Showing papers on "Object (computer science) published in 1983"

Spatial Planning: A Configuration Space Approach

Abstract: This paper presents algorithms for computing constraints on the position of an object due to the presence of ther objects. This problem arises in applications that require choosing how to arrange or how to move objects without collisions. The approach presented here is based on characterizing the position and orientation of an object as a single point in a configuration space, in which each coordinate represents a degree of freedom in the position or orientation of the object. The configurations forbidden to this object, due to the presence of other objects, can then be characterized as regions in the configuration space, called configuration space obstacles. The paper presents algorithms for computing these configuration space obstacles when the objects are polygons or polyhedra.

Software version management system

Abstract: A software version management system, also called system modeller, provides for automatically collecting and recompiling updated versions of component software objects comprising a software program for operation on a plurality of personal computers coupled together in a distributed software environment via a local area network. The component software objects include the source and binary files for the software program, which stored in various different local and remote storage means through the environment. The component software objects are periodically updated, via a system editor, by various users at their personal computers and then stored in designated storage means. The management system includes models which are also objects. Each of the models is representative of the source versions of a particular component software object and contain object pointers including a unique name of the object, a unique identifier descriptive of the cronological updating of its current version, information as to an object's dependencies on other objects and a pathname representative of the residence storage means of the object. Means are provided in the system editor to notify the management system when any one of the objects is being edited by a user and the management system is responsive to such notification to track the edited objects and alter their respective models to the current version thereof.

Learning from Observation: Conceptual Clustering

Abstract: An important form of learning from observation is constructing a classification of given objects or situations. Traditional techniques for this purpose, developed in cluster analysis and numerical taxonomy, are often inadequate because they arrange objects into classes solely on the basis of a numerical measure of object similarity. Such a measure is a function only of compared objects and does not take into consideration any global properties or concepts characterizing object classes. Consequently, the obtained classes may have no simple conceptual description and may be difficult to interpret.

Object Recognition Using Three-Dimensional Information

Abstract: This paper describes an approach to the recognition of stacked objects with planar and curved surfaces. The system works in two phases. In the learning phase, a scene containing a single object is shown one at a time. The range data of a scene are obtained by a range finder. The description of each scene is built in terms of properties of regions and relations between them. This description is stored as an object model. In the recognition phase, an unknown scene is described in the same way as in the learning phase. Then the description is matched to the object models so that the stacked objects are recognized sequentially. Efficient matching is achieved by a combination of data-driven and model-driven search processes. Experimental results for blocks and machine parts are shown.

Viewer Independent Shape Recognition

Abstract: An important problem in vision is to detect the presence of a known rigid 3-D object. The general 3-D object recognition task can be thought of as building a description of the object that must have at least two parts: 1) the internal description of the object itself (with respect to an object-centered frame); and 2) the transformation of the object-centered frame to the viewer-centered (image) frame. The reason for this decomposition is parsimony: different views of the object should have minimal impact on its description. This is achieved by factoring the object's description into two sets of parameters, one which is view-independent (the object-centered component) and one which is view-varying (the viewing transformation). Often a description of the object is known beforehand and the task reduces to finding the objectframe to viewer-frame transformation. This paper describes a method for handling this case: a known object is detected by finding changes in orientation, translation, and scale of the object from its canonical description. The method is a Hough technique and has the characteristic insensitivity to occlusion and noise.

Remote controlled tracking transmitter and tracking support system

Abstract: A tracking system which when interrogated automatically reports data corresponding to the location of an unknown missing respondent, and thus permits one to find the location of an article stolen or high jacked such as an automobile, truck, van, boat, airplane or any other inanimate object which might have been either stolen or accidentally misplaced.

A Programmer's View of the Intel 432 System

Abstract: The architecture study …begins in Chapter 4 where a number of topics related to object structures and object addressing are treated. Chapter 5 introduces the hardware and system software support for interprocess communication. Here the i432 Port Objects and port operations (SEND, RECEIVE, etc.) are introduced and illustrated. Chapter 6 revisits the architectural and Ada-language support for object structure, emphasizing type management and access control. Many features of the supporting operating system, known as iMAX, especially several of its important “user-interfaces,” are introduced beginning with Chapter 5. The importance of input/output peripheral subsystems and their relationship with the central object-based architecture of the i432 system is recognized by treating this topic separately in Chapter 7. This chapter introduces the reader to the architecture of the i432 Interface Processor and its use as a key component in the Peripheral Subsystem Interface for the Intel 432 System. A message-based model for input/output using this interface is also introduced, along with a discussion of abstractions for I/O device interfaces, both asynchronous and synchronous. The topics of process management, memory management, and object filing, which ma y be of primary interest to system developers and architects, are treated in Chapters 8, 9, and 10. Each chapter describes the iMAX implementations of these services and the user interfaces to these facilities. In the case of process management an iMAX provided “template” is described whose use enab les system programmers to implement their own process managers as needed. Chapter 9 describes the extensive memory management facilities of iMAX and the supporting hardware. These include facilities to support the stack and heap memory resources required, for example, by executing Ada programs. In addition, memory management supports an on-the-fly garbage collector, dynamic memory compaction, and, where configured, a virtual memory management subystem. Chapter 10, as already noted, provides a complete introduction to object filing as it is currently planned. —From the Author's Summary

Octree representations of moving objects

Abstract: An algorithm is described that updates an object's octree representation as the object is linearly translated through space. This is accomplished by performing simple arithmetic on the path representations of the nodes to be translated. Among others, one advantage of the algorithm is in devising collision-free and efficient trajectories of moving objects in robotics.

STROBE: support for structured object knowledge representation

Abstract: STROBE is a system that provides object-oriented programming support tools for INTERLISP. It offers a primitive foundation with which more complex structured object representation schemes can be constructed. STROBE implements multiple resident knowledge bases, tangled generalization hierarchies, flexible inheritance of properties, procedural attachment, and event-sensitive procedure invocation.

Pla: A Composer's Idea of a Language

Abstract: object that responds to various messagepassing protocols. Arrays of any of these types can be declared.

System for managing a panel of objects such as keys

Abstract: Each object on a panel has a respective location designated by an address and associated with an indicator lamp. A panel managing system comprises a memory for successively reading location address combinations. The indicator lamps are successively energized at the locations designated by the addresses read from one and the same combination so that a collector withdraws or inserts the objects at designated locations. The objects are detected to check the normal presence or absence of the objects in the panel after withdrawal or insertion of each object.

Stable, noniterative object reconstruction from incomplete data using a priori knowledge

Abstract: Object reconstruction in weighted Hilbert space is related to the Miller regularization theory [ MillerK., SIAM J. Math. Anal.1, 52 ( 1970)]. Experimental results illustrating the power of the method are presented.

Compilation of Nonprocedural Specifications into Computer Programs

Abstract: The paper describes the compilation of a program specification, written in the very high level nonprocedural MODEL language, into an object, PL/1 or Cobol, procedural language program. Nonprocedural programming languages are descriptive and devoid of procedural controls. They are therefore easier to use and require less programming skills than procedural languages. The MODEL language is briefly presented and illustrated followed by a description of the compilation process. An important early phase in the compilation is the representation of the specification by a dependency graph, denoted as array graph, which expresses the data flow interdependencies between statements. Two classes of algorithms which utilize this graph are next described. The first class checks various completeness, nonambiguity, and consistency aspects of the specification. Upon detecting any problems, the system attempts some automatic correcting measures which are reported to the user, or alternately, when no corrections appear as reasonable, it reports the error and solicits a modification from the user. The second class of algorithms produces an intermediate design of an object program in a language independent form. Finally, PL/1 or Cobol code is generated.

Method and means of identifying objects with retro-reflected light

Abstract: An optical system for determining if a target object is an object of a first kind, including means for illuminating the target object along an incident path with coherent light of a selected nature means, for retro-reflecting coherent light from an object of a first kind, means for detecting the nature of light reflected from at least a portion of the target object, means for comparing the nature of the detected light to the selected nature, and means for indicating that said target object is an object of a first kind if the nature of said detected light is the same as the selected nature. Alternative embodiments include encoding interrogating and retro-reflected light signals at both the interrogating station and target stations, and the use of a verification signal directed at the target object prior to illumination of the target object with an interrogating beam. Phase conjugate mirrors are preferably employed as the retro-reflecting means and it is preferable that the phase conjugate mirror be comprised of HgCdTe. Methods of determining whether a target object is an object of a first kind, corresponding to the disclosed devices, are also disclosed.

Automatic analysis of descriptive texts

Abstract: This paper describes a system that attempts to interpret descriptive texts without the use of complex grammars. The purpose of the system is to transform the descriptions to a standard form which may be used as the basis of a database system knowledgeable in the subject matter of the text.The texts currently used are wild plant descriptions taken directly from a popular book on the subject. Properties such as size, shape and colour are abstracted from the descriptions and related to parts of the plant in which we are interested. The resulting output is a standardised hierarchical structure holding only significant features of the description.The system, implemented in the PROLOG programming language, uses keywords to identify the way segments of the text relate to the object described. Information on words is held in a keyword list of nouns relating to parts of the object described. A dictionary contains the attributes of ordinary words used by the system to analyse the text. The text is divided into segments using information provided by conjunctions and punctuation.About half the texts processed are correctly analysed at present. Proposals are made for future work to improve this figure. There seems to be no inherent reason why the technique cannot be generalised so that any text of semi-standard descriptions can be automatically converted to a canonical form.

Using surfaces and object models to recognize partially obscured objects

Abstract: This paper describes an approach to object location based on matching model regions to surface image regions. These matches, together with object models, provide hypotheses about the 3D location of the objects containing the recognized surfaces. When a hypothesis is complete, the program describes the matched data and model surface boundaries in terms of the raw model. These descriptions are used used to verify the physical consistency of the hypotheses and to explain extra or hypothesize missing features caused by obscured components.

The Consul/CUE interface: An integrated interactive environment

Abstract: Consul and CUE are two systems that combine to support an interface to interactive computer services that is integrated across a variety of interface methods. Consul is an experimental natural language interface system designed to be customized to a set of specific interactive computer services: electronic mail, personal calendar, word processing, etc. CUE is a window- and object-based run-time support environment for interactive services with a command language, pointing device and menu interface. Using the Consul/CUE interface, the user sees a single system that is capable of handling a wide variety of input in a completely uniform service environment. The success of the combined system derives from a large knowledge base formalizing facts in the interactive service environment in an artificial intelligence network structure.

Using highlights to constrain object size and location

Abstract: This report shows how highlights on three types of objects-cylinders, spheres, and generalised cylinders-can be used to provide constraints on their size and location. This information can then be used in conjunction with other constraints to solve the problem of object acquisition.

Event models for recognition and natural language description of events in real-world image sequences

Abstract: For an adequate interpretation of image sequences it is not only necessary to recognize objects and object positions but also certain interesting temporal developments of the scene, called events. In this paper we discuss event models for traffic scenes as high-level conceptual structures which permit interfacing to an existing natural language dialogue system. Event models are declarative descriptions of classes of events organized around verbs of locomotion. They involve components which are directly related to the deep case structure of a corresponding natural language description. Event models may be used for bottom-up scene description as well as top-down question-answering. They may also incorporate expectations about a scene, thus providing an interface to experience and common sense.

Device for manufacturing an object with chiralic structure from a source of formable material

Abstract: A device is provided for manufacturing an object having a chiralic structure. It comprises, just after the source of formable material, means for twisting the object during drawing thereof followed by coating means and fast-cooling means which allow a part of the twisting stresses thus obtained to be frozen in the structure.

Method and apparatus for automatic focusing in video camera

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically adjusting a focal point of a taking lens in an apparatus such as a video camera or the like designed for reproducing continuously a behavior of an object. Provided are a detection and recognition step for determining whether the object is in motion and a control step for controlling in dependence on the output of the detection and recognition step a time interval at which a distance measuring step for measuring a distance to the object is performed in such a manner that the time interval for the stationary object is longer as compared with the case where the object is moving, whereby energy consumption is suppressed to a minimum.

Object management system concepts : supporting integrated office workstation applications

Abstract: The capabilities of a system for storing and retrieving office style objects are described in this work. Traditional file systems provide facilities for the storage and retrieval of objects that are created in user programs, but the semantics of these objects are not available to the file system. Database management systems provide a means of describing the semantics of objects using a single basic paradigm, the record. This model is inadequate for describing the richer semantics of office objects. An object management system combines the advantages of both a file system and a database management system in that it can store arbitrarily defined programming language objects and at the same time maintain a high-level description of their meaning. This work presents a high-level model of data that can be used to describe office objects more effectively than data processing oriented models. This model (ODM) forms the basis for our object management system. It is shown how this model can be used to facilitate the creation of new office application programs. A language for describing object schemas that is based on the model is presented. The language contains constructs for conveniently describing common office modeling situations. A prototype system that is based on ODM is described. We discuss the techniques that were used to implement this prototype. The use of some specialized data types (e.g., databases, derivatives) is shown to facilitate the construction of object management system software. We also provide a methodology for designing object schemas that match the characteristics of the application. Also, given a textual schema, if the user requires specialized representations, there is a procedure to determine which new operation programs must be written in order to provide an object type with the semantics that is described in that schema. Users can choose to ignore this step and have the system use default representations and operation programs. Thesis Supervisor: Michael Hammer Title: Associate Professor of Computer Science

Generating Object Descriptions for Model Retrieval

Abstract: A computer vision system is proposed, in which the recogni-tion of an object involves two interacting processes: model retrieval and model verification. The goal of the model retrieval process is to generate a proper structural description of the object in the input image, and use the description to retrieve candidate object models from the associative memory of the vision system. The present study explores one way of deriving such an object shape description from a single image. Regularity constraints and a preference rule are used to restrict the solutions to a preferred interpretation of geometric contours. Local interpretation is then propagated to neighboring regions. Through a proper control on the interaction between constraints and consistency checking, a rough object description in terms of visible surface orientations can be gener-ated. A computer vision system using this approach has been imple-mented and it is described in some details.

An Object-Oriented Command Language

Abstract: This paper describes Cola, an object-oriented command language for Hydra; Hydra is a capability-based operating system that runs on C.mmp, a tightly coupled multiprocessor. The two primary aspects of Cola, that it is a command language for Hydra, and that it is based on the object paradigm, are examined. Cola was designed to effect a correspondence between capabilities in Hydra and objects that are supported by the language. Cola is based on Smalltalk in that it uses message-passing as a control structure to allow syntactic freedom in the expression of commands to the system. Cola objects are arranged in a hierarchy, and the message-passing mechanism was designed to exploit this structure by automatically forwarding an unanswered message up the hierarchy. Two ramifications of this mechanism, automatic inheritance and shadowing, are discussed. An evaluation of the design decisions is also given.

The object oriented pre-compiler: programming Smalltalk 80 methods in C language

Abstract: This describes the Object Oriented Pre-Compiler, OOPC, a language and a run-time library for producing C programs that operate by the run-time conventions of Smalltalk 802 in a UNIX3 environment. These languages offer Object Oriented Programming in which data, and the programs which may access it, are designed, built and maintained as inseparable units called objects.The precompiler is backed by a library which supports Smalltalk 80's interpretation of messaging; binding of a message to its target routine is done at run time. The library also contains a growing number of primitive class definitions, such as an Object class whose capabilities are inherited by every object in the system. The library provides many, but not all, capabilities of Smalltalk. An added capability is object save/restore, which allows any object to convert itself and all sub-objects into linear form for storage on disk. Important missing features are automatic memory management and Smalltalk's impressive collection of classes to support a graphical human interface.