Abstract: A one-piece stackable container restraining apparatus incorporates a flat surface and four legs. The restraining apparatus can be used on the crest of a roof or on other surfaces. The stackable feature is used to accommodate roofs of differing pitches and to create a more stable combination. In certain embodiments attachment holes are utilized for ease in transportation and movement. Additionally, the container restraining apparatus can be used on a flat surface to prevent overturning of the container during transportation, such as paint buckets transported in a truck or van. Mounting holes on each leg can be used to accommodate a variety of fixtures such as wheels or articulating pads.

Abstract: A one-piece stackable container restraining apparatus incorporates a flat surface and four legs. The restraining apparatus can be used on the crest of a roof or on other surfaces. The stackable feature is used to accommodate roofs of differing pitches and to create a more stable combination. In certain embodiments attachment holes are utilized for ease in transportation and movement. Additionally, the container restraining apparatus can be used on a flat surface to prevent overturning of the container during transportation, such as paint buckets transported in a truck or van. Mounting holes on each leg can be used to accommodate a variety of fixtures such as wheels or articulating pads.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are utilized to incrementally encrypt stored information, and can be applied to an existing medium storing unencrypted information. Information can be conditionally encrypted and/or decrypted as necessary and a separate storage area can be used to record whether a given block of information is stored encrypted or unencrypted. An embodiment of the present invention can be used as a retrofit device in a mechanism to encrypt information without causing undue interruption of normal operations. A variety of mechanisms and policies can also be used to manage, set and eliminate encryption keys.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for offering and selling items based on a non-public target price. The target price is initially established in advance for a given item and is not known to potential buyers. Offers for the item are accepted and a transaction is completed if an offer exceeds or is equal to the target price. A target price sale may be conducted in conjunction with a traditional auction that includes a reserve price, during which bids are accepted in a traditional manner. The establishment of a target price allows the seller to define an acceptable price in a private sale independent of circumstances, and the non-public nature of the target price allows the seller to control the process. In the case that a traditional auction is also conducted, the existence of both target sale and auction phases can maximize the expected sale price of the item.

Abstract: Vehicle headlamp illumination is monitored and data is communicated to a host control unit. The host control unit implements a network accessible user interface to communicate with a user computer, which can include a graphical display of illumination information as well as a numerical indication of an automatically detected location of the edge of the headlamp beam. The network accessible user interface can also include the capability to manually audit the headlamp beam by allowing a user to specify a headlamp beam location, which will then update system parameters. The network accessible user interface may be a web-based interface where the host control unit implements a web server and the user computer is running a web browser. The system can include a collection of intelligent, independent sensor units, each incorporating a vertical array of sensing elements capable of detecting headlamp illumination.

Abstract: A light baffle arrangement for sensors is used to limit the sensing field of view. Arranging multiple said limited view sensors in a linear array provides a means to accurately locate and analyze the position of a beam pattern along said array axis as in checking vehicle headlamp beam alignment.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and an apparatus for three dimensional modeling to allow dense depth maps to be recovered, without previous knowledge of the surface reflectance, from only a single pair of stereo images. Several initial steps are performed for stereo and radiometric calibration and rectification for obtaining accurate results. The apparatus for the stereo images acquisition includes internal light sources, these are automatically commuted by a illumination control in order to fulfill the reciprocity property, a stereo camera head composed by the necessary optics to acquire the reciprocal stereo images and a compatible PC interface. The invention is faster than other systems since it requires only two images for obtaining a dense depth model of objects with an arbitrary surface reflectance distribution allowing the system to be used in a wide range of applications such as metrology, quality control, medical and dynamic three dimensional modeling.

Abstract: A method and apparatus allows offering and selling items based on a non-public target price. The target price is initially established in advance for a given item and is not known to potential buyers. Offers for the item are accepted and a transaction is completed if an offer exceeds or is equal to the target price. A target price sale may be conducted in conjunction with a traditional auction. During such an auction-phase, bids are accepted in a traditional manner and the item is sold if the ending bid is higher than a reserve price. The establishment of a target price allows the seller to define an acceptable price in a private sale independent of circumstances, and the non-public nature of the target price allows the seller to control the process. In the case that a traditional auction is also conducted, the existence of both target sale and auction phases can maximize the expected sale price of the item.

Abstract: Headlamp alignment is detected using a collection of intelligent, independent sensor units, each of which incorporates a vertical array of sensing elements capable of detecting headlamp illumination. The sensor units are networked together and can be coupled to a host controller. The host controller can provide a user interface via a touch screen and a Web server, and can further communicate with a plant network for interfacing with manufacturing databases. The network of sensor units can accommodate four or more sensors, which allows multiple vehicles and multiple headlamp types to be audited without physical movement of the sensor units. The sensor units are low in power consumption and can receive power over the same cable providing network communication. Incorporation of non-volatile memory within the sensor units allows factory data to be recorded within each sensor unit and permits convenient replacement of units in the field.

Abstract: Headlamp alignment is detected using a collection of intelligent, independent sensor units, each of which incorporates a vertical array of sensing elements capable of detecting headlamp illumination. The sensor units are networked together and can be coupled to a host controller. The host controller can provide a user interface via a touch screen and a Web server, and can further communicate with a plant network for interfacing with manufacturing databases. The network of sensor units can accommodate four or more sensors, which allows multiple vehicles and multiple headlamp types to be audited without physical movement of the sensor units. The sensor units are low in power consumption and can receive power over the same cable providing network communication. Incorporation of non-volatile memory within the sensor units allows factory data to be recorded within each sensor unit and permits convenient replacement of units in the field.

Abstract: A power source, a primary inductor, a load capacitance, and one or more tuned branch resonators and switching devices are coupled to generate pulses which represent a superposition of sinusoidal waveforms. The primary inductor is connected between the power source and the load. At the start of each cycle the load is coupled to ground and each tuned-branch resonators is reinitialized to re-energize the circuits and to stabilize the waveform when the frequencies of the sinusoidal waveforms are non-periodic.

Abstract: A power source, a primary inductor, a load capacitance, and one or more tuned branch resonators and switching devices are coupled to generate pulses which represent a superposition of sinusoidal waveforms. The primary inductor is connected between the power source and the load. At the start of each cycle the load is coupled to ground and each tuned-branch resonators is reinitialized to re-energize the circuits and to stabilize the waveform when the frequencies of the sinusoidal waveforms are non-periodic.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and an apparatus for three dimensional modeling to allow dense depth maps to be recovered, without previous knowledge of the surface reflectance, from only a single pair of stereo images. Several initial steps are performed for stereo and radiometric calibration and rectification for obtaining accurate results. The apparatus for the stereo images acquisition includes internal light sources, these are automatically commuted by a illumination control in order to fulfill the reciprocity property, a stereo camera head composed by the necessary optics to acquire the reciprocal stereo images and a compatible PC interface. The invention is faster than other systems since it requires only two images for obtaining a dense depth model of objects with an arbitrary surface reflectance distribution allowing the system to be used in a wide range of applications such as metrology, quality control, medical and dynamic three dimensional modeling.

Abstract: An auxiliary suspension system operating on stages of loaded rubber for axles of vehicles in general includes a pair of concentric tubes, one outer and one inner, with rubber applied to the surfaces of contact. As the tubes turn one inside the other, they put the rubber into torsion. The system can have two integrated phases or it can be a hybrid system. The suspension system connects the vehicle chassis to the axle of the wheels using a lever arm attached to the outer tube and a support that holds the inner tube and a system of torsion control at the other end.

Abstract: A power source, a primary inductor, a load capacitance, and one or more tuned branch resonators and switching devices are coupled to generate pulses which represent a superposition of sinusoidal waveforms. The primary inductor is connected between the power source and the load. At the start of each cycle the load is coupled to ground and each tuned-branch resonators is reinitialized to re-energize the circuits and to stabilize the waveform when the frequencies of the sinusoidal waveforms are non-periodic.

Abstract: A system for transmitting messages from a caller location to a receiver location using a plurality of computers 11 each coupled to another through a network such as the Internet. The system also has a plurality of access devices 13a-13l, which are coupled to the network through a telecommunication line. These access devices include computers, workstations, and the like. Each access device includes a voice conversion board for converting a voice message from a telephone device 17, 19 into digital data for transmission through the network.

Abstract: An apparatus for expanding I/O is described in which no additional strobes or enable lines are necessary from the host controller. By sequencing data in a specific way when output to two existing data or select lines, an expansion I/O device can generate a strobe or enable signal internally. This internal strobe or enable signal is then used to store output data or enable input data. The host controller needs software or firmware to perform the data sequencing, but no additional wires are needed, and no changes are needed to existing peripheral devices. Thus, an existing system can be expanded when there are no additional control lines available and no unused states in existing signals.

Abstract: An auxiliary suspension system operating on stages of loaded rubber for axles of vehicles in general includes a pair of concentric tubes, one outer and one inner, with rubber applied to the surfaces of contact. As the tubes turn one inside the other, they put the rubber into torsion. The system can have two integrated phases or it can be a hybrid system. The suspension system connects the vehicle chassis to the axle of the wheels using a lever arm attached to the outer tube and a support that holds the inner tube and a system of torsion control at the other end.

Abstract: A mechanism processes memory reads and writes in a packet processor. Each memory access has an associated sequence number and information is maintained allowing the detection of memory conflicts. The mechanism is placed between a processing element and a memory system such that write data is buffered and both reads and writes are recorded. When a memory conflict is detected, based on a strict or alternate ordering model, a restart signal is generated and the entries for the associated sequence number are flushed. When the work associated with a sequence number has completed, a signal is made so that associated write data can be sent to the memory system and the entries for that sequence number can be flushed.

Abstract: A mechanism processes memory reads and writes in a packet processor. Each memory access has an associated sequence number and information is maintained allowing the detection of memory conflicts. The mechanism is placed between a processing element and a memory system such that write data is buffered and both reads and writes are recorded. When a memory conflict is detected, based on a strict or alternate ordering model, a restart signal is generated and the entries for the associated sequence number are flushed. When the work associated with a sequence number has completed, a signal is made so that associated write data can be sent to the memory system and the entries for that sequence number can be flushed.