Abstract: An implantable spacer for placement between adjacent spinous processes in a spinal motion segment is provided. The spacer includes a body defining a longitudinal axis and passageway. A first arm and a second arm are connected to the body. Each arm has a pair of extensions and a saddle defining a U-shaped configuration for seating a spinous process therein. Each arm has a proximal earning surface and is capable of rotation with respect to the body. An actuator assembly is disposed inside the passageway and connected to the body. When advanced, a threaded shaft of the actuator assembly contacts the earning surfaces of arms to rotate them from an undeployed configuration to a deployed configuration. In the deployed configuration, the distracted adjacent spinous processes are seated in the U-shaped portion of the arms.

Abstract: Consolidated, porous core layers that are lightweight while retaining the mechanical properties of heavier core layers are described. The consolidated, porous core layer can include a porous web formed from reinforcing materials held in place by a thermoplastic material. The consolidated, porous core layer can also include a lofting agent or other additives to provide for a desired thickness or properties.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an integrated chip (IC) module having contact pads which are accessible by single-bond holes and module-side antenna contact pads which are accessible by multi-bond holes. Each multi-bond hole is apportioned by an encapsulation into adjoining bonding channels for separately receiving wire bond(s) and antenna-connecting element. Each module-side antenna contact pad is apportioned by the encapsulation into adjoining but electrically connected bonding areas to allow establishment of electrical connection of both wire bond(s) and antenna-connecting element to an IC chip. The first and the second bonding area are partitioned from each other, by the encapsulant, without requiring a presence of substrate therebetween.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an integrated chip (IC) module having contact pads which are accessible by single-bond holes and module-side antenna contact pads which are accessible by multi-bond holes. Each multi-bond hole is apportioned by an encapsulation into adjoining bonding channels for separately receiving wire bond(s) and antenna-connecting element. Each module-side antenna contact pad is apportioned by the encapsulation into adjoining but electrically connected bonding areas to allow establishment of electrical connection of both wire bond(s) and antenna-connecting element to an IC chip. The first and the second bonding area are partitioned from each other, by the encapsulant, without requiring a presence of substrate therebetween.

Abstract: The detection and cancellation of echo in a communications system is enhanced by taking advantage of the accumulated knowledge relating to the echo path delay that an adaptive filter acquires as a result of its adaptation process. Such knowledge improves significantly the ability of an associated Near-End-Speech (NES) detector to detect for the presence of near end speech.

Abstract: The detection of echo is enhanced using a coarse near-end speech detector at a Y-side of an echo canceler and using a more accurate near-end speech detector at the E-side of the echo canceler, such that the latter detector uses a representation of far-end speech and a threshold value to determine if the magnitude of the echo canceler output is larger than that of an echo signal only. If it is, and there is an absence of an indication of the presence of near-end speech from the coarse detector, then the more accurate speech detector adjusts the value of the threshold in a first direction, otherwise it adjusts the threshold in a second direction, to more "finely tone" such accuracy.