Abstract: A stent mandrel fixture for supporting a stent during the application of a coating substance is provided.

Abstract: An embodiment for wirelessly communicating a signal includes a transmitter generating and transmitting a wireless signal over a wireless communication channel. The wireless signal includes a guard band, data represented within a plurality of data-bearing subcarriers, and a plurality of pilot signals represented within a plurality of pilot subcarriers. In an embodiment, the plurality of pilot signals have variable pilot signal parameters selected from a group of parameters that includes pilot power and pilot spacing with respect to adjacent pilots. An embodiment further includes a receiver receiving a channel-affected version of the wireless signal, and producing a corrected signal by applying corrections to the received signal based on estimated channel perturbations within the received signal, where the estimated channel perturbations are determined based on the plurality of pilot signals. The receiver also produces an output data symbol from the corrected signal.

Abstract: Laser beam positioning systems for material processing and methods for using such systems are disclosed herein. One embodiment of a laser-based material processing system, for example, can include (a) a radiation source configured to produce a laser beam and direct the beam along a beam path toward a material processing area, and (b) a laser beam positioning assembly in the beam path. The laser beam positioning assembly can include a first focusing element, first and second reflective optical elements (e.g., movable mirrors), and a second focusing element. The first focusing element can focus the laser beam to a first focal point between the first and second reflective optical elements. The first and second reflective optical elements can direct the laser beam toward the material processing area while the laser beam has a decreasing or increasing cross-sectional dimension (e.g., diameter).

Abstract: A method for starting an operating system of a handheld device includes: setting an alarm time of an alarm clock as T seconds after a current system time of the handheld device when the handheld device is in a standby mode; monitoring the current system time of the handheld device until the current system time reaches a time that is N seconds before the set alarm time; repeating the setting step and the monitoring step, until the handheld device is turned off; determining whether the current system time is equal to the alarm time of the alarm clock when the handheld device is turned on; if yes, starting the operating system of the handheld device without executing boot-strap programs and making the operating system go to the standby mode directly; otherwise starting the operating system of the handheld device by executing boot-strap programs.

Abstract: A parallel trimming method and apparatus are provided for a voltage controlled delay loop. A plurality of delay units in a voltage controlled delay loop are trimmed. Each delay unit comprises a delay element and a latch buffer. A reference signal is applied to each of the delay units and a position of an edge (such as a rising or falling edge) associated with each of the delay units is identified. The edges of the delay units are then aligned by adjusting a trim setting of the respective latch buffer.

Abstract: An isolation valve is preferably applied to the semiconductor industry for sealing a process vessel and also operates effectively at plus-atmospheric pressures. A double containment gate valve assembly includes a housing and a movable head assembly within the housing. The housing includes a first access opening and a second access opening. The head assembly is configurable into a first position where an access path through the first and second access openings is clear, and a second position where the access path is blocked.

Abstract: A guidewire or section thereof, that has a core member or the like with a plurality of contiguous tapered segments having taper angles that are configured to produce a linear change in stiffness over a longitudinal portion of the device. The device may also have a core section with a continuously changing taper angle to produce a curvilinear profile that is configured to produce a linear change in stiffness of the core over a longitudinal portion of the device. An embodiment has a plurality of radiopaque elements that may be intermittent, continuous or in the form of a helical ribbon for scaled measurement of intracorporeal structure under fluoroscopic imaging. Another embodiment has at least one layer of polymer over the distal end of the device.

Abstract: An ESD protection circuit for protecting a circuit from an ESD event occurring between a first voltage supply node and a second voltage supply node associated with the circuit to be protected includes an MOS device having a gate terminal, a first source/drain terminal and a second source/drain terminal. The first source/drain terminal is connected to the first voltage supply node and the second source/drain terminal is connected to the second voltage supply node. The ESD protection circuit further includes a trigger circuit coupled to the gate terminal of the MOS device. The trigger circuit is configured to generate a control signal at the gate terminal of the MOS device for activating the MOS device during the ESD event.

Abstract: A method is disclosed, in a supervisory process control system environment, for installing supervisory process control software from a central software deployment server. The software distribution method includes the step of first specifying a software component for a supervisory process control application to be deployed to a remote location and a destination for the software component based upon a distributed application configuration. A software component is conditionally transmitted to the remote supervisory control computer, after the determining step, if the software component for the supervisory process control application is not present at the remote location.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of snapshot operation for a data storage system with a host communicating with a cache memory, a source Virtual Logical Unit Number (VLUN) and a target VLUN, including generating first metadata (e.g., bitmaps and log files pointers) to locate first snapshot data and to indicate when the first snapshot data is in the target VLUN and generating second metadata to locate second snapshot data and to indicate when the second snapshot data is in the target VLUN, wherein the first and second metadata locate the same data in the target VLUN. The invention relates to systems that implement the methods. It relates to destaging data to maintain data consistency including reading metadata for snapshots, searching the metadata to identify snapshots that require original data to be destaged, destaging the original data to target storage, and updating metadata to locate original data and indicate destage completion.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for suspending work by a resource adapter. These mechanisms and methods for suspending work by a resource adapter can enable embodiments to provide the capability to start and stop work performed by a resource adapter to connector architectures. The ability of embodiments to provide the capability to start and stop work performed by a resource adapter can enable users of Connector Architectures to quiesce an adapter's inbound/outbound or work sections. Such capability can enable an adapter embodiment to complete in-flight transactions but not accept new inbound transactions until a request to resume operation is received. Resource adapters may be quiesced during a versioning or change out process or other maintenance processes for example.

Abstract: The process for the synthesis of rhenium powders comprises the injection of ammonium perrhenate powder through a carrier gas in a plasma torch of a plasma reactor operated using a mixture including hydrogen as the plasma gas, yielding metallic rhenium under the following chemical reaction: 2 NH4ReO4+4 H2?2 Re+N2?+8 H2O?. The reactor is provided with a quench zone for cooling the metallic rhenium so as to yield rhenium nano and micro powders.

Abstract: An RFID edge server using an application server allows for improvements in an RFID system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for manufacturing a semiconductor device that can be incorporated into an integrated circuit. The method includes, forming a first doped layer of isotopically enriched silicon over a foundational substrate, forming a second layer of an isotopically enriched semiconductor material silicon over the first doped layer, and constructing active devices on the second layer. The device includes a first doped layer of an isotopically enriched semiconductor material and a second layer of an isotopically enriched semiconductor material located over the first doped layer, and active devices located on the second layer.

Abstract: A signal generator, such as a fractional-N PLL, has, in its feedback signal path, a divider, a phase circuit, and a fractional accumulator that generates control signals for the divider and the phase circuit. The divider control signal controls the divisor value applied by the divider. In one embodiment, a phase selector selects, based on the phase-circuit control signal, one of a plurality of phase-shifted output signals generated by the PLL's main signal path (e.g., by a multi-phase VCO) and the divider generates the feedback signal for the PLL from the selected signal. In another embodiment, the divider generates a divided signal from one of the phase-shifted output signals, and a phase mixer generates, from the divided signal, a plurality of phase-shifted divided signals and selects, based on the phase-circuit signal, one of the phase-shifted divided signals as the PLL's feedback signal.

Abstract: A signal generator circuit having enhanced control resolution includes a variable frequency oscillator having a first control input adapted to receive a first signal and at least a second control input adapted to receive a second signal. The second signal is afforded a weight which is substantially equal to a weight of a least significant bit of the first signal. The variable frequency oscillator is operative to generate an output signal having a frequency which varies as a function of the first and second signals. The signal generator circuit further includes a first counter, a first divider and a modulation circuit. The first counter is configurable for generating an output count based at least in part on a difference between a third signal presented to the signal generator circuit and a fourth signal indicative of the output signal, the output count including the first signal.

Abstract: A decontamination pad includes an adsorptive/absorptive knitted activated-carbon layer exposed on a first surface, an activated-carbon fabric attached to the other surface of the knitted layer and backed up an impermeable layer. The activated carbon is saturated with a non-hazardous CWA decontamination solvent as nonspecific means of decontaminating equipment and open-wounds is provided. The pad is packaged in a sealed, disposable plastic packet. The pad is thus a simple and immediate means of personal decontamination by applying the exposed surface of the knitted layer to the surface to be decontaminated.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide for processing of calls by determining when a called number is associated with telephone having a portable interface and providing call processing adapted for addressing issues associated with a portable interface. Call processing may provide for point of demand processing of calls to facilitate completion of calls in real-time, even when such calls are directed to a wireless telephone, a telephone for which LNP has been utilized, or other telephone having a portable interface. If an appropriate relationship has not been already been established for facilitating a call to a telephone having a portable interface, embodiments operate to establish such a relationship. When it is determined that a called number is associated with telephone having a portable interface, embodiments operate to invoke rating schemes appropriate to the called number, possibly including flat rate schemes and rating determined using current location determination.

Abstract: The present invention generates state machines that can be used in a scanner and/or a parser for software program compilation. The state machines are not table-driven, but rather are encoded directly by creating jumps and branches in bytecodes, which are machine-independent codes generated by a Java compiler and can be executed on any Java-enabled device. Such state machines can be much faster than those based on tables, and much smaller in code size than those implemented in executable codes. In addition, such state machines can be optimized to reduce the number of states and the amount of codes required to encode each state in it. This can allow these state machines to meet strict code size restrictions specified by certain virtual machines, such as the Java virtual machine.

Abstract: A polymer of siloxanes as flexibility monomers and strength monomers is provided. It is also provided a polymer blend that contains a polymer formed of siloxane monomers and strength monomers and another biocompatible polymer. The biocompatible polymer or polymer blend described herein and optionally a bioactive agent can form a coating on an implantable device such as a drug-delivery stent. The implantable device can be used for treating or preventing a disorder such as atherosclerosis, thrombosis, restenosis, hemorrhage, vascular dissection or perforation, vascular aneurysm, vulnerable plaque, chronic total occlusion, claudication, anastomotic proliferation for vein and artificial grafts, bile duct obstruction, ureter obstruction, tumor obstruction, or combinations thereof.