Abstract: Attenuation of an optical signal at the end of an optical fiber is achieved by positioning a high absorption region at the end of the fiber. A first embodiment teaches highly doped wedges within a tapered end of the fiber. The highly doped wedges adjacent the light transmitting core serve to absorb light at the end of the fiber. The light transmitting core of the fiber is reduced in diameter due to the tapering, causing the field of light to expand beyond the core. The highly doped wedges are in proximity to the core due to the tapering. The wedges, which are preferably heavily doped with a rare earth such as erbium, absorbs the escaping light in sufficient quantities, both in the initial pass through the tapered region and again upon reflection of the light at the end of the tapered region, such that the attenuation of the reflected light is within acceptable limits without regard to the condition of the fiber's end surface.

Abstract: A laser apparatus for removing hard and soft tissue from a narrow channel has at its cutting end a configuration that causes the laser light to emerge in an annular region and not apically.

Abstract: An array of a large number of low quality light collectors measure light generated by arrays of coherent light illuminators and rebounded from a target. The resulting data is utilized to derive the resulting speckle pattern which in turn is Fourier transformed to reconstruct the target image.

Abstract: A test and alignment system for an electronic display device comprises a test pattern generator to be connected to an electronic display device for causing images of video test patterns to be displayed by the electronic display device. A test fixture is positioned in front of the electronic display device to be tested and aligned. The test fixture includes a frame supporting a plurality of close-up optical sensors to sense and produce image signals corresponding to small areas of images displayed on the electronic display device and a plurality of wide-angle optical sensors behind the close-up optical sensors for sensing and producing image signals corresponding to large areas of images displayed on the electronic display device. A computer controls the test pattern generator and processes and analyses the image signals generated by the close-up and wide-angle optical sensors to perform a series of tests on the electronic display device.

Abstract: A flexible tube occluder has a body portion and a slider portion which act to occlude a tube to prevent unwanted flow of fluid to a patient. The body portion and slider portion are engaged such that slider portion can move relative to body portion. The body portion extends the full range of slider portion's motion and thus the occluder allows for stable occluding and open positions. The slider portion has a slot of varying size which is used to occlude the tube by pressing the tube within the surface of the slot and to allow free flow of fluid through the tube.

Abstract: A multimedia projector (30) employing a color wheel (42) in a frame sequential color display system includes a light sensor (68) positioned to receive light scattered from a point in an optical path (34) after the color wheel. The light sensor detects particular colors of light propagating through red, green, and blue filter segments (R, G, and B) on the color wheel and toward a display device (50). The light sensor provides, without any adjustments, an inherently accurate timing mark signal (78) to a display controller (56) to ensure that red, green, and blue image data are properly synchronized with the respective filter segments R, G, and B. In particular, the light sensor receives polychromatic light through a yellow optical filter (74) to illuminate an optoelectric detector (70) that is responsive to visible and near IR light wavelengths.

Abstract: Improved coal tar compositions are described which are prepared from a blend comprising:(A) based on the combined weight of coal tar and coal tar pitch, from about 80 parts to about 98 parts by weight of coal tar having an overall float test of from about 50 seconds to about 220 seconds,(B) based on the combined weight of coal tar and coal tar pitch, from about 2 parts to about 20 parts by weight of coal tar pitch having a softening point of from about 140.degree. C. to about 160.degree. C., and(C) from about 1% to about 20% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of an acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer. In one embodiment up to 35 parts by weight of the coal tar (A) is replaced with a coal tar selected from coal tars having softening points of from about 52.degree. C.-60.degree. C., and from about 56.degree. C.-64.degree. C. The coal tar compositions are not emulsions, and generally will not contain any significant amount of water (e.g., less than 0.5% by weight).

Abstract: A broadcast or multicast message from a network station is forwarded only to stations in the same virtual broadcast domain (VBD) as the sending station. In some embodiments, a VBD is virtual network (VLAN) or a workgroup (a group of stations, possibly within a VLAN). A membership of a network station in a VBD is determined based on the user who logged on to the station. When the station is first powered up, it is bound to a "default" VBD. When a user logs on, the VBD(s) assigned to the user are determined, and the user's station is switched to the VBD(s). When the user logs off, the user's station is returned to the default VBD.

Abstract: A continuous electrical connector or component part of plastic or metal manufactured by injection molding of axial segments in sequence. A novel in-line interlocking structure is provided for interlocking adjacent segments. The interlocking structure comprises overmolded end units wherein the next overmolded part fills in a hole or recess left in the previous molded part. Electrical or mechanical parts may, if desired, be simultaneously incorporated in the units of each segment during the molding process.

Abstract: A data communications protocol facilitates communications between a message entry device and a messaging center. The protocol permits an operator to enter a message and transmit it quickly, efficiently, and with confirmation. In an example application to short text messaging, two-way data communications between a message entry device and a message handling center, a small set of simple transactional commands is used for communicating messages to and from cellular telephones. Both the message entry device and the message handling center may independently initiate and send messages to the other. An input message is encoded by encapsulating the message between first and second delimiters, e.g., "{" and "}", and associating a message tag with the encapsulated message. Both the message tag and the encapsulated message are in human-readable ASCII format.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for covering an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (40) includes a cover (70) having a fixed portion (80) and a tear seam (90) defining first and second movable portions (100, 110). The cover (70) is movable from a closed condition to an open condition upon inflation of an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (40). A switch assembly (130) in an electric circuit for actuating an electrically actuatable device (132) of the vehicle includes a first switch member (140) movable with the first movable cover portion (100) and a second switch member (142) movable with the second movable cover portion (110). The first cover portion (100) is manually engageable to operate the first switch member (140) to actuate the electrically actuatable device (132). The second cover portion (110) is manually engageable to operate the second switch member (142) to actuate the electrically actuatable device (132).

Abstract: A polymeric heat shrinkable tubular sheath for mounting about a balloon on a dilatation catheter by heat treating at a temperature which does not detrimentally effect the properties of the balloon to shrink the sheath onto the balloon. The tubular sheath is preferably heated to a temperature above body temperature, e.g. 40<100.degree. C., preferably less than 85.degree. C., to heat shrink the sheath onto the balloon. A presently preferred polymeric material is a copolymer of ethylene(75%) and methyl acrylate (25%). The heat shrinkable sheath has an inner lumen with minimum dimensions large enough to facilitate the advancement of the sheath over the exterior of a dilatation balloon without the need for a great deal of manual manipulation by the physician or other operator prior to heat shrinking.

Abstract: The use of devices in procedures, especially medical procedures where the events take place under view of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems is becoming more important. Although some general and specific structures have been discussed in the literature and commercialized, little has been done effectively to design devices for MRI procedures for specific tasks. The present invention describes a device for use within an organism, said device comprising an element having at least one pair of opposed RF receiver microcoils having a space between each microcoil of said pair of microcoils, the coils of said microcoils may have diameters of less than 2.4 mm.

Abstract: A method of winding stators having skewed slots and an apparatus for performing the method. The method includes the steps of positioning a stator in a stator winding machine wherein the winding machine includes a winding spindle having a wire exit aperture. Wire is fed through the wire exit radially outwardly for placement on the stator while the winding spindle is simultaneously moved in rotating and reciprocating movement to direct wire into the slots and around the ends of the teeth of the stator. The wire is fed at a predetermined rate from a feed mechanism located upstream from and mounted for movement with the winding spindle. The rate at which the wire is fed may be varied depending on the position of the winding spindle in a winding cycle and the desired position for placement of the wire within the stator.

Abstract: A three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound probe to direct ultrasound waves to and to receive reflected ultrasound waves from a target volume of a subject under examination. The ultrasound probe is swept over the target volume along a linear scanning path and the reflected ultrasound waves are conveyed to a computer wherein successive two-dimensional images of the target volume are digitized. The digitized two-dimensional images can be used to generate a three-dimensional image with virtually no delay. A user interface allows a user to manipulate the displayed image. Specifically, the entire displayed image may be rotated about an arbitrary axis, a surface of the displayed image may be translated to provide different cross-sectional views of the image and a selected surface of the displayed image may be rotated about an arbitrary axis. All of these manipulations can be achieved via a single graphical input device such as a mouse connected to the computer.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for closing a perforation in a wall of a patient's blood vessel or other organs, and a method of introducing the apparatus and causing the closure are described. The apparatus includes an elongated support member having a distal end supporting one or more tissue engaging hooks configured to engage fibrous vessel tissue when moved in a first direction and to disengage the tissue when moved in a second direction, and a proximal end for applying rotational torque to the support member to cause the hooks to engage collagen fibrous tissue in the adventitia of the blood vessel or fibrous tissue in other body organs. The hooks engaging the collagen fiber causes the blood vessel tissue surrounding the perforation to be drawn into close proximity such that the perforation can be closed. The apparatus can be removed by applying reverse rotation of the support member, whereby the hooks are disengaged.

Abstract: A conveying system includes first and second straight side supports arranged parallel to one another on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis. A plurality of roller structures is provided, each having opposite ends mounted in respective ones of the side supports. An endless web is mounted for travel along the rollers in the direction of the longitudinal axis. Each roller structure is associated with a set of mounting holes formed in the side supports, whereby each set comprises a first series of holes formed in the first side support and a second series of holes formed in the second side support. One end of the roller structure is mounted in a selected one of the holes of the first series, and the other end of the roller structure is mounted in a selected one of the holes of the second series. Each hole of the first series is aligned with a respective hole of the second series to form a pair of aligned holes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of labeling cylindrical articles feeds labels onto a label drum. The labels have a formed curl such that the leading edge tends to curl away from the surface of the label drum. The article is fed onto the label drum and wrapped by engaging the article with the leading edge of the label and then wrapping the article. An uncut label web can be fed over an edge to impart the desired curl to the label web. The label web is then cut into labels, which are fed onto the label drum. Also, the tension of the label over the edge can be varied so as to vary the amount of curl imparted to the label.

Abstract: An on-axis through the lens optical alignment system for use in semiconductor manufacturing using step and scan photolithographic techniques. An optical alignment system uses a partially common path with the projection optics (16) optical axis (38) in order to detect alignment targets on a wafer (10) and a mask (20). The relative position of the mask (20) and wafer (10) is detected during a single simultaneous scan, and the mask (20) and wafer (10) are resultantly aligned. This provides advantages over prior art multiple channel off-axis through the lens alignment systems and single channel non-through the lens alignment systems. A detailed optical apparatus (60) is disclosed.