Abstract: A shaping filter for a PAM mapper is provided which manipulates incoming PAM code level signals to produce outgoing PAM code level signals whose frequency spectrum is shaped to meet desired criteria. In manipulating input code level values in(t), the shaping filter preferably utilizes previous output signal values without using previous incoming signal values. In a preferred embodiment, the output code level values out(t) are constrained to an output alphabet which is a predefined subset of code levels within the .mu.-law constellation, and are obtained by manipulating the input signals according to an integer-valued shifting function such that out(t) are code level values within the output alphabet. The preferred shifting function S "shifts" in(t) by a number of places in the output alphabet in the direction opposite the sign of ##EQU1## to provide out(t), where out(t) are .mu.-law code output level values at times t, and a.sub.i are weighting factors chosen to shape the frequency spectrum of out(t).

Abstract: A die casting machine has obliquely slidable die core pieces in an ejector holder block. The ejector holder block may be drawn away from the stationary die half into abutment with an ejection box by linear actuators; complementary male and female surfaces on the ejector holder block and ejection box precisely locate the ejector holder block with respect to the ejection box when the two are in abutment. The ejection box and mated ejector holder block may then be moved into abutment with the stationary die half to complete a die cavity.

Abstract: A radio communication system for a vehicle, which may act as an interrogation unit monitoring for the presence of a valid transponder or may act as a transponder to an external interrogation unit, includes an aerial incorporated in the circumferential part of the steering wheel of the vehicle and an on-board electronic system mounted in at least one spoke and/or in the central hub part of the steering wheel.

Abstract: Flexible microsurgical instruments incorporating a sheath having tactile and visual position indicators are disclosed. A flexible lubricous sheath which covers at least a distal portion of the flexible coil of the instrument is provided with either contrasting colored stripes or palpable ridges, or both, which are located a predetermined distance from the distal end of the instrument. When the coil is removed from an endoscope, the practitioner or the assistant observes the coil as it is withdrawn and notices the appearance of the stripes as an indication that the distal end of the instrument is not far away. Upon observing the stripes, the practitioner or the assistant may then slowly remove the remainder of the coil to avoid whipping the distal end as it exits the endoscope.

Abstract: A mapper for a PAM encoder is provided and includes apparatus for generating desired code levels, and a constellation matrix memory which stores indications of a plurality of different N-dimensional constellations. The plurality of different constellations are used individually or together to support a plurality of different modem data (bit) rates. In order to maximize performance in the presence of robbed bit signalling, multidimensional constellations having different numbers of points are used together in the coding of a single group of bits.

Abstract: An umbilical cord blood extractor broadly includes means for receiving the cord, means for squeezing the cord, and preferably means for collecting the blood from the cord. In a preferred embodiment, the umbilical cord blood extractor includes a lower tray for receiving the cord and an upper lid for squeezing the cord, each having a hinged end and a free end. The lower tray and upper lid are connected by a live hinge at their respective hinged ends. The lower tray is further provided with a longitudinal trough and a distal blood reservoir for collecting blood. The trough is closed at its proximal end and opens into the reservoir at its distal end. The lower tray is preferably provided with lateral longitudinal legs which preferably taper in height. A blood collection needle is preferably provided in the lower tray at a lower portion of the reservoir.

Abstract: A pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) mapper includes a constellation matrix memory which stores indications of a plurality of different constellations, wherein at least one of the different stored constellations is of different dimension than another of the stored constellations. The constellations are used individually or together to support a plurality of different modem data rates. In a preferred embodiment, the mapper also includes a logic block, a constellation controller, a PAM code generation block, and an output register. The logic block receives incoming bits and groups the bits as a function of the desired or agreed upon bit rate as indicated by the constellation controller, and provides a plurality of each group of bits to the PAM code generation block, and one or more sign bits to the output register. The PAM code generation block uses the provided bits to choose at least one point from one of the constellations, and uses each chosen constellation point to generate a PAM code (typically .mu.

Abstract: A modified test tube is provided which can sit on any flat surface unaided by a test tube rack. The modified test tube is an elongate, substantially tubular member having a containment portion coupled to the neck portion. The containment portion has a bottom surface and a closed end. The neck portion is angled relative to the flattened surface and has a mouth. A sloped surface is provided at the interior of the tubular member coextensive with the flattened surface. The bottom surface of the modified test tube enables the test tube to sit prone on any flat surface by itself, unaided by a rack, and the bent neck portion prevents the contents from spilling from the test tube. This design enables the contents within the test tube to be easily monitored without moving the test tube.

Abstract: A beach bed includes a flexible, thin-walled plane made from synthetic material, e.g. PVC. It is made up of a central part and a peripheral inflatable part separated by means of one or more heat seals, whereby the inflatable part, when inflated, form a boxed-in area around the central part. The inflatable part, when inflated is provided with at least one part that is raised relative to the rest of the inflatable part. With an item of this design it is possible for the user to make himself comfortable on a sandy surface and at the same time prevent sand from blowing on himself and any items he has placed in the central part. Furthermore, a beach towel may be coupled to the beach bed. Moreover, advertising may be printed on the central part of the beach bed.

Abstract: A hydrotherapy jet assembly includes a resilient grommet and a jet valve body. The grommet has a lip, a body having an inner surface and an outer surface, and a raised bead running the inner surface circumference. The inner surface includes a tapered portion tapering away from the lip. The jet valve body has a water entry port, an air conduit, a lip, and an external circumferential groove for interlocking with the raised bead of the grommet, and a water fitting. According to a method of the invention, the grommet is inserted from the inside of the tub through a hole drilled in a tub wall until the lip of the grommet seats flush with the tub wall. The jet valve body is inserted from the inside of tub until the bead of the grommet interlocks with the groove of the jet valve body and the lip of the jet valve body abuts the lip of the grommet.

Abstract: A self-expanding stent for a medical device to be introduced into a cavity of a human body, is disclosed and includes a radially expandable and axially retractable tubular body (1), characterized in that the tubular body comprises first filaments (2, 3) which are arranged side by side in a number at least equal to two, wound along a first helicoid direction around a longitudinal axis (4) of the tubular body, and second flexible rigid filaments (5, 6) which are arranged side by side in a number at least equal to two, wound along a second helicoid direction opposite to the first, each multiple filament wound in one of the said directions crossing multiple filaments wound in the other direction according to a plaited arrangement. Methods for reproducibly forming the stent of the invention are disclosed.

Abstract: A gas injection disc is provided which includes an outer ring and a tubular modular insert which slips into the outer ring. The outer ring is provided with an inner bore, a ring-shaped plenum located around the inner bore, an outer gas sealing surface around the plenum, and two gas feed paths extending from the periphery of the outer ring to the plenum. The gas feed paths are each provided with a gas feed attachment for coupling gas supply tubes thereto. The insert is provided with a plurality of radially aligned injectant holes, an inner gas sealing surface, and an axial bore. The insert is seated in the inner bore of the outer ring such that the inner and outer gas sealing surface face each other with a small gap provided therebetween which enables the insertion of the insert into the inner bore. The insert thereby substantially encloses the plenum, and the injectant holes are aligned with the plenum to receive injectant gases and direct the injectant gases into the axial bore of the insert.

Abstract: A sun visor (10) for a motor vehicle comprises an opaque visor member (12) with internal guide tracks (24) for receiving a support rail (22) of a transparent, glare reducing panel (20). The glare reducing panel is movable between a retracted position within the visor member and an extended position in which it creates a non-glare visual region below the opaque visor member. An additional, smaller panel (38) may overlie a portion of panel (20) and be adjustable in position, to create an enhanced glare reduction portion which may be aligned with the direction of the sun.

Abstract: Multimedia conferencing systems are provided and include a plurality of audio/video terminals which are coupled together via a telecommunications network, with the network including switches and an audio bridge. The audio/video terminals are provided with interface modules which receive local audio and video signals, process the signals, and provide separate streams of properly formatted audio data and video data to the network. The video data is switched in the preferably ATM network (i.e., routed) to its desired destination, while the audio data is first routed to the audio bridge for mixing, and then to the desired destination. At the desired destination, the separate audio and video signals are processed and synchronized by the interface module of the destination and provided to the audio/video terminal. Various different synchronization methods for the audio and video data streams are disclosed. In a simple synchronization method, a fixed delay of, e.g., 65 milliseconds is added to the audio stream.

Abstract: An ATM network switch is provided with a switch fabric linking a plurality of slot controllers. Each slot controller receives ATM cells from an external data link and has at least one input port to the switch fabric. The switch fabric switches a data cell received from any one port to one or more other ports. Each slot controller is provided with a separate group of buffers for each slot controller in the switch, and stores ATM cells intended for those other slot controller in the buffers. Each group of buffers includes a separate buffer for each class of cell traffic, so that the ATM cells are stored by intended slot controller and by class. The slot controller also includes a buffer control circuit which controls the passing of cells from the buffer to the switch fabric. The switch fabric includes input FIFOs, an indication of the fullness of which is measured and signaled back to the buffer control circuit.

Abstract: An endoscopic instrument is provided with a hollow tube, first and second end effectors coupled to the hollow tube and having arms biased away from each other, a cylindrical member slidably disposed over the hollow tube, a push/pull wire extending through the tube, a handle assembly coupled to the push/pull wire and the hollow tube, and a disk segment connected to the push/pull wire and connected to the cylindrical member by a crimp in the cylindrical member. When the handle assembly is actuated, the push/pull wire moves the disk segment and hence the cylindrical member relative to the end effectors and causes the cylindrical member to ride over the arms of the end effectors, thereby forcing the end effectors closed or permitting them to open. Preferably, the disk segment has two curved sides which are coupled to the cylindrical member by crimping, and two substantially parallel sides which provide room for the arms of the end effectors so that the disk segment can move relative to the end effectors.

Abstract: A spectral and power shaping mapper for high data rate signaling modem functions in a first mode having spectral and power shaping and using convolutional encoding, a second mode having power shaping, a third mode having power shaping using convolutional encoding, and a fourth mode having straight-forward mapping. Based on data rates and other criteria, incoming bits are grouped together, with a first subgroup of bits used in the first mode to generate two sign vectors (and in the other modes a single vector), a second subgroup of bits used in conjunction with an appended bit in the first, second and third modes to generate at least two magnitude manipulation vectors, and a third subgroup of bits used in a modulus converter to generate a plurality of quotients. The quotients and magnitude manipulation vector(s) are used to select one, two or four sequences of constellation points from a multidimensional constellation depending on mode.

Abstract: The methods and devices of the invention include an encoder, an endoscopic robotic instrument, and an encoder/robotic instrument interface. A preferred embodiment of the encoder has a chest/shoulder plate provided with telescoping tubes and joints. Each joint is provided with a direct drive potentiometer to monitor movement and provide a corresponding signal. The chest plate is preferably adaptable to a large range of human chest sizes and the telescopic segments are strapped to the arms of the practitioner at the elbows. A pistol grip is provided at the wrist end of the telescopic segments. According to the presently preferred embodiment, the encoder encodes flexion and rotation at the shoulder, elbow and wrist of each arm in addition to gripping at each hand. The encoding device is coupled to a circuit which operates a servo system. The servo system includes a series of servo motors. A series of pulleys corresponding to the number of servo motors are arranged in a housing.

Abstract: A Ag/AgCl electrode includes a rigid tube within which a Ag/AgCl conductor is mounted by epoxy. An insulated wire lead is coupled by a solder joint to the Ag/AgCl conductor. An optional plastic cap seals the upper end of the tube and the wire lead extends out of the upper end of the tube and through the plastic cap. A sodium chloride solution is provided in the lower end of the tube such that the conductor is bathed in the solution. The solution is maintained within the tube by a porous glass, ceramic, or polymeric plug which is press fit into the lower end of the tube. The lower end of the tube, including the plug, is coated with a water soluble non-toxic substance. The water soluble coating is preferably made from a concentrated solution of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in deionized or RO water which is preferably applied by dip coating and air drying.