Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090022975 | Metal/Fiber Laminate and Fabrication Using A Porous Metal/Fiber Preform - A metal/fiber laminate has a plurality of adjacent layers. Each layer is porous and includes an arrangement of fibers. At least one of the layers has its fibers coated with a metal. A polymer matrix permeates each such arrangement. | 01-22-2009 |
20100190026 | Strain-Detecting Composite Materials - A composite material includes a structural material and a shape-memory alloy embedded in the structural material. The shape-memory alloy changes crystallographic phase from austenite to martensite in response to a predefined critical macroscopic average strain of the composite material. In a second embodiment, the composite material includes a plurality of particles of a ferromagnetic shape-memory alloy embedded in the structural material. The ferromagnetic shape-memory alloy changes crystallographic phase from austenite to martensite and changes magnetic phase in response to the predefined critical macroscopic average strain of the composite material. A method of forming a composite material for sensing the predefined critical macroscopic average strain includes providing the shape-memory alloy having an austenite crystallographic phase, changing a size and shape of the shape-memory alloy to thereby form a plurality of particles, and combining the structural material and the particles at a temperature of from about 100-700° C. to form the composite material. | 07-29-2010 |
20110070793 | Metal/Fiber Laminate and Fabrication Using a Porous Metal/Fiber Preform - A metal/fiber laminate has a plurality of adjacent layers. Each layer is porous and includes an arrangement of fibers. At least one of the layers has its fibers coated with a metal. A polymer matrix permeates each such arrangement. | 03-24-2011 |
20120023737 | Methods of Making Z-Shielding - Disclosed are methods of building Z-graded radiation shielding and covers. In one aspect, the method includes: providing a substrate surface having about medium Z-grade; plasma spraying a first metal having higher Z-grade than the substrate surface; and infusing a polymer layer to form a laminate. In another aspect, the method includes electro/electroless plating a first metal having higher Z-grade than the substrate surface. In other aspects, the invention provides methods of improving an existing electronics enclosure to build a Z-graded radiation shield by applying a temperature controller to at least part of the enclosure and affixing at least one layer of a first metal having higher Z-grade than the enclosure. | 02-02-2012 |
20120090738 | Abnormal Grain Growth Suppression in Aluminum Alloys - The present invention provides a process for suppressing abnormal grain growth in friction stir welded aluminum alloys by inserting an intermediate annealing treatment (“IAT”) after the welding step on the article. The IAT may be followed by a solution heat treatment (SHT) on the article under effectively high solution heat treatment conditions. In at least some embodiments, a deformation step is conducted on the article under effective spin-forming deformation conditions or under effective superplastic deformation conditions. The invention further provides a welded article having suppressed abnormal grain growth, prepared by the process above. Preferably the article is characterized with greater than about 90% reduction in area fraction abnormal grain growth in any friction-stir-welded nugget. | 04-19-2012 |
20140272170 | Nanoparticle Hybrid Composites by RF Plasma Spray Deposition - A method of fabricating a composite material includes utilizing a radio frequency plasma process to form a plasma plume comprising nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may comprise boron nitride nanoparticles, silicon carbide nanoparticles, beryllium oxide nanoparticles, or carbon nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may comprise nanotubes or other particles depending on the requirements of a particular application. The nanoparticles are deposited on a substrate by directing a plasma plume towards the substrate. The nanoparticles are formed in the plasma plume immediately prior to being deposited on the substrate. The nanoparticles may form a mechanical bond with the fibers in addition to a chemical bond in the absence of a catalyst. The substrate may comprise a fiber fabric that may optionally be coated with a thin layer of metal. Alternatively, the substrate may comprise a solid material such as a metal sheet or plate. | 09-18-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090079606 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE WITH LOW POWER DELTA-SIGMA ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER - In general, this disclosure describes techniques for reducing power consumption within an implantable medical device (IMD). An IMD implanted within a patient may have finite power resources that are intended to last several years. To promote device longevity, sensing and therapy circuits of the IMD are designed to incorporate an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that provides relatively high resolution output at a relatively low operation frequency, and does so with relatively low power consumption. An ADC designed in accordance with the techniques described herein utilizes a quantizer that has a lower resolution than a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) used for negative feedback. Such a configuration provides the benefits of higher resolution DAC feedback without having the use high oversampling ratios that result in high power consumption. Also, the techniques avoid the use of, and the associated high power consumption of, a high resolution flash ADC, within the sigma delta loop. | 03-26-2009 |
20090079607 | CHOPPER-STABILIZED ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER - This disclosure describes a chopper-stabilized sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The ADC is configured to provide accurate output at low frequency with relatively low power. The chopper-stabilized ADC substantially reduces or eliminates noise and offset from an output signal produced by the mixer amplifier. Dynamic limitations, i.e., glitching that result from chopper stabilization at low power are substantially eliminated or reduced through a combination of chopping at low impedance nodes within the mixer amplifier and feedback. The signal path of the ADC operates as a continuous time system, providing minimal aliasing of noise or external signals entering the signal pathway at the chop frequency or its harmonics. In this manner, the chopper-stabilized ADC can be used in a low power system, such as an implantable medical device (IMD), to provide a stable, low-noise output signal. | 03-26-2009 |
20110106213 | USER INTERFACE FOR OPTIMIZING ENERGY MANAGEMENT IN A NEUROSTIMULATION SYSTEM - In one aspect, a programmer for an implantable medical device comprises a user interface that receives user input corresponding to one or more selected stimulation therapy parameters for delivering stimulation therapy to a patient with the implantable medical device and presents an energy consumption estimate of a power source based on the selected stimulation therapy parameters; and a processor that determines one or more programming options that, if selected, would alter the selected stimulation therapy parameters and reduce the energy consumption estimate. The user interface presents at least one of the programming options to reduce the energy consumption estimate to the user with an indication that user selection of one or more of the presented programming options would alter the selected stimulation therapy parameters to reduce energy consumption of the implantable medical device. | 05-05-2011 |
20110190852 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES AND SYSTEMS HAVING DUAL FREQUENCY INDUCTIVE TELEMETRY AND RECHARGE - Implantable devices and related systems utilize coils or coil portions of a coil for inductive telemetry at one frequency and recharge at another frequency. The coils or coil portions are included in one or more tank circuits that share at least one node between the coils or coil portions. The recharge application may be provided with variations for aspects including power management and rectification. The telemetry application may be provided with variations for aspects including receiver connectivity for the downlink and coil driving for the uplink. | 08-04-2011 |
20110190853 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES AND SYSTEMS HAVING POWER MANAGEMENT FOR RECHARGE SESSIONS - Implantable devices and related systems utilize power management features in conjunction with a recharge circuit that includes a coil and capacitance. The reactance such as the capacitance and/or inductance may be variable such that in the event of an overcharge condition, the reactance may be varied to change the resonant frequency of the circuit of the coil from the recharge frequency to another frequency to reduce the power being received. Other power management features may additionally or alternatively be employed. For instance, the device may send an uplink telemetry signal to an external device to request that recharge power be decreased. The device may switch additional resistance into the circuit of the coil to reduce the Q of the circuit. As another example, the device may clamp the circuit of the coil to ground. | 08-04-2011 |
20110307033 | CHARGE LEVEL MEASUREMENT - This disclosure describes techniques for estimating an amount of charge on a power source. A processor may determine an uncertainty value associated with a first charge level of a power source and an uncertainty value associated with a second charge level of the power source. Based on the uncertainties, the processor may adjust the first charge level to generate an adjusted charge level. The processor may further adjust the adjusted charge level based on the behavior of the power source. | 12-15-2011 |
20120066534 | POWER SOURCE COUPLING AND DECOUPLING IN MEDICAL DEVICE - Aspects of this disclosure relate to coupling and decoupling a power source of a device with circuitry within the device. For example, in aspects of this disclosure, when a short develops within the device, a switch circuit may decouple the power source from the some of the circuitry within the device. Decoupling the power source when a short develops may extent the operational time of the power source, and may reduce thermal excursion. | 03-15-2012 |
20120274270 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES AND SYSTEMS HAVING INDUCTIVE TELEMETRY AND RECHARGE ON A SINGLE COIL - Implantable devices and related systems utilize a single coil for both inductive telemetry at one telemetry signal frequency and recharge at another recharge energy frequency. The coil is included in a tank circuit that may have a variable reactance. During telemetry, particularly outside of a recharge period, the reactance may be set so that the tank circuit is tuned to the telemetry frequency. During recharge, the reactance is set so that the tank circuit is tuned to the recharge frequency. Furthermore, the tank circuit may have a Q that is sufficiently small that the tank circuit receives telemetry frequency signals that can be decoded by a receiver while the tank is tuned to the recharge frequency so that telemetry for recharge status purposes may be done during the recharge period without changing the tuning of the tank circuit. | 11-01-2012 |
20140163644 | MINIMALLY INVASIVE IMPLANTABLE NEUROSTIMULATION SYSTEM - An external medical device generates a drive signal inductively coupled to an implantable coil from an external coil. A regulator module coupled to the implantable coil generates an output signal in response to the inductively coupled signal and a feedback signal correlated to an amplitude of the inductively coupled signal. A signal generator receives the output signal for generating a therapeutic electrical stimulation signal. The control module adjusts the drive signal in response to the feedback signal to control the electrical stimulation signal. | 06-12-2014 |
20140163645 | MINIMALLY INVASIVE IMPLANTABLE NEUROSTIMULATION SYSTEM - Various embodiments of a minimally invasive implantable medical device (IMD) system are described. In one embodiment, the implantable medical device system includes an external device for transmitting a communication signal and an implantable device for receiving the communication signal by inductive coupling. The implantable device is configured to harvest power from the inductively coupled communication signal and power a signal generator from the harvested power to generate a therapeutic electrical stimulation signal. | 06-12-2014 |
20140180870 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND DEVICES FOR AUTHORIZING PERFORMANCE OF A MEDICAL TASK BY AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - An authorization is required for performance of medical tasks by an implantable medical device (IMD). The authorization may be based on a process implemented by the IMD to check for the authorization. As an alternative, the authorization may be based on a process implemented by an external device, such as to check whether there is authorization to provide a power transmission to the implantable medical device that is necessary for the IMD to perform the medical task. This authorization allows a fee to be charged to performance of the medical task, which in turn allows the initial cost of the IMD to be substantially reduced. This in turn increases the population of patients that are able to afford the IMD to improve their quality of life, which increases the number of IMDs that can ultimately be sold. | 06-26-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090022927 | FLAME-PERFORATED FILMS HAVING CONTROLLED TEAR CHARACTERISTICS AND METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SAME - The disclosure is directed to methods, systems, and apparatus for obtaining flame-perforated films which reduce or eliminate skewing of perforations in such films caused by thermal creep, whereby the film has perforations arranged to provide controlled tear characteristics, especially in both the lengthwise or machine direction (MD), and the crosswise or transverse direction (TD). | 01-22-2009 |
20090053448 | Protective Films and Related Methods - The invention features protective film constructions that may be used, for example, as a protective floor finish. | 02-26-2009 |
20100140826 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FLAME-PERFORATING FILMS - An apparatus and methods for flame-perforating films. A preferred embodiment of the apparatus includes a frame, support surface attached to the frame, where the support surface includes a plurality of lowered portions, a burner attached to the frame opposite the support surface, where the burner supports a flame, and where the flame includes a flame tip opposite the burner and a film contacting the support surface, where the flame of the burner is in contact with the film, where the burner is positioned such that the distance between an unimpinged flame tip of the flame and the burner is at least one-third greater than the distance between the film and the burner. | 06-10-2010 |
20110064948 | DICING TAPE AND DIE ATTACH ADHESIVE WITH PATTERNED BACKING - Provided are a tape, apparatus, and method that relate generally to a single layer adhesive which functions as a dicing tape and also as a die attach adhesive for dicing thinned wafers and subsequent die attach operations of the diced chips in semiconductor device fabrication. The tape, apparatus, and method include a backing with a surface modification that includes a pattern. | 03-17-2011 |
20140349094 | MONOLITHIC MULTILAYER ARTICLE - A monolithic multilayer article includes a thermoformable cellular polyester core layer and an oriented polyester skin layer on at least one major side of the polyester core layer. | 11-27-2014 |
20150047774 | METHODS OF BONDING POLYESTER SUBSTRATES - Methods of bonding polyester substrates together, comprising externally delivering thermal energy onto the bonding surfaces of the substrates and bringing the bonding surfaces into proximity with each other and bonding the substrates to each other. | 02-19-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110191711 | CUSTOMER AND VEHICLE DYNAMIC GROUPING - A system and machine-implemented method relating to displaying a first plurality of items, each item including a plurality of values including a first value corresponding to a first field and a second value corresponding to a second field, including receiving a first selection of the first field as a primary grouping field; receiving a second selection of the second field as a secondary grouping field; displaying a plurality of first values included in the first plurality of items, such that each unique value included in the first values is displayed no more than once, in response to the first selection; receiving a third selection of one of the displayed first values; displaying a plurality of second values included in a second plurality of items, wherein each of the second plurality of items is included in the first plurality of items and includes a first value equal to the first value selected in the first selection, such that each unique value included in the plurality of second values is displayed no more than once, in response to the third selection; receiving a fourth selection of one of the displayed second values; and displaying a third plurality of items, each included in the second plurality of items and each including a second value equal to the second value selected in the fourth selection, in response to the fourth selection. | 08-04-2011 |
20110191722 | NESTED CONTROLS IN A USER INTERFACE - A method, system and computer-readable medium are provided in a user interface, for presenting information for a plurality of items and selecting one of the plurality of items. Embodiments include displaying a first user interface element for listing a plurality of items, and displaying the first user interface element and a listing of the plurality of items in response to a first selection. Each item is presented with a second user interface element and a third user interface element. Upon receiving a second selection for the second user interface element for one of the plurality of items, at least a portion of the listing of the plurality of items and a fourth user interface element with contents relating to the first item are displayed. | 08-04-2011 |
20110209074 | ROTATING ANIMATED VISUAL USER DISPLAY INTERFACE - A computer-implemented method, system, and medium is provided for performing vehicle service activities. Embodiments include displaying, on a first portion of a display unit, a plurality of visual images, each visual image corresponding to a respective one of the vehicle service activities, arranged along a movement path. In response to a selection of a first visual image of the plurality of visual images, a user interface is displayed on a second portion of the display unit for performing the vehicle service activity corresponding to the first visual image, a visual indication for the first visual image that it was selected is displayed on the first portion of the display unit, and at least one of the plurality of visual images moves along the movement path in response to the selection. | 08-25-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100105414 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ALERT-BASED SERVICES TO MOBILE STATIONS IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK - System for providing alert-based communication services for which corresponding alert conditions to be met by mobile stations are defined. The system includes an alert engine capable of firing alerts associated with the alert-based communication services if location data regarding the mobile stations is indicative of the mobile stations meeting the alert conditions corresponding to the alert-based communication services. A requirements engine is provided for determining an expected earliest future time at which at least one alert condition is capable of being met by a particular mobile station and outputting a data element indicative of a requirement to obtain updated location data about the particular mobile station in advance of the expected earliest future time. Also provided is a scheduler for receiving expiry times data indicative of a plurality of expiry times relating to respective location requests, processing the expiry times data for determining an order for servicing the location requests by positioning determining equipment (PDE) at least in part on a basis on the expiry times of the location requests and an output for interfacing with the PDE, allowing it to service the location requests according to the order determined. | 04-29-2010 |
20100105415 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ALERT-BASED SERVICES TO MOBILE STATIONS IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK - System for providing alert-based communication services for which corresponding alert conditions to be met by mobile stations are defined. The system includes an alert engine capable of firing alerts associated with the alert-based communication services if location data regarding the mobile stations is indicative of the mobile stations meeting the alert conditions corresponding to the alert-based communication services. A requirements engine is provided for determining an expected earliest future time at which at least one alert condition is capable of being met by a particular mobile station and outputting a data element indicative of a requirement to obtain updated location data about the particular mobile station in advance of the expected earliest future time. Also provided is a scheduler for receiving expiry times data indicative of a plurality of expiry times relating to respective location requests, processing the expiry times data for determining an order for servicing the location requests by positioning determining equipment (PDE) at least in part on a basis on the expiry times of the location requests and an output for interfacing with the PDE, allowing it to service the location requests according to the order determined. | 04-29-2010 |
20110205054 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ALERT-BASED SERVICES TO MOBILE STATIONS IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK - System for providing alert-based communication services for which corresponding alert conditions to be met by mobile stations are defined. The system includes an alert engine capable of firing alerts associated with the alert-based communication services if location data regarding the mobile stations is indicative of the mobile stations meeting the alert conditions corresponding to the alert-based communication services. A requirements engine is provided for determining an expected earliest future time at which at least one alert condition is capable of being met by a particular mobile station and outputting a data element indicative of a requirement to obtain updated location data about the particular mobile station in advance of the expected earliest future time. Also provided is a scheduler for receiving expiry times data indicative of a plurality of expiry times relating to respective location requests, processing the expiry times data for determining an order for servicing the location requests by positioning determining equipment (PDE) at least in part on a basis on the expiry times of the location requests and an output for interfacing with the PDE, allowing it to service the location requests according to the order determined. | 08-25-2011 |
20110207479 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ALERT-BASED SERVICES TO MOBILE STATIONS IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK - System for providing alert-based communication services for which corresponding alert conditions to be met by mobile stations are defined. The system includes an alert engine capable of firing alerts associated with the alert-based communication services if location data regarding the mobile stations is indicative of the mobile stations meeting the alert conditions corresponding to the alert-based communication services. A requirements engine is provided for determining an expected earliest future time at which at least one alert condition is capable of being met by a particular mobile station and outputting a data element indicative of a requirement to obtain updated location data about the particular mobile station in advance of the expected earliest future time. Also provided is a scheduler for receiving expiry times data indicative of a plurality of expiry times relating to respective location requests, processing the expiry times data for determining an order for servicing the location requests by positioning determining equipment (PDE) at least in part on a basis on the expiry times of the location requests and an output for interfacing with the PDE, allowing it to service the location requests according to the order determined. | 08-25-2011 |
20120315925 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ALERT-BASED SERVICES TO MOBILE STATIONS IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK - System for providing alert-based communication services for which corresponding alert conditions to be met by mobile stations are defined. The system includes an alert engine capable of firing alerts associated with the alert-based communication services if location data regarding the mobile stations is indicative of the mobile stations meeting the alert conditions corresponding to the alert-based communication services. A requirements engine determines an expected earliest future time at which at least one alert condition is capable of being met by a particular mobile station and outputs a data element indicative of a requirement to obtain updated location data about the particular mobile station in advance of the expected earliest future time. A scheduler receives expiry times data and processes the expiry times data for determining an order for servicing the location requests. | 12-13-2012 |