Abstract: A system and method for secure generation and distribution of digital encryption keys is disclosed. The system may also be used to protect and distribute other types of secure information, including digital, audio, video, or analog data, or physical objects. The system may include a tamper-respondent secure token device, which may be configured to destroy or disable access to the secure information contained therein in response to attempts to physically or electronically breach the device. Outputs may be provided in a secure manner through various interfaces without using electricity (wires) or electromagnetic radiation. Inputs may be provided in a secure manner, including through the use of a gesture-based input interface. Destruction or disablement of the device and/or its secure contents may be provided upon detection of tamper attempts or upon input of a self-destruct command. Proof of the destruction or disablement of the device or its contents may be provided.

Abstract: A system and method for secure generation and distribution of digital encryption keys is disclosed. The system may also be used to protect and distribute other types of secure information, including digital, audio, video, or analog data, or physical objects. The system may include a tamper-respondent secure token device, which may be configured to destroy or disable access to the secure information contained therein in response to attempts to physically or electronically breach the device. Outputs may be provided in a secure manner through various interfaces without using electricity (wires) or electromagnetic radiation. Inputs may be provided in a secure manner, including through the use of a gesture-based input interface. Destruction or disablement of the device and/or its secure contents may be provided upon detection of tamper attempts or upon input of a self-destruct command. Proof of the destruction or disablement of the device or its contents may be provided.

Abstract: Vision-assist devices and methods for calibrating a position of a vision-assist device worn by a user are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of calibrating a vision-assist device includes capturing a calibration image using at least one capturing device of the vision-assist device, obtaining at least one attribute of the calibration image, and comparing the at least one attribute of the calibration image with a reference attribute. The method further includes determining an adjustment of the at least one image sensor based at least in part on the comparison of the at least one attribute of the calibration image with the reference attribute, and providing an output corresponding to the determined adjustment of the vision-assist device.

Abstract: A system and method for secure generation and distribution of digital encryption keys is disclosed. The system may also be used to protect and distribute other types of secure information, including digital, audio, video, or analog data, or physical objects. The system may include a tamper-respondent secure token device, which may be configured to destroy or disable access to the secure information contained therein in response to attempts to physically or electronically breach the device. Outputs may be provided in a secure manner through various interfaces without using electricity (wires) or electromagnetic radiation. Inputs may be provided in a secure manner, including through the use of a gesture-based input interface. Destruction or disablement of the device and/or its secure contents may be provided upon detection of tamper attempts or upon input of a self-destruct command. Proof of the destruction or disablement of the device or its contents may be provided.

Abstract: A system and method for secure generation and distribution of digital encryption keys is disclosed. The system may also be used to protect and distribute other types of secure information, including digital, audio, video, or analog data, or physical objects. The system may include a tamper-respondent secure token device, which may be configured to destroy or disable access to the secure information contained therein in response to attempts to physically or electronically breach the device. Outputs may be provided in a secure manner through various interfaces without using electricity (wires) or electromagnetic radiation. Inputs may be provided in a secure manner, including through the use of a gesture-based input interface. Destruction or disablement of the device and/or its secure contents may be provided upon detection of tamper attempts or upon input of a self-destruct command. Proof of the destruction or disablement of the device or its contents may be provided.

Abstract: A method for transferring digital content, involving defining a first region of space associated with a first device and a second region of space associated with a second device, wherein the first device includes digital content to be transferred to the second device, performing a first action within the first region, obtaining the digital content to be transferred from the first device in response to performing the first action to obtain captured digital content, performing a second action within the second region, and transferring the captured digital content to the second device in response to performing the second action.

Abstract: A method for transferring digital content, involving defining a first region of space associated with a first device and a second region of space associated with a second device, wherein the first device includes digital content to be transferred to the second device, performing a first action within the first region, obtaining the digital content to be transferred from the first device in response to performing the first action to obtain captured digital content, performing a second action within the second region, and transferring the captured digital content to the second device in response to performing the second action.

Abstract: A method, involving placing code on a first device, wherein the code is associated with a code position, accessing properties associated with a second device, wherein the second device is detected by the first device, and transferring the code to the second device, if criteria based on a current position and properties of the second device, and the code position are met.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a plurality of objects, involving configuring a sensor for a first object of the plurality of objects, wherein the sensor monitors an environment of the first object, attaching the sensor to the first object, associating each of the plurality of objects together using a pre-defined stimulus to obtain an associated set of objects, and communicating a notification message when a change in activity of the environment of the first object is detected by the sensor.

Abstract: A system and method for secure generation and distribution of digital encryption keys is disclosed. The system may also be used to protect and distribute other types of secure information, including digital, audio, video, or analog data, or physical objects. The system may include a tamper-respondent secure token device, which may be configured to destroy or disable access to the secure information contained therein in response to attempts to physically or electronically breach the device. Outputs may be provided in a secure manner through various interfaces without using electricity (wires) or electromagnetic radiation. Inputs may be provided in a secure manner, including through the use of a gesture-based input interface. Destruction or disablement of the device and/or its secure contents may be provided upon detection of tamper attempts or upon input of a self-destruct command. Proof of the destruction or disablement of the device or its contents may be provided.

Abstract: A method for modifying an object involves determining a modification rate for the object, creating a first reservoir and a first wicking channel based on the modification rate, where the first reservoir and the first wicking channel are on the object and the first wicking channel is operatively connected to the first reservoir, and filling the first reservoir with a chemical for modifying the object, wherein an amount of chemical in the first reservoir is determined based on the modification rate.

Abstract: An MPEG compressed bit stream representing video information is associated with supplemental information such as motion, audio, scene cut, and editorial information. The motion information is identified and processed to determine characteristics of the video information. Motion information is processed to determine magnitude, coherence, and correlation with known motion information templates. MPEG motion vectors are used to determine motion information. Audio, scene cut, and editorial information is similarly identified and processed. The motion information along with other types of information is provided to a client by using color bars or other techniques to allow a client to interact with the video information using supplemental information.

Abstract: This invention provides self-clocking glyph shape codes for encoding digital data in the shapes of glyphs that are suitable for printing on hardcopy recording media. Advantageously, the glyphs are selected so that they tend not to degrade into each other when they are degraded and/or distorted as a result, for example, of being photocopied, transmitted via facsimile, and/or scanned-in to an electronic document processing system. Moreover, for at least some applications, the glyphs desirably are composed of printed pixel patterns containing nearly the same number of ON pixels and nearly the same number of OFF pixels, such that the code that is rendered by printing such glyphs on substantially uniformly spaced centers appears to have a generally uniform texture. In the case of codes printed at higher spatial densities, this texture is likely to be perceived as a generally uniform gray tone.

Abstract: An affect-based method of communication between robots is provided by displaying a visual facial expression indicative of a simulated emotional state on a display device of a first robot, and viewing the visual facial expression using a camera on a second robot. The simulated emotional state may be one of happiness, anger, or sadness, for example. The second robot determines the simulated emotional state based upon the visual facial expression. The second robot processes the simulated emotional state to redefine its own simulated emotional state, and to display a visual facial expression indicative thereof. The visual facial expression allows a human observer to discern the simulated emotional state of the robot. Optionally, the robots further communicate affect using audio tones.

Abstract: An affect-based method of communication between robots is provided by displaying a visual facial expression indicative of a simulated emotional state on a display device of a first robot, and viewing the visual facial expression using a camera on a second robot. The simulated emotional state may be one of happiness, anger, or sadness, for example. The second robot determines the simulated emotional state based upon the visual facial expression. The second robot processes the simulated emotional state to redefine its own simulated emotional state, and to display a visual facial expression indicative thereof. The visual facial expression allows a human observer to discern the simulated emotional state of the robot. Optionally, the robots further communicate affect using audio tones.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and means for encoding digital data in the angular orientation of circularly asymmetric halftone dot patterns that are written into the halftone cells of digital halftone images. In keeping with standard practices, the sizes of these halftone dot patterns are modulated in accordance with the grayscale data sample values that are provided to define the image, so the average reflectance or transmittance of each of the halftone cells is modulated to provide a more or less standard halftone rendering of the image. In accordance with this invention, however, provision is made for modulating the angular orientation of the halftone dot patterns in accordance with digital data values, thereby embedding the digital data in the halftone image.

Abstract: Weighted and unweighted convolution filtering processes are provided for decoding bitmap image space representations of self-clocking glyph shape codes and for tracking the number and locations of the ambiquities or "errors" that are encountered during the decoding. This error detection may be linked to or compared against the error statistics from an alternative decoding process, such as the binary image processing techniques that are described herein to increase the reliability of the decoding that is obtained.

Abstract: A compact, self contained image resolving and sensing apparatus of the type used in electronic imaging applications includes a plurality of sensing devices such as photodetectors formed on a transparent substrate capable of resolving a polychromatic image incident thereupon. The mechanism by which the substrate resolves the incident image may be refraction, diffraction or other suitable mechanism. The sensing devices are sized and located on the substrate such that they are capable of detecting one or more wavelength components of the resolved polychromatic image. Logic and select circuitry may be formed on the substrate generally contemporaneously and of similar materials as the sensing device.

Abstract: This invention provides self-clocking glyph shape codes for encoding digital data in the shapes of glyphs that are suitable for printing on hardcopy recording media. Advantageously, the glyphs are selected so that they tend not to degrade into each other when they are degraded and/or distorted as a result, for example, of being photocopied, transmitted via facsimile, and/or scanned-in to an electronic document processing system. Moreover, for at least some applications, the glyphs desirably are composed of printed pixel patterns containing nearly the same number of ON pixels and nearly the same number of OFF pixels, such that the code that is rendered by printing such glyphs on substantially uniformly spaced centers appears to have a generally uniform texture. In the case of codes printed at higher spatial densities, this texture is likely to be perceived as a generally uniform gray tone.