Abstract: A track ball mechanism is mounted on a cantilevered portion of a printed circuit board that is supported in a housing. A switch, mounted on the opposite side of the cantilevered portion of the printed circuit board, is operated when it engages a boss on the housing. The ball of the track ball mechanism is operated by a human digit in the usual manner and the switch is operated when pressure on the ball deflects the cantilevered portion of the printed circuit board which causes the switch to engage the boss. The boss is supported on a cantilevered portion of the housing which deflects under excessive loading to protect the switch and track ball mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining various physical quantities such as temperature, pressure, stress, strain, distance and the like in a manner such that a change in the physical quantity of interest results in a measurable change in the frequency of oscillation of a signal generated within the apparatus.

Abstract: A product pricing system for supermarket shelf labels (14) contains an electronic data transmission system which transmits pricing information to electronic shelf labels (14) by modulating a data information signal (33) in the electric supply to artificial lighting (13) in the environment of the labels. The labels have a solar cell (16) for providing operating power and a photo detector (15) for detecting the data information in the artificial light. The data contains address information and data relevant to pricing, storage and sale of items and is displayed by shelf label LCD display (17). The modulation is by way of phase modulation in a central control unit (12). Each module incorporates a re-chargeable battery (18) and an adjustable timer for timing the interval between broadcasts to the particular module whereby the particular module is caused to flash its LCD display in the event that a broadcast is not received within a predetermined time to alert personnel of a possible fault in the module or system.

Abstract: The menu selection device uses a combination of the rotary position of a rotary optical encoder and the operation of a coaxially mounted push-button switch to enable the user to progress through various layers of a hierarchical menu system. The rotary position of the shaft translates to a menu category which is selected by the user activating the push-button switch. The selection of the menu category allows the user to then sequence through the plurality of menu entries within this menu category by again rotating the shaft. The user selects one of these menu entries by again activating the push-button switch.

Abstract: A programmable switch includes a housing. A sensor is associated with the housing. The sensor senses a measurable physical property of a sensed element proximate the housing and developing an electrical signal varying relative thereto to represent the sensed physical property. A logic circuit is disposed in the housing and receives the electrical signal. The logic circuit includes a memory for storing a reference value and a controller for comparing the reference value to the sensed physical property to determine status of the sensed physical property. An input circuit is operatively associated with the logic circuit for selectively changing the stored reference value to reprogram the switch. An output switch is operatively associated with the logic circuit to externally indicate status of the sensed property.

Abstract: On word starts, the system displays sets of very frequent words and attributes in locations which associate them with input actions. Possible attributes include letters, phonetic sounds, character strokes or parameters as appropriate for the language. Attributes inputted select word sets from a vocabulary which has N sets of a plurality of word sets in which the words of each set share a unique set of one to N attributes. The display presents accessed word sets which the user may search for wanted words. Vocabulary words include codes to select inflection sets when they are selected. For alphabetic languages, spelling rules and a store of modified word ends and inflection starts are used in the application of inflections. Selected words, with or without inflections, are outputted by input actions which may append `Space` or punctuation endings. User actions on keyboard and/or stroke sensing apparatus input attributes and select, inflect, and output words with endings.

Abstract: A circuit for encoding and decoding key input data from a matrix of switches with a single transmission wire. The circuit for encoding and decoding key input data with a single transmission wire includes a control circuit, a charge storage circuit and a keyboard matrix circuit. The keyboard matrix circuit is composed of a group of resistors connected in series. Each resistor is coupled to ground via a manually actuated switch. When one of the switches is actuated or closed the switch provides an electrical path to ground through the resistors that precede the switch and shorts the resistors that follow the switch. When one of the switches is closed the charge stored on the charge storage circuit dissipates through the electrical path to ground provided by the actuated switch, at a rate related to the sum of the resistance preceding the switch.

Abstract: A method for selecting a command set from a group of command sets stored in the remote control. Each remote control command set includes a set of commands for operating at least one of various remotely controllable devices. A command, whose effect is observable in the remotely controlled device is assigned to one of the user actuated keys. The keys are pressed one by one until the user observes the desired effect on the remotely controlled device. The user then signals the remote control to exit the select procedure with the remote control setting the remote control to transmit future commands from the command set including the last transmitted effects observable command having the observed desired effect.

Abstract: A plurality of finger articulation units that individually mount on finger and thumb nails and together, by selected up and down movement of the fingers and thumbs (ten fingers), serve as an alternate to a keyboard and/or for any human to machine and/or computer interface. Vertical up and down movements of any single one of the ten fingers and various combinations of the fingers is translated into a range of signals recognizable as alpha-numeric numbers, digital signalling, word and picture forms or other symbol forms a user may choose. The individual finger articulation devices are each attached to the ten fingernails by clips securing a unit to each of the ten fingernails whereby movement of a particular finger, up and down is detected. The device on that finger generates a signal passed via interface control to a computer for interpretation by a program to produce a symbol.

Abstract: A transmitter circuit and a receiver circuit couple inductively to allow data communication between a mass transit vehicle farebox and an external computer. Data communication may be performed simultaneously with removal of coins from the farebox via a vacuum hose. Two mating connectors each carry a wire coil; one coil is connected to the transmitter circuit and the other is connected to the receiver circuit. Furthermore, the same connectors that carry the coils may be used to form the vacuum hose connection. A modulated signal representing encoded binary data is applied to the transmitter coil to cause corresponding flux changes. When placed in close proximity to one another, the magnetic flux changes across the gap induce a corresponding modulated signal in the receiver coil. The induced signal in the receiver coil is then decoded to recover the original binary data. The coils thus function as halves of a transformer.

Abstract: A machine translation device translates an original sentence written in a source language into a translated sentence written in a target language, and includes an input device for inputting the original sentence; original sentence analysis device for dividing the original sentence into single words and for analyzing syntactic structure of the original sentence; a translation dictionary for storing related words of a same meaning in at least three languages including the source language and the target language; dictionary reference means for referencing the translation dictionary and, when it finds an appropriate word in the target language corresponding to a word in the original sentence, for retrieving the word in the target language, while when there is no appropriate word in the target language, for retrieving a word in a predetermined language aside from the source language which corresponds to a word in the original sentence from the translation dictionary as an untranslated word; and translated sentence

Abstract: A keyboard having an array of non-planar keys and a method for manufacturing such a keyboard is provided. In one embodiment, the non-planar array is a double-convex array. Electrical connection along the keys and/or from the keys to associated electronics is provided by way of a circuit board. The circuit board has a geometry and flexibility which permits the circuit board to conform to a shape which is non-planar along two non-parallel axes. In one embodiment, the circuit board can be configured in a double-concave shape. The circuit board includes one or more slots defining two or more projections. These projections can be placed in a configured non-coplanar configuration along a first axis and the circuit board can be flexed to a non-planar configuration along a second non-parallel axis.

Abstract: In a security system, a transmitter housing and first and second transmitter actuation elements cooperate to define thumb and finger saddles on opposite sides of the housing. The peripheral edge of the housing and the first and second actuation elements have matched configurations aligned at the thumb and finger saddles for guiding a hand to properly operate the transmitter while blocking other objects from accidental operation. The housing extends beyond the actuation elements at the ends of the elements while the actuation elements extend beyond the housing at the center of the elements. The housing has a first texture, such as a rigid plastic, while the actuation elements have a softer feel provided, for example, by an elastomeric material.

Abstract: A bearing is mounted within a housing having an acoustic-electric transducer mounted on its outside. A stationary annular outer race has at least one sensor, an electric-acoustic transducer, and an electronic system interconnecting the sensor and the electric-acoustic transducer. The electric-acoustic transducer is mounted in an opening extending radially through the stationary race. The electric-acoustic transducer has an elastic cap pressed into the inside of the housing by a spring.

Abstract: A computer keyboard including a keyboard body that has a top side, a bottom side, and a pair of short peripheral walls with a pair of long peripheral walls therebetween. The top side of the keyboard body has a keyboard mechanism located thereon. A wrist pad is positioned on the top side of the keyboard and is perpendicular one of the long peripheral walls. Included are a plurality of keys that are positioned on the keyboard mechanism and comprised of a space bar, function keys and alphabet keys. A pointing stick is positioned from the space bar and between the alphabet keys of the keyboard mechanism. The pointing stick controls all movement of a cursor on a display screen of a computer. Lastly, a pair of mouse buttons are provided and spaced from the space bar on the keyboard mechanism. The pair of mouse buttons form a right button and a left button that functions in accordance with the pointing stick when the user positions the cursor on an icon.

Abstract: A keyless entry system which employs an identification code for each transmitter, a key sequence number, and a rolling code generated by a polynomial equation ensure unauthorized access. The system provides for resynchronization in the event of battery replacement or power failure. The system accommodates activation of a transmitter and incrementation of the rolling code when it is out of range of the receiver. This system further accommodates replacement of lost or stolen keys with a higher priority key, which then prevents access by the lost or stolen transmitter.

Abstract: A remote meter reading system, for example for domestic water meters, operates through an inductive coupling over two lines. A sinusoidal power signal is transmitted from a reader to the meter to power up encoding circuitry in the meter. The encoding circuitry then transmits data by intermittently shorting the input terminals to cause an asynchronous voltage modulation at the reader. There is no synchronous relationship required between the periodic power signal and the data transmitted from the encoder to the reader.

Abstract: A fluorescent low pressure discharge lamp is provided with axially mounted cold-cathode electrodes consisting of a sintered shaped mixture of inorganic material including about 50-90% by weight of tungsten and the remainder BaO or a mixture of BaO, CaO and SrO and oxides of Y, Zr or Hf or the rare earths. The electrodes have a uniform density throughout with a porosity of less than 10%.

Abstract: A data entry terminal for one-handed use, the terminal having a limited number of keys, all of which may be reached by a single hand of the user from a home position that does not require the keyboard operator to reposition their hand when moving from one key to another. The keyboard preferably includes a heel rest on which the heel of the hand may be pivotably positioned for comfortable, reliable positioning while operating the keyboard, requiring a minimum amount of eye contact with the keyboard, permitting the keyboard operator to maintain eye contact with the source of data being entered into the computer or other data gathering device. The terminal is preferably bent in two places, with a row of keys on each of the two resulting generally upwardly angled surfaces and three rows of keys on the flat intermediate surface connecting the two angled surfaces.

Abstract: An engineering unit converter system for converting an analog measurement into an engineering value. An analog measurement of a physical quantity is transformed into a digital value. The digital value is then split into a high order digit and a lower order digit. The high order digit is used as an address to a memory device for fetching a line segment coefficient and a line segment offset coefficient. The lower order digit is multiplied with the line segment coefficient in a multiplier resulting in a product. The product is added to the line segment coefficient offset resulting in a sum whose value is an engineering unit. One embodiment is directed to converting temperature measurements into engineering units via thermocouples. This embodiment includes: thermocouple devices, resistance thermal devices or positive temperature coefficient thermistors, adders, multipliers, and memory devices (readable and writable memory devices).