All The Claims

1. A bridge device for relaying wireless communications from an external device to an implantable medical device, comprising:
a portable housing; and
logic circuitry in the housing configured to wirelessly relay communications wirelessly received from the external device to the implantable medical device,
wherein the logic circuitry is configured to provide a firewall between the external device and the implantable medical device by performing one or more of the following:
an examination of the communications in accordance with a connection state between the external device and the bridge device,
an examination of the communications to determine if commands in the communications would put the implantable medical device in an unsafe condition if executed by the implantable medical device.
2. The bridge device of claim 1, wherein the logic circuitry comprises a microcontroller.
3. The bridge device of claim 1, further comprising
first communication circuitry and a first antenna configured to wirelessly receive the communications from the external device and to provide the communications to the logic circuitry; and
second communication circuitry and a second antenna configured to receive the communications from the logic circuitry and to wirelessly transmit the communications to the implantable medical device.
4. The bridge device of claim 3, wherein the first and second communication circuitries and the first and second antennas are within the housing.
5. The bridge device of claim 3, wherein the first antenna comprises an RF antenna, and wherein the second antenna comprises a coil antenna.
6. The bridge device of claim 5, wherein the RF antenna comprises a wire monopole, a printed inverted F antenna, a helix, or a surface mount dielectric antenna.
7. The bridge device of claim 5, wherein the coil antenna is wrapped around a ferromagnetic core.
8. The bridge device of claim 3, wherein the communications wirelessly received from the external device are formatted in accordance with a first communication protocol, and wherein the communications wirelessly transmitted to the implantable medical device are formatted in accordance with a first communication protocol.
9. The bridge device of claim 8, wherein the first communication protocol comprises a short-range RF protocol, and wherein the second communication protocol comprises Frequency Shift Keying.
10. The bridge device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises no user interface.
11. The bridge device of claim 1, wherein the firewall only permits the communications to be relayed if the external device is registered with the bridge device.
12. The bridge device of claim 1, wherein the firewall only permits the communications to be relayed if the external device is paired with the bridge device.
13. A system, comprising:
a software application configured for execution by an external device, wherein the software application configures the user interface of the external device to allow a user to send communications to control the therapy provided by an implantable medical device; and
a portable bridge device configured to relay the communications wirelessly received from the external device to the implantable medical device, the bridge device comprising:
logic circuitry configured to relay the communications wirelessly received from the external device to the implantable medical device,
wherein the logic circuitry is configured to provide a firewall between the external device and the implantable medical device by performing one or more of the following:
an examination of the communications in accordance with a connection state between the external device and the bridge device,
an examination of the communications to determine if commands in the communications would put the implantable medical device in an unsafe condition if executed by the implantable medical device.
14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an external controller with a user interface, wherein the user interface is used to wirelessly control and monitor the implantable medical device.
15. The system of claim 14, further comprising the external device.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the external device comprises a mobile phone.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein the external device is configured to communicate with a network.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the network comprises the Internet.
19. The system of claim 17, wherein the external device operates pursuant to a third communication protocol to communicate with the network, and can communicate the communications with the bridge device using a first communication protocol.
20. The system of claim 17, wherein the software application is downloadable to the external device via the network.
21. The system of claim 13, wherein the bridge device further comprises
first communication circuitry and a first antenna configured to wirelessly receive the communications from the external device and to provide the communications to the logic circuitry; and
second communication circuitry and a second antenna configured to receive the communications from the logic circuitry and to wirelessly transmit the communications to the implantable medical device.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first antenna comprises an RF antenna, and wherein the second antenna comprises a coil antenna.
23. The system of claim 21, wherein the communications wirelessly received from the external device are formatted in accordance with a first communication protocol, and wherein the communications wirelessly transmitted to the implantable medical device are formatted in accordance with a first communication protocol.
24. The system of claim 13, wherein the firewall only permits the communications to be relayed if the external device is registered with the bridge device.
25. The system of claim 13, wherein the firewall only permits the communications to be relayed if the external device is paired with the bridge device.

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 gun barrel for use in a muzzle loading firearm, said gun barrel comprising:
a muzzle portion, characterized by a first caliber, said muzzle portion being configured to operationally receive a projectile;
a breech portion, characterized by a second caliber, said breech portion being configured to operationally receive a cartridge case; and
a connecting bore extending from said breech portion to said muzzle portion.
2. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said first caliber is greater than said second caliber.
3. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said second caliber is greater than or equal to said first caliber.
4. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said connecting bore is smaller than said second caliber.
5. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said breech portion includes a frusto-conical section.
6. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said breech portion has a uniform diameter.
7. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said breech portion is configured to operationally receive a cartridge case in a standard caliber.
8. The gun barrel of claim 1, further comprising a firearm operationally attached to said gun barrel.
9. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said connecting bore has a uniform diameter.
10. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said breech portion is configured to operationally received a cartridge case in a custom caliber.
11. The gun barrel of claim 1, wherein said breech portion is configured to be adjacent to said cartridge case.
12. A firearm comprising:
a muzzle portion, characterized by a first caliber, said muzzle portion being configured to operationally receive a projectile;
a breech portion, characterized by a second caliber, said breech portion being configured to operationally receive a cartridge case; and
a connecting bore extending from said breech portion to said muzzle portion.
13. A muzzle-end loading firearm comprising:
a breech end configured so that a charge is loaded from said breech end; and
a muzzle end configured so that a projectile is loaded from said muzzle end.
14. The muzzle-end loading firearm of claim 13, wherein said breech end is adapted to not require a breech plug.
15. A substantially cylindrical gun barrel for use in a muzzle loading firearm, said gun barrel comprising:
a muzzle end, and a breech end;
a central bore extending from said muzzle end towards said breech end, said central bore characterized by a first caliber;
a mounting portion adjacent said breech end, said mounting portion configured for mounting said gun barrel to a firearm receiver;
a chamber adjacent said breech end, said chamber coaxial with said central bore, said chamber configured to operationally receive a cartridge case; and
a passage bore adjacent and between each of said central bore and said chamber, said passage bore communicating between said central bore and said chamber, said passage bore having a smaller diameter than said central bore.
16. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said central bore extends from said muzzle end to said muzzle end of said passage.
17. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said mounting portion comprises screw threads, said screw threads located on an outer surface of said gun barrel.
18. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said mounting portion comprises screw threads, said screw threads located on an inner surface of said gun barrel.
19. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said chamber is configured to operationally receive a cartridge case.
20. The gun barrel of claim 19, wherein said cartridge case is in a standard caliber.
21. The gun barrel of claim 19, wherein said cartridge case is in a custom caliber.
22. The gun barrel of claim 19, wherein said cartridge case is constructed of one of a metal, a plastic, and combinations thereof.
23. The gun barrel of claim 20, wherein said cartridge case is in a standard centerfire caliber.
24. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said central bore includes rifling upon a portion of an inner surface thereof.
25. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said muzzle end includes a muzzle brake therein.
26. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said muzzle brake is removably attached to said gun barrel.
27. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said cartridge case contains a powder selected from the group consisting of a smokeless powder, a black powder, a Pyrodex powder, and combinations thereof.
28. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said cartridge case is characterized by a shotgun caliber.
29. The gun barrel of claim 15, wherein said cartridge case contains a primer.
30. A method of increasing the reliability of a muzzle loading firearm, the method comprising:
providing a gun barrel with a muzzle end and a breech end, said muzzle end having a central bore characterized by a first caliber, said central bore extending from said muzzle end towards said breech end;
providing a mounting portion of said gun barrel adjacent said breech end, said mounting portion configured for mounting said gun barrel to a firearm receiver;
providing a breech end chamber of said gun barrel adjacent said breech end, said breech end chamber coaxial with said central bore, said breech end chamber configured to operationally receive a cartridge case; and
providing a passage bore of said gun barrel adjacent and between each of said central bore and said breech end chamber, said passage bore communicating between said central bore and said breech end chamber, said passage bore having a smaller diameter than said central bore;
providing a stock operatively coupled to said gun barrel and said firearm receiver, said stock including a trigger assembly operatively coupled to said firearm receiver and to a firing pin assembly; and
configuring said firing pin assembly to operatively interact with said cartridge case, when appropriate, to cause discharge of said muzzle loading firearm.
31. The method according to claim 30, wherein said mounting bore includes a threaded portion.
32. A projectile system, adapted for use with a muzzle loading firearm, comprising:
a cartridge of a first caliber containing a charge, adapted for loading in a breech end of said firearm; and
a projectile of a second caliber, adapted for inserting in a muzzle end of a gun barrel of said firearm.
33. The projectile system of claim 32, wherein said cartridge comprises a standard caliber cartridge case.
34. The projectile system of claim 32, wherein said projectile includes a sabot.
35. The projectile system of claim 32, wherein a first portion of said cartridge adjoins a second portion of said projectile.
36. The projectile system of claim 32, wherein said first caliber is smaller than said second caliber.
37. The projectile system of claim 32, wherein said first caliber is equal to said second caliber.
38. The projectile system of claim 32, wherein an exterior surface of said cartridge is adapted to be adjacent to a portion of said breech end.

1. A clinical research management system, comprising:
a database of biometric sample information, at least some of the pieces of sample information having been received from a test-subject in a first clinical research effort, and each piece of sample information having a related pointer to clinical research information obtained during the first clinical research effort;
a check-in facility at a clinical research facility that is conducting a second clinical research effort, the check-in facility having a biometric reader;
a communication channel;
a microprocessor, programmed to: (a) receive from the communication channel, information corresponding to a biometric specimen received at the check-in facility, (b) compare the biometric specimen to the biometric sample information (c) determine whether the specimen matches at least one piece of the sample information to identify a matching piece of sample information, (d) identify the pointer related to the matching piece of sample information, (e) use the pointer to obtain the corresponding clinical research information obtained during the first clinical research effort, (f) provide the obtained corresponding clinical research information to the clinical research facility conducting the second clinical research effort.
2. The management system of claim 1, further comprising a second database, the second database having stored therein the clinical research information obtained from the test-subject during the first clinical research effort.
3. A clinical research management network, comprising:
a first database of biometric sample information, at least some of the pieces of sample information having been received from a test-subject in a first clinical research effort, and each of those pieces of sample information having a related pointer to clinical research information obtained during the first clinical research effort;
a plurality of check-in facilities, each check-in facility being located at a clinical research facility that is conducting clinical research that is not related to the first clinical research effort, and each check-in facility has a biometric reader;
a microprocessor in communication with the check-in-facilities and the first database, and programmed to: (a) receive a biometric specimen received at the biometric reader of one of the check-in facilities, (b) compare the biometric specimen to the biometric sample information (c) determine whether the specimen matches at least one piece of the sample information to identify a matching piece of sample information, (d) identify the pointer related to the matching piece of sample information, (e) use the identified pointer to obtain the corresponding clinical research information obtained during the first clinical research effort, (f) provide the obtained corresponding clinical research information to at least one of the clinical research facilities conducting clinical research that is not related to the first clinical research effort.
4. The management network of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of second databases, each of the second databases having stored therein clinical research information pointed to by the pointers of the first database, and wherein at least one of the second databases has the clinical research information obtained during the first clinical research effort.
5. A method of managing clinical research, comprising:
providing a database having biometric sample information, each piece of sample information having been received from a test-subject in a first clinical research effort, and each piece of sample information having a related pointer to clinical research information during the first clinical research effort;
providing a prospective test-subject at a clinical research facility conducting a second clinical research effort;
obtaining a biometric specimen from the prospective test-subject;
comparing the biometric specimen to the biometric sample information;
determining whether the specimen matches at least one piece of the sample information;
if the specimen matches at least one piece of sample information, then using the related pointer to obtain the corresponding clinical research information obtained during the first clinical research effort;
providing the obtained clinical research information to the clinical research facility conducting the second clinical research effort;
determining whether the obtained clinical research information indicates a problem with the prospective test-subject participating in the second clinical research effort, to provide a determination;
acting on the determination by allowing the prospective test-subject to participate in the second clinical research effort if the determination does not indicate a problem, or preventing the prospective test-subject from participating in the second clinical research effort if the determination indicates a problem.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the pointer points to a database other than the database having biometric sample information.

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. An information processing apparatus comprising:
a load check portion which checks communication loads at a plurality of radio relay stations; and
a connection processing portion which executes wireless connection with a radio relay station of a lowest communication load of the communication loads checked by the load check portion.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the load check portion checks the communication loads of the plurality of radio relay stations by using information indicative of a destination and a sender contained in data frames transmitted and received by the plurality of radio relay stations.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display processing portion which displays statuses of the communication loads of the plurality of radio relay stations checked by the load check portion on a screen.
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display processing portion displays a connection relationship between each of the plurality of radio relay stations and an apparatus connected thereto.
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein when an apparatus is newly connected to the radio relay station to which the information processing apparatus is connected, the display processing portion displays information indicative of presence of the newly connected apparatus.
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connection processing apparatus is configured to execute wireless connection with a radio relay station selected by an input operation.
7. A connection control method of controlling connection of an information processing apparatus configured to be connected to one of a plurality of radio relay stations, the method comprising:
checking communication loads at the plurality of radio relay stations; and
executing wireless connection with a radio relay station of a lowest communication load of the checked communication loads.
8. The connection control method according to claim 7, wherein the communication loads of the plurality of radio relay stations are checked by using information indicative of a destination and a sender contained in data frames transmitted and received by the plurality of radio relay stations.
9. The connection control method according to claim 7, further comprising displaying statuses of the checked communication loads of the plurality of radio relay stations on a screen.
10. The connection control method according to claim 9, further comprising displaying on a screen a connection relationship between each of the plurality of radio relay stations and apparatuses connected thereto.
11. The connection control method according to claim 10, further comprising, when an apparatus is newly connected to the radio relay station to which the information processing apparatus is connected, displaying information indicative of presence of the newly connected apparatus.
12. The connection control method according to claim 7, further comprising executing wireless connection with a radio relay station selected by an input operation.