Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining if a forward voltage of an LED in a pulse oximeter is within a predetermined range. This is accomplished by measuring the current through the LED, and also by knowing the duty cycle of the pulse width modulator (PWM) drive signal to the LED.

Abstract: The illustrated embodiments relate to a process for improving retention time of a set of integrated circuit devices. The process comprises placing the set of integrated circuit devices in a reverse bias condition, and elevating the surrounding temperature of the set of integrated circuit devices for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A laryngeal airway device, having an airway tube which has an internal passage in the airway tube wall for receiving a cuff inflation line, and a dome having an inlet and an outlet, where the dome is connected at its inlet with the distal end of the airway tube. The device also includes an annular spoon-shaped inflatable cuff connected with the periphery of the outlet of the dome; a cuff inflation line configured to be in fluid communication with the internal space of the cuff; and a multi-lobed aperture formed in the dome. The aperture is configured to be in fluid communication with the proximal end of the airway tube. The dome has protrusions forming the multi-lobed aperture, such that a flap is configured to prevent the obstruction of the aperture by a patient's epiglottis when the device is inserted into the patient.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for checking the resistance of antifuse elements in an integrated circuit. A voltage based on the resistance of an antifuse element is compared to a voltage based on a known resistance, and an output signal is generated whose binary value indicates whether the resistance of the antifuse element is higher or lower than the known value of resistance. The method and apparatus are useful in verifying the programming of antifuse elements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for baking a film onto a substrate. A film, such as a layer of photoresist, is disposed on a first surface of a substrate while a second surface is exposed to a liquid bath. The liquid bath is maintained at a pre-selected temperature. Exposure of the substrate to the liquid bath allows the film on the opposite surface to bake. The liquid bath is then re-circulated to maintain a constant and uniform temperature gradient across the substrate.

Abstract: A technique is provided for reducing motion-related artifacts present in CT images attributable to the dynamic nature of the imaged tissue or the time-varying concentration of a contrast agent. A region of interest that encompasses a structure of diagnostic significance is selected. For projections acquired by the various rows of detectors in a multi-slice CT imaging system, the portions of the projections attributable to the projection of the region of interest are averaged for each view angle. The projections containing these averaged values are then combined with the projections which do not encompass the region of interest. The combined projection set may be reconstructed to form a CT image of the dynamic tissue. In addition, a smoothing step may be performed to interpolate projection values around the region of interest to smooth the visual transition to the unaveraged portions of the image.

Abstract: The present technique provides a method and system for generating tomographic mammography data and processing the data using a computer aided detection and diagnosis (CAD) algorithm. The CAD algorithm may perform various types of analysis, including segmentation, feature extraction, and feature classification. The acquired data may be processed in parallel by the CAD algorithm such that information derived from one processing path may be used to enhance or alter the processing of data in a parallel processing path. The processed data may be used to provide an enhanced mammographic image with features of interest marked for inspection by a radiologist. The features of interest may also be classified to aid the inspection by the radiologist.