Author: claimsbot

1. A method for the treatment of pain in a mammal, which comprises intranasally administering, by a nasal spray to the nasal mucosal membrane of said mammal, a dosage unit in one administration by one delivery operation comprising a fentanyl salt in an amount equivalent to 70 to 500 \u03bcg of fentanyl in a solvent comprising water, wherein the dosage unit is in the form of a composition having a concentration equivalent to about 0.4 to 75 mgml of fentanyl.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said administration comprises the delivery of a dosage unit equivalent to 75 to 300 \u03bcg of fentanyl.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said administration comprises the delivery of a dosage unit equivalent to 75 \u03bcg of fentanyl.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mammal is a human.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said administration comprises the delivery of a dosage unit equivalent to 100 \u03bcg of fentanyl.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said administration comprises the delivery of a dosage unit equivalent to 150 \u03bcg of fentanyl.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said administration comprises the delivery of a dosage unit equivalent to 200 \u03bcg of fentanyl
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said fentanyl salt is fentanyl citrate.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said solvent further comprises isotonic saline, polyethylene glycol, or a combination thereof
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said solvent comprises about 95% -100% water.
11. The method according to claim 9, wherein said dosage unit consists essentially of fentanyl salt and said solvent.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment is for alleviation or lessening of acute or breakthrough pain.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mammal further receives an analgesic.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the analgesic is fentanyl, or a salt thereof.
15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said acute or breakthrough pain comprises colicbiliary pain, trauma, postoperative pain, dental pain, orofacial pain, sympathetic pain syndrome, pancreatic pain, myocardial infarction pain, cancer pain, back pain, or pain during or after change of dressing.
16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said administration comprises the delivery of a dosage unit equivalent to 400 \u03bcg of fentanyl.
17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the treatment is for alleviation or lessening of breakthrough pain.
18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the volume of the dosage unit is 10 to 200 \u03bcl.
19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the volume of the dosage unit is 50 to 150 \u03bcl.
20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dosage unit is in the form of a composition having a concentration equivalent to about 0.5 to 20 mgml of fentanyl.
21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dosage unit is in the form of a composition having a concentration equivalent to about 0.6 to 15 mgml of fentanyl.
22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dosage unit is in the form of a composition having a concentration equivalent to about 0.7 to 12 mgml of fentanyl.
23. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dosage unit is in the form of a composition having a concentration equivalent to about 0.75 to 10 mgml of fentanyl.
24. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dosage unit is in the form of a composition having a concentration equivalent to about 0.75 to 8 mgml of fentanyl.
25. The method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment is for pre-operative anesthesia.

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 method for processing audio signals, comprising the steps of:
(a) generating an audio difference signal;
(b) generating an audio sum signal;
(c) generating a difference-signal power based on the audio difference signal;
(d) generating a sum-signal power based on the audio sum signal;
(e) generating a power ratio based on the difference-signal power and the sum-signal power;
(f) generating a suppression value based on the power ratio; and
(g) performing noise suppression processing for at least one audio signal based on the suppression value to generate at least one noise-suppressed output audio signal.
2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the audio difference and sum signals are based on signals from two microphones.
3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the two microphones are of different order.
4. The invention of claim 1, wherein:
step (a) comprises generating the audio difference signal based on a difference between audio signals from two microphones; and
step (b) comprises generating the audio sum signal based on a sum of the audio signals from the two microphones.
5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the two microphones are two omni microphones.
6. The invention of claim 1, wherein:
step (a) comprises generating the audio difference signal using a directional microphone; and
step (b) comprises generating the audio sum signal using a non-directional microphone.
7. The invention of claim 6, wherein:
the directional microphone is a cardioid microphone; and
the non-directional microphone is an omni microphone.
8. The invention of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises the steps of:
(d1) filtering the audio sum signal to generate a filtered sum signal; and
(d2) generating the sum-signal power based on the filtered sum signal.
9. The invention of claim 8, wherein step (d1) comprises first-order high-pass filtering the audio sum signal to generate the filtered sum signal.
10. The invention of claim 9, wherein step (d1) comprises filtering the audio sum signal by (kd2) to generate the filtered sum signal, wherein wavenumber k=\u03c9c, \u03c9 is angular frequency, c is speed of sound, and d is distance between two microphones used to generate the audio difference and sum signals.
11. The invention of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:
(c1) filtering the audio difference signal to generate a filtered difference signal; and
(c2) generating the difference-signal power based on the filtered difference signal.
12. The invention of claim 11, wherein step (c1) comprises first-order low-pass filtering the audio difference signal to generate the filtered difference signal.
13. The invention of claim 1, wherein the difference-signal and sum-signal powers are time-smoothed power values.
14. The invention of claim 1, wherein the noise suppression processing is applied to at least one of the audio sum signal and the audio difference signal to generate a single-channel noise-suppressed output signal.
15. The invention of claim 1, wherein:
the audio difference and sum signals are generated from first and second microphones; and
the noise suppression processing is performed on an audio signal from a third microphone.
16. The invention of claim 1, wherein:
the audio difference and sum signals are generated from two microphones; and
the noise suppression processing is performed on each audio signal from the two microphones to generate two noise-suppressed output audio signals.
17. The invention of claim 1, wherein steps (c)-(g) are independently implemented for two or more different subbands in the audio difference and sum signals.
18. The invention of claim 1, wherein:
the audio difference and sum signals are generated by differencing and summing first and second audio signals from two microphones; and
a filter is applied to filter the first audio signal prior to generating the audio difference and sum signals.
19. The invention of claim 18, wherein the second audio signal is delayed by an amount that depends on the filter length prior to generating the audio difference and sum signals.
20. The invention of claim 18, wherein the filter is adaptively updated using a normalized least-mean-square (NLMS) process based on the first audio signal and a delayed version of the second audio signal.
21. The invention of claim 1, wherein:
the audio difference signal is generated by weighting and differencing two opposite-facing directional audio signals; and
the audio sum signal is generated by summing the two opposite-facing directional audio signals.
22. The invention of claim 21, wherein the weighting and differencing steers a null or spatial zero in the audio difference signal towards a non-broadside direction.
23. The invention of claim 21, wherein the two opposite-facing directional audio signals are generated by two opposite-facing first-order directional microphones.
24. The invention of claim 23, wherein the two opposite-facing first-order directional microphones are two opposite-facing cardioid microphones.
25. The invention of claim 21, wherein the two opposite-facing directional audio signals are generated by:
(1) generating a first directional audio signal by differencing a first audio signal from a first omni microphone and a delayed version of a second audio signal from a second omni microphone; and
(2) generating a second directional audio signal by differencing a delayed version of the first audio signal and the second audio signal.
26. The invention claim 1, wherein the suppression value is generated using a function in which level of suppression changes monotonically with the power ratio.
27. The invention of claim 26, wherein, according to the function:
(i) the suppression value is set to a first suppression level for power ratio values less than a first specified power-ratio threshold;
(ii) the suppression value is set to a second suppression level for power ratio values greater than a second specified power-ratio threshold; and
(iii) the suppression value varies monotonically between the first and second suppression levels for power ratio values between the first and second specified power-ratio thresholds.
28. A signal processor for processing audio signals generated by two or more microphones receiving acoustic signals, the signal processor adapted to:
(a) generate an audio difference signal based on one or more of the audio signals;
(b) generate an audio sum signal based on one or more of the audio signals;
(c) generate a difference-signal power based on the audio difference signal;
(d) generate a sum-signal power based on the audio sum signal;
(e) generate a power ratio based on the difference-signal power and the sum-signal power;
(f) generate a suppression value based on the power ratio; and
(g) perform noise suppression processing for at least one audio signal based on the suppression value to generate at least one noise-suppressed output audio signal.
29. The invention of claim 28, wherein the signal processor is implemented on a single integrated circuit.
30. A consumer device comprising:
(1) two or more microphones configured to receive acoustic signals and to generate audio signals; and
(2) a signal processor adapted to:
(a) generate an audio difference signal based on one or more of the audio signals;
(b) generate an audio sum signal based on one or more of the audio signals;
(c) generate a difference-signal power based on the audio difference signal;
(d) generate a sum-signal power based on the audio sum signal;
(e) generate a power ratio based on the difference-signal power and the sum-signal power;
(f) generate a suppression value based on the power ratio; and
(g) perform noise suppression processing for at least one audio signal based on the suppression value to generate at least one noise-suppressed output audio signal.
31. The invention of claim 30, wherein the consumer device is a laptop computer.
32. The invention of claim 30, wherein the consumer device is a mobile communication device.
33. The invention of claim 1, wherein the noise suppression processing is single-channel noise suppression processing.
34. The invention of claim 28, wherein the noise suppression processing is single-channel noise suppression processing.
35. The invention of claim 30, wherein the noise suppression processing is single-channel noise suppression processing.

1. A method of completely scanning a whole scene, said method comprising:
a. sending a light beam to the scene according to a beam orientation, and gaining distance information from the return of said light beam,
b. selectively repeating step a. with a plurality of other beam orientations in one complete scanning of the whole scene wherein step b. comprises:
b1. after one or more repetitions of step a. defining the next beam orientation to be used in the one complete scanning of the whole scene using distance information gained at one or more preceding beam orientations of the one complete scanning.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein step b1. comprises defining the next beam orientation by performing a regression on said preceding beam orientations and the corresponding distance information.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
c. conditionally and selectively repeating step a. with closer beam orientations, where a variation in the distance information gained at neighboring beam orientations meets a predefined rule.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein step c. comprises:
c1. determining beam orientations between which said variation substantially exceeds a first threshold.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein step c. comprises:
c2. determining beam orientations between which said variation shows a curvature which substantially exceeds a second threshold.
6. The method of claim 1, in which the beam orientations of steps a. and b. form a first angular sector, said method further comprising the step of:
d. selectively repeating steps a. and b. at further beam orientations, said further beam orientations forming a further angular sector derived from a selected portion of said first angular sector, with a lateral shift related to the angular deviations between the beam orientations in said portion of said first angular sector.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:
e. updating said portion of said first angular sector, based on distance information gained through the execution of step d.
8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:
f. responsive to discrepancies in the distance information gained through the execution of step d., resetting said further angular sector to be said first angular sector, with a selected lateral shift.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein steps a. and b. are reiterated with progressive lateral shifts to encompass a selected portion of the scene.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the beam orientations of steps a. and b. are organized in scan lines, at a lateral angular deviation from each other.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the light beam is a laser beam.
12. A scanning device, comprising:
a controllable light beam scanning device capable of scanning a light beam onto a scene, and of receiving corresponding light returns from the scene,
a controller capable of operating said scanning device at selected beam orientations, and gaining distance information from said scanning device at said beam orientations in one complete scanning of the whole scene wherein the controller is further capable of dynamically defining a further beam orientation to be used in the one complete scanning of the whole scene using distance information gained at preceding beam orientations of the one scanning.
13. A scanning device according to claim 12, wherein the controller is capable of defining said further beam orientation from a regression over said preceding beam orientations and the corresponding distance information.
14. A scanning device according to claim 12, wherein said controller is further capable of monitoring the distance information gained at neighboring beam orientations, and of operating again said scanning device with closer beam orientations where the variation in the distance information being monitored meets a predefined rule.
15. A scanning device according to claim 14, wherein said predefined rule comprises the fact that the variation in the distance information gained at successive beam orientations exceeds a first threshold.
16. A scanning device according to claim 14, wherein said predefined rule comprises the fact that the curvature shown by the variation in the distance information gained at neighboring beam orientations exceeds a second threshold.
17. A scanning device according to claim 12, wherein the controller is capable of operating said scanning device at selected beam orientations forming a first angular sector, and of thereafter operating said scanning device at other beam orientations belonging to at least one further angular sector, such a further angular sector being derived from a selected portion of said first angular sector, with a lateral shift being related to the spreading of the beam orientations in said portion of said first angular sector.
18. A scanning device according to claim 17, wherein said portion of said first angular sector is selected to contain beam orientations whose distance information belongs to a selected distance range.
19. A scanning device according to claim 18, wherein said controller is arranged for deriving said lateral shift from said selected distance range.
20. A scanning device according to claim 18, wherein a first one of said further angular sectors corresponds to a first portion of said first angular sector being selected to contain beam orientations whose distance information belongs to a higher distance range.
21. A scanning device according to claim 18, wherein a subsequent further angular sector corresponds to a portion of said first angular sector being selected to contain beam orientations whose distance information belongs to a less higher distance range.
22. A scanning device according to claim 17, wherein said controller is further capable of updating said portion of said first angular sector based on distance information gained over a further angular sector.
23. A scanning device according to claim 17, wherein, responsive to discrepancies in the distance information gained over a given further angular sector, said controller is further capable of operating said scanning device over an angular sector having substantially the same extent as said first angular sector, with a selected lateral shift.
24. A scanning device according to claim 12, wherein the light beam is a laser beam.
25. A controller which performs the steps of claim 1.
26. A computer-readable medium tangibly embodying instructions which a machine executes to implement the controller as claimed in claim 12.
27. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying instructions which the machine executes to perform the steps of claim 1.
28. A computer-readable medium tangibly embodying instructions which the machine executes to perform the steps of claim 1.

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 closed system for surgical limb prep, comprising:
an inner layer configured to fit over and cover an external surface of a limb of a patient, said inner layer storing a prep fluid;
an intermediate layer positioned over the inner layer, said intermediate layer made from a substantially waterproof material; and
a top layer positioned over and covering the inner layer, said top layer configured to be secured to the limb of the patient, effectively sealing and closing the system about the limb of the patient.
2. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 1, wherein the closed system is configured for a hand and a forearm of the patient, and wherein the inner layer is in the shape of a glove that fits over and engages the hand and the forearm of the patient, effectively covering the external surface of the hand and the forearm, while also engaging individual fingers.
3. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 1, wherein the closed system is configured for a foot and a lower leg of the patient, and wherein the inner layer is in the shape of a sock that fits over and engages the foot and the lower leg of the patient, effectively covering the external surface of the foot and the lower leg, while also engaging individual toes.
4. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 1, wherein the inner layer is made of a sponge-like material with the prep fluid impregnated in the sponge-like material.
5. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer is positioned over and adhered to the inner layer.
6. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 1, and further comprising one or more strips of adhesive for securing the top layer to the limb of the patient.
7. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a tube that selectively places the interior of the closed system in fluid communication with the atmosphere.
8. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a circular band that is placed over the top layer and can be moved up and down over the external surface of the top layer to apply pressure to the inner layer and spread the prep fluid over the limb of the patient.
9. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 8, in which the circular band is elastic.
10. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 1, and further comprising one or more tear strips along a periphery of the top layer, allowing the top layer to be separated along the tear strips and partially or entirely removed, this exposing the intermediate layer.
11. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 10, and further comprising one or more tear strips along a periphery of the intermediate layer, allowing the intermediate layer to be separated along the tear strips and removed.
12. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a tear strip located at a distal end of the top layer, allowing the intermediate layer to be separated along the tear strip and then rolled back to access the intermediate layer.
13. A closed system for surgical limb prep, comprising:
an inner layer configured to fit over and cover an external surface of a limb of a patient, said inner layer storing a prep fluid; and
a top layer positioned over and covering the inner layer, said top layer configured to be secured to the limb of the patient, effectively sealing and closing the system about the limb of the patient.
14. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 13, wherein the inner layer is adhered to an internal surface of the top layer.
15. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 13, wherein the inner layer is made of a sponge-like material with the prep fluid impregnated in the sponge-like material.
16. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 13, and further comprising one or more strips of adhesive for securing the top layer to the limb of the patient.
17. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 13, and further comprising a tube that selectively places the interior of the closed system in fluid communication with the atmosphere.
18. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 13, and further comprising a circular band that is placed over the top layer and can be moved up and down over the external surface of the top layer to apply pressure to the inner layer and spread the prep fluid over the limb of the patient.
19. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 18, in which the circular band is elastic.
20. The closed system for surgical limb prep as recited in claim 13, and further comprising one or more tear strips along a periphery of the top layer.
21. The closed system as recited in claim 13, and further comprising an intermediate layer positioned between the inner layer and the top layer, said intermediate layer made from a substantially waterproof material.