Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for processing a video data streams having an input adapted for receiving and processing the video signal and rendering an output signal in a digital format, detecting a particular code within an individual frame of the processed signal that identifies the type of frame that contains the code, and storing the identified frame in a retrievable memory location of the system. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed enabling users to post searchable data, such as information about themselves and others as well as details of a personal encounter such as the date, time and place where it occurred, to a user interface in a computer network. Search and match quality tools generate possible encounter matches based on comparisons of the information posted by a first and second user and provide potential matches ranked by quality of the match. Accordingly, the system and methods provide a place where people can post information about previous encounters (or proposed future encounters), lost contacts, and the like and to contact the potential encounter subject. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of allowing a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein and should not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging method and system produce diagnostic contrast images depicting both tissue perfusion and flow velocity in larger vessels by utilizing both linear and nonlinear imaging techniques. A sequence of echoes from differently modulated transmit pulses is received and processed in different ways to detect nonlinear signals from microbubble-perfused tissue and Doppler blood flow in larger vessels. The Doppler flow signals may be either linear or nonlinear or a mixture of both. A decision circuit classifies the detected signals for display pixels in a perfusion and/or flow and/or tissue image. Separate perfusion and flow images can be simultaneously displayed or an image of both perfusion and flow can be displayed.

Abstract: A random access memory including input pads and a test circuit. The input pads are configured to receive a row address and a column address. The test circuit is configured to receive the row address and the column address via the input pads and to receive mask bits. The test circuit selects bits of the row address and the column address based on the mask bits and provides at least one test data bit based on the selected bits of the row address and the column address.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for processing a video data streams having an input adapted for receiving and processing the video signal and rendering an output signal in a digital format, detecting a particular code within an individual frame of the processed signal that identifies the type of frame that contains the code, and storing the identified frame in a retrievable memory location of the system. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Abstract: A method for content production (30) involves the steps of creating (32) a sequence of individual frames (19) from source material of step-frame/frame-advance content (181). The step-frame/frame-advance content (34) is intended to be received (35), recorded (35), and played back (36) as a sequence of individual frames (19) in step-frame/frame-advance mode, so that the content (18) is viewed (37) one individual frame (19) at a time. A content production and delivery system (10) includes a production device (11), a delivery medium (12), a recording device (14) that receives, records, and that plays back the individual frames (19) in a step-frame/frame-advance mode, and a viewing device (13). The method (30) and system (10) of the present invention enable a viewer (17) to record (35) and watch (37) step-frame/frame-advance content (181) one frame (19) at a time in the same way the viewer (17) would save, read, and re-read printed materials, including advertisement materials.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for the return of lost personal property. The system consists of identifying personal property with unique identification indicia. Placing the unique identification indicia on a tag with instructions on where to return the property of found, that a reward will be paid for its return and attaching that tag to the item of personal property. The information regarding the personal property, its owner and the unique identification indicia is maintained in a central registry database. Upon the finding of the lost property a finder would contact the database, make arrangements for return of the property and receive the reward upon the successful return of the lost property. The system in a preferred embodiment would operate through an Internet website and be designed to function over a very large geographical area such as the United States.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for ultrasonically imaging tiny blood vessels with the aid of a contrast agent. The locations of microbubbles of the contrast agent are detected in a series of images as the microbubbles move through the blood vessels. These images are temporally processed to identify the moving microbubbles, and persistence processed to depict images which show the tracks followed by the microbubbles through the blood vessels. A maximum intensity persistence can be used to show the steady buildup of microbubble tracks through the vasculature, or a slow decay employed so that the tracks will fade to black over time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for ultrasonically imaging tiny blood vessels with the aid of a contrast agent. The locations of microbubbles of the contrast agent are detected in a series of images as the microbubbles move through the blood vessels. These images are temporally processed to identify the moving microbubbles, and persistence processed to depict images which show the tracks followed by the microbubbles through the blood vessels. A maximum intensity persistence can be used to show the steady buildup of microbubble tracks through the vasculature, or a slow decay employed so that the tracks will fade to black over time.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system and method are presented to determine low rates of blood flow using contrast agents. Pairs of differently modulated pulses are transmitted in several beam directions to acquire echoes which can be combined to separate harmonic frequencies by pulse inversion. The pulses of each pair are transmitted in rapid succession to minimize motional artifacts. The transmission in the different beam directions is time-interleaved, resulting in the sampling of each beam direction over a long ensemble time for the detection of low rates of flow.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus and method are provided for segmenting signals from nonlinear targets such as microbubble contrast agents. Received echo signals are separated into their constituent linear and nonlinear components by a Doppler filter using pulse inversion separation. A threshold level is derived from an estimate made of the contributions to the echo signal from linear scattering and noise. Echo signals which exceed the threshold level are segmented as nonlinear (microbubble-originating) signals and displayed as such, whereas signals not exceeding the threshold are suppressed in the image display.

Abstract: A global positioning system (GPS) controlled marking apparatus for staking and a method of using the apparatus to stake a surface. The apparatus uses a standard architectural or other surface site application program and a stakeout driver program in a standard computer and includes a GPS receiver, a stakeout tool, an autopilot, a vehicle, a geographical drawing converter, and a location comparator. The geographical drawing converter converts an image of a drawing pattern to geographical mark locations. The autopilot guides the vehicle to the geographical mark locations. The location comparator detects a location march between the geographical mark locations of the drawing pattern and a current geographical location determined by the GPS receiver. Information for the location match is used by the stakeout tool for driving a stake into the ground.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus and method are provided for segmenting signals from nonlinear targets such as microbubble contrast agents. Received echo signals are separated into their constituent linear and nonlinear components by a Doppler filter using pulse inversion separation. A threshold level is derived from an estimate made of the contributions to the echo signal from linear scattering and noise. Echo signals which exceed the threshold level are segmented as nonlinear (microbubble-originating) signals and displayed as such, whereas signals not exceeding the threshold are suppressed in the image display.

Abstract: A global positioning system (GPS) controlled paint spray system. The system includes a paint sprayer driver program and a GPS paint sprayer. The paint sprayer driver program enables a user of a standard drawing program using a standard personal computer to generate a print file for a drawing pattern. The GPS paint sprayer includes a GPS receiver, a geographical converter for enabling a user to convert the drawing pattern to geographical locations, a location comparator for detecting a location match between the geographical locations of the drawing pattern and a current GPS-based location, and a spray nozzle to spraying paint for matched locations.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging method and apparatus are presented which separates broadband linear and nonlinear echo signal components while simultaneously distinguishing the effects of motion. The inventive method maps ultrasonic echo signals in the r.f. (time) domain to Doppler shift frequencies in the Doppler domain in a way that depends upon the linearity of the echoes. The inventive method does this by analyzing the phase shifts between successive echoes. Apparatus is described in which a Doppler echo ensemble is acquired by a transmit sequence of cyclically phase-varying waveforms. When the echoes of the ensemble are combined during Doppler processing, the resulting Doppler spectrum is divided into separate regions, with odd harmonics (e.g., linear signal components) residing in one region and even harmonics (e.g., second harmonic signal components) residing in another region.

Abstract: A blasting system using the global positioning system (GPS) for timing the detonations for a shaped blast. The blasting system includes a master station including a master GPS receiver for determining a GPS-based time and a master transceiver in communication with several charge control stations. Each charge control station includes a charge control transceiver for communicating with the master transceiver, a charge control GPS receiver for tracking the GPS-based time, and a detonator for detonating an explosive charge. In operation, the master transceiver uses the GPS-based time determined at the master station for computing detonation times and transmits these times to the charge control stations. The charge control stations then detonate the respective explosive charges when the GPS-based times determined at the charge control stations match the detonation times.

Abstract: A global positioning system (GPS) controlled paint spray system. The system includes a paint sprayer driver program and a GPS paint sprayer. The paint sprayer driver program enables a user of a standard drawing program using a standard personal computer to generate a print file for a drawing pattern. The GPS paint sprayer includes a GPS receiver, a geographical converter for enabling a user to convert the drawing pattern to geographical locations, a location comparator for detecting a location match between the geographical locations of the drawing pattern and a current GPS-based location, and a spray nozzle to spraying paint for matched locations.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for the detection and imaging of ultrasonic harmonic contrast agents. The harmonic echo effect is detected through alternate polarity acquisition of harmonic contrast agent effects, which provides the benefits of suppressing the harmonic components of the transmitted signal while eliminating clutter.

Abstract: A flash memory using branded sectors for managing data files. The flash memory is divided into separately erasable blocks where each block may only be erased in its entirety. Each erasable block includes several file sectors, a sector allocation table (SAT) including an SAT record for each file sector, and a block information record (BIR) including status and an erasure count for the block. Each file sector may be designated as a file data sector, a file header sector, or block erasure sector. The data sectors include a data segment of one of the data files and is branded by a file identification and a sequence number. The brand and the size of the file sectors are used for locating the data sector for accessing the data segment.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling the position of an animal. A mounted subsystem, affixed to an animal, includes a first computer control system having a first input/output device (first I/O), a position determining system (PDS), a first transceiver, sensors, and stimulators. The PDS can be a GPS system or other type of position determining system. The stimulators include a rear stimulator affixed to the hind quarters of the animal for motivating the animal to move forward, a right stimulator affixed to the right side of the animal for motivating the animal to move to its left, and a left stimulator affixed to the left side of the animal for motivating the animal to move to its right. A base subsystem includes a second computer control system having a second transceiver. Position control instructions control the stimulators in order to control the position of the animal. A memory map is read from computer readable memory units.