Abstract: An edge device for an elevator door includes an elongate array of infrared transmitters and/or receivers and a proximate elongate array of illuminable elements, both arrays extending for a substantial part of the length of the door. The illuminable elements are adapted to be illuminated when the door is in motion. The two arrays are disposed in a common carrier structure, being either vertically interleaved or extending vertically in parallel with each other.

Abstract: A safety sensing system includes an apparatus for use in a doorway having a powered door slidable for closure of the doorway. The apparatus includes radiation transmitters and/or receivers for providing a curtain of detection beams across the doorway, and is formed as a composite structure that includes: a fixative member connectable by securing means to a side of the doorway at a door frame, the fixative member including a first portion of a mating connection means; and, a housing containing a plurality of the transmitters and/or receivers along its length, and including a second portion of the mating connection means for attaching the sealed housing to the fixative member. The mating connection means allows the housing to be removed and replaced while the fixative member remains in situ.

Abstract: In the field of rendering a three dimensional model into a two dimensional graphical representation, the resources available to a general purpose computer can be used to efficiently render the scene. The high speed/low computer resource with which the rendering is performed results from utilizing different inputs to the rendering engine and from the manner in which the rendering engine handles these inputs.

Abstract: A safety sensing system includes an apparatus for use in a doorway having a powered door slidable for closure of the doorway. The apparatus includes radiation transmitters and/or receivers for providing a curtain of detection beams across the doorway, and is formed as a composite structure that includes: a fixative member connectable by securing means to a side of the doorway at a door frame, the fixative member including a first portion of a mating connection means; and, a housing containing a plurality of the transmitters and/or receivers along its length, and including a second portion of the mating connection means for attaching the sealed housing to the fixative member The mating connection means allows the housing to be removed and replaced while the fixative member remains in situ.

Abstract: A hub and belt assembly for driving a poultry de-feathering machine includes multiple bearing heat dissipating hub that includes bearing isolators or spacers associated with each of the drive shaft bearings. The bearing isolators trap vapors, including water and the like that may accumulate from operation of the hub and belt assembly, and prevent this vapor from contacting the bearings.

Abstract: This invention relates to a hub and belt assembly for driving a poultry de-feathering machine and more particularly to a multiple bearing heat dissipating hub driven by a serrated timing belt. The hub assembly incorporates seals along a drive shaft to reduce wear caused by dirt. The timing belt synchronizes multiple picking hubs and reduces the friction driving required. The combination of a heat dissipating hub and the placement of seals along the drive shaft within the hub minimize maintenance and replacement.

Abstract: A elevator door protection system, having an infrared curtain comprising pairs of infrared transmitters and receivers and circuitry responsive to an output of the receiver due to interception for opening the elevator doors, includes detection circuitry which responds (a) when the elevator doors are closed, so as to reduce the usual power supplied to the transmitters; and (b) when the elevator doors open, so as to restore the usual power to the transmitters. Preferably, a time delay is included so that power dissipation is reduced only after a predetermined period following door closure. The invention reduces power consumption of infrared transmitter diodes, hence extending their lifetime.

Abstract: A door obstruction detector employs an optical device, such as a segmented Fresnel lens, and a PIR sensor attached to a moving door, so that the optical device causes an image of an object, in a detection zone, to move across a sensing region of the PIR sensor when the door moves. When the object is sensed in the detection zone, a drive signal is generated for controlling movement of the door. Thermistors can be used to compensate for variation in ambient temperature to adjust detection sensitivity.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of providing user exits, including dynamic installation of associated software, within the kernel portion of an operating system. An initializer replaces existing system call pointers, in the system services table located in the kernel portion of an operating system, with new pointers to user supplied code. System calls that are hooked, when issued by a user application, are intercepted by a kernel level intercepter which generates a query to a database interface. The database interface sends database requests based on the received query to a database engine. A database manager allows a user to add, delete, edit, etc. records in a database included in the database engine. A method of dynamically inserting user supplied code into the kernel space of an operating system is also disclosed. A communications channel is opened and its associated buffer location is found. A bootstrap loader module is then written into the communications channel buffer.

Abstract: A stack override prevention method provides protection against a computer attack that utilizes the technique of stack override to gain control of a computer system. The method of the protection is to permit the stack to be executable but to add functionality that blocks the possibility of passing control via stack override to code inserted into the stack by means of the exploit program. This method includes relocating the entire stack to a random memory location in memory and subsequently erasing the old stack area. By moving the entire stack associated with a process to a random location, the attacker cannot predict the address in which potentially all permitting code resides and thus cannot put the correct value in the location of the return address within the stack frame. The invention is applicable to operating systems which use the stack as means for passing control to and returning from functions and in which the stack is executable.

Abstract: A security shield implementation method comprising computer software for use with a computer system's software which is transparent to the user of the computer system software and utilizes the steps of system call interception and interactive command interception to control access by a user of the computer system software. The system call interception for non-interactive commands, file access, programs, networks, and the interactive commands, such as access to interactive programs, are routed and examined by redirector software. Security rule checks and log event functions are then conducted on the non-interactive commands, file access requests, programs, networks, and the interactive commands. If a non-interactive command, file access request, program, network, or an interactive command is approved, the command request is then forwarded to the computer operating system.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of providing user exits, including dynamic installation of associated software, within the kernel portion of an operating system. An initializer replaces existing system call pointers, in the system services table located in the kernel portion of an operating system, with new pointers to user supplied code. System calls that are hooked, when issued by a user application, are intercepted by a kernel level intercepter which generates a query to a database interface. The database interface sends database requests based on the received query to a database engine. A database manager allows a user to add, delete, edit, etc. records in a database included in the database engine. A method of dynamically inserting user supplied code into the kernel space of an operating system is also disclosed. A communications channel is opened and its associated buffer location is found. A bootstrap loader module is then written into the communications channel buffer.

Abstract: In a lift installation in which a multi-beam curtain (primary beam) extends across a lift car door opening, auxiliary transmitters direct secondary beams towards a detection zone in front of landing doors. The multi-beam curtain is intercepted by a passenger entering the lift to prevent premature door closure. However, premature closure is also prevented when a passenger stands in front of the landing doors, thereby causing some of the secondary beam to be reflected onto auxiliary receivers. This provides a low cost solution to the problem of non-detection of an obstruction in the closing path of the landing doors, but not intercepting the primary beam system and also provides an increase in the passenger convenience of the lift, as the doors are held open for a passenger approaching the lift, but not yet interrupting the primary beams.

Abstract: A laser light emitting diode (1, 2) situated at a focal point of a specially shaped lens (3, 4) produces a very thin intense fan-shaped beam. One or two such laser light transmitters are used to radiate a fan-shaped beam which is intercepted by a person or object thereby scattering laser light, by diffuse reflection. A cylindrical lens (5) receives a reflected component and this is detected by sensors (6) which are connected to circuitry including a synchronous detector (12) and comparator network (13, 14). The synchronous detector (12) is driven by a square wave oscillator (8) which modulates the laser light.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling a lift door in which a detection zone (10) is illuminated with an infrared light source (15) and reflected light is received by image sensing device (18). A data processing device (17) is programmed to analyse video information stored in a video memory (22) and a reference field memory (23) so as to distinguish an object approaching the lift doors (1, 2) from an object passing by the lift, and also distinguishes stationary objects in the path of the lift doors (1, 2) from background objects. In a preferred embodiment, a low resolution image sensing device (18) is used and video information is binned and stored in the video memory (22).

Abstract: Proximity sensor apparatus has at least first and second antenna strips arranged along the edge of a structure. The antenna strips receive signals reflected by an object whose proximity is to be detected. Signal processing circuitry is coupled to the antenna strips for receiving and processing the signals picked up by the antenna strips. Proximity detection may occur when the difference in signal strength received by the two antenna strips exceeds a threshold level. In one embodiment, the difference between the maximum and minimum signals is determined and increases the threshold as the difference between signals decreases. In another embodiment, the difference in signal strength is used to determine the position of the object on one side or another of the antenna strips. In yet another embodiment, a bootstrap electrode is positioned behind a single antenna strip and is electrically connected to follow the voltage induced on the antenna strip by the received signal.

Abstract: This invention relates to a hub and belt assembly for driving a poultry de-feathering machine and more particularly to a multiple bearing heat dissipating hub driven by a serrated timing belt. The hub assembly incorporates seals along a drive shaft to reduce wear caused by dirt. The timing belt synchronizes multiple picking hubs and reduces the friction driving required. The combination of a heat dissipating hub and the placement of seals along the drive shaft within the hub minimize maintenance and replacement.