109results about How to "Minimize and eliminate need" patented technology

A method and apparatus are provided for implementing data management with a data collection computer system to aid analysis and treatment. A serial port is monitored to detect the connection of a meter. When a meter connection is identified, patient data is automatically downloaded from the meter to the data collection computer system. Then the patient data or one or more selected reports generated from the patient data are printed. The patient data is downloaded from the meter and printed, with no user intervention required. Reports to be generated and printed are selected in a setup mode and stored. After the patient data is downloaded from the meter, communication with the meter is continued until either the meter is turned off, the cable is disconnected, or the meter automatically shuts itself off after a specific amount of inactivity.

Some embodiments provide a meta touch interface (MTI) with multiple position indicators with each position indicator operating as a separate pointing tool that can be activated (i) using taps on a touchpad or other touch sensitive surface or (ii) by pressing certain keyboard keys. The MT pointer allows for adjacent UI elements to be selected without having to reposition the MT pointer for each selection or activation. Some embodiments provide a multi-device UI that comprises at least two UIs, wherein the first UI is presented on an essentially horizontal plane that is aligned with operational focus and the second UI that is presented on an essentially vertical plane that is aligned with visual focus of the user. Some embodiments provide a precision pointer that includes an adjustable magnified region to better present underlying on-screen content, thereby allowing the user to more precisely position the pointer.

A notebook computer that has a keyboard, a navigation input device (e.g., a touchpad or mouse) and a sketch input device (usually an integrated sketch pad and stylus). The sketch input device operates in an absolute coordinate mapping mode and can be tracked on the display when hovering or touching. It draws digital ink when touching. Whenever the digital ink runs into existing text notes the text is reflowed around the sketch. A movement on an input device can either select text or draw digital ink depending on which input device was used. The computer can have sketch tool buttons operable with a stylus. The navigation and sketch input devices can be disjoint or overlapping. Variations of the sketch input device include a second touch pad that works with a finger and a stylus that works without a sketch pad.

An electrical power generating system is driven by a multi-spool gas turbine engine including at least first and second spools. The first spool comprises a turbine and a compressor mounted on a first shaft; the second spool has at least a turbine mounted on a second shaft that is not mechanically coupled to the first shaft. A main generator is coupled with one of the spools, and an auxiliary generator / motor is also coupled with one of the spools. Speed control of each of the generators is employed for controlling operation of the engine. The auxiliary generator / motor can operate in either a generation mode to extract power from its spool or a motor mode to inject power into its spool.

Concepts and methods are provided to reduce the cost and complexity of thin film battery (TFB) high volume manufacturing by eliminating and / or minimizing the use of conventional physical (shadow) masks. Laser scribing and other alternative physical maskless patterning techniques meet certain or all of the patterning requirements. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing thin film batteries comprises providing a substrate, depositing layers corresponding to a thin film battery structure on the substrate, the layers including, in order of deposition, a cathode, an electrolyte and an anode, wherein at least one of the deposited layers is unpatterned by a physical mask during deposition, depositing a protective coating, and scribing the layers and the protective coating. Further, the edges of the layers may be covered by an encapsulation layer. Furthermore, the layers may be deposited on two substrates and then laminated to form the thin film battery.

A medical needle set for visualized tissue ablation within a subject's body includes a cannula and components configured for inclusion in the cannula, including a trocar for occlusion of the cannula lumen during needle placement, and a visualizing ablation probe used for simultaneous endoscopic viewing and ablation of tissue sites with a laser beam. The cannula can include a tissue-gripping surface for stabilization of the needle set on the target tissue. A surgical system for tissue ablation includes a visualizing ablation needle set operably connected to an endoscope and a laser. A surgical procedure using this system permits simultaneous visualization and ablation of tissues, including those of the facet joints of the spine.

An apparatus and corresponding method of use extracts, cools, and transports effluents from subterranean, sub-sea oil formations to distant shore based processing facilities. The effluents, mostly crude oil, are conveyed rapidly to a cold flow generator near the oil wellhead on the sea bottom using the cold seawater to chill the effluents to a dispersed mixture including generated solids. The mixture is transported close to sea bottom temperatures, slowly, with small pressure drops, in low-cost submerged bare pipes over long distances to on or near shore processing facilities that can produce useful hydrocarbon products more cost effectively than at sea processing facilities. The apparatus eliminates or minimizes the need for heated or insulated pipe, the need for large floating processing structures, the need for sub-sea processing equipment, and / or the need for chemical additions to production flow.

A dental implant for use in replacing a nonfunctional tooth includes an abutment and a base. The base of the implant has a topography this is substantially identical to the topography of the root of the nonfunctional tooth. Accordingly, the use of the implants eliminates the need for conventionally used bone drills and other traumatic preparing procedures for implant. The implant may be fabricated from a single piece of material so that the abutment and the base are unitary. In addition, the surface of the base may be treated to enhance post-implant bone growth to the base.

The present invention provides for the transplantation of tissue from a donor site in a body to a recipient site. The device includes an outer chamber having an interior volume in which a perforated inner chamber can be placed. During the aspiration of tissue, a vacuum is formed in the interior volume of the outer chamber, to draw tissue from a cannula into the perforated inner chamber. The perforations are sized such that fat is collected within the inner chamber, while fluids and other materials are drawn through the perforations, away from the collected fat. For reinjection, the inner chamber can be removed from the outer chamber, and a sleeve positioned to cover the perforations and thereby form a syringe body that can be interconnected to a needle and plunger for reinjection of the collected fat.

The present invention provides for the transplantation of tissue from a donor site in a body to a recipient site. The device includes an outer chamber having an interior volume in which a perforated inner chamber can be placed. During the aspiration of tissue, a vacuum is formed in the interior volume of the outer chamber, to draw tissue from a cannula into the perforated inner chamber. The perforations are sized such that fat is collected within the inner chamber, while fluids and other materials are drawn through the perforations, away from the collected fat. For reinjection, the inner chamber can be removed from the outer chamber, and a sleeve positioned to cover the perforations and thereby form a syringe body that can be interconnected to a needle and plunger for reinjection of the collected fat.

A method of producing an interbody spinal implant. The method includes the steps of obtaining a blank having a top surface, bottom surface, opposing lateral sides, and opposing anterior and posterior portions, and applying a subtractive process (e.g., masked acid etching) to the top surface, the bottom surface, or both surfaces of the blank to form a roughened surface topography. Subsequently, the blank is machined to form the interbody spinal implant, which includes a body having a top surface, a bottom surface, opposing lateral sides, opposing anterior and posterior portions, a substantially hollow center, and a single vertical aperture where the top surface, the bottom surface, or both surfaces of the interbody spinal implant have the roughened surface topography produced by the subtractive process. This simplified method produces more accurate and repeatable implants with fewer process steps and defects, reducing process time and costs.

Agents engage and disengage with users intelligently. Users can tell agents to remain engaged without requiring a wakeword. Engaged states can support modal dialogs and barge-in. Users can cause disengagement explicitly. Disengagement can be conditional based on timeout, change of user, or environmental conditions. Engagement can be one-time or recurrent. Recurrent states can be attentive or locked. Locked states can be unconditional or conditional, including being reserved to support user continuity. User continuity can be tested by matching parameters or tracking user by many modalities including microphone arrays, cameras, and other sensors.

An on-image navigation guide can be generated utilizing coordinates of table data of a table in a document image. The on-image navigation guide enables a user to populate a data entry form with the table data by interacting directly with the document image. The data entry form is configured with the same number of columns as the table and the document image and the data entry form share the same data structure. The on-image navigation guide is presented on top of the document image. As a user navigates the document image, a focus point of the on-image navigation guide moves from table cell to table cell, providing an immediate visual feedback on what is captured in a corresponding data entry field. The on-image navigation guide includes an on-image context menu and a pin through which the user can make adjustments and / or corrections without leaving the document image.

An apparatus and corresponding method of use extracts, cools, and transports effluents from subterranean, sub-sea oil formations to distant shore based processing facilities. The effluents, mostly crude oil, are conveyed rapidly to a cold flow generator near the oil wellhead on the sea bottom using the cold seawater to chill the effluents to a dispersed mixture including generated solids. The mixture is transported close to sea bottom temperatures, slowly, with small pressure drops, in low-cost submerged bare pipes over long distances to on or near shore processing facilities that can produce useful hydrocarbon products more cost effectively than at sea processing facilities. The apparatus eliminates or minimizes the need for heated or insulated pipe, the need for large floating processing structures, the need for sub-sea processing equipment, and / or the need for chemical additions to production flow.

A USB wall plate charger for charging an external electronic device is mountable to a common 120 volt AC wall outlet, and includes a power supply to convert the 120 volts AC to +5 volts DC, and a charging profile configuration circuit. A charging profile selection switch is provided for the user to select a desired charging profile that is compatible with the electronic device to be charged.

An articulating band saw apparatus provides a frame that includes a vertically extending section having upper and lower end portions. An elevator moves between the upper and lower end portions of the frame. A first hydraulic actuator is supported on the elevator for movement therewith. A first arm provides arm end portions, the first arm supported by the first hydraulic actuator. An end of the first arm supporting a second hydraulic actuator that is spaced away from the first hydraulic actuator. The second hydraulic actuator supports a second arm. An endless band type saw is mounted on the free end of the second arm generally opposite the second actuator. The band saw is movable by articulation of the first and second actuators and resulting movement of the first and second arms. In one embodiment, the band saw is a diamond wire saw.

An orthopedic surgery system includes: a retractor support arm; a table mounting assembly for securing the retractor support arm to the operating table; a first blade mounting arm slidably engaging the retractor support arm; a second blade mounting arm slidably engaging the retractor support arm in spaced relationship with respect to the first blade mounting arm; a first retractor blade connected to the first blade mounting arm; a second retractor blade connected to the second blade mounting arm; and a plate support assembly for releasably engaging an orthopedic plate wherein the plate support assembly slidably engages at least one of the retractor support arm or the first blade mounting arm or the second blade mounting arm. In one version of the invention, the system used in anterior cervical spine surgery and the orthopedic plate is an anterior cervical plate.

An articulating band saw apparatus provides a frame that includes a vertically extending section having upper and lower end portions. An elevator moves between the upper and lower end portions of the frame. A first hydraulic actuator is supported on the elevator for movement therewith. A first arm provides arm end portions, the first arm supported by the first hydraulic actuator. An end of the first arm supporting a second hydraulic actuator that is spaced away from the first hydraulic actuator. The second hydraulic actuator supports a second arm. An endless band type saw is mounted on the free end of the second arm generally opposite the second actuator. The band saw is movable by articulation of the first and second actuators and resulting movement of the first and second arms. In one embodiment, the band saw is a diamond wire saw.

A method of assembly of construction and assembly of golf club head parts used to manufacture golf club heads primarily composed of strong plastic materials that can be formed by injection plastic molding processes in a minimum of two parts. Draft is practical for both molded parts to simplify mold making. A preferred plastic is polycarbonate. Internal reinforcement elements are designed and arranged to provide structural features to facilitate assembly and improve strength of bonds. Internal reinforcement elements may be molded as separate parts to join with the face and shell structure. A hosel, which is not considered part of the shell and which may be made of plastic or metal, is bonded into the golf club head parts described.

A wheelchair for animals includes a harness support frame having first and second lateral supports spaced from each other and a width extender adjustably connected between the first and second lateral supports, first and second knuckle clamp assemblies where each one of the first and second knuckle clamp assemblies has a first clamp component and a second clamp component, a plurality of harness connectors attached to the harness support frame, first and second leg assemblies where the second clamp components receives a leg assembly proximal end of one of the first and second leg assemblies, first and second wheels where each one of the first and second wheels is rotatably connected adjacent to a leg assembly distal end of one of the first and second leg assemblies, and a harness assembly detachably connected to the harness support frame. Each first clamp component has a lateral bore for receiving one of the first and second lateral supports therethrough and is positioned between a support frame proximal end and a support frame distal end. Each second clamp component has a clamp recess that receives the leg assembly proximal end and is rotatably and adjustably connected to the corresponding first clamp component.

A floating floor system and a floor panel and method for use with the same that includes an improved mechanical interlock system. The mechanical interlock system allows laterally adjacent floor panels that are mechanically interlocked to slide relative to one another a predetermined distance in a longitudinal direction, while prohibiting relative translation in the vertical and transverse directions. In one embodiment, the predetermined distance eliminates the need for precision cuts during installation, thereby making installation fast and easy. In a further embodiment, the invention optimizes the floor panels (and floating floor system.) to balance ease of installation and horizontal locking strength between laterally adjacent floor panels.

A method for lifting fluids within a subterranean well includes lowering an elongated plunger to a lower region of a bore of the subterranean well. The plunger includes a motor assembly operably connected to a propeller. A seal can be created between the plunger and an inner surface of the bore of the subterranean well. A thruster, such as motor assembly connected to a propeller, generates thrust to lift the plunger to a plunger retainer located proximate to a wellhead of the subterranean well.

An apparatus and a method to assist in the installation of a helical pile. The apparatus comprises a drive mechanism having an engaged and a disengaged configuration. When in its engaged configuration the drive mechanism operatively grips the exterior surface of the helical pile. When in its disengaged configuration the drive mechanism operatively releases the exterior surface of the helical pile. Movement of the drive mechanism when in its engaged configuration causes rotational movement of the pile. When in its disengaged configuration the drive mechanism moves without rotation of the pile.

A mobile platform allows trainers to host online brain rehabilitation and cognitive enhancement sessions with clients. The sessions can be individually tailored or chosen from a plethora of prepared sessions. The trainer / evaluator uses real time questionnaires to evaluate the status of the patient prior to preparing the training session. They can also view the results and performance of the patient in real time or at any time after the session has been completed. The mobile platform is designed to facilitate the creation and growth of a community of users by facilitating communication and interactivity between the users upon the satisfactory completion of a battery of tests and evaluations. The mobile platform serves as an information resource for trainers and clients by incorporating a set of algorithms, rules, and guidelines regarding the administration of brain rehabilitation and cognitive enhancement sessions. This aids both trainers and clients participating in the sessions.

A medical needle set for visualized tissue ablation within a subject's body includes a cannula and components configured for inclusion in the cannula, including a trocar for occlusion of the cannula lumen during needle placement, and a visualizing ablation probe used for simultaneous endoscopic viewing and ablation of tissue sites with a laser beam. The cannula can include a tissue-gripping surface for stabilization of the needle set on the target tissue. A surgical system for tissue ablation includes a visualizing ablation needle set operably connected to an endoscope and a laser. A surgical procedure using this system permits simultaneous visualization and ablation of tissues, including those of the facet joints of the spine.

A method of assembly of construction and assembly of golf club head parts used to manufacture golf club heads primarily composed of strong plastic materials that can be formed by injection plastic molding processes in a minimum of two parts. Draft is practical for both molded parts to simplify mold making. A preferred plastic is polycarbonate. Internal reinforcement elements are designed and arranged to provide structural features to facilitate assembly and improve strength of bonds. Internal reinforcement elements may be molded as separate parts to join with the face and shell structure. A hosel, which is not considered part of the shell and which may be made of plastic or metal, is bonded into the golf club head parts described.

A piercing device for use in internally pierced blister delivery devices include a base, a piercer body and an internal fluid path. The internal fluid path includes one or more inlet channels into a central cavity which is connected to one or more delivery channels and exit ports. The cavity is defined by angular walls and top to create turbulence in the fluid flow and to produce a controllable spray, mist, drops, plume or stream delivery. The piercer body also provides a pointed lancet disposed in the center of the exit ports for piercing the lidstock of a formed blister.

An articulating band saw apparatus provides a frame that includes a vertically extending section having upper and lower end portions. An elevator moves between the upper and lower end portions of the frame. A first hydraulic actuator is supported on the elevator for movement therewith. A first arm provides arm end portions, the first arm supported by the first hydraulic actuator. An end of the first arm supporting a second hydraulic actuator that is spaced away from the first hydraulic actuator. The second hydraulic actuator supports a second arm. An endless band type saw is mounted on the free end of the second arm generally opposite the second actuator. The band saw is movable by articulation of the first and second actuators and resulting movement of the first and second arms. In one embodiment, the band saw is a diamond wire saw.

A process and system are disclosed for supplying electrical energy to a device located in a room housing an imaging system (such as an MRI system, for example), wherein the room is shielded from external electromagnetic fields. Certain embodiments of the present invention provide systems and processes for emitting electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range of the light spectrum from at least one light emission device. Embodiments of the present invention further provide a process and system for transforming the electromagnetic radiation into electrical energy using at least one transducer device located in the room, and supplying the electrical energy to the device so as to minimize interfering electromagnetic fields within the room.