Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus embodied, for example, as a vending machine, including a controllably positioned suction hose dispenser for retrieving articles from a storage area. In one embodiment, a sensor having an output responsive to changes in partial pressure inside the air hose, such as an airflow sensor coupled to the suction-hose, can initially act to sense the timing of contact of the suction hose with an article to be dispensed. As long as suction is provided to the gripping end of the suction hose prior to the hose contacting the article to be retrieved, the airflow (and partial pressure) inside the hose will change dramatically as the gripping end of the suction hose makes contact with the article. Furthermore, at the moment when the gripping end of the suction hose is no longer in substantial contact with the article, the airflow sensor again provides an indication signal, due to the sudden change in airflow (and partial pressure) that occurs at the time within the hose.

Abstract: Apparatus for sealing a gap formed between the floor or other supporting surface and the base of a vending machine, which apparatus prevents the accumulation of debris, etc. under the base of the machine.

Abstract: The present inventions relates generally to improvements in article handling, such as in vending machines, and more particularly, to improvements in methods and apparatus for handling articles using a vacuum-type product lifting/dispensing mechanism, to improvements in article display panels which enhance sales of primary products, and to improvements in product containment systems which improve product storage capacity, as well as the ease and efficiency of product handling, access and loading into the article handling apparatus.

Abstract: A method for producing interpolated ultrasound images by storing at least two sequential ultrasound images and detecting the movement of objects of interest within two sequential images. A movement vector is then determined that describes the movement of each object within an image. One or more interpolated images are then produced by combining data from two sequential ultrasound images and the movement vectors. In addition, three-dimensional ultrasound images can be compensated for movement of a transducer or object of interest. At least two sequential ultrasound images are obtained and movement vectors are calculated for each object of interest. After determining the movement vectors, the images are compensated for the movement to realign the object of interest. The compensated images are then combined to produce three dimensional images.

Abstract: An adaptive filtering method and apparatus for reducing the level of an undesired noise component in an acquired physiological signal having a desired signal component. The acquired physiological signal is applied to one input of the adaptive filter, and a synthetic reference signal that is modeled so as to exhibit a correlation with the desired signal component is applied to another input of the adaptive filter. Thereafter, in a feedback manner, the adaptive filter iteratively adjusts the modeled synthetic reference signal so as to progressively generate a more accurate approximation of the desired signal component in the adaptive filter, which approximation becomes a reconstruction of the acquired physiological signal wherein the level of the undesired noise component is reduced.

Abstract: A scanning and data acquisition method and apparatus for three dimensional (3D) computerized tomography (CT) imaging of an ROI in an object, wherein data is calculated on a plurality of line segments L formed in cone beam projection data acquired on a detector at a plurality of source positions. The endpoints of the line segments L formed in the data acquired at each of the source positions is determined by a data combination mask having its bounds formed by cone beam projection onto the plane of the detector of portions of the source scan path that are above and below the source position that acquired the cone beam data in which the data for the line segments L are being calculated.

Abstract: A fastener comprising first and second separable members, for engaging an elongate element. Each member includes first and second complementary shaped partial-cylindrical portions formed on a facing side thereof. The first and second partial-cylindrical portions of the first member have outside dimensions that are complementarily dimensioned with respect to the inside dimensions of the first and second partial-cylindrical portions of the second member, so that the first and second partial-cylindrical portions of the first member selectively engage and nest within the first and second partial-cylindrical portions of the second member when the facing side of the first and second members are positioned towards each other. The elongate element is engaged between the first and second members of the fastener by an engagement area formed when one of the first and second partial-cylindrical portions are nested.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for three dimensional (3D) computerized tomographic (CT) imaging of a region-of-interest (ROI) in an object, wherein image reconstruction processing is applied to a plurality of sets of 2D cone beam projection data, each set being acquired on a 2D detector at a corresponding plurality of scan path source positions. A first image reconstruction processing step comprises applying a mask to each set of the projection data so that data inside the boundaries of each mask form a corresponding plurality of masked 2D data sets. Next, the data inside each masked 2D data set is filtered along a plurality of parallel lines formed therein, to generate a corresponding plurality of filtered 2D data sets. Each filtered 2D data set corresponds to a calculation of a first estimate of Radon derivative data determined from a given set of the 2D cone beam projection data. The next step comprises adaptively developing 2D correction data for each of the first estimates of Radon derivative data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for three dimensional (3D) computerized tomographic (CT) imaging of a region-of-interest (ROI) in an object, wherein image reconstruction processing is applied to a plurality of sets of pixels of 2D image data, each set being acquired on a pixelated 2D detector. The image reconstruction processing comprises filtering each of the acquired 2D image data sets for developing a corresponding plurality of filtered 2D images; and then 3D backprojecting the filtered 2D images into a common 3D space, thereby reconstructing in the 3D space a 3D image of the ROI in the object. In the present invention the filtering step comprises dividing the pixels of each set of the acquired 2D image data sets into first and second groups, and separately filtering the image data of each group to develop for each group it's own contribution to the corresponding filtered 2D image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating an electrically conductive path between ground conductors on a printed circuit board (PCB) and downwardly facing walls of an electromagnetic interference (EMI) housing, uses surface mountable conductive spring-like strips. A plurality of surface mount device receiving areas are provided at predetermined spaced positions along the ground conductors on the PCB, and a pick and place device is used for automatically positioning a plurality of the conductive spring-like strips at each of the surface mount device receiving areas, each strip having at least one upwardly facing engagement portion. Thereafter, the conductive spring-like strips are affixed on the PCB by, for example, wavesolder techniques. The engagement portion is adapted to engage and make electrically conductive contact with an abutting portion of an EMI housing during fastening of the EMI housing to the PCB.

Abstract: A scanning and data acquisition method and apparatus for three dimensional (3D) computerized tomographic (CT) imaging of a region-of-interest (ROI) in an object, wherein image reconstruction processing is applied to a plurality of sets of 2D cone beam projection data, each set being acquired on a 2D detector at a corresponding plurality of scan path source positions. A first image reconstruction processing step comprises applying a mask to each set of the projection data so that data inside the boundaries of each mask form a corresponding plurality of masked 2D data sets. The next step comprises ramp filtering of each masked 2D data set along a plurality of parallel lines formed therein, to generate a corresponding plurality of filtered 2D data sets. Each filtered 2D data set is a calculation of a first estimate of Radon derivative data determined from a given set of the 2D cone beam projection data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of operating a CT imaging apparatus having a cone beam radiation source and a 2D detector arrangement, for exactly reconstructing an image of a 3D region of interest (ROI) in an object. Measurement data acquired by the 2D detector is processed to develop sub-sets of Radon data. Each of the sub-sets of Radon data is targeted for reconstructing a corresponding local 2D ROI in a 2D parallel projection of the object. Accordingly, after a sub-set of Radon data is completely developed, it is subjected to a first inversion processing step for developing the corresponding local 2D ROI. Multiple ones of the local ROIs are then grouped together and subjected to a second inversion processing step to develop an image reconstruction of a part of the 3D ROI in the object.

Abstract: A method for automatically locating a desired region of interest (ROI) in an original digital image involving the use of histograms to determine a threshold that is used to generate a mask to detect the ROIs. Digital image intensity data is obtained and a histogram of the intensity data is formed. The threshold is determined by first determining a histogram point that represents the noise peak in the image intensity data and then setting the threshold to be the image intensity value following the noise peak that first exhibits a positive curvature. The threshold is used to create a mask from the original digital image, and contiguous areas of pixels are defined in the mask. At least one of these contiguous areas is determined to be a desired ROI.

Abstract: A heart rate value determined from a first physiological signal that is acquired independently from a second physiological signal, is used to control a band pass filter for controllably bandpass filtering the second physiological signal. In a system having sensors for independently acquiring both electrocardiogram (ECG) and pulse oximetry (SpO2) signals, a heart rate value determined from the ECG signal is used to controllably bandpass filter the red and infrared SpO2 signals, thereby reducing the level of artifact signal in the SpO2 signals.

Abstract: Delays in event detection in time-varying data can be reduced by predicting the time-varying data and then detecting the event in the predicted data. This finds application in the triggering of medical imaging devices, where physiological events can be detected in the time-varying data. An artificial neural network can be trained to predict data such as ECG signals from which a detection algorithm can accurately predict the occurrence of an event that will serve as a reference point for triggering.

Abstract: A computed tomographic imaging apparatus performs three-dimensional (3D) image reconstruction of a region of interest of an object using a plurality of processors for processing successive sets of cone beam measurement data that are acquired by scanning about the object with a cone beam radiation source and an area detector. A central memory has stored therein a plurality of subsets of pre-calculated image processing information, and the plurality of processors are responsive to a given sequence of successive ones of the subsets of pre-calculated image processing information for converting the cone beam measurement data to Radon derivative data on a plurality of Radon .phi.-planes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for three dimensional computerized tomographic imaging of an object, wherein cone beam energy from a cone beam source is applied to at least a portion of an object to be imaged by causing relative rotational motion between the source and the object at a plurality of source positions along a path scanning trajectory. An area detector receives cone beam energy from the source on a plurality of detector elements arranged in an array of rows and columns, so that its detector elements develop a set of measurement signals at each of the plurality of source positions. Derivative Radon transform data is directly developing by multiplication of the measurement signals of each set by pre-calculated and stored weight factors. Thereafter, an image of the object is reconstructed using the directly developed Radon derivative data.

Abstract: A large universe of signals can be rapidly examined for a specific phenomenon by searching for a morphology representative of a subgroup of the universe. A detector for each such representative morphology is arranged in parallel to examine a signal input and provide an indication of positive identification a specific morphology.

Abstract: A monitor system of the type including at least one portable patient monitor for acquiring, processing and transferring patient data monitored from a patient, the system being distributed over at least two geographically separate patient monitoring areas which are interconnected via a communication network having a network node connection in each of the areas. A patient monitor docking station located in one of the patient monitoring areas provides for transmission of patient data from the portable patient monitor to the network via a selective coupling of the portable patient monitor to the network node connection. The docking station provides, in addition to the selective coupling to the portable monitor and apparatus for transferring patient data between the portable monitor and the docking station, a memory for storing network related information and transferring the network related information to the portable monitor when it is coupled to the docking station.

Abstract: Apparatus for synchronizing a reference clock signal received from a host system with an A/D converter clock signal generated in a data acquisition pod. The pod includes a decoder responsive to communication received from the host for extracting a host reference signal, and a clock signal source for developing an A/D reference clock signal having a frequency that is different from the frequency of the host reference signal. A pulse modifying digital phase-locked loop (PLL) is responsive to the A/D reference clock signal and the host reference signal for developing an A/D clock signal for an A/D converter in which one of its clock periods is periodically modified, thereby locking the rate at which the A/D converter develops samples to the rate at which the host system requests samples.