Abstract: In a telecommunications switching network having a resource complex including network switches, an intelligent service platform for providing intelligent call processing and service execution for call events received at the switches and requiring call processing services. A centralized administration system is provided that comprises a system for storing one or more reusable business objects that each encapsulate a distinct call processing function, and any associated data required by the business object; a system for distributing selected business objects and associated data to selected nodes in the switching network based on pre-determined node configuration criteria; and, a system for activating the business objects in preparation for real-time use. A computing platform is provided within each node for executing those business objects required to perform a service in accordance with an event received at the network switch.

Abstract: The illustrative armboard assembly includes a lockable first joint coupling an armboard to a support arm, a lockable second joint coupling the support arm to a mounting post and a lockable third joint coupling the mounting post to a mounting rail. The first joint is configured to permit movement of the armboard along the support arm and configured to permit movement of the armboard relative to the support arm about a first plurality of axes. The second joint is configured to permit movement of the support arm relative to the mounting post about a second plurality of axes. The third joint is configured to position the mounting post in a selected vertical position relative to the mounting rail and in a selected longitudinal position along the mounting rail.

Abstract: A disc drive storage system and device for use with a host computer is provided in which information contained on the disc drive can be write protected with an ATA compatible write protection scheme. The system includes at least one rotatable disc having a disc surface with a plurality of physical memory locations referenced by the host computer through logical block addresses. The physical memory locations include data storage locations and attribute storage locations that store protection status information corresponding to the data storage locations. A disc controller receives write protection commands that are compatible with an ATA data exchange protocol from the host. These write protection commands relate to the write protection status information of at least one logical block address. The controller executes the write protection commands to thereby implement a write protection scheme compatible with the ATA data exchange protocol.

Abstract: A wireless communication device (32) within a wireless on-call communication system (10) includes a device receiver (92) for receiving an on-call message (36), a device processor (98) coupled to the device receiver (92) for processing the on-call message (36); a device memory (100) coupled to the device processor (98) for storing the on-call message (36); and an on-call application (108) coupled to the device processor (98) having an on-call schedule (80) for defining an active time period (126) and an inactive time period (128). The device processor (98) processes the on-call message (36) during the active time period (126) and discards the on-call message (36) during the inactive time period (128).

Abstract: An AC to DC power converter, comprising an input, an output, a plurality of pass elements connected in parallel between the input and output, and a controller for switching ON a subset of the plurality of pass elements. The controller sets an ON time for at least one pass element in the subset based on a load at the output and a phase angle of an input voltage at the input. The input voltage may comprise a single or multi-phase signal. The number of pass elements in the subset is based on the load. In one embodiment, each pass element comprising a pair of series-connected field effect transistors coupled source to source and operated in fully enhanced mode.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus for moving a patient from a first support to a second support includes an upper platform, a lower conveyor and an actuator configured to be coupled to the lower conveyor to drive the lower conveyor. The lower conveyor is movable such that movement of the lower conveyor to move the apparatus from the second support to the first support moves the patient from the first support onto the upper platform.

Abstract: An offset tape measuring tool marked with standard English measurements includes integrated indicia for quick determination of distance between bends for a given offset depth and offset angle when installing conduit. Additional indicia may be included for the measurement of the shrinkage of the conduit with respect to the specified offset depths and angles. The integrated invention may be part of a standard tape measure strip to provide a convenient multi-purpose tool. Although the tool eliminates any external calculations or table reference typically necessary when bending conduit to clear an obstacle, it still provides an optional reference card for unique bends.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a workpiece is provided. The method includes forming a sheet of material having a predetermined shape. A physical marker is then formed on the sheet of material. The physical marker is formed to indicate a position on the sheet of material, where the sheet of material is to be bent.

Abstract: The illustrative armboard assembly includes a lockable first joint coupling an armboard to a support arm, a lockable second joint coupling the support arm to a mounting post and a lockable third joint coupling the mounting post to a mounting rail. The first joint is configured to permit movement of the armboard along the support arm and configured to permit movement of the armboard relative to the support arm about a first plurality of axes. The second joint is configured to permit movement of the support arm relative to the mounting post about a second plurality of axes. The third joint is configured to position the mounting post in a selected vertical position relative to the mounting rail and in a selected longitudinal position along the mounting rail.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for restraining a patient in a Trendelenburg position include positioning a patient on a patient support surface which is tiltable and includes a head end, a foot end and opposed sides which extend between the head end and the foot end, and engaging a top portion of the patient's hips on either side with padded hip braces configured to engage the top portion of the patient's hips and prevent the patient from sliding toward the head end of the tiltable patient support surface when tilted in the Trendelenburg position.

Abstract: The invention is directed toward a device wherein out-of-kilter communications paths are reassigned in a manner that is more efficient than the art. Efficiency is improved because the reassignment of out-of-kilter communications paths permits reassignments of in-kilter communications paths in order to most efficiently accommodate the reassignment of the out-of-kilter communications paths. More specifically, a device made in accordance with the invention would comprise means for receiving a set of out-of-kilter communications paths and a set of in-kilter communications paths and means for permitting changes to both the set of out-of-kilter communications paths and the set of in-kilter communications paths. The changes are specified as an ordered sequence of reassignments. This sequence satisfies the properties of graceful reassignment solutions. A corresponding method for finding a graceful reassignment solution is disclosed.

Abstract: A power converter for delivering power from a source to a load includes a switch, pulse generation circuitry producing one or more drive signals for cycling the switch ON and OFF, wherein if the switch is cycled ON and OFF according to a cycle of a drive signal, power is transferred from the source to the load, a comparator for comparing a feedback signal approximating an output voltage at the load to a reference, and a controller coupled to the pulse generation circuitry for controlling which, if any, cycle of a drive signal cycles the switch in response to an output of the comparator.

Abstract: A configurable RAID subsystem includes a user data array connected to a user application via a block I/O path, and a configuration array connected to a configuration application via the same block I/O path. The user data array processes user data access commands executed by the user application; and the configuration application processes configuration commands, the user data access commands and the configuration commands communicated to the user data array and the configuration array respectively, via the block I/O path. A dynamic identification is assigned to the user data array by the configuration array, and a static identification is assigned to the configuration array.

Abstract: A method of regulating voltage at an output of a switching power converter, the converter comprising a switch and pulse generation circuitry, the pulse generation circuitry producing one or more drive signals for cycling the switch ON and OFF, wherein if the switch is cycled ON and OFF according to a cycle of a drive signal, power is transferred from a source to a load. The method includes sensing an output voltage feedback signal, comparing the sensed feedback signal to a reference at a determined time during a cycling of the switch, and regulating an output voltage at the load by controlling whether a cycle of one of the drive signals cycles the switch in response to the comparison.

Abstract: A method to expand a RAID subsystem from a first array of disk drives to a second array of disk drives. The first array includes a set of data disk drives storing old data and spare space, and the second array includes the first array and at least one new disk drive. First, the old data are distributed among the set of data disk drives and at least one new disk drive while, at the same time, new data are mapped to the spare space. Upon completion of the distribution, the new data are copied from the spare space to the set of data disk drives and at least one new disk drive to enable concurrent expansion of the first array while accessing the old and the new data.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for treating infection with a pathogen. The method involves administration of: (1) a substance which induces active pathogen replication in a cell latently infected with HIV and (2) an anti-pathogen drug. Also disclosed are methods for expanding CD4+ T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from human subjects in the presence of an antiretroviral drug and for treating HIV infection by infusing the expanded CD4+ cells into HIV-infected patients.

Abstract: A method and system that allows the distribution of hot spare space across multiple disk drives that also store the data and redundant data in a fully active array of redundant independent disks, so that an automatic rebuilding of the array to an array of the identical level of redundancy can be achieved with fewer disk drives. The method configures the array with D disk drives of B physical blocks each. N user data and redundant data blocks are allocated to each disk drive, and F free blocks are allocated as hot spare space to each disk drive, where N+F<=B, and ((D−M)×F)>=N. Thus, rebuilding of data and redundant blocks of a failed disk drive in the free blocks of the remaining disk drives is enabled after M disk drive failures.

Abstract: A medical image management system including an image archive server for storing image datasets received from a plurality of image acquisition computers and a plurality of display stations for displaying requested image datasets retrieved from the image archive server is provided with an authentication and security system which includes an authentication server for maintaining and storing hashes and timestamps, and for providing hash, timestamp pairs in encrypted form in response to requests from display stations. The image acquisition computers are configured for computing hashes and providing them and image dataset identifiers to the authentication server, receiving timestamps from the authentication server which are then inserted in the image datasets, and storing the image datasets in the image archive server.

Abstract: A system and method for updating parity based upon locking and unlocking of a storage stripe in a redundant array of independent disk (RAID) implementation is provided. The stripe includes a parity block. The stripe is locked to prevent colliding I/O operations from being performed thereto while a current I/O operation is underway with respect to the stripe. A parity buffer is maintained that is updated to include the current parity information for the stripe. The buffer is “swapped” with the parity buffer associated with a next waiting I/O operation request before the stripe is unlocked. The buffer continues to be swapped with further requests so long as another I/O operation request waits on the lock. When no further I/O operation request for the given stripe is detected, then the current parity buffer is written into the stripe parity block. The intervening swaps reduce the number of parity cache reads and writes, increasing efficiency.