Abstract: A blimp includes a circular disk-shaped envelope filled with a lighter-than-air gas. A gondola is affixed to an underside of the envelope and is disposed at a region directly below a center point of the circle defined by the intersection of the envelope and the horizontal plane. The gondola includes: a horizontally-disposed elongated circuit board that functions as a structural member of the gondola; and a vertical member extending upwardly from the circuit board and having a top that is attached to the underside of the envelope. A thrusting mechanism is affixed to the gondola and is configured to generate thrust. An electronics suite is disposed on and electrically coupled to the circuit board and includes a blimp processor configured to generate control signals that control the thrusting mechanism. A battery is affixed to the gondola and provides power to the electronics suit and the thrusting mechanism.

Abstract: A robotic system includes a robot, a motion capture system and a ground station. The robot includes motors, a transceiver, an actuation circuit that receives an actuation command data packet from the transceiver and controls actuation of the motors. The motion capture system tracks a position and attitude of the robot and generates position and attitude data. The ground station is in wireless data communication with the transceiver and is in data communication with the motion capture system. The ground station receives the position and attitude data from the motion capture system; calculates a desired actuation for the robot; generates actuation command data packets for effecting the desired actuation. The actuation command data packets are transmitted wirelessly to the robot transceiver. The robot actuates the plurality motors upon receiving the actuation command data packet.

Abstract: An exemplary motion capture system, device, and method are disclosed herein to facilitate the implementation of active marker technology onto objects and systems whose design considerations require low weight, low power usage, and/or modular implementation. The exemplary motion capture system, device, and method connect light sources with power driving components through modular, flexible strips and optimized driver circuit configuration and structure for minute unmanned or remote vehicles or wearables having very stringent design constraints.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatuses utilizing pointer acceleration system modeling. In one exemplary method, among others, such a method obtains, a closed loop pointer acceleration system model, in which the closed loop pointer acceleration system model is based on (1) a model describing user pointing motions integrated with (2) a model of pointer acceleration motions under operational conditions; obtains values for system parameters that include pointer acceleration profile parameters and operational condition parameters; and determines a set of pointer trajectories for a given acceleration profile having the pointer acceleration profile parameters and operational condition parameters.

Abstract: A blimp includes a circular disk-shaped envelope filled with a lighter-than-air gas. A gondola is affixed to an underside of the envelope and is disposed at a region directly below a center point of the circle defined by the intersection of the envelope and the horizontal plane. The gondola includes: a horizontally-disposed elongated circuit board that functions as a structural member of the gondola; and a vertical member extending upwardly from the circuit board and having a top that is attached to the underside of the envelope. A thrusting mechanism is affixed to the gondola and is configured to generate thrust. An electronics suite is disposed on and electrically coupled to the circuit board and includes a blimp processor configured to generate control signals that control the thrusting mechanism. A battery is affixed to the gondola and provides power to the electronics suit and the thrusting mechanism.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatuses utilizing pointer acceleration system modeling. In one exemplary method, among others, such a method obtains, a closed loop pointer acceleration system model, in which the closed loop pointer acceleration system model is based on (1) a model describing user pointing motions integrated with (2) a model of pointer acceleration motions under operational conditions; obtains values for system parameters that include pointer acceleration profile parameters and operational condition parameters; and determines a set of pointer trajectories for a given acceleration profile having the pointer acceleration profile parameters and operational condition parameters.

Abstract: In general, this disclosure is directed to techniques for adjusting a mapping between a logical block address (LBA) space and a physical block address (PBA) space based on offset data associated with a plurality of access requests. According to one aspect, a method includes defining a translation map between a plurality of LBAs and a plurality of PBAs for a data storage device. Each PBA is associated with a sequence of storage slots. The translation map maps each of the LBAs to a PBA and to an index of a storage slot associated with the PBA. The method further includes obtaining offset data for a plurality of access requests associated with the plurality of LBAs. The offset data includes information relating to the indices to which starting LBAs of the access requests are mapped. The method further includes adjusting the translation map based on the offset data.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for wear leveling. In one example, the method includes receiving first data to be stored to a first data storage medium and storing the first data to a first storage location in a nonvolatile data store of a second data storage medium comprising a solid-state memory. The method also includes setting a pointer to enable writing second data that is received to a next storage location in the nonvolatile data store. The next storage location comprises an address of the nonvolatile data store that is sequentially after an address of the first storage location. When the address of the first storage location is a last addressed location of the nonvolatile data store the pointer is set to enable writing the second data to a first addressed location of the nonvolatile data store.

Abstract: A bus-connected device includes a data storage element, a physical layer and a controller. The data storage element stores user data and multiple adaptations for multiple platform protocols. The physical layer uses at least a portion of a selected one of the multiple platform protocols to access the user data. The controller controls and communicates with the data storage element using a controller communication protocol that is neutral relative to the multiple platform protocols.

Abstract: In general, this disclosure is directed to techniques for adjusting a mapping between a logical block address (LBA) space and a physical block address (PBA) space based on offset data associated with a plurality of access requests. According to one aspect, a method includes defining a translation map between a plurality of LBAs and a plurality of PBAs for a data storage device. Each PBA is associated with a sequence of storage slots. The translation map maps each of the LBAs to a PBA and to an index of a storage slot associated with the PBA. The method further includes obtaining offset data for a plurality of access requests associated with the plurality of LBAs. The offset data includes information relating to the indices to which starting LBAs of the access requests are mapped. The method further includes adjusting the translation map based on the offset data.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods of power management of a device. In a particular embodiment, the method includes determining a first power consumption value for a first power management operating sequence of an electronic device. The method also includes determining a second power consumption value for a second power management operating sequence based on previous activity of the electronic device. The method also includes selecting either the first power management operating sequence or the second power management operating sequence.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for wear leveling. In one example, the method includes receiving first data to be stored to a first data storage medium and storing the first data to a first storage location in a nonvolatile data store of a second data storage medium comprising a solid-state memory. The method also includes setting a pointer to enable writing second data that is received to a next storage location in the nonvolatile data store. The next storage location comprises an address of the nonvolatile data store that is sequentially after an address of the first storage location. When the address of the first storage location is a last addressed location of the nonvolatile data store the pointer is set to enable writing the second data to a first addressed location of the nonvolatile data store.

Abstract: A bus-connected device includes a data storage element, a physical layer and a controller. The data storage element stores user data and multiple adaptations for multiple platform protocols. The physical layer uses at least a portion of a selected one of the multiple platform protocols to access the user data. The controller controls and communicates with the data storage element using a controller communication protocol that is neutral relative to the multiple platform protocols.

Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the data storage device has a maximum storage capacity and is initially limited to providing access to a limited amount of data storage capacity that is less than the maximum data storage capacity. The size of the limited amount of data storage capacity is variable based on an indication of how much of a collection of advertising material has been viewed. In one embodiment, a host system manages a transfer of all or a portion of the collection of advertising material to a storage location on the data storage device. In one embodiment, the same host system manages adjustments to the size of the limited amount of data storage capacity based on how much of the collection of advertising materials has been consumed.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program storage device for providing virtual disk service hints based storage. Virtual disk service hints are provided. The virtual disk service hints are analyzed to determine a configuration model to implement. The storage system is then configured according to the configuration model identified using the virtual disk service hint.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods of power management of a device. In a particular embodiment, the method includes determining a first power consumption value for a first power management operating sequence of an electronic device. The method also includes determining a second power consumption value for a second power management operating sequence based on previous activity of the electronic device. The method also includes selecting either the first power management operating sequence or the second power management operating sequence.

Abstract: A system for backing up data includes a first computer configured to access a first storage device and a second computer configured to access a second storage device. In particular, the first storage device includes data to be backed up and the second storage device includes a snapshot of the data to be backed up. This system also includes a communications pathway between the first and second computers; and a backup application on the second computer which can backup the snapshot in response to a backup request initiated by the first computer.