518 results about "Master/slave" patented technology

A medical master / slave manipulator is excellent in operability and capable of reducing burden on the operator. The medical master / slave manipulator includes a master unit provided with an operation control portion, a slave unit provided with a working device, an interlocking mechanism interlocking the slave unit with the master unit, an orientation difference measuring mechanism for measuring the orientation difference between the orientation of the master unit and that of the slave unit, and a control mechanism for controlling the slave unit to adjust the orientation of the slave unit to that of the master unit so that the orientation difference is reduced to zero in a transient master / slave operation mode in which an operation mode changes from an unrestricted operation mode to a master / slave operation mode.

Robotic, telerobotic, and / or telesurgical devices, systems, and methods take advantage of robotic structures and data to calculate changes in the focus of an image capture device in response to movement of the image capture device, a robotic end effector, or the like. As the size of an image of an object shown in the display device varies with changes in a separation distance between that object and the image capture device used to capture the image, a scale factor between a movement command input may be changed in response to moving an input device or a corresponding master / slave robotic movement command of the system. This may enhance the perceived correlation between the input commands and the robotic movements as they appear in the image presented to the system operator.

The invention provides robotic surgical systems which allow selectable independent repositioning of an input handle of a master controller and / or a surgical end effector without corresponding movement of the other. In some embodiments, independent repositioning is limited to translational degrees of freedom. In other embodiments, the system provides an input device adjacent a manipulator supporting the surgical instrument so that an assistant can reposition the instrument at the patient's side.

A manipulator operative in a master / slave operative mode, comprising: a master unit commanding an operation; a slave unit having a work unit; a detector detecting the orientation of the master unit and the orientation of the slave unit; and a control device controlling the slave unit in response to the command from the master unit, wherein the control device includes: a function of determining a non-mater / slave operative mode or a master / slave operative mode; a function of calculating a difference between the orientation of the master unit and the orientationof the slave unit; and a function of comparing the absolute value of the difference with a preset reference value; and depending upon the result of the comparison, determining a normal master / slave operative mode or a transitional master / slave operative mode, in the master / slave operative mode, the transitional master / slave operative mode is a transitional mode from the non-master / slave operative mode to the master / slave operative mode.

A manipulator operative in a master / slave operative mode includes a master unit commanding an operation; a slave unit having a work unit; a detector detecting the orientation of the master unit and the orientation of the slave unit; and a control device controlling the slave unit in response to a command from the master unit. The control device determines a non-master / slave operative mode or a master / slave operative mode, and calculates a difference between the orientation of the master unit and the orientation of the slave unit. The absolute value of the calculated difference is compared with a preset reference value, and depending upon the result of the comparison, a normal master / slave operative mode or a transitional master / slave operative mode is determined, wherein in the master / slave operative mode, the transitional master / slave operative mode is a transitional mode from the non-master / slave operative mode to the master / slave operative mode.

Surgical robots and other telepresence systems have enhanced grip actuation for manipulating tissues and objects with small sizes. A master / slave system is used in which an error signal or gain is artificially altered when grip members are near a closed configuration.

The invention provides robotic surgical systems which allow selectable independent repositioning of an input handle of a master controller and / or a surgical end effector without corresponding movement of the other. In some embodiments, independent repositioning is limited to translational degrees of freedom. In other embodiments, the system provides an input device adjacent a manipulator supporting the surgical instrument so that an assistant can reposition the instrument at the patient's side.

A method of operating a master / slave system includes the step of identifying a master receive data phase value to coordinate the transfer of data from a slave device without phase alignment circuitry to a master device with a universal phase aligner. Data is transferred from the slave device to the master device in accordance with the master receive data phase value. The master device characterizes a master transmit data phase value to coordinate the transfer of data from the master device to the slave device. Subsequently, the master device routes data to the slave device in accordance with the master transmit data phase value.

Methods for implementing familiar electronic circuits at nanoscale sizes using molecular-junction-nanowire crossbars, and nanoscale electronic circuits produced by the methods. In one embodiment of the present invention, a 3-state inverter is implemented. In a second embodiment of the present invention, two 3-state inverter circuits are combined to produce a transparent latch. The 3-state inverter circuit and transparent-latch circuit can then be used as a basis for constructing additional circuitry, including master / slave flip-flops, a transparent latch with asynchronous preset, a transparent latch with asynchronous clear, and a master / slave flip-flop with asynchronous preset. 3-state inverters can thus be used to compose latches and flip-flops, and latches and flip-flops can be used, along with additional Boolean circuitry, to compose a wide variety of useful, state-maintaining circuits, all implementable within molecular-junction-nanowire crossbars by selectively configuring junctions within the molecular-junction-nanowire crossbars.

Improved robotic surgical systems, devices, and methods include selectably associatable master / slave pairs, often having more manipulator arms than will be moved simultaneously by the two hands of a surgeon. Four manipulator arms can support an image capture device, a left hand tissue manipulation tool, a right hand tissue manipulation tool, and a fourth surgical instrument, particularly for stabilizing, retracting, tool change, or other functions benefiting from intermittent movement. The four or more arms may sequentially be controlled by left and right master input control devices. The fourth arm may be used to support another image capture device, and control of some or all of the arms may be transferred back-and-forth between the operator and an assistant. Two or more robotic systems each having master controls and slave manipulators may be coupled to enable cooperative surgery between two or more operators.

The present invention relates to improved devices, systems and methods that convert between electrical and mechanical energy. An electroactive polymer transducer converts between electrical and mechanical energy. An active area is a portion of an electroactive polymer transducer. The active area comprises a portion of an electroactive polymer and at least two electrodes that provide or receive electrical energy to or from the portion. The present invention relates to transducers and devices comprising multiple active areas that are in electrically communication. More specifically, the present invention relates to master / slave arrangements for multiple active areas disposed on one or more electroactive polymers. In a master / slave arrangement, a first active area deflects (a ‘master’), and a second active area reacts (a ‘slave’). Communication electronics in electrical communication with electrodes for the first active area and in electrical communication with electrodes for the second active area transfer electrical energy between the two active areas.

A computer system having two or more controllers operating in a Master / Slave configuration is disclosed. In one embodiment, the computer system includes: a sensor panel having a first portion for generating a first set of sense signals indicative of a touch or no-touch condition on the first portion, and a second portion for generating a second set of sense signals indicative of a touch or no-touch condition on the second portion; a first device for receiving and processing the first set of output signals from the first portion of the panel; and a second device for receiving and processing the second set of output signals from the second portion of the panel, wherein the first and second devices operate cooperatively in a Master / Slave configuration.

The invention provides robotic surgical systems which allow selectable independent repositioning of an input handle of a master controller and / or a surgical end effector without corresponding movement of the other. In some embodiments, independent repositioning is limited to translational degrees of freedom. In other embodiments, the system provides an input device adjacent a manipulator supporting the surgical instrument so that an assistant can reposition the instrument at the patient's side.

A system, method, and device for remotely controlling the camera functions of a mobile camera phone are disclosed. The mobile camera phone and another device are communicable with one another using the Bluetooth™ protocol. Each includes a Bluetooth module that establishes a wireless connection with one another such that data and instructions can be exchanged. The other device receives and displays data representative of the mobile camera phone's viewfinder. A camera application is coupled with the Bluetooth module for establishing a master / slave relationship with a corresponding camera application in the mobile camera phone. The other device sends camera control commands to the mobile camera phone wherein the camera control commands can manipulate camera settings, take a picture, and dispose of the resultant picture. The other device further includes a user interface coupled with the display that provides a means of inputting data to manipulate the camera application.

An apparatus and method for providing a centralized speaker system that allows multiple speakers connected to a central amplifier speaker line to be monitored and controlled from a central location via a master / slave protocol. The centralized speaker system comprises a central station for selectively communicating at least one of a command and an information signal to a destination device. A tone generator is adapted to communicate an activation tone to the destination device. An amplifier, which is colocated with the central station, is adapted to amplify the signals to the destination device.

Robotic, telerobotic, and / or telesurgical devices, systems, and methods take advantage of robotic structures and data to calculate changes in the focus of an image capture device in response to movement of the image capture device, a robotic end effector, or the like. As the size of an image of an object shown in the display device varies with changes in a separation distance between that object and the image capture device used to capture the image, a scale factor between a movement command input may be changed in response to moving an input device or a corresponding master / slave robotic movement command of the system. This may enhance the perceived correlation between the input commands and the robotic movements as they appear in the image presented to the system operator.

Port Interface Modules (PIMs) are provided for ports of a Multi-Port Memory Controller. The PIMs include logic that is programmable to be compatible with different types of devices, processors or buses that can be connected to the ports. The PIMs can further include protocol bridges to enable one port PIM to connect to a device or another port PIM in a master / slave fashion.

An object of the present invention is to prevent from concentrating communication on one terminal, thereby avoiding an increase in power consumption and thereby prolonging the network configuration time when forming a network by a plurality of devices. A wireless communication device Pa established as a master receives battery information including battery remaining amount, communication possible time, a possibility of becoming a master, from wireless communication devices Pb, Pc, Pd established as slaves within a wireless network, and decides a candidate terminal for the next master based on the battery information. A master / slave switching instruction is issued to a candidate terminal for the next master from the wireless communication device Pa, under a master / slave switching condition, when the battery remaining amount of the master becomes the established value or less, and the like. This can prevent from concentrating communication on one terminal, so to make the power consumption of the respective terminals uniform and prolong the configuration time of the wireless network.

A device that performs a master / slave switching process dynamically changing a device functioning as a master device in a network in consideration of fixed device performances and also variable device states is provided. A device's own device information managing section (15) of a master device (1) manages device's own device information regarding its own device. Another device information managing section (16) manages other device information regarding other devices, which are slave devices. A schedule information managing section (17) manages schedule information regarding master device candidates. A device information processing section (13) obtains predetermined information, such as the remaining amount of battery, from a slave device specified based on the other device information and the schedule information at a predetermined time. The device information processing section (13) then compares the obtained predetermined information and the device's own device information to determine whether a device more suitable as the master device than its own device (1) is present. If such a suitable device is present, a master / slave switching process is performed with this suitable device.

The invention relates to a method allowing dynamically networking among a plurality of devices to share resource. It includes: installing a software of dynamic networking and resource sharing on each of devices to realize dynamic networking and resource sharing. These devices periodically announce information with multicasting. A device serves as node control device, and announces the message of the existence of the device through multicasting, creates a node. A device can find the node by monitoring announcement message from the node. The device which requests to join into the node device registers its service information that can be provided by the device to the node control device. The device which has joined into the node finds the device providing service by indexing the nodal control device, and obtains desired service from the device by sending a service calling information. The method is applied to home backbone network for performing networking in home network. Then a topology connection structure with master / slave and peer-to-peer modes can be realized. The dynamic networking and resource sharing between the service providing device and the service utilizing device in the home backbone network can be realized.

A master / slave data communication system in which a master device communicates with the slave devices by uniquely addressing each of the slave devices. In order to enhance the security of the data communication system, each slave device includes an address generator for generating unique addresses. Periodically, the master device requests that one or more slave device change its address. In response to the request, the addressed slave device increments its address generating algorithm to provide a new slave address. The master device also includes an algorithm that is synchronized with the slave address generating algorithm, whereby when the slave changes its address, it need not transmit the new slave address to the master device over the bus.

A multi-chip graphics system includes a master chip and a slave chip coupled by an interlink. The slave chip performs a graphics processing operation in parallel with the master chip, improving the performance of the master chip. In one embodiment, an individual graphics processing unit (GPU) chip includes a normal operational mode, a master mode, and a slave mode to permit an individual GPU chip to be used as individual processor or to be packaged as part of a master / slave pair.

A train integrity network system comprises bogie units which monitor critical parameters relating to the condition of bogie components and the rail track they are travelling on, an onboard server which controls the bogie units and a wireless network which enables communication between the server and the bogie units. Each bogie unit is powered by an electrical generator which utilises the rotation of the bogie wheels and has a processor which compares the critical parameters against defined standards in order to issue alerts to the train driver. The wireless network utilises master / slave base band role switching, has store-and-forward nodes which convey quasi real time data to the server and utilises frequency hopping modes.

A computing device includes first and second graphics adapters. A graphics processor of the first graphics adapter acts as a master graphics processor, while a second graphics adapter acts as a slave. The master graphics processor renders graphics to be displayed on multiple separate displays within memory of the first graphics adapter. Images to be displayed on one of the displays are transferred to memory used by the second graphics adapter. The display interface of the second graphics adapter presents images within the memory of the second graphics adapter on at least one of the multiple displays. In this way, device electronics forming the display interface, as well as ports of the second adapter, acting as a slave, may be utilized. In one embodiment, an application creates a single larger image, rendered within the memory of the first graphics adapter. The larger image is then presented as the first and second smaller images on the multiple displays. In this way, an end user sees the multiple images as a single large image across the multiple displays.

The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for creating an ad-hoc conference station from speakers on a plurality of mobile communication devices. The ad-hoc conference station can cancel the echo of any incoming audio for all of the communication devices. This feature may be achieved by employing a master / slave configuration for the communication devices within a common area.

Systems, methods and computer program products for high availability enhancements of virtual security module servers. Exemplary embodiments include a virtual security appliance system, including a recipient Virtual Security Appliance having an I / O controller configured to received commands from a Virtual Machine Monitor and a crypto engine of the recipient virtual security appliance configured to assign a master / slave flag, the crypto engine having a master virtual Trusted Platform Module and a slave virtual Trusted Platform Module, wherein the crypto engine includes an appliance endorsement key configured to provide an identification and to pair with an additional recipient virtual security appliance in the virtual security appliance system, the additional recipient virtual security appliance including an additional crypto engine having an additional appliance endorsement key.

A mobile communications system is described in which base stations communicate with each other using a Master / Slave protocol to exchange load balancing information that can be used to control the handover of mobile devices amongst neighbouring base stations and / or neighbouring cells. The Master base station requests the Slave base station to provide a load status report to it either at a defined time or periodicity or in response to certain events.

A system and a method use dual telemetry for tools located in a wellbore. A first telemetry system and a second telemetry system coordinate communication with the tools. Both the first telemetry system and the second telemetry system may transmit data regarding the tools and / or drilling conditions from the tools to a surface location simultaneously. The first telemetry system or the second telemetry system may communicate with the surface location if communication using the other telemetry system is interrupted. The first telemetry system and the second telemetry system may have a master / slave relationship so that data requests from a specific telemetry system do not interfere with data requests from the other telemetry system.

A people counting system and method for the automatic reconfiguration of a failed people counting sensor device in a people counting system. The system includes a plurality of addressable people counting sensor devices defining a cluster having a master device in communication with at least one slave device, each of the master device and the slave devices having a corresponding Media Access Control (“MAC”) address. The master device is adapted to sequentially transmit power-on commands to each of the slave devices, assign a different node address to each of the slave devices, receive an association of the MAC address of the master device to the node address and MAC address of each of the slave devices to form a cluster configuration, store the cluster configuration as a cluster configuration table, and replicate the cluster configuration table to the slave devices. A dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server assigns an IP public address to the master device.