Author: claimsbot

1. A system for repositioning teeth from an initial tooth arrangement to a final tooth arrangement, said system comprising a plurality of dental incremental position adjustment appliances including:
a first appliance having a geometry selected to reposition the teeth from the initial tooth arrangement to a first intermediate arrangement;
one or more intermediate appliances having geometries selected to progressively reposition the teeth from the first intermediate arrangement to successive intermediate arrangements including a last intermediate arrangement; and
a final appliance having a geometry selected to progressively reposition the teeth from the last intermediate arrangement to the final tooth arrangement,
wherein the appliances comprise polymeric shells having cavities, wherein the cavities of successive shells have different geometries shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth from one arrangement to a successive arrangement and wherein at least one appliance includes one or more receptacles each adapted to receive an attachment device.
2. A system as in claim 1, wherein each receptacle is shaped to correspond to the shape of the attachment device wherein the attachment device is preformed.
3. A system as in claim 2, wherein at least one receptacle is shaped to correspond to the shape of the preformed attachment device having a shape of a bump, bead, wedge, hook, clasp, button, snap, spring, lever, rod, tube, coil, or protrusion.
4. A system as in claim 2, wherein at least one receptacle is shaped to correspond to the shape of the preformed attachment device having a shape of an orthodontic bracket or band.
5. A system as in claim 2, wherein the preformed attachment device has a surface adapted for attachment to a surface of a tooth and the receptacle is shaped to hold the attachment device facing the surface outward from the receptacle.
6. A system as in claim 5, wherein the surface carries an adhesive and the receptacle is shaped to hold the attachment device facing the surface with adhesive outward from the receptacle.
7. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a preformed attachment device.
8. A system as in claim 7, wherein the preformed attachment device comprises a bump, bead, wedge, hook, clasp, button, snap, spring, lever, rod, tube, coil, or protrusion.
9. A system as in claim 7, wherein the preformed attachment device comprises an orthodontic bracket or band.
10. A system as in claim 1, wherein each receptacle is shaped to correspond to the shape of the attachment device wherein the attachment device is formed from a polymerizable material.
11. A system as in claim 10, wherein the polymerizable material is positioned on a dental feature with the use of a template to form the attachment device on the dental feature.
12. A system as in claim 11, wherein the polymerizable material is positioned on one or more dental features with the use of a multi-tooth template.
13. A system as in claim 11, wherein the polymerizable material is positioned over one dental feature with the use of a single-tooth template.
14. A system as in claim 10, wherein the polymerizable material is bonded to a dental feature by polymerization.
15. A system as in claim 1, wherein at least some of the appliances include an indicia designating an order in which at least some of the appliances are to be worn by a patient to provide dental treatment.
16. A system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the appliances is enclosed in a package.
17. A system as in claim 16, wherein a plurality of the appliances are enclosed in a package to be worn in succession by a patient to provide dental treatment.

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 matrix patch for topical administration of piroxicam consisting of a removable covering layer, a compatible backing layer, and a piroxicam-containing self-adhesive matrix layer in between wherein the self-adhesive matrix layer includes a pharmaceutically effective amount of piroxicam in an acrylic copolymer self-adhesive base, wherein said base further includes petrolatum, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and either dimethyl isosorbide andor a monoalkyl ether of diethylene glycol.
2. A matrix patch for topical administration of piroxicam consisting of a removable covering layer, a compatible backing layer, and a piroxicam containing self-adhesive matrix layer in between wherein the self-adhesive matrix layer consists essentially of a pharmaceutically effective amount of piroxicam in an acrylic copolymer self-adhesive base, wherein said base further includes petrolatum, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and dimethyl isosorbide.
3. A matrix patch for topical administration of piroxicam consisting of a removable covering layer, a compatible backing layer, and a piroxicam-containing self-adhesive matrix layer in between wherein the self-adhesive matrix layer consists essentially of a pharmaceutically effective amount of piroxicam in an acrylic copolymer self-adhesive base, wherein said base further includes petrolatum, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and monoethyl ether of diethylene glycol.
4. A matrix patch for topical administration of piroxicam consisting of a removable covering layer, a compatible backing layer, and a piroxicam-containing self-adhesive matrix layer in between wherein the self-adhesive matrix layer includes a pharmaceutically effective amount of piroxicam in an acrylic copolymer self-adhesive base, wherein said base further includes petrolatum, polyvinylpyrrolidone, a solvent, and either dimethyl isosorbide or a monoalkyl ether of diethylene glycol.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of aggregating into a relational database model the state of an ad hoc network comprised of uniquely addressable distributed sensor nodes in communication using networking protocols with one another through links and to a database server through access points, comprising the steps of:
providing a relational database logical design resident on the database server in communication with the distributed sensor network, wherein the logical design is comprised of one or more tables specifying sensor node identities and node activity indicators, timestamping information, link identification, linked nodes information, historical link information, historical node information, and acquired sensor output data;
discovering the distributed sensor network topology by applying at every access point an interrogating algorithm further comprising the steps of
visiting a first node,
marking the first node visited,
pushing the marked first node onto a stack, and
while the stack is non-empty,
querying the node at the top of the stack for a list of current links to the node at the top,
comparing the list of current links to a list of historical links to the node at the top of the stack and updating the historical link and historical node information, and if there are no unmarked nodes reachable from a current link then pop the stack,
otherwise visiting the next reachable unmarked node,
marking the next node and pushing it onto the stack;
building a database model of the distributed sensor network by updating the relational database logical design tables at each step of the discovering step;
maintaining the database model by periodically reapplying the interrogating algorithm, thereby updating the database model to account for sensor node and link additions and deletions.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the distributed sensor nodes comprise mobile nodes.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the database server is in communication with the distributed sensor network through wired means.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the database server is in communication with the distributed sensor network through wireless means.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the database server is in communication with the distributed sensor network via the Internet.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the database server is located remotely from the distributed sensor network.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the periodicity of reapplying the interrogating algorithm approximates real-time updating of the distributed sensor network state.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the logical design further comprises data table information for mapping between one or more sensor nodes and the tables used to store the associated sensor output data associated with the one or more sensor nodes.
9. A network modeling agent for aggregating into a relational database model the state of an ad hoc network comprised of uniquely addressable distributed sensor nodes in communication using networking protocols with one another through links and to a database server through access points, the network modeling agent comprising:
a relational database logical design resident on the database server in communication with the distributed sensor network, wherein the logical design is comprised of one or more tables specifying sensor node identities and node activity indicators, timestamping information, link identification, linked nodes information, historical link information, historical node information, and acquired sensor output data;
computer code executable on the database server for executing at every access point the steps of:
discovering the distributed sensor network topology by visiting a first node,
marking the first node visited,
pushing the marked first node onto a stack, and
while the stack is non-empty,
querying the node at the top of the stack for a list of current links to the node at the top,
comparing the list of current links to a list of historical links to the node at the top of the stack and updating the historical link and historical node information,
and if there are no unmarked nodes reachable from a current link then pop the stack,
otherwise visiting the next reachable unmarked node, marking the next node and pushing it onto the stack;

building a database model of the distributed sensor network by updating the relational database logical design tables at each step of the discovering step; and
maintaining the database model by periodically rediscovering the distributed sensor network topology, thereby updating the database model to account for sensor node and link additions and deletions.

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 cushion having:
a base; and
a pair of nozzles, each nozzle including a head portion in the form of a truncated hollow cone having a relatively narrow tip portion to enter into the nasal passage of the patient’s nose and a relatively wider portion to sealingly engage with an area about the rim of the nostril opening; and
a flexible hollow stalk extending between the base and each said head portion to define a fluid path for delivery of pressurized gas from the base to the head portions, said hollow stalk defining a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the fluid delivery path,
each said hollow stalk having a first end provided to the base, a second end provided to support the truncated hollow cone, and only a single substantially concave wall, as seen in cross section taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, extending from the first end to the second end, each second end having a reduced cross section with respect to a base portion of the respective truncated hollow cone, said reduced cross section being taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
2. The cushion according to claim 1, wherein the base includes an upper wall from which the stalks extend and one or more side walls, the base being resiliently structured to apply a component of force for sealing with the patient.
3. The cushion according to claim 2, wherein the upper wall is structured to apply a component of force for sealing with the patient.
4. The cushion according to claim 2, wherein the side wall is structured to apply a component of force for sealing with the patient.
5. The cushion according to claim 1, wherein the stalks are resiliently structured to apply a component of force for sealing with the patient.
6. The cushion according to claim 1, wherein the component of force for sealing with the patient from the base and nozzles is individually adjustable.
7. The cushion according to claim 6, wherein the base and the nozzles are structured to provide different components of force for sealing with the patient.
8. The cushion according to claim 6, wherein the base and the nozzles are structured to provide substantially similar components of force for sealing with the patient.
9. The cushion according to claim 1, wherein the base, where the nozzles are attached, is more rigid than the nozzles.
10. The cushion according to claim 1, wherein each said relatively narrow tip portion has an aperture.
11. The cushion according to claim 1, wherein the stalk of each nozzle has an hour glass shape which at its widest diameter is less than the base portion of said truncated hollow cone.
12. The cushion according to claim 1, wherein each said nozzle is resiliently structured to apply a component of force for sealing with the patient.
13. The cushion according to claim 1, wherein said base portion of each said truncated hollow cone is attached directly to the second end of the hollow stalk, wherein a space is created between an outer edge of the base portion and the base, said space extending from the base portion to the base and positioned adjacent an outer surface of the hollow stalk.
14. The cushion according to claim 1, wherein the head portion and hollow stalk comprise a one piece construction of flexible, elastomeric material.
15. The cushion according to claim 1, wherein each said hollow stalk is non-rotatably mounted on or formed in one piece with the base.
16. A one piece silicone nozzle structure including:
a base portion; and
a pair of nozzles extending from and integrally formed in one piece with the base portion, the pair of nozzles being structured to sealingly engage with nasal passages of a user’s nose;
wherein each of the pair of nozzles has a flexible first portion integrally formed in one piece with the base portion in communication with a respective outlet opening provided in the base portion, and a second portion integrally formed in one piece with the first portion to sealingly engage with nasal passages user’s nose, wherein:
each said second portion is in the form of a hollow, truncated cone,
each said second portion has an upper portion to seal on the underside of the nostrils and a second portion to enter into the nasal passage of the user,
each said first portion has a reduced width compared to the second portion, and
each said first portion has a first end provided to the base portion and a second end provided to support the hollow, truncated cone, and wherein only a single continuous substantially concave wall, as seen in cross section, extends from the first end to the second end, each said second end having a reduced cross section compared to a base of the hollow, truncated cone, said cross section and said reduced cross section being taken perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first portion.
17. The nozzle structure according to claim 16, wherein the base portion shaped such that the alar angle between the nozzles ranges from 70-155\xb0.
18. The nozzle structure according to claim 16, wherein an opening of each nozzle is in the form of an ellipse having a major axis and a minor axis.
19. The nozzle structure according to claim 16, wherein an exterior surface of each said hollow, truncated cone is substantially concave.
20. The nozzle structure according to claim 16, wherein the base portion includes a visual indicator.
21. The nozzle structure according to claim 16, wherein the single continuous substantially concave wall of the first portion at its widest diameter is less than a widest diameter of the base of the hollow, truncated cone of the second portion.
22. The nozzle structure according to claim 16, wherein a length of each second portion is about 9 mm.
23. The nozzle structure according to claim 16, wherein each said hollow, truncated cone defines a sealing zone that extends at an angle across the hollow, truncated cone.
24. The nozzle structure according to claim 23, wherein the sealing zone is defined by a border extending from the base of the hollow, truncated cone towards a point of the opposite side wall of the hollow, truncated cone which is about half of a height of the hollow, truncated cone.
25. The nozzle structure according to claim 16, wherein each said first portion is configured to act as a spring structure.
26. The nozzle structure according to claim 16, wherein each said first end transitions to the base portion along a smoothly curved radius.
27. The nozzle structure according to claim 26, wherein each said second end transitions to the base of the hollow, truncated cone along a smoothly curved radius.
28. The nozzle structure according to claim 16, wherein the base of each said hollow, truncated cone is attached directly to the second end of the first portion, wherein a space is created between an outer edge of the base of the first portion and the base, said space extending from the base portion to the base and positioned adjacent an outer surface of the first portion.
29. The nozzle structure according to claim 16, wherein the first and second portions comprise flexible, elastomeric material.
30. The nozzle structure according to claim 16, wherein the first portion is non-rotatably mounted on the base portion.