Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of wirelessly receiving a signal, and detecting a start of packet (SOP) from the received signal using at least one SOP detection criterion. In the case an SOP is detected, determining a plurality of metrics from the received signal, and using at least two of the plurality of metrics to determine an initial timing for a received packet. Different versions combine the metrics in different ways to determine the initial timing. The apparatus includes a processing circuit coupled to a radio receiver to determine a plurality of metrics from a wirelessly received signal, and an initial time determining circuit coupled to the SOP detector and the processing circuit. In the case an SOP is detected, the initial time determining circuit uses at least two of the plurality of metrics to determine an initial timing for a received packet.

Abstract: Particular embodiments include a method, an apparatus, and logic embodied in tangible computer-readable medium that when executed carries out a method of encoding an ordered sequence of quantized transform coefficients of a block of image data. One embodiment is a context adaptive variable length coding method that includes position coding the positions of zero-valued and non-zero valued coefficients by either a mixed method that encodes either the run length of zeroes preceding a non-zero coefficient or the run length of nonzero-valued coefficients preceding a zero-valued coefficients. Another includes position coding that uses a variable length code for two parameters respectively indicating the number of zero-valued coefficient positions and nonzero-valued coefficient positions still to be coded.

Abstract: A method, and apparatus, and logic encoded in one or more computer-readable tangible medium to carry out a method. The method is to code an ordered sequence of quantized transform coefficients of a block of image data using a hybrid coding method that includes determining a breakpoint location in the sequence between a low-frequency region and a high-frequency region; coding the low-frequency region using a selected low-frequency variable length coding method; coding the high-frequency region using a selected high-frequency variable length coding method; and coding the location of the breakpoint. The breakpoint location is determined as a function of properties of neighboring blocks such that little if any information needs to be sent to a decoder about the breakpoint of a block or multi-block partition, and the decoder can use the properties of neighboring blocks to determine the breakpoint used to code a to-be-decoded sequence or sequences of a block or a multi-block partition.

Abstract: Coding quantized transform coefficients as occur in image compression combines a position identifying method to identify the relative position of clusters of consecutive non-zero-valued coefficients, an amplitude event identifying method to identify amplitude events in the clusters of non-zero-valued coefficients, and a coding method to code the position events, amplitude events, and signs of the amplitudes in the clusters. The method is particularly applicable to a series of quantized transform coefficients where clusters are likely-to-occur.

Abstract: A method, and apparatus, and logic encoded in one or more computer-readable tangible medium to carry out a method. The method is to code a plurality of ordered sequences of quantized transform coefficients of a corresponding plurality of blocks of image data using a hybrid coding method that includes determining a breakpoint location in the sequence between a low frequency region and a high frequency region; coding the low-frequency region using a selected low-frequency variable length coding method; coding the high-frequency region using a selected high-frequency variable length coding method; and coding the location of the breakpoint. The plurality of blocks include adjacent blocks and form a multi-block partition. The breakpoint location is determined as a function of the sequences of the multi-block partition such that different multi-block partitions can have different breakpoints.

Abstract: A method, and apparatus, and logic encoded in one or more computer-readable tangible medium to carry out a method of determining a breakpoint position in an ordered sequence of quantized transform coefficients of a block of image data for a hybrid variable length coding the ordered sequence. The breakpoint location in the sequence is between a low-frequency region and a high-frequency region. The hybrid variable length coding method includes coding the low-frequency region using a selected low-frequency variable length coding method; coding the high-frequency region using a selected high-frequency variable length coding method; and coding the position in the sequence of the breakpoint. The breakpoint location is determining uses a relatively simple and fast method based on pre-defined cost criteria. A method is included that instead of coding the breakpoint separately, codes the breakpoint jointly with coefficient events.

Abstract: An apparatus embodiment is operative to scale video and includes an input buffer coupled to a real time source of video data and configured to hold a number of lines of video, a horizontal resizer coupled to the input buffer to resize lines of image data, outputting horizontally scaled line(s) to an intermediate buffer configured to store a number of lines. The apparatus has a vertical resizer coupled to the intermediate buffer configured to output vertically and horizontally resized lines of image data. At any given time, some of the lines in the input buffer are scheduled using the DMA controller for replacement via DMA by lines generated by the source of video data, and some or all of the remaining lines in the input buffer are available for processing by the horizontal resizer. A sufficient number of lines are available in the intermediate buffer, such that in operation, the intermediate buffer need not introduce latency.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for determining the location of a pointing device in the vicinity of a set of receivers able to receive one or more locating signals transmitted through a medium. The method includes receiving at a receiver a signal that includes a locating signal and an interfering signal, determining an estimated interference signal indicative of the interfering signal included in the signal received, determining a signal indicative of the difference between the received signal and the estimated interference signal, and using the signal indicative of the difference to compute the location of the pointing device on a surface near the set of receivers. One version uses a separate receiver from which to determine the estimated interference signal, while another version uses the received signal at a time when there is expected to be no locating signal present in order to determine the estimated interference signal. An adaptive filter computes the estimated interference signal.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to encode a series of quantized coefficients of a transform of a block of image data. The transform is such that 0 is the most likely coefficient amplitude and 1 is the next most likely coefficient amplitude. The method includes forming symbols (called events) from the series of quantized transform coefficients. An event is a run of none or more zero-valued coefficients followed by a run of one of a predefined set of sequences, each sequence in the set being either a single coefficient of amplitude greater than one, or a sequence of 1's and 0's starting with a coefficient of amplitude 1. The method includes forming a codeword for each formed event. Relatively short codewords are formed to represent events that are relatively more likely to occur, and relatively long codewords are formed to represent events that are relatively less likely to occur.

Abstract: A method of storing and managing BOMs of different owners in the same environment. One or more BOMs have an owner. An owner's BOM may include confidential information such that unrestricted access to the confidential information is limited to the owner and any designates of the owner. In particular, one embodiment of the invention maintains a list of items that include the items in the BOMs of the different owners. A unique identifier is used for each item of the list. The item identifiers thus form one namespace. BOMs of different owners share data including confidential data within the same namespace.

Abstract: An imaging cylinder includes a clamping device embodiment with a pair of independent adjacent clamping elements, and a method embodiment includes placing end edges of a flexible plate between each of the clamping elements of the clamping device and a surface approximately flush with the outer surface of the cylinder. One or more biasing devices, e.g., springs are used to impart a force onto the placed plate towards the surface approximately flush with outer surface of the cylinder. For each independent clamping element, a crank and lever mechanism or other means to translate rotative motion to approximately rectilinear motion is used to open a space between the clamping element and the outer surface when a rotative force is manually applied to provide for mounting and unmounting an end of a plate.

Abstract: A mesh access point that includes an access point profile storing one ore more parameters in non-volatile memory, and a method of using the mesh access point having the access point profile to select and carry out mutual authentication on a wireless mesh network to establish itself to the mesh network using information in the access point profile, and further to provide services to wireless clients according to information in the access point profile. Access point profiles can be pre-configured/configured/updated suitably in order to adapt the mesh access point in a mesh network according to its capabilities and requirements.

Abstract: A method of forming the integrated circuit. The method includes, in an integrated circuit package, forming each bond to or from an integrated circuit pad that is intended to be an antenna connection to be elongated compared to other bonds, and arranged in an approximately perpendicular direction to the plane of the integrated circuit; encapsulating the top of the integrated circuit package with a dielectric material at a height greater than a desired antenna length; and milling the dielectric encapsulation down to a pre-selected and calibrated height, such that the elongated bond wire to/from the integrated circuit pad that is intended to be an antenna connection is severed, such that the approximately vertical bond wire to/from the integrated circuit pad that is intended to be an antenna connection forms a quarter wave monopole.

Abstract: An apparatus, a method, and a computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon that when executed cause a method to be carried out. The method includes dividing at least a portion of a picture of a video stream into parts of blocks, and processing the parts in parallel by a plurality of interconnected processors. The processing of a respective part by its respective processor includes determining block-level temporal difference features. Each processor also performs coding functions on its respective part of the picture. The method also includes block-level processing using the block-level temporal difference features to determine which blocks in the picture are likely to be that of a face, the block-level processing being at the granularity of at least a block. In one version, the processing in each processor includes edge detection and color segmentation to determine block-level edge features including block-level color-segmented edge features that are then used in the block level processing.

Abstract: An apparatus including a part board having an associated surface or a frame for a surface, such as a whiteboard, that is pre-assembled to include components that when connected to an external module convert the surface to an electronic transcription apparatus. In one version, the components include a set of sensors and electronics therefor, with wiring and a connector.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a method to encode a block in a picture of a time sequence of pictures such as video. The method includes selecting the mode for coding the block, one of the modes being to code the block as skipped. The method further includes limiting the number of consecutive times a particular block is coded as skipped without re-setting the quantization level to a relatively fine level of quantization and re-selecting the mode.

Abstract: Determining the location of a station or potential rogue access point in a wireless network including accepting an ideal path loss model and calibrating the ideal model using path loss measurements between access points at known locations. The calibrating determines a calibrated path loss model between the access points. The method further includes determining path losses between the wireless station of unknown location and at least some of the access points. In the case the wireless station is a client station, the determining includes receiving measurements from the wireless station of unknown location measuring the received signal strengths as a result of respective transmissions from at least some of the access points at known respective transmit powers.

Abstract: A system for securely uploading and downloading data from a client to a remote data storage location under control of a remote application program. The data is stored in encrypted form so that the data server has no access to the data. The data is associated with a bill of material (BOM) and may be accessed by users without providing access to the data space of the client. Also disclosed is a method and computer program so automatically assign access privileges to one or more users of data in a bill of material stored in a shared database such that the step of refining a role for the user for a data item automatically assigns access privileges for the user for the data and other related data items. Also described is linking BOMs to provide peer-to-peer access and views to different users. Also described is a method and software program that provides of propagation of data through the supply chain via one or more bills of materials.

Abstract: A coding method, apparatus, and medium with software encoded thereon to implement a coding method. The coding method includes encoding cluster of consecutive non-zero-valued coefficients, the encoding of a cluster including jointly encoding joint events that each are defined by at least two parameters: the number of zero-valued coefficients preceding the cluster, and the number of non-zero-valued coefficients in the cluster. The encoding of the cluster also includes encoding a parameter indicative of the number of amplitude-1 trailing non-zero-valued coefficients in the cluster, in one version with the parameter indicative of the number of trailing amplitude-1 coefficients part of the joint events such that the coding is according to a 3-dimensional joint variable length coding table. The method further includes encoding the amplitudes of the non-zero-valued coefficients that are not encoded by the joint encoding, e.g., encoding the amplitudes of the other than the trailing amplitude-1 coefficients.

Abstract: A coding method, apparatus, and medium with software encoded thereon to implement a coding method. The coding method includes jointly encoding joint events that each are defined by a cluster of consecutive non-zero-valued coefficients, each joint event defined by three parameters: the number of zero-valued coefficients preceding the cluster, the number of non-zero-valued coefficients in the cluster, and an indication of which trailing coefficients up to a maximum number of M trailing coefficients have amplitude greater than 1, with the coding using a 3-dimensional joint VLC table. The method further includes encoding the amplitude of the non-zero-valued trailing coefficients that have amplitude greater than 1 encoding the amplitude of any remaining non-zero-valued coefficients in the clusters that have more than M non-zero-valued coefficients.