Abstract: A vascular testing system includes a first pressure cuff assembly positionable about a limb of a patient and a controller. The first pressure cuff assembly includes a pressure bladder and a first array of acoustic sensors, the first array including a plurality of acoustic sensor elements arranged circumferentially relative to the pressure bladder. The controller is configured to concurrently sense vascular data at two or more discrete testing locations utilizing at least two different sets of the acoustic sensors of the first array each positioned at or near one of the discrete testing locations. Each set of the acoustic sensors includes one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor elements.

Abstract: A system and method for simultaneous, bilateral, segmental blood pressure measurement are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment of the invention, two Doppler modules are configured to operate at nominally the same Doppler carrier frequency so that they probe for substantially the same range of physiological information. However, the Doppler carrier frequencies for the Doppler modules are also sufficiently different to substantially avoid interference between the two modules. A phase-locked loop (PLL) used to demodulate the velocity signals in each Doppler module efficiently blocks interference signals because they have frequencies that are the difference in the Doppler carrier frequencies and that are outside the locking range of the PLL. Broad-band RF amplifiers and Doppler transducers are used to ensure that the frequency responses of the Doppler modules are substantially the same.

Abstract: An ultrasonic blood flow velocimeter for measuring the velocity of blood flowing in an artery or vein beneath the skin of a patient, by insonating the tissue with ultrasonic energy, receiving doppler-shifted signals reflected by the blood and processing the signals to determine blood velocity. The signal processing and calculations result in an accurate measure of velocity which is independent of the angle between the probe and the blood flow. This gives more accurate results than other ultrasonic methods which approximate results because of angle dependency and the fact that in general this angle is unknown. The invention can also detect and discriminate between forward and reverse flows, even when they occur simultaneously, as in the case of insonating an artery and vein with opposite flows. The invention can also measure peak flow velocity, though efficient time domain processing of signals.

Abstract: A bobbin thread level detection and display arrangement for a sewing machine includes an array of light emitting diodes which are activated to convey to the sewing machine operator an indication of the quantity of thread left of the bobbin. To control the light emitting diodes, an arrangement utilizing a light source and a phototransistor is arranged proximate the bobbin. The circuitry for controlling the activation of the light emitting diodes also provides for a "fading in" of the individual light emitting diodes to provide a display in the nature of a bar graph.