1900 results about "Path length" patented technology

A three-dimensional imaging and display system is provided in which user input is optically detected in an imaging volume by measuring the path length of an amplitude modulated scanning beam as a function of the phase shift thereof. Visual image user feedback concerning the detected user input is presented.

An antenna for transmitting and receiving radio frequency energy. The antenna comprises a conductive radiator comprising a first and a second conductive region for providing a first and a second current path length. A feed conductor and a ground conductor operate as meanderline (or slow wave) elements to provide an electrical length longer than a physical length.

A medical implant deployment tool and deployment method are disclosed. One aspect of the invention provides an implant system including an implant adapted for endovascular delivery and deployment; and a deployment tool adapted to deploy the implant, with the deployment tool having an actuation controller; a plurality of actuation elements adapted to apply forces to one or more implant deployment mechanisms and each adapted to extend along an actuation element path within a patient's vasculature; and an actuation element compensation mechanism adapted to compensate for differences in length between the actuation element paths. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of deploying an implant including the steps of endovascularly delivering an implant and implant deployment mechanisms to an implant site and applying an actuation force to the implant deployment mechanisms through actuation elements extending through the patient's vasculature while compensating for differences in length between actuation element path lengths to deploy the implant.

A method and system for determining a characteristic of a biological sample including directing light at the biological sample and receiving that light; directing the light at a reference reflecting device and receiving that light; adjusting an effective light path length to facilitate an interference of the light reflected from the biological sample corresponding to a first depth and the light reflected from the reference reflecting device; and detecting the broadband light resulting from the interference, to provide an interference signal. The method also includes: determining a first phase associated with the interference signal corresponding to the first depth; varying the effective light path length to define a second depth; determining a second phase associated with the interference signal corresponding to the second depth; and determining the characteristic of the biological sample from the phases.

Implementations described herein generally relate to components and methods used in plasma processing, and more specifically relate to grooved surfaces for controlling RF return path lengths in plasma processing chambers and methods for forming the same. In one implementation, a backing plate for a plasma processing chamber is provided. The backing plate comprises a rectangular body. The rectangular body has a front surface, a back surface opposing the front surface, a first axis perpendicular to a center of the rectangular body and a plurality of grooves formed in the front surface. At least one groove of the plurality of grooves has a first length across the groove in a first location and a second length across the groove in a second location.

A hybrid of grid-based and graph-based search computations, together with provision of a sparse search technique effectively limited to high-probability candidate nodes provides accommodation of path constraints in an optimization search problem in substantially real-time with limited computational resources and memory. A grid of best cost (BC) values are computed from a grid of map cost (MC) values and used to evaluate nodes included in the search. Minimum segment / vector length, maximum turn angle, and maximum path length along a search path are used to limit the number of search vectors generated in the sparse search. A min-heap is preferably used as a comparison engine to compare cost values of a plurality of nodes to accumulate candidate nodes for expansion and determine which node at the terminus of a partial search path provides the greatest likelihood of being included in a near-optimal complete solution, allowing the search to effectively jump between branches to carry out further expansion of a node without retracing portions of the search path. Capacity of the comparison engine can be limited in the interest of expediting of processing and values may be excluded or discarded therefrom. Other constraints such as approach trajectory are accommodated by altering MC and BC values in a pattern or in accordance with a function of a parameter such as altitude or by testing of the search path previously traversed.

A medical implant deployment tool and deployment method are disclosed. One aspect of the invention provides an implant system including an implant adapted for endovascular delivery and deployment; and a deployment tool adapted to deploy the implant, with the deployment tool having an actuation controller; a plurality of actuation elements adapted to apply forces to one or more implant deployment mechanisms and each adapted to extend along an actuation element path within a patient's vasculature; and an actuation element compensation mechanism adapted to compensate for differences in length between the actuation element paths. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of deploying an implant including the steps of endovascularly delivering an implant and implant deployment mechanisms to an implant site and applying an actuation force to the implant deployment mechanisms through actuation elements extending through the patient's vasculature while compensating for differences in length between actuation element path lengths to deploy the implant.

A method for determining a characteristic of tissue in a biological sample comprising: directing light at the biological sample at a first depth and receiving that light reflected from the biological; directing the light at a reflecting device and receiving that light reflected from the reflecting device. The method also includes: interfering the light reflected from the biological sample and the light reflected from the reflecting device; detecting light resulting from the interfering; and determining a first phase associated with the light resulting from the interfering based on the first depth. The method further includes: varying an effective light path length to define a second depth; determining a second phase associated with the light resulting from the interfering based on the second depth; and determining the characteristic of the biological sample from the first phase and the second phase.

An implantable battery powered leadless pacemaker or biostimulator is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the biostimulator is that it safely operates under a wide range of MRI conditions. One feature of the biostimulator is that it has a total volume small enough to avoid excessive image artifacts during a MRI procedure. Another feature of the biostimulator is that it has reduced path lengths between electrodes to minimize tissue heating at the site of the biostimulator. Yet another feature of the biostimulator is that a current loop area within the biostimulator is small enough to reduce an induced current and voltage in the biostimulator during MRI procedures. Methods associated with use of the biostimulator are also covered.

An extended underwater electromagnetic transducer is provided with an electrically insulated transmission line typically connected to a transmitter or receiver or transceiver system. The transmission line allows near-field communications with another transmitter or receiver or transceiver system. The transmission line provided is relatively long, the through water signal path length can be significantly reduced.

An interference spectroscopy instrument provides simultaneous measurement of specular scattering over multiple wavelengths and angles. The spectroscopy instrument includes an interference microscope illuminated by Koehler illumination and a video camera located to image the back focal plane of the microscope's objective lens while the path-length difference is varied between the reference and object paths. Multichannel Fourier analysis transforms the resultant intensity information into specular reflectivity data as a function of wavelength. This multitude of measured data provides a more sensitive scatterometry tool having superior performance in the measurement of small patterns on semiconductor devices and in measuring overlay on such devices.

The invention provides a variety of surgical instruments for forming a liquid jet, which are useful for performing a wide variety of surgical procedures. In some embodiments, the invention provides surgical liquid jet instruments having a pressure lumen and an evacuation lumen, where the pressure lumen includes at least one nozzle for forming a liquid jet and where the evacuation lumen includes a jet-receiving opening for receiving the liquid jet when the instrument is in operation. In some embodiments, the pressure lumen and the evacuation lumen of the surgical liquid jet instruments are constructed and positionable relative to each other so that the liquid comprising the liquid jet, and any tissue or material entrained by the liquid jet can be evacuated through the evacuation lumen without the need for an external source of suction. The invention also provides a variety of surgical liquid jet instruments that are constructed and configured specifically for use in a surrounding liquid environment or a surrounding gaseous environment. The invention also provides a variety of surgical liquid jet instruments that are rotatably deployable from an undeployed position, for insertion into the body of a patient, to a deployed position, in which there is a separation distance between the liquid jet nozzle and the jet-receiving opening that defines a liquid jet path length. The invention also provides surgical methods utilizing the inventive surgical liquid jet instruments, and methods for forming components of the surgical liquid jet instruments.

In part, the invention relates to an image data collection system. The system can include an interferometer having a reference arm that includes a first optical fiber of length of L1 and a sample arm that includes a second optical fiber of length of L2 and a first rotary coupler configured to interface with an optical tomography imaging probe, wherein the rotary coupler is in optical communication with the sample arm. In one embodiment, L2 is greater than about 5 meters. The first optical fiber and the second optical fiber can both be disposed in a common protective sheath. In one embodiment, the system further includes an optical element configured to adjust the optical path length of the reference arm, wherein the optical element is in optical communication with the reference arm and wherein the optical element is transmissive or reflective.

A meeting locator system enables users, each having a mobile phone equipped with locative sensing capabilities, to receive locative data from one another. The meeting locator system displays the location of each user upon a visual map on a mobile phone of at least one user. The visual map is automatically scaled to simultaneously display the location of each user. The meeting locator system computes midpoint location (geometric or geographic) between the users and displays the midpoint over the visual map as an approximate location where the users are likely to meet. The midpoint location can be updated and further adjusted based upon an estimated travel time for each user to reach the midpoint. The estimated travel time is computed based upon a current speed of each user, a recent average speed of each user, a computation of path lengths between each user, and / or other travel conditions and is displayed.

A through-wafer interconnect for imager, memory and other integrated circuit applications is disclosed, thereby eliminating the need for wire bonding, making devices incorporating such interconnects stackable and enabling wafer level packaging for imager devices. Further, a smaller and more reliable die package is achieved and circuit parasitics (e.g., L and R) are reduced due to the reduced signal path lengths.

The invention provides a variety of surgical instruments for forming a liquid jet, which are useful for performing a wide variety of surgical procedures. In some embodiments, the invention provides surgical liquid jet instruments having a pressure lumen and an evacuation lumen, where the pressure lumen includes at least one nozzle for forming a liquid jet and where the evacuation lumen includes a jet-receiving opening for receiving the liquid jet when the instrument is in operation. In some embodiments, the pressure lumen and the evacuation lumen of the surgical liquid jet instruments are constructed and positionable relative to each other so that the liquid comprising the liquid jet, and any tissue or material entrained by the liquid jet can be evacuated through the evacuation lumen without the need for an external source of suction. The invention also provides a variety of surgical liquid jet instruments that are constructed and configured specifically for use in a surrounding liquid environment or a surrounding gaseous environment. The invention also provides a variety of surgical liquid jet instruments that are rotatably deployable from an undeployed position, for insertion into the body of a patient, to a deployed position, in which there is a separation distance between the liquid jet nozzle and the jet-receiving opening that defines a liquid jet path length. The invention also provides surgical methods utilizing the inventive surgical liquid jet instruments, and methods for forming components of the surgical liquid jet instruments.

A system for optical metrology of a biological sample comprising: a broadband light source; an optical assembly receptive to the broadband light, the optical assembly configured to facilitate transmission of the broadband light in a first direction and impede transmission of the broadband light a second direction; a sensing light path receptive to the broadband light from the optical assembly; a fixed reflecting device; a reference light path receptive to the broadband light from the optical assembly, the reference light path coupled with the sensing light path, the reference light path having an effective light path length longer than an effective light path length of the sensing light path by a selected length corresponding to about a selected target depth within the biological sample; and a detector receptive the broadband light resulting from interference of the broadband light to provide an electrical interference signal indicative thereof.

The invention relates to a method for tomographically displaying a cavity by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and to an OCT device, wherein the path length of a measuring light beam in the catheter can change as a result of a movement of the catheter and brings about a change in the display scale, wherein a possible change in the path length of the measuring light beam in the event of a movement of the catheter is electronically determined and automatically compensated.

A quantum cryptographic key distribution (QKD) endpoint (405) includes a QKD receiver and a feedback system (1600). The QKD receiver receives symbols transmitted over a QKD path. The feedback system (1600) controls a length of the QKD path based on the received symbols.

A method to simultaneously generate and capture a plurality of blurred images utilizing a camera lens and a plurality of imaging sensors is described. A signal passes through a lens and is then split into a plurality of signal paths of different lengths using a signal splitting device. Since the physical distances between the lens and the plurality of imaging sensors are different, with different signal path lengths, a plurality of uniquely blurred images are captured by the plurality of imaging sensors. Utilizing the plurality of blurred images, computations are performed and blur differences are calculated. A depth map is then determined from the blur differences. With the depth map, a number of applications are possible.

An implantable battery powered leadless pacemaker or biostimulator is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the biostimulator is that it safely operates under a wide range of MRI conditions. One feature of the biostimulator is that it has a total volume small enough to avoid excessive image artifacts during a MRI procedure. Another feature of the biostimulator is that it has reduced path lengths between electrodes to minimize tissue heating at the site of the biostimulator. Yet another feature of the biostimulator is that a current loop area within the biostimulator is small enough to reduce an induced current and voltage in the biostimulator during MRI procedures. Methods associated with use of the biostimulator are also covered.

The invention discloses a mobile robot path planning method based on an improvement of an ant colony algorithm and particle swarm optimization. The method mainly solves the problems that in the prior art, the operating speed of an algorithm is low, and frequency of turning of an optimized path is high. The planning method includes the steps that modeling is carried out on a work environment of a robot; the particle swarm optimization is utilized to quickly carry out path planning, pheromones more than those around an obtained path are scattered on the obtained path, and guiding is provided for an ant colony; an ant colony algorithm optimized by the principle of inertia is adopted, and optimization is conducted on the basis of the particle swarm optimization; the motion path of the robot is output according to an optimization result. According to the planning method, comprehensive consideration is given to stability and robustness of the algorithm, iterations can be effectively reduced, searching efficiency is improved, the path length is shortened, the frequency of turning is reduced, path quality is substantially improved, and the planning method accords with an artificial planning intention and is suitable for autonomous navigation of various mobile robots in a static environment.

A multi-channel imaging system is calibrated by measuring the geometric distortion in each sub-image, generating corresponding correction factors, and applying such factors to correct subsequent image data. In addition, intensity transfer-function arrays are measured at each pixel, and further used to correct for system and detector nonlinearities and nonuniformity between images. The procedure is repeated over a range of wavelengths to produce a complete set of correction coefficients and transfer functions. When the system is used for interferometric phase measurements, multiple measurements are preferably taken and a random phase offset in the reference path length is introduced at each measurement. The multiple phase data so derived are then averaged to reduce phase-dependent systematic measurement errors.

A broadside coupled connector assembly has two sets of conductors, each separate planes. By providing the same path lengths, there is no skew between the conductors of the differential pair and the impedance of those conductors is identical. The conductor sets are formed by embedding the first set of conductors in an insulated housing having a top surface with channels. The second set of conductors is placed within the channels so that no air gaps form between the two sets of conductors. A second insulated housing is filled over the second set of conductors and into the channels to form a completed wafer. The ends of the first and second sets of conductors and the blades are jogged in both an x- and y-coordinate to reduce crosstalk and improve electrical performance.

A swept wavelength light source is provided, the light source includes a semiconductor gain device operable to provide amplification, an optical retarding device, the retarding device having a block of material, a beam path with a well-defined beam path length being defined for light within the block of material produced by the gain device, a wavelength selector, and the gain device, the retarding device and wavelength selector being mutually arranged on the base so that a resonator is established for light portions emitted by the gain device and selected by wavelength selector; this does not exclude the presence of further elements contributing to the resonator, such as additional mirrors (including resonator end mirrors), lenses, polarization selective elements, other passive optical components, etc.; wherein the beam path in the retarding device is a part of a beam path of the resonator.

The invention relates to a method for tomographically displaying a cavity by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and to an OCT device, wherein the path length of a measuring light beam in the catheter can change as a result of a movement of the catheter and brings about a change in the display scale, wherein a possible change in the path length of the measuring light beam in the event of a movement of the catheter is electronically determined and automatically compensated.

A lateral conduction Schottky diode includes multiple mesa regions upon which Schottky contacts are formed and which are at least separated by ohmic contacts to reduce the current path length and reduce current crowding in the Schottky contact, thereby reducing the forward resistance of a device. The multiple mesas may be isolated from one another and have sizes and shapes optimized for reducing the forward resistance. Alternatively, some of the mesas may be finger-shaped and intersect with a central mesa or a bridge mesa, and some or all of the ohmic contacts are interdigitated with the finger-shaped mesas. The dimensions of the finger-shaped mesas and the perimeter of the intersecting structure may be optimized to reduce the forward resistance. The Schottky diodes may be mounted to a submount in a flip chip arrangement that further reduces the forward voltage as well as improves power dissertation and reduces heat generation.

A method for determining a characteristic of an analyte in a biological sample, the method comprising: directing broadband light by means of a sensing light path at the biological sample, at a target depth defined by the sensing light path and a reference light path; and receiving the broadband light reflected from the biological sample by means of the sensing light path. The method also includes: directing the broadband light by means of the reference light path at a reflecting device; receiving the broadband light reflected from the reflecting device by means of the reference light path; and interfering the broadband light reflected from the biological sample and the broadband light reflected from the reflecting device. The method further includes: detecting the broadband light resulting from interference of the broadband light reflected from the biological sample and the broadband light reflected from the reflecting device; and modulating an effective light path length of at least one of the reference light path and the sensing light path to enhance interference of the broadband light reflected from the biological sample and the broadband light reflected from the reflecting device. The method continues with: determining a magnitude of change of the effective light path length introduced by the modulating when interference is enhanced; determining a variation in an index of refraction from a ratio of the magnitude of change of the effective light path length and the target depth; and determining the characteristic of the analyte in the biological sample from the variation in the index of refraction.

A three-dimensional imaging and display system is provided in which user input is optically detected in an imaging volume by measuring the path length of an amplitude modulated scanning beam as a function of the phase shift thereof. Visual image user feedback concerning the detected user input is presented.