Patents by Inventor Qian Zhang

Qian Zhang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20050015496
    Abstract: A middle layer network protocol enhancement, virtual connectivity (VC) makes the network attachment point changes of local and remote peers transparent to applications that use network services. A virtual connectivity module local to each peer translates communication connection parameters from apparent to real and vice versa, as well as sending and receiving secure connection updates directly to and from peers. Unlike Mobile IP, no routing infrastructure modifications are required. A subscribe-notify service provides connection update notifications when direct peer-to-peer connection updates are not possible, for example, when two communicating peers move simultaneously or when the moving peer is communicating with a peer behind network address translation (NAT). Methods for detecting these conditions are disclosed, as is a virtual connectivity protocol and virtual connectivity module architecture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Chuanxiong Guo, Jun Yuan, Qian Zhang, Wenwu Zhu
  • Publication number: 20050015427
    Abstract: A middle layer network protocol enhancement, virtual connectivity (VC) makes the network attachment point changes of local and remote peers transparent to applications that use network services. A virtual connectivity module local to each peer translates communication connection parameters from apparent to real and vice versa, as well as sending and receiving secure connection updates directly to and from peers. Unlike Mobile IP, no routing infrastructure modifications are required. A subscribe-notify service provides connection update notifications when direct peer-to-peer connection updates are not possible, for example, when two communicating peers move simultaneously or when the moving peer is communicating with a peer behind network address translation (NAT). Methods for detecting these conditions are disclosed, as is a virtual connectivity protocol and virtual connectivity module architecture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Chuanxiong Guo, Jun Yuan, Qian Zhang, Wenwu Zhu
  • Publication number: 20040210604
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing random access of structured media content are described. One aspect provides a novel file structure or “Vfile”, and method of using the same, for organizing and managing portions of a structured media content file that are or can be downloaded from a content provider such as a multimedia content server. The Vfile is configured to emulate a server file structure that a server uses to store structured media content files. The Vfile is established at a client location when a client accesses a structured media content file and is used to buffer and cache structured media content file portions. In addition to having an infrastructure that emulates the server's file structure, the Vfile includes one or more media management tags. The tags are used by the client to manage a cache of structured media content file portions that are downloaded from the server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Jin Li, Hong-Hui Sun, Hu Li, Qian Zhang, Xianoning Ling
  • Patent number: 6807550
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing random access of structured media content are described. One aspect provides a novel file structure or “Vfile”, and method of using the same, for organizing and managing portions of a structured media content file that are or can be downloaded from a content provider such as a multimedia content server. The Vfile is configured to emulate a server file structure that a server uses to store structured media content files. The Vfile is established at a client location when a client accesses a structured media content file and is used to buffer and cache structured media content file portions. In addition to having an infrastructure that emulates the server's file structure, the Vfile includes one or more media management tags. The tags are used by the client to manage a cache of structured media content file portions that are downloaded from the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Li, Hong-Hui Sun, Hu Li, Qian Zhang, Xianoning Ling
  • Publication number: 20040205093
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing random access of structured media content are described. One aspect provides a novel file structure or “Vfile”, and method of using the same, for organizing and managing portions of a structured media content file that are or can be downloaded from a content provider such as a multimedia content server. The Vfile is configured to emulate a server file structure that a server uses to store structured media content files. The Vfile is established at a client location when a client accesses a structured media content file and is used to buffer and cache structured media content file portions. In addition to having an infrastructure that emulates the server's file structure, the Vfile includes one or more media management tags. The tags are used by the client to manage a cache of structured media content file portions that are downloaded from the server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Jin Li, Hong-Hui Sun, Hu Li, Qian Zhang, Xianoning Ling
  • Publication number: 20040170150
    Abstract: A method provides differentiated quality of service (QoS) by providing adaptive updates to media access control (MAC) layer parameters on a distributed basis. The method includes calculating a failure probability for a transmission over the network, determining a target value for determining a contention window according to a mapped function of the failure probability, and altering the contention window according to a scaling function of the target value. The mapped function and the scaling can provide QoS differentiation. A wireless device ensures fairness in a wireless time slotted network and includes a network interface card (NIC), a network driver interface, a network monitor, a statistics engine, and an adaptive parameter engine for determining a target value for determining a contention window according to a mapped function of the one or more probabilities to enable an alteration of the contention window and provide new parameters for the MAC layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Zihua Guo, Wenwu Zhu, Qian Zhang, Jun Zhao
  • Publication number: 20040170191
    Abstract: A system and method for improved vertical handoff between different types of wireless network. Network allocation vector occupation and packet collision probability are used as quality of service measures, enabling vertical handoffs to be delayed until actually beneficial to quality of service. Improved wireless network cell boundary detection in vertical handoff scenarios is achieved with a Fourier-based technique in conjunction with an adaptively determined minimum operating signal strength threshold. Improved wireless network cell boundary detection enables vertical handoffs from high quality of service networks to be delayed as long as possible. Together, practical wireless network quality of service measures and improved detection of wireless network cell boundaries in vertical handoff scenarios reduce the rate of unnecessary vertical handoff resulting in higher overall quality of service experienced by a mobile computing device roaming between wireless network types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Zihua Guo, Qian Zhang, Richard Yao, Wenwu Zhu
  • Publication number: 20040170122
    Abstract: A system and method for improved vertical handoff between different types of wireless network. Network allocation vector occupation and packet collision probability are used as quality of service measures, enabling vertical handoffs to be delayed until actually beneficial to quality of service. Improved wireless network cell boundary detection in vertical handoff scenarios is achieved with a Fourier-based technique in conjunction with an adaptively determined minimum operating signal strength threshold. Improved wireless network cell boundary detection enables vertical handoffs from high quality of service networks to be delayed as long as possible. Together, practical wireless network quality of service measures and improved detection of wireless network cell boundaries in vertical handoff scenarios reduce the rate of unnecessary vertical handoff resulting in higher overall quality of service experienced by a mobile computing device roaming between wireless network types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Zihua Guo, Qian Zhang, Richard Yao, Wenwu Zhu
  • Publication number: 20040003343
    Abstract: A method and system for encoding a mark-up language document is provided, in which, the structure of the mark-up language document is condensed by removing those parts of the structure that are fixed, and by expressing the variable parts of the structure in terms of whether or how often they occur. A template that specifies which parts of the structure and fixed and which parts are variable may be provided to both the device that is transmitting the mark-up language document and the device that is receiving the mark-up language document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Hongbin Liao, Qian Zhang, Wenwu Zhu
  • Patent number: 6645146
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the penetration of the harmonic imaging while preserving the image uniformity by using signals from a similar frequency band to form a composite image. A near field image uses primarily tissue generated harmonic signal associated with a first transmitting event that has a center frequency of f1. Such tissue generated harmonic signal has a frequency band centered on 2f1. In the far field, fundamental echo signals from the second transmitting event that has a center frequency of f2 are primarily use. Since the center frequency f2 in the transmitting event is close to 2f1 and there is a significant overlap in frequency band between signals extracted from the first transmitting event and signals extracted from the second transmitting event, a composite image formed from these signals has similar speckle size across the whole image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Qian Zhang Adams, Satchi Panda, Richard Yung Chiao
  • Publication number: 20030193900
    Abstract: A unique sync mark is applied by an encoder to the beginning of each frame in a data packet of a Windows Media™ Audio bitstream by a Microsoft® Windows Media™ Audio (WMA) codec. The WMA decoder handles errors at the frame level for each data packet. When a frame in a data packet of a WMA file is corrupted, the decoder can continue to decode the next frame by searching for the next sync mark at the beginning of the next frame. Accordingly, error propagation is confined to a single frame and the decoder can simultaneously handle bit errors and packet erasures when decompressing a received audio bitstream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: Qian Zhang, Jianping Zhou, Wenwu Zhu
  • Publication number: 20030171934
    Abstract: A source encoder encodes audio signals into increasing quality layers defined in bit planes. Each bit plane has a data unit that includes a beginning partition having one or more contiguous refinement bits, a second partition having one or more contiguous coded significance bits, a third partition having one or more contiguous sign boundary mark bits, and a fourth partition having one or more contiguous coded sign bits. A channel encoder encodes the bit planes into respective columns containing multiple rows. Unequal error protection coding is provided according to the quality of each layer such that each row has row and column channel protection codes for the respective row and column that correspond to the respective quality layer. For the corresponding row and column, each row contains the row channel protection codes and either the compressed audio data from the respective layer or the column channel protection codes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: Qian Zhang, Wenwu Zhu
  • Publication number: 20030152034
    Abstract: A peer-to-peer (P2P) probing/network quality of service (QoS) analysis system utilizes a UDP-based probing tool for determining latency, bandwidth, and packet loss ratio between peers in a network. The probing tool enables network QoS probing between peers that connect through a network address translator. The list of peers to probe is provided by a connection server based on prior probe results and an estimate of the network condition. The list includes those peers which are predicted to have the best QoS with the requesting peer. Once the list is obtained, the requesting peer probes the actual QoS to each peer on the list, and returns these results to the connection server. P2P probing in parallel using a modified packet-pair scheme is utilized. If anomalous results are obtained, a hop-by-hop probing scheme is utilized to determine the QoS of each link. In such a scheme, differential destination measurement is utilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Qian Zhang, Wenwu Zhu, XinYan Zhang, YongQiang Xiong
  • Publication number: 20030147386
    Abstract: A network performance (e.g., latency and bandwidth) measurement infrastructure for large scale networks based on self-organized probing groups of devices. Each group of devices has a lead device that measures network characteristics, and then shares the measurement information with other devices. This grouping method reduces the amount of network bandwidth needed for adequate measurements, while still providing necessary information to individual devices. The system utilizes a novel multicast-based algorithm that is adopted for both intra-group and inter-group performance measurement. The measurement groups (MeGroups) are dynamic and self-forming, and use a set of heuristic algorithms to optimize the dynamic groupings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Qian Zhang, Wenwu Zhu, Jiangchuan Liu, XinYan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20030139187
    Abstract: A framework and method for quality of service (QoS) aware resource discovery in mobile ad hoc networks are presented. Self-organized discovery agents manage the directory information that describes the network resources available for use by clients. In one embodiment, hash indexing of available resources is utilized. The discovery agents also partition the network into domains and collect intra- and inter-domain QoS information. This information is used to allow clients to select appropriate resource providers. This framework and method has low discovery latency and cost in terms of the number of packets for each resource discovery query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Qian Zhang, Wenwu Zhu, Jiangchuan Liu
  • Publication number: 20030064744
    Abstract: A power control scheme for a wireless network communication system that includes a base station and multiple wireless mobile device dynamically adjusts transmission power of a mobile device in conjunction with adjusting its bit allocation in source coding and channel coding to minimize its total power consumption while maximizing the system capacity in terms of the total effective transmission rates received by the base station. The base station sets a target signal quality value for each mobile station, and the target values are determined by the base station such that the total effective data rate from all the mobile devices is maximized under constraints of the total received power and the error protection level requirements for the mobile devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Qian Zhang, Wenwu Zhu, Ya-Qin Zhang, Ji Zhu
  • Publication number: 20030018794
    Abstract: A system for content (e.g., streaming media) is presented comprising a server, to provide media content on request through a wireline network, coupled to a wireless host through a network gateway. The network gateway establishes a communication channel from the server to the wireless host through both a wireline network and a wireless network, wherein the communication channel includes a transport layer protocol with control parameters for network elements of each of the wireline network and the wireless network. This abstract itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appending claims.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2001
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventors: Qian Zhang, Wenwu Zhu, Ya-Qin Zhang, Fan Yang
  • Publication number: 20020097722
    Abstract: An implementation of a technology, described herein, for transmitting compressed network transport-layer-protocol headers in a speedy, efficient, inferentially synchronized, and robust manner. An implementation, described herein, models the transmission of compressed headers to the congestion procedure of the network transport-layer protocol (e.g., TCP's). Doing so, the sender of the compressed headers can infer whether the receiver correctly received them. Unlike the slow direct synchronization employed by conventional schemes, this implementation of the present claimed invention inferentially synchronizes by modeling after the congestion procedure of the network transport-layer protocol. This is inherently faster than direct synchronization. Since the implementation performs well over both noiseless and noisy links, it is particularly suited to use over wireless communications channels. This abstract itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventors: Hong Bin Liao, Qian Zhang, Wenwu Zhu, Ya-Qin Zhang
  • Publication number: 20020054578
    Abstract: A cross-layer architecture is provided for delivering multiple media streams over 3G W-CDMA channels in adaptive multimedia wireless networks. A resource management mechanism dynamically allocates resources among different media streams adapted to channel status and Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. By taking the time-varying wireless transmission characteristics into account, an allocation of resources is performed based on a minimum-distortion or minimum-power criterion. Estimates of the time-varying wireless transmission conditions are made through measurements of throughput and error rate. Power and distortion minimized bit allocation schemes are used with the estimated wireless transmission conditions to for dynamically adaptations in transmissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventors: Qian Zhang, Wenwu Zhu, Ya-Qin Zhang, Guijin Wang
  • Publication number: 20020010938
    Abstract: A resource allocation of multiple compressed AV streams delivered over the Internet is disclosed that achieves end-to-end optimal quality through a multimedia streaming TCP-friendly transport (MSTFP) protocol that adaptively estimates the network bandwidth while smoothing the sending rate. Resources allocated dynamically according to a media encoding distortion and network degradation algorithm. A scheme is also disclosed for dynamically estimating the available network bandwidth for streaming of objects, such as MPEG-4 multiple video objects, in conjunction with the MSTFP protocol. The scheme can account for packet-loss rates to minimize end-to-end distortion for media delivery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventors: Qian Zhang, Ya-Qin Zhang, Wenwu Zhu