Abstract: A self-service terminal (SST) comprises: a first sensor for sensing a first condition at the SST and a second sensor for sensing a second condition at the SST. The conditions may relate to environmental characteristics, such as humidity or temperature; general characteristics; specific characteristics of the SST; or characteristics of fraudulent devices. The SST also has a memory for storing reference data indicative of conditions at the SST, where at least some of the stored reference data is indicative of conditions during normal operation. The SST has a processor coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor and the memory, where the processor is operable to (i) receive captured data from the sensor, (ii) retrieve the reference data from the memory, and (iii) compare the captured data with the reference data to determine if the captured data is indicative of abnormal conditions.

Abstract: A method of controlling operation of one or more functions performed by an item comprises illuminating a token including one or more luminescent markers and detecting emission from the markers in response to the illumination. A spectral signature from the detected emission is generated and compared with one or more pre-defined spectral signatures associated with authorization to perform, access, or use the functions. Operation of one or more of the functions is allowed when the generated spectral signature matches one or more of the pre-defined spectral signatures.

Abstract: A method of determining a component of a medium comprises illuminating the medium to excite a marker associated with the component. Detected photoluminescent emission from the marker in response to the excitation is compared with one or more emission profiles. The component is identified based on a match between the detected photoluminescent emission and at least one of the emission profiles.

Abstract: A method of indicating the condition of an item comprises illuminating the item to excite one or more photoluminescent markers incorporated within the item. Photoluminescent emission from the markers in response to the excitation is compared to one or more pre-defined photoluminescent signatures indicating different conditions of the item.

Abstract: A method of ascertaining navigational information comprises illuminating a region of a surface incorporating one or more luminescent markers. Emission from the luminescent markers in response to the illumination is detected and processed to ascertain navigational information associated with the processed emission.

Abstract: A method of reducing receipt fraud comprises attempting to detect emission from a receipt associated with one or more luminescent markers that are incorporated in a valid receipt. The receipt is validated when the attempt is successful.

Abstract: A method of marking pharmaceuticals comprises providing a luminescent marker having a spectral signature associated with information associated with the pharmaceutical. Providing the luminescent marker includes incorporating the luminescent marker into the pharmaceutical, incorporating the luminescent marker into a coating on the pharmaceutical, incorporating the luminescent marker into packaging for the pharmaceutical, and the like.

Abstract: Method and system for booting two or more computing systems from an operating system image. Image may be stored in persistent memory on a host computer in communication with remote computing systems. Remote systems boot in a read only fashion from operable system image. Remote computing systems may not include a hard drive, but store identifying information, function, services, file systems, etc. in volatile memory.

Abstract: A penetration screen is disclosed which comprises a substantially planar substrate with, at least, one electrical circuit disposed thereon. The electrical circuit is configured such that, at least, one section of the circuit is electrically isolatable from the remainder of the circuit without causing a fault condition in said remainder of the circuit.

Abstract: A task synchronization mechanism operates on a global lock that is shared between processors an on local locks that are not shared between processors. The local locks are processor-specific locks. Each processor-specific lock is dedicated to a particular processor in the system. When shared access to a resource is required, a processor updates its processor-specific lock to indicate the processor is sharing the resource. Because each processor-specific lock is dedicated to a particular processor, this eliminates a significant portion of the memory bus traffic associated with all processors reading and updating the same lock. When exclusive access to a resource is required, the requesting processor waits until the count of all processor-specific locks indicate that none of these processors have a lock on the resource. Once no processor has a lock on the resource, exclusive access to the resource may be granted.

Abstract: An apparatus and method includes a database journal that records journal entries. Each journal entry includes a validation value that is computed from the data and metadata for the record before it is changed. In this manner, journal entries may be applied with confidence to a record in a database. This is especially useful when minimized data journal entries are used. If the validation value of the journal entry matches the validation value computed from the data and metadata of the record that the journal entry is to be applied to, then the record before applying the journal entry is identical to the record in the original database, and the journal data may be applied to the database record. If the validation value of the journal entry does not match the validation value computed from the data and metadata of the record that the journal entry is to be applied to, the record is not the same as in the original database when the journal entry was generated.

Abstract: A radio receiver includes a voice-only detection mechanism that detects when the current radio station is transmitting mostly voice, and that changes the function of the receiver depending on whether or not the current radio station is transmitting mostly voice. In a first embodiment, the radio receiver mutes its audio output when the voice-only detection mechanism detects a voice broadcast, or mutes its audio output when the voice-only detection mechanism detects a music broadcast. In a second embodiment, the radio receiver changes to a different radio station when a voice-only signal is detected, or when a music signal is detected. The second embodiment preferably includes a spectrum analyzer that can store a frequency spectrum “signature” of a radio signal, and a second tuner that scans the available radio stations for a signal that matches the stored signature.

Abstract: A database manager selectively caches journal entries for certain database changes based on dynamic selection criteria. Preferably, a journal disk drive is provided for storing changes to the database. Database change entries are sequentially cached in a main memory journal buffer, awaiting journal write. When a buffer is filled, its buffer contents are written to the journal disk. However, certain change operations will cause the contents of the buffer to be written to the journal disk immediately, before filling the buffer. Certain database change entries selectively cause the buffer to be written, depending on dynamic selection criteria. Preferably, these selection criteria take into account both the estimated time to recover in the event of a system crash and the current level of activity on the system. Generally, the busier the system, the more data will be cached, and vice versa.

Abstract: A system for tagging articles. A glass is fabricated from (1) a combination of oxides and (2) one or more rare earth elements. The glass is divided into particles or fragments, which are attached to the article. When the particles are excited by specific radiation, they emit a characteristic signature, in terms of a collection of frequencies, each frequency having a characteristic amplitude and decay time. However, the particles cannot be counterfeited, or reverse-engineered, because, at present, no systematic data is available which correlates a particle's characteristic signature with the composition and processing of the particle itself. Thus, at best, a trial-and-error approach must be taken in attempts at counterfeiting, which is considered impossible.

Abstract: A biometric system (10) for assisting a user in providing a biometric reading is described. The system (10) comprises: a biometric capture unit (12) for capturing biometric data from a user; and feedback means (30) for providing the user with an indication of the extent to which a measurement has been captured. The feedback means (30) may be implemented by a display, a loudspeaker (508), or both. The system may also include anonymizing means (66) for providing the feedback means (30) with an anonymized version of the data measured from the biometric capture unit (12).

Abstract: Disclosed is an enhanced database journaling mechanism that results in reduced secondary storage consumption. The memory management mechanism of the present invention reduces journal size, and accordingly, secondary storage utilization by monitoring the effects to the journal by certain transactions and by making one or more adjustments to reduce those effects.

Abstract: A self-service terminal for reading wireless tags incorporated into media items is described. The terminal comprises a media acceptor for receiving media items, such as banknotes incorporating an RFID tag, and a wireless tag reader for reading received media items incorporating wireless tags. The terminal may also include a wireless tag reader for reading wireless tags in media items that are being transported to determine if multiple superimposed media items are present. The terminal may include a wireless tag reader for reading wireless tags in media items presented as a bunch, and subsequently retracted, to determine if any of the presented media items had been removed.

Abstract: An optically detectable security marker for emitting light at a pre-selected wavelength. The marker comprises a rare earth dopant and a carrier incorporating the rare earth dopant. The interaction of the carrier and the dopant is such that the fluorescent fingerprint of the marker is different from that of the rare earth dopant. The marker may be incorporated into a plurality of items, such as fluids, for example paint, fuel or ink, and laminar products such as paper or banknotes or credit cards.

Abstract: A flux indicator is utilized as a low-overhead consistency check for a shared resource such as a data structure, and provides a mechanism for determining both whether a data structure has or is currently in the process of being modified. In connection with attempts to modify the data structure, the flux indicator is updated from a first state to a second state prior to modifying the data structure, and thereafter updated to a third state after modifying the data structure, Copies of the flux indicator are then obtained both before and after attempting to obtain a copy of data from the data structure. The validity of the copy of the data is ensured when the first copy of the flux indicator does not indicate that the data structure is in the progress of being modified and the first and second copies of the flux indicator have the same state.

Abstract: A method for developing a template of a reference document, such as a bank note and using that template to validate other test documents. The method involves using images of a plurality of reference documents, such as banknotes and segmenting each image in a like manner into a plurality of segments (10, 12). Each segment is then classified using a one-class classifier to determine a reference classification parameter (14). These parameters are used to define a threshold reference classification parameter. Optionally, the step of segmenting is optimized to determine a preferred number of segments, and a preferred combination of these for use in a subsequent validation process. Preferably, this is done using a stochastic algorithm such as a genetic algorithm.