Abstract: A system comprising an apparatus for obtaining pixel intensity which is capable of assigning depth information to the pixel and is configurable to capture pixel intensity corresponding to multiple images; an image acquisition module operating on pixel intensity to access signal intensity data; a light segmentation module that analyzes the signal intensity data to detect intensity changes in each of the pixels to estimate pixel intensity present in regions associated with a subject of interest; a selective amplification module, configurable to apply tone correction and/or level shifting, that operates on each region to increase the intensity of the signal associated with the subject of interest relative to the intensity of other signals, producing a selectively-enhanced signal; and a HDR image composition module, taking the selectively-enhanced signal as an input and producing an image or image sequence based on the selectively-enhanced signal.

Abstract: An image acquisition apparatus configured to receive an adjustable image acquisition parameter, wherein said parameter is adjusted based on an image that has had its subject selectively enhanced via comparison with at least one background reference image.

Abstract: An image acquisition apparatus configured to receive an adjustable image acquisition parameter, wherein said parameter is adjusted based on an image that has had its subject selectively enhanced via comparison with at least one background reference image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transmitting messages, such as real-time messages, from an entity outside a firewall to a recipient inside the firewall. The messages include the address of a bridgehead server exposed through the firewall and information identifying the recipient client. The network protected by the firewall can include one or more bridgehead servers, one or more messaging servers associated with each bridgehead server, and one or more clients assigned to each messaging server. When a bridgehead server receives a message, it resolves the address of the messaging server to which the recipient client is assigned. The message is forwarded to the messaging server and, in turn, to the recipient client. The sender of the message does not need to know the identity or address of the messaging server.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transmitting messages, such as real-time messages, from an entity outside a firewall to a recipient inside the firewall. The messages include the address of a bridgehead server exposed through the firewall and information identifying the recipient client. The network protected by the firewall can include one or more bridgehead servers, one or more messaging servers associated with each bridgehead server, and one or more clients assigned to each messaging server. When a bridgehead server receives a message, it resolves the address of the messaging server to which the recipient client is assigned. The message is forwarded to the messaging server and, in turn, to the recipient client. The sender of the message does not need to know the identity or address of the messaging server.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transmitting messages, such as real-time messages, from an entity outside a firewall to a recipient inside the firewall. The messages include the address of a bridgehead server exposed through the firewall and information identifying the recipient client. The network protected by the firewall can include one or more bridgehead servers, one or more messaging servers associated with each bridgehead server, and one or more clients assigned to each messaging server. When a bridgehead server receives a message, it resolves the address of the messaging server to which the recipient client is assigned. The message is forwarded to the messaging server and, in turn, to the recipient client. The sender of the message does not need to know the identity or address of the messaging server.

Abstract: A messaging system is described in which subscription requests are transmitted over the Internet using Internet protocols such as extensions of HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP). The subscription request may be for a wide variety of information from the remote device. For example, the subscription request might be for messages to be forwarded from the device as they are received. Also, the subscriptions could be for messages to be generated when a property value of the remote device has a predetermined characteristic. Such property values might include, for example, stock prices, inventory levels, online status, error codes, heart rates, and the like. The subscription request itself is a data structure representing a subscribe method identification, an address of the device containing the information, and an address of the device to which the information is to be forwarded.

Abstract: A system for sending immediate popup messages between Internet users, the system including a user interface for sending messages and displaying messages in popup windows; a method and infrastructure for continuously tracking and reporting the online status of users, the infrastructure comprising servers and client software; and a method for communicating to users behind firewalls.