Abstract: Disclosed are splash-proof covers and methods of use to prevent liquid within a pipe under the drain of a sink having a basin from splashing out of the sink. The covers include a central body portion having an undersurface from which plural spaced apart, suction cups project downward. The covers may include an anti-microbial and/or anti-fungal agent and are configured to be disposed in the sink with each of the suction cups releasably engaging respective portions of the basin surrounding the drain and with the central body portion being located directly over the drain and spaced slightly thereabove. The central body portion enables water from a faucet to flow under it into the drain while providing a barrier to prevent any liquid within a pipe under the drain from splashing back into the sink.

Abstract: An airframe health monitoring system uses a controller to automatically determine a status of the airframe of an aircraft in real time, at power up and periodically during flight of the aircraft, based on the output of pressure sensors such as ribbon sensors and flex sensors mounted on the airframe arms and body. The controller can determine in real time whether the airframe has a fault or is damaged based on continuity measured in ribbon sensors located along the outside surfaces of the airframe. The controller can also determine a metric on the status of the airframe in real time based on arm impulses measured in flex sensors located along inside surfaces of arms of the airframe. This will lead to less expensive, more accurate, faster, automated detection of airframe faults, airframe damage and/or metrics on the health of the airframe.

Abstract: A wireless power initiated test system can use an aircraft controller to automatically initiate a test sequence to determine status of systems of the aircraft, based on the detection of receipt of the wireless power at the aircraft. The detection of receipt of the wireless power at the aircraft can be based on the detection at a voltage regulator of the aircraft which is receiving the wireless power from a wireless power receiver of the aircraft. The system may also power the aircraft controller during the test sequence using the wireless power received. Such a system may quickly and efficiently initiate, power and perform a pre-flight test sequence to determine statuses of systems of the aircraft, such as during a competition or race of the aircraft. The system may apply to drones, as well as of other types of aircraft.

Abstract: Techniques are described for tracking and determining a three dimensional path travelled by controlled unmanned aircraft (i.e. drones) or other moving objects. By monitoring the strength of communication signals transmitted by an object, the strength of control signals received by the object, and altitude data generated by the object, its three dimensional path is determined. For example, these techniques can be applied to racing drones to determine their positions on a course. An end gate structure for such a course that can automatically transmit disable signals to the drones upon completing the course is also described.

Abstract: Techniques are described for tracking and determining a three dimensional path traveled by controlled unmanned aircraft (i.e. drones) or other moving objects. By monitoring the strength of communication signals transmitted by an object, the strength of control signals received by the object, and altitude data generated by the object, its three dimensional path is determined. For example, these techniques can be applied to racing drones to determine their positions on a course. An end gate structure for such a course that can automatically transmit disable signals to the drones upon completing the course is also described.

Abstract: A communication system is used to receive information from mobile sources. The system includes a plurality of antennas including multiple disjoint sets of multiple antennas configured to receive signals from the multiple mobile sources. At least a subset of the antennas have coverage areas that overlap with antennas in another set of the multiple disjoint sets of multiple antennas. The communication system also includes multiple receivers and multiple signal paths including one signal path for each set of multiple antennas. Each signal path is configured to provide outputs from a corresponding set of multiple antennas of the multiple disjoint sets of antennas to each of the multiple receivers. Each of the receivers choose to output information from one or more of the signal paths based on one or more characteristics of the signals received from the signal paths.

Abstract: Systems and methods for effecting bariatric procedures are disclosed. Each system includes an instrument, a control valve and, optionally, a suction controller. The instrument is in the form of an elongated, flexible sizing tube having a distal end portion including a plurality of apertures. The control valve enables suction to be applied to the patient's stomach via the apertures to drain gastric fluids and to bring adjacent portions of the patient's stomach into engagement with the sizing tube to provide a visually perceptible delineation line along which a portion of the stomach may be resected, sealed and tested.

Abstract: Systems and methods for effecting bariatric procedures are disclosed. Each system includes an instrument, a control valve and, optionally, a suction controller. The instrument is in the form of an elongated, flexible sizing tube having a distal end portion including a plurality of apertures. The control valve enables suction to be applied to the patient's stomach via the apertures to drain gastric fluids and to bring adjacent portions of the patient's stomach into engagement with the sizing tube to provide a visually perceptible delineation line along which a portion of the stomach may be resected, sealed and tested.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating the removal of a tissue specimen from a patient is disclosed. The system includes a bag or pouch, a tissue cutter device, a support and a stabilizer. The tissue cutter device includes a passer, a wire, and a handle. The support is an elongated member. The passer is an elongated member configured to be coupled to the support and introduced as a temporary unit into the mouth of the bag or pouch in the patient's body holding the tissue specimen. The wire is attached to the passer. The temporary unit is configured to pass around the tissue specimen and out of the opening in the bag or pouch to carry the wire through that path so that a distal portion of the wire and a proximal portion of the wire are outside the patient's body. Those portions of the wire can be pulled to cut into the tissue specimen. The stabilizer holds the tissue specimen as the wire cuts into it.

Abstract: Systems and methods for effecting bariatric procedures are disclosed. Each system includes an instrument, a control valve and, optionally, a suction controller. The instrument is in the form of an elongated, flexible sizing tube having a distal end portion including a plurality of apertures. The control valve enables suction to be applied to the patient's stomach via the apertures to drain gastric fluids and to bring adjacent portions of the patient's stomach into engagement the sizing tube to provide a visually perceptible delineation line along which a portion of the stomach may be resected, sealed and tested.

Abstract: Entrapment and collection systems and method of entrapping and collecting biologic material produced on a patient are disclosed. The systems include a collection bag which formed of a flexible sheet material having a hollow interior, a first mouth and a second mouth. The first mouth is openable to enable the biological structure to be disposed in the hollow interior and to enable a removal instrument, e.g., a morcellator, to be introduced therethrough to engage the biologic structure to effect a procedure on it. The second mouth enables a viewing instrument to be extended through it for visualizing the procedure and is closeable by a drawstring to entrap biologic material produced by the procedure after the removal instrument and viewing instrument have been removed, whereupon the collection bag may be withdrawn from the body of the patient.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating the removal of a tissue specimen from a patient are disclosed. The systems include a bag or pouch, a tissue cutter device, a support and a stabilizer. The tissue cutter device includes a passer, a wire, and a handle. The support is an elongated member. The passer is an elongated member configured to be coupled to the support and introduced as a temporary unit into the mouth of the bag or pouch in the patient's body holding the tissue specimen. The wire is attached to the passer. The temporary unit is configured to pass around the tissue specimen and out of the opening in the bag or pouch to carry the wire through that path so that a distal portion of the wire and a proximal portion of the wire are outside the patient's body. Those portions of the wire can be pulled to cut into the tissue specimen. The stabilizer holds the tissue specimen as the wire cuts into it.

Abstract: Exemplary methods are provided for storing data in a flash storage device to facilitate subsequent detection of tampering, comprising receiving a plaintext; reading first metadata associated with a device sector; encrypting the plaintext based on the first metadata to generate a cipher text and first authentication data; storing the cipher text in the sector; and storing the first authentication data as second metadata associated with the sector. Exemplary methods are also provided for detecting tampering with data stored in a flash storage device, comprising determining a physical location in a device sector; reading cipher text from the physical location; reading first authentication data and maintenance metadata associated with the sector; decrypting the cipher text based on a user key and the maintenance metadata to generate second authentication data; and determining the occurrence of tampering based on the first and second authentication data. Memory devices embodying said methods are also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for effecting bariatric procedures are disclosed. Each system includes an instrument, a control valve and, optionally, a suction controller. The instrument is in the form of an elongated, flexible sizing tube having a distal end portion including a plurality of apertures. The control valve enables suction to be applied to the patient's stomach via the apertures to drain gastric fluids and to bring adjacent portions of the patient's stomach into engagement the sizing tube to provide a visually perceptible delineation line along which a portion of the stomach may be resected, sealed and tested.

Abstract: A system and method for removing a tissue specimen or organ from the body of patient is disclosed. The system includes a bag and an excising instrument. The tissue specimen or organ is located in the bag, which is located in the patient's body. The instrument comprises a guide and a cutter. The guide is configured for introduction into the bag. The cutter is rotatable within the guide and includes a central passageway and an annular cutting blade. The cutting blade is brought into engagement with a peripherally located portion of the tissue specimen and rotated to produce a tangentially cut peripheral portion while a pulling force is applied to the tissue specimen through the central passageway. The pulling force rotates the tissue specimen within the bag to effect the production of the tangentially cut peripheral portion and to move the tangentially cut peripheral portion out of the patient's body. Gas pressure may be applied to inflate the bag to facilitate placement of the excising instrument.

Abstract: A communication system is used to receive information from mobile sources. The system includes a plurality of antennas including multiple disjoint sets of multiple antennas configured to receive signals from the multiple mobile sources. At least a subset of the antennas have coverage areas that overlap with antennas in another set of the multiple disjoint sets of multiple antennas. The communication system also includes multiple receivers and multiple signal paths including one signal path for each set of multiple antennas. Each signal path is configured to provide outputs from a corresponding set of multiple antennas of the multiple disjoint sets of antennas to each of the multiple receivers. Each of the receivers choose to output information from one or more of the signal paths based on one or more characteristics of the signals received from the signal paths.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for presenting alternate content during a channel change on a video content playing device includes: receiving a viewer's request to tune to a particular channel, retrieving tuning context data from a memory of the video content playing device, where the tuning context data is indicative of a context in which the viewer tunes to the particular channel, processing the tuning context data using a channel function associated with the particular channel to identify alternate content likely to be of interest to a viewer of the particular channel, identifying a network address for the alternate content associated with the particular channel in accordance with a result of the processing, retrieving the alternate content according to the network address, and presenting the alternate content on the video content playing device before presenting the program currently being broadcast on the particular channel.

Abstract: A flash memory system comprises a logic block interface operable to receive a write command from a host computer, the write command specifying data and a write destination address in a flash memory device, the flash memory device operable to store data at a complementary address corresponding to the specified write destination address. The system further comprises a journal communicatively coupled to the flash memory device and the logic block interface operable to temporarily store data from the complementary address of the flash memory device, and to provide the stored data in the journal to be restored to the flash memory device at the complementary address in the event of an error occurring while executing the write command.

Abstract: Exemplary methods are provided for storing data in a flash storage device to facilitate subsequent detection of tampering, comprising receiving a plaintext; reading first metadata associated with a device sector; encrypting the plaintext based on the first metadata to generate a cipher text and first authentication data; storing the cipher text in the sector; and storing the first authentication data as second metadata associated with the sector. Exemplary methods are also provided for detecting tampering with data stored in a flash storage device, comprising determining a physical location in a device sector; reading cipher text from the physical location; reading first authentication data and maintenance metadata associated with the sector; decrypting the cipher text based on a user key and the maintenance metadata to generate second authentication data; and determining the occurrence of tampering based on the first and second authentication data. Memory devices embodying said methods are also provided.