Lenovo (singapore) Pte. Ltd.

International Business Machines Corporation

Yasushi Tsukamoto

Mitsuhiro Yamazaki

Fusanobu Nakamura

Yasuhiro Kitabatake

Shinichi Kikuchi

Rod D Waltermann

Randall Scott Springfield

Hiroshi Itoh

Joseph Michael Pennisi

Susumu Shimotono

Yasumichi Tsukamoto

Carlos Munoz-Bustamante

Ryohta Nomura

Jun Luo

Seiji Yamasaki

Munefumi Nakata

Hironari Nishino

Seiichi Idei

Jun Sugiyama

Ephraim D Starr

Toshiro Hiromitsu

Seiji Motai

Kenji Yanai

Kazuaki Numano

Toshiroh Hiromitsu

Toshirob Hiromitsu

An apparatus for video signal switching for use with an external graphics processing unit device includes an input unit of an information processing device configured to input a first video signal from an external device comprising a graphics processing unit ('GPU') and an input/output interface, a processing unit of the information processing device configured to output a second video signal, and a switching unit configured to determine a route for a video display signal that is output to a display unit, the route selected from an external route along which the first video signal is output to the display unit without going through the processing unit and an internal route along which the second video signal is output to the display unit. A computer program product and a system perform the functions of the apparatus.

Video signal switching for use with an external graphics processing unit device

An apparatus is provided to improve external graphics processing unit management. The apparatus includes a request information acquisition unit configured to acquire disconnection request information for requesting disconnection of an external signal processing device, where the external signal processing device is configured to execute at least part of signal processing in processing performed by running the application. The apparatus also includes a storage unit capable of storing files utilized by the application, and an exit control unit configured to issue a first command, the first command indicative of an instruction to exit after saving working files to the storage unit, to an application using signal processing by the signal processing device among running applications in response to the request information acquisition unit receiving the disconnection request information.

External GPU management

A method of driving an actuator using a shape memory alloy is provided. An impact-driven actuator is activated by a pulse voltage generated by an action of a transistor. A keyboard outputs a key event at the timing of an input operation. A stress monitoring unit calculates a stress amount of an impact-driven actuator based on parameters of a key event and a pulse voltage. A stress adjustment unit changes the parameter of the pulse voltage when the stress amount reaches a permissible value. The parameter may be a wave crest value or a pulse width of the pulse voltage. The stress adjustment section is also able to stop the action of the impact-driven actuator in response to a key event corresponding to a break code.

Method and apparatus for driving actuators

An apparatus, method, and program product that can reduce noise caused by haptic feedback are provided. One apparatus includes a display that displays a cursor. The apparatus includes an input device that detects a user operation and generates operation data for operating the cursor based on the user operation. The apparatus also includes a haptic feedback device that provides haptic feedback based on the operation of the cursor. The apparatus includes a control device that controls the operation of the cursor based on the operation data, and modifies the operation data to reduce noise caused by the haptic feedback during a time period in which the haptic feedback is generated.

Apparatus, method, and program product to reduce noise

For indirect determination of digit movement, apparatus, methods, and computer program products are disclosed. The apparatus for indirect determination of finger movement includes a processor and a memory that stores code executable by the processor. The processor obtains frequency data corresponding to movement of a user's limb, extracts frequency data having a predetermined feature value from the measured frequency data; and determines from the extracted frequency data whether the movement of the limb corresponds to a predetermined digit motion.

Determining digit movement from frequency data

An apparatus for driving an actuator using a shape memory alloy is provided. The apparatus includes an actuator having a shape memory alloy, a pulse signal generating device for generating a pulse signal, and a switch for applying a pseudo single pulse voltage signal to the actuator. The pseudo single pulse voltage signal is generated by performing switching control of a predetermined voltage according to a set of successive micro-pulse signals.

Method and apparatus for driving actuators using a shape memory alloy

A keyboard that can yield a favorable keying feeling to a user is disclosed. The keyboard includes multiple keys, a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure used for pressing a key, a haptic device configured to generate haptic feedback that involves a micro vibration, and a feedback control unit configured to issue a signal used for driving the haptic device according to the pressure that the pressure sensor has sensed. In response to one-time key pressing, the feedback control unit issues a drive signal for generating a first haptic feedback when the pressure that the pressure sensor has sensed reaches a first threshold value, and a drive signal for generating a second haptic feedback when the pressure that the pressure sensor has sensed reaches a second threshold value.

Keyboard

A computer capable of recognizing gesture commands is disclosed. Suppose that a user makes a gesture of swinging a hand from side to side in front of a camera associated with a computer. A camera module receives frames with shots of the gesture in order. The camera module calculates a gradation difference between corresponding pixels of each frame and a background image to generate a set of binarized differential images. The camera module then combines differential images to generate composite images. In response to a determination that any of the composite images matches a reference pattern, the camera module outputs a computer command. The computer command can be used to control the power state of the computer or start a specific application within the computer.

Method for recognizing motion gesture commands

An approach is provided that, upon receiving a keyboard event, reduces a volume of an audio input channel from a first volume level to a lower volume level. After the volume of the audio input channel is reduced, the approach waits until a system event occurs, with the system event based at least in part on the occurrence of a nondeterministic event. The volume of the audio input channel is then increased from the lower volume level to a higher volume level when the system event occurs

Noise reduction during voice over IP sessions

An apparatus is provided with a device storing machine readable code and a processor executing the machine readable code. The machine readable code includes sound setting code and audio processing code. The sound setting code detects use of a microphone and sets sound characteristics that are suitable for conversation in response to detecting the use of the microphone. The audio processing code processes sound on the basis of the sound characteristics set by the sound setting code.

Sound output setting apparatus, method, and computer program product

Provided is a transmitter for continuously and sequentially transmitting data with a variable unit for playback. The transmitter includes an obtaining section, a buffer, a computing section and a transmitting section. The obtaining section sequentially obtains segment data of the data to be transmitted. The buffer stores an error correction code to correct an error caused in the data by transmission. The computing section computes, every time newly obtained segment data reaches a predetermined size, XOR of the error correction code already stored in the buffer and the newly obtained segment data, and then updates the error correction code with the computed XOR. The transmitting section sequentially transmits the obtained segment data, as well as reads from the buffer and transmits the updated error correction code every time the computing section computes XOR for data in a size corresponding to the unit for playback.

Transmitting data with variable unit for playback

A method, apparatus, and program for allowing a first transmitting apparatus among a plurality of transmitting apparatuses connected to a network to transmit data packets to the network. The method includes: receiving a control packet transmitted from a second transmitting apparatus among the plurality of transmitting apparatuses, judging whether the received control packet indicates permission for the first transmitting apparatus to transmit data packets, and also, transmitting data packets in response to the judgment that the permission is indicated, or receiving an additional control packet in response to the judgment that the permission is not indicated; and, transmitting a new control packet indicating, as a transmitting apparatus permitted to transmit data packets subsequently, one transmitting apparatus selected by a predetermined rule from the plurality of transmitting apparatuses, on condition that the transmission of the data packet is completed.

Method, apparatus and program for transferring data

The present invention aims at improving an image compression rate and enhancing quality of images after expansion. An image compression device generates compressed data formed by compressing an image. The device includes a boundary area detection section for detecting boundary areas which include both of internal and external parts of an object rendered in the image, from among plural areas included in the image; a non-boundary area data generation section for, by compressing non-boundary areas which are not the boundary areas in the image, in a predetermined compression mode, generating partial compressed data in the compressed data, corresponding to the non-boundary areas; and a boundary area data generation section for generating partial compressed data in the compressed data, corresponding to the boundary areas, from the boundary areas, in a mode in which difference between images before compression and after expansion is less in comparison with a case where the boundary areas are compressed in the predetermined compression mode.

Image compression and expansion technique

To allow a telop image to be displayed appropriately even when color information and transparency information for the telop image are transmitted over a network, the present invention provides a telop image sending/receiving system comprising a telop image sending apparatus and a telop image receiving apparatus in which the telop image sending apparatus has an OA fill signal input section for inputting color information for a telop image, an OA key signal input section for inputting transparency information for the telop image, an association storage section for storing color information and transparency information as a pair, a data compression section for compressing data, and a sending section for sending compressed color information and transparency information to a receiving apparatus, and the telop image receiving apparatus has a reception and storage section for receiving and storing the information, a data decompression section for performing data decompression, an OA fill signal output section for outputting color information, and an OA key signal output section for outputting transparency information.

Growing community of inventors

Yamato, Japan

Yasushi Tsukamoto