Abstract: In implementations of photography environment control, an environment controller is a device that maintains a photography environment map of an environment in which images are captured as photographs. The photography environment map includes locations of fixed light sources that are usable to illuminate a subject for image capture in a region of the environment. The environment controller implements an imaging recommendation module that can determine optimal lighting for the image capture of the subject in the region of the environment. The environment controller can then control the fixed light sources used to adjust ambient lighting conditions of the region in the environment for the optimal lighting and the image capture of the subject. The environment controller can also initiate communication of imaging recommendations to a camera device in the environment for the image capture of the subject.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating, in an aircraft in flight, a feasibility display indicative of the feasibility of a weapon, the method comprising: providing a performance envelope for the weapon; determining, using the performance envelope, configuration data for configuring a generic algorithm; uploading the configuration data to the aircraft; generating feasibility data indicative of the feasibility of a weapon carried on the aircraft successfully engaging a target and/or the feasibility of a weapon carried on the target successfully engaging the aircraft; determining, on board the aircraft, using the same generic algorithm and the uploaded configuration data, one or more test criteria; performing, on board the aircraft, an assessment process including determining whether or not the feasibility data satisfies the one or more test criteria; and, based the assessment, using the feasibility data, generating the feasibility display.

Abstract: Methods and systems for completing financial operations via a contactless automated teller machine are disclosed. A financial institution computing system includes a network interface circuit exchanging information over a network, a customer database retrievably storing financial information relating to a plurality of customers, and a data exchange circuit. The data exchange circuit receives a financial operation request. The financial operation request is generated by an automated teller machine in response to a payment token received from a mobile wallet circuit on a mobile device. The data exchange circuit authorizes the financial operation request based on information in the customer database.

Abstract: An RFID system for selectively communicating with a targeted transponder from among a group of multiple adjacent transponders is provided. The RFID system may include a transponder conveyance system adapted to transport at least one targeted transponder from a group of multiple adjacent transponders through a transponder encoding area along a feeding direction and an antenna having a resonant inductor and a ferrite material, wherein the ferrite material at least partially covers the resonant inductor and defines an exposed portion of the resonant inductor. In one antenna-transponder alignment, the exposed portion extends substantially parallel to the feeding direction.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, the IC card includes a communication unit, a verification rate acquisition unit, a setting unit, a reception processing unit, and a determination unit. The communication unit transmits and receives data to and from an external device. The verification rate acquisition unit acquires a verification rate of biometric information. The setting unit selects a security level corresponding to the verification rate from a plurality of security levels each indicating an executable command, and sets the selected security level as the current security level. The reception processing unit receives a command through the communication unit. The determination unit determines whether or not the received command is executable on the basis of the current security level.

Abstract: In various example embodiments, systems and methods for automatic location based discovery of variations of displayed items in a store are presented. In some embodiments, a beacon ID associated with a beacon device located at a store is received. In other embodiments, at least one product identifier associated with the beacon ID and representing one or more of store displayed items available for sale by the store is determined. In further embodiments, product variations of the one or more store displayed items available for sale by the store are identified associated with the at least one product identifier. In another embodiment, display information representing the product variations of the one or more store displayed items available for sale by the store is provided.

Abstract: Provided is a method for crypto digital currency transfers via a mobile and wearable device. The method may include receiving a transfer request with a transfer amount in crypto digital currency and user identification data associated with the user, retrieving payment data of the user associated with the identification data, generating an optical code encoding the payment data and the transfer amount. The method may continue with providing the optical code on a screen of the mobile and wearable device. On scanning of the optical code, a transfer receiving request is created. The method may continue with receiving the transfer receiving request to perform a payment transaction associated with the user, accessing a user account maintained by a currency issuance unit, and transferring the transfer amount in the crypto digital currency from the user account to a recipient account associated with the recipient identification data.

Abstract: Provided is a method for digital currency transfers via a mobile and wearable device. The method may include receiving a transfer request with a transfer amount in digital currency and user identification data associated with the user, retrieving payment data of the user associated with the identification data, generating an optical code encoding the payment data and the transfer amount. The method may continue with providing the optical code on a screen of the mobile and wearable device. On scanning of the optical code, a transfer receiving request is created. The method may continue with receiving a transfer receiving request to perform a payment transaction associated with the user, accessing a user account maintained by a currency issuance unit, and transferring the transfer amount in the digital currency from the user account to a recipient account associated with the recipient identification data.

Abstract: A checkout apparatus (10) includes an image data acquisition unit (11) that acquires data of an image; an image analysis unit (12) that recognizes a plurality of products in the image using a feature value of an exterior of each of the products registered in a feature value storage unit (14) and the data of the image; a reading necessity or non-necessity check unit (15) that extracts the product for which it is necessary to read a product code from among the recognized products, using an object-to-be-read storage unit (16) in which the product for which it is necessary to read the product code is registered in advance; and a reading unit (17) that reads the product code of the product extracted by the reading necessity or non-necessity check unit (15).

Abstract: In a method, whether there is a first bar having a width and located at at least one of both ends of a first black and white pattern is determined. The width of the bar is greater than a maximum width of a second bar. The maximum width of the second bar appears in a second black and white pattern assuming that the black and white pattern is part of the first barcode. The first black and white pattern is determined as readout data of the second barcode when it is determined that there is the first bar having the width greater than the maximum width of the second bar and located at at least one of both ends of the first black and white pattern.

Abstract: A medication container encoding, verification and identification method is provided that includes receiving data characterizing a medication, generating an identifier encapsulating the data and applying an identifier to a medication container such that it is automatically readable by a medication device. Related apparatus, systems, methods and articles are also described.

Abstract: Devices and methods for detecting credit card skimmers are provided herein. A device can include a printed circuit board having a pattern of electrical traces on its surface, and a computer readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to direct an electrical voltage to a trace and detect an electrical current between two points of the trace. A gap can be disposed between the two points across which a voltage is applied in order to detect a magnetic reader. A count of the detected magnetic readers within a credit card reading device may be indicative of the presence of a credit card skimmer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating mechanical computing mechanisms and Turing-complete systems which include combinatorial logic and sequential logic, and are energy-efficient.

Abstract: An authentication device (20) comprises one or more flakes of a substantially two-dimensional material (14). The one or more flakes of the substantially two-dimensional material (14) have an operative area configured to emit, by non-resonant photoluminescence, electromagnetic radiation with a property that varies with position in the operative area.

Abstract: RFID tags are combined in increase their range. A first RFID tag comprises a first chip and a first antenna configured to transmit data from the chip. The first RFID tag has a first initial range by which data may be obtained by an RFID reader from the first chip. A second RFID tag comprises a second chip and a second antenna configured to transmit data from the chip. The second RFID tag has a second initial range by which data may be obtained by an RFID reader from the second chip. A conductive path from first antenna to the second antenna is established to change initial ranges to modified ranges which are greater than the initial ranges.

Abstract: A method of preventing fraud and theft during automated teller machine (ATM) transactions includes recording a video stream using a camera mounted on or near the ATM, the camera being positioned to record the face of a user of the ATM and a background behind the user, providing a facial model database containing images of a large number of people taken from different angles, the facial model database containing images of unobscured faces as well as obscured faces, and receiving insertion of a bank card into the ATM. The method further includes comparing images captured from the recorded video stream with images contained in the facial model database, and producing a corresponding first face comparison result, and issuing a notice for the user to uncover the user's face when the first face comparison result indicates that the user's face is obscured.

Abstract: A computing platform may receive, from one or more cash handling devices, aggregated activity information comprising a plurality of transaction records. Subsequently, the computing platform may identify one or more deposit transactions based on the aggregated activity information comprising the plurality of transaction records. Based on identifying the one or more deposit transactions, the computing platform may generate one or more account credit commands, which may direct at least one account management computer system to apply one or more provisional credits to one or more treasury accounts associated with the one or more deposit transactions. Subsequently, the computing platform may send, to the at least one account management computer system, the one or more account credit commands directing the at least one account management computer system to apply the one or more provisional credits to the one or more treasury accounts associated with the one or more deposit transactions.

Abstract: A machine readable symbol reader can provide illumination form portions other than or in addition to the head of the reader, to enhance the ability to successfully read machine-readable symbols, for example symbols on curved surfaces and/or DPM symbols. A machine readable symbol reader include a first set of receiving optics in a head of the reader and a second set of receiving optics in a portion of the reader other than the head, to provide an alternative line of sight or field of view.

Abstract: An information acquisition system includes a communication terminal that reads an information code storing the point information and a service ID; and a server that stores point information and a service ID in association with each other, the communication terminal accessing the server and acquiring the point information from the server. The communication terminal extracts the point information and the service ID from the information code to transmit to the server the point information and the service ID. At a time of reception of the point information and the service ID, the server extracts, from the point information stored in the server, association point information corresponding to the point information that correlates with the service ID received from the communication terminal, and transmits the association point information to the communication terminal. The communication terminal outputs the point information, and the association point information received from the server.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a chip card module is provided. The chip card module includes a chip card module contact array having six contact pads that are arranged in two rows having three contact pads each in accordance with ISO 7816, and three additional contact pads that are arranged between the two rows. Each additional contact pad is electrically conductively connected to a respective associated contact pad from a row from the two rows.