Abstract: Examples of the disclosure relate to an apparatus comprising means for: using a radiofrequency beam having a wavelength below approximately 10mm to interrogate one or more acoustic reporters in an audio environment; analysing one or more sound signals reported by the one or more acoustic reporters to determine positions of one or more sound sources providing the one or more sound signals; and using the positions of the one or more sound sources to determine one or more sound propagation paths within the audio environment.

Abstract: According to various, but not necessarily all, examples of the disclosure there is provided an apparatus comprising: one or more portions of material configured to vibrate at one or more ultrasonic frequencies when the material is positioned within a varying magnetic field; and wherein the one or more portions of material configured to vibrate at one or more ultrasonic frequencies are positioned so that, when a varying magnetic field is applied to the apparatus, the vibration caused by the varying magnetic field provides increased cooling within a cooling system.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computing system can be configured to perform personalized content item selection in a privacy preserving manner. In some implementations, user privacy can be protected by performing the personalized selection of content items on the user's device. For example, the computing system can include a client device configured to select content items from a collection of candidate content items received from a server device based on a user profile generated and stored on the client device. In some implementations, user privacy can be protected when performing the personalized selection of content items by sending an anonymous, or approximate, user profile (e.g., class profile) to the server device. For example, the computing system can include a server device configured to select content items from a collection of content items based on a class profile representing a group of similar user profiles received from the client device.

Abstract: According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments there is provided an apparatus comprising means for: determining at least two locations at which a user touches a device; selecting a first location and a second location from the at least two locations to define a transmission path for an acoustic signal through the user; applying an acoustic signal to the user through the first location; detecting an acoustic signal transmitted through the user at the second location; and analysing the detected acoustic signal to determine if it is indicative of transmission of the applied acoustic signal through an authorised user based on a known bioacoustic signature of the authorised user.

Abstract: According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments there is provided an apparatus comprising means for: controlling one or more electroacoustic transducers of a device to create a standing wave having a displacement antinode at an expected location of a component of the device; receiving a signal representing sound generated by vibration of the component driven by the standing wave; causing analysis of the signal to determine whether there is a defect based on whether the signal represents a sound that would be expected to result from vibration of the component driven by the standing wave in the absence of a defect.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for providing instructions when receiving biometric data associated with a user. For instance, an electronic device may detect a portion of a user, such as a hand. The electronic device may then determine locations of the portion of the user relative to the electronic device. Based on the locations, the electronic device may cause a visual indicator to provide instructions to the user for placing the portion of the user at a target location relative to the electronic device. For example, the visual indicator may emit light indicating that the portion of the user is off-centered, angled, too low, and/or too high. After providing the instructions and determining that the portion of the user is at the target location, the electronic device may capture at least an image of the portion of the user and use the image to identify an account.

Abstract: A computerized system for providing article information to a customer, said system comprising an optical image acquisition device for acquiring an optical image of an area of interest (AOI) in which articles are display to a customer, a processor module operably in communication with the optical image acquisition device and for receiving an image input signal therefrom; and an output device in communication with the processor for providing an output signal to a customer: wherein upon the processor detecting the article being removed from the area of interest (AOI), the processor sends an output signal having article data associated with said article to said output device, and said output device provides an output to the customer of said article data.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a first substrate, a pixel structure, a second substrate, and an anti-reflection structure. The pixel structure is disposed on the first substrate, and has an active element and a pixel electrode electrically connected to the active element. The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate. The anti-reflection structure is disposed on the second substrate and is located between the first substrate and the second substrate. The anti-reflection structure includes a first insulating layer and a metal layer. The first insulating layer is disposed on the second substrate. The metal layer is disposed on the first insulating layer. The first insulating layer is located between the second substrate and the metal layer. The first insulating layer has an opening, the metal layer has an opening, and the opening of the first insulating layer and the opening of the metal layer overlap with the pixel electrode.

Abstract: A visualization system, an apparatus, and a visualization method are provided. The visualization system includes a laparoscope, a camera operatively coupled to the laparoscope, a light source operatively coupled to an illumination port of the laparoscope, and processing circuitry. The light source is configured to output one or more light beams each at a predetermined frequency to illuminate a target area. The processing circuitry is configured to process imaging data from the laparoscope received by the camera to generate one or more images of the target area including at least one laser speckle contrast image. The laparoscope is configured to output the one or more light beams toward the target area at a distal end thereof and to collect reflected and/or scattered light from the target area via the distal end.

Abstract: An electronic device includes an active area and multiple shift registers. The active area comprises multiple pixel circuits. Each of the multiple shift registers is configured to output a first control signal, a second control signal, and a third control signal to a part of pixel circuits of the multiple pixel circuits. A duty ratio of the third control signal is greater than a duty ratio of the second control signal, and the duty ratio of the second control signal is greater than a duty ratio of the first control signal. A part of the multiple shift registers and other part of the multiple shift registers are substantially symmetrically disposed at two sides of the active area, respectively.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a GUI for a document reader application that displays a selectable representation of content that, when selected, cause the content to be displayed in the GUI. GUI controls may be exposed in response to a user input slide operation on the selectable representation of content.

Abstract: An authentication apparatus and a method to devise an authentication tool is provided for facilitating determination of authenticity or genuineness of an article with reference to a captured image or a purported primary image of an information bearing device on the article. The authenticity or genuineness of an article is determined with reference to whether a captured image is a primary image of an authentic information bearing device using a trained neural network. The neural network is trained using training images comprising imperfect images having varying degrees of image imperfections which are introduced under controlled conditions.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a GUI for a document reader application that displays an aggregated feed with sections for different groups of personalized documents. Some embodiments provide a method for arranging documents within the different sections and for ordering the different sections within the aggregated feed. In some embodiments, the groups are dynamically generated at a device based on content (e.g., tags) of the documents.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an image capturing device, a light emitting device for illuminating an object to be captured by the image capturing device, a visual guide to guide a user to aim the apparatus at a target authentication device, and a processor. The visual guide is devised such that when the apparatus is aimed at the target authentication device following guidance of the visual guide, the brightness levels on an image of the target authentication device captured by the image capturing device while under illumination of the light emitting device are within a predetermined range of brightness levels to facilitate verification of authenticity with reference to the captured image of the target authentication device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for image patch selection for training a neural network for image quality assessment. The method includes receiving an input image and extracting one or more image patches from the input image. The moment of the extracted image patches is measured. There is a decision to accept or decline the extracted image patches according to the measured moment. Additional image patches are extracted until a minimum number, Nmin, of extracted image patches are accepted. Alternatively, selection criteria are adjusted until the minimum number of extracted image patches are accepted. The selected image patches are input into a neural network with a corresponding image quality value of the input image, and the neural network is trained with the image patches and image quality value. Also provided is a method for image quality assessment using a neural network trained as set forth above.

Abstract: A biometric input device includes a sensor assembly that generates images of a user's palm that is within a field of view (FOV) using an image sensor behind a polarizer with a first polarization. The palm within the FOV is illuminated at different times with light having the first polarization and the second polarization. The images are acquired using polarized light and provide images of surface and subcutaneous features. The images may then be processed to identify the user. The device may include a touchscreen to provide information to the user or receive input from a user. The device may include a stand to mount the device at a convenient location, such as at an entry portal, point of sale, and so forth.

Abstract: An electronic device includes an active area and multiple shift registers. The active area comprises multiple pixel circuits. Each of the multiple shift registers is configured to output a first control signal, a second control signal, and a third control signal to a part of pixel circuits of the multiple pixel circuits. A duty ratio of the third control signal is greater than a duty ratio of the second control signal, and the duty ratio of the second control signal is greater than a duty ratio of the first control signal. A part of the multiple shift registers and other part of the multiple shift registers are substantially symmetrically disposed at two sides of the active area, respectively.

Abstract: An information bearing device comprising a data bearing pattern, the data bearing pattern comprising M×N pattern defining elements which are arranged to define a set of characteristic spatial distribution properties (Îu,vM,N(x,y)), wherein the set of data comprises a plurality of discrete data and each said discrete data (ui,vi) has an associated data bearing pattern which is characteristic of said discrete data, and the set of characteristic spatial distribution properties is due to the associated data bearing patterns of said plurality of discrete data, wherein said discrete data and the associated data bearing pattern of said discrete data is related by a characteristic relation function (?k1,k2ui,vi(x,y), the characteristic relation function defining spatial distribution properties of said associated data bearing pattern according to said discrete data (ui,vi) and a characteristic parameter (k) that is independent of said discrete data.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computing system can determine how important an investment identifier is to a content item that mentions the investment identifier. For example, a content item may describe a story, event, etc., related to an investment identifier. The content item may mention the investment identifier by mentioning the investment identifier, proxies for the investment identifier, or other equivalents associated with the investment identifier. The computing system can determine locations in the content item where the investment identifier is mentioned and/or how frequently the investment identifier is mentioned. Based on the locations and/or frequency of mentions, the computing system can determine an importance score that represents how important the investment identifier is to the story described by the content item. The importance score can be stored in metadata for the content item and used when determining which content items to present to a user.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computing system can deliver personalized content while preserving user privacy. For example, the computing system can include a content server that filters, deduplicates, and generates clusters of content items (e.g., articles, news stories, etc.) that are relevant to an investment identifier received in a request from a client device. The content server can send the clusters of content items to the requesting client. Upon receiving the clusters of content items, requesting client device can evaluate the content items based on user preferences stored on the user device and select a representative content item from one or more content item clusters. The selected content item can then be presented on a display of the user device. Thus, personalization of content item selection and presentation can be performed without distributing user preference data outside of the user device thereby preserving user privacy.