Abstract: A plastic item, such as a beverage bottle, conveys two distinct digital watermarks, encoded using two distinct signaling protocols. A first, printed label watermark conveys a retailing payload, including a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) used by a point-of-sale scanner in a retail store to identify and price the item when presented for checkout. A second, plastic texture watermark conveys a recycling payload, including data identifying the composition of the plastic. The use of two different signaling protocols assures that a point-of-sale scanner will not spend its limited time and computational resources working to decode the recycling watermark, which lacks the data needed for retail checkout. In some embodiments, a recycling apparatus makes advantageous use of both types of watermarks to identify the plastic composition of the item (e.g., relating GTIN to plastic type using an associated database), thereby increasing the fraction of items that are correctly identified for sorting and recycling.

Abstract: A plastic item, such as a beverage bottle, conveys two distinct digital watermarks, encoded using two distinct signaling protocols. A first, printed label watermark conveys a retailing payload, including a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) used by a point-of-sale scanner in a retail store to identify and price the item when presented for checkout. A second, plastic texture watermark conveys a recycling payload, including data identifying the composition of the plastic. The use of two different signaling protocols assures that a point-of-sale scanner will not spend its limited time and computational resources working to decode the recycling watermark, which lacks the data needed for retail checkout. In some embodiments, a recycling apparatus makes advantageous use of both types of watermarks to identify the plastic composition of the item (e.g., relating GTIN to plastic type using an associated database), thereby increasing the fraction of items that are correctly identified for sorting and recycling.

Abstract: Surgical systems for use in surgical procedures utilizing robotic devices. The surgical system having one or more components for housing a sensor or one or more tools for anchor or sensor delivery. The surgical system may include a surgical sensor anchor and/or a surgical sensor anchor delivery tool. A method of performing a robotically assisted surgical procedure, comprising using a surgical sensor anchor during a surgical procedure which utilizes a robot to track movement of at least one portion of a body structure undergoing a surgical procedure or to track movement of a body structure near a surgical site.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus, system and method for providing robotically assisted surgery that involves the removal of bone or non-fibrous type tissues during a surgical procedure, in particular with assistance from real-time ultrasound images from an ultrasound probe. The system utilizes a multi-axis robot having a reciprocating tool that is constructed and arranged to remove hard or non-fibrous tissues while leaving soft tissues unharmed. The multi-axis robot may be controlled via computer or telemanipulator, which allows the surgeon to complete a surgery from an area adjacent to the patient to thousands of miles away.

Abstract: Images depicting items in a waste flow on a conveyor belt are provided to two analysis systems. The first system processes images to decode digital watermark payload data found on certain of the items (e.g., plastic containers). This payload data is used to look up corresponding attribute metadata for the items in a database, such as the type of plastic in each item, and whether the item was used as a food container or not. The second analysis system can be a spectroscopy system that determines the type of plastic in each item by its absorption characteristics. When the two systems conflict in identifying the plastic type, a sorting logic processor applies a rule set to arbitrate the conflict and determine which plastic type is most likely. The item is then sorted into one of several different bins depending on a combination of the final plastic identification, and whether the item was used as a food container or not. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: A plastic item, such as a beverage bottle, can convey two distinct digital watermarks, encoded using two distinct signaling protocols. A first, printed label watermark conveys a retailing payload, including a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) used by a point-of-sale scanner in a retail store to identify and price the item when presented for checkout. A second, plastic texture watermark may convey a recycling payload, including data identifying the composition of the plastic. The use of two different signaling protocols assures that a point-of-sale scanner will not spend its limited time and computational resources working to decode the recycling watermark, which may lack data needed for retail checkout. In some embodiments, a recycling apparatus makes advantageous use of both types of watermarks to identify the plastic composition of the item (e.g., relating GTIN to plastic type using an associated database), thereby increasing the fraction of items that are correctly identified for sorting and recycling.

Abstract: In some arrangements, product packaging is digitally watermarked over most of its extent to facilitate high-throughput item identification at retail checkouts. Imagery captured by conventional or plenoptic cameras can be processed (e.g., by GPUs) to derive several different perspective-transformed views—further minimizing the need to manually reposition items for identification. Crinkles and other deformations in product packaging can be optically sensed, allowing such surfaces to be virtually flattened to aid identification. Piles of items can be 3D-modelled and virtually segmented into geometric primitives to aid identification, and to discover locations of obscured items. Other data (e.g., including data from sensors in aisles, shelves and carts, and gaze tracking for clues about visual saliency) can be used in assessing identification hypotheses about an item. Logos may be identified and used—or ignored—in product identification. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: Mobile device positioning employs various forms of audio signal structures and detection methodologies. In one method, detection of an audio signal from a first source enables construction of a signal to facilitate detection of an audio signal from another source. Signals detected from these sources enable positioning of the mobile device receiving those signals. Another method forms audio signals transmitted from audio sources so that they have parts that add constructively and parts that differentiate the sources to enable positioning. Another audio signal based positioning method adaptively switches among positioning methods so that positioning remains operative as a mobile device moves toward and away from the sources. Another method tracks positioning history, evaluates it for errors and performs error mitigation to improve accuracy. Various other positioning technologies are detailed as well.

Abstract: Content is identified using watermarking and/or other content recognition combined with contextual metadata, which facilitates identification and correlation with other content and metadata when it is posted to a network.

Abstract: The geometric pose of a patch of watermark data is estimated based on the position of a similar, but non-identical, patch of information within a data structure. The information in the data structure corresponds to a tiled array of calibration patterns that is sampled along at least three non-parallel paths. In a particular embodiment, the calibration patterns are sampled so that edges are globally-curved, yet locally-flat. Use of such information in the data structure enables enhanced pose estimation, e.g., speeding up operation, enabling pose estimation from smaller patches of watermark signals, and/or enabling pose estimation from weaker watermark signals. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: A system learns to automatically identify, and detect, contextual conditions that may serve as action triggers to help please a user (or avoid annoying a user). Among other features, a simple sensor arrangement is detailed which, in addition to producing a customary stream of high bandwidth sensor data, provides an output of low bandwidth data. This low-bandwidth data serves to identify a particular reference pattern with which the high-bandwidth sensor data is found to correspond. Such a sensor can employ reference patterns discovered through pseudo-random trials. A great number of other advantageous features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: In some arrangements, product packaging is digitally watermarked over most of its extent to facilitate high-throughput item identification at retail checkouts. Imagery captured by conventional or plenoptic cameras can be processed (e.g., by GPUs) to derive several different perspective-transformed views—further minimizing the need to manually reposition items for identification. Crinkles and other deformations in product packaging can be optically sensed, allowing such surfaces to be virtually flattened to aid identification. Piles of items can be 3D-modelled and virtually segmented into geometric primitives to aid identification, and to discover locations of obscured items. Other data (e.g., including data from sensors in aisles, shelves and carts, and gaze tracking for clues about visual saliency) can be used in assessing identification hypotheses about an item. Logos may be identified and used—or ignored—in product identification. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: Signal processing devices and methods estimate transforms between signals using a least squares technique. From a seed set of transform candidates, a direct least squares method applies a seed transform candidate to a reference signal and then measures correlation between the transformed reference signal and a suspect signal. For each candidate, update coordinates of reference signal features are identified in the suspect signal and provided as input to a least squares method to compute an update to the transform candidate. The method iterates so long as the update of the transform provides a better correlation. At the end of the process, the method identifies a transform or set of top transforms based on a further analysis of correlation, as well as other results.

Abstract: Signal detection and recognition employees coordinated illumination and capture of images under to facilitate extraction of a signal of interest. Pulsed illumination of different colors facilitates extraction of signals from color channels, as well as improved signal to noise ratio by combining signals of different color channels. The successive pulsing of different color illumination appears white to the user, yet facilitates signal detection, even for lower cost monochrome sensors, as in barcode scanning and other automatic identification equipment.

Abstract: Signal processing devices and methods estimate a geometric transform of an image signal. From a seed set of transform candidates, a direct least squares method applies a seed transform candidate to a reference signal and then measures correlation between the transformed reference signal and an image signal in which the reference signal is encoded. Geometric transform candidates encompass differential scale and shear, which are useful in approximating a perspective transform. For each candidate, update coordinates of reference signal features are identified in the image signal and provided as input to a least squares method to compute an update to the transform candidate. The method iterates so long as the update of the transform provides a better correlation. At the end of the process, the method identifies a geometric transform or set of top transforms based on a further analysis of correlation, as well as other results.

Abstract: In one aspect, an elongated lighting module includes plural colors of LEDs that flash in a cyclical sequence to provide multi-spectral illumination. Several such modules can be arranged end-to-end to span a conveyor system that transports a stream of plastic waste items in a recycling center, enabling capture of differently-illuminated image frames depicting the items. Each module may include N LEDs of a first color (e.g., red) and M LEDs of a second color (e.g., blue), where N and M are different. Drive circuitry can be simplified by configuring the LEDs in strings of common colors, but with different counts. Electrical noise due to switching transients can be reduced by operating the LEDs at a low current when not being flashed. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: A plastic item, such as a beverage bottle, can convey two distinct digital watermarks, encoded using two distinct signaling protocols. A first, printed label watermark conveys a retailing payload, including a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) used by a point-of-sale scanner in a retail store to identify and price the item when presented for checkout. A second, plastic texture watermark may convey a recycling payload, including data identifying the composition of the plastic. The use of two different signaling protocols assures that a point-of-sale scanner will not spend its limited time and computational resources working to decode the recycling watermark, which may lack data needed for retail checkout. In some embodiments, a recycling apparatus makes advantageous use of both types of watermarks to identify the plastic composition of the item (e.g., relating GTIN to plastic type using an associated database), thereby increasing the fraction of items that are correctly identified for sorting and recycling.

Abstract: A plastic item, such as a beverage bottle, conveys two distinct digital watermarks, encoded using two distinct signaling protocols. A first, printed label watermark conveys a retailing payload, including a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) used by a point-of-sale scanner in a retail store to identify and price the item when presented for checkout. A second, plastic texture watermark conveys a recycling payload, including data identifying the composition of the plastic. The use of two different signaling protocols assures that a point-of-sale scanner will not spend its limited time and computational resources working to decode the recycling watermark, which lacks the data needed for retail checkout. In some embodiments, a recycling apparatus makes advantageous use of both types of watermarks to identify the plastic composition of the item (e.g., relating GTIN to plastic type using an associated database), thereby increasing the fraction of items that are correctly identified for sorting and recycling.

Abstract: The parameters of an optical code are optimized to achieve improved signal robustness, reliability, capacity and/or visual quality. An optimization program can determine spatial density, dot distance, dot size and signal component priority to optimize robustness. An optical code generator employs these parameters to produce an optical code at the desired spatial density and robustness. The optical code is merged into a host image, such as imagery, text and graphics of a package or label, or it may be printed by itself, e.g., on an otherwise blank label or carton. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: A plastic item, such as a beverage bottle, conveys two distinct digital watermarks, encoded using two distinct signaling protocols. A first, printed label watermark conveys a retailing payload, including a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) used by a point-of-sale scanner in a retail store to identify and price the item when presented for checkout. A second, plastic texture watermark conveys a recycling payload, including data identifying the composition of the plastic. The use of two different signaling protocols assures that a point-of-sale scanner will not spend its limited time and computational resources working to decode the recycling watermark, which lacks the data needed for retail checkout. In some embodiments, a recycling apparatus makes advantageous use of both types of watermarks to identify the plastic composition of the item (e.g., relating GTIN to plastic type using an associated database), thereby increasing the fraction of items that are correctly identified for sorting and recycling.