All The Claims

1. A method for processing a video signal containing video information related to a scene which may contain characters of interest, the method comprising:
(a) acquiring the video signal;
(b) processing the video signal to detect whether characters of interest are present in the scene;
(c) embedding indicator information into the video signal to indicate the presence of the characters of interest in the scene;
(d) converting the video signal into digital image data representing the scene;
(e) extracting the indicator information from the digital image data;
(f) determining based on the indicator information that characters of interest are present in the scene; and
(g) processing the digital image data to determine the characters of interest.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
step (b) comprises processing the video signal to determine location information indicating a location of the characters of interest within the scene;
step (c) comprises embedding the location information into the video signal;
step (e) comprises extracting the location information from the digital image data; and
step (g) comprises processing the digital image data based at least in part on the location information.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) includes embedding the indicator information into a particular video line of one or more video frames in the video signal.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) includes embedding the indicator information in a bit-serialized format in the video signal.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the characters of interest comprise characters of a vehicle license plate.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein step (g) comprises processing the digital image data only if the indicator information indicates that characters of interest are present within the scene.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises acquiring the video signal from a video camera viewing the scene.
8. A method for processing a video signal containing video information related to a scene containing characters of interest, the method comprising:
(a) acquiring the video signal from a video camera viewing the scene;
(b) processing the video signal to determine a location of characters of interest within the scene;
(c) generating location coordinates indicating the location of the characters of interest within the scene; and
(d) embedding the location coordinates in one or more video lines of the video signal.
9. An apparatus for processing video signals containing video information related to a scene which may contain characters of interest, the apparatus including a video camera comprising:
a video imaging device for viewing the scene and generating a first video signal;
a character detector for processing the first video signal to detect characters of interest present in the scene;
an insertion circuit for embedding indicator information within the first video signal to form a second video signal, the indicator information indicating that the characters of interest are present in the scene;
a camera housing for enclosing the video imaging device, the character detector and the insertion circuit; and
a video output connector on the camera housing for providing electrical connection to the second video signal.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a line detector for determining a video line of one or more video frames into which the indicator information is to be embedded.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:
a video capture device for receiving the second video signal from the video camera and converting the second video signal into digital image data representing the scene; and
a processor for extracting the indicator information from the digital image data, for determining based on the indicator information whether the characters of interest are present in the scene, and for processing the digital image data to read the characters of interest.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:
the character detector processes the first video signal to determine location information indicating a location of the characters of interest within the scene;
the insertion circuit embeds the location information within the first video signal to form the second video signal; and
the processor extracts the location information from the digital image data and processes the digital image data based at least in part on the location information.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the insertion circuit embeds the indicator information within a particular video line of one or more video frames in the first video signal to form the second video signal.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the insertion circuit embeds the indicator information in a bit-serialized format within the first video signal to form the second video signal.

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 vehicle covering system comprising:
a motorized vehicle comprising an outer surface;
an attachment component comprising:
a fabric panel comprising a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface; and
at least one strap attached to the front surface of the fabric panel, wherein the at least one strap is attached to the fabric panel at a plurality of attachment points along the length of the strap forming a plurality of loops in between the attachment points,

wherein the fabric panel is attached to the outer surface of the motorized vehicle contouring a shape of the outer surface, wherein the back surface is secured against and adjacent to the outer surface of the motorized vehicle and the front surface is facing away from the outer surface of the motorized vehicle.
2. The vehicle storage system of claim 1, wherein the at least one strap is a plurality of straps substantially parallel to one another, wherein each loop of a first strap aligns with each loop of a second strap.
3. The vehicle storage system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of securement bands extending from the back surface of the fabric panel releasably attaching the attachment component to the outer surface of the motorized vehicle.
4. The vehicle storage system of claim 3, wherein the securement bands comprise a hook and loop fastener.
5. The vehicle storage system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of an attachable accessory and a storage bag releasably attachable to the at least one strap via the plurality of loops.
6. The vehicle storage system of claim 1, wherein the motorized vehicle comprises at least one of a motorcycle, an all terrain vehicle, utility terrain vehicle (UTV), and a manned and unmanned military vehicle.
7. The vehicle storage system of claim 1, wherein the motorized vehicle is a motorcycle.
8. The vehicle storage system of claim 1, wherein the outer surface comprises at least one of a motorcycle panel and a motorcycle rack.

1. A method for the high spatial resolution imaging of a structure in a sample comprising the following steps:
selecting a substance from a group of substances, wherein the group of substances comprises
substances which can be changed over by means of a first electromagnetic signal from a first state, in which they have a larger absorption cross section for a second electromagnetic signal, into a second state, in which they have a smaller absorption cross section for the second electromagnetic signal, and
substances which can be changed over by means of a first electromagnetic signal into a first state, in which they have a larger absorption cross section for a second electromagnetic signal, from a second state, in which they have a smaller absorption cross section for the second electromagnetic signal;

marking the structure with the selected substance;
setting a spatial distribution of a portion of the substance in the first state by means of the first electromagnetic signal, wherein at least one region in which the substance is present in the first state is spatially delimited in the distribution;
applying the second electromagnetic signal to the sample having the set spatial distribution of the portion of the substance in the first state; and
detecting at least one local temperature increase in the sample which results from the larger absorption cross section of the substance in the first state upon application of the second electromagnetic signal.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one local temperature increase in the sample is detected on the basis of a phase shift\u2014associated therewith\u2014of an electromagnetic signal passing through the sample.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one local temperature increase in the sample is detected on the basis of a phase shift\u2014associated therewith\u2014of an electromagnetic signal passing through the sample, said electromagnetic signal being selected from the first electromagnetic signal, the second electromagnetic signal and an additional third electromagnetic signal.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the electromagnetic signals is a monochromatic optical signal.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one local temperature increase in the sample is detected by optical far field interference microscopy.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an extent of the at least one local temperature increase in the sample is registered.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spatial position of the at least one local temperature increase in the sample is registered.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the centroid of the spatial position of the at least one local temperature increases in the sample is registered with a spatial resolution that is better than the diffraction limit.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substance is selected from a group of substances which have an absorption cross section for the second electromagnetic signal which is at least ten times larger in the first state than in the second state.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the substance is selected from a group of substances which have an absorption cross section for the second electromagnetic signal which is at least one hundred times larger in the first state than in the second state.
11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substance is embedded into a medium that has a greater specific refractive index change with temperature than water.
12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the substance is embedded into a liquid organic medium.
13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sample is temperature-regulated to a temperature at which it has a maximum refractive index change with temperature.
14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substance is selected from a group of substances which can be changed over from the first state into the second state repeatedly by means of the first electromagnetic signal.
15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein, by means of the first optical signal, a spatial distribution of a portion of the substance in the first state is set in the case of which only those portions of the substance which lie at a zero of the first signal that is formed by destructive superposition are in the first state.
16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substance is selected from a group of substances which can be changed over from the second state into the first state at least once by means of the first electromagnetic signal.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein, by means of the first optical signal, a spatial distribution of a portion of the substance in the first state is set in the case of which only individual molecules or clusters of molecules of the substance are in the first state which are spaced apart from one another to such an extent that the local temperature increases in the sample which proceed from them when the second signal is applied to the substance can be detected separately from one another in an imaging onto a two-dimensional photosensor.
18. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substance is selected from the group of photochromic dyes.
19. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substance is selected from a group of substances which additionally have different fluorescence properties in the first state than in the second state.
20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the substance is selected from a group of substances which are fluorescent in the first state and are non-fluorescent in the second state.
21. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second electromagnetic signal is applied to the sample in pulses of high intensity density, and the temporary local temperature increase in the sample is detected directly after each pulse of the second electromagnetic signal.
22. An apparatus for the high spatial resolution imaging of a structure in a sample marked with a substance selected from a group of substances, wherein the group of substances comprises
substances which can be changed over by means of a first electromagnetic signal from a first state, in which they have a larger absorption cross section for a second electromagnetic signal, into a second state, in which they have a smaller absorption cross section for the second electromagnetic signal, and
substances which can be changed over by means of a first electromagnetic signal into a first state, in which they have a larger absorption cross section for a second electromagnetic signal, from a second state, in which they have a smaller absorption cross section for the second electromagnetic signal,

wherein the apparatus has:
a first signal source for the first electromagnetic signal, said first signal source being embodied and arranged in such a way that it sets a spatial distribution of a portion of a substance in the first state in the case of which at least one region in which the substance is present in the first state is spatially delimited;
a second signal source for the second electromagnetic signal, said second signal source being embodied and arranged in such a way that it applies the second electromagnetic signal to the sample after the setting of the spatial distribution of the portion of the substance in the first state; and
a detector, which is embodied and arranged in such a way that it detects at least one local temperature increase in the sample which results from the larger absorption cross section of the substance in the first state.
23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the detector is embodied and arranged in such a way that it detects a phase shift of an electromagnetic signal passing through the sample, said phase shift being associated with the at least one local temperature increase in the sample.
24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the detector detects a phase shift of an electromagnetic signal passing through the sample, said electromagnetic signal being selected from the first electromagnetic signal, the second electromagnetic signal and an additional third electromagnetic signal.
25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein at least one of the electromagnetic signals from one of the signal sources is a monochromatic optical signal.
26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the detector has the construction of a far field interference microscope.
27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the detector is embodied and arranged in such a way that it registers an extent of the at least one local temperature increase in the sample.
28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the detector is embodied and arranged in such a way that it registers a position of the at least one local temperature increase in the sample.
29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein the detector is embodied and arranged in such a way that it registers the centroid of the position of the at least one local temperature increase in the sample with a spatial resolution that is better than the diffraction limit.
30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein a temperature-regulating device for regulating the temperature of the sample to a temperature that can be set is provided.
31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first signal source is embodied and arranged in such a way that it sets, by means of the first optical signal, a spatial distribution of a portion of the substance in the first state in the case of which only those portions of the substance which are situated at the location of a zero of the first signal that is formed by destructive superposition are in the first state.
32. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first signal source is embodied and arranged in such a way that it sets, by means of the first optical signal, a spatial distribution of a portion of the substance in the first state in the case of which only individual molecules or clusters of molecules of the substance are in the first state which are spaced apart from one another to such an extent that the detector detects the local temperature increases in the sample which proceed from them when the second signal is applied to the substance spatially separately from one another in an imaging.
33. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein a fluorescent light detector for the additional spatially resolved detection of fluorescent light from the sample is provided.
34. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first signal source is embodied and arranged in such a way that it applies the second electromagnetic signal to the sample in pulses having a high intensity density, and wherein the detector is embodied and arranged in such a way that it detects the temporary local temperature increase in the sample directly after each pulse of the second electromagnetic signal.

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, at a provider, a data request received from a first tenant of a plurality of tenants, the method comprising:
retrieving a shared data structure based on the received data request;
retrieving an extended data structure associated with the shared data structure, the extended data structure including elements specific to the first tenant; and
responding to the data request by using the retrieved shared data structure and the retrieved extended data structure.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the extended data structure includes providing a unique tenant identifier to the provider and accessing the extended data structure based on tenant identifier.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the extended data structure is stored in association with a tenant namespace identifier, the namespace including all extended data structures of the first tenant.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the extended data is stored at the tenant.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the extended data structure is stored at the provider in association with a unique identifier of the first tenant.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein extension metadata is stored at the provider and associates the shared data structure with the extended data structure.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the shared data structure and the extended data structure are each retrieved using a table link providing a logical connection to the respective locations of the shared data structure in the provider and the extended data structure in the tenant.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein responding to the data request further comprises:
generating a combined data structure by concatenating a row or column of the retrieved extended data structure with a respective row or column of retrieved shared data structure; and
responding to the data request using the combined data structure.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein responding to the data request further comprises:
generating a combined data structure by substituting row or column of the extended data structure for corresponding row or column of the shared data structure; and
responding to the data request using the combined data structure.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein responding to the data request further comprises:
generating a combined data structure by performing a union of the shared data structure and the extended data structure, the union providing a database view including the elements of the shared data structure and the tenant-specific elements of the extended data structure; and
responding to the data request using the combined data structure.
11. A system for a first tenant of a plurality of tenants to access a shared data structure stored at a provider, the shared data structure including data elements shared by the plurality of tenants, the system comprising:
means for retrieving a shared data structure based on the received data request;
means for retrieving an extended data structure associated with the shared data structure, the extended data structure including elements specific to the first tenant;
means for responding to the data request by using the retrieved shared data structure and the retrieved extended data structure.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for retrieving extended data structure includes means for providing a unique tenant identifier to the provider and accessing the extended data structure based on tenant identifier.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the extended data structure is stored in association with a tenant namespace identifier, the namespace including all extended data structures of the first tenant.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein the extended data is stored at the tenant.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein the extended data structure is stored at the provider in association with unique identifier of the first tenant.
16. The system of claim 11, wherein extension metadata is stored at the provider and associates the shared data structure with the extended data structure.
17. The system of claim 11, wherein the shared metadata and extension metadata each include a table link providing a logical connection to the respective locations of the shared data structure in the provider and the extended data structure in the tenant.
18. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for responding to the data request further comprises:
means for generating a combined data structure by concatenating a row or column of the retrieved extended data structure with a respective row or column of retrieved shared data structure; and
means for responding to the data request using the combined data structure.
19. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for responding to the data request further comprises:
means for generating a combined data structure by substituting row or column of the extended data structure for corresponding row or column of the shared data structure; and
means for responding to the data request using the combined data structure.
20. The system of claim 11, wherein means for responding to the data request further comprises:
means for generating a combined data structure by performing a union of the shared data structure and the extended data structure, the union providing a database view including the elements of the shared data structure and the tenant-specific elements of the extended data structure; and
means for responding to the data request using the combined data structure.