Abstract: The invention relates to a device for guiding a cerclage wire around a bone, comprising: A) a longitudinal shaft (6) that can be placed against a bone (2), has a central axis (7), a front end (11) and a central boring (8), which is open at the front end (11) of the shaft (6) while having a central axis (15), and; B) an axially displaceable longitudinal flexible guiding wire (5), which can be extended out of the central boring (8) at the front end (11) of the shaft (6), whereby; C) the central boring (8) at the front end (11) of the shaft (6) has a central axis (15) that is at an angle to the central axis (7) of the shaft (6) whereby causing the guiding wire (5) at the front end (11) of the shaft (6) to extend at an angle to the central axis (7) of the shaft (6).

Abstract: A screwdriver is disclosed having a shaft with a screw holder. The screw holder is receivable in a recess in a screw head, and has a spring element which can be elastically deformed transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. A portion of the spring element may be engaged with a bore in the shaft and the bore may penetrate the front end of the shaft. The elastic segment may be disposed in a groove parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft segment so that, in the unstressed state of the spring element, at least a portion of the elastic segment protrudes beyond the cross-sectional surface of the shaft segment to engage a surface of the screw head recess to thereby retain the screw on the shaft.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for inputting destination data into a navigation system as well as a mobile terminal and a navigation system for executing this method. The mobile terminal having a short range wireless interface is brought into contact with the navigation system. The mobile terminal selects at least one data record including data concerning an address. Then, it transfers the at least one data record via the short range interface to the navigation system. The navigation system extracts from the received data record destination data capable to be used as source for a destination processed by the navigation system.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of managing energy consumed by a group of energy consuming devices (31 to 39) and energy consuming devices (31 to 36) for executing this method. Energy consuming devices (31 to 36) of the group of energy consuming devices exchange messages according to an energy management control protocol via a communication media (4). The energy management control protocol comprises an energy booking message type for announcing future energy consumption, an energy reduction indication message type for announcing possible reduction of energy consumption and a granting message type for granting an energy booking message and/or an energy reduction indication. The energy consuming devices (31 to 36) negotiate their energy consumption by means of the messages exchanged according to the energy management control protocol and control their energy consumption according to the result of this negotiation.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of managing energy consumed by a group (3) of energy consuming devices (31 to 39) as well as energy consuming devices (31 to 37) and an energy scheduling unit (5) for executing this method. Energy consuming devices (31 to 36) communicate requests for energy consumption to an energy scheduling unit. This unit is gathering energy consumption and/or operational data of one or more of the energy consuming devices (31 to 36) of the group (3). It schedules energy consumption with respect to available energy assigned to the group (3) and with respect to gathered energy consumption and/or operational data. Further, it controls the energy consumption of one or more of the energy consuming devices (31 to 37) of the group of energy consuming devices according to the scheduled energy consumption.

Abstract: A screwdriver is disclosed having a shaft with a screw holder. The screw holder is receivable in a recess in a screw head, and has a spring element which can be elastically deformed transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. A portion of the spring element may be engaged with a bore in the shaft and the bore may penetrate the front end of the shaft. The elastic segment may be disposed in a groove parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft segment so that, in the unstressed state of the spring element, at least a portion of the elastic segment protrudes beyond the cross-sectional surface of the shaft segment to engage a surface of the screw head recess to thereby retain the screw on the shaft.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for supporting cashless payment as well as a payment interworking server, a mobile terminal and a computer program product for a cashless payment system. A mobile subscriber identity stored in the subscriber identification module of the mobile terminal is sent to a payment interworking unit. The payment interworking unit transmits the mobile subscriber identity to an authentication server of a mobile communication system which replies an authentication number and a signed response. The authentication number is sent to the mobile terminal which calculates a signed response and transmits the signed response to the payment interworking server. This server compares the singed responses received from the authentication server and from the mobile terminal and sends a confirmation message to a POS unit or a billing system, if the received signed result is correct.

Abstract: A device for taking length and depth measurements during surgery. The device comprises a first longitudinal member and a second longitudinal member telescopically positioned within the first longitudinal member. The second longitudinal member may have a front part connectable thereto. The front part may have an opening, a passageway, and a moveable piece in the passageway. The device may also have a sliding member for moving the moveable piece between a first position where a portion of the moveable piece is outside the front part to a second position where the entire moveable piece is within the front part. The first and second longitudinal member may be locked with respect to one another. The prevent invention also discloses methods of using the device to take length and depth measurements during surgery.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for distributing a software package or update over a communication network, where the communication network comprises a server system (S?) and at least one client system (Ci?). The method comprises the steps of distributing (P3) the software package or update to the at least one client system (Ci?) via the communication system (NCi?) by the server system (S?) and installing the software package or update on the at least one client system (Ci?), and comprises the further steps of distributing (P6) the software package or update to a further client system via the communication system (NCj?) by the at least one client system. The invention relates also to a server system, a client system (Ci?), a communication network (Nci?, NCj?), and corresponding computer software products.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for information transfer between terminals of a communication network, wherein these terminals each have a data memory for storing addresses and information and means for setting up data connections among themselves, wherein a calling terminal transmits an enquiry for transmission of an item of information to a called terminal, the called terminal reads stored information from a part of the data memory released for the calling terminal and the called terminal uses the received address of the calling terminal to send back a message with the desired information to the calling terminal, and a program module and terminal for this.

Abstract: An instrument for use on a body site is provided comprising a bushing having portions, a coolant source, and a bore, wherein the instrument may be used to introduce an implant, instrument, or tool to a body site. After the implant, instrument, or tool is introduced to a body site, at least one portion of the bushing may be removed. A method of use for the instrument is also provided. A kit including the instrument is further provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a retraction plate for displacing soft tissue. The plate includes a window located in between first and second end parts. Each of the end parts has connecting elements for removably securing an elongate element. Coupling of elongate elements to the connecting elements allows lifting of the plate to retract soft tissue, thereby creating a cavity between the soft-tissue mantle and bone to perform a surgical procedure. The retraction plate provides access to a fracture and allows fracture fixation using a minimally invasive surgical technique.

Abstract: To establish a toll-free communication connection between a calling terminal (TE21) which is connected to a first communications network (KN1), and a called terminal, a connection request with a toll-free universal call number (IFN) is transmitted as a called number to the first communications network (KN1). In this case the toll-free universal call number (IFN) is provided by a service unit (SERV) of a second communications network (KN2). The first communications network (KN1) recognizes the connection request as one with a toll-free universal call number and an inquiry is then sent by the first communications network (KN1) to this service unit (SERV) of the second communications network (KN2). From the toll-free universal call number this service unit (SERV) then determines a toll-free local call number (LFN) of the first communications network (KN1), and returns same to the first communications network (KN1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a retraction plate for displacing soft tissue. The plate includes a window located in between first and second end parts. Each of the end parts has connecting elements for removably securing an elongate element. Coupling of elongate elements to the connecting elements allows lifting of the plate to retract soft tissue, thereby creating a cavity between the soft-tissue mantle and bone to perform a surgical procedure. The retraction plate provides access to a fracture and allows fracture fixation using a minimally invasive surgical technique.

Abstract: A device for scanning an X-ray image where a previously locally uniformly charged photoconductor (1) is discharged in dependence on the local intensity, utilizing several electrometer probes which are arranged in a row and which line-wise scan the charge pattern of the photoconductor (1) which is successively displaced in the scanning direction, extending perpendicular to the line direction, the probes supplying, for each pixel, an image value which corresponds to a discharge at the relevant pixel. In order to eliminate streaky artefacts, the image values are applied to an analog-to-digital converter (5), the converted values being stored in an image memory (6), there being provided a signal processor (7) which subjects the image values of neighboring pixels in an image line to a low-pass filter function and which subjects the image values of pixels neighboring one another in the scanning direction to a high-pass filter function.

Abstract: Known telecommunication systems according to which a calling subscriber can reach a user, whereby a part of the costs have to be paid by said calling subscriber and another part of the costs have to be paid by said called user, are unsufficiently suitable for business purposes. By making said user reachable via at least two different ways, or in other words, via at least two different numbers, with each way and number having its own billing method, said telecommunication system becomes sufficiently suitable for business purposes.

Abstract: A method of and device for forming X-ray images in which a charge pattern corresponding to the X-ray intensity generated on the surface of a photoconductor is line-wise scanned by a number of probes which detect the charge in respective adjoining scanning zones of the photoconductor containing a plurality of lines eliminates stripes occurring in the line direction in the image. This is accomplished by: a) formation of correction values (K.sub.n (x,y.sub.o)) for the pixels of the image line (y.sub.o) at the edges of the scanning zones of the probes (41), the absolute value and sign of the correction values being such that corrected image values (B.sub.kn (x,y.sub.o)) of the individual probes, resulting from the superposition of the correction values and image values (B.sub.n (x,y.sub.o)), correspond to the corrected image values of the respective neighboring probes; b) formation of intermediate values (Z.sub.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of generating X-ray images by means of a photoconductor which is provided on a conductive substrate and whose surface potential can be read by means of probes, and also relates to a device suitable for carrying out the method. In order to avoid image artefacts which could be caused by deviating sensitivities of the probes or by frequency-dependent distortions, after the charging of the photoconductor the substrate potential is varied during a test phase. Test data is generated which correspond to the spatial or temporal variation of the potential on the surface of the photoconductor; from this test data there is formed correction data which is stored in order to correct the image data of a subsequent X-ray exposure.

Abstract: A plurality of electrometer probes (3, 4, 5, 6) scan charge patterns of a photoconductor (1) which is locally uniformly charged prior to the X-ray exposure and is discharged by the exposure in dependence on the intensity of the X-rays. The surface of the photoconductor is scanned after the exposure in order to determine the charge density, the electrometer probes (3, 4, 5, 6) forming for each pixel a pixel value which corresponds to the discharge at the relevant pixel to compensate for sensitivity fluctuations of the electrometer probes included is a calibration operation for the sensitivity of all electrometer probes in that two probes (3, 4, 5, 6) scan an identical section (a.sub.1 . . . d.sub.3) of the image, their relative sensitivity used for correcting the pixel values is derived from comparison of the resultant output signals of the probes (3, 4, 5, 6).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing an X-ray exposure is provided by a photoconductor, which converts X-radiation into a charge pattern, is evenly charged locally before the X-ray exposure, is discharged by the exposure as a function of the intensity of the X-radiation and the surface of which is scanned after the exposure for detecting the charge density, an image value being formed for each image point, corresponding to the discharge at the image point. The measured image values may be falsified by the self-discharge of the photoconductor induced by X-radiation. Since the self-discharge always proceeds in accordance with the same time laws, the self-discharge effects are corrected utilizing the time of the scanning instants, i.e., position in time with respect to the X-ray exposure and the end of the charging of the photoconductor in conjunction with a characteristic discharge function of the photoconductor and a correction factor.