Abstract: A power generator for generating power from a water flow. The generator has a single blade (1) rotatable through a limited arc about a sweep axis (13) and rotatable through a limited arc about a pitch axis (6) extending along a mid-portion of the blade such the blade is overbalanced. The blade is retainable in two rotary positions in which opposite faces (4) face the flow, It is pushed by the flow in about the sweep axis and is configured to tack about the pitch axis to an opposite rotary position. Passive tacking stops (26) arrest the momentum of the leading edge of the blade and cause the blade to tack. The generator is preferably mounted to extend downwardly from a surface vessel (80).

Abstract: A floatable hat clip which is attached to the bill or crown of a hat to prevent the hat from sinking in a body of water. The floatable hat clip comprises a structural clip core composed of a rigid, durable, and buoyant plastic material and which may be extruded as a one-piece U-shaped component, and a closed-cell foam component which is affixed to the structural clip core to provide additional buoyancy to the floatable hat clip. The floatable hat clip can be formed into a variety of shapes, colors and sizes while maintaining an appealing aesthetic combining practicality, universality and unobtrusiveness in hat retention and flotation.

Abstract: A floatable hat clip that combines universality, floatation, low-profile design, rigidity, and a novel attachment method. The floatable hat clip enhances the practicality of wearing hats in, on, or near bodies of water and contributes to the safety and convenience of the user by allowing any ordinary hat to float in a body of water.

Abstract: A method and system for managing financial risk through the use of postpaid processing during use of wireless services is presented within the scope of the following invention. The present invention uses credit card authorization to pre-reserve credit card funds for wireless services in excess of planned usage. Authorizations eliminate the credit risk associated with overages and payment timing, and also maintain a customer experience identical to postpaid processing. The authorizations are invisible to the customer and no charge is brought to a customer's credit card until the monthly bill is settled. Separating the authorization and settlement stages of retail wireless payment processing allows the branded wireless provider to avoid inherent areas of credit risk during the tenure of a customer's wireless service, while maintaining a familiar customer experience.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for creating a mosaic image of two or more geo-referenced source images, the geo-referenced source images having the same orientation, based on a ground confidence map created by analyzing pixels of one or more of the geo-referenced source images, the ground confidence map having values and data indicative of particular geographic locations represented by the values, at least one of the values indicative of a statistical probability that the particular geographic locations represented by the values represents the ground; and using routes for steering mosaic cut lines based at least in part on the values indicative of the statistical probability that the particular geographic locations represented by the values represents the ground of the ground confidence map, such that the routes have an increased statistical probability of cutting through pixels representative of the ground versus routes not based on the ground confidence map.

Abstract: Image processing systems and methods are disclosed, including an image processing system comprising a computer running image processing software causing the computer to: divide an oblique aerial image into a plurality of sections, choose reference aerial image(s), having a consistent color distribution, for a first section and a second section; create a color-balancing transformation for the first and second sections of the oblique aerial image such that the first color distribution of the first section matches the consistent color distribution of the chosen reference aerial image and the second color distribution of the second section matches the consistent color distribution of the chosen reference aerial image; color-balance pixel(s) in the first and section sections of the oblique aerial image, such that at least one color-balancing transformation of the first and second sections matches the consistent color distribution of the reference aerial image(s).

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating oblique-mosaic image(s) for geographical area(s) are disclosed, including a computer system running software that when executed causes the system to create a mathematical model of a sensor of a virtual camera having an elevation greater than an elevation of a desired geographical area to be imaged, the mathematical model having an oblique-mosaic pixel map; determine surface locations for pixels included in the oblique-mosaic pixel map; select source oblique images of the surface locations of the pixels captured at an oblique angle and compass direction similar to an oblique angle and compass direction of the virtual camera; and reproject source oblique image pixels for pixels included in the oblique-mosaic pixel map such that reprojected pixels have differing sizes determined by matching projections from the virtual camera so as to present an oblique appearance, and thereby create the oblique-mosaic image of the desired geographical area.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for creating a mosaic image of two or more geo-referenced source images, the geo-referenced source images having the same orientation, based on a ground confidence map created by analyzing pixels of one or more of the geo-referenced source images, the ground confidence map having values and data indicative of particular geographic locations represented by the values, at least one of the values indicative of a statistical probability that the particular geographic locations represented by the values represents the ground; and using routes for steering mosaic cut lines based at least in part on the values indicative of the statistical probability that the particular geographic locations represented by the values represents the ground of the ground confidence map, such that the routes have an increased statistical probability of cutting through pixels representative of the ground versus routes not based on the ground confidence map.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring strain in a polished rod of a beam pump unit includes a body having an upper wide section, a lower wide section, and a narrow section having a reduced width in comparison to each of the upper and lower wide sections. A bore is formed in the narrow section. The apparatus also includes at least two connectors configured to connect the body to the rod. The bore is positioned between the two connectors in a direction that is parallel to an axis of the rod. The apparatus further includes a strain gauge positioned in the bore, so as to measure strain in the rod between the two points of connection.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for creating a mosaic image of two or more geo-referenced source images, the geo-referenced source images having the same orientation, based on a ground confidence map created by analyzing pixels of one or more of the geo-referenced source images, the ground confidence map having values and data indicative of particular geographic locations represented by the values, at least one of the values indicative of a statistical probability that the particular geographic locations represented by the values represents the ground; and using routes for steering mosaic cut lines based at least in part on the values indicative of the statistical probability that the particular geographic locations represented by the values represents the ground of the ground confidence map, such that the routes have an increased statistical probability of cutting through pixels representative of the ground versus routes not based on the ground confidence map.

Abstract: Image processing systems and methods are disclosed, including an image processing system comprising a computer running image processing software causing the computer to: divide an oblique aerial image into a plurality of sections, choose reference aerial image(s), having a consistent color distribution, for a first section and a second section; create a color-balancing transformation for the first and second sections of the oblique aerial image such that the first color distribution of the first section matches the consistent color distribution of the chosen reference aerial image and the second color distribution of the second section matches the consistent color distribution of the chosen reference aerial image; color-balance pixel(s) in the first and section sections of the oblique aerial image, such that at least one color-balancing transformation of the first and second sections matches the consistent color distribution of the reference aerial image(s).

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating oblique-mosaic image(s) for geographical area(s) are disclosed, including a computer system running software that when executed causes the system to create a mathematical model of a sensor of a virtual camera having an elevation greater than an elevation of a desired geographical area to be imaged, the mathematical model having an oblique-mosaic pixel map; determine surface locations for pixels included in the oblique-mosaic pixel map; select source oblique images of the surface locations of the pixels captured at an oblique angle and compass direction similar to an oblique angle and compass direction of the virtual camera; and reproject source oblique image pixels for pixels included in the oblique-mosaic pixel map such that reprojected pixels have differing sizes determined by matching projections from the virtual camera so as to present an oblique appearance, and thereby create the oblique-mosaic image of the desired geographical area.

Abstract: Image processing systems and methods are disclosed, including an image processing system comprising a computer running image processing software causing the computer to divide an oblique aerial image into a plurality of sections having different color distributions, choose a first reference aerial image, having a consistent color distribution, for the first section, color-balance at least one pixel in the first section of the oblique aerial image, such that the first color distribution of the first section matches the consistent color distribution of the first reference aerial image, by performing color-balancing transformations for color bands for each of the at least one pixel in the first section.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for creating a mosaic image of two or more geo-referenced source images, the geo-referenced source images having the same orientation, based on a ground confidence map created by analyzing pixels of one or more of the geo-referenced source images, the ground confidence map having values and data indicative of particular geographic locations represented by the values, at least one of the values indicative of a statistical probability that the particular geographic locations represented by the values represents the ground; and using routes for steering mosaic cut lines based at least in part on the values indicative of the statistical probability that the particular geographic locations represented by the values represents the ground of the ground confidence map, such that the routes have an increased statistical probability of cutting through pixels representative of the ground versus routes not based on the ground confidence map.

Abstract: A computer system running image processing software receives an identification of a desired scene of a geographical area for which an oblique-mosaic image is desired including one or more geometry parameters of a virtual camera; creates a mathematical model of the virtual camera having mathematical values that define the camera geometry parameters that configure the model to capture the geographical area, and looking down at an oblique angle; creates a ground elevation model of the ground and vertical structures within the oblique-mosaic pixel map, wherein source images were captured at an oblique angle and compass direction similar to the oblique angle and compass direction of the virtual camera; and reprojects, with the mathematical model, source oblique image pixels of the overlapping source images for pixels included in the oblique-mosaic pixel map using the ground elevation model to thereby create the oblique-mosaic image of the geographical area.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating a ground confidence map of a geographic area, comprising the steps of creating a ground confidence map of a geographic area, the ground confidence map having a plurality of pixels with each pixel corresponding to a particular geographic location; assigning the pixels in the ground confidence map with pixel values indicative of composite ground confidence scores; and storing pixel values indicative of a statistical probability that the geographical location represented by the particular pixels represent the ground.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for early access to captured images including receiving a request for at least one image of a geographic area from a client application of an operator user device; querying records within a geospatial database to locate one or more records of images accessible by the geospatial database and depicting at least a portion of the geographic area; reading information within the one or more records depicting at least a portion of the geographic area to determine a status of an image within the one or more records, the status of the image indicating that the image is an in process captured image in which the image has not been fully processed; and presenting at least a portion of the image to the client application of the operator user device with a status indicator indicating the stage in processing of the geographic area.

Abstract: Image processing systems and methods are disclosed, including an image processing system comprising a computer running image processing software causing the computer to divide an oblique aerial image into a plurality of sections having different color distributions, choose a first reference aerial image, having a consistent color distribution, for the first section, color-balance at least one pixel in the first section of the oblique aerial image, such that the first color distribution of the first section matches the consistent color distribution of the first reference aerial image, by performing color-balancing transformations for color bands for each of the at least one pixel in the first section.

Abstract: A computer system running image processing software receives an identification of a desired scene of a geographical area for which an oblique-mosaic image is desired including one or more geometry parameters of a virtual camera; creates a mathematical model of the virtual camera having mathematical values that define the camera geometry parameters that configure the model to capture the geographical area, and looking down at an oblique angle; creates a ground elevation model of the ground and vertical structures within the oblique-mosaic pixel map, wherein source images were captured at an oblique angle and compass direction similar to the oblique angle and compass direction of the virtual camera; and reprojects, with the mathematical model, source oblique image pixels of the overlapping source images for pixels included in the oblique-mosaic pixel map using the ground elevation model to thereby create the oblique-mosaic image of the geographical area.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating a ground confidence map of a geographic area, comprising the steps of creating a ground confidence map of a geographic area, the ground confidence map having a plurality of pixels with each pixel corresponding to a particular geographic location; assigning the pixels in the ground confidence map with pixel values indicative of composite ground confidence scores; and storing pixel values indicative of a statistical probability that the geographical location represented by the particular pixels represent the ground.