Abstract: In some embodiments, a reading device is provided with a shortcut read mode in which a user can instruct the reading device of the type of document (e.g., invoice, package label, newspaper, etc.) that is to be read so that the device can more efficiently find and read back to the user desired (target) information from the document.

Abstract: A system provides assisted living messages with varying levels of detail to a person, according to proximity gradients. In one embodiment, the system involves location data. The location data associates first and second notification devices with respective first and second locations at a dwelling. A remote configuration module may enable a caregiver at a location other than the dwelling to specify multiple messages to be presented to the person at the dwelling, to assign first and second messages among the multiple messages to the first location, and to associate the first and second messages with first and second proximities, respectively, for the first location. The first notification device may automatically present the first message in response to detecting the person within the first proximity, and the second message in response to detecting the person within the second proximity. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Speech errors for a learner of a language (e.g., an English language learner) are identified automatically based on aggregated characteristics of that learner's speech.

Abstract: Motion detecting devices may be used to help monitor and guide human subjects interacting with objects. An activity monitoring station may receive an interaction schedule for a human subject. The schedule may list objects with which the human subject is scheduled to interact. The station may receive motion data from a motion detecting device worn by the subject and a device situated on or in an object. The station may generate a motion alignment score, based on the motion data, and may determine that the subject has interacted with the object, based on the alignment score. The station may also automatically determine whether the interaction is an approved interaction or a disapproved interaction, based on the schedule. The station may automatically cause an approval or disapproval signal to be generated for the human subject. Interaction reports may be generated and transmitted to caregivers. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A system provides assisted living messages with varying levels of detail to a person, according to proximity gradients. In one embodiment, the system involves location data. The location data associates first and second notification devices with respective first and second locations at a dwelling. A remote configuration module may enable a caregiver at a location other than the dwelling to specify multiple messages to be presented to the person at the dwelling, to assign first and second messages among the multiple messages to the first location, and to associate the first and second messages with first and second proximities, respectively, for the first location. The first notification device may automatically present the first message in response to detecting the person within the first proximity, and the second message in response to detecting the person within the second proximity. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A system provides assisted living messages with varying levels of detail to a person, according to proximity gradients. In one embodiment, the system involves location data. The location data associates first and second notification devices with respective first and second locations at a dwelling. A remote configuration module may enable a caregiver at a location other than the dwelling to specify multiple messages to be presented to the person at the dwelling, to assign first and second messages among the multiple messages to the first location, and to associate the first and second messages with first and second proximities, respectively, for the first location. The first notification device may automatically present the first message in response to detecting the person within the first proximity, and the second message in response to detecting the person within the second proximity. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method for shedding signal load in a network having a plurality of devices is disclosed herein. The method comprises computer-implemented steps of (a) issuing a load-shedding policy, where the policy includes (i) fraction f of the signal to be discarded; (ii) device D where fraction f of the signal is to be discarded; and (iii) pattern P of discarding fraction f of the signal; (b) transmitting the issued load-shedding policy to device D; and (c) discarding portions of the signal at device D according to pattern P until fraction f of the signal is discarded.

Abstract: A method of load-shedding in a system having a plurality of signal sources is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: (a) for each signal source Si selected from a set of sources {S1, S2, . . . }, each source having state pi,k selected from a set of states {p1,1, p1,2, . . . , p1,N; p2,1, p2,2, . . . , p2,N; . . . }, wherein i is an integer greater than one, N is an integer not less than two and k is an integer from 1 to N: (i) obtaining fractions fi,k, wherein each 0?fi,k<1 is a fraction of a signal from source Si to be discarded if source Si is in state pi,k; and (ii) determining respective state pi,k of signal source Si based on the signal from source Si; and (b) for each source signal Si in determined state pi,k, discarding fraction fi,k of a signal from source Si.

Abstract: An article is extracted from a document using a decision combiner to process a plurality of reading order alternatives. The text flow analysis generates the plurality of reading order alternatives of separate body text regions.

Abstract: A system provides a means to detect and track a patient silhouette which may be used to instruct him/her in positioning a medical sensing device on his/her chest with guidance from a computer or from a remotely located physician. The medical sensing device may be, for example a stethoscope or other device.

Abstract: A system provides assisted living messages with varying levels of detail to a person, according to proximity gradients. In one embodiment, the system involves location data. The location data associates first and second notification devices with respective first and second locations at a dwelling. A remote configuration module may enable a caregiver at a location other than the dwelling to specify multiple messages to be presented to the person at the dwelling, to assign first and second messages among the multiple messages to the first location, and to associate the first and second messages with first and second proximities, respectively, for the first location. The first notification device may automatically present the first message in response to detecting the person within the first proximity, and the second message in response to detecting the person within the second proximity. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Motion detecting devices may be used to help monitor and guide human subjects interacting with objects. An activity monitoring station may receive an interaction schedule for a human subject. The schedule may list objects with which the human subject is scheduled to interact. The station may receive motion data from a motion detecting device worn by the subject and a device situated on or in an object. The station may generate a motion alignment score, based on the motion data, and may determine that the subject has interacted with the object, based on the alignment score. The station may also automatically determine whether the interaction is an approved interaction or a disapproved interaction, based on the schedule. The station may automatically cause an approval or disapproval signal to be generated for the human subject. Interaction reports may be generated and transmitted to caregivers. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A computer method and system synchronizes one streaming data signal with another data signal. A subject data signal and working data signal are received. The working data signal has predefined coordinates in a coordinate system (e.g., time origin and unit sampling rate in a time coordinate system for audio). The subject data signal and working data signal are transformed into respective common representations. An alignment process aligns the respective transformed representations by matching the transformed representation of the working data signal to that of the subject signal. A re-synchronizer element transposes the predefined coordinates of the working data signal onto the subject signal in the aligned state of the respective transformed representations. As such, the subject data signal is synchronized to the coordinate system of the working data signal.

Abstract: A method of load-shedding in a system having a plurality of signal sources is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: (a) for each signal source Si selected from a set of sources {S1, S2, . . . }, each source having state pi,k selected from a set of states {p1,1, p1,2, . . . , p1,N; p2,1, p2,2, . . . , p2,N; . . . }, wherein i is an integer greater than one, N is an integer not less than two and k is an integer from 1 to N: (i) obtaining fractions fi,k, wherein each 0?fi,k<1 is a fraction of a signal from source Si to be discarded if source Si is in state pi,k; and (ii) determining respective state pi,k of signal source Si based on the signal from source Si; and (b) for each source signal Si in determined state pi,k, discarding fraction fi,k of a signal from source Si.

Abstract: A method for shedding signal load in a network having a plurality of devices is disclosed herein. The method comprises computer-implemented steps of (a) issuing a load-shedding policy, where the policy includes (i) fraction f of the signal to be discarded; (ii) device D where fraction f of the signal is to be discarded; and (iii) pattern P of discarding fraction f of the signal; (b) transmitting the issued load-shedding policy to device D; and (c) discarding portions of the signal at device D according to pattern P until fraction f of the signal is discarded.

Abstract: A speech recognition system provides a subword decoder and a dictionary lookup to process a spoken input. In a first stage of processing, the subword decoder decodes the speech input based on subword units or particles and identifies hypothesized subword sequences using a particle dictionary and particle language model, but independently of a word dictionary or word vocabulary. Further stages of processing involve a particle to word graph expander and a word decoder. The particle to word graph expander expands the subword representation produced by the subword decoder into a word graph of word candidates using a word dictionary. The word decoder uses the word dictionary and a word language model to determine a best sequence of word candidates from the word graph that is most likely to match the words of the spoken input.

Abstract: A system for analysing and annotating time-varying signals comprises a substrate for carrying the time-varying signal in printed form, a printer for printing the time-varying signal over the substrate and a reading and writing device for reading a local background pattern of the substrate and writing on the substrate, the reading and writing device enabling the position of annotations on the substrate to be determined. Local portions of the background pattern on the substrate uniquely identify a location of the background pattern over the substrate. This enables the position of annotations on the substrate which relate to portions of the signal to be determined. This enables annotations written on the printed plot to be stored digitally. The locations of the markings which define the annotations enable not only the annotations themselves to be recorded, but also the parts of the signal to which they relate.

Abstract: An electronic document searching system or word searching system which when given an input, expands the input as a function of acoustic similarity and/or word sequence occurrence frequency. Results of the system are alternative input words or phrases. The alternative input words or phrases are output from the system for further processing.

Abstract: A computer-based detection (e.g., speech recognition) system combines a word decoder and subword decoder to detect words (or phrases) in a spoken input provided by a user into a speaker connected to the detection system. The word decoder detects words by comparing an input pattern (e.g., of hypothetical word matches) to reference patterns (e.g., words). The subword decoder compares an input pattern (e.g., hypothetical words matches based on subword or phoneme recognition) to reference patterns (e.g., words) based on a word pronunciation distance measure that indicates how close each input pattern is to matching each reference pattern. The subword decoder sorts the source set of reference patterns based on a closeness of each reference pattern to correctly matching the input pattern based on generated pattern comparisons. The word decoder and subword decoder each provide an N-best list of hypothetical matches to the spoken input.

Abstract: An electronic document searching system or word searching system which when given an input, expands the input as a function of acoustic similarity and/or word sequence occurrence frequency. Results of the system are alternative input words or phrases. The alternative input words or phrases are output from the system for further processing.