Abstract: A method for estimating the optical flow between a plurality of images is provided. The method includes obtaining a motion orientation component and a motion magnitude component. Determining the motion orientation component includes creating, a first graph using spatio-temporal derivatives of the plurality of images, solving for a first maximum-flow in the first graph to thereby obtain a first minimum-cut therefrom, and computing the motion orientation component from the first minimum-cut. Determining the motion magnitude component includes creating a second graph using spatio-temporal derivatives of the plurality of images and the motion orientation component, solving for a second maximum-flow in the second graph to thereby obtain a second minimum-cut therefrom, and computing the motion magnitude component from the second minimum-cut. The motion orientation component and the motion magnitude component together comprise the estimate of the optical flow between the plurality of images.

Abstract: A distributed software system and method are provided for use with a plurality of potentially heterogeneous computer machines connected as a network. The system may comprise at least one agent comprising a protection domain, wherein the protection domain of the at least one agent resides on at least two of the plurality of computer machines. A plurality of objects is contained within the protection domain of the at least one agent, a first object residing on a first of the at least two computer machines and a second object residing on a second of the at least two computer machines. The objects are selectively movable among the at least two computer machines by a programmer of the system.

Abstract: An autonomous citation indexing system which can be used as an assistant agent automates and enhances the task of finding publications in electronic form, including publications located on the world wide web. The system parses citations from papers and identifies citations to the same paper that may differ in syntax. The system also extracts and provides the context of citations to a given paper, allowing a researcher to determine what is published in other papers about a given paper. Common citations and word or string vector distance similarity are used to find related articles in a search.

Abstract: An apparatus for enhanced light transmission through a perforated metal film is provided. The apparatus comprises a metal film having a first surface and a second surface, at least one aperture provided in the metal film and extending from the first surface to the second surface, and first and second dielectric layers. The first dielectric layer is provided substantially adjacent to the first metal film surface, and the second dielectric layer is provided substantially adjacent to the second metal film surface. The respective refractive indices of the first and second dielectric layers are substantially equal. Light incident on one of the surfaces of the metal film interacts with a surface plasmon mode on at least one of the surfaces of the metal film thereby enhancing transmission of light through the at least one aperture in the metal film.

Abstract: A method for registering a pattern image with a reference image is provided. The pattern image and the reference image differ from each other by a Rotation-Scale-Translation (RST) transformation defined by a scale factor s, a rotation factor &phgr;, and a translation vector (&Dgr;x, &Dgr;y). A Fourier-Mellin invariant is used to perform image registration by isolating the rotation, scale and transformation parameters of the RST transformation between the reference image r and the pattern image p.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating a free-standing thin metal film are provided. In one method, a sacrificial silicon nitride membrane structure is provided comprising a silicon wafer having first and second surfaces, a first silicon nitride layer applied to the first surface of the silicon wafer and a second silicon nitride layer applied to the second surface of the silicon wafer. The second silicon nitride layer and the silicon wafer are etched to provide a window that exposes a predetermined area of the first silicon nitride layer, whereby the exposed predetermined area of the front silicon nitride layer comprises a sacrificial silicon nitride membrane unsupported by any auxiliary substrate over the predetermined area. A thin metal film is then deposited on the first silicon nitride layer. Finally, the sacrificial silicon nitride membrane is removed, whereby the portion of the thin metal film exposed by the removal of the silicon nitride membrane comprises the free-standing thin metal film.

Abstract: An apparatus for enhanced light transmission is provided. The apparatus comprises a metal film having a first surface and a second surface, at least one aperture provided in the metal film and extending from the first surface to the second surface, and a periodic surface topography provided on at least one of the first and second surface of the metal film. Light incident on one of the surfaces of the metal film interacts with a surface plasmon mode on at least one of the surfaces of the metal film thereby enhancing transmission of light through the at least one aperture in the metal film. The apparatus may have a single aperture or a plurality of periodically arranged apertures. Wavelength-selective optical filters, spatial optical filters, light collectors, near-field scanning optical microscope probes and photolithographic masks are also provided.

Abstract: A method for patterning materials according to a predetermined, three-dimensional pattern, as well as patterned materials produced by said methods, are provided. A template is prepared comprising a template material, the template having a plurality of pores therein, the plurality of pores comprising a negative of the predetermined, three-dimensional pattern. Colloidal nanocrystals sufficient to fill the pores in the template are also prepared. The pores in the template are filled with the colloidal nanocrystals. A quantum-dot solid is formed from the colloidal nanocrystals within the pores in the template, such that the colloidal nanocrystals are concentrated as close-packed nanocrystals within the pores in the template in the predetermined, three-dimensional pattern. If desired, a conventional solid may be obtained by sintering the close-packed nanocrystals within the pores of the template.

Abstract: A modular, high-intensity fiber optic color backlight for color displays wherein light is distributed to the display through side-emitting optical fibers. The optical fibers are ordered into an array of channels, wherein each channel contains a number of optical fibers. Each of the individual channels are separated by reflective channel isolators and each channel preferably carries light of a single color. Light detecting fibers are optionally installed in the module so that intensity data may be collected. Each module includes a mechanical and electrical interconnect so that individual modules may be combined, thereby producing displays of arbitrary size.

Abstract: A number-theoretic based algorithm provides for secure receipt-free voting. A vote generating center generates a choice of votes for each voter or vote chooser. The votes are encrypted, shuffled, and conveyed to a vote chooser along with information regarding how the votes were shuffled without being intercepted en route. The information is preferably sent along untappable secure channels. The method can incorporate validation of generation and shuffling of the votes using chameleon commitment and interactive proofs. The invention can be realized by current-generation personal computers with untappable channels and access to an electronic bulletin board.

Abstract: A metallic film has apertures located therein in an array arranged in a pattern so that when light is incident on the apertures, surface plasmons on the metallic film are perturbed resulting in an enhanced transmission of the light emitted from individual apertures in the array. The aperture array is used: to filter light of predetermined wavelength traversing the apertures, to collect light over a distance after traversing the apertures, to improve operation of near-field scanning optical microscopes, and to enhance light transmission through masks useable in photolithography.

Abstract: Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, an optical transmission modulation apparatus is provided for modulating light transmitted through the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a metal film having a periodic array of subwavelength-diameter holes provided therein, and a supporting layer. At least a portion of the supporting layer has a selectively variable refractive index, the selectively variable refractive index portion being substantially adjacent to the metal film such that the metal film and the supporting layer form a perforated metal film unit. Selective variation of the refractive index of the selectively variable refractive index portion modulates the intensity of the light transmitted through the perforated metal film unit without substantially changing the direction of the light. Flat panel displays, spatial light modulators and tunable optical filters based on the optical transmission control apparatus are also provided.

Abstract: A hybrid neural network system for object recognition exhibiting local image sampling, a self-organizing map neural network, and a hybrid convolutional neural network. The self-organizing map provides a quantization of the image samples into a topological space where inputs that are nearby in the original space are also nearby in the output space, thereby providing dimensionality reduction and invariance to minor changes in the image sample, and the hybrid convolutional neural network provides for partial invariance to translation, rotation, scale, and deformation. The hybrid convolutional network extracts successively larger features in a hierarchical set of layers. Alternative embodiments using the Karhunen-Loeve transform in place of the self-organizing map, and a multi-layer perceptron in place of the convolutional network are described.

Abstract: Optical components that are designed to be coupled together in modular fashion to form an optical network. The components are shaped so that a plurality of components can be coupled together to form a light cube. The components are provided with mating means to permit easy coupling. The preferred form of component is a right-angled triangular prism that can be coupled together with a similar prism to form a cube.

Abstract: A low-cost star-coupler assembly primarily for use in optical data networks is fabricated from three modular components. The first component is a support plate having at least two sets of grooves into which polymer optical fibers may be placed and a central aperture. The second component is a waveguide plate which is designed to fit in the aperture. The third component is a cover plate having alignment means for aligning the components in fixed relationship and for holding polymer optical fibers in the grooves securely in place. The coupling structure is most useful with large-core polymer optical fibers. The modular design facilitates replacement of fibers. The components may be fabricated by injection molding thereby reducing the cost.

Abstract: A subwavelength-resolution optical imaging device is provided for conveying light having a wavelength .lambda. that is emitted, reflected or transmitted by a sample. The device comprises a coherent fiber bundle, which itself comprises a plurality of optical fibers disposed substantially coaxially along their lengths. Each optical fiber also comprises a core having an index of refraction n.sub.1 and a cladding having an index of refraction n.sub.2 thereby providing a value .DELTA., where: ##EQU1## Light is effectively confined within the core of each fiber without need for a separate coating applied to the fibers by selecting the values of n.sub.1 and n.sub.2 for each optical fiber so as to provide a value for .DELTA.

Abstract: A synchronous test model (STM) and corresponding method capture the essential behavior of an asynchronous circuit under test. During operation of the method, (1) An STM for the asynchronous circuit is constructed assuming either a user-specified cycle length or an estimated cycle length; (2) a target fault list is created containing only faults in the asynchronous circuit, (3) test patterns are generated from the STM using a synchronous test generator; (4) the test patterns are translated into test sequences for the asynchronous circuit; and (5) the translated patterns are validated by fault simulation on the asynchronous circuit.

Abstract: A switching network that utilizes at least three degrees of freedom, time, wavelength and space. In one embodiment that involves point-to-point switching, each space channel between an input and an output is assigned a time slot and wavelength coordinate characteristic of the output and the input transmitter and output receiver are tuned to the appropriate time and wavelength coordinates and selective switching is used to complete the space channel between the input and output. In another embodiment for generalized switching, each input channel is assigned a set of space, time slot and wavelength coordinates and an input signal is broadcast to all of the outputs which selectively makes connection to those inputs with an appropriate set of coordinates.

Abstract: Based on the encoding of deterministic finite-state automata (DFA) in discrete-time, second-order recurrent neural networks, an algorithm constructs an augmented recurrent neural network that encodes a FFA and recognizes a given fuzzy regular language with arbitrary accuracy.

Abstract: A multiresolution method and apparatus for searching of a database of images where the search is performed on compressed images, without first decompressing them. The method searches the database of compressed images first at a low resolution to obtain the relative quality of a match between a search template and a candidate image. If the match is below a particular threshold, the search is terminated without committing any further computational resources to the search. Conversely, if the match is above a particular threshold, the method enhances the resolution of the candidate image and then performs another match. As long as the relative quality of the match is above the particular threshold, the resolution of the candidate image is successively enhanced, until a match determination is made at a full resolution of the candidate image.