833 results about "Reference device" patented technology

A method and system is described where a plurality of position reference devices use short-range wireless communication protocols to transmit positioning assistance data to nearby mobile devices, and the mobile devices use the assistance data to model errors and re-calibrate their positioning systems. The short-range communication methods include NFC, RFID, Bluetooth®, short-range 802.11, Wi-Fi Direct, and high frequency focused beams such as 60 GHz. The position reference devices are passive or active NFC tags, passive or active RFID tags, other devices that include such tags as their components, Bluetooth®-enabled devices, 60 GHz-enabled devices, and 802.11 access points that can lower their transmit power. The reference devices are located at various indoor and outdoor locations such as smart posters, kiosks, ATM machines, malls, store checkout counters, store security gates, wireless access points, cellular base-stations, tollbooths, traffic lights, and street lamp posts.

A method of localizing a medical device inside a patient's body, the method comprising: transmitting ac magnetic signals between a plurality of points of known location outside of the patient's body and a plurality of points on the medical device inside the patient's body, the signals transmitted between at least some of the points comprising at least two different frequencies; and receiving the transmitted ac magnetic signals and processing the received signals to determine the position of the points on the medical device, and thus the location of the medical device, this processing including correcting for the affects of metal in the vicinity by using the transmitted and received signals at different frequencies. In an alternate embodiment, a reference device is provided inside the patients' body, and the medical device is localized relative to the reference catheter. The use of signals comprising at least two frequencies may or may not be used in this relative localization embodiment, but preferably is used at least to localize the reference catheter.

A technique is described which may be used to synchronize a plurality of different access controllers which control a plurality of distinct ports at the Head End of an access network. In the context of a cable network, the technique of the present invention may be used to synchronize desired upstream and / or downstream channels across different line cards within a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS). The technique involves utilizing a master time reference device which maintains and updates a current time reference, and periodically distributes synchronization signals to desired line cards in the system in order to synchronize these line cards. In a specific embodiment, the synchronization signals include current timestamp data generated from the master time reference device and distributed to all (or selected) line cards in the system. A slave time reference device on each of the line cards receives the periodic synchronization updates and uses the synchronization data to remain synchronized with the master time reference device. There are also provisions in this protocol to allow for hot insertion and removal of line cards, software reset or loading of the master and / or slave time reference devices, and redundant master time reference devices, including master time reference device fault detection and automatic fail over.

A method of fabricating compact alkali vapor filled cells that have volumes of 1 cm3 or less that are useful in atomic frequency reference devices such as atomic clocks. According to one embodiment the alkali vapor filled cells are formed by sealing the ends of small hollow glass fibers. According to another embodiment the alkali vapor filled cells are formed by anodic bonding of glass plates to silicon wafers to seal the openings of holes formed in the silicon wafers. The anodic bonding method of fabricating the alkali vapor filled cells enables the production of semi-monolithic integrated physics packages of various designs.

Instrumentation and methods are provided for mounting a surgical navigation reference frame to a patient for performing an image-guided surgical procedure on an anatomical component. In one embodiment of the invention, a trocar is positioned within a cannula to form an insertion device adapted for percutaneous introduction into the patient. A bone anchor having a bone engaging portion is inserted through the cannula and is anchored to bone. The bone anchor cooperates with the cannula to form a mounting device adapted for coupling with the surgical navigation reference frame. In one embodiment of the invention, an image-guided surgical procedure is performed at a location remote from the anchoring location. In a specific embodiment, an image-guided surgical procedure is performed adjacent the spinal column, with the bone engaging portion of the bone anchor anchored to the iliac region of the pelvic bone, and more specifically to the iliac crest of the pelvic bone.

A method and system is described where a plurality of position reference devices use short-range wireless communication protocols to transmit positioning assistance data to nearby mobile devices, and the mobile devices use the assistance data to re-calibrate their positioning systems. In some embodiments, mobile device includes an accelerometer and the accelerometer measurements are used to calculate an updated velocity of the mobile device and an updated position of the mobile device based on the accelerometer measurements and previous velocity and position of the mobile device. The short-range communication methods include NFC, RFID, Bluetooth®, short-range 802.11, Wi-Fi Direct, and high frequency focused beams such as 60 GHz. The position reference devices are passive or active NFC tags, passive or active RFID tags, other devices that include such tags as their components, Bluetooth®-enabled devices, 60 GHz-enabled devices, and 802.11 access points that can lower their transmit power.

Instrumentation and methods are provided for performing image-guided spinal surgery using an anterior surgical approach. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a surgical navigation reference device, mounting the reference device to bone at a location remote from the spinal column and in a substantially fixed position relative thereto, accessing a portion of the spinal column from an anterior direction, and performing an image-guided surgical procedure on the spinal column using an anterior surgical approach. In another embodiment, the mounting of the reference device comprises anchoring the reference device to a portion of the patient's pelvic bone, and more specifically the anterior region of the iliac crest. In a further embodiment, the image-guided surgical procedure comprises a spinal implantation procedure wherein a spinal implant is inserted into an intervertebral opening formed along the lumbar region of the spinal column using an anterior surgical approach.

A dental illumination system includes an adjustable lamp head including a source of radiation, which may including IR, visible, and / or UV, is provided with an adjustable mounting device adapted for mounting in such a manner that offers freedom of movement for the patient undergoing the procedure, for example, whitening, so that radiation may be directed at the tooth or teeth. In some embodiments, the lamp head includes a housing and a spacer having formations that is adapted to removably mechanically couple the lamp head to a reference device, again having formations, for facilitating illumination of a tooth by a light source contained within the lamp head. The spacer and lamp head may be formed integrally. If formed separately, both the lamp head and the spacer may include formations.

In order to conduct navigation-assisted knee operations in a simple and optimum manner, a patella reference device is proposed for the determination of the spatial position of a patella of a human knee joint during a navigation-assisted surgical procedure, comprising a base unit that can be secured on the patella, a reference element that can be detected by a detection device and a connecting device for the detachable connection of the base unit and the reference element in a first reference position and in at least one further second reference position differing from the first reference position.

A system and methods for measuring the performance of individual strings of photovoltaic (PV) modules in a PV array, including a string combiner box with integrated capability for measurement of string current versus voltage (I-V) characteristics. The system may include calibrated solar insolation reference devices; environmental meters; and / or at least one system computer. The string combiner box allows: high precision string performance measurement during normal power generating operation; isolation of individual strings or groups of strings; and the performance of high-precision full I-V sweeps on individual strings. Methods are provided to analyze measured I-V curves to compensate for the effects of temperature and other variables thereby increasing PV module performance measurement accuracy. Methods are further provided to incorporate data from insolation reference devices and / or environmental meters to extract meaningful parameters from collected data regarding PV module efficiency and degradation, and track string-level performance and degradation over extended periods of time.

A device and method are provided for estimating a position of a target device (e.g., a device emitting radio frequency energy) based on data pertaining to strength of an emission received from the target device. At a mobile device, emissions are received from the target device when the mobile device is at each of a plurality of positions to produce receive signal strength data representative thereof. In addition, at the mobile device, signals are received from each of a plurality of reference devices at a corresponding known position (and transmitted with known transmit powers) when the mobile device is at each of said plurality of positions to produce receive signal strength data representative thereof. The position of the target device is estimated based on receive signal strength data associated with received emissions from the target device and receive signal strength data associated with received signals from the reference devices. Using the estimated position and estimated transmit power of the target device, a zone of impact of the target device is determined with respect to other wireless activity based on the estimated position and estimated transmit power of the target device.

Secure establishment of a key associated with a first facility identifier is facilitated. The key is shared between a device and an operator of a first facility, via a public key management infrastructure of a payment system operating according to the payment standard, during a first transaction, substantially in accordance with the payment standard, between the device and the first facility. Controlling access to a first facility is facilitated, via the device, using the key associated with the first facility identifier, substantially without reference to an issuer of the device and substantially without use of asymmetric keys of the device, during a plurality of subsequent transactions, substantially in accordance with the payment standard, between the device and the first facility. The steps can be repeated for a number of different facilities, such as different transit systems, with appropriate rules to address a situation where the device has a limited storage capacity for keys of different transit operators.

In an embodiment, the infrastructure comprises a script execution module that comprises a compiler that compiles scripts, having instructions that reference device properties, into virtual-machine programs, a virtual machine that executes virtual-machine programs, and a script manager that stores scripts, retrieves scripts, and loads scripts into the compiler. In addition, the infrastructure may comprise gateway(s), communicatively connected to physical device(s). The gateway(s) may each comprise processor(s), driver(s) that each communicate with at least one physical device using a communication protocol to read and / or write device properties of the physical device, and a device manager that maps device properties referenced in the virtual-machine programs to device properties used by the driver(s).

In a firmware update apparatus, a reference device specification part specifies one of a plurality of audio processing devices as a reference device. A version number acquisition part acquires version numbers of firmwares stored in the audio processing devices. A matching table storage stores a matching table defining a combination of compatible version numbers of firmwares from among combinations of version numbers of firmwares. An incompatible device display part performs display for specifying an audio processing device that stores a firmware that does not satisfy compatibility defined in the matching table with a firmware stored in the reference device. An update target type selection part specifies a firmware update target device type from among a plurality of device types. A firmware update instruction part transmits an update command instructing update of the firmware to one or more of audio processing devices belonging to the firmware update target device type selected by the update target type selection part.

An apparatus for checking the diameter of crankpins of a crankshaft in the course of the machining in a grinding machine includes a Vee-shaped reference device, a measuring device associated with the reference device and including a feeler axially movable along the bisecting line of the Vee-shaped reference device, and a support device with a first arm rotating with respect to a support arranged on the grinding-wheel slide and a second arm rotating with respect to the first and carrying the Vee-shaped reference device.A guiding mechanism includes a limiting device, with mutually abutting surfaces and coupled to the support device, that guides the displacement of the reference device along a trajectory substantially parallel to the profile of the grinding wheel, allows the engagement of the reference device on a crankpin to be checked while the latter is orbitally moving, and does not interfere with the displacements of the support device caused by the orbital motion of the crankpin in the checking condition.

The present invention relates to a patient feedback system (10) for providing feedback information on the use of a therapeutic device (14) to a patient (12), said system (10) comprising: an interface (34) for receiving personal profile data (18) of the patient (12); a database (16) for storing reference profile data (18′) and reference device settings (54) from a plurality of reference patients (42) using therapeutic devices; a cohort selection module (36) for comparing the personal profile data (18) of the patient (12) with the reference profile data (18′) of the reference patients (42) in the database (16) and for determining a cohort (44) for the patient (12) from the plurality of reference patients (42) based upon said comparison, wherein said cohort (44) comprises a subset of the reference patients (42) having reference profile data (18′) similar to the personal profile data (18) of the patient (12); and a feedback unit (38) for determining feedback information based on the reference device settings (54) of the reference patients (42) in the cohort (44) and for providing said feedback information to the patient (12).

In a dosimeter for measuring levels of ionizing radiation, for example during radiotherapy, a plurality of radiation sensors, such as insulated gate field effect transistors (IGFETs), are spaced apart at predetermined intervals on a support, for example a flexible printed circuit strip, and connected to a connector which can be coupled to a reader for reading the sensors. The sensors may each be connected to a reference device, which may also be an insulated gate field effect transistor, and the absorbed radiation dose may be determined by measuring, before and after the irradiation, the difference between the threshold voltages of the individual sensors and the threshold voltage reference device. Corresponding terminals of the sensors may be connected to the connector by a single conductor, thereby reducing the number of conductors required.

A torque tool and an associated method are provided which apply operator-defined levels of torque to a threaded fastener. In one aspect, a portable, battery powered torque tool controls the motor to slow further advancement of the threaded fastener once the torque that has been applied to the threaded fastener has reached a predefined threshold. In another aspect, a torque tool monitors a measure of torque applied to a threaded fastener more frequently once the torque applied to the threaded fastener has reached a predefined threshold. A method of defining a mathematical relationship between a first measure provided by a torque transducer of torque applied to a threaded fastener and a second measure provided by a torque measurement reference device of torque applied to the threaded fastener is also provided such that the measure of torque provided by the torque transducer can be calibrated.

Inclinometer and directional field sensor readings can have gain, offset, and non-orthogonality errors, as well as reference alignment rotation errors. When a series of readings are taken by a three axis sensor with a variety of different orientations, the resulting dataset looks like a perfect hypothetical sphere in the absence of any errors; with errors as mentioned above the dataset looks like an offset, rotated, ellipsoidal quadratic surface. This invention provides a simple method of removing the above errors from a tilt reference device. A disclosed algorithm is divided into two distinct components: the ellipsoidal quadratic surface component, which covers gain, offset, and axis misalignment; and the rotation component, which covers rotation relative to a set of reference axes. The solution presented here addresses both components combined, or separated and for inclinometers, magnetometers and rate sensors.

An apparatus for checking the diameter of crankpins of a crankshaft in the course of the machining in a grinding machine includes a Vee-shaped reference device, a measuring device associated with the reference device and including a feeler axially movable along the bisecting line of the Vee-shaped reference device, and a support device with a first arm rotating with respect to a support arranged on the grinding-wheel slide and a second arm rotating with respect to the first and carrying the Vee-shaped reference device.A guiding mechanism includes a limiting device, with mutually abutting surfaces and coupled to the support device, that guides the displacement of the reference device along a trajectory substantially parallel to the profile of the grinding wheel, allows the engagement of the reference device on a crankpin to be checked while the latter is orbitally moving, and does not interfere with the displacements of the support device caused by the orbital motion of the crankpin in the checking condition.

A digitizer device comprises an elongated body and legs connected to the elongated body. At least one joint is between the legs and the elongated body such that free ends of the legs are displaceable relative to one another. An inertial sensor unit is connected to the elongated body, the inertial sensor unit having a preset orientation aligned with the elongated body. A table reference device comprises a body adapted to be fixed to an operating table. An inertial sensor unit is with a preset orientation related to the operating table. A patient coordinate system comprising orientation data obtained from the inertial sensor units of the digitizer device and the table reference device

The embodiment of the invention provides a positioning method and related equipment, and the method comprises the steps: a user terminal measuring positioning reference signals PRS sent by a pluralityof positioning reference devices, and obtaining a plurality of PRS measurement results; the user terminal measuring the downlink C-PRS sent by the plurality of positioning reference devices to obtaina downlink C-PRS measurement result; the user terminal performing positioning operation according to the plurality of PRS measurement results and the downlink C-PRS measurement results; wherein the positioning operation comprises the following steps: sending a plurality of PRS measurement results and downlink C-PRS measurement results to a positioning server, so that the positioning server determines the position of the user terminal according to the plurality of PRS measurement results and the downlink C-PRS measurement results; or the positioning operation comprising: the user terminal determining the position of the user terminal according to the plurality of PRS measurement results and the plurality of downlink C-PRS measurement results. According to the embodiment of the invention, the positioning accuracy of the user terminal can be improved.

Embodiments of the present invention generally provide methods, apparatus, and systems for compensating for frequency fluctuations in source light used to interrogate an optical sensor. The optical sensor may be interrogated to generate a sensor signal. A reference device co-located with the optical sensor may also be interrogated to generate a reference signal. Optical parameters extracted from the reference signal may be used to correct parameters extracted from a sensor signal.

A passive acoustic wave sensor system for monitoring the quality of liquids, such as engine oil, is disclosed. The sensor system has an acoustic wave sensing device for generating a propagating acoustic wave and for detecting changes in frequency or other propagation characteristics of the acoustic wave caused by acousto-electric interactions between the liquid and the wave at an interactive region of the device. An antenna is integrated in the sensing device for receiving an interrogation signal and for transmitting the output response of the sensing device. The output response can be analyzed to determine the conductivity, pH or other electrical characteristics of the liquid. One or more reference devices may be utilized to compensate for mechanical effects of the liquid and temperature or other environmental effects. The sensing and reference devices can be configured as SH-SAW, SH-APM, FPM devices or other acoustic wave devices.

A measuring method for measuring current-voltage characteristics of a photoelectric conversion device by irradiating light to said photoelectric conversion device and a reference device corresponding to said photoelectric conversion device at the same time while detecting an irradiance of said light using said reference device, characterized in that a light responsive time constant of a irradiance detection circuit in which said reference device is used is adjusted so that said light responsive time constant of said irradiance detection circuit comes closer to a light responsive time constant of said photoelectric conversion device. An apparatus for practicing said measuring method.