Abstract: Outgoing call log data associated with a call from a subscriber's terminal is provided by a system including a switch, which receives the call from the subscriber's terminal and launches a query in response to the call, and a service controller, which receives the query and forwards call data to an interface server in response to the query. The switch continues to process the telephone call after querying the service controller. The interface server obtains additional information from a directory database based on at least the received call data. An outgoing call log database receives and stores the call data and the additional information from the interface server as the outgoing call log data. A web server retrieves the outgoing call log data from the outgoing call log database, in response to a query from a web client, and displays the outgoing call log data at the web client.

Abstract: A system and method for providing one or more advertisements, services, surveys, offers for goods/services, and/or offers to modify a telephone service plan (“intercept actions” collectively) to one or more parties to a telephone call are provided. One or more advertisements may be provided during one or more points along an unsuccessful or successful telephone call. One or more services may be provided gratuitously or in exchange for the presentation of one or more advertisements to recipient of the service. Additionally, a telephone service plan associated with the caller or callee may be analyzed and the caller/callee may be presented with the option to activate one or more service features that, at the time of the attempted call, are not activated in the telephone service plan. A survey may be provided to the caller/callee and the responses recorded. The caller/callee may also receive an offer for goods or services.

Abstract: A call conferencing method using a voice browser can include establishing a voice browsing session between a calling party and the voice browser. An inbound call from an additional party can be received and the additional party can be conferenced into the voice browsing session. The conference can provide a voice communications link between the calling party and the additional party.

Abstract: An arrangement is employed where a switching unit that conferences a remote telephone with other telephones pursuant to requests that originate via a digital connection from a site that includes the remote telephone. In one illustrative embodiment, the switching unit is an ISDN telephone coupled to a PBX. The remote telephone is connected to a conference point within the PBX via the PSTN. The requests from the remote site originate from a computer, and the digital connection comprises a packet network. Advantageously, the communication through the packet network is encrypted. Conferencing is initiated and controlled by the computer at the remote site, by communicating with the PBX via the ISDN telephone. In another embodiment the switching unit is adapted to create and maintain a plurality of conference calls, pursuant to control signals arriving at a port of the arrangement that is part of the digital connection.

Abstract: A conference call arrangement, conferencing device, conference unit and a method of managing conference calls. The conferencing device may be a speakerphone with a speak up indicator. Whenever a conference call attendee does not speak loudly enough for remote participants, the conference unit sends a speak up indication to a corresponding conferencing device.

Abstract: A method of determining when to save default coefficients in an echo canceller so as to ensure that the capture of coefficients that correspond to the best possible echo cancellation in a current condition. Coefficients are saved at varying times depending on the amount of echo removed by the echo canceller. More particularly, the present method involves constantly monitoring the error signal to the echo canceller and comparing it with the error signal that would be obtained if default coefficients were to be used instead of the current coefficients. This ensures that the default coefficients are upgraded each time the current set of coefficients is better than the saved default coefficients.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and systems for minimizing alien crosstalk between connectors. Specifically, the methods and systems relate to isolation and compensation techniques for minimizing alien crosstalk between connectors for use with high-speed data cabling. A frame can be configured to receive a number of connectors. Shield structures may be positioned to isolate at least a subset of the connectors from one another. The connectors can be positioned to move at least a subset of the connectors away from alignment with a common plane. A signal compensator may be configured to adjust a data signal to compensate for alien crosstalk. The connectors are configured to efficiently and accurately propagate high-speed data signals by, among other functions, minimizing alien crosstalk.

Abstract: A communication device (200) for dual mode muting operation includes a user interface (208) and a controller (202). The controller (202) is programmed to: in response to a first user input to the user interface (208), enable a first muting mode; and in response to a second user input to the user interface (208), disable the first muting mode and enable a second muting mode. The first muting mode may be one of a full muting and a concealed muting, while the second muting mode may be the other one of a full muting and a concealed muting.

Abstract: A telephone line interface includes a ring detect circuit for activating a RF transceiver and thereby notifying the RF headset of a ringing condition on a telephone line. A wire conversion circuit separates transmit voice signals from receive voice signals and provides the separated voice signals to the RF transceiver. A firmware allows the electronic hook switch to go off hook only when the line is ringing or only when the line is off hook.

Abstract: In the evaluation of the randomness of an S-box, measures of resistance to higher order cryptanalysis, interpolation cryptanalysis, partitioning cryptanalysis and differential-linear cryptanalysis and necessary conditions for those measures to have resistance to each cryptanalysis are set, then for functions as candidates for the S-box, it is evaluated whether one or all of the conditions are satisfied, and those of the candidate functions for which one or all of the conditions are satisfied are selected as required. It is also possible to further evaluate the resistance of such selected functions to at least one of differential cryptanalysis and linear cryptanalysis and select those of the candidate functions which are resistant to at least one of the cryptanalyses as required.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cryptographic data processing, includes determining a first modulus having up to a first number of binary digits. A large integer is received which has up to a second number of binary digits that is greater than the first number of binary digits. The first modulus and the large integer are sent to a first processor for computing a first residue of the large integer modulo the first modulus. Before the first processor finishes computing the first residue, the first modulus is also sent to a second processor for computing a second residue of two raised to a power of twice the first number of binary digits modulo the first modulus. The first residue and the second residue are used as input to a third processor that computes a cryptographic result based on the large integer.

Abstract: The invention is a secure server, or trust engine, having server-centric keys, or in other words, storing cryptographic keys and user authentication data on a server. Users access cryptographic functionality through network access to the trust engine; however, the trust engine does not release actual cryptographic keys or other authentication data. Therefore, the system provides that the keys and data remain secure. The server-centric storage of keys and authentication data provides for user-independent security, portability, availability, and straightforwardness, along with a wide variety of implementation possibilities.

Abstract: An entity that desires to engage in anonymous transactions first generates a transaction identification that does not uniquely identify the entity. Additionally, the entity splits an entity identification uniquely associated with the entity into a plurality of secret shares and thereafter sends the transaction identification and the plurality of secret shares to a plurality of shareholders. Subsequently, anonymous transactions on behalf of the entity may be directly conducted by the shareholders based in part upon the plurality of secret shares. In one embodiment of the present invention, the entity identification comprises a public key uniquely assigned to the entity.

Abstract: An abnormal sound evaluation system according to this invention includes a sound recording device for recording a sound generated from equipment at a location adjacent the equipment, and an abnormal sound evaluation device for evaluating the sound recorded, wherein: the sound recording device includes sound data conversion means for converting the recorded sound into digital sound data, and sound data output means for outputting the digital sound data thus converted for the abnormal sound evaluation device; and the abnormal sound evaluation device includes sound data input means for receiving the digital sound data, and abnormal sound evaluation means for evaluating the sound as to abnormality based on the digital sound data inputted and outputting a conclusion of the evaluation including abnormality information about the equipment.

Abstract: A mute switch including a field effect transistor receiving a mute control signal at its gate for selectively supplying an audio signal from an input node to an output node. A bipolar transistor is connected between the input node and the FET for reducing the voltage level of the audio signal prior to its application to the input node, and a further bipolar transistor is connected between the FET and the output node for raising the voltage level of the audio signal prior to its application to the output node. This serves to maintain the DC bias level of the audio output signal independently of the status of the mute control signal.

Abstract: When a plug of a monaural microphone is connected to an external microphone input section, a right channel terminal is connected to a GND terminal, and a voltage Vdet will be a GND potential. A DC voltage detection section detects this GND potential, and outputs, for example, an H level signal as a detection signal. In response to this detection signal, a system control section controls a DSP so that, for example, an audio signal of the left channel is recorded by use of both right and left recording channels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a planar loudspeaker comprising a light, thin soundboard (2) which may be energized to produce multiply-reflected bending waves, a surrounding frame (3) holding the soundboard (2) in an articulated, shear-resistant manner; at least one driver (6, 7, 9, 10) connected to the soundboard (2) to energize the soundboard (2); and at least one bridge (13, 16, 18, 20, 22, 25), rigidly connecting the at least one driver (6, 7, 9, 10) to the frame (3), wherein the bridge or at least one of the bridges (13, 16, 18, 20, 22, 25) is connected to the damping board (14).

Abstract: Apparatus for simulating sound properties of audio equipment not physically present in a simulated environment not physically present includes a source of binaurally encoded audio signals processed for loudspeaker reproduction characterizing audio equipment not physically present in a simulated environment not physically present. There are left and right electroacoustical transducers. A head locator is constructed and arranged to locate a listener's head in a predetermined position between and a predetermined distance from the left and right electroacoustical transducers so that the electroacoustical transducers are forward of the listener's head. Amplifying apparatus couples the source to the electroacoustical transducers.

Abstract: A neurofuzzy device is described that provides a fuzzy logic based user-machine interface for optimal fitting of programmable hearing prosthesis using a neural network that generates targets to be matched by the hearing prosthesis based on individual audiometric and other relevant data to the specific impairment and on the neural network accumulated learning from previous successful fittings. The incorporated learning process can occur on or off line and implements fitting rationales that can satisfy the needs of a general or specific clientele. The parameters of the programmable prosthetic device are set as a group in order to achieve optimal matching to the targets. The user-machine interface realized by a fuzzy logic system deciphers the commends/responses of the user while listening to various stimuli and modifies the targets accordingly thus, providing a closed loop system for in-situ interactive fitting.

Abstract: An electromagnetic transducer includes a magnetic member, a suspension for supporting the magnetic member at a central portion of the suspension, a diaphragm connected to the suspension, a magnet for generating magnetic flux on the magnetic member, and a coil for generating alternating magnetic flux on the magnetic member.

Abstract: The ability to remove a watermark from an encoded image opens the possibility of various novel applications. Several such applications are detailed. One employs a reversible watermark in conjunction with a second (robust) watermark. In this arrangement, the payload of the reversible watermark conveys information about the robust watermark (e.g., encoding parameters, or an error signal), permitting removal of the robust watermark from an uncorrupted encoded image. By such arrangements, the encoded image can be fully restored to its pristine, unencoded state even if several different watermarks have been applied.

Abstract: A device and method for embedding plural kinds of additional information or multiple bits of additional information into one picture is provided. A region information generating step generates region information to specify at least two regions in the real picture spatial or frequency space corresponding to the picture data, a coefficient sequence generating step sets at least two coefficient sequences, which are different from each other, a watermark pattern generating step allocates the coefficient sequences to each divided region to generate watermark patterns, and an embedding step embeds digital watermark information by changing the picture data using the watermark patterns.

Abstract: An input image is divided into local regions, each of which is formed by a macro block. An embedment intensity is determined for each of the local regions by using a calculated characteristic amount and a compression bit rate. Digital watermarks are embedded at the determined embedment intensity into the input image at each of the local regions thereof. The input image is encoded, thereby providing a compressed bit stream that has the digital watermarks embedded therein.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tracking a color-based object in video sequences are provided. According to the method, an initial object area in one frame of video sequences desired to be tracked is assigned, and an initial object effective window containing the initial object area is assigned. A frame following the frame containing the assigned initial object area is received as a newly input image, and an object search window containing the initial object area for tracking and the initial object effective window in the newly input image is assigned. Then, the model histogram of the initial object area corresponding to a predetermined bin resolution value and the input histogram of the image in the object search window are calculated. From the calculated object probability image, using a predetermined method, a new object area to which the initial object area moved is obtained in the next frame in which the initial object area of the frame desired to be tracked is given as a previous (tracked) object area.

Abstract: Visual inspection of an interior surface of a borehole. A housing adapted to be lowered in the borehole supports a portable camera for generating images of a portion of the interior surface of the borehole and a light source for illuminating an area adjacent the camera. A monitor receives signals from the camera and, in response thereto, displays the images generated by the camera. A viewing envelope positioned adjacent the camera defines a viewing area adjacent the camera, particularly for use in visually inspecting slurry-filled boreholes.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image correcting section. When an image of an object is input, the image correcting section performs correction processing for the input image including the object image and outputs the corrected image as an image required for authentication of the object. An image processing method is also disclosed.

Abstract: To reduce degradation of recognition performance due to eye detection errors during face verification and to overcome a problem in that sufficient data to design an optimum feature classifier cannot be obtained during face registration, a method includes shifting the positions of eyes detected during face registration in predetermined directions by a predetermined distance to generate pairs of new coordinate points of the eyes; normalizing a face image on the basis of each pair of new coordinate points of the eyes; using the results of normalization in teaching a feature classifier, thereby coping with eye detection errors. In addition, two threshold values are used to prevent a database from being updated with a face of an unregistered person and to update the database with a normal client's face image that has been used during the latest face verification.

Abstract: A method and implementation of enhancing a facial recognition process to increase the judgment confidence on identifying a person from a large image database of multiple persons. The method may include reconstructing a database of 2D images having only a small number of images with respect to each person into a database having multiple images, perhaps hundreds or thousands, of each person. The multiple images represent different camera angles or different lighting conditions. The method further includes adding an extra confidence percentage to matching images in the database when multiple images of a person are identified as matching.

Abstract: A batch processing method for enhancing an appearance of a face located in a digital image, where the image is one of a large number of images that are being processed through a batch process, comprises the steps of: (a) providing a script file that identifies one or more original digital images that have been selected for enhancement, wherein the script file includes an instruction for the location of each original digital image; (b) using the instructions in the script file, acquiring an original digital image containing one or more faces; (c) detecting a location of facial feature points in the one or more faces, said facial feature points including points identifying salient features including one or more of skin, eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, and hair; (d) using the location of the facial feature points to segment the face into different regions, said different regions including one or more of skin, eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, neck and hair regions; (e) determining one or more facially relevant character

Abstract: A prospective abnormal shadow detecting system detects a prospective abnormal shadow in an image on the basis of image data representing the image and outputs information on the prospective abnormal shadow detected by the prospective abnormal shadow detecting means. Whether the detected prospective abnormal shadow is malignant or benignant is judged, and the information on the prospective abnormal shadow is output in such a manner that whether the prospective abnormal shadow is malignant or benignant can be distinguished.

Abstract: A technique is provided for offering feedback, including feedback for patient care and for training purposes for medical professionals and human operators. The technique includes accessing data, such as image data, for evaluation by a human operator. The data is then analyzed via a computer-assisted data operating algorithm, and the analysis may further include analysis of supplemental data accessed from an integrated knowledge base. Based upon the analysis feedback is provided to the operator, such as for completing or complementing the evaluation, correcting analysis by the human operator, or otherwise informing the human operator of similarities or differences between the analyses.

Abstract: For a purpose of improving homogeneity of an image obtained in a self-calibration by a parallel imaging method generally referred to as SENSE (SENSitivity Encoding), sensitivity factors Sn(p) are calculated using an additive image Ab=?|Cn| of complex images Cn obtained by conducting a calibration scan of an entire FOV for phased array coils Coil_n (n=1–N, N?2) (Steps V2, V3). Moreover, sensitivity maps Sn are generated by conducting curve fitting by the method of least squares weighted by the square of a pixel value Ab(p) of the absolute value additive image Ab (Step V4).

Abstract: A method and system is presented in image-guided radiosurgery for determining the measure of similarity of two digital images, for example a 2D x-ray image and a 2D DRR synthesized from 3D scan data. A two-dimensional array of pixel values of a difference image is formed by subtracting each pixel value of the second image from the corresponding pixel value of the first image. The pattern intensity function is constructed by taking the summation of asymptotic functions of the gradients of the difference image. The neighborhood R is defined so as to allow the gradients of the difference image to be considered in at least four directions.

Abstract: A method for treating noise in low-dose computed tomography projections and reconstructed images comprises acquiring raw data at a low mA value, applying a domain specific filter in a sinogram domain of the raw data, and applying an edge preserving smoothing filter in an image domain of the raw data after filtering in the sinogram domain.

Abstract: A system for tracking currency bills comprises a currency scanning device. The scanning device includes a sensor that retrieves currency identification characteristic information of each bill processed. The currency identification characteristic information permits the unique identification of each bill processed. The system further comprises a customer identification means and means for associating each processed bill with the customer depositing the bill. Means for identifying the customer (or customer account) associated with a particular processed bill after the deposit transaction has been completed is also included in the system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to monitoring and controlling a reticle fabrication process (e.g. employed with an electron beam lithography process). A typical fabrication process involves discrete stages including exposure, post-exposure bake and development. After fabrication is complete, an inspection can be performed on the reticle to determine whether any parameters during fabrication and/or any data points are outside of acceptable tolerances. The data is collected and fed into an algorithm (e.g. data-mining algorithm) utilized to determine which fabrication parameters need to be modified then sends the data to a control system (e.g. advanced process control) to facilitate needed changes to the fabrication parameters.

Abstract: A method of inspection for use with color machine vision systems is provided in which a device-independent digital colorimetric image of a reference object is created on a first machine vision system. The digital colorimetric image can then be shared with other machine vision systems by sending the image electronically, instead of requiring the sharing of the actual reference object. A video image can then be calculated on the second machine vision system using the colorimetric image. The calculated video image can then be used as a reference for comparisons during video inspection on the second machine vision system.

Abstract: A region-based Karhunen-Loeve transformational method for compressing a color image. The method includes the steps of converting color image information for the color image into partitioned intrinsic color information, transforming the partitioned intrinsic color information into transformed information, and quantizing the transformed information into quantized information. The method further includes the steps of encoding the quantized information into encoded information, and storing the encoded information.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a method for determining a hue adjustment to an input hue, Hin, to squeeze the input hue toward a region of preferred hue, Hpref. The method involving defining a change in hue as: ?H=Hin?Hpref; defining a hue weight as a Gaussian: Hweight=Gaussian(Hpref,Hsigma) wherein the Gaussian function can be alternatively replaced by one of either the sum of two Gaussians or a Gaussian convolved with a Rect function; defining an amount of hue adjustment as: HAdjust=?H*Hweight. Then, an output hue is generated by applying the adjustment such that: Hout=Hin?HAdjust.

Abstract: A method of approximating the boundary of an object in an image, the image being represented by a data set, the data set comprising a plurality of data elements, each data element having a data value corresponding to a feature of the image, the method comprising determining which one of a plurality of contours most closely matches the object boundary at least partially according to a divergence value for each contour, the divergence value being selected from the group consisting of Jensen-Shannon divergence and Jensen-Renyi divergence. Each contour Ci defines a zone ZIi and a zone ZOi, ZIi representing the data elements inside the contour and ZOi representing the data elements outside the contour, each zone having a corresponding probability distribution of data values for the data elements therein, and wherein the divergence value for each contour Ci represents a measure of the difference between the probability distributions for the zones ZIi and ZOi.

Abstract: A system and method for switching between handwriting recognizers is described. A user may select between various recognizers to associate received handwritten ink with the recognizers. Accordingly, a user is able to write in a first language, switch and write in a second language, then switch again and write in the first language using aspects of the present invention.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for decoding a progressive joint photographic experts group (JPEG) bit stream as image data indicative of an image are disclosed. The method includes the following steps. First, the data indicative of a scan of the JPEG bit stream are received. Second, the data indicative of the scan are divided into a plurality of regions. One of the regions is then selected as a decoding region. Next, after the data indicative of the scan are decoded, the decoded coefficients produced according to the data indicative of the decoding region of the scan, and the nonzero history of decoded coefficients of the other regions produced according to data indicative of the other regions of the scan are stored in the memory. Finally, the decoded coefficients of the decoding region are outputted so as to construct a portion of the image data.

Abstract: An overall motion detecting device (1) includes a search region variable-shaped motion detector (2) and an overall motion information generator (3). The overall motion information generator (3) controls a surveillance camera (5) which is an external image capturing system and supplies control information of the surveillance camera (5) (such as moving direction, angular speed and focal length) to the search region variable-shaped motion detector (2) as overall motion information (S3). The search region variable-shaped motion detector (2) calculates a motion vector (mv) while renewing, by picture, a search region having a search shape determined by the overall motion information (S3) and a region area suitable for its operational capability.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention present implementations for multiple access source coding (MASC). One embodiment presents an implementation directed at the lossless side-information case of MASC. Another embodiment gives an implementation of the general case MASC. One embodiment is a near-lossless implementation of MASC. In a two dimensional example, the invention provides a way to decode data pairs (x,y) from encoded individual data streams x and y. The present invention provides a solution that partitions the source code into optimal partitions and then finds a matched code that is optimal for the given partition. Embodiments of the present invention use Optimal Shannon, Huffman and Arithmetic Codes for the matched codes. Another embodiment of the present invention gives a method of finding near-lossless multiple access source coding.

Abstract: This invention is a method and apparatus for processing decompressed images. More particularly, this invention relates to methods and apparatus which process images without requiring information on whether the image was previously compressed or how the image was compressed. Quantization values of each image block of a decompressed image are determined a compression method used to compress a decompressed image to be processed is identified. The method and apparatus of this invention is particularly useful to determine if a decompressed image was previously compressed using a JPEG compression technique by retrieving DCT coefficients and determining quantization values to determine original DCT coefficients of a compressed and decompressed image.

Abstract: A system and method for embedding information within an input image utilizes specific type pixel blocks of the input image to selectively embed the information into the input image. The information is embedded into the input image by replacing the specific type pixel blocks with predefined dot shape blocks, which represent the information to be embedded. In an embodiment, the specific type pixel blocks are minority pixel blocks, which include a majority of pixels that contrast with the image background. The use of minority pixel blocks makes the embedded information less perceptible in the final image. In an embodiment, error diffusion is performed on a pixel block by pixel block basis so that the final image with the embedded information is of high quality and more suitable for printing on laser printers.

Abstract: An apparatus for sharpening an image, the apparatus including a processor adapted to receive a data set including at least one color plane indicative of the image; and the processor extracting an initial luminance channel from the data set, the initial luminance channel being in a color space different to that of the at least one color plane; the processor sharpening the initial luminance channel to form a revised luminance channel; and the processor adding the revised luminance channel to at least one of the color planes of the data set.

Abstract: A method and apparatus enhances an image quality where original brightness data Xij of a concerned pixel is compared with predetermined brightness levels X1 and X2, which are reference variables to obtain new brightness data Yij, with an enhanced contrast. The method sets initial values of a parameter Vb to calculate the brightness level X1, a parameter Vp to calculate the brightness level X2, the brightness level X1, and the brightness level X2, and compares the brightness data Xij with Vb and Vp. The method resets Vb and Vp according to comparison results and identifies a background area according to the comparison results between the brightness data Xij and parameter X1 or X2, and performs the contrast enhancement on pixels belonging to the background area, and updates the brightness levels X1 and X2 using Vb and Vp when the concerned pixel is the last one in the concerned line.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing two-dimensional video alignment onto three-dimensional point clouds. The system recovers camera pose from camera video, determines a depth map, converts the depth map to a Euclidean video point cloud, and registers two-dimensional video to the three-dimensional point clouds.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of determining a correction for a misalignment between at least two images in a sequence of images due at least in part to sample movement. The methods are applied, for example, in the processing and analysis of a sequence of images of biological tissue in a diagnostic procedure. The invention also provides methods of validating the correction for a misalignment between at least two images in a sequence of images of a sample. The methods may be applied in deciding whether a correction for misalignment accurately accounts for sample motion.