Patents Issued in April 18, 2017
  • Patent number: 9626070
    Abstract: Location-based augmented reality systems configured exchange of items based on location sensing and associated triggering icons, and methods and devices related thereto. In one exemplary embodiment, a first, provider user identifies a specific physical location; associates a triggering icon representing a value item with the specific physical location; and, transmits the existence of the triggering icon and specific physical location to a second, mobile recipient user computing device. The second, mobile recipient user receives the triggering icon and specific physical location from the first, provider user computing device, then finds the specific physical location, activates the triggering icon and receives the value item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: iOculi, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Cowles, Jesse Bryan, John Clem
  • Patent number: 9626071
    Abstract: A method for moving or copying displayed items in response to at least one touch event on a touch screen is provided. The method comprises: detecting a user selection of one or more items; displaying an object corresponding to the one or more selected items at a predetermined location; moving the object to a point selected by the user; and moving the selected one or more items in association with the object. The object can be a convergence of a first object depicting a number representing a numerical count of the selected items, and a object visually representing the items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae Myoung Lee
  • Patent number: 9626072
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a vehicle system is presented. An icon is displayed on a display. The icon is associated with a function of the vehicle system and has an entrance zone about a center of the icon and an exit zone about the center of the icon. The exit zone is larger than the entrance zone. A location of a gaze of a user upon the display is detected using an eye gaze detection system. When the location of the gaze of the user is within the entrance zone, an indication that the icon is selected is presented. When the location of the gaze of the user is outside the exit zone, an indication that the icon is deselected is presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Steven Feit, Jason Lin, Ross C. Miller
  • Patent number: 9626073
    Abstract: Navigating on a display includes tracking motion of an input tool on a display, comparing a motion of the input tool to a threshold, and changing a position of the visible portion of a page of information on the display if the input tool motion exceeds the threshold. The position of the visible portion of the page of information on the display is constrained if the motion does not exceed the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Luigi Lira
  • Patent number: 9626074
    Abstract: A touch screen unlocking method comprises displaying a plurality of icons on an unlocking interface, among which at least two icons can be arranged to match with each other; after a user taps one of the matched icons, amplifying and displaying the other icon; when the user taps the amplified and displayed icon area, unlocking the touch screen. According to the present invention, the frequency of mistakes by the user can be reduced, and the user experience can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: HUIZHOU TCL MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yang Ding
  • Patent number: 9626075
    Abstract: An electronic book reader has an electronic book loaded in memory. The electronic book includes text, as well as markup tags around certain text portions. The markup tags indicate the availability of and link to supplemental content. A touch screen display allows a user to select a category of supplemental content or linked text. The display will show links for the category of content selected by the user, or will show categories of content for the linked text selected by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Inventor: Michael J. Reed
  • Patent number: 9626076
    Abstract: A display apparatus is disclosed. The display apparatus includes a storage configured to store a plurality of images, a controller configured to select a plurality of related images having a common element from the plurality of images, and a display configured to sequentially display the plurality of related images while executing an image transition between each of the sequentially displayed related images through intermediation of the common element of the plurality of related images, whereby the related images can be provided to a user in a continuous manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hye-won Lee, Yong-Ho Kim, Jong-woo Jung
  • Patent number: 9626077
    Abstract: A dynamic map-type graphic interface includes a number of user interface (UI) components. Each UI component is associated with one corresponding application program of the electronic device. The dynamic map-type graphic interface is a single-layer graphic interface made up of the UI components spliced together and around the center of the dynamic map-type graphic interface. The arrangement of the UI components is dynamically alterable according to operating times of the application program operated under a predetermined state parameter value within a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignees: Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tzu-Hsiang Lan, Quan-Quan Liu
  • Patent number: 9626078
    Abstract: A mobile terminal is disclosed. The mobile terminal can transmit/receive information or a signal to/from a cooking apparatus, improve user convenience, remotely monitor a state of the cooking apparatus, and receive a control command with respect to the cooking apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Mijin Jung, Shinjae Jeong, Soohwan Lee
  • Patent number: 9626079
    Abstract: The techniques and mechanisms described herein are directed to a method for managing multiple content windows. The content windows may host a web browser, a shell view, a word processing application, and the like. A set of content windows are grouped into a frame in a manner such that a taskbar shows one item for the set of content windows. Each content window is associated with a tab for the frame. A content-specific menu may be associated with each tab. The content-specific menu includes a set of commands based on the heterogeneous content hosted in the content window. The set of commands provide functionality to the heterogeneous content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron J. Sauve, Cornelis K. Van Dok, Charles Cummins, Tony E. Schreiner
  • Patent number: 9626080
    Abstract: Techniques for customizing a user interface are described. An application having the user interface is executed with style configuration mode enabled. A first user interface element of the user interface is selected for customization. First information is displayed regarding one or more properties of the first user interface element. The properties of the first user interface element are modifiable by specifying a new property value for the property. A visual aspect of the first user interface element is customized by specifying a first updated value for a first of the properties. An updated display is rendered that includes an updated first user interface element. The updated first user interface element is the first user interface element rendered in accordance with the first updated value for the first property. The first updated value for the first property is automatically stored in a first file including customized property values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
    Inventors: Donald E. Labaj, Timothy J. Cox, Scott E. Joyce
  • Patent number: 9626081
    Abstract: A system for classification code selection is provided. In some embodiments, the system receives a geographic location indicator associated with a plurality of geographic location-based rules stored in a database. The system monitors a user input interface of an interactive user display for a user input string that includes a minimum number of characters. A suggestion request may be generated to retrieve a data set from the database that matches the geographic location indicator and the user input string based on determining that the user input string includes at least the minimum number of characters. The data set received in response to the suggestion request may be formatted as a list including one or more entries, where each of the entries has a numeric classification code and a corresponding description. The list may be output on the interactive user display for selection and further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: THE TRAVELERS INDEMNITY COMPANY
    Inventors: Monica N. Blanco, Hayden Crumrine, Michael L. Gitberg, Anthony J. Leveillee
  • Patent number: 9626082
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to selecting textures for a user-supplied photographic image in image-based three-dimensional modeling. In a first embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes a method for inputting a user-supplied photographic image that uses a photogrammetry algorithm to adjust a plurality of camera parameters for the user-supplied photographic image. In the method, a user-supplied photographic image inputted by a user is received. A set of geographic characteristics inputted by the user that correspond to a geographic location of a camera that took the user-supplied photographic image is received. A plurality of camera parameters that correspond to the geographic location of the camera that took the user-supplied photographic image is determined. The user-supplied photographic image to be texture mapped to the three-dimensional model is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Zhe Fan, Scott Shattuck, Mark A. Limber, Matthew W. Lowrie, Brian Gammon Brown, Matthew Robert Simpson, Tilman Reinhardt
  • Patent number: 9626083
    Abstract: A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are provided. If a screen of a touchscreen is locked, at least communication-connectable external device is automatically found and the found external device is displayed on the locked screen. Accordingly, both of the unlocking of the locked screen and the communication connection to the found external device can be simultaneously performed in response to a user's touch gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jungbin Lee, Soyeon Yim, Jisun Lee, Jinwoo Park
  • Patent number: 9626084
    Abstract: A user can select an object represented in video content in order to set a magnification level with respect to that object. A portion of the video frames containing a representation of the object is selected to maintain a presentation size of the representation corresponding to the magnification level. The selection provides for a “smart zoom” feature enabling an object of interest, such as a face of an actor, to be used in selecting an appropriate portion of each frame to magnify, such that the magnification results in a portion of the frame being selected that includes the one or more objects of interest to the user. Pre-generated tracking data can be provided for some objects, which can enable a user to select an object and then have predetermined portion selections and magnifications applied that can provide for a smoother user experience than for dynamically-determined data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Benjamin Franklin Waggoner, Colin Jon Taylor, Jeffrey P. Bezos, Douglas Ryan Gray
  • Patent number: 9626086
    Abstract: The method includes identifying, by one or more computer processors, a first location and a second location of input on a touch-sensitive surface. The method further includes calculating, by one or more computer processors, a distance between the first location and the second location. The method further includes identifying, by one or more computer processors, a first elapsed time between creation of the identified first location of input and the identified second location of input. The method further includes calculating, by one or more computer processors, a first size of an eraser based upon the identified first elapsed time. The method further includes generating, by one or more computer processors, an eraser path based upon the identified first location and the identified second location of input on a touch-sensitive surface, and the calculated first size of an eraser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Craig H. Becker, David Jaramillo, Richard J. Newhook, Duy V. Nguyen, Jon G. Temple
  • Patent number: 9626087
    Abstract: An electronic device with a display displays a first user interface; detects a first input that includes a first movement. In response to detecting the first input, the device slides the first user interface off in a first direction in accordance with the first movement, where a magnitude of the sliding of the first user interface is determined based on a magnitude of the first movement and a first movement proportionality factor; and concurrently slides the second user interface on in the first direction over the first user interface in accordance with the first movement while sliding the first user interface off the display. A magnitude of the sliding of the second user interface over the first user interface is determined based on a magnitude of the first movement and a second movement proportionality factor that is different from the first movement proportionality factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Chanaka G. Karunamuni, Stephen O. Lemay, Imran Chaudhri, Nicholas Zambetti
  • Patent number: 9626088
    Abstract: An event matrix may comprise labels and indicators corresponding to objects and links of an ontology. The objects and links may be determined from a plurality of data sources by a data integration system. Some of the labels may correspond to event objects, and may be arranged in a first spatial dimension at least in part on the basis of dates associated with said event objects. Other labels may correspond to non-event objects, and may be arranged in a second spatial dimension. Indicators may correspond to links between the event and non-event objects. An indicator for a particular link may be positioned with respect to the first and second spatial dimensions in accordance with the locations of the labels that correspond to the objects connected by the link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Palantir Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ma, Brian Lee, Evan Minamoto
  • Patent number: 9626089
    Abstract: Arrangements related to the selective indication of features included on a system are described. A plurality of graphical indicator elements can be provided. Each of the feature graphical indicators can represent a respective feature of a predefined set of features that are potentially included on the system. It can be determined whether one or more features of the predefined set of features are included on the system. In response to determining that one or more features of the predefined set of features are included on the system, the feature graphical indicators corresponding to the detected one or more features can be selectively displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
    Inventor: Erik Anthony Wippler
  • Patent number: 9626090
    Abstract: Systems and methods for scrolling through content displayed on an electronic device are provided. In some aspects, a system includes a detection module configured to detect scrolling events. Each of the scrolling events includes a signal to scroll in an indicated direction and by an indicated amount relative to the content displayed on the electronic device. The system also includes a scrolling module configured to scroll from a current page of the content to a next page of the content based on whether a time between the detection of a current one of the scrolling events and the detection of a previous one of the scrolling events exceeds a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick G. Donelan
  • Patent number: 9626091
    Abstract: A centralizer for centralizing a pipe downhole in a well is provided. The centralizer includes a plurality of arcuate cuffs having first and second ends. The cuffs are affixed adjacent to the pipe's exterior wall, and positioned circumferentially adjacent around the pipe. The cuffs are flexible so as to be positioned in a first condition wherein the cuffs are retracted radially inward so as to be substantially flat against the pipe's exterior wall. The centralizer includes a lock for maintaining the cuffs substantially flat against the pipe's exterior wall until the centralizer has been transported downhole. Further, the centralizer includes an actuator for unlocking the lock so as to allow the cuffs to expand radially outward to form a loop wherein the loop has a central axis parallel to pipe's longitudinal axis. Preferably, the centralizer includes a collar causing the cuffs to all expand or retract together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC.
    Inventors: Scott E. Jewett, David G. Duckworth
  • Patent number: 9626092
    Abstract: A drawing system has a computerized appliance having a processor coupled to a data repository, software (SW) executing on the processor, the software providing tools to enable a user to join objects in a display, creating an assembled object, Upon the user selecting to drag a first object in the display in a first direction, the SW monitors geometric features of the first object and of a second object in the display positioned in the first direction, determines compatible join features of the first and second objects, and upon the first and second objects being moved within a preprogrammed threshold distance (TD) greater than zero in the display, provides a join operation, bringing the compatible join features of the first and the second object together, creating an assembled new object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Roblox Corporation
    Inventor: David Baszucki
  • Patent number: 9626093
    Abstract: There is provided a mobile display apparatus applied to the display apparatus including a display screen; an operation area control unit that displays an operation area for a user to perform an input operation on the display screen; a display area control unit that displays a display area for displaying input information on the display screen; a touch panel that is provided to the display screen and detects an input operation performed by a user in the operation area; an arithmetic unit that selects input information based on the input operation detected by the device; and an input information presentation unit that presents the input information selected by the arithmetic unit in the display area to prompt the user to check the input information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Miyazawa, Fuminori Homma, Tatsushi Nashida
  • Patent number: 9626094
    Abstract: An electronic device or a communication device including a display unit for displaying an image, an input detector for detecting an input instruction input by touching an area where the image is displayed by the display unit, and a control unit for providing control based on the input instruction detected by the input detector and for providing control for an image to be displayed on the display unit. When the display unit displays a pre-extraction group object containing a plurality of item objects on its screen, and when the input detector detects an input of a predetermined instruction to refine the pre-extraction group object, the control unit extracts a group of item objects that match a refinement criterion in the input instruction, and displays the group as a post-extraction group object on the screen of the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eizou Fujisawa, Yuuya Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9626095
    Abstract: A portable apparatus comprising a touch screen for browsing information displayed on a screen of an external apparatus and a method for browsing information thereof are provided. The method includes displaying a link area included in the web page displayed on the screen of the external apparatus on the touch screen of the portable apparatus, in response to a first gesture of a user on the touch screen, magnifying the link area displayed on the touch screen, and in response to a second gesture of the user on the magnified link area transmitting information regarding displaying another web page related to the link area on the screen of the external apparatus from the portable apparatus to the external apparatus. Accordingly, users may browse information displayed on a screen of an external apparatus using a portable apparatus having a touch screen swiftly and conveniently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seok-ho Seo, Ki-suh Ahn, Hye-jung Yang, Kyung-soo Lim, Eun-hee Rhim, Jin-ha Jun, Sie-joon Cho
  • Patent number: 9626096
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a display controller and a selector. The display controller displays, on a screen, at least one or more note icons corresponding to a note file including a plurality of pages. The selector selects a first note icon displayed on the screen. If a display mode of a note icon transitions from a mode capable of selecting at least one or more note icons to a mode capable of manipulating a page of a first note file corresponding to the first note icon, the display controller displays a transition image including an enlarged image of the first note icon and an enlarged image of a region other than the first note icon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Rumiko Hashiba, Hiroto Yoshihara, Tadatsugu Nunome
  • Patent number: 9626097
    Abstract: A method and system for providing information that enables easier and quicker access to an item related to a context of a device, and a computer-readable recording medium thereof are provided. The method includes detecting a context of a device, and displaying at least one virtual space corresponding to the detected context on a screen of the device. The virtual space is a Graphic User Interface (GUI) that is configured to register the detected context and information related to at least one item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee-chul Jeon, Jung-ho Kim, Yong-gook Park, Seung-eok Choi
  • Patent number: 9626098
    Abstract: An electronic device simultaneously displays on a touch-sensitive display a first user interface object and a second user interface object. The second user interface object has formatting attributes, one or more of which are distinct from corresponding formatting attributes in the first user interface object. The device detects a first contact on the first user interface object and a second contact on the second user interface object. While continuing to detect the first contact and the second contact, the device detects movement of the second contact across the touch-sensitive display, and moves the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact. The device changes one or more formatting attributes for the second user interface object to match corresponding formatting attributes for the first user interface object if the second user interface object contacts the first user interface object while moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Charles J. Migos
  • Patent number: 9626099
    Abstract: Fingerprint portions of two or more different fingers are detected on a detection surface, such as an optical surface, a touch pad, a touchscreen, or the like, and then a further detection made that the person has moved their finger(s), for example, apart, together or relative to one another. The movement can be detected based on identifying the fingerprint portion sliding across the screen. The combination of fingerprint information associated with a corresponding motion is correlatable to one or more actions or triggering events that are used to control one or more electronic devices. Further aspects are directed toward utilizing one or more of the techniques herein for a security application. For example, two users, each placing one or more fingers on a touch screen or touch pad, with the fingerprints thereafter being recognized, perform a certain movement with this triggering the unlocking, or locking, of an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Roller Michaelis, Douglas M. Grover, David Mohler, Richard Robinson
  • Patent number: 9626100
    Abstract: Systems and methods of blocking, ignoring, suspending, or otherwise altering edge-related UI gestures on touch-sensitive computing devices or on non-touch sensitive computing devices having active edge I/O commands in certain situations are disclosed. In one embodiment, a second UI gesture coming from an outside edge may be altered after a first UI gesture from a user using an running application under certain conditions—e.g., if the second UI gesture is made within a certain time period after the first UI gesture, the second UI gesture is made within a certain proximity of the first UI gesture, etc. In another embodiment, a computing device is disclosed that comprises a controller, a display screen and an operating system that alters certain edge-related UI gestures that might be made by an operating system if, e.g., certain conditions are present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Frederickson, Christopher Doan, Alan Stephenson, Bret Anderson, Michael Seibert, Robert Jarrett, Aleksandar Uzelac, Steven Welch
  • Patent number: 9626101
    Abstract: In an input device for inputting characters on a user interface by handwriting, the movement of an input unit, in particular a finger of a user, is detected and converted to an input pattern corresponding to the detected movement. The input pattern is compared with stored characters of a character set, and if the input pattern sufficiently matches one of the stored characters, the character is selected. During the input, the user receives acoustic feedback about the input process, such that the acoustic feedback signal is output in a constant manner outside a defined edge area of the user interface and is output in an incremental or continuous manner at a decreasing distance from the edge in a defined edge area of the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Nhu Nguyen Thien, Bernhard Schild
  • Patent number: 9626102
    Abstract: A method for controlling a screen of an electronic device is provided. The method includes displaying a plurality of subscreens by dividing a screen, the plurality of subscreens comprising an overlapping region of a certain area with a neighboring subscreen, selecting one of the plurality of subscreens, displaying the selected one of the plurality of subscreen in a mirroring region, and displaying, when receiving a user drag from the selected one of the plurality of subscreens displayed in the mirroring region to a neighboring screen comprising the overlapping region with the selected one of the plurality of subscreens, the neighboring screen comprising the overlapping region with the selected one of the plurality of subscreens, in the mirroring region according to the drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Se-Hoon Kim, Ye-Ni Lee, Jong-Pil Yi, Ji-Hwa Lee
  • Patent number: 9626103
    Abstract: Systems and methods for video editing and playback are provided. In one implementation, a selected portion of a timeline for navigating media content can be repositioned and resized by user input actions received along various axes relative to the timeline. In another implementation, a plurality of signals associated with media content can be intelligently weighted based on user group historical attributes to identify portions of interest in the media content. In a further implementation, an experience map for media content is provided in which a representative signature for the content includes visual signal intensity representations and social interest concentrations over the length of the content. In another implementation, a subset of filters is determined for recommendation to a user based on one or more attributes associated with at least one of media content, the user, a group of users, or a user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: BrightSky Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean M. White, Christopher Beard, Ian McCarthy, Ann-Caryn Cleveland
  • Patent number: 9626104
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a system for reconfiguring touch controls on a device, such as a cell phone, in reaction to a user's changing mode of operation. For example, a standard display of icons that works well in two-handed operation may not work as well for one-handed operation where the user tries to operate the controls with a thumb of the holding hand. In such a case, a device can detect that the user is trying to operate the controls with a thumb of the holding hand and the controls can be reconfigured to be more suitable for thumb operation. Reconfiguration can also occur in other modes of operation, such as when the user is using a stylus, multiple fingers of a second (non-holding hand), fingers on both hands, etc. In some embodiments, detection of the mode of operation can be automatic such as where a camera takes an image to determine the mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Inventor: Charles J. Kulas
  • Patent number: 9626105
    Abstract: A method, computer-readable storage medium and computer system for controlling a storage system, the storage system comprising a plurality of logical storage volumes, the method comprising: monitoring, for each of the logical storage volumes, one or more load parameters; receiving, for each of the logical storage volumes, one or more load parameter threshold values; comparing, for each of the logical storage volumes, the first load parameter values of said logical storage volume with the corresponding one or more load parameter threshold values; in case at least one of the first load parameter values of one of the logical storage volumes violates the load parameter threshold value it is compared with, automatically executing a corrective action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christian Bolik, Uwe Fiebrich-Kandler, Dietmar Noll
  • Patent number: 9626106
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for command queue management and configurable memory status in a memory. A memory may include a controller and one or more memory integrated circuit chips, which each include memory arrays. The controller may send commands, such as read or write commands, to the one or more memory integrated circuit chips. The memory integrated circuit chips may maintain a command queue of the commands sent from the controller, thereby relieving the controller from such responsibility. Further, the memory integrated circuit chips may send an indication of an error in executing the commands, thereby relieving the controller from constant polling of the memory integrated circuit chips as to status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Hsu, Daniel Tuers, Tien-chien Kuo
  • Patent number: 9626107
    Abstract: Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for performing memory-aware matrix factorization on a graphics processing unit. Aspects include determining one or more types of memory on the graphics processing unit and determining one or more characteristics of each of the one or more types of memory. Aspects also include assigning each of a plurality of memory accesses of a matrix factorization algorithm to one of the one or more types of memory based on the one or more characteristics and executing the matrix factorization algorithm on the graphics processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Liangliang Cao, Liana L. Fong, Wei Tan
  • Patent number: 9626108
    Abstract: Dynamically provisionable and allocatable memory external to a requesting apparatus may be provided. A request for primary memory may be made by an application executing on a client. An allocation logic unit may determine an allocation strategy in response to the request. As part of the allocation strategy, the allocation logic unit may identify memory appliances on which memory regions are to be allocated. The allocated memory regions may form the primary memory that is allocated to the requesting application. The allocation logic unit may send region allocation requests to region access unit of the respective memory appliances. The memory appliances on which the memory regions are allocated may be external to the client. The application may access the allocated memory regions via client-side access in which one or more processors in the client and/or the memory appliances are bypassed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Kove IP, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy A. Stabrawa, Zachary A. Cornelius, John Overton, Andrew S. Poling, Jesse I. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9626109
    Abstract: A memory system according to the present embodiment includes a nonvolatile memory part storing an operating parameter required to perform a data read operation or a data write operation. A volatile memory part holds the operating parameter read out from the nonvolatile memory part after turning power on. A controller writes back the operating parameter in the volatile memory part to a first position of the nonvolatile memory part storing the operating parameter, based on number of times of power input to the volatile memory part, number of times of reading the operating parameter, or a read time of the operating parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hironori Katsurayama, Takanobu Okuno, Daisuke Nakata
  • Patent number: 9626110
    Abstract: Multiple storage apparatuses each provide a virtual logical volume composed of multiple logical pages to a host computer. A management computer determines a target logical page to which data are migrated to achieve a volume goal performance on the basis of access path information that can identify a storage apparatus that receives an I/O request in which the virtual logical volume is specified, an actual volume response performance, the volume goal performance to be attained, a page response performance of the logical page, and storage destination information that can identify a storage apparatus in which a storage area allocated to the logical page is present, and migrates data of the logical page between storage apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironobu Sakata, Hideo Ohata, Naoshi Maniwa
  • Patent number: 9626111
    Abstract: A mirrored storage system comprising a system controller coupled to a first storage system comprising a primary controller and a first storage and to a second storage system comprising a secondary controller and a second storage. The second storage contains an image of data stored in the first storage. The system controller receives data to be written to storage and sends the data to the primary controller of the first storage system and to the secondary controller of the second storage system. The system controller instructs the primary controller to write the data to the first storage of the first storage system in an ordered manner; and instructs the secondary controller to write the data sequentially to a data area on the second storage of the second storage system. Writing the data sequentially to the second storage improves the write performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Diederich, Frank Krick, Thorsten Muehge, Erik Rueger
  • Patent number: 9626112
    Abstract: An eMMC functionality expander, and methods there for, are provided herein. For example, provided herein is a device comprising: a first processor; a multimedia card memory (“eMMC”); a second processor; a client eMMC interface between the second processor and the first processor; a host eMMC interface between the second processor and the eMMC; and an NVRAM (“Non-Volatile Random Access Memory”) in communication with the second processor, the second processor configured to manage data storage to the eMMC and the NVRAM so that the eMMC and the NVRAM appears as a single storage device to the first processor. The NVRAM can also be used to provide communication between the first processor and a slave processor. Furthermore, the NVRAM can store boot data, and the like, to decrease the boot times of the processors and the boot time of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Mihai Adam
  • Patent number: 9626113
    Abstract: A processor, operable in a computing storage environment, for each rank in a storage management device in the computing storage environment, allocates a lower maximum count defined by a predetermined lower maximum count of Task Control Blocks (TCBs) of a rank for performing destage operations, and a higher maximum count of TCBs to be implemented for performing a storage operation, and performs the storage operation using up to the lower maximum count of TCBs, yet only allows those TCBs above the lower maximum count to be allocated for performing the storage operation satisfying at least one criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin John Ash, Michael Thomas Benhase, Lokesh Mohan Gupta, Kenneth Wayne Todd
  • Patent number: 9626114
    Abstract: The invention provides a technique for managing write operations issued to a non-volatile memory included in a wireless device. A monitor software application executes on the wireless device and is configured to determine that a number of write operations issued to the non-volatile memory is greater than or equal to a write operation threshold associated with the non-volatile memory. In response, at least one application is isolated as the application responsible for issuing excessive write operations. The isolation can be carried out locally on the wireless device, or the isolation can be carried out remotely at a server by sending information about the write operations to the server. The monitor then limits additional write operations from being issued to the non-volatile memory so as to protect the non-volatile memory from becoming corrupted or inoperable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Li Li, Ben-Heng Juang, Arun G. Mathias
  • Patent number: 9626115
    Abstract: Changes in a multi-RAID configuration to metadata of a source production volume in a source RAID are monitored since taking a most recent FC backup on the source production volume. The incremental copies of the metadata are stored on a target production volume in an target RAID. An incremental FC backup of the metadata are periodically created or created if the monitored changes exceed a change rate threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph W. Dain, Renan J. Ugalde Amezcua
  • Patent number: 9626116
    Abstract: Techniques are described for determining I/O workload. A first device of a first data storage system and a second device of a second data storage system are configured as synchronous mirrored devices of a first logical device. The host issues I/O operations to the first logical device over first and second paths. First I/O workload information is determined for a first data portion of the first logical device. Second I/O workload information is determined for the first data portion. The first I/O workload information and the second I/O workload information each include a first number of read operations that is a sum of read operations directed to the first logical device over both the first path and the second path. Data storage optimizations are performed on the first data storage system using the first I/O workload information and/or the second data storage system using the second I/O workload information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
    Inventors: Owen Martin, Benjamin Yoder, Arieh Don
  • Patent number: 9626117
    Abstract: A computer system, having: a storage apparatus having: a storage volume constructed by a physical resource; a host computer having a storage volume assigned from the storage apparatus; management computers having: a first management computer configured to manage the storage apparatus; and a second management computer configured to manage the host computer, the second management computer including: first template information for identifying a change that occurs in the host configuration information; and management subject resource relationship information, the first management computer being configured to notify, before the management operation accompanying the configuration change is carried out for the storage apparatus, the second management computer of a change that occurs in the storage configuration information, the second management computer being configured to identify the change that occurs in the host configuration information based on the change that occurs in the storage configuration information n
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventor: Yasutaka Kono
  • Patent number: 9626118
    Abstract: A data storage system configured to efficiently search and update system data is disclosed. In one embodiment, the data storage system can attempt to correct errors in retrieved data configured to index system data. Metadata stored along with user data in a memory location can be configured to indicate a logical address associated in a logical-to-physical location mapping with a physical address at which user data and metadata are stored. The data storage system can generate modified versions of logical address indicated by the metadata and determine whether such modified versions match the physical address in the logical-to-physical mapping. Modified versions of the logical address can be generated by flipping one or more bits in the logical address indicated by the metadata. Efficiency can do increased and improved performance can be attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Johnny A. Lam
  • Patent number: 9626119
    Abstract: Provided are a system, memory controller, and method for using counters and a table to protect data in a storage device. Upon initiating operations to modify a file in the storage device, a storage write counter is incremented in response to initiating the operations to modify the file. In response to incrementing the storage write counter, write table operations are initiated including setting a table write counter to a storage write counter and setting a table commit counter to the storage commit counter plus a value. The operation to modify the file in response to completing the write table operations. The system commit counter is incremented by the value in response to completing the operation to modify the file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: William A. Stevens, Jr., Nitin V. Sarangdhar
  • Patent number: 9626120
    Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method for dynamically adjusting batch request sizes may include (1) identifying a storage system that accepts batched requests for data stored within the storage system, (2) measuring the latency for at least one request sent to the storage system to retrieve a portion of the data stored within the storage system, (3) adjusting, based on the latency of the request, a batch size for the batched requests sent to the storage system, and (4) sending a batched request of the adjusted batched size to the storage system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Veritas Technologies
    Inventors: Yingsong Jia, Hong Yu Jia