Abstract: In some arrangements, product packaging is digitally watermarked over most of its extent to facilitate high-throughput item identification at retail checkouts. Imagery of such packaging can be analyzed to detect digital watermarking. One claim recites a method comprising: receiving imagery representing two packaged item from a digital camera, each of the packaged items including digital watermarking encoded in packaging on the items; each of the packaged items including digital watermarking encoded in packaging on the items; using one or more programmed electronic processors, analyzing the imagery to detect the digital watermarking; accessing a spatial template associated with the digital watermarking when two or more instances of digital watermarking are detected in a single image frame; comparing spatial areas containing the two or more instances of digital watermarking within the imagery to the spatial template; carrying out an action based on the comparing.

Abstract: Audio signal processing enhances audio watermark embedding and detecting processes. Audio signal processes include audio classification and adapting watermark embedding and detecting based on classification. Advances in audio watermark design include adaptive watermark signal structure data protocols, perceptual models, and insertion methods. Perceptual and robustness evaluation is integrated into audio watermark embedding to optimize audio quality relative the original signal, and to optimize robustness or data capacity. These methods are applied to audio segments in audio embedder and detector configurations to support real time operation. Feature extraction and matching are also used to adapt audio watermark embedding and detecting.

Abstract: Audio signal processing enhances audio watermark embedding and detecting processes. Audio signal processes include audio classification and adapting watermark embedding and detecting based on classification. Advances in audio watermark design include adaptive watermark signal structure data protocols, perceptual models, and insertion methods. Perceptual and robustness evaluation is integrated into audio watermark embedding to optimize audio quality relative the original signal, and to optimize robustness or data capacity. These methods are applied to audio segments in audio embedder and detector configurations to support real time operation. Feature extraction and matching are also used to adapt audio watermark embedding and detecting.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of reagents for oil and gas wells, and discloses a plugging agent for improving bearing capacity and a preparation method of the plugging agent, wherein, the plugging agent contains water, bridging granules, packing granules, and a cementing material, and, based on 100 parts by weight of water, the content of the bridging granules is 3-15 parts by weight, the content of the packing granules is 5-23 parts by weight, and the content of the cementing material is 4-11 parts by weight. The plugging agent in the present invention can improve the bearing capacity of the formation during well plugging, is applicable to shielded temporary plugging against serious leakage loss during extra-deep well drilling, has efficient and quick plugging performance, and is especially applicable to plugging against serious leakage loss in a formation where the well depth is greater than 3,000 m and conventional plugging agents can't attain a satisfactory plugging effect.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the deep-well drilling fluid field, and discloses a high-temperature crosslinking deep-well drilling fluid and a method for preparing the high-temperature crosslinking deep-well drilling fluid. The high-temperature crosslinking deep-well drilling fluid contains water, bentonite, sulfomethylated phenolic resin, sulfonated lignite, halide salt, filtrate reducer, sodium polyacrylate and barite, wherein, based on 100 parts by weight of water, the content of the bentonite is 3.5-5 parts by weight, the content of the sulfomethylated phenolic resin is 6-8 parts by weight, the content of the sulfonated lignite is 6-8 parts by weight, the content of the halide salt is 7.5-12 parts by weight, the content of the filtrate reducer is 0.5-1.2 parts by weight, the content of the sodium polyacrylate is 0.8-1.7 parts by weight, and the content of the barite is 250-300 parts by weight.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements involving portable user devices such smartphones and wearable electronic devices are disclosed, as well as other devices and sensors distributed within an ambient environment. Some arrangements enable a user to perform an object recognition process in a computationally- and time-efficient manner. Other arrangements enable users and other entities to, either individually or cooperatively, register or enroll physical objects into one or more object registries on which an object recognition process can be performed. Still other arrangements enable users and other entities to, either individually or cooperatively, associate registered or enrolled objects with one or more items of metadata. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: Methods employ sensors in portable devices (e.g., smartphones) both to sense content information (e.g., audio and imagery) and context information. Device processing is desirably dependent on both. For example, some embodiments activate certain processor intensive operations (e.g., content recognition) based on classification of sensed content and context. The context can control the location where information produced from such operations is stored, or control an alert signal indicating, e.g., that sensed speech is being transcribed. Some arrangements post sensor data collected by one device to a cloud repository, for access and processing by other devices. Multiple devices can collaborate in collecting and processing data, to exploit advantages each may have (e.g., in location, processing ability, social network resources, etc.). A great many other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relate generally to image signal processing, color science and signal encoding. Signal encoding can be applied to color image data through use of a luminance contrast sensitivity function and a chrominance contrast sensitive function. Of course, other features, combinations and claims are disclosed as well.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the deep-well drilling fluid field, and discloses a deep-well polysulfonate drilling fluid and a method for preparing the deep-well polysulfonate drilling fluid. The drilling fluid contains water, bentonite, sodium carbonate, sulfomethylated phenolic resin, sulfonated lignite, halide salt, filtrate reducer, sodium polyacrylate, sodium bisulfite and barite, wherein, based on 100 parts by weight of water, the content of the bentonite is 3.5-5 parts by weight, the content of the sodium carbonate is 0.15-0.35 parts by weight, the content of the sulfomethylated phenolic resin is 6-8 parts by weight, the content of the sulfonated lignite is 6-8 parts by weight, the content of the halide salt is 7.5-12 parts by weight, the content of the filtrate reducer is 0.5-1.2 parts by weight, the content of the sodium polyacrylate is 0.8-1.

Abstract: Provided is a port switch service (Port Switch Service, PSS), including a server cluster and a client cluster, wherein a master node in the current cluster is elected from the server cluster through a quorum algorithm and is guaranteed to be unique within a specified period in a lease form; the client cluster contains various client nodes needing to use the PSS, and each client node can establish connection with the master node as needed; and each of the client node is identified in the server cluster through the unique node ID. The port switch service is a message routing service integrating distributed coordination functions such as fault detection, service electing, service discovery, and distributed lock. By sacrificing reliability under the extreme condition, the port switch service realizes very high performance, capacity and concurrency capability in the premise of ensuring strong consistency, high availability and scalability.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to data hiding for retail product packaging and other printed objects. One embodiment embeds an information signal in a spot color for product packaging. The spot color is screened, and overprinted with process color tint. The tint is modulated prior to overprinting with optimized signal tweaks. The optimization can include consideration of a detector spectral dependency (e.g., red and/or green illumination). Many other embodiments and combinations are described in the subject patent document.

Abstract: Audio signal processing enhances audio watermark embedding and detecting processes. Audio signal processes include audio classification and adapting watermark embedding and detecting based on classification. Advances in audio watermark design include adaptive watermark signal structure data protocols, perceptual models, and insertion methods. Perceptual and robustness evaluation is integrated into audio watermark embedding to optimize audio quality relative the original signal, and to optimize robustness or data capacity. These methods are applied to audio segments in audio embedder and detector configurations to support real time operation. Feature extraction and matching are also used to adapt audio watermark embedding and detecting.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to encoding signals for spot colors. In one implementation a substitute spot color+CMY tint is selected to replace an original spot color. The CMY tint can be transformed to carry an encoded signal. Of course, other features, combinations and technology are described herein.

Abstract: The present disclosure relate generally to image signal processing, color science and signal encoding. Digital watermarking can be applied to color image data through use of a luminance contrast sensitivity function and a chrominance contrast sensitive function. Of course, other features, combinations and claims are disclosed as well.

Abstract: In some arrangements, product packaging is digitally watermarked over most of its extent to facilitate high-throughput item identification at retail checkouts. Imagery captured by conventional or plenoptic cameras can be processed (e.g., by GPUs) to derive several different perspective-transformed views—further minimizing the need to manually reposition items for identification. Crinkles and other deformations in product packaging can be optically sensed, allowing such surfaces to be virtually flattened to aid identification. Piles of items can be 3D-modelled and virtually segmented into geometric primitives to aid identification, and to discover locations of obscured items. Other data (e.g., including data from sensors in aisles, shelves and carts, and gaze tracking for clues about visual saliency) can be used in assessing identification hypotheses about an item. Logos may be identified and used—or ignored—in product identification. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: Methods employ sensors in portable devices (e.g., smartphones) both to sense content information (e.g., audio and imagery) and context information. Device processing is desirably dependent on both. For example, some embodiments activate certain processor intensive operations (e.g., content recognition) based on classification of sensed content and context. The context can control the location where information produced from such operations is stored, or control an alert signal indicating, e.g., that sensed speech is being transcribed. Some arrangements post sensor data collected by one device to a cloud repository, for access and processing by other devices. Multiple devices can collaborate in collecting and processing data, to exploit advantages each may have (e.g., in location, processing ability, social network resources, etc.). A great many other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relate generally to image signal processing, color science and signal encoding. Digital watermarking can be applied to color image data through use of a luminance contrast sensitivity function and a chrominance contrast sensitive function. Of course, other features, combinations and claims are disclosed as well.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements involving portable user devices such smartphones and wearable electronic devices are disclosed, as well as other devices and sensors distributed within an ambient environment. Some arrangements enable a user to perform an object recognition process in a computationally- and time-efficient manner. Other arrangements enable users and other entities to, either individually or cooperatively, register or enroll physical objects into one or more object registries on which an object recognition process can be performed. Still other arrangements enable users and other entities to, either individually or cooperatively, associate registered or enrolled objects with one or more items of metadata. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: To improve efficiency of computing devices and improve the user experience thereon when searching for content items, the systems and methods disclosed herein provide content item and source detection. Non-textual input is converted to a searchable format and corresponding content items are searched for based on the searchable format.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to digital watermarking for spot colors. In one implementation a substitute spot color+CMY tint is selected to replace an original spot color. The CMY tint can be transformed to carry a digital watermark signal. Of course, other features, combinations and technology are described herein.