Abstract: An electron gun as for a cathode ray tube includes a plurality of electrodes biased at different potentials to electrostatically shape and focus the one or more electron beams produced thereby. A dynamic focus grid is driven by a substantial ac voltage signal at the horizontal line rate, which signal is undesirably coupled through parasitic capacitance to an intermediate grid located between the dynamic focus grid and the gun anode. A resistive biasing network includes a high value resistance to divide the anode potential to develop bias potential for the intermediate grid and a capacitance to ac couple the intermediate grid to ground potential. The resistance is formed in a single layer ceramic circuit and the capacitance is formed on the single layer ceramic circuit or on the tube neck. The ceramic circuit may be located in the tube neck on or with the electron gun.

Abstract: A plural-beam cathode ray tube includes an electron gun directing electrons towards a faceplate having an electrode biased at screen potential. The electron beam is magnetically deflected to scan across the faceplate to impinge upon a pattern of phosphors thereon to produce light of different colors depicting an image. A first conductive coating near the tube neck is biased below screen potential and a second conductive coating between the neck electrode and the faceplate is biased at screen potential. A gap between the first and second conductive coatings varies in distance from the faceplate so as to be non-Z-planar. The non-Z-planar gap is preferably partly within the region wherein electrons are deflected by the magnetic deflection yoke and partly more proximate the faceplate than such deflection region.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for embedding data in an encoded video bitstream, for example, an MPEG or MPEG-like bitstream, wherein the bitstream includes redundantly coded syntax element values of which one is an overriding value, includes mandatorily coding the syntax element overriding value and replacing the non-overriding syntax element value with the data to be embedded. Apparatus for embedding data in such bitstream includes a coder creating the coded video bitstream with such value mandatorily coded in the overriding syntax element position therein, and a data inserter for inserting the data to be embedded into the non-overriding syntax element position. In an MPEG compressed bitstream, the quantization scale code (QSC) value is mandatorily explicitly coded in the first coded macroblock following a slice header and the embedded data is inserted into the QSC position in the slice header.

Abstract: A tiled display structure is formed containing a plurality of image tiles. A method for assembling a tiled display structure that includes a transparent front panel and a plurality of image tiles is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: (1) heating a heat activated adhesive to a working temperature; (2) applying the softened adhesive to the front surface of the display section of an image tile, or the inner surface of the transparent front panel; (3) aligning the surface of the display section of the image tile with the inner surface of the transparent front panel; (4) cooling the adhesive. Another aspect of the invention is a modular method of repairing a tiled display structure, which includes a transparent front panel, a heat activated adhesive, and a plurality of image tiles.

Abstract: Error correction in a data transmission system transmitting data as a sequence of data packets, each data packet containing a number of data bytes, employs parity bytes generated for each data byte in each data packet (e.g., row parity bytes) in conjunction with parity bytes for certain data bytes in predetermined data byte positions over a number of data packets (column data bytes). In a transmission arrangement, row parity bytes are generated and transmitted in a principal data channel along with the data packets, and column parity bytes are generated and transmitted in an ancillary data channel. In a receiver arrangement, row parity bytes are decoded in a principal data channel along with the data packets, and column parity bytes are decoded in an ancillary data channel and are employed to correct the data bytes in the principal data channel. A transmission system includes a transmission arrangement and a receiver arrangement communicating via a transmission medium.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed that estimate the brightness or other feature values of unchanging or slowly changing regions of an image in a sequence of video images even when the regions is obscured by objects over large portions of the video sequence. The apparatus and method generate a histogram for each image region position over a plurality of image frames in the sequence. The mode, or most frequently occurring value, of the image region as indicated by the histogram is selected as representing the unchanging portion of the image. The mode values of all of the regions are then assembled to form a composite image of the unchanging or slowly changing feature values. According to one method, the histogram is generated using a recursive filter. In order to process images that exhibit some motion from frame to frame, the images in the video sequence may be aligned before generating the histogram.

Abstract: A passband equalizer that performs blind equalization upon a complex signal, e.g., a vestigial sideband (VSB) signal, without using a training sequence. The passband equalizer contains a decision directed equalizer (DFE) that operates upon separate in phase (I) and quadrature phase (Q) signals using a filter for the I signal and a filter for the Q signal without using filters for cross components of the I and Q signals. As such, the DFE contains approximately half of the multipliers and adders that are used in prior art DFEs.

Abstract: A photonic device including: at least first and second optical waveguides; and, a buffer at least partially interposed between the first and second optical waveguides where they at least partially overlie one-another so as to at least partially mitigate interference between optical signals traversing the first and second optical waveguides.

Abstract: A cathode ray tube includes an electron gun directing electrons away from a faceplate having an electrode biased at screen potential. One or more electromagnets located on or near the rear wall of the tube envelope are biased with dc currents so that the electron beam (three beams in a color tube) is deflected by the magnetic field produced thereby to impinge upon the faceplate. The electron beam is magnetically deflected over a relatively small angle as it exits the electron gun to scan across the faceplate to impinge upon phosphors thereon to produce light depicting an image or information. The electromagnet closest the electron gun is typically biased to produce a strong magnetic field to deflect electrons to the faceplate near to the electron gun. The electromagnets more distant the electron gun produce magnetic fields to direct electrons towards the faceplate, with the electromagnet most distant the electron gun deflecting the electrons to tend to increase the landing angle thereof on the faceplate.

Abstract: A cathode ray tube deflection yoke is provided wherein the deflection yoke includes a plurality of deflection coils. One or more of the deflection coils have a non-constant distribution of turns, whereby an electron beam passing through the deflection yoke is deflected by a magnetic field that varies according to different numbers of turns relative to position of electrons of the electron beam between the entrance and exit of the deflection yoke. The non-constant turns distribution may be linear or non-linear, may be monotonic or non-monotonic, and/or may have a positive or negative turns bias, either in whole or in part. The horizontal deflection coil and/or the vertical deflection coil, or both, may have a non-constant turns distribution.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is an exemplary wavelength selective optical coupling device. This exemplary device includes two waveguides, a ring or disc resonator, and resonator coupling elements. The waveguides are disposed on top of a substrate, not in contact with each other. The waveguides may transmit multiple wavelengths of light. The ring or disc resonator includes a dielectric member which extends parallel to the top of the substrate and overlaps, without contacting, the waveguides. The resonator is sized to resonate at a subset of resonant wavelengths. The resonator coupling elements couple the resonator to the substrate. The resonator coupling elements may include a bridge coupled to the top surface of the substrate and electrically coupled to control circuitry within the substrate. A waveguide coupling signal from the control circuitry causes the bridge to deform, translating the resonator up and down, thereby intermittently coupling and decoupling the waveguides.

Abstract: When two or more different video streams a e compressed for concurrent transmission of multiple compressed video bitstreams over a single shared communication channel, control over both (1) the transmission of data over the shared channel and (2) the compression processing that generates the bitstreams is exercised taking into account the differing levels of latency required for the corresponding video applications. For example, interactive video games typically require lower latency than other video applications such as video streaming, web browsing, and electronic mail. A multiplexer and traffic controller takes these differing latency requirements, along with bandwidth and image fidelity requirements, into account when controlling both traffic flow and compression processing.

Abstract: A micromechanical optical switch structure, that may be integrated to form an array of optical switches, switches light between a main waveguide and a switched waveguide. The switched waveguide has a coupling portion and two flexible portions and is coupled to a movable cantilever arm. The cantilever arm is configured to move at least the coupling portion of the switched waveguide between first and second positions with respect to the main waveguide. In the first position, the switched waveguide is evanescently coupled to the main waveguide and in the second position, the switched waveguide is not evanescently coupled to the main waveguide. The movable cantilever arm may be formed with bimaterial arms that move the switched waveguide in response to heat or a piezoelectric potential being applied to the arm or they may be formed with an electrostatic plate that moves the arms in response to an electrostatic potential.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for resolving relative times-of-arrival of a plurality of light pulses includes a plurality of drift-field detectors. Each drift-field detector includes a light sensor and a semiconductor drift region. Each light sensor generates an electrical charge from at least one of the plurality of light pulses. Each semiconductor drift region receives the electrical charge from its respective light sensor and, pursuant to an electric field therein, produces a spatial charge distribution. The spatial charge distribution for each of the semiconductor drift regions is stored in an analog storage device associated therewith. The relative positions of the charge distributions in the semiconductor drift regions are used to calculate the relative times-of-arrival of the light pulses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assessing the visibility of differences between two input signal sequences, e.g., image sequences is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a perceptual metric generator having an input signal processing section, a luminance processing section, a chrominance processing section and a perceptual metric generating section. The luminance processing section simultaneously processes at least two image fields, so as to provide spatio-temporal channels whose calibration is independent of pure-spatial and pure-temporal channels.

Abstract: Solid oxide fuel cells made by coating a slurry of an electrolyte having a limited amount of organic material onto a carrier tape, depositing a one or two layer electrode material on the tape sufficient to support the electrolyte layer, removing the tape, screen printing a second electrode layer on the exposed surface of the electrolyte layer, and firing the layers at a temperature of 1100-1300° C. The resultant fired fuel cell can be mounted on an interconnector comprising a base plate, grooves formed in one face of the base plate, a porous conductive ceramic contact layer between the base plate and an overlying blocking layer of a porous conductive layer to provide electrical contact between the base plate and the blocking layer, or an interconnector having a fired green tape stack having conductive via contacts and air and gas flow channels formed therein. A sealing glass bonds the overlying layers to the base plate.

Abstract: A process for forming a portion of a charge coupled device (CCD) is described. More particularly, wells (105) are formed self-aligned under gate stacks (132, 134). By forming wells (105) self-aligned to respective first and second gates (107, 207) of gate stacks (132, 134), potential for misalignment is reduced. First gates (107) of gate stacks (132) may be coupled together, and second gates (207) of gate stacks (134) may be coupled together, and these first and second gates (107, 207) may be coupled to respective signal sources (23, 24) to form a two-phase CCD.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing a broadband, wireless network comprising residential communications gateway that accepts all incoming communications signals and securely broadcasts those signals throughout a residence. Each communications appliance within the residence is outfitted with a receiver that decodes the broadcast signals and couples the signals to the input terminals of the associated communications appliance. The system is completely “plug-and-play” such that a user can quickly and easily utilize the gateway for many communications appliances.

Abstract: A pipelined parallel processor (PPP) integrated circuit includes a filtering unit, internal routing circuitry such as a crosspoint switch, an internal frame store controller, and one or more function circuits. The function circuits include, for example, arithmetic units, lookup tables, timing compensators, adders/subtractors, statistics modules, image shifting circuitry, and other useful processing devices. The components of the PPP are interconnected with the crosspoint switch that routes data among the frame store controller, filtering unit, function circuits, external input channels, and external output channels. The internal frame store controller includes a plurality of programmable video line store memories that are coupled to an external field or frame store memory. Each line store memory may be programmed to provide data to, or receive data from one of the PPP components by a controller and to transfer the data from or to the memory, respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for implementing object motion segmentation and object trajectory segmentation for an image sequence. Specifically, block-based motion vectors for a pair of adjacent frames are used to derive optical flow, e.g., affine, motion parameters. Such optical flow motion parameters are employed to determine key objects where their motion and trajectory within a sequence of frames are calculated and stored. Such object motion information is used to improve or offer image processing functions such as context-based indexing of the input image sequence by using motion-based information.