Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for flexible, configurable job workflow processing. Features and aspects hereof provide for generating workflow models from configurable templates. The workflow models may include one or more phases, each comprising one or more processes, each process comprising one or more steps. The Phases, processes, and steps may all be defined by configuring parameters of corresponding templates. Information defining the workflow models and all job information for jobs to be executed are entries in an integrated database such that creation and update of workflow model information and job information is performed as simple database queries and updates.

Abstract: A current to perpendicular to plane (CPP) magnetoresistance (MR) read head using current confinement proximal to an air bearing surface (ABS) is disclosed. A CPP MR read head includes a first shield, an MR sensor formed on the first shield, and a second shield contacting the MR sensor proximal to an ABS. The CPP MR read head further includes insulating material between the MR sensor and the second shield, where the insulating material is distal to the ABS to electrically isolate the MR sensor from the second shield distal to the ABS. Sense current injected from the second shield through the MR sensor and into the first shield is confined proximal to the ABS at a location where the second shield contacts the MR sensor.

Abstract: Methods and systems herein provide for reducing artifacts during printing. One printing system is operable to prepare a continuous tone image (CTI) for printing onto a print medium by generating an initial half tone image (HTI) based on the CTI. The printing system includes a printer and a print controller. The print controller filters the initial HTI and the CTI with a perceptual filter and determines an error between the filtered CTI and the filtered HTI. The print controller prints the HTI via the printer to determine printer artifacts and processes a scanned version of the printed HTI to determine an error between the filtered CTI and the scanned and filtered HTI. This processing updates the initial HTI and reduces the error between the filtered CTI and the filtered HTI.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for improved performance in communications between a SAS/STP initiator device and a plurality of SATA storage devices coupled with the initiator through an enhanced switching device. The switching device is enhanced in accordance with features and aspects hereof to receive a DMA SETUP FIS from a SATA storage device and to transmit multiple modified DMA SETUP FISs to the initiator where each modified DMA SETUP FIS comprises a subcount less than the maximum count in the received DMA SETUP FIS.

Abstract: The systems and methods presented herein provide for readily configurable high voltage electrical energy generation. For example, a high voltage electrical energy generation system may include an AC power supply configured with an inductor to transfer AC electrical energy. In this regard, the system may also include a first receptor stage that includes an inductor for inductively coupling to the inductor of the AC power supply to receive the AC electrical energy. Similarly, a second receptor stage may inductively couple to the inductor of the AC power supply as well as to the inductor of the first receptor stage to receive the AC electrical energy, with each receptor being configured as a stackable plate. Each receptor stage may include a rectifier that converts the AC electrical energy to DC electrical energy. The rectifiers may be coupled together via a DC to DC connection provide a DC bias.

Abstract: High speed printing system for printing magnetic ink systems and associated methods are disclosed. A color of the magnetic ink may be designed to resemble one of the non-magnetic inks so that instead of ejecting the one non-magnetic ink, the printing system ejects the magnetic ink. Nozzles in a printhead may also be arranged to be adjacent to each other and may be appropriately spaced without causing the inks to be mixed in the printhead. Additionally, a color transform system may be provided to transform a sheet image in accordance with ejecting at least the magnetic and the non-magnetic ink from the printhead.

Abstract: One system described herein provides electrical energy by means of a Tesla coil that generates a strong electric field in the vicinity of an electrical target. An energy booster provides additional electrical energy to increase the probability of disabling and/or disrupting the electrical target. For example, an electrode may be configured with the Tesla coil to from the electric field of the electrical target. The electric field may cause a breakdown in the air about the Tesla coil that allows electric current to conduct to the electrical target. The Tesla coil may repetitively burst the electric field such that pulses of electric current are conducted to the electrical target.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for improved performance in communications with a SATA target device. Features and aspects hereof provide for continuing DMA transfers from a storage controller (e.g., a SATA host or a SAS/STP initiator) to a SATA target device without regard to receipt of DMA ACTIVATE Frame Information Structures (FIS). Logic to implement these features may be provided by bridge logic within an enhanced SAS expander coupled with an enhanced SAS/STP initiator or may be provided by suitable logic in an enhanced SATA host coupled directly with an enhanced SATA target device. By continuing DMA transfer of data from the initiator/host to the SATA target device without regard to receipt of a DMA ACTIVATE FIS, more of the available bandwidth of the SAS/SATA communication link may be utilized. Other standard features of the SAS/SATA protocols provide for flow control to prevent overrun of the SATA target device's buffers.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for managing power consumption of circuits within a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) device. A SAS device having a plurality of PHY logic circuits includes a queue manager and a power manager. The queue manager is operable to determine a current workload based on queued entries for the plurality of PHY logic circuits. Based on the current workload, the power manager is operable to set identified ones of the plurality of PHY logic circuits into a low power mode. In some embodiments, PHY logic circuits may be restored to full power operation responsive to changes in the current workload and/or responsive to receipt of a signal from another SAS device coupled to the SAS device. In other embodiments the power manager is further operable to manage power consumption of link and/or DMA logic circuits of the SAS device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for managing Short Messaging Service (SMS) spoofing using Short Messaging Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) protocol. An SMPP protocol communication includes an SMPP transmitter and an SMPP transceiver. The SMPP transmitter identifies or receives an SMS message for transmission to a destination. The SMPP transmitter identifies a source address for the SMS message, and determines whether the source address is authentic. If the source address is not authentic, then the SMPP transmitter inserts a validity indicator in an SMPP Packet Data Unit (PDU), along with the SMS message, that the source address is not authentic before transmitting the SMPP PDU to the SMPP transceiver. Upon receiving the SMPP PDU from the SMPP transmitter, the SMPP transceiver may determine whether or not to deliver the SMS message to the destination based on the validity indicator provided by the SMPP transmitter.

Abstract: Nanoimprint lithography using resist material with the addition of a surfactant is described. A template release layer is formed on a pattern of a template. A non-ionic surfactant is added to a resist material to form a mixed resist material. The resist material may comprise a hydrocarbon material having an unsaturated bond, such as an acrylate material. The surfactant may comprise polyalkylene glycol or an organically modified polysiloxane. A resist layer is then formed on a substrate from the mixed resist material. The surfactant added to the resist material forms a resist release layer on the surface of the resist layer. The template is then pressed into the resist layer, where the template release layer and the resist release layer are between the pattern of the template and the resist layer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for user customization of flush patterns in an ink-based printing system. Features and aspects hereof provide for user input to define a flush pattern and to define a location at which the flush pattern is to be placed on sheetside images. By integrating the flush pattern as defined by the user into the sheetside images, the flush pattern may convey useful information or may at least be aesthetically acceptable as compared to prior flush pattern definitions. The user may select among a plurality of standard, pre-defined patterns and locations or may define a fully customized pattern to be placed at a fully customized location. Text or other potentially useful patterns may be defined by the user. Analysis of the sheetside images may permit the user to define placement of the pattern so as to avoid occluding information imprinted on the sheetside images.

Abstract: IMS networks and methods are disclosed for storing information on the access network of a user in a subscriber profile for the user. When a communication device of a user attempts to register with an IMS network, a P-CSCF receives a register request message from the communication device, and identifies access network information for the user. The P-CSCF then transmits another register request message to an S-CSCF that includes the access network information, and the S-CSCF in turn forwards the access network information to an HSS. The HSS then stores the access network information in the subscriber profile for the user. Nodes in the IMS network that retrieve the subscriber profile may acquire the access network information to provide services based on the access network information.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for expanded capacity virtual volumes in a virtualized storage system. A storage controller of the storage system parses a SCSI command block as it is received to generate a tag value indicating a segment of a virtual volume to which the command block is directed. The tag value is used to select one of a plurality of mapping segment objects stored in a memory of the controller. Each mapping segment objects maps logical block addresses of a corresponding segment of a corresponding virtual volume to physical storage addresses on the physical storage devices that comprise the virtual volume. An I/O processing circuit of the controller then processes the SCSI command block in accordance with the mapping information in the selected mapping segment object. In one exemplary embodiment, each segment of a virtual volume comprises 2 terabytes of storage capacity of the virtual volume.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for correcting an error in a data stream that is coded with a line code and an error detection scheme. Information relating to the line code is used to locate at least one possible error character. At least one possible correct character to replace one or more of the at least one possible error character is then identified. Subsequently, the error detection scheme is applied to the data stream updated with one of the at least one possible correct character. If none of the at least one possible correct character results in a valid data stream, an error that is observable by a user is generated.

Abstract: Caller ID validation system and methods are provided. When a call is placed over a communication network, a validation system receives the call signaling, and processes the call signaling to identify originating node information in the call signaling. The originating node information is inserted by the communication network when handling the call and pertains to a network node that originates the call into the network. The validation system also processes the call signaling to identify caller ID information for the call. The validation system then processes the originating node information and the caller ID information to determine whether the call originated from the originating node. If the call did originate from the originating node, then the validation system determines that the caller ID information is valid.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for improved efficiency in accessing meta-data in a storage controller of a virtualized storage system. Features and aspects hereof walk/retrieve meta-data for one or more other I/O requests when retrieving meta-data for a first I/O request. The meta-data may include mapping information for mapping logical addresses of the virtual volume. Meta-data may also include meta-data associated with higher level, enhanced data services provide by or in conjunction with the storage system. Enhanced data services may include features for synchronous mirroring of a volume and/or management of time-based snapshots of the content of a virtual volume.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention operate to narrow the track width of a read head used in a disk drive. In one embodiment, a magnetic read head has a track width of about 40 nm or less. The read head is fabricated by a method that includes fabricating a film stack from a substrate, a sensor material, a stop material, a first release material, a mask material, and a photo resist material. The mask material may include a masking substrate material and a second release material. The film stack is processed by forming a read head image in the photo resist material, removing portions of the film stack that lie outside the read head image of the photo resist material, stripping the film stack to remove the photo resist, mask and first release materials, and milling the sensor material according to the read head image.

Abstract: IMS networks and methods are disclosed for providing purchasing sessions to mobile devices that are located proximate to a business. IMS network includes an application server that provides advertisements for the business to mobile devices that are located proximate to the business (i.e., the advertisements are pushed to the mobile devices). Responsive to an advertisement, the user of a mobile device may contact the application server through the mobile device to purchase one or more items from the business. The application server responds to the mobile device with receipt information for the purchase. The user may then request delivery of the purchased item through the mobile device by transmitting some or all of the receipt information to the application server. The application server may then schedule delivery of the item to the user of the mobile device.

Abstract: Methods and systems herein provide for flexible formatting of print jobs and their associated logical pages. One N-up printing system is adapted to receive a print job from a host system for printing to a tangible medium. The print job includes at least a first logical page. The printing system includes an N-up formatter interface adapted to receive formatting parameters. The printing system also includes an N-up formatter that is communicatively coupled to the N-up formatter interface. The N-up formatter is adapted to generate a first page inclusion object based on the formatting parameters. The N-up formatter is further adapted to input the first logical page to the first page inclusion object and position the first logical page within the first page inclusion object.