Abstract: A signal conditioning apparatus includes a timing extractor to received one or more stepper motor drive signal and convert each into a corresponding virtual quadrature trigger signal. A resolution scaler is coupled to an output of the timing extractor to scale the virtual quadrature trigger signals to adjust the transition frequency, thereby adjusting the resolution of an image captured by a camera receiving the trigger signals to be different than the print resolution created by the motor drive signals. A quadrature decoder is coupled to the output of the resolution scaler, wherein the quadrature decoder extracts timing and direction information from the virtual quadrature trigger signals received from the resolution scaler.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed of an apparatus including an illuminator. The illuminator includes an illumination dome having a wide end through which illumination is emitted, a narrow end with a camera opening, and a plurality of sidewalls. An annular light tray including a plurality of dome-light sources is positioned around a perimeter of the wide end so that light emitted by the plurality of light sources is directed toward an interior of the illumination dome. A set of low-angle light sources is positioned in each of the plurality of sidewalls. A camera is coupled to the illuminator, the camera's optics being optically coupled to an image sensor and to the camera opening. A controller is communicatively coupled to the illuminator and to the camera.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed of an apparatus including an illuminator. The illuminator includes an illumination dome having a wide end through which illumination is emitted, a narrow end with a camera opening, and a plurality of sidewalls. An annular light tray including a plurality of dome-light sources is positioned around a perimeter of the wide end so that light emitted by the plurality of light sources is directed toward an interior of the illumination dome. A set of low-angle light sources is positioned in each of the plurality of sidewalls. A camera is coupled to the illuminator, the camera's optics being optically coupled to an image sensor and to the camera opening. A controller is communicatively coupled to the illuminator and to the camera.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for providing a cable TV system with the ability to issue information from a system manager, determine whether the information is intended for a set top designed to receive out-of-band information or in-band information, send the information to the appropriate circuitry. Reformatting of some information is necessary and is performed by a format translator. For in-band information, information may be sent over one or more of a plurality of data streams. Certain types of information are sent over one or more data streams based on the type of information and characteristics of the data streams. It is further disclosed that for efficiency, similar information intended for several addresses is grouped together in a database manager so that the information may be sent to plural addresses at one time. Scramblers are employed with the capability of inserting data onto nonscrambled channels.