Abstract: An apparatus including one or more reader circuits, one or more writer circuits, and a loopback channel. The one or more reader circuits may be configured to read data from a magnetic medium. The one or more writer circuits may be configured to write data to the magnetic medium. The loopback channel is coupled between the one or more reader circuits and the one or more writer circuits.

Abstract: A method of decoding a video bitstream is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) buffering the video bitstream in a main memory, the video bitstream comprising a first residual block based on a first motion compensated block, the first motion compensated block having been generated by a subpixel motion compensation using an N-tap interpolation on a plurality of first reference samples, (B) copying a first subset of the first reference samples from the main memory to an internal memory, (C) generating a first decode block using the subpixel motion compensation with an M-tap interpolation on the first subset in the internal memory, and (D) reconstructing a first original block by adding the first residual block to the first decode block.

Abstract: A method for discarding perpetually-rejected packets in a fabric-based interconnect having a reliable physical layer is disclosed. A transmitting component keeps a count of the number of negative acknowledgements (NAKs) it receives from the receiving component for packets the transmitting component sends. If the transmitting component receives a number of consecutive NAKs for the same packet that exceeds some pre-determined threshold, the packet is not resent, but is, instead, treated as having been acknowledged, and subsequent packets are allowed to be transmitted. Higher-level processes are then notified of the problem so as to allow the error to be dealt with at a higher level, but without obstructing the flow of packets on the physical layer.

Abstract: A method of capturing a still frame is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a plurality of initial frames with a sensor in response to an optical signal and (B) generating the still frame by combining the initial frames using a noise reduction technique.

Abstract: The anti-theft fastener has a shearing head, a shaft and a fastening element. The shearing head has at least one shearing tab. The shaft is threaded and connected the shearing head. The fastening element is mounted around the shearing head and has an outer surface having a countersink and at least one shearing recess. The countersink is formed in the outer surface around the connecting hole. The at least one shearing recess is formed in countersink, and corresponds to the at least one shearing tab, and each shearing recess has at least one shearing surface, whereby the at least one shearing tab is broken off by the shearing surface of the fastening element.

Abstract: A method for generating a video output signal. The method may include receiving a plurality of input video signals from each of the participants. Each of the input video signals may have a plurality of input frames. Each of the input frames may have a source slice carrying an image. Each of the input frames may be encoded using the respective reference frame at an encoding time. The method may include a step for generating the video output signal for transmission to the participants. The video output signal may comprise a plurality of output frames. A first of the output frames generally has at least a first slice having (a) a first coded portion carrying the image from a first of the participants and (b) a first unencoded portion for the image from a second of the participants. A second of the output frames generally has at least a second slice having (a) a second coded portion carrying the image from the second participant and (b) a second unencoded portion for the image from the first participant.

Abstract: An apparatus including an initialization circuit and a hash computation circuit. The initialization circuit may be configured to present a number of initialization values. The hash computation circuit may be configured to generate hash values for the message in response to the padded message blocks and the initialization values. The hash computation circuit generally performs a diagonal cut technique that simultaneously uses values from a plurality of different cycle rounds in a single cycle round analog.

Abstract: A method for designing an integrated circuit is disclosed. The method generally comprises the steps of (A) splitting a design layout of the integrated circuit into a plurality of tiles, (B) adding a plurality of tie-to cells to the design layout, wherein at least one of the tie-to cells generating a tie-to signal at a particular logical level is added into each of the tiles having at least one gate with an input fixed to the particular logical level and (C) routing the tie-to signal to each of the inputs within each of the tiles.

Abstract: A method for motion estimation comprising the steps of (A) determining whether a cost of encoding one or more prediction parameters for a current search position is less than a current best cost, (B) when the cost of encoding the one or more prediction parameters for the current search position is less than the current best cost, updating the current best cost if the current best cost is greater than or equal to a sum of the cost for encoding the one or more prediction parameters for the current search position and a distortion measurement for the current search position and (C) ending the search when the current best cost is less than or equal to the cost of encoding the one or more prediction parameters for the current search position and less than a minimum cost for encoding one or more prediction parameters for one or more remaining search positions.

Abstract: A method for transcoding from an MPEG-2 format to an H.264 format is disclosed. The method generally comprises the steps of (A) decoding an input video stream in the MPEG-2 format to generate a plurality of macroblocks; (B) determining a plurality of indicators from a pair of the macroblocks, the pair of the macroblocks being vertically adjoining; and (C) coding the pair of the macroblocks into an output video stream in the H.264 format using one of (i) a field mode coding and (ii) a frame mode coding as determined from the indicators.

Abstract: A memory collar including a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate one or more data sequences in response to one or more test commands. The one or more data sequences may be presented to a memory during a test mode. The second circuit may be configured to pre-process one or more outputs generated by the memory in response to the one or more data sequences.

Abstract: Securely storing data to an optical disc has been described, including generating write data that includes the data and overhead data that facilitates reading the data from the disc; and configuring the overhead data according to a key.

Abstract: A method of deblocking an input signal is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) calculating a plurality of transform coefficients corresponding to each of a plurality of blocks in the input signal at baseband, (B) calculating a plurality of quantization parameters based on the transform coefficients, at least one of the quantization parameters corresponding to each respective one of the blocks and (C) generating an output signal by deblocking the input signal based on the quantization parameters.

Abstract: A method of motion estimation (ME) refinement. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an initial motion vector (MV) by conducting a first ME on an initial block in a picture, the initial block covering an initial area of the picture, (B) generating a current MV by conducting a second ME on a current block in the picture, (i) the current block covering a subset of the initial area and (ii) the second ME being seeded by the initial MV, (C) generating at least one additional MV by conducting at least one third ME on the current block, the at least one third ME being seeded respectively by at least one neighboring MV spatially adjacent to the current MV and (D) generating a refined MV of the current block by storing in a memory a best among the current MV and the additional MV.

Abstract: A method for editing a title recorded on a digital storage medium. The method includes the steps of (A) defining a portion of the title to be edited for slow or fast motion playback, (B) modifying at least one address of presentation control information (PCI) for the title based upon a user editing command and (C) controlling playback of the title in accordance with the modified PCI to carry out the user editing command.

Abstract: A method for transcoding from an H.264 format to an MPEG-2 format is disclosed. The method generally comprises the steps of (A) decoding an input video stream in the H.264 format to generate a picture having a plurality of macroblock pairs that used an H.264 macroblock adaptive field/frame coding; (B) determining a mode indicator for each of the macroblock pairs; and (C) coding the macroblock pairs into an output video stream in the MPEG-2 format using one of (i) an MPEG-2 field mode coding and (ii) an MPEG-2 frame mode coding as determined from the mode indicators.

Abstract: A control circuit and a conversion circuit. The control circuit may be configured to generate an analog control signal in response to a digital control signal. The conversion circuit may be configured to generate a capacitance signal in response to the analog control signal.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a transconductance control circuit, a boost control circuit, a current computation circuit and an oscillator circuit. The transconductance control circuit may be configured to generate a current control signal in response to (i) a voltage control signal and (ii) a plurality of range control signals. The boost control circuit may be configured to generate a current boost signal in response to a reference current signal and an enable signal. The current computation circuit may be configured to generate a first control signal and a second control signal in response to the current boost signal and the current control signal. The oscillator circuit may be configured to generate an output signal oscillating at a particular frequency in response to the first control signal and the second control signal.

Abstract: A system for remotely monitoring an individual. The system includes a server system for generating a script program from a set of queries. The script program is executable by a remote apparatus that displays information and/or a set of queries to the individual through a user interface. Responses to the queries that are entered through the user interface together with individual identification information are sent from the remote apparatus to the server system across a communication network. The server system also includes an automated answering service for providing a series of questions from a stored set of questions for an individual at the remote apparatus to respond to, storing responses to each provided question in the series of questions and providing a service based on the individual's response to the questions.

Abstract: A diabetes management system for predicting a future blood glucose value of a patient and for recommending a corrective action to the patient when the future blood glucose value lies outside of a target range. The system includes a patient-operated apparatus for measuring blood glucose values and for storing data relating to insulin doses administered to the patient. The apparatus predicts the patient's future blood glucose value based upon the patient's current blood glucose value, the fraction of insulin action remaining from the insulin doses, and the patient's insulin sensitivity. The apparatus also determines the corrective action for the patient when the predicted blood glucose value lies outside of a target range. The system also includes a physician computer in communication with the apparatus for receiving the blood glucose values and insulin dose data and for calculating an adjusted insulin sensitivity for use in subsequent predictions.