International Business Machines Corporation

Francois Bernard Dolivo

Reto Josef Hermann

Dirk Husemann

Carl Binding

Gottfried Ungerboeck

Andreas Schade

Wolfgang H Schott

Richard Leo Galbraith

Jonathan Darrel Coker

Michael Elton Nidd

Thomas D Howell

Roy Daron Cideciyan

Sedat Oelcer

Pablo A Ziperovich

Walter Hirt

Kevin Roy Vannorsdel

Tefcros Anthias

Christian Hoertnagl

Andreas Rungeler

Christos Papadopoulos

Robin Williamson

The present invention relates to a context-based service look up, wherein a service instance, having a scope includes at least one service instance data set having a hierarchy of levels. A service consumer data set, having a hierarchy of levels is received from a service consumer, having a situation. Comparisons are made of each service consumer data set with each service instance data set, for the same level. Dependent on results of the comparisons, it is determined whether said situation of said service consumer matches said scope of said service instance.

Method and apparatus for a context-based service look up

There is provided a method and a system for documenting a transfer of authority of control for a container from a first entity of a transportation chain to a second entity of the transportation chain. The first entity transfers an electronic container control certificate to an electronic seal of the respective container, which electronic container control certificate comprises a cryptographic key associated to the second entity, and which container control certificate is digitally signed by the first entity. The container control certificate is stored in a log of the electronic seal.

Documenting security related aspects in the process of container shipping

Systems, methods and computer products for establishing a mesh-network consisting of wireless personal area network (WPAN) having a large number of nodes. Exemplary embodiments include a gradient-driven mesh-network establishment method, including switching on a plurality of nodes in a vicinity of the wireless personal area network, detecting an acknowledgment signal via a wireless personal area network signal, querying for at least one or a resource and a physical quantity, selecting a subset of the plurality of nodes and instructing the subset of the plurality of nodes to send out a low power radio transceiver DISCOVER squirt signal to a neighborhood associated with the subset of the plurality of nodes, wherein nodes exclusive of the subset of the plurality of nodes turn off in response to an expiration of a time-out period.

Systems, methods and computer products for providing a gradient driven mesh-network establishment

A method for tracking a plurality of containers each joined to an electronic tracking device having routing capabilities and a WPAN-enabled radio receiver/transmitter configured to attempt to connect to a pre-configured WPAN upon being activated comprises activating the radio receiver/transmitter of each tracking device joined to a container being loaded onto a cargo vessel; receiving an indication from each tracking device that fails to connect to the WPAN; intermittently performing a network scan to locate each WPAN-connected tracking device; intermittently configuring the WPAN to include each WPAN-connected tracking device in a hybrid tree-mesh network topology; intermittently configuring routing information stored on each WPAN-connected tracking device to maintain mutual communication with each WPAN-connected tracking device and enable mutual communication between each WPAN-connected tracking device; receiving transport-related data from each WPAN-connected tracking device; transmitting the transport-related data to a control station through a LAN on the vessel; broadcasting a request to be routed between the WPAN-connected tracking devices in a depth-first traversal of the network topology that directs each WPAN-connected tracking device to enter a low-power mode when the depth-first traversal backtracks from the tracking device; and receiving an acknowledgment of the request communicated from each WPAN-connected tracking device when the tracking device enters the low-power mode.

Method for tracking containers using a low-rate wireless personal area network system

A WPAN system for establishing communication between a control station of a cargo vessel and a plurality of containers that are loaded onto the vessel is provided that comprises a base station configured to establish and manage a pre-configured WPAN having a hybrid tree-mesh network topology and a plurality of electronic tracking devices each being provided with a WPAN-enabled radio receiver/transmitter and routing capabilities. The base station is configured to communicate with the control station through a local area network on the vessel. Each tracking device is configured to be joined to a respective container of the plurality of containers and to connect to the WPAN upon being activated. The base station is configured to intermittently perform a network scan to locate each tracking device that is connected to the WPAN and dynamically reconfigure the network topology to include each tracking device connected to the WPAN to maintain mutual communication with each connected tracking device using the routing capabilities of the tracking devices.

Low-rate wireless personal area network system for tracking containers

A message queuing mail system is improved by preventing duplication of mail messages at the source when the same mail message is being sent to a plurality of destinations and also preventing unnecessary later redirection of mail messages in the mail delivery network, without requiring that the mail delivery netowrk have access to a mail directory, by defining addressing information and procedures that create, manipulate, and use the addressing information in a way that ensures that messages are replicated and redirected in the mail delivery network only when required.

Message queuing distribution services for mail systems

A method and apparatus are provided for maximum-likelihood data detection in a partial-response (PR) data channel including a head and disk assembly providing an analog signal coupled to an analog to digital converter (ADC) providing digital samples. A plurality of digital samples are received from the ADC. The received digital samples are applied to a selected first filter and a selected second filter. The first filtered digital samples are applied to a first data detector, and the second filtered digital samples are applied to a second data detector. A predetermined parameter is identified, and at least one of the first and second data detectors is selected responsive to the identified predetermined parameter.

Data detection methods and apparatus for a direct access storage device

A method and apparatus for detection of a timing data sequence and an end-of-preamble (EOP) flag based on a maximum-likelihood (ML) test performed on received data timing samples after synchronization has been achieved is described. The preamble preceding transmitted user data consists of a timing sequence followed by a known sequence of bits marking its end. After detection of synchronization, the receipt of the timing data sequence is recognized when an ML test detects no more than n.sub.V violations during a sequence of n.sub.l received samples. Similarly, the receipt of the EOP flag is recognized as soon as n.sub.F violations an ML test have occurred in the received sample sequence after recognition of the timing data sequence.

Preamble recognition and synchronization detection in partial-response

In recording systems using partial-response maximum-likelihood detection (PRML) techniques, data sequences are preceded by a preamble consisting of all ones. Coding schemes are disclosed which allow to keep the number of consecutive ones occurring in the coded data sequences at a minimum, while simultaneously restricting the number of consecutive zeros in full and partial data sequences to a low value which is important for improving receiver operation. The disclosed coding schemes and apparatus enable a faster and more reliable discrimination between timing preambles and data sequences, thus allowing to use shorter timing preambles which results in faster receiver start-up and in a reduction of storage overhead for the preambles.

Data coding for fast start-up of PRML receivers

A method and apparatus are provided for controlling a digital filter function included in a data path within gain and timing control loops of a PRML magnetic recording channel. The digital filter function is removed from the data path during an acquisition mode and the digital filter function is restored to the data path during a tracking mode. A predetermined gain and a quantized delay at a synchronization frequency are provided when switching from acquisition mode to tracking mode. A unity gain and a delay of an integer number of sample periods are provided at a synchronization frequency when switching from acquisition mode to tracking mode.

Method and apparatus for digital filter control in a partial-response

The channel characteristics of magnetic-disk storage devices vary with track radius. An adaptive three-tap transversal equalizer that compensates these variations for systems using partial-response signaling is presented. The equalizer coefficients are updated by applying a procedure that is related to the recursive least-squares algorithm. This new updating procedure does not require multiplications and is well suited for high-speed implementation. Results obtained by computer simulations and measurements with a prototype have shown that the proposed adaptive equalizer can effectively compensate variations in magnetic-disk channel characteristics with track radius.

Adaptive equalization for recording systems using partial-response

An apparatus and a method for fast acquisition of the sample-timing phase in systems using partial-response signalling are disclosed. For fast initial adjustment of the timing phase, a known preamble is transmitted. During that phase, previous schemes could occasionally hang up for an extended period of time at the unstable equilibrium point halfway between the desired sampling times. The new procedure eliminates the hangup problem by introducing a hysteresis effect which greatly diminishes the probability of reversals in the once chosen direction of timing-phase adjustment. Thus, reliable adjustment of the timing phase with a much shorter preamble is achieved. The apparatus for furnishing a timing correction signal .DELTA..tau..sub.n includes a timing gradient generator portion (41) and a data sample reconstruction portion (43). The data sample reconstruction portion (43) develops a present reconstructed data sample x.sub.n from the present received signal sample y.sub.n and a previous reconstructed data sample. The output x.sub.n of the data sample reconstruction portion is delayed and furnished to the gradient generation portion (41) which also receives the present received signal sample y.sub.n and a delayed received signal sample, for generating the timing correction signal .DELTA..tau..sub.n.

Fast timing acquisition for partial-response signalling

A maximum-likelihood sequence decoder is used with a partial-response signaling system for processing sequences of sampled values from a communication channel or recording device. The partial-response signals can be duobinary, dicode, or partial-response class-IV. The maximum-likelihood decoding for each sequence can be based upon a two-state trellis. Instead of two survivor metrics for two states, only a difference metric is necessary.

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Waedenswil, Switzerland

Francois Bernard Dolivo