Abstract: A capacitance module may include a set of electrodes, a processor in communication with the set of electrodes and memory in communication with the processor. The memory may include programmed instructions that cause the capacitance module, when executed, to perform a calibration, the calibration including prompting a press input, storing a press attribute of a press measurement associated with the press input, and determining a type of unprompted input by consulting the stored press attribute.

Abstract: A capacitance module may include a set of electrodes, a controller in communication with the set of electrodes, and memory in communication with the controller. The memory may include programmed instructions that cause the controller, when executed, to store a touch attribute of a touch capacitance measurement associated with a touch input, store a proximity attribute of a proximity capacitance measurement associated with a proximity input, and update the proximity attribute based on an unprompted capacitance measurement.

Abstract: A capacitance module may include a set of electrodes, a processor in communication with the set of electrodes and memory in communication with the processor. The memory may include programmed instructions that cause the capacitance module, when executed, to perform a calibration, the calibration including prompting a press input, storing a press attribute of a press measurement associated with the press input, and determining a type of unprompted input by consulting the stored press attribute.

Abstract: A capacitance module may include a set of electrodes, a processor in communication with the set of electrodes, and memory in communication with the processor. The memory may include programmed instructions that cause the capacitance module, when executed, to determine a user identity by comparing input attributes of an unprompted input with at least one user attribute stored in the memory.

Abstract: A capacitance module may include a set of electrodes, a controller in communication with the set of electrodes, and memory in communication with the processor. The memory may include programmed instructions that cause the controller, when executed, to receive a typing input; take a capacitance measurement in response to receiving the typing input; store an attribute associated with the capacitance measurement; and determine an input type of a subsequent user input over the set of electrodes based, at least in part, on the stored attribute.

Abstract: A capacitance module may include a set of electrodes, a controller in communication with the set of electrodes, and memory in communication with the controller. The memory may include programmed instructions that cause the controller, when executed, to: receive a user input, send a command to cause noise interference with the user input, take a capacitance measurement while the noise interference is applied to the user input, store a noise-affected attribute associated with the capacitance measurement, and classify an unprompted user input by comparing it to the stored noise-affected attribute.

Abstract: A capacitance module may include a set of electrodes, a controller in communication with the set of electrodes, and memory in communication with the controller. The memory may include programmed instructions that cause the capacitance module, when executed, to perform a calibration, the calibration including prompting a finger input, storing a finger attribute of a finger capacitance measurement associated with the finger input, prompting a palm input, storing a palm attribute of a palm capacitance measurement associated with the palm input, and determining an unprompted palm input by consulting at least one of the stored finger attribute and the stored palm attribute.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for using a square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection. A laser source emits an optical signal and a RF waveform generator generates an input digital chirp signal based on the square wave digital chirp signal. A frequency of the optical signal is modulated based on the input digital chirp signal. A splitter divides the optical signal into a transmit optical signal and a reference optical signal. A detector combines the reference optical signal and a return optical signal from an object. The detector generates an electrical output signal based on the combined reference optical signal and the return optical signal. A processor determines a range to the object based on a characteristic of a Fourier transform the electrical output signal. A method is also provided for using the square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for configuring a customized tour includes providing a list of tour subject indicators with a relevance value for locations to be toured, receiving user selection data regarding the subject indicators, and configuring a tour route based on an aggregate relevance score calculated for the tour subject indicators and locations indicated by one or more users. The method and apparatus may further include defining at least one tour route record comprising an ordered list of locations that satisfies at least a minimum aggregate relevance score constraint and a maximum tour duration constraint and saving information defining the at least one tour route record in a computer memory for use in delivering a corresponding tour.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for configuring a customized tour includes providing a list of tour subject indicators with a relevance value for locations to be toured, receiving user selection data regarding the subject indicators, and configuring a tour route based on an aggregate relevance score calculated for the tour subject indicators and locations indicated by one or more users. The method and apparatus may further include defining at least one tour route record comprising an ordered list of locations that satisfies at least a minimum aggregate relevance score constraint and a maximum tour duration constraint and saving information defining the at least one tour route record in a computer memory for use in delivering a corresponding tour.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for using a square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection. A laser source emits an optical signal and a RF waveform generator generates an input digital chirp signal based on the square wave digital chirp signal. A frequency of the optical signal is modulated based on the input digital chirp signal. A splitter divides the optical signal into a transmit optical signal and a reference optical signal. A detector combines the reference optical signal and a return optical signal from an object. The detector generates an electrical output signal based on the combined reference optical signal and the return optical signal. A processor determines a range to the object based on a characteristic of a Fourier transform the electrical output signal. A method is also provided for using the square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for using a square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection. A laser source emits an optical signal and a RF waveform generator generates an input digital chirp signal based on the square wave digital chirp signal. A frequency of the optical signal is modulated based on the input digital chirp signal. A splitter divides the optical signal into a transmit optical signal and a reference optical signal. A detector combines the reference optical signal and a return optical signal from an object. The detector generates an electrical output signal based on the combined reference optical signal and the return optical signal. A processor determines a range to the object based on a characteristic of a Fourier transform the electrical output signal. A method is also provided for using the square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for using a square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection. A laser source emits an optical signal and a RF waveform generator generates an input digital chirp signal based on the square wave digital chirp signal. A frequency of the optical signal is modulated based on the input digital chirp signal. A splitter divides the optical signal into a transmit optical signal and a reference optical signal. A detector combines the reference optical signal and a return optical signal from an object. The detector generates an electrical output signal based on the combined reference optical signal and the return optical signal. A processor determines a range to the object based on a characteristic of a Fourier transform the electrical output signal. A method is also provided for using the square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for using a square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection. A laser source emits an optical signal and a RF waveform generator generates an input digital chirp signal based on the square wave digital chirp signal. A frequency of the optical signal is modulated based on the input digital chirp signal. A splitter divides the optical signal into a transmit optical signal and a reference optical signal. A detector combines the reference optical signal and a return optical signal from an object. The detector generates an electrical output signal based on the combined reference optical signal and the return optical signal. A processor determines a range to the object based on a characteristic of a Fourier transform the electrical output signal. A method is also provided for using the square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for using a square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection. A laser source emits an optical signal and a RF waveform generator generates an input digital chirp signal based on the square wave digital chirp signal. A frequency of the optical signal is modulated based on the input digital chirp signal. A splitter divides the optical signal into a transmit optical signal and a reference optical signal. A detector combines the reference optical signal and a return optical signal from an object. The detector generates an electrical output signal based on the combined reference optical signal and the return optical signal. A processor determines a range to the object based on a characteristic of a Fourier transform the electrical output signal. A method is also provided for using the square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection.

Abstract: A basic architecture for managing digital identity information in a network such as the World Wide Web is provided. A user of the architecture can organize his or her information into one or more profiles which reflect the nature of different relationships between the user and other entities, and grant or deny each entity access to a given profile. Various enhancements which may be provided through the architecture are also described, including tools for filtering email, controlling access to user web pages, locating other users and making one's own location known, browsing or mailing anonymously, filling in web forms automatically with information already provided once by hand, logging in automatically, securely logging in to multiple sites with a single password and doing so from any machine on the network, and other enhancements.

Abstract: Improved detector and processing circuitry for use with a vorticity measurement optical probe system is disclosed. The invention makes use of a dual axis position indicating photodetector so that two components of vorticity may be simultaneously measured. Reflective spherical particles are disposed in a fluid whose vorticity is to be measured, and a light beam is reflected off of the particles and onto the photodetector. Analog and digital processing circuitry is connected to the outputs of the photodetector, and generate data that is indicative of the position of the reflected light beam on the photodetector as a function of time. Computer interface circuitry is also provided which enables the beam position data to be read into a digital computer so that the two vorticity components may be calculated therefrom. Embodiments which utilize plural axis photodetectors are also disclosed.