Abstract: An interface system enables a user to navigate a graphical user interface by touching output regions on a touch surface or by interacting with other types of displays that present regions whose locations can be sensed by the user. The arrangement of the output regions on the output device is defined statically or dynamically to correspond to display items that are displayed by a target device, such as a computer or game. The output regions may be automatically and dynamically extracted from the software that creates the visual display on the target device. Features are included to consolidate complex displays into manageable groups.

Abstract: A system for transmitting a signal through an imperfectly-conducting medium includes a transmitter station and a receiver station. The transmitter station has a transmitter and at least one conductor (electrode). The receiving station has at least one conductor (electrode) and a receiver. The transmitter causes a current to flow from the transmitter conductor to the receiver conductor through the imperfectly-conducting medium. Associated with the current flow is an electric field. Because the current flow varies with the signal, the electric field varies with the signal. The receiving conductor senses the electric field and provides a signal to the receiver which detects the signal to be transmitted. The receiving station then passes the signal to an output device to be output.

Abstract: A system for transmitting a signal through an imperfectly-conducting medium includes a transmitter station and a receiver station. The transmitter station has a transmitter and at least one conductor (electrode). The receiving station has at least one conductor (electrode) and a receiver. The transmitter causes a current to flow from the transmitter conductor to the receiver conductor through the imperfectly-conducting medium. Associated with the current flow is an electric field. Because the current flow varies with the signal, the electric field varies with the signal. The receiving conductor senses the electric field and provides a signal to the receiver which detects the signal to be transmitted. The receiving station then passes the signal to an output device to be output.

Abstract: A method and device for measuring a distance to an object with light determines the distance by measuring the relative intensity of light reflected from the object and traveling over two or more paths of differing optical length. Light is emitted by one or more light sources; reflected from a surface of the object; and the reflected light is detected by one or more light detectors. The light detector(s) generate signals based on the intensity of reflected light detected and the signals are utilized to calculate the distance from the device to the object.

Abstract: A method and device for measuring a distance to an object with light determines the distance by measuring the relative intensity of light reflected from the object and traveling over two or more paths of differing optical length. Light is emitted by one or more light sources; reflected from a surface of the object; and the reflected light is detected by one or more light detectors. The light detector(s) generate signals based on the intensity of reflected light detected and the signals are utilized to calculate the distance from the device to the object.

Abstract: A method and device for measuring a distance to an object with light determines the distance by measuring the relative intensity of light reflected from the object and traveling over two or more paths of differing optical length or reflected from the object and traveling over two or more paths through the use of the offset angle effect. Light is emitted by one or more light sources; reflected from a surface of the object; and the reflected light is detected by one or more light detectors. The light detector(s) generate signals based on the intensity of reflected light detected and the signals are utilized to calculate the distance from the device to the object.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring distances along single or multiple paths using fiber optics. The system uses a broadband optical source and broadband sensors. The lengths of one or more measurement paths are obtained with respect to the known length of a reference path. In one embodiment of the invention, two oscillators are used, producing signals, e.g., pulse trains, at slightly different frequencies (F1 and F2). The pulse train at F1 propagates through the fiber optic paths, and then is multiplied by the signal at F2, producing a time-expanded version of the original pulse at a frequency .vertline.F1-F2.vertline.. In a second embodiment, the phase shift of the light signals is measured at multiple frequencies, rather than at just a single frequency. When the light signals from the different measurement optical fibers are combined, the resultant net phase shift is a nonlinear function of both the lengths of the measurement optical fibers and the modulation frequency.