Abstract: A computerized system and method are presented for exchanging information between a buyer, a seller, a lender, and a strategic business source. The system permits sellers, lenders and strategic business sources to input buyers that are then submitted for activation. The buyers use the system to obtain information about items, while the sellers, lenders, and strategic business sources make consistent contact with the buyer in order to work with the buyer. Information about the buyers is shared with the sellers, lenders, and strategic business sources. A business plan is input into the system for the financial institution employing the lender while another business plan is input for the seller institution employing the seller. Activity on the computerized system is calculated for compliance with the business plan. Feedback is provided to management relating to whether the business plan is being met.

Abstract: An implantable medical device for treating breathing disorders such as central sleep apnea wherein stimulation is provided to the phrenic never through a transvenous lead system with the stimulation beginning after inspiration to extend the duration of a breath and to hold the diaphragm in a contracted condition.

Abstract: A method and system for data storage provides a digital fast-write storage device, a plurality of digital slow-write storage devices, and a controller. The digital fast-write storage device might be a solid state drive. The digital slow-write storage devices might be conventional rotational media drives. Typically, read operations are directed to the fast-write storage device. The slow-write storage devices provide redundancy by mirroring the contents of the high-speed storage device. Data on the slow-write storage devices is organized in stripes, allowing data to be written in parallel. The number of slow-write storage devices can be chosen to compensate for the speed differential on write operations. In some embodiments, the controller will represent the storage system as a virtual disk drive.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a probe arrangement having a distal probe tip and a proximal hand portion for the electrothermal coagulation of tissue. The probe arrangement has at least a first and a second electrode in the region of the distal probe tip. An inner conductor of the probe arrangement extends from the distal probe tip to the proximal hand portion and contacts the first electrode in the distal probe tip. An outer conductor of the probe arrangement extends from the distal probe tip to the proximal hand portion and serves to electrically contact the second electrode in the distal probe tip. The inner and outer conductors of the probe arrangement are electrically insulated from each other. Furthermore the inner conductor is selected in such a way that the flexural stiffness of the probe arrangement is increased between the probe tip and the hand portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a closure catheter, for closing a tissue opening such as an atrial septal defect, patent foreman ovale, or the left atrial appendage of the heart. The closure catheter carries a plurality of tissue anchors, which may be deployed into tissue surrounding the opening, and used to draw the opening closed. Methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system is presented for storing data in data cells containing only a single element of data. Each data cell includes four components: an Entity Instance identifier (“O”), an Entity Type identifier (“E”) an Attribute Type identifier (“A”), and an Attribute Value (“V”). Groups of cells with identical O and E values constitute a cell set. Every cell contains a unique combination of O, E, A, and V. Relationships between cell sets are established by creating two synapse cells. The first synapse cell has O and E values of the first cell set, and has A and V values equal to the E and O value, respectively, of the second cell. The second synapse cell has O and E values of the second cell, and has as its A and V values the E and O value, respectively, of the first cell.

Abstract: A shared storage distributed file system is presented that provides users and applications with transparent access to shared data stored on network attached storage devices by utilizing layering techniques to inherit file management functionality from existing file systems. The present invention stores meta-data for the shared data as real-data in a standard, non-modified, client-server distributed file system, such as NFS. In effect, the standard client-server file system acts as a meta-data server. The name space consisting of inode files stored as real-data on the meta-data server acts as the name space for the shared data. Similarly, file attributes of the inode files are utilized as the file attributes of the shared data. By utilizing an existing client-server system as the meta-data server, development time and complexity are greatly reduced, while speed advances in the underlying client-server system may be incorporated without alteration of the present invention.

Abstract: A device for containing emboli within a left atrial appendage of a patient includes a frame that is expandable from a reduced cross section to an enlarged cross section and a slider assembly. The frame extends between a proximal hub and a distal hub, and the slider assembly is coupled to the distal hub of the frame. The slider assembly includes a guide tube that has a channel extending proximally away from the distal hub, and a nut. The nut is longitudinally moveable within the channel of the guide tube over a predetermined distance relative to the guide tube. The nut is operable to be releasably coupled with an elongate core, and movement of the nut relative to the guide tube is at least partially limited by interference between a portion of the nut and a portion of the guide tube.

Abstract: Information about desired songs is collected on a portable memory device in communication with a radio tuner. The radio tuner may receive signals from a terrestrial or satellite digital radio transmission, or from an analog radio transmission. These transmissions may include text data about the current song being played. Upon activation by a user, song data is stored on the memory device. The memory device is then connected to a computer system, which uses software to extract the song data and uniquely identify the song. The identified songs are stored on the computer system, and can be used to allow the user easy access to the identified song through prior art techniques. If no textual data is stored about a song, the song is identified by identifying the radio station that played the song and the time at which the user activated the mechanism.

Abstract: Disclosed is an adjustable occlusion device for use in a body lumen such as the left atrial appendage. The occlusion device is removably carried by a deployment catheter. The device may be enlarged or reduced to facilitate optimal placement or removal. Methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program storage device for verifying existence of a redundant Fiber Channel path is disclosed. The present invention verifies that a redundant path exists prior to moving the WWNN and WWPN. Thus, if the path being used for Fiber Channel communication is lost, connectivity can be restored when the source of the original connection can access the physical interface where the WWNN and WWPN have been moved.

Abstract: A shared storage distributed file system is presented that provides applications with transparent access to a storage area network (SAN) attached storage device. This is accomplished by providing clients read access to the devices over the SAN and by requiring most write activity to be serialized through a network attached storage (NAS) server. Both the clients and the NAS server are connected to the SAN-attached device over the SAN. Direct read access to the SAN attached device is provided through a local file system on the client. Write access is provided through a remote file system on the client that utilizes the NAS server. A supplemental read path is provided through the NAS server for those circumstances where the local file system is unable to provide valid data reads. Consistency is maintained by comparing modification times in the local and remote file systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an interventional device for interacting with occlusive material. A wall attachment jet moves and removes particulate from lumens such as vessels.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for improving at least one of a) optical interactance measurements, b) optical transmittance measurements and c) optical reflectance measurements. The apparatus has a probe having a body portion and an tip portion. The body portion has a central tubular element having an opening therethrough. The tip portion has a central aperture and a number that is a plurality of ring openings therein. At least some of the plurality of rings are angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the probe. A plurality of fiber optic bundles corresponds in number at least to the number of ring openings, and at least one fiber optic bundle is arranged at one end of the longitudinal axis for receiving specimen information and at another end of the longitudinal axis connected to a detector for receiving a signal.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program storage device for providing intelligent rebuild order selection is a storage array is disclosed. The interrelationship of the data on the drives to be rebuilt and the remaining drives in the system is examined. A relative score for a rebuild record to be rebuilt is based upon the manner in which the RAID data is placed on the other drives. The rebuild record with the highest relative risk is identified as the rebuild record to be rebuilt next.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for temporarily deferring transmission of packets/frames to a destination port in a buffered switch is disclosed. When a request for transmission of at least one packet/frame to the destination port is received, it is determined whether the destination port is available to receive the at least one packet/frame. The transmission of the at least one packet/frame is deferred when the destination port is not available to receive the at least one packet/frame. The packet/frame identifier and memory location for each deferred packet/frame is stored in a deferred queue and the process then repeats for the next packet/frame. Periodically, the apparatus attempts to transmit the packets/frames in the deferred queue to their respective destination ports.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for achieving a non-disruptive code load that includes assigning an endpoint to a non-disruptive code loading new process, loading the process into a memory location of a system and starting the process, wherein a previous process is instructed to forward all messages on its queue to the new process to where all new signals are processed.

Abstract: A portable, wearable vest supports an air supply tube to a patient mask or interface in a continuous positive air pressure system. In one embodiment, the vest contains and supports motor and battery components. In another embodiment, the vest couples a remote CPAP unit to a patient interface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for achieving a non-disruptive code load that includes staging the new version of executable code, stacking the hardware events during code copy and code switch over, copying the code into the runtime area, restarting the system upon completion of copying the new code without reinitializing the hardware and processing the stacked hardware events with the same system state (hardware and firmware) information.