Abstract: A large number of objects, such as objects representing beams and columns in an object-oriented enterprise engineering system, may be copied in a model database by partitioning the objects according to certain criteria into a number of ordered small copy groups and copying the objects in each group as an atomic operation. Objects that are to be copied are organized into the ordered groups, and the groups are copied in order, such that all predecessors of a given object are copied into the database before, or in the same small operation as, the given object. If a large copy operation abnormally terminates before all the small copy operations have been completed, the model database is, nevertheless, left in a consistent state, and the copy operation may be resumed from the point of interruption. Furthermore, the number of objects that may be copied is not constrained by the amount of memory available in the system.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are directed to a computer that has a housing with walls that form a substantially sealed interior cavity from an exterior environment. The computer includes a plurality of computer components within the interior cavity. The computer also includes at least one heat sink for dissipating thermal energy into the exterior environment. A cooling element is thermally coupled to the heat sink and at least one of the computer components to transfer thermal energy from the computer component into the heat sink and the exterior environment.

Abstract: A method and a system for calibrating a camera in a surveillance system. The method and system use a mathematical rotation between a first coordinate system and a second coordinate system in order to calibrate a camera with a map of an area. In some embodiments, the calibration can be used to control the camera and/or to display a view cone on the map.

Abstract: An integrated GIS system in which a 3D visualization system is integrated with a 2D GIS system using interfaces that map 2D components for 3D visualization and map 3D components for processing by the 2D GIS system. A 2D GIS system and a 3D visualization system are integrated through interfaces that provide for 3D visualization of 2.5D GIS data as well as interactive control of the 2D GIS system from 3D windows containing 3D renderings produced by the 3D visualization system. User selections made in a 3D window are mapped to 2D geo-location coordinates for to use by the 2D GIS system components. Changes made via the 3D window to 3D graphic indicia and/or metadata are used to modify GIS data in a GIS database, and the modified GIS data is used to update the 3D rendering to reflect the user changes.

Abstract: A system and method are presented for aggregating and displaying information that relates to items in an engineering design. A system for designing engineering projects filters components of interest to a user, then collects data pertaining to the components from a set of databases that may be associated with mutually incompatible applications. The system presents, in a simple manner, an integrated display of the component properties and visual representations of the filtered components, both in isolation and in context. Multiple filtered components may be scrolled using a scrolling device such as a mouse wheel. The visual representations may be cropped with a resizable crop box, and non-selected components outside the crop box may have varying levels of opacity.

Abstract: A method and a system for calibrating a camera in a surveillance system. The method and system use a mathematical rotation between a first coordinate system and a second coordinate system in order to calibrate a camera with a map of an area. In some embodiments, the calibration can be used to control the camera and/or to display a view cone on the map.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of processing digital input image data containing haze and having a plurality of color channels including at least a blue channel, to generate output image data having reduced haze, includes receiving in a first computer-implemented process, digital input image data, and generating, in a second computer-implemented process, digital output image data based on the digital input image data using an estimated transmission vector for the digital input image data. The estimated transmission vector is substantially equal to an inverse blue channel of the digital input image data, and the digital output image data contains less haze than the digital input image data. The method also includes outputting the digital output image data via an output device.

Abstract: A method and a system for calibrating a camera in a surveillance system. The method and system use a mathematical rotation between a first coordinate system and a second coordinate system in order to calibrate a camera with a map of an area. In some embodiments, the calibration can be used to control the camera and/or to display a view cone on the map.

Abstract: A system to parse both telemetry data and corresponding encoded video data wherein the telemetry and video data are subsequently synchronized based upon temporal information, such as a time stamp. The telemetry data and the video data are originally unsynchronized and the data for each is acquired by a separate device. The acquiring devices may be located within or attached to an aerial vehicle. The system receives the telemetry data and the encoded video data and outputs a series of synchronized video images with telemetry data. Thus, telemetry information is associated with each video image. The telemetry data may be acquired at a different rate than the video data. As a result, telemetry data may be interpolated or extrapolated to correspond to each video image. The present system operates in real-time, thus data acquired from aerial vehicles can be displayed on a map.

Abstract: A method and a system for calibrating a camera in a surveillance system. The method and system use a mathematical rotation between a first coordinate system and a second coordinate system in order to calibrate a camera with a map of an area. In some embodiments, the calibration can be used to control the camera and/or to display a view cone on the map.

Abstract: A 3-D view manipulation apparatus surrounds a 3-D model displayed on a display device, and allows a user to manipulate the view of the model by manipulating the apparatus, without having to divert the user's view from the model. The apparatus is transparent or semi-transparent, such that all of its surfaces are simultaneously visible. The apparatus may include control features on its surface, edges, or corners to facilitate changing the view of the model to a vantage point from or through that control feature. The apparatus may include a set of orthogonal axes at its center, about which the model may be made to rotate.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are directed to a computer that has a housing with walls that form a substantially sealed interior cavity from an exterior environment. The computer includes a plurality of computer components within the interior cavity. The computer also includes at least one heat sink for dissipating thermal energy into the exterior environment. A cooling element is thermally coupled to the heat sink and at least one of the computer components to transfer thermal energy from the computer component into the heat sink and the exterior environment.

Abstract: An integrated GIS system in which a 3D visualization system is integrated with a 2D GIS system using interfaces that map 2D components for 3D visualization and map 3D components for processing by the 2D GIS system. A 2D GIS system and a 3D visualization system are integrated through interfaces that provide for 3D visualization of 2.5D GIS data as well as interactive control of the 2D GIS system from 3D windows containing 3D renderings produced by the 3D visualization system. User selections made in a 3D window are mapped to 2D geo-location coordinates for to use by the 2D GIS system components. Changes made via the 3D window to 3D graphic indicia and/or metadata are used to modify GIS data in a GIS database, and the modified GIS data is used to update the 3D rendering to reflect the user changes.

Abstract: A system and method of distributing a file maintained on a first device in a secured network having at least the first and a second device is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention provide for file synchronization within a secured network without requiring any alteration to the security of the secured network by opening up ports. Each device is located on a tier of the network. The top tier of the network that includes the first device is accessible to network administrators. Network administrators may add files into the system and the network administrators may generate a file privilege file. The file privilege file can include configuration information for a computer on a tier and may also include information about which files the computer at a specific tier has access to. The network will then propagate the file privilege file down from the first device through any intermediate devices and then onto the second device.

Abstract: A system is provided that can parse both telemetry data and corresponding encoded video data wherein the telemetry and video data are subsequently synchronized based upon temporal information, such as a time stamp. The telemetry data and the video data are originally unsynchronized and the data for each is acquired by a separate device. The acquiring devices may be located within or attached to an aerial vehicle. The system receives the telemetry data stream or file and the encoded video data stream or file and outputs a series of synchronized video images with telemetry data. Thus, there is telemetry information associated with each video image. The telemetry data may be acquired at a different rate than the video data. As a result, telemetry data may be interpolated or extrapolated to create telemetry data that corresponds to each video image. The present system operates in real-time, so that data acquired from aerial vehicles can be displayed on a map.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stabilizing image frames in a video data stream. A weighted average or centroid of the intensity or hue associated with pixels vs. the horizontal and vertical position of each pixel is calculated for a reference frame in the video data stream. A corresponding centroid is calculated for a subsequent frame in the stream. This image frame is then translated so that the centroid of the subsequent frame and the centroid of the reference frame coincide, reducing artifacts from shaking of the video capture device. Alternatively, the video stream frames may be divided into tiles and centroids calculated for each tile. The centroids of the tiles of a subsequent frame are curve fit to the centroids of tiles in a reference frame. An affine transform is then performed on the subsequent frame to reduce artifacts in the image from movements of the video capture device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stabilizing image frames in a video data stream. A weighted average or centroid of the intensity or hue associated with pixels vs. the horizontal and vertical position of each pixel is calculated for a reference frame in the video data stream. A corresponding centroid is calculated for a subsequent frame in the stream. This image frame is then translated so that the centroid of the subsequent frame and the centroid of the reference frame coincide, reducing artifacts from shaking of the video capture device. Alternatively, the video stream frames may be divided into tiles and centroids calculated for each tile. The centroids of the tiles of a subsequent frame are curve fit to the centroids of tiles in a reference frame. An affine transform is then performed on the subsequent frame to reduce artifacts in the image from movements of the video capture device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided that improve graphical software applications, by filtering the data for display according to techniques for defining and manipulating visual indicia. Data may be filtered according to multiple filters that are combined in a number of ways to form the set of data for display. Data may be filtered ontologically and geometrically according to their relationships with other data. Visual indicia that represent filters may be drag-and-dropped between input areas to facilitate ease of use. Data selected according to a filter may be displayed at the same time as non-selected data by applying visually distinctive characteristics to the selected data. A virtual environment may be shown simultaneously on several different video displays at a single workstation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the collaborative design, construction, and maintenance of fluid processing plants are provided. A collaborative commerce application may provide project management utilities, visualization utilities, dynamic pricing utilities, material procurement utilities, and certification utilities. These features may be integrated seamlessly into the collaborative commerce application. Communication among project team members in the design and construction of fluid processing plants may be made more efficient by providing automatic notifications via the collaborative commerce application. Version control may be used to ensure project team members are working with the latest designs and revisions. Access controls and other security features may be used to prevent confidential data from being disseminated unnecessarily.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method of detecting polarized identification indicia in real-time. A frame of image data is provided having a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel includes polarized light intensity information. An intensity value is determined for each of the pixels from the polarized light intensity information. A first portion of the pixels having intensity values within an intensity range is selected. The pixels in the first portion having similar angle of linear polarization values within a tolerance range are analyzed, thereby detecting the polarized identification indicia in the image data.