Digital Commons Network^™

Map Interface For Control Of Smart Home Appliances, Yuzhao Ni

Defensive Publications Series

As homeowners increasingly adopt and install smart appliances and devices, differentiating such appliances and devices by names has become difficult. For example, a typical house may have tens of appliances such as lights, computers, televisions, audio units, game consoles, heaters, air-conditioners, etc. Attempting to control such appliances/devices by assigning names can become tedious and error-prone. This disclosure describes techniques that visually situate home appliances on an indoor map. To control an appliance, a user can quickly select an appliance by its location on the map.

Pull-Print Workflow Solution With Blockchain, Hp Inc

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure is about integrating the blockchain technology (originally used in crypto‐currencies such

as bitcoins, litecoins, ethereum etc.,) in enterprise secure pull‐print solutions. Pull‐print solutions on

enterprise printers work with a centralized server. Any data maintained at one location, however secure

the server may be, is vulnerable. In this disclosure, it is described as to how blockchain technology can

be used to bring in the new workflow whereby the print data in an enterprise is always secure.

Digital Addressable Lighting Interface Protocol Over Wireless Mesh Network, Lele Zhang, Chuanwei Li, Yinfang Wang, Yajun Xia

Defensive Publications Series

Techniques are described herein for applying Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) protocol in existing Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs). The DALI-based lighting market has experienced a large growth in recent years because of the potential for intelligent lighting systems to cut down many costs of initial investment, energy, and maintenance. However, traditional control systems cannot not meet large-scale Light Emitting Diode (LED) deployments in practice. DALI protocol may provide more stable connectivity among nodes, reduce redundant traffic, and transmitting broadcast commands with high efficiency.

Automated Root Cause Analysis For Mitigating Risk To Application Programming Interfaces In Internet Of Things Infrastructure, Sai Kiran Reddy Malikireddy, Lalit Jain, Bipin Algubelli, Chandra Veluru, Vivek Parekh, Dileep Kumar, Vimal Suba

Defensive Publications Series

Techniques are described herein for detecting anomalies in Application Programming Interface (API) request/response/payloads and determining probable root causes by analyzing the log, request payload, response payload, and metric data of the hosts serving the API in the Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure. The API response time is captured in the log messages and the anomalies are detected using machine learning and statistical techniques. Given the anomalies in API response time and the probable root cause in real time, the IoT administrator may identify the root cause without manual effort and remediate the anomaly by taking appropriate action. Thus, the techniques …

An Improved Method For Intelligent Screen Layout, Robert Barton, Jerome Henry, Maik Seewald, Mojan Mobasser

Defensive Publications Series

Techniques are described for a mechanism to intelligently change layouts of a video conference or other collaborative meeting based on a variety of possible inputs (e.g., age of the shared screen, user preference, use of white boards, audience gaze, word matching, etc.). The mechanism resizes the shared screen for a collaborative meeting using an algorithm that estimates the current attention to the screen versus meeting participant intercommunications. The goal of the mechanism is to right-size the shared content so that it does not interfere with the live video conversation and to optimize the overall experience for meeting participants.

Secure Remote Webscan From Unauthorized Walkup Scans, Hp Inc

Defensive Publications Series

Remote WebScan is a feature which is increasingly used for digitization of physical data using Multi‐Function Print

Peripherals (MFPs) supporting a scanner bed. However, this brings forth potential security vulnerabilities such as

when the walkup user is not identical to the remote web‐scan client user; and hence could be a rogue user who

maliciously might try to disseminate scanned data in conjunction with the legal remote scan.

Sequence Of Movements Of The Cut Media To Stack It Without Interfering With The Printing Of The Next Page, Hp Inc

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure relates to the finishing operations in a large format printer. A new sequence of

movements of the automatic cutter; the print carriage; the media; and the integrated stacker to cut

and stack a finished page without interfering with the printing of the next page achieving the

maximum print speed of the print engine is described.

Dynamic Pickup Window To Encounter A Fluctuating Parcel Volume, Jeffrey Cuartero

Defensive Publications Series

A system and method are disclosed that enable dynamic pickup to encounter fluctuating parcel volume. The pickup is scheduled based on considering current time (a), current packed volume (x), maximum capacity of the vehicle to carry parcels (z), scheduled pickup time (b), and historical throughput per hour (j), used to predict the forecasted pickup volume (y), expected delivery date, location etc. The system uses an algorithm to effectively utilize combinations of scheduled or on-demand pickups based on orders received and other input variables. The dynamic pickup window may feed into the routing systems of the carriers. The method reduces the …

Triggering Virtual Assistant Actions By Live Conversation, Joseph Edwin Johnson Jr.

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes virtual assistant techniques that automatically detect, with user permission, a conversation between a user and other individual(s), and provide information relevant to the conversation. For example, a user may be approached by a stranger with a request for directions to a certain business. Based on user-permitted factors such as the ongoing conversation, the user location, the user’s location history, etc., the virtual assistant readies a map relating to the stranger’s query. Further, if the user permits, voice identifier of the participants of a conversation is maintained. If the participants in the conversation meet again, the user is …

Stateful Metadata For Big Data, Nagaraju Pothineni, Nitin Raut, Nikhil J. Joshi, Nikhil Menon

Defensive Publications Series

Large volumes of data, characterized by large variety and high update velocities, pose challenges in terms of storage, application of concurrently occurring frequent updates, and serving processes that require the most accurate version of the data simultaneously. In most current schemes, it is not possible to guarantee all of these characteristics and a relaxing one or more requirements is necessary. The present disclosure describes a scalable, easy-to-maintain metadata mechanism that is fast and efficient to update, and can provide all the above guarantees on data. The metadata maintains lightweight validity markers, and simple algebra is performed thereof to surface the …

Intelligent Memo Highlighting Service, Sammy El Ghazzal, Miglė Padegimaitė

Defensive Publications Series

A technique is proposed for intelligently highlighting memos that are most relevant to users at the time of requesting memos. The method includes receiving, from a user device, a request to access memos associated with a user account. The method also includes determining a keyword based on user activities associated with the user device and performed before the request is received. The method further includes ranking memos associated with the user account based on the keyword. The method finally includes providing the memos associated with the user account while highlighting a subset of the memos based on rankings.

Automated Method To Enable Scheduled Restarts With Pre-Checked Lists, And Safety Alarms With By-Passes, Hp Inc

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure relates to commercial press restart management

A method is disclosed to allow commercial press operators and managers to schedule the restart of a

commercial press during the off‐hours of use. This method includes a checklist that must be performed

and accepted to indemnify the press manufacturer of failures caused by lack of preparation or prerestart

setup. In a typical embodiment, the press user determines the press should be restarted before

work the next day (or wants to have it scheduled for every Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday morning before

work). For the restart to occur, the operator must indicate the …

Uncertainty Modeling In Affective Computing, Asma Ghandeharioun, Brendan Jou, Brian Eoff, Florian Schroff

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes techniques that capture the uncertainty in machine-vision based affect (emotion) perception. The techniques are capable of predicting aleatoric, epistemic, and annotation uncertainty. Measures of uncertainty are important to safety-critical and subjective assessment tasks such as those found in the perception of affective expressions.

A Temporal Dependency Model For Rate-Distortion Optimization In Video Coding, James Bankowski, Paul Wilkins, Yaowu Xu, Jingning Han

Defensive Publications Series

Many video codecs use motion compensated prediction to achieve compression efficiency. Motion compensated prediction may produce temporal dependency across frames. For example, quantization distortion in a block may propagate through motion compensated prediction and affect the coding efficiency of blocks in subsequent frames. Identifying temporal dependencies may improve the rate-distortion optimization and produce coding performance gains. Block-based motion trajectories and correlations between source pixel blocks along a motion trajectory may be used estimate a distortion propagation model, which may represent the correlation between the distortion propagation and the effect of quantization. A temporal dependency model that accounts for both block …

Automatic, Voice-Activated Adjustment Of Shopping Cart, Ashish Duggal

Defensive Publications Series

Screen-free virtual assistants, e.g., provided via smart speakers or appliances, are often used for online shopping by issuing voice commands. Prior to checkout, a user often finds a need to remove some items, e.g., due to cost or other considerations. When the device lacks a screen that allows viewing the shopping cart, it is difficult for the user to determine an optimal combination of items to remove such that high-priority items remain in the shopping cart and the shopping cart remains within budget.

This disclosure describes techniques that enable a user to command a virtual assistant to automatically prune a …

Location-Based Searches Performed On Behalf Of Users By Trusted Others, Ashish Duggal

Defensive Publications Series

Search engines account for user location into account by tailoring search results based on a user’s current location, if permitted by the user. However, there may be situations in which a user’s information need is tied to the location of another user. In such situations, the user must first ask for the other party’s location and formulate queries that explicitly include the provided location. This disclosure describes techniques that enable a seamless user experience when searching for information or resources connected to the location of another party, such as a relative, friend, co-worker, etc., with permission from the parties involved. …

Personalized Catalog Of Categorized Online Information Resources, Nurzhan Dyussenaliyev, Andrew Nicholson, Nitin Kashyap, Matthias Quasthoff, Simon Tokumine, Jakub Adámek, Benedict Davies

Defensive Publications Series

Novice users often find it challenging to realize the full potential of available information resources. One approach to help overcome these challenges is to present users with a categorized directory of ranked recommendations for useful information resources, such as apps or websites. However, a single directory and categorization is unlikely to be equally relevant and useful for all users. This disclosure describes techniques to provide a continuously updated catalog of categorized information resources personalized to the user’s needs, expertise, and context. The techniques are implemented with user permission. For each resource within the catalog, the user is presented with associated …

Contextually Aware Suggestions For Online Information Resources, Shreena Thakore, Matthias Quasthoff, Simon Tokumine, Benedict Davies, Rachel Ilan Simpson

Defensive Publications Series

Novice users often find it challenging to realize the full potential of available information resources. One approach to help such users is to present them with a categorized directory of ranked recommendations for useful information resources, such as apps or websites. However, such a directory may not help discover new resources that can be particularly relevant at specific times based on the user’s current location. This disclosure describes techniques to provide a personalized catalog of suggestions for information resources relevant to a user’s current context, which is obtained with user permission. A personalized catalog of contextual suggestions can help novices …

Redundant Ball Grid Array Scheme To Enhance The Robustness Of Product Design, Gnyaneshwar Ramakrishna, Paul Ton, Sadanand Patil

Defensive Publications Series

Techniques are described herein for a redundant ball grid array (BGA) scheme to enhance the robustness (reliability and manufacturing) of product design. The BGA scheme involves the placement of mechanical dummy balls at a loosened pitch outside of the BGA field. The design is in a scheme that allows for signal routability in a printed circuit board (PCB), while enhancing the mechanical robustness of a BGA or Land Grid Array (LGA) component.

Contextual Enabling Or Disabling Of Computing-Device Applications And Sensors, Victor Carbune, Alexandru Damian

Defensive Publications Series

Smart devices continue to proliferate and can provide end users with access to a variety of applications that perform a nearly limitless set of functions to assist end users. Each application may access, and leverage, data obtained from a number of sensors incorporated into or accessible to the smart device. Although some applications operate in isolation from one another and are programed to access only certain specified sensors, the experience of an end user could be improved by a machine-learning model that assists separate applications and separate sensors in performing functions together more harmoniously. When an end user initiates a …

Fuzz Testing Of Smartphones And Iot Devices, Keun Soo Yim, Ji Won Shin

Defensive Publications Series

Fuzz testing is an effective technique for finding software vulnerabilities. Fuzzing works by feeding quasi-random, auto-generated input sequences to a target program and searching for failures. When used to test physical devices, fuzzing is found to occasionally brick the devices, leading to significant testing expenses. Also, while existing kernel fuzzing is effective in finding kernel-interface vulnerabilities, it is not as efficient in finding deeply-hidden vulnerabilities.

This disclosure presents an architecture for continuously running fuzz tests at scale on physical devices, including on kernel and hardware abstraction layer (HAL) modules. Multiple fuzzers run parallel tests and collaborate in a decentralized manner. …

Training For Machine Learning Models To Personalize Gestures In Wearable And Mobile Devices, Tyler Freeman

Defensive Publications Series

A machine learning system is described that enables a device (e.g., a wearable device or a mobile device) to personalize gestures for a user of the device based on movements of the user. Various motion sensors of the device may generate motion data that represents movements of the device. The device may utilize machine learning models to process the motion data to determine whether the user has performed a particular gesture (e.g., a tilt-to-wake gesture, hereinafter “TTW”). If the device determines that the user did preform the particular gesture, the device may perform an action corresponding to the particular gesture …

Brightness Adjustment For Foldable Displays, Chih Yu Chen, Yungsheng Chang

Defensive Publications Series

When placed in a folded configuration, foldable computing-device displays include several different portions such as a front, back, exterior, or interior portion. In practical operation, various portions of the foldable display will be in an active or illuminated condition for different lengths of time, which can result in one or more of the portions of the display appearing to be brighter than adjacent portions because of variations in display decay. A boundary or stark dividing line between two adjacent portions of differing brightness can be distracting to a user when the foldable computing-device display is used in a fully-extended configuration. …

Adaptive Authentication Using User’S Uniqueness Quotient, Tulika Varma, Harippriya Sivapatham, Vijai Babu Madhavan

Defensive Publications Series

Identity of a person is multi-faceted. However the identities in IAM solutions typically include only the external facet like user’s name, age, designation, role, high school name, etc. This information is used for securely identifying the user, by prompting security questions like “What is your mother’s maiden name”, “What is the name of your pet” etc. as part of an Authentication method or the reset password option. However in this age of information oversharing, such data could be easily harvested from social media to impersonate the user. Hence we need a reliable user identification that is intuitive to the user …

Change Detection For Higher Scale Rediscovery And Bignode Handling, Adhikari Samarjit, K Nagarajan, Shanmugasundaram Senthilnathan, Paranji Srirama Vinodkumar, Suriyanarayanan Muthukumar

Defensive Publications Series

Discovery is a process of collecting the configuration data from the network elements in any protocol like SNMP, REST, NetConf, SOAP, SSH etc. and processing the data to compute the logical network topology. And the topology is stored in the database in a normalized fashion. The discovery and topology computation is typically a multi-step process where the data collected from one step could decide what need to be collected. Once discovery of one node is completed the logical topology is persisted. As network continuously evolve or change due to changes to the nodes' configuration, automatic re-discovery and recomputation of the …

Pic2print - Deep Learning Based On Image Recommender For Printing, Hp Inc

Defensive Publications Series

There are more than 2.5 billion smartphone users in the world but only 3% of the total prints are coming from mobile. U.S.

photo printing market alone in 2016 was estimated at $10.1 billion. We have developed a solution named Pic2Print, which

uses machine learning to build a model which automatically identifies and recommends the best pictures to print from a user’s

smartphone feed.

Sequence Prediction For Print/Scan Issues Using Bayesian Networks, Hp Inc

Defensive Publications Series

Machine Learning algorithms are empowering a lot of software applications today. We address a business need where the

Machine Learning model can help to resolve customer issues which arise during printing and scanning on devices or installing

a software driver. The model is based on Bayesian Network diagnoses the problem and subsequently resolves it by suggesting

a sequence of steps which increase the probability of fix. This is applied in the context of an installer or driver or a diagnostics

tool (referred to as *component*) to arrive at a resolution. The model factors in the current state of the print …

Transliteration Of Contact Names And/Or Other Data Using An Automated Assistant, Diego Accame, Abraham Lee, Feng Ji, Ka Hei Cheung

Defensive Publications Series

Techniques are disclosed herein for transliterating contact names and/or other data from a source language to one or more target languages. The contact names and/or other data are received from a client device (e.g., a feature phone) having an automated assistant. The data in the target language(s) can then be utilized in determining that further input, received from the client device in one of the target language(s), corresponds to certain data in the source language. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, over a network and at one or more remote servers, contact names that are in a …

User Interface For Configuring Multiple Devices, Steffen Meschkat, Shai Barack

Defensive Publications Series

A user interface (UI) to configure device settings for multiple user devices associated with a common user identity is described. The UI enables a user to configure device settings for devices currently associated with the user as well as for future devices. Elements in the UI can be repeated, e.g., in a tabular or matrix arrangement, for each user device associated with a user identity, as well as for devices that become associated with the user identity in the future. The UI enables the user to specify settings for different user devices. The UI enables the specification of settings that …

Passive Capping Hold Position For Print Head Carriage, Hp Inc

Defensive Publications Series

Large Format Printers usually consists on a Media Path (Y axis) which advances and rewinds the

media and a Scan Axis (X axis) which allows the Print Head Carriage to spit the ink while moving

perpendicular to the advancing direction of the media.

Print Head Carriage is a big and heavy component that contains all the needed Print Heads, Ink

management assets, Electronics, Sensors, etc.

Print Head Carriage is always in the capping station while it is not printing or doing any Service

routine as Print Heads needs to be in a capped mode to prevent them from becoming dry …