Abstract: A fully automated package identification and measuring system, in which an omni-directional laser scanning system are 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: The effects of paper/substrate noise are significantly reduced in multi-focal zone laser scanning systems by processing analog scan data signals with a scan data signal processor having a plurality of pass-band filters and amplifiers that are automatically selected for passing only the spectral components of an analog scan data signal produced when a bar code symbol is scanned at a particular focal zone in the laser scanning system. Two or more different pass-band filter structures can be provided for use in the scan data signal processor, wherein each pass-band filter structure is tuned to the spectral band associated with a particular focal zone in the laser scanning system. When a bar code symbol is scanned by a laser beam focused within the first focal zone or scanning range of the system, the pass-band filter structure associated with this focal zone or scanning range is automatically switched into operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is method and apparatus for packaging multilayered integrated circuit (IC) chips, on which logic circuits and/or memory arrays are disposed and interconnected in a novel way permitting the addressing (i.e. selection) of the logic circuits and/or arrays on these IC chip layers using a minimum number of connections and with the shortest propagation delays.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for mechanically-assisted liposuction treatment. The apparatus includes a hand-holdable housing, an electro-cauterizing cannula assembly, and a reciprocation mechanism. The hand-holdable housing has a cavity adaptable for receipt of a portion of the electro-cauterizing cannula assembly. The electro-cauterizing cannula assembly includes an inner cannula and an outer cannula, each having a distal end and a proximal end and at least one aspiration aperture about the distal end. The inner cannula is disposed within the outer cannula and the inner and outer aspiration apertures are in at least partial registration to form an effective aspiration aperture. The reciprocation mechanism is disposed within the housing and is operably associated with either the inner or outer cannula so that one of the cannulas can be selectively caused to reciprocate relative to the housing while the other is stationarily disposed relative to the housing.

Abstract: A portable hand-held WWW access terminal for accessing HTML encoded documents located on the WWW. The terminal includes a bar code symbol reader in a hand-supportable housing for reading bar code symbols encoded with information, such as URLs, for use in accessing HTML-encoded documents stored in information servers connected to the Internet and supporting the TCP/IP standard. A computing platform is provided for supporting a GUI-based WWW browser program integrated with the bar code symbol reader, in the hand-supportable housing. A telecommunication modem is operably connected to the computing platform in order to establish a two-way telecommunication link between the GUI-based WWW browser and an Internet service provider (ISP) connected to the Internet. In response to reading a URL-encoded bar code symbol, the WWW browser program automatically accesses a corresponding HTML-encoded document on the Internet, for display on a visual display panel integrated with the hand-supportable housing.

Abstract: A novel hand-supportable wireless Internet-enabled terminal is disclosed, wherein a transaction-enabling Java-Applet is embedded within 2-D bar code symbol. An HTML-encoded document and code associated with the transaction-enabling Java-Applet is created and stored in an HTTP server for use in enabling a predetermined information-related transaction. When a bar code symbol encoded with a transaction-enabling Java-Applet is read using the hand-supportable wireless Internet-enabled terminal, the corresponding code on the HTTP Server is automatically accessed and one or more HTML-encoded documents are displayed at the hand-supportable wireless Internet-enabled 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.

Abstract: In color printing, and in the fine arts, cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) color inks are known to possess much higher color saturation and brightness than conventional pigment and dyed based inks. However, prior art CLC ink formulations are inconvenient because in the liquid phase they have to be confined in cells, and in the solid phase, they have to be applied at high temperature, and have to be aligned by some means to produce the optimum color. This invention solves the problem encountered in the CLC prior art, by making pre-aligned CLC platelets or flakes of appropriate thickness and size and mixing them in appropriate host fluids producing a novel CLC ink which can be applied at room temperature and without the need for alignment. The new pre-aligned room temperature CLC ink can be used as a substitute for conventional inks in almost all printing and plotting, and manual drawing and painting. Using the notch filter CLC platelets, the brightness is further enhanced.

Abstract: In an air-metal fuel cell battery (FCB) system, wherein a plurality of movable cathode structures are mounted within a compact housing through which metal-fuel tape is transported along a predetermined path while an ionically-conductive medium is disposed between the metal-fuel tape and each movable cathode structure at points of contact. In illustrative embodiments, the movable cathode structures are realized as rotatable cathode cylinders, and transportable cathode belts. The ionically-conductive medium is realized as a solid-state ionically-conductive film applied to the cathode structures and/or metal-fuel tape, as well as ionically-conductive belt structures transported at the same velocity as corresponding cathode structures (e.g. cathode cylinders or belts) at the locus of points at which the ionically-conductive medium contacts the moving cathode structure and the moving metal-fuel tape.

Abstract: A heat transfer engine having cooling and heating modes of reversible operation, in which heat can be effectively transferred within diverse user environments for cooling, heating and dehumidification applications. The heat transfer engine of the present invention includes a rotor structure which is rotatably supported within a stator structure. The stator has primary and secondary heat exchanging chambers in thermal isolation from in each other. The rotor has primary and secondary heat transferring portions within which a closed fluid flow circuit is embodied. The closed fluid flow circuit within the rotor has a spiralled fluid-return passageway extending along its rotary shaft, and is charged with a refrigerant which is automatically circulated between the primary and secondary heat transferring portions of the rotor when the rotor is rotated within an optimized angular velocity range under the control of a temperature-responsive system controller.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel construction for producing color images for viewing by a viewer. The LCD panel construction comprises: an illumination panel for producing light including spectral components with wavelengths in a visible band of the electromagenetic spectrum; a plurality of pixel regions within a predefined image display area, wherein each pixel region has a plurality of subpixel region and each said subpixel region within each pixel region has a light transmission portion and a light blocking portion, and each light transmission portion and light blocking portion has a frontside disposed in the direction in the viewer and a backside in the direction of the illumination panel. The illumination panel illuminates the plurality of pixel regions from the backside thereof so that a color image is formed the said plurality of pixel regions for viewing.

Abstract: A method of and system for automatically identifying packages during manual package sortation operations, wherein, a laser scanning system is supported above a workspace environment of 3-D spatial extent, which is occupied by a human operator involved in the manual sortation of packages bearing bar code symbols. In the illustrative embodiment, the laser scanning system includes a housing having a light transmission aperture, and a laser scanning pattern generator disposed within the housing. During operation of the system, the laser scanning pattern generator employs a holographic scanning disc to project through the light transmission aperture, an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern which is substantially confined within the spatial extent of a predefined 3-D scanning volume that spatially encompasses a substantial portion of the workspace environment occupied by the human operator, through which packages are transported during sorting operations.

Abstract: A heat transfer engine having cooling and heating modes of reversible operation, in which heat can be effectively transferred within diverse user environments for cooling, heating and dehumidification applications. The heat transfer engine of the present invention includes a rotor structure which is rotatably supported within a stator structure. The stator has primary and secondary heat exchanging chambers in thermal isolation from in each other. The rotor has primary and secondary heat transferring portions within which a closed fluid flow circuit is embodied. The closed fluid flow circuit within the rotor has a spiralled fluid-return passageway extending along its rotary shaft, and is charged with a refrigerant which is automatically circulated between the primary and secondary heat transferring portions of the rotor when the rotor is rotated within an optimized angular velocity range under the control of a temperature-responsive system controller.

Abstract: A Web-based television system for enabling an operator to access and display HTML-encoded documents located on the WWW. The system comprises one or more Internet information servers, an Internet terminal unit, and television set having a wireless remote control device and an audio-visual monitor. The Internet information servers store a plurality of HTML-encoded documents at a plurality of storage locations specified by a plurality of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs). The Internet terminal unit is operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and embodies a GUI-based Internet browser program, supporting the TCP/IP networking protocol. The television set is operably connected to the Internet terminal unit. The wireless remote control device includes a bar code symbol reader for reading bar code symbols, and an IR-based communication circuit for establishing a wireless communication link with the Internet terminal unit. A WWW-site guide is provided to television viewers.

Abstract: A novel Web-based package routing, tracking and delivering system and method that uses URL/ZIP-CODE encoded bar code symbols on parcels and packages. The system comprises one or more Routing, Tracking and Delivery (RTD) Internet Server Subsystems connected to the Internet infrastructure and updated at any instant of time with package tracking information. A Package Log-In/Shipping Subsystem is located at each shipping location and connected to the RTD Internet Server by way of the Internet infrastructure. A Package Routing Subsystem is located at a hub station and connected to the RTD Internet Server by way of the Internet infrastructure. A Portable Package Delivery Subsystem is carried by each package delivery person, and connected to the RTD Internet Server by way of the Internet infrastructure communication link.

Abstract: Disclosed are metal-air fuel-cell battery (FCB) systems adapted to discharge a supply of (re)charged metal-fuel cards supplied from a cassette-type storage device, wherein each (re)charged metal-fuel card is physically disconnected from each other (re)charged metal-fuel card. Each (re)charged metal-fuel card is automatically loaded from the cassette-type cartridge into the discharging bay of the system, and after discharged, transported back into the cassette-type storage device. In the illustrative embodiments, a metal-air FCB system is disclosed, wherein the system is adapted to one or more discharged metal-fuel cards supplied from the cassette-type storage device. In such a system, each discharged metal-fuel card is automatically loaded from the cassette-type cartridge into the (re)charging bay of the system, and after (re)charging, transported back into the cassette-type storage device.

Abstract: Improved metal-air fuel cell battery systems having metal-fuel realized in the form of metal-fuel tape cartridges and metal-fuel cards, which can be either manually or automatically inserted within the power generation bay of the system. In order to produce a range of output voltages, the metal-fuel tape has a plurality of electrically-isolated metal-fuel tracks and the metal-fuel cards have a plurality of electrically-isolated metal-fuel strips. An output voltage configuration subsystem is provided for configuring the voltages produced by the individual cells to produce a desired output. A subsystem is provided for detecting oxide formation on the metal-fuel tracks and strips so that only metal-fuel that has been oxidized is reduced during recharging operations. A subsystem is also provided for controlling the flow of oxygen into the power generation head in order to control the power output from the system.

Abstract: A laser scanning system capable of producing information specifying the subregion of space within a 3-D scanning volume within which a bar code symbol is detected by a laser scanning pattern. The system comprises a laser scanning pattern generator, a scan data processor, a bar code symbol position data generator and a system controller. In the illustrative embodiment, the laser scanning pattern generator employs a holographic scanning disc to generate an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern within the 3-D scanning volume for scanning a bar code symbol presented therein, and in response thereto, automatically produces scan data indicative of the scanned bar code symbol. The scan data processor automatically processes the produced scan data so as to detect the scanned bar code symbol within the 3-D scanning volume.

Abstract: Disclosed are various types of metal-air FCB-based systems comprising a Metal-Fuel Transport Subsystem, a Metal-Fuel Discharging Subsystem, and a Metal-Fuel Recharging Subsystem. The function of the Metal-Fuel Transport Subsystem is to transport metal-fuel material, in the form of tape, cards, sheets, cylinders and the like, to the Metal-Fuel Discharge Subsystem, or the Metal-Fuel Recharge Subsystem, depending on the mode of the system selected. When transported to or through the Metal-Fuel Discharge Subsystem, the metal-fuel is discharged by (i.e. electro-chemically reaction with) one or more discharging heads in order produce electrical power across an electrical load connected to the subsystem while H2O and O2 are consumed at the cathode-electrolyte interface during the electrochemical reaction.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically-activated code symbol reading system comprising a bar code symbol reading mechanism contained within a handsupportable housing having a manually-actuatable data transmission switch. During symbol reading operations, the bar code symbol reading mechanism automatically generates a visible laser scanning pattern for repeatedly reading,, one or more bar code symbols on an object during a bar code symbol reading cycle, and automatically generating a new symbol character data string in response to each bar code symbol read thereby. During system operation, the user visually aligns the visible laser scanning pattern with a particular bar code symbol on an object (e.g. product, bar code menu, etc.) so that the bar code symbol is scanned, detected and decoded in a cyclical manner.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical power generation system comprised of a network of metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) subsystems connected to an output power bus structure and controlled by a network control subsystem. The operation of each metal-air FCB subsystem is controlled so that, on the average, the amount of metal-fuel in each of the FCB subsystem is substantially the same, regardless of the total amount of metal-fuel remaining within the system available for electrical power generation. The electrical power generation system can be used as an electrical power plant that can be installed in virtually any system, device or environment in which there is a need to satisfy the peak power demand of an electrical load (e.g. motor, appliance, machinery, tools, etc.) independent of the total amount of metal-fuel remaining within the system.