Abstract: An interactive surface computer with a switchable diffuser layer is described. The switchable layer has two states: a transparent state and a diffusing state. When it is in its diffusing state, a digital image is displayed and when the layer is in its transparent state, an image can be captured through the layer. In an embodiment, a projector is used to project the digital image onto the layer in its diffusing state and optical sensors are used for touch detection.

Abstract: Touch detection systems and methods are described. The system comprises a light guiding sheet, a light source, a reflective layer and a detector. When a fingertip or other suitable object is pressed against the light guiding sheet, light which is undergoing total internal reflection within the sheet is scattered. The scattered light is reflected by the reflective layer and detected by the detector. In an embodiment, the light is infra-red light. The touch detection system may, in some embodiments, be placed on a display and the touch events used to control the display.

Abstract: It is required to provide a framework for an automated process for forming a visually appealing collage from a plurality of input images. It is required to provide a framework for this type of automated process which is flexible and robust and which can easily be interfaced to a related software application. An image synthesis framework is provided with a modular architecture having a first module, a plurality of prior compute modules and an image synthesis module. The first module provides an application programming interface, the prior compute modules compute information about input images, and the image synthesis module uses the computed information together with the input images to form a digital collage.

Abstract: Existing tools for organizing family memories offer few possibilities for easily integrating both physical and digital materials in order to produce a single archive for a family (or other group of users). This also applies to archiving of physical objects and digital media in general (even for applications outside the field of family use). An archiving system is described which incorporates at least one image capture device, a display, a sensing apparatus arranged to detect user input associated with the display, a processor and memory, and a receptacle for holding digital media storage devices such as mobile telephones, digital cameras, personal digital assistants and the like. The image capture device is operable to capture digital images of physical objects for archiving. The receptacle comprises a data transmission apparatus for automatically transferring data with the digital media storage devices and optionally also a power charging apparatus.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method for detecting potential areas of inductive coupling in a high density integrated circuit design are described. The inductance mitigation process first converts the inductive analysis into a density problem. The density of wires within a region that may switch within a portion of the system clock are compared to the density of wires will not switch within that same time. Regions of the chip that have a high ratio of density of switching wires versus non-switching wires are determined to have the potential of an inductive coupling problem. Additional grounded metal is added into the problematic regions of the chip to improve the switching versus non-switching wire density.

Abstract: A system and an arrangement that process payment requests received from a number of distinct data communication devices via respective communications channels and consistent with different communications protocols. In an example embodiment, a payment processing system includes a plurality of data communications devices that transmit a plurality of payment requests in connection with purchases via respective communication channels. Each transmitted payment request includes a merchant identification code and a set of customer financial account data. The system further includes a payment server arrangement that receives the payment requests from the data communications devices at the respective channels via a plurality of adapter modules corresponding to each of the communication channels. Each of the adapter modules includes a payment processing application that identifies a financial institution identification code associated with the merchant identification code.

Abstract: A device comprises a physical interface, a memory module and a wireless module. The memory module comprises a first memory interface, a second memory interface and a storage component. The physical interface is connected to the first memory interface and arranged to support access to the storage component and the wireless module is connected to the second memory interface and arranged to support access to the storage component. In a preferred embodiment, the device is arranged such that the access to the wireless module via the physical interface is not possible.

Abstract: A system enables users at different locations (e.g. different geographic locations) to work collaboratively on a document, and to view each other's annotations to the document. Each user can work with a paper document, and make handwritten annotations to the paper document. The system includes a plurality of workstations communicating with a server. Each workstation comprises a document-imaging device, such as a camera, for generating a digital image of the document. Handwritten annotations are identified by image processing, and new annotations made by each user can be tracked in real time. Image bitmaps of the annotations are distributed by the server to each workstation so that each user can view other user's annotations. In one view, the annotations from different users are superimposed in a combined image.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) chip having repeaters for propagating signals along relatively long wires that extend between and among lower-level physical blocks of the IC chip, wherein the repeaters are implemented as clocked flip-flops (or “repeater flops”). A method for automatically inserting and allocating such repeater flops during the logical and physical design of the IC chip is also provided.

Abstract: A method and a system for using an electronic funds transaction point of sale (EFTPOS) payment system to provide products and services to a point of sale location without compromising the security of payment processing by the EFTPOS payment system. In one example embodiment, the EFTPOS terminal arrangement is coupled to a first vendor data processing system (DPS) hosting a first application and is coupled to a financial institution DPS hosting a second application, wherein the terminal arrangement hosts one or more payment applications and one or more non-payment applications. The method includes accessing the first application at the first vendor DPS via the non-payment application of the EFTPOS terminal arrangement and selecting a product via the non-payment application and offered by the first application on the first vendor DPS.

Abstract: It is required to provide a framework for an automated process for forming a visually appealing collage from a plurality of input images. It is required to provide a framework for this type of automated process which is flexible and robust and which can easily be interfaced to a related software application. An image synthesis framework is provided with a modular architecture having a first module, a plurality of prior compute modules and an image synthesis module. The first module provides an application programming interface, the prior compute modules compute information about input images, and the image synthesis module uses the computed information together with the input images to form a digital collage.

Abstract: A method of a recipient processing a received e-mail to cause data interaction is described. The method comprises: reading a text-based data structure within the text body of the received e-mail message; identifying some pre-stored data of the recipient by use of the data structure; and causing an interaction to occur with the pre-stored data, the interaction being determined by the contents of the received e-mail.

Abstract: A camera can be used to record multiple low resolution images of an object by shifting a camera lens relative to an image sensor of the camera. Each camera image recorded represents a portion of the object. A composite high resolution image of the object can be obtained by patching together the camera images by using various well known mosaicing, tiling, and/or stitching algorithms.

Abstract: A camera apparatus obtains a sharp, high-resolution image of an object which is difficult to focus in a single image at a fixed focus, such as the imaging of a document using a document camera held at an oblique angle to the document. The apparatus composites an image of an object from plural image segments of the object acquired at different focusing distances. High quality regions (i.e. sharply focused and/or high resolution) are extracted from each image to form the segments for compositing.

Abstract: A document image capture (scanning) system and control method are described for scanning and processing document images received live from a camera. A motion detector detects image motion between two image frames. When the image is stationary, image processing (such as OCR) is carried out automatically and made available to the operator. In one form, when movement is detected, the image processing results are discarded until the image is newly stationary, whereupon new image processing is carried out on the new image. In another form, the degree of movement is evaluated; if the movement is small, then at least some of the previous image processing results are re-used by re-mapping on to the new image.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for processing a captured (e.g. scanned) image. The apparatus includes a plurality of selection tools for selecting a region of the image to be processed. The selection tools include a word-by-word selection tool for text and a rectangular box selection tool for a picture. The apparatus also includes a plurality of copy tools for copying the selected region. The appropriate selection tool and copy tool are controlled automatically by a global mode control, being one of a text mode, a color picture mode and a black-and-white picture mode. Optionally, the apparatus displays the image in one of a plurality of different display modes, the display mode also being controlled by the global mode control.

Abstract: A device and method are described for capturing an image of a document using a digital camera. The invention includes a resolution analyzer for analyzing the resolution of text characters in the image, to assess whether the resolution is suitable for OCR. In one aspect, if the resolution is too small or too large, an indicator is generated to guide the user as to the corrective movement of the camera to improve the resolution for OCR. In a second aspect, an electronic zoom control is controlled to alter the magnification of the captured image, to correct the resolution. In a third aspect, a method is described for analyzing the image to determine the resolution according to the height of text characters in the image. The method includes analyzing the run lengths of pixels in the image to identify a predominant length corresponding to the average character height (in pixels).

Abstract: A user-interface for selecting text from images of documents using auto-completion is described. The auto-completion process may be used to complete words (or text sequences), phrases, sentences, paragraphs, or other groupings of words. In response to user input, the OCR results for one or more images of documents are searched. The user input may include typing in a partial word (or the initial characters in a text sequence) via an input device or alternatively, annotations made by a user on a hardcopy document prior to scanning the document. One or more word matches are presented to the user for acceptance until the user accepts a word match or until all word matches have been presented to the user. Once a user accepts a word match, the word match is copied into an electronic document such as a word processing document, spreadsheet document, or other electronic document created by an application program.

Abstract: An image processing technique for selecting a text region from an image is described. Character and formatting information for each word in the image is used to determine an active region for each word in the image. For a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the character and formatting information is derived during optical character recognition (OCR). A first and last word within a selected text region is identified based on at least one active region associated with at least one word within the selected text region. Using the first and last words within the selected text region, all words within the selected text region are identified. An image of the selected text region may be displayed. Text contained within the selected text region may be copied to an application program.

Abstract: An image processing technique for selecting a text region from an image is described. Character and formatting information for each word in the image is used to determine an active region for each word in the image. For a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the character and formatting information is derived during optical character recognition (OCR). A first and last word within a selected text region is identified based on at least one active region associated with at least one word within the selected text region. Using the first and last words within the selected text region, all words within the selected text region are identified. An image of the selected text region may be displayed. Text contained within the selected text region may be copied to an application program.