Abstract: A method of operating an articulatable surgical instrument. The method includes providing a rotary drive motion to a rotary drive member of a surgical end effector and converting the rotary drive motion to an upper axial motion and a lower axial motion at locations that are distal to the articulation joint. The method further includes applying the upper axial motion to an upper portion of a firing member and applying the lower axial motion to a lower portion of the firing member such that the upper axial motion and lower axial motion drives the firing member distally through the surgical end effector from a starting position to an ending position.

Abstract: An apparatus and system are provided for interpreting the gestural path of a first NFC device within NFC range of a second NFC device, or the gestural path of the second NFC device within range of the first NFC device, to determine context for a pre-determined function. The second NFC device includes a plurality of inductive coupling elements, each element configured to output a signal when within range of the first NFC device. A controller module receives the signal from each element when the first NFC device is within range and determines a path of the first NFC device across the second NFC device based on a time difference of receipt at the controller of the signals. The plurality of inductive coupling elements may be active or passive, and interact with the first NFC device in a peer-to-peer mode or read/write mode, depending on the configuration of each device.

Abstract: There is provided a method for use in a wireless communication to avoid detection of a false modulated signal in a paged device. In one embodiment, a modulated signal is received by the paged device. Then, the modulated signal is identified by the paged device as a preliminary false modulated signal. Thereafter, the gain of at least one paged device amplifier and/or a matching threshold of the paged device is reduced by the paged device to decrease a sensitivity of the paged device to avoid detection of a future false modulated signal. In one embodiment, the wireless communication is a Bluetooth wireless communication and the paged device is a Bluetooth enabled device. An exemplary system for implementing one embodiment of the disclosed method is described.

Abstract: There is provided a method for use in a wireless communication to avoid detection of a false modulated signal in a paged device. In one embodiment, a modulated signal is received by the paged device. Then, the modulated signal is identified by the paged device as a preliminary false modulated signal. Thereafter, the gain of at least one paged device amplifier and/or a matching threshold of the paged device is reduced by the paged device to decrease a sensitivity of the paged device to avoid detection of a future false modulated signal. In one embodiment, the wireless communication is a Bluetooth wireless communication and the paged device is a Bluetooth enabled device. An exemplary system for implementing one embodiment of the disclosed method is described.

Abstract: An apparatus and system are provided for interpreting the gestural path of a first NFC device within NFC range of a second NFC device, or the gestural path of the second NFC device within range of the first NFC device, to determine context for a pre-determined function. The second NFC device includes a plurality of inductive coupling elements, each element configured to output a signal when within range of the first NFC device. A controller module receives the signal from each element when the first NFC device is within range and determines a path of the first NFC device across the second NFC device based on a time difference of receipt at the controller of the signals. The plurality of inductive coupling elements may be active or passive, and interact with the first NFC device in a peer-to-peer mode or read/write mode, depending on the configuration of each device.

Abstract: There is provided a method for use in a wireless communication to avoid detection of a false modulated signal in a paged device. In one embodiment, a modulated signal is received by the paged device. Then, the modulated signal is identified by the paged device as a preliminary false modulated signal. Thereafter, the gain of at least one paged device amplifier and/or a matching threshold of the paged device is reduced by the paged device to decrease a sensitivity of the paged device to avoid detection of a future false modulated signal. In one embodiment, the wireless communication is a Bluetooth wireless communication and the paged device is a Bluetooth enabled device. An exemplary system for implementing one embodiment of the disclosed method is described.

Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a method and system for determining and removing DC offset in an AC signal includes receiving an AC signal having a first-channel and a second-channel, e.g. an I-channel and a Q-channel, receiving a plurality of first-channel and second-channel samples, storing a negative first-channel sample corresponding to a first sign change in the plurality of second-channel samples, and storing a positive first-channel sample corresponding to a second sign change in the plurality of second-channel samples. The method further includes determining an average value of the negative first-channel sample and the positive first-channel sample, where the average value is the DC offset in the first-channel. The method can further include subtracting the determined DC offset from samples received in the first-channel (or the second-channel) prior to demodulation. The method and system can be implemented in, for example, a Bluetooth receiver.

Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed relating to wireless systems, and also relating to power control techniques for wireless devices. One disclosed embodiment comprises a wireless receiver that includes a processing circuit. In one example embodiment, at least a portion of the processing circuit may process only a portion of an ID packet. The portion of the ID packet that is received and processed may be less than a full ID packet, which may provide power savings.

Abstract: There is provided a method for use in a wireless communication to avoid detection of a false modulated signal in a paged device. In one embodiment, a modulated signal is received by the paged device. Then, the modulated signal is identified by the paged device as a preliminary false modulated signal. Thereafter, the gain of at least one paged device amplifier and/or a matching threshold of the paged device is reduced by the paged device to decrease a sensitivity of the paged device to avoid detection of a future false modulated signal. In one embodiment, the wireless communication is a Bluetooth wireless communication and the paged device is a Bluetooth enabled device. An exemplary system for implementing one embodiment of the disclosed method is described.

Abstract: There is provided a method for use in a wireless communication to avoid detection of a false modulated signal in a paged device. In one embodiment, a modulated signal is received by the paged device. Then, the modulated signal is identified by the paged device as a preliminary false modulated signal. Thereafter, the gain of at least one paged device amplifier and/or a matching threshold of the paged device is reduced by the paged device to decrease a sensitivity of the paged device to avoid detection of a future false modulated signal. In one embodiment, the wireless communication is a Bluetooth wireless communication and the paged device is a Bluetooth enabled device. An exemplary system for implementing one embodiment of the disclosed method is described.

Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed relating to wireless systems, and also relating to power control techniques for wireless devices. One disclosed embodiment comprises a wireless receiver that includes a processing circuit. In one example embodiment, at least a portion of the processing circuit may process only a portion of an ID packet. The portion of the ID packet that is received and processed may be less than a full ID packet, which may provide power savings.

Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed relating to wireless systems, and also relating to power control techniques for wireless devices. One disclosed embodiment comprises a wireless receiver that includes a processing circuit. In one example embodiment, at least a portion of the processing circuit may wake from a low power state to an operational state to receive and process only a portion of an ID packet during the operational state. The portion of the ID packet that is received and processed may be less than a full ID packet, which may provide power savings.

Abstract: There is provided a method for use in a wireless communication to avoid detection of a false modulated signal in a paged device. In one embodiment, a modulated signal is received by the paged device. Then, the modulated signal is identified by the paged device as a preliminary false modulated signal. Thereafter, the gain of at least one paged device amplifier and/or a matching threshold of the paged device is reduced by the paged device to decrease a sensitivity of the paged device to avoid detection of a future false modulated signal. In one embodiment, the wireless communication is a Bluetooth wireless communication and the paged device is a Bluetooth enabled device. An exemplary system for implementing one embodiment of the disclosed method is described.

Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a method and system for determining and removing DC offset in an AC signal includes receiving an AC signal having a first-channel and a second-channel, e.g. an I-channel and a Q-channel, receiving a plurality of first-channel and second-channel samples, storing a negative first-channel sample corresponding to a first sign change in the plurality of second-channel samples, and storing a positive first-channel sample corresponding to a second sign change in the plurality of second-channel samples. The method further includes determining an average value of the negative first-channel sample and the positive first-channel sample, where the average value is the DC offset in the first-channel. The method can further include subtracting the determined DC offset from samples received in the first-channel (or the second-channel) prior to demodulation. The method and system can be implemented in, for example, a Bluetooth receiver.

Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed relating to wireless systems, and also relating to power control techniques for wireless devices. One disclosed embodiment comprises a wireless receiver that includes a processing circuit. In one example embodiment, at least a portion of the processing circuit may wake from a low power state to an operational state to receive and process only a portion of an ID packet during the operational state. The portion of the ID packet that is received and processed may be less than a full ID packet, which may provide power savings.

Abstract: A simple down converting A/D converter utilizing predictive coding principles. By placing the sampler inside the predictive loop, the predictive loop filter can be implemented using DSP techniques, thus eliminating the complexities introduced by use of discrete-time analog circuitry. Then, by re-mapping the output of the predictive loop filter into the analog domain using a D/A converter, the predictive filter output signal is subtracted from the input analog signal to generate the prediction error signal. Therefore, through directly sampling the prediction error signal and converting the output of the predictive loop filter into analog representation using a low-cost multiple bit D/A, the use of discrete-time analog circuitry is eliminated and the complexity of the converter design is greatly reduced. Various features of the invention are disclosed.

Abstract: A battery charger includes a first charger for providing a first battery charging current and a second charger for providing a second battery charging current. A switch is provided for manually actuating the second charger. A timer times the second charger cycle. The timer is used to initiate the discontinuation of operation of the second charger. When the second charger is operating, the timer is inhibited from being reset. When the first charger discontinues supplying a charging current, the battery charger is conditioned to again permit actuation of the switch to reset the timer and allow operation of the second charger.