Abstract: An apparatus including a body, a shaft assembly extending distally from the body, and an end effector configured to grasp and transmit RF energy to the tissue. The end effector includes a first jaw having a first tissue grasping feature and a second jaw. The second jaw is pivotably coupled to the first jaw between an open position, a partially closed position, and a closed position. The second jaw includes a proximal taper having a proximal electrode surface, a distal taper including a distal electrode surface, and a juncture between the proximal and distal electrode surface. The juncture is spaced further from the first tissue grasping feature compared to the proximal and distal end while the second jaw is in the partially closed position. The proximal and distal electrode surface deform to define a gap with the first tissue grasping feature while in the closed position.

Abstract: A mobile platform includes at least one first sensor mounted at a first position on the mobile platform and at least one second sensor mounted at a second position on the mobile platform, where the first position is offset from the second position. The at least one first sensor is configured to capture first data measurements of plants in the growing area. The at least one second sensor is configured to capture second data measurements of the plants in the growing area. Each of the first and second data measurements is associated with a three-dimensional position within the growing area and a time. The first and second sensors are configured to generate at least one common type of data measurement such that at least some of the first and second data measurements represent stereo-spatio-temporal data measurements of the plants in the growing area.

Abstract: A racing tracking system and process includes one or more RFID-based tower units connected to a computer. Pairs of tower units may be positioned to provide redundancy of detection so that the front of a participant and the rear of a participant (where bibs may be worn) are detected. The redundancy of RFID-based tower unit detection of front and rear worn bibs assures that all bibs will be read, and improves on the accuracy of a participant's position being confirmed.

Abstract: A racing tracking system and process includes one or more RFID-based tower units connected to a computer. Pairs of tower units may be positioned to provide redundancy of detection so that the front of a participant and the rear of a participant (where bibs may be worn) are detected. The redundancy of RFID-based tower unit detection of front and rear worn bibs assures that all bibs will be read, and improves on the accuracy of a participant's position being confirmed.

Abstract: A highly portable, vertically-standing RFID tag reader, referred to as a “bollard,” is presented. The bollard includes a vertical element supporting an internal RFID tuner component above the surface on which the bollard rests. Additionally, each bollard includes a base element that provides vertical stability to the vertical element and a plurality of internal components. The internal components include the following: a power system, a processor, a tuner component, and a wireless interface. The power system provides power to the powered components of the bollard. The processor directs and/or executes the functions of the bollard with regard to an event in which the bollard is configured to participate. The tuner component is configured to read RFID tags that come within RFID communication range of the bollard. The wireless interface component is configured to provide wireless communications between the bollard and an operator console.

Abstract: A supported RFID tag that positions the antenna of the RFID tag away from an object identified by the tag. In one form, the antenna of the RFID tag is supported by one end of a flat, relatively rigid sheet. A hole is located in the other end. When tightly attached to an object via the hole, a bumper rotates the antenna away from the object. Other forms include a semi-rigid support. The semi-rigid support may be rotated into a loop cylinder or truncated cone; have inner surfaces joined to create a loop; or include an outwardly bent flap. In all cases, the antenna of the RFID tag is positioned away from the object to be identified by the tag when the semi-rigid support is attached to the object.

Abstract: A supported RFID tag that positions the antenna of the RFID tag away from an object identified by the tag. In one form, the support includes a flat, relatively rigid sheet and a bumper. The antenna of the RFID tag is supported by one end of the flat sheet and a hole is located in the other end. When tightly attached to an object via the hole, the bumper causes the antenna portion to be positioned away from the object. In another form, a semi-rigid support is rotated into a cylinder or truncated cone. The antenna portion of the RFID tag is positioned such that when the support sheet is attached to an object, at least the antenna portion is positioned away from the object. In another form, the inner surfaces of the opposed ends of the semi-rigid support sheet create a loop. When the overlying ends of the loop are attached to an object the antenna portion is positioned away from the object. In still another form, the semi-rigid tag includes an outwardly bent flap that supports the antenna portion.

Abstract: A highly portable, vertically-standing RFID tag reader, referred to as a “bollard,” is presented. The bollard includes a vertical element supporting an internal RFID tuner component above the surface on which the bollard rests. Additionally, each bollard includes a base element that provides vertical stability to the vertical element and a plurality of internal components. The internal components include the following: a power system, a processor, a tuner component, and a wireless interface. The power system provides power to the powered components of the bollard. The processor directs and/or executes the functions of the bollard with regard to an event in which the bollard is configured to participate. The tuner component is configured to read RFID tags that come within RFID communication range of the bollard. The wireless interface component is configured to provide wireless communications between the bollard and an operator console.

Abstract: A highly portable, vertically-standing RFID tag reader, referred to as a “bollard,” is presented. The bollard includes a vertical element supporting an internal RFID tuner component above the surface on which the bollard rests. Additionally, each bollard includes a base element that provides vertical stability to the vertical element and a plurality of internal components. The internal components include the following: a power system, a processor, a tuner component, and a wireless interface. The power system provides power to the powered components of the bollard. The processor directs and/or executes the functions of the bollard with regard to an event in which the bollard is configured to participate. The tuner component is configured to read RFID tags that come within RFID communication range of the bollard. The wireless interface component is configured to provide wireless communications between the bollard and an operator console.

Abstract: A highly portable, vertically-standing RFID tag reader, referred to as a “bollard,” is presented. The bollard includes a vertical element supporting an internal RFID tuner component above the surface on which the bollard rests. Additionally, each bollard includes a base element that provides vertical stability to the vertical element and a plurality of internal components. The internal components include the following: a power system, a processor, a tuner component, and a wireless interface. The power system provides power to the powered components of the bollard. The processor directs and/or executes the functions of the bollard with regard to an event in which the bollard is configured to participate. The tuner component is configured to read RFID tags that come within RFID communication range of the bollard. The wireless interface component is configured to provide wireless communications between the bollard and an operator console.

Abstract: A highly portable, vertically-standing RFID tag reader, referred to as a “bollard,” is presented. The bollard includes a vertical element supporting an internal RFID tuner component above the surface on which the bollard rests. Additionally, each bollard includes a base element that provides vertical stability to the vertical element and a plurality of internal components. The internal components include the following: a power system, a processor, a tuner component, and a wireless interface. The power system provides power to the powered components of the bollard. The processor directs and/or executes the functions of the bollard with regard to an event in which the bollard is configured to participate. The tuner component is configured to read RFID tags that come within RFID communication range of the bollard. The wireless interface component is configured to provide wireless communications between the bollard and an operator console.

Abstract: A highly portable, vertically-standing RFID tag reader, referred to as a “bollard,” is presented. The bollard includes a vertical element supporting an internal RFID tuner component above the surface on which the bollard rests. Additionally, each bollard includes a base element that provides vertical stability to the vertical element and a plurality of internal components. The internal components include the following: a power system, a processor, a tuner component, and a wireless interface. The power system provides power to the powered components of the bollard. The processor directs and/or executes the functions of the bollard with regard to an event in which the bollard is configured to participate. The tuner component is configured to read RFID tags that come within RFID communication range of the bollard. The wireless interface component is configured to provide wireless communications between the bollard and an operator console.

Abstract: An improved airport parking communication system is provided. When a customer arrives at a parking lot, the customer is provided a radio frequency identification tag. The customer's name and vehicle slot number are electronically written onto the radio frequency identification tag as well as entered into a parking system database. This occurs before the customer enters the courtesy bus for the terminal of the airport. When the customer returns to the airport and gathers their luggage, the customer moves to an island that includes readers that read the information stored in the radio frequency identification tag carried by the customer. The information is transmitted to the parking lot, where the information is used to dispatch a courtesy bus to retrieve the customer, or to communicate with a courtesy bus already en route.

Abstract: An improved airport valet communication system is presented. The system attaches a vehicle tag to a vehicle. A stall tag is also provided and is placed somewhere within the vicinity of a parking stall. To communicate with these two tags, a handheld computer is provided by the system for communicating with the vehicle tag via radio frequency communication to obtain an identification of the vehicle and for communicating with the stall tag via radio frequency communication to obtain an identification of the parking stall so as to correlate the vehicle and the parking stall in which the vehicle is parked.

Abstract: A management system for a file server having a system board, an expansion board, a disk storage system and a server manager for collecting management information from the system board.

Abstract: A method of managing a plurality of networked manageable devices which include at least one file server having a system board, a drive array subsystem associated with the file server and a server manager installed in the file server for monitoring the system board from a manager console using a management information base or "MIB". First, second and third plurality of objects which describe the system board, the drive array subsystem and the server manager, respectively, are collected and assembled into a MIB. The assembled MIB is then used to manage the file server.