Author: claimsbot

1. A dual sensor control device, comprising:
at least one processor for receiving information from a proximity sensor and an image sensor, the at least one processor being configured to:
receive first data from the proximity sensor while the image sensor is in a first state;
determine, using the first data, a presence of an object in proximity to the proximity sensor;
output, based on the determined presence of the object in proximity to the proximity sensor, a signal to the image sensor to cause the image sensor to enter a second state, different from the first state;
receive second data from the image sensor in the second state; and
output at least one of a message and a command associated with the second data.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the object is at least one of a hand and a finger, wherein the second data is reflective of a gesture, and wherein the device is configured to enable gesture control.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein the gesture is performed by at least one of a hand and a finger.
4. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the gesture based, at least in part, on an analysis of the first data and the second data.
5. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to distinguish between a plurality of predefined gestures.
6. The device of claim 2, wherein the first data is reflective of at least a one-dimensional position of the object relative to the proximity sensor, and wherein the at least one of a message and a command is further associated with the one-dimensional position.
7. The device of claim 2, wherein the second data is reflective of at least a two-dimensional position of the object relative to the image sensor, and wherein the at least one of a message and a command is further associated with the two-dimensional position.
8. The device of claim 2, wherein the first data is reflective of at least a one-dimensional position of the object relative to the proximity sensor, wherein the second data is reflective of at least a two-dimensional position of the object relative to the image sensor, and wherein the at least one of a message and a command is further associated with the one-dimensional position and the two-dimensional position.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to output the signal to the image sensor to enter the second state before the object reaches a field of view of the image sensor.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein the at least one of a message and a command is further associated with the first data obtained before the object reaches the field of view of the image sensor and the second data obtained after the object reaches the field of view of the image sensor.
11. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to enable gesture control based on the determined presence of the object in proximity to the proximity sensor.
12. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to turn on a display based on the determined presence of the object in proximity to the proximity sensor.
13. The device of claim 1, wherein the first state is at least one of an off state and a first power state, and wherein the second state is at least one of an on state and a second power state higher than the first power state.
14. The device of claim 1, wherein the first state is at least one of a first sampling rate, a first resolution, and a first exposure length, and the second state is at least one of a second sampling rate different than the first sampling rate, a second resolution different than the first resolution, and a second exposure length different than the first exposure length.
15. The device of claim 1, wherein the first data is associated with a first resolution and the second data is associated with a second resolution greater than the first resolution.
16. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine whether the proximity sensor and the image sensor are facing a user based on information received from at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope.
17. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
determine, using data from the proximity sensor, if the object exits a field of view of the proximity sensor; and
output, based on the determined exit, a second signal to the image sensor to cause the image sensor to enter a third state.
18. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to output a second signal to the image sensor to cause the image sensor to enter a third state after a predefined condition is met.
19. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to output a second signal to the proximity sensor to cause the proximity sensor to change to a different state.
20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations including:
receiving first data from the proximity sensor while an image sensor is in a first state;
determining, using the first data, a presence of an object in proximity to a proximity sensor;
outputting, based on the determined presence of the object in proximity to the proximity sensor, a signal to the image sensor to cause the image sensor to enter a second state, different from the first state;
receiving second data from the image sensor in the second state; and
outputting at least one of a message and a command associated with the second data.
21. A three-dimensional control device, comprising:
at least one processor for receiving information from a proximity sensor and an image sensor, the at least one processor being configured to:
receive first data, associated with a detected object, from the proximity sensor while the proximity sensor operates at a first level of power consumption, wherein the first data is reflective of at least a one-dimensional position of the object relative to the proximity sensor;
receive second data, associated with the detected object, from the image sensor while the image sensor operates at a second level of power consumption greater than the first level, wherein the second data is reflective of at least a two-dimensional position of the object relative to the image sensor; and
coordinate the first data and the second data to obtain three-dimensional information associated with the detected object.
22. The device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to output at least one of a message and a command associated with the three-dimensional information.
23. The device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a gesture using the three-dimensional information.
24. The device of claim 23, wherein the gesture is performed by at least one of a hand and a finger.
25. The device of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to output at least one of a message associated with the determined gesture and a command associated with the determined gesture to thereby enable gesture control.
26. The device of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to distinguish between a zoom-in gesture and a zoom-out gesture using the three-dimensional information.
27. The device of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
determine, using the first data, whether the detected object is moving toward or away from the device;
determine, using the second data, whether one or more fingers associated with the detected object are spread or closed; and
determine at least one of a zoom-in gesture and a zoom-out gesture based on the determination of whether the detected object is moving toward or away from the device and the determination of whether the one or more fingers associated with the detected object are spread or closed.
23. The device of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a circular gesture.
29. The device of claim 28, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to distinguish between a clockwise circular gesture and a counter-clockwise circular gesture.
30. The device of claim 21, wherein the first data is associated with a first resolution and the second data is associated with a second resolution that is greater than the first resolution.
31. The device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine whether the proximity sensor and the image sensor are facing a user based on information received from at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope.
32. The device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine, using the first data, whether the object performed a gesture parallel to a display.
33. The device of claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
determine, using the first data, a distance of the object from the proximity sensor;
determine, using the second data, a movement of the object; and
determine, using the distance and the movement, a speed of the object.
34. The device of claim 33, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine at least one of a left-to-right gesture and right-to-left gesture using the three-dimensional information, wherein the object is a hand and the speed is reflective of a hand speed.
35. The device of claim 33, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a circular gesture using the three-dimensional information, wherein the object is a finger and the speed is reflective of a finger speed.
36. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations including:
receiving first data, associated with a detected object, from a proximity sensor while the proximity sensor operates at a first level of power consumption, wherein the first data is reflective of at least a one-dimensional position of the object relative to the proximity sensor;
receiving second data, associated with the detected object, from an image sensor while the image sensor operates at a second level of power consumption greater than the first level, wherein the second data is reflective of at least a two-dimensional position of the object relative to the image sensor; and
coordinating the first data and the second data to obtain three-dimensional information associated with the detected object.
37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to perform an additional operation including determining a gesture using the three-dimensional information.
38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to perform additional operations including:
determining, using the first data, whether the detected object is moving toward or away from the device;
determining, using the second data, whether one or more fingers associated with the detected object are spread or closed; and
determining at least one of a zoom-in gesture and a zoom-out gesture based on the determination of whether the detected object is moving toward or away from the device and the determination of whether the one or more fingers associated with the detected object are spread or closed.
39. The non-transitory compute-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to perform an additional operation including distinguishing between a clockwise circular gesture and a counter-clockwise circular gesture.
40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the at least one processor to perform an additional operation including determining, using the first data, whether the object performed a gesture parallel to a display.
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 of producing diesel oil from a feed oil containing hydrocarbon-containing residues, the method comprising the following sequential steps:
producing a flow of feed oil, the flow having a flow energy;
inputting hydrocarbon-containing residues into the feed oil;
heating the residue-containing feed oil;
separating solids from the residue-containing feed oil;
distilling the residue-containing feed oil to produce a distillate; and
producing diesel oil from the distillate,
wherein all of the heating required by said step of heating is accomplished by converting at least some of the flow energy into heat.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow energy is converted to heat by an agitator moving oppositely to the flow of residue-containing feed oil.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said heating further comprises generating an energy entry into said flow by means of an agitator moving oppositely to the flow of residue-containing feed oil, thereby producing heat in the residue-containing feed oil.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding at least one catalyst to said residue-containing feed oil in order to catalyze breakdown of said residues, said catalyst comprising fully crystallized Y-molecules doped with sodium for breaking down residues containing mineral hydrocarbons.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding at least one catalyst to said residue-containing feed oil in order to catalyze breakdown of said residues, said catalyst comprising fully crystallized Y-molecules doped with calcium for breaking down residues containing biological feedstock.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding at least one catalyst to said residue-containing feed oil in order to catalyze breakdown of said residues, said catalyst comprising fully crystallized Y-molecules doped with magnesium for breaking down residues containing wood.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding at least one catalyst to said residue-containing feed oil in order to catalyze breakdown of said residues, wherein said at least one catalyst comprises fully crystallized Y-molecules doped with potassium for breaking down residues containing highly halogenated compounds.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising regulating the flow of residue-containing feed oil by means of a throttle valve in a connecting line and a venturi nozzle where the connecting line enters a hydrocyclone.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring a filling level of residue-containing feed oil and controlling the input of residues and converting the flow energy into heat in the residue-containing feed oil depending on the measured filling level.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the input of residues and the generation of energy in the residue-containing feed oil are controlled in order to maintain a desired filling level of residue-containing feed oil.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow of feed oil is produced by means of at least one pump.

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon an information processing program which causes a computer of an information processing apparatus which controls display of a virtual object located in a virtual space to operate as:
an object control section configured to control movement of the virtual object in a first state and a second state by performing, based on a predetermined condition, switching between the first state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a first region, and the second state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a second region different from the first region;
an image generation section configured to generate an image taken by a virtual camera located in the virtual space; and
a virtual camera control section configured to set, in the first state, the position of the virtual camera to a first viewpoint that is a high-angle viewpoint with respect to the first region, and set, in the second state, the position of the virtual camera to a second viewpoint that is a viewpoint other than the high-angle viewpoint, wherein
the predetermined condition includes a condition different from a condition that the virtual object moves in the region where the virtual object is movable, in at least one of switching from the first state to the second state and switching from the second state to the first state.
2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
the object control section switches the virtual object to different virtual objects in the first state and the second state, respectively.
3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2, wherein
the different virtual objects are different from each other in at least one of shape, color, and pattern.
4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2, wherein
the different virtual objects are a virtual object having a three-dimensional shape in the first state, and a virtual object having a planar shape in the second state.
5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
when the object control section performs switching between the first state and the second state, the virtual camera control section gradually changes the position of the virtual camera between the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint.
6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 5, wherein
when the object control section performs switching between the first state and the second state, the virtual camera control section gradually changes the direction of the virtual camera between the direction thereof at the first viewpoint and the direction thereof at the second viewpoint.
7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
the image generation section generates, as the image taken from the first viewpoint by the virtual camera, an image obtained by taking a wider region in the virtual space, as compared to an image taken from the second viewpoint by the virtual camera.
8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
the virtual camera control section sets the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint so that the distance between the second viewpoint and the virtual object is shorter than the distance between the first viewpoint and the virtual object.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
the object control section controls movement of the virtual object, based on a movement instruction input performed by a user, which instructs movement of the virtual object in the first region and the second region, and
at least one of the switching from the first state to the second state and the switching from the second state to the first state is performed based on a switching instruction input performed by a user, which instructs the switching.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein
the switching instruction input is an input different from the movement instruction input.
11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
the first region and the second region are perpendicular to each other in the virtual space.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein
the virtual camera control section sets the direction of the virtual camera at the second viewpoint so that an amount of change in a leftright direction of the virtual camera with respect to the virtual space is equal to or smaller than a predetermined angle, in a case where the position of the virtual camera is switched from the first viewpoint to the second viewpoint.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
the virtual camera control section sets, in the second state, the second viewpoint based on a moving path along which the virtual object is scheduled to move.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein
the moving path is specified based on the shape of the second region.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein
the moving path is specified based on the shape of a region within a predetermined distance along the second region from the virtual object, the region being included in the second region.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein
the virtual camera control section sets the second viewpoint, based on at least the direction of a surface of a region along which the moving path extends, the region being included in the second region.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein
the virtual camera control section sets the second viewpoint, based on at least the length of the moving path along a region along which the moving path extends, the region being included in the second region.
18. An information processing apparatus which controls display of a virtual object located in a virtual space, comprising:
an object control section configured to control movement of the virtual object in a first state and a second state by performing, based on a predetermined condition, switching between the first state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a first region, and the second state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a second region different from the first region;
an image generation section configured to generate an image taken by a virtual camera located in the virtual space; and
a virtual camera control section configured to set, in the first state, the position of the virtual camera to a first viewpoint that is a high-angle viewpoint with respect to the first region, and set, in the second state, the position of the virtual camera to a second viewpoint that is a viewpoint other than the high-angle viewpoint, wherein
the predetermined condition includes a condition different from a condition that the virtual object moves in the region where the virtual object is movable, in at least one of switching from the first state to the second state and switching from the second state to the first state.
19. An information processing system which controls display of a virtual object located in a virtual space, comprising:
an object control section configured to control movement of the virtual object in a first state and a second state by performing, based on a predetermined condition, switching between the first state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a first region, and the second state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a second region different from the first region;
an image generation section configured to generate an image taken by a virtual camera located in the virtual space; and
a virtual camera control section configured to set, in the first state, the position of the virtual camera to a first viewpoint that is a high-angle viewpoint with respect to the first region, and set, in the second state, the position of the virtual camera to a second viewpoint that is a viewpoint other than the high-angle viewpoint, wherein
the predetermined condition includes a condition different from a condition that the virtual object moves in the region where the virtual object is movable, in at least one of switching from the first state to the second state and switching from the second state to the first state.
20. An information processing method performed by a computer of an information processing apparatus which controls display of a virtual object located in a virtual space, the method comprising:
an object control step of controlling movement of the virtual object in a first state and a second state by performing, based on a predetermined condition, switching between the first state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a first region, and the second state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a second region different from the first region;
an image generation step of generating an image taken by a virtual camera located in the virtual space; and
a virtual camera control step of setting, in the first state, the position of the virtual camera to a first viewpoint that is a high-angle viewpoint with respect to the first region, and setting, in the second state, the position of the virtual camera to a second viewpoint that is a viewpoint other than the high-angle viewpoint, wherein
the predetermined condition includes a condition different from a condition that the virtual object moves in the region where the virtual object is movable, in at least one of switching from the first state to the second state and switching from the second state to the first state.
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 composition comprising a biodegradable triblock copolymer of the structure A-B-A\u2032, wherein:
the A and A\u2032 blocks each independently are hard blocks having a Tg or Tm above body temperature;
the B block is a soft block having a Tg less than the Tg or Tm of the A and A\u2032 blocks;
the A, B and A\u2032 blocks each independently have a polymer number-average molecular weight (Mn) from about 1 kDa to about 500 kDa; and
the A and A\u2032 blocks may be the same or different.
2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the tensile modulus of the hard A and A\u2032 blocks independently is greater than about 1,000 MPa, and the tensile modulus of the soft B block is less than about 1,000 MPa.
3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the weight fraction of the A and A\u2032 blocks is from about 1% to about 99% of the triblock copolymer.
4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the A, B and A\u2032 blocks each independently comprise a polymer comprising from one to four different types of monomer, wherein each type of monomer has from about 5 to about 5,000 monomer units.
5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the A and A\u2032 blocks are the same.
6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the A and A\u2032 blocks are different.
7. The composition of claim 1, wherein:
the A and A\u2032 blocks each independently comprise a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(L-lactide) (PLLA), poly(D,L-lactide), poly(glycolide) (PGA), poly(GA-co-D,L-lactide), poly(GA-co-L-lactide), and any variations in the arrangement of the monomers thereof; and
the B block comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(caprolactone) (PCL), poly(CL-co-GA), poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC), poly(TMC-co-GA), poly(TMC-co-D,L-lactide), poly(TMC-co-L-lactide), poly(TMC-co-CL), poly(TMC-co-D,L-lactide-co-GA), poly(TMC-co-CL-co-GA), poly(dioxanone), poly(TMC-co-dioxanone), poly(dioxanone-co-CL), poly(dioxanone-co-D,L-lactide), poly(dioxanone-co-L-lactide), poly(dioxanone-co-GA), poly(dioxanone-co-D,L-lactide-co-GA), polyketals, and any variations in the arrangement of the monomers thereof.
8. The composition of claim 7, wherein the polyketal polymer of the B block has the structure of
wherein R1 is a poly(caprolactone) diol or a C2-C24 diol of the structure, HO\u2014R1\u2014OH, that contains an optionally substituted aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocycloaliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic group, or a combination thereof, and n is an integer from about 5 to about 5,000.
9. The composition of claim 1, wherein the B block is immiscible with the A and A\u2032 blocks.
10. The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one dihydroxyaryl group conjugated to the polymer ends of the triblock copolymer.
11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the at least one dihydroxyaryl group contains a 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl moiety.
12. The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one biocompatible moiety.
13. The composition of claim 12, wherein the at least one biocompatible moiety is selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene oxide), poly(propylene glycol), poly(tetramethylene glycol), polyethylene oxide-co-propylene oxide), \u03b5-caprolactone, \u03b2-butyrolactone, \u03b4-valerolactone, glycolide, poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(acrylamide methyl propane sulfonic acid) and salts thereof, poly(styrene sulfonate), sulfonated dextran, polyphosphazenes, poly(orthoesters), poly(tyrosine carbonate), sialic acid, hyaluronic acid or derivatives thereof, copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) with hyaluronic acid or derivatives thereof, heparin, copolymers of polyethylene glycol with heparin, a graft copolymer of poly(L-lysine) and poly(ethylene glycol), and copolymers thereof.
14. The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional biologically absorbable polymer.
15. The composition of claim 14, wherein the at least one additional biologically absorbable polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(hydroxybutyrate), poly(hydroxyvalerate), poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate), poly(caprolactone), poly(lactide-co-glycolide), poly(ethylene-glycol)-block-poly(butyleneterephthalate), poly(ethylene-glycol)-block-poly(butylene terephthalate)-block-polyethylene-glycol), poly(butyleneterephthalate)-block-poly(ethylene-glycol)-block poly(butyleneterephthalate), poly(ethylene-glycol)-block-poly(caprolactone), poly(ethylene-glycol)-block-poly(caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene-glycol), poly(caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene-glycol)-block-poly(caprolactone), and blends thereof.
16. The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one biologically active agent selected from the group consisting of antiproliferative, antineoplastic, antimitotic, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, anticoagulant, antifibrin, antithrombin, antibiotic, antiallergic and antioxidant substances.
17. The composition of claim 16, wherein the at least one biologically active agent is selected from the group consisting of paclitaxel, docetaxel, estradiol, nitric oxide donors, super oxide dismutases, super oxide dismutase mimics, 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (4-amino-TEMPO), tacrolimus, dexamethasone, rapamycin, rapamycin derivatives, 40-O-(2-hydroxy)ethyl-rapamycin (everolimus), 40-O-(2-ethoxy)ethyl-rapamycin (biolimus), 40-O-(3-hydroxy)propyl-rapamycin, 40-O-2-(2-hydroxy)ethoxyethyl-rapamycin, 40-O-tetrazole-rapamycin, 40-epi-(N-1-tetrazolyl)-rapamycin (zotarolimus), pimecrolimus, imatinib mesylate, midostaurin, clobetasol, progenitor cell-capturing antibodies, prohealing drugs, prodrugs thereof, co-drugs thereof, and a combination thereof.
18. A coating comprising the composition of claim 1.
19. The coating of claim 18, which has a thickness of \u2266about 10 micron and loses about 100% of its mass within about 12 months.
20. A coating comprising the composition of claim 10.
21. A coating comprising the composition of claim 12.
22. A coating comprising the composition of claim 14.
23. A coating comprising the composition of claim 16.
24. The coating of claim 23, which has a thickness of \u2266about 10 micron and loses about 100% of its mass within about 12 months.
25. A coating comprising the composition of claim 17.
26. An implantable device formed of a material comprising the composition of claim 1.
27. The device of claim 26, wherein the material is a coating disposed over the device.
28. The device of claim 27, wherein the coating has a thickness of \u2266about 10 micron and loses about 100% of its mass within about 12 months.
29. The device of claim 26, which is selected from the group consisting of stents, grafts, stent-grafts, catheters, leads and electrodes, clips, shunts, closure devices, and valves.
30. An implantable device formed of a material comprising the composition of claim 10.
31. An implantable device formed of a material comprising the composition of claim 12.
32. An implantable device formed of a material comprising the composition of claim 14.
33. An implantable device formed of a material comprising the composition of claim 16.
34. The device of claim 33, wherein the material is a coating disposed over the device.
35. The device of claim 34, wherein the coating has a thickness of \u2266about 10 micron and loses about 100% of its mass within about 12 months.
36. The device of claim 33, which is selected from the group consisting of stents, grafts, stent-grafts, catheters, leads and electrodes, clips, shunts, closure devices, and valves.
37. The device of claim 36, which is a stent.
38. An implantable device formed of a material comprising the composition of claim 17.
39. A method of preparing the composition of claim 5, comprising:
performing ring-opening polymerization (ROP) with the corresponding monomer(s) of the B block, wherein an initiating compound containing two active end groups is used to initiate ROP with the first monomer of the B block, and wherein the two active end groups on the initiating compound are independently a hydroxyl, amino or thiol group; and
performing ROP with the corresponding monomer(s) of the A and A\u2032 blocks.
40. A method of preparing the composition of claim 6, comprising:
performing ring-opening polymerization (ROP) with the corresponding monomer(s) of the B block, wherein an initiating compound containing one active end group and one protected end group is used to initiate ROP with the first monomer of the B block, and wherein the active end group on the initiating compound is a hydroxyl, amino or thiol group, and the protected end group on the initiating compound is a protected hydroxyl, amino or thiol group;
performing ROP with the corresponding monomer(s) of the A block;
protecting any active group formed at the polymer end of the A block;
deprotecting the protected end group derived from the initiating compound at the polymer end of the B block;
performing ROP with the corresponding monomer(s) of the A\u2032 blocks; and
optionally deprotecting the protected active group at the polymer end of the A block.
41. A method of fabricating an implantable device, comprising forming the device of a material comprising the composition of claim 1.
42. The method of claim 41, comprising depositing the material as a coating over at least a portion of the implantable device.
43. The method of claim 41, wherein the implantable device is selected from the group consisting of stents, grafts, stent-grafts, catheters, leads and electrodes, clips, shunts, closure devices, and valves.
44. A method of fabricating an implantable device, comprising forming the device of a material comprising the composition of claim 16.
45. The method of claim 44, comprising depositing the material as a coating over at least a portion of the implantable device.
46. The method of claim 44, wherein the implantable device is selected from the group consisting of stents, grafts, stent-grafts, catheters, leads and electrodes, clips, shunts, closure devices, and valves.
47. A method of treating or preventing a condition or disorder in a patient, comprising implanting in the patient the implantable device of claim 26, wherein the condition or disorder is selected from the group consisting of atherosclerosis, thrombosis, restenosis, hemorrhage, vascular dissection, vascular perforation, vascular aneurysm, vulnerable plaque, chronic total occlusion, patent foramen ovale, claudication, anastomotic proliferation of vein and artificial grafts, bile duct obstruction, ureter obstruction and tumor obstruction.
48. The method of claim 47, wherein the implantable device is selected from the group consisting of stents, grafts, stent-grafts, catheters, leads and electrodes, clips, shunts, closure devices, and valves.
49. A method of treating or preventing a condition or disorder in a patient, comprising implanting in the patient the implantable device of claim 33, wherein the condition or disorder is selected from the group consisting of atherosclerosis, thrombosis, restenosis, hemorrhage, vascular dissection, vascular perforation, vascular aneurysm, vulnerable plaque, chronic total occlusion, patent foramen ovale, claudication, anastomotic proliferation of vein and artificial grafts, bile duct obstruction, ureter obstruction and tumor obstruction.
50. The method of claim 49, wherein the implantable device is selected from the group consisting of stents, grafts, stent-grafts, catheters, leads and electrodes, clips, shunts, closure devices, and valves.