Abstract: A medical ventilator (100, 200) including a first user interface (114) having a touch-sensitive display having a display area; and at least one controller (104) which determines whether a second user interface (122, 222) having a touch-sensitive display is coupled to the medical ventilator, enables the first user interface when it is determined that the second user interface is not coupled to the medical ventilator, and enables the second user interface when it is determined that the second user interface is coupled to the medical ventilator.

Abstract: A braking energy recovery system (50) for an electric motor (62) comprises first regulator (52), energy storage device (54), second regulator (56), sensor (60), and controller (58). The first regulator (52) outputs a DC link voltage to the energy storage device (54). The second regulator (56) couples to the energy storage device and outputs a motor drive signal to the electric motor (62). The sensor (60) senses an operating characteristic of the electric motor. The controller (58) outputs to the first regulator an energy management signal (74) that comprises a time variant signal as a function of (i) motor speed and/or (ii) back EMF determined via the sensed characteristic, whereby the first regulator dynamically regulates the DC link voltage to maintain substantially constant an energy balance that comprises a sum of (a) rotational and/or linear kinetic energy of the electric motor and (b) energy stored in the energy storage device.

Abstract: A braking energy recovery system (50) for an electric motor (62) comprises first regulator (52), energy storage device (54), second regulator (56), sensor (60), and controller (58). The first regulator (52) outputs a DC link voltage to the energy storage device (54). The second regulator (56) couples to the energy storage device and outputs a motor drive signal to the electric motor (62). The sensor (60) senses an operating characteristic of the electric motor. The controller (58) outputs to the first regulator an energy management signal (74) that comprises a time variant signal as a function of (i) motor speed and/or (ii) back EMF determined via the sensed characteristic, whereby the first regulator dynamically regulates the DC link voltage to maintain substantially constant an energy balance that comprises a sum of (a) rotational and/or linear kinetic energy of the electric motor and (b) energy stored in the energy storage device.

Abstract: A medical ventilator (100, 200) including a first user interface (114) having a touch-sensitive display having a display area; and at least one controller (104) which determines whether a second user interface (122, 222) having a touch-sensitive display is coupled to the medical ventilator, enables the first user interface when it is determined that the second user interface is not coupled to the medical ventilator, and enables the second user interface when it is determined that the second user interface is coupled to the medical ventilator.

Abstract: A parametric transducer which includes a support member extending along an x-axis and a y-axis and having opposing front and back surfaces. The support member includes an array of parallel ridges extending along the x-axis and spaced apart along the y-axis at predetermined separation distances. The ridges have forward, film contacting faces to support an emitter film in a desired film configuration for emitting parametric output. An electrically sensitive and mechanically responsive (ESMR) film is disposed over the support member with one side of the ESMR film being captured by the film contacting faces, and with arcuate sections aligned with and positioned between the parallel ridges. The film contacting faces mechanically isolate each of the arcuate sections of ESMR film from adjacent arcuate sections.

Abstract: A method for constructing a parametric transducer. The method includes preparing a support member having opposing front and back surfaces, the support member extending along an x-axis and a y-axis. The support member is structured to retain an array of parallel ridges extending along the x-axis and spaced apart along the y-axis at predetermined separation distances. The ridges have forward, film contacting faces to support an emitter film in a desired film configuration for emitting parametric output. An electrically sensitive and mechanically responsive (ESMR) film is applied to the support member with one side of the ESMR film being captured at the film contacting faces, and with arcuate sections disposed between the parallel ridges. The film contacting faces mechanically isolate each of the arcuate sections of ESMR film from adjacent arcuate sections.

Abstract: A method of memory management for a primary memory created from a non-volatile, long-term storage medium, in particular flash memory, which enables direct manipulation of data segments stored therein. The data segments of a single file are typically not stored contiguously in relation to the order in which they are stored and subsequently recalled, yet the method enables recall in the logical order in which the data segments were created. This method is particularly useful for flash memory which has the characteristic of not being able to overwrite data in memory without first erasing previously recorded data. The method comprises the minimum steps of dividing the primary memory into equal size blocks, each block being the smallest amount of data which can be read from or written to memory in a single read or write operation.