Abstract: A segmentation operation is applied to an input image to identify foreground objects of interest, and then a shadow removal operation is applied to remove any detected shadows from the foreground segmentation. The shadow removal algorithms can leave holes and bisections in the segmentation map, however, which will then subsequently impact on an object detection step performed using connected component analysis. To get around this problem, a conditional morphological dilation operation is applied to the segmentation map to ‘grow’ the segmented blobs to fill in any holes and bisections, without re-growing shadow pixels in the segmentation. The result is an object detection method and system which is robust to illumination changes causing shadows and/or highlights.

Abstract: Structured information data sets structured according to a first predefined structure are converted into data sets structured according to a second predefined structure by way of an intermediate data structure. Conversion rules are defined to convert from each of the first and second predefined structures into the intermediate data structure and from the intermediate data structure into each of the first and second predefined structures. A pre-processor is provided to carry out initial processing tasks on a received data set to make it more susceptible to structural processing according to the conversion rules, and a post-processor is provided to carry out tasks such as vocabulary and data type conversion.

Abstract: Personalized content is provided over a communications network such as the Internet. Providing personalized content includes both generating content which depends on the recipient of that content and delivering that content in a manner that depends on the recipient. Although methods of providing personalized content are known, none of those methods provide a mechanism for deciding when and how to personalize content. By enabling a content provided to send policy data to local caches and having a local agent computer arrange for content files to be delivered in accordance with those policy files, such a mechanism is provided.

Abstract: A computer network is managed by policies. This allows selections to be made from a range of control options and optionally to be based on locally available system information. Policy-based management is distributed across the system and is handled locally by management agents allowing control of a sub-network. As a result of a distributed policy-based management system is provided which allows additional flexibility of control.

Abstract: A method of signalling in an AIN, in which in an SSP, the initial message of a new transaction is addressed to a Service Global Title (SGT). The SSP translates that SGT to a first address of the first choice SCP. The SCP responds with an acknowledgement message which has a second address of the SCP as its source address, and includes the Nodal Global Title (NGT) of that SCP. The SSP sends subsequent messages for that transaction addressed to that NGT, and the SSP translates that NGT to the second address of the SCP. When the SCP is taken out of service, the first address is made unavailable, so the SSP sends new initial messages to the second choice SCP, but subsequent messages for existing transactions may still be sent to the second address of the first choice SCP. When all existing transactions have ceased, the SCP is taken out of service.

Abstract: A multiple channel steered spatialized signal is generated from a signal input modified according to respective spatialization gain functions to generate a plurality of audio channels. An echo cancellation signal is applied to a return path using a combined spatialization and echo path estimate. The estimate is derived from the gain functions applied to the respective channels. When the gain functions applied in the respective channels are changed, for instance to represent a different apparent position of the sound source, a new estimate of the echo paths is generated, based on a previous estimate of the echo path and on the new gain functions.

Abstract: Picture elements of a digitally coded image are each represented by a color value. The value of an element x is adjusted by firstly making a number of comparisons between elements elsewhere in the image. This comparison involves comparing a first picture element group (which may comprise the picture element x under consideration and at least one further picture element in the vicinity thereof) with a second picture element group. The second picture element group comprises a base picture element y and at least one further picture element, the number of picture elements in the second group being the same as the number of picture elements in the first group and the position of each further element of the second group relative to the base picture element of the second group being the same as the position of the respective further element of the first group relative to the picture element under consideration.

Abstract: Caricatured images of subjects are generated wherein the caricatured image of each subject is adapted when subjects join and leave a closed group of which they are members. By adapting the caricatured images in this manner, it can be ensured that each caricatured image remains maximally distinguishable from the other images in the group, thus ensuring that recognition of the images may be maintained at a high level.

Abstract: The rate of data transmission to a user via a communications link of a network is controlled wherein resource requests are communicated to a service provider. The resource requests are determined in accordance with an indication of the congestion level on the network and the user's defined parameters, such as their willingness to pay for the resource, wherein the resource request is weighted by a variable parameter, whose value is set in accordance with the congestion level on the network. This allows the rate controller to react efficiently and swiftly to network conditions as well as user defined parameters. By providing a computer programmed to act as a purchasing agent an automatic resource request to a service provider is enabled. An embodiment is described in which audio or video data is streamed to a user on the basis of the resource requests made on the user's behalf and is adjusted on the basis of user and network defined parameters.

Abstract: A signal is filtered by multiplying its Fourier transform by the Fourier transform of a reference sequence to which the filtering is to be matched. The reference sequence (e.g. a Golay sequence pair) is defined as an iterative combination of shorter sequences and its Fourier transform is generated by an iterative process of combining the Fourier transforms of a shorter starting sequence.

Abstract: A token issuer and an authentication device provide an identity confirmation device. A token issuer is programmable by a central identity provider to issue certification tokens for use in e-commerce whereby transactions can be certified with suppliers without need for additional communication with a central server.

Abstract: A CTI system includes a translation table of user names against consistent (i.e. simulated) calling line identity. When a user originates a call, the CTI server knows the name of the user currently associated with, i.e. logged on at, the originating work desk, and refers to the consistent CLI translation table to obtain the consistent CLI for that user, and to instruct the switch to make the call using that consistent CLI in the setup signalling message. In some CTI systems, the consistent CLI translation table is in the form of a user-associated dummy terminal translation table, and the CTI server instructs the PBX to make a call from the respective user-associated dummy terminal. In this case, the PBX stores the consistent CLI corresponding to that dummy terminal.

Abstract: A number of data collection devices are free to move relative to each other through their environment, collecting data from their environment. They form an ad hoc wireless network in which data collected by a device either by its own sensors, or relayed from another device is transmitted to a destination either directly or by means of one or more other devices. The destination collects data collected by the mobile terminals for subsequent processing. The wireless links between them have to be re-arranged in order to provide the optimum network. When two devices come into proximity to each other, a forwarding direction is determined to identify to which device data should be forwarded. The devices co-operate to define their forwarding directions by exchanging data relating to their physical locations, and factors such as the spare capacity of their buffer stores, and battery condition.

Abstract: Messages are generated by a first device which messages together have the purpose of identifying a predetermined number of devices which satisfy a test condition included in each message. These messages are sent respectively to on-line devices neighboring the first device. To ensure that no more devices than necessary are identified by the messages, each message includes a variable which is referred to as a token bucket which indicates the number of devices to be discovered by the message. Additionally, each message includes a unique identifier. When one device receives a discovery message sent from another device, it determines if it satisfies the test condition and if so it sends an acceptance message to the originating device, decrements the token bucket in the message and forwards on any remaining tokens to another neighbor. The process stops once all tokens have been disposed of in this way.

Abstract: An installation for terminates a network cable of a public communication network at customer premises. The network cable is terminted and a connector allows a connection to be made between the public communication network and the customer premises via the termination. The termination is enclosed within an external wall of the customer premises. A first closeable access aperture is provided to permit access to the termination from outside the customer premises, and a second closeable access aperture is provided to permit access to the termination from within the customer premises.

Abstract: Remote data transfer is achieved via a data transfer network. To allow a user to transfer data at a higher data transfer rate in a cellular network, a user experiences the problem that the bandwidth available to him may vary, and in particular, may not be sufficient to allow the user to download information from the internet. To address this problem, a registered user is allowed to transfer identified data, for example, data identified by a particular url, by a user of a cellular network to a remote location, for example, the user's home computer.

Abstract: A method of combinatorial multimodal optimization uses a genetic algorithm to find simultaneous global optimal solutions to combinatorial problems. Each individual within the population is associated not only with a fitness value but with a fitness vector, using which the persistence of all of the best individuals into the next generation can be guaranteed. Phenotype as well as genotype analysis is an integral part of the method.

Abstract: A sequence of intensity measures is determined corresponding to each of a sequence of video frames. Such can be used for selection of videos according to user preferences and for providing highlights from a video sequence. Low level video characteristics are used which may be related to arousal and valence affects conveyed to a viewer while watching the video recording.

Abstract: A database of visual images includes metadata having, for a particular image, at least one entry specifying: a part of that image, another stored image, and a measure Sabi of the degree of similarity between that specified part and the specified other image. One or more images are displayed and input is received from a user (for examples, by using a gaze tracker) indicative of part of the displayed images. Measures of interest are determined for each of a plurality of non-displayed stored images specified by the metadata for the displayed image(s), as a function of the similarity measure(s) and the relationship between the user input and the part specified. On the basis of these measures, a selection is made from those non-displayed stored images of further images for display.

Abstract: A decoder for video signals, such as MPEG, which uses motion-compensated bidirectional predictive coding, performs concealment of lost or corrupted portions of a picture. For this purpose, it estimates missing motion vectors by combining the two vectors which accompany a bidirectionally coded frame to create a substitute vector. An encoder can be modified to enhance this decoder operation, including forcing at least one frame per group of frames to be coded using bidirectional prediction, and constraining the two vectors so that the substitute vector is closer to the wanted value.