Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for calibrating signals retrieved from a storage device using a first reader and a second reader. The systems and methods further include reading a first signal using the first reader and a second signal using the second reader. Control circuitry computes a calibration metric associated with the first reader and the second reader based on the combination of the first signal and the second signal. At least one of the first signal and the second signal is subsequently decoded based in part on the computed calibration metric.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the correction of DC noise in signals read by a head of a disk drive are presented. Circuitry on a first data path may be configured to filter an input signal to remove a DC component. Acquisition parameters on the first data path may be configured based on the filtered signal. Circuitry on a second data path may be configured to adjust the input signal based on the configured acquisition parameters. A mean of a window of data samples of the adjusted input signal may be computed. Based on the computed mean, a correction may be applied to the adjusted input signal until a stopping rule is satisfied.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to surgical implants, and in various embodiments to surgical implants configured for promoting growth of well-organized collagenous tissue at an anatomical site.

Abstract: A system for reducing artifacts produced in images using an optical probe system is provided. The artifacts are reduced by reducing power of secondary beam paths produced by non-Fresnel reflections by at least one of absorption, scattering and rejection of the secondary beam paths.

Abstract: An inflation system is provided including a housing having an interior portion including an opening. A connector is positioned within the interior portion. The connector includes a first portion defining a first passageway and a second portion defining a second passageway. The second portion includes a pressure relief valve. A shaft defines a third passageway. The shaft extends through the first passageway. An inflatable member defines a fourth passageway. The inflatable member includes a first end coupled to the connector and a second end positioned external to the interior portion defining a chamber that is in communication with the fourth passageway. Methods and kits are also disclosed.

Abstract: Various “media-components” are provided in a “multi-media center.” In modular architecture, a module-controller communicates with media-modules provided for various media-components. A media-module can include or obtain data pertaining to a particular media-component, identify media-player(s), and access information related to their media. However, the media-modules are isolated from each other, and the module-controller effectively controls output generated in response to user input. A user interface library is provided for the media-modules. Media-modules can obtain a template or other tools from the library and construct their user interface (e.g., menus). Media-modules can also identify a media-player that can be initiated in response to user input. Subsequently, the media-controller forwards user input to the media-player.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to surgical implants, and in various embodiments to surgical implants configured for promoting growth of collagenous tissue at an anatomical site.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus, and techniques are provided for controlling synchronization of a write clock. A frequency offset is estimated based, at least partially, on a location of the servo synchronization marker to produce the frequency offset estimate. A phase correction value and a frequency correction value associated with the write clock are obtained, and a data clock timing control signal is produced based on the frequency offset estimate, the phase correction value, and the frequency correction value. The data clock timing control signal is applied to a phase interpolator to modify a phase of the write clock.

Abstract: A system for identifying and compensating for non-linear transition shift in a magnetic medium data storage device is disclosed. The non-linear transition shift compensation system includes a non-linear transition shift estimation module adapted to generate non-linear transition shift estimates for specific bit patterns. The system further includes a pre-compensation module adapted to adjust the temporal spacing of binary transitions written to the magnetic medium based on the non-linear transition shift estimates generated by the non-linear transition shift estimation module for specific bit patterns corresponding to bit patterns appearing in the data being written to the magnetic medium.

Abstract: A read module includes a clock that generates a clock signal. The clock signal oscillates at a frequency. A converter receives a read signal and samples the read signal based on the clock signal. The read signal includes first data read from a rotating storage medium. The estimation module, subsequent to a center of the rotating storage medium moving from a first location to a second location, estimates an offset distance or an offset angle. The offset distance is between the first location and the second location. The offset angle is between a first line and a second line. The first line extends between a location of the first data on the rotating storage medium and the second location. The second line extends between the first location and the second location. The adjustment module adjusts the frequency of the clock signal based on the offset distance or the offset angle.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, injectable bulking compositions are provided which contain the following: (a) fibers that are configured to prevent migration to locations in the body remote from the injection site, for example, because they have a minimum length that is sufficiently large to prevent migration of the fibers and/or because they have surface features that stimulate host tissue response to lock the fibers in position and (b) a carrier in an amount effective to render the composition injectable.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for performing hybrid defect detection are disclosed. In some implementations, an apparatus includes a signal module to process data signals corresponding to data on a storage medium to generate signal samples. The apparatus includes a first defect detector to identify a first portion of the signal samples, determine a number of the signal samples in the first portion that are associated with abnormal signal characteristics, and generate a first output based on the number of the signal samples in the first portion that are associated with abnormal signal characteristics. The apparatus includes a second defect detector to identify a second portion of the signal samples different from the first portion, and generate a second output based on a correlation between data bits and signal samples in the second portion.

Abstract: A system including a read/write channel module and a data processing module. The read/write channel module is configured to sample a read signal corresponding to data read from a disk. The data processing module is configured to determine a first track of the disk. A first preamble of the first track is encoded to include a first timing recovery pattern, a second preamble of a second track of the disk is encoded to include a second timing recovery pattern, and a first period of the first timing recovery pattern is different than a second period of the second timing recovery pattern. The data processing module is further configured to determine an expected preamble and process the read signal to remove inter track interference from the read signal based on the expected preamble and an expected difference between the first period and the second period.

Abstract: A system including an analog front end module, an equalizer module, a detector module, and a gain module. The analog front end module is configured to sample a signal read from a storage medium, convert the sampled signal into a digital signal, and output the digital signal. The equalizer module is configured to equalize the digital signal and output a data vector that corresponds to the equalized digital signal. The data vector represents data in the signal read from the storage medium. The detector module is configured to output a decision vector that corresponds to a noise-free ideal output vector of the decoded data vector. The gain module is configured to calculate a gain value based on the decision vector and the data vector, apply the gain value to the data vector, and output a revised data vector based on the data vector and the applied gain value.

Abstract: A system including an analog front end module to receive a first signal generated by reading data from a storage medium storing the data in concentric tracks, sample the first signal, and output a second signal based on the sampling of the first signal. An equalizer module generates a first vector based on the second signal. The first vector represents the data in the first signal. A detector module generates a second vector based on the first vector. The second vector represents a noise-free vector corresponding to the first vector. A re-timing module re-samples a plurality of samples in the first vector based on the second vector and generates a third vector based on the re-sampling of the plurality of samples in the first vector. An inter-track interference cancellation module removes inter-track interference from the third vector.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, injectable bulking compositions are provided which contain the following: (a) fibers that are configured to prevent migration to locations in the body remote from the injection site, for example, because they have a minimum length that is sufficiently large to prevent migration of the fibers and/or because they have surface features that stimulate host tissue response to lock the fibers in position and (b) a carrier in an amount effective to render the composition injectable.

Abstract: A bit patterned recording system includes a servo channel module configured to recover servo fields written with servo information. A field locator module is configured to locate a field printed to data islands of a medium based on a location of one of the servo fields. The servo islands and the data islands have different spacing. A servo clock has a different phase and frequency than a data clock. A phase error calculator module is configured to estimate a phase error of the data clock based on the field and the data clock. The phase error is used to adjust a phase of the data clock.

Abstract: A system including a first filter module and a second filter module. The first filter module is configured to (i) pass a first DC shift in an input signal and (ii) convert a second DC shift in the input signal to a first component and a second component. The first DC shift is shorter in duration than the second DC shift. The second filter module is configured to detect one or more of (i) the first DC shift and (ii) the first component and the second component of the second DC shift. In response to detecting one or more of (i) the first DC shift and (ii) the first component and the second component of the second DC shift, the second filter module is configured to filter one or more of (i) the first DC shift and (ii) the first component and the second component of the second DC shift.

Abstract: A system including a weighting function module, a frequency sensor module, and a control module. The weighting function module is configured to receive a plurality of samples of data, the data having been obtained based on a head having read the data from a storage medium while the head was at a given height above the storage medium, and to apply a weighting function to the plurality of samples to generate weighted samples. The frequency sensor module is configured to estimate, based on the weighted samples, (i) a first magnitude of a first frequency component, and (ii) a second magnitude of a second frequency component. The control module is configured to estimate, based on the first magnitude and the second magnitude, the height of the head above the storage medium.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for decoding data stored on a data storage medium. A disclosed decoding method and decoder include a radial incoherence (RI) detector that increases the probability of detecting RI and improves the decoding performance in terms of the bit error rate of the decoded signal. RI is detected by comparing an input signal to the decoder against a RI threshold value and generating a RI-type signal. The RI detector may include a filter for filtering out noise and error in the RI-type signal, an adaptive threshold unit that adjusts the RI threshold value based upon the RI-type signal, a transition-based threshold unit that adjusts the RI threshold value based upon each transition in the input signal, or a path-based threshold unit that adjusts the RI threshold value based upon a best surviving path corresponding to the input signal, in combination or alone.