Abstract: A mobile robot includes features to improve security when the mobile robot traverses a secure door between a secure area and an unsecure area. This may include the mobile robot checking that a region about the secure door, in the unsecure area, is clear of an entity that is a tailgating risk, prior to opening the secure door.

Abstract: A method for enabling a user to review a body of information that includes first and second segments from respective first and second information sources includes: storing second segment digital data representing the second segments; receiving an indication that the user has selected for display a particular first segment; identifying one or more of the second segments that are related to the particular first segment by comparing first segment digital data to the second segment digital data; and providing display digital data for display of one or more representations or portions of the identified second segments contemporaneously with display of the particular first segment. The display digital data enables the displayed representations or portions of the second segments to be selected by the user when displayed.

Abstract: A system and method for review of news content (audio, video and/or textual news content), such that an overview of the news content can be quickly ascertained and flexibility in the manner in which it is presented are provided. News programs (e.g. television news programs) and news stories (e.g., on-line news) are acquired and the system enables the user to easily move among and randomly access the segments of news programs and quickly locate the segments of a particular subject. News stories related to the segment of news program being viewed can be identified and displayed. Flexible playback allows speeding-up the display of the news program while displaying summary of one or more program segments and accelerating playback of a paused program after resuming from the pause. The system can additionally indicate to the user which news story is currently being viewed, and which news stories have already been viewed.

Abstract: Allowing annotations to occur remotely from the device in which they are viewed enables the optimal viewing device and optimal annotation device for generating annotations. Specifically, the annotation systems allow a user to associate annotations with one or more portions of an object. An object identifier is created to identify one or more objects. This object identifier is then forwarded to the annotation device. On the annotation device, the user can associate annotations with a portion of the object based on either a textual or a graphical technique. Upon completion of the annotations, the system synchronizes the annotations with the object based on the object identifier and the selection portion.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide a check validation scheme wherein a payor's signature is digitized, encrypted and embedded on the front of the check using glyphs. When the payor seeks to convert a blank check into a negotiable instrument, the user fills out the check and signs it. When the check is presented to a bank for payment, a teller using a decoding device, decodes and decrypts the digitized signature such that a human-readable image of the digitized signature can be seen on a screen for comparison with the payor's scripted signature. If the two signatures are identical, the check is honored.

Abstract: The invention facilitates and enhances review of a body of information, such as a set of audio, video and text data or some combination thereof, enabling the body of information to be quickly reviewed so to obtain an overview of the content of the body of information and allowing flexibility in reviewing. In on embodiment, the content is acquired from a first set of one or more sources, i.e. TV news, and text news stories are acquired from a second set of one or more sources, i.e. On-line services. The invention enables the user to access the information randomly, thereby enhancing the speed of accessing/locating among news stories/programs pertaining particular subject. Additionally, the user while observing a particular news story, the invention can identify and display related news stories.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide a check validation scheme wherein a payor's signature is digitized, encrypted and embedded on the front of the check using glyphs. When the payor seeks to convert a blank check into a negotiable instrument, the user fills out the check and signs it. When the check is presented to a bank for payment, a teller using a decoding device, decodes and decrypts the digitized signature such that a human-readable image of the digitized signature can be seen on a screen for comparison with the payor's scripted signature. If the two signatures are identical, the check is honored.

Abstract: A job management apparatus for use in a batch job execution system is provided. The job management apparatus includes a client communications part which receives a batch job from a client, an extracting part which extracts a task from the batch job, and an assigning part which receives signals from the service providers and delegates a task to a service provider who is capable of performing such task. The job management apparatus is in communication with a job database which stores the batch job after it is received from the client. At least one provider manager is in communication with the job management apparatus and in communication with the service providers which monitors the tasks as they are being performed on a service provider and provides status information about the task to the job management apparatus. The service providers are configured to output signals to the job management apparatus requesting work.

Abstract: The invention facilitates and enhances review of a body of information (that can be represented by a set of audio data, video data, text data or some combination of the three), enabling the body of information to be quickly reviewed to obtain an overview of the content of the body of information and allowing flexibility in the manner in which the body of information is reviewed. In a particular application of the invention, the content of audiovisual news programs is acquired from a first set of one or more information sources (e.g., television news programs) and text news stories are acquired from a second set of one or more information sources (e.g., online news services or news wire services). In such a particular application, the invention can enable the user to access the news stories of audiovisual news programs in a random manner so that the user can move quickly among news stories or news programs.

Abstract: The invention facilitates and enhances review of a body of information (that can be represented by a set of audio data, video data, text data or some combination of the three), enabling the body of information to be quickly reviewed to obtain an overview of the content of the body of information and allowing flexibility in the manner in which the body of information is reviewed. In a particular application of the invention, the content of audiovisual news programs is acquired from a first set of one or more information sources (e.g., television news programs) and text news stories are acquired from a second set of one or more information sources (e.g., on-line news services or news wire services). In such a particular application, the invention can enable the user to access the news stories of audiovisual news programs in a random manner so that the user can move quickly among news stories or news programs.

Abstract: The invention enables the display of an image to be paused, then, at the end of the pause, resumed at an accelerated rate until a time at which the content of the display corresponds to the content that would have been displayed had the image been displayed at the normal display rate without the pause, at which time display of the image at the normal display rate resumes. The invention can be used with display systems that display pre-recorded images (such as are found on video or audio cassettes, or video or audio compact discs, for example) or with display systems that display images based upon display data that is only momentarily available to the display system (such as occurs in the display of television or radio broadcasts). The invention can be used with either analog or digital display systems. Further, the invention can be used with any type of image display, such as, for example, audio displays, video displays or audiovisual displays.

Abstract: The invention enables the display of an image to be paused, then, at the end of the pause, resumed at an accelerated rate until a time at which the content of the display corresponds to the content that would have been displayed had the image been displayed at the normal display rate without the pause, at which time display of the image at the normal display rate resumes. The invention can be used with display systems that display pre-recorded images (such as are found on video or audio cassettes, or video or audio compact discs, for example) or with display systems that display images based upon display data that is only momentarily available to the display system (such as occurs in the display of television or radio broadcasts). The invention can be used with either analog or digital display systems. Further, the invention can be used with any type of image display, such as, for example, audio displays, video displays or audiovisual displays.

Abstract: The invention enables the display of an image to be paused, then, at the end of the pause, resumed at an accelerated rate until a time at which the content of the display corresponds to the content that would have been displayed had the image been displayed at the normal display rate without the pause, at which time display of the image at the normal display rate resumes. The invention can be used with display systems that display pre-recorded images (such as are found on video or audio cassettes, or video or audio compact discs, for example) or with display systems that display images based upon display data that is only momentarily available to the display system (such as occurs in the display of television or radio broadcasts). The invention can be used with either analog or digital display systems. Further, the invention can be used with any type of image display, such as, for example, audio displays, video displays or audiovisual displays.

Abstract: An automated diabetes data interpretation method is provided which combines symbolic and numeric computing approaches in order to identify and highlight key clinical findings in the patient's self-recorded diabetes data. The patient data, including blood glucose levels and insulin dosage levels, recorded by a diabetic patient over a period of time by means of a glucose meter or the like, is initially downloaded into a central processing system such as a personal computer.