20th week of 2012 patent applcation highlights part 69 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20120124513 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING USER INTERFACE CAPABLE OF INTUITIVELY EDITING AND BROWSING FOLDER - Provided is a method and apparatus for displaying a user interface by displaying a first screen including at least one icon and a second screen including a first region obtained by reducing the size of the first screen 3-Dimensionally depending on an input of a user to edit or browse a folder, and a second region displaying folder content. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124514 | PRESENTATION FOCUS AND TAGGING - Architecture that facilitates the directing of viewer focus on selected content in the presentation document. Focus is visually represented using a focus viewport, which provides a bounded area in which the content of focus is enhanced for viewing, while content outside the viewport is impaired from being viewed. Selecting on a particular point or location in the document automatically activates the focus viewport and applies focus (e.g., enlarged viewing) to an area proximate the selection point. The content selected for focus can be tagged as a landmark section, which is then stored with other content tagged as landmark sections, some or all of which can then be run as frames in a movie strip for continuous review. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124515 | BORDER MENU FOR CONTEXT DEPENDENT ACTIONS WITHIN A GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE - A border menu can be presented on four sides of an outer border of a graphical user interface. The border menu can be presented at the top of a stack of a graphical user interface. The border menu can include a set of user-selectable options, each selectable via a pointing device, each of the user-selectable options being associated with at least one of an icon or text button. At least one of the user-selectable options can be presented along each of the four sides of the outer border of the border menu. Selection of each of the user-selectable options can result in triggering an event, which results in firing of a programmatic action to run executable code for a corresponding one of the user-selectable options. At least a portion of the user-selectable options can include application-specific options for an application running on the computing device. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124516 | Electronic Device Control Based on Gestures - Systems and methods for electronic device control based on gestures are provided. A particular method includes sending a menu from a gesture controller to a display device. The menu includes selectable options to control at least one electronic device. The method includes detecting a first user gesture at the gesture controller in response to three dimensional ( | 2012-05-17 |
20120124517 | IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE PROVIDING IMPROVED MEDIA SELECTION - A digital image display device for displaying a collection of digital media assets, comprising a display screen; a processor; a network connection for receiving digital media assets provided by a plurality of individuals; an image memory for storing the received digital media assets together with associated metadata; and a user interface. A program memory stores instructions for causing the processor to execute the steps of: displaying identifiers on the display screen for a plurality of individuals who have provided digital media assets; receiving input from a user of the digital image display device identifying a particular individual; selecting digital media assets provided by the identified individual responsive to the metadata; and displaying the selected digital media assets on the display screen. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124518 | Managing Operations via a User Interface - Techniques for managing operations via a user interface are described. In implementations, a user interface is displayed that includes an option to cause serial processing of multiple operations. In response to a user selection of the option, the multiple operations are processed serially. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124519 | Facilitating Interaction with System Level Search User Interface - A system level search user interface that includes both a data entry portion and a search identification portion is displayed. Data input by a user as a search term is displayed in the data entry portion, and identifiers of each of one or more scopes on the computing device that can be searched using the search term are displayed in the search identification portion. Search results based on a selected scope are displayed in a search results portion of the system level search user interface. A set of keyboard shortcuts allow users to quickly search using any of the scopes, and see previews of a number of results that each of the scopes return. Additionally, the system level search user interface allow users to easily focus on different search result entries, and efficiently change scopes for searching. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124520 | Graphical User Interface Component - A user interlace component for an electronic device having a display. The user interface component, when instantiated is arranged to provide a representation of a hierarchical structure of interlinked objects arranged in a plurality of levels. The representation is displayed as a plurality of concentric rings, each corresponding to a given one of the plurality of levels. The instance of the user interface component is responsive to user interaction therewith to rotate one of the rings, whereby at least one of the objects is rotated out of view, and the instance of the user interface component is responsive to the user selecting an object in a ring to display a limited number of interlinked objects in a connected ring. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124521 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING MENU AND DISPLAY CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An electronic device includes a graphical user interface, a display unit, a moving unit, an input unit, and a processor. The graphical user interface includes a menu. The menu includes a main menu having at least one main option. The display unit defines a first displaying region for displaying the at least one main option of the main menu and a selecting region in the first displaying region. The moving unit is used for moving the at least one main option in the display unit. The input unit is operable by users for generating an input signal accordingly. The processor selects the selected main option which is moved to be displayed in the selecting region in response to the input signal. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124522 | INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SCREEN DISPLAY AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A web application makes a registration request of a web top button to a web browser. The web application designates the title to be displayed on the button, the access URL to the web application, and the position of the icon which the web application has. The web browser makes the button registration request to a window manager in response to the button registration request. The title to be displayed on the button and the position of the icon which the web application has are designated. The window manager registers the button in response to the request and displays the button together with the icon. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124523 | Method and Apparatus for Displaying Cascading Menu - The present disclosure discloses a method of displaying a cascading menu that includes a plurality of submenus. The method determines a first submenu as indicated for browsing by a user based on a clicking event of the user. When an operation interface of the first submenu is in a collapsed mode, a number of submenus that are currently in an expanded mode within an operation interface of the cascading menu is counted. When the number of submenus that are currently in the expanded mode reaches a defined threshold, at least a second submenu is selected from the submenus that are currently in the expanded mode, and an operation interface of the second submenu is shrunk. The operation interface of the first submenu is expanded. Therefore, a size of the operation interface of the cascading menu will not increase as the number of the expanded submenus increases. As such, the amount of a page space occupied by the cascading menu is reduced and utilization of the page space is improved. The present disclosure further discloses a terminal apparatus. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124524 | Quick Data Share - The subject disclosure is directed towards allowing a phone or other mobile device, or a computer user, to select some portion of content and then quickly share that selected content with a message recipient. A user selects content, and then interacts with the program that displays the content to select a recipient corresponding to a program, such as an SMS, email, instant message or social network recipient. The selected content is automatically provided to the program for sending in a message, including first launching the program if not already running. Also described is queuing selected content, such that multiple pieces of selected content may be combined and sent in a single message. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124525 | METHOD FOR PROVIDING DISPLAY IMAGE IN MULTIMEDIA DEVICE AND THEREOF - A display device includes a sensor to track movement of at least one body part of a person and a processor to compare an amount of the tracked movement to a reference value, recognize a position shift when the amount of tracked movement exceeds the reference value, and perform a predetermined function of the display device based on the position shift. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124526 | METHOD FOR CONTINUING A FUNCTION INDUCED BY A MULTI-TOUCH GESTURE ON A TOUCHPAD - In a method for continuing a function induced by a multi-touch gesture on a touchpad, the object number of the multi-touch gesture is monitored during the function is performed, if the object number is detected changed so that one or more objects are still on the touchpad, the objects left on the touchpad will be detected to identify whether one or more of them move clockwise or anticlockwise, and if a clockwise or anticlockwise movement is detected, the function will be continued. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124527 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND CONTROL METHOD AND CONTROL PROGRAM FOR THE SAME - An object of the present invention is to provide a portable electronic device capable of performing character inputs of which usability is improved for users, and to provide a control method and a control program for the portable electronic device. Depending on a predetermined operation detected by a detecting unit, a character input control unit rotates a around area around a touched character “na”, and depending on rotation of the around area, the character input control unit cancels display of some characters of related characters based on a predetermined order, and displays new related characters related to the touched character “na” in the around area. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124528 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INCREASING FIN DEVICE DENSITY FOR UNALIGNED FINS - A method for generating a layout for a device having FinFETs from a first layout for a device having planar transistors is disclosed. A plurality of elongate mandrels is defined in a plurality of active regions. Where adjacent active regions are partially-parallel and within a specified minimum spacing, connective elements are added to a portion of the space between the adjacent active regions to connect the mandrel ends from one active region to another active region. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124529 | Pattern-Independent and Hybrid Matching/Tuning Including Light Manipulation by Projection Optics - Described herein are methods for matching the characteristics of a lithographic projection apparatus to a reference lithographic projection apparatus, where the matching includes optimizing illumination source and projection optics characteristics. The projection optics can be used to shape wavefront in the lithographic projection apparatus. According to the embodiments herein, the methods can be accelerated by using linear fitting algorithm or using Taylor series expansion using partial derivatives of transmission cross coefficients (TCCs). | 2012-05-17 |
20120124530 | MAKING A DISCRETE SPATIAL CORRELATION CONTINUOUS - A mechanism is provided for making a discrete spatial correlation on a 2D grid continuous. The region has given grid points and each of the grid points has its discrete stochastic variable. Additional grid points and associated stochastic variables are established on the boundary and corners of the region. All correlation coefficients are obtained among the given discrete stochastic variables and the additional discrete stochastic variables. For each of two given spatial points whose spatial correlation is needed, a quadrilateral containing it is identified by four grid points, and a stochastic variable for it is expressed as a weighted linear combination of four stochastic variables at four grid points, with four weights being a continuous function of the coordinate of the point. The resulting spatial correlation is a weighted linear combination of multiple discrete correlation coefficients each weight being a continuous function of the coordinates of the two given points. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124531 | I/O CELL ARCHITECTURE - A system includes a computer readable storage medium and a processor. The computer readable storage includes data representing an input/output (“I/O”) cell of a first type for modeling and/or fabricating a semiconductor device. The I/O cell of the first type includes circuitry for providing a first plurality of functions. The processor is in communication with the computer readable storage medium and is configured to select the I/O cell of the first type, arrange a plurality of the I/O cells of the first type on a model of an semiconductor device, and store the model of the semiconductor device including the plurality of the I/O cells of the first type in the computer readable storage medium. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124532 | IMPLEMENTING VERTICAL DIE STACKING TO DISTRIBUTE LOGICAL FUNCTION OVER MULTIPLE DIES IN THROUGH-SILICON-VIA STACKED SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A method and circuit for implementing die stacking to distribute a logical function over multiple dies, die identification and sparing in through-silicon-via stacked semiconductor devices, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. Each die in the die stack includes predefined functional logic for implementing a respective predefined function. The respective predefined function is executed in each respective die and a respective functional result is provided to an adjacent die in the die stack. Each die in the die stack includes logic for providing die identification. An operational die signature is formed by combining a plurality of selected signals on each die. A die signature is coupled to a next level adjacent die using TSV interconnections where it is combined with that die signature. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124533 | SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF DESIGNING SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE TO AVOID HIGH VOLTAGE INITIATED LATCH-UP IN LOW VOLTAGE SECTORS - A method and semiconductor structure to avoid latch-up is disclosed. The method includes identifying at least one high voltage device on a semiconductor chip, identifying a circuit on the semiconductor chip separated from the identified at least one high voltage device by a guard ring, evaluating the circuit for a latch-up condition, and when the latch-up condition occurs, adjusting the contact-circuit spacing in the circuit. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124534 | System and Method for Performing Static Timing Analysis in the Presence of Correlations Between Asserted Arrival Times - A method of applying common path credit in a static timing analysis in the presence of correlations between asserted arrival times, comprising the steps of using a computer, identifying one or more pairs of asserted arrival times for which one or more correlations exist; propagating to each of the one or more pairs of asserted arrival times a timing value dependent on the one or more correlations; and performing a subsequent common path pessimism removal analysis for at least one test during which a timing value dependent on the one or more correlations between asserted arrival times is used to compute an adjusted test slack. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124535 | Optimal Chip Acceptance Criterion and its Applications - At least one target metric is identified for an integrated circuit chip design for which manufacturing chip testing is to be optimized. At least one surrogate metric is also identified for the integrated circuit chip design for which manufacturing chip testing is to be optimized. A relationship between the at least one target metric and the at least one surrogate metric is modeled using a general joint probability density function. A chip disposition criterion is determined based on the general joint probability density function. The chip disposition criterion determines, for a given physical chip putatively manufactured in accordance with the design, based on the at least one surrogate metric for the given physical chip, whether the given physical chip is to be accepted or discarded during the manufacturing chip testing. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124536 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC GENERATION OF SOLUTIONS FOR CIRCUIT DESIGN RULE VIOLATIONS - Some embodiments provide a method for automatically generating several design solutions that remedy a design rule violation committed by a set of shapes in an IC design layout. The method receives a marker that indicates the design rule violation and contains information about the violation. The marker in some embodiments can be rendered as a geometric shape in the IC design layout. Based on the marker, the method generates several solutions each of which will cause the set of shapes to meet the design rule when the solution is applied to the set. Each solution requires moving at least one edge of a shape in the set of shapes. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124537 | SLACK-BASED TIMING BUDGET APPORTIONMENT - A slack-based timing budget apportionment methodology relies not only upon timing analysis-based determinations of slack in the units in an integrated circuit design, but also potential performance optimization opportunities in the logic used to implement such circuits. Logic in various units of an integrated circuit design that is amenable to being replaced with comparatively faster logic may be identified during timing budget apportionment, such that the magnitude of the slack reported for those units can be adjusted to account for such potential performance improvements. Then, when timing budgets are reapportioned using the slack calculated for each unit, additional slack is available to be reapportioned to those units needing larger timing budgets. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124538 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SELECTIVELY ADDING TIMING MARGIN IN AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - A method, system, and integrated circuit including selectively added timing margin. The method, for integrating statistical timing and automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) to selectively add timing margin in an integrated circuit, includes identifying, while a chip is in design, paths that are unable to be robustly tested “at speed” during manufacturing test, running statistical timing to calculate a margin to be applied to the paths, updating design specifications for margin to be applied to the paths, and optimizing chip logic based on updated design specifications. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124539 | Clock Optimization with Local Clock Buffer Control Optimization - A physical synthesis tool for dock optimization with local clock buffer control optimization is provided. The physical synthesis flow consists of delaying the exposure of clock routes until after the clock optimization placement stage. The physical synthesis tool clones first local clock buffers. Then, the physical synthesis tool runs timing analysis on the whole design to compute the impact of this necessarily disruptive step. After cloning local clock buffers, the physical synthesis tool adds an extra optimization step to target the control signals that drive the local clock buffers. This optimization step may includes latch cloning, timing-driven placement, buffer insertion, and repowering. The flow alleviates high-fanout nets and produces significantly better timing going into clock optimization placement. After placement, the physical synthesis tool fixes latches and local clock buffers in place, inserts clock routes, and repowers local clock buffers. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124540 | DESIGN ASSISTING APPARATUS, METHOD, AND PROGRAM - A design assisting apparatus includes a memory configured to store routing information representing first wire line from wire lines of a module belonging to a first layer of a semiconductor circuit having a plurality of layers, the first wire line likely to become either one of an aggressor net and a victim net in a crosstalk noise check performed on wire lines of a module belonging to a second layer hierarchically higher than the first layer, and a processor configured to perform a wire line identifying operation identifying second wire line within the module belonging to the second layer, and likely to become either one of an aggressor net and a victim net in the crosstalk noise check performed on the first wire line represented by the routing information stored on the memory. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124541 | IMPLEMENTING SPARE LATCH PLACEMENT QUALITY DETERMINATION - A method, system and computer program product are provided for implementing spare latch placement quality (SLPQ) determination in a floor plan design of an integrated circuit chip. A spare latch placement quality (SLPQ) metric data function is defined and compared to a spare latch placement input with a series of calculations performed. The spare latch placement quality (SLPQ) determination is made based upon the compared SLPQ metric data function and the spare latch placement input. Then associated reports including textual and visual reports are generated responsive to the SLPQ determination. In addition, a new spare latch placement can be constructed with an algorithm responsive to the SLPQ determination. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124542 | Method and System for Optimizing a Device With Current Source Models - A method for optimizing a circuit includes at least a first branch and a second branch includes defining an objective function using a shape of waveforms measured at a timing point in each branch, and optimizing the objective function to minimize a variance of clock skew of the first branch and the second branch across different process voltage temperature values. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124543 | FLIP-FLOP LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT FOR HIGH FREQUENCY DESIGNS BUILT IN AN ASIC FLOW - A method, computer program storage device and system are provided for determination and selection of optimized circuit components. The method includes performing a timing analysis on at least a portion of an electronic circuit and determining a path in the at least a portion of an electronic circuit, where the path comprises at least one storage element and an operational attribute associated with the path. The method also includes determining an optimized storage element adapted to utilize the operational attribute. The system includes a processing device and at least one of a synthesis tool, a timing tool or a place and route tool communicatively connected to the processing device. The synthesis tool, the timing tool and the place and route tool are adapted to process or analyze an electrical circuit. The system also includes a gate library communicatively connected to the at least one of a synthesis tool, a timing tool and a place r route tool, as well as a substitution unit communicatively connected to at least one of the at least one of a synthesis tool, a timing tool or a place and route tool or the gate library. The substitution unit is adapted to substitute an optimized storage element for a storage element in the electrical circuit. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124544 | METHOD FOR SETTING TEST POINT - A method for setting a test point is applied to dispose at least one test point on a circuit board in a trace file, which includes steps of reading the trace file, in which the trace file includes at least one trace; determining whether the trace has an initial test point; and setting a test point on the trace that does not have the initial test point. According to the method for setting a test point, cost and time for manually disposing the test point are saved, and an error rate when the test point is arranged is further reduced, thereby effectively improving production efficiency of the circuit board. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124545 | Dialog Generation - In one aspect, a method of generating a computer-based dialog process includes receiving, in a computer system, a process type for creating a process. The process type includes (i) step elements each corresponding to a user-interaction task in the process, and (ii) step groups each including one or more of the step elements, wherein the process type defines an order of the step groups. The method includes receiving executable code for the process in a configuration-time context. The executable code (i) specifies that each of the step groups is performed in one or more steps, thereby defining a granularity of the process, and (ii) assigns at least one of the step elements in each step group to each of the one or more steps, thereby defining an order of the step elements in each step group. The method includes generating a runtime implementation of the process using the executable code. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124546 | SEARCH CAPABILITY ENHANCEMENT IN SERVICE ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE (SOA) SERVICE REGISTRY SYSTEM - A system and associated method for searching a web service registry system by use of a search controller. The web service registry system has components of the search controller, a service registry, a name parser, a dictionary, and a name composer. The search controller receives a service name from a user of the web service registry system. The service registry is searched with the service name to find a service description associated with the service name. If the service description is not found, the search controller coordinates another search with a candidate service name that substitutes the service name for searching the service registry. The candidate service name is generated by use of the name parser, the dictionary, and the name composer. The search controller discovers the service description associated with the candidate service name and returns to a user of the service registry system. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124547 | DEVELOPMENT ARTIFACT SEARCHING IN AN INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT - This disclosure provides various embodiments for searching one or more repositories hosting, storing, or maintaining a plurality of development artifacts. A search query for development artifacts is received through an interface of an integrated development environment, the search query identifying at least one search term. An index is used to identify a set of search results, the index identifying a plurality of development artifacts and including context data identifying, for each development artifact in the plurality of development artifacts, at least one attribute of the respective development artifact. The set of search results identify a subset of the plurality of development artifacts determined to potentially relate to the at least one search term. At least a portion of the set of search results are presented to a user, the listing including at least one development artifact in the subset of the plurality of development artifacts. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124548 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECONSTRUCTING EMBEDDED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT - Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for reconstructing an embedded software development environment. The apparatus includes an integrated management setting unit and an integrated project management unit. The integrated management setting unit sets at least one target supported by each of a plurality of development tools and registers the plurality of development tools. The integrated project management unit creates an integrated project in which the embedded software development environment is reconstructed using the plurality of development tools. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124549 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CAPTURING PROJECT DESIGN DECISIONS - A computer-based method for capturing project design decisions includes: providing a main page and at least one secondary page; receiving information from users and placing it on the secondary page; forming a secondary page summary text portion on one of the secondary pages in response to a tag command received from an authorized user; and linking the secondary page summary text portion to a summary text portion on the main page. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124550 | FACILITATING DATABASE APPLICATION CODE TRANSLATION FROM A FIRST APPLICATION LANGUAGE TO A SECOND APPLICATION LANGUAGE - A method of facilitating code translation from one a first application language to a second application language is provided. This method involves reading information describing the database to a code generation engine and reading database applications associated with the first application language to the code generation engine. The code generation engine may use extractors to generate a database Meta model associated with the first application language and a source database application Meta model associated with the source database application. The code generation engine may then generate second database application code using a code generation engine that applies constructors to the source database application Meta model. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124551 | TEMPLATE INHERITANCE IN A CONFIGURATION OBJECT MODEL - A method for generating templates in a programming environment can include generating a first template having a plurality of object type definitions, defining properties for the object type definitions within the first template and deriving a second template from the first template, wherein the properties of the first template are defined in the second template, wherein the first template includes a link to a template link object in the second template. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124552 | TRACEABILITY IN A MODELING ENVIRONMENT - Exemplary embodiments employ a mapping among entities that are related to each other. The entities may include a graphical model, generated code, a generated report, a requirements document and/or an intermediate representation. The mapping may facilitate graphical identifications between parts of one entity that maps to part of another entity. The graphical identification may occur based on a selection of a part in one of the entities. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124553 | STATUS MANAGEMENT FOR PHASED IMPLEMENTATION OF CONFIGURATION CHANGES - The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for providing status management for phased implementation of configuration changes. One process includes operations for receiving a selection for a modular software solution and identifying a partial implementation of the modular software solution comprising a subset of the plurality of model entities included in the modular software solution. After the model entities in the subset are activated, a particular model entity is identified to add to the partial implementation. A temporary phase-in state is assigned to the particular model entity, the temporary phase-in state providing an indication to at least one configuration service to perform at least one pre-activation task for the particular model entity. The particular model entity is activated after the pre-activation task is completed. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124554 | SERVICE-ORIENTED APPLICATION SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATING METHOD, CREATOR AND CREATING METHOD THEREOF - A service-oriented application system including one or more application objects, each application object includes: a plane structure data unit dedicated to storing data of a special type; a relation storage unit for storing the relations between data in said data unit and data in data units of other application objects; and an application code module for operating the data in the data unit and information in the relation storage unit, and for operating the plane structure data unit and the relation storage unit in response to network service requests. A communication method for the service-oriented application system, a creator and method for creating the service-oriented application system are also provided. The solution can quickly establish and modify the service-oriented application system with no information isolated island exists in the application system, and allows users to share their service data with their providers, customers and collaborators. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124555 | Optimization of Compiled Control Objects - A method of optimizing a compiled control, for example a user interface control, includes generating a source code document including a test instruction statement that accesses an element of the control. The source code is then compiled, and one or more matched instructions in the compiled document are identified that correspond to the test instruction statement. A pattern is then formed using the one or more matched instructions. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124556 | COMPUTING DEVICE AND DEVICE DRIVER DEBUGGING METHOD - In a method for debugging device drivers of a computing device, a command line interface (CLI) is created in a user space of an operating system of the computing device. A command input by a user is received through the CLI, and transmitted to a kernel space of the operating system. The command is parsed to determine a function of a device driver and parameters of the function. An address of the function is inquired in the kernel space. The function is debugged according to the address of the function in the kernel space. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124557 | AUTO RETRACT AND BACKGROUND WARM UP - Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to software development. In aspects, code is deployed to a target and debugged. After the debugging has ended, instead of waiting for another version to be deployed to the target, the code is retracted from the target and warm up of the target is performed as needed potentially in parallel with other software development activities with respect to the code. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124558 | SCENARIO TESTING COMPOSABILITY ACROSS MULTIPLE COMPONENTS - Testing of multi-layered software using a scenario description that includes multiple action descriptions that are each interrelated in accordance with a scenario flow. Test software is run against each of at least some of the layers in the software. For each layer, an execution context is identified. Code is then identified and run for each action description and each execution context. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124559 | Performance Evaluation System - A computer implemented method and system for concurrently evaluating performance of multiple users in one or more tests provides a performance evaluation platform that is accessible to a client application on each of multiple client devices via a network. The client application manages interaction of the users with the performance evaluation platform via the network. The client application, in communication with the performance evaluation platform, configures an adaptive test environment at each of the client devices of the users based on one or more tests selected by the users. The client application on each of the client devices loads the selected tests from the performance evaluation platform and transmits solution responses to the selected tests acquired from the users to the performance evaluation platform. The performance evaluation platform configures processing elements for concurrently processing the solution responses and concurrently evaluates the performance of the users in the selected tests. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124560 | Autonomic Hotspot Profiling Using Paired Performance Sampling - A processor performance profiler is enabled to for identify specific instructions causing performance issues within a program being executed by a microprocessor through random sampling to find the worst-case offenders of a particular event type such as a cache miss or a branch mis-prediction. Tracking all instructions causing a particular event generates large data logs, creates performance penalties, and makes code analysis more difficult. However, by identifying and tracking the worst offenders within a random sample of events without having to hash all events results in smaller memory requirements for the performance profiler, lower performance impact while profiling, and decreased complexity to analyze the program to identify major performance issues, which, in turn, enables better optimization of the program in shorter developer time. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124561 | Obtaining Notes for Software Objects - A computer-implemented method for obtaining notes for software objects includes: reproducing, in a customer computer system, a problem that has been detected in the customer computer system; performing a trace while reproducing the problem, the trace identifying at least one object in the customer computer system as being involved in reproducing the problem; identifying, from among multiple notes in a notes repository, at least a first note as applying to the identified object, the identified first note configured for implementation in the customer computer system; and presenting the identified first note in the customer computer system. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124562 | Application Programming Interface Naming Using Collaborative Services - A method, computer system, and computer program product for improving application programming interface naming. An alternate name is received for a target application programming interface feature from a consumer developer. In addition, an indirection to the application programming interface feature is generated based on the alternate name. Then, the indirection to the application programming interface feature is transmitted to an indirections repository. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124563 | COMPILER SUPPORT TECHNIQUE FOR HARDWARE TRANSACTIONAL MEMORY SYSTEMS - A method and apparatus for compiling software written to be executed on a microprocessor that supports at least one hardware transactional memory function is provided. A compiler that supports at least one software transactional memory function is adapted to include a runtime system that maps between the at least one software transactional memory function and the at least one hardware transactional memory instruction. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124564 | MAP TRANSFORMATION IN DATA PARALLEL CODE - A high level programming language provides a map transformation that takes a data parallel algorithm and a set of one or more input indexable types as arguments. The map transformation applies the data parallel algorithm to the set of input indexable types to generate an output indexable type, and returns the output indexable type. The map transformation may be used to fuse one or more data parallel algorithms with another data parallel algorithm. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124565 | LINKING MODEL INSTANCES TO PACKAGES - In a method | 2012-05-17 |
20120124566 | SHARED RESOURCE DEPENDENCIES - Described herein are methods for sharing resource dependencies between applications stored on a system. For example, in at least certain embodiments, a computer-implemented method for sharing resource dependencies includes installing or initiating installation of multiple application bundles having one or more applications and respective resources on the system. Next, an installer determines identifiers (e.g., hash signatures) for first and second resources and determines whether the resources are identical if an identifier for the first resource matches an identifier for the second resource. Then, a link is created from the second application bundle to the first resource of the first application bundle if the first resource is identical to the second resource. The second resource may be removed from the system if it has been installed. Alternatively, installation of the second resource is terminated if it has not been installed on the system. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124567 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR UPDATING FIRMWARE OF A COMPONENT USING A FIRMWARE UPDATE APPLICATION - Example embodiments relate to methods for updating firmware of a hardware component included in a computing device. An example method may store an executable firmware update for the hardware component on a machine-readable storage medium. The method may then initiate a firmware update application by a firmware-to-operating system (OS) interface upon boot-up of the computing device. Finally, the method may trigger update of the firmware of the hardware component by starting execution of the executable firmware update. Related computing devices and machine-readable storage media are also disclosed. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124568 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR UPDATING FIRMWARE - A system and method for guiding a user through a procedure for updating firmware on an uninterruptible power supply. In one example, the system includes a computer system and a communication link to connect the computer system to the uninterruptible power supply. The computer system includes a discovery component, which is configured to detect a version of the firmware installed on the uninterruptible power supply and to detect a model type of the uninterruptible power supply. The computer system also includes a firmware update component, a preparation sequence and an instruction component corresponding to the model type of the uninterruptible power supply and the version of the firmware installed on the uninterruptible power supply. The preparation sequence is configured to prepare the uninterruptible power supply for the firmware update component. The instruction component is configured to display instructions that guide the user through the procedure for updating the firmware. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124569 | COMMUNICATION MIDDLEWARE APPARATUS FOR GUEST, COMMUNICATION MIDDLEWARE APPARATUS FOR HOST, AND DRIVING METHOD USING THE SAME - There is provided a communication middleware apparatus for a host device, including: a profile manager configured to receive specification information of a guest device through a Low-rate Wireless Personal Area Network (LR-WPAN) module; an application program manager configured to search for an application program for a host device that has to be newly installed or updated, based on the specification information of the guest device, and to install or update the found application program for the host device in the host device; and a firmware manager configured to search for firmware for the guest device that has to be updated based on the specification information of the guest device, and to transmit the found firmware for the guest device to the guest device through the LR-WPAN module. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124570 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING THE PROVIDING OF SOFTWARE UPDATES TO MOBILE DEVICES - A method and system for facilitating updating of software programming on a plurality of mobile devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving at a server, from the mobile devices, first information regarding usage of at least one feature at the mobile devices. The method further includes recognizing at the server that a software update is available, and determining an ordering of at least some of the mobile devices, the ordering taking into account the first information. Additionally, the method also includes sending the software update for receipt by each of the at least some mobile devices so that the software update can be implemented thereon, where the sending proceeds at least partly based upon the ordering. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124571 | ONLINE UPDATE METHOD FOR VEHICLE-MOUNTED DEVICE - When a power supply is cut off on updating programs, improper data remains since the power source to be supplied to the vehicle-mounted device is unstable. The check for the improper data and restoration processing are required for a reactivation processing implemented by an update processing unit so that the update is completed correctly, therefore, the user is waited. In contrast, the update processing also implemented by the update processing unit for a time period during which the power source becomes unstable is interrupted, and implemented for the time period during which the power source voltage is stable. In consequence, the update processing is carried on steadily without making the user wait. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124572 | VIRTUALIZATION OF VENDOR SPECIFIC NETWORK INTERFACES OF SELF-VIRTUALIZING INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICE VIRTUAL FUNCTIONS - A vendor independent partition interface between a logical partition and an adjunct partition associated with a self-virtualizing IO resource is used to effectively abstract away vender-specific interface details for the self-virtualizing IO resource. By doing so, vender-specific implementation details may be isolated from the operating systems resident in logical partitions, thus requiring only changes in vendor specific firmware in order to support new or revised self-virtualizing IO resources. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124573 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURELY HOSTING APPLICATIONS - A computer-implemented system for providing a virtualized application hosting environment comprising: a plurality of application/game servers each having a memory for storing application program code and data and a processor for executing the application program code and processing the data on behalf of a client; a virtualization service executed on each of the application/game servers, the virtualization service comprising a file redirection module for redirecting file read/write operations generated by the application program code to one or more virtualized file locations; and a registry redirection module for intercepting registry operations generated by the application program code and executing the registry operations on behalf of the application program code at one or more virtualized registry locations. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124574 | VIRTUAL COMPUTER SYSTEM AND METHOD OF INSTALLING VIRTUAL COMPUTER SYSTEM - The user needs to install an OS every LPAR on a virtual computer. Simultaneous OS installing in a plurality of LPARs is implemented by generating a first LPAR (special LPAR), a second LPAR (install mode LPAR), and a third LPAR (normal LPAR) on the basis of LPAR configuration information, copying an OS image to an MMIO space of the first LPAR, allocating the MMIO space of the first LPAR to an MMIO space of the second LPAR, and converting access to the MMIO space of the second LPAR to access to the MMIO space of the first LPAR | 2012-05-17 |
20120124575 | VIRTUAL MACHINE CONTROL PROGRAM AND VIRTUAL MACHINE SYSTEM - The program attains compatibility of suppression of an overhead accompanying page exception handling in the case of operating a program whose amount of memory use is large on a virtual machine and suppression of the overhead accompanying page exception handling in the case of operating a first OS that has a function of making another OS run on a virtual machine. A VMM creates a shadow PT (Page Table) for prohibiting reading-writing of privileged memory that requires emulation of reading/writing by using a RSV-bit, and registers the shadow PT and the second PT that a second OS operating on the first OS has in an x86 compatible CPU equipped with page exception detecting function using two PT's. When a page exception occurs, the VMM refers to cause code of the page exception and, when a P field of the cause code is 0, determines immediately that emulation is unnecessary. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124576 | Managing Virtual Machines Based on Business Priority - According to one embodiment, a method for managing one or more virtual machines includes generating a request for at least one performance characteristic for at least one virtual machine, the at least one virtual machine being associated with a processing group, the processing group including one or more processing modules; receiving a response to the generated request for at least one performance characteristic for the at least one virtual machine; automatically determining whether an increase in the number of processing modules included in the processing group is required, by analyzing the received response to the generated request; and, in response to a determination that an increase in the number of processing modules included in the processing group is required, automatically adding at least one processing module to the processing group. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124577 | MANAGING RESOURCES FOR VIRTUAL MACHINES BASED ON IDENTIFIERS - A method of managing resources in a virtual environment based on identifiers is disclosed. The method includes detecting an instantiation of a virtual machine and determining a delay value based on a unique identifier. The method also includes delaying an initiation of at least one support process for the virtual machine by the delay value. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124578 | CLASSIFYING WORKLOAD FOR A SERVICE - In one example embodiment, a machine implemented method is provided. The method comprises sampling a plurality of values of a parameter associated with a software service by monitoring said parameter; determining a workload signature for the software service based on statistical analysis performed during a first sampling period; and classifying the workload of said software service by selecting, based on said plurality of values, a first workload classification from a plurality of predefined workload classifications, wherein the workload of the software service is reclassified to a second workload classification, based on a workload signature calculated during a second sampling period. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124579 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ADAPTIVE INTEGRITY MEASUREMENT OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE - Systems and methods are described herein that discuss how a computing platform executing a virtualized environment, in one example, can be integrity verified adaptively and on demand. This may occur at initial runtime, as well as during continued operations, and allows the platform user to install software from various vendors without sacrificing the integrity measurement and therefore the trustworthiness of the platform. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124580 | CONTROLLING A VIRTUAL MACHINE - A system is operatively coupled to a remote computer via a network. The system comprises service processing logic and a server executing a virtual machine. The service processing logic controls the virtual machine as directed by the remote computer. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124581 | VIRTUAL COMPUTER SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD OF VIRTUAL COMPUTER SYSTEM - It is provided a virtual computer system, comprising a physical computer, a virtualization unit and a storage apparatus. The storage apparatus includes a first storage unit and a second storage unit. The virtualization unit includes file link information containing a correspondence relation, and a file control unit. The file control unit receives an access from the virtual computer to a file stored in the first storage unit, determines whether absence or presence of a correction file to be applied to the file by referring to the file link information, provides the file for which the access has been received from the first storage unit in a case where there is no correction file to be applied to the file, and provides a correction file in the second storage unit as the file in a case where there is the correction file to be applied to the file. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124582 | Calculating Processor Load - A method, computer system, and computer program product for identifying a transient thread. A thread of a process is placed in a run queue associated with a processor. Data is added to the thread indicating a time that the thread was placed into the run queue. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124583 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PARALLEL PROCESSING FLOW BASED DATA - Disclosed is an apparatus for parallel processing flow based data that may generate a first flow and a second flow based on data classified into lower layer information and upper layer information, may determine whether processing of the lower layer information or the upper layer information is required by analyzing the first flow or the second flow, and may process and output the lower layer information or the upper layer information using a flow unit based on the determination result. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124584 | Event-Based Orchestration in Distributed Order Orchestration System - A distributed order orchestration system is provided that includes an event manager configured to generate and publish a set of events based on a process state and metadata stored in a database. A set of subscribers can consume the set of events, and each subscriber can execute a task based on the consumed event. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124585 | Increasing Parallel Program Performance for Irregular Memory Access Problems with Virtual Data Partitioning and Hierarchical Collectives - A method for increasing performance of an operation on a distributed memory machine is provided. Asynchronous parallel steps in the operation are transformed into synchronous parallel steps. The synchronous parallel steps of the operation are rearranged to generate an altered operation that schedules memory accesses for increasing locality of reference. The altered operation that schedules memory accesses for increasing locality of reference is mapped onto the distributed memory machine. Then, the altered operation is executed on the distributed memory machine to simulate local memory accesses with virtual threads to check cache performance within each node of the distributed memory machine. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124586 | SCHEDULING SCHEME FOR LOAD/STORE OPERATIONS - A method and apparatus are provided to control the order of execution of load and store operations. Also provided is a computer readable storage device encoded with data for adapting a manufacturing facility to create the apparatus. One embodiment of the method includes determining whether a first group, comprising at least one or more instructions, is to be selected from a scheduling queue of a processor for execution using either a first execution mode or a second execution mode. The method also includes, responsive to determining that the first group is to be selected for execution using the second execution mode, preventing selection of the first group until a second group, comprising at least one or more instructions, that entered the scheduling queue prior to the first group is selected for execution. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124587 | THREAD SCHEDULING ON MULTIPROCESSOR SYSTEMS - A thread scheduler may be used in a chip multiprocessor or symmetric multiprocessor system to schedule threads to processors. The scheduler may determine the bandwidth utilization of the two threads in combination and whether that utilization exceeds the threshold value. If so, the threads may be scheduled on different processor clusters that do not have the same paths between the common memory and the processors. If not, then the threads may be allocated on the same processor cluster that shares cache among processors. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124588 | Generating Hardware Accelerators and Processor Offloads - System and method for generating hardware accelerators and processor offloads. System for hardware acceleration. System and method for implementing an asynchronous offload. Method of automatically creating a hardware accelerator. Computerized method for automatically creating a test harness for a hardware accelerator from a software program. System and method for interconnecting hardware accelerators and processors. System and method for interconnecting a processor and a hardware accelerator. Computer implemented method of generating a hardware circuit logic block design for a hardware accelerator automatically from software. Computer program and computer program product stored on tangible media implementing the methods and procedures of the invention. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124589 | MATRIX ALGORITHM FOR SCHEDULING OPERATIONS - The present invention provides a method and apparatus for implementing a matrix algorithm for scheduling instructions. One embodiment of the method includes selecting a first subset of instructions so that each instruction in the first subset is the earliest in program order of instructions associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of sub-matrices of a matrix that has a plurality of matrix entries. Each matrix entry indicates the program order of one pair of instructions that are eligible for execution. This embodiment also includes selecting, from the first subset of instructions, the instruction that is earliest in program order based on matrix entries associated with the first subset of instructions. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124590 | MINIMIZING AIRFLOW USING PREFERENTIAL MEMORY ALLOCATION - One embodiment provides a method of controlling memory in a computer system. Airflow is generated through an enclosure at a variable airflow rate to cool a plurality of memory banks at different locations within the enclosure. The airflow rate is controlled as a function of the temperature of one or more of the memory banks. Memory workload is selectively allocated to the memory banks according to expected differences in airflow, such as differences in airflow temperature, at each of the different locations. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124591 | SCHEDULER AND RESOURCE MANAGER FOR COPROCESSOR-BASED HETEROGENEOUS CLUSTERS - A system and method for scheduling client-server applications onto heterogeneous clusters includes storing at least one client request of at least one application in a pending request list on a computer readable storage medium. A priority metric is computed for each application, where the computed priority metric is applied to each client request belonging to that application. The priority metric is determined based on estimated performance of the client request and load on the pending request list. The at least one client request of the at least one application is scheduled based on the priority metric onto one or more heterogeneous resources. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124592 | METHODS OF PERSONALIZING SERVICES VIA IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON COMPONENTS - Methods and arrangements for more efficiently enhancing the personalization and customization of services while avoiding an undue overburdening of personnel, infrastructure or resources. An input service component comprising a plurality of tasks is assimilated, similarity among the tasks is determined, and output service components are routed to resources based on similarity among the tasks, the service components each comprising a subgroup of similar tasks. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124593 | PROCESS DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM - The provision of a process development system to increase the effectiveness of an organisation. This system includes the use of user access devices to interrogate one or more databases which contain a number of processes linked to at least one activity of the organisation. At least two of the processes are linked in a manner to allow user access from one to the other via a connecting node accessed via an activity diagram and details of the execution of the processes are logged to provide data for development. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124594 | EVENT PROCESSING SYSTEM, DISTRIBUTION CONTROLLER, EVENT PROCESSING METHOD, DISTRIBUTION CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM STORAGE MEDIUM - The number of dispatch rules set to each dispatcher is reduced in an event processing system. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124595 | METHOD AND PROGRAM FOR SELECTIVE SUSPENSION OF USB NETWORK DEVICE - A method implemented in a computer system that includes a host computer having a non-transitory memory for storing a computer software program and a processor for executing the software program, wherein the program includes a program code configured to cause the host computer to execute a process for network devices coupled to the host computer to use a network device selective suspend feature of an operating system (OS) that does not allow a network device selective suspend feature on a specific network device driver, which process includes the steps of providing a first driver stack and a second driver stack in a kernel space of the OS, creating a virtual device for the specific network device driver in the first driver stack to interact with user applications in a user space of the OS, and providing a separate driver for a physical device in the second driver stack to interact with a network device coupled to the host computer, wherein the separate driver is not prohibited by the OS to use the network device selective suspend feature for selective suspension of the network device coupled to the host computer. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124596 | DEVICE DRIVER FOR A DEVICE - A device including an interface component configured to couple the device to a computing machine, a storage component configured to store a device driver for the device, and a driver application executed from the storage component and configured to identify the device as a storage device if a device driver has not been loaded onto the computing machine and bad the device driver onto the computing machine in response to the device coupling to the computing machine. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124597 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VIRTUALIZING CONNECTION END-POINTS IN DISTRIBUTED, COMPONENT BASED APPLICATIONS AT RUNTIME - A method, system and computer program product of setting up a virtual connection at run time. The method includes the steps of: analyzing a topology of an application to determine at least one port pair where the port pair comprises an output port of a first operator and an input port of a second operator; configuring a first auxiliary operator to receive data from a first operator; configuring a second auxiliary operator to send data to a second operator; deploying the first operator, the second operator, the first auxiliary operator and the second auxiliary operator; receiving a function address of the second auxiliary operator; and sending the function address of the second auxiliary operator to a first destination; where at least one of the steps is carried out using a computer device so that the virtual connection is setup at run time. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124598 | MULTIMEDIA DEVICE - A multimedia device including a back-end substrate that includes a heat source and a reproducing unit that is configured to reproduce an audio and/or a video signal based on data read from a storage medium, a housing that accommodates a back-end substrate and comprises an upper cover and a lower base which are respectively disposed above and under the back-end substrate, and a heat-dissipating structure that is formed on at least one of the upper cover and the lower base and contacts a side of the back-end substrate, a support post formed on the lower cover that is configured to support a lower surface of the back-end substrate, and a push post that is configured to position an upper edge of the back-end substrate with respect post the support post. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124599 | OPTICAL DISK DRIVE EJECTION - A host computer is connected to an optical disk drive via an interface. An optical disk drive eject switch located on the host computer triggers a media ejection mechanism on the optical disk drive. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124600 | Disk Loading Device and Disk Device - A disk loading apparatus (disk apparatus) includes: a pair of front arms that are disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to a virtual straight line extending along a loading direction of a disk and passing a substantially central position of an insertion opening of an apparatus main body and are pivotally supported at one end thereof in the proximity of the opposite ends of the insertion opening such that the other ends thereof are spaced away from each other to load the disk; and a pair of link arms that are disposed substantially symmetrically around the virtual straight line and crossing with each other to synchronize the pivotal motions of the arms. The link arms have a restricting portion for abutting with the disk loaded to the loaded position to restrict the movement of the disk. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124601 | OPTICAL STORAGE MEDIUM COMPRISING TRACKS WITH MODIFIED MARK DIMENSIONS, AND RESPECTIVE APPARATUS FOR READING OF DATA - The optical storage medium comprises a substrate layer and a data layer disposed on the substrate layer, the data layer having a mark/space data structure being arranged in tracks, wherein on a first track, the marks are enlarged in length and the spaces are shortened in length, and on an adjacent track, the marks are shortened in length and the spaces are enlarged in length. The track pitch between adjacent tracks is particularly below a diffraction limit of λ/2*NA of a pickup for reading of the data. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124602 | SUPPORT FOR AUDIENCE INTERACTION IN PRESENTATIONS - A method for presentation interaction. The method includes, receiving by a computer system an indication of a manual selection of a region proximate to an audience member of an audience wherein the indication is received via an interaction with a displayed image of the audience. The method also includes utilizing a microphone array communicatively coupled with a beam-forming component of the computer system to focus audio pickup from the region proximate to the audience member in response to receiving the indication. The method also includes displaying an enhanced image of the region proximate to the audience member using the computer system in response to receiving the indication. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124603 | Audio Signal Processor, Television Set and Computer Readable Medium - In one embodiment, there is provided an audio signal processor. The processor includes: a person position detector configured to detect each position of one or more persons present in a specific space; a grouping module configured to allocate the detected persons to one or more groups, wherein the number of the groups is less than a given number; a plurality of directionality controllers configured to control directionality of a microphone array; and a directionality setting module configured to set directionality of each of the groups in a corresponding one of the directionality controllers. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124604 | AUTOMATIC PASSIVE AND ANONYMOUS FEEDBACK SYSTEM - A system for generating passive and anonymous feedback of multimedia content viewed by users is disclosed. The multimedia content may include recorded video content, video-on-demand content, television content, television programs, advertisements, commercials, music, movies, video clips, and other on-demand media content. One or more of the users in a field of view of a capture device connected to the computing device are identified. An engagement level of the users to multimedia content being viewed by the users is determined by tracking movements, gestures, postures and facial expressions performed by the users. A report of the response to viewed multimedia content is generated based on the movements, gestures, postures and facial expressions performed by the users. The report is provided to rating agencies, content providers and advertisers. In one embodiment, preview content and personalized content related to the viewed multimedia content is received from the content providers and advertisers based on the report. The preview content and personalized content are displayed to the users. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124605 | METHOD FOR MONITORING AN AUDIENCE MEASUREMENT RELATING TO DATA BROADCAST TO A TERMINAL, AND CORRESPONDING TERMINAL TOKEN AND SYSTEM - The invention relates to a method for monitoring an audience measurement relating to data. The data is broadcast, through a broadcast channel, from a broadcast device and to be received by at least one terminal. According to the invention, the method comprises steps in which the broadcast device broadcasts, through the broadcast channel, at least one piece of information relating to a request for measuring an audience of at least one content of the data, said audience report request; and at least one terminal sends back, through a return channel, to an audience report collecting device, as a response to the audience report request, an audience report relating to the at least one content of the broadcast data processed by the at least one terminal, said audience report response. The invention relates also to corresponding terminal and system comprising the broadcast device and the terminal, and a corresponding token likely to cooperate with a terminal. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124606 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING AND CHARACTERIZING LATENCY IN A CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORK - Methods and apparatus for identification and characterization of latency in a content delivery network. In one embodiment, interaction of users with content is recorded via the collection of a plurality of tuning records; the latency is then utilize to adjust the timing on the tuning records to account for lapses in time for sending these from between entities of the network and the user devices, and for processing occurring at the devices as required. The latency is determined by taking into account an experimentally or manufacturer-derived device specific latency component, and a network latency component. The network latency component is determined in one variant by sending a message to the device from the network requesting a current system time (or other response). Once the timing of the tuning records is adjusted, these tuning records may be relied upon as being accurate representations of subscriber interaction with content on a second-by-second basis. Accordingly, tuning records may be obtained and analyzed for content which lasts for very short periods of time (e.g. advertisements). | 2012-05-17 |
20120124607 | Method And Arrangements For Analysing Multimedia Content - A method and arrangements at a multimedia distribution network for estimating a present user constellation of a household are suggested. A sequence of textual descriptors that are associated with a multimedia sequence that is presently provided to the household is monitored. By acquiring a set of parameters of a statistical model that is based on textual descriptors that have previously been provided to the household, and by estimating a present user constellation by correlating the sequence of textual descriptors with the parameters of the statistical model, the estimated information may be used for customization of content that is provided to the household. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124608 | BROADCAST TELEVISION REWARD PROGRAM AND METHOD OF USE FOR ISSUING, AGGREGATING AND REDEEMING SPONSOR'S REWARD POINTS - A loyalty program operated in association with a television broadcast network, wherein reward content is provided along with television content (programming and/or advertising) to generate a television broadcast signal that is transmitted to a plurality of viewers. Each viewer may view or hear the reward content via their television receiver (or set top box, personal computer, etc.) along with the associated programming or advertisements, and as a result provide a reward response which may be a visit to a local merchant, a mail-in or call-in response, entered to a web site via the Internet, etc. Reward points, as well as prizes and product discounts may be provided as the reward to the viewer that provides the appropriate reward response. This program can be configured and adapted to provides incentives to viewers to visit certain merchants and sponsors, purchase certain products, view certain programs, and the like, based on the reward parameters employed. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124609 | System and Method of Voting Via An Interactive Television System - A method includes receiving a first voting selection from a first user logged in at a set-top box device, the first voting selection associated with video content that is received at the set-top box device. The first voting selection is added to a tally of votes when a voting status of the set-top box device indicates no previous voting selection has been received from the first user. A second voting selection associated with the video content is received from a second user logged in at the set-top box device. The second voting selection is added to the tally of votes when no previous voting selection has been received from the second user. A third voting selection received from the first user is not added to the tally of votes when the voting status indicates that the first voting selection has been received from the first user. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124610 | ACTIVATING LICENSABLE COMPONENT OF CONSUMER ELECTRONIC DEVICE POST-SALE USING UNIFIED SOFTWARE PACKAGE - A unified software download package is deployed to multiple CE device models, and a user of the device can configure the unified software package to the desired configuration. A remote feature activation system allows the device to take advantage of any of the additional features contained in the unified software package that can be supported in the device, even if it was not originally supported in the original configuration data of the CE device itself. When the CE device is ready for activation the user can be given the option to accept new features, and then the CE device can notify a server accordingly so that if additional licenses and their associated royalties are required, license codes can be provided to the CE device and royalty payments adjusted. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124611 | TRACKING DETAILS OF ACTIVATION OF LICENSABLE COMPONENT OF CONSUMER ELECTRONIC DEVICE - Instead of buying blanket licenses for all licensable components of its CE devices, a manufacturer enables users to activate licensable components on a device basis and then obtains the necessary licenses individually. Seldom used activation modes and seldom activated licensable components can be pruned from future devices, while widely activated licensable components can be automatically enabled by purchasing a blanket license for those components. Characteristics of license requests and the people making them can be used to focus marketing. | 2012-05-17 |
20120124612 | VIDEO STREAMING ENTITLEMENT DETERMINED BASED ON THE LOCATION OF THE VIEWER - Users of portable devices may stream video content to the portable device based on an entitlement determination that includes determining the location of the portable device. A device may receive a request to authenticate the portable device to receive the streaming video content and determine whether the portable device is in a geographic location corresponding to a customer premise of an account associated with the portable device. The video content may be streamed when the portable device is in the geographic location corresponding to the customer premise. | 2012-05-17 |