Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system for detecting and fencing off a failed entity instance so that failover time in the computing system is reduced. Upon detection of a failed entity, for example a failed process, a signal handler invokes an operating system interface to fence off the failed instance from modifying its persistent state, so that the entity may be re-instantiated prior to termination of the failed instance. This approach reduces failover time and eliminates split-brain problems without compromising access to the failed instance to obtain diagnostic information, core dumps, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention is directed generally to container for reconfigurable products and, in particular, to a display package operable to display a product in multiple configurations. The display package may include product housing portions adapted to slide from a first, adjacent position, where one product portion is positioned adjacent to another product portion, to a second, separated position, where one product portion is spaced from the other product portion. The display package may include a plurality of product housings adapted to rotate with respect to each other along a common axis such that product portions within the product housings may be selectively aligned to form desired configurations of a completed, displayed product.

Abstract: A system for detecting and locating illicit cellular telephone use within a facility includes an array of radio frequency (RF) receivers, each receiver being placed in a predetermined location in the facility, and a central server, the receivers being in electrical communication with the central server. The server commands a group or groups of receivers to tune to a frequency of interest and to perform detailed sample rate measurements of the RF signal level received at the receivers. The array of receivers is organized into a plurality of measurement areas covering widely separated areas of the facility or different buildings of the facility, and the plurality of receivers of a measurement area is organized into a plurality of measurement groups covering areas of approximately uniform RF propagation conditions. Each receiver scans a frequency band of interest non-synchronously and independently of the other receivers in the array. Also, each receiver is preferably a direct-conversion receiver.

Abstract: A glitter circulation device includes a housing defining a chamber configured to receive a doll. A tray is coupled to the housing and configured to hold a plurality of glitter particles. A fan is coupled to housing and in communication with the tray and the chamber. The fan is configured to draw the glitter particles from the tray and expel the glitter particles into the chamber.

Abstract: A fastener system includes a toy product, a support platform, and a plug that engages a keyhole formed into the product. The plug includes a base and a pronged key extending from the base. The support platform includes a through-hole that permits the passage of the key into the packaging. One or more integrally-formed biasing members are located on the base of the plug to draw the key toward the product and create a secure connection. The pronged key may be formed from a plastic material and configured such that it plastically deforms but remains attached to the key when and predetermined force is applied to the key to pull the key from a misaligned position with respect to the key hole.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing long-term reference frames (LTRFs) for two or more video sources. A first video source is selected from a plurality of video sources. The first video source is encoded to produce an encoded video stream, where a reference frame message identifies a recent video frame as long-term reference frame (LTRF) associated with the first video stream. The process is repeated for other video streams. The LTRF associated with the first video stream is used as a reference for temporal predictive coding upon receiving a signal that the first video source has been re-selected.

Abstract: A reconfigurable toy gun includes a handle portion, a guide member coupled to the handle portion, and a barrel portion. The barrel portion is slidably coupled to the guide member and movable along the guide member between a first end portion of the guide member and second end portion of the guide member.

Abstract: A method of calculating the noise power in a received signal containing a pilot channel, the method comprising estimating the power of the received signal, estimating the power of the pilot channel and calculating the noise power as a function of the estimated signal and the pilot channel powers. The noise power thus deduced may be used as a parameter of a function defining a channel quality indicator. The invention extends to corresponding apparatus.

Abstract: An electronic device and method of illuminating a display are provided. The electronic device includes a display device, an illumination device, a light sensor and a processor coupled to the illumination device and the light sensor. The processor receives a light value from the light sensor, determines a target illumination value based at least partly on the light value, and causes the illumination device to illuminate the display device at substantially the target illumination value. In one embodiment, the processor causes the illumination device to illuminate the display device at substantially the target illumination value by gradually increasing a current illumination value. In another embodiment, the processor causes the illumination device to illuminate the display device at substantially the target illumination value by gradually decreasing a current illumination value.

Abstract: A phase generating apparatus generates an output clock having a desired phase according to a digital signal. The apparatus includes a phase selecting unit and a phase generating unit. The phase selecting unit selects one of a plurality of input clocks according to a portion of bits of the digital signal to generate a reference clock. Each of the input clocks respectively has a difference phase. The phase selecting unit divides the frequency of the reference clock, and selectively delays the frequency-divided reference clock according to another portion of bits of the digital signal to generate the output clock.

Abstract: A Viterbi trellis processing technique in which soft decisions and hard decisions are derived from a received signal and the soft decisions are enhanced by being modified using the hard decisions. A log likelihood ratio for a bit of the received signal can be derived by grouping candidate metrics associated with the decision that the bit has a first state, grouping candidate metrics associated with the decision that the bit has a second state, applying respective functions to the groups and calculating the difference of the function values.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a support for a percussion instrument and, in particular, to a cymbal support device. The device includes a body having a base section, an intermediate neck section, and a cap section. A bore extends through the body along body central axis. The cap section is configured to selectively tilt or flex when a predetermined amount of force is applied thereto. In operation, the support device is mounted on a cymbal support pole at the desired vertical position, and the cymbal is placed on the body such that it is supported by the cap. In use, as the cymbal is engaged by a percussionist, the cap flexes with the movement of the cymbal.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to compute beamforming weight vectors for pre-coding broadcast signals. First, system parameters for a device configured to wirelessly transmit one or more broadcast signals via a plurality of antennas are determined. Based on the system parameters a plurality of beamforming weight vectors are computed. The beamforming weight vectors are computed such that they have omni-directional like characteristics and such that correlation between beamforming weight vectors is relatively low. The plurality of beamforming weight vectors are applied to each of the one or more broadcast signals for transmission by the device to produce beamformed transmit signals for transmission via the plurality of antennas.

Abstract: A device whose location is to be determined (target device) generates a plurality of frames (messages) and time of departure (TOD) timestamp information indicating when the target device transmits the plurality of frames in a sequence or burst. The target device transmits the plurality of frames and the TOD information, wherein the plurality of frames are transmitted such that at least two of the frames are on different radio frequency (RF) channels. Within a sequence or burst (or across multiple sequences or bursts), multiple widely spaced transmissions on the same channel are included to allow for estimation of the crystal frequency offset of the transmitting device. The TOD information included in the transmitted packets allows devices that receive the packets not to change their channels of operation solely for the purpose of receiving packets from the device to be located.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to add multicast media streams to teleconferencing sessions without the unwanted side effects that occur when a speaker's own media is echoed back to the speaker. Multicast and unicast media streams are generated by a network device, e.g., a conference bridge, and distributed to any number of endpoints, e.g., conference endpoints. A media selector is provided that selects the appropriate multicast or unicast media stream for forwarding to an associated network endpoint.

Abstract: A shortened adapter for a light bulb socket with highly overlapped male and female parts with an insulating hand-ring that extends only partially over the external surface of the adapter's female threading so it fits into the unthreaded collar of a light bulb socket, thereby significantly reducing the light bulb displacement. The shortened adapter can respond to an incoming signal and control the output of a light bulb. A reversible ring on the insulating hand-ring can change the adapter from being a dimmer to being an on-off control. A mechanism is disclosed to reversibly lock the adapter onto a light bulb. A miniature remote controller to work with the adapter is provided that has many advantages because of its very small size and compact shape. Further, one such controller can control several lights and several such controllers can control a single light in arbitrary combinations selected by the user.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein for training a digital predistortion module in a wireless communication device. At a controller apparatus that is capable of communicating with a plurality of wireless devices, a particular wireless device that requires adjustment of predistortion parameters is identified. The controller also identifies one or more participating wireless devices to participate in a training session during which the particular wireless device makes test transmissions and the one or more participating wireless devices make measurements based on reception of the test transmissions sent by the particular wireless device. The controller apparatus sends commands to the particular wireless device and to the one or more participating wireless devices to initiate the training session. The controller receives measurement data from the one or more participating wireless devices based on reception of the test transmissions from the particular wireless device during the training session.

Abstract: A method for producing an electronic component of a VQFN (very thin quad flat pack no-lead) design includes the following method steps: anchoring at least one integrated circuit element on a sacrificial substrate; contact-connecting the at least one integrated circuit element to the sacrificial substrate with formation of contact-connecting points on the sacrificial substrate; forming an encapsulation on a top side of the sacrificial substrate, the at least one anchored integrated circuit element being mounted on the top side of the sacrificial substrate; removing the sacrificial substrate, thereby uncovering a portion of the contact-connecting points on the underside of the encapsulation.

Abstract: In one embodiment a method is provided for requesting and receiving network statistics in-band of a data replication exchange. The method includes receiving, at a switch, a request packet, initiated from a data replication system, for in-band delivery of network statistics, modifying the request packet to include a command that can be processed by a data storage device that is periodically accessed in connection with the data replication system, sending the request packet including the command to the data storage device, receiving from the peripheral device, in response to the request packet including the command, a response packet that includes data responsive to the command, deleting from a data field of the response packet the data responsive to the command and adding to the data field network statistics data available to the switch, and sending the response packet including the network statistics data to one of another switch or a host device from which the request packet was sent.