Abstract: Using a combination of inertial sensors (accelerometers 70, 80, 90, 170, 180, 190) and, perhaps, a digital compass, a device can record movement in all directions relative to an origin (300), or initial position. Once the device has captured the information, it can calculate heading and distance from the current position back to the origin (160). Other navigational equipment relies on signals from global positioning system (GPS) satellites and, thus, will not function properly in urban canyons or inside buildings of any sort. This device can determine direction and distance under nearly any circumstances and has a small footprint that will allow the embedding of it into nearly any consumer electronic device (10). The consumer electronic device can then display a directional arrow (30), or the distance to the origin (40) alongside other relevant information. One obvious use of the invention is to find your parked vehicle (60) (also known as a “vehicle locator”).

Abstract: Using a combination of inertial sensors (accelerometers 70, 80, 90, 170, 180, 190) and, perhaps, a digital compass, a device can record movement in all directions relative to an origin (300), or initial position. Once the device has captured the information, it can calculate heading and distance from the current position back to the origin (160). Other navigational equipment relies on signals from global positioning system (GPS) satellites and, thus, will not function properly in urban canyons or inside buildings of any sort. This device can determine direction and distance under nearly any circumstances and has a small footprint that will allow the embedding of it into nearly any consumer electronic device (10). The consumer electronic device can then display a directional arrow (30), or the distance to the origin (40) alongside other relevant information. One obvious use of the invention is to find your parked vehicle (60) (also known as a “vehicle locator”).

Abstract: A method and system for stress testing database storage. Stress testing software generates read and/or write commands to a database engine. Preferably, the read and write commands adhere to a desired ratio of reads to writes. The commands are interpreted by the database engine. The database engine issues read and/or write instructions to a database storage system. Multiple instances of the stress testing software may be spawned against a plurality of databases in order to achieve a desired aggregate rate of operations to the database storage system. Performance measurements of the database storage system are obtained and may be used for evaluation of the database storage system. Advantageously, the performance of a database storage system may be tested and measured without the encumbrances of transaction processing overhead due to actual database processing.