Abstract: A display apparatus includes a shroud having a first substrate and a second substrate disposed in opposition to one another, the first substrate and the second substrate being connected to one another at a first side by a first joint and at a second side by a second joint. A free-floating stop member is disposed in a volume of the shroud between the first and second substrates and between the first and second joints, the free-floating stop member including a channel extending along the free-floating stop member for at least a portion of a length of the free-floating stop member. An elastic member couples the first joint to the second joint to exert a tensile force therebetween and passes through the channel of the free-floating stop member.

Abstract: A pop-up display apparatus includes a shroud having first and second sheets disposed in opposition to one another, the first and second sheets being connected to one another at a first side by a first joint and at a second side by a second joint. A stop member is disposed between the first and second sheets between the first and second joints and is connected to the first and second joints at a first height of the shroud. The stop member includes first and second stop elements arranged for translational movement in opposite directions relative to one another between a first and a second position. An elastic member, separate from the stop member, is connected to the first and second joints at a second height, the elastic member and being configured to bias the first joint toward the second joint.

Abstract: A pop-up display apparatus includes a shroud having first and second sheets disposed in opposition to one another, the first and second sheets being connected to one another at a first side by a first joint and at a second side by a second joint. A stop member is disposed between the first and second sheets between the first and second joints and is connected to the first and second joints at a first height of the shroud. The stop member includes first and second stop elements arranged for translational movement in opposite directions relative to one another between a first and a second position. An elastic member, separate from the stop member, is connected to the first and second joints at a second height, the elastic member and being configured to bias the first joint toward the second joint.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a shroud having a first substrate and a second substrate disposed in opposition to one another, the first substrate and the second substrate being connected to one another at a first side by a first joint and at a second side by a second joint. A free-floating stop member is disposed in a volume of the shroud between the first and second substrates and between the first and second joints, the free-floating stop member including a channel extending along the free-floating stop member for at least a portion of a length of the free-floating stop member. An elastic member couples the first joint to the second joint to exert a tensile force therebetween and passes through the channel of the free-floating stop member.

Abstract: A multicant winglet has a first blade section having a leading and a trailing edge, a first lowermost edge and a first uppermost edge, and a first central plane defined by the edges, and a second blade section having a leading and a trailing edge, a second lowermost edge and a second uppermost edge, and a second central plane defined by the edges. The first central plane is canted from vertical by a first cant angle, and the second central plane is canted from vertical by a second cant angle, the first cant angle unequal to the second cant angle.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for communicating to a remote location a representation of a physical condition caused by a foot. The method involves communicating to a transmitter unit at least partially held within a cavity in a foot support operable to be inserted into footwear, a condition signal representing the physical condition sensed by a condition sensor; and transmitting from the transmitter unit a radio frequency (RF) signal representing the condition signal, for reception by a receiver unit spaced apart from the transmitter unit. An apparatus and system using the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for managing postage funds that includes a data center computer system for authorizing and accounting for postage fund downloads for one or more customers, a customer funds repository in electronic communication with the data center computer system, and a plurality of postage meters located at a customer site remote from the data center computer system. The postage meters may selectively request and receive or return postage funds that have been previously downloaded to the customer funds repository from the data center computer system. Also, a method of securely transferring a first amount of postage funds from a first postage meter to a second postage meter in a side load transaction.

Abstract: A multiple media feed system includes an adjustable media singulator feeder that is adjustable to feed from a stack of media items a selectable number of media items to form a group of overlapped media items. A thickness sensor is positioned to measure the thickness of media items fed from the stack of media items. A controllable media feeder is positioned to engage and feed media items fed from said stack of media items by the adjustable media singulator feeder. The controllable media feeder is controlled to feed media items when the thickness sensor has determined that the thickness of the selected number of media items is at the controllable media feeder. A method of feeding a selected number of media items from a stack of media items includes providing an adjustable singulating mechanism positioned to feed media items from the stack of media items. The drag force on the top media item in the stack of media items is measured.

Abstract: A method and system that increases the throughput of a mailing machine by continuously computing indicia prior to and during mail processing is provided. The indicia generation process is divided into two distinct parts, cryptographic calculation and funds committal/printing. Indicium data are continuously computed, asynchronously with the printing of the indicia, and stored in a buffer until needed. This enables several indicium data to be computed and stored prior to processing of a mail piece by the mailing machine. Prior to printing an indicium on a mail piece, the funds for the indicium are accounted for by updating the registers of the mailing machine. Since a number of indicium data may be pre-computed prior to the start of processing the mail through the mailing machine, the throughput of the mailing machine can be increased.

Abstract: A method and apparatus block the reception of television programming which meets specified criteria. Data packets describing television programming are broadcast with the television signal. The data packets include at least packets which contain category information specifying a level in one or more multi-level categories and/or label information specifying labels applied to the program content of the signal. Data packets in an incoming video signal are detected by a blocking apparatus and compared to preferences stored in non-volatile memory in the blocking apparatus. If the contents of the data packets match or exceed the stored preferences then the video signal is blocked. The apparatus is field configurable. Configuration information specifying the rating scheme is transmitted to the apparatus. The methods of the invention are extremely flexible and allow several different rating systems to be used simultaneously.