1066results about How to "Amount of time" patented technology

A layer stack of different materials is deposited on a substrate in a single plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition processing chamber while maintaining a vacuum. A substrate is placed in the processing chamber and a first processing gas is used to form a first layer of a first material on the substrate. A plasma purge and gas purge are performed before a second processing gas is used to form a second layer of a second material on the substrate. The plasma purge and gas purge are repeated and the additional layers of first and second materials are deposited on the layer stack.

A method and apparatus assisting safe one-handed insertion of an implant. An implant implantation device has a frame which includes a trigger mechanism, an outer sleeve mechanically coupled to the frame, an inner shaft having a grabber for mechanically engaging an implant, the inner shaft slidably disposed within the outer sleeve, and a retaining element disposed over the inner shaft for directing the grabber toward a closed position. An implant clip has a first member, a second member pivotally coupled to the first member, a first implant holder pivotally coupled to the first member, the coupling causing the implant clip to have a closed position and an open position, and a second implant holder, the second implant holder pivotally coupled to the second member, a surface of the first implant holder and a surface of the second implant holder remaining substantially parallel to each other while the first member and the second member pivot between the closed position and the open position.

A method and apparatus enabling the distribution of hyper-relevant advertising to consumers who have confirmed interests in specific content, products, and services is described. Users define “who they are” and “what they want” in a spontaneous, guided, voluntary disclosure of rich, candid, personal information conceived to attract individuals who seek or share common relationships, experiences, objectives, skills, knowledge, acquaintances, interests, needs, or desires for mutual gain. The information is converted into encrypted user codes; these codes are used to generate precisely controlled electronic encounters, the creation and delivery of highly personalized hyper-relevant advertising, and the gathering of amounts of research data through the ad hoc interaction of unique mobile devices.

A system for connecting transaction services to an ATM (10, 500) that includes a network (20). A user interface service (12) and a lookup service (22) are in operative connection with the network. Transaction services such as a printer service (16), card reader service (18), and cash dispenser service (14) are also in operative connection with the network. These transaction services are operative to register with the lookup service and to upload a service proxy to the lookup service. The user interface service is operative to locate transaction services on the network by invoking a remote lookup method on the lookup service. The lookup service is operative to return service proxies that match the type of service that is required. The user interface service is further operative to invoke methods of the service proxies that remotely control the functionality of the transaction services on the network. The user interface service is further operative to register events with the service proxies for notification when certain events on the services occur.

A variable illuminator, for instance a device for scanning a beam of light, emits a selected amount of power to a plurality of spots across a field of view. The amount of power is determined as inversely proportional to the apparent brightness of each spot. In the case where the spot size is equal to pixel size, the device may operate with a non-imaging detector. In the case where pixel size substantially equals spot size, the output of the variable illuminator may be converged to produce a substantially uniform detector response and the image information is determined as the inverse of a frame buffer used to drive the variable illuminator. The illuminator and detector may be driven synchronously. In the case where an imaging detector is used, the variable illumination may be used to compress the dynamic range of the field of view to substantially within the dynamic range of the imaging detector.

A method for handling a queued automatic call distributor call includes receiving a call from an endpoint of a caller over a first connection. The call comprises a request for service. The method includes connecting the call to an automatic call distributor through a second connection and determining that the call is queued. The method includes terminating the first connection with the caller and receiving an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller. The method also includes reestablishing a connection with the caller.

Devices, methods, and kits are provided for suturing an end of a first body duct to a hole in the side of a second body duct. The present devices and methods are used to simplify the suturing procedure and thus reduce operating time. In one embodiment, the present device includes a structure for holding the end of the first body duct and positioning the end adjacent to the hole in the side of the second body duct. The structure of the device is typically a shaft having a surface adapted to receive the first body duct. A plurality of needles are arranged on the structure to be advanced along a plurality of paths. Each needle path first passes radially into and forwardly out of the end of the first body duct and into the hole of the second body duct. The path then everts so that the needles and associated sutures will pass outwardly through tissue peripheral to the hole when the end of the first body duct is on the structure adjacent to the hole in the second body duct. The needles preferably travel along such paths when they are advanced forward. In one embodiment, the device uses a J-shaped tube for guiding one of the needles along the desired path. In another embodiment, shape-memory needles having an arcuate profile are used to create the desired path.

A method of operating a security monitoring system comprises defining a group of people to receive a notification of an event taking place at a location associated with any member of the group, by a system, determining that a security event has at least potentially taken place that the members of the group need to be notified of, by the system, and notifying the members of the group of the event, via a network. Notifications of the at least potential security event may be provided to a first party of the at least potential security event and members of the group may be notified if the first party does not respond to the notification within a predetermined period of time. A system is also disclosed.

A payment card or other device (e.g., mobile telephone) is provided with a magnetic emulator operable to communicate data to a magnetic stripe read-head. A user can utilize buttons located on the card to perform activities that would otherwise be performed at an ATM, payment card reader, or by a waitress. A user can provide instructions on a card to accelerate a transaction. The information a user enters can be communicated to a point-of-sale device. For example, a user can enter into his / her card that the user desires $100 withdrawal from a checking account. The user can also enter his / her PIN into the card. The user can swipe his / her card into an ATM and instantly be provided with the desired $100.

The present invention relates generally to mill blank constructions to facilitate the manufacture of dental restorations. A given mill blank is formed in a shape (i.e. with a given geometry) that has been predetermined to reduce material waste when the mill blank is machined into the final part. A set of two or more blanks each having such characteristics comprise a smart blank “library.” In one embodiment, a smart blank library includes a sufficient number of unique blanks such that, when the geometry of the designed restoration is known, the smart blank with a highest yield can be selected for use in milling the restoration. The “yield” of a given smart blank represents the amount of material of the smart blank that is actually used in the final restoration. Automated processes for smart blank inventory management and smart blank selection are also described.

A plurality of gray level versus OLED current curves are generated by measuring many OLED panels from a stable manufacturing process, and those curves are stored as standard gray level versus OLED current curves. When a new OLED display is manufactured from the process, each of its sub-pixels is characterized as having the characteristics of one of the pre-generated standard gray level versus OLED current curves, based on a gray level versus OLED current measurement at a single gray level. This drastically reduces the time it takes to determine the TFT gate voltage versus OLED current characteristics of the sub-pixels in the OLED display. The OLED display can use the selected one of the pre-generated standard gray level versus OLED current curves to correct non-uniformities of the sub-pixels in the OLED display caused by non-uniform TFTs in the active matrix.

Multiple passes are executed in the setup of an equalizer, and modification of the equalization is performed after each pass of an analysis phase. After an initial pass, the equalization is adjusted, based upon the location of peaks and valleys in the system response. This initial adjustment of equalization may tend to flatten most of the peaks and valleys to produce the desired uniform linear response. Inexact application of equalization corrections may introduce other artifacts into the system response and / or may not sufficiently normalize equalization. A second pass is then performed to measure the system response using the new equalization settings. The new peaks and valleys are measured, and the equalization adjusted to try to flatten response further. A proximity range may be applied to each pass, to reduce the likelihood that adjustment of one equalizer coefficient will create artifacts in the resulting system response.

Video and corresponding metadata is accessed. Events of interest within the video are identified based on the corresponding metadata, and best scenes are identified based on the identified events of interest. A video summary can be generated including one or more of the identified best scenes. The video summary can be generated using a video summary template with slots corresponding to video clips selected from among sets of candidate video clips. Best scenes can also be identified by receiving an indication of an event of interest within video from a user during the capture of the video. Metadata patterns representing activities identified within video clips can be identified within other videos, which can subsequently be associated with the identified activities.

A method starts with submitting an internet protocol address to a web search engine so that the location of a user can be determined. Then, a user inputs one or more keywords that can be used by the web search engine to compare with all of its generated indexes. After searching various indexes, the web search engine may find multiple uniform resource locators that identify various servers that contain information that may be relevant to the user's search. Then, the web search engine uses an internet protocol mapping table, that is generated by the web search engine along with other data regarding various uniform resource locators prior to performing the requested search, to correlate the uniform resource locators with the geographical address of the server. Afterwards, the web search engine is able to sort the results of the search using the distance between the uniform resource locators and the user. Once the user has this information it is much simpler to determine which uniform resource locator may correlate with an easy to travel to business. This feature will enhance existing web search engines and thus, further increase the expanding popularity of using the internet to gather useful information.

A photovoltaic powered charging unit is mounted in a head covering, such as a cap or hat, for a patient who has an inductively chargeable medical device implanted in his head. The implanted device includes an implanted battery which powers the device. The photovoltaic cells provide continuous charging for the implanted battery and power for the implanted device when subjected to light. The charging unit includes a nonphotovoltaic cell that may be used to charge the implanted battery and power the implanted device in the absence of sufficient power from the photovoltaic cells. The cap has a sending coil located so that when the wearer dons the cap, the sending coil aligns with a receiving coil implanted in the patient's skull or brain. The implanted receiving coil is coupled to provide charging current to the implanted battery and power to the implanted device.

The present invention relates to a system and methodology to assist users with data access activities and that includes such activities as routine web browsing and / or data access applications. A coalesced display or montage of aggregated information is provided that is focused from a plurality of sources to achieve substantially one-button access to user's desired web or data source information / destinations in order to mitigate efforts in retrieving and viewing such information. Past web or other type data access patterns can be mined to predict future browsing sites or desired access locations. A system is provided that builds personalized web portals for associated users based on models mined from past data access patterns. The portals can provide links to web resources as well as embed content from distal (remote) pages or sites producing a montage of web or other type data content. Automated topic classification is employed to create multiple topic-centric views that can be invoked by a user.

The present invention provides a system and method for establishing inter-Cloud resource sharing agreements and policies such that dynamic expansion / contraction of Cloud resource requests can be seamlessly addressed without requiring physical build-out of the primary Cloud infrastructure and advertising the need for additional resources or the offer to provide additional resources can be brokered through an established marketplace. The financial transaction will support a symbiotic bi-lateral fair-share method that better aligns with an alternating supplier / consumer business model. Using this system and method will decrease the amount of time needed to respond to a given Cloud service request while advantaging a resource sharing model amongst established Cloud providers.

Systems and methods are provided for performing incremental garbage collection for non-volatile memories (“NVMs”), such as flash memory. In some embodiments, an electronic device including the NVM may perform incremental garbage collection to free up and erase a programmed block of the NVM. The programmed block may include valid data and invalid data, and the electronic device may be configured to copy the valid data from the programmed block to an erased block in portions. In between programming each portion of the valid data to the erased block, the electronic device can program host data to the erased block. This way, the electronic device can stagger the garbage collection operations and prevent a user from having to experience one long garbage collection operation.

A playback speed effect is applied to a video using a playback speed template. The playback speed template specifies playback speed ratios (i.e., ratios between playback duration and capture duration) at the highlight moment, at a template start time, and at a template end time. A video associated with a highlight tag indicating a highlight capture time of a highlight moment within the video is accessed. An input portion of the video including the highlight moment is identified. The duration of the input portion has a duration depending on the template start time and the template end time. A playback speed template is applied to the input portion. A modified video including a modified video portion is generated from the input portion of the video according to the applied playback speed template and is provided for subsequent playback.

For an information terminal to be operated by users for collecting predetermined pieces of information from remote information devices by free-space optical communication, the present invention provides a technique for suppressing the power consumption of the information terminal by minimizing the amount of calculation performed to collect the aforementioned information. According to the present invention, each information device emits ID light on which a low-frequency pilot signal is superimposed. The information terminal captures a series of frames of images including the ID light and locates the ID light within the images by the following steps: (1) creating multiple levels of binned images having different resolutions for each frame of the image; (2) calculating an evaluation index for each pixel within a target range of the binned images at each level, from the lowest to the highest resolution, where the target range is narrowed every time the process switches over to a lower level. In (2), the evaluation index is calculated by an evaluation function including fast Fourier transformation performed throughout the series of frames of images. The evaluation index thus calculated is compared with a threshold to determine whether the pixel concerned is receiving ID light. The present technique significantly reduces the number of pixel to be analyzed and evaluated, thereby decreasing the total number of arithmetic operations to be performed using the evaluation function. Thus, the power consumption is suppressed.

A wash down filtered fan apparatus for cooling and filtering a cabinet enclosure housing electromechanical equipment and sensitive electronics is provided consisting of an intake housing and exhaust housing. A blower mounted within an intake housing induces ambient air for cooling while a plurality of downwardly angled baffles provide protection at both intake and exhaust ports preventing the threat of detrimental external elements consisting of dust, residue, rain, pressurized water and other splashing liquids from penetrating such apparatus and cabinet enclosure housing.

Devices, methods, and kits are provided for suturing an end of a first body duct to a hole in the side of a second body duct. The present devices and methods are used to simplify the suturing procedure and thus reduce operating time. In one embodiment, the present device includes a structure for holding the end of the first body duct and positioning the end adjacent to the hole in the side of the second body duct. The structure of the device is typically a shaft having a surface adapted to receive the first body duct. A plurality of needles are arranged on the structure to be advanced along a plurality of paths. Each needle path first passes radially into and forwardly out of the end of the first body duct and into the hole of the second body duct. The path then everts so that the needles and associated sutures will pass outwardly through tissue peripheral to the hole when the end of the first body duct is on the structure adjacent to the hole in the second body duct. The needles preferably travel along such paths when they are advanced forward. In one embodiment, the device uses a J-shaped tube for guiding one of the needles along the desired path. In another embodiment, shape-memory needles having an arcuate profile are used to create the desired path.

Video and corresponding metadata is accessed. Events of interest within the video are identified based on the corresponding metadata, and best scenes are identified based on the identified events of interest. A video summary can be generated including one or more of the identified best scenes. The video summary can be generated using a video summary template with slots corresponding to video clips selected from among sets of candidate video clips. Best scenes can also be identified by receiving an indication of an event of interest within video from a user during the capture of the video. Metadata patterns representing activities identified within video clips can be identified within other videos, which can subsequently be associated with the identified activities.

A cavity creator including a tube with a lumen. A tip able to penetrate bone extends forward from the distal end of the tube. A blade is moveably attached to the outer tube proximal to the tip so as to move between retracted and extended states. The tube has a discharge port adjacent the blade. The tip is used to position the upper tube in bone. The blade is extended to form a cavity in the bone. Once the cavity is created filler material can be introduced into the cavity by flowing the material through the tube lumen.

A method and apparatus for controlling a gas supply to a plasma arc torch uses a proportional control solenoid valve positioned adjacent the torch to manipulate the gas flow to the torch, thereby extending electrode life during arc transfer and shutdown. Swirl ring design can be simplified and gas supply and distribution systems become less complicated. The invention also allows manipulation of shield gas flow to reduce divot formation when making interior cuts. The system can be controlled with a digital signal processor utilizing a feedback loop from a sensor.