Abstract: A system and method for effectively implementing an electronic visual map device comprises a visual map application that provides selected route images for display upon a display device in an initial route mode. The visual map application may also provide selected destination images and related destination information for display upon the display device in a final destination mode. The route images and the destination images may be stored locally in a memory device, or alternately may be downloaded as needed from a distributed computer network using a network manager.

Abstract: A system and method for creating and displaying representations of holographic images comprises a display device, digital image data, a simulation module configured to create a representation of a holographic image and display the representation on the display device, and a processor configured to control the simulation module. The digital image data may include a sequence of images selected by a user by utilizing a selection module. An inspection module inspects the sequence of images for errors. An image sizing module manipulates the digital image data to conform to a size of a final stereogram, and a color module manipulates the digital image data to conform to a color of the final stereogram. A sequence repair module fills any gaps in the sequence of images. When the user determines that the representation is satisfactory, an image data formatter configures the digital image data to conform to requirements of a service provider.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for efficient memory utilization in an electronic system comprises a memory divided into memory units of equal size, a data source, and an interface between the memory and the data source, which manages storage and retrieval of data in the memory. The data source generates first data components and second data components, each of the first data components being larger than each of the second data components. Each memory unit is sized to contain one of the second data components. The memory units are configured as a continuous memory ring. The interface stores the data components sequentially in the memory ring as the data components are generated by the data source. The interface also retrieves the data components sequentially from the memory ring. A control module sends control signals to the interface to control read and write operations for the data components.

Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide help and configuration information for a plurality of consumer electronic devices in an audio/video network. More specifically, each network device provides help information, identifying the device and its features to other network devices. A help utility program interfaces with a presentation device to provide help information to a user. Another implementation consistent with the present invention provides help information related to configuring two or more devices to perform an operation.

Abstract: A system and method for locally caching remote query replies in an electronic network comprises a local registry that performs a local query for a local software module to locate a target software element for a network messaging process. If the local query is unsuccessful, the local registry responsively creates a remote query based on the unsuccessful local query, and then broadcasts the remote query to remote registries across the electronic network. The local registry then evaluates the remote query replies and stores a remote element registration into a local cache for each successful remote query reply. The local software module may then locally identify those remote target software elements with which the local software module frequently communicates, to facilitate efficient network messaging processes.

Abstract: A system and method to effectively compensate for delays in an electronic interconnect comprises a controller that initially schedules a first transmission from a first talker device to several listener devices. The controller then schedules a second talker device to pre-roll a second transmission and selectively routes the second transmission to compensate for delays introduced by components of said electronic interconnect to thereby provide a seamless transmission stream to the several listeners.

Abstract: A system and method for incrementally updating remote element lists in an electronic network comprises a communication media manager that notifies an event manager whenever the electronic network is altered by a network event that adds or removes devices. The event manager responsively notifies a device-control module manager that is subscribed for notification when a network event occurs. The device-control module manager responsively generates a network analysis to various software elements in the electronic network to indicate either the addition or removal of a device on the network. A local registry element may then receive the network analysis and responsively generate an updated remote registry list, in accordance with the present invention.

Abstract: A system and method for fast data transfers in an electronic network comprises a data transfer engine configured to independently execute data transfer instructions and a processor configured to forward the data transfer instructions to the data transfer engine. The data transfer engine preferably executes the data transfer instructions while the processor proceeds to execute a next instruction. The data transfer engine includes a transmit engine that executes transmit transfer instructions and a receive engine that executes receive transfer instructions. The transmit engine and the receive engine operate independently and thus may operate concurrently.

Abstract: A system and method for utilizing a topology detector to capture visual information comprises a topology detector that propagates a detection pulse towards a target object using a transmitter module, and then senses wave segments of the detection pulse with a sensor array as the wave segments are reflected back toward the topology detector. The topology detector may then generate contour values that correspond to localized areas of the target object. A detection manager may then access the contour values to responsively generate and store topology values that may be mapped to respective pixel values of a set of captured image data that represents the target object.

Abstract: A system and method for context switching in an electronic network comprises a memory configured to store instruction modules, each instruction module corresponding to a context, a processor that executes the instruction modules, and a control state machine. The control state machine selects one of the instruction modules for execution by the processor according to context information from the electronic network. The control state machine includes a switch address generator, a return address register, and a program counter select. The switch address generator outputs a switch address, which is an address for a first instruction for a selected-context instruction module. The return address register stores a return address, which is an address of a next consecutive instruction, when an instruction module is interrupted for a context switch.

Abstract: A system and method for performing a hierarchical remote query in an electronic network comprises a local registry that classifies remote registries into discrete categories based upon the relative capability of their host devices. The local registry then broadcasts a remote query to the discrete categories of remote registries in a hierarchical sequence. The present invention thus propagates the remote query in a sequence that produces optimal likelihood of a successful remote query reply, while simultaneously conserving network resources and minimizing messaging traffic across the electronic network.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a system and method for flexibly distributing timing signals. Timing signals may require varying delays when connected, via circuit paths of varying propagation delays, to multiple circuit elements in order to preserve circuit synchronization. In one embodiment of the present invention, multiple clock signal generators are programmed to produce clock signals of differing time delays. This programming may be accomplished after the design and fabrication of the circuits utilizing the clock signals. These clock signals are then distributed, via circuit paths of varying propagation delays, to the multiple circuit elements.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a system and method for speech verification using a confidence measure that includes a speech verifier which compares a differential score for a recognized word to a predetermined threshold value, where a recognized word is the word model that produced the highest recognition score. In one embodiment, a single threshold is used for each word in a vocabulary. In another embodiment, each word model has an associated threshold, so that a differential score for a recognized word is compared to a unique threshold associated with that word. In a further embodiment, pairs of confused words in the vocabulary are dealt with separately. If a confused word is the recognized word, the speech verifier compares the differential score to a threshold that depends on the word model that produced the next-highest recognition score. Different values for the various thresholds may maximize rejection accuracy or recognition accuracy.

Abstract: A system and method for effectively performing isochronous data transfers comprises a network device including an input/output (I/O) bus that is coupled to an input/output (I/O) node and an isochronous-capable network interface. The network interface and the I/O node may send requests to an arbiter for control of the I/O bus to perform a data transfer operation. In accordance with the present invention, an arbiter filter is interposed between the arbiter and both the network interface and the I/O node to filter respective requests for control of the I/O bus. The network interface advantageously provides an isochronous request to the arbiter filter to thereby de-assert conflicting requests so that the network interface may effectively perform a time-sensitive isochronous data transfer.

Abstract: A system and method for effectively performing physical direct memory access operations comprises a target device with a direct memory access engine that analyzes headers of transfer packets to determine how to successfully perform the physical direct memory access operations. The direct memory access engine includes a notifier module that analyzes notification enable fields from the headers to determine when to provide notifications regarding the occurrence of physical direct memory access operations to device software of the target device.

Abstract: A method for implementing scheduling mechanisms with selectable resource modes comprises at least one resource characterization set that includes a plurality of resource characterizations that each have resource requirements for executing a requested process. The plurality of resource characterizations may include a most mode, a best mode, and a worst mode. An allocation manager may then select a resource mode, and compare the corresponding resource requirements for the requested process to the currently-available device resources. The allocation manager may then authorize or deny the requested process depending upon whether the currently-available resources are sufficient to adequately service the resource requirements of the requested process.

Abstract: A system for providing deterministic performance from a non-deterministic device comprises one or more nodes that perform isochronous and/or non-isochronous data transfer operations onto an input/output bus of an electronic device. A bandwidth manager preferably programs a deterministic interface with a maximum data value that is selected to prevent non-isochronous conflicts for control of the input/output bus to thereby permit successfully execution of deterministically-scheduled isochronous data transfers. The deterministic interface preferably may interrupt a non-isochronous data transfer operation whenever a data-unit total from transferred data equals the corresponding programmed maximum data value. An interrupted node may then attempt to complete the non-isochronous data transfer operation in subsequent isochronous cycles.

Abstract: The invention comprises an efficient system and method for performing the modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) in support of time-domain aliasing cancellation (TDAC) perceptive encoding compression of digital audio. In one embodiment, an AC-3 encoder performs a required time-domain to frequency-domain transformation via a MDCT. The AC-3 specification presents a non-optimized equation for calculating the MDCT. In one embodiment of the present invention, an MDCT transformer is utilized which produces the same results as carrying out the calculations directly as in the AC-3 equation, but requires substantially lower computational resources. Because the TDAC scheme requires MDCT calculations on differing block sizes, called the long and short blocks, one embodiment of the present invention utilizes complex-valued premultiplication and postmultiplication steps which prepare and arrange the data samples so that both the long and short block transforms may be computed with a computationally efficient FFT.

Abstract: A system and method for encoding read-only information comprises a storage medium, a plurality of position marks disposed on the storage medium, and a light beam directed towards the position marks to produce a reflection of the light beam from the position marks. The position marks are configured such that the reflection of the light beam is not responsive to a plane of polarization of the light beam. In one embodiment, the position marks comprise rows of substantially circular pits. The dimensions of the substantially circular pits depend on a wavelength of the light beam and a numerical aperture of a lens that directs the light beam towards the position marks.

Abstract: A system and method for effectively implementing fixed masking thresholds in an audio encoder device comprises a filter bank for filtering source audio data to produce frequency sub-bands, a lookup table for storing masking threshold corresponding to the frequency sub-bands, and a bit allocator for using the masking thresholds to identify and discard masked audio data to thereby reduce the total amount of audio data that requires processing.