Abstract: A color image forming apparatus and method in which the color image information of the document, supplied from a reciprocally moving scanner is converted into color component signals corresponding to the color components of the ink ribbon. These component signals are sequentially supplied to the thermal head for each color component signal, and they are overlappingly transferred and copied onto the copy paper one color at a time. The scanner scans only the number of times equal to the number of color components of the ink ribbon. One color component signal is sequentially supplied to the thermal head at the time of each scanning, and the image of one color is formed simultaneously with the scanning. The copy paper is repositioned after each scanning and the process is repeated until all color components have been applied to the copy paper, thus producing a color copy of the original document.

Abstract: An apparatus for band compression processing of a picture signal which generates forecasting error signal and movement vector and updates only the movement vector during a comb-out operation. During comb-out processing, a picture signal is recirculated while the movement vector is produced and accumulated. At the end of the comb-out processing, the change in the movement vector from the accumulated vector is within a desired range. Therefore, the scale of a circuit for detecting the movement vector after the comb-out operation does not increase.

Abstract: A motion-adaptive interpolation method for a motion video signal includes the steps of computing a representative motion vector of a moving object by using a certain number of motion vectors, and implementing a modification of the representative motion vector such that a variation of the representative motion vector at a present frame period with respect to the representative motion vector at a previous frame period is limited to a predetermined range, thus increasing the number of the frames per unit of time by using the modified representative motion vector. Further, a device for implementing the motion-adaptive interpolation includes motion estimation circuitry for evaluating an estimated motion of the motion video signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting one of a multiplicity of preidentified items, such as candidates on an election ballot. Each item has an associated light emitting element which has an on/off status. The use of the lights is time multiplexed between status display and item selection tasks. For at least a first certain portion of each of a plurality of successive time cycles, the lights with an on status are energized. The lights which are energized are associated with previously selected items. They are energized to a level of illumination visible to the human eye in a normal ambient light environment.For a second portion of each time cycle, a multiplicity of the lights are energized in a prearranged time dependent algorithmic pattern. During this portion of the time cycle the lights are energized only to a level of illumination not normally visible to the human eye in a normal ambient light environment.

Abstract: An image sequence transmission method and apparatus transmit a sequence of successive images over a bandwidth limited channel. The transmitter has a motion estimator for estimating the motion displacement between successive image frames of the sequence. The motion estimator divides each image into nonoverlapping blocks, each block including a plurality of picture elements. The apparatus then successively selects, in accordance with a steepest descent estimation technique, an initial value of a motion vector displacement for each successive block. Thereafter, an iterative process determines using the steepest descent approach, successive values of the motion displacement vector for a block and the iteration process is terminated when an iteration error measure, which is associated with the steepest descent method, is less than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A scale particularly for weighing fish which is portable and normally hand held and which includes a strain gauge for sensing the weight of a fish and the strain gauge providing a leg of a Wheatstone Bridge to provide the measuring of the strain placed upon a member to which the fish is attached. The unit includes battery sources for the required power and includes an LED display unit for reading of the weight of the fish. A zero set may be incorporated in the circuitry or a reset to zero reading may be provided. The unit provides a portable, accurate scale for weighing of fish and the unit may also include selective sensing circuitry for reading of other inputs such as temperature of water.

Abstract: A control system for a combinatorial weighing or counting apparatus includes a main central processing unit for effecting a combinatorial arithmetic operation, and a plurality of individual drive unit central processing units. The drive unit central processing units are associated respectively with driver units of the weighing machines and connected to the main central processing unit for controlling the drive units, respectively. Operation commands delivered from the main central processing unit to the individual drive unit central processing units are set by interrupt processes of the individual drive unit, central processing units at all times.

Abstract: A combinatorial weighing method and apparatus for obtaining a batch of articles of a plurality of categories, each category of articles in the batch having a predetermined weight or made up of a predetermined number of articles. The method includes the steps of setting a target value for each category of articles, and supplying a plurality of weighing machines, groups of which are provided for each category of articles, with the articles of the category corresponding thereto. For each category of articles and from all combinations is selected, of the weighing machines supplied with the category of articles, a best combination whose total value (weight or number) is equal to the target value set for that category or closest to the target value within preset allowable limits. Then, the articles from those weighing machines corresponding to the best combination obtained for each category of articles, is discharged so that a batch composed of the discharged articles, is obtained.

Abstract: A load measurement bar is attached to an isolated section of railroad track rail at two locations along the neutral axis of the rail. The bar assembly contains displacement sensors to measure the bending slope of the rail relative to the bar to provide a signal output directly proportional to load.

Abstract: Load cells incorporating one or more gaged beams as the load sensing elements are compensated for off-center loading in the longitudinal and/or lateral directions. The load cell may also include one or more flexure arms extending parallel to the beam. The relative position of the gages and the neutral axis of the beam is made such that the gages produce a correctible response to off-set loading by positioning the gages and/or physically altering the beam. Preferably, conventional or special strain gages are mounted upon the beam(s) to produce a correctible response by the gages by rotating and/or displacing them with respect to the longitudinal axis of the beam. Resistors are then connected to certain of the strain gages to compensate for off-center loading. The strain gages are advantageously placed all on one side of a beam but may be placed on opposite sides thereof.

Abstract: A method and system are set forth for determining the force necessary to separate a first and a second mass by using an inflatable member such as an air spring. More specifically, the invention includes a system and method for load leveling of a vehicle. The system and method includes means for determining the weight on each spring by inflating the spring at a substantially constant rate. The pressure of the gas within the air spring is sensed at time intervals and, through a microprocessor or the like, the sensed pressure at the time intervals is assembled into a pressure-time history. From the pressure time history, the pressure is determined at which the chassis begins to lift. The determined pressure is processed to give an indication of the weight of the chassis borne by the air spring. The foregoing procedure is repeated for each air spring so that a gross vehicle weight can be determined as well as the distribution of weight upon each air spring.

Abstract: In order to effect motion adaptive interpolation of nontransmitted television image sequences, each based on at least two transmitted television image sequences, the transmitted sequences are received and segmentally divided into stationary and moving components, and the displacement of the moving components is determined by picture elements. These operations are carried out by electronically segmentally dividing each sequence into background regions which are to become visible and background regions which are to become hidden due to the movement of each moving component and deriving characteristic segment information having four possible values; deriving a set of filter coefficients from the character segment information and from information obtained as a result of determining displacement; and applying the filter coefficients to a motion adaptive interpolation filter for causing the filter to generate the nontransmitted image sequences.

Abstract: An inter-frame coding circuit for encoding a television video signal to reduce the quantity of data to be transmitted. The coding circuit includes a motion detection circuit which produces a motion vector representative of motion contained in the television signal and an inter-frame prediction coder which is responsive to the motion vector and to the input television signal to produce a prediction error signal which indicates frame-to-frame variations in the television signal. Also included is a refresh circuit for spatially correlating the input signal on an intra-frame basis. To reduce or eliminate the possibility that an error in the signal is magnified, the motion vector is set to zero for a predetermined period in relation to an area or a portion of the video signal for which a refresh operation has just been completed. A transmission circuit transmits the motion vector signal, the prediction error signal, and a refresh execution signal which are used for reproducing the original video signal.

Abstract: An image output apparatus comprises an image information supply unit, an output unit for causing any image information to be put out from the supply unit, a designating device for designating an image to be put out from the image information of the supply unit, a command device for commanding a change of the designated image, and a control device whereby, when a designated image change command is given before the outputting of a previously designated image is completed, the outputting of the previously designated image is stopped and the outputting of a newly designated image is started.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image display apparatus including an image bearing web in the form of an endless belt on which an erasable image is formed, the image being carried into an image display section for observation. If the image bearing web is photosensitive, it is affected by the light, resulting in the deterioration of the image formed. To avoid this, the length of the image bearing web which is used to form one complete image is made equal to the full length of the web divided by a non-integer. Therefore, that position on the image bearing web which is used to form an image to be displayed will be changed for each display to distribute the effect of the light over the entire length of the photosensitive web.

Abstract: The invention is related to the compression of digitized data to load a buffer memory with a view to the transfer of data towards a mass storage.The invention consists especially in transmitting the difference D.sub.n between two consecutive pixels X.sub.n-1 and X.sub.n instead of these latter, this difference being the most often codable on a small number of bits and in suppressing the sign bit whenever possible, i.e. each time that the indetermination on the sign is raised by the comparison between D.sub.n and X.sub.n-1. The process and device according to the invention are adapted to be applied, in particular, to the storage of images.

Abstract: Strain gauge transducers (5,6,7,8,9) are fitted in pairs to a vehicle axle (2), generally between each wheel (3) and the adjacent suspension (4). They have strain gauges in balanced bridge formation and their orientation is such that their outputs can be combined to produce an indication of various loads, eliminating the influence of irrelevant strains. In one pairing, one transducer is on top of the axle while the other is on a front or rear face. In another pairing both transducers are on top of the axle at different longitudinal positions.

Abstract: In the recording apparatus of this invention, liquid crystal light shutter operates by using the double frequency drive. The double frequency drive utilizes signals of a high frequency f.sub.H and lower frequency f.sub.L. The dielectric anisotropy of liquid crystal matrial becomes positive in the case of the frequency f.sub.L lower than crossover frequency f.sub.C and becomes negative in the case of the frequency f.sub.H higher than the frequency f.sub.C. When the data signal including the signal of the frequency f.sub.L for a final period of a writing cycle Tw, is applied to write selection electrodes and data signal electrodes, liquid crystal light shutter is kept open for the final period of the writing cycle Tw, namely, opening or closing state of the shutter which is caused during a selection period can be eliminated.

Abstract: An image reproducing apparatus wherein latent images are formed on an image retainer by a plurality of latent image forming device and the latent images are developed by developing means to which a developing bias is applied. The developing bias can be applied in accordance with the difference of the latent image forming device. One of the latent image forming device is a continuous tone latent image forming device and the other is a dispersed tone latent image forming device.

Abstract: There is disclosed a recording apparatus capable of easily overlaying two images. One image is read photoelectrically and supplied as electrical signals, while the other image is stored in a read-only memory and supplied as electrical signals. The read-only memory is also used for storing control information for the overlaying process.