Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for providing a social context to software applications. According to one embodiment of the invention, a user of a social network authorizes access by an external software application to information available in the social network. At some time later, the user of the social network uses an application designed by a third-party software developer. The application contacts the social network provider for permission to access the information available in the social network. If access has been authorized, the application incorporates the information from the social network into its interaction with the user, providing a social context to the user's interaction with the application.

Abstract: An auction method for implementing automatic bid status refresh and item attribute updates in an electronic exchange. The method includes the step of receiving update configuration information from remote bidders via a distributed computer network. The update configuration information includes a time interval for receiving bid status updates. An auction is conducted wherein bid information received from the remote bidders is compared to determine a bid status and wherein the bid status is used to determine the bid status updates for the remote bidders. The bid status includes information regarding the most competitive, or winning, bid and any associated terms. The bid status updates are disseminated to the remote bidders via the distributed computer network in accordance with the update configuration information. At the conclusion of the auction, an auction winner is designated in accordance with the latest most competitive bid of the bid status.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for providing a personalized platform for accessing internet applications. According to one embodiment of the invention, a social network provider receives a request for installation of an application from a user of the social network, installs the application at multiple points in the user's social network environment, and personalizes interfaces with the application at these integration points based on information about the user available from the social network. The present invention enables applications to be integrated in the social network environment at multiple integration points and to be personalized for and configured by the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing privacy settings for applications associated with a user profile are provided. Exemplary methods include receiving a request from a member of a web-based social network to install an application in association with a member profile, installing the requested application, providing privacy settings selections to control access to data associated with the installed application, receiving a privacy settings selection from the member, and displaying data associated with the application based on the privacy settings selection.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for sanity checking integrated circuit (IC) designs based on one or more predefined sub-circuits with at least one predefined checking criteria, the method comprising automatically reading one or more netlists, identifying one or more sub-circuits in the netlists isomorphic to at least one of predefined sub-circuits, identifying one or more device parameters for sanity checking the identified sub-circuits, and comparing the identified device parameters against the predefined checking criteria.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises serializer/deserializer (SERDES) circuits. Each SERDES circuit is configured to transmit data on a respective lane to which the SERDES circuit is are coupled during use. The apparatus further comprises a transmit pipe coupled to the SERDES circuits. The transmit pipe comprises stages, and each stage is configured to process a maximum bandwidth unit (a maximum width of a port that is configurable on the lanes and smaller than a largest packet transmitted on the ports). In another embodiment, the apparatus comprises a transmit command queue; a transmit scheduler coupled to the transmit command queue; and a storage device coupled to the transmit scheduler that stores a scheduling calendar. The transmit scheduler is configured to schedule maximum bandwidth units for transmission on ports configured over the lanes on which packets are transmitted. The maximum bandwidth unit is smaller than a packet and is a maximum width of a port that is configurable on the lanes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises serializer/deserializer (SERDES) circuits. Each SERDES circuit provides data received from a respective lane to which the SERDES circuit is coupled. A receive pipe is coupled to the SERDES circuits and comprises accumulate buffers, multiplexing levels, accumulate buffer counters, control registers, and control logic. Each accumulate buffer corresponds to a respective port configurable over the plurality of lanes. A first level of the multiplexing levels is coupled to receive data from neighboring lanes on one input and the data from the neighboring lanes connected in reverse order on the other input. Each multiplexor at each other level is coupled to receive outputs of neighboring multiplexors from a next lower level on one input and the outputs connected in reverse order on the other input. Each configuration register corresponds to a respective port, indicating an initial lane assigned to the respective port and a size of the port.

Abstract: The present invention provides loosely-coupled cluster systems comprising a plurality of servers based on storage attached to the plurality of servers. Videos, or other assets, are automatically replicated within the server system to increase the number of concurrent play requests serviceable. The server systems can detect spikes in demand that may exceed the guaranteed number of concurrent play requests serviceable and dynamically transfer the high-in-demand or ‘hot’ asset to servers in the cluster that do not have the video. Alternatively, instead of transferring the entire asset, varying length prefixes of the asset may be transferred depending on the availability of resources. The remainder of the asset is transferred in some embodiments on demand with sufficient buffering or other storage to guarantee playback to the user or subscriber according to the required quality of service (QOS).

Abstract: A single access point may manage two or more wireless networks, each having a network name. The access point may be configured to store delivery traffic indication message (DTIM) period values on a per network name basis. A processor of the access point may manage, on a per network name basis, timing of transmission of delivery traffic indication messages.

Abstract: The present invention provides loosely-coupled cluster systems comprising a plurality of servers based on storage attached to the plurality of servers. Videos, or other assets, are automatically replicated within the server system to increase the number of concurrent play requests serviceable. The server systems can detect spikes in demand that may exceed the guaranteed number of concurrent play requests serviceable and dynamically transfer the high-in-demand or ‘hot’ asset to servers in the cluster that do not have the video. Alternatively, instead of transferring the entire asset, varying length prefixes of the asset may be transferred depending on the availability of resources. The remainder of the asset is transferred in some embodiments on demand with sufficient buffering or other storage to guarantee playback to the user or subscriber according to the required quality of service (QOS).

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a queue, write control logic coupled to the queue and operable in a write clock domain, and a first-in, first-out buffer (FIFO) coupled to the write control logic. The queue is configured to store a plurality of data items, wherein each data item has a type which is one of a plurality of types of data items that can be stored in the queue. The write control logic is configured to maintain write pointers that identify entries in the queue for each of the plurality of types. The write control logic is configured to update the write pointer corresponding to an input type for an input data item written to the queue. Additionally, the write control logic is configured to enqueue a write event in the FIFO to transport the enqueue event to a read clock domain different from the write clock domain.

Abstract: Software based tools are provided to course instructors in an educational community to enable an instructor to access content of a plurality of academic courses from an information terminal. A user interface displays a class list and a list of tasks, and allows the instructor to select a plurality of classes from the displayed class list and select a task from the displayed list of tasks. In response to user entry of a single command through the user interface, a processing part causes the selected task to be performed to course content for each of the plurality of selected classes. Thus, the instructor can add or modify content to each of the plural selected classes through a single command entered through the information terminal.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a controller comprises one or more transaction queues, one or more age counter circuits, and a control circuit. The transaction queues are configured to store a plurality of transaction requests, each having a transaction type. The age counter circuits are configured to generate one or more age counters, where each age counter corresponds to a respective pair of transaction types. Coupled to receive an indication of an input transaction type corresponding to an input transaction request to the controller and coupled to the age counter circuits, the control circuit is configured to select at least one of the plurality of age counters to be stored with the input transaction request in the one or more transaction queues, each of the selected counters indicative of a relative age of the input transaction request with transaction requests of another transaction type.

Abstract: The present invention provides loosely-coupled cluster systems comprising a plurality of servers based on storage attached to the plurality of servers. Videos, or other assets, are automatically replicated within the server system to increase the number of concurrent play requests serviceable. The server systems can detect spikes in demand that may exceed the guaranteed number of concurrent play requests serviceable and dynamically transfer the high-in-demand or ‘hot’ asset to servers in the cluster that do not have the video. Alternatively, instead of transferring the entire asset, varying length prefixes of the asset may be transferred depending on the availability of resources. The remainder of the asset is transferred in some embodiments on demand with sufficient buffering or other storage to guarantee playback to the user or subscriber according to the required quality of service (QOS).

Abstract: The present invention provides a statistical modeling approach to automatic linguistic indexing of photographic images. The invention uses categorized images to train a dictionary of hundreds of statistical models each representing a concept. Images of any given concept are regarded as instances of a stochastic process that characterizes the concept. To measure the extent of association between an image and a textual description associated with a predefined concept, the likelihood of the occurrence of the image based on the characterizing stochastic process is computed. A high likelihood indicates a strong association between the textual description and the image. The invention utilizes two-dimensional multi-resolution hidden Markov models that demonstrate accuracy and high potential in linguistic indexing of photographic images.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system comprises at least one processor and a peripheral interface controller coupled to the processor. Further coupled to receive transactions from a peripheral interface, the peripheral interface controller is configured to accumulate freed credits for a given transaction type of a plurality of transaction types that are not yet returned to a transmitter on the peripheral interface. The peripheral interface controller is also configured to cause transmission of a flow control update transaction on the peripheral interface responsive to a number of the freed credits exceeding a threshold amount that is less than a total number of credits allocated to the given transaction type.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for sanity checking integrated circuit (IC) designs based on one or more predefined sub-circuits with at least one predefined checking criteria, the method comprising automatically reading one or more netlists, identifying one or more sub-circuits in the netlists isomorphic to at least one of predefined sub-circuits, identifying one or more device parameters for sanity checking the identified sub-circuits, and comparing the identified device parameters against the predefined checking criteria.

Abstract: The invention relates to fog-resistant goggles as well as to methods of defogging goggles during use and methods of producing fog-resistant goggles. Also included is a method and apparatus to direct airflow toward the lens and away from the eyes of an individual wearing the goggles.

Abstract: Treatment targets such as tumors or lesions, located within an anatomical region that undergoes motion (which may be periodic with cycle P), are dynamically tracked. A 4D mathematical model is established for the non-rigid motion and deformation of the anatomical region, from a set of CT or other 3D images. The 4D mathematical model relates the 3D locations of part(s) of the anatomical region with the targets being tracked, as a function of the position in time within P. Using fiducial-less non-rigid image registration between pre-operative DRRs and intra-operative x-ray images, the absolute position of the target and/or other part(s) of the anatomical region is determined. The cycle P is determined using motion sensors such as surface markers. The radiation beams are delivered using: 1) the results of non-rigid image registration; 2) the 4D model; and 3) the position in time within P.

Abstract: Methods and devices provided for an audio appliance system that remotely command and control cell phone and various IT, electronic products through voice interface. The voice interface includes voice recognition, and voice generation functions, thus enables the appliance to process information through voice on cell phones/IT products, streamline the information transmission and exchange. Additionally, the appliance enables convenient command and control of various IT and consumer products through voice operation, enhancing the usability of these products and the reach of human users to the outside world.