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The invention relates to a surgical implant that provides an artificial diarthroidal-like joint, suitable for use in replacing any joint, but particularly suitable for use as an intervertebral disc endoprosthesis. The invention contains two rigid opposing shells, each having an outer surface adapted to engage the surfaces of the bones of a joint in such a way that the shells are immobilized by friction between their outer surfaces and the surfaces of the bone. These outer surfaces are sufficiently rough that large frictional forces strongly resist any slippage between the outer surface and the bone surfaces in the joint. They may be convex, and when inserted into a milled concavity, are immediately mechanically stable. Desirably, the outer surfaces of the shells are adapted to allow for bony ingrowth, which further stabilizes the shells in place. The inner surfaces of the shells are relatively smooth, and adapted to slide easily across a portion of the outer surface of a central body disposed between the shells. The central body has a shape that cooperates with the shape of the inner surface of the shell so as to provide a range of motion similar to that provided by a healthy joint. A flexible sheath extends between edges of the opposing shells. The inner surface of this sheath, together with the inner surfaces of the rigid shells, defines a cavity encasing the central body. At least a portion of this cavity is filled with a fluid lubricant, further decreasing the frictional force between inner surfaces of the shell and the surface of the central body.

A file storage system for storing data of a file received from a client includes a back-end file server in which the data is stored. The system includes a cache appliance in communication with the file server, such that the appliance stores portions of the data or attributes of the file, and uses the stored data or attributes to process file system requests received from the client, and which reads and writes data and attributes to the back-end file server independently. A system for responding to a file system protocol request in regard to a back-end server includes a token server. The system includes a plurality of cache appliances in communication with the token server, each of which receives tokens from the token server to synchronize access to data and attributes caches of the cache appliances, and reading and writing data and attributes to the back-end servers when tokens are revoked, the cache appliance having persistent storage in which data are stored, and the token server having persistent storage in which tokens are stored. A storage system includes a plurality of backend servers. The system includes a token server which grants permission to read and write file attributes and data system, and includes a plurality of cache appliances in communication with at least one of the backend servers and the token server for processing an incoming NFS request to the one backend server. Each cache appliance comprises an NFS server which converts incoming NFS requests into cache manager operations; a token client module in communication with the token server having a cache of tokens obtained from the token server; a cache manager that caches data and attributes and uses tokens from the token client module to ensure that the cached data or attributes are the most recent data or attributes, and an NFS client which sends outgoing NFS requests to the back-end file server. Methods for storing data of a file received from a client.

Communication is provided which includes receiving a transmitted radio signal at a powerline wherein the powerline functions as a receiving antenna for the wirelessly transmitted radio signal. The powerline is coupled to an input of a radio receiver using a coupler to communicate the radio signal to the radio receiver. For calibration purposes a second antenna not coupled to powerline may be used. A method for powerline communication across transformers, open circuit breakers, and other devices is also provided. In addition, a method of monitoring a device connected to a powerline is provided.

Compositions and methods for administering collagen to a human subject have been developed. The collagen-containing lipid vesicles of the invention provide a delivery system for human collagen which eliminates problems associated with chemical and physical instability of the collagen as well as immune responses to non-human collagen.

A data-driven, hierarchical information search and navigation system and method enable search and navigation of sets of documents or other materials by certain common attributes that characterize the materials. The invention includes several aspects of a data-driven, hierarchical search and navigation system that employs this search and navigation mode. The search and navigation system of the present invention includes features of an navigation interface, a search interface, a knowledge base and a taxonomy definition process and a classification process for generating the knowledge base, a graph-based navigable data structure and method for generating the data structure, World Wide Web-based applications of the system, and methods of implementing the system. Users are able to search or browse a particular collection of documents by selecting desired values for the attributes or by searching the attribute-value pairs. A data-driven, hierarchical information search and navigation system and method enable this navigation mode by associating terms with the materials, defining a set of hierarchical relationships among the terms, providing a guided navigation mechanism based on the relationship between the terms, and providing a search mechanism that can respond to free-text queries with single-term or multi-term interpretations. In another aspect of the invention, implementations of the invention may be scalable through parallel or distributed computation.

This invention is generally concerned with power supply circuits, and more particularly, with circuits to supply power to a mains supply, such as domestic grid mains, from a photovoltaic device. A photovoltaic power conditioning circuit for providing power from a photovoltaic device to an alternating current mains power supply line, the circuit comprising: a DC input to receive DC power from said photovoltaic device; an AC output configured for direct connection to said AC mains power supply line; a DC-to-AC converter coupled to said DC input and to said AC output to convert DC power from said photovoltaic device to AC power for output onto said power supply line; and an electronic controller directly coupled to said power supply line to measure a voltage of said power supply line and a current in said supply line and to control said DC-to-AC converter responsive to said measuring.

The present invention relates to various improvements relating to automatic vehicle equipment control systems.

A powered communications patch panel is adapted to power network devices connected to the communications patch panel. Power is supplied to the network devices by the powered communications patch panel over the communication cabling. The powered communications patch panel may be provided with a management port to allow remote management of the patch panel via a network connection. Multiple management ports may be provided, allowing patch panels to be connected to one another in a daisy-chain configuration.

A method and system of promoting effective brushing techniques by coupling entertainment value with the brushing of teeth. The method and system provides for the association of brushing techniques with electronic game tasks. The system can include a toothbrush and a position sensor operatively connected to the toothbrush for sensing movement associated with brushing technique. A gaming interface is preferably in operative communication with the position sensor for providing feedback regarding performance of game tasks and for providing prompting regarding performance of game tasks.

Method for allowing a mobile terminated communication to a destination device (2) through at least one mobile communication network (10) from a source entity (1) located in a public IP address network (9). The method comprises: a subscriber server (3) of the mobile communication network receiving an IP address (“D”) of the destination device from a node (4) of the mobile communication network, and the subscriber server updating a DNS record containing a static unique identifier of the destination device stored in an authoritative DNS server (5) reachable via the public IP address network, with said destination device IP address.

A finger-mapped gesture system is a user interface method and apparatus for rapid data input on a touch-sensitive surface. The user gestures by holding the hand stationary relative to the surface and moving the fingers primarily by extension and flexion on the surface. Each finger gestures on a gesturing area instead of selecting among keys. Individual gestures are constructed from finger actions that each independently parameterize the gesture. In combination, the particular fingers gesturing and the parameters that the fingers gesture indicate the input that the user intends. On devices that do not directly identify fingers, fingers are identified via a finger map that, after calibration to a person's hand, associates each finger with a gesturing area. Gestures are otherwise independent of where they are performed, freeing users from having to look at their fingers to target visual elements. The system is optimized for rapid character data entry.

A batch event historian gathers, stores and presents data regarding a batch process where relationships among the various elements of data are automatically derived by an executive program. A persistent store includes structure corresponding to the relationships defined among procedural elements and equipment in accordance with batch processing industry S88.01 standards. The executive program gathers event information generated by the batch process and derives the relationships among the events in accordance with these industry standard models. Storage and corresponding retrieval and presentation of such historical data is thereby simplified for a user because the user need not manually configure the historian programs to derive the relationships. Association of any continuous data log with event information is automated thereby obviating the need for manual configuration by a user to establish such associations.

A cerebral interface system including a housing mechanism spaced at least partially in a cavity formed in the subject's skull; an attaching mechanism; a fluid-tight sealing mechanism; a control mechanism; a communication mechanism with one or more sensors embedded in the subject's brain connecting the control mechanism to the subject's brain; a power source; an inner wall substantially aligned with an inner surface of the subject's skull; an outer wall which may include an auxiliary portion extending tangentially outwardly from the cavity formed in the subject's skull; a communication link connecting the control mechanism to external apparatus for transmitting or receiving information related to detecting, predicting, controlling, or aborting abnormal brain activity of the subject; and an output mechanism which is activatable by the control mechanism.

The present invention provides a kit for bone surgery comprising a chirurgical drill and a base frame for positioning of said drill on an anatomical part of a patient. The base frame comprises at least one guiding tube with a cylindrical inner surface of predetermined diameter and also comprises a longitudinal cutout for direct view of the drilling site. The kit further comprises a burr-ring with a cylindrical outer surface of predetermined diameter arranged to be placed around the chirurgical drill. The diameter of the cylindrical outer surface of the burr-ring is slightly less than the diameter of the cylindrical inner surface of the guiding tube such that the burr-ring and the guiding tube are at most in a two-degree of freedom relationship along the longitudinal axis of the guiding tube when the burr-ring is engaged in the guiding tube. The invention also provides a bone surgery method using the kit.

In a notebook type computer terminal, a plate type slot antenna is provided between a display panel and a surrounding wall of a display panel housing so that a radiator portion thereof is projecting from a frame of the display panel and a stay, which are made of conductive material by a length more than a predetermined dimension S. A ground portion of the antenna is connected not only to a ground of a radio transceiver unit but also to the display panel housing made of conductive material through the stay.

The invention relates to a method for transmitting signals via a point-to-point microwave radio link from a transmitting unit 1, 2 to a receiving unit 2, 1 of a point-to-point microwave radio system, which signals comprise packets. In order to improve the efficiency on the radio link, it is proposed that in a first step, the packets are classified before transmission based on at least one quality of service parameter assigned to each packet. In a second step, the signals are modulated by the transmitting unit 1, 2 for transmission with a real-time adaptive modulation. This modulation is adapted based on the current traffic amount, on signal quality measurements indicative of the propagation conditions on the radio link, and on the classification of packets comprised in the signals. The invention relates equally to such a point-to-point microwave radio system comprising two units 1, 2 between which signals are to be transmitted, and to transmitting unit 1, 2 for such a system.

A pixel of an electrophoretic display is driven from one extreme optical state to a second optical state different from the one extreme optical state by applying to the pixel a first drive pulse of one polarity; and thereafter applying to the pixel a second drive pulse of the opposite polarity, the second drive pulse being effective to drive the pixel to the second optical state.

There are provided a tape cartridge-holding mechanism which is capable of reliably and immovably holding a tape cartridge in a cartridge compartment without spoiling the ease of mounting and removal of the tape cartridge, and a tape printing apparatus including the tape cartridge-holding mechanism. The tape cartridge-holding mechanism comprises a lid for opening/closing a cartridge compartment, at least one pair of left and right holding nails for engaging with a tape cartridge mounted in the cartridge compartment and thereby sandwiching the tape cartridge such that the holding nails press the tape cartridge against a bottom surface of the cartridge compartment, and an urging mechanism arranged in contact with at least one of the pair of holding nails, for urging the holding nail in a direction of sandwiching the tape cartridge as closing operation of the lid is carried out.

An electric sensor array which is provided with several sensor positions that each have at least two microelectrodes. Molecular substances can be detected electrochemically and charged molecules can be transported or handled using the array. Measuring procedures can be effected, especially using two addressing procedures, in which sensor positions can be individually addressed and electrochemically or electrically controlled by pairing or in groups for voltage or impedance measurements. For biomolecular assays, affinity-binding molecules can be immobilized at the sensor positions, between the microelectrodes, or on auxiliary surfaces.

A medical device, such as an implantable medical device (IMD), determines values for one or more metrics that indicate the quality of a patient's sleep, and controls delivery of a therapy based on the sleep quality metric values. For example, the medical device may compare a sleep quality metric value with one or more threshold values, and adjust the therapy based on the comparison. In some embodiments, the medical device adjusts the intensity of therapy based on the comparison, e.g., increases the therapy intensity when the comparison indicates that the patient's sleep quality is poor. In some embodiments, the medical device automatically selects one of a plurality of therapy parameter set available for use in delivering therapy based on a comparison sleep quality metric values associated with respective therapy parameter sets within the plurality of available therapy parameter sets.

An endoluminal prosthesis includes two stent grafts with a flexible bridge extending between and connected to the stent grafts. The prosthesis can be part of a prosthesis assembly for treatment of branched vascular systems and can function as an interconnected leg extension prosthesis in combination with a main bifurcated prosthesis. In treating abdominal aortic aneurysms, the prosthesis can be deployed within both iliac arteries.