Abstract: A handheld gaming device having a non-removable hard disk drive memory is used to perform gaming and non-gaming functions. The hard disk drive memory provides internal mass storage that is utilizable for storing various types of game-related information and non-game-related information. In one embodiment, the hard disk drive is configured to store selected portions of data in assigned regions of memory. The internal mass storage can be used to store saved game data, game specific data, and can be used as a buffer while streaming content from a remote server or drive. The internal mass storage also can be used to store other types of information, such as calendar information, personal appointments, maps, photographs, and other third party game related information.

Abstract: Various embodiments reduce noise within a particular environment, while isolating and capturing speech in a manner that allows operation within an otherwise noisy environment. In one embodiment, an array of one or more microphones is used to selectively eliminate noise emanating from known, generally fixed locations, and pass signals from a pre-specified region or regions with reduced distortion.

Abstract: A portable secure storage device provides a means to transport media from one media player to another while maintaining the security of and the rights associated with the content stored in the portable secure storage device. The device contains a security engine for managing digital rights associated with content stored in the device. The device can also include a hard disk drive memory and a real time clock. The hard disk drive memory provides ample storage of media and versatility of digital rights management. The real time clock maintains secure time. The device can be use to provide a thumbnail, a snapshot, a trailer version, or a table of contents of contents stored therein based on the security level of the receiving device. The portable secure storage device can query the receiving device to determine the current status of rights and can provide content in accordance with current rights.

Abstract: A method of controlling usage of a commodity. The method includes monitoring, by an electronic device, a usage of the commodity, communicating, by the electronic device, the usage of the commodity to a fully-loaded cost engine at a remote location, determining, by the fully-loaded cost engine, a fully-loaded price for a commodity, communicating the fully-loaded price to a device, and operating a commodity-using device based on the fully-loaded cost and a commodity-consumption strategy.

Abstract: Power is dynamically conserved in a device by analyzing past processing performance of the device and predicting the amount of power required for future execution. In an example embodiment, a video frame is analyzed to determine what portion of the video frame was needed to render data. If less than the full video frame was needed, at least one power conservation technique is applied to the device for subsequent rendering of data. Power conservation techniques include adjusting the operating frequency of circuitry utilized to render data, adjusting the voltage applied to circuitry utilized to render data, and/or turning off/on circuitry utilized to render data.

Abstract: An extension to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol that utilizes reserved bits in the OHCI Endpoint Descriptors to signal which root hub port(s) should transmit the data. Typically, all ports transmit (broadcast) data. The present invention encodes transmission information that can be used by the hardware to effectively control which port(s) need to be tri-stated. However, by setting, the “on” bits for all the ports, the present invention retains standard USB functionality. Also provided is a method to increase the bandwidth of low speed devices connected to the USB bus by increasing the data payload for such devices.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing multi-channel audio using a reduced amount of resources for the decoding process. A 5.1 channel audio stream is divided into three stereo streams. The packets from each of three stereo streams are multiplexed to create a pseudo-5.1 channel audio stream. The pseudo 5.1 channel audio stream is then decoded and demultiplexed at the output to create the output 5.1 channel audio sound. As such, the decoder resources only have decode a single pseudo 5.1 stream. This technique is equally applicable to 7.1 or other multi-channel formats.

Abstract: Subject matter includes exemplary methods of reversible diffusion-based compression and an exemplary compression engine. In one implementation, a reversible diffusion function is applied to decrease high spatial frequency pixel values in an image or a prediction error image residue and to smooth variances between adjacent pixel values. An exemplary reversible diffusion function can increase data compression without loss of high frequency information yet operate with online encoders and decoders that lack significant processing power. An exemplary method transforms the data to make the data more amenable to compression schemes that utilize entropy transforms as an intermediate processing step, for example, prior to Huffman coding.

Abstract: Video deblocking can be implemented in video content processing and delivery environments when displaying decompressed/decoded video information. Discontinuities are identified and smoothed to reduce blockiness, for example at macroblock boundaries in conjunction with Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG)-based schemes. In exemplary implementation(s), a client device detects discontinuities at or near block boundaries, determines which discontinuities are artificial, and smooths at least those discontinuities that are determined to be artificial. These actions may be accomplished using (i) one or more Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) operations as applied to both an image and a quantization matrix and (ii) windowed comparisons between values and a threshold resulting from the LoG operations. Alternatively, these actions may be accomplished using a spatio-temporally varying filter.

Abstract: Embedding endianness information within data and sending and receiving data with the embedded endianness information. Data may be contained in a data structure. To embed endianness information in a data structure, unused bits in a data structure are identified. A number of the unused bits are then selected based on the possible unpacking combinations of the data structure. The endian bit values are set to a pattern to indicate the endianness of the data structure. Data that has been packed by a transmitting module can be unpacked by a receiving module based on the detected endian bits. An algorithm may be used to determine which unused bits to select as the endian bits.

Abstract: Video deblocking can be implemented in video content processing and delivery environments when displaying decompressed/decoded video information. Discontinuities are identified and smoothed to reduce blockiness, for example at macroblock boundaries in conjunction with Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG)-based schemes. In exemplary implementation(s), a client device detects discontinuities at or near block boundaries, determines which discontinuities are artificial, and smooths at least those discontinuities that are determined to be artificial. These actions may be accomplished using (i) one or more Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) operations as applied to both an image and a quantization matrix and (ii) windowed comparisons between values and a threshold resulting from the LoG operations. Alternatively, these actions may be accomplished using a spatio-temporally varying filter.

Abstract: Video deblocking can be implemented in video content processing and delivery environments when displaying decompressed/decoded video information. Discontinuities are identified and smoothed to reduce blockiness, for example at macroblock boundaries in conjunction with Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG)-based schemes. In exemplary implementation(s), a client device detects discontinuities at or near block boundaries, determines which discontinuities are artificial, and smooths at least those discontinuities that are determined to be artificial. These actions may be accomplished using (i) one or more Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) operations as applied to both an image and a quantization matrix and (ii) windowed comparisons between values and a threshold resulting from the LoG operations. Alternatively, these actions may be accomplished using a spatio-temporally varying filter.

Abstract: Various embodiments reduce noise within a particular environment, while isolating and capturing speech in a manner that allows operation within an otherwise noisy environment. In one embodiment, an array of one or more microphones is used to selectively eliminate noise emanating from known, generally fixed locations, and pass signals from a pre-specified region or regions with reduced distortion.

Abstract: Various embodiments reduce noise within a particular environment, while isolating and capturing speech in a manner that allows operation within an otherwise noisy environment. In one embodiment, an array of one or more microphones is used to selectively eliminate noise emanating from known, generally fixed locations, and pass signals from a pre-specified region or regions with reduced distortion.

Abstract: Power is dynamically conserved in a device by analyzing past processing performance of the device and predicting the amount of power required for future execution. In an example embodiment, a video frame is analyzed to determine what portion of the video frame was needed to render data. If less than the full video frame was needed, at least one power conservation technique is applied to the device for subsequent rendering of data. Power conservation techniques include adjusting the operating frequency of circuitry utilized to render data, adjusting the voltage applied to circuitry utilized to render data, and/or turning off/on circuitry utilized to render data.

Abstract: A portable secure storage device provides a means to transport media from one media player to another while maintaining the security of and the rights associated with the content stored in the portable secure storage device. The device contains a security engine for managing digital rights associated with content stored in the device. The device can also include a hard disk drive memory and a real time clock. The hard disk drive memory provides ample storage of media and versatility of digital rights management. The real time clock maintains secure time. The device can be use to provide a thumbnail, a snapshot, a trailer version, or a table of contents of contents stored therein based on the security level of the receiving device. The portable secure storage device can query the receiving device to determine the current status of rights and can provide content in accordance with current rights.

Abstract: A gaming system including handheld devices and console devices has variable functionality and processing performance as determined by the number of components in the system. Gaming components can be combined wirelessly, by wired connections (e.g., via a docking station), or a combination thereof. The processing capabilities and functionality of each gaming component in a combination are augmented by the processing capabilities and functionality of other gaming components in the combination. To take advantage of another gaming components processing capabilities and memory capacity, each gaming component is capable of utilizing another gaming component to process gaming applications. Further, each gaming component is capable of rendering audio and/or video information provided by another gaming component. Also, a gaming component is capable of utilizing another gaming component as an adjunct processor.

Abstract: A handheld gaming device having a non-removable hard disk drive memory is used to perform gaming and non-gaming functions. The hard disk drive memory provides internal mass storage that is utilizable for storing various types of game-related information and non-game-related information. In one embodiment, the hard disk drive is configured to store selected portions of data in assigned regions of memory. The internal mass storage can be used to store saved game data, game specific data, and can be used as a buffer while streaming content from a remote server or drive. The internal mass storage also can be used to store other types of information, such as calendar information, personal appointments, maps, photographs, and other third party game related information.

Abstract: Embedding endianness information within data and sending and receiving data with the embedded endianness information. Data may be contained in a data structure. To embed endianness information in a data structure, unused bits in a data structure are identified. A number of the unused bits are then selected based on the possible unpacking combinations of the data structure. The endian bit values are set to a pattern to indicate the endianness of the data structure. Data that has been packed by a transmitting module can be unpacked by a receiving module based on the detected endian bits. An algorithm may be used to determine which unused bits to select as the endian bits.

Abstract: A system and method of synchronizing a media stream involves determining urgency measures and favorability measures. An urgency measure relates to a degree by which a media stream is currently out of synchronization. A favorability measure indicates the disruptiveness or likely noticeability altering the media stream at a particular temporal point. As a media stream becomes more and more out of synchronization, the urgency factor increases, and the system looks for places in the media stream at which units such as video frames or audio samples can be added or subtracted to re-achieve synchronization. When the urgency measure is at lower values, the system selects only points in the media stream having relatively high favorability measures. When the urgency measure increases, the system selects points having relatively lower favorability measures.