Abstract: Various embodiments of multielectrode radiofrequency (RF) ablation probes are described herein that disclose methods and apparatus for improved control and predictability of the size and shape of RF thermal electrocoagulations. The features of the invention include the ability to make irregularly shaped ablations in order to conform to irregularly shaped target tissue volumes, and to make very large ablations without the requirement for electrode cooling.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present application sets forth a method for detecting cancerous cells in a sample of excised tissue. The method includes a first subset of electrodes included in an electrode array measuring, at a first operating frequency, a first impedance of a first section of the sample. The method also includes computing a first Cole relaxation frequency for the first section of the sample based on the first impedance. The method also includes determining that the first section of the sample contains cancerous cells based on the first Cole relaxation frequency.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present application sets forth a method for detecting cancerous cells in a sample of excised tissue. The method includes a first subset of electrodes included in an electrode array measuring, at a first operating frequency, a first impedance of a first section of the sample. The method also includes computing a first Cole relaxation frequency for the first section of the sample based on the first impedance. The method also includes determining that the first section of the sample contains cancerous cells based on the first Cole relaxation frequency.

Abstract: A light detector includes a semiconductor die that provides a photo sensor. An interference filter is formed on the semiconductor die and has a pass band corresponding to a wavelength of a light emitting diode to supply filtered light in the pass band to the photo sensor.

Abstract: A technique for arbitrating conflicting usage of a communications channel of a wearable communications device is disclosed. In at least one embodiment of the invention, a method includes transmitting a voice signal from a microphone to a portable device using a first communications channel in a first mode of operating a system. The method includes transmitting a monitor signal to the portable device using the first communications channel for a predetermined period of time in response to detection of a beacon signal initiated by an application executing on the portable device. The first and second signals may be ultrasonic signals received over the first communications channel and may have the same frequency and different phases. The beacon signal may be detected based on the first and second signals. The first communications channel may include an audio jack of the portable device.

Abstract: A technique for arbitrating conflicting usage of a communications channel of a wearable communications device is disclosed. In at least one embodiment of the invention, a method includes transmitting a voice signal from a microphone to a portable device using a first communications channel in a first mode of operating a system. The method includes transmitting a monitor signal to the portable device using the first communications channel for a predetermined period of time in response to detection of a beacon signal initiated by an application executing on the portable device. The first and second signals may be ultrasonic signals received over the first communications channel and may have the same frequency and different phases. The beacon signal may be detected based on the first and second signals. The first communications channel may include an audio jack of the portable device.

Abstract: A light detector includes a semiconductor die that provides a photo sensor. An interference filter is formed on the semiconductor die and has a pass band corresponding to a wavelength of a light emitting diode to supply filtered light in the pass band to the photo sensor.

Abstract: In various embodiments, applicants' teachings are related to an active guarding circuit and method for reducing parasitic impedance signal loading on a signal-transmission channel that is shunted by a parasitic impedance. The presence of an electrical signal on the signal-transmission channel causes a leakage current to flow through the parasitic impedance. In various embodiments, the circuit comprises an amplifier and an impedance, one terminal of the impedance is coupled to the signal-transmission channel. The input of the amplifier is coupled to the signal-transmission channel and the output is coupled to the other terminal of the impedance so as to cause a compensation current to flow through the impedance. The gain of the amplifier and the value of the impedance are selected so that the compensation current has a magnitude substantially equal to the leakage current magnitude.

Abstract: A transaction is sent over a communication link to a receiving node. The transaction includes data along with a tag identifying a data type of the data. The receiving node either forwards or processes the data according to whether the data type matches the type of data type processed by circuitry associated with the receiving node. Thus, a destination is determined for data transported on the communication link using a data type identifier sent with the data.

Abstract: In various embodiments, applicants' teachings are related to an active guarding circuit and method for reducing parasitic impedance signal loading on a signal-transmission channel that is shunted by a parasitic impedance. The presence of an electrical signal on the signal-transmission channel causes a leakage current to flow through the parasitic impedance. In various embodiments, the circuit comprises an amplifier and an impedance, one terminal of the impedance is coupled to the signal-transmission channel. The input of the amplifier is coupled to the signal-transmission channel and the output is coupled to the other terminal of the impedance so as to cause a compensation current to flow through the impedance. The gain of the amplifier and the value of the impedance are selected so that the compensation current has a magnitude substantially equal to the leakage current magnitude.

Abstract: A computer system has multiple performance states. The computer system periodically determines utilization information for the computer system and adjusts the performance state according to the utilization information. If a performance increase is required, the computer system always goes to the maximum performance state. If a performance decrease is required, the computer system steps the performance state down to a next lower performance state.

Abstract: A computer system has multiple performance states. The computer system periodically determines utilization information for the computer system and adjusts the performance state according to the utilization information. If a performance increase is required, the computer system always goes to the maximum performance state. If a performance decrease is required, the computer system steps the performance state down to a next lower performance state.

Abstract: A computer system has multiple performance states. The computer system periodically determines utilization information for the computer system and adjusts the performance state according to the utilization information. If a performance increase is required, the computer system always goes to the maximum performance state. If a performance decrease is required, the computer system steps the performance state down to a next lower performance state.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device provides an operational set point indicator. The operational set point indicator is utilized for obtaining a plurality of operational set points. Each of the plurality of operational set points can be a pair of an operational voltage and an operational frequency for application to the integrated circuit device. The operational set point indicator can be, for example, a Schmoo Class Register, a Device Identification Register, or actual operating condition information of the integrated circuit device. The Schmoo Class Register and the Device Identification Register are utilized to identify a performance state table in memory. The actual operating conditional information can be one or more entire Schmoo Plots for the device or a subset of such information. Operational set points are used during operation of the integrated circuit device, for example, in power management applications.

Abstract: It has been discovered that system operational characteristics (e.g., power level, clock frequency, processor utilization, operating system time slice utilization, size and age of queued jobs) may be used to predict storage access requirements for the system. By predicting the storage access requirements of a system, a storage subsystem may be advantageously controlled to anticipate storage accesses. A storage device or array of such devices can be configured to operate, for example, at selected speeds no greater than that required to process the predicted storage access requirements. The storage access prediction may be based, for example, on the frequency and voltage at which a processor is running or based on other system performance indicators such as job backlog and age and size thereof. Various controllable characteristics such as the speed of a hard drive's storage media, the current applied to a read/write head, etc.

Abstract: A task queue management technique leverages infrastructure provided by file and operating systems to manage task queues substantially without otherwise typical problems regarding management of the size of the queue and/or the state of the queue (e.g., empty or full) while maintaining, regulating and altering the queue and the order of tasks in the queue. Task producer code is configurable to cause one or more executable files corresponding to each of one or more tasks to be stored in a queue directory responsive to receiving the one or more tasks. A file system associates each executable file with a time stamp indicating when the executable file was stored. Task consumer code is configurable to execute the one or more executable files in an order indicated by the time stamps associated with the executable files and to remove each executable file after execution of each executable file.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a computer system and method of using temperature measurements in connection with a computer. In one embodiment, the method includes taking a temperature reading in connection with the computer, determining a desired operating temperature for the computer, comparing the temperature reading and the desired operating temperature to determine a temperature difference, and determining a user activity indication based on the temperature difference. In another embodiment, the system comprises a processor device having a clock input to receive a clock signal; a temperature measurement device responsive to the processor device, the temperature measurement device configured to take a temperature measurement for the processor device; and control logic responsive to the temperature measurement device. The control logic is to compare the temperature measurement to a desired operating temperature to determine a temperature difference.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of functional blocks. Utilization information for the various functional blocks is generated. Based on that information, the power consumption and thus the performance levels of the functional blocks can be tuned. Thus, when a functional block is heavily loaded by an application, the performance level and thus power consumption of that particular functional block is increased. At the same time, other functional blocks that are not being heavily utilized and thus have lower performance requirements can be kept at a relatively low power consumption level. Thus, power consumption can be reduced overall without unduly impacting performance.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of functional blocks. Utilization information for the various functional blocks is generated. Based on that information, the power consumption and thus the performance levels of the functional blocks can be tuned. Thus, when a functional block is heavily loaded by an application, the performance level and thus power consumption of that particular functional block is increased. At the same time, other functional blocks that are not being heavily utilized and thus have lower performance requirements can be kept at a relatively low power consumption level. Thus, power consumption can be reduced overall without unduly impacting performance.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of functional blocks. Utilization information for the various functional blocks is generated. Based on that information, the power consumption and thus the performance levels of the functional blocks can be tuned. Thus, when a functional block is heavily loaded by an application, the performance level and thus power consumption of that particular functional block is increased. At the same time, other functional blocks that are not being heavily utilized and thus have lower performance requirements can be kept at a relatively low power consumption level. Thus, power consumption can be reduced overall without unduly impacting performance.