Abstract: A system comprises a media player to receive a removable medium. The media player to include logic and to couple to a display device and to a device external to said media player. The external device includes storage. The media player is to cause information to be downloaded onto the external device's storage. The information to be used by said media player when playing content from said removable medium. After receiving the removable medium, the logic is to determine whether an update is available on the network for the information. The logic is to provide access to the information once stored in the external device's storage.

Abstract: The present invention provides a picture coding apparatus which can reduce a load in decoding. When a RAU to be coded is an open GOP type RAU, the present invention includes: a motion estimation unit, a motion compensation unit, and the like which codes a picture to be coded to generate a BI-picture; a BI information generation unit which generates a RAU map indicating whether or not the BI-picture is positioned in a display order immediately before a starting I-picture in the RAU of the stream; and a variable length coding unit which writes the RAU map into the RAU of the stream.

Abstract: According to an example, to index computing device files, a global index update is received from a first registered device. The global index update from the first registered device is stored and propagated to a second registered device. In an example, an action associated with the global index update is determined. In an example, the action may be propagated to the second registered device. In another example, a remote server is crawled and the global index is updated.

Abstract: A type of a storage subsystem that has been connected to a computing device is detected as one of a number of types including a first type and a second type (602). The first type of storage subsystem has a number of storage devices in which data to be stored on the storage subsystem is duplicated within the storage subsystem itself. The second type of storage subsystem has a number of storage devices in which the data to be stored on the storage subsystem is not duplicated within the storage subsystem itself. A data duplication policy for the storage subsystem is set in accordance with the type that has been determined (608).

Abstract: To perform recovery of a headless computer, a direct connection is established by the headless computer with a recovery computer over a network link. After establishing the direct connection, the headless computer is initiated in recovery mode. The headless computer receives a recovery routine from the recovery computer, and the recovery routine is executed in the headless computer to implement a procedure to receive a recovery image from the recovery computer. The recovery image upon loading in the headless computer causes loading of software for recovery of the headless computer.

Abstract: A system comprises a media player adapted to receive a removable medium. The media player is adapted to couple to a display device. A device external to and communicatively coupled to the media player comprises storage. The media player stores information on the external device's storage. Such information is used by the media player when rendering on said display.

Abstract: A system comprises a media player to receive a removable medium. The media player to include logic and to couple to a display device and to a device external to said media player. The external device includes storage. The media player is to cause information to be downloaded onto the external device's storage. The information to be used by said media player when playing content from said removable medium. After receiving the removable medium, the logic is to determine whether an update is available on the network for the information. The logic is to provide access to the information once stored in the external device's storage.

Abstract: A computer includes an enclosure, an internal mass storage device within the enclosure, and a redundancy controller within the enclosure. At least one port enables direct connection of the computer to at least one external mass storage device. The redundancy controller is configured to provide data redundancy using the internal mass storage device and the at least one external storage device if the at least one external mass storage device is connected to the at least one port.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an external interface port to connect to an external electronic device, where the external interface port is to communicate over a communications path with the external electronic device according to a serial communication protocol. The apparatus has a control device to hide details of the storage subsystem from the external electronic device. The control device is configured to perform at least one of (1) expanding a storage capacity of at least one logical storage volume of the storage subsystem, and (2) migrating a portion of data stored in the storage subsystem to a new physical storage device.

Abstract: A type of a storage subsystem that has been connected to a computing device is detected as one of a number of types including a first type and a second type (602). The first type of storage subsystem has a number of storage devices in which data to be stored on the storage subsystem is duplicated within the storage subsystem itself. The second type of storage subsystem has a number of storage devices in which the data to be stored on the storage subsystem is not duplicated within the storage subsystem itself. A data duplication policy for the storage subsystem is set in accordance with the type that has been determined (608).

Abstract: A method of migrating a legacy server to a new server over a high-speed connection is provided. Programs to effect the migration over the high-speed connection include programs operating to configure the new server as a disk drive to receive file and settings transfer before configuration of the new server as a server.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to conducting surveillance using a digital picture frame. A digital picture frame may comprise a sensor and a storage medium. The digital picture frame may receive surveillance information from the sensor and store the surveillance information in the storage medium. A second electronic device may receive the surveillance information from the digital picture frame via a network.

Abstract: A system comprises a plurality of storage drives coupled to logic. The logic implements a noise-reducing feature selected from a group consisting of a first feature that limits system performance based on a level of ambient noise, a second feature that staggers access transactions among said storage drives, a third feature that staggers spin up among the storage drives, a fourth feature that at least partially cancels noise generated by the system, a fifth feature that limits fan speed, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A system and method of a storage expansion unit for a network attached storage device. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are storage expander systems comprising an enclosure, a communications port (the communication port configured to configured to operate under a communications protocol suitable for operatively accessing long term storage devices), and a port expander circuit within the enclosure and coupled to the communications port (the port expander circuit configured to have a plurality of secondary ports that operate under the communications protocol). The storage expansion system is configured to couple to a network attached storage device over the communications port, and wherein the storage expansion system is configured to facilitate external long-term storage for the network attached storage device.

Abstract: Various disc enhancement systems and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, methods comprise retrieving information from a master optical disc; retrieving a data structure from a slave optical disc; using the information from the master optical disc to modify the data structure; and playing content from the slave optical disc in accordance with the modified data structure.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an external interface port to connect to an external electronic device, where the external interface port is to communicate over a communications path with the external electronic device according to a serial communication protocol. The apparatus has a control device to hide details of the storage subsystem from the external electronic device. The control device is configured to perform at least one of (1) expanding a storage capacity of at least one logical storage volume of the storage subsystem, and (2) migrating a portion of data stored in the storage subsystem to a new physical storage device.

Abstract: To perform recovery of a headless computer, a direct connection is established by the headless computer with a recovery computer over a network link. After establishing the direct connection, the headless computer is initiated in recovery mode. The headless computer receives a recovery routine from the recovery computer, and the recovery routine is executed in the headless computer to implement a procedure to receive a recovery image from the recovery computer. The recovery image upon loading in the headless computer causes loading of software for recovery of the headless computer.

Abstract: A method of measuring a relative darkness of an image recorded on a recording medium, comprising: applying first electromagnetic energy having a first wavelength to the recording medium to record an image thereon, applying second electromagnetic energy having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength to the recorded image on the recording medium, and measuring a reflection of the second electromagnetic energy from the recorded image to determine the relative darkness of the recorded image.

Abstract: A NAS device comprises a user control and storage in which at least one of an operating system and system firmware is stored. Logic is also provided that is coupled to the user control and the storage. The logic causes a recovery to be performed of the operating system or system firmware upon user activation of the user control. The NAS device does not comprise any of a keyboard, mouse, trackball, and computer monitor.

Abstract: A computer includes an enclosure, an internal mass storage device within the enclosure, and a redundancy controller within the enclosure. At least one port enables direct connection of the computer to at least one external mass storage device. The redundancy controller is configured to provide data redundancy using the internal mass storage device and the at least one external storage device if the at least one external mass storage device is connected to the at least one port.