Abstract: A camera for determining distances to a scene, the camera comprising: a light source comprising a VCSEL controllable to illuminate the scene with a train of pulses of light having a characteristic spectrum; a photosurface; optics for imaging light reflected from the light pulses by the scene on the photosurface; and a shutter operable to gate the photosurface selectively on and off for light in the spectrum.

Abstract: In a method for displaying video data within result presentations in information access or search systems, compressed thumbnails are computed for videos in a result page and applied to the result page. An end user is enabled to select a video in the result page and activate streaming of a video summary within the context of the associated result page.

Abstract: In a method for displaying video data within result presentations in information access or search systems, compressed thumbnails are computed for videos in a result page and applied to the result page. An end user is enabled to select a video in the result page and activate streaming of a video summary within the context of the associated result page.

Abstract: In a method for displaying video data within result presentations in information access or search systems, compressed thumbnails are computed for videos in a result page and applied to the result page. An end user is enabled to select a video in the result page and activate streaming of a video summary within the context of the associated result page.

Abstract: In a method for a dynamic updating of an index of a search engine, wherein the index is an inverted index comprising a dictionary, a posting file with a posting list for each keyword of the index and a database log, the documents are inserted in the index in small batches called update generations, a list of all occurrences of keywords in the documents of each update generation is generated, the occurrence list is inserted in the database log, and for each keyword entered in the database a reference to a previous entry of the same keyword is created. This previous entry has a reference stored in the mass storage device as the last added entry of all recently keywords.—A search engine performing the method may be implemented on one or more servers with a mass storage device, and comprises a core search engine with a search subsystem and an indexing subsystem for creating a keyword index stored on the mass storage device and with the index realized as a dynamically updateable index.

Abstract: In the distribution of electronic documents within an organization or across the perimeter of the organization, security is an important issue as the documents may be sensitive to a larger and a smaller degree. The distribution specifically takes place between individual persons and groups of persons either within or outside the organization, and on data communication networks including both intranets and extranets. In order to improve the security communication paths are determined for each distributed document on the basis of the set of all mappings of communication relations between senders or documents providers and all potential and actual recipients of the documents, including temporal parameters. Determined communication paths are used to compute a degree of sensitivity for the document, and this degree of sensitivity is used to monitor and limit the distribution of the document in compliance with an established security scheme for the organization.

Abstract: A method of interfacing a person with a computer, the method comprising: providing the person with a device having: a shaft having an axis; a tsuba connected to the shaft and having a first side that extends away from the axis and faces the shaft; and a handgrip on a second side of the tsuba opposite the first side; acquiring an image of the device; determining an orientation of the device responsive to the image; and generating an action by the computer responsive to the orientation.

Abstract: A computing system generates a depth map from at least one image, detects objects in the depth map, and identifies anomalies in the objects from the depth map. Another computing system identifies at least one anomaly in an object in a depth map, and uses the anomaly to identify future occurrences of the object. A system includes a three dimensional (3D) imaging system to generate a depth map from at least one image, an object detector to detect objects within the depth map, and an anomaly detector to detect anomalies in the detected objects, wherein the anomalies are logical gaps and/or logical protrusions in the depth map.

Abstract: A camera for determining distances to a scene, the camera comprising: a light source comprising a VCSEL controllable to illuminate the scene with a train of pulses of light having a characteristic spectrum; a photosurface; optics for imaging light reflected from the light pulses by the scene on the photosurface; and a shutter operable to gate the photosurface selectively on and off for light in the spectrum.

Abstract: A camera for determining distances to a scene, the camera comprising: a light source comprising a VCSEL controllable to illuminate the scene with a train of pulses of light having a characteristic spectrum; a photosurface; optics for imaging light reflected from the light pulses by the scene on the photosurface; and a shutter operable to gate the photosurface selectively on and off for light in the spectrum.

Abstract: A method of providing a signal to a plurality of signal destinations configured in a planar array, the method comprising: electrically connecting all the signal destinations with at least one conducting element; and providing the signal substantially simultaneously to signal destinations substantially along the perimeter of the planar array and along diagonals of a rectangle.

Abstract: A 3D imaging system comprising: first and second rolling shutter photosurfaces having pixels; a first shutter operable to gate on and off the first photosurface; a light source controllable to transmit a train of light pulses to illuminate a scene; a controller that controls the first shutter to gate the first photosurface on and off responsive to transmission times of the light pulses and opens and closes bands of pixels in the photosurfaces to register light reflected from the light pulses by the scene that reach the 3D imaging system during periods when the first photosurface is gated on; and a processor that determines distances to the scene responsive to amounts of light registered by pixels in the photosurfaces.

Abstract: In a method for improving client's login and sign-on security in accessing services offered by service providers over shared network resources such as Internet and particularly working within the framework of the www, a password is created for the client at a first attempt to access the service provider. The client's password is generated either at an authentication authority in trust relationship with the service provider and transmitted to the client, or the client is allowed to create his or her password on the basis of random character sequences transmitted from the authentication authority. For subsequent access to the service provider the authentication authority presents a client for characters in ordered sequences or in a diagram containing in an appropriate order a single occurrence of each password character.

Abstract: In a method for displaying video data within result presentations in information access or search systems, compressed thumbnails are computed for videos in a result page and applied to the result page. An end user is enabled to select a video in the result page and activate streaming of a video summary within the context of the associated result page.

Abstract: A photosurface for receiving and registering light from a scene, the photosurface comprising: a first semiconductor region in which electron-hole pairs are generated responsive to light incident on the photosurface; a single, first conductive region substantially overlaying all of the first semiconductor region; at least one second semiconductor region surrounded by the first semiconductor region; a different second conductive region for each second semiconductor region that surrounds the second semiconductor region and is electrically isolated from the first conductive region; wherein when the second conductive region is electrified positive with respect to the first conductive region, electrons generated by light incident on the first semiconductor region are collected in the second semiconductor region.

Abstract: There is provided a novel method, device and system for imaging. According to some embodiments of the present invention, a visible light image sensor array (e.g. Charge-Couple Device (“CCD”) or Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (“CMOS”)) and a ranging sensor array may be arranged substantially facing the same direction and having a substantially overlapping field of view. According to further embodiments of the present invention, a range value derived from one or more ranging sensor elements within the ranging sensor array may be correlated with one or more imaging elements within the visible sensor array. Image processing logic may correlate the derived ranging value with the one or more imaging elements as a function of the derived range.

Abstract: A computing system generates a depth map from at least one image, detects objects in the depth map, and identifies anomalies in the objects from the depth map. Another computing system identifies at least one anomaly in an object in a depth map, and uses the anomaly to identify future occurrences of the object. A system includes a three dimensional (3D) imaging system to generate a depth map from at least one image, an object detector to detect objects within the depth map, and an anomaly detector to detect anomalies in the detected objects, wherein the anomalies are logical gaps and/or logical protrusions in the depth map.

Abstract: A 3D camera for determining distances to regions in a scene wherein gating or modulating apparatus for the 3D camera is incorporated on a photosurface of the camera on which light detectors of the camera are also situated. Each pixel in the photosurface may include its own pixel circuit for gating the pixel on or off or for modulating the sensitivity of the pixel to incident light. The circuit may comprise at least one amplifier inside the pixel, at least one feedback capacitor separate from the light sensitive element and connected between the input and output of each of the at least one amplifier, and at least one controllable connection through which current flows from the light sensitive element into the input of the at least one amplifier. The 3D camera may further include a light source and a controller.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying a pointing organ or a pointing device in a field of imaging of a 3-D imaging system and for calculating a line of pointing relative to this organ or device are disclosed. The method and system may be used to enable a user to communicate with computer programs, such as computer games, 3-D design programs and the like. The method and system may further employ a trigger-like mechanism to identify a movement of a user that may be interpreted as trigger activation.

Abstract: A method includes generating a depth map from at least one image, detecting objects in the depth map, and identifying anomalies in the objects from the depth map. Another method includes identifying at least one anomaly in an object in a depth map, and using the anomaly to identify future occurrences of the object. A system includes a three dimensional (3D) imaging system to generate a depth map from at least one image, an object detector to detect objects within the depth map, and an anomaly detector to detect anomalies in the detected objects, wherein the anomalies are logical gaps and/or logical protrusions in the depth map.