Abstract: An apparatus for arresting scalp bleeding includes skull cap having a plurality of inflatable bladders and a pump for inflating the bladders. The methods of the invention include attaching the skull cap to the bleeding victim and inflating the bladders with air using the pump. The inflated bladders exert pressure on the bleeding scalp and result in a hemostasis. According to the presently preferred embodiments, the skull cap has three or four independently inflatable bladders and the pump is a hand pump of the type used to inflate a blood pressure cuff. The pump is preferably provided with a pressure gauge and the bladders are each inflated to about 80 mm Hg.

Abstract: A port device includes a tubular body sized to be inserted through a pair of ribs in a chest wall of a patient, a ball provided about the body, and a base defining a socket in which the ball is provided. Detent structure permits but limits longitudinal movement of the body relative to the ball. The base includes a clamping system which compresses the ball to lock the ball at a selected orientation within the socket and also immobilizes the port body relative to the ball. The distal end of the body includes a pair of swivels rotatably attached thereto. An obturator is extendable within the body maneuvers the swivels between a closed position (in which the swivels are oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the body), and an open position (in which the swivels are directed outward from the port).

Abstract: An instrument stabilizer minimizes unwanted motion at the distal end of a surgical instrument by applying a damping force to the instrument. According to one embodiment, the instrument stabilizer preferably includes a cannula through which an instrument can extend, and a distal bushing adapted to contact the instrument. The instrument stabilizer also includes a proximal housing which includes a mechanism which applies a stabilizing or damping force to the proximal portion of the cannula. The mechanism which applies the force may be, by way of example, one or more of elastic bands, springs, struts, etc. When a surgical instrument is extended through the cannula and contacts the bushing, movement of the cannula and consequently the surgical instrument is damped by the stabilization force on the proximal portion of the cannula. In addition, a swivel device for angularly orienting the instrument stabilizer relative to a body of patient is also provided.

Abstract: An endoscopic or laparoscopic biopsy forceps instrument is provided which includes a flexible tubular member having proximal and distal ends, a biopsy jaw assembly at the distal end of the tubular member, an actuation assembly to operate the jaw assembly between open and closed positions, and a control assembly to deflect the biopsy jaw assembly relative to a lumen through which the instrument extends and to rotate the jaw assembly about the longitudinal axis of the instrument.

Abstract: An object oriented processor array includes a library of functional objects which are instantiated by commands through a system object and which communicate via a high level language. The object oriented processor array may be embodied in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. Each functional object may include a discrete hardware processor or may be embodied as a virtual processor within the operations of a single processor. According to one embodiment, the object oriented processor array is formed on a single chip or on a single processor chip and an associated memory chip. When several objects are instantiated on a single chip, pins may be assigned to each object via a high level command language. Methods and apparatus for allocating memory to instantiated objects are disclosed. Methods and apparatus for scheduling when several virtual processors are embodied within the operations of a single microprocessor are also disclosed.

Abstract: A DSL modem with a receiver and a transmitter includes an LDPC encoder which utilizes a generation matrix G which is derived from a substantially deterministic H matrix in order to generate redundant parity bits for a block of bits. The H matrix is determined by assigning “ones” of a first column Nj randomly or deterministically. Then, beginning with the second column, assignment of “ones” is carried out deterministically with each “1” in a previous ancestor column generating a “1” in the next descendant column based on the rule that a descendant is placed one position below or above an ancestor. As a result, descending or ascending diagonals are generated. When distributing “ones” in any given column, care is taken to ensure that no rectangles are generated in conjunction with other “ones” in the current column and previous columns. By avoiding generation of rectangles, diagonals are interrupted.

Abstract: A method for determining the encoding law of an incoming signal in a network which possibly contains an A-&mgr; or &mgr;-A conversion includes obtaining digital impairment learning (DIL) probing data, generating an ordered table of levels therefrom, using the table to find two functions, and using a logical analysis of the functions to determine the encoding law of the signal. A first function is a maximum from the values DL(i) and the threshold Th1 which are less than T(i), with T(i)=a+bi, and DL(i)=L(i+16)−2L(i) with L(i) being the DIL signal corresponding to the transmitted Ucode=i.

Abstract: A system for performing through port off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery includes a port insertable between ribs into a chest wall of a patient, a heart stabilizer extendable through and stably couplable to the port, and an instrument stabilizer adapted to dampen extraneous movement to which a surgical instrument extending through the stabilizer is subject.

Abstract: A surgical tool attaches to the distal end of an endoscope and provides a rotatable treating element. According to one embodiment of the invention, the treating element is a pair of jaws provided with cautery capability. According to an aspect of the invention, the treating element is capable of multiple movements from a first closed position, to an open position, to a second closed position and back to the first closed position via a single controller with a single linear movement.

Abstract: A medical instrument includes a shaft having an outer surface defining an outer diameter, a tube having an inner surface defining an inner diameter and extending over a portion of the shaft, at least one coil wound in a first rotational direction and provided between the shaft and the tube, the at least one coil having a first portion defining an inner surface interfering with an outer surface of the shaft such that the at least one coil grips the shaft, and a second portion coupled to the inner surface of the tube. The tube is movable longitudinally relative to the shaft in a first longitudinal direction when subject to force in the first longitudinal direction, and the tube is substantially immovable longitudinally relative to the shaft in a second longitudinal direction opposite the first longitudinal direction when subject to force in the second longitudinal direction only.

Abstract: Electronic mail client software has a mailbox displayer which lists messages together with an icon for each message where the icon is associated with the MIME type of the message. Mail which contains a file attachment is listed in the inbox with an icon indicative of the type of file attached to the email. The mailbox displayer interprets the MIME type and selects the appropriate icon either from the icon registry in the OS or from a directory of icons maintained by the email client software. The mailbox displayer component preferably includes all of the functionality of state-of-the-art mailbox displayers and includes the functionality of looking to a directory of icons for display with information about the message based on the MIME type and subtype of the message. If there is no appropriate icon in the directory of icons, the mailbox displayer uses icon image data contained in a subpart of the MIME message if it is available. Otherwise, no icon or a generic icon is used.

Abstract: The receiver of a PCM modem utilizes the V.90 TRN1d training signal for detecting whether any of the six slots of the received signal may be subject to alternating robbed bit signaling (ARBS), and what the alternating robbed bit signaling pattern may be. This is accomplished by accumulating the received level over a plurality of frames for each slot and by comparing the received levels for each slot to an average level for that slot. If the difference between the received levels and the average levels exceeds a threshold, the slot is determined to be subject to ARBS. Where a slot is subject to ARBS, DIL sequence signals for frames of the alternating robbed bit signaling slot having LSB=0 and LSB=1 are accumulated separately (if available) in order to generate two translation tables (TRT0, TRT1) for that slot. Where the DIL sequence is found only in the frames having the alternating robbed bit signaling slot having LSB=0 or having LSB=1, only one translation table can be generated.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling back-to-back maintenance messages in extended superframe t1 telephone circuits includes a FIFO, a byte counter, and a message length register. According toga method of the invention, when messages are placed in the. FIFO, the byte counter counts the message length and places the message length in the message length register. A host controller is required to read the message length register in the time interval following complete receipt of a first message before complete receipt of a second message, but is only required to read the contents of the FIFO before it overflows. According to a presently preferred embodiment of the apparatus, a second register is provided for indicating the current depth of the FIFO. The second register sends an interrupt to the host controller when the contents of the FIFO exceed a threshold.

Abstract: Methods and software of the present invention include maintaining a database of buyers and sellers, updating the database with information from sellers about buyers who have defaulted on payment terms, processing data about buyers who have defaulted on payment terms, notifying the buyer(s) who have defaulted of a time to cure the default, determining when a buyer fails to cure a default in time, and notifying all sellers who sell to the buyer who failed to cure the default that the buyer failed to cure the default. According to another embodiment, sellers are classified according to the types of goods/services which they sell and when a buyer fails to cure a default all sellers in the same class as the seller which was party to the default are notified. According to another embodiment, all members in the system may obtain information about any other member in the system prior to doing business with the other member. Individual members of the system may be at once both a buyer and a seller, e.g.

Abstract: A locking device includes a locking sleeve and a handle. The locking sleeve defines a pin channel and a plurality of resilient locking catches. The distal end of the sleeve includes a tip having a cutting edge and a pin guide adapted to be located about a portion of the diameter of a fixation pin. The locking sleeve is used to stabilize the location and orientation of a fixation pin implanted in a bone.

Abstract: A retail merchandising display system includes reconfigurable components which may be assembled to form perimeter wall fixtures, standing fixtures, tiered tables fixtures, etc. A set of basic components is provided which can be assembled into the fixtures, and disassembled to create other fixtures. Each of the fixtures is preferably provided with cladding which can be used to convey a brand identity.

Abstract: A process for creating surface microporosity on a titanium (or other metal) medical device includes creating a surface oxide layer on the device; placing the device, which is connected to a negative terminal of an electrical power supply, into a calcium chloride bath; connecting the positive terminal of the power supply to an anode immersed in or containing calcium chloride thereby forming an electrolytic cell; passing current through the cell; removing the device from the bath; and cooling and rinsing the device to remove any surface salt. If necessary, the device is etched to remove metal oxide which may have formed during the cooling process. The resulting device has a microporous surface structure. Alternatively, only a designated surface portion of a medical device is made microporous, either by applying a non-oxidizing mask, removing a portion of the oxide layer, or subtracting a portion of a microporous surface.

Abstract: An anti-snoring device has maxillary and mandibular bite forms with outwardly extending pivots which are mounted to the bite forms by frameworks which are at least partially embedded in the bite forms. This retains the pivots securely in place even in the face of extensive bruxing. In constructing the device, a jig may be used for positioning the pivots. The method of manufacturing the device involves casting the frameworks, such that each framework has a pair of pivot mounts, mounting pivots to the pivot mounts, and at least partially embedding the frameworks in the bite forms.

Abstract: A system for collating cheques (or other sheets bearing an account number), feeds cheques in a batch of cheques. The system reads the account number of each cheque in the batch and counts the number in the batch. This is compared with corresponding information on an associated account statement. On a mis-match, action is taken (e.g., an alarm is raised).