Abstract: The present invention is an introducer sheath that is improved by having an adhesive pad located near the sheath's proximal end that detachably attaches the introducer sheath to the patient's skin without requiring any additional parts that come from a separate sterile package such as a needle and a suture or a separate adhesive pad. The present invention also teaches a means to rotatingly connect the adhesive pad to the sheath's hemostasis valve so that the proximal portion of the hemostasis valve is free to rotate about the adhesive pad even after the adhesive pad is firmly attached to the patient's skin. This design allows the operator to position the side tube that is connected to the hemostasis valve at an optimum location relative to the patient's skin.

Abstract: A method and device for generating an adaptive image tone scale curve and an image processing system including the device are provided. The method may include determining an abscissa and an ordinate of a reference control point and a reference slope of a curve passing the reference control point according to an image of different tissue sites and/or different orientations depending upon one or more practical requirements; calculating an average value of pixels in an area of interest in the image and using the average value as a current image feature value; constructing an S-shaped reference tone scale curve equation by using the coordinates of the reference control point and the reference slope; and substituting coordinates of a new control point and a slope of a curve passing the new control point into the S-shaped reference tone scale curve equation to calculate parameters therein, so as to obtain the adaptive image tone scale curve.

Abstract: A portable communication device and method of use is provided. In one embodiment, the method of using a handheld mobile telephone includes capturing a plurality of images via an image input device; storing the plurality of images in a memory, receiving a first speech input, identifying command information in said first speech input; retrieving information from memory based, at least in part, on the command information. The method may further include generating a request related to an article of commerce that includes, at least in part, the information retrieved from memory, determining a destination for transmitting the request, and wirelessly transmitting said request through a mobile telephone network to the destination.

Abstract: Systems and methods for atomic layer deposition (ALD) on a flexible substrate involve guiding the substrate back and forth between spaced-apart first and second precursor zones and through a third precursor zone interposed between the first and second precursor zones, so that the substrate transits through each of the precursor zones multiple times. Systems may include a series of turning guides spaced apart along the first and second precursor zones for supporting the substrate along an undulating transport path. As the substrate traverses back and forth between the first and second precursor zones and through the third precursor zone, it passes through a first series of flow-restricting passageways of a first isolation region interposed between the first and third precursor zones and a second series of flow-restricting passageways of a second isolation region interposed between the second and third precursor zones.

Abstract: A camera mounting system with a ball swivel mechanism that joins a camera mounting plate to a bracket arm. The bracket arm is joined to a grip plate that can be secured to an object, such as a tree. The bracket arm is optionally joined to a monopod that can be secured to the ground. The camera mounting plates are configured to secure to multiple types of game-security cameras.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for coordinating storage requests in a multi-processor/multi-thread environment. An append/invalidate module generates a first append data storage command from a first storage request and a second append data storage command from a second storage request. The storage requests overwrite existing data with first and second data including where the first and second data have at least a portion of overlapping data. The second storage request is received after the first storage request. The append/invalidate module updates an index by marking data being overwritten as invalid. A restructure module updates the index based on the first data and updates the index based on the second data. The updated index is organized to indicate that the second data is more current than the first data regardless of processing order. The modules prevent access to the index until the modules have completed updating the index.

Abstract: In some arrangements, a pump for moving a fluid has one or more pump chambers and one or more flow control valves with diaphragm actuation regions. Motive fluid can activate the diaphragm actuation regions, and a pattern of fluid flow can be controlled by varying the pressure levels of the motive fluid.

Abstract: An input module obtains a media signal to be communicated to a destination system, after which an identification module identifies a plurality of segments within the media signal. A codec includes a selection module that automatically selects different compression methods to respectively compress at least two of the segments. The compression methods are automatically selected to produce a highest compression quality for the respective segments according to a set of criteria without exceeding a target data rate. A compression module within the codec then compresses the segments using the automatically-selected compression methods, after which an output module delivers the compressed segments to the destination system with an indication of which compression method was used to compress each segment.

Abstract: Laser output including at least one laser pulse having a wavelength greater than 1.1 ?m and shorter than 5 ?m (preferably at about 1.1 ?m) and having a pulsewidth shorter than 100 ps (preferably shorter than 10 ps) permits low-k dielectric material, such as SRO or SiCOH, to be removed without damaging the substrate. An oscillator module in cooperation with an amplification module are used to generate the laser output.

Abstract: A laser processing system quickly and flexibly modifies a processing beam to determine and implement an improved or optimum beam profile for a particular application (or a subset of the application). The system reduces the sensitivity of beam shaping subsystems to variations in the laser processing system, including those due to manufacturing tolerances, thermal drift, variations in component performance, and other sources of system variation. Certain embodiments also manipulate lower quality laser beams (higher M2 values) to provide acceptable shaped beam profiles.

Abstract: Inflatable airbag cushions are filled with inflation gas by inflators. The inflators can be coupled in fluid communication with the airbag and are typically mounted within a vehicle structure by a coupling and closing member. The coupling and closing member can be an elongated piece of a flexible material that wraps around an inflator attachment feature on the airbag. The coupling and closing member can also have structures for fixedly attaching the member to a vehicle structure.

Abstract: A system for removing water from sludge is disclosed. The system (100) includes: de-watering (102) sludge comprising an output from a wastewater treatment system to form a semi-solid sludge cake; dispensing (104) the sludge in a sludge hopper and dispensing a blending material in a recipient blending material hopper; depositing (106) the sludge and the blending material in a mixing device; mixing (108) the sludge and the blending material having a porous structure in a weight ratio of the sludge to the blending material of about from 2:1 to about 10:1; and compressing (110) the sludge and the blending material to release moisture. The system (100) provides an improved method of de-watering sludge, for more efficient processing, transporting and recycling, depending on the application.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for monitoring and controlling flows in medical equipment including an anesthetic machine and a ventilator for influencing a patient's respiratory system are disclosed. The apparatus includes a microprocessor and an airway system including drive gas conduits provided with an inhalation valve (2) and an exhalation valve (5) for gas discharging as well as a ventilator end flow sensor (3) for measuring the introduced or discharged drive gas flow through the valves. The airway system also includes patient end breathing tubing in which a patient end flow sensor (11) for measuring the patient's inspired and expired gas flow is provided. By comparing the measured values of the two flow sensors against the characteristic curve of the inhalation valve (2), the microprocessor can judge the operation states and accuracy of the respective flow sensors and the inhalation valve (2).

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for using object recognition/verification and weight information to confirm the accuracy of a UPC scan, or to provide an affirmative recognition where no UPC scan was made.

Abstract: Systems for recycling waste plastic can include cartridges that are selectively sealable. Some cartridges can have elongated receptacles that improve heat transfer to plastic feedstock within the cartridges.

Abstract: A system for determining the magnitude of force applied to an oar by a rower as the oar is pulled through water includes a deflection sensor and a temperature sensor mounted on an oar shaft to determine deflection and temperature of a portion of the oar shaft during rowing. A processor connected to the deflection sensor and the temperature sensor receives signals indicative of deflection and temperature of the oar shaft and derives a force applied to an oar blade based on the deflection and temperature signals.

Abstract: Vents in inflatable airbags can be used to soften airbags during deployment by allowing inflation gas to exit from the interior of the airbag. Airbag vents can be used in conjunction with vents in an airbag housing and a vent panel that can align with airbag vent with the housing vent and cover the aperture of the housing vent.

Abstract: An inflatable airbag cushion assembly with a release device, at least one vehicle sensor, at least one vent strap, and at lest one dynamic vent. The vent strap, release device, and dynamic vent operate together such that the vent can adopt at least two configurations, with one of the configurations venting less inflation gas than the other.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for displaying a strip chart on an electronic display. A furthest extremum value of the measured quantity is recorded over a period of time and a plurality of values of the measured quantity are displayed on the strip chart. The furthest extremum value is used to automatically rescale the strip chart, providing for at least one bound of the zoomed range. In response to receiving a selection of a zoom factor defining a degree of magnification of the strip chart, the strip chart is automatically scaled to a degree of magnification commensurate with the zoom factor and the strip chart may be automatically scaled such that the strip chart is bounded on one side by one of a furthest extremum maximum or minimum value and the other one of the furthest extremum maximum or minimum value is not displayed on the strip chart.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) provides harmonic blocking and harmonic restraint differential protection operating in parallel. The IED includes a harmonically-blocked differential element supervised by one or more even harmonics of a raw operating current (a current comprising the fundamental operating current and the harmonics thereof). The IED also includes a parallel, harmonically-restrained differential element, which is restrained by harmonics of the raw operating current. Tripping signals output by the parallel harmonically-blocked differential element and the harmonically-restrained differential element may be selectively combined into a single tripping signal output. An additional harmonic blocking element may supervise both differential elements and/or the combined tripping signal. The additional harmonic blocking element may provide odd-harmonic blocking, such as harmonic blocking based on a fifth harmonic of the raw operating current.