864 results about "Local environment" patented technology

A video communication system and method for operating a video communication system are provided. The video communication system has a video communication device, having an image display device and at least one image capture device, wherein the at least one image capture device acquires video images of a local environment and an individual therein, according to defined video capture settings, an audio system having an audio emission device and an audio capture device; and a computer operable to interact with a contextual interface, a privacy interface, an image processor, and a communication controller to enable a communication event including at least one video scene in which outgoing video images are sent to a remote site. Wherein the contextual interface includes scene analysis algorithms for identifying potential scene transitions and capture management algorithms for providing changes in video capture settings appropriate to any identified scene transitions; and wherein the privacy interface provides privacy settings to control the capture, transmission, display, or recording of video image content from the local environment.

“Smart” controllers for windows having controllable optical transitions are described. Controllers with multiple features can sense and adapt to local environmental conditions. Controllers described herein can be integrated with a building management system (BMS) to greatly enhance the BMS's effectiveness at managing local environments in a building. The controllers may have one, two, three or more functions such as powering a smart window, determining the percent transmittance, size, and / or temperature of a smart window, providing wireless communication between the controller and a separate communication node, etc.

The invention is directed to systems and methods for detecting the loss, theft or unauthorized use of a device and / or altering the functionality of the device in response. In one embodiment, a device monitors its use, its local environment, and / or its operating context to determine that the device is no longer within the control of an authorized user. The device may receive communications or generate an internal signal altering its functionality, such as instructing the device to enter a restricted use mode, a surveillance mode, to provide instructions to return the device and / or to prevent unauthorized use or unauthorized access to data. Additional embodiments also address methods and systems for gathering forensic data regarding an unauthorized user to assist in locating the unauthorized user and / or the device.

Ambient noise sampled by a mobile device from a local environment is used to automatically trigger actions associated with content currently playing on the mobile device. In some implementations, subtitles or closed captions associated with the currently playing content are automatically invoked and displayed on a user interface based on a level of ambient noise. In some implementations, audio associated with the currently playing content is adjusted or muted. Actions can be automatically triggered based on a comparison of the sampled ambient noise, or an audio fingerprint of the sampled ambient noise, with reference data, such as a reference volume level or a reference audio fingerprint. In some implementations, a reference volume level can be learned on the mobile device based on ambient noise samples.

Video communication systems and methods for communicating between an individual in a local environment, and a remote viewer in a remote environment are provided. The system has an image display device; at least one image capture device which acquires video images for fields of view of a local environment, and any individuals therein; an audio system having an audio emission device and an audio capture device; a computer, which includes a contextual interface having a gaze adapting process, and image processor; and a communication controller which transmits and receives video images of the local environment and the remote environment, and data regarding video scene characteristics thereof across a network between the local environment and the remote environment; wherein the gaze adapting process identifies video scene characteristics of the local environment indicative of eye gaze image capture and altering the video images when the characteristics are indicative.

“Smart” controllers for windows having controllable optical transitions are described. Controllers with multiple features can sense and adapt to local environmental conditions. Controllers described herein can be integrated with a building management system (BMS) to greatly enhance the BMS's effectiveness at managing local environments in a building. The controllers may have one, two, three or more functions such as powering a smart window, determining the percent transmittance, size, and / or temperature of a smart window, providing wireless communication between the controller and a separate communication node, etc.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for high-speed navigation. The present invention preferably encompasses systems, methods, and apparatuses that provide for autonomous high-speed navigation of terrain by an un-manned robot. By preferably employing a pre-planned route, path, and speed; extensive sensor-based information collection about the local environment; and information about vehicle pose, the robots of the present invention evaluate the relative cost of various potential paths and thus arrive at a path to traverse the environment. The information collection about the local environment allows the robot to evaluate terrain and to identify any obstacles that may be encountered. The robots of the present invention thus employ map-based data fusion in which sensor information is incorporated into a cost map, which is preferably a rectilinear grid aligned with the world coordinate system and is centered on the vehicle. The cost map is a specific map type that represents the traversability of a particular environmental area using a numeric value. The planned path and route provide information that further allows the robot to orient sensors to preferentially scan the areas of the environment where the robot will likely travel, thereby reducing the computational load placed onto the system. The computational ability of the system is further improved by using map-based syntax between various data processing modules of the present invention. By using a common set of carefully defined data types as syntax for communication, it is possible to identify new features for either path or map processing quickly and efficiently.

The invention is directed to systems and methods for detecting the loss, theft or unauthorized use of a device and / or altering the functionality of the device in response. In one embodiment, a device monitors its use, its local environment, and / or its operating context to determine that the device is no longer within the control of an authorized user. The device may receive communications or generate an internal signal altering its functionality, such as instructing the device to enter a restricted use mode, a surveillance mode, to provide instructions to return the device and / or to prevent unauthorized use or unauthorized access to data. Additional embodiments also address methods and systems for gathering forensic data regarding an unauthorized user to assist in locating the unauthorized user and / or the device.

A system and method of operation is disclosed describing migration, management, and operation of applications and servers from customer data centers to cloud computing platforms without modification to existing environments or user access procedures. A cloud isolation layer operates as a virtual layer on the cloud platform, enabling server operation in a virtual environment that appears the same as the prior local environment. A cloud software image and a local cloud gateway act to redirect existing addressing from the local environment to the cloud implementation through secure network and data paths. A local management application provides a control interface and maps and manages the local environment and utilized cloud resources.

Video communication devices and methods are provided. The device has an image display device; a first image capture device that acquires video images depicting a wide field of view within the local environment; a second image capture device that acquires video images depicting a narrow field of view within the wide field of view; a communication system that is adapted to use a communication network to transmit outgoing video images; and a computer causing the capture of video images during a communication event, and further being adapted to identify a video context for the communication event; wherein said computer uses a scene analysis algorithm to examine concurrent video images from the image capture device based upon the identified video context to determine the extent to which video images from the first image capture device and the second image capture device are to be incorporated into the outgoing video images.

A method of automated videography, in which video images of at least one subject in a local environment are acquired using an automated videography system to capture video images using one or more cameras during a videography event of one or more video scenes; applying current video capture settings which define subject framing and camera parameters; analyzing the video images of a current video scene to assess image quality relative to changes in subject activity and current subject framing; determining a need to change subject framing to improve video image quality based on the assessment of image quality; determining whether the changes in subject activity, relative to the subject framing, correspond to an intra-scene transition or an inter-scene transition; determining new subject framing and new video capture settings for a scene-transition, whether intra-scene or inter-scene; and automatically modifying video image capture in accordance with the newly determined video capture settings.

The invention is directed to systems and methods for detecting the loss, theft or unauthorized use of a device and / or altering the functionality of the device in response. In one embodiment, a device monitors its use, its local environment, and / or its operating context to determine that the device is no longer within the control of an authorized user. The device may receive communications or generate an internal signal altering its functionality, such as instructing the device to enter a restricted use mode, a surveillance mode, to provide instructions to return the device and / or to prevent unauthorized use or unauthorized access to data. Additional embodiments also address methods and systems for gathering forensic data regarding an unauthorized user to assist in locating the unauthorized user and / or the device.

The invention is directed to systems and methods for detecting the loss, theft or unauthorized use of a device and / or altering the functionality of the device in response. In one embodiment, a device monitors its use, its local environment, and / or its operating context to determine that the device is no longer within the control of an authorized user. The device may receive communications or generate an internal signal altering its functionality, such as instructing the device to enter a restricted use mode, a surveillance mode, to provide instructions to return the device and / or to prevent unauthorized use or unauthorized access to data. Additional embodiments also address methods and systems for gathering forensic data regarding an unauthorized user to assist in locating the unauthorized user and / or the device.

Methods and apparatus for direct detection of chemical reactions are provided. In a preferred embodiment, electric charge perturbations of the local environment during enzyme-catalyzed reactions are sensed by an electrode system with an immobilized target molecule. The target molecule is preferably DNA. The charge perturbation caused by the polymerase reaction can uniquely identify a DNA sequence. The polymerization process generates local perturbations of charge in the solution near the electrode surface and induces a charge in a polarazible gold electrode. This event is detected as a transient current by a voltage clamp amplifier. Detection of single nucleotides in a sequence can be determined by dispensing individual dNTPs to the electrode solution and detecting the charge perturbations. Alternatively, multiple bases can be determined at the same time using a mix of all dNTPs with subsequent analysis of the resulting signal. The initial enzyme attachment to the DNA molecule can be detected prior to polymerization, with electrode capacitance measurement using the same voltage-clamp amplifier. This technique and device may be adapted to other reaction determinations, such as enzymatic reactions, other electrode configurations, and other amplifying circuits.

The invention relates to a method for planning a path for a mobile robot based on environmental modeling and a self-adapting window, which relates to a method for planning a real-time path for the mobile robot. The method comprises the following steps of: performing modeling and analysis on a multiple constraint local environment; performing passable analysis; performing safety analysis; performing motion smoothness analysis; performing goal-directed analysis; and performing path planning by adopting the self-adapting window. Because the method has better environmental suitability and obstacle avoiding capacity, the method obtains good safety and reachability, has high calculation real-time property, so the method solves the problem that the mobile robot generates an obstacle avoidance path in real time in an uncertain complex environment, provides a path selection method with optimized integration, better meets the requirements on obstacle avoidance for the mobile robot, realizes the real-time path planning and control of the robot, and provides an effective collision-less path planning method for the navigation application of the mobile robot.

Video communication systems and methods for operating the same are provided. The system has a computer cooperating with at least one image capture device which acquires video images of a local environment having an individual therein, an audio system, an image processor and a communication controller to acquire video images based upon the acquired video images and to cause output video images to a remote individual during the communication event; said computer further providing a contextual interface including an intra-scene analysis algorithm for identifying potential intra-scene transitions during the communication event and a scene capture management algorithm for determining intra-scene adjustments in video capture settings when an intra-scene transition is detected; and the contextual interface further including a transition test with an inter-scene analysis algorithm, for identifying potential inter-scene transitions in the activities of the individuals, and a transition process structure for determining inter-scene adjustments in video capture settings.

Methods and devices for reducing the mineral content of a region of non-intimal vascular tissue are provided. In the subject methods, an isolated local environment that includes the region to be demineralized is produced. The pH of the local environment is then reduced to a subphysiologic level, e.g. by flushing with an acidic dissolution fluid, for a period of time sufficient for the mineral content of the region to be reduced. The devices of the subject invention are characterized by comprising a means for producing an isolated local environment that includes a non-intimal region of vascular tissue. Also provided are kits for practicing the subject methods.

Disclosed is a photometer that employs high dynamic range (HDR) image processing and manipulation algorithms for capturing and measuring real-time sky conditions for processing into control input signals to a building's automated fenestration (AF) system, daylight harvesting (DH) system and HVAC system. The photometer comprises a color camera and a fitted fish-eye lens to capture 360-degree, hemispherical, low dynamic range (LDR) color images of the sky. Both camera and lens are housed in a sealed enclosure protecting them from environmental elements and conditions. In some embodiments the camera and processes are controlled and implemented by a back-end computer.

A system and method for a new type of software repository and remote execution solution where any native application can be run from within a web page is disclosed. Users now has a much easier way to launch, run or execute any software directly from within a server or server cloud without the need of manually download and installation. The system further allows software run inside an isolated environment to protect user's local environment.

A system and method for quickly detaching an implant and for locating the detachment zone of a detachable implant. A sensor determines a sudden change in the local environment as the sensor passes from within a microcatheter to being exposed to the vasculature. The sensor may be a temperature sensor, ultrasonic sensor, pressure sensor or the like. If the detachable implant assembly uses a heater coil to detach the implant, the heater coil may be used as a sensor. Additionally, the implant itself may be used as a sensor if a change in electrical resistance is detectable as the implant exits the microcatheter and changes shape.

A hazard information coordination system is provided with intelligent routing to enhance the distribution of information from multiple information sources to a plurality of destinations. Routing is performed based on data values and associated intelligence that determines what data is relevant to which users. User preferences, geographical location, local environment, current activities, and planned activities help a decision support system determine what data is relevant for each user. Thus, decision support systems are preferably provided with situational awareness, context awareness, and forecasting capabilities.

Methods and devices are provided for at least reducing the mineral content of a vascular calcified lesion, i.e. a calcified lesion present on the vascular tissue of a host. In the subject methods, the local environment of the lesion is maintained at a subphysiologic pH for a period of time sufficient for the mineral content of the lesion to be reduced, e.g. by flushing the lesion with a fluid capable of locally increasing the proton concentration in the region of the lesion. Also provided are systems and kits for practicing the subject methods. The subject methods and devices find particular use in the treatment of vascular diseases associated with the presence of calcified lesions on vascular tissue.

A system and method are disclosed for providing location-based wagering. In one embodiment, wagerable data associated with a location of a first user is identified. The wagerable data may be any type of data on which a wager may be based. Then, a wager recommendation is generated based on the wagerable data and returned to the first user. The first user defines a wager, and the wager is published to one or more second users located in proximity to the first user. Each of the one or more second users is enabled to accept the wager if desired. In addition, one or more winners and one or more losers of the wager may be identified and payout may then be effected.

Video communication systems and methods for operating the same are provided. The system has a computer cooperating with at least one image capture device which acquires video images of a local environment having an individual therein, an audio system, an image processor and a communication controller to acquire video images based upon the acquired video images and to cause output video images to a remote individual during the communication event; said computer further providing a contextual interface including an intra-scene analysis algorithm for identifying potential intra-scene transitions during the communication event and a scene capture management algorithm for determining intra-scene adjustments in video capture settings when an intra-scene transition is detected; and the contextual interface further including a transition test with an inter-scene analysis algorithm, for identifying potential inter-scene transitions in the activities of the individuals, and a transition process structure for determining inter-scene adjustments in video capture settings.

A method for providing video images to a remote viewer using a video communication system, comprising: operating a a video communication client in a local environment connected by a communications network to a remote viewing client in a remote viewing environment; capturing video images of the local environment; analyzing the captured video images with the video analysis component to detect ongoing activity within the local environment; characterizing the detected activity within the video images with respect to attributes indicative of remote viewer interest; determining whether acceptable video images are available; receiving an indication of whether the remote viewing client is engaged or disengaged; and transmitting the acceptable video images of the ongoing activity to the remote viewing client if the remote viewing client is engaged, or alternately, if the remote viewing client is disengaged, recording the acceptable video images into a memory.

The invention is directed to systems and methods for detecting the loss, theft or unauthorized use of a device and / or altering the functionality of the device in response. In one embodiment, a device monitors its use, its local environment, and / or its operating context to determine that the device is no longer within the control of an authorized user. The device may receive communications or generate an internal signal altering its functionality, such as instructing the device to enter a restricted use mode, a surveillance mode, to provide instructions to return the device and / or to prevent unauthorized use or unauthorized access to data. Additional embodiments also address methods and systems for gathering forensic data regarding an unauthorized user to assist in locating the unauthorized user and / or the device.

An apparatus for controlling peak demand of a resource. The apparatus includes a plurality of devices and a plurality of control nodes. Each of the plurality of devices consumes a portion of the resource when turned on, and the each are capable of performing a corresponding function within an acceptable operational margin by cycling on and off. Each of the plurality of control nodes is coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of devices, where the plurality of control nodes is coupled together via a demand coordination network, and where the plurality of control nodes coordinates run times for the each of the plurality of devices to reduce the peak demand of the resource, and where one or more of the run times start prior to when otherwise required to maintain corresponding local environments, but which still operate within the acceptable operating margin for the corresponding local environments.

The present invention provides ratiometric fluorescent pH sensors for non-invasive, continuous monitoring of pH in such applications as fermentation processes. The ratiometric fluorescent pH sensors comprise a fluorescent dye that exhibits a shift in excitation wavelength with a corresponding shift in pH in the local environment of said fluorescent dye. Ratiometric measurements of the emission intensities at dual excitation maxima correlate to pH. Also provided is a fluorescent dye 6-methacryloyl-8-hydroxy-1,3-pyrene disulfonic acid (MA-HPDS). Further provided are systems and methods to non-invasively and continuously monitor pH.

Coordinated multipoint communication is a technology for improving cell-edge performance for users in a cell-type mobile communication system. In order to enable a coordinated multipoint transmission / reception operation, a user equipment report of a local environment is required to select both coordinated communication modes and communication partners in evolved Node B (eNB) base stations. According to the present invention, a method is described for feeding back information from User Equipment (UE) to a serving base station to enable a coordinated multi-point transmission / reception operation. The information reported through the feedback is classified into two categories corresponding to received signal intensity information and received signal timing information. The UE may select one or both types of information from between the categories to provide feedback. In embodiments of the present invention, various overhead-reducing reporting formats are described.

Methods and devices for at least reducing the mass of, if not dissolving, renal calculi in situ are provided. In the subject methods, a renal calculus is contacted, e.g. flushed, with an acidic dissolution solution in situ, where the acidic dissolution solution is a solution of a strong, inorganic acid, e.g. hydrochloric acid. In many embodiments, the renal calculus is first enclosed in an isolated local environment of a device prior contact with the dissolution solution. Also provided are novel devices and kits for practicing the subject invention.