Abstract: Enhancements to the base station of an infrared-linked communication system include tubular reflective concentrator apparatus for reflecting IR signals entering an inlet end onto a photodetector located at an outlet end. Signal-to-noise ratio is improved, signal gain in attained, and unwanted light signals are excluded thereby. The tubular reflective concentrator apparatus can also be employed with IR emitters to focus and direct emitted light from an LED or the like towards a predefined field of view. Multiple tubular reflective concentrator apparatus is shown implemented in a unitary, molded plastic shell. The photodetectors and emitters can also be mounted at the bottom of an associated tubular reflective concentrator apparatus with a plug attached thereto so that they can be plugged into a support structure to provide custom installations where necessary.

Abstract: This invention provides a number of improvements to wireless telephone systems. There is an adapter box for interfacing standard telephone equipment to an IR-based telephone interface to replace the acoustic modem now used. A telepoint repeater system allows users to "roam" throughout the area and not be tied to a particular IR input point in the building. An IR through-the-wall repeater conducts an IR signal through a wall without having to bore a hole through it. A public telephone call-back enhancement allows a caller on an IR public telephone system to receive incoming calls. A handset credit interface system allows a portable handset (IR, RF, or cellular) to be employed as a credit transaction interface transmitting credit information directly to the credit computer. An IR interfacing base station allows a handset intended for interfacing with a public telepoint to be used at home for connection to the home's telephone line as a wireless telephone.

Abstract: A wireless local television transmission system with related methods, apparatus, and components. There is a source of a video signal to be viewed at a remote location such as a TV camera, cable select box, antenna, or VCR. An up converter is connected to the source for shifting the video signal to a frequency above the normal television bands. A transmitter is connected to the up converter for transmitting the video signal at the shifted frequency. A receiver is disposed at the remote location for receiving the transmitted video signal. A down converter is connected to the receiver for shifting the video signal back down to a frequency within the normal television bands and identified with a known channel. Finally, conventional television set functions are connected to the down converter for processing and displaying the video signal on the known channel.

Abstract: This is a bottle for containing a window-washing solution and having a sponge and a squeegee blade mounted vertially thereon along the side of the bottle. The sponge communicates with the interior of the bottle through an anti-leak valve contained in a button protrusion in the sidewall of the bottle overwhich a plastic member carrying the sponge and squeegee blade is snapped. A protective cover also snaps onto the bottle and covers the sponge and squeegee blade to protect them from deformation and damage during storage. The bottle with sponge, squeegee blade and protective cover in place provides a small profile for storage in the glove compartment of an automobile or the like.

Abstract: A wireless local television transmission system with related methods, apparatus, and components. There is a source of a video signal to be viewed at a remote location such as a TV camera, cable select box, antenna, or VCR. An up converter is connected to the source for shifting the video signal to a frequency above the normal television bands. A transmitter is connected to the up converter for transmitting the video signal at the shifted frequency. A receiver is disposed at the remote location for receiving the transmitted video signal. A down converter is connected to the receiver for shifting the video signal back down to a frequency within the normal television bands and identified with a known channel. Finally, conventional television set functions are connected to the down converter for processing and displaying the video signal on the known channel.

Abstract: A wireless local television transmission system with related methods, apparatus, and components. There is a source of a video signal to be viewed at a remote location such as a TV camera, cable select box, antenna, or VCR. An up converter is connected to the source for shifting the video signal to a frequency above the normal television bands. A transmitter is connected to the up converter for transmitting the video signal at the shifted frequency. A receiver is disposed at the remote location for receiving the transmitted video signal. A down converter is connected to the receiver for shifting the video signal back down to a frequency within the normal television bands and identified with a known channel. Finally, conventional television set functions are connected to the down converter for processing and displaying the video signal on the known channel.

Abstract: This invention provides a low-cost printer for use by businesses and individuals to print a ten digit Postnet barcode on an envelope at the time of mailing so as to improve the routing and delivery time thereof. There are input keys or dials for a user to manually input digits comprising a ZIP+4 Code of an addressee. There is also calculator logic for calculating a tenth digit representing a check value associated with the digits of the ZIP+4 Code and a printer for printing a sequence of Postnet barcode characters corresponding to respective ones of the digits of the ZIP+4 Code and the tenth digit comprising the ten digit Postnet barcode. In a manuel version, the calculator logic is separate from manual input and printing apparatus. A user uses the calculator logic to calculate the tenth digit and then inputs it manually for printing. In a powered version, the calculator logic is included with the logic which drives a mechanical printhead such as an inkjet or dot matrix printer.

Abstract: A wireless local television transmission system with related methods, apparatus, and components. There is a source of a video signal to be viewed at a remote location such as a TV camera, cable select box, antenna, or VCR. An up converter is connected to the source for shifting the video signal to a frequency above the normal television bands. A transmitter is connected to the up converter for transmitting the video signal at the shifted frequency. A receiver is disposed at the remote location for receiving the transmitted video signal. A down converter is connected to the receiver for shifting the video signal back down to a frequency within the normal television bands and identified with a known channel. Finally, conventional television set functions are connected to the down converter for processing and displaying the video signal on the known channel.

Abstract: Various apparatus and methods are shown for controlling the emissions from sprinkler heads in an irrigation system to cause variable volume irrigation at a constant pressure. In one approach, a rotating sprinkler head is rotated at different speeds as a function of the radial position of the emerging water stream so that dryer areas have slower rotational movement of the sprinkler head and, thereby, a greater volume of water discharged thereon. In another approach, the water to the sprinkler head is turned on and off during the irrigation period rather than being turned on at the beginning and off at the end. As a result, multiple heads which are individually turned off and on have a better average water distribution. Likewise, high-precipitation sprinkler heads are made to operate with an average low-precipitation so that run-off and water waste are virtually eliminated.

Abstract: This is a facsimile printer broadcast exchange (PBX) system for receiving a facsimile transmission over a telephone line from a facsimile device at a remote loction directed to a telephone number with an extension number and for transmitting the facsimile transmission over a network to one of a plurality of printer units associated with the extension number for printing thereby. There is a data buffer for receiving and holding digital data. An interface is connected to the telephone line for removing and saving the extension number, for establishing and maintaining a bi-directional facsimile communications link with the facsimile device over the telephone line, for using the link to receive the transmission from the facsimile device, and for storing data of the transmission in the data buffer. Data transmission logic removes data from the data buffer means and transmits it to a network in packets addressed to the extension number.

Abstract: A printing medium for the printing of images thereon to form a document by the printer of a standard facsimile machine in a manner which renders the document unreadable to a casual observer. There is a strip of a flexible printing medium receivable by the facsimile machine for passage therethrough past the printer thereof. The printing medium has a surface for receiving an image from the printer. Additionally, there is a strip of an obscuring medium removably attached to the printing medium along an edge thereof in a manner which will allow the obscuring medium to pass through the facsimile machine in combination with the printing medium. The obscuring medium has an obscuring portion covering a printing surface of the printing medium upon which the printer prints images for rendering printing on the printing medium unreadable to a casual observer. Four embodiments are disclosed for use in both thermal and plain paper facsimile machines.

Abstract: Facsimile record and playback apparatus for receiving and recording facsimile transmissions on a removable recording medium for later display and viewing. There is a cassette device and a record/playback deck for removably receiving the cassette device, for receiving data signals, for writing the data signals on the recording medium, for reading the data signals, and for providing the data signals at an output. A modem is connected for receiving facsimile transmissions. First logic is connected to the output of the modem for establishing a handshaking interface with a facsimile machine transmitting a facsimile, for receiving the facsimile transmission, for stripping off unnecessary transmission related information from document data information, for inserting control characters required for proper transcription at a later time, and for transmitting the control characters and document data information as data signals to the record/playback deck.

Abstract: In a telephone having a button for redialing the last number dialed as stored in a last number dialed memory and a telephone number dial, a method of operation for simplifying the obtaining and dialing of unknown numbers from an information telephone operator's computer.

Abstract: A keyboard to facsimile transmission device allowing the direct imputting of a sequence of identifying signals representing alpha-numeric characters and delimiters comprising a message to be transmitted to a facsimile machine for printing thereby. The messages are input to a keyboard employing an LCD display panel in a text editing mode. The messages are digitized from stored font definitions and output on a line-by-line basis in the form of a pseudo page including spacing areas of non-characters inserted by the logic according to a pre-established page definition. Stored forms character sequences can be intermeshed with inputs from the keyboard to allow the user to operate in a self-prompting mode. A digitized signature or small hand drawing can be inserted with the text for transmitting orders, checks, credit vouchers, or the like, requiring a verifying signature. The font definitions include pixel replication for reduced memory and time requirements. Both military and commercial applications are described.

Abstract: An adhesive photocopyable transparency for use in a secure facsimile transmission system wherein one of two partial documents each containing portions of an original document which are complementary and mutually exclusive is photocopied onto the transparency and overlayed on the other of the two partial documents in registration therewith to recreate the original document. There is a rectangular sheet of a transparent plastic material having a surface for accepting and holding a photocopy image. An adhesive material is disposed at an edge of the sheet of plastic material and a removable protective covering is disposed over the adhesive material so as to allow the transparency to pass freely through a photocopy machine and be slid on the surface of a document without the adhesive material interfering therewith.

Abstract: A wireless local television transmission system with related methods, apparatus, and components. There is a source of a video signal to be viewed at a remote location such as a TV camera, cable select box, antenna, or VCR. An up converter is connected to the source for shifting the video signal to a frequency above the normal television bands. A transmitter is connected to the up converter for transmitting the video signal at the shifted frequency. A receiver is disposed at the remote location for receiving the transmitted video signal. A down converter is connected to the receiver for shifting the video signal back down to a frequency within the normal television bands and identified with a known channel. Finally, conventional television set functions are connected to the down converter for processing and displaying the video signal on the known channel.

Abstract: A security method and apparatus for use in providing an "invisible envelope" for facsimile transmission thereby avoiding the casual reading of documents by persons interposed between the receiver of the transmission and the ultimate designated recipient thereof. Each page of the document is pattern divided into two portions which are individually unreadable in an easy and straightforward manner. The two portions are sent in sequence (i.e. at different times) and then the original document is reconsitituted at the receiving end by the designated recipient employing a transparency overlay process with the two portions. The patterning at the transmitting end may be accomplished by an optical filtering process or may be computer generated as by modifying word processing software or by a separate program manipulating a pre-input document to produce the two portions for printing and transmission. The HideaFAX.TM. process of this invention is applicable to conventional FAX machines without modification.

Abstract: A device for photocopying a document to produce two partial documents for secure transmission. A transparent sheet is placed on the cover glass and has a pattern thereon of portions which are complementary along longitudinally equal shift distances. There is a frame having the transparent sheet attached to the bottom thereof and including parallel side members. A holder is disposed within the frame and on the transparent sheet between the side members for longitudinal sliding a document over the pattern between a first position and a second position located at the equal shift distance. The holder comprises a top member and a transparent carrier member slidably disposed on the transparent sheet and attached to the top member for sliding movement in combination therewith with a document to be photocopied therebetween. The holder is moveable between the first position and the second position. A combined stop and detent prevents the holder from sliding too far and resiliently holds the holder in the positions.

Abstract: A bottle for holding, mixing, and dispensing an adjustable SPF mixture of a lotion and a liquid containing a sunscreening agent. There is a plastic bottle containing first and second compartments for containing, respectively, the lotion and the sunscreen agent-containing liquid and having a cylindrical neck at the top thereof containing a first bore therethrough communicating with the first compartment and a second bore therethrough communicating with the second compartment. The first bore is concentrically disposed in the neck and sized for passing known quantities of the lotion with the second bore being peripherally disposed with respect to the first bore and sized to add a quantity of the sunscreen agent which will impart a pre-selected maximum SPF value to dispensed quantities of mixtures of the lotion and the sunscreen agent.

Abstract: A public payphone telephone system providing remote access by telephone devices to telephone lines. There are a plurality of public telephone access modules disposed in separated locations and operably connected to telephone lines for receiving remote telephone transmissions and for connecting them to the telephone lines. Each of the public telephone access modules includes visible indicia of its presence and location and a first interface module for wirelessly transmitting and receiving telephone communications by means of a beam of IR energy (or, alternatively, RF) energy. A remote telephone interface is operably associated with each of the telephone devices for interfacing between the telephone device and the public telephone access modules. Each remote telephone interface includes a second interface module for transmitting and receiving telephone communications by means of the beam of IR energy.