Abstract: A device, a computer implemented method, and a computer program product, the device including a capture device configured for capturing an image, and a processor configured to: receiving at least a part of an image captured by the capture device, analyzing the at least part of the image to determine a looking direction of a subject at an object, based on the looking direction, determining an engagement level of a subject with the object, and outputting the engagement level or whether the engagement level is in compliance with a required engagement level, while disabling transmission of information that enables reconstruction of the at least part of the image.

Abstract: A privacy protecting capture device, comprising: a camera; a memory device for storing at least one image captured by the camera; and a processor, the processor executing: a camera interface for receiving a captured image from the camera and storing at least a part of the at least one image in the memory device; an analysis engine for analyzing the at least one image; an output interface for outputting information related to the image; and a controller for activating the analysis engine, and disabling transmission of information that enables reconstruction of the at least one image from the output interface.

Abstract: A capture device and method, the capture device comprising: a camera ensemble, comprising one or more cameras, the camera ensemble adapted to obtain high resolution images and low resolution images; one or more processors configured to receive the high resolution images and the low resolution images from the camera ensemble and process the high resolution images and the low resolution images, and to output images or metadata; and a three-way switch, having an “off” state, an “auto” state and a “stream” state, wherein when the three-way switch is in “Off” state, no image or metadata is output by the processor, when the three-way switch is in “Auto” state, only metadata is output by the processor, and when the three-way switch is in “Stream” state, metadata and high resolution images can be output by the processor.

Abstract: A computer system includes a hard disk drive, a processor coupled to the hard disk drive, and a cache interface coupled to the processor and detachably connectable to a cache memory. The processor is adapted, subsequent to an initial interrogation of the cache interface, to determine whether the cache memory is connected to the cache interface by inspecting an indication of the presence or the absence of the cache memory, the indication being stored in a register in the processor or in a memory associated with the processor such that the inspecting avoids repeat interrogation of the cache interface, to communicate with the cache memory and the hard disk drive such that the processor has access to the cache memory when the cache memory is connected to the cache interface, and to communicate with the hard disk drive when the cache memory is disconnected from the cache interface.

Abstract: A computer system includes a hard disk drive, a processor coupled to the hard disk drive, and a cache interface coupled to the processor and detachably connectable to a cache memory. The processor is adapted, subsequent to an initial interrogation of the cache interface, to determine whether the cache memory is connected to the cache interface by inspecting an indication of the presence or the absence of the cache memory, the indication being stored in a register in the processor or in a memory associated with the processor such that the inspecting avoids repeat interrogation of the cache interface, to communicate with the cache memory and the hard disk drive such that the processor has access to the cache memory when the cache memory is connected to the cache interface, and to communicate with the hard disk drive when the cache memory is disconnected from the cache interface.

Abstract: A computer system includes a hard disk drive and an interface for optionally operationally connecting a cache memory for the hard disk drive, via a mechanism such as a system bus that is separate from the hard disk drive or directly to a controller of the hard disk drive. A hard disk drive of the present invention includes a nonvolatile medium for storing data, a controller for reading and writing the data and an interface for optionally operationally connecting to the controller a cache memory for the nonvolatile medium. Whether data are cached depends on whether the cache memory is present. Computer systems of the present invention are configured with or without cache memories, depending on customer requirements.