| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07881192B2 |
System for providing aggregate-rate communication services
A system for providing aggregate-rate communication services is provided. The system comprises a provider network, having an arbitrary topology; a plurality of customers; and a plurality of port nodes, comprising at least one aggregation-group. Port nodes in the at least one aggregation-group share capacity of the at least one aggregation-group fairly. Each of the plurality of customers is associated with at least one of the plurality of port nodes to access the provider network. |
| US07881190B2 |
Method and apparatus for differentiating service in a data network
A method and apparatus is disclosed for differentiating service in a data network which supports a plurality of service classes, by implementing a pricing strategy such that revenue for the ISP in non-busy hours in increased. An edge router assigns a predetermined packet service class value, which is either an artificial packet loss probability or an artificial packet delay, to each one of an associated plurality of service classes, of packets in a data stream, the predetermined packet service class value decreasing with the increasing importance degree of each of its associated plurality of service classes. The packets are delayed or dropped according to the predetermined packet service class value and according to a load on the data network. |
| US07881187B2 |
Transmission apparatus
The present invention provides a transmission apparatus including transmitting side line interfaces which convert packet format data sent from an asynchronous network to a SONET/SDH frame format and then transmit the data, multiple receiving side line interfaces which receive the SONET/SDH frame format data and convert the data to packet format data and a circuit switching section which performs circuit switching. The transmitting side line interfaces include a variable length frame mapping section which converts the packet format data to variable length frame format data and a time division multiplexing mapping section which converts the variable length frame format data to the SONET/SDH frame format data. The receiving side line interfaces include a variable length frame demapping section which reconverts the SONET/SDH frame format data to variable length frame format data. |
| US07881186B2 |
Method about protecting high layer service in the multilayer communication equipment
This invention relates to a method for protecting high layer service in the multi-layer communication equipment, include that low layer processing module which provides low layer transmission passages for high layer processing module, and high layer processing module which sets up transparent VP link passage from up and down node by the service of said module, in order to make the service processed by the said module avoid influence. Once detecting the fault of the said processing module, high layer processing module will message the low layer processing module, and the low layer processing module will set up bypass connection after detecting the fault of the high layer processing module, then isolate the failed high layer process module. According to the present invention, extra network passages are not necessary, the means of protecting network is not limited. The present invention aims to protect effectively ATM traffic when the processing ability of ATM layer invalidate between MSPP and MSTP. The present invention solves the problem that will influence the other node of the network beyond the said node service in the case of device maintenance. |
| US07881185B1 |
Switch failover for aggregated data communication links
A network device includes a first plurality of ports and a first plurality of communication links. Each port of the first plurality of ports communicates with a corresponding communication link of the first plurality of communication links. An adapter aggregates the first plurality communication links into a second plurality of aggregated links. The adaptor assigns a single media access control address to each aggregated link of the second plurality of aggregated links. A driver selects a first aggregated link of the second plurality of aggregated links as an active link based on a link quality of the first aggregated link. The driver sends and receives data over the first aggregated link using the single media access control address assigned to the first aggregated link. The driver selects a second aggregated link of the second plurality of aggregated links as the active link in response to the link quality of the first aggregated link being less than a link quality of the second aggregated link. |
| US07881184B2 |
Reverse notification tree for data networks
Recovery time upon the failure of a link or switching system in an asynchronous data network can be minimized if downstream data switches provide upstream messages indicating to upstream switching system that the downstream traffic arrived in tact and was properly handled. Upon this loss or failure of the upstream status message to an upstream switching system, an upstream switching system can reroute data traffic around a failed link or failed switch with a minimal amount of lost data. The upstream status message is conveyed from a downstream switching system to an upstream switching system via a reverse notification tree data pathway. |
| US07881182B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling ranging of mobile terminals in wireless communication system
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for controlling ranging in a wireless communication system. The apparatus according to the present invention comprises a Radio Frequency (RF) module converting RF band signals received via antenna to low-frequency band signal; a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) module converting the low-frequency band signal of time-domain to frequency-domain signal; a derandomizer performing derandomizing the frequency-domain signals by using a random sequence being transmitted by the terminals; a depermutation module combining the frequency-domain signals output from the derandomizer by unit of burst and outputting the combined signal; and a ranging controller controlling periodic ranging of the terminal corresponding to the respective bursts by estimating phase change in the frequency-domain signals of burst unit. |
| US07881180B2 |
Systems and method for orthogonal frequency divisional multiplexing
Systems and methods for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing are provided. In one embodiment, a multi-carrier modem comprising: a receiver configured to de-modulate symbols from at least one of a plurality of spectrally overlapping carrier signals; a transmitter configured to modulate symbols onto at least one of a plurality of the spectrally overlapping carrier signals; a processor coupled to the transmitter, wherein the processor outputs data for transmission by the transmitter, wherein the processor applies an inverse Fourier transform to the data transmitted by the transmitter; and a controller programmed to multiplex both payload data and control data onto a first carrier of the spectrally overlapping carrier signals. |
| US07881179B2 |
Systems and methods for recording optical information
A system controlling recording on an optical disc is provided. A first counter performs a bit count according to provided channel bit clock signals. A second counter performs a sector count responsive to the bit count obtained by the first counter. The Land/Groove switch predicts machine uses the result of bit count and sector count to predict the land/groove switch point. The processor uses the physical ID (PID) to determine the track type of a sector at which a recording operation initiates. The power controller determines a recording power for the recording operation according to the Land/Groove switch predict machine. |
| US07881177B2 |
Recording medium, method and apparatus for reproducing data on the recording medium, and method and apparatus for recording data on the recording medium
A recording medium on which data is recorded in units of clusters, a method and apparatus for reproducing data on the recording medium, and a method and apparatus for recording data on the recording medium, wherein each of the clusters includes a plurality of address fields, each address field includes 32-bit address unit number (AUN) address information, and the AUN address information includes a reserved area recorded on 4 bits, layer information, recorded on 3 bits, indicating a layer on which data corresponding to the AUN address information is recorded, and location information, recorded on 25 bits, indicating a location of the data corresponding to the AUN address information. In the recording medium of the present invention, a space in which addresses are recorded is expanded, thereby securing an address area in which addresses of data can be recorded in a data structure. |
| US07881173B2 |
Optical information recording method, optical information recording device and optical information recording medium
The present invention provides an optical information recording apparatus and method capable of effectively determining appropriate recording parameters in a short time with favorable efficiency, when recording information onto an optical disk having different information recording conditions and information recording characteristics. An information recording condition or an information recording characteristic of an optical disk 1 is identified, and a recording pulse position is corrected at a correction accuracy according to the identifies information recording condition or information recording characteristic, such that a recording mark is formed in a predetermined position. |
| US07881171B2 |
Method for reproducing optical recording medium
A method for reproducing an optical recording medium includes: determining a kind of optical pick-up device placed to reproduce an optical recording medium; detecting a push-pull signal or a pre-pit signal of an inserted recording medium according to the kind of optical pick-up device; and reproducing the optical recording medium by using an optical pick-up device from which the push-pull signal or the pre-pit signal is detected. |
| US07881164B1 |
Sync mark detection with polarity uncertainty
Systems and methods for detecting a disk sync mark are provided. The systems and methods for detecting the disk sync mark rely on a detecting the disk sync mark on at least one timing interval. A window of data read bits from a particular disk sector are examined to determine whether they match the disk sync mark. The disk sync mark may be differentiated from expected versions of the disk sync mark using a calculated set of thresholds. |
| US07881160B2 |
Seismic vibrator array and methods of operation
An arrangement for conducting a seismic survey and methods for operating a vibrator array in a seismic survey. A signal source coupled to an array of vibrators drives the vibrators with a set of signals to generate seismic signals into a survey area. Each of the signals of the set has an autocorrelation function and a cross correlation function with the other signals of the set that decays faster with time than reflections of the seismic signals from the survey area. One such set of signals includes a linear FM sweep phase-modulated by a maximal-length sequence code shifted a different number of chips for each signal. |
| US07881159B2 |
Seismic streamers which attentuate longitudinally traveling waves
A seismic streamer includes at least one array of sensors each disposed in a sensor holder at longitudinally spaced apart locations. A longitudinal orientation of at least one sensor or at least one sensor holder is different from that of the other sensors along the length of the array. |
| US07881158B2 |
Seismic vibrator having multiple resonant frequencies in the seismic frequency band using multiple spring and mass arrangements to reduce required reactive mass
A seismic vibrator includes a transducer, a reactive mass, a base plate to couple motion of the reactive mass to subsurface formations and a linkage system configured to couple motion of the transducer to the reactive mass and the base plate. The linkage system cooperates with the reactive mass and the transducer to define a first resonant frequency and a second resonant frequency within a range of 1 to 300 Hz. |
| US07881157B2 |
Pressure wave generator and production method therefor
A pressure wave generator is provided, which has excellent output stability over time. This pressure wave generator comprises a substrate, a heat generating layer, and a heat insulating layer formed between the substrate and the heat generating layer. A pressure wave is generated in a surrounding medium (air) by a change in temperature of the heat generating layer, which is caused upon energization of the heat generating layer. The heat insulating layer comprises a porous layer and a barrier layer formed between the porous layer and the heat generating layer to prevent diffusion of reactive substances such as oxygen and moisture in the air and impurities into the porous layer. By the formation of the barrier layer, it is possible to prevent a reduction in output of the pressure wave generator caused by a change over time of the porous layer. |
| US07881155B2 |
Pressure release encoding system for communicating downhole information through a wellbore to a surface location
A pressure release encoding system for communicating downhole information through a wellbore to a surface location include a downhole tool with a valve for providing a fluid restriction to fluid passing in the wellbore, a sensor positioned in the wellbore for sensing a downhole condition in the wellbore, a brake cooperative with the valve for moving the valve between at least two positions in timed relation to the downhole condition sensed by the sensor, and a detector positioned at the surface location for providing a measurement value at the surface location correlative to the time between the changes of the pressure of the fluid in the wellbore. The system associates position of the valve with pressure transduction. The sensor is an inclination sensor for sensing an angle of inclination of the wellbore. |
| US07881154B2 |
Seismic processing for the elimination of multiple reflections
Seismic processing method, in which, in order to eliminate multiple reflections on seismic data, seismic data are migrated in time or in depth (110) arid the data thus migrated are processed to determine an approximation of multiple reflections to be subtracted from, seismic data (120 to 160). |
| US07881153B2 |
Steerable paravane system for towed seismic streamer arrays
A paravane for a seismic acquisition system includes a float, a frame suspended from the float, deflectors affixed to the frame, and means for coupling a tow rope to a lead-in functionally extending between a forward end and an aft end of the frame. The paravane includes means for selectively changing an effective position along the lead-in of the means for coupling the tow cable. |
| US07881147B2 |
Clock and control signal generation for high performance memory devices
Techniques for generating clock and control signals to achieve good performance for read and write operations in memory devices are described. In one design, a clock and control signal generator within a memory device includes first and second clock generators, first and second control signal generators, and a reset circuit. The first clock generator generates a first clock signal used for read and write operations. The second clock generator generates a second clock signal used for write operations. The reset circuit generates at least one reset signal for the first and second clock generators. The reset signal(s) may have timing determined based on loading due to dummy cells. The first control signal generator generates control signals used for read and write operations based on the first clock signal. The second control signal generator generates control signals used for write operations based on the second clock signal. |
| US07881141B2 |
Semiconductor device and refresh method
In order to successively perform refresh operations, a semiconductor device has a plurality of regions performing a repair independently from each other, even when the repair is carried out in the region by a replacement with a repair memory block included in a plate included in each region. Specifically, the successive refresh operations are performed by alternately activating word lines in the respective regions so as to ensure a sufficiently long precharge period. |
| US07881139B2 |
Semiconductor memory device with temperature sensing device and operation thereof
A semiconductor memory device includes a thermosensor that senses present temperatures of the device and confirms whether the temperature values are valid. The thermosensor includes a temperature sensing unit, a storage unit and an initializing unit. The temperature sensing unit senses temperatures in response to a driving signal. The storage unit stores output signals of the temperature sensing unit and outputs temperature values. The initializing unit initializes the storage unit after a predetermined time from an activation of the driving signal. A driving method includes driving the thermosensor in response to the driving signal, requesting a re-driving after a predetermined time from the activation of the driving signal, and re-driving the thermosensor in response to the driving signal input again. |
| US07881138B2 |
Memory circuit with sense amplifier
A memory has a pre-amplifier for generating an output signal and a reference signal. The memory includes a comparator for comparing the output signal to the reference signal. The comparator includes a bias stage for generating a bias signal, wherein the bias signal is an average of the output signal and the reference signal. The comparator further includes a first output stage for generating a first comparator output signal by comparing the output signal and the bias signal. The comparator further includes a second output stage for generating a second comparator output signal by comparing the reference signal and the bias signal. |
| US07881137B2 |
Read assist for memory circuits with different precharge voltage levels for bit line pair
A method increases stability of a memory circuit by pre-charging at least one bit line of the memory circuit to a first voltage, pre-charging at least one other bit line of the memory circuit to a second voltage, and equalizing charge across the bit lines so that the bit lines are pre-charged with a third voltage. |
| US07881131B2 |
Semiconductor device, information control method and electronic device
A semiconductor device includes a first memory unit, a second memory unit, and a determination unit receiving a first signal permitting a write operation to one of the first memory unit and the second memory unit, and a second signal indicating whether the write operation of information to the first memory unit is finished, wherein the determination unit outputs a signal prohibiting a write operation to the second memory unit, if the second signal indicates the write operation of the information is finished. |
| US07881119B2 |
Current sensing circuit and semiconductor memory device including the same
To provide a current sensing circuit that detects a difference between a cell current and a reference current. The current sensing circuit includes: current mirror circuits of which the input terminal is connected with a reference current source; a differential amplifier of which the one input terminal is supplied with a potential of an electrical connection point between an output terminal of the current mirror circuit and a memory cell and of which the other input terminal is supplied with a reference potential; and an equalizing circuit that short-circuits the both input terminals of the differential amplifier in response to an equalizing signal. Thereby, the both input terminals can be kept at the same potential immediately before a sensing operation starts, and thus, even when the cell current is weak, a highly sensitive sensing operation can be performed at high speed. |
| US07881116B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory capable of trimming an initial program voltage for each word line
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory of the present invention includes a plurality of bit lines and word lines which are arranged to intersect each other; a memory cell array having a plurality of electrically-programmable memory cells arranged in a region in which the bit lines and the word lines intersect; a trimming circuit configured to obtain a parameter of an initial program voltage for each word line of the plurality of word lines; an initial Vpgm parameter register configured to receive the parameter of the initial program voltage from the trimming circuit and to store the parameter; and a control circuit configured to perform programming of data to the memory cell array based on the parameter of the initial program voltage stored in the initial Vpgm parameter register, the trimming circuit being arranged in a part of the control circuit. |
| US07881113B2 |
Relaxed metal pitch memory architectures
A relaxed metal pitch architecture may include a bit line and a first active area string and a second active area string. The bit line may be directly coupled to the first active area string and to the second active area string. The relaxed metal pitch architecture may be applied to a non-volatile memory structure. |
| US07881111B2 |
Semiconductor memory having electrically erasable and programmable semiconductor memory cells
An electrically alterable non-volatile multi-level memory device and a method of operating such a device, which includes setting a status of at least one of the memory cells to one state selected from a plurality of states including at least first to fourth level states, in response to information to be stored in the one memory cell, and reading the status of the memory cell to determine whether the read out status corresponds to one of the first to fourth level states by utilizing a first reference level set between the second and third level states, a second reference level set between the first and second level states and a third reference level set between the third and fourth level states. |
| US07881110B2 |
Method of programming nonvolatile memory device
The present invention relates to a method of programming a nonvolatile memory device. A method of programming a nonvolatile memory device in accordance with an aspect of the present invention can include performing a program operation on a first page, counting a program pulse application number until the program operation on the first page is completed, comparing the counted program pulse application number and a critical value and resetting a program start voltage based on the comparison result, and performing a program operation on a second page using the reset program start voltage. |
| US07881107B2 |
Memory device with negative thresholds
A method for data storage in a memory that includes a plurality of analog memory cells includes storing data in the memory by writing first storage values to the cells. One or more read reference levels are defined for reading the cells, such that at least one of the read reference levels is negative. After storing the data, second storage values are read from the cells using the read reference levels, so as to reconstruct the stored data. In another disclosed method, data is stored in the memory by mapping the data to first storage values selected from a set of the nominal storage values, and writing the first storage values to the cells. The set of nominal storage values is defined such that at least one of the nominal storage values is negative. |
| US07881105B2 |
Quad+bit storage in trap based flash design using single program and erase entity as logical cell
Flash memory systems and methodologies are provided herein for facilitating single logical cell erasure and quad or more bit storage in a flash device. The single logical cell erasure can be accomplished by employing a single program and erase entity as a single logical cell. The single program and erase entity is a combination of neighboring drain/source regions of two adjacent physical memory cells. By mapping two adjacent physical cells as a single logical cell, the flash memory device can be programmed and erased on a single bit or variable bit length basis. The memory cells can contain four or more data states, and each of the two adjacent memory cells in the single program and erase entity can be programmed independently from each other. As a result, the single program and erase entity can store four or more bits. |
| US07881102B2 |
Semiconductor device including resistance storage element
A phase change memory includes a memory cell with a phase change element storing data according to level change of a resistance value in association with phase change, a write circuit converting the phase change element to an amorphous state or a polycrystalline state according to the logic of write data in a write operation mode, a read circuit reading out stored data from the phase change element in a readout operation mode, and a discharge circuit applying a discharge voltage to the phase change element to remove electrons trapped in the phase change element in a discharge operation mode. Accordingly, variation in the resistance value at the phase change element can be suppressed. |
| US07881099B2 |
Multibit magnetic random access memory device
A multi-bit magnetic random access memory device and a method for writing to and sensing the multi-bit magnetic random access memory device. The magnetic memory includes a memory cell with a multilayer structure having a plurality of data layers which can each store one bit. The structure includes a plurality of magnetically changeable ferromagnetic layers, a ferromagnetic reference layer having a fixed magnetization state, a first spacer layer separating the magnetically changeable ferromagnetic layers, and a second spacer layer separating the ferromagnetic reference layer from the magnetically changeable ferromagnetic layers. This structure allows for more than one-bit to be stored as well as for efficient writing and reduced power consumption. |
| US07881096B2 |
Asymmetric write current compensation
An apparatus and method for compensating for asymmetric write current in a non-volatile unit cell. The unit cell comprises a switching device and an asymmetric resistive sense element (RSE), such as an asymmetric resistive random access memory (RRAM) element or an asymmetric spin-torque transfer random access memory (STRAM) element. The RSE is physically oriented within the unit cell relative to the switching device such that a hard direction for programming the RSE is aligned with an easy direction of programming the unit cell, and an easy direction for programming the RSE is aligned with a hard direction for programming the unit cell. |
| US07881095B2 |
Asymmetric write current compensation using gate overdrive for resistive sense memory cells
Apparatus and associated method for asymmetric write current compensation for resistive sense memory (RSM) cells, such as but not limited to spin-torque transfer random access memory (STRAM) or resistive random access memory (RRAM) cells. In accordance with some embodiments, an RSM cell includes an RSM element coupled to a switching device. The switching device has a plurality of terminals. A control circuit compensates for asymmetric write characteristics of the RSM cell by limiting a range of voltage differentials across the terminals so as to be equal to or less than a magnitude of a source voltage applied to the switching device, thereby providing bi-directional write currents of substantially equal magnitude through the RSM element. |
| US07881089B2 |
Coding techniques for improving the sense margin in content addressable memories
A content addressable memory using encoded data words and search words, and techniques for operating such device. In one embodiment, the data word is transformed into a code word guaranteeing a mismatch of at least two code word bits of different binary values during the memory search operation when the data word does not match a search word. In another embodiment, the search word is transformed into a search code such that the Hamming distance between the code word and the search code is greater than a given threshold when there is a mismatch of at least one bit between the data word and the search word. |
| US07881086B2 |
Power conversion device and fabricating method for the same
A power conversion device in which the inductance of a main circuit is reduced, a surge voltage is suppressed, elements are properly cooled, which is miniaturized and reduced in weight as a whole, and is excellent in handling performance in a manufacturing process and a maintenance work. A positive side arm unit includes IGBT modules, a coupling diode module, a cooling plate on which the modules are mounted, and a first laminated bus bar connected to the respective modules. A negative side arm unit includes IGBT modules, a coupling diode module, a cooling plate on which the modules are mounted, and a second laminated bus bar connected to the respective modules, and both the laminated bus bars and the capacitors are connected to one another by a third laminated bus bar. Both the cooling plates are parallel to each other so that the mount surfaces thereof are set in the same direction. |
| US07881081B1 |
Systems and methods for reducing AC drive common-mode currents
Control systems, methods and power conversion systems are presented for controlling common mode currents in power converters, in which feedback signals used in pulse width modulated inverter switching control are selectively adjusted to ensure minimum differences between the resulting common mode compensated feedback signals according to a common mode dwell time in each pulse width modulation period, with the common mode dwell time being adjusted according to modulation index. |
| US07881077B2 |
PWM controller with output current limitation
A PWM controller with output current limitation makes the over-current limitations almost the same even though the input voltages are different. The designer does not need to use high specification components or add an output current limiting circuit against the over-current condition. Costs are reduced and the layout is simplified. The switch power supply includes a transformer, a power switch, a first detecting circuit for generating a first detecting signal, a second detecting circuit for generating a second detecting signal, and a controller. The transformer converts the power and outputs the power to the secondary side. The power switch has a first terminal, a second terminal, and a controlled terminal. The controller has a control terminal, a first detecting terminal for receiving the first detecting signal, and a second detecting terminal for receiving the second detecting signal. The controller performs a protecting operation according to the received signals. |
| US07881076B2 |
Buck-boost PFC converters
A buck-boost PFC converter is provided and includes an inductor, first and second transistors, a first diode, and a control circuit. The inductor has a first terminal and a second terminal. The first transistor is coupled to a positive-power rail and the first terminal of the inductor. The second transistor is coupled to the second terminal of the inductor and a negative-power rail. The first diode is connected from the second terminal of the inductor to an output of the buck-boost PFC converter. The control circuit generates a first signal and a second signal coupled to control the first transistor and the second transistor respectively. The first signal is utilized to turn on the first transistor for conducting the positive-power rail to the inductor. The second signal is utilized to turn on the second transistor for conducting the inductor to the negative-power rail. |
| US07881070B2 |
Circuit board having power source
A circuit board having a power source is provided, including: a carrier board having a first dielectric layer disposed on at least a surface thereof and a first circuit layer disposed on the first dielectric layer, wherein the first circuit layer has at least an electrode pad; a first electrode plate disposed on the electrode pad; an insulating frame member disposed on the first electrode plate, with a portion of the first electrode plate being exposed from the insulating frame member, wherein electrolyte is received in the insulating frame member and in contact with the first electrode plate; and a porous second electrode plate disposed on the insulating frame member and the electrolyte, the second electrode plate being in contact with the electrolyte, so as to provide the power source for the circuit board. |
| US07881061B2 |
Mounting device for mounting heat sink onto electronic component
An electronic apparatus includes a PCB with a heat generating electronic component disposed thereon, a heat sink, and a mounting device for mounting the heat sink onto the heat generating electronic component. The mounting device includes a mounting frame and a wire clip. The mounting frame surrounds the heat sink, and includes two first mounting arms and two second mounting arms disposed above the first mounting arms. The first mounting arms abut on the PCB. A pair of engaging wings are formed on the second mounting arms. The wire clip includes a pivot axle pivotably attached to the mounting frame and two resilient arms at opposite sides of the mounting frame. The resilient arms abut against the heat sink and engage with the engaging wings, thereby exerting a resilient force on the heat sink toward the heat generating electronic component. |
| US07881060B2 |
Heat-dissipation module and electronic apparatus having the same
An electronic apparatus including a circuit board having multiple heat generating elements and a heat-dissipation module is provided. The heat-dissipation module includes a heat-dissipation plate and a heat pipe set. The heat-dissipation plate having a first surface and a second surface is disposed on the circuit board and having multiple contacting portions and at least one heat pipe protecting portion connecting the contacting portions. The contacting portions are used for receiving heat from the heat generating elements. A heat pipe accommodating groove passing through the heat pipe protecting portion is set on the first surface. The heat pipe set is disposed in the heat pipe accommodating groove of the heat-dissipation plate. |
| US07881059B2 |
Heat management in an electronic module
In one example, an electronic module includes a printed circuit board and a housing at least partially enclosing the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board includes a heat-generating component. The housing includes a first case and a second case attached to the first case. The first and second cases cooperatively define a sealed cavity containing a fluid. The second case includes a thermal contact structure positioned proximate to the heat-generating component. |
| US07881054B2 |
Computer lock system
A computing device including a first computer portion pivotally connected to a second computer portion by a hinge. The computing device further includes an element moveable between a first position, in which the hinge is free to rotate, and a second position, in which the hinge is substantially prevented from rotating. A lock selectively controls movement of the element between the first and second positions. |
| US07881051B2 |
Memory module and cover therefor
A storage device has a memory module enclosed within a housing and a removable cover. In a first configuration of the storage device, while leaving a portion of the housing exposed, the cover encloses at least a connector that extends from the housing and that is electrically coupled to the memory module. In a second configuration of the storage device, while leaving at least the connector exposed, the cover encloses at least the portion of the housing that was exposed in the first configuration. |
| US07881049B2 |
Transmission structure, input device, and data processing system
The invention discloses a transmission apparatus set in a data processing system. The data processing system includes a display device and an input device. The display device is connected to the input device through a connecting member. The transmission apparatus includes a pivot, a fixed plate, a movable plate, a sliding member, a pulley, and a cable. When the pivot revolves along with the connecting member, the pivot drives the cable to slide the sliding member, and then moves the movable plate along with a predetermined direction. |
| US07881048B2 |
Bag computer system and bag apparatus
Disclosed is a system comprised of a bag and computer combination which allows the bag wearer to quickly access and use a computer while mobile. The system can be in three forms and all three are used in the same way: a pivoting cover is moved out of the way to expose a display which pivots into the line of sight of the wearer/operator. When assembled, all the components are physically connected and electrical components are electrically connected. Additional components include a keyboard or write pad mounted on the pivoting cover or on a separate pivoting mount near the center bag front, a display prop which braces the display in various angular positions and side pockets fitted for peripherals. An example is cited using a bag with flap mounts and equipment which mounts to the flaps using clamps. |
| US07881047B2 |
Electronic apparatus
An electronic apparatus includes an electronic apparatus main body; and a movable body which is mounted in the electronic apparatus main body, with its predetermined direction-wise one end supported thereon, so as to be displaceable between an encased condition where its one surface faces the main body and an unfolded condition where the one surface is exposed. The electronic apparatus main body and the movable body are so arranged that, in the movable-body encased condition, orthographical projections in the predetermined direction, respectively, of at least a part of the other end portion of the movable body in the predetermined direction and at least a part of that area of the electronic apparatus main body which is opposed to the other end portion of the movable body are kept in superposed relation with each other. |
| US07881044B2 |
Electrical switching apparatus and dampening mechanism therefor
A dampening mechanism for an electrical for an electrical switching apparatus, such as a draw-out circuit breaker, includes a mounting bracket coupled to the circuit breaker, a pivot member, at least one biasing element, and a damper. The circuit breaker is movable into and out of an installed position within a switchgear enclosure. The pivot member pivots between first and second positions corresponding to the circuit breaker not being fully installed and being disposed in the installed position, respectively. The biasing element biases the pivot member toward the first position. When the circuit breaker is moved toward the installed position, the second end of the pivot member engages at least one of a back panel and a ledge of the enclosure, thereby pivoting the pivot member toward the second position. When the pivot member is disposed in the second position, the damper is biased against the ledge of the enclosure to dampen undesired vertical motion of the circuit breaker. |
| US07881042B2 |
Cell assembly for an energy storage device with activated carbon electrodes
A hybrid supercapacitor energy storage device includes at least one lead electrode, at least one carbon electrode, a separator, a casing, and an acid electrolyte. The lead electrode is enveloped in a common glass mat separator known in the lead-acid battery industry. The carbon electrode comprises a highly conductive current collector which is a sheet or other metal material sandwiched between two sheets of electronically conductive shield material. Activated carbon is manufactured using a binder such as polyethylene or PTFE adhered to and in electrical contact with the shield material of the current collector. |
| US07881041B1 |
Multi-segment capacitor
A multi-segment capacitor fabricated on a semiconductor substrate includes M×N capacitor segments arranged in a matrix of M rows and N columns. Each capacitor segment includes two groups of conductive fingers preferably made of metal wires. The metal wire fingers are distributed within multiple metal layers in such a manner that two neighboring parallel metal wire fingers within a particular metal layer are electrically insulated and connected to different terminals of the capacitor. Further, at least the longitudinal axes of the parallel metal wire fingers within two different metal layers are not parallel to each other within the same capacitor segment. |
| US07881040B2 |
Feedthrough capacitor mounted structure
A feedthrough capacitor having a pair of first terminal electrodes and a second terminal electrode is mounted on a mounting surface of a substrate. The substrate is an insulating substrate internally having first and second conductor portions isolated from each other, and has a plurality of first via holes, a plurality of second via holes, a plurality of first land electrodes, and a second land electrode. The first via holes and the second via holes, when viewed from the mounting surface side, are arranged in a matrix pattern and alternately arranged in a row direction and in a column direction. The feedthrough capacitor, when viewed from the mounting surface side, is located between a pair of said first via holes adjacent to each other in a direction intersecting with the row direction and also adjacent to each other in a direction intersecting with the column direction. The pair of first terminal electrodes are connected to the respective first land electrodes corresponding to the pair of adjacent first via holes. The second terminal electrode is connected to the second land electrode. |
| US07881039B2 |
Multi-layer ceramic capacitor having improved component capacity and production method thereof
A multi-layer ceramic capacitor comprises dielectric sheets including a first external electrode, a first internal electrode joined to the first external electrode via an interposed dielectric portion, a second external electrode joined to the first internal electrode, and a second internal electrode joined to the first internal electrode. A method of producing a multi-layer ceramic capacitor comprises forming dielectric sheets including a first internal electrode having protrusions and joined to the first external electrode, a second external electrode joined to the first internal electrode, and a second internal electrode joined to the first internal electrode with dielectrics are printed on a cross section of the dielectric sheet, stacking the dielectric sheets to be symmetrical, so that the first external electrodes and the second external electrodes are connected and the protrusions of the first internal electrodes and the second internal electrodes are connected, and compressing, cutting the dielectric sheets, and sintering the cut dielectric sheets. |
| US07881038B2 |
Variable capacitor, variable capacitor apparatus, high frequency circuit filter, and high frequency circuit
A variable capacitor including a first electrode part, which is provided at a fixed part that includes a substrate, and a movable part, which has a second electrode part forming the capacity of said variable capacitor between itself and the first electrode part, and the movable part is displaced in response to a first drive signal to selectively go into an opposing status, in which the second electrode part opposes the first electrode part, and a non-opposing status, in which the second electrode part essentially does not oppose the first electrode part. This variable capacitor is able to obtain at least a two-value capacity in which the mutual ratio is large without specially requiring another capacitor or a switch, and it is able to obtain the desired capacity variation range by combining a plurality of capacitors. |
| US07881036B2 |
Electrode sheet for electrostatic chuck, and electrostatic chuck
An electrostatic chuck electrode sheet which allows the difference in capacitance between electrodes due to the presence or absence of a substrate to be increased to a level which can be accurately detected using a known substrate detection device, and allows an electrostatic chuck to exhibit an excellent attraction force, and an electrostatic chuck using the electrode sheet, are disclosed. The electrode sheet has a layered structure in which a first insulating layer, a first electrode layer, an inter-electrode insulating layer, a second electrode layer, and a second insulating layer are stacked and attracts a substrate on the first insulating layer, the first electrode layer having a plurality of openings in a specific planar area, and the second electrode layer having opening equivalent portions provided at positions at which the openings in the first electrode layer are projected onto the second electrode layer in a depth direction of the electrode sheet and having almost the same area as the projected openings, and connection portions that connect the opening equivalent portions. The electrostatic chuck is formed using the electrode sheet. |
| US07881035B2 |
High-pressure fuel pump drive circuit for engine
There is provided a high-pressure fuel pump drive circuit for manipulating the electric current to be passed to a solenoid coil for controlling a high-pressure pump. This circuit is characterized in that a first switching element, the solenoid coil and a second switching element are connected in series with each other in a rout from a source voltage side to the ground side, that a flywheel diode for passing electric current to a power source is disposed parallel with the solenoid and with the first switching element, and that a Zener diode connected with the power source is disposed parallel with the second switching element, wherein a counter electromotive force to be developed at the opposite ends of solenoid coil on the occasion when the second switching element is changed from ON to OFF is consumed by the flywheel diode provided that the first switching element is in a state of ON, and the counter electromotive force is more rapidly consumed by the Zener diode provided that the first switching element is turned OFF. |
| US07881032B2 |
Method and apparatus providing final test and trimming for a power supply controller
A power supply controller having final test and trim circuitry. In one embodiment, a power supply controller for switched mode power supply includes a selector circuit, a trim circuit, a shutdown circuit and a disable circuit. The trim circuit includes a programmable circuit connection that can be selected by the selector circuit by toggling a voltage on an external terminal such as for example a power supply terminal, a control terminal or a function terminal of the power supply controller. The programmable circuit connection in the trim circuit can be programmed by applying a programming voltage to the external terminal. The shutdown circuit shuts down the power supply controller if the temperature rises above an over temperature threshold voltage. The shutdown circuit includes adjustment circuitry that can be used to test the shutdown circuit. The adjustment circuitry can adjust and reduce the over temperature threshold of the power supply controller. Thus, the power supply controller can be tested without having to actually heat the part. The disable circuit includes a programmable circuit connection, which when programmed prevents further trimming of power supply controller and prevents adjustment of the shutdown circuit over temperature threshold. |
| US07881028B2 |
E-fuse used to disable a triggering network
A device and/or circuit having an e-fuse is provided to disable a triggering network, and more specifically, an e-fuse is used to disable an electrostatic discharge (ESD) RC triggering network after device installation. The device and/or circuit includes a triggering network electrically coupled to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device. An e-fuse is electrically coupled with the triggering network and configured to render the ESD protection device insensitive to a triggering signal after blowing the e-fuse. |
| US07881023B2 |
Magnetoresistive device of the CPP type, and magnetic disk system
The invention provides a magnetoresistive device with the CPP (current perpendicular to plane) structure, comprising a magnetoresistive unit, and a first shield layer and a second shield layer located and formed such that the magnetoresistive unit is sandwiched between them, with a sense current applied in a stacking direction, wherein the magnetoresistive unit comprises a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked and formed such that the nonmagnetic intermediate layer is interposed between them, wherein the first shield layer, and the second shield layer is controlled by magnetization direction control means in terms of magnetization direction, and the first ferromagnetic layer, and the second ferromagnetic layer receives action such that there is an antiparallel magnetization state created, in which mutual magnetizations are in opposite directions, under the influences of magnetic actions of the first shield layer and the second shield layer. |
| US07881022B2 |
Magnetic head and method for fabricating the same
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a sensor to produce high output with a small track width. Particular embodiments include forming a magnetoresistive sensor of a read head to be substantially vertical in its upper portion and gently upwardly convexly curved in its lower portion. |
| US07881020B2 |
Extraordinary magnetoresistive (EMR) device with novel lead structure
An extraordinary magnetoresistive sensor (EMR sensor) having reduced size and increased resolution is described. The sensor includes a plurality of electrically conductive leads contacting a magnetically active layer and also includes an electrically conductive shunt structure. The electrically conductive leads of the sensor and the shunt structure can be formed in a common photolithographic masking and etching process so that they are self aligned with one another. This avoids the need to align multiple photolithographic processing steps, thereby allowing greatly increased resolution and reduced lead spacing. The EMR sensor can be formed with a magnetically active layer that can be close to or at the air bearing surface (ABS) for improved magnetic spacing with an adjacent magnetic medium of a data recording system. |
| US07881012B2 |
Magnetic head and magnetic disk storage apparatus mounting the head
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a magnetic head in which broadening of the write-field distribution in the track-width direction can be decreased without reducing the write-field intensity. A main pole includes a pole tip having a part which provides the write track-width and a yoke part recessed from the air bearing surface in the element height direction, the pole tip including at least two magnetic films having different track-width directions, and the throat height at the trailing side being made smaller than the throat height at the leading side. |
| US07881011B2 |
Perpendicular pole structure and method of fabricating the same
A magnetic structure, such as a pole tip, and method for forming the same includes forming a pole tip layer of magnetic material. A layer of polyimide precursor material is added above the pole tip layer and cured. A silicon-containing resist layer is added above the layer of polyimide precursor material and patterned. The resist layer is exposed to oxygen plasma for converting the resist into a glass-like material. Exposed portions of the cured polyimide precursor material are removed for exposing portions of the pole tip layer. The exposed portions of the pole tip layer are removed for forming a pole tip. Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) can then be performed to remove any unwanted material remaining above the pole tip. |
| US07881008B2 |
Joint specification of servo format and servo reader parameters for tape drive systems
A servo pattern, including stripes arranged in servo bursts for use in position error signal (PES) generation, is provided in which a stripe width is narrower than 1.7 μm and in which the stripes are oriented at an azimuth angle which in absolute value is equal to or larger than 6 degrees. |
| US07881001B1 |
Method and system for canceling feedback current in an amplifier system
A method for providing feedback current cancellation comprises providing an amplifier with an input, an output, and at least one stage, feeding back a first current based on the output of the amplifier to the input of the amplifier, and substantially cancelling the first current by supplying a second current to the input of the amplifier. |
| US07881000B2 |
Method of setting up a pre-amplifier for hard disk drive and hard disk drive incorporating the same
A method of setting up a pre-amplifier for a hard disk drive and a hard disk drive incorporating the method. A serial interfacing mode of the pre-amplifier is checked by writing and reading data to/from the pre-amplifier. A chip ID of the pre-amplifier is checked and a vendor of the pre-amplifier is identified using the chip ID. Default values of the pre-amplifier stored in a ROM and adaptive codes of the pre-amplifier are automatically downloaded to a register of a hard-disk controller, simplifying the pre-amplifier installation and reducing errors which may occur during manual installation of the pre-amplifier. |
| US07880999B2 |
Magnetic storage system with read during write
A magnetic storage system includes a magnetic storage medium and a transducer positioned adjacent the magnetic storage medium. The transducer has a reader positioned adjacent writer and a reader bias coil located on the transducer. Transducer circuitry is configured to apply a bias signal to the reader bias coil during a read-write operation. The reader bias coil generates a reader bias field proximate the reader. |
| US07880998B2 |
Multiple writing process for magnetic bit-patterned media
Two pass writing system and method for patterned media. In a first step, a write head of a hard disk drive writes with a strong write field. In a second step, a write head of the hard disk drive writes with a weak field. In this manner, magnetic islands of patterned media are written in the first step. In the second step, only those magnetic islands with a low switching field are written. |
| US07880995B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for thermally assisted recording systems
A method according to one embodiment comprises using a heating device, inducing localized heating on a magnetic medium during a recording operation; detecting a temperature in a vicinity of the heating device; detecting a current of the heating device; and performing an action if a function of at least one of the temperature and the current is outside an acceptable operation zone. A method according to another embodiment comprises selecting an initial current of a heating device for inducing localized heating on a magnetic medium during recording operations; initiating the heating device; performing recording operations; monitoring a temperature in a vicinity of the heating device during the recording operations; and if a function of the temperature and the current is outside an acceptable operation zone, changing an operating parameter such that the function of the temperature and the current is in the acceptable operation zone. |
| US07880993B2 |
Storage device, defect detection method and program for detecting defect in recording medium
The present invention provides a technique for detecting a defect in a tape medium within a relatively short or narrow range. A tape defect detection device includes: a read unit for reading data from a tape medium; an error correction unit for performing error corrections for the data read by the read unit; a correction number counting unit for counting the number of the error corrections, made by the error correction unit, for each of multiple divided areas of the tape medium; a temporary storage unit for temporarily storing, for each of the areas, the number of the error corrections counted by the correction number counting unit; and a detection unit for detecting a defect in the tape medium, on the basis of a distribution of divided areas each having a larger number of error corrections than other divided areas on the tape medium. |
| US07880990B2 |
Patterned-media magnetic recording disk with cryptographically scrambled patterns and disk drive operable with the disk
Patterned-media magnetic recording disks are made from a master template that has nondata regions that contain a pattern of one or more discrete nondata islands and discrete gaps, with the pattern representing a scrambled number. All disks made from the master template, or from replica molds made from the master, will have the same patterns. When the disks are DC-magnetized so that all the nondata islands are magnetized in the same direction, these patterns will include one or more of discrete magnetized nondata islands and discrete nonmagnetic gaps that are scrambled in a pseudo-random manner. During operation of the disk drive the patterns are detected by the read head and interpreted within the disk drive using knowledge of the pseudo-random scrambling function, so that reading and writing of data can occur in the conventional manner. If the disks are copied in an attempt to replicate the master template, the resulting disks will be inoperable in a disk drive because of the scrambling. |
| US07880987B2 |
Media servowriter/certifier
Certifying a storage media while servowriting the media by formatting a full compliment of servo data in storage tracks of the media in a minimum number of passes per storage track while simultaneously performing a 100% media certification of the storage tracks during the minimum number of passes per storage track. |
| US07880985B2 |
Lens barrel
A lens barrel includes a first member which has a first sliding-contact surface and an opening formed in the first sliding-contact surface; a second member which has a second sliding-contact surface and moves relative to the first member, the second sliding-contact surface being placed in sliding contact with the first sliding-contact surface; a photodetector provided in the opening of the first member, facing the second sliding-contact surface, to detect relative movement between the first member and the second member; and a lubricant sump portion which, being provided in the first member, has a lubricant sump space on opposite sides of the opening interposing the opening therebetween in a direction of the relative movement. |
| US07880975B2 |
Zoom lens and imaging device having same
A zoom lens includes a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, a third lens group having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power or a negative refractive power. The lens groups are arranged in order from the object side toward the image side. The focal lengths of the system at a wide angle end and a telephoto end, the focal lengths of the first and second lens groups, the distance between the position of the first lens group, the position being closest to the object side upon zooming, and the position of the first lens group at the wide angle end, and the difference between the largest distance between the first and second lens groups upon zooming and the distance between the first and second lens groups at the wide angle end are determined. |
| US07880973B2 |
Projection lens and projection display device using the same
Disclosed are a projection lens that is faster than F1.95 and has a simple inner focus structure, a high optical performance, and a small size, and a projection display device.A projection lens includes a first lens group having a negative refractive power, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, and a third lens group having a positive refractive power arranged in this order from a magnification side. A fifth lens arranged closest to a reduction side in the first lens group is moved along an optical axis to adjust focus. The projection lens satisfies the following conditional expression: 0.2 |
| US07880961B1 |
Optical amplifier exhibiting net phase-mismatch selected to at least partially reduce gain-induced phase-matching during operation and method of operation
An optical amplifier, such as an optical waveguide amplifier (e.g., an optical fiber amplifier or a planar waveguide) or a non-guiding optical amplifier, that exhibits a net phase-mismatch selected to at least partially reduce gain-induced phase-matching during operation thereof is disclosed. In one aspect of the invention, an optical amplifier structure includes at least one optical amplifier having a length and a gain region. The at least one optical amplifier exhibits a net phase-mismatch that varies along at least part of the length thereof selected to at least partially reduce gain-induced phase-matching during operation thereof. |
| US07880957B2 |
Electronically controlled stage lighting system
A lighting system operating using a digital mirror as its operative device. The digital mirror is used to shape the light which is a passed through advanced optical devices in order to produce an output. |
| US07880955B2 |
Electrophoretic dispersion solution, image display medium using the same, and image display device using the same
An electrophoretic dispersion solution includes a nonpolar solvent and plural kinds of electrophoretic particles. At least one kind of the electrophoretic particles has, on surfaces, a copolymer including a first monomer that has a charged group and a second monomer expressed by a first formula represented as R denotes a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R′ denotes a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with a carbon number of 1 through 4, n is a natural number, and x denotes an integer of 1 through 3. At least another kind of the electrophoretic particles include, on surfaces, a polymer including a third monomer expressed by a second formula represented as a component of the polymer. R denotes a hydrogen atom or a methyl group and R″″ denotes an alkyl group with a carbon number of 4 or larger. |
| US07880953B2 |
Special optical modulation array device and a method of fabricating the same
A spatial optical modulation array device includes regularly packed micro optical-electrical-mechanical pixels in a planner configuration on a semiconductor substrate, each pixel electrically actuated independently and thus operated optically in the binary modes, reflection and diffraction to incident illumination. Subject to the electrostatic contraction or compulsion driven by a pixel circuitry, the top metal reflector is placed accurately at the minimum or maximum spacing from the static bottom metal reflector in an odd or even integral multiple of a quarter wavelength within visual light spectrum, so that diffraction or reflection in destructive or constructive interference is achieved respectively and thus incident illumination modulated independently in closely binary modes at each micro optical-electrical-mechanical pixel. |
| US07880950B2 |
Display element
This invention provides a display element having a reduced white color tone variation during repeated drive. This display element contains an electrolyte between opposed electrodes. The electrolyte contains silver or a compound containing silver in its chemical structure. The opposed electrodes are driven so that silver is dissolved and precipitated. The display element is characterized in that the electrolyte contains a compound represented by general formula (A) and a compound represented by general formula (1) or (2). |
| US07880949B1 |
Display device and electro-optical apparatus using same
A display device includes a number of sub-pixels. A main region and a sub region are defined in each sub-pixel, and correspond to a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode respectively. The first and the second pixel electrodes are separated from each other and thereby forming a gap between the first and the second pixel electrodes substantially perpendicular to the gate lines. Each sub-pixel includes a coupling electrode, a first switching transistor, a second switching transistor and a sharing transistor. The coupling electrode is capacitively coupled with the first pixel electrode. The first switching transistor and the second switching transistor are electrically connected to a gate line, a data line, and respectively connected to the first and the second pixel electrodes. The sharing transistor is electrically connected to another gate line, the coupling electrode and the second pixel electrode. |
| US07880945B2 |
Hologram projection screen and its manufacturing method and system as well as its applications
A method for manufacturing a hologram projection screen includes the steps of: 1) recording hologram lens information on a photoresist plate; 2) metalizing the photoresist plate that has been exposed, to produce a master nickel plate of a hologram lens array through electroforming and joining; and 3) using the master nickel plate to emboss thermoplastic material, to obtain a screen body, on which the information of the hologram lens array is arranged. The hologram projection screen manufactured by this method can provide a variety of display contents. |
| US07880941B2 |
Image forming device, and calibration method and computer readable medium therefor
An image forming device, which is capable of double-side printing to form an image on each of first and second sides of a recording medium, includes a calibration unit configured to perform calibration for modifying quality of the image to be formed, a first judging unit configured to judge, for each page to be printed, whether the calibration is to be performed, a second judging unit configured to judge whether a page to be printed is one of a first side in one-side printing and a first side in the double-side printing, and a control unit configured to control the calibration unit to perform the calibration when the first judging unit judges that the calibration is to be performed, and the second judging unit judges that the page to be printed is one of the first side in the one-side printing and the first side in the double-side printing. |
| US07880939B2 |
Film holder and flatbed type image scanner
A film holder is adapted to be placed on a manuscript table of a flatbed type image scanner. The film holder includes: a main body, adapted to hold a film on the manuscript table; and a spacer, configured for changing a distance between the film and the manuscript table, and removably attached to the main body by a snap fit. |
| US07880936B2 |
Dynamic image digest automatic editing system and dynamic image digest automatic editing method
An image processing section 10 calculates degree of similarity among a plurality of image frames of dynamic image data, determines scene-change frames based on the calculated degree of similarity, and performs automatic editing and preparation of a digest dynamic image of the dynamic image data by merging a specified duration of frames, giving priority to scenes whose scene-change frame has a low degree of similarity to an immediately preceding frame or some preceding frames, or by merging, from scenes delimited by a scene change, a specified duration of frames having a degree of similarity in keeping with the user's indication of whether or not a “little change digest” or a “much change digest” is to be prepared. |
| US07880935B2 |
Stored information processing device for external storages, and stored information processing method
A stored information processing device for external storages, comprises a plurality of connecting portions for connecting a plurality of external storages in a detachable manner, a stored information reading portion capable of reading stored information of the external storage connected to the connecting portion, a display portion capable of displaying the stored information of the external storage read by the stored information reading portion, a detection portion for detecting a connection and/or disconnection of the external storage with respect to any one of the connecting portions of the external storage, a discrimination portion for discriminating whether, when a connection and/or disconnection of the first external storage with respect to any one of the connecting portions, a second external storage is connected to the other connecting portion, and a controller for determining whether the stored information of the first and/or second external storage is displayed on the display portion depending on a discrimination result. |
| US07880934B2 |
Methods and apparatus for watermarking digitally printed documents
A form of stochastic random distribution is used to print an invisible watermark using a typical, e.g., 600 dpi, printer. The watermark contains such information as “Do Not Copy,” or other such information. Although the watermark is not visible on a first generation version of a document that is printed, various techniques are used to print the watermark in such a way that it becomes readily apparent when the first generation document is photocopied. The preferred embodiment of the invention is concerned with a technique for improving such techniques, for example so that gray levels are improved to address variations from printer to printer. Another preferred embodiment of the invention is also concerned with a technique for performing error diffusion watermarking without the need for performing a calibration step. |
| US07880933B2 |
Image reading apparatus, image forming apparatus, control method, and program that accounts for time intervals from one document to another document
An image reading apparatus is provided which allows a reading device fixed at a reading position to read images from a document while transporting the document. The apparatus includes a correcting unit adapted to perform correction processing associated with image reading performed by the reading device; a calculating unit adapted to calculate a time interval from one document to the next document that are being transported; a scheduling unit adapted to divide the correction processing into a plurality of steps and schedule the execution of the steps on the basis of the calculated time interval; and an executing unit adapted to sequentially execute the steps scheduled by the scheduling unit every time a document passes through the reading position. |
| US07880932B2 |
Halftone dot formation method and apparatus for reducing layer thickness of coloring material inside halftone dots, and image formation apparatus
An image processing method generates a halftone-dot image by forming a halftone dot, which is represented by a set of one or plural output dots and corresponds to an intensity of an input image signal, while making a part of the dots constituting the halftone dot to be an actual non-output dot so as to reduce an amount of a coloring material of the halftone-dot portion. When the intensity of the image signal exceeds a predetermined value and is in a predetermined range, while maintaining contour dots, which are output dots contribute to formation of a contour of the halftone dot, to be the output dot, the image processing method makes a part of dots inside the contour dots to be the actual non-output dot. |
| US07880922B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image processing apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus includes a first toner image forming section that forms a visible toner image, a second toner image forming section that forms an invisible toner image, in which a resolution of the invisible toner image is lower than a resolution of the visible toner image, and a transfer section that transfers to a medium the visible toner image and the invisible toner image. |
| US07880921B2 |
Method and apparatus to digitally whiteout mistakes on a printed form
A method enables users to make corrections to printed forms using a computer arrangement. The printed form is scanned and displayed to the user on a display of the computer arrangement. The user selects one or more regions of the printed form to be corrected. The selected regions are digitally whited out to create a corrected image that can be output to a printer. |
| US07880918B2 |
System and method for generating unified image output
A system and related techniques generate a unified representation of graphical representations, such as documents, graphic images or others, for displaying on a display screen, printing on a printer, faxing via a facsimile machine or outputting in other ways. In embodiments a media integration layer, which may reside in the operating system level, may generate renderings from graphics primitives, and send that rendering via a mediation engine to a device driver, for instance a print engine located in a printer. The device engine may return a preview of the output representation to the media integration layer for adjustments or to accept and print the output, all without a necessity for or reliance upon a device-specific driver in the operating system. Since both the display screen and the output device operate off of the same base representation, neither the display nor output device needs to attempt to emulate the output characteristics of the other, and screen-to-print uniformity may be enhanced. |
| US07880917B2 |
Image forming apparatus and print system
When a jam occurs, a CPU stops reading of compression data, receives again all of the read-out compression data of a page to which the reading-stopped compression data belongs, and stores it into each of corresponding storing areas in a reception buffer again. A time necessary for communication between a host and a printer at the time of jam recovery can be shortened. |
| US07880915B2 |
Communication apparatus including document data storing function and web service function
A communication apparatus having a document data storing function for storing received document data and a Web service function for displaying the received document data to an external apparatus via a network is disclosed. The communication apparatus includes a document data sending part for sending the received document data displayed by the Web service function in accordance with a sending request from the external apparatus. When the sending request is made by the external apparatus, the external apparatus can designate sender data indicative of the sender of the received document data. |
| US07880910B2 |
Image sensing apparatus, printing system, and print control method
When image data is transmitted from a digital camera (DSC) to a PD printer apparatus and printed, the PD printer apparatus transmits its Capability to the DSC. The DSC restricts the setting items of a UI screen displayed on the display to functions of the PD printer apparatus in accordance with Capability, and displays the items. |
| US07880909B2 |
Extensible framework for parsing varying formats of print stream data
A method of parsing print stream data including the steps of intercepting a data file from at least a portion of the print stream data, reading at least a portion of the data file and determining if said data file is of a format having subset formats. |
| US07880906B2 |
Image forming system capable of adding an image for restraining copying to printed matter
A folder created in a print data storing region for storing print data received from an external device is checked. When it is judged that there is print data, a print job is created by adding a restraining image corresponding to the folder to the print data. The created print job is transmitted to a multi-function printer, and an image with the added restraining image is formed on paper. It is thus possible to add an image for restraining copying. |
| US07880905B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method and program
An image processing apparatus (110), which is equipped with multiple image processing functions, processes an input image using an image processing function set at the time of image input. An image processing apparatus (100) registers setup information relating to processes of respective ones of the multiple image processing functions to be applied to an image of interest, encodes the setup information and generates an identification indicator. The image of interest and the identification indicator are formed on the same print medium and output. The image processing apparatus (110) reads the print medium, extracts the image of interest and the identification indicator, analyzes the identification indicator to thereby acquire the setup information, and uses the setup information to process the image of interest by the image processing function set in the image processing apparatus (110) when the print medium was read. |
| US07880904B2 |
Image and stacking orientation compensating method and apparatus for media having marginal regions with different thicknesses
In accordance with one aspect of the present exemplary embodiment, a printing system comprises a media feeder that receives and stores asymmetrically thick media from an outside source and outputs such media to the printing system via a feed mechanism. A conveyer system transports the asymmetrically thick media from the media feeder utilizing at least one linear belt wherein a sensor is employed to determine the presence of the asymmetrically thick piece of stock. A controller coupled to the conveyer determines the location and orientation of an image on a piece of the asymmetrically thick stock. An imaging system receives the asymmetrically thick media from the conveyer system and places an image on the media in the proper location and orientation based at least in part on information from the controller. |
| US07880903B2 |
Image forming device having division and color management functions
An image forming device including a printer having a plurality of operation modes sets beforehand the number of pages printed by the printer to be counted in a division counter or a division undefined counter for each operation mode of the printer. The image forming device counts, in the division counter corresponding to the division to which the user belongs who has requested the printing, the number of the pages printed in the operation mode in which the number of the pages is set to be counted in the division counter, and counts, in the division undefined counter, the number of the pages printed in the operation mode in which the number of the pages is set to be counted in the division undefined counter. |
| US07880902B2 |
Contactless optical probe and device and method making use thereof
The probe comprises a light source (20), means for shaping (24, 25, 21) the beam emitted by said light source and the beam coming from a surface arranged close to a target distance, an optical detector unit (22), comprising a pinhole diaphragm (26) and a photoelectric detector (28), providing a voltage peak (31) when said surface is at said target distance and further comprising a diaphragm (27) with a hole larger than said pinhole and a photoelectric detector (29), providing a voltage greater than that produced by said detection sensor (28), except when said surface is a the target distance. The method uses the probe to measure the thickness of an optical lens. |
| US07880901B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and method for calibrating the same
A method for calibrating an encoder in a lithographic apparatus, the encoder including a sensor and a grating, the encoder configured to measure a position of a moveable support of the lithographic apparatus, the method including measuring a position of the moveable support using an interferometer; and calibrating the encoder based on the position of the moveable support measured by the interferometer. |
| US07880896B2 |
Interferometer using vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers
An interferometer which incorporates a single mode VCSEL to facilitate miniaturization through integration of parts. The interferometer includes a beam splitter for partially reflecting and transmitting light; a single mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser for generating a beam of light perpendicular to a wafer; a first mirror fixedly perpendicular to the first path to reflect the portion of light reflected from the beam splitter; a second mirror movably arranged along the second path to reflect the beam portion transmitted through the beam splitter. A photodetector arranged along the second path detects the beam portion reflected from the first mirror and transmitted again through the beam splitter and the beam portion reflected from the second mirror and reflected again from the beam splitter to locate the second mirror based on an interference fringe created by a difference in the paths between the two beam portions. |
| US07880893B2 |
Sensor apparatus and method using optical interferometry
A sensor apparatus and method includes a sensor head with at least two surfaces separated by a gap. One surface is mechanically fixed, a second surface is free to move and deflections of the second surface relative to the first surface are monitored by optical interferometry. In one embodiment, an optical fiber is used to direct light from a light source to the sensor and collect light reflected by the sensor. In alternate embodiments the sensor apparatus includes integrated optical elements, free-space optics, and direct laser-diode sensing. In operation, interaction of molecules or other objects in the sample with the second surface is detected as a change in amplitude and/or phase of deflection the second surface in response to an applied driving signal. A layer of binding molecules may be immobilized on the second surface and this surface exposed to a sample. The invention includes a method for detecting an analyte in a sample, including detecting the presence of analyte, the amount of analyte or the rate of association and/or dissociation of the analyte with a binding partner. |
| US07880889B2 |
Angularly resolved scatterometer and inspection method
An inspection method is provided to determine a value related to a parameter of a target pattern printed on a substrate by a lithographic process used to manufacture a device layer on a substrate. The inspection method can include using an optical system with a high-NA objective lens, where the high-NA objective lens includes an object plane and a pupil plane. The inspection method can also include providing an aperture member to define at least one obscuration, determining a radial distance between a radially innermost point of each dark area and a nominal center of an image in a pupil plane, and determining an axial distance between the target and an object plane from the determined radial distance. |
| US07880887B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring the concentration of gases in a sterilization chamber
Accurate measurements of the concentration of a sterilant in a sterilization chamber are provided through the use of a light source, a first detector that receives light from the light source that has not passed through the sterilization chamber and a detector that receives light from the light source that has passed through the sterilization chamber. The light contains wavelengths known to be absorbed by the sterilant. A controller receives and processes signals received from the two detectors to cancel changes in the output of the light source and then apply a modified Beer-Lambert law to determine the concentration of the sterilant gas. |
| US07880886B2 |
Gas sensor
A gas sensor for measuring at least one gas concentration, in particular for a vehicle climate control system, having a substrate, an IR radiation source fastened on the substrate, an IR detector fastened on the substrate, a measurement chamber for receiving a gas having the gas concentration that is to be measured, a shielding device situated in the measurement chamber between the IR radiation source and the IR detector, for shielding a direct transmission of IR radiation from the IR radiation source to the IR detector along an optical axis, and a reflective surface that has a concavely curved first mirrored area for receiving the IR radiation emitted by the IR radiation source, and that has a concavely curved second mirrored area that reflects the IR radiation to the IR detector, the measurement chamber being formed between the reflective surface and the substrate. |
| US07880883B2 |
Fluid flow computation, visualization, and analysis
This document discusses, among other things, systems, devices and methods for fluid flow analysis for example, in an education environment. The light source, for example, a laser, is housed to illuminate particles in a fluid while minimizing exposure to the user. A control unit is provided that is remote from the fluid flow device. The fluid flow device further includes a removable fluid obstacle such that different fluid flow effects can be obtained. A computational unit is provided to perform computational fluid flow dynamics analysis on fluid flow models. The computed data can then be compared to the test data from the fluid flow analysis device. |
| US07880882B2 |
Multi-wavelength light source for spectroscopy
The invention discloses a system for optical spectroscopy comprising a multi-wavelength semiconductor light source comprising a plurality of semiconductor light sources disposed on a silicon sub-carrier and emitting a plurality of radiation components spanning a wavelength range. The radiation components are coupled to a waveguide array disposed on the same silicon subcarrier. Output from the waveguide array provides a compact multi-wavelength laser source with wide tuning range via a plurality of laser sources. The system further comprises means for directing radiation components to a sample, and an optical detector configured to detect one of a radiation reflected from and transmitted through said sample. The system can be used in a variety of applications including the analysis of in-vivo human tissue, agricultural samples, and pharmaceutical samples. Typical wavelength ranges are 650-1000 nm, 700-1700 nm, and 1100-2500 nm. |
| US07880877B2 |
System and method for detecting laser irradiated embedded material in a structure
A detection system is used during irradiation of an interaction region of a structure with laser light. The structure includes embedded material. The detection system includes means for receiving light emitted from the interaction region. The detection system further includes means for separating the received light into a spectrum of wavelengths. The detection system further includes means for analyzing at least a portion of the spectrum for indications of embedded material within the interaction region. |
| US07880875B2 |
Apparatus and method for inspecting circuit structures
An apparatus is described for scanning a circuit structure. The apparatus has a linear sensor (16) for detecting light intensity as a function of position along the sensor. A transport mechanism (12) moves a circuit structure (10), such as a PCB or a wafer relative to the sensor. The circuit structure is illuminated with an illumination system (14) that comprises a hollow cylinder (144) with a mainly diffusively and/or specularly reflecting inner wall surface. The cylinder is arranged in parallel with the sensor and has a first slit (40) and a second slit (42) located so that a virtual plane runs through the sensor, the first and second slit to a location for the circuit structure under inspection. The illumination system furthermore comprises a linear light source (146) in the cylinder or the inner wall of the cylinder. In an embodiment the illumination system comprises a splitting mirror (22) in the cylinder to reflect light to the circuit structure. |
| US07880874B2 |
Surface particle counter
A surface particle-counting device where the scanner element and the particle counting element have been combined so to reduce the number of lost particles and increase the overall efficiency of the particle-counting device. By removing the conventional tube that connects the scanner element and the particle counting element accuracy is increased. |
| US07880871B2 |
Recording sheet moving device, image forming device, and recording sheet moving method
A recording sheet moving device includes: a moving unit that moves a recording sheet; a recording sheet specifying unit that specifies a length in the transport direction and a weight per unit area of the recording sheet; a first memory configured to record, for each of plural recording sheets, a threshold for a length in the transport direction in association with a weight per unit area; and a movement control unit that retrieves a threshold for a length on the basis of the specified weight per unit area from the first memory, and compares the retrieved threshold for a length and the specified length, to determine whether to cause the moving unit to move the recording sheet, and if it is determined that the recording sheet should be moved, causes the moving unit to move the recording sheet. |
| US07880869B2 |
Calibration apparatus and method for optical system assembly
A calibration apparatus and method for optical system assembly is provided, applicable to a finite conjugate optical system to determine the optimal image-forming positions of the light source and the focus object lens of the finite conjugate optical system. The apparatus includes an external light source, a low magnification image-forming optical system, an electrical control system and a monitor. When the parallel beam generated by the external light source is parallel to the optical axis of the finite conjugate optical system, the low magnification image-forming optical system is used to magnify the two focal spots formed by the external light source and the internal light source of the finite conjugate optical system to be calibrated. Finally, by adjusting the related position of the focus object lens or the internal light source of the finite conjugate optical system, the optimal relative positions between the light source and the focus object lens of the finite conjugate optical system can be found. The calibration apparatus of the present invention has the advantages of simple structure, easy assemble and setup, high precision assembly and low cost, as well as the capability to perform optimal calibration of the relative position of the focus object lens and the light source of each individual finite conjugate optical system. |
| US07880868B2 |
Optical time domain reflectometer
An improvement is added to an optical time domain reflectometer for emitting pulsed light of invisible light to a measured optical fiber, receiving return light of the pulsed light by a light detection section, measuring the measured optical fiber, and emitting visible light for visible inspection of a fault point of the measured optical fiber to the measured optical fiber. The optical time domain reflectometer includes an incidence-emission port for emitting the invisible light and the visible light to the measured optical fiber and an output judgment section for judging that a communication light exists in the measured optical fiber based on the light power of the light detection section receiving light incident through the incidence-emission port in a state in which the pulsed light of the invisible light is not emitted. |
| US07880865B2 |
Laser radar apparatus for three-dimensional detection of objects
In a laser radar apparatus, a laser beam generator that generates a laser beam and an optical detector that detects reflected light that has been reflected by an object in a field to be observed. A deflection performing means, provided with one or more deflection means each rotatable on a given central axis thereof, for enabling the deflection means to deflect the laser beam to the field and to deflect the reflected light toward the optical detector. A drive means driven to rotate the deflection means. A direction changing means changes a direction of the laser beam from the deflection means is changed in a direction of the central axis. A control means controls an operation of the direction changing means. |
| US07880864B2 |
Stage apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
This invention relates to a stage apparatus including a first stage, a second stage mounted on the first stage, a first actuator which drives the first stage in a first direction, and a second actuator which drives the second stage such that the second stage moves relative to the first stage. The stage apparatus also includes a first unit including a first movable magnet arranged at an end of the first stage in the first direction, and a first stationary magnet which faces the first movable magnet and generates a repulsive force against the first movable magnet. The stage apparatus also includes a second unit including a second movable magnet arranged at the two ends of the second stage in the first direction, and a second stationary magnet which faces the second movable magnet and generates a repulsive force against the second movable magnet. |
| US07880861B2 |
Synchronizing timing of multiple physically or logically separated system nodes
A method for synchronizing a plurality of series coupled nodes is described. A master trigger is transmitted through the plurality of series coupled local nodes in a downstream direction from a first node to a last node and retransmitted through the plurality of series coupled nodes in an upstream direction from the last node to the first node. Then, a local synchronization time is calculated at each of the plurality of series coupled nodes based on a differential measurement between the arrival of the master trigger in the downstream direction and the upstream direction. Operations in the local nodes may be synchronized based on the local synchronization time. |
| US07880859B2 |
Substrate processing system and substrate processing method
A substrate processing system processes a plurality of substrates in a single-substrate processing mode by a plurality of processes and provided with a plurality of modules respectively for carrying out processes. When a defect is found in a substrate, a defective processing unit that caused the defect can be easily found out. The substrate processing system and a substrate processing method to be carried out by the substrate processing system can suppress the reduction of throughput when a large number of substrates are to be processed. The substrate processing system is provided with a plurality of modules for processing a plurality of substrates (W) in a single-substrate processing mode by a plurality of processes and includes a substrate carrying means (A4) for carrying a substrate (W) from a sending module to a receiving module, and a control means (6) for controlling the substrate carrying means (A4) on the basis of one of at least two carrying modes each assigning receiving modules to sending modules. The control means (6) changes the carrying mode in effect for the other carrying mode upon the reception of a carrying mode change command while substrates are being processed and makes the substrate carrying means (A4) carry substrates in the carrying mode newly brought into effect. |
| US07880858B2 |
Liquid crystal lens and lens module having same
A liquid crystal lens includes a first light-pervious plate, second light-pervious plate opposite to the first light-pervious plate, a first electrode layer on the first light-pervious plate, a second electrode layer on the second light-pervious layer, a liquid crystal layer and a driving voltage unit. The first electrode layer includes a plurality of concentric, annular electrodes and is comprised of carbon nanotubes. The liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between the first and second light-pervious plates. The liquid crystal layer includes a plurality of annular regions spatially corresponding to the respective annular electrodes. A density of liquid crystal in the annular regions of the liquid crystal layer is different from each other. The driving voltage unit is configured for providing voltages between each of the annular electrodes and the second electrode layer for creating a gradient distribution of refractive index of the liquid crystal layer in radial directions. |
| US07880854B2 |
Panel and method for manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display panel includes a TFT substrate, a color filter (CF) substrate opposed to the TFT substrate, a sealant disposed between the TFT substrate and the CF substrate and disposed between portions of both the substrates located immediately outside display regions thereof, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the TFT substrate and the CF substrate. The CF substrate is provided with a light-shielding layer at a portion located immediately outside its display region. The light-shielding layer is provided with a slit at a region that coincides with a line on the TFT substrate. |
| US07880852B2 |
Thin film transistor and liquid crystal display having the same
A thin film transistor (TFT) substrate includes: a plurality of gate lines extending in one direction, a plurality of data lines extending in a direction intersecting the gate lines, a pixel electrode formed in a pixel region defined by an intersection of the gate line and the data line, and with one side of the pixel electrode overlapping a portion of one data line and another side of the pixel electrode overlapping a portion of another data line. The TFT further includes a storage electrode line having a storage electrode disposed in a central portion of the pixel region. |
| US07880850B2 |
Liquid crystal display device comprising an electrode having a connection portion with a dielectric member thereon as to contact a pixel electrode of the second substrate, and manufacturing method for the same
A liquid crystal display device is disclosed. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal layer disposed between substrates opposing each other. A pixel of the liquid crystal display is alignment-divided into a plurality of sub-pixels. A dielectric member is provided on a connection portion where the sub-pixels are electrically connected. |
| US07880847B2 |
Liquid crystal display with group of interdigitated electrodes
A high resolution, wide viewing angle, low power consumption liquid crystal display device which utilizes nematic liquid crystal and which can attain both the memory effect and wide-viewing-angle display characteristic. A liquid crystal display device that utilizes nematic liquid crystal and includes a pair of transparent substrates; a group of electrodes for applying to a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pair of substrates an electric field having a component substantially parallel to the surfaces of the substrates; and an alignment layer disposed between the liquid crystal layer and at least one of the pair of substrates and having been subjected to liquid crystal anchoring treatments in plural directions. The plurality of liquid crystal anchoring directions of the alignment layer form substantially equal angles relative to one another, and a rising angle in each of the liquid crystal anchoring directions with respect to the corresponding substrate surface is substantially zero. |
| US07880844B2 |
Display panel manufacturing method, display panel manufacturing apparatus, and display panel
A liquid crystal panel 11 includes a pair of substrates 18, 19, liquid crystal 20 disposed between the substrates 18, 19, and alignment films 30, 36 provided on the opposed surfaces of the substrates 18, 19. After formation of the alignment film 30 or 36 is completed in a manufacturing process, it is checked by an inspection process whether a pinhole H is formed on the alignment film 30, 36, and further the position of the pinhole H is detected. Thereafter, an alignment film repair filler 50 is applied to the pinhole H by a repair process, so that the pinhole H is repaired. |
| US07880841B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel having dielectric compensating layer
An exemplary liquid crystal display (LCD) (1) includes a first substrate (211), a second substrate (221), and a liquid crystal layer (230) sandwiched between the two substrates. The LCD further includes a common electrode layer (212) formed at an inner side of; a dielectric compensating layer (213) formed at an inner side of at an inner side of the common electrode layer; and a plurality of pixel electrodes (224) formed at an inner side of the second substrate. The dielectric compensating layer is configured to compensate changes in the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal layer which occur according to gradation voltages provided to the liquid crystal layer. |
| US07880840B2 |
Method for producing vertical alignment liquid crystal display
The method to produce the vertical alignment type liquid crystal display employs treating an optical film comprising of cellulous ester with an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide to prepare an alkali-treated optical film; immersing a polyvinyl alcohol film in an aqueous solution containing iodine and boric acid; stretching the polyvinyl alcohol film to prepare a polarizing film; adhering the alkali-treated optical film onto both surfaces of the polarizing film to prepare a polarizing plate; and providing the polarizing plate on both surfaces of a vertical alignment type liquid crystal cell to providing the vertical alignment type liquid crystal display. At least one of the optical film has a retardation value (Rt value) in the thickness direction of from 60 to 300 nm, Rt=[(nx+ny)/2−nz]×d. |
| US07880839B2 |
Liquid crystal display
There is provided a liquid crystal display which includes: a liquid crystal cell containing a pair of transparent substrates and a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules, sandwiched between the pair of the transparent substrates; and a polarizing plate, disposed on an outside of each transparent plate, and comprising at least a polarizer and an optical film containing at least first, second and third optical anisotropic layers, wherein the liquid crystal display device satisfies the following conditions (1) to (7). |
| US07880838B2 |
Liquid crystal device, projection apparatus, and electronic apparatus
A projection display includes a light source, a liquid crystal panel encapsulating a vertical alignment mode liquid crystal between a first substrate and a second substrate which are opposite to each other, the liquid crystal panel modulating light emitted from the light source, a longer axis of a molecule of the vertical alignment mode liquid crystal tilted from the normal direction of the first substrate, a projection lens projecting light modulated by the liquid crystal panel, a first polarization plate placed on an optical path from the light source to the liquid crystal panel, a second polarization plate placed on an optical path from the liquid crystal panel to the projection lens, an optical-compensation plate placed between the liquid crystal panel and the second polarization plate, and the optical-compensation plate including a plate-like base and a retardation plate formed on a surface of the plate-like base. |
| US07880834B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
Realizes a structure for a transreflective liquid crystal display device in which one pixel is defined by four or more picture elements, the structure providing a high aperture ratio and being suitable for display for which the transmission mode is prioritized. A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is a transreflective liquid crystal display device, comprising a plurality of picture elements including a first picture element, a second picture element, a third picture element and a fourth picture element for displaying different colors from one another; in which each of the plurality of picture elements includes a transmission area for providing display in a transmission mode and a reflection area for providing display in a reflection mode. Each picture element includes a mesh portion shaped to be meshable with an adjacent picture element; and the reflection area of each picture element is located in the mesh portion. |
| US07880829B2 |
Bezel support for flat panel display
A flat panel display device includes a folded bezel formed in a multi-layer structure. The flat panel display device is formed so that an electronic component of a flexible printed circuit board may be inserted into at least one opening formed at a location where the layers of the bezel correspond to one another. Thus, the electronic component inserted into the opening of the bezel has improved durability against external interference and impact, and the number of components and the number of processes can be reduced. |
| US07880828B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
Disclosed is a liquid crystal display (LCD) device provided with a flexible printed circuit (FPC) on a main support, the FPC integrally formed with a color sensor to detect colors of red, green and blue (RGB). The LCD device comprises: a main support having a concaved groove and a through hole partially formed at the concaved groove, the concaved groove formed at a lower surface of a frame with a prescribed width; a light emitting means provided at one side of the main support, and emitting light; a color sensor FPC composed of a flexible printed circuit (FPC) provided at the concaved groove of the main support, and a color sensor fixed to the FPC and inserted into the through hole of the main support, for detecting a color characteristic of light emitted from the light emitting means; and a liquid crystal (LC) panel provided on the main support, and receiving light. |
| US07880823B2 |
Liquid crystal display having first and second charge-sharing capacitors
A liquid crystal display (LCD) is provided that can improve lateral visibility while preventing a decrease in luminance. The LCD includes first and second gate lines which are arranged in parallel with each other and sequentially transmit a gate voltage; a data line which intersects the first and second gate lines and transmits a data voltage; a pixel electrode which is disposed in a pixel and includes first and second sub-pixel electrodes that are connected to each other through a first charge-sharing capacitor; a first switching device which is connected to the first gate line, the data line and the first sub-pixel electrode; a second switching device which is connected to the first sub-pixel electrode through a second charge-sharing capacitor; and a third switching device which is connected to the second gate line and the second sub-pixel electrode and is also connected to the first sub-pixel electrode through the second charge-sharing capacitor. |
| US07880822B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device
A pixel electrode (33), a gate bus line (31), and a source bus line (32) are formed while interposing an interlayer insulating film (35) therebetween. When viewed from the display surface side of a liquid crystal display panel, the pixel electrode (33), the gate bus line (31) and the source bus line (32) are arranged to overlap at least partially in the plan view. Consequently, in a liquid crystal display to which an OCB mode is applied, a uniform bend orientation can be attained over the entire screen even if transition nuclei are not generated in all pixels. |
| US07880820B2 |
Systems and methods of all-optical fourier phase contrast imaging using dye doped liquid crystals
An assembly for converting a microscope into a phase contrast microscope includes a first optical Fourier element that Fourier transforms light from a coherent light source, a cell in the Fourier plane arranged to receive light from the first optical Fourier element, a second optical Fourier element arranged to receive light from the cell and inversely Fourier transform the received light to provide an image, an image sensor that detects the image and generates an electronic representation of the image, and an adaptor capable of coupling the first and second Fourier elements, the cell, and the image sensor to the microscope such that the first Fourier element Fourier transforms light collected by the microscope objective. The cell includes liquid crystal molecules having a phase transition temperature, wherein at temperatures exceeding the phase transition temperature, light transmitting through the liquid crystal molecules obtains a different phase than light transmitting through the liquid crystal molecules at temperatures below the phase transition temperature. |
| US07880818B2 |
Device and method for correcting kinescope scan distortion
We describe a device and an associated method that includes an EHT signal processing module to generate a compensated gain signal responsive to a first EHT signal. A field fly-back processing module generates a first correcting signal responsive to a first VFB signal. A horizontal scanning correction module generates a predistortion signal responsive to the compensated gain signal. A first digital to analog conversion module converts the predistortion signal into a corresponding analog predistortion signal. A field scanning correction module generates a correcting wave responsive to the compensated gain signal and the first correcting signal. A pulse width modulated module generates a modulated correcting wave by pulse width modulating the correcting wave. A power amplification module generates an amplified modulated correcting wave by amplifying the modulated correcting wave. And a cathode ray tube displays an image responsive to the analog predistortion signal and the amplified modulated correcting wave. |
| US07880817B2 |
Receiver apparatus for outputting digital video and audio signals and receiver system incorporating the receiver apparatus
A receiver apparatus 3 has a digital circuit portion 13 that converts a compressed digital signal outputted from a digital demodulating portion 12 into digital video and audio signals and a video/audio output circuit 14 that converts the digital video and audio signals outputted from the digital circuit portion 13 into analog video and audio signals. With this configuration, a video/audio processing IC for digital signal processing no longer needs to be mounted on the circuit board of a video display apparatus 4, and thus a receiver system can be realized with a video display apparatus having a simple configuration. |
| US07880814B2 |
Visual processing device, display device, and integrated circuit
The invention achieves a visual processing device that can execute precise contrast adjustment on image signals that have been input and that does not cause discrepancies in the output timing of the image signals that are output. The visual processing device is provided with a gain-type visual processing portion that outputs a first gain signal having predetermined gain characteristics with respect to the input image signal, and a correction portion that corrects the input image signal based on the first gain signal. |
| US07880808B2 |
Video signal processing apparatus to generate both progressive and interlace video signals
A video signal processing apparatus includes a main picture processor, an interlace recovering module and a video encoder. The main picture processor produces corresponding main picture signals based on video signals from a memory. The main picture signals are converted to progressive scan signals through a predetermined video signals processing. The interlace recovering module receives the progressive scan signals, retrieves the even portion and the odd portion of the progressive video signals alternately, and generates a set of interlace-scan signals. The video encoder receives both the progressive scan signals and the interlace scan signals and generates a set of progressive video signals and a set of interlace video signals to corresponding video display apparatuses. Thereupon, the video reproduction system can simultaneously provide both the progressive video signals and interlace video signals to the video display apparatuses. |
| US07880807B2 |
Camera system with mirror arrangement for generating self-portrait panoramic pictures
A camera assembly that generates a high-quality self portrait may include a plurality of reflecting surfaces, such as an array of mirrors or a multi-faceted reflecting element. Each reflecting surface may be arranged so as to assist the user align the camera by rotational movement and/or translated movement to achieve a different field of view for the camera assembly for each reflecting surface. In this manner, the user may sequentially use the various reflecting surfaces to capture an image corresponding to each reflecting surface so that each image corresponds to a different portion of a scene. These portions of the scene may have some overlap and may be stitched together to form a panoramic self portrait that includes the user and portions of the scene behind the user. |
| US07880804B2 |
High frequency information detecting device and imaging device
A weighted gain generator sets a high frequency information detecting frame in an imaging screen of an image sensor, after that, sets a reference point in the high frequency information detecting frame, and sets such a weighting that has correspondence to a distance between a position of a targeted pixel in the imaging video signal and the reference point to a gain of the targeted pixel. A gain adjuster makes the gain weighted by the weighted gain generator act on the high frequency component of the imaging video signal. |
| US07880803B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
It is determined whether or not there is inconsistency between image sensing mode data, which is set by an operator with respect to a scene including an object of shooting, and attribute data, e.g., focal length data or the like, that accompanies an obtained image. When it is determined that there is inconsistency between the image sensing mode data and attribute data, a caution is given to the operator that it is necessary to maintain consistency. |
| US07880801B2 |
System and method for assisting fixed-focus image-capturing device to focus
A system for assisting fixed-focus image-capturing device to focus, which includes: an image-capturing device with fixed-focus function; a platform for placing objects; a movable structure connected to the image-capturing device or the platform, for adjusting the distance between the image-capturing device and the platform; a notifying unit, which generates a physical quantity to notify a user; and a control unit in communication with the image-capturing device and the notifying unit, for determining the distance between the image-capturing device and the platform, and when the distance is equal to a best-shot distance, sending a signal to the notifying unit to generate the physical quantity. The invention also discloses a method for assisting fixed-focus image-capturing device to focus. |
| US07880800B2 |
Auto focus system that controls focusing speeds and movements based on image conditions
An auto focus system is provided in which a focus movement speed and a cut off frequency of a filter for detecting a contrast from a video signal in AF of a contrast detecting system can be manually set in AF, so that an optimum AF can be achieved under various photographing conditions. |
| US07880797B2 |
Tilt lens system and image pickup apparatus
A tilt lens system includes a focus lens unit movable during focusing; a diaphragm sharing a primary optical axis with the focus lens unit; and a tilt lens unit, arranged on an image side of the focus lens unit and the diaphragm, having a negative refractive power and an optical axis tiltable with respect to the primary optical axis. Conditional Expressions (1) and (2) are satisfied as follows, 1.3<βt<1.7 (1) 0 |
| US07880795B2 |
Lens apparatus and camera system
A lens apparatus includes an optical system having an aperture unit and a plurality of extender lenses that are selectively locatable in an optical axis. The lens apparatus is mountable on a camera having an image pickup element. To maintain the brightness of the image when changing the extender lens, the lens apparatus has a memory in which correction data associated with aperture values for each extender lens, and the aperture unit is driven using the correction data according to information on the extender lens. |
| US07880794B2 |
Imaging device including a plurality of lens elements and a imaging sensor
An object of the present invention is to provide: a thin imaging device in which a high image resolution is obtained and in which the resolution does not uniformly vary even when the shooting distance is changed; and a lens array used therein. The present invention relates to an imaging device comprising: a lens array 130 constructed by arranging in parallel a plurality of lens elements having optical power in at least one surface; and an image sensor 110 in which an optical image formed by an optical system having each of the lens elements is received by each of mutually different imaging regions each having a plurality of photoelectric conversion sections so that the optical image is converted into an electric image signal, wherein each lens element and the imaging region corresponding to the lens element constitute an imaging unit, while the imaging units have diverse imaging region areas. The present invention relates also to a lens array used therein. |
| US07880792B2 |
Image capturing apparatus with through image display function
A display screen of a liquid crystal display is divided into a main area and three sub-areas arranged vertically on the right thereof. A through image is displayed on the main area. On the respective sub-areas, composition images are displayed indicating different compositions and object regions different from each other. When any of the images is selected, the selection triggers the generation and recording of an image having composition similar to the selected composition image. When any of the composition images is selected, the selected composition image is enlarged and displayed on the main area. |
| US07880791B2 |
CMOS APS with stacked avalanche multiplication layer and low voltage readout electronics
An image sensor includes a pixel having a protection circuit connected to a charge multiplying photoconversion layer. The protection circuit prevents the pixel circuit from breaking down when the voltage in the pixel circuit reaches the operating voltage applied to the charge multiplying photoconversion layer in response to the image sensor being exposed to a strong light. The protection circuit causes additional voltage entering the pixel circuit from the charge multiplying photoconversion layer over a predetermined threshold voltage level to be dissipated from the storage node and any downstream components. |
| US07880787B2 |
MOS image sensor
A MOS image sensor comprises: a semiconductor substrate that has a surface including an image area; a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged on the image area; and lines formed over the image area in a manner avoiding the photoelectric conversion elements and connected to a signal-read circuit provided corresponding to each of the photoelectric conversion elements, wherein a predetermined one of the lines is formed by a conductive polysilicon film. |
| US07880784B2 |
Arrangement for generating a 3D video signal
The invention relates to an arrangement for generating a 3D video signal, which produces a 3D effect when it is displayed on a screen, from an input video signal that is made up of frames, each of which has an odd field and an even field, where in order to generate the 3D video signal alternately an even field n and an odd field n−1 (or vice versa) and subsequently alternately an even field n+1 and an odd field n (or vice versa) are displayed, where in order to generate the 3D video signal a scan converter (4, 5) is used which can display two signals in the split screen mode, one of which is delayed by means of a special function memory (4) in the scan converter, where the non-delayed signal and the delayed signal are written, horizontally compressed by a factor of two, into a conversion memory (6) and, for the purposes of displaying on a screen, when they are read are scaled up by a factor of two in the horizontal direction. |
| US07880783B2 |
Image pickup apparatus and method
A digital still camera has a CCD image sensor, which includes an active pixel area for image pickup of an image to produce image data. A black pixel area is disposed outside the active pixel area, and produces black pixel data. The image pickup apparatus includes an amplifier for adjusting white balance of the image data. A smear detection unit detects a smeared portion of a smear phenomenon in the image according to the black pixel data. A tone correction unit reduces chroma of the image in a predetermined hue area according to a smear level of the smear phenomenon determined from the black pixel data, to carry out color correction of the smeared portion for the image data after adjusting the white balance. |
| US07880782B2 |
Image sensor clocking method
A method for reducing dark current within a charge-coupled device, the method includes each gate phase n having a capacitance Cn, voltage change on the gate phase n given by ΔVn such ∑ n C n Δ V n ≅ 0 ; for the first time period, maintaining a set of first gate phases holding charge in the accumulated state and maintaining a set of second gate phases not holding charge in the depleted state; for a second time period, clocking the charge into a set of third gate phases in the depleted state and clocking the second set of gate phases not holding charge into the accumulated state; for a third time period, clocking the third set of gate phases holding the charge into the accumulated state and clocking a fourth set of gates not holding the charge into the depletion state; wherein the second time period is shorter than the first and third time periods. |
| US07880781B2 |
Solid-state image pickup apparatus multiplying signal charges depending on imaging circumstances
A solid-state image pickup apparatus selects, in a first image pickup circumstance in which dark current is liable to occur in vertical transfer paths of an array of photo-sensors, a first transfer mode in which the potential well capacity in the vertical transfer paths is relatively small, and, in a second image pickup circumstance in which the dark current is small in quantity, a second transfer mode which is greater in potential well capacity than the first transfer mode. As a positive voltage applied to the read-out gates of the photo-sensors, a first voltage mode indicating a relatively low positive voltage that suppresses impact ionization is set in the first image pickup circumstance, and, a second voltage mode indicating a positive voltage higher than in the first voltage mode is set in the second image pickup circumstance so as to cause the impact ionization. |
| US07880780B2 |
Sensor apparatus and method for noise reduction
A sensor including an array of sensor elements generates an image responsive to electromagnetic radiation exposure. The sensor reads coordinates for predetermined hot sensor elements and calculates a dark count for each hot sensor element. The sensor determines a temperature indicator based on the dark count for the hot sensor elements and calculates the dark count for all sensor elements based on the temperature indicator. Based on the dark count the sensor is able to compensate for dark current. |
| US07880777B2 |
Method for fixed pattern noise reduction in infrared imaging cameras
Methods and systems for correcting fixed pattern noise (FPN) in infrared (IR) imaging cameras. The methods and systems include correcting IR sensor data different strength levels of FPN data and selecting the particular strength level that produces corrected data with the least amount of FPN. The correction may occur over several frames of IR sensor data in order to find an optimal strength level for correction. |
| US07880773B2 |
Imaging device
An imaging device has an image sensor, and a color filter. The color filter is located on the image sensor and has at least four color elements that respectively have different spectral transmission properties. Further, the imaging device has a matrix-selection processor and a color conversion processor. The matrix-selection processor detects the spectral distribution properties of an object that are present in the series of color signals. Then, the matrix-selection processor selects one color matrix appropriate for the detected spectral distribution property from a plurality of color matrices according to the particular spectral distribution properties of a given object. The color-conversion processor generates R, G, and B primary color signals from the series of color signals by a color-conversion process using the selected color matrix. |
| US07880772B2 |
Imaging apparatus and method for approximating color matching functions
An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging section configured to approximate one of color matching functions representing sensitivity of the human eye to color by a spectral sensitivity that is obtained as a difference in output between, from among mutually adjacent photoelectric conversion elements, the photoelectric conversion elements arranged at predetermined positions, the imaging section having the photoelectric conversion elements arranged at the predetermined positions; and a signal processing section configured to apply to an output of the imaging section signal processing for converting an output of a photoelectric conversion element into a signal of a color image. |
| US07880771B2 |
Imaging apparatus, image processing apparatus, image processing system and image processing method
An imaging apparatus comprises an image acquiring section. The image acquiring section images a subject based on an exposure reference value as a reference for an exposure in imaging to acquire image data by. An image outputting section outputs the image data obtained by the image acquiring section together with the exposure reference value. |
| US07880762B1 |
Digital television with subscriber conference overlay
Digital television system overlays subscriber two-way communication during broadcast program delivery to create virtual audience community. Individual or group billing and advertisement is personalized per DTV receiver program viewing and/or conferencing activity. Subscriber receiver includes camera and other media I/O device for multi-way video conferencing. Participants may be added or removed dynamically during programming or conferencing. |
| US07880761B2 |
Wireless photographic communication system and method
An external wireless communication module for enabling a camera to communicate with a remote device. The wireless communication module includes one or more pressure connectors configured to directly connect to one or more external ports of the camera, each of the one or more external ports may provide access to an internal function, control, signal, and/or power of the camera. |
| US07880759B2 |
Line head and image forming device using the same
A line head includes a substrate, light emitting elements disposed on the substrate, drive circuits that drive the light emitting elements, and wirings that electrically connect the drive circuits and the light emitting elements. The light emitting elements form n (n≧2) light emitting element rows. The drive circuits are electrically connected with the wirings to light emitting elements belonging to a number of light emitting element rows equal to or smaller than n−1. |
| US07880755B1 |
Multi-segment multi-character fixed print head assembly
A thermal print head assembly comprising a thin ceramic substrate, a thermal insulating glaze layer, an electrically conducive layer, an electrically resistive element layer, and a glass over-coating protective layer, plus an energizing schema that eliminates the need for a heat-sink is disclosed. A method of making this thermal print head assembly is also disclosed. |
| US07880741B2 |
User interface for expressing forecasting estimates
A user interface allows a user to freehand draw a probability density curve, or to select from predetermined probability densities, such as a normal distribution. The probability density represents the user's opinion regarding the probability of occurrence for different outcomes of a future event. The user can easily manipulate the shape of the probability density by dragging portions of the curve using an input device, such as to change the mean or standard deviation. Further, a scoring rule is applied to the probability density so that an updated score is displayed as the probability density is manipulated. The probability density can be input to an estimate contest or a prediction market, for instance. The user interface can also allow the user to freehand draw a scoring curve from which a probability density can be computed based on a scoring rule. |
| US07880734B2 |
Comprehensive control system
A comprehensive control system and method of great flexibility. Submodules include the specialized circuitry needed to interface to particular types of field inputs and outputs, but present standardized interfaces to modules or other devices on which they are mounted, reducing overall system cost. Modules can be mounted on backplanes, which suppress outputs to module connectors when modules are absent. An extension to the IEEE 1284 Enhanced Parallel Port standard allows units to be connected in a flexible manner. Submodules include a current-limiting universal digital input submodule able to sense AC signals or DC signals regardless of polarity, and an analog input module offering great flexibility in choice of input signals. |
| US07880733B2 |
Light sensitive display
A light sensitive display. |
| US07880731B2 |
Touchpad cover apparatus and electronic device using the same
An electronic device includes a base, a touchpad and a touchpad cover apparatus for covering an operating surface of the touchpad. The touchpad is fastened to a bottom plate of the base. An opening is defined in the shell for revealing the operating surface of the touchpad. The touchpad cover apparatus includes a rail guide extending from a bottom surface of the shell and a touchpad cover. A pair of parallel guiding channels is defined in the rail guide. The touchpad cover is slidably inserted between the pair of parallel guiding channels, being slidable between a first position such that the operating surface of the touchpad is revealed through the opening of the shell, and a second position such that an operating surface of the touchpad is covered by the touchpad cover. |
| US07880729B2 |
Center button isolation ring
Selection button isolation arrangements for use with electronic devices are presented including: a selection pad forming a substantially planar surface disposed about a first axis, the selection pad having a pad top surface, the pad top surface configured to receive a user input, the selection pad configured to actuate a number of switches; a selection button substantially co-located with and disposed about the first axis for actuating a selection button switch, the selection button configured to receive a user input; and an annular isolation ring disposed about the first axis having a standoff for mechanically isolating the selection button such that the selection button switch is not actuated by the first user input. In some embodiments, the user input indicators are selected from the group consisting of: a menu selection, a play selection, a pause selection, a forward search selection, a backward search selection, and a stop selection. |
| US07880727B2 |
Touch sensitive and mechanical user input device
User interfaces or input devices are provided with both touch-sensitive (e.g., capacitive) and mechanical hardware input portions. Mechanical switches are overlaid with a touch sensitive pad, providing improved versatility of input. An application programming interface (API) enables different modes of input operation for the mechanical and touch sensitive input portions, whereby various combinations and/or permutations of touch sensitive input portions and/or mechanical input portions are enabled or disabled to provide optimal input characteristics for a set of tasks at hand. Visual or audio indicators may be utilized to reveal the mode of operation to the user. The touch sensitive pad may be a capacitive touchpad, a touch sensitive display screen, a conveyor belt or a push pad. Up to 9 mechanical switches may be placed underneath the touch sensitive input portions. |
| US07880726B2 |
3D pointing method, 3D display control method, 3D pointing device, 3D display control device, 3D pointing program, and 3D display control program
A three-dimensional pointing method is disclosed. In the three-dimensional pointing method of the present invention, a desired point in a three-dimensional space represented on a display apparatus is pointed at based on two-dimensional coordinates of a position that is pointed at by a pen tip of an input pen on a predetermined detection plane, and, based on pen pressure that is pressure applied to the pen tip of the input pen, time for continuing to point or operation of an operation means provided in the input pen. In addition, in the three-dimensional pointing method of the present invention, a depth direction coordinate of a three-dimensional pointer to be displayed in the three-dimensional space is changed according to the pen pressure of the input pen, the time for continuing to point or the operation of the operation means provided in the input pen, and the three-dimensional pointer is displayed. |
| US07880723B2 |
Optical image detecting structure with multiple function
A multiple function optical image detecting structure includes a shell body, a tracing ball, an optical base, a circuit board, a light-emitting element, and an image sensor. The shell body receives the tracing ball. The optical base has a slanted spectroscope that faces part of the spherical surface of the tracing ball and a lens element located on one side of the spectroscope. The light-emitting element and the image sensor are electrically connected with the circuit board. The light-emitting element faces towards the spectroscope and the image sensor faces towards the lens element. The light axial of the projected light generated from the light-emitting element is reflected/transmitted to the surface of the tracing ball via the spectroscope. Thereby, the light is uniformly projected on the tracing ball and the image sensor obtains the image on the lens element to calculate a displacement. |
| US07880718B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for electronic paper flex input
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed to control an application interface displayed on electronic paper. A detection module is included to detect intentional bending of an electronic paper at a particular location. A correlation module is included to correlate the particular location where the electronic paper is bent with a user interface command in an application. An execution module is included to execute the user interface command. In one embodiment, a display module is included to update display information on the electronic paper in response to execution of the user interface command. The electronic paper may include a detector in contact with the electronic paper to provide electronic paper bend position information to the detection module. |
| US07880716B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes liquid crystal pixels, signal line groups each including a predetermined number of signal lines, and a drive circuit which selects the pixels on a row-by-row basis and drives the pixels of the selected row via the signal lines. The drive circuit includes a signal line driver which outputs a predetermined number of pixel voltages for each group driving period while the pixels of each row are being selected, a multiplexer which distributes to each signal line group the pixel voltages output from the signal line driver, and a controller which controls the multiplexer to electrically connect all of the signal line groups to the signal line driver and electrically disconnect the signal line groups one by one from the signal line driver for each group driving period, in a selection period of the pixels of an initial row that requires polarity inversion. |
| US07880715B2 |
Inverter and display device having the same
A display device and an inverter therefor are disclosed. The inverter has a main circuit board having a plurality of first circuit patterns and a plurality of second circuit patterns formed on a first side thereof, and a sub circuit board having first connecting patterns corresponding to the plurality of first circuit patterns formed on one side of the sub circuit board and second connecting patterns corresponding to the plurality of second circuit patterns formed on a second side thereof. The plurality of first circuit patterns are coupled with each other through the first connecting patterns, and the plurality of second circuit patterns are coupled with each other through the second connecting patterns. Thus, the present invention provides an inverter and a display device having the same, which are capable of being manufactured at a low production cost. |
| US07880710B2 |
Differential drive circuit and method for generating an a.c. differential drive signal
The differential drive circuit generates a differential drive signal having a root mean square value defined by a digital input value. The differential drive signal includes a first differential component and a second differential component. The circuit comprises a first differential component generator and a second differential component generator. The first differential component generator is for counting the clock signal to generate successive values of a periodic count. Each of the values includes a most-significant bit. The first differential component generator is additionally for generating the first differential component in response to successive ones of the most-significant bit of the count. The second differential component generator is for generating the second differential component in response to the digital input value and the successive values of the count. |
| US07880709B2 |
Display and projection type display
A display with a display unit is configured so that pixels are arrayed in a matrix. A clock pulse generating means generates clock pulses of any frequency. Based on the generated clock pulses, a pulse generating means generates timing signals for parallel arrangement processing video signals in units of a plurality of pixels as pulse signals enabling free setting of a pulse width and a pulse period. A phase deviation detecting means detects the amounts of phase deviation after write signals generated based on the timing signals and for writing video signals into the plurality of pixels pass through the display unit. The timing adjusting means automatically performs adjustment so that the amount of phase deviation is within the predetermined range (so that it becomes almost zero) based on the amounts of phase deviation detected by the phase deviation detecting means. |
| US07880708B2 |
Power control method and system for polarity inversion in LCD panels
A power control method for polarity inversion in an LCD panel comprises the step of providing a storage capacitor on a circuit board. Thereafter, the storage capacitor is charged to a first middle voltage. Next, the voltage of the VCOM channel is pulled up by a common output amplifier, only from the first middle voltage to a first upper voltage during a positive polarity period. Also, the voltage of the VCOM channel is pulled down by the common output amplifier, only from the first middle voltage to a first lower voltage during a negative polarity period. |
| US07880705B2 |
Driver device for liquid crystal display, computer program and storage medium, and liquid crystal display
There is provided a motion-adaptive grayscale level converter section between a video signal source and a pixel array. The pixel array includes a liquid crystal cell of normally black and vertically aligned mode. The motion-adaptive grayscale level converter section determines based on information from a decoder section whether the pixels of an image represented by a video signal is in a moving image area. If a pixel is in a moving image area, the motion-adaptive grayscale level converter section changes the grayscale level data representing the grayscale level of the pixel so that there is no darker grayscale level than a predetermined first grayscale level. The resultant data is output as a video signal. Accordingly, we can provide a liquid crystal display capable of easing image quality degradation due to insufficient response when displaying a moving image while maintaining the contrast ratio achieved for a still image display. |
| US07880703B2 |
Liquid crystal display and driving method thereof
A liquid crystal display for automatically adjusting brightness of interference image displayed at ECB sub pixels of quad type cells of a liquid crystal display panel in accordance with brightness of a background screen is disclosed. The liquid crystal display includes first to n-th look-up tables each holding a mapping of one first to n-th mappings of ECB brightness data to cell location information for the quad cells of the liquid crystal display panel; an image processor that calculates a brightness data distribution of an image; and a viewing angle controller that selects one of the first to the n-th look-up tables depending on the calculated brightness data distribution. |
| US07880702B2 |
Picture display apparatus
A picture display apparatus, which displays a picture on a display section based on a picture signal, includes an input determining section determining whether the picture signal is input, a display determining section determining, based on whether sight/hearing restricting information is added to the picture signal, whether the picture based on the picture signal can be displayed, when the input determining section determines that the picture signal is input, a scramble determining section determining whether the picture signal is scrambled, when the input determining section determines that the picture signal is input, and a display control section lowering a brightness of a backlight of the display section and displaying a predetermined display with hollow characters indicating that the picture cannot be displayed when the picture signal is not input, when the picture based on the picture signal cannot be displayed, and when the picture signal is scrambled. |
| US07880701B2 |
Display device and manufacturing method thereof
A display device includes a substrate, first and second signal lines formed on the substrate, a first thin film transistor connected to the first and second signal lines, a gate driver and a data driver connected to the first signal line and the second signal line, respectively, and a second thin film transistor formed in at least one of the gate driver and the data driver The first thin film transistor and the second thin film transistor include a first semiconductor and a second semiconductor, respectively, and the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor are formed at the different layers from each other. |
| US07880696B2 |
Display apparatus
A display device having a scanning line, a data line, a power supply line, and a pixel. The pixel having a first transistor supplied with a selecting pulse of a scanning signal, a holding capacitor having a first electrode and a second electrode that holds an image signal from the data line and the first thin film transistor. The pixel also having a second transistor controlled by the image signal, a gate of the second transistor being electrically connected to the second electrode, and a luminescent element provided between a pixel electrode and an opposite electrode opposed to the pixel electrode driven by current that flows between the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode. A potential of the gate electrode of the second transistor being able to be shifted by supplying to the first electrode of the holding capacitor with a predetermined signal after the selecting pulse becomes non-selective. |
| US07880695B2 |
Display apparatus, method of driving a display, and electronic device
In a display apparatus including a correction unit and a switching transistor, the correction unit operates in a non-light emission period such that a correction voltage for eliminating an effect of a variation in a characteristic of a driving transistor is stored in a storage capacitor. The switching transistor is disposed between one current terminal of the driving transistor and a light emitting element. The switching transistor turns off during the non-light emission period thereby to electrically disconnect the light emitting element from the one current terminal of the driving transistor thereby preventing a leakage current from flowing through the light emitting element during the period in which the correction unit operates, and thus preventing the correction voltage from having an error due to the leakage current. |
| US07880694B2 |
Emission driver and electroluminescent display including such an emission driver
An emission driver may include a first signal processor adapted to receive a clock signal, an input signal and an inverse input signal, and generate a first output signal, a second signal processor adapted to receive the first output signal, an inverse clock signal and negative feedback signals, and generate a second output signal, a third signal processor adapted to receive the second output signal and the input signal, and generate a third output signal that is an inverse of the second output signal based on the input signal, a fourth signal processor adapted to receive the second output signal, and generate a fourth output signal based on the second output signal, the fourth output signal being an inverse signal of the third output signal, and a fifth signal processor adapted to receive the fourth output signal and output a fifth output signal based on a stored predetermined voltage. |
| US07880682B2 |
Adjustment mechanism for dish antenna system
Antenna systems include adjustment mechanisms to adjust the position of dish antennas. The adjustment mechanism includes a clip, a bracket, and a cam mechanism. The clip is fixedly coupled to and projects outwardly from a mast. The bracket is pivotally coupled to the mast and is between the stationary clip and cam mechanism. The cam mechanism is pivotally coupled to the clip and positioned to rotate the bracket and the dish antenna as the cam mechanism rotates. The clip is made of a lightweight material to reduce the overall weight of the antenna system to enhance performance. |
| US07880672B1 |
Generating nonlinear FM chirp radar signals by multiple integrations
A phase component of a nonlinear frequency modulated (NLFM) chirp radar pulse can be produced by performing digital integration operations over a time interval defined by the pulse width. Each digital integration operation includes applying to a respectively corresponding input parameter value a respectively corresponding number of instances of digital integration. |
| US07880670B2 |
Signal measurement system and method for testing an RF component
A signal measurement system tests an RF component in an RF test facility, such as an RF anechoic chamber. The system includes a repeater which is connected to an exterior antenna disposed outside the chamber and a transmitting antenna disposed inside the chamber. The repeater receives the RF broadcast signal from the exterior antenna and rebroadcasts it as an RF testing signal inside the chamber. The subject antenna receives the RF testing signal, which is then analyzed with a computer. The repeater may also modify the RF testing signal to produce a wide variety of test situations that mimic those available in a traditional field-test. |
| US07880668B1 |
Automated radar elevation angle configuration
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a computer implemented method of configuring a land-based radar system for scanning a scan region is disclosed. The method comprises dividing the scan region into a grid of blocks and obtaining a terrain elevation data for the scan region. For an elevation angle for the radar system, determining those blocks in the grid that are visible to the radar system and those blocks that are not visible to the radar based on the terrain elevation data. Then, step of determining the visible blocks is repeated for all elevation angles in a predefined set of elevation angles for the radar system. Next, an optimal scan elevation angle for the radar system is determined as the scan elevation angle which resulted in the maximum number of visible blocks in the scan region and the radar system is set to the optimal scan elevation angle. |
| US07880663B2 |
Manipulator with motor speed adjustable actuated circuit used to control remote-controlled spotlight
A hand-held manipulator is an independent device and has a motor actuated circuit functioned to supply a 12-volt DC power and a motor speed adjustable actuated circuit provided with voltage adjustable function to regulate the motor actuated circuit to supply a regulated voltage smaller or greater than 12-volt DC power, and then the hand-held manipulator is particularly adapted to connect with a 12-volt DC power source for wireless or manual remotely controlling a remote-controlled spotlight by way of constant speed, slower speed or faster speed to adjust its lighting direction. |
| US07880662B2 |
Analog-to-digital conversion in pixel arrays
An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) generates an output digital value equivalent to the difference between two analog signal values. The ADC 30 receives a first analog signal level, a second analog signal level and a ramp signal. A counter 32 is operable to count in a single direction. A control stage is arranged to enable the counter 32 based on a comparison 19 of the ramp signal with the first analog signal and the second analog signal. A digital value accumulated by the counter during a period when it is enabled forms the output. The ADC can perform the conversion during a single cycle of the ramp signal. The counter 32 can be loaded with a starting digital value representing an exposure level accumulated during a previous exposure period. Techniques are described for reducing the conversion time. |
| US07880659B2 |
Pipeline analog-to-digital converter and method of driving the same
A pipeline analog-to-digital converter includes a conversion unit receiving an analog input signal and outputting a plurality of digital signals corresponding to quantization values obtained by quantizing the input signal, the conversion unit including a plurality of stages that output the plurality of digital signals, the plurality of stages being connected in a cascade manner, each of the stages receiving a residue analog signal from a previous stage, and a first stage receiving an analog input signal and a digital correction logic receiving the plurality of digital signals, correcting an error, and outputting a digital output signal corresponding to the input signal, wherein a first reference voltage is applied to the plurality of stages, a second reference voltage, which is different from the first reference voltage, is applied to at least one of the plurality of stages, at least one of the plurality of stages includes a plurality of unit capacitors that sample the residue analog signal, and at least one of the plurality of unit capacitors is coupled to the second reference voltage. |
| US07880658B2 |
Interpolation accuracy improvement in motion encoder systems, devices and methods
Disclosed are various embodiments of interpolation circuits for use in conjunction with optical encoders. The analog output signals provided by incremental or absolute motion encoders are provided to an interpolation circuit, which is capable of providing high interpolation factor output signals having high timing accuracy. The disclosed interpolation circuits may be implemented using CMOS or BiCMOS processes without undue effort. |
| US07880657B2 |
Interpolation accuracy improvement in motion encoder systems, devices and methods
Disclosed are various embodiments of interpolation circuits for use in conjunction with motion encoders. The analog output signals provided by incremental or absolute motion encoders are provided to an interpolation circuit, which is capable of providing high interpolation factor output signals having high timing accuracy. Problems with noise spikes common to zero-hysteresis comparators typically employed in interpolation circuits are eliminated, as are problems with time delays differing between comparators that do feature hysteresis. The disclosed interpolation circuits may be implemented using CMOS processes without undue effort. |
| US07880652B2 |
Adjusting a filter of a time-continuous sigma-delta converter
This invention relates to adjusting a filter of a time-continuous Sigma-Delta converter arranged to convert an analog input signal (Sin) to a digital output signal. A control signal indicative of a gain of the filter is provided, and the gain of the filter is adjusted in dependence of the control signal. The control signal is provided from the digital output signal of the Sigma-Delta converter. In this way the performance of the Sigma-Delta converter can be improved in a simple way that requires no or few additional analog components, and the Sigma-Delta converter itself is used to adjust its performance. Using a signal from the digital domain of the Sigma-Delta converter is advantageous in that it is typically easier, faster and more precise to process signals in the digital domain. |
| US07880649B2 |
Analog digital converting apparatus, analog digital converting method, test apparatus, program and recording medium
An AD converting apparatus converts an analog input signal into a digital output signal. The apparatus includes a plurality of AD converters that are supplied with sampling clocks differing from each other by a prescribed phase and that each output an individual signal obtained by digitizing the input signal according to the sampling clock supplied thereto, a common compensating section that commonly compensates for prescribed common non-linear distortion in the individual signals, and a plurality of individual compensating sections that each individually compensate for individual non-linear distortion in a corresponding one of the individual signals. The individual non-linear distortion is obtained as a ratio between the non-linear distortion and the common non-linear distortion in each individual signal. The apparatus further includes a combining section that combines the individual signals to generate the output signal. |
| US07880648B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer product
A computer-readable recording medium stores therein an information processing program that causes a computer to execute storing an aggregate of layers of nodes respectively having a pointer to an upper node, pointers to a leaf and/or a lower node and branches to lower nodes; obtaining a totaling result of appearance frequencies of character codes described in a file; classifying the character codes by layer, based on appearance probabilities thereof and the totaling result; calculating, based on a quantity of character codes in an ith layer and for the ith layer, a quantity of pointers pointing to leaves, and based on the quantity calculated and for the ith layer, further calculating a number of times nodes are used and a quantity of pointers pointing to lower nodes; generating, based on calculation results, a Huffman tree; and converting the Huffman tree into a node-less Huffman tree and storing the node-less Huffman tree. |
| US07880645B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing and using public transportation information containing bus stop-connected information
A method and apparatus for providing public transportation information and using the provided information, are discussed. When creating information on each bus stop such as the bus stop ID and a distance between bus stops, a method for encoding transportation information in accordance with an embodiment creates information on nearby subway stations accessible on foot and/or nearby bus stops located on bus routes (or bus lines) that do not pass the bus stop as well, and constructs status information containing the created information. One or more messages containing the status information can be transmitted wirelessly. |
| US07880640B2 |
Wellbore communication system
A gap collar for an electromagnetic communication unit of a downhole tool positioned in a wellbore is provided. The downhole tool communicates with a surface unit via an electromagnetic field generated by the electromagnetic communication unit. The gap collar includes a first collar having a first end connector and a second collar having a second end connector matingly connectable to the first end connector. The gap collar further includes a non-conductive insulation coating disposed on the first and/or second end connectors, and a non-conductive insulation molding positioned about an inner and/or outer surface of the collars. The insulation molding moldingly conforms to the shape collars. The connectors are provided with mated threads modified to receive the insulation coating. Measurements taken by the downhole tool may be stored in memory, and transmitted to the surface unit via the electromagnetic field. |
| US07880637B2 |
Low-profile signal device and method for providing color-coded signals
A low-profile signal device is provided having a plurality of light emitters disposed on at least one support member, the plurality of light emitters configured to emit light in a plurality of colors that indicate one or more predefined conditions; a housing substantially enclosing the at least one support member; a signal interface coupled to the plurality of light emitters and configured to selectively activate light emitters from the plurality of light emitters in response to a received control signal. |
| US07880635B2 |
Color messaging lens
An enhanced color messaging instrument gauge assembly is disclosed having a lens with one or more surface interruptions. A lens covering an instrument cluster transmits colored light longitudinally from at least one light source near its edge. Light encountering the surface interruption causes the surface interruption to illuminate. In one embodiment, different colored light can be coordinated with activation of symbols on the instrument cluster to attract the attention of an operator to an abnormal operating condition or to reinforce other information being communicated to the operator on the instrument cluster. |
| US07880634B2 |
Remote monitoring of real-time information of a selected item and transmitting information to selected destination
A method for remote monitoring of real-time information is provided. In the method, a representation is displayed of each of a plurality of items configured to generate the real-time information. Also displayed is a representation of each of a plurality of destinations configured to receive the real-time information. The real-time information is received from the items. A command is received which selects one of the items and one of the destinations. After receiving the command, at least a portion of the real-time information received from the selected item is transmitted to the selected destination. |
| US07880631B1 |
Coordinate-based system, method and computer program product for disabling a device
A coordinate-based system, method, and computer program product are provided for disabling a device. In use, a power down state of a device is detected. In response to the power down state, a first set of coordinates of the device is stored. Additionally, a power up state of the device is detected. In response to the power up state, a second set of coordinates of the device is identified. Further, the first set of coordinates and the second set of coordinates are compared. To this end, the device may be conditionally disabled based on the comparison. |
| US07880630B2 |
Security system for a boundary
A security system for a boundary is generally shown as (1) in FIG. 1. The components comprise an elongate member (2) and a support (3) for the bar. The bar support (3) can be fitted to boundary support. A conduit (7) extends through the housing (3). The rod is surrounded by a resilient member. The boundary supports (4) and the bars (2) are in communication with a circuit monitor unit (17) and from an electromechanical disturbance mechanism (EMDM) unit for detecting security breakdown of the boundary. |
| US07880629B2 |
Power supply device
A power supply device for supplying power to a communication device includes a power source, a first fuse, a second fuse, a voltage converter, a photo coupler, and a central processing unit (CPU). The voltage converter is configured for receiving first power signals from the power source via the first fuse and the second fuse, and converting the first power signals to second power signals. The photo coupler connected in parallel to the third resistor, configured for outputting a first electrical signal upon the condition that the first fuse and the second fuse are operational, and outputting a second electrical signal upon the condition that at least one of the first fuse and the second fuse is blown. The CPU is connected to the photo coupler, configured for generating an alarm message upon receiving the second electrical signal from the photo coupler. |
| US07880628B2 |
Battery case and secondary battery using the same
A battery case and a secondary battery incorporating the battery case, comprised of the battery case being provided with a push button of pressure distribution structure in order to prevent a push button mount from being damaged due to the pressure against the push button for checking residual capacity. The secondary battery according to the present invention comprises a bare cell, a circuit which is electrically connected with the bare cell, and calculates the residual capacity of the bare cell, and has a push switch and a light emitting device, a case which receives the bare cell and the circuit and comprises a residual capacity display unit having a fulcrum and a display window respectively at positions corresponding to the push switch and the light emitting device, and a cover film which is attached to an external surface of the residual capacity display unit. |
| US07880624B2 |
System and method for detecting occlusion using flow sensor output
A method and system for detecting an inclusion within an infusion system. The method includes monitoring an output signal of a flowrate sensor as fluid flows through an infusion system. The output signal is then converted with a noise reduction filter to obtain a filtered output signal. The filtered output signal is compared to a threshold value and an alarm is activated if the filtered output signal falls below a desired threshold, thereby indicating an occlusion within the infusion system. |
| US07880622B2 |
Industrial ethernet switch
According to one embodiment of the invention a rugged Ethernet switch includes a housing and a passive cooling system associated with the housing and being devoid of fans as operable to cool the Ethernet switch. Ethernet switch also includes software operable to perform at least one of the functions selected from the group consisting of multiple spanning, rapid spanning, cluster management and IGMP snooping and querying. According to another embodiment, a rugged Ethernet switch includes a housing having a plurality of perforations formed therein for cooling the Ethernet switch. The switch also includes a passive cooling system be devoid of fans and that is operable to cool the Ethernet switch. A temperature sensor is operable to measure a temperature of the Ethernet switch is included as is an alarm software responsive to the temperature sensor and operable to initiate an alarm when a measured temperature of the Ethernet switch exceeds a particular limit. |
| US07880621B2 |
Distraction estimator
Improved apparatus and methods for determining the attention demands on a person are described. An example approach comprises obtaining sensor data representative of the person's environment, detecting sensory objects within the sensor data, and clustering together sensory objects (for example, objects having correlated properties) so as to determine an output number of attention-demanding objects, the output number typically being less than the number of sensory objects in the sensor. An example apparatus may be used to determine the attention demands on a vehicle operator. |
| US07880617B2 |
Methods and systems for using RFID in biological field
Biological reagent carrier devices and methods are disclosed, which employ RFID techniques to associate information with biological reagents. |
| US07880615B2 |
Electronic device manufacturing system and electronic device manufacturing method
A tag manufacturing system includes an antenna forming apparatus which forms multiple antennas in such a way that the antennas are formed in a point-symmetrical arrangement including antenna orientations, on a long base sheet large enough to place multiple bases, and winds the base sheet into a roll body; an IC chip mounting apparatus which pulls the base sheet out of the roll body, mounts an IC chip on each of the antennas formed on the pulled base sheet in an orientation corresponding to an orientation of each antenna, and electrically connects the IC chip with the antenna; and a post-processing apparatus which performs post-processing of the base sheet with the IC chips mounted on the antennas to work up the base sheet into finished RFID tags. |
| US07880611B2 |
Qualitative/quantitative analysis of a material using RFIDs
Unpackaged bulk material is made up of components that have been laced with RFID tags. By interrogating the RFID tags, the different components are identified and quantified, thus providing a quick assay of the bulk material. |
| US07880610B2 |
System and method that provide emergency instructions
The present invention relates to a system and method that provide emergency instructions to an individual. The emergency notification system includes a plurality of badges where each badge is adapted to be joined with an individual. The emergency notification system further includes a device that locates each badge and sends information to each badge during an emergency. The information includes emergency response instructions that are based on the location of each badge and the type of emergency. The present invention also relates to a method that includes providing individuals which are within a facility with a badge. The method further includes determining emergency response instructions when an emergency arises within the facility based on the location of each badge and the type of emergency, and then communicating the emergency response instructions to the badges to direct individuals wearing badges to an appropriate location. |
| US07880605B2 |
Security system for portable device with arming feature
A security system and method of monitoring a portable device. The security system has a first sensor, a controller, and an alarm signal generator. The controller is capable of detecting that the first sensor, with the security system in an armed state, has changed from the secured state, and as an incident thereof, causing a signal to be generated by the alarm signal generator. The controller and first sensor are configured so that under certain conditions the first sensor must be changed from the unsecured state into the secured state and maintained in the secured state for a predetermined time period before the controller, first sensor and alarm signal generator can thereafter interact to produce a detectable signal in the event of a security breach. |
| US07880602B2 |
Image display control apparatus
An image-data loading unit loads image data of an image requested to be displayed based on an input signal in an image memory. A display-image determining unit determines an image to be displayed on the display device based on a priority of the image after the image data is loaded in the image memory. An image-data output unit reads out the image data of the image determined to be displayed by the display-image determining unit from the image memory, and outputs read image data to a display device. |
| US07880601B2 |
Vehicle safety apparatus and method
An apparatus for a vehicle is provided comprising a first seat occupant detector, a first seat belt buckled sensor, and a seat belt warning device. The seat belt warning device may be configured to communicate with the first seat occupant detector and the first seat belt buckled sensor. The seat belt warning device may be programmed to cause an audible warning when the first seat occupant detector detects the presence of an individual in a first seat of the vehicle and the first seat belt buckled sensor detects that a first seat belt corresponding to the first seat is not buckled. The apparatus may include a first seat belt contacting seat sensor, wherein the first seat belt contacting seat sensor may determine if the first seat belt is in contact with the first seat. |
| US07880599B2 |
Method and system for remotely monitoring the operations of a vehicle
A telemetry system coupled to a vehicle can communicate with a remote site using the overhead control channels of a wireless network, such as a cellular mobile radiotelephone network. The telemetry system can monitor or control aspects of the vehicle's operations based on remote user input. The telemetry system can monitor a driver's driving practices and report incidences that meet preset criteria, such as violating a speed limit for a selected amount of time or a crossing of a geographical boundary. |
| US07880593B2 |
Audible signaling device
The invention is an improved audible signaling device with a speaker, a sound chamber, and associated circuitry. The device creates a loud, audible fundamental frequency, and harmonic frequencies that are relatively equal in amplitude to the amplitude of the fundamental frequency. |
| US07880592B2 |
Arrival alerting device, arrival alerting method, and mobile terminal
This invention realizes an incoming call notification operation for portable equipments in which the amplitude of vibration matches the rhythm of the melody, by electrically connecting an electromagnetic induction actuator that produces melody and vibration to an integrated circuit that outputs the melody generation signal and the vibration signal, and by applying to the electromagnetic induction actuator either the melody generation signal from the integrated circuit or a signal created by mixing the melody generation signal and the vibration generation signal. |
| US07880590B2 |
Method and apparatus for localization of configurable devices
A localization method for setting the locale of a configurable device is presented. The first portion of the localization transmits localization selections for a target locale to a configurable device. Localization selections are initially set on an interrogator device and then transmitted wirelessly using RFID or other technologies from the interrogator device to a tag coupled to the configurable device. A second portion of the localization receives localization selections for a target locale on the configurable device. A tag receives from an interrogator device one or more localization selections for the target locale on the configurable device. These localization selections are stored on the tag until the configurable device is powered-on. Device initialization causes another portion of the localization to set a target locale on a configurable device. Firmware accesses localization selections previously stored on the tag and then sets the default localization selections in the firmware for the device. |
| US07880589B2 |
Communications device identification methods, communications methods, wireless communications readers, wireless communications systems, and articles of manufacture
Communications device identification methods, communications methods, wireless communications readers, wireless communications systems, and articles of manufacture are described. In one aspect, a communications device identification method includes providing identification information regarding a group of wireless identification devices within a wireless communications range of a reader, using the provided identification information, selecting one of a plurality of different search procedures for identifying unidentified ones of the wireless identification devices within the wireless communications range, and identifying at least some of the unidentified ones of the wireless identification devices using the selected one of the search procedures. |
| US07880586B2 |
Cooling system for a mobile terminal for wireless communication
The present invention relates to a cooling system for a mobile terminal for wireless communication comprising a rotating fan (1) for reducing the heat generated by the mobile terminal and at least one weight (3) for causing an unbalance of the rotation of the fan (1) in order to cause vibration of the fan, whereby said weight is activated when the rotational speed of the fan (1) exceeds a predefined level. |
| US07880582B2 |
Layered electrically conductive material
An electrical resistor has an electrically conductive stack, which includes a plurality of metal first layers and second layers. The stack allows to produce a highly anisotropic resistor, in which the resistance in the direction perpendicular to the layers is much higher than in the plane of the layers. The anisotropy allows the current flowing through the stack to be made homogenous, e.g., to be distributed over the entire stack surface, even if the current is input into the stack in an inhomogenous manner. |
| US07880571B2 |
Two-axis driving electromagnetic micro-actuator
Provided is a two-axis driving electromagnetic actuator that includes a stage that is operative to be actuated about a first axis; an inner frame that that is disposed outside the stage and supports the stage by the first axis; an external frame that is disposed outside the inner frame and supports the inner frame by a second axis which is perpendicular to the first axis; a magnet that provides an electric field between the first axis and the second axis; a first driving coil that is formed on the inner frame and to which a first signal that actuates the stage in a direction of the second axis is applied; and a second driving coil that is formed on the inner frame and to which a second signal that actuates the stage and the inner frame in a direction of the first axis is applied, wherein the first driving coil and the second driving coil are electrically separated from each other. |
| US07880564B2 |
Noise filter array
A noise filter array includes filter elements including an LC parallel resonant circuit and an LC series resonant circuit each of which includes a coil and a capacitor provided in proximity in an array and integrally provided with one another. The LC series resonant circuits include ground capacitors having signal-side electrodes. Inductance adjustment conductors are connected to signal-side electrodes of the capacitors defining the respective filter elements, and a ground electrode of the capacitors is commonly arranged so as to oppose the signal-side electrodes. |
| US07880559B2 |
Programmable microwave circuit
The present invention relates to a programmable microwave circuit (1) four ports (3), and combinations of such circuits. Between each pair of ports there is at least one connection without amplification, at least one connection having amplification from a first port of the pair of ports to a second port of the pair of ports, and at least one connection having amplification from the second port to the first port. Further, there is control electronics (2) with the ability to open and close the respective connection and respective port, by which the microwave circuit could be configured for different purposes, such as amplifier, power splitter/power combiner and router. |
| US07880555B2 |
Interconnection system with a dielectric system having holes therein that run uninterrupted through the dielectric system
Fundamental interconnect systems for connecting high-speed electronics elements are provided. The interconnect systems consists of signal line, dielectric system with open trench or slot filled up with air or lower dielectric loss material, and the ground plane. The signal line could be for example, microstripline, strip line, coplanar line, single line or differential pairs. The interconnect system can be used for on-chip interconnects or can also be used for off-chip interconnects. The fundamental techniques provided in this invention can also be used for high-speed connectors and high-speed cables. |
| US07880553B2 |
Oscillation circuit with temperature compensation
An oscillation section for which an output frequency is controlled based on a control signal depending on an ambient temperature; a temperature compensation circuit for supplying the control signal to this oscillation section; and a switching switch circuit consisting of an output buffer and a temperature sensor output switch for which ON and OFF are controlled so that any one of an oscillation output from the oscillation section and a temperature sensor output from the temperature compensation circuit is outputted. The temperature sensor output switch is structured so that transfer gate switches are connected in a two-stage serial manner and a third switch connected to a fixed potential is sandwiched between these connection points. When an oscillation output is outputted, the transfer gate switches are OFF and the third switch is ON and, when a temperature sensor output is outputted, the transfer gate switches are ON and the third switch is OFF. |
| US07880552B2 |
Control system for walking assist device
A system capable of controlling an autonomous walking assist rhythm, while following changes in a walking rhythm of a walker at the same time. A control system 100 in accordance with the present invention generates a first oscillator x that tugs and is tugged by a walking oscillator (hip joint angular velocity) φH′ such that an intrinsic angular velocity is reflected. Then, a new intrinsic angular velocity ωm is determined on the basis of the difference between a first phase difference θHM between the first oscillator x and the walking oscillator φH′ and a desired phase difference θd. Furthermore, a second oscillator y is generated that tugs and is tugged by the walking oscillator φH′ such that the intrinsic angular velocity ωm is reflected, and has a second phase difference θhm, which is closer to the desired phase difference θd than the first phase difference θHM is, with respect to the walking oscillator φH′. Then, based on the second oscillator y and the walking oscillator (hip joint angle) φH, a walking assist oscillator (torque imparted to the walker by a walking assist unit 200) T is generated. |
| US07880548B2 |
Headphone amplifier circuit
A class G headphone amplifier circuit with improved power efficiency and low EMI. It may use an automatic signal level detector to detect the signal level of incoming signals and determine positive and negative power supplies for headphone amplifiers accordingly. A voltage generator may generate pairs of differential output voltages at a plurality of amplitude steps, and supply to headphone amplifiers the pair with the amplitude determined by the automatic signal level detector. As a result, headphone amplifiers are biased according to the input signal level, and the multiple voltage rails may improve power efficiency and avoid clipping. |
| US07880545B1 |
Cascode compensation circuit and method for amplifier stability
The present invention provides compensation for circuits. In one embodiment, a compensation circuit has a first terminal coupled to an output terminal of the circuit and a second terminal coupled to feed back the output voltage to an internal node. A damping circuit may also be coupled to the output terminal. The damping circuit adds a pole and a zero to the transfer function of the circuit. In one embodiment, the damping circuit modifies the effect of the output impedance of a load on the transfer function to increase the phase margin of the circuit such that the circuit remains stable over an increased range of output capacitor values. |
| US07880542B1 |
Incremental gain amplifier
An amplifier includes an amplifier section having selectable signal paths to provide discrete gain settings, and logic to incrementally select the signal paths. The logic may be configured to increment the gain in response to digital gain control signals or an analog gain control signal. Another amplifier has an input section with one or more input cells and an output section with one or more output cells. Either the input section or the output section includes at least two cells that may be selected to provide discrete gain settings. A loop amplifier is configured in a feedback arrangement with the input section. The input and output sections may have multiple selectable cells to provide coarse and fine gain steps. The gain of the loop amplifier may be coordinated with the gain of the input section to provide constant bandwidth operation. |
| US07880539B2 |
Power amplifier and liquid jet printing apparatus
A power amplifier includes: a modulator pulse-modulating a drive waveform signal serving as a reference of a drive signal applied to actuators and outputting a modulated signal; a digital power amplifier amplifying the power of the modulated signal and outputting an amplified digital signal; a low pass filter smoothing the amplified digital signal and outputting the drive signal; and an inverse filter circuit being disposed at a front stage of the modulator and capable of obtaining a desired waveform precision of the drive signal even when a frequency characteristic of a filter including the low pass filter and an electrostatic capacitor of the actuators varies depending on the number of driven actuators, wherein the inverse filter circuits include a plurality of inverse filters connected in series. |
| US07880532B2 |
Reference voltage generating circuit
There is provided a reference voltage generating circuit including: a first PN junction element (PN1) whose forward voltage is a first voltage V1; a second PN junction element (PN2) having a current density different from the first PN junction element and whose forward voltage is a second voltage V2 higher than the first voltage V1; and generating circuits (101 to 103) inputting the first voltage V1 and the second voltage V2 and generating a reference voltage expressed by A2×V2+A3×(A2×V2−A1×V1) in which A1, A2, and A3 are set to be coefficients, and in which A1 and A2 are different values. |
| US07880530B2 |
Power supply circuit, display driver, electro-optical device, and electronic instrument
A power supply circuit which boosts a given voltage to generate one or more power supply voltages includes a charge-pump control circuit including switching elements for generating a boost voltage by a charge-pump operation using charge stored in a flying capacitor, a soft-start circuit which prevents a rush current toward the flying capacitor, and a power supply generation circuit which is connected with a stabilization capacitor and generates a power supply voltage using the boost voltage as a power supply. After the power supply generation circuit has been turned ON in a state in which the charge-pump control circuit generates the boost voltage by the charge-pump operation, the switching elements are turned OFF, and the soft-start circuit generates the boost voltage by a charge-pump operation. |
| US07880528B2 |
Temperature detection circuit
A temperature detection circuit has a first temperature sensor circuit that outputs a voltage having a negative temperature gradient and an absolute value and a second temperature sensor circuit that outputs a voltage having a positive temperature gradient and the same absolute value as that for the output voltage of the first temperature sensor circuit. A switch circuit conducts a switching operation in accordance with a control signal to switch between outputting the output voltage of the first temperature sensor circuit and the output voltage of the second temperature sensor circuit. A comparison circuit compares the output voltage from the first or second temperature sensor circuit with a reference voltage. A logic circuit outputs a temperature detection signal on the basis of the control signal and an output signal from the comparison circuit. |
| US07880524B2 |
DLL circuit and method of controlling the same
A DLL circuit includes a delay unit configured to generate a DLL clock signal by delaying a reference clock signal while adjusting a delay amount in response of a level of a control voltage. An initial operation control unit is configured to control an initial level of the control voltage and generate a detection enable signal. A delay control unit is configured to generate the control voltage by comparing a phase of the reference clock signal and a phase of the DLL clock signal in response to the detection enable signal. |
| US07880518B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring and compensating for static phase error in phase locked loops
A method and circuit for static phase error measurement includes a reference clock delay chain having a selectable number of delay elements. A number of the delay elements are enabled in accordance with a select length signal to delay a reference clock signal. A feedback signal delay chain also has a selectable number of delay elements. A number of the delay elements are enabled in accordance with a select length signal to delay a feedback signal. A latch tests phase alignment between the delayed reference clock signal and the delayed feedback signal and outputs a measurement of static phase error. |
| US07880511B2 |
MOS integrated circuit and electronic equipment including the same
A MOS integrated circuit includes: a voltage-to-current conversion circuit configured to convert first and second voltages to a first current having a current value corresponding to the first voltage and a second current having a current value corresponding to the second voltage; and a current comparison circuit configured to compare the respective current values of the first and second currents and to output a voltage showing the comparison result. Oxide films of MOS transistors of the current comparison circuit are thinner than oxide films of MOS transistors of the voltage-to-current conversion circuit. |
| US07880509B2 |
Wired signal receiving apparatus
A wired signal receiving apparatus including a signal receiver, a signal peak detector, and a signal comparator is disclosed. The signal receiver includes an operation current detecting circuit for detecting an operation current. The signal receiver further receives a transmission signal. The signal peak detector receives the operation current, detects a peak thereof, and generates a peak current. The signal comparator compares a reference signal and the peak current to generate an output current for regulating the operation current. |
| US07880507B2 |
Circular edge detector
A circular edge detector on an integrated circuit including a plurality of edge detector cells, each of the plurality of edge detector cells having an input select block operable to receive a data signal and a previous cell signal and to generate a present cell signal, and a state capture block operably connected to receive the present cell signal. The present cell signal of each of the plurality of edge detector cells is provided to a next of the plurality of edge detector cells as the previous cell signal for the next of the plurality of edge detector cells, and the present cell signal from a last edge detector cell is provided to a first edge detector cell as the previous cell signal for the first edge detector cell. |
| US07880501B2 |
Integrated circuit devices having level shifting circuits therein
Level shifting circuits generate multiple tracking signals that are in-phase with an input signal, but are also level-shifted with wider voltage swings relative to the input signal. These input tracking signals are provided as separate inputs to an inverter having at least one PMOS pull-up transistor and at least one NMOS pull-down transistor therein. A level shifting circuit may include a differential input circuit, which is responsive to true and complementary input signals. A first load circuit is electrically coupled to the differential input circuit. This first load circuit is configured to generate first and second tracking signals at respective first and second nodes therein. These first and second tracking signals are in-phase, level-shifted versions of each other, and have respective voltage swings that are greater than a voltage swing of the complementary input signals. The inverter includes a pull-up transistor responsive to the first tracking signal and a pull-down transistor responsive to the second tracking signal. |
| US07880498B2 |
Adjustable hold flip flop and method for adjusting hold requirements
A method and apparatus are provided for storing a value in a process register of an electrical circuit, which indicates a strength of a process in which the circuit was fabricated, and adjusting an input delay applied to data signals received by a synchronous storage element of the electrical circuit based on the stored value. |
| US07880497B2 |
Fault tolerant integrated circuit architecture
The exemplary embodiments provide a resilient integrated circuit. An exemplary IC comprises a plurality of composite circuit elements, a state machine element (SME), and a plurality of communication elements. Each composite circuit element comprises an element interface and a selected circuit element which may vary by element type, and which may be configurable. The state machine element assigns various functions based on element type, such as assigning a first configuration to a first element type, assigning a second configuration to a second element type, and providing a first data link for the corresponding assignments. In response to detection of a fault or failure, the state machine element re-assigns the first configuration to another composite circuit element and creates a second data link for performance of the same function. The assignment, routing, fault detection, and re-assignment and data re-routing can occur in real time for a wide variety of programs and algorithms, providing for the IC to continue the same functioning despite defects which may arise during operation. |
| US07880496B1 |
Conservative logic gate for design of quantum dot cellular automata circuits
A novel conservative gate especially suiting a Quantum Dot Cellular Automata (QCA) majority voter-based design. The input-to-output mapping of the novel conservative QCA (CQCA) gate is: P=A; Q=AB+BC+AC [MV(A,B,C)]; R=A′B+A′C+BC [MV(A′,B,C)], where A, B, C are inputs and P, Q, R are outputs, respectively. A method of transferring information in a quantum-dot cellular automata device is also provided. |
| US07880493B2 |
Probe pad, substrate having a semiconductor device, method of testing a semiconductor device and tester for testing a semiconductor device
In an embodiment, a semiconductor device is tested using a probe pad that includes a probing region with which a probe needle makes contact, and a sensing region bordering an edge of the probing region. Electrical signals are applied, and measured results indicate the probe needle's location relative to a test position on the semiconductor device. |
| US07880491B2 |
Multilayer semiconductor device
The present invention is applied to a multilayer semiconductor device including a plurality of layered semiconductor chips. At least one of the plurality of layered semiconductor chips includes a pad that is not connected to any external circuit terminal of the multilayer semiconductor device. The multilayer semiconductor device also includes a separating element that connects the pad to a test stub line when each semiconductor chip is tested and separates the pad from the test stub line during the normal operation. |
| US07880483B2 |
Method for inspecting quality of core material for electrophotographic ferrite carrier
An object of the present invention is to provide a quality inspection method for obtaining a specifying factor which can more reliably indicate powder characteristics of a core material for an electrophotographic ferrite carrier. The method includes measuring an impedance of the core material for the electrophotographic ferrite carrier to obtain a Cole-Cole plot in which a real number impedance is arranged in an X-axis and an imaginary number impedance is arranged in a Y-axis, and evaluating characteristics of particles of the core material for the electrophotographic ferrite carrier using the Cole-Cole plot. |
| US07880482B2 |
Sensor mechanism and method for the production thereof
A sensor device and a method of making a sensor device. The sensor device includes a coil arrangement including a primary coil and a secondary coil. A conduit that is traversable by a flow in a figure-8 pattern is disposed as a yoke about the coil arrangement such that the coil arrangement is disposed in a vicinity of an intersection of the figure-8 pattern. The conduit includes at least two parts. A parting plane of the two parts is configured so as to enable the coil arrangement to be slip-fit mounted on the conduit before the two parts are joined together. |
| US07880481B2 |
Capacitive sensor and measurement system
A system includes a capacitive sensor including a first electrode and a second electrode. The system includes a measurement system configured to sense a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode and apply a first offset to the sensed capacitance to provide an offset compensated capacitance. |
| US07880479B2 |
Capacitive sensor with alternating current power immunity
A capacitive sensor includes a sensing electrode, control unit, first and second comparator wherein the sensing electrode includes a first and a second conductors. A positive input terminal of the first comparator and a negative input terminal of the second comparator are coupled to the first conductor. A positive input terminal of the second comparator and a negative input terminal of the first comparator are coupled to the second conductor. The first and second comparators respectively output first and second comparing signals according to voltages of the positive and the negative terminals thereof. The control unit charges the first conductor and discharges the second conductor when the first and second comparing signals correspondingly are in first and second logic states. The control unit is operable on the contrary when the first and second comparing signals are in opposition to the abovementioned description. |
| US07880477B2 |
Integrated circuit arrangement
An integrated circuit arrangement has a signal input 20 and a signal output 60, a signal processing unit 100 which is connected to the signal input 20 and to the signal output 60, a noise source 50 for generating a noise signal, and a noise line 55 which connects the noise source 50 to the signal input 20. |
| US07880474B1 |
Distributed network repeater system
A repeater, useable for connecting switches in a data communication network, is provided in a distributed and/or modular fashion. The repeater includes a plurality of separate and distinct components or modules connected to or at least partially housed in, the various switches which the repeater modules couple. Preferably, the repeater autodetects and/or autoconfigures some or all aspects of repeater operations, such as detecting and/or configuring appropriate full/half-duplex mode operation or detecting and/or configuring in response to appropriate or approved cable-type connections. The distributed and/or modular repeater facilitates accommodating various switching or repeater needs as a network grows or contracts. |
| US07880466B2 |
Spectrally selective suppression with steady-state free precession
A method for fat-suppressed imaging is disclosed. Such a method may include storing a first spectral component of an echo signal formed at TR/2 from a sample, suppressing a second spectral component of the echo signal at TR/2, re-exciting the stored spectral component after suppressing the second spectral component, and producing an image of the sample based on the re-excited stored spectral component. |
| US07880464B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging method
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit which applies a labeling pulse to invert a spin included in a labeling region within part of a imaging region and then collects a echo signal from a time point when an inversion time has passed from the application of the labeling pulse, and a control unit, the control unit controlling the imaging unit so that the echo signal in the imaging region is collected a plurality of times with variations in the inversion time, the control unit also controlling the imaging unit so that a time ranging from a reference time point within a biological signal obtained from a subject to the application of the labeling pulse is a time determined in accordance with the inversion time. |
| US07880459B2 |
Circuits and methods to produce a VPTAT and/or a bandgap voltage
Provided herein are circuits and methods to generate a voltage proportional to absolute temperature (VPTAT) and/or a bandgap voltage output (VGO). A circuit includes a group of X transistors. A first subgroup of the X transistors are used to produce a first base-emitter voltage (VBE1). A second subgroup of the X transistors are used to produce a second base-emitter voltage (VBE2). The VPTAT can be produced by determining a difference between VBE1 and VBE2. Which of the X transistors are in the first subgroup and used to produce the first base-emitter voltage (VBE1), and/or which of the X transistors are in the second subgroup and used to produce the second base-emitter voltage (VBE2), change over time. Additionally, a circuit portion can be used to generates a voltage complimentary to absolute temperature (VCTAT) using at least one of the X transistors. The VPTAT and the VCTAT can be added to produce the VGO. |
| US07880454B2 |
Methods and systems for control of switches in power regulators/power amplifiers
Systems and methods control timing of switches in power regulators and power amplifiers. The systems and methods monitor a switch node voltage and obtain rising and falling edges of signals obtained from the monitoring. The systems and methods utilize the rising and falling edges of switch drive signals and predetermined data to obtain delay times for subsequent drive signals. |
| US07880451B2 |
Method and apparatus for power conversion and regulation
Techniques are disclosed to control a power converter with multiple output voltages. One example regulated power converter includes a an energy transfer element coupled between a power converter input and first and second power converter outputs. A switch is coupled between the power converter input and the energy transfer element such that switching of the switch causes a first output voltage to be generated at the first power converter output and a second output voltage to be generated at the second power converter output. A current in the energy transfer element is coupled to increase when a voltage across the energy transfer element is a difference between an input voltage at the power converter input and the first output voltage. The current in the energy transfer element is coupled to decrease when the voltage across the energy transfer element is a sum of the first and second output voltages. |
| US07880449B2 |
Capacitor start-up apparatus and method with fail-safe short circuit protection
Electronic circuits couple energy storage devices, such as double layer capacitors or rechargeable battery cells, to a power supply output, thereby improving noise suppression and extending ride-through capability of the power supply. In a typical circuit, an energy storage device is coupled in series with a switch that controls the charging current into the energy storage device. The switch is controlled by a comparator that receives a signal related to the voltage level of the power supply. In some embodiments, the comparator also receives a feedback signal related to a charging current flowing into the energy storage device. The circuit is configured so that the switch limits the charging current to a predetermined current level, or does not allow the charging current to flow until the output voltage of the power supply reaches a predetermined voltage level. |
| US07880448B2 |
Fault clearing method for permanent magnet machines
A permanent magnet machine (PMM) has a kinetic portion electrically coupled to a power conversion portion. Motive power is provided to the kinetic portion by a torque applied to a motive shaft coupled to a prime mover, such as an aircraft engine or an automobile engine. A control circuit includes a switch disposed between the kinetic portion and output feeder cables of the power conversion portion. A first sensor is effective to detect a first fault condition in either the feeder cables or the power conversion portion and a second sensor is effective to detect a second fault condition in the kinetic energy portion. The first sensor is effective to open the switch when a first fault condition is detected and the second sensor is effective to apply a voltage to a winding within the kinetic portion generating an opposing counter torque on the motive shaft where a combination of torque and counter torque exceeds a fracture yield strength of said motive shaft causing it to fracture. The second fault condition is then rendered safe while the prime mover may continue normal operation. |
| US07880446B2 |
Adaptive frequency compensation for DC-to-DC converter
One embodiment of the invention is a compensation circuit that includes a comparator that is coupled to receive a reference voltage. The compensation circuit can also include a capacitance coupled to receive a feedback voltage associated with an output voltage of a converter. Furthermore, the compensation circuit can include an adjustable resistance that is coupled to the capacitance and to the comparator. |
| US07880438B1 |
UPS battery replacement
An uninterruptible power supply system includes an input configured to couple to a power source, an output configured to couple to a system load, a battery, power circuitry coupled to the input, the output, and the battery, and configured to transfer power from the input to the output and to transfer power from the battery to the output, a test load, a test switch coupled to the battery and the test load and configured to selectively couple the battery to the test load, a voltage monitor coupled to the battery and configured to provide an indication of a voltage provided by the battery, and a processor coupled to the test switch and the voltage monitor and configured to effect a first partial-discharge test on the battery by actuating the test switch to couple the battery to the test load to partially discharge the battery, and by using information from the voltage monitor regarding the voltage provided by the battery at different times during the test before a complete discharge of the battery to determine a capacity of the battery. |
| US07880434B2 |
System for balancing a plurality of battery pack system modules connected in series
A system for balancing a plurality of battery pack system modules connected in series comprising: a plurality of battery pack system modules, wherein a high charge module of the plurality of battery pack system modules has a charge greater than a that of other modules. At least one zener diode connected in series with a current limiting resistor is connected in parallel to the plurality of battery pack system modules. A power source is in communication with a disconnect circuit of at least one of the battery pack system modules. The disconnect circuit is actuated when the battery pack system module reaches a predetermined state of charge. The zener diode enables current from the power source to bypass charged battery pack system modules to charge other battery pack system modules. |
| US07880432B2 |
Battery management system and battery management method
The battery management system of the present invention measures a cell voltage of a battery more efficiently using a small number of elements, and measures a pack current and voltage thereof when measuring the voltages of a plurality of cells. The battery management system is coupled to the battery formed with one pack having a plurality of battery cells. The battery includes a first sub-pack having first and second batteries among the plurality of battery cells. The battery management system includes first to fourth relays and an A/D converter. The first and the second relays transmit the cell voltages in response to respective first and second control signals by being coupled to each output terminal of the first and second battery cells of the first sub-pack. The third relay transmits the cell voltage transmitted though one of the first and second relays in response to a third control signal, and the first charging unit stores the cell voltage transmitted from the third relay. The fourth relay transmits the cell voltage stored in the first charging unit in response to a fourth control signal. The A/D converter converts the cell voltages transmitted through the fourth relay into digital data. |
| US07880431B2 |
Multiple interfaces for a rechargeable battery pack
A battery pack for powering a portable electronic device is disclosed. The battery pack includes means for connecting the battery pack to the portable electronic device such that a main power terminal of the battery pack engages a main power input port of the portable electronic device. An auxiliary power output terminal is located on an outer surface of the portable electronic device that is capable of receiving a power cord for powering the portable electronic device through an auxiliary power input port located on the portable electronic device. A charger input terminal is also included on the outer surface of the battery pack for receiving the power cord for recharging the battery pack. |
| US07880430B2 |
Power system and method
A power system may include at least one controller configured to determine a net reactive power on at least one power distribution circuit and to issue at least one request for offsetting reactive power based on the determination to reduce the net reactive power on the at least one power distribution circuit. |
| US07880427B2 |
Method for operation of a two-stranded electronically commutated motor, and motor for carrying out said method
A two-stranded electronically commutated DC motor has a permanent-magnet rotor (36), power supply terminals (28, 30) for connecting the motor to a current source (22) and a stator (102) having a winding arrangement which includes first and second winding strands (52, 54). The latter are controlled by respective first and second semiconductor switches (70, 80). The motor also has a third controllable semiconductor switch (50), arranged in a supply lead from one of the terminals (28, 30) to the winding strands (52, 54), which third switch is alternately switched on and off by applying to it a PWM (Pulse Width Modulated) signal 24. During switch-off intervals, magnetic flux energy stored in the motor causes a decaying loop current (i2) to run through the windings, continuing to drive the rotor. This facilitates conformal mapping of temperature information in the PWM signal onto a target motor rotation speed. |
| US07880426B2 |
Polyphase voltage converter control method
A method for driving a power bridge (1) which is used for controlling a multiphase electric load (3), connectable to said electric load (3) via several arms and drivable by switching functions which determine free wheel controlling vectors and are active for controlling the load. The inventive method consists in selecting a first switching function production method which produces a reduced number of combinations of switching functions corresponding to the free wheel control vectors or a second switching function production method which produces combinations of switching functions corresponding only to the active control vectors, wherein said method are defined according to a given reference voltage vector and in applying said selected for producing a sequence of control vectors from the produced combinations of switching functions. |
| US07880424B2 |
Rotary electric apparatus having rotor with field winding inducing current therethrough for generating magnetic field
A rotary electric apparatus comprise a synchronous machine of field winding type, an inverter, a DC power supply, a current flow regulator, and a controller. The DC power supply outputs first voltage of a first voltage value and second voltage of a second voltage value higher than the first voltage value. The current flow regulator regulates directions of currents flowing through a field winding by rotor exciting currents into one way, the current flow regulator being electrically connected to the field winding. The controller controls the inverter such that the inverter produces armature currents consisting of synchronized currents producing rotating fields depending on a rotating position of a rotor and rotor exciting currents different in waveforms from the synchronized currents and superposed on the synchronized currents. At least the rotor exciting currents are powered on a second voltage from the DC power supply. |
| US07880423B2 |
Method and apparatus for stepper motor stall detection
A detector device and a method for detecting a stall condition in a stepper motor, wherein the characteristics of the back EMF are identified directly from a waveform of the back EMF, specifically a first peak of the back EMF, a valley of the back EMF, and a second peak of the rectified integral of the back EMF, to determine a condition of the stepper motor. |
| US07880420B2 |
Control system and method of massage machine
A control system and method of massage machine for acting massage therapy on human body includes a common drive motor for driving multiple massage heads, multiple routine keys for setting motor routines and the rotation direction of the drive motor via a multiple sets of motor switches, a timer, and a Single Chip Microcomputer controller for controlling. In operation, a user could not only set operation mode or routine via the routine keys and then activate massage procedure, but also could change the operation mode or routine of the massage machine by reselecting the routine keys at any time. |
| US07880418B2 |
Electromechanical drive system, in particular for progressive cavity pumps for oil wells
The following invention is an electromechanical system (1) that is to be connected to an electricity supply (7), comprising: an electric machine (2) that can operate as an independent generator with a rotating shaft, and a switching system (9) allowing i) in the first configuration, the electric machine to operate as a motor in the case where the connected device (4) is normally driven or as a generator in the case where the coupled device is normally driving, and ii) in the second configuration, the electric machine to operate as an independent generator, the electrical energy generated by the electric machine (2; 22) being dissipated in the machine and in a dissipative load (13). |
| US07880416B2 |
Low speed synchronous motor drive operation
Methods and apparatus are provided for providing a torque boost in an electric motor system at low speeds. The electric motor system comprises an alternating current (AC) synchronous electric motor, an inverter and a controller. The inverter is coupled to the AC synchronous electric motor and provides electric control therefore. The controller is coupled to the inverter and provides operational control signals thereto for operation of the electric motor. The controller includes a torque command gain block which modifies a torque command to generate a boosted torque signal in response to a detected speed of the electric motor, the torque command modified to define the boosted torque signal defined in accordance with a torque dependent scaling factor calculated in response to the torque command. |
| US07880415B2 |
Control of a brushless electrical machine
A brushless electrical machine has at least one phase winding which produces magnetic flux in the machine. A controller controls the flux in the machine with reference to a demanded flux and a stabilisation signal which, in combination, enable the controller to operate in a stable manner in the presence of disturbances in the inputs or parameters of the controller. The controller is able to operate with either a hardware rotor position detector or with a sensorless position algorithm. |
| US07880409B2 |
Removable power supply for a motorized shutter assembly
A removable power supply is provided for use with a motor of a shutter assembly. The removable power supply may include a base housing a battery, a shaft, and a flexible conductor coupled between the base and the shaft. The end of the shaft opposite of the flexible conductor has an electrical interface that is configured to supply power to the motor. The electrical interface is configured for removable coupling to the motor. The shaft may comprise a plurality of telescoping sections, or may be a unitary member. The telescoping sections may be a series of interlocking hallow tubes. The removable power supply may supply power to the motor, thereby allowing a shutter curtain of the assembly to be raised or lowered. Once the shutter curtain is at the desired position, the removable power supply may be removed from the shutter assembly. |
| US07880407B2 |
Driver system and method with cyclic configuration for multiple cold-cathode fluorescent lamps and/or external-electrode fluorescent lamps
System and method for driving a plurality of cold-cathode fluorescent lamps. The system includes a subsystem configured to receive at least a DC voltage and generate a first AC voltage in response to at least the DC voltage, a power converter configured to receive the first AC voltage and convert the first AC voltage to at least a second AC voltage, and a plurality of current balancing devices. Each of the plurality of current balancing devices is configured to receive two currents and balance the two currents. The power converter and the plurality of current balancing devices are capable of being directly or indirectly coupled to a plurality of cold-cathode fluorescent lamps. |
| US07880405B2 |
System and method for providing adjustable ballast factor
The invention includes an electronic ballast that is operable to receive a ballast factor setting that enables the ballast to provide a desired ballast factor when the ballast drives a lamp. The electronic ballast includes an input that is adapted to receive a ballast factor setting that represents a desired ballast factor for the ballast and a respective lamp. The ballast further includes a memory that is adapted to store the ballast factor setting, and the ballast includes a processor that uses the ballast factor setting stored in the memory to cause the ballast to provide the desired ballast factor as the ballast drives the lamp. The ballast includes means for substantially preventing subsequently changing the ballast factor setting stored in the memory. Various business methods are further provided as a function of the electronic ballast. |
| US07880397B2 |
Method for starting a discharge lamp using high energy initial pulse
The described DC to AC inverter efficiently controls the amount of electrical power used to drive a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL). Additionally, during striking of the CCFL, a higher energy initial energy pulse is used. During normal operation, a lower energy pulse is used. |
| US07880394B2 |
Lighting system to facilitate remote modification of a light fixture modifiable operating parameter
A lighting system comprises a light fixture (100) and a corresponding remote control transmitter (200). The light fixture can comprise at least one electrically energizable light source (102), at least one local condition sensor (103), a receiver (105), a memory (104), and a controller (101). The controller automatically controls energization of the light source as a function of input from the location condition sensor(s) and at least one stored modifiable operating parameter. The controller also automatically modifies the modifiable operating parameter(s) in response to instructions (106) as are received via the receiver. The wireless remote control transmitter (200) comprises a transmitter (202), an end user interface (203), and a controller (201). The controller processes inputs from an end user (as entered via the end user interface) regarding at least one of the aforementioned manipulable operating parameters and transmits this information to the aforementioned light fixture. |
| US07880393B2 |
Power-saving circuit
A power-saving circuit is provided for saving electrical power by detecting a presence or absence of an object in a localized area. The power-saving circuit includes a sensor module, and a switch module connected to the sensor module. The detector is adapted for outputting a control signal at a first state when an object is detected in the localized area, and outputting a control signal at a second state when an object is detected not in the localized area. The switch module provides a stable DC voltage according to the control signal at the first state, and not provides the stable DC voltage according to the control signal at the second state. |
| US07880391B2 |
False failure prevention circuit in emergency ballast
A backup ballast used with a primary ballast for providing power to one or more lamps. The backup ballast includes an output switch and a delay circuit. The output switch has a first operating mode for connecting a primary power source via the primary ballast to a first set of the lamps and second operating mode for connecting a backup power source with a second set of the lamps. The output switch operates in the first operating mode when it is energized and in the second operating mode when said it is not energized. The delay circuit is adapted for connecting to the primary power source for receiving power therefrom. The delay circuit is connected to the output switch for energizing it while the power is being received and for a delay period thereafter. The delay circuit includes an energy-storage component for storing energy while the power is being received and discharging the stored energy when the power is not being received in order to energize the output switch for the delay period. |
| US07880390B2 |
Vehicular room illuminating lamp
A vehicular room illuminating lamp includes: a plurality of illumination units applying voltages through courtesy wires thereof to lamps which irradiate positions in a vehicle cabin, the positions corresponding to four doors; a mode switch capable of selecting an all-lights-on mode, a door mode and a light-off mode; and a controller that individually receives a mode selection signal of the mode switch and respective door open/close signals of the four doors. The controller applies the voltages to all of the courtesy wires in the all-lights-on mode, applies the voltage only to the courtesy wire of the illumination unit corresponding to the door indicated to be open by the door open/close signal in the door mode, and does not apply the voltage to any of the courtesy wires irrespective of states of the door open/close signals in the light-off mode. |
| US07880389B2 |
LED lighting lamp
The present invention is an LED lighting lamp which comprises a lamp body including a light emitting part in which a plurality of LED elements are arranged on each of side surfaces of a polygonal supporting member and a connection part which is provided at a different position from that of the light emitting part and is formed with a plurality of terminal electrodes electrically connected to the LED elements, and a socket in which the connection part of the lamp body is fitted and which has a pair of output terminals electrically connected to the terminal electrodes, and which is configured to enhance reliability and long-term stability and reduce a cost involved in exchanging a light source. |
| US07880387B2 |
Plasma display panel having a crystalline magnesium oxide layer
A PDP is equipped with a front glass substrate and a back glass substrate which face each other on either side of a discharge space, row electrode pairs formed on the front glass substrate, a dielectric layer covering the row electrode pairs, a protective layer covering the dielectric layer, and a partition wall unit partitioning the discharge space into discharge cells. The partition wall unit has an approximate grid shape. The protective layer has a crystalline MgO layer essentially containing an MgO crystal causing a cathode-luminescence emission having a peak within a wavelength range of 200 nm to 300 nm upon excitation by an electron beam. |
| US07880384B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and method for fabricating the same
An organic light emitting display device capable of preventing damage to signal and power lines that drive a pixel region, and a method for fabricating the same. The organic light emitting display device includes a device substrate including at least a pixel region; an encapsulation substrate to overlap at least one region of the device substrate including the pixel region; a sealing agent arranged between the device substrate and the encapsulation substrate to seal a region therebetween; at least one wire formed on the device substrate to extend from inside a sealing region to the outside of the sealing region; a first protective layer formed on the wire; and a second protective layer formed on the first protective layer to overlap at least one edge of the encapsulation substrate which is arranged to cross the wire. |
| US07880381B2 |
LED with light absorbing encapsulant and related methodology
A plurality of different frequency absorbing materials are placed between an LED and a surface so as to generate a non-monochromatic colors. In one embodiment, a light device is arranged with light sources, each of which emit light of a different color, and by surrounding the different colored light sources with a color changing media, each of which absorb light of different colors and by allowing the light sources to be individually calibrated as to power level, a variety of colors can be achieved. |
| US07880375B2 |
Triode cathode apparatus and method of making a triode cathode apparatus
A triode type cathode structure of an FED screen arranged in rows and columns, including a first lower metallization level forming cathodes, an electrical insulating layer, a second higher metallization level forming extraction grids, openings formed in the second metallization level and in the electrical insulating layer, and lines of electron emission arranged in the openings, which lines are parallel to the direction of the rows of the screen. |
| US07880368B2 |
Ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic transducer array and ultrasound endoscope apparatus
An ultrasonic transducer arraying at even intervals ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and layering a plurality of acoustic matching layers on them, comprising an transducer shape forming member made of a fiber-reinforced thermosetting PPE for filling a gap formed on the side face of the ultrasonic transducer with the same material as that of the acoustic matching layer, mixing a colorant in a division member adjacent to a predefined ultrasonic transducer from among a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and arraying the plurality thereof. |
| US07880366B2 |
Three-dimensional stack-type piezo element and piezoelectric actuator having such a stack-type piezo element
A three-dimensional stack-type piezo element has at least one surface that is shaped perpendicular to layer planes of the stack, so that, at least in sections, it is not parallel to a stacking direction of the piezo element. |
| US07880362B2 |
Brush holder assembly with spring clip
A brush holder assembly of an electrical device is disclosed. The brush holder assembly includes a brush holder, a spring clip removable from the brush holder, a spring detachably coupled to the spring clip, and a spring retainer for retaining the spring on the spring clip. The spring clip is slidably disposed in channels of the brush holder. The detachable spring includes an end region extending around the end of the spring clip such that a first portion of the spring is facing a first side of the spring clip and a second portion of the spring is facing a second side of the spring clip. The spring retainer extends around the end of the spring clip over the end region of the spring. |
| US07880361B2 |
Electrical machine with an insertion device for a permanent magnet between pole tooth halves and corresponding production method
The manufacturing effort for producing electrical machines with pole teeth which are fitted with permanent magnets is intended to be simplified. The permanent magnets are inserted into the pole teeth only at the end of the manufacturing process, for this purpose, with the pole teeth each comprising two pole teeth halves (1, 2). An insertion device (3) which may be in the form of a frame is arranged between the pole teeth halves (1, 2). The insertion device (3) is used to keep a space free for the individual permanent magnets during the assembly process. By way of example, this allows the pole teeth to be wound without permanent magnets interfering with this manufacturing step. Permanent magnets are finally inserted into the insertion devices. |
| US07880357B2 |
Sintered magnet and rotating machine equipped with the same
A sintered magnet and a rotating machine equipped therewith are disclosed, which include: crystal grains of a ferromagnetic material consisting mainly of iron, and a fluoride compound or an oxyfluoride compound, containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal element, an alkaline earth metal element, and a rare earth element, the fluoride compound or the oxyfluoride compound being formed inside some of the crystal grains or in a part of a grain boundary part. The oxyfluoride compound or the fluoride compound contains carbon, and a grain boundary width of the ferromagnetic material is smaller than a grain boundary width of the ferromagnetic material in which the fluoride compound or the oxyfluoride compound is formed. |
| US07880356B2 |
Brushless electric machine
A first member (40a) has a magnet assembly (20) that includes a plurality of permanent magnets (10) held with their homopoles contacting one another. A second member (50a) includes magnet coils (30), and is designed to be changeable in position relative to the first member. The magnet assembly (20) generates the strongest magnetic field in a magnetic field direction lying in the homopolar contact plane at which the homopoles contact one another, the magnetic field direction being oriented outward from the magnet assembly (20) along the magnetic field direction. |
| US07880351B2 |
Drive with an electric motor, a housing and a direction-dependent brake
A drive with an electric motor, a housing and a direction-dependent brake, which includes a driver splined to a motor shaft, a drive output coupled freely pivotable around a small angle and shape-mated with the driver, several clamping devices and a clamping ring, in which the clamping devices cooperate with the clamping ring so that the brake conveys a torque from the electric motor to the driver output and brakes a back-driving torque of the drive output. The task of the invention is to present a brake in which no static redundancy occurs, which is simple to construct and in which no abrupt blocking is possible. This task is solved according to the invention in that the clamping ring is connected radially movable to the housing, a gearbox or a part attached to the housing so that the clamping ring after overcoming a defined force can be moved at least slightly radially by a clamping device. |
| US07880340B2 |
Radiation-triggered semiconductor shutdown device
An integrated circuit includes a radiation-triggered shutdown circuit that disables a critical aspect of the integrated circuit rendering the integrated circuit non-functional when the integrated circuit receives a predetermined radiation dose. That ensures integrated circuits including the radiation-triggered shutdown circuit are ITAR compliant. |
| US07880339B2 |
Isolation circuitry and method for hiding a power consumption characteristic of an associated processing circuit
An isolation circuitry and method are provided for coupling between a power supply and processing circuitry in order to provide power to the processing circuitry whilst hiding a power consumption characteristic of that processing circuitry. The isolation circuitry comprises a plurality of sub-circuits, with each sub-circuit comprising a capacitor, a first switch configured to provide a first connection between the capacitor and the power supply, a second switch configured to provide a second connection between the capacitor and the processing circuitry, and a third switch configured to provide a third connection across the capacitor to partially discharge the capacitor. Control circuitry controls the plurality of sub-circuits, such that within each sub-circuit the first switch, second switch and third switch are placed in an active state in a repeating sequence. Each of the plurality of sub-circuits further comprises a comparator configured to place the third switch in an open state when a predetermined non-zero voltage difference across the capacitor is reached during the active state of the third switch. By such an approach, it is ensured that the voltage across the comparator at the end of the discharge operation is always the same irrespective of the voltage present at the start of the discharge operation. As a result, the power consumption characteristic of the processing circuitry is entirely hidden by the isolation circuitry. Further, the isolation circuitry of the present invention provides a particular power efficient mechanism for hiding the power consumption characteristic of the processing circuitry. |
| US07880334B2 |
Power supply control for power generator
A system (100) for connecting a fuel cell stack to an A.C. grid to provide power thereto is disclosed in which a voltage regulated D.C. bus (110) is provided to be coupled to the fuel cell stack, a bidirectional inverter (120) is coupled to the D.C. bus (110), and is to be coupled between the D.C. bus (110) and the A.C. grid. At least one D.C. auxiliary load (130) of the fuel cell stack is provided coupled to the D.C. bus (110). A D.C. to D.C. converter (140) is provided between the fuel cell stack and the D.C. bus (110). |
| US07880331B2 |
Management of an electric power generation and storage system
In one technique of the present invention, DC electric power from a DC bus is inverted to provide AC electricity to one or more electrical loads, and AC power from a variable speed generator is rectified to provide a first variable amount of electric power to the DC bus. This technique also includes determining power applied to the electrical loads, and dynamically controlling the amount of power supplied from the generator and an electrical energy storage device in response to the power applied to the loads. |
| US07880330B2 |
Controlling a power converter
A load is powered by a power source and a capacitive element in series such that the voltage provided to the load is the sum of the voltages of the power source and the capacitive element. A power converter imposing a limit on a flow of current through at least a portion of the power converter is coupled to the power source and the capacitive element, and selectively causes the capacitive element to either be charged or to discharge depending on the amount of current drawn by the load. As the capacitor discharges, the power source is permitted to supply a relatively higher amount of current to the load. |
| US07880326B2 |
Integrated power module for hybrid and fuel cell vehicles
An integrated power module conditions and distributes electrical power from a high voltage source in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes an electrically-driven traction motor. A common primary DC-to-DC converter stage for coupling to the high voltage source produces an intermediate DC voltage on an intermediate voltage bus. The primary DC-to-DC converter stage comprises a plurality of phases including respective secondary circuits selectably coupled to the intermediate voltage bus. A plurality of power conditioners are each coupled to the intermediate voltage bus for transforming the intermediate DC voltage to respective power outputs, wherein the power outputs including a first AC output for driving the traction motor. |
| US07880325B2 |
Apparatus and method pertaining to light-based power distribution in a vehicle
A vehicle (400) such as an aircraft is provided (101) with a source of light (401). An optical conduit is then used to couple (104) this source of light to a light-to-electricity conversion apparatus (408). So configured, the optical conduit delivers light from this source of light to the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus such that the light source then serves as a source of electricity in the vehicle. |
| US07880321B2 |
Wind power generator system
A wind power generator system includes a windmill rotor including a blade whose pitch angle is variable; a generator driven by the windmill rotor; and a control unit controlling output power of the generator and the pitch angle of the blade. The control unit performs a first control in which the output power is controlled in accordance with a predetermined power-rotational speed curve until the rotational speed is increased to reach a predetermined rated rotational speed, and a second control in which the output power is controlled to a predetermined rated power when the rotational speed exceeds the rated rotational speed. The control unit is responsive to the pitch angle for maintaining the second control or for switching to the first control, when the rotational speed is reduced below the rated rotational speed after the control unit is once placed into the state of performing the second control. |
| US07880317B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device is provided in which the heat dissipation characteristic of a flip-chip mounted semiconductor chip is improved. A semiconductor device is provided with a substrate, a semiconductor flip-chip mounted on the substrate, a sealing resin layer for sealing around the semiconductor flip-chip. A sealing resin layer for sealing the semiconductor chip is formed around the semiconductor chip. In this semiconductor device, the back surface of the semiconductor chip is exposed and is convex with respect to the upper surface of the sealing resin layer. |
| US07880316B2 |
Dicing die-bonding film and process for producing semiconductor device
The present invention provides a dicing die-bonding film including: a dicing film having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer provided on a base material; and a die-bonding film provided on the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, in which the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of the dicing film is an active energy ray-curable pressure-sensitive adhesive layer which contains a gas-generating agent in a ratio of 10 to 200 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of a base polymer which is a specific acrylic polymer A, and the die-bonding film is formed of a die-adhering layer. |
| US07880315B2 |
Methods for bonding and micro-electronic devices produced according to such methods
One inventive aspect is related to a method of bonding two elements and micro-electronic devices produced according to such methods. In one aspect, a micro-electronic device includes a first and a second element, bonded together by a joining structure. The joining structure has a first micropattern portion, a second micropattern portion, and a joining portion in between the first and second micropattern portions. The first and second micropattern portions are made of cobalt. The joining portion includes intermetallic compounds of cobalt and tin (Sn). |
| US07880310B2 |
Direct device attachment on dual-mode wirebond die
A dual-mode integrated circuit comprises wirebondable and solderable electrical connectors. |
| US07880308B2 |
Semiconductor device
There is disclosed a semiconductor device comprising at least two substrates, at least one wiring being provided in each of the substrates, the substrates being stacked such that major surfaces on one side of each thereof oppose each other and the wirings being connected between the major surfaces, and a plurality of connecting portions being provided adjacent to each other while connected to each wiring on the major surfaces opposing each other, at least one of the connecting portions provided on the same major surface being formed smaller than the adjacent other connecting portion, the connecting portions being provided at positions opposing each other one to one on the major surface, the connecting portions being connected so that the wirings are connected between the major surfaces, one connecting portion of a pair of the connecting portions connected one to one being formed smaller than the other connecting portion. |
| US07880301B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element including a semiconductor substrate having an element region, a laminated film formed on the semiconductor substrate and including a low dielectric constant insulating film, and a laser-machined groove provided to cut at least the low dielectric constant insulating film. The semiconductor element is connected to a wiring substrate via a bump electrode. An underfill material is filled between the semiconductor element and the wiring substrate. The fillet length Y (mm) of the underfill material satisfies a condition of Y>−0.233X+3.5 (where X>0, and Y>0) with respect to the width X (μm) of the laser-machined groove. |
| US07880296B2 |
Chip carrier structure having semiconductor chip embedded therein and metal layer formed thereon
The present invention provides a chip carrier structure having a semiconductor chip embedded therein and a protective metal layer formed thereon and a fabrication method thereof. The chip carrier structure includes a chip-embedded carrier structure, and a metal layer formed by electroplating on the bottom surface and side surfaces of the chip-embedded carrier structure. The metal layer prevents moisture from crossing the side surfaces of the chip-embedded carrier structure, so as to prevent delamination, provide a shielding effect, and improve heat dissipation through the metal layer. |
| US07880293B2 |
Wafer integrated with permanent carrier and method therefor
A semiconductor device has a wafer for supporting the device and a conductive layer formed over a top surface of the wafer. A carrier wafer is permanently bonded over the conductive layer. Within the wafer and the carrier wafer, an interconnect structure is formed. The interconnect structure includes a first via formed in the wafer exposing the conductive layer, a second via formed in the carrier wafer exposing the conductive layer, a first metal layer deposited over the first via, the first metal layer in electrical contact with the conductive layer, and a second metal layer deposited over the second via, the second metal layer in electrical contact with the conductive layer. First and second passivation layers are deposited over the first and second metal layers. The first or second passivation layer has an etched portion to expose a portion of the first metal layer or second metal layer. |
| US07880292B2 |
Semiconductor device and fabricating method thereof
A semiconductor device that allows an image sensor (in an upper area of a SiP semiconductor device) to exchange signals with a device in a lower area of a SiP semiconductor device. A semiconductor device includes at least one of: A semiconductor substrate having a photodiode area and a transistor area. A PMD (Pre Metal Dielectric) layer formed on and/or over the semiconductor substrate. At least one metal layers formed on and/or over the PMD layer. A first penetrating electrode penetrating the PMD layer and the at least one metal layers. A second penetrating electrode penetrating the semiconductor substrate and connected to the first penetrating electrode. |
| US07880291B2 |
Integrated circuit package and integrated circuit module
An integrated circuit package may include a board that may support an integrated circuit chip. A post pin may be provided on a surface of the board. The post pin may be electrically connected to the integrated circuit chip. A land pin may be provided on the other surface of the board. The land pin may be electrically connected to the integrated circuit chip. |
| US07880289B2 |
Semiconductor package and method of fabricating the same and semiconductor module and method of fabricating the same
Provided are a semiconductor package having connection terminals whose side surfaces are exposed and a semiconductor module including such a semiconductor package. Also provided are methods of fabricating the semiconductor package and semiconductor module. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip including a semiconductor wafer having first and second opposite surfaces and a plurality of conductive pads arranged in a row on the first surface along the edges of the semiconductor wafer such that a side surface of each conductive pad is exposed. An insulating layer is formed on the first surface of the semiconductor wafer and includes openings for exposing parts of the conductive pads. A plurality of connection terminals are respectively arranged on the conductive pads exposed through the openings and a reinforcing member is arranged on the insulating layer to cover a portion of each connection terminal. |
| US07880288B2 |
Semiconductor module with semiconductor chips and method for producing it
A semiconductor module has at least two semiconductor chips (4, 5) with at least one first and one second electrode (12, 13) on their first sides. Each semiconductor chip (4, 5) has a third electrode (14) on its second side (16). A chip arrangement within the semiconductor module (1) is provided such that the electrodes (12, 13) on the first sides of the semiconductor chips (4, 5) are oriented toward a second side of the semiconductor module (1) and the third electrodes (14) on the second sides (16) of the semiconductor chips (4, 5) are oriented toward a first side of the semiconductor module (1). For this purpose, external terminals (19, 20) on the second side of the semiconductor module (1) are directly coupled to the electrodes (12, 13) of the first sides and connecting elements (22) electrically couple the third electrodes (14) to corresponding external terminals (21). |
| US07880285B2 |
Semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor chip stack and method for producing the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip stack having at least one lower semiconductor chip as a base of the semiconductor chip stack, and at least one upper semiconductor chip. An insulating intermediate plate is arranged between the semiconductor chips. Connecting elements wire the semiconductor chips, the intermediate plate and external terminals to one another. |
| US07880281B2 |
Switching assembly for an aircraft ignition system
A switching assembly is disclosed for a high voltage aircraft ignition system. The switching assembly includes a ceramic substrate and switch die that includes an anode bonded to an electrical pad on the ceramic substrate. The switch die includes a semiconductor device having a plurality of interleaved gates and cathodes, and includes a ceramic cap having at least one gate pad connected to the gates and at least one cathode pad connected to the cathodes. The switching assembly includes leads connected to the gate pad, the cathode pad, and the electrical pad on the substrate. The switch die and a portion of the leads are potted to form the completed assembly. |
| US07880278B2 |
Integrated circuit having stress tuning layer
Warpage and breakage of integrated circuit substrates is reduced by compensating for the stress imposed on the substrate by thin films formed on a surface of the substrate. Particularly advantageous for substrates having a thickness substantially less than about 150 μm, a stress-tuning layer is formed on a surface of the substrate to substantially offset or balance stress in the substrate which would otherwise cause the substrate to bend. The substrate includes a plurality of bonding pads on a first surface for electrical connection to other component. |
| US07880276B2 |
Wiring board and semiconductor device
A wiring board where an electronic component is mounted on a main surface via a bump and at least a part of the periphery of the electronic component is covered with resin, the wiring board includes a dam provided at least at a part of the periphery of an area where the electronic component is mounted, on the main surface of the wiring board; wherein a surface of the dam contacting the resin has a configuration where a curved line is continuously formed. |
| US07880275B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming shielding along a profile disposed in peripheral region around the device
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor die with a peripheral region around the die. A first insulating material is deposited in the peripheral region. A conductive via is formed through the first insulating material. A conductive layer is formed over the semiconductor die. The conductive layer is electrically connected between the conductive via and a contact pad of the semiconductor die. A second insulating layer is deposited over the first insulating layer, conductive layer, and semiconductor die. A profile is formed in the first and second insulating layers in the peripheral region. The profile is tapered, V-shaped, truncated V-shape, flat, or vertical. A shielding layer is formed over the first and second insulating layers to isolate the semiconductor die from inter-device interference. The shielding layer conforms to the profile in the peripheral region and electrically connects the shielding layer to the conductive via. |
| US07880274B2 |
Method of enabling alignment of wafer in exposure step of IC process after UV-blocking metal layer is formed over the whole wafer
A method of enabling alignment of a wafer in at least one exposure step of an integrated circuit process after a UV-blocking metal layer is formed over the whole wafer covering a patterned upmost metal layer of the integrated circuit is described, wherein the wafer has an edge portion where a composite dielectric layer corresponding to the dielectric layers of the integrated circuit is formed. The method includes forming a cavity in the composite dielectric layer over the edge portion of the wafer in the patterning process of the upmost metal layer, such that an alignment mark is formed after the UV-blocking metal layer is formed. |
| US07880270B2 |
Vertical bipolar transistor
A vertical heterobipolar transistor comprising a substrate of semiconductor material of a first conductivity type and an insulation region provided therein, a first semiconductor electrode arranged in an opening of the insulation region and comprising monocrystalline semiconductor material of a second conductivity type, which is either in the form of a collector or an emitter, and which has a first heightwise portion and an adjoining second heightwise portion which is further away from the substrate interior in a heightwise direction, wherein only the first heightwise portion is enclosed by the insulation region in lateral directions perpendicular to the heightwise direction, a second semiconductor electrode of semiconductor material of the second conductivity type, which is in the form of the other type of semiconductor electrode, a base of monocrystalline semiconductor material of the first conductivity type, and a base connection region having a monocrystalline portion which in a lateral direction laterally surrounds the second heightwise portion, which is further towards the substrate interior as viewed from the base, of the first semiconductor electrode, and which rests with its underside directly on the insulation region. |
| US07880269B2 |
Integrated circuit including a capacitor and method
An integrated circuit including a capacitor and a method of fabricating an integrated circuit. The capacitor has a first electrode. A plurality of conductive lines is separated from each other and is configured to be held at a potential being the same for all conductive lines. A second electrode encloses individual ones of the conductive lines at a top side and at least one lateral side and is separated from the first electrode by a dielectric layer. The second electrode includes a polycrystalline semiconductor material, a metal or a metal-semiconductor compound. |
| US07880267B2 |
Buried decoupling capacitors, devices and systems including same, and methods of fabrication
A buried decoupling capacitor apparatus and method are provided. According to various embodiments, a buried decoupling capacitor apparatus includes a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate having a buried insulator region and top semiconductor region on the buried insulator region. The apparatus embodiment also includes a first capacitor plate having a doped region in the top semiconductor region in the semiconductor-on-insulator substrate. The apparatus embodiment further includes a dielectric material on the first capacitor plate, and a second capacitor plate on the dielectric material. According to various embodiments, the first capacitor plate, the dielectric material and the second capacitor plate form a decoupling capacitor for use in an integrated circuit. |
| US07880266B2 |
Four-terminal antifuse structure having integrated heating elements for a programmable circuit
The present invention provides antifuse structures having an integrated heating element and methods of programming the same, the antifuse structures comprising first and second conductors and a dielectric layer formed between the conductors, where one or both of the conductors functions as both a conventional antifuse conductor and as a heating element for directly heating the antifuse dielectric layer during programming. |
| US07880265B1 |
Packaged integrated circuit
A packaged integrated circuit includes an integrated circuit and a package substrate. A trace in the package substrate includes a first portion and a second, high-inductance, portion. The high-inductance portion of the trace is proximate to a port of the integrated circuit and provides a selected inductance operating in cooperation with the capacitance of the port to reduce return loss from the port. The first portion of the trace is part of a transmission line having a characteristic impedance. |
| US07880264B2 |
Integrated circuit arrangement comprising isolating trenches and a field effect transistor
A memory circuit arrangement and a fabrication method are disclosed. The memory circuit arrangement has a memory cell area. The memory cell area contains memory cell transistors, one column of which are selected using a triple gate area selection transistor. The transistor has gate area that extends into isolating trenches. The isolating trenches isolate the memory cell in different columns of the memory cell array. |
| US07880262B2 |
Semiconductor device
An active barrier structure has a p-type region and an n-type region, each of which is in contact with a p-type impurity region and which are ohmic-connected to each other to attain a floating potential. A trench isolation structure is formed between an active barrier region and the other region (an output transistor formation region and a control circuit formation region). The trench isolation structure has a trench extending from the main surface of the semiconductor substrate through the n− epitaxial layer to reach the p-type impurity region. Therefore, a semiconductor device is obtained which allows the chip size to be reduced easily and is highly effective in preventing movement of electrons from the output transistor formation region to the other element formation region. |
| US07880259B2 |
Solid-state image sensor
A solid-state image sensor capable of improving detection sensitivity for an output signal is provided. This solid-state image sensor comprises a first gate electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate, a first impurity region formed on the semiconductor substrate at a first distance from the first gate electrode for receiving the signal charges and a second gate electrode formed at a second distance from the first impurity region for discharging unnecessary signal charges after extraction of a voltage signal from the first impurity region. The first distance between the first impurity region and the first gate electrode is larger than the second distance between the first impurity region and the second gate electrode. |
| US07880236B2 |
Semiconductor circuit including a long channel device and a short channel device
A semiconductor circuit is provided that includes a short channel device, and a long channel device that is electrically isolated from the short channel device. The long channel device comprises a plurality of first gate electrodes, a first source region adjacent one of the plurality of first gate electrodes, a first drain region adjacent another of the plurality of first gate electrodes, and a plurality of common source/drain regions positioned between adjacent ones of the plurality of first gate electrodes. The first gate electrodes each overlie portions of a layer of high-dielectric constant (k) gate insulator material. Each of the first gate electrodes are electrically coupled to at least one of the other first gate electrodes. |
| US07880232B2 |
Processes and apparatus having a semiconductor fin
A process may include first etching a trench isolation dielectric through a dielectric hard mask that abuts the sidewall of a fin semiconductor. The first etch can be carried out to expose at least a portion of the sidewall, causing the dielectric hard mask to recede to a greater degree in the lateral direction than the vertical direction. The process may include second etching the fin semiconductor to achieve a thinned semiconductor fin, which has receded beneath the shadow of the laterally receded hard mask. The thinned semiconductor fin may have a characteristic dimension that can exceed photolithography limits. Electronic devices may include the thinned semiconductor fin as part of a field effect transistor. |
| US07880231B2 |
Integration of a floating body memory on SOI with logic transistors on bulk substrate
A method and the resultant memory is described for forming an array of floating body memory cells and logic transistors on an SOI substrate. The floating bodies for the cells are formed over the buried oxide, the transistors in the logic section are formed in the bulk silicon. |
| US07880228B2 |
Semiconductor device including MISFET
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode, a source/drain layer, and a germanide layer. The gate insulating film is formed on the semiconductor substrate. The gate electrode is formed on the gate insulating film. The source/drain layer is formed on both sides of the gate electrode, contains silicon germanium, and has a germanium layer in a surface layer portion. The germanide layer is formed on the germanium layer of the source/drain layer. |
| US07880227B2 |
Trench semiconductor device of improved voltage strength
A trench IGBT is disclosed which includes a semiconductor substrate having formed therein a set of cell trenches formed centrally and a set of annular guard trenches concentrically surrounding the cell trenches. The cell trenches receive cell trench conductors via cell trench insulators for providing IGBT cells. The guard trenches receive guard trench conductors via guard trench insulators for enabling the IGBT to withstand higher voltages through mitigation of field concentrations. Capacitive coupling conductors overlie the guard trench conductors via a dielectric layer, each for capacitively coupling together two neighboring ones of the guard trench conductors. The capacitive coupling conductors are easily adjustably variable in shape, size and placement relative to the guard trench conductors for causing the individual guard trench conductors to possess potentials for an optimal contour of the depletion layer. |
| US07880224B2 |
Semiconductor component having discontinuous drift zone control dielectric arranged between drift zone and drift control zone and a method of making the same
Semiconductor component including a drift region and a drift control region. One embodiment provides a drift zone and a drift control zone. A drift control zone dielectric is arranged between the first drift zone and the drift control zone and has at least two sections arranged at a distance from one another in a current flow direction of the component. At least one separating structure is arranged between the drift zone and the drift control zone in the region of an interruption, defined by the at least two sections, of the drift control zone dielectric and has at least one PN junction. |
| US07880223B2 |
Latch-up free vertical TVS diode array structure using trench isolation
A method for manufacturing a transient voltage suppressing (TVS) array substantially following a manufacturing process for manufacturing a vertical semiconductor power device. The method includes a step of opening a plurality of isolation trenches in an epitaxial layer of a first conductivity type in a semiconductor substrate followed by applying a body mask for doping a body region having a second conductivity type between two of the isolation trenches. The method further includes a step of applying an source mask for implanting a plurality of doped regions of the first conductivity type constituting a plurality of diodes wherein the isolation trenches isolating and preventing parasitic PNP or NPN transistor due to a latch-up between the doped regions of different conductivity types. |
| US07880220B2 |
Non-volatile memory device and fabrication method of non-volatile memory device and memory apparatus including non-volatile memory device
A non-volatile memory device is capable of reducing an excessive leakage current due to a rough surface of a polysilicon and realizing improved blocking function with an oxide film that is thinner by forming a first oxide film and a second oxide film including a silicon oxy-nitride (SiOxNy) layer using nitrous oxide (N2O) plasma. A fabricating method and a memory apparatus of the non-volatile memory device are also discussed. |
| US07880217B2 |
Programmable non-volatile memory (PNVM) device
A programmable non-volatile memory (PNVM) device and method of forming the same compatible with CMOS logic device processes to improve a process flow, the PNVM device including a semiconductor substrate active area; a gate dielectric on the active area; a floating gate electrode on the gate dielectric; an inter-gate dielectric disposed over the floating gate electrode; and, a control gate damascene electrode extending through a dielectric insulating layer in electrical communication with the inter-gate dielectric, the control gate damascene electrode disposed over an upper portion of the floating gate electrode. |
| US07880215B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor storage unit and production method therefor
A diffusion layer (102) is formed in the surface region of a semiconductor substrate (101). A control gate electrode (103) is formed on the substrate. An interlayer dielectric film (108) covers the entire surface of the substrate. A drain leader line (104) made of a semiconductor such as n-type polysilicon is led from the drain region, and a source leader line (107) is led from the source region through the interlayer dielectric film. The drain leader line is surrounded by an annular floating gate (105). In erase, for example, the control gate is set to a ground potential, and a positive voltage is applied to the drain leader line to remove electrons in the floating gate to the drain leader line. In write, positive voltages are applied to the control gate electrode and drain leader line to generate CHE and inject hot electrons into the floating gate. This allows to thin the gate insulating film of a flash memory, increase the degree of integration of a nonvolatile memory, and lower the driving voltage. |
| US07880214B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor device
A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device in which one unit cell comprises a select gate 3 (3a-3i) provided in a first region on a substrate 1; a floating gate 6 provided in a second region adjacent to the first region; a diffused region 7b adjacent to the second region and provided in a third region on the surface of the substrate 1; and a control gate 11 provided on the floating gate 6. The select gate 3 is divided into three or more in an erase block 23 composed of all unit cells, from each of which electrons are extracted from the floating gate, at the same time when an erase operation is performed. Each of the select gates 3a-3i, created by the division, is formed in a comb-like shape in which, when viewed from the direction of a normal line to a plane, a plurality of comb teeth extend from a common line. The comb teeth of a select gate (for example, 3b) are arranged in gaps between the comb teeth of an adjacent select gate (for example, 3a, 3c) at a predetermined spacing. |
| US07880211B2 |
Anti-fuse and method for forming the same, unit cell of nonvolatile memory device with the same
An anti-fuse includes a gate dielectric layer formed over a substrate, a gate electrode including a body portion and a plurality of protruding portions extending from the body portion, wherein the body portion and the protruding portions are formed to contact on the gate dielectric layer, and a junction region formed in a portion of the substrate exposed by sidewalls of the protruding portions. |
| US07880204B2 |
System and method for providing a high frequency response silicon photodetector
A Silicon photodetector contains an insulating substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface. A Silicon layer is located on the top surface of the insulating substrate, where the Silicon layer contains a center region, the center region being larger in thickness than the rest of the Silicon layer. A top Silicon dioxide layer is located on a top surface of the center region. A left wing of the center region and a right wing of the center region are doped. The Silicon photodetector also has an active region located within the center region, where the active region contains a tailored crystal defect-impurity combination and Oxygen atoms. |
| US07880202B2 |
Modulated-Vt transistor
A semiconductor field effect transistor can be used with RF signals in an amplifier circuit. The transistor includes a source region and a drain region with a channel region interposed in between the source and drain regions. The transistor is structured such that the threshold voltage for current flow through the channel region varies at different points along the width direction, e.g., to give an improvement in the distortion characteristics of the transistor. |
| US07880198B2 |
Field effect transistor having multiple pinch off voltages
A compound field effect transistor having multiple pinch-off voltages comprising: first and second field effect transistors, each field effect transistor comprising a semiconductor layer, the semiconductor layer having an electrically conducting layer therein; an ohmic contact layer on the semiconductor layer; a source and a drain on the ohmic contact layer; at least one gate on the semiconductor layer between source and drain; at least one gate of the first transistor and one gate of the second transistor being matched gates, each gate having the same effective thickness of electrically conducting layer beneath it but the gates having different gate lengths. |
| US07880194B2 |
Cross point switch using phase change material
A cross-point switch and cross-point switch fabric utilizing phase change material, and method of operating the same. The cross-point switch includes a phase change cross-point circuit containing a plurality of terminal nodes connected to a central node. The connections between the terminal nodes and the central nodes are regulated by phase change switches comprised of a phase change material. The phase change switches being controlled by heating elements capable of melting or crystallizing the phase change material in the phase change switch. The heating elements are operated by a separate heating circuit. Each individual heating element is regulated by an individual transistor. |
| US07880190B2 |
Combined semiconductor device, LED print head, and image forming apparatus
A combined semiconductor apparatus has a substrate, a thin semiconductor film attached directly or indirectly to one major surface of the substrate, and a lens attached to the opposite surface of the substrate. The thin semiconductor film includes a light-emitting element that emits light through the substrate. After passing through the substrate, the emitted light is focused by the lens. The substrate functions as a spacing element, assuring that the lens is positioned at the correct distance from the light-emitting element without the need for separate alignment. The substrate also holds the lens without the need for a separate lens holder. Driving circuitry may also be formed on the substrate. |
| US07880187B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device having narrow radiation spectrum
Radiation occurs when current is injected into an active layer from electrodes. A pair of clad layers is disposed sandwiching the active layer, the clad layer having a band gap wider than a band gap of the active layer. An optical absorption layer is disposed outside at least one clad layer of the pair of clad layers. The optical absorption layer has a band gap wider than the band gap of the active layer and narrower than the band gap of the clad layer. A spread of a spectrum of radiated light can be narrowed. |
| US07880184B2 |
Image display unit
An image display unit and a method of producing the image display unit, wherein the image display unit includes an array of a plurality of light emitting devices for displaying an image, and wherein the method of producing the image display unit employs, for example, a space expanding transfer, whereby a first transfer step includes transferring the devices arrayed on a first substrate to a temporary holding member such that the devices are spaced from each other with a pitch larger than a pitch of the devices arrayed on the first substrate, a second holding step includes holding the devices on the temporary holding member, and a third transfer step includes transferring the devices held on the temporary holding member onto a second board such that the devices are spaced from each other with a pitch larger than the pitch of the devices held on the temporary holding member. |
| US07880182B2 |
Light-emitting element array
A light-emitting element array includes a conductive substrate; an adhesive layer disposed on the conductive substrate; a first epitaxial light-emitting stack layers disposed on the adhesive layer, the first epitaxial light-emitting stack layers including a first p-contact and an first n-contact, wherein the first p-contact and the first n-contact are disposed on the same side of the first epitaxial light-emitting stack layer; and a second epitaxial light-emitting stack layers disposed on the adhesive layer including a second p-contact and an second n-contact, wherein the second p-contact and the second n-contact are disposed on the opposite side of the epitaxial light-emitting stack layer; wherein the first epitaxial light-emitting stack layers and the second epitaxial light-emitting stack layers are electrically connected in anti-parallel. |
| US07880175B2 |
UV light-blocking material with metal nanoparticles
Disclosed herein is an ultraviolet (UV) light-blocking composition comprising a metal nanoparticle that absorbs and blocks a UV light wavelength using a surface plasmon-absorbing wavelength, and a dielectric. The UV light-blocking composition is capable of absorbing and blocking a UV light wavelength or, a specific wavelength, using the surface plasmon-absorbing wavelength of the metal nanoparticle or, the plasmon-absorbing wavelength transited by the dielectric, thereby demonstrating increased visibility when applied to an image display apparatus such as a mobile phone, and the like. |
| US07880173B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same
A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the device using a (000-1)-faced silicon carbide substrate are provided. A SiC semiconductor device having a high blocking voltage and high channel mobility is manufactured by optimizing the heat-treatment method used following the gate oxidation. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a gate insulation layer on a semiconductor region formed of silicon carbide having a (000-1) face orientation, forming a gate electrode on the gate insulation layer, forming an electrode on the semiconductor region, cleaning the semiconductor region surface. The gate insulation layer is formed in an atmosphere containing 1% or more H2O (water) vapor at a temperature of from 800° C. to 1150° C. to reduce the interface trap density of the interface between the gate insulation layer and the semiconductor region. |
| US07880172B2 |
Transistors having implanted channels and implanted P-type regions beneath the source region
A unit cell of a metal-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MESFET) includes a semi-insulating substrate having a surface, an implanted n-type channel region in the substrate, and implanted source and drain regions extending from the surface of the substrate into the implanted channel region. A gate contact is between the source and the drain regions, and an implanted p-type region is beneath the source region. The implanted p-type region has an end that extends towards the drain region, is spaced apart vertically from the implanted channel layer, and is electrically coupled to the source region. Methods of forming transistors including implanted channels and implanted p-type regions beneath the source region are also disclosed. |
| US07880171B2 |
Minimizing degradation of SiC bipolar semiconductor devices
A bipolar device has at least one p− type layer of single crystal silicon carbide and at least one n− type layer of single crystal silicon carbide, wherein those portions of those stacking faults that grow under forward operation are segregated from at least one of the interfaces between the active region and the remainder of the device. |
| US07880169B2 |
Display apparatus and manufacturing method thereof
A display apparatus includes a gate electrode, a first insulating layer pattern formed over the gate electrode, a second insulating layer pattern formed over the first insulating layer pattern, exposing a portion of the first insulating layer, a semiconductor film pattern formed over the second insulating layer pattern and over the first insulating layer pattern, an impurity-doped semiconductor film pattern formed on the semiconductor film pattern, wherein the impurity-doped semiconductor film pattern contacts the top surface of the semiconductor film pattern and exposes a portion of the semiconductor film pattern formed over the gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode each formed over a portion of the impurity doped semiconductor film pattern, a protection film pattern formed over the source electrode and the drain electrode in a TFT area, the protection film pattern having a contact hole over the drain electrode, a pixel electrode pattern formed on the protection film pattern and_electrically connected to the drain electrode. |
| US07880165B2 |
Molecular electronic device including electrode having conductive polymer electrode layer
Provided is a molecular electronic device including an electrode including a conductive polymer electrode layer. The molecular electronic device includes a first electrode; a funtional molecular active layer, self-assembled on the first electrode, including an electroactive functional group having a cyclic compound; and a second electrode disposed on the functional molecular active layer. The second electrode includes a conductive polymer electrode layer contacting with the functional molecular active layer and a metal electrode layer disposed on the conductive polymer electrode layer. The conductive polymer electrode layer of the second electrode prevents damage to the functional molecular active layer, thereby preventing a short circuit in an ultra-thin molecular electronic device. |
| US07880160B2 |
Memory using tunneling field effect transistors
A memory includes a first tunneling field effect transistor including a first drain and a first source, the first drain coupled to a first resistive memory element. The memory includes a second tunneling field effect transistor including a second drain and sharing the first source, the second drain coupled to a second resistive memory element. The memory includes a first region coupled to the first source for providing a source node. |
| US07880159B2 |
Phase change memory device in which a distance between a lower electrode and a ground line is increased to secure the sensing margin of a cell and method for manufacturing the same
A phase change memory device includes a semiconductor substrate having active regions and an isolation structure; gate lines extending in a direction perpendicular to the active regions; a source region and a drain region formed in a surface of each active region; a dot type lower electrode including a first contact plug formed in the drain region; second contact plugs formed in the source region and the isolation structure forming a line parallel to the gate line; a lower electrode contact formed on the lower electrode; a phase change layer and an upper electrode formed on the lower electrode contact; an upper electrode contact formed on the upper electrode; contacts for ground lines, formed between the active regions to come into contact with the second contact plugs; a bit line formed in the active region; and ground lines formed between the active regions. |
| US07880156B2 |
System and method for z-structure measurements using simultaneous multi-band tomography
A method includes simultaneously illuminating a material using multiple first radiances and measuring multiple second radiances from the material. Each second radiance includes at least a portion of two or more first radiances that have interacted with the material. The method also includes determining a structure of the material based on the measurements. The first radiances may be directed at the material from different directions, and the second radiances may be measured at different positions around the material. The structure of the material could be determined by determining at least one of a scattering profile and an absorption profile. If the material includes a sheet of paper, a boundary between two layers in the sheet of paper could be identified by a discontinuity in the scattering profile, and a non-uniform distribution of a filler in the sheet of paper could be identified by a smooth variation in the scattering profile. |
| US07880155B2 |
Substrate alignment apparatus comprising a controller to measure alignment during transport
A substrate processing apparatus has a substrate transport apparatus for transporting substrates, a sensor, and a control system. The processing apparatus is adapted to effect relative movement between the substrate and the sensor. The processing apparatus is further adapted to determine a position of the substrate by sensing the substrate with the sensor. |
| US07880154B2 |
Methods and apparatus for the planning and delivery of radiation treatments
Methods and apparatus are provided for planning and delivering radiation treatments by modalities which involve moving a radiation source along a trajectory relative to a subject while delivering radiation to the subject. In some embodiments the radiation source is moved continuously along the trajectory while in some embodiments the radiation source is moved intermittently. Some embodiments involve the optimization of the radiation delivery plan to meet various optimization goals while meeting a number of constraints. For each of a number of control points along a trajectory, a radiation delivery plan may comprise: a set of motion axes parameters, a set of beam shape parameters and a beam intensity. |
| US07880152B2 |
Device and method for producing resist profiled elements
The invention relates to a device and a method for producing resist profiled elements. According to the invention, an electron beam lithography system is used to produce an electron beam, the axis of the beam being essentially perpendicular to a resist layer in which the resist profiled element is to be produced. The electron beam can be adjusted in terms of the electron surface dose in such a way that a non-orthogonal resist profiled element can be produced as a result of the irradiation by the electron beam. |
| US07880151B2 |
Beam positioning for beam processing
An improved method and apparatus of beam processing corrects for beam drift while a beam is processing a sample. The beam position is aligned using a fiducial that is sufficiently near the working area so that the fiducial can be imaged and the sample processed without a stage moving. During processing, the beam positioning is corrected for drift using a model that predicts the drift. |
| US07880145B2 |
Radiation imaging apparatus and its driving method and program
As a radiation imaging apparatus which can easily and effectively correct line noise, there is provided a radiation imaging apparatus having: a conversion unit having a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels each having a conversion element (202) for converting radiation into an electric charge and a switching element (201) for outputting an electric signal based on the electric charge are arranged in a matrix; a capacitor element (301) arranged outside the pixel region; a reading out circuit unit (108) for reading out the electric signals from the pixels row by row and reading out, in parallel, a signal from the capacitor element and the electric signal from the pixel; and a correction unit for correcting the electric signal based on the signal from the capacitor element. |
| US07880142B2 |
Extended electron tomography
A method for improving image resolution of a three dimensional structure of at least one molecule conformation includes: determining a three dimensional structure of at least one conformation of a molecule in a sample from a first data set obtained from a series of 2D measurements of different geometrical projections of the molecule at a low electron beam dose in an electron microscope; producing a second data set including calculated two dimensional projections of the determined three dimensional structure of the at least one conformation of the same molecule; correlating data from a third data set obtained from at least one measurement of the same molecule using a higher electron beam dose with the second data set; and using the correlated data to improve the resolution of the three dimensional structure of the at least one conformation of the molecule by increasing the first data set with the correlated data and re-determining a three dimensional structure. |
| US07880139B2 |
Method and apparatus of uniform gas-phase molecular matrix deposition for imaging mass spectrometry
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for depositing solvent-free molecules on surfaces of samples, with particular application to imaging mass spectrometry. A vacuum chamber is configured to have controllable matrix translation apparatus for controlling the position of one or more solvent-free matrices within the chamber. Sublimation apparatus is used to sublimate molecules from the solid phase matrices. One or more samples are placed separately from the solvent-free matrices within the chamber. Condensation apparatus individually cools the samples to deposit sublimated molecules on the samples. Controllable sample translation apparatus is used to control the position of the samples within the chamber. Rotatable sample holding apparatus may be used to hold and move the samples to allow deposition of molecules on multiple samples at substantially the same time. Rotatable matrix holding apparatus may also be used to hold and move a plurality of matrices to create a homogenous mixture of molecules that are deposited onto one or more samples. As surface characterization system may be used to monitor deposition of the molecules to determine their thickness and roughness. A computer may be configured to control the matrix translation apparatus, the sublimation apparatus, the condensation apparatus, and the sample translation apparatus to provide for automated deposition of solvent-free molecules on the samples. |
| US07880138B2 |
Apparatus and method for analyzing contaminants on wafer
Provided is an apparatus and method for analyzing contaminants on a wafer. The apparatus includes: a wafer holder for supporting a wafer on which contaminants to be analyzed are located, a laser ablation device for irradiating a laser to the wafer to extract a discrete specimen from the wafer, an analysis cell for collecting a discrete specimen from the surface of the wafer by irradiating the laser, and an analysis device connected to the analysis cell for analyzing contaminants from the collected discrete specimen. |
| US07880137B2 |
Electrode design for an ion spectrometer
Apparatuses and method are provided. For example, in one embodiment, a ring electrode includes a plurality of sub-rings adapted to provide an electric field inside a spectrometer. The sub-rings have an internal sub-ring radius. There is a ring insulator between adjacent sub-rings. Each said ring insulator has substantially the same internal radius as the sub-rings. In another embodiment, a method is provided for insertion of the ring electrode inside the spectrometer. |
| US07880126B2 |
Current detection circuit, light receiving device using the same, and electronic device
A first transistor is provided on a current path for a phototransistor. A first resistor is provided between one terminal of the first transistor and the power supply line. A second transistor forms a current mirror circuit in cooperation with the first transistor, which amplifies with a predetermined amplification factor the current that flows through the first transistor. A charge capacitor, one terminal of which is connected to a fixed electric potential, is charged with the current thus amplified. A second resistor is provided between one terminal of the second transistor and the power supply line. |
| US07880125B1 |
Aircraft, missile, projectile or underwater vehicle with reconfigurable control surfaces
The present invention relates to an aircraft, missile, projectile, or underwater vehicle with an improved control system and an improved control system for maneuvering an aircraft, missile, projectile, or underwater vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an aircraft, missile, underwater vehicle or projectile with removable control surfaces. The technical advantage of the removable control surface system (or “removable control surface”) over other systems is that the removable control surface system enables the aircraft, missile, underwater vehicle or projectile to have two or more design configurations, each configuration being tailored to the aircraft, missile, projectile, or underwater vehicle's specific stability or maneuverability requirements during a specific portion of the flight. |
| US07880120B2 |
Transparent window pane provided with a resistive heating coating
The inventive transparent window pane is provided with a resistive heating coating (2) which extends through a substantial portion of the window pane, in particular on a main view field (A) and is electrically connected to at least two conductor rails (4, 5) in such a way that, when an electric' supply voltage is applied between said conductor rails, a circulating current heats the coating heating field, wherein said heating field comprises at least one semi-resistive area (6) directly contacting at least on e conductor rail (4, 5). |
| US07880119B2 |
One sided electrode for manufacturing processes especially for joining
A process whereby a one sided electrode is allowed to discharge to essentially its own potential field is presented. The process may be utilized for joining by discharging particles as well as for spot welding or other heating purposes. Examples of several uses are given and the electrical diagram for such a discharger is also shown. |
| US07880117B2 |
Method and apparatus of drilling high density submicron cavities using parallel laser beams
A method of drilling holes in a work piece includes receiving a laser beam directed along an optical path; and directing the laser beam through a beam former, disposed in the optical path, to form an array of sub-beams of a first pitch size. The method demagnifies the array of sub-beams to form a reduced-size pattern of a second pitch size on the work piece. The array of sub-beams is translated, or moved in a perpendicular direction to the optical path. After translating the array of sub-beams, the method forms the reduced-size pattern of the second pitch size on the work piece. The second pitch size may be smaller than the wavelength of the laser beam. |
| US07880114B2 |
Method and apparatus for material processing
An apparatus processes a surface of an inhabitable structure. The apparatus includes a base unit adapted to provide energy waves to an interaction region, the energy waves removing material from the structure. The base unit includes an energy wave generator and a head coupled to the energy wave generator. The head is adapted to remove the material from the interaction region, thereby providing reduced disruption to activities within the structure. The apparatus further includes a manipulation system which includes an anchoring mechanism adapted to be releasably coupled to the structure and a positioning mechanism coupled to the anchoring mechanism and coupled to the head. The manipulation system is adapted to controllably adjust the position of the head relative to the structure. The apparatus further includes a controller electrically coupled to the base unit. The controller is adapted to transmit control signals to the base unit in response to user input. |
| US07880113B2 |
Plasma discharge method and structure for verifying a hermetical seal
A method and structure use characteristics of a plasma discharge for verifying a hermetic seal. The plasma discharge is created in a hermetically sealed cavity by a pair of spaced electrodes that extend from tips inside the hermetically sealed cavity to contacts outside the sealed cavity. An electrical bias is applied to the contacts that is sufficient to create a plasma discharge in a properly hermetically sealed cavity but not in an unsealed cavity. |
| US07880106B2 |
Switch assembly constructions
Electronic devices are provided with switch assembly input components that can have adhesives adhered to the side and/or bottom surfaces of support plates for retaining switches between the adhesives and the tops of the support plates. The switch assembly input components can include buttons with one or more absorption elements for receiving impact energy, reducing the impact energy, and transferring the reduced impact energy onto the switches. |
| US07880104B2 |
Control device for controlling electrical switchgear
A control device for controlling electrical switchgear such as a circuit breaker or the like includes an actuating arm having a connection point suitable for being moved along a closed line including points P1, P2 and P3. The connection point thus moves during an opening stage for opening the moving contact, under the effect of a mechanical spring from point P1 to point P2. It also moves during a re-cocking stage for re-cocking the mechanical spring under the effect of a motor being switched on, and while keeping the moving contact in the open position, from point P2 to point P3. It also moves during a closure stage for closing the moving contact, also under the effect of the motor being switched on, from point P3 to P1. In this manner it is possible to successively perform three distinct stages of putting the actuating arm in motion, between the instant at which the moving contact leaves its closed position and the instant at which it returns thereto after having occupied its open position. A re-cocking stage for re-cocking the mechanical spring that is distinct from the closing stage and from the opening stage for closing and opening the moving contact, is performed, with the opening stage to be performed merely by releasing the energy that has been previously accumulated by the spring. |
| US07880100B2 |
Electrical switch, as for controlling a flashlight
An electrical switch and a flashlight employing the switch may comprise a base having three electrical conductors thereon and an electrically conductive flexible dome adjacent the base. The flexible dome has plural longer legs extending from its dome and in electrical contact with a first conductor, has a shorter leg extending from its dome and overlying a second conductor, and has its dome overlying a third conductor. A spring may extend from the base of the switch. A pushbutton may be moved to apply sufficient force to cause the shorter leg to contact the second conductor and the dome to contact the third conductor. A spring may be between the pushbutton and the flexible dome to couple force to the flexible dome. |
| US07880099B1 |
Shape based postage rate measurement system
Shape based postage rate criteria as to whether a postage item (an envelope) is greater than certain thicknesses above which the rate of postage of the item changes is provided by a gauge utilizing the platform of a scale on which the item is weighed. A roller is pivotally mounted on an arm so as to be set at heights over the platform at which the postage rate changes, for example, for envelopes ¼″ thick and for envelopes ¾″ thick, the envelope is then slid between the roller and the weighing platform. A display operated by the scale reads a weight change if the envelope is above the thickness at which the roller is set. Accordingly, the shape of the postage item provides a direct indication of whether the envelope satisfies postage rate criteria established by the postal authorities. |
| US07880098B2 |
Connecting box of a solar panel with a cooling structure
The invention relates to a receptacle (1) particularly suitable for wiring one or more solar cells (81). The receptacle (1) comprises a housing (10) and a connecting shaft (60) that can be separately closed by a cover (63). The receptacle (1) is raised from the back side of the solar panel (80). |
| US07880096B2 |
Shielding device with a replaceable top
A shielding device with a replaceable top, comprising: a metallic frame 1 having side walls interconnected with a top portion having a top surface 10 thereon; a removable top surface 12 attached to the top surface 10; and a metallic cap 2 attached to the frame when the removable top surface 12 is removed from the metallic frame 1. |
| US07880092B2 |
Multilayer ceramic electronic component
In a multilayer ceramic electronic component, a ferrite ceramic material defining a base layer includes bismuth. Meanwhile, surface layers arranged on main surfaces of the base layer have a composition that is substantially free from bismuth. The surface layers have a zinc content greater than that of the base layer. This results in satisfactory sinterability even when bismuth is included in the surface layers. |
| US07880090B2 |
Guide element for the passage of pipes, cables or the like through a wall
A guide element for passing one or more pipes, cables or the like through a wall includes an interposition element between the one or more pipes and the edge of the passage aperture, and an annular clamping flange on one or both sides of the wall. The flange is substantially concentric with the aperture and it is coupled to the wall along an annular perimetric strip surrounding the aperture. The interposition element is an elastic wedging and/or urging element between one or more pipes and the edge of the aperture, and the ring or flange clamps the interposition element in a wedged and/or urged condition. |
| US07880087B2 |
Toneable conduit with loose toning signal wire
A toneable conduit includes an elongate polymeric tube having a sidewall with an interior surface and an exterior surface. The interior surface defines a main channel. A sub-channel, smaller in cross sectional area than the main channel, extends longitudinally between the exterior and interior surfaces of the tube. A continuous toning signal wire is located within the sub-channel. The sub-channel has a larger cross sectional area than a cross sectional area of the toning signal wire, so that an air gap exists within said sub-channel around portions of the toning signal wire. |
| US07880086B1 |
Convertible electrical device cover and method for installing same
A convertible electrical device cover including a base and an adapter coupled as an assembly and configured to accommodate an electrical device. When the convertible electrical device cover is placed in an operative position over the electrical device the adapter may be located between the electrical device and a rear of the base. In particular implementations, a portion of the adapter may be located behind the yoke of the electrical device. The adapter may be movably coupled to the base. A method for installing a convertible electrical device cover is also disclosed including placing the convertible electrical device cover in an operative position over an electrical device so that an adapter may be located between the electrical device and a rear of a base. |
| US07880083B2 |
Container with multi-level shielded compartments
The present invention discloses a container or bag with several types of compartments with different forms of electromagnetic/wireless shielding. The types of compartments include a) an electromagnetic/wireless shielded compartment useful for line-of-site type shielding, b) an electromagnetic/wireless shielded compartment useful when a complete shielding enclosure is needed, and c) an unshielded compartment. The line-of-site shielded compartment prevents wireless access to the contents contained within when a complete shielding enclosure is not required, for example, for objects containing RFID tags, such as passports, books, and clothing. The compartment with a complete shielding enclosure prevents wireless access to devices that require a complete Faraday type cage, such as mobile phones, PDAs, or computers. Placing these and other devices within the shielded compartments protects them from remote access, and the data within is shielded from unscrupulous individuals. Objects placed within the unshielded compartment, such as workplace entrance badges, can continue to be accessed wirelessly. In this way, the user of the bag may select which objects to shield (and how to shield them) and which not to shield, so for example, one can use a workplace badge to enter without credit card data being skimmed. This may be done with the comfort and ease of a single bag or container. |
| US07880082B2 |
Solid electrolyte, photoelectric converter and process for producing the same
The present invention relates to a solid electrolyte having superior conductive properties and reliability, a photovoltaic device using this electrolyte, and manufacturing methods thereof. The solid electrolyte of the present invention is a solid electrolyte having an electrolyte composition and a matrix polymer. The matrix polymer is formed by polymerization of a first compound having at least two isocyanate groups and a second compound having at least two nucleophilic groups containing active hydrogen in accordance with a polyaddition reaction, and the polymerization is performed after a precursor for the matrix polymer is brought into contact with a surface on which the solid electrolyte is to be formed. |
| US07880081B2 |
Limited discharge current propagation solar generator
A solar generator has at least two branches electrically connected in parallel at opposite first and second ends of positive and negative polarity, respectively, each branch comprising one or more photoelectric cells electrically connected in series and having a first end provided with first blocking means adapted to block an electrical current coming from an adjacent branch. The second end of each branch is provided with second blocking means adapted to limit the propagation toward an adjacent branch of a discharge current induced by an electrical arc in a photoelectric cell of its own branch to a value less than or equal to a nominal current value for that branch. |
| US07880079B2 |
Dual gap thermo-tunneling apparatus and methods
Method and apparatus for improved thermal isolation for thermoelectric devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a thermoelectric device includes a first substrate portion having a first p-type conductive portion electrically coupled to a first n-type conductive portion, and a second substrate portion having a second p-type conductive portion and a second n-type conductive portion, the second substrate portion being positioned proximate to the first substrate portion such that the first and second p-type conductive portions are approximately aligned and the first and second n-type conductive portions are approximately aligned, wherein the first and second p-type conductive portions are spaced apart to form a first gap, and the first and second n-type conductive portions are spaced apart to form a second gap. |
| US07880071B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV182838
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV182838. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV182838, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV182838 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV182838. |
| US07880070B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV126038
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV126038. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV126038, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV126038 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV126038. |
| US07880067B2 |
Potatoes with increased protein content
The invention relates to the breeding and selection of potatoes. The invention provides a potato plant or part derived thereof having at least one amf-allele said potato plant or part further provided with an increased capacity to store a protein as characterized by an increased protein content of its tubers. Furthermore, the invention provides a method for breeding and selecting a potato with an increased capacity to store a protein comprising crossing a first parent potato with at least one amf-allele with a second parent potato without an amf-allele, and selecting progeny for the presence of at least one amf-allele with a protein content of its tubers higher than detected in said first parent or said second parent. |
| US07880064B2 |
Soybean Cultivar 6540220
A soybean cultivar designated 6540220 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 6540220, to the plants of soybean 6540220, to plant parts of soybean cultivar 6540220 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar 6540220 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from soybean variety 6540220, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 6540220 and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar 6540220 with another soybean cultivar. |
| US07880063B2 |
Soybean cultivar 6342078
A soybean cultivar designated 6342078 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 6342078, to the plants of soybean 6342078, to plant parts of soybean cultivar 6342078 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar 6342078 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from soybean variety 6342078, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 6342078 and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar 6342078 with another soybean cultivar. |
| US07880061B2 |
Soybean variety SN97-6946
A soybean variety designated SN97-6946, the plants and seeds of soybean variety SN97-6946, methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing the variety SN97-6946 with itself or with another soybean plant, and hybrid soybean seeds and plants produced by crossing the variety SN97-6946 with another soybean line or plant, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or by transformation of variety SN97-6946. This invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean varieties or breeding lines derived from soybean variety SN97-6946 and to soybean varieties or breeding lines produced by those methods. |
| US07880058B2 |
Cis-prenyltransferases from plants
This invention pertains to nucleic acid fragments encoding plant proteins that are homologs to the cis-prenyltransferases UPP synthase from the bacterium Micrococcus luteus or Dedol-PP synthase from yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. More specifically, this invention pertains to cis-prenyltransferase homologs from wheat, grape, soybean, rice, African daisy, rubber tree latex and pot marigold. |
| US07880057B2 |
Precise breeding—backbone integration markers
The present invention relates to a new plant breeding process. The process improves the agronomic performance of crop plants by using genetic material that is also used in classical breeding. Instead of sexually recombining entire genomes at random, as is done in classical breeding, specific genetic elements are rearranged in vitro and inserted back into individual plant cells. Plants obtained through this new plant breeding process do not contain foreign nucleic acid but only contain nucleic acid from the plant species selected for transformation or plants that are sexually compatible with the selected plant species. Plants developed through this new plant breeding process are provided. In particular, potato plants displaying improved tuber storage and health characteristics are provided. |
| US07880051B2 |
Dressing product
A dressing product comprises a dressing sheet (102), such as a thin film, one first surface of which is coated with an adhesive (106), such as a pressure sensitive hydrocolloid adhesive, which is applicable to an anatomical surface of a living being, such as a skin portion of a human. A carrier system, which provides a support for the dressing sheet, defines a gripping section for handling of the carrier system by human fingers. The carrier system may include one or more foil members (216;218;220;222) and supporting sheets (212) for facilitating application and for providing a non-touch application system, i.e. a system which may be handled by an operator without the operator touching the dressing sheet (102) or at least the adhesive surface (106) thereof. A protective sheet having an opening for application of a pharmaceutical product to the adhesive prior to application of the dressing sheet is disclosed. |
| US07880049B2 |
Production of liquid alkanes in the jet fuel range (C8-C15) from biomass-derived carbohydrates
Described is a method for making a composition comprising alkanes. The composition is suitable for use as a liquid transportation fuel in general, and jet fuel in particular. The method includes dehydrating a feedstock solution comprising a carbohydrate, in the presence of an acid catalyst, to yield at least one furan derivative compound, in a reaction vessel containing a biphasic reaction medium: an aqueous reaction solution and a substantially immiscible organic extraction solution. The furan derivative compound is then subjected to a self-aldol condensation reaction or a crossed-aldol condensation reaction with another carbonyl compound to yield a beta-hydroxy carbonyl compound and/or an alpha-beta unsaturated carbonyl compound. The beta-hydroxy carbonyl and/or alpha-beta unsaturated compounds are then hydrogenated to yield a saturated or partially saturated compound, followed by hydrodeoxygenation (e.g., dehydrating and hydrogenating) of the saturated or partially saturated compound to yield a composition of matter comprising alkanes. |
| US07880043B2 |
Method of converting feedstocks coming from renewable sources into high-quality gas-oil fuel bases
A hydrotreatment method of treating feedstocks coming from renewable sources, so as to produce gas-oil fuel bases of excellent quality feedstocks, for example, vegetable oils, whether unprocessed or having undergone beforehand a prerefining step, animal fats, or mixtures of such feedstocks. The feedstocks are subjected to a multistep treatment including hydrodehydrogenating and hydroisomerizing catalysts. |
| US07880041B2 |
Process for converting gaseous alkanes to liquid hydrocarbons
A process for converting gaseous alkanes to liquid hydrocarbons wherein a gaseous feed containing alkanes is reacted with a dry bromine vapor to form alkyl bromides and hydrobromic acid vapor. The mixture of alkyl bromides and hydrobromic acid are then reacted over a synthetic crystalline alumino-silicate catalyst, such as a ZSM-5 zeolite, at a temperature of from about 150° C. to about 400° C. so as to form higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and hydrobromic acid vapor. Hydrobromic acid vapor is removed from the higher molecular weight hydrocarbons. A portion of the propane and butane is removed from the higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and reacted with the mixture of alkyl bromides and hydrobromic acid over the synthetic crystalline alumino-silicate catalyst to form C5+ hydrocarbons. |
| US07880037B2 |
Phosphonium salts derivatives
There are provided compounds of formulas (VA), (VIA), (VIIA) (IXA), (XIA), (XIIA), (XIIIA), and (XIVA): wherein A, Z, R2, X−, and L2 represent various different possibilities. |
| US07880036B2 |
Production method for ethyleneamine mixtures
The invention relates to a process for preparing an ethylene amine mixture, which comprises hydrogenating an amino nitrile mixture comprising at least two α-amino nitriles in an amount of at least 5% by weight in each case in the presence of a catalyst and, if appropriate, a solvent. |
| US07880033B2 |
Process for producing 3,3,3-trifluoropropionic acid
A benzyl vinyl ether represented by the following formula is hydrolyzed in the presence of a catalyst selected among Arrhenius acids and Lewis acids to obtain 3,3,3-trifluoropropionaldehyde. Subsequently, the 3,3,3-trifluoropropionaldehyde is oxidized with an oxidizing agent. Thus, 3,3,3-trifluoropropionic acid can be more advantageously produced than in conventional techniques from an inexpensive starting material. |
| US07880023B2 |
2-Nitratoethyl oxirane, poly (2-nitratoethyl oxirane) and preparation method thereof
A synthesis of an energetic prepolymer used as a high-energy binder for an insensitive and high performance explosive is disclosed. More specifically, provided are a novel compound 2-nitratoethyl oxirane expressed by formula III, a novel compound poly(2-nitratoethyl oxirane) expressed by formula IV, obtained by polymerization of 2-nitratoethyl oxirane used as a monomer and a preparation method thereof. The compound, used as an energetic prepolymer and a monomer for preparation thereof can substitute for existing poly(glycidyl nitrate) (PGN) which has been known to be a promising one having the best performance among existing energetic prepolymers, but which has a problem to be self-decomposed after synthesis of polyurethane elastomer, to solve this problem. |
| US07880022B2 |
Method for separation and purification of 13-dehydroxybaccatin III and 10-deacetylpaclitaxel from taxans-containing materials
This invention is directed to a method for efficiently separating and purifying 13-dehydroxybaccatin III and 10-deacetylpaclitaxel with a high purity of 90% or higher purity, preferably 99.5% or higher purity, from taxane-containing materials such as Taxus species, and the thusly obtained highly pure 13-dehydroxybaccatin III and 10-deacetylpaclitaxel can be used as semi-synthetic precursors of paclitaxel and/or docetaxel that are anticancer agents. |
| US07880019B2 |
Anthracene derivative, and light emitting element, light emitting device, and electronic device using the anthracene derivative
It is an object to provide a noble anthracene derivative, a light emitting element with a high luminous efficiency, and further a light emitting element with a long lifetime. It is another object to provide a light emitting device and electronic device with a long lifetime by using the light emitting element. An anthracene derivative represented by General Formula (1) is provided. Since the anthracene derivative represented by General Formula (1) has a high luminous efficiency, when the anthracene derivative is used for a light emitting element, the light emitting element can have a high luminous efficiency. Further, when the anthracene derivative represented by General Formula (1) is used for a light emitting element, the light emitting element can have a long lifetime. |
| US07880018B2 |
Epoxy compound and production process of same
A novel epoxy compound represented by the following general formula (I), and a production process thereof, is provided: Y—(CH2)3—Si(OR1)nR23-n (I) (wherein, Y is represented by any of the following formulas: wherein, R1 and R2 represent alkyl groups having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, n represents an integer of 1 to 3, R3 and R4 represent hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or trialkylsilyl groups having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R5 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a trialkylsilyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R6 to R12 represent hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or trialkylsilyl groups having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R13 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a trialkylsilyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an aryl group). |
| US07880015B2 |
Process for the preparation of angiotensin II antagonist
The present invention provides a method for the preparation of N-(1-oxopentyl)-N-[[2′-(1H-tetra-zol-5-yl)[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl]methyl]-L-valine (Valsartan) which comprises; treating N-[[2′-(1-triphenylmethyl-tetra-zol-5-yl)biphenyl-4-yl]methyl]-L-valine methyl ester (X) with oxalic acid or its hydrates in a solvent to produce N-[[2′-(1-triph-enylmethyl-tetrazol-5-yl)biphenyl-4-yl]methy]-L-valine methyl ester oxalate (Xa) and treating the compound (Xa) with a base in a solvent followed by reacting with valeryl chloride in presence of base in a solvent to produce N-[[2′-(1-triphenylmethyl-tetra-zol-5-yl)[1,1′biphenyl]-4-yl]methyl]-N-valeryl-L-valine methyl ester (XI), de-protecting the compound (XI) using anhydrous acidic conditions to produce N-(1-oxopentyl)-N-[[2′-(1-H-tetrazol-5-yl)[1,1′biphenyl]-4-yl]methyl-L-valine methyl ester (V) followed by treating with base in a solvent to produce Valsartan. |
| US07880014B2 |
Angiotensin II receptor antagonists
A compound having the structure wherein R is an angiotensin receptor antagonist active group, Y is -Y1-Y2-Y3-Y4-Y5-; Y1 is C(R1R2); R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-4 alkyl; R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-4 alkyl, and —OC(O)C1-4 alkyl; Y2 is O or CH2; Y3 is C(O) or CH2; Y4 is O or CH2; Y5 is —(CH2)1-2—(X)0-1—(CH2)0-1— or is absent; X is —O— or —CR3R4—; and R3 and R4 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or hydrate thereof, which is useful for treating hypertension. |
| US07880013B2 |
Thiazole derivatives
(Wherein n is an integer of from 0 to 3; R1 is substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, a substituted or unsubstituted alicyclic heterocyclic group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group; R2 is halogen, substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, a substituted or unsubstituted alicyclic heterocyclic group, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group, —COR8, or the like; R3 and R4 may be the same or different, and each represents a hydrogen atom, substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl, —COR12, or the like)For example, provided are adenosine A2A receptor antagonists comprising, as the active ingredient, a thiazole derivative represented by a general formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and the like. |
| US07880010B2 |
Crystalline forms of a dimethylphenyl compound
The invention relates to crystalline free base forms of biphenyl-2-ylcarbamic acid 1-[2-(4-{[(R)-2-(3-formylamino-4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-hydroxyethylamino]methyl}-2,5-dimethylphenylcarbamoyl)ethyl]piperidin-4-yl ester or a solvate thereof. This invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing or prepared from such crystalline forms; processes and intermediates useful for preparing such crystalline forms; and methods of using such crystalline forms to, for example, treat a pulmonary disorder. |
| US07880009B2 |
Cinnamide compound
The present invention relates to a compound represented by Formula (I): (wherein Ar1 represents an imidazolyl group which may be substituted with 1 to 3 substituents; Ar2 represents a pyridinyl group, a pyrimidinyl group, or a phenyl group which may be substituted with 1 to 3 substituents; X1 represents (1) —C≡C— or (2) a double bond etc. which may be substituted; R1 and R2 represent, for example, a C1-6 alkyl group or C3-8 cycloalkyl group which may be substituted) or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof and to the use thereof as pharmaceutical agents. |
| US07880008B2 |
Heterocycles useful as modulators of ion channels
The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of ion channels. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising the compounds of the invention and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various disorders. |
| US07880002B2 |
Substituted piperazinyl-pyrrolidine compounds useful as chemokine receptor antagonists
The present invention relates to compounds useful as Chemokine Receptor antagonists. Compounds of general formula I are provided: or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising said compounds and methods of using the compounds and compositions for the inhibition of Chemokine Receptors and also for the treatment of various diseases, conditions, or disorders, including acute or chronic inflammatory disease, cancer or osteolytic bone disorders. |
| US07879999B2 |
Method for the synthesis of exocyclic derivatives of cycloalkyl-hydrazines and exocyclic derivatives of heterocycloalkyl-hydrazines
The invention relates to a method for the synthesis of exocyclic derivatives of cycloalkyl-hydrazines and exocyclic derivatives of heterocycloalkyl-hydrazines The invention is characterised in that the method comprises a step consisting in demixing a solution containing said synthesised derivative, by reacting a heterocyclic amine with monochloramine, in an organic phase and an aqueous phase with the addition of anhydrous sodium hydroxide. According to the invention, the starting amine which has not reacted is collected and reused directly without any additional treatment. The inventive method can also be used to obtain the corresponding exocyclic heterocycloalkyl-hydrazine or cycloalkyl-hydrazinederivative derivative at a low cost compared to that of other known methods. |
| US07879998B2 |
4-alkenyl-2-azetidinone derivatives, process for preparing 4-alkenyl-2-azetidinone derivatives and multicyclic compounds prepared using 4-alkenyl-2-azetidinone derivatives
The present invention relates to 4-alkenyl-2-azetidinone derivatives, a process for preparing 4-alkenyl-2-azetidinone derivatives and multicyclic compounds prepared using 4-alkenyl-2-azetidinone derivatives. More specifically, the present invention relates to a 4-alkenyl-2-azetidinone derivative having a novel structure represented by the following chemical formula 1, in which an alkenyl group such as 1,3-dien-2-yl or 1,2,4,5-hexatetraen-3-yl is substituted at the C-4 position of azetidinone; to a process for preparing the 4-alkenyl-2-azetidinone derivative by reacting 4-acetoxy-2-azetidinone with organic indium, which is prepared by reacting a propargyl halide derivative with indium; and to a novel multicyclic compound prepared using the compound represented by the following chemical formula 1 as an intermediate in the Diels-Alder reaction. |
| US07879996B2 |
Water soluble compounds
Provided is a compound and methods for preparation thereof according to formula (I) where A1, A2, A3, and A4 are each a group containing 1 to 40 carbon atoms and at least one carboxylic group, R, R′ and R″ are each hydrogen or a group containing 1 to 80 carbon atoms, M is bivalent or an element capable of complexing with a pyrrole nitrogen atom, L is a linking group, B is a fullerene, and the compound is soluble in water. |
| US07879993B2 |
Platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) nucleic acid ligand complexes
This invention discloses a method for preparing a complex comprised of a PDGF Nucleic Acid Ligand and a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound by identifying a PDGF Nucleic Acid Ligand by SELEX methodology and associating the PDGF Nucleic Acid Ligand with a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound. The invention further discloses Complexes comprising one or more PDGF Nucleic Acid Ligands in association with a Non-Immunogenic, High Molecular Weight Compound or Lipophilic Compound. The invention further includes a Lipid construct comprising a PDGF Nucleic Acid Ligand or Complex and methods for making the same. |
| US07879992B2 |
Modification of MyD88 splicing using modified oligonucleotides
Antisense compounds, compositions and methods are provided for modulating the expression of MyD88. The compositions comprise antisense compounds, particularly antisense oligonucleotides, targeted to nucleic acids encoding MyD88. Methods of using these compounds for modulation of MyD88 expression and for treatment of diseases associated with expression of MyD88 are provided. |
| US07879985B2 |
Antibodies against human NKG2D and uses thereof
The present invention provides isolated anti-human NKG2D monoclonal antibodies useful for therapeutic applications in humans. Typically, the antibodies are fully human or humanized to minimize the risk for immune responses against the antibodies when administered to a patient. Preferred antibodies include human monoclonal antibodies MS and 21F2. As described herein, other antigen-binding molecules such as, e.g., antigen-binding antibody fragments, antibody derivatives, and multi-specific molecules, can be designed or derived from such antibodies. |
| US07879981B2 |
Breast, gastric and prostate cancer associated antigens and uses therefor
Cancer associated antigens have been identified by autologous antibody screening of libraries of nucleic acids expressed in breast, gastric and prostate cancer cells using antisera from cancer patients. The invention relates to nucleic acids and encoded polypeptides which are cancer associated antigens expressed in patients afflicted with cancer. The invention provides, inter alia, isolated nucleic acid molecules, expression vectors containing those molecules and host cells transfected with those molecules. The invention also provides isolated proteins and peptides, antibodies to those proteins and peptides and cytotoxic T lymphocytes which recognize the proteins and peptides. Fragments of the foregoing including functional fragments and variants also are provided. Kits containing the foregoing molecules additionally are provided. The molecules provided by the invention can be used in the diagnosis, monitoring, research, or treatment of conditions characterized by the expression of one or more cancer associated antigens. |
| US07879973B2 |
Methods for arbitrary peptide synthesis
Methods, apparatus, systems, computer programs and computing devices related to biologically assembling and/or synthesizing peptides and/or proteins are disclosed. |
| US07879967B2 |
Modified polycarbonates, polyester carbonates and polyesters having improved elongation behavior and flame resistance
The present invention relates to polycarbonate, polyester carbonate and polyester having end groups derived from alkylsiloxane-substituted phenols, as well as to the use of phenolic compounds having alkylsiloxane substituents as chain terminators in the preparation of polycarbonate, polyester carbonate and polyester, as well as to mouldings and extrudates produced from these polymers, to processes for the preparation of the polymers, and to novel phenolic compounds of formula (2). |
| US07879965B2 |
Gypsum wallboard
A polymer latex suitable for use in gypsum wallboard or other applications. The polymer latex is a styrene butadiene latex that is substantially stable against divalent ions. The polymer latex includes styrene, butadiene, and an ionic monomer comprised of a 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propanesulfonic acid salt. The polymer latex may also include hydrophilic adjunct comonomers. The latex includes at least 0.25 wt. % of the ionic monomer. |
| US07879964B2 |
Biodegradable polymers
A phosphorus-containing polymer is provided comprising the reaction product of a chain-transfer agent having at least one pH bond with an unsaturated carboxylic, phosphonic or sulphonic acid. The invention also provides the aforementioned phosphorus-containing polymer further comprising phosphorus-containing end-caps. The polymers have a biodegradability of at least 20% per 28 days (as determined by OECD 306). |
| US07879959B2 |
Catalyst components for the polymerization of olefins
Catalyst components for the (co)polymerization of ethylene comprising Ti, Mg, halogen, ORI groups, where RI is a C1-C12 hydrocarbon group optionally containing heteroatoms, having ORI/Ti molar ratio in the range 0.1-1.5, a Mg/Ti molar ratio of less than 8, an amount of titanium, with respect to the total weight of said solid catalyst component, higher than 4% by weight characterized by a specific SS-NMR pattern are particularly useful for preparing narrow MWD crystalline ethylene polymers. |
| US07879958B2 |
Polyhydroxy compounds as polymerization quenching agents
A method for quenching an active polymerization mixture, the method comprising introducing a polyhydroxy compound to an active polymerization mixture. |
| US07879948B2 |
Fluorine containing elastomer composition and molded article comprising the same
The present invention provides a fluorine-containing elastomer composition comprising a fluorine-containing elastomer (A) and a fluorine-containing elastomer (B) having a fluorine amount of at least 67% by weigh and a lower molecular weight than the fluorine-containing elastomer (A), wherein the fluorine amount of the fluorine-containing elastomer (B) is larger than a fluorine amount of the fluorine-containing elastomer (A). The present invention also provides a molded article obtained by crosslinking the fluorine-containing elastomer composition. |
| US07879938B2 |
Compositions comprising an organic polymer as the matrix and inorganic particles as the filler, process for the preparation thereof and applications of the same
Compositions comprising an organic polymer as the matrix and inorganic particles as the filler and exhibiting in mixture a) 20 to 99.9% by wt. of an organic polymer and b) 0.1 to 80% by wt. of inorganic particles, where the sum of the constituents a) and b) amounts to 100% by wt.; and optionally c) 0 to 100 parts by weight of b) of various additives, in which case the content of the additives c) relates to the sum of a) and b), calculated as 100 parts by weight. characterized in that the composition can be obtained by incorporating particles and optionally other additives into the polymer matrix, in which case the particles to be incorporated i) are aggregates of globular primary particles; ii) the size of the primary particles is in a range of 0.5 nm to less than 100 nm; iii) the volume-weighted median value d50 of the particles is in a range of greater than 0.50 μm to 0.5 μm, determined by means of static light scattering; and iv) the inorganic particles are modified with functional groups, the inorganic particles exhibiting at least three types of functional groups of varying reactivity. The compositions can be prepared in a number of way, for example, by reprecipitation from the dissolved state or by mixing in an extruder and are used for preparing fibers, films and shaped articles with improved mechanical properties. |
| US07879936B2 |
Protective masking solutions comprising thixotropic film formers
This invention provides a masking material that can be used to protect an underling surface (e.g., an automobile surface) during an overcoating (e.g., painting) operation. The masking material in one embodiment includes a thickener and a pH control agent and water. The masking material can be applied to a surface that is to be protected from paint overspray or other coating processes, allowed to dry, and the surface then coated (e.g., with paint). After drying of the paint, or other coating, the masking material can removed by water washing. |
| US07879932B2 |
Polyolefin resin composition
There are disclosed a polyolefin resin composition, containing (A) an organic peroxide, (B) a phosphorous type anti-oxidant of formula (I): wherein R represents C1-8 alkyl, C5-8 cycloalkyl, C6-12 alkylcycloalkyl, C7-12 aralkyl, or phenyl, (C) anti-oxidant of formula (II): wherein R1, R2, R4 and R5 independently represent hydrogen, C1-8 alkyl, or the like, R3 represents hydrogen, C1-8 alkyl, X represents a single bond, sulfur atom, or the like, and (D) polyolefin resin, and wherein the amounts of (B) phosphorous type anti-oxidant of formula (I) and (C) anti-oxidant of formula (II) each is 0.001 to 1 part per 100 parts by weight of the total amount of (A) and (D), and a production process thereof. |
| US07879927B2 |
Moulded object exhibiting a polychromatic effect, associated light device and resin
The present invention relates to a moulded object made of a transparent and colored plastic exhibiting a polychromatic effect, characterized in that the transparent plastic comprises from 0.1 to 1500 ppm of at least one fluorescent dye and from 50 to 10 000 ppm of at least one optical brightener. It also relates to the resin used for forming the moulded object. It also relates to a light device combining the said moulded object with at least one artificial light source which exhibits an emission in the region of excitation of the optical brightener, in particular in the 300-450 nm range, preferably 350-420 nm range, more preferably still 350-400 nm range. |
| US07879925B2 |
Composite with natural fibers
A polymeric composite material, and method of making the same, including a polymeric blend that includes at least one thermoplastic polymer; at least one functionalized polymer; at least one polyetheramine thermoplastic material; and a plurality of particles (e.g. naturally occurring organic materials) distributed substantially homogeneously throughout the polymeric blend. Articles employing such materials are also disclosed. |
| US07879922B2 |
Rigid, closed-cell, graft-polymer foam; rigid flexible cellular foam; rigid flexible cellular foam mixtures; and method for manufacturing a rigid, closed-cell, graft-polymer foam
Expanded products, more specifically, rigid or semi-flexible foams of low density from 1.5 to 12 lbs/ft3 or more, with closed cells can be manufactured. The products have a PVC backbone with branches with methacrylate crosslinked with isocyanate through a reaction activated by ultraviolet or microwave radiation. The use of polyfunctional monomers that are sensitive to irradiation yields a higher cross-link density, which improves the physical and mechanical properties such as hardness, resistance to abrasion, ductility, and resistance to friction. The selection of monomers and oligomers allows the manufacturer to determine of the final properties of the foam. The process yields foams with extreme hardness and better shear factors making the foam an ideal product for aerospace and windmill use. These physical properties emerge during the post-curing process, preferably by use of compounds based on methacrylates in dispersion with PVC and isocyanates. |
| US07879921B2 |
Fluid permeable composite material and process for same
A fluid permeable material is disclosed. The fluid permeable material is suitable for use as a paver, brick, tile, stormwater entry grate and the like, without being limited thereto. The fluid permeable material described in this invention is light weight and has a height characteristic breaking strength, and flexural strength. The fluid permeable material described allows fluid to flow freely through the structure without impacting on the structural integrity of the composite material, and filters particulate contaminants from the fluid as it passes through the structure. |
| US07879920B2 |
Oxygenate to olefin manufacture and recovery process
This invention is directed to methods for forming an olefin stream from a methanol stream. A lower grade methanol, such as chemical grade or crude methanol, can be used as feed to form the olefin stream. The process uses a relatively simple distillation type step to vaporize a portion of the methanol feed stream and send the resulting vapor stream to a reaction unit to form the olefin stream. In addition, the invention provides the ability to operate the downstream recovery units with reduced fouling or plugging due to the presence of fine solids components. |
| US07879916B2 |
Hydrolysis resistant organomodified silylated ionic surfactants
The present invention provides for a composition comprising a silane having the formula: (R1)(R2)(R3)Si—R4—Si(R5)(R6)(R7) wherein R1, R2, R3, R5, and R6 are each independently selected from the group consisting of 1 to 6 monovalent hydrocarbon radicals, aryl, and a hydrocarbon group of 7 to 10 carbons containing an aryl group; R4 is a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 3 carbons; R7 comprises an anionic, cationic or zwitterionic substituent. The silanes of the present invention exhibit resistance to hydrolysis over a wide pH range. |
| US07879915B2 |
Emulsions for finishing textiles and paper
The invention provides water-in-oil emulsions containing (a) 12-21% by weight of polyglyceryl-2 dipolyhydroxystearate, (b) 4-7% by weight of a hydrogenated ethoxylated castor oil, (c) 25-35% by weight of mineral oil, (d) 20-30% by weight of further oil substances (e), 3-5% by weight of hydrotropes, (f) 3-4% by weight of metal soaps and (g) 10-30% by weight of water, based on the overall composition. The emulsions are useful for finishing textiles and papers. |
| US07879911B2 |
Hydroxamic acid derivatives of phenoxy-acetic acids and analogs useful as therapeutic agents for treating anthrax poisoning
Compounds having the formula wherein the symbols have the meaning described in the specification are hydroxamic acid derivatives of phenoxy-acetic acids and analogs capable of inhibiting the lethal effects of infection by anthrax bacteria and are useful in the treatment of poisoning by anthrax. |
| US07879910B1 |
Compositions and methods for promoting lush hair growth
Compositions, kits and methods are provided for conditioning, revitalizing, volumizing or increasing the natural pigmentation of the hair, including hair on the scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, mustache and beard, promoting healthy growth, and treating and preventing loss, thinning or miniaturization of hair due to aging, various genetic, pathological, radiation, chemotherapy, chemical treatment environmental or other reasons. |
| US07879909B2 |
Use of Treprostinil to treat neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers
The present invention describes novel methods for using 9-deoxy-2′,9-α-methano-3-oxa-4,5,6-trinor-3,7-(1′,3′-interphenylene)-13,14-dihydro-prostaglandin F1 (also known as Treprostinil) or its derivative, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for the treatment and/or prevention of foot ulcers in subjects with diabetic neuropathy. The invention also relates to kits for treatment and/or prevention of foot ulcers, comprising an effective amount of Treprostinil or its derivative, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. |
| US07879908B2 |
Use of L-carnitine for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases
The use of L-carnitine, or one of its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, is described in combination with glucose for the preparation of a medicament useful for diminishing the number of deaths caused by acute myocardial infarction, for reducing the number of days infarction patients spend in intensive care in hospital, and for reducing the number of episodes of post-infarction heart failure, in which the L-carnitine is administered intravenously within only a few hours of the onset of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction at an initial dose of 9 grams a day in combination with 1000-1500 mL of a 5% glucose solution for 5 days, after which the L-carnitine treatment is continued at a dose of 4 grams a day administered orally. |
| US07879906B2 |
GABA analogs, compositions and methods for manufacturing thereof
The invention provides compounds of Formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions and methods of synthesis thereof. |
| US07879902B2 |
Pyrrole derivatives, intermediates therefor, preparation and therapeutic use thereof
The invention concerns compounds of formula (I): Wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8 and R9 are as defined herein. The invention also concerns the method for preparing said compounds including the intermediates therefor and their therapeutic use. |
| US07879901B2 |
Sublingual Formulations of Ketorolac or Salts Thereof
The present invention refers to pharmaceutical compositions based on ketorolac or one of its salts pharmaceutically acceptable, as well as the use of ketorolac or one of its salts acceptable from pharmaceutical viewpoint, for preparation of a pharmaceutical composition (tablets) for sublingual administration, with the purpose of accelerating the pharmacological response to ketorolac, without making use of the injectable via. On the other hand, a pharmaceutical composition is described encompassing, as one of its active principles, ketorolac or one of its salts acceptable from pharmaceutical viewpoint, representing from 10 to 15% by weight, in relation to the total weight of the compound and as the essential excipient, a ternary mixture of lactose/sorbitol/cellulose, eventually in a mixture with other excipients acceptable from pharmaceutical viewpoint. |
| US07879899B2 |
Injectable veterinary composition for small animals
An injectable aqueous composition for veterinary use containing a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compound in an amount of from about 0.25 to 30% (w/v) together with a physiologically acceptable oxygenated polymeric surfactant in an amount of from about 0.5 to 20% (w/v). |
| US07879898B1 |
Hepatocyte growth factor pathway activators in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Methods are provided for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases such as emphysema using compounds that activate the signaling pathways of hepatocyte growth factor. |
| US07879896B2 |
Dual-acting imidazole antihypertensive agents
The invention is directed to compounds having the formula: wherein: Ar, r, R2-3, X, and R5-7 are as defined in the specification, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. These compounds have AT1 receptor antagonist activity and neprilysin inhibition activity. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of using such compounds; and process and intermediates for preparing such compounds. |
| US07879894B2 |
Use of anti-cytokine agents for treating carpal and tarsal tunnel syndrome
Methods for treating carpal tunnel syndrome and tarsal tunnel syndrome in a subject involve providing an effective amount of an anti-cytokine agent at or near inflammation in the carpal or tarsal tunnel. Anti-cytokine agents, such as, TNF-a inhibitors, NF-κB inhibitors, IL-1 inhibitors, IL-6 inhibitors, IL-8 inhibitors, IL-12 inhibitors, IL-15 inhibitors, IL-10, Interferon-gamma (IFN-?) act to prevent further inflammation initiated by cytokine factors. One embodiment includes, adding with the anti-cytokine agent one or more of an antibiotic or analgesic. Delivery of the anti-cytokine agent may be provided to the inflamed tissue of the carpal or tarsal tunnel by injection, implantation, or a transdermal patch. These agents, individually or in combination, directly address the underlying inflammation that causes the discomfort, pain, and restricted movement associated with carpal and tarsal tunnel syndrome. |
| US07879893B2 |
Ligands for the HisB10 Zn2 + sites of the R-state insulin hexamer
The present invention relates to novel ligands for the HisB10 Zn2+ sites of the R-state insulin hexamer having the formula A-B-C-D-X (III), wherein: A is a chemical group which reversibly binds to a HisB10 Zn2+ sites of an insulin hexamer; B is a linker; C is a fragment consisting of 0 to 5 neutral amino acids; D is a fragment comprising 1 to 20 positively charged groups independently selected from amino or guanidino groups; and X is —OH, —NH2 or a diamino group. The present invention also relates to R-state insulin hexamers comprising such ligands, and aqueous insulin preparations comprising such R-state insulin hexamers. |
| US07879887B2 |
α-amino acid derivatives and medicaments containing the same as an active ingredient
The present invention provides novel α-amino acid derivatives of formula (1): (wherein, R1, R2, R3, R4, X and Y are as defined in the claims) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, prodrugs or solvates thereof. The derivatives of formula (1) have βARK1 inhibitory activity and are useful for preventing or treating heart failure. Moreover, the derivatives of formula (1) also have antitumor activity, particularly dual inhibitory activity on Aurora kinase and CDK, and are useful for cell proliferative diseases such as cancer. |
| US07879882B2 |
Thiazolyl mglur5 antagonists and methods for their use
The identification of a unique series of compounds which possesses special advantages in terms of drug-like properties due to their possessing advantageous properties in terms of potency and/or pharmacokinetic and/or selectivity and/or in vivo receptor occupancy properties. Specifically, the selection of a 1,3-thiazol-2-yl ring member linked by an ethynylene to the 3 position of a pyridyl ring or the 5 position of a pyrimidinyl ring, wherein the ring is substituted with selected substituents, results in a compound having superior drug-like properties. The invention includes pharmaceutically acceptable salt forms of these heterocyclic compounds, in particular chloride salts and trifluoroacetate salts. |
| US07879879B2 |
Biphenyl derivatives
This invention provides biphenyl derivatives of formula I: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, W, a, b and c are as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate or stereoisomer thereof. The biphenyl derivatives of this invention possess both β2 adrenergic receptor agonist and muscarinic receptor antagonist activity and therefore, such biphenyl derivatives are useful for treating pulmonary disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. |
| US07879878B2 |
Quinolone derivative or salt thereof
A platelet aggregation inhibitor comprising a quinolone derivative or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient, and a novel quinolone derivative or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof useful as a platelet aggregation inhibitor. |
| US07879876B2 |
Sulfonamide derivatives and use thereof for the modulation of metalloproteinases
The present invention is related to sulfonamide derivatives of Formula (Ia) where the groups are as defined in the description, and use thereof in particular for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of autoimmune disorders, inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, respiratory diseases and fibrosis, including multiple sclerosis, arthritis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, liver and pulmonary fibrosis. |
| US07879872B2 |
Compositions comprising multiple bioactive agents, and methods of using the same
In part, the present invention is directed to compositions having a FabI inhibitor and at least one other bioactive agent. In another part, the present invention is directed to antibacterial compositions having a compound of formulas I-III and at least one other antibacterial agent. |
| US07879870B2 |
Treatment of inflammatory and ulcerative diseases of the bowel with opioid antagonists
Methods for the treatment of inflammatory and ulcerative diseases of the bowel (e.g., Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) with a therapeutically effective dose less than 50 mg. of opioid antagonists (e.g., naltrexone, nalmefene or naloxone) are disclosed. An embodiment of the invention includes a method of pharmaceutical treatment comprising orally administering to a human subject having Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis a therapeutic pharmaceutical composition once per day in the evening or at bedtime, wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises form about 3 mg to about 4.5 mg of naltrexone, nalmefene, naloxone, or a hydrochloride salt thereof in an immediate release solid dosage formulation. |
| US07879869B2 |
Drugs for ameliorating postcibal hyperglycemia
It is mentioned to provide drugs for ameliorating postcibal hyperglycemia, drugs for inhibiting an increase in blood glucose level and pharmaceutical compositions for preventing or treating diabetes, each containing a pharmaceutically acceptable anion exchange resin typified by colestimide. Thus, it becomes possible to provide drugs clearly exhibiting an effect of inhibiting an increase in postcibal blood glucose level. |
| US07879868B2 |
Use of imatinib (glivec,sti-571) to inhibit breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP)-mediated resistance to therapeutic agents
The present invention relates to the use of imatinib of the following formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of a cancer that expresses breast cancer resistant protein (BCRP) in a human subject in need of such a treatment. |
| US07879865B2 |
Treatment of cancer of the brain using histone deacetylase inhibitors
The present application is directed to a method of treating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) comprising administering to a individual in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of an inhibitor of histone deacetylase. In particular embodiments, the CNS disease is a neurodegenerative disease. In further embodiments, the neurogenerative disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disease, such as those inherited neurodegenerative diseases which are polyglutamine expansion diseases. The individual can be a mammal such as a primate or human. |
| US07879864B2 |
Substituted 8-aminoalkoxy-xanthine compounds and compositions useful in the treatment of hyperlipidemia and diabetes
Compounds for the treatment of elevated blood glucose levels and the physiological and metabolic disorders arising therefrom are disclosed which are inhibitors of the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DDP-IV) and comprise novel substituted bicyclic 8-pyrrolidinoxanthines of formula I and their derivatives: wherein the various R-groups are defined herein. These compounds may be combined with other secondary active compounds which also are effective in the treatment of said disorders and the disease states or physiological manifestations arising therefrom. |
| US07879856B2 |
Diaminothiazoles useful as Axl inhibitors
Diaminothiazoles and pharmaceutical compositions containing them are disclosed as being useful in inhibiting the activity of the receptor protein tyrosine kinase Axl. Methods of using the diaminothiazoles in treating diseases or conditions associated with Axl activity are also disclosed. |
| US07879846B2 |
Serine hydrolase inhibitors
Provided herein are benzoxazinone compounds of formula I and compositions containing the compounds. The compounds and compositions are useful in the methods of inhibiting the action of serine hydrolase, including neutrophil elastase. In certain embodiments, the compounds and compositions are useful in the prevention, amelioration or treatment of serine hydrolase-mediated diseases. |
| US07879845B2 |
Bicyclic sulfonamide derivatives which are L-CPT1 inhibitors
The invention is concerned with novel heterobicyclic derivatives of formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, V, W, X and Y are as defined in the description and in the claims, as well as physiologically acceptable salts and esters thereof. These compounds inhibit L-CPT1 and can be used as medicaments. |
| US07879844B2 |
Heterocyclic janus kinase 3 inhibitors
The present invention provides a compound of formula (I) having an excellent JAK3 inhibition activity and being useful as an active ingredient of an agent for treating and/or preventing various immune diseases including autoimmune diseases inflammatory diseases, and allergic diseases. The compound according to the present invention has an inhibition activity against JAK3 and is thus useful as an active ingredient of an agent for treating or preventing diseases caused by undesirable cytokine signal transmission (e.g., rejection during organ/tissue transplantation, autoimmune diseases, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, Alzheimer's disease, and atherosclerotic disease), or diseases caused by abnormal cytokine signal transmission (e.g., cancer and leukemia). |
| US07879841B2 |
Delta D-crystalline form of ivabradine hydrochloride, a process for its preparation and pharmaceutical compositions containing it
A δd-crystalline form of ivabradine hydrochloride of formula (I): characterised by its powder X-ray diffraction data. Medicinal products containing the same which are useful as bradycardics. |
| US07879839B2 |
Potassium channel inhibitors
The present invention relates to compounds having the structure useful as potassium channel inhibitors to treat cardiac arrhythmias, and the like. |
| US07879834B2 |
Spiroindoline modulators of muscarinic receptors
The present invention relates to spiroindoline modulators of muscarinic receptors. The present invention also provides compositions comprising such spiroindoline modulators, and methods therewith for treating muscarinic receptor mediated diseases. |
| US07879831B2 |
Enhanced drug delivery in transdermal systems
A composition for transdermal administration resulting from an admixture includes: a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutically active agent that includes a corresponding steroid and a steroid derivative; and a carrier for the pharmaceutically active agent. The steroid and the corresponding steroid derivative are present in a weight ratio of 10:1 to 1:10 steroid:corresponding steroid derivative. In a preferred embodiment ratio is 6:1 to 1:6. In a preferred embodiment, the corresponding steroid derivative is a steroid ester. In another preferred embodiment, the carrier is a polymer that includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive. |
| US07879830B2 |
Hormone replacement composition and method
Hormone compositions including bioidentical hormones dispersed in a lipid-based cream are provided in syringes for dispensation and self-administration by a user. The compositions, which are topically applied by the user, are percutaneously delivered to the vascular system of the user in accordance with a dosage protocol that causes a rhythmic and cyclic variation in the serum hormone levels that mimics the temporal variation in hormone levels present in the serum of a normal premenopausal woman. |
| US07879828B2 |
Tigecycline compositions and methods of preparation
The present invention relates to novel tigecycline compositions with improved stability in both solid and solution states and processes for making these compositions. These compositions comprise tigecycline, a suitable carbohydrate, and an acid or buffer. |
| US07879827B2 |
Derivatives of 4- or 5-aminosalicylic acid
The present invention provides new derivatives of 4- or 5-aminosalicylic acid, and a pharmaceutical composition containing these derivatives of 4- or 5-aminosalicylic acid as active ingredients, useful for the treatment of intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and for the prevention/treatment of colon cancer. More particularly, these derivatives comprise a hydrogen sulfide releasing moiety linked via an azo, an ester, an anhydride, a thioester or an amide linkage to a molecule of 4- or 5-aminosalicylic acid. Furthermore, the present invention provides a process for preparing these compounds and their use for treating IBD and IBS and the prevention/treatment of colon cancer. |
| US07879824B2 |
Methods of preventing or treating diseases and conditions using complex carbohydrates
The invention relates to a method of preventing and treating diseases and conditions associated with allergies, autoimmunity, the adhesion cascade, the metastatic cascade or the coronary cascade comprising administering (i) at least one complex carbohydrate as the sole active ingredient, or (ii) at least one pharmaceutical composition which comprises as an active ingredient a pharmacologically effective amount of at least one low purity or cosmetic grade complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of oligosaccharides, sialylated oligosaccharides, polysaccharides and glycosaminoglycans, and an effective amount of at least one transdermal or transmucosal carrier in an amount effective to deliver the complex carbohydrate into the blood stream. |
| US07879820B2 |
Use of a cyclodextrin as pearlescent agent and pearlescent compositions
Use of at least one agent chosen from cyclodextrins and the derivatives thereof as a pearlescent agent, in a composition, for example, a pearlescent cosmetic composition, comprising a physiologically acceptable aqueous medium. Use of at least one agent chosen from cyclodextrins and the derivatives thereof and at least one surfactant in compositions. Pearlescent compositions comprising, a physiologically acceptable aqueous medium, at least one agent chosen from cyclodextrins and the derivatives thereof, at least one surfactant, and at least one conditioning agent; as well as use of at least one agent chosen from cyclodextrins and the derivatives thereof as an agent for suspending an insoluble conditioning agent; wherein the compositions disclosed herein may be used in a form chosen, for example, from rinse-out products, for example, for washing and/or conditioning a keratinous material. |
| US07879818B2 |
Hyaluronic acid-based cross-linked nanoparticles
Methods are disclosed for preparing novel biodegradable cross-linked nanoparticles based on covalently cross-linking modifications of hyaluronic acid. The final products of the present invention are stable in aqueous media, and may be used as detergents and as additives for pharmaceutical compositions for drug delivery, DNA carrier system and other applications. The nanoparticles made from the biopolymers of the present invention may also be used in controlled release applications, super-absorbent materials as well as biomaterials like enzyme immobilization. |
| US07879817B2 |
Hyaluronic acid derivative and drug containing the same
A hyaluronic acid derivative in which an anti-inflammatory drug is bound to hyaluronic acid through a covalent bond via a spacer having a biodegradable region, and a production process thereof. |
| US07879807B2 |
Tetrasubstituted glucopyranosylated benzene derivatives, medicaments containing such compounds, their use and process for their manufacture
Tetrasubstituted glucopyranosylated benzene derivatives of general formula (I) as defined according to claim 1, including the tautomers, the stereoisomers thereof, the mixtures thereof and the salts thereof. The compounds according to the invention are suitable for the treatment of metabolic disorders. |
| US07879806B2 |
Glucopyranosyl-substituted benzyl-benzonitrile derivates, medicaments containing such compounds, their use and process for their manufacture
Glucopyranosyl-substituted benzyl-benzonitrile derivatives of general formula (I) as defined according to claim 1, including the tautomers, the stereoisomers thereof, the mixtures thereof and the salts thereof. The compounds according to the invention are suitable for the treatment of metabolic disorders. |
| US07879804B2 |
Blood pressure lowering peptides in a single enzymatic step
A process to produce IPP and VPP from a protein source that comprises the -I-P-P- and -V-P-P- sequence in its protein sequence and whereby at least 40% of -I-P-P- sequence present in the protein source is converted into the peptide IPP and at least 40% of the -V-P-P- sequence present in the protein source is converted into the peptide VPP, which comprises the use of a proline specific endoprotease and an amino-peptidase preferably in a single enzymatic step. |
| US07879801B2 |
Compositions comprising cell-impermeant duramycin derivatives
Disclosed are surprising discoveries concerning the role of anionic phospholipids and aminophospholipids in tumor vasculature and in viral entry and spread, and compositions and methods for utilizing these findings in the treatment of cancer and viral infections. Also disclosed are advantageous antibody, immunoconjugate and duramycin-based compositions and combinations that bind and inhibit anionic phospholipids and aminophospholipids, for use in the safe and effective treatment of cancer, viral infections and related diseases. |
| US07879800B2 |
Large scale preparation of alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor and use thereof
A process suitable for processing scaled-up amounts of source material in the range of tens of kilograms for the purification of alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (API) from a mixture of unpurified proteins is provided. More particularly, a process for the purification of API from blood plasma or from plasma fractions to obtain pharmaceutical grade API on a commercial scale is provided. The API produced by the process is highly pure (at least 90% API out of the total protein) and highly active (at least 90% active API). Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the purified API and methods of using same are also described. |
| US07879798B1 |
Composition for indolent wound healing and methods of use therefor
A topical ointment is described for use in the treatment of indolent wounds composed of fat-soluble vitamins, namely, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and a subantimicrobial amount of polypeptide antibiotic, which, in turn, acts as a proteinase inhibitor. The active ingredients are combined with a pharmaceutically acceptable topical carrier of lanolin, white petrolatum, mineral oil, and admixtures thereof. In treating these difficult to heal wounds, the selection of the level of the antibiotic at near trace amounts was surprisingly found to be above the proteinase inhibiting threshold and below the wound irritation level. The formulation hereof produced unexpected healing results not found in vitamin-enriched ointments or in antibiotic ointments. |
| US07879794B2 |
Methods for controlling binge eating disorders
Compositions and methods for preventing, treating or controlling conditions or disorders associated with obesity, diet, and nutrition are provided. The methods provided generally involve the administration of an amylin or an amylin agonist to a subject in order to prevent, treat or controlling conditions or disorders associated with obesity, diet, and nutrition. |
| US07879792B2 |
Synthetic peptide inhibitors of thrombin and thrombin activation of protease activated receptors 1 and 4
The invention relates to synthetic peptide analogs of D-Arg-Oic-Pro-Gly-Phe and methods of their use to inhibit human platelet aggregation, thrombosis and cell activation mediated by PAR1 and PAR4. |
| US07879788B2 |
Methods of cleaning using a streptomyces 1AG3 serine protease
Certain aspects of this disclosure relate to an isolated protease, and cleaning compositions containing the same. In some embodiments, the protease may comprise an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% identical to the wild type Streptomyces 1AG3 protease. Isolated nucleic acid encoding the subject protease, recombinant nucleic acid containing the same and host cells containing the recombinant nucleic acid are also provided. |
| US07879787B2 |
Cleaning compositions for hard to remove organic material
An oxidizing cleaning composition comprises a low concentration of aqueous hydrogen peroxide that is environmentally friendly and has good stability in strong alkaline solutions. The aqueous hydrogen peroxide composition contains a synergistic combination of one or more hydrophilic surfactants having an HLB of 10 or greater, one or more hydrotropes, one or more UV-analyzable surfactants having an aromatic detectable functional group, and optionally a surfactant having an HLB of less than 10. The cleaning composition when mixed with an alkaline compound is very effective in removing dried or baked residues of polymers, modified or natural celluloses starches, natural gels, and the like at low concentrations and temperatures. |
| US07879784B2 |
Stripping agent composition for a resist
A stripping agent composition for a resist, containing (A) 0.1 to 10% by weight of an amine; (B) 80 to 99% by weight of an organic solvent having a Hansen's solubility parameter of from 18 to 33 MPa1/2; (C) 0.01 to 3% by weight of a sugar; and (D) 0 to 5% by weight of water; a method for stripping a resist, including the step of stripping the resist with the stripping agent composition; and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, including the step of stripping a resist with the stripping agent composition. By using the stripping composition of the present invention, for example, a high-quality IC or LSI semiconductor device circuit, especially a compound semiconductor device circuit can be more economically advantageously manufactured. |
| US07879783B2 |
Cleaning composition for semiconductor substrates
The present invention relates to a semi-aqueous cleaning composition used to remove unwanted organic and inorganic residues and contaminants from semiconductor substrates. The cleaning composition comprises a buffering system comprising a polyprotic acid having at least three carboxylic acid groups with a pKa value of about 5 to about 7. The composition also comprises a polyhydric solvent, such as glycerol. A fluoride ion source is also included in the cleaning compositions of the present invention and is principally responsible for removing inorganic residues from the substrate. The cleaning compositions of the present invention have a low toxicity and are environmentally acceptable. |
| US07879782B2 |
Aqueous cleaning composition and method for using same
An aqueous-based composition and method comprising same for removing residues such as without limitation post-ashed and/or post-etched photoresist from a substrate is described herein. In one aspect, there is provided a composition for removing residues comprising: water; at least one selected from a hydroxylamine, a hydroxylamine salt compound, and mixtures thereof; and a corrosion inhibitor wherein the composition is substantially free of an added organic solvent and provided that the corrosion inhibitor does not contain a water soluble organic acid. |
| US07879777B2 |
Antioxidant additive for lubricant compositions, comprising organotungstate, diarylamine and organomolybdenum compounds
A lubricating oil composition contains a major portion of a lubricating base oil and an antioxidant additive at about 0.1-5.0 mass percent, the additive including: a secondary diarylamine, an organo molybdenum compound, and an organoammonium tungstate compound. |
| US07879774B2 |
Titanium-containing lubricating oil composition
A fully formulated lubricating oil, lubricated surface, and lubricant additive concentrates for lubricants providing reduced sludge formation. The fully formulated lubricating oil composition has therein at least one succinimide dispersant derived from a polyalkylene compound having from about 50 to about 85% vinylidene double bonds in the compound, a metal containing detergent, at least one wear reducing agent, at least one antioxidant, and a hydrocarbon soluble titanium compound as a friction modifier. The lubricating oil composition is also substantially free of molybdenum compounds. |
| US07879767B2 |
Additives for hydrate inhibition in fluids gelled with viscoelastic surfactants
An aqueous, viscoelastic fluid gelled with a viscoelastic surfactant (VES) is inhibited against hydrate formation with an effective amount of an additive that could be one or more halide salts of alkali metals and alkali earth metals, formate salts, alcohols, glycols, glycol amines, sugars, sugar alcohols, amidoamine oxides, polymers such as polyamines, polyvinylpyrrolidones and derivatives thereof, polyvinyl alcohols and derivatives thereof, polycaprolactams and derivatives thereof, hydroxyethylcellulose, and mixtures thereof. These fluids are inhibited against hydrate formation and may have increased viscosity as well. The additives may increase viscosity to the point where less VES is required to maintain a given viscosity. These inhibited, aqueous, viscoelastic fluids may be used as treatment fluids for subterranean hydrocarbon formations, such as in stimulation treatments, e.g. hydraulic fracturing fluids. |
| US07879765B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting bio-chip by using phase-change
A biochip and a biochip scanning method and apparatus using phase changes are provided, wherein a laser beam is radiated to a biochip having immobilized probes placed thereon to cause a phase change in a phase change layer located under the biochip and the reflectance on the phase change layer according to the phase change is detected to allow reproduction or recording of bio information on the biochip. A phase change biochip and a phase change detection method using phase changes based on resistance detection are also provided, wherein the resistance between two electrodes connected respectively to both ends of a phase change layer including a bio spot where a phase change occurs is measured so that it is possible to easily detect phase changes in the biochip based on changes in the resistance. |
| US07879756B2 |
Precipitated iron catalyst for hydrogenation of carbon monoxide
A method of producing an iron catalyst for catalyzing the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide is disclosed. The method comprises using a reduced amount of acid for iron dissolution compared to certain previous methods. The resulting acidic iron mixture is heated without boiling to obtain a nitrate solution having a Fe2+:Fe3+ ratio in the range of about 0.01%:99.99% to about 100%:0% (wt:wt). Iron phases are precipitated at a lower temperature compared to certain previous methods. The recovered catalyst precursor is dried and sized to form particles having a size distribution between 10 microns and 100 microns. In embodiments, the Fe2+:Fe3+ ratio in the nitric acid solution may be in the range of from about 3%:97% to about 30%:70% (wt:wt) and the calcined catalyst may comprise a maghemite:hematite ratio of about 1%:99% to about 70%:30%. |
| US07879755B2 |
Catalyst compositions
Provided are catalyst composites comprising: a catalytic material on a carrier, the catalytic material comprising a precious metal selected from a palladium component and an oxygen storage component, the oxygen storage component being present in an amount of at least 10% by weight, wherein substantially all of the oxygen storage component is in intimate contact with the palladium component and the catalytic material is effective to substantially simultaneously oxidize carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons and reduce nitrogen oxides. A catalyst composite comprising: a catalytic material on a carrier, the catalytic material comprising a palladium component and a ceria-zirconia composite support, the ceria being present in an amount in the range of 10 to 70% by weight, wherein substantially all of the ceria is in intimate contact with at least a portion of the palladium component. Methods of making and using these catalysts are also provided. |
| US07879752B2 |
Electrocatalyst
An electrocatalyst including an active catalyst component and an additive including a transitional metal, transitional metal oxide or complex precursor thereof, products including such an electrocatalyst and methods of making and using the same. |
| US07879751B2 |
Production process of olefin polymerization catalyst component, of olefin polymerization catalyst, and of olefin polymer
A solid catalyst component for olefin polymerization, comprising titanium atoms, magnesium atoms, halogen atoms and hydrocarbyloxy groups, wherein the following filtrate contains titanium atoms in a concentration of 0.08 mg-Ti/ml-filtrate or lower, measured according to a method comprising the steps of (1) preparing a suspension of the solid catalyst component for olefin polymerization in heptane having a concentration of 0.1 g-solid catalyst component/ml-suspension, (2) heating the suspension at 70° C. for 30 minutes under stirring, (3) filtering the suspension, thereby obtaining a filtrate, and (4) measuring a concentration of titanium atoms contained in the filtrate; and a production process of the solid catalyst component. |
| US07879750B2 |
Anodes for alkaline electrolysis
A method of making an anode for alkaline electrolysis cells includes adsorption of precursor material on a carbonaceous material, conversion of the precursor material to hydroxide form and conversion of precursor material from hydroxide form to oxy-hydroxide form within the alkaline electrolysis cell. |
| US07879747B2 |
Elastic laminates having fragrance releasing properties and methods of making the same
An elastic laminate having fragrance releasing microcapsules embedded within a nonwoven web layer of the laminate is generally disclosed. The elastic laminate is configured to release the encapsulated fragrance upon stretching the laminate. The elastic laminate can continue to release fresh fragrance even after the first stretching force is applied, effectively extending the life of the elastic laminate. The resulting elastic laminate is useful for many applications, and is particularly useful in the construction of an absorbent article. |