Abstract: The invention relates to a host computer system which receives information, rasterizes it, compresses it and transmits it to a portable device which decompresses the image to display it on a screen. The image can be decompressed in whole or in parts to be viewed as the used scrolls through the image. An electronic touch screen keyboard is featured, which is used to input text characters in a text area on the screen of the device. Thereafter, text is transmitted to specific areas on a virtual browser in the host computer as a string of characters, or individually, with refreshed images of the virtual browser sent back to the device for each transmission. The CPU of the PDA renders each text character on the display of the device for the user to view instantly, by making a bitmap. The host computer system is also capable of translating locations on the touch screen of the device into text characters or commands.

Abstract: The invention discloses a portable device providing access to the Internet. A host computer runs a browser taking information received from the Internet, renders it onto a virtual display in memory, reduces the color depth, compress and sends it to the device. Thus, the user views a bit map or raster image of a Web page on the device, which also contains a browser software program, that runs on the device containing its own window. This window contains buttons or icons providing web functions and implements scrolling on the web page received with respect to the window. The windows of the browsers in the host computer and device are adjustable in size and may be set to match for text formatting. The size of the web page received from the Internet is the size sent to the device when converted to an image, which varies with each web page received.

Abstract: The invention discloses a portable device providing access to the Internet. A host computer runs a browser taking information received from the Internet, renders it onto a virtual display in memory, captures a portion of the image, reduces the color depth, compresses and sends it to the device. A PDA browser software program runs on the device containing its own window. The portion of the image sent from the host computer is equal to or proportional to the size of the PDA browser window. Upon scrolling on the device, the image of the new location is sent to the device, stored in memory, and displayed for view. Web pages and corresponding areas frequently viewed by the user are stored on the host computer, whereby the host computer recognizes these web pages and automatically sends corresponding areas frequently viewed to be displayed.

Abstract: A facsimile machine is to be made for portable applications with the added features of being light weight, slender and compact in design. A single drive roller which is fixed is used in moving media for the scanning and printing functions without the reversal of the roller to accomplish these tasks individually at separate times or simultaneously. The slender profile of the present device with the base narrower than the height makes it very unstable in its upright operating mode. Arms pivoted at each end rotate and lock into an opened position thus providing a stable position for the device in which it is no longer vertically upright, but supported at an angle by the arms where print media can enter without difficulty and scanned documents can also be fed without obstruction by the print media roll. The arms lock into a closed position in which they follow the contours of the main body as an extension of the device without any noticeable protrusions.

Abstract: A workflow system and program for organizing the time and priorities of a user, wherein the information input by a user into a spreadsheet is generated by the program into a bar graph. It is possible for a user to revise the spreadsheet at any time, and the program will update the bar graph accordingly. In a further embodiment, it is possible for multiple users to be connected together via a computer network. Some users are classified as secondary users, and are primarily employees. Secondary users have access to their respective spreadsheets and bar graphs. One user is classified as a primary user, and is generally a manager. The primary user has access to two windows. In the first window, all of the spreadsheets of the secondary users are displayed. The primary user can modify the data in the spreadsheets and the program will update the bar graphs accordingly.

Abstract: A thermal print head arrangement for a thermal printer in which print lines of printing elements of adjacent print heads are parallel and spread across the width direction of a recording sheet, perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of travel of the recording sheet, with any two adjacent print heads having opposite orientations facing each other is provided. Print heads are cut at an oblique angle at both ends thus allowing them to be closely and consecutively arranged in alternate dispositions. The method for alignment of the print heads, involves the use of a microscope positioned above print elements of print heads. An alignment marker of the microscope's eyepiece is used to position the print heads on the print head support. Each adjacent print head is positioned with its oblique cut edge against the similar cut edge of the first print head and displaced to obtain the distance between end print elements of adjacent print heads equal to the internal distance of all print elements of each print head.

Abstract: A wide format versatile printing mechanism is provided which has ribbon tensioning means to equalize the surface tension forces across the ribbon and remove all wrinkles. In one embodiment a cambered rod is introduced between the print head and the ribbon feed roll to apply an uneven force across the ribbon's width from its uncoated side. The cambered rod is fixed between two lateral lid side plates by two screws having their axis coaxial with the axis of the cambered rod which have at one of the end cut some radial grooves. The cambered rod can be rotated around its axis and positioned under different angles around its axis by means of a set screw through the lid side plate which corresponds with the radial grooves of the cambered rod's end, offering a variation of the tensile forces in the ribbon. In another embodiment, a second rotating cambered rod is located between the print head and ribbon take-up roll to apply an uneven tensile force across the ribbon's width from its uncoated side.

Abstract: This invention relates to a high speed print head for an inkjet printer which involves the integration of stressed thin film technology. The stressed thin film is applied over a basic substrate and some cavities are etched underneath the film creating a membrane film which has the tendency to bulge outward over cavity areas under the effect of its internal compressed forces. The membrane film, and the bottom of the cavity, have electrodes deposited. An electric signal corresponding with input data is applied to two electrodes creating an electric field between electrodes. As a result, the membrane film is attracted and repelled against the fixed cavity bottom, following the electric signal and providing a variation of an adjacent ink chamber's volume ejecting an ink drop. In its displacement, the membrane film snaps, after passing the zone where the force created by the electric field adds to the internal compressed forces of the film, accelerating its displacement from one stable position into another.

Abstract: A simplified method of file management which assigns many related attributes to any file created by conventional software application programs, with the ability to retrieve any file or a list of such files belonging to any attribute is provided. Software objects are represented by icons, whereby these icons represent topics about which each file is related and upon performing various graphical query searches using the mathematical theory of intersecting sets for desired files, a list of all files appears in a window. When commands like "save", "save as" or open file" are executed, icons and (or) groups of icons appear in a data base window and any icon can be selected related to the file. Hard links exist enabling a predetermined chain of groups or categories to be linked with any file saved, enabling a more elaborate data base system.

Abstract: A fingerprint reading modular device capable of extracting and accurately reproducing and enhancing the ridge pattern on the skin of a fingertip is provided. A narrow illumination source spanning the width of the device is focused onto a movable glass or transparent platen, producing reflected rays containing fingerprint information, as the finger is placed on this platen. Reflected rays are focused by a Selfoc optic fiber lens array onto a linear array of solid state reading elements which convert the image of the fingerprint to electrical signals, producing a digital image for each line of information. The movable transparent platen has an initial position and a terminal position, such that the method of scanning begins with the finger pressed against the platen in its initial position and pushed until the platen reaches its terminal position, whereby the solid state elements read multiple lines of the finger as it moves towards the terminal position.

Abstract: A miniature single monolithic chip is to be used to create a viewscreen for Computers, Television or Video applications. Magnifying this display would produce an inexpensive screen capable of being mounted on face goggles, or alternate stand alone apparatus. Using an optic system, the eye could perceive an image of various size screens. The chip being so close to the eye would require very little illumination. Advantages of this apparatus are numerous especially due to low power consumption and light weight. Ideally this would be suitable for portable lap top Computer and Video systems. Dual chips could also be used to produce true Three Dimensional images capable of large screen viewing. The device can be back lit and projected onto large screens using transparent components. A heat sensitive coating on this chip changes appearance with temperature changes for each pixel on the display.

Abstract: The present invention is a miniature fingerprint reading device capable of extracting and accurately reproducing the ridge orientations on the skin of a fingertip. The illumination, focusing and reading elements follow the finger's curvature to provide a much larger surface area fingerprint comparable to conventional inking methods. The present invention virtually eliminates the occurrence of skewed images as there are restrictions to the angle at which any finger is read. Trapezoidal distortion is also eliminated as the fingerprint image is always at a fixed distance from the reading elements.

Abstract: The present invention is a dynamic thresholding means for distinguishing dark and light portions of a scanned image, particularly useful where background noise is present obscuring the image. A three dimensional low pass filter applied to the output of optical sensor elements reading the original document, is used as the basis for establishing a three dimensional threshold curve above which data is designated as dark pixels of the image. One means for generating the threshold curve is by raising the output voltage of the low pass filter by a constant voltage for each pixel in the image. Another means for generating the threshold curve is by varying the increment of the low pass filter's output, based on the actual voltage of the low pass filter output for each pixel in the image producing a variable threshold curve.