Abstract: A visually impaired user is provided a non-visual, abstract representation of a multi-part information page. The non-visual, abstract representation is provided by auditory and tactile feedback. A touch pad provides tactile feedback for the boundaries between content areas of the page when the user's finger is located at coordinates on the touch pad which map to the boundaries between the content areas of the page. Auditory feedback provides meta-information on the content within a content area when the user's finger is located at coordinates on the touch pad which map to the content area.

Abstract: Described is a way for computing proximity (location-based proximity or preference-based proximity) between mobile wireless subscribers (who use different services) without either divulging their location/preference to the other (preservation of privacy). Privacy is kept by providing location/preference information in steps, along with an evaluation function. The services receive partial results and then locally compute the final result, or proximity. The term proximity includes not just physical proximity but also multi-dimensional data such as preference profiles and vectors (e.g., an affinity for baseball, apple pie, and ballroom dancing).

Abstract: Smart cards systems that are utilized in biometric authentication are slow in processing and have the cards themselves have the added disadvantage of being misplaced or lost. Moreover, storing biometric data (on a database) over a network poses security issues that in extreme instances can be compromised. Significant security can be achieved if the biometric templates are stored locally in a portable device. A user can use the portable device to either transmit wirelessly the stored biometric for authentication purposes, or a user can locally measure a biometric using the portable device and match it against a biometric which is also stored locally (in the portable device).

Abstract: A method and device is disclosed for dispersion compensation of an optical signal having periodic dispersion within a multi-channels system. For example interleaved optical channels often exhibit dispersion having a characteristic that is repeated in adjacent channels. By providing a periodic device that allows for polarization dependent routing of an interleaved signal to allow for multiple passes of said signal through a multi-cavity GT etalon, having a free-spectral range that corresponds to the channel spacing, the dispersion in the interleaved signal can be lessened and practically obviated or balanced to a desired level. This invention provides a device and method to achieve that end.

Abstract: Real-time remote monitoring and controlling of a device is described via a network such as the Internet. A virtual presence is accomplished between geographically distributed remote users and hardware platforms that allow for real-time interactive hardware operation. Using Internet based communications such as e-mail or browser based sessions, a series of remote instructions are sent from a remote computer based device to the device to be monitored and controlled. This operation of includes, but is not limited to, data monitoring, system control, system tuning, distributed learning, distributed monitoring, remote servicing and hardware reconfiguration. Furthermore, monitored data is exchanged between the device being monitored and the remote electronic-based device can be in a spreadsheet format.

Abstract: Images in an image database are indexed according to semantic labels from a surface color code book in order to allow querying and retrieving of images based on color content. Regions of unsegmented images in a database are localized and described with semantic labels from a surface color code book. A database index is then built using this image region information and corresponding labels. This pre-generated color-region index allows querying by semantic labels in order to locate and retrieve similar images from a database. Querying for similar images by presenting a target image is also possible using the described color-region index. In this second type of query mode a target image is analyzed to determine semantic labels of color surfaces present in that image and these labels, in turn, are used to locate similar entries in the color-region index.

Abstract: A system for record keeping that utilizes the advances in computer technology and alleviates problems such time constraints by monitoring information about a person or resource and automatically generating journal entries for that person or resource at the appropriate times. The appropriate times for entry generation can be defined for each individual through a rules-based mechanism. When an individual's rules are met, a journal entry is automatically generated according to a template defined in the computer system. The entry is placed in the individual's electronic journal, and, if desired, the individual can be notified of the generated entry or delay entry of said journal entry until receiving a notification at a later designated time.

Abstract: A method of determining well-formed web pages which are authorities on a given topic utilizing link analysis. A root set of pages is first obtained by taking a given number of the highest ranked pages returned form a textual based searching and ranking system. Each page within the set is evaluated and given a structure score which reflects how well-formed the page is. The structure score is determined by evaluating each page within the set according to a set of parameters which relate to well-formed pages. For each parameter, the page is assigned a parameter score. These parameter scores are then weighted and summed to obtain the pages structure score. Each page within the set also has corresponding hub and authority weights which are updated and maintained to determine the strongest authorities. The initial hub and authority weights of a each page are set to the corresponding structure score of the page. An iterative algorithm is then utilized to determine the strongest authorities.

Abstract: An item of value to one or more individuals in a group is tracked wherein each valuable object is tagged, and one or more members of the group carry a personal information management (PIM) device equipped with a sensor which constantly scans for the presence of a known valuable. The sensor is able to detect the type of tag(s) used by the group of individuals. Whenever a member of the group carrying a PIM device comes across a known tagged valuable, the system detects it and logs the location, valuable ID, and user ID in a database. Optionally, visual data is captured from the valuable and compared against a standard located in a database in order to locate the valuable.

Abstract: A prototype object reference for use in a distributed object computing environment is described. The object reference includes a specified object reference portion and an unspecified object reference portion. The prototype object reference is transformed into a valid object reference by insertion of specification information into the unspecified object reference portion and the specified object reference portion is not fully parsed in connection with insertion of the specification information.

Abstract: Browsing of digital video data is performed using a fast forward or fast reverse play mode. The digital video is analyzed and processed to produce a content-based variable-rate video playback sequence for fast browsing. To create the playback sequence, each shot in a video is sped-up at a relatively slow rate at the beginning of the shot by selecting many frames and then the speedup rate is increased as the shot progresses by selecting progressively fewer frames. This method and apparatus of variable-rate frame selection can be used to add and index to a video, play an original video in fast forward/backward mode or to create a new video—a fast forward playback video summary.

Abstract: A channel with sliding clamp and rod arrangement for leveling a ladder comprising a base unit of a hollow rectangular shape adapted to fit over the leg of the ladder. The base unit has interior walls spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate the ladder leg. Each of the walls has formed thereon a plurality of spaced splices that slop outwardly and downwardly away from the ladder leg. A clamp member comprises a generally rectangular block that has formed thereon sloping splices that fit into the grooves or spaces between the splices of the base unit. Clamp member has a bore that adjustably and securely retains a support rod, which has a swivel foot at one end. The end of the clamp member that is to be placed adjacent the ladder leg and the opposing interior surface of the base unit have a substantially V-shaped configuration to insure slip free purchase against the ladder leg.

Abstract: Encrypted e-mails that reside in e-mail service providers servers or a gateway machines can be compromised and deciphered with advances in technology for breaking encryption codes. Significant security can be achieved by encrypting the message, splitting message, and transmitting the individual fragments via a set of unique e-mail servers. At the receivers end, the message can be reconstructed from the individual pieces and then decrypted and displayed to the recipient.

Abstract: An underlying schema is discovered for an HTML document or a set of HTML documents, authored in various styles. Prior domain knowledge regarding punctuation, keywords, synonyms and HTML tags is used to 1) break a document up into separate objects, 2) identify the objects corresponding to keywords, 3) regroup objects: into hierarchical layers of abstraction, 4) logically order objects at the same level of abstraction, and 5) finally remove any non-keyword related information from the document's discovered schematic structure. The discovered schema supports structural queries from search engines that locate data that are more semantically related to the requested information than data located by simple keyword searching.

Abstract: Graphical user interface (GUI) is used to represent entity matches via graphical transition of a matching object based on type of entity and match rating. First, a user requests a match determination, and this request can be queried via various means including a search engine. Next, a match rating is obtained from a source such as a search engine. Furthermore, a transition technique is selected which defines the kind of transition that is to be applied to the match object. Lastly, the graphical user interface (GUI) renders a graphical transition of the match object based on the resultant match rating. Transition techniques such as blurring, composite, and fantasy are used.

Abstract: A portable, padded chair made from X-ray transparent materials is used to comfortably support a patient while taking X-rays for medical diagnostic purposes. The use of X-ray transparent materials reduces the medical assistant's and patient's risk of repeated exposure to unnecessary X-ray levels. Also, the chair allows a patient to remain in a sitting or reclining position while X-rays are taken. A foot pedal and locking wheels allow for easy adjustment of the chair so that the patient is positioned comfortably and securely. A bucky tray, adjustable along the length and width of the chair, and a piano stand fixture, that attaches to the arms of the chair, are used to hold X-ray film cassettes. Additionally, the arm supports are adjustable and capable of being dropped to the side of the chair so a patient is easily transferred to and from a hospital bed.

Abstract: A computer-based method and system comprising three data structures: partially ordered data structure (or simply ordered data structure), contiguous list v, and vector p, is used for solving a large sparse triangular system of linear equations which utilizes only the non-zero components of a matrix to solve large sparse triangular linear equations and generates explicitly only the non-zero entries of the solution. A list of the row indices of the known non-zero values of x which require further processing is stored in the ordered data structure. Actual non-zero values of x are stored in the contiguous list v and the corresponding pointers to the location of these values are stored in the vector p. The computer-based method manipulates these three matrices to find a solution to an upper or lower sparse triangular system of linear equations.

Abstract: Digital data is preserved by archiving on a removable medium. In the long term, the save data bit stream must be correctly interpreted. For a computer program or system to be archived, the bit stream constituting the program must be archived and the code must be executable at restore time. The program that restores the data does not “see” the contents of the data itself, but accesses it by issuing a function call to an executor. A description of which methods are available to restore the information hidden in the data is always available. A text tells the client which functions are available and what their purposes are. The archiving method is based on using a virtual computer instruction set and saving the algorithm as a program written int hat virtual machine language. For machine instructions to be executed many years later, for example 100 years, an emulator of the original machine would be written on the future hardware.

Abstract: When writing to a hard disk drive, an effective track skew is used which differs from the track skew used when reading from the disk. During reads from the disk, the disk controller uses a traditional logical track layout and logical block address (LBA) numbering having a track skew value related to read settle time. A different effective track skew value, optimized for write settle time, is used, however, when writing to the disk. Logical blocks are written to the disk out-of-sequence in order to accommodate this different effective track skew value.

Abstract: A dynamic gain flattening filter is provided that offers a smooth spectral response. The filter includes an input/output port for launching a beam of light, a dispersive element for dispersing the beam of light into a plurality of monochromatic sub-beams of light, and discrete array of controllable elements for receiving the plurality of sub-beams of light. The filter is designed such that each sub-beam of light is incident on more than one element of the discrete array for selective attenuation before being recombined by the dispersive element and redirected back to the input/output port. In another embodiment, a beam-folding mirror is provided to direct the attenuated beam to a separate output port.