Abstract: An oven conveyor alignment system for maintaining a conveyor belt centered on its supporting rollers is disclosed. The system comprises a camera that generates an image of alignment and stores it as a digital pixel representation. Thus, the system is able to take advantage of new improvements in digital camera resolution. The image information is used by interactive software that is able to transmit an electrical signal to a tension adjustment assembly.

Abstract: An adaptive contrast enhancement (ACE) method and apparatus provide a natural enhancement in accordance with the time-varying characteristics of a video sequence. Characteristics of a time varying video sequence are specified and a nonlinear transform over the input video sequence is performed to enhance mainly the contrast of the input. A probability density function (PDF) of a time varying input video sequence is computed and then some predetermined video parameters relating to contrast is extracted from the PDF. Based upon the extracted video parameters, a nonlinear transform function is then constructed and updated as a look up table (LUT), which is synchronized with the associated video picture or field SYNC signal. The transform LUT is then applied to the input video to provide an enhanced video output signal.

Abstract: A grid detector detects the existence and the location of grids in DCT compressed videos. When a grid is detected in the input video, a post-processor is turned on and the de-blocking processing is applied on the grid detected by the grid detector. When no grid is detected, indicating that the input video is either an uncompressed video or an already de-blocked video, post-processing turned off to avoid degrading the picture quality.

Abstract: An automated, location-based, dynamic notification system comprises a mobile unit hardware device and a control center computer facility with communication capabilities. The mobile unit comprises a position module, a location processor, an action processor, a data module, and an I/O module. The control center comprises a system processor, a communication module, and a master database. The system provides notifications of arriving, approaching, leaving, entering, and any other types of location-related notifications, which are issued in an automatic, unattended manner. The illustrated embodiments of the invention are based on location and thus are used in a dynamic routing situation where both route patterns and stop locations change frequently while the object is moving.

Abstract: A method for providing user interfaces in a first network including first devices interconnected via a communication medium and an interface device connecting the first network to a second network having interconnected second devices providing services. The user interfaces are for controlling the devices that are currently connected to the first network and communication with devices that are currently connected to the second network. The method includes: (a) obtaining information from first devices currently connected to the first network, the information including device information; (b) obtaining information from second devices via the interface device, about the services of second devices connected to the second network; (c) generating a user interface description in one or more of the first devices based on the obtained information.

Abstract: A video noise reduction system for a set of video frames that computes a first motion signal using a current frame and multiple consecutive previous frames, computes a second motion signal using the current frame and the processed preceding frame; computes the multi-frame temporal average of the current frame and multiple consecutive previous frames; computes the recursive average of the current frame and the processed preceding frame; generates a temporal filtered signal by soft switching between the multi-frame temporal average and the recursive average based on the first motion signal; applies a spatial filter to the current frame to generate a spatial filtered signal; and combines the temporal filtered signal and the spatial filtered signal based on the second motion signal to generate a final noise reduced video output signal.

Abstract: A system and method for compensating for the time delay between the in-phase I and the quadrature Q paths of a digitally modulated transmitter incorporating an analog quadrature modulator is disclosed. The time delay between the in-phase I and the quadrature Q paths is computed and used to calibrate a set of interpolation filters in the forward path that compensate for this delay, reducing the frequency dependent degradation in performance of the analog quadrature modulator. The disclosed system and method provides improved compensation of gain, phase and DC offsets in the analog quadrature modulator over a broader bandwidth. Fractional delay interpolation filters may be used to estimate the delay between the in-phase and quadrature paths. This eliminates the need for a factory calibration procedure, speeding up manufacture and reducing costs.

Abstract: An RF amplifier system employing an analog predistortion module is disclosed. The disclosed analog predistortion module is based on zero crossings of the gain error curves (AM—AM and AM-PM curves minus DC). The hardware structure uses the product of first-order functions avoiding the need for large differential swings in the coefficients to shape the lower part of the gain curves. The higher-order nonlinear functions are preferably derived from a single envelope detector. An equal number of multipliers are preferably used in each path when the order of the magnitude and phase corrections are equal or differ by one, thus reducing delay mismatches between the magnitude and phase correction signals.

Abstract: A system and method for signal peak reduction in a multiple carrier communication system where the individual carriers are produced from input symbols that are filtered to reduce individual carrier bandwidths, offset in frequency, and combined into an output signal. A multiple carrier peak reduction unit is provided which modifies the input carrier symbols so that the combined output signal does not exceed a predetermined peak limit value. The multiple carrier peak reduction unit includes filter predictors that predict the effect of each channel filter on that carriers input symbols by using filter coefficient values corresponding to the impulse response function of each filter. The filter predictor outputs are then phase shifted, in correspondence to frequency offsets provided for in multiple carrier signal generation, and combined to produce a prediction of the combined signal output which is then processed to determine the corrections required to the individual channel symbol inputs.

Abstract: The website hosted by the server is a collection of separately recorded musical tracks with the music containing a minimum of at least one musical instrument or vocal. Users may record additional tracks of music to add to a primary track. There is one primary track and up to six accompaniment or comptracks. The server allows the client to add one or more tracks to any other tracks for a given song title within the database. Separate tracks then selected by the client and mixed in the mixer into a single sound recording which is then communicated over the server across the internet to the client so the client may hear the finished or composite mixed musical work. If the mixed or composite composition is not to the liking of the user, then different tracks may be selected or rerecorded mixed in sample again.

Abstract: An integrated micropump or a plurality of integrated micropumps are communicated to a plurality of analysis chambers. A plurality of integrated analysis chambers include integrated analysis devices to test a fluid for an analyte. The micropumps continuously or periodically pump the fluid into the analysis chambers and flush the analysis chambers after analysis of the analyte. In one embodiment, the analysis device comprises an integrated LED and an integrated optical detector. The LED and detector are tuned to an optical absorption line of the analyte. The micropumps are composed of nitrides of B, Al, Ga, In, Tl or combinations thereof and fabricated using photoelectrochemical techniques. The analysis chambers, and micropumps including the analysis devices are simultaneously fabricated during which fabrication of the micropumps and the analysis devices are masked from the photoelectrochemical techniques.

Abstract: A feed forward amplifier and method of amplification are disclosed. The amplifier output is used to generate a pilot signal via feedback using uncancelled noise in the amplifier output. An automatic level control circuit maintains the pilot signal at a substantially constant level when the detected uncancelled noise in the amplifier output is above a threshold level. The generated pilot signal strength is allowed to vary when the detected uncancelled noise in the amplifier output is below the threshold and disappears automatically when the amplifier is aligned.

Abstract: A reflector for a light source, such as an LED, is provided with a shape which efficiently collects and directs energy to an illumined surface whereby almost 100% of the light is collected and distributed into a designer composite beam. The shape in one embodiment is comprised of three zones beginning with a parabolic surface of revolution at the base of the reflector, followed by a transition or straight conic zone and ending with an elliptical zone. In another embodiment the reflector shape is determined according to a transfer function which allows for arbitrary designer control of the reflected rays at each point on the reflector, which when combined with direct radiation from the source, results in a designer controlled composite beam or illumination. The device is more than 90% energy efficient and allows replacement of higher power, less energy efficient light sources with no loss in illumination intensity.

Abstract: A dual loop feedforward power amplifier. A dual loop feedforward power amplifier, comprising an input that provides a multicarrier signal; a first feedforward power amplifier; and a second feedforward power amplifier, wherein the first feedforward power amplifier serves as a main amplifier gain block in the second feedforward power amplifier, wherein the first feedforward power amplifier comprises a carrier cancellation loop and a first error amplifier loop, and wherein the second feedforward power amplifier comprises a third loop and a fourth loop that cancel small signal distortions that are not reduced by the first feedforward amplifier.

Abstract: A decorative device, such as a cornice, for crowing a variety of architectural structures also having modular and interchangeable components is disclosed. In one embodiment, a cornice comprises a horizontal base unit having a face section, a top and a bottom, and one or more interchangeable decorative modules. A decorative centerpiece for the cornice is also disclosed. Additionally, the disclosure includes novel means for attaching particular components to one another. In the preferred embodiments, the components are wood.

Abstract: The invention is illustrated as an underwater acoustic transducer comprising an active acoustic element for transducing sound and electrical signals; a front and rear housing element disposed on each side of the active acoustic element to define a corresponding front and rear acoustic chamber on each side of the active acoustic element; and a rear cover disposed on the rear housing element to provide tuning of the corresponding rear acoustic chamber. In the method of manufacturing the an underwater acoustic transducer, the method includes the step of selecting a port diameter and/or thickness of the front and rear housing elements according to an empirically tuned acoustic performance of the underwater acoustic transducer in combination with the facemask, helmet or headgear in or on which the underwater acoustic transducer is mounted.

Abstract: A system and method for post filtering signal peak reduction adapted for use in a communication system incorporating a source of a communication signal band limited in a manner corresponding to a spectral band to which the communication system is limited. A first signal path receives as an input the band limited communication signal. A second parallel signal path includes a peak reduction calculation unit for calculating a peak reduction correction signal and a filter providing a filtering operation on the peak reduction correction signal corresponding to the spectral band to which the communication system is limited. The filtered peak reduction correction signal and delayed input signal are combined to provide peak adjusted output signals without violating the band limits of the communication signal or the modulation scheme of the communication signal.