764 results about "Digital network" patented technology

A comprehensive, wireless multimedia surveillance and monitoring system provides a combination of megapixel digital camera capability with full motion video surveillance with a network, including network components and appliances such as wiring, workstations, and servers with the option of geographical distribution with various wide area carriers. The full service, multi-media surveillance system is capable of a wide range of monitoring techniques utilizing digital network architecture and is adapted for transmitting event data, video and / or image monitoring information, audio signals and other sensor and detector data over significant distances using digital data transmission over a LAN, wireless LAN, Intranet or Internet for automatic assessment and response including dispatch of response personnel. Both wired and wireless appliance and sensor systems may be employed. GPS dispatching is used to locate and alert personnel as well as to indicate the location of an event. Automatic mapping and dispatch permits rapid response. The wireless LAN connectivity permits local distribution of audio, video and image data over a relatively high bandwidth without requirement of a license and without relying on a common carrier and the fees associated therewith. The surveillance system may be interfaced with a WAN (wide area Network) or the Internet for providing a worldwide, low cost surveillance system with virtually unlimited geographic application. Centralized monitoring stations have access to all of the surveillance data from various remote locations via the Internet or the WAN. A server provides a centralized location for data collection, alarm detection and processing, access control, dispatch processing, logging functions and other specialized functions. The server may be inserted virtually anywhere in the Intranet / Internet network. The topology of the network will be established by the geographic situation of the installation. Appropriate firewalls may be set up as desired. The server based system permits a security provider to have access to the appliance and sensor and surveillance data or to configure or reconfigure the system for any station on the network.

A method and apparatus for efficiently managing the allocation of available data capacity on a physically shared digital network among devices connected to that network is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method and apparatus for managing the ongoing timely movement of data on the shared network such that precise long-term data rates are achieved between attached devices with minimal additional buffering. The invention further comprises a method and apparatus which allows the use of any remaining network capacity for non time-critical data movement without the need for centralized access management.

Disclosed are improved methods, devices and systems for storage management in digital networks.

In some embodiments, the invention is a personal digital network (“PDN”) including hardware (sometimes referred to as Ingress circuitry) configured to transcrypt encrypted content that enters the PDN. Typically, the transcryption (decryption followed by re-encryption) is performed in hardware within the Ingress circuitry and the re-encryption occurs before the decrypted content is accessible by hardware or software external to the Ingress circuitry. Typically, transcrypted content that leaves the Ingress circuitry remains in re-encrypted form within the PDN whenever it is transferred between integrated circuits or is otherwise easily accessible by software, until it is decrypted within hardware (sometimes referred to as Egress circuitry) for display or playback or output from the PDN. Typically, the PDN is implemented so that no secret in Ingress or Egress circuitry (for use or transfer by the Ingress or Egress circuitry) is accessible in unencrypted form to software or firmware within the PDN or to any entity external to the PDN. Other aspects of the invention are methods for protecting content in a PDN (e.g., an open computing system) and devices (e.g., multimedia graphics cards, set top boxes, or video processors) for use in a PDN.

A fully digital camera system provides high-resolution still image and streaming video signals via a network to a centralized, server supported security and surveillance system. The digital camera for collects an image from one or more image transducers, compressing the image and sending the compressed digital image signal to a receiving station over a digital network. A plurality of image transducers or sensors may be included in a single camera unit, providing array imaging such as full 360 degree panoramic imaging, universal or spherical imaging and field imaging by stacking or arranging the sensors in an array. The multiple images are then compressed and merged at the camera in the desired format to permit transmission of the least amount of data to accomplish the desired image transmission. The camera also employs, or connects to, a variety of sensors other than the traditional image sensor. Sensors for fire, smoke, sound, glass breakage, motion, panic buttons, and the like, may be embedded in or connected to the camera. Data captured by these sensors may be digitized, compressed, and networked to detect notable conditions. An internal microphone and associated signal processing system may be equipped with suitable signal processing algorithms for the purpose of detecting suitable acoustic events and their location. In addition, the camera is equipped with a pair of externally accessible terminals where an external sensor may be connected. In addition, the camera may be equipped with a short-range receiver that may detect the activation of a wireless ‘panic button’ carried by facility personnel. This ‘panic button’ may employ infrared, radio frequency (RF), ultrasonic, or other suitable methods to activate the camera's receiver.

A fully digital camera system provides high-resolution still image and streaming video signals via a network to a centralized, server supported security and surveillance system. The digital camera for collects an image from one or more image transducers, compressing the image and sending the compressed digital image signal to a receiving station over a digital network. A plurality of image transducers or sensors may be included in a single camera unit, providing array imaging such as full 360 degree panoramic imaging, universal or spherical imaging and field imaging by stacking or arranging the sensors in an array. The multiple images are then compressed and merged at the camera in the desired format to permit transmission of the least amount of data to accomplish the desired image transmission. The camera also employs, or connects to, a variety of sensors other than the traditional image sensor. Sensors for fire, smoke, sound, glass breakage, motion, panic buttons, and the like, may be embedded in or connected to the camera. Data captured by these sensors may be digitized, compressed, and networked to detect notable conditions. An internal microphone and associated signal processing system may be equipped with suitable signal processing algorithms for the purpose of detecting suitable acoustic events and their location. In addition, the camera is equipped with a pair of externally accessible terminals where an external sensor may be connected. In addition, the camera may be equipped with a short-range receiver that may detect the activation of a wireless ‘panic button’ carried by facility personnel. This ‘panic button’ may employ infrared, radio frequency (RF), ultrasonic, or other suitable methods to activate the camera's receiver.

A method and system for monitoring and controlling a power distribution system is provided. The system includes a plurality of circuit breakers and a plurality of node electronic units. Each node electronic unit is mounted remotely from an associated circuit breaker that is electrically coupled with one of the node electronic units. The system also includes a first digital network, and a first central control unit. The first central control unit and the plurality of node electronic units are communicatively coupled to the first digital network. The method includes receiving digital signals from each node electronic unit at the central control unit, determining an operational state of the power distribution system from the digital signal, and transmitting digital signals to the plurality of node electronic units such that the circuit breakers are operable from the first central control unit.

Adaptive bandwidth allocation for Non-Reserved traffic over high speed transmission links of a digital network is operated through regulation of data packet transfers over network nodes / ports including input / output adapters connected through a switching device. A network node is assigned with a Control Point computing devise (CP) storing a Topology Data Base containing an image of the network. This Data Base is periodically and at call set up updated by Topology Data Base Update messages (TDUs) including an Explicit Rate parameter for link l indicating the current available bandwidth on link l, and a parameter NNRl indicating the number of Non-Reserved connections on link l. This information are used within each Adapter to periodically regulate the transmission bandwidth assigned to each Non-Reserved traffic connection within the network. To that end, each adapter is provided with an Access Control Function device for each attached connection (data source) and a Connection Agent (CA) getting, on request, required current link informations from the attached Topology Data Base.

A digital rights management (DRM) method is negotiated prior to initiating delivery of a DRM encoded content item over a digital network between a client and a target server. The client identifies a link to the target server for accessing the DRM encoded content item. The client initiates a network session with the target server. The client sends an offer message to the target server containing a list of at least one supported DRM method. The target server sends an answer message to the client containing a corresponding list 1) indicating whether each DRM method listed in the offer message is supported by the target server, and 2) providing a network address of a DRM license server for each supported DRM method. The client selects a supported DRM method. The client obtains a DRM license using the network address listed for the selected DRM method. The target server delivers the DRM encoded content item to the client using the selected DRM method.

A system for handling video tags. The tags are displayed synchronized to a video. A controller manages and modifies tag data that can be created by one or more users. The controller identifies a tag dataset for use with a video and provides information for synchronization and display of the tags. In a particular embodiment, features of a social-network website implementation are disclosed whereby a user community can post, filter, rate and display tags.

Telecommunications computing apparatus and methods for performing deep packet inspection and other processing of data packets traversing high speed digital networks (15) such as the Internet. An apparatus embodiment of the present invention comprises a reconfigurable logic device (10); coupled to the reconfigurable logic device (10), means (11) for coupling the reconfigurable logic device (10) to an external digital network (15); and coupled to the reconfigurable logic device (10), an interface (16-19) for coupling the reconfigurable logic device (10) to at least one peripheral device (8) that is not part of said external digital network (15).

A Call Management System provides for management of calls directly by system users at their workstation computers via a digital data network such as a digital networks not controlled via the user's telephone instruments as in prior systems. A call management computer intercepts incoming calls and controls the handling of such calls according to instructions received from the users' workstations, which are accessed via the digital data network. Trunk circuits are monitored and controlled using digital signal processors to proactively identify the called party, the calling party and the call type (voice, Fax, data) and control and to monitor all calls. Each different type of call is managed differently and automatically through direct user workstation controls and / or user-generated rules to provide special treatment for designated callers. Multiple calls to user at the same time may be handled with no busy signals to callers. Only one number is needed for a user to receive voice Fax and data calls. Fax and data transmissions are automatically received.

An intercom system is provided having a plurality of intercom stations coupled to a digital network, each station transmitting intercom data onto a channel of the network. Each station receives intercom data from each other station and selects channels to be amplified and output to a speaker. Each station may listen to and talk to any other station or any selected group of stations. Processing of signals from the network is performed in each station, thereby eliminating the need for a centralized mixing and switching device. Stations may be added merely by connecting them to the network. The intercom system may be configured in a non-blocking mode or in a blocking mode.

Disclosed are improved methods, devices and systems for storage management in digital networks.

An integrated communications system for exchanging data messages on a data network suitably includes an interface configured to receive said data messages via the data network; a plurality of application servers configured to process data messages and to create output messages in response thereto; and a messenger service configured to route data and output messages between the application servers and users. A method for exchanging data messages on a data network suitably includes receiving data messages at an interface; routing data messages from the interface to an application server with a messaging service; processing the data messages at an appropriate application server to create output messages in response thereto; and providing output messages to a recipient via the messaging service. An exemplary client application suitably includes a network interface module configured to send and receive messages via a digital network; a file transfer module configured to transfer data files between a local storage medium and a remote storage medium via the network interface module; an instant messaging module configured to transfer instant messages between the user and another user via the network interface module; and a user interface module configured to display data files and instant messages for the user, and to accept inputs from the user.

A system and method for having a plurality of participants author and submit segment candidates to create a collaborative work over a computer network. The plurality of participants receive segment instructions for authoring the segment candidates. The candidates are submitted to the system and at least a subset of the submitted segment candidates are distributed to a voting audience over the computer network. In response the system receives votes for a favored segment candidate from the voting audience. Next, a winning segment candidate is selected from the submitted segment candidates for inclusion in the collaborative work based on the votes. This process is repeated by the system until the collaborative work is complete.

A system for delivering streamed content over a large digital network such as the Internet. Distributed functionality executes on nodes in the network to achieve functions such as assigning partner nodes for transfer of content to or from a target node, scheduling transfer operations among nodes, adding or removing nodes from the network, maintaining security, and other operations. Different embodiments may use one or more of the functional features. In a preferred embodiment, video content is segmented and streamed through multi-path routing. An overlay network uses nodes in partnership groups so that a target node can obtain segments from multiple sources. Partner nodes can provide the segments within a given time window, including simultaneous delivery from multiple partner nodes, so that a more reliable data stream is supported.

A communications system with distributed intelligence thereby allowing easy expansion of the system while also providing a high degree of fault tolerance. The communications system allows for conversion, transmission and restoration of the human voice over a digital network. A telephone can be used as the input device for receiving the analog signal, or human voice. The telephone is also used to select a destination for the analog signal. The information is transmitted over the digital network and may also traverse through a private branch exchange and a wireless network before it arrives at its destination. At the destination the transmitted information is restored to an analog signal and played over one or more speakers. The present system is especially suited for use with an existing network.

Interference classification with minimal or incomplete information. Receivers in access points and in other network devices on a wireless digital network may be switched to a spectrum monitor mode in which they provide amplitude-versus-frequency information for a chosen part of the spectrum. This may be performed by performing a FFT or similar transform on the signals from the receiver. Receivers are calibrated with known interference sources in controlled environments to determine peaks, pulse frequency, bandwidth, and other identifying parameters of the interference source in best and worst case conditions. These calibrated values are used for matching interference signatures. Calibration is also performed using partial signatures collected over a short period in the order of microseconds. These partial signals may be used to detect interferers while scanning. Another aspect of the invention is to record the variation of noise floor in the presence of interference sources. Multiple interference sources may be detected. While data collection is performed in one or more APs, classification may be performed in theAP or on other systems associated with the network collecting and processing spectrum information from one or more APs.

The present application relates to a computer network, a computer-implemented method, a computer program product, a client, and a server for natural language-based control of a digital network. In one aspect, the computer network for natural language-based control of a digital network may comprise: a digital network operable to provide sharing of access to a network between a plurality of devices connected in the digital network; a client installed in the digital network and operable to provide a unified natural language interface to a user to control the digital network using natural language; a server connected to the client over the network and operable to process a user request of the user performed through the unified natural language interface; and one or more software agents operable to execute at least one action on at least one of the plurality of devices based on the processed user request.

Delivering interactive non-intrusive advertising content, including receiving a selection signal indicating that a user has selected an item displayed on a television screen, the item having associated non-intrusive interactive advertising content; identifying the selected item; and displaying the associated non-intrusive interactive advertising content. Embodiments typically include receiving and storing advertising data that associates the selected item with a screen region and with interactive advertising content. Receiving the advertising data often includes receiving the advertising data encoded in a video signal that includes a video image of the item. In some embodiments, the advertising data is encoded in a digital data stream separate from a video signal, and receiving the advertising data is carried out by receiving the data stream through a digital network. In typical embodiments, the advertising data includes instructions for control of the display of interactive non-intrusive advertising content for an item.

A method of operating a system including a digital network interconnected intelligent digital devices (IDDS) generating and receiving eXtensible Markup Language (XML) documents containing data and respective Document Type Definitions (DTDs) describing the data content. Preferably, the method includes steps for transmitting a generated XML document from a first IDD to a second IDD, and, when the respective DTD for the generated XML document satisfies a predetermined criteria, operating on the data contained in the XML document at the second IDD. In a first exemplary case, the second IDD maintains a list of trusted DTDs, and the predetermined criteria is equality between the name of the respective DTD and the name of a trusted DTD. Alternatively, the predetermined criteria is satisfied by inclusion of the name of a program residing on the second IDD in the respective DTD. In a second exemplary case, the transmitting step includes transmitting the generated XML document from the first IDD to the second IDD and a third IDD, the operating step includes operating on the data contained in the XML document at the second IDD when the respective DTD for the generated XML document satisfies a first predetermined criteria, and the method further includes the step of operating on the data contained in the XML document at the third IDD when the respective DTD for the generated XML document satisfies a second predetermined criteria. A system composed of IDDs interconnected by an in home digital network (IHDN) or other mechanism, which system can be operated by the method mentioned above, is also described.

In a high speed digital network including access nodes and network nodes each having topology data bases, a method for optimizing the connection set-up operations required for connecting a calling end-user attached to a local access node to a destination user attached to a remote access node, via a conventional connection set-up operation. An Access Node Connection Table (ANCT) in each access node stores a list of every remote access node for which the local access node has at least one user connection. A field in the locate reply message is defined for the destination remote Access Node Topology Database (ANTDB) and remote ANTDB information is inserted prior to sending the reply message. Locate reply message reception is monitored by the local access node, and upon reception an entry is created for the received remote ANTDB information in the local access node unless the remote access node was already identified in the local access node. An optimal path is then selected and connection set up. The ANCT is then updated accordingly.

The present invention relates to technologies for integrated circuits and Large Area Integrated Circuits (LAICs), which are integrated circuits made from photo-repetition of one or several reticle image fields, stitched together on at least one lithographic process layer. It also relates to a specific class of LAIC that can connect to the contacts of other ICs placed on its surface, where specific contact detection algorithms means are disclosed. The innovations include means for defect tolerance of serial communication links, means for efficient diagnosis of short and stuck-at faults in regular reconfigurable network, means for a programmable interposer for rapid prototyping of 3D stacked chips, means to build efficient large area micro-system devices (LAMS), with distributed and configurable hierarchical structures for power supply, thermal regulation and signal propagation, means to reduce mechanical / thermal / thermo-mechanical issues in LAMS devices, means to propagate analog signal on a configurable digital network, means to predict thermo-mechanical stress peaks.

A method based on predefined connection priorities for assigning link bandwidth to a requesting user in a high speed digital network interconnecting network users through a path including network nodes connected through high speed links.According to this method, a predefined reservable link bandwidth is split into so-called nominal bandwidth portions and common bandwidth portions, both assignable to the same connections on a priority basis. Each of the common bandwidth priorities is individually related to a nominal bandwidth priority through a predefined relationship, making the common bandwidth priorities always lower than any nominal priority. In this way the requested link connection bandwidth, whatever be its nominal priority, is made preemptable primarily on all common bandwidth, thus avoiding the disruption of any network connection which is already established.

Network appliances for use in combination with a network based full service, multi-media surveillance system provide a wide range of monitoring techniques utilizing digital network architecture. The appliances may be connected to the surveillance system for transmitting event data, video and / or image monitoring information, audio signals and other data over significant distances using digital data transmission over networks such as a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network such as the Internet for other networks, permitting remote manual and / or automatic assessment and response. The wireless LAN connectivity permits local distribution of sensor information audio, video and image data with relatively high bandwidth without requirement of a license and without relying on a common carrier and the fees associated therewith. The surveillance system may be interfaced with a WAN (wide area network) such as frame relay or the Internet for providing a worldwide, low cost surveillance system with virtually unlimited geographic application. Multiple sensors and appliances may be accommodated, as required. The topology of the network will be established by the geographic situation of the specific installation. Appropriate firewalls may be set up as desired to protect unauthorized access to the system or collected data. The server based system permits a security provider to have access to the appliance, related sensor and surveillance data or to configure or reconfigure the system from any station on the Intranet or Internet. The use of power supplied over LAN wiring to various configurations of security network appliances provides an important simplification and cost reduction of the installation of various alarm and security system devices, such as card readers and scanners, audible devices, strobe enunciators, keypads, motion detectors, and the like. The use of networked sensors in the form of network appliances allows various servers and monitors to share common sensors, further reducing installation costs and greatly increased flexibility.

A performance monitoring system for a digital network is installed in network elements having performance monitoring responsibilities. Apparatus is provided for network elements, in which a bitmap representation of performance primitives detected during an acquisition interval is used as a control in the tracking and updating of network performance parameters. Immediate access to states that enable and inhibit the evaluation of individual performance parameters is available.