Abstract: A system and method for eliminating synchronization errors using speech recognition. Using separate audio and visual speech recognition techniques, the inventive system and method identifies visemes, or visual cues which are indicative of articulatory type, in the video content, and identifies phones and their articulatory types in the audio content. Once the two recognition techniques have been applied, the outputs are compared to determine the relative alignment and, if not aligned, a synchronization algorithm is applied to time-adjust one or both of the audio and the visual streams in order to achieve synchronization.

Abstract: A system and method for obtaining selected image information from a digital image and providing that selected image information for selective handling. In one aspect, the present invention automatically locates and segments an item identifier from an image caught by a digital camera and provides image information related to the item identifier for processing. Alternatively, a user can designate what areas of an image comprise the item identifier of interest for further viewing or processing.

Abstract: A flexible and extensible context server for collecting, maintaining, and disseminating context information is disclosed. The context server receives requests from requesters for context information via a secure context server interface (SCS API). Communication between the requesters and the context server is conducted by means of predetermined forms. The requests received at the SCS API are passed to a mediator, which collects data from various context drivers. Each context driver is coupled to the mediator, and collects predetermined type of context information from at least one context information source. The mediator determines the appropriate context driver which can handle the request, based on its type. Operation of the context server is also controlled by a set of context utilities, including a context cache for storing recently obtained context information, a privacy engine for storing privacy preferences and an event engine for event handling.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting at least one transcoding method for manipulating multimedia data for delivery on the basis of analysis of the content of the multimedia data. Many possible transcoding operations can be performed on multimedia data to adapt it to constraints in delivery and display, processing and storage of client devices. The selection of specific transcoding operations can be made by first analyzing the features, purposes and relevances of the individual multimedia objects within the multimedia documents, then by selecting the transcoding alternatives according to the results of the analysis. Based on the analysis, different transcoding algorithms can be applied to different content, less than all of the content can be transcoded, groups of multimedia objects can be transcoded, etc.

Abstract: A system and method for projecting capacity of computer resources for a plurality of processing systems in a processing environment and for adjusting workload among said systems to improve resource utilization. An administrative processor determines the projected usage of computer resources for a plurality of computer systems in a processing environment by representing the capacity of each of the plurality of computer systems in a normalized unit and by sorting the capacities of the computer systems by the normalized or standardized units. The standardized unit, optimally time as measured as the life expectancy of each different resource of the computer system, is used for the N-axes of the N-dimensional space called a capacity space. Each computer system is mapped to a point in the capacity space, which normalizes configuration and capacity differences between systems by expressing the usage of all resources in the units of time.

Abstract: A system is provided for transmitting generally static media. The system (10) comprising an electronic device (12) and a digital audio transmitter (14). The electronic device (12) has a CPU (16), a storage medium (18), a display (20), a user interface (22), and a digital audio broadcast receiver (26). The digital audio transmitter (14) has a specialized broadcast server (30). The digital audio broadcast receiver (26) receives and decodes the digital audio signal transmitted by the digital audio transmitter (14).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for classifying or annotating image and video content by assigning each class of event, action, region or object a unique symbol and then building symbol strings to represent sequences in space or time. The symbol strings can be decoded using a library of annotated PT descriptors to automatically label the image and video content. Furthermore, the PT descriptors can be used for searching by sketch or searching by example where the search query input is converted to symbol strings, which are efficiently compared based on the presence and relative counts of PT descriptors mapped into a PT matrices. The Precedence Template (PT) descriptor can be used for classifying and querying video based on the spatial and temporal orderings of regions, objects, actions or events. Applied to video, the PT descriptors provide a way to compare the temporal order of events, actions, or objects such as those represented in a scene transition graph, key-frame list, or event string.

Abstract: Techniques for providing speech recognition comprise the steps of processing a video signal associated with an arbitrary content video source, processing an audio signal associated with the video signal, and recognizing at least a portion of the processed audio signal, using at least a portion of the processed video signal, to generate an output signal representative of the audio signal.

Abstract: A monitoring system using two or more cameras to monitor a space in 3 dimensions is disclosed. One or more virtual 3-D monitored volumes relating to dangerous or restricted areas, are constructed, preferably as CSG objects, within this space. By detecting an object moving within the view of the cameras, the system can determine if a moving object intersects any monitored volumes and take appropriate action.

Abstract: A personalized data delivery system for dynamically integrating viewer-specified data with visual content includes an input port for receiving a visual content signal, an output port for displaying enhanced visual content on a display, and an interface operatively coupled to the input and output ports. The personalized data delivery system may also include an input/output port for receiving data from a data content source other than the visual content signal and/or for sending requests for viewer specified data to the data content source. Parameters for the selection and display of data can be customized by the viewer. The interface includes at least one processor responsive to one or more viewer personalization parameters and operative to integrate at least a portion of the received data with the visual content signal in accordance with the personalization parameters.

Abstract: Detecting and tracking of new events/classes of documents are disclosed. A method for detecting new events and/or classes of documents and tracking evolution thereof in a database, said new events and/or classes of said documents being added to said database, said documents including attribute data related to a temporal parameter, said method includes the steps of providing vectors of said documents related to attribute data including said temporal parameter included therein, and detecting said new events and classes and tracking the evolution thereof using said vectors.

Abstract: A computerized method is provided for adding a new word to a vocabulary of a speech system, the vocabulary comprising words and corresponding acoustic patterns for a language or language domain. Within a determination step for the new word, a regularity value is determined which measures the conformity with respect to the pronunciation in the language or language domain. In a comparison step, the regularity value is compared to a threshold value to decide whether the conformity is insufficient. Only in the affirmative case of insufficient conformity, a prompting step is performed, prompting for additional information on the pronunciation of the new word. Finally, in an extension step, the new word and an acoustic pattern of the new word are added to the vocabulary.

Abstract: A character string extraction apparatus comprises: a connected component (CC) detector for detecting, in a binary image, connected components (CC) comprising black pixels; a character-sized connected component (CharCC) extraction unit for extracting character-sized connected components (CharCC) having an appropriate size from the detected connected components; a horizontal extension unit and a vertical extension unit for extending the extracted character-sized connected components in an assumed character string direction, and for reducing the character-sized connected components in a direction perpendicular to the assumed character string direction; long connected component (LongCC) extraction units and for connecting a plurality of the thus obtained connected components in the assumed character string direction, and for extracting a long connected component; and a character string selector for employing the extracted long connected component to determine a character string for image recognition.

Abstract: A method for recognizing handwritten Chinese characters based on stroke recognition comprises steps of: recognizing handwritten strokes, updating stroke code sequences; retrieving in dictionaries/lexicons at least one corresponding character/phrase entry so as to obtain at least one candidate Chinese character/phrase; dynamically displaying the at least one candidate Chinese character/phrase; jumping to the step of recognizing strokes if it is judged that a next stroke is being written; inputting a displayed Chinese character/phrase into computers as the result of recognition if this character/phase is selected by the user.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for comparing two binary numbers with a power-of-two threshold are provided in accordance with the present invention. In one embodiment, a method for comparing two binary numbers with a power-of-two threshold includes the steps of generating new relations, namely, much_greater_than (ggi) and equal_to (nqi), based at least in part on generate (gt) and propagate (eq) signals created for each bit of the binary numbers to be compared, and applying recursion in order to reduce the set of input signals at successive recursive nodes by a predetermined number. By omitting a pre-addition operation, the present invention eliminates the use of exclusive-OR logic gates, thus significantly reducing system cost and delay.

Abstract: A memory cell includes at least one active device for selectively connecting a supply voltage node to a power line. The power line couples capacitive elements through the at least one active device to the supply voltage node to maintain a high state while accessing a storage node. The high state is provided by a boost created by the addition of the capacitive elements.

Abstract: Computer-based methods and systems are provided for automatically generating, from a first speech recognizer, a second speech recognizer such that the second speech recognizer is tailored to a certain application and requires reduced resources compared to the first speech recognizer. The invention exploits the first speech recognizer's set of states si and set of probability density functions (pdfs) assembling output probabilities for an observation of a speech frame in said states si. The invention teaches a first step of generating a set of states of the second speech recognizer reduced to a subset of states of the first speech recognizer being distinctive of the certain application. The invention teaches a second step of generating a set of probability density functions of the second speech recognizer reduced to a subset of probability density functions of the first speech recognizer being distinctive of the certain application.

Abstract: According to the teachings of the present invention there are provided a system and method for automatically supporting one or more registered products at a computing device, the computing device being enabled to communicate via a communication network to a support web server, the method comprising: downloading to the computing device a software agent; diagnosing malfunctions of the one or more products at the computing device and transmitting the malfunctions to said web server; communicating from the support web server to the software agent one or more solutions in response to receiving the malfunctions; and installing at least one of the one or more solutions thus transmitted at the computing device.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for providing high dielectric constant decoupling capacitors for semiconductor structures. The high dielectric constant decoupling capacitor can be fabricated by depositing high dielectric constant material between adjacent conductors on the same level, between conductors in successive levels, or both, to thereby provide very large capacitance value without any area or reliability penalty.

Abstract: Ranked fuzzy cartesian queries request top-K composite objects in a multimedia database. These composite objects, comprising multiple simple objects with their relations specified, are ranked by a fuzzy AND score of individual object properties and their fuzzy relations. Ranked fuzzy cartesian queries appeared in many different applications but were not fully exploited because of high computational complexity. In accordance with the present invention, methods and apparatus are provided for preprocessing a ranked fuzzy cartesian query to prune candidates which will not appear in the final top-K composite objects. Algorithms for processing queries against two simple objects and against three or more simple objects are separately described. These algorithms use a bound-and-prune technique to determine the candidates which can be removed from the search space. Disclosed methods are guaranteed to have no false dismissal.