Abstract: A system for authenticating bank notes by checking for raised print (37) produced by an intaglio printing process which only occurs on genuine bank notes. Each note (36) is individually transported past a pair of brushes (38) whose bristles are in contact with the two faces of the note. Microphones (28) are placed in close proximity to the brush means to sense the noise from the brush means which increases when there is raised print. Output from the microphones are digitized and applied to a data processing means (22) which determines whether the note contains raised printing, and hence whether the note is genuine or not, by generating a value based on the digitized outputs of the microphones (28) and comparing this value with stored values.

Abstract: A housing for a portable electronic device which produces output on a display. A first body contains a chamber which contains electronic apparatus. Adjacent the first body is a second body, but spaced therefrom, to define a pocket in the space. A pin extends between the first and second bodies. The display rotates about the pin, in a single plane. The display rotates into the pocket for storage, and out of the pocket, for deployment.

Abstract: A keyboard includes a keyboard membrane where the membrane comprises a top layer, a spacer layer and a bottom layer. The spacer layer has interconnecting voids that are connected to the atmosphere by a common vent. A patch made of a hydrophobic material prevents water entering the keyboard membrane via the vent, but allows the air pressure inside the voids to remain balanced with the atmospheric air pressure.

Abstract: A system for deriving multiple channels from four-wire residential telephone wiring. The invention provides two voice channels and two, or more, data channels on common residential telephone wiring. The voice channels occupy a normal telephone bandwidth, in the range of approximately zero Hz to 3500 Hz. Within this channel placement, ordinary telephonic devices can use the channels, without a requirement of frequency-shifting. Above these voice-channel frequencies, data channels are provided, for internal communication within the residence.

Abstract: The invention concerns using multiple computers to hold a conference. Under the invention, an application program can run on a single computer, yet remote participants can issue commands to the program. Remote participants can watch the program operate, because the invention replicates the display window of the running program onto the displays of the remote computers. Any participant can make annotations on the participant's own computer display. The invention copies the annotations to the displays of the other participants.

Abstract: A method and system for remote collaboration is disclosed, wherein a host program running on a host computer is distinct from a remote program running on remote computers. The host program provides an output, and the remote program, which is distinct from the host program, presents the output on the display of the computers, provides input to the host program, annotates the display of the computers, replicates the display of one computer to another computer, and selectively blocks inputs to the program and annotations to the display.

Abstract: A speaker-phone telephone, in which a speaker-microphone unit is powered by wall current, and a separate telephone is separately powered, by telephone line current. The speaker-microphone unit contains a switch by which a user can call for a speaker-phone call. The switch initiates a signal, which is held in existence, until a microprocessor detects the signal, and removes it.

Abstract: A device for providing product information to customers of a retail establishment. The device is a hand-held unit which contains a detector which identifies a product located nearby. The identification can be accomplished through scanning a bar code affixed to the product. Once the product is identified, the device retrieves descriptive information about the product from memory, and displays the information to the customer.

Abstract: An improved Electronic Performance Support System, EPSS. A simplified prior-art EPSS can be viewed as a computerized system which divides a process, such as designing, building, and marketing an automobile, into individual stages. At each stage, the EPSS makes various tools available to users and, in general, the tools available at one stage are different than those available at other stages. Under the invention, different users examine various tools, select those considered best, and submit the selected tools to a common repository. Other users of EPSS's can withdraw and use the selected tools.

Abstract: The invention concerns establishing a video conference between a remote station, such as an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), and a central facility, such as a bank. At the bank, multiple AGENTs are available to handle incoming calls.These AGENTs receive incoming calls (which are non-video calls) through Automated Call Distribution equipment (ACD), known in the art. The ACD receives an incoming (non-video) call (from ATMs and other sources), locates a free AGENT, and delivers the incoming call to the free AGENT.Under the invention, an ATM places an ordinary telephone call to the ACD, which routes the call to the computer of a free AGENT. The call delivers a message requesting a video conference, and identifies the calling ATM. The free AGENT's computer then calls the ATM, via a high-bandwidth telephone channel, such as ISDN, and establishes the video conference.

Abstract: A high speed test fixture for testing printed circuit board (PCB)-mounted high speed pin grid array (PGA) chips attaches to the solder side (underside) of the PCB to eliminate the need for lead-lengthening adapter sockets. As a result, the testing can be conducted at the actual chip operating speed with reduced noise, rather than at slower speeds required by "noisy" prior art approaches.

Abstract: A system for reducing bandwidth of video signals. Ordinarily, an NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) video signal has (a) a bandwidth of 6.0 MHz, (b) chrominance and luminance carriers separated by about 3.58 MHz, and (c) an audio carrier located at the upper end of the 6.0 MHz bandwidth. The invention reduces the separation between chrominance and luminance carriers to about 2.15 MHz, and decreases the bandwidth to about 4.0 MHz. In addition, the invention moves the audio carrier outside the 4.0-MHz bandwidth. The invention allows multiple channels, of 4.0 MHz bandwidth each, to be placed adjacent each other in a cable television spectrum, and the audio signals of the channels to be placed together, at the upper end of the spectrum, outside the range allocated to the video information. A larger number of channels is obtained than would otherwise be available, because the upper end of the spectrum is not suitable for carrying video information, but will handle audio information.

Abstract: A system in which multiple computers engage in a collaborative video conference. One computer generates a common image which is distributed to the other computers. The invention allows the users of the other computers to annotate (that is, mark up, by drawings and text) the image at their respective computers. The invention replicates the annotations at the other computers.One type of annotation allowed is "highlighting," wherein a user drags a cursor across a display, and the invention leaves a colored trail behind the cursor, which is transparent, and does not obscure the underlying images.

Abstract: Improvement for an Electronic Performance Support System, EPSS. A simplified prior-art EPSS can be viewed as a computerized system which divides a process, such as designing, building, and marketing an automobile, into individual stages. At each stage, the EPSS makes various tools available to users and, in general, the tools available at one stage are different than those available at other stages. Under one form of the invention, tools for the EPSS are stored at remote locations, and retrieved through a public-access computer network, such as the Internet.

Abstract: The invention concerns remote sampling of video clips stored in a repository, such as a computer. The video clips, in principle, resemble video tapes, and contain both audio and video information. However, the video clips are stored in digital format.In sampling, a single video frame and a segment of audio information is transmitted to a remote computer. The single frame is displayed while the audio is played. The invention allows a user to retrieve an entire video clip after the sampling.

Abstract: A method and system for simultaneously recognizing contextually related images is disclosed. The image of two separate fields is captured to form two captured data images such as a word and numerical amount. Each captured image is cut to form a segmentation graph based on the cuts. The shortest path in each segmentation graph is found wherein the additive length corresponds to a score and is associated with each directed arc of the segmentation graph. The segmentation graphs are combined into a joint segmentation graph and the highest scoring mutually consistent interpretations are found.

Abstract: The invention concerns using multiple computers to hold a conference. Under the invention, an application program can run on a single computer, yet remote participants can issue commands to the program. Remote participants can watch the program operate, because the invention replicates the display window of the running program onto the displays of the remote computers. Any participant can make annotations on the participant's own computer display. The invention copies the annotations to the displays of the other participants.

Abstract: A video conferencing system, wherein multiple parties at different locations can view, and modify, a common image on their computer displays. The invention also provides a video camera at each computer, which takes a video picture of each party.The invention distributes data to all computers involved in the conference from which each computer can generate a display containing the common image, the modifications, and the video pictures.

Abstract: The invention concerns using multiple computers to hold a conference. Under the invention, an application program can run on a single computer, yet remote participants can issue commands to the program. Remote participants can watch the program operate, because the invention replicates the display window of the running program onto the displays of the remote computers. Any participant can make annotations on the participant's own computer display. The invention copies the annotations to the displays of the other participants.

Abstract: A module for executing SCSI commands. The module includes a computer process, and communicates with a SCSI bus, which carries SCSI commands. Ordinarily, the SCSI commands cause specific actions in SCSI devices: for example, a given SCSI command may cause a SCSI printer to eject a sheet of paper. The module also responds to the SCSI commands, but in a manner determined by its programming, and not necessarily consistent with SCSI conventions. For example, the module may respond to the command just identified by looking up the time-of-day, and presenting the time-of-day to the SCSI bus, for any interested parties to observe.