Abstract: Techniques for performing an incremental update to a set of hierarchically structured information that do not expose the structure and content of the hierarchically structured information to unauthorized parties. The present techniques include encrypting the hierarchically structured information such that an arrangement of nodes and corresponding data of the hierarchically structured information is not exposed and each node includes a corresponding node identifier that is not encrypted and updating the hierarchically structured information by referring to the nodes using the node identifiers.

Abstract: Techniques for content arrangement with a custom television (TV) channel in a custom TV system for providing a viewer with custom channels of content based on viewer preferences is described. Various examples of channel content ordering criteria upon which arrangement of content selections within a custom TV channel is based are also described. The custom TV system is suitable for execution on a digital video recorder.

Abstract: A data-dependent overlay network includes a plurality of data clouds. Each data cloud includes related data stored in a plurality of nodes in the data cloud. A peer list is maintained by each node in the data cloud. A peer list update process is used by each node in the data cloud for adding or removing nodes from peer lists for nodes in the data cloud.

Abstract: In a method of evaluating an image for a dominant line, warped mesh information regarding saliency of the image is received. Displacements of components of the warped mesh information are determined relative to corresponding components in un-warped mesh information. Statistical representations of the displacements are utilized to evaluate the image for a dominant line.

Abstract: The invention provides for encryption of hierarchically structured information. In one embodiment, a method is provided for encrypting hierarchically structured information. The hierarchically structured information includes a particular node and zero or more descendent nodes, each node having a name and zero or more additional data for the node. The name of the particular node is encrypted and the encrypted name is stored. The one or more descendent nodes are stored with the parent-child relationships of the one or more descendent nodes exposed. Additional data for the particular node may be encrypted. Further, some, none or all of the data for the descendent nodes may be encrypted.

Abstract: A single sign-on technique suitable for a network of devices with no centralized device or synchronized clocks such as a personal area network (PAN) is described. Responsive to a user signing-on to a first device via its user interface, the first device securely propagates authentication of the user for enabling one or more other devices in the network, each for a near-expiry time period measured from the device specific time of the respective device; thus providing for expiration of authentication to minimize how long data is vulnerable in case a device is lost or stolen. Described also is a device enabling protocol using authentication accumulation to secure against threats from a rogue device pretending to be another device in the network such as in man-in-the-middle and replay attacks.

Abstract: Methods, systems and machine-readable instructions for managing images are described. In one aspect, images are segmented into image clusters. A page layout for a contact sheet comprising thumbnail clusters each comprising thumbnails of the images in respective ones of the image clusters is generated. The page layout divides at least a portion of the contact sheet into regions each containing a respective one of the thumbnail clusters and at least one associated user input field. A description of the page layout is stored on a machine-readable medium.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention is a digital media-playing device. The digital media-playing device includes a controller and a compensation-enabled component for playing digital media coupled to the controller wherein the compensation-enabled component is non-bypassable.

Abstract: Described is a solution for maintaining the security of encrypted data despite a compromised private key by using a re-encryption process that does not require decryption of the encrypted data. The compromised private key is re-encrypted using a new public key as is the encrypted symmetric key which the compromised private key can decrypt. When a decrypted version of the encrypted data is requested, the private key corresponding to the new public key decrypts both the encrypted version of the compromised private key and the re-encrypted version of the symmetric key resulting in the unencrypted compromised private key and the previously encrypted version of the symmetric key, which when decrypted using the compromised private key decrypts the encrypted data. The unencrypted symmetric key can then be encrypted using the new public key any encrypted compromised private key can be deleted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating device availability in a pervasive peer to peer environment is presented. The method and apparatus include a linear estimation approach and a bin estimation approach, where the bin estimation approach may include enhanced bin estimation or adaptive bin estimation. A central node queries available contacted devices and builds a history of times and availability indications for the contacted device, and subsequently computes an availability probability curve based on assumptions regarding the availability indications and the time since the last received availability indication.

Abstract: In a method of evaluating an image for a dominant line, warped mesh information regarding saliency of the image is received. Displacements of components of the warped mesh information are determined relative to corresponding components in un-warped mesh information. Statistical representations of the displacements are utilized to evaluate the image for a dominant line.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling Intellectual Property (IP) Blocks to be reused at a system level. The present invention represents the IP blocks as blocks that exchange messages without needing to represent the functionality of the IP blocks. The implementations of these IP blocks exchanges messages through complex signaling protocols. In conventional systems, interfacing between IP blocks that use different signaling protocols is a tedious and error prone design task. The present invention uses regular expression based protocol descriptions to show how to map the message onto a signaling protocol. Given two protocols, the present invention builds an interface machine that automatically labels data referenced by all protocols. The present invention is capable of generating the interface even when the data sequencing of the two protocols differs.

Abstract: Methods, systems and machine-readable instructions for managing images are described. In one aspect, images are segmented into image clusters. A page layout for a contact sheet comprising thumbnail clusters each comprising thumbnails of the images in respective ones of the image clusters is generated. The page layout divides at least a portion of the contact sheet into regions each containing a respective one of the thumbnail clusters and at least one associated user input field. A description of the page layout is stored on a machine-readable medium.

Abstract: Described is a solution for maintaining the security of encrypted data despite a compromised private key by using a re-encryption process that does not require decryption of the encrypted data. The compromised private key is re-encrypted using a new public key as is the encrypted symmetric key which the compromised private key can decrypt. When a decrypted version of the encrypted data is requested, the private key corresponding to the new public key decrypts both the encrypted version of the compromised private key and the re-encrypted version of the symmetric key resulting in the unencrypted compromised private key and the previously encrypted version of the symmetric key, which when decrypted using the compromised private key decrypts the encrypted data. The unencrypted symmetric key can then be encrypted using the new public key any encrypted compromised private key can be deleted.

Abstract: Techniques for performing an incremental update to a set of hierarchically structured information that do not expose the structure and content of the hierarchically structured information to unauthorized parties. The present techniques include encrypting the hierarchically structured information such that an arrangement of nodes and corresponding data of the hierarchically structured information is not exposed and each node includes a corresponding node identifier that is not encrypted and updating the hierarchically structured information by referring to the nodes using the node identifiers.

Abstract: Techniques for verifying whether an incremental update was correctly applied to a set of hierarchically structured information include determining an overall integrity code for the hierarchically structured information and attaching the overall integrity code to the hierarchically structured information. An incremental update according to the present techniques includes an integrity code that is combined into the overall integrity code attached to the hierarchically structured information when the incremental update is applied to the hierarchically structured information. The integrity code of the incremental update is generated such that when the overall integrity code is recomputed it will match the overall integrity code attached to the hierarchically structured information if the incremental update was correctly applied.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating device availability in a pervasive peer to peer environment is presented. The method and apparatus include a linear estimation approach and a bin estimation approach, where the bin estimation approach may include enhanced bin estimation or adaptive bin estimation. A central node queries available contacted devices and builds a history of times and availability indications for the contacted device, and subsequently computes an availability probability curve based on assumptions regarding the availability indications and the time since the last received availability indication.

Abstract: A process for producing placement information for layouts of circuit elements of networks that are initially represented by netlists such that datapaths can be advantageously placed into a regular array. In one preferred embodiment, the method includes steps of encoding datapath information in instance names of a netlist generated by a datapath compiler; using the encoded datapath information for defining partitioned areas that preserve datapaths; and generating circuit layouts from the netlist, which layouts contain floor plans of the datapaths.