Abstract: A portable container includes flexible walls defining an interior compartment and a support feature within the interior compartment providing a surface to support an item within the interior compartment, where the item is suspended above a wall. In at least some implementations, one of the walls is a lower wall and the support feature holds the item above the lower wall. In other implementations, a container includes a plurality of walls connectable together to define an interior compartment. At least two separate walls are selectively movable to and from open and closed positions. One movable wall is an upper wall and another movable wall is a wall adjacent to the upper wall. This permits, for example, items to be loaded into and unloaded from the container both through the top and through a front, rear or side wall.

Abstract: The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer-implemented methods for applying correction macros to a clearing payment instrument image. An example method includes identifying a correction macro including one or more image processing actions to apply to a first clearing payment instrument image; associating the correction macro with a first attribute of the first clearing payment instrument image; and determining that the correction macro is to be applied to a second clearing payment instrument including a second attribute based on the second attribute matching the first attribute associated with the correction macro.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cheque processing device, including: a base, a frame located at the top face of the base and forming a U-shaped paper passage, and multiple sets of conveying roller assemblies (9) and multiple processing mechanisms provided along the U-shaped paper passage, wherein one end of the U-shaped paper passage is an inlet and the other end is an outlet. The frame comprises a fixed frame body, and a first movable frame body and a second movable frame body which form the U-shaped paper passage together with the fixed frame body, wherein the first movable frame body and the second movable frame body can both pivot on the base to open and close with respect to the fixed frame body.

Abstract: The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer-implemented methods for allowing independent adjustment for different areas of a payment instrument image. An example method includes updating an image property of an area of a clearing payment instrument image associated with a tangible payment instrument including a payee, a payor, an amount, and an authorization, the tangible payment instrument to be submitted for electronic transaction clearing, wherein the clearing payment instrument image is associated with a first value of the image property, the image property of the area is updated to a second value different than the first value of the image property, and the area of the clearing payment instrument image includes less than the entire clearing payment image; and storing the updated clearing payment instrument image in response to updating the image property.

Abstract: The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer-implemented methods for allowing independent adjustment for different areas of a payment instrument image. An example method includes receiving an original payment instrument image associated with a tangible payment instrument; creating a clearing payment instrument image based on the original payment instrument image associated with a first contrast value; presenting the clearing payment instrument image in a user interface in response to creating the clearing payment instrument image; in response to presenting the clearing payment instrument image: receiving an indication of an area of the clearing payment instrument image from the user interface; receiving an indication of a second contrast value to which to update the indicated area from the user interface; and updating a contrast value of the indicated area of the clearing payment instrument image to the second contrast value.

Abstract: The present disclosure involves systems and methods for performing automatic document alignment. One example system includes a document staging area including an alignment surface extending in a document feed direction; an alignment roller supported to rotate about an axis and intermittently contact a document in the document staging area while rotating to move the document to abut the alignment surface; and a feed roller support to rotate in the document feed direction to feed the document in the document feed direction after the alignment roller has rotated to move the document to abut the alignment surface.

Abstract: A heater system for an aircraft seat includes a first heater pad secured to the bottom seat cushion and a second heater pad secured to the back seat cushion, with both pads being under an upholstery cover. The first and second heater pads each has a body of an open cell foam material that is self flame extinguishing, and an electric resistance wire embedded in a winding pattern within the body. A control module applies a variable electric current to the electric resistance wire in each of the first and second heater pads. Preferably only the second heater pad for the back seat cushion can be activated or both the first and second heater pads can be activated. A pushbutton switch module allows the seat occupant step the control module through a sequence of different heating levels.

Abstract: A patient temperature monitoring system is provided herein that takes the form of an electronic patient monitor that is used in conjunction with a thermocouple sensor that has been printed or otherwise placed on a flexible surface such as a mat. The thermocouple sensor that is taught herein is more comfortable for the patient, more reliable, and can be manufactured with less cost than has heretofore been possible. According to a preferred embodiment, a finely powdered metal ink containing, for example, iron will first be silk screened onto a substrate. Then a second metal ink will be screened onto the same substrate so as to intersect the first, the second metal being preferably being some combination of nickel and copper, the first and second metal inks being chosen to form a thermocouple.

Abstract: A document conveying apparatus comprises an inlet channel for receiving at least one document. A drive member is positioned for engagement with at least one document in the channel and is operable to move at least one document from the channel. An elongated member is associated with the channel and is movable to a first position towards the drive member which biases the at least one document towards the drive member. One portion of the elongated member is movable to a second position away from the drive member so as to allow insertion of at least one additional document into the inlet channel. Another portion of the elongated member is movable towards the drive member to bias the at least one document in the inlet channel into engagement with the drive member when the one portion of the elongated member is moved to the second position.

Abstract: In accordance with a first preferred aspect of the instant invention, there is provided a patient monitor that is automatically disabled when a caregiver enters a room and then is automatically reactivated after the caregiver leaves. According to a first preferred embodiment, it will remain disabled during the time the caregiver is proximate to the patient/monitor and then will automatically reactivate after the caregiver has moved away.

Abstract: A control system for an accessory in a vehicle includes an adapter, a monitoring circuit, and a controller. The adapter couples with a fused power source. The monitoring circuit is coupled to the adapter and the controller is coupled to the adapter and the monitoring circuit. The control system provides a method of powering a vehicle accessory. The method monitors the amount of power drawn by a circuit connected to a power source and determines if the amount of power drawn is less than a threshold. Power is provided to the accessory based on the determination.

Abstract: A control system for an accessory in a vehicle includes an adapter, a monitoring circuit, and a controller. The adapter couples with a fused power source. The monitoring circuit is coupled to the adapter and the controller is coupled to the adapter and the monitoring circuit. The control system provides a method of powering a vehicle accessory. The method monitors the amount of power drawn by a circuit connected to a power source and determines if the amount of power drawn is less than a threshold. Power is provided to the accessory based on the determination.

Abstract: A portable food delivery container includes a food storage compartment, a control compartment, and a temperature control source. A control compartment lies adjacent to and in thermal conductivity with the food storage compartment. A modular removable temperature control source is disposed within the control compartment, where the temperature control source effects transfer of thermal energy between the food storage compartment and the control compartment to maintain the food storage compartment at a temperature other than the ambient temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed is piezoelectric bender for use as an acoustic generating device. The acoustic generating device includes a piezoelectric material, a metal diaphragm, an electric circuit and mounting devices. The metal diaphragm is affixed to the piezoelectric material and has a nodal fulcrum at the nodal ring. The electric circuit is connected to the piezoelectric material and electrically activates the piezoelectric material. The mounting devices are constructed of insulating material and are positioned at the top and bottom of the metal diaphragm. The mounting devices support the metal diaphragm at the nodal fulcrum with an adhesive to resist impact damage.

Abstract: A control system for an accessory in a vehicle includes an adapter, a monitoring circuit, and a controller. The adapter couples with a fused power source. The monitoring circuit is coupled to the adapter and the controller is coupled to the adapter and the monitoring circuit. The control system provides a method of powering a vehicle accessory. The method monitors the amount of power drawn by a circuit connected to a power source and determines if the amount of power drawn is less than a threshold. Power is provided to the accessory based on the determination.

Abstract: There is provided herein a sensor/monitor combination designed to reduce the risk of pressure ulcer occurrence in immobile patients, wherein the level of patient activity is tracked to determine whether or not that patient has exhibited sufficient activity to merit eliminating a scheduled assisted relocation to a new position. The instant device senses the time since a patient last relocated into a different sitting or lying position. If the patient has not moved during some predetermined time period, the nursing staff will be notified by the invention that it is time to manually reposition the patient. If the patient has significantly changed position during the predetermined time period and, thus, allowed previously compressed tissues to reoxygenate, the invention will not signal that a move is necessary, thereby eliminating the need in some cases to rouse the patient from an otherwise healing sleep.

Abstract: The instant invention is designed to detect when undue tension is placed on a belt or strap that is connected to a restraining vest, such undue pressure being indicative that a patient may be in trouble. It is preferable that, whatever sensor is used, it should be elastically resilient to return to its unstressed state after tension on the strap is removed. Additionally, it is preferable that the amount of force that is required in order to trigger an alarm be adjustable to accommodate patients of different weights. Finally, it is also preferable that the level of stress on the strap—and the duration over which it is applied—that is necessary to trigger an alarm be such that the patient cannot easily intentionally cause the device to sound an alarm.

Abstract: A heating element that can be incorporated into a molded foam article closely adjacent to the outer cover sheet without showing any evidence that a heating element is encapsulated within the foam portion of the article and provides essentially the same relatively softness and “feel” that would be obtained if the heating element was not part of the article.

Abstract: There is provided herein a first preferred arrangement of the instant invention, wherein an electronic patient monitor utilizes a computer CPU as an alarm signal generator, which CPU is preferably directly connected to a power amplifier and/or a speaker without an intervening (or subsequent) conventional volume control. The alarm signal is preferably expressed as a series of square waves. The volume of the alarm signal as heard through the speaker is controlled by varying the width of the square waves that represent the alarm signal with the duty cycle of the square waves being shortened to reduce the output alarm volume and lengthened to increase it.

Abstract: There is provided herein a sensor for determining relative displacement between two surfaces which utilizes two optically conductive members that have been mounted in proximity to each other, whereby the amount of displacement between the two surfaces may be determined by measurement of the magnitude of the intensity of light transmitted through them. The instant invention preferably utilizes two planar light transmitting surfaces—an emitter and a receiver—which are free to move laterally with respect to each other and are positioned so that when light is introduced into the emitter some proportion of that light falls on the receiver. By electronically monitoring the intensity of light impinging on the receiver an estimate of the amount of overlap between the two optical surfaces and, thus, an estimate of the relative displacement between them, may be obtained.