Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for reduction of interference between a plurality of wireless interfaces. In one exemplary embodiment, a device having a first (e.g., Wi-Fi) interface and a second (e.g., Bluetooth) interface monitors interference between its interfaces. A reduction in transmit power of the Wi-Fi module causes a disproportionately larger reduction in undesirable interference experienced at the Bluetooth antennas. For example, when the Bluetooth interface detects interference levels above acceptable thresholds, the Wi-Fi interface adjusts operation of one or more of its transmit chains based on various conditions such as duty cycle, Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), etc. Various embodiments of the present invention provide simultaneous operation of WLAN and PAN interfaces, without requiring time division coexistence, by reducing power on a subset of interfering antennas.
Abstract:
A surgical apparatus and methods for severing and welding tissue, in particular blood vessels. The apparatus includes an elongated shaft having a pair of relatively movable jaws at a distal end thereof. A first heating element on one of the jaws is adapted to heat up to a first temperature and form a welded region within the tissue, while a second heating element on one of the jaws is adapted to heat up to a second temperature and sever the tissue within the welded region. The first and second heating elements may be provided on the same or opposite jaws. A control handle provided on the proximal end of the elongated shaft includes controls for opening and closing the jaws, and may include an actuator for sending current through the first and second heating elements. The first and second heating elements may be electrically connected in series, and the first heating element may be bifurcated such that it conducts about one half of the current as the second heating element. A force-limiting mechanism provided either within the control handle, in the elongated shaft, or at the jaws limits the pressure applied to the tissue by the jaws to ensure that the tissue is severed and the ends effectively welded within a short amount of time.
Abstract:
A surgical apparatus and methods for severing and welding tissue, in particular blood vessels. The apparatus includes an elongated shaft having a pair of relatively movable jaws at a distal end thereof. A first heating element on one of the jaws is adapted to heat up to a first temperature and form a welded region within the tissue, while a second heating element on one of the jaws is adapted to heat up to a second temperature and sever the tissue within the welded region. The first and second heating elements may be provided on the same or opposite jaws. A control handle provided on the proximal end of the elongated shaft includes controls for opening and closing the jaws, and may include an actuator for sending current through the first and second heating elements. The first and second heating elements may be electrically connected in series, and the first heating element may be bifurcated such that it conducts about one half of the current as the second heating element. A force-limiting mechanism provided either within the control handle, in the elongated shaft, or at the jaws limits the pressure applied to the tissue by the jaws to ensure that the tissue is severed and the ends effectively welded within a short amount of time.
Abstract:
A method for forwarding data packets to one of a plurality of servers comprising receiving a data packet from a source, at a data packet forwarding device having a plurality of ports, performing a hashing function using a unique component of the data packet as a seed value for the hash, generating a hash value using the hashing function, looking up a table for an address of one of the plurality of servers using the hashed value as an index to the table, and forwarding the data packet to a server corresponding to the address.
Abstract:
A disk drive includes a stop, a head stack assembly and a latch having a latch arm that is movable between a closed position and an open position. The latch includes a first retainer that urges the latch arm toward the open position, and a second retainer that urges the latch arm toward the closed position. The latch includes a mover that contacts the latch arm upon a sufficient shock to the disk drive and causes the latch arm to move to the closed position. The disk drive includes an actuator motor that momentarily urges the head stack assembly against the latch during startup of the disk drive, thereby moving the latch arm to the open position.
Abstract:
This invention provides an Internet Access Provider (IAP) a simple mechanism to steer users to given Internet services, such as the Web pages, of sponsors. The mechanism allows a sponsor to grant a dial-in user unlimited access to the Internet after the user has first accessed its Internet services. The invention is thus important for any IAP that wants to receive income from sponsors by steering Internet users to their services. In the ultimate case, an IAP could receive all its income from sponsors and thus be able to offer the Internet access for free. The key characteristics of the present invention is that a user is steered to the Internet services of a sponsor based on a sponsor specific called telephone number or a sponsor specific login name.
Abstract:
A mounting assembly for securing a disk drive to a frame of a computer is provided herein. The mounting assembly includes three rigid mounts and a single flexible mount. Each rigid mount rigidly secures the drive housing to the frame and prevents degradation of performance of the disk drive. The flexible mount diminishes the level of vibration transferred from the frame to drive housing. Further, the flexible mount facilitates flexing of the drive housing intermediate the flexible mount and the rigid mounts. This reduces the effects of a shock pulse to the disk drive and inhibits head slap between a transducer head and a storage disk.
Abstract:
In a control block design methodology, control block design proceeds without the inclusion of scan functionality until the functional design specifications are met. After meeting the functional design specifications, a scan insertion tool is executed to automatically insert scan functionality. The insertion is performed in such a manner that the functional cells within the control block are not perturbed. Therefore, functional timing may be minimally affected, if at all. In one embodiment, a scan enable buffer is inserted at the end of each row in the control block. Flops (or other scannable storage devices) within the row are connected to the scan enable line provided by the scan enable buffer within the row. Additionally, flops are connected into a scan chain on a row-by-row basis, minimizing the length of the wires connecting the scan chain. If a particular scan chain wire exceeds a length which will meet scan timing requirements, a scan chain buffer can be inserted as well (e.g. at the end of the row).
Abstract:
A switch in an asynchronous transfer mode system utilizes an early packet discard (EPD) scheme and discards all but the end-of-packet cell of packets that are expected to prevent other partially transmitted packets from being transmitted through the switch. The switch also utilizes an integrated tail packet discard (I-TPD) scheme and, once a cell of a packet has been discarded for any reason, discards all of the remaining cells of the packet except the end-of-packet cell. Each of the EPD and the I-TPD schemes retain the last cell of a packet in order to maintain packet boundaries. Further, they each set the loss-priority of the end-of-packet cell to high, to increase the likelihood that the cell will be transmitted through the remaining switches in the route to the station to which the packet is directed. When the end-of-packet cell is received, the switch retains the cell unless its maximum queue limit is exceeded, and resets any associated early or tail packet discard flag. When the beginning of the next packet is received, the switch checks its queue length against an associated queue limit and against a CLP and an EPD threshold to determine whether or not to retain the cell. If the cell is discarded, the switch invokes, as appropriate, either the EPD or I-TPD and thereafter discards cells of the same packet. It invokes EPD when the queue limit exceeds the EPD threshold, and invokes I-TPD if it discards this or any cell when (a) it is policing a usage or network parameter control violation, (b) its associated queue exceeds an applicable queue limit, or (c) it selectively discards low-priority cells.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for reduction of interference between a plurality of wireless interfaces. In one exemplary embodiment, a device having a first (e.g., Wi-Fi) interface and a second (e.g., Bluetooth) interface monitors interference between its interfaces. A reduction in transmit power of the Wi-Fi module causes a disproportionately larger reduction in undesirable interference experienced at the Bluetooth antennas. For example, when the Bluetooth interface detects interference levels above acceptable thresholds, the Wi-Fi interface adjusts operation of one or more of its transmit chains based on various conditions such as duty cycle, Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), etc. Various embodiments of the present invention provide simultaneous operation of WLAN and PAN interfaces, without requiring time division coexistence, by reducing power on a subset of interfering antennas.