Abstract: A method of manufacturing a catalyst material includes the steps of: providing a body having an open-porous foam structure and comprising at least a first metal or alloy; providing particles, each of which particles comprising at least a second metal or alloy; distributing the particles on the body; forming a structural connection between each of at least a subset of the particles and the body; and forming an oxide film on at least the subset of the particles and the body, wherein the oxide film has a catalytically active surface.

Abstract: A method for using an implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve including a fixed reference magnet and an adjustable valve unit having a pair of primary magnetic elements. In accordance with the present inventive method the implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve is operable using either an intended toolset including a sensor array for detecting a magnetic field or a non-intended toolset employing an analog type compass assembly instead of the sensor array, wherein a location of the fixed reference magnet in the implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve and size of the fixed reference magnet has substantially no negative influence on operation of the analog type compass assembly of the non-intended toolset when used to operate the implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve.

Abstract: A method for using a universal electronic toolset for indicating and adjusting of an implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve regardless of whether the valve includes a fixed reference magnet used to determine an angle of orientation of the implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve or not. A magnetic field detection sensor array in an indicator tool of the electronic toolset determines whether the fixed reference magnet is present in the implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve. If the presence of the fixed reference magnet is detected then the center and direction of flow of the adjustable valve unit is ascertained via electronic feedback from the electronic toolset; otherwise, the center and direction flow is ascertained via exclusively by manual physical palpation of the valve.

Abstract: A method of using an electronic toolset for locating, reading, adjusting and confirming adjustment of an implantable bodily fluid drainage system without requiring recalibration following adjustment from a current valve setting to a new valve setting using an electronic toolset including an adjustment tool having a magnetic element and an indicator tool including a sensor array. The need to remove the electronic toolset from the patient to recalibrate or zero the sensor array prior to confirming the new valve setting is eliminated. This is realized by disposing a ferromagnetic system component of the indicator tool in a magnet shield cage made of a metallic alloy to prevent magnetic fields produced by a magnetic element in the adjustment tool during the adjusting step from influencing the sensor array.

Abstract: Verifying whether a magnetic field resistance mechanism is properly engaged in a drainage valve having an adjustable valve unit including a rotating construct and a pair of primary magnetic elements for programming the valve unit. Using a toolset, a determination is made whether the magnetic field resistance mechanism is properly engaged. An alert is generated whether the magnetic field resistance mechanism is at least one of properly engaged or not properly engaged based on: (i) a measured angular position of a detected one of the pair of primary magnetic elements relative to a direction of flow of fluid through the valve; and/or (ii) a measured distance separation between respective centers of the pair of primary magnetic elements.

Abstract: A self-offsetting implantable valve system including a catheter having an outer perimeter, a free terminating end and an opposite second end. A plurality of holes are defined proximate the free terminating end of the catheter. The system further including a self-offsetting memory component disposed radially about the outer perimeter of a portion of the catheter proximate the free terminating end of the catheter. This self-offsetting memory component is transitionable between a first state subject to application of an externally applied force and a second state free from the externally applied force. While in the first state at least a portion of the self-offsetting memory component having a diameter smaller than that same portion of the self-offsetting memory component while in the second state.

Abstract: Detecting spatial location and rotation (pitch, roll and yaw) of an implantable programmable valve device having a direction of flow of fluid therethrough. A permanent-magnet rotor disk associated with the valve has magnets arranged in a ring. A single position within the ring represents a moveable reference marker position. Also included in the valve is a first fixed, stationary, non-moveable magnet disposed a predetermined distance relative to the moveable reference marker position. A magnetoresistive sensor array produces the asymmetric magnetic field pattern including a moveable reference marker corresponding to the moveable reference marker position in the ring and a first fixed reference marker corresponding to the first fixed, stationary, non-moveable magnet. An indicator device determines spatial location based only on the moveable reference marker and yaw based on the moveable reference marker relative to the first fixed reference marker.

Abstract: An implantable valve assembly including a drainage catheter having a central lumen transitioning into a plurality of distinct branch lumen made of a shape memory material. A bioabsorbable dip coating secures the distal end of the plural distinct branch lumen together in physical contact with one another. Each branch lumen has an outer perimeter comprising at least one of a first outer surface section and a second outer surface section. In a secured state with the plural distinct branch lumen held together by the dip coating fluid is prohibited from passing through the holes defined in the first outer surface section. Bioabsorbable blocking members disposed about the outer perimeter of the assembled branch lumen mask holes defined in the second outer surface section prohibiting fluid from entering therein. In a time staggered fashion, the bioabsorbable elements absorb exposing new holes through which the fluid drains.

Abstract: A meter module for use in a network device comprises conformance circuitry configured to: access a first memory device storing a conformance indicator that indicates whether a permitted rate of packet traffic has been exceeded, and classify packets received at the network device based at least in part on the conformance indicator. Sampling circuitry is configured to, responsively to the conformance circuitry classifying the packets: sample events associated with at least some of the received packets, and generate indicators of the sampled events. Update circuitry is configured to: access a second memory device, slower than the first memory, to update a number of tokens stored in the second memory device, and access the first memory device to update the conformance indicator when the updated number of tokens indicates that the permitted rate of packet traffic has been exceeded.

Abstract: A method for using a universal electronic toolset for indicating and adjusting of an implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve regardless of whether the valve includes a fixed reference magnet used to determine an angle of orientation of the implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve or not. A magnetic field detection sensor array in an indicator tool of the electronic toolset determines whether the fixed reference magnet is present in the implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve. If the presence of the fixed reference magnet is detected then the center and direction of flow of the adjustable valve unit is ascertained via electronic feedback from the electronic toolset; otherwise, the center and direction flow is ascertained via exclusively by manual physical palpation of the valve.

Abstract: A method for using an implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve including a fixed reference magnet and an adjustable valve unit having a pair of primary magnetic elements. In accordance with the present inventive method the implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve is operable using either an intended toolset including a sensor array for detecting a magnetic field or a non-intended toolset employing an analog type compass assembly instead of the sensor array, wherein a location of the fixed reference magnet in the implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve and size of the fixed reference magnet has substantially no negative influence on operation of the analog type compass assembly of the non-intended toolset when used to operate the implantable programmable bodily fluid drainage valve.

Abstract: Verifying whether a magnetic field resistance mechanism is properly engaged in a drainage valve having an adjustable valve unit including a rotating construct and a pair of primary magnetic elements for programming the valve unit. Using a toolset, a determination is made whether the magnetic field resistance mechanism is properly engaged. An alert is generated whether the magnetic field resistance mechanism is at least one of properly engaged or not properly engaged based on: (i) a measured angular position of a detected one of the pair of primary magnetic elements relative to a direction of flow of fluid through the valve; and/or (ii) a measured distance separation between respective centers of the pair of primary magnetic elements.

Abstract: A method of using an electronic toolset for locating, reading, adjusting and confirming adjustment of an implantable bodily fluid drainage system without requiring recalibration following adjustment from a current valve setting to a new valve setting using an electronic toolset including an adjustment tool having a magnetic element and an indicator tool including a sensor array. The need to remove the electronic toolset from the patient to recalibrate or zero the sensor array prior to confirming the new valve setting is eliminated. This is realized by disposing a ferromagnetic system component of the indicator tool in a magnet shield cage made of a metallic alloy to prevent magnetic fields produced by a magnetic element in the adjustment tool during the adjusting step from influencing the sensor array.

Abstract: Detecting spatial location and rotation (pitch, roll and yaw) of an implantable programmable valve device having a direction of flow of fluid therethrough. A permanent-magnet rotor disk associated with the valve has magnets arranged in a ring. A single position within the ring represents a moveable reference marker position. Also included in the valve is a first fixed, stationary, non-moveable magnet disposed a predetermined distance relative to the moveable reference marker position. A magnetoresistive sensor array produces the as magnetic field pattern including a moveable reference marker corresponding to the moveable reference marker position in the ring and a first fixed reference marker corresponding to the first fixed, stationary, non-moveable magnet. An indicator device determines spatial location based only on the moveable reference marker and yaw based on the moveable reference marker relative to the first fixed reference marker.

Abstract: A self-offsetting implantable valve system including a catheter having an outer perimeter, a free terminating end and an opposite second end. A plurality of holes are defined proximate the free terminating end of the catheter. The system further including a self-offsetting memory component disposed radially about the outer perimeter of a portion of the catheter proximate the free terminating end of the catheter. This self-offsetting memory component is transitionable between a first state subject to application of an externally applied force and a second state free from the externally applied force. While in the first state at least a portion of the self-offsetting memory component having a diameter smaller than that same portion of the self-offsetting memory component while in the second state.

Abstract: An implantable valve assembly including a drainage catheter having a central lumen transitioning into a plurality of distinct branch lumen made of a shape memory material. A bioabsorbable dip coating secures the distal end of the plural distinct branch lumen together in physical contact with one another. Each branch lumen has an outer perimeter comprising at least one of a first outer surface section and a second outer surface section. in a secured state with the plural distinct branch lumen held together by the dip coating fluid is prohibited from passing through the holes defined in the first outer surface section. Bioabsorbable blocking members disposed about the outer perimeter of the assembled branch lumen mask holes defined in the second outer surface section prohibiting fluid from entering therein. In a time staggered fashion, the bioabsorbable elements absorb exposing new holes through which the fluid drains.

Abstract: A meter module for use in a network device comprises conformance circuitry configured to: access a first memory device storing a conformance indicator that indicates whether a permitted rate of packet traffic has been exceeded, and classify packets received at the network device based at least in part on the conformance indicator. Sampling circuitry is configured to, responsively to the conformance circuitry classifying the packets: sample events associated with at least some of the received packets, and generate indicators of the sampled events. Update circuitry is configured to: access a second memory device, slower than the first memory, to update a number of tokens stored in the second memory device, and access the first memory device to update the conformance indicator when the updated number of tokens indicates that the permitted rate of packet traffic has been exceeded.

Abstract: A network device includes a plurality of interfaces configured to receive, from a network, packets to be processed by the network device. A load determination circuit of the network device is configured to determine whether a packet traffic load of the network device is above a traffic load threshold, and a dual-mode counter module is configured to (i) determine a count of quanta associated with the received packets using a first counting mode in response to the load determination unit determining that the packet traffic load is above the traffic load threshold, and (ii) determine a count of quanta associated with the received packets using a second counting mode, different than the first counting mode, in response to the load determination unit determining that the packet traffic load is not above the traffic load threshold.

Abstract: A system including a receiver and a processing pipeline. The receiver is configured to generate a data block by encapsulating a data packet in a header portion and a tail portion that do not include valid information bits. The processing pipeline is configured to, in a first processing stage, store the data block, and store, separately from the data block, additional information associated with the data block. The processing pipeline is further configured to, without modifying a length of the data block, either add bits to the header portion or the tail portion to increase the length of the data packet or subtract bits from the data packet to decrease the length of the data packet, and modify the additional information in accordance with the bits added to the header portion or the tail portion or the bits subtracted from the data packet.

Abstract: A network processing device comprising a plurality of programmable processors coupled together to perform a set of packet processing operations to process a packet received by the network processing device. Ones of the programmable processors being configured to perform a respective subset of the set of packet processing operations with a respective portion of a packet context such that respective programmable processors receives a portion of the packet context, that is less than a full packet context for performing the packet processing operations. The portion of a packet context being dimensioned to perform the respective subset of the packet processing operations.