Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a method for calibrating a plenoptic camera. The plenoptic camera includes a lenslet array placed between a main lens and a photosensor, the lenslet array having a plurality of lenslets. The method is remarkable in that it includes obtaining a white image W and a model that describes light scene occlusion induced by the main lens and each lenslet. For a given pixel of the photosensor, where the model is represented by a set of parameters, obtaining a first subset of parameters values from the set of parameters in the model and obtaining a second subset of parameters value from the set of parameters in the model by performing a maximum likelihood estimation method based on the model, the white image and the first subset of parameters values, and where a union of the first and the second subsets of parameters corresponds to the set of parameters.

Abstract: A video communication system that replaces actual live images of the participating users with animated avatars. A method may include initiating communication between a first user device and a remote user device; receiving selection of a new avatar to represent a user of the first user device; identifying a new avatar file for the new avatar in an avatar database associated with the first user device; determining that the new avatar file is not present in a remote avatar database associated with the remote user device; and transmitting the new avatar file to the remote avatar database in response to determining that the new avatar file is not present in the remote avatar database.

Abstract: A Bluetooth key apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a control unit; a Bluetooth locking device connected with the control unit; and a Bluetooth unlocking device connected with the control unit. After setting, the Bluetooth unlocking device and the Bluetooth locking device are specifically grouped for handshake communication. After waking up the Bluetooth locking device, the Bluetooth unlocking device receives a password provided by the Bluetooth locking device; and, after the Bluetooth unlocking device inputs the password, the Bluetooth locking device is unlocked. Thus, the present invention effectively enhances anti-theft, distributes key remotely, manages key databases and prevents password from leaking.

Abstract: The present invention relates to glass with a single reinforced layer, comprising a glass body and the single reinforced layer formed in a surface of the glass body. The compressive stress of the single reinforced layer trends to decrease non-linearly from the surface of the glass body to the interior of the glass body. The compressive stress curve of the single reinforced layer has an inflection point. The gradient of a first curve section in front of the inflection point is greater than the gradient of a second curve section behind the inflection point. The overall refractive index of the single reinforced layer trends to decrease non-linearly from the surface of the glass body to the interior of the glass body. The refractive index curve of the single reinforced layer has at least two inflection points. Furthermore, a method for preparing the glass with a single reinforced layer is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides an on-line method for stabilizing surface compressive stress of chemically-tempered glass, which comprises the steps of: placing glass to be tempered together with a stabilizer in a tempering furnace containing a molten salt bath for glass tempering; and after reacting at a temperature for a period of time, removing the glass and the stabilizer from the tempering furnace. The stabilizer is capable of chemically reacting with impurity ions in the molten salt bath for glass tempering, to remove the impurity ions in the molten salt bath. Therefore, the presence of the stabilizer allows the impurity ion content in the molten salt bath for glass tempering to be stable without gradual accumulation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ion sieve material, comprising, based on the weight of the ion sieve material, 15-55% by weight (wt %) of SiO2, 5-50 wt % of an auxiliary material, and 15-48 wt % of at least one functional metal oxide, wherein the metal in the functional metal oxide is a monovalent and/or divalent metal. A method for preparing the ion sieve material and a method of using the same are further provided.

Abstract: A semi-automatic foot-pedal device is provided, which includes a panel and a pedal-connecting component connected with the panel. The pedal-connecting component includes an upper bracket, a left bracket, a lower bracket, a right bracket and an elastic unit; when the pedal-connecting component is in a closed state, the panel moves away from the upper bracket to transform the pedal-connecting component into an elastically spread state under a force on the panel in a downward direction and the elastic unit generates pushing force toward its two opposite directions; when the pedal-connecting component is in a spread state, the panel moves towards the upper bracket to transform the pedal-connecting component into an elastically closed state under a force on the panel in an obliquely-upward direction and the elastic unit generates pushing force toward its two opposite directions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a capacitive MEMS microphone and a method for manufacturing the same. The microphone includes: a substrate; a first dielectric supporting layer on the substrate; a movable sensitive layer formed on the first dielectric supporting layer and having a movable diaphragm extending within the air; a backplate disposed over the movable sensitive layer and spaced from the movable diaphragm; a chamber recessed from and extending through the substrate and the first dielectric supporting layer; and an impact resisting device connecting to the movable diaphragm. The impact resisting device is exposed downwardly and disposed above the chamber. The movable sensitive layer has a number of anchors formed around the movable diaphragm, a number of flexible beams each of which is employed to connect one of the anchors to the movable diaphragm, and a bonding portion connecting to the anchor.

Abstract: Technologies for generating an avatar with a facial expression corresponding to a facial expression of a user include capturing a reference user image of the user on a computing device when the user is expressing a reference facial expression for registration. The computing device generates reference facial measurement data based on the captured reference user image and compares the reference facial measurement data with facial measurement data of a corresponding reference expression of the avatar to generate facial comparison data. After a user has been registered, the computing device captures a real-time facial expression of the user and generates real-time facial measurement data based on the captured real-time image. The computing device applies the facial comparison data to the real-time facial measurement data to generate modified expression data, which is used to generate an avatar with a facial expression corresponding with the facial expression of the user.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and methods relating to information flow tracking and detection of unintentional design flaws of digital devices and microprocessor systems. In general, in one implementation, a technique includes: receiving a hardware design specifying an implementation for information flow in a hardware configuration; receiving one or more labels annotating the hardware design; receiving one or more security properties specifying a restriction relating to the one or more labels for implementing an information flow model; generating the information flow model; performing verification using the information flow model, wherein verification comprises verifying whether the information flow model passes or fails against the one of more security properties; and upon verifying that the information flow model passes, determining that an unintentional design flaw is not identified in the hardware design.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer readable storage medium for providing data to a user interface for performance monitoring are disclosed, in which an a data definition is acquired, where the data definition is generated in response to a definition of the user interface. Data is acquired from data sources based on the data definition. The acquired data is processed based on the data definition, and the processed data is cached.

Abstract: Devices and methods disclosed herein can include a conductive foam having pores disposed within the conductive foam. The conductive foam can be compressible between an uncompressed thickness and a compressed thickness. The compressed thickness can be ninety-five percent or less of the uncompressed thickness. In one example, a filler can be disposed in the pores of the conductive foam. The filler can include a first thermal conductivity. The first thermal conductivity can be greater than a thermal conductivity of air.

Abstract: A composite fiber is provided. The composite fiber includes a first region and a second region. The component of the first region includes a coloring agent and a resin. The component of the second region includes a crosslinked thermoplastic polymer and the crosslinked thermoplastic polymer includes gel particles with an average particle size no more than 1000 nm. A method for forming the composite fiber is also provided.

Abstract: A method of obtaining one or more HDR images representative of a scene is described. To reach that aim, the method includes obtaining several LDR images representative of the scene. The method further includes identifying one or more first pixels having a pixel value that is greater than a first determined value (i.e. corresponding to underexposed pixels) or having a pixel value that is less than a second determined value (i.e. corresponding to overexposed pixels). The method further includes determining one second pixel, in one or more other LDR images, that corresponds to the first pixel. In a block of pixels centered on the second pixel, weighting values are determined that are representative of similarity between the second pixel and the other pixels of the block. A HDR image is finally obtained by determining and assigning a new pixel value to the first pixel. The new value is calculated based on weighting values and pixel values associated with pixels of a block of pixels centered on the first pixel.

Abstract: A method, a device, and a system are provided for recognizing a gesture based on multi-terminal collaboration, which are used to recognize an air gesture operation of a user in a multi-terminal collaboration scenario. The method includes receiving, by a first terminal after receiving a collaboration request activation signal, parameter information of second terminals; recording, by the first terminal according to the parameter information of the second terminals, an arrangement manner of terminals that participate in acquiring of gesture information, where the terminals that participate in the acquiring of the gesture information include all terminals or the second terminals; receiving, by the first terminal, sensor trigger information sent by at least one second terminal; and determining, by the first terminal according to the recorded arrangement manner and the acquired sensor trigger information, a type of a gesture that triggers a sensor.

Abstract: A touch sensitive device includes a plurality of first electrodes; a plurality of second electrodes, disposed around the plurality of first electrodes; a plurality of first surrounding pattern that are formed by the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes and a plurality of second surrounding patterns that are formed by the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes. Each of the first surrounding patterns comprises one of the first electrodes that interleaves with one of the second electrodes. Each of the second surrounding patterns comprises one of the second electrodes that is sandwiched between another of the second electrodes and one of the second electrodes.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner (1) includes a brushroll assembly (100) having a brushroll casing (12) and a brushroll (11); a motor assembly (200) having a motor housing (21) and a motor (22); a body assembly (300) having a body (31) and a bridging member (32), in which the bridging member (32) is pivotally connected to the motor housing (21) to make the body (31) rotatable between an upright position and an oblique position; and an elastic assembly (4) provided between the brushroll casing (12) and the bridging member (32), and configured to be pressed downward against the brushroll casing (12) by the bridging member (32) when the body (31) rotates from the upright position to the oblique position.

Abstract: A memory structure and a manufacturing method for the same are disclosed. The memory structure comprises memory segments. Each of the memory segments comprises a memory array region, a memory selecting region adjacent to the memory array region, a semiconductor gate electrode, a semiconductor channel connecting to the semiconductor gate electrode, a gate dielectric layer, a gate electrode layer, and channel layer. The gate electrode layer and the semiconductor channel are in the memory selecting region. The gate electrode layer and the semiconductor channel are separated from each other by the gate dielectric layer. The channel layer and the semiconductor gate electrode are in the memory array region. The channel layer and the semiconductor gate electrode are separated from each other by the gate dielectric layer.

Abstract: Leveraging the wealth of information available on-line to accelerate and facilitate commercial transactions initiated by viewers of television programming, both during conventional programming and while using interactive features such as shopping channels, application channels, executing downloaded applications, and the like, for reducing the amount and frequency of user input required by accelerating and simplifying the process of accessing stored profiles and payment methods in these transactions, and by reducing user efforts in maintaining their on-line presence without compromising user security, is described. The motivation for such simplification derives from concerns apparent in emerging t-commerce transactions, where the means by which viewers may engage in two-way transactions directly in the context of the television programming are different and frequently more constrained than in traditional e-commerce and m-commerce modes.

Abstract: A video communication system that replaces actual live images of the participating users with animated avatars. A method may include selecting an avatar, initiating communication, capturing an image, detecting a face in the image, determining facial characteristics from the face, including eye movement and eyelid movement of a user indicative of direction of user gaze and blinking, respectively, converting the facial features to avatar parameters, and transmitting at least one of the avatar selection or avatar parameters.