1. A multi-modality chewing gum composition comprising:
(a) a center-fill region;
(b) a gum region surrounding said center-fill region, said gum region comprising a gum base; and
(c) optionally a third region surrounding at least a portion of said gum region,
wherein one of said regions comprises at least one first sensate and at least a second of said regions comprises at least one second sensate which is distinct from said at least one first sensate.
2. The composition of claim 1, wherein said center-fill region comprises said first sensate and said gum region comprises said second sensate.
3. The composition of claim 1, wherein said center-fill region comprises said first sensate and said third region comprises said second sensate.
4. The composition of claim 1, wherein said gum region comprises said first sensate and said third region comprises said second sensate.
5. The composition of claim 1, wherein said center-fill region comprises said first sensate, said gum region comprises said second sensate and said third region comprises a third sensate.
6. The composition of claim 5, wherein said third sensate is the same as said second sensate.
7. The composition of claim 5, wherein said third sensate is distinct from said first sensate and complementary to said second sensate.
8. The composition of claim 7, wherein said second sensate comprises a cooling agent and said third sensate comprises a different cooling agent.
9. The composition of claim 7, wherein said second sensate comprises a warming agent and said third sensate comprises a different warming agent.
10. The composition of claim 7, wherein said second sensate comprises a tingling agent and said third sensate comprises a different tingling agent.
11. The composition of claim 5, wherein said third sensate is the same as said first sensate.
12. The composition of claim 5, wherein said third sensate is distinct from said second sensate and complementary to said first sensate.
13. The composition of claim 12, wherein said first sensate comprises a cooling agent and said third sensate comprises a different cooling agent.
14. The composition of claim 12, wherein said first sensate comprises a warming agent and said third sensate comprises a different warming agent.
15. The composition of claim 12, wherein said first sensate comprises a tingling agent and said third sensate comprises a different tingling agent.
16. The composition of claim 1, wherein at least one of said sensates is encapsulated.
17. The composition of claim 1, wherein said first sensate comprises a mixture of said first sensate in an encapsulated form and said first sensate in an unencapsulated form.
18. The composition of claim 1, wherein said second sensate comprises a mixture of said second sensate in an encapsulated form and said second sensate in an unencapsulated form.
19. The composition of claim 1, further comprising a third sensate, said third sensate comprising a mixture of said third sensate in an encapsulated form and said third sensate in an unencapsulated form.
20. The composition of claim 1, wherein said first sensate comprises a cooling agent and said second sensate comprises a warming agent.
21. The composition of claim 1, wherein said first sensate comprises a cooling agent and said second sensate comprises a tingling agent.
22. The composition of claim 1, wherein said first sensate comprises a warming agent and said second sensate comprises a tingling agent.
23. The composition of claim 1, wherein said center-fill region is selected from the group consisting of: liquid; gel; powder; solid; and combinations thereof.
24. The composition of claim 1, wherein said third region comprises a coating.
25. The composition of claim 24, wherein said coating comprises gelatin.
26. The composition of 1, wherein said composition comprises a gum piece in the form of a pellet.
27. The composition of 1, wherein said composition comprises a gum piece in the form of a slab.
28. The composition of claim 1, wherein said center-fill region comprises two or more compositions selected from the group consisting of a liquid, a solid, a semi-solid and a gas.
29. The composition of claim 28, wherein said center-fill region comprises a liquid composition and a solid composition.
30. The composition of claim 28, wherein said center-fill composition comprises two liquid compositions.
31. The composition of claim 30, wherein said liquid compositions are miscible.
32. The composition of claim 30, wherein said liquid compositions are immiscible.
33. The composition of claim 30, wherein said liquid compositions have different characteristics.
34. The composition of claim 1, wherein said gum region further comprises a polyol composition having a water solubility of less than 72% by weight at 25\xb0 C., said polyol composition comprising at least one polyol.
35. The composition of claim 34, wherein said polyol composition comprises maltitol in an amount from about 30% to about 80% by weight of said gum region.
36. The composition of claim 34, wherein said polyol composition in said gum region has an average particle size from about 30 microns to about 600 microns.
37. A multi-modality chewing gum composition comprising:
(a) a center-fill region;
(b) a gum region surrounding said center-fill region, said gum region comprising a gum base; and
(c) optionally a third region surrounding at least a portion of said gum region,
wherein one of said regions comprises a first amount of at least one sensate and at least a second of said regions comprises a second amount of said at least one sensate, said second amount of said at least one sensate being greater than said first amount of said at least one sensate.
38. A multi-modality chewing gum composition comprising:
(a) a center-fill region comprising greater than zero up to about 10% by weight of said chewing gum composition;
(b) a gum region comprising from about 55% to about 65% by weight of said chewing gum composition; and
(c) a third region comprising a coating, said coating comprising from about 25% to about 35% by weight of said chewing gum composition,
wherein one of said regions comprises at least one first sensate and at least a second of said regions comprises at least one second sensate which is distinct from said at least one first sensate, and wherein said gum composition further comprises a gum piece of about three grams or less.
39. A multi-modality chewing gum composition comprising:
(a) a center-fill region comprising greater than zero up to about 10% by weight of said chewing gum composition;
(b) a gum region comprising from about 55% to about 65% by weight of said chewing gum composition; and
(c) a third region comprising a coating, said coating comprising from about 25% to about 35% by weight of said chewing gum composition,
wherein one of said regions comprises a first amount of at least one sensate and at least a second of said regions comprises a second amount of said at least one sensate, said second amount of said at least one sensate being greater than said first amount of said at least one sensate, and wherein said gum composition further comprises a gum piece of about three grams or less.
40. A multi-modality chewing gum composition comprising:
(a) a center-fill region;
(b) a gum region surrounding said center-fill region, said gum region comprising a gum base; and
(c) optionally a third region surrounding at least a portion of said gum region,
wherein one of said regions comprises at least one first component and at least a second of said regions comprises at least one second component which is complementary to said at least one first component.
41. The composition of claim 40, wherein said at least one first component comprises a sensate and said at least one second component comprises a complementary sensate.
42. A method of developing a chewing gum product providing a consumer-preferred duality, comprising the steps of:
(a) identifying a consumer preference for a dual sensate combination, wherein the dual sensate combination comprises at least one first sensate and at least one second sensate which is distinct from the at least one first sensate;
(b) preparing a multi-modality chewing gum product comprising:
(i) a center-fill region;
(ii) a gum region surrounding the center-fill region, the gum region comprising a gum base; and
(iii) optionally a third region surrounding at least a portion of the gum region,
wherein one of the regions comprises the at least one first sensate and at least a second of the regions comprises the at least one second sensate; and
(c) marketing the multi-modality chewing gum product to consumers.
43. A method of preparing a multi-modality chewing gum product, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a chewing gum composition comprising:
(i) a center-fill region;
(ii) a gum region surrounding the center-fill region, the gum region comprising a gum base; and
(iii) optionally a third region surrounding at least a portion of the gum region,
wherein one of the regions comprises at least one first sensate and at least a second of the regions comprises at least one second sensate which is distinct from the at least one first sensate; and
(b) forming individual pieces of chewing gum from the chewing gum composition.
44. A method of imparting a dual sensate perception to an individual, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a chewing gum product comprising:
(i) a center-fill region;
(ii) a gum region surrounding the center-fill region, the gum region comprising a gum base; and
(iii) optionally a third region surrounding at least a portion of the gum region,
wherein one of the regions comprises at least one first sensate and at least a second of the regions comprises at least one second sensate which is distinct from the at least one first sensate; and
(b) applying the chewing gum product into the oral cavity of the individual, thereby releasing the at least one first sensate and the at least one second sensate therefrom to impart a dual sensate perception.
45. A multi-modality chewing gum composition comprising:
(a) a center-fill region;
(b) a gum region surrounding said center-fill region, said gum region comprising a gum base; and
(c) optionally a third region surrounding at least a portion of said gum region,
wherein one of said regions comprises at least one first sensate and at least a second of said regions comprises at least one second sensate which is distinct from said at least one first sensate, and
wherein one of said regions comprises at least one first tastant and at least a second of said regions comprises at least one second tastant which is distinct from said at least one first tastant.
46. A multi-modality chewing gum composition comprising:
(a) a center-fill region;
(b) a gum region surrounding said center-fill region, said gum region comprising a gum base; and
(c) optionally a third region surrounding at least a portion of said gum region,
wherein one of said regions comprises at least one first sensate and at least a second of said regions comprises at least one second sensate which is distinct from said at least one first sensate, and
wherein one of said regions comprises at least one first functional agent and at least a second of said regions comprises at least one second functional agent which is distinct from said at least one first functional agent.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
Having thus described our invention, we now claim:
1. An image processing system for reducing an image by a desired scaling factor, the image comprising a plurality of video signals each having a magnitude, so as to represent the image with a number of output video signals, the system including:
averaging means for determining an average magnitude associated with a defined set of input video signals, where the set is defined by the scaling factor; and
video signal output means for outputting the output video signal comprising the average magnitude.
2. The image processing system as set forth in claim 1 where the scaling factor comprises:
a fast scan component being inversely proportional to a fast scan seed factor; and
a slow scan component being inversely proportional to a slow scan seed factor.
3. The image processing system as set forth in claim 2 where the defined set of input video signals comprises:
a number of whole and partial input video signals in a fast scan direction comprising the fast scan seed factor; and
a number of whole and partial input video signals in a slow scan direction comprising the slow scan seed factor.
4. The image processing system as set forth in claim 3 where the averaging means comprise:
an adder for summing a plurality of the video signal magnitudes and for providing a partial sum of the magnitudes;
a memory device for temporarily storing the partial sum.
5. The image processing system as set forth in claim 4 further comprising:
a multiplier for producing the average magnitude by determining a product of a total sum of the magnitudes of the set, and the inverse of the product of the fast scan seed factor and the slow scan seed factor.
6. The image processing system as set forth in claim 5 wherein a number of required memory locations in the memory device is determined by comparing a leading edge of the input image to the fast scan seed factor.
7. The image processing system as set forth in claim 1 including means for outputting the output video signal having the average magnitude in real time.
8. A method for reducing an image in accordance with a scaling factor where the image is represented by a plurality of video signals each having a magnitude, the method comprising:
(a) receiving the scaling factor defining a set of input video signals;
(b) summing the magnitudes of the set of input video signals;
(c) averaging the magnitudes of the input video signals within the set; and
(d) outputting an output video signal having an average magnitude for each set.
9. The method for reducing an electronic image as set forth in claim 8 where the defining comprises:
(a1) deriving a seed factor in a fast scan axis from the scaling factor; and
(a2) deriving a seed factor in a slow scan axis from the scaling factor.
10. The method for reducing an electronic image as set forth in claim 9 where step (a1) comprises:
taking the inverse of a fast scan component of the scaling factor.
11. The method for reducing an electronic image as set forth in claim 10 where step (a2) comprises:
taking the inverse of a slow scan component of the scaling factor.
12. The method as set forth in claim 11 where, for a number of slow scan lines corresponding to the seed factor in the slow scan axis, the summing comprises:
(b1) summing the magnitude of a number of fast scan input signals equal to the seed factor in the fast scan axis; and
(b2) temporarily storing the result from the summing step until a total magnitude of the input video signals within a set is summed.
13. The method of claim 12 where step (c) comprises:
dividing the total magnitude of the input video signals within a set by the product of the seed factor in the fast scan axis and the seed factor in the slow scan axis.
14. The method of claim 13 implemented in an electrical circuit.
15. The method of claim 13 implemented in computer readable code stored on and executable by a computing device.
16. An imaging device capable of scanning an image and producing a stream of input video signals representative of the image, wherein the signals are eligible for reduction in accordance with a scaling factor and reproduction, including:
averaging means for determining an average magnitude of a set of the input video signals, where the set is defined by the scaling factor.