Digital Commons Network^™

Mixed Language Speech Recognition, Vladimir Vuskovic, Biraja Deo, Daisuke Ikeda, Purvi Shah

Defensive Publications Series

Users that provide spoken input mixed language are common in many geographies and application domains. Automatic speech recognition in such a context requires multiple natural language understanding (NLU) models to be run in parallel and their outputs to be combined. This disclosure describes techniques to improve the performance of such ASR models by the use of a ranking unit for language determination and assessment of whether the voice input makes sense. A response to the query is provided to the user in the language as determined by the ranking unit.

Surfacing Biased Portions Of Multimedia Content Using Machine Learning, Daniel Keysers, Victor Carbune

Defensive Publications Series

Multimedia enables content creators to communicate information by adding nuance which is difficult to convey through written language via voice tone, camera angle, content highlighting, etc. However, it can be difficult for content consumers to discern biased opinions included within multimedia content. This disclosure describes techniques to automatically detect and surface such biased opinions within multimedia content. The process involves examining publicly available multimedia and/or text content related to a given piece of multimedia content to identify and flag biased portions. The identified biased portions are surfaced to the user via a suitable user interface mechanism.

Real-Time Parking Lot Guidance, Yan Mayster

Defensive Publications Series

This paper describes a system that would suggest parking choices to a user based on a destination selected and information previously extracted from regularly gathered aerial and/or street-level imagery. The system provides information on the expected occupancy of the suggested parking options at the estimated time of user arrival. Further, this system would be able to provide information on which parking options are free and which ones are commercial and the pricing information, also sensitive to the time of the user arrival. The occupancy is predicted via the application of machine learning models to the regularly gathered imagery. The imagery …

Compatibility Testing For Camera Applications To Facilitate Software Development, Clemenz Portmann, David Chen, Leslie Shaw, Vinit Modi, James Fung

Defensive Publications Series

A system is described that provides a consistent application programming interface and enables compatibility testing for applications that interface with cameras across various mobile devices. The system includes one or more controlled testing environment modules that isolate mobile devices from ambient light and provide test charts and consistent internal lighting for camera testing. The controlled testing environment modules enable operating system developers to capture both landscape and portrait images, access features, and test applications in consistent testing environments across various mobile devices. Such testing may enable development of software shims to facilitate interaction with a wide variety of cameras across …

Adhesiveless Display Panel Attachment, Daniel Dondzik

Defensive Publications Series

This publication describes techniques and apparatuses for the adhesiveless fastening of a display panel onto an electronic device. The techniques and apparatuses utilize an internal slide mechanism accessible through the SIM door opening on the device. The slide mechanism engages the trim of the display panel to fasten the display panel to the enclosure of the device. A mechanical sealing means (e.g., gasket, O-ring) between the display panel and the enclosure provides water and dust resistance.

User Interface To Present Query Responses Separated By Data Sources, Peter F. Ciccotto

Defensive Publications Series

Pieces of information that are responsive to user queries are typically personalized to the user. Information delivered in response to the user’s query can be derived from a variety of data sources, some of which are on the user’s device and some that are online. However, the response is typically delivered independent of the underlying data source from which the information is obtained. As a result, the user interface that shows the results does not enable a user to determine whether the response is based on public or user-specific information and whether it was retrieved from online or local data …

Gmpls Lsp Setup And Restoration Using Odu Path Latency Criteria, Praveen Kumar, Navdeep Sood, Ankur Govil

Defensive Publications Series

The current generation 5G and ultra-high-speed networks have strict requirements of low latency performance from the transmission network. Proposed herein is a mechanism to ensure that a Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) Optical Transport Network (OTN)-based transport network considers latency as one of the criteria to establish and reroute OTN Optical Channel Data Unit (ODU) Label Switched Path (LSP) circuits. This will ensure that clients receive the ODU path with latency criteria that satisfy the clients’ specified acceptable limits.

Standardized Flow-Control Signals To Support Chaining Of Identity Providers, Guibin Kong, Steven Soneff

Defensive Publications Series

Many online services, such as websites or apps, facilitate user sign-up or sign-in via different identity providers (IDPs). When a service permits the use of multiple IDPs, displaying the UIs of all of these at the same time is not suitable from a user experience point of view. In such cases, each of the available IDP options needs to be shown one by one. However, owing to various issues regarding how libraries and/or Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) of different IDPs handle the authentication action flow, it is difficult for online services to integrate with multiple IDPs in such a chained …

Automatic System For Carpooling Proof Computation And Delivery, Emmanuel Helbert, Loïc Jehanno, Sébastien Veron

Defensive Publications Series

This document aims at providing a solution to edit a carpooling proof.

The proposed solution aims at providing a fully integrated solution avoiding at maximum any manual action and the use of GPS interface which is power consuming and may not be accurate enough in case of low battery or non-synchronization with satellites.

Partial-Candidate Commit For Chinese Pinyin Text Entry, Ray Zhang, Shumin Zhai

Defensive Publications Series

This publication describes systems and techniques directed to committing a partial candidate for a coding-style language. Key codes representing a coding-style language are input through a user interface to a computing device. In one aspect, the key codes may be pinyin text for translation to an output-language of Chinese characters. The computing device generates output-language candidates that are representative of the key codes. An output-language candidate is identified that represents an intended communication relative to the key codes. A portion of the identified output-language candidate is selected to commit to the intended communication. This partial selection of the output-language candidate …

Interaction Quality Determination Using Device Camera, Herbert Jordan, Konrad Jan Miller, Agoston Weisz

Defensive Publications Series

Software such as virtual assistants provide information to users, e.g., as ambient information, e.g., displayed on a device home screen, or in response to user queries. In such contexts, it is difficult to determine whether the user is satisfied with the displayed information or response to the query. This disclosure describes techniques that, with user permission, utilize on-device analysis of images or video obtained from a device camera, to determine user satisfaction.

Industrial Asset Inventory And Vulnerability Detection In Operation Technology Networks, Mariusz Kaźmierski

Defensive Publications Series

The techniques presented herein provide efficient, scalable, and comprehensive industrial asset inventory and vulnerability detection in operation technology (OT) networks. The techniques achieve this by adaptively and dynamically chaining traffic-monitoring methods through an OT network. Additionally, the techniques automatically and efficiently deploy sensors in an OT network to support the traffic-monitoring chaining and efficiently utilize resources in the OT network. These techniques may resolve vulnerability detection issues and inventory tracking and classification issues that are commonly encountered in OT networks, which that often utilize network elements without traffic sensing features.

Using Fresh Web Content To Generate Subscribable Search Notifications, Yew Jin Lim, James Kunz, Jon Dreyfus, Mauricio Monico, Tao Feng, Maya Palem

Defensive Publications Series

Content subscriptions are a useful way for a search engine to maintain user engagement. However, generating and providing content updates regarding topics of interest based on knowledge repositories can be expensive. Further, updates generated in this manner can be too infrequent, providing an unsatisfactory user experience. This disclosure describes the automated analysis and use of fresh web content related to topics of interest to generate and deliver updates to subscribers. Fresh web content is analyzed, e.g., using a natural language classifier, to determine the topic and type of content. Updates are generated based on specific content types known to be …

Synesthetic Soundtrack, Elly Nattinger, Meltem Oktem, Isabel Lee

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes techniques to generate an audio experience or soundscape corresponding to the visual field of a user. With user permission, objects within the feed of a head-mounted camera are semantically identified using computer vision techniques. Based on the detected objects, a unique audio experience, shaped by the world around a user and by the physical items they engage with, is generated.

Routing Protocol For Low Power And Lossy Networks, Li Zhao, Pascal Thubert, Chuanwei Li

Defensive Publications Series

The techniques presented herein provide Routing Protocol for Low power and Lossy Networks (RPL) that enhances the incorporation of RPL Unaware Leaves (RULs) into a network while also improving the flexibility of the network deployment. Specifically, the techniques presented herein create one or more proxies for RULs that can reduce the number of messages a RUL needs to receive. Thus, a RUL can wake less and preserve its battery. The one or more proxies proxy IPv6 protocol, such as DHCPv6, for the RUL and maintain the keep alive state for RUL.

Ico - Intelligent Communication On Demand, Verena Blunder

Defensive Publications Series

No abstract provided.

Restaurant Recommendations Based On Dynamically Updated Live Seating Availability, Alexandru Damian, Victor Carbune

Defensive Publications Series

People often go to restaurants without a prior reservation or an advance phone call to check if there is a table available for their party. If the restaurant happens to be full and cannot accommodate the group, people typically search for nearby restaurants and select another restaurant to try. This disclosure describes enhancements to map applications that integrate dynamically updated information on seating availability at restaurants. With permission from the users, the seating availability information is used to provide dynamically updated seating availability information for restaurants and recommendations for other suitable options.

Knowledge Assistant For Learning, Anonymous

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes a virtual assistant that is tailored for use by children and is powered by a knowledge graph. Topics, which are structured collections of facts, are presented to users based on the knowledge graph, itself curated using folksonomy. As new facts are added to the knowledge graph, the topics presented to the users mature, and the knowledge graph grows day-by-day. Based on the knowledge graph, a natural language generator generates questions or quizzes that engage the users. Users can learn about a topic of interest using quizzes, narratives, etc. and can form groups with their peers, teachers, or …

Ring-Like Wearable Device For Interaction With Ar/Vr Glasses, Anonymous

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes a wearable device with a ring-like form factor that can be used to enable user interaction with AR/VR glasses and other devices. The ring-like device is lightweight, has a small form factor, and enables the user to discreetly interact with the AR/VR glasses. The device includes components such as a microphone, a context-aware touchbar, a battery, an antenna, an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)/magnetometer, etc. User inputs to the ring-like device are transmitted wirelessly via a microcontroller of the device. Multiple output modalities can be supported, e.g., haptics vibration, speaker, flexible display, etc. The ring-like wearable device can …

Determining Wireless Bandwidth Capabilities For Automobile Head Units, Fredrik Hubinette

Defensive Publications Series

This paper describes techniques that relate to estimating latency in buffered systems and, more particularly, for evaluating wireless bandwidth capabilities in automobile head units (e.g., infotainment systems) that are configured to process and display data wirelessly received from mobile computing devices (e.g., smartphones, smartwatches). For example, an automobile head unit may wirelessly receive display data at a given resolution level from a mobile computing device, and may display the received data at a display device of the head unit. The techniques disclosed herein provide a method to test or determine if a particular automobile head unit has sufficient wireless bandwidth …

Authenticated Route Discovery In Wireless Mesh Networks, Niranjan M. M, Nagaraj Kenchaiah

Defensive Publications Series

Techniques are presented herein to provide an efficient and secure signature scheme to authenticate route discovery in Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs). Specifically, the techniques presented herein provide a scheme where multi-signatures are generated with cryptographic keys provided by Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) on each Mesh Router (MR) in the WMN. The keys can protect device identities, which may secure the network devices against attacks, and, in at least some instances, the cryptographic keys can also provide authentication and encryption at the software/application level. Overall, the techniques may eliminate the need for a Key Generation Center (KGC) in the WMN and …

Authenticated Route Discovery In Wireless Mesh Networks, Niranja M. M, Nagaraj Kenchaiah

Defensive Publications Series

Techniques are presented herein to provide an efficient and secure signature scheme to authenticate route discovery in Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs). Specifically, the techniques presented herein provide a scheme where multi-signatures are generated with cryptographic keys provided by Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) on each Mesh Router (MR) in the WMN. The keys can protect device identities, which may secure the network devices against attacks, and, in at least some instances, the cryptographic keys can also provide authentication and encryption at the software/application level. Overall, the techniques may eliminate the need for a Key Generation Center (KGC) in the WMN and …

Form-In-Place Adhesive Gasket To Waterproof An Electronic Device, Jordan Wakser, Daniel Meer

Defensive Publications Series

This publication describes a form-in-place adhesive gasket used to create a waterproof seal between mating surfaces of an electronic device. The form-in-place adhesive gasket includes an elongated foam seal that is compressible and filled with a curable liquid adhesive. During assembly of the electronic device, compressive forces between the mating surfaces of the electronic device squeeze the elongated foam seal to discharge the curable liquid adhesive from open ends of the elongated foam seal. The discharged curable liquid adhesive fills gaps in regions between the open ends of the elongated foam seal and other barriers that may seal portions of …

Multimodal Hotword To Invoke A Virtual Assistant, Matthew Sharifi, Victor Carbune

Defensive Publications Series

To invoke a virtual assistant, a user needs to utter a pre-configured hotword. In devices that provide virtual assistant software, such utterance is detected by dedicated hardware, e.g., a low power digital signal processor (DSP). However, speaking a hotword to trigger a virtual assistant is sometimes unnatural, awkward, or inconvenient. This disclosure describes a two-stage technique that enables virtual assistant invocation without the need for the user to speak a hotword for each query. With user permission, data from multiple sensors that are integrated within a user device and/or connected to the device via fast communication protocols are utilized to …

Videoconference Group Selfies With Virtual Backgrounds, Eric Liu

Defensive Publications Series

Video conference user interfaces are limited to displaying each endpoint in a corresponding box. Participants can also use virtual backgrounds. However, current video conference applications do not provide a sense of shared space. This disclosure describes techniques to replace the disparate backgrounds of individual participants in a video conference with a consistent virtual background. The replacement can be performed while the video conference is in progress and provides a consistent visual appearance to all participants. The foreground portions can be segmented to arbitrary shapes and can be overlaid in a manner that provides an aesthetically pleasing arrangement. The virtual background …

Distributed Policy Management For Service Provider Chains, Nagaraj Kenchaiah, Niranjan M. M

Defensive Publications Series

Techniques are described herein to provide distributed end-to-end policy management across a chain of service provider networks (i.e., administrative domains). The techniques leverage an agent-centric framework for a fully distributed peer-to-peer network that allows nodes to maintain decentralized tamper-proof hash chains (e.g., Holochain). With this framework, the techniques are able to quickly and conveniently indicate network policies across a chain of service providers, in a distributed manner, and guarantee that requirements of the policies are met along the chain of service providers.

Safety-Aware Routing Using Machine Learning, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

Traditionally, vehicle routing is optimized for travel time or distance. However, there are contexts where routes that prioritize safety over other criteria are needed. This disclosure describes techniques that use publicly-available vehicle crash data and machine learning models trained on roadway characteristics, driver behavior, environmental factors, etc. to predict the likelihood of an accident on a given route. The historical data and the predictions made by the model are used as signals to rank recommended routes in a navigation system.

Displaying Occlusions In Augmented Reality, Xavi Benavides Palos, Joost Korngold

Defensive Publications Series

Augmented reality is used to display a view of physical space with virtual 3D objects inserted. When a virtual object is inserted into view in this manner, it can be difficult to determine whether the object fits in the space. Further, users can lose track of the object if it gets occluded by walls or other objects in the space. Per techniques of this disclosure, object boundaries are displayed to indicate whether the object fits in the space. Further, for objects that are hidden in space are displayed using X-ray and cutout shaders. Still further, it is ensured that object …

Copper-Filled Solder Openings In Ball Grid Arrays For Reduced Electromigration, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

The high electric currents consumed by today’s microprocessors or other server chips can cause copper electromigration (undesired displacement of copper atoms) at the contact pads of the chips. Electromigration can result in the formation of voids, e.g., regions where the conductive material is partially or fully depleted, leading to malfunction. This disclosure describes techniques to reduce copper electromigration in integrated circuits by filling in vias for solder-ball openings with copper. Regions of current crowding at the copper-solder interface are effectively reinforced with a greater depth of copper, leading to extended device life.

Natural Language Explanations For Unfulfilled Queries, Guillermo Garrido, Francisco Aliaga, Mike Kozhevnikov, Enrique Alfonseca, Lilian Zia, Chintu Kumar, Madelaine Plauché, Katherine Vadella, James Giangola

Defensive Publications Series

User requests cannot sometimes be fulfilled by a virtual assistant. In such cases, the virtual assistant typically informs the user that the question cannot be answered or the command cannot be performed, without providing an explanation of the reason for the failure to fulfill the user’s request. This disclosure describes techniques that enable a virtual assistant to provide the user a helpful explanation of why a particular request was not fulfilled. Further, the virtual assistant response can include information on how the user’s query was understood.