Abstract: A device for forming a random set of playing cards comprises a card in-feed area, a shuffling system, a card removal area, and a card reading system located within the device, the card reading system employing a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor and a hardware component, the hardware component capable of converting signals from the CMOS sensor into vector sets and comparing the vector sets to known vectors to determine rank and suit.

Abstract: A device for forming a random set of playing cards comprises a card in-feed area, a shuffling system, a card removal area, and a card reading system located within the device, the card reading system employing a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor and a hardware component, the hardware component capable of converting signals from the CMOS sensor into vector sets and comparing the vector sets to known vectors to determine rank and suit.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, interfaces, methods, and articles of manufacture that provide for an underwriting product portal such as, for example, an online portal that provides bond and/or other underwriting product pricing, sales, and/or management services.

Abstract: An aiming indicia is provided for a bar code comprising a sequence of parallel code bars and intervening code spaces disposed along a longitudinal code axis in accordance with a predefined standard. The aiming indicia comprises a non-encoded graphic element disposed on the longitudinal code axis adjacent the bar code and spaced apart from the nearest code bars by a distance of at least 10 times a minimum unit width for the code bars.

Abstract: A comminution apparatus for reducing a particle size of a material includes a cutting chamber defining an interior volume, wherein the cutting chamber includes first and second member forming an angle therebetween. Each of the first and second members include a plurality of slots therethrough providing access to the interior volume. The apparatus further includes a rotatable arbor disposed outside the interior volume of the cutting chamber and supporting a plurality of toothed blades thereon. During rotation of the arbor a portion of each of the blades enters an interior volume of the cutting chamber through the slots in the first member and exits the interior volume of the cutting chamber through the slots in the second member. The comminution apparatus may be used to process various feed materials to desired sizes, and is particularly useful for reducing the size of materials otherwise difficult to cut to small size.

Abstract: An aiming indicia is provided for a bar code comprising a sequence of parallel code bars and intervening code spaces disposed along a longitudinal code axis in accordance with a predefined standard. The aiming indicia comprises a non-encoded graphic element disposed on the longitudinal code axis adjacent the bar code and spaced apart from the nearest code bars by a distance of at least 10 times a minimum unit width for the code bars.

Abstract: A bar code for encoding information in machine-readable form is provided. The bar code comprises a character string including a plurality of characters disposed side-by-side along a longitudinal code axis. Each character is formed by a sequence of code bars and intervening code spaces, the code bars being parallel to one another and to a line defining a bar axis which intersects the code axis. Each character has a definition in accordance with a predefined standard. The definition for each character includes a bar/space pattern associated with the character setting forth the respective widths of the code bars and code spaces making up the character in terms of integer multiples of a minimum unit width. The definition for each character also includes at least one encoded alphanumeric value associated with the character. The definition for each character further included an integer checksum value associated with the character.

Abstract: A serviceable fused battery terminal comprising a disposable fused battery end containing a fuse link, the disposable fused battery end being initially integrated with a cable-connecting portion of the terminal which is secured to an electrical cable, for example by crimping in known manner. When the fuse blows, the battery end is removed from the cable-connecting end by breaking or separating it, while the cable-connecting end remains secured to the cable in its original fashion. A portion of the cable-connecting end is formed as a reattachment point for a replacement fused battery end 22, which is then secured to the remaining original cable-connecting end to create a new fused terminal. The inventive terminal allows for the easy replacement of blown fuses in the field without having to cut or otherwise remove the cable-connecting portion of the terminal from the cable.

Abstract: A dithered image reconstruction system and method that compensates for inter-detector errors in a manner that does not adversely affect detection of small-amplitude images in the presence of a very bright large-amplitude background. An overlapping dither pattern is employed in a detector array (103), and outputs generated by individual detectors (302) are adjusted in an iterative fashion to hold all outputs for a particular detector substantially constant, while allowing each set of outputs for each image section to converge on a solution. The system and method do not substantially distort the received signal, nor do they fail when the image characteristics have little spatial variation, such as when a large target area is being detected.