Abstract: The present invention provides an absorbable coating for an implantable device and the methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a plurality of parallel spaced apart trusses comprises a center socket and first and second end sockets. The center socket is sized to receive a top edge of a first truss therein whereas the first and second end sockets are each sized to receive a bottom edge of adjacent second and third truss therein. The apparatus further comprises a first brace extending between the first end socket and the center socket and a second brace extending between the second end socket and the center socket. The base panel of the first and second end sockets define a first plane substantially parallel to the bottom edges of the plurality of trusses and the base panel of the center socket defines a second plane substantially parallel to the top edge of the plurality of trusses and second plane is angularly oriented relative to the first plane.

Abstract: This invention provides a solar photovoltaic system, comprising: a plurality of photovoltaic assemblies, for harvesting solar energy to generate DC currents; a plurality of micro-optimizers having input terminals coupled to the photovoltaic assemblies and having output terminals connected in series with each other, for optimizing output currents and/or output voltages of the photovoltaic assemblies, to generate maximum power; a manager configured to communicate with the plurality of micro-optimizers, for managing operating states of the micro-optimizers; and an inverter coupled to one or more strings of the micro-optimizers, for converting the optimized DC currents into AC currents and outputting the AC currents to a power grid. This invention further provides a method for energy harvest optimization and a method for fault detection of a solar photovoltaic system.

Abstract: A vapor management system (10) includes a sense tube (47) disposed in a fuel tank (12). A differential pressure sensor (17) has one side connected to the sense tube and another side connected to a vapor cavity so that the pressure sensor can measure a differential pressure (DP) between a volume of the vapor cavity and a volume of the sense tube containing liquid fuel. A temperature sensor (26) is in the vapor cavity. A processor 1) receives DP and T measurements at certain time intervals to determine the temperature at time zero (T0), the differential pressure at time zero (DP0), the temperature at a certain time (Tt), and the differential pressure at a certain time (DPt), and 2) when (Tt?T0) is greater than a certain value, compares DPt to a certain differential pressure value.

Abstract: Methods and systems for reduced temperature radiation sterilization of stents are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method of providing identity theft security is provided. The system and method utilizes a computer program that identifies, locates, secures, and/or removes from computers, computer systems and/or computer networks personally identifying and/or other sensitive information in different data formats. The computer program utilizes a multi-tiered escalation model of searching/identifying sensitive information. The computer program of the instant invention utilizes a self-learning process for fine-tuning a level of scrutiny for identifying potentially sensitive information.

Abstract: A write-data hash value corresponding to a block of write data is generated within a deduplicating data storage system. A block of lookup table entries is retrieved from a location in a lookup table stored within a block-based storage medium, the lookup table location being indicated by a first portion of the write-data hash value and each lookup table entry including a pointer to a respective stored data volume, a portion of a hash value that corresponds to the stored data volume, and a reference count indicating a quantity of references to the stored data volume. A second portion of the write-data hash value is compared to the portions of the hash values within the block of lookup table entries, and the reference count is incremented within one of the lookup table entries for which the portion of the hash value is determined to match the second portion of the write-data hash value.

Abstract: A method for attributing a portion of a level of electrical power consumption by a server to a virtual machine executing on the server, includes determining a level of electrical power consumption of a server. The method includes identifying a level of load placed on the server by a workload executing on the server. The method includes attributing, by a power apportionment module in communication with the server, a portion of the level of electrical power consumption of the server to the workload, based on the identified level of load. The method includes providing, by the power apportionment module, to a user, an identification of the attributed portion of the level of electrical power consumption.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for electrochemically treating the struts of an intravascular stent is disclosed. An intravascular stent is mounted in a chamber and is electrochemically treated in order to remove a portion of the stent struts in order to form an airfoil shape. The airfoil-shaped stent struts will reduce turbulent blood flow in the vasculature in which the stent is implanted thereby improving clinical outcome.

Abstract: A network device is adaptively configured to compress an output data stream, responsive to congestion in the network. The network device receives indications of network congestion from another network device. Upon receipt of a congestion indication, the network device can adapt the compression technique to attempt to achieve more or less compression, depending on whether the congestion indication indicates more or less congestion. By adapting the compression to the level of network congestion, end-to-end latency of the network can potentially be decreased.

Abstract: A navigation system uses a dead reckoning method to estimate an object's present position relative to one or more prior positions. In some embodiments, the dead reckoning method determines a change in position from the object's heading and speed during an elapsed time interval. In embodiments suitable for use with wheeled objects, the dead reckoning method determines the change in position by measuring the heading and the amount of wheel rotation. Some or all of the components of the navigation system may be disposed within a wheel, such as a wheel of a shopping cart.

Abstract: A system and method for recognizing features for location correction in Simultaneous Localization And Mapping operations, thus facilitating longer duration navigation, is provided. The system may detect features from magnetic, inertial, GPS, light sensors, and/or other sensors that can be associated with a location and recognized when revisited. Feature detection may be implemented on a generally portable tracking system, which may facilitate the use of higher sample rate data for more precise localization of features, improved tracking when network communications are unavailable, and improved ability of the tracking system to act as a smart standalone positioning system to provide rich input to higher level navigation algorithms/systems. The system may detect a transition from structured (such as indoors, in caves, etc.) to unstructured (such as outdoor) environments and from pedestrian motion to travel in a vehicle.

Abstract: It is an object of the present application to provide a radiation inspection system, such as an X-ray system, that can operate efficiently even in inclement weather conditions while being highly mobile. Thus the improved inspection system of the present application is capable of operating in high temperature and corrosive environments and is designed to withstand moisture, dirt and/or dust from the articles of inspection as well.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for remotely determining 6 degree of freedom of an object. Four or more radiating beacons are placed on an object, the beacons each simultaneously radiating a synchronized repeating code, the code being different for each beacon. A position sensor, such as a quadrant detector, receives the light signals from the beacons, and correlates the received beacon signals against the same signal sequences produced in the receiver. With orientation of the beacons on the object being known, and orientation of the quadrant detector, or receiver, being known, roll, pitch, yaw, and X, Y and Z position in a coordinate space of the object can be determined.

Abstract: A fluid heat exchanger can define a plurality of microchannels, each having a first end and an opposite end and extending substantially parallel with each other microchannel. Each microchannel can define a continuous channel flow path between its respective first end and opposite end. A fluid inlet opening for the plurality of microchannels can be positioned between the microchannel first and opposite ends, a first fluid outlet opening from the plurality of microchannels can be positioned adjacent each of the microchannel first ends, and an opposite fluid outlet opening from the plurality of microchannels can be positioned adjacent each of the microchannel opposite ends such that a flow of heat transfer fluid passing into the plurality of microchannels flows along the full length of each of the plurality of microchannels outwardly from the fluid inlet opening. Related methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods and media formats for efficiently determining a position error of a head in relation to a storage medium. In one case, a system is disclosed that includes a storage medium with a series of data. The series of data includes a first defined marker and a second defined marker located a distance from the first defined marker, and position location data. The systems further include a first detector circuit that is operable to detect the first defined marker and to establish a location of the first defined marker, and a second detector circuit that is operable to detect the second defined marker and to establish a location of the second defined marker. The systems further include an error calculation circuit and an interpolation circuit. The error calculation circuit is operable to calculate an interpolation offset based at least in part on the location of the first defined marker and the location of the second defined marker.

Abstract: A method of reducing visual artefacts in a blend zone of at least two projector images is provided. The method comprises determining a maximum intensity variance for each pixel group within a blend curve of the blend zone, the maximum intensity variance being based on a blend multiplier selected to achieve a net light intensity specific to the location of the pixel group within the blend curve. For each pixel group, a first adjusted blend multiplier is determined, wherein the blend multiplier is increased by at least a portion of the maximum intensity variance. For each pixel group, a second adjusted blend multiplier is also determined, wherein the blend multiplier is decreased by at least a portion of the maximum intensity variance. The light intensity of each pixel in each pixel group is adjusted using the first and second adjusted blend multipliers specific to each pixel group.

Abstract: An image partitioner that executes on a local computer to vertically partition pixels of an original image into one or more non-overlapping vertical rows of image pixels, and horizontally partition the original image pixels into one or more non-overlapping horizontal rows of image pixels. The image partitioner can then separate the original image into a first sub-image that includes pixels of a first horizontal row and pixels of a first vertical row. The image partitioner can then separate the original image into a second sub-image that includes pixels of either the first horizontal row and a second vertical row, or a second horizontal row and the first vertical row. The first sub-image and second sub-image are then transmitted to a remote computer that interlaces the first sub-image with the second sub-image to create a first combined image which approximates the original image on the local computer.

Abstract: Methods of sterilizing medical devices, including implantable medical devices like stents, chemically and with radiation are disclosed. Methods of preparing a sterile, packaged medical device, including a sterile, packaged implantable medical device or stent are disclosed.