Abstract: A method for displaying a gain control interface having a gain level display with non-linear gain levels. The gain level display has a first end having an associated first pixel offset value and a second end having an associated second pixel offset value. A range of pixel offset values span from the first pixel offset value through the second pixel offset value. The method includes receiving a plurality of pixel offset values in the range of pixel offset values, calculating a gain level value for each of the plurality of pixel offset values (whereby a difference between two pixel offset values of two gain level values having a gain level difference is not equal to a difference of two pixel offset values of any other two gain level values having the same gain level difference), and mapping a gain level value to a pixel offset value.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (“IC”). The IC includes a first set of circuits and a second set of circuits interspersed among the first set of circuits. Each set of circuits includes at least ten volatile configurable circuits. Several circuits in at least one of the sets are user multiplexers. Each particular user multiplexer has input and output terminals and has a set of select terminals for receiving a set of user-design signals that directs the particular multiplexer to connect a set of the input terminals to a set of the output terminals. The user-design signals are signals generated internally by the IC.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide vias that are not in shape of quadrilaterals. In some embodiments, some or all vias are in shape of non-quadrilateral polygons, such as octagons and hexagons. In some embodiments, some or all vias have a circular shape. Some embodiments provide a first set of vias that have a diamond shape and a second set of vias that have a rectangular shape. In some embodiments, a via can also be formed by a diamond contact and a rectangular contact. The diamond contact has four sides. In the embodiments described below, all four sides of a diamond via contact have equal sides. However, in other embodiments, a via contact can be in shape of a diamond with a pair of sides that are longer than the other pair of sides. Similarly, in the embodiments described below, the rectangular via contacts are squares with four equal sides. However, in other embodiments, the length and width of a rectangular via contact can differ.

Abstract: The invention discloses a wireless communication handset comprising licensed wireless communication signal processing circuitry and unlicensed wireless communication signal processing circuitry. The invention further discloses a control circuit connected to both the licensed wireless communication signal processing circuitry and the unlicensed wireless communication signal processing circuitry, and a computer readable memory for directing the control circuit to function in a specified manner. This memory includes instructions to formulate a measurement report containing signal strength information that corresponds to the strength of a signal received through the unlicensed wireless communication signal processing circuitry. The measurement report also contains a request to transfer a wireless communication session from a licensed wireless system to an unlicensed wireless system.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (“IC”). This IC includes several configurable circuits for receiving configuration data and configurably performing a set of operations based on the configuration data. It also includes several hybrid circuits. Each particular hybrid circuit can interchangeably perform as either a logic circuit or an interconnect circuit in the configurable IC.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus for measuring active fluorescence in liquid samples by using solid-state components. The use of solid-state devices dramatically lowers the cost, size, and power consumption of active fluorescence while improving the ruggedness and reliability. The smaller size of the solid-state devices allows them to be placed very close to the sample. This maximizes the amount of light the sample receives from the light sources and allows efficient collection of the resulting emitted light using simple and low cost optical components.

Abstract: A method for determining a depth ordering between two planes in a 3D workspace of an application is provided. The method includes projecting vectors from a reference position through points of interest on the planes, determining corresponding points on the other plane, determining a number of points of interest on a first plane having a depth lower than its corresponding point and a number of points of interest on a second plane having a depth lower than its corresponding point, and setting the depth ordering based on these numbers. A method for displaying interconnects between nodes of a tree displayed in an application is provided. A node represents a multimedia item or a function and an interconnect represents data passed between two nodes. The method includes displaying an interconnect in the tree having an appearance indicating at least one characteristic of the data being passed between two nodes.

Abstract: Methods for processing a set of successive video frames in two passes to determine the number of bidirectional (B) and unidirectional (P) motion compensated frames to be encoded in a video coding system. During the first pass, motion vectors and motion costs are computed for each frame and a derived cost value is computed based on the motion cost of at least one frame. The derived cost value is used to determine the number (NB) of B-frames to be encoded in the set of successive frames. In the second pass, the set of successive frames are encoded where NB frames are encoded as B-frames and some or all motion vectors computed in the first pass are re-used in the second pass. A scene cut detection method is also provided where an impulse-like increase in a ratio of motion costs is monitored.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a configurable integrated circuit (“IC”) that includes several configurable tiles arranged in a tile arrangement. Each configurable tile has a set of configurable logic circuits and a set of configurable routing circuits for routing signals between configurable logic circuits. At least a first routing circuit of a first tile has at least one direct connection with a second circuit of a second tile that does not neighbor the first tile and that is not aligned horizontally or vertically with the first tile in the tile arrangement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention discloses a system that allows the relative timing of nearby video pictures to be encoded in a very efficient manner. In one embodiment, the display time difference between a current video picture and a nearby video picture is determined. The display time difference is then encoded into a digital representation of the video picture. In a preferred embodiment, the nearby video picture is the most recently transmitted stored picture. For coding efficiency, the display time difference may be encoded using a variable length coding system or arithmetic coding. In an alternate embodiment, the display time difference is encoded as a power of two to reduce the number of bits transmitted.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a method of building a software product in an integrated development environment using several build styles and a target. The method includes (1) determining an order of precedence for the build styles, where each of the build styles comprises a dictionary of build settings; and (2) building a software product by applying at least one of several build styles to the target based upon the order of precedence. In various embodiments of the invention, the build settings within the build styles are capable of referring to other build settings and concatenating new values with previously defined values.

Abstract: To better realize the great potential of amateur digital photography, the present invention introduces an integrated system for the acquisition, organization, manipulation, and publication of digital images by amateur digital photography enthusiasts. The system of the present invention first acquires images from a number of different image sources. Images acquired in the same image importing session are marked as coming from the same conceptual film roll. Next, a user is empowered to organize and manipulate the acquired images. The images may be organized by tagging the images with informative keywords and grouping images together into conceptual photo albums. Furthermore, the images may be manipulated by rotating, cropping, and removing red-eye. Finally, the system of the present invention provides simple intuitive image publish systems.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method that defines a set of connections that connect the nodes in a configurable node array. The method identifies different sets of connections for connecting a set of the nodes. For each identified set of connections, the method computes a metric score that quantifies a quality of the identified set of connections. The method then selects one of the identified sets of connections to connect the configurable nodes in the array.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system for authorization and authentication of an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) subscriber. The system includes an UMA network controller (UNC) which is communicatively coupled to a licensed wireless communication system. The system also includes an access point (AP) that serves a wireless local area network (WLAN). The system further includes a mobile station (MS) that is communicatively coupled to the AP and the licensed wireless communication system. The system also includes an authentication server that is communicatively coupled to the UNC. The authentication server authenticates a UMA subscriber for accessing an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN) that includes the UNC and the AP.

Abstract: An unlicensed wireless service is adapted to generate the interface protocols of a licensed wireless service to provide transparent transition of communication sessions between a licensed wireless service and an unlicensed wireless service. In one embodiment, a mobile station includes level 1, level 2, and level 3 protocols for licensed wireless service and an unlicensed wireless service. An indoor base station and indoor network controller provide protocol conversion for the unlicensed wireless service into a standard base station controller interface of the licensed wireless service.

Abstract: A configurable integrated circuit (“IC”) that includes several configurable tiles arranged in a tile arrangement. Each configurable tile has a set of configurable logic circuits and a set of configurable routing circuits for routing signals between configurable logic circuits. In some embodiments, at least a first logic circuit of a first tile has at least one direct connection with a second circuit of a second tile that does not neighbor the first tile and that is not aligned horizontally or vertically with the first tile in the tile arrangement.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a reconfigurable IC that includes at least two sections, each with several configurable circuits. Each configurable circuit configurably performs a set of operations. Each section stores multiple configuration data sets for each configurable circuit. Each configuration data set for a particular configurable circuit specifies the operation that the particular configurable circuit has to perform from the circuit's set of operations, where the configurable circuits of different sections iterate through different numbers of configuration data sets.

Abstract: To better realize the great potential of amateur digital photography, the present invention introduces an intuitive system for digital manipulation. The system of the present invention allows a user to simply fix small blemishes in digital images. In one embodiment, the user merely places a cursor on the image blemish and activates a cursor control device such as a mouse button. In one embodiment, the blemish repair system is implemented using one of Dirichlet's theorems. The theorem provides a method of creating a smooth surface within a circle by using the values of points around the circle. To prevent the result from appearing too smooth, some pixelization may be added.

Abstract: The invention relates to reduced power cells. Some embodiments of the invention provide a memory circuit that has a storage cell. The storage cell contains several electronic components and an input. The electronic components receive a reduced voltage from the input to the cell. The reduced voltage reduces the current leakage of the electronic components within the cell. Some embodiments provide a memory circuit that has a level converter. The level converter receives a reduced voltage and converts the reduced voltage into values that can be used to store and retrieve data with stability in the cell. Some embodiments provide a method for storing data in a memory circuit that has a storage cell. The method applies a reduced voltage to the input of the cell. The method level converts the reduced voltage. The reduced voltage is converted to a value that can be used to store and retrieve data with stability in the cell. The reduced voltage reduces a current leakage of electronic components within the cell.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a system for monitoring liquid consumption at one or more establishments. At each establishment, the system includes one or more spouts and a local computer. Each spout is mounted on a liquid container. Also, each spout generates data regarding the amount of liquid poured from the spout's container. The local computer at each establishment collects data generated by the spouts at the establishment. In some embodiments, a wireless network links the local computer and the spouts at each establishment. The system also includes an external computer that gathers the data collected by the local computers of the establishments monitored by the system. In some embodiments, the external computer is located outside of all the establishments, while in other embodiments this computer is located within one of the establishments. Some embodiments of the invention provide a free-pour spout.