Abstract: A method of generating a bit stream by multiplexing non-compressed auxiliary information with an information stream. The information stream is obtained by compressing fixed-size units of an information signal with a varying compression ratio to provide varying-sized units of the information stream. The auxiliary information is for use in subsequently processing the information stream. Units of the auxiliary information correspond to the units of the information signal. In the method, the information stream is divided in time into information stream portions. The non-compressed auxiliary information is also divided in time into auxiliary information portions. The information stream portions and the auxiliary information portions are interleaved to provide the bit stream. Finally, the information stream dividing, auxiliary information dividing, and interleaving steps are controlled by emulating decoding of the bit stream by a hypothetical system target decoder.

Abstract: An apparatus for retracting an organ to gain access to treat a tissue. The apparatus has a main envelope, a second envelope, a first inflation device and a second inflation device. The main envelope encloses a main chamber, and includes a window and a removable window. The second envelope covers substantially all the main envelope, except the window and the removable window. The second envelope and the main envelope enclose a second chamber outside the main chamber. The first inflation device passes a fluid into the main chamber to expand the main chamber and the second chamber from a compacted state to retract the organ. The second inflation device passes a fluid into the second chamber to further expand the second chamber to maintain the organ in its retracted state after fluid has been released from the main chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for compressing a digital input signal compresses a digital input signal arranged into frames of plural samples. The digital input signal is orthogonally transformed by plural orthogonal transform circuits in blocks derived by dividing the frames by a different divisor in each circuit. The resulting spectral coefficients are quantized using an adaptive number of bits. The output of one orthogonal transform circuit is selected based on the outputs of the orthogonal transform circuits. The digital input signal is divided into plural frequency ranges, and frames are formed in each range. A block length decision circuit determines division of the frames of each range signal into blocks in response to range signal dynamics. The range signals are orthogonally transformed in blocks and the spectral coefficients are quantized. The apparatus also includes a frequency analyzing circuit that derives spectral data points from the input data, and groups them in plural bands.

Abstract: A seal for use in a surgical instrument to provide a gas-tight seal with an instrument passed through the seal. The seal can form a gas-tight seal with an instrument having a diameter within a wide range of diameters. The seal comprises a seal body, an instrument seal, and a laterally-compliant seal mounting. The seal body includes a bore through which the instrument is passed. The instrument seal is made of an elastic material. The instrument seal extends radially outwards from an instrument port formed in the instrument seal through which the instrument is passed. The instrument port is substantially perpendicular to the axis. The instrument seal also extends axially from the instrument port in the direction opposite to that in which the instrument is passed through the instrument port.

Abstract: A seal for use in a surgical instrument to provide a gas-tight seal with an instrument passed through the seal. The seal can form a gas-tight seal with an instrument having a diameter within a wide range of diameters. The seal comprises a seal body, an instrument seal, and a laterally-compliant seal mounting device. The seal body includes a bore through which the instrument is passed. The instrument seal is made of an elastic material and is disposed substantially perpendicular to the axis defined by the bore in the seal body. The instrument seal includes an instrument port through which the instrument is passed. The laterally-compliant seal mounting device mounts the instrument seal to the seal body, forms a gas-tight seal between the instrument seal and the seal body, and allows the instrument seal to move freely laterally in response to lateral movement of the instrument.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus which can perform error correction decoding processing which allows data at a linking portion of linking recording to be regenerated as much as possible to restrict the invalid data area at the linking portion to a necessary minimum magnitude is disclosed. The production apparatus reproduces a recording medium on which data coded in two or more different series by error correction coding are linking-recorded such that they are recorded at continuous positions at discontinuous points of time and comprises linking position detection means for detecting a linking portion of linking-recording, wrong correction detection means for detecting wrong correction based on the error correction code, and means for rendering the wrong correction detection means inoperative at the linking portion detected by the linking position detection means.

Abstract: Compressed digital data obtained by compressing digital input data by, for example, a compression ratio of four, which reduces the amount of data to one fourth of the original amount, is recorded on a magneto-optical disk or other recording medium. The block of compressed data resulting from compressing one block of the input data is recorded on the disc in a time in a fraction (one fourth in the example) of the real time duration of the input data. In the remaining time, the block of recorded data is read out from the disc in the next fraction of the real time duration of the block of input data. The read out block of compressed data is compared with the block of compressed data, and, when the read out block of compressed data does not match the block of compressed data, the same block of compressed data is again recorded in the same place on the disk in the next fraction of the real time duration of the block of input data.