Abstract: A system that observes and analyzes, and, only in the event of a significant negative condition, notifies and reports the event. In a hospital environment, the device includes a bedside unit connected to a pad or coverlet with a sensor array (placed under the patient) and also to an existing hospital nurse call system via an interface. The bedside unit is a wall-mounted unit with a display that becomes active when an alarm condition is enabled. Vigilance alarms are suspended if a patient is detected out of bed. An unable-to-measure alert is provided if the system is unable to reliably monitor. An alert message is generated and maintained on the display screen to inform a responding caregiver of the time and reason for any alarm. The system also may be adapted for use as a monitoring system for operators of motor vehicles, aircraft or other devices.

Abstract: A system that observes and analyzes, and, only in the event of a significant negative condition, notifies and reports the event. In a hospital environment, the device includes a bedside unit connected to a pad or coverlet with a sensor array (placed under the patient) and also to an existing hospital nurse call system via an interface. The bedside unit is a wall-mounted unit with a display that becomes active when an alarm condition is enabled. Vigilance alarms are suspended if a patient is detected out of bed. An unable-to-measure alert is provided if the system is unable to reliably monitor. An alert message is generated and maintained on the display screen to inform a responding caregiver of the time and reason for any alarm. The system also may be adapted for use as a monitoring system for operators of motor vehicles, aircraft or other devices.

Abstract: An intelligent medical vigilance system that observes and analyzes, and, only in the event of a clinically significant negative condition, notifies and reports the event to the care staff utilizing the hospital's existing nurse call system. The device includes a bedside unit connected to a pad or coverlet with a sensor array (placed under the patient) and also to an existing hospital nurse call system via an interface. The bedside unit is a wall-mounted unit with a display that becomes active when an alarm condition is enabled. Vigilance alarms are suspended if a patient is detected out of bed. An unable-to-measure alert is provided if the system is unable to reliably monitor. An alert message is generated and maintained on the display screen to inform a responding caregiver of the time and reason for any alarm.

Abstract: An intelligent medical vigilance system that observes and analyzes, and, only in the event of a clinically significant negative condition, notifies and reports the event to the care staff utilizing the hospital's existing nurse call system. The device includes a bedside unit connected to a pad or coverlet with a sensor array (placed under the patient) and also to an existing hospital nurse call system via an interface. The bedside unit is a wall-mounted unit with a display that becomes active when an alarm condition is enabled. Vigilance alarms are suspended if a patient is detected out of bed. An unable-to-measure alert is provided if the system is unable to reliably monitor. An alert message is generated and maintained on the display screen to inform a responding caregiver of the time and reason for any alarm.

Abstract: An intelligent medical vigilance system that observes and analyzes, and, only in the event of a clinically significant negative condition, notifies and reports the event to the care staff utilizing the hospital's existing nurse call system. The device includes a bedside unit connected to a pad or coverlet with a sensor array (placed under the patient) and also to an existing hospital nurse call system via an interface. The bedside unit is a wall-mounted unit with a display that becomes active when an alarm condition is enabled. Vigilance alarms are suspended if a patient is detected out of bed. An unable-to-measure alert is provided if the system is unable to reliably monitor. An alert message is generated and maintained on the display screen to inform a responding caregiver of the time and reason for any alarm.

Abstract: An intelligent medical vigilance system that observes and analyzes, and, only in the event of a clinically significant negative condition, notifies and reports the event to the care staff utilizing the hospital's existing nurse call system. The device includes a bedside unit connected to a pad or coverlet with a sensor array (placed under the patient) and also to an existing hospital nurse call system via an interface. Within the physical bedside unit are a signal processor and an alarm processor that measure data and evaluate whether a clinically significant event is occurring. The bedside unit is a wall-mounted unit with a display that becomes active when an alarm condition is enabled. The sensing pad or coverlet is a thin, piezoelectric film, or other similar sensing technology, with an array of sensors sheathed in soft padding and is not directly in contact with the skin of the patient.

Abstract: An intelligent medical vigilance system that observes and analyzes, and, only in the event of a clinically significant negative condition, notifies and reports the event to the care staff utilizing the hospital's existing nurse call system. The device includes a bedside unit connected to a pad or coverlet with a sensor array (placed under the patient) and also to an existing hospital nurse call system via an interface. Within the physical bedside unit are a signal processor and an alarm processor that measure data and evaluate whether a clinically significant event is occurring. The bedside unit is a wall-mounted unit with a display that becomes active when an alarm condition is enabled. The sensing pad or coverlet is a thin, piezoelectric film, or other similar sensing technology, with an array of sensors sheathed in soft padding and is not directly in contact with the skin of the patient.

Abstract: An intelligent medical vigilance system that observes and analyzes, and, only in the event of a clinically significant negative condition, notifies and reports the event to the care staff utilizing the hospital's existing nurse call system. The device includes a bedside unit connected to a pad or coverlet with a sensor array (placed under the patient) and also to an existing hospital nurse call system via an interface. Within the physical bedside unit are a signal processor and an alarm processor that measure data and evaluate whether a clinically significant event is occurring. The bedside unit is a wall-mounted unit with a display that becomes active when an alarm condition is enabled. The sensing pad or coverlet is a thin, piezoelectric film, or other similar sensing technology, with an array of sensors sheathed in soft padding and is not directly in contact with the skin of the patient.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for buffer management for digital audio recording/playback wherein a digital signal processor, memory and appropriate interfacing facilitate storage and retrieval of digital audio data samples continuously across non-contiguous areas of memory to achieve substantially seamless flow of audio, as well as precise fade-in, fade-out and cross-fading between channel events, all as required in such critical synchronizing applications as film dubbing. A GUI interface and recorder controller communication with the processor, memory and a recording media may also be included.

Abstract: A decoder capable of decoding audio signals encoded using analog noise reduction techniques, particularly Dolby A, is implemented by means of digital signal processing. The encoded signal passes through one or more digital filters, producing the decoded signal. The decoded signal is fed back to drive control blocks, which determine the parameters of the digital filters. The determination of these parameters may be arranged so as to emulate closely a given analog noise reduction decoder, such as a Dolby A decoder. The one or more digital filters are relocated to the feed-forward portion of the decoder—they are located in the feedback portion of the encoder when performed using analog techniques—to overcome the problems caused by delay introduced by the digital implementation which prevent a direct conversion of the analog decoder to a digital one.

Abstract: The present invention overcomes the serious practical limitations inherent in presently-existing RAM-based audiovisual effects processing systems for essentially instantaneous playback of data. The method of the invention divides individual audio effects into two discrete segments, and stores these two segments in a distributed storage system. The first segment of an effect is stored in memory, allowing nearly instantaneous access and playback of this segment. The second segment is stored in a storage device with a relatively long access time. In operation, the first portion of the effect is played from memory, while the second portion is simultaneously retrieved from storage, such that the second portion is retrieved and is available for playback by the time the playing of the first segment terminates.

Abstract: The system and method of the present invention provides enhanced surround sound effects. In one embodiment, 90.degree. phase shift and copy of the modified head related transfer functions (HRTF) are applied to each rear sound signal. The modified HRTF for each rear signal is generated by removing the head related transfer function corresponding to the front center signal from the HRTF corresponding to the rear sound signal. This provides the audible effect of distinguishing more clearly sounds originating in front of the listener or to the rear of the listener while not limiting the perceived bandwidth of the signal. The rear signals corresponding to the first channel are inverted. The front and rear signals for each corresponding channel are then combined. The two channels, generated can be stored on media, such as film, and subsequently read and input to a surround sound decoder to generate enhanced surround sound output.

Abstract: The system and method of the present invention provides enhanced surround sound effects. In one embodiment, 90.degree. phase shift and copy of the modified head related transfer functions (HRTF) are applied to each rear sound signal. The modified HRTF for each rear signal is generated by removing the head related transfer function corresponding to the front center signal from the HRTF corresponding to the rear sound signal. This provides the audible effect of distinguishing more clearly sounds originating in front of the listener or to the rear of the listener while not limiting the perceived bandwidth of the signal. The rear signals corresponding to the first channel are inverted. The front and rear signals for each corresponding channel are then combined. The two channels, generated can be stored on media, such as film, and subsequently read and input to a surround sound decoder to generate enhanced surround sound output.

Abstract: A filter for a system for processing audio samples, which dynamically vaires its length responsive to a moving average of variations in an audio input rate. The filter lengthens at substantially constant input rate variations to reduce input noise, and shortens at rapid input rate variations to enhance responsiveness.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sample accurate parameter update management in digital audio recording/playback wherein a digital signal processor, memory, recording controller, and appropriate interfacing facilitate storage and retrieval of digital audio data samples continuously to achieve substantially seamless flow and sample accurate audio state updated at precisely designated times, all as required in such critical synchronizing applications as film dubbing.

Abstract: A decoder capable of decoding audio signals encoded using analog noise reduction techniques, particularly Dolby SR, is implemented by means of digital signal processing. The typical decoding paradigm used by analog Dolby SR decoders is modified to overcome the problems caused by delay which is introduced by the digital implementation. A gain factor is factored out of the feedback transfer function and is placed in the forward signal path of each stage of the digital decoder. A single control circuit can then be used to generate coefficients which define transfer functions of each filter stage of the signal path. Linear interpolation techniques are used to limit the number of coefficient entries necessary to emulate the transfer function of an analog Dolby SR decoder. The digital decoder structure can be inverted to produce a digital encoder which is capable of implementing any noise reduction standard desired, including Dolby SR.

Abstract: A decoder capable of decoding audio signals encoded using analog noise reduction techniques, particularly Dolby A, is implemented by means of digital signal processing. The encoded signal passes through one or more digital filters, producing the decoded signal. The decoded signal is fed back to drive control blocks, which determine the parameters of the digital filters. The determination of these parameters may be arranged so as to emulate closely a given analog noise reduction decoder, such as a Dolby A decoder. The one or more digital filters are relocated to the feed-forward portion of the decoder--they are located in the feedback portion of the encoder when performed using analog techniques--to overcome the problems caused by delay introduced by the digital implementation which prevent a direct conversion of the analog decoder to a digital one.

Abstract: A theater sound processing system that provides preset configurations including parameters that can be modified by a user. Other setup parameters are modifiable by the manufacturer or a third party such as a sound technician who provides such parameters at installation time. The parameters allow control of equalization settings, gain, noise reduction processing, surround sound processing, and other audio characteristics. The designation of user modifiable parameters and non-user modifiable parameters insures that the user is given safe control over necessary parts of the system. User-modifiable parameters are changed via a user interface. Other parameters can be transferred to the sound processing system via a portable computer or by communications link. In a digital sound processing embodiment of the invention the entire sound processing ability of the system can be updated by downloading new signal processing software.

Abstract: A device for providing a balanced input over a photoelectric cell used in a motion picture film projector and for providing an unbalanced output audio signal for driving subsequent elements in an audio reproduction unit connected to the motion picture film projector, wherein the reproduced output audio signal has an improved quality over that of a previously known transformer output signal. The circuit supplies an unbalanced voltage signal in response to a current generated by a photoelectric cell having at least a first and second terminal. The circuit includes: a current to voltage converter for receiving the current from the first terminal of the photoelectric cell and providing a first output voltage and a current return unit connected to the current to voltage converter for receiving the first output voltage and for providing a second output voltage and for providing a return current along the second terminal of the photoelectric cell.

Abstract: A processor for pulsed Doppler velocity measurement utilizes a two dimensional discrete Fourier transform to map wideband signals into a frequency space where constant velocity Doppler spectral components are represented as radial lines. A radial projection then extracts target velocity information.