Abstract: A shared-housing ultrasound transducer and machine-vision camera system is disclosed for registering the transducer's x, y, z position in space and pitch, yaw, and roll orientation with respect to an object, such as a patient's body. The position and orientation are correlated with transducer scan data, and scans of the same region of the object are compared in order to reduce ultrasound artifacts and speckles. The system can be extended to interoperative gamma probes or other non-contact sensor probes and medical instruments. Methods are disclosed for computer or remote guiding of a sensor probe or instrument with respect to saved positions and orientations of the sensor probe.

Abstract: A memory cell arrangement is provided that may include: a plurality of first control lines; a plurality of second control lines; a plurality of third control lines; each of a plurality of memory cell sets includes memory cells and is assigned to a corresponding one of the plurality of first control lines and includes at least a first memory cell subset addressable via the corresponding first control line, a corresponding one of the plurality of second control lines, and the plurality of third control lines, and at least a second memory cell subset addressable via the corresponding first control line, the plurality of second control lines, and a corresponding one of the plurality of third control lines. The corresponding one of the plurality of third control lines addresses the second memory cell subset of each memory cell set of the plurality of memory cell sets.

Abstract: A memory device includes a page made of a plurality of memory cells arranged in rows on a substrate. A page write operation is performed, during which, in each of the memory cells included in the page, a first voltage V1 is applied to a first drive control line PL, a second voltage V2 is applied to a word line WL, a third voltage V3 is applied to a source line SL, a fourth voltage V4 is applied to a bit line BL, a group of holes generated by an impact ionization phenomenon is retained in an inside of the channel semiconductor layer. A page erase operation is performed, during which the voltages to be applied to the first drive control line PL, the word line WL, the source line SL, and the bit line BL are controlled to discharge the group of holes from the inside of the channel semiconductor layer, and the voltage of the channel semiconductor layer is decreased.

Abstract: Described herein are devices for reversibly constraining an endoscope. Such devices may comprise: a base positionable proximate a patient; a column extending vertically from the base; an arm extending horizontally from the column; and a clamp coupled to the arm. In some embodiments, the clamp comprises a holder comprising an annular ring defining an endoscope receiving area or a first sidewall and a second sidewall together defining an endoscope receiving area. The holder is transitionable between a first configuration in which the annular ring or the first and second sidewall are configured to set apart from an endoscope in the endoscope receiving area and a second configuration in which the annular ring or the first and second sidewall are configured to clamp the endoscope in the endoscope receiving area.

Abstract: A defect detecting method for a Word Line (WL) driving circuit includes: m WLs correspondingly connected to m different WL driving circuits are selected from a memory cell array and corresponding WL driving circuit arrays to serve as m WLs to be tested, one of which is set as a first WL and the remaining m-1 ones are set as second WLs; first potential is written into memory cells correspondingly connected to the m WLs to be tested; second potential is written into memory cells correspondingly connected to the first WL; real-time potentials of the memory cells connected to respective second WLs are sequentially read, and when difference value between the real-time potential of one target memory cell and the first potential is greater than first pre-set value, it is determined that the WL driving circuit connected to the second WL corresponding to the target memory cell has a defect.

Abstract: Provided is an endoscope capable of operating a bending part with a higher degree of freedom while enabling a related-art operation of moving a pair of bending operating wires forward and backward. The endoscope has an insertion part having a bendable bending part; an operating part continuously provided on a proximal end side of the insertion part; a pair of bending operating wires inserted into the insertion part and fixed to a distal end side of the insertion part; a first bending operating mechanism that operates the bending part by moving the pair of bending operating wires forward and backward in conjunction with each other; and a second bending operating mechanism that operates the bending part by independently moving the pair of bending operating wires forward and backward.

Abstract: A method includes determining whether a data reliability parameter associated with a set of memory cells is greater than a threshold data reliability parameter and in response to determining that the data reliability parameter is greater than the threshold data reliability parameter, performing an error recovery operation. The method further includes, subsequent to performing the error recovery operation, determining whether the data reliability parameter associated with the set of memory cells is less than the threshold data reliability parameter and in response to determining that the data reliability parameter is less than the threshold data reliability parameter, setting an offset associated with the error recovery operation as a default read voltage for the set of memory cells.

Abstract: A detachable endoscope having a buffer function includes: an operation part for operating the front end of an insertion part having an illuminating photographing part to be bent and a detachable unit for detachably coupling the insertion part and the operation part, wherein the detachable unit includes: a first detachable module connected to the respective other ends of first, second, third, and fourth operation wires having the respective one ends connected to the front end inside the insertion part and provided on the rear end of the insertion part, and a second detachable module connected to first, second, third, and fourth connection wires of a direction conversion part for converting a rotational motion into a linear motion in the operation part and provided on the front end of the operation part.

Abstract: A detachable endoscope includes: an operation part for operating the front end of an insertion part having a lighting photographing part to be bent and a detachable unit for detachably coupling the operation part and the insertion part, wherein the detachable unit includes: a first detachable module connected to first, second, third, and fourth operation wires arranged parallel to each other so that the respective one ends are connected to the front end inside the insertion part and provided on the rear end of the insertion part, a second detachable module connected to first, second, third, and fourth connection wires of a direction conversion part for converting a rotational motion into a linear motion in the operation part and provided on the front end of the operation part, and a bending control part for adjusting an angle at which the front end of the insertion part is bent and displaced vertically or horizontally.

Abstract: A handle for endoscope including a handle housing, an operating member (7) accommodated in said handle housing, at least one guide tube (16) adapted for surrounding and supporting at least one pull wire (17), and an anchoring block (15). The anchoring block (15) comprises at least one bore (20) adapted for insertion of said at least one guide tube (16) and at least one inlet passage in fluid communication with said at least one bore.

Abstract: A method for detecting a writing error of a datum in memory includes: storing at least two parts of equal size of a binary word representative of said datum at the same address in at least two identical memory circuits, and comparing internal control signals of the two memory circuits to determine existence of the writing error.

Abstract: An intelligent surgical tool control system, comprising a tool management system; an indicating means to indicate at least one surgical event; a communicable database for storing, for each item of interest, its identity, its present 3D position and at least one previous 3D position; and at least one processor to identify, from a surgical event, an output surgical procedure. The tool management system can comprise a maneuvering mechanism to maneuver a surgical tool in at least two dimensions; and a controller to control at least one of activation and deactivation of a surgical tool and articulation of a surgical tool. The indicating means can indicate a surgical event selected from movement of a moving element and presence of an item of interest, where movement is determinable if the current 3D position of the moving element is substantially different from a previous 3D position of the same.

Abstract: A medical system may comprise a display and a processor configured to determine an optimal position for an image capturing instrument to view working ends of a plurality of medical instruments when the plurality of medical instruments and the image capturing instrument are each extending out of a distal end of an entry guide. The processor may also be configured to cause the optimal position to be displayed on the display along with an image captured by the image capturing instrument of the working ends of the plurality of medical instruments.

Abstract: A charging device includes: a holder detachably connected to a connector of a camera head to which an endoscope is detachably connected; and a power supplier configured to supply power to a battery of the camera head held by the holder.

Abstract: A memory component and a controller communicate commands and data with each other The commands to activate and then access data, and the data itself, are all communicated between a controller and the memory component at different times. The controller and memory component each calculate a respective error detecting code (EDC) values on the activate command information (e.g., bank address and row address) and store them indexed by the bank address. When the memory component is accessed, retrieved EDC values are combined with EDC values calculated from the access command information, and the data itself. The memory component transmits its combined EDC value to the controller for checking.

Abstract: A sensing amplifier, coupled to at least one memory cell, includes an output terminal and a reference terminal, a multiplexer circuit, and a plurality of reference cells having equal value. An output terminal of the multiplexer circuit is coupled to the reference terminal of the sensing amplifier. Each of the reference cell is coupled to each input node of the multiplexer circuit. The multiplexer circuit is controlled by a control signal to select one of the reference cells as a selected reference cell to couple to the reference terminal of the sensing amplifier when each read operation to the at least one memory cell is performed. The plurality of reference cells are selected sequentially and repeatedly, and the one of the reference cells is selected for one read operation to the at least one memory cell.

Abstract: Fluorescent imaging systems for performing an endoscopic procedure, such as a retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure may include a first light source for emitting light in the visible spectrum, or light in the near infrared (NIR) spectrum, or both. A light source bandpass filter may block the emitted light in the visible spectrum, or in the NIR spectrum, or both. A first sensor may be capable of detecting the light in the visible spectrum, or the light in the NIR spectrum, or both. A sensor bandpass filter may block the detected light in the visible spectrum, or in the NIR spectrum, or both. The first or a second light source, or the first or a second sensor, or combinations thereof, may be removably disposed on a duodenoscope.

Abstract: An SRAM includes multiple memory cells, each memory cell includes a data storage unit; a data I/O control adapted to input data to, and output data from, a data line (BL); and multiple access controls respectively connected to at least two access control lines (WL's) and adapted to enable and disable the data input and output from the at least two WL's (WX and WY). The access controls are configured to permit data input only when both WL's are in their respective states that permit data input. A method of writing to a group of SRAM cells include sending a first write-enable signal to the cells via a first WL, sending a group of respective second write-enable signals to the respective cells, and, for each of the cells, preventing writing data to the cell if either of the first write-enable signal and respective second write enable signal is in a disable-state.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, an error correction code (ECC) circuit, a fault address register, a scrubbing control circuit and a control logic circuit. The memory cell array includes memory cell rows. The scrubbing control circuit generates scrubbing addresses based on refresh operations performed on the memory cell array. The control logic circuit controls the ECC circuit such that the ECC circuit performs an error detection operation on a plurality of sub-pages in a first memory cell row to count a number of error occurrences, and determines whether to correct a codeword in which an error is detected based on the number of error occurrences. An uncorrected or corrected codeword is written back, and a row address of the first memory cell row may be stored in the fault address register as a row fault address based on the number of error occurrences.

Abstract: A storage system has a memory with a multi-level cell (MLC) block and a partially-bad single-level cell (SLC) block. The storage system repurposes the partially-bad SLC block as a non-volatile read cache for data stored in the MLC block (e.g., cold data that is read relatively frequently) to improve performance of host reads. Because the original version of the data is still stored in the MLC block, the original version of the data can be read if there is an error in the copy of the data stored in the partially-bad SLC block, thus avoiding the need for extensive error-correction handling to account for the poor reliability of the partially-bad SLC block.