Abstract: A character recognition system and method is disclosed which provides for the teaching and recognition of characters. The system includes an apparatus and method for obtaining an image which includes the character, and for sampling the character to create a plurality of sample points. A vector correlation is performed on these sample points which compares the stored points to those of known characters. The system also provides a precedence table for determining the correct order of recognition of any correlation of multiple characters.

Abstract: A driving apparatus for imparting motion to an image sensor is disclosed that includes a frame structure, a support spring coupled to the frame structure, a support structure coupled to the support spring and a foundation structure, wherein the support structure keeps the support spring suspended above the foundation structure, a first drive solenoid coupled to a first side of the frame structure, and a second drive solenoid coupled to a second side of the frame structure that is adjacent to the first side of the frame structure wherein at least one drive solenoid includes a solenoid body, a magnetic coil, and a magnetically deflectable solenoid beam.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining flow rates of well fluid constituents on a much smaller scale than with prior art equipment. Rather than testing the total fluid stream, a sample stream portion is diverted from the total fluid stream and tested. The sample fluid stream portion is separated into its various constituents, and the mass flow rate of each constituent is determined. The total mass flow rate of the total fluid stream is measured and compared with the total mass flow rate of fluid flowing through the sample stream portion, so the total flow rate of each constituent may be calculated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and device for measuring the effective viscosity and the elastic properties of coatings. Known measuring processes and measuring devices based on the "rolling ball method" suffer from drawbacks, namely run formation and sinking of the relatively heavy solvent vapors, due to the inclination of the coated sheet metal. To overcome these drawbacks, rolling movements are imparted to a magnetizable ball (1) displaced from its rest position in a magnetic field, during movement of the horizontally disposed substrate, under the influence of the field gradient of a permanent magnet or electromagnet (4) located below the substrate. The rolling movements are used as the basis for the measurements.

Abstract: An automatic focusing imaging device basically comprises an imaging element for applying photoelectric conversion to an image pick-up light from an object formed by a lens system, an extraction circuit for extracting, as an analog signal, a high frequency band component of the video signal, an analog/digital (A/D) conversion circuit for converting the extracted analog signal to a digital signal, a calculation circuit responsive to the digital signal to calculate in advance an in-focus position in the lens system and the imaging element so that the high frequency band component has a maximum level to generate a control signal, a drive mechanism for moving the lens system and/or the imaging element by the control signal, and a non-linear conversion circuit provided at the preceding stage of the A/D conversion circuit and for correcting in advance deterioration of quantization resolution of the high frequency band component in calculation of the in-focus position.

Abstract: A reciprocating piston flow meter for measuring gas flow through the flow meter comprising a hollow precision bore flowtube in a vertical orientation, with a movable piston containing a valve assembly for movement in concert with the piston between one position at or near the bottom end of the flowtube, and an elevated position at or near the upper end of the flowtube. The valve assembly is mechanically activated at each opposite end of the piston stroke to permit the piston to reciprocate between each opposite end in response to the presence of a gas flow.

Abstract: An air flow meter has a cylindrical housing to be coupled to an intake air conduit of a vehicle in a way that a main passage is formed within said housing. An egg-shaped member has a bypass passage formed therein is supported by a plurality of supporting members in a center of the main passage. A flow rate detecting resistance is provided in the bypass passage. There are two throttling portions formed within the cylindrical housing. A downstream throttling portion, which is provided near an outlet of the bypass passage, throttles a flow of air in the main passage near the outlet of the bypass passage so as to cause air in the main passage to be introduced into the inlet of bypass passage by a pressure difference caused thereby. An upstream throttling portion, which is provided upstream of the downstream throttling portion, throttles a flow of air in the main passage so that the flow of air in the main passage is equalized.

Abstract: A low cost system for efficiently doubling the data readout rate from a high resolution CCD video sensor having two line outputs includes a pair of analog to digital converters, a separate pair of first-in first-out line stores for each of the analog to digital converters, and a digital to analog converter. Successive lines from the video sensor are fed into alternate ones of the analog to digital converters in sequence at the normal pixel clock frequency used with other than high resolution sensors. The contents of successive lines in each of the analog to digital converters are written into alternate ones of its respective pair of line stores in sequence. The contents of successive lines from all of the line stores are fed into the digital to analog converter. Finally, analog data is read out of the digital to analog converter to the single analog input of a high resolution video monitor at twice the pixel clock frequency.

Abstract: A method for measuring the mass flow rate of liquid flow exiting a two phase (gas/liquid) feed nozzle. The method includes determining the Power Spectral Density from the output of an accelerometer in close proximity to the restriction orifice controlling the gas flow, or determining the Power Spectral Density from the output of a pressure transducer in contact with the gas flow on the down stream side of the restriction orifice. The liquid flow can then be obtained from a predetermined correlation between the RMS Vibrational Signal and the mass or liquid flow rate.

Abstract: An apparatus in which a magnetic field is generated by an excitation coil provided in the outside of a conduit and electromotive force generated in electrodes attached on the conduit is detected to thereby measure a flow rate of a fluid flowing in the conduit, in which the conduit is made thinner in a manner so that a ratio of the axial length of the conduit to the inside diameter of the conduit is set to a value within a range of from 0.2 to 1.0, and in which correction data previously analyzed in accordance with magnetic permeability and inside surface conductivity of a mate piping to which the conduit is to be connected are stored so that a detection signal from the electrodes is corrected on the basis of the correction data to thereby measure the flow rate of the fluid flowing in the conduit.

Abstract: A video camera comprises a video camera body and a light module. Structure is provided, integral with the video camera body, for selectively positioning the light module. The light module can be removably connected to the video camera body.

Abstract: A flow sensor which includes a support structure including a base having a plurality of spaced mesas on a surface thereof is provided. A low thermal conductivity, dielectric diaphragm spanning the mesas is supported along its length thereby and forms an electrical and thermal insulation barrier over the support structure and the mesas. At least one flow sensing element is superposed on the diaphragm so that the flow sensing element is substantially electrically and thermally isolated from the support structure. A method for fabricating the flow sensor is also provided.

Abstract: A digital still video camera having a plurality of photographing modes. The camera includes a switch for selecting one of the plurality of photographing modes, CCD for photographing an image to output a digital image signal in accordance with the selected photographing mode, a circuit for processing the digital image signal in synchronization with a clock signal and an oscillator for generating the clock signal and output the clock signal to the circuit, the oscillator adapted to change the frequency of the clock signal in accordance with the selected photographing mode so that the circuit changes its processing speed in accordance with the selected photographing mode.

Abstract: Multi-phase flow measurement in a conduit is accomplished by generating a spin in the flowing fluids and/or entrained solids, by which the centrifugal force separates the flowing components by density. The isolated flow in the central part of the conduit is measured. The denser isolated fractions flowing against the conduit wall can be measured. An overall composite parameter can be measured. These measurements can then be mathematically solved for their individual flowing components. The flowing components re-mix downstream of the apparatus.

Abstract: A tile-oriented technique and associated apparatus for manipulating a continuous tone (contone) image through image rotation, anamorphic scaling and digital halftone screening for use in illustratively implementing a page description language. Specifically, an incoming contone image is first partitioned into aligned non-abutting tiles. Overlapping blocks are then defined which will hold output data for corresponding tiles. To effect rotation and anamorphic scaling of the contone image, two-dimensional sampling increments, in fast and slow scan directions, are defined to relate movement between successive pixels in an output block to movement between corresponding pixels in the contone image. Similar, though independent, sampling increments, based in part upon screen angle and screen ruling, are defined for movement between successive pixels in a halftone reference cell. Incremental sampling occurs in the contone image to yield a corresponding sampled contone value.

Abstract: In a freezing agent consumption measurement system for measuring the consumption of the freezing agent in a low-temperature container, due to evaporation of the freezing agent, including a gas flow meter provided in the gas flow path to measure the flow of the evaporated gas from the freezing agent, a tank is provided in the gas flow path means, and the pressure in the tank is maintained at a predetermined value. The measurement of the flow of the gas is not affected by the variation in the atmospheric pressure, and accordingly accurate measurement of the consumption of the freezing agent is accomplished.

Abstract: A motion detector includes a flicker compensating circuit for removing flicker components from a video signal, and a motion vector detecting circuit for detecting a motion vector in response to an output signal from the flicker compensating circuit. An image stabilizing system includes a flicker compensating circuit for removing flicker components from a video signal, a motion vector detecting circuit for detecting a motion vector in response to an output signal from the flicker compensating circuit, and a motion compensating circuit for removing motion components from the video signal in response to the motion vector detected by the motion vector detecting circuit.

Abstract: A hot-wire mass air flow sensor includes integral, elongated silicon members with a silicon dioxide coating on which temperature sensitive resistors are deposited. The air flow sensor has an extremely low thermal conductivity material base on which is mounted one or more of the elongate silicon members. This structure maximizes the thermal impedance of the conductive path existing at the ends of the flow sensor resistors and minimizes sensor errors. A method for fabricating the air flow sensor is also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring flow in a closed conduit under both full and less than full conditions is disclosed. The method and apparatus incorporate a tubular Venturi metering device. The cross section of the throat of the device is configured relative to the upstream section of the meter so that the throat will fill with liquid substantially simultaneously with the upstream section's filling with liquid. The present method and apparatus incorporate an improved pressure transmitting and sensing means, a data logger/controller and a data converter. The pressure transmitting and sensing means is designed to overcome the limitations of prior art means of transmitting and sensing pressures. One embodiment involves using submersible sensors to measure invert liquid pressures and a single bubbler system to transmit the throat (reference) pressure to the ends of the sensor vents (in the instrument case), thus allowing differential pressures to be measured.

Abstract: A method for autofocusing a video camera, adjusting the focus by defining the focus range in which the contrast signal is extracted, generating the control clock pulse having higher frequencies than the video signal during the occurrence period of horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals corresponding to the focus range, sampling the video signals obtained in the image pick-up elements by means of the control clock pulses, converting this sampled signal into digital signal, generating the digital differential signal which represents the difference between the values of one control clock pulse earlier one and current one, producing the digital weighted signal by transforming the digital differential signal by means of the nonlinear weight value, integrating the digital weighted signals for one or more fields or frames to obtain the focusing value, and moving the focusing lensd based on the focusing value to the location where the focusing value approximately reaches the maximum.