Abstract: Variations of integral navigation controls may be used in conjunction with a medical instrument to provide navigation functions for an image guided surgery (IGS) system that is in communication with the integral navigation controls. In some variations, a medical instrument with integrated navigation wheels allows movement of a cursor of the IGS system along the x and y axis by scrolling the wheel, or allows selection, zooming, or other controls by combined clicking and/or scrolling of wheels, and may be sterilized or discarded along with the device. In some other variations, a control overlay may be temporarily attached to the medical instrument to provide additional controls, such as buttons or a pointing stick, and then removed and sterilized or discarded after a procedure. In each variation, inputs may be communicated via wire or wirelessly to an IGS system to provide navigation of images during a surgical procedure.

Abstract: A surgical instrument and related method includes an instrument body, a guide shaft distally projecting from the instrument body, and a first surgical tool. The guide shaft has a guide sidewall, a guide lumen, and a clearance opening radially extending through the guide sidewall in communication with the guide lumen. The first surgical tool has an elongate body and a distal head configured to deflect relative to the elongate body from a first position to a second position. The distal head in the first position is positioned within the guide lumen along the central axis. The distal head in the second position is deflected from the central axis and extends at least partially through the clearance opening thereby vacating at least a portion of the guide lumen for introducing a second surgical tool through the guide lumen.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing network connectivity of speech processing-enabled devices are provided. The speech-enabled device may periodically monitor a variety of metrics related to the network connectivity status of the device, and save those metrics in a local events log. The speech-enabled device may then periodically send those metrics to a remote speech processing management system. Users may then use voice commands to request the status of the speech-enabled device, and the speech-enabled device will send that request to the speech processing management system. The speech processing management system can then retrieve the historical metrics for that device and determine one or more inferences regarding the condition of the device. These inferences are used to diagnose potential network connectivity problems being experienced by the speech-enabled device, and to generate recommendations for remediating those problems.

Abstract: Described are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products for expanding a storage pool-backed file system. A file system expansion trigger is detected. First reserved space in the storage pool is reserved. A LUN size attribute associated with a LUN underlying the file system is increased. A file system size attribute associated with the file system is increased. First data to write to the file system is received. In response to receiving the first data, an expansion result is determined, wherein the expansion result indicates whether to expand the LUN and the file system. If the expansion result indicates to expand the LUN and the file system, a first portion of the first reserved space is provisioned and formatted. The first data is written to the file system.

Abstract: Techniques for shrinking a filesystem backed by a volume identify slices in the volume to be evacuated in order to reach a target size, identify a target endpoint in the volume, and evacuate identified slices to available locations prior to the target endpoint. The same data is typically not moved from slice to slice multiple times.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for use with televisions having an internal Java engine are included among the embodiments. In exemplary systems, a PCMCIA port allows the Java engine to load and execute Java applets selected by the viewer. Provision is made for system-aware applets to run concurrently with platform-independent applets on different Java display planes that are merged for display. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a television having an improved file path identification and display system and method. The improved file path identification and method maintains two sets of data strings that refer to the same operation objects. One set of strings is for the user interface display. The other set of strings is for system manipulation. In another words, operation strings might have different associated display string values and each operation string might have its corresponding display string stored in the system. The method might further dynamically assemble display strings into abbreviated or short hand form. The method, therefore, can maximize the display data.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for use with televisions having an internal Java engine are included among the embodiments. In exemplary systems, a PCMCIA port allows the Java engine to load and execute Java applets selected by the viewer. Provision is made for system-aware applets to run concurrently with platform-independent applets on different Java display planes that are merged for display. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved television remote control system and method with alphanumeric keyboard input. The alphanumeric keyboard input might be used in interactive televisions to control applications and functions. The remote control includes alphanumeric and controls keyboards, an encoder to encode the alphanumeric and control keyboards with alphanumeric and control codes, respectively, and a transmitter to transmit the alphanumeric and control codes to the television.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for use with televisions with multiple-language audio, text, and/or caption capability are included among the embodiments. In exemplary systems, a Java engine, Java manager, and Java applets exist in the system, and allow the user to customize language settings for different applets and/or media streams. Each applet and/or stream can be set to accept the default television settings or an individual setting stored in flash memory. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved interactive television having an alert manager. The alert manager alerts a viewer of events. For example, the alert manager alerts the viewer that email has arrived in his inbox or that a text message has been sent to his computer. The alert manager manages event alerts in an easy and non-intrusive manner to enhance the viewer's experience.

Abstract: Java Applets are packaged in a JAR file, including accompanying classes and resources as well as one addition file—a descriptor file. This last file can be read from the JAR file, and scanned to extract an icon to represent the applet on a menu, the applet's name in market applicable languages, applet size and position, and the applets main class name. No further processing need be done to present this applet to the user for selection. The entire applet need not be loaded into memory until the user requests it by using a remote control to select one of the applets represented on the display by a labeled icon. Once the user has selected the application, the applet can be sized and launched without further scanning.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for synchronizing multiple media streams to conveniently produce multimedia presentations using a television system. Some embodiments of the invention may provide a slideshow application, a karaoke application, or a storybook application.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention include a television system having an internal microphone for implementing a voice-messaging system. Using the microphone, the television system detects a message spoken by a user of the television system, and records the message to a memory. Some embodiments of the invention may also record metadata about the message. Embodiments of the invention alert an intended recipient of the message using the audio output or video output of the television system, and subsequently reproduce the message using the audio output of the television system. Other embodiments of the invention are described in the specification and the claims.

Abstract: Methods for object recognition and systems that implement the methods. In one embodiment, the method of this invention for processing and identifying images includes two steps. In the first step, object profile characteristics are obtained. In the second step, object profile characteristics are utilized to determine object type and orientation. A system that implements the method of this invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: A dispatching method of manufacturing integrated circuit (IC) by push and pull two-way is to decide the dispatching orders of lots of wafers in each workstation. First, the priorities of lots of wafers is determined, and then the dispatching method of manufacturing IC by push and pull two-way is proceeded to run several push steps and pull steps. The push step is to dispatch wafers directly from upper process, no matter the lower units are crowded or delayed. On the other hand, the pull step is first to concern deficiencies in the lower unit, and then to dispatch wafers from the upper units. After proceeding the push steps and the pull steps, the other lots of wafers are dispatched by their original priorities. The dispatching method of manufacturing IC by push and pull two-way has the advantage of increasing the utilities of equipments.

Abstract: A dispatching method of manufacturing integrated circuit (IC) by push and pull two-way is to decide the dispatching orders of lots of wafers in each workstation. First, the priorities of lots of wafers is determined, and then the dispatching method of manufacturing IC by push and pull two-way is proceeded to run several push steps and pull steps. The push step is to dispatch wafers directly from upper process, no matter the lower units are crowded or delayed. On the other hand, the pull step is first to concern deficiencies in the lower unit, and then to dispatch wafers from the upper units. After proceeding the push steps and the pull steps, the other lots of wafers are dispatched by their original priorities. The dispatching method of manufacturing IC by push and pull two-way has the advantage of increasing the utilities of equipments.

Abstract: Methods are provided for the maintaining HEventRepresentation virtual keys in a device using HAVi specification protocols. The first method comprising: from a HAVi level two (L2) graphical user interface (GUI), accessing a JAR file; and, in response to accessing the JAR file from read only memory (ROM), retrieving virtual key information as a static class or data array. The second method comprises: from a HAVi L2 GUI, accessing a Java input/output (I/O) ResourceBundle; and, in response to accessing the ResourceBundle, retrieving virtual key information stored in an I/O device such as a hard disk or Flash memory. The third method comprises: from a HAVi L2 GUI, calling a Java native interface (JNI); at the JNI, using Java byte codes to call a storage driver; from the storage driver, accessing a mapped memory stored in binary format in an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM); and, in response to accessing the mapped memory, retrieving virtual key information.

Abstract: A method of designing an interface for a messaging system for networks. The method includes the steps of providing a system interface to communicate with an operating system and driver level communication drivers, and using an application interface for transferring payload data between application objects and the system interface. The method could be applied in networks that include both application-level applications and driver-level device drivers.

Abstract: A DRAM memory device capable of volatile, and non-volatile memory functions is provided. To achieve non-volatile memory functions a programming voltage is applied to DRAM memory cells consisting of a wordline, a bitline, a transistor, and a capacitive storage device. The programming voltage permanently alters the voltage leakage characteristics of the capacitive storage device. The DRAM memory device can then be read the memory cells by determining which cells have greater voltage leakage characteristics.