Abstract: A scalable messaging system for data transmission between the network devices, such as set top boxes, and a central system server, such as a server which maintains a database of event logs for the network. Individual routers at the data center broadcast an announcement packet indicating that they are available to accept messages from the network devices. The announcement message contains at least an identification of the router and the manner in which messages may be sent to it, e.g., one or more connection socket numbers and/or network addresses. The frequency at which availability messages are sent by the routers is preferably dependent upon the relatively loading of the individual router. Thus, the more heavily loaded a particular router becomes, the less often it will broadcast an availability message; the more lightly loaded it becomes, the more often such messages are broadcast.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for making such apparatus for providing controlled and directional stimulation patterns for tissue stimulation. The apparatus may be useful in stimulation nervous tissue in the brain, about the spinal cord, on nerve roots, about peripheral nerves, and in muscles, among others. The apparatus includes a implantable pulse generator connected to a lead. The lead has electrodes placed about a perimeter. In addition, the lead may include electrodes placed longitudinally along the axis of the lead. By applying charge differences between circumferentially distributed electrodes, a smaller stimulation field may be established. In addition, by stimulating between electrodes distributed longitudinally on the same side, a directional flow field may be established. Such leads are especially useful in deep brain stimulation as the region in which a stimulation field is strong enough to produce tissue stimulation is directional and minimized.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device includes a mirror having a top surface with trenches, a beam connected to the mirror, rotational comb teeth connected to the beam, and one or more springs connecting the beam to a bonding pad. The mirror can have a bottom surface for reflecting light. The mirror can include a top flange and a bottom flange joined by a web, wherein the top and the bottom flanges form the top and the bottom surfaces, respectively. The rotational comb teeth can have a tapered shape. Stationary comb teeth can be interdigitated with the rotational comb teeth either in-plane or out-of-plane. Steady or oscillating voltage difference between the rotational and the stationary comb teeth can be used to oscillate or tune the mirror.

Abstract: The mechanical signaling device is used for indicating when contaminates are present in water in a manhole so that the contaminated can be cleaned out of the manhole before the contaminates are released into the environment. The mechanical signaling device has a flag which moves up to a visible warning position when triggered by contaminates entering a float in the manhole which will then weigh the float down which pulls on a cable attached to a trigger which releases a spring loaded flag to pop up into view. The flag is easily reset by pushing it back down against the force of the spring until it is reset for release by the triggering mechanism. The mechanical signaling mechanism is housed in a pipe and has a protective cover preventing snow from resting on the top cover, further a top cover seals pipe when the flag is down.

Abstract: An interconnect architecture for connecting a plurality of closely-spaced electrical elements on a first integrated circuit fabricated structure with operative circuits on a second integrated circuit fabricated structure. In one embodiment, the first integrated circuit fabricated structure comprises a plurality of photo sensors. Conductive interconnect elements on the first integrated circuit fabricated structure provide electrical connection between individual photo sensors and the operative circuitry on the second integrated circuit fabricated structure.

Abstract: A low or no pollution engine is provided for delivering power for vehicles or other power applications. The engine has an air inlet which collects air from a surrounding environment. At least a portion of the nitrogen in the air is removed. The remaining gas is primarily oxygen, which is then routed to a gas generator. The gas generator has inputs for the oxygen and a hydrocarbon fuel. The fuel and oxygen are combusted within the gas generator, forming water and carbon dioxide. The combustion products are then expanded through a power generating device, such as a turbine or piston expander to deliver output power for operation of a vehicle or other power uses. The combustion products are then passed through a condenser where the steam is condensed and the carbon dioxide is collected or discharged. A portion of the water is routed back to the gas generator. The carbon dioxide is compressed and delivered to a terrestrial formation from which return of the CO2 into the atmosphere is inhibited.

Abstract: A system is provided for distributing pesticide into the interior walls of a building includes an injection port in a wall of a building, connected to a manifold to which a large number of flexible tubing members, having discharge openings spaced along the length of the tubing members, are attached. The system may include a wheeled vehicle with separate vessels containing pesticide and inert gas under pressure connected to an injection gun. A flow meter is electrically connected to a data processor which records and prints information with respect to the amount of pesticide distributed into the wall. In a preferred embodiment, a device which emits an audible signal is attached at downstream portions of the tubing members to enable service personnel inside the building to confirm that fluid is indeed passing through each of the tubing members.

Abstract: Recording resources are selectively dedicated for recording data exchanged between entities attached to a network including at least one agent in an enterprise, a user, and a server connected to the agent and the user. At least one interconnection point is selected among interconnection points in the network including one or more points between the user and the server, between the server and a data distributor connected to the user and the agent, and between the agent and the server for recording the exchanged data. Recording resources are dedicated to the selected interconnection point for recording the exchanged data based on an objective for recording the data.

Abstract: A apparatus and apparatus for compensating for video insertion loss due to transmission over long twisted pair cable lines is presented. Transmission of video over twisted pair cable is advantageous because of its superior cost advantage over coaxial cable. However, twisted pair cables have significant loss characteristics at the higher frequencies (i.e., broadband) compared to coaxial cables. At a transmitter station, the video signal is amplified in the high frequency region for possible skin effect losses thereby brute forcing the high frequency components to the receiving station. At the receiver station, the video signal is further compensated for diffusion line and skin effect losses. The total skin effect compensation applied in both the transmitter and receiver stations is such that the square root of frequency characteristics of skin effect losses is compensated for.

Abstract: A method and system for verifying integrated circuit designs through partitioning. In an embodiment, a design is partitioned, then each partition is verified. In one embodiment, the design is partitioned at the granularity of modules. In another embodiment, the design is partitioned at the granularity of instances. In a third embodiment, instances are grouped together, subject to a weight threshold, so as to form possibly overlapping partitions of instances that are contiguous in the design hierarchy, with the purpose of avoiding, to the extent possible, false negatives. In a further embodiment, the design is partitioned to avoid redundant partitions. In an embodiment, model checking is applied to one or more local properties in each partition. In another embodiment, simulation is used to verify each partition.

Abstract: A dosage for electrotherapy delivered to a patient, such as a defibrillation pulse delivered by an external defibrillator, is selected based on an age-related classification, such as adult or child, and a measured electrical parameter, such as the transthoracic impedance, of the patient. For example, a nominal voltage level for an energy storage circuit may be determined based on a nominal dosage. The nominal voltage level may be adjusted by applying a function that relates voltage level adjustment to impedance to the measured impedance. The function may be selected based on the age-related classification of the patient. The dosage of the defibrillation pulse delivered based on the adjusted voltage level, i.e., the selected dosage, may have a substantially equivalent probability of success for the patient as the nominal dosage would provide for a reference patient with an average transthoracic impedance for the class of which the patient is a member.

Abstract: A method for treating morbid obesity in a body of a mammal having a gastrointestinal tract extending through a stomach and a pyloric sphincter and a wall forming the stomach and pyloric sphincter. At least one implant is formed in the wall in the vicinity of the pyloric sphincter to inhibit emptying of the stomach.

Abstract: Autopilot control of an aircraft is accomplished using a servo wherein the input shaft and output shaft are collinear. In one embodiment, the output shaft is supported, in part, by the input shaft. In further embodiments an engage clutch mechanism is provided to allow decoupling of the motor from the output shaft, and a slip clutch mechanism is provided to limit the torque output of the servo to enhance the safety of operation. The collinear shaft arrangement enables the engage clutch mechanism and slip clutch mechanism to synergistically utilize components for multiple functions.

Abstract: A system for integrated computer software application development and modeling is herein described. The integrated system includes an expert system that can be supplied as a software plug-in to assist a software developer in designing and constructing software applications using uniform modeling language (UML) object modeling. In one embodiment the plug-in works with Rational Software Corporation's Rational Rose modeling product and can be used to develop software applications for use with M3 and the Weblogic family of transaction and application server products from BEA Systems, Inc, and with other third-party software systems.

Abstract: A fluid injection apparatus and method of injecting fluid are disclosed. The apparatus includes a control syringe electrically connected to a power-actuated syringe. A sensor is provided proximate the control syringe to monitor the position of the plunger therein, with a signal representative of plunger position then being communicated to a processor for calculation of a corresponding control signal. The control signal is received by an actuator of the power-actuated syringe to move the plunger of the power-actuated syringe in a manner related to movement of the control syringe. The control syringe is provided with a feedback device to provide the operator with an indication as to the pressure of the fluid being injected into a patient.

Abstract: An implantable prosthesis is provided having a radially-expandable tubular body and at least one skirt extending therefrom. The skirt terminates in a peripheral edge, wherein at least portions of the peripheral edge are free and displaceable to a greater diameter of the tubular body. Thus, with the implantable prosthesis being a stent-graft used to treat an aortic aneurysm (e.g., abdominal aortic aneurysm (“AAA”)), the skirt may be used to inhibit Type I endoleaks upon its selective displacement in response to irregular aortic shaping and/or aneurysm neck expansion. The skirt may actively inhibit Type I endoleaks by forming a physical barrier against flow between the tubular body and the aortic wall. In addition, the skirt may passively inhibit endoleak formation by sufficiently restricting blood flow to allow coagulation and clot formation, which would act as a barrier against endoleakage.

Abstract: The present disclosure introduces a simple method and apparatus for a Class-D amplification and Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) of an input signal, such as a voice signal. The proposed circuits do not require reference input signals such as triangular signals; rather, the combination of the circuits' self-oscillating device arrangements and the delay elements performs pulse width modulation at higher frequencies while producing less noise. Among other advantages, these circuits offer shorter response time, less distortion, better power supply ripple rejection, larger negative feedback, and simpler construction. The recommended Class-D amplifiers can be used with speakers and can have single-ended or differential input.

Abstract: A non-invasive near infrared spectrophotometric monitoring transducer assembly includes a housing member, which is adhered directly on a patient's skin. The housing member contains a prism coupled to a flexible and lightweight single core optical light guide, which provides a means of transferring narrow spectral bandwidth light from multiple distant laser diodes of different wavelengths by use of a multi-fiber optic light combining assembly. Different wavelengths are needed to monitor the level of blood oxygenation in the patient. The assembly also contains a planar light guide mounted on the prism located in the housing member, which light guide contacts the patient's skin when the housing member is adhered to the patient's skin. The light guide controls the spacing between the prism and the patient's skin, and therefore controls the intensity of the area on the patient's skin which is illuminated by the laser light.

Abstract: A steerable endoscope has an elongated body with a selectively steerable distal portion and an automatically controlled proximal portion. The endoscope body is inserted into a patient and the selectively steerable distal portion is used to select a desired path within the patient's body. When the endoscope body is advanced, an electronic motion controller operates the automatically controlled proximal portion to assume the selected curve of the selectively steerable distal portion. Another desired path is selected with the selectively steerable distal portion and the endoscope body is advanced again. As the endoscope body is further advanced, the selected curves propagate proximally along the endoscope body, and when the endoscope body is withdrawn proximally, the selected curves propagate distally along the endoscope body. This creates a serpentine motion in the endoscope body that allows it to negotiate tortuous curves along a desired path through, around, and between organs within the body.