Techniques described herein facilitate approval or disapproval of individual segments found within discrete pieces of content. By facilitating approval or disapproval on a per-segment basis, the described techniques allow for more granular feedback to the pieces of content than do traditional techniques. Furthermore, by indicating instances where individual segments receive broad approval or broad disapproval, the described techniques allow for better understanding of which individual segments of the content have been broadly deemed helpful and which individual have been broadly deemed unhelpful. This level of granularity contrasts with traditional techniques that simply indicate approval or disapproval of a piece of content in its entirety.

Companies utilizing network-accessible sites (e.g., websites, intranets, etc.) continually strive to make their sites more dynamic, compelling, and easier for users to use. For instance, e-commerce websites may strive to make it easier for customers to locate, learn about, and purchase or otherwise acquire items. To help achieve this and other goals, these companies typically allow customers to upload reviews of items that users acquired via the site. That is, a customer who has purchased a certain item may create and upload a review of that item, whether the review is positive, negative, or neutral. These uploaded reviews may be helpful to other customers who are considering acquiring the reviewed item. In addition to providing a platform for such item reviews, these companies continue to seek ways to improve customer experiences.

Facilitating approval or disapproval of individual segments of content


A wireless communications link comprising an RF link and a free space optics (FSO) link, a switch, an RF signal monitoring apparatus, an optical signal monitoring apparatus, alarm apparatus and a controller. The switch operates in a normal mode to aggregate the links to form a link aggregation group and to route traffic on the link aggregation group, a first protection mode to route traffic on the FSO link, or a second protection mode to route traffic on the RF link. The controller is arranged to receive an alarm signal and to generate and transmit a control signal to cause the switch to operate in the first protection mode when a first alarm signal is received, the second protection mode when a second alarm signal is received, and the normal mode when an indicator is received indicating that both signal quality parameters are above their threshold values.

One of the major expenses for wireless communications network service providers is the backhaul of traffic, which is rapidly increasing due to the introduction of high speed data services. There is therefore a need to add transmission capacity to the backhaul of wireless communications networks in order to handle the increasing data traffic and other traffic such as voice traffic. One solution which has been considered is to use both microwave backhaul and fibre optic backhaul in the lower radio access network of a wireless communications network, in place of the conventional microwave backhaul. However, while a fibre optic backhaul provides a much higher traffic transmission capacity than a microwave backhaul, the costs of implementing a fibre optic backhaul are considerably higher than a microwave backhaul. A further solution, which offers the higher transmission capacity of a fibre optic backhaul but without the same installation costs, is a free space optics backhaul. A free space optics transmission system works in a similar way to a fibre optic transmission system, with the only difference being that the optical signals are propagated in air as the transport medium. Whilst free space optics backhaul systems offer higher transmission capacity, they can be less reliable than microwave backhaul due to their greater susceptibility to failure due to adverse weather conditions. A solution to this has been proposed in US 2004/0208591 in which a hybrid wireless optical and radio frequency communications link is provided. The optical (freespace optics) link is used to provide the primary transmission path for traffic, whilst the radio frequency link provides a backup path for traffic and a primary path for control and status signaling. When atmospheric conditions degrade the optical link to the point where optical signal transmission fails, transmission is switched to the radio frequency link.


Various approaches for embedding identifier information in a configuration bitstream for a programmable logic device (PLD) are disclosed. In various embodiments, the bits in the configuration bitstream that are unused in implementing a the design are identified. The identifier information is encrypted, and a subset of the unused bits are selected using a pseudo-random function. The encrypted identifier information is placed in the selected subset of unused bits. Decryption is accomplished by reversing the encryption approach.

Programmable logic devices (PLDs) are becoming increasingly complex and powerful and capable of implementing a wide range of functionality. The power of PLDs in combination with ease of configuration and reconfiguration are factors in the increasing popularity of these devices.
Various security and control issues are increasing in importance as designs become increasingly complex. The costs associated with developing complex designs are great, making these designs targets for theft and infringement. The configuration data, which implements a design and may be used to configure a PLD, may include parts that are derived from licensed designs, as well parts developed by a user at significant expense. A PLD is easily configurable with configuration data. Likewise, the configuration data may be easily read back from the device and deployed on other similar devices. Preventing unauthorized use and exposing piracy of a design may be difficult because the configuration data may be easily copied. Confirming the unauthorized use of a design in a suspected copy may also be difficult.
In addition to configuration data, other information of interest in a complex design may include revision control and design-identifying information. Associating revision and design description information with the configuration data may be desirable. However, in certain situations making this information apparent to an unauthorized observer may be undesirable.
The present invention may address one or more of the above issues.

Concealed, non-intrusive watermarks for configuration bitstreams


An augmented boot code module includes instructions to be executed by a processing unit during a boot process. The augmented boot code module also includes an encrypted version of a cryptographic key that can be decrypted with a cryptographic key that remains in the processing unit despite a reset of the processing unit. In one embodiment, the processing unit may decrypt the encrypted version of the cryptographic key and then use the decrypted key to establish a protected communication channel with a security processor, such as a trusted platform module (TPM). Other embodiments are described and claimed.

A processing system may include hardware resources, such as a central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), and nonvolatile memory. The processing system may also include software resources, such as a basic input/output system (BIOS), a virtual machine monitor (VMM), and one or more guest operating systems (OSs) running on the VMM. When the computer system is started or reset, it may load the BIOS, and then the VMM. The VMM may then create one or more virtual machines, and the virtual machines may boot to different OSs or to different instances of the same OS.
In addition to RAM and one or more CPUs, a processing system may include a security coprocessor, such as a trusted platform module (TPM). A TPM is a hardware component that resides within a processing system and provides various facilities and services for enhancing the security of the processing system. For example, a TPM may be implemented as an integrated circuit (IC) or semiconductor chip, and it may be used to protect data and to attest to the configuration of a platform. A TPM may be implemented in accordance with specifications such as the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) TPM Specification Version 1.2, dated Oct. 2, 2003 (hereinafter the "TPM specification"), which includes parts such as Design Principles, Structures of the TPM, and TPM Commands. The TPM specification is published by the TCG and is available from the Internet at www.trustedcomputinggroup.org/home.
The sub-components of a TPM may include an execution engine and secure nonvolatile (NV) memory or storage. The secure NV memory is used to store sensitive information, such as encryption keys, and the execution engine protects the sensitive information according to the security policies dictated by the TPM's control logic.
In general, a TCG-compliant TPM provides security services such as attesting to the identity and/or integrity of the platform, based on characteristics of the platform. The platform characteristics typically considered by a TPM include hardware components of the platform, such as the processor(s) and chipset, as well as the software residing in the platform, such as the firmware and OS. A TPM may also support auditing and logging of software processes, as well as verification of platform boot integrity, file integrity, and software licensing. A TPM may therefore be considered the root of trust for a platform.

Methods and apparatus for protecting data


A widescreen television system compatible with a lesser aspect ratio standard television system employs a panning operation using a circular-shift method to keep a 4.times.3 aspect ratio panning window (area of primary interest) centered for display purposes. Illustratively, when the panning window is shifted left by a given amount at the widescreen signal source, a corresponding portion of right sidepanel image information is "cut" and "pasted" alongside left sidepanel image information so that the panning window remains substantially centered with respect to side panel information. A reverse cut-and-paste operation is performed at a widescreen receiver to restore the original widescreen spatial format. A standard 4.times.3 aspect ratio receiver processes and displays the centered panning window information normally, unaffected by the panning operation at the widescreen signal source.

A conventional television receiver, such as a receiver in accordance with the NTSC broadcast standard adopted in the United States and elsewhere, has a 4.times.3 aspect ratio (the ratio of the width to the height of a displayed image). Recently, there has been interest in using higher aspect ratios for television systems, such as 2.times.1, 5.times.3 or 16.times.9, since such higher aspect ratios more nearly approximate or equal the aspect ratio of the human eye than does the 4.times.3 aspect ratio of a standard television receiver display.
It is desirable for widescreen television systems to be compatible with standard television receivers to facilitate the widespread adoption of widescreen systems. One known compatible widescreen television system is described by M. A. Isnardi et al. in an article "Encoding for Compatibility and Recoverability in the ACTV System", published in IEEE Transactions on Broadcasting, Vol. BC-33, December 1987, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,811 of M. A. Isnardi. This known system develops a single channel compatible widescreen television signal which produces a standard 4.times.3 aspect ratio display when received by a conventional television receiver, and which produces a widescreen 5.times.3 aspect ratio display when received by a widescreen television receiver.
The widescreen television system proposed by Isnardi was described in the context of a system wherein the compatible 4.times.3 main image area is horizontally centered on the widescreen image. However, when the main image action is off-center, it may be desirable for the compatible 4.times.3 NTSC display to follow the main action. That is, it may be desirable to steer the standard 4.times.3 display area so that it follows the main image action. Such a procedure is well known and is commonly referred to as "panning" or "pan and scan", wherein a panning window follows the main image action. To implement panning, an operator such as a studio technician monitors the widescreen television signal image before transmission, and manually controls the panning window so that it follows the main image action. Such control simultaneously produces a panning control signal representative of the position of the panning window relative to a nominal center position. The control signal can be transmitted with the television signal, e.g., in the vertical blanking interval.

Video panning system for widescreen television


A probe (20) that inspects a countersunk hole (21) in a conductive body, such as an aircraft part (22), is provided. A plurality of nested cylinders form an electrode cartridge (54) with a countersink portion (74) having a frustoconical shape and a hole portion (76) having a cylindrical shape. A plurality of lower hole electrode strips (72) are mounted on a lower hole cylinder (110) and a plurality of upper hole electrode strips (70) are mounted on an upper hole cylinder (116). A plurality of lower countersink electrode strips (68) are coupled to a lower countersink cylinder (124) and a plurality of upper countersink electrode strips (66) are coupled to an upper countersink cylinder (132). A dielectric layer (64) covers a plurality of measuring electrode tips (67, 69, 71 and 73) and an outer surface (150) of the hole and countersink portions (76 and 74). A grounding electrode (158) is mounted on the upper hole cylinder ( 116). A ground wire (162) is coupled to the grounding electrode (158) and extends beyond the dielectric layer (64). When probe (20) is inserted into the countersunk hole (21), the countersunk hole (21) is grounded by the ground wire (162). A charging current applied to the measuring electrode strips (66, 68, 70 and 72) in a sequential manner, causes the measuring electrode tips (67, 69, 71 and 73) form fringe field capacitors with the ground wall of the countersunk hole (21). The fringe field capacitors charge up at a rate dependent, in part, upon the distance between the probe (20) and the wall of the countersunk hole (21). Sufficient rate measurements are made of the distance between the probe (20) and the wall of the countersunk hole (20) to permit another device (30) to determine whether the geometry and orientation of the countersunk hole (21) are within engineering specifications.

Many parts of an aircraft are held together by mechanical fasteners, such as rivets or bolts, as opposed to welds or other "permanent"-type connections. Mechanical fasteners can be removed so that the aircraft parts can be disassembled when, and if, the need arises. Typically, these fasteners are formed of a head on one end of a shaft. In most cases, the shaft is a substantially cylindrical shape and the head is a frustoconical shape. Accordingly, the aircraft part must have a countersunk hole for receiving the fastener. That is, the countersunk hole must have a hole for receiving the shaft of the fastener and a countersink for receiving the head of the fastener.
It is critical to the aircraft manufacturing industry that a fastener fit properly into a countersunk hole. Properly fitting fasteners provide structural integrity to the aircraft by securely holding parts together. In addition, where a fastener is inserted into an external part, such as the skin of the aircraft, a fastener must sit flush with the surface of the part so that the aerodynamic qualities of the part surface are maintained. Conversely, the structural integrity and aerodynamic surfaces of the aircraft may be impaired by fasteners that do not fit properly into countersunk holes.
The hole and countersink must have appropriate geometries to ensure the fastener will be properly received. The hole should have a cylindrical shape and have a diameter substantially equal to the shaft diameter. Likewise, the countersink should have a frustoconical shape and have a depth and diameter substantially equal to the height and diameter of the head. Clearly, assuming the fastener is made to specifications, if the countersink is the wrong shape or size, the head of the fastener may not sit flush with the part surface. Likewise, if the hole is the wrong shape or size, the fastener may not fit into the hole at all, or there may be an unacceptable amount of "play" between the part and the shaft of the fastener. In any event, the structural integrity and aerodynamic surfaces of the aircraft may be adversely affected by an ill-fitting fastener.
In addition to having the proper geometry, the hole and countersink must also have the proper orientation with respect to each other and the aircraft part to ensure the fastener will fit properly. In most cases the shaft and head of a fastener are coaxial. To ensure a proper fit, the hole and countersink of a particular countersunk hole must also be coaxial. Furthermore, to ensure the head sits flush with the part surface, the hold and countersink should be normal to the part surface. Accordingly, if the hole and countersink are not coaxial, or if they are coaxial, but are not normal to the part surface, the fastener may not fit properly into the countersunk hole and, as a result, the structural integrity of the aircraft and the aerodynamic surfaces may be adversely affected.
There is no known apparatus presently available in the aircraft manufacturing industry for automatically inspecting a countersunk hole to determine whether the geometry, as well as the orientation of the hole and countersink are within engineering specifications. Current industry practice calls for manufacturing personnel to manually insert a fastener into a countersunk hole and make a visual inspection of the fit. If the fastener does not appear to fit properly, e.g., the head of the fastener is not flush with the part surface, or the shaft does not fit into the hole, the hole and/or countersink may be redrilled in an attempt to correct the problem. Visual inspection is a relatively inexact method of inspection that is subject to errors and oversights, which may threaten the structural integrity and aerodynamic performance of the aircraft. It is desirable to detect these problems early in the maufacturing process because the cost of correcting the problems is less than when the problems are detected, and corrected, later in the manufacturing process. The inaccurate nature of visual inspection may result in these problems being overlooked, which, in turn, may result in more costly corrections later in the manufacturing process. Considering the large number of fasteners that are inserted into countersunk holes in an aircraft, the cost and opportunity for error with such a method become even more significant.
As a result, there has developed a need in the aircraft manufacturing industry for an apparatus that will automatically inspect a countersunk hole in conductive aircraft part and determine whether the geometry and the orientation of the countersunk hole are within engineering specifications. The present invention provides a capacitance probe having a novel configuration that permits the probe to be inserted into a countersunk hole. A fringe field capacitance technique is used to measure the distance between the probe and the walls of the hole and countersink of a countersunk hole. The probe provides adequate measurement information to permit another device, which does not form a part of this invention, to compute the geometry and orientation of the countersunk hole and determine if the countersunk hole is within engineering specifications. An example of such a device can be found in a contemporaneously filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. entitled "Method and Apparatus for Measuring the Distance Between a Body and a Capacitance Probe," by Dennis P. Sarr and Patrick L. Anderson, application Ser. No. 07/320,315, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Probe for inspecting countersunk holes in conductive bodies