Abstract: A system for acquiring multi-angle images of a product includes a workstation having a working surface for placing a product, a camera supporting member having a vertical axis, and an image capturing device movably attached to the camera supporting member so that it may move along the vertical axis of the camera supporting member. The system captures and analyzes a digital image of a product to detect the vertical center of the product, and adjusts the position of the image capturing device along the vertical axis so that the vertical center of the product is proximate to the vertical center of the image. The system may also have a turntable and additionally rotate the turntable at multiple capturing angles and capture one or more additional digital images of the product at various capturing angles and store the one or more additional images in a product database.

Abstract: A method for profiling a location of an image capture device in a region of interest. The method comprises acquiring an image captured by an image capture device. The method comprises acquiring a reported position and pose of the image capture device. The method comprises processing the captured image to detect an object in the captured image. The method comprises identifying a set of interest points characterizing the captured object. The method comprises generating a relative position and pose of the interest points based on dimensional information associated with the captured object. The method comprises computing an estimated position and pose of the image capture device to the object using the reported position and pose of the image capture device and the relative position of the interest points. The method comprises computing the estimated position and pose of the mobile imaging device based on the estimated distance.

Abstract: Direction and speed of robotic data acquisition systems engaged in acquiring data in mapped or route-planned environments, and/or environments having reference features (e.g., shelves, walls, curbs or other structure) enabling additional guidance and control, are disclosed. A mobile base can include wheels adapted to navigate an environment. At least one sensor (e.g., imaging camera, acoustic, passive infrared, etc.) can be mounted on the mobile base and acquires data (e.g., images) of items associated with or located along fixed structures defining the pathways within the environment. A computer can control mobile base movement and orientation with respect to the at least one structure utilizing range sensors and PID controllers, track mobile base location, and organize acquired data. Range sensors under the control of the at least one computer can be adapted to control mobile base movement in a straight line and at a constant speed with respect to a fixed structure.

Abstract: A system and a method for estimating readiness for passing an associated summative assessment includes, after receiving test results for at least one test, generating a score Cn for each concept tested on the test. Using the score, the system computes a probability of mastery p(Mn) of the at least one concept and associates the probability of mastery p(Mn) as a prior for updating the probability after receiving future test results. The system iteratively updates the probability of mastery p(Mn) of the at least one concept after each test using for the new test score and the prior.

Abstract: A store profile generation system includes a mobile base and an image capture assembly mounted on the base. The assembly includes at least one image capture device for acquiring images of product display units in a retail environment. A control unit acquires the images captured by the at least one image capture device at a sequence of locations of the mobile base in the retail environment. The control unit extracts product-related data from the acquired images and generates a store profile indicating locations of products and their associated tags throughout the retail environment, based on the extracted product-related data. The store profile can be used for generating new product labels for a sale in an appropriate order for a person to match to the appropriate locations in a single pass through the store.

Abstract: A method of operating a printer includes identifying a region of a print medium located between marks formed by a first plurality of inkjets in the printer and an edge of the print medium. The printer activates a second plurality of inkjets to print ink drops into the region during a printing operation. The method enables full-bleed or near full-bleed printing for different media sizes.

Abstract: A method of operating a printer includes identifying a region of a print medium located between marks formed by a first plurality of inkjets in the printer and an edge of the print medium. The printer activates a second plurality of inkjets to print ink drops into the region during a printing operation. The method enables full-bleed or near full-bleed printing for different media sizes.

Abstract: A method generates a test pattern on an image receiving member that is less perceptible to human observation, but still detectable by an imaging device within a printer. A method implemented in the printer analyzes image data of the dashes in the test pattern that were randomly distributed in the process direction within an area of the image receiving member to identify positions for printheads in the printer and detect missing inkjets in the printheads.

Abstract: A method enables an operator to detect misalignment of printheads that eject clear ink in an inkjet printer. The method prints a first test pattern with a first color of ink and then prints a second test pattern of clear ink on top of the first test pattern. The ink of the first and the second test patterns is then spread to enable the clear ink to be dispersed in interstitial spaces in the ink of the first color. An operator is then able to detect the spatial relationship of predetermined marks in the second test pattern to predetermined marks in the first test pattern. The predetermined marks of the first and the second test patterns are arranged to enable an operator to detect a misalignment distance and the inkjet printer uses the misalignment distance entered by the operator to adjust the alignment of the printheads that eject clear ink.

Abstract: A method enables an operator to detect misalignment of printheads that eject clear ink in an inkjet printer. The method prints a first test pattern with a first color of ink and then prints a second test pattern of clear ink on top of the first test pattern. The ink of the first and the second test patterns is then spread to enable the clear ink to be dispersed in interstitial spaces in the ink of the first color. An operator is then able to detect the spatial relationship of predetermined marks in the second test pattern to predetermined marks in the first test pattern. The predetermined marks of the first and the second test patterns are arranged to enable an operator to detect a misalignment distance and the inkjet printer uses the misalignment distance entered by the operator to adjust the alignment of the printheads that eject clear ink.

Abstract: A critical parameter/requirements management process model for managing a development program for a product and an associated product structure-driven critical parameter/requirements management tool and environment is provided. In one embodiment, the process includes a product structure classification scheme, a parameter/requirements classification scheme, a parameter/requirements process and maturity model, and in-process and requirements conformance views. In one embodiment, the tool includes a user interface layer, a business layer, a data layer, and a database. The user interface layer may include a product structure feature group, an add/edit/link feature group, a manage maturity feature group, and a manage conformance feature group. The tool may be implemented as a web server accessible to user workstations operating as thin clients.

Abstract: A method generates a test pattern on an image receiving member that is less perceptible to human observation, but still detectable by an imaging device within a printer. A method implemented in the printer analyzes image data of the dashes in the test pattern that were randomly distributed in the process direction within an area of the image receiving member to identify positions for printheads in the printer and detect missing inkjets in the printheads.

Abstract: A critical parameter/requirements management process model for managing a development program for a product and an associated product structure-driven critical parameter/requirements management tool and environment is provided. In one embodiment, the process includes a product structure classification scheme, a parameter/requirements classification scheme, a parameter/requirements process and maturity model, and in-process and requirements conformance views. In one embodiment, the tool includes a user interface layer, a business layer, a data layer, and a database. The user interface layer may include a product structure feature group, an add/edit/link feature group, a manage maturity feature group, and a manage conformance feature group. The tool may be implemented as a web server accessible to user workstations operating as thin clients.

Abstract: A critical parameter/requirements management process model for managing a development program for a product and an associated product structure-driven critical parameter/requirements management tool and environment is provided. In one embodiment, the process includes a product structure classification scheme, a parameter/requirements classification scheme, a parameter/requirements process and maturity model, and in-process and requirements conformance views. In one embodiment, the tool includes a user interface layer, a business layer, a data layer, and a database. The user interface layer may include a product structure feature group, an add/edit/link feature group, a manage maturity feature group, and a manage conformance feature group. The tool may be implemented as a web server accessible to user workstations operating as thin clients.

Abstract: A critical parameter/requirements management process model for managing a development program for a product and an associated product structure-driven critical parameter/requirements management tool and environment is provided. In one embodiment, the process includes a product structure classification scheme, a parameter/requirements classification scheme, a parameter/requirements process and maturity model, and in-process and requirements conformance views. In one embodiment, the tool includes a user interface layer, a business layer, a data layer, and a database. The user interface layer may include a product structure feature group, an add/edit/link feature group, a manage maturity feature group, and a manage conformance feature group. The tool may be implemented as a web server accessible to user workstations operating as thin clients.

Abstract: A critical parameter/requirements management process model for managing a development program for a product and an associated product structure-driven critical parameter/requirements management tool and environment is provided. In one embodiment, the process includes a product structure classification scheme, a parameter/requirements classification scheme, a parameter/requirements process and maturity model, and in-process and requirements conformance views. In one embodiment, the tool includes a user interface layer, a business layer, a data layer, and a database. The user interface layer may include a product structure feature group, an add/edit/link feature group, a manage maturity feature group, and a manage conformance feature group. The tool may be implemented as a web server accessible to user workstations operating as thin clients.

Abstract: A pre-heater system and adapted to be used on an electrostatic marking apparatus for improving gloss on media having marking thereon at a location in the apparatus prior to a conventional fuser roll assembly or station, the system including a primary heater adapted to blow pressurized hot air into a surface of an image receiving media in order to substantially dispense hot air throughout an entire paper or media surface; and a preheat media transport for transporting media from the location in the apparatus prior to the conventional fuser roll assembly or station through the primary heater, the preheat media transport includes means for maintaining the preheat media transport at a substantially uniform predefined temperature.

Abstract: At least sequential current and subsequent sheets of a print job are received in a document processing system. Each sheet includes a front image and a back image. The received sheets are scheduled to be printed with at least one of a first and a second sequence by at least one of a first and a second marking engine based on a comparison of the image content in corresponding selected portions of each front and back image.

Abstract: A pre-heater system and adapted to be used on an electrostatic marking apparatus for improving gloss on media having marking thereon at a location in the apparatus prior to a conventional fuser roll assembly or station, the system including a primary heater adapted to blow pressurized hot air into a surface of an image receiving media in order to substantially dispense hot air throughout an entire paper or media surface; and a preheat media transport for transporting media from the location in the apparatus prior to the conventional fuser roll assembly or station through the primary heater, the preheat media transport includes means for maintaining the preheat media transport at a substantially uniform predefined temperature.

Abstract: In a sheet stacking system with an array of plural sheet stacking bins with sheet entrances for stacking plural flimsy print substrate sheets from a printed sheets output path into selected bins, with a sheet feeding input path system for feeding selected sheets into a selected bin to be stacked therein, with a bin fullness indicator system for indicating that the estimated height of the stack has reached a preset allowable maximum, and a stacking control system controlled by the bin fullness indicator system to control the sheet feeding input path; there is a single stack height sensing system including a stack height sensor for respective measurements of the actual stack height of the stack of sheets in respective bins for the bin fullness indicator system, a movable carriage system for moving this single stack height sensing system from adjacent to one bin to adjacent another bin for respective measurements, the stack height sensor including a movable sensing element extendable by an intermittent actuator