Abstract: Test apparatus is provided for testing an electrical property of a fluid. The apparatus comprises an electrically conductive container (1) forming an outer electrode of a test cell for containing the fluid, an inner electrode (2) of the test cell, an inductive heating assembly (3) and a cooling means. The inner electrode (2) of the test cell is arranged, when mounted relative to the electrically conductive container (1), to project into, and remain electrically isolated from, the electrically conductive container (1). The inductive heating assembly (3) comprises an inductive heating coil (4), which surrounds the electrically conductive container (1), for heating the electrically conductive container (1) and the inner electrode (2). The cooling means comprises an air channel (9) to allow passage of air across a surface of the electrically conductive container (1), for cooling of the electrically conductive container (1).

Abstract: Test apparatus is provided for testing an electrical property of a fluid. The apparatus comprises an electrically conductive container (1) forming an outer electrode of a test cell for containing the fluid, an inner electrode (2) of the test cell, an inductive heating assembly (3) and a cooling means. The inner electrode (2) of the test cell is arranged, when mounted relative to the electrically conductive container (1), to project into, and remain electrically isolated from, the electrically conductive container (1). The inductive heating assembly (3) comprises an inductive heating coil (4), which surrounds the electrically conductive container (1), for heating the electrically conductive container (1) and the inner electrode (2). The cooling means comprises an air channel (9) to allow passage of air across a surface of the electrically conductive container (1), for cooling of the electrically conductive container (1).

Abstract: A test vessel assembly comprises a central test vessel defining a chamber in which a sample to be tested may be stored. A pair of side adjustable electrodes is received in the chamber and immersed in the sample under test to determine the breakdown voltage of the sample. A gap between the electrodes can be adjusted by respective electrode adjusting moved in and out of the test vessel by rotation of an associated adjusting wheel. To prevent the breakdown in air rather than in the sample, care is taken to ensure sufficiently large creepage and clearance distances between the connections to the electrodes and from the connections to the electrodes to a wall of the test chamber. To this end, the adjusting wheels include convolutions that mesh with corresponding convolutions in the test vessel.

Abstract: A test vessel assembly (10) comprises a central test vessel 12 defining a chamber 18 in which a sample to be tested may be stored. A pair of side adjustable electrodes 30, 30a is received in the chamber and immersed in the sample under test. A gap between the electrodes can be adjusted by respective electrode adjusting assemblies, each comprising a shaft 32 connected to a respective electrode, the shaft being moved in and out of the test vessel 12 by rotation of an associated adjusting wheel 60. In use, each electrode 30, 30a is electrically connected to a contact in an insulated horn of a test assembly via the respective shafts, for the supply of a steadily increasing voltage to determine the breakdown voltage of the sample. To prevent the breakdown in air rather than in the sample, care is taken to ensure sufficiently large creepage and clearance distances between the connections to the electrodes and from the connections to the electrodes to a wall of the test chamber.

Abstract: A computing host executes a web browser to access a utility application for managing one or more storage devices connected to the computing host. Management of each storage device may include making queries about the storage spaces and contents of the storage device, updating firmware of the storage device, updating programmable hardware of the storage device, erasing the storage device, sanitizing the storage device, logging events occurring in the storage device, and maintaining statistics on operation of the storage device.

Abstract: A computing host executes a web browser to access a utility application for managing or altering one or more storage devices connected to the computing host. Management or alteration of each storage device may include various purging of the storage device, encrypting the storage device, password protecting the storage device, purging the data or the firmware of the storage device, updating firmware of the storage device, updating programmable hardware of the storage device, erasing the storage device, sanitizing the storage device, logging events occurring in the storage device, and maintaining statistics on operation of the storage device.

Abstract: A computing host executes a web browser to access a utility application for managing one or more storage devices connected to the computing host. Management of each storage device may include updating firmware of the storage device, updating programmable hardware of the storage device, erasing the storage device, sanitizing the storage device, logging events occurring in the storage device, and maintaining statistics on operation of the storage device.

Abstract: A method of comparing a test image with a set of reference images. The method: divides the test image into one or more test regions; for each test region, compares the test region with one or more reference regions in one or more reference images and identifies the reference region that most closely corresponds to the test region; and generates a comparison value from the comparisons of the test regions with their correspondingly identified reference regions.

Abstract: Apparatus is arranged in operation to perform a method of estimating the number of individuals in a scene. The method comprises generating, for a plurality of image positions within at least a portion of a captured image of the scene, an edge correspondence value indicative of positional and angular correspondence with a representation of at least a partial outline of an individual. Analysis of the edge correspondence value is used to detect whether each of the plurality of image positions contributes to at least part of an image of an individual.

Abstract: A smoke detection method for identifying, in a current input image, an area indicative of the presence of smoke, there being a sequence of two or more input images, the method comprising the steps of: storing a background estimation for a current input image; and comparing the current input image with the background estimation to detect a partial obscuring of the background estimation indicative of the presence of smoke in the current input image.

Abstract: A video camera arrangement comprises an image capture device; a face detector for detecting human faces in the captured video material and for generating face data identifying detected occurrences of faces in the captured video material; a data handling medium by which data representing the captured images is transmitted and/or stored; and a processor for generating data to be transmitted or stored by the data handling medium in dependence on the detection of faces in the captured images.

Abstract: A face detection apparatus for tracking a detected face between images in a video sequence comprises: a first face detector for detecting the presence of face(s) in the images; a second face detector for detecting the presence of face(s) in the images; the first face detector having a higher detection threshold than the second face detector, so that the second face detector is more likely to detect a face in an region in which the first face detector has not detected a face; and a face position predictor for predicting a face position in a next image in a test order of the video sequence on the basis of a detected face position in one or more previous images in the test order of the video sequence; in which: if the first face detector detects a face within a predetermined threshold image distance of the predicted face position, the face position predictor uses the detected position to produce a next position prediction; if the first face detector fails to detect a face within a predetermined threshold image d

Abstract: Video data processing apparatus, the video data comprising a sequence of images comprises: an object tracker operable to detect the presence of one or more objects within an image and to track a detected object across successive images; an identity associator operable to associate an identity with an object tracked by the object tracker; a counter operable, for a first and second identity, to count the number of images within which a tracked object associated with the first identity and a tracked object associated with the second identity have both been detected; and a similarity detector operable to determine whether two tracked objects are similar in appearance; the identity associator being operable to change the identity associated with a first tracked object to the identity associated with a second tracked object if: (a) the similarity detector determines that the first and second tracked objects are similar in appearance and (b) the count corresponding to the identities associated with the first and sec

Abstract: An image processing method for selecting a subset of n (where n is two or more) images representative of a test set of images comprises the step of: detecting a degree of similarity between images in the test set of images, so that the subset of images comprises those n images having substantially the lowest similarity with other images in the set.

Abstract: A method of detecting objects using multiple sets of object probability data relating to different respective expected object sizes relative to the image size comprises the steps of: (a) storing a list of locations in an image where an object has been detected, the list defining a probability data set and a probability value for each detected object; (b) detecting object locations in a set of object probability data as locations at which a local maximum probability value exceeds a threshold probability value and, if that location is substantially similar to a location previously stored in the list, where the local maximum probability value exceeds that relating to the previously stored location; and (c) repeating step (b) successively in respect of each set of probability data.

Abstract: Object detection apparatus in which regions of a test image from an ordered series of images are compared with data indicative of the presence of an object, comprises a change detector operable to detect regions of the test image which are substantially unchanged with respect to a previous image in the series; and an object detector operable not to perform object detection on regions of the test image identified by the change detector as being substantially unchanged.

Abstract: Object detection apparatus for detecting objects in a test image comprises means for comparing blocks of a test window of the image with reference data indicative of the presence of an object to generate index figures indicative of a degree of similarity between a region and the reference data; means for storing probability data corresponding to possible values of the index figure and the block position; means operable, in respect of a current block, for accessing a probability value from the storing means in dependence on that block's position within the test window and the index figure generated in respect of that block; and means for combining the probability values corresponding to blocks in a test window to generate a result indicative of the probability of that test window containing an object; in which the probability values in the storing means are ordered by block position then by index figure.

Abstract: Image object detection apparatus in which test regions of a test image are compared with an image property model, a mask defining a subset of pixel positions within a test region, comprises means for comparing pixel properties in the test image defined by the test regions with the image property model to detect a property difference between the image property model and a test region; so that pixel property differences within the mask and pixel property differences outside the mask are combined with opposite respective polarities to form a difference value in respect of that test region, an object being detected in the test image at a test region corresponding to a lowest difference value between the image property model and pixels defined by the test region.

Abstract: Object detection apparatus in which images from an ordered series of images are processed to detect objects, each image having an associated image period, the detection of objects in a whole image requiring a set of processing tasks to be carried out comprises means for executing subsets of the set of processing tasks during respective image periods associated with a group of two or more images from the ordered series; the subsets being arranged so that substantially all of the set of processing tasks are carried out in the course of the image periods associated with the group of images and that each such task is carried out with respect to at least one respective image in the group of images.