Abstract: A technique is provided for classifying images in a library (1) for subsequent selective retrieval. Each library image is segmented (2) into a plurality of coherent regions. Each of the regions is analyzed in respect of a plurality of visual properties, each of which is ascribed a number according to the value of the visual property. The property numbers are then compared (4) with bands of the available property range and a computer-readable character, such as a letter of the alphabet is ascribed to each of the property values. The characters are then arranged (5) in a predetermined order to form a region character string. The strings for each region are then indexed (7) to form an index (8) of the images by region character string. For image retrieval, a target image (10) is analyzed in the same way to form region character strings which are then supplied to a text retrieval system (12) for detecting matches with entries in the index (8).

Abstract: Methods of reducing the power consumption of a microprocessor system, comprising a microprocessor and memory connected by a bus, are provided which involve optimising a program stored in the memory by rescheduling after linking, swapping equivalent instructions, or swapping the operands of commutative operations.

Abstract: A cable 2 has an outer sheath on which a layer of selectively activatable material such as a layer of thick-film conductive polymer is sprayed to form a resistive element. A layer of thermochromic ink is printed on top of this. Electric current passed through the resistive element provides heating to the ink and causes it to warm and change color.

Abstract: A method for encoding digital information to be transmitted from a first device to a second device, wherein the digital information is mapped according to a map of n rows and m columns which define a plurality of cells (n×m) and wherein each of said cells has a pixel value. The method is useful for compressing bitmapped images to be rendered by the simplest of graphics engines, Thus the method is particularly suited to the transmission of images to a relatively slow client on which the images are to be rendered in real time and on which any complex decompression would be too costly for such rendering. Raw compression ratios are comparable to those obtained with standard run-length encoding, but the number of drawing primitive calls required to render the compressed images directly is substantially less.