Abstract: A device for visual monitoring comprises a mobile chipset disposed in a housing, at least one eyestalk attached to the housing and communicatively coupled to the mobile chipset, and mounting hardware affixed to the housing, the mounting hardware configured to secure the housing to a stationary structure. In one embodiment, the mobile chipset is configured to execute a set of program instructions in response to the device being connected to external power, including program instructions which, when executed by the mobile chipset, causes the device to take pictures in response to automatically generated triggers, and to automatically upload image data to a packet-based network for display and/or further processing. In a further embodiment, the device is configured to pre-process the image data, such as extracting relevant data for a specific application, before uploading the image data to the packet-based network for further process.

Abstract: A device for visual monitoring comprises a mobile chipset disposed in a housing, at least one eyestalk attached to the housing and communicatively coupled to the mobile chipset, and mounting hardware affixed to the housing, the mounting hardware configured to secure the housing to a stationary structure. In one embodiment, the mobile chipset is configured to execute a set of program instructions in response to the device being connected to external power, including program instructions which, when executed by the mobile chipset, causes the device to take pictures in response to automatically generated triggers, and to automatically upload image data to a packet-based network for display and/or further processing. In a further embodiment, the device is configured to pre-process the image data, such as extracting relevant data for a specific application, before uploading the image data to the packt-based network for further process.

Abstract: Electronic mail (email) is certified and authenticated by an authentication service. The authentication service is integrated with an email web site that allows users to set up email accounts. Outgoing email from the email web site is routed to the authentication service. A message identifier (ID) is generated and added to the message within markers. A random-number generator creates random pad characters that are added to the message before a checksum is generated. The checksum and the pad characters are stored in a table indexed by the message ID. The pad characters and the checksum are placed in secure storage and not available to users or others on the Internet. The email with the message ID in the markers but without the pad characters or checksum is sent to the recipients, along with instructions on how to authenticate the message. Others can authenticate a message by emailing it to the authentication service.

Abstract: A web site on the world-wide-web allows users to search a product/price database. The database contains product and price information for a wide variety of products from many different suppliers such as online and offline stores. Information in the database is collected and corrected by submitting users who are rewarded for product submissions. A submitting user inputs data on new product, price, supplier, or rating information using an online form. The user highlights coordinates of the model, make, and price on the supplier's web page, so that automated software can later check the supplier's web page for price and product updates. The submitting user is rewarded for submitting product and price information. When other consumer-users search the database and find the product, the submitting user is again rewarded. When these other consumer-users follow a link to the supplier's web page for that product, the submitting user is further rewarded.

Abstract: A cascaded multimedia arbiter and method for arbitrating access to a shared multimedia memory, which is used to store multiple frame buffers for multiple monitors. Other buffers for multimedia agents such as for audio, camera input, digital-versatile disk (DVD) input, and three dimensional (3D) rendering share the same memory. The shared memory allows flexible memory allocation as graphics, audio, and multimedia modes change. Many real-time agents such as for graphics and audio read the memory to fill first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffers. These real-time agents are assigned a fixed slot in a round-robin arbitration. The last or final arbitration slot is used by all non-real-time agents, such as the host, 3D engine, and DVD playback. These non-real-time agents can wait, but need the most bandwidth to maximize performance. The last time slot uses a priority arbiter to grant access in a priority order to the non-real-time agents.

Abstract: Low-latency arbitration is provided for a super-priority communications device such as modems and ISDN/DSL routers, LAN switches and routers. Phantom arbitration slots are inserted between each pair of permanent slots. When a request from the super-priority agent is received, the next phantom slot is used to service the request. The initial latency is just one slot period rather than the whole arbitration loop. Other phantom slots are skipped until the same phantom slot is again activated at the same point in the arbitration loop during subsequent rounds of arbitration. Thus only the initial latency is reduced; subsequent requests from the super-priority agent are handled just once for each arbitration cycle. The low initial latency allows the communications device to quickly respond to an incoming call. Other real-time agents are assigned a fixed slot in a round-robin arbitration. The last arbitration slot is used by all non-real-time agents.