Abstract: One embodiment provides a rinse basin and blower system configured to clean a pipette including: a rinse basin comprising: a hollow tube enclosed at one end; wherein the hollow tube comprises an upper port and a lower port; and the lower port being tapered toward the hollow tube; and wherein the rinse basin is connected to a blower system; the blower system comprising: a waste reservoir that receives, from the rinse basin, a waste product comprising: air and liquid, wherein the waste reservoir separates the liquid from the air; a dryer that receives the air from the waste reservoir and further separates any remaining liquid from the air; and a blower that receives the air from the dryer and exhausts the air.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a rinse basin and blower system configured to clean a pipette including: a rinse basin comprising: a hollow tube enclosed at one end; wherein the hollow tube comprises an upper port and a lower port; and the lower port being tapered toward the hollow tube; and wherein the rinse basin is connected to a blower system; the blower system comprising: a waste reservoir that receives, from the rinse basin, a waste product comprising: air and liquid, wherein the waste reservoir separates the liquid from the air; a dryer that receives the air from the waste reservoir and further separates any remaining liquid from the air; and a blower that receives the air from the dryer and exhausts the air.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for determining the presence of a cap on a container are provided. An exemplary method comprises capturing an image of an object; extracting an area of interest from the image; determining from the image a position of one or more edges of the object; and determining the presence of a cap based on a comparison of the one or more edge positions to reference data. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for determining a level of a sample are provided. An image of a sample housed in a container is captured, wherein the image is represented as a two dimensional array of intensities of light. An area of interest is extracted from the image. A filter is applied to the area of interest. The filtered area is collapsed into a one dimensional array. The one dimensional array is masked. The level of the sample in the container is determined based on the masked one dimensional array. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A detection system and method for detecting an object such as a vessel or a cap on a vessel. The system includes an imaging device having a lens with a field of view for registering and processing an image of the object, an illumination device(s) for actively illuminating the object, a dark background portion, and an auxiliary light reflective area(s) for passively illuminating an edge portion of the object using reflections of illumination from the illumination device(s). The auxiliary light reflective area(s) is/are disposed adjacent to the dark background portion out of the field of view of the lens. Images of the object are subsequently compared to images of reference objects.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for determining a level of a sample are provided. An image of a sample housed in a container is captured, wherein the image is represented as a two dimensional array of intensities of light. An area of interest is extracted from the image. A filter is applied to the area of interest. The filtered area is collapsed into a one dimensional array. The one dimensional array is masked. The level of the sample in the container is determined based on the masked one dimensional array. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for determining the presence of a cap on a container are provided. An exemplary method comprises capturing an image of an object; extracting an area of interest from the image; determining from the image a position of one or more edges of the object; and determining the presence of a cap based on a comparison of the one or more edge positions to reference data. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A detection system and method for detecting an object such as a vessel or a cap on a vessel. The system includes an imaging device having a lens with a field of view for registering and processing an image of the object, an illumination device(s) for actively illuminating the object, a dark background portion, and an auxiliary light reflective area(s) for passively illuminating an edge portion of the object using reflections of illumination from the illumination device(s). The auxiliary light reflective area(s) is/are disposed adjacent to the dark background portion out of the field of view of the lens. Images of the object are subsequently compared to images of reference objects.

Abstract: A system for wireless communication, particularly for receiving communication signals, said system comprising: A main antenna structure (330), said antenna structure adapted to receive a communication signal (325a) as a first internal signal; and an antenna cable, said antenna cable having a first end operationally coupled to said main antenna structure and a second end, said antenna cable including a main conductor (335) for passing said first internal signal, and a second receiving conductor (340), said second receiving conductor adapted to receive said communication signal as a second internal signal, and wherein said second receiving conductor as a receiving element is spatially separated from the main antenna structure. The disclosed antenna system and apparatus for the extraction of the second, spatially-separated received signal achieves spatial diversity to alleviate multipath effects in wireless communication systems.

Abstract: A system for wireless communication, particularly for receiving communication signals, said system comprising: A main antenna structure (330), said antenna structure adapted to receive a communication signal (325a) as a first internal signal; and an antenna cable, said antenna cable having a first end operationally coupled to said main antenna structure and a second end, said antenna cable including a main conductor (335) for passing said first internal signal, and a second receiving conductor (340), said second receiving conductor adapted to receive said communication signal as a second internal signal, and wherein said second receiving conductor as a receiving element is spatially separated from the main antenna structure. The disclosed antenna system and apparatus for the extraction of the second, spatially-separated received signal achieves spatial diversity to alleviate multipath effects in wireless communication systems.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying blockiness reduction techniques to encoded video or other picture images by utilizing the run-length codes of neighboring pixel blocks to adaptively filter the decoded pixel data of interest, thereby smoothing out the gradations of intensity and color between neighboring blocks of pixels. The present invention can adaptively filter pixel data within a single picture block as well as between blocks. The method comprises the step of obtaining the run-length codes of a first encoded picture block and a neighboring picture block, deriving filter coefficients based on the run-length codes of the first encoded picture block and the neighboring encoded picture block and providing the filter coefficients, decoded first picture data and neighboring picture data to an adaptive filter, and filtering the decoded picture data of the first and neighboring picture blocks, thereby producing an outputted filtered picture signal.

Abstract: An EMI suppression plate surrounds a galvanically isolated connector at the opening in a chassis that is provided for the connector. The plate is configured to provide an immediate high frequency coupling to the chassis ground. The plate comprises a circuit board that includes two conductors that are coupled by one or more capacitors. One conductor is in contact with an outer shell of the connector, and the other conductor is in contact with the chassis ground. By providing a high frequency coupling between the connector and chassis at the location of the connector opening on the chassis, the ground current path between the connector and chassis ground is minimized.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the invention a spread spectrum pixel clock signal is generated to spread out the frequency bandwidth within which the peak emission of an electromagnetic interference signal occurs, so as to decrease the peak electromagnetic emission level. In one embodiment of the invention, this objective is accomplished by employing the horizontal synchronization signal of a video image to generate a periodic waveform that modulates the pixel clock reference input, such that clock signal pulses are spread out within each scan line. The modulation signal is synchronized with the horizontal synchronization signal such that each pixel location remains consistent in the horizontal and time domain.

Abstract: A frame buffer (100, 300) receives N asynchronous digital video signals and generates a data stream corresponding to a single video signal representing all of the N asynchronous video signals responsive to read and write memory addresses generated by a frame buffer controller (200, 400), where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2. If desired, N can be a positive integer equal to or greater than 4. Preferably, the frame buffer includes N dual ported memory devices (110, 120, 130, 140), each or which can be written to and read from simultaneously and independently. A VGA quad device and apparatuses incorporating same are also described.

Abstract: An apparatus for correcting convergence and geometry errors in a display device re-maps the positioning of pixels in a video signal based on predetermined convergence and geometry errors in a display device. The apparatus includes counters for determining the intended horizontal and vertical positions of the pixels, a memory having stored therein the actual horizontal and vertical positions of pixels in the display device, and a frame buffer coupled to the counters and the memory for selectively delaying the pixels in the video signal, such that when outputted, the pixels form an image on the display device without the convergence and geometry errors.