Abstract: A security tag comprising at least one overt data carrier (10), and at least one covert data carrier (25), the covert data carrier comprising a ring (25) that is formed around the overt data carrier (10). The covert data carrier (25) is invisible to the unaided eye when lit with visible light, but visible when illuminated with other light, for example UV light.

Abstract: A data hiding system is described for hiding data within an audio signal. The system can be used for watermarking, data communications, audience surveying etc. The system hides data in an audio signal by adding artificial echoes whose polarity varies with the data to be hidden. In one embodiment, each data value is represented by a positive and a negative echo having different delays. A receiver can then remove the effects of natural echoes and/or periodicities in the audio signal by differencing measurements obtained at the different delays.

Abstract: A brand protection feature/taggant reader and/or writer instrument comprising a secure processing environment and a non-secure processing environment, the instrument being operable to execute a process that is split between the secure and non-secure environments in accordance with pre-defined criteria.

Abstract: Method for treating a moving surface during a transient condition in a computational fluid dynamics system multi-cell computer model, the model having a fixed underlying geometric grid, includes identifying cells in the grid adjacent the moving surface at the beginning of a transient time step and identifying beginning adjacent cell boundaries formed in the grid by the moving surface. The method also includes computing effective thermophysical value fluxes through the beginning cell boundaries in accordance with the sense of the movement of the moving surface relative to the beginning adjacent cells. The method further includes solving transport equations for all the cells to determine cell thermophysical values at the end of the time step, using the computed effective fluxes and reforming the grid to comply with the moving surface at the end of the time step. Apparatus includes a digital computer programmed to carry out the above method.

Abstract: An energy usage coordinator controls the energy usage of individual buildings of a group (or portfolio) of buildings in one or more load zones. These buildings have all contracted with an energy company which controls (directly or indirectly) the energy usage coordinator. By agreeing to lower energy usage during times of peak usage (when the energy company may otherwise have to pay very high prices on the spot or short term market), the owners or managers of the buildings receive a preferential energy rate from the energy company. Such a preferential rate may be in the form of a fixed rate reduction or a variable rate reduction. Alternatively, the energy company may determine that the energy is currently selling for twice what its building portfolio has contracted to pay for it so it requests some portion of the portfolio to reduce usage so that it can sell the excess/saved energy in the market.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for implementing a geometric multi-cell system dynamics model having an embedded grid, the embedded grid having cells with a finer grid size relative to the grid size of other cells. The apparatus includes a digital computer having a computational fluid dynamics model program stored therein, the program having software for iteratively solving transport equations for thermophysical values for the embedded cells and the other cells, and for solving residual equations for the values for each cell using a multi-grid computation method. The program also has other software for computationally manipulating the embedded grid cells to provide composite cells of the same grid size as the other cells and having averaged residual thermophysical values, for allowing the multi-grid computation method to operate on the embedded grid cells.

Abstract: Controllers associated with the high energy devices may are programmed or configured with processing rules by a building manager or an energy usage coordinator such that the controllers can respond to various changing conditions without having to be contacted by the energy usage controller. Such autonomous control allows the controllers to react more quickly to potentially take advantage of advantageous conditions and/or avoid disadvantageous conditions. For example, by tracking information from market information services and/or from historical, current and predicted information services, a controller may be programmed to reduce energy usage autonomously under a number of programmable conditions.

Abstract: An energy usage coordinator controls the energy usage of individual buildings of a group (or portfolio) of buildings in one or more load zones. These buildings have all contracted with an energy company which controls (directly or indirectly) the energy usage coordinator. By agreeing to lower energy usage during times of peak usage (when the energy company may otherwise have to pay very high prices on the spot or short term market), the owners or managers of the buildings receive a preferential energy rate from the energy company. Such a preferential rate may be in the form of a fixed rate reduction or a variable rate reduction. Alternatively, the energy company may determine that the energy is currently selling for twice what its building portfolio has contracted to pay for it so it requests some portion of the portfolio to reduce usage so that it can sell the excess/saved energy in the market.

Abstract: A controller and/or a gateway acts as a feedback-based energy estimator for controlling initial and refined estimates of energy usage of one or more buildings controlled by the controller or gateway. An initial estimate of a building's energy needs for a specified time in the future (e.g., a month or a week ahead) are calculated, and then over time, in conjunction with an energy company, the initial estimate (and subsequent estimates) is revised based on the costs of the energy predicted or quoted by the energy company. The controller may examine jobs to be performed at the time as well as predictive information that may affect the building's energy needs (e.g., the predicted temperature for the time of the predicted energy needs). As expectations change (or as predicted factors such as temperature change), the energy company may be informed of the additional energy that will be needed (e.g., if the predicted temperature is increasing and cooling will be needed) or the excess energy that is expected (e.g.

Abstract: An electronic synapse device comprising a substrate formed from semiconductor material; a first input for receiving a weighting signal; a second input for receiving a signal from a pre-synaptic neuron device; an insulating layer provided between the first and second inputs and the semiconductor material; and an output, the second input being located between the first input and the output. Upon application of the weighting signal to the first input a quantity of charge accumulates in said substrate in the region said first input. Subsequently, upon application of the pre-synaptic signal to the second input, the charge is transferred to a region of the substrate that is substantially in register with the second input whereupon the charge causes an output signal to be generated at the output.

Abstract: A tubular linear generator comprises an elongate translator (12), containing a series of permanent magnets (13, 14 . . . ) and one or more annular coils (not shown) contained within and affixed to a ferromagnetic sleeve (31). Relative movement between the translator and armature causes the generation of electricity in the coils. The sleeve is contoured in terms of permeability around its circumference at one or both its ends, as shown at (32), in order to reduce cogging forces between the sleeve and the permanent magnets along the translator.

Abstract: A method and system for creating a lithophane-type image includes adjusting a 3-D representation of an electronically processed 2-D image based on light-transmission characteristics of a final material into which the lithophane-type image to be produced.

Abstract: A method for configuring a protocol for use in providing a medical treatment to a patient is provided. A protocol may be selected for configuration, the protocol being associated with a medical treatment having a process flow including multiple steps. A protocol template may be created for the protocol, including selecting and arranging flowchart components to create a graphical flowchart representation of the process flow, and defining one or more variables for one or more steps in the process flow. The one or more variables may be linked to one or more existing objects such that when the protocol is executed, the existing objects are automatically accessed to facilitate execution of the protocol.

Abstract: A wavefarm (10) comprises a multiplicity of wave energy converters, comprising linear generators (19, 20, 21) and (22) which are driven by floats immersed in the sea, (14). In normal wave conditions, all of the generators supply a land line (17) via a control unit (18). In the event of inclement conditions, one or more of the generators are switched to linear motors, and these are then powered by those generators remaining in the sea, to withdraw their floats into protective cavities (23). The process is repeated sequentially until all but the last one or few of the generators have withdrawn their floats. Finally, these last are withdrawn by connecting them to an alternate power source e.g. a battery, (24), again via the control unit (18).

Abstract: The invention relates generally to data communications using multiple data networks to transport data to one or more end user devices.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing a network-based auction for vehicles. Information regarding a set of vehicles to be auctioned in an auction event is received from a seller through an electronic interface. A list of the vehicles to be auctioned is displayed on an interface for the seller. The seller is provided an option to determine an order in which the vehicles are to be made available to buyers for bidding on an interface on which the list is displayed. Input is received from the seller regarding the order, and the vehicles are made available to buyers for bidding in the order determined by the seller. Other methods and systems for managing a network-based auctions for vehicles are also described.

Abstract: A console for a participant in a network-based auction system. A first section of the console includes information regarding an item on which bidding is currently taking place and a visual representation of the item on which bidding is currently taking place. A second section of the console includes information regarding an item in the auction and a visual representation of the item. The console includes an input for causing the second section of the console to display a different item in the auction and display a set of recent bids placed for the item currently being auctioned. According to an embodiment, the second section of the console has display of a plurality of photos of the item. Various other interfaces and methods and systems for managing a network-based auctions for vehicles are also described.

Abstract: Methods of providing an auction for items over a computer network. User interfaces are provided for a buyer so they may participate in the auction over the computer network. Information regarding the items that are in the auction is provided on the user interfaces, and an input is provided on the user interfaces for the buyer to provide a question for the seller. The question is received from a particular buyer from among the buyers. A user interface is provided for the seller, and the question is displayed to the seller on the seller's user interface. An answer is received to the question from the seller through the seller's user interface, and the answer is displayed on the user interfaces of a set of buyers who are participating in the auction for the items. Other methods and systems for managing a network-based auctions for vehicles are also described.

Abstract: A captioning system is provided for providing captions for audio and/or video presentations. The captioning system can be used to provide text captions or audio descriptions of a video presentation. A user device is provided for the captioning system having a receiver operable to receive the captions together with synchronisation information and a caption output circuit which is operable to output the captions at the appropriate timings defined by the synchronisation information. The user device is preferably a portable hand-held device such as a mobile telephone, PDA or the like.