Abstract: A footwear database system receives precision three dimensional foot image data of imaged feet of human beings, and receives precision footlast 3D image data from footwear manufacturers for storage into databases for automatic determination of footwear sizes. After imaging feet and storing the footlast data, a customer can thereafter remotely select, for example, through catalogs and web sites, a style of footwear and the footwear database system then determines the acceptable and best fitting size for the desired style of the footwear of a respective footwear manufacturer, and in so doing provides an automatic best fitting size selection for reducing footwear returns due to poor and uncomfortable fits.

Abstract: 1) A personal digital assistance (PDA) has a command bar made from a stick-on molded membrane having elevated portions serving as emulated mechanical buttons disposed over a touch sensitive screen that is in part disposed over a display with the mechanical buttons placed juxtaposed respective virtual buttons shown on the display, so that, upon pressing a portion of the membrane generates X-Y voltage levels corresponding to touch screen X-Y coordinates that are in turn associated with virtual button corresponding to computer commands and programs that are launched. The pressing of the emulated mechanical button offers stylus-free operation of the PDA.

Abstract: A method of launching computer commands and programs on a personal digital assistance (PDA) includes sticking a molded membrane having elevated portions serving as emulated mechanical buttons over a touch sensitive screen that is in part disposed over a display with the mechanical buttons placed juxtaposed respective virtual buttons shown on the display, so that, upon pressing a portion of the membrane generates X-Y voltage levels corresponding to touch screen X-Y coordinates that are in turn associated with virtual button corresponding to computer commands and programs that are launched. The pressing of the emulated mechanical button offers stylus-free operation of the PDA.

Abstract: A personal digital assistance (PDA) has a graffiti area upon which a stick-on molded membrane having elevated portions serving as an emulated mechanical cursor button and mouse button that are disposed over a touch sensitive screen with a cursor being displayed upon a display, so that, upon pressing the cursor button, the display cursor moves about the display and onto virtual buttons or icons corresponding to computer commands and programs that are launched when the mouse button is pressed. Portions of the membrane over the graffiti area generates X-Y voltage levels corresponding to touch screen X-Y coordinates that are in turn associated with cursor button and mouse button for emulating a mouse function on the PDS The pressing of the emulated mechanical buttons offers stylus-free emulated mouse operation of the PDA.

Abstract: An imaging system places an object upon a background pattern of regular repetitive marks and records a 2D image that is then processed for determining where in the image the repetitive marks are interrupted by the object, thereby indirectly determining the edge of the object. Multiple 2D images from different perspective are used to create a 3D image of the object. When the object is a human foot, individual bar codes and imaged foot dimensions can be cross-referenced to manufactured shoe sizes for accurate ordering of correctly sized footwear.

Abstract: An imaging method places an object upon a background pattern of regular repetitive marks and records a 2D image that is then processed for determining where in the image the repetitive marks are interrupted by the object, thereby indirectly determining the edge of the object. Multiple 2D images from different perspectives are used to create a 3D image of the object. When the object is a human food, individual bar codes and imaged foot dimensions can be cross-referenced to manufactured shoe sizes for accurate ordering of correctly sized footwear.

Abstract: A protective case for a handheld computer including a computer attachment portion and a computer cover portion. The computer attachment portion has a data connector adapted to be electrically coupled with a data port of the handheld computer. The computer cover portion has a keyboard that is electrically coupled to the data connector on the computer attachment portion. The computer cover portion is movably connected to the computer attachment portion for movement between (a) a computer protecting position wherein the cover portion is positioned in an overlying relationship with respect to the front side of the handheld computer, and (b) a computer operating position wherein the cover portion is moved out of the overlying relationship to enable the user to view a display screen of the handheld computer and operate the keyboard to input data into the processor.

Abstract: A protective case for a handheld computer including a computer attachment portion and a computer cover portion. The computer attachment portion has a data connector adapted to be electrically coupled with a data port of the handheld computer. The computer cover portion has a keyboard that is electrically coupled to the data connector on the computer attachment portion. The computer cover portion is movably connected to the computer attachment portion for movement between (a) a computer protecting position wherein the cover portion is positioned in an overlying relationship with respect to the front side of the handheld computer, and (b) a computer operating position wherein the cover portion is moved out of the overlying relationship to enable the user to view a display screen of the handheld computer and operate the keyboard to input data into the processor.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring foot sizes for fitting shoes uses mechanical sliders for sizing the foot disposed in the apparatus using microprocessor controlled electronic sensing of slider positions and computation for display presentation of the foot size so that the operator is presented the length and width of the measured foot without having to interpret conversion charts or printed scales. The operator simply positions a foot on the apparatus with the heel of the foot firmly against a heel cup back stop, then positions the sliders, and activates the apparatus. A toe slider is aligned with the extremity of the longest toe. A ball slider is aligned with the ball of the foot. A width slider is adjusted to contact the side of the foot. The microprocessor senses the slider positions and computes the length and width based on slider positions. Selector switches enable choosing a appropriate scale based upon the appropriate country shoe size standard and upon a man, woman or child shoe size scale.

Abstract: A first transparent strip having a series of alternate lines and spaces is mounted in a housing parallel and adjacent to a second transparent strip having a series of lines and spaces. A key inserted through a slot formed in the housing pushes the second transparent strip across the first transparent material. Photo emitters mounted in the housing emit light onto the first and second transparent strips. By moving the series of alternate lines and spaces on the strips with respect to each other, the intensity of transmitted light changes. Photo detectors mounted in the housing detect the light transmitted through the first and second transparent strips. Thus, a clock signal is generated as a function of actual distance moved by the second transparent strip. A magnetic head is mounted in the housing near the slot. The clock signal is applied to a circuitry that drives the magnetic head to enable the magnetic head to record a code on the key that is synchronous with the lines on the transparent strip.

Abstract: A security system having at least one electronic lock and one electronic key. The electronic lock has a memory device which can maintain the data while there is no current supplied to the memory device, and alter the data only when current is supplied, thus providing a non-continuous current drain system. The electronic lock further reduces the chance of error due to high velocity particles which can otherwise alter data in a memory device. The electronic lock applies current to the memory only when a key has been inserted in the lock, and terminates the current to the memory when the key has been removed or the function requested by the key is invalid or the function requested is completed. Alternatively, the electronic lock may apply the current to the memory only if data is to be output from or input to the memory.

Abstract: A security system having a key card with combination codes encoded on two different ends of the key card to allow the user of the key card access to at least two different locks, each lock having different combination codes. The system includes a lock having a multi-level memory for storing combination codes with each level identified by an identification code. Each end of the key has at least one identification code and one combination code.

Abstract: A combination changing method is used in an access control system which includes one or more keys encoded at a central console with a function information code, a key identification information code, an operation select information code and a two-field key combination information code and one or more locks having at least one memory level in which a lock identification information code and a lock combination information code are stored. A key is initially inserted into a selected lock and the data from the key is transferred to the lock. The lock identification information code is first compared with the key identification information code. If there is no correspondence, power to the lock is turned off for a set period of time. If the identification information codes correspond, a test field of the key combination information code is compared with the lock combination information code. If these correspond, the lock opens.

Abstract: A special type of key is made use of to actuate an electronically triggered release mechanism to unlock a door. To enable the electronic means to function, insertion of the key in the keyway initially closes a switch to energize the electronic circuit. Also when the key reaches the switch closing position, a read head for the electronic circuit, located adjacent the keyway, interprets magnetic coding carried by the key. The electronic circuit is programmed to motivate a motor driven mechanism to move a locking pin out of engagement with a latch bolt where the latch bolt has been acting to hold a door locked. Once the locking pin has been removed, the latch bolt is in fact withdrawn from its locked position by rotation of the key in a substantially normal fashion.

Abstract: A security system includes a central console, one or more locks, one or more console coded programmers to transport data in a secure manner between the central console and one or more of the locks and one or more enabling programmers to enable the lock to operate upon insertion of a special key into the lock. The central console encodes combination codes from its memory which correspond to combination codes stored in a memory level of one or more locks in the system. The encoding results in a first modifier code which is combined with other information to form a programmer data word. The central console processor next scrambles and transfers the resultant coded data word to a console coded programmer. The console coded programmer stores the coded data word in its memory until a communication link is established between a lock and the programmer. Thereafter, the console coded programmer first unscrambles the coded data word and then further encodes the first modifier code to obtain a second modifier code.

Abstract: A telemetering system for remotely measuring a physical parameter of an object such as a human or animal includes a sensor device affixed to the object including a tuned circuit and a parameter sensitive device coupled for altering the figure of merit of energy storage (Q) of the tuned circuit in response to variations in the physical parameter, and an indicator unit for transmitting a signal to intermittently ring or energize the tuned circuit with a burst of oscillating electromagnetic energy and sense the resultant reradiated ring signal generated by the tuned circuit. The indicator unit measures the rate of decay of the sensed reradiated ring signal after the end of each transmitted energy burst as a measure of the Q of the tuned circuit.

Abstract: An automatic dialing system (ADS) for Touch Tone single or multiple trunk telephone systems that allows access to long distance dialing services including the access phone number of the service and the individual access code. The ADS used in a multiple trunk system with several key type telephones may be connected in parallel to any one existing telephone in the system and will serve all the telephones in the system. The system consists of a microprocessor that performs all the logic timing and control for the system, a phase lock loop that provides a near square wave output only when a selected single frequency is present, a solid state dialer that outputs to the telephone trunk the preprogrammed touch tone dial tones, a programmable non-volatile electrically alterable memory which provides easy programming of the service access telephone number and the individual access code and trunk isolation transformers.

Abstract: A molded plastic or rubber tube with an adhesively applied flexible magnet that can be magnetically attached to the sides of any metal vehicle for the purpose of protection against being damaged by impacts from hard objects or adjacent vehicles in a parking situation. Further, the molding can be secured to the vehicle by a wire clip that surrounds the diameter of the molding and has a projection on the magnet side of the molding that fits between the door and the door jam of a vehicle which secures the clip and therefore the molding to the vehicle when the door is closed and locked.