Abstract: A reciprocating action drive having an elastically extensible reversing mechanism is disclosed in which drive levers are connected to a driven shaft by overrunning clutches such that when the levers are moved in a first direction, the shaft is driven, but when moved in a counter-rotating direction, it is not. The extensible reversing mechanism links the levers such that, when not extended, it causes the two levers to counter-rotate, only allowing one to drive the shaft. However, when the lever being moved in the non-driving direction changes direction, the reversing mechanism extends and does not immediately cause the other lever to change direction, but allows it to continue to move in the driving direction. Both levers may, therefore, simultaneously drive the driven shaft for as long as the extensible reversing mechanism extends, allowing latitude for unsynchronized reciprocating motions to be applied without them competing against each other.

Abstract: A reciprocating action drive for converting reciprocating linear motion to uni-directional rotational motion is disclosed. The reciprocating action drive has a lever arm connected to a drive shaft via a first overrunning clutch such that when the lever arm is rotated in a first direction of rotation by a reciprocating linear motion, the drive shaft is rotates in the same direction. A further overrunning clutch connects the drive shaft such that the drive shaft may rotate in the first direction with respect to the frame, but not in the second, opposite direction. Such an arrangement prevents the drive shaft being driven in the second opposite, direction with respect to the frame. This prevents the lever arms being driven to interfere with any connection they may have to a source of linear reciprocating motion, thereby avoiding damage to such a connection.

Abstract: A reciprocating action drive having a magnetically sprung overrunning clutch with sprags that contain permanent magnets, is disclosed. The overrunning clutch has inner and outer shafts disposed to rotate about a common axis, and pivoting sprags that incorporate a permanent magnet, located between them. The sprags are shaped and sized, and located and sprung by magnetic attraction, such that the shafts rotate freely past each other in one direction, but lock together when attempted to be rotated in an opposite, lockup direction. A drive shaft is connected to either the inner or outer shaft of the overrunning clutch, and a lever arm is connected to the other shaft. When the lever arm is moved in a first rotational direction, the drive shaft is driven in that same direction. However, when the lever arm is moved in the opposite direction, the drive shaft is not driven as the overrunning clutch freewheels.

Abstract: A removable, external peripheral holding device for a game-controller is disclosed. The device has left and right retaining annuli, each made to be a circumscribing, external fit to the respective left and right holding portions of a game controller, enabling the device to be removably attached to the game-controller. A receiving receptacle is connected to the retaining annuli by a cantilevered connecting element that extends forward of the game controller when the game controller is held in a playing orientation. This can accept a removable tab that is attached to a structural element. In one embodiment, the structural element is a lateral vision shield that may be foldable. In a second embodiment the structural element accommodates a smart phone.

Abstract: A method of automated content selection is disclosed, in which an end user views multimedia content provided via by a content aggregator that is also programmed to detect content delivery boundaries. This occurs, for instance, when the provider switches from showing an event to showing interstitial advertising. On detecting a delivery boundary, a substitute stream of multimedia content is then automatically sent. Detecting a content delivery boundary is accomplished in a twostep process. First, a candidate frame indicative of a deliver boundary is found. This is done, for instance, by finding a change in average sound volume of sufficient magnitude. The candidate frame is then compared to a database of representative frames of known interstitial video segments. If a sufficiently good match is found, the frame is determined to be a content boundary frame, and appropriate switching of the video being relayed is made.

Abstract: A removable, external peripheral holding device for a game-controller is disclosed. The device has left and right retaining annuli, each made to be a circumscribing, external fit to the respective left and right holding portions of a game controller, enabling the device to be removably attached to the game-controller. A receiving receptacle is connected to the retaining annuli by a cantilevered connecting element that extends forward of the game controller when the game controller is held in a playing orientation. This can accept a removable tab that is attached to a structural element. In one embodiment, the structural element is a lateral vision shield that may be foldable. In a second embodiment the structural element accommodates a smart phone.

Abstract: A magnetically hinged, overrunning clutch is disclosed. Sprags containing rare-earth permanent magnets, and arranged in pairs of opposite magnetic orientation, are located within the gap between the inner surface of a hollow, circularly cylindrical shaft and the external surface of a smaller diameter, second circularly cylindrical shaft. Pairs of rare-earth permanent magnets encircling the second cylindrical shaft are located at, or just beneath, the surface of the shaft and are arranged in pairs having alternating magnetic orientation. The sprags are cylinders having a pseudo-spiral cross-section and are sized, and the ferromagnetic region located, such that when the sprags are attracted to the shaft-magnets, the first shaft may be rotated with respect to the second shaft in a first, overrunning direction of rotation, but the first shaft does not rotate with respect to the second shaft in an opposite, or lock-up direction.

Abstract: A magnetically hinged, overrunning clutch is disclosed. Sprags containing rare-earth permanent magnets, and arranged in pairs of opposite magnetic orientation, are located within the gap between the inner surface of a hollow, circularly cylindrical shaft and the external surface of a smaller diameter, second circularly cylindrical shaft. Pairs of rare-earth permanent magnets encircling the second cylindrical shaft are located at, or just beneath, the surface of the shaft and are arranged in pairs having alternating magnetic orientation. The sprags are cylinders having a pseudo-spiral cross-section and are sized, and the ferromagnetic region located, such that when the sprags are attracted to the shaft-magnets, the first shaft may be rotated with respect to the second shaft in a first, overrunning direction of rotation, but the first shaft does not rotate with respect to the second shaft in an opposite, or lock-up direction.

Abstract: A reciprocating action drive is disclosed in which a pair of magnetically sprung over-running clutches, each in overrunning connection with a driven shaft, and attached to a reciprocating lever, are joined via a direction reversing mechanism. In one embodiment, the direction reversing mechanism uses bevel gears, two of which are connected to the outer shells of the overrunning clutches. One or more intermediate bevel gears, mounted orthogonally to the axis of the driven shaft, mesh with the others to form the reversing mechanism. In a further embodiment, the reciprocating action drive is used to power a bicycle using a standard chain ring and chain arrangement and a cadence equalizing 3× epicyclic gear train. In a still further embodiment, sprung limit stops limit the range of motion of the reciprocating levers to 60-degrees, and make stopping at the end of the tread less abrupt.

Abstract: A reciprocating action drive is disclosed in which a pair of magnetically sprung over-running clutches, each in overrunning connection with a driven shaft, and attached to a reciprocating lever, are joined via a direction reversing mechanism. In one embodiment, the direction reversing mechanism uses bevel gears, two of which are connected to the outer shells of the overrunning clutches. One or more intermediate bevel gears, mounted orthogonally to the axis of the driven shaft, mesh with the others to form the reversing mechanism. In a further embodiment, the reciprocating action drive is used to power a bicycle using a standard chain ring and chain arrangement and a cadence equalizing 3× epicyclic gear train. In a still further embodiment, sprung limit stops limit the range of motion of the reciprocating levers to 60-degrees, and make stopping at the end of the tread less abrupt.

Abstract: A method of automated content selection is disclosed, in which an end user views multimedia content provided via by a content aggregator that is also programmed to detect content delivery boundaries. This occurs, for instance, when the provider switches from showing an event to showing interstitial advertising. On detecting a delivery boundary, a substitute stream of multimedia content is then automatically sent. Detecting a content delivery boundary is accomplished in a twostep process. First, a candidate frame indicative of a deliver boundary is found. This is done, for instance, by finding a change in average sound volume of sufficient magnitude. The candidate frame is then compared to a database of representative frames of known interstitial video segments. If a sufficiently good match is found, the frame is determined to be a content boundary frame, and appropriate switching of the video being relayed is made.

Abstract: A bistable electrowetting picture element that has both stable “On” and “Off” states in which no power is consumed, and a switching voltage threshold is disclosed. Displays using such picture elements may be either passive or active matrix addressed. A picture element contains two immiscible, fluids within a space between two surfaces. One of the fluids is an electro-conductive, polar liquid, such as to water. The other fluid is a non-polar liquid such as silicone oil. The picture element is electrically switchable between two states, both of which are maintained without a voltage being applied. In one state the light absorbing, non-polar liquid adjoins a region of one of the surfaces, while in the second state it adjoins another region on the other surface. The region adjoined to in the second state differs in area from the region adjoined to in the first state, thereby providing “On” and “Off” states.

Abstract: An enhanced chatbot, programed to learn from human-computer conversational exchanges. The process of learning automatically creates an expanded and updated statement/response database from input provided by users engaged in interactions with the chatbot.

Abstract: The present invention is an autonomous response engine and method that can more successfully mimic a human conversational exchange. In an exemplary, preferred embodiment of the invention, the response engine has a statement-response database that is autonomously updated, thus enabling a database of significant size to be easily created and maintained with current information. The response engine autonomously generates natural language responses to natural language queries by following one of several conversation strategies, by choosing at least one context element from a context database and by searching the updated statement-response data base for appropriate matches to the queries.

Abstract: A system for inserting images into live video fields includes a method for rapidly and efficiently identifying landmarks and objects. Initially a first template, having a first pattern similar to one of the distinctive features of the object, is passed over the video field and compared to it in order to preliminarily identify at least one possible distinctive feature as a candidate. A second template is then created by taking one of the major elements of the distinctive feature candidate and extending that element all the way across the second template and then comparing it to the distinctive feature candidate. This eliminates one or more possible falsely identified features. A third template is then created having a pattern formed from another major element of said distinctive feature and extending it all the way across the third template. The third template is then likewise passed over the distinctive feature candidate and compared therewith in order to eliminate still further falsely identified features.

Abstract: A reflection soft X-ray microscope is provided by generating soft X-ray beams, condensing the X-ray beams to strike a surface of an object at a predetermined angle, and focusing the X-ray beams reflected from the surface onto a detector, for recording an image of the surface or near surface features of the object under observation.