Abstract: The disclosure describes a system and method for controlling interfacing parameters for a device when connected to a host. In the system and method, the communications interface is configurable to be in operable connection to a host using a microprocessor in the device having a first bus controller and a second bus controller, the second bus controller external to the microprocessor. The method comprises: establishing an initial connection by the device; conducting negotiations by the device to set a first data transmission rate for the device for the initial connection utilizing a communication bus controller contained in the microprocessor; and after detecting completion of enumeration of the device, re-establishing the connection by the device using the second bus controller in the device that processes the communications at a second transmission rate that is higher than the first data transmission rate.

Abstract: A system to detect subsurface activity. The system employs vibration sensor pairs, with each sensor pair having a shallow sensor and a deep sensor. Outputs of the sensors of a pair are processed together and events are detected based on the relative values detected by the sensors of the pair. When signal energy departs from a detected background level, the relative amplitude and frequency content of vibrations measured at the shallow and deep sensors may be compared. The comparison may be performed, at least in part, using a classifier that discriminates between subsurface activity and surface to activity. The outputs of sensor pairs may be aggregated to make a determination of whether subsurface activity exists and/or its location. Aggregation may involve comparing the outputs of the same sensor pair at multiple time intervals or may involve comparing the outputs of arrayed sensor pairs.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system enable a virtual machine manager (“VMM”) to dynamically reassign physical devices from one virtual machine (“VM”) to another. The VMM may generate a message to the VM that currently owns the physical device and inform the device that the physical device is shutting down. The current VM may thereafter idle the physical device, unload the device driver and eject the device. The VMM may then inform another VM that the physical device is available, and the second VM may load the driver for the device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method of transitioning control to guest software in a virtual machine from a virtual machine monitor, receiving control following a transition from the virtual machine to the virtual machine monitor upon an event, and determining whether to modify a state of the guest code, a state of the virtual machine monitor or a state of controls. If such a determination is made, the state may be modified and control is transitioned back to the guest software.

Abstract: A method of improving USB device virtualization to prevent bus bandwidth from being over allocated when isochronous USB devices are attached to multiple virtual machines by attaching a dummy device to each virtual machine which will mimic the bandwidth reservations made by real devices in other virtual machines, thus allowing each virtual machine to determine the true available bandwidth. The dummy devices are represented by incorporating a dummy device driver in each virtual machine and emulating the dummy device in software in the VMM.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a system and method for controlling interfacing parameters for a device when connected to a host. In the system and method, the communications interface is configurable to be in operable connection to a host using a microprocessor in the device having a first bus controller and a second bus controller, the second bus controller external to the microprocessor. The method comprises: establishing an initial connection by the device; conducting negotiations by the device to set a first data transmission rate for the device for the initial connection utilizing a communication bus controller contained in the microprocessor; and after detecting completion of enumeration of the device, re-establishing the connection by the device using the second bus controller in the device that processes the communications at a second transmission rate that is higher than the first data transmission rate.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are described for seamlessly and concurrently sharing a graphics device amongst multiple virtual machines (“VMs”) on a host computer. Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, a graphics device may be shared by multiple VMs such that only the output of one VM (i.e., the “focus VM”) is displayed on a display device coupled to the host computer. The focus VM may be identified according to a variety of ways. The focus VM may render its output into a frame-buffer and/or an overlay buffer, and the page table entries (“PTEs) that point to the frame-buffer may then be copied to a display buffer in an unused memory location associated with the focus VM. The PTEs may additionally be copied to display buffers in unused memory locations associated with the non-focus VMs on the host. The display buffer may then output its display (via the pointers to the frame buffers) to the display device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for controlling interfacing parameters for a device when connected to a host is provided. The method comprises: monitoring for an initial connection by the device to the host; then, while the device is establishing the connection with the host, utilizing a communication bus controller contained in a microprocessor in the device to process communications with the host at a first data transmission rate; and after a predetermined condition, re-establishing the connection with the host using a second bus controller in the device that processes the communications at a second transmission rate that is higher the first data transmission rate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for controlling interfacing parameters for a device when connected to a host is provided. The method comprises: monitoring for an initial connection by the device to the host; then, while the device is establishing the connection with the host, utilizing a communication bus controller contained in a microprocessor in the device to process communications with the host at a first data transmission rate; and after a predetermined condition, re-establishing the connection with the host using a second bus controller in the device that processes the communications at a second transmission rate that is higher the first data transmission rate.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are described for seamlessly sharing I/O devices amongst multiple virtual machines (“VMs”) on a host computer. Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the virtual machine manager (“VMM”) on the host cycles access to the I/O devices amongst the VMs according to a round robin or other such allocation scheme. In order to provide direct access to the devices, the VMM may save the device state pertaining to the currently active VM, store the state in a memory region allocated to the currently active VM, retrieve a device state for a new VM from its memory region and restore the device using the retrieved device state, thus providing the illusion that each VM has direct, full-speed, exclusive access to the I/O device.

Abstract: Various embodiments for a communication control configuration and a communication control method are described for wireless communication devices having at least two radios that can potentially interfere with one another. The control schemes described herein reduce the likelihood that the two radios will interfere with one another during operation.

Abstract: A system and method for supporting two infrared signaling protocols in a single computing device is provided. The computing system operates in a default mode unless a priority signaling request is generated by an application program. Priority signaling requests are given processing priority, and default mode transmission packets may be dropped during priority mode processing. Handling of dropped default mode packets is relinquished to an upper protocol layer of a network stack, which recovers and sends the dropped transmissions to the infrared device when the computing device returns to the default mode.

Abstract: A method of improving USB device virtualization to prevent bus bandwidth from being over allocated when isochronous USB devices are attached to multiple virtual machines by attaching a dummy device to each virtual machine which will mimic the bandwidth reservations made by real devices in other virtual machines, thus allowing each virtual machine to determine the true available bandwidth. The dummy devices are represented by incorporating a dummy device driver in each virtual machine and emulating the dummy device in software in the VMM.

Abstract: A system and method for improving audio quality, by means of signal processing on a computer, during post-production of recordings is disclosed. A recording of a “chirp” tone at the beginning of a scene is followed by analysis of the recorded chirp on the computer. For the acoustic signature of the recorded chirp, the computer can characterize the acoustic environment in which the recording was made and use those characteristics to improve the remainder of the audio. The processing that can be achieved by the computer includes, but is not limited to, frequency response correction and acoustic echo cancellation. A physical device for generating the chirp may be pre-built into a video recorder or may be an add-on device placed in physical proximity to the video recorder while the chirp is generated.

Abstract: A walking cane device which supports a basket (2) and lid (7), permitting a storage area to transport objects. A support ring (4) and support columns (3) are secured to the shaft of the cane (1). The support columns (3) extend upwards and slightly outward of the shaft and along the sides of the basket (2), securing and stabilizing the basket (2) in place. A lid (7) is attached to the basket (2) by means of the attachment of the loops (6) to fasteners (5).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting digital images is provided. In one embodiment of the invention, a unique subject in a current image to be corrected is identified in one or more reference images. Pixel characteristics of the unique subject in the current image to be corrected are compared to the pixel characteristics of the unique subject as it appears in the one or more reference images. Using the comparison, a systemic error of the current image is inferred, and a correction function correcting the inferred error is determined. One embodiment of the invention corrects the color of a digital image based on identifying individual humans in the current image and in the reference images.

Abstract: A system and method including, in some embodiments, receiving a request for a graphics memory address for an input/output (I/O) device assigned to a virtual machine in a system that supports virtualization, and installing, in a graphics memory translation table, a physical guest graphics memory address to host physical memory address translation.

Abstract: A physical device has core function circuitry that is to perform a core I/O function of a computer system. Multiple client interface circuits are provided, each of which presents itself as a complete device to a software client in the system, to access the core function circuitry. Multiplexing circuitry couples the client interfaces to the core I/O functionality. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method of transitioning control to guest software in a virtual machine from a virtual machine monitor, receiving control following a transition from the virtual machine to the virtual machine monitor upon an event, and determining whether to modify a state of the guest code, a state of the virtual machine monitor or a state of controls. If such a determination is made, the state may be modified and control is transitioned back to the guest software.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are described for seamlessly and concurrently sharing a graphics device amongst multiple virtual machines (“VMs”) on a host computer. Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, a graphics device may be shared by multiple VMs such that only the output of one VM (i.e., the “focus VM”) is displayed on a display device coupled to the host computer. The focus VM may be identified according to a variety of ways. The focus VM may render its output into a frame-buffer and/or an overlay buffer, and the page table entries (“PTEs) that point to the frame-buffer may then be copied to a display buffer in an unused memory location associated with the focus VM. The PTEs may additionally be copied to display buffers in unused memory locations associated with the non-focus VMs on the host. The display buffer may then output its display (via the pointers to the frame buffers) to the display device.