Abstract: A method and apparatus for block-oriented pixel filtering reduces the number of hardware multipliers required for an image processing operation by increasing the speed of the pixel filter and rearranging the math operations. A sorter is employed in the line buffers so that defined groups of input pixel components are provided to the multipliers of the pixel filter. An accumulator is employed to receive products from the multipliers and assemble output pixels. The savings in gate count from reducing the number of multipliers is greater than additional costs, if any, of the sorter and other logic. The method and apparatus of the invention also simplify the addressing logic for the provision of scaling coefficients during an image processing operation.

Abstract: A system and method for control of data and boot records associated with multi-layer logical volumes allows the logical volume data area containing the fake EBR to be deterministically and efficiently accessed by using a “top down” control methodology. Control of the logical volume manager (“LVM”) data area is distributed. An LVM data area is placed on each aggregate as well as on each partition, and the fake EBR is placed in the LVM data area of the topmost aggregate. The topmost aggregator controls access to the fake EBR, and only this aggregator must provide API functionality to access the fake EBR. This allows the fake EBR to be found and accessed only by new software applications which are “aware” of the fake EBR, while allowing legacy aggregators to continue to function correctly and allowing legacy software applications to continue to interwork with legacy aggregators through their unchanged APIs.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the inflation status of a tire comprising a sensor mounted to the wheel rim and adapted to transmit a distance signal indicative of a measured distance from the wheel rim to the inside surface of the tire adjacent the riding surface; a control unit in communication with the sensor and adapted to receive the distance signal, wherein the control unit determines the inflation status of the tire and transmits an inflation status signal indicative of the inflation status; and an indicator located within the passenger compartment of the vehicle and in communication with the control unit to receive the inflation status signal, wherein the indicator presents the inflation status of the tire.

Abstract: A system and method for a multi-layer logical volume management (“LVM”) system which extends the single-layer logical volume model of current technology to handle multiple levels of aggregation more efficiently. Multiple levels of aggregation allows multiple types of aggregators, such as drive linking, mirroring, and software RAID, to be used together to bypass the limitations inherent in each individual aggregation technology. An LVM data area which stores information about the organization of the multi-layer logical volume is stored within the last partition of the logical volume. A fake EBR, which describes the logical volume as if it were a single disk drive, is located in the LVM data area of one of the partitions in the logical volume. A “bottom-to-top” control methodology is used to locate the LVM data area containing the fake EBR, including setting a special flag in the LVM data area containing the fake EBR.

Abstract: A data processing system and method are disclosed for storing logical volume information used by a logical volume manager to create and manage a logical volume. The data processing system includes a plurality of storage devices. A plurality of physical partitions within the plurality of storage devices are specified. Each one of the physical partitions includes a plurality of sectors. The specified physical partitions are logically combined to create the logical volume. A first plurality of the sectors are reserved in each of the physical partitions for the logical volume information. The first plurality of sectors are located at the top of each of the physical partitions. The logical volume information is stored in the first plurality of sectors in each of the physical partitions. In this manner, the logical volume information is stored at the top of each of the physical partitions.

Abstract: In a media protection system and method, an original media item is encrypted before it is distributed. At the point of sale (POS) or point of distribution, the consumer presents his personal smart token to the clerk who inserts it into a POS reader along with a companion digital identifier (CDI™). The POS reader extracts a digital key from the CDI™ and merges it with the player list in the consumer's smart token. The POS reader then destroys the CDI™ and returns the smart token to the consumer. The digital key for the media item is now stored on the consumer's personal smart token, merged with the player identifiers for the players possessed by the user. When the user returns home, he inserts the media item into his player along with his smart token, and the digital key is extracted and used to decrypt the encryption key for the material that is stored on the media item itself. Then, the player decrypts the media item as it is played.

Abstract: In a media protection system and method, an original media item is encrypted before it is distributed. A digital encryption key for the media item is stored on the consumer's personal smart token. To play the media item, the user inserts the media item into his player along with his smart token, and the digital encryption key is extracted by a hardware decryption module (HDM) in the player (or host device), and is used to determine that the decryption key is linked to the HDM. Once that determination is made, the HDM decrypts the media item as it is played. The HDM provides a USB or other standard interface between a plug connected to the player (or host device) and a socket which receives the smart token. The HDM comprises a decryption processor, a control processor, an internal memory, an external interface, and a memory element, such as a read-only memory (ROM). The HDM is implemented as a self-contained, tamperproof subsystem of the media protection system with which it is associated.

Abstract: An enhancement to existing logical volume managers which provides the functionality to expand logical volumes employing multiple levels of aggregation. It includes functionality to determine if a logical volume employing multiple levels of aggregation can be expanded. If it can be expanded, the aggregator or feature which will perform the expansion is determined. Once this has been done, the features and aggregators that need to be applied to the partitions being added to the volume are determined. These features and aggregators are then applied to the partitions being added to the volume, with user input as required.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deinterlacing video frames selects a location for deinterlacing, and measures motion at that location. A deinterlacing method is selected based on the measured motion. A pixel value is created for the location.

Abstract: Arrays of protein-capture agents useful for the simultaneous detection of a plurality of proteins which are the expression products, or fragments thereof, of a cell or population of cells in an organism are provided. A variety of antibody arrays, in particular, are described. Methods of both making and using the arrays of protein-capture agents are also disclosed. The invention arrays are particularly useful for various proteomics applications including assessing patterns of protein expression and modification in cells.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer in which an image of the operating system is maintained in a secondary memory. This memory is either powered from a source independent of the main memory, or is non-volatile in nature. When the computer is reinitialized, the loader software that normally builds the operating system from components instead checks the secondary memory for the presence of an operating system image. If such an image is detected, the loader transfers the image from the secondary memory to the primary memory and transfers control of the computing system to the image of the operating system now in the primary memory. If no image is detected, the loader operates in a standard fashion. Additionally, a complete system image may be stored in the secondary memory. This would include the contents of the primary memory, the contents of the virtual memory, and the system state. As such, a preexisting version of an operational computing system may be directly loaded at boot time.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided by which a logical volume manager may allow features to be added and modified without having to modify the logical volume manager code. The present invention provides an logical volume manager engine, which attempts to load feature plug-ins that are stored as dynamic link libraries. The logical volume manager also includes application program interfaces to make it possible for user interfaces and other programs that communicate with the LVM Engine to communicate with features created by third parties. The logical volume manager is also modified to eliminate assumptions about the number and order of features being applied to the volume. Features may be selected and ordered by a user at the time of volume creation.

Abstract: Logical disks are provided, which are created by device managers. The logical volume manager is modified to use only logical disks. The device managers may be plug-in modules. This allows new device managers to be added to the logical volume manager at any time without changing the code in the logical volume manager. Anything that can be made to appear as a logical disk through the use of a device manager plug-in may then be used with the logical volume manager. A device manager for network attached storage may be written allowing network attached storage devices to be treated as local disk drives by the logical volume manager, thereby allowing all of the capabilities of the logical volume manager to be used with the network attached storage devices.

Abstract: A method of generating a boot image and using the boot image to restore a computer system having a processor, an operating system, physical memory, virtual memory and disk storage. The method may be initiated from any particular software application, or at multiple execution points within a particular application. One or more boot images may be stored in association with an initiating application. By providing full virtual memory support in the boot image, the computer system may be restored to any predetermined operating state.

Abstract: A method for testing programming interfaces including application program interfaces and command line utilities. Each interface may be called from a loop instruction in a test instruction a number of times corresponding to a number of parameter sets which are needed to test each interface. The parameter sets are maintained in a separate data file and are retrieved for each call being made to an interface. One or more return value are included in the parameter set. The operating system generates one or more return values which are compared with the stored return value. A judgment is made based on the comparison of the stored return values and the programming interface-generated return value. When this comparison is not as expected, the return values are written to a file along with the parameter set which produced the unexpected comparison.