Abstract: A method for operating a charge pump, the method including biasing a bulk of a charge pump stage so as to reduce body effect without forward biasing diodes of the charge pump stage.

Abstract: A data retrieval system is described. The system includes a data server, at least one data retrieval client, a co-presence server and at elast one downloadable co-presence client. The data server retrieves at least one data object from among a plurality of data objects stored in a data repository. The data retrieval client requests at least one data object from the data server. The co-presence server includes a virtual place generator which generates one virtual place per data object retrieved from the data server and an associator which associates each virtual place with its data object once its data object is accessed. The downloadable co-presence client is operative with the data retrieval client and communicates with the co-presence server. Each co-presence client includes an object associator which associates a data object received from the co-presence server with one of the at least one virtual places in the co-presence server.

Abstract: In a receiver having at least two fingers, the fingers tracking at least one path of a multipath channel, a method includes the steps of forming a finger block of at least two of the two fingers and jointly tracking the fingers of said finger block. The step of jointly tracking includes the steps of generating direction metrics of each of a set of possible directions of joint movement of the fingers of the finger block, selecting one of the direction metrics according to a predetermined criterion, and moving the fingers of the finger block in the directions indicated by the selected direction metric.

Abstract: A method of monitoring the progress of labor in a mother during childbirth, by using a position sensor to measure a predetermined point on the mother; monitoring the location of the position sensor in three-dimensional space; and monitoring the location of the fetal presenting part with respect to the predetermined point on the mother. The location of the fetal presenting part may be indicated by a similar position sensor, or by imaging. Other conditions, such as effacement, cervical dilatation, and cervical position may also be monitored in a similar manner. A reference or affixation point may be provided to the position sensor by, for example, attaching a key or shaped object to one or more points on the fetus or mother.

Abstract: Apparatus for the orthogonal (X,Y) movement which allows high-resolution color photography in both the X and Y directions, by micro-movement of the CCD sensor within a digital camera body is provided which can be used together with a rotatable mount for rotating the CCD sensor from portrait mode to landscape mode, without needing to rotate the camera base.

Abstract: A touchpad pointing device utilized as a pattern input device for a pattern recognition system. The input pattern received from the touchpad pointing device is translated into a start application command. The recognition system forms part of a computer having an operating system and includes a touchpad pointing device, a recognition module and a signal capturer. In addition, a unit for launching an application to run on a computer having an operating system and a pointing device which produces an input pattern in response to movement upon it, is described. The unit includes a recognition module and a launcher. The recognition module attempts to recognize the input pattern as a previously trained launching pattern. The launcher launches the application by providing a launching command which is associated with the launching pattern to the operating device. A security application enables access to the computer upon receipt of an input signature from a user with access privileges.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method utilizing dynamic masking for efficiently programming an N-bit memory array and, more generally, for mapping successive subsets of data segments into a succession of N-bit auxiliary bytes. When the number of programming bits in an incoming byte exceeds K, a mask maps the bit pattern of the incoming byte into sequential N-bit auxiliary bytes. A first auxiliary byte retains the bit pattern of the incoming byte up to the Kth programming bit, and the remaining bit positions of the first auxiliary byte exhibit a state complementary to the programming bits. A second auxiliary byte retains the bit pattern of the incoming byte starting with the first location after the Kth programming bit and continuing up to the Kth additional programming bit (if any); all remaining bit positions of the second auxiliary byte (including the bit positions that contained programming bits in the first auxiliary byte) exhibit the complementary state.

Abstract: A synchronized frequency generating system is provided which includes a main crystal clock, for producing a basic frequency FB, a channel sampling phase locked loop (PLL) unit, connected to the main crystal clock, for converting the basic frequency FB into a channel sampling frequency FCS, a voice sampling PLL unit, connected to the main crystal clock, for converting the basic frequency FB into a voice sampling frequency FVS, a time tracking unit, connected to the channel sampling PLL unit, for detecting signal characteristics so as to determine a channel sampling frequency phase change value &Dgr;&phgr;CS and a frame timing phase change value &Dgr;&phgr;FRAME, and a phase controller, connected to the voice sampling PLL. The phase controller receives channel sampling frequency phase adjustment data and determines a voice sampling frequency phase change value &Dgr;&phgr;VS. The phase controller provides the voice sampling frequency phase change value &Dgr;&phgr;VS to the voice sampling PLL.

Abstract: A method for determining or designing the topography of at least one unknown surface of an optical element includes the steps of measuring or prescribing geometrical properties, determining a set of integration equations from the geometrical properties, and determining the topography of the at least one unknown surface from the set of equations. The set of integration equations is determined also from the optical index or indexes of the optical element. The geometrical properties measured or prescribed are the geometric properties of a plurality of rays incident upon the optical element and of a corresponding plurality of rays affected by at least the at least one unknown surface.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting eye disease. A pattern is displayed on a screen to an individual, who is made to fixate his vision on a point in the pattern. The pattern is then hidden and a second pattern is displayed. The individual then compares the second pattern, as perceived by him, with a pre-defined pattern. These steps are then repeated several times. It is then determined whether the individual has an eye disease based on the comparisons.

Abstract: A method for designing a surface of an optical element includes the steps of prescribing initial wavefronts, selecting an initial parameterized representation of the surface, choosing a cost function in the parameters, and optimizing the cost function with respect to the parameters. The step of optimizing includes the steps of calculating a refracted wavefront for each of the initial wavefronts and analytically computing derivatives of the cost function. The method may also include the steps of precomputing eikonal functions between points in the vicinity of the initial wavefronts. Then the refracted wavefronts are calculated from the precomputed eikonal functions. A method for designing at least one surface of a multifocal optical element includes the step of concurrently considering in a design of the at least one surface any combination of an astigmatism distribution, a progressive power distribution and a prism distribution.

Abstract: A method and a system for three-dimensional printing of a three-dimensional model is provided. The method includes dispensing a first interface material from a printing head, dispensing at least a second interface material from the printing head and combining the first and second interface material in pre-determined proportions to produce layers for forming the three-dimensional model. In one embodiment, the layers forming the construction layers of the model are formed from interface material having a harder modulus of elasticity from the layers forming the release layers, thereby allowing for the forming complex three-dimensional shapes.

Abstract: In some embodiments of the present invention, a method and apparatus for adjusting the height of a platform having a substrate thereon in order to adjust the distance between the substrate and an ink-jet print head located above is provided. In other embodiments, an apparatus for the step-wise conveyance of materials is provided. It comprises a support structure for the material being conveyed and movable and fixed elements for applying forces for temporarily engaging the conveyed material to the support structure.

Abstract: The present invention presents method and apparatus for anti-aliasing elements in pages containing variable information, to be printed by a digital printer. Each page element is pre-rasterized to a resolution higher by a given factor than the output resolution, and the pixels that belong to non-printable areas are denoted ‘Background’. During the anti-aliasing (averaging) process, each new pixel gets an attribute value, dependent on the higher resolution pixels that contributed to the new pixel: Background—if all contributing pixels were denoted ‘Background’. Opaque—if all contributing pixels were denote ‘Non-Background’. Semi-Background—if the contributing pixels were partly ‘Background’ and partly ‘Non-Backgroun’.

Abstract: A programmable, read only memory device includes two diffusion areas in a substrate and a channel formed therebetween, an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer comprising a first oxide layer overlaid by a nitride layer overlaid by a second oxide layer, the nitride layer having a thickness of 100 Angstroms or less and having two charge storage areas therein, each having a narrow width so that, during a read operation, current flows under the charge storage area not being read and a gate.

Abstract: A data retrieval system has a data server, a co-presence server and at least one awareness co-presence client. The data server retrieves at least one data object from among a plurality of data objects stored in a data repository. The co-presence server opens communication and observation channels associated with at least one of the data objects. The awareness co-presence clients communicate with the co-presence server and define an awareness state of the client. The co-presence server opens a communication channel or an observation channel with each client depending on the awareness state of each client per retrieved data object. For observation channels, the co-presence server indicates to each client which other clients have retrieved the same data object. The co-presence server opens a communication channel associated with a retrieved data object to those clients which retrieved the data object and which are in a communication type of awareness state.

Abstract: A method for creating raised and special printing effects using inkjet technology is provided. The method includes the steps of depositing a light curable photo-polymer material (18) on the area selected for the printing effects and curing the area. The amount of material to be deposited corresponds to the area selected for the printing effects and the height of the raised area relative to the medium (22) on which the photo-polymer material (18) is deposited.

Abstract: An intrusion detector for detecting an intrusion into a protected space overlying a predetermined surface is provided. In one embodiment, the intrusion detector includes a housing to be mounted over the surface and including an infrared radiation sensor for sensing moving infrared radiation sources, and a transparent window thereover, a plurality of lens elements formed in the transparent window each oriented to receive infrared radiation from a moving infrared radiation source within a predetermined viewing zone of the protected space and to transmit infrared radiation from said source to the sensor; an alarm; and a control system for receiving the electrical output of the sensor and for outputting an alarm signal to the alarm when an infrared radiation source is detected simultaneously within at least two of the predetermined viewing zones.

Abstract: An improved offset printing press has a single plate blanket image (PBI) cylinder for holding an image formed on a thin film printing plate affixed thereto. The plate may be from 0.5 to 25 microns thick and has a thin layer of ink repelling material coated thereon. The plate is imaged, after being affixed to the PBI cylinder, by ablating selective portions of the ink repelling coating. The PBI cylinder is constructed to hold the printing plate by vacuum techniques, and apparatus to load and unload the plate is associated with the PBI cylinder. Because of the thinness of the printing plate, the PBI cylinder is a compliant surface, capable of printing on an inelastic media covered impression cylinder. In addition, unique inking apparatus is provided to transfer ink to the imaged printing plate. Variations of the press include a four color press utilizing a single PBI cylinder.