Abstract: An additive manufacturing method includes depositing a first amount of metal powder onto a powder bed of a printing system, spreading the first amount of metal powder across the powder bed to form a first layer, and depositing a first amount of binder material on the first layer. The additive manufacturing method also includes exposing the first layer to a first lighting condition, imaging the first layer under the first lighting condition to generate a first image, analyzing the first image of the first layer, and determining whether to adjust at least one printing parameter based on the analyzing.

Abstract: A method for detecting chromosomal abnormalities comprising conversion of a chromosomal image into an ideogram which is compared to a control or standard ideogram of a chromosome; or converting an ideogram of a chromosome into a chromosomal image.

Abstract: A medical control apparatus to which a rigid endoscope having an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject is detachably connected is configured to perform image processing on a captured image obtained by capturing a subject image introduced by the rigid endoscope and generate a medical photographic image to be displayed on a display device that displays images. The medical control apparatus includes: a detection unit configured to detect a mask width that is a distance between boundary points dividing the subject image included in the captured image and a mask area that is an area other than the subject image; and a control unit configured to calculate a first parameter used for the image processing in accordance with the mask width.

Abstract: A device and a computer implemented method of anomaly detection, including processing a digital representation of a signal or image with a wavelet decomposition to generate a first, second, and third plurality of decomposed representations, processing a first decomposed representation of the third plurality of decomposed representations with a first generative model to determine a first likelihood, processing a second decomposed representation of the third plurality of decomposed representations with a second generative model to determine a second likelihood, processing a second decomposed representation of the second plurality of decomposed representations with a third generative model to determine a third likelihood, processing a second decomposed representation of the first plurality of decomposed representations with a fourth generative model to determine a fourth likelihood, detecting an anomaly when at least one of the first likelihood, the second likelihood, the third likelihood and the fourth likeliho

Abstract: A method, electronic device and storage medium for processing an image using depth-of-field information is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a weight matrix and a weight image based on depth-of-field data of an input image; obtaining a first horizontal summed area table corresponding to the weight matrix and a second horizontal summed area table corresponding to the weight image by performing horizontal summing operation on the weight matrix and the weight image; obtaining a first weighted blurring image corresponding to the weight matrix based on the first horizontal summed area table, and obtaining a second weighted blurring image corresponding to the weight image based on the second horizontal summed area table; and obtaining a pixel value of the pixel in a target image based on the first and second weighted blurring images.

Abstract: A method for generating and evaluating N-to-1 mappings, between spatial point sets in nD, n=2 or 3 implemented on a computing device comprising a programmable general purpose processor and a programmable data-parallel coprocessor and a memory coupled with them. Embodiments comprises using the computing device to receive a first and a second spatial point sets, the first spatial point set comprising a first non-empty portion of non-isolated points and a second non-empty portion of constrained points, an array of fixed correspondents for the second non-empty portion, and a CCISS or padded CCISS between the first non-isolated portion and the second spatial point set, and use these to generate an array of N-to-1 mappings between the first portion of non-isolated points and the second spatial point set, an array of overall distance measures for the array of N-to-1 mappings, and an optimal N-to-1 mapping with the lowest overall distance measure.

Abstract: A vascular closure system includes a vessel closure device with an electrically conductive component. The vessel closure device is configured to be advanced percutaneously to an opening in a blood vessel and to mechanically draw together sides of the opening or occlude the opening. A power source in electrical contact with the vessel closure device provides power to the vessel closure device to thereby heat tissue in an area near the opening to facilitate the closure or healing of the opening. The vessel closure device may be configured to be advanced to the opening over a tubular medical device. The vessel closure device may include a superelastic or shape memory element. The vessel closure device may be in contact with two conductors from the power source and may be configured to heat tissue via direct resistive element heating. Alternatively, one conductor may be connected to the vessel closure device and a second conductor may be connected to a ground pad on the patient.

Abstract: A method of dynamically negotiating a transaction can include determining a potential transaction between participants according to transaction parameters stored within a transaction parameter data store. The transaction parameters can be associated with each of the participants and can specify acceptable transaction terms. The potential transactions can be evaluated according to a mutual benefit conferred on the participants by the potential transactions according to the transaction parameters. The potential transactions can be ordered according to decreasing mutual benefit; and, the potential transaction having the greatest mutual benefit can be presented to the participants.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and techniques for transmitting a streaming media file. One of the techniques includes sending a metering uniform resource locator (URL) from a first server to a client player over a network, and sending a streaming media file from a second server to the client player over the network. The streaming media file includes at least one embedded metering event. In response to receiving the metering URL and the embedded metering event at the client player, a user meter is ticked.

Abstract: Data at a primary storage system is encrypted and remote copied to a secondary storage system. A Remote Copy Configuration Information (RCCI) is created that identifies the encryption mechanism, keys, data source volume, and target volume for the remote copy. The RCCI is backed up on a trusted computer system. In one embodiment, the secondary storage system is an off-site data storage system managed by a third party. Upon detection of a failure in the primary storage system, the encrypted data and RCCI are transferred to a tertiary server, which is optionally created upon detection of the failure, and operations of the failed primary server are resumed by the tertiary server. In one embodiment, the failure is detected by loss of a heart beat signal transmitted from the primary storage system to a management server that initiates the transfers to the tertiary server.

Abstract: Given the recent changes in the policy governing Internet content distribution, such as the institution of per listener royalties for Internet radio broadcasters, content distributors now have an incentive to under-report the size of their audience. Previous audience measurement schemes only protect against inflation of audience size. We present the first protocols for audience measurement that protect against both inflation and deflation attempts by content distributors. The protocols trade-off the amount of additional information the service providers must distribute to facilitate audience inference with the amount of infrastructure required and are applicable to Internet radio, web plagiarism, and software license enforcement. The protocols can be applied to other situations, such as auditing website screen scrapers and per-seat licensed software installations.

Abstract: A system and method for device-based access to account functions is provided. Access to functions is based upon the protocols supported by the device. More secure protocols are used to access all account functions including more sensitive account functions, such as making online payments and transferring funds. Less secure protocols, such as those used by mobile telephones and wireless communication devices, can still be used to access the account in order to perform less sensitive account functions, such as checking account summaries or balances. In one embodiment, the user can alter security settings to determine which account functions are allowed based on the type of protocol being used.

Abstract: A system and method for customer-side market segmentation and categorization. This segmentation is done without disclosing sensitive private customer information to the business. A customer downloads a categorization module to a portable device (PDA, wireless cellular phone, etc.) or personal computer. A business defines a decision procedure corresponding to a set of defined customer categories. The business sends their rule set to the customer's device, which uses the rules and a set of stored customer-specific historical and demographic information to determine into which of the business-specific customer categories the customer falls. The categorization module may use any of a variety of methods, such as decision trees, neural networks, Bayesian belief networks, k-nearest neighbor, genetic algorithms, or rule sets. The customer category is sent to the business without other personal data for the business to prepare appropriate promotional material or initiate specific actions.

Abstract: The present invention solves the problem of cross-provider access proprietary information between unaffiliated and competing network providers, but not allow that information to be disclosed to competing providers. The invention provides a system that allows increased utilization and revenue by allowing information from one provider to be accessed and used to complete a transaction or make a connection with subscribers in another carrier or network system without that information being disclosed. The description of the invention for use in wireless or cellular directory assistance is for convenience and illustration of the features of the invention. It is to be understood that the invention has many embodiments and can be applied to any system where confidential and secure access to an entity or services are needed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of encouraging distribution, registration, and purchase of free copyable software and other digital information which is accessed on a User's System via a Programmer's Program. Software tools which can be incorporated into a Programmer's Program allow the User to access Advanced Features of the Programmer's Program only in the presence of a valid Password which is unique to a particular Target ID generated on an ID-Target such as the User's System. Advanced features will thus re-lock if the Password is copied to another ID-target. If a valid Password is not present, the User is invited to obtain one, and provided with the means of doing so, and of installing that Password in a place accessible to the User's System on subsequent occasions. The present invention also provides Programmers with means to invoke business operations as well as computational operations with their programs, and thus to automatically obtain payment from Users who elect to obtain passwords.

Abstract: A mailing machine that optimizes throughput by reducing the amount of time necessary for the PSD to generate the digital signature and indicium for each mail piece is provided. The debit operation performed by the PSD, i.e., adjusting the PSD registers, is separated into three different sections, a pre-debit operation, a perform debit operation, and a complete debit operation. In addition, the calculation of the digital signature can optionally be pre-computed, or, alternatively, computed in stages, i.e., partial signature calculation. Utilizing this granularity, the cryptographic operations associated with generating the digital signature can be shifted between the three debit operations such that the execution time of the time critical portion of the debit operation (perform debit) can be optimized to meet the performance requirements of the mailing machine in which the PSD is deployed.

Abstract: A system for controlling the distribution and use of digital works using digital tickets. In the present invention, a “digital ticket” is used to entitle the ticket holder to exercise some usage right with respect to a digital work. Usage rights are used to define how a digital work may be used or distributed. Each usage right may specify a digital ticket which must be present before the right may be exercised. Digital works are stored in repositories which enforce a digital works usage rights. Each repository has a “generic ticket agent” which punches tickets. In some instances only the generic ticket agent is necessary. In other instances, punching by a “special ticket agent” residing on another repository may be needed.

Abstract: The service presentation apparatus includes a member database (310) for storing the information of members registered preliminarily as users, basic authentication means (321) for authenticating official members through an open information communication line (202), and mobile communication authentication means (322) for executing the authentication by way of the mobile communication terminal (102) preliminarily registered in the member database (310), while the user side includes a service terminal (101) connected to a server (300) through the open information communication line (202). In this configuration, an individual authentication system of higher accuracy will be realized. Moreover, a highly reliable accounting system is realized by applying the individual authentication system.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and apparatus for efficiently utilizing software licenses in a large organization having multiple divisions is disclosed. A preferred embodiment of the present invention accomplishes this goal by providing for a pool of organization-wide software licenses. This license pool is subdivided into a number of reserved or dedicated licenses for each particular division and a set of shared licenses to be shared among the various divisions. A given division, when checking out licenses from the organization-wide pool, will first exhaust its reserved licenses before checking out shared licenses. In the event that all shared licenses are being used, but there are reserved licenses that are sitting idle, a division may borrow a reserved license from another division, subject to the lending division's right of preemption in the event that the borrowed license is needed by the division lending the license.

Abstract: A method and system for providing an electronic shopping service integrated into a software application, and for controlling the set of web sites that are reachable from within the shopping service. Each web site is represented by data which is signed by a private key, and the data together with this signature is delivered to a plurality of computing devices that provide the shopping service. Each of the computing devices has access to the public key that corresponds to the private key, and uses the public key to verify the signature. The computing device displays links to those web sites whose representative data validates against the signature.