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: 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: 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: A method for defining and producing a power grid structure (having stripe, rail, and via components) of an IC. The method reduces the number of vias in the power grid structure and the diagonal wiring blockage caused by the vias while still meeting design specifications. Other embodiments provide a method for locating vias in the power grid structure in such a way as to be especially beneficial to 45° or 135° diagonal wiring paths. The method includes processes of a power grid planner, power grid router, power grid verifier, and global signal router that are used iteratively to define and produce a power grid structure. Other embodiments of the invention provide for arrangements of vias in via arrays where diagonal wiring paths are facilitated near the edges of the via arrays. A bounding box enclosing these via arrays have an aspect ratio that is approximately equal to 1.

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.

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. [Some embodiments define an interface between the UNC and the authentication server uses Remote Access Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) protocol. In some embodiments, the authentication server is an Authorization, Authentication, and Accounting (AAA) server.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a first interconnect circuit for accessing stored data in a reconfigurable IC. The reconfigurable IC has at least one reconfigurable circuit and a set of storage elements for storing several data sets for the particular reconfigurable circuit. The first interconnect circuit includes second, third, and fourth interconnect circuits, where the fourth interconnect circuit connects to outputs of the second and third interconnect circuits. The second and third interconnect circuits connect to the storage element sets to provide data sets to the fourth interconnect circuit, which, in turn, provides the received data to the particular reconfigurable circuit. The fourth interconnect circuit operates at a different rate than the second and third interconnect circuits. In some embodiments, the stored data sets are configuration data sets for configuring the articular reconfigurable circuit.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a via programmable gate array (“VPGA”) with several configurable circuits arranged in a configurable circuit arrangement. At least some of the configurable circuits are via programmable (“VP”) configured circuits. In some embodiments, the configurable circuit arrangement is a configurable circuit arrangement that includes numerous (e.g., 50, 100, etc.) configurable circuits that are arranged in several rows and columns. This circuit arrangement also includes several bit lines, where at least one the bit line provides a configuration value to at least one configurable circuit. In some embodiments, at least some bit lines transverse along more than one column or row in the circuit arrangement.

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.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a configurable IC that includes several configurable tiles. The configurable tiles include several interior tiles within the interior of an arrangement of configurable tiles. The arrangement has several sides that define the exterior boundary of the arrangement. In some embodiments, each configurable interior tile includes a set of configurable logic circuits, a set of configurable input-select circuits for selecting inputs to the configurable logic circuits, and a set of configurable routing interconnect circuits for routing signals between the configurable logic circuits. The set of configurable input-select circuits in each interior tile has a set of inputs that are supplied by a set of asymmetric locations in the configurable IC.

Abstract: A method for modifying an upper layout for an upper layer of an IC using information of a lower layout for a lower layer of the IC, the method including 1) receiving the upper layout containing features and modifications to features, 2) producing a density map of the lower layout having geometry coverages of sub-regions of the lower layout, 4) selecting a feature in the upper layout, 5) retrieving, from the density map, the geometry coverage of a sub-region below the feature, 6) determining a vertical deviation of the feature using the geometry coverage, 7) determining an alteration to the modification using the vertical deviation, 8) applying the alteration to the modification, and 9) repeating for all features. In some embodiments, the upper layout is designed using a library of pretabulated models, each model containing a modification to a feature calculated to produce a satisfactory feature on a wafer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for remotely and automatically mounting volumes over a network. The invention uses an interface, such as a web browser, to authenticate a client on a server. The server supplies volume mounting parameters specific to the authenticated client via a plug-in installed on the client. The plug-in then interacts, in one embodiment of the invention, with file system software on the client and automatically mounts the volume(s) in accordance with the supplied parameters.

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: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for costing an expansion to a two-dimensional state in a path search that searches for a path between two sets of states in a space. The method identifies a cost function that is defined over the two-dimensional state. The method computes a second cost function that is defined over the two-dimensional state. It also computes a third cost function that is defined over the two-dimensional state. It then adds the second and third cost functions to obtain the first cost function.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable IC that includes several configurable computational tiles and several memory tiles. These tiles are arranged in a particular tile arrangement. Each computational tile has a set of configurable logic circuits for configurably performing a plurality of computations and a set of configurable routing circuits. The routing circuits of the tiles configurably route signals between configurable logic circuits. The configurable IC also has several memory arrays for storing data on which the logic circuit perform computation. The memory arrays are embedded in the tile arrangement between two sets of memory tiles, where each set of memory tiles includes a set of routing circuits. In this IC, at least a first memory tile has the same set of configurable routing circuits as at least a second computational tile.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide novel methods for representing items in a design layout. For instance, they use a method that identifies several half-planes, that when intersected, define the shape of the item. Some embodiments use a method that (1) identifies a first set of location data for the item with respect to a first coordinate system, (2) identifies a second set of location data for the item with respect to a second coordinate system, and (3) specifies the item in terms of the first and second set of location data. In some embodiments, both the first and second coordinate systems have first and second coordinate axes. Some embodiments use a method that receives a first set of data that defines the item with respect to a first coordinate system of the design layout.

Abstract: A method for processing an image of a given file type is disclosed. The method involves converting the image into data formatted for a new pixel type, the new pixel type is closely correlated with and has all the components of pixels for the given file type. In addition, the method includes processing the data formatted in the new pixel type using standard image processing routines, these standard routines being designed for data having different components of pixels than the new pixel type and the given file type.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of performing motion estimation for an array of image values obtained from a current image. The method starts with an initial estimate of the motion of the current image. The method then determines whether the initial estimate of the motion of the current image array between the current image and a reference image is acceptable. If not, the method specifies a first value for a parameter for performing the motion estimation. Otherwise, the method specifies a second value for the parameter. The method then performs a motion estimation operation based on the specified value of the parameter. One example of a specified parameter is the size of the window that the motion estimation operation uses. Another example is the starting level for a hierarchical motion estimation operation that it performs. A hierarchical motion estimation operation searches the reference frame at several different levels of granularity.