Patents Examined by Kris Rhu
  • Patent number: 8209452
    Abstract: An external device includes a bridge and a storage device. The bridge is connected to a host according to a first data transmission interface so as to convert data of the host from the first data transmission interface to a second data transmission interface. The bridge includes a memory unit and a control unit. The memory unit stores a virtual device datum. The control unit generates a virtual storage device in the host according to the virtual device datum. The storage device is connected to the bridge for storing the data of the host according to the second data transmission interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Prolific Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Liang-Chun Lin, Cheng-Sheng Chan
  • Patent number: 8190784
    Abstract: An in-band protocol transport carries command-response protocol communications between first and second functional components of a storage input/output (I/O) interface stack, for example to control encryption-related processing of storage I/O commands. A storage read command used as a protocol transport message has protocol data in a read data buffer, and predetermined read address information, such as a prime-numbered starting block address and a small, odd-valued length value, unlikely to occur in normal (non-transport) storage read commands. The second functional component determines that the storage read command contains the predetermined read address information, indicating that the storage read command is a protocol transport message rather than a normal read. For greater confidence, it also determines that the protocol data in the read data buffer includes protocol identification data such as a protocol signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Helen S. Raizen, Michael E. Bappe, Edith Epstein, Atul Kabra, Cesareo Contreras, Xunce Zhou
  • Patent number: 8185675
    Abstract: An interface system which is adapted to a portable device is provided. The interface system includes a control chip, a first peripheral device, an external interface port, a first, a second, a third bus driver and a control unit. The control chip provides at least a first and a second interface port. The first bus driver has a first, a second input port and an output port. The first bus driver is used to interface the first input port with the output port or interface the second input port with the output port according to a first control signal. The second bus driver is used to interface the first interface port with the external interface port or interface the output port with the external interface port according to a second control signal. The third bus driver is used to interface the first peripheral device with the second input port or interface the second interface port with the first peripheral device according to the first control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Wistron Corp.
    Inventor: Ming-Xing Ji
  • Patent number: 8176210
    Abstract: A method of invoking a set of services corresponding to a plug-in application installed on an image handling device. The method including launching a host application of the image handling device, accessing a configuration file of the image handling device, the configuration file including an identification of at least one plug-in and a corresponding set of services, launching the identified at least one plug-in, the plug-in providing the corresponding set of service in an integral fashion to the host application and presenting a unified graphical interface including host application services and the corresponding set of service of the plug-in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Ricoh Americas Corporation
    Inventors: Weiyun Tang, Hiroshi Kitada, Li Li
  • Patent number: 8151020
    Abstract: A storage subsystem includes a variable-size write buffer that temporarily stores write data received from a host system. The storage subsystem is capable of adjusting the size of the write buffer so as to vary both the performance (e.g., sustained write speed) of the storage subsystem and a risk of data loss. In one embodiment, the storage subsystem implements a command set that enables the host system to directly control the size of the write buffer. The storage subsystem may additionally or alternatively be capable of adjusting the size of the write buffer based on monitored operating conditions, such as the temperature, the stability/consistency of a power signal received from the host system, and/or the elapsed time since the storage subsystem was last powered up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: SiliconSystems, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Merry, Jr., Mark S. Diggs
  • Patent number: 8135872
    Abstract: A USB controller and a testing method of the USB controller are disclosed. The USB controller includes a sequence control unit for outputting a transmitting enable signal and a receiving enable signal, and for controlling a sequence of transmission and reception of data based on the transmitting enable signal and the receiving enable signal; a driver unit for transmitting data; a receiver unit for receiving data; a register for setting up a test mode wherein a loop-back test of the USB controller is performed; and a switching unit for providing one of the transmitting enable signal to the receiver unit and the receiving enable signal to the driver unit, if the test mode is set up in the register; wherein the loop-back test is performed if the test mode is set up in the register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 8122168
    Abstract: A method and a system for implementing concurrent producer-consumer buffers are provided. The method and system in one aspect uses separate locks, one for putter and another for taker threads operating on a concurrent producer-consumer buffer. The locks operate independently of a notify-wait process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Surya V Duggirala, Maged M Michael, Christoph Von Praun
  • Patent number: 8117349
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a setting unit configured to set a set value group; an executing unit configured to execute a function using the set value group; a history storing unit configured to store history information including the set value group having been used in an execution of the function; a displaying unit configured to display the history information and an operation image corresponding to an operating portion; a specifying unit configured to specify history information and operation image designated by the user; and an assigning unit configured to assign a set value group corresponding to the specified history information to the operating portion corresponding to the specified operation image specified. When a predetermined operation is carried out for the operating portion corresponding to the operation image, the setting unit sets the set value group assigned to the operating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akikazu Murata, Hirofumi Oguri
  • Patent number: 8103806
    Abstract: A circuit capable of reading an input from a device on one pin of an integrated circuit package during one time period and either writing data to another device or reading an input from the other device through the same pin during another time period. In one exemplary implementation in which the one pin is used to write data to the other device, the circuit may sense when data is not being written and change the function of the one pin from that of an output pin to that of an input pin until such time as further data is to be written.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Zoran Corporation
    Inventors: Liron Ain-Kedem, Nir Leshem
  • Patent number: 8103801
    Abstract: Described is an electronics system and method for marking and faulting I/O ports of an I/O module in the electronics system. Each I/O port has an associated light-emitting system that is capable of emitting a plurality of different colors. At least one color is blinked at a first rate to produce a first status indicator for the I/O port. Each color of the different colors is alternately blinked at a second rate to produce a second status indicator for the I/O port. One of the status indicators is for marking the I/O port and the other status indicator is for faulting the I/O port. In one embodiment, the light-emitting system includes a plurality of differently colored LEDs. In another embodiment, the light-emitting system includes only one multicolor LED. Various I/O technologies including Fiber Channel, Fiber Connectivity, Ethernet, serial attached SCSI, IPsec, Infiniband, and iSCSI, can implement marking and faulting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Steven D. Sardella, Stephen Strickland, Thomas N. Dibb
  • Patent number: 8099527
    Abstract: An operation management device manages the operations of managed devices, and includes: an information collection unit for acquiring communication data between the managed devices; and a calculation unit for calculating coordinates when the managed devices are arranged on a two-dimensional plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Toru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8095703
    Abstract: There is provided a data transfer method in an IEEE1394 system including a band request node and a transfer band management node. The method includes generating, at the band request node, a transfer request that can detect a data amount of transfer data and transmitting the transfer request from the band request node to the transfer band management node, determining, by the transfer band management node, whether a transfer band requested by the transfer request is ensured or not, notifying, from the transfer band management node, the band request node of the determination result, and transferring data from the band request node according to the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Yasushi Sakai, Hitoshi Ogawa, Hideo Makabe
  • Patent number: 8090886
    Abstract: A device has a controller and a function module configured to be in communication with the controller as a result of the controller receiving a pass-through vendor specific command. In some embodiments the controller may configured to strip data intended for the function module from the vendor specific command and send the stripped data to the function module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Anson Ba Phan, Jerrold Allen Beckmann
  • Patent number: 8086768
    Abstract: The storage system includes a first storage subsystem having a first logical volume to be accessed by a host computer, and a second storage subsystem connected to the first storage subsystem and having a second logical volume to be mapped to the first logical volume. The first storage subsystem includes a memory having definition information for defining a plurality of logical paths that transfer, to the second logical volume, I/O from the host computer to the first logical volume, and a transfer mode of the I/O to the plurality of logical paths. At least two or more logical paths among the plurality of logical paths are defined as active, and the controller transfers the I/O to the at least two or more logical paths set as active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Watanabe, Keishi Tamura
  • Patent number: 8086771
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of embedded processing systems and electronic control units (ECUs) and to autonomic embedded computing solutions. The present invention proposes to remove or extract the application-specific support functions and respective I/O subsystems from the main processors or controllers of the system, to include said extracted circuits into a respective number of ASIC chips or the like, and to connect them preferably via a supervising General Controller Unit (12) to a plurality of standard and low-price processors (40), which have the task to supply the ASIC and the multiple functions thereof with enough computing power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Dieter E. Staiger
  • Patent number: 8078769
    Abstract: Systems and methodologies for automatic quality of service (QoS) management for data network devices are provided herein. As described herein, active versus inactive interaction between a user and a network device can be identified, based on which an appropriate QoS level can be applied to the device. For example, a level of input/output (I/O) activity associated with a device can be inferred by monitoring mouse movement, touch input activity, display output activity, voice I/O activity, or the like, and a QoS configuration can be automatically selected for the device based on the inferred level of activity. As further provided herein, I/O activity monitoring and a corresponding QoS assignment can be related to an activity timer, such that a high-priority QoS setting is applied to devices for which I/O activity is identified within the timer and a low-priority QoS setting is applied to devices for which such activity is not identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventor: Arthur Brisebois
  • Patent number: 8078766
    Abstract: An apparatus of displaying an image connects an external device by using universal serial bus (USB) connection. The apparatus contains a display unit and a control unit that reads device information out of the connected external device and performs display control on the display unit based on the read device information. Under control of the control unit, the display unit displays a message that is used for changing a class of the external device to a class previously specified in the apparatus of displaying the image when the class of the external device is changeable and it is determined based on the device information that the set class of the external device is different from the class previously specified in the apparatus of displaying the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takahira Takenaka
  • Patent number: 8073985
    Abstract: An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) connector plug and socket each have a pin substrate with one surface that supports the four metal contact pins for the standard USB interface. An extension of the pin substrate carries another 8 extension metal contact pins that mate when both the connector plug and socket are extended. The extension can be an increased length of the plug's and socket's pin substrate or a reverse side of the substrate. Standard USB connectors do not make contact with the extension metal contacts that are recessed, retracted by a mechanical switch, or on the extension of the socket's pin substrate that a standard USB connector cannot reach. Standard USB sockets do not make contact with the extension metal contacts because the extended connector's extension contacts are recessed, or on the extension of the connector pin substrate that does not fit inside a standard USB socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Super Talent Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim Chin-Nan Ni, David Q. Chow, Frank I-Kang Yu, Abraham C. Ma, Ming-Shiang Shen
  • Patent number: 8073990
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring data from a first to a second memory of a computer system. The method comprises (i) initializing a descriptor with a description of physical addressing of a first section of a first array of the first memory; (ii) updating a mask associated with the descriptor with an indication for transferring data from a first sub-section of the first section to the second memory, the mask and the data managed by an application on a first virtual machine of the computer system, the application isolated from the physical addressing of the first section; (iii) responsive to the updated mask, (a) determining physical addresses of the first sub-section based on the description, and (b), transferring the data from the first sub-section to the second memory; and (iv) clearing at least a portion of the updated mask to indicate completion of transferring the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Teradici Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Peter Baron, Daniel Jean Donat Doucette, Paul Andrew Helter, Bradley Reginald Quinton
  • Patent number: 8041855
    Abstract: A system for communicating with a processor within an integrated circuit can include a dual-bus adapter (115) coupled to the processor (105) through a first communication channel (110) and a second communication channel (120). The dual-bus adapter further can be coupled to a memory map interface (135) through which at least one peripheral device communicates with the processor. Single word operations can be exchanged between the processor and the dual-bus adapter through the first communication channel. Burst transfer operations can be performed by exchanging signaling information between the processor and the dual-bus adapter over the first communication channel and exchanging data words between the processor and the dual-bus adapter through the second communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Jingzhao Ou, Chi Bun Chan