Abstract: The present invention is directed toward secure access systems. Specifically, a method and system is provided that enhances the security of unidirectional communication protocols used in access control systems, such as the Wiegand protocol. The enhancements may include obfuscation of data, a two-way packet-mode communications, and blind synchronization of pseudo-random number generators.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward secure access systems. Specifically, a method, system, and device are described that employ a synchronized pseudo-random number generator to secure communications between endpoints involved in a communication. If synchronization is lost between two devices, the two devices can regain synchronization by switching to use of a different pseudo-random number generator that is used for resynchronization instead of communications.

Abstract: An indication of an activated call forwarding feature is provided for a mobile telephone/computing device. When a call forwarding feature is activated, an indication may be presented on the device to indicate the call forwarding feature is currently active. The indication may be visual, audible or tactile. The indication serves as a reminder to the user of the device that the call forwarding feature is active. The indication may be presented on the device continuously until the user deactivates the feature, or the indication may be presented only when incoming calls are actually forwarded. Selectable functions may be enabled on the device for changing the call forwarding activation state and for overriding call forwarding for an in-progress forwarding call.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an RFID device that includes a motion sensing mechanism. The motion sensing mechanism is adapted to sense motion of the RFID device and then selectively allow or restrict the RFID device's ability to transmit messages, which may include sensitive data, when the RFID device is placed in an RF field. Thus, the motion sensing mechanism is utilized to control access to data on the RFID device to only instances when the holder of the RFID device moves the RFID device in a predefined sequence of motion(s).

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an RFID device that includes a motion sensing mechanism. The motion sensing mechanism is adapted to sense motion of the RFID device and then selectively allow or restrict the RFID device's ability to transmit messages, which may include sensitive data, when the RFID device is placed in an RF field. Thus, the motion sensing mechanism is utilized to control access to data on the RFID device to only instances when the holder of the RFID device moves the RFID device in a predefined sequence of motion(s).

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides for systems and/or methods for accessing and/or updating files by a first application in which the first application does not have direct accessibility to said file. In some embodiments, file host applications that are not directly accessible to said first application may be connected to through a file picker extensibility point that enable the first application to acquire files through an operating system user experience. In these various embodiments, the system may provide for one or more of the following functionalities: (1) refreshing content that is controlled by a file host application; (2) updating content that is controlled by a file host application; (3) exporting files from an application to a file host application; (4) a user interface for export operations and file host application intervention and (5) a file host extensibility point provided by the operating system.

Abstract: An indication of an activated call forwarding feature is provided for a mobile telephone/computing device. When a call forwarding feature is activated, an indication may be presented on the device to indicate the call forwarding feature is currently active. The indication may be visual, audible or tactile. The indication serves as a reminder to the user of the device that the call forwarding feature is active. The indication may be presented on the device continuously until the user deactivates the feature, or the indication may be presented only when incoming calls are actually forwarded. Selectable functions may be enabled on the device for changing the call forwarding activation state and for overriding call forwarding for an in-progress forwarding call.

Abstract: Disclosed are various elements of a toolkit used for generating a TTS voice for use in a spoken dialog system. The invention in each case may be in the form of the system, a computer-readable medium or a method for generating the TTS voice. An embodiment of the invention relates to a method for preparing a text-to-speech (TTS) voice for testing and verification. The method comprises processing a TTS voice to be ready for testing, synthesizing words utilizing the TTS voice, presenting to a person a smallest possible subset that contains at least N instances of a group of units in the TTS voice, receiving information from the person associated with corrections needed to the TTS voice and making corrections to the TTS voice according to the received information.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various aspects of a toolkit used for generating a TTS voice for use in a spoken dialog system. The embodiments in each case may be in the form of the system, a computer-readable medium or a method for generating the TTS voice. An embodiment of the invention relates to a method of tracking progress in developing a text-to-speech (TTS) voice. The method comprises insuring that a corpus of recorded speech contains reading errors and matches an associated written text, creating a tuple for each utterance in the corpus and tracking progress for each utterance utilizing the tuple. Various parameters may be tracked using the tuple but the tuple provides a means for enabling multiple workers to efficiently process a database of utterance in preparation of a TTS voice.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various innovations associated with a toolkit used for generating a TTS voice for use in a spoken dialog system. The inventions in each case may be in the form of the system, a computer-readable medium or a method for generating the TTS voice. An embodiment of the invention relates to a method of enabling human workers to find errors when developing a text-to-speech (TTS) voice. The method comprises presenting a graphical user interface wherein after a first pass of automatic speech recognition (ASR) of a speech corpus is complete, the interface presents to a worker a graphical representation of an alignment of the ASR results, associated words and phonemes and the audio, receiving a graphical input from the worker associated with a selection of a word or phoneme and presenting the audio associated with the selected word or phoneme.

Abstract: The present invention provides various elements of a toolkit used for generating a TTS voice for use in a spoken dialog system. The embodiments in each case may be in the form of the system, a computer-readable medium or a method for generating the TTS voice. One embodiment of the invention relates to a method of correcting a database associated with the development of a text-to-speech (TTS) voice. The method comprises generating a pronunciation dictionary for use with a TTS voice, generating a TTS voice to a stage wherein it is prepared to be tested before being deployed, identifying mislabeled phonetic units associated with the TTS voice, for each identified mislabeled phonetic unit, linking to an entry within the pronunciation dictionary to correct the entry and deleting utterances and all associated data for unacceptable utterances.

Abstract: Disclosed are various elements of a toolkit used for generating a TTS voice for use in a spoken dialog system. The invention in each case may be in the form of the system, a computer-readable medium or a method for generating the TTS voice. An embodiment of the invention relates to a method for preparing a text-to-speech (TTS) voice for testing and verification. The method comprises processing a TTS voice to be ready for testing, synthesizing words utilizing the TTS voice, presenting to a person a smallest possible subset that contains at least N instances of a group of units in the TTS voice, receiving information from the person associated with corrections needed to the TTS voice and making corrections to the TTS voice according to the received information.

Abstract: Disclosed are various elements of a toolkit used for generating a TTS voice for use in a spoken dialog system. The invention in each case may be in the form of the system, a computer-readable medium or a method for generating the TTS voice. An embodiment of the invention relates to a method for preparing a text-to-speech (TTS) voice for testing and verification. The method comprises processing a TTS voice to be ready for testing, synthesizing words utilizing the TTS voice, presenting to a person a smallest possible subset that contains at least N instances of a group of units in the TTS voice, receiving information from the person associated with corrections needed to the TTS voice and making corrections to the TTS voice according to the received information.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various aspects of a toolkit used for generating a TTS voice for use in a spoken dialog system. The embodiments in each case may be in the form of the system, a computer-readable medium or a method for generating the TTS voice. An embodiment of the invention relates to a method of tracking progress in developing a text-to-speech (TTS) voice. The method comprises insuring that a corpus of recorded speech contains reading errors and matches an associated written text, creating a tuple for each utterance in the corpus and tracking progress for each utterance utilizing the tuple. Various parameters may be tracked using the tuple but the tuple provides a means for enabling multiple workers to efficiently process a database of utterance in preparation of a TTS voice.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various aspects of a toolkit used for generating a TTS voice for use in a spoken dialog system. The embodiments in each case may be in the form of the system, a computer-readable medium or a method for generating the TTS voice. An embodiment of the invention relates to a method of tracking progress in developing a text-to-speech (TTS) voice. The method comprises insuring that a corpus of recorded speech contains reading errors and matches an associated written text, creating a tuple for each utterance in the corpus and tracking progress for each utterance utilizing the tuple. Various parameters may be tracked using the tuple but the tuple provides a means for enabling multiple workers to efficiently process a database of utterance in preparation of a TTS voice.

Abstract: Disclosed are various elements of a toolkit used for generating a TTS voice for use in a spoken dialog system. The embodiments in each case may be in the form of the system, a computer-readable medium or a method for generating the TTS voice. One embodiment of the invention relates to a method of generating a database for a TTS voice. The method comprises matching every spoken word associated with a TTS voice database with a smallest set of possible pronunciations for each word. The smallest set is generated by automatically determining a dialect and linguistic context using linguistic rules, empirically determining idiosyncratic speaker characteristics and determining a subject domain. The method further comprises dynamically generating a pronunciation dictionary on a word-by-word basis using the smallest set.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for facilitating asymmetric line rates in an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) which includes a central node and at least one remote node. During operation, the system provides a downstream code-group clock, wherein each cycle thereof corresponds to a code group transmitted from the central node to a remote node. The system also provides an upstream code-group clock, wherein each cycle thereof corresponds to a code group received at the central node from a remote node. In addition, the system provides a multi-point control protocol (MPCP) clock, wherein the frequency ratio of the MPCP clock to the downstream code-group clock is different from the frequency ratio of the MPCP clock to the upstream code-group clock, thereby allowing the downstream transmission to be performed at a faster line rate than the upstream transmission line rate.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for forwarding packets in an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) which includes a central node and at least one remote node. During operation, the system associates a logical link identifier (LLID) to a logical link between the central node and a remote node, wherein the logical link corresponds to a priority level based on a certain service level agreement (SLA). After receiving a packet to be forwarded to a remote node, the system then determines the value of one or more fields within the packet which is used to indicate a priority level for the packet. Subsequently, the system assigns an LLID to the packet based on the value of the one or more fields, thereby facilitating differentiated service qualities within the EPON.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that decrypts downstream data in an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON). During operation, the system receives a data frame which is encrypted based on a remote input block and a session key, wherein the remote input block is constructed based on a remote cipher counter and a remote block counter. The system adjusts a local cipher counter based on a received checksum located in a preamble of the data frame, wherein the local cipher counter is substantially synchronized with the remote cipher counter. In addition, the system truncates the local cipher counter by discarding n least significant bits thereof. The system then constructs a local input block based on the truncated cipher counter and a local block counter for the received data frame. Next, the system decrypts the data frame based on the local input block and the session key.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for reducing vibration in bearings. There are provided first and second bearing rings with races, rotating members rollingly engaging both first and second bearing races, a cage for aligning the rotating members between the first and second bearing races, and vibration reduction means coupled to the cage. The vibration reduction means preferably comprises one or more resonant spring-mass combinations mounted in or on the cage. Damping means is preferably included with the resonant spring-mass combinations. The resonant frequencies of the unmodified bearing cage are first determined and then the spring-mass combinations tuned so that the spring-mass combinations when attached to the cage absorb vibrational energy that would otherwise excite cage vibrations. By selecting the type of spring-mass combination different vibrational modes can be suppressed and/or controlled.