Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and system for protecting privacy by generating artificial contextual data. The system collects real contextual data related to a user. The system then generates artificial contextual data, based on the collected real contextual data. The system also groups the generated contextual data into one or more groups. Each group of contextual data corresponds to a persona that can be presented as the user's persona. Subsequently, the system transmits the generated contextual data to an entity, thereby allowing the user to obscure the real contextual data related to the user.

Abstract: A log structured content addressable deduplicated data storage system may be used to store deduplicated data. Data to be stored is partitioned into data segments. Each unique data segment is associated with a label. The storage system maintains a transaction log. Mutating storage operations are initiated by storing transaction records in the transaction log. Additional transaction records are stored in the log when storage operations are completed. Upon restarting an embodiment of the data storage system, the transaction records from the transaction logs are replayed to recreate the state of the data storage system. The data storage system updates file system metadata with transaction information while a storage operation associated with the file is being processed. This transaction information serves as atomically updated transaction commit points, allowing fully internally consistent snapshots of deduplicated volumes to be taken at any time.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide techniques and systems for improving the efficiency of area recovery in an electronic design automation (EDA) flow. During operation, the system determines a utilization of a region from a set of regions in a design floorplan. Next, the system performs area recovery (e.g., by using a processor) on the region based at least on the utilization. Specifically, the system can overlay the design floorplan with a grid, wherein the grid comprises a set of grid cells and uses the grid cells as the set of regions. The grid can be associated with a predetermined number of rows and a predetermined number of columns. The system can determine the utilization of the region by calculating the utilization as a cell area of the region divided by a placement area of the region. The utilization can be incrementally calculated during the creation and optimization of the design.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preserving contents of a volatile memory when a main (e.g., AC) power source is disconnected. The apparatus comprises flash memory, a controller for writing to the flash memory and a temporary power source. The temporary power source may be a relatively low power battery or supercapacitor. The apparatus is removably attached to a computing device (e.g., via a USB port). When main power of the device is disconnected, the temporary power source provides power for the apparatus, the volatile memory containing data to be safeguarded, and sufficient processing resources to transfer the data. For example, an auxiliary processor may be powered (instead of a relatively high-power processor) or just one core of a multi-core processor. Data are written to the apparatus and can be recovered when main power is reconnected. Or, the apparatus may be detached and attached to a different device for data recovery.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program apparatus, implementing techniques for publishing, subscribing to, or playing live appliances. A live appliance includes a current virtual machine image. In publishing, a proxy file of a live appliance file type is provided to the publisher. The type is mapped to a live appliance player; so that when a proxy file is opened, the current virtual machine image is run. The player automatically binds a writeable file system external to the virtual machine image to the image to provide file storage that is accessible from within the virtual machine image and from a host operating system. The player also creates a subscription to the live appliance on the host computer if one does not exist when the proxy file is run. With the subscription, the player runs the then-current virtual machine image whenever the live appliance is run.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and computer-program products are disclosed for automatically interfacing a first physical environment and a second physical environment to a virtual world model where some avatar controller piloting commands are automatically issued by a virtual world client to a virtual world server responsive to the focus of the avatar controller.

Abstract: An optical switch is described that includes two optical waveguides, which are defined in a semiconductor layer, positioned proximate to an intermediate component, such as a micro-resonator or a directional coupler. Material underneath a portion of either or both optical waveguides is removed so that the portion of either or both optical waveguides is free standing, and a group of electrodes is proximate to the free-standing portion of either or both optical waveguides. During operation of the optical switch, a spacing-control circuit applies an electrical signal to the group of electrodes. An electrostatic force associated with the electrical signal modifies a spacing between the free-standing portion of either or both optical waveguides and the intermediate component, thereby substantially increasing optical coupling between either or both optical waveguides and the intermediate component to convey a broadband optical signal between the optical waveguides.

Abstract: A system that determines whether a data element exists within a set of data elements observed from a stream of data. During operation, the system receives a query which seeks to determine whether the data element exists within a set of data elements observed from a stream of data. In response to the query, the system performs a lookup in an enhanced Bloom filter to determine whether the pattern of data elements was observed in the stream of data, wherein the enhanced Bloom filter includes multiple instances of a Bloom filter, and wherein each instance of the Bloom filter is associated with a different time interval. If so, the system generates a notification that the data element was observed.

Abstract: A system that determines whether a pattern of data elements was observed in a stream of data. During operation, the system receives a query which seeks to determine whether the pattern of data elements was observed in the stream of data. In response to the query, the system performs a number of lookups in an enhanced Bloom filter to determine whether the pattern of data elements was observed in the stream of data, wherein the enhanced Bloom filter includes multiple instances of a Bloom filter, and wherein each instance of the Bloom filter is associated with a different time interval. If so, the system generates a notification that the pattern of data elements was observed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for establishing a split-terminated client-server communication connection through a stateful firewall, with network transparency. In an environment in which a pair of network intermediaries is employed to optimize client-server communications, a first intermediary intercepts a client request for a new connection. The first intermediary probes the network for a counterpart near the server, and opens an optimized communication session with a second intermediary that responds affirmatively. Some or all client-server communications that transit the intermediaries' session are accelerated or otherwise optimized. The first intermediary's probe uses the client's source address, but a different port number, while the optimized intermediary session is opened using the client's source address and source port. Therefore, a network monitoring tool can monitor the end-to-end connection, and the stateful firewall will not reject the optimized session.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system that analyzes telemetry data from a computer system. During operation, the system obtains the telemetry data as a set of telemetric signals from the computer system and validates the telemetric signals using a nonlinear, nonparametric regression technique. Next, the system assesses the integrity of a power supply unit (PSU) in the computer system by comparing the telemetric signals to one or more reference telemetric signals associated with the computer system. If the assessed integrity falls below a threshold, the system performs a remedial action for the computer system.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that can be reconfigured to provide error detection and correction after a failure of a memory component in a memory system. During operation, the system accesses a block of data from the memory system, wherein each block of data in the memory system includes an array of bits logically organized into R rows and C columns, including two checkbit columns containing checkbits, and C?2 data-bit columns containing data bits, wherein each column is stored in a different memory component, and wherein the checkbits are generated from the data bits to provide block-level detection and correction for a failed memory component. Next, upon examining the block of data, the system determines that a specific memory component in the memory system has failed.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a system that constructs and calibrates an etch-aware photolithography model. During operation, the system constructs an etch bias model which models a critical dimension (CD) difference between a measured CD value of a feature after the photolithography process and a measured CD value of the feature after the etch process. The system then fits the photolithography process model based at least on the post-lithography measured CD data and the etch bias model, thereby causing the photolithography process model to be aware of etch effects. The present techniques facilitate bridging the gap between the photolithography and the etch process in the OPC modeling flow. In particular, these techniques can be used to modify conventional staged OPC model or to construct a model based rule table for correcting a retarget model.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that characterizes a computer system parameter by analyzing a target electromagnetic signal radiating from the computer system. First, the system monitors the target electromagnetic signal using a first directional antenna located outside of the computer system, wherein the first directional antenna is directed at a location inside the computer system. The system also monitors the target electromagnetic signal using a second directional antenna located outside of the computer system, wherein a receiving axis of the second antenna is oriented non-parallel to a receiving axis of the first antenna, and wherein the second directional antenna is directed at the location inside the computer system. Next, the system characterizes the computer system parameter based on the target electromagnetic signal received from the first antenna and the target electromagnetic signal received from the second antenna.

Abstract: Multi-voltage circuit design verification segregates design elements into iso-voltage-rail blocks. Information on cross-over connections between the iso-voltage-rail blocks is obtained. Voltage effects are simulated in the circuit design, and, based on the cross-over information, the simulation results are modified. This yields more accurate results of simulations for multi-voltage circuit designs.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that routes nets over circuit blocks in a hierarchical circuit design. During operation, the system can receive a set of circuit blocks. At least some terminals of the circuit blocks may be desired to be electrically linked together using a net which is expected to be routed over one or more circuit blocks. The system may divide an area associated with a block (e.g., an area in a metal layer which is situated above the block) into a set of tiles. Next, the system may assign costs to at least some of the tiles in the set of tiles. The system can then use the costs during routing. Note that using the costs of the tiles during routing makes it more likely that buffers can be used wherever required to meet slew and timing requirements.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that estimates the location of the leading zero or the leading one in the result of an addition of floating-point numbers A and B. The system includes a half-adder circuit associated with each separate bit position i in A and B. The half-adder circuits compute a sum (S) for the associated bit position of A and B and a carry (K) for a next bit position of A and B. The system also includes a set of estimation circuits coupled to the set of half-adder circuits. The set of estimation circuits computes an estimate for the location of the leading zero or the leading one in the result from the K and S computed by each half-adder circuit.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system that analyzes telemetry data from a monitored system. During operation, the system obtains the telemetry data as a set of telemetric signals from the monitored system and groups the telemetry data into one or more clusters of correlated telemetric signals from the telemetric signals. Next, the system increases a bandwidth associated with monitoring the telemetric signals. To increase the bandwidth, the system omits one or more of the correlated telemetric signals from each of the clusters during sampling of the telemetric signals and estimates the omitted correlated telemetric signals by applying a nonlinear, nonparametric regression technique to the sampled telemetric signals.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a system that calibrates a photolithography process model. During operation, the system receives a process model which models a photolithography process. The system further receives measured critical dimension (CD) values for a first set of features that were printed by applying the photolithography process to a layout. The system then calibrates the process model using the measured CD values so that CD values predicted by the process model substantially match the measured CD values, and depth of focus (DOF) values predicted by the process model for a second set of features are substantially maximized.

Abstract: XACML (eXtensible Access Control Markup Language) documents, PolicySets and Policies can become long, complex and difficult to completely comprehend. A method is provided for facilitating analysis of such code to make it easier to answer questions such as: Given a particular set of Attribute values (and/or others unknown as of now), what is permitted or denied; are any of the rules redundant; are any of the rules inconsistent; for any pair of policies in the code, what set of Attributes will they both return Permit; how can a policy be refactored into an equivalent set of policies in which each branch of the policy tree pertains to specific values of specified Attributes? To facilitate such analysis and refactoring, every Rule in the collection of policies being analyzed is reduced to an equivalent expression in DNF (Disjunctive Normal Form). Some terms, predicates and other elements may be eliminated.