Abstract: A customer self-checkout system includes one or more checkout stations and multiple supervisor terminals. The supervisor terminals provide support to, and control over, the self-checkout system and checkout stations. The supervisory terminals may be wireless terminals that can capture self-checkout customer identification information including signatures, fingerprints, images, and other forms of identification.

Abstract: A system for measuring the luminance characteristics of objects, particularly objects with luminance dependent on the emission direction. This system includes an image sensor (8) and optical means (16, 18, 26, 28) provided to form the image of the totality of an object (6) on the sensor and to select, for each point of the object, with a view to forming the corresponding image-point, those of the light rays coming from this point of the object which propagate in a way approximately parallel to the optical axis (X) of the optical means.

Abstract: A customer self-checkout system includes one or more checkout stations and multiple supervisor terminals. The supervisor terminals provide support to, and control over, the self-checkout system and checkout stations. A controller is used to coordinate communications among the checkout stations and supervisor terminals over a wired and/or wireless network interfaces. A user may provide input at supervisory terminal using an interface providing context sensitive prompting to enable control using a simple keyboard interface.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising a measurement lens (2) forming the image of the Fourier transform (102) of the elementary area (101) in its image focal plane (Fi), a transfer lens (3) forming the image of the elementary area on a sensor (4) formed by detectors (4i,j), a diaphragm (5) for defining the aperture of the elementary area (101), and a processing circuit (6).The lens (2) producing the Fourier transform is associated with a field lens (10), the combination of these two means (2, 10) and of the circular aperture of diameter (d) which is defined by the diaphragm (5) making it possible, for any light beam having an angle of incidence .theta. and an angle of azimuth .psi., to select a measurement area of elliptical shape on the object (1) analyzed.

Abstract: Measurement device, for the colorimetric measurement of a display screen. The device includes a first lens which forms the image of the Fourier transform of the elementary surface to be measured. An optical system is used to form a second lens which projects the image of the transform onto a set of detectors. The second lens (10) comprises an input lens (11) after the image plan (Fi) of the first lens (1), a colour filter (12) formed by filters (12l) which are associated with each colour, an output lens (13), downstream of the colour filter (12) for focusing the beams onto the detectors (7i, J) of the sensor (7), and a processing circuit (18).

Abstract: A method and device for transforming a video signal representing a video image into a signal representing an image for a display matrix useful in equipment for centering spectacle lenses are disclosed, the device comprising a unit supplying a video image of the lenses, a unit furnishing data for a spectacle frame, a microprocessor which generates an image of said frame and an alignment pattern for superimposition in the image of said lenses, and a flat panel display device.

Abstract: Micropoint emissive cathode electron source and field emission-excited cathodoluminescence display means using said source. The source comprises a series of electrodes (5) acting as cathode conductors and carrying micropoints (12) and a series of electrodes (10g) acting as grids, each of the electrodes of one of the series being in contact with a resistive layer (7) and having a lattice structure, so that there are consequently tracks (5a) which intersect and define first openings (6), each of the electrodes of the other series having second openings (11) which are displaced with respect to the first openings.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for displaying data, during a frame, on a matrix screen having two parts is disclosed. During the first half of the frame time, successive odd rows of the first part of the screen may be selected simultaneously with successive even rows of the second part of the screen. During the second half of the frame time, successive even rows of the first part of the screen may be selected simultaneously with successive odd rows of the second part of the screen.

Abstract: The source includes columns (4) emitting electrons and lines (6) whose potential evolves up to a positive value Vl. The screen also includes at least one additional column (24) common to all the lines, means (28) to bring this additional column to a negative potential so that, irrespective of the potential of the lines it crosses, electrons may be emitted in the crossing zones, at least one additional anode (26) opposite the additional column, and means (30) to bring this additional anode to a positive potential of less than Vl. Each line is controlled by a single output transistor (32) which brings it to Vl when it is activated and disconnects it from the voltage source Vl when it is disactivated. Application for microtip screens.

Abstract: A system for controlling the shape of a charged particle beam. The particle beam is emitted from a source (58) of the said particles. Said source is associated with a collecting electrode which collects the particles. The system comprises at least one resistive zone (56) and at least two control electrodes (52, 54). The resistive zone and the control electrodes are arranged substantially at the same level as the source. The control electrodes are also placed on either side of the resistive zone and serve to polarize the latter. The electrical resistance profile of the resistive zone is chosen in such a way that it has the potential distribution so that it is possible to obtain the desired shape of the beam from the source when the control electrodes are appropriately polarized.

Abstract: A method for displaying, on a matrix screen composed of pixels disposed along K lines and M columns, images having Q grey levels G.sub.j, 0.ltoreq.j.ltoreq.Q-1. Pixels are scanned and to display a given grey level, a mixed number of black and white states of the pixels are displayed. The number of white states and the number of black states required to display a given grey level are calculated based on a number of sub-frames N used to display the grey scale image and the number of different grey scales Q. This assigns a black state or a white state to each of the addressing phase indices. The addressing phase indices are then selected according to predetermined rules and the states of the pixels in each sub-frame vary within a sub-frame displaying a given grey scale by keeping the number of black and white pixels of the sub-frame as constant as possible.

Abstract: A bistable electrooptical device, screen incorporating such a device and process for producing the screen, are provided. The device according to the present invention comprises at least one bistable element contained in a vacuum enclosure formed from a first and a second substrate, which substrates are hermetically sealed together. The bistable element comprises, on the first substrate, a first layer of a conductive material, a layer of photoconductive material, a layer of a cathodoluminiscent material, and a microtip emissive cathode electrode source, or the like, for exciting the cathodoluminiscent material. A screen according to the invention incorporates several bistable elements arranged in matrix-like configuration. In a preferred embodiment of the screen, the photoconductive material links two conductive material layers, one making up a conductive column of the screen and the other defining the geometry of the pixel.

Abstract: Method for displaying levels of greys on a matrix display screen, such as a chiral smectic phase ferroelectric liquid crystals screen, comprising a cell containing the crystal provided on its walls with two matrix systems of right angle i line conductors and j column conductors, the various pixels of the image being defined by the superimposed crossings of these conductors, wherein each pixel is embodied with the aid of p independent sub-pixels each having its own transmission coefficient, each of which is able to display several states of different basic greys, including black and white, and, on each of the p sub-pixels, one of the states of the preceding greys is displayed by taking account, for each of these, of its own transmission so as to obtain for each pixel via the visual addition of the contributions of each sub-pixel the display of a suitable shade of grey closest to the analog value indicated by the video write signal.

Abstract: The elemental image points of color red, green blue forming a color image point are disposed in a triangle. An elemental image point is comprised of a thin film transistor connected to an electrode of a condenser, this electrode facing a second, colored electrode. The electrodes connected to a transistor are arrayed in lines, the other in columns. Each column of electrodes corresponding to a color successively red, green, blue. Three electrodes connected to three thin film transistors and forming a color image point are connected to one and the same address line conductor.

Abstract: A matrix display device applicable to liquid crystal displays comprises a display material having an optical property inserted between two insulating walls. On the inner face of one of the walls (1) are arranged n row conductors, m column conductors, p resistive conductors and p.k electrodes grouped into p=m.(n-1) packets of k electrodes each, the electrodes E.sub.1 . . . E.sub.k of one packet P.sub.ii'j being connected by switches I.sub.1 . . . I.sub.k to a column conductor C.sub.j and to a resistive conductor R.sub.ii'j, itself connected between two row conductors L.sub.i and L.sub.i', with i, i' and j being integers such that i.noteq.i', l.ltoreq.i<n, l<i.ltoreq.n and l.ltoreq.i.ltoreq.m. On the inner face of the other wall is placed a counterelectrode. A process for controlling the display device is also disclosed. The invention more particularly applies to liquid crystal display devices.

Abstract: A control system for an integrated memory matrix display and its associated process is disclosed. The control system for the matrix display utilizes a first group of n row conductors and a second group of m column conductors which carry appropriate signals for excitation of an electro-optical display material at image points which form the integrated memory of a display. A first selection circuit is connected to n' address rows and to n row conductors where n is .ltoreq.2.sup.n' and m read-write circuits, each connected to a column conductor and combine into k packages wherein each package has a maximum of l read-write circuits with the integers m, l and k being such that l is >1 and <m and k is >1 and <m. Each pth read-write circuit of package is connected to the pth row of a bidirectional data bus 21 with l rows, with the p being an integer such that p.gtoreq.1 and .ltoreq.l.

Abstract: The invention relates to a three-dimensionally controlled liquid crystal matrix display having a low number of connections and transistors to its control process. The display comprises a first insulating wall covered with electrode rows, each formed from n aligned row strips, a second insulating wall covered with electrode columns, each formed by r aligned column strips, and a liquid crystal layer inserted between the electrode columns and the electrode rows. The row strips and the column strips are respectively grouped into p first and second packets of s parallel row strips, and of t parallel column strips, with p=n.times.r, s=m.times.n/p and t=q.times.r/p. Each row strip and each column strip is associated respectively with a transistor serving to interconnect the row strips and interconnect the column strips to form s row connections, t column connections, and p packet connections.