Eastman Technology, Inc.

Eastman-kodak Company

Spin Physics, Inc.

Other

Brooktree Corporation

Sequal Technologies, Inc.

Teijin Limited

James A Bixby

James U Lemke

Robert A Lentz

Joseph Hubert Colles

Theodore B Hill

Robert F Schneider

Gary A LaBeau

Edward A Radtke

David Phillip Winter

Elwyn R Berlekamp

Charles E Wright

Robert A Schneider

Masato Sugano

Brian Kenneth Sward

Edmund Salter

William Scot Appel

GilbertE Kammerer

William S Appel

Edmund L Salter

Brian Sward

A portable oxygen concentrator system adapted to be readily transported by a user includes a rechargeable energy source and a concentrator powered by the energy source. The concentrator converts ambient air into concentrated oxygen gas for the user and includes a plurality of adsorption beds and a rotary valve assembly. The rotary valve assembly is relatively rotatable with respect to the plurality of adsorption beds to provide valving action for selectively transferring fluids through the plurality of adsorption beds for converting ambient air into concentrated oxygen gas for the user. The ratio of adiabatic power to oxygen flow for the concentrator is in the range of 6.2 W/LPM to 23.0 W/LPM.

Portable oxygen concentration system and method of using the same

The present invention is directed to a portable oxygen concentrator system adapted to be transported by a user. The portable oxygen concentrator system includes an energy source, an air separation device powered by the energy source and adapted to convert ambient air into concentrated oxygen gas for the user, at least one sensor adapted to sense one or more conditions indicative of the oxygen gas needs of the user, and a control unit interrelated with the air separation device and the at least one sensor to control the air separation device so as to supply an amount of oxygen gas equivalent to the oxygen gas needs of the user based at least in part upon the one or more conditions sensed by the at least one sensor.

In a multi-channel device for the processing of digital data bytes comprised of parallel arrangements of data bits, the invention calls for recognition of the fact that--irrespective of skew and other interchannel variations in the processing of such data bits--the median-occurring bit of each successive data byte constitutes a good representative of the time of occurrence of the byte in question. By suitably buffering the bits of successive data bytes, a 'median clock' that is slaved to the aforenoted 'median-occurring' bits may be used to clock data bytes--devoid of inter-channel timing errors--out of the apparatus used for the indicated buffering operation.

Digital time base correction using a reference bit

Signals representing individual digital values are introduced to pluralities of switches of corresponding digital significance to provide for the conductivity of an individual one of the switches in each pair in accordance with the digital value represented by such signals. A plurality of conductive output members to provide paths through a matrix relationship of the switches and through the output members to one of two output lines. This matrix provides for progressive increases in the number of the output members connected to a particular one of the output lines with progressive increases in the digital value and for a continued connection to the particular output line of output members previously connected to the particular output line with such progressive increases in the digital value. The cumulative current through the particular output line is indicative of the analog value. The output members are disposed on an integrated circuit chip in groups each having a common centroid arrangement to offset correlated errors in the output members in the group. The members in each group may be disposed in pairs relative to the common centroid to provide offsets in the correlated errors in the output members in each pair. The output members in the groups having intermediate digital values in the range of digital values may be disposed relative to the common centroid in positions providing minimum correlation errors. Coincidentally, the output members in groups having extreme digital values in the range of digital values may be disposed relative to the common centroid in positions providing increased correlation errors.

Apparatus for converting data between analog and digital values

Longitudinal recording apparatus for producing a slow motion display of scene information that has been recorded on a magnetic recording medium is disclosed. In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment, the recording medium is periodically transported in accordance with either a forward or reverse transport cycle during which a frame of scene information is played back from the recording medium and stored in a frame storage device for repeated display on a video monitor. Transportation of the recording medium in accordance with successive forward transport cycles results in a forward slow motion display of scene information, while successive reverse transport cycles result in a reverse slow motion display of scene information.

Slow motion using longitudinal recording and forward/reverse tape

In a fast frame recorder having (1) a video camera adapted to produce signals corresponding to a variety of frame rates, (2) a variable speed tape recorder adapted to down-convert the frame rate of the camera signals to a reference frame rate by appropriately reducing the recorder tape speed to a reference speed, and (3) a display monitor adapted to receive the reference frame rate signals, the camera thereof may be adjusted for various scene and frame rate conditions without need to record the camera frame rate signals (for purposes of signal down-conversion). This is, in accordance with the invention, achieved by selecting a certain line (or lines) from each frame of the camera output signal, and applying such selected lines directly to the display monitor. Skipping from line to line in the camera output signal has the effect of down-converting the frame rate of the camera output signal as required. Thus, tape recording for camera set-up purposes is obviated and, attendantly, the camera may be operated at any selected rate while, at the same time, the camera optics, scene lighting, etc., may be adjusted to optimize the monitor display.

Down converting a high frame rate signal to a standard TV frame rate

The present invention provides apparatus for calculating the skew distortion introduced in each channel of a multi-channel longitudinal recorder when recorded information signals in at least two channels contain a detectable characteristic. In accordance with the invention, a timing signal is recorded containing certain information that is used, upon playback, to produce a reference marker which is compared with the detectable characteristics of recorded information signals to produce a measure of skew distortion.

Skew calculation using information recorded along a single timing track

Fast frame recorder apparatus is known wherein information corresponding to an object of interest is recorded at a fast frame rate (e.g., 2,000 frames per second) and displayed at a slower frame rate (e.g., 60 frames per second) to produce a slow motion replay of the object. In accordance with the present disclosure, such apparatus is so modified that information corresponding to the object of interest is sampled a plurality of times for each recorded frame to provide an increased frame rate (e.g., 12,000 frames per second) with respect to the object of interest.

Fast frame rate augmentation

An apparatus for controlling the exposure of a solid state image sensor array monitors the semiconductor substrate current produced as charge signal accumulates during an exposure of the array to radiant energy. The exposure of the array is controlled in response to an output signal representative of the total substrate current.

Apparatus for controlling exposure of a solid state image sensor array

The present invention provides apparatus for adjusting the time base of a signal that is read out from an addressable memory device. In accordance with a disclosed embodiment, coarse time base adjustment is provided by controlling the address count produced by a readout counter, while the phase of the counter clocking signal is adjusted to provide fine time base adjustment.

Digital time base correction

Prior art electronic cameras that use solid state area image sensors are generally limited to operation at frame rates less than about 120 frames per second. Such frame rates are limited, principally, by the maximum data rate at which solid state sensors may be operated. The present invention provides methods and apparatus for readout of an area image sensor at greatly increased frame rates, doing so by formatting the sensor into blocks of photosite rows for purposes of readout, and by modifying the method of sensor readout in a manner compatible with such format.

Fast frame rate sensor readout

A system for playback of segmented video information on a tape employs an ancillary recording medium which is rotationally driven at the rotational rate of a primary segment scanning apparatus. Each segment of a video field is recorded in a respective track of the ancillary medium, the information of one field being recorded over the information of another field. By recording only signals of a predetermined quality on the ancillary recording medium, playback of video information from the ancillary medium will produce a coherent display on a display monitor, regardless of the rate at which the tape is run. This is possible because of the one-to-one correspondence between the rotary rates of the scanner and the ancillary medium. Each coherent display is comprised of information from one or a number of video fields. To determine whether signals to be recorded are of the predetermined quality a coarse and a fine measure of signal quality are provided and logically combined. The coarse measure is provided by use of respective identifier tones for the field segments which are played, the purity of the played tones being somewhat determinative of playback signal quality. The fine measure of signal quality is determined by comparing the playback sync rate with a reference sync rate, the error therebetween corresponding to signal quality.

Coarse and fine control of segmented video playback apparatus with

A system for recording segmented video fields with segment identification codes includes circuitry to encode each segment of a given odd or even field with a different identification code. Further, each corresponding segment of all the other odd or even fields is likewise encoded with the same identification code. Thus, the first segment of any odd or even field has the same identification code which is different from any other identification code appearing for any other segment in any other odd or even field. The same applies to the second and all other segments.

Segmented video recording with segment identification codes

Flutter and skew prevention in the playback of recorded multitrack signals is provided by means of an articulated multitrack magnetic head. The head is positionable, with respect to the medium which is the source of the playback signals, by means of a pair of signal controllable actuators; and such actuators connect to the head at width-wise spaced-apart locations thereof. Operation of the actuators is by means of a pair of respective control signals: a sum signal and a difference signal. The sum signal represents the sum of a first phase error signal corresponding to the phase difference between signals produced by different cores of the multitrack head and a second phase error signal corresponding to the phase difference between a signal produced by a head core and a reference signal. The difference signal represents the difference between the first and second phase error signals, or similarly produced error signals.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

James A Bixby