Abstract: An apparatus for translating a series of source words in a first language to a series of target words in a second language. For an input series of source words, at least two target hypotheses, each including a series of target words, are generated. Each target word has a context comprising at least one other word in the target hypothesis. For each target hypothesis, a language model match score including an estimate of the probability of occurrence of the series of words in the target hypothesis. At least one alignment connecting each source word with at least one target word in the target hypothesis is identified. For each source word and each target hypothesis, a word match score including an estimate of the conditional probability of occurrence of the source word, given the target word in the target hypothesis which is connected to the source word and given the context in the target hypothesis of the target word which is connected to the source word.

Abstract: A gaming terminal for use with information carriers, such as gaming coupons and receipts. The gaming terminal comprises an information analyzer including an information processor for converting the information read from the carriers into digital data and for transmitting the data to a remote processing system, a dividable nonvolatile memory system for storing terminal instructions received from the remote processing system and for storing gaming data received by the terminal, a data receiver for accepting carrier validation data originating from the processing system, a data display, a keyboard, and a terminal processor. The information analyzer further comprises a single analysis device having the facility to analyze hand-written signs or marks scribed on the coupons by a player and the facility to read bar codes representing validation numerals on the receipts.

Abstract: A computer system receives two dimensional image data of a heart or other organ to be simulated in three dimensions. It also receives chemical composition data of the heart or other organ, and chemical composition data other parts of the body. These data are put in the computer memory. Then a "Voxel View.TM." or three dimensional volume rendering program forms images of the organ to be studied. For example, with the heart it generates images of the atria and ventricle. Diagnostic data obtained from a patient conveniently with electrical measurement signals including an electrocardiagram, electromyogram, electroencephalogram, and other diagnostic measured electrical signals obtained from a patient are fed into the system and are placed in computer memory. Arthroscopic and/or laproscopic data obtained from a lens located inside the body of portions of organs of the body of the patient may be inputted as diagnostic data and processed with a "PowerScene.TM." program.

Abstract: A machine translation and telecommunications system automatically translates input text in a source language to output text in a target language using a dictionary database (22) containing core language dictionaries for general words, a plurality of sublanguage dictionaries for specialized words of different domains or user groups, and a plurality of user dictionaries for individualized words used by different users. The system includes a receiving interface (11) for receiving input from a sender, in the form of electronic text, facsimile (graphics) input, or page image data, and an output module (30) for sending translated output text to any designated recipient(s). The input text is accompanied by a cover page or header (50) identifying the sender, one or more recipients, their addresses, the source/target languages of the text, any sublanguage(s) applicable to the input text, and any formatting requirements for the output text.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an apparatus for linking a document with reference information associated therewith comprising a device for receiving an electronic representation of a document image, the document having a portion to be linked to electronic reference information, wherein the portion is designated by a predetermined attribute of the received document image; a device for electronically scanning the electronic representation of the document image to locate said predetermined attribute of the document image; a device for identifying the linked portion of the document based on the location of the predetermined attribute; a device for acquiring the electronic reference information associated with the linked portion; a device for correlating the linked portion of the document with the associated electronic reference information; and a device for providing a pointer from the linked portion in the document to each piece of electronic reference information associated therewith.

Abstract: A device and method is provided for finding a specific material superimposed on an unknown background when the locations of the specific material and the background are unknown, for example, inside an item of baggage. The invention comprises exposing an area of an item to be inspected to x-rays of two substanitally different energies, making effective use of the characteristic material specific differences in photoelectric effect scattering and Compton scattering, and comparing the pairwise differential attenuation of the x-rays at nearby exposed subareas to determine whether differences in attenuation can be attributed to the presence of different amounts of the specific material overlying the respective subareas. The most probable subareas are indicated on a standard image on a monitor as being the most likely location of the overlying specific material.

Abstract: An optimal set of devices is allocated to a package of device requests. In one embodiment, for each device request within the package of requests, a determination is made as to one or more eligible devices capable of satisfying each of the device requests and for each eligible device, a preference value is obtained. The preference values are then used to assign devices to a package of device requests such that the sum of the preference values of the assigned devices satisfies a specific optimizing function. The assigned devices provide global optimization of device allocation for a package of requests, thereby improving system throughput and performance.

Abstract: A bumper sticker printing machine having an arcade-style enclosure, a computer board and program, a monitor and touch screen, a vinyl bumper sticker stock, a vinyl bumper sticker feed mechanism, and a printer. A customer puts money into the machine and then selects a pre-printed message or creates an original message through the use of the touch screen. The machine then prints out the message on a bumper sticker and dispenses the bumper sticker to the customer.

Abstract: A method and system for providing safe patient monitoring in an electronic medical device while serving as a general-purpose windowed display is provided. In a preferred embodiment, an electronic medical device is capable of providing services to executing programs in response to requests for services from executing programs. These requests for services each specify a service to be provided. The electronic medical device ensures the integrity of an executing patient monitoring program while simultaneously providing services to a non-patient monitoring program that is executing. The electronic medical device provides the service specified by each request for services from the executing patient monitoring program and declines to provide services as they are specified by requests for services from the executing nonpatient monitoring program if provision of the service as specified would interfere with the executing patient monitoring program.

Abstract: The present invention is a system for translating text from a first source language into a second target language. The system assigns probabilities or scores to various target-language translations and then displays or makes otherwise available the highest scoring translations. The source text is first transduced into one or more intermediate structural representations. From these intermediate source structures a set of intermediate target-structure hypotheses is generated. These hypotheses are scored by two different models: a language model which assigns a probability or score to an intermediate target structure, and a translation model which assigns a probability or score to the event that an intermediate target structure is translated into an intermediate source structure. Scores from the translation model and language model are combined into a combined score for each intermediate target-structure hypothesis.

Abstract: An information-retrieval system comprises a workstation having an input device and an output device. The workstation is connected to an intelligent interface which in turn is connected to a date base memory system. The interface comprises a lexical analyzer, a semantic associator, a query code generator and an output formatter. The user inputs a query as an ordered stream of characters in natural language (e.g., English or German). The lexical analyzer partitions the character stream into sections which are then compared with and matched against the contents of a look-up table held in a local memory and if a match is located, converted to a single token record for transmission to the Semantic Associator.

Abstract: An expert system for determining the likelihood of failure of a unit in a computer system. The operating system of the computer system maintains a log of the errors occurring for each unit in the computer system. If a predetermine number of errors have been entered in the log for a specific unit, the expert system retrieves the error entries relating to that unit and processes them to determine whether a failure is likely to occur. In this, the processing performed by the expert system is arranged so that tests relating to components of increasing particularity, and decreasing generality, are performed after the tests relating to more general components.

Abstract: A distributed data processing network includes multiple memory card databases at terminal nodes of the network. The network is programmed to automatically perform routine communications operations such as conveying identification information between the terminal nodes and interior nodes. The network is implemented in a hospital environment and the databases include information on patients and hospital personnel. Using the automatic communications facilities of the network patient information from the database is displayed at a nurse station when the patient initiates a nurse-call or automatically when medication, also recorded on the card, is due. In addition, the system may be used to locate hospital personnel and equipment, to audit the use of controlled substances and to automatically assemble emergency response teams.

Abstract: A method and system for computer-aided differential diagnosis of diseases, and in particular, computer-aided differential diagnosis using neural networks. A first embodiment of the neural network distinguishes between a plurality of interstitial lung diseases on the basis of inputted clinical parameters and radiographic information. A second embodiment distinguishes between malignant and benign mammographic cases based upon similar inputted clinical and radiographic information. The neural networks were first trained using a hypothetical data base made up of hypothetical cases for each of the interstitial lung diseases and for malignant and benign cases. The performance of the neural network was evaluated using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. The decision performance of the neural network was compared to experienced radiologists and achieved a high performance comparable to that of the experienced radiologists.

Abstract: A hotel automated processing station is placed within the outside wall in close proximity to the entrance to the main office of a hotel. In this manner, should the attendant be unavailable for a duration, the automated customer processing station could handle the customers who arrives during that duration. Alternatively, hotels or motels may be designed to be totally automated without the need of an attendant. The hotel automated processing station identifies the variety of rooms available at the time and their price per night. Further, the station has the ability to perform the monetary transaction after a particular room is chosen by the lodger. The station automatically dispenses the proper key to the lodger after the monetary transaction has been completed.

Abstract: A new interpretation system receives a low resolution log and a high resolution log from a well logging tool that is disposed in a wellbore which traverses a highly laminated formation and generates an output record medium which clearly illustrates and quantifies each layer of the plurality of layers of the laminated formation. In response to receipt of the low and high resolution logs, the new interpretation system generates a rectangular deconvolved log. The rectangular deconvolved log is generated by first selecting a plurality of modes or possible formation types from a histogram. Each of the plurality of modes are then solved, in a least squares sense, by minimizing the sum, over a particular depth interval in the wellbore, of the square of the residual between the tool measurement and the reconstructed log, a calculation which is equivalent to solving a system of N equations and N unknowns.

Abstract: A computer network and method for feeding animals in a feedlot, in which discretion and direct control over the various suboperations of the feed ration assignment and delivery process are distributed among the individual operators in the system, while the feedlot manager is capable of indirectly monitoring the performance of the various suboperations.

Abstract: An image reconstructing operation unit reconstructs an image by a two- or three-dimensional Fourier transform. The unit comprises a plurality of operating mechanisms for performing an operation to reconstruct an image, a plurality of local memory mechanisms, provided correspondingly to the operating mechanisms, provided correspondingly to the operating mechanisms, for storing data used in the operations and the operation results, a shared memory mechanism for storing data after the first- and second-dimension processes and the first-, second-, and third-dimension processes, a data transmission mechanism for transmitting data between the local memory mechanism and the shared memory mechanism, and an instruction control mechanism for controlling the operation of each mechanism and its timing.

Abstract: An electronic cash register system includes a plurality of electronic cash registers interconnected by a common transmission line, and each of the electronic cash registers includes an information register device for registering flag information which "validates" or "invalidates" registration of each individual cashier as a register operator. Each of the electronic cash registers also includes a memory for storing the flag information, and an information transmission control device for controlling transmission of the flag information to the other electronic cash registers, when flag information is updated. Each of the electronic cash registers stores the flag information in its memory, when updated, and transmits, at the same time, the same flag information to the other electronic cash registers interconnected on the common transmission line.

Abstract: A method of recording multiple kinds of documents successively while sorting them into plural document groups and then searching target document groups from the thus recorded document groups. Also provided is a system used for the realization of the aforementioned method. An illustrated title for identifying each document group and for discriminating the first document of each document group is recorded in an illustrated title recording medium which is separated from the document recording medium, and the correspondence between each illustrated title and the address of document groups identified by each illustrated title is recorded in an address recording medium so that access to target document groups, at the searching step, may be made by displaying all of the recorded illustrated titles and then designating one or more of illustrated titles selectively.