Abstract: Autonomous personal service robot to monitor its owner for symptoms of distress and provide assistance. The system may include sensors to detect situations before they affect people such as smoke, heat, temperature and carbon monoxide sensors. The system can provide security for the home. The PRA may comprise features such as a medicine dispenser and blood pressure cuff. Features such as broadband internet, MP3 player, reading lights and eye glass tracker provide butler type capabilities that enable the system to appeal to markets beyond the elderly and infirmed. The system may also include an X10 transmitter/receiver to automatically control various household lights and appliances. Equipping the system with a robot arm enables the robot to fetch items, turn on and off wall switches and open the refrigerator.

Abstract: A nursing garment and method enabling women to nurse a baby in public by covering the mothers. Maintains the breastfeeding relationship by allowing breastfeeding to occur anywhere at anytime. Provides a nursing mother a true sense of privacy and modesty, and provides a mother the added security that most nursing garments or blankets do not. The nursing garment is formed by lined lightweight material and is designed to cover the mother's upper torso, partial back and the nursing infant. The curtain is attached around the neck of the mother by a semi-rigid annular hoop. A layer of material lies across the front panel forming a valance or curtain for added privacy. Added inside the nursing curtain is a pocket for the nursing mother to place nursing paraphernalia and attached to the pocket is a small sized sanitary cloth for the nursing infant and mother.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention move objects throughout two-dimensional space by using a support rope that is coupled with both opposing sides of the platform. This rope controls the Y-axis motion and Z-axis motion of the platform and is designated the YZ movement rope. Displacing a portion of the YZ movement rope allows vertical displacement of the platform to be traversed. There is no need for a complex computer control system since the Z-axis displacement is substantially independent of horizontal movement over a coverage area serviced by the platform. In addition, since the rope is commanded from one point, distantly located motors and electrical cables are not required. Many types of useful devices may then be attached to the platform including devices that require external power or devices that possess their own power and are operated via wireless signals.

Abstract: An angled axis machine vision system having two cameras angled with respect to roil axis. Provides advantages of horizontal alignment between two cameras and eliminates problem of utilizing horizontal/vertical lines in the environment for distance calculations when lines arc parallel or close to parallel to axis between camera centers. With camera centers angled about roll axis, horizontal/vertical lines in environment appear angled with respect to horizon, enabling accurate distance calculations. With the cameras angled about roll, lines in the environment may line up parallel to the axis between camera centers, but these instances are rare in real world environments. May be rotatably mounted in the roll axis wherein two sets of pictures from each of the cameras may either he utilized: the two sets compared for the number of parallel lines parallel to axis between camera centers and the set of pictures with least parallel lines used for distance calculations.

Abstract: The device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention comprises a base element having a head support region and an upper body support region. The base element is configured to rest upon a base platform that has an attachment point for securing the base element to the base platform and a joint element that enables movement of the base element into an angled position. A restraint mechanism extends from the base platform and is configured to hold the patient's shoulders in position. Head support elements on each side of the device acts as a mechanism for restricting mobility of the patient's head. By holding the shoulders and head the device is able to also restrict neck movement. Reducing patient movement enables diagnostic angiography using a digital subtraction technique (DSA) of the head, neck, and upper shoulder, as well as both non-catheter-based and catheter-based interventions without motion artifact.

Abstract: Scenes from motion pictures to be colorized are broken up into separate elements, composed of backgrounds/sets or motion/onscreen-action. These background and motion elements are combined into single frame representations of multiple frames as tiled frame sets or as a single frame composite of all elements (i.e., both motion and background) that then becomes a visual reference database that includes data for all frame offsets which are later used for the computer controlled application of masks within a sequence of frames. Each pixel address within the visual reference database corresponds to a mask/lookup table address within the digital frame and X, Y, Z location of subsequent frames that were used to create the visual reference database. Masks are applied to subsequent frames of motion objects based on various differentiating image processing methods. The gray scale determines the mask and corresponding color lookup from frame to frame as applied in a keying fashion.

Abstract: Embodiments of the portable antenna positioner described provide a lightweight, collapsible and rugged antenna positioner for use in receiving low earth orbit, geostationary and geosynchronous satellite transmissions. By collapsing the antenna positioner, it may be readily carried by one person or shipped in a compact container. The antenna positioner may be used in remote locations with simple or automated setup and orientation. In order to operate the apparatus, azimuth is adjusted by rotating an antenna in relation to a positioner base and elevation is adjusted by rotating an elevation motor coupled with the antenna. The apparatus may update ephemeris data via satellite, may comprise a built-in receiver and may couple with a second positioner base comprising cryptographic, router or power functionality. The apparatus may comprise storage devices such as a hard drive or flash disk for storing data to and from at least one satellite.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention enable the dynamic discovery and operation of at least one over a public network such as the Internet. The system may comprise dynamically discoverable sensors such as a video camera or video surveillance system or any other type of sensor capable of detecting a target. Sensors may be collocated or distantly located from weapons and there may be a different number of weapons and sensors in a configuration. An operator may control more than one weapon at a time and may obtain sensor data output from more than one sensor at a time. One or more weapons may be aimed simultaneously by performing a user gesture such as a mouse click or game controller button selection with respect to a particular sensor data output. An operator user interface may be cloned onto another computer for real-time supervision or for later analysis or training for example.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention improve upon current systems by allowing users to dynamically generate and repeatedly modify the appearance of any set of tabular data. When the system obtains input relating to formatting the table, the appearance of the table is dynamically modified so the users can instantaneously view any changes to the table caused by the input (e.g., WYSIWYG). Users provide input (e.g., layout information) that relates to various types of pivot operations, sorting operation, and/or merging operations performed on the table. The user may, for example, select a certain field and then initiate a pivot operation using the selected field. The system is configured in accordance with one embodiment of the invention so that the layout information is stored independent of and/or associated with the table data.

Abstract: Personalized media is generated by obtaining a master clip having predefined insert points, obtaining an insert clip, seamlessly merging the insert clip into the selected master clip to generate a personalized media clip with undetectable transitions between spliced clips. An insert clip is utilized for purposes of adding variables such as a name, place, time, gender, product name or any other desirable information to a master clip. Dynamic context data may be added and transmitted to a client playback device. This distribution process may be in real-time or asynchronous until requested. The playback device may use the clip for ring tone, ringback tone or voice message or any other purpose. Although the contents of the master clip and/or the insert clip may use any voice including the originator's voice, celebrity voices or the voices of celebrity impersonators may be utilized. The master clip and insert clip may be seamlessly merged using uncompressed or compressed data in given formats.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention comprise a method and apparatus for transforming data. Systems implementing the invention allow for loading the data from one or more source tables into one or more destination tables. The system allows for parsing source data fields, defining new source data fields, combining source fields to create source field combinations, and combining destination fields to create destination field combinations. The system allows for mapping source fields and values to destination fields and values, where either the source fields and values or destination fields and values may be field and value combinations, and allows for transforming field values based on destination field type. The tools provided in a system implementing the invention provide a user the ability to intervene at each step during the data transform task. A user may manually input a hierarchy definition, a specific mapping, define rules for combining data fields, or define rules for converting data values.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention move objects throughout two-dimensional and three-dimensional space by using a movement line that is coupled with a plurality of opposing sides of the platform. The movement line is used to control the horizontal axis motion and Z-axis motion of the platform and is designated the horizontal movement line. Displacing a portion of the horizontal movement line allows vertical displacement of the platform to be traversed. There is no need for a complex computer control system since the Z-axis displacement is substantially independent of horizontal movement over a coverage area serviced by the platform. Nested embodiments utilizing one or more rope allow for three-dimensional movement of an object or angular displacement of an object with respect to the vertical axis. A mounting beam for positioning and supporting the Z-axis and horizontal axis motors and visual display element(s) and other optional multimedia devices may also be positioned independently of the platform.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a timeshared electronic catalog is disclosed. The system comprises an electronic database having a plurality of data records that comprise a master data set. The system comprises at least a first and second subset of the data records, wherein each subset comprises one or more data records selected from the master data set. The system includes a software program comprising a data record masking module for selectively providing a first view for displaying one of the subsets to a first user. Each of the plurality of data records contains a plurality of data elements, or fields, or attributes. The data record masking module is further for selecting which data elements are provided in the view. The system further includes a means for selectively providing which executable features from a plurality of executable features may be provided with each view.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are ideally suited for use filming movies, sporting events, or any other activity that requires fluid movement of a camera or other object to any position within a defined volume of space. To accomplish such positioning embodiments of the invention are configured to move an object throughout three-dimensional space by relocating one or more lines that are feed through a plurality of opposing sides of the object. These line(s) (e.g., a cable, rope, string, cord, wire, or any other flexible connective element) which support the object over a volume of space are arranged in way that allows the object to be rapidly moved to and from any location within the defined volume of space.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides a process and related apparatus for obtaining quantitative data about a 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional image, or other dimensional image. For example, the invention is capable of classifying and counting the number of entities an image contains. Each entity comprises an entity, structure, or some other type of identifiable portion of the image having definable characteristics. The entities located within an image may have a different shape, color, texture, or other definable characteristic, but still belong to the same classification. In other instances, entities comprising a similar color, and texture may be classified as one type while entities comprising a different color, and texture may be classified as another type. An image may contain multiple entities and each entity may belong to a different class.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating and posting media is provided. For example, the invention allows a user to quickly create, signal process, encode, and transfer media files to a server for storage, posting, distribution, and retrieval. Thus, media such as audio, video, display, photo, spreadsheet, Web Clips, and HTML pages can be combined into a media file for uploading to a server and accessed from listings posted at web sites. In accordance with embodiments, a user downloads and installs a plug-in at the user's client computer. The user then registers and logs onto the server to perform various tasks. For example, the user can create a combined audio and photo media file at the client computer, in accordance with server based control parameters received from the system server. The plug-in then allows the user to perform digital signal processing and encoding of the media file at the client computer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention move objects throughout two-dimensional space by using a support line that is coupled with both opposing sides of the platform. This line controls the Y-axis motion and Z-axis motion of the platform and is designated the YZ movement line. Displacing a portion of the YZ movement line allows vertical displacement of the platform to be traversed. There is no need for a complex computer control system since the Z-axis displacement is substantially independent of horizontal movement over a coverage area serviced by the platform. A mounting beam for positioning and supporting the Z-axis and Y-axis motors and visual display element(s) and other optional multimedia devices may also be positioned independently of the platform. In addition, since the line is commanded from one point, distantly located motors and electrical cables are not required.

Abstract: A remote motor vehicle signal indicator system comprising a transmitter coupled to a vehicle indication signal drive line. The transmitter wirelessly transmits a receiver activation signal corresponding to a vehicle indication signal of the vehicle indication signal drive line. Optionally, the transmitter may be configured to bypass transmission of a brake signal to a remote vehicle signal indicator in order to conserve power at the remote vehicle signal indicator. The vehicle indication signal is selected may comprise a turn signal, a brake signal, a reverse gear signal, and a hazard signal or any other signal displayable on a vehicle. The system also includes a remote vehicle signal indicator coupled to a surface outside of the vehicle and includes a signal indicator display.