Abstract: A security system including: a camera mounted to a door for capturing image data of an individual approaching the door; and a processor for further processing the image data. Preferably, the system includes: a database for storing the image data; and a recognition system for analyzing the stored image data. The stored image data in the database are preferably face images and the recognition system is preferably a face recognition system. The database can contain image data for each authorized individual of the structure where the recognition system compares images of the individual from the camera with the stored image data to determine if the individual is one of the authorized individuals. The system includes a sensor, operatively connected to the door knob of the door, for detecting the arrival of the individual approaching the door and signaling the camera to capture the image data of the individual upon operation of the door knob.

Abstract: A backlight for an LCD display comprised of an array of LEDs. The backlight may be driven and controlled by a fast pulse power converter, thus providing a response time for the backlight on the order of microseconds. The backlight may thus be used for image display, for example, in the depiction of images in a video input to the LCD and removal of image artifacts.

Abstract: The invention provides a way of protecting a differential pair of bipolar transistors by diverting the current into an n-channel MOSFET which is driven into conduction during an ESD event and allows a larger swing of input voltage than the anti-parallel diode pair. No extra processing steps are required and the MOSFET is driven on, rather than relying on parasitic bipolar npn transistor triggering into snap-back as in the grounded gate NMOS transistor that is commonly used for ESD protection in CMOS integrated circuits. According to the present invention, an ESD protection circuit is provided for protecting a differential pair of transistors having two input terminals.

Abstract: A security monitoring system including; an exit and entrance camera located at the exit and entrance of a structure; a detector for detecting the exit or entry of an individual; an image recording system for storing images from the exit and entrance cameras; and a computer vision system for analyzing the stored images using a predetermined criteria to determine if the exiting and entering individuals are the same. Preferably, the cameras are video cameras and the detector is either a door contact sensor or an infra-red. The system preferably transmits an alarm signal and/or at least a portion of the stored images to a remote site if the exiting and entering individual is determined not to be the same.

Abstract: A system and method for verifying digital recordings that have a plurality of tracks. The invention provides a protection system and method that verifies ownership of a digital recording by requiring the presence of the entire or significant portion of the medium (e.g., CD) as it existed when the digital recording was originally distributed.

Abstract: A method and device for placing orders over a network using bioauthentication account authorization for an account having different users and access levels.

Abstract: A security monitoring system including: at least one camera for monitoring a path of an individual inside and/or outside a structure; a recorder for recording the monitoring of the individual; trajectory analyzer for computing a trajectory of the path of the individual from the recorded monitoring; comparator for comparing the trajectory against known trajectories; and an alarm system for transmitting an alarm signal if the trajectory does not match one of the known trajectories. Preferably a video camera is used in each of an entrance, exit, and one or more rooms of the structure and the recorder records video segments of the path of the individual inside and/or outside the structure.

Abstract: A power amplifier circuit includes an amplifying transistor and a dc bias circuit for biasing the amplifier transistor to obtain a conduction angle of at least about 180°. The dc bias circuit includes a self-bias boosting circuit for initially decreasing and then increasing the dc bias voltage provided to a control terminal of the amplifying transistor by the dc bias circuit as the input signal provided to the power amplifier increases. The self-bias boosting circuit is extremely simple and compact in design, and permits the power amplifier circuits to operate in Class B or Class AB with improved power output characteristics.

Abstract: A remote control for controlling consumer electronic devices and/or PC's. The remote control including a progress/status indicator for indicating the status of a download process or the status of an e-wallet.

Abstract: A system and method for verifying digital recordings that have a plurality of tracks. The system includes an encoder that: divides the digital recording into a plurality of sections and associates a random number with each section; calculates an identifier as a function of the associated random numbers; and watermarks sections within a block of sections with the associated random number and a portion of the identifier. A verification system is provided that extracts the random numbers and identifier portions; calculates a first identifier as a function of the extracted random numbers; calculates a second identifier based on the identifier portions; and compares the first identifier and the second identifier.

Abstract: In a method of demodulating and decoding an encoded interleaved signal, a received encoded interleaved signal is demodulated, thereby producing soft-decision demodulated output words. Thereafter, the soft-decision demodulated output words are de-interleaved and scaled, thereby producing de-interleaved and scaled words. The scaling is performed for a plurality of successively demodulated output words at a time, thereby applying a scale factor that is substantially constant over the entire span of an interleaving frame. The de-interleaved and scaled words are word-length-reduced words. Finally, the de-interleaved and scaled words are decoded.

Abstract: An alarm system having an alarm portion and a portable device. The portable device has a form-factor of a key. The key wirelessly receives alarm status information from the alarm portion and displays an alarm status indication in response to the received alarm status information. The key utilizes a processor connected to a memory, a display, and a status inquiry actuator. The memory stores control/display data. The processor queries the memory to retrieve corresponding control/display data in response to the received alarm status information. The processor utilizes the retrieved control/display data to produce the alarm status indication. The status inquiry actuator enables a user to make an alarm status inquiry. The processor displays the alarm status indication in response to the alarm status inquiry. The portable device utilizes a transmitter to transmit the alarm status inquiry to the alarm portion.

Abstract: A method for depositing an adhesion layer in a contact region on a semiconductor substrate provides for sufficient coverage on the bottom and sidewalls of the contact region. In an example embodiment, a contact region having a bottom and sidewalls has a first coat of the adhesion layer deposited thereon at a thickness greater than the thickness on the sidewall. To compensate for the narrower adhesion layer thickness on the sidewalls, a second coat of the adhesion layer is deposited so that the second coat on the sidewalls is at a thickness greater than the second coat thickness on the bottom. The adhesion layer is titanium nitride although other materials may be used as well.

Abstract: A security monitoring system including: an alarm system having detectors for detection of an alarm in a structure; at least one camera for capturing image data inside and/or outside the structure; a processor for selecting a subset of the image data upon the occurrence of the alarm based on a predetermined criteria; and a modem for transmitting the subset of image data to a remote location. Preferably, the at least one camera is a video camera, the image data is video image data, and the subset of the image data is at least one video frame of the video image data. Preferably, the processor ranks each video frame from the image data according to how well each video frame meets the predetermined criteria and the modem transmits a predetermined number of video frames having the best rank to the remote location.

Abstract: A dual-mode modular pulse-width-modulator capable of outputting low-speed and high-speed control signals is presented. In one mode, a control signal is generated based on timing parametric data stored in a memory. In a second mode, a control signal is generated based on timing parametric data stored in a memory and an external input. Timing parametrics and control variables used to determine the operational mode can be pre-loaded in the memory or loaded through a communication link.

Abstract: Rapid thread processing is achieved by transferring complete thread contexts between a memory and a context register set. Each thread context is read from a respective memory location in response to either a designated interrupt or an instruction.

Abstract: In a power source system, a method for providing color mixing in a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp comprises the steps of providing a swept frequency signal having a sweeping frequency ranging between a first lower frequency value and a second higher frequency value, within a specified period. An amplitude modulation signal is also provided having an adjustable frequency value and an adjustable modulation index. As a result the sweeping frequency signal is modulated by said amplitude modulation signal. The frequency of the amplitude modulation signal is adjusted until a maximum lamp voltage is detected. Thereafter, the system operates with a modulating frequency that yields the maximum lamp voltage so as to substantially eliminate color segregation in the lamp.

Abstract: A method and system for producing decoding the transmission of high-resolution images transmitted as a low resolution spatially scalable FGS encoded base layer and at least one enhancement layer is presented. The low resolution received base layer is representative of a downscaled image of the original image. In this manner, a minimum resolution base layer is transmitted and higher resolutions may be obtained and utilized depending on the available bandwidth and the receiving system resolution capability. In one aspect of the invention, the base layer is decoded and a quality enhancement is next applied to the base layer. The combined base layer and quality layer video frames are then upscaled and the upscaled image is combined with a decoded spatial enhancement layer information. The spatial enhancement layer information fills in resolution lacking in the upscaled base layer/quality layer image. Thus, a high resolution image is formed.

Abstract: The invention provides a camera assembly which includes a housing having a mounting cap attached to sidewalls to which is attached an optical surface, the camera housing enclosing a camera system wherein the optical surface is rotatable relative to the camera housing after the camera system is positioned. Preferably, the optical surface is a dome rotatable relative to the housing through the use of a circumferential seal attached to a circumferential flange portion of the housing. Most preferably, the seal is a continuous, circumferential bi-level seal that is S-shaped in cross-section, said seal having a first level that includes a first groove that contains a circumferential flange portion of a wall portion of said housing, and a second level that includes a second groove that contains a circumferential flange portion of a wall of said dome.

Abstract: In a master-slave configuration wherein a sleepmode activation is effected by the cessation of a clocking signal, the need for an analog device or auxiliary clock for detecting the cessation of the clocking signal is obviated by anticipating the cessation of the clock signal. Upon anticipating the cessation of the clock signal, the remaining clock signaling before cessation is used as required to effect a controlled power-down of the slave device. By eliminating the need for an analog clock cessation detector, the process tolerance constraints associated with analog circuitry can be avoided, the reliability and robustness of the design is improved, and the required testing is simplified, thereby reducing the cost of the device. In like manner, the elimination of an auxiliary clock generator reduces the cost and complexity of the device and system, and improves the device and system's overall reliability and testability.