Abstract: Iris recognition is achieved by (1) iris acquisition that permits a user to self-position his or her eye into an imager's field of view without the need for any physical contact, (2) spatially locating the data defining that portion of a digitized video image of the user's eye that defines solely the iris thereof without any initial spatial condition of the iris being provided, and (3) pattern matching the spatially located data defining the iris of the user's eye with stored data defining a model iris by employing normalized spatial correlation for first comparing, at each of a plurality of spatial scales, each of distinctive spatial characteristics of the respective irises that are spatially registered with one another to quantitatively determine, at each of the plurality of spatial scales, a goodness value of match at that spatial scale, and then judging whether or not the pattern which manifests solely the iris of the user's eye matches the digital data which manifests solely the model iris in accordance

Abstract: A plasma display includes a front panel having a glass body secured to a surface of a substrate. The glass body has a plurality of channels in the exposed surface thereof with upstanding ribs being between the channels. Conductive first electrodes are on the body with each electrode extending along the bottom of a separate channel. The first electrodes are preferably embedded in the glass body. A transparent front panel is over the back panel and is seated on and secured to the glass body. A plurality of spaced, parallel second electrodes extend between the front panel and the back panel substantially orthogonally to the first electrodes. Phosphors which emit different colors are coated on the channels and the channels are filled with a plasma gas. The back panel is formed of at least one and preferably a plurality of layers of a green tape of glass particles in a binder. The layers are stacked one on top of each other and the channels are formed in the surface of one of the layers.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of bonding a glass substrate and a nonconductive substrate comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a surface of the nonconductive substrate which is coated with a field-assist bonding material with a conforming surface of the glass substrate; and (b) applying sufficient heat to the two substrates and sufficient voltage across the two substrates to bond the two substrates together.

Abstract: A column driver for a matrix addressed display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) is disclosed. The column driver accepts 10-bit inputs, provides 1024 distinct output levels, and is compatible with digital gamma correction by way of, for example, an EPROM lookup table. A complete column driver includes a group of chips which are serially interconnected and receive all the external signals applied in parallel. Only one chip is made active at any instant of time, in order to save power. In each IC, selective polarity inversion of the 10-bit data is carried out before feeding it to a switched capacitor digital to analog converter (CAPDAC) which operates in either a high or low voltage range. All CAPDACs are loaded simultaneously and present a precise output for approximately 95% of each linetime. Each CAPDAC output is connected to a buffer opamp via two CMOS switches which cause the CAPDAC to simultaneously yet transparently change range and allow the opamp buffer to continue driving.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for predicting how any given spatio-temporal light distribution would change an observer's pupil diameter. The method generates the instantaneous effect of luminance driving the pupil diameter, the cumulative driving function of the pupil diameter, and the evolving pupil diameter. Using the evolving pupil diameter together with the input luminance, the method computes the retinal illuminance distribution for the given input illuminance. The method is implemented as a software routine executed by a general purpose computer.

Abstract: In an active matrix electroluminescent display, a pixel containing a grounded conductive electric field shield between an EL cell and the switching electronics for the EL cell. In a method of fabricating the pixel, first, an EL cell switching circuit is formed, then an insulating layer is formed over the switching circuit and a conductive layer (the field shield) is formed over the insulating layer. A through hole is provided in the field shield such that an electrical connection can be made between the switching circuit and an EL cell. The EL cell is then conventionally formed on top of the shield layer. Consequently, the shield isolates the switching circuit from the EL cell and ensures that any electric fields produced in the EL cell do not interfere with the operation of the switching electronics. Furthermore, the switching circuitry for each cell contains two transistors; a low voltage MOS transistor and a high voltage MOS transistor.

Abstract: A frequency synthesizer including a fixed frequency oscillator providing a plurality of waveforms having a first frequency, each waveform being delayed in time with respect to another of the waveforms, and a waveform selector, the waveform selector operable to continuously select as an output waveform a waveform from the plurality of waveforms. In an embodiment, the selection of the waveform is made to provide an output waveform having low jitter with respect to an ideal waveform.

Abstract: A dynamic rate controller for a block-based video coding system. The rate controller is responsive to a scene cut flag generated by a scene cut detector. Once a scene cut flag is detected, the rate controller adjusts the bit budget for the frame following the scene cut before coding begins on that frame. Additionally, the rate controller establishes an optimal bit utilization profile that is compared to actual bit utilization, such that the bit allocation can be optimized as coding progresses.

Abstract: A bitstream for testing a video decoder that produces visual distortions in the output video images from the decoder whenever the decoder produces an error in decoding the bitstream. Specifically, the bitstream tests a predictive-type video decoder's capability to decode predicted images that do not propagate errors to other images or frames. For example, the bitstream is capable of demonstrating errant decoding of B-frames by an Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) video encoder. A method and apparatus for generating and using the test bitstream is also disclosed.

Abstract: A ceramic mixture of a crystallizable ZnO--MgO--B.sub.2 O.sub.3 --SiO.sub.2 glass mixed with a non-crystallizing lead-based glass and one or more oxide fillers forms a fired ceramic that has a TCE compatible with that of kovar. Green tapes made from the ceramic mixture aligned with a kovar support substrate when fired have excellent dielectric and low loss properties.

Abstract: The scene cut detector compares predicted macroblocks from an anchor image to input macroblocks from an input image on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis to generate a residual macroblock representing the difference between each predicted macroblock and each input macroblock. A variance for each residual macroblock and a variance for each input macroblock is computed after each comparison. The residual variance is compared to the input macroblock variance. Whenever the variance of the residuals macroblock exceeds the variance of the input macroblock, a counter is incremented. The scene cut detector repeats this process until each macroblock in the predicted image is compared to each input macroblock. If the count value ever exceeds a threshold level while a input image is being processed, the scene cut detector sets a scene cut indicator flag.

Abstract: A monochrome cathode ray tube (CRT) yoke includes harmonic windings for correcting spot distortion. In a first embodiment of the invention, the yoke includes harmonic windings in the entrance region of the yoke and harmonic windings in the exit region of the yoke. The harmonic windings in the entrance region produce a barrel-shaped field for correcting spot astigmatism along the diagonals of the CRT. The harmonic windings in the exit region of the yoke produce a pincushion-shaped field for correcting spot elongation along the diagonals of the CRT. In a second embodiment of the invention, the yoke includes harmonic windings only in the entrance region. A stigmator includes quadrupole coils driven at low power vertical scan rates. This allows the stigmator to be positioned near the electron gun and reduces the length of the CRT. In a third embodiment of the invention, the yoke includes harmonic windings only in the exit region.

Abstract: An apparatus for assessing the visibility of differences between two input image sequences. The apparatus comprises a pair of pre-filtered processors, a pair of pyramid constructors and a JND processor. Each pre-filter processor receives a separate input image sequence and performs temporal filtering to produce a low-pass temporal response and a bandpass temporal response. In turn, the pyramid constructors receive the temporal responses and generate contrast pyramids for the temporal responses. The JND processor evaluates the contrast pyramids to produce an image metric which is used to assess the visibility of differences between the two input image sequences.

Abstract: Apparatus and a concomitant method for electrostatically depositing select doses of medicament powder at select locations on a substrate. Specifically, the apparatus contains charged particle emitter for generating charged particles that charge a predefined region of a substrate and a charge accumulation control circuit for computing the amount of charge accumulated upon the substrate and deactivating the emitter when a selected quantity of charge has accumulated. Additionally, a triboelectric charging apparatus charges the medicament powder and forms a charged medicament cloud proximate the charged region of the substrate. The medicament particles within the medicament cloud electrostatically adhere to the charged region. The quantity of charge accumulated on the substrate at the predefined region and the charge-to-mass ratio of the medicament powder in the cloud control the amount (dose) of medicament deposited and retained by the substrate.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes an input terminal, a power supply line and a source of reference potential. The circuit also includes a dummy supply line. A Schottky barrier diode is connected between the input terminal and the power supply line for blocking voltages from the input terminal which are greater than the power supply voltage. A first clamping structure is connected between the dummy supply line and the source of reference potential, and a second clamping structure is connected between the power supply line and the source of reference potential. A first clamping diode is connected between the input terminal and the dummy supply line and a second clamping diode is connected between the input terminal and the source of reference potential.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating and using a test bitstream to evaluate a video decoder. The test bitstream contains a plurality of variable length code and/or escape sequences (combination of escape code, run length code and/or level code) for testing the video decoder's ability to decode syntax elements for discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients. The method of fabricating the test bitstream requires the selection of the proper DCT coefficients, run and quantizer product to produce a valid test bitstream for exercising all possible test levels without causing an overflow condition. The method selects a test level and a desired DCT coefficient and then computes for an appropriate quantizer product. In turn, the quantizer product is used to compute a quantizer scale and a run. This method is repeated for all desired test levels and the resulting level/run pairs and quantizer scales are encoded into the test bitstream.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assessing the visibility of differences between two input image sequences for improving image fidelity and visual task applications. The apparatus comprises a visual discrimination measure having a retinal sampling section, a plurality of temporal filters and a spatial discrimination section. The retinal sampling section applies a plurality of transformations to the input image sequences for simulating the image-processing properties of human vision. The temporal filters separate the sequences of retinal images into two temporal channels producing a lowpass temporal response and a bandpass temporal response. The spatial discrimination section applies spatial processing to the temporal responses to produce an image metric which is used to assess the visibility of differences between the two input image sequences.

Abstract: A system for processing a plurality of tests or syntheses in parallel comprising a sample channel for moving samples into a microlaboratory array of a plurality of wells connected by one or more channels for the testing-or synthesis of samples, a station for housing the array and an optical system comprising at least one light source and at least one light detector for measuring the samples in the array, and a means of electrically connecting said array to an apparatus capable of monitoring and controlling the flow of fluids into the array. Samples are loaded from a common loading channel into the array, processed in the wells and measurements taken by the optical system. The array can process many samples, or synthesize many compounds in parallel, reducing the time required for such processes. Etching from both sides of a substrate using patterned photoresist and metal layers to form a network of capillary channels for separately transporting a plurality of different liquids.

Abstract: Electrical feedthroughs in printed circuit board support substrates for use in making double sided ceramic multilayer printed circuit boards are made by insulating the feedthrough openings with a first layer of nickel oxide and one or more layers of glass, and then filling the remainder of the feedthroughs with a conductive metal via fill ink. After firing, the resultant structure provides insulated electrical feedthroughs through the support substrate.

Abstract: A full N-key rollover capability information entry device includes first and second sets of intersecting light guides oriented at an angle to one another which may comprise a mesh of waveguides that together form a self-supporting planar sheet of a substantially transparent material at the wavelength of light introduced into one end of at least one of the first and second sets of light guides. This permits each intersection to comprise a common portion of both a light guide of the first set and a light guide of the second set that intersect at that intersection. Detection of changes in the intensity of the light in at least one of the sets of light guides in response to key actuation that blocks a portion of the light at a certain intersection is indicative of that actuated key.