Abstract: A stent comprises a tubular member having openings therein and having a plurality of interconnected members and one or more frangible restraining members. The frangible restraining members break upon partial expansion of the stent. Thereafter, the stent self-expands.

Abstract: A method of attaching radiopaque markers to an intraluminal medical device frame formed from a shape memory metal or alloy thereof, the process conducted during the shape recovery process of said shape memory metal or alloy thereof.

Abstract: A radio frequency identification device (RFID) and method for authenticating RFIDs are disclosed. In RFIDs, data is stored in a form of data segments selectively associated with promiscuous and non-promiscuous regions of their memories. A randomly selected portion of a content of a non-promiscuous region is examined by an interrogating readers or a host computer after validating the data contained in a promiscuous region.

Abstract: Method and devices for making access decisions in a secure access network are provided. The access decisions are made by a portable credential using data and algorithms stored on the credential. Since access decisions are made by the portable credential non-networked hosts or local hosts can be employed that do not necessarily need to be connected to a central access controller or database thereby reducing the cost of building and maintaining the secure access network.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a stent comprises a plurality of serpentine bands and a plurality of connector columns. Each serpentine band comprises a plurality of alternating straight band struts and turns. Adjacent serpentine bands are connected across a connector column by a plurality of connector struts. Each connector strut is connected at one end to a turn of one serpentine band and connected at the other end to a turn of another serpentine band. The turns of a serpentine band comprise connected turns that connect to a connector strut and unconnected turns that do not connect to a connector strut. At least one serpentine band comprises a repeating pattern of three band struts and then five band struts extending between connected turns as the serpentine band is traversed. At least one serpentine band comprises a repeating pattern of three band struts and then one band strut extending between connected turns as the serpentine band is traversed.

Abstract: The present invention provides for automatically installing software on heterogeneous computer systems. In a distributed system having heterogeneous computer systems having dissimilar hardware or software components or dissimilar configuration information, such as different natural languages, different operating system types, different network operating system types, and different processor types, the present invention automatically installs the appropriate edition of software on computers. The present invention installs an edition of software appropriate for use with a specific operating system type, appropriate for execution on a particular processor type and in a particular natural language by utilizing commands specific to an operating system and network operating system type. The present invention automatically installs software in response to user input, the addition of a new computer to the distributed system, or upon the availability of a new version of the software.

Abstract: A stent in a non-expanded state includes a first expansion column and a second expansion column. The first expansion column comprises a plurality of expansion strut pairs. Each expansion strut pair includes a first expansion strut and a second expansion strut joined by a joining strut. The second expansion column comprises a plurality of expansion strut pairs. Each expansion strut pair includes a first expansion strut and a second expansion strut joined by a joining strut. The first and second expansion columns are connected via a first connecting strut column. The first connecting strut column comprises a plurality of first connecting struts. The first expansion strut of the first expansion strut pair in the first expansion column has a longitudinal axis offset from a longitudinal axis of the first expansion strut of the second expansion strut pair in the second expansion column.

Abstract: An expandable stent comprises a multiplicity of sets of strut members. Each set of strut members forms a circumferentially extending closed structure with adjacent sets of strut members being coupled each to the other by connectors. The stent has two types of sets of strut members, a first type of set of strut members and a second type of set of strut members. The first type of set of strut members has a shorter total pathlength about the periphery of the stent than the second type of set of strut members. When the stent is radially deployed to its nominal diameter, the first type of set of strut members has greater radial rigidity as compared to the second type of set of strut members.

Abstract: A stent comprises a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements defining a first end section, a second end section, and a center section therebetween. Each cylindrical element has constant thickness struts formed in a generally serpentine wave pattern transverse to the longitudinal axis which contains alternating valley portions and peak portions. A plurality of interconnecting members extend between the adjacent cylindrical elements and connect the adjacent cylindrical elements to one another. The cylindrical elements are formed of a stent material, the composition of which is uniform throughout the stent. The stent material of the struts in each of the first end section and the second end section have a greater mass than the stent material of the struts of the center section.

Abstract: Segmented articulatable stent of open structure comprised of end-connected struts making up the segments with angular interconnects between segments.

Abstract: Segmented articulatable stent of open structure comprised of end-connected struts making up the segments with angular interconnects between segments.

Abstract: The invention provides a tubular expandable stent including a plurality of cylindrically shaped open cylindrical segments aligned on a common longitudinal axis to define a generally tubular stent body, each segment being defined by a member formed in an undulating flexible pattern of interconnected substantially parallel struts with pairs thereof having alternating interconnecting end portions to define the periphery of the expandable stent segment, and in which the connected end portions of paired struts in each segment, before the stent is expanded, are positioned substantially opposite to connected end portions of paired struts in adjacent segments.

Abstract: The present invention provides for automatically installing software on heterogeneous computer systems. In a distributed system having heterogeneous computer systems having dissimilar hardware or software components or dissimilar configuration information, such as different natural languages, different operating system types, different network operating system types, and different processor types, the present invention automatically installs the appropriate edition of software on computers. The present invention installs an edition of software appropriate for use with a specific operating system type, appropriate for execution on a particular processor type and in a particular natural language by utilizing commands specific to an operating system and network operating system type. The present invention automatically installs software in response to user input, the addition of a new computer to the distributed system, or upon the availability of a new version of the software.

Abstract: Segmented articulatable stent of open structure comprised of end-connected struts making up the segments with angular interconnects between segments.

Abstract: The present invention provides for automatically installing software on heterogeneous computer systems. In a distributed system having heterogeneous computer systems having dissimilar hardware or software components or dissimilar configuration information, such as different natural languages, different operating system types, different network operating system types, and different processor types, the present invention automatically installs the appropriate edition of software on computers. The present invention installs an edition of software appropriate for use with a specific operating system type, appropriate for execution on a particular processor type and in a particular natural language by utilizing commands specific to an operating system and network operating system type. The present invention automatically installs software in response to user input, the addition of a new computer to the distributed system, or upon the availability of a new version of the software.

Abstract: A method and system for consolidating related error reports is provided. In a preferred embodiment, an facility preferably implemented in software ("the facility") receives error reports and success reports generated by programs. When the facility receives a novel error report specifying an error source for which no error state is set, it sets an error state corresponding to the error report. The facility also preferably generates a consolidated error report at this point, which is delivered to a error state reporting subsystem. The error state reporting subsystem may add the consolidated error report to an error log and/or display it to a user. When the facility receives a redundant error report specifying an error source for which an error state is already set, the facility preferably does not set a new error state, nor does it generate a consolidated error report.

Abstract: A flat-sitting bottom end closure for liquid filled, thermoplastic-coated paperboard containers, and mechanism for forming same. The mechanism includes an indexible rotor having a plurality of mandrels on which tubular container blanks are mounted, wherein each mandrel has an end cap defining a configuration which, in conjunction with a complementary pressure pad, produces four flat corner portions or pedestals on the container bottom end closure when confined between the pressure pad and each end cap.

Abstract: The present invention provides for automatically installing software on heterogeneous client computer systems. In a distributed system having heterogeneous computer systems of different natural languages, different operating system types, and/or different processor types, the present invention automatically installs the appropriate edition of software onto client computers. The present invention installs an edition of software appropriate for execution on a particular processor type, with a particular operating system type and in a particular natural language by utilizing commands specific to an operating system type. The present invention automatically installs software in response to the availability of a new version of the software, a change in the operating system of the client computer, a change in the associated natural language of the client computer, or in response to input of the administrator of the distributed system.

Abstract: A method and system for associating related errors in a computer system is provided. In a preferred embodiment, an error reported by a first program is associated with a related error reported by a second program that calls the first program. The first program detects the occurrence of an error, and, in response, generates a first error report containing information describing the error detected by the first program. The first error report is thereafter associated with a first error report identifier identifying the first error report. When the first program later returns to the second program, the second program also detects the occurrence of an error. In response, the second program likewise generates an error report containing information describing the error detected by the second program. The second error report is thereafter associated with a second error report identifier identifying the second error report.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for encoding and detecting data from magnetically encoded access cards. The invention includes a control unit (1) having an access card slot (4) communicating with a microprocessor (11) and sensor (3). A barium ferrite access card (5) magnetically encoded in a particular grid pattern is interposed within the card slot, and the encoded grid pattern is then detected and "read" by the sensor. The encoded data in grid form is then transmitted to the microprocessor which, in turn, assigns to the magnetically encoded grid representation a numeric value. This numeric value is then compared with a list of values stored in the microprocessor and if the detected and translated numeric value corresponds to a stored value, the microprocessor, directly or indirectly, emits a signal to activate or deactivate a device to be controlled (10).