ap Method and system for critical dimension uniformity using charged particle beam lithography By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for mask data preparation or mask process correction is disclosed in which a set of charged particle beam shots is determined which is capable of forming a pattern on a surface, wherein critical dimension uniformity (CDU) of the pattern is optimized. In some embodiments the CDU is optimized by varying at least two factors. In other embodiments, model-based techniques are used. In yet other embodiments, the surface is a reticle to be used in an optical lithographic process to form a pattern on a wafer, and CDU on the wafer is optimized. Full Article
ap Method and apparatus for generating gate-level activity data for use in clock gating efficiency analysis By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A mechanism for generating gate-level activity data for use in clock gating efficiency analysis of an integrated circuit (IC) design is provided. Generating the gate-level activity data includes generating a signal behaviour description for inter-register signals, generating a gate-level netlist for the IC design, generating gate-level stimuli based at least partly on the generated signal behaviour description, and performing gate-level simulation using the generated gate-level stimuli to generate gate-level activity data for the IC design. In one embodiment, generating the signal behaviour description includes performing Register Transfer Level (RTL) simulation of the IC design, and generating the gate-level netlist includes performing RTL synthesis. The RTL simulation and RTL synthesis are performed on RTL data for the IC design. Full Article
ap Method and system for forming high accuracy patterns using charged particle beam lithography By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method and system for optical proximity correction (OPC) is disclosed in which a set of shaped beam shots is determined which, when used in a shaped beam charged particle beam writer, will form a pattern on a reticle, where some of the shots overlap, where the pattern on the reticle is an OPC-corrected version of an input pattern, and where the sensitivity of the pattern on the reticle to manufacturing variation is reduced. A method for fracturing or mask data preparation is also disclosed. Full Article
ap Circuit design support method, computer product, and circuit design support apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A circuit-design support method includes obtaining information for a circuit having a logic circuit in which signal lines are connected to input terminals, signals of the signal lines being output via the logic circuit; obtaining information concerning a control circuit that has a first flip-flop for scanning and that can control a value of a given signal line by a value set by the first flip-flop; selecting, based on the circuit information, a second flip-flop at an output destination of a signal from the logic circuit, among second flip-flops of the circuit; and generating, based on the control circuit information, information indicating a serial connection of the control circuit between an output source of the signal of the given signal line and the given signal line and a connection of a data input terminal of the first flip-flop and an output terminal of the selected second flip-flop. Full Article
ap Machine-learning based datapath extraction By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A datapath extraction tool uses machine-learning models to selectively classify clusters of cells in an integrated circuit design as either datapath logic or non-datapath logic based on cluster features. A support vector machine and a neural network can be used to build compact and run-time efficient models. A cluster is classified as datapath if both the support vector machine and the neural network indicate that it is datapath-like. The cluster features may include automorphism generators for the cell clusters, or physical information based on the cell locations from a previous (e.g., global) placement, such as a ratio of a total cell area for a given cluster to a half-perimeter of a bounding box for the given cluster. Full Article
ap Combination of crosslinked cationic and ampholytic polymers for personal and household applications By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A cleansing composition for cosmetic or household use may include an ampholytic polymer; a crosslinked cationic polymer; a surfactant component selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and zwitterionic surfactants; and an aqueous and/or organic carrier. Full Article
ap Segmented soap bar with soap bodies forming concave arc surface By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An elongated segmented soap bar is segmented longitudinally into a plurality of soap bodies separate and discrete from one another. Adjacent soap bodies are movable with respect to one another between at least two different configurations including at least an arc configuration with the plurality of soap bodies disposed in an arc. At least one coupler couples the plurality of soap bodies together to allow the adjacent soap bodies to move with respect to one another between the at least two different configurations. Full Article
ap Encapsulates By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present application relates to encapsulated, solid, water soluble benefit agents and products comprising such encapsulates, as well as processes for making and using such encapsulates and products comprising such encapsulates. In one aspect, the present application relates to a melamine formaldehyde and/or urea formaldehyde encapsulation process that offers as solution to the dissolution of solid, water soluble benefit agents during the process's emulsification step. Full Article
ap Compositions for cleaning applicators for hair removal compositions By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A non-aqueous liquid cleaning composition for applicators used for applying non-aqueous hair removal compositions to the skin. The composition includes a solubilizing oil effective for solubilizing the non-aqueous hair removal composition, e.g., mineral oil, and an effective antibacterial amount of an antibacterial agent, e.g., triclosan. The composition may also include fragrances and additional bacteriocides, e.g., phenoxyethanol. When the applicator is contacted with the heated cleaning composition any hair removal composition and bacteria on the applicator are removed therefrom and the applicator is ready for reuse. It is preferred to use surgical stainless steel applicators. Also provided are methods of using these compositions and kits containing, among other items, such compositions and applicators. Full Article
ap Structured soap compositions By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Jul 2015 08:00:00 EDT A structured soap composition contains, based on 100 parts by weight of said composition, (i) from greater than 0 to about 27 parts by weight of a neutralized fatty acid,(ii) from greater than 0 to about 18 parts by weight of one or more structurant selected from alkanolamide surfactants, fatty alcohols, alkoxylated fatty alcohols, fatty acids, and fatty acid esters,(iii) from 0 to about 15 parts by weight of one or more compounds selected from amphoteric surfactants and zwitterionic surfactants, provided that the total amount of components (i), (ii), and (iii) is greater than or equal to 5 parts by weight, (iv) an amount of electrolyte effective to, in combination with components (i), (ii), and (iii) provide a structured soap composition having an opaque visual appearance and exhibiting a yield strength of greater than 0 Pascals, and(v) water. Full Article
ap Method and apparatus for applying uniaxial compression stresses to a moving wire By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST An apparatus and method for moving a wire along its own axis against a high resistance to its motion causing a substantial uniaxial compression stress in the wire without allowing it to buckle. The apparatus consists of a wire gripping and moving drive wheel and guide rollers for transporting the moving wire away from the drive wheel. Wire is pressed into a peripheral groove in a relatively large diameter, rotating drive wheel by a set of small diameter rollers arranged along part of the periphery causing the wire to be gripped by the groove. Full Article
ap Superconductive electromagnet apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EST A superconductive electromagnet apparatus and a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus including the superconductive electromagnet apparatus are provided. The superconductive electromagnet apparatus includes a thermal anchor, a cryogenic cooling device which cools the thermal anchor, and at least one connecting ring into which the thermal anchor is inserted and a plurality of wires which are connected to the connecting ring. Full Article
ap High temperature superconducting tape conductor having high critical ampacity By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT The invention relates to a high temperature superconducting tape conductor having a flexible metal substrate that comprises at least one intermediate layer disposed on the flexible metal substrate and comprising terraces on the side opposite the flexible metal substrate, wherein a mean width of the terraces is less than 1 μm and a mean height of the terraces is more than 20 nm, and that comprises at least one high temperature superconducting layer disposed on the intermediate layer, which is disposed on the at least one intermediate layer and comprises a layer thickness of more than 3 μm. The ampacity of the high temperature superconducting tape conductor relative to the conductor width is more than 600 A/cm at 77 K. Full Article
ap Superconducting magnet apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT A superconducting magnet apparatus includes: a bobbin around which a superconducting coil is wound, the bobbin serving as a protective resistor; a persistent current switch for supplying a persistent current to the superconducting coil; a first closed circuit with the superconducting coil and the persistent current switch connected in series to the coil; and a second closed circuit with the superconducting coil and the bobbin connected in series to the coil. Full Article
ap Techniques for protecting a superconducting (SC) tape By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT Techniques for protecting a superconducting (SC) article are disclosed. The techniques may be realized as an apparatus for protecting a superconducting (SC) article. The apparatus may comprise a porous sleeve configured to fit around the superconducting (SC) article. The porous sleeve may be made of non-conductive, dielectric material. Full Article
ap Superconducting structure comprising coated conductor tapes, in particular stapled perpendicularly to their substrate planes By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A superconducting structure (1) has a plurality of coated conductor tapes (2; 2a-2o), each with a substrate (3) which is one-sided coated with a superconducting film (4), in particular an YBCO film, wherein the superconducting structure (1) provides a superconducting current path along an extension direction (z) of the superconducting structure (1), wherein the coated conductor tapes (2; 2a-2o) provide electrically parallel partial superconducting current paths in the extension direction (z) of the superconducting structure (1), is characterized in that the coated conductor tapes (2; 2a-2o) are superconductively connected among themselves along the extension direction (z) continuously or intermittently. A more stable superconducting structure with which high electric current strengths may be transported is thereby provided. Full Article
ap Cryocooler system and superconducting magnet apparatus having the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A cryocooler system and a superconducting magnet apparatus having the cryocooler system include a cryocooler having a cool stage that cools a heat shielding unit and a thermal inertia that thermally contacts the cool stage of the cryocooler and has a high heat capacity. The cryocooler system reduces a temperature-increasing rate in a current lead by using the thermal inertia member when the temperature in the current lead is increased due to heat generated when an electrical current applied to a superconducting coil is ramped-up or ramped-down. Full Article
ap Systems, methods, and apparatus for calibrating, controlling, and operating a quantum processor By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT Quantum annealing may include applying and gradually removing disorder terms to qubits of a quantum processor, for example superconducting flux qubits of a superconducting quantum processor. A problem Hamiltonian may be established by applying control signals to the qubits, an evolution Hamiltonian established by applying disorder terms, and annealing by gradually removing the disorder terms. Change in persistent current in the qubits may be compensated. Multipliers may mediate coupling between various qubits and a global signal line, for example by applying respective scaling factors. Two global signal lines may be arranged in an interdigitated pattern to couple to respective qubits of a communicatively coupled pair of qubits. Pairs of qubits may be communicatively isolated and used to measure a response of one another to defined signals. Full Article
ap Image processing apparatus and control method thereof and image processing system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An image processing apparatus including: image processor which processes broadcasting signal, to display image based on processed broadcasting signal; communication unit which is connected to a server; a voice input unit which receives a user's speech; a voice processor which processes a performance of a preset corresponding operation according to a voice command corresponding to the speech; and a controller which processes the voice command corresponding to the speech through one of the voice processor and the server if the speech is input through the voice input unit. If the voice command includes a keyword relating to a call sign of a broadcasting channel, the controller controls one of the voice processor and the server to select a recommended call sign corresponding to the keyword according to a predetermined selection condition, and performs a corresponding operation under the voice command with respect to the broadcasting channel of the recommended call sign. Full Article
ap Controlling a voice site using non-standard haptic commands By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An apparatus and an article of manufacture for controlling a voice site using a haptic input modality include validating a haptic input from an instrument capable of accessing a voice site, processing the haptic input on a server to determine a voice site command corresponding to the haptic input, and processing the voice site command at the server to control an interaction with the voice site. Full Article
ap Decoding apparatus, decoding method, encoding apparatus, encoding method, and editing apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A decoding apparatus (10) is disclosed which includes: a storing means (11) for storing encoded audio signals including multi-channel audio signals; a transforming means (40) for transforming the encoded audio signals to generate transform block-based audio signals in a time domain; a window processing means (41) for multiplying the transform block-based audio signals by a product of a mixture ratio of the audio signals and a first window function, the product being a second window function; a synthesizing means (43) for overlapping the multiplied transform block-based audio signals to synthesize audio signals of respective channels; and a mixing means (14) for mixing audio signals of the respective channels between the channels to generate a downmixed audio signal. Furthermore, an encoding apparatus is also disclosed which downmixes the multi-channel audio signals, encodes the downmixed audio signals, and generates the encoded, downmixed audio signals. Full Article
ap Apparatus for processing an audio signal and method thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An apparatus for processing an audio signal and method thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes receiving a downmix signal and side information; extracting control restriction information from the side information; receiving control information for controlling gain or panning at least one object signal; generating at least one of first multi-channel information and first downmix processing information based on the control information and object information, without using the control restriction information; and, generating an output signal by applying the at least one of the first multichannel information and the first downmix processing information to the downmix signal, wherein the control restriction information relates to a parameter indicating limiting degree of the control information. Full Article
ap Audio controlling apparatus, audio correction apparatus, and audio correction method By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT According to one embodiment, an audio controlling apparatus includes a first receiver configured to receive audio signal, a second receiver configured to receive environmental sound, a temporary gain calculator configured to calculate temporary gain based on environmental sound received by second receiver, a sound type determination module configured to determine sound type of main component of audio signal received by first receiver, and a gain controller configured to stabilize temporary gain that is calculated by temporary gain calculator and set gain, when it is determined that sound type of main component of audio signal received by first receiver is music. Full Article
ap Methods and apparatus to generate and use content-aware watermarks By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Methods and apparatus to generate and use content-aware watermarks are disclosed herein. In a disclosed example method, media composition data is received and at least one word present in an audio track of the media composition data is selected. The word is then located in a watermark. Full Article
ap Adaptive grouping of parameters for enhanced coding efficiency By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention is based on the finding that parameters including: a first set of parameters of a representation of a first portion of an original signal and a second set of parameters of a representation of a second portion of the original signal can be efficiently encoded when the parameters are arranged in a first sequence of tuples and a second sequence of tuples. The first sequence of tuples includes tuples of parameters having two parameters from a single portion of the original signal and the second sequence of tuples includes tuples of parameters having one parameter from the first portion and one parameter from the second portion of the original signal. A bit estimator estimates the number of necessary bits to encode the first and the second sequence of tuples. Only the sequence of tuples, which results in the lower number of bits, is encoded. Full Article
ap Method and apparatus for processing audio frames to transition between different codecs By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method (700, 800) and apparatus (100, 200) processes audio frames to transition between different codecs. The method can include producing (720), using a first coding method, a first frame of coded output audio samples by coding a first audio frame in a sequence of frames. The method can include forming (730) an overlap-add portion of the first frame using the first coding method. The method can include generating (740) a combination first frame of coded audio samples based on combining the first frame of coded output audio samples with the overlap-add portion of the first frame. The method can include initializing (760) a state of a second coding method based on the combination first frame of coded audio samples. The method can include constructing (770) an output signal based on the initialized state of the second coding method. Full Article
ap Systems, methods, and apparatus for gain factor attenuation By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method of signal processing according to one embodiment includes calculating an envelope of a first signal that is based on a low-frequency portion of a speech signal, calculating an envelope of a second signal that is based on a high-frequency portion of the speech signal, and calculating a plurality of gain factor values according to a time-varying relation between the envelopes of the first and second signal. The method includes attenuating, based on a variation over time of a relation between the envelopes of the first and second signals, at least one of the plurality of gain factor values. In one example, the variation over time of a relation between the envelopes is indicated by at least one distance among the plurality of gain factor values. Full Article
ap Apparatus and method for encoding and decoding an audio signal using an aligned look-ahead portion By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 02 Jun 2015 08:00:00 EDT An apparatus for encoding an audio signal having a stream of audio samples has: a windower for applying a prediction coding analysis window to the stream of audio samples to obtain windowed data for a prediction analysis and for applying a transform coding analysis window to the stream of audio samples to obtain windowed data for a transform analysis, wherein the transform coding analysis window is associated with audio samples within a current frame of audio samples and with audio samples of a predefined portion of a future frame of audio samples being a transform-coding look-ahead portion, wherein the prediction coding analysis window is associated with at least the portion of the audio samples of the current frame and with audio samples of a predefined portion of the future frame being a prediction coding look-ahead portion, wherein the transform coding look-ahead portion and the prediction coding look-ahead portion are identically to each other or are different from each other by less than 20%; and an encoding processor for generating prediction coded data or for generating transform coded data. Full Article
ap Error concealment method and apparatus for audio signal and decoding method and apparatus for audio signal using the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Jun 2016 08:00:00 EDT An error concealment method and apparatus for an audio signal and a decoding method and apparatus for an audio signal using the error concealment method and apparatus. The error concealment method includes selecting one of an error concealment in a frequency domain and an error concealment in a time domain as an error concealment scheme for a current frame based on a predetermined criteria when an error occurs in the current frame, selecting one of a repetition scheme and an interpolation scheme in the frequency domain as the error concealment scheme for the current frame based on a predetermined criteria when the error concealment in the frequency domain is selected, and concealing the error of the current frame using the selected scheme. Full Article
ap Methods and systems for creating a shaped playlist By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Methods and systems are described for generating media playlists, or selecting a media asset, according to a “shape” selected by a user. Specifically, a user may “shape” the playlist by designating specific sub-categories of media assets that should be presented at selected times in the playlist. The media application then interpolates the sub-categories for a media asset between the selected times such that adjacent media assets have smooth categorical transitions (e.g., feature incremental changes in the range of sub-categories). Full Article
ap Information processing apparatus, information processing system, information processing apparatus control method, and storage medium By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An information processing apparatus according to this invention, being capable of communicating with a Web server via a network, receives from the Web server a response to a processing request issued to a Web application of the Web server. The information processing apparatus changes, when screen control information described in a header of the response contains information which designates priority of a screen display by a Web browser of the information processing apparatus, priority of the screen display by the Web browser to the designated priority. When an event to display a screen other than a screen by the Web browser occurs while the Web browser presents a screen display corresponding to the response, the information processing apparatus inhibits an interrupt display by the event in order for the designated priority. Full Article
ap Information processing apparatus for displaying screen information acquired from an outside device in a designated color By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An information processing apparatus configured to display a user interface on a display unit according to screen information acquired from an outside device changes the screen information according to a display attribute set by a user, and if setting of a display attribute of an object included in the screen information is unchangeable, color conversion processing of a specified object included in the screen information is performed and the screen information obtained by executing conversion processing according to the display attribute set by the user with respect to the screen information including the object which has undergone the color conversion processing is displayed. Full Article
ap Adaptive user interface for widescreen devices By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for adapting user interfaces for devices that include widescreen displays. In one aspect, a method includes determining a size characteristic of a display of a mobile device, determining a size characteristic of content that is to be displayed on the display, and comparing the size characteristic of the content to the size characteristic of the display. The method also includes selecting one or more controls to display in a portion of the display that is not to be used to display the content based on comparing the size characteristic of the content to the size characteristic of the display, displaying the content, and displaying the selected controls in a portion of the display that is not used to display the content. Full Article
ap Methods and apparatus to create process control graphics based on process control information By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Methods and apparatus to automatically link process control graphics to process control algorithm information are described. An example method involves displaying a first process control image including process control algorithm information and displaying adjacent to the first process control image a second process control image to include process control graphics. The method automatically links at least some of the process control algorithm information to a graphic in the second process control image in response to user inputs associated with the first and second process control images. Full Article
ap System and method for applying a text prediction algorithm to a virtual keyboard By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An electronic device for text prediction in a virtual keyboard. The device includes a memory including an input determination module for execution by the microprocessor, the input determination module being configured to: receive signals representing input at the virtual keyboard, the virtual keyboard being divided into a plurality of subregions, the plurality of subregions including at least one subregion being associated with two or more characters and/or symbols of the virtual keyboard; identify a subregion on the virtual keyboard corresponding to the input; determine any character or symbol associated with the identified subregion; and if there is at least one determined character or symbol, provide the at least one determined character or symbol to a text prediction algorithm. Full Article
ap Vehicular manipulation apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A remote manipulation apparatus includes a main body and a manipulating handle manipulated by a user to move to cover all the orientations from a manipulation basis position defined on a basis of the main body. Movement of the manipulating handle relative to the manipulation basis position corresponds to movement of a pointer image relative to a screen basis position on a screen of a display apparatus. An auxiliary navigational display window includes a specified button image assigned with pointer-pulling information. When the auxiliary navigational display window appears on the screen, the manipulating handle is automatically driven to a position that corresponds to a position of the specified button image on the screen so that the pointer image is moved onto the specified button image that is assigned with the pointer-pulling information. Full Article
ap Representation of overlapping visual entities By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Various embodiments present a combined visual entity that represents overlapping visual entities. The combined visual entity can include a primary visualization that represents one of the overlapping visual entities and annotations that represent others of the overlapping visual entities. For example, a map view can include multiple geographical entities that overlap. A primary visualization can be rendered that represents one of the multiple geographical entities. The primary visualization can be visually annotated (e.g., with symbols, letters, or other visual indicators) to indicate others of the multiple geographical entities. In some embodiments, a zoom operation can cause visual entities to be added and/or removed from the combined visual entity. Full Article
ap Graphical display for sorting and filtering a list in a space-constrained view By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Techniques for sorting and filtering a list in a space-constrained viewing area are described. A filter widget and a list of items are displayed in a view of an electronic display screen. In response to user input selecting the filter widget, and without changing to a different view, a filter category overlay is displayed in the view to provide various selectable filter categories. In response to selection of a filter category, a visual depiction of the selected filter category is displayed in the view. The list of items is filtered according to the selected filter category and displayed in the view without changing to any other view. Subsequently added visual depictions are linearly stacked in the view. Further, a filter modification overlay, which provides selectable filtering attributes, is displayed upon selection of a visual depiction. Full Article
ap Data processing apparatus, data processing method of data processing apparatus, and computer-readable memory medium storing program therein By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT To freely establish a peripheral equipment selection operating environment of excellent operability which can remarkably reduce an operation burden which is applied until construction information of selectable peripheral equipment can be confirmed and can easily confirm the construction information of the selectable peripheral equipment by everyone by a simple operating instruction, a CPU obtains construction information of a printer that is being selected and default setting on the basis of a selection instructing state relative to a selectable printer candidate on a network and allows them to be caption-displayed at a position near the position indicated by a cursor on a printer selection picture plane displayed on a CRT. Full Article
ap Apparatus and method for user input for controlling displayed information By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method for proximity based input is provided, comprising: detecting presence of an object in close proximity to an input surface, detecting a displayed virtual layer currently associated with the object on the basis of distance of the object to the input surface, detecting a hovering input by the object, and causing a display operation to move at least a portion of the associated virtual layer in accordance with the detected hovering input. Full Article
ap Device, method, and graphical user interface for managing concurrently open software applications By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 16 Jun 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method includes displaying a first application view. A first input is detected, and an application view selection mode is entered for selecting one of concurrently open applications for display in a corresponding application view. An initial group of open application icons in a first predefined area and at least a portion of the first application view adjacent to the first predefined area are concurrently displayed. The initial group of open application icons corresponds to at least some of the concurrently open applications. A gesture is detected on a respective open application icon in the first predefined area, and a respective application view for a corresponding application is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the concurrently open applications. The open application icons in the first predefined area cease to be displayed, and the application view selection mode is exited. Full Article
ap Method and apparatus for aliased item selection from a list of items By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 16 Jun 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention introduces an aliased selection system with audible cues to allow a user of a handheld computer system locate a desired item from a list of item. The aliased selection system allows a user to spell out a desired item by activating an input that specifics a subset that containing a next letter. In one embodiment, two different subsets are used: A to M and N to Z. When the user has entered information on enough letters such that the number of possibilities fits entirely on a display screen then a first audible cue is given. The user may enter additional information on until a single list item is uniquely identified. Once a single item is uniquely identified, the system emits a second audible cue that informs the user that a single item has been specified. The aliased selection system allows a user to select a desired item from a list with a single hand and without looking at the display screen. However, the user may shorten the selection process by looking at the display screen. Full Article
ap Method and apparatus for annotating an electronic document By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Nov 2015 08:00:00 EST A method and apparatus to mark-up an electronic document (i.e., a second electronic document) that is superimposed on a first electronic document keeping the first electronic document unchanged. The second electronic document is optionally viewed concurrently with the first electronic document. The second electronic document is capable of being viewed or modified using different application programs so long as the different application programs process the format used by the second electronic document. The second electronic document is saved as a separate document independent of the first electronic document. Full Article
ap Methods and apparatus for using a distributed message bus for ad hoc peer-to-peer connectivity By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method and apparatus for using an ad hoc peer-to-peer distributed message bus is provided. The method may include determining, by a local bus node, using a first power level communication protocol, that a remote bus node is available, obtaining, by the local bus node, connection information from the remote bus node using a second power level communication protocol, wherein the connection information comprises connection information for one or more remote endpoints associated with the remote bus node, and generating one or more local virtual endpoints, wherein each of the one or more local virtual endpoints corresponds to each of the one or more remote endpoints, and wherein the remote endpoint is described with reference to a well-known name, unique to the remote endpoint. Full Article
ap Policy-based application management By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Improved techniques for managing enterprise applications on mobile devices are described herein. Each enterprise mobile application running on the mobile device has an associated policy through which it interacts with its environment. The policy selectively blocks or allows activities involving the enterprise application in accordance with rules established by the enterprise. Together, the enterprise applications running on the mobile device form a set of managed applications. Managed applications are typically allowed to exchange data with other managed applications, but are blocked from exchanging data with other applications, such as the user's own personal applications. Policies may be defined to manage data sharing, mobile resource management, application specific information, networking and data access solutions, device cloud and transfer, dual mode application software, enterprise app store access, and virtualized application and resources, among other things. Full Article
ap Router-based dispersed storage network method and apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method begins by a router receiving data for storage and interpreting the data to determine whether the data is to be forwarded or error encoded. The method continues with the router obtaining a routing table when the data is to be error encoded. Next, the method continues with the router selecting a routing option from the plurality of routing options and determining error coding dispersal storage function parameters based on the routing option. Next, the method continues with the router encoding the data based on the error coding dispersal storage function parameters to produce a plurality of sets of encoded data slices. Next, the method continues with the router outputting at least some of the encoded data slices of a set of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to an entry point of the routing option. Full Article
ap System and method for using state replication between application instances to provide a collaborative desktop environment By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Described herein are systems and methods for enabling a collaborative remote desktop environment. The system includes a computing device and a first application instance that has an application state associated therewith. The first application instance includes, or is associated with, a current state component and application data/data files. The system further includes an application launcher that is used to instantiate a second application instance operating either on the same or on a different computing device. The second application instance similarly has an application state associated therewith and is associated with the application launcher. Upon receiving a request from the second user to interact with the first application instance, the application state and the application data/data files are communicated to the application launcher, and the application launcher instantiates the second application instance so that its state is substantially identical to that of the first application instance. Full Article
ap Systems and methods for dynamic development and deployment of computing applications using blueprints By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Systems and methods for dynamic development and deployment of computing applications including a development framework, a visual design subsystem, and a deployment subsystem, where at runtime the deployment subsystem is operable to dynamically deploy a computing application realized by a blueprint by sending a request at runtime for graphs and components instantiated by the blueprint. Full Article
ap Policy control for encapsulated data flows By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate communicating encapsulation information for a related mobility protocol type utilized in communicating over a data flow with reduced specific implementation on the policy server to support different mobility protocol types. In this regard, encapsulation information can be transmitted to the policy server from a network gateway such that the policy server can forward the encapsulation information to a serving gateway along with policy rules related to a data flow type. The serving gateway can utilize the encapsulation information to detect and interpret the encapsulated data flow according to the policy rules. In this regard, the serving gateway can provide support (e.g., quality of service support) for the flow. The encapsulation information can relate to a mobility protocol type, an encapsulation header, an indication that encapsulation is required, parameters regarding locating an encapsulation header in a message, and/or the like. Full Article
ap Application distribution network By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 07 Jul 2015 08:00:00 EDT Methods and systems for remotely provisioning applications from the cloud in secure environments with robust license control failover options using a hierarchical server topology. Cloud-based servers provide applications and licenses to an organization's local servers, which in turn serve applications and licenses to end user devices. By synchronizing information including license and application provision information among the local and cloud-based servers, an organization's local servers can continue to serve applications and licenses when one or more of the organization's local servers fail. Full Article