Other

Ncr Corporation

Calvin L Espy

Barry D Briggs

Jianzhong Huang

John C Ming

Antai Peng

Thomas Goddlv

An item recognition system and method which is particularly suited for automating entry of items too small to carry readable bar code labels. The system includes a camera which digitizes the image to produce a digitized image and a gray-scale digitized image. A binary image of the gray-scale image is then produced from which the computer records an image of the item, and a computer coupled to the camera which digitizes the image to produce a digitized image and a gray-scale digitized image. A binary image of the gray-scale image is then produced from which the computer identifies the item from the binary image and obtains the price from a price-lookup file.

Price determination system and method using digitized gray-scale image

A container for plants is rotated as water is evaporated and respirated therefrom due to the interaction between a compression spring and linear-to-rotary motion mechanism. The compression spring is disposed between the container and a stop on a support shaft suspended from above wherein the support shaft has a spiral portion thereon and the container has a slot for receiving the spiral portion. As water evaporates, weight on the compression spring is reduced and the container rises upwardly on the shaft in relation to the stop on the shaft. As the container rises, it rotates slowly. In an alternative embodiment, the shaft is rigidly fixed to a base upon which the container rests and the container includes a soil containing pot which may move relative to the base. The compression spring is disposed between a stop on the shaft and the soil containing pot to bias the pot upwardly when there is no water therein so as to raise and rotate the pot with the linear-to-rotary motion mechanism as the water evaporates.

Horticulture device for rotating plants due to transpiration and

A horticulture device is provided for rotating a plant as moisture transpires from the plant and evaporates from the container holding the plant. The device includes a spring which is linearly distorted due to gravity as the plant is watered and which is restored as the plant releases the water and the water evaporates from the container. The spring is connected to a motion converting mechanism that converts linear distortion of the spring to rotational motion which in turn is used to rotate the plant.

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Decatur, GA, United States of America

Calvin L Espy