Abstract: A compact image steering and focusing device has a generally rectangular frame containing at least one illuminator and at least one and preferably two cameras and a pan/tilt mirror on a tilting frame. There is a tilt axis through the frame. A tilt motor is attached to the frame to turn the frame about the tilt axis. Another camera is positioned in optical alignment with the pan/tilt mirror. The device can fit behind the cover plate of an automated teller machine. Images from the cameras on the titling frame are used to focus the other camera on one eye of the automated teller machine user to identify the user by iris analysis and comparison to an iris image or iris code on file.

Abstract: A reliable method and apparatus for illuminating and imaging eyes uses multiple light sources producing multiple images of a subject each created under illumination by different illuminators. A composite image of the subject is formed by selecting pixels based upon their gray scale values or using pyramid image processing. A composite image can be created which is free of bright spots commonly caused by reflection of illumination from eyeglasses that may be worn by a subject or for which is free of dark shadows or which is free of both bright spots and dark shadows.

Abstract: In a method of image subtraction a series of frames of a subject are taken using a video camera The subject is illuminated in a manner so that illumination is alternately on then off for successive fields within the image frame. A single frame is grabbed and an absolute difference between the odd field and the even field within that single image frame is determined. The resulting absolute difference image will represent the subject as illuminated by the system illumination only, and not by any ambient illumination, and can then be used to identify the subject in the image.

Abstract: A compact image steering and focusing device has a generally rotatable platform that carries a pan/tilt mirror. The rotatable platform, at least one motor driven lens and a camera are mounted on a housing. Two drive motors each with an associated cable are provided to rotate the rotatable platform and tilt the mirror. Light reflected from a subject is captured by the mirror and directed through the lens to the camera. The device can fit behind the cover plate of an automated teller machine. This system is preferably used with a narrow field of view camera and two wide field of view cameras. Images from the wide field of view cameras are used to focus the narrow field of view camera on one eye of the automated teller machine user to identify the user by iris analysis and comparison to an iris image on file.

Abstract: A compact image steering and focusing device has a generally rectangular frame containing a pan/tilt mirror and at least one lens. There is a tilt plane bisecting the frame. A mirror drive motor is attached to the frame on one side of the tilt plane and a lens motor is attached to the frame on the other side of the tilt plane. The frame is rotatably attached to a stand and connected to a frame drive motor mounted on the stand. The device can fit behind the cover plate of an automated teller machine. This system is preferably used with a narrow field of view camera and two wide field of view cameras. Images from the wide field of view cameras are used to focus the narrow field of view camera on one eye of the automated teller machine user to identify the user by iris analysis and comparison to an iris image on file.

Abstract: A method and control system for an agricultural harvester having a frame and a cut crop receiving header coupled to a hydraulic cylinder. The header has a cutter pivotably mounted on its bottom. The header has a height relative to the frame that is adjusted by applying fluid under pressure to the cylinder. A first control valve is fluidly coupled to the cylinder and responsive to a first input signal for increasing fluid pressure in the cylinder to raise the header. A second control valve is fluidly coupled to the cylinder and responsive to a second input signal for reducing fluid pressure in the cylinder to lower the header. An electrical flex angle signal is produced, representing a flex angle between the bottom of the header and the cutter. A plurality of local maximum and minimum values of the flex angle signal are measured as the cutter passes over respective maxima and minima of a height of the ground relative to the frame. The local maximum and minimum values are identified and stored.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an agricultural harvester having a cut crop receiving header coupled to a hydraulic cylinder. The header applies a force against the ground that is adjusted by applying pressure to the cylinder. Proportional raise and lower valves control the pressure in the cylinder. A pressure signal representing cylinder pressure is received. The difference between the measured pressure and the setpoint is used to compute input signals, which are transmitted to the valves. Cylinder pressure is maintained substantially at a setpoint, the setpoint being adjustable in response to varying terrain. The setpoint is set to a first value in falling terrain and a second value in rising terrain. At the top of a hill, the setpoint is reduced below the first value until ground contact is regained, and the pressure is recharged above the second value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an agricultural harvester having a cut crop receiving header coupled to a hydraulic cylinder. The header applies a force against the ground that is adjusted by applying pressure to the cylinder. A first proportional valve is fluidly coupled to the cylinder, and responds to a first input signal by increasing pressure in the cylinder to a setpoint value, when the pressure is less than the setpoint. A second proportional valve is also fluidly coupled to the cylinder, and responds to a second input signal by reducing pressure in the cylinder to the setpoint pressure value, when the pressure is greater than the setpoint. A pressure signal representing cylinder pressure is received. The difference between the measured pressure and the setpoint is used to compute the first and second input signals, which are transmitted to the valves.

Abstract: A robot is controlled to move from a predetermined rest point to contact a moving target. The control parameters of the robot are not known. Control is effectuated by predetermining the time required for the robot to move from a rest position to each of a plurality of points within the region in which the target is expected to be found. When the target is identified, its location near the predetermined points at a future time is computed. The known time required from motion of the robot from the rest position to predetermined points adjacent the future location of the target is determined by reference to stored information. The exact time required for the motion may be interpolated between the predetermined points. The time for robot motion is subtracted from the future time to determine the time at which robot motion begins. In a particular embodiment of the invention, a robot coacts with a circular conveyor belt to retrieve objects from the conveyor and transport them to a dump point.

Abstract: The height of an object is determined by projecting a beam of light there across to form a light stripe. A camera views the object obliquely, and forms an image of the light stripe. As a result of the oblique view, the light stripe is imaged as a series of bright vertical lines on a horizontally-scanned image. Each horizontal line scan crosses the light stripe at a particular horizontal position, representative of the height of the object at that point on the image. The projection and imaging optics cause the light stripe to be several pixels wide, so that the height is not exactly known. A logic circuit finds the pixel with the greatest intensity and stores its position and value, and the values of its neighboring pixels. At the end of each line scan, the sum of the stored intensities is formed, together with a weighted sum, so that a ratio may be formed which represents the center position.