Hewlett-packard Company

Lumileds Lighting U.s., LLC

Philips Lumileds Lighting Company LLC

Larry McColloch

Barclay J Tullis

Mark Taylor Smith

The invention is an outdoor lighting display using light emitting devices. A flexible light track is secured at the bottom of a channel, e.g. a letter or symbol. A top corresponding to the shape of the channel covers the channel to protect the flexible light track from weather changes. The flexible light track includes a plurality of plastic modules having electrical connectors and respective tracks. Light emitting devices (LEDs) are inserted in the plastic modules. Electrical wires are positioned in the tracks of the plastic modules such that the LEDs are electrically connected in parallel.

Flexible light track for signage

An optical encoder can detect relative movement of a target without the use of a systematic pattern on the target. Natural features of different areas of the target are imaged by a photosensor array. The photosensor array generates a sequence of data frames of the imaged areas, and a processor processes patterns in the data frames of the imaged areas to detect a relative motion or displacement of the target. The processor can determine incremental relative motion or rate of relative motion.

Optical encoders using non-patterned targets

Determinations of velocity and navigation of an imaging device relative to a region of interest are based on double correlation processing. A time series of images of detectable features within the region of interest is acquired and correlated with previously stored location information for uniquely distinguishing locations within the region of interest. Thus, one correlation step is to compare the positions of features within the time series with the previously stored location information. The other correlation step is to track the variations in positions of the features within the time series. Preferably, the imaged features that are used for correlation are randomly distributed. However, in some applications, a known systematic distribution of features may be used. The processing is applicable to hand scanning, robotic control, and similar operations.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Larry McColloch