Abstract: A card-based mechanism can enable users to secure their network by limiting network access to devices to which a card is communicationally connected, the card having been previously provisioned by the user. A trusted computing device can be used to provision a card. Subsequently, the card can be communicationally connected to a card-provisionable device and can use the networking abilities of that device to authenticate itself to the trusted computing device. The card-provisionable device can then be granted access to the network. The card can also be used to provision the device with other information, such as device-specific settings. If necessary, either the card or the trusted computing device can revoke the network access rights of the card-provisionable device without affecting other devices on the network.

Abstract: A healthcare smart card management system stores a large amount of healthcare information to overcome shortcomings of separate and largely paper medical and insurance files. Embedded security technology supports partial or separated identity proofing as well as hardware time limited storage. Dynamic contextual privacy consent enhances user, healthcare provider, and insurer privacy and proprietary information to encourage and enable universal adoption. Data is structured in self-executing (“print to device”) for legacy systems as well as in rolled-access format and archival format to balance usage and data integrity purposes. A plurality of network interfaces are incorporated as well as financial transaction codes. Card integrity is enhanced by remote usage oversight, self-destruct monitoring (e.g., time, location, hacking, malfunction, etc.), and integral write-only audit logs.

Abstract: Storage devices can maintain metadata on a per-block basis, enabling the storage device, the file system, or other higher-level software to store and obtain information about individual blocks of data. A handshake between the storage device and a computing device can include an exchange of feature tables, whereby a commonly supported set of features and attributes can be selected and agreed upon. Such features and attributes can include access pattern specification in the per-block metadata, frequency of access or importance designations and specifications of the longevity of temporary data. The per-block metadata can either be provided by an application or the file system, or it can be generated by the storage device itself. Likewise, per-block metadata can be utilized by the storage device, either on its own or at the behest of an application or the file system, or it can be utilized directly by the application or file system.

Abstract: Access rights may be managed using non-volatile memory. The charge retention characteristics in devices with non-volatile memory are used to establish time-limited rights. Time duration is calculated using the floating gate in a storage cell. First, time-limited rights are determined from a license. Second, a set of computer software selects a time-sensitive storage cell, containing the floating gate, in the non-volatile memory that approximates the required time duration in the license.

Abstract: Processes for identifying and recovering a lost transient storage device are provided. In some processes, information regarding the owner of the device is obtained. The device ownership information may be stored on a remote service with which the device is registered and/or may be stored on the device itself. In one process, the remote service provides the device with customized device-executable code when the device is registered. The device may also contain information regarding trusted systems. The process includes obtaining status information indicating whether a device is lost when the device is connected to a host system. In some processes, the status is determined by a remote service. In other processes, the status is determined by the device. If the device is lost then a device recovery plan is executed. Portions of a device recovery plan may be executed on the remote service, the host system, and/or the device.

Abstract: Processes for presenting a current state of a device having device storage connected with a host system are provided. In some processes, device manufacturers or vendors define a set of operational states of a device and provide user interface (UI) elements of a custom representation of each state through information stored in the device storage. Initially, the set of states of the device and UI elements associated with each state are received from the device storage. Information regarding a current state is received from the device, and a representation of the current state, which includes the received UI elements, is presented on the host system. In other processes, UI elements of a representation of each state are obtained from a remote system using device identification information. In other processes, UI elements from the device, from the host system, and/or from a remote system are combined to form a state representation.

Abstract: A system and related techniques relate to the retrieval of a media object list with associated properties from a media device such as a digital video camcorder, audio player or other source or device. According to embodiments the retrieved list or set of media objects and their attributes or properties, for example a song list along with song length, codec, artist and other information may be retrieved from the source device, along with a representative sample of the media or content of each object. So the title which identifies a song may be accompanied by a short sound clip of a representative sample of that song, or a title identifying a digital video movie may be accompanied by a short video clip of an introductory portion of that movie.

Abstract: Systems and methods of media optimization are disclosed herein. An operation command can be sent to a media device from a host device. The operation command can be indicative of an intent to perform an operation on the recording medium. A list of media device characteristics corresponding to media device resources can be received from the media device. One or more selections of values of the media device characteristics can be sent from the host device to the media device in order to optimize the operation command. A response can be received from the media device of performance of the operation command.

Abstract: A protocol and related techniques and platforms allow vendors to selectably extend the Media Transport Protocol (MTP), or other defined protocols to implement vendor-specific commands, data fields, instructions and other extension sets. According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, one or more extension space may be utilized to derive independent extension sets, in part by separating the extension space according to a unique identifier assigned to or associated with a given vendor. In embodiments that unique identifier may be or include an Internet DNS (Domain Name System) domain name, or other extension set name or identifier. According to the invention in one regard, because a DNS domain name may be independently registered and secured by participating vendors or manufacturers and by definition uniquely assigned, the separation of vendor extension sets by that type of name may be automatic and free from conflict.

Abstract: The invention relates to an architecture for optimization that can leverage the several advantages of flash memory or hard disk technology, while simultaneously compensating for associated disadvantages. In a system with a flash module and a hard disk, respective memory can be dynamically allocated as a function of demand, preference, or utilization of respective applications in order to optimize overall system performance.

Abstract: In accordance with certain aspects of the automatic protocol determination for portable devices supporting multiple protocols, a portable device detects which one of the multiple protocols is being used by the host device for subsequent communication with the portable device. This detection is based on the content of a command received from a host device. The detected protocol is then used by the portable device for subsequent communication with the host device. The host device may also send, to the portable device, a notification of which of the multiple protocols is being used by the host device.

Abstract: A computer system uses simplified device drivers for operating hardware devices. A simplified device driver for a hardware device of a given device type, such as a flatbed scanner, works with a system-supplied common driver for that given device type. The common driver and the simplified driver together function like a regular device driver. The simplified device driver implements a small number of entry point functions corresponding to a pre-selected set of operation commands “generic” to hardware devices of that given device type. When an application makes a request for an operation by the device, the request is passed through a device driver interface (DDI) to the common driver. The common driver then calls the entry point functions in the simplified device driver to carry out the requested operation.

Abstract: In one aspect, an application analyzes and adjusts image data (e.g., pixel data) automatically upon acquiring (e.g., from a source such as a digital camera) a digital image. Adjustments can be based on, for example, image orientation, red-eye detection, blurriness, color balance, exposure, or noise detection. Metadata corresponding to image adjustments can be stored in an adjusted image file to preserve the original image. In another aspect, a computer system includes image analysis and image adjustment software modules for analyzing and adjusting digital image data at image acquisition time. The image adjustment module can include one or more processing filters. A customizable software architecture allows customization of the image adjustment software module (e.g., by adding, removing or reordering processing filters). The described techniques and tools can be implemented as features of an operating system environment.

Abstract: A system and related techniques are provided in the present invention, which generate an interrogation request from an initiator device, to a mobile or other media player. The binary objects which encode the content may include or have associated with them a set of corresponding object properties which help to define each object. According to embodiments of the invention, the initiator may communicate with the responding device using a media-aware protocol such that the initiator may identify one or all of the set of properties paired with all of the objects to be returned. The initiator may then present the objects along with the corresponding properties to a user to manipulate. Because properties may be retrieved in conjunction with, at the same time and using a unified retrieval scheme, the need to query each object identifier one by one for associated properties is removed.

Abstract: Safe mode operation for portable devices supporting multiple protocols includes a portable device that supports multiple protocols, such as a base functionality protocol and an enhanced functionality protocol, reporting to a host device that the portable device supports only a single protocol (e.g., the base functionality protocol). This single protocol will be used for subsequent communication between the host device and the portable device. This reporting to the host device that the portable device supports only a single protocol can be triggered, for example, by an appropriate button(s) on the portable device being pressed when the portable device is powered on.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system are provided for supporting hardware devices that are connected to the computer via a network. The existence of any hardware device connected on the network is detected in the method. Information descriptive of the connected device is then obtained, either from the device or from the user. Based upon the obtained information, a logical representation of the connected device is created. The driver for the detected device is then located and installed. From this point on, the network-connected hardware device appears to the computer in the same manner as a locally connected hardware device.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable media are disclosed for retrieving configuration files from host units to devices. The system, method, and computer-readable media can, through a media device, detect when a surrounding condition has changed so that the media device can benefit from at least one configuration file. If the media device determines that a change to a surrounding condition has occurred, the media device can then retrieve a configuration file from a designated host unit.

Abstract: Architecture for data communications optimization based on generating and communicating “intents” or “hints” to a storage device and faster/slower solid state memory optimization. Data destined for storage on the storage device (capable of hints processing) can be bracketed to take advantage of improved performance associated with the hints processing. Data can be communicated in block format such that individual series of block exchanges can occur. Hints processing can be optional at the storage device. When communicated to the storage device firmware facilitates optimization of internal data flow and device operation. A write optimization schema is provided for storage system such as solid state storage devices. For example, frequently-modified data can be stored in faster memory to provide more efficient overall application data processing, and less-frequently modified data can be processed into and out of lower cost (or slower) memory.

Abstract: A first device discovers the capabilities of a second device. The first device determines which of the first device and the second device is to execute a controlling boot image based at least in part on the capabilities of the first device and the second device. A first boot image is executed by the first device when the first device is determined to execute the controlling boot image, the second device to be a resource for the first boot image. The first device sends a second boot image stored on the first device to the second device when the second device is determined to execute the controlling boot image, wherein the first device to be a resource for the second boot image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for receiving and storing data from a first host device and performing actions or events on a second host device based on the stored data. Also, a priority factor value may be determined for the stored data such that actions or events performed on the second host device may be based on the priorities of the stored data. For example, a removable, portable device may be connected to the first or the second host device. The stored data is accessed by the second host device and the stored data and the action or event on the second host device is performed based on the stored data. In another example, the stored data is not stored on the second host device. Thus, the stored data may be secure and trusted.