Abstract: Provided are methods of contacting a tissue inside a subject with light by applying an ultrasound signal to a photoexcited mechanoluminescent particle while the mechanoluminescent particle is inside the subject and in proximity to the tissue, thereby causing the mechanoluminescent particle to emit light that contacts the tissue. Provided are systems and kits for performing such methods.

Abstract: An access control system is disclosed comprising a credential reader arranged to gather at least one credential from a person desiring to pass through an access point associated with the access control system, the system being arranged to use the at least one credential to provide an indication about the identity of the person. The system also comprises at least one access control device controlling access through a respective access point such that a person is allowed or denied access dependent on whether the person is positively identified, and a data storage device that stores data indicative of a current security level applicable for each access point associated with the system, the security level defining the criteria required to provide a positive identification of the person. Stored security level data can be modified to change the criteria required for positively identifying a person.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for implementing STP flow control in SAS expander devices. SAS expanders are commonly used within a SAS network topology to allow multiple disk drives to connect to multiple host devices. Connections to a SATA HDD are supported using SATA Tunnelling Protocol (STP), which allows SATA traffic to be carried over a SAS network topology. Flow control in a STP connection is applied through a set of special SATA primitives, both for forward and backward flow control. A method is described herein in which STP flow control is supported without the use of a SATA link layer state machine. This allows STP flow control to be terminated on a hop-by-hop basis without knowing the data channel direction or maintaining a SATA link state machine, and while minimizing gate count.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for implementing STP flow control in SAS expander devices. SAS expanders are commonly used within a SAS network topology to allow multiple disk drives to connect to multiple host devices. Connections to a SATA HDD are supported using SATA Tunnelling Protocol (STP), which allows SATA traffic to be carried over a SAS network topology. Flow control in a STP connection is applied through a set of special SATA primitives, both for forward and backward flow control. A method is described herein in which STP flow control is supported without the use of a SATA link layer state machine. This allows STP flow control to be terminated on a hop-by-hop basis without knowing the data channel direction or maintaining a SATA link state machine, and while minimizing gate count.