Abstract: Methods of isolating cellular products, such as pancreatic islets, may be used in diabetes research and therapeutic transplantation. The methods may involve providing a donor tissue having desired cells and undesired cells, perfusing the donor tissue with a perfusion solution, developing edema during perfusion of the donor tissue to form a swelled tissue, and separating the desired cells from undesired cellular material to obtain a cellular product. The methods may also include disrupting the tissue, and separating the desired cells from undesired cellular material to obtain the cellular product. The methods may result in an increased yield of cellular product that retains sufficient functional integrity to be useful as a transplantation resource.

Abstract: An AC-DC power supply circuit utilizing an output stage configuration designed to achieve no output ripple at the power line frequency. To eliminate the ripple formed, each separate processing output stage corresponding to a respective ac voltage source phase which provides a 120 Hz ripple, is stacked, in a series connection, and due to their respective ripple phase shifts of 120° degrees, achieves ripple cancellation at the output.

Abstract: A method of providing permissions to consume content objects within a domain includes creating a domain and a domain membership rights object for each member. The domain facilitates the sharing of content objects amongst the members of the domain. The domain membership rights objects for each member include permissions for each member in the domain to consume content objects in the domain.

Abstract: An AC-DC power supply circuit utilizing an output stage configuration designed to achieve no output ripple at the power line frequency. To eliminate the ripple formed, each separate processing output stage corresponding to a respective ac voltage source phase which provides a 120 Hz ripple, is stacked, in a series connection, and due to their respective ripple phase shifts of 120° degrees, achieves ripple cancellation at the output.

Abstract: A method to share a guest version of rights between two devices is described. For one embodiment, a non-guest rights object may be converted to a guest rights object by withholding certain information when conducting a secure transfer or sharing of rights. For another embodiment, rights issuers that issue rights for content create two digitally signed rights objects where one rights object may reference the other rights object. For yet another embodiment, a rights issuer's digital signature may be used to ensure source and data integrity of a guest rights object and prevent counterfeiting of guest rights objects. For still another embodiment, a secret shared between the rights issuer and a device, or a set of devices, to which a rights object is cryptographically bound.

Abstract: Properties such as toxicity of substances may be determined by assaying properties, fates and effects of substances in an ex vivo metabolically active human organ or tissue under normothermic perfusion with a fluid containing a test substance. The data can be used as, for example, part of a submission to a government regulatory organization. Preferred methods use perfused endocrine gland organs or tissues to evaluate hormone or other bodily chemical disruption caused by substances and pre-donation diseased or injured organs or tissues.

Abstract: Methods of validating results of assessments of test substances using human-derived tissues and/or organs, particularly tissues and/or organs unsuitable for transplantation, include assessing the suitability of the organ and/or tissue for substance testing, as well as inter-organ variability and use of exogenous and/or endogenous controls.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for improving error indication performance in systems employing low-density parity check (LDPC) codes. In one aspect, a method and apparatus for providing error indication based on full LDPC parity check re-encoding are provided. In an embodiment, an LDPC encoder is employed at the receiver to re-encode the parity bits. In another embodiment, the parity bits are re-encoded recursively based on information readily available at the decoder of the receiver. In another aspect, a method and apparatus for providing error indication based on partial LDPC parity check re-encoding are provided. In an embodiment, partial checksum information is determined based on the decoder output and used to provide error indication. In a further aspect, a hybrid CRC checking and LDPC parity check re-encoding approach is provided. This approach further enhances error indication performance by reducing the miss probability compared to pure LDPC parity check re-encoding.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that receives, at a sink device, encrypted content. Further, the method receives, at the sink device, content license data from a source device. In addition, the method analyzes the content license data to determine whether a rights issuer that generated the content license data intended that the source device, which has cryptographic access to the content license data, be authorized to send, to the sink device, a value that enables decryption of the encrypted content. The method also receives the value and decrypts the encrypted content if the rights issuer intended that the source device be authorized to transfer the value to the sink device.

Abstract: A content distribution system and method which prevents unauthorized access to secured content such as movies and music. The system includes a source, a receiver, an authorized security device such as a conditional access module (CAM) for decrypting authorized content and an output device for outputting content. The system can also include a backend for managing accounts and system operations. One aspect of this invention is that the content data is derived from the Internet. The system allows for the verification of authorization to play secured content, the addition of watermarks to the secured content, the conversion of the secured content to a displayable form and the means for preventing output of the secured content.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for use in a user device for limiting the ability of the terminal of the user device to replay protected content. The low-level key that is used by the decryption component of the terminal to decrypt content is transient in that it expires if at least one predetermined expiration criteria is met. After they key has expired, it is no longer valid and thus cannot be used by the decryption component to decrypt protected content. Limiting the ability of the terminal to replay protected content is preferably accomplished in a way that does not affect the ability of the terminal to play and replay unprotected content.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for transferring protected content between digital rights management systems is described. One aspect of the invention relates to importing content from an upstream digital rights management (DRM) system into a device in a downstream DRM system. Data is received that associates at least one device in the downstream DRM system with a rights issuer module (RIM). Authenticity of the data is verified as originating from an entity in a trust hierarchy of the device. If the data is authentic and the device is one of the at least one device associated with the RIM, a ciphertext version of the content and a corresponding content license is accepted from the RIM.

Abstract: An organ perfusion apparatus and method monitor, sustain and/or restore viability of organs and preserve organs for storage and/or transport. The method includes perfusing the organ at hypothermic and/or normothermic temperatures, preferably after hypothermic organ flushing for organ transport and/or storage. The method can be practiced with prior or subsequent static or perfusion hypothermic exposure of the organ. Organ viability is restored by restoring high energy nucleotide (e.g., ATP) levels by perfusing the organ with a medical fluid, such as an oxygenated cross-linked hemoglobin-based bicarbonate medical fluid, at normothermic temperatures. In perfusion, organ perfusion pressure is preferably controlled in response to a sensor disposed in an end of tubing placed in the organ, by a pneumatically pressurized medical fluid reservoir, providing perfusion pressure fine tuning, overpressurization prevention and emergency flow cut-off.

Abstract: Products, methods and systems for teaching various educational subjects, such as reading, mathematics, music, geography, to young children. In one exemplary embodiment, a method for teaching beginning reading to a beginning reader in a classroom setting, includes (a) providing one or more of a picture or game to a beginning reader, the one or more of a picture or game including a pictorial representation of a first learning object, (b) pronouncing to the beginning reader the picture or game, the pronouncing emphasizing with intonation single sound phonetically representative of the beginning letter of the object displayed on the picture or game. The method also includes repeating steps (a) and (b) to the student for a plurality of pictures or games having pictorial representations of objects other than the first learning object.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for manufacturing trusted devices. A licensing authority provides keying information to a multitude of manufactures that insert the keying information into trusted devices. The trusted devices generate final private and public keys using the keying information. The keys may then be certified by the manufacture and verified by other devices.

Abstract: An alternate approach to meeting the harmonic current limits specified in EN61000-3-2 for power supplies, which fall under the classification of Class A equipment and also provide universal input voltages. In use, an electronic switch(triac) is used as the simple switch between low line input(90-132 VAC) and high line input(180-254 VAC) to provide an auto ranging front end. An inductor is placed in series with the input bridge diodes to increase the conduction angle of the input line current, thereby, increasing the power factor of the supply. This inductor is switched in series with the bulk capacitor whenever the triac is off. In this way, the harmonics are reduced at high line only, and the supply runs unaffected with low power factor at low line. Thus the harmonic currents are reduced at the test voltage of 230V without the need for an active power factor corrective front end.

Abstract: An alternate approach to meeting the harmonic current limits specified in EN61000-3-2 for power supplies, which fall under the classification of Class A equipment and also provide universal input voltages. In use, an electronic switch(triac) is used as the simple switch between low line input(90-132 VAC) and high line input(180-254 VAC) to provide an auto ranging front end. An inductor is placed in series with the input bridge diodes to increase the conduction angle of the input line current, thereby, increasing the power factor of the supply. This inductor is switched in series with the bulk capacitor whenever the triac is off. In this way, the harmonics are reduced at high line only, and the supply runs unaffected with low power factor at low line. Thus the harmonic currents are reduced at the test voltage of 230V without the need for an active power factor corrective front end.

Abstract: Hybrid fiber/coax networks employ the existing cable plant used for cable TV and transmit data signals in a frequency bandwidth above that which is used for cable TV. As this cable plant was deployed in a tree and branch topology, data transmissions may be susceptible to noise, variable transmission loss and frequency dispersion, particularly in the upstream direction. Further, due to the tree and branch topology, homes at the far end of the network experience much greater loss than do the homes that are near to the headend/ONU. The present system, which uses point-to-point data links between intelligent network elements located in the feeder/distribution network to provide reliable, secure, bi-directional broadband access. Digital signals are terminated at the intelligent network elements, switched and regenerated for transmission across additional upstream or downstream data links as needed to connect a home to a headend or router.