Abstract: Affine image transformations are performed in an interleaved manner, whereby coordinate transformations and intensity calculations are alternately performed incrementally on small portions of an image. The pixels are processed in rows such that after coordinates of a first pixel are determined for reference, each pixel in a row, and then pixels in vertically adjacent rows, are processed relative to the coordinates of the previously processed adjacent pixels. After coordinate transformation to produce affine translation, rotation, skew and/or scaling, intermediate metapixels are vertically split and shifted to eliminate holes and overlaps. Intensity values of output metapixels are calculated as being proportional to the sum of scaled portions of the intermediate metapixels which cover the output pixels respectively.

Abstract: A paperboard sheet has a longitudinal scoreline defining a narrow flap portion on one side thereof and a body potion on the other side. The sheet is packaged flat together with a set of tabbed dividers thereby protecting the dividers. With the sheet and dividers removed from the packaging, the flap portion is folded up ninety degrees on the scoreline to define a guide tray. The guide tray is inserted into a printer feed tray and the set of tabbed dividers is placed on the body portion with the tabs thereof abutting the upturned flap portion, and the feed tray guides adjusted. The flap guides the dividers as they are fed into the printer, preventing skewing thereof. Guide tray instructions are conveniently printed on the paperboard sheet. The guide tray can be used for guiding sheets, other than tabbed dividers, which have irregular longitudinal edges.

Abstract: An orthopaedic brace for supporting a selected portion of the anatomy including a unitarily molded support having substantially flexible areas, substantially rigid portions for providing splinting action and a support coupling unitarily molded with the support for holding the opposed edges toward one another and for adjustably and removably securing the support onto the selected portion of the anatomy.

Abstract: A CATV system including a CATV network, multiplicity of subscriber units, apparatus for transmitting over said CATV network encrypted information individually addressed to a subscriber unit and apparatus associated with each of said multiplicity of subscriber units for decoding the encrypted information addressed thereto.

Abstract: A training shoe includes an anchorage device (3) adapted secure to receive one or more elastic cords (5) against which a wearer may exert him or herself. Preferably, the anchorage device includes a hole (3) extending transversely through the sole (1) of the shoe and through which hole (3) one or more elastic cords (5) are threaded so as to form an elastic loop which may be pulled by the wearer as part of an exercise regime.

Abstract: A device for maintaining an erection of a penis has a flexible cuff around the penis. A line extends around the cuff. The line tightens or loosens the cuff around the penis. A bead, through which the line extends, locks the line so that cuff maintains the line and cuff in the tightened position. The cuff has multiple circumferentially ridges, and the line extend between two adjacent ridges. A bead also locks the line in the tightened position. The cuff provides a seal between the hose of a vacuum device and the penis so that the vacuum can cause an erection. While the vacuum is still applied, the line is tightened to constrict the penis so that the erection is maintained. Once the line is tightened, the vacuum hose can be removed. The user then can engage in sexual intercourse.

Abstract: A self-closing and self-sealing valve device for use with inflatable structures. The valve device comprises a pair of relatively flat plastic sheets which are disposed over one another in facewise engagement, and form an air inlet end and air outlet end, the latter of which is disposed in the inflatable structure. The valve is constructed by providing two longitudinal heat seals in proximity to the longitudinal margins of the pair of plastic sheets or strips. An adhesive zone is formed interiorly of the two longitudinal heat seals and causes a self-closing and self-sealing of the valve device. The adhesive zone further precludes any sealing of the two sheets in the adhesive zone during longitudinal sealing operations since sealing will not occur with the presence of the adhesive. In this way, since the two sheets are adhesively secured to one another, there is no back flow from the inflatable and deflatable structure outwardly of the structure even under low pressure condition.

Abstract: A motion-base ride simulator includes a passenger cabin which is carried by a plurality of actuators within a limited operating envelope. During operation of the ride the movements of the passenger cabin simulate G-forces associated with an audio-visual presentation to the passengers within the cabin. The combination of sight, sound, and feeling (i.e., G-forces) provides the passengers of the ride with a sense of riding on a vehicle, such as a racing car or rocket ship. In order to facilitate one or both of passenger ingress and egress of the cabin, the motion base is so associated with a stationary passenger platform that the passenger cabin may be moved to a passenger access position immediately adjacent to but not touching an adjacent edge of this platform. In this passenger access position of the cabin passengers may enter into or leave from the passenger cabin without use of a movable passenger platform.

Abstract: A machine for use in chemically processing printed circuit board work pieces includes an inner basin within an outer basin. The inner basin holds a chemical liquid bath through which the printed circuit board work pieces are passed by a conveyor in a horizontal orientation along an action line parallel to their own plane. The conveyor includes facilities to oscillate the work pieces perpendicularly to their plane in the chemical liquid bath to effect flow of the chemical liquid through holes and apertures of the work pieces. Part of the chemical liquid bath continuously drains from the inner basin to the outer basin as the chemical treatment process is in operation. An eductor draws liquid from the outer basin and effects a low-pressure, high-volume up-welling of liquid into the inner basin. In this way, stirring of the chemical liquid bath is effected, and both temperature and concentration stratification of the chemical liquid bath is avoided.

Abstract: The present invention's fog generating apparatus has a mixing chamber. A steam nozzle in the mixing chamber injects high pressure steam into the chamber. The injected steam entrains ambient air, pulling it through an air opening into the mixing chamber. The steam and air mix to form humid air. Cryogenic fluid, preferably liquid nitrogen, is injected through a nozzle, which is positioned in the path of the humid air. The cryogenic fluid rapidly cools the warm, humid air which generates large quantities of fog. Depending of the way the steam is injected and the design of the mixing chamber, the present invention can generate slow or fast moving fog.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for generating and placing clusters of cells for integrated circuit design includes providing a netlist including cells, and nets of wires interconnecting the cells. A metric is specified for measuring distance between cells as a function of netlist interconnections. A length of a net is the number of cells interconnected by said net minus one, and a distance between two cells is a sum of lengths of nets that provide a shortest path between the cells. A maximum cluster size criterion, such as maximum distance of a cell from the center of a cluster, is specified to provide a desired amount of overlap between clusters. Clusters of cells are generated, each cluster being generated by designating one of the cells as the center, processing the netlist using the metric to determine distances of cells from the center, and assigning cells having progressively increasing distances from the center to the cluster until the maximum cluster size criterion is reached.

Abstract: A body waste detector that includes a gas sensor adapted to detect the presence of at least one of gas associated with urine and gas associated with solid body waste and an indicator, operably connected to the gas sensor, adapted to provide an indication that waste has been detected. The detector may be used in combination with a remote alarm unit.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure with input/output gate voltage regulation and parasitic zener and junction diodes for protection against damage resulting from electrostatic discharge (ESD) events. The circuit includes a first protective FET connected between an input/output pad and a ground potential of the integrated circuit. A diode voltage regulator is also connected between the gate of the first protective FET and a reference potential of the integrated circuit. The first protective FET receives a voltage from its gate-drain overlap capacitance during an ESD event. The diode is operative during an ESD event to provide a sufficient voltage to the first FET gate to permit a desired ESD current flow through the first protective FET. In one embodiment the first FET is an NMOS device and the diode voltage regulator is a series of p-n forward biased diodes.

Abstract: A commercial trash bin (26) is fitted with a commercial trash bin lid (22), which has an opening in the front (23). A variety of interchangeable insert plates (80, 102, 140), may be mounted onto the lid to cover the opening. An insert plate (102) may be fixedly attached to the lid to completely close the opening, such that the lid may be used as a standard commercial trash bin lid. The insert plate (102) may alternatively be hinged to the lid and be spring-biased into a closed position. A user may push on the lid to rotate it open for inserting small objects into the bin without having to lift the full lid. Insert plates (80, 140) provide separate apertures, either for recyclable bottles and cans. Chutes (150) may be provided to direct material input through the opening (23), and a rain hood (160) may be mounted onto the lid to prevent rain from entering the opening.

Abstract: The port in a packet network switching system that a packet should be associated with is determined by retrieving packet address information for a packet that is to be transmitted. A predetermined number of bits from the packet address information is selected to use a hash key, which is used to compute a table address. The contents of the table at that address are compared with the packet address information. If it matches, the packet is transmitted over the port associated with that particular destination address. If it does not match, the table address is incremented by one, and the contents of the new table location identified by the incremented address are compared with the packet address information. A high speed digital video network apparatus which utilizes the hashing function is implemented on a single integrated circuit chip, and includes a network protocol processing system interconnection, compression/decompression circuits, and encoder/decoder circuits.

Abstract: A composite torroid forming cup for an automated torroid-forming apparatus has a molded plastic upper closure and a bottom reinforced cup section. The upper closure has a hinge pin and an upper non-stick partial torroid forming surface. The bottom reinforced cup section has a substantially rigid reinforcing subframe and a plastic outer body portion that may be molded about the subframe. The bottom reinforced cup section has a bottom non-stick, partial torroid-forming surface. A method of making a composite dough torroid forming cup has several steps. A flat reinforcing plate is perforated with a plurality of apertures, and studs are spot-welded in a spaced relation onto the reinforcing plate. The reinforcing plate is positioned on a forming die and is formed thereon. The reinforcing plate is positioned in a mold, and plastic is molded about the reinforcing plate to form a reinforced bottom cup section.

Abstract: A command system optically monitors the movement of a subject and provides command signals to a computer system to control a graphic of a graphical user interface displayed on a monitor such as an animated character in a video game. The command system has an optical detector unit which continuously scans a subject frame in which the subject is positioned. The subject frame is divided into sub-regions around the subject in which movement of the subject is detected, for example, an arm moving. A command unit receives and processes frame data from the optical detector unit. The command unit determines the velocity of any movement detected in any of the sub-regions and generates an appropriate command signal based on the velocity of the movement. The command unit may also use the direction of the movement in generating command signals. The command signals are then provided to the computer system to move and control the graphical user interface accordingly.

Abstract: A concrete form system in which a plurality of foam panels are interlocked transversely, horizontally and vertically by a plurality of connectors. The panels have opposed upper and lower ends, with a plurality of coplanar passages extending into the upper ends at regularly spaced intervals. An equal plurality of coplanar passages extend into the panels' lower ends at the same regularly spaced intervals to vertically align each upper end passage with a corresponding lower end passage. Each connector has a first bar which interconnects transversely opposed first and second parallel, vertically extending planar segments; and, a second bar interconnecting identical transversely opposed third and fourth parallel, vertically extending planar segments. A latticework interconnects the two bars in spaced parallel relationship and maintains separate coplanar alignment of (i) the first and third planar segments, (ii) the second and fourth planar segments, and (iii) the two bars.

Abstract: A binocular night vision device (BNVD) includes a pair of night vision monocular scopes which pivotally and adjustably depend from a central housing portion. The central housing portion and the two night vision monocular scopes cooperatively define a singular gas envelope, which allows the entire BNVD to be purged of moist air and back filled with dry nitrogen gas to prevent fogging while requiring only a single purging port. Further, the central housing portion contains a single battery and a single voltage step up circuit powering both image intensifier tube modules of the two monocular night vision scopes. In order to provide for interpupillary distance adjustment, the central housing portion and each of the monocular night vision scopes defines a sealed pivot mechanism which also allows for electrical connection between the central housing portion and each of the night vision scopes.