Abstract: An apparatus measures a fluid level in a container. A light source emits a light beam. A light sensor can sense the light beam. An optical conduit is arranged in a container for holding fluid. The optical conduit is arranged between the light source and the light sensor along a path of the light beam, such that at least one part of the light beam passes through the optical conduit, and at least an other part of the light beam passes through the fluid when the container holds the fluid. The sensor senses the light beam when a level of the fluid coincides with the one part of the light beam passing through the optical conduit, and the sensor does not sense the light beam when the level of the fluid coincides with the other part of the light beam passing through the fluid due to internal reflection at the fluid level.

Abstract: An interactive display system includes a pixel-based display surface and a light pen. A sequence of patterns is projected onto the display surface. The sequence of patterns has a unique sequence of light intensities for each location of the display surface. Intensities of light at an arbitrary location are sensed by the light pen while projecting the sequence of patterns. The intensifies of light are decoded to determine coordinates of the arbitrary location.

Abstract: An appliance control panel detects on ON gesture by a user approximately near a set of electrodes in a surface of the appliance, in which the electrodes sense a capacitive coupling to the user. The appliance is turned on in ON in response to the detecting of the ON gesture by the user. A capacitive coupling substantially near a particular one of the set of electrodes by the user is detected to perform a control action.

Abstract: An apparatus measures a fluid level in a container. A light source emits a light beam. A light sensor can sense the light beam. An optical conduit is arranged in a container for holding fluid. The optical conduit is arranged between the light source and the light sensor along a path of the light beam, such that at least one part of the light beam passes through the optical conduit, and at least an other part of the light beam passes through the fluid when the container holds the fluid. The sensor senses the light beam when a level of the fluid coincides with the one part of the light beam passing through the optical conduit, and the sensor does not sense the light beam when the level of the fluid coincides with the other part of the light beam passing through the fluid due to internal reflection at the fluid level.

Abstract: A method displays an image only to an authorized user by generating a mask image from a data image. The data and mask image are then displayed periodically in an alternating manner on a display device by a select signal. The opening end shutting of an optical shutter device is synchronized to the displaying of the selected images so that only the data image is perceived by the authorized user viewing the display device through the optical shutter device, and a gray image is perceived by an unauthorized user viewing the data and mask images directly.

Abstract: A compact video image recording device which is mountable to a gun and useful for recording video images before and after the firing of the gun. The recording device includes a camera comprising a lens and a video image sensor. The video recording device is mounted on the gun such that the viewing area of the camera includes the target area of the gun. The video image sensor generates an electronic signal representative of a video image impinging the respective sensor. The output of the image sensor is processed and generally employed to produce frame data which are successively stored in successive frame locations of a semiconductor memory organized as a circular buffer memory while the video recording device is in an active state. Upon the firing of the gun, additional frames are stored in the buffer memory for a short period of time and a portion of the buffer memory is employed to preserve a video record of the shooting both before and after the event.

Abstract: An optical communications transceiver includes an LED coupled in series with a resistor. A microprocessor has one I/O pin connected to the LED. In a first mode or transmit mode, the LED is periodically driving in forward bias to emit light to transmit data. In a second or receive mode, the LED is periodically not driven in reverse bias, e.g., reverse bias or zero bias. Then, the LED is allowed to change charge of the capacitance of the LED's junction using a photo-current. The change in charge is measured using a timer. When the change in charge exceeds a predetermined threshold, input light is sensed. Thus, the LED can be used to receive data in the second mode.

Abstract: A display device includes a display screen, and horizontal and vertical display signals. The horizontal and vertical display signals are to render an image on the display screen. A first and second accelerometers are directly coupled to the display screen. First and second compensation circuits convert acceleration in horizontal and vertical directions respectively to x- and y-compensation signals. First and second adders combine the x- and y-compensation signals with the horizontal and vertical display signals to dynamically adjust a location of the image on the display screen while the display device is subject to movement.

Abstract: An optical communications transceiver includes an LED coupled in series with a resistor. A microprocessor has one I/O pin connected to the LED. In a first mode or transmit mode, the LED is periodically driving in forward bias to emit light to transmit data. In a second or receive mode, the LED is periodically not driven in reverse bias, e.g., reverse bias or zero bias. Then, the LED is allowed to change charge of the capacitance of the LED's junction using a photo-current. The change in charge is measured using a timer. When the change in charge exceeds a predetermined threshold, input light is sensed. Thus, the LED can be used to receive data in the second mode.

Abstract: A destination computer reads a device identification and a network address from a peripheral device connected to the destination computer. A device driver, corresponding to the device identification, is then retrieved from the source computer at the network address. A device driver installation program can also be retrieved from the source computer. The device driver installation program is executed in the destination computer to determine the configuration of the destination computer. The destination computer requests the device driver for the peripheral device corresponding to the configuration of the destination computer from the source computer. The device driver is installed in the destination computer.

Abstract: An antenna design method is supplied with antenna design parameters in an antenna specification. The design specification is parsed to produce free variables and constraints. A random sampling of a set of antenna designs is generated from the free variables and constraints in the form of performance vectors. The performance vectors are then dispersed in a design space which is visualized vectors as antenna designs, and a particular antenna design is selected as a useful antenna design.

Abstract: A device for displaying images only to an authorized user includes a display device configured to display the images. The display device includes a backlight for generating incident light of mixed polarization, a first polarization rotator, and a first polarizer disposed between the backlight and the first polarization rotator. An optical shutter device is configured to view the displayed images. The optical shutter device includes a second polarization rotator and a second polarizer. The first and second polarization rotators are synchronously rotated while displaying the images so that the image are only perceived by the authorized user viewing the display device through the optical shutter device.

Abstract: A land and water flash flood detecting and warning system includes a buoyant waterproof casing. A detachable tether is externally fixed to the casing and a distal end of the tether is attached to an anchor to secure the casing in place on land. Accelerometers mounted internally to the casing are configured to measure short-range and short-term positional information of the casing when the casing is in water due to flooding of the land. A radio transceiver coupled to the accelerometers transmit the positional information to land based receiving stations to indicate a flooding condition.

Abstract: A land and water flash flood detecting and warning system includes a buoyant waterproof casing. A detachable tether is externally fixed to the casing and a distal end of the tether is attached to an anchor to secure the casing in place on land. Accelerometers mounted internally to the casing are configured to measure short-range and short-term positional information of the casing when the casing is in water due to flooding of the land. A radio transceiver coupled to the accelerometers transmit the positional information to land based receiving stations to indicate a flooding condition.

Abstract: A device for displaying images only to an authorized user includes a display device configured to display the images. The display device includes a backlight for generating incident light of mixed polarization, a first polarization rotator, and a first polarizer disposed between the backlight and the first polarization rotator. An optical shutter device is configured to view the displayed images. The optical shutter device includes a second polarization rotator and a second polarizer. The first and second polarization rotators are synchronously rotated while displaying the images so that the image are only perceived by the authorized user viewing the display device through the optical shutter device.

Abstract: A method displays an image only to an authorized user by generating a mask image from a data image. The data and mask image are then displayed periodically in an alternating manner on a display device by a select signal. The opening end shutting of an optical shutter device is synchronized to the displaying of the selected images so that only the data image is perceived by the authorized user viewing the display device through the optical shutter device, and a gray image is perceived by an unauthorized user viewing the data and mask images directly.

Abstract: A multi-user touch system includes a surface on which are a pattern of mounted antennas. A transmitter transmits uniquely identifiable signals to each antenna. Receivers are capacitively coupled to different users, the receivers are configured to receive the uniquely identifiable signals. A processor then associates a specific antenna with a particular users when multiple users simultaneously touch any of the antennas.

Abstract: A multi-user touch system includes a surface on which are a pattern of mounted antennas. A transmitter transmits uniquely identifiable signals to each antenna. Receivers are capacitively coupled to different users, the receivers are configured to receive the uniquely identifiable signals. A processor then associates a specific antenna with a particular users when multiple users simultaneously touch any of the antennas.

Abstract: A docking station is adapted to operate with a personal digital assistant. The docking station includes an image sensor configured to acquire images, a sensor microprocessor coupled to the sensor, a vision microprocessor coupled to the sensor microprocessor and an instruction memory and a data memory, a communication interface coupled to the vision microprocessor, and configured to interface with a digital personal assistant and a computer system interface and a power supply. A housing of the docking station encloses the image sensor, the sensor microprocessor, the vision microprocessor and memories, the communications interface, and a power supply. During operation, a personal digital assistant is physically and electronically coupling to a top oblique surface of the housing.

Abstract: A method displays an image only to an authorized user by generating a mask image from a data image. The data and mask image are then displayed periodically in an alternating manner on a display device by a select signal. The opening end shutting of an optical shutter device is synchronized to the displaying of the selected images so that only the data image is perceived by the authorized user viewing the display device through the optical shutter device, and a gray image is perceived by an unauthorized user viewing the data and mask images directly.