1491 results about "Selective control" patented technology

A method and apparatus particularly useful for pain control by selectively blocking the propagation of body-generated action potentials travelling through a nerve bundle by using a tripolar electrode device to generate unidirectional action potentials to serve as collision blocks with the body-generated action potentials representing pain sensations in the small-diameter sensory fibers. In the described preferred embodiments there are a plurality of electrode devices spaced along the length of the nerve bundle which are sequentially actuated with delays corresponding to the velocity of propagation of the body-generated action potentials through the large-diameter fibers to produce a "green wave" effect which minimizes undesired anodal blocking of the large-diameter fibers while maximizing the collision blocking of the small-diameter fibers.

The invention is a seamless projection lithography system that eliminates the need for masks through the use of a programmable Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) with high parallel processing power. Illuminating the SLM with a radiation source (1), which while preferably a pulsed laser may be a shuttered lamp or multiple lasers with alternating synchronization, provides a patterning image of many pixels via a projection system (4) onto a substrate (5). The preferred SLM is a Deformable Micromirror Device (3) for reflective pixel selection using a synchronized pulse laser. An alternative SLM is a Liquid Crystal Light Valve (LCLV) (45) for pass-through pixel selection. Electronic programming enables pixel selection control for error correction of faulty pixel elements. Pixel selection control also provides for negative and positive imaging and for complementary overlapping polygon development for seamless uniform dosage. The invention provides seamless scanning by complementary overlapping scans to equalize radiation dosage, to expose a pattern on a large area substrate (5). The invention is suitable for rapid prototyping, flexible manufacturing, and even mask making.

A method for continuous electronic zoom in a computerized image acquisition system, the system having a wide image acquisition device and a tele image acquisition device having a tele image sensor array coupled with a tele lens having a narrow FOV, and a tele electronic zoom. The method includes providing a user of the image acquisition device with a zoom selecting control, thereby obtaining a requested zoom, selecting one of the image acquisition devices based on the requested zoom and acquiring an image frame, thereby obtaining an acquired image frame, and performing digitally zoom on the acquired image frame, thereby obtaining an acquired image frame with the requested zoom. The alignment between the wide image sensor array and the tele image sensor array is computed, to facilitate continuous electronic zoom with uninterrupted imaging, when switching back and forth between the wide image sensor array and the tele image sensor array.

A novel display control and information management system seamlessly integrates layered and slotted formatted data from local and remote sources to provide a highly versatile information display. The system permits selective control of display and display features so that complex data and data flows can be seamlessly accessed with enhanced cognition of salient information by a user.

A method and system for selective inhibition of somatic nerve fibers in a mixed nerve containing both somatic and autonomic nerve fibers where the method finds use in treatment of chronic pain, spastic muscles and for sensory and motor control of a bladder. The methods and systems utilize alternate phase rectangular electrical pulses. An electrical pulse generator is coupled to a nerve. An alternate phase high frequency, low amplitude pulse is first applied to selectively inhibit somatic nerves when present in a mixed nerve. An alternate phase low frequency, high amplitude phase pulse subsequently supplied to stimulate the autonomic nerve fibers and in the case of the sacral root will permit a controlled voiding of the bladder and bowel.

A method and apparatus particularly useful for pain control by selectively blocking the propagation of body-generated action potentials travelling through a nerve bundle by using a tripolar electrode device to generate unidirectional action potentials to serve as collision blocks with the body-generated action potentials representing pain sensations in the small-diameter sensory fibers. In the described preferred embodiments there are a plurality of electrode devices spaced along the length of the nerve bundle which are sequentially actuated with delays corresponding to the velocity of propagation of the body-generated action potentials through the large-diameter fibers to produce a "green wave" effect which minimizes undesired anodal blocking of the large-diameter fibers while maximizing the collision blocking of the small-diameter fibers.

Electrosurgical systems, apparatus and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to body tissue in order to ablate, contract, coagulate, or otherwise modify a target tissue of a patient. An aspect of the invention includes an active electrode assembly having two active electrodes which may be controllably selected to vary the level of energy applied to the tissue. An electrosurgical apparatus of the invention includes a shaft having an articulated electrode support at a distal end of the shaft, the electrode support bearing at least one active electrode on a surface of the electrode support.

One aspect of the invention relates to controlling the ammonia feed rate to an SCR reactor using a NOx sensor cross-sensitive to ammonia. The sensor, positioned downstream of the reactor, is interrogated by introducing a pulse in the ammonia feed rate. A positive response to a positive pulse indicates ammonia slip. A negative response to a positive pulse indicates NOx breakthrough. Another aspect of the invention related to a combination of feed-back and feed-forward control. Upon detecting ammonia slip, the controller enters into an ammonia slip recovery mode in which the ammonia feed rate is reduced for a period to restore the reactor's ammonia or NOx buffering capacity. After the recovery period, feed-forward control is restored, optionally with an updated control objective. A further aspect of the invention relates to a learning probabilistic model for feed-forward control trained according to the occurrence or non-occurrence of NOx breakthrough and ammonia slip.

A novel display control and information management system seamlessly integrates layered and slotted formatted data from both local and remote sources to provide a highly versatile information display. The system permits selective control of display so that complex data and data flows can be seamlessly accessed with enhanced cognition of salient information by the User.

A machine-readable symbol reader includes a microfluidic lens assembly providing responsive, reliable auto-focus functionality. A range finder may provide distance to a planar target (e.g., barcode symbol) information for use in auto-focusing, with or without localization. Illumination system, if included, is selectively controlled based on the distance to target and auto-focusing functionality to substantially reduce power consumption. The localization may color optical sensors.

A portable audio device includes an audio signal generating device for generating an audio signal, a body / motion signal detecting device for detecting and generating a body / motion signal, a signal loop selecting circuit which is coupled to the body / motion signal detecting device, a timer control circuit which generates a loop selection controlling signal at a predetermined time interval, a control device and an audio signal output device which outputs the audio signal vocally. The audio signal generated by the audio signal output device is transmitted to the audio signal output device, and the body signal is transmitted to the audio signal output device under control of the loop selection controlling signal generated by the timer control circuit at the predetermined time interval.

Medical monitoring and treatment apparatus, which is controlled by a plurality of control sources, includes a “personal medical device” (PMD) or an “implantable medical device” (IMD), respectively carried by, or implanted in, a patient. The PMD / IMD is alternatively self-controlled or controlled by one or more local external control stations, at or near the location of the patient, and / or one or more remote external control stations, remote from the patient. Either or both of the local and remote stations may be operated by a person, such as the patient, a patient facilitator and / or a medical professional, or the stations may operate automatically. Since the device is controlled by multiple sources, hierarchies are used to select the source of control.

A method is provided for reducing image artifacts in printers that employ two or more printhead nozzle banks that must be aligned and registered with respect to each other either through adjustment of orientation and / or position of one nozzle bank relative to another or through selective control of actuation. In the method, discrete dots are printed by the nozzle banks upon a target receiver medium. Examination of the receiver medium or a reproduction thereof is made by a scanner and information regarding location of the dots is generated. From information regarding location of the dots a determination is made of error placement of the dots from ideal locations. Alignment of the nozzle banks are made in accordance with any errors determined in placement.

This invention enhances the usability of the human-computer interface by disclosing a technique for the display of single and multi-generation pop-up controls at a location that best meets the user's criterion of an optimal display location. The technique determines the minimum size of a rectangle capable of displaying the actual or likely maximum size of pop-up controls requested during any given activation of the subsystem that manages display of requested controls. The invention then identifies a location that assures the said rectangle either has no overlay or a minimum overlay of the screen area of current interest to the user while avoiding display clipping. A fixed-point is now determined within said rectangle based on physical characteristics of the controls to be displayed that permits display of descendant controls in a backward cascade that enables the user to maintain visual focus at a fixed screen location while manipulating successive controls. The invention provides the user with the ability to redisplay any previously displayed control irrespective of control type as well as provide a "Done" capability for appropriately designed controls that permits the user to convert a single selection control into a multi-selection control. As an adjunct to the reverse order the invention provides four capabilities that permit the user to undo and redo arbitrary services via performed via redisplay of ancestor controls.

Clusters of pixels are defined for use in image compression and decompression. The image information used to define the clusters may include pixel values at predetermined positions relative to a pixel or related motion vectors, gradients, texture etc. During compression of images the image information relative to pixels is examined to determine the cluster to which it belongs. Thus pixels can be classified according to the cluster for their image information. In an embodiment the definitions of the clusters are selected dynamically, dependent on image content. For each cluster a control parameter set is computed for a post-processing operation, such as filter coefficients for filtering or statistical data for locally generating texture. The control parameter set is selected dependent on the image content so that, when the post-processing operation is applied to the image after decompression it will improve image quality for the pixels that are classified as belonging to the cluster. The compressed image and the control parameter sets are transmitted to a decompression apparatus. Upon decompression, the image information that represents the decompressed image is examined to classify pixels according to the clusters and the different control parameter sets for the selected clusters are used to control post-processing at the locations of the pixels.

A cooking appliance includes a control panel which includes a rotary dial for selecting and entering control information to the cooking appliance, and a control interface for providing a prompt to guide a user through a selection process of the control information. The control information includes at least one of a cooking mode, a food type, a food weight or size, a cooking temperature, and a degree of doneness. The cooking appliance is operatively responsive to the selection of the control information from the rotary dial before and during cooking.

A method for forming biodegradable fibers is provided. The method includes blending polylactic acid with a polyepoxide modifier to form a thermoplastic composition, extruding the thermoplastic composition through a die, and thereafter passing the extruded composition through a die to form a fiber. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that the polyepoxide modifier reacts with the polylactic acid and results in branching of its polymer backbone, thereby improving its melt strength and stability during fiber spinning without significantly reducing glass transition temperature. The reaction-induced branching can also increase molecular weight, which may lead to improved fiber ductility and the ability to better dissipate energy when subjected to an elongation force. To minimize premature reaction, the polylactic acid and polyepoxide modifier are first blended together at a relatively low temperature(s). Nevertheless, a relatively high shear rate may be employed during blending to induce chain scission of the polylactic acid backbone, thereby making more hydroxyl and / or carboxyl groups available for subsequent reaction with the polyepoxide modifier. Once blended, the temperature(s) employed during extrusion of the blended composition can be selected to both melt the composition and initiate a reaction of the polyepoxide modifier with hydroxyl and / or carboxyl groups of the polylactic acid. Through selective control over this method, the present inventors have discovered that the resulting fibers may exhibit good mechanical properties, both during and after melt spinning.

Apparatus for image capturing has preview function for monitor-outputting an image before capturing image to be recorded, image processing section including band correcting section for controlling frequency characteristic of color data constituting image data, gamma correcting section for controlling gradation characteristic of image data, pixel interpolating section for interpolating pixels with unknown data of each color data constituting image data, and exposure control section for controlling exposure setting value. Capture image size, image data compression rate or subject image recording mode can be met before capturing an image. Controller is selected according to capture image size, image data compression rate or image recording mode set before capturing the image. When an image, captured with setting of small capture image size, is outputted in specified output size, an image provided with a more appropriate characteristic for appreciation can be obtained and reduction in image quality due to data compression can be suppressed.

An exercise machine reversible resistance system for reversing the directional force of resistance against an exercise implement before, during, or after the performance of a routine of one or more exercises. The exercise machine reversible resistance system generally includes a frame, an elongated member movably positioned upon the frame, wherein the elongated member has a first run and a second run, a resistance device that applies a resistance force to the elongated member in a single direction, an exercise implement movably connected to the frame and a clutch connected to the exercise implement. The clutch is adapted to selectively engage the first run or the second run of the elongated member for selective control of the resistance direction of the exercise implement.

A high-resolution autostereoscopic display is provided. The autostereoscopic display includes a controller; a display panel receiving an image signal from the controller, forming an image, and including pixels and an inactive area between the pixels; a polarizer polarizing light emitted from the display panel to have a first polarization; a polarization switching controller; a polarization switch selectively converting the light with the first polarization into light with a second polarization in response to the electrical control of the polarization switching controller; a selection controller; a first electro-optical birefringent layer having an optical axis that direction is changed by an electrical control of the selection controller and including a plurality of first lenticular lenses separated by a predetermined pitch; and a second electro-optical birefringent layer having an optical axis that direction is changed by the electrical control of the selection controller, includes a plurality of second lenticular lenses that are arranged with the same pitch as the first lenticular lenses are and shifted by half the pitch from the first lenticular lenses.

The invention discloses a method, a system and a multimode terminal for the realization of the network selection in a multi-system communication network. When a network selection control entity is configured in the multi-system communication network and the multimode terminal needs services, the network selection control entity controls the multimode terminal to selectively access a network according to the configuring selection policy and the obtained selection reference information, and the multimode terminal carries out services via the selected access network. According to the proposal provided by the invention, a suitable access network can be determined to supply the service connection for the multimode terminal by combining the selection policy with the selection reference information according to the relevant information of the access network such as the load condition, so as to make the appropriate access network bear appropriate subscribers and services and ensure reasonable use of network resources. Accordingly, the multi-system networks can be matched with each other in a cooperation mode so as to economize the network resources and guarantee the economy of the construction of the multi-system communication network.

The present disclosure is a device and method associated with the delivery of medical devices in the pericardial space using a minimally invasive approach with direct visualization. More specifically, the device can be used to deliver permanent pacing, defibrillation and cardiac resynchronization leads, as well as leadless pacemakers for cardiac rhythm management to the epicardial surface of the heart. A subxiphoid procedure is proposed as a minimally invasive alternative to thoracotomy, while the delivery tool incorporates a camera for direct visualization of the procedure. The tool also incorporates a steerable catheter to provide selective control of the placement and orientation of the medical device in the pericardial space.

A liquid crystal display (“LCD”) includes an LCD panel, a data driving unit, and a selection unit. A configuration of the selection unit, which includes a plurality of switching devices driven by a selection control signal to connect a plurality of data lines to each channel of the data driving unit, is adjusted according to the selection control signal, so that charging voltages of the same color pixels of the LCD panel are made the same, whereby no stripe defect appears. In addition, the configuration of the selection unit is adjusted according to the selection control signal and the polarity change of the data signal supplied from the data driving unit, so that color aggregation caused by supplying the same polarity voltage to adjacent color pixels of the LCD panel can be minimized.

A method and apparatus for selecting information from a video source to be displayed on at least a first common display screen in a collaborative workspace having a switching device, the method comprising the steps of providing a selectable control interface that includes at least one indicator that can indicate at least first and second different states, associating a video source with the switching device so that video information from the video source is presented to the switching device, when the video source is associated with the switching device, causing the at least one indicator to indicate a first state and when the selectable control interface is selected, causing the at least one indicator to indicate the second state and providing the video information from the video source to the common display screen via the switching device.

A system and method of securing a computer system by controlling write access to a storage medium by monitoring an application; detecting an attempt by the application to write data to said storage medium; interrogating a rules database in response to said detection; and permitting or denying write access to the storage medium by the application in dependence on said interrogation, where the interrogation requests are queued in order manage multiple applications running on the same system. The system can further monitor the activity of unknown processes and continually match the sequence of activity against known malware activity sequences. In the case of a match, the user is warned or the process is blocked.

An optical code reader is provided including imaging circuitry having an array of photo sensing devices capable of sensing light incident on the array and outputting a plurality of pixel signals corresponding to the sensed light. The reader further includes control and logic circuitry for receiving a subset of the plurality of pixel signals, processing the received subset of the plurality of pixel signals for determining if the received pixel signals meet at least one predetermined condition, and outputting a selection control signal in accordance with the processing results. A focus analysis software module executable by the control and logic circuitry determines the focus quality of the received pixel signals. A selector control software module executable by the control and logic circuitry generates a selection control signal in accordance with the determined focus quality of the received pixel signals. Selector circuitry selectively enables the imaging circuitry to output selected pixel signals of the plurality of pixel signals in accordance with the selection control signal.

The present invention provides a modular and flexible system and method, readily usable in conjunction with various game-event-related insurance policy provision solutions, for selectively and / or automatically identifying and settling eligible claims associated with corresponding previously acquired game-event-related insurance policies, either in a manner transparent to the policyholder, or automatically, but under selective control thereof.