Abstract: Examples relate to throttling data access using a data porch. In some examples, an analysis engine is used to access memory and prepare a data response for a data request that is obtained from the data porch via a throttled data buffer. The data response is sent to the data porch via the throttled data buffer, where the throttled data buffer has a throttled data bandwidth that limits a data flow of data requests and data responses between the analysis engine and the data porch. In response to receiving the data response from the analysis engine via the throttled data buffer, the data porch is used to provide the data response to a networked device.

Abstract: Examples relate to throttling data access using a data porch. In some examples, an analysis engine is used to access memory and prepare a data response for a data request that is obtained from the data porch via a throttled data buffer. The data response is sent to the data porch via the throttled data buffer, where the throttled data buffer has a throttled data bandwidth that limits a data flow of data requests and data responses between the analysis engine and the data porch. In response to receiving the data response from the analysis engine via the throttled data buffer, the data porch is used to provide the data response to a networked device.

Abstract: A method for making an authenticating system for a package includes establishing a plurality of variable instruments on the package and depositing a product in the package after the instruments have been established thereon. The method also includes acquiring information from at least two of the plurality of instruments, and associating the acquired information with the product to render product-specific authentication data.

Abstract: A method of adjusting a document configuration includes the steps of generating a set of document configuration constraints that define an acceptable range of change in the look and feel of a document, the configuration of which is to be adjusted. The method includes modifying the document configuration while satisfying the set of document configuration constraints to minimize the change in the look and feel of the document.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for market-based document layout selection use an automated auction or bartering system, i.e., an automated page layout system, to place objects within a page and automatically generate a page layout that is pleasing to a user. An object refers to any item that can be individually selected and manipulated, and may include shapes and pictures that appear on a display screen. The method and apparatus improve the quality of page layout in terms of user preferences, and optimize the speed at which various objects are arranged on a page in a pleasing manner. In addition, the resulting page layout may be consistent among pages because all pages are arranged according to a common algorithm.

Abstract: A barcode with enhanced visual quality may be used with an item such as a document. The barcode includes a background field having an embedded graphic. The background caries data related to the item. The embedded graphic may obscure some background data. A bar coding apparatus, system and a corresponding method involve two basic functions: encoding and decoding. The encoding function uses an encoding algorithm to generate the barcode. The graphic is then embedded onto the barcode and the thus-generated enhanced visually significant barcode is placed on the item. Decoding involves machine-reading the barcode using a decoding algorithm. The decoding algorithm can operate with or without an original bit map that was used to generate the graphic. The graphic may be enhanced in a manner that may make at least a portion of the encoded information within the graphic readable by a human.

Abstract: A system for the transaction of transactional amounts when using merchantable content on a medium includes a clearinghouse, an apparatus having a medium handier, a merchantable content receiver, a medium identifier, a content identifier, a medium use mechanism, and a transmitter. The medium handler accepts the medium and the merchantable content receiver accepts the merchantable content. The medium identifier reads a first identifier from the medium. The content identifier reads a second identifier from the merchantable content. The medium use mechanism incorporates and uses the merchantable content with the medium. The transmitter sends the first and second identifiers to the clearinghouse. The clearinghouse has a first account for a medium provider referenced by the first identifier and a second account for the content provider referenced by the second identifier.

Abstract: A consumable article includes a consumable item and a memory device. The memory device is organized to represent currency. Use of the consumable item causes the memory device to be reorganized. The consumable article is used in an apparatus that has a control circuit that can update the memory device to modify the amount of currency when the apparatus consumes the consumable item. The apparatus optionally includes a network interface coupled to the control circuit that interfaces to a clearinghouse for reconciling the amount of currency and use of the consumable item.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for market-based document layout selection use an automated auction or bartering system, i.e., an automated page layout system, to place objects within a page and automatically generate a page layout that is pleasing to a user. An object refers to any item that can be individually selected and manipulated, and may include shapes and pictures that appear on a display screen. The method and apparatus improve the quality of page layout in terms of user preferences, and optimize the speed at which various objects are arranged on a page in a pleasing manner. In addition, the resulting page layout may be consistent among pages because all pages are arranged according to a common algorithm.

Abstract: A method and corresponding apparatus for market-based graphical grouping use an automated auction or bartering system, i.e., an automated graphical grouping system, to automatically group graphical and text elements. The automated graphical grouping system enables trading of document elements to generate more valuable and informative groupings for documents. Different characteristics of document elements may be used by the automated graphical grouping system for trading among the document elements. Examples of such tradable characteristics include: physical proximity, type of element (such as text, graphic, or number), style (such as font size), color or the like. The system affords reuse of graphical and text elements in other format in subsequent reflowing documents.

Abstract: A consumable article includes a consumable item and a memory device. The memory device is organized to represent currency. Use of the consumable item causes the memory device to be reorganized. The consumable article is used in an apparatus that has a control circuit that can update the memory device to modify the amount of currency when the apparatus consumes the consumable item. The apparatus optionally includes a network interface coupled to the control circuit that interfaces to a clearinghouse for reconciling the amount of currency and use of the consumable item.

Abstract: A barcode with enhanced visual quality may be used with an item such as a document. The barcode includes a background field having an embedded graphic. The background caries data related to the item. The embedded graphic may obscure some background data. A bar coding apparatus, system and a corresponding method involve two basic functions: encoding and decoding. The encoding function uses an encoding algorithm to generate the barcode. The graphic is then embedded onto the barcode and the thus-generated enhanced visually significant barcode is placed on the item. Decoding involves machine-reading the barcode using a decoding algorithm. The decoding algorithm can operate with or without an original bit map that was used to generate the graphic. The graphic may be enhanced in a manner that may make at least a portion of the encoded information within the graphic readable by a human.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for displaying a first image represented by a first set of data as a second image represented by a second set of data that is different than the first set of data, in which the first image is included in an electronic document. In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first set of data corresponding to the first image is received. The second set of data is produced by transforming the first set of data into at least one of a vector image representation and a textual description of the first image. The second image is substituted for the first image in the electronic document. An electronic link is established from the second image to the first image, such that the first image can be retrieved from a database using the second image.

Abstract: A system and method for helping teachers create and evaluate learning exercises is disclosed. The system comprises a creator interface module, wherein the creator interface module comprises a database comprising a plurality of questions, wherein one or more of the plurality of questions are formatted to create a learning exercise distributed to one or more students. The system also comprises a grader interface module, wherein the grader interface module assists the teacher in evaluating one or more sets of answers to the questions in the learning exercise received from the students, wherein each set of answers corresponds to one student, and wherein the grader interface module produces one or more sets of data corresponding to the sets of answers. A memory module records the sets of data.

Abstract: A computer-implemented document composition device includes a processor and a memory communicating with the processor. The memory includes a document storage area storing one or more electronic documents and a distance modifier routine. The processor uses the distance modifier routine to modify a separation distance between two particular text clusters in the electronic document. A document thus differentiated may be easily discriminated from other, similar documents. The differentiation may result in a human eye insignificant difference to the document layout that may be computer recognizable.

Abstract: A printer system including one or more printer rollers is capable of imprinting an identifiable texturing on print media. The identifiable texturing can be used to match print media from the printer system with the printer system. The printer system can imprint identifiable texturing that is not visible to the unaided eye. Therefore, a user of the printer system is unaware that the print medium can be matched with the printer system. The imprinting process is a relatively simple process in which the surface of the print medium is mechanically deformed. Therefore, expensive chemical analysis is not required to match the print medium with the printer system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detection of highlighted regions of a document. A document containing highlighted regions is scanned using a gray scale scanner. Morphology and threshold reduction techniques are used to separate highlighted and non-highlighted portions of the document. Having separated the highlighted and non-highlighted portions, optical character recognition (OCR) techniques can then be used to extract text from the highlighted regions.

Abstract: Machine readable electronic domain definitions of part or all of the electronic domain descriptions of hardcopy documents and/or of part or all of the transforms that are performed to produce and reproduce such hardcopies documents are encoded in codes that are printed on such documents, thereby permitting the electronic domain descriptions of such documents and/or such transforms to be recovered more robustly and reliably when the information carried by such documents is transformed from the hardcopy domain to the electronic domain.

Abstract: A forms recognition system having a method which assists an operator in creating an electronic template. The automated method would allow an operator to view an electronic bitmap of a master or blank form on a graphical display, the master form having bounded or semi-bounded regions depicting fields. An operator would display the bitmap, select a single point within a bounded or semi-bounded region on the bitmap with a pointing device, and the coordinates representing the bounded region would be automatically determined using the single point selected by the operator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detection of highlighted regions of a document. A document containing highlighted regions is scanned using a gray scale scanner. Morphology and threshold reduction techniques are used to separate highlighted and non-highlighted portions of the document. Having separated the highlighted and non-highlighted portions, optical character recognition (OCR) techniques can then be used to extract text from the highlighted regions.