Abstract: Described are systems and methods for recognizing paper documents on a tabletop using an overhead camera mounted on pan-tilt servos. The described automated system first finds paper documents on a cluttered desk based on a text probability map, constructed using multiple images acquired at fixed grid positions, and then captures a sequence of high-resolution overlapping frames of the located document(s), which are then fused together and perspective-rectified, using computed homography, to reconstruct a high quality and fronto-parallel document image that is of sufficient quality required for optical character recognition. The extracted textual information may be used, for example, for indexing and search, document repository and/or language translation applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein present topic-centric visualizations of collaboration data. An example method includes: obtaining a set of topics based on an analysis of collaboration data and displaying an interactive visualization that includes first UI elements that correspond to each topic (first UI elements corresponding to similar topics are positioned close together). In response to receiving a specified time period for the interactive visualization, the method includes: identifying a subset of the plurality of persons that are associated with the specified time period. The method additionally includes: obtaining a first set of connections between the set of topics and the subset and a second set of connections between related persons in the subset. The method further includes: updating the interactive visualization to include second UI elements corresponding to each respective person of the subset and visual representations of each connection in the first and second sets.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for using certain simulated sensors constructed with an accurate localization sensor and a mobile phone to replace/enhance many existing real-life sensors. By using “simulated sensor” to convert localization sensor measurement to real signal outputs that are similar to real distance-sensor outputs, real direction sensor outputs, or real line following sensor outputs, one or more embodiments of the invention may be used to upgrade traditional robots by plugging these simulated outputs to robots' corresponding sensor inputs without the need to rewire or add customized hardware.

Abstract: A computer system detects a request, from a requestor, to access a first data object stored in a tiered data structure that includes internal nodes and leaf nodes. In response to detecting the request to access the first data object, the computer system retrieves a leaf node that includes the first data object and locks the leaf node that includes the first data object. While the leaf node that includes the first data object is locked, the computer system transmits, to the requestor, a first conditional-update communication and detecting a first conditional-update response in response to the first conditional-update communication. In response to detecting the first conditional-update response corresponding to the first data object, the computer system performs one or more operations based on the first conditional-update response corresponding to the first data object before unlocking the leaf node that includes the first data object.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method performed in connection with a mobile computing device held by a user, the mobile computing device displaying a marker pattern, the method being performed in a computerized system incorporating a processing unit, a camera and a memory, the computer-implemented method involving: acquiring a plurality of images of the mobile computing device displaying the marker pattern using the camera; using the central processing unit to detect the marker pattern within the acquired plurality of images; using the central processing unit to determine a plurality of positions of the mobile computing device based on the detected marker pattern within the acquired plurality of images; and processing a user event based on the determined plurality of positions of the mobile computing device.

Abstract: A persistent storage device includes both persistent storage, which includes a set of persistent storage blocks, and NVRAM, and in particular a set of NVRAM blocks. The persistent storage device also typically includes a storage controller. The persistent storage device, in addition to responding to commands to write data directly to and to read data directly from persistent storage blocks is also configured to write data to specified NVRAM blocks (e.g., specified by a host NVRAM write command) and to transfer data from a specified NVRAM block to a specified persistent storage block. As a result, multiple writes to a particular persistent storage block can be replaced with multiple writes to an NVRAM block and a subsequent single write to the particular persistent storage block. This reduces the number of writes to persistent storage and also reduces the number of corresponding block erase operations.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a projected image signal encoded with position information. The temporal pixel-location data is hidden within visible light signal used for regular image projection. This enables the user to utilize one or multiple ring-shaped light receivers to implement touch or multi-touch functions on a regular image content generated using light from the same projector. The temporal light signal generated by the projector is sliced into multiple temporal segments. The segments include segments of two different types. A segment of the first type is used for carrying a temporal position signal of each pixel in the projector signal. On the other hand, a segment of the second type is used to adjust the color of each pixel. With the color adjustment segment projected to each image pixel, a meaningful visible content of a regular image can be displayed despite the presence of the position-encoded signal segments.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method being performed in a computerized system incorporating a processing unit, a memory, a display and a depth camera, the computer-implemented method involving: acquiring a depth image of a user using the depth camera; determining a spatial position of a point cloud corresponding to the user using the acquired depth image of the user; determining at least a portion of the point cloud corresponding to the user located within a virtual operation area; generating a virtual shadow of the user using the determined portion of the point cloud corresponding to the user located within the virtual operation area; displaying the generated virtual shadow of the user on the display; and using the displayed virtual shadow of the user for detecting a user interaction event.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for recognizing paper documents on a tabletop using an overhead camera mounted on pan-tilt servos. The described automated system first finds paper documents on a cluttered desk based on a text probability map, constructed using multiple images acquired at fixed grid positions, and then captures a sequence of high-resolution overlapping frames of the located document(s), which are then fused together and perspective-rectified, using computed homography, to reconstruct a high quality and fronto-parallel document image that is of sufficient quality required for optical character recognition. The extracted textual information may be used, for example, for indexing and search, document repository and/or language translation applications.

Abstract: Described is an approach to enabling gesture interactions for the viewport widget in a graphical user interface (GUI) library. The gesture interactions may include continuous operations such as panning, zooming and rotating of the viewport's content with fingers (or styluses). The approach is based on using a camera to detect occlusion patterns in a sensor grid rendered over the viewport. The sensor grid consists of sensor blobs, which are small blobs of pixels with a distinct color. A sensor blob is aware of its location in both the viewport's coordinate system and the camera's coordinate system, and triggers an occlusion event at the location when it is occluded by a finger (or stylus). Robust techniques are devised to eliminate unintentional gestures, provide visual guidance and feedback for interactions, and minimize the visual interference of the sensor grid with the viewport's content.

Abstract: Described is an approach to gesture interaction that is based on user interface widgets. In order to detect user gestures, the widgets are provided with hotspots that are monitored using a camera for predetermined patterns of occlusion. A hotspot is a region where a user interacts with the widget by making a gesture over it. The user's gesture may be detected without the user physically touching the surface displaying the widget. The aforesaid hotspots are designed to be visually salient and suggestive of the type of gestures that can be received from the user. Described techniques are advantageous in relation to conventional systems, such as systems utilizing finger tracking, in that they can better support complex tasks with repeated user actions. In addition, they provide better perceived affordance than conventional systems that attempt to use widgets that are not designed for gesture input, or in-the-air gesture detection techniques that lack any visual cues.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a projected image signal encoded with position information. The temporal pixel-location data is hidden within visible light signal used for regular image projection. This enables the user to utilize one or multiple ring-shaped light receivers to implement touch or multi-touch functions on a regular image content generated using light from the same projector. The temporal light signal generated by the projector is sliced into multiple temporal segments. The segments include segments of two different types. A segment of the first type is used for carrying a temporal position signal of each pixel in the projector signal. On the other hand, a segment of the second type is used to adjust the color of each pixel. With the color adjustment segment projected to each image pixel, a meaningful visible content of a regular image can be displayed despite the presence of the position-encoded signal segments.

Abstract: A method involving: designating, based on an instruction received from a user, an area within an illumination field of a projector; using the projector to project a light encoded with coordinate information; receiving a content or a content information from the user; associating, using the processing unit, the designated area within an illumination field of the projector with the content or the content information received from the user; detecting the light encoded with the coordinate information using a mobile device positioned within the illumination field of the projector; determining a position of the mobile device within the illumination field of the projector based on the detected light encoded with the coordinate information; and causing, on condition that the determined position of the mobile device is within the designated area, the mobile device to display the content.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method performed in connection with a mobile computing device held by a user, the mobile computing device displaying a marker pattern, the method being performed in a computerized system incorporating a processing unit, a camera and a memory, the computer-implemented method involving: acquiring a plurality of images of the mobile computing device displaying the marker pattern using the camera; using the central processing unit to detect the marker pattern within the acquired plurality of images; using the central processing unit to determine a plurality of positions of the mobile computing device based on the detected marker pattern within the acquired plurality of images; and processing a user event based on the determined plurality of positions of the mobile computing device.

Abstract: A computer system detects a request, from a requestor, to access a first data object stored in a tiered data structure that includes internal nodes and leaf nodes. In response to detecting the request to access the first data object, the computer system retrieves a leaf node that includes the first data object and locks the leaf node that includes the first data object. While the leaf node that includes the first data object is locked, the computer system transmits, to the requestor, a first conditional-update communication and detecting a first conditional-update response in response to the first conditional-update communication. In response to detecting the first conditional-update response corresponding to the first data object, the computer system performs one or more operations based on the first conditional-update response corresponding to the first data object before unlocking the leaf node that includes the first data object.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein include methods and systems for improving the performance of application virtual machines by extending an object store corresponding to the application virtual machine. The method includes identifying a subset of migratable objects from a plurality of objects associated with the application virtual machine, where the subset of migratable objects includes one or more objects and the plurality of objects are stored in the object store comprising a portion of the memory allocated for the application virtual machine. The method also includes selecting a respective object from the subset of migratable objects to be migrated from the object store to a persistent datastore, where the persistent datastore is distinct from the object store. The method further includes causing the respective object to be migrated from the object store to the persistent datastore.

Abstract: Described herein are isolated paramyxovirus, a morbillivirus (FmoPV), nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides and antibodies related to FmoPV and uses thereof. In certain embodiments, the FmoPV is a feline morbillivirus. Also described herein is a recombinant FmoPV comprising a modified FmoPV gene or gene segments and uses thereof. Also described is a recombinant FmoPV for the prevention and/or treatment of diseases related to FmoPV or a delivery vector. Also described herein is a diagnostic assay for FmoPV, natural or artificial variants, analogs, or derivatives thereof. Also described herein is a vaccine and a kit containing the vaccine for the prevention and treatment of FmoPV infection. Also provided is a diagnostic kit comprising nucleic acid molecules for the detection of FmoPV.

Abstract: A method involving: designating, based on an instruction received from a user, an area within an illumination field of a projector; using the projector to project a light encoded with coordinate information; receiving a content or a content information from the user; associating, using the processing unit, the designated area within an illumination field of the projector with the content or the content information received from the user; detecting the light encoded with the coordinate information using a mobile device positioned within the illumination field of the projector; determining a position of the mobile device within the illumination field of the projector based on the detected light encoded with the coordinate information; and causing, on condition that the determined position of the mobile device is within the designated area, the mobile device to display the content.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for estimating finger pose of a user during a tactile input event. In one implementation, the system incorporates: a touch-sensitive display device configured to detect a tactile event and to determine a contact point of an object and the touch-sensitive display device, the contact point associated with the tactile event; a camera configured to capture an image of an area proximal to the surface of the touch-sensitive display device; and a central processing unit configured, in response to the detection of the tactile event, to determine information on a pose of the object based on the captured image and the determined contact point.

Abstract: A method, system and computer readable medium for folding a document page object are provided. A method for folding a document page object in a graphical user interface using multi-touch gestures includes establishing at least two contact points on a display; moving at least one of the two contact points to create a fold on the document page object; and displaying the folded document page object.