Abstract: The present invention provides an improved system and method for estimating range of the objects in the images from various distances. The method comprises receiving a set of images of the scene having multiple objects from at least one camera in motion. Due to the motion of the camera, each of the images are obtained at different camera locations Then an object visible in multiple images is selected. Data related to approximate camera positions and orientations and the images of the visible object are used to estimate the location of the object relative to a reference coordinate system. Based on the computed data, a projected location of the visible object is computed and the orientation angle of the camera for each image is refined. Additionally, pairs of cameras with various locations can then be chosen to obtain dense stereo for regions of the image at various ranges.

Abstract: A computerized system that will allow healthcare providers to access the commercial paper market by “selling” their patient claims to asset backed commercial paper conduits. The system generates the statistical information on the historic collection experience of the provider's claims required by both the rating agencies and the sponsors of the conduits. This statistical information has two pieces: the net collectible value matrix showing the percentage of the claim actually paid by individual payers; and a collection histogram showing the timing of the payers payments from the date of initial billing. The system also generates the accounting detail necessary for controlling and auditing the provider's participation in the commercial paper conduit program. The system tracks “periodic pools” of claims so as to be able to reconcile advances, collections, interest expense, third party fees and cash settlements between conduits and providers.

Abstract: A prosthetic bearing element and a method for forming the same includes an injection molded bearing made of PEEK resin with short carbon fiber reinforcement. The inner surface of the PEEK bearing is adapted to receive a ceramic or metal articulation component. The outer surface of the bearing layer includes sputtered titanium particles forming a porous backing layer. Hydroxyapatite is then sputtered or otherwise deposited onto the titanium backing layer to form an outer surface of the prosthetic bearing element. A barrier layer can be formed either of PEEK or titanium which layer is between the outer surface of the molded bearing and the inner surface of the porous structure. The barrier layer prevents tissue ingrowth into the bearing component. Hydroxyapatite is then sputtered onto the outer porous layer or applied by solution deposition. This outer surface of the prosthetic bearing element can then be coated with bone morphogenic protein.

Abstract: A small light source for handbags which is to be sewn inside the handbag with a zipper accessible compartment. The light circuit consists of thin plastic coated wires, an AAA battery and a battery holder with On/Off switch, a flat light bulb with plastic covering and a normally closed Reed Switch magnet. The wires for the circuit are of a flexible material so that it can be repeatedly bent without harm. Circuit is designed (when battery holder switched on) so that each time the Reed Switch magnet is pulled away from another magnet on the opposite side of the handbag, the light circuit turns on. As the Reed Switch magnet comes into contact with another magnet, the light circuit turns off.

Abstract: A cathode ray tube deflection yoke is provided wherein the deflection yoke includes a plurality of deflection coils. One or more of the deflection coils have a non-constant distribution of turns, whereby an electron beam passing through the deflection yoke is deflected by a magnetic field that varies according to different numbers of turns relative to position of electrons of the electron beam between the entrance and exit of the deflection yoke. The non-constant turns distribution may be linear or non-linear, may be monotonic or non-monotonic, and/or may have a positive or negative turns bias, either in whole or in part. The horizontal deflection coil and/or the vertical deflection coil, or both, may have a non-constant turns distribution.

Abstract: An RF combiner (10) that combines a plurality of RF signals (12) in the optical domain. The combiner (10) includes a single optical source (14) that generates an optical beam (16). The optical beam (16) is directed through a series of optical modulators (20), such as optical phase modulators. Each modulator (20) is responsive to an RF signal (12) that is to be combined with the other RF signals (12). Each modulator (20) modulates the optical signal (16) with the RF signal (12) so that the modulations combine in an additive manner. A single optical phase demodulator (32) is used to demodulate the composite phase modulated optical beam (16) to generate the combined RF signal (34). Suitable delay devices (50) can be used between the optical modulators (20), or the RF signals can be matched so that the RF signals combine in phase.

Abstract: An optical device for use with an optical input beam comprising an optical thresholding device positioned along an optical path defined by the propagation direction of the optical input beam. If the combined intensity of the optical input beam and a control beam exceeds a threshold level, the optical beam passes through the thresholding device. Preferably, the optical thresholding device is a saturable absorber. When the device is configured as an optical comparator, the intensity of the optical input beam exceeds the threshold level and the thresholding device saturates and turns transparent so that the control beam passes through the thresholding device as an optical indicator beam. When the device is configured as an optical signal attenuator and the intensity of the optical input signal is negligible compared to that of the control beam, the combined intensity of the beams does not saturate the thresholding device.

Abstract: A cathode ray tube deflection yoke is provided wherein the deflection yoke includes a plurality of deflection coils. One or more of the deflection coils have a non-constant distribution of turns, whereby an electron beam passing through the deflection yoke is deflected by a magnetic field that varies according to different numbers of turns relative to position of electrons of the electron beam between the entrance and exit of the deflection yoke. The non-constant turns distribution may be linear or non-linear, may be monotonic or non-monotonic, and/or may have a positive or negative turns bias, either in whole or in part. The horizontal deflection coil and/or the vertical deflection coil, or both, may have a non-constant turns distribution.

Abstract: An optical inverting system employs a first optical structure having an index of refraction that varies with the intensity of an incident beam and a second optical structure having a constant index of refraction, and forming an interface therebetween. An optical pulse stream is combined with a laser beam and the combined beam is applied to the first optical structure, impinging the interface at a predetermined angle of incidence. If the angle of incidence is less than a critical angle, the beam is refracted into the second optical structure. If the angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle, the beam is completely reflected at the interface. Thus the output of the second optical structure is an inversion, and the output of the first optical structure is a level shifted replica, of the optical digital pulse stream.

Abstract: An optical switching device that routes an optical data packet using an all optical architecture signal detection and switching system. The packet includes header bits, data bits and a reset bit. The header bits identify the switch state for routing the data packet and the specific routing information for distinct portions of the data packet. The header bits are transmitted at an optical carrier frequency different than the carrier frequency of the data bits. The reset bit resets the switch element processor to enable it to process and route the next data packet. The frequency of a particular header bit affects the index of refraction of a Bragg grating of a detector and the output of the detector is provided to a switch that determines the routing path of the packet. A return command resets the diffraction grating so that it does not affect subsequent header bits.

Abstract: An RF combiner (10) that combines a plurality of RF signals (12) in the optical domain. The combiner (10) includes a single optical source (14) that generates an optical beam (16). The optical beam (16) is directed through a series of optical modulators (20), such as optical phase modulators. Each modulator (20) is responsive to an RF signal (12) that is to be combined with the other RF signals (12). Each modulator (20) modulates the optical signal (16) with the RF signal (12) so that the modulations combine in an additive manner. A single optical phase demodulator (32) is used to demodulate the composite phase modulated optical beam (16) to generate the combined RF signal (34). Suitable delay devices (50) can be used between the optical modulators (20), or the RF signals can be matched so that the RF signals combine in phase.

Abstract: An optical inverting system employs a first optical structure having an index of refraction that varies with the intensity of an incident beam and a second optical structure having a constant index of refraction, and forming an interface therebetween. An optical pulse stream is combined with a laser beam and the combined beam is applied to the first optical structure, impinging the interface at a predetermined angle of incidence. If the angle of incidence is less than a critical angle, the beam is refracted into the second optical structure. If the angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle, the beam is completely reflected at the interface. Thus the output of the second optical structure is an inversion, and the output of the first optical structure is a level shifted replica, of the optical digital pulse stream.

Abstract: A cathode ray tube includes an electron gun directing electrons away from a faceplate having an electrode biased at screen potential. A plurality of electrodes located on or near the rear wall of the tube envelope are biased at graduated potentials so that the electron beam is deflected by the electrostatic field produced thereby to impinge upon the faceplate. The electron beam is magnetically deflected over a relatively small angle as it exits the electron gun to scan across the faceplate to impinge upon phosphors thereon to produce light depicting an image or information. The electrodes may be biased at or below screen potential, with the electrode closest the electron gun typically biased at a negative or ground potential and the electrode closest the faceplate (i.e. distal the electron gun) typically biased below screen potential to direct electrons towards the faceplate, thereby to increase the landing angle thereof.

Abstract: An optical device for use with an optical input beam comprises and optical thresholding device having a predetermined threshold level, and is positioned along an optical path defined by the propagation direction of the optical input beam. A source generates a control beam through the optical thresholding device, wherein if the combined intensity of the optical input beam and the control beam is large enough to exceed the threshold level of the thresholding device, the optical beam passes through he thresholding device. The thresholding device attenuates the optical beam as it passes therethrough. In a preferred embodiment, the optical thresholding device is a saturable absorber.

Abstract: An optical device for use with an optical input beam comprises and optical thresholding device having a predetermined threshold level, and is positioned along an optical path defined by the propagation direction of the optical input beam. A source generates a control beam through the optical thresholding device, wherein if the combined intensity of the optical input beam and the control beam is large enough to exceed the threshold level of the thresholding device, the optical beam passes through he thresholding device. The thresholding device attenuates the optical beam as it passes therethrough. In a preferred embodiment, the optical thresholding device is a saturable absorber.

Abstract: An optical device for use with an optical input beam comprises and optical thresholding device having a predetermined threshold level, and is positioned along an optical path defined by the propagation direction of the optical input beam. A source generates a control beam through the optical thresholding device, wherein if the combined intensity of the optical input beam and the control beam is large enough to exceed the threshold level of the thresholding device, the optical beam passes through he thresholding device. The thresholding device attenuates the optical beam as it passes therethrough. In a preferred embodiment, the optical thresholding device is a saturable absorber.

Abstract: An optical analog-to-digital converter (10) that makes use of a downward-folding successive approximation conversion scheme that employs subtraction of optical signals. A pulsed optical signal (20) to be converted is applied as an input to each of a plurality of converter channels (12, 14, 16, 18), where each channel (12, 14, 16, 18) outputs one of the bits of the digital output of the converter (10). The input signal (20) to each channel (12, 14, 16, 18) is sent to a thresholding device (24, 40, 60, 80) that determines whether the intensity of the signal is greater than or less than a predetermined threshold value. The first channel thresholding device (24) compares the input signal (20) to a threshold value that is one-half of a known maximum intensity. Subsequent channel thresholding devices (40, 60, 80) compare the input signal to a threshold value that is one-half of the intensity used in the previous channel in a downward-folding scheme.

Abstract: The optical hold unit (100) of the present invention includes an optical modulator (108) that has an electrical input, an optical input, and an optical output. A 1.times.N optical splitter (106) is also provided that has an optical input and N optical outputs. In addition, N optical paths (112) are individually coupled to the N optical outputs and carry one of the N output signals. Each optical path has an associated propagation delay. Optical delay elements may be located in any of the N optical paths that carry the output signals. The optical delay elements serve to lengthen the propagation delay (114a-e) of the optical path (112a-e) in which the optical delay element is located. In an alternative embodiment, the optical hold unit (200) includes an optical modulator (108) that has an electrical input, an optical input, and an optical output. An optical resonator (202) is also provided and connected to the optical output of the modulator (108).

Abstract: An optical quantizer (10) that employs a chain of optical thresholding devices (16) positioned in the propagation path of an optical input beam (12) to be quantized. Each optical thresholding device (16) saturates and turns transparent if the intensity of the optical beam (12) that impinges it is above a predetermined threshold level designed into the device (16). If the input beam (12) saturates the optical thresholding device (16), the device (16) outputs an indicator signal (22) identifying the saturation. The input beam (12) propagates through the optical thresholding device (16) with some attenuation caused by the saturation, and impinges subsequent optical thresholding devices (16) in the chain. Eventually, the attenuation of the input beam (12) caused by the multiple saturations will decrease the beam intensity below the threshold level of the next optical thresholding device (16). The number of indicator signals (22) gives an indication of the intensity of the input beam (12).

Abstract: An optical analog-to-digital converter (10) which fully operates in the optical domain and utilizes an upward-folding successive approximation approach for conversion. The converter (10) includes a plurality of optical stages (14, 16, 18) where each stage (14, 16, 18) generates a digital bit. Each stage (14, 16, 18) includes an optical threshold switch (30, 56, 78) that sets the bit high when the switch (30, 56, 78) is closed. When a sample amplitude of the analog signal is compared to a threshold value and found to exceed the threshold value, the bit is set to "high" and the sample is passed directly onto the next stage (14, 16, 18). If the sample amplitude is found to be less than the threshold value, the bit is set to "low" and an intensity equal to the maximum signal intensity minus the threshold intensity is added to the sample amplitude. Each successive stage (14, 16, 18) compares the normalized signal sample to thresholds growing closer and closer to the maximum signal intensity.