Abstract: When direct communication, such as via Bluetooth, is unavailable, a communication protocol is used by an initiating communication device and/or a recipient communication device to establish a communication session via a cloud-based relay server. Establishing the communication session, such as a phone call or video streaming, includes setting up at least a first connection or link between the initiating communication device and the relay server, and at least a second connection or link between the relay server and the recipient communication device. Transports and interfaces for the first link and the second link may be selected independently of each other, and at least one of transports and interfaces for the first link and the second link may differ, e.g., the communication session may include asymmetric transport.

Abstract: When direct communication, such as via Bluetooth, is unavailable, a communication protocol is used by an initiating communication device and/or a recipient communication device to establish a communication session via a cloud-based relay server. Establishing the communication session, such as a phone call or video streaming, includes setting up at least a first connection or link between the initiating communication device and the relay server, and at least a second connection or link between the relay server and the recipient communication device. Transports and interfaces for the first link and the second link may be selected independently of each other, and at least one of transports and interfaces for the first link and the second link may differ, e.g., the communication session may include asymmetric transport.

Abstract: A system including a direct virtual memory access engine configured to request that data is stored in a memory, wherein a request for the data includes a I/O virtual address, a mapping table configured to store at least one entry includes a virtual-to-physical address mapping, a cache configured to store at least one tracking data structure associated with the at least one entry, and an input/output memory management unit storing the mapping table, operatively connected to the cache and configured to provide a physical address corresponding to the I/O virtual address to the direct virtual memory access engine, wherein the virtual-to-physical address mapping is generated prior to the direct virtual memory access engine requesting that data be stored, wherein the at least one entry and the at least one tracking structure persist for at least two direct memory address requests.

Abstract: A suturing device includes a first needle retaining member for causing the basal end part of an arcuate needle to be held in place at the leading end of an insertion lever, a second needle retaining member capable of holding the leading end part of said needle, open-close mechanism swingably supporting the first needle retaining member and the second needle retaining member and switching the needle retaining members between the "close" posture in which the leading end of the needle is abutted against the leading end of the second needle retaining member and the "open" posture in which the abutting leading ends are separated to allow insertion of the needle through a trocar, and rotary mechanism for rotating the two needle retaining members in each of the "open" and "close" postures. The insertion lever is provided at the basal end thereof with a manipulating part for effecting remote control of the rotary means and the open-close means.

Abstract: A needle holder which is used in laparoscopic surgeries by being inserted into a trocal tube inserted into a body cavity of a patient includes an elongated insertion rod having a tip portion; a holding member provided at the tip portion of the insertion rod for removably holding the needle; position control mechanism operable from the outside of the body for adjusting the position of the needle to be held by the holding member; fixing members for fixing the holding member with respect to the insertion rod at a state that the holding member has been adjusted by the position control mechanism; and switching mechanism for switching the state of the holding member between a first state in which the holding member is adjustable with the position control mechanism and a second state in which the holding member is fixed with respect to the insertion rod by means of the fixing members. The holding member is formed from a pair of pinch members each having a semi-spherical shape.

Abstract: A knot forming instrument forms a knot of a thread inside an abdominal cavity of a patient. This instrument includes an control rod to be inserted into a communicating tube which communicates the abdominal cavity and the outside of a body of the patient, an insertion path formed inside the control rod and having an opening formed at a tip portion of the control rod; thread introducing mechanism for introducing the thread into the insertion path from the opening; and a control device formed on the base portion for operating the control rod from the outside of the body. The tip portion of the control rod constitutes a bendable portion which can be deformed between a straight condition and a bent condition bent into a loop shape by the operation of the control device. In a preferred method, one end of the thread is held by the control rod and the tip portion thereof is bent so as to form the loop.