Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the capabilities of an High Definition Audio (HDA) system, wherein the system determines whether an optional component such as a plug-in card is connected to the system and then configures itself in a baseline configuration if the optional component is not connected or configures itself in a different, alternative configuration if the optional component is connected. In one embodiment, a codec of the system includes a programmable processor configured to read configuration authorization information and also read configuration information from the optional component if it is connected to the system. The processor also controls the configuration of the HDA system and the operation of the codec based on the authorization and configuration information. The system can thereby provide different features and functionality using the same hardware.

Abstract: A dynamic bone anchor for anchoring a spine stabilization assembly which supports the spine while providing for the preservation of spinal motion. The dynamic bone anchor provides load sharing while preserving range of motion and reducing stress exerted upon the bone anchors and spinal anatomy. The dynamic bone anchor includes a deflectable post connected by a ball-joint to a threaded anchor. Deflection of the deflectable post is controlled by a durability enhanced compliant sleeve. The force/deflection properties of the dynamic bone anchor may be adapted to the anatomy and functional requirements of the patient. The dynamic bone anchor may be used as a component of a dynamic stabilization system which supports the spine while providing for the preservation of spinal motion.

Abstract: A dynamic stabilization, motion preservation spinal implant system includes an anchor system, a horizontal rod system and a vertical rod system. The systems are modular so that various constructs and configurations can be created and customized to a patient.

Abstract: A segmented digital-to-analog converter (DAC) includes a plurality of sub-DACs, each of which is adapted to receive a separate reference current that specifies a transfer function of the sub-DAC. A magnitude of the reference current provided to each sub-DAC is separately programmable to thereby separately control a gain of each sub-DAC. The output of the DAC can be used to drive a load having a load transfer function that differs from a desired transfer function. In an embodiment, the separate reference currents provided the sub-DACs of the DAC are programmed to implement a DAC transfer function that causes the DAC and the load (driven by the output of the DAC) to collectively have an effective transfer function that is substantially similar to the desired transfer function.

Abstract: A buffer stage includes a flipped voltage follower and an emitter follower. The flipped voltage follower is connected between a high voltage rail and a low voltage rail and includes an input and an output. The emitter follower is also connected between the high voltage rail and the low voltage rail and includes an input and an output. A resistor connects the output of the flipped voltage follower to the output of the emitter follower. The input of the flipped voltage follower and the input of the emitter follower are connected together and provide an input of the buffer stage. The output of the emitter follower provides an output of the buffer stage. A differential buffer stage can be implemented using a pair of such buffer stages. Such a differential buffer stage can provide the output stage for a fully differential operational amplifier.

Abstract: A plant handling, tagging and shipping system includes a flood trailer towed by a cart for delivering potted plants from a grow site to a prepping station while also soaking the pots, an on-demand tag-printing system for printing plant tags based on customized client data, and a conveyor system that enables workers to trim, weed, clean, and tag the plants as they travel along the conveyor. This novel system and process for handling, tagging and shipping plants provides enormous efficiencies as compared with traditional processes.

Abstract: Logic to indicate a revision level includes multiple cells for one bit of the revision level. The cells being wired to be a pass-through cell or a swap cell during fabrication. At least some of the cells are such that to change the bit of the revision level, it is sufficient to change any single mask of a group of masks. The change to the single mask switches at least one of the cells from pass-through cell to a swap cell, or vice-versa.

Abstract: An online resource server for allowing device control and access to digital content through pluggable user interfaces (PUI). Features of various embodiments of the system can also include: a system of access rights for resources; user types and their meaning; determination of mandatory and optional properties of resources; an algorithm for ranking of resources based on weights given in a resource query; registration of a PUI upon upload resulting in a unique resource name (URI); user interface socket descriptions for device classes, and extensibility of the socket descriptions through naming conventions; a universal Control Hub as a Service; an ability to allow content owners to protect their intellectual property by keeping the (protected) media over HDMI separated from the control network; an ability to track usage data and dynamically adjust the PUI without the need for user intervention; and enhanced technical support, including remote diagnostics of the consumer electronics equipment.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is an RFID system comprising a first detector at a first position and a second detector at a second position. An RFID edge server can include software to check the first and second detector to determine a direction of an object. The direction information can be used to trigger the start or stop of the collection of data for an RFID detector.

Abstract: A color temperature tunable white light source comprises: first and second LED arrangements operable to emit light of first and second wavelength range respectively that are configured such that their combined light output, which comprises light generated by the source, appears white in color. One or both LED arrangements comprises a phosphor provided remote to an associated LED operable to generate excitation radiation and to irradiate the phosphor such that it emits light of a different wavelength range, wherein the light emitted by the LED arrangement comprises the combined light from the LED and phosphor. The color temperature of output white light is tunable by controlling the relative light outputs of the LED arrangements by for example controlling the relative magnitude of the drive currents of the LEDs or a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated drive current.

Abstract: A system for deduplicating data comprises a card operable to receive at least one data block and a processor on the card that generates a hash for each data block. The system further comprises a first module that determines a processing status for the hash and a second module that discards duplicate hashes and their data blocks and writes unique hashes and their data blocks to a computer readable medium. In one embodiment, the processor also compresses each data block using a compression algorithm.

Abstract: An LED-lamp (lighting bar) comprises a plurality of solid state light emitters (LEDs) configured as an elongate (linear) array and a generally concave cylindrical light reflective surface disposed along the length of the array of LEDs. The concave light reflective surface is configured to direct light over an illumination plane located to a side of the lamp. The LEDs can be configured such that their emission axes are oriented to the illumination plane at an angle of between 0° and 90. The lamp can further comprise a second generally concave cylindrical light reflective surface in which the concave light reflective surfaces are configured to direct light over illumination planes located on respective sides of the lamp. There is also disclosed a panel lamp and sign incorporating the lamp(s) of the invention.

Abstract: A device for producing a product gas from a fuel, such as biomass, comprises a reactor which is delimited by a base and reactor walls. The reactor walls comprise a peripheral wall and an upper wall. The reactor comprises a supply opening for the supplying of biomass, as well as at least one riser for chemically converting the biomass supplied to a product gas and a solid. The riser is provided inside the peripheral wall and comprises an upper end and a tower end. The reactor furthermore has a discharge opening for discharging the product gas. The riser is attached to at least one reactor wall. The lower end of the riser is at a distance above at least one section of the base which is underneath it and is freely movable under the effect of thermal expansion.

Abstract: In a virtual machine, Java Virtual Machine, or other runtime environment, a system and a method for improving the garbage collection times of the virtual machine memory. The JVM, or a garbage collector operating therein, can estimate, for an area of the memory space, the sum of the pause times for garbage collection of the software objects within the area, and control the garbage collection process so that the sum of the pause times for garbage collection will be lower than a target pause time limit, with a high degree of probability. A preselected compaction area can be pre-compacted to keep the compaction time within the target limit. The garbage collector can also predict the time required for final marking and repeat precleaning until the predicted final marking time is within the limits for pause times, and can improve pause times by redirecting application worker threads to do garbage collector work when entering or leaving the memory subsystem.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a filtering classloader within a Java-based or other application environment. In one embodiment, a filtering classloader is placed between two other classloaders, e.g. between the system classloader and the application classloader. The filtering classloader is provided with a set of patterns which throw a “class not found exception” if an application makes a request for that class or package. The exception leads the application classloader to believe (perhaps correctly) that there is no class with that name in the system classloader. The application classloader then loads the class itself. The class may or may not exist in the system classloader; the filtering classloader in essence overrides any retrieval from that classloader in favor of the application classloader, for certain specified patterns of request.

Abstract: A dynamic stabilization, motion preservation spinal implant system includes an anchor system, a horizontal rod system and a vertical rod system. The systems are modular so that various constructs and configurations can be created and customized to a patient.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a brachytherapy device includes a cartridge adapted for use with a brachytherapy applicator. A plurality of therapeutic members are stacked parallel to one another within the cartridge. Each therapeutic member includes a radioactive seed that is at least partially encapsulated by a polymeric material. Additionally, each therapeutic member can include at least one protrusion on an outer surface of the encapsulating polymeric material to reduce a tendency for the therapeutic member to migrate and rotate within a patient's body after the therapeutic member is implanted.

Abstract: A receiver and method for receiving symbols having a symbol period with duration SP comprising. N antenna signals are selected equally in time over a symbol period to obtain a combined antenna signal. An autocorrelation is performed on the combined antenna signal to obtain a combined signal. The combined signal is split into the corresponding antenna signal parts and subjected to an integration function. The output of the integration function is used the select the antenna signal with the best signal quality. The invention enables to perform an efficient antenna diversity circuit, which can partially be used for simultaneously preamble detection and frequency offset estimation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting the impedance of an output load coupled to a digital amplifier and compensating for changes in the response of the amplifier. One embodiment of the invention is implemented in a Class D pulse width modulated (PWM) amplifier. In this embodiment, a digital PCM test signal is generated. This test signal is processed by the amplifier to produce a corresponding analog audio output signal that is used to drive a speaker. A sense resistor placed in series with the speaker is used to generate a test voltage that is compared to a reference voltage. When the test voltage reaches the reference voltage, the current through the sense resistor (hence the speaker) is at a known level, so the value of the digital test signal is noted. The impedance of the speaker is then determined from the test signal value and the speaker current.

Abstract: Systems and methods for converting a digital input data stream from a first sample rate to a second, fixed sample rate using a combination of hardware and software components. In one embodiment, a system includes a rate estimator configured to estimate the sample rate of an input data stream, a phase selection unit configured to select a phase for interpolation of a set of polyphase filter coefficients based on the estimated sample rate, a coefficient interpolator configured to interpolate the filter coefficients based on the selected phase, and a convolution unit configured to convolve the interpolated filter coefficients with samples of the input data stream to produce samples of a re-sampled output data stream. One or more hardware or software components are shared between multiple channels that can process data streams having independently variable sample rates.