Availability Monitoring Patents (Class 710/17)
  • Patent number: 8214550
    Abstract: A method for controlling icon display corresponding to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Mass Storage is provided. The USB Mass Storage is electrically connected to a USB port of a personal computer. The method includes: when it is detected that there is nothing inserted into any memory card slot of the USB Mass Storage, preventing the USB Mass Storage from triggering a specific icon to be displayed, wherein the specific icon is selectively utilized for indicating that at least one USB device is electrically connected to the personal computer; and when it is detected that a memory card is inserted into any of at least one memory card slot of the USB Mass Storage, allowing the specific icon to be displayed. An associated personal computer and a storage medium storing an associated USB Mass Storage driver for controlling icon display corresponding to the USB Mass Storage are further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Motion Inc.
    Inventors: Chang-Hao Chiang, Jen-Hung Liao
  • Patent number: 8199258
    Abstract: There is provided a receiving apparatus. The receiving apparatus comprises, among other things, a transmitting unit that transmits a power-on command that instructs the transmitting apparatus detected by the detecting unit to turn on power when there is no connecting unit whose status signal has been changed from “unable” to “able” as a result of the determination made by the determining unit, the transmitting unit causing the determining unit to perform the determination again after transmitting the power-on command, and a control unit that, when there is a connecting unit whose status signal has been changed from “unable” to “able” as a result of the determination made by the determining unit, controls the selecting unit so as to select the connecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Tokoro
  • Patent number: 8195843
    Abstract: The present invention provides a high definition media interface (HDMI) controller having a modular design internal bus structure, and applications thereof. The controller includes a circuit interface, an address decoder coupled to the circuit interface, a plurality of sub-circuits, wherein each sub-circuit includes registers used to configure and control the sub-circuit, and a bus that couples the registers of each sub-circuit to the address decoder. After startup of the controller, the sub-circuits are configured by using the circuit interface, address decoder, and bus to write values to the registers of the sub-circuits. The sub-circuits of the controller include a video pixel sampler, an audio sampler, a frame composer, and a power controller. The video sampler can be configured to convert one of a plurality of RGB and YCbCr signals to a common format signal used by other sub-circuits of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Rui Sergio Rainho Almeida, Antonio Manuel Cunha Costa
  • Patent number: 8190792
    Abstract: When the activation of an output device is detected, the response prompt screen on which a response by an input device is requested is displayed on the activated output device, and when a response from the input device is received through the displayed response prompt screen, the input device which has returned a response is associated with the output device whose response prompt screen is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Ohno, Ryuichi Matsukura
  • Publication number: 20120131229
    Abstract: A method for detecting an input command including configuring a sensor to determine whether a user is within a proximity of a computing machine, configuring an input device to detect an input command entered by the user when the user is within the proximity of the computing machine, and transmitting the input command for the computing machine to process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: John McCarthy, John Briden
  • Patent number: 8185682
    Abstract: A system for allowing a designer to implement Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 in topologies not anticipated by a USB 2.0 specification and with reduced channel losses, the system comprising: a bus channel having a plurality of electrical elements; and a boost circuit connected at a predetermined location on the bus channel; a plurality of USB signals transmitted through the system; wherein edges of the plurality of USB signals are boosted without impacting the bi-directional nature of the bus channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Justin P. Bandholz, Robert J. Christopher, Joseph M. Jacobs, Pravin Patel
  • Patent number: 8180934
    Abstract: A device monitoring apparatus capable of effectively reducing load on and power consumption of a device monitoring system, even if there is a device not having a function of notifying restoration from a sleep state. When all of monitored object devices are brought in a simple polling state, a controller of the device monitoring apparatus determines that load on the controller becomes smaller and stops polling the monitored object devices. Instead, a LAN controller, which performs processing simpler than that of the controller, carries out simple polling simpler than normal polling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Nomura
  • Patent number: 8180935
    Abstract: Methods and systems for encoding and/or decoding digital signals representing serial attached SCSI (SAS) out of band (OOB) signals exchanged over an optical communication between two SAS devices. A SAS OOB signal to be transmitted from a first SAS device to a second SAS device is first encoded as a digitally encoded signal representing the analog SAS OOB signal and then transmitted over an optical communication medium to another SAS device. A receiving SAS device coupled to an optical communication medium decodes a received digitally encoded signal to detect a received, encoded SAS OOB signal and processes the received SAS OOB signal when receipt is detected. The digitally encoded signal may comprise an idle word portion and a burst word portion to represent various SAS OOB signals. Further, the digitally encoded signal may be precomputed in a variety of disparity forms and stored in a memory for lookup and retrieval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: William K. Petty, Brian A. Day, Timothy E. Hoglund
  • Patent number: 8180933
    Abstract: Multiple peripheral devices are used for various modes of communication in a unified communication application. Employing standard or custom protocols, connected peripheral devices can be configured automatically and different modes of communication such as audio, video, data, and text, are routed to available or selected peripheral devices. Incoming communication requests can be extended to multiple peripheral devices synchronously and users enabled to switch between peripheral devices seamlessly during a communication session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Anton Krantz, Lokesh Srinivas Koppolu, Sunil Kasturi, Yu An, Adrian Potra
  • Patent number: 8180906
    Abstract: Communication device capabilities may change during an established multimedia session due to connection of a peripheral device. For example, a user listens to an Internet radio service on a mobile phone through a set of headphones. Later, the user connects the mobile phone to stereo system in a car. The mobile phone can leverage the car's stereo system to present higher quality audio than it could present with the headphones. Functionality can be implemented in a communication device to detect connection of a peripheral device and determine multimedia capabilities of the peripheral device. The communication device updates its presence information to indicate the multimedia capabilities of the peripheral device. In response, a multimedia server determines multimedia capabilities indicated in the presence information have changed and optimizes delivery of multimedia content based on the updated multimedia capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Luisa Attanasio, Giancarlo Carbone, Giuseppe Ciano, Francesco Lecciso, Luigi Pichetti, Stefano Sidoti
  • Publication number: 20120117280
    Abstract: A change is managed in the attachment state between a first device and a second device which are connected via an interface. The first device comprises a high frequency clock. The first device is in a sleep state in which the high frequency clock is deactivated. A detection of a change in the attachment state of the second device is periodically triggered on said interface, on the basis of a low frequency clock. Upon detection of a change in the attachment state, the sleep mode is exited by activating the high frequency clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: ST-ERICSSON SA
    Inventors: Nathalie Ballot, Nicolas Florenchie, Bruno Delplanque
  • Patent number: 8171182
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of connecting a network-connected image input device, to which a plug-and-play function cannot be applied to a computer installed with an OS (operating system) and using the image input device. To this end, when a control program of the image input device is activated, the program notifies the OS of information indicating that the peripheral device is connected, irrespective of connection/non-connection between the peripheral device and the computer. Upon reception of a command for activating the peripheral device, the control program confirms the connection/non-connection between the peripheral device and the computer. When the connection is confirmed, the control program controls the peripheral device to activate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Hattori
  • Patent number: 8151265
    Abstract: The present invention implements a mechanism to decide when it is beneficial to switch from the current virtual input/output mechanism to a different one. The present invention determines which input/output mechanism each virtual machine should use based on the available input/output resources of the virtual machines (with their respective available input/output adapters), the number of virtual machines running and their input/output needs, and the input/output needs of the virtual machine being considered. The present invention also provides a mechanism for virtual machine to seamlessly switch input/output mechanisms. When beneficial, the standard hot-plug mechanism of the virtual machine and the hypervisor is used to first remove the existing input/output mechanism and then add the new input/output mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shmuel Ben-Yehuda, John Michael Borkenhagen
  • Patent number: 8151007
    Abstract: A computer of an information processing apparatus repeatedly accepts an operation to designate at least one of a plurality of command elements making up of a command, executes at least any one of a first memory writing processing to write a first command element having a specific attribute out of the command elements corresponding to the accepted operation in a first memory and a second memory writing processing to write a second command element having an attribute different from the attribute in a second memory, determines whether or not a command element array stored over the first memory and the second memory satisfies an execution allowable condition every execution of the writing processing, and processes information according to the command element array when the satisfaction is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Momose
  • Patent number: 8151012
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems to decrease the energy consumption of a memory chip while increasing its effect bandwidth during the execution of any workload. Methods, apparatuses and systems may allow a memory chip utilize a plurality of virtual row buffers to respond to requests for data included in a memory array block. Methods, apparatuses and systems may further eliminate or reduce the cost associated with transferring unnecessary data from a memory array block to row buffers by altering the data transfer size between a memory array block and a row buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Changkyu Kim, Albert Lin, Christopher J. Hughes, Anthony-Trung D. Nguyen, Yen-Kuang Chen, Zeshan A. Chishti, Bryan K. Casper
  • Patent number: 8151020
    Abstract: A storage subsystem includes a variable-size write buffer that temporarily stores write data received from a host system. The storage subsystem is capable of adjusting the size of the write buffer so as to vary both the performance (e.g., sustained write speed) of the storage subsystem and a risk of data loss. In one embodiment, the storage subsystem implements a command set that enables the host system to directly control the size of the write buffer. The storage subsystem may additionally or alternatively be capable of adjusting the size of the write buffer based on monitored operating conditions, such as the temperature, the stability/consistency of a power signal received from the host system, and/or the elapsed time since the storage subsystem was last powered up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: SiliconSystems, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Merry, Jr., Mark S. Diggs
  • Publication number: 20120072617
    Abstract: An electronic device that connects to external devices through a plurality of interfaces can operate efficiently according to the type of interface connected to the external device. An electronic device has a plurality of interfaces that can connect to a host computer; an external device interface that is connected to an external device; and an output unit that outputs data for external output received from the host computer to the external device interface. The output unit can form a plurality of output channels that output the data for external output received from the host computer to the external device interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayo Miyasaka, Shinichi Yoshie
  • Patent number: 8139247
    Abstract: In an image processing apparatus which allows a plurality of users to reserve jobs, the convenience of each user is further improved while ensuring security of a job to be output by each user. In order to achieve this object, an MFP according to the invention is characterized by including a registration unit (204-1) which registers the use order of the image processing apparatus based on the acceptance order of the user identifier, a notification unit (204-4) which notifies a specific user of permission to use in accordance with the use order, an permission unit (204-2) which permits to execute a job when the user who has received notification instructs to execute a job, wherein when the user who has received notification does not instruct to execute a job for a predetermined period of time, the notification unit (204-4) notifies the next user in accordance with the use order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ayako Nishizawa
  • Publication number: 20120047292
    Abstract: The present invention provides a monitoring system comprising a device server and a host computer, the monitoring system monitoring the operation state of at least one peripheral device. The device server includes: at least one peripheral device port; a power supply section for supplying power to the peripheral device; and a first control section for making control of starting and stopping supply of power. The host computer includes: a second control section for instructing the first control section to start or stop supplying power to a peripheral device, and accessing the peripheral device; and a display unit. The first control section reports online-status notification to the second control section when supply of power is started, and reports offline-status notification to the second control section when supply of power is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: BUFFALO INC.
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Tamura
  • Patent number: 8122160
    Abstract: A system and method for dual mode DP and HDMI transmission are provided. Briefly described, one embodiment of a dual mode DP and HDMI transmitter, among others, can be implemented as follows. The dual mode DP and HDMI transmitter comprises a driver circuit controlled by a data signal. The dual mode DP and HDMI transmitter also comprises a control circuit coupled to the driver circuit. The control circuit is configurable to transmit the data signal in a DP mode or a HDMI mode according to a mode signal. One embodiment of a method, among others, comprises: receiving a mode signal; determining whether to configure the dual mode DP and HDMI transmitter for transmitting in a DP mode or an HDMI mode based on the received mode signal; and configuring a dual mode DP and HDMI transmitter in accordance with the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Via Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yeong-Sheng Lee, George Shing
  • Patent number: 8122162
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for displaying information using a mobile terminal connectable to peripheral devices through corresponding wireless communication is provided. The method includes receiving profile information from one or more of the peripheral devices connected through the corresponding wireless communication, each received profile information having identification information identifying the corresponding one or more peripheral devices and content information on the corresponding one or more peripheral devices, and listing the received profile information organized according to signal strength of the one or more peripheral devices from which the profile information is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Ji-Hyeon Kweon, Yong-Gook Park, Hyun-Jin Kim, Myung-Hyun Yoo
  • Patent number: 8115949
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus inputs print data from an external device, and analyzes the input print data. The image processing apparatus rasterizes the print data into first image data on the basis of the analysis result. The image processing apparatus receives status information representing the status of a printing apparatus, temporarily saves the first image data in a holding unit on the basis of the received status information and the analysis result, interrupts a transfer process for the first image data to the printing apparatus, starts the transfer process for second image data to the printing apparatus, and transfers, to the printing apparatus, setting information of the print data that corresponds to the first image data. The printing apparatus determines whether corresponding image data has been received within a predetermined period after reception of the setting information of the print data from the image processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayuki Toda
  • Patent number: 8117352
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for providing an interworking service with a peripheral device in a Mobile Station (MS) supporting one or more wireless connectivity protocols are provided. Information on an execution environment of an application program for the interworking service is checked when the application program for performing the interworking service with the peripheral device is executed. A wireless connectivity protocol is selected from among the one or more wireless connectivity protocols for performing the interworking service with the peripheral device using the information on the execution environment of the application program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hyun-Soo Kim, Jae-Ho Kim
  • Publication number: 20120036285
    Abstract: A video device includes a signal generating circuit configured for generating video signals; an internal resistor connected to the output port of the signal generating circuit and matching with an external resistor of an external device; a detecting circuit connected to two ends of the internal resistor through two input ports thereof, and configured for detecting voltages of the two ends of the internal resistor and outputting a voltage difference therebetween; a controlling circuit connected to the output port of the detecting circuit, and configured for determining whether or not the external device is connected to the video device according to the voltage deference, and outputting a controlling signal to the signal generating circuit; an auxiliary detecting circuit connected to the output port of the controlling circuit, and configured for generating an auxiliary detecting signal transmitted to the internal resistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: JIN-JIE ZHANG, QIANG TAO
  • Patent number: 8112562
    Abstract: Port management information is prepared for managing information related to the status of each of a plurality of ports possessed by a storage system in a unified manner. Change of the status related to any one of a plurality of ports from “normal” to anomalous is detected. For a subject external device which is using the anomalous path as an I/O path, a “normal” port is selected, on the basis of the port management information, from one or more ports related to one or more paths which are being used as alternate paths. And information related to this “normal” port which has been selected is notified to the subject external device. During path changeover, the subject external device selects as an I/O path an alternate path which is related to the “normal” port specified from the notified information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Futawatari
  • Patent number: 8108529
    Abstract: A method in accordance with one embodiment of the invention can include transmitting wirelessly an encoded message that comprises reconciliation data to a host system. Additionally, an acknowledge packet can be received wirelessly from the host system, wherein the acknowledge packet corresponds to the encoded message. It can be determined if reconciliation data of the acknowledge packet has been changed in a predetermined way. If the reconciliation data of the acknowledge packet has been changed in the predetermined way, a peripheral device can be caused to enter a first mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: David G. Wright
  • Patent number: 8103806
    Abstract: A circuit capable of reading an input from a device on one pin of an integrated circuit package during one time period and either writing data to another device or reading an input from the other device through the same pin during another time period. In one exemplary implementation in which the one pin is used to write data to the other device, the circuit may sense when data is not being written and change the function of the one pin from that of an output pin to that of an input pin until such time as further data is to be written.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Zoran Corporation
    Inventors: Liron Ain-Kedem, Nir Leshem
  • Patent number: 8095728
    Abstract: A method for retrieving a logical block, including receiving a request to read the logical block, and obtaining metadata associated with the logical block, wherein the metadata includes a replication type used to store the logical block and physical block locations in a storage pool for each physical block associated with the logical block. The method further includes obtaining power state information including a power state for the storage devices specified in the physical block locations, selecting a first set of physical block locations using the metadata, the power state information, and a power-usage selection policy, and generating I/O requests, where each I/O request specifies one of the first set of physical block locations. The method further includes issuing the I/O requests, receiving physical blocks in response to the I/O requests, and constructing the logical block using the physical blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Moore, Darrin P. Johnson, George R. Wilson
  • Patent number: 8090881
    Abstract: Method and system is provided where PHY state change (PHY CHANGE) notifications from one or more PHYs in a storage infrastructure are monitored as a potential error condition. The rate of PHY CHANGE notifications is monitored to determine if the rate of PHY CHANGE notifications may cause a loss of service or degrade I/O performance. An excessive rate of PHY CHANGE notification that may cause a loss of service is detected by comparing a current PHY CHANGE count with a burst threshold value. The current PHY CHANGE count is also compared to an operational threshold value to detect if the rate of PHY CHANGE notification may result in degradation of overall I/O performance. If the PHY CHANGE count for a PHY equals or exceeds the burst threshold value or the operational threshold value, then the PHY is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Netapp, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Booth, Melvin McGee
  • Patent number: 8086760
    Abstract: Communications connections with data storage systems are managed. A discovery process is executed to identify an iSCSI port on data storage system. Settings for the iSCSI port are accepted as user input at a server. Communication is performed from the server to the data storage system to configure the iSCSI port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Brian R. Gruttadauria, Paula Emily McAdam, Qing Shou
  • Patent number: 8086765
    Abstract: Illustrated is a system and method for identifying a memory page that is accessible via a common physical address, the common physical address simultaneously accessed by a hypervisor remapping the physical address to a machine address, and the physical address used as part of a DMA operation generated by an I/O device that is programmed by a VM. It also includes transmitting data associated with the memory page as part of a memory disaggregation regime, the memory disaggregation regime to include an allocation of an additional memory page, on a remote memory device, to which the data will be written. It further includes updating a P2M translation table associated with the hypervisor, and an IOMMU translation table associated with the I/O device, to reflect a mapping from the physical address to a machine address associated with the remote memory device and used to identify the additional memory page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Yoshio Turner, Jose Renato Santos, Jichuan Chang
  • Patent number: 8078764
    Abstract: The physical server includes a hypervisor for managing an association between the virtual server and the I/O device allocated to the virtual server. The I/O switch includes: a setting register for retaining a request to inhibit a transaction from being issued from the I/O device to the virtual server; a Tx inhibition control module for performing an inhibition of the transaction from the I/O device to the virtual server, and guaranteeing a completion of a transaction from the I/O device issued before the inhibition; a virtualization assist module for converting an address of the virtual server into an address within a memory of the physical server; and a switch management module for managing a configuration of the I/O switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Okitsu, Yoshiko Yasuda, Takashige Baba, Keitaro Uehara, Yuji Tsushima
  • Patent number: 8078191
    Abstract: A network node provides presence updates to mobile users. The node reduces the amount of network traffic by eliminating the need for explicit messaging used to inform a user of presence updates. Additionally, the node reduces network traffic by consolidating presence updates, and sending the user only changed portions of the presence information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Synchronica plc
    Inventors: Manuel Laflamme, Sylvain Legault, Nick Maiorano, Alain Southiere
  • Patent number: 8073989
    Abstract: A printer interface detection device includes a printer interface connected to a printer interface of a computer to be detected, a microcontroller, and an indicator. The printer interface includes a number of input/output (I/O) pins and a data signal pin connected to the corresponding pins of the microcontroller. The microcontroller outputs a plurality of printing status signals to the computer according to instructions from the computer. The computer compares whether the number of printing statuses are consistent with printing statuses stored in the computer, to determine whether a printing function of the printer interface of the computer is normal. When the printing function of the printer interface of the computer is normal, the indicator is lit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Xiang Cao
  • Publication number: 20110296061
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods and computer-code are disclosed where an impending decoupling between a peripheral device and a host is detected. In some embodiments, in response to the detected impending disconnection, a user alert signal is generated. In some embodiments, an ‘onboard detector’ that is associated with housing of the peripheral device and operative to detect the impending disconnection is provided. In some embodiments, the user alert signal is generated in accordance with inter-device data flow between the host and the peripheral device. Exemplary peripheral devices include but are not limited to transient storage devices such as a USB flash drives (UFD).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Yehuda Hahn, Mordechai Teicher, Itzhak Pomerantz
  • Patent number: 8069276
    Abstract: An image display device and method of changing extended display identification data (EDID) information includes a first storage unit which stores extended display identification data (EDID) information to be provided to the source providing device, a second storage unit which stores at least one version of the EDID information which is different from the EDID information stored in the first storage unit, and a control unit which replaces the EDID information stored in the first storage unit with the different version of the EDID information stored in the second storage unit if an EDID information change request signal is input. Accordingly, compatibility of the EDID information between the source providing device and the image display device can be maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho-woong Kang, Il-doo Kim
  • Patent number: 8069278
    Abstract: A server is installed with host bus adapters (HBAs). The HBA causes light-emitting components thereon to emit light in abnormal light emission patterns upon falling into an abnormal condition, and in predetermined light emission patterns upon receiving a predetermined command. A method for managing the HBA includes storing abnormal light emission patterns of the HBA, detecting an abnormality as to whether a predetermined HBA is in an abnormal condition, obtaining current light emission patterns of a light-emitting component of an abnormal HBA which is detected to be in the abnormal condition in the detecting, and controlling light emission by sending the predetermined command to all of the HBAs except the abnormal one to cause the light-emitting components thereof to emit light in the predetermined light emission patterns, when the current light emission patterns, obtained in the obtaining, do not match the abnormal light emission patterns stored in the storing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Yasushi Itoh
  • Patent number: 8069277
    Abstract: A peripheral device is connected to a host device by a transmission path according to a predetermined interface standard to be communicable with the host device, and operates with power supply received from the host device through the transmission path. The peripheral device includes a main operation unit and a control unit. The main operation unit uses, in the operation thereof, non-standard current higher than an upper limit current value specified by the interface standard. The control unit operates in a standard power mode, which consumes current not exceeding the upper limit current value specified by the interface standard, to send the host device information indicating the use of the non-standard current, and performs, upon receipt from the host device of permission to use an extended power mode, which consumes the non-standard current, a process of activating the operation of the main operation unit in the extended power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sony NEC Optiarc Inc.
    Inventor: Toshinari Suematsu
  • Patent number: 8065445
    Abstract: A method of accessing a peripheral device can include determining whether the peripheral device is busy. The method can include selectively providing to a processor, according to whether the peripheral device is busy, either a driver or a program. The driver, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to offload the operation to the peripheral device. The program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the operation in lieu of the peripheral device performing the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Jingzhao Ou, Chi Bun Chan
  • Publication number: 20110283129
    Abstract: A system and method for operating an electronic device having a High-Definition Multimedia Interface port that is shared between an HDMI source function and an HDMI sink function of the electronic device utilizes detecting whether an external HDMI device that is attached to the HDMI port is one of an HDMI source and an HDMI sink. If the external HDMI device is detected as being an HDMI source, the HDMI sink function of the electronic device is enabled. If the external HDMI device is detected as being an HDMI sink, the HDMI source function of the electronic device is enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Nicolas Guillerm
  • Publication number: 20110276726
    Abstract: To provide a storage device, a board, a liquid container, a system and the like, which are capable of efficiently detecting a connection without an increase in the number of terminals. A storage device 100 includes: a storage section 130; a storage controller 120 that controls access to the storage section 130; a controller 110 that performs a communication process with a host device; a data terminal SDA; a reset terminal XRST; and a clock terminal SCK. The controller 110 determines that an operational mode is a normal communication mode when a voltage level of the reset terminal XRST is changed from a voltage level indicating a reset state to a voltage level indicating a reset-disabled state during a time period for which a voltage level of the clock terminal SCK is a first voltage level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jun Sato
  • Patent number: 8055810
    Abstract: A mobile terminal and switching method for controlling data transmission interface thereof are provided. The mobile terminal comprises an application processor, a communication processor and data transmission interfaces thereof, the application processor comprising a traffic monitor unit and an interface control unit, wherein the traffic monitor unit is configured to detect data traffic of data transmission, compare the data traffic with a preset threshold to obtain a comparison result, and output the comparison result; and the interface control unit is configured to control, on receipt of the comparison result, the connection or disconnection of a high-speed data line between the application processor and the communication processor, and to transmit a corresponding interface switching command to the communication processor for switching the data transmission interface. With the present invention, the power consumption of the system can be reduced and the efficiency of the data transmission can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited
    Inventors: Wenying Shan, Xiaobing Huang, Yonggui Zhao, Shaoyuan Wang
  • Patent number: 8051217
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for providing an extensible information handling system (IHS) bus implemented on predetermined channels of a digital video interface. IHS video signal information is multiplexed with IHS bus information by a host multiplexer for transmission across a digital video connector. The multiplexed IHS video signal and IHS bus information is received by a display multiplexer, where it is demultiplexed. Demultiplexed IHS video signal information is received by a video interface receiver, where it is used to generate an image on a digital display. Demultiplexed IHS bus information is received by a host bus interface transmitter/receiver, where it is used to support peripheral devices attached to the digital display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Joseph Edgar Goodart, Shuguang Wu
  • Patent number: 8045695
    Abstract: A system is described for determining the active copresence of users during interactions. The system may include a processor, a memory, and an interface. The memory may store a degree of active copresence. The interface may communicate with a user. The processor may identify a primary interaction of the user. The processor may determine whether the user engages in a secondary interaction while the user is engaged in the primary interaction. The processor may determine the degree of active copresence of the user during the primary interaction based on a quality score of the primary interaction and a quality score of the secondary interaction. The degree of active copresence may represent the level of engagement of the user during the primary interaction. The processor may provide the degree of active copresence to the user via the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc
    Inventor: Marc Davis
  • Patent number: 8041846
    Abstract: Disclosed is an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a first hard disk drive, a conversion circuit and a signal control circuit. The conversion circuit is connected with the first hard disk drive to determine whether a second hard disk drive corresponding to a slave exists when the first hard disk drive serves as a master, and the determine whether a first control signal has a first logic level in a first predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8032667
    Abstract: Connection of a USB memory (storage device) to a USB port (data transmitting and receiving unit) is detected and the date and time of detection of this connection is stored. Using this detection of connection as trigger, a camera is caused to pick up an image of an area embracing a user positioned in a position where the user can operate a user interface. Picked-up image data outputted from the camera is stored together with shooting date and time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuuri Takei
  • Patent number: 8032666
    Abstract: Location based profiles are used to modify the configuration of a computing device based on a detected location. The location based profiles allow features such as cameras to be enabled and disabled. Physical and logical data storage partitions can also be mounted and unmounted, and the home screen displayed by a device can be modified. Location bookmarks can be used to further customize the appearance and function of a computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Sridhar Srinivansan, Ye Gu, Johnny Liu
  • Patent number: 8019917
    Abstract: In audio/video (AV) capture, two video streaming adapters (VSAs) receive an original input video signal and a compressed input video signal respectively to generate an uncompressed video streaming and a compressed video streaming respectively. The uncompressed video streaming and the compressed video streaming are transmitted to an external device by way of time division duplex. An interlock mechanism prevents concurrent transmission of the uncompressed video streaming and the compressed video streaming, so that the loss of real-time video streaming is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Quanta Computers Inc.
    Inventors: Yu-Min Chen, Chun-Chiao Wang
  • Patent number: RE42810
    Abstract: A recording and reproducing apparatus has a communicating unit, a reading unit, a storing unit, a control unit, and an output unit. The communicating unit transmits and receives data to/from an information center in which a plurality of additional information have been stored. The reading unit reads out recorded data from a recording medium on which a plurality of data and index data of a plurality of data have been recorded. The data read out from the recording medium by the reading unit is stored in the storing unit. The control unit reads out the additional information corresponding to the recording medium from which the data is read out by the reading unit from the information center by the communicating unit and writes the read-out additional information into the storing unit as additional data of the recording medium which is read out by the reading unit. The output unit outputs the data stored in the storing unit and the additional data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kissei Matsumoto, Han Min-Jae, Takuya Kaeriyama, Tsutomu Imai, Seiichi Jinbo
  • Patent number: RE43192
    Abstract: In an environment in which various usable information processing device exist in the neighborhood of a user, it is possible to a detect, from a main terminal used by a user, an information processing device having the function corresponding to a user request. By using the detected device, it is possible to perform data processing and data communication corresponding to the user request, which cannot be performed by one device. By transmitting a resources finding/using query packet to devices capable of data communication, the function confirmation and the environment setting of each information processing device can be performed. Even if the function of the information processing device dynamically changes, the device can be used based on the updated information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masaaki Isozu