3039 results about "Direction information" patented technology

A system and method is disclosed for a shopping system, the system including a shopping cart including a plurality of wheels; a portable electronic device (e.g., a CST or POS terminal), coupled to the shopping cart, for displaying shopping data; and a position mapping system, coupled to the electronic device, for developing a shopper location relative to a start location, the mapping system including a distance measuring system, coupled to one of the plurality of wheels; for providing a distance signal indicating a distance of movement of the shopping cart; and a direction measuring system for providing a direction signal concurrent with the distance signal. Another embodiment is a shopper tracking system including a shopping cart having a plurality of wheels; a portable electronic device, coupled to the shopping cart, for displaying shopping data; and an energy generator, coupled to one of the plurality of wheels, for adding energy to a power source of the portable electronic device. The shopper tracking method includes the steps of measuring a net distance traveled by a shopping cart and measuring direction information concurrently with the distance information to produce a relative location that is offset from a known location and converting the relative location to an absolute coordinate by providing absolute coordinates for the known location.

A method and apparatus for providing information from a speed and direction sensor is disclosed. The method and apparatus detect the presence of a ferromagnetic object as it moves past a sensor. The sensor determines speed and direction information regarding the ferromagnetic object, and further provides information relating to the environment surrounding the sensor or object, such as the status of an air gap between the sensor and the moving object, and the temperature of the environment in which the sensor or object is disposed.

A mixed code, and a method and apparatus for encoding the same are provided. The mixed code includes a first code image region storing a first code image obtained by encoding first information using color, shading, or a combination thereof, and a second code image region storing a second code image obtained by encoding second information using color, shading, or a combination thereof. The first code image and / or the second code image includes the results of encoding interpretation information, construction information, error control information, and code direction information. The mixed code is made by adjusting the difference in color and brightness between the first and second code images to a predetermined level and combining these images.

An apparatus and method for measuring the physical quantities of a data center during operation and method for servicing large-scale computing systems is disclosed. The apparatus includes a cart that supports a plurality of sensors. The cart is moveable within the data center. The sensors capture temperature or other physical parameters within the room. The sensor readings, along with position and orientation information pertaining to the cart are transmitted to a computer system where the data is analyzed to select the optimum temperature or other system environmental parameters for the data center.

An automatic celestial navigation system for navigating both night and day by observation of K-band or H-band infrared light from multiple stars. In a first set of preferred embodiments three relatively large aperture telescopes are rigidly mounted on a movable platform such as a ship or airplane with each telescope being directed at a substantially different portion of sky. Embodiments in this first set tend to be relatively large and heavy, such as about one cubic meter and about 60 pounds. In a second set of preferred embodiments one or more smaller aperture telescopes are pivotably mounted on a movable platform such as a ship, airplane or missile so that the telescope or telescopes can be pivoted to point toward specific regions of the sky. Embodiments of this second set are mechanically more complicated than those of the first set, but are much smaller and lighter and are especially useful for guidance of aircraft and missiles. Telescope optics focus (on to a pixel array of a sensor) H-band or K-band light from one or more stars in the field of view of each telescope. Each system also includes an inclinometer, an accurate timing device and a computer processor having access to catalogued infrared star charts. The processor for each system is programmed with special algorithms to use image data from the infrared sensors, inclination information from the inclinometer, time information from the timing device and the catalogued star charts information to determine positions of the platform. Direction information from two stars is needed for locating the platform with respect to the celestial sphere. The computer is also preferably programmed to use this celestial position information to calculate latitude and longitude which may be displayed on a display device such as a monitor or used by a guidance control system. These embodiments are jam proof and insensitive to radio frequency interference. These systems provide efficient alternatives to GPS when GPS is unavailable and can be used for periodic augmentation of inertial navigation systems.