Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Canon Development Americas, Inc.

Mattel, Inc.

Canon U.s.a., Inc.

Paul Chen

Derek Hee Jun Cha

Yokichi Joe Tanaka

Martin Page

Martin Proepper

Katayoun Shoa

Derek Cha

Royce Earle Slick

Don Francis Purpura

Neil Y Iwamoto

Richard Alexander Wilson, Jr

Vladimir Sevastyanov

Stephanie Ann Suzuki

James Justin Depoy

Hye-Sook Kim Lee

Rajini Bala Giridharagopal

Stephen Keung

Derek Chas

Improved techniques for identifying objects, such as toy objects, are presented herein. In particular, a play system (e.g., game, doll playset, track set, etc.) includes a probed surface for use in obtaining electrical tomography measurements when toy objects are placed on the probed surface. The play system is configured to analyze the electrical tomography measurements to determine an identity of the toy object placed on the probed surface.

Electrical tomography-based object recognition

The disclosure relates to quality of service (QOS) features for a router. The router may determine whether a congestion level of a first interface of the set of network interfaces exceeds a threshold level. Responsive to the congestion level exceeding the threshold level, the router activates a traffic analyzer configured to identify a first session that is present in the data traffic and inserts a set of packets that are part of the first session into a first queue of the set of queues via an expedited communications path over a bus. The router also forwards the set of packets in accordance with the desired quality of service.

Real-time analysis of quality of service for multimedia traffic in a local area network

A computer-implemented method of limiting access time to a computer network for client computing devices may comprise disposing an access controlling device such as a router between the computer network and the client computing devices such that the client computing devices can only access the network through the access controlling device, at least while within an area of coverage thereof. A unique identifier may be stored for client computing devices whose access to the network is to be limited and a selectable allowable cumulative network access time period may be stored for at least some of these client computing devices. Using at least the unique identifiers, the cumulative network usage time may be tracked for each of the client computing devices. The access controlling device may then prevent further network access to those client computing devices whose tracked cumulative network usage time exceeds the selectable allowable cumulative network access time period.

Devices and methods configured to control network access time

The embodiments relate to configuring and updating quality of service (QOS) features for a router, especially for routers used in a home network or local area network. The QOS features are autonomous and do not require user configuration or intervention. The QOS features may be triggered during periods of congestion. Popular traffic services, such as voice, video streaming, and gaming, are preloaded into the router so that they are recognized automatically. In some embodiments, the router employs a programmed table to identify traffic sessions. The table may be updated remotely by an update service. The table may also be updated locally by a user via a client coupled to the router.

Methods and systems for configuring and updating session-based quality of service for multimedia traffic in a local area network

A computer-implemented method of limiting access time to a computer network for client computing devices may comprise disposing an access controlling device such as router between the computer network and the client computing devices such that the client computing devices can only access the network through the access controlling device, at least while within an area of coverage thereof. A unique identifier may be stored for client computing devices whose access to the network is to be limited and a selectable allowable cumulative network access time period may be stored for at least some of these client computing devices. Using at least the unique identifiers, the cumulative network usage time may be tracked for each of the client computing devices. The access controlling device may then prevent further network access to those client computing devices whose tracked cumulative network usage time exceeds the selectable allowable cumulative network access time period.

The embodiments relate to quality of service (QOS) features for a router, especially a router used in a home network or local area network. In the embodiments, the router is enhanced to be capable of measuring, detecting traffic sessions, and analyzing traffic in real time. The real-time analysis identifies traffic sessions in the data traffic and provides QOS to the traffic sessions. The QOS features are autonomous and do not require user configuration or intervention. In some embodiments, the real-time analysis and QOS features are triggered during periods of congestion.

Display screen or portion thereof with graphical user interface

A method of replacing a first network-enabled device with a second network-enabled device within a network may comprise placing the second network-enabled device in client mode within the network such that the second network-enabled device is configured to search for the first network-enabled device. A protocol may then be invoked on the first and second network-enabled devices, the protocol being configured to enable an exchange of the network name and password information from the first network-enabled device to the second network-enabled device in client mode. The second network-enabled device, in client mode, may be configured according to the obtained network name and password information. The second network-enabled device may then be switched from client mode to a second mode that provides replacement functionality for the first network-enabled device. The first network-enabled device may then be replaced with the second network-enabled device.

Methods and devices for replacing and configuring a router in a network

Embodiments of a wireless roaming management system are disclosed, wherein the system is configured to manage roaming of a client device across access points. The system includes processor(s) and memory for storing signal strength data for access points operating on a local area network. In one embodiment, the system is configured to transfer a client device from one access point to another. For example, in response to receiving, from a source access point, a request for a roaming calculation for a client device connected to the source access point, the system can determine a target access point to transfer the client device based on the stored signal strength data and the roaming calculation. The system can then cause the client device to be disconnected from the source access point and connected to the target access point.

Roaming management for client devices

A router may be configured to receive a request for a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) from a uniquely-identified client device coupled to the router; send the received URL to a first remote site over a computer network; receive, from the first remote site, a value to which the first remote site has associated the URL; determine whether the received value is sufficient to allow the uniquely-identified client device to access the URL; and allow the uniquely-identified client device to access the URL if the received value is determined to be sufficient and disallow access to the URL by the uniquely-identified client device if the received value is determined not to be sufficient.

Cloud to local router security

A device comprising a router may be configured to couple to a gateway device and may be configured, upon being assigned a Wide Area Network (WAN) Internet Protocol (IP) address by the gateway device, to iteratively: (1) determine whether a LAN IP address of the device conflicts with the assigned WAN IP address; and (2) change the LAN IP address of the device if the LAN IP address of the device conflicts with the WAN IP address assigned by the network gateway.

Methods and devices configured for IP address conflict detection and resolution upon assignment of WAN IP address

A method of replacing a first router with a second router within a network may comprise placing the second router in client mode within the network such that the second router is not configured to route network traffic and is configured to search for a network access point provided by the first router. A protocol may then be invoked on the first and second routers, the protocol being configured to enable an exchange of the network name and password information from the first router to the second router in client mode. The second router, in client mode, may be configured according to the obtained network name and password information. The second router may then be switched from client mode back to router mode and enabled to route network traffic on the network. The first router may then be replaced with the second router.

The present invention relates to a state machine which has a dual process which receives and concurrently processes ad-hoc and infrastructure processes. The dual process state concurrently executes both processes by either over-clocking a media access control core, or by routing the processes to multiple media access control cores for processing. The state machine contains an ad-hoc process state which accepts either an ad-hoc or an infrastructure signal, and either processes the signal if the received signal is an ad-hoc signal, or transfers control to an infrastructure process state for processing if the received signal is an infrastructure signal. The state machine also contains an infrastructure process state which accepts either an ad-hoc or an infrastructure signal, and either processes the signal if the received signal is an infrastructure signal, or transfers control to an ad-hoc process state for processing if the received signal is an ad-hoc signal.

Wireless state machine and multiplexing method for concurrent ad-hoc and infrastructure mode service in wireless networking

A method and system for distributing electronic documents to at least one storage location of an electronic document transfer application and to at least one electronic mailbox residing on at least one printing apparatus. The method and system comprising executing a client application that transmits the electronic documents, executing a client application that receives the electronic documents, wherein the server application associates the at least one storage location of the electronic document transfer application to the at least one electronic mailbox residing on at least one printing apparatus, wherein the server application transmits the electronic documents to the at least one electronic mailbox residing on at least one printing apparatus per the association, wherein the electronic addresses corresponding to the at least one storage location of the electronic document transfer application are the same as the electronic addresses corresponding to the at least one electronic mailbox residing on the at least one printing apparatus.

Growing community of inventors

Huntington Beach, CA, United States of America

Paul Chen