Abstract: A system and method for placing reference locators on a streaming video image taken from a camera mounted on a vehicle. Sensors monitoring the camera field of view and direction of the optical axis along with sensors monitoring the vehicle's position are used to generate a video overlay having various indicia. The calculated positions of the indicia may be compared to the position of landmarks taken from the video image to compensate for any inaccuracies in the calculated position taken from the various sensors.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating on a network having multiple radios by substantially simultaneously transmitting a beacon signal from the radios. A broadcast signal is received substantially simultaneously by all of the radios and used to coordinate subsequent beacon signals. The broadcast signal may be from another of the same radios, or may be a broadcast signal from a television broadcast, global positioning system broadcast, or any other broadcast designed to reach several radios substantially simultaneously. The radios may normally operate by detecting another transmission and refraining from transmitting until the transmission has ceased. However, while transmitting synchronized beacon signals, the radios may broadcast simultaneously.

Abstract: A network-connected device may receive specific software configuration settings based on geophysical location information known about the device. The geophysical location information may come from a global positioning system (GPS) receiver or any other mechanism for determining a location for the device. The software settings may be stored in a volatile memory so that when the device is disconnected from a power source, it does not contain the specific settings required for the device to operate. In another embodiment, localization settings to meet regulatory requirements or other local configuration may be downloaded to the device based on the geophysical location information.

Abstract: A rotary machine may have multiple stations that have a linear motion operated by a cam and a rotational motion operated by individual motors mounted on each station. Each station may perform a motion profile that is proportional to the machine's central axis rotation or, in some cases, independent of the central axis rotation. In some embodiments, each station may rotate to orient a part prior to processing. In one embodiment, the cam driven linear motion may enable a station to lower for loading and unloading, then raise for processing. The rotary machine may have various mechanisms at each station for processing a part. One such embodiment is a rotary machine that may be outfitted with compound dispensing mechanisms at each station.

Abstract: A document classifier may analyze documents for a search engine and tag the documents. A document classifier system may have several different classifiers, each with a separate algorithm for classification. Some of the data classifiers may learn or change the classification over time with a feedback loop. As those classifiers are modified, updated, replaced, or added, the documents that have already been classified by the classifier may be re-examined to update their classification. The document classifier system may maintain a database of documents with a timestamp that the document was classified that may be used to identify those documents whose classifications may be out of date.

Abstract: Add-on functions to a software application are made through a single dynamic linked library (‘DLL’). After discovering, authenticating, and loading the DLL, the application may inspect the DLL to determine if it contains a function of a predetermined type. If the type is discovered, an object of the type may be instantiated and called. The inspection may evaluate metadata within the DLL to determine the precise characteristics of the function and compare the function to a predetermined type. Based on the authentication as well as the internal inspection of the DLL, extensions to existing software applications may be easily distributed and readily installed in an atomic fashion.

Abstract: A computer system may manage objects in memory to consolidate less frequently accessed objects into memory regions that may be operated in a low power state where the access times may increase for the memory objects. By operating at least some of the memory regions in a low power state, significant power savings can be realized. The computer system may have several memory regions that may be independently controlled and may move memory objects to various memory regions in order to optimize power consumption. In some embodiments, an operation system level function may manage memory objects based on parameters gathered from usage history, memory topology and performance, and input from applications.

Abstract: A bookmark file is stored in persistent storage and is updated as various tasks are completed during an installation process. The bookmark file may be read when an installation process is started so that the installation process may continue from a point after the last successfully completed task, if the installation process had failed and was restarted. The bookmark file may also include data collected from a user interface during the installation process. When an installation process is restarted, some embodiments may present the data in a user interface for the user to modify. The installation process may be defined in a configuration file that includes metadata that defines the sequence of installation tasks as well as some error handling for various tasks.

Abstract: A thin provisioned storage system may have a file system manager that presents a logical storage system to a user and a storage management system that manages physical storage devices. When a block of data is freed at the logical layer, the file system manager may identify the freed block and send a command to the physical layer. The physical layer may identify the corresponding physical block or blocks and free those blocks on the physical layer. The storage management system may use a table to manage the location of blocks of data across multiple physical storage devices.

Abstract: A user interface may be generated from an XML schema. For a data object definition in an XML schema, a user interface object may be defined, and a memory store for the data object may be created and bound to the user interface object. The user interface component may be defined in the XML schema, as a separate file, or within an XML document. A user interface object may be selected based on the data type, and various limits and display mechanisms and input devices may be configured based on the schema. When bound, the data stored in the memory store may be reflected in the user interface component, and changes to the user interface component may be reflected in the memory store.

Abstract: A URL reputation system may have a reputation server and a client device with a cache of reputation information. A URL reputation query from the client to the server may return reputation data along with probabilistic set membership information for several variants of the requested URL. The client may use the probabilistic set membership information to determine if the reputation server has additional information for another related URL as well as whether the classifications are inheritable from one of the variants. If the probabilistic set membership determines that the reputation server may have additional information, a query may be made to the reputation server, otherwise the reputation may be inferred from the data stored in the cache.

Abstract: A timer service uses a single timer function to perform timing services for both relative and absolute timers. The first timers from a sorted array of absolute timers and relative timers are used in a function that will return when the earliest absolute timer expires or will timeout when the earliest relative timer expires. The timer function may be interrupted when a new timer is added to one of the arrays. The function will operate in a predictable and consistent manner, even when a system clock is adjusted.

Abstract: A rating mechanism may calculate a rating based on a user's effort and duration of input to an input mechanism. The more effort and time a user exerts, the more extreme the rating. In one embodiment, a mobile telephone may have a wheel, slider, or other mechanism that may change a rating based on how fast and how long a user may activate the input mechanism. In another embodiment, the rating may be based on how furiously an accelerometer within a device is activated, such as by shaking the device repeatedly.

Abstract: A web application for managing multiple matters may have an email interface that may be used to update status items as well as upload and categorize documents. The web application may authenticate the source of the information, and may apply the various input received via email to an appropriate matter. The email interface may generate email queries for users, and the queries may include various identifiers that may be used to apply a response to the appropriate matter. The email interface may allow a user to create new matters or activities within matters. An email's subject line, contents, attachments, or other information may be analyzed.

Abstract: A configuration and change management system may have installation and configuration processes that include a discovery mechanism for discovering incomplete installations or configuration changes, a cleanup mechanism for placing the system in a state to continue, an installation or configuration mechanism, and a rollback mechanism for rolling back to a defined restore point if a problem is detected. The configuration and change management system may be used for initial installation, as well as configuration changes after installation. The system may be used in a multiple server environment with interdependencies between devices, as well as a multiple services environment with interdependencies between applications and services, including services provided over the Internet.

Abstract: A network having multiple radios transmits a beacon signal from several radios substantially simultaneously. One embodiment includes a network having a communications backbone that connects several radio transceivers. Another embodiment includes a single station having multiple radio transceivers, which may or may not have directional antennas. Various methods for synchronizing the beacon signals may be used, including transmitting a heartbeat signal along the network so that the beacon signals are broadcast substantially simultaneously.

Abstract: A favorite channel list for a media system is generated by observing the viewing, surfing, and recording habits of a user. The viewing habits may include the duration and frequency of viewing a channel. A user's surfing habits, including navigation habits of a guide, the method used for navigation to a channel, and information queries made during a surfing session may be used to determine which channels may be added to a favorites list. When the user has an ability to record a program and view the program later, the user's behavior in selecting programs for recording, and the behaviors of playing back and archiving recorded shows may also be used to identify favorite channels. In some embodiments, the favorites list may be customized for a user or node of a playback system, as well as time of day.

Abstract: Just in time compiled code and other data within a runtime environment may be shared between multiple applications by identifying common data objects and allowing two or more applications to access the data objects. While at least one application is accessing the objects, the objects may remain in memory. When all applications have stopped accessing an object, the object may be removed from memory. One embodiment may use a server process to manage various operations to facilitate sharing between various applications, such as identifying objects that may be removed from memory and adding newly created data to a database of sharable data.

Abstract: An installation and configuration system consolidates workloads of multiple applications and services, including applications or services that may be installed or configured on multiple server devices or remotely hosted services. The system gathers environmental information, analyzes dependencies among the workloads, and populates the input data used by the workloads from a common database. The system then executes the workloads, allowing branching within the workloads or the sequence of workloads. An example of branching may include detecting an error condition, pausing the sequence, and presenting alternative fixes to a user.