| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08085442B2 |
Method of producing a tiled print product
In a method of producing a tiled print product, the print product is composed of a plurality of print substrates that are printed separately and are disposed adjacent to one another in at least one row. Each substrate is printed by means of a print process that creates a gloss gradient in a characteristic direction of production that is parallel to the row. The characteristic direction of production is inverted for every second substrate in the row. |
| US08085440B2 |
Method and apparatus for selecting an operation to be performed on an image stored in a printer
Methods and systems are provided to facilitate a printer to execute one or more operations in connection with one or more images are described herein. The methods may include methods that may, at least in part, be implemented at a printer including tracking one or more locations of a scan device with respect to a sheet having a first one or more pictures associated with one or more corresponding images, wherein the tracking is based, at least in part, on electronic data provided by the scan device. The printer may then based at least in part on the tracking, execute at least one operation in connection with all or a selected subset of the one or more corresponding images. |
| US08085438B2 |
Printing color images visible under UV light on security documents and valuable articles
A new method of creating fluorescent color images visible under UV light is proposed, which relies on fluorescent colorants obtained by superposing fluorescent ink dots, on juxtaposed halftoning, and on mapping the gamut of the image to be reproduced into the gamut of the fluorescent colorants. The resulting color images are invisible under daylight and have, under UV light, a high resemblance with the original images. Applications comprises the protection of security documents and valuable articles, as well as publicity, fashion and night life, where fluorescent images viewed in the dark under UV illumination have a strongly appealing effect. |
| US08085437B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus includes an expansion unit to expand image data to first matrix data including a plurality of rows and columns, a first mask unit to mask the first matrix data by performing a logical operation on the first matrix data and a mask pattern, a second mask unit to select any one of first processing to thoroughly mask a unit area of the first matrix data and second processing to mask a unit area of the first matrix data by using the first mask unit, with respect to each mask unit area by using third matrix data including a plurality of mask unit areas that is formed of the same number of rows and columns as the mask pattern, and an image formation unit to form an image by modulating the first matrix data that is masked by the second mask unit into an optical writing signal. |
| US08085436B2 |
Digital printing using similar colorants
A method for printing an input digital image using a digital printer having a set of colorants with substantially the same color but different densities, including a sequence of node points where each of the two or more colorants are either at their maximum or minimum values, setting colorant concentrations such that the color channel output responses corresponding to the sequence of node points are substantially equally spaced in a visually uniform color space; forming colorant control look-up tables to provide smooth transitions in the color channel output response between the sequence of node points; addressing the colorant control look-up tables with the printer code value for each pixel of the input digital image to determine the colorant control signals for each of the two or more colorants; and controlling the digital printer using the colorant control signals to produce a print of the input digital image. |
| US08085435B2 |
Adaptive color transform to control color inconstancy
A method for selecting the level of color inconstancy of an output image produced on a digital color printer having a neutral ink and a plurality of color inks is disclosed. The method includes analyzing the distribution of input colors present in the input digital image to determine a color distribution metric related to the importance of producing output images having a reduced color inconstancy when the output image is viewed under a variety of image illumination spectra; selecting a color transform from a set of available color transforms designed to produce output images having different color inconstancy characteristics in response to the color distribution metric; processing the input digital image using the selected color transform to produce a transformed image having a selected level of color inconstancy; and printing the transformed image on the digital color printer to produce an output image having the selected level of color inconstancy. |
| US08085433B2 |
Variable/personalized colorization printing using tone reproduction curves
Disclosed herein is a method wherein each pixel is tagged with a special VI (Variable Information) flag, which indicates the color of the pixel is variable or fixed. When the document gets created during raster image processing (“ripping”), the output CMYK of the VI and non-VI pixels are constrained to be odd and even numbers, respectively. In the meantime, a special TRC is created, and the VI colors are obtained through this special TRC at the odd indices, while the non-VI colors are obtained through the even indices. To enable the variable colorization printing, the job needs to be ripped once and saved. The saved job then can be reprinted multiple times with different TRCs that have the same values at the even indices, but different values at the odd indices. |
| US08085432B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: a reading mechanism having an original placement portion on which an original document is placed for reading an image; a recording mechanism having a medium supply tray on which a recording medium is set, the recording mechanism being disposed in such a manner that a longitudinal direction of the medium supply tray is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the original placement portion; an angular casing that houses the reading mechanism and the recording mechanism while stacking the reading mechanism and the recording mechanism vertically; and a cartridge holder that houses an ink cartridge and is disposed in a space located at a corner position of the casing below the reading mechanism and surrounded by a circumferential wall of the casing and a side wall of the medium supply tray. |
| US08085424B2 |
Multiple-port print device
A method that enables a multiple-port print device to perform efficient job management for each job even if the multiple-port print device is provided with parallel-processing-enabled multiple interfaces. The multiple-port print device includes a job boundary detection unit, a spool buffer, and a job management unit. By reading print job data stored in the buffer memory units from the multiple communication interfaces, and detecting the job start and end marks added to the print job data, the print job data is identified by each job boundary. The job management unit stores the print job data identified by the job boundary into the spool buffer as a spool file to spool-process the data between the spool buffer and the image processing unit. |
| US08085418B2 |
Method and apparatus for converting a printer firmware download port to a communicatons port
Methods and apparatus for converting a firmware download port on a printer to a communications port are provided. The apparatus includes a printed circuit board arrangement connected to the firmware download port of the printer. A secondary communications port is provided on the printed circuit board arrangement for enabling communications between the printer and a central system controller. The printer may include one or more primary communications ports. Each of the one or more primary communications ports may be selectable for enabling communications between the printer and a local controller. The local controller may provide data to the printer via a selected one of the primary communications ports indicative of cash information to be printed on a voucher. The central system controller may provide data to the printer via the secondary communications port indicative of non-cash data to be printed on a coupon. |
| US08085416B2 |
Method and system for color highlighting of text
In a method of generating hardcopy output, a print job description is provided to a print operation. The print job is in a native format where the print job includes the print operation in the native format and the print job description. A modified print operation is formed in a meta-format in response to the print job description. The modified print operation is submitted in the native format to a print engine to perform the print operation. |
| US08085414B2 |
Image forming device configured to execute scan-to-memory and direct print functions when connected to an external device
There is provided an image forming device comprising a connection unit to which an external device is detachably attached, a reading unit to read an image from an original to generate image data; an image forming unit to form an image; a controller that executes a plurality of modes including a scan-to-memory mode where image data is obtained through the reading unit and the obtained image data is stored in the external memory and a direct print mode where an image corresponding to image data stored in the external memory is formed, and a storage unit to store mode information concerning at least one mode, the at least one mode having been executed by the controller with respect to the external memory. The controller executes a mode stored in the storage unit as the mode information in response to connection of the external memory to the connection unit. |
| US08085413B2 |
Adaptor, image supply device, printing system, and control method therefor
An adaptor which mediates between an image supply device and a printer causes the printer to print by selecting either of the first operation mode in which image data from the image supply device is received by wireless communication and before the completion of receiving the image data, a print job is issued to the printer by wired communication, and the second operation mode in which image data from the image supply device is received by wireless communication and after the completion of receiving the image data, a print job is issued to the printer by wired communication. |
| US08085412B2 |
Sheet conveying apparatus, sheet conveying method, and image forming apparatus
A sheet conveying apparatus includes a skew amount detecting unit configured to detect an amount of skew of a sheet, two rollers configured to convey the sheet in a predetermined conveyance direction when rotating in a same direction and to rotate the sheet around a predetermined point when rotating in mutually different directions, and a control unit configured to control the two rollers such that the two rollers convey the sheet to a position where a distance from the predetermined point to a specific edge of the sheet becomes a predetermined value and then rotate the sheet based on the amount of skew detected by the skew amount detecting unit to change an orientation of the sheet. |
| US08085407B2 |
Resonator optical gyroscope having input beam modulation optimized for high sensitivity and low bias
Systems and methods for optimizing input beam modulation for high gyro sensitivity and low bias errors. The present invention is a resonator optical gyroscope having an optimized phase-modulation amplitude (frequency) for a selected modulation frequency (amplitude) that maximizes the gyro signal-to-noise (S/N) sensitivity. For selected values of the phase modulation amplitude, the polarization cross-coupling induced intensity modulation can be nulled. By setting the phase modulation amplitudes substantially close to these nulling points (e.g. M=3.832 or 7.016 radians, which causes the first order Bessel function to be zero J1(M)=0) and then optimizing the modulation frequency, the intensity modulation induced bias is reduced to zero and gyro S/N sensitivity is maximized. |
| US08085405B2 |
Detecting element, and target substance detecting device and method of detecting target substance using the same
A detecting element used for a detecting device for detecting a target substance in a sample by utilizing plasmon resonance. The detecting element includes a substrate and a plurality of metal members provided on the substrate, the metal member constituting a columnar structure and being oriented in a long axis direction thereof. The detecting element can improve sensitivity of the detecting device for detecting a target substance utilizing plasmon resonance. |
| US08085404B2 |
Gas analyzer and gas analyzing method
A gas analyzer capable of measuring a concentration of a gas component in gas at sensor units provided at a plurality of positions in real time by decreasing the number of signals input from the sensor units to an analyzer so as to reduce a data amount input to the analyzer and a gas analyzing method. The gas analyzing method includes the steps of: demultiplexing laser light by a demultiplexer into measurement laser light and reference laser light; letting the measurement laser light pass through gas to be received by a photoreceiver; finding an absorption spectrum absorbed by a gas component in the gas based on a light intensity of the received measurement laser light and of the reference laser light; and analyzing the absorption spectrum to measure a concentration of the gas component. |
| US08085400B2 |
Alignment device and method for optical system
An alignment device is provided for aligning a primary mirror with a secondary mirror in an optical system having the primary mirror and the secondary mirror arranged so as to face each other along the optical axis. The alignment device has a dichroic film formed on a surface on the front side of the secondary mirror and configured to reflect light used in the optical system and to transmit alignment light, a back reflecting surface formed on the back side of the secondary mirror and configured to reflect the alignment light, and a detection system which detects a positional deviation between the primary mirror and the secondary mirror, based on the alignment light having traveled via the dichroic film, the back reflecting surface, and a reflecting surface of the primary mirror. |
| US08085399B2 |
Systems and methods for a multiple angle light scattering (MALS) instrument having two-dimensional detector array
A particle detection system uses a reflective optic comprising a curved surface to detect high angle scattered light generated by a particle in a liquid medium, when a laser beam is incident on the particle. When the particles transit the laser beam, light is scattered in all directions and is described by MIE scattering theory for particles about the size of the wavelength of light and larger or Rayleigh Scattering when the particles are smaller than the wavelength of light. By using the reflective optic, the scattered light can be detected over angles that are greater than normally obtainable. |
| US08085396B2 |
Raman analysis
Properties of turbid or scattering samples are determined using Raman spectroscopy with probe light delivered to and subsequently collected from the sample using a transmission geometry. The technique may be applied to pharmaceutical products such as tablets, diagnostic tests such as lateral flow diagnostic strips, and elsewhere. |
| US08085392B2 |
Bubble reduction system
An ophthalmic device forming system includes an inspection station configured to receive a plurality of ophthalmic devices, a fluid supply fluidly connected to the inspection station, the fluid supply containing a working fluid, and a heat source fluidly connected between the fluid supply and the inspection station. The heat source includes a housing, a transfer element, and a low pressure gas region defined by the housing adjacent to the transfer element. |
| US08085388B2 |
Laser radar projection with object feature detection and ranging
A 3D pulsed laser projection system scans an object to produce a dense 3D point cloud and projects a laser light beam onto an object as a glowing template. A high-sensitivity optical feedback system receives and detects a feedback beam of the output beam light diffusely reflected from the object. The feedback light and projected beam share the same beam path between steering mirrors and the object. A light suppression component controls stray scattered light, including ambient light, from being detected. A time-of-flight measurement subsystem provides a distance-to-object measurement for projected pulses. An acousto-optical modulator, variable gain detected signal amplification and variable photo-detector power together produce a dynamic range for detected reflected feedback signals of at least 100,000, and up to 500,000. Optical fiber cables spatially filter scattered light and isolate the photo-detectors thermally. The laser is preferably pulsed at least 50 kHz, with sampling of the projected and feedback reflected optical pulse signals at a sampling rate of up to 10 gigasamples per second. |
| US08085381B2 |
Cleanup method for optics in immersion lithography using sonic device
A megasonic immersion lithography exposure apparatus includes an optical transfer chamber for containing an exposure liquid, at least one megasonic plate operably engaging said optical transfer chamber for propagating sonic waves through the exposure liquid, and an optical system provided adjacent to said optical transfer chamber for projecting light through a mask and said exposure liquid and onto a wafer. |
| US08085375B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal material interposed between the first and second substrates. The liquid crystal display includes first protrusions and second protrusions that are alternately disposed with each other on the first substrate. A common electrode is provided at a side part of the first protrusions, and a pixel electrode is provided at a side part of the second protrusions to face the common electrode. A lateral electric field is generated between the common electrode and the pixel electrode facing each other for controlling an alignment of molecules of the liquid crystal material. |
| US08085371B2 |
Liquid crystal display having improved retardation film
A liquid crystal display having improved retardation plate is described. In the liquid crystal display, at least one of two panel plates has a polarizer placed on an outer side which is opposite to a liquid crystal layer and a quarter wavelength retardation plate between a substrate glass and the polarizer. The quarter wavelength retardation plate is composed of two retardation films including a half wavelength and a quarter wavelength retardation film. A slow axis of a half λ film which is adjacent to the polarizer makes an angle of Θ1 with a transmissive axis of the polarizer and that of a quarter λ film which is adjacent to the substrate glass makes an angle of Θ2 where Θ2=2×Θ1±45 degree. The retardation films are single-axial films. The specific angle Θ1 is one of degree values (15, 75, 105, and 165). In a transmissive type liquid crystal display, a structure of the other panel plate is similar to that of one panel plate and combination to the values (Θ1, Θ2, Θ3, Θ4) is one selected from the group consisting of combinations (15, 75, 165, 105), (75, 15, 105, 165), (105, 165, 75, 15), and (165, 105, 15, 75). |
| US08085368B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of fabricating the same
A liquid crystal display and a simple method to fabricate the same are provided, which can accurately measure luminance of an external light. The liquid crystal display includes a substrate; a thin film transistor array formed on the substrate; and a photoelectric conversion element having a reflection pattern formed on at least one side of the substrate, a photoelectric conversion region provided with a first semiconductor region formed on an upper part of the reflection pattern to receive an external light reflected by the reflection pattern, and a dummy pattern formed on an upper part of the photoelectric conversion region with a width corresponding to the first semiconductor region. The photoelectric conversion region may be configured to adjust the quantity of light incident to the thin film transistor array. |
| US08085364B2 |
Display with focussed illumination
A liquid crystal display with focused illumination is described. In an example, a light-source emitting a plurality of discrete colors is focused onto a liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display panel has a plurality of pixels and each pixel has regions corresponding to the colors emitted by the light-source. Light of each color is focused onto the regions of the pixels corresponding to that color. |
| US08085363B2 |
Coatable conductive layer
The invention relates to a patternable coatable electrically conductive layer comprising a fluid-coated electrically conductive material, wherein the fluid-coated electrically conductive material has sufficient conductivity to induce an electric field strong enough to change the optical state of a light modulating material and a display comprising a substrate, at least one patternable coatable electrically conductive layer comprising a fluid-coated electrically conductive material, wherein said fluid coated electrically conductive material has sufficient conductivity to induce an electric field strong enough to change the optical state of a light modulating material which has a first and a second field-switched stable optical state, and an imaging layer comprising said light modulating material disposed over said at least one patternable fluid-coated electrically conductive layer. The invention also relates to a method for making a coatable electrically conductive layer and a method for making a display with a coatable electrically conductive layer. |
| US08085356B2 |
Display panel, assembling method thereof and liquid crystal display
A display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a spacer is provided. The first substrate has a common potential line and at least one testing line separated from the common potential line, and the second substrate is disposed above the first substrate. The spacer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and includes at least one conducting particle. The common potential line is electrically connected to the testing line via the conducting particle. An assembling method of the display panel mentioned above and a liquid crystal display using the display panel are also provided. |
| US08085355B2 |
Structure of thin film transistors and liquid crystal display device having the same
A structure of a plurality of thin film transistors wherein a peripheral circuit on a glass substrate of a liquid crystal display panel; and each of polycrystalline silicon thin film 13 of the thin film transistor is formed on the glass substrate; and each of gate electrode 15 is formed on a gate insulation layer, and each of the gate electrode 15 is overhead corresponding to the polycrystalline silicon thin film 13 for a channel; wherein the gate electrode 15 is comprised a pair of projection part 15A and a gate-channel 15B; and wherein the pair of projection part 15A is formed the both sides of the gate-channel 15B in which the side is for along the channel-direction, and wherein the pair of projection part 15A is enlarged for across the channel-direction. |
| US08085353B2 |
Thin film transistor array panel having a pixel electrode including a first subpixel electrode and a second subpixel electrode connected to the drain electrode of the thin film transistor and a third subpixel electrode capacitively coupled to a coupling electrode extended from the drain electrode
A thin film transistor (TFT) array panel for a Liquid Crystal Display apparatus (LCD) is provided. The TFT array panel comprises a plurality of gate lines, at least one data line intersecting the plurality of gate lines and at least one thin film transistor connected to at least one of the gate lines and the at least one data line. The at least one film transistor comprises a drain electrode. In addition, the TFT array panel further comprises at least one pixel electrode including at least one first subpixel electrode connected to the drain electrode of the thin film transistor and a second subpixel electrode capacitively coupled to the at least one first subpixel electrode. Moreover, the pixel electrode has a partitioning member for partitioning the pixel electrode into at least two partitions having portions which do not overlap the drain electrode. The at least two partitions are disposed symmetrically to a reference line equidistant from the plurality of gate lines. |
| US08085348B2 |
Image output method to displays with different aspect ratios
First and second division patterns are defined so that main areas A and A′ are similar to each other in shape, having the same horizontal-to-vertical ratio. Even if an image output apparatus is connected to a display unit having both first and second display screens, the image output apparatus generates an identical image for the main area A or A′ regardless of the aspect ratio of the display screen. The main areas A and A′ display important information and the like. Sub areas B and B′ display auxiliary information. The first and second division patterns may be determined so that the sub areas B and B′ are similar to each other in shape like the main areas. |
| US08085345B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
A double rate processing part generates, at a double rate, a non-interlaced image signal every frame to twice generate a double-rate non-interlaced signal which has identical information duplicately. An interlace part, after a predetermined process is carried out on the double-rate non-interlaced signal twice generated by the double rate processing part, extracts an odd scan lines from one of the twice generated double-rate non-interlaced signal to generate an odd scan line image signal, extracts an even scan lines from the other of the twice generated double-rate non-interlaced signal to generate an even scan line image signal, so as to obtain an interlaced image signal for one frame. |
| US08085342B2 |
Highly miniaturized, battery operated, digital wireless camera using programmable single chip active pixel sensor (APS) digital camera chip
A miniaturized camera which is programmable and provides low power consumption. An active pixel image sensor used in the highly miniaturized camera provides improved imaging functionality as well as reduced power consumption, extending the possible life time of the camera system. The spread spectrum nature of transmission and reception improves data integrity as well as data security. The ability of the highly miniaturized wireless camera to receive commands as well as transmit image data provides improved functionality and a variable rate of power consumption to be set according to the application and needs of the situation. |
| US08085340B2 |
Camera
A camera is disclosed, which has a simple structure and capable of detecting a flash light amount at high accuracy. The camera comprises a camera body unit, a exterior unit fixed to the camera body unit, a flash unit provided on the exterior unit, a first light-leading member which has a flexibility and is used for leading light from the flash unit, and a light-receiving element receiving light that has passed through the first light-leading member. Both the first light-leading member and the light-receiving element are fixed to the exterior unit. |
| US08085338B2 |
Imaging apparatus and camera system
An imaging apparatus includes an optical system including a focus lens, a driver configured to drive the focus lens, a controller configured to control a supply of power to the driver, and a setting unit configured to set a power supply mode for specifying a method of supplying power to the driver. When a predetermined power supply mode is set, the controller determines according to a magnitude of a depth of field of the optical system during whether holding power for holding the state of the focus lens is supplied to the driver when the focus lens is stopped, and controls the supply of the holding power to the driver according to the result of the determination. |
| US08085337B2 |
Image-pickup apparatus
The image-pickup apparatus includes an image acquiring part respectively photoelectrically converting first and second object images respectively formed by first and second light fluxes into first image data and second image data, the first and second light fluxes being formed by dividing a light flux from an image-pickup optical system by a pupil divider, and photoelectrically converting a third object image formed by a third light flux of the light flux from the image-pickup optical system into third image data, the third light flux being not divided by the pupil divider, and a split image generating part which generates split image data to be displayed in the third image data. The split image generating part generates the split image data based on the first image data and the second image data, and adds color information extracted from the third image data to the split image data. |
| US08085336B2 |
Optical apparatus having device for removing foreign substance
An optical apparatus includes a rectangular optical member provided on an optical axis, and a rectangular vibrating device stuck to the optical member close to and in parallel with one of four sides of the optical member and configured to vibrate the optical member in a wave fashion to have a plurality of nodes parallel with the one side. The vibrating device is configured to operate in two or more vibration modes differing from one another at least in number or positions of the plurality of nodes. |
| US08085335B2 |
Image pickup apparatus with a fixed aperture stop having an aperture with different, repetitive first and second wave patterns
An image pickup apparatus includes an image-pickup optical system, three color separation prisms separating incident light guided by the image-pickup optical system into three-primary-color light components and emitting the light components, and three image pickup elements respectively receiving the three light components from the prisms so as to produce respective image signals. Of the three prisms, a first prism that first receives the incident light has an edge extending parallel to an incidence plane. The image-pickup optical system has a plate-like fixed aperture stop disposed between the first prism and a final lens, disposed closest to the first prism, of multiple lenses included in the image-pickup optical system. The fixed aperture stop has an aperture that limits the incident light. An edge section of the aperture has projections and depressions arranged at least in parallel to the edge, as viewed from an optical-axis direction of the final lens. |
| US08085332B2 |
Image pickup apparatus, method for controlling image pickup apparatus
The image pickup apparatus includes an optical viewfinder, a rear touch panel display, a registering part which registers whether an eye of a user viewing an object image through the optical viewfinder is a right eye or a left eye, a setting part which sets a non-enterable area where touch entry is not permitted in the touch panel to a first area when the right eye is registered, and to set the non-enterable area to a second area different from the first area when the left eye is registered. A controller controls the apparatus such that the apparatus does not perform an operation in response to a touch to the non-enterable area in the touch panel and the apparatus performs an operation in response to a touch to an area other than the non-enterable area in the touch panel. |
| US08085325B2 |
Solid-state image pickup apparatus
A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes: an image pickup portion in which are arranged a plurality of pixels with a photo-electric conversion element, the pixels which generate and output a signal in accordance with the intensity of an incident electromagnetic wave; a frequency conversion portion that includes a link circuit in which a plurality of inversion circuits with a first terminal and a second terminal are linked in a ring, each of the inversion circuits having a varying delay time from an input signal to an output signal based on the voltage difference between the voltage supplied to the first terminal and the voltage supplied to the second terminal, and the frequency conversion portion which generate clock pulses at a frequency based on the voltage difference; a count portion which counts the clock pulses generated by the frequency conversion portion; and a transistor including: a third terminal to which is input a predetermined voltage; a fourth terminal connected to the first terminals; and a fifth terminal to which are input signals from the pixels, the transistor controlling a current that is passed between the third terminal and the fourth terminal based on a signal that is input to the fifth terminal. |
| US08085323B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and image pickup apparatus
There are provided an image processing apparatus and method capable of providing a good image whose overexposure and underexposure are suppressed by holding information about saturation and contrast at the time of performing a dynamic range compression. In the image processing apparatus, a level information calculating circuit calculates the level information of each pixel from R, G and B image signals for each pixel, a gain calculating circuit refers to a gain table based on the level information of each pixel calculated by the level information calculating circuit and calculates a gain by which the R, G and B signals of each pixel are multiplied, and a multiplying circuits multiply the R, G and B signals by the gain. |
| US08085318B2 |
Real-time image capture and manipulation based on streaming data
Systems and techniques to provide image capture and manipulation. In general, in one implementation, the technique includes receiving an input stream including image data from a source, displaying the input stream in real-time including displaying a plurality of instantiations of the stream at a same time, each stream different, the step of displaying including applying a filter to each instantiation of the input stream, and receiving a prompt to select one of the instantiations of the stream. |
| US08085308B2 |
Image correction device, method, integrated circuit and system for correcting images captured by a camera provided in a moving object
An image correction device trims an image, which has been captured by a camera provided in a moving object, in accordance with a predetermined image frame to generate a corrected image that is enclosed by the predetermined image frame, and then outputs the corrected image as an output image. Even when there is an error between an actual camera position in which the camera is actually positioned and a scheduled camera position in which the camera is scheduled to be positioned, the image correction device (i) decomposes the error into a first component that extends along an imaging direction of the camera and a second component that extends along a plane orthogonal to the imaging direction, (ii) shifts the image frame in accordance with the first component, and (iii) enlarges or shrinks a size of the image frame in accordance with the second component. |
| US08085300B2 |
Surveillance camera system, remote-controlled monitoring device, control method, and their control program
A surveillance camera system includes a surveillance camera having pan/tilt capability, a display for displaying images picked-up by the surveillance camera thereon, a pointing device for indicating the movement of the surveillance camera in a visual field direction, and a remote-controlled monitoring device including a control unit for displaying the images on the display and for displaying a pointer thereon indicating the coordinate position of the pointing device so as to overlap with the images, and when the pointer is moved from a first point to a second point on the images, the control unit transmits a predetermined control signal from the remote-controlled monitoring device to the surveillance camera, and by the control signal, the control unit moves the surveillance camera in the moving direction of the pointer at a speed proportional to the length between the first point and the second point. |
| US08085297B2 |
Method for modifying a user interface of a consumer electronic apparatus, corresponding apparatus, signal and data carrier
According to the invention a user interface of a consumer electronic apparatus is modified, which can be used for example to update a given basic UI functionality or to temporarily implement isolated, dedicated UI sub-domains. For this purpose side information is received comprising side information components for controlling the user interface and validity information defining the validity start and/or end time of the side information components. The side information components and validity information is stored and the user interface is modified by using said stored side information components. The start time and/or end time of the user interface modification is controlled by means of said stored validity information. |
| US08085292B2 |
Process and system used to discover and exploit the illusory depth properties inherent in an autostereoscopic image
A method, system and devices for optimizing and/or maximizing the perceived autostereoscopic effect for any chosen combination of photographic or electronic recording materials, recording methods and parameters, and imaging methods and parameters. The method first determines the parameters characterizing the optimum autostereoscopic effect of the combination materials etc. (the front pixel spread and the back pixel spread), then specifies how to apply these parameters to the arrangement of image acquisition devices, or the production of images by computational means, to produce a final image with optimal autostereoscopic properties. Features of the present invention provide for image acquisition either occurring in the real world (via digital or analog means) or within a computer graphic environment (or a blend of both), by way of specific methods necessary for successfully traveling through a variety of different mathematical spaces to arrive at a common space. |
| US08085290B2 |
System and method for displaying a videoconference
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for displaying a videoconference includes receiving a first video feed. The first video feed includes a first plurality of video signals, each video signal from at least one source and originating from one or more sites. The method also includes assigning for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window. Each zone of the plurality of zones is able to display one video signal at a time. The method further includes, for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which more than one video signal has been assigned, switching the current video signal to be displayed in the zone to another video signal assigned to the zone based on a switching protocol. |
| US08085280B2 |
Asymmetric two-pass graphics scaling
A method and an apparatus for determining an up scale factor and a down scale factor according to a scale factor received from a graphics application program interface (API) to scale a graphics data in a graphics processing unit (GPU) are described. The up scale factor and the down scale factor may be precisely stored in the GPU based on a fixed number of bits. An actual scale factor which can be precisely stored in the GPU corresponding to the scale factor may differ from the scale factor with a difference. Graphics commands may be sent to the GPU to scale the graphics data according to the up scale factor and the down scale factor separately. A combined scale factor corresponding to a combination of the up scale factor and the down scale factor may differ from the scale factor less then the difference between the actual scale factor and the scale factor. |
| US08085279B2 |
Drawing an image with transparent regions on top of another image without using an alpha channel
An image display system draws a first image on top of a second image. Pixels of the first image include one or more color channels which encode color information, but do not include an alpha channel which encodes transparency information. The system encodes transparency information for the pixels in the first image using at least one bit in at least one color channel of each pixel. The system draws the first image on top of the second image using the transparency information encoded in the color channels of the pixels to obtain a combined image. |
| US08085277B2 |
System and method for clipping values of pixels in one color space so not to exceed the limits of a second color space
A system and method that detects when pixels from one color space would exceed the range of a second color space, and restrict the range of the pixels without distorting their brightness, while preserving their color. The method may provide the ability to restrict the range of pixels in the first color space that may ordinarily transform to “illegal” values with erroneous brightness in the second color space, to a sub-space containing the entire second color space, while preserving the brightness of the pixels. The parameters used to define the sub-space may be programmable. The first color space may be YCrCb and the second color space may be RGB. |
| US08085275B1 |
System and method for low-overhead push buffer jumps
A push buffer-related system, method and computer program product are provided. Initially, an entry is obtained from a buffer storage describing a size and location of a portion of a push buffer. To this end, the portion of the push buffer is capable of being retrieved, utilizing the entry from the buffer storage. |
| US08085271B2 |
System and method for dilation for glyph rendering
A system and method for dilating a glyph for glyph rendering is described. The method includes receiving information including at least one of an element value of a rendering matrix, a glyph characteristic, a display background characteristic, an application characteristic, a display characteristic, and a graphics engine characteristic. The method further includes determining a dilation factor value from the received information. The method also includes dilating the outline of the glyph using the determined dilation factor. |
| US08085264B1 |
Tile output using multiple queue output buffering in a raster stage
A method for multiple queue output buffering in a raster stage of a graphics processor. The method includes receiving a graphics primitive for rasterization in a raster stage of a graphics processor. The graphics primitive is rasterized at a first level to generate a plurality of tiles of pixels related to the graphics primitive. Each tile is then rasterized to determine related sub-portions of each tile. The related sub-portions are transferred to a plurality of output queues. The related sub-portions are subsequently output on a per queue basis and on a per clock cycle basis. |
| US08085262B2 |
Image display apparatus and image taking apparatus including the same
Provided is image display apparatus, in which a surface to be scanned is two-dimensionally scanned with a light beam which is modulated based on image information and emitted from a light source means and an image formed on the surface to be scanned is observed through an optical system, wherein a synchronization light detection device to obtain synchronization signal related to a scanning start position on the surface to be scanned is disposed on the surface to be scanned, on the vicinity thereof, or on a surface optically conjugate therewith, so that a synchronization signal can be detected with high precision and a preferable quality image can be displayed for observation, and image taking apparatus including the image display apparatus. |
| US08085261B2 |
LCD with the function of eliminating the power-off residual images
An LCD includes a PWB, a FPC, and a display panel. The PWB includes a level shift circuit and a power-off discharge circuit. The display panel includes a gate driving circuit and a TFT array. The power-off discharge circuit can electrically connects a gate high voltage end to a gate low voltage end so as to drive the gate driving circuit to turn on all TFTs of the TFT array. |
| US08085260B2 |
Simple matrix addressing in a display
An addressing mechanism for charging and discharging quasi-capacitive elements in an X-Y matrix. The addressing mechanism may be configured to toggle a resistor-capacitor (RC) time constant between large and small values such as by opening or closing a circuit path to a low impedance resistor disposed in parallel with a higher impedance in-line resistor. When this occurs, elements in the X-Y matrix can be addressed and controlled. The X-Y matrix may be comprised of multiple “rows” and “columns” of conductors where crosstalk may occur along the columns and rows. Crosstalk may be curtailed by using either hysteresis management or global control of the row's impedance along its entire length. The resulting control obviates the need for active devices at each matrix element to perform the switching functions. |
| US08085259B2 |
Display apparatus
The present invention improves the reliability of a display apparatus by suppressing the temperature rise of the display apparatus mounted on a wall. The display apparatus is provided with a wall mount switch to detect a wall mount member if the wall mount member is attached to the rear of the display apparatus. If it is detected by the wall mount switch that the display apparatus is mounted on a wall, the display power supplied to a display unit is set lower than normal by a power controller. This suppresses the temperature rise of the apparatus mounted on a wall. |
| US08085258B2 |
Organic electroluminescence display apparatus, driving circuit for driving organic electroluminescence light emitting portion, and driving method for organic electroluminescence light emitting portion
A driving circuit for driving an organic electroluminescence light emitting portion includes: a driving transistor of the n channel type having source/drain regions, a channel formation region and a gate electrode; an image signal writing transistor having source/drain regions, a channel formation region and a gate electrode; and a capacitor element. A first voltage for supplying current toward the organic electroluminescence light emitting portion through the driving transistor and a second voltage for preventing a potential difference between the second node and a cathode electrode provided on the organic electroluminescence light emitting portion from exceeding a threshold voltage of the organic electroluminescence light emitting portion are selectively applied from the power supply section to the first one of the source/drain regions of the driving transistor. An LDD (Lightly Doped Drain) structure is formed adjacent the first one of the source/drain regions of the driving transistor. |
| US08085255B2 |
Method for zooming image
A method and apparatus for zooming an image. In the present method, a plurality of scan periods and a plurality of scan data are provided, wherein the ith scan data is provided in the ith scan period. The jth scan data is used to drive at least two adjacent scan lines within the jth scan period, wherein i, j are natural numbers. |
| US08085248B2 |
Element for a control panel of a device
There is described a design element for a control panel of a device and further a device having a plurality of design elements that can be freely positioned on a control panel, and to a method for configuring such a device and a corresponding computer program. An aim is to provide a control panel which is extremely flexible in its handling. For this purpose, individual design elements are freely positioned on a control panel. Power supply and data transmission to a control module are carried out in a contactless manner. The design elements are preferably printed polymer electronic components having their own electronics. |
| US08085244B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying multiple images on individual keys of a keyboard
A key for an information handling system, the key including a finger surface configured for interaction with a user's finger and an inverted lenticular lens positioned beneath the finger surface. The finger surface may be substantially transparent to at least one wavelength of visible light. The inverted lenticular lens may include a first image and a second image. Light incident on the lens at a first angle of incidence may project the first image from the lens onto the substantially transparent finger surface of the key and light incident on the lens at a second angle of incidence may project the second image from the lens onto the substantially transparent finger surface of the key. |
| US08085243B2 |
Input device and its method
An input device for inputting a command and information to a device, includes a body shape input section acquiring body shape information of a user and a display information generation section generating a display image necessary for the user to input the command and the information. Further, the input device includes an operation section having an operation surface corresponding to the display image, a body shape extraction section extracting a portion corresponding to the operation surface from the body shape information acquired by the body shape input section and generating a body image, an image composition section making a composite image of the display image generated by the display information generation section and the body image generated by the body shape extraction section, and a display section displaying the composite image made by the image composition section. |
| US08085241B2 |
Method of driving an electrophoretic display
An electrophoretic display device includes M×N numbers (M, and N are integers more than two) of pixels. The M×N numbers of pixels include M numbers of pixel groups having N numbers of pixels. Further, an image on the electrophoretic display device is displayed by making some of the M×N numbers of pixels switched at least from a bright display to a dark display, and vice versa. A period for displaying one piece of an image on the electrophoretic display is defined as period for forming an image and a period for introducing an image signal to each of the M×N numbers of pixels with sequentially selecting each of the pixels is defined as a frame period. Then, the time for forming an image includes a plurality of frame periods (a numbers of L: L is integers more than two.) |
| US08085236B2 |
Display apparatus and method for driving the same
A liquid crystal display apparatus (1) wherein the shift registers of a source driver (4) are configured by use of asynchronous RS flip-flops in which an active input to a set input terminal has a higher priority than an active input to a reset terminal. In a second mode of operation, first and second clock signals and a start pulse are fixed at high levels, thereby performing discharges from all the pixels (PIX) of a liquid crystal panel (2). |
| US08085235B2 |
Gate driving circuit and display apparatus having the same
A liquid crystal display apparatus including a gate driving circuit disposed on a liquid crystal display is provided. The apparatus further includes a data driving chip, disposed on the liquid crystal display panel, to apply data driving signals to data lines. The gate driving circuit includes a plurality of stages connected to one another in parallel. The odd-numbered stages of the stages each apply gate driving signals to odd-numbered gate lines of the gate lines, in response to a first clock signal and the even-numbered stages of the stages each apply the gate driving signals to even-numbered gate lines of the gate lines, in response to a second clock signal having an opposite phase from a phase of the first clock signal. |
| US08085229B2 |
Optically compensated bend (OCB) liquid crystal display and method of operating same
In a optically compensated bend (OCB) liquid crystal display, an impulsive voltage is applied to a pixel between applications of normal data voltages for displaying an image, and the impulsive voltage and the normal data voltage are controlled to prevent breaking of the bending alignment of the (OCB) liquid crystals. Accordingly, luminance of the liquid crystal display can be improved.When the normal data voltage of 0V is applied, the impulsive voltage at which the bending alignment of OCB liquid crystal is broken is set to the impulsive voltage at (for, corresponding to) the highest gray. There occurs a broken region (0-VB) where the bending alignment of the OCB liquid crystal is broken at a predetermined range that is higher than 0V. A voltage that is higher than the highest voltage (VB) of the broken region is set to a white voltage. Accordingly, luminance of the OCB liquid crystal display can be enhanced. |
| US08085228B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a display panel, a light generator disposed under the display panel to generate light, a light sensor disposed between the display panel and the light generator and which senses a first portion of the light generated by the light generator and reflected by an object disposed above the display panel, a light diffuser disposed between the display panel and the light sensor, and an image processor which provides image data corresponding to the first portion of the light sensed by the light sensor to the display panel. |
| US08085214B2 |
Passive parabolic antenna, wireless communication system and method of boosting signal strength of a subscriber module antenna
The invention is a passive parabolic antenna system for use with conventional subscriber module radio antennas. The passive parabolic antenna system includes a microwave feed assembly that forms a resonant cavity coupling device for coupling to an internal patch antenna of a conventional subscriber module radio antenna. A method of boosting signal strength of a conventional subscriber module radio antenna and a wireless communication system are also disclosed. |
| US08085206B2 |
Pattern shaping of RF emission patterns
A metallic shaping plate located in the interior housing of a wireless device is disclosed. The metallic shaping plate may influence a radiation pattern being generated by a horizontal antenna array. The result may be an increase in the gain of the array. |
| US08085201B2 |
System for determining position over a network
A system to determine position, frequency and clock offsets over a network utilizing signals of opportunity transmitted by one or more transmitters with known locations, the system includes a base receiver with a clock and a known position that determines ranges to the transmitters, takes a series of samples of the signals of opportunity and time tags the series with times of receipt, calculated times of transmission based on the calculated ranges, or both. The base receiver transmits the time tagged series and, as appropriate, computed ranges to the remote receivers. A given remote receiver saves and time tags samples of the signals of opportunity, correlates the time-tagged series with the saved samples, and calculates a time offset as a time difference of the times of receipt at the remote receiver and either the time of receipt at the base receiver or the time of transmission calculated at the base receiver. The remote receiver calculates position based on the time offsets, and as appropriate, the ranges provided by the base receiver. The elevations of the remote receivers may be calculated as part of the position calculations, determined iteratively based on constraining the Z coordinate to an average elevation, or determined from differences in air pressure sensor readings at the base and remoter receivers. |
| US08085199B2 |
Receiver including a matrix module to determine angular position
A receiver includes an antenna array, a plurality of phase shifters, a matrix module, a low noise amplifier module, and a down conversion module. The antenna array is operably coupled to receive an inbound wireless signal. The plurality of phase shifters is operably coupled to the antenna array and to produce a plurality of phase shifted inbound wireless signals. The matrix module is operably coupled to beamform the plurality of phase shifted inbound wireless signals to produce a plurality of beamformed and phase shifted inbound wireless signals. The low noise amplifier module is operably coupled to amplify one or more of the plurality of beamformed and phase shifted inbound wireless signals to produce one or more amplified inbound signals. The down conversion module is operably coupled to convert the one or more amplified inbound wireless signals into one or more baseband or near baseband signals. |
| US08085197B2 |
Position calculating method and position calculating device
A position calculating method includes: executing position calculation processing using a plurality of Kalman filter processing, which is processing corresponding to each of a plurality of power spectral density groups classified by performing in advance frequency analysis on the movement acceleration of a movable body as an object of position calculation and which includes an error parameter set to a different value according to the power spectral density group and a parameter indicating that the movable body is in a uniform motion state, on the basis of a satellite signal from a positioning satellite; and determining the position of the movable body using a position calculated by each Kalman filter processing. |
| US08085194B2 |
Method and system for a virtual wide area GNSS reference network
A GNSS enabled mobile device receives GNSS assistance data in a determined format from a central processing station communicatively coupled to a wide area reference network (WARN). The WARN comprises a first plurality of GNSS tracking stations from which usable signals are received by the central processing station, and a second plurality of GNSS tracking stations from which unusable or no signals are received by the central processing station. The central processing station generates the GNSS assistance data using a complete set of GNSS reference feeds of the WARN. The complete set of GNSS reference feeds comprises actual GNSS reference feeds from the first plurality of GNSS tracking stations and virtual GNSS reference feeds derived for the second plurality of GNSS tracking stations from processed actual GNSS reference feeds. The generated GNSS assistance data is reformatted into a determined format and is communicated to the GNSS enabled mobile device, accordingly. |
| US08085192B2 |
Device, system and method for controlling and storing sensitive information on a GPS device
A system and method for controlling and storing sensitive information on a global positioning system (GPS) device are provided. The system includes a locational information module for determining location information of the device; an encryption module for encrypting the location information; a processing module for storing the encrypted location information in a storage module; and an input module for inputting a code string for decrypting the location information. Information inputted to and/or generated by the device will be encrypted on the storage module. The storage module can be in any form currently available including optical media, or various types of removable memory cards or cartridges. Furthermore, the storage module may be internal memory and the GPS device may further include a transmission module or connection, e.g., hardwire or wireless, to port the information to a computer. |
| US08085191B2 |
Position determination based on corroborated signal processing of PRN codes
Embodiments provided herein recite methods and systems for corroborating position system code from Navigation Satellite System (NSS) signals. In one embodiment, a NSS high yield module attempts to determine a high yield location solution based on a first set of PRN codes. In addition, a NSS high accuracy module attempts to determine a high accuracy location solution based on signal processing of the same first set of PRN codes. A location solution corroborator module receives input from both the NSS high yield module and the NSS high accuracy module and generates a corroborated location solution. In one embodiment, a position provider outputs the corroborated location solution. |
| US08085189B2 |
Antenna calibration
The present invention relates to antenna calibration for active phased array antennas. Specifically, the present invention relates to a built-in apparatus for autonomous antenna calibration. Accordingly, the present invention provides an antenna array comprising: a plurality of antenna elements forming an array face and a plurality of calibration antennas mounted around the array face. The plurality of calibration antennas comprising one or more pairs. The calibration antennas have overlapping coverage areas such that the entire array face of the antenna array is within the coverage area of at least one calibration antenna and each pair of calibration antennas have overlapping coverage areas such that of a common area of the array face is within both coverage areas. |
| US08085188B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a deviation between an actual direction of a launched projectile and a predetermined direction
A method of determining a deviation of a path of a projectile from a predetermined path. The method uses an image of a target area in which the desired path or direction is pointed out. Subsequently, the real direction or path is determined and the deviation determined. |
| US08085187B2 |
Through air radar sensor
There is disclosed a process instrument comprising a housing and an antenna secured to the housing. A process adaptor is associated with the antenna and housing for securing the instrument to a process vessel to define a process seal. A control in the housing generates or receives a high frequency signal. The control comprises an electromagnetic radiating element. A body supports the radiating element in the housing proximate the antenna for rotation at any angular orientation without affecting the process seal. |
| US08085186B1 |
Probabilistic classifier
A computer-implemented method for probabilistically classifying an occurrence of an event, a change in the state of a target, includes measuring feature data of the target simultaneously processing the measured feature data through first and second filters. The first filter is suited for a situation in which the target is in a first state and generates a first residual and a first residual covariance for the measured feature data. The second filter is suited for a situation in which the target is in a second state and generates a second residual and a second residual covariance for the feature data. By determining a probability of the occurrence of the event and the probability of the non-occurrence of the event and comparing the two probabilities with at least one threshold value the occurrence or non-occurrence of the event is determined. |
| US08085185B2 |
Method of down converting high-frequency signals
A method of down-converting couples a first high-frequency signal to a first detector and to a second detector. An antenna receives a signal and the received signal is provided to at least the first detector. The high-frequency signal is detected to produce a first detected signal including a first detected high-frequency signal and a demodulated signal. The high-frequency signal is concurrently detected to produce a second detected high-frequency signal. The second detected signal is subtracted from the first detected signal so as to cancel amplitude-modulated noise on a detected signal output. |
| US08085179B2 |
Analog-to-digital converter
Various implementations relating to analog-to-digital converters are provided. A comparator of such a circuit is used for converting different analog input signals, while analog-to-digital conversion circuitry for these conversions is implemented at least partially separately. In other implementations, a comparator is used both for analog-to-digital conversion and for comparing an input signal to a constant or non-constant value. |
| US08085176B2 |
Method and apparatus for dithering in multi-bit sigma-delta digital-to-analog converters
A multi-bit (M-bit, M>1) Sigma-Delta digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with a variable resolution multi-bit quantizer that has its digital value inputs that are truncated or rounded to a resolution that follows a random or pseudo-random sequence to provide automatic dynamic dithering for removing undesired idle tones in the analog output of the Sigma-Delta DAC. Random numbers N(n) between 1 and M are provided, and M−N(n) least significant bits in each M-bit digital value at the output of the quantizer are forced to zero with a digital truncator or rounder. The random numbers N(n) may be provided by a random or pseudo-random sequence generator, e.g., Galois linear feedback shift register in combination with digital comparators and an adder. |
| US08085172B2 |
Bus encoding/decoding method and bus encoder/decoder
An encoding method and an encoder for encoding data transmitted in a manner of bursts via a parallel bus and a decoding method and a decoder. The encoding method includes organizing data of the bursts into matrixes, determining for each of the matrixes whether a transform mode capable of decreasing the bus transition number exists, determining that the matrix needs to be transformed, determining a transform mode for transforming the matrix, and replacing the initial matrix with the transformed matrix. Then, forming a new matrix to be transmitted from matrixes which do not need to be transformed and matrixes which have been transformed. Thereafter, first generating a transform information word indicating transform states of the respective matrixes and then attaching the transform information word to the matrix to be transmitted to form an encoded matrix for actual transmission. |
| US08085171B2 |
High-speed data compression based on set associative cache mapping techniques
A method is provided for compressing data from a stream of values using one or many distinct memory addresses as workspace, each memory address containing one or many values. The method works by reading two contiguous data values, of length K and N bits, from the stream, as a memory address reference (MAR) and a symbol, respectively. If the symbol does not match any of the values in the memory address pointed to by MAR, the symbol replaces one of those values, and a MISS code, followed by the symbol, is appended to the compressed stream; otherwise, a HIT code is appended to the compressed stream, said code representing a function of the location where the matched value was found in the memory address. Advantageously, the workspace behaves analogous to a cache memory used in computer architecture, allowing hardware or software parallel implementations using content addressable memory or associative arrays. |
| US08085170B2 |
Wireless communication device with vibrating module
A wireless communication device (100) includes a communicating module (16), a sensor module (26) and a decoding module (28). The communicating module receives and sends character messages. The sensor module receives vibration and transforms the vibration into input signal. The decoding module is electronically connected to the communicating module and the sensor module. The decoding module receives the input signals from the sensor module and transforms the input signals into character messages and transfers the character messages to the communicating module to send. |
| US08085164B2 |
Apparatus and method for monitoring a variety of resource consumption meters
An apparatus is disclosed for attachment to a resource consumption meter emitting and detecting a signal having a first frequency relative to the rate of metered resource consumption. The apparatus comprises at least one signal detection means adapted to detect said signal from said resource consumption meter; and, a circuit operatively connected to the signal detection means and adapted for interpreting the signal for a human. A method for multi-mode operation of the apparatus is disclosed so that it is possible for the apparatus to automatically detect the type of resource consumption meter it is attached to and operate accordingly. |
| US08085160B2 |
Load detector for a dimmer
Disclosed is a circuit for detecting the presence of an inductive load. The circuit uses a voltage ringing detector to detect a voltage ringing signal across the inductive load and a signal generator for generating a signal indicating the presence of the inductive load upon detection of the ringing signal. The circuit may be used in a dimmer circuit for controlling the load. The circuit may be used as a load detector for a universal dimmer or may be used in a protection circuit for circuits not designed to control inductive loads. |
| US08085158B2 |
Electronic apparatus and method for controlling the same
An electronic apparatus that enables a remaining battery capacity to be checked without requiring the battery to be loaded into the electronic apparatus. In this electronic apparatus, a battery lid closes a battery chamber that accommodates a battery. An opening/closing detection device detects opening/closing of the battery lid. An acquisition device acquires battery information of the battery when the opening/closing detection device detects that the battery lid opens. A storing device stores the battery information acquired by the acquisition device. A display device displays the battery information that is stored in the storing device, and displays the battery information of a battery that is not accommodated in the battery chamber. |
| US08085155B2 |
Sanitizer dispensers with compliance verification
A system is provided for providing compliance verification of sanitizer use from a sanitizer dispenser. The system provides for identifying individual users of one or more sanitizer dispensers through technologies such as RFID. Individual's use of sanitizer dispensers is monitored to determine compliance with sanitizer use requirements. A compliance report may be generated based on data associated with one or more individuals' use of the sanitizer dispenser(s). Additionally, the sanitizer dispenser may identify containers having authorized sanitizer. |
| US08085154B2 |
Circuit and method for providing an improved bed pad monitor system
A circuit and method for providing an improved bed pad, seatbelt or floor mat sensor monitoring system with the ability to detect a connection failure between the monitoring module and the target sensor by monitoring the connection for loss of data being transmitted or returned (looped back) by the sensor. |
| US08085146B2 |
Patient hoist with monitoring system
There is described a monitoring system for monitoring an apparatus for raising and lowering a person, for example an item of adjustable furniture or a hoist. The monitoring system comprises a memory for recording information relating to the operational history of the monitored apparatus. Amongst other information the memory may record periods when power supplied to an actuator of the apparatus exceeds a pre-defined threshold, and the number of operations performed by the apparatus. When the number of operations reaches a pre-determined amount the system can inhibit operation of the device. |
| US08085143B2 |
Universal wireless transceiver
A wireless transceiver includes a microprocessor for processing signals and communication circuitry coupled to the microprocessor. The communication circuitry includes input/output circuitry for receiving signals from a plurality of wireless devices over a wireless communication path, for providing the signals to the microprocessor, and for transmitting processed signals from the microprocessor to the plurality of wireless devices. The input/output circuitry of the transceiver includes a non-wireless connection coupling the wireless transceiver to a test and measurement device. The test and measurement device receives the processed signals from the microprocessor, processes the received signal and data and/or information encoded therein, and performs a predetermined response thereto. |
| US08085142B2 |
Receiver for tire condition monitoring apparatus
A receiver includes two reception antennas, which receive a modulated wave (transmission signal) from each of transmitters, a selection circuit, which alternately selects one of the two reception antennas at a predetermined switching cycle to alternately obtain the modulated wave from the two reception antennas, and a demodulation section, which generates a demodulated signal by demodulating the modulated wave obtained at the selection circuit. The switching cycle is 27 μs, which is 1/7.4 of the transmission time of data per symbol in the transmission signal from each transmitter, that is, 200 μs. In other words, the modulated waves from the two reception antennas are alternately obtained at least seven times each while the data of one symbol is transmitted. |
| US08085134B2 |
Wireless sensor network and sampling rate allocation method thereof
A sampling rate allocation method for a wireless sensor network is provided. In this method, a distributed computing method is adopted to allow each node to calculate and obtain its decision table and energy table and upload its energy table to its parent node, and finally, the number of samples to be provided by all the child nodes is determined according to the decision table of the root node and a total sample number. Compared to the conventional techniques, the present invention provides a wireless sensor network which has longer life time and can meet the requirements to both the total number of samples and the fairness. |
| US08085127B2 |
Remote controlling apparatus and remote controlling method
A remote controlling apparatus for a remote controlling system of wireless communication type is disclosed. The remote controlling apparatus includes a broadcasting section, a receiving section, a detecting section, and a setting section. The broadcasting section broadcasts a predetermined signal in a lower transmission output state than in a regular communication state. The receiving section receives acknowledge and reception state electric field intensity information from at least one device under remote control. The detecting section detects a device under remote control having highest reception state electric field intensity as a nearest device. The setting section sets the nearest device as an object device under remote control. |
| US08085125B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for an electronic key usage history indicator
A system and apparatus are disclosed for indicating interactions between a key and a lock, and presenting this interaction information to the user. These apparatus and system are not specific to certain types of key or lock. In embodiments, the apparatus includes a number of detector switches to identify that the key has entered the lock. In other embodiments, the usage time is measured and presented to the user. In certain embodiments, the action performed with the key, ‘lock’ or ‘unlock’, is identified by a number of tilt switches or accelerometers to detect the direction of key rotation in the lock. An electric scheme and mechanical design of some apparatus embodiments are disclosed. A method for reading information by the user on the time of usage for a particular apparatus embodiment is described. A method for processing the interaction information in the form of records is also provided. |
| US08085123B2 |
Wear indicator for a circuit interrupter exhaust control device
An exhaust control device includes a wear indicator disposed within a housing of the exhaust control device. The wear indicator is arranged to be exposed to a flow of exhaust gas through the exhaust control device. The wear indicator has a first observable state indicative of remaining useful life of the exhaust control device. The wear indicator is responsive to a flow of exhaust gas through the exhaust control device to assume a second observable state indicative of the exhaust control device having reached the end of its useful life. |
| US08085117B1 |
Slotted boundary acoustic wave device
A piezoelectric boundary acoustic wave (PBAW) device includes a slotted dielectric body disposed over one surface of a piezoelectric body and electrodes forming an IDT at the interface between the piezoelectric body and the dielectric body. The thickness of the electrode is set so that the acoustic velocity of the boundary acoustic waves is less than acoustic waves propagating in the piezoelectric body. |
| US08085115B2 |
Piezoelectric thin film resonator, filter, and communication apparatus
A piezoelectric thin film resonator includes a substrate, a lower electrode formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric film formed on the substrate and the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film and opposing the lower electrode, an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film. The upper electrode has a main portion and an extended portion connected to the main portion, the main portion opposing the lower electrode and an opening disposed between the substrate and the lower electrode, the extended portion having a portion which opposes the opening and the substrate. |
| US08085114B2 |
Electromagnetic filter with a conductive clip retention system and method of assembly
An electromagnetic filter, which may include a feed-through conductor. The feed-through conductor may have an integral extension for contacting an electrically conductive clip. The clip may have an extension-engaging portion to contact the extension and a dielectric component-contacting end to contact a dielectric component. The dielectric component may be, for example, a varistor, a chip capacitor, or the like, capable of affecting a signal carried by the feed-through conductor. The dielectric component may be proximate to the feed-through conductor and may be oriented such that a primary dimension of the dielectric component is substantially parallel to the feed-through conductor. Another embodiment may include a bus. The invention may also be embodied as methods for assembling electromagnetic filters. |
| US08085103B2 |
Resonant oscillator circuit with reduced startup transients
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that implements a resonant oscillator circuit. This resonant oscillator circuit includes: a first inductor, a second inductor, a first capacitance, and a second capacitance, wherein the first and second inductors are configured to operate with the first and second capacitances to produce resonant oscillations which appear at a first phase output and a second phase output. The system also includes a startup circuit which is configured to start the resonant oscillator circuit in a state where: the first phase output is at a peak voltage; the second phase output is at a base voltage; and currents through the first and second inductors are substantially zero. By starting the resonant oscillator circuit in this state, the oscillations commence without a significant startup transient. |
| US08085093B2 |
Differentially compensated input pair
The invention is directed to an amplifier including an absolute value circuit. The absolute value circuit may be driven by differential potentials and may include a first pair of transistors modulating a tail current of the amplifier when a differential input voltage goes high, and a second pair of transistors modulating the tail current of the amplifier when a differential input voltage goes low. |
| US08085091B2 |
Gain control amplifier
Systems, methods, and devices provided herein are directed to improvements in gain control amplifiers that receive an input signal and generate an output signal with a selectively variable gain. A differential amplified gain stage receives an input signal and scales the input signal to generate a scaled signal. A gain adjust stage receives the scaled signal and an adjust signal and adjusts an amplitude of the scaled signal based on the adjust signal to generate an adjusted scaled signal. The adjusted scaled signal has a substantially constant impedance regardless of value of the adjust signal. |
| US08085089B2 |
Method and system for polar modulation with discontinuous phase for RF transmitters with integrated amplitude shaping
Aspects of a method and system for polar modulation with discontinuous phase for RF transmitters with integrated amplitude shaping may include amplifying a signal via a plurality of amplifiers such that a combined gain of the plurality of amplifiers comprises a coarse amplitude gain, an amplitude offset gain and a pulse-shaping gain. A gain of one or more of the plurality of amplifiers may be adjusted to set the coarse amplitude gain. A gain of one or more of the plurality of amplifiers may be adjusted to set the amplitude offset gain and the pulse-shaping gain, wherein the one or more of the plurality of amplifiers used to set said amplitude offset gain and said pulse-shaping gain are distinct from the one or more of said plurality of amplifiers used to set the coarse amplitude gain. |
| US08085087B2 |
Switched capacitor circuit capable of minimizing clock feedthrough effect and having low phase noise and method thereof
A switched capacitor circuit includes a positive side capacitor coupled to a first positive side node; a first positive side switch element for selectively coupling the first positive side node to a second node according to a first control signal; and a precharge circuit coupled to the first positive side node for precharging the first positive side node to a precharge voltage for a predetermined time when the first positive side switch element is switched off according to the first control signal, and then for charging the first positive side node to a charge voltage until the first positive side switch element is switched on according to the first control signal. By rapidly precharging the first positive side node, the clock feedthrough effect is eliminated and the locking period of the VCO is shortened. Afterwards by charging the first positive side node, the phase noise of the VCO is minimized. |
| US08085084B2 |
System for substrate potential regulation during power-up in integrated circuits
An integrated circuit with body-bias inputs coordinated by a switch at initial power application. A switch coupled to the N-well bias and P-type substrate bias lines of an integrated circuit selectively couples the substrate to ground or the substrate bias supply, depending upon the state of the bias supply lines. During power-up and the initial application of the N-well bias, the substrate is coupled to ground to prevent a leakage induce rise in the substrate potential. Upon sensing the presence of the substrate bias potential on the substrate bias line, the switch couples the substrate to the substrate bias line instead of ground. In another embodiment, a switch indirectly senses the availability of the substrate bias potential by sensing a charge pump enable signal. |
| US08085083B2 |
Current-source gate driver
Provided is a current-source gate driver for use with a switching device having a gate capacitance, including an input terminal for receiving a DC voltage; a first switch connected between the input terminal and an output terminal; a second switch connected between the output terminal and a circuit common; a series circuit comprising a first capacitor and an inductor, the series circuit connected between the input terminal and the output terminal; wherein the gate capacitance of the switching device is connected between the output terminal and the circuit common. The current-source gate driver improves efficiency of the power switching devices of a voltage regulator module or other switching converter. |
| US08085080B2 |
Generation of a low jitter clock signal
Systems and methods for generation of a low jitter clock signal for wireless circuits are disclosed. In an implementation, the system includes a wireless circuit powered by a first power supply and a low jitter clock (LJC) generator powered by a second power supply. The LJC generator provides at least one clock signal to the wireless circuit. The system further includes an LJC driver circuit including a clock buffer powered by the first power supply and a receive buffer powered by the second power supply. |
| US08085079B2 |
Summing circuit for a filter
According to one embodiment of the invention, a summing circuit comprises a first transmitter, a second transmitter, a first current offset circuit and a first transconductance amplifier. The first current offset circuit is coupled to the emitters of the first and second transistors. The first transconductance amplifier is coupled to the first current offset circuit. |
| US08085076B2 |
Data retention flip flop for low power applications
A disclosed embodiment is a data retention flip flop comprising master and slave circuits that are configured to be turned off when a single sleep mode signal is activated. The disclosed embodiment also comprises an always-on balloon circuit coupled to the master circuit, where the always-on balloon circuit includes a common sub-circuit shared with the master circuit. The master circuit writes into the always-on balloon circuit when the single sleep mode signal is activated, and the master circuit reads from the always-on balloon circuit when the single sleep mode signal is deactivated. The always-on balloon circuits comprises high threshold voltage transistors, while the slave circuit comprises low threshold voltage transistors. The master and slave circuits have no leakage current, or substantially no leakage current, after the single sleep mode signal is activated. |
| US08085074B1 |
Fast-locking delay locked loop
A fast locking delay-locked loop (DLL), which can also operate as a clock data recovery circuit (CDR), includes a delay chain, a sampling circuit and a transition detector. An input signal and delayed versions of the input signal generated by the delay chain are sampled by the sampling circuit. The outputs of the sampling circuit are provided to a transition detector which selects one of the input signal and its delayed versions determined to have signal transitions most closely aligned with a sampling edge of a clock. The selected signal and the clock are provided as inputs to a phase discriminator which generates an error signal representing a level of phase mismatch between the inputs. The error signal is fed back to the sampling circuit to maintain phase lock between the clock signal and the input bit stream. |
| US08085063B2 |
Power regulator circuitry for programmable logic device memory elements
Power regulator circuitry for programmable memory elements on programmable logic device integrated circuits is provided. The programmable memory elements may each include a storage element formed from cross-coupled inverters and an address transistor. Address drivers may be used to supply address signals to the address transistors. The power regulator circuitry may include an address power supply circuit that produces a time-varying address power supply voltage to the address drivers and storage element power supply circuits that provide time-varying storage element power supply voltages to the cross-coupled inverters in the storage elements. Unity gain buffers may be used to distribute a reference voltage from a bandgap voltage reference to the power supply circuits. The power supply circuits may use voltage dividers and p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor control transistors. |
| US08085061B2 |
Output circuit of semiconductor device
An output circuit of a semiconductor includes unit buffers, each unit buffer having transistors and resistors connected between a power source terminal VDDQ and an output terminal DQ, and transistors and resistors connected between a power source terminal VSSQ and an output terminal DQ. On-resistance values of transistors included in the unit buffers are mutually substantially the same, and resistance values of resistors included in the unit buffers are mutually different. A deviation of impedances attributable to a power source resistance can be offset based on a difference between resistance values of the resistors. |
| US08085060B2 |
System and method for evaluating the electromagnetic compatibility of integrated circuits in an in-situ environment
A device is configured to evaluate electromagnetic characteristics of an integrated circuit. The device includes a fluid chamber, a first impeller, a second impeller, and a radio frequency measurement antenna. The fluid chamber is configured to receive the integrated circuit and to cool the integrated circuit. The first impeller is disposed within the fluid chamber and configured to distribute a first electromagnetic field produced by the integrated circuit within the fluid chamber along a first axis. The second impeller is within the fluid chamber and configured to distribute the first electromagnetic field produced by the integrated circuit within the fluid chamber along a second axis. The radio frequency measurement antenna is disposed proximate the fluid chamber and configured to measure an electric field and a magnetic field of the first electromagnetic field. |
| US08085059B2 |
RF chip test method
An RF chip test method is disclosed. The RF chip test method includes disposing an RF chip within a chip socket, with the RF chip having at least one RF pin and at least one non-RF pin, the chip socket having conductive elements, and the conductive elements contacting the RF pin and the non-RF pin; connecting the non-RF pin to a ground end and connecting the RF pin to an RF measuring instrument; measuring a S11 parameter of the RF pin using the RF measuring instrument; and comparing the S11 parameter with an allowable range so as to judge the contact condition between the RF pin and the conductive element. |
| US08085058B2 |
Apparatus for adjusting differential probe
An apparatus for adjusting a differential probe includes a regulator arranged therein capable of adjusting a distance between two tips of the probe. The probe is supported on the apparatus. The apparatus includes a rotatable shaft and a rotatable disk. The rotatable shaft engages with the regulator of the probe. The rotatable disk is mounted surrounding the rotatable shaft and rotatable together with the rotatable shaft. An angular ruler or a radian ruler is described on an outer surface of the rotatable disk to indicate a rotation angle or a rotation radian of the rotatable shaft, therefore the distance between the two tips of the probe are accurately adjusted. |
| US08085056B2 |
Circuit for testing internal voltage of semiconductor memory apparatus
An internal voltage test circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a comparing unit for comparing a level of internal voltage with a level of external voltage to output a comparison result as an output signal during a test mode, and an output selecting unit for outputting the output signal to a data output pad during the test mode, and outputting a data signal to the data output pad during a normal operation mode. |
| US08085052B2 |
Charge eliminating apparatus and method, and program storage medium for removing static electricity from a target object such as a wafer
A charge eliminating apparatus eliminates, when an electrical characteristics test of a target object is performed by moving a mounting table mounting the target object thereon and a probe card relative to each other to bring the target object into electrical contact with the probe card, static electricity of the target object via the mounting table. The charge eliminating apparatus includes a grounding wiring for grounding the mounting table; a relay switch disposed on the grounding wiring; and a switch controller that controls the relay switch to be opened or closed. |
| US08085047B2 |
Heat pipe cooled suerconducting magnets with ceramic coil forms
A system and method for a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system includes a coil form, at least one magnet positioned about the coil form and configured to generate a magnetic field, at least one gradient coil for manipulating the magnetic field generated by the at least one magnet by way of a gradient field, and a heat pipe thermally connected to the coil form and having a cryogen therein. The MR imaging system also includes a cryocooler connected to the heat pipe to cool the heat pipe and the cryogen, wherein the coil form is comprised of a thermally conductive material in which eddy currents are substantially reduced during operation of the at least one gradient coil. The present invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiment, and it is recognized that equivalents, alternatives, and modifications, aside from those expressly stated, are possible and within the scope of the appending claims. |
| US08085046B2 |
Coil array mode compression for parallel transmission magnetic resonance imaging
A method for target-dependent, sparsity-enforced selection for choosing a substantially optimal connection of radiofrequency (“RF”) transmitters to the elements of the RF coil array is provided. In particular, a method is provided that selects the linear combinations of the “N” spatial mode profiles of a transmission RF coil array, such that the k-space trajectory and pulse duration acceleration capabilities of the array are advantageously utilized. A sparsity-enforcement method that determines a subset of the available spatial modes for a parallel transmission RF coil array is employed to this end. In this manner, the utilization of the encoding power of a highly-parallel N-mode coil array in a system with only “P” available excitation channels is enabled. |
| US08085042B2 |
Method and device for automatic determination of slice positions in an MR examination
Two method and device embodiments allow automatic determination of slice positions in an MR examination in an MR system. In the first embodiment, a volume to be measured by the MR examination is predetermined. The MR examination is subsequently planned in that at least one of the parameters slice direction, slice interval, slice thickness, number of slices for the MR examination is adapted such that an extent in the slice direction of the MR examination essentially corresponds to the predetermined volume. In the second embodiment, at least one volume segment is predetermined. Multiple slices for the MR examination are subsequently determined such that each volume segment is contained in at least one of the slices. |
| US08085041B2 |
Three-point method and system for fast and robust field mapping for EPI geometric distortion correction
A system and method for MR magnetic field mapping includes a computer programmed to acquire a first data point at a first location in a first phase image data set, a second data point at the first location in a second phase image data set, a third data point at the first location in a third phase image data set. The first, second, and third phase images are acquired using a first, second, and third TE, respectively. Phase wrapping does not occur among the first and second phase image data sets; however, phase wrapping does occur among the second and third phase image data sets. The computer is also programmed to determine a magnetic field inhomogeneity, wherein the determination of the magnetic field inhomogeneity is based on the first, second, and third data points. |
| US08085040B2 |
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. |
| US08085037B2 |
Method and device for measurement of the pole orientation angle of a magnetic levitation vehicle of a magnetic levitation railroad
A method for measuring the pole position of a magnetic levitation vehicle in a magnetic levitation railway, wherein a supporting magnetic field is generated on the maglev vehicle as a result of a supporting magnetic current on the vehicle side being fed to at least one supporting magnet. The voltage in the stator on the track is measured and the pole position angle between a reference axis of the stator and a reference axis of the maglev vehicle is determined. The magnitude of the supporting magnetic current on the vehicle side and thus the supporting magnetic field is temporally modified and a voltage induced in the stator by the temporal modification of the magnitude of the supporting magnetic field is detected. The pole position angle is formed using the measured values for the induced voltage. |
| US08085034B2 |
Managing charging of electric vehicles
Managing electrical charging of vehicles with charging devices related to users demand and available power. One system comprises charging points comprising sockets and a communication module, and a mediator server comprising a database, an application and a graphical user interface. The mediator server is connected to the charging points, to the users and to public utilities and electricity providers. Each charging point is arranged to admit vehicles, couple their charging device to the socket and send vehicle data to the mediator server. The mediator server is arranged to process the vehicle data, user data, and data from the public utilities and the electricity providers, and calculate a vehicle priority and a charging allotment in relation to the number of vehicles at the charging point and to the processed data. Vehicles are charged according to the vehicle priority and the charging allotment. |
| US08085031B2 |
Device for supplying power to measuring sensors and transmitting a synchronous clock signal thereto
The invention relates to a device for supplying power to measuring sensors and transmitting a synchronous clock signal thereto, in particular, for a low-voltage switchgear, with a power supply unit (10) whose output signals are transmitted to the measuring sensors via transformers providing the isolation. A quartz-controlled oscillation circuit arrangement (quartz-controlled clock generator) is provided whose output signals are supplied to the power supply unit (10) so that the clock frequency of the power supply unit output signals is the same for the primary sides of the transformers (11, 12, 13), the frequency lying within the operating range of the transformers (11, 12, 13). |
| US08085026B2 |
Current sense cascode amplifier
A current sense amplifier sensing current through a main switch of a converter. The amplifier includes first and second switch devices, an amplifier control circuit, a bias circuit, a current generator circuit, and a sense circuit. The main switch is coupled to an input, phase and control nodes. The first and second switch devices are smaller matching versions of the main switch and are both coupled to the main switch and form first and second nodes. The bias circuit is coupled between second and fourth nodes and the amplifier control circuit is coupled between first and third nodes. The current generator develops a first current through the amplifier control circuit and a second current through the bias circuit. The sense circuit has a current path coupled to the first node and is controlled by the third node to develop a sense voltage indicative of current through the main switch. |
| US08085023B2 |
Signal generation circuit, electric power conversion control circuit and LSI for electric power conversion control
The control accuracy equal with the case controlled according to a reference signal with a high clock frequency when the electric power is converted is obtained according to a reference signal with a low clock frequency. The quantity of signal S3 of the time that corresponds to the difference of EO in the output voltage to reference voltage EREF by circuit 12 of the generation of quantity of signal of time is generated synchronizing with reference timing signal S1. The phase generates the class of the phase-shift signal of n piece for which only [Cycle of S0/]/n is late one by one by phase-shift signal generation circuit 13, counter circuit 14, and digital addition circuit 15, these numbers are counted respectively, and the count value of n piece is added. The control signal S5that corresponds to TON between when adding value ADD is input with decision circuit 16 of on time of the switch element and control signal generation circuit 17 and it turns it on is generated. |
| US08085015B2 |
Current balancing circuit and method
A multi-phase power converter and a method for balancing a plurality of currents in the multi-phase power converter. The multi-phase power converter has a pulse width modulation circuit, a current ordering circuit, and a plurality of currents, wherein each current of the plurality of currents has an associated phase. The converter determines the phase associated with one or more currents of a plurality of currents and whether a phase associated with one or more currents of the plurality of currents is active. The current levels of the plurality of currents are determined and a phase associated with a current having one of a lowest current level or a highest current level is activated. |
| US08085014B2 |
Dual power switch with activation control and voltage regulator using same
The present invention discloses a dual power switch and a voltage regulator using the dual power switch. The dual power switch comprises a PMOS power switch and an NMOS power switch connected in parallel and operating according to corresponding predetermined conditions, respectively. |
| US08085013B2 |
DC power converter and mode-switching method
A DC converter and a mode-switching method used in an electronic apparatus are included. The electronic apparatus includes a subsystem circuit. The DC power converter comprises a first voltage converting circuit electrically connected to the subsystem circuit, receiving a system voltage and a first reference voltage, and converting the system voltage to a first output voltage based on the first reference voltage; and a second voltage converting circuit electrically connected to the subsystem circuit and receiving the system voltage and a second reference voltage, and converting the system voltage to a second output voltage to the same output end of the first voltage converting circuit based on the second reference voltage; wherein the second voltage converting circuit outputs the second output voltage to the subsystem circuit when the first output voltage at the output end is smaller than a threshold. |
| US08085008B2 |
System for accounting for switch impendances
A Universal Serial Bus (USB) switch matrix is provided. The switch matrix generally comprises a switch network, and amplifier, a adjustable current source, and variable resistors. The switch network is able to output a differential output signal and a common mode signal. The amplifier compares the common mode signal to a reference voltage, and the amplifier adjusts the magnitude of the current from the adjustable current source and the resistances of the variable resistors based at least in part on the comparison to adjust the peak-to-peak voltage swing of the output signal. |
| US08085004B2 |
Generator with quadrature AC excitation
A generator system is configured to supply two phase excitation current from an exciter rotor to a main generator rotor. When driven by a variable speed prime mover, the generator system provides relatively constant frequency AC power by independently controlling the main rotor flux rotational speed. The generator system includes an exciter stator that induces current in the exciter rotor windings at a desired frequency and phasing. The exciter rotor windings are electrically connected to the main rotor windings to provide two-phase excitation current to the main rotor windings. Excitation is supplied to the exciter stator from an exciter controller, which controls the frequency and phasing of the exciter excitation, based on the rotational speed of the generator, to maintain a constant output frequency. The exciter frequency control function of the exciter controller may be eliminated when the generator system is driven by a constant speed prime mover or when a narrow band variable frequency output is required. |
| US08085003B2 |
Voltage regulated permanent magnet generator
A single phase AC generator uses a rotor contained within a stator. The stator has an armature winding and a control winding which is capable of having its magnetic permeability adjusted, thereby limiting the output voltage of the armature winding. The stator additionally has two core sections. |
| US08084999B2 |
Method for charging lithium batteries with power dissipation control
Herein described are at least methods and systems to control power dissipation while charging a device. In a representative embodiment, the method comprises first monitoring a first voltage output by a charger used for said charging a battery of a device, second monitoring a second voltage at the battery, first determining a first current based on a power dissipation value associated with the device, the first voltage, and the second voltage, second determining a minimum of the first current and a second current, wherein the second current equals the maximum charging current during a typical charge cycle of the device, and applying a control signal to a control circuit to generate the minimum, wherein the control circuit is communicatively coupled to the charger at a first port, and the battery at a second port. An exemplary system comprises one or more circuits operable for, at least performing the aforementioned method. |
| US08084997B2 |
Voltage sensor module and voltage monitoring apparatus
Provided is a voltage sensor module monitoring a voltage of each of a plurality of battery cells, including: first and second terminals each receiving a voltage applied between both ends of the plurality of battery cells; third and fourth terminals each receiving a voltage applied between both ends of a battery cell to be monitored which is included in the plurality of battery cells; a first reference voltage generation circuit connected to each of the first and second terminals and generating a first reference voltage based on the voltage applied between the both ends of the plurality of battery cells; and a first comparator circuit comparing a first regulated voltage generated based on a voltage applied between the third and fourth terminals, with the first reference voltage. As a result, low voltage detection can be performed with accuracy even when an output of a battery cell decreases. |
| US08084995B2 |
Intelligent lithium-battery-activating charging device
An intelligent lithium-battery-activating charging device is connectable between a charging power source and an application electrical device and contains an internal circuit that builds up a charging/discharging mode to correspond the charging power source to a lithium battery accommodated in the application electrical device. After a short time period of charging, which is short enough that the voltage detection circuit inside the application electrical device cannot properly respond, a time period of discharging follows and then discharging is stopped, so that the detection performed by the voltage detection circuit is delayed until the cycles of short time period charging and discharging are completed. If the detection shows the battery is not fully charged, then the charging operation starts again. During the charging process, ions are moved in one direction in one moment and then reversed in the next moment so that built up of deposition on electrodes can be avoided. |
| US08084994B2 |
System to extend the service life of portable devices
A method for extending the service life of a portable device includes monitoring a battery of a portable device; identifying a problem bank; reconfiguring a connection schema for the battery to replace the problem battery bank with at least one spare bank; conditioning or exercising the problem bank; connecting the portable device to a power supply to recharge the problem bank; and reconnecting the recharged or repaired bank according to the connection schema without the at least one spare bank. A method for extending the service life of a portable device includes monitoring power consumption of at least one of the hardware or software of a portable device; and reconfiguring the connection schema of the battery banks to redistribute power consumption of at least one of the hardware or software. |
| US08084992B2 |
Tool storage cabinet having integrated power
A tool storage unit is disclosed having a cabinet structure with a plurality of surfaces defining a first interior space and a storage compartment defining a second interior space, the compartment being configured to move between an open position extending from the first interior space and a closed position retracted within the first interior space. A stationary compartment sidewall fixed within the first interior space and adjacent the storage compartment limits access to the second interior space from the first interior space when the storage compartment is in the closed position. A plurality of power outlets positioned within the storage compartment such that each is accessible from the second interior space, and a locking feature for securing the storage compartment in the closed position are also featured. Finally, a recessed area integral to the top surface, a cover hinged to the top surface and covering the recessed area, and a power outlet positioned with the recessed area is a further feature of the disclosed storage unit. A power outlet positioned on the top surface of the cabinet structure outside of the recessed area may also be provided. |
| US08084991B2 |
Power reception device, electronic apparatus, and non-contact power transmission system
A power reception device includes a first resistance element having one end electrically connected to one end of a secondary coil which is able to be electromagnetically coupled to a primary coil of a power transmission devices a second resistance element having one end electrically connected to the other end of the first resistance element and having the other end supplied with a reference voltage, a power reception control device that obtains a frequency of an alternating current (AC) voltage induced on the secondary coil based on a voltage division signal output from the other end of the first resistance element and varies a magnitude of a load of the power reception device in accordance with the frequency, and a variable resistance element that has resistance varied in accordance with temperature and is connected to the first resistance element or the second resistance element in parallel. |
| US08084987B2 |
USB port with smart power management
A method involves detecting an inrush current that flows out of a USB port of a first electronic device when a central processing unit (CPU) of the first electronic device is not being powered. The inrush current is detected by a novel inrush current detect circuit when a second electronic device is connected to the USB port. In one example, the first electronic device is a laptop computer having a battery and a USB DC-to-DC converter. The inrush current detect circuit enables the USB DC-to-DC converter such that the USB DC-to-DC converter receives power from the battery and supplies a regulated voltage to the second electronic device through the USB port while the CPU remains unpowered (not drawing power from the battery). |
| US08084986B2 |
Dead-time compensation apparatus of PWM inverter and method thereof
A dead-time compensation method is applied to a PWM inverter, which is provided to drive an induction motor using a constant V/f control. The method first calculates a root-mean-square current of the output instantaneous current of the inverter. Afterward, a lookup table of the root-mean-square current is used to obtain a dead-time compensation base voltage and a dead-time compensation per-unit voltage. Finally, the dead-time compensation base voltage is multiplied by the dead-time compensation per-unit voltage to produce a dead-time compensation voltage of the PWM inverter. Accordingly, the method reduces complexity of converting the current to the voltage to reach a faster real-time response. Furthermore, a more accurate dead-time compensation voltage is obtained without increasing hardware costs and the efficiency of operating the induction motor is improved at low speed and light load condition. |
| US08084983B2 |
Laundry treatment machine and method of controlling the same
There are provided a laundry treatment machine and a method of controlling the same. A temperature around a motor is sensed and the range of current input to the motor in accordance with the sensed temperature is limited in stages. Therefore, the surrounding of the motor can be prevented from being overheated. In addition, since the range of the current input to the motor is limited in stages, when the current applied to the motor is limited, abnormal noise is not generated and the torque of the motor can be maximized. |
| US08084981B2 |
Rechargeable electric power tool
In a rechargeable electric power tool, upon changeover of a trigger switch, a microcomputer determines the magnitude relation between the detected temperature outputted from the first thermistor and the first temperature threshold value, the second temperature threshold value and the third temperature threshold value, and the magnitude relation between the first calculated temperature increase rate and the first preset temperature increase rate. If the detected temperature is determined to be greater than the first temperature threshold value or if the first calculated temperature increase rate is determined to be greater than the first preset temperature increase rate after the detected temperature has been determined to be greater than the second temperature threshold value, the microcomputer is set in a limited operation mode in which the revolution number of the motor is limited to a predetermined value or less. |
| US08084978B2 |
Adjusting device and control device of a vehicle
The invention relates to a control device of a vehicle seat for controlling a first drive and a second drive and for detecting jamming of a body part or of an object by means of an adjusting movement of an adjusting part, which can be adjusted in a first adjusting direction by means of the first drive and in a second adjusting direction by means of the second drive, of the vehicle seat, wherein the control device is configured to detect the jamming by means of a combined evaluation of at least one first force variable which is dependent on the adjusting movement and of a second force variable which is dependent on the adjusting movement. |
| US08084977B2 |
Motor control device and compressor
A motor control device performing vector control for a motor that drives a load whose load torque varies periodically. The motor control device has: a motor speed deriving portion estimating or detecting a motor speed; a speed controller producing a specified torque current value such that the motor speed is made to follow a specified motor speed value fed from outside; a resonance filter producing a corrected torque current value by receiving a control value that varies with variations in the load torque and emphasizing a periodic variation component of the control value; a torque current corrector producing a specified superimposed torque current value by superimposing the corrected torque current value on the specified torque current value; and an adjusting portion adjusting, based on the specified superimposed torque current value, the phase of the corrected torque value by controlling the resonance filter. The vector control is performed according to the specified superimposed torque current value. |
| US08084967B2 |
Motor controller and printer
A motor controller is provided. The motor controller includes a motor drive unit that drives a plurality of motors; a thermal shutdown unit that is provided in the motor drive unit and that stops the plurality of motors in the case of an overload; a lock signal generation unit that generates a lock signal corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of motors when a rotational speed of the respective motor reaches a threshold speed set for the respective motor; and an operation determination unit which, when the lock signal generation unit interrupts lock signals for all of the plurality of motors, determines that thermal shutdown unit has operated. |
| US08084966B2 |
Electromotive furniture drive for displacing parts of an item of furniture in relation to one another
An electromotive furniture drive (2) for displacing parts of an item of furniture in relation to one another comprises a base body (16) on which a first drive unit (4) and a second drive unit (6) are held. When the furniture drive (2) is mounted, each drive unit (4, 6) is actively connected to a part of the item of furniture to be displaced. According to the invention, the drive units (4, 6) are each accommodated in a separate housing (8 or 10), whereby the base body (16) is provided in the form of a brace and connects the housings (8, 10) of the drive units (4, 6) to one another. The inventive model significantly simplifies the production of furniture drives whereby rendering it more economical. |
| US08084964B2 |
Methods for adjusting brightness of light sources
A method for adjusting brightness of a light source is provided. A light source with X brightness degrees is provided. The light source is turned on and off at least one time. When the number n of times of turning on the light source is less than or equal to the total number X of brightness degrees, the brightness degree of the light source is determined to be the nth brightness degree. When the number n is greater than the total number X, the brightness degree of the light source is determined to be the mth brightness degree, wherein the number m is equal to a remainder obtained by dividing the number n by the number X, is determined; if the number m is equal to zero, the brightness degree of the light source is determined to be the last brightness degree. |
| US08084963B2 |
Management of rechargeable battery in an enclosed lighting module
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, systems, and apparatuses related to managing a rechargeable battery in an enclosed lighting module. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08084962B2 |
Driving circuit for LED
A driving circuit for LED includes: at least one LED; a light emission driving circuit having a first PWM unit and a power converting unit generating a driving current according to a signal generated by the first PWM unit and sending the driving current to the LED; a shunt parallel-connected with the LED; and a signal generating unit for generating a signal to switch on or off an electrical connection between the shunt and the light emission driving circuit. When the signal from the signal generating unit is at a high level, the electrical connection is switched on so that a majority of the residual driving current flows to the shunt. |
| US08084960B2 |
Circuits and methods for powering light source with balanced currents
A light source driving circuit for powering multiple light sources in a vehicle includes multiple current limiters and a balance controller. The current limiters are coupled to the light sources for adjusting currents of the light sources respectively. The balance controller coupled to the current limiters can control the current limiters such that a current flowing through each of the light sources is substantially the same as a first target current. Moreover, the balance controller can control the current limiters in response to a brake of the vehicle such that a current flowing through each of the light sources is substantially the same as a second target current. |
| US08084958B2 |
Device for generating light with a variable color
Disclosed is an illumination system that includes a lamp assembly, a controller, a user input device, and a memory defining discrete color points and containing a ID hue table, a ID saturation table, a ID brightness table, and a boundary memory defining a boundary of the color space. On the basis of data received from the user input device and on the basis of the information in the memory, the controller generates color control signals for the lamp assembly. The controller compares the user input data with the information in the boundary memory. If the controller finds that said point is located outside the boundary of the color space, the controller calculates a replacement point on the color space boundary as defined in the boundary memory, and generates its control signals on the basis of the replacement point. |
| US08084957B2 |
Illuminating apparatus for display device and display device having same
An illuminating apparatus used for a display device includes a plurality of illuminating units, each of which includes a first feeding member, a second feeding member, and a cold-cathode tube lamp that is fed by a power supply apparatus via the first and second feeding members. An equivalent circuit of each illuminating unit is a series combination of negative resistor and a capacitor connected to an end of the negative resistor. The illuminating units are arranged such that the capacitors of the cold-cathode tube lamps are alternate in position. This can reduce the brightness gradient for the position in the tubular axis direction of the lamp. |
| US08084956B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatically trimming an output parameter of an electronic ballast
An electronic ballast includes a microprocessor which is programmed to read a voltage value corresponding to an output of the electronic ballast, output a signal which controls an amount of power outputted by the electronic ballast in accordance with the voltage value, read an external voltage value, and select one of a trimming mode and a normal mode as an operating mode based on the external voltage value. The microprocessor is also programmed, when operating in the trimming mode, to set an internal reference value, compare the voltage value corresponding to the output of the electronic ballast with the internal reference value, trim an amount of power outputted by the electronic ballast to a resistor corresponding to an impedance of a High Intensity Discharge lamp by adjusting the signal based upon the comparison, and store a result of the signal adjustment. |
| US08084953B2 |
Changing power input to a gas discharge lamp
The present disclosure thus provides a technique for providing multi-level operation of ballast circuitry for discharge lamps. In one version, an auxiliary capacitance is switched in and out of circuit by a user controlled switch for lower the frequency of the voltage from the inverter to the transformer resulting in lower power output to the lamps. In another version, the auxiliary capacitance may be switched in and out of circuit by a user operated switch wherein the capacitance is connected to the secondary or output winding of the transformer for selectively reducing power to the lamps for reduced illumination. In other versions, auxiliary inductances are selectively switched in and out of circuit to alter the frequency of the primary voltage to the transformer. In another version, an auxiliary winding is selectively switched in and out of the secondary of the transformer for providing normal and reduced level power to the lamps. In another version, a variable direct current power supply is provided to the coupled inductors of the ballast circuitry for user control of the power supply to the ballast circuitry. |
| US08084952B1 |
Method and system to detect zero current conditions in an electronic ballast by monitoring voltage across a buck inductor
The invention discloses a method and system to detect zero current conditions in a buck inductor by monitoring the voltage across the buck inductor. Once zero current and voltage conditions are present, an inverter circuit changes the operational state, i.e. conducting or non-conducting, of the switching transistors driving the lamps to reduce power loss associated with changing the operational state of switching transistors when under a load. |
| US08084946B2 |
Method of driving a flash device and a number of loads powered by a battery and handheld electronic device including the same
A handheld electronic device includes a processor; a battery; a flash device; a number of loads powered by the battery; and a flash driver outputting a flash current to the flash device. The processor determines a temperature operatively associated with the battery and different voltage values corresponding to different combinations of the loads as a function of the determined temperature, and starts the flash device at a predetermined flash current value. The flash driver selects a corresponding different voltage value as a function of: (a) a determined number of the loads which are active, or (b) a current flowing from the battery; determines the battery voltage, and if the battery voltage is less than or equal to the corresponding different voltage value, reduces the flash current below the predetermined flash current value until the battery voltage is greater than the corresponding different voltage value. |
| US08084941B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display having improved mechanical strength
The present invention is related to an OLED display, and one aspect of the OLED display includes a substrate member, an insulating layer formed on the substrate member, a metal wire formed on the insulating layer and having a plurality of joining enhancement holes, a sealant formed on the metal wire, and a sealing member attached on the sealant. In some embodiments, the joining enhancement holes efficiently suppress stripping of the sealant from the metal wire, since the sealant can integrally bond with the interlayer insulating layer through the joining enhancement holes. This feature may compensate for any weak bonding adherence between the sealant and metal wire. In some embodiments, the area of the joining enhancement holes may range from about 5% to about 60% of the entire area of the metal wire. |
| US08084939B2 |
Organic light emitting display and fabricating method thereof
An organic light emitting display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first pixel to represent a white color, a second pixel to represent a different color from the first pixel, a pixel electrode disposed in each of the first and the second pixels, an organic light emitting member disposed on the pixel electrode, and a common electrode disposed on the organic light emitting member. The first pixel includes a first emission area and a first optical filter, and the second pixel includes a second emission area and a second optical filter. |
| US08084938B2 |
Organic electroluminescent panel, organic electroluminescent display, organic electroluminescent lighting device, and production methods thereof
An organic electroluminescent panel, an organic electroluminescent display, an organic electroluminescent lighting device, each include an organic electroluminescent element that maintains stable light emission characteristics for a long period of time. The organic electroluminescent panel includes an element substrate; a sealing substrate facing the element substrate; and an organic electroluminescent element disposed on a sealing substrate side of the element substrate, wherein the organic electroluminescent panel further includes a first sealing member and a second sealing member, the first sealing member sealing a gap between the element substrate and the sealing substrate, the second sealing member covering the organic electroluminescent element, the first sealing member and the second sealing member being arranged with a space therebetween, the space is in a vacuum or reduced pressure state. |
| US08084935B2 |
Organic electroluminescent element and display panel using said element
There are provided an organic electroluminescent (EL) element, which can realize the provision of a large screen by the formation of a film through coating in a simple and highly efficient manner, and a display panel using the same. The organic EL element comprises: a pair of opposed electrodes, a cathode and an anode; and an organic compound layer having a single-layer or multi-layer structure held between the pair of opposed electrodes, at least one layer constituting the organic compound layer being a layer containing at least one polymer comprising at least one monomer unit of a specific compound. |
| US08084934B2 |
White light emitting device
A white LED with an improved structure for high light emitting efficiency is provided. The white LED includes a light source device and a phosphor containing light emitting nanoparticles and an inorganic phosphor which emit white light by being excited by the light source. |
| US08084933B2 |
Inorganic electroluminescent device and method of manufacturing the same
An inorganic electroluminescence (“EL”) device includes a lower electrode; a dielectric layer disposed on the lower electrode; an inorganic emission layer disposed on the dielectric layer; an upper electrode disposed on the inorganic emission layer; a waveguide layer disposed on the upper electrode; and a reflection film partially coating the waveguide layer and including an emission portion through which light is emitted. |
| US08084924B2 |
Piezoelectric/electrostrictive film element having wavy grain boundaries
An actuator includes a first electrode disposed on the top surface of a ceramic substrate (for example, zirconium oxide), a piezoelectric/electrostrictive substance disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the piezoelectric/electrostrictive substance, wherein the input of an electric power alters the volume of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive substance. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive substance contains a plurality of crystal grains that have a wavy structure composed of wavy grain boundaries including concave portions and convex portions. The crystal grains contain ABO3 as the main component. The A site is Pb, and the B site contains such an amount of M that M becomes excessive after the piezoelectric/electrostrictive substance is formed (wherein M is at least one element selected from Mg, Ni, and Zn). The crystal grains of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive substance are oriented in the electric field direction, independently of the orientation of the substrate. |
| US08084909B2 |
Dual armature motor/generator with flux linkage
The present invention relates to cylindrical rotating electric machines which comprise armature and field source, with either the field source or the dual armature being the rotating component. The dual armature is composed of two concentric cylindrical sets of coils with the field source situated in the gap between the inner and outer armature sections. Relative rotational motion between the field source and armature coils can be achieved by having either one be the rotor. By using two armature coil sections, one inside the field source aperture and the other external to the field source, the flux linkage between the armature and field source can be approximately doubled. The increased flux linkage in the invented technology produces a substantially higher power density than can be obtained with conventional machine technology. |
| US08084908B2 |
Generator/motor mounted as an auxiliary power unit of an engine
A generator/motor includes a ring-shaped stator core (20) fixed to a motor housing (10), and a motor rotor (30). The motor rotor (30) includes a ring-shaped rotor yoke (35) which rotates in cooperation with the crankshaft (1) and which is opposed to an inner peripheral surface of the stator core (20) with a predetermined gap therebetween. The motor rotor (30) also includes a rotor flange (31) which fixes and supports the rotor yoke (35) at its outer peripheral surface. The rotor flange (31) is rotatably supported by a support member (51a) of the motor housing (10) through a bearing (60). A cylindrical shaft portion (40) is interposed between the crankshaft (1) and the motor rotor (30), and the crankshaft (1) is spline coupled to the cylindrical shaft portion (40). |
| US08084906B2 |
Brushless motor including thrust cover for holding thrust plate
A brushless motor is provided which has excellent anti-impact properties and is easily assembled even if the brushless motor is reduced in size. A stator (2) includes a bearing (5) for holding a rotating shaft (3), a bearing housing (6) in which the bearing (5) is placed vertically relative to the stator base (1), a thrust plate (7) for receiving one end of the rotating shaft (3) in a thrust direction, a metal thrust cover (8) for holding the thrust plate (7), a metal installation member (25) including an annular section (25a) which is superposed over a base (6b) of the bearing housing (6) and projecting pin sections (25b) which project from the annular section (25a) to the outer periphery of the thrust cover (8). The projecting pin sections (25b) of the installation member (25) have projection sections welded to the thrust cover (8). |
| US08084905B2 |
Bearing for an electric actuator motor
An improved bearing for an electric motor includes a body portion having an open end configured to receive a portion of an armature shaft of an electric motor therein. In an illustrated embodiment, the bearing also includes a base configured to apply a spring force to an end surface of the armature shaft, and a connecting portion located between the body portion and the base. |
| US08084904B2 |
Magnetic propulsion motor
The present disclosure relates to a magnetic motor including a drive magnet, a motion magnet, and an acceleration field. The drive magnet includes magnetic shielding, typically on a portion thereof, altering the magnetic field of the drive magnet. In some embodiments, the motion magnet has a cross-section that is generally in the shape of a ‘V’ or ‘A’. The acceleration field is created by the interaction between the drive magnet and the motion magnet as the motion magnet is passed through the altered magnetic field of the drive magnet. The altered magnetic field of the drive magnet may often be near a first end of the drive magnet. In further embodiments, the motion magnet can be operably coupled to an output shaft and rotate around the central axis of the output shaft. The present disclosure, also relates to a device, including the magnetic motor, for generating energy from a turbine. |
| US08084900B2 |
Asymmetrical stator of an electrical machine
A stater of an electrical machine has a cross section, a longitudinal extension, a jacket surface, a plurality of winding holders configured so that at least one of the winding holders for receiving a field winding has a larger winding width than another of the winding holders. |
| US08084897B2 |
Micro stage with 6 degrees of freedom
A micro stage with 6 degrees of freedom used in super-precise processing and sensing equipment fields is disclosed. The micro stage has three sets of electromagnetic driving units arranged in a horizontal plane for driving the micro stage to obtain movements within the horizontal plane with 3 degrees of freedom in X, Y and θz directions and three electromagnetic driving units arranged in a vertical direction for driving the micro stage to obtain additional movements with 3 degrees of freedom in Z, θx and θy directions. Direct driving by electromagnetic force is used in the invention. The invention is also applicable in super-precise processing and sensing fields for achieving 6 degree-of-freedom motions. The micro stage, which operates on the basis of Lorentz Law, provides a linear relation between the output pushing force and the input electrical current. |
| US08084894B2 |
Solid state relay
A solid state relay includes: an oscillator circuit responsive to a control signal for generating an a.c. signal; an isolation transformer having a primary winding which forms a part of the tank circuit of the oscillator circuit and a secondary winding; a rectifier responsive to the a.c. signal from the oscillator circuit for providing a d.c. drive signal; and a switch circuit responsive to the drive signal to open and close the relay. |
| US08084891B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimizing synchronous switching operations in power systems
A method and an apparatus for optimizing switching operations executed by a switching device coupled to an AC power line, wherein signals related to the waveform of the electrical phases of the power line are acquired. When a command for executing a switching operation on one of the electrical phases is issued, the signals acquired are stored. Based on the signals stored, data indicative of the severity of switching transients occurred during the executed switching operation and second data indicative of the time occurred for the executed switching operation are calculated and correlated to each other. Based on the data calculated, it is determined whether a parameter representative of a target point on the waveform for executing future switching operations substantially synchronous with the waveform has to be adjusted. |
| US08084886B2 |
Uninterruptible power supply apparatus
An uninterruptible power supply device connects a battery for power-outage backup to the output side of an AC/DC converter. An input monitoring circuit monitors alternating current input of the AC/DC converter and outputs an alternating current input monitor signal E1. An output monitoring circuit monitors the direct current output of the AC/DC converter and outputs a direct current output monitor signal E2. A reactivation circuit outputs a reset signal to and reactivates protection circuits of the AC/DC converter when the state that alternating current input is provided and direct current output is not provided is determined based on the alternating current input monitor signal E1 and the direct current output monitor signal E2 upon turn-on of alternating current power. |
| US08084881B2 |
Wind-driven electricity generation device with segmented rotor
A vertical wind-driven electricity generation device is described, which utilizes a unique segmented Savonius rotor and which is easily handled, transported, assembled and maintained, even by a single person. The blades of the rotor are segmented into a plurality of modest size blade pair segments, each of which comprises two (or optionally, three or four) low height, helically curved blade portions. The blade pair segments are preferably of the same height and diameter. The rotor is mounted on a central vertical shaft connected to a generator. When the plurality of blade portions are installed on the device's central shaft, the overall blade configuration functions as an unitary Savonius rotor. Flow of gas (normally air in the form of wind) causes the segmented Savonius rotor to move, turning the shaft and rotating member of the generator to rotate, causing the generator to generate electricity. |
| US08084876B2 |
Use of oriented grain rolling in a wind turbine generator
The present invention relates to a wind turbine for generating electric power. The wind turbine includes a generator (105) and a wind turbine rotor (101) for driving the generator (105). The generator includes a generator stator (201) having at least two stator poles (203), and a generator rotor (210) comprising at least two magnetic components (211). At least part of the generator stator (201) contains metal having directional magnetic properties. The generator (105) is connected to the wind turbine rotor (101) via a gearbox (103), in order to increase the rotational speed of the generator (105) in comparison with the rotational speed of the wind turbine rotor (101). |
| US08084872B2 |
Overlay mark, method of checking local aligmnent using the same and method of controlling overlay based on the same
An overlay mark is described, including N sets of parallel x-directional linear patterns respectively defined by N (≧2) exposure steps and N sets of parallel y-directional linear patterns respectively defined by the N exposure steps, and a set of parallel x-directional photoresist bars and a set of parallel y-directional photoresist bars both formed in a lithography process. The N sets of x-directional linear patterns and the set of x-directional photoresist bars are arranged in parallel. The N sets of y-directional linear patterns and the set of y-directional photoresist bars are arranged in parallel. |
| US08084871B2 |
Redistribution layer enhancement to improve reliability of wafer level packaging
An enhanced redistribution layer is provided that geometrically expands redistribution layer (RDL) pads associated with a ball grid array of a wafer level package (WLP) to provide tensile stress relief during temperature cycle and/or drop testing of the WLP. |
| US08084870B2 |
Semiconductor devices and electrical parts manufacturing using metal coated wires
The device of this invention includes a semiconductor die attached to a bare copper lead frame and electrically coupled to a lead by a metal wire coated with a metallic material. The device would function similarly to devices where the lead frames were coated with other metallic materials, but at lower costs because instead of plating the lead frame the wire is plated. The wire can be either gold or aluminum. When the wire is gold, the coating may be silver or other suitable metallic materials. When the wire is aluminum, the coating may be nickel, palladium, or other suitable metals. |
| US08084868B1 |
Semiconductor package with fast power-up cycle and method of making same
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided multiple embodiments of a semiconductor package including at least two electronic components which are provided in a stacked arrangement, and are each electrically connected to an underlying substrate through the use of conductive wires. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the electronic components are separated from each other by an intervening spacer which is typically fabricated from aluminum, or from silicon coated with aluminum. In this particular embodiment, the uppermost electronic component of the stack is electrically connected to at least one of the conductive wires through the use of a conductive paste layer which is also used to secure the uppermost electronic component to the underlying spacer. In this regard, one end of one of the conductive wires may be embedded in the conductive paste layer adjacent one side of the uppermost electronic component, or between the bottom surface of such electronic component and the spacer. |
| US08084867B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for wireless connection in integrated circuit packages
Some embodiments of the invention include a connecting structure between a support and at least one die attached to the support. The die includes a number of die bond pads on a surface of the die. The connecting structure includes a plurality of via and groove combinations. Conductive material is formed in the via and groove combinations to provide connection between the die bond pads and bond pads on the support. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08084865B2 |
Anchoring structure and intermeshing structure
An anchoring structure for a metal structure of a semiconductor device includes an anchoring recess structure having at least one overhanging side wall, the metal structure being at least partly arranged within the anchoring recess structure. |
| US08084864B2 |
Electromigration resistant aluminum-based metal interconnect structure
A vertical metallic stack, from bottom to top, of an elemental metal liner, a metal nitride liner, a Ti liner, an aluminum portion, and a metal nitride cap, is formed on an underlying metal interconnect structure. The vertical metallic stack is annealed at an elevated temperature to induce formation of a TiAl3 liner by reaction of the Ti liner with the material of the aluminum portion. The material of the TiAl3 liner is resistant to electromigration, thereby providing enhanced electromigration resistance to the vertical metallic stack comprising the elemental metal liner, the metal nitride liner, the TiAl3 liner, the aluminum portion, and the metal nitride cap. The effect of enhanced electromigration resistance may be more prominent in areas in which the metal nitride cap suffers from erosion during processing. |
| US08084862B2 |
Interconnect structures with patternable low-k dielectrics and method of fabricating same
The present invention provides an interconnect structure in which a patternable low-k material is employed as an interconnect dielectric material. Specifically, this invention relates to single-damascene and dual-damascene low-k interconnect structures with at least one patternable low-k dielectric. In general terms, the interconnect structure includes at least one patterned and cured low-k dielectric material located on a surface of a substrate. The at least one cured and patterned low-k material has conductively filled regions embedded therein and typically, but not always, includes Si atoms bonded to cyclic rings via oxygen atoms. The present invention also provides a method of forming such interconnect structures in which no separate photoresist is employed in patterning the patterned low-k material. |
| US08084858B2 |
Metal wiring structures for uniform current density in C4 balls
In one embodiment, a sub-pad assembly of metal structures is located directly underneath a metal pad. The sub-pad assembly includes an upper level metal line structure abutting the metal pad, a lower level metal line structure located underneath the upper level metal line structure, and a set of metal vias that provide electrical connection between the lower level metal line structure located underneath the upper level metal line structure. In another embodiment, the reliability of a C4 ball is enhanced by employing a metal pad structure having a set of integrated metal vias that are segmented and distributed to facilitate uniform current density distribution within the C4 ball. The areal density of the cross-sectional area in the plurality of metal vias is higher at the center portion of the metal pad than at the peripheral portion of the planar portion of the metal pad. |
| US08084856B2 |
Thermal spacer for stacked die package thermal management
In some embodiments, a thermal spacer for stacked die package thermal management is presented. In this regard, an apparatus is introduced having a top integrated circuit die, a bottom integrated circuit die, and a thermal spacer between the top and bottom integrated circuit dice, the thermal spacer comprising a heat conducting material and the thermal spacer overhanging and extending parallel with one outside edge of the bottom integrated circuit die. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed. |
| US08084853B2 |
Semiconductor flip chip package utilizing wire bonding for net switching
This invention provides a semiconductor flip chip package including a carrier substrate and a flip chip mounted on the carrier substrate. The flip chip comprises a first input/output (I/O) pad and a second I/O pad on an active surface of the flip chip, wherein a switching between the first I/O pad and the second I/O pad is implemented by wire bonding. |
| US08084851B2 |
Side stacking apparatus and method
A module has at least two ICs connected to each other such that they lie in different planes and are arranged as a first stack of ICs, a third IC is connected to at least one of the at least two ICs, wherein the third IC is off plane from both of the at least two ICs. |
| US08084850B2 |
Semiconductor chip package, stacked package comprising semiconductor chips and methods of fabricating chip and stacked packages
According to an example embodiment, a semiconductor chip package includes a substrate comprising a substrate body having a first main surface, a second main surface, and a cavity that defines an opening in the first main surface, and a layer of electrically conductive material integral with the substrate body. The layer of electrically conductive material constitutes an interconnection pattern of the substrate. The semiconductor chip packages further includes a semiconductor chip disposed within the cavity and mounted to the substrate. The chip includes electrical contacts in the form of pads and the pads face in a direction towards the bottom of the cavity such that the chip has a flip-chip orientation with respect to the substrate. The pads are electrically conductively bonded to respective portions of the interconnection pattern. |
| US08084845B2 |
Subresolution silicon features and methods for forming the same
Novel etch techniques are provided for shaping silicon features below the photolithographic resolution limits. FinFET devices are defined by recessing oxide and exposing a silicon protrusion to an isotropic etch, at least in the channel region. In one implementation, the protrusion is contoured by a dry isotropic etch having excellent selectivity, using a downstream microwave plasma etch. |
| US08084844B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device in which potential is uniformly controlled and in which the influence of noise is reduced. A p-type well region is formed beneath a surface of a p-type Si substrate. n-type MOS transistors are formed on the p-type well region. An n-type well region is formed in the p-type Si substrate so that it surrounds the p-type well region. A plurality of conductive regions which pierce through the n-type well region are formed at regular intervals. By doing so, parasitic resistance from the p-type Si substrate, through the plurality of conductive regions, to the n-type MOS transistors becomes low. Accordingly, when back bias is applied to a contact region, the back bias potential of the n-type MOS transistors can be controlled uniformly. As a result, the influence of noise from the p-type Si substrate or the p-type well region can be reduced. |
| US08084840B2 |
Interposer including air gap structure, methods of forming the same, semiconductor device including the interposer, and multi-chip package including the interposer
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to an interposer of a semiconductor device having an air gap structure, a semiconductor device using the interposer, a multi-chip package using the interposer and methods of forming the interposer. The interposer includes a semiconductor substrate including a void, a metal interconnect, provided within the void, thereby forming an air gap insulating the metal interconnect. The metal interconnect may be connected to a contact element, and may be maintained within the air gap using the contact element. |
| US08084838B2 |
Large-area PIN diode with reduced capacitance
The invention provides a design of PIN diode having a low capacitance and a large area of effective collection of photo-generated charge. The low capacitance is obtained by replacing a continuous collector layer in the diode by a sparse array of collector disks interconnected by narrow metallic runners at a different structural level separated from the collector discs by an interlevel dielectric. |
| US08084834B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same
A semiconductor device of the present invention includes: a semiconductor layer; a gate insulation film provided on the semiconductor layer and including at least one of Hf and Zr; and a gate electrode provided on the gate insulation film and including a carbonitride which includes at least one of Hf and Zr. |
| US08084830B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
The memory cell is located at respective intersections between the first wirings and the second wirings. Each of the memory cells has a rectifier element and a variable resistance element connected in series. The rectifier element includes a p type first semiconductor region, and a n type second semiconductor region. The first semiconductor region is formed of, at least in part, silicon-germanium mixture (Si1-xGex (0 |
| US08084826B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
An element larger than silicon is ion-implanted to a contact liner in an N-channel region to break constituent atoms of the contact liner in the N-channel region. An element larger than silicon is ion-implanted to the contact liner in a P-channel region to break constituent atoms of the contact liner, oxygen or the like is ion-implanted. Thereafter, heat treatment is performed to cause shrinkage of the contact liner in the N-channel region to form an n-channel contact liner, and to cause expansion of the contact liner in the P-channel region to form a p-channel contact liner. |
| US08084825B2 |
Trilayer resist scheme for gate etching applications
A trilayer resist (TLR) patterning scheme is provided to enable gate conductors, particularly polySi gate conductors, with critical dimensions (CDs) of less than 40 nm and minimal LER and LWR. In accordance with the present invention, the inventive patterning scheme utilizes an organic/inorganic/organic multilayer stack instead of an organic layer used in the prior art. The top organic layer of the inventive TLR is a photoresist material such as a 193 nm photoresist that is located atop an antireflective coating (ARC), which is also comprised of an organic material. The middle inorganic layer of the TLR comprises any oxide layer such as, for example, a low temperature (less than or equal to 250° C.) chemical vapor deposited (CVD) oxide, an oxide derived from TEOS (tetraethylorthosilicate), silicon oxide, a silane oxide, or a Si-containing ARC material. The bottom organic layer of the TLR comprises any organic layer such as, for example, a Near Frictionless Carbon (NFC), a diamond-like carbon, a thermosetting polyarylene ether. |
| US08084824B2 |
Metal gate transistor and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating metal gate transistor is disclosed. First, a substrate having a first transistor region and a second transistor region is provided. Next, a stacked film is formed on the substrate, in which the stacked film includes at least one high-k dielectric layer and a first metal layer. The stacked film is patterned to form a plurality of gates in the first transistor region and the second transistor region, a dielectric layer is formed on the gates, and a portion of the dielectric layer is planarized until reaching the top of each gates. The first metal layer is removed from the gate of the second transistor region, and a second metal layer is formed over the surface of the dielectric layer and each gate for forming a plurality of metal gates in the first transistor region and the second transistor region. |
| US08084819B2 |
Semiconductor memory device having insulation patterns and cell gate patterns
Semiconductor memory devices and methods of forming semiconductor memory devices are provided. The methods may include forming insulation layers and cell gate layers that are alternately stacked on a substrate, forming an opening by successively patterning through the cell gate layers and the insulation layers, and forming selectively conductive barriers on sidewalls of the cell gate layers in the opening. |
| US08084818B2 |
High mobility tri-gate devices and methods of fabrication
A high mobility semiconductor assembly. In one exemplary aspect, the high mobility semiconductor assembly includes a first substrate having a first reference orientation located at a <110> crystal plane location on the first substrate and a second substrate formed on top of the first substrate. The second substrate has a second reference orientation located at a <100> crystal plane location on the second substrate, wherein the first reference orientation is aligned with the second reference orientation. In another exemplary aspect, the second substrate has a second reference orientation located at a <110> crystal plane location on the second substrate, wherein the second substrate is formed over the first substrate with the second reference orientation being offset to the first reference orientation by about 45 degrees. |
| US08084817B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a high voltage first conduction type well in a semiconductor substrate, a second conduction type body in the high voltage first conduction type well, a source region in the second conduction type body, a trench in the high voltage first conduction type well, a first isolation oxide, an impurity doped polysilicon film, and a second isolation oxide stacked in the trench in succession, a drain region in the high voltage first conduction type well on one side of the trench, and a polygate on and/or over the high voltage first conduction type well. |
| US08084816B2 |
Semiconductor module
A semiconductor module is disclosed. One embodiment provides a first semiconductor chip having a first contact pad on a first main surface and a second contact pad on a second main surface, a first electrically conductive layer applied to the first main surface, a second electrically conductive layer applied to the second main surface, and an electrically insulating material covering the first electrically conductive layer, wherein a surface of the second electrically conductive layer forms an external contact pad and the second electrically conductive layer has a thickness of less than 200 μm. |
| US08084814B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of producing the same
A semiconductor device is provided in which a semiconductor substrate can be prevented from being broken while elements can be prevented from being destroyed by a snap-back phenomenon. After an MOS gate structure is formed in a front surface of an FZ wafer, a rear surface of the FZ wafer is ground. Then, the ground surface is irradiated with protons and irradiated with two kinds of laser beams different in wavelength simultaneously to thereby form an N+ first buffer layer and an N second buffer layer. Then, a P+ collector layer and a collector electrode are formed on the proton-irradiated surface. The distance from a position where the net doping concentration of the N+ first buffer layer is locally maximized to the interface between the P+ collector layer and the N second buffer layer is set to be in a range of 5 μm to 30 μm, both inclusively. |
| US08084811B2 |
Power devices with super junctions and associated methods manufacturing
Power devices with super junctions and associated methods of manufacturing are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for forming a power device includes forming an epitaxial layer on a substrate material and forming a trench in the epitaxial layer. The trench has a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a bottom between the first and second sidewalls. The method also includes forming an insulation material on at least one of the first and second sidewalls of the trench and diffusing a dopant into the epitaxial layer via at least one of the first and second sidewalls of the trench via the insulation material. |
| US08084809B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including pillars buried inside through holes
In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, a stacked body is formed by alternately stacking dielectric films and conductive films on a silicon substrate and a plurality of through holes extending in the stacking direction are formed in a matrix configuration. A shunt interconnect and a bit interconnect are provided above the stacked body. Conductor pillars are buried inside the through holes arranged in a line immediately below the shunt interconnect out of the plurality of through holes, and semiconductor pillars are buried inside the remaining through holes. The conductive pillars are formed from a metal, or low resistance silicon. Its upper end portion is connected to the shunt interconnect and its lower end portion is connected to a cell source formed in an upper layer portion of the silicon substrate. |
| US08084806B2 |
Isolation structure for a memory cell using A12O3 dielectric
The invention provides, in one exemplary embodiment, an isolation gate formed over a substrate for biasing the substrate and providing isolation between adjacent active areas of an integrated circuit structure, for example a DRAM memory cell. An aluminum oxide (Al2O3) is used as a gate dielectric, rather than a conventional gate oxide layer, to create a hole-rich accumulation region under and near the trench isolation region. Another exemplary embodiment of the invention provides an aluminum oxide layer utilized as a liner in a shallow trench isolation (STI) region to increase the effectiveness of the isolation region. The embodiments may also be used together at an isolation region. |
| US08084801B2 |
Cell structure for a semiconductor memory device and method of fabricating the same
In a 6F2 cell structure of a memory device and a method of fabricating the same, the plurality of active regions may have a first area at both end portions and a second area at a central portion. A portion of a bit-line contact pad may be positioned on the second area and the other portion may be positioned on a third area of the substrate that may not overlap with the plurality of active regions. The bit line may be connected with the bit-line contact pad at the third area. The cell structure may be more easily formed despite a 6F2-structured unit cell. The plurality of active regions may have an elliptical shape including major and minor axes. The plurality of active regions may be positioned in a major axis direction to thereby form an active row, and may be positioned in a minor axis direction in such a structure that a center of the plurality of active regions is shifted from that of an adjacent active region in a neighboring active row. |
| US08084800B2 |
Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same
In connection with a semiconductor device including a capacitor element there is provided a technique capable of improving the reliability of the capacitor element. A capacitor element is formed in an element isolation region formed over a semiconductor substrate. The capacitor element includes a lower electrode and an upper electrode formed over the lower electrode through a capacitor insulating film. Basically, the lower electrode and the upper electrode are formed from polysilicon films and a cobalt silicide film formed over the surfaces of the polysilicon films. End portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the upper electrode are spaced apart a distance from end portions of the upper electrode. Besides, end portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the lower electrode are spaced apart a distance from boundaries between the upper electrode and the lower electrode. |
| US08084796B2 |
Solid state imaging apparatus, method for driving the same and camera using the same
A solid state imaging apparatus includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells each including a plurality of photoelectric sections arranged in an array of at least two rows and two columns; a plurality of floating diffusion sections each being connected to each of ones of the photoelectric sections which are included in the same row of each said photoelectric conversion cell via each of a plurality of transfer transistors, and being shared by said ones of the photoelectric sections; a plurality of read-out lines each being selectively connected to at least two of the transfer transistors; and a plurality of pixel amplifier transistors each detecting and outputting the potential of each said the floating diffusion section. Charges of the photoelectric conversion sections each being connected to one of the read-out lines and being read out by the transfer transistors are read out by different floating diffusion sections. |
| US08084794B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a first wiring extending in a first direction and a second wiring extending in a second direction which crosses the first direction and being disposed with a space interposed between the first wiring and the second wiring, and including a tantalum layer, a tantalum nitride layer formed over the tantalum layer, and a metal layer formed over the tantalum nitride layer. |
| US08084790B2 |
Image sensing device and packaging method thereof
An image sensing device and packaging method thereof is disclosed. The packaging method includes the steps of a) providing an image sensing module, having a light-receiving region exposed, on a first substrate; b) forming a plurality of first contacts around the light-receiving region on the image sensing module; c) providing a second substrate, having a plurality of second contacts corresponding to the plurality of first contacts and an opening for allowing the light-receiving region to be exposed while the second substrate is placed over the image sensing module, the plurality of second contacts being disposed around the opening; d) connecting the plurality of first contacts and the plurality of second contacts; and e) disposing a transparent lid above the light-receiving region, on a side of the second substrate which is opposite to the plurality of second contacts. |
| US08084787B2 |
PMD liner nitride films and fabrication methods for improved NMOS performance
Semiconductor devices (102) and fabrication methods (10) are provided, in which a nitride film (130) is formed over NMOS transistors to impart a tensile stress in ail or a portion of the NMOS transistor to improve carrier mobility. The nitride layer (130) is initially deposited over the transistors at low temperature with high hydrogen content to provide a moderate tensile stress in the semiconductor body prior to back-end processing. Subsequent back-end thermal processing reduces the film hydrogen content and causes an increase in the applied tensile stress. |
| US08084786B2 |
Silicided base structure for high frequency transistors
High frequency performance of (e.g., silicon) bipolar devices is improved by reducing the extrinsic base resistance Rbx. Emitter, base and collector regions are formed in or on a semiconductor substrate. The emitter contact has a portion that overhangs a portion of the extrinsic base contact, thereby forming a cave-like cavity between the overhanging portion of the emitter contact and the underlying regions of the extrinsic base contact. When the emitter contact and the extrinsic base contact are silicided, some of the metal atoms forming the silicide penetrate into the cavity so that the highly conductive silicided extrinsic base contact extends under the edge of the emitter contact closer to the base itself, thereby reducing Rbx. Smaller Rbx provides transistors with higher fMAX. |
| US08084776B2 |
Light emitting device, light emitting device package, and lighting system
Disclosed are a light emitting device, a light emitting device package, and a lighting system. The light emitting device includes a conductive support member; a reflective layer on the conductive support member; a light emitting structure on the reflective layer including a first conductive semiconductor layer, a second conductive semiconductor layer, and an active layer between the first and second semiconductor layers; and an electrode on the first conductive semiconductor layer, wherein a distance between the active layer and the reflective layer satisfies 2·Φ1+Φ3=N·2π±Δ, (0≦Δ≦π/2) in which the Φ1 represents a phase change value when light vertically traveling passes through the second conductive semiconductor layer, the Φ3 represents a phase change value when the light is reflected by the reflective layer, and the N represents a natural number, and wherein the distance between the reflective layer and the active layer includes a first distance in a first region overlapping with the electrode perpendicularly to the electrode and a second distance in a second region other than the first region, the first distance being different from the second distance. |
| US08084775B2 |
Light sources with serially connected LED segments including current blocking diodes
A light source and method for making the same are disclosed. The light source includes a substrate and a light emitting structure that is deposited on the substrate. A barrier divides the light emitting structure into first and second segments that are electrically isolated from one another. A serial connection electrode connects the first segment in series with the second segment. A first blocking diode between the light emitting structure and the substrate prevents current from flowing between the light emitting structure and the substrate when the light emitting structure is emitting light. The barrier extends through the light emitting structure into the first blocking diode. |
| US08084765B2 |
Electronic device having a dielectric layer
An electronic device, such as a thin film transistor, is disclosed having a dielectric layer formed from a composition comprising a compound having at least one phenol group and at least one group containing comprising silicon. The resulting dielectric layer has good electrical properties. |
| US08084759B2 |
Integrated circuit including doped semiconductor line having conductive cladding
An integrated circuit includes an array of memory cells and a doped semiconductor line formed in a semiconductor substrate. The doped semiconductor line is coupled to a row of memory cells. The integrated circuit includes conductive cladding contacting the doped semiconductor line. |
| US08084754B2 |
High spatial resolution imaging of a structure of interest in a specimen
For imaging of a structure, the structure is marked with a substance which can be converted by a switching signal from a first into a second state, and which provides an optical measurement signal in one of its states, only. The switching signal is applied such that at least 10% of the molecules of the substance being in the measurement signal providing state are at a distance from their closest neighbors, which is greater than the spatial resolution limit of imaging the specimen onto a sensor array, which in turn is greater than an average distance between the molecules of the substance. From an intensity distribution of the measurement signal recorded with the sensor array, the position is only determined for those molecules of the substance which are at a distance from their closest neighboring molecules in the measurement signal providing state, which is greater than the spatial resolution limit. |
| US08084752B2 |
Ultraviolet treatment device
A keyboard and touchpad or mouse UV treatment system with optical sensor and inclined slide is described. A proximity sensor, microcontroller firmware, and motorized mechanism allow activation of the sanitization cycle by personnel with contaminated hands without risk of additional spreading of pathogens to other personnel and patients. The inclined slide provides stability when operated on a desk, and the microcontroller and optical sensor determine the proper exposure time to compensate for lamp aging and variations in lamp output. |
| US08084751B2 |
Detection arrangements in mass spectrometers
An approach to extending the dynamic range of the detector of a mass spectrometer is described. In one embodiment, in the case of high intensity beams, means are provided to deflect the ion beam, after the collector slit (1), on to an attenuator (4), which may be a grid or an array of small holes, through which only a small fraction of the ion beam reaches the ion detector (6). Use of an array of holes ensures that the recorded signal is insensitive to the distribution of ions within the beam. The beam passes directly to a detector if the signal is of low intensity. |
| US08084749B2 |
Electrode for influencing ion motion in mass spectrometers
An electrode for influencing ion motion in mass spectrometers, having a dielectric substrate and a conducting layer on portions of the substrate, wherein peripheral borders, edges or convex shapes of the conducting layer adjoin free regions of the substrate. According to the invention, a dielectric layer is provided on transitions from the conducting layer to the adjoining free regions of the substrate such that at least some of the peripheral borders, edges or convex shapes of the conducting layer are covered. |
| US08084747B2 |
Composite dielectric fins in enhanced area boron coated neutron detectors
A neutron detector that includes a hollow member extending along and circumscribing an axis. The hollow member has an interior surface and bounds a volume. The detector also includes an anode extending within the volume. The detector also includes a cathode that includes at least one fin extending within the volume. The fin has a substrate material with at least one surface. At least part of the interior surface of the hollow member and the surface of the at least one fin have neutron sensitive material thereon. |
| US08084744B2 |
Radiographic imaging system
A radiographic imaging system comprises: imaging unit including a radiation source for emitting radiation and a radiation detector for detecting radiation emitted from the radiation source and having penetrated a subject; moving unit for moving the imaging unit between a plurality of imaging positions that partially share an imaging region with each other; control unit for sequentially moving the imaging unit to the imaging positions with the moving unit, causing the radiation source to emit radiation to acquire a short image with the radiation detector in each imaging position, and acquiring a dark image with the radiation detector after acquiring the short image; and image processing unit for performing residual image correction upon the short image acquired in each of the imaging positions based upon the dark image acquired immediately before the acquisition of the short image and thereafter combining corrected short images to obtain a long radiographic image. |
| US08084742B1 |
Positron emission tomography with phoswich detector, systems and methods
Imaging systems including phoswich scintillator detectors, related devices and methods. |
| US08084727B2 |
Device for detecting an electromagnetic radiation with current limitation
This device for detecting an electromagnetic radiation, comprises a matrix of juxtaposed elementary sensors (1), each associated with a common substrate in which a sequential addressing read circuit is prepared, specific to each of the sensors, thereby constituting as many pixels, the interaction of the radiation with the sensors generating electric charges to be converted to voltage for their subsequent processing, each of the said sensors being biased via an injection transistor (2), of which one of the terminals is connected to an integration capacitance (3), storing the electric charges generated by the sensor during an integration phase, and whereof the quantity of charges is then processed for conversion to voltage. Each of the pixels of the said matrix is associated with a current limiting device (5), for limiting the current generated by each of the elementary sensors to a maximum called reference current, regardless of the radiation flux received by the pixel concerned. |
| US08084725B1 |
Methods and apparatus for fast action impulse thruster
Methods and apparatus for a fast action impulse thruster according to various aspects of the present invention may comprise a projectile comprising an impulse thruster system. The impulse thruster system may comprise a guidance system and a fast action impulse thruster system. The guidance system may control the trajectory of the projectile, for example by activating the fast action impulse thruster system to adjust the projectile's trajectory. The fast action impulse thruster system may be configured such that it may provide an impulse force to guide the projectile with a reaction time that is not affected by the rotational velocity of the projectile. The impulse force may be achieved by ejecting at least one mass from the projectile at high velocity such that a resulting momentum exchange may alter the trajectory of the projectile. The fast action impulse thruster system may also be configured in such a way so as to provide a significant improvement to the overall safety during the production, assembly, and handling of the projectile. |
| US08084723B2 |
Method for detecting a fire condition in a cooking chamber of a baking oven
A method for detecting a fire condition in a cooking chamber of a baking oven. The method includes measuring the oxygen concentration in the baking oven and also using an evaluation circuit of an electronic controller to determine the rate of change of the oxygen. The oxygen concentration and the rate of change are compared to predetermined values stored in a memory of the electronic controller. If the oxygen concentration reaches a value smaller than a limit in the range of 15 to 20 percent by volume, and the rate of change of the oxygen concentration exceeds a rate of decrease of about 2.5 percent by volume per 10 seconds, the fire condition is detected. Subsequently an alarm is created and/or at least one of the heat output or air circulation through the oven is reduced. |
| US08084717B2 |
Reflow furnace
The suction ports of a hot air blowing heater are arranged in a zigzag shape crossing the direction of travel of a printed circuit board, and hot air discharge nozzles project from inside or alongside the suction ports. Accordingly, in the reflow furnace according to the present invention, hot air discharged from the hot air discharge nozzles does not collide with hot air sucked into the suction ports, and turbulence does not take place. |
| US08084716B2 |
Heated glass guard with sensorless control for forklift trucks
An open forklift truck is provided having an elongated windshield that protects the operator from wind chills experienced when operating the truck in a cold storage environment. The windshield is a laminate having a plurality of heating elements disposed therein that are electrically connected to a control that monitors speed, battery voltage, temperature, and ambient feedback and adjusts the power supply to the windshield based on this feedback. Accordingly, the windshield is maintained at a predetermined temperature selected to limit condensation and fogging of the windshield. |
| US08084711B2 |
Apparatuses for breaking a glass panel unified with a process table
Disclosed herein are apparatuses for breaking a glass panel unified with a process table which break the glass panel formed with scribing lines along the scribing lines by irradiating laser beams. The apparatuses for breaking a glass panel unified with a process table to conduct breaking operations of the glass panel after scribing work of the glass panel as one body with the process table are installed on both sides of the process table included in a transfer-type cutting head laser cutting device. Each apparatus for breaking the glass panel unified with the process table comprises: breaking bars for cutting the glass panel by applying pressure to cutting sections of the glass panel; rotating devices for rotating the breaking bars by combining with both ends of the breaking bars; and a support equipped with cylinders for vertically moving the rotating devices in both sections. |
| US08084710B2 |
Low-temperature laser spot impact welding driven without contact
A laser, aimed at a flyer plate tab, causes optical energy to be directed at the tab, specifically, at a top surface thereof. Energy impacting the tab accelerates the tab out of an initial bent position, straightening it into an impact with a target sheet. The impact occurs in excess of 100 m/s, resulting in a metallurgical bond between the tab and the target sheet. The laser preferably strikes the top surface in a normal direction, based upon an initial angularity of the tab relative to the target. The laser emission, preferably in the range of 1 to 100 Joules delivered in a microsecond, may be augmented by an ablative layer on the top surface or a transparent covering on the top surface that reacts against the expanding gas from ablative activity on the top surface. The weld is formed without physical contact between the welding device and the tab. |
| US08084708B2 |
Remote processing of workpieces
Systems and related methods of programming a laser processing device for automated processing of a workpiece including indicating a processing location on a workpiece with a processing location indicator. The processing location is detected with a processing location detector. The scanner optics of the laser processing device are adjusted to a set position corresponding to the detected processing location. A set position of the scanner optics is detected with a processing location evaluator, and a control program corresponding to the detected set position of the scanner optics is generated with the processing location evaluator. |
| US08084706B2 |
System and method for laser processing at non-constant velocities
A method is disclosed for on-the-fly processing at least one structure of a group of structures with a pulsed laser output. The method includes the steps of relatively positioning the group of structures and the pulsed laser output axis with non-constant velocity, and applying the pulsed laser output to the at least one structure of the group of structures during the step of relatively positioning the group of structures and the pulsed laser output axis with non-constant velocity. |
| US08084705B2 |
Quartz guard ring centering features
An electrode assembly and method of centering an outer ring around an electrode assembly in a plasma reaction chamber used in semiconductor substrate processing. The method includes positioning the outer ring around an outer surface of a backing member of the electrode assembly, and inserting at least one centering element between the outer ring and the backing member. The centering element can be a plurality of spring-loaded centering elements received in a cavity on the outer surface of the backing member, the centering elements having a first end adapted to contact the outer ring and a second end adapted to receive a spring. The outer ring surrounds an outer surface of the backing member, such that the plurality of spring-loaded centering elements are positioned between the outer surface of the backing member and an inner surface of the outer ring. |
| US08084702B2 |
Image forming apparatus
Disclosed in an apparatus in which an actuating member provided for an opening and closing member actuates a switch provided for a main body of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a protecting member protecting the switch and a restricting member restricting an object entering an opening of the protecting member. The restricting member has an opening smaller than the opening of the protecting member. The restricting member is movable in the direction intersecting the direction in which the actuating member passes through the opening of the restricting member. The opening of the restricting member is reduced in size to prevent an accidental operation while being insusceptible to a space in the apparatus or deformation of the apparatus. |
| US08084698B2 |
Current leadthrough for cryostat
A current lead-through for providing an electrically conductive path between an interior of a vessel and the exterior of the vessel. The electrically conductive path is electrically isolated from the material of the vessel. The current lead-through comprises an electrically conductive pin surrounded by an electrically isolating sealing material, and retained within a tubular carrier body by the sealing material, the electrically conductive pin being exposed at each end of the tubular carrier body to enable electrical connection thereto. |
| US08084697B2 |
Electro magnetic wave shielding device
An electro magnetic (EM) wave shielding device includes at least one metal plate and an EM wave absorbing material configured on a lateral side of the metal plate. The lateral side of the metal plate configured with the EM wave absorbing material covers a test point region of a circuit board, thereby absorbing and shielding EM waves generated by the test point region. |
| US08084692B2 |
Reducing noise coupling in high speed digital systems
An apparatus having reduced noise coupling includes a core layer having an upper and lower surface, the upper and lower surface each including a copper sheet layer, a pre-preg layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface of the pre-preg layer coupled to the lower surface of the core layer, a core insulating layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface of the core insulating layer coupled to the lower surface of the pre-preg layer, a return current reference layer disposed on the lower surface of the core insulator layer and high-speed signal traces disposed on the upper surface of the core insulating layer, each of the high speed signal traces disposed on a pedestal defined by a section of the pre-preg layer and the core insulating layer, each pedestal being separated by an air gap disposed between adjacent pedestals. |
| US08084691B2 |
Sealant-filled enclosures and methods for environmentally protecting a connection
A sealant-filled enclosure assembly for environmentally protecting a connection includes a housing, a mass of sealant and a sealant valve mechanism. The housing includes a main cavity to receive the connection. The mass of sealant is disposed in the main cavity. The sealant valve mechanism includes an overflow chamber and a gate member between the main cavity and the overflow chamber. The gate member is selectively positionable in each of a closed position, wherein the gate member substantially prevents displacement of the sealant from the main cavity to the overflow chamber, and an open position, wherein the gate member permits displacement of the sealant from the main cavity to the overflow chamber. |
| US08084689B2 |
Hinge assembly and electronic device using the same
A hinge assembly includes a first bracket, a second bracket and a shaft assembly rotatably connecting with the first bracket and the second bracket. The shaft assembly includes a shaft and an elastic member sleeved on the shaft. The shaft extends through the first bracket and the second bracket. The first bracket has a connecting end with a protrusion, the second bracket has a connecting portion defining a curved latching slot and a passing slot communicating with the curved latching slot. The width of the curved latching slot decreases along the curved extending direction, and the width of the protrusion is substantially the same as the width of one end of the curved latching slot, and wider than the other end of the curved latching slot. |
| US08084685B2 |
Apparatus for making controlled segregated phase domain structures
An apparatus includes a first substrate; and a second substrate coupled to the first substrate, characterized in that, to control formation of a segregated phase domain structure within a chemical reaction product by controlling an amount of a constituent of a precursor that is present per unit surface area, at least one member selected from the group consisting of the first substrate and the second substrate defines a substantially regularly periodically varying relief with respect to basal spatial location. |
| US08084683B2 |
Low-cost multi-junction solar cells and methods for their production
Solar cells fabricated without gasification of metallurgical-grade silicon. The substrates are prepared by: melting metallurgical grade silicon in a furnace; solidifying the melted metallurgical grade silicon into an ingot; slicing the ingot to obtain a plurality of wafers; polishing and cleaning each wafer; depositing aluminum layer on backside of each wafer; depositing a layer of hydrogenated silicon nitride on front surface of each wafer; annealing the wafers at elevated temperature; removing the hydrogenated silicon nitride; and, removing the aluminum layer. The front surface may be textured prior to forming the solar cell. The solar cell structure comprises a metallurgical grade doped silicon substrate and a thin-film structure formed over the substrate to form a p-i-n junction with the substrate. The substrate may be doped p-type, and the thin film structure may be an intrinsic amorphous layer formed over the substrate and an n-type amorphous layer formed over the intrinsic layer. |
| US08084682B2 |
Multiple band gapped cadmium telluride photovoltaic devices and process for making the same
A heterojunction photovoltaic device for the production of electrical energy in response to the incident light includes an optically transparent substrate, a front contact formed of an transparent conductive oxide for collecting light generated charge carriers, an n-type window layer formed of cadmium sulfide or zinc sulfide, a p-type absorber structure disposed on the window layer, thereby forming a rectification junction therebetween, and a back contact comprising at least one metal layer. The p-type absorber structure has a plurality of p-type absorber layers in contiguous contact. Each absorber layer contains cadmium as a principal constituent and has a different composition and a different band gap energy. The first absorber layer is in contiguous contact with the n-type window layer. The band gap energy progressively decreases from the first absorber layer to the last absorber layer in the p-type absorber structure. |
| US08084680B2 |
Sound generating device of electronic keyboard instrument
A sound generating device of an electronic keyboard instrument, which eliminates overlap between frequency bands to avoid sound wave interference to stabilize acoustic characteristic. Woofers are disposed at a bottom part of a speaker box and directed downward, and squawkers are disposed at an upper part of the speaker box and directed upward. In a DSP, waveform data selected from waveform data groups are input into a MIX, and a waveform signal containing high and low frequency band components is produced from a signal output from the MIX. In a distributor, the waveform signal is converted into an analog signal which is then separated into a musical tone signal only containing the high frequency band component and a musical tone signal only containing the low frequency band component, and these musical tone signals between which there is no frequency band overlap are supplied to the tweeter and the woofer. |
| US08084676B2 |
Distal structure of leg for musical instrument stand
The distal structure of a leg for a musical instrument stand is constituted of a spike member installed inside the storage of a case having a ground portion whose ground surface is placed on the floor, a rotor interconnected to the spike member, and a single operator projected above the case. Upon a first depression, a presser of the operator depresses a projection of the rotor downward so that the spike member protrudes from the ground surface. In the protruded state of the spike member, the projection of the rotor is engaged with a receptor formed in a stepped interior of the storage. Upon a second depression, the presser of the operator depresses the projection of the rotor again so as to release the engagement between the projection and the receptor, so that the spike member moves to retract inside the storage of the case. |
| US08084675B1 |
Multifunction guitar stand
A guitar stand having supports for holding a plurality of guitars in an upright position. The stand also has a lid secured to the top of the stand which will pivot from an open to a closed position. The stand can also have a second lid above the first lid secured to the top of the stand which will pivot from an open to a closed position. |
| US08084674B2 |
Flower pigmentation in Pelargonium hortorum
The present invention relates to novel Pelargonium hortorum—interspecific plants having dark red to burgundy or darker pigmented flower petal, a trailing growth habit, dark leaf color and tolerance to high temperatures, high light and edema. The present invention also relates to methods for creating novel Pelargonium hortorum—interspecific hybrid plants having dark red to burgundy or darker pigmented flower petals, a trailing growth habit and tolerance to high temperatures, high light and edema. |
| US08084672B1 |
Maize variety PHGBT
A novel maize variety designated PHGBT and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHGBT with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHGBT through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PHGBT or a trait conversion of PHGBT with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHGBT, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHGBT and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods. |
| US08084668B2 |
Gibberellin 2-oxidase
A nucleic acid sequence is provided which encodes a gibberellin 2-oxidase gene which catalyses the 2β-oxidation of a gibberellin molecule to introduce a hydroxyl group at C-2 and further catalyses the oxidation of the hydroxyl group introduced at C-2 to yield the ketone derivative. Such sequences can find application in the preparation of transgenic plants with altered levels of gibberellin 2-oxidase. |
| US08084664B2 |
Biocompatible wound dressing
A biocompatible wound dressing comprised of a pad for insertion substantially into a wound site and wound drape for sealing enclosure of the foam pad at the wound site. The pad, comprised of a foam or other like material having relatively few open cells in contact with the areas upon which cell growth is to be encouraged so as to avoid unwanted adhesions, but having sufficiently numerous open cells so that drainage and negative pressure therapy may continue unimpaired, is placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source for promotion of fluid drainage, as known in the art. The pad is further comprised of an ultra-low density fused-fibrous ceramic, or a bioabsorbable branched polymer, or cell growth enhancing matrix or scaffolding. |
| US08084662B2 |
Method for degrading chemical warfare agents using Mn(VII) oxide with-and-without solid support
The invention provides a novel method of detoxifying highly toxic chemicals, and treating surfaces contaminated, or potentially contaminated, with toxic chemical agents such as chemical warfare agents and/or industrial toxins. The methods utilizes a novel sorbent compound which comprises Mn(VII) mineral which can be either solid supported or non-solid supported. The Mn(VII) mineral can be provided in a number of different forms including creams, lotions, powders, liquids, slurries and aerosols. |
| US08084656B2 |
Systems and methods for oxidation of synthesis gas tar
The various embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the process of gasification and the production of synthesis gas. More particularly, the various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the process of biomass gasification and the reduction or elimination of tars from the hydrocarbon-rich product gas derived from biomass gasification. The present invention comprises systems and methods for the reduction of tar from a synthesis gas derived from biomass gasification. |
| US08084655B2 |
Catalytic process for converting renewable resources into paraffins for use as diesel blending stocks
A process for converting renewable resources such as vegetable oil and animal fat into paraffins in a single step which comprises contacting a feed which is a renewable resources with hydrogen and a catalyst which comprises a non-precious metal a first oxide and optionally a second oxide wherein at least one of the first oxide or second oxide comprises a zeolite, through hydrodeoxygenation and one or both of hydroisomerization and hydrocracking. |
| US08084654B2 |
Manufacturing process for iodinated aromatic compounds
Disclosed is a method for preparing an iodinated aromatic compound. More specifically, disclosed is a method of preparing an iodinated aromatic compound by iodinating an aromatic compound in the presence of oxygen over a zeolite catalyst, in which the aromatic compound and its monoiodo compound, as raw materials, are allowed to react with iodine. In comparison with a method in which only the aromatic compound is used as a raw material without adding the monoiodo compound, the disclosed method can increase the productivity of diiodo compounds and the selectivity to a p-diiodo compound and, at the same time, suppress side reactions, thus lengthening the life span of the catalyst. |
| US08084651B2 |
Process for purification of glycerol
A process for the recovery of glycerol comprises contacting an aqueous feed composition that comprises water, glycerol, and at least one contaminant with a solvent extractant comprising at least one C5-C8 alkanol, optionally in admixture with at least one alkane, to form a first mixture, and separating the first mixture into a first solvent phase and a first aqueous phase. The first solvent phase comprises a majority (more than 50 wt %) of the solvent extractant and a majority of the glycerol that was present in the aqueous feed composition. The weight ratio in the first solvent phase of glycerol to a contaminant present is greater than the weight ratio of glycerol to the contaminant in the aqueous feed composition. The first aqueous phase comprises a majority of the water from the aqueous feed composition and at least some of the contaminant from the aqueous feed composition. |
| US08084650B2 |
Adamantane derivative, resin composition containing same, and optoelectronic member and sealing agent for electronic circuit using those
Disclosed is an adamantane derivative which provides a cured product excellent in optical characteristics such as transparency and light resistance, long-term heat resistance, electrical characteristics such as and dielectric constant, and low water absorption. Also disclosed are a resin composition containing the adamantane derivative, a sealing agent for electronic circuits, optical electronic member, semiconductor device and copper-clad laminate all using the resin composition, and a radiation-sensitive resin composition which contains the above-mentioned adamantane derivative as a crosslinking agent. Specifically disclosed are an adamantane derivative represented by the formula (I-1) below, a resin composition containing the adamantane derivative, a sealing agent for electronic circuits, optical electronic member, semiconductor device and copper-clad laminate, all using the resin composition, and a radiation-sensitive resin composition which contains the above-mentioned adamantane derivative as a crosslinking agent. |
| US08084646B2 |
Process for production of hydroxyadamantaneamine
Disclosed is a process for producing 1-hydroxy-4-aminoadamantane. |
| US08084643B2 |
Water-soluble prodrugs of florfenicol and its analogs
The present invention discloses certain novel prodrugs of florfenicol and/or of florfenicol analogs, including prodrugs of salts pharmaceutically acceptable salts of florfenicol and its analogs, including nitrogen-containing esters of the secondary alcohol group of florfenicol and of its analogs, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, compositions containing them, and methods of administering them to subjects. In particular embodiments the prodrugs are sufficiently water-soluble to serve the functions needed of a water-soluble prodrug of florfenicol or of a water-soluble prodrug of a florfenicol analog. A certain subclass of the compounds also possesses the hydrolytic stability needed to maintain the prodrug in solution in the subject's system until appropriate conditions exist when the prodrug can hydrolyze, releasing florfenicol or the florfenicol analog in question. |
| US08084639B2 |
Method of reducing inflow of water from a reactor outlet gas to a dehydration tower for separating carboxylic acid solvent and water
A method of reducing or eliminating inflow of water to a dehydration tower using steam for separating water from a carboxylic acid from a reactor outlet gas produced in a reactor during oxidation of an aromatic compound in a carboxylic acid solvent to produce an aromatic acid, for example, oxidation of p-xylene in acetic acid solvent to produce terepthalic acid. The aromatic compound is introduced at the top of an absorption tower and collects ascending carboxylic acid solvent, introduced in the reactor outlet gas at the bottom of the absorption tower, for reintroduction into the reactor eliminating the need to remove and recover the solvent. The absorption tower, condensers and an organic-water separator remove the water in the reactor outlet gas as waste water, and the amount of water inflow to the dehydration tower is reduced or eliminated, as is the amount of steam required for separation. |
| US08084638B2 |
Sulfanyl derivatives and their use as synthesis intermediates
The present application relates to sulfanyl derivatives of formula (I) and to their use as synthesis intermediates, especially for the preparation of the pharmaceutically active compound mesna. Formula (I), wherein X is O or N—C(NH)NH2; M+ is hydrogen, sodium, disodium, potassium, dipotassium, ammonium (NH4)+, diammonium, quaternary ammonium, calcium or magnesium. |
| US08084635B2 |
Glyceryl ether compounds and their use
Glyceryl ether compounds prepared by the reaction of glycerol and olefin epoxides are disclosed. The compounds are renewable biomass-based surfactants useful as detergents and emulsifiers in formulations for cleaning, laundry, personal care, cosmetics, and industrial uses. |
| US08084634B2 |
Production method
The present invention relates to a process for preparing compounds of general formula I wherein R1 and R2 are defined as in claim 1, the pharmaceutically acceptable salts and the solvates thereof, which may be prepared starting from compounds of general formula II wherein R1 is defined as in claim 1. |
| US08084633B2 |
Organically modified siloxanes and their use for producing preparations for water-repellent impregnations
The invention relates to organomodified siloxane compounds of the general formula (I) the use of at least one of these compounds for producing aqueous preparations for the water-repellent impregnation of organic or inorganic materials. |
| US08084627B2 |
Hydroxymethyl fluorescein derivatives for use as biological markers and dyes
Hydroxymethyl fluorescein derivatives are provided. The derivatives can be easily conjugated to other molecules, and are more permeable than other fluorescein derivatives. Methods of making the derivatives are also provided. |
| US08084622B2 |
Process for producing 3,4-disubstituted pyrrolidine derivative and production intermediate thereof
An industrially advantageous process for the production of (3R,4S)-3-cyclopropylaminomethyl-4-fluoropyrrolidine or an enantiomer thereof that is useful as an intermediate for the production of novel antimicrobial agents 10-(3-cyclopropylaminomethyl-4-fluoropyrrolidinyl)pyridobenzoxazine carboxylic acid derivatives.Highly stereoselective asymmetric hydrogenation of 1-protected-4-alkoxycarbonyl-3-oxopyrrolidine, followed by ester hydrolysis, followed by amidation with cyclopropylamine gives crude crystals. The crude crystals are purified by recrystallization to give a novel compound (3R,4S)-1-protected-3-cyclopropylcarbamoyl-4-hydroxypyrrolidine or an enantiomer thereof at high optical purity. The use of these intermediates enables industrial production of high-quality products of (3R,4S)-3-cyclopropylaminomethyl-4-fluoropyrrolidine or an enantiomer thereof. The process is highly simple and can produce the desired products at high purity and stable yields. |
| US08084617B2 |
Ionic liquids having fluoroalkyltrifluoroborate anions
The invention relates to compounds of the formula (I), in which X, -Q1-Q2- and RF have the meaning indicated in Claim 1, as ionic liquids, and to a process for the preparation thereof. |
| US08084615B2 |
Antibacterial agents
Antibacterial compounds of formula I are provided: As well as stereoisomers, pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, and prodrugs thereof; pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of treating bacterial infections by the administration of such compounds; and processes for the preparation of the compounds. |
| US08084614B2 |
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor antagonists and methods relating thereto
GnRH receptor antagonists are disclosed which have utility in the treatment of a variety of sex-hormone related conditions in both men and women. The compounds of this invention have the structure, wherein R1a, R1b, R1c, R1d, R2, R2a, and A are as defined herein, including stereoisomers, esters, solvates and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Also disclosed are compositions containing a compound of this invention in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, as well as methods relating to the use thereof for antagonizing gonadotropin-releasing hormone in a subject in need thereof. |
| US08084612B2 |
Proline analogs as ligands for cannabinoid receptors
The invention relates to compounds of Formulae I(a) to XI and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and solvates thereof (Proline Analog Compounds), that are useful, e.g., as ligands for cannabinoid receptors, as compositions comprising a Proline Analog Compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, in methods of making such Proline Analog Compounds, and in methods for treating or preventing a Condition, such as pain, nausea, vomiting and an eating disorder, comprising administering an effective amount of a Proline Analog Compound to an animal in need thereof. |
| US08084607B2 |
Apoptosis promoters
Disclosed are compounds which inhibit the activity of anti-apoptotic protein family members, compositions containing the compounds and uses of the compounds for preparing medicaments for treating diseases during which occurs expression one or more than one of an anti-apoptotic protein family member. |
| US08084601B2 |
Oligomers
Molecules are provided for inducing or facilitating exon skipping in forming spliced mRNA products from pre-mRNA molecules in cells. The molecules may be provided directly as oligonucleotides or expression products of vectors that are administered to a subject. High rates of skipping can be achieved. High rates of skipping reduce the severity of a disease like Duchene Muscular Dystrophy so that the disease is more like Becker Muscular Dystrophy. This is a severe reduction in symptom severity and mortality. |
| US08084600B2 |
Short interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) with improved pharmacological properties
Short interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) for oral administration, said siRNA comprising two separate RNA strands that are complementary to each other over at least 15 nucleotides, wherein each strand is 49 nucleotides or less, and wherein at least one of which strands contains at least one chemical modification. |
| US08084598B1 |
Bioionformality detectable group of novel regulatory oligonucleotides and uses thereof
The present invention relates to a first group of novel oligonucleotides, here identified as genomic address messenger or GAM oligonucleotides, and a second group of novel operon-like polynucleotides, here identified as genomic record or GR polynucleotides. GAM oligonucleotides selectively inhibit translation of known target genes, many of which are known to be involved in various diseases. Nucleic acid molecules are provided respectively encoding 2147 GAM oligonucleotides, and 313 GR polynucleotides as are vectors and probes both comprising the nucleic acid molecules, and methods and systems for detecting GAM oligonucleotides and GR polynucleotide and specific functions and utilities thereof, for detecting expression of GAM oligonucleotides and GR polynucleotides and for selectively enhancing and selectively inhibiting translation of the respective target genes thereof. |
| US08084591B2 |
Factor VII or VIIA-like molecules
Conjugates of Factor VII (FVII) and Factor VIIa (FVIIA) are provided, as are methods for preparing them. Methods for producing novel polypeptides contributing to the production of such conjugates are provided. Methods of treatment by administering a FVII or FVIIa conjugate are provided. |
| US08084580B2 |
Therapeutic human albumin solutions with low prekallikrein activator (PKA) activity and process for obtaining them
The invention discloses a purified albumin solution of human origin with low prekallicrein activator (PKA) activity and stability over time characterized in that it has an antithrombin content equal to or greater than 0.03 mg/g of albumin, and a process for production thereof by the partial extraction of the antithrombin during fractionation of the human plasma. |
| US08084577B2 |
Crystal of human glycoprotein VI collagen binding domain
A crystal comprising the collagen binding domain of human GPVI is provided and defined by structural atomic coordinates. Employing computer modeling based on the crystal structure, including methods for identifying inhibitors of GPVI collagen binding activity, methods for screening libraries of compounds for potential to bind to the GPVI collagen binding domain, and methods of identifying a compound useful for the treatment of a GPVI-mediated disorder, are also provided. |
| US08084576B2 |
Cancer associated glucose transporter 8 variant
The present invention provides the amino acid and nucleic acid sequences of heavy chain and light chain complementarity determining regions of a cancer specific antibody. In addition, the invention provides cancer specific antibodies and immunoconjugates comprising the cancer specific antibody attached to a toxin or label, and methods and uses thereof. The invention also relates to diagnostic methods and kits using the cancer specific antibodies of the invention. Further, the invention provides a novel cancer-associated antigen and its uses thereof. |
| US08084568B1 |
Poly(arylene ether) copolymer having cation-exchange group, process of manufacturing the same, and use thereof
The present invention relates to a poly(arylene ether) copolymer having an ion exchange group, particularly a positive ion exchange group, a method for manufacturing the same, and use thereof. In the poly(arylene ether) copolymer having the ion exchange group according to the present invention, physical characteristics, ion exchanging ability, metal ion adsorption ability and a processability are excellent, and thus the copolymer can be molded in various shapes and can be extensively applied to various fields such as recovering of organic metal, air purification, catalysts, water treatment, medical fields and separating of proteins. |
| US08084566B2 |
Antifoaming compositions
Mixtures of silicone resin with an organopolysiloxane copolymer prepared by hydrosilylating a substantially linear polymer containing an isocyanate reactive group with an Si—H containing organopolysiloxane, and reacting this intermediate with a diisocyanate, are useful as long lasting defoamers which are compatible with numerous media. |
| US08084564B2 |
Metal-film-coated material and process for producing the same, metallic-pattern-bearing material and process for producing the same, composition for polymer layer formation, nitrile group-containing polymer and method of synthesizing the same, composition containing nitrile group-containing polymer, and laminate
The invention provides a polymer containing at least a unit represented by the following Formula (1) and a unit represented by the following Formula (2). In Formula (1) and Formula (2), R1 to R5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group; X, Y and Z each independently represent a single bond, a substituted or unsubstituted divalent organic group, an ester group, an amide group or an ether group; and L1 and L2 each independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted divalent organic group. The invention provides a method of synthesizing embodiments of the polymer, a composition containing the polymer, and a laminate formed by applying the composition on a resin base material. |
| US08084562B2 |
Method for producing polymer-dispersed polyol
To provide a method for producing a polymer-dispersed polyol which has high compatibility with a polyol for rigid polyurethane foams and is excellent in storage stability and which provides good heat-insulating performance when it is formed into a rigid polyurethane foam. Also a method for producing a polymer-dispersed polyol for rigid polyurethane foams, having polymer particles dispersed in a polyol, which comprises polymerizing a monomer having a polymerizable unsaturated group in a polyol (X), wherein the polyol (X) contains a polyether polyol (Y) having an oxyethylene group content of at least 10 mass %, and the monomer having a polymerizable unsaturated group contains a fluorinated acrylate or a fluorinated methacrylate. |
| US08084560B2 |
Polymerization processes using metallocene catalysts, their polymer products and end uses
A process for the production of an ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer is disclosed, the process including polymerizing ethylene and at least one alpha-olefin by contacting the ethylene and the at least one alpha-olefin with a metallocene catalyst in at least one gas phase reactor at a reactor pressure of from 0.7 to 70 bar and a reactor temperature of from 20° C. to 150° C. to form an ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer. The resulting ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer may have a density D of 0.927 g/cc or less, a melt index (I2) of from 0.1 to 100 dg/min, a MWD of from 1.5 to 5.0. The resulting ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer may also have a peak melting temperature Tmax second melt satisfying the following relation: Tmax second melt>D*398−245. |
| US08084559B2 |
Transition metal complex, process for producing said transition metal complex, substituent-carrying fluorene compound, process for producing said fluorene compound, catalyst component for olefin polymerization, catalyst for olefin polymerization, and process for producing olefin polymer
A transition metal complex represented by formula [1], and its production process; a substituent-carrying fluorene compound represented by formula [2], and its production process; an olefin polymerization catalyst component comprising the complex; an olefin polymerization catalyst obtained by contacting the catalyst component with a defined aluminum compound and/or a defined boron compound; and a production process of an olefin polymer using the catalyst: |
| US08084556B2 |
Method for preparing water-absorbing polymer particles by suspension polymerization
In a process for producing water-absorbing polymeric particles by suspension polymerization, a monomer solution is metered into a stirred reactor via at least one feed line, the stirred reactor has a volume of at least 1 m3 and the at least one feed line ends in the stirred reactor at a point less than 25 cm above the liquid surface. |
| US08084548B2 |
Hydrogenation of diene-based polymers
The present invention relates to a process for the hydrogenation of the carbon-carbon double bonds in diene-based polymers in bulk form by treatment of said diene-based polymer with hydrogen in the presence of an iridium containing catalyst and in the absence of any organic solvent. |
| US08084546B2 |
Method for varying the transport properties of a film cast from a sulfonated copolymer
A method for varying the transport properties of a film cast from a polymer having at least two polymer end blocks A and at least one polymer interior block B wherein each A block is a polymer block resistant to sulfonation and each B block is a polymer block susceptible to sulfonation, and wherein said A and B blocks do not contain any significant levels of olefinic unsaturation. The method includes casting the polymer using a solvent mixture having two or more solvents selected from the group consisting of polar solvents and non-polar solvents. |
| US08084543B2 |
Light-scattering compositions
Light-scattering compositions comprising diffuser polymer particles are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the light-scattering compositions. |
| US08084542B2 |
Shaped article composed of an acrylic rubber composition
An acrylic rubber comprised of a copolymer comprising 0.1 to 20% by weight of (A) units of a butenedioic acid monoester monomer having an alicyclic structure and 50 to 99.9% by weight of (B) units of at least one kind of monomer selected from acrylic acid ester monomers and methacrylic acid ester monomers. A crosslinkable acrylic rubber composition comprising the acrylic rubber and a crosslinking agent, especially a polyamine crosslinking agent, has good process-stability and good shapability and gives a shaped article having high heat resistance and exhibiting reduced permanent set. |
| US08084540B2 |
Propylene-based resin composition and molded article thereof
There is provided a propylene-based resin composition containing 10 to 89% by mass of a propylene-based polymer (A) (excluding a modified propylene-based polymer (C) defined below), 10 to 89% by mass of a polylactic acid-based resin (B), and 1 to 80% by mass of a modified propylene-based polymer (C) which is an α,β-unsaturated glycidyl ester-grafted propylene-based polymer having an α,β-unsaturated glycidyl ester-derived structural unit content of 0.1% by mass or more and less than 1.0% by mass, provided that each of the contents of the propylene-based polymer (A), the polylactic acid-based resin (B) and the modified propylene-based polymer (C) is an amount based on the total amount of the three components. |
| US08084538B2 |
Thermoplastic polymer composition and molded product
The present invention provides a thermoplastic polymer composition capable of exhibiting excellent impact resistance, durability and destaticizing property. The present invention relates to a thermoplastic polymer composition comprising (A) 50 to 95% by mass of an aliphatic polyester-based resin and (B) 5 to 50% by mass of a block copolymer comprising (B1) a hard segment block comprising at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyamide, a polyester, a polyolefin and a polyurethane, and (B2) a soft segment block having an ether bond, with the proviso that a total amount of the components (A) and (B) is 100% by mass. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thermoplastic polymer composition further comprises a specific amount of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of (C1) a polyester-based resin, (C2) a polyamide-based resin, (C3) an acrylic resin, (C4) a polycarbonate-based resin, (C5) a polyacetal-based resin, (C6) a polyphenylene ether-based resin, (C7) a polyolefin-based resin and (C8) a styrene-based resin. |
| US08084529B2 |
Thermosetting silicone rubber composition
A thermosetting silicone rubber composition that contains a cerium oxide powder in an amount of 0.001 to 10 mass % and that is characterized by total transmittance of light equal to or greater than 90% according to JIS K7105 when the light is passed through a 1 mm-thick layer of an alkenyl-containing dimethylpolysiloxane gum with 0.1 mass % of said cerium oxide powder dispersed in the gum. |
| US08084526B2 |
Silica-filled elastomeric compounds
The present invention provides compositions containing halobutyl elastomers, at least one mineral filler and at least one oligomeric polyol compound or mixture of at least one oligomeric polyol compound and an additive which contains at least one hydroxyl group and at least one functional group having a basic amine group.The present invention also provides a process for preparing silica reinforced elastomer compounds with improved scorch safety including admixing halobutyl elastomers, at least one silica mineral filler and at least one oligomeric polyol compound or mixture of at least one oligomeric polyol compound and an additive which contains at least one hydroxyl group and at least one functional group having a basic amine group and curing the resulting filled halobutyl elastomer mixture. |
| US08084525B2 |
Use of organophosphorus compounds as creping aids
A modified creping adhesive composition comprising at least one adhesive component and at least one modifier component, said modifier component comprising an organophosphorus compound is disclosed and claimed. A method of creping a paper web comprising: applying to a rotating creping cylinder an effective amount of a modified creping adhesive composition comprising at least one adhesive component and at least one modifier component, said modifier component comprising an organophosphorus compound; pressing a paper web against the creping cylinder to effect adhesion of the paper web to the creping cylinder; and dislodging the paper web from the creping cylinder with a doctor blade is also disclosed and claimed. |
| US08084523B2 |
Processes and manufacturing methods to produce an aqueous thermosetting fire-rated fire-retardant polymeric adhesive composition for manufacturing interior or exterior fire-rated cellulosic products
Disclosed is a fire-retardant non-corrosive composition, as well as a process for the production of porous materials, wherein the process is conducted in the presence of the said fire-retardant, non-corrosive composition. The fire-retardant, non-corrosive composition of the subject application includes a flame-retardant agent, preservative composition, casein liquid modified melamine resin adhesive, and a monomeric-polymeric MDI catalyst. The composition material and the product resulting from the process of the subject application have fire retardant, non-corrosive properties and protection from fungus and insects. |
| US08084522B2 |
Thermally stable cationic photocurable compositions
The invention relates to a cationic photocurable composition comprising at least one cationically polymerizable compound, at least one onium salt photoinitiator, at least a moisture scavenger, and at least a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of sterically hindered nitroxyl stabilizers, sterically hindered phenolic antioxidants, organic phosphorous stabilizers and mixtures thereof. |
| US08084521B2 |
System and method for the pre-treatment of rubber-modified asphalt cement, and emulsions thereof
This invention encompasses asphalt cement emulsions, as well as methods for preparing a pre-treated rubber-modified asphalt cement emulsions and methods for coating industrial surfaces using asphalt cement emulsions. |
| US08084520B2 |
Epoxy resin composition and semiconductor device
An epoxy resin composition comprising (A) an epoxy resin (B) a phenol resin, (C) a curing accelerator, (D) silica, and (E) alumina and/or aluminum hydroxide, wherein the amount of aluminum to the total amount of the epoxy resin composition is 0.25-5 wt % and 70 wt % or more of the silica has an average particle size of 25 μm or less. The epoxy resin composition for semiconductor encapsulating and a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor element encapsulated using the composition possess excellent characteristics in reliability during high temperature operation. |
| US08084519B2 |
Curing accelerator for epoxy resin composition, and one-pack type thermosetting epoxy resin composition
A curing accelerator for epoxy resin compositions, which is used in a one-pack type epoxy resin composition having excellent storage stability and rapid curability. The curing accelerator for epoxy resin compositions contains a microcapsule type curing accelerator wherein a compound represented by formula (I) is encapsulated by a thermosetting resin. (In formula (I), R1 and R2 each represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group.) |
| US08084518B2 |
Ethylenebis(hydroxyalkylphosphinic acid) and salts thereof
The invention relates to an ethylenebis(hydroxyalkylphosphinic acid) and salts thereof. The acid has the general formula: A-P(O)(OX)—CR1R2—CR3R4—P(O)(OX)-A. Variable A is CR5R6—OH. Variables R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6 are the same or different, and denote independently from each other H, C1-C20 alkyl, C6-C20 aryl, or C6-C20 aralkyl, so long as at least one of R1 and R2 is H and at least one of R3 and R4 is H. Variable X denotes H, an alkali metal, an element of main or transition group 2, an element of main or transition group 3, an element of main or transition group 4, an element of main or transition group 5, an element of transition group 6, an element of transition group 7, an element of transition group 8 and/or a nitrogen base. Also disclosed are a method for producing same and the use thereof. |
| US08084515B2 |
Dental compositions containing carbosilane polymers
Carbosilane-containing polymers (including oligomers) having the following structural features: greater than one repeat unit; at least four Si-arylene bonds; at least one (meth)acrylate moiety, Si—H moiety, or both; no Si—O bonds; preferably at least four silicon atoms; wherein two silicon atoms are separated by one arylene group in each repeat unit. |
| US08084514B2 |
Materials leading to improved dental composites and dental composites made therefrom
This invention relates to composite materials for restorative dentistry. More particularly, it relates to new components for dental composites, which impart an attractive combination of good mechanical properties and low shrinkage. |
| US08084509B2 |
Pre-expanded particulate polypropylene-based resin and in-mold expansion molded article
The present invention provides a pre-expanded particulate polyolefin-based resin capable of easily attaining satisfactory secondary expandability, satisfactory surface appearance, and satisfactory dimensional stability even when it is intended to obtain an in-mold expansion molded article having a thin-wall shape. The present invention provides a pre-expanded particulate polypropylene-based resin including a polypropylene-based resin X as a base resin, where the resin X includes a resin mixture of at least a polypropylene-based resin A having a melting point of 140° C. or lower and a polypropylene-based resin B having a melting point of 145° C. or higher, and the resin mixture is modified by an organic peroxide so as to have a melt index of 5 g/10 min or more and less than 20 g/10 min. |
| US08084508B2 |
Ethanol as a feedstock for a BCTL facility
A method of producing fuel by converting an alcohol stream comprising at least one alcohol into synthesis gas; providing a first synthesis gas stream, wherein at least a portion of the first synthesis gas stream comprises synthesis gas obtained from the alcohol conversion; converting a feed comprising synthesis gas via Fischer-Tropsch into a Fischer-Tropsch product comprising hydrocarbons, wherein at least a portion of the feed comprises synthesis gas from the first synthesis gas stream; and converting at least a portion of the Fischer-Tropsch product into fuel. A diesel fuel comprising hydrocarbons formed by Fischer-Tropsch conversion of synthesis gas derived from an alcohol stream comprising at least one alcohol. |
| US08084503B2 |
Indene derivatives as pharmaceutical agents
Compounds of formula (Ia): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4a, R4b, R5 and R6 are defined herein, as well as other indene derivatives are disclosed herein. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds and methods of using the compounds are also disclosed. |
| US08084501B2 |
Stable prostaglandin-containing compositions
A pharmaceutical composition containing a prostaglandin and an alkanoic acid ester of a polyethoxylated sorbitol in an amount effective to enhance the chemical stability of the prostaglandin, and the use thereof for treating ophthalmic conditions. Also disclosed are methods for enhancing the chemical stability of a prostaglandin-containing composition by using an alkanoic acid ester of a polyethoxylated sorbitol. |
| US08084500B2 |
Method of using catalpic acid to treat dyslipidemia
A method of treating and preventing dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and other diseases associated with the Metabolic Syndrome and of increasing the expression of genes that promote lipid oxidation in an animal, including mammals and humans, in which a therapeutically effective amount of catalpic acid is administered orally or parenterally to the animal. |
| US08084499B2 |
Modified clay mineral
Modified clay minerals obtained by treating a clay mineral with a particular acylarginine derivative are useful for stabilizing emulsion compositions, inter alia, W/O emulsion composition, while hardly causing skin irritation, and providing moisture retention properties. |
| US08084492B2 |
Benzofuran compound and pharmaceutical composition containing the same
The present invention relates to a compound having a leukotriene (particularly leukotriene B4) inhibitory action, and useful for the prophylaxis or treatment of diseases such as allergy, asthma, inflammation, cancer and the like. |
| US08084490B2 |
Sulfamate and sulfamide derivatives useful for the treatment of epilepsy and related disorders
The present invention is directed to novel sulfamide and sulfamate derivatives, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in the treatment of epilepsy and related disorders. |
| US08084486B2 |
Substituted arylpyrazoles
This invention relates to a combination product comprising a compound of formula I wherein X, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R9 are as described herein, and one or more further biologically active compounds as described herein, particularly anti-parasitic agents. |
| US08084485B2 |
6-(aminoalkyl)indazoles
6-(Aminoalkyl)indazoles of formula (I) and the salts thereof have renin-inhibiting properties and can be used as antihypertensive, and renal, cardiac and vascular protecting medicinally active ingredients. |
| US08084483B2 |
Compounds and compositions and methods of use
Described herein are compounds useful in the modulation of blood uric acid levels, formulations containing them and methods of using them. In some embodiments, the compounds described herein are used in the treatment or prevention of disorders related to aberrant levels of uric acid. |
| US08084482B2 |
Compositions and kits comprising a fungicidal triazole and an alkoxylated alcohol, and their uses
The present invention relates to compositions comprising (a1) a fungicidal triazole; and (b1) ethoxylated 2-propylheptanol having a mole average degree of ethoxylation from 7.5 to 8.5, to kits comprising the triazole and alcohol alkoxylate in separate containers, as well as to their uses in the agricultural field. The present invention also relates to use of ethoxylated 2-propylheptanol having a degree of ethoxylation from 7.5 to 8.5 as adjuvant and surfactant safener. |
| US08084478B2 |
Substituted 5- phenylamino- 1, 3, 4-oxadiazol-2-ylcarbonylamino-4-phenoxy-cyclohexane carboxylic acid as inhibitors of acetyl coenzyme A diacylglycerol acyltransferase
Compounds of formula (I), or salts thereof, which inhibit acetyl CoA (acetyl coenzyme A):diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT1) activity are provided, wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each independently selected from hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, cyano, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy and difluoromethoxy; together with processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as medicaments. |
| US08084477B2 |
Alpha-(N-sulfonamido)acetamide compound as an inhibitor of beta amyloid peptide production
The present invention provides a novel alpha-(N-sulfonamido)acetamide compound, its pharmaceutical composition, processes thereof and a method for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other conditions associated with β-amyloid peptide. |
| US08084476B2 |
Substituted methyl aryl or heteroaryl amide compounds
This invention provides a compound of the formula (I): wherein X represents a carbon atom or the like: Y represents imino, or the like: R1 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or the like: R2 and R3 independently represents a hydrogen atom or the like. These compounds are useful for the treatment of disease conditions mediated by prostaglandin such as pain, or the like in mammalian. This invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the above compound. |
| US08084471B2 |
Proteomimetic compounds as inhibitors of the interaction of nuclear receptor with coactivator peptides
The present invention relates to compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and methods which inhibit the binding of coactivator proteins in nuclear receptors, including estrogen receptors (alpha and/or beta), androgen receptors, thyroid receptors and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors, among others. Compounds according to the present invention may be useful in the treatment of a variety of disease states or conditions which are mediated through nuclear receptors. |
| US08084470B2 |
Substituted nicotinamide compounds and uses thereof
Substituted nicotinamide compounds corresponding to formula I a process for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, and the use thereof for the treatment or inhibition conditions such as pain, epilepsy, migraine, anxiety states, or urinary incontinence. |
| US08084467B2 |
Pyrazole derivatives as cannabinoid receptor antagonists
One aspect of the invention is concerned with cannabimimetic pyrazole analogs. Another aspect of the invention is concerned with new and improved pyrazole analogs having high affinities and/or selectivities for the CB1 cannabinoid receptor. A further aspect of the invention is concerned with pharmaceutical preparations employing the inventive analogs and methods of administering therapeutically effective amounts of the inventive analogs to provide a physiological effect. |
| US08084463B2 |
Quinuclidine derivatives and their use as muscarinic M3 receptor antagonists
Compounds of Formula (I); in salt or zwitterionic form wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 have the meanings as indicated in the specification, are useful for treating conditions that are mediated by the muscarinic M3 receptor, especially inflammatory or obstructive airways diseases. Pharmaceutical compositions that contain the compounds and a process for preparing the compounds are also described. |
| US08084462B2 |
3-substituted-2(arylalkyl)-1-azabicycloalkanes and methods of use thereof
The present invention relates to the pharmaceutical compositions incorporating compounds capable of affecting nicotinic acetylcholinergic receptors (nAChRs), for example, as modulators of specific nicotinic receptor subtypes (specifically, the α7 nAChR subtype). The present invention also relates to methods for treating a wide variety of conditions and disorders, particularly those associated with dysfunction of the central and autonomic nervous systems. |
| US08084458B2 |
Synthesis of locked nucleic acid derivatives
Methods are described for the synthesis of Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) derivatives using certain nitrogen-containing nucleophiles. |
| US08084457B2 |
Pharmaceutically active 4,6-disubstituted aminopyrimidine derivatives as modulators of protein kinases
The present invention relates to 4,6-disubstituted aminopyrimidine derivatives and/or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, the use of these derivatives as pharmaceutically active agents, especially for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of infectious diseases, including opportunistic diseases, prion diseases, immunological diseases, autoimmune diseases, bipolar and clinical disorders, cardiovascular diseases, cell proliferative diseases, diabetes, inflammation, transplant rejections, erectile dysfunction, neurodegenerative diseases and stroke, and pharmaceutical compositions containing at least one of said 4,6-di substituted aminopyrimidine derivatives and/or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of said 4,6-disubstituted aminopyrimidine derivatives as inhibitors for a protein kinase and a medium comprising at least one of said 4,6-disubstituted aminopyrimidine derivatives in an immobilized form and the use of said medium for enriching, purifying and/or depleting nucleotide binding proteins which bind to the immobilized 4,6-disubstituted aminopyrimidine derivatives. |
| US08084456B2 |
Pyrazine-based tubulin inhibitors
A compound of general formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable prodrugs, salts, hydrates, solvates, crystal forms or diastereomers thereof is described. A method of treating a hyperproliferation-related disease state or disorder in a subject using a compound of formula (I) is also described. |
| US08084453B2 |
Alkyl substituted indoloquinoxalines
Novel substituted indoloquinoxalines of formula (I wherein R1 is hydrogen or represents one or more similar or different substituents in the positions 7 to 10 selected from the group halogen, lower alkyl/alkoxy, hydroxy, trifluoromethyl, trichloromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, R2 represents similar or different C1-C4 alkyl substituents, X is CO or CH2, Y is OH, NH2, NH—(CH2)n—R3 wherein R3 represents lower alkyl, OH, NH2, NHR4 or NR5R6 wherein R4, R5 and R6 independently are lower alkyl or cyclo-alkyl and n is an integer of from 2 to 4, with the provision that when X is CH2, Y is OH or NH—(CH2)n—OH, and pharmacologically acceptable salts thereof are described. The compounds are useful as drugs for preventing and/or treating autoimmune diseases. |
| US08084450B2 |
Organic compounds
3,4-substituted piperidine compounds, these compounds for use in the diagnostic and therapeutic treatment of a warm-blooded animal, especially for the treatment of a disease (=disorder) that depends on activity of renin; the use of a compound of that class for the preparation of a pharmaceutical formulation for the treatment of a disease that depends on activity of renin; the use of a compound of that class in the treatment of a disease that depends on activity of renin; pharmaceutical formulations comprising a 3,4-substituted piperidine compound, and/or a method of treatment comprising administering a 3,4-substituted piperidine compound, a method for the manufacture of a 3,4-substituted piperidine compound, and novel intermediates and partial steps for their synthesis are disclosed. The 3,4-disubstituted piperidine compounds have the formula I, |
| US08084446B2 |
Use of DHEA derivatives for enhancing physical performance
A method is disclosed for administering a DHEA derivative or a physiologically acceptable salt, ester or ether thereof for one of decreasing body weight, reducing adipose tissue, increasing endurance, as an anti-aging compound and generating production of red blood cells. |
| US08084439B2 |
Methods for identifying compounds for the treatment of type 1 diabetes
The present invention provides methods of identifying candidate compounds for the treatment of type I diabetes and also provides methods for treating patients with type I diabetes and for limiting pancreatic beta cell apoptosis. The present invention also provides methods for diagnosing Type I diabetes or a propensity to develop type I diabetes and methods for identifying diabetic patients to be treated with anti-apoCIII therapy. |
| US08084434B2 |
Runx2 isoforms in angiogenesis
The present invention relates to RUNX2 and RUNXdelta8, and their use in modulating conditions and diseases associated with angiogenesis and cell proliferation. For example, RUNX2delta8 can be utilized to inhibit tumor growth and to prevent or inhibit angiogenesis. The present invention also relates to antibodies which specifically recognize RUNX2delta8, and distinguish it from RUNX2. |
| US08084431B2 |
Method for inhibiting activation of macrophages, inhibiting formation of osteoclasts, inhibiting function of osteoclasts, and/or activating osteoblasts
A method for inhibiting the activation of macrophages, inhibiting the formation of osteoclasts, inhibiting the function of osteoclasts, and/or activating osteoblasts in a mammal is provided. The method comprises the administration of an effective amount of kinsenoside of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof to the mammal: |
| US08084430B2 |
ENT-kaurene diterpene compound and its derivatives, their preparation and their use
Novel ent-kaurene diterpene compound and its derivatives, their preparation methods and their use. ent-Kaurene diterpene in the present invention could be used as desired intermediates for preparing asymmetric organic compounds and medicaments, and could be used as antitumor agent, anti-inflammatory agent and immune agent etc. The said ent-kaurene diterpene compound could be condensed with hydroxyl compounds to obtain various acetal derivatives, could be reacted with amine compounds to obtain various amino derivatives, and could be reacted with acyl halide or acid anhydride to obtain various acyl derivatives. |
| US08084425B2 |
Dopaminergic neuronal survival-promoting factors and uses thereof
In general, the invention features substantially purified MANF and substantially purified nucleic acids encoding the same. The invention also features a pharmaceutical composition that includes MANF and a pharmaceutically-acceptable excipient, methods for treatment of a neurodegenerative disease, methods for improving dopaminergic neuronal survival during or following cell transplantation, methods for production of neurons for transplantation, and methods for identifying compounds that modulate or mimic MANF's biological activity. |
| US08084420B2 |
Rapid acting and long acting insulin combination formulations
An injectable formulation containing a rapid acting insulin and a long acting insulin has been developed. The pH of the rapid acting insulin is adjusted so that the long acting insulin, remains soluble when they are mixed together. Preferably, the formulation is administered before breakfast, provides adequate bolus insulin levels to cover the meal and basal insulin for up to 24 hours, and does not produce hypoglycemia after the meal. Lunch and dinner can be covered by two bolus injections of a fast, rapid, or very rapid acting insulin. Alternatively, by adjusting the ratio of rapid to long acting insulin, the long acting insulin may be shortened to a 12 hour formulation, and re-administered to the patient at dinner time, providing a safe and effective basal insulin level until morning. As a result, a patient using intensive insulin therapy should only inject three times a day. |
| US08084419B2 |
Pharmaceutical compositions for sustained drug delivery
Sustained delivery formulations comprising a water-insoluble complex of a peptide and a plurality of ligands are disclosed. The formulations of the invention allow for loading of high concentrations of peptide in a small volume and for delivery of a pharmaceutically active peptide for prolonged periods, e.g., one month, after administration of the complex. The complexes of the invention can be milled or crushed to a fine powder. In powdered form, the complexes form stable aqueous suspensions and dispersions, suitable for injection. Methods of making the complexes of the invention, and methods of these complexes are also disclosed. |
| US08084418B2 |
Methods of inhibiting insects by treatment with a complex comprising a Photorhabdus insecticidal protein and one or two Xenorhabdus enhancer proteins
The subject invention relates to the surprising discovery that toxin complex (TC) proteins, obtainable from Xenorhabdus, Photorhabdus, and Paenibacillus, can be used interchangeably with each other. In particularly preferred embodiments of the subject invention, the toxicity of a “stand-alone” TC protein (from Photorhabdus, Xenorhabdus, or Paenibacillus, for example) is enhanced by one or more TC protein “potentiators” derived from a source organism of a different genus from which the toxin was derived. As one skilled in the art will recognize with the benefit of this disclosure, this has broad implications and expands the range of utility that individual types of TC proteins will now be recognized to have. Among the most important advantages is that one skilled in the art will now be able to use a single set of potentiators to enhance the activity of a stand-alone Xenorhabdus protein toxin as well as a stand-alone Photorhabdus protein toxin. (As one skilled in the art knows, Xenorhabdus toxin proteins tend to be more desirable for controlling lepidopterans while Photorhabdus toxin proteins tend to be more desirable for controlling coleopterans.) This reduces the number of genes, and transformation events, needed to be expressed by a transgenic plant to achieve effective control of a wider spectrum of target pests. Certain preferred combinations of heterologous TC proteins are also disclosed herein. Other objects, advantages, and features of the subject invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art having the benefit of the subject disclosure. |
| US08084417B2 |
Cross-linked glycopeptide-cephalosporin antibiotics
This invention provides cross-linked glycopeptide-cephalosporin compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof which are useful as antibiotics. This invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds; methods for treating bacterial infections in a mammal using such compounds; and processes and intermediates useful for preparing such compounds. |
| US08084413B2 |
Urocortin-III and uses thereof
A search of the public human genome database identified a human EST, GenBank accession number AW293249, which has high homology to known pufferfish urocortin sequences. The full length sequence was amplified from human genomic DNA and sequenced. Sequence homology comparisons of the novel sequence with human urocortin I and urocortin II revealed that the sequence encoded a novel human urocortin, which was designated urocortin III (UcnIII). While urocortin III does not have high affinity for either CRF-R1 or CRF-R2, the affinity for CRF-R2 is greater than the affinity for CRF-R1. Urocortin III is capable stimulating cyclic AMP production in cells expressing CRF-R2α or β. Thus, the affinity is high enough that urocortin III could act as a native agonist of CRF-R2. However, it is also likely that urocortin III is a stronger agonist of a yet to be identified receptor. |
| US08084410B2 |
Monitoring cleaning of surfaces
A method for monitoring cleaning of a surface includes applying an amount of transparent indicator material to an area of a surface and measuring the amount of transparent indicator material remaining on the surface. The transparent indicator material may be fixed on the surface by drying and, when a fluorescent material, may be measured through exposure to ultraviolet radiation. |
| US08084409B2 |
Microdermabrasion soap bar compositions and methods of preparing same
A light-colored soap bar composition for at-home microdermabrasion comprising from approximately 8% to approximately 15% by weight of an abrasive comprising magnesium oxide, having a mean particle size diameter from approximately 120 to approximately 200 micrometers, and from approximately 0.5% to approximately 3.5% total dispersing agents by weight, which help to disperse the abrasives uniformly within the soap bar. The dispersing agents comprise oil and butter components which help to uniformly incorporate the abrasives into the soap bar composition without having to significantly alter the foamability and integrity of the soap bar. |
| US08084407B2 |
Mild, structured, multiphase personal cleansing compositions comprising density modifiers
A mild, multiphase cleansing composition is described that includes a structured surfactant component has a first density; a benefit component that has a second density; and a density modifier; wherein the first density differs from the second density by less than 0.15 g/cm3; the structured surfactant component includes at least one surfactant and provides a Total Lather Volume of at least about 600 ml. |
| US08084403B2 |
Lubricant formulations and methods
The embodiments described herein relate to particular formulations and methods that provide reduced engine deposits. The lubricant composition includes a base oil having a NOACK volatility of from about 5 to about 15 and a zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate composition. The zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate composition has at least about 65 mole percent of zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate compounds derived from all primary alcohols, wherein the zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate composition has greater than about 40 mole percent zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate compounds having alkoxy moieties derived from alcohols having four carbon atoms. |
| US08084399B2 |
Process for screening of a binding amphiphilic peptides specific for hairpin RNA
The present invention relates to a screening method of an amphiphilic peptide specifically binding to hairpin RNA, more precisely a screening method of an amphiphilic peptide having specificity and strong binding strength to target hairpin RNA using peptide library comprising those peptides having modifications of both hydrophilic face and hydrophobic face. The method of the present invention provides a screening method of an amphiphilic peptide which is specific to hairpin RNA. So, the peptide selected by the method of the present invention can be effectively used for the study of hairpin RNA functions and for the production of a novel drug using an artificial peptide binding to a hairpin RNA target. |
| US08084398B2 |
Benzoylpyrazoles and herbicide
Benzoylpyrazoles represented by the following formula (I), and use thereof as herbicides. R1 represents alkyl; R2 represents alkyl or cycloalkyl; R3 represents hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aralkyl, alkylsulfonyl, optionally substituted phenylsulfonyl, acyl or acylalkyl; X represents halogen or alkyl; Y represents halogen; n represents 2 or 3, and T represents the above group T1 or T2, wherein R4 represents hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy or alkylthio. |
| US08084397B2 |
Methods to produce polymer nanoparticles and formulations of active ingredients
The present invention provides a composition including a polymer nanoparticle and at least one agricultural active compound incorporated with the nanoparticle, wherein the nanoparticle are less than 100 nm in diameter, and the polymer includes a polyelectrolyte. |
| US08084396B2 |
Aqueous composition for the protection and strengthening of plants and application method thereof
It is described an aqueous composition for the protection and strengthening of plants comprising: polyethylene glycol in a concentration of 2.0 to 10.0 grams per liter of the composition, wherein the polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of 6000 to 8000 grams/mol; vitamin A or a derivative or precursor thereof, including mixtures of same, in a concentration of 0.1 to 10.0 grams per liter of composition, and, at least a red coloring agent in a concentration of 0.1 to 10.0 grams per liter of composition, wherein said colorant enables the passage of light at wavelengths greater than 600 nanometers. The aqueous composition is very useful to prevent biotic or abiotic factors generating stress in plants, as well as for quickly improving plants that are in this state. In an embodiment of the invention, the aqueous composition comprises at least one glucoside; and/or at least a foliar fertilizer. In addition, it is described the application method for the composition. |
| US08084392B2 |
Crystalline silica-free diatomaceous earth filter aids and methods of manufacturing the same
A method of producing a range of diatomaceous earth filter aids having selectable permeabilities and less than about 1 percent by weight total crystalline silica. The method includes milling diatomaceous earth ore to a size range of between about 100 micrometers and about 1400 micrometers; calcining the milled diatomaceous earth in a calciner; and milling the calcined diatomaceous earth in an adjustable milling and classification system to produce diatomaceous earth filter aids. Systems to implement such methods and compositions produced by such methods are also described. |
| US08084391B2 |
Fibers having biodegradable superabsorbent particles attached thereto
Cellulose fibers having particles attached thereto, the particles comprising a carboxyalkyl cellulose, a starch, and a plurality of non-permanent metal crosslinks. The non-permanent intra-fiber metal crosslinks include multi-valent metal ion crosslinks formed with one or more metal ions selected from aluminum, boron, bismuth, titanium, and zirconium ions. |
| US08084390B2 |
Catalyst, a process for preparing the catalyst and a process for the production of an olefin oxide, a 1,2-diol, a 1,2 diol ether, or an alkanolamine
A catalyst which comprises a carrier and silver deposited on the carrier, which carrier has a surface area of at least 1.3 m2/g, a median pore diameter of more than 0.8 μm, and a pore size distribution wherein at least 80% of the total pore volume is contained in pores with diameters in the range of from 0.1 to 10 μm and at least 80% of the pore volume contained in the pores with diameters in the range of from 0.1 to 10 μm is contained in pores with diameters in the range of from 0.3 to 10 μm; process for the preparation of a catalyst which process comprises depositing silver on a carrier, wherein the carrier has been obtained by a method which comprises forming a mixture comprising: a) from 50 to 95 weight percent of a first particulate a-alumina having a median particle size (d50) of from 5 to 100 μm; b) from 5 to 50 weight percent of a second particulate a-alumina having a d50 which is less than the d50 of the first particulate a-alumina and which is in the range of from 1 to 10 μm; and c) an alkaline earth metal silicate bond material; weight percent being based on the total weight of a-alumina in the mixture; and firing the mixture to form the carrier; a process for the epoxidation of an olefin, which process comprises reacting a feed comprising an olefin and oxygen in the presence of a said catalyst; and a process for preparing a 1,2-diol, a 1,2-diol ether or an alkanolamine. |
| US08084388B2 |
Catalyst composition and process for the selective oxidation of ethane and/or ethylene to acetic acid
An oxide catalyst composition comprising the elements molybdenum, vanadium, niobium and titanium and a process for making the catalyst composition. A process for the selective oxidation of ethane and/or ethylene to acetic acid using the catalyst composition. The catalyst composition provides high selectivity to acetic acid with reduced selectivity to ethylene. |
| US08084383B2 |
Gasoline sulfur reduction catalyst for fluid catalytic cracking process
The present invention is directed to certain catalyst compositions and processes that are capable of reducing sulfur compounds normally found as part of the gasoline fraction streams of fluid catalytic cracking processes. The present invention is a cracking catalyst composition comprising a zeolite in combination with a Lewis Acid containing component, wherein the cracking catalyst composition comprises 0.2% Na2O or less. It has been found that sulfur compounds in hydrocarbon feeds to fluid catalytic cracking processes can be reduced by at least 15% compared to the same composition, which does not comprise the aforementioned Lewis Acid containing component. |
| US08084380B2 |
Transition metal doped Sn phosphate glass
Transition metal doped Sn phosphate glass compositions and methods of making transition metal doped Sn phosphate glass compositions are described which can be used for example, in sealing applications. |
| US08084379B2 |
Wall panel system
A wall panel comprises a base layer comprising fiberglass board, an intermediate layer comprising molded fiberglass board, and a facer layer comprising glass textile. The wall panel provides consumers with greater options and flexibility in terms of room aesthetics as well as provides additional advantages over current basement finishing systems having fabric facer layers. |
| US08084376B2 |
Carrier member and support member
In a carrier member, a connecting fiber connects a peripheral part of an opening of a front surface layer and a peripheral part of an opening of a back surface layer, for each opening. At least one part of at least one connecting fiber is located inside a virtual space. The virtual space is a space which is surrounded with both surface layers and virtual vertical walls. The virtual vertical walls are extended, from inner edges of the peripheral part of the opening of one layer, to the other layer. The carrier member has many opportunities for a volatile component, held by the carrier member, to touch blown air so as to volatilize the volatile component. |
| US08084372B2 |
Substrate processing method and computer storage medium
In the present invention, a coating solution containing polysilazane is applied to a substrate to form a coating film. Thereafter, an ultraviolet ray is applied to the coating film formed on the substrate to cut a molecular bond of polysilazane in the coating film. Then, the coating film in which the molecular bond of polysilazane has been cut is oxidized while the coating film is being heated. Then, the oxidized coating film is baked at a baking temperature equal to or higher than a heating temperature when the coating film is oxidized. |
| US08084371B2 |
Field effect transistors, methods of fabricating a carbon-insulating layer using molecular beam epitaxy and methods of fabricating a field effect transistor
Field effect transistors, methods of fabricating a carbon insulating layer using molecular beam epitaxy and methods of fabricating a field effect transistor using the same are provided, the methods of fabricating the carbon insulating layer include maintaining a substrate disposed in a molecular beam epitaxy chamber at a temperature in a range of about 300° C. to about 500° C. and maintaining the chamber in vacuum of 10−11 Torr or less prior to performing an epitaxy process, and supplying a carbon source to the chamber to form a carbon insulating layer on the substrate. The carbon insulating layer is formed of diamond-like carbon and tetrahedral amorphous carbon. |
| US08084366B2 |
Modified DARC stack for resist patterning
A method of making a device includes forming a device layer, forming an organic hard mask layer over the device layer, forming a first oxide hard mask layer over the organic hard mask layer, forming a DARC layer over the first oxide hard mask layer, forming a photoresist layer over the DARC layer, patterning the photoresist layer to form a photoresist pattern, and transferring the photoresist pattern to the device layer using the DARC layer, the first oxide hard mask layer and the organic hard mask layer. |
| US08084365B2 |
Method of manufacturing a nano structure by etching, using a substrate containing silicon
A method of manufacturing a nano structure by etching, using a substrate containing Si. A focused Ga ion or In ion beam is irradiated on the surface of the substrate containing Si. The Ga ions or the In ions are injected while sputtering away the surface of the substrate so that a layer containing Ga or In is formed on the surface of the substrate. Dry etching by a gas containing fluorine (F) is performed with the layer containing the Ga or the In formed on the surface of the substrate taken as an etching mask, and the nano structure is formed having a pattern of at least 2 μm tin in depth according to a predetermined line width. |
| US08084363B2 |
Polishing slurry and polishing method
The present invention relates to polishing slurry and polishing method used for polishing in a process for forming wirings of a semiconductor device, and the like. There are provided polishing slurry giving a polished surface having high flatness even if the polished surface is made of two or more substances, and further, capable of suppressing metal residue and scratches after polishing, and a method of chemical mechanical polishing using this. The polishing slurry of the present invention is polishing slurry containing at least one of a surfactant and an organic solvent, and a metal oxide dissolving agent and water, or polishing slurry containing water and abrasive of which surface has been modified with an alkyl group, and preferably, it further contains a metal oxidizer, water-soluble polymer, and metal inhibitor. |
| US08084360B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first film containing boron (B) on a member to be etched, the member being a semiconductor substrate, or a film formed on the semiconductor substrate, and forming a second film formed of a silicon oxide film on the first film. The method further includes pressing an original plate having a pattern formed in an uneven shape onto the second film to transfer the pattern to the second film, and etching the first film by using the second film where the pattern is transferred as a mask, with an etching gas that contains fluoromethane (CH3F) and oxygen (O2) and has an oxygen concentration of 50 to 90 at. %, to transfer the pattern to the first film. The method further includes etching the member by using the first film where the pattern is transferred as a mask, to form a concave portion having the pattern in the member. |
| US08084359B2 |
Semiconductor package and methods of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip having first and second pads, a first insulation layer pattern formed on the semiconductor chip and having first and second openings that expose the first and the second pads, respectively, a first conductive layer pattern elongated along the first insulation layer pattern from the first pad, a first external terminal formed on the first conductive layer pattern, a second insulation layer pattern formed on the first conductive layer pattern and the first insulation layer pattern to expose the first external terminal and having a third opening in communication with the second opening, a second conductive layer pattern elongated along the second insulation layer pattern from the second pad, and a second external terminal formed on the second conductive layer pattern. |
| US08084357B2 |
Method for manufacturing a dual damascene opening comprising a trench opening and a via opening
A method for manufacturing a multi cap layer includes providing a substrate, forming a multi cap layer comprising a first cap layer and a second cap layer formed thereon on the substrate, forming a patterned metal hard mask layer on the multi cap layer, and performing an etching process to etch the multi cap layer through the patterned hard mask layer and to form an opening in the second cap layer. |
| US08084350B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes can prevent defects of a semiconductor device due to the deterioration of electro migration (EM)/stress migration (SM) properties of the device as a result of metal corrosion and void generation in burying a novolac material. Embodiments can also prevent the generation of fencing in a metal wire structure. |
| US08084346B1 |
Replacement metal gate method
A method includes forming a dummy gate in a dielectric layer on a substrate, the dummy gate including a sacrificial oxide layer and a dummy gate body over the sacrificial oxide layer; removing the dummy gate body resulting in a gate opening with the sacrificial oxide layer in a bottom of the gate opening; performing an off-axis sputtering to create an angled entrance on the gate opening; removing the sacrificial oxide layer; and forming a replacement gate in the gate opening. |
| US08084345B2 |
Methods of forming dispersions of nanoparticles, and methods of forming flash memory cells
Some embodiments include methods of forming dispersions of nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are incorporated into first coordination complexes in which the nanoparticles are coordinated to hydrophobic ligands, and the first coordination complexes are dispersed within a non-polar solvent. While the first coordination complexes are within the non-polar solvent, the ligands are reacted with one or more reactants to convert the first coordination complexes into second coordination complexes that contain hydrophilic ligands. The second coordination complexes are then extracted from the non-polar solvent into water, to form a mixture of the second coordination complexes and the water. In some embodiments, the mixture may be dispersed across a semiconductor substrate to form a uniform distribution of the nanoparticles across the substrate. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles may then be incorporated into flash memory devices as charge-trapping centers. |
| US08084344B2 |
Methods of fabricating a semiconductor device
A method of fabricating a contact plug of a semiconductor device is provided, the method includes forming a gate pattern on a substrate, forming a capping pattern to cover an upper surface and sidewalls of the gate pattern, forming an interlayer insulation layer on the substrate such that the interlayer insulation layer exposes an upper surface of the capping pattern, and removing a portion of the capping pattern and the interlayer insulation layer such that the upper surface of the capping pattern is planarized. |
| US08084343B2 |
Semiconductor device
In order to block hydrogen ions produced when forming an interlayer insulating film by HDP-CVD or the like to thereby suppress an adverse effect of the hydrogen ions on a device, in a semiconductor device including a contact layer, a metal interconnection and an interlayer insulating film on a semiconductor substrate having a gate electrode formed thereon, the interlayer insulating film is formed on the metal interconnection by bias-applied plasma CVD using source gas containing hydrogen atoms, and a silicon oxynitride film is provided in the underlayer of the metal interconnection and the interlayer insulating film. |
| US08084341B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device which includes a step of forming one optional impurity region in a semiconductor substrate at a place apart from the surface thereof, and in the method described above, ion implantation is performed a plurality of times while the position of an end portion of a mask pattern used for ion implantation is changed. |
| US08084338B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
The depletion of a gate electrode (103) is suppressed in such a way that impurities are introduced into the gate electrode that is formed on a semiconductor substrate (101), with a gate insulating film (102) interposed between the gate electrode (103) and the semiconductor substrate (101), and that, by irradiating a laser beam onto the gate electrode (103), the introduced impurities are made to diffuse up to the interface between the gate electrode (103) and the gate insulating film (102). |
| US08084333B2 |
Object cutting method
An object cutting method which can reliably remove particles remaining on cut sections of chips is provided. An expandable tape 23 is electrically charged in a state where a plurality of semiconductor chips 25 obtained by cutting a planar object to be processed along a line to cut are separated from each other on the expandable tape 23. This electric action causes particles remaining on cut sections of the semiconductor chips 25 to eject therefrom even when a molten processed region is formed in the cut sections. Therefore, particles remaining on the cut sections of the chips 25 can reliably be removed. |
| US08084325B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device can prevent exposure of an inner wall of a recess pattern caused by misalignment between masks. A gate electrode is formed inside the recess pattern so that only a gate hard mask layer is exposed above a substrate surface. Since the gate electrode is not exposed above the substrate, it is possible to prevent SAC failure and decrease an aspect ratio of a gate pattern to increase an open margin of a contact hole. Thus, a semiconductor device having a recess channel gate structure which exhibits a superior refresh property is fabricated. |
| US08084324B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory and fabrication method for the same
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a memory cell transistor including a first floating gate electrode layer formed on a first tunneling insulating film, a first inter-gate insulating film, a first and a second control gate electrode layer, and a first metallic silicide film; a high voltage transistor including a high voltage gate electrode layer formed on the high voltage gate insulating film, a second inter-gate insulating film having an aperture, a third and a fourth control gate electrode layer, and a second metallic silicide film; a low voltage transistor including a second floating gate electrode layer formed on the second tunneling insulating film, a third inter-gate insulating film having an aperture, a fifth and a sixth control gate electrode layer, and a third metallic silicide film; and a liner insulating film directly disposed on a first source and drain region of the memory cell transistor, a second source and drain region of the low voltage transistor, and a third source and drain region of the high voltage transistor. |
| US08084323B2 |
Stack capacitor of memory device and fabrication method thereof
The invention provides a method for forming a stack capacitor of a memory device, including providing a substrate, forming a patterned sacrificial layer with a plurality of first openings over the substrate, conformally forming a first conductive layer on the patterned sacrificial layer and in the first openings, forming a second conductive layer on the first conductive layer to seal the first openings with a void formed therein, removing a portion of the first and second conductive layers to expose the patterned sacrificial layer, and removing at least a portion of the patterned sacrificial layer to form bottom cell plates. |
| US08084320B2 |
Non-volatile memory and method for fabricating the same
A non-volatile memory is described, which includes gate structures, doped regions, second spacers and contact plugs. The gate structures are disposed on the substrate, each of which includes a control gate and a gate dielectric layer. The control gates are disposed on the substrate, and two first spacers are deployed at both sides of each control gate. The gate dielectric layers are disposed between the control gates and the substrate, respectively. Each of the doped regions is formed in the substrate between two adjacent gate structures. The second spacers are disposed on the sidewalls of the gate structures. The contact plugs are formed between two adjacent second spacers, respectively. |
| US08084319B2 |
Precisely tuning feature sizes on hard masks via plasma treatment
Methods are provided for fabricating devices. A first layer is formed. A hardmask on the first layer is formed. Features on the hardmask are patterned. The sizes of features on the hardmask are reduced by applying a plasma treatment process to form reduced size features. Also, the size of features on the hardmask can be enlarged to form enlarged size features by applying the plasma treatment process and/or removing the oxidized part of the feature during plasma treatment process. Another method may include a first layer formed on a substrate and a second layer formed on the first layer. First features are patterned on the first layer, and second features are patterned on the second layer. A size of second features on the second layer is closed due to the different oxidation rate of the two layers during the plasma treatment process, to form a self-sealed channel and/or self-buried trench. |
| US08084318B2 |
Methods of fabricating integrated circuit devices including strained channel regions and related devices
A method of fabricating an integrated circuit device includes forming first and second gate patterns on surfaces of a semiconductor substrate in PMOS and NMOS regions, respectively, of the substrate. P-type source/drain regions are epitaxially grown on opposite sides of the first gate pattern in the PMOS region to exert compressive stress on a first channel region therebetween adjacent the first gate pattern. N-type source/drain regions are epitaxially grown on opposite sides of the second gate pattern in the NMOS region to exert tensile stress on a second channel region therebetween adjacent the second gate pattern. Related devices are also discussed. |
| US08084317B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device comprises a gate electrode on a semiconductor substrate having a device isolation region, a first drain spacer on one side of the gate electrode, a second drain spacer next to the first drain spacer, a first source spacer on an opposite side of the gate electrode and a portion of the semiconductor substrate where a source region is to be formed, a second source spacer on side and top surfaces of the first source spacer, and LDDs adjacent to the first drain spacer and below the first source spacers, wherein the LDD below the first source spacer is thinner than the LDD adjacent to the first drain spacer. |
| US08084316B2 |
Method of fabricating single transistor floating-body DRAM devices having vertical channel transistor structures
Single transistor floating-body DRAM devices have a vertical channel transistor structure. The DRAM devices include a substrate, and first and second floating bodies disposed on the substrate and isolated from each other. A source region and a drain region are disposed under and above each of the first and second floating bodies. A gate electrode is disposed between the first and second floating bodies. Methods of fabricating the single transistor floating-body DRAM devices are also provided. |
| US08084313B2 |
Method for forming a bipolar junction transistor and a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor
A method for forming BiCMOS integrated circuits and structures formed according to the method. After forming doped wells and gate stacks for the CMOS devices and collector and base regions for the bipolar junction transistor, an emitter layer is formed within an emitter window. A dielectric material layer is formed over the emitter layer and remains in place during etching of the emitter layer and removal of the etch mask. The dielectric material layer further remains in place during source/drain implant doping and activation of the implanted source/drain dopants. The dielectric material layer functions as a thermal barrier, to limit out-diffusion of the emitter dopants during the activation step. |
| US08084311B1 |
Method of forming replacement metal gate with borderless contact and structure thereof
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of forming borderless contact for transistor in a replacement metal gate process. The method includes forming a gate on top of a substrate and forming spacers adjacent to sidewalls of the gate; lowering height of the spacers to expose a top portion of the sidewalls of the gate; depositing an etch-stop layer covering the spacers and the upper portion of the sidewalls of the gate; making an opening at a level that is above the spacers and in the upper portion of the sidewalls to expose the gate; and replacing material of the gate from the opening with a new gate material thereby forming a replacement gate. The method further creates a via opening in an inter-level dielectric layer surrounding the gate and spacers, with the via opening exposing the etch-stop layer; removing the etch-stop layer and fill the via opening with a metal material to form borderless contact. |
| US08084310B2 |
Self-aligned multi-patterning for advanced critical dimension contacts
Embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods of forming patterned features on a substrate having a reduced pitch in two dimensions as compared to what is possible using standard photolithography processing techniques using a single high-resolution photomask. A spacer layer is formed over a two-dimensional square grid of cores with a thickness chosen to leave a dimple at the center of four cores on the corners of a square. The spacer layer is etched back to reveal the substrate at the centers of the square. Removing the core material results in double the pattern density of the lithographically defined grid of cores. The regions of exposed substrate may be filled again with core material and the process repeated to quadruple the pattern density. |
| US08084308B2 |
Single gate inverter nanowire mesh
Nanowire-based devices are provided. In one aspect, a field-effect transistor (FET) inverter is provided. The FET inverter includes a plurality of device layers oriented vertically in a stack, each device layer having a source region, a drain region and a plurality of nanowire channels connecting the source region and the drain region, wherein the source and drain regions of one or more of the device layers are doped with an n-type dopant and the source and drain regions of one or more other of the device layers are doped with a p-type dopant; a gate common to each of the device layers surrounding the nanowire channels; a first contact to the source regions of the one or more device layers doped with an n-type dopant; a second contact to the source regions of the one or more device layers doped with a p-type dopant; and a third contact common to the drain regions of each of the device layers. Techniques for fabricating a FET inverter are also provided. |
| US08084294B2 |
Method of fabricating organic silicon film, semiconductor device including the same, and method of fabricating the semiconductor device
An organic silicon film is formed by carrying out chemical vapor deposition with organic silicon compound being used as a raw material gas. The organic silicon compound contains at least silicon, hydrogen and carbon as a constituent thereof, and contains two or more groups having unsaturated bond, per a molecule thereof. The organic silicon compound is used in mixture with a silicon hydride gas. |
| US08084293B2 |
Continuously optimized solar cell metallization design through feed-forward process
An improved, lower cost method of processing substrates, such as to create solar cells, is disclosed. The doped regions are created on the substrate, using a mask or without the use of lithography or masks. After the implantation is complete, visual recognition is used to determine the exact region that was implanted. This information can then be used by subsequent process steps to crate a suitable metallization layer and provide alignment information. These techniques can also be used in other ion implanter applications. In another aspect, a dot pattern selective emitter is created and imaging is used to determine the appropriate metallization layer. |
| US08084287B2 |
Photoelectric conversion apparatus, producing method therefor, image pickup module and image pickup system
A photoelectric conversion apparatus has a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged on a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of wiring layers arranged on the semiconductor substrate through the first and second insulation layers, and a high refractive index region which is arranged in an opening part that is arranged in the interlayer insulation layer so as to correspond to the photoelectric conversion element and has a higher refractive index than the interlayer insulation layers, wherein an area of a cross section parallel to a photoreceiving plane of the photoelectric conversion element in the high refractive index region increases as the position approaches to an upper part of the substrate from a photoreceiving plane of the photoelectric conversion element, namely, as the position approaches to a light-incident plane, and the increasing rate continuously increases with the increase of the area. |
| US08084285B2 |
Forming a micro electro mechanical system
A method of forming a micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS), includes (1) removing material from a first wafer to define a first movable portion corresponding to an x-y accelerometer and a second movable portion corresponding to a z accelerometer, where each movable portion comprises at least one flexure member and at least one proof mass, each proof mass and flexure member being formed by the selective removal of material from a top side and a bottom side of first wafer; (2) bonding the first wafer to a second wafer comprising an electronic circuit, such that a gap is defined between the first wafer and the second wafer. The thickness of the at least one flexure member of the first movable portion is independent of a thickness of the at least one flexure member of the second movable portion and a thickness of the proof mass of the first movable portion is independent of a thickness of the at least one proof mass of the second movable portion. |
| US08084284B2 |
Complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor and method for fabricating the same
A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device and a method for fabricating the same are provided. The CMOS image sensor includes: a first conductive type substrate including a trench; a channel stop layer formed by using a first conductive type epitaxial layer over an inner surface of the trench; a device isolation layer formed on the channel stop layer to fill the trench; a second conductive type photodiode formed in a portion of the substrate in one side of the channel stop layer; and a transfer gate structure formed on the substrate adjacent to the photodiode to transfer photo-electrons generated from the photodiode. |
| US08084278B2 |
Method of manufacturing silicon carbide semiconductor device
A wafer WF is mounted in a substrate holder, and the substrate holder is placed in a film forming furnace. The film forming furnace is evacuated by a vacuum pump through a gas discharge part to remove remaining oxygen as completely as possible. Then, a temperature in the film forming furnace is heated to a range of 800° C. to 950° C. under reduced pressure while an inert gas such as Ar or helium (He) is being introduced through a gas introduction part. When the temperature reaches this temperature range, an inflow of the inert gas is stopped. Vaporized ethanol is introduced as a source gas into the film forming furnace through the gas introduction part, thus forming a graphite film on an entire surface of the wafer WF. |
| US08084270B2 |
Device for analyzing fluids
It is an object of the invention to provide for an alternative for analyzing fluids. To this end a device for analyzing fluids comprising magnetic particles is provided, the device comprising magnetic means for generating a magnetic field designed for exerting a magnetic force to the magnetic particles creating a movement of the fluid comprising targets and a membrane with an array for moving the fluid through or along the array. |
| US08084269B2 |
Methods for detecting dihydroxyvitamin D metabolites by mass spectrometry
Provided are methods of detecting the presence or amount of a dihydroxyvitamin D metabolite in a sample using mass spectrometry. The methods generally comprise ionizing a dihydroxyvitamin D metabolite in a sample and detecting the amount of the ion to determine the presence or amount of the vitamin D metabolite in the sample. In certain preferred embodiments the methods include immunopurifying the dihydroxyvitamin D metabolites prior to mass spectrometry. Also provided are methods to detect the presence or amount of two or more dihydroxyvitamin D metabolites in a single assay. |
| US08084267B2 |
Corrosion simulator and corresponding method
A laboratory degradation test system for testing degradation of a test specimen in a test fluid flow includes a reactor assembly, which reactor assembly comprises: a reactor vessel, the reactor vessel having a reaction space, an inlet and an outlet and a specimen holder for retaining a test specimen inside the reactor vessel, a heater for heating the reactor vessel, a fluid circulation system generating a test fluid flow over the test specimen, which fluid circulation system comprises: a circulation line which extends between the outlet of the reactor vessel and the inlet of the reactor vessel, which circulation line is arranged outside the reactor vessel, a pump for providing fluid circulation through the circulation line and the reactor vessel, which pump is arranged in the circulation line. The volume available to the test fluid inside the reaction space after insertion of the degradation test specimen is less than or equal to 10 ml. |
| US08084265B2 |
Method and Pd/V2 O5 device for H2 detection
Methods and Pd/V2O5 devices for hydrogen detection are disclosed. An exemplary method of preparing an improved sensor for chemochromic detection of hydrogen gas over a wide response range exhibits stability during repeated coloring/bleaching cycles upon exposure and removal of hydrogen gas. The method may include providing a substrate. The method may also include depositing a V205 layer that functions as a H2 insertion host in a Pd/V205 hydrogen sensor to be formed on said substrate. The method may also include depositing a Pd layer onto said V205 layer; said Pd layer functioning as an optical modulator. |
| US08084257B2 |
Methods for sorting dimorphic daughter cells
This invention relates to methods for distinguishing and sorting cells. In particular it includes methods for distinguishing and sorting post-mitotic and post-meiotic daughter cells into two classes according to differential cellular features. Labeling, tagging, or marking of the cells' chromatin proteins, RNA, or DNA may assist in distinguishing the daughter cells. In some embodiments, two cell classes may be studied and the cells' proteins, glycoproteins, and RNA may be identified and subset. Information from these subsets may then be used to distinguish and sort the two classes of cells from similar tissues according to protein, glycoprotein, and RNA makeup. |
| US08084255B2 |
Stem cells treated by in vitro fucosylation and methods of use
A method of in vitro fucosylation of selectin ligands on cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem cells for bone marrow transplantation is disclosed. In this method, an effective amount of an α1,3-fucosyltransferase, e.g., α1,3-fucosyltransferase VI, is used in vitro to treat cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem cells to convert non-functional PSGL-1 or other ligands on the cell surface into functional forms that bind selectins, especially P-selectin or E-selectin. The treated cells have enhanced effectiveness in reconstituting bone marrow in patients in need of such therapy. |
| US08084250B2 |
Defensin-antigen fusion proteins
The present invention relates to a vaccine for increasing the immunogenicity of a tumor antigen thus allowing treatment of cancer, as well as a vaccine that increases the immunogenicity of a viral antigen, thus allowing treatment of viral infection, including immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In particular, the present invention provides a fusion protein comprising a defensin fused to either a tumor antigen or viral antigen which is administered as either a protein or nucleic acid vaccine to elicit an immune response effective in treating cancer or effective in treating or preventing viral infection. |
| US08084247B2 |
Biological indicator
A biological indicator for monitoring the effectiveness of a sterilizing or disinfecting treatment or process. A compound or condition is disclosed which comprises a substrate having a surface layer containing functional groups thereon desirably free of silicon linking groups. The functional groups are desirably in the form of a monolayer of a uniformed distribution and of a selected quantity. Various types of microorganism indicators, such as spores, and/or etiological agent indicators are covalently bonded to the surface layer functional groups through a crosslinking reagent and thus form a uniform number and distribution of the microorganism and/or etiological agent indicators. After being subjected to sterilization or other similar disinfecting treatments or processes, along with various articles such as instruments, the indicator can be cultivated to determine the effectiveness of the sterilization, disinfection, etc. treatment or process. |
| US08084243B2 |
Blocking sporulation by inhibiting SpoIIE
We have shown that the control of solventogenesis and sporulation can be genetically uncoupled in C. acetobutylicum. In strain 824(pASspo), the absence of SpoIIE causes sporulation to be blocked at stage II. The cell remains in a vegetative state, and this allows solvent production to proceed for longer and for solvents to accumulate more rapidly and to a higher concentration. The characteristic drop in OD600 observed in wild type and control strains of C. acetobutylicum after 48-72 hours as the cells transition from the solventogenic phase to sporulation is notably absent in the fermentations of 824(pASspo). Mutant S (wild type background, spoIIE disrupted), Mutant BS (Mutant B background, spoIIE disrupted), Mutant HS (Mutant H background, spoIIE disrupted) and Mutant bukS (buk- background, spoIIE disrupted) were generated to create stable solvent producing bacteria with complete inactivation of the SpoIIE protein. Similarity between the SpoIIE protein of C. acetobutylicum, B. subtilis, and other Clostridial species indicates that the techniques used in C. acetobutylicum can be applied to other solvent producing Clostridia. |
| US08084241B2 |
Subtilases
The present invention relates to methods for producing variants of a parent TY145 subtilase and of a parent BPN′ subtilase and to TY145 and BPN′ variants having altered properties as compared to the parent TY145/BPN′ subtilase. |
| US08084237B2 |
Microorganism and method for producing dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan intermediate using the novel microorganism
This invention relates to a novel microorganism that efficiently produces a dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan intermediate using sclareol as a substrate. As a result of concentrated studies, a plurality of novel microorganisms having properties of interest that are not classified as conventional microorganisms were isolated and identified. The novel microorganism of the present invention belongs to Ascomycetes and has the ability of producing a dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan intermediate using sclareol as a substrate. Such microorganism of Ascomycetes represents a new finding and it can be effective for producing dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan and an intermediate thereof. |
| US08084235B2 |
Purification process for bacterial cytolysin
The present invention relates to a method for purifying bacterial cytolysins such as pneumococcal pneumolysin. A single chromatography step produces excellent purification of the cytolysin by binding soluble aggregated cytolysin to a hydrophobic interaction chromatography material in the presence of detergent and high salt. |
| US08084233B2 |
Nucleic acids encoding anti-IL-12 antibody
Isolated anti-IL-12 antibodies, nucleic acids encoding antibodies or antibody portions, vectors, host cells, and methods of making are useful for production of antibody or portions for treating and/or diagnosing IL-12 related conditions, diseases, and disorders. |
| US08084232B2 |
Polynucleotides encoding Papio cynocephalus toll-like receptor 3
Isolated polynucleotides encoding Papio cynocephalus Toll-Like Receptor 3 (Baboon TLR3), polypeptides obtainable from expression of these polynucleotides, recombinant cells, and methods of use are disclosed. |
| US08084231B2 |
Soluble IL-17RA/RC fusion proteins and related methods
Disclosed are antagonists of IL-17A and IL-17F. The antagonists are based on soluble IL-17RA and IL-17RC fusion proteins, including hybrid soluble receptors comprising portions of both IL-17RC and IL-17RA (“IL-17RC/IL-17RA”). Such antagonists serve to block, inhibit, reduce, antagonize or neutralize the activity of IL-17F, IL-17A, or both IL-17A and IL-17F. Also disclosed are methods of using such antagonists for treating disease, particularly inflammatory diseases mediated at least in part by IL-17A and/or IL-17F. |
| US08084230B2 |
Trimerizing polypeptides
The present invention relates to a method of preparing a trimeric protein comprising culturing a host cell transformed or transfected with an expression vector encoding a fusion protein comprising a ZymoZipper (ZZ) domain and a heterologous protein. In one embodiment, the heterologous protein is a membrane protein, the portion of the heterologous protein that included in the fusion protein is the extracellular domain of that protein, and the resulting fusion protein is soluble. In another embodiment of the present invention, the ZZ domain is derived from the transmembrane (TM) subunit of a virus envelope protein or another heptad repeat containing gene of a virus genome. The method can be used to produced homo- and hetero-trimeric proteins. The present invention also encompasses DNA molecules, expression vectors, and host cells used in the present method and fusion proteins produced by the present method. |
| US08084226B2 |
Method for site-specific protein modifications
A method for site-specific modification of protein molecules includes providing a protein molecule having at least first and second non-terminal Cys residues at respective first and second sites within the protein molecule, providing a blocking molecule that is suitable to interact with the protein molecule to selectively block the second non-terminal Cys residue to prevent modifications of the second non-terminal Cys residue while leaving the first non-terminal Cys residue unblocked, and providing a Cys-modifying molecule that is suitable to modify the first non-terminal Cys residue. The blocking molecule according to an embodiment of the invention may be a protein molecule, DNA, an aptamer or synthetic organic molecules. The Cys-modifying molecule according to an embodiment of the invention may be a fluorophore, biotin, spin label, a sugar or a non-natural amino acid analogue. |
| US08084225B2 |
Methods for diagnosing cerebrovascular events based on NR2 peptides
Methods and kits for diagnosing and treating cerebrovascular events, and for defining the time and anatomical location of an event, are provided based on the detection and quantification of bound or total and unbound NR2 peptides in biological fluids. The methods are optionally performed in conjunction with neurological scoring and neuroimaging, and are directed to risk assessment, prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of TIA and stroke on an emergency basis in the emergency room. |
| US08084223B2 |
Detection of false results in assays
Methods and reagents are disclosed for detecting a false result in an assay for determining a concentration of an analyte in a whole blood sample suspected of containing the analyte. The method comprises determining by means of the assay a concentration of the analyte utilizing a hemolyzed portion of the blood sample to obtain concentration value 1 and determining by means of the assay a concentration of the analyte utilizing a non-hemolyzed portion of the blood sample and multiplying the concentration times a hematocrit factor to obtain concentration value 2. A ratio of concentration value 1 divided by concentration value 2 is determined and is compared to a predetermined ratio of known reliability. If the ratio is less than the predetermined ratio, a false result is indicated. |
| US08084222B2 |
Methods for generating host cells
The present disclosure provides compositions and methods comprising cells producing glycoproteins with variant glycosylation patterns. The methods and compositions may be used in producing antibodies and proteins of therapeutic value. |
| US08084220B2 |
Methods for detecting the presence of expanded CGG repeats in the FMR1 gene 5′ untranslated region
The invention provides improved methods for detecting the presence of expanded CGG repeats in the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene and for quantifying the amount of protein produced by the gene. |
| US08084219B2 |
Methods for detecting and analyzing N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) in biological materials
The present application is in the field of sialic acid chemistry, metabolism and antigenicity. More particularly, the present invention relates to the detection and analysis of the non-human sialic acid, N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) in biological materials, such as food and clinical specimens. Such detection and analysis is facilitated by the use of Neu5Gc specific antibodies. The present invention also relates to the detection of antiNeu5Gc antibodies in clinical samples, as well as the production of anti-Neu5Gc specific antibodies. |
| US08084218B2 |
Method for the diagnosis of cancers by measuring the changes of glycosylation of proteins related to tumorigenesis and metastasis and kit for diagnosis of cancers using the same
The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing cancers by measuring proteins associated with tumorigenesis and metastasis, and a diagnostic kit using the same, particularly relates to the method for diagnosing cancers by measuring the changes of glycosylation of proteins and the kit for diagnosis of cancers using the said method. The method and kit of the present invention can effectively be used for the sensitive diagnosis of cancers comprising colon cancer, stomach cancer, lung cancer and liver cancer. |
| US08084215B2 |
Non-proteolytic method for the determination of analytes in keratinized structures
Methods that permit the rapid release of one or more analytes from head or body hair or other keratinized structures of an individual (who may previously have ingested one or more of the analytes) are provided. The methods can include contacting the keratinized structure with a reducing agent but not with a proteolytic agent. The methods can further include identification and quantification of the one or more analytes by known analytical techniques such as immunoassays. The described methods do not damage the analyte and do not cause harmful effects on a subsequently-used analyte detection probe (e.g., an antibody). |
| US08084212B2 |
Assay for Mycobacterium avium/intracellulare nucleic acid
Disclosed is a method for determining the presence of Mycobacterium avium complex nucleic acids in a biological sample. In particular, the IS1245 gene of M. avium and the DT1 gene of M. intracellulare are detected, preferably following amplification. In addition, the method distinguishes between species of M. avium and M. intracellulare. Also described are oligonucleotides that can be used as primers to amplify target genes such as IS1245 and DT1 genes and as probes as well as kits containing the oligonucleotides. |
| US08084208B2 |
Method of identifying maize plants having increased oil content using quantitative trait locus 6 (QTL6)
Compositions related to the quantitative trait locus 6 (QTL6) in maize and methods for their use are provided. The compositions are novel molecular marker loci that are genetically linked with QTL6 and which are associated with increased oil content and/or increased oleic acid content and/or an increased oleic acid/linoleic acid ratio of a plant or plant part thereof. These novel markers are characterized by the presence of at least one polymorphism relative to the corresponding marker locus from the QTL6 region of non-high-oil, non-high-oleic acid maize plants. In some embodiments, the novel marker loci comprise coding sequence for a maize DGAT1-2 polypeptide or biologically active variant thereof. The marker loci of the invention, and suitable fragments thereof, are useful in methods of the invention for manipulating oil and/or oleic acid content and/or oleic acid/linoleic acid ratio of a plant or plant part thereof, for marker-assisted selection of a plant, for example, a maize plant, or plant part thereof, having an increased oil content and/or increased oleic acid content and/or an increased oleic acid/linoleic acid ratio, and for marker-assisted breeding of the high oil and/or high oleic acid trait. |
| US08084205B2 |
Genetic risk assessment technology for epithelial cancer involving gene-environment interaction between ERCC5 and tobacco use
Methods and compositions for assessing ERCC5 gene expression in view of certain environmental exposures and determining the risk of an individual for developing one or more epithelial cancers are provided. |
| US08084204B2 |
Displacement assay for detection of small molecules
Complex of an anti-cocaine aptamer and the dye diethylthiotricarbocyanine behaves as a calorimetric sensor with attenuation in absorbance at 760 nm for cocaine in the concentration range of 2-5000 μM. Mechanistic studies indicate an intermolecular displacement of the dye as the mechanism of action of the sensor. As the dye is insoluble in buffer, cocaine binding can be detected as displaced dye precipitates and supernatant decolorizes. |
| US08084197B2 |
Identification of molecular sequence signatures and methods involving the same
Novel means and methods for analyzing hybridization data derived from hybridization assays between a target nucleic acid and differently sequenced polynucleotide probes involve selecting probe sets that define reference sequences for sequence signatures and deriving useful data about the nature of the target nucleic acid molecule based on its hybridization to the probes. The methods are useful for determining whether the target contains a nucleic acid or polypeptide sequence signature, whether the target encodes a member of a gene family, or whether the target is derived from one of any number of genes. |
| US08084195B2 |
Method of perfusing an organ with a solution comprising a peptide which inhibits protein kinase C βII
The present invention relates to a solution for preservation, perfusion, and/or reperfusion of an organ, especially the heart, for transplantation. The solution contains peptide inhibitor(s) of protein kinase C βII (PKC βII) and/or of protein kinase C ζ (PKC ζ) and/or peptide activator(s) of protein kinase C δ (PKCδ). Methods for using the inventive solution are also disclosed, including methods for preserving an organ for transplantation, for protecting an ischemic organ from damage, for attenuating organ dysfunction after ischemia, for maintaining nitric oxide release and/or inhibiting superoxide release in an ischemic organ, and for protecting an organ from damage when isolated from the circulatory system. |
| US08084191B2 |
Thermoelectric module and manufacturing method for same
A thermoelectric module and method of manufacture thereof, capable of preventing short-circuits between electrodes due to solder without causing increases in size or cost. A thermoelectric module is configured with lower electrodes formed on the inside surface of a lower substrate, placed in opposition to an upper substrate, on the inside surface of which are formed upper electrodes; the end faces of thermoelectric elements are soldered to the lower electrodes and upper electrodes. Each of the electrodes is configured from three layers, which are a copper layer, a nickel layer formed on one face of the copper layer, and a gold layer formed on one face of the nickel layer; a visor portion, protruding outward, is formed in the nickel layer, so that when positioning the thermoelectric elements above the electrodes and soldering the electrodes to the thermoelectric elements, the flowing of solder 18a from the side portions of electrodes to the insulating substrate is prevented. |
| US08084189B2 |
Method of imaging and developing positive-working imageable elements
A method of making imaged elements such as lithographic printing plates is achieved by imagewise exposing an infrared radiation-sensitive positive-working imageable element to provide exposed and non-exposed regions. The imaged element is developed using a single processing solution having a pH of from about 9 to about 11.5 and containing carbonate ion and at least 1 weight % of one or more anionic surfactants, to remove predominantly only the exposed regions to provide an image and to provide a protective coating on the imaged surface. The imageable element comprises a substrate and a radiation absorbing compound, and has an imageable layer on the substrate that comprises a developability-enhancing compound and a poly(vinyl acetal) in which at least 25 mol % of its recurring units comprise pendant nitro-substituted phenolic groups. |
| US08084185B2 |
Substrate planarization with imprint materials and processes
The present invention relates to planarization materials and methods of using the same for substrate planarization in photolithography. A planarization layer of a planarization composition is formed on a substrate. The planarization composition contains at least one aromatic monomer and at least one non-aromatic monomer. A substantially flat surface is brought into contact with the planarization layer. The planarization layer is cured by exposing to a first radiation or by baking. The substantially flat surface is then removed. A photoresist layer is formed on the planarization layer. The photoresist layer is exposed to a second radiation followed by development to form a relief image in the photoresist layer. The relief image is then transferred into the substrate. |
| US08084182B2 |
On-press developable elements and methods of use
A negative-working imageable element has an imageable layer that includes an infrared radiation absorbing dye that upon exposure to thermal irradiation, changes from colorless to a visible color or from one visible color to another visible color, providing a ΔE of at least 5 between the exposed and non-exposed regions of the imageable layer within 3 hours of its exposure to 300 mJ/cm2 at a laser power of 15 Watts. The imageable element can be imaged to provide images with improved contrast for print-out. The imageable layer includes a primary polymeric binder that has a backbone to which are attached pendant poly(alkylene oxide) side chains, cyano groups, or both, and is optionally present in the form of discrete particles. |
| US08084181B2 |
Carrier and method for producing the same, developer and image forming method
To provide a method for producing a carrier including treating a coating layer on a surface of a core material with a polymer precursor in a supercritical fluid and/or a subcritical fluid so as to add the polymer precursor to the coating layer, and subjecting the coating layer to oxidation treatment so as to form a polymer from the polymer precursor in the coating layer, and a carrier produced by the method. |
| US08084179B2 |
Electrostatic image developing toner having specific variation coefficient of number distribution, two-component developer, image forming method and process cartridge
A toner including: toner particles which include: a colorant, a releasing agent, and a binder resin. The number average particle diameter of the toner particles is in the range of from 3.5 μm to 6.5 μm, wherein the number average particle diameter is determined by the Coulter method, the variation coefficient of the number distribution of the toner particles is in the range of 22.0 to 35.0, wherein the variation coefficient is found by dividing the standard deviation of the number distribution by the number average particle diameter, and 40% by number to 59% by number of the toner particles are 4.0 μm to 8.0 μm in diameter. |
| US08084177B2 |
Toners containing polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes
Disclosed is a toner composition comprising toner particles which comprise a resin, an optional colorant, and a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane compound. |
| US08084176B2 |
Toner, developer, and image forming method
The present invention provides a toner which includes at least a binder resin, and a colorant, wherein the toner has a concentration of radioactive carbon isotope C-14 of 10.8 pMC or higher. |
| US08084170B2 |
Electrophotographic photoconductor, electrophotographic process cartridge containing the same and electrophotographic apparatus containing the same
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrophotographic photoconductor having an extremely low increase in friction coefficient and wear, while also having superior cleanability even after long-term or large-volume printing, and to provide an electrophotographic apparatus for forming an image using a polymerization toner without providing a unit for externally supplying a lubricant to a photoconductor. Namely, the present invention provides an electrophotographic photoconductor having a photosensitive layer and a crosslinked resin surface layer over a conductive substrate, wherein the crosslinked resin surface layer at least contains trimethylolpropane triacrylate, a dimethylpolysiloxane having a radically polymerizable functional group, and lubricating fine particles. |
| US08084168B2 |
Holographic storage devices with complementary data layer and use thereof
A data storage device including: a plastic substrate having a plurality of data volumes arranged along tracks in a plurality of stacked layers; a plurality of micro-holograms each contained in a corresponding one of the data volumes; a plurality of complementary volumes, each corresponding to and being substantially aligned with one of the data volumes; a plurality of micro-holograms each contained in a corresponding one of the complementary volumes; wherein, the presence or absence of a micro-hologram in each of the data volumes is indicative of a corresponding portion of data stored; and, the ones of the complementary volumes corresponding to the ones of the data volumes containing a micro-hologram do not contain a micro-hologram; and the ones of the complementary volumes corresponding to the ones of the data volumes not containing a micro-hologram contain a micro-hologram. |
| US08084165B2 |
MEA, MEA manufacturing method, and polymer electrolyte fuel cell
An MEA having an MEA body part 5C; a frame 6 made of a plate-like thermoplastic resin; and gaskets 7 formed on opposed surfaces of the frame 6 so as to hold the frame 6 between. The gaskets 7 each have an annular portion 7A that is annularly formed so as to extend along the inner periphery of the frame 6 and elongated portions 7B1 to 7B8 that extend from the annular portion 7A and come into contact with the side faces of an associated electrode layer 5C after passing over the inner periphery of the frame 6 and a peripheral region 5D of a polymer electrolyte membrane. |
| US08084162B2 |
Fuel cell and fuel cell apparatus with a switch responsive to an amount of water contained in the electrolyte membrane
In a case of consuming a power generation reaction inducing gas, which causes lowering in performance and degradation of a fuel cell during suspension of operation thereof, and in a case of performing warm up at a time of activation at low temperatures, in order to automatically perform short circuiting control, there is provided a fuel cell having a structure including a switch which is switchable in accordance with a state of containing water generated in a power generation portion. |
| US08084156B2 |
Cooling device and power supply
A cooling device including an intake duct achieving fluid communication between a vehicle interior and an inner part of a battery case, a fan unit for supplying the air via the intake duct to the inner part of the battery case, and a control device is used. The fan unit includes a fan and a motor driven by a constant voltage system. The control device includes a current value detecting portion and a judging portion. The current value detecting portion detects a current value of an electric current supplied to the motor. The judging portion compares the detected current value and a preset reference current value and, when the detected current value is lower than the reference current value, judges that there is an anomaly in a volume of the air supplied to the battery case. |
| US08084153B2 |
Operational guidance device of sodium-sulphur battery
An operation guidance program of a sodium-sulphur battery includes a unit that input an operation output and a time zone, a unit that continuously inputs the remaining battery capacity and the battery temperature, a unit that predicts the remaining battery capacity of the sodium-sulphur battery and the battery temperature of the sodium-sulphur battery at the final time, a unit that compares the predicted remaining battery capacity with a standard smallest capacity recorded in advance and outputs guidance when the remaining battery capacity is smaller, and a unit that compares the predicted battery temperature with a standard highest temperature recorded in advance and outputs guidance when the battery temperature is higher than the standard highest temperature. |
| US08084152B2 |
Lithium ion secondary battery having shape memory safety vent
A lithium ion secondary battery has a shape memory safety vent adapted to discharge internal compressed gas by temporarily being opened when the temperature reaches a predetermined level to avoid a swelling phenomenon of the battery and improve safety. The lithium ion secondary battery includes an electrode assembly having first and second electrode plates wound a number of times with a separator interposed between them; a can having an opening formed on a side thereof to contain the electrode assembly; and a cap plate adapted to cover the can and provided with a vent hole on a side thereof, to which a safety vent adapted to deform at a predetermined temperature and discharge gas from inside the can to the exterior is coupled. |
| US08084151B2 |
Fuel cell system and method therefor
When an output voltage of a fuel cell is lowered to carry out a catalyst activation process so as to activate a catalyst during an intermittent operation of the fuel cell, if generated power P1 exceeds allowed battery charge power, while generated power P2 does not exceed the allowed battery charge power, then low speed corresponding to the generated power P2 is selected and the output voltage of the fuel cell is decreased toward a target voltage on the basis of the low speed, which has been selected, thereby restraining sudden generation of surplus power caused by a reduction in the output voltage of the fuel cell. By the control described above, a voltage reduction speed of a fuel cell is determined according to a receiving capability of an object which receives surplus power generated by the fuel cell during the catalyst activation process of the fuel cell. |
| US08084150B2 |
Fuel cartridges and apparatus including the same
A fuel cartridge includes a fuel containing substance and a heater in thermal communication with the fuel containing substance. |
| US08084149B2 |
Thermally assisted magnetic recording media and magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus
Embodiments of the invention provide a thermally assisted magnetic recording medium, which can overcome resistance against thermal fluctuation at RT and write capability, obtain a drastic temperature variation in coercive force at right below the recording temperature, and be formed at low temperature. In one embodiment, the medium has a layered structure formed of a lower high-KF ferromagnetic (F) layer formed on a substrate, satisfying TW |
| US08084147B2 |
Organic light-emitting device
There is provided a green-light-emitting device which has a high emission efficiency and a long continuous operational life, and which includes a pair of electrodes including an anode and a cathode; and a layer including an organic compound disposed between the pair of electrodes, wherein the layer includes a first compound represented by the general formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, and R16 each represent, independently of one another, a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group, a substituted amino group, or a halogen atom; and a second compound with a pyrene skeleton or a fluorene skeleton having an energy gap larger than an energy gap of the first compound. |
| US08084146B2 |
Light-emitting device material and light-emitting device
The present invention is a light emitting device material characterized by containing an anthracene compound represented by the following general formula (1), and the present invention allows a light emitting device having high luminous efficiency and excellent durability. (R1 to R10 are a hydrogen atom, alkyl group, cycloalkyl group, heterocyclic group or the like. At least one of the R1 to R10 is a substituent represented by the following general formula (2)) |
| US08084145B2 |
Organometallic complex, light emitting element using the complex, light emitting device using the element, and electric apparatus using the device
An organometallic complex comprising a moiety represented by the following general formula (1). The organometallic complex is applied to a light-emitting element, and a light-emitting device reduced in power consumption is manufactured by using the light-emitting element. (where R1 to R4 are individually any one of hydrogen, a halogen atom, an acyl group, an alkyl group, an alkoxyl group, an aryl group, a cyano group, and a heterocyclic group, Ar is one of an aryl group having an electron-withdrawing group and a heterocyclic group having electron-withdrawing group, and M is one of an element of Group 9 and an element of Group 10) |
| US08084140B2 |
Silver platelets comprising palladium
The invention provides an aqueous solution-based method for producing nanosized silver platelets, which employs the controlled mixing of a silver ion solution, a reducing solution, and an acidic solution in the presence of palladium ions. |
| US08084139B2 |
Article formed into sheet, method for producing the same and exothermic formed article
A molded article containing a powder and a fibrous material which is obtained by a wet papermaking process. The fibrous material has a fiber length frequency distribution such that 30% to 90% of the fibrous material have a fiber length of 0.4 to 2.0 mm and that 9% to 50% of the fibrous material has a fiber length of 0.4 mm or less. The molded article contains at least 50% by weight of the powder. |
| US08084136B2 |
Heat-sealing material for aluminum foils and polyethylene terephthalate foils against polypropyl, polyvinyl chloride, and polystyrol containers
The invention relates to a heat-sealable coating system suitable for the sealing of various types of substrate and comprising a film-forming dispersion,characterized in that a polymer type A is present and is a polyester or a polyester mixture, a polymer type B is present and is a (meth)acrylate homo- or/and copolymer, containing standard methacrylates and/or standard acrylates, and a polymer type AB is present and is a graft copolymer composed of polymer type A and polymer type B, and if appropriate a polymer type C is present and is an olefin polymer or is an olefin copolymer, and a polymer type CB is present and is a graft polymer composed of polymer type C and polymer type B, and also if appropriate a polymer type D and/or a polymer type DA is present. |
| US08084127B2 |
Molybdenum or tungsten particles, thin film formed from said particles, and process for producing the same
Proposed are molybdenum or tungsten particles having a stable face-centered cubic structure of molybdenum and tungsten belonging to a VI group in a periodic table or a thin film formed from the foregoing particles, and a manufacturing method thereof. Specifically, provided are molybdenum or tungsten particles having a face-centered cubic (fcc) crystal structure or a thin film formed from the foregoing particles, wherein the particles have a large-diameter particle structure that is thermodynamically stable or metastable; and molybdenum or tungsten particles having a face-centered cubic (fcc) crystal structure or a thin film formed from the foregoing particles, wherein the particles have a pentagonal and star-shaped particle structure. |
| US08084126B2 |
Thermoset resin fibres
The present invention relates to thermoset resin fiber components, composite materials including thermoset resin fiber components, composite articles manufactured using such composite materials and methodologies for manufacturing same. The thermoset resin fiber components may include a single fiber of thermoset resin or a plurality of fibers commingled together. The properties and characteristics of the thermoset resin used are chosen according to the material to be produced therefrom. The thermoset fiber components may be woven into reinforcement fibers to form prepregs. Thermoplastic fibers may be commingled and co-woven with the thermoset fiber components. |
| US08084118B1 |
Plate member joining structure
A plate member joining structure having a high tensile strength is disclosed to include a metal plate member having opposing outer face and bonding face and binding units located on the bonding face, each binding unit having binding strips formed of a part of the bonding face and curvedly protruded from the bonding face and arranged in a spiral manner, and a plastic plate member directly molded on the bonding face of the metal plate member by insert molding to have the binding strips be embedded in the plastic plate member. |
| US08084117B2 |
Multi-directional and variably expanded sheet material surfaces
Expandable surfaces made from sheet materials with slits distributed on the surface of sheet material where the surfaces expand by application of force along or/and across the surface of sheet material. The unexpanded surfaces are flat sheets, or closed surfaces like cylinders, spheres, tubes, or custom-designed organic shapes marked with pre-formed or post-formed slit designs. The expanded surfaces can be single units or modules which can be attached to one another through various means. The sheet materials range from hard surfaces like metals, to softer materials like papers and plastics, or pliable materials like fabrics, rubbers, synthetic surfaces or bio-surfaces. The slits are arranged in patterns ranging from periodic, non-periodic to irregular designs. The slits can be straight, bent, curved or irregularly shaped with even or uneven spacing. Slitting can be achieved by digital cutting or punching devices like laser-cutting, water-jet cutting, digital punching, automated dies, etc. or pre-formed when casting the sheet material. Force can be applied manually with tools or through the use of machines and special set-ups. Applications range from architectural surfaces, walls, ceilings, panel systems, structures and sculpture. On a smaller scale, applications include containers, packaging material, fabrics and human wear. On micro- to nano-scale, applications range from expandable surfaces for gauzes, band-aids, stent designs, skin grafts, semi-permeable membranes and micro-filters for various industries including purification of fluids and chemical substances. |
| US08084116B2 |
Surfaces physically transformable by environmental changes
An apparatus includes a substrate having a top surface, a substantially regular array of raised structures located over the top surface, and a layer located on the top surface between the structures. Distal surfaces of the structures are farther from the top surface than remaining portions of the structures. The layer is able to contract such that the distal surfaces of the structures protrude through the layer. The layer is able to swell such that the distal surfaces of the structures are closer to the top surface of the substrate than one surface of the layer. |
| US08084115B2 |
Removable sheathing apparatus and method
The present invention provides a removable sheathing apparatus comprising a covering member with a first edge and a second edge. The first edge is removably attached to the second edge by a connector. The apparatus also comprises a first shape retaining member which is attached to a third edge of the covering member. Further included is at least one support member movably extending away from the third edge of the covering member. Also provided is a corresponding method of sheathing a pole utilizing the removable sheathing apparatus. |
| US08084110B2 |
Glycoluril resin and polyol resin members
An intermediate transfer member, such as a belt, where the seam or seams thereof on the member contain a coating mixture of a glycoluril resin and a polyol resin. |
| US08084103B2 |
Method for treating a hydrophilic surface
One embodiment comprises a method for increasing the hydrophobic characteristics of a surface. A coupling agent is applied to the surface, and the surface is subsequently exposed to a first ionizing gas plasma at about atmospheric pressure for a predetermined period of time. The ionizing gas plasma may be formed from a mixture of a carrier gas and a reactive gas. The reactive gas may be comprised of one or more hydrocarbon compound such as an alkane, an alkene, and an alkyne. Alternatively, the reactive gas may be a fluorocarbon or organometallic compound. A lubricant may then be applied to the surface, followed by exposure to second ionizing gas plasma. |
| US08084102B2 |
Methods for co-flash evaporation of polymerizable monomers and non-polymerizable carrier solvent/salt mixtures/solutions
Methods for supplying one or more vapors, under reduced pressure, to an environment are provided. The vapor may comprise at least one polymerizable component. In some cases, at least two components may be combined to form the vapor. The components may be provided as separate vapor streams, which may be combined and homogenized. Methods of the invention may also be useful in the deposition of materials on the surface of a substrate. In some cases, the material may form a layer, such as a polymer layer, on the surface of a substrate. The present invention may be useful in applications that require the formation of homogeneous films on the surface of a substrate. |
| US08084096B1 |
Method for whisker formation on metallic fibers and substrates
A method for whisker formation on the surface of aluminum-containing metallic alloy fibers and substrates provides a support structure for many technical, medical and pharmaceutical applications. The novel surface modification of metallic alloy fibers and other metallic substrates involves heating the fiber or substrate in air at temperatures ranging from approximately 800° C. to approximately 1000° C. for a period of time ranging from approximately 10 hours to approximately 100 hours to form whiskers. The use of a metal oxide coating with large ions, such as zirconium oxide, allows the formation of alumina whiskers while preserving the structural integrity of the metallic alloy substrate. Uses of the present invention include, but are not limited to an advanced catalyst support, a highly efficient filter medium, a support for implants and the like. |
| US08084094B2 |
Process of applying a coating system
A coating process for an article having a substrate formed of a metal alloy that is prone to the formation of a secondary reaction zone (SRZ). The coating process forms a coating system that includes an aluminum-containing overlay coating and a stabilizing layer between the overlay coating and the substrate. The overlay coating contains aluminum in an amount greater by atomic percent than the metal alloy of the substrate, such that there is a tendency for aluminum to diffuse from the overlay coating into the substrate. The stabilizing layer is predominantly or entirely formed of at least one platinum group metal (PGM), namely, platinum, rhodium, iridium, and/or palladium. The stabilizing layer is sufficient to inhibit diffusion of aluminum from the overlay coating into the substrate so that the substrate remains essentially free of an SRZ that would be deleterious to the mechanical properties of the alloy. |
| US08084092B2 |
Water-insoluble colorant dispersion, production method thereof, and recording liquid, ink set, image-forming method and image-forming apparatus using the same
A water-insoluble colorant dispersion prepared by a production method including a step of codissolving a water-insoluble colorant and a polymer compound having one or more acid groups selected from carboxylic acid group, sulfonic acid group and phosphoric acid group as hydrophilic group in an organic solvent in the presence of a phase-transfer base represented by the Formula (I) or (II), and mixing the obtained solution with an aqueous medium; characterized by containing water-insoluble colorant fine particles, a polymer compound having one or more acid groups selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acid group, sulfonic acid group and phosphoric acid group as hydrophilic group, an aqueous medium, and a phase-transfer base represented by the Formula (I) or (II): wherein R1 to R5 each independently represents a methyl, ethyl or propyl group, n represents an integer of 1 to 4. |
| US08084090B2 |
Aqueous ink for inkjet recording
The present invention relates to (1) a water dispersion for ink-jet printing which includes a self-dispersible pigment (A) containing a salt-forming group and polymer particles (B) containing a constitutional unit derived from a salt-forming group-containing monomer and a constitutional unit derived from a silicone macromer, wherein the polymer particles (B) contain the same salt-forming groups as that contained in and the self-dispersible pigment (A), the water dispersion being excellent in optical density, higher lighter fastness and ejection property; (2) a water-based ink containing the water dispersion; and (3) a method for preventing aggregates from adhering onto an inner surface of nozzles in an ink-jet printing head. |
| US08084088B2 |
Method of improving the wafer-to-wafer thickness uniformity of silicon nitride layers
Wafer-to-wafer thickness uniformity may be improved significantly in a process for depositing a silicon nitride layer in that the flow rate of the reactant and the chamber pressure are varied during a deposition cycle. By correspondingly adapting the flow rate and/or the chamber pressure before and after the actual deposition step, the process conditions may be more effectively stabilized, thereby reducing process variations, even after non-deposition phases of the deposition tool, such as a preceding plasma clean process or an idle period of the tool. |
| US08084086B2 |
Reliant thermal barrier coating system and related methods and apparatus of making the same
A method and apparatus for forming a thermal barrier coating system (90) in communication with at least a portion of at least one substrate (92). The method includes: depositing a first bond coat (94) on at least a portion of at least one substrate (92); depositing a first thermal barrier coat (96) disposed on the bond coat (94); whereby the deposition occurs in one or more chambers to form the thermal barrier coating system (90); and wherein the deposition of the first bond coat (94) (or subsequent bond coats) and the deposition of the first thermal barrier coat (96) (or subsequent thermal barrier coats) is performed without out-of-chamber handling of the thermal barrier coating system (90). |
| US08084083B2 |
Method for manufacturing an anisotropic conductive adhesive sheet
A method for manufacturing an anisotropic conductive adhesive sheet is disclosed. The sheet comprises at least a curing agent, a curable insulating resin, and conductive particles. The method comprises providing an adhesive layer on a biaxially stretchable film to form a laminate, densely packing conductive particles having an average particle size of 1 to 8 μm on the laminate to form a conductive particle-attached film, biaxially stretching and holding the conductive particle-attached film so that the average particle distance between adjacent conductive particles is at least one to five times or less the average particle size of the conductive particles and not greater than 20 μm. The conductive particles are transferred to an adhesive sheet containing at least a curing agent and a curable insulating resin and having a thickness of at least 1.5 times the average particle distance between the conductive particles but not greater than 40 μm. |
| US08084079B2 |
Method for chemical infiltration in the gas phase for the densification of porous substrates with pyrolytic carbon
A method of densifying a porous substrate with pyrolytic carbon includes loading the substrate into an oven, admitting a reaction gas mixture to the oven, extracting an effluent gas from the oven, and recycling components of the effluent gas into the reaction gas mixture. The reaction gas mixture contains a pyrolytic carbon precursor gas together with a vector gas. The effluent gas contains residual components of the reaction gas mixture together with reaction products, including hydrogen. The recycling is performed after eliminating heavy hydrocarbons contained in the effluent gas. |
| US08084076B2 |
Process for producing stents and corresponding stents
A process for depositing an active substance on selected regions of the surface of a stent, comprising: (i) providing the active substance in at least one form selected from the group consisting of a powder and a paste; and (ii) depositing the active substance on the selected regions of the surface of the stent.Preferably, the active substance comprises or consists essentially of FK506, such as FK506 in the form of a powder with a grain size smaller than 15 micron or a paste with a base of FK506 with a viscosity not lower than 100,000 to 120,000 cps. |
| US08084074B2 |
Production of very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in oil seed plants
Oilseed plants which have been transformed to produce at least 8.0% arachidonic acid (ARA) as well as uses of oils and seeds obtained from such transformed plants in a variety of food and feed applications are described. |
| US08084073B2 |
Anisic acid modified steviol glycoside sweetened beverage products
Taste of a non-nutritive steviol glycoside sweetener is improved by using anisic acid in an amount sufficient to mask the metallic aftertaste of the non-nutritive steviol glycoside sweetener when the sweetener is contained in a beverage, beverage concentrate or syrup, or reduced calorie sweetener. |
| US08084072B2 |
Isothiocyanate preservatives and methods of their use
A composition for preserving solid food products comprising a moisture-sensitive isothiocyanate compound and a hygroscopic carrier, wherein the composition is substantially free of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, and salts thereof. Also disclosed is a solid food product containing the aforementioned preservative composition and a method for preserving solid food products including the steps of adding a moisture-sensitive isothiocyanate to the solid food product and storing the resulting product at a reduced temperature. |
| US08084071B2 |
Sesame oil and process for producing the same
The purpose of the present invention is to provide refined sesame oil comprising a lot of lignans that have various excellent physiological properties from sesame seeds having a high lignan content.The present invention relates to refined sesame oil having a sesamin content of 1% by weight or more and showing no bitterness; a method for the production of refined sesame oil comprising using active carbon as an absorbent in a bleaching step; a method for the production of refined sesame oil comprising controlling a bleaching temperature in a range of from 5 to 70° C. in a bleaching step with the use of activated clay active as an absorbent; and a method for the production of refined sesame oil comprising controlling a bleaching temperature in a range of from 5 to 70° C. in a bleaching step with the use of activated clay of from 0.1 to 3% by weight active as an absorbent. |
| US08084069B2 |
Apparatus and process for preparing confectionery having an inclusion therein using forming rolls and a forming pin
The present invention is directed to a forming apparatus comprising (a) first and second forming rolls with forming pockets in corresponding alignment, wherein at least one roll has one or more continuous grooves extending around the circumference of the roll in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the roll and which intersects the forming pockets in the plane, wherein the first and second forming rolls rotate in directions counter to one another, and (b) one or more forming pins positioned between the counter rotating rolls and within the continuous groove of the roll. |
| US08084066B2 |
Magnolia extract containing compositions
Disclosed is a method of increasing firmness or elasticity or reducing the appearance of sagginess in the periorbital area of a person's skin, comprising topically applying to the skin in need thereof a composition comprising magnolia extract and vitis vinifera extract. |
| US08084064B2 |
Antiwrinkle agent and skin cosmetic composition
The present invention provides an antiwrinkle agent and skin cosmetic composition having excellent alleviating effects on wrinkles appearing due to aging, and especially at exposed locations of skin, and a high degree of safety.The present invention relates to an antiwrinkle agent and skin cosmetic composition comprising a sclareol derivative represented by the following structural formula (1). |
| US08084062B2 |
Anti-aging cosmetic composition
The present invention relates to an anti-aging cosmetic composition, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an anti-aging cosmetic composition containing Hibiscus esculentus extracts and at least one selected from the group consisting of oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, glycyrhetinic acid and retinol, showing high safety to skin and wrinkle-improvement effect. |
| US08084061B2 |
Body fat-reducing agent
Described are body fat-reducing agents containing a processed pueraria flower as an active component. The body fat-reducing agent has a superior body fat-reducing effect. Furthermore, the body fat-reducing agent may contain at least one of a lipid absorption suppressing component and a lipid metabolism promoting component. A food product, which contains the body fat-reducing agent, provided according to the present invention has superior effects of preventing body fat accumulation and reducing body fat. |
| US08084059B2 |
Antidepressant dosage form
The invention pertains to a dosage form 10 and to administering an antidepressant medicament 16 for an extended period of time in a rate-known dose. |
| US08084055B2 |
Collagen preparation and method of isolation
Collagen compositions, methods for preparing those collagen compositions, and graft compositions formed from those collagen compositions are provided. In particular, methods of isolating collagen that exhibits an enhanced rate of polymerization and enhanced microstructural and mechanical properties upon polymerization, such collagen compositions, and graft compositions formed from such collagen compositions are provided. |
| US08084053B2 |
Dry mouldable drug formulation
Solid pharmaceutical compositions and methods of making and administering for parenteral injection comprising a binder and at least one therapeutic agent. The pharmaceutical composition has the strength to be injected directly with the need of using cannulas or the like. |
| US08084051B1 |
Therapeutic medical garments with silicone sheeting component for scar treatment, process of manufacture and use
Therapeutic medical garments for scar treatment includes a composite fabric for treating dermatological scars, wherein a layer of textile fabric and a layer of a therapeutic agent produce a composite sheet suitable for the treatment of dermatologic scars resulting from traumatic, surgical or other injuries to the skin. The composite sheet may be fashioned into garments fitted to the patient for convenience of use, optimization of skin contact, and single step application of pressure therapy and the therapeutic agent. A process of use of the medical garment for applying therapeutic agent and pressure therapies. |
| US08084045B2 |
Pharmaceutical formulations for the prolonged release of active principle(s) and their applications
The present invention relates to novel pharmaceutical formulations based on stable, fluid aqueous colloidal suspensions for the prolonged release of active principle(s), particularly protein active principle(s), and to the applications, especially therapeutic applications, of these formulations.The object of the invention is to propose a fluid pharmaceutical formulation for the prolonged release of active principle(s) that makes it possible, after parenteral injection, to increase significantly the in vivo release time of a therapeutic protein while at the same time reducing the plasma concentration peak of the active protein, said formulation furthermore being stable on storage and also being biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic and non-immunogenic and having a good local tolerance.The formulation according to the invention is an aqueous colloidal suspension of low viscosity based on submicronic particles of water-soluble biodegradable polymer PO carrying hydrophobic groups (HG), said particles being non-covalently associated with at least one active principle (AP) and forming a gelled deposit at the injection site, this gelling being caused by a protein present in the physiological medium. |
| US08084041B2 |
Use of mycrobacterial vaccines in CD4+ or CD8+ lymphocyte-deficient mammals
Methods of treating a mammal that is deficient in CD4+ and/or CD8+ lymphocytes are provided. The methods comprise inoculating the mammal with an attenuated mycobacterium in the M. tuberculosis complex. In these methods, the mycobacterium comprises two deletions, wherein a virulent mycobacterium in the M. tuberculosis complex having either deletion exhibits attenuated virulence. Use of these mycobacteria for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of mammals deficient in CD4+ and/or CD8+ lymphocytes is also provided. |
| US08084037B2 |
Recombinant parainfluenza virus expression systems and vaccines
The present invention relates to recombinant bovine parainfluenza virus (bPIV) cDNA or RNA which may be used to express heterologous gene products in appropriate host cell systems and/or to rescue negative strand RNA recombinant viruses that express, package, and/or present the heterologous gene product. The chimeric viruses and expression products may advantageously be used in vaccine formulations including vaccines against a broad range of pathogens and antigens. |
| US08084036B2 |
Broad spectrum anti-viral therapeutics and prophylaxis
The present invention provides new compositions and methods for preventing and treating pathogen infection. In particular, the present invention provides compounds having an anchoring domain that anchors the compound to the surface of a target cell, and a therapeutic domain that can act extracellularly to prevent infection of the target cell by a pathogen, such as a virus. Preferred target cells are epithelial cells. The invention provides compositions and methods for preventing viral diseases, such as influenza, using compounds having anchoring domains that can bind target cells linked to enzymatic activities that can act extracellularly to interfere with viral infection of target cells. The invention also provides compositions and methods for preventing viral diseases such as influenza using compounds having anchoring domains that can bind target cells linked to protease inhibitors that can act extracellularly to interfere with viral infection of target cells. |
| US08084033B2 |
Composition comprising a cell expressing an AC133 cell surface antigen and an antibody or antigen-binding fragment
Compositions comprising a cell expressing an AC133 cell surface antigen and an antibody, or antigen binding fragment thereof, that specifically binds to the antigen are provided. Expression of the antigen is highly tissue specific. It is detected on a subset of hematopoietic progenitor and stem cells derived from human bone marrow, fetal bone marrow and liver, cord blood and adult peripheral blood. The subset of cells recognized by AC133 is CD34bright and contains substantially all of the CFU-GM activity present in the CD34+ population. This highly specific distribution of AC133 makes it exceptionally useful as a reagent for isolating and characterizing human hematopoietic progenitor and stem cells. Cells selected for expression of AC133 antigen can be further purified by selection for other hematopoietic stem cell and progenitor cell markers. |
| US08084031B2 |
Method for the treatment of inflammatory disorders
A method for the treatment of inflammatory disorders is disclosed, particularly the treatment of arthritis. The method comprises the administration of a function blocking antibody which is capable of binding an epitope of VLA-1. |
| US08084028B2 |
Antibodies to VLA-1
Antibodies that specifically bind to VLA-1 integrin and methods of using these antibodies to treat immunological disorders in a subject. Also included are crystal structures of complexes formed by VLA-1 antibodies and their ligands, and VLA-1 antagonists and agonists identified by using the structure coordinates of these structures. |
| US08084024B2 |
Method for producing antibodies
The present invention relates to a method for producing antibodies and to antibodies produced by this method. In one embodiment the invention relates to a method for producing an antibody that binds to a polypeptide of a first species, the method comprising immunizing a mammal of a second species with cells derived from a transgenic mammal of the second species, wherein the polypeptide of the first species is expressed on the surface of the cells derived from the transgenic mammal. |
| US08084019B2 |
Personal care fixative
The present invention is directed to bimodal polymer compositions and personal care fixatives containing bimodal polymer compositions. The present invention includes a bimodal polymer composition having a first polymer with anionic character and a second polymer with cationic character and wherein the polymers form an interpenetrating polymer network. In one embodiment, the present invention also includes personal care fixatives (e.g., health care, hygiene or cosmetic compositions) containing the bimodal polymer composition. The present invention also includes methods for forming bimodal polymer compositions. |
| US08084014B2 |
Barium titanate powder and method for producing same
A barium titanate powder and a method for producing the same are provided. The barium titanate powder comprises a perovskite structure having a ratio c/a of 1.008 or more and ratio d/D of from 1 to 1.5, wherein “c” is a length of the c axis, “a” is a length of the a axis in the perovskite structure, “d” is an average particle diameter and “D” is a equivalent specific surface area diameter. The method of producing a barium titanate powder, comprises the steps of: (1) heating a mixture containing a titanium compound and a barium compound under a gas atmosphere containing a halogen at a temperature of not less than about 200° C. and less than the temperature for generation of barium titanate, (2) calcining the obtained mixture under an atmosphere containing substantially no halogen at a temperature of not lower than the temperature for generation of barium titanate. |
| US08084012B2 |
Selective placement of carbon nanotubes through functionalization
The present invention provides a method for selectively placing carbon nanotubes on a substrate surface by using functionalized carbon nanotubes having an organic compound that is covalently bonded to such carbon nanotubes. The organic compound comprises at least two functional groups, the first of which is capable of forming covalent bonds with carbon nanotubes, and the second of which is capable of selectively bonding metal oxides. Such functionalized carbon nanotubes are contacted with a substrate surface that has at least one portion containing a metal oxide. The second functional group of the organic compound selectively bonds to the metal oxide, so as to selectively place the functionalized carbon nanotubes on the at least one portion of the substrate surface that comprises the metal oxide. |
| US08084011B2 |
Method and apparatus for manufacturing carbon nanotube
A carbon nanotube manufacturing method wherein a catalyst is heated in a reaction chamber while the reaction chamber is filled with argon gas containing hydrogen. When a predetermined temperature is reached in the reaction chamber, the reaction chamber is evacuated. Then a raw material gas as a carbon source is charged and sealed in the reaction chamber whereupon the synthesis of carbon nanotube begins. Subsequently, when a condition in which the synthesis of carbon nanotubes has proceeded to a predetermined level is detected, gases in the reaction chamber are exhausted. Then, the raw material gas is changed and sealed in the reaction tube again. Thereafter, the charging (synthesizing) operation and the exhausting operation are repeated until the carbon nanotube with a desired film thickness are synthesized. A carbon nanotube manufacturing apparatus is also disclosed. |
| US08084010B2 |
Coal/coke/heavy residual oil boiler with sulfur and carbon dioxide capture and recovery
A pulverized coal/coke (PC) boiler combusts carbon-based fuel with substantially pure oxygen and a flue gas recirculation stream (containing predominately carbon dioxide) at varied ratios to achieve a desired boiler temperature profile while producing captured sulfur, a high purity captured CO2 and electric power. The boiler includes at least one of (a) a mechanism for admixing a pulverized solid carbon-based fuel with an alkali metal salt and (b) injecting alkali metal salt into the boiler combustion zone containing a pulverized solid carbon-based fuel. |
| US08084004B2 |
Microfluidic arrangement for metering of liquids
The invention relates to a microfluidic arrangement for metering one or more first metered amounts of liquid (A) and for separating the latter from a second amount of liquid (B), having the following features: the arrangement has a first channel and one or more second channels; the first channel has one inlet and one outlet; in the area of the outlet the arrangement has a capillarity, which is greater than or equal to the capillarity in the area of the inlet; the one or more second channels branch off from the first channel at one or more branch points; the one or more second channels have a greater capillarity than the first channel at the branch points; and the one or more second channels have a predetermined volume. In the arrangement as depicted in the invention a liquid is transported in the first channel from the inlet to the outlet. At the branch points one portion of the liquid at a time enters the one or more second channels and fills them completely with the first metered amounts of liquid (A). The portion of the liquid remaining after the last branch point in the first channel emerges as the second amount of liquid via the outlet from the first channel. The amounts of liquid (A) metered in the one or more second channels are separated from the remaining amount of liquid (B) by a gas, which is located in the first channel after filling all one or more second channels. |
| US08084002B2 |
Chemical sensing device
The present application relates to a chemical sensing device for detecting an analyte in a liquid sample containing suspended particles. The device comprises a radiation source adapted to generate electromagnetic radiation, a transducer (3) having a pyroelectric or piezoelectric element and electrodes which is capable of transducing a change in energy to an electrical signal, at least one reagent (2) on or proximal to the transducer (3), the reagent being capable of absorbing the electromagnetic radiation to generate energy when in contact with the analyte, a chamber (9) for holding the sample in fluid contact with transducer, and a detector which is capable of detecting the electrical signal generated by the transducer. The transducer is in a plane from +45° to −45° to the vertical. |
| US08084000B2 |
Dopant delivery system for use in ion mobility and ion trap mobility spectrometry
A device for introduction of an ammonia dopant into a spectrometry system without the use of a delivery system containing ammonia. The delivery device includes an ammonium solid that will, upon the introduction of heat, yield ammonia gas for delivery into the spectrometer system. Use of such an alternative to traditional ammonia dopant systems will yield little or no change in spectrometer readings. The volumetric flow rate of the ammonium is controlled by the use of capillary tubes as the exiting pathway, where the flowrate is determined by the cross sectional area and length of the capillary tube. Delivery of the ammonia is aided by use of a frit or screen to permit only gas to exit. |
| US08083998B2 |
Sterilizing device for medical instruments
A sterilizing device for sterilizing at least a portion of a medical instrument including a housing, a reservoir suitable for containing sterilizing agent, a delivery system for conducting the sterilizing agent from the reservoir to a permeable membrane, and a lock out system that blocks access to the permeable membrane when insufficient sterilizing agent is present in the reservoir. In preferred embodiments the delivery mechanism is activatable by pressure applied to the permeable membrane by the at least a portion of the medical instrument (e.g. a head of a stethoscope). |
| US08083995B2 |
Sample processing apparatus and sample processing system
The present invention is to present a sample processing system that is capable of reducing the tasks involved in the connection of the transporting apparatus. The sample processing system comprises: the transporting apparatus 11 for transporting the sample container 32 to a predetermined position; and the analyzer 10 for analyzing the sample contained in the sample container 32 transported to the predetermined position, the analyzer 10 comprising: the connection part 15 for connecting the transporting apparatus 11; the aspirating part 10a for aspirating the sample contained in the sample container 32; the apparatus body 12 for measuring the sample aspirated by the aspirating part 10a; the input part 29 for inputting identification information for identifying a type of the transporting apparatus 11; and the control unit 16 for controlling an operation of the transporting apparatus 11 based on the identification information input by the input part 29. |
| US08083993B2 |
System and method for coding information on a biosensor test strip
The present invention provides a test strip for measuring a concentration of an analyte of interest in a biological fluid, wherein the test strip may be encoded with information that can be read by a test meter into which the test strip is inserted. |
| US08083991B1 |
Method for decontaminating a beauty center
A method for decontaminating a beauty center consisting of a protocol requiring the sanitation and disinfection of beauty tools, equipment and surfaces in a beauty center and using a decontamination center for decontaminating soiled non-disposable beauty tools. The method includes the protocol prohibiting “double dipping” with products in a beauty center; using a deep-cleaning agent to remove biofilm and using disposable beauty tools in conjunction with non-disposable beauty tools. The method reduces or eliminates the potential for the cross-contamination of communicable diseases in a beauty center. |
| US08083990B2 |
Iron-based alloy having shape memory properties and superelasticity and its production method
An iron-based alloy having shape memory properties and superelasticity, which has a composition comprising 25-35% by mass of Ni, 13-25% by mass of Co, 2-8% by mass of Al, and 1-20% by mass in total of at least one selected from the group consisting of 1-5% by mass of Ti, 2-10% by mass of Nb and 3-20% by mass of Ta, the balance being substantially Fe and inevitable impurities, and a recrystallization texture substantially comprising a γ phase and a γ′ phase, particular crystal orientations of the γ phase being aligned, and the difference between a reverse transformation-finishing temperature and a martensitic transformation-starting temperature being 100° C. or less in the thermal hysteresis of martensitic transformation and reverse transformation. |
| US08083985B2 |
Method for producing appliance cabinets and appliance cabinet Produced by such method
A method for producing appliance cabinets and the like, particularly a refrigerator cabinet having a double wall, whereby a polymeric sheet made plastic by thermal action is vacuum formed in a mold. The mold comprises a central male portion adapted to form the cavity of the cabinet and an annular female portion adapted to form the double wall of the cabinet, a plug assist device being used in order to drive the sheet in the female portion of the mold. |
| US08083981B2 |
Method for making a shaped flexible tube
A flexible tube comprises a tubular body made of a curable flexible material, having at least an elbow shape, and made by a double curing, the first on a straight mandrel, and the second on a shaped cylindric core, to provide the tube with a desired configuration.With respect to the conventional art in this field, the invention provides the advantage that the shaped tube made thereby is directly provided, at the end portion thereof, with the required fittings, without the need of performing auxiliary processing steps to clamp the fittings. |
| US08083979B2 |
In mold lamination of decorative products
A method of manufacturing decorative plastic composites having a decorative layer, a backing layer and a clear outer layer which provides exceptional “depth of image” is disclosed. Decorative or protective appliqués' having a wide range of decorative patterns may be formed by injection molding a backing layer behind and a clear outer layer on the top surface of a decorative layer, the decorative layer comprising a relatively thin metal foil, film, fabric, veneer or sheet of paper having a digital image from an inkjet printer deposited on a front surface thereof. In one exemplary embodiment, the appearance of a wood veneer may be modified by digitally printing a burl pattern over the wood grain surface of the veneer prior to injection molding. |
| US08083977B2 |
Golf ball mold, golf ball and method of manufacturing a golf ball
A golf ball mold that is composed of a plurality of mold parts which removably mate to form a cavity having an inner wall with a plurality of dimple-forming protrusions thereon, wherein a non-circular resin injection port is formed between a plurality of mutually adjoining dimple-forming protrusions which include dimple-forming protrusions that lie across a parting line of the mold. Also provided is a golf ball molded using such a mold, and a golf ball manufacturing method which uses such a mold. By using the mold of the invention, even when manufacturing golf balls with a high dimple surface coverage on which the dimples are tightly arranged particularly up to the vicinity of the resin injection port, imbalances in the resin injection pressure and flow rate during injection molding are suppressed, enabling golf balls to be manufactured without production problems such as molding defects, scorching, core deformation and core eccentricity. |
| US08083975B2 |
Exhaust and/or condensate port for cured in place liners and installation methods and apparatus
A process for porting air inflated flexible resin impregnated cured in place liner by pulling without loss of pressure is provided. A selectively openable bulkhead fitting is installed at the pull-in end. The filling may be installed in the end of a pull-in liner; on a porting sleeve or secured to an inflated pulled in or inverted liner. A port is formed through the bulkhead fitting by cutting a hole through the valve assembly. A steam fitting with an exhaust hose is coupled to the bulkhead fitting while maintaining pressure in the inflation bladder. Steam for curing the resin is then introduced into the inversion apparatus to cure the resin and is exhausted through the exhaust hose. |