Abstract: An electrosurgical device and methods are disclosed for creating a channel through a region of tissue. The device comprises an elongate member for receiving the energy from an electrical energy source. An electrical insulation layer surrounds the elongate member along the device proximal region. An electrode tip is coupled to the distal end of the elongate member for delivering the energy, the electrode tip being configured and sized for delivering the energy in a manner such that electrical arcing is generated in the region of tissue in order to create a channel through at least a portion of the region of tissue. An electrically insulative thermal shield is disposed between the electrode tip and the device proximal region for preventing arcing therebetween during the delivery of the energy and for thermally protecting the device proximal region from heat produced by the delivery of the energy through the electrode tip.

Abstract: An electrosurgical device and methods are disclosed for creating a channel through a region of tissue. The device comprises an elongate member for receiving the energy from an electrical energy source. An electrical insulation layer surrounds the elongate member along the device proximal region. An electrode tip is coupled to the distal end of the elongate member for delivering the energy, the electrode tip being configured and sized for delivering the energy in a manner such that electrical arcing is generated in the region of tissue in order to create a channel through at least a portion of the region of tissue. An electrically insulative thermal shield is disposed between the electrode tip and the device proximal region for preventing arcing therebetween during the delivery of the energy and for thermally protecting the device proximal region from heat produced by the delivery of the energy through the electrode tip.

Abstract: A method for creating a channel through an occlusion located in a substantially elongated body vessel of a patient, The method uses a channel creating apparatus defining an apparatus distal end portion insertable into the body vessel, the channel creating apparatus including an energy delivery component operatively coupled to the apparatus distal end portion for delivering energy substantially adjacent the apparatus distal end portion. The method includes: inserting the apparatus distal end portion into the body vessel; creating a channel first portion through the occlusion harder section using, at least in part, a delivery of energy into the occlusion harder portion; and creating a channel second portion through the occlusion softer portion by pushing the apparatus distal end portion through at least a portion of the occlusion softer portion substantially without delivering energy into the occlusion softer portion.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of displaying a first image on a display device with a plurality of pixels assigns one of a plurality of sample patterns to each pixel on the display device. Each pixel is assigned the one of a plurality of patterns based upon its unique location on the display device. Each sample pattern has at least one sample location. It then is determined if the first image intersects any of the sample locations on each pixel. Pixels determined to have at least one sample location that intersect the first image thus are illuminated.

Abstract: A method for creating a channel through an occlusion located in a substantially elongated body vessel of a patient, The method uses a channel creating apparatus defining an apparatus distal end portion insertable into the body vessel, the channel creating apparatus including an energy delivery component operatively coupled to the apparatus distal end portion for delivering energy substantially adjacent the apparatus distal end portion. The method includes: inserting the apparatus distal end portion into the body vessel; creating a channel first portion through the occlusion harder section using, at least in part, a delivery of energy into the occlusion harder portion; and creating a channel second portion through the occlusion softer portion by pushing the apparatus distal end portion through at least a portion of the occlusion softer portion substantially without delivering energy into the occlusion softer portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for display, having a a tailpipe attachment piece, adapted for coupling to the exhaust pipe of a vehicle, a receiver piece coupled to the tailpipe attachment piece, wherein the receiver piece is adapted for coupling to a display piece. In one embodiment, a pollution detection device includes a tailpipe attachment piece, a receiver piece coupled to the tailpipe attachment piece, and a chemical indicator coupled to the receiver piece, wherein the chemical indicator is sensitive to the chemistry of emissions. In one embodiment, a method of presenting an advertisement message is provided by attaching the message to the exhaust pipe.

Abstract: A device for storing pixel information for displaying a graphics image on a display includes a frame buffer and a processor. The information includes an intensity value and a value associated with each of a plurality of additional planes for each pixel. The frame buffer memory has a series of consecutive addresses for storing information to be output to the display. The frame buffer may be subdivided into a plurality of blocks, where each block corresponds to a region of the display having a plurality of contiguous pixels. The processor places the pixel information within the frame buffer memory so that in a given block there are placed at a first collection of consecutive addresses the intensity values for each of the pixels in the block.

Abstract: A device for storing pixel information for displaying a graphics image on a display includes a frame buffer and a processor. The information includes an intensity value and a value associated with each of a plurality of additional planes for each pixel. The frame buffer memory has a series of consecutive addresses for storing information to be output to the display. The frame buffer may be subdivided into a plurality of blocks, where each block corresponds to a region of the display having a plurality of contiguous pixels. The processor places the pixel information within the frame buffer memory so that in a given block there are placed at a first collection of consecutive addresses the intensity values for each of the pixels in the block.

Abstract: A device for storing pixel information for displaying a graphics image on a display includes a frame buffer and a processor. The information includes an intensity value and a value associated with each of a plurality of additional planes for each pixel. The frame buffer memory has a series of consecutive addresses for storing information to be output to the display. The frame buffer may be subdivided into a plurality of blocks, where each block corresponds to a region of the display having a plurality of contiguous pixels. The processor places the pixel information within the frame buffer memory so that in a given block there are placed at a first collection of consecutive addresses the intensity values for each of the pixels in the block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for display, having a tailpipe attachment piece, adapted for coupling to the exhaust pipe of a vehicle, a receiver piece coupled to the tailpipe attachment piece, wherein the receiver piece is adapted for coupling to a display piece. In one embodiment, a pollution detection device includes a tailpipe attachment piece, a receiver piece coupled to the tailpipe attachment piece, and a chemical indicator coupled to the receiver piece, wherein the chemical indicator is sensitive to the chemistry of emissions. In one embodiment, a method of presenting an advertisement message is provided by attaching the message to the exhaust pipe.

Abstract: This invention relates to providing high-speed video graphics through use of single ported memory chips on the video card.