Abstract: A system includes a first scanner having an inflatable membrane configured to be inflated with a medium to conform an exterior surface of the inflatable membrane to an interior shape of a cavity. The medium attenuates, at first rate per unit length, light having a first optical wavelength, and attenuates, at a second rate per unit length, light having a second optical wavelength. An emitter is configured to generate light to illuminate the interior surface and a detector is configured to receive light from the interior surface. The scanner further includes a processor configured to generate a first electronic representation of the interior shape based on the light. A design computer is configured to modify the first electronic representation into a three-dimensional shape corresponding to at least a portion of the interior shape and a fabricator configured to fabricate, based at least on the modified first electronic representation, an earbud.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for user verification. A terminal device recognizes a sequence of click operations made by the user according to a maneuver prompted on a terminal device. The sequence of click operations carries operation information from which a click pattern characteristic, such as a characteristic code, can be determined. Upon receiving the determined click pattern characteristic, a server verifies the user input by matching the click pattern characteristic with a verification code set or stored by the server. The click pattern characteristic may be based on recognizing clicking or tapping operations performed by the user at a specified time and/or in a designated area. The method enables user verification on devices that lowers the rate of errors in the user input of verification codes.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for user verification. A terminal device recognizes a sequence of click operations made by the user according to a maneuver prompted on a terminal device. The sequence of click operations carries operation information from which a click pattern characteristic, such as a characteristic code, can be determined. Upon receiving the determined click pattern characteristic, a server verifies the user input by matching the click pattern characteristic with a verification code set or stored by the server. The click pattern characteristic may be based on recognizing clicking or tapping operations performed by the user at a specified time and/or in a designated area. The method enables user verification on devices that lowers the rate of errors in the user input of verification codes.

Abstract: Exchanging information via a designated application includes establishing a voice communication link with a client device; sending a launch command associated with a designated application to the client device via the voice communication link, wherein upon receiving the launch command, the client device is caused to launch the designated application; and exchanging information with the client device through the designated application.

Abstract: Exchanging information via a designated application includes establishing a voice communication link with a client device, sending a launch command associated with a designated application to the client device via the voice communication link, wherein the launch command is configured to cause the designated application to be launched at the client device; and exchanging information with the client device using the designated application, wherein the designated application is configured to receive input information and the input information is received from the client device.

Abstract: A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.

Abstract: A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.

Abstract: A data transmission method is provided. The method includes: establishing, by a first NAT-T sub-module of a TCP server proxy module, a transmission channel with a second NAT-T sub-module of a TCP client proxy module via a NAT-T signal server; and transmitting, by a client, a data packet to a server module in the transmission channel via the TCP server proxy module and the TCP client proxy module; wherein when a first reliable transmission sub-module of the TCP server proxy module and a second reliable transmission sub-module of the TCP client proxy module receive the data packet, the first reliable transmission sub-module and the second reliable transmission sub-module detect the transmission channel and the data packet, and suitably control the transmission channel and the data packet according to a detection result so that the data packet is reliably forwarded between the client module and the server module.

Abstract: The invention features devices and kits for capturing and culturing microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi, or protists) and methods of using the devices and kits to detect microorganisms in environmental and other samples. The device includes a nutrient media having a flat growth area on which microorganisms can grow. Samples are collected by contacting the device with any environmental sample, e.g., rolling device on a work surface or exposing device to air, or by filtering a sample through a membrane. Microorganisms deposited on the membrane derive nutrients from the underlying media and grow into colonies that can then be detected using methods known in the art. The detected colonies can be imaged digitally or with film.

Abstract: A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.

Abstract: In some example embodiments, there may be provided an apparatus. The apparatus may include a balloon membrane including an opening, an exterior surface, and an interior surface, the interior surface including one or more fiducial markers forming a pattern detectable by a scanner imaging the interior surface of the inflatable membrane. Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, may also be provided.

Abstract: A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for user verification. A terminal device recognizes a sequence of click operations made by the user according to a maneuver prompted on a terminal device. The sequence of click operations carries operation information from which a click pattern characteristic, such as a characteristic code, can be determined. Upon receiving the determined click pattern characteristic, a server verifies the user input by matching the click pattern characteristic with a verification code set or stored by the server. The click pattern characteristic may be based on recognizing clicking or tapping operations performed by the user at a specified time and/or in a designated area. The method enables user verification on devices that lowers the rate of errors in the user input of verification codes.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method and an apparatus of account login to solve the problem of low efficiency of account login in existing technologies. A client of the method captures an image of a first credential of a user, recognizes user information of the user that is included in the captured image, includes the recognized user information into a login request, and sends the login request to a server for logging into an account that corresponds to the user information. Through this method, a user does not need to input his/her username when using a client for account login, but perform the account login by directly capturing an image of a first credential using an image capturing device of the client, thus effectively improving the efficiency of account login.

Abstract: Exchanging information via a designated application includes establishing a voice communication link with a client device, sending a launch command associated with a designated application to the client device via the voice communication link, wherein the launch command is configured to cause the designated application to be launched at the client device; and exchanging information with the client device using the designated application, wherein the designated application is configured to receive input information and the input information is received from the client device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for selecting a candidate neighbor cell in the present invention. The method includes: determining a candidate cell set of a serving cell; acquiring a base station closest to the serving cell from the candidate cell set, and adding all the cells under the base station into a neighbor cell set; deleting a cell sheltered by the base station and cells included in the neighbor cell set from the candidate cell set; judging whether the candidate cell set is empty; if not, then returning to the step of acquiring a base station closest to the serving cell; and if yes, then taking cells in the neighbor cell set as a first layer of neighbor cells of the serving cell.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for selecting a candidate neighbor cell in the present invention. The method includes: determining a candidate cell set of a serving cell; acquiring a base station closest to the serving cell from the candidate cell set, and adding all the cells under the base station into a neighbor cell set; deleting a cell sheltered by the base station and cells included in the neighbor cell set from the candidate cell set; judging whether the candidate cell set is empty; if not, then returning to the step of acquiring a base station closest to the serving cell; and if yes, then taking cells in the neighbor cell set as a first layer of neighbor cells of the serving cell. By way of the present invention, the efficiency and accuracy of neighbor cell planning can be improved, thereby saving neighbor cell resources and improving the self adaptability of the candidate neighbor cell.