38results about "Mechanical digital computers" patented technology

An electrosurgical apparatus having a counter/lockout mechanism that monitors the number of sterilization/use cycles the electrosurgical apparatus undergoes and indicates the number of sterilization/use cycles that have actually been performed. The counter/lockout mechanism includes a temperature actuated element actuated in response to each sterilization cycle and a mechanically actuated element in response to a use cycle to effectuate a change of one or a plurality of indicia. The counter/lockout mechanism causes a single increment or decrement for each sterilization/use cycle that has been completed while also impeding use of the electrosurgical apparatus when the electrosurgical apparatus has undergone a predetermined number of sterilization/use cycles. In one embodiment, the distance of movement of the mechanically actuated element when fully actuated is greater than the distance the indicator moves when illustrating a change in the number of remaining uses.

Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for automatically compensating an individual's credit risk score for macroeconomic data. In particular, various embodiments provide systems and methods to determine a macroeconomic risk score. In addition, various embodiments provide systems and methods to determine an adjusted credit risk score for an individual based on the individual's credit risk score and a macroeconomic risk score that serves as a scale adjuster to keep overall delinquency and/or loss rates in line as economic factors change.

A method for calculating a foreign exchange index including the steps of: retrieving currency exchange rates corresponding to a plurality of currencies; adjusting long positions and short positions in the plurality of currencies based on an optimization algorithm; and generating the index based on the results of the adjusting step. The foreign exchange index may be calculated on a periodic basis using an optimization model implemented via a computer program, and may be used as a benchmark for a variety of financial products.

A ball bearing actuation mechanism includes a circular gauge wheel rotatably mounted in an interior chamber of a housing below an inlet passage and adjacent to outlet and overflow discharge openings of the housing and a curved retainer wall mounted to the housing in the interior chamber adjacent to a peripheral groove on the gauge wheel so as to form a channel therebetween which extends between the inlet passage and discharge outlet opening of the housing. The peripheral groove has a length preset to receive a preset number of ball bearings in single file fashion therein when the ball bearings are deposited into interior chamber via the inlet passage such that any ball bearings above the preset number deposited into the inlet passage of the housing will divert to the overflow discharge outlet of the housing.

A mechanical computer used in tandem with a GPS to approach, enter and fly the traffic pattern of any uncontrolled airport. Pilots must navigate to a relatively small area or approach point before entering the traffic pattern of an uncontrolled airport. While airports are programmed into GPS units, the approach points are not. The computer works in tandem with an onboard GPS unit programmed for navigation direct to the airport of intended landing and employs triangulation to navigate to an approach point from which a proper traffic pattern entry can be made.

A rotatably actuated counter is disclosed. The counter includes a ratchet driven unit wheel nested within a tens wheel. Each wheel has a radial face displaying counting indicia. The tens wheel is transparent, allowing the indicia on the unit wheel to be viewed adjacent to the indicia on the tens wheel to provide a total count. A slave wheel is positioned between the unit and tens wheels. A gear on one face of the slave wheel engages gear teeth on the tens wheel. A Geneva mechanism on the other face is engaged by a foot on the unit wheel once per rotation. The wheels are rotatably mounted within a housing having a sidewall with a window through which the count indicia may be viewed. The unit wheel rotates in ten increments and then rotates the tens wheel through one increment by engaging and rotating the slave wheel.

A rotary absolute value scale includes a rotor in which two rotor side coil patterns provided with different pitches are laminated, and a stator in which two stator side coil patterns provided with different pitches are also laminated. A linear absolute value scale includes a slider in which two slider side coil patterns provided with different pitches are laminated, and a scale in which two scale side coil patterns provided with different pitches are also laminated.

An imaging lens is positioned at an initial position, the image of a subject is sensed and an overall focus evaluation value representing the degree of focus of the image of the subject is obtained. Face detection processing is executed if the overall focus evaluation value obtained is equal to or greater than a threshold value but is not executed if the overall focus evaluation value is less than the threshold value. The imaging lens is then moved to the next position. Calculation of the overall focus evaluation value is performed again and if the overall focus evaluation value is equal to or greater than the threshold value, then face detection processing is executed on this occasion. A range in which face images are detected at positions of the imaging lens where the overall focus evaluation value is equal to or greater than the threshold value is decided upon as a focusing range. The image of the subject is sensed again while the imaging lens is moved in this range in prescribed increments. A graph of face-area focus evaluation values representing degree of focus of the image portion of the face is obtained and the position at which this graph is maximum is decided upon as the in-focus position of the imaging lens.

A coin selector assembly includes a coin passageway having at least a pair of thickness sensor unit operatively positioned along the coin passageway to provide respective measurements of the thickness of the coin. A comparing unit compares the respective thickness signals with corresponding stored standard values representative of a genuine coin to determine the authenticity of the coin. Additional sensor unit can be positioned along the coin passageway and excited with different frequencies. Thus, a material sensor unit and a diameter sensor unit or a pair of diameter sensor unit can also be utilized.

Abstract of the Disclosure

A prepaid long-distance telephone calling card has two or more distinct PIN numbers each obscured by opaque scratch-off material. Each PIN number is associated with prepaid value. A user can scratch off the opaque material for PIN numbers one by one, and the value for each PIN number expires in a way that is unrelated to any other PIN number on the card.

A data storage device comprises a memory in which a collection of prostate cancer screening data is stored. The screening data is obtained from a selection of the general male population without medical pre-selection. A device for indicating a risk for a disease of an individual, comprises an indicator for indicating a determined value for said risk. The indicator comprises a risk scale representing a range of values of said risk, and at least one dialler for entering a value of a diagnostic parameter of an individual. The dialler comprises a parameter scale representing a range of values of said diagnostic parameter. The dialler is movable with respect to said indicator such that when a parameter value on said parameter scale is selected, an associated risk value is indicated on said risk scale according to a predetermined mathematical relationship