Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating the edge of a headlamp and for centering a headlight aiming device with respect to a particular location on the headlamp includes an elongated hollow tube having first and second ends, the first end of which has an entrance opening designed to have light from the headlamp incident thereon. The entrance opening of the tube and the length of the tube provide an appropriate field of view such that the light incident upon the entrance opening of the tube travels down the tube and is incident upon a light detection device located at the far end of the tube. The light detection device is connected to signal amplifying circuitry which provides a digitally coded output signal indicative of the intensity of the light from the headlamp. The tube is moved vertically and horizontally from positions outside of the headlamp beam pattern to locations within the headlamp beam pattern and across the plane of the headlamp edge.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for aiming vehicle headlights and for visually displaying the illumination patterns of vehicle headlights. The apparatus focuses the light beam on a screen and includes a video sensor for sensing the intensity of the light in each cell of a matrix of cells overlying the focused light beam and for generating an electrical signal for each cell indicative of the position of the cell and the intensity of the light beam in each cell and a computer for comparing at least some of the electrical signals to each other and with established criteria to determine whether the headlight is aimed within a prescribed degree of accuracy. The same apparatus may be used to describe the illumination pattern of a headlight by visually displaying at least some of the electrical signals, i.e. the light intensities and their locations, for example on a printer or CRT.

Abstract: An automatic decorating machine for applying flowable decorative materials to cakes and other food products as well as other articles. Live video images are captured by a video camera and are displayed on a video monitor. The video image can be combined with textual messages composed from alpha-numeric characters and with artwork which can either be composed contemporaneously on site or selected from previously prepared artwork selections. The video image, artwork and text can be edited and combined as desired for display on the monitor to provide a preview of the decorating pattern. The displayed pattern is reproduced on the cake by an X-Y table which moves liquid spray applicators and icing or gel dispensers over the cake and controls the application of food coloring and icing or gel in a manner to reproduce the selected pattern on the cake.