Abstract: A portable electronic device for comparing and then destroying information, comprising a keyboard for input of information by two or more users, a microprocessor for comparing the information and then destroying it, and a visual display for revealing the results of the comparison; whereby each user may enjoy the results of the comparison and still be assured that his or her own information remains private, and cannot be extracted from the device either during use or at any later time.In its preferred embodiment the device looks rather like a hand calculator with alphanumeric keyboard, but has a cover with a shield attached, permitting privacy in use of the keyboard.Among the tasks which the device can perform are matching, that is, testing to see if two or more users have input identical information; ranking of users according to numerical input; and tallying of votes.

Abstract: A method whereby the numerical control information preparing function determines the manner of machining. On the basis of the input shape of a workpiece and on the basis of the input shape of a component part to be obtained from the workpiece, a portion of the workpiece which is to be subjected to outer diameter machining and a portion of the same which is to be subjected to inner diameter machining are determined. Thereafter, a division candidate point is obtained so that each of the portions may be divided, at the division candidate point, into a sub-portion to be subjected to forward cutting and a sub-portion to be subjected to backward cutting. On the basis of the configuration of the backward cutting sub-portion and the shape of the tool to be used, a check is made as to whether any part of the sub-portion can remain uncut after the backward cutting. On the basis of the result of this check, a determination is made as to whether the entire portion should be divided at the division candidate point.

Abstract: The compiling system and method of the present invention enables the recording of individually customized information onto blank storage media devices, and includes a data base memory device for storing information signals indicative of customized recipient information pertaining to a group of recipients. A presentation memory device stores a group of pre-recorded signals indicative of a group of information segments to be compiled selectively. A computing device responds to stored information signals indicative of customized recipient information for selecting certain ones of said pre-recorded signals indicative of certain ones of said segments and for causing signals indicative of certain ones of said segments to be retrieved selectively in a given sequence for compilation purposes. A recording device responds to retrieved signals indicative of certain ones of said segments for storing said retrieved signals onto individual ones of the storage media devices.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for vascular examination of a limb by inflation of a flexible-walled pneumatic chamber mounted to the limb and calibration of the pressure within the chamber in units of volume. Calibration is accomplished by inflating the chamber to a preselected reference pressure, altering the volume of the chamber, and measuring the calibration pressure at the altered volume. The calibration pressure is stored for use off-line in scaling subsequent pressure fluctuations as changes in limb volume.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing an abstract of a document capable of producing concise abstract with correct meaning precisely indicative of the content of the document automatically. The method includes the steps of: listing hint words which are preselected words indicative of presence of significant phrases that can reflect content of the document; searching all the hint words in the document; extracting sentences of the document in which any one of the listed hint words is found by the search; and producing an abstract for the document by juxtaposing the extracted sentences. An apparatus for performing this method is also disclosed.

Abstract: An iterative, assignment-dependent, method of allocating manufacturing resources to perform operations required in the manufacture of multiple products provides for improved conformance with actual manufacturing situations and for solutions which approximate optimal allocation while requiring only modest computational power and time. The first step involves attributing complex costs to potential assignments of operations to resources. Complex costs include two components, combined money-costs and combined times. Combined cost is an assignment dependent variable which can equal operational cost or the sum of operation cost and set-up cost depending on assignments that have already been made. Combined time is likewise assignment dependent. In a second step, combined cost is selected as a parameter to evaluate each potential operation-resource pair. In a third step, a lowest cost and a second lowest cost resource are determined for each unassigned operation.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for finding the lowest cost path of several variable paths comprising a plurality of linked cost-incurring areas existing between an origin point and a destination point. The method comprises the steps of, connecting a plurality of nodes together in the manner of the cost-incurring areas; programming each node to have a cost associated therewith corresponding to one of the cost-incurring areas; injecting a signal into one of the nodes representing the origin point; propagating the signal through the plurality of nodes from inputs to outputs thereof; reducing the signal in magnitude at each node as a function of the respective cost of the node; and, starting at one of the nodes representing the destination point and following a path having the least reduction in magnitude of the signal from node to node back to the one of the nodes representing the origin point whereby the lowest cost path from the origin point to the destination point is found.

Abstract: An imaging system generates images of the interior of an object using radiation which is attenuated and scattered by the interior of the object. The object is radiated at a number of points near the exterior of the object, and the radiation emerging from the object is measured at an array of exit points near the exterior of the object. The interior of the object is modelled as an array of volume elements called voxels. Each voxel is modelled as having scattering and attenuation properties, represented by numerical coefficients. The system computes the intensity of radiation that would emerge from the object at the exit points if the interior of the object were characterized by a currently assigned set of values for the scattering and attenuation coefficients. Then, the differences between the measured intensities and the computer intensities are used to compute an error function relates to the magnitude of the errors in the reconstruction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the correction, in a scanner, of the defects due to the movements of the scanner. The method consists in having a rod which introduces a major attenuation and causing the scanner to make a full turn around a center of rotation O and obtaining m distinct views of the rod, each corresponding to an angular position .alpha..sub.j. The analysis of the signals of each view enables determining the angle .beta..sub.j of the rod. The knowledge of this angle .beta..sub.j leads to the computation of the coordinates b and c of the rod and the theoretical value .beta..sub.th of the angle .beta. for each view. The difference between the theoretical value .beta..sub.th and the measured value .beta..sub.j is used in the device for processing the scanner image.

Abstract: Errors in applying liquid sample are judged during biochemical analysis wherein a droplet of liquid sample is applied to an analysis medium containing a reagent, which chemically reacts with a specific constitutent in the liquid sample, the analysis medium is then incubated, the optical densities of the analysis medium are determined, and concentration of the specific constituent in the liquid sample is determined from the optical densities of the analysis medium thus determined. The method for judging errors in applying a liquid sample comprises the steps of determining the optical density of the analysis medium plural times with the passage of time while the analysis medium is being incubated, and calculating the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the optical densities thus determined for the analysis medium. The difference is compared with a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An electronic layout system for use with a fabrication table utilizes a plurality of visible display elements mounted on display modules which are linked to a host computer to facilitate the assembly of panels for the panelized or modular production of housing. The display modules are mounted on the fabrication table and in accordance with commands transmitted from the computer, the visible display elements form a coded image of the various types of structural members in a panel as well as their longitudinal and lateral positions within the panel. An operator is able to align the specific structural member with its coded image and assemble the panel on the table, then he may continue production of the same panel or select a new panel.

Abstract: A method is described for deriving a planar representation of a three-dimensional surface which includes steps of: deriving a plurality of tomographic slices of the three-dimensional surface; positioning reference points about a perimeter surface of each tomographic slice; creating a straight line representation of each perimeter surface with its reference points, each straight line representation having a length value proportional to the perimeter surface from which it was created; adjusting the straight line representations to be adjacent to each other in the order of their respective tomographic slices, to thereby create a planar map of the three-dimensional surface when the straight line representations are plotted; and reducing distortion between straight line representations by finding the average minimum distance between positionally closest reference points on adjacent slice surface lines; and repositioning the straight line representations in accordance with the findings.