1. A communication apparatus located on-board a mobile asset having a plurality of eventdata recorders (EDRs), the apparatus comprising:
a memory adapted to store communication protocols of each of the plurality of eventdata recorders;
a processor adapted to dynamically select one of the communication protocols to be used by an EDR interface; and
the EDR interface adapted to communicate with one of the plurality of eventdata recorders using said one of the communication protocols selected by the processor.
2. The communication apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter adapted to transmit data from said one of the plurality of eventdata recorders to a remote computer.
3. The communication apparatus of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is a wireless transmitter adapted to transmit data to the remote computer in a wireless manner.
4. The communication apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a client interface adapted to communicate data from the one of the plurality of EDRs to a remote computer and to communicate commands from the remote computer to the EDR interface.
5. The communication apparatus of claim 4, further adapted to:
receive a request from the remote computer at the client interface to communicate with one of the plurality of EDRs using a first communication protocol;
interrupt communication between the EDR interface and said one of the plurality of EDRs;
reconfigure the EDR interface and the client interface to operate in a pass-through mode; and
operate the client interface and the EDR interface in the pass- through mode.
6. The communication apparatus of claim 5, further adapted to:
monitor the client interface for any communication from the remote computer; and
discontinue operating the client interface and the EDR interface in the pass-through mode if the remote computer is not active at the client interface.
7. The communication apparatus of claim 6, wherein the client interface is a wireless interface and the remote computer is a wireless transceiver.
8. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory includes communication protocols used to communicate using at least one of: (1) RS232 protocol; (2) Ethernet protocol; (3) RS485 protocol; (4) RS422 protocol; (5) controller area network (CAN) protocol; and (6) universal serial bus (USB) protocol.
9. The communication apparatus of claim 1, further adapted to synchronize the time of the communication apparatus to universal time and to communicate the synchronized time to each of the plurality of EDRs.
10. The communication apparatus of claim 1, further adapted to:
synchronize the time of the communication apparatus to universal time;
request local EDR times from each of the plurality of EDRs;
compare local EDR times with the synchronized time; and
send a command to one or more of the plurality of EDRs to adjust their local EDR times to the synchronized time.
11. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory is further adapted to store a data processing program to process event data received from the plurality of EDR(s), the data processing program comprising:
a first routine to receive data from the EDR in a format generated by the EDR;
a second routine to convert the data received from the EDR into a format presentable via an Internet browser; and
a third routine to communicate the converted data using the client interface.
12. The communication apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory is further adapted to store format specifications for data generated by a plurality of EDRs and wherein the second routine uses the format specifications to convert the data received from the EDR.
13. A method of communicating with an eventdata recorder (EDR), the method comprising:
determining the configuration of the EDR;
selecting a communication protocol based on the configuration of the EDR;
configuring an EDR interface to communicate with the EDR using the selected communication protocol; and
communicating with the EDR via the EDR interface.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the EDR is one of a plurality of EDRs, each of the plurality of EDRs communicating using a different communication protocol.
15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
receiving EDR data from the EDR;
selecting an EDR data format based on the configuration of the EDR;
interpreting the EDR data based on the EDR data format; and
storing the EDR data on a memory of an onboard hardware platform.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
converting the EDR data into a format readable by an Internet browser software; and
communicating the converted EDR data to a remote computer.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein communicating the converted data to a remote computer comprises wirelessly communicating the converted data to a remote computer.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
synchronizing time of the onboard hardware platform with universal time;
receiving the local time on the EDR;
comparing the EDR time with the universal time; and
if the EDR time is different than the universal time, sending a request to the EDR to update its local time.
19. A method of communicating data from an EDR to a remote client using an onboard platform system having an EDR interface communicatively connected to the EDR and a remote client interface communicatively connected to the remote client, the method comprising:
receiving at the remote client interface a request from the remote client for data from the EDR;
determining remote client communication protocol required to communicate with the remote client;
interrupting any existing communication with the EDR at the EDR interface;
reconfiguring the EDR interface to communicate with the EDR using the remote client communication protocol;
reconfiguring the EDR interface and the remote client interface to communicate with each other in a pass-through mode; and
communicating data from the EDR to the remote client using the EDR interface and the remote client interface communicating in the pass-through mode.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the remote client communicates with the remote client interface in a wireless manner.
21. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing time adjustment to the EDR to adjust the EDR time to universal time.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein communicating data from the EDR to the remote client further comprises converting data from the EDR into a format presentable via an Internet browser using at least one of: (1) a data conversion routine stored on the EDR; and (2) a data conversion routine stored on the remote client.
23. A communication apparatus located on-board a mobile asset having an eventdata recorder (EDR), the apparatus comprising:
an EDR interface adapted to communicate with the EDR;
a memory adapted to store a plurality of EDR communication protocols;
a processor adapted to dynamically select one of the plurality of EDR communication protocols to be used by the EDR interface; and
the EDR interface adapted to communicate with the EDR using said one of the communication protocols selected by the processor.
24. The communication apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a client interface adapted to communicate with a client using at least one of: (1) a wireless communication protocol; and (2) a wired communication protocol.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A biopsy device, comprising:
a vacuum source;
an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen in fluid communication with the vacuum source, a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and a sample receiving notch, the sample receiving notch having a proximal hole, a distal end wall, and a floor, the distal end wall being located between the distal end and the proximal hole, the proximal hole being separated from the distal end wall along the longitudinal axis, the proximal hole being in fluid communication with the lumen; and
a tissue anchor having a cantilever portion with a free end, the cantilever portion configured to extend in a direction from the distal end wall toward the proximal hole, the free end having a tip portion configured to extend toward the floor of the sample receiving notch, the tissue anchor and the proximal hole collectively configured to place tissue received in the sample receiving notch in a state of tension between the tip portion and the proximal hole when a vacuum is applied by the vacuum source to the proximal hole via the lumen.
2-18. (canceled)
19. The biopsy device of claim 1, wherein the sample receiving notch has a proximal end wall longitudinally spaced from the distal end wall, the proximal hole being formed in the proximal end wall.
20. The biopsy device of claim 1, wherein the tip portion of the cantilever portion has a sharp tip and a planar face, wherein a plane of the planar face is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
21. The biopsy device of claim 1, wherein the elongate member is a cylindrical tube, the floor is a first portion of a side wall of said cylindrical tube, and the tissue anchor is formed from a second portion of the side wall of the cylindrical tube.
22. The biopsy device of claim 1, wherein the tissue anchor includes a plurality of cantilever portions, each cantilever portion of the plurality of cantilever portions having a curved end, with a tip of the curved end configured to extend toward the floor of the sample receiving notch.
23. A biopsy probe mechanism configured for connection to a vacuum source, comprising:
a frame;
a cutting cannula; and
an elongate member arranged coaxially with the cutting cannula, the cutting cannula and the elongate member being coupled to the frame,
the elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen configured for fluid communication with the vacuum source, a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and a sample receiving notch, the sample receiving notch having a proximal hole, a distal end wall, and a floor, the distal end wall being located between the distal end and the proximal hole, the proximal hole being separated from the distal end wall along the longitudinal axis, the proximal hole being in fluid communication with the lumen; and
a tissue anchor having a cantilever portion with a free end, the cantilever portion configured to extend in a direction from the distal end wall toward the proximal hole, the free end having a tip portion configured to extend toward the floor of the sample receiving notch, the tissue anchor and the proximal hole collectively configured to place tissue received in the sample receiving notch in a state of tension between the tip portion and the proximal hole when a vacuum is applied by the vacuum source to the proximal hole via the lumen.
24. The biopsy probe mechanism of claim 23, wherein the sample receiving notch has a proximal end wall longitudinally spaced from the distal end wall, the proximal hole being formed in the proximal end wall.
25. The biopsy probe mechanism of claim 23, wherein the tip portion of the cantilever portion has a sharp tip and a planar face, wherein a plane of the planar face is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
26. The biopsy probe mechanism of claim 23, wherein the elongate member is a cylindrical tube, the floor is a first portion of a side wall of said cylindrical tube, and the tissue anchor is formed from a second portion of the side wall of the cylindrical tube.
27. The biopsy probe mechanism of claim 23, wherein the tissue anchor includes a plurality of cantilever portions, each cantilever portion of the plurality of cantilever portions having a curved end, with a tip of the curved end configured to extend toward the floor of the sample receiving notch.
28. A biopsy apparatus, comprising:
a driver assembly having a housing configured to be grasped by a user;
a vacuum source;
a biopsy probe mechanism drivably coupled to said driver assembly, the biopsy probe mechanism including:
a cutting cannula; and
an elongate member arranged coaxially with the cutting cannula,
the elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen in fluid communication with the vacuum source, a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and a sample receiving notch, the sample receiving notch having a proximal hole, a distal end wall, and a floor, the distal end wall being located between the distal end and the proximal hole, the proximal hole being separated from the distal end wall along the longitudinal axis, the proximal hole being in fluid communication with the lumen; and
a tissue anchor having a cantilever portion with a free end, the cantilever portion configured to extend in a direction from the distal end wall toward the proximal hole, the free end having a tip portion configured to extend toward the floor of the sample receiving notch, the tissue anchor and the proximal hole collectively configured to place tissue received in the sample receiving notch in a state of tension between the tip portion and the proximal hole when a vacuum is applied by the vacuum source to the proximal hole via the lumen.
29. The biopsy apparatus of claim 28, wherein the sample receiving notch has a proximal end wall longitudinally spaced from the distal end wall, the proximal hole being formed in the proximal end wall.
30. The biopsy apparatus of claim 28, wherein the tip portion of the cantilever portion has a sharp tip and a planar face, wherein a plane of the planar face is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
31. The biopsy apparatus of claim 28, wherein the elongate member is a cylindrical tube, the floor is a first portion of a side wall of said cylindrical tube, and the tissue anchor is formed from a second portion of the side wall of the cylindrical tube.
32. The biopsy apparatus of claim 28, wherein the tissue anchor includes a plurality of cantilever portions, each cantilever portion of the plurality of cantilever portions having a curved end, with a tip of the curved end configured to extend toward the floor of the sample receiving notch.