Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research

Other

Roundtrip LLC

Paul DeRocco

Lawrence J Karr

John Charles Gord

Gregory Jay DelMain

Dan Folkman

Einan Regev

Farid David Imani

Joseph H Schulman

Andrew T Barber

Jeff Tripp

Kevin Murphy

Gregory J Delmain

A system and method that facilitates multiple systems of communicating devices, i.e., a master device and one or more implantable slave devices, to coexist on a common, e.g., RF, communication channel having a limited temporal bandwidth while maintaining the required update rate between each master device and its associated slave devices. In embodiments of the present invention, master devices periodically transmit one or more beacon messages that are suitable for identification by other such master devices at a communication range greater than the communication range that may cause interference between systems and thus enabling one or more systems to cause the position of its frame periods to be interleaved with the frame periods of other such systems in anticipation of systems moving in closer proximity and actually interfering with each other.

System and method for sharing a common communication channel between multiple systems of implantable medical devices

The present disclosure relates to location and communication systems that can be utilized for locating cargo containers using tags with a radio communication subsystem in the form of a transponder or micro-transponder. Each cargo container tag (CCT) is capable of communicating with either other cargo container tags or a base-station (BS) locator devices. The tags can be arranged for tracking the opening and closing of doors on individual cargo containers using radio communication methods. Lost cargo container can be located using communications from a base station and the cargo container tags. CCT devices can also detect intrusions and/or tampering with cargo containers, and store a variety of collected data for later retrieval.

Anti-tamper cargo container locator system

A wireless implantable device for communicating with a remote unit, wherein the wireless device is capable of self-initializing, namely initial booting without requiring an external general booting program to force the booting process. The implantable device can download program instructions from the remote unit for the operation of the implantable device. Moreover, the implantable device provides for checking the validity and integrity of any program instructions received from the remote unit for the operation of the implantable device. The implantable device has power-saving capability in order to extend the operation of the implantable device between battery charges.

Implantable device and communication integrated circuit implementable therein

An improved 3-dimensional musical keyboard apparatus comprises a plurality of planar, longitudinally extending keys mounted for both downward depression and longitudinal displacement; spring components to return an unguided key to its at-rest position; means to limit the extent of key motion; sensing means to detect key position at any point in its range of motion; and electronic digital signal processor means responsive to key position signals and productive of musical control information. Additionally, it comprises a single line of contact structure for restraining keys from lateral motion; differential damping for the vertical and horizontal components of key motion; simplified means for signaling key center position in the displacement axis; and support for musical articulation in the direction of key displacement when a key is moving upward from a depressed position.

3-dimensional musical keyboard

An implantable device and a wireless communication integrated circuit (IC) implementable in the implantable device for communicating with a remote unit, wherein the communication IC is capable of self-initializing, namely initial booting without requiring an external general booting program to force the booting process. Moreover, the implantable device and the communication IC provide for checking of the validity and integrity of any program instructions received from the remote unit for the desired operation of the implantable device. The implantable device and the communication IC therein have power-saving capability in order to extend the operation of the implantable device between battery charges. A further embodiment provides a robust communication IC, whereby signal distortion or interference between the analog and digital components collectively residing on the same communication IC is minimized or eliminated.

The present invention is directed to a multi-mode crystal oscillator system selectively configurable to minimize power consumption or noise generation. Such a system is particularly applicable to the communication system of an implantable device, e.g., the microstimulator/sensor device described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,164,284 and 6,185,452. In such devices, their small size limits the size of the battery contained within and thus makes it essential to minimize power consumption. Additionally, the small size and battery capacity result in a limited transmission power. Furthermore, the small size limits the antenna efficiency which makes it desirable to limit any noise generation to maximize the signal-to-noise level of the resulting receive signal. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention alternatively supply power to the oscillator in either a first mode that minimizes power consumption or a second mode that minimizes noise generation.

Multi-mode crystal oscillator system selectively configurable to minimize power consumption or noise generation

A communication protocol that is configured to extend the battery life of devices that monitor and/or affect body parameters and is particularly useful in a system comprised of a system control unit (SCU) and one or more implanted devices. Each such implanted device is configured to be monitored and/or controlled by the SCU via a wireless communication channel. The time between battery rechargings is determined by the battery capacity and the device's power consumption. Accordingly, the present invention reduces their average power consumption by reducing the usage duty cycle of their power consuming transmit and receive modes used to communicate with the SCU. By dedicating addressable time slots to each of the implantable devices in the system and limiting their use of receive and transmit modes to time periods proximate to these time slots, the average power consumption is accordingly reduced.

Multichannel communication protocol configured to extend the battery life of an implantable device

A pitch extractor for an electronic musical instrument generates a digital count indicative of the period of the signal whose frequency is to be extracted and processes this count to provide an analog control voltage corresponding to this frequency; the control voltage is usable to control an electronic music synthesizer. The rate at which the pitch is extracted is enhanced by initially setting the system for the expected pitch of the musical source and thereafter adjusting it to the actual pitch of the source in a closed-loop manner as extraction proceeds.

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Pacific Palisades, CA, United States of America

Paul DeRocco