a corresponding plurality of sources of audio data. The ear module is configured to handle variant audio sources, and control switching among them. | 10-13-2011 |
20110280409 | Personalized Hearing Profile Generation with Real-Time Feedback - A personalized hearing profile is generated for an ear-level device comprising a memory, microphone, speaker and processor. Communication is established between the ear-level device and a companion device, having a user interface. A frame of reference in the user interface is provided, where positions in the frame of reference are associated with sound profile data. A position on the frame of reference is determined in response to user interaction with the user interface, and certain sound profile data associated with the position. Certain data is transmitted to the ear level device. Sound can be generated through the speaker based upon the audio stream data to provide real-time feedback to the user. The determining and transmitting steps are repeated until detection of an end event. | 11-17-2011 |
20130142366 | PERSONALIZED HEARING PROFILE GENERATION WITH REAL-TIME FEEDBACK - A personalized hearing profile is generated for an ear-level device comprising a memory, microphone, speaker and processor. Communication is established between the ear-level device and a companion device, having a user interface. A frame of reference in the user interface is provided, where positions in the frame of reference are associated with sound profile data. A position on the frame of reference is determined in response to user interaction with the user interface, and certain sound profile data associated with the position. Certain data is transmitted to the ear level device. Sound can be generated through the speaker based upon the audio stream data to provide real-time feedback to the user. The determining and transmitting steps are repeated until detection of an end event. | 06-06-2013 |