Abstract: A document scanning system (10) communicates with a scanner (40) to provide scanning characteristics and scanning coordinates for a scan and to receive a scanned image (FIG. 3) from the scanner. The document scanning system processes scanning requests from an application (20), defines a set of images to be scanned and calculates the scanning characteristics (colour depth, resolution, brightness, contrast) and scanning coordinates from a document set definition comprising one or more image definitions. Each image definition includes an associated set of coordinates and scanning characteristics for the or each image. A configuration file (30) stores the document set definition and the document scanning system comprises a parser module (12) adapted to read the configuration file.

Abstract: An object is to enable designation of character frames and recognition of characters even where a document does not have any page mark or reference mark nor does a scanner have a function for detecting an edge of the document. Also, to enable identification processing of a bitmap image in an accerelated manner by comparing bitmap images on the basis of a circumscribed rectangle, which is formed solely from horizontal line segments that are recognizable at high-speed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for generating a decision tree classifier with oblique hyperplanes from a training set of records. The method iteratively comprises the steps of: initializing a set of vectors to the numeric attribute axes; creating a decision tree classifier using hyperplanes orthogonal to the set of vectors; checking if the iteration stopping criteria has been reached; computing a new set of vectors if the iteration proceeds; and choosing the best decision tree when the iteration is stopped. The vectors used are not restricted to the attribute axes and hence oblique hyperplanes are allowed to split nodes in the generated decision tree. The computation of the new vector set uses the decision tree produced in the latest iteration. The leaf nodes of this tree are considered pair-wise to compute the new vector set for use in the next iteration. The iterative process produces a set of decision trees from which the best one is chosen as the final result of the method.

Abstract: The memory space (often in the form of cache) in a system (e.g., an Internet proxy or web browser) is conserved by saving low resolution versions of data objects when the full resolution version is removed (e.g., due to age, using a least recently used (LRU) replacement policy) in order to create space for new objects. This provides for efficient use of the memory space. In many situations, the low resolution version of the data object is of adequate quality for usage. Further, even when this is not the case, it can be useful to quickly obtain a low resolution version and then with some delay, obtain the full resolution version at the user or application's request. Particular advantageous embodiments of methods, apparatus and article of manufacture implementing the invention are presented.

Abstract: A space-efficient and flexible mechanism for implementing a virtual machine in a resource-constrained environment such as a smartcard is proposed. The virtual machine is designed for interpreting or carrying out instructions which are identified by an instruction code, also called opcode. Both, the addresses, respectively identifiers, of the functions implementing the instruction codes, respectively opcodes, which the virtual machine interprets, as well as parameters to those functions are kept within lookup tables.

Abstract: A magnetic matrix display device has a grid electrode in which differing first grid (G1) and second grid (G2) apertures are used. A sensor element and a second grid electrode are combined as a single structure. Other aspects of the invention relate to a deflection anode having reduced capacitance, the use of a polyimide coating for the grid electrodes, the use of a compliant mounting and adjustment for a grid assembly and the provision of an illuminated border on a magnetic matrix display.

Abstract: An apparatus to calculate a remainder of Bc modulo n at high speed with minimum hardware resources, while securing safety of a key comprises: a first circuit to execute a process of calculating B (mod n) and holding the calculation result B1 and to repeat a process of shifting a holding value and calculating a value congruent to the shifted holding value modulo n and holding the calculation result; a first register for storing the B1 as an initial value; a second circuit to cumulate the calculation result of the first circuit when a value of a bit at a predetermined position of the first register is equal to 1; a second register to store 1 as an initial value; a C output circuit to output C; a third circuit to cumulate the calculation result of the first circuit when an output value from said C output circuit is equal to 1 and a value of a bit at a predetermined position of the second register is equal to 1.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of encoding and decoding a data stream in which data type information combines with data packet length and identifier information to reduce the required length of the data stream while providing the added functionality of allowing for type checking at the receiving computer.

Abstract: A transaction processing method, system and computer program product for processing applications comprising multiple component transactions. A transaction failure of a component transaction causes a reliable admission of failure by means of a failure indicator to be made available to one or more further transactions. The failure indicator is stored in recoverable storage, so that its effect can survive system failure and recovery.

Abstract: The invention refers to a procedure for storing data objects 210, 220, 230, 240 in the memory 200 of a smart card 100. To do this, general and application-specific data objects are defined using freely selectable security characteristics and access rights, which are filed in the memory of a smart card which is divided into several application-specific memory areas 110, 120 so that data objects with identical access conditions are located in one and the same memory area, irrespective of the application program 310, 320, 330 or smart card user 400 to which these data objects are allocated. All application programs and the smart card user can access the data objects irrespective of the corresponding access conditions. In this way, the re-issuing of smart cards in the case of later expansion of the file structure of the smart card for an application or the addition of extra applications is not necessary. The smart card user can allow any applications to store data on his smart card.

Abstract: A signer uses an undeniable signature scheme to sign his public key to thereby create an “undeniable certificate” which can be used to verify the signer's digital signature on any message signed using the signer's corresponding private key. Hence, once the undeniable certificate is received by the recipient, the recipient and the signer engage one time in a confirmation protocol or denial protocol to the satisfaction of the recipient that the undeniable certificate has in fact been signed by the signer thus certifying signer's public key. Thereafter, the recipient can use the certified public key to verify any documents signed by the signer with no further interaction with the signer. However, third parties are precluded from verifying the signer's signature since they do not possess the confirmed undeniable certificate and corresponding public key.

Abstract: The security of stored data and applications is improved by and access control system and method in which user keys for accessing the stored data/services which keys are provided to users are representative of the user's level of authority, such that there is no need to maintain a separate lookup table of user authority levels. This removes a potential security exposure from the system. The user keys are advantageously hierarchical, including data for generating a plurality of different access keys for each of a plurality of different access levels. The access keys may be decryption keys for encrypted data or application programs. The invention is applicable to SmartCard systems.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for processing digital image data representing first and second images I1 and I2 with overlapping image content to produce digital image data representing a composite image I3 spanning the overlap region O. The method comprises processing image data which corresponds to the overlap region in the first and second images I1 and I2 such that the proportions of first image data and second image data contributing to the overlap region O in the composite image I3 vary along the length L of the overlap region O. Preferred methods include defining a non-straight line J extending along the length of the overlap region O, and performing said processing by reference to said non-straight line J such that the ratio of the proportions of first and second image data contributing to the overlap region O varies for different sections S of the overlap region O along the length L thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is a structure and method to reduce the inductance of the AC test signal path used for testing an electrical device contained within a semiconductor wafer. This extends the frequency range of testing. It enables testing the devices performance characteristics at higher frequencies than otherwise useable. It is particularly directed for testing on-wafer VCSELs. The method provides to the electrical device the characteristics of a microwave bias-tee device. An on wafer capacitor is designed into the environment of the electrical device enabling the formation and use of the three ports of a bias-tee. Preferably, the bias-tee is formed in a manner not requiring the addition of processing steps to the wafer manufacturing process. The method further provides a way to increase the capacitance of the on-wafer capacitor.

Abstract: This invention solves problems due to employing error degraded data in digital processing. It particularly solves the multi-generation problem wherein transform data degrade during each inverse transform and forward transform cycle even without any processing due to the rounding and clipping errors. It provides methods, systems and apparatus for transform-domain correction of real-domain errors in the processing of transform, transform-coded, and coded data. After inverse transformation of transform data the high-precision numbers are converted to integers and clipped to an allowed range forming converted data. High-precision differences are obtained by subtracting converted data from the high-precision output of the inverse transform. The differences are re-transformed back to the transform domain and saved. In an alternate embodiment the differences are quantized, thus, only significant errors are saved. In still another embodiment the quantized differences are entropy encoded.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system is provided by which two or more cooperating end-users of the Internet and/or other network can dynamically select and use a single Internet or other network service provider (ISP) from among a multitude of ISPs based on the application requirements. The service provider may be selected in a dynamic fashion. This overcomes the problem wherein traditionally most end-users, whether they are individuals or organizations, are connected to the Internet or other network through a single Internet and/or other network service provider. However, users generally may have more than a single connection to the Internet and/or other network. In such cases the routing of traffic over these multiple connections is handled by IP routers based on the routing information that they exchange with their peers. This information is relatively static in nature and is typically based on the state of links that interconnect the different routers.

Abstract: A method and system is presented for improving and/or maintaining the quality of a digital image file by preserving information that was included at image capture and lost during an image editing/processing operation. Generally, image-description information is stored in structured fields that collectively are described as the image's header. The image's header are stored in an image's file in addition to the image's pixel values. This invention produces and maintains a level of quality of the original enriched image files. This is accomplished by extracting image-description information prior to the processing of an image by an editing package, by selecting, storing and preserving the image-descriptive information data. The so stored data is combined with the editing package's processed image file, to produce an enriched processed image file. The enriched files includes the preserved data which would otherwise be discards.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is presented for establishing provable integrity or untampered state in secure devices. It employs active tamper response; generating authentication secrets inside the device via real hardware randomness to minimize risk of compromised factory machines; activating tamper response at a trusted point of trust to protect against attacks and/or continually certify the integrity of the device along shipping channels and at user sites; and allowing for all keys to be regenerated so that in accordance with sound cryptographic practice no one needs to depend on permanent keys. The point of trust is a central authority that is trusted by all parties that need to trust the provable untampered state of the secure device. At any point the certifying authority authenticates the integrity and/or untampered state of the device, and re-issues a new certificate for that device.

Abstract: An object of the Invention is to provide a system and method for effecting a secure data control using an electronic watermarking with a low manufacturing cost. A solution of the objective is a data control system is built which comprises; embedding a control flag indicating to control data using an electronic watermarking technique, preparing a token having information as to how to control the data by using the content of the data, distributing the token appended to the data, detecting the control flag from the distributed data, reading the token appended to the data when the control flag is detected, and controlling the data according to a predefined control rule of the token or the control flag. In addition, a subsequent data control is further suppressed by modifying the token in controlling the data.

Abstract: A computer watchdog system monitors and controls distribution content sent form producers, through distributors, to subscribers. The computer watchdog system acting to ensure the just execution of agreements between a producer of content and a distributor of content. The computer watchdog system serving as an agent trusted by both producers and distributors. The computer watchdog system may be equipped with tamper protection for resisting exogenous attempts to gain unauthorized access to the system. The computer watchdog system may be installed entirely within distributor's sites. Alternatively, the computer watchdog system may reside partially within distributor's sites and partially within subscriber's sites. The computer watchdog system logs and reports on information relating to the distribution of content. Further, the computer watchdog system may selectively transform content provided by a producer, customizing the content for distributors and subscribers.