167 results about "Variable Characteristic" patented technology

Method and arrangement for controlling a subsystem of a vehicle dependent upon a sensed level of driver inattentiveness to vehicle driving tasks. A variable characteristic is measured, on a substantially real-time basis, which correlates to the driver's inattentiveness. The level of inattentiveness is assessed based at least in part on the measurement. The performance of a subsystem of the vehicle, such as cruise control or lane keeping support, is tailored, based thereupon, to assure that behavior of the vehicle appropriately matches the driver's present level of inattentiveness. The subsystem's operation is controlled in an effort to avoid or prevent the establishment of driving conditions that become inherently more dangerous as the driver's level of inattentiveness increases.

A method and apparatus for non-invasively determining the blood oxygen saturation level within a subject's tissue is provided that utilizes a near infrared spectrophotometric (NIRS) sensor capable of transmitting a light signal into the tissue of a subject and sensing the light signal once it has passed through the tissue via transmittance or reflectance. The method includes the step of determining attenuation of the light signal as the sum of: (i) attenuation attributable to deoxyhemoglobin; (ii) attenuation attributable to oxyhemoglobin; and (iii) attenuation attributable to light scattering within the subject's tissue. The present method also makes it possible to account for attenuation attributable to fixed or constant light absorbing biological tissue components, and attenuation attributable to variable characteristics of the sensor. By determining differential attenuation as a function of wavelength, the attenuation attributable to tissue light scattering characteristics, fixed light absorbing components, and measuring apparatus characteristics are mathematically cancelled out or minimized relative to the attenuation attributable to deoxyhemoglobin, and attenuation attributable to oxyhemoglobin.

Provided is an unintentional hand movement canceling device including: a zoom detection means detecting a value corresponding to a zoom magnification; a swing detection means detecting a swing of an image; and a correction quantity generating means generating a correction quantity to correct the swing of an image based on a swing quantity detected by the swing detection means and a value corresponding to a zoom magnification detected by the zoom detection means, the correction quantity having a variable characteristic of a non-corrected residue percent at a frequency of the swing, wherein the correction quantity generating means varies a characteristic of the non-corrected residue percent at the frequency of the swing depending on a value corresponding to a zoom magnification detected by the zoom detection means.

This invention is directed toward a device which provides buoyancy to objects with negative buoyancy in water. The invention comprises a water-sensitive trigger which, when activated, causes a compressed gas to exit a canister and enter a balloon, which expands, thereby causing the object to float, in cases where the device is attached to an item on a boat, or rise to the surface, in cases where the device is attached to a sunken object. There are a number of variable characteristics, including canister size, trigger fuse length, balloon configuration, and housing material that allow a user tremendous flexibility in selecting a proper size of the invention for the user's intended purpose. Other iterations of the invention provide breathing air for underwater purposes and means of keeping cars, boats, airplanes, etc., floating when they fall into water.

The invention primarily is directed to a medical tubing adapted for insertion into a body tissue or cavity and method of manufacturing different variations of the tubing along a length of the tubing. The tubing comprises a plurality of individual, discrete, generally ring-shaped elements arranged in series and fused or bonded together forming a continuous tubular structure. The ring-shaped elements may be formed of a thermoplastic or a thermoset material. The ring-shaped elements may include plastic rings, metallic rings, un-reinforced plastic rings and / or metal reinforced plastic rings assembled along the length of the tubular structure to provide variable flexibility and kink-resistance. The tubular structure may have a cross-section of any geometric shape and it may be bent, twisted or curved without kinking. The ring-shaped elements may have different flexural modulus. The ring-shaped elements may include a combination of flexible and rigid ring-shaped elements assembled along different portions or sections of the tubular structure. The ring-shaped elements may be metallic and may be bonded with a resilient, flexible elastomeric adhesive, wherein the ring-shaped elements may have different lengths and may be fused closer or further apart to one another depending on the characteristics of a portion or section of the tubing. In another aspect of the invention, the medical tubing may further comprise a secondary lumen and a pull wire to control the tubular structure. The ring-shaped elements may be truncated to provide a bending bias. In another aspect of the invention, the ring-shaped elements may vary in diameter and / or composition in different portions or sections of the tubular structure. In yet another aspect of the invention, some of the ring-shaped elements may be radiopaque, or the ring-shaped elements may comprise of different colors to operate as indicators along the tubular structure.