Abstract: An encoder includes a processor and a memory. The encoder generates a first plurality of levels of detail (LODs) and associated first type of vertex split records, each of the first type of vertex split records associated with an LOD of the first plurality of LODs is generated using a first type of collapse operator. The encoder initiates a switch from using the first type of collapse operator to a second type of collapse operator in response to a switching condition being satisfied. The encode further a second plurality of LODs and associated second type of vertex split records, each of the second type of vertex split records associated with a LOD of the second plurality of LODs is generated using the second type of collapse operator.

Abstract: A method includes receiving geometric data to be encoded, generating a signature for the geometric data based on the at least one property associated with the geometric data, enumerating a first set of options, enumerating a second set of options, encoding the geometric data using the first option and the second option, decoding the encoded geometric data, determining a performance associated with encoding the geometric data, determining a performance associated with decoding the encoded geometric data, and training a regressor based on the signature, the enumerated first option, the enumerated second option, the performance associated with encoding the geometric data and the performance associated with decoding the encoded geometric data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to encode and decode normals of geometric representations of surfaces are disclosed herein. An example method includes defining a tile having regions, each of the regions of the tile corresponding with a surface of a geometric shape, arranging an edge of a first instance of the tile to abut an edge of a second instance of the tile to define a composite tile, determining a first vector between a first point on the composite tile in the first instance of the tile, and a second point on the composite tile in the second instance of the tile, and encoding the first vector to determine an approximation of the location of the second point relative to the first point.

Abstract: A headrest for a motor vehicle, including a base part for attachment to a backrest of a vehicle seat, a head part for contact with a head of a vehicle occupant, and an adjusting device between the base part and the head part for causing a substantially linear adjustment of the head part between a minimum and a maximum position. The adjusting device has an intermediate part and several pivot levers which pivot synchronously during adjustment and form a first articulated parallelogram between the head part and intermediate part and a second articulated parallelogram between the intermediate part and base part. The adjusting device includes a synchronizing lever for setting a relative orientation of the head part with respect to the base part during adjustment and wherein the headrest further has a latching device for fixing the headrest in a latching manner relative to the base part.

Abstract: Techniques of compressing triangular mesh data involve encoding a bitstream that defines a traversal order for vertices in a triangular mesh. The encoded bitstream defining the traversal order is in addition to an encoded bitstream of prediction errors and is an explicit, rather than implicit, traversal. One example of a bitstream that defines a traversal order is an array in which a bit signifies whether a step in an implicit, deterministic scheme such as a depth-first traversal. Upon decoding, the usual deterministic steps are used to find the vertices of the triangular mesh unless specified by the traversal bitstream. Such an encoded bitstream, when occupying less memory than that saved from the compression efficiencies gained in defining the traversal order defined in the bitstream, offers a simple, efficient compression without requiring that the triangular mesh be connected.

Abstract: In one general aspect, a method can include receiving, by processing circuitry of a computer configured to represent information related to a three-dimensional object, a plurality of vertices of a triangular mesh representing the three-dimensional object, the triangular mesh including a plurality of faces, each if the plurality of faces including three vertices of the plurality of vertices; generating a traversal order for the vertices of the triangular mesh based on valences of the plurality of vertices; producing an array of errors between predicted vertices and vertices of the plurality of vertices, the array of errors being arranged in a sequence based on the traversal order; and performing a compression operation on the array of differences to produce a compressed error array, the compressed error array producing the plurality of vertices of the triangular mesh in response to a decompression operation.

Abstract: A method of generating THz radiation includes the steps of generating optical input radiation with an input radiation source device (10), irradiating a first conversion crystal device (30) with the optical input radiation, wherein the first conversion crystal device (30) is arranged in a single pass configuration, and generating the THz radiation having a THz frequency in the first conversion crystal device (30) in response to the optical input radiation by an optical-to-THz-conversion process, wherein a multi-line frequency spectrum is provided by the optical input radiation in the first conversion crystal device (30), and the optical-to-THz-conversion process includes cascaded difference frequency generation using the multi-line frequency spectrum. Furthermore, a THz source apparatus being configured for generating THz radiation and applications thereof are described.

Abstract: An encoder includes a processor and a memory. The memory includes code as instructions that cause the processor to receive geometric data and a viewpoint associated with the geometric data, and quantize the geometric data based on the viewpoint using a plurality of view-dependent quantization values each having a quantized distance based on a proximity to the viewpoint.

Abstract: An encoder includes a processor, a buffer, and a memory. The memory includes code as instructions that cause the processor to perform a number of steps. The steps include partitioning a geometric construct within an axis of the geometric construct based on a point differential between two partitions, the geometric construct including geometric data, determining a number of points in the partition, storing a value indicating the number of points in the buffer, and entropy encoding the value stored in the buffer.

Abstract: An encoder includes a processor, a buffer, and a memory. The memory includes code as instructions that cause the processor to perform a number of steps. The steps include quantizing geometric data associated with a geometric construct, partitioning the geometric construct, determining a number of points in the partition, generating a deviation value based on the number of points in the partition, storing the deviation value in the buffer, and entropy encoding the deviation value.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method and method for controlling interoperation between a resonant scanner and a movable stage. The movable stage being employed to position a specimen for optical scanning by the resonant scanner. The invention providing high resolution scanning of specimen tissue at a rate of ten times or more faster than other known methods of optically scanning a specimen.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to encode and/or decode normals of geometric representations of surfaces are disclosed herein. An example method includes receiving a plurality of points, each point representing a normal to the surface and being arranged within a tile; generating a plurality of regions within the tile, each region including points of the plurality of points; retrieving a first and second point, the first point representing a first normal and the second point representing a second normal, the first point being outside of a specified baseline region; performing a point transformation operation on the first point to produce a transformed first point of the baseline region and performing the point transformation on the second point to produce a transformed second point; generating a difference between the transformed first point and the transformed second point to produce a difference value; and encoding the difference value.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to encode and decode normals of geometric representations of surfaces are disclosed herein. An example method includes defining a tile having a plurality of regions, each of the plurality of regions of the tile corresponding with a surface from a plurality of surfaces of a geometric shape, arranging an edge of a first instance of the tile to abut an edge of a second instance of the tile to define a composite tile, determining a first vector between a first point on the composite tile in the first instance of the tile, and a second point on the composite tile in the second instance of the tile, and encoding the first vector to determine an approximation of the location of the second point relative to the first point.

Abstract: Techniques of data compression involve ordering the points of a point cloud according to distance along a space-filling curve. Advantageously, a space-filling curve has the property that points close in distance along the curve are close together in Euclidean space. Thus, differences between points ordered by distance along such a curve, e.g., a Hilbert curve, will be close. When the curve is fractal, i.e., self-similar at all levels, the differences will be small even when the points are very unevenly clustered throughout the point cloud. Such small differences will provide greatly improved compression to the resulting delta-encoded set of points.

Abstract: A method of generating THz radiation includes the steps of generating optical input radiation with an input radiation source device (10), irradiating a first conversion crystal device (30) with the optical input radiation, wherein the first conversion crystal device (30) is arranged in a single pass configuration, and generating the THz radiation having a THz frequency in the first conversion crystal device (30) in response to the optical input radiation by an optical-to-THz-conversion process, wherein a multi-line frequency spectrum is provided by the optical input radiation in the first conversion crystal device (30), and the optical-to-THz-conversion process includes cascaded difference frequency generation using the multi-line frequency spectrum. Furthermore, a THz source apparatus being configured for generating THz radiation and applications thereof are described.

Abstract: Techniques of data compression involve performing a separate compression operation on each set of corresponding bits of a sequence of bit strings in which each bit string represents a number having an upper bound. Advantageously, compressing the sets of corresponding bits produces an improved compression ratio over compressing each number in the sequence. Further, decompression is straightforward as long as sequence order is preserved and the upper bound of each number in the sequence is known.

Abstract: A multi-module vent cover system for installation onto a roof ventilation vent is provided, including both a solid module and a screen module that are cooperatively useable to cover a roof vent. The screen module is designed to permanently cover the ventilation vent and is designed with a mesh sized to exclude the animal or animals of interest from access into the roof and/or attic. The solid module is configured with holes adapted to receive fastening studs extending from the screen module, allowing for removable mounting of the solid module over the screen module when needed. The solid module is designed to removably cover the ventilation vent to prevent a pressure differential, flying debris damage and water intrusion during hurricanes, to prevent airborne embers from entering during a firestorm, and to protect the screen module against accidental paint splatters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring a pulse length (?0) of an ultra-short light pulse (P0) based on processing a number of substantially similar light pulses. The system includes an autocorrelation optical system adapted to receive the light pulses P0 and create from each light pulse two beams having an associated optical path length difference ?OPL. Providing a different ?OPL for each light pulse creates an autocorrelation interference pattern representative of an autocorrelation of the light pulse P0. An LED detector detects the autocorrelation interference pattern and generates therefrom an autocorrelation signal. A signal-processing unit forms from the autocorrelation signal a digital count signal representative of a number of counted peaks in the autocorrelation signal above the full-width half maximum. Control electronics unit causes the varying ?OPL and provides a difference signal (S?) representative of the ?OPL to the signal-processing unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring a pulse length (?0) of an ultra-short light pulse (P0) based on processing a number of substantially similar light pulses. The system includes an autocorrelation optical system adapted to receive the light pulses P0 and create from each light pulse two beams having an associated optical path length difference ?OPL. Providing a different ?OPL for each light pulse creates an autocorrelation interference pattern representative of an autocorrelation of the light pulse P0. An LED detector detects the autocorrelation interference pattern and generates therefrom an autocorrelation signal. A signal-processing unit forms from the autocorrelation signal a digital count signal representative of a number of counted peaks in the autocorrelation signal above the full-width half maximum. Control electronics unit causes the varying ?OPL and provides a difference signal (S?) representative of the ?OPL to the signal-processing unit.

Abstract: A cover for installation onto a roof ventilation vent is provided including a substantially rigid planar base member, at least one side member, and at least one securing member configured with holes adapted to receive fastening elements. The fastening elements are preferably permanently mounted to the building and utilized with corresponding nuts to removably mount the vent cover over the roof ventilation vent. The width, length, and depth of the vent cover are slightly larger than the width, length, and depth of the roof ventilation vent to allow the vent cover to fit over the ventilation vent. The roof ventilation vent cover is designed to removably cover the ventilation vent to prevent a pressure differential, flying debris damage, and water intrusion during hurricanes, to prevent airborne embers from entering during a firestorm, and to protect the vent against accidental paint splatters.