Abstract: Smart labels, methods of operating smart labels, and associated contexts in which such smart labels may be used are disclosed. The smart label, for use in conjunction with consumer product packaging, comprises an energy harvester to capture ambient energy to provide a source of electrical energy and electronic circuitry powered by the electrical energy. A fuse provides an electrical connection between the energy harvester and the electronic circuitry and destruction of the fuse permanently disconnects the energy harvester from the electronic circuitry. Unnecessary continued operation of the electronic circuitry powered by the energy harvester can therefore be prevented, for example when the consumer product packaging is disposed of or recycled, which may be an undesirable heat source. Smart labelling, and a connected network of smart bins which can read the smart labelling, may also be used to promote consumer recycling of consumer product packaging.

Abstract: Battery cell monitoring systems comprising a flexible substrate and components integrated onto the flexible substrate, and methods of operating the same are disclosed. The components comprise a computing device and at least one sensor, where the at least one sensor is configured to generate sensor signals indicative of a physical state of the battery cell. The computing device is configured to hold characteristic data values which have been generated based on prior sensor signals. The computing device is configured to receive the sensor signals from the at least one sensor and to generate battery cell status data in dependence on the sensor signals and the characteristic data values.

Abstract: Methods of performing post-manufacturing adaptation of a data processing apparatus manufactured in accordance with a processor design and corresponding data processing apparatus configurations are provided. Post-manufacturing testing of the data processing apparatus determines any dysfunctional instructions by comparison between component usage profiles for each instruction and a component fault-detection procedure applied to the data processing apparatus. The data processing apparatus can be determined nevertheless to be operationally viable when any dysfunctional instructions can be substituted for by emulation using other functional instructions. The data processing apparatus can be provided with dysfunctional instruction handling circuitry configured to identify occurrence of a program instruction instance of a dysfunctional instruction and to invoke an interrupt handling routine associated with the dysfunctional instruction to emulate the instance of a dysfunctional instruction.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of operating such apparatuses are disclosed. An apparatus comprises feature dataset input circuitry to receive a feature dataset comprising multiple feature data values indicative of a set of features, wherein each feature data value is represented by a set of bits. Class retrieval circuitry is responsive to reception of the feature dataset from the feature dataset input circuitry to retrieve from class indications storage a class indication for each feature data value received in the feature dataset, wherein class indications are predetermined and stored in the class indications storage for each permutation of the set of bits for each feature. Classification output circuitry is responsive to reception of class indications from the class retrieval circuitry to determine a classification in dependence on the class indications. A predicated class may thus be accurately generated from a simple apparatus.

Abstract: Apparatuses, corresponding methods, and instructions for data processing for the generation of an approximate quantile are provided. A sequence of data values is received, wherein the data values span a range of values and in a plurality of counters each counter is configured to have a correspondence to a subrange within the range of values. For each data value received a corresponding counter of the plurality of counters is determined and an update is applied to the corresponding counter of the plurality of counters. Approximate quantile determination is performed to generate at least one approximate quantile value for the sequence of data values received in dependence on respective counts of the plurality of counters.

Abstract: A battery cell monitoring system comprises a flexible substrate able to conform to a surface of a battery cell to be monitored, and a plurality of first-level prediction units integrated onto the flexible substrate, where each first-level prediction unit is positioned at a different location on the flexible substrate to each other first-level prediction unit. Each first-level prediction unit comprises at least one sensor to generate sensor signals indicative of a physical state of the battery cell, and first-level prediction circuitry to generate a predicted battery cell status value in dependence on the sensor signals received from the at least one sensor of that first-level prediction unit.

Abstract: Wearable items and methods of monitoring wearable items are disclosed. The wearable item comprises a flexible base material forming at least a portion of the wearable item, plural conductive traces traversing the flexible base material, and conductivity sensing circuitry coupled to the plural conductive traces. The conductivity sensing circuitry is configured to distinguish conductivity from non-conductivity of the plural conductive traces, and configured to generate a conductivity indication for at least one of the plural conductive traces. The plural conductive traces follow indirect paths across the flexible base material, allowing the flexible material to flex and stretch normally without breaking the conductive traces.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of operating apparatuses are disclosed. An apparatus comprises a flexible substrate and circuitry fabricated on the flexible substrate to perform data processing. At least one strain detector generates a strain signal which is dependent on a flexing state of the strain detector on the flexible substrate. A strain history control unit samples the at least one strain signal from the at least one strain detector at a plurality of time points and records a strain snapshot at each time point comprising data dependent on the at least one strain signal from the at least one strain detector. The data processing performed by the circuitry is dependent on the plurality of strain snapshots recorded.

Abstract: Circuitry comprises driver circuitry to control display of a prevailing display image by display elements of a display device, the driver circuitry generating a signal providing electrical charge for storage by display elements, in which an electrical charge stored by a display element controls a display output of that display element; detector circuitry to detect, for a display image transition from a current display image to a second, display image, a first set of one or more display elements which are in a respective first state controlled by a first stored electrical charge in the current display image and which are required to be in a respective second state controlled by a second electrical charge, in the second display image; switching circuitry, responsive to the detector circuitry, to divert electrical charge from the set of display elements to secondary charge store in response to initiation of the display image transition.

Abstract: Wearable devices, systems of wearable devices, and methods of operating the same are disclosed. A first wearable device worn in contact with the user’s skin monitors the user and comprises a transmission electrode in contact with the user’s skin. A second wearable device comprises a reception electrode worn in contact with the user’s skin. The first wearable device can apply an alert signal to the transmission electrode and measures a transmission current at the transmission electrode. The second wearable device monitors an electrical status of the reception electrode and when the alert signal is detected applies an alert response signal to the receiver electrode. The first wearable device identifies application of the alert response signal to the receiver electrode by measurement of a variation of the transmission current at the transmission electrode whilst the alert signal is applied to the transmission electrode.

Abstract: There is provided a battery cell monitoring system comprising a flexible substrate able to conform to a surface of a battery cell to be monitored and wireless communication circuitry to be positioned proximate to a surface of the battery cell and arranged to communicate with one or more other battery cell monitoring systems. The battery cell monitoring system is provided with control circuitry integrated onto the flexible substrate to control the wireless communication circuitry to perform two types of communication. The first of the two types of communication is a local communication between the battery cell monitoring system and each of the one or more other battery cell monitoring systems. The second of the two types of communication is a non-local communication between the battery cell monitoring system and a battery management system routed via inter-cell communication with the one or more other battery cell monitoring systems.

Abstract: Methods of performing post-manufacturing adaptation of a data processing apparatus manufactured in accordance with a processor design and corresponding data processing apparatus configurations are provided. Post-manufacturing testing of the data processing apparatus determines any dysfunctional instructions by comparison between component usage profiles for each instruction and a component fault-detection procedure applied to the data processing apparatus. The data processing apparatus can be determined nevertheless to be operationally viable when any dysfunctional instructions can be substituted for by emulation using other functional instructions. The data processing apparatus can be provided with dysfunctional instruction handling circuitry configured to identify occurrence of a program instruction instance of a dysfunctional instruction and to invoke an interrupt handling routine associated with the dysfunctional instruction to emulate the instance of a dysfunctional instruction.

Abstract: A battery cell monitoring system comprises a flexible substrate able to conform to a surface of a battery cell to be monitored, and a plurality of first-level prediction units integrated onto the flexible substrate, where each first-level prediction unit is positioned at a different location on the flexible substrate to each other first-level prediction unit. Each first-level prediction unit comprises at least one sensor to generate sensor signals indicative of a physical state of the battery cell, and first-level prediction circuitry to generate a predicted battery cell status value in dependence on the sensor signals received from the at least one sensor of that first-level prediction unit.

Abstract: Wearable items and methods of monitoring wearable items are disclosed. The wearable item comprises a flexible base material forming at least a portion of the wearable item, plural conductive traces traversing the flexible base material, and conductivity sensing circuitry coupled to the plural conductive traces. The conductivity sensing circuitry is configured to distinguish conductivity from non-conductivity of the plural conductive traces, and configured to generate a conductivity indication for at least one of the plural conductive traces. The plural conductive traces follow indirect paths across the flexible base material, allowing the flexible material to flex and stretch normally without breaking the conductive traces.

Abstract: Battery cell monitoring systems comprising a flexible substrate and components integrated onto the flexible substrate, and methods of operating the same are disclosed. The components comprise a computing device and at least one sensor, where the at least one sensor is configured to generate sensor signals indicative of a physical state of the battery cell. The computing device is configured to hold characteristic data values which have been generated based on prior sensor signals. The computing device is configured to receive the sensor signals from the at least one sensor and to generate battery cell status data in dependence on the sensor signals and the characteristic data values.

Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to reconstructing wireless signal packets and may relate more particularly to reconstructing wireless signal packets from iterations of the wireless signal packets repeatedly transmitted by a transmitter device.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus comprising: a substrate; communication circuitry deposited on said substrate; and ballot circuitry deposited on said substrate. The ballot circuitry comprises: a plurality of voting circuitry elements, each voting circuitry element being responsive to a voting operation to change a conductive state of that voting circuitry element; and logic circuitry communicatively coupled with each of the plurality of voting circuitry elements and with the communication circuitry. The logic circuitry is configured to: detect the conductive state of each of the plurality of voting circuitry elements; and transmit, via the communication circuitry and based on the conductive state of each of the plurality of voting circuitry elements, a voting result.

Abstract: Apparatus comprises at least one visual indicator element; at least one detector to detect access to the apparatus consistent with a cleaning operation being applied to a surface of the apparatus; and processing circuitry to control a visual indication state of the at least one visual indicator element in response to a detection by the detector of access to the surface of the apparatus.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus comprising: a substrate; communication circuitry deposited on said substrate; and ballot circuitry deposited on said substrate. The ballot circuitry comprises: a plurality of voting circuitry elements, each voting circuitry element being responsive to a voting operation to change a conductive state of that voting circuitry element; and logic circuitry communicatively coupled with each of the plurality of voting circuitry elements and with the communication circuitry. The logic circuitry is configured to: detect the conductive state of each of the plurality of voting circuitry elements; and transmit, via the communication circuitry and based on the conductive state of each of the plurality of voting circuitry elements, a voting result.

Abstract: Circuitry comprises driver circuitry to control display of a prevailing display image by display elements of a display device, the driver circuitry generating a signal providing electrical charge for storage by display elements, in which an electrical charge stored by a display element controls a display output of that display element; detector circuitry to detect, for a display image transition from a current display image to a second, display image, a first set of one or more display elements which are in a respective first state controlled by a first stored electrical charge in the current display image and which are required to be in a respective second state controlled by a second electrical charge, in the second display image; switching circuitry, responsive to the detector circuitry, to divert electrical charge from the set of display elements to secondary charge store in response to initiation of the display image transition.