All The Claims

1. An accessory support structure adapted to be installed on the rear end of an ATV, said ATV having a grid-like horizontal shelf extending crosswise across said ATV, said horizontal shelf having lower support rods extending downwardly into a chassis of said ATV and fastened thereto, said accessory support structure including two vertical upstanding support columns which are fastened to a forward edge of said horizontal shelf and at their lower ends are each fastened to said lower support rods of said shelf by way of horizontal braces being fastened at one of their ends to each of said vertical support columns and at their other ends are fastened to said lower support rods of said shelf, said lower ends of said vertical support columns having a forwardly extending support platform attached thereto to carry items placed thereon.
2. The accessory support structure of claim 1 including a multiple threaded screw extending between said two vertical support columns proximate an upper end thereof being capable of adjusting the distance between said columns.
3. The accessory support structure of claim 1, wherein one of the accessories carried by said extending support platform is a plurality of climber segments to be assembled into a climber stand, said climber segments are stacked to each other and fastened to said two upstanding vertical columns.
4. The accessory support structure of claim 2, wherein another one of said accessories carried by said ATV is an elongated ladder having lateral side bars, said ladder stand is carried in a horizontal position on said ATV when not in use and supported by said multiple threaded screw proximate one end of said ladder stand and being supported by braces approximate another end of said ladder stand.
5. The accessory support structure of claim 4, wherein said braces support said ladder stand at an upper end by way of U-bolts fastened to a rung of said ladder.
6. The accessory support structure of claim 5 including a platform attached to an upper end of said ladder stand, said platform will be in a horizontal position when said ladder stand is fully employed.
7. The accessory support structure of claim 6 including at least two braces attached to said platform and to said lateral side bars of said ladder stand to reinforce said platform.

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 flame detector, comprising:
an infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray;
waveform storing means for storing a plurality of waveforms detected from an output signal from the infrared sensor; and
waveform count determining means for determining that the waveforms are successively obtained when at least a first predetermined number of waveforms stored in the waveform storing means are produced for a first predetermined time and at least a second predetermined number of waveforms different from the first predetermined number of waveforms are produced for a second predetermined time different from the first predetermined time.
2. The flame detector according to claim 1, wherein the waveform count determining means is operable to recognize, as a single waveform, a change of the output signal from the infrared sensor which is caused between a start time when the level of the output signal exceeds a waveform detection level set to obtain a fluctuation waveform and a time when the level thereof becomes lower than the waveform detection level and stores the single waveform in the waveform storing means.
3. A flame detector, comprising:
an infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray;
waveform detecting means for detecting waveforms from an output signal from the infrared sensor; and
waveform interval determining means for recognizing a time when a first waveform is to be detected by the waveform detecting means as a start point, successively detecting waveforms in a case where an interval between a time when detection of the first waveform starts and a time when a next waveform is detected is within a third predetermined time interval, and determining that the waveforms are successively obtained when a fourth predetermined time elapses from the start point.
4. The flame detector according to claim 3, wherein the waveform detecting means is operable to detect, as a start point of the first waveform, a time when a level of the output signal from the infrared sensor exceeds a wavelength detection level set to obtain a fluctuation waveform.
5. The flame detector according to claim 1,
wherein the infrared sensor comprises:
a main infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray including a specific wavelength band which is emitted from a flame; and
a sub infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray including a wavelength band different from the specific wavelength band of the infrared ray detected by the main infrared sensor, and
wherein the wavelength count determining means is operable to determine, after it is determined that the waveforms are successively obtained, an occurrence or nonoccurrence of fire resulting from the flame based on a spectral ratio between a wavelength obtained from the main infrared sensor and a wavelength obtained from the sub infrared sensor.
6. A flame detector, comprising:
a main infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray including a specific wavelength band which is emitted from a flame;
a sub infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray including a wavelength band different from the specific wavelength band of the infrared ray detected by the main infrared sensor;
calculating means for calculating an output ratio between a detection signal from the main infrared sensor and a detection signal from the sub infrared sensor; and
flame determining means for determining a presence of the flame based on that a plurality of output ratios calculated by the calculating means corresponds to a predetermined distribution state in which a first quantity of output ratios in the plurality of output ratios each have a value greater than or equal to a first predetermined value, a second quantity of output ratios in the plurality of output ratios each have a value greater than or equal to a second predetermined value, and in which each output ratio in the plurality of output ratios has a value greater than or equal to a third predetermined value.
7. A flame detector, comprising:
an infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray including a specific wavelength band which is emitted from a flame;
waveform data acquiring means for capturing a detection signal from the infrared sensor, and for assuming a time when a detection level of the detection signal exceeds a predetermined waveform determination level as a start point of a waveform and a time when the detection level becomes lower than the predetermined waveform determination level as an end point of the waveform so as to obtain a plurality of pulse waveform data items therefrom, the plurality of pulse waveform data items including at least one of a height and a width of each pulse waveform; and
flame determining means for determining a presence of the flame based on that the at least one of the height and the width of each pulse waveform included in the plurality of pulse waveform data items obtained by the waveform data acquiring means are in a predetermined distribution state.
8. The flame detector according to claim 7, wherein the flame determining means is operable to compare the at least one of the height and the width of each pulse waveform with at least one threshold value to determine each distribution.
9. The flame detector according to claim 2,
wherein the infrared sensor comprises:
a main infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray including a specific wavelength band which is emitted from a flame; and
a sub infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray including a wavelength band different from the specific wavelength band of the infrared ray detected by the main infrared sensor, and
wherein the wavelength number count determining means is operable to determine, after it is determined that the waveforms are successively obtained, an occurrence or nonoccurrence of fire resulting from the flame based on a spectral ratio between a wavelength obtained from the main infrared sensor and a wavelength obtained from the sub infrared sensor.
10. The flame detector according to claim 3,
wherein the infrared sensor comprises:
a main infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray including a specific wavelength band which is emitted from a flame; and
a sub infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray including a wavelength band different from the specific wavelength band of the infrared ray detected by the main infrared sensor, and
wherein the wavelength interval determining means is operable to determine, after it is determined that the waveforms are successively obtained, an occurrence or nonoccurrence of fire resulting from the flame based on a spectral ratio between a wavelength obtained from the main infrared sensor and a wavelength obtained from the sub infrared sensor.
11. The flame detector according to claim 4,
wherein the infrared sensor comprises:
a main infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray including a specific wavelength band which is emitted from a flame; and
a sub infrared sensor for detecting an infrared ray including a wavelength band different from the specific wavelength band of the infrared ray detected by the main infrared sensor, and
wherein the wavelength interval determining means is operable to determine, after it is determined that the waveforms are successively obtained, an occurrence or nonoccurrence of fire resulting from the flame based on a spectral ratio between a wavelength obtained from the main infrared sensor and a wavelength obtained from the sub infrared sensor.
12. The flame detector according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of output ratios comprises 12 output ratios, the first quantity of output ratios comprises 2 or more output ratios, the first predetermined value is 3, the second quantity of output ratios comprises 4 or more output ratios, the second predetermined value is 2, and the third predetermined value is 1.

1. A sign comprising:
(a) a panel;
(b) the panel having a support surface;
(c) a base;
(d) a display;
(e) the display having a mounting surface;
(f) the display having an image surface;
(g) the mounting surface being attached to the support surface;
(h) the base removably connecting the panel to business equipment.
2. The sign of claim 1 wherein the base is removably connecting the panel to the business equipment with a clamp.
3. The sign of claim 1 wherein the business equipment is located near a traffic corridor.
4. The sign of claim 1 further comprising:
(a) the business equipment being located near a traffic corridor;
(b) the base configured to position the panel with the support surface facing the traffic;
(c) the image surface displaying markings thereon for viewing from the traffic corridor.
5. The sign of claim 1 further comprising:
(a) a brace to limit relative motion between the panel and base;
(b) the brace having a first end and a second end;
(c) the first end being attached to the panel;
(d) the second end being attached to the base.
6. The sign of claim 1 wherein:
(a) the support surface is ferromagnetic;
(b) the mounting surface is magnetically attached to the support surface thereby making the display easily attachable and detachable from the support surface.
7. The sign of claim 1 wherein the clamp does not penetrate the business equipment preventing destruction of the business equipment thereby.
8. The sign of claim 1 wherein there is a plurality of panels.
9. The sign of claim 1 further comprising:
(a) a brace to limit relative motion between the panel and base;
(b) there being a plurality of panels;
(c) the brace having a first end and a second end;
(d) the first end being attached to at least one panel;
(e) the second end being attached to the base.
10. The sign of claim 1 wherein the support surface is non-rectangular.
11. A sign comprising:
(a) a panel having a base and a support surface;
(b) a display having a mounting surface and an image surface; and
(c) the mounting surface connecting to the support surface so that the display conforms to the support surface.
12. The sign of claim 11 wherein the mounting surface is a flexible mounting surface.
13. The sign of claim 12 wherein the support surface is non-planar.
14. The sign of claim 12 wherein the mounting surface is a magnetic mounting surface.
15. The sign of claim 12 wherein the display diverges from the support surface.
16. The sign of claim 11 wherein the panel comprises a plurality of support surfaces.
17. The sign of claim 16 wherein the plurality includes one or more non-planar support surfaces.
18. The sign of claim 16 wherein the plurality of support surfaces presents an interrupted combined support surface.
19. The sign of claim 18 wherein the mounting surface is flexible and magnetic, and wherein the mounting surface conforms to the interrupted combined support surface.
20. A sign comprising:
(a) a plurality of panels;
(b) a display;
(c) a base;
(d) a brace to limit relative motion between the panel and base;
(e) the plurality of panels having a support surface;
(f) the support surface being ferromagnetic;
(g) the support surface being non-rectangular;
(h) the display having a mounting surface;
(i) the display having an image surface;
(j) the mounting surface being magnetically attached to the support surface thereby making the display easily attachable and detachable from the support surface;
(k) the base having a clamp;
(l) the base clamping the plurality of panels to business equipment without penetrating the business equipment and preventing destruction of the business equipment thereby;
(m) the business equipment being located near a traffic corridor;
(n) the base being configured to position the plurality of panels with the support surface facing the traffic;
(o) the image surface displaying markings thereon for viewing from the traffic corridor;
(p) the brace having a first end;
(q) the brace having a second end;
(r) the first end being attached to the plurality of panels;
(s) the second end being attached to the base;
(t) the business equipment being an outdoor menu.
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 motion estimation unit that generates motion vectors, each of the motion vectors corresponding to a respective segment of a first image, the motion estimation unit comprising:
a first summer that calculates a match error of the motion vector of the respective segment by summation of absolute differences between pixel values of the respective segment and pixel values of a second image;
a second summer that calculates a variance parameter by summation of absolute differences between pixel values of the respective segment and pixel values of the first image; and
an estimator that estimates a motion vector error by comparing the match error with the variance parameter, said motion vector error being used to assess a quality of the motion vector, wherein an expectation value of the motion vector error is proportional to the match error divided by the variance parameter, wherein the expectation value of the motion vector error is approximately \u2157 of the match error divided by the variance parameter.
2. The motion estimation unit of claim 1, wherein the second summer calculates the variance parameter by adding:
absolute differences between pixel values of the respective segment and pixel values of a second segment which corresponds to the respective segment being shifted at least one pixel in a first direction; and
absolute differences between pixel values of the respective segment and pixel values of a third segment which corresponds to the respective segment being shifted at least one pixel in a second direction, the first direction being cross to the second direction.
3. The motion estimation unit of claim 2, wherein the second summer adds absolute differences between pixel values of the respective segment and pixel values of a fourth segment which corresponds to the respective segment being shifted at least one pixel in the first direction and at least one pixel in the second direction.
4. The motion estimation unit of claim 1, characterized in generating the motion vector of the respective segment, the respective segment being a block of pixels.
5. The motion estimation unit of claim 1, characterized in generating the motion vector of the respective segment based on luminance values as pixel values.
6. A method of generating motion vectors, each of the motion vectors corresponding to a respective segment of a first image, the method comprising:
calculating a match error of a motion vector of the respective segment by summation of absolute differences between pixel values of the respective segment and pixel values of a second image;
calculating a variance parameter by summation of absolute differences between pixel values of the respective segment and pixel values of the first image;
estimating a motion vector error by comparing the match error with the variance parameter; and
determining a quality of the motion vector based on the motion vector error, wherein an expectation value of the motion vector error is proportional to the match error divided by the variance parameter, wherein the expectation value of the motion vector error is approximately \u2157 of the match error divided by the variance parameter.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the variance parameter is calculated by adding:
absolute differences between pixel values of the respective segment and pixel values of a second segment which corresponds to the respective segment being shifted at least one pixel in a first direction; and
absolute differences between pixel values of the respective segment and pixel values of a third segment which corresponds to the respective segment being shifted at least one pixel in a second direction, with the first direction cross to the second direction.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
adding absolute differences between pixel values of the respective segment and pixel values of a fourth segment which corresponds to the respective segment being shifted at least one pixel in the first direction and at least one pixel in the second direction.
9. An image processing apparatus comprising:
a motion estimation unit that generates motion vectors, each of the motion vectors corresponding to a respective segment of a first image, the motion estimation unit comprising:
a first summer that calculates a match error of a motion vector of the respective segment by summation of absolute differences between pixel values of the respective segment and pixel values of a second image; and
a second summer that calculates a variance parameter by summation of absolute differences between pixel values of the respective segment and pixel values of the first image; and
an estimator that estimates a motion vector error by comparing the match error with the variance parameter, said motion vector error being used to assess a quality of the motion vector, wherein an expectation value of the motion vector error is proportional to the match error divided by the variance parameter, wherein the expectation value of the motion vector error is approximately \u2157 of the match error divided by the variance parameter.
10. The image processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the motion compensated image processing unit reduces noise in the first image.
11. The image processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the motion compensated image processing unit de-interlaces the first image.
12. The image processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the motion compensated image processing unit performs an up-conversion.
13. The motion estimation unit of claim 1, wherein the motion vector error is used to detect object edges.
14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:
detecting object edges based on the motion vector error.
15. The motion estimation unit of claim 1, wherein a standard deviation of the motion vector error is approximately 710.
16. The method of claim 6, wherein a standard deviation of the motion vector error is approximately 710.
17. The image processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein a standard deviation of the motion vector error is approximately 710.