Abstract: A system for transmitting messages comprises stations (S) having an operating system (4), a “network” stage (3) for processing and generating messages in a first format, a communication card (1) for exchanging messages in a second format with a network, a “driver” stage (2) for putting the messages received from the card (1) or the network stage (3) in the first format or second format and transmitting them to the network stage (3) or to said card (1). The stations further comprise a management stage (5) coupled to the operating system (4) and adapted to intercept messages in the first format which are to be exchanged by the network stage and the driver stage so as to analyse the information which they contain and decide to continue their transmission, subject to any required processing, and/or adapted to generate messages in the second format, intended for the stations of the network, when a chosen condition is met.

Abstract: Connected relay stations of a network each include a network number, a clock (4) defining a local reference time, a module (3) for transmitting/receiving messages on a frequency varying according to a selected time-division scheme defined relative to the local reference time, and a control module (5) for the messages. The control module of a synchronising relay station (SH) forms synchronisation messages including its network number, a common frequency, its time-division evolution scheme and a common reference time, for the transmission thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of measuring the error rate of an optical transmission system transmitting a signal, said method comprising the following operations:

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for enhancing surgical planning provide enhanced planning of entry port placement and/or robot position for laparoscopic, robotic, and other minimally invasive surgery. Various embodiments may be used in robotic surgery systems to identify advantageous entry ports for multiple robotic surgical tools into a patient to access a surgical site. Generally, data such as imaging data is processed and used to create a model of a surgical site, which can then be used to select advantageous entry port sites for two or more surgical tools based on multiple criteria. Advantageous robot positioning may also be determined, based on the entry port locations and other factors. Validation and simulation may then be provided to ensure feasibility of the selected port placements and/or robot positions. Such methods, apparatus, and systems may also be used in non-surgical contexts, such as for robotic port placement in munitions diffusion or hazardous waste handling.

Abstract: An electronic data processing device receives first and second data sets representing first and second comparable digital images. It comprises registration means comprising a first module which calculates a main function representative of the correlation ratios between the data of the first and second sets, and a second module which determines a registration transformation between one of the images and the other from the main function.

Abstract: The invention relates to the simulation of the deformation of materials, notably of soft body tissues. An apparatus comprises a memory zone (MEM, NT) storing data as to the position of an object, recorded at the vertices of a grid pattern, and data for force to be exerted on the object. A computer (&mgr;P, MT) evaluates new positions of the vertices, as a function of a force exerted globally and mechanical parameters of the material. According to the invention, this computer comprises a module for calculating, for each mesh, a deviation between the current length of an edge and its previous length, and the force data at each vertex of the mesh. Another module calculates, for each vertex, new positional data relating to this vertex as a function of the forces exerted thereon and its previous position.

Abstract: A connection device connects a radio network and a cabled network communicating respectively by way of messages encapsulated according to radio and cable protocols, and includes a storage module containing a routing table, and a processing module for managing exchanges of data as a function of the routing table. The processing module includes a management module capable on the one hand of disencapsulating a message received from the radio network, in order to extract routing information therefrom and then to compare this information with the routing table in order to choose at least one re-sending network for the message, and on the other hand of re-encapsulating the message in the radio network format or according to a mixed radio format, having radio and cable capsules, depending on whether the re-sending network chosen is the radio network or the cabled network, with a view to re-sending it in the chosen re-sending network segment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for transforming and routing data between agent servers present in some machines and a central agent server present in another machine. The agent server comprises autonomous agents (5) that communicate via notifications, a storage layer and an agent machine comprising an execution engine, a communication channel and two message queues for the notifications, a local queue (mqIn) and an external queue (mqOut). The execution engine takes a notification in the local queue, determines and loads the corresponding agent for each notification, has the agent react to the notification, which agent can then change its status and/or send notifications to the communication channel (2), which stores them in the local queue if they are addressed to a local agent and in the external queue if they are addressed to an agent of another server.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of binary image processing operations, such as thinning or thickening of 2D or 3D images with pixels or with voxels, respectively. The device according to the invention has processing means which rely on the logic of binary decision diagrams, of reduced order and with inverting branch instructions, in particular for determining whether or not a current element is a simple point. The binary decision diagram then defines a set of comparisons of bits of the elements of a chosen neighbourhood of the current element, which ends up at a terminal node “1” or a terminal node “0”, defining a particular property of the current element.

Abstract: A device includes a registration module that determines a registration transformation between a first set of data of a first image and a second set of data of a second image. A sampling module re-samples the first set of data into a third set of data able to be superposed directly, sample by sample, on the second set of data. A processing module determines, starting from the second and third set of data, a set of difference data representing differences between superposable areas of the images constituted by the second and third sets of data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for converting the representation of a video image between two coding systems with the aid of two respective sets of parameters, in which each set of parameters is deduced from the other by means of a matrix transformation. For each parameter of the set to be converted from the first coding system to the second coding system, a breakdown (11A, 11B, 11C; 12A, 12B, 12C) is selected in the parameters of the second coding system representing the value of the parameter in the matrix transformation. The breakdowns of each of the parameters to be converted are added and may then be shifted and reorganized. Each of the parameters of the two coding systems have ranges of authorized values. In the conversion process, the values of the parameters to be converted and/or the values of the converted parameters that are outside the corresponding ranges of values are clipped.

Abstract: An electronic processing device receives sets of image data representing respectively sequential three-dimensional digital images of the same region. This device comprises means capable of defining a three-dimensional shape of interest on the basis of at least one of the sets of image data, and of extracting from each set image data representing characteristic points of the shape of interest, processing means for establishing on the basis of the image data of the contours a spatial-temporal planispheric transformation making it possible to pass from characteristic points extracted from one image to the characteristic points extracted from another image of the sequence, and means for displaying selected motion data derived from the parameters of the transformation.

Abstract: A cache memory device including an input/output (ESRQ) for receiving a request (REQ) having a main address (AP) and optional data (D); an input/output (ESMP) to an addressable main memory (MP) or another addressable cache memory; a plurality of X memory banks (BCi) wherein i is lower than X and higher than 0, each having a number Li of lines for containing data, the lines being individually designated by a local address (AL) in each bank; an arrangement for answering a request (REQ) by connecting the main address (AP) in the request to a local address (AL) in the bank (BCi) in accordance with a predetermined la (fi) for each bank (BCi), whereby the line thus designated in the bank (BCi) is the only line to contain the datum referred to by the main address; and an arrangement (CHA) for loading the cache memory according to the received requests.

Abstract: A device receives at one input (2) data of a file to be processed, and includes a processing module (5) which at the start of receiving the file, react by three operative stages. These stages include first stage of inserting data blocks from the file into a source memory (MS), after transformation, a second continuous stage of processing each data block of the file, transformed and inserted into the source memory (MS), and a third stage of generating a signature from the transformed, inserted and processed blocks.

Abstract: A data transmission installation includes at least two data processing tenals(Pa,Pb), each equipped with a network interface(Ia,Ib) fro transmitting messages on request, and collecting received messages, a transmission/reception management device(ARC) giving instructions confirming transmission or reception, a test unit for defining a recognized collision, and a unit for resolving collisions, following a recognized collision condition. Each of the data processing terminals includes a multi-directional radio transmission/reception device controlled in accordance with the confirming instructions fro the transmission of messages to be exchanged. In response at least to the start of an instruction confirming transmission, the radio transmission/reception device operates in rapidly alternating transmission/reception, according to a pattern chosen in order to be peculiar to the data processing terminal.

Abstract: A method for information exchange in the customer/server mode between stations connected by a communication network is described. An emulated server (SEM) is provided at at least certain stations. The emulated server is appropriate for dialog according to a communication protocol to process requests for consulting resource files at a coupler between a station and the network. An interception mechanism (INT) is used to intercept the requests for consulting the resource files by redirecting them to the local emulated server. The emulated server is used either as a cache memory to reduce traffic or as a switch to mitigate and remedy a breakdown of the server.

Abstract: A data transmission installation includes at least two data processing terminals (Pa, Pb), each equipped with a network interface (Ia, Ib) for transmitting messages on request, and collecting received messages, a transmission/reception management device (ARC) giving instructions confirming transmission or reception, a test unit for defining a recognized collision, and a unit for resolving collisions, following a recognized collision condition. Each of the data processing terminals includes a multi-directional radio transmission/reception device controlled in accordance with the confirming instructions for the transmission of messages to be exchanged. In response at least to the start of an instruction confirming transmission, the radio transmission/reception device operates in rapidly alternating transmission/reception, according to a pattern chosen in order to be peculiar to the data processing terminal.

Abstract: A method of data transmission for a data transmission system which includes at least two data processing stations, each of the data processing stations being equipped with a network interface configured to communicate by radio over a data channel, to emit messages on request, to collect messages received, and to establish confirmative emission or reception orders, includes a first step of receiving an order confirming emission of a message in one of the data processing stations. In the next step, the station responds to the order by carrying out, over the data channel, a rapidly alternating emission/reception according to a chosen pattern peculiar to this station. The station recognizes a collision if a signal of superior strength to a first threshold strength is received during a substantial part of at least one silence of the rapidly alternating emission/reception, thus demonstrating the concomitant emission of another station. The collision is processed if so recognized.

Abstract: A data processing station wherein a network interface monitors the transmission channel and generates event signals, e.g. “transmission start” “collision detected” and “channel back to vacant condition”. If a collision occurs in local transmission, transmission is maintained with a collision indication for at least one period before being cut off. An observation register receives the event signals and responds by generating a channel observation signal which may be “transmission OK” “collision slot” and “vacant slot”. When transmission of a fresh data packet is requested, a first transmission may or may not be attempted (normal mode) depending on the condition of the observation register.