Abstract: A visual browsing method allows a user to look at an item closely by hovering over, instead of clicking on, an icon representing the item. The method also enables the user to browse items in different levels of a multiple level category without waiting for web pages to be loaded, to know where he/she has been in the multiple level category, and to back up if he/she likes. The method makes the browsing process faster and easier.

Abstract: A lock manager system is provided that includes multiple distinct mechanisms for assigning resources to masters. Specifically, the lock manager system includes (1) one or more assignment mechanisms that do not take into account the affinity between nodes and objects (“affinity-independent assignment mechanisms”), and (3) one or more assignment mechanisms that do take into account the affinity between nodes and objects (“affinity-based assignment mechanisms”). At any given time, the assignment of any given resource to a master is governed by only one of the multiple assignment mechanisms employed by the system. Various techniques are described for determining which assignment mechanism to use with which resources.

Abstract: In one embodiment, first input that specifies a market instrument is received. Second input that specifies one or more parameters for one or more date set computers associated with the market instrument is received. A first time series is received from a data repository, where the first time series is a sequence of data values associated with the market instrument. A set of time periods is extracted by applying the one or more date set computers based on the one or more parameters and the first time series. The set of time periods is displayed overlaid on a graphical representation of the first time series in a graphical user interface.

Abstract: An audio system communicates with an aggregate device that includes multiple audio devices. When providing audio data for playback, the system compensates for presentation latency differences between the various audio devices. In addition, the system adjusts for device clock drift by selecting a master device and resampling the audio data provided to the other devices based on the difference between the device clock of the master device and the device clocks of the other devices.

Abstract: A method of fitting text comprising characters belonging to a character set into a text area wherein the text is rendered in a font and at a font size estimates a total width of the text based on at least a representative width associated with the character set, font and font size, identifies a horizontal truncation boundary based on at least the estimated width and the width of the text area, identifies a vertical truncation boundary based on at least the estimated width, text area, horizontal truncation boundary, and a representative height associated with the character set, font and font size, wraps the text at the horizontal truncation boundary, and truncates the text at the vertical truncation boundary.

Abstract: In a conditional access system, a headend transmits content to one or more receivers in encrypted transport streams. The system provides a multi-layer security architecture, rendering the system resistant to key replay attacks; if one layer is circumvented, subsequent layers remain intact. A first layer prevents unencrypted keys from being recorded by shielding the unencrypted keys from users and encrypting the path from the receiver's conditional access module to the transport decryption module; a second layer prevents a key recorded on one receiver from being played back to the transport decryption module on a second receiver; a third layer prevents a user from decrypting transport streams without the encryption module by encrypting the stream a second time prior to being passed through any user-accessible memory or processor. Event tables are transmitted with the transport stream, either unencrypted for immediate use or encrypted, to prevent unauthorized use.

Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques for navigating a network based on audio input to retrieve information from a network. A user enters audio commands into a two-way communication device to access information located on a network, such as the Internet. For example, a user enters a voice request for a web page into a telephone, which sends the request to a proxy browser for the World Wide Web which in turn provides the request to a web navigation application executing on an application server. The web navigation application generates a text-based request based on the voice request and retrieves a web page from the World Wide Web based on the text-based request. The web navigation application uses a script or an XML page to generate a file suitable for audio output from the retrieved web page.

Abstract: A community translation service device for providing a translation service to a community of at least one source device is arranged to receive data traffic from a source device in the community. The traffic includes a native data session identifier and, as a source identifier, a source device identifier. The community translation service device comprises a translation component and a database for storing a pool of assigned data session identifiers associated with the source device. The translation component is arranged to translate the native data session identifier to an assigned data session identifier associated with the source device, the community translation service device further being arranged to forward the data traffic including the assigned data session identifier as data session source device information to a service aggregation device.

Abstract: A system and method for personalized search ranking may use a user's feedback to immediately reorder search results for this particular user so as to improve click-through rate. Upon receiving a query including one or more words, a search engine may identify a list of search results and display the search results on a search result page. A machine-learning module may collect information about a user's browsing activities on the result page, update estimates of relevance of the search results, and reorder the search result list to personalize it for the user.

Abstract: An approach is provided for securely printing electronic documents using a portable media. The approach is applicable to a wide variety of contexts and implementations and includes secure direct printing of electronic documents, secure direct printing of electronic documents with remote user authentication and secure printing of electronic documents with remote data management. The particular information provided on the portable media varies, depending upon the implementation. Furthermore, the approach provides varying degrees of security and may be used in conjunction with conventional printing of electronic documents.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for customizing a graphical user interface on a multifunction peripheral is provided. User interface specification data is transmitted from a device to the multifunction peripheral. User interface specification data defines a desired display and operation behavior for the user interface. Result data is received at the device from the multifunction peripheral. Result data defines whether the user interface was updated to reflect the user interface specification data. Other aspects provide for copying the graphical user interface from a source multifunction peripheral to a destination multifunction peripheral, scheduling a point in time to update one or more graphical user interfaces to reflect the user interface specification data, and establishing a number of uses to apply the user interface specification data to the one or more user interfaces.

Abstract: An approach for providing efficient network data transfer service is provided. In one embodiment, a first database server receives, from a second database server, a first request to access a first storage subsystem. Here, the second database server cannot access first data in the first storage subsystem without another database server transmitting the first data to the second database server. In response, the first database server provides the second database server a first set of access primitives. Using the first set of access primitives, the second database server may access data stored in the first storage subsystem that may be otherwise not accessible. As a result, the first database server receives, from the second database server, a first data access request to access first data stored in the first storage subsystem.

Abstract: An approach is provided for securely printing electronic documents using a portable media. The approach is applicable to a wide variety of contexts and implementations and includes secure direct printing of electronic documents, secure direct printing of electronic documents with remote user authentication and secure printing of electronic documents with remote data management. The particular information provided on the portable media varies, depending upon the implementation. Furthermore, the approach provides varying degrees of security and may be used in conjunction with conventional printing of electronic documents.

Abstract: Techniques for determining scale factor values when encoding audio data are described. According to one technique, a particular scale factor value (SFV) is estimated using an audio quality estimator function that is non-linear. After a certain point, a decrease in noise results in a smaller increase in audio quality. According to another technique, an initial SFV is estimated for each scale factor band (SFB). When estimating the cost of transitioning from one SFB to another, only a proper subset of possible SFVs are considered. The proper subset is based, at least in part, on the initial SFV.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a data processing system comprises a repository configured to store a plurality of event message definitions for error messages, syslog messages, or other notification messages that may be emitted by one or more managed network elements; event annotation logic coupled to the data repository and configured to receive and store one or more annotations to each of the event message definitions, wherein each of the annotations specifies event context information to be collected in the managed network elements when an associated event message occurs; event forensics definitions generator logic coupled to the event annotation logic and configured to generate an event forensics definitions file capable of interpretation by one or more managed network elements and comprising event type identifiers and context information identifiers for context information to be collected, and configured to cause distributing the event forensics definitions file to the one or more managed network elements.

Abstract: A dual tip test probe assembly for use in both cantilever and vertical probe applications includes first and second elongated test probes, each having a body portion and a tip portion with a tip configured to make contact with a device under test. An electrically-insulating material is disposed between but not in contact with the body portions of the first and second elongated test probes to electrically isolate the first and second elongated test probes. The first and second elongated test probes are held in alignment with respect to each other so that the tip of the first elongated test probe is adjacent to and not in contact with the tip of the second elongated test probe for making simultaneous contact with the device under test. The dual tip test probe assembly provides a low inductance and a small, stable footprint for testing small and/or non-flat test points.

Abstract: A wireless communications apparatus that it is useable as a spectrum analyzer and as a wireless receiver. The wireless communications apparatus has a radio circuit that is configured to receive EM radiation. Signal processing logic receives signals from the radio circuit based on the EM radiation. The signal processing logic has a receiver operational mode that processes the signals in accordance with a communication protocol and outputs data encoded in the signals to a host processor. The signal processing logic has a spectrum analyzer operational mode that generates frequency domain data and passes the frequency domain data to the host processor. The frequency domain data describe strength versus frequency of the EM radiation. The host processes the data in accordance with the configuration currently in use. Therefore, the wireless communications apparatus operates as a receiver in one operational mode and as a real-time spectrum analyzer in another operational mode.

Abstract: An approach for selecting communications channels to be used by a communication system includes evaluating for the presence of one or more signals both a particular communications channel currently being used by the communication system and one or more other communications channels. For the particular communications channel currently being used by the communication system, signals that use a different communications protocol than the communication system are evaluated. For the one or more other communications channels, both signals that use the same communications protocol as the communication system and signals that use a different communications protocol than the communication system are evaluated. The approach may include the use of metrics and classification of device types to determine one or more communications channels to be used by the communication system.

Abstract: A system verifies configuration of a device within a network via an exchange of verification credentials, which are requested, received and authenticated. The verification credentials indicate that a configuration of the device was acceptable at the time of creation of the verification credentials for that device. The verification credentials of the device are obtained through a certifying process. During the certifying process, the credential certifier receives a current device configuration of the device in the network, and evaluates the current device configuration of a device with respect to its role within a network. The verification credentials are issued to the requesting device and stored within a database. The device submits its verification credentials if being requested by the other peer it's communicating with when it enters the network. It also monitors the current device configuration and if there are changes, it invalidates the existing certification credentials and requests new one.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing database system workload and replaying that workload in a database system is provided. According to one aspect, in order to subject a test database system to the same workload to which the production database system actually would be subjected, a database server in the production system captures and records workload that the database server receives from external entities. This captured workload is processed. Processes external to a database server in the test database system send the processed workload to that database server. As a result, the test database system is subjected to the same workload to which the production database system originally was subjected. The foregoing technique permits a database administrator to determine how the production database system will fare if the difference that is present in the test database system is introduced into the production database system.