Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130121221 | Reducing Power Consumption In Wireless Network Stations By Optimizing Contention Period Overhead With Station Grouping, Proxy CSMA, And TIM Monitoring - A method of saving power in a wireless network can include determining a plurality of stations associated with an AP. The AP can create station groups using group selection logic. Notably, the group selection logic is transparent to the plurality of stations. A plurality of TIMs can then be sent, each TIM allowing only one station group access to a channel during a predetermined time interval, such as a beacon interval. In another method, a station can determine its sleep duration based on at least one of first information from the TIM to generate random sleep duration, second information regarding previous operation of the station, and third information regarding a status of the station. The first, second, and third information can include the number of stations associated with the AP and having buffered data based on the TIM, historical collisions, and power status. | 05-16-2013 |
20140301259 | DYNAMIC VOLTAGE AND FREQUENCY SCALING IN WIRELESS MODEMS - Methods and apparatuses are described in which dynamic voltage and frequency scaling may be used to save power when processing packets in a wireless communications device. In some cases, inframe detection may allow the device to determine whether to transition from a first (e.g., lower) voltage level to a second (e.g., higher) voltage level to process one or more packets of a received frame. For some packet types the first voltage level may be maintained. In other cases, the device may determine a bandwidth to use from among multiple bandwidths supported by the device. The bandwidth may be determined based on channel conditions. A voltage level may be identified that corresponds to the determined bandwidth and a processing voltage may be scaled to the identified voltage level. The device may be configured to operate in wireless local area network (WLAN) and/or in a cellular network (e.g., LTE). | 10-09-2014 |
20140341098 | ACCESS POINT RESPONSE TO PS-POLL - Methods, systems, and devices are described for power conservation in a wireless communications system through efficient transmissions and acknowledgements of information between an AP and a station. The time between a determination by a station to enter a power saving mode and entering network sleep mode by the station may be reduced through a transmission, by an AP, of an MPDU to the station successive to an SIFS after transmission of an acknowledgement to the station of a PS-Poll frame from the station. The time to enter a power saving mode by a station may also be reduced through transmission of A-MPDUs in which a last MPDU of the A-MPDU has an indicator bit cleared to indicate no additional data is to be transmitted. An AP may prevent a retransmission of an MPDU to the station in the absence of an acknowledgement from the station, to further enhance efficiency. | 11-20-2014 |
20140341099 | ACCESS POINT RESPONSE TO PS-POLL - Methods, systems, and devices are described for power conservation in a wireless communications system through efficient transmissions and acknowledgements of information between an AP and a station. The time between a determination by a station to enter a power saving mode and entering network sleep mode by the station may be reduced through a transmission, by an AP, of an MPDU to the station successive to an SIFS after transmission of an acknowledgement to the station of a PS-Poll frame from the station. The time to enter a power saving mode by a station may also be reduced through transmission of A-MPDUs in which a last MPDU of the A-MPDU has an indicator bit cleared to indicate no additional data is to be transmitted. An AP may prevent a retransmission of an MPDU to the station in the absence of an acknowledgement from the station, to further enhance efficiency. | 11-20-2014 |
20150065157 | REVERSE CHANNEL SWITCH REQUEST FROM STATIONS TO ACCESS POINTS FOR LTE/WI-FI COEXISTENCE - Methods and apparatuses are described for wireless communications coexistence. In one aspect, a first device may detect an interference produced by a second device co-located with the first device. The first device may communicate with an access point (AP) using a free or open band and the second device may communicate with a cellular network (e.g., LTE network). In response to the detected interference, a message may be transmitted to the AP from the first device with information for the AP to determine whether to switch to a different channel in the open band to communicate with the first device. The AP may receive such a message from each terminal in at least a subset of associated terminals. The AP may determine, from the messages received, to switch to the different channel in the open band and may transmit a message to the associated terminals indicating the switch. | 03-05-2015 |
20150098374 | POWER SAVING WITH ADAPTIVE INACTIVITY TIME OUT - Power saving for wireless communication devices by adjusting the amount of time, after a last transmission/reception of data, that the device remains in an awake mode listening for more data before the device enters a sleep mode. This time period may be referred to as inactivity time interval or inactivity timeout (ITO). The described features may be employed to improve power savings by taking metrics of channel congestion into account for determining the ITO. The appropriate ITO may be determined to be commensurate with ongoing transmission and/or reception activity. Because error may occur in estimating channel congestion and/or transmission/reception activity, latency bounds based on estimation errors may be managed by classifying the operational mode into multiple regions and employing techniques for mitigating error in congestion estimation based at least in part on the operational mode. | 04-09-2015 |
20150282005 | LINK AGGREGATION IN WIRELESS LOCAL AREA NETWORKS - Methods, systems, and devices are described for establishing a virtual communication link including at least a first and second physical link between two devices. A single virtual packet queue of a device may receive one or more data packets to be transmitted via the virtual communication link. The single virtual packet queue may attach a virtual sequence number to each of the one or more data packets and send the one or more data packets to one or more of the first or the second physical link according to the assigned virtual sequence numbers. The one or more packets may then be communicated via the first and/or second physical links according to link specific sequence numbers, such as medium access control (MAC) sequence numbers, assigned to the one or more data packets by the first and/or second physical links. | 10-01-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090259620 | Method and system for real-time data searches - Methods and system for real-time data searches are described. In one embodiment, time period news data may be received from a media source. A topical attribute associated with the time period news data may be obtained. A search request for data from a target data source may be received. The search request may include request criterion. The search request may be processed using the request criterion and the topical attribute to obtain result data. The result data may be provided from the target data source. | 10-15-2009 |
20110161150 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS PROVIDING A MULTI-MERCHANT REWARDS PLATFORM - Methods and systems for providing a multi-merchant rewards platform are discussed. In an example, a system can include an administration interface, a user tracking module, a rewards engine, and a database. The administration interface can receive a campaign rule from a merchant registered within an online marketplace. The user tracking module can identify a user accessing the online marketplace from a remote computer system. The rewards engine can determine, while the user is accessing the online marketplace, whether the user satisfies the campaign rule and calculate, based on the determination that the user satisfies the campaign rule, a non-monetary point allocation associated with a user action. The rewards engine can also receive input from the user indicating selection of the user action. The database can store the non-monetary point allocation associated with the user action. | 06-30-2011 |
20140052547 | GENERATING PRODUCT PURCHASE PAGES FOR CONTAINERS OF ITEMS - Methods and systems to build containers of uncategorized items are described. In some example embodiments, the methods and systems generate a title for a container of uncategorized items available for purchase within a network-based publication system, associate two or more uncategorized items available for purchase within the network-based publication system to the container based on a comparison of titles of the two or more uncategorized items and the generated title for the container of uncategorized items, and cause a display of a container-based product purchase page within the network-based publication system that presents product description information for at least one of the associated two or more uncategorized items available for purchase within the network-based publication system. | 02-20-2014 |
20140052579 | BUILDING CONTAINERS OF UNCATEGORIZED ITEMS AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS - Methods and systems to build containers of uncategorized items are described. In some example embodiments, the methods and systems access a search request for items available for purchase via a network-based location, collect information associated with available items having product description information satisfying the search request and located at multiple network-based locations, determine one or more containers that associate items available for purchase based on the collected information, and publish a result for the search request that is based on the determined containers. | 02-20-2014 |
20140052589 | BUILDING CONTAINERS OF UNCATEGORIZED ITEMS - Methods and systems to build containers of uncategorized items are described. In some example embodiments, the methods and systems collect information from titles of items available for purchase within a network-based publication system, generate a title for a container of uncategorized items available for purchase within the network-based publication system that is based on the collected information, and associate two or more uncategorized items available for purchase within the network-based publication system to the container based on a comparison of titles of the two or more uncategorized items and the generated title for the container of uncategorized items. | 02-20-2014 |
20140052719 | PRESENTING INFORMATION FOR CONTAINERS IN SEARCH RESULTS - Methods and systems to build containers of uncategorized items are described. In some example embodiments, the methods and systems access a search query received by a network-based publication system, identify a container of uncategorized items having a title that satisfies the search query, and return a result for the search query that is associated with the identified container. | 02-20-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130273877 | Low Cost Automotive Accident Alert System - An alert apparatus has a digital processor coupled to an accelerometer and wireless pairing circuitry for pairing wirelessly with a smartphone, software that executes operations or firmware, an OBD connector that monitors the onboard diagnostics system of a vehicle for specific information, monitors the accelerometer for deceleration exceeding a preset value, updates position of the automobile periodically, and, in the event of a determination that an accident has occurred, and transmits an alert signal to the smartphone via wireless pairing circuitry, which then sends alert communications to emergency services and contacts. | 10-17-2013 |
20130274953 | Vehicle Location Navigation System - An apparatus includes a connector to an on board diagnostic (OBD) port of a vehicle, wireless communications circuitry, a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to monitor the ignition state of the vehicle, and upon detecting an ignition off state, reporting at least the off state to a network-enabled communications appliance wireles sly paired for wireless communication with the apparatus. | 10-17-2013 |
20130275013 | Method for Improving Fuel Economy of an Operated Vehicle - In one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is provided comprising a connector to an onboard diagnostics (OBD) port of a vehicle, wireless communications circuitry, and a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to monitor fuel consumption of the vehicle relative to mileage driven to derive fuel efficiency values, monitor driving behavior concurrently and associating certain driving behaviors to any dips and rises in the fuel efficiency values, and transmit the values and associated data to a wireless communications appliance wirelessly paired to communicate with the apparatus. | 10-17-2013 |
20140100767 | System and Method for Reviewing Travel Trips - A mobile communication device includes a global positioning system (GPS) capability, a digital processor, digital memory, a display screen, and a software (SW) application executing by the processor, the SW providing determining and recording a start of a trip, tracking location of the vehicle after trip start, interpreting data and recording an acceleration event, a deceleration event or a speeding event, recording fuel volume during the trip, determining and recording an end of the trip; and an interactive display including an address at the start and the end of the trip, separated by a timeline for the trip, a vehicle icon moveable along the timeline, icons specific to event type at locations along the timeline representing the acceleration, deceleration and speeding events determined during the trip, and a summary box providing a distance and duration of the trip and fuel efficiency and fuel cost for the trip. | 04-10-2014 |
20140107886 | System to View Automobile Diagnostic Information - A system has a Link device coupled to an on-board diagnostics (OBD) system of a vehicle, the Link device enabled to monitor trouble codes presented by the OBD system, and having a port enabled to transmit to and receive from external devices, a mobile communication device, the device having a display screen, and an application (App) executing on the mobile communication device from a non-transitory medium. The Link device receives trouble codes from the vehicle OBD system and transmits them to either to the App or to an Internet-connected server, where the trouble codes are associated with the issues they represent, and wherein the App, having associated the trouble codes with the issues or having received the association data from the server, presents a display to the driver comprising at least the problem represented by the problem code and suggested action to correct the problem. | 04-17-2014 |
20140108819 | System and Method Providing Permission Based Access to Automotive Computers - A Link device has a processor connected to an internal Link bus, a non-transitory memory, a digital device ID, one or both of firmware or software executing from non-transitory media, a first communication port enabled to communicate with a vehicle bus coupling computerized devices in a vehicle, and a second communication port enabled to communicate with one or more digital devices external to the vehicle. The firmware or software enables the Link device to communicate with the vehicle bus, and to accomplish a variety of tasks including pulling data from data stores in the vehicle and operating specific vehicle functions, and wherein the firmware or software manages communication with the one or more external digital devices, accepting only requests for cooperation with the Link device using the unique device ID with a request that is cryptographically secure. | 04-17-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080285632 | DECODING OF THE OVERHEAD CHANNELS OF THE GEO SATELLITE REVERSE LINK - A power efficient technique is used to demodulate the coded overhead channels of a GEO satellite uplink. A coherent receiver used in a wireless communication system is able to determine the information conveyed in the overhead channel, by effecting channel estimates from codewords extracted from a pilot signal. A valid set of codewords is established. Pilot symbols are extracted from a pilot signal and a channel estimate is made from the pilot signal. Codewords in the set of valid codewords are correlated and a channel phase ambiguity in the signals is removed and a codeword with the largest correlation is chosen. The chosen codeword is used to create a revised channel estimate. | 11-20-2008 |
20100054371 | Noise Variance Estimation In Wireless Communications For Diversity Combining and Log Likelihood Scaling - The present patent application comprises a method and means for demodulating symbols, comprising converting an OFDM symbol from a time domain to a frequency domain, selecting pilot tones, making a soft decision based on received data, and estimating a channel frequency response. In another example, the method and means further comprises selecting guard tones. In another example, the method and means further comprises generating channel estimates for in-band and band-edge pilot tones. | 03-04-2010 |
20110096853 | Channel estimation in communications - A time averaging filter for channel estimation is described. Different time averaging is used for different taps or tones of a communication system. Two methods are suggested for determining the time-averaging filter for channel estimation for the communication systems without prior knowledge of SNR, channel Doppler and fading statistics. The first method includes a bank of different filters, each tuned for optimality in a certain range of SNR and Doppler. For each tone in the frequency domain (or tap in the time domain), the first method selects a filter among the set of filters that minimizes a certain computed metric. The second method directly computes, at each tone (or tap), the “best” filter in a least-squares sense, using empirically determined second-order statistics. | 04-28-2011 |
20110128866 | REVERSE LINK DATA RATE INDICATION FOR SATELLITE-ENABLED COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS - Reverse link data rate indications in wireless communication systems are defined with low identification overhead. Existence of a pilot signal is leveraged in order to reduce the overhead for identifying and selecting the reverse link data rate. At least two distinguishable pilot signals are defined, in which, based on the particular pilot signal present in the transmitted frame, at least one rate set from the multiple available rate sets can be determined. Reverse rate information in the transmitted frame is then used to identify which specific data rate within the determined rate set is used. Based on the identified data rate, the receiver may then decode the payload data in the transmitted frame. | 06-02-2011 |
20110128867 | FORWARD LINK DATA RATE CONTROL AND RATE INDICATION FOR SATELLITE-ENABLED COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS - In a synchronous application to control forward link (FL) data rates in a satellite system, user equipment (UE) repeatedly transmits a quality control measurement (QCM) index during a QCM period. During this QCM period, the data rate cannot change. The associated satellite transmits at a new rate corresponding to the QCM index. The UE knows that it will begin receiving new data at the new rate after a QCM delay. In an asynchronous application, a satellite transmits a rate change signal over a FL rate indication channel (RICH). A UE monitors the FL RICH for this signal. When the signal quality is to be low, the satellite sends only a single bit of the QCM index over a first orthogonal channel. When the signal quality is not low, the satellite transmits each bit of the QCM index in a separate orthogonal channel of the FL RICH. | 06-02-2011 |
20110134823 | SYNCHRONIZED BROADCAST/MULTICAST COMMUNICATION - Synchronized broadcast transmits a same broadcast content using a same waveform from multiple transmitters. Transmitters each apply a same spreading code for broadcast transmissions. In a spread-spectrum communication system having a time division multiplexed forward link, a synchronized broadcast transmission is inserted into a broadcast slot. One embodiment employs an Orthogonal Frequency Divisional Multiplex (OFDM) waveform for the synchronized broadcast. An OFDM receiver is then used to process the received synchronized broadcast transmission. An alternate embodiment implements a broadcast Pseudo-random Noise (PN) code for use by multiple transmitters. An equalizer is then employed to estimate the synchronized broadcast transmission. | 06-09-2011 |
20110134824 | SYNCHRONIZED BROADCAST/MULTICAST COMMUNICATION - Synchronized broadcast transmits a same broadcast content using a same waveform from multiple transmitters. Transmitters each apply a same spreading code for broadcast transmissions. In a spread-spectrum communication system having a time division multiplexed forward link, a synchronized broadcast transmission is inserted into a broadcast slot. One embodiment employs an Orthogonal Frequency Divisional Multiplex (OFDM) waveform for the synchronized broadcast. An OFDM receiver is then used to process the received synchronized broadcast transmission. An alternate embodiment implements a broadcast Pseudo-random Noise (PN) code for use by multiple transmitters. An equalizer is then employed to estimate the synchronized broadcast transmission. | 06-09-2011 |
20110134967 | SYNCHRONIZED BROADCAST/MULTICAST COMMUNICATION - Synchronized broadcast transmits a same broadcast content using a same waveform from multiple transmitters. Transmitters each apply a same spreading code for broadcast transmissions. In a spread-spectrum communication system having a time division multiplexed forward link, a synchronized broadcast transmission is inserted into a broadcast slot. One embodiment employs an Orthogonal Frequency Divisional Multiplex (OFDM) waveform for the synchronized broadcast. An OFDM receiver is then used to process the received synchronized broadcast transmission. An alternate embodiment implements a broadcast Pseudo-random Noise (PN) code for use by multiple transmitters. An equalizer is then employed to estimate the synchronized broadcast transmission. | 06-09-2011 |
20140368321 | ULTRA-WIDEBAND RANGING WAVEFORM - Methods, systems, devices, and apparatuses are described for location tracking in which each tag used to track an asset or person in an indoor environment transmits ranging waveforms used to estimate a location of the tag. Multiple tags may concurrently transmit without interfering with each other by having each tag use a distinct frequency shift for the ranging waveforms. Access points may be deployed throughout the indoor environment as part of a wireless network (e.g., ultra-wideband or UWB network) that tracks the assets. The access points may receive the ranging waveforms transmitted by the tags and may perform measurements based on the ranging waveforms. The measurements may be sent to a tracking management server to estimate the location of the tags. The server may also determine and assign the distinct frequency shifts used by the tags and may modify the assignment when the number of tags being tracked changes. | 12-18-2014 |
20150085834 | TIME DIVISION LONG TERM EVOLUTION (TD-LTE) FRAME STRUCTURE MODIFICATION - A method of wireless communication includes communicating with a base station using an extended special subframe. Communicating with the base station using the extended special subframe may be performed by disabling an uplink pilot time slot and an adjacent uplink subframe. | 03-26-2015 |
20150085840 | TIME DIVISION LONG TERM EVOLUTION (TD-LTE) FRAME STRUCTURE - A method of wireless communication includes communicating with a base station using a special subframe that extends a guard period over an uplink pilot time slot and one or more disabled, adjacent uplink subframes. The method also includes associating a control information subframe with a specific downlink subframe while accounting for both cell radius extension and loss of the one or more disabled, adjacent uplink subframes used to communicate the extended special subframe. | 03-26-2015 |
20150163683 | USING SUBARRAYS OF A BEAMFORMER FOR TRANSMISSIONS IN A FORWARD LINK - Methods, systems, and devices are described for transmitting across a broad azimuth using an antenna array. In one example, a method is described that includes forming two subarrays from an antenna array. Beamforming weights are selected for each subarray to cause the radiation patterns to be complementary over a range of the azimuth of a cell. The beamforming weights may be selected according to a recursive relation based on the number of antenna elements in each subarray. Information may be encoded, scrambled, and mapped to modulation symbols. A Space Frequency Block Code (SFBC) such as an Alamouti Code may then be used to form two signals to be transmitted over the two subarrays. | 06-11-2015 |
20150163848 | MULTI-CARRIER CONNECTION MANAGEMENT FOR BANDWIDTH AGGREGATION - The connection management entity apparatus determines a set of modems within coverage of a particular area. Each modem of the set of modems is associated with a particular aircraft and one carrier of a plurality of carriers. The apparatus allocates subsets of modems to each eNB of a set of eNBs. The allocation allows each eNB to communicate with the allocated subset of modems. Each eNB operates on a different carrier. The apparatus may be a eNB. The eNB determines a set of modems within coverage of the eNB. The set of modems is associated with one carrier of a plurality of carriers. The eNB operates on the one carrier. Each modem in the set of modems is associated with a different aircraft. The eNB sends information indicating the set of modems and receives an allocation of a second set of modems in response to the sent information. | 06-11-2015 |
20150181544 | ENHANCED RANDOM ACCESS PROCEDURE FOR AIR-TO-GROUND COMMUNICATIONS - Methods, systems, and devices are described for establishing a wireless communications link at an aircraft terminal (AT). An AT may determine a timing offset based on the propagation delay between the AT and a ground station, which in some cases may be more than 100 kilometers away. The AT may then transmit an initial access message to the ground station based on the determined timing offset. In some embodiments, the AT may receive an access response message from the ground station that includes a timing alignment value and adjust the timing offset based on this value. The AT may transmit a connection message to the ground station that includes AT location information. This information may be used by the ground station to facilitate beamforming. | 06-25-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090066965 | High power broadband superluminescent diode - A superluminescent diode according the present invention employs a unoform AlGaInAs quantum well on an InP substrate, emitting in a range of 1100 to 1800 nm. The favorable conduction band: valence band offset ratio of this material system enables superluminescent diodes which simultaneously provide high power and large optical bandwidth. A recent reduction to practice of the present invention simultaneously demonstrates output power exceeding 100 mW and bandwidth exceeding 100 nm. A preferred embodiment of this invention uses multiple uniform AlGaInAs quantum wells with two confined quantum states and energetic separation in a range of 100-130 nm. An alternate preferred embodiment uses non-uniform wells, with each well having two confined quantum states. The present invention is particularly useful in time domain and spectral domain optical coherence tomography systems, providing increased resolution and tissue penetration for in-vivo imaging. | 03-12-2009 |
20090303475 | Multi-wavelength light source for spectroscopy - The invention discloses a multi-wavelength semiconductor light source comprising a plurality of semiconductor light sources mounted on a silicon sub-carrier and emitting radiation spanning a wavelength range. In preferred embodiments, these sources are configured in a linear and circular array. The radiation is coupled to a waveguide array disposed on the same silicon subcarrier, with a lower cladding of silicon dioxide and deposited core layer which is preferably the spin-on epoxy resin SU-8. Output from the waveguide array provides a compact multi-wavelength laser source with wide tuning range via a plurality of laser sources. An output spatial span of the waveguide array is smaller than an input spatial span and sufficiently small to probe the properties of a sample. A compact system for optical spectroscopy is constructed from the multi-wavelength semiconductor light source, a means for directing radiation from the source to a sample, and an optical detector configured to detect one of a radiation reflected from and transmitted through said sample. In various preferred embodiments, the semiconductor light sources can comprise lasers, light-emitting diodes, and superluminescent diodes. | 12-10-2009 |
20140028997 | AGILE IMAGING SYSTEM - An agile optical imaging system for optical coherence tomography imaging using a tunable source comprising a wavelength tunable VCL laser is disclosed. The tunable source has long coherence length and is capable of high sweep repetition rate, as well as changing the sweep trajectory, sweep speed, sweep repetition rate, sweep linearity, and emission wavelength range on the fly to support multiple modes of OCT imaging. The imaging system also offers new enhanced dynamic range imaging capability for accommodating bright reflections. Multiscale imaging capability allows measurement over orders of magnitude dimensional scales. The imaging system and methods for generating the waveforms to drive the tunable laser in flexible and agile modes of operation are also described. | 01-30-2014 |
20140268050 | TUNABLE LASER ARRAY SYSTEM - A system for swept source optical coherence tomography, the system including a light source emitting multiplexed wavelength-swept radiation over a total wavelength range, the light source including N wavelength-swept vertical cavity lasers (VCL) emitting N tunable VCL outputs having N wavelength trajectories, a combiner for combining the N tunable VCL optical outputs into a common optical path to create the multiplexed wavelength-swept radiation, a splitter for splitting the multiplexed wavelength-swept radiation to a sample and a reference path, an optical detector for detecting an interference signal created by an optical interference between a reflection from the sample and light traversing the reference path, and a signal processing system which uses the interference signal to construct an image of the sample, wherein at least one of the N wavelength trajectories differs from another of the N wavelength trajectories with respect to at least one parameter. | 09-18-2014 |
20140268169 | WIDELY TUNABLE SWEPT SOURCE - A high-speed, single-mode, high power, reliable and manufacturable wavelength-tunable light source operative to emit wavelength tunable radiation over a wavelength range contained in a wavelength span between about 950 nm and about 1150 nm, including a vertical cavity laser (VCL), the VCL having a gain region with at least one compressively strained quantum well containing Indium, Gallium, and Arsenic. | 09-18-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110066628 | DICTIONARY FOR DATA DEDUPLICATION - Mechanisms are provided for efficiently improving a dictionary used for data deduplication. Dictionaries are used to hold hash key and location pairs for deduplicated data. Strong hash keys prevent collisions but weak hash keys are more computation and storage efficient. Mechanisms are provided to use both a weak hash key and a strong hash key. Weak hash keys and corresponding location pairs are stored in an improved dictionary while strong hash keys are maintained with the deduplicated data itself. The need for having uniqueness from a strong hash function is balanced with the deduplication dictionary space savings from a weak hash function. | 03-17-2011 |
20110071989 | FILE AWARE BLOCK LEVEL DEDUPLICATION - A system provides file aware block level deduplication in a system having multiple clients connected to a storage subsystem over a network such as an Internet Protocol (IP) network. The system includes client components and storage subsystem components. Client components include a walker that traverses the namespace looking for files that meet the criteria for optimization, a file system daemon that rehydrates the files, and a filter driver that watches all operations going to the file system. Storage subsystem components include an optimizer resident on the nodes of the storage subsystem. The optimizer can use idle processor cycles to perform optimization. Sub-file compression can be performed at the storage subsystem. | 03-24-2011 |
20110082840 | SCALABLE MECHANISM FOR DETECTION OF COMMONALITY IN A DEDUPLICATED DATA SET - Mechanisms are provided for efficiently determining commonality in a deduplicated data set in a scalable manner regardless of the number of deduplicated files or the number of stored segments. Information is generated and maintained during deduplication to allow scalable and efficient determination of data segments shared in a particular file, other files sharing data segments included in a particular file, the number of files sharing a data segment, etc. Data need not be expanded or uncompressed. Deduplication processing can be validated and verified during commonality detection. | 04-07-2011 |
20110125719 | EFFICIENT SEGMENT DETECTION FOR DEDUPLICATION - Mechanisms are provided for efficiently detecting segments for deduplication. Data is analyzed to determine file types and file components. File types such as images may have optimal data segment boundaries set at the file boundaries. Other file types such as container files are delayered to extract objects to set optimal data segment boundaries based on file type or based on the boundaries of the individual objects. Storage of unnecessary information is minimized in a deduplication dictionary while allowing for effective deduplication. | 05-26-2011 |
20110125720 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR NETWORK EFFICIENT DEDUPLICATION - Mechanisms are provided for performing network efficient deduplication. Segments are extracted from files received for deduplication at a host connected to a target over one or more networks and/or fabrics in a deduplication system. Segment identifiers (IDs) are determined and compared with segment IDs for segments already deduplicated. Segments already deduplicated need not be transmitted to a target system. References and reference counts are modified at a target system. Updating references and reference counts may involve modifying filemaps, dictionaries, and datastore suitcases for both already deduplicated and not already deduplicated segments. | 05-26-2011 |
20110125722 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR EFFICIENT COMPRESSION AND DEDUPLICATION - Mechanisms are provided for performing efficient compression and deduplication of data segments. Compression algorithms are learning algorithms that perform better when data segments are large. Deduplication algorithms, however, perform better when data segments are small, as more duplicate small segments are likely to exist. As an optimizer is processing and storing data segments, the optimizer applies the same compression context to compress multiple individual deduplicated data segments as though they are one segment. By compressing deduplicated data segments together within the same context, data reduction can be improved for both deduplication and compression. Mechanisms are applied to compensate for possible performance degradation. | 05-26-2011 |
20110270809 | HEAT INDICES FOR FILE SYSTEMS AND BLOCK STORAGE - Techniques and mechanisms are provided to allow for selective optimization, including deduplication and/or compression, of portions of files and data blocks. Data access is monitored to generate a heat index for identifying sections of files and volumes that are frequently and infrequently accessed. These frequently used portions may be left non-optimized to reduce or eliminate optimization I/O overhead. Infrequently accessed portions can be more aggressively optimized. | 11-03-2011 |
20110270810 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ACTIVE OPTIMIZATION OF DATA - Techniques and mechanisms are provided to support live file optimization. Active I/O access to an optimization target is monitored during optimization. Active files need not be taken offline or made unavailable to an application during optimization and retain the ability to support file operations such as read, write, unlink, and truncate while an optimization engine performs deduplication and/or compression on active file ranges. | 11-03-2011 |
20110307456 | ACTIVE FILE INSTANT CLONING - Techniques and mechanisms are provided to instantly clone active files including active optimized files. When a new instance of an active file is created, a new stub is generated in the user namespace and a block map file is cloned. The block map file includes the same offsets and location pointers that existed in the original block map file. No user file data needs to be copied. If the cloned file is later modified, the behavior can be same as what happens when a de-duplicated file is modified. | 12-15-2011 |
20120084270 | STORAGE OPTIMIZATION MANAGER - Techniques and mechanisms provide a storage optimization manager. Data may be optimized and maintained on various nodes in a cluster. Particular nodes may be overburdened while other nodes remain relatively unused. Techniques are provided to efficiently optimize data onto nodes to enhance operational efficiency. Data access requests for optimized data are monitored and managed to allow for intelligent maintenance of optimized data. | 04-05-2012 |
20120084527 | DATA BLOCK MIGRATION - Techniques and mechanisms are provided for migrating data blocks around a cluster during node addition and node deletion. Migration requires no downtime, as a newly added node is immediately operational while the data blocks are being moved. Blockmap files and deduplication dictionaries need not be updated. | 04-05-2012 |
20120191672 | DICTIONARY FOR DATA DEDUPLICATION - Mechanisms are provided for efficiently improving a dictionary used for data deduplication. Dictionaries are used to hold hash key and location pairs for deduplicated data. Strong hash keys prevent collisions but weak hash keys are more computation and storage efficient. Mechanisms are provided to use both a weak hash key and a strong hash key. Weak hash keys and corresponding location pairs are stored in an improved dictionary while strong hash keys are maintained with the deduplicated data itself. The need for having uniqueness from a strong hash function is balanced with the deduplication dictionary space savings from a weak hash function. | 07-26-2012 |
20130018851 | INTELLIGENT DEDUPLICATION DATA PREFETCHINGAANM Jayaraman; VinodAACI San FranciscoAAST CAAACO USAAGP Jayaraman; Vinod San Francisco CA USAANM Bolla; Ratna ManojAACI HyderabadAACO INAAGP Bolla; Ratna Manoj Hyderabad IN - Deduplication dictionaries are used to maintain data chunk identifier and location pairings in a deduplication system. When access to a particular data chunk is requested, a deduplication dictionary is accessed to determine the location of the data chunk and a datastore is accessed to retrieve the data chunk. However, deduplication dictionaries are large and typically maintained on disk, so dictionary access is expensive. Techniques and mechanisms of the present invention allow prefetches or read aheads of datastore (DS) headers. For example, if a dictionary hit results in datastore DS(X), then headers for DS (X+1), DS (X+2), DS(X+read-ahead-window) are prefetched ahead of time. These datastore headers are cached in memory, and indexed by datastore identifier. Before going to the dictionary, a lookup is first performed in the cached headers to reduce deduplication data access request latency. | 01-17-2013 |
20130018853 | ACCELERATED DEDUPLICATION - Mechanisms are provided for accelerated data deduplication. A data stream is received an input interface and maintained in memory. Chunk boundaries are detected and chunk fingerprints are calculated using a deduplication accelerator while a processor maintains a state machine. A deduplication dictionary is accessed using a chunk fingerprint to determine if the associated data chunk has previously been written to persistent memory. If the data chunk has previously been written, reference counts may be updated but the data chunk need not be stored again. Otherwise, datastore suitcases, filemaps, and the deduplication dictionary may be updated to reflect storage of the data chunk. Direct memory access (DMA) addresses are provided to directly transfer a chunk to an output interface as needed. | 01-17-2013 |
20130019061 | DATA TRANSFER REDUCTION IN SCALE OUT ARCHITECTURESAANM Jayaraman; VinodAACI San FranciscoAAST CAAACO USAAGP Jayaraman; Vinod San Francisco CA USAANM Dinkar; AbhijitAACI San JoseAAST CAAACO USAAGP Dinkar; Abhijit San Jose CA US - Mechanisms are provided for data transfer reduction in scale out architectures. When a compute node receives a write input/output (I/O) request for a data stream, the compute node separates the data stream into chunks and generates fingerprints for the individual chunks. Fingerprints are then sent to a scale out node and compared to fingerprints of chunks already maintained at the scale out node. Write data transfers are only made for chunks not already maintained at the scale out node. For a read I/O request for a data stream, fingerprints for chunks of the data stream are requested by the compute node from a scale out node. Fingerprints received are compared to fingerprints of chunks already maintained at the compute node and read data transfers are only made for chunks not already maintained at the compute node. | 01-17-2013 |
20130151471 | ACTIVE FILE INSTANT CLONING - Techniques and mechanisms are provided to instantly clone active files including active optimized files. When a new instance of an active file is created, a new stub is generated in the user namespace and a block map file is cloned. The block map file includes the same offsets and location pointers that existed in the original block map file. No user file data needs to be copied. If the cloned file is later modified, the behavior can be same as what happens when a de-duplicated file is modified. | 06-13-2013 |
20130159262 | EFFICIENT SEGMENT DETECTION FOR DEDUPLICATION - Mechanisms are provided for efficiently detecting segments for deduplication. Data is analyzed to determine file types and file components. File types such as images may have optimal data segment boundaries set at the file boundaries. Other file types such as container files are delayered to extract objects to set optimal data segment boundaries based on file type or based on the boundaries of the individual objects. Storage of unnecessary information is minimized in a deduplication dictionary while allowing for effective deduplication. | 06-20-2013 |
20130238570 | FIXED SIZE EXTENTS FOR VARIABLE SIZE DEDUPLICATION SEGMENTS - Mechanisms are provided for maintaining variable size deduplication segments using fixed size extents. Variable size segments are identified and maintained in a datastore suitcase. Duplicate segments need not be maintained redundantly but can be managed by updating reference counts associated with the segments in the datastore suitcase. Segments are maintained using fixed size extents. A minor increase in storage overhead removes the need for inefficient recompaction when a segment is removed from the datastore suitcase. Fixed size extents can be reallocated for storage of new segments. | 09-12-2013 |
20130246372 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR EFFICIENT COMPRESSION AND DEDUPLICATION - Mechanisms are provided for performing efficient compression and deduplication of data segments. Compression algorithms are learning algorithms that perform better when data segments are large. Deduplication algorithms, however, perform better when data segments are small, as more duplicate small segments are likely to exist. As an optimizer is processing and storing data segments, the optimizer applies the same compression context to compress multiple individual deduplicated data segments as though they are one segment. By compressing deduplicated data segments together within the same context, data reduction can be improved for both deduplication and compression. Mechanisms are applied to compensate for possible performance degradation. | 09-19-2013 |
20130297572 | FILE AWARE BLOCK LEVEL DEDUPLICATION - A system provides file aware block level deduplication in a system having multiple clients connected to a storage subsystem over a network such as an Internet Protocol (IP) network. The system includes client components and storage subsystem components. Client components include a walker that traverses the namespace looking for files that meet the criteria for optimization, a file system daemon that rehydrates the files, and a filter driver that watches all operations going to the file system. Storage subsystem components include an optimizer resident on the nodes of the storage subsystem. The optimizer can use idle processor cycles to perform optimization. Sub-file compression can be performed at the storage subsystem. | 11-07-2013 |
20140025644 | GARBAGE COLLECTION AWARE DEDUPLICATION - Mechanisms are provided for improving the efficiency of garbage collection in a deduplication system by intelligently managing storage of deduplication segments. When a duplicate segment is identified, a reference count for an already maintained segment is incremented only if the already maintained segment has the same lifecycle as the identified duplicate segment. In some instances, an already maintained segment is assumed to have the same lifecycle if it is not stale or the age is not significantly different from the age of the newly identified duplicate. If the already maintained segment is has a different lifecycle, the new segment is stored again even though duplicates are already maintained. | 01-23-2014 |
20140032508 | ACCELERATED DEDUPLICATION - Mechanisms are provided for accelerated data deduplication. A data stream is received an input interface and maintained in memory. Chunk boundaries are detected and chunk fingerprints are calculated using a deduplication accelerator while a processor maintains a state machine. A deduplication dictionary is accessed using a chunk fingerprint to determine if the associated data chunk has previously been written to persistent memory. If the data chunk has previously been written, reference counts may be updated but the data chunk need not be stored again. Otherwise, datastore suitcases, filemaps, and the deduplication dictionary may be updated to reflect storage of the data chunk. Direct memory access (DMA) addresses are provided to directly transfer a chunk to an output interface as needed. | 01-30-2014 |
20140095455 | HEAT INDICES FOR FILE SYSTEMS AND BLOCK STORAGE - Techniques and mechanisms are provided to allow for selective optimization, including deduplication and/or compression, of portions of files and data blocks. Data access is monitored to generate a heat index for identifying sections of files and volumes that are frequently and infrequently accessed. These frequently used portions may be left non-optimized to reduce or eliminate optimization I/O overhead. Infrequently accessed portions can be more aggressively optimized. | 04-03-2014 |
20140250281 | LEARNING MACHINE TO OPTIMIZE RANDOM ACCESS IN A STORAGE SYSTEM - Mechanisms are provided for optimizing random access in a storage system. According to various embodiments, an access pattern may be identified for a plurality of data segments stored in a first arrangement on a storage medium. Each of the plurality of data segments may be stored at a respective first storage location on the storage medium in the first arrangement. The access pattern may indicate an order in which the data segments are likely to be retrieved from the storage medium. The plurality of data segments may be stored in a second arrangement on the storage medium based on the identified access pattern. Each of the plurality of data segments may be stored at a respective second storage location on the storage medium in the updated arrangement. | 09-04-2014 |
20140258237 | HANDLING RESTORES IN AN INCREMENTAL BACKUP STORAGE SYSTEM - Techniques and mechanisms are provided for storing data in a backup storage system. According to various embodiments, a first blockmap in a backup storage system may be identified. The first blockmap may correspond with a first restore point. The first blockmap may identify a first plurality of data segments. Each of the first plurality of data segments may have associated therewith a respective storage location in the backup storage system. The first blockmap may be compared with a designated storage system state to identify a subset of the first plurality of data segments that each correspond with a respective matching data segment in the designated storage system state. A second blockmap may be stored in the backup storage system. The second blockmap may correspond with a second restore point. The second blockmap may include the identified subset of the first plurality of data segments. | 09-11-2014 |
20140258244 | STORAGE SYSTEM DEDUPLICATION WITH SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS - Mechanisms are provided for adjusting a configuration of data stored in a storage system. According to various embodiments, a storage module may be configured to store a configuration of data. A processor may be configured to identify an estimated performance level for the storage system based on a configuration of data stored on the storage system. The processor may also be configured to transmit an instruction to adjust the configuration of data on the storage system to meet the service level objective when the estimated performance level fails to meet a service level objective for the storage system | 09-11-2014 |
20140310251 | INTELLIGENT DEDUPLICATION DATA PREFETCHING - Deduplication dictionaries are used to maintain data chunk identifier and location pairings in a deduplication system. When access to a particular data chunk is requested, a deduplication dictionary is accessed to determine the location of the data chunk and a datastore is accessed to retrieve the data chunk. However, deduplication dictionaries are large and typically maintained on disk, so dictionary access is expensive. Techniques and mechanisms of the present invention allow prefetches or read aheads of datastore (DS) headers. For example, if a dictionary hit results in datastore DS(X), then headers for DS (X+1), DS (X+2), DS(X+read-ahead-window) are prefetched ahead of time. These datastore headers are cached in memory, and indexed by datastore identifier. Before going to the dictionary, a lookup is first performed in the cached headers to reduce deduplication data access request latency. | 10-16-2014 |
20150019515 | HEAT INDICES FOR FILE SYSTEMS AND BLOCK STORAGE - Techniques and mechanisms are provided to allow for selective optimization, including deduplication and/or compression, of portions of files and data blocks. Data access is monitored to generate a heat index for identifying sections of files and volumes that are frequently and infrequently accessed. These frequently used portions may be left non-optimized to reduce or eliminate optimization I/O overhead. Infrequently accessed portions can be more aggressively optimized. | 01-15-2015 |
20150026139 | SCALABLE MECHANISM FOR DETECTION OF COMMONALITY IN A DEDUPLICATED DATA SET - Mechanisms are provided for efficiently determining commonality in a deduplicated data set in a scalable manner regardless of the number of deduplicated files or the number of stored segments. Information is generated and maintained during deduplication to allow scalable and efficient determination of data segments shared in a particular file, other files sharing data segments included in a particular file, the number of files sharing a data segment, etc. Data need not be expanded or uncompressed. Deduplication processing can be validated and verified during commonality detection. | 01-22-2015 |
20150039571 | ACCELERATED DEDUPLICATION - Mechanisms are provided for accelerated data deduplication. A data stream is received an input interface and maintained in memory. Chunk boundaries are detected and chunk fingerprints are calculated using a deduplication accelerator while a processor maintains a state machine. A deduplication dictionary is accessed using a chunk fingerprint to determine if the associated data chunk has previously been written to persistent memory. If the data chunk has previously been written, reference counts may be updated but the data chunk need not be stored again. Otherwise, datastore suitcases, filemaps, and the deduplication dictionary may be updated to reflect storage of the data chunk. Direct memory access (DMA) addresses are provided to directly transfer a chunk to an output interface as needed. | 02-05-2015 |
20150127622 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR NETWORK EFFICIENT DEDUPLICATION - Mechanisms are provided for performing network efficient deduplication. Segments are extracted from files received for deduplication at a host connected to a target over one or more networks and/or fabrics in a deduplication system. Segment identifiers (IDs) are determined and compared with segment IDs for segments already deduplicated. Segments already deduplicated need not be transmitted to a target system. References and reference counts are modified at a target system. Updating references and reference counts may involve modifying filemaps, dictionaries, and datastore suitcases for both already deduplicated and not already deduplicated segments. | 05-07-2015 |