Author: claimsbot

1. A fabric sleeve for protecting elongate members against at least one of EMI, RFI or ESD, comprising:
a wall extending along a longitudinal axis between opposite ends, said wall being formed from a plurality of filaments interlaced with one another, at least one of said filaments being provided as a continuous strand of conductive wire and at least one of said filaments being provided as a heat-fusible nonconductive filament, said continuous strand of conductive wire being at least partially embedded in fixed attachment with said at least one heat-fusible nonconductive filament at bond joints formed of melted and solidified material of said at least one heat-fusible nonconductive filament.
2. The fabric sleeve of claim 1 wherein said wall has opposite edges extending generally parallel to said longitudinal central axis and further comprising at least one heat-set filament biasing said opposite edges into overlapping relation with one another.
3. The fabric sleeve of claim 2 wherein said at least one heat-fusible nonconductive filament is a monofilament.
4. The fabric sleeve of claim 3 wherein said at least one heat-set filament is a monofilament.
5. The fabric sleeve of claim 4 wherein said at least one heat-fusible nonconductive monofilament and said at least one heat-set monofilament are provided as a bicomponent monofilament having an outer sheath of heat-fusible material having a first melt temperature, said outer sheath forming said at least one heat-fusible nonconductive filament, and an inner core of heat-settable material having a second melt temperature that is greater than said first melt temperature, said inner core forming said at least one heat-set filament.
6. The fabric sleeve of claim 5 wherein at least one of said at least one bicomponent monofilament extends circumferentially about said longitudinal axis.
7. The fabric sleeve of claim 2 wherein said wall is woven with warp yarn extending generally parallel to said longitudinal axis and weft yarn extending generally transverse to said longitudinal axis, at least one of said warp yarn and at least one of said weft yarn being provided as said continuous strand of conductive wire and at least one of said weft yarn being provided as said at least one heat-fusible nonconductive monofilament and at least one of said weft yarn being provided as said at least one heat-set monofilament.
8. The fabric sleeve of claim 7 wherein said at least one continuous strand of conductive wire is a hybrid filament including said at least one continuous strand of conductive wire twisted or served with a non-conductive multifilament.
9. The fabric sleeve of claim 1 wherein said plurality of filaments are braided with one another to form generally diamond-shaped openings bounded by said continuous strand of conductive wire, said generally diamond-shaped openings being fixed in size by said bond joints.
10. The fabric sleeve of claim 1 wherein said heat-fusible non-conductive filaments are multifilaments.
11. The fabric sleeve of claim 1 wherein said wall is seamless and circumferentially continuous about said longitudinal axis.
12. The fabric sleeve of claim 1 wherein said wall is knit.
13. A method of constructing a fabric sleeve for protecting elongate members against at least one of EMI, RFI or ESD, comprising:
forming a wall extending along a longitudinal axis between opposite ends by interlacing a plurality of filaments with one another and providing at least one of the filaments as a continuous strand of conductive wire and at least one of the filaments as a heat-fusible nonconductive filament; and
at least partially embedding said continuous strand of conductive wire in said heat-fusible nonconductive filament and fixing said continuous strand of conductive wire against relative movement with said heat-fusible nonconductive filament.
14. The method of claim 13 further including heat-fusing said heat-fusible nonconductive filament in bonded, fixed attachment with said continuous strand of conductive wire.
15. The method of claim 14 further including biasing opposite edges of the wall into overlapping relation with one another by heat-setting at least one of said plurality of filaments.
16. The method of claim 15 further including performing the heat-fusing and heat-setting in a simultaneous operation.
17. The method of claim 13 further including performing the interlacing in a weaving process.
18. The method of claim 17 further including weaving the continuous strand of wire in a warp direction extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and in a weft direction extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.
19. The method of claim 18 further including providing the heat-fusible nonconductive filament as a bicomponent monofilament having an outer sheath of heat-fusible material having a first melt temperature and an inner core of heat-settable material having a second melt temperature that is greater than said first melt temperature.
20. The method of claim 19 further including heat-fusing the outer sheath in bonded, fixed attachment with the continuous strand of conductive wire and biasing opposite edges of the wall into overlapping relation with one another by heat-setting the inner core.
21. The method of claim 20 further including providing the continuous strand of conductive wire as a hybrid filament including the at least one continuous strand of conductive wire twisted or served with a non-conductive multifilament.
22. The method of claim 13 further including providing the continuous strand of conductive wire as a hybrid filament including the at least one continuous strand of conductive wire twisted or served with a non-conductive multifilament.
23. The method of claim 13 further including performing the interlacing in a braiding process.
24. The method of claim 13 further including performing the interlacing in a knitting process.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for processing paper checks, comprising:
a) receiving at a third party payment processor computer at least one data file containing a plurality of transaction records, each transaction record including MICR information for one paper check used in a transaction and an amount for the transaction, the transaction records being received without an image file;
b) identifying a first portion of the transaction records associated with an indication of an end of a trial period;
c) identifying a second portion of the transaction records that are not associated with any end of trial period;
d) scanning said batch of checks thereby creating a digital image of the checks and, for each said check, associating said image with said check’s MICR information;
e) processing at the third party payment processor computer said check transactions according to type and associated trial period indicator according to all of the following rules:
i) ACH-eligible transactions found in the first portion that are beyond the trial period are submitted to the ACH network for settlement without first being submitted to a matching protocol that searches for image files that match data files;
ii) ACH-ineligible transactions found in the first portion that are beyond the trial period are submitted to the matching protocol to match image files to data files before being submitted for settlement;
iii) ACH-eligible transactions found in the first portion that are not beyond the trial period are submitted to the matching protocol to match image files to data files before being submitted for settlement;
iv) ACH-ineligible transactions found in the first portion that are not beyond the trial period are submitted to the matching protocol to match image files to data files before being submitted for settlement;
v) ACH-ineligible transaction records found in the second portion are submitted to the matching protocol to match image files to data files before being submitted for settlement; and
vi) ACH-eligible transaction records found in the second portion are submitted to the ACH network for settlement without first being submitted to the matching protocol to match image files to data files.
2. A system for processing paper checks, comprising:
a) means for receiving at a third party payment processor computer a MICR file containing data captured by a merchant, said MICR file representing purchase transactions made by check, said MICR file including a transaction amount associated with MICR information;
b) means for associating each transaction record in a first portion of transaction records with an indication of the end of a trial period while not associating transaction records in a second portion of the transaction records with an end of trial period;
c) means for creating a digital image of the check;
d) means for associating said image with said check’s MICR information;
e) means for processing said check transactions at the third party payment processor computer according to type and associated trial period indicator according to all of the following rules:
i) ACH-eligible transactions found in the first portion that are beyond the trial period are submitted to the ACH network for settlement without first being submitted to a matching protocol that searches for image files that match data files;
ii) ACH-ineligible transactions found in the first portion that are beyond the trial period are submitted to the matching protocol to match image files to data files before being submitted for settlement;
iii) ACH-eligible transactions found in the first portion that are not beyond the trial period are submitted to the matching protocol to match image files to data files before being submitted for settlement;
iv) ACH-ineligible transactions found in the first portion that are not beyond the trial period are submitted to the matching protocol to match image files to data files before being submitted for settlement;
v) ACH-ineligible transaction records found in the second portion are submitted to the matching protocol to match image files to data files before being submitted for settlement; and
vi) ACH-eligible transaction records found in the second portion are submitted to the ACH network for settlement without first being submitted to the matching protocol to match image files to data files.
3. A method for processing paper checks, comprising the steps of:
a) capturing, using a point of sale device, an amount of a transaction and associating that amount in a transaction record with MICR information for each paper check;
b) sending a transaction data file containing a plurality of said transaction records to a third party payment processor computer, the transaction data file being without images of the paper checks;
c) associating a store identifier with each transaction record;
d) establishing a list of participating stores;
e) scanning said paper checks thereby creating a digital image of the paper checks and, for each said paper check, associating said digital image with said check’s MICR information in an image record;
f) determining at the third party payment processor computer whether each transaction record is a participating store transaction record or a non-participating store transaction record by examining if the store identifier associated with each transaction record matches an entry on the list of stores;
g) for participating store transaction records,
i) processing the ACH-ineligible transactions by comparing said image records with said transaction records to find matches, and
ii) processing the ACH-eligible transactions by submitting to the ACH network for settlement without first comparing image files with data files; and

h) for non-participating store transaction records, not processing the transactions for payment.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of associating a store identifier with each transaction record further comprises inserting a store number into each transaction record.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein a plurality of store identifiers are assigned to a single merchant, further wherein a first set of the plurality of store identifiers assigned to the single merchant are found in the list of participating stores and wherein a second set of the plurality of store identifiers assigned to the single merchant are not found in the list of participating stores.
6. A method for processing paper checks, comprising:
a) receiving, at a third party payment processor computer, at least one transaction data file containing a plurality of transaction records with each transaction record containing an amount of a transaction that used a paper check and MICR information extracted from the paper check;
b) associating, at the third party payment processor computer, a first portion of the transaction records with an indication of an end of a trial period;
c) receiving, at the third party payment processor computer, a check image file containing
i) a plurality of digital check images generated by scanning the paper checks, and
ii) MICR information associated with each of the digital check images;

d) determining, at the third party payment processor computer, whether each transaction record is ACH-eligible or ACH-ineligible;
e) submitting, from the third party payment processor computer, ACH-ineligible transaction records and ACH-eligible transaction records that are not beyond the trial period to a matching protocol that matches the MICR information in a submitted transaction record to matching MICR information associated with a matched digital check image found in the check image file; and
f) submitting, from the third party payment processor computer, ACH-eligible transaction records that are beyond the trial period to the ACH network for settlement without submission to the matching protocol;
wherein a second portion of the transaction records are not associated with any end of trial period, wherein ACH-ineligible transaction records found in the second portion are submitted to the matching protocol and further wherein ACH-eligible transaction records found in the second portion are submitted to the ACH network for settlement without submission to the matching protocol.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of associating, at the third party payment processor computer, a first portion of the transaction records with an indication of the end of the trial period further comprises reading a date stored in the transaction record.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of associating, at the third party payment processor computer, a first portion of the transaction records with an indication of the end of the trial period further comprises identifying a store identifier for each transaction records and further identifying the end of trial period that is associated with the identified store identifier.
9. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of associating, at the third party payment processor computer, a first portion of the transaction records with an indication of the end of the trial period further comprises identifying a merchant identifier for each transaction records and further identifying the end of trial period that is associated with the identified merchant identifier.

1. A method for color measuring, comprising:
collecting light signals from an illuminated sample using a multi-segmented detector;
dividing a total signal received by said detector into groups of one or more of said segments; and
determining respective color information for one or more of said divided groups.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said multi-segmented detector comprises a digital camera.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said segments comprise pixels.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said groups are formed by segments receiving signals having similar color properties.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising color-characterizing said multi-segmented detector with standard test samples.
6. An apparatus for color measuring, comprising:
a spectrophotometer;
at least one light source for illuminating an interior of the spectrophotometer and at least one sample; and
a multi-segmented detector configured at a port of the spectrophotometer and being adapted to measure light components from said at least one sample.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said spectrophotometer comprises an integrating-sphere.
8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said multi-segmented detector comprises a digital camera.
9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising at least one photometer for measuring light components from standard test samples for use in color-characterizing at least one of said multi-segmented detector and said spectrophotometer.
10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein one of said at least one light sources is configured to directly illuminate the at least one sample, and the at least one sample and the multi-segmented detector are apposed to a direction of the light from said one of said at least one light source to form a specular path connecting the light, the sample, and the multi-segmented detector.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said one of said at least one light sources comprises a light projector that projects an illuminated grid image onto the sample which is captured by the multi-segmented detector.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said captured illuminated grid image is used to determine if a sample port of said spectrophotometer is opened or closed, and if open, the size of the opening.
13. The apparatus in claim 6, wherein one of said at least one light sources is configured to diffusely illuminate the sample, and the multi-segmented detector is configured to capture spatial variations in the color of the sample.
14. A computer-readable medium configured to provide processor executable instructions operable to perform a method, the method comprising:
illuminating a test sample within an integrating sphere;
measuring optical signals received from the test sample; and
color-characterizing a digital camera based on the optical signals received where the digital camera is operably connected to the integrating sphere.
15. A computer-readable medium configured to provide processor executable instructions operable to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving an image generated from measured light signals from a color sample;
selecting a region of interest from within the image; and
determining color information for the selected region of interest independently from other areas of the image.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 where the processor executable instructions are embodied as a graphical user interface.
17. A color measuring system, comprising:
a spectrophotometer for providing and directing light signals from a sample;
at least one light source for illuminating an interior of said spectrophotometer and said sample; and
a digital camera configured in a port of the spectrophotometer and being configured to measure the light signals from the sample;
selection logic configured to enable a region of interest to be selected from the measured light signals; and
analysis logic adapted to determine color information from the region of interest separately from other measured light signals.
18. The color measuring system of claim 17, further comprising:
calibration logic configured to calibrate or characterize the digital camera using the measured light signals and known color values for the sample.
19. The color measuring system of claim 17, further comprising:
logic configured to determine a size of an aperture of a sample port using the measured light signals from the digital camera.
20. The color measuring system of claim 17, wherein said digital camera is adapted to measure optical radiation from the sample and generate image data of the sample and to communicate the image data to a computing device using wireless communication.
21. The color measuring system of claim 17, wherein said color measuring system comprises a plurality of modes of operation including at least a spectrophotometer mode, a mode used to characterize the specular-reflected component of a material, a mode used to image a variegated sample and a mode used to perform shape measurement of a three-dimensional sample.
22. The color measuring system of claim 21, wherein said at least one light source comprises at least two light sources and a light projector that projects an illuminated grid image onto the sample and wherein said color measuring system switches between modes of operation by activating and deactivating specific ones of said light sources.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of controlling a machine during an excavating operation, comprising:
deploying stabilizers to ground contact to stabilize the machine at a first excavation site set-up position;
excavating with an excavating assemblage during a first excavating phase while the machine is stabilized at the first excavation site set-up position;
initiating an automated machine preparation for repositioning mode for preparing the machine, after the first excavating phase, for repositioning to a second excavation site set-up position for a second excavating phase, by activating an input device to send input signals to a controller;
delivering output signals from the controller to control automated machine preparation for repositioning to the second excavation site set-up position; and
driving the machine along the excavation site from the first excavation site set-up position to the second excavation site set-up position.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering output signals includes delivering output signals to:
reduce machine engine speed to a level below the machine engine speed employed during excavating;
retract the stabilizers from ground contact;
move the excavating assemblage to a stowed position; and
engage a machine transmission gear suitable for facilitating machine repositioning.
3. The method of claim 2, including,
during the automated preparation for machine repositioning mode, delivering output signals from the controller to further reduce machine engine speed to idle after the stabilizers are retracted and the excavating assemblage is moved to stowed position, and before engagement of a machine transmission gear suitable for facilitating machine repositioning.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the machine includes a front loader assembly including a loader bucket, further including:
forcing the loader bucket into ground contact to further stabilize the machine during the first excavating phase at the first set-up position;
and wherein delivering output signals includes delivering output signals to retract the loader bucket from ground contact.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein initiating an automated machine preparation for repositioning mode includes activating a touch screen display, and delivering output signals includes delivering output signals to, in the following order:
reduce machine engine speed to a level below the machine engine speed employed during excavating;
move the excavating assemblage to a stowed position;
retract the loader bucket from ground contact;
retract the stabilizers from ground contact;
further reduce machine engine speed; and
shift a machine transmission into a gear suitable to facilitate machine repositioning.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating an automated machine preparation for repositioning mode includes at least one of:
activating a touch screen display;
moving a toggle switch;
pressing a button; or
manipulating a control lever.
7. The method of claim 1, further including
excavating a portion of a trench at the first excavation site set-up position and during the first excavating phase;
preparing the machine for repositioning during the automated machine preparation for repositioning mode; and
excavating another portion of the trench at the second set-up position and during the second excavating phase.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering output signals includes delivering output signals to at least one of:
reduce machine engine speed to a level below the machine engine speed employed during excavating;
retract the stabilizers from ground contact;
move the excavating assemblage to a stowed position; or
engage a machine transmission gear suitable for facilitating machine repositioning.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering output signals includes delivering output signals to:
retract the stabilizers from ground contact; and
move the excavating assemblage to a stowed position.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein delivering output signals further includes delivering output signals to reduce machine engine speed to a level below the machine engine speed employed during excavating.
11. A system for controlling a machine during an excavating operation, comprising:
an excavating assemblage;
a plurality of machine elements configured to facilitate machine set-up during an excavating operation; and
a control system configured to control the excavating assemblage to excavate material during a first excavating phase at a first excavation site machine set-up position, the control system being configured to control the plurality of machine elements during an automated machine preparation for repositioning mode after the first excavating phase, for preparing the machine for movement along the excavation site from the first excavation site machine set-up position to a second excavation site set-up position for a second excavating phase.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control system includes an input device for permitting operator input, and a control module for receiving input signals from the input device and for delivering output signals at least to the plurality of machine elements for controlling the plurality of machine elements during the automated machine preparation for repositioning mode.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the input device includes at least one of a touch screen display, a joystick, a switch, or a button.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of machine elements includes a pair of stabilizers mounted on the machine and configured to be deployed into ground contact for stabilizing the machine during the first excavating phase, and wherein the control system is configured to retract the stabilizers from ground contact during the automated machine preparation for repositioning mode.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein the excavating assemblage includes a backhoe mechanism including a swing assembly, a boom, a stick, and a bucket, and wherein the control system is configured to move the backhoe mechanism to a stowed position during the automated machine preparation for repositioning mode.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the backhoe mechanism is mounted at the rear of the machine, and wherein one of the plurality of machine elements includes a front loader assembly mounted at the front of the machine.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the front loader assembly includes a loader bucket configured to be moved into ground contact during the first excavating phase, and wherein the control system is configured to retract the loader bucket from ground contact during the automated machine preparation for repositioning mode.
18. A machine for excavating during a plurality of excavating phases, comprising:
an engine and a transmission mounted on the machine;
an excavating assemblage including a boom pivoted to the machine, a stick pivoted to the boom, and a bucket pivoted to the stick; and
a control system configured to control the excavating assemblage to excavate material during a first excavating phase at a first excavation site machine set-up position, the control system being configured to control machine elements during an automated machine preparation for repositioning mode after the first excavating phase, for preparing the machine for movement along the excavation site from the first excavation site machine set-up position to a second excavation site set-up position for a second excavating phase.
19. The machine of claim 18, including a pair of stabilizers movably mounted to the machine for ground contact during an excavating phase, a front loader bucket movably attached at the front of the machine for ground contact during the first excavating phase, and wherein the boom is pivoted at the rear of the machine.
20. The machine of claim 19, wherein the control system includes a touch screen display configured to enable a machine operator to initiate the automated machine preparation for repositioning mode and a control module configured for receiving input signals from the touch screen display and configured for delivering output signals to:
reduce machine engine speed to a level below the machine engine speed employed during excavating;
move the excavating assemblage to a stowed position;
retract the loader bucket from ground contact;
retract the pair of stabilizers from ground contact;
further reduce machine engine speed; and
engage a transmission gear suitable for machine repositioning.
21. The machine of claim 19, wherein, during the automated machine preparation for repositioning mode, the control system is configured to initiate retraction of the loader bucket from ground contact, initiate retraction of the stabilizers from ground contact, and initiate shifting of the transmission into a gear suitable for machine repositioning.
22. The machine of claim 18, wherein the control system includes an operator input device configured to permit an operator to initiate the automated machine preparation for repositioning mode.
23. The machine of claim 22, including:
an operator station including a seat movable to a position facing toward the machine front and movable to a position facing toward the machine rear;
wherein the input device is positioned proximate the operator station so as to enable an operator to initiate the automated machine preparation for repositioning mode, for repositioning the machine when the operator is in the seat and the seat is in a position facing toward the machine rear.
24. The machine of claim 18, wherein the control system includes a touch screen display configured to enable a machine operator to initiate the automated machine preparation for repositioning mode and includes a control module configured to receive input signals and to deliver output signals to:
move the excavating assemblage to a stowed position;
reduce machine engine speed to a level below the machine engine speed employed during excavating; and
retract a front loader bucket from ground contact.
25. The machine of claim 24, wherein the control module is further configured to deliver output signals to:
retract a pair of stabilizers movably mounted to the machine from ground contact;
further reduce machine engine speed; and
engage a transmission gear suitable for machine repositioning.
26. The machine of claim 18, wherein the control system includes a touch screen display configured to enable a machine operator to initiate the automated machine preparation for repositioning mode and includes a control module configured to receive input signals and to deliver output signals to at least one of:
reduce machine engine speed to a level below the machine engine speed employed during excavating;
move the excavating assemblage to a stowed position;
retract a front loader bucket from ground contact;
retract a pair of stabilizers movably mounted to the machine from ground contact;
further reduce machine engine speed; or
engage a transmission gear suitable for machine repositioning.