All The Claims

1. A mobile communication system comprising:
a plurality of base stations that constitute a plurality of cells as communication ranges;
a radio network controller that controls communication of mobile terminals in the cells; and
a maintenance terminal that registers adjacent cell information in the radio network controller, the adjacent cell information including identification information of a handover original cell and identification information of adjacent cells adjacent to the handover original cell in the movement of the mobile terminals,
wherein the radio network controller comprises:
an adjacent cell information storage unit that stores the adjacent cell information;
an adjacent cell information communication unit that transmits the adjacent cell information to the mobile terminals in the cells; and
a detected cell information reception unit that receives detected cell information including the identification information of the handover original cell and identification information of a cell as an expected movement destination from a mobile terminal determining that a relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the cell as the detected expected movement destination is not included in a relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells recorded in the adjacent cell information, and

wherein the maintenance terminal comprises:
a detected cell information collection unit that collects the detected cell information from the radio network controller;
a detection count record unit that records the number of detection times that the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the cell as the detected expected movement destination is determined as not included in the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells recorded in the adjacent cell information, based on the collection of the detected cell information; and
an adjacent cell information additional-registration unit that additionally registers the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells corresponding to the number of detection times in the adjacent cell information, when the number of detection times exceeds a threshold value.
2. The mobile communication system according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance terminal comprises an additional recommendation information output unit that outputs the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells corresponding to the number of detection times, as additional recommendation information for the adjacent cell information, when the number of detection times exceeds the threshold value, and
wherein the adjacent cell information additional-registration unit additionally registers the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells corresponding to the number of detection times in the adjacent cell information, when an input of registration instruction information is received according to the additional recommendation information.
3. A maintenance terminal communicating with a plurality of base stations that constitute a plurality of cells as communication ranges, and a radio network controller that controls communication of mobile terminals in the cells, and registering adjacent cell information in the radio network controller, the adjacent cell information including identification information of a handover original cell and identification information of adjacent cells adjacent to the handover original cell in the movement of the mobile terminals, the maintenance terminal comprising;
a detected cell information collection unit that collects detected cell information including the identification information of the handover original cell and identification information of a cell as an expected movement destination from the radio network controller;
a detection count record unit that records the number of detection times that the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the cell as the detected expected movement destination is determined as not included in the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells recorded in the radio network controller, based on the collection of the detected cell information; and
an adjacent cell information additional-registration unit that additionally registers the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells corresponding to the number of detection times in the adjacent cell information, when the number of detection times exceeds a threshold value.
4. An adjacent cell information optimizing method in a mobile communication system including a plurality of base stations that constitute a plurality of cells as communication ranges, a radio network controller that controls communication of mobile terminals in the cells, and a maintenance terminal that registers adjacent cell information in the radio network controller, the adjacent cell information including identification information of a handover original cell and identification information of adjacent cells adjacent to the handover original cell in the movement of the mobile terminals, the method comprising:
storing the adjacent cell information by an adjacent cell information storage unit of the radio network controller;
transmitting the adjacent cell information to the mobile terminals in the cells by an adjacent cell information communication unit of the radio network controller;
receiving detected cell information including the identification information of the handover original cell and identification information of a cell as an expected movement destination from a mobile terminal in which it is determined that a relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the cell as the detected expected movement destination is not included in a relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells recorded in the adjacent cell information, by a detected cell information reception unit of the radio network controller;
collecting the detected cell information from the radio network controller by a detected cell information collection unit of the maintenance terminal;
recording the number of detection times that the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the cell as the detected expected movement destination is determined as not included in the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells recorded in the adjacent cell information, based on the collection of the detected cell information, by a detection count record unit of the maintenance terminal; and
additionally registering the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells corresponding to the number of detection times in the adjacent cell information, when the number of detection times exceeds a threshold value, by an adjacent cell information additional-registration unit, of the maintenance terminal.
5. An adjacent cell information optimizing method in a maintenance terminal communicating with a plurality of base stations that constitute a plurality of cells as communication ranges, and a radio network controller that controls communication of mobile terminals in the cells, and registering adjacent cell information in the radio network controller, the adjacent cell information including identification information of a handover original cell and identification information of adjacent cells adjacent to the handover original cell in the movement of the mobile terminals, the method comprising:
collecting detected cell information including the identification information of the handover original cell and identification information of a cell as an expected movement destination from the radio network controller by a detected cell information collection unit;
recording the number of detection times that the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the cell as the detected expected movement destination is determined as not included in the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells recorded in the adjacent cell information, based on the collection of the detected cell information, by a detection count record unit; and
additionally registering the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells corresponding to the number of detection times in the adjacent cell information, when the number of detection times exceeds a threshold value, by an adjacent cell information additional-registration unit.
6. A program for causing a computer of a maintenance terminal communicating with a plurality of base stations that constitute a plurality of cells as communication ranges, and a radio network controller that controls communication of mobile terminals in the cells, and registering adjacent cell information in the radio network controller, the adjacent cell information including identification information of a handover original cell and identification information of adjacent cells adjacent to the handover original cell in the movement of the mobile terminals, the program executing:
a detected cell information collection process of collecting detected cell information including the identification information of the handover original cell and identification information of a cell as an expected movement destination from the radio network controller;
a detection number-of-times record process of recording the number of detection times that the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the cell as the detected expected movement destination is determined as not included in the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells recorded in the adjacent cell information, based on the collection of the detected cell information; and
an adjacent cell information additional-registration process of additionally registering the relationship between the identification information of the handover original cell and the identification information of the adjacent cells corresponding to the number of detection times in the adjacent cell information, when the number of detection times exceeds a threshold value,
7. A computer-readable recording medium in which the program according to claim 6 is recorded.

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 separating blood components with a biological filter membrane comprising:
providing a device having a fluid inlet, fluid outlet, a flow path therebetween and a porous biocompatible membrane suitable for contact with blood components between said inlet and outlet wherein said membrane has been selected based on its dynamic wettability as determined by an observed rate of absorption of a liquid at a plurality of selected time intervals;
introducing a biological liquid including at least two blood components into said flow path through said inlet;
contacting said porous membrane with said biological liquid.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said membrane has a dynamic wettability comparable to the dynamic wettability of a second porous membrane having a desired biological interaction with said biological liquid.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein said membrane has been selected on the basis of having a dynamic wettability that is slower than a dynamic wettability of a substantially identical second membrane.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid comprises blood plasma.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein including introducing said biological liquid into said flow path and passing at least some of said blood components through said selected membrane.
6. The method of claim 5 comprising passing at least blood plasma and platelets through said membrane.
7. The method of claim 1 comprising providing a membrane made of a polymeric material on a polymeric support.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said polymeric material comprises nylon and said polymeric support comprises a woven polyester mesh.
9. The method of claim 2 wherein said desired biological interaction is a reduced level of platelet adhesion to the membrane surface.
10. A device for separating components of a biological liquid comprising:
a housing including an inlet port and an outlet port and flow path therebetween;
a porous biocompatible membrane suitable for contact with a biological liquid located in proximity to said flow path, wherein said membrane is selected on the basis of its dynamic wettability as determined by an observed rate of absorption of a liquid at a plurality of selected time intervals.
11. The device of claim 10 wherein said membrane has a dynamic wettability that is slower than a pre-determined faster dynamic wettability of a substantially identical second membrane.
12. The device of claim 10 comprising wherein said membrane is disposed within said flow path.
13. The device of claim 10 wherein said device further comprising a rotor within said housing including said membrane on the outer surface thereof.
14. The device of claim 10 including a porous membrane for separating white blood cells from blood.

1. A device for the treatment of femoral fractures comprising:
an intramedullary nail having a central longitudinal axis, a proximal portion, a distal portion configured and dimensioned for insertion into the medullary canal of a femur, and a passage through the proximal portion, the passage having a non-circular cross-section and a central axis that forms a non-perpendicular angle with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the nail;
a sliding sleeve configured and dimensioned for insertion through the passage in the nail, the sleeve having a central longitudinal bore, a first end, a second end, an external jacket surface, and an internal jacket surface, where at least a portion of the external jacket surface of the sliding sleeve has a non-circular cross-section that mates with the non-circular cross-section of the passage to prevent rotation of the sliding sleeve with respect to the nail while permitting translation of the sliding sleeve with respect to the nail; and
a bone fixation element having a longitudinal axis, a head portion configured and adapted to engage bone in the head of the femur, and a shaft portion configured and dimensioned for insertion into the central longitudinal bore of the sliding sleeve,
wherein the shaft portion of the bone fixation element is configured and adapted to be freely rotatable with respect to the sliding sleeve when received through the sliding sleeve in a first position and rotationally locked with respect to the sliding sleeve when received through the sliding sleeve in a second position.
2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a tightening screw at a free end of the shaft of the bone fixation element, the screw configured to rotate, but not axially translate, with respect to the shaft of the bone fixation element.
3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a bush at the first end of the sliding sleeve, the bush secured against rotation with respect to the longitudinal bore of the sliding sleeve but configured to axially translate with respect to the longitudinal bore of the sliding sleeve when engaged by the tightening screw on the shaft of the bone fixation element.
4. The device of claim 3, further comprising complementary locking structures at a first end of the bush and at the free end of the shaft of the bone fixation element, the locking structures preventing rotation of the shaft with respect to the bush when the free end of the shaft engages the first end of the bush.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the complementary locking structures include a first spur gear on the first end of the bush and a second spur gear on the free end of the shaft of the bone fixation element.
6. The device of claim 3, wherein a portion of the internal jacket surface at the first end of the sliding sleeve has a non-circular cross-section that mates with an outer surface of the bush to prevent rotation of the bush relative to the longitudinal bore of the sliding sleeve.
7. The device of claim 3, wherein the bush limits axial translation of the sleeve through the passage of the nail.
8. The device of claim 2, wherein the tightening screw includes an annular bead that mates with an undercut in an axial bore of the shaft of the bone fixation element to permit rotation of the screw with respect to the shaft while preventing axial translation of the screw relative to the shaft.
9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a radial opening in the axial bore and the undercut which permits connection of the tightening screw with the shaft of the bone fixing element.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the head portion of the bone fixation element includes at least two helical blades.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein the pitch of the helical blades on the bone fixation element is at least 50 mm.
12. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-circular cross-section of the passage in the nail includes circumferential partial sections in the form of partial circular arcs.
13. The device of claim 1, wherein the head portion of the bone fixation element includes a screw thread, a chisel, a pin, a T-section or a double T-section.
14. A device for the treatment of femoral fractures comprising:
an intramedullary nail having a central longitudinal axis, a distal portion configured and dimensioned for insertion into the medullary canal of a femur, a proximal portion, and a passage through the proximal portion, the passage fanning an oblique angle with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the nail;
a sliding sleeve configured and dimensioned for insertion through the passage in the nail, the sleeve having a central longitudinal bore, a first end, a second end, an external jacket surface, and an internal jacket surface, where at least a portion of the external jacket surface of the sliding sleeve and the passage are configured and adapted to prevent rotation of the sliding sleeve with respect to the nail while permitting translation of the sliding sleeve with respect to the nail; and
a bone fixation element having a longitudinal axis, a bone engaging portion, and a shaft portion configured and dimensioned for insertion into the central longitudinal bore of the sliding sleeve,
wherein the shaft portion of the bone fixation element is configured and adapted to be freely rotatable with respect to the sliding sleeve when received through the sliding sleeve in a first position and rotationally locked with respect to the sliding sleeve when received through the sliding sleeve in a second position.
15. The device of claim 14, further comprising a tightening screw at a free end of the shaft of the bone fixation element, the screw configured to rotate, but not axially translate, with respect to the shaft of the bone fixation element.
16. The device of claim 15, further comprising a bush at the first end of the sliding sleeve, the bush secured against rotation but configured to axially translate with respect to the longitudinal bore of the sliding sleeve when engaged by the tightening screw on the shaft of the bone fixation element.
17. The device of claim 16, further comprising complementary locking structures at a first end of the bush and at the free end of the shaft of the bone fixation element, the locking structures preventing rotation of the shaft with respect to the bush when the free end of the shaft engages the first end of the bush.
18. The device of claim 17, wherein the complementary locking structures further comprise a first spur gear on the first end of the bush and a second spur gear on the free end of the shaft of the bone fixation element.
19. A method for treating femoral fractures comprising the steps of:
inserting a first intramedullary implant into the marrow canal of the femur, the first implant having a central longitudinal axis, a distal portion configured and dimensioned for insertion into the medullary canal, a proximal portion, and a passage through the proximal portion, the passage having a non-circular cross-section and a central axis that forms a non-perpendicular angle with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the first implant;
inserting a second implant through the passage in the first implant to engage bone in the femoral head, the second implant including
a sliding sleeve configured and dimensioned for insertion through the passage in the first implant, the sleeve having a central longitudinal bore, and an external jacket surface, where at least a portion of the external jacket surface of the sliding sleeve is configured and adapted to prevent rotation of the sliding sleeve with respect to the first implant while permitting translation of the sliding sleeve with respect to the first implant, and
a bone fixation element having a longitudinal axis, a head portion configured and adapted to engage bone in the head of the femur, and a shaft portion configured and dimensioned for insertion into the central longitudinal bore of the sliding sleeve, wherein the shaft portion of the bone fixation element is configured and adapted to be freely rotatable with respect to the sliding sleeve when received through the sliding sleeve in a first position and rotationally locked with respect to the sliding sleeve when received through the sliding sleeve in a second position; and

moving the shaft portion of the bone fixation element into the second position to prevent rotation of the bone fixation element with respect to the first implant.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second implant further includes
a tightening screw at a free end of the shaft of the bone fixation element, the screw configured to rotate, but not axially translate, with respect to the shaft of the bone fixation element; and
a bush at a first end of the sliding sleeve, the bush configured to axially translate, but not rotate, with respect to the longitudinal bore of the sliding sleeve when engaged by the tightening screw on the shaft of the bone fixation element.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A digital system comprising:
N1 modules, wherein N2;
an interconnection fabric that provides unique connection paths between all pairs of modules of the N1 modules; and
an adaptive switch provided in at least one of the N1 modules, wherein the adaptive switch maintains at least one and less than N active connections to the unique connection paths that couple modules having adaptive switches to all other modules of the N1 modules, and data is capable of flowing between modules having the adaptive switch and all other modules by routing data through other intermediate modules of the N1 modules.
2. The digital system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the N1 modules includes a full (N1)(N1) switch, and each module having an adaptive switch creates an active connection to a module having a full (N1)(N1) switch.
3. The digital system of claim 2 wherein the adaptive switch is a 1-of-N adaptive switch.
4. The digital system of claim 2 wherein the adaptive switch is a full 33 switch that fronts an adaptive 2-of-N switch.
5. The digital system of claim 4 wherein the active connection to a module having a full (N1)(N1) switch is a primary active connection, and a secondary active connection is present between the full 33 switch that fronts an adaptive 2-of-N switch and a module of the N1 modules other than the module having the full (N1)(N1) switch.
6. The digital system of claim 5 wherein the secondary active connection provides redundancy for the primary active connection.
7. The digital system of claim 5 wherein the secondary active connection provides increased bandwidth by routing data between a pair of modules via the secondary active connection in addition to data routed to the module having the full (N1)(N1) switch via the primary connection.
8. The digital system of claim 1 wherein the adaptive switch is a full 33 switch that fronts an adaptive 2-of-N switch in each of the N1 modules, and the modules are coupled together in a ring topology.
9. The digital system of claim 1 wherein the adaptive switch is a full MM switch that fronts an adaptive (M1)-of-N switch, wherein 3MN.
10. A method of coupling together N1 modules in a digital, wherein N2, via an interconnection fabric that provides unique connection paths between all pairs of modules of the N1 modules, and at least one of the N1 modules has an adaptive switch capable of maintaining at least one and less than N active connections to the unique connection paths that couple modules having adaptive switches to all other modules of the N1 modules, the method comprising:
for each module having an adaptive switch, forming an active connection to another of the N1 modules capable of routing data to all other modules.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein at least one of the N1 modules includes a full (N1)(N1) switch, and forming an active connection to another of the N1 modules capable of routing data to all other modules comprises:
forming an active connection to a module having a full (N1)(N1) switch.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the adaptive switch is a 1-of-N adaptive switch.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the adaptive switch is a full 33 switch that fronts an adaptive 2-of-N switch.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the active connection to a module having a full (N1)(N1) switch is a primary active connection, further comprising:
forming a secondary active connection between the full 33 switch that fronts an adaptive 2-of-N switch and a module of the N1 modules other than the module having the full (N1)(N1) switch.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the secondary active connection provides redundancy for the primary active connection.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the secondary active connection provides increased bandwidth by routing data between a pair of modules via the secondary active connection in addition to data routed to the module having the full (N1)(N1) switch via the primary connection.
17. The method of claim 10 wherein the adaptive switch is a full 33 switch that fronts an adaptive 2-of-N switch in each of the N1 modules; and further comprising;
each adaptive switch forming active connections with adaptive switches of adjacent modules to couple modules together in a ring topology.
18. The method of claim 10 wherein the adaptive switch is a full MM switch that fronts an adaptive (M1)-of-N switch, and 3MN.
19. An adaptive switch for coupling a module to N other modules comprising:
a full MM switch comprising:
a first connection point coupled to at least one functional unit in the module; and
M1 additional connection points, wherein 3MN, and the full MM switch can dynamically route data between each pair of connection points; and

and adaptive (M1)-of-N switch comprising:
M1 connection points, with each of the M1 connection points of the adaptive (M1)-of-N switch uniquely coupled to one of the M1 additional connection points of the full MM switch; and
N port connection points capable of being coupled to each of the N other modules when the adaptive switch is deployed in an interconnection fabric having point-to-point interconnection paths between all pairs of modules, wherein the adaptive switch selectively maintains unique static connection paths between the M1 connection points of the adaptive (M1)-of-N switch and the N port connection points of the adaptive (M1)-of-N switch.
20. The adaptive switch of claim 19 wherein M is 3.