Abstract: A surgically implanted occluding assembly comprises an implant body having a longitudinally split generally “C”-shaped cross-section tube circumscribing an anatomical lumen. In one embodiment, the surgically implanted occluding assembly is a male continence device selectively occluding a urethra. In some embodiments an occluding magnet is rigidly affixed with the implant body, and an external selective occlusion control assembly is used to selectively activate the surgically implanted occluding assembly. The external assembly has a magnet, and body supporting the magnet. The external selective occlusion control assembly is configured to be selectively placed and retained adjacent to the surgically implanted occluding assembly.

Abstract: Systems and methods of performing a stress measurement of a chemically strengthened glass using a light-scattering polarimetry system include adjusting the intensity of a light beam from a light source in an illumination system using a rotatable half-wave plate and a first polarizer operably disposed between the light source and a rotating light diffuser that has a rotation time tR. The first polarizer is aligned with a second polarizer in a downstream optical compensator to have matching polarization directions by rotating the rotatable half-wave plate to a position where the exposure time tE falls within an exposure range tR?tE. The method also includes performing an exposure using the exposure time tE to obtain the stress measurement. One or both of the half-wave plate and first polarizer can be tilted to avoid deleterious back-reflected light from entering the light source.

Abstract: The hybrid measurement system includes an evanescent prism coupling spectroscopy (EPCS) sub-system and a light-scattering polarimetry (LSP) sub-system. The EPCS sub-system includes an EPCS light source system optically coupled to an EPCS detector system through an EPCS coupling prism. The LSP sub-system includes an LSP light source optically coupled to an optical compensator, which in turn is optically coupled to a LSP detector system via a LSP coupling prism. A support structure supports the EPCS and LSP coupling prisms to define a coupling prism assembly, which supports the two prisms at a measurement location. Stress measurements made using the EPCS and LSP sub-systems are combined to fully characterize the stress properties of a transparent chemically strengthened substrate. Methods of processing the EPCS and LSP measurements and enhanced configurations of the EPCS and LPS sub-systems to improve measurement accuracy are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods of performing a stress measurement of a chemically strengthened glass using a light-scattering polarimetry system include adjusting the intensity of a light beam from a light source in an illumination system using a rotatable half-wave plate and a first polarizer operably disposed between the light source and a rotating light diffuser that has a rotation time tR. The first polarizer is aligned with a second polarizer in a downstream optical compensator to have matching polarization directions by rotating the rotatable half-wave plate to a position where the exposure time tE falls within an exposure range tR?tE. The method also includes performing an exposure using the exposure time tE to obtain the stress measurement. One or both of the half-wave plate and first polarizer can be tilted to avoid deleterious back-reflected light from entering the light source.

Abstract: The hybrid measurement system includes an evanescent prism coupling spectroscopy (EPCS) sub-system and a light-scattering polarimetry (LSP) sub-system. The EPCS sub-system includes an EPCS light source system optically coupled to an EPCS detector system through an EPCS coupling prism. The LSP sub-system includes an LSP light source optically coupled to an optical compensator, which in turn is optically coupled to a LSP detector system via a LSP coupling prism. A support structure supports the EPCS and LSP coupling prisms to define a coupling prism assembly, which supports the two prisms at a measurement location. Stress measurements made using the EPCS and LSP sub-systems are combined to fully characterize the stress properties of a transparent chemically strengthened substrate. Methods of processing the EPCS and LSP measurements and enhanced configurations of the EPCS and LPS sub-systems to improve measurement accuracy are also disclosed.

Abstract: The hybrid measurement system includes an evanescent prism coupling spectroscopy (EPCS) sub-system and a light-scattering polarimetry (LSP) sub-system. The EPCS sub-system includes an EPCS light source optically coupled to an EPCS detector system through an EPCS coupling prism. The LSP sub-system includes an LSP light source optically coupled to an optical compensator, which in turn is optically coupled to a LSP detector system via a LSP coupling prism. A support structure supports the EPCS and LSP coupling prisms to define a coupling prism assembly, which supports the two prisms at a measurement location. Stress measurements made using the EPCS and LSP sub-systems are combined to fully characterize the stress properties of a transparent chemically strengthened substrate. Methods of processing the EPCS and LSP measurements to improve measurement accuracy are also disclosed.

Abstract: The hybrid measurement system includes an evanescent prism coupling spectroscopy (EPCS) sub-system and a light-scattering polarimetry (LSP) sub-system. The EPCS sub-system includes an EPCS light source optically coupled to an EPCS detector system through an EPCS coupling prism. The LSP sub-system includes an LSP light source optically coupled to an optical compensator, which in turn is optically coupled to a LSP detector system via a LSP coupling prism. A support structure supports the EPCS and LSP coupling prisms to define a coupling prism assembly, which supports the two prisms at a measurement location. Stress measurements made using the EPCS and LSP sub-systems are combined to fully characterize the stress properties of a transparent chemically strengthened substrate. Methods of processing the EPCS and LSP measurements to improve measurement accuracy are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for performing diagnostics on a system of a vehicle includes the steps of receiving a request form an external source, obtaining data relevant to the request, processing the request using the data, and generating a report based at least in part on the processing of the request. The report comprises a diagnostic vector and a life usage vector. The diagnostic vector comprises diagnostic information for the system based at least in part on the processing of the request. The life usage vector comprises information as to usage of the system throughout a life history of the system, based at least in part on the processing of the request.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided pertaining to a design of experiments. The method comprises generating a data set from historical data; identifying and removing any fault data points in the data set so as to create a revised data set; supplying the data points from the revised data set into a nonlinear neural network model; and deriving a simulator model characterizing a relationship between the input variables and the output variables. The apparatus comprises means for generating a data set from historical data; means for identifying and removing any fault data points in the data set so as to create a revised data set; means for supplying the data points from the revised data set into a nonlinear neural network model; and means for deriving a simulator model characterizing a relationship between the input variables and the output variables.