Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for implementing transaction applications using a handheld document data capture device are described herein. The handheld device captures information from a rendered document. The captured information is processed to identify an electronic document corresponding to the rendered document. Information captured from the rendered document by the handheld capture device is used to perform a transaction. In one embodiment, a portable scanner is used to select items from a catalog. Information scanned from the catalog is used to identify the catalog, the items to be purchased, and complete an order via the Internet.

Abstract: A system for identifying an electronic counterpart for a rendered document is described. The system receives an indication of a text capture operation performed from a rendered document. The indication identifies a text sequence captured as part of the text capture operation, the identified text sequence comprising fewer than nine words. In response to receiving the indication, the system uniquely identifies an electronic document from which the rendered document was rendered.

Abstract: A facility for analyzing text capture operation traffic is described. The system receives indications of operations for capturing text from rendered documents performed by a plurality of users. The system performs collective analysis on the received indications, and outputs a result produced by the analysis.

Abstract: A system for processing a visual capture operation as described. The system receives an indication of a visual capture operation performed from a rendered document. The indication specifies both a text sequence capture as part of the capture operation and a supplemental marking captured as part of the capture operation. The system determines an action to perform in response to receiving the indication, based both upon the text sequence specified in the indication and the supplemental markings specified by the indication.

Abstract: A portable device having scanning, imaging or other data-capture capability is described. In some cases, the portable device can indicate to the user when enough information has been captured to uniquely identify a source document. In some cases, the portable device calculates timestamps and location-stamps indicating when and where a data capture occurred. In some cases, the portable device is controlled by gestures. In some cases, the portable scanning device has associated billing and content/service subscription information.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosed innovations provide systems and methods for locating data associated with rendered documents. Some embodiments support the use of a handheld document data capture device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosed innovations provide systems and methods for automatically locating and retrieving digital supplemental materials and counterparts of rendered documents. These systems and methods are especially useful when the provider or copyright holder of the digital document charges a fee for access to the digital materials. Some embodiments solve the technical problem of allowing a user to access restricted digital content associated with a rendered document via a search string captured from the rendered document. Some embodiments further provide automatic intermediation to gain access to protected digital materials.

Abstract: A system for processing a text capture operation is described. The system receives text captured from a rendered document in the text capture operation. The system also receives supplemental information distinct from the captured text. The system determines an action to perform in response to the text capture operation based upon both the captured text and the supplemental information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for quickly and easily getting information about, or included in, a paper document into a public or private digital page. One embodiment of an example system includes a scanner that generates scan information from at least a portion of a paper document and a processing system that receives the generated scan information from the scanner, accesses a database of digital documents, searches the database based on the received scan information, locates a digital document corresponding to the paper document, and sends either the digital content or a hyperlink to the digital content to a predetermined web page.

Abstract: A display system in which one or more display devices are arranged to be addressed by a data processing device (e.g. a laptop computer) coupled to the display devices over a general purposes data network, thereby providing an ultra-thin network-connected display. The image data transmitted the display devices directly represents an image to be displayed on the display devices. In one embodiment the system includes an adaptor which couples a conventional display device to the network, thereby delivering the display data directly to the display device over the network. In an alternative configuration, the system includes a network-enabled monitor, which incorporates ultra-thin client componentry. Both embodiments dispense with the limitations imposed by dedicated VGA cables. Display devices addressed by the data processing device can thus be placed at great distances from the data processing device, and from one another. Wireless networks are also contemplated.

Abstract: A method and a system for managing a computer system's multiple processors as devices. The operating system accesses the multiple processors using processor device modules loaded into the operating system to facilitate a communication between an application requesting access to a processor and the processor. A device-like access is determined for accessing each one of the processors similar to device-like access for other devices in the system such as disk drives, printers, etc. An application seeking access to a processor issues device-oriented instructions for processing data, and in addition, the application provides the processor with the data to be processed. The processor processes the data according to the instructions provided by the application.

Abstract: A connection arrangement includes a first connector (12) with an opening leading to first and second contacts (14, 16), where the first contact includes a beam (40) that is biased upwardly against the second contact but which can be depressed out of engagement with the second contact. The beam is depressed by a plug inner contact (32) of a mating second connector (30) that passes into the opening and depresses the beam, in an arrangement that assures firm engagement of the plug inner contact with the beam despite small beam movement. A stop (70) lying under the beam, limits its downward movement by the plug inner contact. The plug inner contact is spring biased downwardly with respect to the second connector frame (36) but can move up, so the second connector can continue to move down a short distance after the plug inner contact has pushed the beam against the stop, to enable-full engagement of largely coaxial outer contacts (26, 34) of the first and second connectors.

Abstract: A system and method for a processor thread acting as a system service provider is presented. A computer system boots up and initiates a service thread. The service thread is responsible for service related tasks, such as ECC checks and hardware log error checks. The service provider invokes a second thread which is used as an operational thread. The operational thread loads an operating system, a kernel, and runs various applications. While the operational thread executes, the service thread monitors the operational thread for proper functionality as well as monitoring service events. When the service thread detects a problem with either one of the service events or the operational thread, the service thread may choose to store operational data corresponding to the operational thread and terminates the operational thread.

Abstract: A system and method for an asymmetric heterogeneous multi-threaded operating system are presented. A processing unit (PU) provides a trusted mode environment in which an operating system executes. A heterogeneous processor environment includes a synergistic processing unit (SPU) that does not provide trusted mode capabilities. The PU operating system uses two separate and distinct schedulers which are a PU scheduler and an SPU scheduler to schedule tasks on a PU and an SPU, respectively. In one embodiment, the heterogeneous processor environment includes a plurality of SPUs. In this embodiment, the SPU scheduler may use a single SPU run queue to schedule tasks for the plurality of SPUs or, the SPU scheduler may use a plurality of run queues to schedule SPU tasks whereby each of the run queues correspond to a particular SPU.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to perform code handling, such as interpreting language instructions or performing “just-in-time” compilation using a heterogeneous processing environment that shares a common memory. In a heterogeneous processing environment that includes a plurality of processors, one of the processors is programmed to perform a dedicated code-handling task, such as perform just-in-time compilation or interpretation of interpreted language instructions, such as Java. The other processors request code handling processing that is performed by the dedicated processor. Speed is achieved using a shared memory map so that the dedicated processor can quickly retrieve data provided by one of the other processors.

Abstract: A system and method for using a processor thread as a debugger is presented. A computer system boots up and initiates a debugger thread. The debugger thread loads a robust, debugger operating system and executes the debugger operating system. Once the debugger thread is functioning, the debugger thread invokes an operational thread. In turn, the operational thread loads a primary operating system and may run various applications. While the operational thread executes the primary operating system and the applications, the debugger thread monitors the operational thread for proper functionality. When the operational thread crashes or terminates, the debugger thread retrieves operational data from the operational thread and provides the operational data to a software developer for analysis.

Abstract: An electrical component includes an initial structure (40) molded of an insulative first material and having a plurality of regions (81, 82, 83) that each forms a passage (42), with the regions being largely separated to leave gaps (90, 92, 94) between them, but with the regions joined by small tabs (44). The initial structure is plated everywhere, including along the passages and on the tabs. A quantity of second insulative material (108) is overmolded to the plated initial structure to fill the gaps between them but not some portions of the passages. The tabs then can be cut away to electrically isolate the platings on the different regions, and to thereby electrically isolated contacts, such as the outer conductors of coaxial connectors, installed in the passages while the regions that form the passages are mechanically held together by the overmolding second material.

Abstract: An electrical component includes an initial structure (40) molded of an insulative first material and having a plurality of regions (81, 82, 83) that each forms a passage (42), with the regions being largely separated to leave gaps (90, 92, 94) between them, but with the regions joined by small tabs (44). The initial structure is plated everywhere, including along the passages and on the tabs. A quantity of second insulative material (108) is overmolded to the plated initial structure to fill the gaps between them but not some portions of the passages. The tabs then can be cut away to electrically isolate the platings on the different regions, and to thereby electrically isolated contacts, such as the outer conductors of coaxial connectors, installed in the passages while the regions that form the passages are mechanically held together by the overmolding second material.

Abstract: A switch assembly is provided for mounting on a circuit board and for receiving a coax connector plug that opens the switch and connects the central coax plug element to one of the switch contacts, which enables the use of a plug (100) without a long projecting center contact element (102) and which enables many degrees of misalignment between the plug and switch. The switch (10) includes a housing (11) with an exposed upper face (22) having an entrance (24) for receiving the connector plug. First and second contacts (12, 14) are mounted on the housing, with the first contact including a resilient beam (18) biased up against the second contact but deflectable downwardly out of engagement with the second contact. An electrically conductive projection (19) projects upward at least partially through an opening (26) at the bottom entrance, so the center contact element of the plug does not have to project deeply through the opening in order to operate the switch and electrically connect to the beam.

Abstract: Transducer apparatus and method combining both an absolute pressure sensor for sensing absolute pressure in the load lock chamber and a differential pressure sensor for sensing a pressure difference between ambient atmospheric pressure and pressure in a load lock chamber and provides control signals for opening an interior door from the load lock chamber into a vacuum processing chamber and for opening an exterior door between ambient atmosphere and the load lock chamber. The transducer can also produce signals to control transition from slow to fast vacuum pump-down of load lock chamber pressure at a predetermined pressure set point.