Digital Commons Network^™

Tool-Less Double Sided Board Retainer, Minh H. Nguyen, David A. Selvidge

Defensive Publications Series

Disclosed is a retainer that allows retention of two daughter circuit boards on either side of a main circuit board. The retention device allows the daughter boards to align with each other, minimizing the space required on the main board.

Shape Matching Scheduler, Xiao Zhang, Richard Wu

Defensive Publications Series

Scheduling jobs with different CPU and memory requirements often leads to resources being stranded or underutilized across at least one dimension e.g., CPU or memory. This leads to sub-optimal utilization of data center or cloud infrastructure and wastage of valuable resources. Solutions to address the resource stranding problem that involve pooling resources across different machines are complex and impose extra hardware requirements. This disclosure describes a shape matching optimization technique that is a flexible software-based solution to preferentially allocate jobs to machines by matching the shape of the job to the available shape of the machine. The shape matching scheduler …

Conversational System Responses, Aleksandar Kracun, Austin Waters

Defensive Publications Series

The disclosed system and method match verbosity of a machine's responses to the verbosity or brevity of the user's query. The system includes a semantic parser connected to an audio input and output device to process and respond to queries. The method includes building a simple statistical model of mean (M) and standard deviation (SD) for the lengths of the audio of the user’s query utterances and the multiple variants of the generated text-to-speech (TTS) output for each query type or action or intent. The system may extract fluff or slot filling words from verbose queries to use in formulating …

Determining User Location Using Ip Address And Historical Device Locations, Oliver Voggenreiter, Ankit Gupta

Defensive Publications Series

Abstract

An enhanced location system uses both IP address (e.g., subnet) and user ID information (e.g., cookie) to differentiate, in view of historical information, a most likely location of a user. Using the IP information a part of a location inference key, the system quickly and easily filters the historical information to identify the location. Having the location enables the system to provide, in real time, location relevant answer or other results responsive to a user’s query.

Millimeter-Wave Radio System, Mark Felipe, Sean Keys

Defensive Publications Series

A millimeter-wave radio system enables a need-based communication between a set of radios to improve performance metrics, such as signal strength/power performance, that impact the quality of service. The system monitors performance of a radio receiver using a software engine present within the radio receiver. Based on the monitored power performance, the system makes adjustments internally as a first course of action and then provides an update to a radio transmitter. Based on this update, the radio transmitter transmits a message to the radio receiver which acts as a second course of action for the receiver to optimize the power …

Temporarily Separating Overlapping Objects For Easier Selection, Luca Prasso, Stefan Weiker, Robert Carl Jagnow

Defensive Publications Series

A system is described that facilitates selection of an object from among multiple overlapping objects displayed in a graphical user interface. The system may detect when a selection tool is moved near overlapping objects. In response to such a detection, the system may reposition the objects such that the objects are no longer overlapping. Once the system detects that an object is selected or that a selection tool is no longer near the objects, the system may return the objects to their original overlapping positions.

Method Of Controlling Devices Using Sub-Vocal Commands, Matthew Susskind, Paul Lazarescu

Defensive Publications Series

ABSTRACT

Devices, systems and methods are disclosed that enable voice commands via sub-vocal communication which are directed to a wearable device and sent to a user device to execute the command. The user device could be a phone, tablet or other device configured to receive the commands. This system includes a device worn or attached to the user that detects user commands that are whispered or otherwise subvocalized. The detected voice information is communicated to the user’s phone or other device using wireless communication such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or NFC and executed. The system and method prevents the user from …

Calibration-Free Estimation Of User-Specific Bending Of A Head-Mountable Device, Erfan Davami, Thad Starner

Defensive Publications Series

Disclosed is an approach for determining camera rotation relative to an individual’s eye, which could then be used for applications such as calibration-free estimation of user-specific bending of a device (e.g., a head-mountable device (HMD)), among others. Due to biological conditions, an average gaze vector of an eye most often corresponds to a straight-forward gaze by an individual. Therefore, the average gaze vector is often known with respect to a coordinate system of an individual’s eye. Additionally, when the HMD is worn by a user, the HMD uses an eye-facing camera to determine the average gaze vector of the user’s …

Efficient Training For Machine Learning Models On Embedded And/Or Low-Power Devices, Tyler Freeman

Defensive Publications Series

A machine learning system is described that enables an embedded and/or low-power device to locally train machine learning models using data collected by sensors of the device. When the device is being used by a user and operating on battery power (e.g., during the day), one or more sensors of the device may collect data. When the device is not being used by the user and is charging (e.g., at night), the device may use the collected data to train one or more machine learning models used by the device. In this way, the device may locally train machine learning …

System And Methods For Query Planning Using Entity Population Information, Jue Wang

Defensive Publications Series

In a hierarchical data domain, labels can be assigned to data entities of the hierarchical data domain. A data processing system managing the hierarchical data domain can compute population information indicative of the number of data entities associated with each label. The data processing system can also generate label-based indexing including indices of data entities associated with each label. Upon receiving a query indicative of a respective query, the data processing system can make a smart decision whether to use label-based indexing or to perform a full scan of the hierarchical domain to process the received query. Such smart decision …

Defense Against Biometric Reproduction Attacks, Nicholas Peterson, Jesper Johansson, Hunter King

Defensive Publications Series

Systems and methods for defense against biometric reproduction attack are disclosed. The system includes one or more mobile devices installed with a security feature integrated to the operating system or installed to the device as an app. The security feature is in communication with a server installed with a mobile device management solution. The device includes a multi-factor authentication system including at least one biometric authenticator and at least one non-biometric authenticator. The method includes prompting for biometric authentication, if the network is reachable. In the absence of an active network, the server may instruct the device to stop using …

Automatic Smart Volume Control Demultiplexing, Sandro Feuz, Sebastian Millius

Defensive Publications Series

A system and method are disclosed that may predict the intent of a volume up/down event in a phone device, and direct the action so that the intended setting is adjusted. The method includes two steps. In the first step, a machine learning model deployed on the user’s device is trained to predict the probability that media sound is about to be played from the device. In the second step, when the volume button is pressed, the machine learning model, depending on the predicted probability that media sound is about to be played, may delegate the action to either the …

User-Generated Patterns To Initiate Electronic System Reset, Tim Prachar, David Palchak

Defensive Publications Series

An electronic device generates a hard-reset signal after receiving a sequential input via various sensors or a power supply of the electronic device. The sensors include components that measure physical characteristics or attributes like pressure, acceleration, temperature, light, rotation, changes in a magnetic field, or electricity. The sensors or the power supply generally serve other purposes in the electronic device, and the sequential input prevents an accidental or inadvertent hard-reset signal.

Dynamically Adjusting The Placement Of Digital Content On A Watch Face To Avoid Obstruction By Watch Hands, Alok Chandel, Matthew Tait

Defensive Publications Series

Placement of digital content on a digital watch display with physical watch hands is dynamically adjusted to avoid obstruction of the watch face by the watch hands. The position of the physical hands is determined by the time of day, which is known to the internal electronics and/or software of the watch. Digital content can therefore be placed in a location that reduces or eliminates the obstruction and the location can be dynamically adjusted to remain unobstructed. For example, if the watch software knows that the hands are at the top of the screen (e.g., noon or midnight), …

Intelligent Generation Of Physical Products, Luke Mulcahy

Defensive Publications Series

Users search for products via a search engine by submitting search queries. Users are presented with search results based on the search queries. The search results may include offers for products that are relevant to a search query or may include no relevant offers. The search system logs search query data including logging whether offers related to the search query were presented in the search result and whether users submitting the search queries selected any offers associated with the search results. The search system designates search queries in which users selected offers in the search results as converted search queries …

Test Token Management, Rebecca Hughes, Jose Damico

Defensive Publications Series

Electronic payment systems employing tokens allow a user to create a virtual card that can be stored securely on a smartphone or in the cloud. The user can use these stored cards to complete payment transactions for items either in applications or via the Internet, for example, via a web browser. To ensure such payments are secure, these systems encrypt the card details in what is known as a “token.” This token contains the card information, as well additional information to authorize/verify the transaction. Successful implementation of tokenized electronic payment in a production environment requires testing of new functionality in …

Expanding User Lists Using Location Data, Jianjun Qiu

Defensive Publications Series

This document describes computer-implemented systems, methods, devices, and techniques for identifying users whose location histories or travel patterns indicate shared interests or characteristics of the users. In some implementations, the techniques are applied to expand a remarketing list by adding users to the remarketing list who have similar location histories or travel patterns to one or more users that were initially identified on the remarketing list. The similar location histories or travel patterns can be identified with respect to particular location features that are determined to have sufficient explanatory power in predicting specified interests or other characteristics of a user.

Personalized Search: Narrowing Results By Excluding Undesired Documents, Alexander Haubold

Defensive Publications Series

A technique is provided for filtering search results. On a search results page, the user may interact with search results to hide results from the search results list. The system stores this filter information and, upon performing an additional search query with the same or similar search terms, excludes the search results that match a filter based on the search results, which the user has hidden from the previous search results list.

Automatic Context-Aware Image Captioning, Sandro Feuz, Sebastian Millius

Defensive Publications Series

A system and method are disclosed that automatically trigger system-generated captions for images. The system includes a machine learning model and an interface that proposes captions for an image that a user intends to share. The machine learning model is generated by considering the factors such as: extraction of metadata from the image, semantic information extracted from raw image, context of the current chat, image captions from previously shared images, personal context or user modifications to the image. Based on the results of the machine learning model, the system generates and proposes several captions to the user. The user then …

Integrity Attestation For Cloud, Cfir Cohen, Nelly Porter

Defensive Publications Series

A system and a method for integrity verification in a cloud through an attestation service is disclosed. The system includes an application (app) or platform including an integrity attestation service in the cloud connected to data centers and servers of the service provider. The method includes collecting integrity measurements for an app or platform during run time by combining multiple integrity statements to derive a final attestation verdict about the overall trust level and attest an app or platform to be in the well-known security state. Another attestation service may be used to verify the attestation claim and decide a …

Assistant Device For The Visually Impaired, Andreas Toscano Mielenhausen

Defensive Publications Series

A system and a method are disclosed to electronically assist a visually impaired user. The system includes an augmented reality computing platform hardware, text to speech APIs, a camera and a bot-like assistant. The system is configured to understand user’s voice request, determine device orientation, determine the user’s direction of focus, and identify context of the request. Based on context of the request, the system retrieves information and sends voice feedback to assist the visually impaired person. The system may use a machine learning approach to assist the users. The assistant device for the visually impaired provides assistance with only …

Instream Video Queueing Ad Format, Ruxandra Davies, Justin Lewis

Defensive Publications Series

Systems and methods for unobtrusively queueing advertising are disclosed. In a first “opt-out” method, the promoted content or advertisement may be automatically queued for display after the present video, and the interstitial or banner advertisement may include a ‘remove’ or ‘skip’ button to remove the content from the queue. Accordingly, the promoted content may immediately be made available for the user for subsequent viewing, unless the user clicks the remove or skip button to remove the content from the queue. The button may appear for any length of time, such as during the promotion or advertisement, as well as after …

Dynamic Media Unit Switching Between Different Media Types Based On Loading State And User Interaction, Robert Neale, Yuan Zhang, Lloyd Thompson, Armen Mkrtchyan, Brian Mulford, Murtaza Halai

Defensive Publications Series

A data processing system can generate multimedia units for display with information resources on client devices that allow dynamic adjustment of media content, for example, based on client device capabilities, user's browsing behavior and actions, loading state of the media content, or a combination thereof. Each multimedia unit can include a thumbnail image, a first link to a first video sequence, a second link to a second video sequence, and a software module (e.g., controller) for controlling display of the image thumbnail and content associated with the first and second video sequences.

Inverse Pointer Unboxing, Michael Fairhurst

Defensive Publications Series

Virtual machines (VM) for dynamic programming languages store a combination of 64-bit data types in each 64-bit register. A motivation to store multiple variables in a single register is speed, since access to variables within a register is much faster than access to variables stored within RAM. Current approaches of storing multiple 64-bit values in a single 64-bit register result in undesirable effects such as higher register pressure, increased garbage collection burden, excessive boxing/unboxing steps, etc. Most current approaches cannot distinguish a sufficient number of values in 64 bits, as much is hidden behind 64-bit pointers to RAM. This in …

Producing A Sharable Link For Replaying Online User Actions, Reinaldo Aguiar

Defensive Publications Series

A mechanism is provided for a Web browser application that is initiated by a first user to automatically produce a single sharable link that, when opened by a second user, re-plays the actions performed by the first user who shared the link. For example, the second user can use the sharable link to automatically play back the actions on a different computer system. The actions can include, for example, search terms that were used, web sites that were accessed, and other steps that were performed.

Path Rendering By Counting Pixel Coverage, Brian Salomon, Christopher Dalton, Allan Mackinnon

Defensive Publications Series

A frequent task in computer graphics is to render a closed path, e.g., a polygon or other shape. Such shapes are found in typography, vector graphics, design applications, etc. Current path-rendering techniques have certain drawbacks, e.g., paths cannot scale too far during animation, control points within the path must remain static, etc. The ability to render paths efficiently and with fewer constraints allows interfaces and applications with richer and more dynamic content. This disclosure describes techniques for efficient path rendering using a GPU. In particular, it introduces the concept of fractional coverage counting, which ameliorates aliasing at the edges of …

Nfv Dynamic And Adaptative Contextual Execution, Ignacio Aldama, Ruben Sevilla Giron, Javier Garcã­A Lopez

Defensive Publications Series

Network function virtualization is an emerging technology that is changing the paradigm of operations within the telco industry. Associated with the virtualization benefits it also appear a growing complexity to manage and operate complex and dynamic scenarios.

In a traditional network all the elements are physical and so they are limited and very rigid. You may have N and only N elements and it is not easy, neither cheap and neither fast, to either increase or decrease that number.

In an NFV world you got one additional layer as the “physical elements” become virtual and run as software on top …

Client-Side Session-Based Contextual User Model Builder, Arthur Asuncion, Kang Li

Defensive Publications Series

A client-side user model is created and maintained for use in selecting content. For example, a user model builder creates and updates a client-side user model. The client-side user model is populated with information from a video-specific user model received from a server and updated at the client side using information from a user activity history, including a video watching history. When requesting a video from the server, the client device can send a user profile derived from the client-side user model. The server can use information from the user profile to personalize content provided to the client device.

Enabling Social Virtual Reality Experiences Using Pass-Through Video, Christian Frueh

Defensive Publications Series

Appropriately segmented portions from a video stream are captured by an outward-facing camera mounted on a virtual reality (VR) device and inserted into a VR environment. The outward-facing camera can be the onboard camera on the VR device or it can be a separate camera mounted on the VR device. Because the camera view from the point of view of the VR user is similar to a full three-dimensional (3D) model of the user’s environment, rendered from the user’s location, the video stream can be inserted directly into the VR environment by segmenting out the relevant pixels and placing them …

User Interface For Modular Conversational Assistant, Zachary Alcorn, Aparna Ramchandran, Jennifer Chen

Defensive Publications Series

Conversational assistants are available on various computing devices, e.g., smartphones. With greater popularity, conversational assistants are being deployed in multiple different computing devices such as televisions, laptops, tablets, speakers, Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, etc. Per techniques of this disclosure, user interface state of a conversational assistant is adjusted as appropriate for the device and the conversational context. Such adjustment can include dynamically adjusting the display of the conversational assistant, e.g., to one of a set of predetermined states and/ or dynamically scaling the display of the conversational assistant.