International Business Machines Corporation

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang University

Christopher John Kimble

Patrick Kevin Egan

Thomas James Osten

Daniel Guy Young

Paul Gary Reuland

Kendall H Lee

Steven William Steele

Joel L Kuhlmann

Thomas C Shives

Tyler S King

Yoonbae Oh

An improved inflatable compression dressing () for use in controlling swelling and promoting healing to wounds subsequent to surgery while allowing visual inspection of the wound during healing is provided. The dressing comprises a bladder () formed by an outer wall () secured to an inner wall () to define an elongated, cup-shaped cavity for receiving an appendage (); an air supply delivering air to the bladder; and a sensor monitoring air pressure within the bladder and indicating said air pressure to an air pressure control (). The air pressure control provides air to the bladder at a rate which substantially matches air leaked from the bladder. Thus, the air supply inflates the bladder so as to provide uniform air pressure to the appendage, wherein the appendage is an arm or a leg.

Inflatable compression dressing

A method and apparatus for affixing labels on printed output medium for separating print jobs. The method and apparatus include spooling at least one print file to a print queue. A print label program is executed to identify a first page of each print job in the print queue. A label application device coupled to a printer automatically affixes a label on the first page of each print job.

Method and apparatus for affixing print banner labels to printed files

A simulated keyboard data input device for a user with limited hand function comprises a hand-worn glove having multiple sensors capable of detecting minute motion of the fingers, the minute voluntary motion being significantly less than typically required for keystrokes in a conventional keyboard. A sensor interpreter is individually configured to recognize a user's finger movements as respective keys of a keyboard. The user &ldquo;types&rdquo; text on the simulated keyboard by repeating those combinations of minute finger motion of which the user is capable to produce keyboard characters from the sensor interpreter. Preferably, the sensor interpreter comprises a virtual keystroke detector and a key decoder, both of which are individually calibrated.

Data input device for individuals with limited hand function

A battery backup system has a number of batteries and number of switches interconnecting the batteries to either a high-power load or a low-power load. The batteries are selectively connected in series with each other, or in parallel with each other by the switches. When the batteries are in the parallel configuration they are also connected to power the low-power load, and when in series, to power the high-power load. Between switching from the high-power series configuration to the low-power parallel configuration, a transition phase is provided during which a transition battery powers the low-power load.

Series-parallel battery array conversion

A communication system for an array of DASD includes a plurality of loop resiliency circuits and a plurality of selection circuits. The DASD array includes a plurality of DASD slots. Each DASD slot may receive a DASD, and each DASD receives power from a regulator. The loop resiliency circuits form at least a first communication path. Each loop resiliency circuit is associated with one of the DASD slots and selectively includes the associated DASD slot in the first communication path based on a selection signal. The plurality of selection circuits are also associated with one of the DASD slots; and therefore, are also associated with one of the plurality of loop resiliency circuits. Each selection circuit is connected to the associated DASD slot and receives output from the regulator in the associated DASD slot. Based on the regulator output, or a lack thereof, the selection circuit generates a selection signal for the associated loop resiliency circuit. Besides being serially connected to form a single communication path, the loop resiliency circuits can be divided into groups wherein the loop resiliency circuits in each group are serially connected to form a communication path. Separate loop resiliency circuits then selectively connect these communication paths to a main communication path including an initiator. As a further alternative, a second initiator can be selectively placed in one of the communication paths via another loop resiliency circuit.

Communication system for an array of direct access storage devices

A method and system for assisting physically challenged users in positioning cursor objects at desired icons displayed within a graphic interface of a computer system. Icons are displayed within the graphic interface, such that an icon, when graphically selected by a user, facilitates a particular application function. Icon domains are established about each icon, wherein each icon domain is larger than the icon itself. The cursor object may thereafter be automatically positioned at the center of a particular icon, in response to moving the cursor object into an icon domain associated with that particular icon, thereby assisting physically challenged users in efficiently positioning the cursor object at the icon in order to graphically select a particular function associated with the icon. According to this method and system, the icons are thereby graphically magnetized, such that a cursor object is immediately snapped toward a desired icon when entering a graphically magnetized domain surrounding the desired icon, eliminating the need for positioning the cursor object precisely on the icon or other graphical object to be selected.

Method and system in a graphical user interface for facilitating cursor

A method of operating a redundant power supply is disclosed wherein two or more converters are separately connected to a common output node through separate diodes to isolate the converters and allow the outputs to be separately tested for diagnostic purposes. The diodes are selectively bypassed by connecting drain-to-source paths of P-channel MOS field-effect transistors separately across the diodes. During the diagnostic mode of operation, a controller shuts off the MOS transistors, so the diodes are effective in isolating the converters. During the bypass mode of operation, the transistors are turned on by the controller so the diodes are bypassed and their forward voltage drop does not appear in the circuit and so power dissipation is reduced. It is noted that the P-channel MOS transistor is connected such that it's intrinsic PN-junction diode conducts in a forward direction in parallel with the isolation diode, so that isolation during the diagnostic mode is not cancelled. The controller switches from the diagnostic mode to the bypass mode after a delay allowing the diagnostics routine to complete.

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Pine Island, MN, United States of America

Christopher John Kimble