Patents Issued in December 30, 2008
  • Patent number: 7471614
    Abstract: A method reading, writing, and erasing data includes bringing a thermal-mechanical probe into proximity with a layer of cross-linked polymeric material to induce a deformed region at a point in the film, thereby writing information; bringing a thermal-mechanical probe into proximity with the deformed region, thereby reading information; and bringing a thermal-mechanical probe into proximity with the deformed region, further deforming it in such a way to eliminate the deformed region, thereby erasing the information; and repeating the storing, reading, and erasing steps at points in the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jane Frommer, Robert D. Miller, Craig Hawker, Urs T. Duerig, Bernd W Gotsmann, Peter Vettiger, Gerd K. Binnig, Victor Yee-Way Lee
  • Patent number: 7471615
    Abstract: A storage device includes a storage medium and a probe to read from and write to the storage medium. The storage medium has a plurality of storage regions, where each storage region contains information to identify whether another storage region is defective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Robert G. Mejia, Mauricio Huerta Alva
  • Patent number: 7471616
    Abstract: An optical disc reproducing apparatus includes a reproducing section which reproduces a first audio data item involving a predetermined number of main track and recorded in a first recording area on the optical disc, and a second audio data item involving an extra track in addition to a main track containing the same contents as those of the predetermined number of main track and recorded in a second recording area on the optical disc, and an identification section which identifies each of the main track and the extra track for the second audio data item, based on the number of tracks for the first audio data and the second audio data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: D&M Holdings Inc.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Kajigano
  • Patent number: 7471617
    Abstract: An optical disc medium includes a system area and a data area following the system area. A plurality of sets of an extended record control data area, a bordered area, and a border are possibly set in the data area continuously from the system area, and a first set of the plurality of sets does not include the extended record control data area. A user data is recorded in each of the bordered areas. In each of the plurality of sets other than the first set, a record control data associated with the user data which is recorded in the bordered area of the set is recorded in the extended record control data area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignees: NEC Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yutaka Yamanaka, Shigeru Shimonou, Tatsunori Ide, Hideki Takahashi, Akihito Ogawa, Yutaka Kashihara
  • Patent number: 7471618
    Abstract: A method of recording data optically to an optical disk having a plurality of sectors, in which each sector has a region to be recorded with data, the data is recorded in units of blocks, and the block includes a predetermined number of sectors and is a data unit including error correction codes. In recording data related to a content by dividing and recording the data in a plurality of sectors continuously, dummy data to be used for extracting a clock in phase lock loop (PLL) for data reproduction is recorded on a region adjacent before a sector from which data recording is started. The data related to the contents is recorded on sectors following the region recorded with the dummy data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Shoji, Atsushi Nakamura, Takashi Ishida
  • Patent number: 7471619
    Abstract: In an information recording medium comprising at least a substrate, a recording layer, and a resin layer, the substrate is formed with at least a pit corresponding to a read only area 31 and a groove corresponding to a recording/reproducing area 32 without overlapping with each other. A reflectivity of the recording layer is specified to be more than 10%. The recording layer and the resin layer are continuously adhered over both the read only and recording/reproducing areas 31 and 32. The information recording medium is characterized in that both push-pull signal outputs T1 and T2, which are reproduced from the read only area 31 and the recording/reproducing area 32 respectively, are more than 0.1 and satisfy an inequality 1.5?T1/T2?0.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Limited
    Inventor: Tetsuya Kondo
  • Patent number: 7471620
    Abstract: A method for the selection of forward error correction (FEC)/constellation pairings (800) for digital transmitted segments based on learning radio link adaptation (RLA) including formatting a packet transmission having a predetermined number of information bits (801). The packet is then split into a plurality of segments (803) where an RLA is used (805) to determine the optimum format of the packet. The plurality of segments is then sent to a channel encoder for FEC encoding and symbol mapping (807) at a rate selected by the RLA. The segments are then formatted into packet blocks (809) and transmitted in blocks that form a time slot at a constant symbol rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott M. Alazraki, Apoorv Chaudhri, Alan P. Conrad, Stanko Jelavic, Chet A. Lampert, Bob D. Logalbo, Darrell J. Stogner, Ellis A. Pinder
  • Patent number: 7471621
    Abstract: A base station has a transmission element to wirelessly transmit at least one data frame. The at least one data frame has a predetermined uplink allocation and a predetermined downlink allocation. A detection element detects a congestion condition. When the congestion condition is detected, the transmission element transmits a request to at least one neighboring base station for an expansion of the predetermined uplink allocation or the predetermined downlink allocation. A reception element receives a signal from the at least one neighboring base station. A processing element expand the one of the predetermined uplink allocation or the predetermined downlink allocation by a specified amount in response to the signal indicating the specified amount for a mutually agreed time, or number of symbols or frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: David T. Chen, Kadathur S. Natarajan, Ivan N. Vukovic
  • Patent number: 7471622
    Abstract: The present invention relates to Walsh Code Allocation (WCA) field in the Packet Data Control Channel. One of the embodiments of the WCA field is use of the WCA field as Last Walsh Code Index (LWCI) field in the message format of the PDCCH. The LWCI field indicates the corresponding last code index or the corresponding number of Walsh codes in a Walsh Code Index (WCI) Table/List/Set. In alternative embodiments, the WCA indicates a general set of Walsh codes or a specific set of Walsh codes in the WCI table. The WCA fields may or may not be used with one of power ranking and sequential decoding, but is preferable used. The WCA field has various advantages including but not limited to efficient use of system resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Cheol Woo You, Young Woo Yun, Jong Hoe An, Suk Hyon Yoon, Young Jo Lee, Ki Jun Kim, Young Cho Kim
  • Patent number: 7471623
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods providing a unified system fabric in a computer. The systems and methods of embodiments including first interface disposed between a first component of the computer system and a second component of the computer system, the first interface implementing an interface protocol, and a second interface disposed between the first component of the computer system and a third component of the computer system, the second interface implementing the interface protocol, wherein the first interface and the second interface comprise separate signal paths at the first component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gary B. Gostin, Craig Warner, John W. Bockhaus
  • Patent number: 7471624
    Abstract: In an access portion of a LAN, traffic of a received packet is detected, whether or not the traffic exceeds a predetermined threshold is determined, packet information specific to the received packet is acquired when it is determined that the traffic exceeds the threshold, and an occurrence of a loop connection is determined when the packet information acquired is compared with packet information previously held and a number of conformity thereof amounts to a predetermined number within a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Fukui, Kaoru Shimamoto
  • Patent number: 7471625
    Abstract: A source node of a network transmits a path setup message for requesting a traffic path to a destination node. First and second nodes, located between the source and destination nodes, establishes first and second parallel transport paths on a first fault recovery layer between them. The first node further includes a database for storing identities of the first and second paths as a single virtual link as viewed from the source node. The first node responds to the path setup message for accommodating the traffic path on a second fault recovery layer through the first transport path. Each node accommodates the traffic path through the second transport path when the first transport path fails. The first node advertises recovery type of the virtual link as equal to the recovery type of the first and second transport paths, and/or equal to most unreliable recovery type of its component links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Suemura
  • Patent number: 7471626
    Abstract: A traffic and radio resource control in a wireless device with multiple operation modes is disclosed. For accomplishing an efficient use of physical and radio resources in terms of the required service level, a first set of radio transmission resources is selected for an assembled output data stream. A path is then searched for with respect to each destination node of the stream, each path leading from the wireless communication device to the destination node in question and fulfilling the service level requirement corresponding to that destination node. The transmission of the output data stream is then scheduled according to the current state of the wireless communication device, when a path is found for each of the destination nodes. The operation modes of the wireless communication device are controlled to maintain the required service level during the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Siamak Naghian, Tero T. Kärkkäinen
  • Patent number: 7471627
    Abstract: Apparatus (D) is dedicated to network level admission control for a communications network (NSIP) using a protocol at sub-IP level and including border routers (BR3-k) interconnected by links associated with known characteristic resources and managed by a network management system (NMS3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventor: Damien Galand
  • Patent number: 7471628
    Abstract: Supplemental flow control mechanisms are provided to facilitate efficient data exchange between Fibre Channel ports over extended distances. In one implementation, a supplemental buffer mechanism is maintained and managed in part by substituting a locally generated ready indication signal for the remotely generated ready indication signal provided by the Fibre Channel standard. In this way, data flow may be adjusted optimally irrespective of the relatively long propagation time of the ready signals exchanged by the two sides of the link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yanfeng Wang
  • Patent number: 7471629
    Abstract: A system for admission control in a wireless local area network adapted to serve a set of stations and manage real time transmission as well as and TCP/IP sessions includes an access point (AP) configured for: when either a new station joins the network or a new TCP/IP session is being initiated, checking if sufficient bandwidth is available in the network for the new traffic flow associated with the new station or TCP/IP session without interfering with any ongoing real time transmission in the network, and in case no sufficient bandwidth is found to be available, whereby said new traffic flow could interfere with said ongoing real time transmission, blocking such new traffic flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Diego Melpignano
  • Patent number: 7471630
    Abstract: A system controls the flow of traffic in a network, especially an Ethernet-based network. The system receives a flow control message indicating that traffic flow to a downstream device is to temporarily cease and determines an appropriate flow control action based on a set of control policies in response to the flow control message. The system then performs the selected flow control action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC
    Inventor: Jie Pan
  • Patent number: 7471631
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method of dividing virtual sites using policy properties in multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) networks. In this method, when multiple virtual sites are selected with respect to one interface, not only usually used source IP addresses and VLAN tags but also TOS fields and MPLS labels are used so that more various kinds of virtual sites can be selected. Also, since the TOS fields and MPLS labels can express additional QoS-related information, differentiated services can be provided by selecting a wider variety of kinds of virtual sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Yoo Hwa Kang, Seong Yong Lim, Joo Myoung Seok, Jong Hyup Lee, Hae Won Jung, Young Sun Kim
  • Patent number: 7471632
    Abstract: Network convergence is greatly reduced because new routing paths are only selected when they are substantially better than pre-existing, best available paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventors: Arun Narayan Netravali, Krishan Kumar Sabnani, Ramesh Viswanathan
  • Patent number: 7471633
    Abstract: A wireless mesh network router comprises at least one transceiver to receive a packet over a wireless communication channel and path selection circuitry. The packet identifies a source node and a destination node in a multichannel mesh network. The path selection circuitry combines a channel-metric matrix associated with the packet's source node and a channel-metric matrix associated with the packet's destination node to determine a bottleneck channel for the source-destination pair. The next-hop node and associated transmission channel may be selected from the destination node matrix based on the bottleneck channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Yarvis, W. Steven Conner, Anand Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 7471634
    Abstract: The present invention supports account monitoring for a mobile node by a home agent communicating with an AAA server computer. The home agent maintains accounting attribute information on system usage by a mobile node on a network. Attribute information is maintained and metered on the home agent in a data table. The home agent generates and transmits accounting messages containing the accounting attributes to the AAA server computer. The AAA server computer stores the attribute information in a memory for later billing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Peter W. Wenzel, Jerry Mizell, David Lauson
  • Patent number: 7471635
    Abstract: A fibre channel switch element that can generate a character or frame based test pattern is provided. The switch element includes a buffer that can be coupled to a transmission protocol engine for sending and receiving data to and from a fibre channel network, wherein the buffer is programmed to generate character or fibre channel frames for testing plural links coupled to the fibre channel switch element while operating in a character or frame mode. The buffer can be coupled to a receive or transmit path and generates characters or frames based on a programmed count to induce real-time errors. The real-time errors include a missing start of frame (“SOF”) and a missing end of frame (“EOF”).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: QLOGIC, Corporation
    Inventor: John M Fike
  • Patent number: 7471636
    Abstract: A data communication device (e.g., a router) originates a network configuration message in response to a network topology change or so as to refresh a configuration message. The data communication device encodes a timestamp in the network configuration message. The timestamp indicates a time of originating the network configuration message. Further, the data communication device transmits the network configuration message over the network to other network devices that, in turn, initiate further broadcast of at least a portion of contents of the network configuration message. Based on the timestamp of the network configuration message, the data communication devices receiving the network configuration message identify transmission time value indicating how long the network configuration message takes to be conveyed over the network to the other network devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Vasseur, Stefano Previdi, James N. Guichard, David D. Ward
  • Patent number: 7471637
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring a network that includes providing a path selector that can select between a first input and a second input, where the first input is coupled to a customer premises equipment interface that is operable to receive signals from customer premises equipment and the second input is coupled to a test signal generator that is operable to generate test signals. The method also includes determining whether operating customer premises equipment is coupled to an input of the customer premises equipment interface that is coupled to the first input of the path selector. If not, then an idle state is entered into. While in the idle state, it is determined whether a signal is received from the customer premises equipment interface at the first input of the path selector. The test signal received at the second input of the path selector is selected unless a signal is received from the customer premises equipment interface at the first input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Francois G. Moore, Larry H. Steinhorst
  • Patent number: 7471638
    Abstract: An apparatus to test whether a first network is misconnected to a second network includes an interface to the first network, and a controller coupled to the interface to send a first message to the first network, the first message to request configuration information of the apparatus. The controller receives a second message from a configuration server coupled to the second network, the second message being responsive to the first message. The controller indicates misconnection of the first network to the second network in response to receiving the second message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: William W. Torrey, Jeffrey DiCorpo
  • Patent number: 7471639
    Abstract: A system and method for modulating a service conveying stream to be transmitted over a medium, the method includes: (i) receiving a service conveying packet belonging to the service conveying stream; and (ii) determining at least one modulation parameter for the modulation of the service conveying packet in response to at least one network topology characteristic and in response to at least one client related parameter. The system includes input ports and a management entity capable of determining modulation parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Bauer, Swaminatha V. Vasudevan, Biren Sood, Ran M. Oz
  • Patent number: 7471640
    Abstract: A scalable QAM system and communication method. High-level QAM signals are broadcast from a transmitter. The transmitter comprises a scalable frame structure in a MAC layer and a bitmap method in a physical layer transmitting modulated signals with data distributed in different bit positions. Each client determines whether to demodulate all the received data on the bit plane or only a portion of the data in certain bit positions according to the transmission quality (SNR) of the received signal, in order to acquire a lower bit error rate and improve the efficiency of the transmission bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Cheng-Yi Huang, David W. Lin, Chih Peng Fan
  • Patent number: 7471641
    Abstract: A transmission controller which controls downlink transmission rates of multiple communications terminals based on corresponding downlink transmission qualities of the communications terminals is disclosed. The controller includes a transmission-quality obtaining unit configured to obtain the downlink transmission qualities of the communications terminals. A communications-terminal selecting unit is configured to select out of the communications terminals one which has the need to change the downlink transmission rate in accordance with the downlink transmission qualities obtained at the transmission-quality obtaining unit. A transmission-rate changing unit changes the downlink transmission rate of the communications terminal selected at the communications-terminal selecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Sung Uk Moon, Takehiro Nakamura, Minami Ishii
  • Patent number: 7471642
    Abstract: A communication terminal which sends a frame to another terminal when performing a load distribution process using load distribution information appended to a frame that is sent/received between terminals within a communication network, the communication terminal comprises: a communication control part that specifies a sending port used for sending the frame; a load distribution information originating side designation part that stores load distribution structuring information, which is to be appended to the frame and used for generating the load distribution information, by relating to a sending port; a load distribution information transfer processing part that, when the sending port is specified, retrieves the load distribution structuring information corresponding to the determined sending port from the load distribution information originating side designation part; a send information setting part that structures the frame based on the load distribution structuring information and a load distribution inf
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Shunichi Shibata, Kouji Ueda, Kouji Yoshioka, Ryuichi Ebuchi
  • Patent number: 7471643
    Abstract: A heterogeneous array includes clusters of processing elements. The clusters include a combination of ALUs and multiplexers linked by direct connections and various general-purpose routing networks. The multiplexers are controlled by the ALUs in the same cluster, or alternatively by ALUs in other clusters, via a dedicated multiplexer control network. Components of applications configured onto the array are selectively implemented in either multiplexers or ALUs, as determined by the relative efficiency of implementing the component in one or the other type of processing element, and by the relative availability of the processing element types. Multiplexer control signals are generated from combinations of ALU status signals, and optionally routed to control multiplexers in different clusters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Anthony I. Stansfield
  • Patent number: 7471644
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus communicates through a network. The apparatus includes an updating decision section, a notification information production section, an output controller, a receiver, and an operation controller. The updating decision section decides whether at least one of a plurality of connection priority degrees between a different information processing apparatus and opposite parties of communication including the information processing apparatus has been updated. The notification information production section produces notification information to be used for notification of the connection priority degree between the different information processing apparatus and the information processing apparatus. The output controller controls the output of the notification information produced by the notification information production section. The receiver receives data from the different information processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yusuke Sakai
  • Patent number: 7471645
    Abstract: An approach is provided for adapting multicast services originating from a terrestrial network over a satellite network. A request for establishing a multicast session corresponding to a network address of the terrestrial network is received at a hub station. The request specifies participating satellite terminals in the multicast session. The hub station assigns an address unique within the satellite network to map to the network address for the multicast session. The participating satellite terminals are configured with the assigned satellite address. A distribution mechanism is selected to transport dataflow of the multicast session to the participating satellite terminals. The distribution mechanism utilizes one or more spot beams covering the participating satellite terminals, wherein the selected distribution mechanism is switched to another one of the distribution mechanisms based on capacity of the satellite network and reachability of the participating satellite terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Hughes Network Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Torres, Thomas Fletcher, Robert Aryee, Mangala Kannan
  • Patent number: 7471646
    Abstract: A system and method directed to inline property editing for tree view based editors is provided. A user selects a desired node within a tree view and then hovers the mouse cursor over the node causing a smart tag anchor to appear. When the user clicks on the smart tag anchor an object property panel appears injected into the tree showing property and attributes for the selected node. The panel appears in direct visual proximity to the node, such as directly below the node while the node appears in its location within the tree. The tree is expanded such that the property panel does not visually obscure any part of the tree. Multiple panels may be opened simultaneously such that property and attribute information may be visually compared for various nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Kristoffer Schultz
  • Patent number: 7471647
    Abstract: A bridged network system (10, 10?). The system comprises a plurality of bridge nodes (BRNx). Each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes is connected to communicate with at least one other neighboring bridge node in the plurality of nodes. Each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes comprises circuitry (BPy.z) for communicating with at least one of either another bridge node in the plurality of nodes or a network server. Each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes further comprises circuitry for storing (neighbor-tracking table), as received from the at least one of another bridge node in the plurality of nodes and the network server, at least one spanning tree parameter of a neighboring bridge node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: An Ge, Girish Chiruvolu, Maher Ali
  • Patent number: 7471648
    Abstract: Video, voice and data are integrated using existing telephone connections by using a video network server to receive and transmit video signals to and from clients using telephone wires. Client frequency division multiplexing couplers, each associated with one of the clients, receive video and telephone signals from the client and frequency multiplex them onto the telephone wires for transmission. They also receive video signals from the server and frequency demultiplex them for transmission to the client. A video frequency division multiplexing coupler connected between the video network server and each of the client frequency division multiplexing couplers receive the video and telephone signals from the clients and transmit only the video signals to the video network server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Andersen, David B. Johnson, Vittal Kini
  • Patent number: 7471649
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses implement a bi-directional model train communications protocol compatible with existing uni-directional communications protocols. In one specific embodiment, the existing uni-directional Lionel Train Master command set is expanded utilizing the checksum error nibble to flag an alternative command signal format. This expanded command set is in turn utilized to transmit a command inquiry signal from the base unit to a specifically addressed element. The addressed element in turn transmits a response based upon the expanded command set. Older model railroad elements not configured to recognize the expanded command set, regard the command inquiry signal as a transmission error and are unaffected. Newer model railroad elements not specifically addressed by the command inquiry signal ignore the command and continue operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Liontech Trains LLC
    Inventors: Louis G. Kovach, II, Neil P. Young, Howard William Lewis
  • Patent number: 7471651
    Abstract: A mobile customer service station operating within a wireless multi-hop communication network includes a console on a wheeled chassis. The console carries and houses a number of components which are used in merchandising operations to conclude customer purchase transactions. The items supported externally on the console are a printer for printing purchase receipts, customer credit charge agreements and records of transactions, and a magnetic card reader for reading information from a magnetic stripe of a customer's credit card. In one embodiment, the operation of the printer, credit card reader and the cash drawer is controlled by a multi-function control unit located within an enclosure of the console. The control unit is electrically powered by a self-contained power source which is preferably a deep cycle rechargeable battery. The console also houses a transceiver unit which under the control of the control unit is capable of interactive communication with a premises network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald L. Mahany, Steven E. Koenck, Alan G. Bunte, Robert C. Meier, Julie Ann Miller, legal representative, Roger L. Wolf, George E. Hanson, Phillip Miller
  • Patent number: 7471652
    Abstract: An RF/IF signature trigger for acquiring received RF signal data is generated by correlating the received RF signal data in the form of a time domain RF/IF signal, a detected RF/IF signal and/or a frequency domain RF/IF signal with a reference signal defined by a signal signature record representing desired/undesired RF/IF signal patterns, detected RF pulse shapes, special RF markers used specifically for triggering signal acquisitions, particular signal patterns of interest and the like. The resulting correlation factor continuously calculated in real time is compared with a variable correlation threshold such that when the correlation factor reaches the variable correlation threshold, either positive or negative, the RF/IF signature trigger is generated to acquire the received RF signal data for analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle L. Bernard, Koichi Sega
  • Patent number: 7471653
    Abstract: A method and system for providing services in communications networks. A gateway layer determines information about a communication session and responsively sends a signaling message to a session manager, providing the information. The session manager may then send a signaling message to a service agent, also providing the information. The service agent may in turn apply a set of service logic based at least in part on the information, so as to derive a service treatment, and the service agent may send a signaling message so as to cause an enforcement engine (such as the gateway or session manager) to carry out the service treatment. Advantageously, this arrangement may facilitate imposition of services across various types of communication sessions (such as voice sessions and/or data sessions) and access networks (such as circuit-switched and/or packet-switched), at session initiation and during the course of an ongoing session. A variety of useful services may thereby be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Von K. McConnell, Kenneth C. Jackson, Bryce A. Jones
  • Patent number: 7471654
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for assigning a channel in response to a request for service for a mobile station in a wireless communication network serving a plurality of regions, such as cells in a digital cellular network. The mobile station may be located in one of the plurality of regions. The method comprises determining a first indication of congestion on a forward access channel and a second indication of congestion on a random access channel and assigning at least one channel of a plurality of channels to the mobile station based on the determined first and second indications of congestion. Based on the first indication of congestion, a first threshold may be adjusted for the forward access channel and a second threshold may be adjusted based on the second indication of congestion on the random access channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventors: Jens Mueckenheim, Philip Charles Sapiano
  • Patent number: 7471655
    Abstract: Methods and messages for performing assignment and activation of voice bearer channels for mobile stations (MSs) in an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN). URR (UMA radio resource) channel activation messages are exchanged between an MS and a UMA network controller (UNC) operating in the UMAN to assign a voice bearer channel to the MS and verify the channel is available for uplink. The MS may access the UMAN via a wireless access point (AP) that is communicatively coupled to the UNC via an IP network. The URR channel activation messages are sent between the MS and the UNC using an Up interface comprising a set of layered protocols over an underlying IP transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Kineto Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Gallagher, Rajeev Gupta, Milan Markovic, Jianxiong (Jason) Shi, Joseph G. Baranowski
  • Patent number: 7471656
    Abstract: Aspects for seamless mobility of mobile terminals in a wireless network are described. The aspects include utilizing a reassociation request from a mobile terminal to identify need for an internetwork handover of the mobile terminal roaming in a wireless local area network (WLAN), and performing a protocol sequence in an access point (AP) for the mobile terminal to handle the internetwork handover to ensure connectivity of the mobile terminal while roaming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Theodore Karoubalis, Ioanna Samprakoy
  • Patent number: 7471657
    Abstract: The punctured pilot channel comprises information symbols of uncertain sign punctured into a sequence of pilot channel symbols of predetermined sign. The apparatus includes an information sign demodulation circuit for determining the sign of the information symbols in response to the pilot channel symbols. A continuous pilot generator generates a non-punctured pilot channel of predetermined sign from the information symbols and the pilot channel symbols. In a first embodiment, the information sign demodulator further comprises a dot product circuit for calculating a dot product of the pilot channel symbols and the punctured information symbols, and a threshold comparator for comparing the dot product to a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: QUALCOMM, Incorporated
    Inventors: Luca Blessent, Quaeed Motiwala
  • Patent number: 7471658
    Abstract: Systems and techniques are disclosed relating to communications. The systems and techniques involve supporting communications between a base station and a plurality of users by establishing an overhead channel between one of the users and the base station, and transmitting data from said one of the users to the base station on the overhead channel in response to a message having a threshold value related to a loading on the base station by the users. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: QUALCOMM, Incorporated
    Inventors: Sivaramakrishna Veerepalli, Nikolai K. N. Leung
  • Patent number: 7471659
    Abstract: A system and method for determining 1xEV-DO availability for a packet data call in a wireless device is presented. When the wireless device receives a request to initiate a packet data call, the device determines if it currently has access to a preferred 1xEV-DO channel. The determination can be made by consulting a 1xEV-DO availability list stored in persistent memory on the wireless device. If available, the wireless device originates the packet data call on the 1xEV-DO channel. If the device is using a CDMA system that has 1xEV-DO channels but the availability or usability of those channels are unknown, the device polls the signal strength on the 1xEV-DO channels to determine the best 1xEV-DO channel to use for the packet data call. If no 1xEV-DO channel is available or if none of the available 1xEV-DO channels are usable, then the device originates the packet data call on a CDMA channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: QUALCOMM, Incorporated
    Inventors: Sen-Der Huang, Don N. Andrus, James A. Hutchison, Rotem Cooper, Simon Turner
  • Patent number: 7471660
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for transmitting data via a physical channel in a communication system, the channel being used by at least one first communication device and one second communication device and transmitting data with a defined bit rate. According to the present invention, the data to be transmitted (TD) is composed of load data (LD) and identification data (ID) for identifying the second communication device, the load data (LD) and identification data (ID) are coded separately from one another, the respective coding (C_LD, C_ID) takes place in such a way that an identical bit rate is achieved after the coding operation for the load data (LD) and the identification data (ID) and the rate is matched to the bit rate that has been defined for the physical channel by a rate matching mode, which defines which bits are punctured or repeated in a data stream. The rate matching model for load data (LD) and identification data (ID) is identical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Martin Döttling, Jürgen Michel, Bernhard Raaf, Ralf Wiedmann
  • Patent number: 7471661
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for enabling mobility of a node that does not support Mobile IP are disclosed. Access point information is maintained for all functioning access points. In accordance with one embodiment, an authoritative access point (AAP) maintains access point information for all functioning access points (APs) and sends updates for all additions or other modifications to the continually changing access point information to enable APs to store a local copy of the AP information. For instance, when an AP goes offline, the access point information for that AP will be removed from the set of access point information, and notification of this removal is sent to other APs so that the local copy of the AP information may be similarly updated. As another example, when an AP comes online, it will send its AP information to the AAP. The AAP will store the AP information and provide this new AP information to other “active” APs. The AP information preferably includes an AP subnet and a gateway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Huizhao Wang, Kent K. Leung, Waseem A. Siddiqi, Christine Andiazabal
  • Patent number: 7471662
    Abstract: A radio station, which conducts radio communications with an access point configuring a part of a wireless LAN, has a setting information acquisition section that acquires setting information as to whether or not the access point is set so as not to output connection data for conducting radio communications, a determination section that determines whether or not the access point is set so as not to output the connection data based on the setting information acquired by the setting information acquisition section, and an output prevention section that prevents a part or all of the connection data set or acquired in conducting radio communications with the access point from being outputted to the outside of the radio station if the determination section determines that the access point is set so as not to output the connection data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Otsuka
  • Patent number: 7471663
    Abstract: To construct a system abundant in scalability in which the devices are increased or decreased in a minimum unit in accordance with the amount of user data to be processed by dividing the UPE (user plane control equipment) in a radio network controller into the minimum necessary functions, a MAC-d entity only dependent on the individual user data is separated independently from a MAC-c/sh entity so that it may be increased or decreased in accordance with the amount of traffic. Thereby, the unit of increase or decrease can be made not a unit of UPE but a finer unit of MAC-d, resulting in the higher scalability of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Sakata
  • Patent number: 7471664
    Abstract: In some embodiments of a wireless network an access point may describe its manageability policy in a beacon or probe response, a receiving mobile device may describe its manageability policy in a communication back the to access point, and the access point may communicate a joint manageability policy back to the mobile device describing the manageability followed in subsequent communications between the two devices. In some embodiments some of the communications may be part of a communications sequence for association or re-association of the mobile device and access point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Emily H. Qi