Abstract: A method is presented to produce a change in the optical path length in the gap between two single mode optical fibers proportional to the lateral displacement of either fiber end normal to its axis. This is done with the use of refraction or diffraction at the interface between a guiding and non-guiding media to change the direction of propagation of the light in the gap. A method is also presented for laying a waveguide on a cantilever so that the displacement of the tip of the cantilever produces a proportional path length change in the gap by distancing the waveguide from the neutral axis of the cantilever. The fiber is supported as a cantilever or a waveguide is deposited on a micromachined cantilever and incorporated in an interferometer which is made totally on a silicon substrate with the use of integrated-optic technology.

Abstract: A storage phosphor radiography patient identification system which matches a patient with an x-ray image of the patient stored in a storage phosphor. The system includes a patient identifying bar code--uniquely identifying a patient; a storage phosphor identifying bar code uniquely identifying a storage phosphor and a portable bar code scanner. The bar code scanner is used to scan the patient bar code and the storage phosphor bar code when a patient is exposed to an X-ray which is stored on the storage phosphor. Preferably, a portable x-ray source has a chart having sets of bar codes identifying x-ray examination type information. The bar code scanner scans the examination type bar codes at the time the x-ray of the patient is taken. The storage phosphor has a non-volatile read/write memory adhered to it. The bar code scanner has a memory probe which transfers the patient ID, storage phosphor ID and exam time information from the bar code scanner to the storage phosphor memory.

Abstract: A self service cart system is provided to speed throughput at a check out counter and thus reduce space devoted to check out counters. The cart comprises a bar code scanner for acquiring a price and a description of a product, a security scanner for converting a tag from an unsecured state to a secured state, a magnetic card reader for activating the cart and a controller. The controller stores the price and description of all products in a store and keeps a running total of the price of the products scanned and placed in the cart and coordinates the various activities of the various parts of the cart system. An inventory control computer is connected to the cart's controller at the check out counter to down load the price and description of the products scanned. The products then pass through a security sensor which determines if the products are in the secured state and raises an alarm if the products are in the unsecured state.

Abstract: To order to determine a distortion angle in a textile material fed in a specific feeding direction, the textile material is monitored by means of a first detection means, the output signal of which depends on an angular position of said means with respect to the feeding direction and to the distortion angle. This first output signal is filtered so that signal components that are at least statistically independent of the distortion angle are filtered out. The filtering means used comprise a band-pass filter which is adjustable with respect to its center band-pass frequency, its bandwidth and/or the shape of its filter-curve shape by means of a second output signal from a second detection means. The second output signal is dependent on the frequency characteristic of those signal components in the first output signal that are at least statistically dependent on the distortion angle.

Abstract: A sports statistic recording system includes charts containing barcodes, a scanning device, and a personal computer. The computer is programmed to associate specific barcodes with specific players and game events. As events occur during a sporting match, the scanning device is used to scan the barcodes associated with the player and the event involved for rapid and simple data input. The scanned information is conveyed to the computer, which stores the information and compiles it for convenient reference.

Abstract: A hand-held data entry device having both portable and fixed point-of-sale modes. The device includes a housing having a chassis for carrying a bar code scanner and a microprocessor-based system that stores inventory data relating to goods, and further having a removable and reversible panel for permitting a display and keyboard to be remounted in an upside-down orientation relative to the direction of scanning. In this manner, a pistol-grip handle used by the operator in the portable mode may be also used as a mount for the device in the fixed point-of-sale mode. In the fixed point of sale mode, the device is mounted thereby to a transaction device, such as a cash register, such that the scanner's beam of light is directed approximately vertically downward to scan the universal product code of goods that are passed below the scanner.

Abstract: Molding machine, particularly of the centrifugal type, for low-melting materials, synthetic materials or the like, including readers for reading reference markings located on one side of a mold; these readers are connected to a programmable logic controller, which supervises the operation of the machine, for the automatic selection of the molding parameters according to the mold used.

Abstract: A bar code scanner suitable for use with a variety of different host terminals includes a microcontroller whose frequency of operation is changed as a function of the host terminal to which the scanner is connected. Where a particular host terminal is operable at a lower rate the microcontroller may be operated at a lower frequency to reduce the power consumption of the scanner.

Abstract: A method for shipping electronically stored letter contents or communications and/or data on flat information carriers, particularly chip cards, requiring postal franking or prepaid postage, includes storing shipping data in at least one of a plurality of memory regions of the information carrier. The shipping data is read out with a read-write module. The shipping data is linked to a postage table being stored in memory, for calculating a postage value appropriate for shipment of the information carrier. An accounting or debit is made for the calculated postage value for the information carrier with a postage meter device. A postage imprint is printed on an item to be shipped. In an apparatus for carrying out the invention, the read-write module and the postage meter device are integrated into a unit.

Abstract: Advertisements and promotions to which a consumer has been exposed are monitored together with the subsequent purchasing behavior of that consumer. The information is combined to analyze whether and to what extent the advertisements and/or promotions influenced the consumer's purchases. Purchases are monitored by producing a machine readable record thereof with a store cash register. The consumer inserts this record into a home unit which stores this information. The home unit is also capable of issuing a reward to the consumer for cooperating. Also, the advertising, promotion and/or purchase data is classified by the home unit into selected categories which can be accessed by a computer for further processing to provide, for example, certain test results of interest relatively quickly because only a portion of all the collected data needs to be analyzed.

Abstract: The invention proposes a portable case for an electronic smart card (C), comprising, on one of its main faces, electrical contact bands connected to an integrated circuit containing the card memory, of the type in which provision is made for a compartment which receives the card (C) and connection means (72) for connecting the contact bands to an exploitation electronic circuit providing at least a function of reading the data contained in the card, characterized in that it comprises a casing (10, 12, 14) equipped with a window (22) permitting the insertion of the card (C), an electrical connector (72) whose electrical contact elements (73) interact with the said contact bands when the card is in the position of exploitation of the data, a device for emitting and receiving (112, 114) data towards and from an information-processing station, and a switch (120) for detecting the placing of the card (C) in an exploitation position in the casing (10).

Abstract: A nonvolatile electro-optical read-only memory includes a substrate on which is printed (or otherwise inscribed) a complex symbol or "label" with a high density two-dimensional symbology, a variable number of component symbols or "codewords" per row, and a variable number of rows. Codewords in alternating rows are selected from mutually exclusive subsets of a mark pattern such as a (17,4) mark pattern. The subsets are defined in terms of particular values of a discriminator function, which is illustrated as being a function of the widths of bars and spaces in a given codeword. In the illustrated embodiment, each subset includes 929 available codewords; that, plus a two-step method of decoding scanned data, permitting significant flexibility in defining mappings of human-readable symbol sets into codewords. The memory may be used in conjunction with a scanner and a suitable control system in a number of applications, e.g., robotic operations or automated microfilm searching.

Abstract: An apparatus for optically detecting data on paper or reusable plastic sheets, delivering the data directly to a computer including reflective photoelectric sensors to detect marks on the sheets. The software employed may use a multitude of methods to extract information from the data. The parallel I/O interface card between the apparatus and a computer permits data sampling of many sensors simultaneously. Many different thicknesses and reflectiveness of sheets may be used, thus permitting use of inexpensive photo copied forms. The apparatus is simplified by taking advantage of circuitry and the power source in the computer. The apparatus may be used to grade papers, tabulate votes, collect survey information, match people best suited for a job, date matching, or any other purpose in which data from marks on sheets can be used by a general or special purpose computer.

Abstract: A customer pass or card registered in the client's name is issued to each client who wishes to make use of the self-registration system. A check parameter, such as an integer, is assigned to the customer pass, and is either recorded in the customer pass or stored in the memory of a computer. After the client has registered the selected articles using a portable scanning device, the scanner is coupled to a readout station and at the same time the identity of the client and the associated check parameter are determined. With the aid of an automatic device, such as a random number generator, it is determined whether a spot check should take place. The store arrangement includes shelves 3, typical cash desks 4, and a check selection station 22 where a client wishing to make use of the self-registration system presents the customer pass. Station 22 determines whether the client must be spot checked.

Abstract: A motorized card reader/encoder mechanism of novel design utilizes a positionable card handling system to perform card reading and/or encoding operations efficiently and with minimal space requirements. In a preferred configuration, the card mechanism includes a generally rotatable guide assembly having a card path for receiving and transporting a card for read/encode operations, and optionally, a generally fixed throat assembly for directing a card to the card guide assembly. The guide assembly is rotatable between a plurality of positions including a card transfer position wherein the guide assembly is in generally adjacent alignment with the throat assembly, a card read/encode position wherein the guide assembly is in a rotated position not in substantial alignment with the throat assembly, and a card retention position wherein the guide assembly card path is oriented generally vertically in order to transfer a card to a card capture bin.

Abstract: The present invention provides a microcomputer in which an input signal is input via a resonance circuit, a CPU for processing data, an input circuit for detecting the input signal, a decoding circuit for demodulating the input signal and supplying a demodulated signal of a predetermined length to the CPU when the input circuit detects the input signal, an attenuation circuit for attenuating oscillation in the resonance circuit when said input circuit detects the input signal, and an output circuit for outputting an output signal from the CPU. A non-contact IC card utilizing the microcomputer includes an antenna circuit for transmitting and receiving data and incorporating the resonance circuit.

Abstract: An object is projected through the lens system to be corrected to the image plane where the position of the diffraction limited ideal image is readily ascertainable. At least one primary image defect or Seidel Aberration is measured. These aberrations include distortion, curvature of field or Petzval curvature, spherical aberration, coma, and astigmatism. Interferometry is one technique typically used to measure the aberrations of the system. Based on the measurements, the location of an apparent object is computed. The apparent object is an imaginary location of the object which would cause the image of the object to register to the diffraction limited ideal image. Although only one corrector plate may be required to achieve the desired optical system performance improvements, in the preferred embodiment at least two corrector plate mounting planes are designed and mounts made for the insertion of first and second corrector plates to correct beam convergence and focus to the ideal image.

Abstract: An environmentally tolerant personal identification, access control and monitoring system including a dual contact limb-worn identification (ID) code-producing unit and a multiple-physical contact arrayed ID code reader are described. Momentary physical contact between the unit's dual contacts, in any position and orientation, and the reader's arrayed multiple contacts is detected by sequentially energizing contact pairs of the array until a characteristic low-impedance is sensed and then the indicated contact pair is reverse-energized to read the ID code from the ID unit. Preferably, the contact array geometry is of closely spaced, nickel-plated, planar, hexagonally shaped conductors that are group-encoded and -energized to minimize the input/output port requirements of a microprocessor and associated drive/sense electronics that accomplish the scanning of the array and the reading of the ID unit.

Abstract: A device for analyzing information carriers, particularly gaming coupons or receipts, includes a carrier receiver device, an image scanning device for reading the information on the carrier, a processing unit for processing the image information and for transmitting the information to a central gaming management unit. The carrier is printed with multiple colors. The image scanning device includes an optical reader which is blind to a single color, but sensitive to all other colors. The carrier has fixed marking patterns, printed in the color to which the image scanning device is blind, which delineate where the player marks the carrier with variable gaming information. The carrier also has fixed information for alignment and type designation printed in other colors. The processing unit uses stored marking patterns corresponding to the type of carrier analyzed, by superimposing blind color information.

Abstract: A focussing device for a bar code reader comprises a lens system and a drive therefor. The lens system comprises at least one lens or set of lenses moveable in the direction of its optical axis. The drive comprises at least one coil and a magnetic element, wherein at least one moveable lens or set of lenses is fixed to the magnetic element and the magnetic element is a magnetic ring slideably arranged in a holding element, and wherein said at least one coil is fixed relative to the holding element. The lens system may comprise at least two fixed lenses or sets of lenses, at least one moveable lens or set of lenses being arranged between two fixed lenses or sets of lenses. A gating device selectively passes signals output by a sensor that senses light scattered by a bar code passing through the focussing device.