Abstract: A bioptical holographic laser scanning system employing a plurality of laser scanning stations about a holographic scanning disc having scanning facets with high and low elevation angle characteristics, as well as positive, negative and zero skew angle characteristics which strategically cooperate with groups of beam folding mirrors having optimized surface geometry characteristics. The system has an ultra-compact construction, ideally suited for space-constrained retail scanning environments, and generate a 3-D omnidirectional laser scanning pattern between the bottom and side scanning windows during system operation. The laser scanning pattern of the present invention comprises a complex of pairs of quasi-orthogonal laser scanning planes, which include a plurality of substantially-vertical laser scanning planes for reading bar code symbols having bar code elements (i.e.

Abstract: A holographic laser scanner of ultra-compact design capable of reading bar and other types of graphical indicia within a large scanning volume using holographic optical elements and visible laser diodes. The holographic optical elements are arranged on the scanning disc in such a manner so that none of the laser scanning planes generated within the 3-D scanning volume of the system are spatially and temporally coincident with any other laser scanning plane within the 3-D scanning volume. This novel feature of the present invention ensures that there is substantially zero cross-talk at the plurality of photodetectors provided within the system, significantly improving the performance of the system.

Abstract: Improved method of and apparatus for joining and aggregating data elements integrated within a relational database management system (RDBMS) using a non-relational multi-dimensional data structure (MDD). The improved RDBMS system of the present invention can be used to realize achieving a significant increase in system performance (e.g. deceased access/search time), user flexibility and ease of use. The improved RDBMS system of the present invention can be used to realize an improved Data Warehouse for supporting on-line analytical processing (OLAP) operations or to realize an improved informational database system or the like.

Abstract: A bioptical laser scanning system employing a plurality of laser scanning stations about a two independently controlled rotating polygonal mirrors. The system has an ultra -compact construction, ideally suited for space-constrained retail scanning environments, and generates a 3-D omnidirectional laser scanning pattern between the bottom and side-scanning windows during system operation. The laser scanning pattern of the present invention comprises a complex of quasi-orthogonal laser scanning planes, including a plurality of substantially-vertical laser scanning planes for reading bar code symbols having bar code elements (i.e. ladder type bar code symbols) that are oriented substantially horizontal with respect to the bottom-scanning window, and a plurality of substantially-horizontal laser scanning planes for reading bar code symbols having bar code elements (i.e. picket-fence type bar code symbols) that are oriented substantially vertical with respect to the bottom-scanning window.

Abstract: An air-powered tissue-aspiration instrument system, comprising an air-powered instrument having a hand-supportable housing supporting a curved dual cannula assembly having a curved hollow outer cannula and a flexible hollow inner cannula, provided with bipolar-type electro-cauterizing apparatus. A pair of RF-powered signals are supplied to the curved hollow outer cannula and flexible hollow inner cannula while the flexible hollow inner cannula is slidably supported within the curved hollow outer cannula and driven by an air-powered mechanism mounted within the hand-supportable housing so that the location of aspiration through outer and inner suction apertures is periodically displaced during tissue aspiration operations.

Abstract: An improved bar code symbol reading methodology/device/system includes a bar code symbol reading engine that reads bar code symbols affixed to objects proximate thereto and 3roduces symbol character data representative of such bar code symbols. A data transmission subsystem, operably coupled to the bar code reading engine, communicates such symbol character data to the communication interface of a host system over a communication link there between. The data transmission subsystem implements a plurality of different communication interfaces.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for mechanically-assisted liposuction treatment. The apparatus includes a hand-holdable housing, an electro-cauterizing dual cannula assembly, and a reciprocation mechanism. The hand-holdable housing has a cavity adaptable for receipt of the electro-cauterizing cannula assembly. The electro-cauterizing cannula assembly has a distal end and a proximal end and at least one aspiration aperture about the distal end. The reciprocation mechanism is disposed within the housing and is operably associated with the inner cannula so that the inner cannula can be selectively caused to reciprocate relative to the stationary outer cannula mounted to the hand-supportable housing. As the inner cannula is caused to reciprocate relative to the housing, the aspiration aperture formed through the distal end of the cannula assembly is caused to undergo periodic displacement.

Abstract: The coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures installed in the Earth, for facilitating the transfer of heat energy in the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid, between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and material beneath the surface of the Earth. Each coaxial-flow heat exchanging structure includes an inner tube section, a thermally conductive outer tube section, and outer flow channel between the inner tube section and the outer tube section. A turbulence generating structure is disposed along a portion of the length of the outer flow channel so as to introduce turbulence into the flow of the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid flowing along the outer flow channel, while its cross-sectional characteristics produce fluid flows therealong having optimal vortex characteristics that optimize heat transfer with the Earth.

Abstract: A bioptical laser scanning system at a point of sale (POS) station, that generates and projects a first plurality of laser scanning planes through a horizontal-scanning window, and a second plurality of laser scanning planes through a vertical-scanning window. The first and second pluralities of laser scanning planes intersect within predetermined scan regions contained within a 3-D scanning volume defined between the horizontal-scanning and vertical-scanning windows, and generate a plurality of groups of intersecting laser scanning planes within the 3-D scanning volume.

Abstract: A geothermal heat exchanging system including a heat exchanging subsystem installed above the surface of Earth, and one or more coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures installed in the Earth. The coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures installed in the Earth, facilitate the transfer of heat energy in the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid, between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and material beneath the surface of the Earth. Each coaxial-flow heat exchanging structure includes an inner tube section, a thermally conductive outer tube section, and outer flow channel between the inner tube section and the outer tube section. A turbulence generating structure is disposed along a portion of the length of the outer flow channel so as to introduce turbulence into the flow of the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid flowing along the outer flow channel, thereby improving the transfer of heat energy between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and the Earth along the length of the outer flow channel.

Abstract: A geothermal heat exchanging system including a heat exchanging subsystem installed above the surface of Earth, and one or more coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures installed in the Earth. The coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures installed in the Earth, facilitate the transfer of heat energy in the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid, between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and material beneath the surface of the Earth. Each coaxial-flow heat exchanging structure includes an inner tube section, a thermally conductive outer tube section, and outer flow channel between the inner tube section and the outer tube section. A turbulence generating structure is disposed along a portion of the length of the outer flow channel so as to introduce turbulence into the flow of the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid flowing along the outer flow channel, thereby improving the transfer of heat energy between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and the Earth along the length of the outer flow channel.

Abstract: An electromagnetic signal transmission/reception tower and accompanying base station housing sensitive electronic equipment within an environment that is thermally controlled by a system employing a plurality of coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures installed in a plurality of well bores, using thermally conductive material. Each coaxial-flow heat exchanging structure includes: a helically-extending turbulence generator arranged along the outer flow channel formed between its inner and outer tube sections, so as to create turbulence along the flow of heat exchanging fluid flowing along the outer flow channel, and thereby increasing the heat transfer through the walls of the outer tube section to the Earth.

Abstract: A hand-supportable digital imaging-based bar code symbol reading device comprises: an IR-based object presence and range detection subsystem; a multi-mode area-type image formation and detection subsystem having narrow-area and wide area image capture modes of operation; a multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem having narrow-area and wide area illumination modes of operation; an automatic light exposure measurement and illumination control subsystem; an image capturing and buffering subsystem; a multi-mode image-processing bar code symbol reading subsystem; an input/output subsystem; a manually-activatable trigger switch; and a system control subsystem integrated with each of the above-described subsystems. The digital imaging-based bar code reading device employs a multi-mode bar code symbol reading image processor that is dynamically reconfigurable in response to real-time image analysis carried out upon captured narrow and wide area images.

Abstract: A hand-supportable digital imaging-based bar code symbol reader employing an event-driven system control subsystem, automatic IR-based object detection, and a trigger-switch activated image capture and processing subsystem.

Abstract: A coaxial-flow heat transfer system for installation in a geological environment and facilitating the transfer of heat energy between an external heat energy producing system and the geological environment. In the coaxial-flow heat transfer system, aqueous-based heat transfer fluid is pumped through the external heat energy exchanging system so as to transfer heat between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and the external heat energy exchanging system. The coaxial-flow heat transfer system comprises a coaxial-flow heat transfer structure for installation within the geological environment and having a proximal end and a distal end for exchanging heat between a source of fluid at a first temperature and a geological environment at a second temperature. The coaxial-flow heat transfer structure comprises a thermally conductive outer tube section, and an inner tube section having an inner flow channel and being coaxially arranged within the outer tube section.

Abstract: A coaxial-flow heat transfer system installed in a geological environment and facilitating the transfer of heat energy between an external heat energy exchanging system and the geological environment. The coaxial-flow heat transfer system includes aqueous-based heat transfer fluid that is pumped through the external heat energy exchanging system so as to transfer heat between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and the external heat energy exchanging system. A coaxial-flow heat transfer structure is installed within the geological environment and has a proximal end and a distal end for exchanging heat between the source of aqueous-based heat transfer fluid at a first temperature and a geological environment at a second temperature. The coaxial-flow heat transfer structure comprises a thermally conductive outer tube section, and an inner tube section having an inner flow channel and being coaxially arranged within the outer tube section.

Abstract: A fully automated package identification and measuring system, in which an omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem is used to capture information about the package prior to entry into the tunnel. Mathematical models are created on a real-time basis for the geometry of the package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol thereon. The mathematical models are analyzed to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through the scanning tunnel.

Abstract: A method of generating a complex laser scanning pattern from a bioptical laser scanning system for providing 360° of omnidirectional bar code symbol scanning coverage at a point of sale station that employs a plurality of laser scanning stations about a two independently controlled rotating polygonal mirrors. The system has an ultra-compact construction, ideally suited for space-constrained retail scanning environments, and generates a 3-D omnidirectional laser scanning pattern between the bottom and side-scanning windows during system operation. The laser scanning pattern of the present invention comprises a complex of laser scanning planes, including a plurality of substantially-vertical laser scanning planes for reading bar code symbols having bar code elements (i.e. ladder type bar code symbols) that are oriented substantially horizontal with respect to the bottom-scanning window, and a plurality of substantially-horizontal laser scanning planes for reading bar code symbols having bar code elements (i.e.

Abstract: A novel transaction-enabling method and system are disclosed, wherein a transaction-enabling Java-Applet is embedded within an HTML-encoded document stored in an HTTP server at predetermined URL. When a code symbol (e.g., magstripe or bar code) encoded with the URL is read using a code symbol reader interfaced with a Java-enabled Internet terminal, the corresponding HTTP document is automatically accessed and displayed at the terminal, and the transaction-enabling Java-Applet initiated for execution so that the customer, consumer or client desiring the transaction can simply and conveniently conduct the information-related transaction over the Internet. The transaction-enabling Internet terminal can be in the form of an Internet kiosk installed in a public location, in the manner as conventional ATMs. By virtue of the present invention, universal transaction machine (UTMs) can be easily deployed for use by the mass population so that they can easily conduct various types of transaction over the Internet.

Abstract: A bar code symbol driven system for accessing information resources from information servers connected to communication networks, including the Internet. The system includes a bar code symbol reader (7a) for reading bar code symbols encoded with information representative of information resources stored in information servers connected to the Internet and supporting the TCP/IP standard. A computing platform (6) is provided for supporting an Internet browser. A telecommunication modem is operably connected to the computing platform in order to establish a two way telecommunication link between the Internet browser and an Internet service provider (ISP) connected to the Internet. In response to reading bar code symbols (8), the Internet browser automatically accesses information resources from Internet information servers (2) using the information encoded in bar code symbols read by the bar code symbol reader (7a).