Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument including a housing, an ultrasonic generator, a waveguide assembly, and a retainer. The housing defines a cavity and is configured to mount to a linkage of a surgical robot. The ultrasonic generator includes a portion that is positioned within the cavity. The waveguide assembly is coupled to the ultrasonic generator and includes a portion that is positioned within the cavity. The retainer is positioned over the proximal connector and is engaged with the housing to secure the portions of the ultrasonic generator and the proximal connector within the cavity.

Abstract: A motor drive circuit for driving an electric motor includes a plurality of driver circuits, each one of the plurality of driver circuit comprising a high side transistor coupled to a low side transistor in a half bridge arrangement, wherein each one of the high side transistors and each one of the low side transistors has a respective control node and respective first and second current passing nodes, wherein the second current passing node of each of the high side transistors is coupled to the first current passing node of a respective one of the low side transistors at a respective junction node, wherein each one of the plurality of driver circuits is operable to drive a respective current out of a respective junction node into a respective winding of the electric motor. The motor drive circuit further includes a capacitor coupled to the first current passing node of each one of the high side transistors, the capacitor operable to hold a capacitor voltage.

Abstract: A motor drive circuit for driving an electric motor includes a plurality of driver circuits, each one of the plurality of driver circuit comprising a high side transistor coupled to a low side transistor in a half bridge arrangement, wherein each one of the high side transistors and each one of the low side transistors has a respective control node and respective first and second current passing nodes, wherein the second current passing node of each of the high side transistors is coupled to the first current passing node of a respective one of the low side transistors at a respective junction node, wherein each one of the plurality of driver circuits is operable to drive a respective current out of a respective junction node into a respective winding of the electric motor. The motor drive circuit further includes a capacitor coupled to the first current passing node of each one of the high side transistors, the capacitor operable to hold a capacitor voltage.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a voltage regulator having a boost module and a charge pump module. In embodiments, the charge pump module is configured to operate in multiple modes. In embodiments, an IC package includes the boost module and the charge pump with a shared component, such as a capacitor.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument including a housing, an ultrasonic generator, a waveguide assembly, and a retainer. The housing defines a cavity and is configured to mount to a linkage of a surgical robot. The ultrasonic generator includes a portion that is positioned within the cavity. The waveguide assembly is coupled to the ultrasonic generator and includes a portion that is positioned within the cavity. The retainer is positioned over the proximal connector and is engaged with the housing to secure the portions of the ultrasonic generator and the proximal connector within the cavity.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a voltage regulator having a boost module and a charge pump module. In embodiments, the charge pump module is configured to operate in multiple modes. In embodiments, an IC package includes the boost module and the charge pump with a shared component, such as a capacitor.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide an electronic circuit for controlling a motor. The electronic circuit includes a magnetic field sensing circuit responsive to magnetic field sensing elements disposed to sense rotation of the motor. The magnetic field sensing elements generate magnetic field signals, each having a state indicative of at least one of the rotational position and a rotation speed of the motor. A position and speed sensing circuit generates a signal representative of the rotational position of the motor and tracks state changes of the magnetic field signals. A gate driver circuit generates motor drive signals that drive the motor based upon the sensed rotational position. The position and speed sensing circuit generates a qualified control signal based upon a determined valid state change of the magnetic field signals. The gate driver circuit generates the motor drive signals based, at least in part, upon the qualified control signal.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide an electronic circuit for controlling a motor. The electronic circuit includes a magnetic field sensing circuit responsive to magnetic field sensing elements disposed to sense rotation of the motor. The magnetic field sensing elements generate magnetic field signals, each having a state indicative of at least one of the rotational position and a rotation speed of the motor. A position and speed sensing circuit generates a signal representative of the rotational position of the motor and tracks state changes of the magnetic field signals. A gate driver circuit generates motor drive signals that drive the motor based upon the sensed rotational position. The position and speed sensing circuit generates a qualified control signal based upon a determined valid state change of the magnetic field signals. The gate driver circuit generates the motor drive signals based, at least in part, upon the qualified control signal.

Abstract: A regulator control circuit includes a switch control signal generator to generate a switch control signal and a soft start circuit to generate a soft start signal for use by the switch control signal generator. The soft start circuit includes a soft start controller and a decreasing circuit to decrease the soft start signal in response to the soft start controller. The soft start controller may comprise a non-regulation detector to detect a non-regulation condition. Embodiments include decreasing the soft start signal in response to a non-regulation condition lasting a predetermined time, detecting the non-regulation condition in response to a maximum duty cycle of the regulator switch, generating a soft start level indicator to control decreasing the soft start signal, and maintaining the soft start signal at a predetermined relationship with respect to a feedback signal.

Abstract: A regulator control circuit includes a switch control signal generator to generate a switch control signal and a soft start circuit to generate a soft start signal for use by the switch control signal generator. The soft start circuit includes a soft start controller and a decreasing circuit to decrease the soft start signal in response to the soft start controller. The soft start controller may comprise a non-regulation detector to detect a non-regulation condition. Embodiments include decreasing the soft start signal in response to a non-regulation condition lasting a predetermined time, detecting the non-regulation condition in response to a maximum duty cycle of the regulator switch, generating a soft start level indicator to control decreasing the soft start signal, and maintaining the soft start signal at a predetermined relationship with respect to a feedback signal.

Abstract: A signal analyzer to characterize the RF signal transmitted by a frequency hopping radio transmitter. The transmitted signal is analyzed while hopping across a broad frequency band without knowledge of the hop frequencies, timing or signal bandwidth. A wide range of signal parameters are measured on the dehopped signal to characterize the radio performance and the compliance to the radio specifications.

Abstract: The subject of this patent is a system to generate RF frequency hopped signals that can be used to test radio receivers over the range of their signal specifications. The hop sequence and symbols in the signal is decoded from signals transmitted by the same or different radio of the same specification. The system can set various signal parameters to any prescribed value. These parameters include carrier frequency error, bit rate error, rise and fall times, amplitude ripple and roll off, modulation depth, nonlinearities, burst duration, burst start time and burst interval. Signal interference can be added to the signal including tones, other signals, noise and other signals of the same as the test radio. Similarly other communications equipment can be tested by the combination of receiving and demodulating a transmitted and regenerating the signal with the same symbols with specified signal parameters.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical apparatus for fragmenting and aspirating tissue is disclosed. The apparatus includes a handpiece which encloses a transducer, an aspirating tool, and a connector body connecting the aspirating tool and the transducer. The aspirating tool includes a elongated boy having a centrally located throughbore, a hexagon engagement portion, a threaded proximal end and a distal tip. Methods of manufacturing aspirating tools having small and large diameter throughbores adapted for use with a common handpiece are also disclosed.

Abstract: An integrated optical switch/amplifier with modulation capabilities comprises a semiconductor waveguide with an input end-face and an output end-face. The waveguide is disposed on a substrate and separated from it by an I-region. A laser cavity is fabricated transverse to the semiconductor waveguide and supports a bleed laser during operation. A pair of switching electrodes with one placed on top of the semiconductor waveguide and another placed beneath the substrate provide for a selective injection of electron carriers from a top length of the semiconductor waveguide and from the substrate through the I-region. Thus, an optical signal presented at the input end-face is either blocked, modulated, or amplified-through according to the relative polarity of voltages applied to the pair of switching electrodes.

Abstract: An integrated optical switch/amplifier with modulation capabilities comprises a semiconductor waveguide with an input end-face and an output end-face. The waveguide is disposed on a substrate and separated from it by an I-region. A laser cavity is fabricated transverse to the semiconductor waveguide and supports a bleed laser during operation. A pair of switching electrodes with one placed on top of the semiconductor waveguide and another placed beneath the substrate provide for a selective injection of electron carriers from a top length of the semiconductor waveguide and from the substrate through the I-region. Thus, an optical signal presented at the input end-face is either blocked, modulated, or amplified-through according to the relative polarity of voltages applied to the pair of switching electrodes.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical apparatus for fragmenting and aspirating tissue is disclosed. The apparatus includes a handpiece which encloses a transducer, an aspirating tool, and a connector body connecting the aspirating tool and the transducer. The aspirating tool includes a elongated boy having a centrally located throughbore, a hexagon engagement portion, a threaded proximal end and a distal tip. Methods of manufacturing aspirating tools having small and large diameter throughbores adapted for use with a common handpiece are also disclosed.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical apparatus for fragmenting and aspirating tissue is disclosed. The apparatus includes a handpiece which encloses a transducer, an aspirating tool, and a connector body connecting the aspirating tool and the transducer. The aspirating tool includes a elongated boy having a centrally located throughbore, a hexagon engagement portion, a threaded proximal end and a distal tip. Methods of manufacturing aspirating tools having small and large diameter throughbores adapted for use with a common handpiece are also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved ultrasonic surgical apparatus includes an ultrasonic handpiece. An ultrasonic fragmenting tool is mountable within the handpiece, the tool having a vibratable tip adapted for ultrasonically fragmenting tissue at a surgical site of a patient. A transducer is mounted within the handpiece and coupled to a connector body. The connector body is coupled to the tip for transmitting ultrasonic waves to the tip from the transducer, the tip and the connector body being constructed of titanium or its alloys. An aspirating system is connected to the handpiece for aspirating fluid and tissue fragmented by the tip from the surgical site. An irrigation system is connected to said handpiece for supplying irrigation fluid to the surgical site for suspending fragmented tissue by the tip. Preferred embodiments include operational frequencies of about 36 kHz.