936results about How to "Minimal cost" patented technology

World-Wide-Walkie-Talkie, a high speed multifunction interstellar wireless computer / instant messenger communicator, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), coupled with a resilient, robust, VoIP data network and internet server method, deploying multiple wireless networks and protocols such as Voice Over IP, GPRS, WAP, Bluetooth, PCS, I-Mode, comprising a high speed Intel Pentium 4 Mobile(TM) or compatible Processor, to formulate a internet gateway system (99) and network bridge (150) for establishing instant low cost, real time global communications to the Public Switched Telephone Network via the internet (54). A PUSH-TO-TALK-WORLDWIDE button (21) instantly initiates global bisynchronous communications, or videoconferencing sessions. Fax, VideoMail, and unified messaging services are immediately available. GPS and mass memory provides global navigational tracking and data storage. Internet users, telephones, and cellular / satellite phone users can intercommunicate with the invention via VoIP / IM services. The invention provides uniformed global wireless communications, eliminates traditional long distance costs, and operates anywhere on earth.

An adaptive interface for a programmable system, for predicting a desired user function, based on user history, as well as machine internal status and context. The apparatus receives an input from the user and other data. A predicted input is presented for confirmation by the user, and the predictive mechanism is updated based on this feedback. Also provided is a pattern recognition system for a multimedia device, wherein a user input is matched to a video stream on a conceptual basis, allowing inexact programming of a multimedia device. The system analyzes a data stream for correspondence with a data pattern for processing and storage. The data stream is subjected to adaptive pattern recognition to extract features of interest to provide a highly compressed representation which may be efficiently processed to determine correspondence. Applications of the interface and system include a VCR, medical device, vehicle control system, audio device, environmental control system, securities trading terminal, and smart house. The system optionally includes an actuator for effecting the environment of operation, allowing closed-loop feedback operation and automated learning.

Systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention can perform parallax detection and correction in images captured using array cameras. Due to the different viewpoints of the cameras, parallax results in variations in the position of objects within the captured images of the scene. Methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention provide an accurate account of the pixel disparity due to parallax between the different cameras in the array, so that appropriate scene-dependent geometric shifts can be applied to the pixels of the captured images when performing super-resolution processing. In several embodiments, detecting parallax involves using competing subsets of images to estimate the depth of a pixel location in an image from a reference viewpoint. In a number of embodiments, generating depth estimates considers the similarity of pixels in multiple spectral channels. In certain embodiments, generating depth estimates involves generating a confidence map indicating the reliability of depth estimates.

An exercise system includes a local system having an exercise apparatus and an associated local computer, where the local computer controls and monitors the operation and use, respectively, of the exercise apparatus. The system further includes a remote system having a remote computer, and a transmission medium preferably including the Internet that couples the local system to the remote system for data communication between the local system and the remote system. The remote system may receive local system data from the local system concerning the use of the exercise apparatus, and the local system may receive remote system data from the remote system concerning the operation of the exercise apparatus. The local computer preferably controls the operation of the exercise apparatus based upon a modifiable script stored in a read / write memory of the local computer, which can be updated by the remote system. A method for controlling an exercise apparatus includes running a modifiable script on a local computer to control the use and to monitor the operation of an exercise apparatus, and communicating with a remote system, preferably via the Internet, to provide the remote system with data concerning the use of the exercise apparatus. The script is stored in read / write memory of the local computer and remote system data received from the remote system may include at least a portion of a new script to be stored in the read / write memory of the local computer.

An online Gift Registry Service provides registration of information for a gift registrant and allows access to the registry by potential gift giver users. In addition, users can tag items of interest at participating Service Provider (SP) sites and the SP sites will register these items with the Gift Registry Service on the user's behalf. It further provides a streamlined checkout process for purchasing these gift items with the registered SP sites (e.g. World Wide Web sites) over a distributed public network. Users and Service Providers (SP) initially register with the Gift Registry Service and are provided additional functionality. For users, a reminder service is provided to notify individuals automatically upon the trigger of certain events, such as important dates or product sales from online merchants. In addition, there are various occasion planning services available such as distribution lists, discussion groups, and other related resources for multiple events including weddings, baby showers, etc. These other resources include sending out announcements, reserving halls, and contracting services of related businesses for the occasion. A distinct advantage of this system is that users can perform all the planning for the event online in the comfort of their home or office. Service Providers on the other hand, can register system notification messages to be triggered on pre-determined events. In addition, Service Providers can obtain marketing information to tailor their products and services.

The invention provides a disposable programmable ECG sensor patch for the non-invasive detection of risk patterns according to programmed criteria. The patch is programmed by a medical professional to select one or more monitoring parameters for detection and alarm indication. One application is to detect changes in the ECG due to cardioactive drugs. Another application is triggering an alarm for a cardiac patient during a stress condition. The programmable patch operates in conjunction with an external programming unit for selecting the detection monitoring parameters.

An application on user's mobile device (having a display screen) generates a one-time use and time-limited barcode on the display when the user enters a PIN. The barcode can be scanned to make purchases at a point of sale (POS).

A peer-to-peer platform makes use of a streaming agent running at each peer. The streaming agent causes a peer to receive chunks of content from different neighboring peers, store some of the chunks in a local cache, and distribute those cached chunks to neighboring peers. Delivering next generation broadcasts (e.g., as streams of live audio and digital media) of any size utilizing the Internet is achieved. Users can view a live or prerecorded stream of a broadcast through an integrated media player, or can replay a broadcast through an integrated, intelligent archiving service. Use of the platform reduces bandwidth demands on live streaming and archiving services to a level where it is sustainable within a profitable business model to offer the services for at most a negligible fee.

The invention provides a method useful for detection of genetic disorders. The method comprises determining the sequence of alleles of a locus of interest, and quantitating a ratio for the alleles at the locus of interest, wherein the ratio indicates the presence or absence of a chromosomal abnormality. The present invention also provides a non-invasive method for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities in a fetus. The invention is especially useful as a non-invasive method for determining the sequence of fetal DNA. The invention further provides methods of isolation of free DNA from a sample.

A method of annotating video programs (media) with metadata, and making the metadata available for download on a P2P network. Program annotators will analyze a video media and construct annotator index descriptors or signatures descriptive of the video media as a whole, annotator scenes of interest, and annotator items of interest. This will serve as an index to annotator metadata associated with specific scenes and items of interest. Viewers of these video medias on processor equipped, network capable, video devices will select scenes and items of interest as well, and the video devices will construct user indexes also descriptive of the video media, scenes and areas of interest. This user index will be sent over the P2P network to annotation nodes, and will be used as a search tool to find the appropriate index linked metadata. This will be sent back to the user video device over the P2P network.

The invention provides a method useful for detection of genetic disorders. The method comprises determining the sequence of alleles of a locus of interest, and quantitating a ratio for the alleles at the locus of interest, wherein the ratio indicates the presence or absence of a chromosomal abnormality. The present invention also provides a non-invasive method for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities in a fetus. The invention is especially useful as a non-invasive method for determining the sequence of fetal DNA. The invention further provides methods of isolation of free DNA from a sample.

A pluggable transceiver module having a housing with a first side and a face perpendicular to the first side, and a tab extending beyond the surface of the first side, and the tab sized to mate with a slot in a receptacle of a host device for receiving the pluggable transceiver module housing, an elongated member slidably mounted to the first side of the housing and having an internal end and an external end, a wedge on the internal end of the elongated member, wherein sliding the elongated member inward causes the wedge to slide between the tab and the slot on the receptacle and remove the tab from within the slot, thereby releasing the pluggable transceiver module from the receptacle, and a lever rotatably mounted via an axle proximate the face of the pluggable transceiver module, said axle being connected to the external end of the elongated member such that rotating the lever away from the face of the pluggable transceiver cause the rotating axle to push the elongated member inward and drive the wedge between the tab and the slot in order to release the pluggable transceiver module from the receptacle.

Video programs (media) are analyzed, often using computerized image feature analysis methods. Annotator index descriptors or signatures that are indexes to specific video scenes and items of interest are determined, and these in turn serve as an index to annotator metadata (often third party metadata) associated with these video scenes. The annotator index descriptors and signatures, typically chosen to be free from copyright restrictions, are in turn linked to annotator metadata, and then made available for download on a P2P network. Media viewers can then use processor equipped video devices to select video scenes and areas of interest, determine the corresponding user index, and send this user index over the P2P network to search for index linked annotator metadata. This metadata is then sent back to the user video device over the P2P network. Thus video programs can be enriched with additional content without transmitting any copyrighted video data.

A Message Storage and Deliver System (MSDS) is connected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and receives incoming calls with these calls being facsimile, voice, or data transmissions. The MSDS detects the type of call and stores the message signal in a database. The MSDS is also connected to the Internet and has a hyper-text transfer protocol deamon (HTTPD) for receiving requests from users. The HTTPD forwards requests for certain files or messages to a network server which transmits at least part of the message to the HTTPD and then to the user. In addition to requests for certain documents, the HTTPD may also receive a request in the form of a search query. The search query is forwarded from the HTTPD to an application program for conducting the search of the database. The results of the search are forwarded through the HTTPD to the user. The user may then select one or more files or messages from the search results and may save the search for later reference.

A digital mobile communication system is provided with a facility by means of which it can establish a connection to the Internet network (12) via an Internet access point (14, 15). IAP settings needed for establishing a connection are stored in a mobile station (MS). When a mobile station (MS) roams, the closest point may, however, change, and IAP settings should be updated in the mobile station (MS). The invention comprises dividing the mobile communication system into IAP areas, which are given preferred IAPs. An IAP area may be e.g. a mobile communication network (11, 17). Mobile communication networks broadcast system information on the basis of which a mobile station may detect that the IAP area has changed and start a procedure for updating IAP settings. Updating may comprise retrieval of IAP settings from a special server (13) in the network maintained by an Internet service provider. Retrieval can be done e.g. via a short message service center (10). In one embodiment the mobile communication network broadcasts messages giving recommended IAP settings to mobile stations.

Systems and methods for efficiently addressing technical and privacy / authorization obstacles associated with tracking of individuals in a vehicle, and enabling route-based analysis to determine driving behavior, socio-demographics, future profitability, and interests of individuals or self-driving systems. Driving information is collected using a device associated with a driver and a vehicle or using data collected by systems of self-driving vehicles. The frequency and methods used for the collection of driving information can be modified based on location and movement of the device and based on previous classification of the driver or self-driving system, thereby enabling efficient use of bandwidth and battery and increasing accuracy of the classification. The driving information is encoded and transmitted to a server, where future typical route segments that the driver is likely to travel are predicted, and the driver, or the self-driving system, is classified into one or more groups based on the encoded driving information.

The present invention relates to a method for providing media content to a user over a digital network, which media content is provided by a media content server, organized and selected by an intermediate node in accordance to previously stored user preferences, and delivered to a client operated by the user. The method is characterized by the steps of defining a personalized media package structure, communicating a first package having said personalized media package structure to the client, receiving status information from the client, said status information describing a user action, adapting said personalized media package structure in response to said user action, and communicating a second package having said adapted personalized media package structure to the client. According to the invention, the user can experience a highly personalized media playback, with a minium of costs related to network transmission. By the implementation of the status information communication to the personalization server, the media package structure is continually updated in accordance with the user's consumer pattern.

A method of managing connections in a mobile communications network, the method comprising: transmitting over a connection from a network entity to a mobile device natural traffic and keepalive messages at a frequency determined by at least one keepalive parameter; at the mobile device, monitoring receipt of natural traffic and keepalive messages, and in the event of inadequate natural traffic and missing keepalive messages, closing the connection; and dynamically adjusting the at least one keepalive parameter for subsequent transmission of keepalive messages from the network entity so as to maintain the connection at a minimum frequency of keepalive messages.

A method and apparatus for enforcing capacity limitations such as those imposed by software license agreements in an information handling system in which a physical machine is divided into a plurality of logical partitions, each of which is allocated a defined portion of processor resources by a logical partition manager. A software license manager specifies a maximum allowed consumption of processor resources by a program executing in one of the logical partitions. A workload manager also executing in the partition measures the actual consumption of processor resources by the logical partition over a specified averaging interval and compares it with the maximum allowed consumption. If the actual consumption exceeds the maximum allowed consumption, the workload manager calculates a capping pattern and interacts with the logical partition manager to cap the actual consumption of processor resources by the partition in accordance with the calculated capping pattern. To provide additional capping flexibility, partitions are assigned phantom weights that the logical partition manager adds to the total partition weight to determine whether the partition has exceeded its allowed share of processor resources for capping purposes. The logical partition thus becomes a “container” for the licensed program with an enforced processing capacity less than that of the entire machine.

An improved radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and related reader system and process are provided, wherein the RFID tag includes an on-board battery for enhanced signal transmission range, relatively rapid signal transmission speed, and optimized completion of a data transaction between the tag and a reader. The RFID tag further includes a power management system for activating the tag battery on an as-needed basis, and for thereupon enabling limited portions of the tag circuitry as required for a specific communication protocol, thereby conserving battery power and prolonging battery service life. In one preferred form, the battery is integrated with an antenna structure of single or dual mode with respect to frequency or type. This combination battery-antenna may be designed for recharging from a source of ambient energy.

A system, method, and apparatus for conducting secure monetary transactions over a communications network is provided. The invention facilitates secure monetary and financial transactions over the Internet and other public networks for various purposes, including automated payments associated with purchasing goods or services online. Different implementation methods may be utilized, including systems based on proxy and psuedo-credit-card models. In each case, communications protocols are provided between a consumer, merchant web site, payment processor and a service provider, enabling online transactions to proceed in a secure manner. The invention utilizes a physical medium to provide consumers, merchants, and financial institutions with a secure system to conduct electronic commerce transaction. The preferred medium assumes the form of a miniature recordable CD-ROM that contains cryptographic data representing one-time monetary and / or transactional details. The medium can be used in a standard CD-ROM drive of a personal computer system, and easily fits in a wallet. Consumers insert the medium into the CD-ROM drive, enter a personal identification number, and complete the transaction process.

A rotary-wing apparatus that is aeronautically stable, easy to fly with a multidimensional control, small size, and safe to fly and low cost to produce. The rotary-wing apparatus includes a coaxial counter rotating rotor drive providing lifting power with an inherent aeronautical stability; Auxiliary propellers that face the direction of flight and are located on opposite sides of said coaxial Rotary-wing apparatus and enable flying forwards, backwards and perform yawing; A rotary-wing coaxial helicopter toy that is remotely controlled and safe to fly in doors and out doors, while performing exciting maneuvers even by untrained kids

An application on user's mobile device (having a display screen) generates a transaction-specific barcode on the display, where the barcode contains a plurality of funding sources for the transaction and / or merchant loyalty, reward, or membership numbers. The barcode can be scanned to make purchases at a point of sale (POS).

A method and apparatus for transmitting an HDMI signal to a remote location. The method splits the signal into a multitude of signals that are transmitted down cables. The split signals are collected into a single signal at the receiving end at the remote location. An apparatus for splitting the signals and collecting the split signals is illustrated.

Methods, tools, and a multicast connectivity architecture are provided for provisioning bundled high bandwidth multi-channel multimedia broadcast services over a packet switched communications network. Multicast group membership join / prune requests generated by the destination network nodes are processed on edge. Multicast tree connectivity in the core of the communications network is static and centrally provisioned based on multicast group member edge network nodes associated with subscribers, while dynamic multicasting techniques are employed over the distribution portion of the service provider's communications network to deliver requested content to each destination network node. The methods and tools compute multicast trees, configure on-tree branching network nodes, and establish Virtual Private LAN network overlays for channel bundles to convey multi-channel content in the core of the managed communications network between edge network nodes. Centralized multicast tree provisioning enables the use of efficient multicast tree topologies, while VPLS packet transport provides interoperability between disparate Layer-2 packet transport technologies employed in different portions of the communications network.