Abstract: A graft fixation system for fixing graft material in a bone tunnel includes an expandable fixation member having a graft receiving eyelet disposed proximate its distal end, opposed bone engaging elements disposed about its periphery, and an expansion plug receiving opening defined in its proximal end. The system also includes an expansion plug having a diameter greater than the diameter of the expansion plug receiving opening so that forceable insertion of the expansion plug into the expansion plug receiving opening causes an expansion of the expandable fixation member driving the opposed bone engaging elements apart so as to fix the bone engaging elements, as well as the graft material, in a bone tunnel.

Abstract: A surgical knot pusher device allows a prepared knot to be pushed down a length of suture without deforming or collapsing the knot. The surgical knot pusher device includes a handle portion and an elongate body extending from the handle portion. The elongate body has a curved tip that is tapered and has a groove along a length of the tip. The tip also includes a central channel extending from the groove to a distal end of the tip.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for facilitating hot upgrades of software components within a telecommunications network device through the use of “signatures” generated by a signature generating program. After installation of a new software release within the network device, only those software components whose signatures do not match the signatures of corresponding and currently executing software components are upgraded. Signatures promote hot upgrades by identifying only those software components that need to be upgraded. Since signatures are automatically generated for each software component as part of putting together a new release a quick comparison of two signatures provides an accurate assurance that either the software component has changed or has not. Thus, signatures provide a quick, easy way to accurately determine the upgrade status of each software component.

Abstract: A perfusion catheter system that allows selective temporary perfusion of small vascular or other anatomic structures arising from a host structure atraumatically. The perfusion device has an elongate body having an afferent end portion for receiving perfusion fluid, an efferent end portion for delivering the perfusion fluid to the branch vessel, and a lumen extending between the afferent and efferent end portions for the passage of fluid. The perfusion fluid is delivered through a hub assembly which provides a secure temporary water-tight seal between the perfusion catheter and the host structure without damage to the tissue, thereby enabling a safe and effective interface with small branch vessels during host artery clamping.

Abstract: The present invention provides a central switch fabric timing subsystem and distributed switch fabric timing subsystems. Distributed switch fabric subsystems reduce the cost of a minimally configured network device by providing a network device with a distributed switch fabric. Such a network device locates a portion of the switch fabric functionality on each forwarding card allowing the minimal network device configuration to include less than the entire switch fabric functionality. The cost of the minimal configuration is, therefore, reduced allowing network service providers to more quickly recover the initial cost of the network device. As new services are requested, additional functionality, including both forwarding cards and universal port cards may be added to the network device to handle the new requests, and the fees for the new services may be applied to the cost of the additional functionality.

Abstract: A waveguide system for passing microwave energy while blocking foreign particles from a moving gas passing through the system is provided. The system includes first and second waveguide sections and a low loss microwave window disposed between the waveguide sections to allow microwave energy to pass from the first waveguide section through the window to the second waveguide section. The system also includes a gas bypass filtration system having a first port in communication with the first waveguide section, a filter element in communication with the first port, and a second port in communication with the filter element and with the second waveguide section. The system of the invention having these features blocks, by means of the window, a gas flowing through the first waveguide section and forces that gas to flow through the gas bypass filtration system so that it enters the second waveguide section only after passing through the filter. A system designed to include a pillbox window is also provided.

Abstract: A system for process control comprises a server digital data processor and a client digital data processor that are coupled by a network, such as the Internet or an Intranet. The server digital data processor, which is additionally coupled to a control/sensing device and any associated interface equipment (collectively, referred to as “process control apparatus”), includes a command processor that transfers information between the network and the process control apparatus. The client digital data processor includes an information client (e.g., a so-called Internet web browser) capable of requesting and receiving an applet from the server digital data processor. The information client, further, defines a hardware-independent and operating system-independent virtual machine environment within the client digital data processor.

Abstract: The invention provides improved methods and apparatus for control using field and control devices that provide a virtual machine environment and that communicate via an IP network. By way of non-limiting example, such field device can be an “intelligent” transmitter or actuator that includes a low power processor, along with a random access memory, a read-only memory, FlashRAM, and a sensor interface. The processor can execute a real-time operating system, as well as a Java virtual machine (JVM). Java byte code executes in the JVM to configure the field device to perform typical process control functions, e.g., for proportional integral derivative (PID) control and signal conditioning. Control networks can include a plurality of such field and control devices interconnected by an IP network, such as an Ethernet.

Abstract: An improved circuit board assembly includes a cover or other member disposed adjacent to the substrate and, for example, spaced therefrom so as to define a plenum. Self-aligning heat sinks (or other heat dissipative elements) are spring-mounted (or otherwise resiliently mounted) to the cover and, thereby, placed in thermal contact with one or more of the circuit components. Flow-diverting elements are provided, e.g., so that the overall impedance of the board substantially matches that of one or more of the other circuit boards in a common chassis. The circuit board cover can be adapted to provide thermal and/or electromagnetic emission control, as well as shock and vibration. A connector arrangement provides electrical, mechanical and/or other operational coupling between the circuit board and a chassis regardless of whether the board is disposed in a slot on a first (e.g., upper) side of a source of cooling air for the chassis or on a second (e.g., lower) opposite side of that source.

Abstract: A pathway-based method, apparatus and system for tracking, sensing and communicating with an object, such as a carriage or vehicle moving on a pathway. The system includes a transmitter winding along the pathway that is energized by a transmitter and one or more sensing windings in which a signal is induced. The vehicle contains a transducer that creates a position-indicating coupling of the transmitted signal into the sensing windings. The transducer may be a passive ferromagnetic or conductive body that locally alters coupling between the windings, or a tuned coil carried on the vehicle that couples energy received from the transmitter into a sensing winding. Absolute position may be established at regular intervals using a discrete position sensor, such as a Hall Effect magnetic field sensor, and, the signal derived from the sensing windings can be monitored, by counting cycles or determining phase, to determine a precise vehicle position.

Abstract: A control system has a first module that includes a memory and diagnostic logic. The diagnostic logic periodically tests at least selected locations in the memory and, in connection with such testing, reads data from those locations and writes that data back to the locations. A second module is coupled to the first module such that the written back data is transferred to the second module, as well as to the memory of the first. Mapping or other conversion logic can translate addresses or other data identifiers, as necessary, to insure that the transferred data is properly identified upon its receipt by the second module.

Abstract: The invention provides improved methods and systems for rapidly performing a median filter calculation for a value at a predetermined position in a matrix of values representing a neighborhood about the predetermined position. The method includes ordering the values in each column of the matrix to create an ordered matrix having rows; determining a maximum value for a row of the ordered matrix having the lowest values; determining a median value for a row of the ordered matrix having middle values; and determining a minimum value for a row of the ordered matrix having the highest values. Based on these determinations, the median filter value for the neighborhood can be calculated as a second median value of the maximum value for a row of the ordered matrix having the lowest values, median value for a row of the ordered matrix having middle values, and minimum value for a row of the ordered matrix having the highest values. The calculated median filter value can then be output as necessary.

Abstract: The invention provides improved apparatus for configuring process, environmental, industrial and other control systems. Such apparatus employs “appearance” objects (or other data and/or programming constructs) defining the appearance of configurable system components in graphical editors or other views in which the components may be depicted. “Placeholder” objects (or other constructs) persist the location, size, color, or other aspects of appearance defined by an appearance object for a configurable component in views in which it is actually depicted. By way of example, a process control configuration apparatus according to this aspect of the invention uses “configurable” objects to define blocks, loops and other components of a process control system. Appearance objects provide (or reference) icons or representations indicating how the configurable objects are to be depicted, e.g., in a configuration editor.

Abstract: A riser card, such as a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) card, attaches to a circuit board such as a mother board in a transverse orientation and has a first connector and a second connector attached to opposing sides of the card for receiving expansion cards. In one embodiment, the first connector is offset from the second connector with respect to an axis in the plane of the riser card. In another embodiment, the first and second connectors each have a first and last pin, and the first pin of the first card is opposite the first pin of the second connector. The riser card may mount one expansion board right side up, and the second board upside down. The first and second connectors can be female connectors which are each matable with a male connector on the corresponding expansion board, or can be card edge connectors. The expansion boards, when mated with the connectors, are substantially parallel to, but offset from the circuit board.

Abstract: A digital data processing device, e.g., a web server, having a power supply and at least one component such as a motherboard or a disk drive powered by the power supply and interconnected therewith by a power transfer element which is separate from the power supply and the component. The power transfer element is adapted to physically mate with the power supply and the powered component and to provide electrical coupling between them along a non-obstructing path of defined geometry. It includes a substantially rigid card, e.g. a circuit card, with at least one conductive pathway, and further aspects of the invention provide mechanisms for coupling the power transfer element to the supply and to the other component while orienting the card within the chassis. The power transfer card may carry an edge connector into which the edge of a power supply card fits, or vice-versa, so power enters conductors on the card at a proximal edge or end of the card.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved storage area network (SAN) of the type that has a host or other digital data processor whose ports are coupled to peripheral devices that include fiber channel or other SAN-class storage devices. Processes executing on the host (or other digital data processor) generate requests for access to those peripheral devices. A persistent store identifies ports coupled to SAN-class storage devices. This store can be loaded, for example, by a process that executes on the host in user mode. A filter executes on the host in kernel mode to block access to selected ones of those SAN-class storage devices.

Abstract: The invention provides improved digital data processing systems with distributed object management for use, e.g., in process control. These systems are of the type having servers and, more particularly, object request brokers (ORB's) that route requests generated by one or more clients to implementation objects maintained by a server application. Routing is based on a binding table (or other such store) that identifies dispatching procedures, or “skeletons,” that invoke requested services on implementation objects specified in the requests. Such systems may be CORBA-compatible, though the improvements provided by o the invention are applicable to distributed object management systems having other architectures, as well. The improvements are characterized by the utilization of a single entry in the binding table (or other such store) to route requests to a plurality of different implementation objects, e.g., representing process control blocks and parameters, maintained by the server.

Abstract: A method for preserving biological material includes the steps of placing the biological material in thermal contact with a cryogenically coolable environment, applying radiant energy to the biological material to maintain the temperature of the biological material at physiological temperatures, cooling the surrounding environment to a temperature below the glass phase transition temperature of the biological material, and rapidly stopping the application of radiant energy to the biological material. The method produces cooling rates so rapid that the biological material is vitrified without an opportunity for ice crystals to form.

Abstract: The invention provides a digital data processing system with improved access to information stored on a peripheral device. The system has a plurality of nodes, a peripheral device, a file system and a bypass mechanism. A first node (e.g., a client node) is connected to a second node (e.g., a server node) over a first communications pataway (e.g., a network). The second node is itself connected to a peripheral device (e.g., a disk drive) over a second communications pathway. The first node, too, is connected to the peripheral device over a third communications pathway. The file system, executing on the first and second nodes, is capable of responding to access requests generated by the first node for transferring data between that node and the peripheral device, via the second node and via the first and second communications pathways. The file system also maintains administrative information pertaining to storage on the peripheral device of data designated by such requests.

Abstract: To produce a layer in a multi-layer circuit structure, a "green ceramic tape" (16) comprising a sheet of particles of ceramic, glass ceramic, or a glass/ceramic composite in an organic binder is applied to a ceramic substrate (12) on which conductive paths (14) have been deposited. A slurry of hollow microspheres (20) is then deposited onto the green ceramic tape (16), and pressure is applied to drive the spheres into the tape. A further tape layer (22) is then applied, and the resultant structure is fired.