Abstract: Inflatable airbag assemblies having a strap and clamp system to securely hold an inflator relative to a housing. The strap may be attached to an airbag cushion to restrict the movement of the strap or strap may not be attached to the airbag cushion and may move freely while positioned within openings in the housing.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to manage working states of a data processing system. At least one embodiment of the present invention includes a data processing system with one or more sensors (e.g., physical sensors such as tachometer and thermistors, and logical sensors such as CPU load) for fine grain control of one or more components (e.g., processor, fan, hard drive, optical drive) of the system for working conditions that balance various goals (e.g., user preferences, performance, power consumption, thermal constraints, acoustic noise). In one example, the clock frequency and core voltage for a processor are actively managed to balance performance and power consumption (heat generation) without a significant latency. In one example, the speed of a cooling fan is actively managed to balance cooling effort and noise (and/or power consumption).

Abstract: A method for maintaining cache coherency operates in a data processing system with a system memory and a plurality of processing units (PUs), each PU having a cache, and each PU coupled to at least another one of the plurality of PUs. A first PU receives a first data block for storage in a first cache of the first PU. The first PU stores the first data block in the first cache. The first PU assigns a first coherency state and a first tag to the first data block, wherein the first coherency state is one of a plurality of coherency states that indicate whether the first PU has accessed the first data block. The plurality of coherency states further indicate whether, in the event the first PU has not accessed the first data block, the first PU received the first data block from a neighboring PU.

Abstract: A method and system in accordance with the present invention provides an intelligent prediction approach for populating and depopulating multiple applications at the system level across applications. The detection and management of user behavior patterns to anticipate the user's next request is provided. Further the present invention is to account for a situation to relate dynamically to user behavior and where that user behavior changes to adjust so as to more accurately set forth a desired result for a user of the present invention. The present invention in various implementations provides an intelligent prediction scheme for populating and depopulating multiple applications at the system level across a diversity of applications.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for dynamically budgeting power usage to control temperatures in a data processing system. In one aspect, a data processing system includes: a first sensor to determine an ambient temperature of an environment in which the data processing system is; and a controller (e.g., a microcontroller or a microprocessor) coupled to the sensor to control operations of the data processing system according to the ambient temperature. In one example, the data processing system further includes a second sensor to determine an actual temperature of a component of the data processing system. In one example, a controller is coupled to the temperature sensors to determine an operating setting of the data processing system based on a prediction of a temperature of the data processing system which is a function of the plurality of actual temperatures and the operating setting of the data processing system.

Abstract: A method and system for utilizing a game console and an input device is disclosed. The method and system comprise mapping commands to system directives of the game console and generating an input signal having predefined characteristics corresponding to the input device being utilized to engage the system directives. The method and system include performing system functions using an input controller associated with the input device after the system directives are engaged.

Abstract: An optical fibre laser or amplifier comprising an optical fibre and a pump radiation source configured to generate pump radiation which is received through an input end of the optical fibre. The optical fibre may include a doped core which is configured to guide the pump radiation and to generate or amplify and guide signal radiation when pump radiation passes through it. The optical fibre laser or amplifier may include a first reflector configured to reflect pump radiation and further comprises a second reflector configured to selectively reflect a portion of pump radiation. The selection of the portion of pump radiation to be reflected by the second reflector depends upon one or more of: the spatial position of the pump radiation, the direction of the pump radiation, and the polarisation of the pump radiation.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for dynamically budgeting power usage in a data processing system. In one aspect, a data processing system, includes: one or more first components capable of being dynamically throttled to a plurality of different performance level settings; one or more second components; and one or more power usage sensors. The one or more power usage sensors are to determine information on power usage during a first time period of operation of the data processing system. The one or more first components and the one or more second components may include a computing element to determine one of the performance level settings of the one or more first components of the data processing system for a second time period subsequent to the first time period using the information on the power usage during the first time period.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to manage working states of a data processing system. At least one embodiment of the present invention includes a data processing system with one or more sensors (e.g., physical sensors such as tachometer and thermistors, and logical sensors such as CPU load) for fine grain control of one or more components (e.g., processor, fan, hard drive, optical drive) of the system for working conditions that balance various goals (e.g., user preferences, performance, power consumption, thermal constraints, acoustic noise). In one example, the clock frequency and core voltage for a processor are actively managed to balance performance and power consumption (heat generation) without a significant latency. In one example, the speed of a cooling fan is actively managed to balance cooling effort and noise (and/or power consumption).

Abstract: A method for managing data operates in a data processing system with a system memory and a plurality of processing units (PUs), each PU having a cache comprising a plurality of cache lines, each cache line having one of a plurality of coherency states, and each PU coupled to at least another one of the plurality of PUs. A first PU selects a castout cache line of a plurality of cache lines in a first cache of the first PU to be castout of the first cache. The first PU sends a request to a second PU, wherein the second PU is a neighboring PU of the first PU, and the request comprises a first address and first coherency state of the selected castout cache line. The second PU determines whether the first address matches an address of any cache line in the second PU. The second PU sends a response to the first PU based on a coherency state of each of a plurality of cache lines in the second cache and whether there is an address hit.

Abstract: Temperature sensing circuitry is used for thermal management of an electronic device. The temperature sensing circuitry includes at least one thermistor placed at or near a component of the electronic device. The temperature sensing circuitry also includes a high-precision resistor for calibration purposes. The resistance of the resistor is equivalent to the resistance of the thermistor at a reference temperature. A calibration reading is obtained using a set current that is being passed through the resistor. An error present in the temperature sensing circuitry is determined based on the calibration reading and a design value. A temperature measurement associated with the component is then made using the thermistor, while the set current is being passed through the thermistor. The error is corrected in the temperature measurement of the component. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to manage working states of a data processing system. At least one embodiment of the present invention includes a data processing system with one or more sensors (e.g., physical sensors such as tachometer and thermistors, and logical sensors such as CPU load) for fine grain control of one or more components (e.g., processor, fan, hard drive, optical drive) of the system for working conditions that balance various goals (e.g., user preferences, performance, power consumption, thermal constraints, acoustic noise). In one example, the clock frequency and core voltage for a processor are actively managed to balance performance and power consumption (heat generation) without a significant latency. In one example, the speed of a cooling fan is actively managed to balance cooling effort and noise (and/or power consumption).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for designating and handling confidential memory allocations of virtual memory. In particular, the operating system provides a memory allocation flag that applications may use to indicate any arbitrary area of physical memory marked with this flag may contain confidential data and should be handled accordingly. The operating system also ensures that memory allocated with this flag can be placed in physical memory. When freeing up memory, the operating system protects any data in the memory allocated with this flag. For example, the operating system may prevent the confidential memory from being swapped out to storage or from being accessible to other applications, such as debuggers. Alternatively, the operating system may encrypt any data in the confidential memory before it is swapped out to storage.

Abstract: Methods and systems for designating and handling confidential memory allocations of virtual memory are provided in which the operating system provides a memory allocation flag that applications may use to indicate any arbitrary area of physical memory marked with this flag may contain confidential data and should be handled accordingly. The operating system also ensures that memory allocated with this flag can be placed in physical memory. When freeing up memory, the operating system protects any data in the memory allocated with this flag. For example, the operating system may prevent the confidential memory from being swapped out to storage or from being accessible to other applications, such as a debuggers. Alternatively, the operating system may encrypt any data in the confidential memory before it is swapped out to storage.

Abstract: A method and system of utilizing a game console with motion sensing technology is provided. The present invention, in various implementations, provides for a method for generating one or more symbols in response to one or more gestures using an input device of a gaming system. The method comprises providing the input device being capable of generating one or more gesture signals in response to one or more gestures and being operable to select a mode of one or more operational states. The method also provides for generating one or more gesture signals corresponding to the one or more gestures, respectively; mapping the one or more generated gesture signals in relation to one or more symbols, respectively; and, transmitting the one or more symbols corresponding to the respective one or more gesture signals to an output.

Abstract: Temperature sensing circuitry is used for thermal management of an electronic device. The temperature sensing circuitry includes at least one thermistor placed at or near a component of the electronic device. The temperature sensing circuitry also includes a high-precision resistor for calibration purposes. The resistance of the resistor is equivalent to the resistance of the thermistor at a reference temperature. A calibration reading is obtained using a set current that is being passed through the resistor. An error present in the temperature sensing circuitry is determined based on the calibration reading and a design value. A temperature measurement associated with the component is then made using the thermistor, while the set current is being passed through the thermistor. The error is corrected in the temperature measurement of the component. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A system, method and medium for reducing the number of system calls from an application program to an operating system kernel. In an embodiment, a method includes the steps of creating a list of requests issued by an application program, associating an indicia with the list indicating whether the list contains a request, querying the indicia to determine if the list contains a request, and adding a new application program request to the list when the indicia indicates that the list includes a request.

Abstract: An immunoassay for screening a sample to detect the presence of ?-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) is disclosed. Antibodies specific for BMAA are disclosed. Antibodies that bind to BMAA on immunoblots are disclosed. Immunoassays and kits to detect the presence of BMAA in a sample by contacting the sample with an antibody that binds to BMAA, and detecting the antibody bound to the sample, are disclosed. Immunoassays and kits for screening for the presence of BMAA in a subject by analyzing a tissue sample obtained from the subject to detect the present of BMAA in the tissue sample, where the presence of BMAA in the tissue sample indicates exposure of the subject to an environmental source of BMAA, are disclosed. Immunoassays and kits for detecting an environmental source of BMAA, by screening an environmental sample to detect the presence of BMAA in the sample, wherein the presence of a detectable amount of BMAA in the sample indicates the sample is an environmental source of BMAA, are disclosed.

Abstract: A morphing duct of a ducted fan for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle is configured to change shape as function of the flight mode of the vehicle to improve the thrust per unit energy input for the ducted fan. Additionally, the morphing duct may be configured to change shape to change the flight path of the VTOL vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a semi-synthetic macrolide having antimicrobial activity, in particular antibacterial activity; pharmaceutical compositions comprising the macrolide; and methods of using the macrolide to treat or prevent an infection.