Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090049012 | APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR ENSURING QUERY EXECUTION PLAN STABILITY IN A DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for ensuring query execution plan stability in a database management system. The present invention binds a static database query to a new query execution plan (QEP) that produces the same result set as an original QEP bound to the static database query. Next, the present invention identifies one of the original QEP and the new QEP as a primary QEP and automatically collects execution statistics for the original QEP and the new QEP. Finally, the present invention automatically selects one of the original QEP and the new QEP as the primary QEP in response to completion of the automatic collection of execution statistics, the primary QEP selected such that the automatically selected QEP provides optimal execution performance based on performance criteria in comparison to the automatically unselected QEP, the primary QEP selected based on the execution statistics. | 02-19-2009 |
20090234800 | COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR DATABASE QUERY OPTIMIZATION - A computer program product for database query optimization including a computer usable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to receive a database query, search the database query for a literal term, replace the literal term in the database query with a placeholder term to put the database query in a template form, search a directory for a replacement query that corresponds to the database query in the template form, replace the database query with the replacement query and include the placeholder term in the replacement query, and replace the placeholder term in the replacement query with the corresponding literal term to put the replacement query in an executable format, wherein the replacement query is an optimized substitute for the database query. | 09-17-2009 |
20100114868 | QUERY EXECUTION PLAN EFFICIENCY IN A DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for improving query execution plan efficiency in a database management system. The present invention binds both static database queries and dynamic database queries to new query execution plans (QEPs) that produce the same result set as a former QEP bound to the database queries. Next, the present invention identifies one of the former QEPs and the new QEP as an active QEP and automatically collects execution statistics for one of the former QEPs and the new QEP. Finally, the present invention automatically selects one of the former QEPs and the new QEP as the active QEP in response to completion of the automatic collection of execution statistics, the active QEP selected such that the automatically selected QEP provides optimal execution performance based on performance criteria in comparison to the automatically unselected QEP, the active QEP selected based on the execution statistics. | 05-06-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100031915 | Engine Oil Level Management System and Method of Assembling Engines in Vehicles - An oil level management system for a vehicle has an oil pan configured to contain oil and to be mountable to an engine block with a baffle extending transverse to the axis of rotation of the engine crankshaft when the oil pan is so mounted. The baffle is configured to partially define a first oil reservoir and a second oil reservoir, as well as an oil flow opening such that the oil reservoirs are in fluid communication with one another and are characterized by respective first and second oil levels within the pan. The second reservoir drains to the first reservoir when the engine is running and when the engine block and crankshaft are positioned on the vehicle with the axis of rotation tilted from horizontal. The first oil level is lower than the second oil level to avoid oil contact with the crankshaft. | 02-11-2010 |
20110277724 | CYLINDER HEAD DRY VALLEY DRAIN - An engine comprises a cylinder head at least partially defining a dry valley and a cover secured to the cylinder head. The cover defines a first aperture. A boss extends from the cylinder head toward the cover. The boss defines a second aperture. A fastener extends through the first aperture and at least partially through the second aperture to secure the cover to the cylinder head. The fastener defines a passage to fluidly connect the dry valley to an exterior of the engine. | 11-17-2011 |
20110277733 | ENGINE INCLUDING POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION - An engine assembly may include an engine structure, an intake assembly and a cylinder head cover assembly. The engine structure may define a combustion chamber and a crankcase in communication with a fresh air supply. The intake assembly may be in communication with the combustion chamber. The cylinder head cover assembly may be fixed to the engine structure and may include a cover member defining a positive crankcase ventilation chamber and a separator coupled to the cover member. The separator may define an inlet providing communication between the crankcase and the positive crankcase ventilation chamber. The cylinder head cover assembly may include a first outlet flow path in communication with the intake assembly and a second outlet flow path in communication with the intake assembly. A first valve may be located in the first outlet flow path. | 11-17-2011 |
20110278839 | GASKET FOR A PRESSURIZED FLUID INTERFACE - A gasket loop includes a gasket shape with a first portion characterized by a cross-sectional view. The first portion in the cross-sectional view includes a substantially elongated body characterized by a height, a first end characterized by a height, a tip, a width enlarged relative to the body, and a tapered backside. The tapered backside is integral with the body. The first portion in the cross-sectional view additionally includes a distal second end connected to the body. A fluid-pressure joint assembly and a method of sealing such a joint via the gasket loop are also disclosed. | 11-17-2011 |
20120174888 | QUICK-RELEASE CAP WITH EJECTION RAMP - A quick-release cap is provided for closing the neck of a housing. The cap includes a core having a first end, a second end, and an exterior side wall between the first and second ends. The cap is configured to rotate between a cap-locked position securing the core within the neck and a cap-release position permitting removal of the core from the neck. A first groove is defined in the exterior side wall of the core and extends at least partially circumferentially around the core for receiving a first tab protruding from the neck. The first groove defines an ejection ramp for at least partially ejecting the first tab relative to the first groove when the cap moves from the cap-locked position to the cap-release position. The cap may be removed from the neck with the application of only a twisting force. | 07-12-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090074628 | Thermal cycler - A thermalcycler includes a first thermalcycler body section having a first face and a second thermalcycler body section having a second face. A cavity is formed by the first face and the second face. A thermalcycling unit is positioned in the cavity. A heater trace unit is connected to a support section, to the first thermalcycler body section, to the second thermalcycler body section, and to the thermalcycling unit. The first thermalcycler body section and the second thermalcycler body section are positioned together against the support section to enclose the thermalcycling unit and the heater trace unit. | 03-19-2009 |
20100331935 | Rigid Spine Reinforced Polymer Microelectrode Array Probe and Method of Fabrication - A rigid spine-reinforced microelectrode array probe and fabrication method. The probe includes a flexible elongated probe body with conductive lines enclosed within a polymeric material. The conductive lines connect microelectrodes found near an insertion end of the probe to respective leads at a connector end of the probe. The probe also includes a rigid spine, such as made from titanium, fixedly attached to the probe body to structurally reinforce the probe body and enable the typically flexible probe body to penetrate and be inserted into tissue, such as neural tissue. By attaching or otherwise fabricating the rigid spine to connect to only an insertion section of the probe body, an integrally connected cable section of the probe body may remain flexible. | 12-30-2010 |
20140012284 | VACUUM-ACTUATED PERCUTANEOUS INSERTION/IMPLANTATION TOOL FOR FLEXIBLE NEURAL PROBES AND INTERFACES - A flexible device insertion tool including an elongated stiffener with one or more suction ports, and a vacuum connector for interfacing the stiffener to a vacuum source, for attaching the flexible device such as a flexible neural probe to the stiffener during insertion by a suction force exerted through the suction ports to, and to release the flexible device by removing the suction force. | 01-09-2014 |
20140020951 | METHOD OF FABRICATING HIGH-DENSITY HERMETIC ELECTRICAL FEEDTHROUGHS - A method of fabricating electrical feedthroughs selectively removes substrate material from a first side of an electrically conductive substrate (e.g. a bio-compatible metal) to form an array :of electrically conductive posts in a substrate cavity. An electrically insulating material (e.g. a bio-compatible sealing glass) is then flowed to fill the substrate cavity and surround each post, and solidified. The solidified insulating material is then exposed from an opposite second side of the substrate so that each post is electrically isolated from each other as well as the bulk substrate. In this manner a hermetic electrically conductive feedthrough construction is formed having an array of electrical feedthroughs extending between the first and second sides of the substrate from which it was formed. | 01-23-2014 |
20140107446 | FLEXIBLE MICROELECTRODE ARRAY WITH INTEGRATED STIFFENING SHANK, AND METHOD OF FABRICATION - A stiffener-reinforced microelectrode array device and fabrication method having a plurality of polymer layers surroundably encapsulating one or more electrodes connected to one or more metal traces so that the one or more electrodes are exposed. A stiffening shank is also integrally embedded in the polymer layers adjacent an insertion end of the device near the electrodes to provide mechanical support during insertion. | 04-17-2014 |
20140172051 | SINGLE LAYER POLYMER MICROELECTRODE ARRAY - A microelectrode array having one or more electrical conduits surrounded and insulated from each other by only a single layer of polymer (e.g. polyimide), and a method of fabricating the same. Multiple layers of an uncured polymer precursor (such as polyamic acid) are separately formed with metal layers sandwiched in between. Formation of the uncured polymer precursor layers includes deposition and heating to remove solvent only but not polymerize the precursor. Upon completing construction, the array is subjected to a high-temperature curing process that converts the uncured polymer precursor layers into the polymer. The different layers of the polymer precursor are thus covalently bonded together during the curing process to create a single continuous layer (e.g. monolithic block) of polymer, with no polymer-polymer interfaces. | 06-19-2014 |
20140262462 | DEPOSITING BULK OR MICRO-SCALE ELECTRODES - Thicker electrodes are provided on microelectronic device using thermo-compression bonding. A thin-film electrical conducting layer forms electrical conduits and bulk depositing provides an electrode layer on the thin-film electrical conducting layer. An insulating polymer layer encapsulates the electrically thin-film electrical conducting layer and the electrode layer. Some of the insulating layer is removed to expose the electrode layer. | 09-18-2014 |
20140273545 | HIGH-DENSITY PERCUTANEOUS CHRONIC CONNECTOR FOR NEURAL PROSTHETICS - A high density percutaneous chronic connector, having first and second connector structures each having an array of magnets surrounding a mounting cavity. A first electrical feedthrough array is seated in the mounting cavity of the first connector structure and a second electrical feedthrough array is seated in the mounting cavity of the second connector structure, with a a feedthough interconnect matrix positioned between a top side of the first electrical feedthrough array and a bottom side of the second electrical feedthrough array to electrically connect the first electrical feedthrough array to the second electrical feedthrough array. The two arrays of magnets are arranged to attract in a first angular position which connects the first and second connector structures together and electrically connects the percutaneously connected device to the external electronics, and to repel in a second angular position to facilitate removal of the second connector structure from the first connector structure. | 09-18-2014 |
20140277296 | INCORPORATING AN OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE INTO A NEURAL INTERFACE - An optical waveguide integrated into a multielectrode array (MEA) neural interface includes a device body, at least one electrode in the device body, at least one electrically conducting lead coupled to the at least one electrode, at least one optical channel in the device body, and waveguide material in the at least one optical channel. The fabrication of a neural interface device includes the steps of providing a device body, providing at least one electrode in the device body, providing at least one electrically conducting lead coupled to the at least one electrode, providing at least one optical channel in the device body, and providing a waveguide material in the at least one optical channel. | 09-18-2014 |
20140277317 | FLEXIBLE NEURAL INTERFACES WITH INTEGRATED STIFFENING SHANK - A neural interface includes a first dielectric material having at least one first opening for a first electrical conducting material, a first electrical conducting material in the first opening, and at least one first interconnection trace electrical conducting material connected to the first electrical conducting material. A stiffening shank material is located adjacent the first dielectric material, the first electrical conducting material, and the first interconnection trace electrical conducting material. | 09-18-2014 |
20140322701 | MINIATURIZED, AUTOMATED IN-VITRO TISSUE BIOREACTOR - In one embodiment, a system includes a bioreactor coupled to a substrate. The bioreactor includes: a plurality of walls defining a reservoir; a plurality of fluidic channels in at least some of the walls; a fluidic inlet in fluidic communication with the reservoir via, the fluidic channels; a fluidic outlet in fluidic communication with the reservoir via the fluidic channels; and one or more sensors coupled to the reservoir, each sensor being configured to detect one or more of: environmental conditions in the reservoir; and physiological conditions of one or more cells optionally present in the reservoir. In another embodiment, a method includes delivering media to a reservoir of a bioreactor; delivering a, plurality of cells to the reservoir, controlling a reservoir temperature and a reservoir gas composition; using one or more of the sensors to monitor environmental and physiological conditions; and reporting the environmental and/or physiological conditions. | 10-30-2014 |
20140347839 | HERMETIC ELECTRONICS PACKAGE WITH DUAL-SIDED ELECTRICAL FEEDTHROUGH CONFIGURATION - A hermetic electronics package includes a metal case with opposing first and second open ends, with each end connected to a first feedthrough construction and a second feedthrough construction. Each feedthrough contruction has an electrically insulating substrate and an array of electrically conductive feedthroughs extending therethrough, with the electrically insulating substrates connected to the opposing first and second open ends, respectively, of the metal case so as to form a hermetically sealed enclosure. A set of electronic components are located within the hermetically sealed enclosure and are operably connected to the feedthroughs of the first and second feedthrough constructions so as to electrically communicate outside the package from opposite sides of the package. | 11-27-2014 |
20150050686 | OMNIDIRECTIONAL, MULTIAXIAL BIOPRINTED TISSUE SYSTEM, TECHNIQUES AND APPLICATIONS - A tissue system includes: a support material; and a vascular network comprising a plurality of channels disposed in the support material. A method includes printing a bioink in a support structure to form a network of vascular precursor materials; and converting the vascular precursor materials into a physiologically relevant vascular network. Notably, the tissue systems, networks, etc. are physiologically-relevant, i.e. exhibiting one or more characteristics indicative of physiological relevance, such as a substantially fractal geometry, inter-vessel spacing, cellular composition, dermal structure, concentric multi-layered structure, etc. | 02-19-2015 |