Abstract: A system, method and programmed article of manufacture to perform efficient encryption key updates in encrypted database-as-a-service (DAS) environments using a key registry and key locks. A database as a service environment allows organizations to send their data management infrastructures to a database service provider. The service provider employs data encryption techniques to ensure the privacy of hosted data. The security of encryption techniques relies on the confidentiality of the encryption keys. The dynamic nature of the encrypted database in the DAS model adds complexity and raises specific requirements on key management techniques. The solution is provided by the key registry and by the key update lock, key management process and log management process to allow data update access to data concurrently with encryption key update for the same data.

Abstract: The invention described herein utilizes a universally known and accepted unique item that is independently identifiable and valuable so as to be constituted for difficulty of counterfeiting as an authenticator item. The identity of this item is included in an authorization calculation which can only be accomplished by an authorizing issuing authority. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the authenticator is a serial numbered item such as a currency bill or note. The document may be created in a decentralized fashion using ordinary plain paper and the document may even take electronic or other forms. The issuing authority must have the critical or important details of the document and must authorize the creation of the document before it can be created. Further the document's authenticity may be verified without communication back to the issuing authority.

Abstract: A system which provides a continuous indication of the operating integrity, of an entire image capture and processing system without the need for interfering with document throughput or the need for special paper test documents to be inserted into the scanning path. The system monitors performance from document presentation and scanner output, through image processing. It schedules maintenance of the system on an actual as needed basis. It continuously collects and monitors the imaging characteristics from work documents being processed and calculates a projected date at which maintenance will be required in order to retain system operating integrity. Minimum and maximum video values are collected from the output of each picture element sensor for each document. A running indication of system integrity is stored in a white trend array and a black trend array. These arrays are adjusted after an interval of time or one or more documents have been processed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing speaker noise involves producing a control signal indicating whether or not audio program content is imminent in an audio signal operable to be transmitted to a speaker and transmitting the control signal for use by a speaker controller. The speaker controller receives the control signal and the audio signal or a speaker drive signal and provides the speaker drive signal to the speaker in response to the control signal indicating that audio program content is imminent and ceases to provide the speaker drive signal in response to the control signal indicating that audio program content is not imminent.

Abstract: A computer program product and programmed method for performing cashless payments between a customer and a dealer via a bank. The invention is embodied in an on-line computerized process between customer and dealer to define the payment method, check the availability frame, issue a voucher to describe the transaction, issue a payment instruction, signature of the issued voucher by the dealer and signature of the payment instruction by the dealer and the customer. In another embodiment, the information is gathered and the voucher and payment instructions are generated off-line. A subsequent on-line process between the dealer and bank transfer the signed payment instruction and signed voucher to the bank where computer coded checks the dealer and customer signature, checks the allocation between payment instruction and voucher, replaces the dealer and customer identity data with information for performance of the payment instruction, and performs the payment instruction and stores the voucher.

Abstract: A system for controlling access to records stored in a database queries the database to obtain an initial result set of records. The method then applies access rules to the records of the initial result set to obtain a final result set of records. Then, the method provides access to records of the final result set according to an access profile for the user requesting the records.

Abstract: A method of and system for assigning documents to users in a workflow system initially assigns a document to a specified role, rather than to a specified individual for review, further processing, and/or approval. The system determines the users signed on to the system in the specified role, and assigns the unassigned document to one of the signed on users. The system determines the users signed on to the system in the specified role by maintaining a role document for the specified role. The role document includes a list of the users assigned to the specified role and the signon/signoff status of each assigned user. The system assigns the document to a user on the role document whose signon/signoff status is signed on according to an assignment algorithm. The system updates the signon/signoff status of the role document whenever a user signs on to or off of the system.

Abstract: A workstation having low resolution and high resolution image capture apparatus such as is useful for tele-conferencing. Optical wedge apparatus is placed between an object and a focusing lens according to the invention to create multiple overlapping low resolution images of a whole object. Programmed or hardwired logic is then used to construction a high resolution image of the object by interleaving the picture elements of the low resolution images.

Abstract: A system for detecting a digital camera failure captures an image with the digital camera. The system compresses the image into a compressed image file and compares the size of the compressed image file with a predetermined file size. A digital camera failure is indicated if the size of the compressed image file is greater than a predetermined upper limit file size or less than a predetermined lower file size limit. The system may also compare the number of pixels of a predetermined color with the total number of pixels of the captured image. A digital camera failure is indicated if the number of pixels of the predetermined color is greater than a predetermined percentage of the total number of pixels of the captured image.

Abstract: A system for tests the compatibility of an external API upgrade with an existing user application during the installation of the API upgrade by installing the API upgrade in a temporary address space and launching a test process for each API of the API upgrade that is used by the existing user application. If the result received from each of the APIs matches the result expected from the API, the system completes installation of the API in permanent address space. If any test process terminates unexpectedly, or any result fails to match the expected result, the system notifies the user of a problem and terminates installation of the API upgrade.

Abstract: An automatic voice response section transfers voice input from a caller to a voice recognition section, and the voice recognition section generates a voice recognition result. The voice recognition result is synthesized at the voice response section into a voice confirmation message and sent back to the caller for confirmation that the voice input was correctly recognized. When a response by the caller to the confirmation message is negative, the automatic voice response section plays the previously received voice input from the caller as audio to a screener interface. A screener listens to the audio and enters a screener recognition result at the screener interface. The screener recognition result is synthesized into a voice response message by the voice response unit and transmitted to the caller for confirmation. Only if the caller responds negatively to the message based upon the screener recognition result is the call switched to an operator for manual handling of the callers special problems.

Abstract: In an image processing system for processing filled in forms, a method and system are disclosed for removing the fixed part or template of a form without altering the variable part or information filled into the form. Whenever the variable part overlaps a fixed part of a filled in form a straightforward removal of the template creates gaps in the information characters making them unrecognizable by Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Software. This problem is overcome, according to the invention, by scanning a filled in form using any appropriate optical device capable of capturing images made of gray level pixels. First the fixed template pixels and the variable information pixels are separated from each other based on pixel position. Thereafter, the fixed and variable part populations of pixels are further analyzed so that gaps can be filled by moving pixels from the fixed part to the variable part on the basis of their gray levels thus, permitting to filling the gaps.

Abstract: A chat system includes a chat server and a plurality of chat clients in a network that may be bandwidth constrained. Each chat client is configurable, in response to instructions from the chat server, to operate in either a master mode or a slave mode. In the master mode, a chat client is capable of initiating a chat session. In the slave mode, a chat client is incapable of initiating a chat session and may participate only in a chat session initiated by another chat client operating in the master mode. An invitor user initiates, or adds a member to, a chat session by sending an invitation to an invitee user name at a proxy address at the chat server. If the chat server determines that the invitee is logged on, the chat server forwards the invitation to the invitee at the invitee's network address.

Abstract: A system for managing documents in a distributed computing environment, which may be bandwidth limited, includes a document locker server and a document locker client. The document locker client monitors user interaction with a version of a document locally replicated from a document server. Whenever the user attempts interaction with the document, such as editing or performing a workflow action, which would change said document, the document locker client requests a lock for the document from the document locker server. The document locker server grants a lock if the document is not already locked by another user and the document locally replicated is the latest version of the document. The document locker client allows the user to perform the operation if a lock is received, without having to replicate a version of the document to the local host.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for improving recognition of patterns such as alphanumeric characters. A known recognition system is expanded to further include a complementary recognition system which is linked with the primary recognition system. An image that can not be positively recognized by the primary recognition system is passed on to the complementary recognition system and any characters not positively recognized by the complementary recognition are again passed on to a correction system. At the correction system, an operator classifies unrecognized characters which are then used to teach the complementary recognition system. Thus, the classified data of the correction system provide the training data for a continuous training process which is coupled with the correction system by a pattern adaptation system.

Abstract: Apparatus, program and method for receiving input and specifying a plurality of junctions on a map, specifying an editing object range, and specifying a predetermined block of a road by inputting modifying data items, in order to modify road attribute data items within a predetermined extent. Coordinates of a starting point and a terminal point on a map are input. Additionally, coordinates of relay points can be input. Junctions closest to the starting point and the terminal point are searched, and identified. A search for a route is performed using the junction data items, and road data items of the editing object block are specified. From the junction data items included in the editing object block, the data items of a road connected to the junction within a predetermined extent are specified, and, at the same time, made to be an editing object. Modification data is received, and road attribute data items of the road that is the modifying object are updated based on the modification data.

Abstract: An apparatus according to the invention for communication of an application (10) with a chip card (20) in which there is at least one application data storing means (30), also known as the dictionary, for recording of information concerning application specific data of the application (10), and at least one chip card dialog module (40), also known as the agent, for the generation of commands using the application data storing means (30) for an interface to the chip card (20), whereby the chip card dialog module (40) contains card specific data concerning the chip card (20). A request (100) for communication to the chip card (20) is made by the application (10) to the chip card dialog module (40) which is specified for the chip card (20). Upon the request (100), the chip card dialog module (40) generates at least one command (110), which is required for communication with the chip card (20).

Abstract: A hardware simulator (46′,100) for a transaction processing system (20,40) is disclosed. The transaction processing system is responsive to transaction requests (12) from an application (10). The simulator comprises a set of virtual hardware modules (46′) for simulating execution of transaction requests and a simulator tool (100). Each virtual hardware module is responsive to transaction requests relayed from the transaction processing system and is adapted to write the requests to an associated area of shared memory (200). The simulator tool is adapted to graphically represent a set of hardware devices, for example, an ATM. Each hardware device graphical representation (FIG. 7) is associated with an area of shared memory (200). The tool is adapted to monitor these areas of shared memory and to update a hardware device graphical representation in response to a transaction request being written to an area of shared memory associated with the graphical representation.

Abstract: A message driven processor operates as middleware between clients and back-end hosts or servers in a large client-server system to reduce the number of concurrent sessions required to be supported by the network and to allow a common client user interface to divergent back-end systems. High level requests from a client in support of a business function are translated into workflows which may involve multiple requests to back-end servers by the message driven processor. Information resulting from workflows and information retrieved from back-end servers may be integrated into a single reply message to the requesting client.

Abstract: Apparatus and method is disclosed for overcoming the voltage attenuation and ground shifts normally associated with providing DC power to distributed loads from a DC power supply without the need for excessively large conductors, the need to distribute the DC power supply or the need to provide converters at or near each load. Reasonably accurate voltage regulation at each load is provided according to the invention while using low but not insignificant resistance power conductors by providing similarly low resistance voltage sense conductors. The loads are connected between the sense conductors in a distributed fashion. Current approximating that drawn by each load is injected from the power conductors to the sense conductors at or near each load. Dynamic current requirements are supplied by capacitors connected across each load, usually mounted on the load circuit boards.